The next day, Liu Muzhi took Yang Anxuan's memorial to Jingkou. We took a boat from Jiankang and docked at the dock at Jingkou in less than two hours.
In less than half a year, Liu Yu recruited 30,000 soldiers from Xuzhou and Sanwu and stepped up training at Jingkou. It was not until the Shen Dynasty that Liu Yu returned to the governor's office from the military camp.
After not seeing each other for several months, Liu Muzhi felt that Song Gong was like a sword from Xinxiang, with sharp edges. In the past, Liu Yu felt more like a thick-backed machete, sharp on one side and heavy on the other. I sighed secretly in my heart. It seemed that Jing Ling's setback had not only hit Song Gong seriously, but also caused Song Gong's temperament to change.
After reading the memorial brought by Liu Muzhi, Liu Yu passed it to Xie Hui, Fu Liang and others beside him for circulation. He pondered for a moment and asked: "Daohe, what is the discussion in the court? What do you think?"
"The ministers in the court believe that this move is against the system of selecting officials of the Nine Ranks, and most people do not agree." Liu Mu said: "It is foolish to think that Yong Gong only has the merits by trying it. If the Lord wants to stabilize the world, he must have a large number of people. With the help of talented people, it is a good idea to pass the examination and meritocracy.”
Xie Hui, a Taiwei who joined the army, had always been at odds with Liu Muzhi. He often refuted Liu Muzhi during discussions, and the relationship between the two was bad.
After hearing that Liu Muzhi agreed with Yang Anxuan's suggestion of selecting scholars through examinations, Xie Hui immediately objected: "The selection of scholars with nine grades of Zhongzheng was created during the reign of Emperor Wen of Wei. It is conducive to the stability of the court. If it is changed rashly, it will definitely cause shock to the government and the public. It is foolish to think that the imperial court They should be reprimanded sternly and not allowed to be carried out.”
Liu Muzhi secretly thought that the reason why Xie Hui strongly objected to recruiting scholars by trial was because the Xie family was a top-notch family, and all the children in the family were ranked above the fifth rank, and those with a little talent were ranked second or third rank. Xie Hui was dismissed that year. Zhongzheng is designated as the second grade.
Xie Hui is indeed talented. He once joined the army to handle lawsuits on behalf of a sick prisoner. The backlog of cases was constantly tried and resolved without any mistakes, so he was highly valued by his lord.
However, compared to his own "managing the affairs of the court at home, providing military services to the outside world, making decisions with flying colors, and never having any problems", Xie Hui's talents are nothing. At the beginning, he was only awarded the eighth rank, and his family was so poor that it was difficult to even eat enough. For this reason, he was often humiliated by his family.
Fu Liang put down the memorial and saw that Liu Muzhi and Xie Hui were tit for tat again. He made peace and said: "Yonggong's memorial echoes the lord's "Eight Matters". It would be inappropriate to oppose it blindly, which would make people think My lord is narrow-minded. Why not let Xiangyang try it out and see the effect and the reactions from all parties. If the results are obvious, lord may as well implement it in the name of the court. I think all the talented people in the world will defect to my lord."
Liu Yu thought for a while and said: "Ji You said politely, let Xiangyang try it out, and send personnel from the Ancestral Hall and the Ministry of Personnel to supervise and strive to make propositions in the name of the emperor and take the lead. The selected talents will be awarded in the name of the imperial court. Officials, it’s best to recruit them from Jiankang.”
Fu Liang smiled and said: "My lord is wise, let Yang Anxuan make wedding clothes for you."
Liu Yu smiled and asked about the situation in the capital. He couldn't help but frown when he learned that King Langya was not feeling well and was afraid of spreading the illness to the palace. He had moved out of Da Sima's Mansion and returned to live in Prince Langya's Mansion.
Xie Hui noticed Liu Yu's expression, and felt a little worried, preparing to look for opportunities to test him later.
"With Tao and Hexian in the capital, Yu can train his troops with peace of mind." Liu Yu said solemnly: "Jingguang told Yu that Yang Anxuan did not recruit troops on a large scale, but instead planned a school in Xiangyang and planted products on both sides of the Huaihe River. Cotton from the Western Regions. I heard from Jingguang that this material is similar to kapok and can be used to keep out the cold. Last year, the Western Qin Dynasty stabbed Yang Anxuan while he was attacking Qiu Chi. I guess Yang Anxuan wanted revenge."
