October of the tenth year of Xining.

Xizhou.

Nowadays, Xizhou is known as the frontier fortress in the south of the Yangtze River.

Since the establishment of Xihe Road in the Song Dynasty, large-scale canals have been built to divert water from the Yellow River, Tao River, and Huang River to irrigate farmland. The scenery is quite similar to that of Jiangnan.

The Xihe Road Interchange in Xizhou has become the most prosperous place in the world after the Bianjing Interchange.

Whenever spring begins, countless caravans traveling from north to south gather here, numbering in the tens of thousands at the peak.

After more than ten years of promotion on Xihe Road, the salt banknotes of the Song Dynasty have become the absolute currency in Xihe Road. Even Jiaozi and Chayin have been recognized by merchants.

The Shaanxi Transport Envoy was divided into the Yongxing Army Transport Envoy and the Qinfeng Road Transport Envoy. During the reigns of Zhenzong and Renzong, Shaanxi Road was the place with the most severe money shortage in the world.

During the Zhenzong period, people on Shaanxi Road used tin coins that were inferior to iron coins.

During the reign of Renzong, the most serious outflow of coins from the Song Dynasty was in Shaanxi. Especially in Xixia, due to its backward economy, there was a huge demand for copper coins from the Song Dynasty.

Before the Song Dynasty, the copper ban was enforced to prevent the outflow of copper coins. Later, Wang Anshi partially relaxed the copper ban, but there were still restrictions on Xihe Road and Shaanxi Border Road.

But Xixia was in urgent need of an influx of Song Dynasty coins.

Xixia's national policy towards Song Dynasty copper coins was to only get in but not out. When Yanchao and Jiaozi flowed into Xixia, Empress Dowager Liang and Liang Yimi were worried.

Did the Song Dynasty use empty paper to exchange money in Xixia for fraud?

Therefore, Empress Dowager Liang and Liang Yi laid down a ban, that is, Xixia officials did not recognize salt banknotes, and Jiaozi only recognized copper coins and iron coins from the Song Dynasty.

But over time, salt banknotes have been used on Xihe Road for many years. Not only did they not plummet like Jiaozi, but the currency value has been running smoothly, and even increased slightly.

You must know that this was due to Zhang Yue's insistence on strictly issuing salt banknotes based on the reserve system for many years. At that time, Wang Anshi planned to increase the issuance of salt banknotes, but Zhang Yue and Lu Huiqing blocked it.

Because of the smooth operation of salt banknotes, Xixia gave up its original concerns and began to accept salt banknotes.

At the beginning of the year, Li Bingchang, the leader of the Xixia Kingdom, sent his confidant Li Qing to Bianjing. As Li Bingchang, who had just taken over the government and was eager to make a difference, he conveyed his goodwill towards the Song Dynasty to the officials through Zhang Yue and others.

Li Qing proposed that the Song Dynasty abolish the money ban on Xixia and allow the Song Dynasty's salt banknotes and Jiaozi to operate in Xixia officialdom.

As the first step in the friendship between Song and Xia, the officials consulted Han Jiang and Zhang Yue's intentions. Han Jiang was slightly conservative about this, but Zhang Yue strongly agreed to the matter.

Therefore, after Han Jiang and Zhang Yue officially took charge, they fully relaxed the copper ban on Xihe Road.

Xixia continued to purchase large amounts of copper coins and iron coins from the Song Dynasty, and salt notes and jiaozi also flowed into Xixia in large quantities.

Therefore, in the ten years of Xining, the relationship between Song and Xia was good, and even the invasion of the border areas of the Song Dynasty and the two non-cultivated lands was greatly reduced. The officials were very satisfied after learning about this, and even said to Zhang Yue that if Xixia could be so respectful every year,

I don’t necessarily have to cut down the summer.

Zhang Yue laughed secretly after hearing this, and just listen to what the officials said. The officials always think about it.

Due to the frequent trade with Qingtang, Uighurs, etc., Xizhou's status has become more and more important, and its status has surpassed that of Liangzhou City and Qingtang City in Xixia.

