126, Chapter 126

Du Ke was surprised. Why did the scene just now seem so familiar? It happened more than two months ago. So now, looking at the guards in front of him, Du Ke suddenly felt a little confused. Could it be that Qin Fang sent someone again? Du Ke was surprised. This should be impossible. "What is the matter in the mansion that you come to see me?"

The guard said respectfully: "General Qin of Yunxiang County sent someone to see you, saying that there is something to ask you to return to the mansion."

Du Ke felt that the rationality in his head was broken, or there was a problem with his hearing. How did he get involved with Qin Fang again? He felt that getting involved with Qin Fang would never be good for him.

The first time he got involved with Qin Fang was when some barbarians in Yongzhou military camp surrendered, and then he was sent to Yongzhou military camp. The journey was long, and he was tired.

The second time Qin Fang was involved was the matter of Huanshui County, and then he was sent to Huanshui County again. The journey was not far, but he was still tired. Going to Yongzhou was tiring because the journey was long, but after arriving in Yongzhou, he didn't have much to do. But going to Huanshui County was tiring even if the journey was not far, because there were many things to do.

What is it this time?

Du Ke cursed.

However, every time Qin Fang was involved, it seemed to be a good thing. The first time the barbarians surrendered, the second time they suppressed the bandits, what about this time? Although Du Ke was disgusted, it was undeniable that he was looking forward to it in his heart and was very curious.

Because it was a matter, Du Ke had to leave his duty early. As soon as he returned to the Du Mansion, he saw Tao Shan. Tao Shan respectfully took out a letter and a memorial from his arms.

Seeing this, Du Ke raised his eyebrows. He knew what Qin Fang meant. However, Qin Fang was a military commander. In Qi State, if a military commander outside had to report local affairs, generally speaking, the memorial would first go to the Ministry of War, so there was no problem with Qin Fang sending this memorial to him. But Du Ke knew that Qin Fang didn't mean that. He wanted to let him take a look. This was entangled with him.

It was something shameful.

Although he felt that Qin Fang was ashamed, Du Ke was in a good mood. However, this good mood was not good at all when he took out the letter.

Let me ask, who can write so many things in a letter? Qin Fang's letter was filled with more than ten pages of paper. If Qin Fang was a legal expert, he would just treat it as a legal expert, but Qin Fang was not. Although the characters are quite correct, in his eyes, these correct characters are also the characters of children, which is very poor.

Du Ke said: "Is your general very idle recently? There are many trivial matters in Yunxiang County?" Otherwise, where did Qin Fang have the time and energy to write so much?

Tao Shan didn't know why Lord Du asked this, but he didn't seem to be angry with Lord Du, so he answered truthfully: "The general has not rested since he came to Yunxiang County. First, he settled the barbarians... No, the general said that they are already the people of Qi State, and they can't be called barbarians. They can be called the new people of Qi State.

After settling the new people of Qi State, the general repaired the county wall and built a military camp. After that, he checked the Beast Mountain. There were many things to do. When I came, the general was still busy all night."

Du Ke was very satisfied when he heard it: "He is thoughtful." The new people of Qi State, this name is really good. However, although repairing the county wall and setting up military camps are also serious matters, they are not important to him. Then, Du Ke did not say anything, but read Qin Fang's letter.

In the letter, Qin Fang first talked about the settlement of the new citizens of Qi State, and then said that he would recruit 300 soldiers from the new citizens of Qi State as the city defense force of Yunxiang County. Although this move is bold and somewhat inconsistent with the division of the whole into parts, the soldiers' relatives are in the countryside. For the safety of their relatives, they will not do anything. It is okay.

The second thing is about using military pay to buy land and using the land's food crops to feed the soldiers. Du Ke was shocked to hear this. This is really a good thing. Who would have thought that soldiers could be raised like this?

The court was always harsh on military commanders. The amount of money allocated by the court to the military camp was always very small. The court was always worried that the money was inflated, and that the generals would embezzle it or use it for other purposes. At the same time, the money and food collected by the court were all taxes. Once the tax revenue was not collected, the court would be poor, without money or food.

However, the court had never cultivated land to support the army. As Qin Fang wrote in the letter, using military pay to buy land and using the income from the land to support the soldiers was what his wife wanted, and Du Ke thought it was normal. This kind of thing would only be seen by the family members who handled the affairs of the inner house.

Du Ke continued to walk down. When he came to the Beast Mountain Longevity Taoist Temple, the Iron Chain Man, and Qin Fang's suspicion that it was related to King Liang, his eyes sank.

Du Ke didn't have a deep impression of King Liang this year, but he did have an impression. He was thirty-eight this year. Twenty years ago, although he was already eighteen years old, King Liang had already gone to Renzhou to be enfeoffed, and he really didn't pay attention to the powerless King Liang. Regarding King Liang, Du Ke thought that he might ask his father. Du Ke continued to walk down and then came to the sulfur mine and saltpeter mine.

