Chapter 149: The Beautiful Things of Pie Falling from the Sky

Zhao Xing, a salesman, naturally had a skill. When he met people, he became familiar with them and then got along with everyone after a few words. Then, several officials were deceived by him and boarded the sea boat. Zhao Xing stopped going ashore. He led the group of people to inspect Laoshan Bay from the sea.

When he entered the village where Qu Fubo was, Zhao Xing pointed to the gorge and introduced to Fan E: "A family believes that from a military perspective, a water village can be set up there, and a few small boats can protect the entire bay. The bay is not wide, and the boat is moored in the middle, and both ends of land can be seen. If there is a private bringing sea cargo into the port, the ship will anchor together, and it will definitely be blocked. Lord Fuzun, Lord Fan, why don't you set up a village here?"

Fan E smiled unanimously. Wang Zishao and Li Zhichun had no expression on his face, neither shook his head nor nodded. Zhao Xing picked up a stick, drew a picture of the Shandong Peninsula on the deck, and said jokingly: "When I came to take office, I saw this chart. As I looked at it, I thought by chance, what would it look like if a canal connected to Dengzhou and Mizhou?"

Fan E's eyes lit up and he urged, "Tell me!"

Wang Zishao frowned. Fan E's construction of the Goryeo Pavilion had already caused more than half of the people in Mizhou to escape. If it weren't for the expectation that the establishment of the Maritime Warehouse Department would increase taxes, Wang Zishao would not be a good face to Fan E now. Zhao Xing, who had not yet set foot on the land of Mizhou, actually proposed a more ambitious plan than Fan E, which made him very dissatisfied with Zhao Xing and looked unhappy on his face.

Zhao Xing did not notice the abnormality. He drew a line to connect Dengzhou and Mizhou, pointing to the line and said, "I heard from the boatman that the water level of the Bohai Sea is different. Experienced fishermen who sailed by the junction of the two seas at night would hear a light clang and feel the hull light. Since the water level of the two seas is different, even the maintenance of the channel can be saved a lot.

Lord Fan, look, there is a river and Jiaohe here. The tribute boats and tributes from the south have to bypass the entire Jingdong Road peninsula. It takes two days, or even three days, to arrive from Mizhou to Dengzhou. And with this canal, you don’t need to pass through the entire Jiaozhou Peninsula in half a day.

In this way, the Mizhou Maritime Warehouse will have greater development. For example, the Korean ship can be loaded on a canal boat, cross the canal to reach Dengzhou, and then circle around this circle, and the original ship reaches Bianliang from the mouth of the Yellow River. Isn’t it convenient?”

This temptation was great enough. Fan E was excited when he heard it. Wang Zishao couldn't help but interrupt: "But the people of Mizhou are already suffering. They only hope to be able to rest for a few years. How can they promote another service?"

Fan E didn't like to hear these words. He was about to refute them, but Zhao Xing shook his head: "In fact, the imperial court canal canal can be built without spending a penny, and even earning a sum of expenses. Unfortunately, this method is too horrible..."

Fan E urged repeatedly: "Tell me quickly!"

Zhao Xing looked around and knocked the cabin with a stick, and said slowly: "Whoever pays for it will repair it..."

Fan E was about to faint. Isn’t this nonsense? Of course, whoever pays for it will repair it. He was about to denounce him, but he saw Zhao Xing breathing and slowly added: “…Who charges.”

Fan E finally couldn't hold it in: "Nonsense, how can we play this big deal in military and national affairs?"

What Fan E said was that once this canal is repaired, the lifeline of the traffic must be in the hands of the country. How can we let others control it? There is a separate charge.

After hearing this, Zhao Xing spread his hands: "I knew this wouldn't work."

Wang Zishao couldn't hold back his mouth and scolded: "I know if it doesn't work, and I'll say it?"

Zhao Xing was scolded, but he did not have a shameful expression and added leisurely: "I originally wanted to say that since the court had no money, rich merchants would go to repair it. These people would hire people to dig this canal and transport grain and money. By building the canal, the people had spare money in their hands, so they could not only buy property but also make some small business.

