"Zheng Yuanjun, what kind of demon wind blew you here?"

Fang Chongyong looked at Zheng Shuqing, who was there in front of him, and then looked at the old cow behind him and the cart of gifts, and asked with some doubts.

"Well, that's the way to go. The old friend reunited in Chang'an, why should he come to visit. ”

Zheng Shuqing responded very politely, then turned his head and said to the servant behind him: "Bring all the gifts in." ”

After speaking, he presented the gift list and handed it to Fang Chongyong.

"Please come in, what are these things, it's so polite to come to the door."

Fang Chongyong said with a smile.

Stretch out your hand and don't hit the smiling person, Lao Zheng came to the door with such a low posture, it must be no good thing.

Is it for the sake of seeking officials?

The question is what kind of official Lao Zheng is, he doesn't count what he says, he is just an eight or nine-year-old child!

Fang Chongyong muttered in his heart, so he could only lead the other party into the house with an embarrassed face.

Zheng Shuqing looked at it and said disapprerovingly: "It's nothing, it's all useless objects, not worth a few dollars." Like tea cakes, cutlery, screens, and so on. ”

Fang Chongyong glanced at the gift list, and vaguely saw names such as "Yinpingtuo Silver Bowl", "Yinping Eating Plate", "Octagonal Flower and Bird Screen", etc., and always felt that these objects were expensive, and they didn't sound very ordinary.

However, with Lao Zheng's usual style, he seems to be used to luxury on weekdays. Since people are willing to give it, why shouldn't they accept it?

After guiding Zheng Shuqing to the master bedroom, the two sat opposite each other at the table. Fang Dafu sent a pot of "Peach Blossom Drink" and cautiously exited the room.

"I don't know how Da Lang feels after returning to Chang'an? I heard that you have done something big recently. ”

Uncle Zheng said slowly, looking at him left and right.

"Da Lang this ...... Say no more. As for the rest, Zheng Yuanjun might as well say it bluntly if he has something to say. ”

Fang Chongyong said helplessly, in the Tang Dynasty, it was customary to call acquaintances "X Lang" and "X Niang", and what was the ranking of the family. For example, "Aunt Gongsun", in fact, she was very young when she gave this name, but she was only in her teens.

It's just that she is the eldest in the family, so she is called the eldest mother. Fang Chongyong is the only son in the family, and his father Fang Youde has never heard of any brothers and sisters, so it is not necessary to call him "Da Lang".

"Good! I like Lang Jun to be refreshing enough. ”

Zheng Shuqing laughed, and then pleaded with a bitter face: "It's still the same as before, save my life, and there will be a good reward." ”

Seeing him so pitiful, Fang Chongyong asked with a strange expression: "I told you the making method of Red Lotus Spring's koji and the brewing method." Besides, this trick can no longer be used, and now it is no longer effective, why does Zheng Yuanjun bother to ask for a sword? ”

He thought that Zheng Shuqing was begging him to play the "Red Lotus Spring Miracle" again and make money in Chang'an. It's just that this kind of thing is indispensable at the right time, place and people, and it is difficult to replicate it again!

"Alas, what kind of red lotus spring, you still care about that little money. The Zheng family is near Xingyang, next to the canal, and there is an industry that does not get in the way, and people do not die of hunger. ”

Zheng Shuqing waved his hand and said.

The prosperity of the canal line has directly driven the economic development around Xingyang, and the Zheng family of Xingyang has also reaped a lot of benefits from it.

"So, what the hell is that?"

Fang Chongyong asked suspiciously.

"That is, Li Xiang is helping a certain official position of the household servant......"

Zheng Shuqing stirred the cuffs with his hands, looking like he wanted to speak and stopped.

"Isn't that nice? Is it money to operate and get promoted? But I don't have any money here. ”

Fang Chongyong spread his hands and told Zheng Shuqing that he was "almost" destitute.

"So-and-so didn't come to borrow money! This car of gifts alone is almost a thousand! ”

Zheng Shuqing couldn't help but yell at Fang Chongyong.

What?

Fang Chongyong was stunned for a moment, just that car of broken things is a thousand pieces of goods?

Lao Zheng won't be cheated by someone, right?

What kind of tea is this? What kind of dish is it? What kind of screen is a screen?

Fang Chongyong was very skeptical, if he really took a thousand guan out and loaded the car, it would definitely be bigger than that pile of things.

These Chang'an bureaucrats, they are really rotten, and the gifts are all priced in "Qianguan", no wonder Du Gongbu said that "Zhumen wine and meat stink", and it is really true.

"Please ask Zheng Zhijun for advice."

Fang Chongyong said with a straight face, putting away the previous jokes.

"That's right, what about this household servant, what he has to do is to manage money for the imperial court...... Then Li Xiang asked me to write a sparse note for him to see. If it is well written, he will show it to the saint and help me ask for an official. ”

Zheng Shuqing said Li Linfu's request in detail.

"Uh, this, isn't it just to help the imperial court desperately loot, and then scrape the money and grain out of the ground, and then send it to the Western Regions as military expenses? In other words, you want to be this official and make money for the court? ”

Fang Chongyong asked in disbelief.

