I studied in modern times

Chapter 599: The War in the Northwest (4)

The next day, Lu Gong wrote to the two palaces, requesting that the censor and ministers be sent to Henan Prefecture, Yingchang Prefecture, Daming Prefecture, and Kaifeng Prefecture in the name of the national shortage of the Ministry of Household Affairs.

The money and silk stored in the local Changping warehouse were transported back to Bianjing and transferred to Zuozang for state use.

His request was naturally approved.

From the perspective of the two houses, this is a normal thing.

The money in Changpingcang is the country's money.

It is the same whether it is placed in the local area or there is Zuozang. Now that the state is in short supply, it is reasonable for the Right Prime Minister to want to mobilize the money from the local Changpingcang to Beijing.

After Lu Gongzhu obtained the approval of the two palaces, he turned around and sent Li Chang's memorial to Zhao Xu in the form of a seal in his name.

After Zhao Xu read it and inquired again, Mr. Lu narrowed his eyes as he read the letter to the two palaces today.

"Xiangong Lu is still loyal to the country."

But the problem is that the Song Dynasty had just abolished the Market Change Law.

I have to say that Li Chang's starting point is very good.

The magistrates of prefectures and counties control the direction, promote officials, and take charge of the economy.

Here comes another company that has similar functions to the city's business affairs?

Last year, under the auspices of Jia Zhongmin, the stacking yard of the Embankment Department was purchased, and the money was worth millions!

Only by allowing goods to circulate can the economy develop.

"The prefectures and offices all over the world..." Zhao Xu slowly narrowed his eyes as he looked at the contents of Li Chang's memorial and thought about the government-run offices all over the world.

Because these workshops are government property, there is a lack of supervision from top to bottom.

"We have to find a way...to get the money back." He said softly.

"Begging to establish this company?" Zhao Xu raised his head while flipping through the memorial, and pursed his lips slightly.

The political consciousness of the old Lu family has always been very good.

This whole thing, the factory, is all government property!

Although, this amount of money is the cost for merchants to contract those stacking yards for three years, which averages to more than 300,000 yuan a year.

If this is included, then in fact, the income of Song Yongchen's Embankment Department is far less than that of the stacking yards run by merchants today.

Isn’t this just giving them meat?

Even a very progressive economic concept.

He had some unclear ideas.

Another thing, is Changpingcang something that can be touched casually?

If you say you don’t force yourself, don’t achieve performance, and don’t make money, who would believe you?

Chang Pingcang, he is neither easy to touch nor untouchable now.

These things were made by Zhao officials in the past dynasties through intensive local cultivation through ministers, relatives and supervisory officials.

He thought too well of human nature.

Therefore, Zhao Xu knew that Lu Gongzhu might have seen some signs and was preparing for a rainy day!

This idea is also very progressive.

But...

Therefore, he wanted to establish a brand new organization: Bianbensi.

Place it under the household department and direct it from the capital. At the local level, they are led by officials and officials from prefectures and counties.

Therefore, from this perspective, the economy of the Song Dynasty was not just a bureaucratic monopoly economy.

The idea is very good.

But that doesn't mean he can't touch other things.

You know, the piles of the Digan Division that Pu bought were removed in advance, and the two most profitable piles - they were given by Zhao Xu to the Dowagers of Gao and Xiang as money for their fortune.

He said: It turns out that now there are more than 50 million guan left in Changping, Fangchang, and exempted from military service. They are scattered in prefectures and counties all over the world.

It is different from Chang Ping Cang.

It’s this memorial by Li Chang...

Take the most typical example - the Embankment Department.

As a result, corruption is rampant and abuses abound!

It is thought that the prefecture and county magistrates can be used to supervise and lead the officials and bosses of the department.

Zhao Xu just thought that he had 50 million yuan of money lying on the ground, being pulled out bit by bit like a mouse moving a warehouse.

But the problem is that when Song Yongchen was in charge of the Embankment Division, the Embankment Division relied on a monopoly and its annual income was only 400,000 yuan.

That is Zhao Xu's personal property!

Moreover, it is the worst type of bureaucratic monopoly economy - the palace system!

Because merchants rush to buy stacking yards, they must make money.

Therefore, those businessmen who were willing to spend so much money to buy the bund company's stacking yard must have thought they could make money.

Facts have also proved that they do make money, and many people are making a lot of money!
So here comes the question - where did the money that the Embankment Division should have earned in the past but did not earn in the end went?
This question is worth pondering!
It is also the place where Song Yongchen has always been criticized and criticized.

There is no doubt about Song Yongchen's loyalty.

