Chapter 783: Lobbyist

"If you have any questions, you can ask me."

Gu Jiu ordered the servant girl, Ah Qing, to re-boil a pot of water and make tea again.

The tea leaves are rolled and curled in the boiling water.

Gu Jiu pushed the teacup forward, placed it in front of Master Li, and signaled him to drink tea with a smile.

Master Li asked bluntly: "Why does Madam attach so much importance to the Northwest?"

Gu Jiu asked with a smile: "Why do you care so much about Northwest?"

"Liu Zhao wants the old man to go to the northwest, so the old man will naturally care about it."

Gu Jiu said: "In Madam's eyes, the Northwest is an unexploited ore lode, which hides amazing wealth. I am a businessman, and a businessman seeks profit. There is wealth in the Northwest, so I naturally want to manage the Northwest well."

"Everyone says that the Northwest is poor, why does Mrs. Du say that the Northwest hides amazing wealth? Is it because the world is ignorant, or does Madam know something we don't know? Or, Madam has new business opportunities in the Northwest, but she refuses to disclose one or two? "

Gu Jiu said with a smile: "There are indeed business opportunities in the Northwest, but these are all commercial secrets and will not be disclosed to the outside world. My lord, please forgive me for not being able to tell the truth."

Master Li was choked.

He didn't expect that Gu Jiu would generously admit that there was a business opportunity in the Northwest, but refused to disclose more information on the pretext of commercial confidentiality.

He asked back: "The madam just said that you can ask you any questions. The old man asked, but the madam didn't answer the old man's question."

Gu Jiu said with a smile: "If you have any questions, you can ask me. These words always count. However, whether you want to answer your questions is naturally up to my wife. Please forgive me."

Da Li was so angry that he was half dead.

He even played word games with him.

"Madam is not sincere enough."

Gu Jiu blew on the tea and took a sip, "Sir, before asking others to show sincerity, shouldn't you also show a little sincerity?"

Master Li chuckled, "I can't protect myself, just like meat on a chopping board, ready to be slaughtered."

Gu Jiu said with a smile: "Your Excellency is too self-effacing. In my opinion, Your Excellency is a treasure of inestimable value. The key is to use it in the right place. The Northwest is so big that it has great potential. Don't you want to make contributions in your lifetime? Don't you want to make history? Leave a name?

Xiliang,

Beirong, since the founding of this dynasty, has been troubled by the court. Because of the internal strife in Beirong and the loss of soldiers and generals, it was unable to go south. On the Xiliang side, relying on the Northwest Army to intimidate them and relying on limited trade to maintain the status quo.

The border has maintained the status quo for more than ten years. Everyone knows that every day goes by, and peace is one day less. Soon, war will start. With the current financial resources of the imperial court, Master Li estimated how large a war it could support? If the war is extended to three to five years, what kind of situation will the court be in? "

Master Li solemnly said: "With the current financial resources of the imperial court, it can support about 100,000 people to fight a one-year war. If the war continues for more than one year, the imperial court must increase the tax and enlist a larger scale of civilian husbands." corvee.

If you win, you can take a breath and recover slowly. If he loses and is forced to prolong the war to three to five years, the old man can only say that the consequences will be disastrous. It is possible to linger on, or the world may change color. Because whether it is fighting Beirong or Xiliang, it is a battle that will destroy the country. Madame should know this. "

Gu Jiu nodded, "The so-called national war is all about national strength. Neither Beirong nor Xiliang are willing to fight the national war. However, survival is difficult, and if you don't fight, you will have nothing to eat.

As far as I know, Bei Rong was not immune to the natural disasters in Dazhou a few years ago. The drought turned a large number of pastures into sand, and Beirong suffered heavy losses.

The main combat faction of Beirong has already emerged and is just around the corner. When the main combat faction integrates all internal contradictions, the Beirong army will surely go south. I reckon, that is, within a year or two. "

Mrs. Li frowned, "Where is the news from Ma'am? This dynasty and Beirong have cut off communication long ago, and there are very few spies sent to Beirong, and the survivors are all lurking. .”

Gu Jiu said solemnly: "My news comes from the caravan. It's not what your lord thinks, because this dynasty has cut off contact with Beirong, and the caravan of the Four Seas Trading Company cannot enter the Beirong King City. However, the caravan from Xiliang is You can come and go as you please.”

Master Li was surprised, "Madam installed spies in the Xiliang caravan?"

"No! My wife doesn't know if a spy is not a spy. My lady adheres to the principle of earning money together, and is happy to cooperate with many caravans in Xiliang."

Master Li's beard trembled.

Why is it that Gu Jiu can always talk nonsense in a serious manner, wrapping a layer of gorgeous clothes for his words and deeds.

Perhaps this is an innate ability.

"Does Your Highness know this news?"

"My Highness naturally knows."

"Why didn't the court get any news? Madam, do you know how risky it would be to conceal such important information?"

"Before Mr. Li accuses Mrs. Ben, can you think about it for Mrs. Ben? What position should I take to tell His Majesty that Beirong is about to move? Do I want to die?"

Master Li frowned, "For my own benefit..."

