Chapter 194: Nobleman, Hangzhou Tea Opera

Three days later, Old Lady Sheng and Minglan and others left the capital and went to their hometown in Youyang.

Sheng Changbai was originally scheduled to participate in the Spring Examination this year, but Wang Anshi became the Minister of Personnel and wanted to reform the officialdom this year.

So he announced to the world that the Spring Examination, which takes place every three years, would be postponed for one year.

Otherwise, hundreds more Jinshi would not be beneficial to Wang Anshi's subsequent reform measures.

This matter caused a big stir among the scholars, but fortunately, the court had been releasing news about the battle against the Japanese pirates, which attracted people's attention.

The popularity of the Spring Examination postponed for one year naturally declined.

Since there was no Spring Examination this year, Sheng Changbai simply followed the old lady to Youyang.

In addition to him and Minglan, Rulan also clamored to go.

Sheng Hong had to agree, and when Rulan went, he simply let Changfeng and Molan go with her.

It's just right, let them get familiar with the children of the first wife.

Lin Zhaoyuan has to escort the money and grain allocated by the Ministry of Revenue, and it will take some time before he can return to the southeast.

At the same time.

Wei Yuan also received the order to form a navy.

At this moment, in the Fuzhou Coastal Defense Camp.

Yang Huairen said with surprise:

"I originally thought that forming a navy would be difficult, but I didn't expect that the emperor would agree so quickly."

Wei Yuan said: "The emperor wants civil and military achievements, and opening up sea transportation and building a navy are exactly what the emperor needs."

Yang Huairen said: "It's just that forming a navy is a complicated matter. Do you have any ideas in your mind, General Wei?"

Wei Yuan said: "It's the same as building the Danglu Army, half of them are old soldiers and half of them are new soldiers."

"The old soldiers will be selected from the coastal defense camps in various places in Fujian Road, and as for the new soldiers, some young and strong people will be selected from various areas along the southeast coast to make up 30,000 people."

"This general has ordered Hu Yanzhong to select suitable candidates for the coastal defense camp, and wait for the money and grain from the Ministry of Revenue. As soon as you arrive, you can set up. "Yang Huairen nodded, saying:" A few days ago, the warships manufactured by the Ministry of Industry and Military Institute had been transported to the southeast, counting thousands of warships in the coastal area, and a total of thousands of ships. "Wei Yuan said:" When Guo Yan came, when Mo Wei Zhao Yuan returned, he could receive the result. "Xiao Guoming's voice standing on the side said:" Brother Guo can come, but Brother Guo has always been very opinionated. " Yuan also tried to make Guo Yan come, nothing more than to check and balance, but in the future, whether the surname of the surname of the sailor or Guo, Wei Yuan must make precautions in advance. While Wei Yuan was thinking, Yang Huairen said bluntly: "Your Majesty asked you to form a navy. Now you have written to invite General Guo to come. In the eyes of His Majesty and those scholars, will Wei be suspected of nepotism?"

He was worried that sooner or later, Wei Yuan would be feared by the court because of his growing power.

How could Wei Yuan not know this?

But the officialdom is like sailing against the current. If you don't advance, you will retreat.

If he doesn't fight for it, I'm afraid that in the future, it will be easier for the emperor to push him to the bottom.

Moreover, if he retreats a step, some people will advance ten or a hundred steps.

If he retreats to the bottom, some people will step on his corpse to get to the top.

With his status at this point, retreat and advance are not up to him alone.

For example, the forces involved behind the scenes, Liangzhe, Hedong Wei family, and many aristocratic merchants who gave him benefits

Even if he wants to retreat, those people will push him away, and at that time, it will be more dangerous.

"It is true that I have selfish motives in building a navy, but more importantly, I hope that the country can have a strong navy to stabilize the situation in the southeast."

"As long as you have a clear conscience, just do your work. As for the future, let's talk about it in the future."

Today, Wei Yuan finally understood why those generals with outstanding achievements could not retreat bravely.

It's not that they don't want to, but they can't.

For example, the founding generals, who doesn't have a group of brothers behind them?

If they don't fight, what will the brothers behind them do?

If they really resign and get rid of everything, it won't be a problem to become a rich man.

But after marching and fighting for many years, who doesn't have a few enemies or political enemies?

Wei Yuan can choose not to build a navy today. One day, if there is a problem with sea transportation and the situation in the southeast is unstable, who should be held responsible for this?

If Wei Yuan doesn't covet the navy and doesn't firmly control the navy, wouldn't it be that all his plans have been in vain?

"When Zhaoyuan arrives, Fuzhou will open its sea transport."

"Before that, I will set off to Guangling County, Yangzhou to worship my ancestors."

"Huairen, you stay in Fuzhou, Daniu, Yuming, you two each select a hundred guards, and go to Guangling with the full armor camp."

A few days ago, Wei Yuan wrote a letter to the patriarchs of the Wei family in Liangzhe and Hedong.

For the Guangling ancestor worship, they were asked to send more trustworthy young people.

Wei Yuan was going to select a dozen of them to join the navy.

The reason why the Wei family was arranged in the Danglu Army was because the Danglu Army was right under the emperor's feet.

The censors were watching closely and there could not be any mistakes.

After all, he appointed Chen Daniu and others as commanders, and they were reported to the emperor by the censors.

If he arranged another member of the Wei family, he would really be dead.

But the navy was different.

The navy was far away in the southeast, and the censors could not reach here. Except for the Imperial City Division, no one would know the exact situation of the navy.

