Prime Minister Zhou Yafu stood at the top of Linzi City, looking at the scenery outside the city.
Beside him, Yuan Ang, the Prime Minister of Jiangdu, who had just arrived from Guangling City, the capital of Jiangdu, was smiling.
The two talked softly.
"Prime Minister, your Majesty let me live in Jiangdu. I already feel ashamed and uncomfortable, and now you let me go to South Vietnam..." Yuan Ang's face was full of grievance and dissatisfaction: "Please forgive me for not obeying!"
"Si Gong!" Zhou Yafu chuckled, patted the latter on the shoulder, and said: "It's better to keep these words in your memorial to His Majesty..."
We are all adults, and we are all old people in the political arena.
After five years as prime minister, Zhou Yafu's biggest gain is that people should not be judged by their appearance and their words should not be taken at face value.
Especially what officials say in formal situations.
Whoever believes it****!
Just like at the beginning, the princes joined forces to oppose the emperor.
result……
Well, by the time of the official court meeting, more than 90% of the princes had become cowards.
Wuyang Hou, who danced very happily at first, has now even become one of the four major losers today.
However, now Zhou Yafu doesn't believe even a word of what Yuan Ang said!
because……
Now, in Zhou Yafu's sleeve, there are many news about the Yuan family reported by Xiuyiwei.
Two years ago, Yuan Ang ordered his eldest son to sell off all the Yuan family's property and land in Guanzhong, and then borrow heavily.
Three thousand gold pieces of gold were borrowed from the Wuyan clan, the Tian clan, and even Zhang Wuhou and others.
Then with this huge amount of money, he leased a whaling fleet from Lou Chuan Yamen.
And earlier this year.
Yuan wiped off all the debts in one go and repaid all the principal and interest!
His income from whaling was so rich!
So many Chang'an nobles and powerful people have started to think about it.
However, the Yuan family already wanted to change their place.
Xiuyiwei reported that Yuan Ang had already laid out plans in South Vietnam a long time ago.
He even exchanged letters with Zhao Tuo, King of South Vietnam.
The emperor of Chang'an was worried that Yuan Ang would not go to South Vietnam?
But the fact is: based on Zhou Yafu's observation and judgment, they have long wanted to go to South Vietnam.
Go out to sea from South Vietnam and sail southward, where you will find a virgin sea that has not been developed and utilized by humans.
The number of whales in the sea is not less than that in the sea outside Qilu.
In fact, the local environment and port conditions are even better than those in Qilu.
Especially Nichinan County and Jiuzhen County.
Yuan An was also quite embarrassed when Zhou Yafu exposed his inner calculations.
He really wanted to go to South Vietnam.
Because, in the past few years, through understanding of South Vietnam.
Yuan Ang discovered that Nanyue was not just an area with great development potential.
It is an area of great wealth and value.
Not to mention, the savage tribes in the jungles among the three counties of Jiaozhi, Jiuzhen, and Rinan,
It is an almost inexhaustible source of cheap labor.
Yuan Ang's second son, Yuan Yong, has now entered into a partnership with King Yelang and Lu Yi, the grandson of Lu Jia, the prime minister of South Vietnam, to start a slave trading business in Lu Rong County of Rinan County (today's Hue, Vietnam).
.
These guys, under the banner of King Yelang, quietly captured all kinds of savages from Rinan, Jiuzhen and the mountains surrounding Yelang Kingdom.
Then, they were sold to Linqiong at a high price.
If Xiuyiwei hadn't found out about this matter.
Zhou Yafu never dreamed that Yuan Ang, a humble gentleman, would become a moral model that the world would admire.
After losing the knot grass, he was able to do such limitless things.
Therefore, Zhou Yafu had no doubts and waited until Yuan An went to South Vietnam.
He will definitely learn from Chen Jiao and turn the savages in the jungle south of Cochin into free labor like Japanese slaves.
only……
This matter has nothing to do with Zhou Yafu.
In the eyes of traditional nobles like Zhou Yafu, the barbarians were equal to beasts walking on two legs.
There are no human rights at all.
The proud Chinese scholar-bureaucrats and nobles are not even interested in looking at each other, let alone caring and caring for them.
Haven't you seen that now, even the Mohists, who have always held high the banner of "love all without aggression", have taken the initiative and consciously defined a definition for "love all without aggression"?
Only the people of China and the tribes of Xia can enjoy universal love and non-aggression.
The barbarians of Yi and Di will die as far as they go.
And China's scholar-bureaucrats and nobles can indeed have such proud confidence.
In the universe, there are tens of thousands of miles in radius.
In the known world, the Han Empire far surpassed all competitors in any indicator.
Even the originally weak armaments and military strength were refreshed after the Battle of Mayi.
Therefore, it is understandable that the surrounding foreign races, especially those primitive tribes that drink blood, wear hair, are tattooed, and do not even have writing, are just like ants in the eyes of Chinese scholar-officials and nobles.
Although some more philanthropic Confucian scholar-officials are clamoring to use morality to influence these foreign races.
But it is a pity that the mainstream schools of thought and ministers all feel that compared to morality, swords, guns or sticks can change people faster.
Zhou Yafu didn't care at all about the debate on these views.
But he was very concerned about his old friend Yuan Ang.
Zhou Yafu said to Yuan Ang in a serious tone: "Si Gong, are you a little too paranoid?"
When Yuan Ang heard this, he remained silent.
Zhou Yafu sighed and said: "If the old prime minister is here, he will not be happy about Si Gong's today!"
Yuan Ang finally said: "The Prime Minister's words are serious!"
