"Conquest and control, control and governance are not the same thing. It's just that there is no governance in conquest. Once they lose their momentum, the land they conquered will fall apart again."
Telling this to my daughter-in-law also hopes to change her perspective on the world.
The world is very big. Don’t just focus on one corner of the world, but look further. There is more wealth in the distance of the whole world.
As the New Year approaches, the DPRK has also entered the stage of recess.
Officials from various ministries stopped what they were doing.
Looking at the imperial city, it used to be the busiest place every day, but now it is empty with only a few officials here and there.
And these officials are officials of the Ministry of Rites.
It is rare for envoys from various countries to come to Chang'an City, which is the best time for the Diplomatic Academy to collect intelligence.
Xu Jingzong often accompanied the Prince of Persia to eat, drink and have fun in various places in Chang'an City.
By the way, I got news about Persia and food from him.
It was learned from the Persian prince that now that Muhammad was dead, Persia was preparing to raise troops to fight against the Great Eclipse.
Xu Jingzong only listened to such words. According to the information currently being inquired by the Foreign Affairs Council, the Persian prince's words were not necessarily true.
He also wanted help from the Tang Dynasty and even visited Tubo.
After having a drink with the prince and sending him to rest, Xu Jingzong returned to the Foreign Affairs Academy worriedly.
Zhang Xiangxiang and Zhang Dashu are sorting out files here, and a huge map is hung on the wall.
Xu Jingzong looked at the territory of this map and said, "The territory of Dashi is actually so large."
"This is the news that our staff at the Diplomatic Academy got from some people from the Western Regions. They are businessmen traveling west of the Tianshan Mountains. They can often hear news about the West."
Zhang Elephant further explained: "We heard this from a few words from their mouths. We roughly drew a rough outline of the territory and it may really be that big."
In this midwinter season, the Diplomatic Academy was not idle, constantly collecting information about Persia.
Fortunately, the Ministry of Rites has had eyes and ears outside since two years ago, and after sorting out the information, a few people got a rough idea.
People thought that the Central Plains was already very large, the Turks were also vast, and Tubo was the end of the west.
But after truly understanding it, everyone discovered that there was a huge country in the west, which was separated from the Central Plains by the entire Western Region.
There are also Tianshan Mountains and Snow Mountains that act as barriers to each other.
It would be difficult for what happened in Persia to spread to the Western Regions, let alone the Tang Dynasty.
Zhang Elephant thought, "As the Prince of Persia said, Persia can counterattack and win this time. Why does he, a prince, have to travel all the way to the Central Plains?"
Xu Jingzong sat down and said, "This prince did not tell the truth. I think his words are true or false. Have you submitted the memorial to His Majesty?"
"It has been submitted. Once all the matters in Persia are understood clearly, I will submit this memorial as well." Zhang Dashu said while still writing with the pen in his hand.
When he came back from Tubo, Zhang Da had a sallow complexion and was as skinny as a stick.
This trip made him suffer a lot, but now he has regained his complexion after returning. Zhang Dashu has been eating and drinking indiscriminately for the past two days, trying to eat back everything he has not eaten in a year.
While he was writing the memorial, he took a bite of naan bread and ate it in his mouth while writing on his hand.
In the last few days before the eighth year of Zhenguan, Zhang Yang and Li Yue packed up their homes and took Xiao Wu to Lishan Mountain.
At the end of the New Year, the village was very lively, listening to the daughter-in-law talking loudly to the women in the village, and each family gave a lot of money to celebrate New Year's Eve.
Zhang Yang stood aside and felt guilty, he only had fifty yuan of pocket money a day, and if he wanted to add another money, it would be like cutting off flesh for his wife.
The villagers here are always rich, and my daughter-in-law, a rich landowner, is really generous.
When I think about it again, I think it’s nothing. My wife is doing this to boost the productivity of Lantian County on the other side of Lishan Mountain. As long as the people of Lantian County can also participate in production and contribute to the construction of the factory, they can also share the money.
The first is to win people's hearts. While the villagers get substantial benefits, they are also shown to the people of Lantian County.
The construction of Lishan requires too much manpower.
It would be a pity to have so much manpower in Lantian County go unused. The county magistrate of Lantian County has been lobbying county residents for the past six months. As long as Lantian County also joins the construction in the coming year, the completion of Lishan's large industrial cluster will be just around the corner.
The daughter-in-law asked her aunt and Xiao Yuyi to share the money, and she happily returned to her residence to clean the courtyard.
Zhang Yang sat at the door and looked at Li Tai, "New Year's Eve is coming soon, and His Highness the King of Wei will not return to the palace to celebrate."
