Elegy of Tang Dynasty

Chapter 126 Fang Yanei’s Self-Portrait

Outside the gate of Xilai Temple, many believers in ragged clothes gathered, all prostrate on the ground. The scene looked spectacular, but there was no so-called "conflict" as Yan Zhuang said.

"There was still a commotion just now. After the Holy Son came out, he said: Buddha said, don't say it. These people started to kneel on the ground and kowtow.

They are begging the Son to show the grace of Buddha. "

An official who Yan Zhuang stayed outside Xixing Temple came over and whispered in a very contemptuous tone.

"After the crowd disperses, find someone to ask. Come to the government office to find me in the evening."

Fang Zhongyong said a word and walked towards the government office. He felt more and more that the situation seemed to be beyond his control!
He had a feeling that something was wrong.

Sure enough, at night, Yan Zhuang ordered his people to bring two poor men with tattered clothes and many skin wounds on their bodies. They were dressed in a mixture of Chinese and Chinese, and they seemed to be wearing whatever they wanted.

At first glance, these two people looked like bankrupt small businessmen that were common in the Hexi Corridor. Their cunning eyes revealed tact and philistinism.

The identity of such people is usually very complicated. They may be deserters after a certain war, or they may be good family members who come from Chang'an to seek a living, or they may even be spies of the Tubo people.

What people like this usually do is to borrow principal from the government and do some small business, or travel between the Western Regions and Chang'an to serve as escorts for merchants, and resell goods from various places to get some money for wine or something.

A sandstorm on the post road from the Western Regions to Chang'an buried ten people. At least four or five were the unlucky ones who lost their land and came to Hexi to pan for gold.

"what happened?"

Fang Chongyong asked Yan Zhuang in a deep voice.

"These two people told people everywhere that they picked up golden beans near Longshou Mountain, and there must be a gold mine nearby.

Those people crawling outside Xigyou Temple today hope that the Holy Son will tell them the specific location of the gold mine!

These idiots are greedy for money! "

Yan Zhuang couldn't help but cursed.

What kind of idea these two people are thinking of can actually be guessed with their toes. To put it bluntly, they are just asking for directions.

Gold mine?

Fang Chongyong was stunned, not expecting this at all.There are iron ore mines over there in Longshou Mountain, right?Where can I find a gold mine?
"Your Majesty, your Majesty, we really picked up this kind of golden beans by the spring at the foot of Longshou Mountain."

One of them took out a golden bean from his sleeve and handed it to Fang Chongyong for him to observe.

The latter took the golden bean and examined it carefully in his hand.

I saw that the beans were washed very round by the water. It didn't look like they were picked up on the roadside. Instead, they looked like they had been washed down from the upper reaches of the mountain spring.

Fang Chongyong heard that similar gold mines were occasionally discovered in Yunnan and Guizhou in his previous life.Although the reserves are not large, many of them are exposed in stone crevices near the river. After being impacted by water for a long time, they flowed to the downstream of the veins.

So if someone hadn't climbed up Longshou Mountain, they would have dropped these golden beans into the mountain spring.Then the beans have not been washed down by the mountain spring for a long time, so that the appearance of the beans is obviously like pebbles with traces of water washing.

Then there must be gold mining points in the upper reaches of the mountain spring!And the mining conditions are very convenient!
These two people are very greedy!

Fang Chongyong couldn't help feeling emotional in his heart.The Hexi Corridor is a paradise for adventurers. There is a mixture of good and bad here, and there are all kinds of people!

"So you just let the news out in the hope that someone will find the gold mine, and then you have another oriole behind you to kill people and seize the treasure?"

Fang Chongyong asked with a speechless expression, these two people don't look very good, but they think they are quite beautiful.

If they want to be oriole, how can they be sure that others will not mistake them for mantises?
There are hunters behind the oriole!

"Mr. Hui, we are poor, so we just try to make a fortune... As for killing people and seizing treasures, we dare not do it."

The other person made an excuse with a full face of grievance. As for whether it is a "heartfelt statement", only they themselves know.

"Then you didn't expect that someone would unite and kneel outside the gate of Xixing Temple to beg the Holy Son, right?"

