"I'm afraid that Duke Liu has also thought about restoring the Anxi Metropolitan Protectorate, right?" Fang Shaoqun's tone was already full of ridicule.

"The geography in the west is too harsh, and it is too difficult for the army to transport grain and grass." Liu Zhiyuan said: "You can only set up a military village and encroach on the past step by step, and it is enough to restore prosperity and spirit." ”

"Duke Liu never thought about Emperor Yang of Sui's campaign to conquer Goguryeo? Fang Shaoqun said: "The million-strong army lost Liaodong, Sui Nai was in chaos, and Liu Gong didn't think about it? ”

"What are these words?" Liu Zhiyuan was furious when he heard this, and said: "Fang Shaoqun, don't be too arrogant, you are younger than my son in terms of age, don't think that I can't do without you here!" ”

Fang Shaoqun smiled coldly and said, "The eldest prince is one year older than me, and the girls in the cockfighting and dog fighting Qinglou are much better than me...... I won't say much, Liu Gong thought about it carefully, how many soldiers and horses did Donghu have, how much food and salary were supplied in Liaodong, how many soldiers and horses were there, how many soldiers and horses could he have when he was really mobilized, and whether he and the northern captives could join forces to meet the enemy, and whether the four princes of Donghu led the troops were not under Yue Zhi and other Great Wei generals? Our army of hundreds of thousands of people, mobilized, how much armor, how much grain and grass, how much medicine, how many bedding tents, pots and stoves, shovels, how many weapons, bed crossbows, crossbows, waist crossbows, god arms and bows, just arrows, how much grass bundles have to be prepared, how much food will be paid for all roads, how much will the center cost, how much will the government affairs hall, the privy council, the six departments, the three envoys, the weapons superintendent, the medicine superintendent, the Guanglu Temple, the Taifu Temple, the various ministries, temples, and superintendents coordinate and plan, just now that it is necessary to go on the Northern Expedition, these things will definitely be done well? ”

Liu Zhiyuan also calmed down at this time, he bent his fingers and knocked on the table a few times to hide his upset...... Looking at Fang Shaoqun coldly, Liu Zhiyuan said: "What the Son of Heaven wants me to do is to win Han Zhong's support as soon as possible, or get rid of Han Zhong's interference." In any case, the Northern Expedition is imperative, and now Zhulu has begun to gather soldiers and horses, prepare grain and grass, and recruit people. Well, it's February, and it's expected to be out in June, so there's still four months left, so there's plenty of time......"

Fang Shaoqun scolded out loud!

It is expected to dispatch a million manpower, or even more, so far there is no plan not to mention, and his grandmother said that there is plenty of time? It's almost the same next June!

Fang Shaoqun endured his anger and persuaded: "The idea of the Son of Heaven is a little too hasty, too successful, Liu Gong is a great counselor, the so-called participation in political affairs is to consult in detail in state affairs, not to follow the clouds, and not to be too subservient to the Son of Heaven...... Liu Gong started his business by relying on the appreciation of the Son of Heaven, but now this situation is not necessary to follow the Son of Heaven too tightly, so the civil conference will not have a good image of Liu Gong......"

"Country fool, what do you know!" Liu Zhiyuan frowned, but he still listened to Fang Shaoqun's words.

Of course, the important ministers had to stand on the side of the Son of Heaven before they were developed, and they couldn't go far without the powerful support of the Son of Heaven, unless they were promoted by important ministers like Han Zhong and became their successors.

But this possibility is as small as welcoming the Son of Heaven, since this is the case, it is better to directly welcome the Son of Heaven.

Han Zhong has been cultivating three or five successors, the most outstanding is of course Li Guorui, who is the deputy envoy of the privy council, followed by Lin Douyao, the pacification envoy of Fujian Road.

Lin Douyao withstood the broken situation after Zhangzhou was conquered in Fujian, and the pirates had not attacked the Fujian Road again for many years, and there were strong enemies in the north and west of the Great Wei, if the south was chaotic again, Zhang, Quan, and Fu such rich places were conquered and broken by pirates many times, and the loss of wealth in a year was more than 10 million guan, and a large army had to be mobilized to defend, which would make the imperial court exhausted...... This is also the reason why Lin Douyao is valued.

