Elegy of Tang Dynasty

Chapter 265 I am not fighting alone

On this day, in the Hanyuan Hall of the Daming Palace, the palace servants used table cases of the same size to put together many long tables, which were placed in the shape of "Hui" in the Hanyuan Hall.

On the table, a hundred objects of different sizes were neatly placed, covered with bright yellow silk, so outsiders couldn't see what was inside.

All I know is that these things vary greatly in size!

Soon after, the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty, Li Longji, would hold a unique "auction" here, and use the silk and silk obtained as military expenses to supply the Longyou Army, or the Hexi Frontier Army as well.

For this purpose, he specially selected a group of less valuable collections from the palace.

Brother Ji could obviously grab it directly, but he still wanted to hold an auction and go through the motions. It has to be said that the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty is indeed a person who cares about face.

So did the "auction" that Brother Ji is going to hold this time actually exist in the Tang Dynasty? Is it his "original" creation?

The answer is: In the Tang Dynasty, auctions not only existed, but almost existed on the streets. Anyone who comes from a wealthy family has basically participated in all kinds of auctions.

Although it was Fang Chongyong's idea this time, Brother Ji not only knew a lot about auctions, he even participated in bidding before he became emperor!

As we all know, the Tang Dynasty implemented very strict prohibitions on civilians’ commercial activities at night. Nightlife at that time was the exclusive preserve of a few princes, nobles and dignitaries.

In other words, according to government regulations, ordinary people should go to bed early at night and don't think about having anything. If you don’t want to rebel, just go and cool down!

However, at any time, the time of the civilian class is the "least valuable". Their demand to engage in small-scale business activities, work to supplement family income, or even enjoy nightlife in their spare time has always been strong.

Especially big cities like Chang'an, Luoyang and Yangzhou. During the Song Dynasty, the relaxation of curfew, the formation of the citizen class, and the prosperity of urban life all followed this trend.

In order to solve this contradiction, the people of the Tang Dynasty created a new business model, which was the "ghost market".

There are no ghosts in the ghost market. To put it bluntly, it is the street stall economy of the Tang Dynasty, and it can also be called a night market.

The "New Book of the South" compiled by Qian Yi of the Northern Song Dynasty records:

Watching the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival in Chang'an, someone heard a ghost chanting: "The drums on the six streets are quiet and there are no pedestrians. There is a moon in the vast sky on the nine streets." Another person heard that there is a harmonious saying: "Nine roads are born in the sun. What a toil, the soil of Chang'an is exhausted and the locust roots are high." Or it may be said that the west gate of Wuben is a ghost market. It is dark and windy and rainy, and everyone can hear its noisy sound. It is strange.

It can be seen from this that the west gate of Chang'an City Wubenfang in the Tang Dynasty was the location of a very famous "ghost market" at that time. Because setting up stalls at night violates the curfew, the "ghost market" does not have fixed operating hours.

In addition to selling some low-priced small items, the ghost market also sells some valuable items with "incorrect origins", commonly known as stolen goods. Among them, the “highest bidder gets it” auction model has long been commonplace.

This time Brother Ji held an auction, and no courtiers or nobles felt it was strange. The emperor's intention to make money was almost written on his forehead!

The main hall is crowded with people. There are not only officials of the sixth rank of the central government and above, governors who have temporarily returned to Beijing to report on their duties, but also the princes of the Ji Ge brothers, Du family, Wei family, Pei family and other wealthy families. They all send people here to participate in the "bidding" ".

"The first piece is a tortoiseshell mother-of-pearl octagonal box and a flat mother-of-pearl octagonal mirror. This is a pair and will not be sold separately.

The starting price is five thousand guan. "

Gao Lishi shouted in a high-pitched voice and lifted the bright yellow silk covering one of the small objects on the table.

It turned out to be this!

Everyone present was a little surprised. They didn't expect Brother Ji to actually put this thing up for auction!

