"Admirable? It's just a trick for a lost dog to save his life. Fang Qinzhi shook the feather fan lightly and smiled bitterly: "If General Lu has time, can you listen to me tell you a story." ”

Lu Yao stood up, picked up the Ouyao chicken head pot placed on the side of the case, poured half a bowl of water for Fang Qinzhi, signaled him to moisten his throat, and said slowly.

Fang Qinzhi looked at the chicken head pot in Lu Yao's hand, and sighed softly: "The pottery is selected from Dongou." This kettle is a celadon produced by the Fujian porcelain kiln, the glaze is semi-bright, the color is green like jade, and the ice cracks all over it are even more gorgeous...... Such a one-in-a-million masterpiece is enough to make the tribal chiefs of the steppe crazy with it, even if it is not uncommon to exchange hundreds of horses for it. ”

As a wealthy businessman on the grassland, Fang Qinzhi's vision was naturally no problem, and Lu Yao's hand shook when he was frightened by his words. Lu Yao was also a child of a family, so he naturally saw that the manor prepared for him by Wei Cao was very luxurious, and the utensils used were all high-quality. But the value of this kettle is also too shocking.

Although Lu Yao robbed several horse thieves and Zahu tribes in Dai County, in the past few months, both civil and military needs huge investment, and a large amount of wealth and materials have been spilled out like a stream, forcing him to become a poor bastard. Who would have thought that Wei Cao, the old man, would be so bold that he could exchange a kettle for hundreds of horses just by taking out a kettle?

He quickly and respectfully put the pot back in its place, determined not to mess around.

But he heard Fang Qinzhi say leisurely: "Since the end of the Han Dynasty, the Wei and Jin dynasties have not been heroic, since the Emperor Wu of this dynasty issued an edict to dismiss the state and county soldiers, all parts of northern Xinjiang are more armaments and waste, and they are not the opponents of the fierce Hu'er at all." However, for several decades, the Hu tribes in the north of the country were largely fine, thanks to the continuous infiltration, differentiation and disintegration of the Hu people by the border guards of the two dynasties. Far away, such as the former Wei and Zhou assassin Liang Xi used the mutual market as a means to drive the Hu people for his own use, and Youzhou Assassin Wang Xiong sent the assassin Han Long to assassinate Xianbei Dashan Yu Kebineng, destroying the Hu alliance with hundreds of thousands of troops in one fell swoop. In modern times, there was Youzhou Thorn Shi Wei Qian instigated Tuoba Xianbei several civil strife, and sent Wei Cao to go deep into the grassland to assist in political affairs, so that Tuoba Xuan, Tuoba Fu and Tuoba Yihui and other dynasties were friendly with the imperial court. When Wei Qian was in northern Xinjiang, he asked the imperial court to divide the five counties of Changli, Xuansu, Liaodong, Lelang, and Daifang in Youzhou into Pingzhou. When Pingzhou was first established, his father Fang Rui Fang Zhihua was appointed as a secret spy and went to the depths of the grassland to listen to the truth under the cover of being a businessman. This chicken head pot was originally a treasure that my father carried with him when he went north to the grassland and was used to bribe the nobles of the Hu family, but it happened to fall into the hands of Wei Deyuan. ”

Fang Qinzhi sighed and continued: "It's a pity that my father was not satisfied with the water and soil of the grassland, and died of illness after only four years of operating on the grassland. At that time, I wanted to help the spirit return to his hometown for burial, but the clansmen and tribes of the caravan pleaded, saying that the situation on the grassland was unpredictable, the person in charge was not there, and the huge caravan that my father had entangled for several years would disappear in an instant, and everyone would become Hu'er's slaves. I had no choice but to bury my father's coffin in a beautiful place on the grassland, and after a year of filial piety, I maintained the caravan situation while raising my second brother to adulthood. ”

"The grassland lacks salt, iron, and all kinds of materials, and it is unique to the benefits of cattle and horses; The salt and iron materials are produced in the Central Plains, and cattle and horses are needed in the Central Plains. It is a north-south trade, and the profits can be multiplied. However, Hu'er on the grassland has always been fierce, and there is no law to restrain them, and they take plundering as a common thing; The officials of the Central Plains were also greedy and tyrannical, and demanded excessively; Therefore, knowing that commerce and trade enjoy great benefits, few people really dare to travel between tribes for a long time. Fortunately, although Qinzhi's qualifications are mediocre, he has a lot of experience in the management method of dispatching the surplus and near and far, relying on the caravan established by his father, on the one hand, he has made good friends with the chiefs of various tribes with all kinds of treasures from the Central Plains, and finally gradually gained the trust of many tribes; On the other hand, it also bribed the officials of the Central Plains Imperial Court with huge sums of money to open up the channels for inland materials to flow into the grasslands. Of course, if a large amount of fine iron and weapons flow into the grassland, it will be a reversal, and it will not be the case with diligence. The main ones sold to the grassland are salt, tea, silk and gold and jade treasures. After more than ten years of hard work, around the time of Yuankang, our caravan has become one of the most important caravans in Northern Xinjiang, with millions of goods handled every year, and more than 500 subordinates can be used. Wei Deyuan was able to gather the Jin people to gain a foothold in Weiyuan, and the Fang clan's caravan really made a lot of efforts. ”

Lu Yao knew that the process of the rise of the Fang Clan's caravan would not be as light as Fang Qinzhi said. Taishi Gong recorded in the historical records that Bai Gui, a giant merchant in ancient times, claimed to be "governing production, the strategy of Yi Yin and Lu Shang, Sun Wu using soldiers, and Shang Ying's law is also". Although the hardships of the mall are not as good as the battlefield, there are not a few thrilling places, not to mention how much bloody rain there is.

