Chapter 043 Young Master Gaoyi!!
"When I couldn't kill him, I was worried about him all day and had no peace for a moment."
"Why are you bringing up old feelings when you can take action? You're not willing to make a prompt decision."
"He puts his own likes and dislikes above those of the world, is indecisive, and unclear about rewards and punishments. What kind of emperor is he?"
Empress Lu frowned and spoke coldly.
The messenger kneeling before him lowered his head and trembled. Although he was the queen's man, it was better not to hear the queen accusing the emperor.
"Go back and tell Zhao Yao to find a way to keep the emperor, preferably for a few more days."
"I'll wait here... In a few days, I will go to Luoyang in person."
Liu Bang had been on the throne for eleven years. At this time, both Liu Bang and Lu Zhi were very keenly aware that the main threat to the Han Dynasty was not from the Xiongnu outside the Great Wall, but from the foreign princes in the country. Both of them had the idea of eliminating the foreign princes, but their mindsets were different.
Liu Bang loved these old brothers who had fought with him for many years, but he was also worried that Liu Ying would not be able to control them when he was gone. He looked down on Liu Ying from the bottom of his heart. He felt that Liu Ying was no match for these princes, whether in politics, strategy, or military.
He was worried that he would become the First Emperor of Han and Liu Ying would become the Second Emperor of Han. Although Liu Ying was completely different from Hu Hai, his fate would probably be even worse.
However, Liu Bang still had some good intentions towards these old friends. He would just eliminate the danger and not kill them if possible. Over the years, he chose to forgive Zhang Ao and Han Xin and did not kill them. If Liu Bang wanted to kill all the princes, he would not have sent his best friend who was born on the same day as him to be the King of Yan.
This time, although Peng Yue was not his old brother who had followed him , there was indeed some friendship between the two of them. Liu Bang still couldn't bear to kill him and saved his life and that of his clan.
Empress Lü was different. Compared with Liu Bang, Empress Lü was more indifferent. She wanted to root out the evil, whether it was to pave the way for Liu Ying's future or to consolidate the current rule of the Han Dynasty. She was not an old comrade with these people, and she was ruthless in killing them.
Therefore, Liu Bang could forgive Han Xin, but Empress Lü wanted to kill him. Liu Bang learned that Han Xin had been executed only after he led his troops back. At that time, he looked happy and pitying, and his mood was extremely complicated.
In the eyes of Empress Lü, Peng Yue was also a great threat that must be eliminated. Therefore, as she had already predicted that Liu Bang would not kill Peng Yue, Empress Lü came here in advance and waited for Peng Yue. She would make Liu Bang do anything he did not want to do.
Liu Chang was completely unaware of all this; he just thought that his mother was taking him to see his father.
Now they did not continue on their journey. Empress Lu told Liu Chang that she was tired and wanted to rest in the county for a few days. However , many people came to visit Empress Lu during this period. Therefore, Empress Lu appointed a county official to take Liu Chang to travel around the county.
Liu Chang raised his head and looked at the county lieutenant beside him.
It was obvious that my mother had put a lot of thought into keeping an eye on me. This county lieutenant was only a little shorter than Fan Kuai, with a strong build and a full beard. Standing there, he looked quite oppressive. Perhaps because they were afraid that I would run away, there were several soldiers following behind him, keeping an eye on the surroundings.
"Where are you going, sir?"
“Just wander around the county!”
"only!"
The rough man carried Liu Chang into the car and drove the car himself, slowly driving around the county. This was Liu Chang's first time to travel to a city outside Chang'an, and it was a brand new experience.
"What is this place called?"
"Zheng County."
"Is it the Zheng County in South Korea?"
"no."
“How many people are there in the county?”
"You are not allowed to disclose."
"Why?"
"Only local officials and superiors can ask about it."
"Am I not considered a superior?"
"You are a noble , but not a superior."
“那要是我二哥来呢？”
"The prince can naturally ask about it."
Liu Chang immediately became unhappy and asked: Why are you discriminating against princes here? He is a prince, and I am also a prince. He can do it, but I can't?
This is indeed a very poor county town. Wandering around the county town, Liu Chang couldn't even see a second carriage. He thought he could satisfy his desire to eliminate harm for the people and punish some dandies along the way, but how come there isn't even a single dandy to be seen in this county town?