As for the status of the Pu family, it is actually related to this matter.

Pu Xingfeng, Yan Qi, and Liu Dan are all extremely vicious, if they are not pirates, they must have rules, and the Pu family is in contact with them, I am afraid that if these pirates really make trouble, it will make Dawei quite embarrassed, and even make the same embarrassing situation as the north.

This time Nan'an victory, Xu Zixian is the most glorious one, but Lin Douyao has lost a lot of points, originally Han Zhong planned to let Lin Douyao enter Beijing and replace Zheng Yumin as the third envoy and the secretary of the household department, but now it seems that the possibility is not very likely.

So Xu Zixian also became a man of the hour in Liu Zhiyuan's mansion, and the turmoil of the Pu family firm last time was connected with Wu Shizhong, which made Liu Zhiyuan sigh for several days, a famous Confucian can also do tricks, and the Pu family is quite embarrassed, but I didn't expect that after a short time, another shocking news came, and the first battle was cut off a thousand heads of pirates, which is really a pretty good credit.

The most important thing is that this matter made Han Zhong a little hurried, after the war, Xu Zixian's report, the patrol envoy Xiao Zan, the prefect Yang Shiwei and others, as well as the report of the King of Qi all showed that the forbidden army was slow to react, and there was even a possibility of forming a relationship with the pirates.

Lin Douyao is to blame, Han Zhong will also be a little embarrassed, after Liu Zhiyuan knew, he let go of the past that the Pu family had trusted, and there was no shortage of praise for Xu Zixian.

Han Zhong is no longer short of an heir, and Liu Zhiyuan can't line up in line, Liu Zhiyuan was right to welcome the Son of Heaven before, but now he is a big staff member who has mastered quite strong political strength, in fact, there is no need to blindly welcome the Son of Heaven.

"The Northern Expedition is imperative...... Liu Zhiyuan said very toughly: "But in terms of details, it is true that more consideration must be given...... Hmph, Han Zhong really can't get around, the stones in the thatched house are stinky and hard! ”

Fang Shaoqun smiled bitterly, Han Zhong was in the phase, Liu Zhiyuan and his faction suddenly proposed the Northern Expedition, and the Son of Heaven immediately supported it, and the two joined forces to sell Han Zhong.

In such a situation, the Northern Expedition failed, and Han Zhong was the prime minister, and he was behind the blame.

The Northern Expedition was successful, Han Zhong gained nothing, and the great merit was the Son of Heaven and Liu Zhiyuan, how could Han Zhong cooperate?

Now if Liu Zhiyuan resigns from the post of Great Staff and the Son of Heaven insists on the Northern Expedition again, Han Zhong may cooperate, but can Liu Zhiyuan back down?

"Liu Gong ......"

Fang Shaoqun still had to persuade hard, and at this time, someone knocked on the door, and Liu Zhiyuan said impatiently: "Didn't you say that when I was talking about things with Mr. Xiao Fang, don't come over and disturb?" ”

"It's an important guest." The man outside replied, "Pu Shougao is here." ”

Like in Han Zhong's mansion, Pu Shougao's residence in Liu Zhiyuan's Dashen Mansion is also the same distinguished guest, and is more valued than in Han Mansion.

"Oh, tell him to come in and talk."

Liu Zhiyuan said to Fang Shaoqun: "Do you want to stay and listen, or go and rest first, and think about how to sort out the preparations for the Northern Expedition for me?" ”

Fang Shaoqun got up with a smile and said, "Anyway, if there are benefits, it won't shorten me, it's inconvenient for me to talk here, so it's better to leave." ”

When Pu Shougao entered the door, he deliberately waved his head to Fang Shaoqun who was leaving, he knew that this young man in his twenties was an important guest that Liu Zhiyuan loved and hated, not necessarily a confidant, Liu Zhiyuan carried Fang Shaoqun behind his back for many things, but the real decision was to leave Fang Shaoqun.

