The Nameless of the Common Clans

Nanyang, Wancheng.

"Wenyuan, why is the tax so low this year?" Lv Bu asked with a frown while looking at this year's tax book.

"My lord, this is also a helpless move. Many people in Nanyang have moved to Jingzhou or Guanzhong to avoid the war. Now many fields are barren, naturally they can't be compared with the past, and since we came here, many taxes have not been collected." Zhang Liao smiled bitterly.

"Can't collect it?" Lv Bu frowned: "Why is that?"

"Many local gentry do not accept our army's governance, and naturally they are unwilling to pay taxes." Zhang Liao frowned. Lv Bu's Nanyang prefect was appointed by Chen Mo, but many gentry in Nanyang refused to pay taxes to the government office on the grounds that the emperor was not in Chang'an and the current court had no right to appoint officials.

"Bang!" Lv Bu slapped the table and snorted coldly: "This is not up to them!"

"My lord, what's the matter?" Two burly figures stepped in from outside the door and bowed to Lv Bu.

"Just in time!" Lu Bu took a deep breath and said, "Gather the troops and prepare to take action."

"My lord, if we rob, I'm afraid we will lose face!" Zhang Liao quickly stood up and advised.

"Of course we can't rob, we only take what we have." Lu Bu took out a bamboo slip from his arms and read it carefully: "I have thought about it. Since no one is willing to work for us, the whole Nanyang will be under military control!"

"What is military control?" Zhang Liao was puzzled.

"Everything is done according to the rules, and Nanyang's taxation will follow the example of the Taishi in the past. No head tax will be collected. Instead, all the land will be taxed. The amount of land will be paid according to the tax, and the army will collect it door to door. In addition, other things will be managed like managing the army!" Lu Bu's management may be a little worse, but he is quite experienced in managing the army.

"This..." Zhang Liao looked at the bamboo slips in Lu Bu's hand: "No one has ever used this method."

"Then let our army start using it." Lu Bu said coldly: "Since these people are unwilling to be used by me, then they should be good citizens and farm well! You and I will divide Nanyang, and Hou Cheng, Cao Xing, Song Xian, Wei Xu and Wei Yue will be in charge of one area. We will not rob, but we must pay the taxes, not a grain less!"

The strategy Chen Mo gave Lu Bu was not to help Lu Bu find any advisers, but to let Lu Bu treat the entire Nanyang as a large military camp. There is no need for government offices. The army will directly replace the government offices and be responsible for supervision, tax collection and governance. All things will be done according to the Han law, turning the entire Nanyang into a military settlement.

In addition, there is a special army responsible for supervising soldiers, who are directly responsible to Lu Bu. In this way, Nanyang's economy will definitely be affected, but Lu Bu's control over Nanyang will reach an unprecedented height.

This method is somewhat similar to Shang Yang's farming and warfare method, but it is a simplified version. It is also the method that Chen Mo thinks is most suitable for Lu Bu. Otherwise, Lu Bu would hardly last until Chen Mo integrates Guanzhong and Xiliang and was annexed by other forces.

Moreover, Chen Mo also intends to use this method in border areas such as Xiliang, Hetao, and Yunzhong in the future. Lu Bu just provides Chen Mo with some examples.

"Yes!" Zhou Cang and Hu Che'er didn't think too much. Since Lu Bu gave the order, they immediately went to execute it.

"Lord, who taught you this method?" Zhang Liao didn't stop him. He also felt that this method was suitable for Lu Bu, but he always felt that this method had disadvantages. It felt like going back hundreds of years in history.

"Chen Mo." Lu Bu frowned.

Zhang Liao frowned. If this method is really useful, why doesn't Chen Mo use it?

But he can't care so much now. If he doesn't use this method, Nanyang's taxes this year may not even be enough for military rations.

Seeing that the end of the year was approaching, Nanyang was in a state of desolation. Lu Bu divided 30,000 of his 50,000 soldiers and horses into six groups, Wei Xu, Cheng Lian, Hou Cheng, Hao Meng, Cao Xing, and Wei Yue. Each of them had 5,000 soldiers and went to various places to measure the land. Those who had already paid taxes were ignored, but those who had not paid taxes were asked door to door.

The people who paid taxes in Nanyang were basically ordinary people or some rich families. They did not dare to resist Lu Bu, but most of the big families joined hands to resist Lu Bu's control of Nanyang, and the resistance was also the most intense.

However, how could the organized forces of local tyrants compete with these veterans under Lu Bu's command? Within ten days, nearly 50 households were destroyed. Lu Bu had no good feelings for these local gentry who usually pretended to obey but secretly, and always made trouble for him and hindered the management of the government office. Naturally, he was merciless when he started to fight.

In just half a month, the voice of resistance in Nanyang disappeared. Lv Bu's iron-blooded methods made these Nanyang gentry see that Lv Bu was a fool. He would overturn the table when he couldn't play. He wanted to govern Nanyang by force. Now, if they wanted to stay in Nanyang, they had to follow Lv Bu's rules. However, the way of collecting taxes based on land would naturally cause the biggest victims to the local gentry who owned large tracts of land.

Wancheng began to become lively in the past few days. With the arrival of Lv Bu, the Nanyang gentry who had moved out of Wancheng gathered in Wancheng in the past few days, hoping that Lv Bu could take back his order.

"General Wenyuan, when will the Marquis of Wen be free?" Outside the government office, several Nanyang celebrities lowered their posture this time. When they saw Zhang Liao coming out, they rushed up and surrounded Zhang Liao.

