In the Tang Dynasty, matters related to weaving in the government were administratively managed by the "Shaofuqing". The Shaofuqing was responsible for several large-scale weaving and dyeing workshops that directly belonged to the royal family.
There are not only textile workshops in Chang'an City, but also similar institutions in Luoyang, Yangzhou, Chengdu and other places, which provide a large amount of high-quality silk and satin to the royal family as tribute every year.
According to common sense, the Shaofu Qing should be solely responsible for imitating the new Sogdgen brocade.
But this time the Shaofu Qing did not take the job.
First of all, the risk of imitating Sogdian Brocade is high. If the Shaofu Qing did not make the suggestion himself, he would not be able to go all out. It would be better not to take the initiative, otherwise even if he does it, it will be thankless;
It was Zheng Shuqing who took the credit for the success, and it was him, the young minister, who held him back for the failure.
On the other hand, the current Shaofu Qing Zheng Yan is actually... a member of Zheng Shuqing's family, and was born in the Zheng family in Xingyang.
To put it simply, they are relatives of Zheng Shuqing.
Therefore, even though the young master did not promise anything on the surface, he secretly continued to give Zheng Shuqing all kinds of effective support, providing various manpower, material resources, and administrative conveniences for Zheng Shuqing to imitate Sogdana brocade.
Zheng Yan is the son-in-law of former prime minister Zhang Shuo. His grandfather was a Sogdian, and he was most likely from the ninth surname of Zhaowu. He merged with the Zheng family of Xingyang to avoid disaster (which can be understood as changing his surname after marrying into a wife).
Therefore, this person and Zheng Shuqing are only distant cousins by blood, but culturally they are a family that advances and retreats together.
The inclusive culture of the Tang Dynasty and the concept of "one family" as the main one is also reflected in the aristocratic family's absorption of outstanding talents.
What’s even more strange is that Zhang said he was Zhang Jiuling’s mentor and was once a leading figure among officials with a Jinshi background; while Zheng Yan was an official from the “Li Zhi Sect” with Western origins, but Zheng Shuqing was now in Li Linfu’s circle, but he had not yet Become a core party member.
This kind of situation where you are involved in me and I am involved in you makes the relationship network in the officialdom extremely complicated.
I have to say that politics is definitely not the black and white thing that outsiders think.
In a sense, it's more like human nature.
After inquiring about this information, Fang Chongyong seemed to understand why Lao Zheng was so confident and a complete layman that he dared to take on the weaving job.
It's not because Lao Zheng is stupid, but because Fang Chongyong didn't see the hidden card in his hand. Information asymmetry causes both parties to have completely different judgments on the same matter.
Lao Zheng also has a lot of good cards in his hand. Although he doesn't have a king bomb, he still has piles of straights, threes, and one. However, he often lacks the hard cards to break the game, and he always seems a little embarrassed to deal with it passively. .
The imitation of Sogdian brocade this time was done by the Ling Jinfang, the Shaofu Supervisor of Chang'an Palace, who was responsible for the specific design, weaving and rendering. It is also the only official textile workshop directly under the control of Chang'an City.
There are 365 weavers in Lingjinfang, which means "weaving non-stop every day".
On the way to the Shaofu Prison, Zheng Shuqing told Fang Chongyong that Lingjinfang, a workshop located in the palace city, had been abolished by Li Longji in the early years of Kaiyuan because the sage claimed to take the lead in living a frugal life.
Although Li Longji is greedy for pleasure now, he did work hard to manage.
However, the good times did not last long. Within a few years, Li Longji was slapped in the face by reality, because the silk fabrics offered by the various states were not enough for the increasingly luxurious Li Longji's squandering and rewards.
So Li Longji, who wanted to lose face, had to quietly restore Lingjinfang, but he did not dare to expand the scale at will. He just established it in the name of the foreign court in the areas east of Chang'an City and downstream of many rivers (relative to Chang'an). A series of official textile workshops with thousands of weavers.