There were broken houses and dilapidated roads everywhere, poor people walking fast with their heads down, and occasionally a few children playing, but they disappeared immediately after seeing the frame. Looking at this scene, the smile on Liu Chang's face disappeared. For the first time, he truly understood what his fourth brother had told him.
When he questioned why the craftsmen lived such a miserable life, his fourth brother told him that it was the same everywhere in the world.
But he never had a real understanding of all this, and now, he saw it.
The city of Zheng County did not have the atmosphere of a market at all. No one was shouting loudly, and no one was picking and choosing. People coming and going just hurriedly took the things they wanted to buy, paid, took the invoice which was split in two, and left in a hurry.
Liu Chang wandered around the county town for several days, but his mood became increasingly heavy.
On this day, when he came to the city again, he finally encountered an unexpected scene.
In a remote corner of the city, a few skinny people were kneeling there. Two wealthy-looking men were pointing and talking at them. They even grabbed one of the women and were about to leave. Liu Chang's eyes widened. What a guy. They robbed a woman in broad daylight? ?
When Liu Chang walked there angrily, the two men were prying the girl's teeth open and watching her carefully.
"You guys...what are you doing?"
The rich man was startled, turned around, saluted Liu Chang and said: "Your Excellency, we are buying a slave."
The people in the county didn't know who the big shot who came to the county was. They were just frightened when they saw that even the county lieutenant was following the child and guarding him closely, so they hurriedly explained.
Liu Chang looked at those people. He knew what buying slaves meant. Gai Gong had told him that there was a clause in the Han law called slaves, which meant that people became slaves because of crimes, and they became official slaves, which were used to reward ministers with meritorious services. In the Han Dynasty, there were also slaves among the people, that is, private slaves.
Liu Chang stared blankly at the living commodities in front of him that were available for selection. There were men, women, and children who looked like him.
This scene had a great impact on the young Liu Chang.
"They have no land... If they want to survive, they can only be slaves. But, don't worry, sir. If they save enough money, they can redeem themselves..."
The county lieutenant was afraid that this unreliable young man would cause trouble again, so he hurriedly spoke to comfort him.
“How much does it cost to buy them land?”
"this……"
The county lieutenant counted the people in front of him and said, "One acre of land is worth seventy yuan. With so many people here, I'm afraid the price will be more than four thousand... Sir, there are so many officials in the county... This... you can't help them all."
"There are many slaves in the county, and even in the whole country. That is the problem of the emperor and the prime minister. Today I saw them but did not save them, that is my problem!"
Liu Chang's words made the county lieutenant's eyes widen immediately. He looked at the young man in front of him in surprise. Was I wrong a few days ago? This young man could actually say such righteous words? ?
"Young Master Gao Yi!!"
Liu Chang grinned and asked, "Do you think I am a man of high integrity?"
“嗯……”
"Then lend me five thousand dollars."
"My family is poor..."
"I will return it to you when I return to the county government. Do you want to be a mean person who forgets his loyalty for the sake of profit?"
This move of moral kidnapping was played beautifully. The county lieutenant wanted to slap himself a few times and teach him a lesson for talking too much... He looked at the soldiers behind him helplessly... Several people gathered together and sent soldiers to find others. In less than half an hour, they finally collected more than 4,500 yuan.
Those officials were stunned. When Liu Chang distributed the money to them and asked them to buy farmland and cultivate it well, they trembled all over and started crying. Some of them knelt in front of Liu Chang and kowtowed. Liu Chang waved his hand and drove away.
They weren't even given a name.
On the way back, Liu Chang was filled with joy, probably because he thought he had done a good deed, while the county lieutenant had a gloomy face and said nothing.
After returning to the county government office, Liu Chang couldn't wait to rush to the inner room where his mother was.
"Mother~~"
"Let me rub your shoulders..."
"I'll pour you some water..."
Empress Lu said coldly, "Tell me, what happened?"
Liu Chang sat in front of her with grievance and said, "I have never caused any trouble. Today, when I went out, I saw some civilians selling themselves into slavery. I couldn't bear it, so I borrowed money from the county lieutenant and gave it to them to buy land... Please lend me some money, mother, I will use it to repay the county lieutenant and the soldiers. As for the money you lent me, I will repay it when I get my fiefdom."
After hearing what Liu Chang said, Empress Lu was no longer angry, nor did she ask any more questions. She asked calmly, "How much did you borrow from them?"
"Uh... ten thousand!"