I didn't expect that there would really be such an official in the imperial court, playing sustainable Linze and fishing.

Fang Chongyong sighed in his heart, but his face was silent, as if he was wandering.

"Can you please stop being so vulgar! It is to manage money for the imperial court, financial management! I'm not a cool guy who scrapes people's floors! ”

Zheng Shuqing stiffened his neck and argued, but with that pale speech, I am afraid that even he could not convince himself.

"It's good, it's financial management, financial management."

Fang Chongyong hurriedly comforted the other party and said.

"So, what can I do to help Zheng Yuanjun?"

"Just help me write this note."

Zheng Shuqing quickly continued.

"I'll write it for you?"

Fang Chongyong grabbed his hair, looked at Zheng Shuqing like a fool and asked, "Why should I help you write?" ”

Because you received a gift! Don't you do something after receiving a generous gift?

Zheng Shuqing roared angrily in his heart, and he suddenly remembered that the Gao Lishi next to Li Longji seemed to be a ruthless person who collected money and didn't do anything.

But behind the emperor is standing, who is standing behind you?

For a while, the atmosphere was deadlocked.

Fang Chongyong's heart softened, waved his hand and asked, "Say, how do you want to write?" ”

"I won't, if I do, will I come to you?"

Zheng Shuqing said with a wry smile.

"Won't you dare to take on this errand?"

Fang Chongyong was already shocked by Zheng Shuqing, and he didn't understand what game this person wanted to play.

You don't have diamonds and still come out to do porcelain work?

"Officialdom, you don't understand. Let's just say that you have no choice. ”

Zheng Shuqing lamented.

"I don't understand the situation in the Western Regions. I don't even understand the people's feelings and geography, and I don't have account books, so what can I do? ”

"You don't need to understand, and I didn't say that I wanted to make money in the Western Regions. Isn't your ability to make money in Chang'an very high? That red lotus spring has been sold into a legend, and I can't find the goods if I want to buy a jar now. ”

As soon as Fang Chongyong's ability to make money was mentioned, Zheng Shuqing was full of praise.

Well, I don't know what to say.

Fang Chongyong held his forehead in pain, he really didn't know how to explain Zheng Shuqing, a corrupt central bureaucrat whose brain was relatively dead and his wrist was too flexible.

"Zheng Yuanjun said before that the imperial court asked you to make money to maintain the military needs of the Hexi Corridor in the Western Regions, right?"

Fang Chongyong crossed his legs, changed to a more comfortable position to sit, and asked in a deep voice.

"That's true, Li Xiang has made this clear."

Zheng Shuqing nodded slightly and said.

"Then no matter what means of financial management are used, as long as there is no shortage of money in Hexi Jiedu and there is sufficient military supply, then you, the household servant, should be very stable, right?"

Fang Chongyong asked again, and Zheng Shuqing nodded.

The household servant is not a "financial manager". Making money is just a means, maintaining the normal operation of the army, maintaining a high standard of rewards to ensure the morale of the army, this is the ultimate goal.

All for the Tang Dynasty to win the local war against Tibet! War is about logistics!

On the other hand, if Zheng Shuqing looted a lot of wealth in Lingnan, but these treasures could not be transported to Chang'an, let alone to the Western Regions, then what is the use of this type of "financial management" to win the war?

The means are always in the service of the end, not the other way around.

Don't look at Niu Xianke and Cui Xiyi, they both said that the Hexi Mansion Treasury is full of warehouses and soldiers.

However, once the war starts, it is not so simple! The Tibetan state is strong, the supply capacity is also very strong, and the family background is much thicker than that of the Turks.

Moreover, Tibet is serfdom, using brute force without permission, and does not treat serfs as human beings, and dies 100,000 people without blinking, and does not cherish manpower.

Sometimes Datang and Tubo fight against each other, and it hurts to fight for consumption. One of the Tang Dynasty dies on the other side of the Tubo side, and the Tubo can always play this game.

As long as the fight starts, the continuous logistics cannot be broken, and as long as it is broken, something big will happen.

"A certain means that Guanzhong's support for the Hexi Corridor is overwhelmed, and it is too far away to make the logistics very uncomfortable. There is no other way to provide assistance to the towns of Hexi Domain. It is not necessary to make money to buy grain in Chang'an and send it over, the specific situation must be analyzed on a case-by-case basis.

Otherwise, it's just an empty word. ”

Hearing this, Zheng Shuqing nodded slightly, I have to say that Fang Chongyong's words are very reasonable.

In the end, the problem is to continue to support the Hexi Corridor!

"Then Zheng Envoy, you have to bring me the account books reported by the Hexi Jiedu Shogunate over the years, as well as the account books of Ganzhou, Liangzhou and other places. Maybe there is a way, or it's just on paper. ”

Fang Chongyong handed the gift list to Zheng Shuqing and said, "If you don't have these, let's drag the gift back." ”

"I don't have a position now, these account books you said are all secrets of the imperial court, where can I get them, you should still be in Kuizhou!