Fang Chongyong feels that this matter has turned into a switch from export to domestic sales, which should be a typical case of "shooting oneself in the foot"!
It was he who told Fang Laique that there was gold to pick up near Longshou Mountain in the north of Shandan County. The purpose was to attract some people in the Hexi Corridor who had time to do some digging to see if they could find anything.

Maybe we can find iron ore. After all, there is strength in numbers!

Unexpectedly, someone had taken advantage of the situation. Instead, those people turned to Fang Laique, the "source", and begged for a more specific location.

If Fang Chongyong knew the location, would he still have to tell these Lutherans? Couldn't he just go find it himself?

Besides, what Fang Zhongyong was looking for was iron ore!It's iron ore!

Although gold mines are also very good, they are far less useful than iron mines if they are left here in Hexi.

Gold mines can only bring casual wealth, but iron mines can support military armaments. Of course, the two have completely different meanings to Hexi!
"Ask Xin Shouchu (Xin Yunjing) to borrow a team of people and let these two lead the way. We will search along the upper reaches of the mountain spring to see if we can find some clues about the gold mine."

Fang Chongyong waved his hand tiredly, indicating to Yan Zhuang to keep an eye on this matter.

After Yan Zhuang led the people away, Fang Chongyong leaned weakly on the Grand Master's chair, his whole body feeling bad.

Many times, what he is most afraid of is such things as "excessive problems".

Generally speaking, finding gold is a really good thing.But in Ganzhou, in this era and at this juncture, finding a gold mine may not be a good thing.

This would distract from the search for iron ore.

Secondly, it will cause some good people to interfere with it.

For example, Li Linfu, Ji Ge, Hexi Jiedushi... and the Tubo people.

After all, for many people, it doesn't matter whether they can smelt iron or not, and they don't live in Ganzhou.As long as they can get gold into their own hands, they will be so happy that they want to sing loudly. For them, it doesn't make much sense to care about the life and death of Ganzhou.

A gold mine that can continuously mine gold has its own crazy magic.

Fang Chongyong didn't think Brother Ji would be able to calm down after knowing this.

At this time, Anaye came quietly behind him, and gently kneaded Fang Zhongyong's temples with both hands skillfully.

It made Fang Yanei feel very relaxed.

"The medical department of the Imperial Medical Office is divided into pharmacology, massage, acupuncture and other subjects. Your father must be specialized in massage."

Fang Chongyong closed his eyes and sighed.With this unique skill alone, Anaye can't be let go in the future.

"Since you know all this, why would you use the silk shipped to the government office from Chang'an to buy me medical books and clothes.

Otherwise, I don’t want any of that, and you can make up for the shortfall. "

Anaye said very painfully.

Not to mention the medical books, her father couldn't make up a set after thinking about it for a long time.As for those good clothes, Anaye hadn't even touched them, let alone worn them.

Originally, these things had become my own, but now I have to give them away. The feeling of losing them again can only be said to be extremely bad.

Anaye hesitated all day today, struggling fiercely in her heart as to whether to "return the gift" or not.

It can be said that he is in a state of extreme worry about gains and losses.

She was afraid that Fang Chongyong would be angry and that something would happen to him.

Finally, I mustered up the courage to speak clearly.

"It's not the prime minister who is in the dream, but you are in the dream."

Fang Chongyong stretched out his hand to touch Anaye's pretty face, and said a famous quote from "The Romance of the Three Kingdoms", which made the Liangzhou native girl confused and suddenly realized that his knowledge was being crushed.

So she asked impatiently: "If you have anything to say, just say it, the detours made me dizzy!"

"Actually, except for you, the one who got the benefits, you don't understand this matter. Whether it's me, the prime minister, Brother Ji, or even the supervisory censor who may report me, they all know it in their hearts. For nothing."

Fang Chongyong said something meaningful.

Considering that Anaye knew nothing about politics, Fang Chongyong patiently explained:
"Tang law is extremely strict with regard to corruption and dereliction of duty.

Those who receive money will receive sixty rods; those who receive money will receive one grade; those who receive things will receive two grades.The books and brocade robes I bought for you may be close to decapitation according to the criminal law, but exile for three thousand miles is more than enough.

So why do you think I do these boring things? "

Fang Chongyong asked a question that Anaye could not answer.

