Great Song Super Scholar

Chapter 314
The person on board was none other than his fourth brother Fan Tongzhong. He was wearing a deep white silk coat, a leather belt around his waist, and a gauze cap on his head. He was followed by two attendants. With his handsome appearance and tall and straight figure, he seemed quite handsome. A bit high-spirited.

Fan Tiezhou hadn't seen his brother for almost a year, and the last time he saw him was at last year's clan sacrifice.

Because Fan Tiezhou is the deputy patriarch, he is busy with the clan sacrifices, so he doesn't have time to talk with the fourth brother in detail. He just heard from the third brother that the fourth brother works for the Zhu family, and he seems to be doing well.

Fan Tiezhou also knows that his fourth brother has suffered quite a lot in recent years. Five years ago, his wife died in her sleep because of being too fat. His father-in-law sued him to the government, saying that his wife was killed by him. A doctor testified that the fourth brother's wife had suffocated several times and was rescued in time, so the fourth brother was innocent.

Three years ago, Fan Tongzhong married the daughter of a wealthy family surnamed Wang in Wujiang, and gave birth to a son early last year.

"Bronze bell!" Fan Tiezhou waved and shouted.

When Fan Tongzhong looked back and saw his elder brother, he was surprised and delighted at once, and quickly let the two boats get closer. He jumped on Fan Tiezhou's boat and said with a smile: "Brother is not here to propose marriage!"

Fan Tiezhou smiled and said, "How do you know I'm here to propose?"

"The news has spread. I'm here to pay the bill today, so I'm here to ask about it."

"Come on! Let's sit down and talk."

Fan Tiezhou pulled his brother to sit down in the cabin, took out a bottle of wine and two small glasses from the box, poured two glasses of wine and said with a smile: "I don't know where you work for so many years?"

Fan Tongzhong pondered for a while and said, "Even my wife doesn't know where I work, but I can tell my elder brother, and hope that my elder brother will keep it a secret for me."

"Don't worry! I won't go out and talk nonsense."

Fan Tongzhong drank a glass of wine before saying: "I am the chief manager of Zhuji money shop now, and I spend most of my time outside to inspect money shops in various places. I will go to Chengdu Mansion in two days, and I will open two more money shops there." Shop, I will sit there for at least three months."

"That's right! When did you become the chief steward?"

"It's been almost three years. The old man has treated me well. He gave me a monthly salary of one hundred guan, and a generous bonus at the end of the year. To be honest, I am already satisfied."

Fan Tiezhou nodded, "I wanted to talk to you at first, and asked you to go to the capital to help the second child. He is short of people there. Since you are doing well, then forget it."

Fan Tongzhong shook his head and smiled wryly: "I did a lot of stupid things when I was young. If the old man hadn't helped me get on the right path, I wouldn't know how I would have fallen. My ex-wife passed away, and it was the old man who helped me take care of it, so I didn't get caught by the county government." If you are beaten into a trick, you must have faith in being a person, and I will try my best to do things well and repay him for his kindness."

Fan Tongzhong's words made Fan Tiezhou very pleased. The fourth brother, who had always caused headaches for the whole family, finally matured.

He took off a piece of jade pendant from his waist and handed it to Fan Tongzhong, "This is for my little nephew, it's a little favor from my uncle."

"Thank you bro!"

Fan Tiezhou patted his brother on the shoulder, "I have time to visit my father, he still misses you and my sister-in-law, let her take my nephew to sit at home, your sister-in-law will definitely welcome them."

Fan Tongzhong nodded, "Before I go to Chengdu Mansion, I'm going to see them."

Fan Tongzhong said goodbye and left. Fan Tiezhou watched his brother's boat go away. He looked at the white clouds in the sky and felt very excited. Everything in the family was developing in a good direction. Their Fan family was really about to turn around.

In the next ten days or so, the Fan family delivered the betrothal gift, betrothal gift, and dowry gift in time, and the matchmaker Liu Yuanfu finalized the approximate wedding date with Zhu Yuanfu. Mudu Town is filled with a festive atmosphere.

But there was also a trace of unpleasantness hidden in the celebration. On the second day after Fan's family gave the dowry, Zhu Yuanjun rushed back to Zhu's Mansion in Wujiang, had a big quarrel with his brother, and revealed all the old things decades ago. Brother The two turned their faces from then on.

Three months later, Zhu Yuanjun moved to the capital with dozens of family members, and the Zhu family was facing a split.

. . . . . .
The time has come to January of the second year, the third year of Song Zhihe.

During this period of time, the political situation of the imperial court was relatively chaotic. The main emperor, Zhao Zhen, had a sudden stroke during the New Year's Eve and fell ill on the bed.

In the morning, the right minister Wen Yanbo convened a meeting of the ministers in the political affairs hall, including the left minister Fu Bi, the two deputy ministers Cheng Lin and Wang Yaochen, and the privy secretary Han Qi.

