The Empress came ashore and beheaded the meritorious officials, forcing me to wear the yellow robe

Soon, Zhao Xinzhi brought the news back...

When the empress heard that Li Jize had no food and the food transport team was missing, she suddenly had a bad premonition.

Could it be that……

The food and money were stolen again!

Sure enough, a grain transport officer who escaped back soon reported the news.

The food and money were transported along the canal, and when they reached Qinghe County, they encountered a group of fierce bandits who robbed them of all the food and money.

This is outrageous! This is absolutely outrageous!

When the imperial court was in the most critical moment and needed Li Jize to mobilize the army, the bandits turned against her one after another and robbed the imperial court's food and money again and again.

Is it...

Is it really God's will that I die?

But Eunuch Gao was not so naive. How could it be such a coincidence? Time and again, the food and money could not be transported in.

He directly questioned the grain transport officer, "Did you see clearly? Are they really bandits? They are not government troops in disguise, especially northerners!"

The empress was stunned. Government troops? Northerners?

Good boy! She suddenly understood what Eunuch Gao meant...

He suspected that Li Jize was stealing from the company!

In order to avoid sending troops, he deliberately said that there was no food and money. When the court sent food and money, he sent the Northern Liang Wolf Cavalry disguised as bandits to plunder!

This went on for a while, but since he had no food or money, he didn't move.

But surprisingly...

The grain transport officer replied, "They're not from the north! They're probably disaster victims! I hear they have all sorts of accents, and they don't ride horses!"

Ah this...

The Empress and Eunuch Gao were both stunned.

Was it done by the disaster victims? Not Li Jize's army?

Of course, they would never have thought that the people being robbed were also soldiers! And they were Li Jize's army.

The reason why we can't guess it is because Li Jize has been preparing for today since he was driven crazy.

Who would have thought that at that time, Li Jize already had an armed force loyal to him?

Moreover, because these people were all disaster victims, it was the King of Qin who gave them food to keep them alive. They hated the court and were absolutely loyal to the King of Qin.

This is a difficult situation...

The empress realized that she was afraid that she would not be able to transport Li Jize's food! Without food and money, Li Jize would never send troops.

The court is in such a critical situation now, what should we do?

Eunuch Gao waved his hand, and the grain transport officer was immediately taken away. He looked at his master and whispered, "Everyone, Li Jize is in Qinghe County. Why not let him lead the army to suppress the bandits! That way, he can also raise his own military rations."

The empress shook her head. She didn't need to think about it. She knew how Li Jize would reject her.

"I have no food and my soldiers are so hungry that they can't even walk. Please give them to me before they go to suppress the bandits! You have to let me eat first!"

But once the food is transported in, it will be robbed again. This is a logically closed loop.

But the old eunuch said, "raise the money yourself"!

Ok?

This did remind the empress.

"Since Qinghe County's grain can't be transported in, I want Li Jize to intercept local taxes and raise grain himself. How about that?"

Upon hearing this, Eunuch Gao was horrified and immediately knelt on the ground, saying, "Everyone! Think twice! Li Jize already has the Northern Liang Wolf Cavalry. If he is allowed to intercept taxes, I am afraid... by then, a country within a country will emerge!"

The generals in various places became warlords and only obeyed orders from the imperial court.

but……

You still have to listen to the tune at least!

The reason they did not openly rebel was, firstly, because the ancients believed that the king's power was granted by God, and they still feared the emperor's power. Secondly, the court had to provide them with food and wages!

As long as the imperial court still holds these two things, they will not dare to rebel openly!

Of course, this is not absolute. Zuo Santong among the generals is an exception.

He is so shameless! He robs people openly!

As the saying goes, "The bandits' mistakes are like combs, and the soldiers' mistakes are like rakes."

When the rebels come, it's like combing your hair while they rob the common people. But when the imperial army comes, it's even more brutal. They don't comb your hair, they just shave it off!

It is precisely because of this that the empress felt that all the generals in the world were like this, so why couldn’t they be given to Li Jize?

Is it really true that “the monks can touch you but the Taoist priests cannot”?

But Eunuch Gao knew very well how terrifying Li Jize's abilities were!

The other generals had no ambition and only robbed a little, leaving the suffering of the common people to the court's withholding of military pay.

But Qin Wang Li Jize, if you pay him taxes, he will dare to raise geese for you!

Seeing Eunuch Gao like this, the Empress gritted her teeth and said unhappily, "This won't work, and that won't work! Gao Daban, what do you think I should do in the current situation?"

Eunuch Gao: “…”

After taking a deep breath, he suddenly gritted his teeth and said, "Everyone, why don't you... split the land and become the king?"

Ok?

The empress was stunned and frowned. "Haven't I already made him a king? But you just said that if the land is divided, a kingdom within a kingdom will appear. Now you want me to divide the land and make him a king?"

"Everyone, what this old slave means is... to crack the soil in the north!"

This one sentence stunned the empress on the spot, and then she reacted.

"You mean Beiliang?"

"Yes, Your Majesty! The north is vast and sparsely populated, and Northern Liang is the inevitable route for the barbarians to move south! If Li Jize goes there, we can not only satisfy his demands, but also have him block the barbarian cavalry for us. While he and the barbarians fight to the death... Your Majesty only needs to work hard to govern the country. When the country is prosperous and the people are strong, we can then wipe out Li Jize and the barbarians in one fell swoop."

Even the empress couldn't help but give a thumbs up to Eunuch Gao!

"Great! Wonderful, really wonderful. But..."

At this point, the empress began to feel troubled again. They all knew the truth, so there was no reason why Li Jize didn't know it!

"Just...will he agree?"

Regardless of whether you agree or not, there are some things that you should try, right?

So the empress sent eunuchs again to announce the decree, granting the land of Beiliang to Li Jize, and no local officials were allowed to interfere in the affairs of his fiefdom.

The implication is...

Now, the empress recognizes you as the real "King of Qin", and you are also granted fiefdoms and taxes!

Of course, things don't come for free, you have to help her guard the gate! Prevent the barbarians from continuing to move south.

Originally, this was what Li Jize did. Wasn't he in Beiliang before and created the Beiliang Wolf Cavalry to fight against the barbarians?

Will Li Jize agree?

Unexpectedly...

He agreed!

Not only did he agree to help the emperor fight against the barbarians, but he also did not want the land of Da Qi!

All he needs is for the Empress to grant him a small, unowned island by the sea.

Ah this...

Li Jize's actions are really confusing to everyone! After all this trouble, even being labeled a traitor, you only want to become the island owner?

It would be better to carve out a piece of land and be crowned king in the Great Qi than to live on a barren and desolate island outside.

But the empress had no idea that there would be something called colonization in later generations!

What's so good about being the King of Qin? If you want to be someone, just be the Pirate King! @