Li Yuanji had to admit that Xue Wanshu, Ma Zhou, and Samurai Yi, who later joined, had worked hard in this regard.
The famous Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal in later generations was built by Emperor Yang Guang of the Sui Dynasty at a huge cost. However, because the Tang Dynasty was always busy with the united front, it was not fully utilized.
As a result, the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, the lifeline that connects the north and the south, is now idle, and some river channels are even blocked because they have not been used for a long time and no one has dredged them.
Xue Wanshu, Ma Zhou warriors and Yi Neng not only managed the water transportation from Luoyang to Dizhou, but also noticed the value of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal and thought about making full use of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal. It can be seen that they have done a lot in this regard
Work.
Perhaps, they have sent people to visit various sections of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal and have a clear understanding of the specific conditions of each section of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal.
However, now everything in Luoyang is openly decided by Luoyang Ling, but secretly it is Li Shimin who has the final say.
In particular, the water transport terminals from Luoyang to Chang'an, and from Luoyang to Yuhang, are almost Li Shimin's words.
All the large ships parked on the pier are former Sui warships captured by Li Shimin during his campaign against Wang Shichong and Dou Jiande.
When Li Yuanji decided to do water transportation, the warships he exchanged from Li Shimin were among these.
In addition, Li Shimin not only placed the captured warships here, but also stationed the surrendered naval forces here.
Li Yuanji had previously used various methods to obtain part of the power of the Water Transport Yamen from Li Yuan, just to prevent Li Shimin from suddenly blocking Luoyang in the name of military exercises and getting himself into trouble.
If you want to develop water transportation from Luoyang to Yuhang, and from Yuhang to the Yangzhou estuary, you cannot avoid Li Shimin.
Some places even had to ask Li Shimin because Li Shimin controlled Luoyang.
Luoyang is also a terminus of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal and a transfer station for water transportation along the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal.
As long as we can establish a foothold in Luoyang and build a large terminal and several warehouses with extremely large cargo volumes, we can transport goods from the north and south to all major cities in the north and south.
Li Shimin simply cannot ignore the stakes and interests involved.
As a person who rebelled against the former Sui Dynasty, Li Shimin must have firmly believed that Yang Guang was a foolish emperor. However, privately, with his wisdom, he must have been very clear about Yang Guang's purpose of building the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal and the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal.
The true value of the canal.
Just because Li Shimin has not made full use of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal does not mean that he does not pay attention to the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal.
But compared to competing with Li Jiancheng, the matter of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal obviously can only be put aside for the time being.
But if Li Yuanji ran out to compete with Li Shimin for control of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal and planned to control most of the Tang Dynasty's water transportation, Li Shimin would definitely stop it.
so……
"It's a bit difficult to integrate the water transportation from Luoyang to Yuhang and Yuhang to Yangzhou into the government." Li Yuanji glanced at Xue Wanshu and sighed. Xue Wanshu also clearly knew where the resistance was.
But the value of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal is there. If he doesn't see it, he can pretend that he doesn't know anything. Since he sees it, he must report it to Li Yuanji.
As for how Li Yuanji would choose, and whether he would go and make a deal with Li Shimin, that was not his decision.
He just did his duty as a minister. Xue Wanshu sat in front of the short table and said nothing. Li Yuanji looked at Ling Jing and said, "What do you think about this?"
Ling Jing glanced at Xue Wanshu first, and then said very pertinently: "The value of water transportation from Luoyang to Yuhang, and Yuhang to Yangzhou is beyond doubt. There is no doubt about the benefits it can bring to His Highness's future influence and authority. It's just that we want to If we get the water transport from Luoyang to Yuhang, we cannot bypass His Highness the King of Qin. We can see the value of the water transport from Luoyang to Yuhang, and so can His Highness the King of Qin. I don't know whether His Highness the King of Qin will give in."
Li Yuanji nodded thoughtfully. Ling Jing's ideas coincided with his, so once he decided to do this, he would definitely go to Li Shimin to make a deal.
Only by making a deal can Li Shimin willingly give up the interests of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal.
However, Li Shimin will definitely open his mouth like a lion.
He invested so much in the water transportation from Luoyang to Dizhou, and showed the importance of water transportation. If he gets the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, his control of the water transportation in the Tang Dynasty will reach the top of the water transportation in the Tang Dynasty.
The benefits he can gain from water transportation every year are bound to be huge. Therefore, the value of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal to him far exceeds that of Li Shimin.
Li Shimin must be able to see this, and he must take advantage of this to raise the price. But he doesn't want to pay a high price.
Because Li Shimin now lacks almost everything except the position of prince.
If he went to Li Shimin to make a deal, Li Shimin would definitely let him go to help fight for the crown prince's position.
But he didn't want to help Li Shimin fight for the crown prince's position.
Li Yuanji thought about it, looked at Xue Wanshu and asked, "What does Ma Zhou think of this matter?"