In name, the workshop belongs to the outer court, but in fact the output belongs to the palace. This method of separating ownership and output rights, a management classic that Fang Chongyong was proud of in his previous life, was actually used to perfection by Li Longji.
"Is it really okay for Minister Zheng to talk about a saint like this behind his back?"
Fang Chongyong looked at Zheng Shuqing with a puzzled expression and asked. The two of them had already reached the door of the young master's prison.
If you say bad things about Li Longji, please don't say it in front of me. Don't I know that he is a hypocritical, greedy and arrogant old coin?
Fang Chongyong couldn't help but sigh.
"I'm just afraid that you'll forget the lesson of the additional one hundred thousand guan. Our saint, it's useless if you do well. You have to do better than he expected. Just be more careful. "
Zheng Shuqing patted Fang Chongyong on the shoulder and said.
"After this is done, I will give you a pair of twin female slaves. They are only nine years old and as big as you. They are really slim and ready to bloom, tsk tsk!
Do you know how hard it is to find these twins? I also want to find triplets and quadruplets for you, but those people are either ugly or not the right age..."
Zheng Shuqing lowered his head and leaned over to whisper in Fang Chongyong's ear.
"Let's go, I have fully felt the sincerity of Mr. Zheng."
Fang Chongyong felt as if he had been PUAed by Zheng Shuqing, but he couldn't quite tell whether this feeling was correct.
When the two walked into the warehouse of Lingjinfang, they saw that the finished bamboo shelves were lined with pieces of imitation Sogdonia brocade that had been woven one after another.
Blue, bright red, orange, green, etc., all kinds of colors, styles and patterns are available.
Fang Chongyong took a piece of brocade to observe and caress. This kind of brocade was not only gentle and smooth to touch, but also had a thick feel that ordinary silk did not have.
The pattern not only possesses the rugged and majestic Sogdian brocade, but also uses rounded patterns to cover up the inherent roughness and ferocity of the Sogdian brocade pattern.
In a word, this fabric combines almost all the advantages of conventional Shu brocade and Sogdian brocade to create a new kind of brocade.
Zheng Shuqing came to Fang Chongyong to seek countermeasures, not precisely because he was dissatisfied with these imitation Sogdian brocades, but because he was too satisfied and worried about gains and losses, fearing that he would not be able to get into Li Longji's eyes and work in vain.
This is just like some people just like the casualness of breakfast on the street, but don't like the formality of food in a big restaurant.
Zheng Shuqing just has a bad liking for Li Longji.
“After the envoy from Japan to the Tang Dynasty learned about the Sogdian brocade queen, he knelt in front of the Shaofu prison gate to pray, and then went to pray to the saint. Then I cut off a piece and rewarded this person.
It is said that the envoy sent to the Tang Dynasty wanted to take it back to their chief to use as a commander's flag. "
Zheng Shuqing said proudly.
book?
No wonder then.
As if his vanity was greatly satisfied, Zheng Shuqing continued to say proudly:
"We, the Tang Dynasty, were able to control the Western Regions, not just by relying on military revolution.
If you only have force and arrogance without money and silk to accompany you, it will be difficult to convince people with virtue.
Tubo and the Tang Dynasty competed for supremacy, and the biggest reason why they repeatedly suffered losses was not that Tubo did not know how to fight, but that the Tang Dynasty had silk, but Tubo did not.
The countries in the Western Regions on the Silk Road did not want Tubo to become strong because Tubo could not give them the silk they needed. "
Zheng Shuqing patted a piece of brocade with his palm, as if this thing was a magic weapon in his hand.
Fang Chongyong nodded slightly and said: "No need to brag about these things anymore, tell the truth.
I have seen these imitation Sogdian brocades, why not give them a nice name, let’s call them Tang brocades. "
Upon hearing this, Zheng Shuqing suddenly realized: "Wonderful! Tang Brocade, Tang Brocade, my Brocade of the Tang Dynasty, the saint will definitely be delighted."
Look at your potential! The saint never leaves his mouth all day long!