Regarding sulfur mines and saltpeter mines, Qin Fang wrote this. According to Weichen’s understanding, sulfur and saltpeter are the materials for making firecrackers. If the imperial court used sulfur and saltpeter to make large firecrackers, then the large firecrackers should be used in In war, does our side have a huge advantage when fighting?

Qin Fang did not mention Yang Haiyan. Although he himself was not patriarchal, nor did he despise his wife, he knew that if his wife was involved in such important court affairs, people would eventually make other comments. Fourth, that’s why Qin Fang didn’t mention Yang Haiyan here. The military camp land was related to the inner house, so Qin Fang told the truth.

Regarding the matter of sulfur and saltpeter, Du Ke naturally knew that the imperial court had also discussed the matter of this big firecracker. Unfortunately, there was not enough sulfur and saltpeter, so this method could only be suspended. He didn't notice the big thing. Qin Fang actually found sulfur mines and saltpeter mines.

According to Qin Fang's letter, King Liang had already found sulfur mines and saltpeter mines twenty years ago. However, King Liang did not inform the court because he was refining elixirs. In the end, King Liang fell ill. But if King Liang didn't have this selfish intention twenty years ago, then Qi Guo might have unified the world twenty years later.

Speaking of which, the King of Liang 20 years ago concealed the sulfur mines and saltpeter mines just because sulfur and saltpeter were used to make elixirs? If you tell me this, no one will believe it. Is this Liang Wang mentally ill? How much sulfur and saltpeter can be used to make an elixir? According to Qin Fang's description, these two mines are so big that even if they are used as food, they can feed King Liang for a lifetime.

Du Ke has a conspiracy theory. Isn’t it true that King Liang didn’t?

‌Come here, Du Ke‌‌, go find Mr. ‌Du‌.

Although Mr. Du has not yet become an official, he is already in the state of becoming an official. He just puts up a name and waits until he reaches the age of  to become an official. The reason why Mr. Du is like this is also because of Mr. Du. This is very common in aristocratic families. It is impossible for both father and son to hold a heavy hand, so the father will give way to the son because the father ‌‌.

Du Ke sent Qin Fang's letter to Grandpa Du: "Father, what do you think about this matter? The glass ore and saltpeter mine must be true. Qin Fang said that based on the crazy words of the chained man, Crazy language can tell that this man in chains is most likely the Taoist priest whom King Liang captured to make elixirs twenty years ago. However, his son feels that the matter is not that simple. King Liang is really responsible for the so-called elixir. , concealing such a large sulfur mine and saltpeter mine? Could he..."

Master Du ‌ shook his head, ‌finished the letter, and returned it to ‌‌ Du Ke: "It is true that King Liang ‌‌, King Liang is not favored by his father. His biological mother is a powerless maid ‌, because he had the favor of the Holy One to have King Liang. The reason why King Liang was named King of Liang was because King Liang’s biological mother’s surname was Liang. It can be seen that the Holy One had no expectations for him at all.

Renzhou was his fiefdom and the home of his biological mother. When he turned fifteen and passed the age of dancing with a spoon, the Holy Emperor asked him to go to his fiefdom. Later, when the Holy Emperor passed away and the late Emperor succeeded to the throne, he came back once, but never came back again. I heard the news again about King Liang that he died of illness‌. If the King of Liang is said to be fake, what is his purpose? There is no movement in such a large sulfur mine and saltpeter mine? If King Liang is a fake, then these twenty years will be enough for him to rebel and hide. "

Du Ke said: "I also think that the lie of King Liang is not true, but if it is true, why should I report this matter to the court before I leave? After all, this is their family's power."

Mr. Du did not take it seriously: "If you are not in your position, you will not seek to govern. Everyone has a different sense of responsibility. But I think this General Qin is quite good."

Du Ke said: "A little clever, but his personality is quite upright."

Master Du smiled: "I'm right, it's luck."

Du Ke was stunned for a moment and then answered carefully, it was true. It only takes a year and a half to go from captain of thousands to general of martial virtue, from the seventh rank to the fifth rank, jumping ‌four levels. As soon as he came to power, he suppressed bandits, arrested corrupt officials, and even discovered sulfur mines and saltpeter mines... This is more than good luck?

Mr. Du said again: "Sometimes people have to believe in fate and luck."

Du Ke said: "Father is right."

Mr. Du waved his hand.

Du Ke‌‌: "My son is going to see the emperor in the palace."

royal palace

When Du Ke went there, the emperor was taking exams for several princes. The Emperor is twenty-seven years old this year and has three princes. The eldest is seven years old and the remaining two are five years old. The seven-year-old prince was born to the imperial concubine, who was the step-concubine of Prince Yuan at that time. The emperor succeeded in seizing the direct heir. Logically speaking, the step-concubine of Prince Yuan should be the queen. However, the emperor instead named the "dead" original wife Princess Yuan as his queen, and the step-concubine was the imperial concubine. Therefore, this good eldest son will become the eldest son of a concubine. Unless the imperial concubine "turns into a regular wife", he will remain the eldest son of a concubine for the rest of his life.