"Aunt, if it were someone else or another place, it would definitely not be possible to do this."
Zhang Xingyi moved a chair and sat in front of the couch, "But the Protector Qiang Colonel's Mansion is different. That, uh, brother of the Feng family is different too."
"What's different?"
Huang Yueying's eyes were burning and she asked Zhang Xingyi.
"Because the Colonel Protecting Qiang is a brother of the Feng family!"
Zhang Xingyi said matter-of-factly:
"In Longyou, no matter whether it's a barbarian tribe, a big local clan, or even aristocratic families coming from Shu, they only recognize two people."
Zhang Xingyi raised a finger and said, "One is the Prime Minister. This goes without saying."
Then he put up the second one and said, "There is another one, brother of the Feng family."
"When Longyou was first pacified, the wealthy families in Longyou wanted to send many beautiful Kabuki concubines to their homes to show their attachment."
When Zhang Xingyi said this, she looked upright, "It's just that the Feng family brother is not good at beauty, so he sternly refused."
"However, the current state of the Qiang lieutenant's palace in the Han Dynasty is very different from that in the past. It is not as simple as just protecting the Hu people."
"Those people I mentioned earlier, just dividing the pasture, I don't know how many people's interests are affected."
The tribe has its own fixed pasture.
The rich people from Sichuan came to Pingxiang to open workshops and provide money and food for the pastures. It was definitely not because they had too much money and food and no place to spend it.
As a local snake, the local wealthy people in Longyou naturally cannot just watch others eat meat.
The most successful among them are the Jiang family, one of the four surnames in Tianshui, and the Li family in Longyou.
The Jiang family released Jiang Wei, a sergeant from Liangzhou, although there was a certain element of gambling involved.
But more importantly, the Jiang family had great hopes for the Northern Expedition of the Han Dynasty.
After all, judging from the situation at that time, the Han army had just left Qishan, and the situation was very good. All the counties in Longyou rebelled against Wei and returned to Han.
So the risk of this gamble is not too high.
It later proved that the Jiang family had indeed won the bet.
"It's just that the current affairs of the Protector Qiang Colonel's Mansion have never been done before. Not to mention the Qiang and Hu, even a wealthy family has no rules in mind."
"If it were anyone else, it would definitely not be possible to greet guests and accept gifts by making excuses like this. But Brother Feng is different. After all, with his reputation..."
When Zhang Xingyi mentioned Feng Yong's reputation, not only Huang Yueying, but also Guan Ji, who was leaning on the couch, looked over with strange eyes.
Zhang Xingyi noticed the look between the two of them and quickly defended, "I mean brother Feng's reputation for making money, not any other reputation..."
Yes, the more you draw, the darker it gets!
"Oh, anyway, what I mean is that Brother Feng is no better than others. On the surface, he is accepting gifts lavishly, but in fact, he is just trying to appease everyone."
The look on Huang Yueying's face became more and more weird: "I always think your words are weird. You accept gifts so generously, and you also receive a good thing?"
Seeing that Zhang Xingyi wanted to say something else, Huang Yueying waved her hand, "But what you said makes sense."
"Feng Mingwen's behavior is indeed different from others. If other officials say they want to collect money, they are most likely greedy for money. But when Feng Mingwen says he wants to collect money, no one will say that he is greedy for money."
"After all, he is the most famous money-spender in the Han Dynasty. I don't know how many people can give him money!"
Zhang Xingyi smiled and said, "My aunt said it clearly."
Nowadays, in the place governed by the Huqiang Xiaowei Mansion, things are quite different from usual.
In the past few years, these woolen bills can really be used as hard currency, which is almost the same as five baht.
Various woolen materials produced in Nanxiang and Nanzheng are in great demand.
I don’t know what’s going on these days. Winters are getting colder every year, let alone in the north.
Last year, the Han conquered Longyou. Just to supply sweaters, blankets, etc. to the garrison in Longyou, the woolen output of Nanxiang and Nanzheng was out of stock.
For a whole winter, not even ordinary goods, let alone high-quality wool, were seen in the market in Jincheng.
On the other hand, over at Nanzheng, a batch of low-quality goods was purchased by the Qiang Protector's Office because the craftsmanship was not up to standard.
Then the Huqiang Colonel's Mansion received another credit contract - the debtor was a Hu tribe.
Not to mention there is a way to get woolen materials and sell them to Soochow and Cao Wei.
Cao Wei spent several times the price and finally saved a batch of woolen materials, which he used directly for the elite soldiers in Guanzhong. Even the Central Army in Luoyang could not use them.
For these things, let alone those who have a quota in the wool spinning workshop, even if they don't have a quota, their eyes will be red.
As soon as the Huqiang Xiaowei Mansion proposed the grassland contracting system, whoever had the ability would rush to get it?
The Qianghu people in Longyou were a little confused: In the past, the Han people were robbing us of things, but now they are rushing to give us things?
So the more alert tribal leaders tried their best to find out the news: Is this thing reliable?
The officials who came out of the Qiang Lieutenant's Mansion showed disdain for the tribal leaders who came to inquire about the news.
