Looking west from the Hexi Corridor, we can see a patch of loess in the distance, and further ahead is the desolate Gobi. Over the millennia of successive dynasties, the Central Plains regained and lost the Hexi Corridor several times.
Di Renjie said again: "Father, there is something I don't understand." Di Zhisun looked forward.
"Just say it."
"No matter how strong the city wall is, it will turn into gravel under the erosion of wind and sand. If my father built Jiayuguan in the imperial court, it would still be in ruins a hundred years later." Listening to the words, Di Zhisun looked at his smart son,
"Xu Shilang of Chang'an City said that when serving here, we need to maintain a long-term connection with Chang'an City. I will inform them of things here. There are so many resourceful people in Chang'an City, and they will definitely find a way." Di Renjie said in a low voice: "Is it possible to change the situation?" Seeing the unconvinced look on his face, Di Zhisun smiled.
In Lishan, after the crowning ceremony, Li Tai began to be busy again. It was late autumn. He was sweating profusely by the stove and moved out baskets of white sugar that had separated.
"His Royal Highness, King Wei, we can just come." The guard took the basket of sugar and said. Li Tai wiped the sweat from his forehead, and a gust of cold wind blew by, which stopped his sweat.
Another guard came to report,
"His Royal Highness, King Wei, Shangguan Yi is here." Li Tai took a sip of water and put on his coat again. When he walked out of the workshop, the cold wind blew in his face, and he felt much more energetic.
Shangguan Yi hurriedly walked forward and talked about the situation of the factory construction this time.
"His Royal Highness, King Wei, construction can start as early as winter this year."
"The start of construction is the top priority in the village, so you must pay close attention to it."
"One more thing." Shangguan Yi hurriedly followed,
"The Ministry of War sent someone to ask about the compass again, and Yan Liben from the Ministry of Industry also sent someone to ask." Li Tai walked to the door of the new blacksmith's workshop. The blacksmith's workshop had expanded nearly five times, and the iron shelves Huge stone plates were hung on it, and the iron materials were taken under these boulders just after they were calcined.
As the boulder pressed down, a layer of black impurities could be seen peeling off the iron material with the naked eye. Then it is sent to another furnace, calcined again, and pressed with boulders again.
It's not until it's pressed into thin sheets that it becomes truly usable iron material. The efficiency is faster and more convenient than using borax to quench.
The boulders are tied up with iron chains. For safety reasons, these boulders are covered with two layers of insurance, and there is an iron pillar connecting them above. Even if the iron chain is broken, the boulders will not fall. They are fixed by the iron pillars that are melted together.
The distance between these big stones is very far, and people cannot get close. The people pulling the iron chains are one foot apart. In order to ensure that no one will be injured even if the stones fall, the rules of the blacksmith workshop are the strictest.
This is a technology designed by my brother-in-law. There are thirty people in the blacksmith workshop, each working in shifts of one hour. Standing outside the blacksmith's workshop, Li Tai could feel the heat coming to his face. The pressed iron pieces would be collected and used for the next stage of forging, shaping and polishing.
There is no problem if Lishan continues to make a compass, and it is not impossible for Lishan to make it now. Li Tai hesitated and said: "The Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of War want a compass to find my brother-in-law. Don't ask Lishan about this kind of thing. Lishan doesn't make the decision." Shangguan Yi nodded and said,
"Then reply them like this." The cotton grown in Western Turks and Gaochang has also arrived. Every time around winter, Lishan is the busiest time. Carloads of goods are transported into Lishan, mobilizing the entire village's manpower for production.
After several adjustments by Niu Chuang and others, the new Lishan textile flow test was completed. A new piece of cotton cloth was brought out, and the villagers cheered again.
When the cold wave from the north reaches the Central Plains, the first snow falls in winter in the Central Plains. Li Tai watched more than ten carriages leaving Lishan and heading towards Luoyang.
Li Xiaogong happened to be passing by and saw this scene.
"Is this the agreement between His Majesty and Zhang Yang?" He stood in the wind and snow, his voice loud. Li Tai stood on the slope of Lishan Mountain and replied: "Uncle Wang will know about it soon." Li Xiaogong's voice in response was also loud, and Li Tai almost shouted.
In Chang'an City, Zhang Yang and Li Shimin were drinking tea by the Qujiang Pond.
"The Uighurs have sent news. Your envoys from the Diplomatic Academy did see the Uighur Khans, but they are not willing to return Xue Yantuo Duomi Khan. I thought your manpower was so powerful." Li Shimin said, with a hint of emotion in his words. With a smile.
Zhang Yang struggled and said: "Your Majesty, please give our envoy more time." The queen was holding her granddaughter Xiao Qingqing and talking quietly to Li Yue.
