Pei Xingjian arrived in Gaoling County early in the morning, and there was another person he wanted to meet today. He was Li Daozong, the magistrate of Tongzhou.
When Li Daozong was deprived of military power by the emperor, he was recently sent to Tongzhou as a magistrate. The emperor gave his brother an official position that was enough to support him in his old age.
Now Tongzhou belongs to Zuo Fengyi, who has jurisdiction over the east of Chang'an and Weibei, and has jurisdiction over 24 counties.
This name was given in the early years because these twenty-four counties are the barriers to Chang'an City, which means barriers to assist the capital.
Today, there was a conflict between Gaoling and Lintong. The people from both sides of the county fought. The reason was that the cloth sold in Gaoling was too cheap. If the cloth continued to be sold like this, Lintong County's cloth would not be sold.
At this time, as the chief officials of the two places, Pei Xingjian and Li Daozong were the first to bear the brunt.
Pei Xingjian was in charge of twelve counties in Chang'an City, and Li Daozong was in charge of twenty-four counties east of Weibei.
The villagers on both sides looked at each other across the river. Pei Xingjian and Li Daozong stood on the bridge. They each glanced at the villagers behind them and sighed at the same time in a tacit understanding.
The two looked at each other and smiled. Li Daozong adjusted his official uniform and said, "We can't let them beat me anymore. If the beating continues, Zhe Chong Mansion will come to question me again."
Pei Xingjian smiled ashamedly, "The administration is not going well, which makes the Prince of Jiangxia worried."
"Pei Fuyin is joking. The folk customs in Weibei have always been like this. I am a warrior and not good at governance."
Pei Xingjian saluted again and said, "The Prince of Jiangxia County is humble."
Li Daozong said: "Then how should we deal with this matter?"
Pei Xingjian faced the villagers in Lintong County and said loudly: "You all listen to me, the price of cloth produced in Gaoling is the same as the price of cloth produced in Lishan. It has never changed, and the cloth is better than yours!"
"What are you trying to do by making trouble here? Do you really think that my Majesty killed too few people in Persia?"
Pei Xingjian said loudly.
The people of Lintong County are still a little timid. After all, the Chang'an Order in front of them is a notoriously cruel official in Chang'an City. He kills people when he says he wants to.
Pei Xingjian whispered: "Is it appropriate for the official to say this?"
Li Daozong hesitated to speak, thinking that this person surnamed Pei was really protecting his shortcomings. He was protecting his twelve counties and scolding me for being ignorant?
I wanted to talk back, but I didn’t know where to start.
Pei Xingjian is a rising star in the Tang Dynasty and a newcomer whom His Majesty values.
Moreover, he is still a disciple of Lishan and has Lishan’s backing.
Li Daozong smiled awkwardly and said nothing.
Pei Xingjian looked at the people of Lintong County and said loudly: "You don't want to seek change. You still blame Gaoling County for producing a lot of cloth and good quality. Is there such a truth in this world?"
The people of Gaoling County behind Pei Xingjian cheered.
After he stopped speaking, Pei Xingjian whispered again: "Prince of Jiangxia County, is it appropriate for me to say this?"
Li Daozong, with a dark face but a smile on his face, replied: "That's right."
Pei Xingjian looked at the people of Lintong County and said loudly: "If you want to find a change, you might as well go to Lishan and ask your county magistrate to go to Lishan to find a change. Lishan aims to build Guanzhong, and any county will do it." Give help."
Seeing that the atmosphere was almost over, Li Daozong knew that it would be bad if he didn't speak. Seeing that everyone was a little reluctant to get off the stage, he stepped forward and said loudly: "Everyone has heard it, I will personally go to Lishan Mountain and disperse first. "
Only then did all the villagers leave.
"Haha, I admire Pei Fuyin's young hero. Why don't you lend me a helping hand?"
"That's fine."
Pei Xingjian took him into Gaoling County. After the villagers dispersed, they returned to normal production.
"I have heard about your campaign against Persia."
"The lower official is young and energetic, but he does many things poorly and causes trouble to the general."
Now Pei Xingjian has a different title, which means he is close to him.
Li Daozong patted him hard on the shoulder, "I was also a man who fought in the north and south in those days, but now in this country, there is no need for old people like me."
"The general is joking, and the subordinate is ashamed."
"You did a good job as Chang'an Order."
Pei Xingjian added: "Actually, I don't like the official position of Chang'an Ling. I still remember what General Su Dingfang said back then. In fact, I am more suitable to be a military general."
Li Daozong suddenly smiled, as if he was laughing at himself.
He put his hands behind his back and looked at the huge workshop in the distance, "Tell me how you can produce a thousand feet of cloth in a day."
Pei Xingjian led people into the workshop and said about the changes here, "In fact, Lishan not only has production equipment, but also a production system."
Li Daozong nodded and said: "I have heard that Lishan is squeezing the people's power. He wants to drain all the people's power in Guanzhong to create wealth, treating people as productive forces and resources. , in order to better exploit the people's power, the twelve hours are divided into twenty-four hours."
