Chapter 1: A New Beginning

A long line of horse-drawn carriages drove at high speed on the cement road to Chang'an. Pen | fun | pavilion www. ｂｉｑｕｇｅ。 infoThe trees planted together during the construction of the concrete road a few years ago cast patches of shade under the scorching sun, and it was exactly noon, and the air was full of dry heat without a hint of wind.

"What is Your Majesty going to do with us going back?" It was Wu Yuanqing who spoke.

Naturally, next to him was the eldest grandson, and this time also left a mark on his face, and his beard was already very deep. The face is also carved by the sea breeze and the scorching sun, and the edges and corners are more distinct.

However, at this time, the eldest grandson had already had some guesses through this urgent urging. It's just that these things are hard to say after all. So he had to say to Wu Yuanqing: "Who knows, just follow the will to drive our way." ”

"You said that you can finally take a break in the past few years, but you have encountered this kind of thing, which is really unlucky." Wu Yuanqing said.

"Isn't it? In the past few years, the fleet has finally expanded to six, and the scale of each fleet is much larger, and we basically don't need to check anything outside of the strategic direction, this Zhang Xingping and Deng Liangzhi are a lot more reassuring to do these things, which is also the reason why we can be the shopkeeper. Vaguely, Changsun Tang felt that it was very likely that he would never be able to return to Jinshan and the sea, so some things could already be handed over to Wu Yuanqing in advance.

"Not really. In the past six years, we have paid a lot, first after returning from Japan, we have increased the squeeze on Persia, the entire Indian Ocean has become our bathing tub, and several supply points and bases have been established along the way. It took four years alone. Wu Yuanqing sighed with emotion.

In the past, his impression of Changsun Tang was only that he was a person who could turn stones into gold, and he had a lot of ideas. However, the war with Persia had a fundamental change in his impression of Changsun Tang. This eldest grandson is actually a strategist who is very good at strategic planning.

Anxious for this understanding, Wu Yuanqing brushed up the past experience of the eldest grandson, and since he found a clear vein, he hibernated when his strength was insufficient, and he would take off when the time was ripe.

Of course, Changsun Tang didn't know, it turned out that he was run over by others like a dead dog, and he could actually be called a strategist.

"That is, the days of fighting the Persians for shipping routes at sea in those years were really miserable days, and it was as if it had just happened yesterday. Every time the fleet returned, a lot of boxes were sent back, and those boxes were filled with the clothes of the navy soldiers and officers. The entire martyr's cemetery in Jinshan is full of their clothes and mounds. The eldest grandson was a little emotional, and every return voyage would be accompanied by this cry.

In the midst of the cry, the Jinshan Navy drove the Persians back to shore, making the sea the territory of the Tang Dynasty. Spices, silks, ceramics, and industrial goods were continuously transported to Persia and Europe. In exchange for a large amount of gold, cashmere carpets and other materials.

Wu Yuanqing also sighed with some emotion.

"But I really admire the way you deal with the Wa Kingdom. If it is said that this accounts for more than half of the credit for dealing with Persian soldiers and equipment. Then it's all your idea to deal with the Wa Kingdom, tell me, what did you think at the time? "It's not easy for Wu Yuanqing to keep this question away until now.

"This is limited to the situation in Kanayama, the main thing is that there was really no one at that time, and if there were, maybe I would have stationed troops in Kagoshima and Osaka immediately." The eldest grandson seemed to be a little embarrassed.

"Don't come with me like this, let's talk about it in detail, it's been so many years, I'm very uncomfortable." In the past four years, the strength and territory actually controlled by Jinshan have made substantial progress, and the population has exceeded 150,000. The relationship between Changsun Tang and Wu Yuanqing has become more and more delicate.

It's just that the friendship between the two is enough to make all these rumors go away, and the main reason is that Changsun Tang doesn't have too many ambitions. With sufficient ambition, there will be trade-offs and gains and losses, and the position of interests will also be important.

