Chapter 326 Where is the Confidence
Regardless of whether Jia Xu had to do so while being held hostage by Dong Zhuo, he still has to take some responsibility for the fact that Sun Jian was killed.
Now Sun Ce's power is growing stronger and stronger, and he even killed Huang Zu who was in Yuzhang County. Who knows if he will attack Jia Xu who is in Xuzhou after he has reorganized Yangzhou?
Instead of pinning your hopes on the fact that Sun Ce will give Jia Xu a break for Qiao Yan's sake, it is better to strike first!
After he brought about this earth-shaking change in Yangzhou, some people used their power to eliminate him first.
Sun Ce was indeed a heroic figure. Under circumstances that were far more favorable to him than when he entered Yangzhou in history, his attitude of expanding territory showed his heroic demeanor even more.
But once the true nature of the hatred involved is revealed, is it really possible for Sun Ce to be used by her?
He is passionate and clear about gratitude and resentment. Even if he may be inferior to others due to temporary circumstances, he is destined not to be a tiger that can be controlled by others for a long time.
so--
Won't.
"Your Excellency has really given me a difficult problem." Jia Xu stroked his beard, looked at the letter that Qiao Yan sent to Qiao Lan and Qiao Ting, and thought to himself.
Qiao Yan asked them to convey the letter. The two of them showed great respect for their teacher and delivered the letter directly to Jia Xu.
Jia Xu couldn't help but fall into deep thought when he looked at the sentence "drag Zhou Yu in Xuzhou".
With his experienced character, he would not fail to notice the momentary hesitation in Qiao Yan's heart when he wrote the last sentence.
But when she wrote the last few words, her firmness revealed a sense of solemnity.
She had already made her choice between Sun Ce, a talented general, and him, a strategist.
Jia Xu could not make a clear guess about how Sun Ce's subordinates would be arranged from the letter sent by Qiao Yan. However, at least one thing was clear: he, Jia Xu, could rest assured.
"What a qualified overlord..." Jia Xu said in a voice that only he could hear.
He is also a overlord who can give his subordinates enough sense of security.
If he did not do his best to conquer Xu and Yang states, he would be really sorry for the other party's difficult decision.
You can't really come to Xuzhou just to be a tool for those students from Leping Academy to answer questions...
Jia Xu closed the letter and thought about the situation in Liangzhou while closing his eyes to rest.
In his early years, he chose to go to Chang'an from Wuwei County in Liangzhou. His purpose was nothing more than to give a Liangzhou native the opportunity to display his ambitions and have more say.
But under the rule that prime ministers come from Guandong and generals come from Guanxi, all he could get was a position as a clerk in the government.
After recognizing the reality, the most appropriate way for him to survive is undoubtedly to protect himself.
Over the years, or even decades, of negotiation, this has become a habit for him.
But in a letter that Jia Mu sent to him from Liangzhou this year, he wrote that although the prince's arrangement of building water conservancy projects was not his original interest, as he learned more about this business, he felt that this was the most suitable direction for him.
When people in Liangzhou mentioned Wuwei Jiamu, in this year of drought, everyone would think that he was a person who saved their lives.
Even though he was just helping Bi Lan in planning the irrigation canals in the Wuwei County military settlement at the beginning, now, with the accumulation of time, he has become a blessing to the local area.
Jia Mu's contribution and the gratitude he received from the people of Liangzhou were also a life-saving talisman for Jia Xu, or a life-saving talisman for the Wuwei Jia family.
With a prince like this, what's the harm even if he strikes out from the dark, luring the enemy into a trap and putting himself in danger at the same time?
Even Qiao Yan had to fight carefully and carve out a bloody path for that position that could not be taken away from others, so why should Jia Xu hold back?
He burned the letter into ashes just like Qiao Yan did with the letters sent by Qiao Yan and Xiao Qiao, completely destroying the evidence. Then he walked out as if nothing had happened, and when he reached the courtyard he met Pang Tong.
I don't know who this guy learned this bad habit from. Although he is young, he always looks very calm and composed. Now he is walking with his hands in his sleeves.
But I have to say that this behavior seems quite calm.
When he saw Jia Xu, he first bowed and then continued walking forward. According to Jia Xu, the direction he was walking was where Lu Su was imprisoned.
Pang Tong imitated Qiao Yan's action of imprisoning Li Ru. He did not continue to tie Lu Su up, but gave him the right to live alone in a courtyard and even water the flowers here.
