Become a feudal king from today

"The head of the state has been over-honored. I just feel that the official promotion system controlled by the powerful clan has become a bad policy that drags down Da Song. Since the wealthy families in Yanzhou have been wiped out, why not give the poor people in the world a chance?" Zhao Xu said slowly. read

"We admire His Highness's courage, but the official system is the lifeblood of the powerful and wealthy families in the world. By doing this, Your Highness is not afraid of the powerful people in the world rising up to attack him?"

At this time, a scholar in his thirties with a Chinese character stood up at the end of the table and said.

Mi Zhuang looked at the scholar and said to Zhao Xu: "Your Highness, this person's name is Zhu Tuo. He served as a county magistrate in Ningzhou for six years. Later, he resigned in anger because he was dissatisfied with the corruption of superior officials. In the past two years, he has been studying in a private school in the capital with me. Teach.”

Zhao Xu nodded slightly and said to Zhu Tuo: "You are wrong. Sitting in Yanzhou, even if I don't do anything, the powerful people will regard me as a thorn in their side and a thorn in their flesh. Instead of doing this, it is better to take drastic measures and do what you want." Just do whatever you want.”

Then, he talked about the powerful clan's suppression of him in business, but he resolved it, and then used the Yuan family to check and balance him. He had just experienced another assassination and so on.

Mi Zhuang frowned and sighed, "Your Highness is really in trouble. If so, Your Highness can only rely on himself."

"I think so too," Zhao Xu said.

After Zhu Tuo listened, he was silent for a while and said, "When I was in the capital, I heard that Your Highness was a businessman, and the treasury has only been able to support it until now. Now that Your Highness controls the four northern counties, he needs more money, and the powerful clans are fickle. He often goes back on his words, and he may continue to make a fuss about business in the future, so His Highness should be prepared for a rainy day. "

"Brother Zhu is saying that I have a way. If your Highness can get through it, you will make more than tens of millions of profits in the future." Another person stood up.

This man was sitting opposite Zhu Tuo. He had a round face, a dark complexion, and a dark mole between his eyebrows.

"Your Highness, his name is Xia Huai. He once worked as an account bookkeeper on a ship to make a living, and later worked as a minor official in the capital for three years," Mi Zhuang said.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xu became more interested in Xia Huai.

This is not because he has been a petty official for three years, but because he has kept account books on the ship.

Since waking up, he has basically grasped the bad situation in Dasong, but he knows nothing about the bad situation outside Dasong.

I just know that in the west of this world, there are warships loaded with artillery roaming the seas.

But according to contemporary experience, the Age of Discovery continued from the sixteenth to the nineteenth century.

During this period, Western warships arrived in the East.

Therefore, he wanted to know exactly what stage the West in this world was at.

"Please speak." Zhao Xu was not in a hurry to ask, and wanted Xia Huai to speak first.

After pondering for a while, Xia Huai said: "Sea trade! As long as your highness's goods go to sea, you will definitely make huge profits."

Zhao Xu nodded secretly. None of the officials in Yanzhou had any idea about the ocean.

In fact, you can't blame them.

After all, the Eastern Continent has been a land power for thousands of years.

Even in contemporary times, the importance of sea power has only been gradually strengthened in recent years.

It’s just that Dasong people don’t understand, but he understands.

"To be honest with you, I have mentioned this matter, but the emperor has rejected it." Zhao Xu looked at Xia Huai.

"This..." After hearing this, everyone suddenly started whispering.

Xia Huai chuckled lightly, his eyes bright, "Even so, doesn't His Highness know how to work around it?"

Zhao Xu was startled for a moment, and the two of them looked at each other and smiled. Then he ignored the matter and asked, "I have always been very interested in Dasong's current maritime trade. I wonder if you encountered any problems when you were working as an accountant at sea." If you have any interesting stories, please tell me.”

Xia Huai raised his head and looked at the gray sky, and said slowly: "In my opinion, among the eight powerful families today, the Liang family is the richest. It can even be said that it is the richest in the world. This clearly shows the benefits of sea trade. "

After thinking for a while, he continued: "As for interesting things, I don't know much about it. Only the core members of the Liang family can participate in some important trades, and outsiders have no way of knowing. At that time, I was involved in the silk trade, and the ship departed from Zhezhou. Go specifically to Japan.”

"Japan?" Zhao Xu was startled.

The history of the Central Plains in this world has become a mess.

There have also been considerable changes in other places, but you can still find some familiar elements in this world, such as the word Japan.

"But speaking of interesting things, I have seen some strange-looking people in Japan. The Japanese call them Britons, Francois and so on."