As for the Xihe Citation Institute, it has naturally surpassed the Chengdu Citation Institute, the Yongxing Prefecture Citation Institute, and the Xijing Citation Institute, and is second only to the Bianjing Citation Institute.

Outside the Exchange, there are businessmen waving salt notes and buying bulk commodities all day long.

Whether it is copper or iron coins, they are immediately exchanged when they arrive at the counter. There are even businessmen who are willing to exchange copper and iron coins for salt banknotes at a higher price than the official price.

The money shortage issue does not exist on Xihe Road or even the entire Qinfeng Transfer Road, which is in sharp contrast to the neighboring Yongxing Military Road and Lizhou Road where money shortages occur.

As for the salt banknotes that are not needed temporarily, they will also be deposited in the Xihe Bank, which has now been renamed Xihe Bank.

Nowadays, Xihe City Exchange Office, Xihe Exchange Office, and Xihe Banknote Bank are all built in the new city. This city was built in September of the 10th year of Xining. It is a city with a scale of 1,500 steps, and its name is Xizhou.

New Town.

The old city is the seat of the Xihe Road Administrator, the magistrate of Xizhou, and the residence of Lintao County.

The separation of administration and commerce was a series of systems that Zhang Yue personally formulated.

At the same time, the economy determines the superstructure.

In order to facilitate trade between the Qing, Tang, Uighur and Song parties.

The Qinfeng Road City Yisi was directly established in Xizhou New City. This City Yisi was different from the ordinary City Yisi and was directly under Zhongshu's sect.

The City Yi Department is responsible for trade on Xihe Road.

The biggest difference from the past is that the official of the City Yi Department is Wang Hou, the City Yi envoy, and the deputy City Yi envoys are Zhao Sizhong, the leader of the surrender to the Song Dynasty, Mu Zheng, Yu Longke Baoshun, and Wen Xixin, the pro-Song leader of the Qing and Tang Dynasties, and Wen Ne Zhiying

As well as one Uighur and a big Khotan businessman each.

City Yisi

The City Yisi is responsible for verifying the identity of these merchants. As long as they are on the list of the City Yisi, the other caravans will be given full circulation of goods after entering Xihe Road, and at the same time they will be protected by the laws and the army of the Song Dynasty.

At the same time, these businessmen could also make suggestions on Xihe Road policies and go to Beijing from time to time to express their feelings to the emperor or the princes.

The role of Shi Yisi did not end there. At the same time, he also managed the Tibetan tribes under the rule of Xihe Road, through the appointment of leaders of large and small Tibetan tribes, and controlled them by sending protons from the Tibetan tribe to study in Xizhou Prefecture.

Song people have one management method, and Tibetan people have another management method.

This is a system that Zhang Yue borrowed from the Northern and Southern Academy system of the Liao Kingdom.

In order to avoid infringement of customs, Xihe Road divided the living areas of the large tribes of the Fan people and prohibited Han people from entering. However, these tribes must abide by the laws of the Song Dynasty. For the small tribes of the Fan tribe, the method of mixing the Tibetan and Han tribes was used, and each established

It was governed by a Han official and a Tibetan official.

If there is a dispute between the Tibetan and Han Dynasties, the officials or leaders will report it to the Municipal Yi Department for decision, not the Xihe Road Economic and Strategy Department.

As the Yishi envoy, Wang Hou had been dealing with the Tibetan tribes of the Qing and Tang Dynasties for many years, and was very popular among the Qing and Tang Dynasties. He also followed the three policies of conformity, legality and merger in the military policy of his father Wang Shaoping.

Xihe Road passes by Lue Envoy Mansion.

Compared with the new city, where people of all kinds come and go, the old city is heavily guarded, and any entry or exit is strictly checked, making it a veritable border town.

The Xihe Road near the Imperial Envoy's Mansion was strictly guarded by elite soldiers.

The banner representing the Jinglue envoy is being erected outside the White Tiger Festival Hall.

In the festival hall, Li Xian, Wang Hou and Zhang Kai were all seated.

