After saying that, Wei Zheng got up and left. Although according to the normal situation, officials do not have to be on errands until the fifteenth, of course, this is only under normal circumstances, if there is an urgent matter, let alone the fifteenth, even on the day of the New Year.

It is necessary to put shackles on the evil wolves, and business can only develop slowly under supervision, rather than enriching the noble family and suffering the abnormal development of the people. Moreover, the yield of agriculture has not really increased, and in the end, the type of seed is also one of the problems. Although potatoes and corn are a good choice, these two things are now in the Americas, and it is not very difficult to get them.

Thinking of this, Li Chengqian felt pitiful, when others crossed over, they either systematically surrounded themselves or brought a lot of modern products, and when they came to their own place, they didn't bring a single hair.

But fortunately, the good brother of Baidu is so powerful, so that he has mastered a lot of miscellaneous knowledge, which is useless in later generations, but now it is super top cylinder.

Feng An's envoy came a year ago, and while bringing a large number of gifts to the emperor, he also brought several kinds of rice seeds. While everyone else can enjoy the New Year, the college's agricultural branch is busy in the greenhouse.

"It's still not enough."

With a sigh, Li Chengqian said to Fang Sheng at the door: "Tell Geng Buqu to come into the palace, there is something to do, and I want to explain to him." ”

Fang Sheng nodded, and was ordered to leave, the work of spreading the news was usually done by the alliance people, and Zhang Yun was excluded.

The existence of the secret guard, in the final analysis, is not easy to put on the surface, it is better to be known than to be seen!

In the middle of the night, Zhang Yun's shift ended, and after changing a few forbidden soldiers, Li Chengqian got out of the bed. After a few minutes, the window door shook twice as if it was blown by the wind, and Li Chengqian opened the window on his behalf and let Geng Buqu in.

"Your Highness, but what is the important matter?"

Before entering the room, Geng Buqu didn't care about rubbing his hands first, so he asked impatiently.

He knew the prince's temperament, if it wasn't really important, he would never summon him in the palace, after all, the guards of the East Palace were no better than the palace, but it was also the most difficult place in the world to calculate, even with the help of the Alliance of the Despicable, it was very dangerous for him to enter the palace at night.

"There is indeed something important, otherwise Lone would not have asked you to come over tonight."

Back on the bed, Li Chengqian got into the quilt and asked Geng Buqu to pour tea by himself to warm his body.

He found a chair to sit opposite the prince, and from the prince's tone, he could hear the solemnity. It's dignified, the more dangerous things he wants to do, and he always thinks that he can repay the prince with this remnant body.

After sitting up with the quilt in his arms, Li Chengqian asked: "You said before that the people of the secret guards are all rootless and can be trusted?" ”

Geng Buqu nodded: "Actually, they are all crippled house slaves rescued by old slaves from mass graves, or beggars who are about to freeze and starve to death on street corners." They are all poor people who are willing to do anything for a full meal. It is necessary to say that the old slave used to train eunuchs in the palace, and now Li Jian, who is next to His Majesty, also has a master-apprentice relationship with the old slave. His Highness doesn't need to be suspicious of these people, even if you ask him to judge himself, he won't hesitate at all. ”

Li Chengqian nodded, although he knew a little about the dead, but after he really had it, he was still a little resistant to the thought that he could make a good person commit suicide with one sentence.

But there is no way, some things are really not good for normal people to do, starting from Chang'an, passing through the grassland, Xue Yantuo, and the Northland tribes, all the way to the Bering Strait, and then taking advantage of the cold winter to cross the strait, arrive at the Alaska region of Lao Meizi, and then go south to Mexico. Such a road, let people walk it again, is really no different from being forced to die. Nowadays, people don't know enough about the earth, and this is really a time travel to the other side of the earth.

There are a few things that you want in the Americas, but you can't get them except for such a route. Today's ships are not like the cruise ships of later generations, crossing the ocean and having fun. To the east, there is a vast Pacific Ocean, which lacks supplies, and to the west, it is necessary to bypass a continent in Africa, which makes it even more difficult.

"There is a very important thing for them to do. Seriously, it's a near-death thing, but when it's done, the merit gained is also incomparable. Of course, it is not ruled out that nothing can be achieved in the air. ”

Geng Buqu's expression became more and more solemn, he had never seen the prince speak so incoherently, although he didn't know what this matter was, but he already knew the importance.

