Late Tang Dynasty Floating Life

Chapter 517 The Land of Opportunity
Clear after rain.

Swallows flew lightly across the fields, and landed in their nests under the eaves, chirping non-stop.

The ridge of the field is connected to the foot of the mountain in the distance, looking like a straight black line.

A white ditch surrounds the field, sending the gurgling stream into the field, silently watering the green rice seedlings.

The farmer is wearing a coir raincoat, talking and laughing with his neighbors, while carefully inspecting the rice fields.

Someone even sang folk songs, but they lost tune while singing, which caused a burst of good-natured laughter.

The rooster ran around proudly, sometimes singing high-pitched, sometimes bowing its head to peck.

An old yellow dog was lying lazily on the porch of the house, staring blankly at the post road.

More than ten carriages drove up on the post road.

The warrior with a sword and a bow leads the way first, with extraordinary momentum.

The carriage compartment was covered with a raincloth, and under the raincloth were boxes one after another, stuffed to the brim.

The convoy stopped before a closed city.

A knight dismounted, stepped forward to negotiate on foot, and issued some certificates.

The gate guard was alarmed and went out to greet him in person.

After exchanging pleasantries, the convoy continued to set off, heading east.

"The reputation of the officials has spread to Longzhou." The guard knight said in an admiring tone: "Zhejiaerlang, you know the official voice of the envoy."

"They just look at the face of King Lingwu." Huang Tao said with a disapproving smile.

After saying this, he got out of the carriage, turned over and got on a horse.It's too stuffy in the car, so I still have to go out for a walk.

After riding his horse to the back and chatting with his wife and children, Huang Tao took one last look at Guancheng.

To the west of Guancheng is the landscape of Qinzhou where he has lived for several years.

Undoubtedly, this experience was very precious to him. Not only did he live a very comfortable life, but he also accumulated a lot of experience as an official.

Of course, the post and the county magistrate are not the same thing.

"You seem to be worried?" A knight galloped up from behind, and the knight asked with a smile.

"Where is the sorrow coming from? It's just a little emotional." Huang Tao shook his head and said, "I'm going to Shanzhou. The mountains are high and the road is far away. I feel something in my heart for a while."

"Do you have a good sentence?" "Qilang" asked with his eyes brightened.

Huang Tao laughed loudly when he heard the words: "These years have been indulged in mundane affairs, how can I get the time to write poems and fus?"

"Shichiro" sighed regretfully.

This is a fact.Cui Zhaowei was still the number one scholar, but after becoming an official, he was so focused on making money that he didn't have time to write poems.On the contrary, those scholars who failed in repeated tests wrote a lot of poems and prose, and their fame spread all over the world.

It's a pity that the poetry world has lost a master!

"Qilang will go to Shanzhou now, and he will be very successful." Huang Tao said enviously.

Qilang's name is Zhao Guanwen, from Guizhou, he is quite talented, and he was an old acquaintance of Huang Tao in Chang'an when he was rushing for the exam in the past.

After the governor of Qinzhou was released, many people went to Qinzhou to attach themselves to Huang Tao, and Zhao Guanwen was one of them.

It happened that the king of Lingwu County was looking for a teacher for his children, Huang Tao recommended Zhao Guanwen, saying that he had the "talent of the top scholar", and the king of Lingwu County ordered him to go to Anyi County, Shanzhou for an "interview".

As for Huang Tao himself, he will serve as the deputy envoy of the Baoyi Army Jiedu and the governor of Guozhou.How could a smart person like Huang Tao not know the meaning of being transferred across the entire Guanzhong?
In fact, he originally thought that he would continue to stay in Longyou Town, because Shao Shude had faintly revealed this meaning to him.

It has been nearly six years since Xiao Yu, the envoy of Longyou Jiedu, left the town in the second half of the third year of Guangqi (887).Originally, after this year, he was going to Tongzhou to transfer with Ren Yuji and serve as Weibei Jiedu envoy.

But Xiao Xun was old and might not live for two years, Shao Shude sympathized with him, so he pressed the button.

Qinzhou is the largest state in Longyou Town, and Huang Tao, as the governor, is actually very hopeful to take over as Jiedushi after Xiao Yu leaves office.As for Jiedu's deputy envoy Xiao Qu, even though his daughter was serving in the palace of the king of Lingwu County, as a member of the Xiao family, he had the least chance.

