A Good Landlord in the Tang Dynasty: Emperor Yuan Cong

Chapter 724 The wind blows south
Let’s all raise our glasses and drink together,

I can't help but sigh with emotion about the past,
When Cheng Chumo and Wanda were trapped in Longxi City, there were only a few hundred capable and wounded soldiers left. The two eldest sons of the Duke thought they were going to die in that small border town.

Wu Huaiyu and the others appeared holding the flag of the hospital camp, which was like a ray of light in the desperate darkness.
Later, they discovered that the hospital camp only had 2000 troops, but Wu Huaiyu still launched an attack against Turkic troops that were several times the number.
The hospital camp was actually used as bait by Chai Shao to lure the enemy.

But who would have thought that this bait, this improvised ragtag army, would finally make a great contribution under Longxi City and shine?
And who could have imagined that six years later,

That decoy Wu Huaiyu has now become the prime minister, the prince's young master, and the Duke of Jin.

Wu Huaiyi became the Marquis of Qushui and the Governor of Guangzhou, Cheng Chumo was also the Duke of Dong'a County, and Wang Da became the Marquis of Yingchuan and the governor of Wei.

Ma Zhou, the scholar who accompanied the army, has now become the minister of Zhongshu, the prince's right concubine, and the Marquis of Gaotang County.

The eight concubine descendants sent by the warrior Leng to accompany Huaiyu are now all officials of the sixth or seventh rank.
The consort Lu Huairang was also given the title of Duke of Xinye County.

"Who would have thought that we, a group of people, not only did not break in Longyou, but we have achieved what we have now. Look at Erlang, even Chai Consort can't catch up with him."

"Indeed, Chai Prince Consort has never been a prime minister. Even if there is a war, Chai Prince Consort is not as good as Brother Huaiyu. He destroyed the Liang Division and then destroyed the Turkic Khanate..."

Yes, who would have thought that six years ago, Wu Huaiyu was still a young boy from the ninth rank in the palace led by Prince Youwei, who joined the military and went to Longyou to inspect the medical school.

Chai Shao, the former general manager of the Longyou camp, was really superior to this group of people.

But now Wu Huaiyu's power and position are higher than Chai Shao's.

Even Baiqi Wu Huaiyi, who went to Longyou to deliver orders, is now the governor of Guangzhou.

Cheng Chumo held the wine glass and said with emotion, "I have only been in the mountains for 27 months, but it seems like ten years have passed outside."

"It's not that exaggerated." Huaiyu smiled.

"Exaggeration, very exaggeration," Cheng Chumo sighed. He had been a mourner for his mother for three years. When he returned to Chang'an, he found that his father had already married the widow Cui of Qinghe.

Really can't wait.

The son mourns for his mother for three years, and the wife mourns for her husband for three years, but the husband mourns for his wife for one year.

After Cheng Yaojin's wife passed away, he did not mourn for her. Instead, he returned to Youzhou to take up a post. A year later, he renewed his relationship with the Cui family of Qinghe and held a grand wedding banquet.

Cheng Chumo was a little angry at Lao Cheng, angry at his mother's ruthlessness.
Huaiyu patted him on the shoulder, "Those things have passed, and you are back now. Do you have any arrangements for this job? There is another big event. It's time for you to get married to the Cui family of Qinghe, right?"

"My Qi Lang is already two years old. You have decided to be the eldest daughter of your family, so hurry up." Huaiyu joked.

This marriage was arranged by him and Cheng Yaojin when he was in Youzhou.

Wu Qilang was his second son. He was already two years old, and Cheng Chumo's wife had not yet entered the house.

Cheng Chumo seemed a little angry with the Cui family of Qinghe, and he didn't seem to have any feelings for his unmarried wife.

Doulu Huairang joked on the side, "The Qinghe Cui family from the fifth surname and the seventh family, damn, you and the Cheng family are marrying each other, how many disciples are going to stamp their feet."

Yes, there are many scholars who wish they could marry a girl with the fifth surname. However, you, the nouveau riche Cheng family, only have one father and one son. How come you don’t make people envious, jealous, and resentful?

"Go away, you are scolding Wu Erlang. He even takes girls with the fifth surname as concubines. He has already engaged three girls with the fifth surname as wives for his son. Fan Yanglu, Boling Cui, Zhaojun Li, you ask him Is this the case?"

