Vol 2 Chapter 783: Lobbyist

"You can ask me if you have any questions."
Gu Jiu told the maid Aqing to re-boil a pot of water and make tea again.
The tea leaves rolled and rolled in the boiling water.
Gu Jiu pushed the teacup forward and placed it in front of Mr. Li, and smiled and motioned for tea.
Master Li asked bluntly: "Why does Madam attach so much importance to the Northwest?"
Gu Jiu asked with a smile, "Why do adults care about the Northwest?"
"Liu Zhao wants the old man to go to the northwest, so he naturally needs to care."
Gu Jiu said: "In the eyes of this lady, the northwest is an unexploited mineral vein with amazing wealth. I am a businessman who seeks profits. I have wealth in the northwest, so I naturally want to manage the northwest well."
"The world says that the Northwest is poor. Why does the Madam alone say that there is amazing wealth in the Northwest? Is it the world's ignorance, or the wife knows the news that we don't know? Or is it because the wife has new business opportunities in the northwest but refuses to disclose it? "
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. Forgive me for not telling the truth."
Lord Li was choked.
He did not expect that Gu Jiu would generously admit that there are business opportunities in the Northwest, but would not disclose more information on the excuse of commercial secrets.
He asked back: "The lady just said that you can ask you any questions. The old man asked, but the lady did not answer the old man's questions."
Gu Jiu smiled and said, "If you have any questions, you can ask me, and this always counts. However, if you want to answer your questions, it is naturally up to my lady to decide. Please forgive me."
Li's popularity was half dead.
Even playing word games with him.
"Madam is not sincere enough."
Gu Jiu blew the tea and took a sip, "Before an adult asks others to show sincerity, shouldn't you show a little sincerity?"
Master Li chuckled, "The old man is hard to protect himself, just like the meat on the chopping board, let others kill him."
Gu Jiu said with a smile: "Adults are too self-conceited. In my opinion, adults themselves are a treasure of inestimable value, and the key is to use them in the right place. The northwest is big and there is a lot to do. Adults live, don’t want to make contributions? Leave your name?
Xiliang and Beirong have been haunting the court since the founding of this dynasty. Because of Beirong's infighting, it was unable to move south because of the loss of soldiers and generals. On the side of Xiliang, relying on the Northwest Army's deterrence, on the other hand, relying on limited trade to maintain the status quo.
The border has maintained the status quo for more than ten years. Everyone knows that after one day, peace will be lost. Soon, soldiers will rise. With the current financial resources of the imperial court, Master Li estimates how large-scale war can be supported? If the war stretches to three to five years, what situation will the court fall into? "
Lord Li solemnly said: "With the current financial resources of the imperial court, it can support about 100,000 horses and fight a one-year war. If the battle continues for more than a year, the imperial court will have to pay more and levy more large-scale civil servants. Corvee.
If you win, you can breathe and recover slowly. If he loses and is forced to extend the war to three to five years, the old man can only say that the consequences will be disastrous. It may linger, or the world may change color. Because whether it is against Beirong or Xiliang, it is a battle against the nation. Madam should know this. "
Gu Jiu nodded, "The so-called national war is the national strength. Neither Beirong nor Xiliang are willing to fight a national war. However, survival is difficult, and if you don't fight, you will have no food.
As far as I know, Bei Rong was not immune to natural disasters during the Great Week. The drought turned a large number of pastures into sand, and Beirong suffered heavy losses.
The Beirong main combat faction has emerged and is about to move. When the main battle faction has integrated all internal contradictions, the Beirong army will surely move south. I guess it will happen within a year or two. "
Master Li frowned, "Where did the news come from Madam? The dynasty and Bei Rong have long cut off contact with Bei Rong. There are very few spies sent to Bei Rong, and the survivors are also lurking. It is difficult to get news from the Bei Rong court. ."
Gu Jiu solemnly said: "My news comes from the caravan. It's not what the adults thought, because the dynasty cut off contact with Beirong, and the caravans of the Sihai Commercial Bank could not enter the Beirong King City. However, the caravan in Xiliang did. You can come and go freely."
Master Li was astonished, "Madam put a spy in the Xiliang caravan?"
"No! This lady doesn't understand spies or spies. This lady adheres to the principle of making money together and happily working with many caravans in Xiliang."
Master Li's beard trembled.
Why can Gu Jiu always talk nonsense seriously, wrapping his words and deeds in a gorgeous coat.
Perhaps this is a natural ability.
"Does your Highness know these news?"
"His Royal Highness naturally knows."
"Why didn't the imperial court get any news? Does the madam know how much risk such a major piece of information will be concealed and not reported?"
"Before Master Li accuses this lady, can you consider it for this lady? What position should I take to tell your Majesty that Bei Rong is about to move? I want to die?"
Lord Li frowned, "For his own benefit..."
"Stop!" Gu Jiu interrupted Master Li unceremoniously. "If you don't know the details, don't rush to blame this lady. You will let your Majesty know about Bei Rong sooner or later, but not now.