What are you afraid of? If they give it, you want it!
This was Feng Langjun's idea to improve the lives of the Qiang and Hu brothers in Longyou.
If you don’t trust others, don’t you still trust Feng Langjun?
As long as you are willing to be the subjects of the Han Dynasty and pay taxes according to the rules of the Huqiang Xiaowei Mansion, all this will be true.
The kings and elders who returned to the tribe were confused and went back again confused.
People in the clan asked: "Why do the Han people want to help us?"
"Because this is the rule set by Feng Langjun. As long as we behave as Han people, they will help us."
"They sent us food, do we have to pay back double the amount in the future?"
"There is no need to pay it back. Just follow Feng Langjun's instructions and hand over the wool and some of the cattle, sheep and horses."
"Do you have to pay a lot?"
"It's not much. You don't have to pay it all back at once. Just pay it back a little every year. It will leave enough livestock and there will be enough food for the winter."
Thinking of the grain that the big man lent to them last winter, the tribesmen all nodded: "Hello, big man, Feng Langjun is really our great benefactor!"
"So we can still feel at ease and be the subjects of the Han Dynasty."
"right!"
…
There are two ways to safely be a citizen of the Han Dynasty.
One is farming, which is basically the fertile land to the south of Pingxiang City and the border with Zuli to the north.
One is to graze cattle, sheep and horses in the pastures designated by the Huqiang Xiaowei Mansion, and this kind is all to the north of Pingxiang City.
It’s not like no one has suggested that since Longyou has a vast territory and there is no shortage of food in Sichuan, didn’t last year’s food all come from Sichuan?
Therefore, it is recommended that the south side of Pingxiang be also designated as pasture.
Then Feng Junhou slapped him and scolded him for being short-sighted.
Back then, I personally begged the Prime Minister and asked him to designate Chenggu County next to Nanxiang as a base specifically for supplying Nanxiang. Do you think I am full of food?
Then he said something that no one else could understand.
The primary industry is the foundation, and there is not enough food supply, everything is like beach construction.
If you don’t understand, you don’t understand, but Feng Junhou attaches great importance to farming, that’s for sure.
Otherwise, the second wife of the Xu family would not be able to get ahead now because she knows how to farm.
There are a large number of people under his command who specialize in guiding the Qiang school captains and Han people in farming.
Even Zhang Xingyi couldn't see clearly some of the strange things happening under the rule of the Huqiang Colonel's Mansion.
Not to mention those outsiders.
Since there is no way to explain it to them, there is no need to explain it, just express it through actions.
Look, I even accepted the gift, what are you still afraid of?
I can't destroy Feng Langjun's golden brand, right?
Huang Yueying understood what Zhang Xingyi meant, looked at Guan Ji, and asked, "Does Feng Mingwen know about this?"
"The messenger has just been sent out, and he hasn't arrived at Jincheng yet!"
Guan Ji replied.
Huang Yueying's eyes glanced back and forth between Guan Ji and Zhang Xingyi, "Is he so relieved to leave all the affairs of this house to you?"
"Let you take advantage of his reputation...well, this," Huang Yueying suddenly remembered that this guy's reputation seemed not to be very good?
Zhang Xingyi said with a smile: "He said it himself, women are not inferior to men, women can hold up half the sky."
Looking at Zhang Xingyi's smile, Huang Yueying sighed secretly in her heart.
Feng Mingwen's views and actions towards women are a bit too shocking in the eyes of the world.
But for such arrogant women as Sanniang and Siniang, they are like honey, making people want to stop.
In August of the seventh year of Jianxing, the Han generals Wei Yan and Feng Yong each led their armies to defeat Jincheng in Yuzhong, and then crossed the river to occupy the city in order to force Wuwei County in Liangzhou.
Xu Miao, the governor of Liangzhou in Cao Wei, hurriedly ordered Lu Pan, the guard general of Xiping County, to lead his army back to defend Xiping and abandon the defense of Xiping.
At the same time, Wei Yan divided his troops and led ten thousand people to cross the river west and go north along the Huang River.
The cities in Huangshui, Po Qiang, Anyi, etc., were unable to resist and surrendered in the hope of wind.
The Han army went directly to Xiping County to govern the Western Capital, officially declaring that Xiping County was once again under the rule of the Han Dynasty.
Successful news spread from the west, and Chen Zhen, the great Han guard who was sent to Soochow, was tasked with allying with Soochow.
However, in the Soochow court, they praised the benevolence of the Han Dynasty in a subtle way to express their dissatisfaction with Sun Quan's proclaimed emperor.
Chen Zhen's words were sharp, and in addition, he extended Han Zuo's words, so he was called orthodox.
Sun Quan of the Eastern Wu Dynasty had just proclaimed himself emperor, but after all, his name was still somewhat unfair.
More importantly, in the edict to proclaim himself emperor, Sun Quan said that the Han Dynasty no longer existed and there was no way to save it. He was very "sad" in his heart:
The Han family is in turmoil and cannot be saved, so why bother competing?
