When Pang Yu, Bi Shu and Bai Li Xian walked into the study room one after another, Xiang Zhuang had just received a letter from Fei Ge from Linzi.

After moving the capital, the original power structure of Chu State was broken. A large group of nobles led by Huan Chu and Ji Bu lost their foundation and connections in Jiangdong, and were completely marginalized. The power of the Xiang clan's children was greatly weakened. The Taiwei Xiang Tuo had basically become a decoration, and the power of the Yin Xiang Yin was strengthened, but it was only in political affairs and civil affairs.

Xiang Zhuang is not superstitious about clan children. As long as he imitates Lao Zhu to weave a complete bureaucratic checks and balances, officials' rebellion is simply a delusion, so there is no need to raise a huge clan group to consolidate the rule of the Xiang family.

With Bishu and Bailixian, civil and military officials, began to enter the center, and Xiang Zhuang has basically only found two people to discuss matters.

As for the general Pang Yu, it just happened to be the best, because he would go to Qi State with Tian Heng soon.

"Zi'ang, learn swords. Ziliang, you are here. There is no need to be too polite. Come to the seat quickly." Xiang Zhuang kept silence and waited for Pang Yu and the other two to take the seat. Then he continued, "Just just received a letter from Feige from Linzi. Han general Zhou Yafu tried to attack Linzi, but was discovered by the prince. He captured more than 2,000 coalition forces alive with the trick. General Zhao Baiyan and general Han Ju were also captured."

"Oh?" Bailixian said happily, "Master, this is really an unexpected surprise."

"That's right." Bi Shu also echoed, "In this way, our State of Chu will be in an extremely favorable position in the following negotiations, haha."

Bailixian said again: "Especially the prince's performance is really amazing."

Xiang Zhuang smiled slightly and said, "Learn from the sword, Ziliang, I have to thank you. If it weren't for your devoted professor, how could the prince be like today?"

Baili Xian, Bi Shu hurriedly said: "This is what ministers and others should do."

"Okay. Let's not talk about this for now." Xiang Zhuang waved his hand and said, "Let's talk about another major event first, and the summer grain will be harvested in more than a month. According to the reports from each county and county, this year, Bashu, Jiangdong, Jingxiang and even the newly reclaimed Wei land will usher in a bumper harvest. This is really a beautiful thing."

After several years of expansion and merger, the Chu State has now occupied Bashu, Jingxiang, Jiangdong, Huaisi, Wei 18 counties, and Sanchuan County. According to the latest statistics from the Huangcai of Lingyin’s house, the total number of Dingkou in Chu State has exceeded 10 million, and the total arable land area of ​​each county has exceeded 400,000 hectares (one hundred acres per hectares).

If the yield per mu is calculated, 400,000 hectares is 80 million stones. Even if the yield per mu is calculated, it is a huge amount of 40 million stones, which is more than enough to support 10 million people. It is enough to take a compromise. Suppose that the collection is 60 million stones, and then the Wei land that does not collect taxes will be removed, the tax source will be about 50 million stones. According to the tax rate of ten taxes, it is five million stones.

In order to reduce the burden on the people, the payment of land tax in Chu was quite free. Farmers could pay food directly or sell the food and pay money after the food was sold. Moreover, the transportation of grain and the transportation of money were handled by the government. Farmers only had to send the land tax to the local pavilion chief. Therefore, the land tax paid to the treasury will definitely be depleted.

By this calculation, the grain that will eventually enter Ao Cang will not exceed two million stones.

This is two million stones. If we count the surplus grain that the Red-topped merchant could buy from the people, the Chu State could actually call at least five million stones of military ration, which is enough to support the Chu State to launch a large-scale foreign war. Xiang Zhuang originally thought that it would take three to five years of rest after moving the capital, but now because the weather is beautiful, it can be greatly advanced.

Pang Yu, Bi Shu, and Baili Xian quickly calculated this number in their hearts, and they also looked excited.

Pang Yu said, "King, can the use of troops in Han and Zhao have been ahead of this year?"

Xiang Zhuang nodded and said, "After the summer harvest, I plan to use troops to foreign countries, but I am afraid that the Chu country will not be able to use troops to the Han, Han and Zhao countries at the same time, and the risk is too great."

"I fully agree with the king's point of view." Baili Xian shook his feather fan and said deeply, "At the same time, the pressure is too great to start a war against Han, Han and Zhao. I suggest that I condemn elite soldiers and generals block Jinniu Pass, Hangu Pass and Wu Pass, take a defensive stance against Han, and then send lobbyists to South Korea to lobby South Korea to maintain neutrality, and then concentrate all efforts to destroy Zhao!"

Pang Yu frowned and said, "The question is, South Korea is also a member of the Lianheng Alliance. Will it choose to be neutral?"

"It depends on when." Bi Shu gently tapped the table in front of him and pondered, "If it were last year, South Korea would never have sat down and watched Zhao State be destroyed, but this year, the situation would be very different."

"Indeed, the king re-enthroned Tian Heng as King of Qi will surely shake the world and greatly shake the foundation of Lianheng's alliance." Bailixian pointed to the northwest with the feather fan in his hand, and then said, "The King of Han is a stubborn and indecisive person. If the king is willing to value profit, he will definitely stop moving forward."

Xiang Zhuang said again: "It is not a problem to disintegrate the Lianheng Alliance, what kind of excuses are you looking for?"

