In mid-March, the boat in the royal palace rowed at dawn. In the morning light, it arrived at the dock with the spring breeze, bringing back a large amount of iron ore in Jiangzhou. The milky morning fog in the morning had not yet dissipated, and there were only a few stalls selling breakfast pasta at the streets and alleys that were emitting white steaming fog.

The workers in the royal palace were already busy, driving carriages and donkey carts to transport the iron ore at the ferry to the back mountain to transport the steel furnace.

These iron ore are produced in Jiangzhou. After the turmoil in Jiangzhou ended, the iron ore purchased from Jiangzhou also stabilized. This is also one of the major reasons why Li Xingzhou made great efforts to pacify Jiangzhou. Only when Jiangzhou is stable can the royal mansion have a reliable source of iron ore.

Most of the iron ore in Wangfu is from Jiangzhou, and a small part is from Jingxi Road.

It is not far from the wharf to Wangfu Road, because the new industrial zone was built right next to the Wangfu Wharf to the north, and the water source driven by the hydraulic power is there.

The royal mansion currently produces a large amount of steel and cement every month, but after the new industrial zone is gradually completed, cement surplus has emerged.

Cement is not as good as steel. Although cement is cheaper and easy to obtain, it is even more difficult to preserve. Li Xingzhou also thought about selling cement, but without the support of craftsmen, this matter would be difficult to handle at the beginning.

Cement is cheaper than tar, but to be accepted by the people, craftsmen first need to take the lead. If the bricklayers in the capital use cement from the royal palace, it will not take long before this thing will be promoted.

But even if it is promoted, there is actually very little demand for construction in ancient times. Even in Kaiyuan City, not many people will build new houses throughout the year, and the road to making profits by buying cement cannot be done.

Cement production must be reduced, large amounts of limestone purchases have been reduced, and the mining of clay in the back mountain has also been reduced.

.........

Early in the morning, Li Xingzhou dressed in a cloak sewn by Gillian and Yue'er and went to the port to greet him in person.

In the morning light, Yan Kun, who was chubby before, lost a lot of weight, was almost an old man with a standard figure. After getting off the boat, Li Xingzhou gave him a big hug. Yan Kun was stunned on the spot, his lips trembling: "Prince, I'm back..."

"Thank you for your hard work, go back and rest." Li Xingzhou said as he held his hand.

Yan Kun nodded repeatedly: "Well, thank you for your care..."

Yan Kun paid a lot for the royal palace. An old man was running around and running around. He might be really smooth, but he was loyal to him and King Xiao. If Yan Jian hadn't touched Li Xingzhou by Yan Jian's death, he would have forgotten that he would have thanked Yan Kun. He and Yan Jian were of the same generation.

Just as he hadn't reacted, he suddenly felt warm in his arms, and the fragrant wind blew. Li Xingzhou, who was stunned, was hugged, and it was Qi Fang who hugged him.

Li Xingzhou subconsciously took a step back and looked at her in a daze. Qi Fang let go of her hand and stood by the river with a smile: "What, isn't the prince going to welcome all the officials like this?"

Li Xingzhou was speechless for a moment. Seeing that she looked much haggard, she must have taken him to make trouble this time, and she felt a little distressed in her heart.

"What's going on lately? It's all right..." said a cliché.

"Of course, it's better to sleep in the open every day than delicacies of mountains, seafood, wine and food." She raised her chin.

Li Xingzhou was choked and knew that she was a quarrel. He laughed: "That's hard work, what's going on this time?"

Qi Fang didn't say anything and handed him a letter, "What Yang Hongzhao gave to you, I said I want you to open it in person."

Li Xingzhou took it over and opened the envelope. There was a very short paragraph inside: It is hard to speak up as a girl, and add a letter. I am in a well and looking at the sky, underestimating the world. I am really ashamed. It is better to do things for a girl than a real man. I apologize for what I said before.

After seeing this, Li Xingzhou smiled mysteriously and looked at Qi Fang who stretched her neck out toward her: "Do you want to see it?"

"I don't want to." She shook her head, but her eyes betrayed her.

Li Xingzhou laughed and handed Yang Hongzhao her letter. It was originally written to her, but Yang Hongzhao was not easy to speak, so why did he make an old general apologize to a young woman, so he had to pretend to be his hand.

