Traveling across the heavens starting from the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 64: Cooperation with the Five Surnames, Qi Wang and the Royal Family

"Brother Cui also got the news and came here to ask for money."

Li Huaian held a tael of silver in his hand and placed it in Cui Yu's hand. This time when he was granted the title of Marquis, Li Ruoqiu generously used a reward of one tael of silver as a reward for the people in the mansion and the craftsmen.

Cui Yu looked at the one tael of silver in his hand, first stunned, and then laughed.

"Hahaha"

"I'm not only here to ask for money from Brother Li, I'm also here to give Brother Li a congratulatory gift."

Cui Yu pointed to the seven carriages behind him.

"This is a gift from the seven of us to Brother Li for becoming the Marquis of Shouchang County enthroned by the Tang Dynasty. Brother Li, please find someone to move these gifts into the mansion."

"Then, you and I can find a quiet place to chat. We haven't seen each other for such a long time, and I really want to have a good chat with Brother Li."

Done.

Cui Yu waited for Li Huaian to make a decision and said nothing.

"it is good."

Li Huaian nodded, turned around and asked his maid Taohua to arrange these gifts, then took Cui Yu directly into the mansion, found a fairly quiet courtyard, and entered the Nuan Pavilion in this courtyard.

As for other places in the entire mansion, some places are under construction and the sound is too noisy, making the environment not suitable for chatting.

The two just sat down.

Cui Yu glanced at Li Ruoqiu who was preparing tea and hesitated to speak.

"Okay, if you have anything to ask, you can just say it. Ruoqiu knows all the things you want to ask, so there is no need to be shy."

Li Huaian named Cui Yu's concerns.

"Ha ha."

Cui Yu smiled sheepishly.

"It seems that Miss Ruoqiu has an extraordinary status in Brother Li's heart."

"Cui Langjun, if there is any inconvenience, I will leave first and guard the door for Langjun and Cui Langjun outside."

Li Ruoqiu saw that Cui Yu seemed to have something important to avoid, so in order not to make things difficult for her husband, she planned to get up and leave Nuange after serving tea to Li Huaian and the two of them.

"Miss Ruoqiu, no need."

"Since Brother Li has said it, there is nothing to avoid. It doesn't hurt if Miss Qiu is here to listen."

Cui Yu spoke to stop Li Ruoqiu who was about to go out, and then turned to ask Li Huaian another question.

"Brother Li, today I am here to congratulate you. Firstly, on behalf of the seven families of our five surnames and seven families, I want to congratulate Brother Li on being canonized as Marquis of Shouchang County. Secondly, on behalf of our seven families, I want to ask about those who were at the Huiwen Museum." Does the agreement still work?”

"Why, the heads of the family are worried."

Li Huaian asked Li Ruoqiu to find a place to sit down instead of standing around waiting on him. He picked up the tea cup, took a sip of tea, and looked at Cui Yu.

"Yes."

Cui Yu didn't hide anything, and nodded directly. There was no need to riddle this matter, and he also explained the reason by the way.

"Brother Li, don't blame the seven of us for being so cautious. It's true that you have changed a bit too quickly. As soon as we left the Huiwen Hall, before the tea had cooled down, the saint privately named you the Marquis of Shouchang County."

"We seven families couldn't find the reason in the court, and we couldn't get any useful information from the palace. We don't know why Brother Li was conferred the title of Marquis of Shouchang County, and I didn't even get the slightest hint of it in the official department. Heard.”

"No, my uncle at home asked me to come to Brother Li's house to ask, and also to congratulate him, to show our friendship with Brother Li."

The Emperor of the Tang Dynasty suddenly enthroned Li Huaian as the Marquis of Datang County, which really shocked the five surnames. They thought that Li Huaian unilaterally broke his promise. After leaving the Huiwen Hall, he turned to the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty and used movable type and Papermaking exchanged the title of Marquis of Datang County with the Emperor of Tang Dynasty, and sold their five surnames and Qi Wang.

This can't help but make Qiwang of the fifth surname think like this.

In fact, after Wu surnamed Qi Wang got the news, he immediately used all his connections and failed to find out any news about Li Huaian from the court.

Even the important officials in the court who asked questions were all confused. It was the first time they heard about Li Huaian. The five surnames Qi Wang went to ask, and only then did the important officials in the court know that the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty had just granted a longevity certificate. The Marquis of Chang County went out.

Even in the early days of the founding of the Tang Dynasty, there were many nobles of the Tang Dynasty, including the founding princes, but the sudden canonization of a county prince was something that the court could not ignore.

That's the key.

No one in the Tang Dynasty court knew why Emperor Li Shimin of the Tang Dynasty conferred this county title.

The five surnames and seven hope they won't be nervous.

"understand."

