Civil servants of the Tang Dynasty

While the painter was away to work, Tang Cheng looked at the quiet river in the Three Pools comfortably.

What a natural deep water jetty!What a shame to waste it like this!

"My lord, what else is there to do?".

"Haizhou, don't worry, you'll be busy in two days." Tang Cheng raised his head and nodded to the painter, "After he finishes painting and I supplement it, you have to come to Xiangzhou with me."

"Go to Xiangzhou at this time?"

"Yeah, not only are we going to Xiangzhou, but we also have to send people to Yangzhou. This is a good place, and there are many rich people." At this point, Tang Cheng smiled, "If we don't find them, we have money to repair them." road?".

"Your Excellency is pointing at this wharf to earn money to build roads?" Feng Haizhou is not a fool, and he can feel Tang Cheng's thoughts after a little thought, but what he doesn't understand is, "My lord's idea is naturally a good idea." , It’s just that there must be a road before the pier can be used. Now that there is no money, food and corvee for road construction, are you putting the cart before the horse, my lord?”.

"Attract investment!".

"Recruiting... business... attracting capital?" Feng Haizhou was completely dizzy.

"If you plant a sycamore tree, you will have a phoenix. You should understand this." Seeing Feng Haizhou's confused face, Tang Cheng, who laughed heartily, changed into a language he could understand. The best natural deep-water pier in the host country, this is a unique resource, this is the sycamore tree! Are you afraid of running out of money to guard such a good resource? Are you afraid of running out of food if you have money? No one?".

After saying this in one breath, Tang Cheng turned around, "Haizhou, please remember this."

"what?".

"Resources, especially unique monopoly resources like Three Pools Reflected in the Moon, are truly the most precious wealth!".

Chapter 1 If you are affectionate, I will be righteous; if you make me discouraged, I will make you sad.

Feng Haizhou had never heard of these new terms of "resources" and "monopoly", but with Tang Cheng's explanation, Feng Haizhou did understand what he meant.At the same time as he understood, a word suddenly popped up in his mind-Xiahuanghuangtaoer, this is a dialect of Jinzhou, if it is translated into the language of later generations, it is an empty-handed white wolf.

Isn't it obvious that the Three Pools Mirroring the Moon pier in front of me is indeed a good natural pier, but it will only be really useful if there are suitable roads to get here.The simple truth is: only when there is a road, the pier can be considered useful and money can come in.

Feng Haizhou grew up in Jinzhou as a child. As an authentic Jinzhou native, according to the rules of Jinzhou: If you want to buy something, you should pay for what you pay for.This is common sense and fairness, isn't that how our ancestors have come here for generations!In the same way, selling things is the same. If you want to sell things for money, you have to have something first, right?If you don't have any goods, you just want to collect money. Why should others give you money? They are all fools?

Now Tang Chengcheng is like a seller, and the dock is the goods he wants to sell, but the problem is that the goods themselves have not taken shape at all.

When Feng Haizhou understood Tang Cheng's meaning, he actually felt that this idea was hanging in the air, it was too counterintuitive, and abnormal things are demons!

Although he was muttering in his heart, for Feng Haizhou, Tang Cheng's explanation was still useful, at least it made him feel at ease, what is there to feel at ease?He was relieved that Tang Cheng still had a plan. Although the plan sounded unreliable, but after all, he finally had it!For him who already had a heart of repaying his kindness this time, he would follow Tang Cheng in whatever he did. Since he wanted to do this and now he had to do it, there was nothing else to say, just follow along.

When the painter finished his work, Tang Cheng looked at the sky and it was past noon, so he didn't go back. He and Feng Haizhou found a restaurant on the street for dinner. After a short rest, it was time to go to the Yamen in the afternoon. .

"Haizhou, don't go to Cao Li in the afternoon." After entering the gate of the state government, Tang Cheng said to Feng Haizhou: "Just go to the West Courtyard and other Cao Li to wander around, first find out the basics, although the state is not expected, But as long as you can get a penny for one person, it’s better than nothing, no matter how small a mosquito is, it’s still meat! The key point is the two Caos of Sihu and Sicang, look at the amount of money, grain and corvee.”

