A Good Landlord in the Tang Dynasty: Emperor Yuan Cong

Chapter 849 The hero died of illness and returned to the court

"Qinzhou Port, Beihai Port, Anpu Port, Xuwen Port, Haikang Port, Zhanjiang Port, Bohe Port, Beijin Port..."

On the way out of the Observer's Office, the two cousins ​​walked side by side.

"How much truth and falsehood do you think what Prime Minister Wu said today?" Feng Zhidai asked.

Compared with the tall and burly Feng Zhidai, Xian Jingchen appears to be darker, thinner and shorter. However, this contemporary head of the Xian family has been exploring Hainan Island in recent years, and his actions are extremely steady, ruthless, bold and decisive. Move quickly.

"The Prime Minister is very ambitious and capable. I think what he said today is probably 70% true and 30% false."

Wu Huaiyu not only told them today that they would jointly build Xuwen Port and revitalize the ancient port, but also inadvertently revealed that Qinzhou Port and other seven other Lingnan coastal ports will be developed in the future, forming two major foreign trade ports of Jiaotong and Guangzhou, and Lingnan coastal Plan for thirteen transit trade ports.

Xuwen Port is only one of these thirteen ports.

"I think this military minister is really unfathomable. The plan he proposed today is impossible to refuse, and people dare not refuse it. I believe that if we refuse, Xuwen Port will really be abolished, and even our Gao and Ya There will be no peace in both places."

Xian Jingchen bluntly said that he was a little in awe of Mr. Wu.

Speaking of which, we are all related. Xian Zhichen's daughter was married to Wu Huaiyu's nineteenth son, and Feng Zhidai's eldest son married Wu Huaiyu's sixteenth daughter.

Xian Zhichen and Feng Zhidai are not only cousins, they also each married the other's sister.

Kiss upon kiss.

"Is Xuwen Port really going to be opened to them? I'm really hesitant. If I agree to his conditions, then Xuwen Port will actually be under the control of those Central Plains people. Not only will the Guangzhou Shipping Department come in and collect taxes , strive to buy goods, and in the future, people from the Central Plains may account for the majority of this transaction."

Just the two items of Shibosi's draw and buy are actually a huge benefit. If Shibosi comes in, this benefit will be taken away by the court.

As for the income from the import and export of sea goods, after the arrival of the Central Plains people, they may also occupy a large share.

This is all about grabbing meat from their bowl.

Xian Jingchen stroked his beard and said, "I am somewhat willing to believe what Prime Minister Wu said about making Xuwen Port bigger and stronger and creating greater glory. If Xuwen Port really becomes bigger, not to mention restoring the glory of the Han and Jin Dynasties, Even if you can make steady progress, it would be great, at least you no longer have to worry about the imperial court's prohibition."

Feng Zhidai said, "Actually, after Brother Wu Huaiyu came to Lingnan, the Guangzhou Port has really prospered a lot in the past two years, and it is getting more and more prosperous. Last year, more than 5,000 large and small ships docked at Guangzhou Port. I heard that Guangzhou Ship Si Guang If you buy this piece, you will make a net profit of more than 600,000 yuan.

If our Xuwen Port can catch up with this east wind, it will be really amazing. "

The Feng and Xian families are both local wealthy families in Lingnan. The Feng family fled across the sea after the fall of the Northern Yan Dynasty. In fact, they only live in Lingnan for several generations. On the contrary, the Xian family has been the leader of the Lingnan slang people for generations.

Although they also engage in some trade by the sea, they do not do much in this area. They mainly have territory in their hands, control a large population, and have many servants.

Farming, mining, running workshops, and doing some land and water trade. They used to be considered semi-separated native emperors, but now the Central Plains dynasty is getting stronger day by day, and the power of the Central Plains going south is getting bigger and bigger, and they are not as nourished as before.

Just paying taxes made them very embarrassed, and two-thirds of the taxes were taken away.