Li Huaian had expected the reaction of Qi Wang, the fifth surname. If Qi Wang, the fifth surname, had no reaction to his canonization of Shouchang County Marquis, that would be a real disaster.

Then Qi Wang, the fifth surname, is not worthy to be the opponent of the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty.

but.

Li Huaian was very surprised. He admired Li Shimin's confidentiality measures for Tudou. When so many people knew about it, he was able to prevent Wu Xing and Qi Wang from getting any information. This shows how strict the confidentiality measures were.

then.

Li Huaian told Cui Yu again the reasons Li Shimin said at that time.

"The relationship between me and the saint is actually similar to that of your five surnames and seven looks. I used movable type and papermaking to reach a consensus and agreement with the seven of you. Similarly, I also used another thing to complete a relationship with the saint. trade."

"It's just that there is no ennoblement in this transaction. The saint's appointment of me as the Marquis of Shouchang County is purely a by-product of the transaction."

Cui Yu asked.

"Then I wonder what Brother Li used to make the deal with the saint?"

This is really crucial to the Five Surnames and Seven Hopes.

Hearing this, Li Huaian gestured to Li Ruoqiu.

Li Ruoqiu understood instantly, stood up and walked out of Nuan Pavilion.

Shortly after.

Li Ruoqiu brought a potato from outside to Nuange and handed it to Li Huaian.

"This is it. I call it potato. It is a high-yielding food. One acre of land can produce at least two to three thousand kilograms of food. This kind of thing is easy to grow and feed. It is enough for the people of the Tang Dynasty. I will exchange this thing with the saint. The eldest princess of the Tang Dynasty, the saint agreed and canonized me as the Marquis of Shouchang County."

After explaining all the reasons, Li Huaian handed the potatoes to Cui Yu.

Li Shimin wanted to keep Tudou's secret.

But he felt that there was no need to keep this secret. Potatoes could only be kept secret for the time being at best. As long as they tried to plant them, potatoes could not be hidden. It would not take long, as long as there were enough information channels, people would be able to find out. Potato news.

Besides, even if the potatoes are ruined.He can also return to the main world and bring back a sack for Li Shimin. This thing is not troublesome and is essentially different from movable type and papermaking.

For Wu Xing Qi Wang, movable type and papermaking are things that cannot be revealed to others. If outsiders know about it, it will damage Wu Xing Qi Wang's core interests.

Even if the potatoes were stolen and used for planting, it would not damage the interests of the Tang Dynasty and Emperor Li Shimin of the Tang Dynasty. It might also save Li Shimin the effort to let the Tang Dynasty court promote potato planting in the future.

Cui Yu held the potatoes with a look of disbelief on her face.

"Brother Li, for such an ugly thing, the saint really married the eldest princess to you and also made you the Marquis of Shouchang County. This is really unbelievable to me."

"But then I thought about it, if this potato is really what you said, the title of an eldest princess and a county prince is really nothing."

This is true.

Their five surnames are Qi Wang, and the head of the seven families, in order to prevent Li Huaian from using movable type and papermaking in the Tang Dynasty, married seven legitimate daughters at once. Isn't this more willing to spend money than the eldest princess of the Tang royal family?
"Don't worry, what I said is true. I think you will know when the saint starts planting potatoes next spring."

Li Huaian made a positive guarantee, but he didn't believe that Li Shimin could hold onto potatoes and not try to plant them.

Cui Yu nodded and put the potatoes in his hands on the table next to him. Looking at the potatoes he had never seen before, he felt relieved for the time being. As for when he would really feel relieved, it was just like Li Huaian said, it would have to wait until At the beginning of spring, it was time for the Five Surnames and Seven Hopes to get the news that Li Shimin was planting potatoes.

However, even if this news is temporary, Cui Yu does not intend to dwell on its authenticity or whether Li Huaian deceived him and deceived Wu Xing Qi Wang.

Because this is an unequal conversation.

Qi Wang, the fifth surname, just wanted to hear reassuring news from Li Huaian, even if the news was half true and half false, and the authenticity could not be confirmed for a while.

Qi Wang, the fifth surnamed man, could only recognize his head.

This is the helplessness of being caught.

Between Qiwang and Li Huaian, Qiwang, a huge conglomeration of aristocratic families formed by marriage, is the real weak side, while Li Huaian, who has movable type and papermaking skills, is the weakest one. The stronger side.

In particular, Li Huaian was canonized by the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty and received a level of protection. He was also able to hand over movable type and papermaking technology to the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty at any time, so that the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty had the power to deal with the five surnames and seven hopes. Killer weapon.

Thus.

The seven of them would not make any move to press Li Huaian, lest he be completely pushed into the camp of the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty.

Give reasons to reassure Wu Xing and Qi Wang.

Li Huaian planned to discuss some other matters with Cui Yu, about uniting the Five Surnames and Qiwang to monopolize Datang Coal Industry. While Cui Yu was there, the two of them could talk about it, and then let Cui Yu take the news back.