Li Tai looked at the lively village in front of him, "It's too early to go back now. Let's go back until New Year's Eve. There are some things I want to ask my brother-in-law."
"Say it."
“Can wool really make us rich?”
"One bite cannot make you fat. We will keep the secret of wool until we get the ten-year contract rights for more grasslands before we make any plans."
Li Tai understood clearly, "We won't reveal our true purpose until the last moment."
After another thought, Li Tai leaned over and sat down, "Brother-in-law, can't you let me see the uses of wool?"
Zhang Yang snorted coldly: "What if you tell me to go out?"
"I am the most strict, brother-in-law, don't worry."
"What if you said something in your sleep and let it slip?"
…
Li Tai took a deep breath, stood up and left slowly.
Zhang Yang asked again: "What is His Majesty the King of Wei going to do now?"
Li Tai stopped walking with a sad look on his face, "Go back to Chang'an City and read more books on sages. I found that after getting along with my brother-in-law for a long time, my character is getting worse and worse. Read more books on sages and improve my character." .”
This brother-in-law left, feeling a little lonely when he left.
On the second day approaching New Year's Eve, a banquet was held in the village, and two pigs and more than ten chickens and ducks were killed.
Cabbages were planted in the ground one by one. Zhang Yang cut off the head and left the roots to continue planting.
Carrying the vegetables, the couple went to the teacher's home and cooked meals for the teacher and his wife.
Not long after, the three brothers Zhang Xiang, Da Su and Da'an also came back.
The teacher's wife also had a smile on her face when she looked at the three children.
At the dinner table, Zhang Daan said his plan, "I plan to take part in the imperial examination next year."
Zhang Gongjin was speechless as he ate the food.
Children also have their own choices when they grow up.
The master's wife usually takes care of the family and never cares about the affairs of the court.
Zhang Elephant asked in confusion: "Your affairs in the East Palace were arranged by your father. After participating in the imperial examination, do you plan to serve in the Sixth Ministry or the Three Provinces?"
Zhang Daan considered: "I want to enter the Chinese Academy of Sciences."
Zhang Dashu smiled and said: "Silly brother, do you know how difficult it is to get into Zhongshu Province? Even if you have passed Ming Jing, do you have any experience in Fang Strategy?"
"My brother has read a lot of books, maybe he can answer some policy questions."
Sitting next to their daughter-in-law, the expressions of the three brothers can be seen clearly.
Zhang Da'an didn't like his brother's behavior very much. His understanding of Zhang Da'an was still the same as before. It seemed that Zhang Da'an was too eager to move up because he had too much ambition and too little talent.
Zhang Dashu, on the other hand, did not have much confidence and would not stop Da'an from taking part in the imperial examination.
Zhang Elephant said again: "It's good for you to stay in the East Palace, and you can also take care of the prince. As long as you concentrate on assisting the prince, you may be able to get a good position in the court in the future. Why bother to take part in the imperial examination? If this spreads out, I will think that you are interested in the prince." dissatisfied."
Facing his brother's question, Zhang Da'an whispered: "If I stay in the East Palace all the time, I may not make any progress for several years. Even if I fail the imperial examination, I can still come to the village to work as a coolie. I have discussed it with the prince. He left the East Palace in 2008."
Zhang Elephant shook his head again, expecting to hear Zhang Daan acting so self-assertive during the cross-examination, and sighed goodbye to his parents.
Zhang Dashu chewed the food in his mouth and saluted, "There are many matters at the Diplomatic Academy, so my son will go back first."
The wife said goodbye to her two children and had an unpleasant meal on New Year's Eve.
Li Yue helped his wife sort out the bowls and kept comforting her.
Zhang Daan sat upright.
Zhang Gongjin whispered: "Have you seriously considered taking part in the imperial examination?"
Zhang Da'an nodded, "It was his father's arrangement when he entered the East Palace. My son doesn't want to be under the care of his father and stay in the East Palace. Even if he continues to stay in the East Palace for ten or twenty years? The son has not made any progress and is wasting his time."
Looking at his youngest son, Zhang Gongjin whispered: "I am very satisfied that you have such thoughts, but you must know that it was His Majesty who arranged for you to be sent to the East Palace. His Majesty also looked at my merits. This time If you leave the East Palace, you will no longer have His Majesty's care."
Zhang Daan saluted again, "My son does not want to continue to be under His Majesty's care. I have read many books and thought about many things in the past two years. Even if I test what I have learned in this life, even if I fail the imperial examination, I will not regret it."