Wanda asked curiously, "Really?"

"Yes," Huaiyu nodded. Duan Wansheng's Wusilang Chengping was betrothed to Fan Yang and Lu Chengqing's daughter, Lu 35's mother Wusilang Chengyun was betrothed to the granddaughter of Zhaojun Li Xuandao, and Yang Muyun's was Wushilang Chengxing ordered the daughter of Boling Cui Chengfu.

"Yeah, yeah," Wanda couldn't help but exclaim, "How come girls with the fifth surname are so worthless to you? You have four of them in your family?"

"But that's not all. Wu Erlang also took a princess and a county lord as his concubine. His eldest son was Princess Nineteen, and his eldest daughter was betrothed to the Tenth Prince..."

Wanda could only be extremely envious.

Although he is now the Marquis of Yingchuan, his father is still the Duke of Yue, and his two uncles are one for a county and the other for a county. But at that time, he was the King of Wu in the ten states in Jiangdong. Although he later took the initiative to join the Tang Dynasty, After all, he is not from the Guanlong noble group.

Up to now, the three princes and one marquis in his family, including other clan members, have all left Jiangdong and taken up official posts in other places. His father only held the idle post of general in Beijing.

The Wang family, the Duke of Yue, sounds very wealthy, but in fact they are marginalized.

In contrast, the Wu family is really blooming.

"Lao Lu, where will you go after the new year?"

"Please call me Doulu Prince Consort." Doulu Huaiyi said. Previously, the Supreme Emperor gave his family the surname Lu, but in the Zhenguan Dynasty, the emperor asked them to return to Doulu. However, in fact, their family was originally a branch of the Murong clan of Xianbei, and later Yanbei. Wang Murongchang surrendered to the Northern Wei Dynasty and was given the surname Doulu.

From Murong to Doulu, then to Lu, and back to Doulu again,

Even their last names were changed, but they couldn't make the decision themselves.

Doulu Huairang was previously involved in a case with Princess Wanchun and was sent home to reflect. Now he still has no official position.

"Erlang, you are the prime minister, can't you help me make arrangements?" Doulu Huairang said with a smile.

Huaiyu said, "You might as well say a few nice words to Duke Gao Tang."

"Yes, Brother Ma is now a popular figure in front of the emperor. I heard that he drafts all the edicts,"

Ma Zhou's first secret is not for nothing. He is now equivalent to Wen Yanbo and Yan Sigu of Li Yuanshi.
Cheng Chumo and Doulu Huairang were both officials of the third rank or above. Their appointment and dismissal were all in the hands of the emperor. The prime ministers only had the power to recommend them, and the Ministry of Personnel had no control over them.

"Are you willing to go to Lingnan?" Huaiyu asked. "What, are you going to be sent to the frontier?" Doulu Huairang said pretending to be surprised.

"I'm willing to go." Cheng Chu said silently.

Lingnan is going to make big moves. Although many things have not been announced yet, those who are well-informed already know a little bit about it.

"Brother Chu Mo can't go. Why don't you hurry up and get married to Mr. Cui?"

"How long will it take?"

"Then after you get married, you newlyweds have to separate thousands of miles apart? How can this be okay? My Qilang is still waiting for his fiancée to be born soon,"

"Hahaha," a group of people laughed.

Wang Da asked Huaiyu, "Is there really such a big move in Lingnan?"

"definitely."

"Brother Huaiyi, how about I become your chief historian? I heard that Hou Junji is going to Yongzhou to open up wasteland." Wang Da said bluntly.

He is now the governor of Weizhou. Longyou has been relatively stable in recent years. There is actually nothing wrong with staying in Weizhou. Although it is stable, there is no chance to make contributions.

"I am also from the South, so I will definitely be more comfortable in Lingnan."

Wang Da is from Shezhou, which is close to Huizhou. Among the [-] Jiangnan Roads newly designated by the imperial court, Huizhou was included in the Jiangnan West Road, while Shezhou belonged to the Jiangnan East Road.

Compared to Lingnan, Shezhou is still far away, but compared to northerners like Wu Huaiyi and others, Wanda is of course also a southerner.

"Then I will go to Guangzhou to be a Sima." Cheng Chu said silently.

"You, Ding Youqian, are the governor of Yinzhou. Don't come and cause trouble. You can stay in Chang'an and marry the Cui family of Qinghe, and then give Wu Qilang a daughter-in-law..."

