Zhang Xuan smiled, "I just feel that there are a lot of things to do, resettle victims, restore towns, allocate land, shipbuilding and shipping, mining and smelting, breeding and fishing, etc. Everything is very important, but I feel that I don't know where to start?"

Fang Xuanling took a sip of wine and smiled: "Actually, the general only needs to remember one sentence. The pipes are full of food and clothing, and the honor and disgrace are known, and the granaries are full of etiquette. Throughout history, as long as the two major issues of food and clothing are solved, the other problems can be solved easily. The general does not need to worry."

Zhang Xuan forced a smile, "You are right. Food is the most important thing for the people. As long as the food problem is solved, the rest of the business will develop rapidly, but"

Fang Xuanling looked at Zhang Xuan, "But the general's real concern is not this. Why doesn't the general tell me clearly?"

Zhang Xuan nodded silently. He stared at the green plum wine in his hand, and then sighed softly: "As the saying goes, "The cunning rabbit dies, and the lackeys cook. I am very worried that if the bandits in Langya County are wiped out, the emperor will transfer me from Qingzhou, and I will lose my foundation, just like Wang Shichong."

"This is indeed a problem. The general's performance of pacifying Langya County is too strong and too eye-catching. It will indeed make the emperor feel uneasy. Since ancient times, mediocre people have been for a long time. The reason why Yang Qing stayed in Xingyang County for ten years is directly related to his mediocrity. The Wagang Army is tall next to him, but he ignores it and indulges in collecting wealth all day long. But that's how it is. The emperor feels relieved to him."

Fang Xuanling's words made Zhang Xuan think of Li Yuan. Li Yuan's greed for money and wine, destroyed his reputation and was willing to give up his military power, so the position left by Taiyuan has been sitting until today. Isn't it a kind of self-destruction of his reputation by Wang Shichong's military plundering of the people? In comparison, he is still a little tender.

Zhang Xuan was depressed and drank the wine in the glass. Fang Xuanling understood Zhang Xuan's mood very well. He smiled and said, "General, everything has two sides. Only when it is handled well, the emperor will continue to trust the general."

"How do you say this?" Zhang Xuan asked hurriedly.

"The Qingzhou rioters were initially decided, but they were not stable. The general should make the emperor realize clearly that once the general leaves, Qingzhou will immediately fall into turmoil."

"Did Xuanling ask me to find a way to cause another bandit crisis?"

"This is unnecessary. The key is to let the emperor understand this and point out the root of Qingzhou bandits. I mean the Bohai Society."

Zhang Xuan nodded slowly, "Please continue talking!"

"Let the emperor understand that Qingzhou is unstable is only one aspect, and secondly, the general must implement the emperor's intentions. This is also an important factor in the general's ability to continue to stay in Beihai County."

"What is Xuanling's intention?" Zhang Xuan said in confusion.

Fang Xuanling lowered his voice and said word by word: "Goguryeo!"

Zhang Xuan suddenly realized that he knew what he should do

Just before Zhang Xuan inspected the shipyard and Beihai County Wharf, he received an order from Emperor Yang Guang, asking him to go to Jiangdu to report his work.

This report is particularly important to Zhang Xuan. Zhang Xuan has reached a critical moment of upgrading from the middle to the top. If he handles it properly, he can continue to stay in Qingzhou. If he fails, he is very likely to be transferred from Qingzhou and follow Zhang Xutuo's footsteps.

Zhang Xuan has always believed that Zhang Xutuo was transferred to Qingzhou because he did not understand the rules of the officialdom and offended too many people. It was not until Zhang Xuan himself faced this step that he realized that the fundamental reason why Zhang Xutuo was transferred to Qingzhou was that he performed too well and was eventually suspicious of Yang Guang.

But he paid great attention to the officialdom, but ignored the low-key he should have, which led him and Zhang Xutuo to the same path.

If he is unwilling to follow Zhang Xutuo's footsteps again, he must convince Yang Guang in this report.

Three days later, Zhang Xuan led hundreds of soldiers to escort the convoy carrying nearly 10,000 taels of gold and 200,000 guan of money to Beihai County, and headed towards Jiangdu with great worries. He began his report journey.

From Beihai County to Jiangdu, before the Langya riot bandits were cleared, they could only take a detour to Lu County, then Pengcheng County, and go around a big bend to Jiangdu. But now that the Sui army has wiped out the riot bandits in Langya County, Zhang Xuan can go to Langya County, and then go to Xiapi County. The following is Jiangdu County, which is a straight line to go south, which can save nearly half of the journey.

