Elegy of Tang Dynasty

Chapter 216 "Noble" is not noble
The name Pizhou is relatively unfamiliar because it was only changed in the 13th year of Kaiyuan.

The original name was Binzhou, which has been used since the Western Wei Dynasty. It can be said that it is famous and has records in the pre-Qin era.

The "Bin Feng" of the "Fifteen Kingdoms" in the Book of Songs, that is, Binzhou, describes the production and living conditions of the ancient Bin ancestors.

This has been the main road from Chang'an to Longxi since ancient times.

The southern gateway to Pizhou is called Binmen, which is more like a village than a market town.There is a post station managed by the imperial court, which is responsible for receiving officials coming and going.This post was named after the place, so it was called "Binmen Post".

As a "low-ranking" supervisory censor and a central official in the capital, Fang Chongyong would naturally come to Binmen Station without being received by the station's postmen.

The food is the best food, and the accommodation is the best guest room. Although Binmenyi is not large, it is very dedicated to serve Fang Chongyong, the supervisory censor.

After a tiring night on the journey, when Fang Chongyong came to the hall of the post station for dinner the next day, he called the post guard for questioning.

"What mission does Fang Yushi have?"

The skinny jailer in front of him rubbed his greasy hands on his clothes, asked enthusiastically with a smile on his face.

"Don't worry, sit down and eat cake with me, and chat while eating."

Fang Chongyong pointed to the position next to him and said.

"I can't do it, I can't do it. What kind of status is Fang Yushi? This...is inappropriate."

The postman was flattered and seemed frightened.

Fang Chongyong nodded slightly, without forcing it, grabbed a "noodle cake" on the plate on the table, handed it to the postman and said: "I've invited you to eat, just take it."

"Eh? Okay, okay."

The postman, whose name Fang Chongyong didn't even know, stood beside him in fear, took the cake and whispered: "If Fang Yushi has anything to ask, I will tell you everything I know."

Binmenyi is located in Xinping County, Pizhou, and the county seat is also the state government of Pizhou.The place where the coal mines are said to exist is not in Xinping County, but in the south of Sanshui County, north of Jingshui River, with a Jingshui River separating the two places.

After coming here yesterday and making some inquiries, Fang Chongyong felt that opening a coal mine would not be as simple as imagined.

"Does Yushi Fang still like the Baiji steamed buns at the inn?"

The postman asked in a low voice. He just held the white bun in his hand and did not dare to eat it in front of Fang Chongyong.

In the Tang Dynasty, there was a distinction between superiors and inferiors, and the hierarchy was strict.In any meeting, there will be a clear distinction and no ambiguity.The relationship between superiors and subordinates, and the relationship between colleagues, depends on the size of the status difference. There is a set of unwritten but smooth "hidden rules" that run smoothly.

Officials who are not exiled are as good as dogs in front of those who are exiled. Officials who are sent abroad are a bit shorter than officials in the capital. Among officials of the same level, those who enter the official position from a low background are half shorter than those who pass the imperial examination.

In the local area, the supervisory censor can punch the governor and step on the county magistrate.Cleaning up the postmen is often just a matter of one sentence. Not only is the county magistrate strangled, but it is also "in charge".The operation of the post station is also within the scope of "supervision" of the supervisory censor, so it is not difficult to understand that the post guard was trembling in front of Fang Chongyong.

Many of the cultural dregs of Fang Chongyong's previous life in the book society were brought over from the Tang Dynasty. After being localized in the book, they were passed down from generation to generation as "heirlooms".

For example, if two people are together, they have to compare the rules of status. In this book, "the better is better than the second."

"This Baiji bun is very good. Even if it is sold in a store in Chang'an, it is more than enough. You can eat it, I don't like to be restrained."

Fang Chongyong waved his hand and said.

Looking at how skinny this postman is, you can tell that he doesn't eat well on weekdays.The Baiji steamed bun I just ate was crispy on the outside and crispy on the inside, leaving a fragrant aroma on my lips and teeth. It was very good.

But this does not mean that those who cook can also eat similar things, let alone the postmen who sweep the floor and feed the horses.

"Censor Fang just asks."