"Brother Cui, it just so happens that you come to my house. Otherwise, I will ask you out in a few days to tell you some things, which are also related to the Five Surnames and Qiwang."

"Oh, what's the matter?"

Cui Yu looked away from the potatoes and looked up at Li Huaian curiously.

Li Huaian said slowly: "Recently, I asked Ruoqiu to explore the coal mines near Chang'an City in the Tang Dynasty. I want to buy the coal mines near Chang'an City, so I plan to invite you, Qiwang of the Five Surnames, and the royal family to fund a chamber of commerce, and then we will use the chamber of commerce as the chamber of commerce." In the name of purchasing coal mines in Datang."

"what do you think?"

Cui Yu shook his head.

"I don't think so."

Xu was afraid of refuting Li Huaian's face, Cui Yu explained.

"Brother Li, I don't mean to hit you. Although it's cold now, it's almost time for the people of the Tang Dynasty to start stocking up on charcoal fires for heating in the winter."

"But there is really no way to use things like coal mines, and they are not among the options for people in the Tang Dynasty to burn charcoal for heating. Even this country boy knows that black coal cannot be used for heating. It is poisonous coal that can kill people. .”

"The blacksmith also knows that good iron can be made from coal mines."

Li Huaian smiled without saying a word and said to Cui Yu: "I know all this, but what I want to say is that just like movable type and papermaking, I also have a way to let the people of the Tang Dynasty use coal to heat their homes without risking their lives. .”

Cui Yu reached out and slapped her forehead with a slap, and looked at Li Huaian with a sneer.

"I'm sorry Brother Li, I was abrupt just now and forgot about this. To others, coal is a useless thing that can't be helped. I think it should be a simple matter for Brother Li to make these coals non-toxic. .”

He had to pay attention to Li Huaian's words and choose to believe them.

A person who can come up with movable type and several paper-making techniques is also likely to come up with a way to make coal burn safely.

In this case.

From now on, coal mines will represent endless wealth, comparable to salt and iron.

If Qi Wang of the Five Surnames can participate in the carving up of the Datang Coal Mine, it may be an increase in strength and a qualitative leap for Qi Wang of the Five Surnames.

"Brother Li, can you let me see how to solve the problem of coal toxicity?"

Cui Yu tried out to Li Huaian.

"Not yet. When our chamber of commerce is established, I will tell you how to solve the problem of coal toxicity."

Li Huaian objected.

Although he has told Wu Dayong how to make iron stoves and chimneys, Wu Dayong is still in the stage of stockpiling iron materials because he has to build a mansion for him. Without Li Huaian's consent, Old Wu Ji The shop had no plans to build any iron stoves or chimneys.

After all, Li Huaian had given instructions in advance that the iron stove and chimney could only be manufactured and sold to the outside world after his mansion was built. Before that, they could not be built to the outside world.

"Okay, when I get back, I will immediately write to my uncle about this matter, and then inform the other six companies to form a chamber of commerce as soon as possible. While winter is coming, I can give the chamber of commerce a good start."

Cui Yu didn't care about Li Huaian's failure to inform him, and stopped exploring how to make the coal mine non-toxic. Instead, he started chatting with Li Huaian about their romance.

"Brother Li, during this period, I will invite you to Pingkangfang to drink flower wine. Otherwise, after the Lantern Festival, I may go to Luoyang and invite you to Pingkangfang to drink flower wine again. , will go in a few years.”

"Why, are you going to Luoyang to take up a post?"

Li Huaian looked at Cui Yu in confusion, and it seemed that he wanted to stop working in the civil service department.

Cui Yu nodded helplessly and said: "Well, my family has arranged for me to go to the local area to gain some experience. Otherwise, without experience in local governance, no matter how hard I endure in the court, I will only be at the level of Minister."

"In the Tang Dynasty, if you want to go further and become a minister or a minister, you must have experience in governing the local area."

"My family wanted me to go to local areas for a few years of experience while I was still young. They found a high-class county below Luoyang for me to serve. After a few years, I was transferred to Luoyang step by step, and then returned to Chang'an from Luoyang. After I came back, I He’s basically a waiter.”

"This period will take a long time. When the time comes, Brother Li and I will be in Chang'an and Luoyang. Although the distance is not too far, it will be difficult to meet each other."

The tone showed separation and helplessness at being dominated by the family.

Li Huaian pointed at Cui Yu and said to Li Ruoqiu, who was waiting on the side: "Ruoqiu, do you see? This is what I hate the most. The descendants of officials from aristocratic families are so annoying."

"Are the Cui family of Qinghe so awesome?"

Regarding Li Huaian's dissatisfaction, Cui Yu smiled happily and raised his eyebrows: "Yes, my Qinghe Cui family is so powerful."

(End of this chapter)