"This goes against the Tang Dynasty's policy of self-cultivation and rest, and also goes against the classics of the saints. In the eyes of those famous Confucians, this goes against the morals of the saints."
Pei Xingjian shook his head and said, "I beg to differ."
Li Daozong smiled and said, "Then tell me."
"Yes." Pei Xingjian still regarded Li Daozong as his elder. After all, the King of Jiangxia County was also a brave general, and bowed in salute.
"Because Xiaguan is a disciple of Lishan, His Highness the King of Jin gave Xiaguan a book. It says in the book that people cannot survive without material. Poverty will lead to lack of material. People cannot survive without material. If you blindly pursue spirituality, Morality, people will lose material things.”
"If a person loses his spiritual morality, he may no longer be a good person, but if he loses the material things he produces, he will lose everything."
"Xiaoguan has seen the benefits of Lishan's production, but those people are still criticizing Lishan based on morality. I can no longer tell whether they have misinterpreted Huang-Lao's teachings."
“But when the powerful Han Dynasty was at its peak, the Central Plains was rich and the powerful families had a lot of wealth, but thousands of Guizhou provinces became increasingly poor. A large number of people lost their land and homes. While the powerful families became richer, people also lost their way to rise. "
After listening to Pei Xingjian's long speech, Li Daozong frowned and thought, and was silent for a long time without replying.
After a long time, Li Daozong asked again: "The twelve counties in Chang'an City have become rich, and the twenty-four counties under my jurisdiction cannot just sit idly by."
"I would like to accompany you."
"Let's take a trip sometime."
Driven by Lishan, the twelve counties in Chang'an City, except Ba County, Wannian County, and Liquan County, did not cooperate with Lishan.
All other counties have been put into production.
Pei Xingjian wrote another memorial and submitted it to the court.
In the palace, Li Shimin held a dossier in his hand. The dossier contained the distribution of manpower and household registration details in the counties of Chang'an, as well as statistics on human resources.
"Is this written by Shangguan Yi?"
Fang Xuanling replied: "Exactly, he mastered a skill in Lishan, classification and summary. When he was in Lishan, he often helped Zhang Yang plan Guanzhong. This plan lasted for five years. Only then can Lishan now control such huge human resources.”
"Back then, Shangguan Yi made statistics on the population, taxes, acres of land, water and soil, as well as the young and old population of various counties in Guanzhong, and then calculated the number of civilians in Guanzhong, how much can be used for corvee work? How many idle civilians can be used? How tall is it when you get up?"
Lishan trained Shangguan Yi into an encyclopedia in Guanzhong. Li Shimin had a smile on his face. What a good talent. The fruits cultivated by Lishan are now used by me.
Let Shangguan Yi return to the court and serve in the Secretary's Supervisory Office. This appointment lasted for one year, and he stayed with the documents all day long and consulted the classics of the court.
For a long time, the DPRK almost forgot that there was Shangguan Yi.
Only His Majesty has been paying attention to him silently.
Li Shimin nodded and said, "This guy Pei Xingjian must be very busy right now."
Fang Xuanling smiled knowingly, none of these things can be hidden from His Majesty. Even though His Majesty is sitting in the palace, he knows everything about Chang'an.
He bowed and replied: "Your Majesty is aware that Pei Xingjian is exhausted both physically and mentally when counties are planning to rebuild workshops."
Li Shimin put down the memorial in his hand, took off his glasses on the bridge of his nose, closed his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose, and asked: "Does Xuanling think it is appropriate for Pei Xingjian to continue to be placed in Jingzhao Mansion?"
Fang Xuanling said: "Your Majesty, it doesn't matter whether Pei Xingjian is in Jingzhao Mansion or not. What matters is how much talent Shangguan Yi can be brought into play."
"Well, Xuanling means to use Pei Xingjian to train Shangguan Yi?"
"Your Majesty wants to cultivate the next generation of fortune tellers, so you need to observe them for a longer period of time."
"Zhang Yang said that the right people should be placed in the right positions."
"I think this is a good thing for Lishan, but for the court, it depends on how valuable a person is and how much he can contribute to the country."
Li Shimin smiled, opened his eyes and sat upright again.
Fang Xuanling bowed and lowered his posture.
"Does Xuan Ling have any contact with Shangguan Yi?"
"I select talents for the court, and there is no need to associate with anyone."
"Well, you are different from the auxiliary machine." Li Shimin said solemnly: "As you said, let Shangguan Yi serve as the chief clerk of Jingzhao Mansion and see how far he can go to see the consequences."
"I will make arrangements now."
The appointment of Zhongshu Province was issued.
The next day, Shangguan Yi put on the official uniform of the chief secretary of Jingzhao Mansion and walked on Suzaku Street in Chang'an City.
Xu Jingzong asked in confusion: "Why did your Majesty ask Shangguan to go to Jingzhao Mansion to be the chief clerk?"