"Stop, stop!" Gu Jiu interrupted Lord Li rudely, "Your Excellency, if you don't know the details, don't rush to accuse Mrs. Ben. About Beirong's situation, His Majesty will know sooner or later, but not now.

In addition, Luhou is already preparing for battle. So even if Bei Rong suddenly goes south one day, our dynasty is not without the power to fight. The horses at Qingping Racecourse are not raised for nothing, and the racecourse under Mrs. Ben's name is not for display. With enough horses, there are enough cavalry.

However, the training of cavalry is not achieved overnight. We need time, we need capable people to delay Beirong's southward movement, and we need more adequate preparations. Someone needs to keep an eye on the Northwest Army for the imperial court, let His Majesty put it down, and let Luhou rest assured. This person must be an adult! "

Master Li's beard kept shaking.

I don't know if it was because I was too excited, or because my forehead was congested.

"His Royal Highness shouldn't be a lobbyist himself, he is not qualified to be a lobbyist at all. Madam is a qualified lobbyist."

Gu Jiu raised his eyebrows and smiled, "The implication is that your lord agrees to go to the northwest?"

Mr. Li stroked his beard and said, "Give me three days, I have to think carefully."

"Will the three days be too hasty? Mrs. Ben is not in a hurry."

Gu Jiu looked at the other party with a smile.

Master Li laughed, "Madam really shouldn't be hiding in the back house."

Gu Jiu smiled, "Mrs. Ben has been busy taking care of her body for the past two years, so she didn't hide in the back house on purpose. My Highness is not as bad as the adults said. If he hadn't planned carefully back then, Bei Rong would not have internal strife. Bei Rong The southward journey was abruptly postponed for ten years, all thanks to my Highness.

There is also the navy in the south of the Yangtze River, which was also created by my Royal Highness. Last year's disaster relief, it was also my highness who raised food and grass to relieve the court's worries. Not to mention the various things that happened during His Majesty's ascension to the throne.

Although my Highness is reticent and his words are always harsh, we cannot deny his talent and ability. People in the world always misunderstand people who speak few words, and always think that people who talk more are more capable. This is a prejudice. But I believe that adults can treat His Royal Highness fairly and objectively. "

Master Li laughed, "Madam really spared no effort to justify His Royal Highness's name."

Gu Jiu shook her head slightly, "I was just telling the truth."

Master Li said: "I don't deny that Liu Zhao is capable, and he is very capable. However, compared to controlling people's hearts, he is obviously not as good as Madam. He is, the usual kind of capable prince and grandson, but he is by no means An astonishing talent."

Gu Jiu laughed, "As a prince, you don't need amazing talents, it's even better to be mediocre. Because mediocre people can not only make His Majesty feel at ease, but also make courtiers like him.

In the court, many courtiers don't like my highness, and even have deep defenses against him, because my highness is too powerful to be controlled by the courtiers. The prince's ability is too strong, sometimes it is not a blessing, but a curse. "

After finishing speaking, Gu Jiu looked at the other party with a half-smile, "My lord, would you like the person sitting on the throne to be more capable or mediocre?"

Mr. Li was at a loss for words.

This question is difficult to answer.

Different periods require different emperors.

Generally speaking, a more capable emperor is better than a mediocre one.

However, from the standpoint of a courtier, it is natural to hope that the emperor will be mediocre and foolish.

Master Li thought for a while and asked, "Madam thinks His Highness is very good?"

Gu Jiu smiled and said, "Of course he's fine!"

"Where is the good news?"

"Looks good!"

Gu Jiu smiled playfully.

Master Li was completely speechless, unable to understand Gu Jiu's brain circuit.

"My lord, don't worry about it. There is no perfect person. If there is such a person, your lord should be worried."

Master Li suddenly said: "Military use of force!"

Gu Jiu raised her eyebrows.

Master Li continued: "His Royal Highness loves fighting, is warlike, and is afraid of resorting to war, which is not a blessing for the common people."

Gu Jiu sneered and said, "Isn't it a blessing for the people to pay compensation for loss of land, lose power and humiliate the country? My lord looks at the problem too one-sidedly. War is not necessarily a loss-making business. In the past, wars cost a lot of money and food, and courtiers opposed wars because Apart from bringing benefits to the generals, the war did not bring benefits to the people or the imperial court. If a war with Beirong could bring benefits to the imperial court, how many people do you think are opposed to the war?"

"Where does the benefit come from?"

Gu Jiu smiled, "Land, population, cattle, sheep and livestock, indemnity, gold, silver and treasure, are they benefits? It's a pity that the court lacks management talents. With such benefits, they don't know how to manage them. Turned into a cornucopia of real disappointments.

It is precisely because these benefits cannot be realized in the long run that courtiers oppose war. Instead of opposing war because people's livelihood is difficult. People who are really worried about people's livelihood, adults have been in the officialdom for decades, how many people have you seen? Don't adults see things that are opposed for the sake of opposition? "

Master Li frowned, "Madam, is there a way to cash out the land and population, so that everyone from courtiers to the court can benefit from it?"

"Naturally! And Mrs. Ben has been working hard in this direction."

"Then I will wait and see!"