Merchants have money, but how to make them willing to invest money must be given a sweet spot. For example, after the canal is built, they will be allowed to charge the canal fee within a few years, and after how many years, the canal will be handed over to the court.

In this way, the court does not spend a single money or the government does not pay a single service, and the merchants will actively pay for the construction of the Grand Canal. The court only needs to station naval troops at two entrances of the canal to guard the entire river."

After hearing this, Fan E's heart moved and his face calmed down. Wang Zishao blinked his mouth to appreciate this possibility. Li Zichun nodded slightly and expressed his approval.

Zhang Yong didn't understand these things, he only wondered in his heart: Didn't he talk about the matter of the navy moving the army and getting the grain? Why did he get involved in the Grand Canal and put the naval base at the mouth of the canal... Isn't this going further and further?

Zhao Xing continued to add: "It may take hundreds of millions of yuan to build this Grand Canal. The money and grain are invested on Jingdong Road, and they are put into the pockets of the people on Jingdong Road and eaten into the stomachs of Jingdong people.

With this huge amount of money and grain investment, it will be difficult for Jingdong Road to not be rich in the next few years. To do all this, we only need to agree: after the merchants build the canal, each ship will charge a certain amount of crossing the river fee. It’s that simple?”

If Zhao Xing said this in other dynasties, his boss would have spitted his face and turned into a flower. However, this was in the Song Dynasty. The government procurement was carried out through dental merchants in the Song Dynasty. This canal management system was equivalent to the government contracting the canal excavation and charges to dental merchants. So several bosses only felt that this idea was novel. After the initial resistance disappeared, they suddenly became enlightened and nodded frequently.

Strictly speaking, Zhao Xing drew a big cake for them.

Did the Song Dynasty have the ability to dig this Grand Canal? There should be. With the low productivity level of the Mongols in the Yuan Dynasty, the Song Dynasty had the ability to dig this Grand Canal. However, sea water poured back and land salinization...

Fan E frowned and asked again: "Who can give such a huge amount of money in the whole country?"

Fan E calculated the money and food needed to dig this canal in his mind, and was immediately frightened by the calculated number, which usually only appeared in astronomy.

"It's just right for a family to go out," Zhao Xing slapped his forehead and said, "The whole canal is in the hands of one family. I'm afraid that the court will not be assured that such a wealthy person is as rich as a country. He can't go out, so he only has a few. The court has set up a charter and convened a wealthy merchant who can raise money to declare the share of the money. Then the court came forward to review - it is necessary to be honest before it can be allowed to participate in the excavation of the Grand Canal."

Fan E loved to listen to this. He chased Hu Zi for a moment and asked again: "Since you said you consumed hundreds of millions of dollars, I'm afraid that more than ten merchants will not be enough, so there will be a hundred or ten, right?"

Zhao Xing smiled but refused to answer.

The Song people had enough business awareness. He only wanted to remind him that as for the specific establishment of a company, issuance of shares, bonds, etc., it was the future. He had to leave some opportunities to show his intelligence and talent for others.

Fan E was still thinking about it, but Wang Zishao couldn't help it: "Mr. Fan, the people of Mizhou have been suffering for a long time. If the Grand Canal is transferred from Mizhou to develop, the Lord will report the matter and the lower officials are willing to submit an agreement."

Li Zhichun also saw the benefits and immediately agreed: "I would like to discuss it."

Fan E pondered for a moment and replied: "I also want to hear the details of this matter. It is almost noon on the day of the day. Why don't we hold a banquet for a while and have a chat while eating."

Fan E was greedy. He had heard that the food in Zhao Xing's family was extremely exquisite, so he couldn't help but urge the meal to start. Zhao Xing shook his head and directed the servants to prepare lunch. He shook his head because he didn't want to participate too much in this matter.

