Seeing that Feng Ang finally figured it out and accepted it, Xiao Rui asked jokingly: "How about it? Duke Geng, do you still want the money? I have told you everything truthfully. If you still refuse, then I can only let the Xiao family chamber of commerce The people were transferred back."
"Yes! Of course I want it, how can I not want it? The cost of transporting it back is too high, it's not worth it, it's not worth it! How can I, Lingnan, live up to the Marquis's wishes? Tell me, what are your orders, as long as I, Feng An, can handle it If you arrive, you will never refuse!" Feng Ang said, patting his chest.
I?
Xiao Rui was happy, "Gong Guogong, how can Xiao Rui come to you for personal matters? Besides, even if he did, with my relationship with Zhidai and the relationship with Emperor Jiangxia, it seems that I can ask you to do things without spending money. Bar?"
Feng An asked doubtfully: "Then, are all these three hundred thousand taels of silver really used as military pay? This, this is too much... Are you sure there is nothing else?"
After thinking about it, Xiao Rui suggested: "How much military salary should be given to the soldiers under my command? You can just make arrangements. It's more than three hundred thousand taels of silver. When you report to the court in the future, you can only report two hundred thousand. If you are worried about being deported, Actually, Xiao Rui has an idea that can help you stop Yunyun's mouth."
Feng Ang said happily: "I would like to hear the details."
Without giving a direct answer, Xiao Rui asked a question: "May I ask Duke Geng, where do you think the future of Lingnan lies?"
Forehead……
Why are you asking this suddenly?
Feng Ang didn't understand clearly, but he knew that Xiao Rui was definitely not aimless, so he thought for a moment and replied: "Lingnan is remote, located in the southern wilderness, with a sparse population and limited resources. It has not contributed much to the development of the imperial court. Since ancient times, This is where prisoners are exiled, so Lingnan can be self-sufficient and develop without causing trouble to the court, so what’s the future?”
Xiao Rui burst out laughing and said, "What Duke Geng said is wrong!"
"I think the reason why the Central Plains Dynasty is so prosperous today is because of its geographical location? Or is it the luck of the Tang Dynasty?"
"Isn't it? The Central Plains has been a prosperous place since ancient times, with countless fertile fields, a large population, and unlimited resources." Feng An asked rhetorically.
Xiao Rui waved his hand and said: "Of course not. In ancient times, the Central Plains was a barbaric land. It was the hard work and development of countless generations of our ancestors that created a stable habitat for the human race."
"Today's Lingnan is comparable to the ancient Central Plains. If you insist on being complacent, then Lingnan will still be a barren land a hundred years from now. But if we start from your generation and we continue to forge ahead, One generation, two generations, three or five generations, one day, this Lingnan will become the next prosperous Jiangnan. At that time, the Feng family will be like the great sages of ancient times and will go down in history forever!"
hiss……
This, this wish is too big, please let me slow down... Although I, Feng An, am also a prince, at most I want to be a local emperor with high heaven and emperor. But if you, the champion, say this, how do you feel about me, Feng An? Like a country bumpkin with short sight and no ambition?
After a while, Feng Ang calmed down and asked: "Ahem, if we can really build Lingnan into another prosperous Jiangnan, then my Feng family is willing to be the first pioneering family to overcome all obstacles. Dare you ask Lord Marquis to teach me! "
With that said, he stood up and saluted Xiao Rui respectfully.
Xiao Rui smiled calmly and waited for the other party to salute, thinking that the matter was half done.
He stood up and held the other person's arms modestly, "You're welcome, Xiao Rui has a plan, please listen to it and see if it can be done?"
"Master Marquis, please speak."
"Nowadays, the entire Tang Dynasty's external expansion has reached a bottleneck. Since the annihilation of Northern Jieli a few years ago, the Tang Dynasty has no rivals and can easily afford weapons. Therefore, the imperial court is now mainly developing inward."
"But military affairs still need to be done. Otherwise, if we neglect the military affairs, in less than twenty years, the Tang Dynasty's military power will decline rapidly, and the surrounding wolves will bar their teeth at us again."
As a veteran on the battlefield, Feng An certainly understood this truth and nodded in agreement. It was indeed the case. But without war, the imperial troops and horses can only be idle. How can they maintain their combat effectiveness?
Xiao Rui did not whet his appetite, "Since the army is in a bottleneck, why don't we take the opportunity to develop the navy? The navy I am talking about is not the navy in rivers such as the Yangtze River and the Yellow River, but the sea navy that can gallop invincibly in the sea. Navy, or navy is more appropriate. Looking at the entire Tang Dynasty, only Lingnan has the ability to build a powerful navy."
Feng Ang asked curiously: "Is this what your Majesty means?"
Xiao Rui nodded: "His Majesty wants an unparalleled navy, let me take the lead in building it for him. After traveling all over the Tang Dynasty, it must be Lingnan. So although these 300,000 taels were given by me, Xiao Rui, But it’s not a private matter, it’s a state matter!”
Only then did Feng Ang understand, "So, this money is the preparatory money for establishing a navy? In fact, there is no need to be so troublesome. Although the soldiers in Lingnan are led by me, Feng Ang, they are also soldiers of the Tang Dynasty. The Lingnan navy goes to sea to fight. No problem, wherever your majesty wants to attack, Feng Ang dares not to die for an edict?"
Xiao Rui retorted: "No! This money is not a reserve fund for the navy. The money for the establishment of the navy will be allocated separately from the imperial finance. Today's money, most of it, you can use it for military pay or allocate it freely. After all, Lingnan is also No matter how big the business is, money is needed everywhere. But a small part needs to be set aside to build a shipyard."
What? ? ?
Feng Ang was puzzled: "Shipbuilding? What kind of shipyard does it require so much money to build? We have a shipyard in Lingnan now, and it's not Feng's boast. The sea-going ships we build are unmatched."
Xiao Rui burst out laughing, "Gong Guogong, how many people can Lingnan's current ships carry? How many days can they sail at sea? If you are allowed to sail north to go to Goguryeo, how many days will it take for Lingnan's fleet to arrive? If not in the middle Can it be done by docking for supplies?”
This this……
A series of questions were so shocking that Feng Ang was unable to answer.
His face was full of doubts: "This... you mean to build such a shipyard? But is there really such a powerful warship in the world?"
Xiao Rui didn't speak, but stood up and walked out: "Xiao Rui will be back as soon as he goes."
He went out to look for his carriage, but it was actually just a cover. His real intention was to get something from his storage ring. The valuable items were all here, and even Li Junxian and Fang Er didn't know.
When he came back, Xiao Rui had a rectangular exquisite sandalwood box in his hand, and it had a precision machine lock.
Opening the mechanism in front of Feng Ang, there were rolled up shipbuilding drawings inside. Even the paper was made of the most expensive and durable materials in the world.
Feng An excitedly cooperated with Xiao Rui to unfold the shipbuilding plan. The first time he saw the majestic ship on the map, Feng An knew: It's over. From now on, the Feng family in Lingnan will completely follow the path arranged by the champion. Because of this temptation It's too big for anyone to refuse.