Those are in the special warehouse where the Ministry of Household and the Ministry of Chinese Books store copywriting, and there are special personnel to manage them.

Now there are only loose officials and no errands, and he can't even get in at the door over there, what do you want him to do? ”

Uncle Zheng was angry and roared.

Suddenly, he seemed to think of something, and he was thinking about something with his chin propped up.

"Like, it's not impossible."

Zheng Shuqing said thoughtfully.

"What's the solution?"

Fang Chongyong asked curiously.

"You can't do it, but someone can do it. And in his capacity, compliant, legal. ”

Zheng Shuqing nodded slightly, and he had a bottom in his heart.

"What you need, you write me a list, right now."

Zheng Shuqing said eagerly.

"Okay."

Fang Chongyong sighed helplessly, took out the inkstone to sharpen the ink, and wrote a series of names on the paper with a brush. These are the things he needs to know, and it's about the big picture. There are other things that may be important, but they don't affect the whole.

The population of the Hexi Corridor, grain production, tuntian area, commercial exchanges, local specialties and so on. Some things can be quickly converted into military power, and some things cannot.

It's just that why he, a person who lives outside the palace wall at the back gate of Xingqing Palace, should worry about what the master of Xingqing Palace should worry about.

"In the future, can you not trouble me with such a thing. Other people are officials who collect money, so it's better for you to send the money outside. ”

Fang Chongyong couldn't help but complain.

"It's okay, one last time, one last time."

Zheng Shuqing was overjoyed, and as soon as the door opened, he was ready to go directly to this matter.

……

Fang Chongyong was busy, and in the Xingqing Palace, which was separated by a wall, a banquet was being held.

The former envoy of Hexi Jiedu Niu Xianke was ordered to report to Beijing! Li Longji deliberately held a banquet in Xingqing Palace, giving Niu Xianke enough face.

Just last year (the twenty-fourth year of Kaiyuan), Niu Xianke was ordered to be transferred to the general manager of the Shuofang march, and the post of envoy of Hexi Jiedu was taken over by Cui Xiyi.

Soon after, Cui Xiyi said that Niu Xianke was strict in his tenure, accumulated wealth, and made considerable political achievements.

So Tang Xuanzong ordered Zhang Lizhen, a member of the criminal department, to verify. After investigation, Zhang Lizhen returned to the imperial court, saying that Hexi was indeed full of warehouses and excellent equipment, and what Cui Xiyi said was true.

Li Longji Dayue was granted the official position of Shangshu of the Ministry of Cattle Immortal in advance.

This is not better than Zheng Shuqing going to work first and then conferring the position, but awarding the position first, ironclad!

Compared with a civil official like Zhang Jiuling who came up through the imperial examination, Niu Xianke's qualifications are a little less meaningful, and he can basically be regarded as an example of the grassroots struggling to move upward.

In his early years, Niu Xianke served as a minor official in Quail County (near Changwu County, Shaanxi), and because of his excellent work, he was valued by the county commander Fu Wenjing.

Fu Wenjing was later promoted to the Longyou Yingtian envoy, and Niu Xianke was called as an assistant official because he was able and obedient and an old acquaintance, and this official was a subsidiary official of the Yingtian envoy, and then Niu Xianke moved to Taozhou Sima because of his military achievements.

At this time, the cow cyclamen can be regarded as an "independent official". In the Tang Dynasty, under the command of a formal official, there were often several subordinate officials to help him do things. It is often very difficult for these attached attachés to be promoted.

Later, when Wang Jun served as the envoy of the Hexi Jiedu, Niu Xianke was awarded the judge of the Jiedu, became the confidant of the other party, and was further promoted to become a local magistrate.

Later, Xiao Song succeeded as the envoy of Hexi Jiedu, and still entrusted the military and political affairs to Niu Xianke, which is enough to see how good this person is in managing local government affairs. After Xiao Song returned to worship the prime minister, he served as the Zhongshu Order, led the Hexi Festival Envoy from afar, and recommended Niu Xianke many times.

In the end, the cow cyclamen naturally became the envoy of the Hexi Festival.

It can be seen from the promotion trajectory of Niu cyclamen that those who come out of the local grassroots can climb up step by step, and they all have real skills. Jiedu envoys are airborne from the central government, and they often need such people to help under him, otherwise they will not be able to deal with the complicated situation in the local area.

"Come, Niu Aiqing, I salute you for a cup and thank you for all the things you have done for the people in Hexi all these years."

Li Longji looked at the cow cyclamen, who had gray temples and was already a little old in his fifties, picked up the wine bottle, and said emotionally.

"Die for the saints!"

Niu Xianke bowed and saluted, took the wine bottle from in front of Li Longji, and Zhang Jiuling, Li Linfu and the chief officials of the central departments around him were all moved when they saw this scene.

"Sage, Weichen thinks that Niu Xianke does not have the ability to serve as the six books. The minister impeached the imperial historian Li Shizhi and sat back and watched the matter, and did not prevent the issuance of the decree. ”

An inopportune voice came from the corner of the banquet hall, and everyone present was stunned by the words.