Xiao Yu has been the prime minister for seven years, and the Xiao family in Lanling is also a big family.From the third year of Guangqi, many people went to Hezhou to seek refuge, and then let Xiao Yun take over as Jiedu envoy, wouldn't Longyou Town have the surname Xiao?
Therefore, Xiao Yun's chances are far less than Huang Tao's.

But the situation in the world is changing, making people dazzled.Without paying attention, the king of Lingwu County swallowed Shanguo and Hezhong, and continued the tradition of merging a town every year—the town of Hezhong, which he is still trying to swallow this year, is a bit big and may not be able to swallow it for the time being.

There is no doubt that the importance of the two towns of Shanguo and Hezhong to the great cause of King Lingwu is beyond doubt.The eastern gateway of Guanzhong has a wider rear.

Now, probably wanting to rectify well, Huang Tao received a transfer order to serve as the deputy envoy of the Baoyi Army and the governor of Guozhou.

The Baoyi Army only governed Shanzhou and Guozhou. Shanzhou had always been the commander-in-chief and the governor, but now Guozhou was given to Huang Tao alone. The intention to divide Li Fan's power was very obvious.

But right now, he probably won't move his position, because the time is too short, it's not good-looking, and it's easy to chill the hearts of those who voted for him.

Huang Tao reckoned that when the time was right, Li Fan would most likely move to the town, and then he could justifiably serve as the Jiedu Envoy of the Baoyi Army.The current position is just a springboard—but it is also a crucial step.

"I can't get this good opportunity without the virtue of my envoy's recommendation." Zhao Guanwen bowed immediately, and said: "If there is an assignment in the future, I will never refuse."

Huang Tao nodded imperceptibly.

After becoming an official, he will no longer be free and easy as a literati.After all, those who can make up their minds and hang up their seals are a minority.Fame and fortune, how many people in the world can take it apart?
The convoy traveled east all the way, passing through Longzhou and entering Fengxiang Mansion.

After crossing Longshan Mountain, Huang Tao and Zhao Guanwen obviously felt different.

After all, the Zhe family is a warrior, and the way of governing the local area is to live with the situation and govern by doing nothing.To put it bluntly, it is letting go.

Military discipline also seems to be average, as can be seen from the fearful look on the faces of the common people.

However, the local people in Fengxiang Mansion have a good opinion of the newly appointed commander-in-chief Zhe Silun, thinking that he is much better than his father. At least he understands the hardships of the people, and he works hard, often visiting the counties under his jurisdiction.It's just that time is short, and no changes have been seen.

While resting at Longwei Station, Huang Tao went to pay his respects to the battlefield.

More than ten years ago, Shang Rang led an army of [-] troops from Chang'an to march west to Fengxiang.Tang Hongfu, who left Shuofang Jiedu envoy and wanted to come to King Qin, defeated the Chao army here and beheaded more than [-] ranks.

This may be the most critical battle after the nest enters the customs.

At the critical moment when many people surrendered to Huangchao and accepted fake jobs, and all the towns in the world hesitated to wait and see, the great victory of Longweipi was born, making people feel that the Tang Dynasty's vitality is not exhausted, and it is especially promising.At this point, the reinforcements from various towns began to march towards Guanzhong, and even the distant Jingnan Town sent [-] soldiers.

The elite soldiers of the feudal town gathered in Guanzhong, and soon beat the 15 Chao army to pieces and fled desperately.

But now it seems that the chaos in the nest is only the beginning after all, and the power of the court is still dissipating uncontrollably.

I'm afraid there are fewer and fewer people who are devoted to the imperial court every year, right?Huang Tao looked at the students from Qinzhou who came with him. They probably didn't have any sense of belonging to the imperial court.

Being able to go to prefectures and counties to study Confucian classics seems to depend on the king of Lingwu County, and being able to become an official depends on the king of Lingwu County, so why should you still be interested in the court?

Five students from Qinzhou State School, and ten students from five counties of Shanggu, Fuqiang, Longcheng, Qingshui, and Chengji will be assigned to a total of 23 counties in the three prefectures of Guo, Jin, and Jiang. Shi County) as officials at all levels.

A total of more than 100 high-ranking positions, plus a larger number of miscellaneous duties (official positions) such as prison, inquiry, Baizhi, warehouse governor, and city order, a considerable part of them will fall on the heads of Confucian classics students. Can they not be grateful to Dade?

