December 1st, cloudy.

Liu Qing stood by the north window, looking up at the gloomy sky. The thick clouds seemed to be brewing a heavy snow. A cold wind blew through the courtyard from time to time, mixed with dead leaves blowing from nowhere, rising and falling.

.

"It's going to snow soon, why is there no news from Youzhou?" Liu Qing muttered to himself.

In front of the guest table in the bookstore, Guo Jia was wrapped in a thick crane cloak and replied calmly: "My lord, there is no news, maybe it is good news. Maybe there has been heavy snowfall in Youzhou at this time, and Gongsun Zan has to give up the offensive.

, Youzhou can have a peaceful year."

Really? It’s just a good expectation.

"Feng Xiao, the Yuan family has paid half a million shi of food. I plan to send a group of soldiers back, and Guo Tu is among them."

Guo Jia smiled and replied: "My lord has the final say as to who he wants to let go. Although Guo Tu is from the same clan as me, we are each his own master. I cannot afford this favor from my lord."

"Hey, I don't need you to pay back!"

"Then my lord, why don't you reward me with some fine wine, as I owe you a favor."

Liu Qing:......

It seems that Guo's porridge is not as harmonious as Xun's.

The reason is mostly because Guo Jia was dissolute and deviant, which was not tolerated by his family.

"Give some back to Yuan for him to keep, so that he doesn't have to eat my food every day. After all, no one's food comes from strong winds. In addition, I have to urge you. The remaining 500,000 shi should be delivered within this year.

, I’m of great use!”

Give Yuan Wei another month.

Guo Jia wanted to laugh. Other people's food was indeed obtained through hard work, or even "hard" exploitation.

But a lot of Liu Qing's food was brought in by strong winds.

One million stones!

"Lord, where can we use food?" Guo Jiajia realized what Liu Qing said was of great use.

"Feng Xiaoke still remembers that the commercial war in Zhongshan County caused the price of grain to return to benign, and the grain merchants in Zhongshan County were hoarding a large amount of grain at high prices. At this time, they were in a situation where they had grain but no money, so I thought about it.

The grain has to be taken out of their barns and grain houses, and the Tang family can easily take out a hundred thousand stones of grain. These noble families are really rich."

Guo Jia was convinced by what Liu Qing did in Zhongshan County.

Throughout history, those in power either used clever excuses to conscript people, or directly robbed people, or worked together as agents. None of these paths were what Liu Qing wanted to take.

"My lord got money from them? Can he still empty out their food supplies?" Guo Jia didn't believe it.

That's because he has never seen the power of business war.

Once Liu Qing has enough grain in his hands, he can do the reverse operation.

"Fengxiao, do you dare to make a bet?"

"Yes, yes, lord, don't you believe it?"

While he was talking, the door creaked open, and Guo Jia saw it was Princess Qian Ying.

"Lord, please leave."

Qian Ying entered the room without any red tape and silently walked to Liu Qing's side, waiting for Liu Qing to speak.

Liu Qing closed the window smoothly, blocking the cold wind from entering the house. Liu Qing went straight back to the desk and sat down, patting the place next to him.

"Yinger, come on, sit down!"

Qian Ying stepped forward, imitated Liu Qing's example, and sat down in a bold manner.

In the eyes of etiquette experts, Liu Qing always said that he could be more casual in private, but Zhaoji and Nvcai were both well-educated, and Qian Ying was the only one who would be "casual" in front of Liu Qing.

"People.

"Do you still remember what I told you last time that I wanted you to take over the trade with Xianbei?"

Qian Ying nodded, remembering the injustice Xianbei suffered last time, and she would only reveal it in front of Liu Qing.

"Wen Ruo has been reforming the official system recently. I plan to create a new department called the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, which will govern handicrafts and commerce. My idea is to establish an external trade department under it. Currently, it only has dealings with the Xianbei royal family. In the future,

You will take over!"

As he spoke, Liu Qing leaned into Qian Ying's ear and chuckled: "In one month, I announce that all foreign trade will be suspended due to work handover."

Qian Ying was shocked when she heard this. She knew that Liu Qing was paving the way for her to take office. However, if all trade stopped, it might not matter to Liu Qing, but to Xianbei, it would be a big deal. It is already very cold in the north and there is no southward migration.

The tribesmen basically need to bake fuel to survive the winter. This charcoal has been popular in Xianbei. If it stops, the tribesmen without reserves will freeze to death in the cold wind.

He was angry, but the lives of his people were at stake, and Qian Ying couldn't just sit back and watch.

"Husband, if this happens, wouldn't it mean that many tribesmen who rely on the Han's supplies will not be able to survive this month?"