"Actually, sometimes we really don't have to control it ourselves. For example, this Wa country, except for some strategically important places and silver mines, there is really no big use. For the sake of such things, my main energy is entangled in this, which is really a bit unreasonable. It would be better to find an obedient agent who will do the work for us. Moreover, this agent also has the advantage that if the public anger of this machine is too great, we can remove them from power, and one person will come, and there will be no loss of our interests. Changsun Yu said.

"It's still your idea, the purpose of sending this Jinshan prisoner who has committed a misdemeanor to the country is to make this country more chaotic!" Wu Yuanqing now understands the reason why Changsun Tang insisted on sending all those prisoners to exile, and if he completes the task in the Wa Kingdom, he can reduce the sentence.

"It's just that those boys let me down. Originally, I thought about commuting their sentences, but most of them didn't want to come back when they went to the Japanese country, which I didn't expect. The eldest grandson said with a smile.

"This is also a surprise, after all, the people who have committed crimes in Jinshan these years are basically those who are lazy and lazy, and it is understandable that these people can open up the situation with the support of the army and their nimble heads when they arrive in the Japanese country." Wu Yuanqing was also a little speechless when he thought of this.

"Oh, by the way, speaking of which, how much silver has been sent by the Wa Kingdom in the past few months?" The eldest grandson suddenly remembered this question.

In Changsun Tang's previous ideals, it was definitely a dream to count the money and cramp in his hands, but one day when there was so much money that he couldn't even count the cramps in his feet, it was really just a number, and it was a number that would not attract attention.

"Don't you read the reports you're given every month?" Wu Yuanqing asked with some surprise.

"Hehe, isn't this busy!"

Wu Yuanqing touched his forehead with his hand and said: "I knew that I would have fooled around casually, this monthly report every month is a group of numbers, you know that I can't do it, and you are an expert in things, I don't dare to steal it at all, I have to stay up two nights to write it every time, you don't read it?" ”

"Hehe, I'm not busy. Sure, oh, I'm sure I'll look at it, but it's just a cursory glance. The eldest grandson laughed.

"Forget it, I won't tell you this, the more I talk about it, the more angry I get." Wu Yuanqing simply didn't say anything.

It's just that Changsun Tang is unwilling to let Wu Yuanqing go like this, the closer he gets to Chang'an, the clearer the idea in Changsun Tang's heart becomes, he needs to take advantage of the present to instill some of his ideas into Wu Yuanqing, and now is the best time.

"Don't mind, that's not good. I have something to talk to you about. The eldest grandson hurriedly said.

Wu Yuanqing turned his head and said to the eldest grandson: "Oh, this is a rare thing, this Hou Ye is actually interested in chatting with me, let's talk!" I listened. ”

"How much do you know about the recent situation of Jinshan's industry?" The eldest grandson continued to ask.

"I basically know this, and every month each factory will send me a report to the past. For example, the steel production last month was about 10,000 tons, the coal balance was 190,000 tons, and I can't remember the exact numbers for copper and silver, but if you plan to do something, you can definitely do something. There was also the establishment of a small town at the western and eastern ends of the island, which was responsible for the production of various agricultural substances, such as grain and rubber. And they're all connected by this railway. Oh, by the way, this grain is enough for Jinshan to eat for ten years, and the land here is so good that it can basically be harvested three times a year, and it doesn't matter when it is planted. There is also a lot of rubber in stock. Wu Yuanqing replied that although he was not in charge of statistical work, he still understood these basic situations.

"I'm not talking about these things, I'm talking about the state of the industry, and what it will look like in the future." The eldest grandson didn't ask Wu Yuanqing about these things, he needed to tell Wu Yuanqing about the general direction of industrial development.

"Are you talking about this new technology?" Wu Yuanqing seemed to understand what Changsun Yu meant.

"Uh-huh, that's it."

