When Kou Ji saw Zhao Run crying and accusing Empress Cao of his evil deeds, he knew that Empress Cao had indeed gone too far this time.
Not a single copper was left for Zhao Run. It would be strange if Zhao Run didn't cry.
If it were him, he might have cried even worse than Zhao Run.
Unfortunately, he could never find his parents in later generations.
In this life, I have no father and no mother.
Father, don't worry about him. It would be nice if you could straighten your back and speak confidently in front of him.
"You are a grown boy now, and you should have some spare money."
Zhao Run is not too old now. In future generations, he will be a child who is still studying, and his parents are doting on him.
But in the Song Dynasty, Zhao Run was already qualified to handle some things alone.
In this case, Queen Cao should not search Zhao Run too thoroughly.
After all, he is also the eldest prince. When he goes out to have a drink with others or visit a garden, others wave his hand and gold and silver rain down. When he waves his hand, his sleeves are filled with breeze. It is too ugly.
Kou Ji, the instigator of Zhao Run's tragedy today, did not feel any shame after committing evil. Instead, he said to Zhao Run with great pity: "It's just a little money, it's not a big deal. There is a saying that a thousand pieces of gold will come back after it's gone. If you lose money, you can bring it back again."
earn."
Zhao Run raised his head, stared at Kou Ji sadly, and asked: "Do you think it is useful for me to make money now? If you make money, you will be taken away, and if you make money, you will be taken away, so what else do I earn?"
When Kou Ji saw Zhao Run's eyes were a little red, he knew that he was really sad.
Although Zhao Run is young, he is not a person who likes to cry.
Ever since he experienced the experience of Liao Di, he has become quite solid.
On weekdays, when he made mistakes in the palace and was punished by the eunuchs, he did not say a word.
Now my eyes are red.
It can be seen that Queen Cao's method of exterminating the household has done great harm to him.
In order to comfort him, Kou Ji smiled and said: "You can store your money with me temporarily. Come and get it when you need it.
No matter how cruel your mother is, she can't come to my house to withdraw money, right?
If she really does this, then I have to go to the palace and ask your father to see if my affair with Tong Zhongshu's disciples counts."
Zhao Run said with some disbelief: "Really...really..."
Kou Ji laughed and said, "Go out and ask around to see who has the guts to move things from under my hand."
Zhao Run hesitated and said: "Then...are you greedy for my money?"
Kou Ji's face turned dark instantly.
"roll!"
"Get out of here, write me a letter first."
Zhao Run touched his nose and stood up straight confidently. He took out a short letter from his sleeve and handed it to Kou Ji, "The words you wrote casually are no longer valuable. Now you have to write according to others' requirements.
"
When Kou Ji saw this, he glared angrily, "I am on an equal footing with Zhongshu's disciples. A random word can be worth millions of dollars. Since when have I allowed others to be picky?"
Zhao Run curled his lips and said: "No matter how valuable the calligraphy is, if more than two hundred pairs are sold in a month, it is not valuable anymore."
Kou Ji hated the iron and cursed: "Don't you know that rare things are valuable?"
Zhao Run rolled his eyes and said, "I also want to wait until they become valuable before selling them, but those swindlers from other places can't wait.
Who in Bianjing City dares to openly buy your calligraphy?
They all know how powerful you are, and if they hang your name on their house without your permission, they will most likely be killed.
So they won't buy your words at all.
Only those who take advantage of you from other places dare to buy your calligraphy with a clear price tag.
Anyway, they only know your reputation, but they don’t know how powerful you are."
Kou Ji glared at Zhao Run, took the short book from Zhao Run's hand, looked it up and down, and then cursed, "You asked me to copy someone else's birthday message and falsely claim that it was written by me. Do you have to use a private seal?
Don’t even think about it.”
Zhao Run said frankly: "People bought the lyrics with money, and it can be signed by anyone's name. If you say you wrote it, no one will expose it."
Kou Ji rubbed his eyebrows and handed the short book to Zhao Run.
Zhao Run was right, only those upstarts from other places who took advantage of them would dare to pay him so blatantly to copy lyrics.
They had no idea how powerful Kou Ji was, and even regarded this as a way for Kou Ji to ask for bribes and make money, so they dared to act like this blatantly.
