Tang's dining table

For a professional bureaucrat, he must have the ability to handle odd jobs. If one path fails, he must immediately start trying the second path.

Sending 80,000 soldiers from the Tang Dynasty to defeat the Great Cannibal with overwhelming force, and then putting Prince Beluz on the throne was obviously impossible and impossible to do at a loss.

Even if the emperor agreed, Yunchu, a stakeholder, would write a letter to object, because doing so would be bad for the country of Tang Dynasty.

Since this road was unavailable and Yunchu wanted the treasure of Sasanian subjugation, he had to find another way.

For example, start with Prince Beluz to see if it is possible to obtain the treasure of Sassanid's subjugated country without Tang Dynasty sending troops.

Anyway, what the old monkey cares about is other people's treasures, not some bullshit restoration of the country.

Persian Sassanid turned out to be a very ancient and huge country. At its most powerful, its territory was not much smaller than that of the Tang Dynasty.

Therefore, the wealth retained by such a country must be extremely amazing.

Compared with Yu Xiurong who was satisfied after getting a bag of diamonds, Yun Chu's requirements were higher...

The old monkey once again took out his huge sheepskin map of the Western Regions and spread it on the ground. Yunchu and the old monkey stepped on it with bare feet, and studied bit by bit the possible location of the treasures of the restoration of the Sasanian Empire.

The Sassanid Kingdom is just west of Congling. To get from the east to the west of Congling, you have to cross the Pamir Plateau. Not only is this plateau inaccessible, but the oxygen is scarce due to the extremely high terrain.

When Master Xuanzang entered Tianzhu, he did not go through the Pamir Plateau. He entered Dabolu through Nathu La Pass.

Prince Beluz of Sassanid Persia came to the Tang Dynasty through Nathu La Pass, passing by Tibet, and finally returned to Chang'an of the Tang Dynasty from the Western Regions.

Even if Prince Beluz and his party were powerful, there was no way they could carry such a huge amount of treasure across 12,000 miles to Chang'an.

Just think about it, Prince Beluz will not only have to deal with the pursuit of the big cannibal, but also face countless horse thieves and robbers along the way. If the Anxi Army of the Tang Dynasty learns that Prince Beluz With such a large amount of wealth, they will also turn into robbers.

The reason why the Anxi Army is so powerful is that they are relatively wealthy. If you think about it, it is clear that the Anxi Army with less than 30,000 people controls the huge Western Region. As long as they are willing, they can do whatever they want there and are not subject to the laws of the Tang Dynasty. bondage.

"So, the treasures of the Sasanian Kingdom should still be in the Sassanid Kingdom. If we want to get these treasures, we must send people to the Sasanian Kingdom."

The old monkey sighed, rolled up his sheepskin map, and placed it in a camphor wood box.

"It would be best if you can go. As long as you are willing to go, I will unite all the forces left in the Western Region and give them to you to control.

At the same time, after you go, you can take Naha with you, and by the way, you can completely consolidate Naha's position as queen.

Originally I planned to do all these things, but as you can see, I am too old to do these things. "

Yun Chu shook his head and said, "I will not leave Chang'an."

The old monkey looked at Yun Chu and said: "You must leave Chang'an. Master Jing'an of Hebei Province wrote a letter saying: Li Yifu has done many things in Hebei Province, especially Zhaozhou. The emperor and empress have to deal with the Changsun family right now."

To be honest, the Changsun family has no rebellious intentions. Even now, the Changsun family still naively thinks that as long as they bow their heads to the emperor, they will be safe.

Little did he know that since the emperor had already shown his malice, he would definitely carry it out to the end and would never let them go just because the Changsun family bowed their heads.

Because they no longer trust the Changsun family at all, unless Changsun Wuji is willing to immediately hand over his power, hand over most of his family property, and return to Zhaozhou, he may be able to survive. Unfortunately, the Changsun family is unlikely to give up.

