Ma Zhou said slowly, "My first request is that after Your Majesty withdraws your troops from Liaodong Dao, please transfer a portion of your troops to stay in Liaodong Dao. Only in this way can I quickly transfer troops to quell a rebellion in Liaodong Dao and other uncontrollable matters. After all, although Liaodong Dao looks peaceful, there might be undercurrents. "
"With Your Majesty around, Liaodong Dao will be stable."
"After Your Majesty leaves Liaodong Dao, the peaceful situation might be broken. These people in the dark might not dare to cause trouble on the surface, but they will definitely make a move in the dark. "
Ma Zhou said solemnly, "I need a certain amount of troops. Only by stationing troops can we ensure Liaodong Dao's long-term stability and continuous development."
Du Qi said solemnly, "Approved!"
Ma Zhou said, "Secondly, I sincerely request Your Majesty to transfer scholars from Xia Xia to Liaodong Dao for training after returning to the country. To make the people of Liaodong Dao loyal to Xia Xia, it is definitely not enough to rely on the local officials of Liaodong Dao. Only when scholars from Xia Xia join in and borrow the influence of scholars from Xia Xia can the local people submit. "
Du Qi said, "I also approve the second request. Arranging scholars to rush to Liaodong Dao is not only to sort out the governance of Liaodong Dao, but also to train scholars from Xia Xia. Liaodong Dao is different from other places in the country. Working as an official in Liaodong Dao can train oneself to a greater extent. "
Ma Zhou quickly thanked him.
Du Qi said, "There is no need to thank me. This is official business. Let's talk about the third request."
Ma Zhou said again, "Thirdly, Your Majesty, please issue a decree that all merchants from Xia Xia who do business in Liaodong Dao will pay thirty percent less tax than in the country. Thirty percent tax reduction is enough to make many merchants gather in Liaodong Dao. As long as merchants come to Liaodong Dao and the roads are connected, the goods of Liaodong Dao, especially the marine goods, will naturally be sold out. Only in this way can merchants be encouraged to gather in Liaodong Dao and make Liaodong Dao prosperous. "
When Du Qi heard Ma Zhou mention this point, he paused slightly and thought about it in his heart.
Thirty percent of the tax was not a small matter.
Nowadays, Xia Xia's business system had become increasingly prosperous. In fact, most of Xia Xia's economy relied on business taxes. Therefore, a 30% tax reduction in Liaodong was likely to lead to more complicated situations. If it was only for a short period of time, it wouldn't have much of an impact. However, as time passed, things would be different.
Seeing that Du Qi was silent, Ma Zhou frowned slightly and felt a little worried.
He could only wait.
A moment later, Du Qi said, "Ma Zhou, We will still grant your request. However, the duration of the reduction needed to be set for a certain number of years. Three years, I'll give you three years. Within three years, the merchants who do business in Liaodong will have their taxes reduced by 30%. After three years, everything will return to normal, and the amount will be the same. "
Ma Zhou breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty."
Now, with Du Qi's permission, everything would be fine as long as the business in Liaodong Road was on the right track, although it was only for three years. At that time, even if the taxes returned to normal, the impact would not be great.
Du Qi said, "What about the fourth?"
Ma Zhou said with a solemn expression, "Fourth, I need the right to make arbitrary decisions in Liaodong Road. Liaodong Road is different from our country. Liaodong Road has just surrendered, and it is a foreign country. "
"It's different from the Tang dynasty."
"The Tang dynasty in the past submitted to Your Majesty, and they have a sense of belonging. But Liaodong Road is different. The people don't recognize Xia Xia enough. Therefore, after Your Majesty leaves, I may use thunderous means to suppress those who resist. "
"Once I want to suppress them, I will send troops."
Ma Zhou said, "I will be very strict. However, such means may need Your Majesty's approval. Therefore, I ask Your Majesty to give me the right to make arbitrary decisions and act first and report later. "
Hearing Ma Zhou's words, Shangguan Yi's eyes sharpened, and then calmed down. He sighed in his heart, because although Ma Zhou's status was lower than his, he was bold enough.
He actually wanted the right to make arbitrary decisions.
He knew that if he stayed in Liaodong Road, he would not have made such a proposal.
Guan Zhilan looked at Ma Zhou with admiration in his eyes. After he entered the Cabinet, he had been treating Shangguan Yi, Ma Zhou, Lai Ji, and others like disciples. Now, hearing Ma Zhou's conditions, Guan Zhilan praised in his heart. If it were him, he would not be able to do this. He could not think as thoroughly as Ma Zhou.
Du Qi nodded and said, "I approve. You can act first and report later in Liaodong Road."