If you were from Bianjing City, try it.
If Kou Ji writes two words at random and gives it to him and asks him for 20,000 yuan, he will feel that the retouching fee is too little.
Ignorance is bliss, it’s true.
"Take your things and get out of here. I won't do such a mean thing."
Kou Ji drove Zhao Run away dissatisfied.
Zhao Run didn't move, he stretched out two fingers and said: "Two hundred thousand strings!"
Kou Ji was stunned and said hesitantly: "It's a bit too generous."
Zhao Run nodded and said: "It is said that he is a rich man. His son is studying in Wenchang Academy and he came to visit. I heard that your calligraphy was for sale, so I offered him 200,000 yuan. I want you to give him the money for his eightieth birthday soon.
My old father wrote a birthday message."
Speaking of this, Zhao Run paused and emphasized: "I have repeatedly emphasized that we need to be authentic."
Kou Ji was stunned for a moment and asked doubtfully: "Everyone thinks that what he sold before was fake?"
Zhao Run couldn't laugh or cry and said: "You are the famous God of Wealth in the Song Dynasty. You have a huge fortune and a high position. Who dares to believe that you sell your writing to make profits?"
Kou Ji couldn't laugh or cry and said, "That's true... but the price you sold it for is not low."
Zhao Run hurriedly said: "Although they couldn't believe that the calligraphy was authentic, they knew that it was written by a famous artist. That's why they were willing to pay such a high price.
You know, the paper you are using is Chengxintang paper, that thing is a tribute, and ordinary people are not qualified to use it."
Kou Ji asked: "Even so, why would anyone dare to ask for the authentic work?"
Zhao Run decisively commented, "It's silly and bold."
Kou Ji sighed and said: "Ignorance is really a blessing. That's all. His old father lived to be eighty years old, which is considered a long life. Even if he meets an official, he can still beg for help.
I will write a word to him.
If anyone asks, just say you lied."
Zhao Run stared in astonishment, "How can one word be enough?"
Kou Ji said angrily: "Authentic work! Two hundred thousand guan for one word, it's a loss. It needs to be stamped with a private seal."
When Zhao Run heard this, he didn't speak again.
Kou Ji walked to the desk and asked Zhao Run to polish the ink.
Wait until the thick ink forms a ball in the inkstone.
Kou Ji picked up his pen and wrote a word on the paper.
That is the word "longevity".
Zhao Run's eyes lit up when he saw that word. He stared at Kou Ji with burning eyes.
"Why, do you think people say that your husband and I are uneducated and incompetent, so I can't write a good calligraphy?"
Kou Ji asked with a smile.
Zhao Run nodded fiercely, "The word 'longevity' is more than a little stronger than the previous ones. The ones you wrote before were probably just random drawings, right?"
This is your true writing power.”
Kou Ji used his private seal on the painting and waved his hand to tell Zhao Run to get out of here with the words.
Zhao Run put away the words as if he had found a treasure, and ran out the door with his head down.
Just arrived at the door.
Then I heard Koji's voice from behind.
"Remember, we won't sell it for one penny less than two hundred thousand guan."
"After all, you still care about the two hundred thousand dollars?"
"Get out of here!"
Kou Ji cursed.
Zhao Run took the words and left in a hurry.
Kou Ji's study returned to calm again.
But Bianjing City once again caused turmoil because of him.
Tong Zhongshu's disciple Ping Zhang Shi Kou Ji accepted students, one or two.
More importantly, they became brothers with the eldest prince.
After Wang Anshi and Zeng Gong appeared at Wenchang Academy with Kou Ji's name card, the news spread throughout Bianjing like a gust of wind.
For a time, all wealthy families considered sending their children to study under Kou Ji.
Young people of the same age as Wang Anshi and Zeng Gong are interested in learning from Wang Anshi and Zeng Gong.
Some older people were also slightly moved.
The literary scene in Bianjing City became completely lively.
Kou Ji, who was the instigator, was not in a leisurely mood to pay attention to this matter.
After the Song Dynasty and Jiaozhi had negotiated the deal.
Zhao Zhen ordered people from the Ministry of Household Affairs and the Ministry of Works to prepare supplies.