During this process, the government will definitely be in chaos for two or three years. During these two or three years, it is definitely not a good idea to be an official in Beijing. Because of the power struggle, no one in the court will be reasonable and judge the quality of an official. It's definitely not about political achievements, military exploits, or talents, but about whose lap you are hugging.

The Changsun family is not a weak family without the power to fight back. At this time, they will definitely resist fiercely.

Your official position is too small, and you have reached this point only because of the emperor's respect for you and your outstanding ability.

And royal favor is the most unreliable thing in the world. A smart person will never depend on the fate of his family on illusory favor.

You must know how to seek good luck and avoid bad luck.

If you can leave for a period of time and perform meritorious service on the frontier, after you come back, the emperor may move to Luoyang to stay, and you will be qualified to serve as a guard in Chang'an to continue to fulfill your dreams, and you will also be qualified to rest on your merits for a while. . "

Yun Chu thought about it for a long time and found that although the old monkey was not from the Tang Dynasty, his grasp of human nature was still very accurate.

Yun Chu's situation in Chang'an has become very obvious now. At the age of twenty-three, he became the actual magistrate of Jingxian County and the title of Marquis of Guannei at the age of twenty-three. This was a high-ranking official that others would never get in their lifetime.

Everyone knew that Yun Chu had reached such a position at such a young age, which was obviously inappropriate. Continuing to be promoted would not be beneficial to Yun Chu, nor would it be beneficial to the Tang court system.

The dragon son and the phoenix grandson could obtain high titles without merit, but it was unique that someone like Yun Chu, who was obviously born as a commoner, could reach this point in a short period of time.

In other words, in the long years to come, if Yunchu did not achieve any outstanding achievements, there would be basically no possibility of further progress.

In fact, Yunchu didn't care about this. If he could stay in the position of Wannian County Magistrate for a long time, he would have nothing else to ask for.

The old monkey is dissatisfied with the current situation in Yunchu. The expansion of Xuanzang's Consciousness-only Sect has come to a halt. Rumors about Xuanzang are rising. Many Buddhist monks complain that Xuanzang has only translated scriptures in recent years. The behavior of not opening a forum to lecture has been extremely dissatisfying, which has caused Master Xuanzang's position as the leader of Buddhism to be shaky.

The Buddhist kingdom that Old Monkey worked so hard on in the past few years has now been finalized, and now it’s time to run it well.

They urgently need the support of the court and the army. However, they do not have a firm supporter in the Western Regions. If Yunchu arrives in the Western Regions at this time, it will be of great benefit to the expansion of the Buddhist Kingdom.

What about cage selection, what about the old monkey’s life being threatened, what about Prince Beluz’s restoration, what about the treasures of the Sassanid Kingdom, in the final analysis, it comes down to one sentence – these stakeholders represented by the old monkey need cloud. Chu personally traveled to the Western Regions to complete some tasks that were simply impossible for them.

Yun Chu sat blankly in the candlelight and thought about it. Yu Xiurong took the diamonds and examined them one by one under the candlelight.

Yun Chu said to Yu Xiurong: "I may have to go to the Western Regions and take Naha with me. It may take a long time."

Yu Xiurong stared at Yun Chu blankly, unaware that the bright diamond fell from his fingers.

After a long time, she came to Yun Chu and said, "Do you have to go?"

Yun Chu took Yu Xiurong's hand and said: "We have been protected by Master Xuanzang for so many years and have been able to avoid countless troubles and dangers. It is because of Master Xuanzang's support that we can survive in the extremely dangerous Chang'an City. able to gain a foothold.

Nowadays, Master Xuanzang has declined, and it is time for us to help him. Due to emotions and reasons, I must go to the Western Regions. "

Yu Xiurong said: "Can't we just be the county magistrate?"

Yun Chu smiled and said: "Without the protection of Master Xuanzang and the old gods, how do you think our family can have direct dialogue with the Sun family?