The tortoiseshell mother-of-pearl octagonal box was Wu Zetian's favorite at the time, used to store her cosmetics.

Not to mention the octagonal mirror with a mother-of-pearl back, it was used by Wu Zetian to check her outfit after putting on makeup.

The craft of mother-of-pearl inlay was developed in the Qing Dynasty and was already a success in the Tang Dynasty. Even in Fang Chongyong's previous life, this kind of decoration style was often seen.

Specifically, this is an advanced craft used in lacquer painting, which originated in the Shang Dynasty.

This process mainly uses the shells of snails and clams, grinds and polishes the pearlescent layer into thin slices, and then makes figures of people, flowers, birds and animals, and embeds them into pre-carved concave patterns.

Then when inlaying the shells, dip them in paint or paint the nest in advance before inserting the shells to prevent residual paint from remaining after the shells fall off.

After grinding and polishing to expose the mother-of-pearl pieces, colorful mother-of-pearl objects are made.

In addition to using shells and tortoise shells as raw materials, this gorgeous decoration is often made of amber, lapis lazuli, turquoise, etc., which the Tang people called "baodian".

The treasure is a treasure, but the valuable thing is not the craftsmanship and raw materials, but... it is Wu Mei Niang's royal possession! If you really want to say how valuable it is, it can only be said to be a priceless treasure!

The tortoiseshell mother-of-pearl octagonal box and the flat mother-of-pearl octagonal mirror are enough to express Brother Ji’s sincerity.

Is this pair of treasures worth five thousand guan?

Not only is it not expensive, it’s also extremely cheap! No matter who loses it, it is a family heirloom.

What woman wouldn’t want to try the makeup box used by Wu Meiniang?

"Ten thousand strings!"

Before anyone could speak, an inappropriate voice sounded in the hall.

Zheng Shuqing, the boss of the inspection institute, shouted expressionlessly.

The starting price was 5,000, but he directly offered 10,000. This was probably because he was determined to get it.

Everyone present shut up obediently, and no one opened their mouth to bid.

"Ten thousand strings, do you have any more?"

Gao Lishi shouted that the price was far lower than Ji Ge's psychological expectations.

The current market price is about 0.45 guan per piece of silk. In the future, with the development of the textile industry, the price of silk will continue to fall.

Is it really worth spending more than 20,000 yuan to buy a broken box that cannot be eaten or worn?

Many people believe that treasures are priceless and cannot be measured by money.

Some people think this thing is a waste of money.

So whether it is worth it or not, this kind of thing can only be said to be a matter of benevolence and wisdom. Anyway, if Zheng Shuqing shouted out 10,000 yuan, he must think it was worth it.

The reason why I bid twice as much is because I don’t want to get entangled with people’s repeated bids and scare off all competitors in one fell swoop. If you start bidding from 5,000 guan, the final transaction price may exceed 10,000 guan!

It can be seen that Zheng Shuqing is very sophisticated in this regard. Apart from his poor ability to do things, he knows a little bit about everything else.

After waiting for a long time, no one followed the bidding. Gao Lishi could only shout helplessly: "Then the deal will be 10,000 yuan."

Brother Ji, who was sitting on the dragon throne, had a dark face!

This thing was given to Princess Jincheng when she got married. A few years ago, when the Tubo people came to sue for peace, they deliberately returned this thing to show that the Tang Dynasty and Tubo were one family, and to beg Brother Ji not to beat him to death.

Therefore, this set of tortoiseshell mother-of-pearl octagonal boxes and mother-of-pearl octagonal mirrors are the most valuable of all objects, the most complex in history, and the most symbolic.

Although this treasure is useless, it’s hard to see your face clearly when looking in the mirror, and it’s too small to hold cosmetics, but it has an extraordinary origin!

The price of the "story" alone is worth thousands of dollars. Isn't it worth chasing down the items that Wu Meiniang used for her? What on earth do these penniless guys want to do!

