From the perspective of relationship, it is indeed Xu Qilin and Li Tai who are closer. Mainly because he has no contact with Li Chengqian, or has met once or twice, but he has never even spoken.

If you look at it this way, Xu Qilin's relationship with anyone is closer than that with Li Chengqian.

Zhao Jie nodded and said: "Xu Qilin had a lot of contact with the King of Wei when he was reforming the Cao Zheng, and the King of Wei also personally inspected Sanmenxia. In Jingshi, the relationship between the two seems to be good. Several palace banquets seem to have invited Xu Qilin. ”

In fact, this is not easy to judge, Xu Qilin is so close to the royal family, isn't the relationship with Xiao Gongju more intimate?

But if one is cranky, anything can look suspicious. Who made Li Tai Li Chengqian's biggest competitor, and who made Li Chengqian feel that his storage position was not particularly stable!

Du He also opened his mind and said: "When King Wei did not leave Beijing, he was only famous for his literary talents. When he arrived in Luozhou, he often had clever governance methods. Xu Qilin is also known for his whimsy, maybe he is giving advice to King Wei. ”

Zhao Jie blinked his eyes and nodded: "Brother Du can see it thoroughly, there is indeed such a possibility. Therefore, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince wanted to win over Xu Qilin. ”

"That's it!" Jealousy and hatred suddenly rose to the bottom of Du He's heart.

Why does Xu Qilin rely on the guidance of the master to make money. In terms of talent and appearance, in terms of family background, how can he be valued by His Majesty, and Li Chengqian also wants to win over.

If Xu Qilin really takes refuge in the prince, how can he still have a chance to perform? He still has old grudges with Xu Qilin, he has gained power, shouldn't he crush himself to death?

Thinking about it this way, how can Du He still hope that Li Chengqian can succeed? However, Li Chengqian revealed this meaning, and he could not openly oppose it.

Seeing that Du He was silent, Zhao Jie didn't think of Du He's thoughts, so he said: "This matter is just a temporary thought, but His Royal Highness the Crown Prince will not send someone to go." If it is entrusted to someone who is familiar with Xu Qilin, it is naturally better to bring a meaning that he values it. ”

Du He shrugged his shoulders and said: "His Royal Highness has the intention of wooing, but he doesn't let a certain know, I'm afraid that I also know that a certain and Xu Qilin have always been at odds, and it can even be said to be a grudge." ”

Zhao Jie nodded and said, "It's not a big deal, it's just a conflict between words, Brother Du doesn't have to take it to heart." ”

Du He smiled, noncommittal.

At this time, the man brought wine and food, and the two stopped talking about it. After the guy left, Du He didn't mention this anymore, just ate food and drank wine, and gossip.

Zhao Jie thought that Du He still couldn't let go, so he didn't keep talking about Xu Qilin. The two ate and drank, and finally the wine dispersed.

……………

Yizhou, the Hami of later generations. When you think of this place, the first thing that comes to mind is naturally cantaloupe.

However, the geographical location of Hami is far more important than that of Cantaloupe.

In the terrain of the Gobi Desert and the mountainous oases and river valleys, two corridors are formed that are roughly east-west.

One is the east-west passage of the Hami Basin along the southern foot of the Balikun Mountain, through the Xingxing Gorge to the southeast to reach Gansu and Suzhou, and to the west to Turpan, which is also the route of the ancient Silk Road.

The other is an east-west passage sandwiched between the two mountains, along the northern foot of the Balikun Mountain, which can reach the southern edge of the Junggar Basin and Urumqi.

Due to the existence of these two passages, Hami in the middle does seem to be the "throat of the Silk Road". However, until the Ming and Qing dynasties, the prosperity of Dunhuang and Turpan at the east and west ends of Hami greatly weakened the status of Hami's transportation hub.

As the Tang army entered the Western Regions and established the Beiting Protectorate and the Anxi Protectorate as it had done in history, Hami's transportation location advantages would gradually emerge.

At this time, Hami, as the base camp of the Tang Army to fight in the Western Regions, had already shown its true colors as an outpost in Xinjiang.

Compared with the narrow land and lack of land in Xingxing Gorge, the area of Hami is very large, with basins and Balikun Lake, which has certain agricultural and animal husbandry conditions. If it is managed properly, there is no problem for 50,000 or 60,000 people to live here.

Fifty or sixty thousand people have already exceeded the population of Gaochang Kingdom, and there are countless small countries in the Western Regions, and there are few people who have reached this population.

Therefore, Xu Qilin sent people to survey and investigate everywhere to count the amount of available arable land, but he did not expect that there would be such a large population in Hami.

I'm afraid that His Majesty Li Er has the heart to solve the grain and grass materials of the garrison in the Western Regions nearby, and he can't get so many people to settle in Hami, right?