Is it just based on the achievements I made in Liaodong?

At that time, Li Keshi had made great contributions to the Tang Dynasty. A man who lived and died several times, his family was wiped out just because he did a trivial and boring thing wrong according to the emperor's order.

Emperor Taizong may value these, our emperor... He doesn't care, he only cares about his own feelings.

Now, do you still think that by making great contributions, your family will be safe for the rest of your life?

If I continue to stay in Chang'an, at the critical moment when the emperor is about to move the capital to Luoyang, I will have to do a lot of dirty work for the emperor out of necessity, and I don't want to do it. Do you think our family will end up well? "

After Yu Xiurong listened to Yun Chu's words quietly, he put the diamonds scattered on the bed into a bag one by one, tied them up with ropes, and said calmly: "I will return these things to Lord Monkey tomorrow morning. Although diamonds are good, they are still good." Not as good as a single hair of my husband’s.”

Yun Chu pinched Yu Xiurong's tense face and said, "Keep it, I always thought we could avoid a lot of trouble and live a happy life.

Now we find that we are in the torrent, and we inevitably have to fight against the torrent and struggle to survive.

Everything our family owns has actually been marked with a price, some of which we have already paid for, and some of which we have not yet paid. "

"We can't just go to the Western Regions if we want to. I heard that Xue Rengui has been seeking the position of Protector of Anxi. Pei Xingjian also recently wanted to escape Chang'an and go to the Western Regions. It's something that neither of them with more senior qualifications can do. Why did my husband force the two of them to get the position of Protector of the Western Region?"

Yun Chu looked at Yu Xiurong in surprise and said: "The Great Protector of the Western Regions, you think too highly of your husband and me. A person in this position can be called the King of the Western Regions. As long as it is outside the Yumen Pass, he can decide everything with a single word.

The position itself was an official position during the Han Dynasty.

The imperial court has not set up such a position until now. Not only has it not been established, but it has also divided the Western Region into two parts, namely the Anxi Protectorate and the Beiting Protectorate. The two Protectors govern most of the Western Region.

At the beginning of this year, His Majesty also established the Mengchi Protector's Palace and the Kunling Protector's Palace under the Anxi Protector's Palace. Under these two Protector's Palaces, there is also the Shanyu Protector's Palace, both of which are smaller. .

Do you think this is the height that I, a fifth-grade county magistrate, can achieve? "

Yu Xiurong said angrily: "Since they want my husband to go to the Western Regions, can't they even give me this position?"

Yun Chu smiled and said: "You think too highly of Old Monkey and their abilities. We still need to figure out how to get to the Western Regions ourselves..."

That night, Yun Chu talked with Yu Xiurong for almost the entire night.

When they got up in the morning, Yu Xiurong, Fei San and the others made a sumptuous breakfast for Yun Chu, but the only food left at Old Monkey's place was millet porridge, steamed buns and pickles.

The old monkey didn't care at all about the changes in his meal. He ate very sweetly and was satisfied.

Yun Chu did not discuss with the old monkey what to do next. He left Qiyun Temple and wanted to discuss the matter with Wen Wen and Di Renjie. Moreover, he hoped Wen Wen could go to the Western Regions with him.

Just after returning to Wannian County Government Office, Pei Xingjian arrived first before Yunchu could find Wenrou and Di Renjie.

This is Pei Xingjian's third visit to Yunchu. If Yunchu doesn't see him again, this will be his last visit to Yunchu.

I haven't seen Pei Xingjian for a long time. This guy is now very old, just like a person who was a young man the day before and quickly turned into a middle-aged man over forty years old after sleeping.

The beard under his chin is half a foot long. He looks majestic but does not have the heroic spirit of a young man.

Yunchu believed that a person could grow up overnight, but now that he saw it with his own eyes, he felt a little sad.

Pei Xingjian treated Yunchu cordially but with a slight alienation. After drinking two cups of tea, he said to Yunchu: "I know it's me who has made things difficult for you. I wanted to tell the truth several times, but I didn't know where to start. How to start."

