roccoschili Chapter 5425 The Road Back
Chapter 5425 The Road Back
Chapter 5425 The Road Back
In any place and at any time, an easily exploitable yet richly stocked gold mine can serve as the foundation of a nation, but at the same time, it can also attract the covetous eyes of various parties. Therefore, news of the gold mine is now strictly controlled from the outside world. The guards and vigilance are handled by a direct force of the navy dispatched by Fang Jun, while the miners are hired natives and captured prisoners, all under strict military control.
Li Yun was overjoyed and rubbed his hands together, saying, "The progress is extremely smooth now. The gold mine is buried very shallowly; it can be mined simply by digging up the surface layer of soil. Crushing, beneficiation, and smelting are all done in the mining area. The refined gold has already been secretly transported back to the royal palace's treasury. Brother-in-law, would you like to go and take a look?"
Like iron and copper mines, gold is not directly extracted as gold. Instead, it is mixed in with other minerals. The ore needs to be crushed and ground to transform it from "large rocks" into "fine mud," thereby increasing the gold content. It then undergoes further smelting and purification to obtain gold of sufficient purity.
Therefore, gold mining is a massive undertaking, involving countless human and material resources. To keep it a secret, the scale must be scaled down...
Fang Jun had long lost interest in these things. The ship's hold, which had been transported back to the Tang Dynasty from Japan, was filled with gold and silver, and he had long since had enough of it.
He cautioned, "Even if you have a gold mine in hand, don't be overjoyed or complacent. The more wealthy you are, the more humble and low-key you should be. With such wealth, even if you are incompetent and dissolute, you can be assured of a worry-free life for generations. But once some people develop covetous intentions, no one can guarantee how the situation will change."
Li Yun nodded solemnly.
Gold is the cornerstone of a nation and the foundation of a family's legacy.
Anything can happen in front of a gold mine. Indigenous tribes will come to rob it, foreign enemies will come to seize it, and even His Majesty sitting on the throne in Chang'an may come to try to take it—your Xinjiang Kingdom is just a mere vassal state, what do you need so much gold for?
If you discover a gold mine but don't hand it over to the state, and instead keep it a secret from outsiders, do you want to rebel?
Having grown up in the Li Tang imperial family, he understood all too well what "profit above all else" meant, and he saw clearly what "father and son turning against each other" and "brothers fighting each other" meant...
"Don't worry, brother-in-law, I know what's important."
Fang Jun nodded, then issued a warning: "This gold mine was discovered by my people, and the exploration, surveying, and mining were all done by my people. So it's my dowry for my little sister, not a gift to your new Chiang Kai-shek regime, much less to Li Yun. Do you understand?"
These words were not polite, but Li Yun could understand the brother's affection for his sister. He nodded solemnly and said, "I assure my brother-in-law that although the gold mined from the gold mine can be used to build the country, every expenditure will be subject to the Queen's approval. Without the Queen's permission and seal, no one can misappropriate even a penny, including myself."
He's starting to understand Fang Jun's tactics now.
They offer benefits while also giving warnings.
The land Fang Jun chose for him to go to sea and take up his fiefdom was fertile, with a great river and mountains, not to mention a gold mine; the navy spared no effort in supporting the new Chiang Kai-shek state, and troops were constantly stationed there from the day the border was demarcated, to suppress bandits, fight against natives, and capture slaves; even the entire bureaucratic system of the fiefdom was personally set up by Fang Jun himself...
Li Yun naturally felt the benefits he received; he became the ruler of the country almost effortlessly after arriving by boat.
The Yue family is powerful, so they naturally benefited greatly.
However, at the same time, the reason why the Yue family paid such a huge price was so that Fang Xiaomei could stand up for herself and not be wronged.
He is currently receiving a great deal of help from Fang Jun, and after Fang Xiaomei suffers injustice, he will face a great deal of setbacks.
In summary, it's about using both carrot and stick, and combining soft and hard approaches...
Li Yun didn't think there was anything wrong with this. Everyone expects something in return for their efforts. Not to mention that he cherished Fang Xiaomei very much and would never treat her unfairly, he had to accept Fang Jun's kindness honestly, even if he had to pretend.
At this moment, Fang Xiaomei, who had not spoken until now, became somewhat embarrassed and said softly, "Second brother, there is no need to frighten the king like this. Even without what you gave me, he would still treat me well. Giving so much is more like an insult to the king."
He paused for a moment, then said, "If he treated me badly that day, my second brother could have just sailed over and taken me back. We could have parted ways peacefully, instead of harboring resentment."
She believes that a natural and spontaneous relationship is the most precious, and if it is a superficial harmony and affection obtained through the sacrifices of her family, then she would rather not have it.
Li Yun was startled and shook his hands repeatedly, saying urgently, "My lady, what are you saying? This is all the wealth my brother gave us to build our family and career. How is this an insult? If this is an insult, then please double the insult!"
Fang Xiaomei covered her forehead with her hand, too embarrassed to face anyone, and stamped her foot, scolding, "Your Majesty, can you be serious for once!"
Li Yun said with a shameless grin, "I'm being very serious! As the saying goes, one should not refuse a gift from an elder. My second brother is also an elder, so how can we let down an elder's kind heart?"
