Elegy of Tang Dynasty

Chapter 702 Those who rushed through the battle are all brothers
It was the same night that Li Lin was killed by Gao Shang.

After nightfall, the gates of Fang's house were opened and two red lanterns were hung. All the prominent merchants and wealthy families in Bianzhou were invited to Fang Chongyong's house to attend the banquet.

Although everyone knows that those who show kindness without any reason are either treacherous or thieves, they still have to come.

Who is Fang Qing? How can anything good come from entertaining a powerful person from Bianzhou who is not presentable?
Is it possible for ordinary people to refuse such an invitation?
No way! No one dared not to come, all of them were present.

Before the banquet started, Fang Zhongyong personally opened the door of his own warehouse. Everyone saw that it was empty. There was almost nothing valuable inside, only daily necessities.

After the "tour" of the warehouse, the banquet started smoothly, and ordinary home-cooked dishes were served.

Steamed crucian carp, spring seasonal vegetables, chicken, eggs and pork which are very common in the market, and ordinary pickles.

The cooking method is very ordinary and the appearance is average.

Simply put, this is the meal that a small landlord who has just escaped poverty would eat when entertaining his friends.

Not only is it not luxurious, it's even a bit shabby.

"I have been in Bianzhou for a long time, but I have not hosted you all yet. I am really sorry for not entertaining you well enough."

Fang Zhongyong sat on the main seat in the hall and saluted to everyone present. Today, only Da Congming was with him, and all other officials were not there. So Fang Zhongyong looked more casual, and his speech and clothes were no different from those of ordinary people.

"The government is so busy that it is really an honor to host a banquet for common people like us. I am really flattered."

"He Baiwan, a wealthy man in Bianzhou," the other party said as he saluted with his arms crossed. At this moment, his back was already wet with cold sweat and his face was a little stiff.

Merchants are good at observing people's expressions. If Fang Qing is polite to others, he must be asking for something. As for what he is asking for, it can't be that he is attracted by the looks of the people present, right?
Probably it can only be for the purpose of making money.

"Everyone, eat the food. It's just home cooking. Come on, serve the wine."

Fang Chongyong called out, and Fang Dafu came in with a wine jug. He poured a glass of wine for everyone present, and then left with the wine jug.

According to normal banquet rules, because it is a separate dining system, everyone should have a pot of wine with them. This is the etiquette of a banquet.

But the servant just poured a glass for each person.

Would Fang Qing's family be short of wine? This situation is quite intriguing.

After finishing a glass of wine, everyone present was busy eating. I don't know if the food tasted mediocre or if everyone was really not in the mood to eat, but I just felt that this meal was like chewing wax, and there was no taste at all.

They don't even pay attention to what they put in their mouths.

Seeing that some of the plates on the table were empty, Fang Zhongyong coughed lightly, attracting everyone's attention.

"Have you all read the notices posted by the government in various places recently?"

Fang Chongyong asked as he looked around at the crowd.

Although the court has been making a lot of moves recently in Bianzhou, and there are many contents in the "new policy", the only thing that can be mentioned here is that the government is about to build a series of "Luocheng" around Bianliang City.

"Sir, are you trying to find a loan from the common people on behalf of the government?"

He Baiwan asked bravely.

This is not good news. When the government lends money, it often never pays it back.

For example, the idiom "debts are high" comes from the fact that King Nan of Zhou owed a lot of debts and was unable to repay them, so he was forced by his creditors to hide on a high platform.

Bianzhou has been undergoing massive construction in recent years, so it is normal for the government to be short of money.

He Baiwan had a bad feeling in his heart.

Fang Zhongyong waved his hand and said, "What are you talking about? Even if the government is poor, there is absolutely no reason for us to ask you for money. What I want to say is something else."

Everyone present was worried.

This is an invitation to visit one's empty warehouse and a dinner. If there is no request, everyone will feel uneasy.

How could it be okay?

"If the government has something to say, please speak frankly. If I can do it, I will do my best."

He Baiwan crossed his arms and saluted, not wanting to beat around the bush any further.

He was the richest man in Bianzhou, with more than 500 looms at home and more than 1,000 employees. If he compromised, most others would have to compromise as well.

In other words, if he opposes, many people will follow suit.

"It's like this. To build Luocheng, we need bricks, right? We also need tiles and wood, right?

When the city is built in the future, will we need a carriage business, a ship business, or a blacksmith shop?
These are old businesses, but they are also new livelihoods that are urgently needed. This is why I invited you all here today.

The government intends to issue these businesses to you in the form of licenses. Of course, licenses can also be issued to those who are not present today.

But I am not selling you these licenses, I am discussing something else with you.”

"What's going on?"

He Baiwan's breathing became a little faster.

After the completion of Bianliang City, the surrounding areas also need to be expanded. The related businesses are simply a mountain of money!

