After completing the handover of Tubo's surrender with Liangzhou officials, Zhou Jun called in Li Guangbi and Shen Shugong to start arranging the next affairs.
Zhou Jun first asked: "Is the grain storage I ordered earlier ready?"
Uncle Shen: "The head of the family ordered to build more granaries. In the past few years, the Jin family has been organizing craftsmen to build them. In the Hexi area, Suifeng Fort, Lijiang Fort, Zhangyi Fort, Sutar Fort, etc., have built a large number of
Underground grain cellar."
Zhou Jun: "What are the grain storage conditions like?"
Uncle Shen: "The dry soil is high and the inner wall is compacted. Then the cellar is burned and the bottom is paved with plant ash. Wooden boards, straw mats, and chaff are used as partitions. Every time a batch of grain is put in, another layer is separated. Everything is in accordance with the official regulations.
If you build a cellar, you can keep the food from rotting for hundreds of years."
Zhou Jun: "How much grain have been collected and stored now?"
Uncle Shen: "It was shipped from Chang'an, plus what the Jin family has acquired over the years, there are almost 2.4 million shi."
Hearing this, Li Guangbi opened his eyes wide and his body trembled slightly.
During the Tianbao period of the Tang Dynasty, there was a good grain harvest. The world's millet harvest only amounted to 25 million shi (850 million kilograms). The grain currently stored in the Jin family granary was actually equivalent to the Tang Dynasty's annual harvest.
one tenth.
What Li Guangbi didn't expect was that after listening to Uncle Shen's words, Zhou Jun just thought for a moment and said: "Not enough, not enough. I will ask Chang'an Bachuan to sell the business as soon as possible and replace it all with grain.
Xingfang must transport the grain to Longyou as quickly as possible."
Uncle Shen bowed and replied.
Zhou Jun looked at Li Guangbi again: "There is a high probability that there will be no war in Hexi in the past two years. Even so, the training of the Guiyi Army cannot be postponed, and manpower must be assigned to the security work of Jin's Family Workshop.
"
Li Guangbi accepted.
Zhou Jun: "Liangzhou settles down, and we are very close to each other in appearance and spirit. We each get what we need on weekdays and do not interfere with each other. I will try my best to provide them with convenience on the Daqi Shang Road, and I believe An Sishun will not embarrass you."
Li Guangbi responded again.
Zhou Jun: "Next, I am going to Dunhuang, Shazhou, to deal with a series of affairs such as official and military affairs. After everything is ready, I will set off for Anxi."
When Li Guangbi heard this, he couldn't help but said: "The situation in Anxi is complicated, like a mess. Why don't Guangbi lead the rebel army and go with you..."
Zhou Jun shook his head and said: "Compared to the Western Regions, the Hexi Corridor is more critical to me, and I must not miss it. Only with you leading the rebel army here can I go to Anxi with peace of mind."
Uncle Shen said openly: "My master will definitely have to pass through Shicheng Town when he goes to Anxi. Kang Kejing, the son of the governor of Shicheng Town, once had an old relationship with me. If necessary, I can accompany the master to visit."
Zhou Jun remembered that Kang Kejing ran away from home, but fortunately she got help from Uncle Shen.
So Zhou Jun asked Uncle Shen: "After you leave, who will be responsible for the affairs of the Jin family?"
Uncle Shen: "There are many stewards in the Jin family, and everyone performs their duties. Even if I leave temporarily, the daily affairs will not be affected."
Zhou Jun: "Okay, then you can come with me to the Western Regions."
After handling the affairs in Liangzhou, Zhou Jun took Uncle Shen with him and returned to Dunhuang, Shazhou, under the escort of his own soldiers and government guards.
After entering the mansion, Zhou Jun first found two military envoys, Guo Ziyi and Chang Huiwu.
The first thing to talk about is the reward that the two military envoys are most concerned about.
In the Battle of Dunhuang, Guo Ziyi should be the first to contribute.
After the war report reached Chang'an, Li Longji cherished his talents, and in addition to the rebellion of Absi, the imperial court decided to move Guo Ziyi to be the deputy envoy of Shuofang Jiedu.
Although the imperial edict has not yet been issued, the news can basically be confirmed.
Chang Huiwu performed meritorious service in the garrison at Dunhuang. He was promoted to two ranks, granted a food court, and was given a purple gold fish talisman.
Therefore, it can be said that everyone is happy with the reward given to them.
After explaining the handover of military affairs with the two men, they also discussed the deployment of defenses against Tibet.
After that, Chang Huiwu returned to the camp first, and Zhou Jun left Guo Ziyi alone.
Zhou Jun: "Guo Jun used his troops like a god and made perfect plans. Throughout the Tang Dynasty, few people can compare with you."
