Tang Dynasty Xie Lu Lang

Chapter 367 Desire to Provide a Livelihood for All

Pei Dunfu didn't deliberately keep him in suspense; he genuinely admired Zhang Dai, the student who had passed the prefectural examination. He then sighed and said, "The capital is a gathering place for many people and a place where powerful families gather. Although it seems prosperous, there are many disputes. One cannot accomplish anything by relying solely on one's sincere feelings and enthusiasm."

If things start to improve, they will inevitably attract covetous eyes, leading to endless open and covert struggles. Zongzhi, you are a talented and promising young scholar. If you remain buried in the turmoil of human affairs for too long, your talent will likely be worn down and your wisdom diminished. If you were to get caught up in a bitter struggle over a few trivial matters, it would truly be a loss.

Although I am unaware of the exact origins of these teas, I presume they differ only in processing methods and varieties, and don't necessarily have to be grown in the southern part of the city. There is a vast world beyond the four passes, especially in the Jianghuai and Shannan regions, where this industry is already prevalent. If one could move beyond the passes, not only would the industry flourish, but one could also avoid being spied upon by outsiders.

Zhang Dai hadn't expected Pei Dunfu to speak to him so earnestly. It seemed he truly considered him one of his own, skipping formalities and sharing his real experiences and insights.

What is "old money"? Stripping away all the embellished terms like "traditional," "elegant," and "noble," their existence is a social cancer, like scale buildup in a water pipe. The resources they control have little mobility and rarely enter the redistribution process. A layer of scale buildup isn't a big problem, but if the scale accumulates, it will clog the pipes and completely block the flow of social resources.

Pei Dunfu meant that the water and soil resources of Guanzhong have long been exhausted, and it would be very difficult for Zhang Dai to seize the mountains and fields and build large tea gardens.

Even if he were to succeed by chance, once he achieves some success, in the treacherous environment of Guanzhong, he would inevitably attract much covetousness and plunder. He would then be embroiled in various personnel disputes, leaving him no time to focus on his work, and ultimately be completely exploited and kicked out of the game.

Therefore, from the perspective of pursuing one's career, Pei Dunfu's advice to Zhang Dai to leave Guanzhong, a place rife with conflict, and to go to other areas with less competition would undoubtedly be more effective.

Although local strongmen may exist, the central government of the Tang Dynasty is still an absolutely powerful force. With the political resources that the Zhang family controls in the court, they have many ways to control and manipulate powerful local families, even if they cannot completely overwhelm them.

However, Zhang Dai's so-called "building a career" was much more profound than what Pei Dunfu thought. If it were simply about making money, he wouldn't need to worry about these things at all; the Bianzhou flying money alone would be enough to make him rich.

The personnel struggles and conflicts of interest in Guanzhong are undoubtedly more intense and chaotic than in other places, but once a stable foothold is established there, the significance and rewards will be even greater.

So what if Gao Lishi's family, the Feng clan of Lingnan, was known as the King of Lingnan? They could castrate your family members at will, and the Feng family dared not utter a word of dissent. As Gao Lishi gained favor with the court, the power and prestige he, a eunuch, possessed in the Tang Dynasty directly surpassed the combined power and prestige of his ancestors for several generations!

The An Lushan Rebellion was so devastating that it weakened the Tang Dynasty, yet the rebellion still couldn't touch Emperor Xuanzong and his son, who fled at will. However, the emperors of the mid-to-late Tang Dynasty were like lambs to the slaughter before the eunuchs who controlled the Shence Army!
Zhang Dai had previously advised his grandfather to deploy more of the family's manpower in enemy prefectures and counties, intending to avoid the personnel disputes in the court and thus preserve their strength. However, this did not mean that the management of the central government was unimportant.

If all personnel arrangements outside the capital are like drawing a dragon, then the arrangements between the two capitals are like adding the finishing touch. Without this guiding framework, all the arrangements would be nothing more than drawing a dead dragon.

To put it simply, even if future national conflicts become so acute that Zhang Dai is forced to take over the An Lushan Rebellion, while he leads his army to defend the emperor, he still needs to have a hand first inserted into Guanzhong to keep Emperor Xuanzong and his son pinned down in Chang'an. If those men flee, no matter how the situation evolves afterward, it's all just a muddled mess!
To build influence, you need people; to support people, you need land. With people and land, you have more choices and a better strategic outlook.

The situation in Guanzhong was different from that in Guandong. Zhang Dai could build a fleet of ships and a canal transport guild in Guandong, but not in Guanzhong. In Guanzhong, even the emperor was often starving, and the canal transport resources were highly controlled by the imperial court and government officials, making it difficult for private individuals to intervene and expand their influence.

At the same time, the conflict between people and land in Guanzhong was very acute. Even Zhang Dai's grandfather, Zhang Shuo, who was so bold, was unable to acquire much land around Chang'an. Zhang Dai had no hope of gathering manpower through traditional farming and weaving, so he could only pin his hopes on the less competitive mountainous areas.

Zhang Dai was not belligerent, but he was not afraid of fighting either, especially when he had clear intentions and a vision for the future. He became even more energetic and unafraid of challenges. To achieve the ideal of a ruler like Yao and Shun, words are the least powerful thing; if they don't listen, you have to fight. He had no choice but to become Yao and Shun, whether he wanted to or not!
Of course, Zhang Dai could not voice these thoughts, and he certainly had another, more respectable explanation.