There is just one problem. If the government has put a stop to it, you cannot do this job because the license is in the hands of the government.

If you take sides at that time, this business will not be able to continue.

Those who understand will understand, no need to say more.

"I have an idea. Well, it's not really an idea, but I think you can do me a favor.

The government issued a permit, and the merchants provided capital, accounting for half of the shares. Half of the capital was your own money, and the other half was loaned to retired veterans in the form of interest-free loans, and together they bought an industry.

For example, brick kilns, carriage shops, blacksmith shops, various workshops, etc.

These veterans are not only shop assistants, but also half-owners, having invested in this business.

If they make money, they will slowly return your principal. If they lose money, you can also help take care of it. After all, you also have your share of the money, right?
I know that these soldiers have a bad reputation in your country, but they have also contributed to the country. If they hadn't fought in the battlefield, how could you have run your business in Bianzhou in peace?
If you help them earn money and live a good life, they will not raise their knives against you at every turn. No one is born to be a servile person. Isn't it wonderful that harmony brings wealth?
Now that I have finished speaking, who supports and who opposes? "

Fang Zhongyong spoke eloquently. Most of the people present were businessmen, so they were used to such scenes.

But they had never heard of the other party's way of playing.

"The government said that they would assign retired soldiers to us and let us set up new businesses. We would own half of the shares and be responsible for the work on weekdays. It's an interest-free loan. If the shop makes money, we can pay it back slowly. If it doesn't make money, it doesn't matter.

If anyone is willing to accept these retired soldiers, the government will issue a business license. If not, then they will have to find another company.

Is that what you mean?"

He Baiwan's mind worked very quickly. After a moment's thought, he understood Fang Chongyong's plan.

It is better to teach a man to fish than to give him a fish. After these soldiers retire, most of them will not end up well.

Even if the government grants them land, will these people who have been fighting for half their lives know how to farm?
Farming is a technical job. Whether or not you have the skills to farm has a great impact on the output of the farmland. If you can kill people, you may not be able to farm. Once you encounter difficulties, you may return to your old ways and become a bandit.

Even if the government gave a lot of compensation for the layoffs, these soldiers would not know what to do for a living after taking the money.

Not to mention that they lose money no matter what they do, most of them spend all their money on eating, drinking, whoring and gambling in a short period of time, and then become penniless and alone.

The end result is either starvation or freezing to death, or becoming a bandit.

What Fang Chongyong wanted was not money, but the support these businessmen provided to the retired soldiers.

In fact, the so-called "interest-free loan" is basically unrecoverable. It is a disguised way of exchanging money for "permits", but the situation is far more complicated than just paying money directly. The merchants present, as well as those who are willing to accept this model but are not present, still have to take the trouble to lead these veterans to understand the business channels and truly operate the industry.

How to purchase raw materials, how to sell them, how to transport them, and how to settle accounts must all be made clear.

Moreover, this matter cannot be dealt with perfunctorily or by deception or deception.

Even if the soldiers put down their knives, they still have the skills to kill. If you think they are fools, they won't care about anything when they want to take your head off. They will just move their knives and cut it down. Many of these people are good at fighting with bare hands. Even if you hire more guards, they may not be able to beat them.

But there are two sides to every coin. If this matter is handled well, the merchants will naturally have smoothed the channels between them and the government.

Whether it is a brick kiln, carriage shop, blacksmith shop, or any other workshop, manpower is needed.

Without people, there is nothing. After retiring, the soldiers just need to focus on running their businesses and will not cause trouble every now and then. They will also pay extra attention to their own businesses.

So, this is actually a win-win situation.

If you want to do something, you have to pay a price. Business licenses are in the hands of the government. If merchants want to do business safely, how can they do it without paying a price?

Moreover, Fang Chongyong was doing this from the perspective of justice. And the retired soldiers who got the advantage would accept his favor. Those soldiers who were still in the army, after learning that their colleagues had retired, the government would give them some way out.

These people will also know what is going on.

Now that things have come to this, who among the merchants present dares to say "no"?

"Official, no matter how many people you have, I can arrange them!"

He Baiwan patted his chest and said, "If for no other reason, as long as he could establish a good relationship with these soldiers, he would not be afraid of bandits in the future!"

How can this be a bad thing?
Fang Zhongyong laughed twice and said in a joking tone: "I once boasted in the army that those who have fought for me are my brothers. If my brothers are wronged by you and come to me to complain, I will find you to have a good talk with you."

Although it seemed like he was joking, he was actually giving a hidden warning, saying that one should never think that the soldiers are easy to fool because they do not understand business.

Fang Chongyong was not worried at all about the soldiers being bullied. What he was afraid of was that they would fight back after being bullied, and if the incident got out, it would make him have a bad reputation.

"Please rest assured, Mr. He knows this, knows it."

He Baiwan wiped the cold sweat from his face with a handkerchief, knowing that Fang Chongyong was a smart man and not easy to fool.