"Your Highness, such an important matter, let's leave it to the old slaves to do, those who are still young in the next life, if it ruins His Highness's plans..."

Looking at Geng Buqu's old face and gray hair, Li Chengqian shook his head again and again: "Seriously, you are indeed a good choice, but ah, this is not something that can be completed in a year or two." You old bones, if you explain it to the journey, it won't be good. ”

After speaking, Li Chengqian stood up with the quilt, walked to the desk, and picked up the simple map he had drawn.

It can only be a simple map, and the world map in my mind is so clear, but after I put pen to paper, I realized that I couldn't see what I had drawn.

"This is Chang'an, this is Luoyang. They need to start from Chang'an, through the grassland, through Xue Yantuo, through the extremely cold regions of the Northern Plains, and finally get here..."

After comparing the distance from Chang'an to Luoyang, and then looking at the distance of the entire trip, even Geng Buqu, who had seen countless big scenes, trembled.

This is really an almost impossible task.

"What does Your Highness want them to do in this near-heavenly place? Could it be that there are some curiosities here? ”

Although he asked, Geng Buqu still didn't believe that the prince would be a person who was for useless things and disregarded human life. Judging from the contact in the past few years, the prince is the kind of person who is more compassionate than the Buddha.

"There are indeed curiosities..."

Sitting on the chair, Li Chengqian said helplessly: "Heaven is not beautiful, this place actually has a lot of good things that we don't have in Datang." A kind of crop called potatoes, which is both vegetables and grain, can ensure that no one in the world will starve to death. A thing called corn can be eaten not only as food, but also for many other purposes. Especially this rubber tree, with it, our engineering college of Zhenguan students does not know how many detours we will have to take in the future. Tell me, is it worth it? ”

Not to mention anything else, just the first one, Geng Buqu knows, don't say it's a trip to risking death, even if you take human lives to pave the way, you have to pave it.

"Got it, Your Highness, the old slave will choose people when he goes back, I don't know two hundred people, is it enough?"

"Almost, a group of two hundred people can already face a lot of accidents."

"Then the old slave will leave the palace."

Seeing that Geng Buqu stood up and was about to go out, Li Chengqian hurriedly got up and added: "Remember, these two hundred people, no matter what they ask, as long as they don't go too far, Lone can meet them!" ”

Geng Buqu turned around to receive the order, then opened the window and slipped out.

Throwing himself on the bed with the quilt in his arms, curled up as much as he could. Li Chengqian suddenly felt that he was the biggest coward in the world. For such a journey, even he felt powerless, but now he has to smash it on others. These two hundred people are probably going to die. The fierceness of the people of Xueyantuo, the crisis in the Arctic, and the wild men in the jungles of the Americas all cost human lives. Moreover, no one can guarantee that these things existed more than a thousand years ago, or, even if they were, could they be what they would be in the afterlife? After the potatoes are planted, if they produce a few grapes, wouldn't it be a wasted trip?

With the lives of 200 people, to gamble on such a slim possibility.

Is it worth it?

Tossing and turning all night, he didn't know how long he had been asleep, so much so that when he went out with panda eyes, Qiu Haiqing was startled.

"Your Highness didn't sleep well last night?"

In the warm carriage, Li Chengqian only felt uncomfortable, and even a little motion sickness, so he could only nod, and then lay down in the carriage to make up for sleep.

As the general of the East China Sea Army, Zhang Liang, the Duke of Yunguo, usually served in the local area, and only returned to Chang'an during the New Year to reunite with his family. Obviously, this broken position is not so much a big man who commands the army, but a false title, but Zhang Liang did not look down on it, but stuck to his post and never looked down on half a point.

But speaking of which, Zhang Liang is really one of the most loyal people among the emperor's subordinates. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon in Tiance Mansion, since he can stand out and be named the prince of the country by the emperor, it shows that he definitely has more merits than Yu Tai.

But think about it, for a horse boy who has been tortured and is still willing to keep secrets for the lord, after the emperor ascends the throne as the boss, he can't praise it too much. As for his favor in his later years, he favored the warlock and accepted 500 adopted sons with the intention of rebelling, which can only be said to be a creation and a trick.