Because he brought more than a hundred mule carts, the team did not march quickly. Ten days later, Zhang Xuan and his party arrived at Suyu County, the county seat of Xiapi County.

Xiapi County and Pengcheng County are the garrisons of General Yang Yichen and the northern barrier of Jiangdu. Thirty thousand troops are stationed on the Sishui and Tongji Canal. Since this area has not been ravaged by the riots, the society is stable, the economy is prosperous, and the population is large, and large areas of rice fields can be seen everywhere.

This is a bit different from the Qingzhou area. Qingzhou area began to grow corn after wheat harvesting, which is the same as Hebei's planting method. However, Xiapi County has developed somewhat towards the Jianghuai area. It used to grow corn, but now it has begun to change rice.

The main reason is that the yield per mu of rice is twice as high as that of corn, which is very attractive to farmers.

Zhang Xuan pointed at the rice fields on both sides of the official road with a horse whip and smiled at Fang Xuanling: "Xuanling, I am also considering promoting rice in Beihai County next year. We have enough water sources and can grow rice, so that the grain output will be much higher. What do you think?"

"General, I think old farmers have more experience in this kind of thing than us. When we come back, we will ask them why they don't grow rice?"

Zhang Xuan laughed, "It's right. Asking people who know things is much more useful than worrying about things here."

At this time, a team of cavalry rushed towards him, with about a dozen people, led by an official in his fifties. He stepped forward and bowed to Zhang Xuan, "Is it General Zhang from Beihai County?"

Zhang Xuan stepped forward and replied with a smile: "I am Zhang Xuan, may I ask you"

"After this is Li Wen, the governor of Xia Pi County, who, in accordance with the order of General Yang, conveyed an important message to the general."

"It turns out to be the Chief Li Jun, who is rude. What news does General Yang want to give me?"

"If the general wants to go to Jiangdu to meet the saint, then it's better to go back!"

Zhang Xuan was stunned, "Why is this?"

"The Emperor left Jiangdu and went north to Beijing seven days ago. The day before yesterday, the fleet entered the Tongji Canal in our Xiapi County, and General Yang also rushed to meet the Emperor."

Zhang Xuan was shocked. The emperor had left Jiangdu and headed north. He didn't know at all. He hurriedly asked, "Where has the lord's fleet now?"

"I heard from General Yang that the emperor returned to the north this time, and the ship was faster. If General Zhang quickly chased him, he might be able to catch up with the fleet in Qiao County."

Zhang Xuan and Fang Xuanling looked at each other. Their convoy was too slow, and it would be difficult to catch up with the fleet if they continued like this.

Fang Xuanling hurriedly said, "Otherwise the general takes the lead and his subordinates lead a convoy to follow behind."

This is also a solution, Zhang Xuan nodded, "Then I will take a step first. If you bring the baggage, it is better to take a boat."

Li Weng beside him smiled and said, "Please rest assured, General, I will arrange for ships to transport supplies."

"Thank you, Mr. Li!"

Zhang Xuan bowed and told Fang Xuanling a few more words. Then he took twenty personal soldiers to turn their horses and ran towards Tongji Canal.

That night, Zhang Xuan and his party arrived in Xiaqiu County, a small county close to Tongji Canal, located at the junction of Xiapi County and Pengcheng County. Zhang Xuan needed to find out about the fleet here.

They ran along the official road several miles. A hundred steps away on the left was the famous Tongji Canal. The water surface was dozens of feet wide, and the waves were as flat as a mirror. It was very spectacular. The rivers on both sides of the Tongji Canal were full of ships, which was to report to the emperor's dragon boat fleet.

It can be seen that the Emperor's fleet has not been able to walk for long, otherwise these small boats would have been able to enter the Tongji Canal long ago.

But what makes Zhang Xuan a little strange is that there are people everywhere in the official road, and many of them are scholars, carrying luggage and riding donkeys. They all have anxiety and exhausted faces, and they are rushing to the road with their heads down, but they don’t know where these scholars come from?

"Hey! Where are you scholars?" A soldier asked a loud voice to several scholars.

Unexpectedly, these scholars ignored them, just looked at them with hatred, and continued to move forward.

"General, what's going on with these people? It seems like we've provoked them."

"Forget it, don't pay attention to them, let's find a place to rest first." After running for a day, the people were exhausted. They urgently needed to find a place to rest for a while and then inquire about the news.

"General, there is a tea shed in front of you, so you can rest a little!"

Zhang Xuan nodded, "Go to the tea shed to rest!"

Everyone urged the horses and followed Zhang Xuan to the tea shed in front of him. (To be continued.)
Chapter completed!