Compete for the Song Dynasty

One month is fleeting. In the first few days, just after Yunzhang was dispatched to various places, all the managers in the Wang side returned to Bianjing. This speed is not slower than sending people to notify, and it saves A lot of manpower; in the middle days, the king was busy visiting his elders and colleagues; in the last few days, the imperial court asked the Ministry of Internal Affairs to prepare congratulatory gifts, and at the same time sent guards to escort them.In addition, the official document informs the prefectures and counties of the prefectures to be responsible for the security of congratulatory gifts, and now they are waiting for Wang Pang to lead the team to set off.

What worries Wang Pang the most is the body of his adoptive father Bao Zheng, who has been ill intermittently for more than half a year.Fortunately, Bao Zheng felt much better these days, thinking that Wang Pang would leave Bianjing again, he happened to have nothing to do today, he used to change into casual clothes and go out for a walk, but now he is much lazy.He summoned the old housekeeper in casual clothes: "Brother, we haven't gone out for a walk for a while." Bao Zheng has a deep friendship with the old housekeeper in private.

Bao Zheng and the housekeeper are both in their 70s and [-]s, and they wandered along the street to the Meyer Mansion.Bao Zheng looked at the plaque on it and asked Bao Xing: "It's here, look, who can have a weird name except Wang Pang."

Bao Xing smiled, and the two of them helped each other up to the platform in front of the gate of Mayer's Mansion. The gate of Mayer's Mansion was open, and there were two servants standing at the door, chatting and laughing.Seeing Bao Zheng and Bao Zheng, Jia Dingjia greeted them with a smile: "These two old gentlemen, my young master is discussing matters in the hall. I will take you two to the lobby to rest and wait."

He said that he was going to lead the way, and Bao Zheng thought it was interesting. Although Wang Pang was also a fourth-rank official, the gate of the house was not as heavily guarded as other official houses, and it was easy to go in and out. He smiled and asked Ding Jia in the corridor: "If I Didn't you come to see the son?" [

The servant still laughed happily: "My lord, you see that the son is in the capital these few days, and he is here to see him. I said it smoothly. If you are looking for other masters who are in charge, I will take you there too. Later in the hall, I will invite you to come and see you after the young master has finished discussing with those masters."

Bao Zheng and Bao Xing looked at each other with expressions of admiration, most of the servants in the house could tell the character of the master.In some houses, wanting to see a master and servant is like a stumbling block, and most of them are also because of the connivance of the master of the house.

Now the king is discussing matters, and he himself is not in a hurry, so Bao Zheng asked the servant again: "If I don't want to see anyone, I just want to stroll around the house?" Bao Xing snickered, Bao Zheng is here Interested.

The servant was taken aback, this old man is a bit interesting, but the young master usually has an explanation, and he is courteous to everyone. Besides, it is not uncommon for people who come to Mayer Mansion to see how the Mayer Mansion is run, but they are not so big. He still smiled and said: "If you want to stroll around the house, I won't accompany you around. You see, the front yard is where the house does business. The east and west yards are divided between us. Jinxiang Mansion and Yunxuan Tea Farm entertain guests and discuss matters. The hall is where we entertain guests; there is a corner door over there, do you see it? It used to be the garden of the mansion, you two can sit in the garden. Young Master and the others discuss matters In the hall at the back, as for the cross courtyard of the garden, and the place where the young master and servants live in the back, it will be inconvenient for you two to go."

After Jia Dingjia finished the introduction in one breath, Bao Zheng burst out laughing, Wang Pang really had a way, he said: "Old brother, shall we hang out?" good.The two of them walked inside, and the servant Ding Jia at the door turned his head to look at the servant Ding B and said, "You look stupid, why don't you open your mouth and say something for me?"

Ding Yi, the family member, regained his composure and said, "Oh, you don't know me. You're the only one who talks a lot. If I had to, I would have called the young master."

Jia Dingjia asked inexplicably, "What's wrong?"

Jia Ding Yi pointed to Bao Zheng's back and said: "Do you know who this is? This matter is in charge of the three divisions in charge of the imperial censor Zhongcheng who sits in Kaifeng Mansion, our son's adoptive father, Prime Minister Bao."

Ding Jia pointed at Ding Yi angrily and said: "You, don't tell me sooner, you said go, but you are going?" He turned around to chase after him, but Ding Yi grabbed him: "You are stupid, Prime Minister Bao didn't say anything. Do you want to go for a stroll by yourself? Do you dare to interrupt the young master's business?"

The two of them were discussing, Bao Zheng and Bao Xing had already entered the mansion, seeing people everywhere were busy, it seemed that it was common to have strangers in the mansion, and no one asked them much, the two came to the garden of the mansion , the garden is not very big, but the layout is exquisite.I heard someone talking in the hall in the garden.Bao Zheng approached and heard the voice of Wang Pang.

He looked from the door. Although these people were all around the table, the long table was made up of several square tables. The king sat at the first place and arranged it there in a serious way: "This matter is for the shopkeeper to trouble you. It's a coincidence that Bao Zheng came here, Wang Pang just finished explaining that shopkeeper He went to Xixia to supervise the affairs of the saltworks and pharmaceutical factory, Bao Zheng didn't know the best.

"Wu Ling is in charge of lime production; Lu Shenyan is in charge of tea farms in Yanzhou and Lanzhou on the border between Xia and Song Dynasties; Cai Jing is in charge of tea farms in the capital; in the past two years, the coal farms have been cooked well, and Yin Shijie has to worry about Jin Xiangfu, the coal used in the capital will be taken over first; the transportation will be handed over to Jiao Deyou, as for Jinxiu Road, Cui Fu will take care of it... Do you have any questions?"

