Ye An's life in Zhending Mansion was quite good. The Liao Dynasty did not go south as he predicted. On the contrary, the border was extremely stable. All relations between the two countries were good, and even friction disappeared.
His most important thing these days is to go to the Cao family to socialize. He has no choice but to do so. Zhending Mansion is the ancestral home of the old Cao family, and his family is the largest landowner here.
Ye An and the Cao family were close friends in Tokyo City. When they came to Zhending Mansion, they were treated as guests by the Cao family. They were invited to banquets more than ten times, but Ye An refused and could only
Attend a banquet.
But after attending the banquet, Ye An was shocked by the rich wealth of the Cao family. What the hell is a real wealthy family? Those wealthy families in Tokyo are not even worthy of carrying shoes compared to the Cao family!
Ever since Cao Wan married Zhao Zhenwei, the Cao family has been on a rapid rise. Although they have become relatives, how can they have such benefits?
More than 180 people from the Cao family were promoted and received salary increases through their kindness. Ye An went to the ancestral home of the Cao family to pay homage. The plaque he saw was higher than the door. Those who didn't know thought it was done by the Cao family.
It’s a plaque business!
In front of the hall and behind the house, all the places where plaques can be hung are hung up, such as Zhongshu Ling, Prince of Jiyang County, accompanying Song Taizu in the temple, Shizhong, Anhua Army Jiedu Envoy, Infantry Commander Yuhou, Yaozhou
Observers, etc. represent official positions, and there are many plaques awarded after death.
These are the glory of the Cao family and the current guarantee of the Cao family. Who dares to touch the Cao family? Not to mention that the queen is the daughter of the Cao family. The Cao family's merit list alone can crush him to death!
Banquets are sometimes just for socializing, but sometimes they are also for bonding. For the Zhending Cao family, Ye An is now the general manager of the military and horse capital. Once a war breaks out, he will receive the greatest care. If there is no war, he will also receive the best care.
Less convenience.
Similarly, Ye An also needs the help of the Cao family. War has always been about attrition. With the help of the Cao family, Zhending Mansion can get the greatest logistical support in the defensive war. However, the Cao family has done all kinds of things in Zhending Mansion.
Everything made Ye An very dissatisfied.
Not to mention that the magistrate of Zhending Prefecture is working for the Cao family, the Cao family's industry here is almost monopolized. As long as the business his family is involved in, no one else can do it, and even if they do, it will be a starting point.
, followed the Cao family and drank the leftover soup.
As for the land... the Cao family's land in Zhending Mansion occupies almost more than half of all the land here. This is only on the surface. If all the hidden land is added, 80 to 90% of the land may be
They all belong to the Cao family.
Therefore, in the Cao family in Zhending Mansion, Ye An felt as if he had met the "Tu Emperor". This was the real Tu Emperor, not the local tyrants who held power.
The Cao family says nothing, and there is no official position in Zhending Mansion. However, the officials here have to rely on the Cao family's face. No one wants to offend the Cao family here. It is said that there was an official working in the Household Hall.
, drunkenly cursed the Cao family, and ended up turning into manure in the field the next day.
Although the relationship with the Cao family is nominally very good, Ye An does not take special care of the Cao family. Looking at the appearance and scale of the Cao family, does he still need to take care of it himself?
It is impossible for the Liao Dynasty to go south, and his good days in Zhending Mansion will soon come to an end. As for whether he can stay in the Imperial City Division after returning to Beijing this time, it is another matter.
Ye An, who knew Zhao Zhen well, knew that when he returned to Beijing again, he would be relieved of his duties in the Imperial City Department, and he did not know where he would be appointed to clean up important locations.
Sure enough, within a few days, as the Song Dynasty's defeat at Sanchuankou spread throughout the world, Ye An, the general manager of the Zhending Mansion's military and horse capital, could no longer do his job. The Liao people withdrew their troops from Youzhou. For them, the Song Dynasty
Although they were defeated in Yanzhou, not a single city or pool was lost, and Xixia's plan to continue using troops was thwarted.