"Well, I'll go right away," Feng Haizhou turned back after taking two steps, "My lord, I won't come to the yamen tomorrow morning, and I'll leave early to go to the county below, and I won't talk about money and food. Let's see if we can squeeze some corvee quota out of their hands."

"Inference from one example, good!" Tang Cheng patted Feng Haizhou's shoulder and said with a smile, "Haizhou, you are such a good helper."

Hearing this, Feng Haizhou smiled and left without saying anything. After he left, Tang Cheng, who had a scroll under his arm, didn't go to Sitian Cao, but turned around and went to the East Courtyard.

It happened that Zhang Xiangwen didn't go to the street in the yamen during his shift. Seeing that Tang Cheng was here, he ran out suddenly. Ya Shi's whole body is dressed, but there is no funny scene of being spanked with a knife when he started running that day.

"Brother, I was looking for you. You went there at noon, and you didn't even come home?" He started talking from a distance, and when he got closer, Zhang Xiangwen looked around, "Then you really took care of the road construction?" ? I heard that he signed a military order with the envoy?"

"If you pick it up, you pick it up, and there can be fakes!".

"Really?" After Zhang Xiangwen rolled his eyes wildly on Tang Cheng's face, he leaned forward again and said in a low voice: "It's impossible for you not to see such a simple trick, brother, tell me, What the hell do you mean?"

"I can't explain what it means for a while." With Feng Haizhou's example first, Tang Cheng knows that "investment attraction" is a well-known thing in later generations. If you want to explain it clearly to Tang people, it really is not a few words. It can be said clearly, "Besides, this is not a place to talk, I came to you just for one thing."

"Success, then I'll go to your place at night." Zhang Xiangwen also quickly said, "Tell me what's going on."

"I need someone to help me build the road, and I have to be a trustworthy and understanding person. Can you come?" After finishing speaking, Tang Cheng added, "I want to come here to do this, and now I have to do everything I have to do. Let it go, it's still a long time, you have to think about it clearly."

"Think about it, even if you don't come to me, I have to go too." Zhang Xiangwen raised his hand and punched Tang Cheng on the shoulder, and said with a smile: "Brother, wait here, I will find my second brother." Uncle said go, I will go with you immediately after the agreement is made, at least I can go out and run for a few days."

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhang Xiangwen turned around and ran away. Tang Chengyin was also waiting in the east courtyard. When the commuters saw him, they would inevitably greet him, but the eyes of these tolerances looked at him a little weirdly, it was like , It's like... watching you lose your mind.

……

State Yamen, don't drive the horse in the office.

The old horse, who was buried in a document, heard the knock on the door, and snorted, "Enter" without looking up.

The person who knocked on the door and came in was Sicang Cao Judge Si Niu Gongming, his tall and fat figure perfectly suited his Sicang role, "My lord, I am disturbing you".

"It's an old cow", Ma Biejia raised his head, "Well, sit down."

Seeing Ma Biejia stretching out his hand to pull the rope to make the handyman serve tea, Niu Gongming smiled and waved his hand and stopped, "It's just a few words, just say it and leave."

"Oh! So urgent", Ma Biejia put down the official document in his hand, straightened his body and said, "What's the matter?"

"It's not a big deal. It's Feng Haizhou of Sitian Cao. Yes, he's the only one released in the case at the end of last year. As soon as he went to the Yamen in the afternoon, he rushed to our Cao Li, looking for people to make friends with him. It seems that he meant to find out the details of the official warehouse. When the subordinates first came, they saw him rushing into Sihu Cao's office again."

"What did he set out?".

"Don't worry, my lord, we all know the rules in Cao Li, and we can let him go." Niu Gongming said with a loyal face, "I'm here to ask my lord to explain clearly, just in case Tang Cheng wants to When the envoy is brought out to inquire about the grain stored in the warehouse, there will be a response."

"How much grain does the state have the right to use in the official warehouse now?".

"The past two years have been good, and I have indeed saved some in the warehouse. But is there any, how much is there for road construction? I still have to ask you to get a charter, after all, there are other things in the state that need to be used. Even if it’s okay now, there must be something in the second half of the year, next year! If you make this preparation, the book will be evened out, and now there are no more.”