Of course, the coming of the imperial court was not without its benefits. At least when they ruled the place before, they had to face attacks from many unruly barbarians and the surrounding wealthy chiefs.

It can be said that Lingnan is now more stable.

"Just do what Mr. Wu said. Maybe we can really achieve win-win and mutual benefit?"

"Ah."

Xian Jingchen planned to put things aside in Xuwen Port. He went back to Yazhou and put more energy into dealing with the raccoon barbarians on the island, conquering the barbarians living on the island, opening up more land, and catching more people. Prisoners, build more manors, plant sugar cane and cotton. If you build more workshops, do some rough processing of cane sugar and primary processing of cotton spinning, the money will be very good.

Mr. Wu's demand for cane sugar and cotton was huge. He took whatever he could get, and the prices were pretty good. Seizing land from the barbarians, and then using the captives to grow cotton and sugar cane, was definitely a good business with huge profits.

As for Xuwen Port not allowing smuggling, this is indeed a big loss, but they are not very good at this in the first place, and the business they do is not big. If they don't do it, they will not do it. They will follow Wu Huaiyu to engage in shipbuilding, trade and processing. Okay,

"Brother, the island is so big. Our two tribes have worked together to develop it for many years. Although we set up the four prefectures on the cliff, we only built a few cities and settlements on the coastal plain. There is still very little room for development on the island. big,

Brother, please send more people from Gaofu to cross the sea to the island this year and continue to develop with us."

"it is good."

The Feng Xian family has worked together to develop Hainan Island for many years, but it is true that they have only developed part of the coastal areas, leaving a large amount of inland areas undeveloped.

Although this place was not worth mentioning in the eyes of the Central Plains court, both the Feng and Xian families took a fancy to it. It was a huge treasure.

The raccoons on the island are relatively backward and are no match for them.

The population, fields, mining, and mountains on the island are all inexhaustible wealth, including the fishing grounds, salt fields, etc. on all sides of the island.

······

Changan.

The emperor summoned Feng An.

Feng Ang felt deeply honored that the monarch and his ministers dined together.

"I never thought that not only did Lingnan not ask for a penny from the court last year, but it actually paid such a large amount of taxes, money and food,"

Feng An hurriedly said, "Wu Gong is indeed remarkable. In just two years, he managed Lingnan to such an extent that Lingnan was stabilized and his treasury was full."

"Hahaha, Huaiyu is a prime minister after all. He has a lot of talent but little use in managing Lingnan. However, Huaiyu also greatly praised Feng Zhidai and other Lingnan governors and governors, saying that they were also very cooperative. With hard work and joint efforts, Lingnan has achieved the great situation it has today,"

"The Lingnan autumn tax collection was good last year, and local wealthy families such as Feng Xianning and Chen took the lead in actively declaring their land, household registration, property, and paying taxes..." Feng Ang added with a smile on his face from time to time. But he was a little nervous. He didn't know what the emperor wanted to talk about when he called him here today.

I definitely didn’t mean to praise them in front of him.

The current situation in Lingnan is indeed good, but in fact there are still voices in the DPRK and China attacking Wu Huaiyu, impeaching him for his nepotism, arrogance and lawlessness in Lingnan, and using the public for personal gain, etc.

Some of the bullets were quite harsh. Some people even accused Wu Huaiyu of openly forming factions, supporting cronies, and even controlling the Lingnan army.

But surprisingly, after these impeachments were submitted, nothing happened.

Feng Ang came to Beijing from Lingnan and was in Chang'an, but he knew the situation in Lingnan relatively clearly. Wu Huaiyu's power in Lingnan was indeed a bit boundless.

The military, government, finance, taxation, judicial supervision and other aspects are all ignored, and one thing is true.

To be honest, Wu Huaiyu performed well enough in Lingnan.