The postman nodded gratefully and began to devour the food.

"Does anyone here in Pizhou use charcoal to make a fire to keep warm?"

Fang Chongyong asked nonchalantly.

Upon hearing this, the postman swallowed the white bun in his mouth, wiped the debris on his mouth with his sleeve and said:

"Coal?
To be honest with Fang Yushi, it's hard to say elsewhere. There are mountains to the south of Pizhou, and the trees in the mountains are lush and green.There are also big mountains on the other side of the Jingshui River. It is not difficult to get the firewood to the ferry, which is more than enough to light the fire at home.

There are not many people in Pizhou itself. Even the woodcutter who sells charcoal burns the chopped wood into charcoal and sends it to Chang'an for sale. Who would look for charcoal? "

Seeing that Fang Chongyong was very easy-going and had no official airs, the postman also started talking freely, and it was obvious that he didn't take the word "coal" seriously.

Xinping County, also known as Pizhou Prefecture, is built on a flat land recessed by the mountains south of Jingshui River. There are many canyons leading to Yongshou County in the south. It is a plain terrain surrounded by valleys.

Generally speaking, the terrain nearby is small plains + valleys and canyons. No matter where they go, the nearby villagers can just chop some firewood in the mountains for burning. There is no urgency to find alternative energy sources!
In other words, firewood is completely worthless here, and what is lacking here is not firewood, but the means to transport the firewood away!

Seeing that Fang Chongyong was silent, the postman said calmly: "If Fang Yushi wants to have some fun nearby, there is a good place to go."

"Oh? What's the point of this?"

Fang Chongyong asked doubtfully.

"When Emperor Taizong defeated Xue Ju's army at Qianshuiyuan, the battlefield of Qianshuiyuan was located at the ferry crossing here along Jingshui River for dozens of miles to the northwest.

The place where Emperor Taizong stationed his troops was in Pizhou.

There is Yingfu Temple at the foot of the mountain not far to the north and west of Binmenyi. It was built by Emperor Taizong to commemorate the fallen soldiers in the Qianshuiyuan War.

Fang Yushi can go and pay homage. "

The postman suggested in a low voice.

Officials from the capital wandering around in local areas are called "not doing official business", while officials from the capital are worshiping Taizong's relics in local areas. This is called "building spiritual civilization"!
Fang Zhongyong understood the idea, smiled and shook his head: "I will go there when I have time. Speaking of which, is it true that no one in Pizhou uses charcoal?"

"It's true there isn't, at least not here in Xinping County."

The postman nodded with certainty and said.

"understood."

Fang Chongyong nodded slightly and waved his hand to signal the postman to leave.

After making inquiries just now, he actually wanted to confirm whether the coal mine had been dug by local villagers.As long as there is a local shortage of fuel, this kind of thing will definitely happen, and the coal dug out will definitely be circulated and consumed in the surrounding areas.

The postman's answer was so certain that Fang Chongyong couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.As long as no one digs illegally in the mine, I am afraid that the geological structure near the mine will be damaged by theft, and great efforts will be made to repair it.

After eating a breakfast of white steamed buns, minced mutton, spinach and millet porridge, Fang Chongyong set off alone to Yingfu Temple, not far from here.

Finding coal is of course important, but in Datang, political correctness comes first!

When officials from the capital came to the prefectures and counties near Qianshuiyuan on official business, they did not pay homage to the monuments of the soldiers who died in the bloody battle when Taizong led his troops, and did not pay homage to Emperor Taizong's "great achievements." This is a very disrespectful move in politics!

As soon as Qingchao Jian arrived at this temple built on the mountain, Fang Chongyong was shocked by the majesty and magnificence in front of him.The grottoes are carved into the mountains and carved with stone images. There are more than 100 grottoes densely distributed on the three-dimensional cliff face about hundreds of meters long.

People with trypophobia are afraid of fainting on the spot!

If the architectural pattern of the Tang Dynasty had any characteristics, it would be “big”!
The palaces are big, the houses are big, the streets are wide, and the grottoes are even bigger and bigger. In short, everything is built to be bigger!