In front of the table for three people, there is grape wine, which is a delicacy made in the Liao Dynasty. When the wine is poured into white jade cups, it becomes red.

The three of them sat together, sipping wine and discussing plans.

After Gao Zunyu left, his position was replaced by Wang Hou, but Li Xian was still in charge. He was a veritable king of the northwest.

Li Xiandao: "The officials have told us to send troops within the year to find an opportunity to attack Ali Gu. What do you think?"

Wang Houdao: "After years of farming and doing business, the annual fee on Xihe Road could have been reduced from four million guan a year to less than 2 million guan. But in the Battle of Taohe last year, although our division won, the farmland

Countless people have been burned, and all the tribes in the territory are also exhausted. I am afraid that Ali Gu will not be able to send troops within this year."

Li Xian heard this and said: "Your Majesty's intention is to destroy Ali's bones second and send troops to recover Huangzhou first. Recovering Huangzhou will be a great achievement. I'm afraid we won't need to mobilize too many troops."

Wang Houdao said: "We have not yet completely destroyed Ali's bones, but what if Xixia invades at the same time?"

Li Xian laughed, cupped his hands towards the south and said, "Is it no wonder that the officials and the princes didn't know about the plan? All of this has been planned for a long time. Now the leader of the Xixia Kingdom, Li Bingchang, has attached himself to the Song Dynasty and is greedy for salt money."

The profit of copper coins will never fall out with us at this time."

"Let's talk about the last time Xixia and Ali Gu joined forces. Ali Gu failed to show up and the Xixia people hated him."

Wang Hou was speechless after hearing what Li Xian said. He stood up and looked outside the window in the direction of Xihe New City.

But Zhang Kai said: "I also thought we couldn't send troops!"

"Why?"

Zhang Kai said succinctly and clearly: "The soldiers are not yet skilled!"

Zhang Kai was preparing his troops after being appointed as the military envoy.

Zhang Kai reported to the emperor that the soldiers and horses of most dynasties throughout the ages were very good at fighting at the beginning, but over time they became very lazy.

When fighting a war, you can't advance but you can't retreat.

Now that the world has been at peace for a long time, the Song Dynasty's army is extremely corrupt. Although it has implemented reforms in the art of war, it still cannot solve the fundamental problem.

Therefore, Zhang Kai said that the only way to defeat Xixia was to lay off the old army and organize and train the new army.

The officials greatly appreciated Zhang Kai, who had made great military exploits, and immediately adopted his suggestions.

The officials followed his suggestion and asked Zhang Kai to dismantle and reorganize the original three armies on Xihe Road.

Zhang Kai reduced the old troops originally attached to Qin Feng Road, and at the same time strictly implemented the mixed formation of Tibetan and Han armies. At the same time, he strictly enforced military discipline, replenished weapons, and conducted drills.

Now that the training has been carried out for half a year, Zhang Kai feels that the time is not yet ripe, so he plans to postpone the dispatch of troops to Huangzhou until next autumn.

Li Xian would definitely not agree to Zhang Kai's request.

Li Xiandao: "The officials want you to send troops to capture Miaochuan City within this year. How can you delay it until next autumn?"

Miaochuan City is the second largest city in Qingtang, second only to Qingtang City. Capturing Miaochuan is like capturing Huangzhou.

However, Zhang Kai seemed very determined: "The soldiers have not been trained, and the generals are not familiar with the soldiers, especially the martial arts students who studied from the Imperial Palace do not understand the battle formation at all, how can they fight?"

Li Xiandao said: "Jing Lue made a battle with the traitors last summer. Before sending out troops, everyone was doubtful. Only Jing Lu made a decisive move to overcome all opinions."

"In the Battle of Taoshui, Liang Yi was so frightened that the Xia people still dare not talk about Xihe. Why don't they dare to talk about it now?"

Seeing Li Xian's words to provoke him, Zhang Kai said: "At this moment, at that moment, the Xia people attacked and we defended, so we were able to defeat them. Now the attack and defense have changed. If we are not careful, the whole army will be wiped out."
To be continued...