Yun Chu smiled and said: "We are becoming less and less like young people, and we are all infected with some old age. I would rather you were still the Pei Xingjian who chased me to fight, rather than the current appearance."

Pei Xingjian said: "Today's Tang Dynasty seems to be in bloom, but in fact it is already as overwhelmed as a cow. The group of people who rose up during the Taizong years are now beginning to wither away, and our Tang Dynasty has reached the point where it is most in need of good governance. when.

After the great victory in Liaodong, everyone thought that it was time for the Tang Dynasty to store up its swords and guns and release its horses into the Nanshan Mountains. However, they did not know that the vast land of the Tang Dynasty was already beset by crises. Rebellions continued in various places. Even though they only affected a small corner, they were afraid that Once the war breaks out, it can turn into a catastrophic disaster.

Therefore, although I don't like Li Jingxuan, in order to give the scholars who have followed me a chance, I rearranged the examination rules, renamed, obscured, transcribed, etc. I thought it was a good thing, but in the end, His Majesty took advantage of the situation and canceled it. Conducting activities outside the examination room such as taking recommendation exams, writing papers, etc.

Although this is more fair, unfortunately, now I have become the target of public criticism. "

Yun Chu poured Pei Xingjian a cup of tea and said, "Since Brother Pei has chosen to serve the country with loyalty, why do you want to live in harmony with those nobles?"

Pei Xingjian said: "The Pei family is also a noble family."

Hearing what Pei Xingjian said, Yun Chu poured away the tea he had just poured, took down two jars of wine from the shelf, held one jar for himself, threw the other jar to Pei Xingjian and said: "Tea is for cleaning troubles, wine is for Wangyoujun, Your problem is no longer an ordinary worry, and I can only use wine to eliminate your sorrow."

Pei Xingjian opened the jar, took a sip and said, "Is it impossible to solve it?"

Yunchu laughed and said: "You want fame and fortune, how can such a cheap thing come in this world.

Just bear with it.

Don't expect to get comfort from me. Speaking of which, I was also harmed by you. I was planning to recommend some of the sons of my old subordinates to enter the Four Schools, but after you did this, I had no chance. "

Pei Xingjian smiled and said, "Are you also willing to take this approach?"

Yun Chu spread his hands and said, "Who would want to walk on a rugged path when there is a smooth path?"

Pei Xingjian stood up and put down the wine jar, lightly dusted his robe, and said softly: "We have different ways, so we don't want to conspire against each other."

Yun Chu smiled and said: "There is no way, I am such a real villain, I can't be called a gentleman."

Pei Xingjian went out, while Yun Chu tilted his head and waited for Pei Xingjian, a bitch, to come back. When asking for help, you must act like you are asking for help. You cannot try to drive people away for no reason from a moral standpoint.

Sure enough, after a while, Pei Xingjian came back and continued to drink from the wine jar.

Yun Chu said: "The first time you failed to get things done in Chang'an County, what did you do?"

Pei Xingjian said: "I went to the Western Regions."

Yunchu asked again: "What did you do when you made Chang'an County a mess the second time?"

Pei Xingjian said: "I went to Liaodong."

Yun Chu smiled and said: "This is the third time you have made things out of control. Do you still have to think about where to go?"

Pei Xingjian smiled and said: "Very good, I plan to go to Anxi to be a guardian, but there is no one who is familiar with the Western Regions, and I won't make any achievements if I go there. Since you suggest that I go to the Western Regions, I might as well say more."

Yun Chu took out a bright ruby ​​about the size of a pigeon egg from his arms and placed it in front of Pei Xingjian.

Pei Xingjian picked up the gem, looked at the sun, and exclaimed: "This thing comes from the Western Regions? This is the first time I've heard of it."

After saying that, he put the ruby ​​​​in his sleeve.