According to the abbot of Yingfu Temple, it is divided into five parts: Big Buddha Cave, Thousand Buddha Cave, Luohan Cave, Zhangba Buddha Cave, and Monk Room Cave.

Entering the largest cave among them, Fang Chongyong saw a giant seated statue of Amitabha Buddha ten feet high carved in the cave.The backlight of the Buddha is engraved with the inscription "Built on November [-], the second year of Zhenguan in the Tang Dynasty".On the surface, this is a Buddhist temple built by Emperor Taizong many years after the war to commemorate the fallen soldiers in the Battle of Assuwon.

But Fang Chongyong secretly speculated in his heart that, given Li Erfeng's great desire to achieve great success, he was afraid that this expensive Buddhist temple was probably built to highlight his own achievements in establishing the Tang Dynasty.

In the first year of Takeru, Li Erfeng may have missed the soldiers who died in Qianshuiyuan, but the time when the Buddhist temple was established was many years later. How much feelings did he still have in his heart at that time?How much guilt?
In the two battles of Qianshuiyuan, they were defeated first and then won. The first defeat resulted in the death of [-] soldiers, which is far from being said to be invincible.

Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty also needed something like a fig leaf.

Besides, the prince during the Wude period was Li Jiancheng, the Battle of Qianshuiyuan occurred in the first year of Wude, and the establishment of the Buddhist temple was in the second year of Zhenguan.At that time, Li Erfeng had been emperor for only two years, and he urgently needed to "demonstrate his merits" to show that his succession was justified.

In the early years of Zhenguan, when finances were extremely tight, Li Erfeng built such a large-scale Buddhist temple and bought military morale in the name of commemorating the fallen soldiers.

His political skills are so high that he truly deserves the title of hero.

As for more, Fang Chongyong didn't think of anything else.As long as anyone gets into that position, he will become a ruthless political machine and cannot help himself.

“Things used to pay homage to the dead are actually made for the living to see.

Emperor Gaozong expanded Yingfu Temple, Empress Wu expanded Yingfu Temple, and Brother Ji also expanded Yingfu Temple. The main focus was political correctness. "

Looking at the tall and majestic stone Buddha, Fang Chongyong could not help but sigh in a low voice when there was no one around.

The strict and orderly politics of the Tang Dynasty were far scarier than those historical novels of the Tang Dynasty that I had read in my previous life. Being in them, I had to follow the operating rules of the feudal politics of the Tang Dynasty.

Even Li Longji, a person who did not believe in Buddhism, wanted to expand Yingfu Temple in order to show his achievements.It is enough to show that they did not do this for Buddha, but for Taizong, the banner of the clan!
Although Fang Chongyong was disgusted with such large-scale construction projects that ignored people's livelihood, he also understood the original intentions of the feudal rulers.Many vulgar things were commonplace even in his previous life. He really couldn't be too demanding of the ancients.

As soon as he reached the entrance of the Buddhist temple, Fang Chongyong noticed that a group of monks looked at him with incomprehensible eyes, and then looked at the "merits box" placed at the door from time to time.

That seems to be saying: Are you just going to leave with nothing?

After thinking about it for a while, Fang Chongyong took off the jade pendant that Brother Ji had given him when he rescued him from his waist, handed it to the abbot of the temple and said, "This is a gift from the saint, dedicated to the Buddha."

"I can't do it! The donor can't do it!"

The abbot of the temple was shocked and quickly refused, asking the two monks to move the merit box to a place where Fang Chongyong could not see it so as not to be an eyesore.

"Why, does the abbot look down on today's saints?"

Fang Chongyong asked with a worried expression.

"No, no, don't make any jokes, please leave quickly."

The abbot of Yingfu Temple said with a wry smile, and sent Fang Chongyong out of Yingfu Temple, who was looking for trouble.

The Buddha is in heaven and the temple is on earth.

Buddha is spiritual, temples are secular.

The Buddha could go without eating, drinking or sleeping, but the monks in the temple still had to eat, drink and have diarrhea.

Most of the money in the merit box will still be controlled by these monks.Fang Zhong bravely gave the gifts given by the emperor, but they did not dare to accept them. After accepting them, they could not sell them to others, let alone re-gift them.Once things are revealed, it will be a big trouble!
They really couldn't pick up this hot potato thrown by Fang Chongyong.