"Come on, come on, we were so busy talking that we forgot to serve the wine. Someone, come on, serve some good wine, quickly."

Fang Chongyong quickly gave instructions to Fang Dafu who was waiting at the lobby door. As soon as these words were spoken, the atmosphere in the lobby suddenly relaxed.

……

“The power of the government is very small, and the so-called challengers who want to change the dynasty are even more pitifully small compared to the overall society.

Only by optimizing the allocation of social resources can the economy develop rapidly and the country develop to a higher level. The government can’t do much with just a few people…”

Late at night, Fang Chongyong was writing down his thoughts and experiences at the desk in his study.

After managing government and military affairs for many years, he has gained a deeper understanding of these matters.

The government in the feudal era was a small government, or even a "paralyzed government." Compared with the society as a whole, its power was so weak that it was not worth mentioning.

Ten thousand soldiers can control a state, fifty thousand soldiers can control a small part of China, and a hundred thousand elite soldiers are enough to conquer the world.

These are conservative estimates, and there are more outrageous examples in extreme cases.

This can only show that the government and the court in the feudal era were really too weak. The lessons learned in the feudal era also had very great limitations.

For example, because the test paper is only worth 100 points, many people who can only score 100 points are also considered top talents. Many national policies that score 100 points are also considered to be panaceas.

However, some people get 100 points because they can only get 100 points; while some people get 100 points because the test paper is only worth 100 points!

If the upper limit of officials in the feudal era was one hundred, then the upper limit of the entire feudal society was more than ten thousand!

This is the reason why some "eternal emperors" in history have accomplished the work of several generations (except for the prodigal son Yang Guang), because these emperors made use of social resources that their predecessors had not used, and used them well.

With just a little manipulation, they can break through the "traditional ceiling".

"The problem of retired soldiers has been solved, the local industries in Bianzhou have been enriched, and the government has some control over them.

The whole society will become different from before."

Fang Zhongyong placed the pen on the pen holder, muttered to himself, and let out a long breath.

If the issue of a soldier's retirement is not handled properly, one cannot even imagine what will happen next.

Fang Chongyong has a very clear understanding of this.

The right way for retired soldiers is to allow them to reintegrate into society.

In this way, soldiers are civilians, and civilians are soldiers, and the situation of arrogant and lawless generals can be alleviated. Fang Chongyong came up with this idea because he found that many soldiers never talked about their hometowns when they chatted.

Even if they were willing to retire, they would never want to return to their hometown. Everyone knew that Bianliang City would become the next "Chang'an" in the next few decades. Even if they did not consider themselves, they would not easily return to their hometown for the sake of their descendants.

This person who had a registered residence in the capital in his previous life was unwilling to go anywhere else. The times are different, but the principles are the same.

A one-size-fits-all land allocation is not what those people have in mind at all, and many people don't care about it at all.

Fang Chongyong took these things into consideration and treated the retired soldiers' affairs as his own business. He believed that good deeds would bring good results.

At this moment, Zhang Guangsheng hurriedly pushed the door open and said to Fang Zhongyong in a low voice: "Sir, the emperor was killed by Gao Shang. Now Gao Shang has been caught by the guards on duty and sent to the Bianzhou government office!"

ha?
Feeling that Zhang Guangsheng's tone was very urgent, Fang Chongyong thought he had misheard.

"Why did Gao Shang want to kill the king?"

He asked with a confused look on his face.

"Sir, how could I know about such things? You should go to the Bianzhou government office as soon as possible!"

He was so anxious that he was sweating, but he saw Fang Zhongyong was in a daze, as if he didn't hear anything.

"The official family..."

Zhang Guangsheng wanted to say more, but Fang Zhongyong waved his hand and said, "Let's go, let's go to the government office now."

The two quietly left Fang's house. As they walked along the road, Fang Zhongyong suddenly asked Zhang Guangsheng, "Will people think that Fang is impatient to ascend the throne?"

Hearing this, Zhang Guangsheng smiled bitterly and said, "That's not the case. After all, even if it's abdication, it has to be done by a living person. Li Lin is dead, and the emperor wants to kill the emperor after ascending the throne. Wouldn't that be a disgrace for thousands of years?"

"Yes, since this matter has nothing to do with me, why are you in such a hurry?"

Fang Zhongyong felt puzzled.

"Your Majesty, although powerful officials are not in a hurry to usurp the throne, it is not uncommon for them to kill the emperor for fun.

I am afraid that those ignorant people will think that the government is killing the emperor for fun, so what should we do? "

Zhang Guangsheng asked back.

Yes, killing the emperor for fun is also a way for powerful officials to demonstrate their authority. There are many examples of this in previous dynasties.

There is also a leaderboard for the Dragon Slayer Competition.

Thinking of this, Fang Zhongyong laughed and shook his head, too lazy to say anything.

(End of this chapter)