Late Tang Dynasty Floating Life

Chapter 1423 The Return
On July [-]th, Shao Shude arrived at the Changxia Palace.

It was the best season of the year on the grassland, Shao Shude ordered all members of the guards to assemble.

There are more than 5000 people in the Changxia Palace, and they basically live on herding. Under the limit of conscription, about [-] people can be sent out.But there are actually only tens of thousands of people who train regularly, and those who can fight are only about three to five thousand.

Five thousand can fight and go three thousand, and go north with Liang Hanyong to kick A Baoji's ass, and the rest gather around seven thousand.Shao Shude personally handed out military tickets to each of the hundred households. Before the end of the year, the Ministry of Internal Affairs would send over a batch of wool cloth, and each person would receive two bolts with the ticket.

Yes, the Palace Slave Department is under the control of the Ministry of Internal Affairs again.

In fact, Shao Shude has been thinking about whether to set up a separate organization to manage the slave department.

A major element of this organization is that it should not have too much to do with Zhongshu.Just as the six ministries are directly responsible to the prime ministers, not to the emperor, the slave ministries of the palaces are directly responsible to the emperor, and the prime ministers and privy envoys have nothing to do with them—in fact, Shao Shude has severely dealt with several people who intentionally or unintentionally Officials who have crossed the border and have personal relationships with the palace supervisors, Wanhu, and Qianhu of the palace servants outside of official business.

The Zhugong Slave Department is the private part of the Shao family and one surname, not the part of Da Xia.Whoever dares to break through this red line, he will kill without mercy.

"The subordinates of Changchun Palace still need to go to battle more and see more blood." Shao Shude said: "Every year, some people are rotated to go to battle, I think it's pretty good."

The group of people who lined up, as far as appearance is concerned, can do it.

This is from the perspective of his old warrior who has experienced many battles.If there is peace for a hundred years, this group of people may be called elite soldiers, which has to be said to be a huge irony.

A relatively difficult environment, qualified training, and occasional war experience can greatly delay the time for an army to degenerate.

The bodyguards have been recruited repeatedly over the years, and the number of troops is generally around [-], and they will be disbanded after the battle.Not to mention that every battle must be fought, at least participated in more than half of the battles.Especially in the tragic fight with Zhu Quanzhong back then, the guards also felt the cruelty of the battlefield.

Although they can't be called strong soldiers, they are not weak brigades that are about to collapse at the touch of a button.

After a hundred years of him, the servants of the palaces will be passed down from generation to generation among the kings.If there is turmoil in the grassland in the future, the servants of the palaces will be a good weapon to suppress, and the court may save a lot of money.

Of course, the king is not at a loss, and the combat effectiveness of his private troops can still be maintained, which is still very useful for stabilizing power.

The emperor may be inferior to civil servants in political affairs, but he must master the force that can turn the table.Otherwise, even if the emperor had a whim and wanted to implement some reforms to keep the dynasty alive, he would not be able to do it.

"Your Majesty, the sons and daughters have made a lot of contributions in attacking Khitan and Bohai, and have been rewarded. Now I am still asking, when will I have another chance to fight?" Shao Zhili, the supervisor of Changchun Palace, said, "Especially the newcomers this year. yelled."

Occasionally, the staff of the Zhugong slave department will increase.

In the third year of Dashun (892) in the former Tang Dynasty, because more than 4000 Bian troops were captured, Shao Shude ordered to select [-] elite soldiers and incorporate them into the bodyguards. Before that, there were only [-] people in the bodyguards.

Also in that year, Zhe Zongben won the battle of Xiaojiangkou, Sun Dian, the governor of Fangzhou, surrendered all over the state, and Shao Shude ordered to pick and choose from the surrendered soldiers, and got a thousand elites to be incorporated into the bodyguard army.

These people have married wives and had children on the grassland, and most of them live in Yulin Palace and Woyang Palace.

Over the next 16 years, such supplements continued intermittently, but did not stop.Because Shao Shude felt that the combat power of the "original version" of the guards was a bit eye-catching, and the six towns of Bian, Yun, Yan, Xu, Qing, and Xu were successively added to Hongyuan Palace, Xianyou Palace, Yulin Palace, and Wo Township. Yang Palace.

It can be said that without the addition of these warriors, the combat effectiveness of the bodyguards would not improve so quickly.

And they were not dissatisfied.As an "external elite", in the past, they had wives (and possibly children), tents, cattle and sheep, and a little money, which made sense and had no reason to rebel.