“What the master taught is truly wise advice. Although I have not been in this world for long, I have deeply felt the turmoil of human relationships, which are as turbulent as waves. Even if I am cautious in everything I do and hope to be kind to others, I still cannot avoid all kinds of interpersonal troubles.”

He first echoed Pei Dunfu's words, then sighed, "However, my choice to establish my career in Guanzhong also stems from some of my own wild ambitions and considerations. Qin Chuan has fertile land, and has been known as the imperial abode since ancient times. The dynasty values ​​the virtuous and capable, and rewards meritorious officials with land. The favor is great and the people are pleased, which is why everyone is happy. However, land is finite while people are infinite. A couple can form a household, and their descendants can number in the dozens over three generations. But the fertile land of Qin Chuan, from the Han to the Tang dynasties, is only eight hundred li long."

Now the court has fewer and fewer fields to grant, and people are gradually losing their jobs. Some are renting from wealthy families, while others are fleeing to the rivers and lakes. Even if strict laws and severe punishments are used to force them to register, if they have no occupation to rely on, they will eventually perish again.

Therefore, I secretly devised a plan to establish businesses in the mountains and fields, and to engage in activities in the hills and valleys, so that people could have food and thus live in peace and prosperity, alleviating the hardship of a small, sparsely populated area. The people would benefit, and so would I. Establishing businesses elsewhere might be more successful, but it would only benefit commerce and not the people's livelihood, and would be far removed from the greater good; therefore, I would not pursue such a path.”

Upon hearing Zhang Dai's words, Pei Dunfu's expression immediately turned serious. After a moment of contemplation, he spoke again: "Zongzhi, your plans are profound and you care deeply about the country and its people. For me to advise you with the trivial path of commerce is truly underestimating a younger generation!"
As you said, Guanzhong is a small and densely populated area, and the common people are all impoverished, either as tenants or slaves, with no way to be independent. When I served in Jingzhao in the past, my colleagues and superiors also felt the same way, but they had no good solutions.

Although there is a method for collecting land for official use, what benefit would the land in the east of the pass bring to the people in the west? Even wise men like Zhou and Zhao needed to govern separately in Shaanxi, so how could the officials of the capital prefecture distribute the land equally throughout the country?

"Zongzhi, you have been observing and working diligently on this matter in your leisure time. If it succeeds, it will truly benefit the country and its people—a truly excellent plan! Although I lack the high position and vast wealth to assist you, having heard of this matter, I cannot remain indifferent. Tomorrow, I will send my servant with five thousand strings of cash to help with this matter, and I hope you can achieve your long-cherished wish!"

Zhang Dai never expected that his words would have such a great influence on Pei Dunfu, even prompting Pei Dunfu to take the initiative to express his willingness to invest and work together.

While delighted that his persuasive power had increased, he waved his hands repeatedly and said, "Whether this matter succeeds or not, I have no certainty. I would be extremely grateful if you could offer guidance and corrections along the way. How could I dare to waste the money you have diligently accumulated and used to support your family on something uncertain!"

"I will certainly offer guidance. Although your plan is grand, you still need to be cautious in its implementation. I have served in the Jingzhao Prefecture for several years and can certainly offer you some guidance on personnel matters. Investing money to work together is also a must. Whether it succeeds or not is another matter. You should know that you are a virtuous talent that I recommended to the country. Now that you want to make plans and accomplish things, if I am unwilling to trust you, wouldn't I be admitting that I have not selected virtuous talents and have failed the country?"

Pei Dunfu smiled and said that he really appreciated and admired Zhang Dai's idea. He participated in the matter to accumulate some experience in affairs. If things could be managed smoothly, he could follow this approach to governance when he took charge of a region in the future.

Seeing that Pei Dunfu was determined to slip in the money, Zhang Dai no longer refused. But after thinking for a moment, he said, "When people work together, fairness is essential. Once rules are established, they cannot be violated! Although the host is a wise elder who mentors the younger generation, we cannot be exceptions once we are working together. It was previously agreed that the amount for working together would be limited to 10,000 strings of cash. Now, the host only needs to contribute 5,000 strings of cash, and I will make up the rest, still based on the initial capital of 10,000 strings of cash!"

"You truly possess a fair and upright character, no wonder you are so admired and trusted by your peers! Very well, unlike you young disciples who have elders to help with their expenses, I have the livelihood of my entire family on my own, so I will gladly accept this gift from you!"

Pei Dunfu was taken aback when he heard this, but then he smiled and said something else.

If it were real money or silk, he certainly wouldn't accept Zhang Dai's generous gift of five thousand strings of cash. But since the matter wasn't settled yet, and the so-called five thousand strings of cash was to be used in this matter, he didn't feel too much of a psychological burden accepting it.

He admired Zhang Dai's attitude towards work even more and looked forward to a positive outcome for the matter.

While the other young disciples in the hall were fiddling with the various types of tea that Zhang Dai had brought, they were also listening intently to his conversation with Pei Dunfu.

Upon learning that what they were about to do was not simply to make money, but such a meaningful undertaking, Li Xia and Dou E couldn't help but beam with joy, and even Pei Zhen's face was filled with determination and longing. Humans have always had an instinctive yearning for lofty ideals, but there are differences in their ability to put them into practice.

Just as Pei Dunfu expressed his willingness to contribute money, the others were also eager to try and make some investment within their means. However, when they heard that Zhang Dai required a huge sum of money from his master before he would work with them, they all sighed helplessly and ultimately could not make up their minds.

(End of this chapter)