The news that the Song Dynasty purchased Jiaozhi with money quickly spread in the court.
Some of the civil servants felt that Jiaozhi was a barbarian land, and the acquisition of Jiaozhi by the Song Dynasty was simply a loss-making transaction.
As soon as these words came out, Wang Zeng and Cai Qi both sprayed him with blood.
Some of the military officials felt that there was no need for the imperial court to acquire Jiaozhi, a tiny place.
Give them an army of soldiers and horses, and they can make Jiaozhi the territory of the Song Dynasty before the end of the year.
Kou Ji did not speak out, and neither did Yang Wenguang, the leader of the military officials.
No matter how fierce the warriors shouted, they could only shout once.
The transactions between the Song Dynasty and Jiaozhi were proceeding in an orderly manner.
Cochin needs a lot of supplies.
Bianjing City cannot provide that many supplies.
Therefore, the Ministry of Household Affairs and the Ministry of Works cooperated to apportion taxes to various local yamen, in exchange for tax exemptions and supplies in the hands of local wealthy families.
Then the local government will send people to transport it to the prefectural city, and then from each prefectural city to the adjacent port. There will be a large ship at the port to pick it up, and then it will be sent to Jiaozhi together.
After the materials are completely distributed to the local areas.
It’s time for the Jiaozhi envoys and the Song Dynasty officials who went to hand over the matter to be on their way.
The iron materials prepared by the Ministry of Industry, as well as the crossbows and craftsmen, followed the officials of the Song Dynasty to Jiaozhi.
Cai Qi became the chief minister of Jiaozhi less than a year after he took office as counselor and governor, and was on his way to Jiaozhi.
As soon as this news came out, the government and the public were in an uproar.
The officials in the court became much more respectful to Kou Ji.
This matter was obviously initiated by Cai Qi, but in the eyes of the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty, it became the result of Kou Ji's intimidation.
Cai Qi was Kou Ji's first victim in eradicating dissidents.
On the way to send Cai Qi out of Beijing.
Kou Ji and Cai Qi sat together in a tea shed on the roadside, watching tens of thousands of people accompanying them escorting supplies as they passed by.
Cai Qi took a sip of syrup, looked at Kou Jida and said, "Don't you need me to explain it to you?"
Kou Ji smiled and said: "Explain what? There is no need to explain. It feels good to be scared. A few days ago, I was deceived by a brat and sold it for 200,000 yuan. This matter was
The historians held on to me and impeached me for a long time.
Now as soon as you leave, they will immediately stop.
It feels good to use you to establish my authority."
Cai Qi said dumbfounded: "It's not easy for the censors either...don't bully them too harshly..."
Kou Ji said frankly: "I have always felt that if the censors feel that an official has a problem, they can ask the official to go to the censor's desk to help himself, and then conduct an investigation.
Impeachment will have a greater effect only after we get real evidence.
It's easy for people to take advantage of you if you hear something happen."
Cai Qi somewhat disagreed with Kou Ji's idea, "If the censors don't hear about it, how can they wake up the world? If they investigate first and then impeach, it will usurp the function of the Ministry of Justice."
Speaking of this, Cai Qi said with some regret: "What's more important is that the censors cannot afford to offend the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty. Although our Song Dynasty is now moving towards a prosperous age, it is not the era of great rule mentioned by the saints after all.
If a prince breaks the law, he cannot be guilty of the same crime as the common people.
It is a capital crime for civilians to harm people's lives.
But what about the princes?
At most, he will be detained in the clan's mansion for a few days.
Where are the dignitaries?
There are countless ways to kill someone without taking responsibility.
Therefore, even if some people are guilty, the investigation will be in vain and they will easily offend others.
If you fight against the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty and offend all the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty, then there will be no place for the Yushitai in the court.
Therefore, the censors could only take advantage of the situation and beat the emperor's relatives and dignitaries when they had nothing to do, so that they would restrain their evil thoughts.
In this way, we can protect the people and ourselves without risking their sins to death."
Kou Ji naturally knew this.
In this era of one-man rule, the word "humanity" filled the entire Song Dynasty.
