Five hundred and ninetieth chapters game (fourteen)
Chen Qing really didn't expect that the emperor would send Zhang Jun to negotiate. On the one hand, he wanted to use his position as prime minister to oppress Chen Qing. On the other hand, Zhao Gou also wanted to play the favor card and use personal friendship to gain a negotiating advantage.
But it can only be said that Zhao Gou made the wrong calculation. Although Chen Qing can receive Zhang Jun in a low profile, it does not mean that he will give in at the negotiating table. The reason is also very simple. Chen Qing is not alone. Behind him
There are also benefits for millions of people.
The carriage stopped in front of Chen Qing, and a boy helped Zhang Jun get out of the carriage. Zhang Jun laughed and said, "Chen Dutong, you're fine!"
Chen Qing hurriedly stepped forward and saluted, "I didn't expect that Mr. Zhang would come to Jingzhao in person. It's been a hard journey."
"I haven't been here for many years. To revisit my old place again is to settle a matter on my mind."
Chen Qing arranged for his men to come forward one by one to greet him, and then he smiled and said: "The weather is cold, Mr. Zhang will get on the carriage first, and we will sit down and talk in detail."
Zhang Jun nodded, smiled at Chen Qing and said, "Chen Dutong, come up and sit together!"
Chen Qing laughed and said, "I won't come up and follow you on horseback in front of the car window!"
Zhang Jun knew that this was because Chen Qing was keeping a distance from him. It seemed that he was still very wary of his arrival. Zhang Jun knew in his heart that this time he might not be able to suppress Chen Qing even if he bet on favors.
He smiled bitterly in his heart and got on the carriage. Chen Qing got on the horse and followed the carriage.
"Chen Dutong should have compared it himself! Isn't the Jingzhao City now different from the Jingzhao City when you singled out Wanyan Lou's room?" Zhang Jun asked with a smile.
Chen Qing nodded, "The changes have indeed been great, especially in the past few months, after we have continuously donated 300,000 shi of food, the hungry people in Jingzhao City have completely disappeared, and the price of food has dropped to 30 taels per dou, and the price of cloth
The price of salt is even lower than during the Xuanhe period."
"How did you do it? Can you tell me about your experience?"
Chen Qing said with a smile: "Actually, everyone knows the truth, which is to invest heavily, but what we do better is to deliver food supplies to the real hungry people. As long as the hungry people disappear, the atmosphere of food shortages will disappear.
Grain prices and commodity prices will naturally stabilize. To put it simply, we need to fix the shortest board of a wooden barrel first so that the barrel can hold water, and then slowly make up for other defects."
Zhang Jun praised: "Well said, let's make up for our shortcomings first!"
The group came to the VIP Courtyard, and Chen Qing personally arranged for Zhang Jun to stay. Zhang Jun smiled and said: "If nothing happens, Commander-in-Chief, let's have a few words first. Don't worry, we won't talk about Bashu."
Chen Qing smiled and nodded, "I will obey the order of the Prime Minister!"
The two sat down in the lobby, and Zhang Jun asked, "How is the situation in the Kingdom of Jin? Do you all know?"
Chen Qing pondered for a while and said: "The latest news I got is that the Emperor Wanyan Sheng of the Jin Kingdom passed away two months ago. The new emperor is called Wanyan Dan, who is only sixteen years old. Wanyan Zonghan, Wanyan Wushu and Wanyan
Yan Chang and others are vying for the position of assistant minister. I heard that Wan Yanchang has the upper hand and will be appointed as the prime minister. The internal power struggle in the Jin Kingdom is basically at an end. I am afraid that after the spring tomorrow, the Jin soldiers will move south again.
"
"Do you think our Jianghuai front line can be defended?" Zhang Jun asked worriedly.
"The Jingxiang front line is guarded by Yue Fei, so there shouldn't be a big problem. The weak point lies in the eastern front. But I think that as long as the Song army can make good use of the Huaihe River and the opponent's cavalry advantage cannot be used, there is hope for a confrontation, like kerosene and gunpowder.
, bed crossbows, divine arm crossbows and other advanced weapons must be used in large quantities, especially the fierce fire oil that burns into a sheet on the river surface is the sharpest weapon to deal with the golden soldiers and leather rafts. "
Zhang Jun hesitated and said, "There is no shortage of gunpowder, bed crossbows and divine arm crossbows, but there is no fierce fire oil. Can the commander-in-chief support us with some fierce fire oil?"
Chen Qing smiled and said: "It's not a big problem. I can support the imperial court with 30,000 barrels of kerosene."
"It's so refreshing!"
Zhang Jun sighed softly, "When the kerosene arrives in Lin'an, who dares to say that they are all traitors and traitors?"
After a pause, Zhang Jun continued: "Don't you have anything to ask about the imperial court?"
"Of course I am more concerned about Xianggong Lu. How is his condition?"
