The strength of the country.

This gave Li Yuan finally an opportunity to reform conservative domestic policies.

With the opening of the Silk Road, it is expected that within the next year, the Qin State will gradually get rid of the national policy of focusing on agriculture and implement a strategy of equal emphasis on agriculture and commerce. As a link between Eastern Chu, South Vietnam and other places with the Western Regions

As a result, the Qin State could, on the one hand, take advantage of the opportunity of crossing the border and earn a generous price difference; on the other hand, it could raise mulberry trees, plant hemp, and weave Sichuan brocade and other oriental artifacts that Westerners loved on its vast territory.

When a steady stream of money and silk was poured into Qin's blood through the Silk Road artery, Li Yuan believed that even the most conservative Qin people would be surprised and proud of this.

The implementation of the Xiaotui En Order caused an unprecedented impact on the family system of Qin State. During the implementation of this policy, the most critical issue of raising orphaned children was gradually replaced by the state from the original family support system.

The custody system belongs to the substitution.

In various counties of the Qin State, an institution similar to an orphanage was established under this background. The state allocates special funds every year to support children who have lost their parents and are raised by their relatives. Among these orphans, if they are children of the Qin Army

, and will also receive special care.

While the economy was developing, the Qin State also experienced many seemingly minor changes in this year. For example, the selection of officials no longer relied solely on the recommendation of the elders, but a combination of recommendation by the elders in the township and pavilion and self-recommendation.

In this way, every newly hired official has a probationary period of assessment before being officially appointed.

During the assessment period, the imperial censor who is responsible for the performance evaluation of officials will issue some specific evaluation indicators, such as the incidence of crime, the output rate of grain and fodder production, the reclamation rate of wasteland, the average level of taxation per capita, etc.

These indicators are combined to form a scoring system for official performance.

Whether an official is competent or not is determined by the score, not just by the official at the higher level. This is a small step taken by Qin in the official system. But it plays a vital role in the future development of Qin.

function.

As the Prime Minister of Qin, Chen Ping, a powerful civilian leader, was more often regarded as a person who summarized opinions. What he had to do was to judge the most appropriate among different opinions.

One, write down your own opinions, and then submit them to Li Yuan for record and review.

During the filing period, Li Yuan may support his decision. Or he may overturn his opinion. No matter which decision it is, it will not affect the implementation of the decree before it is made. This sentence sounds a bit confusing,

In layman's terms, Chen Ping has the power of execution, while Li Principle has the final power of judgment.

——.

The State of Qin was struggling to move forward through changes one after another.

In the early summer of this year, after the Chu State sent troops to the Yan State and fought a battle with the Huns, the Huns in the north and the two powerful states of Qin and Chu in the south gradually formed a new three-nation confrontation situation.

The Great Chanyu Maodun had just completed the unification of all the grassland tribes. Although the foundation was not very stable, at least it would not affect his use of troops in the south.

Qin and Chu attacked the Xiongnu left and right kings, which made Maodun furious. The Huns also speeded up their aid. In June and July, the Huns who went south in large numbers came from Hetao, Yunzhong, Dai, Yu

Yang, Liaodong and other counties rushed into the northern border of Qin and the northern border of Chu.

A war of border harassment and counter-harassment began in early summer.

Hetao area.

The Qin border troops, who had been preparing for the Huns' counterattack early in the morning, laid out simple defense lines made of stone barriers along the Daqing Mountains and Yin Mountains. Although this stone wall could not stop the Huns from invading south, it could allow them to move southward.

On the way, he lost blood due to the many stone barriers that he had to cross.

Behind the stone barrier, at the place where the river bends, the Qin border cavalry also stood ready to face the Xiongnu tribes that rushed into the Hetao Plain.

However, Maodun's attack in Hetao was just a feint attack. The Huns, who had suffered several hardships from the Qin army, had no intention of launching a large-scale attack on Qin. Maodun's real target this time was the Chu state to the east.

After the old rival Chu State got involved in the war against the Xiongnu, it went through a process from great victory to stalemate and then to bitter fighting.

After hearing the news of the Qin army's victory in the Hexi Corridor, Xiang Yu, who was determined to compete with Li Yuan, led the Chu army to pursue and fight fiercely, killing the Xiongnu Zuoxian King Qiu Liju's tribe in a panic, but as time passed

As time goes by, the glory of ten battles and ten victories gradually fades away with each battle.

The Huns received more and more reinforcements. During the battle with the Huns, the Chu army began to show its disadvantage in being unaccustomed to the acclimatization of the Yan land in the north. The dry Youyan Plain made the Chu people who were accustomed to surviving in rivers and swamps feel uncomfortable.

In contrast, although the Huns also fought in other places, the advantage of their cavalry's fast movement on the Great Plains was undoubtedly revealed.

Yuyang.

Temporary military camp of the Chu army.

In the central military tent, the lights were brightly lit. Overlord Xiang Yu's eyes were filled with bloodshot eyes, and he was looking at the map of Northland drawn on the parchment sent back by the scout.