So there will always be people who get away with it after making mistakes.
Unless this era of one person's rule becomes an era of many people's rule, there is no way to avoid it.
But after what Cai Qi said, Kou Ji was still full of surprises, "There is a popular rumor among the people that you, Mr. Cai, are upright and unafraid of the powerful. It is hard for me to imagine that these words actually came from your mouth."
Cai Qi said quietly: "I have been in the officialdom for many years, and I don't understand any truth. But understanding the truth is understanding the truth, and doing things is doing things. If I, the censor Zhongcheng, are also afraid of the powerful, I am not upright enough.
Who in the Yushitai dares to act upright, and who dares to challenge the powerful?
As things go on like this, those powerful people have lost their ability to fight, and they are still causing trouble everywhere.
So, sometimes, even though I know there are tigers in the mountains, I still have to stride into the mountains."
Kou Ji pondered for a moment and nodded with deep understanding, "Now that I'm going to Jiaozhi, Mr. Cai won't have to bear too much burden. You can do whatever you want."
Cai Qi smiled bitterly and shook his head, "The number of people who migrated to Jiaozhi before was about 130,000. Later, there were probably more than 100,000 people drawn from soldiers and horses from various places.
More than 200,000 people are counting on me for their lives.
How dare I act rashly?"
Kou Ji exclaimed: "I can't compare to Cai Gong's righteousness."
Cai Qi shook his head and said, "Okay, stop flattering me. Where is the person you promised me?"
Kou Ji said with a smile: "They have already rushed to Jiaozhi with some craftsmen and businessmen. When you get to Jiaozhi, you will see a Jiaozhi government office that is just like me in the Song Dynasty."
Cai Qi was stunned for a moment, then said in a funny tone: "You won't let me live in the Cochin Palace?"
Kou Ji sighed: "By the time you arrive in Jiaozhi, the King of Jiaozhi County will probably have completely demolished the Jiaozhi Palace. By then, all that will be left for you will be ruins.
Do you still want to live in the ruins?"
Cao Yongli, the king of Jiaozhi County, was born in the military.
People who are born in the military have a problem, that is, they dig into the ground wherever they go.
If Cao Li wants to leave Jiaozhi, he will definitely raid Jiaozhi completely, leaving Cai Qi with a white land and a lot of confused people.
Cai Qi pondered: "The King of Jiaozhi County is not so unkind, right? He doesn't even give me a place to live?"
Kou Ji did not answer Cai Qi's words, but asked: "What if it were you?"
Cai Qi was stunned and said hesitantly: "I'm afraid even people will be taken away."
After saying this, he stopped discussing this issue with Kou Ji.
Because if it were him, he would do it even more cruelly than the King of Jiaozhi County.
Even so, there is no way to pray for mercy from the King of Jiaozhi.
Kou Ji warned: "If my prediction is correct, after handing over Jiaozhi, the King of Jiaozhi will either enter the sea or go west. But no matter where he goes, you can't miss it.
When he enters the sea, you have people build a port on the seashore.
If he goes to the west, you will build a border market in the west.
He wants to fight hard to find a foothold for Jiaozhi.
The thirst for supplies is endless.
Most people in Jiaozhi are not as industrious as our people in the Song Dynasty.
So it is very likely that he will sell a large amount of loot to me, Da Song, in exchange for supplies.
So you must not miss it.”
Cai Qi pondered and looked at Kou Ji, "Lie on someone else's body and drink blood?"
Kou Ji was stunned and asked: "You can't stand it?"
Cai Qi shook his head and asked, "How much should you drink?"
Hearing Cai Qi say this, Kou Ji knew that Cai Qi was not disgusted with this matter.
The literati of the Song Dynasty were very selfish.
They treat themselves best, then the people under their rule, and finally the people outside the territory.
When they bully the people under their rule, they will feel guilty in their hearts.
But when I bully outsiders, I don't feel any guilt at all.
Even people like Li Di, Zhang Zhibai, and Cai Qi, who were glaring at everyone for the sake of the lives of the people, did not feel any trouble at all when they watched people from outside the territory die in front of them.
It seems that the people of the Song Dynasty are their lifeblood.
And those people outside the territory are just idiots.