"I visited him before I left. Mr. Lu is indeed not in good health. He lives in seclusion in his mansion. According to his wishes, he would rather have his second brother Lu Qingshan come out and take charge of the Lu family."
Chen Qing has met Lu Yihao's two brothers. He doesn't like the third brother Lu Datong, who is arrogant and mean. It is said that he strongly opposed his marriage with Lu Xiu at the beginning and looked down on military generals from the bottom of his heart. The second brother Lu Qingshan is much kinder in comparison.
He was kind yet shrewd and capable, and Chen Qing had a good impression of him.
If Lu Yihao's health fails, Lu Qingshan will definitely take the lead.
Gu Ze
"But I heard that Lu Qingshan was demoted to county captain. Isn't this too much?"
"Isn't this normal? The Lu family's destiny is closely related to yours. If they are demoted because of you, they will also be promoted because of you."
Chen Qing pondered for a moment and then asked: "What will happen if I marry Emperor Xiande as my equal wife?"
Zhang Jun was startled, "Is Emperor Xiande still here with you?"
"She has always been by my side. Her mother Qiao Cairen was killed by Queen Mother Wei, so she refused to return to the palace."
Zhang Jun shook his head, "Since you asked me, I will tell you the truth. Don't say you want to marry her as an equal wife. Even if you marry her as a legal wife, it doesn't make any sense. Marrying her is better than marrying Lu Xiu."
"I mean, would it be inappropriate to marry her as an equal wife?"
Zhang Jun still shook his head, "It was impossible before Jingkang, but after Jingkang, the aura of the Emperor Ji has faded long ago. Do you still remember Zhao Huer, the Emperor Cheng De Ji?"
Chen Qing nodded, looking at Di Ji who was rescued by Zheng Ping's father Zheng Tongquan, "I know her, what happened to her?"
"Less than a month after she came back, she married the son of Tao Hong, the minister of Guanglu Temple. She was sent back to the palace by the Tao family last year because she couldn't have children and no one was willing to marry her anymore. You know what I mean.
Because they were kidnapped by the Jin Kingdom, and the officials in the imperial court only sympathized with them verbally, but in fact they despised them. Even if they were emperor concubines, they would still be divorced by their husband's family."
Chen Qing understood. No wonder some of the rescued women were palace concubines. The court had no intention of taking them back to the palace. The excuse was that the roster was ruined and they didn't know their true or false identities. In fact, they just disliked them.
It's no wonder that the imperial court has always ignored Zhao Qiaoyun for so many years. I'm afraid Zhao Gou still hopes that it would be best for her to stay in the Kingdom of Jin.
Chen Qing understood, Zhao Qiaoyun didn't want to be the Emperor Ji no matter what, she saw it more clearly than he did!
"I understand, I won't mention this matter again."
Zhang Jun smiled lightly and said: "If you marry her as an equal wife, maybe one day the officials will look at her with admiration."
...........
Chen Qing said goodbye and left. Zhang Jun paced back and forth in the lobby with his hands behind his hands. He tested Chen Qing a little and felt his heartfelt concern for the Song Dynasty. He did not hesitate to provide 30,000 barrels of kerosene for support.
Without any conditions attached, saying that he was a rebellious minister and traitor was simply nonsense. This also gave Zhang Jun a glimmer of hope to solve the crisis in Bashu.
At this time, Li Hui and Huang Guinian walked into the lobby, bowed together and said: "See the Prime Minister!"
Zhang Jun waved his hand, "Please sit down, both of you!"
Li Hui and Huang Guinian sat down. Li Hui reported to Zhang Jun in detail the process of his first negotiation with the other party. Due to space restrictions, the pigeon letter he wrote to the court was only the simplest result, and there was not a word of the process. Write.
After listening to the report, Zhang Jun pondered for a moment and asked: "Is the five-year exemption and three-year half discount they said true?"
Huang Guinian said from the side: "It's completely true. I visited hundreds of ordinary households and confirmed that the government has this promise. Xihe Road has been exempted from taxes for three years, and this year's taxes on Shaanxi Road have also been exempted."
"No wonder he can't support an army of 200,000. Taxes are exempted. How can he support it? If I had known that five exemptions and three reductions in half, I would have inferred that Chen Qing would definitely capture Bashu."
Zhang Jun sighed slightly and asked again: "Is there a report on Huang Shaoqing's investigation?"
"Yes! I have written it in more than 30,000 words. I will give it to the Prime Minister when I return."
"Do you have a copy?"
Huang Guinian hesitated and said: "Chief Minister Chen Xuan also attaches great importance to Beizi's investigation report and borrowed a few copies. Beizi will go and get a copy tomorrow."
"No problem! Just give me a copy."
Zhang Jun replied to Li: "The negotiation can continue, but the truth will not participate. The truth will be behind the scenes and tell you how to negotiate?"