Hearing this, Ma Biejia looked at Niu Gongming with warm eyes, "Gongming is worthy of being an old yamen. He is very considerate in planning for rainy days! This state is poor, and it is not easy to save some food. We have to prepare for major events. Well, ah!".

"Yes, I understand." Niu Gongming was about to leave when he was stopped by Ma Biejia again, "Gongming, don't go back to your office in a hurry, Sihu Caosun and the judge will also go for a walk .”

Niu Gongming nodded understandingly, "Yes".

Seeing Niu Gongming leave the office, Ma Biejia murmured for a moment, then chuckled and muttered to himself: "Finally you know the urgency? If you want money and people, Tang Cheng, you can just wait with peace of mind... ".

……

Zhang Xiangwen took longer than Tang Cheng expected to go to the East Courtyard of the State Yamen.And when he came out, his face was not as fresh as before.

"Why, Lord Sima disagrees?"

"Hey, my second uncle, brother, you don't know him yet, so be cautious about everything you meet!" Zhang Xiangwen sighed and said with a smile: "Let's go."

Tang Cheng naturally understood why Zhang Zishan did not agree. No one in the Yamen is optimistic about him now, not to mention Master Sima, who has always been known for his prudence, "Why are you going? Since your second uncle disagrees, you should not go."

"This is not possible," Zhang Xiangwen said anxiously, staring at his eyes: "Since I was a child, this is the first time I have the courage to talk back to my second uncle, and it was so easy for him to spit it out. Why don't you go? Then I It's not a loss."

"You..." Tang Cheng, who was warm in his heart, really didn't know what to say.

When the two were walking out, Tang Cheng suddenly put his arm around Zhang Xiangwen's shoulder.

Tang Cheng used to hate hanging shoulders in public. This Zhang Xiangwen knew, seeing him so abnormal at this time, so he looked left and right, and solemnly whispered: "No one, what's the matter?" you say".

Tang Cheng also approached Zhang Xiangwen's ear solemnly, "You talked back to your second uncle just now, did he beat you?".

……

After coming out of the East Courtyard, Tang Chengcheng sent Zhang Xiangwen back to pack his luggage so that he could rest and recharge his energy. After he finished writing the private letter to Du Lahe and others at night, Zhang Xiangwen will serve as a messenger and leave for Yangzhou early tomorrow morning .

After letting Zhang Xiangwen go back, Tang Cheng went back to his office, found the geographical map of Jinzhou's mountains and rivers, and added it to the artist's sketch.

At any rate, I have practiced drawing for so long, especially when I specialize in powder-based tracing. Although it is not as good as that of a professional painter, the things Tang Cheng added are still in style. Compared with them, they are more concise and more themed. protrude.

After filling up the current copy, just as Tang Cheng started to reprint the second copy, Feng Haizhou opened the door and walked in.

Tang Cheng looked up at Feng Haizhou's face, "No?".

"Yes or no," Feng Haizhou shook his head, "Jinzhou is poor, but after all, it is such a big yamen, how can it really have none at all? Sihu Cao was fine at first, but after Niu Gongming came in, he began to complain! I Just now I went back to Sicang Cao to ask someone I knew acquaintances, it turned out that I had just come out of this Cao Li, and the judge Siniu Gongming went out on the back."

"Going to find the old horse?"

"Well," Feng Haizhou nodded and said, "I asked the handyman who served Ma Biejia, and Niu Gongming happened to be there at that time."

After Feng Haizhou finished speaking, he sighed helplessly, "Isn't it for Jinzhou that we build roads? What else can we do if we abolish the public for private reasons?".

Seeing Feng Haizhou like this, Tang Cheng, who was upset, smiled, "How many years have you been in the yamen, Haizhou, this seems like a newcomer who just came in! Don't worry, without Butcher Zhang, we can't eat bastard pigs either." .”

"This is not a useless complaint, but a little discouraged."

"What's the use of being discouraged? It can only be embarrassing for yourself." Tang Cheng looked at Feng Haizhou with a half-smile and said, "It's not rude to come and not go! Whoever makes us discouraged, we have to...make him sad."

