Chapter 287: The King of Shu came but refused to pay taxes (asking for monthly tickets)

Hearing Li Jingren's anxious voice, Xu Jingzong was startled.

Could it be that Your Highness feels that Xu's methods are too cruel?

Li Xiang has always been known for his martial ethics of knowing when to stop and rarely killing anyone.

Xu Jingzong was also wondering in his heart what was going on.

He took the letter from Li Jingren's hand, took a deep breath, and opened it tremblingly.

"Lao Xu, what's wrong with you?" Li Jingren asked suspiciously.

"I'm fine." Xu Jingzong responded with a forced smile.

After he opened the letter and looked down, he was shocked.

The letter did not criticize him for being too harsh, but rather criticized him for being too soft-hearted.

Wow, you’re such a conservative, huh? Do you think a radical like me is too conservative?

According to Li Xiang, it doesn't matter if all those who deliberately oppose the court's policies are eliminated. It can even clear away a lot of obstacles in the local area, eliminate some people who are just sitting there doing nothing, and give more capable people opportunities.

But now that it's done, let it be.

You can't have already taken the money and then go back on your word and take them down. That would be going back on your word.

Xu Jingzong put down the letter with a complicated expression, and said with emotion: "I really didn't expect that Your Highness would support me in dealing with the Song family in this way."

"He also made it clear that you were too soft-hearted, right?" Feng Qing glanced at the letter and asked with a smile.

"Yeah." Li Jingren shook his head and sighed.

"When His Highness first came to Dengzhou, if the five major families had not known the current situation, they would have been wiped out by His Highness long ago." Feng Qing recalled: "From that time on, I knew that His Highness was not a soft-hearted person."

"Now I know." Xu Jingzong handed the letter to Feng Qing, and then said to him: "Your Highness means that the Dengzhou Grand Military Governor's Office will keep 1.5 million of the confiscated money, and the rest will be escorted to Youzhou for use."

"Well," although Feng Qing was reluctant to give up the money, considering that the construction of Youzhou also required money, he had no choice but to give it up with reluctance.

In fact, even if he disagrees, it will be invalid.

Seeing Feng Qing sighing, Xu Jingzong smiled and comforted him, "Don't worry, Mr. Feng. There is actually room for maneuver."

"Oh?" Feng Qing asked with raised eyebrows.

"Think about it, although these four families escaped punishment this time, they may not be safe from the hands of the procuratorate in the future." Xu Jingzong said with a smile: "It's better to let them go now, just like the New Year pigs. It's better to wait until they are fattened up before killing them than to kill them now after they have been squeezed out of their fat."

Killing the New Year pig is a tradition of the Han nationality since ancient times. What they eat is pork, not some kind of shitty meat. There is no need to care about the emotions of any monsters or demons.

Hearing Xu Jingzong's comfort, Feng Qing's brows relaxed.

"What you said makes some sense, so let's keep them for now."

After that, Feng Qing continued, "It's not just in Dengzhou. When you return to Youzhou, I'm afraid there will be another bloody storm."

"Your Highness is very eager to reform. If you reform, it will certainly involve the fundamental interests of some local tyrants. If they are willing to bow their heads, it's fine. But if they are unwilling to bow their heads and insist on resisting Your Highness, then they really don't know how to write the word death."

Hearing this, Xu Jingzong smiled indifferently.

"Since they are seeking death, then it is not my fault, Xu."

As soon as he finished speaking, another voice was heard from outside.

"Didn't you just receive a letter?" After hearing the voice, Li Jingren looked at Feng Qing and Xu Jingzong in astonishment, turned around and ran out, and came back after a while with a letter.

"This is for you, Feng Changshi." Li Jingren handed the letter to Feng Qing.

Feng Qing did not dare to neglect it. He took the letter, opened it and looked at it carefully. His expression immediately became solemn.

"What's wrong?" Li Jingren and Xu Jingzong asked with concern.

"It's the Andong Protectorate." Feng Qing paced a few steps and sighed, "Just now, the prince sent a letter saying that the war in the Andong Protectorate is tense, and the Silla royal army is losing ground. It seems that 50,000 Japanese troops have crossed the sea and joined the Silla rebels. Su Dingfang and Liu Rengui have issued orders to prepare to join the battle and help the Silla royal army resist the merger of the rebels and Japan."

"What?!" Li Jingren frowned and said, "Didn't Japan lose to the Tang Dynasty in the naval battle before? How can it still organize 50,000 troops?"