Hearing Zhou Jun's praise, Guo Ziyi didn't feel proud on his face, but said modestly: "The prince consort is so complimentary. When a certain man leads troops to fight, most of them take advantage of the situation, and there is no talk of strategy."
Zhou Jun nodded slightly.
Guo Ziyi is as smooth as a loach in what he says and does.
It's hard to catch him, and naturally you can't find his flaws.
He and Li Guangbi have two completely different personalities.
As a Khitan, Li Guangbi had a straightforward temperament, commanded the army with dignity, and hated evil as much as hatred. When it came to injustice, even if the other party was from the royal family, he would enforce the law impartially and never show favoritism.
As for Guo Ziyi, whether leading troops to fight or dealing with people, her skills are more worldly and sophisticated.
During the reign of Emperor Daizong of the Tang Dynasty, Yu Chaoen, the official of the Tang Dynasty, took advantage of Guo Ziyi to go out to fight and dug up the latter's ancestral grave (someone said it was unintentional). After Guo Ziyi came back, he was not annoyed or angry when he heard about it. He just cried, "My father's grave is damaged."
The damage has nothing to do with others. I must have angered God, so he punished me. Afterwards, Yu Chaoen hosted a banquet for Guo Ziyi. The latter ignored the dissuasion of others and only brought a few soldiers, so he went happily, which became a good story for a while.
.
Therefore, Zhou Jun, who was familiar with history, knew that saying nice things and giving favors to people like Guo Ziyi would not be of much use.
Guo Ziyi has a steelyard in his heart. He has his own evaluation of things. It is difficult for outsiders to impose values on him.
Only through a long period of subtle interaction can it be possible to slowly make the other party accept your own ideas.
Thinking of this, Zhou Jun said to Guo Ziyi: "In the early years, when I was in Shuofang, I served under the Royal Protector..."
When Zhou Jun mentioned Wang Zhongsi, Guo Ziyi stood in awe, sat upright, and nodded slightly.
Zhou Jun: "In terms of combat power, Shuofang's army should be the leader among the Tang army; but in terms of support, since the Turks' decline, Shuofang's army has been short of food and pay, making it difficult to sustain. In order to supplement the army, Wang Duhu even used prisoners of war as
Slave, privately started to make a living as a slave."
As an envoy to the Hengsai Army, Guo Ziyi naturally knew all this. Hearing this, he could only sigh softly.
Zhou Jun: "When a certain person was in Chang'an, he once asked the Taoist monks in the Taoist temple for the method of making cloud tea. Later, he sold the prepared cloud tea at a fair price to Shuofang's army to supplement the army's supply.
Food and wages.”
When Guo Ziyi heard this, he stood up, bowed to Zhou Jun, and said: "If it weren't for the cloud tea given by the consort, Shuofang's army would have lived in hardship in the past few years."
Zhou Jun: "Shuofang Jun and I have an old relationship, and Wang Duhu is even more kind to me. Although Yuncha is valuable, it is still light compared to the kindness."
After a pause, Zhou Jun looked at Guo Ziyi and said: "You will soon be transferred to the position of deputy envoy of Shuofang Jiedu, and the heavy burden of Shuofang Army will soon fall on your shoulders. I said goodbye to Envoy Guo Jun.
What kind of gift can I give you? After thinking about it, I decided to teach you the secret method of making cloud tea."
Guo Ziyi was stunned in place and did not react for a long time.
He naturally knows how much profit Yuncha makes.
If you can master the method of making cloud tea, you can gain unimaginable wealth just by trading with the Mobei tribe.
Zhou Jun was willing to give the cloud tea making method he learned from a Taoist master to Shuofang's army to subsidize military pay. This can be said to be a great favor that cannot be described in words.
Guo Ziyi waited for a long time before he hesitated and said, "This gift from your consort is too precious, and Ziyi doesn't dare to accept it."
Zhou Jun emphasized his tone and asked in a deep voice: "As a general, what should be your priority?"
Guo Ziyi hesitated for a moment and replied: "Being loyal to the emperor and serving the country is the most important thing."
Zhou Jun shook his head slightly and said slowly: "As a general, soldiers are sons, and the people are relatives. If you betray the soldiers and let down the people, how can you talk about the country?"
Hearing this, Guo Ziyi froze on the spot.
Zhou Jun took out a book from his arms, which recorded the entire process of frying tea, as well as related ingenious manufacturing methods.
Putting the book gently on the table, Zhou Jun said to Guo Ziyi: "You know, I did not give you the method of making cloud tea, but gave it to the tens of millions of soldiers in Shuofang's army. There are
With this technique, the soldiers in Shuofang's army will no longer have to worry about food and pay, and they will naturally be able to protect the safety of the people there."
Guo Ziyi looked at the book and stood for a long time.
Finally, he held the book in both hands, bowed to Zhou Jun and said, "Guo is taught."