Ji Tang

Chapter 1034 Lingnan Feng Family
"Oh, right!"

Ji Song seemed to remember something and said with a smile: "It's a little unreasonable not to visit your father this time when I come to Lingnan, but I really can't get away now."

"In this way, if I can return with a great victory this time, I will definitely go to see your father."

"If you lose."

He smiled and said, "It's okay if I don't see you!"

After saying that, he walked towards the ship. At this time, hundreds of warships were moored in the port, which looked particularly spectacular.White sails and blue sea, seabirds chirping, the soldiers were not idle at this time, and were also practicing under their respective generals.

Feng Zhidai was a little confused when he heard Ji Song's words, but when he saw the person leaving, he quickly followed him.

"Nice place!"

Ji Song looked at the scene in front of him, especially the unique scenery in Hainan, and sighed for a while.

"Yes, it's really nice here. It's not as cold as in the north, and there's no shortage of food. It's just that the population is too small."

Facing Feng Zhidai's words, Ji Song smiled: "If you have anything to say, just say it. Although it is our first time to meet, I still see you and Feng's achievements in Lingnan, as long as they are not excessive. , this Guild will agree at its discretion."

"Thank you, Mr. Zhidai!"

Feng Zhidai said happily: "It is said that Mr. Xi has the ability to turn stone into gold in Chang'an. I wonder if you can give me a clear path to the Lingnan policy?"

"We, the Feng clan, will definitely be grateful for the kindness of Duke Xie!"

After saying that, he was about to bow down, but Ji Song stopped him!
"Hey, it doesn't have to be like this!"

Ji Song glanced at him and said: "Lingnan is rich in products and resources. If rice is planted in some places, it will be harvested three times a year. It is not an exaggeration to call such a place a treasure."

"But since the pre-Qin Dynasty, it has been excluded from the Central Plains. The reason for this must be clearer than mine. There are many mountains here, and there are many mountain people. The mountain people are tough and unruly, and they have many conflicts with the Han people. It was Mrs. Xian's kindness that made people here respect her so much."

"If you want to develop Lingnan, you must understand the advantages and disadvantages of Lingnan. In my opinion, Lingnan's advantages are obvious, that is, it is rich in products and close to the sea. If you want to improve the situation of the people in Lingnan, education and economy are indispensable!"

"Education can make people know etiquette, understand shame, and understand truth. Economy can make people have enough food and clothing and know etiquette. These are mutually reinforcing things. How to change it depends on your determination."

Feng Zhidai trembled all over, thinking of what his father said to him, he immediately admired him extremely.

"Please give me some advice from Mr. Xi!"

Ji Song was not pretentious and said: "As the saying goes, if you want to be rich, you must first build roads and sort out the roads in Lingnan. This can make Lingnan materials go out of the mountains and forests and become something that improves people's lives. But this is difficult for the court to do, and it cannot do it. . At this time, Lingnan is still wary of the imperial court. Once the imperial court launches a major war in Lingnan, it will inevitably cause local turmoil and panic."

"Mr. Xi!"

Feng Zhidai wanted to explain when he heard this, but was interrupted by Ji Song with a wave of his hand.

"This is a fact. Even without you Feng, the result would be the same. Don't worry!"

Ji Song's words made Feng Zhidai feel a little calmer, but he wondered: "Isn't there a better way? If the court does not support it, the poverty in Lingnan will simply not be able to bear it."

Ji Song was surprised and said: "Who said the imperial court doesn't support it? This is a good thing. Once Lingnan is developed, it will be a huge good thing for the Tang Dynasty. How can it not support it?"

Feng Zhidai said doubtfully: "Then what you just said?"

"You, what can I tell you? It's just inconvenient for the court to come forward. Your Feng family has huge prestige in the local area. If you can take the initiative to bring this matter up, you don't need to do anything big. You just need to use one place as a pilot. Wait. After the roads are opened, merchants gather, and the people become rich, without us saying anything else, those people will cry and beg the court to develop Lingnan."

"We will guide one or two more from it, suppress the die-hard elements, and win over people who are pro-Tang Dynasty. In less than a hundred years, Lingnan will be no worse than Jiangdong and other places."

Feng Zhidai was breaking out in cold sweat at this time and felt that his whole back was soaked.

Such a thing that manipulates people's hearts seems so insignificant in this man's eyes. No wonder his father said that Ji Song should not be offended!

"Another one is that Lingnan is close to the sea. This is a natural advantage. It is a matter of God's blessing. The resources of the sea are a hundred times as rich as those of the mainland. It is said that the species in this sea are enough to feed the people along the coast. In addition, the sea water can It’s hard to get rich even if you think about it with the benefit of salt!”

"What you have to do is plant sycamore trees and attract golden phoenixes. As long as the infrastructure is in place, are you afraid that no one will come? The sea is so dangerous and people flock to it, let alone Lingnan, which is so close at hand?"