In addition, Luhou is already preparing for war. So even if Bei Rong suddenly went south one day, I would not be without the power to fight. The horses at Qingping Racecourse are not raised for nothing, and the racecourse under my wife’s name is not for display. With enough horses, there will be enough cavalry.
However, training the cavalry is not an overnight effort. We need time, those who are able to delay Beirong’s southward journey, and more adequate preparation. Someone still needs to stare at the Northwest Army for the court, let your majesty let go, and let Luhou rest assured. This person is not an adult! "
Master Li's beard kept shaking.
I don't know if it is because of being too excited or because of forehead congestion.
"His Royal Highness should not be a lobbyist by himself. He is not qualified to be a lobbyist at all. A husband is a qualified lobbyist."
Gu Jiu raised his eyebrows and smiled, "I mean, the adults agree to go to the northwest?"
Master Li stroked his beard and said, "Give the old man three days, and the old man must think carefully."
"Will three days be too rush? This lady is not in a hurry."
Gu Jiu looked at each other with a smile.
Master Li laughed, "Madam really shouldn't hide in the back house."
Gu Jiu smiled, "This lady has been busy taking care of her body for the past two years, not deliberately hiding in the back house. My Royal Highness is not as bad as the adults said. If he hadn't carefully planned, Bei Rong would not have been infighting. Bei Rong The journey south was postponed for ten years by abruptly, all thanks to my highness.
There is also the navy in the south of the Yangtze River, which was also created by our Royal Highness. Last year's disaster relief, my Royal Highness also tried to raise grain and grass to share the worries for the court. Not to mention the various things that happened during your majesty's accession to the throne.
Although my Royal Highness speaks few words and always speaks harshly, he cannot deny his talents and abilities. People in the world always have misunderstandings about people who speak little, and think that those who are sloppy are more capable. This is a prejudice. But I believe that adults can treat my Royal Highness fairly and objectively. "
Master Li laughed, "Madam has spared no effort to rectify the name of His Highness."
Gu Jiu shook his head slightly, "I just told the truth."
Master Li said: "The old man does not deny that Liu Zhao is capable, and he is very capable. However, he is obviously inferior to his wife compared to the control of people's hearts. He is the common kind of capable emperor and grandson, but by no means Amazing talent."
Gu Jiu laughed, "As a prince, you don't need amazing talents, mediocre or even better. Because mediocre people can not only relieve your majesty, but also make courtiers like it.
In the court hall, many courtiers didn't like my Royal Highness, and even defended him deeply, because my Royal Highness was too capable and was not controlled by courtiers. The prince is too strong, and sometimes it is not a blessing, but a curse. "
After speaking, Gu Jiu looked at each other with a smile but a smile, "My lord hopes that the person sitting on the throne is better or more mediocre?"
Lord Li is speechless.
This question is difficult to answer.
Different emperors are needed in different periods.
Generally speaking, a more capable emperor is better than a mediocre emperor.
However, from the standpoint of a courtier, I naturally hope that the emperor will be mediocre and foolish.
Master Li thought for a while, and asked, "Madam thinks that your Highness is good?"
Gu Jiu smiled and said, "Of course he is fine!"
"What's the good thing?"
"Good-looking!"
Gu Jiu smiled playfully.
Master Li was completely speechless, unable to understand Gu Jiu's brain circuits.
"Adults don't have to struggle, there is no perfect person. If there is such a person, adults should worry."
Lord Li suddenly said: "Poor and military!"
Gu Jiu raised his eyebrows.
Lord Li continued: "His Royal Highness likes martial arts, warlike, and fears impoverished soldiers and martial arts, not the blessing of the people.
Gu Jiu sneered and said: "Is it the blessing of the people to pay for the loss of land and lose power and humiliate the prince of the country? Adults are too one-sided. Wars are not necessarily a loss-making business. In the past, wars cost a lot of money and food, and the courtiers opposed the war. In addition to bringing benefits to the generals, the war did not benefit the public or the court. If war with Beirong can bring benefits to the court, how many people do you think oppose the war?"
"Where does the benefit come from?"
Gu Jiu smiled, "Land, population, cattle, sheep, livestock, compensation, gold and silver treasures, is it an interest? It is a pity that North Korea lacks management talents. With such benefits, they don’t know how to operate and how to transfer land to population. Turning into a cornucopia is truly disappointing.
It is precisely because these interests cannot be realized for a long time that the courtiers will oppose the war. It is not because the people's livelihood is hard to oppose the war. Those who are really worried about the people's livelihood, adults have been in officialdom for decades, how many people have you seen? Is it rare for adults to oppose for the sake of opposition? "
Master Li frowned, "Madam has a way to realize the population of the land, and all the courtiers and the court can benefit from it?"
"Naturally! And this lady has been working hard in this direction."
"Then the old man will wait and see!"