……

After the dismissal, Feng Haizhou went home directly and went to the county early tomorrow morning. After returning from the county, he had to follow Tang Cheng to Xiangzhou, and he had to be busy in the following days.

Feng Haizhou didn't start working until tomorrow, while Tang Cheng was very busy that night.

After returning home and having a quick meal, he plunged into the West Wing, copied the map of Sanquan Yinyue Wharf, wrote letters to relevant people in Yangzhou, etc., and after this busy work, he got up and stretched his waist and wrist muscles. Tang Cheng left the room and went to the kitchen.

The bluegrass is indeed here. When Tang Cheng came in, he saw her and Gao's family gathered together at the stove. The Gao family's eyes were closed and his hands were clasped together. He looked like a witch, and the half-squatting blue grass was even weirder. , holding a burnt black thing in his hand and slapping it on the ground.

The scene in front of him was weird and funny, especially the appearance of the witches of the Gao family. Seeing that they didn't notice that he came in, Tang Cheng simply lightened his steps deliberately, and after approaching, he suddenly smiled and said: "Why? !”.

Although the location of the Gao family was facing the door, but because they were closing their eyes and chanting a mantra, they didn't see Tang Cheng coming in, and Lancao, who had his back to the door, didn't even notice. Tang Cheng's sudden opening really frightened the two of them. .

Of course Gao's mantra could not be recited any longer, and the black ball that Lancao had just picked up fell to the ground and broke into two halves, revealing a small handful of steaming red beans inside.

"What's the point of roasting beans? If you want to roast, you have to roast sweet potatoes." Tang Chengshun realized that there were no sweet potatoes in the current Tang Dynasty, so he smiled and hid it up.

Fortunately, Gao's He Lancao also had something on their minds now, so they didn't notice the abnormality in his words.

"Aunt Gao said that eating this roasted beans can cure flatulence." The biggest taboo of the Gao family's folk recipe for seeking children is that men should not collide with them, and they can't even talk about it.After Lancao gave a reason casually, she dragged Tang Cheng out, "What do you need from me? Talk outside."

Tang Cheng didn't care about Lancao's statement. After traveling for so long, he also knew that spells were a serious classification in medicine in the current Tang Dynasty. If there is a doctor of cursing from the eighth rank, even if the emperor has boils on his body, he must first pass on the doctor of cursing to recite "Three girls, the great god of the East China Sea, there is a magic formula to get rid of boils, but if the boil is dead, the boil mother will die." death, men and women with boils will suffer..."

"Just say it here", after standing still in the yard outside the door, Tang Cheng asked: "Have you seen Laifu recently?".

"I saw him at Sister Xiaotao's place before, why, Ah Cheng, you want to see him."

"Well, I have something to ask him for help." Tang Cheng nodded, "Is it convenient for him to come out now?".

"It was inconvenient a few days ago, but now the second month of February has passed, and it is much better if there is no New Year's Eve." After all, Tang Cheng took in Xiaotao because of her at first, and then Xiaotao went from asking a doctor to see a doctor to eating Tang Chenghua used the money to live here, and now that he heard that Laifu could help Tang Cheng, Lancao was very happy, "Laifu has been talking about seeing you since the end of last year, and said that he would kowtow to you, as long as If he can help, he will definitely do his best, Ah Cheng, when do you want to see him?".

"Look at his time, the sooner the better", when Tang Chengcheng said this, he thought of the horse, "Huh? What's the matter?".

"Ah Cheng, you laughed so weirdly just now."

"Even if Laifu wants to kowtow to thank you, I have to thank you." Tang Cheng stretched out his hand and pinched Lancao's face, and said with a smile, "I was just thinking about what it would be like if he kowtowed to you."

……

The next day, after Zhang Xiangwen took the letter, he left for Yangzhou. Tang Cheng sent him to the long pavilion ten miles outside the city.

After all, it was a long way, and the traffic was not developed at this time. It took a while to go back and forth to Yangzhou. Tang Cheng was still a little sad. On the contrary, Zhang Xiangwen not only did not have the slightest sadness that he should have when he was in Liting. I was very excited, "Brother, thanks to you, brother, I can go to a far place this time, Yangzhou, tsk tsk, what a wonderful place."