Nodding again, Zhang Gongjin smiled reassuringly, "You will live in the village, read more at home, and prepare for the imperial examination next spring."
"My child understands."
After Zhang Daan finished speaking and left, Zhang Yang noticed the teacher's gaze and quickly explained: "I didn't expect Daan to want to take the imperial examination and leave the East Palace. This is not a student's suggestion."
】
Zhang Gongjin stood up and breathed in the chilly night air, "This kid in Da'an is good at being kind and loyal. It is also suitable for him to stay in the East Palace. The court is not as simple as he thought. He is still naive and self-righteous."
Zhang Yang whispered: "Teacher, do you need me to take care of him? Otherwise, if he is not included in the Ministry of Rites, as long as the student is still the Minister of the Ministry of Rites, no one will dare to bully Da'an."
"This kid is very ambitious. He wants to directly participate in political affairs and join the Zhongshu Province."
"Da'an has great ideals and has the heart to be a prime minister."
Zhang Gongjin shook his head, "Then let this kid give it a try and let him see what people outside of the East Palace are like."
First he cleared his throat, then Zhang Yang looked around and whispered: "Do you need help from the students?"
"What help?"
"Actually, Master Kong Yingda from the Imperial College came to see the student and wanted me to give him some math questions as a reference for the imperial examination questions. I can reveal them to Da'an."
Hearing this, Zhang Gongjin looked solemn, "You are not helping Da'an, you are harming him. Of my three sons, Da'an is the kindest and most innocent. Do you really want to destroy him?"
"Too kind cannot survive in the court."
Zhang Gongjin stroked his beard and said: "I can rest assured that you are in the court. You have the means, the courage, and the courage to do what you want. If a child like Da'an enters the court, with his innocence and loyalty, maybe he will do something else. future."
After a pause, Zhang Gongjin thought, "Let's see, let me live a few more years."
Zhang Yang smiled and said: "You must live a few more years."
The couple helped their wife and teacher clean up the house before returning home.
The questions of the imperial examination cannot be disclosed to Da'an. Da'an is indeed an innocent and kind-hearted child. He does not have as many thoughts as secular people.
The teacher’s little son has grown up under the protection of his parents since he was a child.
Being in the East Palace is also to protect Daan.
This also makes Da'an's shortcomings very obvious. He is not good at talking to people or arguing with others.
He has changed a lot in the past two years, but he has always retained the pure land in his heart.
At that time, the world was in constant war, and the teacher was Li Shimin's adviser. He made suggestions for Li Shimin, even planned for his heir apparent, and encouraged Li Shimin to launch the Xuanwu Gate Rebellion.
A father's son can be seen through the first half of his life.
Perhaps the teacher had used too much conspiracy and intrigue in the first half of his life, so he wanted to give Daan some innocence so that he could truly have some peace of mind.
Seeing that her husband was still looking solemn, Li Yue whispered: "What are you thinking about, husband?"
Holding his wife's hand, Zhang Yang walked very slowly, "Da'an, maybe this is the peace that the teacher also wants in his heart."
Fine snow continued to fall, floating on the couple.
You can also hear the laughter of children in the village.
Zhang Yang took two barrels of things from the warehouse. These were the raw materials that had been saved for making firecrackers. With a little modification, they could be made into fireworks.
After returning to his residence, Zhang Yang began to prepare.
Seeing Li Yue coming with an oil lamp, Zhang Yang quickly blew out the light, "You don't need to be near an open flame when doing this."
Candles were lit inside the house, and the candlelight could shine outside. Zhang Yang used this light to patiently make fireworks.
The night gradually deepened, the wind stopped but the snow became heavier and heavier.
Li Yue sat in the room reading a book, and then looked at her husband sitting under the eaves. Fortunately, the snow did not fall on her husband.
In her heart, she was very glad that she had lived for another year. Li Yue could clearly feel that her health was getting better and better, and her strength was getting stronger.
After all eighteen bamboo tubes were filled with gunpowder, Zhang Yang hid them all in a box. "These are only semi-finished products. To make them real fireworks, I need to add some more things."
Li Yue supported her right face with one hand and held the scroll in the other hand, "Why eighteen?"
Zhang Yang washed his hands and face, "Because you will be eighteen years old after New Year's Eve. My wife, congratulations to you. Now you are officially an adult in my heart."
Avoiding her husband's gaze, Li Yue's cheeks turned red and she covered her mouth and laughed softly. The happiness in her heart made her nose sore and she quietly wiped away her tears.
Zhang Yang held the wine pot, "We should drink and celebrate. We have passed this year safely, and there will be many, many years to come."
"Well, it's worth celebrating, every year."