Feng Zhidai bowed and said in admiration: "Zhi Dai is convinced! Everything in Lingnan is like reading a text on the palm of the hand in the eyes of Lord Xi. It is clearly visible. On behalf of the people of Lingnan and his father, Zhidai would like to thank Lord Xi for his guidance!"

"Hey, you're making yourself public when you say this!"

Ji Song waved his hand and said indifferently: "Even if I don't tell you, you will slowly figure it out, not to mention that you, the Feng family, take the overall situation into consideration."

Feng Zhidai also understood what Ji Song meant by saying this. It was just for the sake of their Feng family's knowledge.When the war broke out at the end of the Sui Dynasty, Feng Anhui came to Lingnan, and quickly controlled many places with the legacy of Mrs. Xian.If the separate regime had been established in the first place, and given the complex geographical environment of Lingnan, it would have been possible for one of the separate regimes to do so, not to mention dividing the territory into kings.

But an imperial edict from the imperial court allowed Lingnan to surrender to the Tang Dynasty. This is the merit of the Feng family, and no one can erase this!

"For example, Yazhou is doing very well now. It is expanding its port and becoming a supply and resting place for passing merchant ships. Although it is just the beginning, you must have seen the benefits. The annual increase in taxes is proof of this."

Ji Song said with some admiration.

"Gong Xin and Liao praised it!"

Feng Zhidai said humbly: "Being an official is just picking up people's teeth. Compared with Mingzhou and Dengzhou, Yazhou is still a child and can only eat scraps."

"That's much better than before!"

Ji Song interrupted him and said: "Achievements are achievements, you don't have to be humble. Now that the Tang Dynasty is at peace and the Holy Emperor is on the throne, it's time for you to show off your grand plans. Go ahead and do it. As long as you stick to your roots. You don't have to worry about anything else. The important officials in the imperial court see clearly that as long as it is beneficial to the Tang Dynasty and the people, there are no taboos."

Feng Zhidai was shocked, his eyes brightened, and he said loudly: "No!"

Three days later, Ji Song Yang Fan set sail and headed south. What followed was bound to be an earth-shattering battle. It was also the largest naval battle with the largest number of participants in human history since ancient times. It will definitely be recorded in the annals of history.

Not long after Ji Song left, a five thousand stone ship appeared at Yazhou port.Feng Zhidai, who had received the news early, had been waiting at the port for a long time.

Feng An, courtesy name Mingda, was a virtuous man from Gaozhou.The grandson of Feng Bao, the governor of Gaoliang, and Mrs. Xian, the wife of Qiaoguo, and the son of Feng Pu, the governor of Shilong.Feng An had little strategy, was brave and good at fighting, and was appointed as the county magistrate of Songkang in the early days.

After quelling the uprising of Wang Zhongxuan, he was appointed governor of Gaozhou. He successively quelled the rebellions of the Xiu people in Chaozhou, Chengzhou and other five states. He was awarded the title of Doctor Jin Ziguanglu and the governor of Hanyang.

He followed Emperor Yang Guang of the Sui Dynasty on his expedition to Liaodong and moved to the left as General Wuwei.After the fall of the Sui Dynasty, Feng Ang returned to Lingnan, gathered tens of thousands of people, and appointed himself leader. He relied on Lin Shihong, the warlord of Lingnan, to defeat the bandit commanders Gao Facheng, Xian Baoche and others in Guangzhou and Xinzhou, and occupied the areas of Guangzhou, Cangwu, and Zhuya. He took the post of general manager of Lingnan and managed it well, stabilizing the situation in Lingnan and making the area peaceful.

In the fifth year of Wude, he surrendered to the Tang Dynasty and was awarded the title of Shangzhu Guo, Gaozhou Governor, and Geng Guogong.

He suppressed the rebellion of the people in various caves in Luodou and was praised by Li Shimin.Diligent and clear-minded, he is deeply loved by the people and subordinates.

Feng Ang is 65 years old this year, but at this time he is powerful and powerful. He is tall and powerful.Even though he has white hair now, his power is so powerful that people dare not look directly at him.

When he got off the boat, he saw that his second son had been waiting for him for a long time, and he rarely smiled.He had many children, but not many of them became talented. This time, he was the one he was most optimistic about.If nothing else happens, the Lingnan Feng Family will rely on him to support them in the future.

"Meet Father!"

"Meet Duke Geng!"

Feng Ang nodded expressionlessly and said in a deep voice: "Zhidai stays, you all go and do your work!"

"promise!"

Soon, under the guidance of Feng Zhidai, Feng An came to the Yazhou Governor's Mansion. He sat at the top of the list, and Feng Zhidai could only stand aside and obey his orders!
"Sit down, you are already the governor of a state, don't be like you were when you were a kid!"

But Feng Zhidai smiled and said: "In front of his father, a son will always be the same person he was when he was a child."

"You!"

Feng Ang gave a bitter smile and said, "Okay, sit down, I'll get upset when you stand and talk!"

"Hey!"

Feng Zhidai didn't speak at this time and sat obediently at the bottom.

After a pause, Feng Ang asked, "Is Ji Song gone?"

