Elegy of Tang Dynasty

Chapter 119 The End Determines the Means
It was already late at night, but Fang Chongyong still did not sleep peacefully. Instead, he borrowed a "County Chronicle" of Zhangye County and flipped through the pages under the oil lamp.

The earliest national local chronicles in China was "Yuanhe County Maps" compiled by Li Jifu in the Tang Dynasty in 813 AD.

Although that would only happen a few decades later, there are still books recording local population, geography, related history, and even strange things in the accounting offices of various state capitals.As the place where Emperor Yang Guang of the Sui Dynasty held the "World Exposition", Zhangye City naturally has such official records used to "sing praises and praise virtues".

"Lang Jun, why don't we leave Ganzhou? It doesn't matter if we go to Liangzhou or go back to Chang'an, it doesn't matter. There is really no need to accomplish nothing here."

Anaye on the side was not sleeping either, so she suggested cautiously.

She knew how much trouble Fang Chongyong was facing, but she couldn't help much.

Hexi is different from the Central Plains. A little carelessness here can easily cause mutiny and civil uprising.And once something like this happens, the rebels will surely lure the Tubo army into control, and the situation will fester beyond control.

It depends on how many heads Fang Chongyong has to chop off.

"This book is really interesting."

Fang Chongyong closed the local chronicles of Zhangye and sighed deeply.

Are you kidding me? Who has the ability to fill such a big hole in the Autumn Defense Order?
Fang Chongyong had a strong idea in his heart and knew his own weight.Brother Ji’s appetite is too big and he really can’t serve him anymore!

No matter how hard you struggle, it's useless!
It doesn't matter whether it's the people beside the city sending troops to save face, or the people tightening their belts and paying for food, it's all useless.Even if you survive this time, it will be even worse in the future. Maybe you might as well rebel directly now!At least die quickly.

Because once the opening to increase taxes is opened, the government will not have any burden to increase taxes in the future, and it will be fine.

This principle is like a person who finished the work of ten people yesterday, will his superiors sympathize with his hard work and give him five days off?

No no no, just the opposite.This person's superiors must think that since he can do the work of ten people a day, he must also be able to do the work of twelve people a day, right?
What can you do?If you can do it, do more things!
Therefore, if the magistrates on the Hexi side "fill in the holes" according to the normal thinking, they have chosen the wrong path, and the more they execute, the more mistakes they make. Fang Zhongyong sees this very clearly!
Besides, if you say a thousand words and ten thousand, Datang is not from other Fang Yamen!
This is the empire that belongs to Brother Ji!
Fang Chongyong would never exhaust himself to death until Brother Ji was exhausted from his official duties!It is estimated that the local officials on the Hexi side have similar ideas with him.

Ever since, Fang Chongyong's thinking has always been to "break the situation", instead of being Ji Ge's licking dog and running for Ji Ge's government orders.

From this perspective, the difficulties he faced were actually greater than those of a normal governor of Ganzhou.The purpose determines the means, and his purpose is "extraordinary", which means that it is impossible to follow the conventional routine.

"This book records a very interesting story. Do you want to hear it?"

Fang Chongyong looked at Anaye and asked.

That delicate little face is really hard to get tired of.

"Just hurry up... I'm so sleepy."

Anaye yawned and replied weakly.

"By the way, this black water has a long history. Many years ago, not far from the southwest of Zhangye City, there was a lake formed by black water. Next to this lake, there was a country of black water. At that time, even Zhou There is no emperor."

"and then?"

Anaye was not interested in these Arabian Nights, so she asked casually.

"Then, the Blackwater Kingdom was destroyed. A long time later, the Han army conquered Zhangye and built a new city at the lake near the Blackwater Kingdom. This city continued until the previous dynasty Sui Dynasty.

One day in the Sui Dynasty, an eminent monk came to Heishui City. He shouted peaches and pears to everyone he met, ran wildly among the crowd, and then disappeared again.

A few days later, a sandstorm hit Blackwater City, burying everything under the sand.

The story is recorded in this booklet, and of course, it is also copied from Buddhist scriptures. "

Fang Chongyong said with a smile.

There are many Buddhist stories, and they often put gold on their faces.It's like saying that the sun rises after raising your hand, but it's the same as saying that it will be dawn when you lift your hand.

However, sometimes there are traces of history behind these stories, telling certain historical events from the side.

"But that has nothing to do with us."

Anaye waved her hands indifferently and was already planning to go to sleep.

Fang Chongyong held her shoulders to prevent her from leaving, looked at her attentively and said, "Hey, there are big things in small things, just listen to what I have to say."

"What article?"

