Great Song Super Scholar

Chapter 322 The Son of Heaven Summons
Fan Ning's treatment when he returned to the capital was much colder than the grand scene when Zhao Zongshi returned to the capital. Except for the [-] pieces of amber wood that attracted the attention of countless people and businessmen, Fan Ning himself entered the city very low-key. People noticed him.

Of course, it's not that no one cares about him. Last year, he was the focus of discussion in the entire capital, but he was promoted from a fifth-rank official to be in charge of a state's affairs. This was something only Yan Shu could do back then.

It's just that Fan Ning returned to Beijing to report on his duties, and the government didn't deliberately publicize it. Except for a few people in the court, the general public didn't know about it, and even the low-level officials didn't know about it.

Fan Ning stood on the bow of the boat with his hands behind his back, looking at the large crowd of amber wood on the shore. Since the inland amber wood was produced in the territory of the Liao State, and it was in the far north of the Liao State, no one in the Liao State would mine it. It is even rarer, so the first batch of amber wood caused a sensation in the capital and sold for a high price of 10,000+ sticks.

The arrival of the second batch of amber wood immediately attracted people in the capital, and a large number of timber merchants gathered at the pier to inquire about the auction time of this batch of wood. Everyone wanted to get a share of it.

At this time, Fan Ning suddenly saw a group of officials riding horses around an official in a purple robe, who must have come to greet his chief officer, Fan Ning did not dare to neglect, and hurriedly disembarked to meet him.

When Fan Ning got closer, he saw clearly that the person who came was Xiangguo Fu Bi, and he hurriedly stepped forward and bowed to salute, "Fan Ning, who is a low-ranking official, sees Fu Xianggong!"

Fu Bi laughed loudly, got off his horse, stepped forward and patted Fan Ning on the shoulder, "I only regret that I didn't have another daughter, otherwise I would definitely recruit you as my son-in-law!"

Fan Ning blushed for a while, this Fu Xiangguo was too good at joking.

Fortunately, Fu Bi only made a joke easily, then turned back to the topic, and said with a smile: "Zhizhengtang is very concerned, what gift did you bring back this time?"

"Humble job brought back three things, one is 120 pieces of amber wood, the second is 4 million taels of silver and [-] taels of gold, and the third is fifty foals born in Kunzhou. I hope that the rich man will not be disappointed!"

Fu Bi was immediately overjoyed and surprised. The joy was that Fan Ning brought back a large amount of wealth, which could greatly ease the financial strain on the imperial court. The surprise was that Fan Ning brought back fifty ponies, which would make the officials ecstatic baby!
He hurriedly turned his head and told an official to hurry back and inform Wen Yanbo.

Fu Bi smiled at Fan Ning again: "Mr. Fan, let's go to the imperial city together!"

Fan Ning pointed to the ten livestock boats by the river, "Do you want to transport fifty ponies into the Imperial City together? There are too many people here, and I'm worried that the horses will be frightened."

Fu Bi immediately agreed, "Yes!"

The boat transporting the fifty ponies is a specialized livestock transport ship. It is spacious, comfortable, and well-ventilated. There are special shepherds on board. One ship carries five horses. It can be said that these fifty ponies are carefully cared for.

When the ten horse transport boats sailed into the imperial city along the Jinshui River, they attracted the attention of the court officials. The officials gathered from all directions to both sides of the Jinshui River, discussing around the ten horse transport boats. No one knew what was going on in the palace. Ships coming to bring horses?

At this time, an eunuch rushed over and said to the officials of the Qun Mu Si: "Your Majesty has an order to bring the horses into the imperial garden!"

The door of the horse transport ship was opened, and one by one foals were released from the cabin. In a short while, fifty foals gathered together. Each of the ponies seemed timid, evasive, and naive, which immediately caused the officials to panic. Huh, at this time someone spread the news that this is a horse sent from Kunzhou, and there was a burst of warm applause in the square immediately.

Fan Ning followed Fu Bi to the Zhizheng Hall of Shangshu Province. Xiangguo Wen Yanbo was already waiting in front of the steps. Fan Ning hurried forward to salute, "Fan Ning has met Wen Xianggong."

Wen Yanbo nodded slightly and said with a smile: "It's been a hard journey, I really want to invite Fan Shijun to the political hall, but the Heavenly Palace is waiting, so I have to invite Fan Shijun to come over next time."

"I heard in Jiangdu that the official's dragon is feeling ill. I don't know how it is now?"

"I've recovered, please come with me!"

Wen Yanbo nodded to Fu Bi, and the two accompanied Fan Ning to the inner palace.

The inner palace of the imperial palace is called Yanfu Palace, which is still relatively small, reflecting the frugal style of the Song Dynasty royal family. It was not until Song Huizong Zhao Ji came to power that Yanfu Palace was expanded on a large scale.