Not to mention Hami, even in Gansu and Su Prefectures, it is not too much to swallow another 108,000; In addition, as a logistics base for the conquest of Goryeo, a large number of people were also needed to cultivate the country.

With a huge empire and a population of more than 20 million, it is really too little. There must be 120 million, according to the science and technology and military strength of the Tang Dynasty, it is not much of a problem to rush out of Asia and go to the world.

However, although Xu Qilin once proposed naturalization, in the northwest, although the Turkic and other ethnic groups have the conditions for naturalization, they are good at animal husbandry, and if they cultivate, it is not satisfactory.

Habits and customs are not so easy to change, so how can it be done in a short period of time for nomads to switch to farming?

The naturalized Hu people are the same, they will still engage in the most familiar and skilled industries, the most important thing is, of course, commerce.

Therefore, naturalization can indeed increase the population of the Tang Dynasty, increase its economic strength, and expand its army, but it is obvious that it is necessary to make another decision to transform it into the agricultural labor that is most needed by feudal society.

"In Yizhou, the Han Chinese must be in the majority." Xu Qilin read the preliminary investigation report provided by Wang Fangyi, and had to reluctantly cut his love, "After conquering Gaochang, the Han people who escaped from the Western Turks that he intercepted will be settled here!" ”

Originally, he planned to arrange these Han people to Gansu and Su Prefectures, but now, Xu Qilin still knows the overall situation.

Despite having the minds of later generations, Xu Qilin has integrated into the Tang Dynasty, and hopes more than others that the Tang Dynasty will be strong, and that the Tang Dynasty's military power will reach all directions, with boundless territory and long-lasting glory.

Whoever is not satisfied will do whom, and can still be invincible, doesn't it make the Tang people full of a sense of pride? Seeing those crooked nuts being humble and respectful in Datang, don't you puff up your chest and feel proud?

Wang Fangyi smiled, knowing that Xu Qilin was very painful, but he also admired his concept of taking the overall situation into account.

can temporarily let go of the governing state and let go of the benefits, it can be seen that Xu Qilin is not so keen on utilitarianism.

"Yizhou uses the people, and Gaochang can use the army." Wang Fangyi said: "The imperial court wants to garrison troops in Gaochang, and there must be no less than 30,000 soldiers. ”

Xu Qilin glanced at Wang Fangyi and wondered if this number was a little less.

In fact, the historical Anxi Protectorate covered an area of 3 million square kilometers, stretching west to the Aral Sea and even Persia. But there were only 24,000 soldiers.

In addition to the advanced and excellent equipment and strong combat power of the Tang army, the large use of the armies of vassals and servants from small countries is a more important reason.

This is a bit like the method of the Mongol army, which uses a lot of troops from conquered countries, such as Jurchen, Khitan, Han and so on, while there are not many real Mongol troops.

Perhaps, this is the trick that Genghis Khan or Kublai Khan learned from His Majesty Li Er!

Wang Fangyi said with a smile: "Xu Cheng may not know enough about the combat power of my Tang Army, in the early stage, it may need forty or fifty thousand horses. To defeat the Western Turks and deter the countries of the Western Regions, 30,000 people are enough. ”

Xu Qilin blinked his eyes and said, "You are talking about the elite soldiers of the government, if you add the soldiers of the Turkic, Qibi and other tribes, it should be okay." ”

"Coupled with the internal strife of the Western Turks, it will not be difficult to defeat it." Wang Fangyi was obviously very researched, and said: "Differentiation and disintegration can have miraculous results. ”

Xu Qilin smiled, knowing that this was the trick of the Han regime. The Turks were divided into east and west, the Eastern Turks were destroyed, and the Western Turks were not united, and sooner or later they would be finished.

Wang Fangyi suddenly remembered something, and asked: "Xia Guan has something to understand, can Xu Cheng solve a certain puzzle?" ”

"Me?" Xu Qilin smiled and said, "How can I have such good knowledge, and you don't know it?" ”

Wang Fangyi said: "Xu Cheng is too modest. This matter is about making money, Xu Cheng will be able to figure it out. ”

Xu Qilin said: "Then let's hear it." ”

Wang Fangyi was talking about the events of a few years ago, when Quan Wanji, who was the secretary of the imperial history, played to His Majesty Li Er: Xuanzhou and Raozhou have two large silver mines, and if they are exploited as much as possible, they can increase the national income by millions every year.

According to the usual ideals, His Majesty Li Er will definitely be overjoyed, and he will not be rewarded by Quan Wanji.

But in fact, His Majesty Li Er summoned this "economically minded" minister and reprimanded him very unceremoniously.

The main content of the reprimand is: I am a son of heaven, I am not worried about the lack of money, what I lack is the talent who can govern the country, and what I lack is good advice that is beneficial to the people.

Since you took office, you have not recommended a single talent, put forward a proposal to improve people's livelihood, and have not reported illegal acts, so that the powerful are afraid and awe-inspired, but you are staring at things like money.