Liu Qing said coldly: "How did they survive the winter before trade with the Han Dynasty?"

Qian Ying paused and recalled the past. Before trading with the Han Dynasty, the Xianbei people moved south as much as possible during the winter. Then, before the winter, they stocked up as much supplies as possible, even disposing of livestock dung balls.

It is used as fuel, but even so, many people still cannot survive the winter.

Therefore, during autumn and winter, Xianbei cavalry often went south to plunder the Han Dynasty. In the face of survival, they could only take risks.

If you do nothing, you will die. If you loot, you may die, or you may survive.

After trading with the Han, the Xianbei people could exchange their livestock, leather and wool for winter supplies, and now that the King of Bohai was in Xianbei, no one dared to go south to plunder.

Not only the Xianbei royal family, this influence has also spread to other tribes.

"In the past, some tribesmen often could not survive the cold and hunger and died in winter."

"Ying'er, think about it, Xianbei relies too heavily on the Han Dynasty. What will happen if the two tribes become hostile again in the future and trade is completely suspended?"

Liu Qing's words once again shocked Qian Ying. With her intelligence, she would never have thought that she had worked so hard to survive the winter. If she relied on the Han Dynasty for a long time, once trade was closed, it would undoubtedly be a disaster for Xianbei.

disaster.

Liu Qing has a more systematic view on this, which is a country’s food security and energy security.

Necessities that rely too much on trade are easily manipulated.

Qian Ying pondered whether she should insist on persuading her husband to be extra merciful.

"In one month, I will give them a brief punishment. I want them to understand a truth. What I want is not Xianbei's trivial matters, but stability in the north and the people living in peace. At the same time, I also remind them not to forget that to achieve stability, in addition to

There are other ways to trade, but now you see, the three Kuitou brothers have completely stopped."

Qian Ying was shocked again and again. What her husband meant was that if Xianbei disobeys, brother Kuitou will suffer the same fate...

If you give me a warning if you disagree, can you still have a pleasant chat?

Liu Qing suddenly moved his position, hugged Qian Ying's waist, and said with a playful smile: "Ying'er, joking, joking, haha."

Qian Ying couldn't laugh, and her body was a little stiff when she was hugged by Liu Qing. At this moment, she also made up her mind.

"By the way, this month, it's up to Ying'er to decide whether you should listen or not!" Liu Qing said openly and generously.

Qian Ying shook her head and said bluntly: "Qian Ying has remembered your husband's words. This month, we will treat it as a wake-up call."

It not only warns the royal family that although Qian Ying is not in charge of the royal family now, but not to forget her weight, but also warns the Xianbei royal family not to rely too much on the big man. Look, I not only love Qian Ying, but also love Wujiwu. I love Xianbei and warn them to constantly strive for self-improvement.

Kill two birds with one stone and win hemp directly.

"Thank you, husband." Qian Ying understood the seriousness of the matter and Liu Qing's "good intentions", and thanked her sincerely.

Liu Qing tightened his hands and took her into his arms.

To be honest, the original intention of doing this was just to vent his bad temper for Qian Ying.

…

On the same day, Youzhou Youzhou Beiping County.

Outside Tuyin City, the sky was filled with dust and the wind was blowing wildly. Gongsun Zan's troops came to the city.

According to Liu Yu's instructions, Liu Zheng, the governor of Youbeiping County, only made a symbolic resistance and abandoned the city and fled. Gongsun Zan captured Tuyin City almost without a single blow.

Gongsun Zan and Gongsun Yue stood side by side at the head of Tuyin City, looking at the army below the city. They gathered the strength of the entire Liaodong and Western Liaoning to piece together these 50,000 cavalrymen, and tens of thousands of auxiliary troops to serve the cavalry. Together with the baggage personnel, they could be called one hundred thousand.

Public.

In front of the army, the earth wall collapsed almost instantly, and the prefect Liu Zheng fled. This was what Gongsun Zan wanted.

And sweeping across the entire Youzhou will have this effect.

"Brother, the battle has just begun and is already over. Liu Zheng was so cowardly that he abandoned the city and left. Maybe he will be able to control Youzhou within this year!" Gongsun Yue joked.

"Ah Yue, please don't be arrogant. If you were to defend the city, would you abandon the city in the face of a hundred thousand troops?"

Gongsun Zan lectured his disciple, "Ah Yue, you still have a lot to learn about marching!"

Gongsun Yue nodded silently without saying a word.

"The army is ordered to rest outside the city for a day! We will attack the day after tomorrow! Ayue, Guan Jing, our army is at its peak. Can we change our thinking and go directly to Yuyang and then attack Jixian? Follow me and plan!

"
To be continued...