The Happy Life of Small Officials in Northern Song Dynasty

() Su Jindao: "What do you think the emperor thinks is the advantage of our Song army compared with the army of the Liao people and the Xia people?"

Zhao Zhen said with a smile: "It's time to test me, isn't it obvious? Our Song soldiers are better than them in everything, whether it's armor, weapons or utensils, they are better than them."

Su Jin smiled and said, "Then why do we have so much trouble beating them?"

Zhao Zhen said: "This is also obvious. We don't have good war horses. The horses from the south are not resistant to bitter cold, and the number is not large, so we suffer a lot in field battles."

Su Jindao: "The emperor understands it very well. This point should be the consensus of the whole Song Dynasty. People from Liao and Xia are unwilling to do business with my Song Dynasty on war horses. They also understand this point."

Zhao Zhen said: "That's natural, and that's the capital they dare to provoke. What are you talking about?"

Su Jin said with a mysterious smile: "Because I might get a good horse for Song..." ..

Zhao Zhen was startled, reached out and grabbed Su Jin's wrist and said, "Really? Can you convince the Xia people to sell us war horses?"

Su Jin softly talked about Yu Yeli Dulan's agreement, and Zhao Zhen became more and more startled as he heard it, and he said with doubts on his face: "You mean, the Xiaren Yeli Tribe is willing to betray Li Yuanhao?"

Su Jin shook his head and said: "It's not betrayal, they want to protect themselves. Yeli Yuqi and Yeli Wangrong are two big mountains of the Yeli tribe. For a long time, his subordinates have commanded more than [-] soldiers of the Yeli tribe, and they have become Li Yuanhao's confidantes. This time on the front line of Weizhou, Li Yuanhao planned to kill the Yeli brothers and blamed it on my Song Dynasty, but I found out; the Yeli Queen is the younger sister of the Yeli brothers. Only when the Yeli tribe is strong can she gain a foothold. Now that the Yeli tribe has fallen back, and the Wuzang tribe has taken advantage of the momentum, Li Yuanhao will certainly not buy Yeli Dulan's account again. The favorite concubine Wuzang is about to replace him, so in order to protect himself, Ye Lidulan can only fight with Ye Lidulan. I cooperate."

Zhao Zhen nodded and said: "That's true, I understand Li Yuanhao's mood, and I also understand the struggle in the harem."

Su Jin didn't dare to answer, and continued: "I think that if we exchange food and other things for the war horses of the Ye Li tribe, and Ye Li Dulan uses food and cloth to control the internal supplies; in that case, Li Yuanhao can't fight with Ye Li. In particular, my Song Dynasty refused to open up trade with the Western Thieves. Even if Li Yuanhao knew that the Yeli Tribe had secretly communicated with us, he had to swallow his anger; and we successfully created contradictions within the party, and we were able to obtain what we wanted. If you want a war horse, why not do it?"

Zhao Zhen's heart was beating wildly. This is a plan that kills two birds with one stone. No wonder Su Jin strongly demanded to seal off the frontier in the hall just now to terminate the two parties' business transactions.

"But, with our food supply, will the thieves start another war? You just said that this is feeding tigers."

Su Jin said: "This is a double-edged sword. The emperor needs to weigh which is beneficial to our Song Dynasty. We have a lot of food in the Song Dynasty, but more food can't improve the combat power of our army in the Song Dynasty. Only when the cavalry becomes large It is the foundation to completely put an end to the coveted hearts of the western thieves. When the time comes, it will be possible to fight and reconcile, and the initiative will be in the hands of my Song Dynasty; in addition, if the emperor is too worried, we can control the amount of food and war horses traded; To the south, to the east of Lanzhou, open up a horse farm, and select fine-bred war horses to breed, and one day, we can use our own war horses instead of relying on trading with the Xia people."

Zhao Zhen patted his thigh and said: "Good way, war horses can give birth to cubs, the climate in the northwest is suitable for raising horses, and the rice in my Song Dynasty is rarely grown in the Dangxiang territory. This is a clever plan."

Su Jin said: "So the emperor agrees?"

Zhao Zhen said: "I'm just worried that some people will object to this matter. After all, this is doing business with Western thieves, and it will definitely cause gossip."

Su Jin smiled and said: "This matter is done in the name of the minister, and it is kept secret. No one will tell it except the emperor and me. The emperor only needs to urge the third department to allocate more food, cloth and other things to me."

Zhao Zhen squinted at Su Jin and said, "Do you think Yan Sansi is a fool? He is very shrewd. How many people in the northwest, how much food and clothes they need to eat, are all the result of careful planning. Is the envoy for nothing?"

Su Jin scratched his head and said, "Then what should we do?"