His abilities were among the best among the ministers of the Song Dynasty!
Moreover, he himself is not greedy, and he has no brothers or sisters who need his help.

At least, Zhao Xu asked him to go to Hebei to take charge of dredging and road construction, and to Huainan to take charge of river construction and disaster relief. There were no problems and they were all completed well.

The Embankment Department is still like this.

What is the situation of those factories scattered in prefectures and counties far away from Bianjing?

Thinking of this, Zhao Xu's thoughts suddenly became unreasonable.

It's okay for the civil servants and officials to steal my money.

House servants and slaves are also stealing!

I can't deal with the civil servants, so I can't deal with you family slaves?
With this in mind, Zhao Xu called Feng Jing in front of him and ordered: "Feng Jing, please go to the Censor's Office and ask the Censor Zhongcheng to secretly send Gan Chengli's files to the palace."

Feng Jing was startled.

Gan Chengli was the minister who was knocked down by the crows at Yushitai last year.

His downfall almost set off a tsunami-like disaster for the entire inner court.

Because after Gan Chengli was imprisoned, all the big officials in the palace were impeached.

However, the last two palaces, Cisheng and Guanjia, kept all the bullets in the target, which prevented disaster.

Now, why did the official suddenly remember that he wanted to see Gan Chengli's file?
"Go!" Zhao Xu urged.

"No!" Feng Jing quickly accepted the order.

Looking at Feng Jingyuan's retreating figure, Zhao Xu rubbed his hands.

"Free market and free competition are the paths most suitable for the Song Dynasty." He murmured softly.

At this stage, in this feudal society dominated by handicraft industry.

Although the factories in those states and counties can make money, all they make is monopoly money.

Moreover, there are countless silverfish in these institutions, and the rats are useless.

It is equivalent to saying that it is Zhao Guan's family who is raising them.

However, they are not willing to make progress. Instead, under the banner of Zhao Guan's family, they bully men and women outside, behave tyrannically, and do all kinds of evil.

Take that Gan Chengli for example - he caused anger and resentment in Lianghu!
He has dozens of human life cases that he has verified!

Those that cannot be verified are hard to count!

Unfortunately, everything he did was done under the banner of Zhao Xu's father.

Moreover, he indeed transported a large amount of precious wood to Bianjing, which became the raw material for Xindu Tang and Xintaixue.

Therefore, Gan Chengli was not even executed in the end.

It’s just a living arrangement!

There was nothing he could do about it - as a filial son, Zhao Xu would never let his father's reputation be damaged.

Therefore, we can only turn big things into small things.

But now...

The limelight has passed, and we can settle the scores in the future.

Just in time, let me borrow his head!
By the way, this is a way to sell off old production capacity that will soon be eliminated.

Yes!

With the advancement of technology, Zhao Xu knew very well that those workshops established in various states and counties over the past century, especially those focusing on handicrafts, would inevitably be eliminated.

While they are still valuable, sell them and let others take over.

At the same time, you can also gain a good reputation, a win-win situation! No, it should be three wins - Zhao Xu wins three times!

However, this matter must be done slowly, and it must not be alerted. At the same time, it must be done with sufficient posture.

In addition, Queen Mother Xiang's birthday is coming soon, so she must have a comfortable birthday.

Therefore, no matter what, Zhao Xu will not take action until after mid-September.

……

When Zhao Xu was in Bianjing City, he was thinking hard about how to realize the old production capacity left to him by successive officials.

Xizhou City, thousands of miles away, has turned into a huge military camp.

Tens of thousands of troops have gathered here.

Guo Gui led his horse and Baoding under his command, and followed the large army to the foot of Xizhou City.

Three days ago, he failed in the competition for the deputy capital position in Nanguanbao - there was no way, there were too many opponents.

Moreover, his competitors were all considered superior to him in terms of background and martial arts.

There are three people named Bao alone!

This is the Xizhou Bao family!
There are so many people, so much money, and so much land in so many places! Although they are followers of the Qiang people, the people the Bao family is following are relatives of Bao Xiaosu.

Moreover, this relative was personally approved by the late emperor.

Today's officials are most filial.

It is said that when Bao Shun, the head of the Bao clan in Xizhou, came to Beijing to meet the saint last year, he was praised by current officials - the style of Bao Xiaosu in public ownership!
Therefore, after Bao Shun returned, he built the Xizhou Bao Ancestral Hall in Xizhou City.