There was no way. This time, Lv Bu collected taxes for five years. According to Lv Bu's current tax law, more than half of the food in the house could be moved away. Lv Bu was not here five years ago.

"Everyone, please don't interfere with official business. My lord has been very busy these days. I'm afraid I don't have time to see you." Seeing these famous people who Lu Bu usually couldn't see, they gathered here this time. Even with Zhang Liao's temperament, at this moment I'm also a little bit happy. I used to swallow my anger and wanted you to do things, but now I have changed my strategy and no longer need officials. After everything has been changed to military control, these people are licking their faces and coming to flatter me. If I had known this, why bother in the first place?

Several celebrities looked at Zhang Liao striding away with somewhat unsightly expressions.

"Brother Changliu, what should we do now?"

"How did I know this reckless man was so unruly!"

"Quiet, this is outside Marquis Wen's Mansion, there are many ears and eyes!"

"Wait a little longer, I have to meet Marquis Wen. This method of military control is harmful to people's livelihood. If Marquis Wen is short of people, this land of Nanyang is full of outstanding people. I can recommend some people to help Marquis Wen govern the place."

"Who is Lu Bu's origin? Is he worthy of us serving him? If he doesn't change, we will move away from Nanyang."

"You can try to see if you can move your family property away. If you can, we will move away together with Brother Wenyi."

"..."

On the other side, in Lu Bu's mansion, Zhou Cang walked in quickly, grinned at Lu Bu and said, "My lord, your move is really powerful. Those bullshit celebrities couldn't even see each other before, but now they all come to ask for permission." ”

"What celebrities? They are just a group of selfish people. They used to show off their power, but now they just want to pay less taxes, so they came here to ask for help." Hu Che'er on the side said disdainfully, then looked at Lu Bu and said: "My lord, I really don't see you. ?”

"No!" Lu Bu looked at the content on the bamboo slips and sneered: "If I had known it was so easy to collect grain, why would I have talked nonsense with them before? The taxes collected now alone are enough for our army for three years. Seeing that they have What's the use? I have no shortage of warriors under my command to make plans, but these people can't be trusted. I inform the officers and soldiers of the three armies to take care of themselves and don't plunder the people. If you miss the next spring plowing, you will be severely punished!"

"Here!"

Watching Zhou Cang and Hu Che'er leave, Lu Bu looked at the treasury taxes recorded on the tax book. Leng Jun couldn't help but smile a little. Managing the place... is also very simple.

Lu Bu is looking forward to next year's taxes. If the taxes can be as high next year, then he can recruit another army of soldiers and horses.

However, Nanyang’s small population is a problem. How can we get more people?

Lu Bu stood in front of the map, looking at Yingchuan, Runan and Jiangxia from time to time.

Discuss with Liu Biao first and ask him to send some of his people to farm the fields. As for Cao Cao, it will be much easier... just rob him. Anyway, his alliance with Liu Biao is to deal with Cao Cao, and sooner or later he will fight.

But let’s run Nanyang well first.

Lu Bu looked at the letter sent by Chen Mo. He wanted to build arrow towers and checkpoints at strategic points in various places to restrict the outflow of people. In addition, he wanted to check household registrations. There was a lot to do.

…

"Lord, this..." In Chang'an, Li Ru looked at Chen Mo's letter to Lu Bu and looked up at Chen Mo with some surprise. If Lu Bu really followed Chen Mo's method step by step, even if the Nanyang gentry was not wiped out by Lu Bu, Will be severely damaged.

"There is no way. It is difficult to find a military adviser for Fengxian, but he has his advantages. Instead of asking for help in a low voice, it is better to let him manage the place like an army, similar to a military camp." Chen Mo took back the letter with a smile and prepared it. The fire paint was sent to Lu Bu.

"But if this happens, Lu Bu will definitely become the target of public criticism!" Li Ru said with a bitter smile.

"No, it's not ten years ago now. Brother Meng De is now gathering strength to prepare to attack Xuzhou. Even if the Nanyang scholars invite him, he won't come. I will definitely not send troops here. Liu Biao's words..." Chen Mo thought for a while and said: "If Liu Biao insists on attacking, we will take the opportunity to take over Nanyang."

If Liu Biao betrays the alliance and joins forces with the Nanyang nobles to deal with Lu Bu, Lu Bu may not be able to withstand it, but this will give Chen Mo an excuse to annex Nanyang. When the time comes, Chen Mo's power will be able to connect the north and the south.

However, Chen Mo speculated that Liu Biao might not be willing to fight Lu Bu now. After all, both himself and Cao Cao would be eyeing this territory. If Liu Biao took the initiative to attack, the person he would face next would not be Lu Bu, but Lu Bu. Chen Mo or Cao Cao.

Scholars are strong, but if we look back carefully, over the years, with the rise of Chen Mo and Cao Cao, the power of scholars has been continuously reduced. Cao Cao directly massacred famous scholars, and although Chen Mo did not directly do it, he was tricked by himself. There are many celebrities who have been ruined. Now that Lu Bu has done something like this, it is not an exaggeration to say that it has shaken the foundation of the scholars. It is not that he himself has caused much harm to the scholars, but what Lu Bu has done has made other princes in the world see him. This is a path to a strong army, and if someone follows it in the future, the backlash will be smaller than Lu Bu's, but the damage will be greater than Lu Bu's.

"My lord, I have no plans left, I admire you." Li Ru smiled and said, cupping his hands. In this way, Lu Bu was equivalent to clearing a lot of obstacles for Chen Mo, and Chen Mo didn't have any bad luck.