Ma Su held the case with both hands, lowered his eyebrows, half-opened and half-closed his eyes, thinking silently.
Jiang Wan knelt down and sat opposite him. Although he tried his best to remain calm, his eyes could not hide the uneasiness. The prime minister was about to go out to merge the states, and the official document was sent to Chengdu. The general Li Yan - now called Li Ping, but he can't do things well.
There was no fairness at all - he was silent and noncommittal about this. He didn't speak, and few people in the court dared to stand up and express their opinions. In desperation, Jiang Wan had no choice but to come to see Ma Su.
For no other reason than because Ma Di was the official of Dasinong, he controlled the treasury, and was directly under the control of the Prime Minister's Office. As long as he expressed support for this war, the Prime Minister's Office would be able to mobilize part of the tax revenue to support the war in Bingzhou and help the Prime Minister win.
Add a little more guarantee. Before the soldiers and horses are moved, food and grass go first. This is the simplest principle. As the chief of the Prime Minister's Office, Jiang Wan knows very well that Guanzhong alone and Hanzhong cannot supply an army of 80,000 for a long-term battle.
Jiang Wan knew this, and so did Ma Su. He even thought more and further than Jiang Wan. Jiang Wan's request for help was not so much Jiang Wan's idea as it was Prime Minister Zhuge Liang's instruction. If he accepted Jiang Wan's
If Wan agrees to support Zhuge Liang at his request, then the relationship between them may be eased. This can be seen as Zhuge Liang's initiative to reconcile.
However, Ma Su did not dare to accept this invitation easily, because accepting Zhuge Liang's invitation would be tantamount to falling out with Li Yan. Although Li Yan did not really intend to regard him as his successor, Zhuge Liang also did not necessarily let him take over the power. This invitation was very difficult.
Ambiguous, the meaning is not clear, it can only be regarded as a temptation at best. It can even be said to be a divorce plan.
Ma Su could not do anything without caution.
"You Chang..." Jiang Wan was really anxious. Although he had returned to Chengdu, he had no advantage over Li Yan and Ma Su. The means and resourcefulness of these two people were far superior to his. "The Prime Minister is going on an expedition this time.
Bingzhou is to uphold the legacy of the late emperor and revive the Han Dynasty, which is our common wish. Brother Youchang has always had a close relationship with the prime minister, and he knows the prime minister’s intentions better than I do. At this critical moment, Youchang could not bear to pay attention and sit back and watch.
Is it a failure?"
"Gong Yan. It's not that I don't want to help." Ma Di sighed softly and spoke slowly. "You should know that not long ago, the general asked His Majesty to issue an edict to rest with the people and not launch a major war within three to five years.
The war is still ringing in my ears. The prime minister is about to go out to conquer the state. If taxes are collected and distributed at this time, wouldn’t the imperial court be breaking its trust with the people? Gong Yan, this crime is too heavy and I can’t bear it.”
Jiang Wan's face darkened. He wanted to be moved, but Ma Su slapped him with a big label of resisting the imperial edict. If we really wanted to discuss it, not only was this a crime that Ma Su couldn't bear, but even the prime minister might not be able to bear it.
rise.
"So, Da Sinong is determined to stand by and watch?"
"Even if I try my best, I can't influence the situation." Ma Su spread his hands and laughed, turning a blind eye to Jiang Wan's anger. "Gong Yan, you are the Prime Minister Chang Shi. You have read all the accounts I know. You should have read them."
I know that the current situation in Yizhou is not good. Even if all the food in Yizhou is harvested, it will not be able to sustain it for long. With an army of 80,000, plus the levy of civilians, how much food will be consumed every day?
Don’t you know? The Prime Minister said that you are a talented person in the country, so you must not know this.”
Jiang Wan raised his eyebrows and raised the corners of his mouth slightly: "Da Si Nong, you are overthinking. The Prime Minister never said that Yizhou should pay for all the money and food. Not only is the weather good in Guan, but the harvest in Jiaozhou and Jingzhou will also be good."
"If Wei Ziyu can take action, what does the Prime Minister have to worry about?" Ma Di said with a smile: "You shouldn't ask my opinion first, you should ask his opinion first."
Jiang Wan was speechless and paused for a long time before saying: "This is not the war of the Wei family, it is the war of my big man. Of course I should ask you, the great minister, first, and then ask him, the Zhennan general. There is order in the order of superiority and inferiority.
, public and private should be distinguished, I still understand this truth."
Ma Su didn't argue with him and chimed in. "You've already asked me, but it's a serious matter and I have to think about it before I can give you an answer."
"How long do you have to think about it?"
"It should be almost done by the time Wei Ziyu's reply arrives."
Jiang Wan was so angry that he had nothing to say. Ma Su clearly didn't want to express his position. It depends on Wei Ba's attitude. Although he was angry, there was nothing he could do. The initiative was on Ma Su's side. If he didn't let go, what could he do?
Jiang Wan stood up and walked away. Ma Su laughed disdainfully, thought for a while, turned back to the study, picked up a pen and wrote a letter to Wei Ba, calling Xie Guanglong and asking him to go to Jiaozhou in person.
…
Hepu, Laiyiwan.
Laiyi Bay was originally a wild harbor with sparsely populated areas. Only the fishermen who went fishing occasionally took refuge for a while to avoid the wind and waves. It didn't even have a name. Wei Ba wanted to build a shipyard, so he sent people to survey the nearby coastline first, and finally
I took a fancy to this place and chose it as a shipyard and port.
