Dawn of the Empire

Chapter 138 Send Yu Yuqi Pavilion (5)

Zhao Xingde brought Theodore back to Chengying Army's camp, and registered it with Jin Changtai, the marching commander, and hundreds of followers were recorded on the roster as conscripted Fanbing.It's a pity that letting them fight with swords is still a little worse.Later, Chengyingying will also make waist badges for these people, and then customize a set of uniforms for the attendants.These attendants also live in the barracks, and compared with the busy master, some seem redundant.The soldiers of the Chengying Camp took care of everything by themselves. At the beginning, the attendants couldn't "intervene" at all, so they could only wait by the side with a sad face, asking this and that.

Theodore thought in his heart, "When you have nothing to do, it's not far to get out." He kept introducing to Zhao Xingde the theaters in the city, assembly halls, luxurious public baths, garden colonnades along the street, tall granaries, Aqueducts extending in all directions, magnificent churches and palaces.Whenever Zhao Xingde showed interest, he immediately beamed with glee and talked about it.

Zhao Xingde also learned to instruct his entourage to run errands faster than other sergeants. After all, he had experienced a life in Li's residence where he stretched out his hands for clothes and opened his mouth for food.The sergeants had more leisure time, and Duan Huaixian also spent more energy instructing them to make up for their personal shortcomings.He especially asked Zhao Xingde to strengthen his close combat practice.

Duan Huaixian also gave Zhao Xingde a special military job. "Concerning Lumei's national situation, make a policy statement. Be careful, and don't rush to submit it to the General's Mansion." Duan Huaixian patted Zhao Xingde's shoulder meaningfully and said, "This is an important military affairs of our battalion. Since you have read military books, you can Take it with all your strength." After speaking, taking advantage of Zhao Xingde's stunned effort, he slashed with a horizontal knife, which made him break out in a cold sweat.

In the early morning of this day, Chen Xizhai's entourage brought a message to Zhao Xingde, asking him to go to Wangdong Tower at Zhulian Wharf.This Wangdong Building is located on the bank of Zhulian Wharf in the south of Lumei City. Looking out from the Yage Pavilion on the third floor, it is close to the wharf, and there are many ships. Vendors clad in bric-a-brac yelled, jugglers blew their trumpets.

The wharf was extremely noisy, but the Yage upstairs was quiet amidst the noise. Xia Guoguo's envoy Chen Xizhai and centurion Zhao De sat facing each other on their knees.Although this Chen Xizhai was over forty years old, he had a white face and beardless appearance, and he was holding a teacup in his hand, with a pensive look in his eyes occasionally.Regardless of his official position or age, Zhao De always treats him with the courtesy of a junior.

Chen Xizhai said with a slight smile: "There are nearly a thousand Wochao merchants living around this restaurant. Although the taste is not as good as in Chang'an, it is rare in Lumei." He bit the word "Wochao" very hard, It was only later that Zhao Xingde found out that many of the nearly [-] merchants living in Lumei City were merchants from the east of the Yangtze River who moved here, but in the household registration registration of the Lumei Kingdom court, they all claimed to be Xia people to enjoy lower tariffs.The main purpose of Chen Xizhai's mission to Lumei was to protect the safety and interests of these business travelers.

At this time, the door of the Accord was pushed open, and the waiter came in with a big dish, Chen Xizhai stopped talking, and pointed out some sea views of Zhulian Port to Zhao Xingde with a smile.

The waiter put the dishes on the table one by one. There are not only middle-earth flavors such as fish sticks, roasted lamb, candied fruit, glutinous rice cakes with sausage enema, but also honey egg pancakes, fried twists and other reed eyebrows.However, compared with Zhongtu, this guy's attitude was a little less enthusiastic, and he didn't have the tongue to boast about the dishes. After reporting the names of the dishes, he withdrew.

After exchanging pleasantries, Chen Xizhai asked, "I wonder what the military envoy Zhao thinks about Lumei Kingdom's status?"

Zhao Xingde was taken aback, because Duan Huaixian said "not in a hurry to submit", he was not very eager to understand the situation of Lumei Kingdom, but only vaguely remembered that Constantinople seemed to be captured by the Turks, so he said casually: " When I first arrived in Lumei, my subordinates saw that the strength of the Lumei country was like the sun was fading to the west, and the Dashi Turks in the east were Lumei's great enemies."

As soon as these words came out, Chen Xizhai's face changed slightly. Zhao De was responsible for observing the situation of Lumei, and the relevant official documents also came to Chen Xizhai. In a word, it is so far-fetched. "Could it be that Mrs. Zhang Shan has lost his eye?" Chen Xizhai thought to himself, and said calmly, "Mr. Zhao has a good opinion."