Fang Chongyong sighed and continued: "The saint is well-informed. Do you think you can fool him just by changing his name? I'm afraid you have to have other things to match it."
Sure enough, Zheng Shuqing became depressed again and lamented: "Yes, it's useless to have a nice name. In the end, it will still irritate the saint."
Even if Dong Shi changes her name to Xi Shi, others will still be scared away when they see her. Changing her name may be useful as an auxiliary method, but it is still a bit naive to use it as a life-saving straw.
Fang Chongyong nodded slightly. He felt that although Lao Zheng was Li Longji's loyal henchman, his thinking mode was highly consistent with Li Longji's.
But this person may not think highly of Li Longji, right?
There is a saying: the closer a person is to God, the less he believes in God.
This may be the case for Zheng Shuqing.
The more closely I align with Li Longji's thinking mode, the more I understand that this Tang sage is not a wise and mighty master.
Fang Chongyong pulled Zheng Shuqing aside and asked in a low voice: "I'm going to the Liyuan now, are you going?"
"What are you going to do in the pear garden?"
Zheng Shuqing was stunned and couldn't help but ask.
"You'll know when you go."
Fang Chongyong said proudly, not bothering to explain why to Lao Zheng.
To a certain extent, the Liyuan is actually more heavily guarded than the Miyagi.
Because Li Longji basically does not work in Miyagi now, let alone live here, but he often plays in the Liyuan!
Leading troops to attack Liyuan to kill the king, the success rate and efficiency are countless times higher than that of attacking Chang'an Palace City.
Therefore, the palace restrictions in Chang'an Palace were not as strict as imagined after Li Longji stabilized the political situation in the early Kaiyuan years. Only some local key departments have posts in the city and are difficult to enter.
Central officials only need to "punch in" at the palace gate to make a record and explain the reason for entering the palace, and they can enter and exit smoothly without alerting the senior officers in charge of the gate, nor do they need special approval.
This is how Fang Chongyong and Zheng Shuqing came in.
"Of course I'm going to do this stupid thing of yours, otherwise why would you do it? Just say whether you want to go or not?"
Fang Chongyong said impatiently. Lao Zheng is a man who wants stability, is too hesitant at critical moments, and likes to break things when something goes wrong.
"Isn't it okay if I go?"
Zheng Shuqing complained, and the two of them left the Gwanghua Gate in the north of the palace city and headed to the Liyuan located in the northwest corner of Chang'an.
Liyuan is one of the landscape gardens of Chang'an Forbidden Garden in Tang Dynasty. It is located in the Forbidden Garden to the north of Guanghua Gate.
In the garden there is the Liyuan Pavilion and the 毬 field, where the emperor of the Tang Dynasty visited the scenery and held entertainment activities such as tug-of-war and 毬毬.
However, when I arrived at the Liyuan duty station, I discovered that this was not the Liyuan Fang Chongyong was looking for!
"Uh, are you looking for a pianist and singer from the opera house?"
The two Longwu soldiers on duty looked at Zheng Shuqing and Fang Chongyong as if they were fools.
"Yes, that's right. We are looking for Liyuan disciple Wei Qing. Is he in Liyuan now?"
Fang Chongyong asked very politely, with a bad feeling in his heart.
"Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!"
The two Longwu soldiers laughed loudly and seemed not to be afraid of Zheng Shuqing being the Minister of Household Affairs.
"Both of you, please go back. The children of the Liyuan are all in the Daming Palace. Since the Kaiyuan Dynasty, the saint has been in the Liyuan in the Daming Palace in Chang'an, near the Huichang Hall of the Daming Palace.
Of course, it's not a big problem for the two nobles to enter the Forbidden Garden. It's just that it's not very convenient to hold a banquet in two days. "
The Longwu sergeant said it very kindly and without any airs.
It seems like I was slapped in the face!
Fang Chongyong pulled Zheng Shuqing aside and asked, "Is this really the case?"
"Otherwise? I used to wonder why you came to the Royal Forbidden Garden in the northwest.
There is usually only one resident here before a large banquet is held, responsible for organizing and decorating the venue.
