"Really?" Li Chengqian said in surprise.

Merton nodded and said, "You have just taken up the post of supervising the country, and the important departments of the court such as the three provinces and the six ministries naturally cannot act rashly, and there is a lot of resistance. ”

Li Chengqian nodded involuntarily, the three provinces and six ministries are the basic system of the court, and the political system that has been confirmed by the operation of two generations of dynasties is to lend him a courage, and he does not dare to act rashly.

"However, under the three provinces and six ministries, there is another department that is crucial, and it has lost a huge amount of money year after year, if you turn it into a profit, it will definitely be a resounding political achievement, and there is not much political risk." Morton said in a deep voice.

"Losing money year after year, it must be a post station!" Li Chengqian suddenly remembered the official document he had just received today, and he had an idea.

"Station!" Princess Changle's eyes also lit up.

Hello station! In peacetime, except for the military emergency, the post station does not have much status in the court, and it needs to spend a lot of money every year to maintain, Merton's strength is the way of money, if the post station can no longer lose money, it must be a great achievement.

Merton nodded: "Yes, it's the station!" The post station consumes a lot of money every year, but it can't be left out, which has long become a heart disease of the imperial court. ”

Li Chengqian frowned and said: "But how can the post station make a profit, and can it not be possible to let the post station do business?" ”

Morton smiled and said, "Yes, it's to let the post station do a business." ”

"Xianggong, don't come nonsense!" Princess Changle said tightly in her heart, the post station is an important part of the court, and it is of great use at critical moments, if it is used for business, I am afraid that there will be no political achievements, and it will attract punishment.

Merton smiled: "The business that my husband said is an elegant business, send a letter!" ”

"Send the letter!" Li Chengqian and Princess Changle said in their hearts.

Morton nodded and said, "When my husband was far away in Tuyuhun, sometimes when I missed you, I would secretly write a letter, or ask General Su's grain transportation system to send a message to you." ”

Princess Changle couldn't help but blush, and couldn't help but glance at Merton, her brother was here, and Merton was still here to say this.

However, Li Chengqian didn't care about these details, but couldn't help but think about it

"As the priest of firearms, I naturally have this privilege, but don't those ordinary soldiers miss their relatives? Do you know how difficult it is for someone to deliver a letter, and how happy the soldiers are when they receive a letter from their families? Merton said emotionally.

"The beacon fire lasted for three months, and the family letter was worth 10,000 dollars. If you can use it and let the post station pass on the message for ordinary people, then in terms of the post station system all over Datang, as long as you have an accurate address and spend a small amount of money, you can send the family letter to the other party, which will be a great blessing for the people of the world. Merton said proudly.

"The beacon fire lasted for three months, and the family letter was worth 10,000 gold." Princess Changle listened to Merton's popular poems, and recalled the joy she felt when she received the secret letter, and she couldn't help but be obsessed.

"Soldiers who are far away at the border, wanderers who are wandering in other places, officials who are officials in other places, and business travelers who travel all over the country, tell them that they can use a letter to report their safety to their families and share their experiences, and their families can also feel at ease." Merton said emotionally.

Everyone nodded involuntarily, far away from home, so that their relatives could receive a letter of safety, which is something that many people can't ask for.

"However, in reality, you can know how difficult it is to send a letter home, and it is naturally a fluke to meet the folks who return home by the way, and more people are entrusted with a round-trip business trip to bring the letter home, not to mention how much it takes for the time being, the time spent is not a month at all, if you encounter Lingnan Road so far away, I am afraid that it is possible in two or three months, and it will be half a year to come and go, that is, there is an emergency, and the daylily is cold." Merton said.

Li Chengqian nodded solemnly, the traffic in this era is extremely inconvenient, and it is not easy to get a letter.

"If the post stations all over Datang are used, not to mention anything else, it is an ordinary post station with a speed of 300 miles a day, that is, from Chang'an City to Lingnan Road, the time taken is only more than ten days, one back and forth a month is enough, of course, this is just an ordinary letter, if you encounter an emergency, you can use six hundred miles of expedited express, even day and night, eight hundred miles a day is not impossible, you can imagine how convenient it will be, you say this business can not be done." Merton said excitedly with open arms.