In this way, Mr. Fang is really a decisive force on the grassland, so how can he say that he is a lost dog? How can they be anxious to protect their lives? Lu Yao asked with a deep groan.

Fang Qinzhi said angrily: "It's not because the imperial court is mediocre and incompetent! General Lu must know very well that over the years, the people in power in the Great Jin Dynasty have also taken turns to come to power, and batches of villains and puppets have been crowned with monkeys, and they have brutally defeated the great country to the ground. Since Yuankang, the Hu people in northern Xinjiang have become less and less concerned about us and other Jin people, and their captivity and burning on the border have been more every year than the previous year! And if the Jin people in northern Xinjiang clash with Hu'er, without the support of the imperial court, what will we do to fight? ”

He "snapped" and slapped the case with his palm, and said loudly: "Although the Great Jin is still there, we, the Jin people scattered all over the northern Xinjiang, are already like lost dogs, and we can't live in fear!" Even if he is worth millions and is rich enough to rival the country, in the eyes of those Hu'er, he is just a fat pig! ”

"Wei Cao, Tuoba Xianbei is a supplementary minister, and there are tens of thousands of people in charge of the Yuan Jin, and his status is so strong. At this time, Wei Deyuan still can't protect himself, let alone a businessman in Fang? He looked at Lu Yao with blazing eyes, and leaned forward: "The general has newly harvested thousands of miles of grassland, and it is the time to employ people. I hope the general won't dislike it! ”

Lu Yao didn't expect Fang Qinzhi to say for a moment, and he actually spoke directly.

Lu Yao's Daijun regime has been created so far, and it has only been two months before and after, and there is only one army in the military government, and nothing else. The positions of General Yingyang and Daijun Taishou are one and two, two and one, but in fact, they are completely the same thing. Except for one Shao Xu, who tried his best to rectify government affairs, there were no other scholars with profound culture to vote.

Although the Fang brothers have a businessman background and are naïve and cute outside, this Fang Qinzhi, who is the eldest brother, must be a very capable person. The caravan force under his control can also bring great help to Daijun, who is short of supplies. If such a character can be used well, it will inevitably bring about an exemplary role of buying horse bones, not to mention.

However, it was difficult for Lu Yao to agree directly. After all, he has a shallow foundation in northern Xinjiang and does not know the details of the Fang brothers, so if a spy from another force is included to enter Daijun as an official, it will be a lot of trouble.

Lu Yao thought for a while, and said in a very earnest tone: "Wei Deyuan's foundation lies in Weiyuan, and since Weiyuan is under the rule of Daijun, Duke Deyuan will inevitably coordinate with Daijun. However, Mr. Fang is different, the Fang caravan travels to and from all parts of Northern Xinjiang, and there is no obstacle to move around as he pleases. With Mr. Fang's talent and wealth, he can be regarded as a guest wherever he goes. For example, Mr. Fang must know that Mo Han, who was in the shogunate of Yueshi Gong in Bingzhou, was a wealthy merchant in Yanmen County. Jin Yang Yue Shi Gong, after King Jing of Zhongshan, the henchman of the King of the East China Sea, destroyed the Huns in the last year, and his martial arts reputation was famous all over the world; Peng Zu, the king of Youzhou, the descendant of the Wang family of Jinyang, has been operating in northern Xinjiang for many years, sitting in Jicheng, and his power is enough to shake the Central Plains. These two are the real Xiongzhen of Northern Xinjiang, compared to them, the difference between Dai County is too far! Why did Mr. Fang abandon Youzhou and merge with the state, and favor me, a Dai County where everything is difficult? ”

Fang Qinzhi laughed and said, "Why does General Lu need to be so humble? Although the power of the county is not as good as the quiet, the future of the general will definitely be far ahead of the two princes of Wang Pengzu and Liu Yueshi. I have sent someone to inquire about the experience of the general, who a month ago was only trapped in a small county; Two months ago, the general was no more than a general with a thousand troops; A year ago, the general was just a defeated general of the state army! ”

He unfolded the sleeves of his robe and bowed deeply to Lu Yao: "Diligence is a businessman's background, and the way for businessmen to make money is nothing more than knowing people and opportunities." General Lu is a man of great talent, and with the help of nobles, he was able to soar into the sky within a year...... This is the Lord of Diligence too! ”

Noble people to help? Lu Yao chuckled, and subconsciously wanted to explain to Fang Qinzhi that he had not received any additional help from nobles except for being promoted by Yue Shi Gongjian to the defeated army. But with Fang Qinzhi's words, he looked back on his experience in the past few months, and suddenly found that this gentleman's guess may not be unreasonable.

He was born in the Lu clan in Jiangdong, and the people who died in the country were originally taboo by the imperial court; His uncles, Shiheng Gong and Shilong Gong, successively served as important ministers and generals under the command of the King of Chengdu, and they were even more intolerable to the court; Even though he was favored by Yue Shigong and was able to make meritorious contributions on the battlefield, until he left the state, his position was only that of General Yamen and Sima of Pingbei. However, just two months ago, when he was alone in the north of Dai County, the envoy of the King of the East China Sea suddenly brought an edict and promoted himself to a major official in one fell swoop. was able to subdue Daijun Zhuhu, thanks to this appointment, how abrupt the favor of the king of the East China Sea was.

Of course, Lu Yao didn't think that he had any special friendship with the King of the East China Sea, but he recognized that the envoy was his old acquaintance, Wang De, the protector who had fought against the thief Xiang Fei in the deep mountains of Taihang. So, who will be the person behind Wang De? He subconsciously pulled his knuckles on the desk, took a deep breath, and a figure that had been hidden for a long time appeared in his mind.