Snowflakes fell loudly and melted. The heavy snow came very early, indicating good weather in the coming year. The good weather in the coming year will be beneficial to the country, and the emperor will be very happy and in a beautiful mood.
The prince held the stove and asked people to put the hot pot on, and put the chopped mutton aside. Zhang Yang sighed,
"His Majesty is so extravagant that he uses a copper pot to cook it." The hot pot method became popular in Chang'an City very quickly, which made Zhang Yang feel a sense of guilt and his mood suddenly became bad.
"There is good wine and meat, why are you looking so sad?"
"If it weren't for His Majesty's salt and iron order, I should have made money selling iron pots. Maybe I could get rid of poverty and become rich early." Li Shimin was dissatisfied.
"You are also very rich now." Zhang Yang held a new home-made teacup in his hand.
"You can't be anxious about the Uighurs. General Li Ji is leading the troops, and he doesn't know whether they can keep out the cold." Li Shimin scooped up the mutton with his kuai and said while eating: "I have sent you cotton-padded clothes from Lishan. , you don’t have to worry about them." Li Yue and the Queen were teasing Xiao Qingqing, but Xiao Sizi seemed to have fallen out of favor, she was playing with building blocks by herself and building a house.
Snowflakes fell on the big family. What was still worrying about the situation in Luoyang was the situation in Luoyang. The imperial court asked Yushitai and Dali Temple to send people to Luoyang to investigate, and even sent the Shaoqing of Dali Temple and Yushi Ma Zhou.
Departing in the autumn, according to the current schedule, it is time to arrive in Luoyang and start the investigation. I don't know what the situation is. With the transportation conditions lagging behind, I can only wait for people from Luoyang to send news, and it takes another month.
Li Shimin ate deliciously,
"Aren't you going to eat it?" Zhang Yangnai said, "Your Majesty, I've been feeling angry recently and shouldn't eat mutton."
"Hahaha... You have never shared a pot with me, and you have never shared a meal with me." The emperor was the civil and military superior of the entire dynasty. Who dared to eat from the same pot as the emperor.
Zhang Yang was still holding his teacup,
"Your Majesty, what you said is wrong. In the past, when my family had dinner, you were treated so warmly." The family did not eat in the same pot, but on the same table. Everyone ate the food on their plate, which made them feel better.
"I asked Cen Wenwen to look at Shangshu's accounts. Your accounting method is very useful."
"Zhao Guogong has a good sense of people. His vision can tell at a glance that I am not suitable for political administration and accounting." Zhang Yang exhaled, and the cold air turned into a mist.
"When did your Majesty send someone to the Shangshu Province to check the accounts?" The emperor was silent for a moment, and the prince and his father-in-law remained silent.
"I just asked someone to take a look and see if there are any errors in the accounts. Now everything is fine with the accounts. I am very relieved! Do you think I don't trust you?" Zhang Yang smiled dryly, smiling very reluctantly.
"how could be?"
"I also heard that the factory in Lishan has started construction?"
"Well, the production efficiency is very good. A few days ago, His Royal Highness the King of Wei sent news that production has officially started." Outside Chang'an City, Chang Sun Ji was waiting at the city gate. This time he was here to pick up someone, and he was greeted by someone from the city. A group of old gentlemen from Luoyang.
Carriage after carriage approached, and those who got out were all old men with white hair and beards. These old gentlemen were also very knowledgeable and talented people back then.
But it is a pity that the court failed to recruit them. These people were finally kept captive by the aristocratic family and became the mouthpiece of the aristocratic family.
This is a great sadness. When they were young, they became members of a noble family. And she was arranged to get married. In just one year, her wealth and life were controlled by others.
But now, as long as the aristocratic family says a word, these old people who have lived for more than a year will go to Chang'an City to lobby for the imperial examination.
What the court was facing was a war of words with aristocratic families. These people came to lobby the court as lobbyists, and they came for the imperial examination.
Among them are the descendants of the Jin generation of academicians, famous officials from the Southern and Northern Dynasties who continue to this day, and even young people who became famous in the pre-Sui Dynasty.
These people had a high reputation in those days and did not usually appear in front of people. They would only come forward when the family arranged matters.
Changsun Ji told the servants on the side: "Welcome these old gentlemen into Chang'an City and arrange them in separate courtyards. Remember to take good care of them." After whispering the instructions, he had to pretend to smile and stand aside respectfully, facing the other side. These old guys wore playful smiles and showed courtesy and magnanimity.
It snowed heavily for two days and two nights. It was snowing heavily in the middle of winter. Today was supposed to be a day off. Zhang Yang watched his daughter push a stroller and learn to walk.