This is what the Liao Dynasty did not want to see. As long as Li Yuanhao could occupy Yanzhou, it would put great pressure on the northwest of the Song Dynasty. At the same time, some elites could be withdrawn to solve the Song people's plan to encircle Wei and rescue Zhao. Unfortunately, Li Yuanhao still did not
Able to capture Fushi City.
In this way, it would be meaningless for Daliao to station troops in Youzhou, not to mention that Ye An was in charge of Zhending Mansion, and the entire east and west armies of Hebei were under his control. Even if the army went south, there was not much chance of victory, so it was better to withdraw the troops.
After the Liao people left, there was no point for Ye An to stay in Zhending Mansion. Zhao Zhen's order to summon Ye An back to the court arrived. After not going home for such a long time, Ye An missed his wife and children at home very much.
He hurriedly packed up his luggage and took his soldiers with him, and was welcomed by the Cao family and set off on the road. This trip to the north cannot be said to be meaningless. Although he did not fight against the Liao people, he knew a lot about the north of the Song Dynasty.
Regardless of Zhending Prefecture or Xiongzhou, the trade between Song and Liao was extremely developed, and economic development also promoted the integration of cultures. Most of the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun were Han people, and there was not much conflict between the two sides.
The cultural foundation is very solid, and even the customs and habits are almost exactly the same.
This is the fatal weakness of the Liao people. The cultural identity of one place is exactly the same as that of another country, and even the habits are the same. This is not a good thing, nor does it adopt a different governance model, but it has already been invaded by other people's culture!
Compared with Xixia's own creation of writing, changing customs and many other actions, the Liao Dynasty does not need to worry at the moment. A nomadic people, an overlord on the grassland, has actually begun to give up the "natural selection, survival of the fittest" and began to
In view of its "famous teachers and righteousness first", the dynasty established by this nomadic people could hardly pose a threat to the Han family. They had already entered the field where the Han family was good at.
If it were not for retaining some of the nomadic characteristics of the north in terms of warfare and having a large supply of good horses, the Liao army at this time would not be much different from the Forbidden Army of the Song Dynasty. The only ones who can conquer and fight well are those who have been with the Jurchens for a long time.
, the Tatars fought against the border troops.
It is best to take the water route when returning to Beijing from Zhending Mansion without being in a hurry. Ye An does not get seasick and avoids the hardship of traveling. Thanks to the powerful water transportation system of the Song Dynasty, his official ship can go south comfortably.
.
But it was this "water trip" that allowed him to see another side of the Song Dynasty, a world full of fireworks.
Water transportation itself was the most important part of the transportation system of the Song Dynasty. At the same time, he also learned about the importance and corruption of the four canals of water transportation from the "leader" of the official ship.
Perhaps Ye An's reputation was too great, and he was young and loved to laugh. He was different from ordinary government officials, so the captain started chatting under his questioning.
"Master Hou, of course you know the four water canals of the Song Dynasty. I can only tell you in detail. The millet from Huai-Bian enters the Huai River from the south of the Yangtze River and enters the capital through the Bian River; the grain from Shaanxi comes from Sanmenxia.
The nearby Yellow River turns to the Bianshui River and reaches the capital; the millet from Shaanxi and Cai River turns from the Huimin River to the Cai River and flows into the Bian River to reach the capital; the millet from the east of Jingdong flows from Qilu to the Wuzhang River and reaches the capital!"
Ye An nodded slightly, then smiled and said: "But why do I hear that many merchants would rather take the dry road than the waterway?"
"It's not like there are layers of water transport yamen in various places...ahem..."
Seeing that the captain didn't want to say more, Ye An smiled and finished the sentence for him: "Peel off the skin layer by layer?"
"This is what you said, Lord Marquis, and it has nothing to do with me!"
Ye An nodded with a smile, pointed at the rudder and said: "I am the only one here today, and all my words come from me. It doesn't interfere with your business, just say it!"