"Britain? Franji? Do they have blue eyes and white skin?" Zhao Xu asked.

Xia Huai was surprised, "How does Your Highness know?"

Mi Zhuang looked at Zhao Xu in confusion at the same time. He was also surprised how Zhao Xu knew these things since he had been growing up in the palace.

"I heard what some businessmen said." Zhao Xu defended.

Xia Huai showed his original expression and continued: "These weirdos also taught the Japanese people to make a type of firearm called an iron cannon."

When Zhao Xu heard this, there was a wave of excitement in his heart.

Whether they are the Britons or the Francons, it is obvious that they are the Western colonizers of this world.

In contemporary history, the Dutch, Portuguese, Spanish, and British successively traded with Japan in the seventeenth century.

At that time, the Japanese country was ruled by the shogunate. Among the several countries, the Dutch had the closest relationship with the Japanese country. They even became the only country that traded with Japan after the Japanese country was locked down.

It was through trade with these countries that the Japanese mastered the technology of making matchlock guns, which the Japanese called iron cannons.

This firearm played a huge role in Toyonari Hideyoshi's invasion of Korea.

Therefore, Xia Huai's words gave him the illusion that history was repeating itself.

It seemed that Dasong was also in such a period as the end of the Ming Dynasty.

However, just as Dasong's history was distorted and it had been closed to the outside world.

It was still impossible to judge the development status of this world based on this alone. The news in ancient times was still very closed.

It was just obvious that.

An era of mixed cold and hot weapons was coming.

Especially after he sent the artillery to Jinling, it would attract the attention of the dignitaries of Dasong.

After all, Dasong had attached great importance to the development of fire guns in recent years.

And fire guns are actually artillery, but due to the limitations of forging technology, the power is very poor.

If we count the artillery that the Liang family just exploded, and the matchlock gun presented to Zhao Heng.

This means that even without his arrival, matchlock guns and artillery have already stepped onto the stage of Dasong.

His appearance just accelerated this process.

"The eight powerful families should not be underestimated." Thinking of the matchlock guns and artillery of the Liang family, Zhao Xu muttered to himself.

Among the eight powerful families, the Liang family has always been low-key in the court, but it is obviously the most hidden.

Judging from the current situation, the matchlock gun is no longer a secret to the Liang family.

Otherwise, they would not have given it to Zhao Heng generously. Moreover, the primary matchlock gun is not necessarily better than the bow and arrow, which is probably one of the reasons why the Liang family is generous.

As for the cannon, after he showed it, the Liang family had no choice but to reveal it to compete with him.

Suddenly smiled.

Zhao Xu felt that he was thinking too much.

No matter how the situation outside changes.

At present, it is still the first priority to build his own fiefdom.

Respond to changes with the same.

A banquet lasted for an hour. After the banquet, Zhao Xu asked Liu Fu to arrange accommodation for the scholars and wait for the official examination.

Only Mi Zhuang and Mi Wen were left in the mansion.

At this time, Feng'er and Luan'er came to pay their respects to Mi Zhuang.

After all, the two were taken in by Mi Zhuang since childhood.

"Okay, okay, His Highness is alone in Yanzhou, you have to take good care of him." In front of the wing room in the middle courtyard, Mi Zhuang smiled slightly.

Mi Wen took the opportunity to smile and said, "With me here, Your Highness will not be alone in the future, and I can take care of Your Highness."

"Hmph, after I leave, you can take care of yourself. If you dare not obey Your Highness' orders in Yanzhou, your father and I will take you back to the capital." Mi Zhuang glared at Mi Wen.

Mi Wen shrank his neck when he heard this and dared not speak.

At home, his grandfather was always strict with them.

"The father-in-law is going back?" Zhao Xu heard the meaning of Mi Zhuang's words.

Mi Zhuang nodded with a smile on his face, "Sending these scholars to Your Highness this time is to help Your Highness, but if I stay, it will harm Your Highness."

"Oh? What do you mean?" Zhao Xu probably guessed something.

Mi Zhuang said: "Your Highness's people have all experienced bloody storms with Your Highness before they are now in power. If I come, I will only usurp the throne. Secondly, although I carefully considered the scholars who came this time and selected those who had gaps with each other, if I am here, they will be more willing to get close to me, which will inevitably lead to factional struggles in the officialdom."

After a pause, he continued: "Only when I leave can they be truly used by Your Highness."

Zhao Xu sighed softly. Zhao Xu's memory of Mi Zhuang was really correct.

It was because of these memories that he turned to Mi Zhuang for help, and now it seems that he was right.