This is the only thing Kou Ji likes about the literati of the Song Dynasty.
When Kou Ji faced this question raised by Cai Qi, he answered decisively, "You can drink as much as Li Gong drinks. Don't squeeze too much, and let the water flow slowly."
In addition, while leading the people to cultivate the land, you also cleared the roads in Jiaozhi.
It will provide some convenience for our subsequent transactions with the King of Jiaozhi.
It would be extremely costly to travel all the way by sea or take mountain trails.
I’m afraid there won’t be much money left after taking out the shipping costs.”
Cai Qi nodded thoughtfully.
Kou Ji continued: "The people sent by my government are not only familiar with Jiaozhi, but also familiar with business, and also familiar with the operation of the border market of the imperial court. Cai Gong can ask them for details.
All in all, in the eyes of others, Jiaozhi is a barren place.
But in my eyes, Jiaozhi is a treasure house.
Jiaozhi not only has food, but there are also many gems, gold mines, silver mines, jewelry, jade, spices and other items in the mountains and forests.
There is also a steady stream of stolen loot coming to us to sell.
As long as it is managed well, Jiaozhi's annual tax revenue can match that of many wealthy mansions in the Song Dynasty."
Cai Qi said in astonishment: "Can we catch up with Jiangning Mansion?"
Kou Ji said dumbfounded: "Jiangning Mansion has been prosperous since ancient times. If you want to catch up with Jiangning Mansion, you must not only have goods and money, but also have a good foundation.
When did wealthy merchants settle in Cochin?
When will the students from Jiaozhi Prefecture be able to fight against the students from other places in the Song Dynasty?
When will Jiaozhi be able to compete with Jiangning Mansion?"
Although there are many treasures in Jiaozhi, after they were developed, they immediately left Jiaozhi and no wealth stayed in Jiaozhi.
Then when the treasures of Jiaozhi are exhausted, it will be the time when Jiaozhi will be abandoned.
Therefore, the temporary prosperity of a place is not considered wealthy.
Only if you continue to be wealthy for a long time can you be truly wealthy.
For example, in later generations, some big mining cities were flourishing with flowers during the heyday of mineral mining, but once the minerals were exhausted, they would quickly return to ordinary.
Cities that rely solely on economic support will immediately suffer disadvantages once they lose their economic backbone.
Therefore, if a city wants to develop in the long term, it must not only develop the economy, but also develop politics, culture and many other fields.
Cai Qi has been an official for many years and has been a herdsman for a long time.
So he could understand what Kou Ji said.
In fact, there is no need for Koji to say more, he will also focus on education.
After all, under his governance, no matter how much food Jiaozhi produced, it was still just a foreign land in the eyes of everyone.
But if Jiaozhi can produce ten or eight Jinshi.
That's a big difference.
Anyone who dares to call a place where Jinshi can be born a foreigner will be scolded to death by all the scholars in the country.
Therefore, what made everyone in the Song Dynasty recognize Jiaozhi was not food, but education.
Li Di has been in Hexi for many years and managed Hexi into a large granary.
Hexi has not seen any famous scholars so far, so Hexi officials do not have a high say in the court.
In the whole of Hexi, only Li Di, Du Yan, and Chen Yaozi, who is still in Hexi, can speak to the court.
Other magistrates who had the right to submit reports to the imperial court did not receive any attention from the imperial court.
When the people of Hexi left Hexi and arrived in the hinterland of the Song Dynasty, the people of the Song Dynasty had problems with their eyesight.
They will always suspect that the people in Hexi have barbarian blood.
Therefore, education is an important part of making everyone in the Song Dynasty recognize a place.
"I'm afraid I won't be able to see that time... But if I do something now, others in the future will do less."
Cai Qi sighed.
Seemingly remembering something, Cai Qi said with a smile: "I'm a little lucky now that I didn't let my children and grandchildren become officials early like Li Di did.
Although my children and grandchildren are not considered to be elites, under my training, it is still very easy to become a Jinshi.
When I arrived in Jiaozhi, I immediately set up elementary schools in various places in Jiaozhi.
Then start the course.
The next time the imperial court recruits scholars, I will definitely have a talented person on the list in Jiaozhi."