On the first day of this year, the Bao family in Xizhou was worshiping their ancestors. Hundreds of Bao family descendants were kneeling in the ancestral hall. On the plaque where they knelt and worshiped, on the piece highlighted by the stars, it was clearly written: My late uncle, the emperor. In the Song Dynasty, the deputy privy envoy gave Bao Gongtao, the Minister of Rites, the throne of the old master.

He directly attached himself to his father and became Bao Xiaosu's half-brother.

The hundreds of thousands of Qiang people who replaced Xihe Road recognized an uncle and great-uncle who were born in Luzhou, Luzhou.

Although the Han people in Xihe find it funny.

However, the Bao family is very serious.

They are even talking about sending people to Luzhou next year to visit their relatives.

Then ask the master's family to give Xihe Bao a name.

If their plan really succeeds.

Then, the hundreds of thousands and close to 200,000 Qiang people on Xihe Road can all become Xihe subcontractors of the Luzhou Bao family.

At that time, who can still say that they are Qiang people?
There is an imperial edict, a genealogy, a church name, and the endorsement of the Luzhou Bao family.

Let me ask you, is this the Xihe branch of the Bao family?
Therefore, there is no suspense about Guo Gui's defeat.

Fortunately, Wang pulled a big ax and put in a good word at the Military and Horse Supervisory Office of Nanguanbao, and he was made a chief security officer (militia company commander or platoon commander) of Nanguanbao's Yidubaoxia (militia battalion commander). long).

"Guo Baochang!" Guo Gui was just thinking when he heard the voice of his immediate boss, Bao Wu, the deputy chief of Yidu.

It was this person who eliminated dozens of competitors including Guo Gui.

There's no way - they're too awesome.

Not only his height and weight, he is like an iron tower.

His martial arts skills are far beyond ordinary people, he is good at riding and shooting, and he is even more proficient in using weapons such as maces and heavy axes.

His life experience is even more innocent - Naizu once followed Privy Wang (Wang Shao) on the side and also made military exploits! Nai's father and Nai's brother followed Wang Gong (Wang Wenyu), the current Lanzhou military and horse supervisor, to fight against the Western bandits.

It can be said that the root is Zhengmiaochi (the Northern Song Dynasty is Huode).

Xiang Zongji, the military commander of Nanguan Fort, liked him very much when he saw him, and immediately decided to let him serve as the deputy chief of Yidu.

Guo Gui hurriedly stepped forward and lowered his head: "You called me, do you have anything to do?"

Bao Wu hugged his shoulders enthusiastically and asked, "I heard that Baochang Guo is from Bianjing?"

"Um……"

"Have you ever heard of Guo Baozhang that there is a yamen called Zhong Jianzhong in Bianjing City?" Bao Wu looked at Guo Gui.

Guo Gui blinked, thought about it, and said, "I've heard of it before."

"It seems to be Zhong's Yameni in Zhaoqingfang!"

Bao Wu was immediately overjoyed and asked, "Guo Dutou, do you know what the yamen's hobbies are?"

Guo Gui shook his head: "I'm so shocked!"

"Where in the yamen of Old Taiwei Zhong's family can someone like me get close?!"

When Zhong'e was alive, he was famous all over the world for his military exploits.

Every time I return to Beijing to report on my work, I can attract crowds of people.

no way!
Zhong E is really good at fighting!

Moreover, he is still from Bianjing - this is so important!
"But..." Guo Gui seemed to have remembered something and said, "When I was in the capital, I heard that the old Taiwei Zhong had a yamen in his family, and he once worshiped Mr. Hengqu as his disciple..."

"And Mr. Hengqu had a student who is now the magistrate of our Xizhou, Youzhou."

"I just don't know if that yameni is the yameni Dutou talks about..."

Bao Wu listened thoughtfully.

Guo Gui asked curiously: "Why did Dutou ask about the matters in the Yamen of Lao Zhong Taiwei's family?"

Bao Wu whispered: "Guo Baozhang still doesn't know?"

"Ok?"

"All the soldiers and generals in Nanguan Fort have been assigned to the third general of Xihe by You Zhizhou, and will be controlled by Zhong Zhizhou of Hezhou!"

Xihe Road is the area where the Song Dynasty implemented the art of war most thoroughly.

All the soldiers in Xihe are organized according to the general's art of war.

The soldiers and horses under the art of war are no longer separated from each other.

The training, command, and operations of the army are all in one system.

Xihe Road was therefore divided into six generals.

Among them, Hezhou is the jurisdiction of the third general.

However, Hezhou has a relatively small population. Therefore, in the event of a war, troops from the Baoding and Inspection Departments need to be transferred from other places to enrich Hezhou's military strength.