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
Ma Zhou thanked him again, and then said, "Please rest assured, Your Majesty, I will not disappoint Your Majesty. If I can't make Liaodong Road prosper, if I can't make Liaodong Road's politics and people live in harmony, I swear I will not return to the court. "
Du Qi said, "I believe in you."
The expression on Ma Zhou's face was still slightly excited. Now that he was an official from outside the Cabinet, he was able to guard a region by himself and even take charge of a remote area like Liaodong Road. This was a test and also an opportunity for him.
Du Qi continued, "Ma Zhou, I will leave Cui Yongli's thirty thousand men in Liaodong Road's army, and allow Cui Yongli to expand the army to sixty thousand men, establishing a separate sixth army. He will lead the army to oversee Liaodong, listen to your arrangements, and assist you in overseeing Liaodong. If you want to mobilize the army, you can inform Cui Yongli to assist you. However, the arrangement of the army's personnel and the promotion of the officers and soldiers will belong to the imperial court, and will not be under your jurisdiction. "
Ma Zhou said, "I will remember Your Majesty's teachings."
Du Qi continued, "After the establishment of Liaodong Road, the following are the arrangements and adjustments for each province. I will give you half a month's time to divide the provinces of Liaodong Road. At the same time, you will adjust Liaodong Road. After half a month, I will depart. "
"I will obey!"
Ma Zhou was endlessly grateful in his heart.
If Du Qi stayed for another half a month, his governance over Liaodong would be even more stable.
Du Qi waved his hand and said, "Go, and while you're at it, call Cui Yongli over."
"I will take my leave!"
Shangguan Yi, Ma Zhou, and Guan Zhilan complied in unison.
The three stood up and took their leave. After leaving the main hall, Shangguan Yi asked Guan Zhilan to inform Cui Yongli. Then Shanghai Yi looked at Ma Zhou and said with a smile, "Ma Zhou, congratulations. Now that you're in charge of a region, you've become a regional governor of Xia Xia. Congratulations. "
Ma Zhou said, "Pavilion Head is too polite. In fact, it's a great blessing for Pavilion Head to stay by His Majesty's side. With Pavilion Head's qualifications, when you're sent out as an official, you'll definitely be a regional governor in the central area of the imperial court. I'm just a foreign land now, so it's not surprising. Pavilion Head, thank you for your guidance in the cabinet all these years. "
Shangguan Yi said, "You're too polite. There's no need to be so polite between you and me. Speaking of which, you and I are both members of the cabinet, so we should support each other more. That's how it is in the cabinet. Although we're in different positions now, we should support each other. "
Ma Zhou said, "Pavilion Head is right. As members of the cabinet, we should support each other."
The two of them chatted with each other for a while and then left.
After all, Ma Zhou had too many things to do. Not long after, Cui Yongli entered the palace.
Cui Yongli had already heard the news from Guan Zhilan, so he was rather excited. When he saw Du Qi, he cupped his fists and said, "This general, Cui Yongli, pays respects to Your Majesty."
Du Qi nodded and said, "Sit!"
Cui Yongli thanked him and sat down. At this time, Cui Yongli was rather nervous. He sat upright with a serious expression.
Du Qi said, "Cui Yongli, how long have you been in the army?"
Cui Yongli said, "Eight years."
Du Qi nodded and said, "Eight years isn't short. You're now a commander in the army. When you came to Liaodong Circuit, you accurately ambushed Fu Yufan and Jin Chunqiu in the battle of Goguryeo, preventing them from retreating. In the subsequent battles, you also commanded the troops well. You were invincible and won every battle. Not bad. "
Cui Yongli said, "It's all thanks to Your Majesty's wisdom."
Du Qi said, "If it's your contribution, it's your contribution. There's no need to say that I'm wise. No matter how wise I am, when it comes to marching and fighting, it's you who are responsible for the frontlines. "
After a pause, Du Qi said, "I guess Guan Zhilan has already told you that I'll arrange for an army to guard Liaodong. Your army will be stationed there, and your army will separate from Ma Yuan's army and form the sixth army. You'll be the sixth army's commander."
Cui Yongli said, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace."
Du Qi said, "When you're in Liaodong, you'll only be in charge of military affairs and won't participate in government affairs. The promotion of your soldiers will be decided by the imperial court and has nothing to do with the region. As for Liaodong's matters, you'll have full authority to assist Liaodong Circuit's Chief Steward Ma Zhou. "
Cui Yongli wasn't a fool and immediately understood Du Qi's meaning. He said, "Your Majesty, please be at ease. When I'm in Liaodong, I won't participate in government affairs. Other than mobilizing the army, I'll do my best to assist Chief Steward Ma. I won't care about anything else. "
Du Qi said, "It's good that you understand. You may leave."
"I'll take my leave."
Cui Yongli bowed and turned to leave.
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