"Yes, I just left three days ago!"

"Are there any tasks left?"

Feng Zhidai hurriedly said: "The rest is nothing, just asking me to raise food and grass in Yazhou, but the amount is a bit large, enough to support an army of [-] for a year!"

"so much?"

Feng Ang was also shocked. It was difficult to collect so much grain even though it was harvested three times a year in some places in Lingnan. Why did he need so much grain?
"The Duke of the State of Yi has an eagle taming business. He received news from the imperial court that his Majesty issued an order to recruit large ships of more than [-] stones across the country. No matter they were from aristocratic families or private merchant ships, they were all included in the recruitment. And all of them were bound for Dengzhou and Mingzhou. Accept the modifications from the imperial court and convert them all into warships or transport ships."

wow~
Even someone like Feng An, who had seen the world, suddenly changed his face at this moment. What was he going to do?By mobilizing large ships of more than [-] stones across the country, is this going to start an unprecedented naval battle?
"Say, tell me everything you know. I thought it was just a formal crushing battle, but now it seems that it is wrong. It is not a simple conquest of traitors. It is clearly an unprecedented war!"

Feng Zhidai didn't dare to neglect, and immediately told everything he knew about the kiss.

After listening to his son's words, Feng Ang couldn't calm down for a long time. When he heard Ji Song's views on victory and defeat, he was even more incredible!

"Father, my son didn't quite understand what he meant at the time. Logically speaking, given his ability, he shouldn't be so pessimistic, but my son felt that he was going on this trip with the idea that he would be successful if he didn't succeed."

He wondered: "Are there other variables in this battle?"

Now it can be said that Datang mobilized the whole country to deal with this war. If it failed, he didn't know what would happen.But it is foreseeable that once it fails, Datang's power at sea will be greatly weakened. I don't know whether this is a good thing or a bad thing for Lingnan!
"You are right. Ji Song did have the idea of ​​​​perish together and become a benevolent person if he fails. I don't know much about Ji Song's father. When His Majesty entertained me in Chang'an, Ji Song was by the side. My father could see it. Ji Song holds a very important position in His Majesty’s heart, and this is not a treatment that ordinary ministers can receive!”

"And he has a very good relationship with the King of Wei, the King of Wu, and the prince. The queen treats him like a nephew. A few years ago, he was canonized as the Duke of the State of Xi, and he also had a good title of retiring with the country. A title. It can be said that a father would never dare to think of such treatment!"

Feng Ang said with emotion: "Not only that, this man is talented in literature and is already a great master at a young age. He has great military achievements and superb martial arts. He is second to none in the Tang Dynasty."

"I even heard that he has the power of the God of Wealth. He founded the Tang Dynasty Royal Academy, which was also the former Taibai Academy. You may not know much about it, but he was appointed by His Majesty to take his father to visit the academy. . Even now, as a father, I dare not forget it."

"An academy gathers all the talents from all over the world. Thousands of scholars graduate every year. They are all accomplished talents, and any one of them has the talent of a county. Such a situation has left the family with no place to use it. . So after His Majesty’s intimidation, the family saw the formality clearly and took the initiative to negotiate with His Majesty. This is how the family’s subsequent trip to the sea took place.”

Feng Zhidai was stunned when he heard this. He didn't expect that one person could do so many things?They were all earth-shattering events, and they were all successful!

"Then the Five Surnames Qiwang and the aristocratic family have never thought of fighting back?"

Feng An sneered: "Counterattack? How to counterattack?"

"It is true that the Five Surnames and Seven Hopes have accumulated thousands of years of experience, but the Ji family is not bad, and they are allied with the Zheng family, and there are different voices within the family. In addition, the Jiangdong family has surrendered, and the Xungui Group is behind it. The emperor supports him, who can stand up to him?"

"Are you trying to explain it but you can't do it?"

Feng Zhidai's little idea was exposed by his father, and he was a little embarrassed, but he still nodded.

"Yeah, it's not like they've done it overtly. It's not like they haven't done it over the years. But do you think they really haven't done it?"

Feng Zhidai was stunned and said in disbelief: "They really did this? But..."

"But isn't Mrs. Ji doing well now?"

Feng Ang said disdainfully: "Do you really think that the Ji family is made of clay? How can a family that has been passed down since the beginning of the Zhou Dynasty have no knowledge? The Ji family has two hundred private soldiers, each of whom is a good hand, proficient in assassination and infiltration. Once upon a time 100 men broke an army of 3000. I have fought so many fights for Ji over the years. And this private army was tacitly approved by His Majesty."

"They can't do it openly, but they suffer a big loss secretly. What do you think they can do? If they really make Ji's family anxious, and they don't care about it, they will just wait to be retaliated against!"

Finally, Feng Ang said: "You must cooperate fully with the things he arranges for you, and you must not slack off at all. This time may be an opportunity for me, Feng, too. As my father is old and I don't know how long I can live, it's time to I’ll find a way out for you.”

Feng Ang said with some emotion.

(End of this chapter)