He patted his chest and said seriously to Fang Jun, "Second brother, don't worry, I'm thick-skinned enough. Send me whatever good stuff you have! Where in the world can you find such a good deal? I won't pretend to be coy when I'm clearly happy!"
Fang Xiaomei couldn't bear to look directly at him and turned to Wu Meiniang to complain, "He was a good person when he was in Chang'an, but he changed after he came to Huajing City from the sea. He only wants the best pots and pans, and he's very stingy and miserly when it comes to spending money. In particular, he's become increasingly shameless."
Wu Meiniang held her hand, her smile gentle, and said softly, "This is a true man! In Chang'an, he was the son of Emperor Taizong and the brother of His Majesty, his status was unparalleled, and wealth was merely an external thing, used to maintain his dignity. Now that he has gone to sea, nominally a vassal state, a blessed land in the south, but in reality just a poor and remote place, he can put aside his pride to establish a foundation, so that you and your son can live in wealth and honor, and have peace of mind. He truly has a sense of responsibility."
The men in the golden cage are delicate, precious, yet fragile. Only when they step out of the world supported by their fathers and brothers and face the storms alone, can they stand tall, put aside their pride, and not be afraid of hardship, thus erecting a backbone that stands tall and upright.
Li Yun grinned, unable to contain his joy, and clasped his hands in a respectful gesture: "Although Lady Wu is fair and impartial, with discerning eyes, and able to see into my heart, I am too embarrassed to admit it."
Wu Meiniang covered her mouth and laughed, her eyes sparkling with allure: "Your Majesty need not be modest. If you learn more from the Grand Commandant, your masculine spirit will surely be greatly enhanced. When you go out, you will be able to look down upon all directions with great confidence and charisma, and when you stay at home, you will be gentle and considerate to your wife and children. Moreover, I have heard that the women of the local indigenous tribes in Thonburi are very beautiful and charming. Why not emulate the Grand Commandant's tenderness and romantic nature?"
"what?"
Li Yun's expression changed drastically: "How could I, the King, do such a thing? To betray my little sister like this is against all reason and law, absolutely unacceptable!"
Fang Jun was displeased: "What do you mean by this, Your Majesty? Are you saying that this humble subject is against all reason and law?"
Li Yun: "...I drank too much wine just now, and I feel a little dizzy. I'll go and rest for now. Farewell."
They ran off in a flash.
Fang Xiaomei chuckled, "Although he is now a king and about to become a father, he is still like a naughty child."
Seeing her bright smile, clear features, and sparkling eyes, Fang Jun knew that her life must be going very well, and he was completely relieved.
He took a sip of tea and said softly, "My mother originally wanted to come along, but later she made an excuse that she was getting old and her health was too weak to travel by ship across the ocean... In fact, she was afraid, not afraid of seeing you, but afraid of the pain of parting again."
Fang Xiaomei was stunned for a moment, then tears streamed down her face. She choked out, "It's my fault for being unfilial. After getting married, I traveled thousands of miles away from my parents, and it took months to even send a letter home..."
Since ancient times, family ties have been inseparable and blood ties have been hard to sever. From childhood, they have been pampered and loved by their parents and brothers. Now that they have grown up, they have to go far away from home and travel across the ocean, unable to be filial to their parents. They miss them and feel guilty.
Wu Meiniang gently advised, "Why suffer so much? As parents, we only hope that our children are safe, healthy, and well. We don't care whether they can be by our side to fulfill their filial duties. Besides, among the dozen or so members of the Fang family, you are the most noble. If the family business is in danger or the bloodline is cut off in the future, the whole family may come to you for protection. That would be the true way to protect the family and show filial piety."
This is not an exaggeration.
The officialdom is treacherous and unpredictable; who can guarantee that wealth and power will last forever?
Now that Fang Xiaomei and Li Yun have gone to their fiefdoms overseas and are far away, no matter how the officialdom in Chang'an changes, it will not affect them. If the Fang family suffers misfortune, Jiang State is the best way out. With Fang Xiaomei's protection and care, why worry about not being able to rise again?
Fang Xiaomei nodded silently, then cheered herself up: "Second brother, sister-in-law, please rest assured. I will assist the king in governing the country. If there is ever a day when I can contribute to the family, we will surely be worry-free and continue to enjoy wealth and prosperity."
Fang Jun said happily, "Although she is a woman, since she has this talent, she should use it to show her value in life. Meiniang does this very well. You can correspond with her often and learn from her."
These words were just spoken casually, but as soon as they left my mouth, I felt that they were somewhat inappropriate.
Wu Zetian was an extraordinary woman with a heart as vast as the universe and lofty aspirations. While she was obedient and dutiful by his side, the rebellious spirit that dared to change the world and the arrogance that she considered herself no less than any man remained in her bones. Although she herself would never realize her ideals, what if she used her younger sister as her "substitute" to achieve her ambitions?
Li Yun is probably going to suffer...
He coughed and quickly changed the subject: "The merchant fleet has already picked up the poor people in Hebei and other places, and will arrive in Yuanjing City in a little over a month. The first batch of people, numbering in the tens of thousands, will basically arrive before the end of the year. We need to be prepared to receive them."