After seeing this, Qi Fang felt very happy. This was the first time that someone admitted that she was a daughter.

"How?" he asked.

“What’s the matter.”

"Don't you want to say a few words?"

"In no mood."

"This is a big deal, I'll be happy for you."

"No matter how big it is, it is the words of others. I know the strength of the little woman myself. There is no need for others to comment on or affirm it." Having said that, she was obviously very happy.

"Okay, okay, I believe in your strength. Let's go back and have a good rest."

Qi Fang put away the letter and went home together.

Yan Kun and Qi Fang came back because the matter in the north has ended. The food and grass collected by Jingbei West Road, Jingbei East Road, Yanmen Road and the third route have been handed over to Yang Hongzhao's army. The subsequent supply will be transported by the auxiliary army, and his greatest responsibility as the transport envoy has been completed.

Of course he didn't go there in person, it was Yan Kun and Qifang who were helping with this.

The royal mansion wharf was not far from the royal mansion. On the way back, they walked directly. While walking on Yan Kun, Qi Fang told him some things about the north.

The Black Mountain bandits in the Taihang Mountains have now completely subsided. The people in northern Beijing are sing praises and are grateful to him, and even erected a ancestral hall.

In addition, because of his support, the Chan family was granted the title of the court. In addition, Chan Yinfeng had the ability, so he quickly changed the previous decline caused by chaos and became the largest business in Jiangzhou, with close contact with the royal palace.

The villagers led by the Black Panther in the Taihang Mountains also went to see it. The cotton seeds had been planted and some had already sprouted.

Lee Sing-cheol was overjoyed.

After returning to the palace, the two went to take a break. Li Xingzhou had to continue working at the Privy Council, so he explained to the kitchen that he would welcome them to the evening and then leave the palace.

......

Yang Wenguang stood in front of the military tent with his eyes closed, with candles flashing in front of him. His eldest son Yang Hu was half a step behind, and several powerful subordinates in the army were also there.

The tent was terriblely quiet. The Wu Lie Army, the imperial guards he led, and the Yang family army brought by his son from Taiyuan, had already joined forces. The army gathered more than 50,000 people. The continuous tents were connected into a long dragon at the foot of the Taihang Mountains, with no end to see.

Unlike the mighty army, the central army camp seemed even more dull at this time.

"Father, why don't you agree to him. The impact will not be too great anyway. Besides... Besides, he is the queen's niece and a close relative of the Tian family." Yang Hu said.

Yang Wenguang closed his eyes and sighed. Wu Zhengqing from Chengdu Prefecture Road wrote a letter that was obscure, but the meaning was very clear. Arranged a vanguard position in the army for his son, which was just a false title, but his son would not go to the battlefield.

The purpose is that if there are military merits in this war, then his son will have a share. The reason is very simple, and there is a vague threat between the lines. If he does not arrange it, the military rations on Chengdu Prefecture Road may not be delivered on time.

As for why he dared to do this, because there are so many reasons... the road collapses, encounters bandits, etc., can be said.

Wu Zhengqing wanted his son to make a contribution, and it was a waste of money, but he had a way to threaten Yang Wenguang, that is, military rations.

This kind of thing cannot be explained clearly. If he sued the court for ineffective military supplies and delayed the fighter jets, he would have ten thousand excuses. In addition, he was the queen's nephew and gave the court a lot of money and food, it would be impossible to commit suicide.

If others were afraid they had agreed.

Yang Wenguang looked around everyone: "I have fought for half my life. You all know what kind of temperament I am. I can't stand any sand in my eyes! The merits were achieved by the soldiers on their lives. How could Wu Zhengqing's son receive his merits without success and eat the blood of our soldiers!"

"But my father, military rations..."

"There are no military rations on Chengdu Prefecture Road, Taiyuan, and Sanju, and there are grains everywhere!" Yang Wenguang interrupted his son: "I can write a memorial form and report to the court for this matter."

Everyone nodded in agreement, and some people said indignantly: "This Wu Zhengzhen is not a thing. It is a matter of family and country. He actually dared to openly make profits for himself and threaten the general..."