Unfortunately... Li Ru couldn't leave at that time because Dong Zhuo was forced to flee to Chang'an. Li Ru was also imprisoned in Bingzhou, a place he was unfamiliar with. Qiao Yan was also obviously a strong person, but Lu Su was not facing such a situation.
He is still in Xuzhou. According to the rule of Xuzhou people protecting their own people, the treatment of him as a prisoner is not much worse.
Liu Bei was almost nearby and could send troops to intimidate and rescue him at any time.
The result of this is -
"Lu Zijing still doesn't intend to listen to you carefully?" Jia Xu said with amusement looking at Pang Tong's expression.
The other party seemed calm and composed, but in fact he still had some youthful demeanor, with a hint of unwillingness and determination revealed between his eyebrows.
Pang Tong replied, "This is also predictable. My classmates had to stay in Xuzhou because of some unfounded luck issues, but they had to make such a fuss in Liaodong. I don't know which gossiper told Lu Zijing about this. He said that we had planted Hailing in Xuzhou two years ago, and we should have made some preparations in the north of Xuzhou. Why did we have to persuade him to surrender?"
"Anyway, we have the strength to fight against Liaodong, so there is no need to persuade him to surrender."
In short, the main point is that he is not easily influenced by anything.
But Lu Su’s non-cooperation was obviously not good news.
Yangzhou is the backing of the southern part of Xuzhou, but it has many internal conflicts. It is impossible for Sun Ce, Zhou Yu and others to give full support to Xuzhou.
If they find that the Huaihe River front is no longer defensible, they would rather preserve their own manpower and evacuate from here.
In other words, although the southern part of Xuzhou seemed to belong to the Chang'an court, it was actually still isolated.
If we cannot get the support of the local scholars in Xuzhou, it will undoubtedly be very dangerous and we will not be able to stay here for long.
"So how are you going to deal with this matter?" Jia Xu asked.
Pang Tong did not seem frustrated by the successive appointments of his classmates in Liaodong, nor did he show impatience because of Lu Su's resistance. He replied to Jia Xu: "People are like this without having seen the frontier of the world. I have already fulfilled the courtesy of using courtesy before force. Now it is time to use the military force."
There was a hint of arrogance in Pang Tong's eyes when he raised his head, and it was not difficult to realize at this moment that although he looked mature, he was confident that he was one of the top leaders in Leping Academy. So it was no wonder that he had a debate with Zhuge Liang in the territory of Hongwenguan that year.
Thinking of what Lu Lingju had previously told Pang Tong, that Lu Su must not be intercepted by Zhou Yu who often came to Xuzhou, Pang Tong's actions in the face of such a challenge had a greater sense of crisis.
But, that's what makes it interesting.
Jia Xu replied: "Okay, I'll wait and see."
Let’s see what kind of performance this “Phoenix Cub” who has never traveled to Liaodong can show to live up to the evaluation given to him by Qiao Yan!
Amid the turbulent undercurrents in Xuzhou and Yangzhou, Bingzhou was in an exceptionally harmonious state.
Qiao Yan returned to Bingzhou not only to negotiate a cotton deal with Cao Cao, but also to ensure that during the time she was away, the people of Bingzhou would not forget who was responsible for their current treatment.
"It is said that the purpose of a state's deputy driver is to allow him to enjoy a separate carriage when he patrols the state on behalf of the state government, to show his special status, but I think it is more comfortable to ride in the prince's carriage."
Xi Zhicai leaned against the carriage, holding a bag of ice cubes in his hands, trying to drive away the lingering summer heat from his body.
Qiao Yan, who was sitting opposite him, was flipping through the official documents handled by Xi Zhicai in the past two years during his inspection tour in Bingzhou. He raised his eyelids when he heard him say this: "I heard that there is a plant called rubber tree overseas. The gum from the tree can be used to make a protective layer on the outside of the wheels, and it can also make the car more comfortable to sit on."
Xi Zhicai: "...My Lord, that doesn't seem to be what I meant."
He was simply expressing his regret that he had someone above him so he could do less. After all, during the period when Qiao Yan was away from Bingzhou, except for matters that had to be decided by her, all other issues were handed over to Xi Zhicai to deal with. It was not even certain whether he could guarantee a five-day work schedule and a one-day rest.