When Li Jing went to Lingnan, he also received great privileges, but the circumstances at that time were special. Li Jing was acting on behalf of the imperial court to win over and appease various forces in Lingnan, and Li Jing did not stay in Lingnan for too long.

But this time Wu Huaiyu was not only trying to comfort and win over Lingnan, he was more about changing the pattern of Lingnan, changing it completely, and changing it from the root. It only took Wu Huaiyu more than two years to do it, and he was already very successful. .

Although this is based on the current strength of the Tang Dynasty and the weakening of the local power in Lingnan, it still has to be said that Wu Huaiyu has achieved the ultimate.

"Some officials suggested that Wu Huaiyu should not stay in Lingnan. There is no use in killing chickens with a bull's knife. He should return to the court to pay homage to the prime minister. They also recommended that Feng Gong return to Lingnan to succeed Huaiyu and conduct military operations in Lingnan."

Feng Ang's heart moved.

It would be great if that was the case, but he soon realized that it was impossible.

"Your Majesty, I cannot be as capable as Duke Wu. If I were truly as capable as Duke Wu, I would not have been insecure even in the Wude Dynasty and the early Zhenguan period, even in the high and low states.

Moreover, I am old and have gradually become accustomed to the climate in Guanzhong, and I am willing to continue to serve the sage in front of the emperor."

The emperor laughed and never mentioned the matter again.

After finishing the meal,

The emperor rewarded Feng Ang with four people from the palace, ten Turkic slaves, and a hundred pieces of silk.

Returning to his house in Chang'an with these rewards, Feng An sat alone in his study for a long time.

The next day,

Feng An attended the early morning court at the end of the lunar month.

Good news from Jingzhou,

The Jingzhou Mountain Qiang rebelled, and Li Zihe, the governor of Lizhou, and Hou Junji led their troops to fight for peace.

It was previously rumored that the rebels had kidnapped Pei Ji. At this time, Li Zihe reported that Pei Ji not only did not participate in the rebellion, but instead led his family's children to help defend the city and defeat the thieves.

In the emperor's palace, meritorious deeds are discussed and rewards are given.

Li Zihe, the governor of Lizhou, was promoted to the military envoy of central Guizhou and also the governor of Qianzhou, and was granted the title of Duke of Yi.

Sima Houjun of Jingzhou was promoted to the governor of Lizhou and changed his title to Chen Guogong.

Thinking of Pei Ji's meritorious service, he was summoned back to the court.

Li Zihe, Duke of Yi, and Hou Junji, Duke of Chen, were both hereditary governors. Li Zihe was hereditary governor of Wuzhou, and Hou Junji was hereditary governor of Chenzhou.

Everyone knows that Hou Junji was forgiven by the emperor after all.

However, it is surprising that Pei Ji can return to the court.

But Pei Ji still couldn't return to the court after all.

A few days later, Hou Jun, the governor of Lizhou, reported to Chang'an that Pei Ji was infected with wind and cold on the way back to Beijing. He was old and frail, especially since he had been injured while defending the city against Jingzhou.

I can't afford this illness and will die on my way to death.

When the emperor heard the news, he sighed several times in the palace.

"Pei Ji is posthumously awarded the title of Governor of Xiangzhou, Minister of the Ministry of Industry, and Duke of Hedong County!"

This martial arts veteran from Sangluo, Puzhou, where the famous Sanluo liquor was produced, died at the age of sixty-six. The Emperor called him an old man and a good brother, but the current Emperor Zhenguan said that he was mediocre in intelligence and lost every battle he fought. In politics, there is no political achievement.

his death,

Quite unexpected.

Many people actually did not believe that he died of a cold and cold on the way. There was a rumor in Chang'an that spread quickly, saying that Pei Ji was hanged to death by Hou Junji himself at the post station in Jingzhou, following the emperor's secret edict.

It is said that Pei Ji was hanged to death first, and then Hou Junji was granted the title of Governor of Lizhou and the title of Duke of Chen.

(End of this chapter)