Brother Ji originally wanted to use this to test the true thoughts of the ministers and nobles. Unexpectedly, those people actually didn't give him any face!

"The next one is up for auction."

Brother Ji said very coldly to Gao Lishi next to him. He originally wanted to "open up the fence", but unexpectedly, Fang Chongyong was more accurate in seeing people. As expected, there are still too many wealthy people in Chang'an City. These people are so unbearable to be rich that they need to be relieved of their burdens.

Brother Ji silently made a decision in his heart.

……

Outside Wuwei City, banners are flying. A thousand cavalrymen selected from the Chishui Army, wearing camel leather armor unique to Hexi, holding colorful flags, formed a formation, leaving a road in the middle, and warmly welcomed Fang Chongyong and more than 300 silver spears behind him. The Xiaojie Army entered Wuwei City.

In front of the south gate of the "cross-shaped" Wuwei City, Hexi Jiedu Deputy Envoy Guo Ziyi has been waiting here for a long time.

In the war a few years ago, Guo Ziyi settled in the Hexi Border Army by virtue of his military exploits, and climbed up the ranks by relying on his connections in the army. Now he has taken the position of Chishui Military Envoy and Deputy Envoy of Hexi Jiedu.

Lao Guo himself was greedy for money. Not only was he deeply involved in smuggling in Hexi, he was even greedy!

In fact, the rules of poor civility and rich military are applicable to all dynasties. Not only does it mean that practicing martial arts requires money, but it also implies that practicing martial arts can make money.

Practicing martial arts requires money, and the general family requires money even more. If you are taboo about making money, then don't practice martial arts, otherwise your family will die of poverty sooner or later and you won't be able to practice any martial arts.

That’s why there is a popular saying, “Civil officials are not greedy for money, military generals are not afraid of death, and the world can be settled.” But it is not said that military generals are not greedy for money!

Now that he saw Fang Chongyong, Guo Ziyi was happier than seeing his biological father. Before the other party came, he set up a "guard of honor" outside Wuwei City. Anyway, the ostentation was enough.

"Fang Jieshuai has worked hard all the way. Guo will hold the horse for you!"

Guo Ziyi turned over and dismounted, and enthusiastically stepped forward to lead Fang Chongyong's horse, not shying away from the surprised looks of others. The latter was not humble at all, so he sat on the horse and let him lead the horse. The group came to the Yamen of Jiedu Mansion in Hexi Province.

After returning to his hometown after not seeing him for several years, Fang Chongyong just felt like he was in a different world.

The "old and broken yamen" back then has long since changed. Now the yamen in Jiedufu, Hexi... is so well built!

Not to mention the "expansion" to the outside, a three-story attic with a view was built in the Yamen!

Fang Chongyong got off his horse and glanced at Guo Ziyi with a strange expression.

Probably sensing Fang Chongyong's shock, Guo Ziyi came over and whispered:

"Without any ostentation, we can't suppress those barbarian merchants from the Western Regions. We can't say that our yamen is worse than the houses of those big barbarian merchants, right? Is that true?"

Everything is to stabilize the border, no surprise, no surprise. "

"The government has its own regulations on how big the yamen should be, so how can we modify it at will? Let's not do this again!"

Fang Chongyong scolded with a cold face, but he did not say that the illegal buildings would be demolished.

Guo Ziyi understood it and agreed with a smile on his face: "That's right, there will definitely be no next time."

A group of people entered the Yamen of Hexi Jiedu Mansion and came to the lobby. They saw the governors of various states and military envoys gathered here. It seemed that they had been waiting for a long time.

Now there is no important military affairs here in Hexi, and there is no sign of the Tibetan invasion. Therefore, it is not surprising that military envoys and state governors came to Liangzhou for meetings and enjoyed Liangzhou's abundant supplies and various "entertainment life" with the characteristics of the Western Regions.