When Qiao Yan came back, he lay down in order to show that he had no intention of seizing power and replacing the position of Governor of Bingzhou.
But listen to what you are saying!
The problems within the territory have not been solved yet, and she is already looking forward to tire manufacturing overseas!
The subtext of this statement is simply that he has to keep working hard. In order to make the carriage he is sitting in more comfortable, he has to work harder. Otherwise, how can he possibly go out to sea to tap rubber trees?
"Then let's change the subject. What kind of bargaining chips do we want for the deal that Cao Zixiu mentioned?"
Although she returned to Bingzhou in order to negotiate the deal, it did not mean that she needed to respond eagerly to Cao Ang and Cao Hong.
She and Cao Cao had just had a territorial dispute in Yuzhou. Even if they really had a pleasant conversation and walked ten miles apart, they were still on the opposite side in terms of their positions.
And cotton is something that is exclusively in her hands, a complete seller monopoly market.
So it is not difficult to understand why she would do something like leaving someone out in the cold.
There is nothing to criticize in this operation.
During the autumn harvest, it is necessary for the governor of the state to inspect various places to ensure that the losses suffered by the people in the drought will not affect their lives during the winter. If there is insufficient surplus food, the state government will need to make further adjustments.
Therefore, we would first trouble Cao Ang and Cao Hong to go to Leping and meet with Cao Pi who is studying there, to preserve the relationship between brothers and uncle and nephew. When Qiao Yan returns to Taiyuan, we can discuss the transaction again.
Moreover, in order to send "Yuan Feng" to the border on his way to Youzhou to announce the decree of promotion, he did not have time to count the amount of cotton grown in Shangjun when he passed through that place.
If their production decreases due to a disaster year, the amount available for trading will inevitably be reduced.
This is also a last resort.
But in fact, the cotton produced by the continuously expanding cotton fields in the past few years has accumulated in a considerable amount in the warehouse, which can completely cover the amount mentioned by Cao Ang after arriving in Bingzhou.
However, when it comes to buying and selling, one doesn't expose all his cards right from the start.
Hearing Qiao Yan's question, Xi Zhi replied, "If you were to exchange grain for bargaining chips as you had discussed with Yanzhou in the past, it would definitely not be feasible. Cao Mengde has just acquired Chenjun and Runan in Yuzhou, and they have been affected by the disaster. I am also short of food, so I will not put myself in a difficult situation because of something to keep me warm."
Qiao Yan nodded: "Of course."
"Among the specialties in Yanzhou, there is nothing of great value to you, Your Majesty. If you really trade like this, it would be a waste of cotton. People don't have the same qualities as me..." Xi Zhicai pondered for a moment and said, "Actually, I had an idea earlier, but I don't know if you think it's feasible."
"Tell me about it first."
Xi Zhicai said, "Your Excellency is currently promoting the art of printing in Chang'an. Just in the summer, Jijiupian was launched as the number one printed edition. The first place to obtain this in large quantities was Luoyang. Seeing that the people of Luoyang have a good acceptance of this product, it is time to move on to the next step."
"What do you think of extending this to Yanzhou and Yuzhou, which are closest to Luoyang?"
Qiao Yan was thoughtful. "The scholars in Yanzhou and Yuzhou are well-educated, and the people have also learned a lot. Especially in Yingchuan and Runan, Yuzhou, they were places where scholars traveled and learning prevailed long before the turmoil in the world. Compared with Luoyang, the capital, it is not much different, if not better. It is indeed a suitable candidate. What do you mean?"
Xi Zhicai replied, "If Cao Mengde pays for all the cotton purchases, the people of Yuzhou, who have just experienced a period of turmoil, will certainly be grateful to him. Even if you still hold Yingchuan as a springboard, it will be difficult for you to advance to Runan in a short period of time, and it may even make Cao Mengde's power here more firmly rooted. I don't think this is what you want to see."
"Then why not put it another way, saying that Bingzhou can sell cotton to Yanzhou and Yuzhou, but considering that the new book is being promoted now, people can buy the new book and get free cotton, and sew their own cotton clothes."
Qiao Yan laughed when he heard this and said, "Mr. Zhicai's move is really vicious."
Not to mention whether the operation of selling books to those two states is a further step of cultural invasion, let's just say that when it comes to personal transactions, as long as the price does not exceed that of cold-proof clothing, no one will consider whether the cotton or the book is a gift.
