hehe!
Someone sneered.
The window was open and a breeze blew in, carrying with it the smell of water from the inner city river.
Yuhua Lane is close to the inner city river, and everyone is accustomed to the smell of the river water.
However, at this moment, accompanied by the sound of "Hehe", the taste of the river water changed, making the atmosphere in the room a little tense.
"In the past, a trip to the Western Regions could easily net you ten times the profit, not five times. Now, with the gold rush in the Western Regions, even small traders are dreaming of going there. Two days ago, I saw a small business owner buying 10,000 taels of tea, ready to ship to Xiliang."
"Everyone is flocking west, and with so much goods piling up, prices are bound to fall. By then, let alone a tenfold profit, I'm afraid we won't even be able to maintain a fivefold profit. After working hard for a year and investing so much money, we'll only earn a few hard-earned dollars. What's the point?"
Wu Dabiao grabbed the armrest of the chair and said, "From what everyone said, no one wants to go to the Western Regions?"
"Boss Wu, you've misunderstood. We all support your statement. We must go to the Western Regions. However, Sanhe Express charges too much, and we can't tamper with the value of the goods. Can we bypass Sanhe Express and have our own people escort the goods through customs to the Western Regions?"
"We have our own guards, all seasoned veterans, so why would we go to Sanhe Express? We've invested so much money, and it takes at least a year to get there and back, and in the end, it all goes to Sanhe Express. It's not worth it."
"Short-sighted!" Wu Dabiao cursed.
Everyone was dissatisfied.
Wu Dabiao said with a stern face, "Do you think that without Beirong and Xiliang, the grasslands would be peaceful? Let me tell you, without Beirong and Xiliang, those small tribes with only a few hundred or a thousand people would all emerge and transform into bandits on the grasslands. They were born and raised here, familiar with the terrain, and skilled in archery and horsemanship. Ask yourself, can our guards defeat them on their territory? The Jiangnan Chamber of Commerce next door is willing to pay Sanhe Express, so can't our Northern Chamber of Commerce afford it?"
"Sanhe Express's charges are really too expensive."
Wu Dabiao threw out a stack of brochures. "Sanhe Express charges a high fee, and there's a reason for it. After you pass through customs, you can stay overnight at a military fortress. They also promise that if you're gone, they'll still bring back the payment. If the goods are gone, they don't charge anything."
"How many fortresses and fortresses can there be in a distance of thousands of miles?"
"Having a place to stop and refill on water is better than camping in the wilderness. The grasslands and deserts are not as peaceful as we think. Sanhe Express has its reasons for charging such high fees. Stop talking nonsense. If you're willing to join, just say so. If you're not, you can leave now."
Wu Dabiao spoke.
However, all those present were old foxes, and no one moved.
Wu Dabiao sneered, "Then I'll assume you all agree. One million taels of goods, let's all pool our money. I'll give you two hundred thousand, how much do you have?"
"Isn't one million a bit too much? Eight hundred thousand is better."
"Yes, eight hundred thousand, lucky."
"Okay! It's 800,000 worth of goods. I'll still give it 200,000. What about you?"
Everyone pools money or goods.
They were all wealthy merchants and quickly raised 800,000 taels.
The next step is to organize the supply of goods and contact Sanhe Express.
…
On a sunny day, Wang Xiaoxi left the capital with a caravan carrying a cart of goods.
His wife and children saw him off at the city gate.
After all, they are husband and wife.
"Don't worry about me, I'll be back this time next year."
"Don't try to be brave when you're out. It's okay to suffer a little, but you must stay safe."
The couple said goodbye and sent each other off in tears.
On the same day, dozens of riders on fast horses left the capital and headed west.
They brought a bright yellow imperial edict to convey the emperor's intention to Xiliang, and officially enthrone the Marquis of Lu as a prince, the King of Anxi, the first king of a different surname in the Great Zhou since Taizu became emperor.
For this decree, the most learned people in the court carefully examined every word.
Lord Lu, who wrote this edict, was collectively impeached by the censors.
He almost pointed at his nose and cursed him as a "traitor"!
Lord Lu feels wronged.
The censors and the like are indeed the most annoying group of people.
In the eyes of these censors, anyone they dislike will be labeled a traitor.
Do you really think traitors are cabbages in the vegetable market, sold wholesale and retail?
An imperial decree was criticized to pieces.
He was very picky and found more than a dozen faults in the whole thing.
He is the Minister of the Central Secretariat, but he lacks literary talent.
The Minister of the Central Secretariat, Lord Lu, simply quit his job.
Whoever wants to write an imperial edict can do so.
Because of this, the court was in turmoil again.
The final decree was written by Emperor Liu Zhao himself.
"I'm not afraid of being criticized! If this is a wrong decision, I will bear all the consequences. A hundred years later, people will criticize me, but I'm not afraid."
As soon as he finished speaking, the imperial seal fell.
A legally binding imperial decree to confer the title of king was issued.
Qian Fu's team of messengers, carrying the imperial edict, rode westward on horseback.
Xiliang is too far away and the imperial court cannot reach it.
Then let the caravans and adventurers keep an eye on Xiliang, King Anxi, and the grasslands and deserts on behalf of the court.
Liu Zhao stood on the top of the city wall and watched the team that delivered the imperial edict leave.
The small team passed by the caravan.