"Although Japan is a small country, it is isolated overseas and has not been invaded by any war." Feng Qing replied: "Under such circumstances, it is normal for Japan to organize 50,000 troops and cross the sea to participate in the war against the Silla royal family. After all, Japan has regarded Silla as a forbidden delicacy since the Jinhan period."

"But this time, Japan seems to have used all its strength." Xu Jingzong smiled: "For such a small piece of land, they have sent more than 100,000 troops across the sea to fight. I think they have reached their limit."

"Yes." Feng Qing put the letter away and placed it on the table, then said: "The most urgent task is to raise military supplies and transport them to the Andong Protectorate. Now the Tang Dynasty has to deal with the threat from the Xueyantuo on the grassland, and has no time to take care of the Andong Protectorate. Therefore, the pressure left on Su Dingfang and Liu Rengui is unprecedented."

"What do you need us to do?" Li Jingren asked with a raised eyebrow.

Feng Qing shook his head and said, "No need. Dengzhou has a direct flight to Pyongyang. I will take care of this matter. You still have to go back and report. I won't cause you any trouble."

"Alright." Xu Jingzong nodded and said, "Time is tight, we will set out tomorrow and return to Wuqing by sea."

They stayed in Dengzhou for one night, firstly to rest and secondly to wait for the goods and food to be loaded onto the ship. They could not set off for the time being.

At noon the next day, after the loading was completed, Xu Jingzong and Li Jingren also set out on the journey back to Youzhou.

"Jingren, are you going back so early?" Li Yin asked, waving his hand on his flagship "General Zhenyuan".

In fact, he had always been dissatisfied with the name of this flagship. In his opinion, the five words "General Zhenyuan" were too long and too vulgar.

After thinking it over again and again, he decided to optimize the three words "General" and named it Zhenyuan Ship.

"We have to go back." Li Jingren replied, "The situation in Andong Protectorate is tense. Japan has sent 50,000 more troops to the Silla rebels. The Silla royal army is losing ground. We have to go back and report in a hurry."

"What?" Li Yin raised his eyebrows: "The Japanese went to Silla to cause trouble?"

"Who said it wasn't, you little dwarfs?" Li Jingren spat into the sea water, then crossed his arms and said to Li Yin, "My king, let's say goodbye now."

Li Yin's mind was now full of the issue of Japan joining Silla, so he had no intention of replying to Li Jingren. He just crossed his arms at him and went back to the cabin.

"Why is the King of Shu so absent-minded?" Xu Jingzong saw Li Yin's expression beside Li Jingren and asked with a smile.

"I don't know." Li Jingren spread his hands. "He is just like that. He likes to be around people. Maybe he has found some new fun to do. We don't need to pay attention to him."

Xu Jingzong nodded and didn't take it seriously.

However, what they didn't know was that Li Yin was about to give them a big gift.

After returning to the cabin, Li Yin sat on the Hu stool with a heavy heart, like the sculpture called "The Thinker". "My king, what's wrong with you?" Zhang Sili, the military commander of the Shu Palace, asked.

Li Yin didn't hear what Zhang Sili said and was still thinking.

Damn it, these little Japanese slaves actually dared to send troops to Silla to help those traitors? This is simply intolerable!
"Your Majesty?" Zhang Sili asked again.

Li Yin heard it now. He came back to his senses and asked with an "ah", "What's wrong with you?"

"I am asking if there is anything on your mind, Your Majesty." Zhang Sili asked with concern.

"Nothing." Li Yin shook his head. "I just heard that Japan has sent 50,000 more troops to the rebellious officials of Silla. Now the war in the Andong Protectorate is tense, and the Silla royal army is retreating step by step. I think that the Tang Dynasty's primary goal now is to deal with the Xueyantuo. As for the Andong Protectorate, we have to wait until the Xueyantuo issue is dealt with before we can free up our hands, so..."

At this point, Li Yin asked, "What do you think I can do?"

"Do...something?" Zhang Sili was shocked. The king actually had the leisure time to do this?

“Yes, as the emperor’s son and the King of Shu of the Tang Dynasty, how can I stand idly by?” Li Yin had an expression as if he was shouldering the moral responsibility, and he looked so... not losing face.

"I feel that the coalition forces of Silla and Japan are powerful - forgive me for saying this, but even if the 2,000-plus naval forces of our Shu Palace are deployed in the Andong Protectorate, it would be a drop in the bucket." Zhang Sili said hesitantly.