"It's rare to see the owner of Pu." Fang Shaoqun was in a bad mood, and he didn't think that Pu Shougao came to have anything important, it was nothing more than something to do with Xu Zixian, not only to suppress Xu Zixian, but also to eliminate the adverse effects of the pirates on Fujian Road.

The local officials and centers of the Great Wei are pretending to be stupid, the matter of Fujian Road, it is said that it is a pirate offense, but there are already many rumors that the Pu family businessmen are not angry with the Hou Shizi of Nan'an for opening a group to practice donations, so the ditch is tied to the pirate offense, after all, the Pu family has done such a thing, mobilized thousands of people, and no matter how clean the hands and feet are, they will show clues.

Now Pu Shougao is worried about Lin Douyao's attack, which is a relationship he has been operating for many years, and Zheng Liqi is staring at him to investigate the attack on Nan'an, once Lin Douyao is kicked away, the Pu family will be in big trouble.

Even if the hundred-legged insect dies and does not stiffen, the trouble afterwards is enough for Pu Shougao to drink a pot.

Coming here tonight, I also implore Liu Zhiyuan and his faction to put out the fire and not stare at Lin Douyao...... Han Zhong has already opened the handicap, Han Bingzhong and Luo Zhigong can not be guaranteed, Lin Douyao stayed, did not mention the center, and still served as the pacification envoy of Fujian Road, such a result is acceptable.

In addition, Pu Shougao also heard about the Harmony Pavilion, he had an idea, and felt that there was something worth using in this matter, and he came here tonight, of course, he had other plans.

Fang Shaoqun returned the salute to Pu Shougao, after all, he took thousands of pieces from this big businessman, and he still had the number of courtesies.

Walking out of Liu Zhiyuan's study, it was already about to get up.

The mansion of the Great Counselor was still very lively, and there was a noisy sound outside the Yimen, which was the hawkers selling food, the neighing of horses, the sound of people's talking, and the shouts of petty business could all be heard in.

On the contrary, there was silence in the hall of the concierge of the second gate, and the officials who came to see him had their own thoughts, and they would only whisper greetings and talk to acquaintances, and no one would make a loud noise that was out of character.

There are hexagonal palace lamps hanging under the masts of all four places, which are the palace lamps used by the official family to drive temporarily last time, and later all of them were given to Liu Zhiyuan.

At least now, the Grand Counselor's Mansion of Governor Liu is far less magnificent than the mansion of Han Zhongxiang's Mansion, and it is also a large mansion of more than 500 houses, with relatively shabby and frugal furnishings, and it is deeply favored by the officials.

Even Liu Zhiyuan's diet, the Son of Heaven is also extremely concerned, and sent a few imperial chefs from Guanglu Temple to this place, and the food materials are all transported from Ouchi, which can be said to be meticulous care.

Fang Shaoqun sneered a few times under the shadow of the lamp, Liu Zhiyuan is a governor of political affairs, and there are hundreds of thousands of rewards and rewards a year, pretending to be such a shabby appearance, that is, deceiving the fool of the Son of Heaven.

If Xu Zi was here first, he would definitely nod his head in agreement...... The Great Wei is indeed too generous to the officials, the miserable Ming Dynasty officials' income level is not mentioned, the Qing Dynasty has a clean silver, a county is more than three or four thousand two thousand a year, less than one or two thousand two thousand a year, it seems to be a lot, but at that time the purchasing power of the silver was already very low, the county of the Great Wei Dynasty has more than 1,000 yuan of book income a year, which is already a lot, but don't forget, the Great Wei officials have long vacations, as well as additional minister's money and job income, as well as several additional rewards from the imperial court, which are all benefits that the Ming and Qing officials can't catch up.

At the level of prime minister, the annual income of the Qing bachelor is pitiful, and the annual income of the prime minister of the Great Wei is completely legal and more than 10 million yuan, and Han Zhong's income is equivalent to RMB in later generations, at least 1.2 million a month.

Even if Han Zhong or Liu Zhiyuan accepted bribes from Pu Shougao, most of them would be transferred to those middle- and lower-level officials in the Beijing division who had low incomes and no income from the fields and ministers, and the general view was that their extra income was more tolerant, after all, their incomes were low.