Princess Changle nodded again and again, and suddenly turned into a fan girl, looking at Merton obsessively, her favorite is Merton's endless tricks, turning decay into magical means.

"Do, of course you have to do it, even if the post station loses a lot of money, you must do it." Li Chengqian's case was amazing, not to mention anything else, just by letting the people of the world exchange letters to each other, this is a great achievement.

"Can't afford to lose!" Merton said confidently, "I'll just calculate the most common letter for a penny, with my Datang population of 40 million, even if it is an average of one letter per person a year, it is an income of 40,000 guan a year, a letter is as thin as a cicada's wings, how can it take up much space and weight, a four-wheeled carriage is afraid that it is easy to pull thousands of letters, the imperial court only needs to add a batch of van-type four-wheeled carriages, you can earn 40,000 guan a year, what a cost-effective business it will be."

Of course, this is just an ordinary 300 li expedited letter, if it is 600 li expedited, the 800 li expedited express will naturally charge more. I dare not say that I want to make money, and there is no problem in maintaining the balance of income and expenditure of the post station and no longer losing money. ”

Merton thought of the famous postal system in later generations, and could not have imagined that the post station could lose money.

"But in this case, I'm afraid that the post guard alone is not enough!" If there is really such a large amount of tasks, I am afraid that the manpower of this one post station alone will not be able to keep busy at all.

"Then recruit people, my Datang has been fighting for many years, but there are many wounded soldiers who have retired from the army, and most of these wounded soldiers will ride horses, just so that they can go to deliver letters, and they can also find a way out for these soldiers who have contributed to Datang." Merton Road.

"Okay, that's it?" Li Chengqian suddenly said ambitiously.

In the court, the post station spends a huge amount of money every year, and the transformation of the Datang post station system can not only change the status quo of the post station losing money year after year, but also allow the people of the world to enjoy the convenience of communication.

Not to mention that the Datang Post Station system is perfect, it only needs to be slightly transformed, and it does not involve the government, the least resistance, and it can be completed within two months, which is simply a good thing tailored for him.

"Don't worry, do you think it's easy to build a post station system that communicates the whole country? To be perfect in two months, you need the help of two people! Merton shook his head.

"Please also ask my sister-in-law to teach me, no matter who it is, this palace will be a corporal of Lixian." Li Chengqian took a deep breath and said.

Merton smiled mysteriously and said: "This is a coincidence, you and I know these two people, one is my master, Shen Hongcai, the former doctor of Guozi supervision, the Mo family's Chang'an to Luoyang Chaofa Xifa The carriage and horse system depends on Shen Fuzi's precise calculation of arithmetic, efficient and fast, with his help, plan a detailed blueprint for the post station system, you can also use this blueprint to persuade the support of the court, and this matter is half done." ”

"Master Shen!"

Li Chengqian nodded, Shen Hongcai is a recognized master of arithmetic in Datang, with his help, he will definitely be able to plan an efficient and fast post station system.

"What about the other one?" Princess Changle on the side asked curiously.

Merton said with a smile: "The other person is your and my benefactor who can be communicated, General Su Dingfang. ”

"General Su!" Li Chengqian couldn't help but think thoughtfully.

Merton nodded solemnly and said: "The so-called is easier said than done, General Su personally commanded the grain and grass escort of the Tang Dynasty to ensure that the supply of grain and grass for the Western Expedition is sufficient, and he has rich experience, no matter how good the blueprint is, if no one implements it, I am afraid that in the end it will become a paper talk, and then it will not only be useless, but will become a big laughing stock." ”

When Li Chengqian heard this, his face immediately turned red, he still thought about this matter too simply, if it wasn't for Merton's thoughtful planning, I'm afraid that when the time comes, it may not be merit or fault!

"Thank you sister-in-law for your advice!" Li Chengqian solemnly thanked.

Merton waved his hand and said: "I also felt it, if there had been a post station to deliver the letter, I would not have secretly asked someone to deliver the letter." ”

Princess Changle's face froze, and she glared at Morton hatefully, and then she gave up, and ordered the kitchen to prepare a meal, ready to entertain the eldest brother.