"Come here, call Generals Xiang Zhuang and Zhou Lan to come over. Also, call Mr. Lou Jing to come together to discuss the matter." Xiang Yu stared at the map in silence for a while and then gave instructions.

The soldiers followed the orders and went down.

After a while, Xiang Zhuang, Zhou Lan, Lou Jing and other generals and counselors of the Chu army who were accompanying the army arrived. Xiang Yu nodded to a few of them and said: "I just reported from the supply camp that we have enough food and fodder to support our army."

In one month, there are still about three thousand cavalry in the army with strong horses. As for the morale of the generals in the army, you all see it. I will not say more about how to fight this battle.

Please come to the table to discuss this."

Xiang Yu, who has always been arbitrary, discussed with Xiang Zhuang, Lou Jing and other subordinates in such a tone. This was an extremely rare compromise gesture. In fact, regarding the current predicament of the Chu army, counselor Lou Jing had advised Xiang Yu early on, so he could appropriately retract.

At once, the Huns were lured to Jixian and Yishui areas.

On the banks of the Yishui River, Qin's eastern front troops and about 40,000 infantrymen of Han Xin's army were stationed. The Qin army's combat effectiveness was not weak. If they could find a way to involve the Qin army in the war between Chu and the Huns, Yan

The unfavorable war situation in the area can be broken instantly.

"Overlord, my subordinates' opinion is that we should retreat. Without the support of the cavalry, our army will not have much advantage over the Huns. If there is another field battle, I am afraid the situation will be even more dangerous." Lou Jing said with a look on his face.

He was solemn, and a few wisps of red appeared on his fair face.

"What do the people of Qin say about the trade of war horses? Have they agreed to our conditions?" Xiang Yu did not answer Lou Jing's words, but asked about another matter. After several fierce battles, he became stronger through trading with the people of Qin.

Of the more than five or six thousand Chuqi, there were now less than three thousand left, which made Xiang Yu feel particularly unhappy.

Yan land.

This is also one of the advantages of herding horses. The purpose of the Chu State's occupation of Yan was to obtain important strategic resources such as war horses. This is also the reason why Xiang Yu has been unwilling to retreat and give up. But now, the Huns have invaded, leaving Xiang Yu without

Time to run the ranches located on the border of the Great Wall.

In desperation, continuing to trade with the Qin people and allowing the Chu army to maintain the necessary rapid cavalry troops was what Xiang Yu had to do at the moment.

"The Qin State wishes that if they want war horses, they can use sea salt and silk as a trade. However, those traded war horses must be used on the battlefield against the Huns. If not, the transaction will be automatically terminated." Lou Jing

replied.

The trade of exchanging prisoners for the battlefield lasted for half a year. As the prisoners of war of the Qin army returned one by one, the reciprocal conditions of the transaction were gradually lost. As the Chu army moved north, there was an urgent need for war horses, which were in urgent need of baggage.

Chu State proposed conditions to Qin State for continuing the transaction.

Lou Jing is a participant in this follow-up plan.

On the side of the Qin State, the official participating in the negotiation was Guan Yue, the governor of Suzhou, who was a treacherous businessman. One of them was a good arbiter, and the other was a treacherous one. It was true that they met their opponents and would meet good talents.

"Promise them. As long as we can defeat the Huns, our Chu State will be able to herd horses at the foot of Wuhuan Mountain. By then, how many tall war horses will there be and how many will be needed——" Xiang Yu snorted coldly and said.

"Overlord, what Mr. Lou said is very reasonable. I will listen to the reports from the scouts. This time the Xiongnu chief Yu Maodun personally led the troops. In this case, the pressure on our army will become greater and greater, even if the Qin people deliver their war horses.

If you come here, I'm afraid you won't be able to stop the Huns from invading south. The Jiyan area is not Chu territory after all." Chu general Zhou Lan admonished.

Huan Chu died in battle.

Zhou Lan felt sorry for him. Compared with Xiang Yu's determination to seek revenge, Zhou Lan, Huan Chu's old comrade-in-arms, felt frightened. He began to be afraid.

"Zhou Lan, are you afraid? In this small battle, how can I, the great Chu warrior, be afraid of life and death, afraid of retreating, overlord? The last general is willing to lead an infantry to garrison in Jixian, as it is the foundation of the entire army."

Zhuang asked for orders angrily, just like his expression, the silence made him feel unhappy.

Xiangzhuang has changed.

And some places haven't changed.

For example, Xiang Zhuang is as courageous as ever when encountering tough battles. In this regard, Xiang Zhuang is exactly the same as his cousin Xiang Yu.

"Xiang Zhuang, don't say hurtful words. I, Zhou Lan, also came from the Overlord's side. How can I live an ignoble existence?" Zhou Lan said with a blush on her face, a hint of shame on her face.

"Well, the land of Yan has been given to me, the Chu State, and I won't give up an inch of it. You don't have to argue anymore. So what if the Xiongnu comes? At the beginning, I, Xiang Ji, didn't even show any fear of the 400,000 Qin troops. How can I do it today?

I'm afraid of the barbarians." Xiang Yu's eyes were full of energy, showing an unparalleled confidence.
Chapter completed!