Xue Wanshu recalled it and said: "What Ma Zhou means is that your Highness can try to communicate with His Highness the King of Qin first. If communication fails, you can try to share the benefits of water transportation from Luoyang to Yuhang with His Highness the King of Qin."
Li Yuanji nodded slowly.
In short, it is to first try to see if we can monopolize the water transportation from Luoyang to Yuhang. If not, we will see if we can jointly develop it with Li Shimin.
It's quite a good suggestion.
In the field of interests, there are never any enemies or hard-core allies. If you can't live alone, then share some of the interests.
It's better than eating nothing at all.
"Ma Zhou's proposal is somewhat feasible. I will try to discuss this matter with my second brother later."
Li Yuanji looked at Xue Wanshu and said.
Just as Xue Wanshu was about to nod, Li Yuanji said again: "But I can't guarantee that it will happen, so don't have high expectations."
If Li Shimin insists on clinging to the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, or if he uses this to make Li Yuanji turn to him, then Li Yuanji will have no choice but to give up on the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal.
No matter how good the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal is and no matter how much it can gain, it cannot give up its fundamentals. The fundamentals are at stake, and the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal is only a matter of interests.
You can't give up your life just because of profit. In that case, you will only have your life to make money, but not spend it. So what are you trying to do?
"I understand that I, Ma Zhou, and Samurai Yi don't have high expectations."
Xue Wanshu replied quickly, and then added with a smile: "After all, we have controlled all the water transportation terminals from Luoyang to Dizhou, and also controlled part of the water transportation terminals from Luoyang to Chang'an. The water transportation from Luoyang to Yuhang, and Yuhang to Yangzhou , for us, if it is the icing on the cake, if it is not, it will not affect anything. So I and Ma Zhou Shiyi are very open-minded."
Li Yuanji smiled with satisfaction and said: "It's good that you have such a mentality." Xue Wanshu smiled and said nothing. Li Yuanji did not mention this problem again, but asked Li Jing's question.
After Li Jing arrived in Hebei Province, everything he did was quite satisfactory, but it was only quite satisfactory, and there was nothing eye-catching about it.
If it were applied to other people, it wouldn't matter. If it was applied to Li Jing, it would be a bit unreasonable. After all, Li Jing's ability has been verified by history.
If he can't achieve a feat that spans the ages, then he's in the process of cleaning up. But if he doesn't have any bright spots, then it's a bit unreasonable.
"What do you and Ma Zhou think of Li Jing?"
Li Yuanji was not in a hurry to evaluate Li Jing's actions in Hebei Province. Instead, he first asked Xue Wanshu and Ma Zhou what they thought of Li Jing.
Xue Wanshu said frankly: "I feel that everything Li Jing did in Hebei Province was quite satisfactory, and there was nothing to be desired, but he did not make any mistakes. As for Ma Zhou... he felt that Li Jing was not sincerely helping His Highness, but just killing time." ."
Li Yuanji smiled and said, "So, Ma Zhou has opinions about Li Jing?" Xue Wanshu smiled dryly and said nothing. Ma Zhou didn't just have opinions about Li Jing.
I just can't stand it.
In Ma Zhou's words, Li Yuanji valued Li Jing so much and admired Li Jing so much that Li Jing should work hard to help Li Yuanji in order to repay Li Yuanji's love. Li Jing was unworthy of Li Yuanji if he did not work hard. His attention and appreciation are also worthy of his trust in Li Yuanji.
It's just that we are all ministers of the same palace now. From now on, we will not see each other when we look up.
Xue Wanshu didn't want to say this out loud, lest Ma Zhou and Li Jing would become angry over it.
Xue Wanshu got along well with Ma Zhou. They were already friends and even intended to introduce his cousin to Ma Zhou, so he did not want Ma Zhou and Li Jing to get into trouble.
Xue Wanshu could see that Li Jing was a man of great ability and a versatile man in both civil and military affairs.
Ma Zhou was just a pure civil servant. Although he was very capable, his status in the court would definitely not be as good as Li Jing's in the future, so Xue Wanshu did not want Ma Zhou to offend Li Jing to death.
After all, in the Tang Dynasty, Wu Xun's power, strength and status were far higher than those of civil servants. Ma Zhou offended Li Jing to death, and if he lost Li Yuanji's protection, there would definitely be no good consequences.
Seeing that Xue Wanshu was silent, Li Yuanji continued with a smile: "It's normal to have opinions. After all, Li Jing didn't really surrender to me, nor was he willing to be used by me, so he would definitely have some resistance when he helped me do things."
.Ma Zhou works for me wholeheartedly. When you meet someone like him who is just a vegetarian, it would be a problem if you don’t have any opinions."
"Then..." Xue Wanshu spoke subconsciously.
Li Yuanji waved his hand and interrupted Xue Wanshu, "Let Li Jing do whatever he wants. As long as he is still doing things and as long as he is not detrimental to me, then you should ignore him. This is a real thousand-mile horse."