"My lords, I only care about the Mizhou group training. The matter of the Grand Canal is just like this. The specific situation needs the adults to plan - not be in his position and not do their own affairs."

Fan E was stunned for a moment, and Zhao Xing added lightningly: "Actually, I still have my thoughts. It is really inconvenient for the naval army to only be stationed in Mizhou. If the Grand Canal is excavated and the coast is prosperous, the ships entering the port can find a shore at any time to dock, unload the cargo, and then transport it to the Goryeo court for sale by land. It will definitely lead to tax losses... I think it is best for the naval army to set up a military camp at the entrance of this bay to check the cargo ships entering the bay at any time."

Zhao Xing's words came to an abrupt end, Fan E, Li Zhichun and Wang Zishao immediately understood what Zhao Xing meant.

The navy wants to get a piece of the soup! Isn’t this a trick of “drinking virtually” and “strength over money”? Zhao Xing has given the conditions. If the navy is allowed to move to the gate of Tunwan, then Zhao Xing can tell the specific plan and not share the reputation of siege.

The three officials were all old officials in the officialdom. After a few of them passed away, Li Zhichun first came forward to fight: "Yes, Mizhou is a defensive state. There is no naval army stationed at the entrance of the Bay. The entire bay can be used for people to land on the shore and looting. From the military affairs, the naval army camp should be located at Wankou. I will report to the court and ask the court to allow the Mizhou regiment to move Rongwankou."

Wang Zishao added: "Mizhou is a defensive state, and there are only eight commanders in the regiment training. I think there are too few. If you add ten commands, at least one navy army must be added."

Fan E couldn't interrupt the local affairs, but he had the final say in finance. He waved his hand: "I will transfer the Wen Zhumi Institute, and the Mizhou delegation will give you money and grain."

Zhao Xing calmly added: "It is said that the court is abolishing the Xiang army. It is better to fill our Mizhou regiment training than to lay off the Xiang army."

Li Zhichun laughed: "Zhang Guanjun, as soon as your signing was taken, you have made a fortune for you."

Everyone laughed.

This lunch was eaten on the boat. The food on the boat was not as rich as the shore. Zhao Xing naturally could not come to the full nine official banquet, but everyone was very satisfied. During the meal, modern financial operations vocabulary such as stocks, bonds, interest, discounts, etc. popped up from Zhao Xing's mouth from time to time. By the time the meal was finished, Zhao Xing's big ship had returned to the port, and everyone was satisfied.

Before leaving, Fan E said reluctantly: "I heard about the drum music of the stick and drum music in the capital. I heard that the drum music team was called in the palace to teach drum music. I wish I could stay in Mizhou for a while and listen to the stick and drum music of the people who were separated."

Fan E means that he had heard that Zhao Xing's family craft team was very distinctive and wanted to listen to the music played by Zhao Xing's family craft team. Of course, there was also an ambiguous meaning in his words, and he was asking about the group of Japanese girls.

When Zhao Xing heard the other party's words, he immediately understood Fan E's situation in the capital.

This guy was very tender in Bianliang City, but he didn't receive a heavyweight invitation. Because the set of drum music had been scattered into the palace of the royal family of the capital through Chen Yiniang's hands, the group of royal children thought they were most qualified to enjoy the drum sound of "Yellow Emperor Yan", so they either used Chen Yiniang's hands or sent musicians from their homes to study on the palace. Fan E didn't even know these things, which shows that he is now an outsider in Bianliang City.

Li Zhichun and Fan E left the capital, but he retired from the center of the imperial power, so he naturally knew more about Zhao Xing. He smiled and smoothed out the scene for Fan E: "Li Ren, although Mr. Li Yuan's family troupe entered the palace, Mr. Li is your friend, and you will definitely fiddle with the "Huangdi Yan". Why not do this? When the Maritime Bureau is established and the Goryeo maritime merchants gather, you let someone play the "Huangdi Yan" to let the foreign vassals understand the vastness of my Yanhuang."

