Chapter 352 Peaceful Julu? (2/2)
”You keep this. I don't want it.”
”This is a joke.”
”Hey, maybe the teacher is getting senile?”
”Probably. He's been in stagnant for years. I think he gives up the political world.”
”Then, how are we going to get the promotion?”
”Should we ask Te Langpu? The Financial Minister that started selling lands to nobles and farmers despite our lord trying to take them back?”
”Uh, you're wrong on that part. That Te Langpu is renting the lands, not selling.”
”No, he's selling. I think he is giving harsh conditions for the buyers, and they can only transfer the land to their direct descendant, siblings, or parents. If they have no other relative, they can only resell the lands to the government?”
”…”
”Bah, let's ask him anyway. All fat people are greedy. He should be easier to bribe our way to the top.”
.
Te Langpu got chubbier than before. His round face glittered under the sunlight while his fat belly jiggled as he walked.
Beside Te Langpu, Sima Lang followed him, working as this former president's secretary.
This fat man accomplished many feats after he had joined forces with Tong. He renovated the financial laws, government's firms, agricultural economics, and other sectors. Te Langpu also took over Julu's Justice Department from Sima Fang, who had transferred his post to Ye City.
Under Te Langpu's control, he made the government firms monopolize strategic resources, such as iron ores, coals, timbers, rice, and crude oil. In turn, he allowed free markets for other goods, but he imposed tariffs on specific imported products, such as clothes, linen, silks, arts, and potteries.
Still, various education products were tax-free, such as papyrus papers, scrolls, books, and other Julu's monopolized resources that merchants came here to sell to the government.
Julu's economic development had already reached the limit, so Te Langpu was observing the town, thinking of another way to improve the city.
”I'm thinking of converting a few farmlands into a textile factory, but our country's food production is still subpar. What do you think I can change to expand our economy, Boda?”
The 16-year-old Sima Lang shook his head, ”Julu is an agriculture city. Making it a business hub is a mistake from the start. But since Lord Zhang Tong established his force here in his early days, he didn't have a choice but to make this city his economic Capital. If Master Te wishes to expand the economy for Lord Zhang Tong's forces, we'll have to transfer our business Capital to Ye instead.”
Te Langpu nodded, ”Good analysis. Julu is too small to be a business center. I'm thinking of following your father and brothers to Ye City, and we'll slowly transform Julu into a secondary hub instead. As for the farmlands and the food shortage, what do you think?”
”Ganling and Pingyuan are still under development, but their location is close to the Yellow River. Our next agriculture cities should be those commanderies. If I were you, I would inform Lord Zhang Tong to fund them and increase agriculture development in those areas.”
”Are you sure? Ganling and Pingyuan are also in the strategic military zone. Once we unified the north, all soldiers will come to those cities and fortify there.”
”That's exactly why we should hurry and focus our development on those cities. By the time Lord Zhang Tong conquered the north, the central plain should only have one ruler remaining, and that warlord will be eyeing our territories as his next target. We need those two cities to stockpile foods for the next long campaign against our next rival.”
Te Langpu was impressed by Sima Lang's intelligence. He did not expect that this tall older brother of Sima Yi would be this capable since a young age.
Sima Lang's thought was correct. Ganling and Pingyuan were new territories that Tong acquired from Yuan Shao and Sun Jian, but they had not funded their development yet. As they lacked personals and they were busy with the war at Luoyang, no one paid attention to these cities.
At the moment, Tong occupied many important cities; Ye, Julu, Jinyang, Henei, Shangdang, Nanpi, Pingyuan, Zhongshan, and Ganling. Once they could take Ji, Beiping, and Xiangping, Tong would have unified the north.
'Should I say, I expected this much? Heck, Zhang Tong is rearing too many monsters in his forces. Too bad that he hasn't taken Guo Jia, Zhuge Liang, or Zhou Yu here, or else, this civil war would have been a GGEZ already.'
As Te Langpu was training Sima Lang on the job, the group of ten men, who had visited Zhang Jiao, came to ask Te Langpu for help.
”S-Sir Te. Please to meet you, we're former XYT agents, and we wish to reestablish our forces again. I hope that you could …”
”The former Xian Yellow Turbans? Didn't our master tell you to disband them? If you create a legion with [Yellow Turbans] as its name, more thieves will impersonate you again. Haven't you learned from the mistakes?”
”B-But our Yellow Turbans are soldiers of the people! We will fight to protect our cities and peasants.”
”Our policemen and other legions are doing that just fine. A new legion or a battalion is unnecessary.”
The faces of these men lost color. Just a few words, they realized that their dream reformation would not be recognized no matter what.
Sullen and disappointed, they bid farewell and left Te Langpu and Sima Lang.
While they were leaving, Te Langpu peered at them and narrowed his eyes. He gestured his bodyguards, calling them over.
When they got closer, Te Langpu leaned forward and whispered, ”If they leave the city, I want them dead.”
The guards glanced at Te Langpu and nodded. One of them left to inform the others while the rest of the bodyguard squad remained by the fat man's side.
Curious, Sima Lang looked at the group of men and his mentor, ”Why do you want them dead? Aren't they are our officers?”
Te Langpu sighed, ”Sometimes, politics can get complicated. We have to weed out those pesky grasses, so our crops can grow. Well, they are the weeds.”
”Still, they had never harmed us. Aren't they Lord Zhang Jiao's subordinates? These people are known to be loyal to him. Killing them is a bit …”
”You're still naïve, Boda. Those guys want to revive the Yellow Turbans. What do you think will happen if they succeeded?”
Sima Lang stopped to think. Judging from the previous incidents, he grimaced.
”Bandits and thieves will flock to them.”
”Exactly. If they want to form a new battalion with a different name, I will even support them for their bravery. But since they want the old name, then something is terribly wrong. I can't help but suspect that they connect to some gangster bandits or is a part of our enemy's spy organization.”
”…”
”A new lesson for you, Boda. Show no mercy when you deal with evildoers no matter what past they had.”