As long as you are in good health, Orchid from the Western Regions is indispensable. Anyone who works as an official here in Hexi understands these things.

Fang Chongyong did his duty and sat on the main seat where Hexi Jiedushi should sit. He looked around at the crowd and laughed and said: "Tonight, the commander is treating us, and the Huamen Building is reserved. You must go and support him."

Hearing this, the awkward atmosphere in the Yamen lobby that was about to solidify suddenly eased, and everyone started laughing.

"However."

Fang Chongyong suddenly changed his tone. Everyone present, including Guo Ziyi, held their breath, waiting for him to say "serious things".

"Before we drink, I have something to announce. The imperial decree may not have come yet, but there should be a formal document coming out in the near future. I hope you can be mentally prepared."

Upon hearing this, everyone's hearts were in their throats.

Guo Ziyi saluted Fang Zhongyong with folded hands and asked: "Commander Jie, what exactly is the imperial decree? Commander Jie told me to wait, so we can prepare."

"Well, it's actually not a big deal. It's just that the imperial court decided to adjust the deployment location of the Long March athletes so that the number of soldiers under their command would not increase or decrease at each festival.

But don't worry, this time the court will transfer officials but not officials, and change troops but not generals.

You are still the governors of the Hexi provinces and military envoys of various armies, but the Long March athletes under your command will be dispatched to serve in other military envoy defense zones in accordance with the instructions of the Ministry of War.

Their family members will accompany them, and the court will provide them with resettlement fees. Of course, not everyone can make arrangements. Just follow the imperial decree. "

No!

Hearing Fang Chongyong's words, everyone present, including Guo Ziyi, was shocked!

Change troops or not generals? Is this okay?

You really dare to say that you are riding a horse!

Before Guo Ziyi said anything, An Chongzhang, who came to Liangzhou with Fang Chongyong, couldn't help it.

He crossed his hands and saluted Fang Chongyong and asked, "Commander Jies, do we also need to dispatch the soldiers of the Chishui Army?"

"This possibility cannot be ruled out, but you can rest assured that those dispatched here are also elite soldiers from other frontier armies.

Moreover, the area under the jurisdiction of Longyou Jiedushi did not participate in the exchange. There are fertile fields in other places that can accommodate the relocated frontier soldiers. "

Fang Chongyong waved his hand indifferently and said.

He knew what other people in the Yamen lobby were planning, and he also knew what they were worried about and what they were worried about.

If Fang Chongyong comes to Liangzhou alone, he will be the next scapegoat! Being ignored by this group of people.

The problem of smuggling on the Hexi trade route cannot be completely solved no matter what.

Smuggling is something supported by the grassroots, so even if the upper-level military leaders are persuaded, the people below will still cause trouble. To put it simply, bandits are everywhere in Hexi now and have a broad mass base.

As for the friendship and connections I had in Hexi back then, so what?

At that time, Hexi Qiu Baken and Fang Chongyong went through life and death. He was very popular in the local area because he could deliver a lot of coveted benefits to the local people.

So at that time he was the godfather here and the uncrowned king here!

And now, it is the time to "scratches the bones and cure the poison", to cut off the poisonous milk of these people! If you don’t have money to give, who will treat you like a green onion?

Fang Chongyong's first move to rectify Hexi was to dig up the roots and punch hard!

Don’t you low-level Qiuba like to make trouble? I will send you all to Hedong and Shuofang to make trouble! Let's see what kind of trouble you can make over there!

"Commander Jie, is there any room for redemption of the imperial decree?"

Guo Ziyi asked with a wry smile, and everyone present had similar expressions.

"Well, it depends on what the saint means. There is nothing I can do.

How about choosing one of you to be the governor of Hexi Province? Anyway, I don’t have any opinion. "

Fang Chongyong spread his hands and asked helplessly to everyone present.

　Not much to say, I understand everything I know and dig into the historical details

　　

　

(End of this chapter)