This year, the Changxia Palace also welcomed 2000 people, most of whom were selected from the terrifying "10,000+ army" in Bazhou, Jiangxi.

"Don't just think about fighting." Shao Shude said with a smile: "Has the school been built yet? I don't need sons and daughters to be admitted to Jinshi, but proficiency in literary and ink is a must. In the future, I will be sent to be an official, but in the end I don't even know the words. ?"

"Your Majesty, two schools have been built, and each school has more than 20 children studying." Shao Zhili said, "Most are children from ten thousand, one thousand, or one hundred families."

Shao Shude nodded lightly.

This is inevitable.First of all, ordinary herdsmen do not have the foresight to send their children to school, and their family conditions do not allow it. After all, children are also a labor force. It is better to practice riding and archery well and work hard to earn wealth in the future.

Second, even if you fight, you can't fight.You need money to go to school, do you have it?

This is where the cruelty of feudal social relations lies.Not to mention that the Zhugong slave tribe is not a pure feudal society, and there are many remnants of slavery, let alone impossible.

Shao Shude took one last look at the bodyguards Ding Zhuang who were still standing in the wind.

It's not time yet, and I'll hand it over to Chu Jun when my body feels bad.

In fact, if you think about it carefully, he has accomplished many things in this life, and he has made a lot of preparations for future generations, but he has also planted many hidden dangers, because there are no absolutes in the world.

It can only be said that children and grandchildren have their own blessings. It is impossible for one person to do everything, and there is no law that can last forever.

The wisdom of future generations is very important, and he can only lay the foundation.

Shao Shude was about to leave the Changxia Palace on the third day of August.

The day before I left, I got news that Yang Yue, the deputy envoy of Nanya Privy Councilor, died in a private residence in Beiping Mansion. He was seventy-one years old.

According to Yang Yue's last wish, the family was buried in Yudole City, Lingxia, and Queen Zhe issued an edict to stop court for three days to express their condolences.

The old people left one by one.

Shao Shude suddenly felt a little empty.

He still remembered that when the campaign against Tuoba Sigong was in full swing, Yang Yue went south from Yudole City to Xiazhou to ask about Shao Shude's ambitions.After getting a satisfactory answer, he led more than 4000 cavalry to surrender, and made great contributions to defeating the Tuoba Party.

More than 4000 soldiers and horses are not worth mentioning in the eyes of Shao Shude today.But at the time 27 and eight years ago, it was a key force that controlled the situation of the battle.

Lao Yang is gone...

Shao Shude sat on the dragon chair with a melancholy expression.

Zhuge Shuang, Li Shao, Qiu Weidao, Wang Yu, Li Xiang, Li Keyong, Zhe Zongben, Yang Yue...all left.

A few years ago, Li Xiaochang, Dongfang Kui and others also left one after another.

"Come on!" Shao Shude yelled weakly.

"Your Majesty." Pugu Chengen stepped forward.

"I have visited the old people in Kansai, and the children of Li Xiaochang, Dongfang Kui, Li Yuanli, Cheng Zongchu, Zhu Mei and others will give me comfort. If they have actual achievements, they can be promoted more." Shao Shude said: "The children and grandchildren who are talented in literature and martial arts can be sent here. My side. No, send them all over, I will take the school exam myself and give you a reward."

"Follow the order." Pugu Cheng'en stepped back gently.

The last ray of sunlight also fell in the sky.

In the Changxia Palace, Shao Shude sat in the shadows and fell into unspeakable loneliness.

******
On the Mid-Autumn Festival on August [-]th, the army arrived in Ruping County, Ruzhou.

The summer in the depths of Yanshan is still very comfortable. No wonder the Qing emperor wanted to build a summer palace in Chengde. Walking on the mountain path, Shao Shude looked left and right, and felt green eyes, birds singing and flowers fragrance, and his mood revived.

The safety of the world is tied to him, and he is not qualified to hurt the spring and the autumn.

Ruzhou has jurisdiction over the five counties of Ruping, Longhua, Fengning, Chengde, and Dading. Many Youzhou tribes have been resettled, and many people have migrated from Kansai. So far, there are only more than 5400 households and less than 28000 people. .

Conditions are as they are, there is indeed room to grow, but not much.

Chong Jieyu's father, Chong Jushuang, the governor of Ruzhou, has also worked for several years. How should I put it, the culture and education are doing well.A bunch of tribes who settled in Youzhou during the Tang Dynasty were registered as householders Qimin, and now they have changed their surnames to Han. They plow the fields in the river valleys and herd sheep on the hillsides. .

