"My husband, today is a double happiness!"

In Zhang Dun's study, Cai Jing looked at Zhang Da Gong who was happy in Xi, and reported with a smile: "The sea merchant in Haizhou, Wu Yanen, the right Chengzhi Lang, asked Wu Yanen, to send a letter to Wu East Gate."

As he spoke, Cai Jing winked at Wu Haogu, who was standing in Zhang Dun's study.

Wu Haogu quickly handed Wu Yanen's letter with both hands. A book boy who was serving in Zhang Dun's study took it and respectfully handed it to his master.

"A man who sells a letter from a maritime merchant? What's the point?" Zhang Dun asked with a frown.

"Mr.," Wu Haogu explained with a smile, "This person is not an ordinary maritime businessman. One of his clans is a liberal arts Jinshi from Goryeo and has now become a high-ranking official."

"A Jinshi in the Goryeo Kingdom?" Zhang Dun frowned, "Why aren't you in my imperial examination?"

Cai Jing said: "Maybe there is no real talent or knowledge? Otherwise, how good would it be to be a Jinshi in my court? What's the best thing to do when you travel across the ocean to Goryeo?"

"That's right." Zhang Dun nodded.

In fact, this Jinshi who had no real talent and knowledge was Wu Yanchong, a famous general of the Goryeo Kingdom. He made a lot of contributions as Yin Guan's deputy in the later Goryeo-Juchen War. There were not many Jinshi in the Song Dynasty who had real talent and knowledge in the military ability that could be compared with him... If this guy's moral article was better, he would be a Jinshi in the Song Dynasty, he would probably be a new party general now, and he might be a pacifier in the Sixth Road in Shaanxi now.

"Oh, Goryeo really wants to fight with the female direct people? Can they win?" Zhang Dun had already read the book at a glance.

"I don't know," Wu Haogu replied, "but the Goryeo people and the Nao people can always distinguish between the top and bottom. No matter who wins, they will be a major concern for the Liao Kingdom. And for our dynasty, if they want to fight, they must buy arms, food and grass, and sell spoils... There is great profit here, so why don't we follow the situation? If we operate properly, we might be able to win over both Goryeo and Nao people."

"It makes sense!" Zhang Dun frowned slightly, "But if Goryeo beat Nuzhi, it would probably be another Goguryeo. It would be better for them to decide the outcome but not the life or death."

Compared to the Jurchens, Zhang Dun was obviously more worried that the Goryeo would become another Goguryeo.

Cai Jingze said: "If Goryeo really becomes Goguryeo, the Liao Kingdom will be attacked from both sides and the land of Yanyun will be restored. As for Goryeo... at most, you can give them the annual monies you have given to the Liao Kingdom."

Haha, I’m still addicted to giving away New Year’s monies!

Wu Haogu thought: It’s a blessing that Cai Jing can think of it, but he actually wants to give money to Gao Li’s stick!

Zhang Dun shook his head and smiled, "That's right, even if it becomes Goguryeo, I, the Song Dynasty, don't have to be afraid of them... As long as the Military Science Department of the Privy Council can handle it well, you don't have to be afraid."

The treacherous prime minister is indeed insightful and knows what is the most important thing!

Zhang Dun thought about it and said to Wu Haogu: "Just come to me for this book, you don't have to show it to the official family. Go back and talk to Wu Yanen and ask him to come and see me."

"Here."

Wu Haogu responded and thought to himself: If you can see Zhang Dun, the old man Wu Yanen must be satisfied. As for the "big deal" of the Wu family, it is estimated that Wu Yanchong will have to come to Kaifeng Mansion in person to facilitate it.

However, this matter has nothing to do with me, so I should hurry up and handle the matter of Lighthouse Market.

"In addition," Zhang Dun said again at this time, "Wu Chongdao, the specific negotiations in Jiehe Commercial City will begin soon. You and Zhang Tianjue go to negotiate with the Liao people. He is a literati and cannot do business, so you have to prepare more, do you understand?"

"Here."

During this period, top-level negotiations on Jiehe Market have been underway. In July, the birthday envoy sent to Liao Kingdom (Yelu Hongji's birthday was the second day of the August 2018) also brought a formal letter of state. According to the report of Li Zhong, who was responsible for the preliminary negotiations, the Liao Kingdom was very interested in Jiehe Market's proposal - as long as the taxes are guaranteed, the Khitans do not care about a "free market" standing along the river. Could it be that the Song army dared to send troops to attack Yanjing from there? This is impossible to win...

So Zhang Dun estimated that negotiations on specific matters would begin soon. This negotiation requires the next Hebei East Road Transportation Engineer Zhang Shangying and Wu Haogu to go together.

Wu Haogu, who had received Zhang Dun's words, left with Cai Jing and went home to prepare to meet Zhang Dun's confidant Zhang Shangying. As soon as he and Cai Jing left, Zhang Dun's son-in-law, Youdengshilang, and Ji Yi, editor of the editor of the editorial department of the Quan Privy Council, came in excitement.

It turned out that Ji Yi had also spent a lot of money on Gao Qiu, so after Gao Qiu sent King Duan to the palace, he immediately went to Ji Yi's mansion and informed Ji Yi, who was studying behind closed doors to prepare for the imperial examination. Ji Yi immediately ran to the Prime Minister's mansion to report to Zhang Dun.

"Mr.," Ji Yi saw Zhang Dun's joyful look on his face, and he understood in his heart, "You already know that King Duan is about to have a descendant?"