Then he emphasized that the rules of the world were broken by the Cao family and his son, and he just had to be the emperor:
There were four generations in the twenty-fourth year of the Han Dynasty, and there were four out of four hundred and thirty years. The number of Qi and Qi ended, the fortunes of Lu and Zuo were exhausted, the whole world was relaxed, and the earth fell apart.
The evil minister Cao Pi then seized the artifact, and Pi Zirui succeeded him as the emperor, gaining a reputation for lewdness and chaos.
Quan is afraid of destiny and dare not disobey. He chooses the first day to burn sacrifices on the altar and becomes emperor.
First he stepped on the Han Dynasty, then on Cao Wei, and then he said that he was following the destiny of becoming emperor.
Needless to say, Cao Wei refused to admit that Ji Han, his ally in the west, was a Han Dynasty.
Chen Zhen was sent as an envoy to Dongwu. He looked around at the monarchs and ministers of Dongwu and said: "I sent a Han guard to the state of Wu as an envoy. How can I say that the Han family is gone?"
The king of Soochow and his ministers cannot be right.
Sun Quan felt guilty and subconsciously looked down at the front, only to find that Zhang Zhao was no longer in his seat.
Thinking back to the first day when he became emperor, he was so satisfied that he forced his teacher to lie on the ground and sweat.
In the end, he had to use old age and physical illness as an excuse to return his official position and the army he commanded.
Although he was given the honorable title of General Assisting Wu, he actually had no real power at all.
In addition, every time Zhang Zhao went to court, his speech was strict and vigorous, and his righteousness was reflected in his appearance.
He repeatedly said that his remonstrance violated the imperial decree, so in order to save worry, he directly ordered him not to go to court again.
This scene made Sun Quan feel a little regretful:
If Duke Zhang were here, even if his sharpness would not be compromised, his arrogance would be restrained. How could he be as boastful as he is now?
Chen Zhen forcefully defeated the king and ministers of Dongwu and let out a bad breath. Then he took out the document given by the Emperor of Han Dynasty and handed it to Sun Quan. At the same time, he also handed over the letter of the Prime Minister of Han Dynasty.
The Kingdom of Shu sent envoys to congratulate him on becoming emperor. Sun Quan originally thought this was a happy thing, but now he was frustrated.
He opened the credentials given to him by the Emperor of Han Dynasty with some gloominess. He had just read half of it when he immediately sat upright.
His eyes lit up, and he couldn't help but let out a sigh.
Sun Quan's strange behavior made the Wu officials below feel a little strange: What did the Lord of Shu say from above to make His Majesty so happy?
"Good, great!"
After Sun Quan read the letter of credence, a smile appeared on his face unconsciously, and the sullenness just now was completely gone.
"The Emperor of Han wants to divide the world equally with me, how can I not respond?"
It turns out that this certificate of credence states that the Han Dynasty wanted to formally swear an alliance with Soochow to destroy Cao Cao's traitors and divide the world among them.
After hearing this, the ministers of the State of Wu below all looked at Chen Zhen.
Damn it, you came here to make a pact with us, but you just made a mockery of us?
What do you mean by this?
Sun Quan, who could only listen above, said again, "Han and Wu are already an alliance, so why bother saying this in the credentials?"
Chen Zhen laughed in his heart and said to himself: Soochow, you are like a rat! If you didn't like to take advantage of others, why would the big man do this?
"Back to Your Majesty, this time is different from the past. Since Your Majesty has honored you, Han and Wu are countries of brothers. We should go to the altar to offer sacrifices to the heavens to tell the Emperor and the Empress about the earth, mountains and rivers."
"In this way, everyone in the world will know the intention of the alliance between Han and Wu. In the future, the two countries must not betray the alliance again, otherwise they will be punished by heaven and be spit upon by both humans and gods."
The smile on Sun Quan's face froze.
The officials of Soochow were even more upset!
What do you mean? It’s obvious that you can’t trust us?
We actually asked our boss to go to the high altar and swear an oath in front of the Emperor, the Empress, Tu Shanchuan, and everyone in the world?
Who came up with the idea?
How vicious!
Chen Zhen laughed again, "Your Majesty, after the Prime Minister pacified Nanzhong, he also built high altars in Wei County and Pingyi."
"We made a covenant with the rulers of the southern barbarians, and even set up a monument to remember it, to show that we will never forget it!"
"It is precisely because of this that Nanzhong has been able to gradually establish discipline in recent years, and Han and barbarians can live in peace."
When Lu Xun heard this, he couldn't help but cast a sidelong glance at Chen Zhen: Are you kidding me?
When Zhuge Liang sent troops to Nanzhong, it was when he was the governor of Jingzhou, and he spared no effort to understand the situation in Shu.
So he knew this was just bullshit!
Sun Quan, on the other hand, breathed a sigh of relief when he heard Chen Zhen's words: It turns out that Shu people like to swear oaths on the altar, but it's not intentionally against him.
"It is indeed a good idea to go to the altar to sue the emperor, the empress, the earth, mountains and rivers, and everyone in the world, but I don't know who proposed it in the first place?"
"Feng Mingwen, Marquis of Jiequanting."
Lu Xun's eyes twitched: Xiao Wenhe is indeed vicious!