Chapter 465: Who Broke the Law?
The Great Han that Liu Bingyi took over was in dire straits. After Xiaoding's crushing defeat in the Southern Kingdom, Emperor Li's relentless warmongering, and the feudal lords' campaign to Pacify the Disorder in Obedience to Heaven, the economy of the entire Great Han had collapsed completely. The Great Han now appeared temporarily stable, but in truth, that rested entirely on luck.
If their luck failed and a major natural disaster struck, with the grain reserves and population they currently had, the people would raise their poles in rebellion and fight until all under heaven was a barren wasteland. Only those who survived would have the right to eat.
This was not even the contradiction of "no idle fields within the four seas, yet farmers still starve," which could be resolved by killing the powerful gentry. It was simply that the reserves of all under heaven were exhausted. Even the landlords had no grain to spare. Without grain, what use was even the splendor of flowers upon brocade?
Agriculture was the foundation of all under heaven-those were no empty words!
When Liu Bingyi learned that the Kaiping Granary, Ever-Normal Granary, and Anping Granary near Chang'an were all nearly empty, it felt as though ice were pouring down the back of his neck. He was so shaken that he could not speak.
The only thing that allowed him a moment's relief was that Liu Dan's relentless warmongering had beaten the barbarians on every frontier into submission. They were still licking their wounds and had no ability to invade the Central Plains.
Otherwise, with troubles within and enemies without, the Central Plains would inevitably have been swept clean and started anew, regardless of victory or defeat.
Liu Bingyi soon issued an edict.
"Never has all under