Liu Muzhi was very interested in cotton and said: "If cotton can really be used to keep out the cold like kapok, my lord might as well order people to plant some and weave it into cloth for sale."
Liu Yu focused his attention on military training and said disapprovingly: "I am recruiting young men to join the army in the Sanwu area. Farming this year is quite difficult. If we allocate more manpower to grow cotton, I am afraid that the food supply will not be guaranteed."
Liu Muzhi advised: "Yang Anxuan always has deep intentions in his actions. He may have some military purpose in planting cotton fields on a large scale. Just like Danhuo, the lord must be on guard."
Hearing Liu Muzhi mention Danhuo, Liu Yu increased his vigilance. He pondered for a moment and said, "I will handle the cotton matter properly with you. Let Jingguang send people to cooperate with you to find some cotton seeds and try planting them."
When the conversation changed, Liu Yu told Liu Muzhi with excitement
, said: "Yang Anxuanka cut off the saltpeter's source. Fortunately, Fan Yuanzhi discovered the saltpeter mine in the mountains north of Guchang in Ningzhou (today's north of Fumin County), and has organized manpower to mine it."
Liu Muzhi clasped his palms together and recited the Buddha's name, and said, "God is really helping my lord. With the saltpeter, the combat power of Yong's army will be equal. Our army can defeat Yong's army with the power of battleships."
Liu Yu nodded, frowning slightly and said: "Transporting saltpeter from Ningzhou to Jiankang, the land route is not smooth, we can only enter Lishui (Jinsha River) through Pudu River (Jinsha River) and finally enter the Yangtze River, and transport it to Jiankang through the Yangtze River. The journey is very long. "
Liu Muzhi was familiar with the map, frowned and said: "If we take the water route, we must pass through Bodao, Jiangyang, Jiangzhou and other places. These places are controlled by Yang Anxuan. If they are found to be transporting saltpeter, they will definitely be detained. It is better to go through Dianchi Lake." It went from Panjiang to Zoke River (now Hongshui River) and entered Guangzhou (Guilin County and Yulin County both belong to Guangzhou), then from Yushui to Panyu, Guangzhou, and from Panyu to Jiankang by sea ship."
Liu Yu thought about it for a long time and sighed: "This waterway is many times longer than the Yangtze River waterway, and it has to be transported by sea. The sea is unpredictable and the risk is extremely high."
Liu Muzhi insisted: "Compared with taking the Yangtze River, I think the risk at sea will be smaller."
Liu Yu waved his hand and said, "Then use both roads, whichever one is smooth."
As soon as the conversation changed, Liu Yu told Liu Muzhi, "The ship carrying grain to Wei returned the day before yesterday. In addition to bringing back 600 war horses, there was also a large amount of furs, cattle and sheep. Dao He might as well bring them back to the capital. We will go back with some supplies. There are a lot of medicinal materials in this batch of goods. Daohe selected a few old wild ginsengs from them to give to King Langya, so as not to say that he was treating the royal family stupidly."...
Liu Muzhi said with a smile: "With these goods, the market in central Beijing will be more lively. Officials at the two sales markets in Puyang and Liaocheng reported that large-scale transactions with various countries are booming, not only with Wei, but also with the (Northern) Yan There are merchants from , Xia, (Western) Qin, Liang, Rouran and the Western Regions, and the taxes collected in one place are as much as those in Jiankang."
Liu Yu smiled and said, "Since the business market is booming, we might as well open two more businesses next year. Forty percent of the tax collected from the business market will be given to Yang Anxuan. I think Yang Anxuan would be happy to see it come to fruition."
Xie's family also had business through the market. Xie Hui vaguely knew some of the situation and said: "The trade in the market is strictly controlled by the government. In addition to the city orders appointed by the imperial court, Yonggong also set up supervisors and chief officials in the market. Every day Two hundred city soldiers were assigned to the market to inspect goods and collect commercial taxes, and the court's city orders were also controlled by the supervisor."
In the eighth year of Yixi, Xie Hun was sentenced to death by Liu Yu for colluding with Liu Yi, the governor of Jingzhou. After Xie Hun's death, Liu Yu ordered Princess Jinling to remarry Wang Lian of the Langya family (1). Although Princess Jinling refused to comply, Liu Yu used the emperor's edict to force her, so Princess Jinling had to entrust Xie with her two young daughters and family affairs. Hun's nephew Xie Hongwei.