As Mi Zhuang said, he was a father-in-law of the country and had a respected status. It would be difficult for him to stay in Yanzhou and be under Liu Fu.

But if Mi Zhuang led all the officials in Yanzhou, the officials in Yanzhou would definitely be dissatisfied.

The second thing is the faction that Mi Zhuang mentioned.

In ancient times, people from the same school were most likely to form small interest groups.

If Mi Zhuang was here, the scholars he brought into the officialdom would definitely be attached to him.

Mi Zhuang obviously considered this.

So one solution is to leave by yourself and not stay in Yanzhou.

The second is to select those who don't like each other from the disciples.

This will solve the problem to the greatest extent.

"The father-in-law is really righteous, and I respect him." Zhao Xu said.

Mi Zhuang waved his hand, "The one who is really admirable is your highness. Although I am the father-in-law of the country and the grandfather of your highness, I don't know if I have the ability to take Yanzhou."

"Yes, my cousin's reputation is very loud in the capital now. I don't know how many ladies want to become my cousin's princess." Since arriving in Yanzhou, Mi Wen has been very excited.

Now it's private, Mi Zhuang said the name of grandfather, and he immediately came to a cousin.

But after saying it, he carefully glanced at his grandfather, fearing that he would be angry.

But to his surprise, this time his grandfather was not angry.

Hearing these two names between blood relatives, Zhao Xu laughed.

Since it's private, sometimes there is no need to be serious all the time.

Mi Zhuang said to Mi Wen: "The king is the king and the minister is the minister. This cannot be crossed. It is like this in the court and it is also like this under the command of Your Highness. I will not say anything to you this time, but you must always be careful in Yanzhou in the future."

Mi Wen nodded honestly, which made Feng'er and Luan'er laugh.

They chatted about some family matters.

Mi Zhuang was drunk and wanted to rest.

Zhao Xu kept Mi Wen and Mi Zhuang, and he went back to the bedroom with Feng'er and Luan'er.

The next three days.

Zhao Xu accompanied Mi Zhuang to walk around Yancheng.

On the fourth day, Mi Zhuang formally said goodbye to him.

"Your Highness, there is no need to see you off."

At the south gate of Yancheng, Mi Zhuang came to the carriage and bowed to Zhao Xu.

After staying in Yancheng for more than three days, he decided to return to the capital.

"Father-in-law, be careful on your journey." Zhao Xu raised his hand.

Also coming to see him off were the scholars brought by Mi Zhuang.

Mi Zhuang has left, and they will stay in Yanzhou to participate in the election of officials.

Mi Zhuang smiled and nodded.

The chaos in Yanzhou has just subsided, and there are many wastes waiting to be done, and the affairs are heavy.

In the past few days, he sometimes saw that Zhao Xu's study was lit up in the middle of the night.

He was both pleased and distressed about this.

So he didn't want to bother Zhao Xu anymore and decided to leave.

"Grandpa, walk slowly." Mi Wen bowed and saluted.

After Mi Zhuang left, he had to stay alone in Yanzhou, which was a bit reluctant.

"Remember my words." Mi Zhuang only left a word for Mi Wen before getting on the carriage.

With the sound of the whip, the carriage slowly moved forward along the official road.

After the carriage disappeared in the thin snowflakes, Mi Wen said: "Your Highness, when I come to Yanzhou this time, I am not here to eat and drink for free. I hope Your Highness will arrange an errand for me, and I will try my best to do it well."

Mi Zhuang entrusted Mi Wen to him, so he would naturally be responsible.

What's more, Mi Wen has been close to the Ninth Prince since childhood.

Maybe it's because he inherited the memory of the Ninth Prince.

There was also some familiarity with Mi Wen in his mood.

"What do you want to do?" Zhao Xu asked.

Mi Wen scratched his head and said, "I haven't thought about it yet."

"Then you should stay with me first and think about it later." Zhao Xu said.

Mi Wen said yes and looked at the invisible carriage.

At this time, Zhao Xu returned to the study and asked Liu Fu to be called over.

For three days, news continued to come from Pingjun and Liaojun.

When the wealthy families of the two counties learned that the royal army was heading to the two counties, they immediately fled to Fan Yang with their families.

Because the military power was so great after the battle in the palace, the wealthy families did not raise their troops to resist, but they all ran away faster than rabbits.

But this instantly paralyzed the two counties.

After all, once the wealthy officials and the scholars who vassal the wealthy officials left, the two county offices would be empty.

He could only put Chang Wei under temporary military control to maintain order in the two counties while waiting for new officials to take office.

This time he called Liu Fu to come up with a countermeasure for this matter.