Yunchu sighed and said, "When our career is hopeless, we should seek wealth."

Pei Xingjian asked: "Will it help us make a fortune if I become the protector of Anxi?"

Yun Chu said: "Nowadays, the number of Hu merchants in Chang'an City is declining sharply, which is very detrimental to Wannian County's wealth plan. Therefore, I plan to organize some teams of Tang Dynasty merchants to go deep into the desert and Gobi to do business in the far western regions. Business, clean up the numerous bandits along the way and turn the trade road into a thoroughfare, what do you think?"

Pei Xingjian said: "I am already seeking the position of the Protector of Anxi, but Xue Rengui is very annoying and always wants to take this position away. I am here this time just hoping to gain your support and become the Protector of Anxi. , and clean up the messy Western Region.

It seems that I don’t need to ask you for help. How about we help each other? After we get rich, we brothers will share it equally. "

Yun Chu shook his head and said: "My brother Ming settled the score and helped you get the position of Protector of Anxi. Your benefits should be reduced by 20%."

Pei Xingjian nodded and said: "It's reasonable, you seven and I three."

Yun Chu added: "Because I have to organize goods, organize manpower, and kill demons along the way, I should be given an extra 20%."

Pei Xingjian shook his head and said: "In this case, I only have 10% left. As the guardian of Anxi, a certain family should have 30% even if they sit on the ground and divide the spoils."

Yun Chu sighed softly and said: "Then let's take 15%. Even with this share plan, in the end, what you get will far exceed your expectations."

Pei Xingjian laughed and stood up, put his hands on Yunchu's shoulders and said, "You are a person who knows how to do business, and specializes in big business. I trust you."

Yun Chu said: "In this case, I will recommend you to be the Protector of Anxi in the Wannian County Business Review of the Western Regions."

Pei Xingjian shook his head and said: "You are not qualified enough. If you can get a kind word from the old immortal or Master Xuanzang, this matter will be solved."

"The noblest person is the most noble person who has not joined the world. Once he joins the world, no one will respect him anymore, and he will be looked down upon by the royal family. That's all I can do. As for success or failure, it depends on God's will."

"You can use gentleness to use your connections to help me. I also heard that you have connections in the Imperial Medical Office and the Palace Gate Bureau. You can use them together. They are not outsiders, they are all people from this world."

Fighting snakes and crawling with sticks is a required course for officials. Pei Xingjian learned this subject very thoroughly.

Yun Chu never used his friendship as a friend to do things for others. This was also his insistence. Therefore, the two finally broke up on bad terms. Until they left, Pei Xingjian did not return the ruby ​​to Yun Chu.

When Wen Wen heard that she was going to the Western Regions, she originally didn't want to go. But after seeing the diamond, she immediately changed her mind and decided to follow Yun Chu to visit the Western Regions.

When Di Renjie heard that Yunchu was going to the Western Regions, he firmly opposed it, thinking that it would be a disgrace to his status just to do business.

After seeing the diamond, he changed his mind, expressed his support, and promised Yun Chu to search out the Bagman in Chang'an City.

They unanimously didn't say much about Prince Beluz. They understood the Sasanian treasures that Yunchu told them about, but kept it secret.

Wen Wenwen was busy writing "Wannian County, Chang'an County Western Region Trade", and Di Renjie took over the task of finding Bagman. In the past, this matter was Yun Chu's private matter, but now that it has become a public matter, Di Renjie can directly intervene.

At the beginning of the cloud, Di Renjie came to Wannian County Prison.

When he saw Suleiman again, Yun Chu could hardly recognize this person, or in other words, this person was no longer a person.

However, after reading the thick stack of confessions handed over by Yan Jiu, Yun Chu felt that Suleiman was of little use.

After Yan Jiu asked Yun Chu to confirm that the man was still alive, he cut Suleiman's throat with a hook knife. After Suleiman let out a long sigh, there was no more sound.