And now he and the commander-in-chief of the Imperial City Division are political allies, so naturally he doesn't have to worry about this factor.

Selecting the Wei family members to join the navy is also to guard against the possibility that Guo Hao will become stronger one day.

Guo Hao is not like Chen Daniu and others, who are always by his side.

After serving as the Daizhou Tuanlianshi for a long time, he was used to being the top leader, and he was afraid that he would not want to be the second in command.

Now Wei Yuan was only an earl, and he still doubted his brother who had been through life and death with him before.

If he became the emperor, he would not even dare to think about it.

He was afraid that if Chen Daniu did anything out of the ordinary, he would be suspicious.

Therefore, it was no wonder that many emperors had the "hobby" of killing meritorious officials.

Of course, being suspicious was one thing, and stabbing a brother in the back was another.

Wei Yuan was just taking precautions.

——

Since coming to the southeast, Wei Yuan had not had a good stroll in Suzhou and Hangzhou.

This time he went to worship his ancestors, he reserved about half a month for himself, so he could take some time off.

The first stop was to have a good stroll in Hangzhou.

Wei Yuan and Chen Daniu came to Hangzhou in disguise, and did not alarm the local government.

The governor of Hangzhou and Zhang Xia, the transport envoy of Liangzhe Road, only knew that Wei Yuan's army had set up camp outside Hangzhou.

They wanted to go and pay a visit, but they only saw Xiao Yuming. After chatting for a while, they didn't get to the bottom of the matter.

Because Xiao Yuming only told them eight words, "Military secrets, no comment."

Wei Yuan and Chen Daniu strolled around Hangzhou, and the latter couldn't help but sigh with emotion,

"It is said that there is heaven above and Suzhou and Hangzhou below. I have seen it this time."

"Even the women in Hangzhou are different from those in other places. They are beautiful and smooth. Tsk tsk."

Hearing this, Wei Yuan patted him on the back of the head and scolded him with a smile:

"If you say such things again, don't come out with me in the future."

Chen Daniu touched the back of his head with grievance, and asked in confusion: "Why?"

Wei Yuan said unhappily: "Shame on you."

While talking, Chen Daniu's eyes were fixed on a pretty woman walking by.

When the woman saw Chen Daniu full of evil spirit, she was very scared and lowered her head and dared not look at him.

After the women passed by, Chen Daniu smiled and said:

"Looking at these gentle women, I suddenly feel that it is good to go to the battlefield to kill the enemy and protect these women so that they can marry into a good family."

Wei Yuan shook his head and smiled.

Chen Daniu, this guy, is said to be lustful, but he never does anything beyond the rules. He is said to be not lustful, but he can't control his eyes.

It seems that it is time to find him a wife.

The two strolled around the city for a while and took a boat to tour the lake.

Hangzhou is a water city with convenient water transportation. It is faster to travel the city by boat than to walk.

The old man on the boat saw that the two people's words and deeds did not seem like those of Hangzhou people, and asked curiously,

"Where are the two nobles from?"

Wei Yuan smiled and replied, "From Daizhou."

Daizhou?

The old man was slightly startled, and while rowing the boat, he said, "Daizhou is very far away. The two nobles have been tired all the way by boat."

Wei Yuan nodded and said nothing more.

He looked at the green mountains and clear waters, the small bridges and the houses not far away, and felt relaxed and happy. The so-called eternal love and poetic life are nothing more than this.

No wonder the literati and poets from ancient times to the present have generously left their calligraphy in the ancient city of Hangzhou.

"I heard that the current frontier official in our southeast area, General Wei Yuan, the loyal and brave baron, has been stationed in Daizhou for many years?"

The old man suddenly asked.

Hearing this, Wei Yuan smiled and said, "Have you also heard of General Wei?"

The old man said, "The name of the loyal and brave baron, who in the world does not know, who does not know?"

"Today, I can meet the two nobles here, isn't it thanks to the blessing of General Wei?"

"If it weren't for him, the Liao and Xia countries might have crossed the Yanmen Pass long ago. We ordinary people admire this kind of hero who defends the country the most."

After a while,

Wei Yuan asked: "What is the most famous food and drink in Hangzhou?"

The old man smiled and said: "People from other places who come to Hangzhou must try the vinegar fish, but I think the most unpalatable food in the world is the vinegar fish."

"Speaking of drinks, my Hangzhou tea and art are famous all over the world, you may as well go and try it."

Wei Yuan asked curiously: "Tea and art? Old man, do you know where the tea and art is the most authentic?"

The old man pointed to a small teahouse near the lake and said:

"It's good there. I often go there to drink. The price is fair and they don't cheat customers."

"You two nobles are obviously from other places. If you go somewhere else, you might be charged too much."

Wei Yuan looked at the four big characters "Zhao's Teahouse" written on the teahouse not far away and murmured:

"Since we are here, we can make the best of it."

"Well, let's try this tea show."

As he said that, Wei Yuan threw a golden bean to the old man.

The old man took it quickly, took a look, and was immediately shocked.

"My dear, there are too many."

Chen Daniu laughed and said, "You old man, I'll give it to you, just take it, what? Do you think the money is not enough?"

The old man laughed bitterly, "My dear, I'm joking, I don't think the money is not enough, I have never seen what this golden bean looks like in my life."

Wei Yuan said, "Take it, you called me a dear all the way, I can't let you call me a dear for nothing."

The old man carefully put the golden bean into his arms and laughed:

"I have been rowing for a lifetime, and today, I have met a real dear!"