Other than that, everything else is average, quite satisfactory. He is a qualified bureaucrat, but he can't be called a capable official.

Shao Shude saw Tuoba Sijing here.

He came to inspect the medicinal materials and wild products in the mountains for Beiping Prefecture Changxia Commercial Company to see how the quality is. If possible, he will use this place as one of the sources of commodity procurement in the future.

"You are old too." Looking at Tuoba Sijing's white hair, he sighed.

"While still able to move, let's walk more for His Majesty." Tuoba Sijing said with a smile.

"Did you delay your own business?" Shao Shude asked.

"The Tuoba family fought against His Majesty many times in the past, and their crimes were serious. Fortunately, Your Majesty forgives them, so they can be preserved." Tuobasi sighed: "But today's life is not bad, and the family is prospering day by day. Every time I think about it, it is thanks to Your Majesty's kindness." also."

Shao Shude smiled and said: "This boy Yichang cleared up the bandits in Yizhou and protected the environment and the people. It is true that he did a good job. I intend to send him abroad to increase the burden. If he can make great achievements in the future, the Tuoba family can also Take it to the next level."

"I thank Your Majesty Long En." Tuoba Sijing was overjoyed and thanked.

He didn't know what a good day it was, only that he was lucky.

His grand-nephew Tuoba Yichang was originally a soldier in the bodyguard, and later served as a palace guard, and was transferred to Yizhou as the commander of the state army.This is actually not a good job. It is impossible to become the governor. If you retreat, you will return to the guards. The position has already been taken by others, which is very embarrassing.

Now they are going abroad!
Tuoba Sijing thought for a while, heard that the prison guard of Hongyuan Palace is old and may retire at any time, could it be...

"In the past, Chen Shilang told me to strictly limit the communication between the grassland and the Central Plains. After all these years, I have also seen that it is unrealistic." Shao Shude said: "Since it can't be restricted, then accept the fact and take the initiative to participate. You were in Guanyin The north is mainly engaged in the business of grasslands and Guanzhong, how is it now?"

"Leave it to the clansmen to earn thousands of dollars a year, let's make do with it." Tuoba Sijing replied.

"Thousands is a lot. I got married in Xiazhou back then, and the mansion bestowed by Commander Zhuge is only worth a thousand." Shao Shude said: "Next, Changxia Commercial Bank should devote more energy to the seven sages. Zhou. They have a lot of honey, dried fruit, medicinal materials, and skins. Well, they are all businesses you used to do back then, so you should be familiar with them. Think of a way and let Changxia Commercial Bank help them bring more goods."

"This matter is easy." Tuoba Sijing said: "I have set off to the north for inspection in the past few days, it should not be difficult."

"Okay." Shao Shude said happily: "If this can be done, the frontier will be more peaceful."

The reputation of Changxia Commercial Bank has grown day by day over the years, because they can always get goods that others can't get.Or even if others can get it, I have more quantity and better quality, so I have become a top comprehensive commercial firm in Chang'an, Luoyang, Bianzhou, and Beiping, earning a lot of money every day.

Shao Shude established this "supermarket" mainly to promote marine products.Looking at it now, Changxia Commercial Bank, which occupies prime locations in major cities, has huge potential.

With such a commercial platform in hand, there are really too many things that can be done.

The trade between the Manchu and the grasslands relied on Shanxi merchants.However, Shanxi merchants are mainly engaged in wholesale, and less involved in retail.Changxia Commercial Bank is mainly engaged in retailing, but in fact it also has a purchasing organization. What needs to be done now is to connect them with the grassland and slowly distribute the goods.

There is no doubt that this is a wholesale and retail enterprise with both commercial and political undertones.To some extent, the political color is stronger, serving the political interests of the monarch and the country, and making a little money.

If this platform is used well, it can tie the grassland and the Central Plains more closely economically.

Shao Shude couldn't wait to look through the ledger.If possible, continue to open a few more outlets to make it more powerful.

He doesn't know whether the future monarchs have enough ability to make money.But if you leave more inheritance, if your children and grandchildren prodigal, you can lose more slowly and for a longer time.

Once in the middle of the dynasty, the ability to make money is very important-no money, a little trouble at the border, and retreat as soon as the account is settled. Isn't this pampering the ambitious?

After parting with Tuoba Sijing, Shao Shude continued southward with his army without further delay, and returned to Beiping Mansion at the end of August.

On the first day of September, in person at the Jintai Hall of Linshuo Palace, he attended the Shuowang Dynasty Meeting and officially announced the return of the class teacher.

(End of this chapter)