"He had a premeditation. At first, when he was promising to the court for money and grain, many ministers opposed it. I thought it was nothing. After all, he did serve the country and the people... Donating so much money and grain is beneficial to the country. In addition, the queen mother's nephew, he is also considered a nobleman, and a certain transferee is good." Yang Wen said.

"At that time, Lord He, the prefect of Kaiyuan, was very disgusted with this matter. I asked him why. He said that Wu Zhengqing was not upright in his actions and his mind was not upright, and he would ruin the trend at a high position..."

Yang Wenguang shook his head: "At that time, I only thought he was a pedantic word, but now it seems that Lord He is completely impressed... People's hearts are hard to change, and seeing the big ones from the small, Wu Zhengqing is really despicable!" He slapped the desk table heavily.

There was only sigh in the big tent, because they had no choice. They just hope that Wu Zhengqing was not so bold and delivered the military rations in time, because the army was about to go north and there was no time left.

"Father, maybe you can pretend it? It's not too late to regret it later." Yang Hu suddenly said excitedly. He felt that he had come up with an excellent idea.

When he looked up, he found that everyone was looking at him, and his father looked at him, his eyes were complicated and he couldn't understand what it was.

Finally, the father waved his hand and said, "You go down first."

Yang Hu was puzzled, and his father emphasized again: "You go down first!"

He opened his mouth and had no choice but to withdraw from the tent. Then Yang Wenguang asked many generals to retreat, leaving only his old friend, right-hand man, Qian Bi, commander of the Taiyuan Prefecture Xiang Army.

"It's not like me at all..." After his son left, Yang Wenguang looked at his back indifferently and said, without any emotion in his voice.

"Maybe the young master is still young." His deputy, the former commander Qian Bi, said, looking at Yang Hu's back.

Yang Wenguang's mouth twitched: "You're still young, you're probably joking. The hundreds of old guys who died at the hands of bandits last time were just a lesson, I'm just blamed for being too partial to me."

"Victory and defeat are common in military affairs, who can win every time?" Qian Bi retorted with his arms.

"You don't have to cover it up for him. My son knows best that defeat and death are two different things." Yang Wenguang said, then looked back at the tent and sighed: "I'm afraid that the Yang family's reputation for several generations will be destroyed in his hands.

Now I understand why Emperor Wu of Wei sighed at the beginning, 'It should be like Sun Zhongmou'. At least Emperor Wen is not as good as his father, but it is also remarkable."

"General, don't always think about comparing with other people's children..." Qian Bi was bitter, it seems that he has a lot of experience in this area.

Yang Wenguang shook his head: "I'm just comparing with the ancients. If I compare the present, I can really anger me to death."

"What young people can get into the eyes of the general today."

Yang Wenguang sat down and reached out to greet his old friend, "There are so many, but when it comes to the young hero, it is the King of Pingnan in the past two years, and the whole country of Jingguo can't hear anything about him."

"What does the general think?"

"How? You are a vain scholar under your reputation!

This time I went to Beijing, I accompanied Wei Chaoren to visit him once. The sixteen-year-old child had the majesty of the Tian family, his words and demeanor were not messy and he was well organized. During the meal, he talked about the general trend of the world and had many insightful opinions. Wei Chaoren and I both sighed as inferior to him." Yang Wenguang sighed.

Qian Bi's eyes widened: "Is it so amazing?"

"Otherwise, before I went there, I felt that maybe it was exaggerating. After seeing someone, I felt that I underestimated the people of the world. Some strange and strange things can be solved by ordinary people. King Pingnan is one of them.

He brought a thousand soldiers into Luzhou, defeated more than 100,000 troops, quelled the rebellion in the south, and then went to Taihang Mountain to suppress bandits and quell the disaster of bandits for a hundred years. Everything was shocking. In fact,... I should have a son like the King of Pingnan."

Yang Wenguang sighed and then smiled, "But I think that now, because the prince has been imprisoned by Jiangzhou, the prince is in charge of one of the four imperial guards, but he is guarding Kyoto. It is obvious that the emperor has the intention of Yi Chu. If the prince of Pingnan is the king in the future, he will be so talented and intelligent, and have a good literary and military strategy, it may be a blessing for our Jingguo."

Qian Bi whispered: "General, you have to say this in a low voice."

"What are you afraid of? I'm just telling the truth. Besides, there are still outsiders in the army..."

......
To be continued...