"Tomorrow, let's go to that place to search together. I have already found out the approximate location, but it is just a ruin. More than half of the buildings are in the sand. Let's go find that city, where gold and silver treasures are hidden."

Fang Chongyong made up a harmless lie.

Blackwater City naturally wanted to look for it, but Fang Chongyong was not looking for the gold and silver treasures, but to verify an idea in his mind.

At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, the Liangzhou Army led by Dong Zhuo was powerful in all directions, which greatly affected the political structure of the Eastern Han Dynasty and put the Eastern Han Dynasty on the fast track to its demise.Judging from the historical conditions at that time, the armament of the Liangzhou Army could be self-sufficient.

In other words, there is definitely a stable smelting workshop in the Liangzhou area.

However, in the Tang Dynasty, the smelting in the Hexi Corridor was completely abolished!Armament depends entirely on external input!

There are three necessary conditions for smelting. The first is an iron ore that is not too far away; the second is that the water source is near the smelting workshop and can be cooled at any time; and the third is that a stable fuel supply is nearby. , this fuel was mostly charcoal in the feudal era.

In today's Hexi Corridor, there are no large-scale smelting workshops that can provide equipment for the army!There is no such ability to maintain it!
Water shortages in Suzhou, Guazhou, and Shazhou are frantic, and there is no need to think about it.

Liangzhou has superior geographical conditions and has been little affected by wars. It has basically maintained the regulatory pattern since the Han Dynasty.But Fang Chongyong asked. Liangzhou has never been a large-scale iron smelting company. Wuwei City has expanded to seven cities, but there are no large-scale iron smelting workshops in it.

Only Ganzhou is a mystery. It is likely that there is the secret of Dong Zhuo's rampage in the northwest.

If not, it is absolutely impossible that in the Tang Dynasty with great technological development, the Hexi Corridor could not do what it could do at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty hundreds of years ago!
Fang Chongyong wanted to go to the ruins of the old city of Heishuiguo to see if there was any answer he wanted there.

"really?"

When it comes to gold, silver and treasure, Anaye will not be sleepy.

"Of course it's true."

Fang Chongyong nodded slightly, thinking to himself: It is indeed a treasure, but it is not the kind of treasure you think.

"If the treasure is found there, then the tax increase in Ganzhou should not be increased, right?"

Anaye asked curiously.

Hearing this, Fang Chongyong could only smile bitterly and shake his head.

The sudden appearance of a large amount of hard currency such as gold and silver will only greatly increase the market price of local goods in the short term, and then everything will increase in price.

It can only be said that fortune and misfortune are unpredictable, and the impact will be much greater than that of the autumn defense order!Fang Chongyong didn't dare to play like this.

What Ji Ge wants is to mobilize manpower and material resources.No matter how much gold and silver is dug out, it is impossible to change the basic resources of Hexi in a short time.What Fang Zhongyong wanted was not such an effect at all.

It's just that there is no way to say these words to Anaye, who knows nothing except medical skills and language. …

The next day, Fang Chongyong took Atuan, Anaye and others out of Zhangye City, while Fang Dafu personally sent his son to Xihang Temple to become a monk. The ceremony was held in a grand manner.Of course Fang Chongyong cannot be present. If he were present, it would be easy to think of some strange things.

As a result, when Fang Chongyong and his party arrived outside the city, they saw Xin Yunjing leading fifty Tang Army cavalry ready to go, accompanied by an ox cart dragging baggage. They had been waiting for a long time.

As soon as they met, Xin Yunjing got off his horse, came over and lowered his voice and said to Fang Chongyong: "These are veterans of the Baiting Army, trustworthy brothers. They all believe that Fang Shijun will make a fortune with his old brother.

But what is your mission this time? "

Guo Ziyi sent Xin Yunjing to help Fang Chongyong, and he was personally directing others to build the regiment training camp, which was rebuilt on the basis of the original Zhang Ye guarding camp, and it was really hard to get away.

And now Guo Ziyi is also waiting to be fed, waiting for Fang Chongyong to send him soldiers of the Unity Army.It's just that so far, Fang Chongyong hasn't even sent a single person over.

"Go to the old site of Blackwater Country and dig up. Tell your brothers that the things you dig out must be handed over. I won't take anything by then and will share everything with them.

But if anyone dares to hide it privately, then don't blame me for being rude. "

Fang Chongyong said solemnly.

Upon hearing this, Xin Yunjing hurriedly patted his chest to pack the ticket and said, "Your envoy is so generous! Don't worry, after returning to the camp, I will let them all take off their clothes and search them, and they will not hide a single needle."