Zhao Xingde felt a little ashamed, and humbly said: "It's just a glimpse of the leopard, and it's not important, the envoy praised it. The situation in Lumei country, I have to ask the envoy Chen for advice." He has experienced the world and observed his face. ', Chen Xizhai disagreed.After he finished speaking, he poured Chen Xizhai's newly arrived Lumei fragrant tea. Chen Xizhai was quite impressive both in terms of qualifications and knowledge, and there was a hint of kindness in his demeanor and speech. He was a person who could listen to more opinions.

Chen Xizhai nodded slightly, relieved his breath, and said in a deep voice: "In my opinion, in the long run, the Venetians in the West are gradually depleting Lumei Kingdom's financial resources. This Lumei Kingdom is maintained entirely by mercenaries, and the treasury is getting worse Embarrassment, unable to pay the military salary, is a matter of life and death. Recently, the marriage between the widowed Lumei Princess Anna and King Ross has been secretly promoted. Once this happens, Ross may annex the Lumei Kingdom. Eyebrow, the country's strength has risen greatly, but it is not conducive to this dynasty." He paused for a while, and then said, "I don't know how to observe the situation in Lumei Kingdom, how do you plan to proceed?"

Zhao Xingde said with a smile: "I just can't get in through the door, so I ask the envoy Chen to enlighten me."

Chen Xizhai handed it over to others because he wanted to influence Zhao De with his own views on Lumei, so as not to miss important national affairs. If you don't care about 'naked' and 'exposed' bodies, public baths are also a good place." He smiled slightly, Lumei people like to bathe in pools, from the princes and nobles to the market Chinese people spend half a day in the bath, chatting about everything, similar to a Chinese teahouse.

Zhao Xingde nodded to indicate that he had written it down, and Chen Xizhai said again: "The classics that record the important affairs of the Lumei state can be consulted in the library of Constantine City. There is no barrier to entry and exit." He smiled and said, "When the time comes, I will take you to a banquet with some Lumei princes and nobles, and you can listen to their discussions more, so that you can truly understand that Lumei Kingdom is unknown to outsiders some inside information."

Zhao Xingde quickly thanked him.With Chen Xizhai's help in observing Lu Mei, it really got twice the result with half the effort and saved a lot of trouble.After talking about the business, Chen Xizhai asked Zhao Xingde a lot about Dunhuang and Chang'an. When he talked about the scenery of his hometown, Chen Xizhai was very embarrassed.He was originally from Dunhuang, but now he has been the ambassador of Lumei Kingdom for XX years.

In the days that followed, Zhao Xingde followed Chen Xizhai's instructions, went in and out of the squares and bathing pools of Lumei City, and listened to the conversations of Lumei people. Gradually, he discovered that Lumei's country was in decline, and it was somewhat similar to Kanto. place.He has already developed the habit of recording his thoughts and feelings, and sending the essence to Chen Dong of the Neo-Confucian Society for discussion. That night, Zhao Xingde wrote: "The Lumei system collapsed and its foundation was shaken. And the military system The fruit of collapse comes from the cause of the collapse of the land system."

A few months later, Chen Dong opened the unnamed letter. "...On the other hand, our dynasty did not establish a land system, but allowed it to be merged. The rich landed in Lianzhou County, and they could not get enough money. Nearly half of what came out of the tenants' fields belonged to the rich households. Farmers were busy all the time. Besides farming and weaving, they also Practicing miscellaneous business, there is more food for the stomach. Once the court's Baojia law came out, it took time to practice, making the poor suffer from hunger and cold, and the people complained. The decline of the Lumei Kingdom is enough for me to learn from the future. If you want to revitalize the country Therefore, we must first establish a field system so that the cultivators have their fields, can eat their strength and have leisure time, and then they can teach war defense..."

Chen Dong put down the letter, and took a deep breath. Zhao Xingde's insight was good, but unfortunately, since the collapse of the land equalization system in the Northern Dynasties, Sui and Tang Dynasties, this dynasty did not establish a land system.The theory of the Litian system is slightly advocated by Lishe, which will help win the hearts of the people.But if you really want to implement it, it is tantamount to making enemies of the princes of the Manchu Dynasty and the scholars of the world.

Zhao Xingde only had occasional impressions, just scribbling casually.After sending the letter, he went to the library of Constantine to look up some records of how the Lumei imperial district system and land system collapsed. The Lumei Kingdom is also interesting, and many princes and ministers wrote books to criticize this matter. , but no one can reverse this situation. Everyone watched the building collapse, and every rescue action made it fall even more.One day, Zhao Xingde stood on a high shelf looking for a classic, but he couldn't find it, and was about to give up.A pair of bare hands stretched out the parchment in front of him, "Are you looking for this one?"