Li Yin put one hand in his bosom, looked up at the sky at a 45-degree angle and sighed: "I know this too, but we should do something... How is the training of the navy in the palace going?"

"We can give it a fight." Zhang Sili said confidently.

Li Yin thought for a moment, walked a few steps in the cabin with his hands behind his back, and then said, "If we were to fight against the Japanese navy transporting food and grass at sea, what do you think is the chance of winning?"

"This...if the difference in strength between us and the enemy is too great, we may not be able to gain any advantage." Zhang Sili pondered for a moment and continued, "But our ship is tall and big. Even if we cannot defeat it, we can still run away."

Li Yin nodded and said to Zhang Sili, "Go, in the name of this king, go to Dengzhou to buy food and grass..."

As he spoke, Li Yin raised his eyebrows.

Hearing Li Yin's words stop, Zhang Sili asked hesitantly: "My king, what's wrong with you?"

Who would have thought that Li Yan would suddenly show a wicked smile like Tom Cat.

"Have it!"

"What?" Zhang Sili didn't react.

"I mean, I have an idea!" Li Yin said with a smile: "Go, pass the order to raise a month's worth of military rations, and then go out to sea with me to attack Japan!"

When Zhang Sili heard Li Yan's words, his mouth opened wide like a toad.

No, my king...

Are you planning to attack Japan directly?
"What? Do you have any questions?" Li Yin glanced at Zhang Sili who was still surprised and asked unhappily.

"No, no." Zhang Sili swallowed his saliva: "It's just that I didn't expect that the king would be so bold."

"Bold?" Li Yin laughed. "As the saying goes, you can't catch a wolf without sacrificing a lamb. Think about it, Japan lost all its navy in the joint battle with Baekje and Goguryeo. Now it has sent 50,000 troops to fight Silla. Its domestic defense must be empty. If we take advantage of this great opportunity to land in Japan and stab it in the back, wouldn't it catch them off guard?"

Don't say it, really don't say it...

Zhang Sili thought about it and felt that although Li Yin’s plan was very bold, when he thought about it carefully, what was going on?

But then again, going to Japan to take risks...

"Your Majesty, can we enter Japan with so many brothers without any preparation?" Zhang Sili asked hesitantly.

"Can it be done?" Li Yin snorted coldly, "Why not? As a prince of a country and the son of the emperor, I am willing to risk my life. Can't I set an example for my brothers?"

"That's true, but after all, we are going to Japan..." Zhang Sili was still hesitant.

"Zhang Sili!" Li Yin's face turned cold.

"Here!" Zhang Sili responded subconsciously, still using Li Xiang's new military training method as a response.

"Stand at attention!" Li Yin ordered again, and then looked Zhang Sili up and down: "Let me ask you, who is the commander-in-chief of our royal navy?"

"Report to the king, you are the commander-in-chief." Zhang Sili replied.

"Louder!" Li Yin shouted.

"Report to the king! The commander-in-chief of the royal navy is the King of Shu! The answer is complete!" Zhang Sili shouted.

"Execute the order!" Li Yin finally gave the order.

"Yes!" Zhang Sili had no choice but to walk out and prepare to carry out Li Yin's orders.

He wanted to persuade Li Yin, but it turned out that he couldn't.

Now the only ones who can dissuade Li Yin are Li Shimin and Li Xiang.

But the problem was that Li Shimin was in Chang'an, and a round trip of 800 miles would take half a month even if the express route was 800 miles; Li Xiang was in Youzhou, and a round trip of 800 miles would take seven or eight days even if the express route was 800 miles. By the time the news came back, they had already set sail.

As for Feng Qing, he didn't consider her at all.

Li Yin, this rascal, called Feng Qing "uncle" out of respect, but told him to get out if he didn't.

In desperation, Zhang Sili could only strictly carry out Li Yin's orders without any compromise.

After all, I'm going to go out to sea with my brothers. I can't let them starve in Japan due to insufficient logistics, right?

Thinking of this, Zhang Sili felt a little worried.

Even if we prepare military rations for one or two months, it would still be a bit tight.

He was still lamenting in his heart, just buy as much as he can and leave it to fate.

What he didn't expect was that Li Yan also knew this, but he was not panicked at all.

In Li Yin's opinion, no food? That doesn't matter, the Japanese have plenty...

The slogans were all ready-made, they were the jingles that Li Xiang had made up for him before.

Eat his mother, drink his mother, the King of Shu comes but he refuses to pay any grain!

(Please give me some monthly tickets. Today is the last day of my injection.)
(End of this chapter)