Di Renjie took away the confession, and Yunchu returned to Qiyun Temple.

It wasn't that Yunchu didn't want to stay in Chang'an, but that the city seemed empty and uninteresting after the emperor and empress left.

In the afternoon, Wen Wen sent the joint memorial between the two of them to the Yushitai. After the Yushitai received the memorial, they immediately sent it to Jiucheng Palace. It was a full six hundred miles back and forth. The fastest. , also five days later.

Princess Wencheng's visit to the bride's house was a bit long this time, and her daughter was not well received by her family if she stayed at her parents' home for a long time. Therefore, when she left, only Prince Li Hong sent her out of Chang'an City.

Different from the luxurious wedding procession for the first time, this time there were no craftsmen, no books, no tools, no grain seeds, and naturally no silks and satins, and all there was was sadness.

When old people cry, new people will naturally laugh.

He Lan Minzhi, the newlywed groom, smiled very happily, especially the moment he left Chang'an City. He kept the image of this majestic city gate firmly in his mind. He hoped that one day, he would bring his army there. When he gets to Chang'an, he can destroy the city according to his state of mind.

If possible, he wanted to kill everyone in the city.

I left today in order to return in a grand way in the future...

"Husband, the lady-in-law of Yanmen County wrote to me saying that her family is planning to buy property in Luoyang and asked if our family would like to join us?"

Yun Chu shook his head and said: "Our family's future foundation will be in Chang'an. If we don't go to Luoyang, there is no need to buy property in advance."

"What if my husband goes to Luoyang to become an official?"

"I won't go to Luoyang."

"The lady in charge of Yanmen County said that my husband, you have been an official in Chang'an for too long and you are prone to problems."

"Tell Yanmen County Lord, thank you for his kindness. I have decided on Chang'an, so I can no longer choose Luoyang. Chang'an city is my lifelong choice."

Yu Xiurong whispered: "Yanmen County Gong Liang Jianfang's leg disease has relapsed, and his left leg has begun to ulcerate to the ankle. It is estimated that he will not have much time."

"How happy he was when he drank and ate meat, and now the gout disease is torturing him in so much pain. Last time I suggested that he stop drinking and amputate his rotten feet, but he refused. He also said that his illness had nothing to do with drinking, that he deserved it, and that he would rather be in pain than give up drinking, let alone let go of the roasted lamb kidneys that he had eaten all his life."

"Do you want to visit your husband before he leaves?"

"Why, are you worried that this farewell will be forever?"

Yu Xiurong sighed slightly and stopped talking. She didn't want to say anything unlucky before her husband left for a long trip.

Before the emperor's decree came down, Yun Chu could not make any preliminary preparations. Only after the emperor's decree came down, could he start to mobilize the bad guys from Wannian County, the old soldiers, the giant bandits who lived in hibernation in Chang'an, the retired horse thieves, and the new ones. Those rangers in Feng City, and any tough Guanzhong children who want to make money in the Western Regions.

Yunchu also wanted to make it a daily choice for the children of Guanzhong to go to the Western Regions to make a lot of money.

Since those people from the Western Regions could easily and happily work as mountain bandits, horse thieves, and sand thieves in that vast land, there is no reason why the people from Guanzhong would have no way to survive there.

"This time, the monks from the Shaolin Temple went with Naha. They did nothing else. They were just Naha's followers."

"Where is Prince Beluz?"

"He doesn't want to go with you because he thinks it's not safe. He hopes to follow Pei Xingjian's army of defense changers.

When you get to the Western Region, you won't be able to help him anymore. "

"For such a big battle this time, you are going to send Naha and a group of monks to the Western Region? This is not like you."

"Of course there will be people who will enter the Western Region with you, but they won't go together. Those who belong to Buddhism will belong to Buddhism, and those who belong to you will belong to you."

"Is it so clear?"

"It must be clearly distinguished. You must know that the current emperor and queen are not two people who are very willing to reason."

See you tomorrow