In fact, Anaye knew Fang Chongyong's abilities.If he wants to make money, there are many ways to circumvent the court's laws.

For example, with a little effort to open a "wild market" outside Zhangye City, most Hu merchants from the Western Regions would be willing to give Fang Chongyong a large amount of "consecration."Dozens of books and more than 100 women's brocade robes are all small scenes.

When Anaye followed Fang Chongyong to work as a "translator" near the Sogdian city (actually useless, the leader of the Sogdians, Kang Juren, spoke better Chang'an dialect than Anaye), the people there asked her to Just pick out Sogdian-style women’s clothing and get as much as you want!

Even a girl like Anaye knows that if officials at all levels in the Tang Dynasty relied solely on their salaries for a living, one by one, their whole family would starve to death.

For example, for an "upright official" like Yan Zhenqing, he is indeed neither corrupt nor derelict in his duties.But I heard that Yan Zhenqing especially likes to write epitaphs and memorials to people in his circle.

Not to mention whether there is any direct financial income from doing these things.

Even if the other party doesn't pay, isn't there any benefit transfer?
Is there no human connection?
Isn't there great political benefit?

As long as the political status is sufficient, there will be no shortage of licking dogs and giving money, so why bother to be ugly and corrupt?

These things are all unspoken rules of officialdom.

Anaye knew that his father treated the governor and Jiedushi, and the family could be exempted from rent and reconciliation and exorbitant taxes, let alone others!

"Then why are you doing this in vain?"

Anaye asked doubtfully.

"When you are useful, the saint will make good use of you.

It's just that when a saint employs people, he doesn't like those who are too out of touch and out of control.

He likes to tie dogs on leashes.Dogs without leashes are prone to bite their owners and become unruly.

Rather than letting the saint put an unnecessary dog ​​leash around my neck, I might as well make a harmless dog leash and give it to the saint.

Isn’t this difficult to understand? "

Fang Chongyong sighed and explained to Anaye.Anaye may not really understand this truth, Fang Chongyong is just walking at night in brocade clothes, just looking for an audience.

Zheng Shuqing is right, being an official is like being a dog. A saint does not need a "person". He is just a master.

Fang Chongyong knew that when he came to Ganzhou to be the governor, he was thrown by Brother Ji to restrain Fang Youde, a scumbag father.

Now Fang Chongyong not only didn't make any mistakes in Ganzhou, but he did very well.

What will Brother Ji think when he hears about it?
He didn't even beat me to death with a stick, but he lived a comfortable life and smiled mockingly at me?
Then hit a few more sticks and break the spine before talking, see if you can still laugh!

Fang Chongyong can fully imagine how furious and unwilling Ji Ge will be when he sees his "political achievements" in Ganzhou.

So you have to defile yourself.

Doting on a ten-year-old Orchid from the Western Regions shows that she has a bad temperament, is lustful, and does not know the importance of doing things.

Paying off the arrears of the government office shows that the official experience is poor and needs to be polished.

Opening a field gathering and setting up medical books and inscriptions indicate that he also wanted to make some political achievements in the local area.

The silk sent by the corruption center shows that you have no eyes, dirty hands and feet, and clumsy means of generating gray income.

However, local affairs in Ganzhou were still handled beautifully, and there was no sign of collusion with local forces or recruiting people from the border army.This shows that he still has some ability, and it also shows that he is a man who can be made.

The key is to be young and to be cultivated for a long time.

Young and lustful, erratic, greedy for petty gains, some abilities, strong plasticity, easy to control.

Such a character design is a self-portrait that Fang Chongyong voluntarily handed over to Ji Ge.

He can puff his chest and say that even if the supervisory censor writes his "crime of corruption" in detail as a memorial and sends it to Ji Ge's desk.The emperor of the Tang Dynasty probably looked at it casually, and then threw it aside.

Because there are too many similar things, Brother Ji can't even look at it, and Fang Chongyong's food is considered top-notch.

If every bureaucrat of the Tang Dynasty was conscientious and conscientious, let alone one An Lushan, even if a group of An Lushan gathered together, they would not be able to shake the foundation of the Tang Dynasty!

If Fang Chongyong really wants to use various methods to transfer wealth paths and falsely report public funds to get money, it will make Brother Ji angry and vigilant.