"I don't know much about the messy experimental projects in the laboratory, but I still know about the steam engine that has begun to be used on a large scale in the industry, and this thing is really easy to use, but it is a little too bulky. When you talk about this, I think of something...... "Wu Yuanqing is still selling Guanzi."

"What's the matter?" The eldest grandson became interested in what Wu Yuanqing said.

"That's right, Jinshan's technological progress is on two legs. One is the advanced technology laboratory you set up and the research project of Nanyang Institute that you set up, which I basically don't care about; Another way is the project supported by the Science and Technology Funding Fund established by Jinshan. Before the departure, there was a report that it was necessary to apply for funds and steam engines to improve the existing transportation vehicle system, and I was about to tell you about this, but I came. Wu Yuanqing said a lot in one breath.

The eldest grandson understood this, and blurted out: "Is it a train?" ”

"Trains? What trains? It's just a vehicle towed by a steam engine, and I don't know how much of a thing it is. Wu Yuanqing said with some disdain.

"Do you think, is this steam engine going to burn coal, and then it will get rid of some of the condensed steam? Doesn't that look like it's on fire? Isn't it appropriate to call a train? The eldest grandson asked rhetorically.

"You mean to say that this project is a big project? If you succeed, the benefits you can bring are considerable? Wu Yuanqing understood what Changsun Tang meant, but he still asked with some doubts.

"That's for sure. It's just that it may not work very well at first, but if you keep improving it, it will definitely be a great invention. The eldest grandson said categorically. This is nonsense, if someone from after the second industrial revolution would not know the purpose of trains.

"Then I'll fund this thing vigorously when I go back." Wu Yuanqing said.

"This can also be funded by the laboratory or the carriage factory." Changsun Yu said.

Although in terms of the prestige of Changsun Tang in Nanyang, it would certainly be no problem to take these things into his hands, but he had already divided the treasury of Nanyang and his own private property. Although some important factories such as vehicle factories, steel mills, coal mines, and shipyards are in the hands of Changsun Tang, the taxes to be paid are not a lot. This is a rule, and since the rule is established, the enforcer has the obligation to abide by it, otherwise it will only be a joke.

"Don't even think about it, even if I tighten my belt, I have to support this project." Wu Yuanqing looked at the appearance of the eldest grandson and knew that this train would definitely be a good thing, and with the financial income that had gradually been on the right track in the past few years, it could support the continuation of this project.

Then, the two of them were silent at the same time, and they were silent at the same time.

After a long time, Wu Yuanqing spoke again: "Why? ”

"What, why?" The eldest grandson was a little baffled.

Wu Yuanqing stared at Changsun Tang's eyes, wanting to get out of Changsun Tang's eyes alone with something different, but he was disappointed. So, Wu Yuanqing continued: "Why did you go to Nanyang? To go to Nanyang to lay down such a scene? ”

"I don't know why, but in the dark, it's like someone is guiding me." The eldest grandson was not good at telling the truth, so he had to borrow the "gods" to cover everything.

There's a bit of an irony about that. When God chooses to give up on us, we begin to believe in the existence of God. The eldest grandson didn't believe in the species of "gods", but when it came to the end, he let the gods carry all the black cauldrons to him.

"Forget it, I won't ask this question anymore, and you won't tell the truth. Then to change the question, why did you go back to Chang'an this time? "Wu Yuanqing's question is very direct, so direct that Changsun Tang was a little caught off guard.

Caught off guard, the eldest grandson didn't know how to answer better, and after a period of silence, he replied, "This is Your Majesty's will." ”

To be honest, even Changsun Tang himself didn't believe in this answer, let alone let Wu Yuanqing, a person who had been hurt by aristocratic politics. This circle looks very good, but after you go in, you will know: the real TM black.

"If that's the case, then it is estimated that I will stay in Chang'an and not go back, and it is estimated that if I am not willing to return to Nanyang, those people will not be stingy with giving me a marquis or something." Wu Yuanqing stared at the eldest grandson and said...... (To be continued.) )