Her learning ability is very poor, and Li Yue guides her over and over again. She only knows how to bark, but she can't call anyone.
The two aunts came quickly,
"County Marquis, the prince is here." Zhang Yang was still looking at his daughter.
"Invite people in." Aunt Wang whispered: "This is a matter for the court. We need the county prince to put on his official uniform and official hat and go to the palace." He put down his legs and put down the tea cup. , Zhang Yang stretched and stood up,
"We agreed to retire, but you still want me to enter the palace. It's really abominable!" After her husband put on his official uniform, Li Yue hurriedly chased him out with his coat.
"It's so cold, don't catch a cold." Zhang Yang took the coat and put it on, stepping on the snow on the ground, nodding lazily.
The prince stood outside the door and said with a smile: "Xian Hou, this coat looks really good."
"It was made from the fur of our bear. It was originally intended to be a blanket. My wife took the initiative and made me a coat. In the summer, the bear lost a lot of fur, which was collected and used to make some fabrics. ." Zhang Yang followed him,
"If Lao Wang likes it, I can also arrange one and make you a shawl."
"No, no need." The prince waved his hands repeatedly. Zhang Yang complained,
"The bear at home is growing bigger and bigger. Every summer, his hair can fall all over the floor. When the house is cleaned, a lot of it is always swept out." When I walked out of the alley, I saw Cen Wen's station.
Zhang Yang cupped his hands and said, "Have you met Brother Wenwen?" Cen Wenwen was wearing a thin official uniform and looked at Zhang Yang's coat with envy.
"Shilang Zhang, this coat is really nice."
"Yeah, it's made of my bear hair." The weather was very cold, and Cen Wenwen was still shivering a little when the cold wind blew by.
"Everyone is in Tai Chi Hall." There were many pedestrians on the street. Zhang Yang walked beside Cen Wenwen.
"Who is Tai Chi Hall?"
"Oh, that's it." Cen Wenwen explained: "Two days ago, Hedong, Qinghe, Fanyang and other places sent more than ten old gentlemen. They were all famous people in the past. As for their purpose... Zhang Shilang said I must also know what happened in Luoyang."
"His Majesty issued a decree last autumn to launch the imperial examination, and these old gentlemen came to lobby and discuss the imperial examination strategy on behalf of the gentry." Zhang Yang bought three hot naan cakes on the roadside, gave him one, and then Give one to Lao Wang.
Cen Wenwen nodded and took it.
"Thank you." The three of them walked and ate while continuing to talk about the old gentlemen.
"Zhao Guogong has nothing to do. On the one hand, the imperial court has to hold imperial examinations and appease the nobles. Even if it is appeasement, it cannot be done over and over again, and they will not always accommodate."
"That's why they came to Chang'an to discuss the imperial examination strategy. On the first day they came, they asked to see His Majesty, but Duke Zhao stopped them. He comforted them and kept them for one day, but it was only a good day." Zhang Yang said Zhuo Bing said curiously: "Mr. Zhao Guogong is also in a dilemma."
"That's natural. They want to see His Majesty. Naturally, Your Majesty cannot meet these people easily, let alone talk to them verbally, even if there is a verbal promise. The official recommended to Zhao Guogong that Zhang Shilang should preside over this negotiation. ." Seeing the person stop, Cen Wenwen asked in confusion: "Shilang Zhang? What's wrong with you?" Zhang Yang put his hands in his hands and looked troubled,
"Brother Wenwen, why did you harm me?"
"I didn't harm you, and I told those old gentlemen that Zhang Shilang was the one who wrote the diary of a madman. Those old gentlemen were even more willing. They also said that they would not go back if they didn't see Zhang Shilang when they came here. They would rather die in Chang'an. City." Standing where he was, Zhang Yang couldn't move.
"Brother Wenwen, may I ask how I offended you and hurt me twice with one sentence?" Cen Wenwen said with a smile on his face.
"It's a joke, how can I harm you if I'm a subordinate?"
"You've hurt me! You've hurt others a lot!" Cen Wenwen pulled Zhang Yang forward and told him,
"At that time, you must remember not to be wild and rude in your words, and never say that the imperial examination system will be used to abolish the recommendation system."
"Why?"
"Alas..." Cen Wenwen sighed: "Old guys are old, what should I do if they get angry and die if they don't agree with their words? Moreover, it is said that this is the representative of Zhao Guoguan, and the court and the Central Government have concealed it first. The most important thing is to coax these old gentlemen back." When he walked to Zhuque's door, Cen Wenwen was still talking,
"Remember! Remember!"