Shangguan Yi smiled and said: "Perhaps Your Majesty feels that it is useless for me to be in the Secretary's Prison."
"It's better to work in Jingzhao Mansion than to work in the secretary's prison with documents all day long. At least you can use your skills."
The two of them walked to the gate of Jingzhao Mansion, and Pei Xingjian greeted them early in front of the government office.
"Brother Shangguan." Pei Xingjian saluted repeatedly, "It's great that you can come."
"It was His Majesty's warning that he asked his subordinates to come to Jingzhao Mansion to help An Ling."
It was rare for the three of them to get together. Xu Jingzong said: "Brother Shangguan came from Lishan, and brother Pei is a disciple of Lishan. You two can do a lot in Jingzhao Mansion."
Di Renjie has always been with His Royal Highness the King of Jin recently, and the two of them often go to Qujiang Pool for walks.
"Your Highness King Jin, this matter is not simple."
"How can it not be simple?"
Di Renjie clasped his hands behind his back and frowned: "The government has the intention to let Shangguan Yi replace Pei Xingjian."
Li Zhi thought for a moment and then said, "Renjie thinks that Pei Xingjian is not capable of doing things in Jingzhao Mansion?"
"Pei Xingjian made extraordinary achievements in Persia, and his governance of Jingzhao Mansion was indeed effective, but he always gave people a feeling of being constrained."
Li Zhi smiled and said: "Father is always cautious in employing people. Shangguan Yi comes from Lishan, so it is natural for him to rise and recover. Don't think too much about it."
Di Renjie added: "There are more and more officials in the court related to Lishan."
Li Zhi advised: "Don't worry, Renjie. My brother-in-law has never been interested in an official career. After Shangguan Yi, there will no longer be officials related to Lishan. Pei Xingjian is the last one."
Seeing Di Renjie take another sip of wine, Li Zhi frowned and said, "Renjie, although Cambodian is lazy on weekdays, most of what he says is nonsense, but one sentence is quite right."
"What's wrong?"
Li Zhi clicked his tongue and said, "You should avoid associating with those bad people. Look at how you drink. According to our Lishan rules, young people should not drink like this. Even my brother-in-law often quits drinking."
"Don't you drink alcohol on weekdays in Lishan County?"
Li Zhi nodded and said, "I won't drink unless necessary."
Di Renjie put down the wine bowl in his hand, "If you don't drink, life will be so boring."
"There are many joys in life. My brother-in-law often says that you should give yourself something to look forward to."
"Yes." Di Renjie nodded in agreement, "If you don't drink for ten days, then get drunk ten days later, that's wonderful."
Li Zhi was speechless and didn't want to persuade him anymore.
Zhang Yang felt that the expenses of the imperial court were too unrestrained and that money was used in an irregular manner. Cen Wenwen also felt that the expenses of the imperial court should be carefully considered.
At least initially, under Zhang Yang's various suggestions, the DPRK and China's policy of increasing revenue and reducing expenditure was quite effective.
But after submitting the memorial, His Majesty did not give a reply.
This made Cen Wenwen feel very disappointed.
"Cen Zhongcheng, please report urgently from Longyou."
Cen Wenwen lost interest and said, "Leave it to Mr. Zheng."
He had nothing to do, so he changed his words and said: "Hand it over, I will give it to Mr. Zheng."
"Here." The clerk handed over the document.
Cen Wenwen opened the document and took a look at it, then lost interest and put the document down.
After being silent for a long time, he picked up the document and read it again. Are more and more villagers moving from Longyou?
These villagers lost their fields in Longyou and wanted to come to Chang'an City to find a living.
The Tang Dynasty was founded only a few years ago, and the lifespan of the Longyou clan was longer than that of the Sui Dynasty.
Family status, clothing, aristocratic family, and powerful family are not good things.
The disputes between the Longyou clan and His Majesty are all old affairs.
Moreover, Li Tang Jiangshan Sheji and Longyou are also inextricably linked.
Only His Majesty can control these old matters, no one else can.
They still won’t let Lishan plant trees on their own land?
This is all nonsense.
Cen Wenwen put down the memorial again. After putting it down for a moment, he picked it up hesitantly and handed it to another clerk, "Give it to Mr. Zheng."
"Ah?" The little official was stunned for a moment. Seeing that Cen Zhongcheng was absent-minded and distracted today, he couldn't shirk it. He took it with both hands and replied, "I'll give it to Mr. Zheng now."
The urgent report was not only sent to the court but also to Lishan. Zhang Yang placed the letter in front of his wife.
Looking at the map on the wall, Longyou is to the west of Chang'an City, which is Longxi.
The geographical location is sandwiched between the Hexi Corridor and the Chang'an boundary.
From Lingtai to Tianshui County, it is the boundary of Longxi.
This area was also a place where famous families were entrenched, and it reached its peak during the Northern Wei Dynasty.