Although he is a national prince, Zhang Liang does not live in Taipingfang, but in Xinghuafang, which is very low-key.

The prince's guard of honor came out of the East Palace, passed through the Tongyi Fang of Taipingfang, and had earned enough eyeballs, and when he arrived at Xinghuafang, Zhang Liang and his son Zhang Yi (the same chair, indicating a solemn and respectful appearance), had been waiting in front of the door.

personally led the carriage to the door of the mansion, and Zhang Liang saw an unknown person coming out of the carriage.

"This is compared to Zhang Gong, the secretary of the Zhan Mansion of the Prince of Xiaguan, His Royal Highness slept peacefully in the carriage, His Royal Highness should not have slept well last night, and he was very tired."

Zhang Liang said worriedly: "How is this good, Your Highness is really, you can cancel today's agreement, or come back after sleeping enough." ”

Qiu Haiqing arched his hand and said: "You are a respected minister of His Royal Highness, how can His Highness be rude, why don't you be rude, Gong Zhang might as well let the carriage go straight into the mansion and let His Highness sleep for a while?" ”

Zhang Liang naturally agreed, and ordered the threshold of the mansion to be sawed so as not to be bumpy.

At noon, Li Chengqian woke up, glanced at Qiu Haiqing beside him, and asked, "Haven't arrived yet?" ”

Qiu Haiqing was embarrassed and said: "It's already here, my subordinates saw that you were extremely sleepy, so they didn't call you, now we are in Duke Zhang's mansion, in order to avoid disturbing your sleep, Duke Zhang has sawed the threshold of the mansion door." ”

Knocking on his head, Li Chengqian could only get up.

Put on a coat, and when I got out, I saw Zhang's father and son waiting by the carriage, roasting their hands around a stove.

Without waiting for Zhang's father and son to salute, Li Chengqian first arched his hand and said: "I originally made an appointment to visit in the morning, but I never thought that because of a mistake in sleeping, I saw the threshold for you, and forced you to wait in front of the carriage, which is really rude. ”

I don't like to drink, but it's the best way to deal with it. Everyone has done this, and those who don't drink anymore have to give the right face. The military general likes the etiquette on the wine table the most, even if the two of them fight because of a trivial matter, after the wine jar touches, it will be fine.

Sure enough, hearing the prince's words, Zhang Liang immediately smiled, and saluted: "It's okay, it's okay, it's just a threshold, Weichen is trying to change it!" Since His Highness is awake, it is better to go directly to the banquet, if you have any words, it will be the same at the banquet. ”

They gave way to each other and entered the lobby, and sure enough, the banquet was ready. Different from other people's banquets, Zhang Liang prepared a seafood banquet. After all, it is in the East China Sea, and Zhang Liang, the good things in the sea, naturally have to be transported to Chang'an. In other words, the products purchased by Donggong are also borrowed from Zhang Liang's light, so that they can be quickly transported into Chang'an.

Although Qiu Haiqing's ancestral home is Yangzhou, he has never eaten seafood, and he is a little at a loss when he sits behind the case.

Looking at the two large pots of steamed crabs in front of him, Li Chengqian couldn't help but swallow his saliva. In later generations, the hairy crab in Yangcheng Lake was already the top fresh ingredient he could imagine, who would have thought that he would have seen this now. Compared to this, what hairy crab is, it is simply small.

Seeing that there was nothing to take advantage of on the table, Li Chengqian said to the servant who looked like a housekeeper in the Zhang Mansion beside him: "Get some scissors and a knife for Gu, and bring some rice wine in the kitchen." ”

Zhang Liang looked at the prince's arrangement with great interest, and waited for the prince to finish speaking before saying, "Your Royal Highness lives in the palace and knows how to eat this thing?" ”

Li Chengqian smiled: "It's just a gourd to draw a scoop, it's the first time I've seen such an ingredient." ”

After speaking, Li Chengqian poured three glasses of wine, poured them into the bowl, poured the fourth cup and said: "This cup of wine can be regarded as a thank you for helping Zhang Gong to help the East Palace transport goods, and I owe you a favor!" ”

After speaking, Li Chengqian poured the fourth glass of wine into the bowl, and then took it up and drank it all. Fortunately, it's yellow wine, not spirits, otherwise I'm afraid I'll get drunk if I go down in a bowl.