His demeanor immediately wiped out Tang Cheng's sadness, and he didn't bother to say the words on the road, "Go your way, take it easy, everything you shouldn't play with or touch will be stained." , as Tang Cheng slapped the horse's back heavily, the horse neighed and galloped away, and the two companions hurriedly urged the horse to follow.

Zhang Xiangwen went to Yangzhou, Feng Haizhou went to the county, and Tang Cheng in the office was holding a document recording the official land and comparing it with the geographical map of Jinzhou's mountains and rivers. How to change the land, these are all things that take a lot of thought.

It was really quick to say, what I said last night, only three days later, Laifu found a chance to come out.

The meeting took place at Xiaotao's rented place this time. When the two were talking, Lancao and Xiaotao were reprimanded by Tang Cheng, so the others really didn't know what the two said.

After about three sticks of incense, Tang Cheng stood up, "I've told you what I can do for you. After all, this matter is a bit risky. It's better to think about it if you want to be you."

"The high officials saved Xiao Tao's life..." Lai Fu was very excited.

Tang Cheng waved his hand and stopped without waiting for him to continue, then he turned around and said solemnly: "Laifu, when I promised to take in Xiaotao, I didn't know she was from Mabiejia's mansion, I Rescuing her is for bluegrass. This is different from asking you for help today. I want you to neither think about repaying your favor nor thinking about revenge for Xiaotao. Just think about it calmly, whether you want to do it, and whether you can do it Things! The most taboo thing to do is to be impulsive.”

Hearing this, Laifu looked at Tang Cheng in astonishment, pondered for a while and then nodded heavily, "I can do it if I want to."

"Okay", Tang Cheng raised a finger, "Laifu, one year! Counting from today, you can stay in Biejia Mansion for another year at most. During this period, you have to listen and watch more, but the most important thing is Take good care of yourself. Apart from what I just said, maybe I will ask you for help in the future. But this period will not exceed one year. After one year, in return, I will give you and Xiaotao a new I will give you a new errand, and when you two get married, Lancao will also give you a rich wedding gift."

"Senior official, this is not what I am here to do for you."

"I know!" Tang Cheng patted Laifu with a smile, "I will be righteous if you are affectionate. Since you are doing things for me, I have to let you have no worries!".

"En", Laifu didn't know what to say at this time, and nodded with a blushing face.

"Let's go, it's not easy for you to come out, Xiaotao is still waiting for you", Tang Cheng stopped walking when he walked to the door with a smile, "Laifu, don't tell anyone what I told you just now, Xiaotao and Neither can bluegrass."

Lai Fu, who was reaching out to push the door, turned his head in surprise when he heard this.

"Don't let them know about such things," Tang Cheng sighed slightly, "They are all good women with simple minds, let's keep this rare simplicity...".

……

It's a pity that Tang Cheng couldn't wait to see the result of this matter directly. The day after he had a secret meeting with Lai Fu, Feng Haizhou, who was busy with travel and dust, came back from the county.

At this moment, Tang Cheng's side was also ready. Immediately, the two of them rode their horses to Xiangzhou early in the morning of the second day. As for Laifu's place, just wait and see the result when they come back!

Chapter 151 Why should the God of Wealth be wronged?

Xiangzhou is really a big city in Shannan Dongdao, and as soon as the travel-stained Tang Cheng led his horse into the gate of the city, he immediately felt a smell of lacquer blowing over his face.

After entering the city through the gate, the first thing you see is caravans scattered on both sides of the road. These caravans include not only Han Chinese, but also many Hu people with strange hair styles, chariots, horses, donkeys and mules, and even some The camels huddled together and stretched for several miles along the relatively wide road. The yelling of people, the neighing of horses, and the sneezing of donkeys made the whole street extremely noisy.Compared with the hustle and bustle of Xiangzhou in front of us, Jinzhou is really far behind.

"Good guy! Look, my lord, almost all the shops on both sides of this road sell lacquerware," Feng Haizhou pointed to the shop signs floating high in the middle of the street.

Tang Cheng's eyes were now fixed on those shop signs, and he said with a smile: "Yes, if there is no lacquerware, how can Xiangzhou be as prosperous as it is now! If there is no big lacquerware dealer here, why should we bother?" Running here?"