It was interesting for Bao Zheng to look sideways at this, but he couldn't do this eavesdropping thing, so he turned around and left, and asked in a muffled tone with some difficulty: "The lime that was produced before has already They are all used for the expansion of Jincheng according to what the young master said, and the surrounding prefectures and counties are rushing to ask for this lime, who will give it to whom?"

"No!" Wang Pang said resolutely, and after he finished speaking, he looked at Lu Shenyan: "Since it is open to discuss, when you go to Yanzhou, you will visit the prefect Zhongyi. We will use it in the expansion of Jincheng, just for trial use. Verify After that, I will transport the lime to the border and strengthen the border city."

This kid is really loyal to the imperial court. Bao Zheng praised him in his heart when he heard this. Just as he was about to praise Wang Pang to Bao Xing, he heard Wang Pang go on to say: "The court has to pay for these infrastructure constructions. If we want to make money, we have to make a lot of money." .”

Hey boy!I only think about earning money from the court every day, so I have to educate him.Just when he was about to enter the house to make money, he heard Wang Pang say again: "However, no matter what you do, you must remember our signboard, especially the quality of this lime must be guaranteed, and it must not be made into that black-hearted project of bean curd residue. If this Something happened, but it's a matter of life and death."

Wang Pang had a conscience, after listening to Bao Zheng, he turned around and wanted to leave, Bao Xing watched him turn around, didn't know that he wanted to leave and stay, this time he turned back and forth two or three times, even Bao Zheng himself My head is dizzy.

Just as he was hesitating, he saw a person walking in front of him and saluted respectfully: "I met Prime Minister Bao in Xiahe Libo, how did you get to the mansion?"

Bao Zheng has always been generous in his work. He didn't intend to listen to it, and it's not taboo to listen to his son's discussion. He said with a smile: "I have never been to Pang'er's house. I miss my baby today, so come and see. Why?" Riba, where do you come from, because you don't discuss business inside?" [

Di Qingju once worked on an errand for He Libo in the Kaifeng Mansion for a few days back then, and Bao Zheng also had a good impression of He Libo, and knew that he was the king's right-hand man, so he was naturally surprised to see He Libo come back from outside.

"Oh! I'm traveling with the young master this time, and I just went to check and prepare some things for the road..."

In the hall, Wang Pang seemed to hear someone talking outside, as if Prime Minister Bao was mentioned, Cai Jing stood up and looked at it: "Young master, your adoptive father, Prime Minister Bao, has come to the mansion in person."

Upon hearing this, Wang Pang hurried out of the hall, and everyone followed behind.Wang Pang was very happy to see Bao Zheng coming.Unexpectedly, the adoptive father came to see him in person.He led the crowd to salute Bao Zheng in a hurry, and Prime Minister Bao looked at the king with a smile, and said in his heart that this kid is a bit smart, and there are seven or eight people behind him, men, women, old and young, all smart and capable.He laughed and greeted everyone: "You do your work first, and I will walk around."

Wang Pang saw that the important matter had been discussed just now, so he personally accompanied Bao Zheng to visit the house.The father and son were talking and laughing, and Mr. Bao had watched the whole house in a short while.

Bao Zheng saw that the front yard of Wang's mansion was busy going in and out of business, but it could be seen that it was in order; the second time he entered the courtyard, it was quiet, and there was a study room where four or five children of similar age were studying.Bao Zheng pointed to a round-headed man who was sleeping with a book in his arms and asked with a smile, "This one must be your foster son Xiao Xiao."

Wang Pang smiled and replied, "Yes, the one over there is He Xingyuan's son He Zhu, and the others are the children of the family members Ding."

Bao Zheng understood why all the people in the family were working hard, and now he felt more at ease with his godson. "Besides, I'm here today to tell you that it's not a big deal to go to the Liao Kingdom to celebrate your birthday. If you want to avoid disputes, go back early."

Wang Ping Ting said that, could it be that Bao Zheng already knew about He Libo, but it didn't feel like it. If Bao Zheng knew, he would definitely not write a letter to He Libo, and just told himself to go back.

"Boy, I would like to follow the teachings of my adoptive father. I know that my adoptive father was also an envoy to Liao. Does what my adoptive father mean by saying that the Hu people and the Han people have deep grievances? Afraid that my trip will be unsafe?"

Bao Zheng looked at Wang Pang: This kid is smart and capable, and he always feels that Wang Pang is different from ordinary people: "My son is too nosy, and now I heard that the emperor Yelu Hongji ignored the government, officials in the court and the people They are full of complaints. I am afraid that if you go, you will be like in Xixia again, and you will not be able to control the injustice. I am afraid that you will not be able to control it."

Listening to this, the king understood that the situation in the Liao Dynasty mentioned by He Libo's family letter was true, but was it true that Yelu Zhongyuan wanted to rebel?

Bao Zheng looked around again, he felt something was wrong since he entered the mansion, now he finally understood, he asked Wang Pang: "Who is the chief steward of your mansion?"

Wang Bang didn't know when his adoptive father was, so he ordered someone to call Lu Shenyan.Bao Zheng said to Lu Shenyan: "You go and meet Bao Xing at my house, and ask your wife to pay 1000 taels of silver. Hurry up, I said it's so awkward to call in, and this mansion is too small!"