Seeing that the prince really punished himself, Zhang Liang immediately forgot all about his unhappiness, and only felt that the prince did not rely on power to bully others, and was quite kind to the temper of a martial artist.

After also making a bowl of wine, Zhang Liang laughed and said: "It's a trivial matter, why worry about it, if Your Highness likes it, you can send someone directly to Weichen's Mansion in the future, as long as it is something in the sea, Your Highness wants to transport it back to Chang'an, you can find the Zhang family to transport it on your behalf." ”

The river transportation from Chang'an to the East China Sea is the industry of the Zhang family.

Seeing that Zhang Liang said heroically, Li Chengqian agreed with a smile. It's just a matter of transporting things, and there is not much money, since Zhang Liang intends to rely on this to get closer to the East Palace and talk about money, it will be a shame.

The housekeeper brought scissors and a knife, and after cutting a crab tongs with scissors, Li Chengqian handed the knife to Zhang Yun and asked him to cut the shell. Zhang Yun's strength is actually very large, and cutting crab shells is not a problem. Besides, apart from him, no one really dared to use knives and scissors in this room, even Zhang Yi could only bite the crab directly with his teeth with a bitter face.

After eating a large pair of tongs, Li Chengqian breathed a sigh of relief. On the other side, Zhang Liang also put down his chopsticks.

Now, it's time to get down to business.

Clapping their hands, two sergeants carried a model boat in.

Zhang Liang is the general of the East China Sea Army, just by sweeping over, he can see the power of the ship model, and he can't help but stand up directly and take a closer look.

After wiping his hands clean, Li Chengqian also walked to the boat model and asked, "Zhang Gong is an expert on the water, do you have any suggestions for this boat?" ”

In order to make him see more clearly, Qiu Haiqing specially opened a few places so that Zhang Liang could see them all.

After studying the ship model for a long time, Zhang Liang clapped his hands: "What a good ship!" In particular, the mortise and tenon between the board of the ship is particularly elegant, and I don't know how much better it is than Weichen's boat. It's just that the arrow stacks prepared on the side of the boat are a bit child's play, you must know that the sea is not in the river, the waves are undulating, maybe when someone's boat is a lot taller than yours, condescendingly, this arrow buttress is not used on the top! ”

Li Chengqian just nodded, and Qiu Haiqing next to him was about to pass with happiness.

He also knew that Zhang Liang was eating at sea, and the suggestion put forward by such a sea general has absolute authoritative reference value.

As soon as he confessed, Qiu Haiqing immediately prepared pen and ink and began to record.

Zhang Liang also knew what the prince came up with such a ship model for, so he simply combined his own experience and began to experience the shortcomings of the ship model. It has to be said that a professional is a professional, and as long as the place is pointed out, it is absolutely correct and critical.

After judging the ship model from beginning to end, Zhang Liang asked: "Your Highness brought such a ship over today, but you want to build a ship?" ”

Li Chengqian nodded and said, "That's right, Donggong is preparing to build a seaport and shipyard in the South China Sea to develop maritime commerce. At the same time, this shipyard will also produce combat ships for Datang and set up a South China Sea fleet. But Zhang Gong doesn't need to worry, the East China Sea Fleet can also go to this shipyard to receive ships. ”

Zhang Liang shook his head: "Weichen doesn't care about this, it's just that His Royal Highness's East Palace contribution, is it not in accordance with the rules?" Although many ships of the East China Sea Fleet are converted from civilian ships and are already in tatters, considering the national treasury, Weichen still didn't dare to talk to the household! That eldest grandson Wuji, it's hard to have a dick hair..."

Before he was about to say a few bad words about the eldest grandson Wuji, Zhang Liang remembered that he was the prince's uncle, and hurriedly stopped confessing.

Li Chengqian laughed out loud: "You are right, uncle, he is an iron rooster, not to mention that you want to renovate the warship, even if the officials want to be an official, he is also unhappy." There is no way to do this, and when the treasury is empty, it can only spend money tightly. However, no one will stop it, on the contrary, it is estimated that those people in the court will raise their hands and feet in favor! ”