Neon Clothes and Iron Clothes

Chapter 921: The New Governor's Policy
Xu Tuo was stunned when he heard this. Seeing that Yuan Bao seemed to be smiling, he didn't know whether the "punishment" he said was true or not, so he smiled and said, "If you say so, I will accept the punishment!"

"That's good!" Yuan Bao said with a smile, "Come here, pour some wine for my brother!"

As he was talking, the attendant beside him had already filled Sutuo's glass with wine. Yuanbao also raised his glass and said, "Sutuo, you came south this time to open up the waterway from Cangzhou to Jiaozhou, but I didn't expect that you would also help me quell the chaos in Jiaozhou. As a brother, let me toast to you!"

"This is a family matter, so I don't think too much about it!" Xutuo clinked glasses with Yuanbao and drank them all in one gulp.

"Family affairs, well said!" Yuan Bao smiled and said, "After the rebellion is quelled, if Xu Tuo becomes the governor of Jiaozhou, what are your plans?"

"I'm the governor of Jiaozhou?" Sutuo said with a smile, "Of course, I'm going to keep the people safe and pacify the barbarians! I've already written to my father, asking him to send a few more brothers. There's a lot of room for improvement in Jiaozhou!"

"Oh?" Yuan Bao's expression remained unchanged, and he placed the wine glass on the table. "Father does intend to enfeoff all of you brothers in Jiaozhou, but I have just arrived in Jiaozhou, and I have not yet established a firm foothold, and the people's hearts are not with me. Isn't it a bit hasty to invite all of you brothers here just like that?"

"Opportunities are rare and can never come back!" Sutuo said, "At present, Linyi has no ruler, and the barbarians are timid and have sent envoys to submit. Moreover, the barbarians in the South China Sea have been attacking each other for nearly a hundred years, the weak are preyed upon by the strong, and the people are in chaos. This is a good time to support the weak and suppress the strong, to help the needy and to gain power and establish hegemony. If you rely on the prestige of the Great Tang, send a brigade of soldiers, and promote justice in the South China Sea, the credit for Qi Huan and Jin Wen must go to you!"

After hearing Suta's words, everyone at the table changed their faces and showed excitement. As we all know, international relations is a subject based on cultural and historical background. When Westerners talk about international relations, they can't do without the Peloponnesian War and the Punic War. They talk about Sino-US relations, US-Soviet relations, and the situation in the Middle East, but they think about Sparta and Athens, ancient Greece and Persia, Rome and Carthage. When British and American politicians with some knowledge give speeches in Congress, they can't say more than a few words before they jump out of a few maxims of Brutus, Cato, Pericles, the Gracchus brothers and others (ancient Greek and Roman politicians). They just want to put on a toga, with two attendants carrying "fascism" standing behind them, and travel back two thousand years to stand on the podium of the Senate.

Of course, the Chinese are no exception. When talking about the critical situation, they say "the southern barbarians and northern barbarians are in contact, and China is on the verge of collapse", "If it weren't for Guanzi, I would have let my hair down and worn my clothes on the left side". When talking about the emperor's weakness and the invasion of the four barbarians, they say "the achievements of Qi Huan and Jin Wen" and "gaining power and establishing hegemony". The reason is simple. The Spring and Autumn Period is the childhood of the Chinese nation. The historical events that took place at that time have been deeply rooted in the mind. When encountering similar situations, they will speak out unconsciously, and people in the same cultural circle will immediately understand and will never have misunderstandings.

For example, what Sudatta just said was that there was no unified authority in Southeast Asia at that time. Many kingdoms of different sizes attacked each other, the strong preyed on the weak, there was no order, and there was no peace. This was actually the norm in the ancient world. But in the eyes of the ancient Chinese, this disorderly situation was an abnormal state. Therefore, Sudatta proposed that this area should be included in the order system centered on the Tang Dynasty, and Yuanbao played the role of "Qi Huan and Jin Wen", as the agent of the emperor, and became the arbitrator and protector of the entire South China Sea region.

"I'd like to hear the details!" Yuanbao said.

"Linyi was originally a local tyrant, and it also interfered in the rebellion in Jiaozhou. I raised an army to fight against it. Now that the country is in chaos, I will choose a good person from the country to be the king, so that the country can be stable, and the lands invaded by other countries will be returned!"

"If so, where should we place our brothers?" Yuanbao asked.

"Place them in a strategic location in their country and take responsibility for their protection!"

