"Thank you, the prince, thank you... the young gentleman."

After being invited by Zheng Shuqing to sit down, the man quickly thanked him. He looked very downcast, as if he had been on the road for a long time, and his clothes were extremely dirty.

"Although the postmen at the post station are also people who look after people and serve food, they will not drive away the officials who came in like just now. Who are you? Why do those postmen want to drive you away again?"

Zheng Shuqing asked with a puzzled look on his face, and poured the man a glass of wine.

The wine they drank was Huadiao wine, a specialty here in Xiangyang, and it tasted just as good as Honglianchun.

However, Honglianchun, as an "Internet celebrity wine", is obviously more famous among the nobles of Chang'an. Zheng Shuqing and Fang Chongyong both brought some wine back to Chang'an as gifts to their relatives and friends.

Of course it is impossible to open and drink at the inn.

"Well, I am from Jingcheng, Cangzhou, Hebei Province. I worked as a small official under Zhang Shougui, the governor of Youzhou. As a result, an observer was appointed from Chang'an this year. He didn't like me, so he took a little hold of me.

A small mistake framed me. In the end, I was transferred to the Five Lingnan Prefectures to continue to serve as the Kong Mu Officer under the command of the Five Prefectures of Lingnan.

Isn’t this going to kill me? That place in Lingnan is used to exile officials! Miasma and poisonous insects, both will kill people!”

The young man in front of him said angrily. His officials have done a good job. Kong Muguan is the kind of official who can be promoted. If he does well, there is no future.

As a result, the imperial court parachuted an observation envoy to Youzhou Fan Town and "abolished" him simply and rudely!

"So, you were kicked out by them just because you refused to go to Lingnan and deliberately stayed at the station in Xiangyang?"

Fang Chongyong stared into the man's eyes and asked.

"Well... to be honest with you two, it seems so."

The man lowered his head in embarrassment. The reason why he had been dragged from Youzhou to Xiangyang, and every time he stayed at the inn until others rushed him, was to delay his appointment and wait for the transfer.

Generally speaking, Jiedu envoys would also serve as observers part-time. But for some reason, this time the imperial court just airborne an observer envoy, and Zhang Shougui didn't mind this at all, and even called him brothers.

"This dog officer is really good! I will definitely read his book when I return to Chang'an."

Zheng Shuqing said angrily, suddenly thought of something, and asked doubtfully: "By the way, what is your name, and what is the name of the dog officer?"

"Oh, sir, don't worry about that. This dog official is an old minister of the saint Qianlong, and he is deeply favored by the saint. I am solemn, and I will never forget the kindness of a meal, so let's say goodbye."
p>

Yan Zhuang realized that he seemed to have said something he shouldn't have said, and it was taboo to talk briefly or deeply.

He was about to get up when he suddenly found the eight or nine-year-old kid who didn't talk much pulling on his clothes.

"If you have anything to say, it doesn't matter. Under such a bright world, can't you explain a single word of truth? No matter how great the official is, can it be greater than the prime minister? This Zheng Shijun dares to speak uprightly in front of the prime minister. What's wrong?

Said?"

Fang Chongyong put Zheng Shuqing on the fire and winked at him.

After a few drinks, Zheng Shuqing became more courageous and said: "Just say it, you are a big and small official, I can easily save you from trouble with a wave of my hand."

Zheng Shuqing secretly thought that after joining the center, he would become a leader on his own, so recruiting some useful thugs and minions seemed to be the right thing to do.

"Your Majesty is so righteous! That dog's official name is Fang Youde. You can find out with just a little inquiry."

Yan Zhuang said excitedly, feeling as if he had found a backer.

Zheng Shuqing and Fang Chongyong looked at each other, each seeing the helplessness in the other's eyes.

"Well, we don't have to deal with him in a hurry. Let's talk about you first. Why did you get demoted? Let's see if Commander Zheng has any way to help you."

Fang Zhongyong asked without changing his expression, his toes were digging out three rooms and one living room on the ground.

The same position was transferred from Youzhou to Lingnan, which is a proper demotion.

"Alas, it was still the drinking that caused the trouble."

Yan Zhuang sighed helplessly and said: "Fang Youde just arrived in Fanyang City, and all the staff were present at the reception banquet. I drank too much and complained to my colleagues that the imperial court was too oppressive in Hebei! Isn't this true?

As a result, Fang Youde happened to hear it and said that I had slandered the court and had evil intentions! I just said a few fair words, so he wanted Zhang Jiezhen (Zhang Shougui) to kill me as a warning to others!

At that time, many people tried to persuade me, and Zhang Jiezhen also said that I was talking nonsense because I drank too much, so I was able to save my life.

The result was great, within a few days I was retaliated against and demoted to Lingnan! Do you think I was unjust or not?"

Dad's skills are very sharp, but his brain is still not working well.

Fang Chongyong complained in his heart and asked: "What did you say at that time?"

"Is this... important?"

Yan Zhuang was stunned, he didn't expect Zheng Shuqing's son (mistakenly) to be so curious!

He then explained helplessly: "Fang Youde boasted about Pei Yaoqing's achievements in regulating water transportation during the dinner, saying that he transported 7 million shi of grain to Guanzhong in three years, which shocked the ancient and modern times during the prosperous period of the Tang Dynasty.