Since you're looking for Wei Qing, isn't it just a matter of two steps? The Shaofu Supervisor is near Huichang Hall. "
Zheng Shuqing looked at Fang Chongyong with confusion, waiting for the other party's answer.
"People always make mistakes. I'll treat you to a guest someday to make amends. Now let's go to the Daming Palace. Alas!"
He made a big mistake and went a long way in vain. Fang Chongyong didn't understand what he was doing.
Two twin maids, one for A Duan and one for Fang Laique, should be fine.
Thinking of this, Fang Chongyong felt balanced in his heart.
He's not interested in any combination of invincible twin sisters!
Just break up a pair of kings and beat them.
…
"The palace is a forbidden area, no one can enter!"
They were both Longwu Army soldiers, but their attitudes were completely different. The one in front of him was soaring to the sky, and he seemed to be completely different from the soldiers outside the Forbidden Garden.
But it's quite natural when you think about it. Can the soldiers who can guard the Liyuan in the Daming Palace come from ordinary people?
It is normal to have your eyes higher than your head, but it is abnormal to be polite to others!
Although they are also members of the Longwu Army, they are divided into three, six, and nine ranks internally, possibly due to different family backgrounds. Different people are assigned different errands, and those near and far are assigned different assignments. It's just ordinary things.
"I have something important to do with Wei Qing."
Zheng Shuqing showed off his official power and stared at the two people in front of him with a smile.
"It's okay if something goes wrong. Without the Holy Order, no one can enter except for the children of the Liyuan."
Zheng Shuqing pretended to be lonely, but Fang Chongyong was greatly surprised by the incompatibility between the two.
Ordinarily, it wouldn't be the case.
Zheng Shuqing stepped aside angrily, pulled Fang Chongyong's sleeve and whispered: "Something's wrong, let's go back first."
"Wait, look at me."
Fang Chongyong waved his hand, walked forward and looked at the two Longwu soldiers, and said calmly: "My father is very virtuous!"
"Um?"
The two of them were stunned for a moment, feeling baffled, and then they felt that something was wrong, but they couldn't quite put their finger on it.
"My father must be virtuous, and I am the only son in the family."
Fang Chongyong emphasized again.
The two of them seemed to have remembered something and looked frightened. One of them came close to Fang Chongyong and whispered in his ear: "The saint is really busy now and can't be disturbed.
I'll help you call Wei Qing out, but don't make any noise, otherwise our heads will fall to the ground. The saint gave a death order saying that outsiders should not be disturbed. "
busy?
What can you do in Liyuan?
Li Longji opened an art school here a long time ago, and he still doesn't get tired of it after decades. Do you need to hide it like this?
Fang Chongyong couldn't figure this out, but Zheng Shuqing suddenly realized it and pulled him away.
Later, Zheng Shuqing started running.
"Shilang Zheng, what on earth are you doing!"
Fang Chongyong asked breathlessly, probably a few hundred meters away from the Daming Palace Liyuan.
"Sage, I was playing with Princess Shou in the Liyuan. Well, she was the former Princess Shou, and she will be the concubine or even the queen in the future!"
Zheng Shuqing looked frightened and said in Fang Chongyong's ear.
"Yang Yuhuan?"
Fang Chongyong suddenly realized.
"You know this shit, why are you pretending to be confused!"
Zheng Shuqing yelled angrily.
At this moment, the two of them saw Wei Qing running over, his brocade robes in disarray.
"You two, is there something you can't talk about tomorrow, why do you have to find this moment?"
Wei Qing was sweating profusely, and his face turned red and white.
Now the saint is playing a "hand-to-hand" dance in the opera house with Princess Xin Huanshou, and is also letting the musicians play music.
Do Zheng Shuqing and Fang Chongyong, two people without eyes, think their lives are too long and want to drag everyone else to die together?
"We do have something important to discuss with you. Let's go to Lingjinfang first."
Zheng Shuqing said to Wei Qing in a deep voice, it would be better to leave this place of right and wrong as soon as possible.