Zhao Zhen thought for a while and said: "You can only find a way by yourself. Maybe you can buy grain in the south and secretly transport it to the northwest, as long as you don't expose the trap; if someone reports that you are hoarding grain, I will turn a blind eye at most." Just one eye, that's all I can do."

Su Jin scratched his head and said, "It's feasible, but I don't have so much money. Your Majesty, you have to give me some. Otherwise, what will I get for food."

Zhao Zhen spat: "Do you still dare to ask for money? Do you think I don't know how many millions you made when you were in Luzhou, Yangzhou? Even in Weizhou, you plundered hundreds of thousands of Li Zhihe's property , I don’t say it doesn’t mean I don’t know.”

Su Jin said embarrassingly: "Your majesty is wise, but I have spent a lot of money on the affairs of the court, among other things, I spent a lot of money to pay the military salary in the northwest this time, and I didn't put it all in my pocket." You feel your conscience and say, how much did I pay for the imperial court when I opened the Huitong Yinzhuang? The imperial court has not sent a penny into my Yinzhuang. If this continues, my Yinzhuang will be closed."

Zhao Zhen gave Su Jin a shudder with a smile and said: "Come here and cry poorly with me, I have no money, the money is in your uncle's hands, you go and ask for it yourself."

Su Jin said: "If I want to come, it's just the military salary in the Northwest, plus some reconstruction funds at most, how can I have much money? This mess in the Northwest costs money everywhere, how can it be enough? If you want a large amount of money for no reason, wouldn't it be Make Yan Sansi suspicious?"

Zhao Zhen spread his hands and said: "I can't help you, at most I will live frugally and squeeze out 60 to [-] yuan from the palace expenses for you.

Su Jin cursed inwardly, but there was nothing she could do. Since this matter cannot be made public and Zhao Zhen can't get any money, he can only find a way by himself, but it can't be so cheap. I can't be empty-handed when I am busy with work.

Su Jin said: "Your Majesty, otherwise I can figure out a way for this matter, but I ask the Emperor to promise me one thing."

Zhao Zhen said: "You say."

Su Jin said: "I can rely on my own efforts, but I want to do some profitable business in the northwest, you know it well, then don't listen to other people's gossip."

Zhao Zhendao: "As long as it's not something that damages the country and the community, I will not interfere with you; not only that, but I will also lighten your burden. I will immediately draw up an edict that you will collect the three-year labor tax on the Northwest Fourth Road by yourself, and count as much as you like. How about allowing you to keep it for your own use so that you can settle down the people?"

Su Jin was overjoyed and thanked repeatedly. Although this move is useless this year, after next year or two, he can collect a little tax and food, which can ease the situation.

The monarchs and ministers chatted about other things, Zhao Zhen yawned, every morning he was so sleepy, and he had to go back to sleep in the morning, Su Jin resigned and quit the palace.

As soon as he left the gate of the palace, a large group of people rushed forward to block Su Jin. Su Jin was taken aback. He saw that they were all officials he knew, such as Ouyang Xiu, Fu Bi, Yang Cha, etc., and more than a dozen old people. Officials who are friends with ri's colleagues.

Ouyang Xiu tugged at Su Jin's sleeve and said, "I've caught you. I didn't say anything. Let's treat the guests."

Su Jin asked in puzzlement, "Who are you inviting?"

Ouyang Xiu pointed at Su Jin's nose and said, "Hey, are you pretending to be stupid? You have risen to the top and made a fortune, and now you are so popular and purple, you look down on us people, don't you? Wall', who was begging me to be a matchmaker for you back then?"

Fu Bi also booed and said, "That's right, I can't spare you today, little brother Su, just spend more money. I've already booked the best box in Fanlou for you today. You can't escape this no matter what." It's over."

Everyone booed, Su Jin wanted to go home to accompany Mrs. Wang Yan Biyun and others, but he couldn't get away. Besides, these are all buddies, and they should be happy together after not getting together for a long time; so he said with a smile: "What should I do? I plan to entertain you all tonight, but if you are so impatient, then we will drive to Fanlou."

Immediately, he ordered Xiao Zhu'er to go back and notify the family, and was surrounded by everyone to go to the most luxurious Fanlou in Bianliang.

In the afternoon of that day, several good poems came out from Fanlou in Bianliang City. It is said that Su Jin, the number one scholar in modern science, wrote them for an official in the northwest. As a sacred object, the finale is often a few poems written by Su Zhuangyuan before. Now that new lyrics have been published, and their styles are very different, they are naturally copied, composed, and sung, and they are all the rage for a while.

The word says:

When drunk, he turned on the lamp to watch the sword, dreaming back to blow the horns and even camp.

Eight hundred miles under the command of burning, fifty strings turned over the sound of the plug.

Soldiers on the battlefield in autumn.

The horse made Lu Fei swift, bow like a thunderbolt.

After the king's world affairs, he won the name after his life.

Cook wine to comfort your life!