Great Song Super Scholar

Chapter 625 Four Moves
Fan Ning's plan required a lot of preparation, especially the food and grass had to go north in advance, and the recruitment process of the militia. Fu Bi and Wen Yanbo rushed back to the Zhizheng Hall to discuss these details, but Fan Ning was retained by the emperor Zhao Xu.

"Your Majesty and the Queen Mother are getting along well!"

With no one around, Fanning spoke a lot more bluntly.

Zhao Xu sighed softly, "It's okay in general, but our ideas are somewhat contradictory on some major issues and the appointment and dismissal of ministers."

"Is it mainly referring to reform?"

Zhao Xu nodded, "Except for the militia law and the farmland water conservancy law approved by the imperial grandmother, she vetoed all other reforms. In addition, Wang Xianggong recommended several ministers, who have not yet reached the third rank, but she still intervened and vetoed them. , I want to set up engineering in Taixue, but she also disagrees, and asks to change engineering into painting."

Fan Ning also knew in his heart that although the Empress Dowager Cao had conceded on the surface and gave up the military power and government affairs, she only held the personnel power of the third rank and above, but these concessions should not violate her principles. The Empress Dowager Cao can be said to be a tough conservative , Involving reforms and innovations, she generally would not agree.

It took me a lot of talk last year to persuade her to agree to change labor into the militia law. Wang Anshi's Baojia law and Qingmiao law have been completely rejected. Establishing engineering, I want to talk to her about it.

After pondering for a moment, Fan Ning smiled slightly: "Perhaps the Empress Dowager thinks that the time for the reform is not yet ripe. Your Majesty will focus on Xixia and Liao for the time being. After we have completely solved this problem, it will not be too late for us to come back and talk about the reform."

Zhao Xu was silent, and after a long while, he sighed, "That's the only way to go!"

He then asked again: "Fan Xianggong really agrees with peace talks with the Liao Kingdom?"

Fan Ning nodded, "I need time to deploy. In addition, the national resistance in Liao is beyond my expectations. If I am given time to deploy and stir up large-scale civil strife in Liao, we will attack Liao again in three years' time." The country may have a better effect."

"Can you tell me in detail?" Zhao Xu asked expectantly.

"Weichen originally planned to write a detailed report to His Majesty in the next two days. Since His Majesty wants to know now, I will briefly talk about it."

Fan Ning continued with a smile: "Weichen plans to take four steps. First, build an army city. There are three places in total. The first is to build a army city on Shenmi Island and Heping Island in the north of Koryo. People, use Danzhou as a logistics supply base, food, pigs, sheep, vegetables, etc., to ensure the daily needs of the garrison. Now the construction of the military city has started, and it is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

The second is in Jingzhou. His Majesty has agreed to build the military city and port here. Kunzhou is responsible for the implementation of the military city and port, and it will be completed in the middle of next year at the earliest.

The third place is in Juehua Island and Liaoxi Corridor. There is no problem in building a city on Juehua Island, but building a city in Liaoxi Corridor will definitely be strongly opposed by the Liao Kingdom. In fact, the city is built here as a smoke. The two cities are the focus. "

Zhao Xu originally wanted to say that Juehua Island would definitely be involved in the Liao negotiations, but he still didn't interrupt Fan Ning, and held back his lips.

Fan Ning continued: "The second step is to buy the important officials of the Liao Kingdom. At present, Sima Liu Kui, the chief of staff, pretends to be an imperial merchant, and has established a relationship with Yelu Yixin, the powerful minister of the Liao Kingdom, and has reached a deal with him for 50 yuan. The stalled horses and pig iron that are strictly forbidden to be exported to the Liao Kingdom, the next step is to buy Zhang Xiaojie. I want to take advantage of Yelu Yixin and Zhang Xiaojie's greed to bring them over step by step, and then use them to create a crisis within the Liao Kingdom. Your Majesty, This is the root cause of Liao's demise, military strikes cannot shake the foundation of Liao, only internal disintegration is the way to destroy the country."

"well said!"

Zhao Xu blurted out praise: "Then what about the third step of the husband?"

"The third step is to stir up civil strife in the Liao Kingdom. In the past few years, the Liao Kingdom has been in a tight financial situation, and the oppression of various ethnic groups has been very cruel. The taxation of the Han people has increased several times, and the Jurchens and grassland ministries have also increased their exploitation. It’s unlikely, but the Jurchen, Wugu, and Dilie tribes have already rebelled in Liao, and we need to support them secretly and use them to consume Liao’s national strength.”

"What about the fourth move?" Zhao Xu couldn't wait to hear it.

"The fourth move is to use trade to empty out the people's livelihood and strategic resources of the Liao Kingdom. We should sell more luxury goods such as silk, porcelain, spices, etc. in the mutual market with the Liao Kingdom, and buy their cattle, sheep, medicinal materials and other materials. Food is strictly prohibited. , Cloth, ironware and other strategic materials for people's livelihood were imported into the Liao State, and merchants were strictly prohibited from trading with the Liao State.