"By the way, are there any idle monks in your temple?"

When walking out of Yingfu Temple, Fang Chongyong casually asked the abbot of Yingfu Temple next to him.

"If the donor says it is available, then it is. If the donor thinks it is not available, then it is not available."

The abbot answered like a riddle.

"Well, good, I remember this sentence."

Fang Chongyong nodded slightly, clasped his hands and bowed to the abbot of Yingfu Temple, then turned around and left.

He went to the Pizhou government office without stopping and showed the petition documents and the map provided by the Ministry of Industry.Li Qiwu, the governor of Pizhou, received Fang Chongyong warmly and hosted a banquet in honor of him.

"Quick, quick, let's toast Fang Yushi."

At the banquet, Li Qiwu, who was already drunk, said to a young man next to him.

"It is a humble position but a noble one. I would like to offer you a cup of tea to Censor Fang, so that I can help Censor Fang wash away his troubles."

Gao Shang walked up to Fang Chongyong, respectfully picked up the wine glass, and drank the wine in one gulp.

"noble?"

Fang Chongyong raised his chin in thought, thinking that this name was very bold!

People may not be very noble, but they can be named noble first.

Thinking of this, Fang Chongyong smiled and said: "Li Shijun is from the clan, so I can't recommend you an official position. He is just an eighth-grade official, why are you so diligent in toasting me?"

Fang Zhongyong looked at the other party with a half-smile but no intention of picking up the wine glass.

Seeing Gao Shang being made things difficult for him, Li Qiwu calmly came to his rescue and said:
"Hey, what Fang Yushi said is wrong. Now who doesn't know that Fang Yushi is a popular person next to a saint. He has a bright future if he saves the emperor. He will be granted the title of Marquis and Prime Minister, and the supervisory censor is just Fang Yushi. It’s just a springboard for history, how can there be room for a great god like you?

This Gao Shenjun is now serving as the secretary of the state capital. He is a very capable person, but he is really buried in being a secretary.If Fang Yushi has a way, why not say a few nice words in front of the saint? "

It turns out that you are looking for someone to serve you!

Fang Chongyong instantly understood the difference between this place and Hexi. He was still wondering why Li Qiwu had such a big show.

Unlike Shazhou, which is remote and lacks information, Pizhou is a prefecture and county surrounding Chang'an, and the information is really well-informed.Once there is any disturbance in Chang'an City, it will be felt immediately here, and a quick horse can make the round trip in one day!
The Fang family and his son rescued him, the loyal king Li Heng rebelled, Zhang Shougui was dismissed as prime minister, the longevity king Li Quan was established as the prince, and so on.The recent series of major political events have exploded in effect, making those political animals who smell it excited.

If someone is in trouble, someone will naturally benefit.Under the great reshuffle of forces between North Korea and China, of course there will be people who can take advantage of the situation.

As Li Qiwu was appointed as the governor of the clan, and he was appointed as an official, he would of course recommend his own people to the central government, thus paving the way for his return to the central government.

These are just "human nature" in the officialdom. To put it bluntly, they are all basic behavior.

Realizing that Gao Shang was winking at him, Fang Chongyong laughed and said:

"We are having dinner now, let's just talk about romance.

When the banquet is over, come to me alone again and bring your poems. "

Fang Chongyong waved his hand, signaling Gao Shang to return to his seat.For this kind of thing, it’s all about “doing as the Romans do”.

Suddenly, Fang Chongyong remembered a joke in official circles many years ago.

This incident is about an official named Linghu Chao and his friend named Gao Shang who lives in his home. The two of them played with a concubine and made the concubine pregnant. I don’t know who the father is. .

As a result, this matter was revealed by his father Fang Youde in the form of a memorial. As a result, the scholar named Gao Shang was so unlucky that he could not even take the imperial examination.

Could that noble person be the one in front of me?
Fang Chongyong was very curious for a moment.

The bureaucrats in the Tang Dynasty were really good at playing!
　There is another chapter tonight. I checked a lot of information yesterday and I didn’t have time to update it, so I postponed it until today.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)