Xie Hongwei was shrewd and prudent, and he was appointed as a minister of Sanqi with his family background. He later served as Grand Sima (Sima Dewen) and joined the army. He was entrusted by the Princess of Jinling to carefully manage Xie Hun's family property. People were trading, and Xie Hongwei sent most of his family to do business.
I thought everyone would be courteous by using the name of the Xie family in Chenjun. The goods they sold were mixed with ironware that the Hu people urgently needed. I wanted to exchange pearls, jade, and medicinal materials from the Hu merchants.
After the caravan arrived in Liaocheng, the caravan manager delivered a letter and gifts from the Xie family to Chen Xuan, the magistrate of the Liaocheng market, and Chen Xuan readily agreed.
Although the Xie family is not as prominent as when Taiwei Xie was alive, Xie Yu is the minister Zuopushe, and Xie Hui, Xie Zhan, Xie Lingyun, Xie Yao, Xie Hongwei and other descendants of the Xie family are in the imperial court. How can he be a junior? The small market order can offend anyone.
The Xie family's caravan entered the market for trading, and word spread that they had thousands of kilograms of iron ingots. Hu merchants who came to buy immediately crowded the shops. Just when the manager Xie Rong thought that the trip was worthwhile, Supervisor Yan Yin came to the door with city soldiers, and no explanation was allowed. The iron ingots were confiscated and the Xie family caravan was ordered to leave.
Xie Rong revealed his identity, but Yan Yin was merciless and expelled the Xie family's caravan from the market, leaving Chen Xuan, the city magistrate, at his wits' end.
When Xie Hongwei learned that his caravan was expelled from the Liaocheng market, he secretly hated Yang Anxuan for being unkind. He remembered an old story he heard when the brothers were chatting together. Emperor Xiaowu of Hualintang chose a bride for Princess Jinling. It seemed that Yang Anxuan also If he intends to compete, could it be that Yang Anxuan still holds grudges about what happened back then.
Write a letter to Xie Hui in Jingkou and ask him to tell Liu Yu in due course. Caravan business is a trivial matter, Xie Hongwei thought
Let Xie Hui express the Xie family's support for Liu Yu and their dissatisfaction with Yang Anxuan through this matter.
Liu Muzhi sneered: "I have heard from the officials in the Guan market that the supervisors sent by Yang Anxuan were fair, and those city soldiers never bullied merchants to ask for benefits without reason. The strict supervisors expelled the Xie Mansion caravan from the Guan market." I’m afraid there is something prohibited in the Xie family’s caravan.”
Xie Hui felt secretly confused, Liu Muzhi suppressed him everywhere. The lord originally intended to promote himself to be a Zhonglang (equivalent to a Zhonglang general), but when he asked Liu Muzhi, he flatly rejected it.
Thinking of this, Xie Hui's heart became angry and he snorted coldly: "Liu Pushe targets Yu everywhere. I wonder if the Xie family has offended anything. Yu is willing to go to Liu Pushe to accompany him."
With that said, Xie Hui stood up and bowed to Liu Muzhi. Liu Muzhi played with the feather fan in his hand and smiled silently.
Liu Yu turned a blind eye to the fight between Liu Muzhi and Xie Hui. The fight between his subordinates was better for him to check and balance, and it was even something he deliberately condoned and allowed.
Liu Muzhi was his chief adviser, and Liu Yu wanted to favor Liu Muzhi in general, so Liu Muzhi objected to Xie Hui's appointment as Zhonglang and Liu Yu listened to his opinion. But Xie Hui was born in the Xie family, Liu Yu relied on him, and Xie Hui was second only to Liu Muzhi in talent. The most important thing was that Xie Hui was thirty years younger than Liu Muzhi, and was only twenty-six years old this year. This could be left to Talents used by children and grandchildren.
Liu Yu smiled and said, "Xuan Ming, don't worry about a little money. When the trade with the Wei State begins in October, the Xie family's goods may as well take a sea ship and go directly to Yangxin City of the Wei State for trade."
Xie Hui bowed to Liu Yu and said, "Thank you, my lord."
It wasn't for some goods, but Liu Yu's words revealed his wooing and trust in the Xie family.
"Note (1): Interested book friends can search Princess Jinling or Xie Hongwei on Baidu to learn more about the order."