Fang Chongyong told Anaye all these twists and turns, and this little native girl from the Western Regions was so frightened that she couldn't say a word for a long time.The already fair face turned pale with fright, and the rough little hand held by Fang Zhongyong was trembling.

"Hearing what Lang Jun said, Chang'an is really a dragon's pond and a tiger's den."

After a long time, Anaye said fearfully, and smiled reluctantly, without any energy at all.

"Who said it wasn't."

Fang Chongyong answered casually, as if he didn't feel satisfied, and added another sentence:
"A man is not as good as a hundred days, and a flower is not as red as a hundred days. Look at him building tall buildings, watching him entertain guests, watching him..."

"What are you looking at him for?"

"Look at his building collapsing."

After Fang Chongyong said the last sentence, Anaye felt an inexplicable vicissitude of time, and even she herself couldn't explain the reason.

At this moment, the person holding her hands, the child she had been massaging with all her heart just now, was not an ignorant and ignorant peer, but like an old man who had experienced many vicissitudes of life.

See through the world!

……

The news that there might be a gold mine in Ganzhou spread like wings to the five states in the Hexi Corridor, and even reached Lanzhou and Kuozhou further east, and cities in the Western Region further west.

Suddenly, the usually quiet and peaceful Shandan County became lively. Various groups of people were exploring near Longshou Mountain in the north of Shandan County. It seemed that they were all here for the gold mine.

In view of the large number of people searching for gold mines, Fang Chongyong had to ask Guo Ziyi to send a united force of 1000 troops to station in Shandan County to investigate the idlers at the foot of Longshou Mountain.Maintain local order.

The hard work paid off, so many people wandered around Longshou Mountain panning for gold, and finally... found the so-called "heavy stone"!
It is none other than the "exploration team" sent by the imperial court to make meritorious deeds!
When Zhang Yunyang, the director of the Ministry of Industry, led people to search for gold mines in the mountains (the imperial government bypassed the government order issued directly by the Ganzhou government), he found that the "guide" he was carrying was wandering around and lost its pointing ability.

This "guide" was designed by Ma Daifeng, an imperial craftsman of Emperor Li Longji of the Tang Dynasty. The "Guide" is only the size of a palm, but it is very beautiful, easy to use, and easy to carry.

Only then did Zhang Yunyang realize that when they were exploring iron ore before, they had not found the right location.I always thought that the mineral vein was between Shandan and Zhangye, but I didn't expect that this iron mine was actually in the northeast of Shandan County.

After careful exploration, it was discovered that the interlayer at the bottom of a broken mountain range here was entirely made of clearly identifiable hematite, which was red in color and could be used as cinnabar after grinding.

A large area of ​​this iron ore is exposed and can be mined with simple preparation!
Zhang Yunyang quickly informed Fang Chongyong of this shocking news!Let him send people to isolate and protect this place so that no idlers can cause damage.

The flowers planted intentionally will not bloom, but willows planted unintentionally will provide shade. After all the "gold rush", there was no trace of the gold mine, but the "professionals" sent by the Chang'an Center found the iron mine!
Zhang Yunyang had long confirmed the location and development methods of collecting coal.

Now, hematite ore that is easy to mine has been found.

Zhang Yunyang, the director of the Ministry of Industry, quickly took the samples of carboniferous and hematite collected in Ganzhou, took the carriage at the post station, and rushed back to Chang'an to meet the saint.

The strategic significance of the discovery of iron ore in Hexi is far beyond that of gold mines.Zhang Yunyang knew that he was too young to make decisions, so he wanted to report it to the central court officials as soon as possible.

As for Niu Xianke, the minister of the Ministry of Industry who is performing official duties in Liangzhou, I can only say sorry.

Zhang Yunyang wrote a letter to Niu Xianke reporting on his itinerary, which was quite interesting.

The errands are different, even if he is a superior in the same government office, he does not need to tell him what he is doing.This is the secret of the "errands" in the operation of power in the Tang Dynasty, and it is also one of the means by which the imperial power checks and balances the civil servant group.

When it comes to reporting on whether there are iron ores in Hexi, Zhang Yunyang can do nothing.

As Zhang Yunyang rushed to Chang'an non-stop, a new round of games in the Chang'an Center slowly began.

(End of this chapter)