Secondly, we can use the trade between Japan and Liao to carry out strategic deception, buy the pig iron, population, and armor of Liao, and at the same time import a large amount of copper coins to Liao, which will lead to cheap money and expensive goods in Liao. Operated by Kunzhou, the Japanese imperial court just cooperates with us to make a show. As compensation, we can secretly support the Fujiwara family to deal with the Genji family. "

Zhao Xu walked a few steps with his hands behind his back and said, "There is a loophole here. Will the Liao Congress trade with Goryeo to make up for its own shortage of food and other supplies, and then Goryeo will trade with us and buy the supplies back?"

"It is indeed possible. This requires us to negotiate with Goryeo and strictly prohibit the trade between Goryeo and Liao. If they don't obey, then they will be the enemies of Song Dynasty."

Zhao Xu nodded, "I will discuss with Zhizheng Tang about the Koryo matter. I am very much in favor of these four proposals. Thank you, Fan Xianggong, for submitting a written report as soon as possible."

"My minister will write it in the past two days. Your Majesty must keep it secret. If the matter is not kept secret, it will fall short in the end."

"Don't worry! This matter will be handled as a military secret."

Fan Ning stayed in the imperial study for nearly two hours, and it was almost noon when he came out. He got into the carriage and headed to the Zhu Mansion. He really had a lot of entertainment now, and there were three old father-in-laws who needed to visit. Go to visit several prime ministers and maintain personal friendship.

But what Fan Ning wanted to see most was Zhu Yuanfeng. He needed to know about the situation on Ganjiang Island overseas.

The carriage slowly stopped in front of Zhu Yuanfeng's mansion. Zhu Yuanfeng and his daughter Zhu Jie were already waiting at the gate. Now Fan Ning's status was different. Although he was a junior, he was the deputy prime minister after all, so he should not be neglected.

Fan Ning got out of the carriage and saw Zhu Yuanfeng at a glance. He had hardly changed, he was full of energy and smiling, and beside him was Zhu Jie, looking more and more like a capable strong woman.

"Third grandfather, Auntie, long time no see."

"Hehe! Ah Ning is now a distinguished guest, please come into the house quickly."

Zhu Yuanfeng laughed so hard that he couldn't close his mouth, he hurriedly let Fan Ning into the inner house, the father and daughter invited Fan Ning to sit up, and then let the maid serve tea, Fan Ning picked up the teacup and said to Zhu Jie with a smile: "I heard that the "Letter" It's not easy to sell more than "Express"!"

Zhu Jie smiled slightly, "Thanks to your timely news, which can be synchronized with the battle report, our Hebei war situation is published a day earlier than the "Express News", and we share news with Cao's "Guide", which is beneficial to both newspapers." , and also came up with a steam press, and many people came to buy our newspapers for this."

Fan Ning immediately became interested, "Auntie said so, I really want to see it!"

"I'll go later! I'm going to the newspaper shop soon."

"Okay! Go with Auntie later."

Fan Ning asked Zhu Yuanfeng again with a smile, "It seems that the steam engine is doing well!"

Zhu Yuanfeng smiled wryly, Zhu Jie covered her mouth and laughed out loud, Fan Ning was startled, "What's wrong?"

Zhu Yuanfeng sighed, "The manufacture of the steam engine has been taken away by the craftsman supervisor, and they are in charge of manufacturing it. They think our workshop's output is too low. There is no way. Who will let others be the government!"

"Daddy, why don't you admit that the government is indeed making more than us, and the quality is not inferior to ours, and they have also compensated them, exempting the business from tax for two years, which is 10,000+ Guan! Besides, they have sealed your county. You don’t have to complain anymore.”

"I'll just tell Ah Ning, okay?"

Fan Ning asked in surprise, "Third Grandfather doesn't make steam engines anymore?"

"Do it or do it, but the output is too low. We can only build two units a month, which is just enough for our own shipbuilding workshop."

"What about the craftsman as the supervisor?"

Fanning asked again: "How many can they build?"

"They can build about 1000 units a month. Now mines use steam engines to pump water, and steam engines are also used in large noodle mills, but they are mainly used on boats. If you go to Bianhe River to see, the trackers can't see them. They are all the same. I heard that the imperial court plans to transform all Fuchuan into steam Fuchuan. My coking plant has expanded to [-] people, but the supply of coke is still in short supply. and Taiyuan Prefecture to open two more coke plants."

Fan Ning said with a smile: "I suggested that coke is the best way to use steam ovens, because it is not easy to replenish for sea-going ships, and coke has a high calorific value, so sea-going ships can travel farther, but inland river navigation can use ordinary coal. It can be replenished at any time, but using coke is too expensive and uneconomical."

"Don't worry about this, the ship owners will settle accounts, they can use whatever they like, and they all use coal. How can I make money from my coke?"

Fan Ning smiled, and stopped dwelling on the topic. He asked, "How is the situation on the North Island?"

"Mingren and Mingli are in the capital, you can ask them later."

Fan Ning was taken aback, "What are the two of them doing in the capital?"

"You do not know?"

Zhu Yuanfeng was surprised and said: "The imperial court allocated [-] households to Beidao and Nandao, Mingren and Mingli specially came to pick them up, Cao's and Gao's also came, [-] households in Beidao, [-] households in Nandao, The agreement with the imperial court has been signed, and you don't know?"

Fanning froze. He really didn't know about it.

(End of this chapter)