I told my colleagues that these are the people of Hebei, and it is the imperial court that suppresses us Hebei people to death! The prosperous times are nothing!

Isn’t it?

Pei Yaoqing's seven million stones of grain and grass came from eight states, five of which are in Hebei, namely Xiangzhou, Weizhou, Beizhou, Dezhou, and Cangzhou, and the other two are from Puzhou (Puyang) and Yunzhou, which are close to Hebei.

State.

If the people of Hebei are short of food, they will not even be able to find food to buy in neighboring prefectures and counties.

Isn’t this a search for Hebei, breaking the bones and sucking out the marrow? Am I wrong? Why should Fang Youde, that dog officer, target me?”

The more Yan Zhuang talked, the angrier he became. He wanted to slap the table and scold his mother. Zheng Shuqing quickly interrupted: "Be careful what you say, be careful what you say."

"Sorry, I'm really angry..."

Yan Zhuang said with shame.

Fang Chongyong saw this and remained silent. Yan Zhuang is just a young man who has never been beaten by society. When he matures, he will naturally understand that there are laws behind the movement of all things.

"Actually, the Yongji Canal, the canal north of the Yellow River, is closer to Luoyang and gentler, making it easier to collect and transport grain. However, the Tongji Canal in the south is quite difficult to transport grain from the Jianghuai River to Guanzhong.

As for what the court will choose, it is actually clear at a glance."

Fang Chongyong said in a deep voice.

The court's idea is very simple. This canal route in Hebei can save freight and can suppress Hebei and continue to suck blood. In this case, why not do it more thoroughly?

I have worked hard for the people of Hebei to make Chang'an more prosperous. Can this deal be done?

Fang Chongyong assumed the identity of Li Longji, and he found that an emperor who was already over fifty years old did not seem to need to consider such issues!

If people die and birds look up to the sky, how can there be anyone who lives forever in this world? Live the present moment well and make money when you are happy first. What do you want to do in the future?

Let’s talk about it if something goes wrong!

The transportation of grain and grass from the Jianghuai River to Chang'an is very expensive. The freight for one stone of rice is almost fifty cents when it arrives in Chang'an. In good years, the price of rice in Chang'an is only this amount. In other words, according to today's freight

Come to think of it, the cost of sending it to Chang'an has doubled, so you will lose as much as you transport!

This does not include the losses caused by countless canoe boats that capsized in the Yellow River in Shaanzhou!

These things were all told to Fang Chongyong by Zheng Shuqing when he was in Kuizhou. The water transportation of the Tang Dynasty was related to the fate of the country. But the position of Chang'an was unsolvable. Unless the capital was moved to Luoyang, the aging of the empire could be delayed.

Otherwise, continued inefficient water transportation will drag the empire into the abyss sooner or later.

However, it doesn't matter to Li Longji. Anyway, as long as Chang'an and Guanzhong are happy, he really can't care about the rest.

Doesn’t Confucian etiquette, justice, benevolence and trust also emphasize distance and distance?

Li Tang's clan originated from Guanzhong and has no connection with Hebei. Most of his supporters are Guanlong nobles. These people are "relatives", while Hebei people are "sparse".

From Li Longji's perspective, does he need to care so much about what people in Hebei think?

Fang Chongyong feels that this seems to be an unsolvable proposition. There is only one bowl of rice, but two people eat it. Even if they share it equally, no one is full. What should I do? Is there any choice?

"After I return to Chang'an, I will ask Prime Minister Li to test your knowledge. If you are still passable, then stay in Chang'an and serve. I will write a letter and send it to the Lingnan Jiedu Envoy. You are just a big official.

, come to think of it, no one wants to make things difficult for you.

As for complaining about the imperial court, it would be better if you say less in the future. Don’t you understand that disease comes from the mouth and disaster comes from the mouth?”

Zheng Shuqing said nonchalantly.

"Thank you, Mr. Zheng, thank you, Mr. Zheng!"

Yan Zhuang saluted Zheng Shuqing respectfully, wishing he could kowtow and kneel down.

"It's too much of a compliment. You can't call me my husband now. If you call me my husband, how will Prime Minister Li handle himself?"

Zheng Shuqing scolded him with a straight face.

Fang Chongyong thought to himself, although Lao Zheng said no, he was still very honest. After all, only the prime minister can be called "Xiangong". Lao Zheng was about to be promoted, and he really started to tremble.

It’s human nature, human nature.

"Well, this young man is..."

Yan Zhuang suddenly noticed that Fang Chongyong and Zheng Shuqing didn't look much alike, but they looked very familiar to him, as if he had seen them before somewhere.

"Young kid with a yellow mouth, what's the big deal? I'm the only son in the family. From now on, you can just call me Fang Dalang."

Fang Chongyong couldn't help but tease.

Yan Zhuang nodded slightly, hiding the question in his heart. He always felt that something was not quite right, but he couldn't explain it.

The group rested for a day in Xiangyang, replenished some dry food and drinks, and then took the carriage provided by the post station to continue northward. The next stop was far away, which was Xiangxian County in Dengzhou. Going further north was Neixiang County, which we entered.
To be continued...