South Korea, Zhao State knew that Chu State was the only one in power, and its national strength was far superior to other countries, but they were still determined to join the Lianheng Alliance, which Han State took the lead. Wouldn't they just be afraid that Chu State would one day be destroyed?

However, Xiangzhuang has successively conferred the titles of King Wei, King Bei Diao and King Qi, and they are not Xiang Zhuang's confidants, but the former descendants of the royal families of various countries. This is enough to show Xiang Zhuang's kindness. Even if Bai Mo and Bai Xuan and others do not believe that Xiang Zhuang will only be another prince, Xiang Yu, but Han King Han Xin will definitely feel hesitant.

Therefore, the collapse of the Lianheng Alliance is by no means a problem.

But what kind of excuses to find is indeed worth pondering. Xiang Zhuang successively conferred the title of King Wei, King Bei Diao and King Qi, and finally created a harmless image of King Bo. If he could not find a good excuse in the battle against Zhao and showed too much fangs, this hypocritical image would collapse.

Pang Yu, Bi Shu, and Bai Li Xian were all in silence. Such excuses were indeed difficult to find.

Send troops to create trouble at the border, then falsely accus the Zhao army of provocation, and then take the opportunity to invade Zhao State? This is definitely not believed. Under the current situation, even a fool would not believe that the Zhao army dared to take the initiative to provoke the Chu army.

So, to provoke Zhao to attack Yan State? Although King Zhang Ao of Zhao has little knowledge, General Bai Xuan of Zhao State is also a powerful character. How could he be fooled easily?

It would be even more impossible to instigate Zhang Ao to be the emperor.

Seeing that Pang Yu, Bi Shu, Bai Li Xian, the three strong ministers were silent, Xiang Zhuang could only smile bitterly. He knew that this excuse was indeed difficult to find, and said immediately: "Well, fortunately, it's only April, and there is still one month before summer harvest. You can think about it slowly, but the military needs to be stepped up."

Baili Xian, Bi Shu quickly knelt down and stood up, and responded respectfully.

When the army went on a war, everything was complicated, the allocation of food and supplies, the dispatch of supplies, the convening of government troops, and the collection of bounties, Xiang Zhuang would never care about these things. In the past, Xiang Tuo was involved in these things, but now it fell on Bi Shu and Bai Lixian, especially Bai Lixian, who was busy.

After talking about preparing for the war, the topic turned to Qi State. Xiang Zhuang said again: "I proposed to re-establish Tian Heng as King of Qi. Although it occupied a moral high point, Han, Han, and Zhao State may not buy it. I guess the final result of the negotiations will be limited to the actual occupation of the territory. What do you think?"

The situation in Qi is very delicate now. With Han He abdicated and surrendered, Han Qi has officially declared its destruction, but the ** teams entering Qi have not planned to act according to the previous agreement. First, the Chu army sent surprise troops to occupy Linzi first, and then Shentu Jia, who had surrendered to Han, blocked Gao Lang's army in the south of Lixia.

The Feige's letter just received by Xiangzhuang said that Zhou Yafu led the Han and Zhao troops to surround Linzi, but 20,000 Han troops marched eastward day and night, ambushing the Yan army near Weishui. The Yan army was defeated and retreated towards Langya County. It seemed that Prince Yan Zangyan had already recognized the cruel reality and wanted to save Langya County.

The actual situation is now like this. The Han, Han and Zhao troops actually controlled most of Jibei County, Linzi County and Jiaodong County. The Yan army could only barely control Langya, while the Chu army controlled Xue County, plus Linzi City. However, this situation could be repeated at any time. Shentu Jia's 30,000 Qi army was a variable, and Linzi City was also an unstable factor.

Baili Xian said: "If the final result of the negotiation is based on the actual occupation of the territory, then Linzi City will become an isolated city within the territory of the Han Dynasty, and I have to give up."

Pang Yu quickly became the general of Qi State and said now: "Linzi is the capital of Qi State. Qi State has been operating there for hundreds of years. Will they be willing to give up?"

"It is certain that you are unwilling to accept it, but this is a good thing for us." Baili Xian smiled, "We can just exaggerate the greed of Han, Han and Zhao, and lead all the hatred of the powerful and nobles in Qi land to them. In this way, the control of the aligned land will become easier."

"But we can't give up Linzi for nothing." Xiang Zhuang picked up the curled beard on his lips and pondered, "Especially the more than 2,000 Korean and Zhao troops captured by the prince, this is a big bargaining chip. Linzi can give up his opinions, but Linzi city and nearby people Dingkou must move to Lu County."

Linzi County and Xue County are the two largest counties with the most densely populated areas in Qi, especially Linzi County. The population of one county exceeds 300,000, which is almost more than the combined population of Jiaodong and Langya counties.

In this era, what resources are the most scarce and what resources are the most important? There is no doubt that it is population!

Only with population can there be a source of troops, taxes, money and grain, and continuous fighting against foreign countries. Therefore, Xiangzhuang did not care about the success of each pool. Even if Linzi was the capital of Qi for hundreds of years, he didn't care about it, but he cared very much about the hundreds of thousands of mouths in Linzi County.

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ps: I recommend a book to everyone. This time it is a high-quality recommendation, not a friendly recommendation. The swordsman guarantees that it is a great book that cannot be missed. It is written in the Ming Dynasty and is also a competition for hegemony. The title of the book is "Late Ming Dynasty".

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