His Majesty Li Er also made an analogy: in the past, Emperor Yao and Emperor Shun threw jade into the mountains and forests, and threw the pearl into the deep valley, gaining a reputation through the ages; Emperor Huan of the Han Dynasty and Emperor Ling of the Han Dynasty amassed money and led to the destruction of the country, are you preparing to trap me in injustice with such a suggestion?

As a result, Quan Wanji not only did not receive praise and praise, but was also demoted with his head covered.

Wang Fangyi was a little confused, Xu Qilin was also making money, but as a result, he was rising step by step. Why do similar things have completely different results?

Xu Qilin really knew about this, and he wondered at first, but then he slowly figured it out.

Money is a good thing, doesn't His Majesty Li Er know? Of course, it is not a high-spirited festival that regards money as dung, but the emperor's mental trick.

It's a bit like buying a horse's bones, and the picture is a reputation. His Majesty Li Er is so pretentious, it must give people the feeling of a Ming Jun. Look at this emperor, he values merit and talent rather than money, he is really wise and wise!

You see, through this incident, His Majesty Li Er has established his own glorious image. As for the silver mine, it still needs to be mined, and the country is short of money!

As for Quan Wanji, he was just temporarily unlucky, and soon he was activated again and became the teacher of Li Ke, the king of Wu.

Perhaps there is another reason, that is, it is related to Quan Wanji's own work at that time. You said that you are a royal historian, and you don't do a good job of picking thorns, and you are playing to dig silver mines, isn't it a bit unprofessional?

However, it is true that His Majesty Li Er does not treat Quan Wanji very well.

Not long after Quan Wanji became Wu Ke's teacher, Li Ke, the king of Wu, trampled on the wheat field when he went out hunting, causing the impeachment of the imperial history.

But His Majesty Li Er was very angry after reading the impeachment recital, but he didn't blame his son first, but was angry with Quan Wanji, thinking that King Wu's mistake this time was all to blame Quan Wanji! He didn't do his best, he didn't help well, and he should be put to death.

Shi Liufan, the servant, stopped doing it when he heard it, and admonished: "Your Majesty Fang Xuanling, you still can't stop hunting, how can you be guilty of ten thousand times?"

It means that you don't blame the teacher, you yourself are known as Mingjun, and you are not an old hunter who makes bad people's things, and even Fang Xuanling can't control you, why do you blame the family Quan Wanji alone?

His Majesty Li Er was so angry that he walked away, and later thought that he was a little unreasonable, but he still punished Quan Wanji by cutting off the household.

To say that Quan Wanji is also very sad, Shangjuan was demoted for digging silver mines, and when the teacher of Wu Wang Li Ke was cut off and sealed, and later became a teacher for Li You, and even his life was put in.

Of course, Xu Qilin won't say so much about Wang Fangyi's doubts, but just talk about things and explain them in combination with himself.

It is true that good management will make money, but the responsibility of Dayingku is like this. If you don't give money to Your Majesty, you are incompetent, how can you sit in this position.

As for Jin Wei's assassination, he still has to earn it, but his main business has become Anmin reclamation. And making money has a promoting effect on the main business, which is beneficial to the people, and naturally there is a big difference from Quan Wanji.

The core content of Xu Qilin's story is love and dedication, and it is right to operate a variety of businesses, but don't make too many mistakes.

Wang Fangyi suddenly realized that Xu Qilin had no problem making money, because he had the official position of Da Yingku. But if he can serve as the assassin and operate according to Xu Qilin's way, he is really a little worried about repeating the mistakes of Quan Wanji.

Now that he understands the trick and what to do, he already knows what to do.

"Tomorrow, the army will be mobilized, and you don't have to stay in Yizhou for long, just leave people behind and continue to survey and investigate." Xu Qilin reminded again: "Gaochang has more room for development, and if you don't make some credit, I'm afraid that there will be some obstacles on the imperial court." ”

Wang Fangyi knew that Xu Qilin's arrangement was to let him use a trebuchet to smash it a few times when attacking Gaochang. If the city is breached, there will naturally be a military merit.

At this moment, Fang Er came over in a hurry and asked Xu Qilin what he was calling.

Of course, Xu Qilin didn't want this stunned young man to go into battle to fight, with three longs and two shorts, he was also responsible for Fang Xuanling, and it was difficult to explain.

Therefore, he wanted Fang Er to follow Wang Fangyi and make some military achievements. With Fang Er's family background, he can be awarded an official with a little merit.

"Hiding behind and throwing stones?" Fang Er's big eyes rolled, and a slight look of disdain appeared on his face, "This is similar to a craftsman, and it is also considered a military merit?" ”

Xu Qilin rolled his eyes and said, "If you don't obey, I'll throw you in Yizhou." Why, do you really think that so-and-so can't beat you anymore? ”

……………