Hearing this, everyone's faces showed understanding. Suta's meaning was very clear: since the current chaos in Linyi was caused by the Tang army's punitive war, the Tang army should find a way to restore local order and serve as a model for the Tang Dynasty in the South China Sea. The brothers from the south can be used as nails to be placed in the key places of Linyi, which can not only protect the safety of the new Linyi king, but also ensure the Tang army's control over the local area.

"That's great!" Yuan Bao said with a smile, "If that's the case, let's wait for the response from Fan Yang first!"

After the welcoming banquet, Yuanbao moved into the governor's mansion and took over the local governance. As a people-friendly official, he actually had much more administrative experience than Sutuo. After all, Cangzhou under his rule was probably the most prosperous industrial and commercial city in Wang Wenzuo's territory. He knew very well that governing a big country was like cooking a small fish. In the busy farming season after the war, officials should talk less and do less, and it would be better to disturb agricultural production. If there was anything, they should wait until the rice seedlings were planted before talking.

Feng Sheng was extremely busy, and the settlement of dozens of people in his family kept him busy. Of course, the houses and fields were all ready-made. Xu Tuo did not forget the contribution of Feng Jishi, who followed him from Guangzhou to Jiaozhou and made a lot of efforts. After quelling the rebellion in Jiaozhou, he immediately gave Feng Sheng several houses and farms of local wealthy families involved in the rebellion. But even so, Feng Sheng was still busy until dark.

bedroom.

"My dear! If you have nothing to do tomorrow, come with me to see the farm outside the city!" Mrs. Feng said as she took off her jewelry in front of the mirror: "Go see the farm tomorrow?" Feng Sheng was lying on the bed, closing his eyes and resting: "It's not urgent, right? The fields won't grow legs there, let's go later!"

"That won't do!" Mrs. Feng turned her head and said, "We are outsiders and are not familiar with the local situation in Jiaozhou. Who knows what tricks those farmers will play? We should go and inspect the rice planting season so that we can have a better idea. Otherwise, after some time, they may move the boundaries of the fields and we won't even know it!"

"Forget it! You've also seen the land deeds. Master Xutuo has rewarded us with three farms, which together have at least 10,000 to 20,000 acres of land. How much less can it be?" Feng Sheng sighed, "I have more important things to do right now. If you want to go, go alone!"

"Something more important?" Mrs. Feng trembled slightly. She walked to her husband and sat down. "Is it about the young masters?"

"Ok!"

"Could it be that two tigers are fighting each other?"

"That's not the case!" Feng Sheng shook his head. "Master Xutuo didn't even want to fight. The Prince of Hejian County had already made a clear division. Jiaozhou belongs to the Governor Yuanbao. If I'm not mistaken, Master Xutuo should leave after a while!"

"Then what are you worried about? Governor Yuanbao must have thought highly of you when you were on the ship!" Mrs. Feng breathed a sigh of relief.

"The princes of Hejian County have many heirs!" Feng Sheng said, "There will be many more princes coming to Jiaozhou in the future!"

"What do you mean?"

"That is to say, many of the brothers of the two young masters will come to Jiaozhou! They will stay in Jiaozhou or the South China Sea!" Feng Sheng whispered, "I heard from the two young masters at the last banquet that whether it was Young Master Xutuo going south to open up the sea route or Young Master Yuanbao taking the post of Governor of Jiaozhou, they were all preparations for the young masters to go south to take up their fiefdoms!"

"The young masters are going to be vassals?" Madam Feng was shocked: "There is such a thing? Why didn't you mention it before?"

"I just figured it out in the past two days, how can I bring it up?" Feng Sheng said with a wry smile. "Is there such a thing?" Mrs. Feng asked anxiously, "Did we come to the wrong place? Is it too late to go back to Guangzhou now?"

"It's not a mistake!" Feng Sheng waved his hand. "It's not a bad thing for us that the Prince of Hejian has made such a big scene. To put it bluntly, if he can really succeed in enfeoffment of the princes in Nanhai, our Feng family will also benefit a lot! It's much better than staying in Guangzhou and being a green-robed official!"

"That's right!" Mrs. Feng nodded. "There's no way they can get so many farms in Guangzhou. So what were you worried about just now?"

"The more people there are, the more trouble there will be!" Feng Sheng said, "All of them are the sons of the Prince of Hejian. How can we accommodate so many of them and deal with their relationships? If we are not careful, we will get into big trouble. As subordinates, wouldn't it be miserable if we get into trouble?"

"Then let's wait and see what happens!" Madam Feng nodded. She stroked her husband's cheek with some heartache: "If that's the case, don't worry about the family affairs. Leave it to me! You should stay in the government office more often, at least you will be more informed!"