When people sew their own cotton-padded clothes, the price will actually be even lower, which means that many people who are reluctant to buy new clothes can also buy them. After all, they can sew the cotton into their old clothes after buying them.
This expanded market was enough to cover Cao Cao's entire rule.
Besides, is this really just under Cao Cao’s rule?
The news of Cao Ang and Cao Hong coming to Bingzhou must have been reported to Yuan Shao, and the statement given most likely was that once the deal was reached, they would send some of the cotton clothes to Yuan Shao.
How should Yuan Shao respond to the emergence of this changed trading method?
This was another difficult problem he encountered after the change of ownership of Youzhou.
"However, it is indeed a good idea. Will Cao Zixiu agree to it, or will his father agree to it?" Qiao Yan asked.
Xi Zhicai shook his head. "This is never something they can decide. Even if the deal between you and them is delayed until the transition from autumn to winter, it won't be too late. Even if this kind of low-margin, high-volume deal is not carried out, it will not affect your income. Anyway, the benefits and military strength brought by the two newly acquired states are far greater than this."
"If the winter is really like the winter of Guanghe six years, with ice several feet thick in the well and human life extremely fragile, we will not add insult to injury. Saying that there was such a possible deal in the past is already considering the friendship between us and Cao Mengde. After all -"
Xi Zhicai said firmly: "We can afford to delay, but they can't..."
This is the confidence of Bingzhou!
This is also the confidence that Junhou has given them during the past ten years of operation!
So the conditions they put forward make people feel like someone is putting a knife to their neck. So what?
Qiao Yan replied, "As you said, sir. I know exactly how to close this deal."
She seemed to be completely unconcerned about what news Cao Ang might have received from Cao Pi, who had been in Leping for several years. She leisurely completed her inspection of the counties in Bingzhou, and even reached Shuofang County, which was located in the northwest of Bingzhou and had never had much of a presence. She also went to Suiyuan City in Baidaochuan, which was temporarily unguarded.
Although Lu Bu did things according to the routine during the years he was in charge here, his prestige helped to form a kind of procedural habit here. It was unknown who had the deed to carve the words that she had left in Saynshand here at the Baidao River mouth, which she had once passed through when she led troops outside the Great Wall.
Unfortunately, Lu Bu is not here, so there is no way to make him admit it.
After completing this trip, she returned to the provincial capital leisurely.
Cao Ang and Cao Hong are already waiting here.
Cao Hong had always been a man with a bad temper. Cao Cao's inexplicable sigh earlier made him feel that he was boosting other people's morale and destroying his own prestige. As a result, he was left out for a long time after arriving in Bingzhou. If he had not thought of Cao Cao's instructions to him before he left Yanzhou, and the arrangement for him to obey Cao Ang's orders, he would have fought with Dian Wei who stayed behind here.
In the end, what they waited for was not Qiao Yan's agreement to the deal, but the strange method she proposed.
Why let people buy books and get free cotton, why buy different types of books and get more free, why let people take the cotton home to sew it cheaper than buying the finished product directly, at a time when everyone is short of money, it should be more in line with the current reality -
Cao Hong admitted that he was not good at playing politics and did not understand those twists and turns. He also felt that every word in it was clearly beneficial to Qiao Yan, and he regarded Cao Cao's territory as her own property.
Qiao Yan, however, seemed to be completely unaware of the anger that flashed across his face. He took a sip of the tea in his hand and then said, "The price of grain is not uniform in different places. I don't think you have any surplus grain to trade this year. I have lowered the price of books to the level of cotton so that everyone can afford it. On the one hand, it is for the benefit of the people, and on the other hand, it is to give an explanation to the court in Chang'an."
If she, the Grand Marshal of Chang'an, made a deal with Cao Cao, the Governor of Yanzhou in Yecheng, according to the same standards as before, she would be held accountable if it was made public.
"Zi Xiu," she said to Cao Ang, "I told your father back then that if you came to study at Leping Academy, it would be a way to make up for the belated gift. Unfortunately, it was Zi Huan who came. Now that this deal is a big deal that you are responsible for, the benefits from it can be considered as a gift to make up for it. What do you think?"
Cao Ang: “…”
It’s not surprising at all that she can sit in the position of Grand Marshal!
How could she be so confident in telling lies with open eyes and describing her own huge profits as concessions?
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