Everyone in the caravan was filled with excitement and their eyes were sparkling with stars.
They were going to Xiliang, which was a feat for anyone, enough to be boasted about for three generations.
My father...
My grandfather...
My ancestors...
During the gold rush in the Western Regions, people traveled thousands of miles west, tens of thousands of miles back and forth, and brought back...
On the way to the West District...
On the way back...
My family started to prosper from that time.
This journey to Xiliang will be regarded as the achievement of our ancestors for future generations.
Even if you fail, it is worth remembering.
If successful, an inscription will be engraved on the monument for future generations to pass on.
…
The Baiyun Temple in Beijing welcomes a very distinguished guest today.
Taoist Master Xuanqing, who had not left the mountain for many years, went to the gate to greet him in person.
"Wulian Tianzun!"
"Master Xuanqing, you're too polite."
Gu Jiu got down from the sedan chair. She was dressed very simply today.
If she were not surrounded by eunuchs and palace maids, and if she were not on guard, an uninformed person would mistake her for a noble lady.
"Please come in, Madam. A cup of tea is ready."
Gu Jiu smiled and said, "It is my honor to drink the tea prepared by the Taoist priest today."
She stepped into Baiyun Temple.
The temple gate is specially closed today just to welcome the Queen.
Therefore, there are no devout believers in the temple, only a few Taoist priests, all of whom have decent appearances.
Gu Jiu followed Taoist Xuanqing through the main hall, the courtyard, and several corridors, and arrived at the pavilion on the back mountain.
The terrain here is open and the scenery is beautiful.
"I didn't even know there was such a wonderful place like Baiyun Temple."
"This is the place where I cultivate myself in seclusion. No outsiders usually come here."
“No wonder!”
"Your Majesty, please have some tea."
"Thank you, Taoist Priest!"
After the tea had tasted its five flavors, Gu Jiu put down the teacup and got down to business.
"Master, do you know why I'm looking for you?"
"I would like to make a bold guess. Could it be related to Xiliang?"
Gu Jiu nodded approvingly, "Master, do you have any ideas about Xiliang?"
Taoist Xuanqing smiled, his smile unfathomable, "How dare I have such thoughts."
"Why do you dare to have such an idea?"
"Your Highness, if you need me to do something, why don't you just tell me directly?"
"Master, please advise. My people from the Great Zhou Dynasty want to take root in Xiliang and even assimilate the local people. Our goal is for them to recognize us as people of the Great Zhou Dynasty a hundred years from now. Besides using force to intimidate, combining interests, and transferring culture, what else do we need to do?"
Taoist Xuanqing smiled and said, "The three points mentioned by the Empress are enough!"
Gu Jiu shook his head, "Not enough, far from enough. The situation in the Western Regions is complex, there are many ethnic groups, and conflicts are becoming increasingly serious. These three factors alone are far from enough for King Anxi to absorb and assimilate Xiliang."
"Oh? If it's not enough, Your Majesty should consult the officials in the court, not a layman like me."
Gu Jiu laughed, "I still need the power of faith."
Taoist Xuanqing paused for a moment, then continued nonchalantly, "I've heard that Xiliang's Imperial Master is hopeless and originally came from the Great Zhou."
Gu Jiu smiled, "What do the people of Xiliang believe in? Taoist priest, do you know?"
Taoist Xuanqing shook his head, "I don't know!"
Gu Jiu said solemnly: "We in the Great Zhou believe in God and our ancestors. We build ancestral halls and offer sacrifices to them with piety and solemnity. This is also the original driving force that keeps a family together. God is the ancestors, and the ancestors are the faith. The Northwest Army is stationed in Xiliang. To assimilate the locals, they have to rely on intermarriage for generations.
However, most of the Northwest Army soldiers had lost their families and ancestral temples, which meant they had lost their faith and their spiritual support. If the Northwest Army had lost their faith, how could they assimilate the locals? How could they overcome the local faith? If one day, a Great Zhou person in Xiliang no longer believed in their ancestors and instead converted to local beliefs, would they still be a Great Zhou person?
Taoist Xuanqing's expression was serious. "What does the Queen want to say?"
Gu Jiu said, "The Northwest Army needs ancestral halls, they need sacrifices, and they need faith. Their descendants need the faith passed down from their fathers. If you Taoists don't occupy the high ground of faith, others will. After they occupy it, they will turn around and trample on you Taoists. Baiyun Temple, as the leader of the Taoist world, how can we retreat and stand idly by while others show off their power?"
Taoist Xuanqing was silent for a moment. "I understand what your Majesty means. You want us Taoists to enter Xiliang."
"Exactly!"
"Your Majesty, you already have Buddhism and Master Wuwang in Xiliang. Why do you need us Taoists to intervene?"
Gu Jiu smiled. "The origins of Buddha are better understood by the Taoist priest than by me. Taoism is the cultural belief passed down from ancient times on this land. The soldiers of the Northwest Army need sacrifices, spiritual sustenance, and the inheritance of faith. This important task belongs to none other than you Taoists. I hope that one day, the natives of Xiliang will speak Chinese, wear Chinese clothes, read Chinese books, write Chinese characters, and believe in their Han ancestors. This is not a strange belief that survives the fittest and has changed its appearance. And we will not allow foreign beliefs to invade."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