In layman's terms, it means recruiting Teletubbies from other places to go to Hezhou to assist Hezhou's third general, replenish the front line and be responsible for logistics.

"As for us in Yidu, we will be assigned to the third general's C Division. The commander of this division is called Zhong Jianzhong. I heard that he was eliminated by the officials of Bianjing City in June..."

"This is a real big shot!"

Bao Wu said with great anticipation: "I heard from people that when he was in the capital, this Xiaozhong Yanei even taught martial arts to officials!"

If he can catch up with such a noble person, he will be able to achieve great success in his life.

……

Xizhou Prefecture Government Office.

Zhong Jianzhong looked at You Shixiong, who was obviously much older in front of him, bowed his hands and said: "The last general Zhong Jianzhong has been ordered by the Prime Minister to pay homage to Zhizhou."

"No gift for commanding!" You Shixiong was extremely pleased to see the appearance of this junior brother who followed his mentor and himself in the past.

However, this was a public place and it was inconvenient for him to reminisce with Zhong Jianzhong, so he directly took the official document sent by Zhong Jianzhong, signed and stamped it, then stamped it with the seal of the magistrate of Xizhou, and returned it to the other party.

"The military situation is very strong. Commander, please quickly take this transfer order and go to the military camp to mobilize troops!"

Three days ago, beacons of emergency were lit in Xibawen, Xige City.

Then, Kuozhou also became anxious.

Clearly, this was a deliberate attack.

However, people on Xihe Road were already prepared.

Because, for more than a year, provocative things have been done up and down Xihe Road.

At the beginning, everyone was still relatively timid.

But the further you get to the back, the bolder you become.

Especially when they found out that they were making trouble here on Xihe Road, even riding on the Western bandits and Tubo.

But Bianjing remained indifferent.

Last month, Tibetan and Western bandit delegations came to Beijing to complain. They were still very worried.

As a result, in the end, nothing happened in the court.

The Western thieves and Tubo people were lonely in Bianjing City.

It is said that they were also criticized by the officials of the Ministry of Rites and Honglu Temple - assuming that your envoys cultivate virtue and practice benevolence, do light corvee and pay little tax, and the people live and work in peace and contentment, how can they flee?

This makes them more and more bold.

But at the same time, everyone up and down Xihe Road also knew that neither the Western Bandits nor the Tubo were good people.

It is impossible to watch Xihe Road desperately poaching their corners, and even directly sending troops deep into their country to rob the population, they still remain indifferent.

Sure enough, the scouts and agents who were sent out soon reported that the Western bandits and Tibetans were accumulating troops, horses and food, and there were signs of invading the army.

And when word spreads about these things.

The first reaction on Xihe Road was not fear or worry, but ecstasy!

The economic and strategic envoy Zhao Xi even issued an order at the first opportunity to send all states to protect their armies and actively prepare for war!
Civil and military officials from various states were even more excited to celebrate. Everyone felt that the opportunity to get promoted and make a fortune had come!
no way!
Over the past year or so, Xihe Road has undergone earth-shaking changes.

With the support and lobbying of two national relatives, Xiang and Gao. A large amount of ordnance was sent from Bianjing to generals in various states.

New armor, new strong bow, new mace, heavy axe, new bed crossbow, new eight-oxen crossbow and trebuchet.

Those weapons bearing the seal of the Ordnance Directorate are not only better in quality than those produced by the Ordnance Supervision, but also in greater quantity.

Not only materially, Xihe Road has been strengthened.

Mentally, it has been horribly improved!

As a result, You Shixiong was sometimes a little scared.

why?
Because now Xihe Road, from the officialdom to the private sector, was filled with an atmosphere that frightened him.

From top to bottom, we are happy to hear the battle!
Especially those Tibetan officials and generals were extremely fanatical!

They are more eager for war than the generals of the Song Dynasty!

They have even taken the initiative to send troops and horses deep into the plateau to look for fighters.

You Shixiong has read history books.

So he knows, who do these guys look like?
Qin army!

The Qin army was called the Tiger and Wolf Army by the six eastern countries!
And it just so happens that the current Xihe Road was the territory of the Qin State during the Warring States Period and belonged to Qin Longxi County!
This fact once made You Shixiong suffer.

Fortunately, he soon discovered that although Xihe Road was filled with an atmosphere that made him very uncomfortable.

But at the same time, no matter whether Han generals or Tibetan generals, the words of saints never ceased in their mouths.

The banner they fly is also the banner of benevolence and righteousness.

Only then did You Shixiong finally accept and approve it.

At least, this tiger and wolf teacher still understands benevolence and ethics.

(End of this chapter)