Zhao Xing could satisfy this requirement. He hesitated for a moment and replied: "It will take at least three or four months to train those drum masters. I am afraid that the establishment of the Maritime Mansion Department will not be possible."

Fan E shook his head gently. Wang Zishao smiled and explained to Zhao Xing: "Three or five months are enough. The court's official documents will not be decided in less than half a year. It is already very fast for the Mizhou Maritime Warehouse Bureau to be established next year. Just keep in mind. If you can train a drummer at the end of the year, you will be able to get the year-end reward banquet."

The "year-end reward banquet" mentioned by Wang Zishao refers to an edict of Song Taizu in the early days of the founding of the Northern Song Dynasty. This edict stipulated that the court gave the maritime merchants a reward, and spent 300 jin of official fees every year to hold a banquet, and the market ships were promoted to "reward the foreign merchants of various countries."

In the early Song Dynasty, 200 guan of money could make senior generals willing to give up their position as Minister of National Defense, but the "year-end business banquet" would cost 300 guan, which shows Zhao Kuangyin's generous treatment to merchants.

At first, at the year-end reward banquet, officials had to drink wine to the merchants one by one, thanking them for the taxes they paid this year, and also giving red envelopes to the merchants. The red envelope contained the "year-end tax refund".

The "year-end tax refund" in the Song Dynasty was presented by officials respectfully at the feast. While giving you year-end red envelopes, they repeatedly thanked you for your support for his work. The year-end business banquet advocated by the government has triggered the pursuit of the people. Therefore, China has the custom of eating and drinking in the year-end banquet. The first thing to pursue the trend is the official offices at all levels, and the superiors come to entertain subordinates for their hard work for the year and distribute red envelopes. Then the officials rushed to various townships to hold a drinking ceremony with the villagers and thanked the villagers for their support...

Subsequently, various shops also acted spontaneously. The shop owners invited their shops to have a New Year’s Eve dinner at the end of the year. At the table, the bosses would send their shops a red envelope like the government, thanking them for their hard work for the year... This custom is still preserved by Japan and South Korea.

"The year-end banquet is enough time. You guys are waiting. I will present a set of Yanhuang feast to you and those vassal merchants," Zhao Xing agreed in full.

After the luncheon, the officials only looked at Liao Xiaoxiao and Hu Ji, but Zhao Xing had no intention of entertaining them singing and dancing. He stood up and shouted: "Come on, turn the rudder and return to the voyage!"

"Cough cough..." Wang Zishao coughed lightly, opened his mouth, but said nothing, and turned his head to look outside the cabin.

Everyone in this journey gained something. On the way back, Zhao Xing and Zhang Yong walked on the same road and differently with the officials. Zhao Xing and Zhang Yong rode horses, and those officials were sitting in sedan chairs. The slow speed of the sedan chairs was not used to Zhao Xing's impatient attitude. He greeted Zhang Yong, turned over and headed towards Mizhou City in advance.

Zhang Yong brought thirty entourages, no, it should be said that "utility" and "maintaining all"; Zhao Xing brought the eight Gurkha warriors. Zhang Yong was the only one riding horse, and Zhao Xing's group of nine people rode nine high-foot horses.

Originally, Zhang Yong was dragged down by those followers and did not dare to speed on the road. Now with Zhao Xing's protection, coupled with the eight vicious high mountain warriors, he threw off his followers halfway and led Zhao Xing to Mizhou with a quick horse.

"I didn't expect that you would carry a horse everywhere... This horse is so tall, why did you carry it on the boat?" Zhang Yong asked intermittently in the face of the wind. Suddenly, he remembered something and asked again: "There is a few horses from Japan recently. I heard that it was also Mu Oma. Why is his horse far less tall than yours? What are your secrets?"

Zhao Xing glanced at him: "My boat only has half a cargo, and the upper deck is empty. It is natural to let these horses in. I brought the horses because although this official title is a civilian, I contacted all military men, and it is convenient to have horses around me.