Even so, Yuan Ang understood in his heart.
The reason why he became what he is today is all due to his own competitiveness and self-esteem.
Of course, this is no big deal.
When people are forced to a certain level, what principles will they care about?
At that time, Confucius lived between Chen and Cai, suffering from hardship and hunger.
So, the principles were completely abandoned.
When a disciple brought pork, he didn't ask where it came from, he just caught it and ate it. When a disciple brought him clothes, he didn't ask where the clothes came from, he just took them and wore them.
This black material was written down in Mozi by Mo Zhai and cursed for ten thousand years.
However, it still did not affect Confucius's evaluation in history.
Now, Yuan Ang's thinking and stance have shifted from leaning towards Confucianism to leaning towards Legalism.
Especially the means of doing things.
Yuan Ang believes that successful people are not condemned, while losers are destined to be cast aside.
If this is the case, then he will naturally use whatever means necessary to do so.
Principles, positions, benevolence, justice and morality, let's wait until he can return to Chang'an and ride on Chao Cuo's neck.
After meeting Zhou Yafu, he also knew that this topic could not be discussed further.
If we go deeper, I'm afraid we won't even be friends anymore.
As a prime minister, he has very few friends in this world.
He really didn't want to lose another one.
So Zhou Yafu changed the topic and said: "Si Gong, I have two things to do when I go to South Vietnam. Please pay attention to Si Gong!"
"Please tell me!" Yuan Ang nodded and let out a sigh of relief.
He also didn't want to have conflicts with Zhou Yafu.
After all, what he can count on now is actually Zhou Yafu.
The Empress Dowager of the East Palace has not sent an envoy to express condolences to him for two years.
"This is the first thing..." Zhou Yafu said: "Back then, Qin Shihuang dug the Ling Canal, but his work failed and he collapsed. When Zhao Tuo separated the country, the Ling Canal was blocked. I want to ask Si Gong to go to South Vietnam to persuade the South Vietnamese monarchs to clear it.
Lingqu, rebuild the ancient road!"
Yuan Ang nodded when he heard this and said: "The Prime Minister has not said anything about this matter, but I must do it!"
Since the Qin Dynasty, transportation, smooth transportation and the flow of people have become the symbol of a unified empire.
Ling Canal and the roads built in the Qin Dynasty are now the key transportation links between China and South Vietnam.
Of course, in recent years, Lou Chuan Yamen has also opened up a sea channel from Jiangdu to South Vietnam.
The majestic fleet of large ships patrolled the oceans, spreading the power of the Emperor of China directly to South Vietnam.
It made the rulers and ministers of South Vietnam honest and honest.
However, maritime waterways are still not as direct as land transportation exchanges.
In particular, there are many places in Nanyue Kingdom, such as Yulin and Cangwu, that cannot be connected by sea.
You can only go by land.
Once the Ling Canal is fully unblocked, it also means that the Kingdom of South Vietnam and China will be reconnected as one.
Even if the King of Nanyue wanted to do it again in the future, he would have no chance.
"The second thing..." Zhou Yafu straightened his body, looked at Yuan Ang seriously and said, "I hope Si Gong can persuade the South Vietnam Kingdom to accept the officials appointed by Chang'an during his term of office!"
This is indeed a troublesome thing.
The South Vietnamese Kingdom now only surrenders to Chang'an.
In essence, it still has its own army and official system.
Moreover, these are not controlled by Changan.
Zhou Yafu certainly hopes that he can clear the final obstacle to unification within his term of office.
At least we need to make a start, allowing South Vietnam to symbolically accept the officials who come to Chang'an.
It’s not Zhou Yafu’s style to leave a mess for his successor!
Of course Yuan An also knew that this matter was difficult.
However, it doesn't matter.
Who is Yuan Si?
The best lobbyist in the world!
When it comes to lobbying skills, or deception skills, Lao Yuan dares to say he is second, but no one can say he is first.
I think back then, he could even visit King Wu Liu Bi's lair and deceive Liu Bi's existence.
Yuan Ang himself had little dealings with the South Vietnamese monarchs and ministers.
But his eldest son Xian and his second son Yong had relationships with them.
At least, Yuan An now knows two facts.
First, since Zhao Tuo returned from Chang'an two years ago, he gave up his past plan to separate the country.
He publicly burned his Huangwuzuoji, as well as all kinds of illegal items that he had cast privately.
He even ordered that the specifications of his mausoleum be reduced from that of the emperor to that of the princes and kings.
This is because he was moved by the emperor in Chang'an.
It was also he who saw with his own eyes the military prowess and national strength of the Han family, and knew that he could no longer play the same tricks as before.
The second one is Zhao Hu, the grandson of the King of Nanyue, who is a die-hard loyalist to the emperor today.
He must be called "the emperor is like this" in domestic speech.
This is not only a way for him to strengthen his status and authority, but also his true psychology of not wanting to be a Yi Di king.
Moreover, if today's South Vietnam Kingdom goes back to the past...
Apart from that, those Yue nobles would probably not be the first to agree.
If you look at the densely packed merchant ships in Lingqu Canal and the Yangtze River today, you can know how much South Vietnam today relies on the Han Dynasty for its economy.
Especially King Yulin and King Cangwu of South Vietnam.
Because their territory is mountainous and has little water, food production is very low.
Therefore, they now rely almost entirely on the sugarcane trade with Jiangdu and Qilu in exchange for food.
Therefore, Yuan Ang thought for a moment and replied: "Prime Minister, please rest assured that Yuan Si will do her best on this matter!" (~^~)