The name Laiyi was the idea of Yang Xi and others to flatter his wife Guan Feng. There is a sentence in "Shangshu" that says "Fenghuang Laiyi". And the name Laiyi Bay is homophonic to "Laiyi".
It has the meaning of cultivating literature and virtue to appease the barbarians and spread its influence all over the world.
Wei Ba didn't expect that one name could have so many things to say, but he didn't object. No matter who is in power, these things that whitewash peace are indispensable. How else can we call it culture? Whether it is to please Guan Feng or to appease.
Regardless of coming to the ceremony, he has no objection to any of this.
However, what he values more is this water area. Although he does not know what the name of this bay will be in later generations, he knows that the sea area in front of him is the famous Beibu Gulf. If it expands further, it will be the South China Sea, which will be disputed in later generations.
.For this sea area, countless enemies and former allies showed their greedy faces.
This includes countries that are still called Ninan, Jiuzhen, and Jiaozhi, but will be called Vietnam in the future.
Wei Ba did not intend to let such history repeat itself, and he did not even intend to allow that shameless country to have another chance.
So he devoted a lot of effort to this sea area.
After the shipyard was built, under the command of Chen Zhi, more than 3,000 technicians and craftsmen worked day and night, and it took only two months to complete the construction of ten sea-going ships. Today is the day when the tenth sea-going ship is launched.
General Zhennan arrived in person, and the technicians and craftsmen in the shipyard were very excited. They were very energetic. After careful inspection, with the sound of neat chants, the sluice was opened, and the turbulent water rushed into the dock. The huge sea ship slowly
Slowly it floated up, and several huge water wheels turned, rolling the waves, driving the big ship to slide out of the dock and sail towards the sea.
Wei Ba stood on the deck of the second-floor flying house, looking at the handover of water and sky in the distance, feeling very happy. Huge sea ships plying trade on the sea are safer and more economical than those small ships. With the growth of these sea ships,
When put into use, not only will this bay turn into a huge cornucopia, but Chinese civilization will also spread along with these ships and radiate to farther places.
He was more interested in these than fighting against Wei and Wu, or fighting within Zhuge Liang and Li Yan.
"Are you happy?" Guan Feng came over and stood beside Wei Ba.
"Happy." Wei Ba turned his head, looked at Guan Feng's face that was slightly tanned by the sunshine in Jiaozhou, and smiled: "I'm going to name this ship Fengyi and give it to you as a gift. You can do it."
No?"
Guan Feng nodded shyly: "Thank you, husband."
Wei Ba smiled slightly, turned around and took his newborn daughter from the nanny's hands. He walked to the side of the ship and placed her two little feet on the wooden wall. The wooden wall was polished smooth and coated with tung oil varnish, which was stained by the sun.
It was so hot that when I stepped on it with my little feet, I couldn't help shrinking, and I was about to cry when I grinned.
"Don't burn the child." Guan Feng said quickly: "Her little feet are not like yours."
"Haha, it's okay, you just get used to it." Wei Ba kissed his daughter. "This is our little phoenix. In the future, it will spread its wings and fly around the world. How can we be afraid of getting burned?"
"Dad, I want it too, I want it too." Xiao Wei Zheng rushed over, hugging Wei Ba's leg and shouted.
"You are such a big man, and you still want daddy to hold you? Climb up on your own."
"Okay." Xiao Wei Zheng happily turned his head and looked around, and soon found a way. He climbed up quickly with his hands and feet, opened his hands, walked on the wooden wall that was only two feet wide, and shouted excitedly
He said: "I'm here -" He was so proud that he seemed to have conquered the whole world, and he was not worried at all about falling off the high wooden wall and falling into the sea.
Guan Feng looked at little Wei Zheng with some envy. Not long ago, Xia Houhui gave birth to another boy, named Wei An. However, her first wife only gave birth to a daughter, although Wei Ba loved this little daughter as much as
The two sons were personally named Wei Yu, which means "Feng Yi Yu Ting", but they still could not erase the loss in her heart.
"Don't worry, let's keep working hard." Wei Ba hugged Guan Feng with his shoulder and said with a bad smile.
Guan Feng blushed and was about to speak when Wei Xing walked up quickly, walked straight to Wei Ba and whispered: "Young Master, Xie Guanglong is here."
Wei Ba frowned. Guan Feng quickly took Xiao Wei Yu from his hand, turned and walked away. Wei Ba thought for a while, waved his hand and said: "Let him come over."
"Here." Wei Xing turned and left. After a while, Xie Guanglong walked over quickly, holding his sword, and bowed in front of Wei Ba.
Wei Baxu touched Xie Guanglong and asked with a smile: "What is the order from Da Sinong, so that you can rush to Jiaozhou in person?"
"Ma Jun wants to ask the general for an idea." Xie Guanglong handed a letter to Wei Ba, stepped back, raised his sleeves, and wiped the sweat from his forehead.
Wei Ba quickly read the letter and glanced at Xie Guanglong: "You came so quickly. The official documents from Guanzhong haven't arrived yet, but you arrived first."
Xie Guanglong smiled: "Ma Jun said to go as fast as possible so that the general can be prepared."
"I can't thank you enough." Wei Ba carefully put away Ma Di's letter, "It's been a hard journey. You should go and rest first. I'll think about it before I reply to Brother Youchang."