"Okay!" Feng Sheng nodded: "I remember you have two cousins! If you don't have any plans in Guangzhou, write a letter to ask them if they are willing to come to Jiaozhou. With such a big family business, it would be good to have more people to help you!"

When Mrs. Feng heard her husband say this, she knew that he was trying to help her family find a place for their relatives. She was touched and nodded, "Okay, I'll write a letter tomorrow!"

The next morning, Feng Sheng arrived at the government office. As soon as he entered the door, he met Wang Bo and hurriedly bowed and said, "Secretary Wang, good morning!"

"Morning, Mr. Feng!" Wang Bo bowed in return. "Why are you here so soon? I remember you brought your entire family with you this time. Have you settled everything down so quickly?"

"It's almost done. I can take care of the rest!"

"Oh?" Wang Bo's eyes lit up: "Sister-in-law is really capable! Mr. Feng is a blessed man!"

"Excuse me!" Feng Sheng laughed and was about to go inside when he heard Wang Bo say, "If Feng Jishi has nothing to do, come with me to the governor!"

"what happened?"

"The young masters from Cangzhou have already arrived in Jiaozhou two days ago. They will arrive in Jiaozhi City today. Both of you young masters should go outside the city to welcome your brothers!"

"So fast!" Feng Sheng was surprised and said quickly: "Okay, let's go together!"

The two men came to the hall, tidied their clothes, and went upstairs. Xutuo and Yuanbao were already in the hall, chatting. Xutuo saw Feng Sheng coming up and smiled, "Mr. Feng is well-informed and knows that there are guests coming!"

"I don't know!" Feng Sheng said, "I just finished dealing with my family affairs, so I came to the government office to take a look. I happened to meet Secretary Wang, and it was from him that I learned about the arrival of the young masters!"

"That's great!" Yuan Bao said with a smile, "Now that you have arranged your household affairs, you can focus on your work. When my brothers arrive, you will be busy!"

"As you command!" Feng Sheng responded, "I don't know what the matters are. Please let me know first, so that I can be prepared!"

"The barracks and houses are all ready-made, so there's no need to worry too much!" Yuan Bao said with a smile, "The most important thing is to explore the river and build docks, shipyards and so on!"

"Ah!" Feng Sheng originally thought that Yuanbao was going to build a mansion and palace. After all, the people who came were the sons of the Prince of Hejian. In theory, they were on the same level as Xutuo and Yuanbao. Feng Sheng was planning to drive out some of the rich families in Jiaozhi City and vacate houses to temporarily house these young masters. But he didn't expect Yuanbao to do this.

"In theory, Jiaozhi City is on the river, so there shouldn't be any problem with ships!" Yuanbao said, "But ships have a deep draft. If we want to go upstream and sail directly to Jiaozhi City, we may easily run into reefs and sandbanks, which will be troublesome. So we need to survey a channel first. I'll leave this matter to you, Feng Jishi!"

"I've remembered that!" Feng Sheng responded hastily, thinking to himself that although these two young masters were both from the Central Plains, they attached great importance to sea vessels. No wonder they could attack the capital of Linyi Kingdom directly from the sea.

"Then there's the school!" Yuan Bao said, "Find a bright and spacious house in the city to use as a school!"

"Sir, are you planning to promote culture and education and improve customs?" Feng Sheng said with a smile, "That's easy. There are a lot of houses behind the Confucian Temple in the city. They are all ready-made. We just need to renovate and clean them up!"

"You're wrong!" Suta laughed and said, "Yuanbao built the school to train people in navigation, numerology, and various craftsmen, but it's convenient to have so many empty houses behind the Confucian Temple!"

"Training people in navigation, numerology, and various craftsmen?" Feng Sheng was surprised. He looked at Yuanbao in surprise. Since ancient times, has the government required special schools to teach these things?
"I have brought teachers in this field from Cangzhou!" Yuan Bao said, "Just choose the place you mentioned. First, clean up a group of houses as their residences. They must be clean and bright. I will send someone to give you the list of personnel later. The accommodation standards are also listed above. You can follow them!"

"When the houses are cleaned up, you can send a letter and post it outside the governor's mansion!" Yuan Bao said, "Parents in Jiaozhi City, unless they have their own property, must let their sons learn a craft. If they can't do it, they must be sent to the government school. Otherwise, they will be fined one string of money and one piece of cloth!"

"Ah?" Feng Sheng was stunned. "Excuse me, Governor, what craftsmanship do you mean?"

"It means the means to earn a living and support yourself, such as carpentry, stonemasonry, blacksmithing, tofu grinding, wine making, tailoring, anything is fine, as long as it is a skill that can support yourself!"

"This, isn't this the people's family affair?" Feng Sheng asked.