The old rules of dividing spoils, the whole Baiting Army understands, these are not things.It's just that Xin Yunjing didn't expect Fang Chongyong to be so bold.

But since he went to dig for treasures, but he didn't take anything, could he just do it for fun?

"My lord, the Qiu Bamen in Hexi have done a lot of things like this. Those Hu merchants often like to bury things. After the news is leaked, we are not polite, and we have to take it.

However, if you don't take it with empty hands, I'm afraid that your brothers will feel uneasy if they hold it! "

Xin Yunjing persuaded with some doubts.Sometimes too much generosity can also cause doubts.

Fang Chongyong pondered for a moment and felt that it was time to release some news to "show sincerity."

"Is such that."

Fang Chongyong asked Xin Yunjing to bend down and listen to him, and muttered for a long time. When he finished speaking, Xin Yunjing looked horrified and his hands were trembling slightly!

"My lord, this kind of thing, this kind of thing, is not a joke!"

Xin Yunjing lowered his voice and exclaimed.

Fang Ya Nei is really good at playing, and he is too courageous.Bringing the gang of Qiu Ba under his command in front of him, that's not enough to see at all!
The yamen coming from Chang'an was really terrifying!
"Of course I know, if it happens, how can this matter be underestimated?"

Fang Chongyong said proudly.

Xin Yunjing nodded carefully, "Good boy, this Fang Yanei is really capable of what others cannot."He dares to do things that others dare not do!
Fang Zhongyong dared to offer "health medicine" to the emperor when he just joined the army from the state capital before.

Now that he is the governor, I don't know how big things he will play.

Under the leadership of the guide, the group headed towards the ruins of Blackwater Kingdom.

The location of the Heishuiguo site is more than [-] miles northwest of Zhangye City.The traces of the surrounding lakes and lakes seem to be vaguely discernible, but now they have all turned into long yellow sand.The city tower in the style of the Han Dynasty stands tall at a certain position, only half of its head can be exposed, and it seems to be no more than three meters.

Xin Yunjing looked at Fang Chongyong helplessly, and then sighed: "This place has been patronized by countless people for a long time, and all the valuable and easy-to-take items have been taken away."

The location of the Heishuiguo ruins is not a secret in the local area, and many people want to come here to try their luck and dig around to see if they can get some rare goods.

It's almost like opening a blind box!
"Dig it."

Fang Chongyong said expressionlessly.

He had watched documentaries in his previous life, so he could definitely dig out what he wanted here, he just needed a little luck!

"found it!"

A soldier shouted in the distance.

The man held the unearthed gold coins in his hand like a treasure and handed them to Xin Yunjing.

A big Qin gold coin, probably from the Han Dynasty.Of course, this is normal, because the ruins of the Heishui Kingdom is the capital of Xiaoyuezhi.As a choke point on the Silk Road, it is not surprising to find anything here, because they may all be traded goods on the Silk Road.

Soon, many things were dug out one after another.

For example, Han Dynasty-style pottery pots, Han Dynasty bronze mirrors, and even many stone tools that were often seen before the feudal era.

One after another was sent to Fang Chongyong, neatly placed.

Because they were buried in yellow sand, these things were well preserved, but... none of them were what Fang Chongyong wanted.

Xin Yunjing was also a little disappointed, because these things were not worth mentioning except for a few of them that could fetch a good price.For example, pottery pots from the Han Dynasty, who would want such a thing?

"Emissary, do you still want to dig?"

Xin Yunjing came over and asked softly.

"Dig, don't stop."

Fang Zhongyong sighed softly, and said to Xin Yunjing: "Brother, go and recruit some folks to dig, and say that the things you find will be shared with them at that time. I believe someone will come here to try their luck."

"I understand, I'll do it now."

Xin Yunjing also knew that the matter was too important to be careless.

This wait is one day.

During this period, Fang Chongyong was always frowning and contemplating. Knowing is easier than doing. Many times, the idea is very good, but in the process of implementation, he will encounter many setbacks.At this time, whether to choose to continue to deepen or decisively stop losses is a test of human wisdom.

Of course, Fang Chongyong feels that his own model of "finding the process with known answers" is still much simpler than ordinary people.

When the sun is about to set, there are all kinds of things dug out here, and there are all kinds of things.There are many versions of coins alone, and there are even styles that Xin Yunjing and the others can't recognize.

"I'm going back to Zhangye City first and will continue digging tomorrow. Let's divide these things among the brothers today."

Fang Zhongyong waved his hand weakly and said.

Why can't it be dug?
He was filled with frustration.

　The new routine of the ship that you have never seen is coming
　　
　
(End of this chapter)