"Damn it, Mrs. Cui of Qinghe won't run away. Besides, marrying Ms. Cui won't delay my trip to Lingnan." Cheng Chumo cursed.

"Do you really want to go to Lingnan?"

"Of course."

"Why don't we recommend you to Lianzhou before you get married?"

"Lianzhou? I've never heard of it. Where is it?"

"It's the Yuezhou of Hepu County. Isn't it because there is another Yuezhou in Jiangdong, so that Yuezhou was later changed to Nanyuezhou. Now the imperial court is rectifying those place names that repeat the same category, so it simply changed its name to Lianzhou. There is a Dalian Cave.”

Lianzhou originally belonged to the Qinzhou Dudufu. After the Ning rebellion was put down, the Qinzhou Dudufu was dismissed. Lianzhou was subordinated to the Nanyin Prefecture Dudufu. Now the Nanyin Prefecture Dudufu is abolished and Rongzhou Dudufu is established instead.

But the imperial court wanted to separate Lianzhou and place it directly under the imperial court.
We also need to garrison troops in Lianzhou. Of course, the governor must be sent by the imperial court, and we can no longer let the local commander-in-chief serve as a hereditary one.

Although Lianzhou was initially determined to be Xiazhou, and like the governor of Yinzhou, he was a fourth-rank official and was relegated. However, Lianzhou will be the key place for the imperial government to operate in Lingnan.
Not only is Hepu Pearl here, it is also an important port and an important maritime route. Lianzhou is adjacent to the Beibu Gulf and close to the Qiongzhou Strait. It is connected to Rongzhou through the Nanliu River and to the Xijiang River from the Beiliu River.

After the governor's office is established in Rongzhou, Lianzhou's status will be higher.

Cheng Chumo's family background, his previous ability performance, and his rank are indeed sufficient for this position.

"Erlang, please give me a recommendation." Cheng Chumo said politely.

Doulu Huairang was moved when he heard this, "I also want to go to Lingnan, and Erlang will help me make arrangements."

Huaiyu smiled and said, "Brother Doulu is really willing to leave the prosperous place of Chang'an and go to the wild wilderness of Lingnan?"

"Everyone is willing. Why don't I not? Besides, I have made mistakes before. I will also show my merits and atone for my mistakes."

"How about you go to Shaozhou?"

Huaiyi left Shaozhou before and was promoted to the governor of Guangzhou. The imperial court sent a new governor there. He was also a man with a strong background. It turned out that this guy just wanted to pick peaches in Shaozhou. As soon as he arrived, he reached out everywhere and did it in a short time. It's smoky over there.

This has already affected Wu Huaiyu and other nobles who are mining and operating there. Everyone is dissatisfied.

If we get that man down, it would be good to replace him with Doulu Huairang. Doulu Huairang is not good at fighting, but he is good at providing logistics and managing civil affairs and economy. Moreover, this guy's status is there, the emperor's brother-in-law, the core family of the Guanlong noble family, and the in-law of the Doulu family. He is also spread throughout the government and the public, and has good connections.

If he takes over, he can really make all parties agree.

"Shaozhou is good," Doulu Huairang said with a smile.

Chatting while drinking,

Wu Huaiyu drew up a list in his mind. Huaiyi was the governor of Guangzhou, and asked Wang Da to be the chief historian of the governor's office in Guangzhou and Chen Sheng to be the Sima of the governor's office.

Doulu Huairang was appointed governor of Shaozhou, and Cheng Chumo was appointed governor of Lianzhou.
Chen Xing, Zhao Xin and others can go there to serve as commanders of the army, special generals, or military envoys or deputy envoys in military towns.

The official positions of the fifth and sixth grades are relatively easy to arrange.

He discussed it with Dai Zhou and other prime ministers, and then recommended the list to the emperor. There should be no big problem.

Anyway, Lingnan is making such a big move this time. With tens of thousands of soldiers and horses passing by, there will be a large number of new official vacancies. How many people are watching?
Each prime minister must have some of his own people to arrange in his pocket, and there are many relatives and ministers who will recommend their own people. At this time, everyone discusses with each other and recommends each other. What is good for you and me is good for everyone.

"Come on, let's raise a glass together!"

(End of this chapter)