"I understand." Zhang Dun nodded, "Wu Dalang just came with Cai Yuanchang." He paused, "By the way, do you recognize Wu Yanen?"

Ji Yi was stunned and nodded immediately and said, "I recognize that he is the owner of the Wu Family Trading Company in Haizhou and the largest maritime merchant in Haizhou."

"He has a clan brother who works as an official in Goryeo?"

Ji Yi replied: "Yes, it seems that he is Wu Yanchong, and he is a doctor in the Ministry of War of Goryeo."

"Oh." Zhang Dun nodded and said, "This morning, Wang Min sent someone to send a good news. The blind envoy trapped in Qingtang New City asked for surrender."

Ji Yi looked happy when she heard this: "I'll surrender if I'm blindly expedition? Isn't Hehuang going to be determined?"

The shady Zheng was the fourth-generation leader of the Yisilu regime, but he himself was not from the blood of Yisilu (the founder of the Yisilu regime and a descendant of the Tubo Zamp), but the adopted son of Dong Jin, the grandson of Yisilu, and was not even a Tubo, but a native of Khotan. Because his bloodline was impure, his rule in Qingtang was not stable, and the people of the Yisilu family did not obey him, so he was always very weak after ascending the throne. Not long ago, he was rebelled by a nobleman, and lost his old nest Qingtang, and fled to Qingtang New City with his wife to become a monk.

Under such a weak leader, the Tubo in Qingtang was like a group of dragons without a leader. Therefore, the Western Army commanded by Wang Min and Wang Zhan fought all the way to Miaochuan, not far from Qingtang New City without much effort, and received a letter of surrender from blind expeditions. They almost won the Hehuang War without bloodshed!

Hehuang must be, and to the west, the nomadic area of ​​the Yellow-headed Uighurs (Qaidam Basin). If the Yellow-headed Uighurs can be recruited, then the Song Dynasty can establish contact with the Xizhou Uighurs west of Xixia. The Mani monks sent by the Xizhou Uighurs also contacted Ji Yi, who was in the Liao Kingdom not long ago.

By the way, there are not many people in the Yellow-headed Uighurs now. They used to live in the Hexi Corridor, and their population dropped sharply after being expelled by the Dangxiang people. Now there are at most tens of thousands of people, and there is no regime. They are just a group of tribes. It is not difficult for the Song Dynasty to bribe them.

"Mr.," Ji Yi said, "If you can contact the Uighurs in Shangxizhou through Hehuang Tubo and Huangtou Uighurs, you can obtain good horses and horse breeders in the Western Regions... Now the Military and Education Department of the Privy Council has already existed, and you will definitely be able to train elite soldiers in the future. If you have good horses again, not only will you recover Yan Yun, but it is just around the corner, but it is not impossible for me to show my power in the Song Dynasty and restore the atmosphere of the Han and Tang Dynasties."

Zhang Dun glanced at his future grandson-in-law and shook his head and said, "Remember, you don't need to ask about this matter now. The most important thing now is next year's Spring Examination Competition. Your articles and knowledge are fine. However, it is not certain whether you can get into the first grade or not! Moreover, you have made great contributions before, and the official has summoned several times. If you do well in the exam, you may be a great champion in the world. At that time, you can be directly awarded a magistrate. After three years, you will be a magistrate, and you will be a full-time judge and a test-in-the-job position, and then you will be very useful."

The Jinshi in the Song Dynasty were generally the ninth rank, and they were sent from the ninth rank of Wenshang and the magistrates such as the magistrate of the Sipuwei. Only the first three Jinshis can be awarded relatively high official positions, such as the Dali judge, the two envoys (pleasure envoys, transfer envoys) the official office or the magistrate. Among them, the magistrate is even a dispatch that only the top scholar can award!

However, most of the top scholars who were awarded the magistrate did not do well. After all, the top scholar was written in the article, and the magistrate was a very difficult official. But Ji Yi was an exception. He was not from a Yi family who farmed, but a scholar from a wealthy businessman. He had strong ability to do things, but there were a group of brothers, nephews and guests in his family who could do things. There was no problem in managing a small county.

Zhang Dun paused and said, "If Qingtang really can be settled, I plan to set up Xining Prefecture there, so you can be the magistrate of Qingtang Prefecture, the first county in Xining Prefecture... Whether you can recruit Huangtou Uighurs to open the trade route to Xizhou depends on your own ability. If you can really bring good horses from Xizhou, how can Mani Temple not return to Kaifeng Prefecture?"

Ji Yi breathed a sigh of relief. Zhang Dun did not close the door to reopen the Mani Temple, but asked him to pass the top scorer first, at least one level (the magistrate of Xining Prefecture is not a good job, he should be able to go to the first level), and then he found a way to open up the Uighur trade route.

The military expenditure of Xihe Road has always been a headache. Because the land occupied by Xihe Road is barren and the transportation is inconvenient, most of the residents are foreign ministries, not only can they not receive any taxes, but they also have to give rewards and buy them in turn. Under normal circumstances, once Hehuang and other places are restored, Xihe Road's expenses of three to four million yuan a year will not be saved.

If you want to earn a little bit on Xihe Road, it is not possible to rely on farming. The only way is to trade with the Western Regions - it has not been bitter all the time! It has been bitter all the time. Why did the Han and Tang dynasties fight west so much? The area there was a rich Silk Road in the Han and Tang dynasties!
Chapter completed!