Well, as for my horse, it is taller than the common Uema... Secret! I usually don't tell others. Since you ask, I will tell you quietly - this horse also has Spanish and Arab ancestry... Don't you know these two countries? Look, I'll just say it, it's useless for you to know!"

When the group of people rushed into Mizhou City in a furious clothes, they attracted passers-by to look at each other. Zhang Yong ignored it and rushed to his mansion before turning over and dismounting. After giving the horse to the caregiver, he led Zhao Xing to the lobby.

Zhang Yong's group training hall was not hung with the big bell of the Baihu Connection Hall, and the lobby was full of people. Zhao Xing was an eighth rank, and officials under the eighth rank were all here. They received the gifts and then sat in two shifts.

Zhang Yong was very proud of his face. He should have sat in the front seat of the lobby, but today the protagonist is Zhao Xing. He moved the front seat away and stood in a horoscope with Zhao Xing's table.

After clicking through the roster, Zhao Xing closed the roster and handed it to Yuan Yeping who was beside him, and said, "I want the vacancies for each command, eight commanders, and each commander gives me five of them."

There is no commander here, but they are all "commanders", "maintainers" and "main supervisors" under the command. The commander is on the same level as Zhao Xing, and meeting them is not a summoning. So they did not appear in this occasion.

These officials looked at each other with ugly expressions. They were muttering in their hearts: This is too dark, take away half of the vacancy, will this make people live?

Zhao Xing knocked on the table and continued, "I will take half of the 'deposit', and the 'bingque' will continue to belong to you. In other words, I will only take away the empty amount, and the money and grain allocated by the Privy Council will still belong to you. Not only that, I will pay you a certain amount of money and grain for each empty amount-I will rent your empty amount."

Only then did the people here understand, but there were also beautiful things about pies falling from the sky in the Song Dynasty. Why did someone spend money to buy those non-existent "deposits"? One of them couldn't help but jumped out and asked: "I don't know how much remuneration the adults are willing to pay for rent and what amounts of deposit?"

Zhao Xing asked with a smile: "How much do you think is appropriate?"

The man replied: "Private is fifty cents of money and grain every day, and one liter of grain is a liter of grain. This is stipulated by the Privy Council. You must not be less than this number, right?"

Zhao Xing laughed happily: "You seem to have forgotten that you ate the money and grain allocated by the Privy Council. You asked me to ask for another one. I am so embarrassed to speak?...What's your name?"

"The next step of the bow is in command. I'm just wondering. The adults are rich, but it's not so cheap. Let's spend money to rent our empty amount? Could it be that I want to turn against others, get the 'deposit', and change my face to eliminate the 'deposit'. In this way, we are greedy for a moment, and it's time to drink the northwest wind in the future."

Zhao Xing laughed to the sky. He didn't expect that he would make people wonder if he was profitable, and even worried about it. After laughing, he continued to explain: "I have a boat, several large boats, and my concubine has also been to Japan for goods and is familiar with trade. In addition, the navy is about to move to the entrance of the Tunwan, so I need a fleet. So I need your empty quota, because I want to gather people, organize fleets, and patrol the bay."

As soon as the word "inspection of the bay" came out, everyone understood it. If someone was not greedy, they directly asked Zhao Xing to pay rent according to the Ministry of War, while greedy people directly asked to jointly run this water camp with Zhao Xing.

Zhao Xing shook his head and shook his head violently: "There are so many people and the more people interfere, the harder it is to deal with this matter... In this way, we will settle the accounts according to the amount of the 'deposit' you pay. You will give a standard, and I will pay according to the amount of each deposit every year.

However, when you mention this price, you should also pay attention to it. This price cannot be too outrageous. I may not want much deposit, but your income will decrease. If the price you give is appropriate, then I will ask for all the deposits. I also promise to propose a 10% bonus at the end of the year to share with you."

"No 10% is not enough, at least 20% is needed, and 30% is better!" the small officials shouted in unison.

"Twenty percent, then I won't pay the rent of the 'deposit'," Zhao Xing flatly refused.
To be continued...