However, although the inner palace is small, it is extremely exquisite. Every building is beautifully built, exquisite to the extreme, fully demonstrating the elegant aesthetic style of the Song Dynasty.

Emperor Zhao Zhen met Fan Ning at Jingge, which is located in the southeast of Yuyuan.

The Royal Garden itself is very small, covering an area of ​​only a hundred acres. It is an extremely beautiful large garden. Zhao Zhen is standing in front of the Jing Pavilion with his hands behind his back, looking down at the herd of ponies on a meadow in the Royal Garden with a smile on his face.

An eunuch came forward to report in a low voice, Zhao Zhen turned his head and saw Fan Ning and the two gentlemen, he waved and smiled and said, "The three lovers, please come here!"

The three walked over, Fan Ning hurriedly bowed to salute, Zhao Zhen smiled, "Fan Aiqing is free from the ceremony!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Zhao Zhen looked at Fan Ning, "You are much thinner than Hei two years ago!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your concern. Tang County is near the sea and is blown by the sea breeze every day, so it will naturally be darker."

"It also shows that you have worked very hard in Kunzhou!"

Zhao Zhen pointed at the group of ponies and smiled at Fan Ning: "How many ponies like this are there in Kunzhou?"

"There are two thousand horses now, and there will be five thousand horses by the end of the year!"

Zhao Zhen stroked his beard and said happily: "It seems that my decision is not wrong. The successful establishment of the racecourse has effectively retaliated against those who questioned Kunzhou's waste of money and people!"

Fu Bi next to him added with a smile: "This time, the envoy Fan Ning not only brought fifty horses, but also 120 million taels of silver, 4 taels of gold, and [-] pieces of amber wood. Expenditures in Kunzhou."

Zhao Zhen nodded in satisfaction, and asked again: "How is the immigration situation?"

"Reporting to Your Majesty, it has stabilized. When I left Kunzhou, the land in Han County had been allocated, and the people began to sow wheat."

"Doesn't the land need to be matured before sowing?" Zhao Zhen asked curiously.

Fan Ning said with a smile: "We didn't know about the situation last year, and thought we needed to mature it for a year. Later, we found out that the land there is very fertile, and we can directly plow the fields and sow seeds, and the water source is sufficient, so we can harvest in autumn."

Zhao Zhen was delighted to hear it, "I wish I could see it with my own eyes."

Wen Yanbo and Fu Bi became impatient, and hurriedly said: "Kunzhou is thousands of miles away, and the sea is risky, Your Majesty must not take any risks!"

Zhao Zhen smiled and said: "I'm just talking, and even if I have such a heart, my body won't allow it!"

Fan Ning turned around and took a painting from the eunuch's tray, and presented it to Zhao Zhen, "This is a picture of Kunzhou's countryside that I arranged for a painter to draw for Your Majesty. I hope Your Majesty likes it!"

Zhao Zhen was overjoyed, and quickly took the scroll. Wen Yanbo and Fu Bi held each side and unfolded it. It was a ten-foot-long scroll. The villages, villages, and South Lake are all painted on one picture scroll. Although they are not masterpieces of famous artists, they are also beautifully painted and lifelike.

"Your Majesty, this is Kunnan Bay!"

Fan Ning pointed to the sea road in the distance in the picture scroll: "It is the landing place of our Dasong fleet. It has a large area with a radius of about twenty miles and is surrounded by capes. It is an excellent natural harbor."

Zhao Ji nodded and asked again: "Is the county in the distance Tang County or Han County?"

"It's Tang County. Han County is on the other side of the peninsula. It will be completed by the end of this month."

"There are also waterwheels and villages, no different from Song Dynasty!"

Zhao Zhen saw in the painting scrolls that there are many farmers driving their oxen to plow the land, there are children running beside the nearby cottages, and there are several domestic dogs chasing each other on the wheat threshing field piled up with straw. idyllic countryside map.

Immediately, he was delighted, and said to the left and right: "Frame this painting and hang it in my study. I will look at it every day."

The two eunuchs went down with the scrolls, and Zhao Zhen pointed to the group of ponies and said to Wen Yanbo: "Leave two horses for me, and give the other horses to the herdsman, so that they can be fed well."

"The minister obeys the order!"

Wen Yanbo said again: "Mr. Fan's duty report is scheduled for tomorrow afternoon. I wonder if His Majesty will attend together?"

The debriefing of the governors of each state is aimed at the Zhizheng Hall, and the emperor generally does not participate in it. Only when the debriefing is very important, the emperor will attend.

Zhao Zhen nodded, "It's arranged in Ziwei Hall, and I want to participate!"

(End of this chapter)