As soon as everyone sat down, the tea boy served tea to everyone. Wen Yanbo took a sip of tea and said to everyone: "I asked the imperial doctor early this morning, and he said that the official's condition has improved, and he was able to speak two days ago. It will take more than ten days to recover."

"Wen Xiangguo, what is the cause of the official's illness this time?" Han Qi asked with concern.

"I asked the imperial doctor. What the imperial doctor said was that the officials desperately wanted to have a child, but instead of haste, they lost too much money."

Wen Yanbo's words were very vague, but everyone understood that it was nothing more than excessive indulgence that caused physical loss. For a while, it was difficult for everyone to say anything, and they all drank tea to cover up their embarrassment.

At this time, Wen Yanbo changed the subject and asked Deputy Prime Minister Cheng Lin, "What does the special envoy of the Liao Kingdom come to Beijing at this time?"

At this time of year, the contacts between the Liao Kingdom and the Great Song Dynasty are to celebrate the New Year, usually the Liao envoy stationed in the capital is in charge, but just yesterday, the Liao Kingdom suddenly sent a special envoy to Beijing, which made everyone a little strange, the spring is cold When time comes, what's the big deal in Liao?
Cheng Lin smiled bitterly and said, "The Liao Kingdom wants us to explain whether the expansion of territory overseas is aimed at the Liao Kingdom?"

Wen Yanbo frowned, "Didn't they answer this question the year before last? Our development of Liuqiu has nothing to do with the Liao Kingdom. What else do they want to know?"

"It seems that Goryeo gave them some news. They asked about Danzhou."

Wen Yanbo nodded. As they expected, it was indeed Gao Li who sent the news to Liao.

However, the Song Dynasty also had a countermeasure, Wen Yanbo said with a smile: "Then what do you say?"

"I said they were over-concerned. It has nothing to do with our overseas expansion of the Liao Kingdom. We just want to develop overseas trade. The establishment of a government in Danzhou is also to better trade with Korea and Japan. It turned out to be a joke."

Speaking of this, Cheng Lin couldn't help laughing. He took out a map and spread it out on the table, and everyone gathered around. It was a map of Goryeo, Danzhou, Song Dynasty and Liaodong. On the map, the location of Danzhou was It is not below Goryeo, but in the northwest direction of Goryeo, close to the Liaodong Peninsula.

Everyone couldn't help laughing. Who drew this map, and it was thousands of miles away from the real location.

Wen Yanbo sneered and said, "This should be a wrong map deliberately drawn by Koryo to mislead the Liao Kingdom and let them put pressure on the Song Dynasty and withdraw from Danzhou."

"Then what should we do?"

"It's very simple. Explain the situation to them clearly and give them the correct map. If they don't believe it, they can go and explore the non-existent big island by themselves. In fact, they can ask the local fishermen to find out if this island exists. It would be superfluous to ask us.”

Cheng Lin continued: "They also asked about Kunzhou!"

This topic calmed down the Xiangguos in the room. Kunzhou has become the hottest topic in the Song Dynasty in the past two years. The streets and alleys, the villages by wells, and even the beggars are talking about Kunzhou when they are basking in the sun and catching lice. No chance of getting rich.

It would be impossible for the Liao Kingdom to not know about Kunzhou. What's more, Liao's spies had infiltrated all aspects of the Song Dynasty, and they probably already knew the fact that Kunzhou was a horse breeding base.

Wen Yanbo suddenly realized that Kunzhou might be the target that Liao Kingdom really cared about.

After pondering for a moment, Wen Yanbo said to Cheng Lin: "If they really intend to go to Kunzhou, then tell them that Kunzhou is far away overseas, at least [-] miles away from Song Dynasty, and it is a newly opened land by Song Dynasty. It will become the new granary of Song Dynasty, that's all."

Fu Bi said coldly: "What the Liao Kingdom really cares about is whether Kunzhou will become the horse breeding base of the Great Song Dynasty. So what if it is? What if it is not? We can actually tell the Liao Kingdom frankly that Kunzhou will also be the horse breeding base of the Great Song Dynasty. livestock base."

Wang Yaochen laughed and said, "It's better not to mention the animal husbandry base for the time being, so as not to irritate the Liao Kingdom, just tell them that it is a grain-producing area. Everyone pretends to be confused, and makes the big and small things small. This is more in line with our interests. .”

Han Qi also agreed with Wang Yaochen's opinion. There was no need to intensify the conflict. As long as Song Dynasty did not recognize horse breeding, Liao Kingdom had no choice.

Cheng Lin also thinks that the Liao Kingdom sent envoys to ask Da Song only under pressure. As long as the matter in Danzhou is clearly explained, the Liao Kingdom envoys can also go back to make business. As for Kunzhou, as long as Da Song insists that it has nothing to do with raising horses, In the end it was nothing.

At this time, an official reported in a low voice at the door: "There is news from the palace that the emperor summoned Wen Xianggong and Fu Xianggong!"

(End of this chapter)