Confucianism students in prefectures and counties are not very high in terms of background.Aristocratic families generally have their own private schools, and few of them study in government schools. Even if they are willing to come, they are generally not selected, but leave the opportunity to more students from small families.

Who says reading is useless?Isn't the opportunity now coming?

Don't underestimate miscellaneous positions such as county clerk, judicial officer, and recorder, how many people still can't get them.After taking office, even in the county, the monthly salary is two to three thousand yuan, plus other unspeakable income, it is more than enough to support a large family, and even support the children and grandchildren to study or practice martial arts, which has laid the foundation of a small family.

And these small families will only be grateful to King Lingwu and are his most solid supporters.

Court?What benefits has the imperial court given me?Longyou and Hexi were recaptured by the King of Lingwu County, and it took him many years to establish Confucian classics. The subsidy of [-] yuan a month for the students of Confucian classics in the state was also provided by the King of Lingwu County. What kind of effort did the court make?

This is how the heart of the "people" comes from.

This requires you to endure loneliness, invest a lot of resources for a long time, and don't expect immediate results within a few years, and finally harvest sweet fruits.

The king of Lingwu County has been very patient in every major matter he does, such as martial arts, classics, and horse administration, and now he is beginning to harvest one after another.

In another six or seven years, agricultural and engineering students will appear one after another, and they can also serve as officials. At that time, the foundation of Lingwu County King's rule will be more solid.

The investment in education is huge, but the rewards are also great.The only disadvantage is probably that the payback period is a bit long, and most people don't have the patience.

At the end of June, the group arrived in Chang'an and stayed at a farm purchased by Jinzuo Yuan in Wannian County.

The official Zhao Guangyin came to visit Huang Tao in person.

He passed the Jinshi examination this year, and he might become a local official in the future. Coupled with the status of his two elder brothers, Huang Tao did not dare to underestimate him, and was very polite.

"I miss Chang'an for so many years. Diguan Zhao lives in this place of fireworks all day long, so he is much more comfortable than me." Huang Tao said with a smile.

"How could it be so good!" But Zhao Guangyin sighed and complained: "The situation in Chang'an is not stable, and the undercurrent is surging. I want to jump out of this pit of fire."

"Oh?" Huang Tao was amazed, and asked, "Chang'an is safe and sound, why is it a fire pit?"

"Ximenzhao, the capital leader of the Shence Army, is extremely domineering and defiant. Shizan, the capital of Yushan, is not a good person. The children of General Xu Zhen are not fuel-efficient lamps, and the city is full of smog. Hearing that Li Kuangwei is about to enter the court, I have arrived in Shanzhou, is this person easy to get along with? The people in Beijing don't have a good opinion of Youzhou soldiers." Zhao Guangyin said.

Ximenzhao, formerly known as Fu Daozhao, Ximen Zhongsui's fake son, the former subordinate of Qin Zongquan, was known for his bravery.

Needless to say, Shi Zan practiced martial arts at a young age, went to many battles, and fought head-on with Zhu Quanzhong's generals Zhu Zhen, Huo Cun and others.

Li Kuangwei is coming soon, and there are thousands of soldiers and party members who follow him to beg for life. Are they willing to be inferior to others?

This Chang'an is quite lively.

"It's better to go to Guozhou with Huang Shijun, or to join the army." Zhao Guangyin sighed: "There are opportunities there."

Huang Tao smiled and explained: "Mr. Zhao, why are you in a hurry? How important is it to be an official, you don't know your blessings in the midst of blessings! Helping the commander-in-chief inquire about the court news, official documents, this is a key position. The court officials have a When the wind blows and the grass moves, once you pass it on, the commander-in-chief will think of you once, oh, you!"

"I just want to do something practical. After studying for so many years, I always have some ambitions. I can't display them in this place."

"This..." Huang Tao understood him somewhat.

As a scholar, you always have some ambition.Governing the military and the people, benefiting one side, is indeed a better reflection of a person's value.

"Take your time, don't rush." ​​Huang Tao could only persuade him in this way: "Is there any news about Chang'an recently?"

"The biggest news is Li Kuangwei's entry into the court. There are also rumors that Wang Ke is going to enter the court after the national defense army stays, but the court has not officially dismissed him yet." Zhao Guangyin said.

Wang Ke entered the court?This is worth pondering.Huang Tao thought secretly.

(End of this chapter)