They all had their eyes on the position of the deputy stationmaster of the stations near the Angi family. They knew very well that since the railway was built by the Tang dynasty, every station along the way would naturally be controlled by the Tang dynasty. The people of the Tang dynasty certainly did not know the specific situation of the places along the way, so many things would be troublesome to deal with. Therefore, they would inevitably need the help of the local people. That was to say, they had to find a local person of virtue and prestige to be the deputy stationmaster and assist them in running the station well.
In the eyes of the Angi family, the position of the deputy stationmaster in front of their house must be in their hands and must not be snatched by outsiders. They even hoped to control the deputy stationmaster positions in the nearby stations. Of course, this possibility was somewhat small. After all, the Tang dynasty favored the nearest forces most. The farther they were from the Tang dynasty, the less they knew about the local situation. Only the closest forces could better assist them. For example, when Ang Lee stood on the city wall a few days ago and asked a few people outside the city, the elders of the Angi family could immediately answer him clearly. However, the people under Ang Lee's command naturally could not answer him. This was the advantage of the local people. They were very clear about the local situation, very convenient and efficient to use, and could better assist the stationmaster of the Tang dynasty.
Although the Angis knew that the Tang Dynasty would most likely appoint the Angis to be the deputy stationmaster, and only their own family members were suitable for this position, the power of this appointment was, after all, in the hands of the Tang Dynasty. The imperial court of the Tang Dynasty could appoint the Angis as well as other families, so the initiative was in the hands of the Tang Dynasty. If there was a force near the Angis who had a good relationship with the Tang Dynasty and offered a benefit that was even more attractive to the Angis than the Angis, it was hard to guarantee that the Tang Dynasty would not give the position of the deputy stationmaster to other families. It should be known that the Angis' old rival, the Deqin Family, was only 20 li away from the Angis, so they also had a good understanding of the situation nearby. The same was true for the Sayers. They were not very different from the Angis. If it were not for the fact that the Angis happened to be in the place where the Tang Dynasty's railway needed to pass, and the fact that the Angis had discovered a top-grade gem mine and given it to the Tang Dynasty, the Tang Dynasty might not choose to be on good terms with the Angis. Instead, they might be on good terms with other families.
The Angis were all cunning old foxes. They did not believe in the so-called feelings at all. After reaching a certain height, there was no such thing as feelings. No one would believe that countries had feelings for each other. It was just for their own interests. As long as the interests of the Angis and the Tang Dynasty were the same, and they could bring benefits to the Tang Dynasty that surpassed the benefits of other families, then the Angis had always been on good terms with the Tang Dynasty. However, if there was a conflict of interests between the Angis and the Tang Dynasty, or if other families had greater benefits with the Tang Dynasty, then the Tang Dynasty might turn against the Angis at any time and support the other families to suppress the Angis.
At present, the Angis still could not see how much benefits the surrounding families could bring to the Tang Dynasty, so they were still relatively calm. However, they absolutely did not dare to be careless. They must be careful everywhere and always be vigilant against the contact between the surrounding families and the Tang Dynasty to prevent them from having greater benefits with the Tang Dynasty.
What the Angis were most afraid of was that the Tang Dynasty would have the mentality of balancing the families and make the Angis and the surrounding families equal in strength so that it would be easier to check and balance. This kind of thinking was also relatively common. It was not easy to control a strong family. Only when the strength of each family was equal could it be beneficial to the control of the Tang Dynasty. In order to make the Tang Dynasty give up this idea and not support other families to suppress the Angis, then the best way was to firmly follow the Tang Dynasty and not show any disrespect. As long as the Tang Dynasty needed it, it would immediately do its best to give the greatest support.
An obedient family could bring greater benefits to the Tang Dynasty when its strength was strong. However, if a half-hearted family became strong, it would be a threat to the Tang Dynasty and must be suppressed. This principle had been unchanged since ancient times.
Since ancient times, there had been many small forces following behind the big forces. They were very obedient and gained a lot of benefits. However, when this small force became strong, it would have new ideas and would not be so respectful to the original big force. How could the big force not feel it? Therefore, the suppression gradually began as its former underlings became stronger and even evolved into enemies.
Most of the small forces that were obedient would not be so obedient once they became strong. They would think of independence and even rebelling against their original masters. Regarding this matter, the Great Zhou Dynasty of Hua Xia was the most representative. When the Emperor of Zhou was enfeoffed, he was the most powerful. The strength of the surrounding vassals was far inferior to the Emperor of Zhou, and they were very obedient to the Emperor of Zhou. However, as time went by, the strength of other countries became stronger and stronger. Then, no one listened to the Emperor of Zhou anymore. The Emperor of Zhou became a mere figurehead. Later, the Emperor of Zhou was abolished, and the Great Zhou Dynasty came to an end.
In other words, only if the Angi family worked wholeheartedly for the Tang Dynasty could they gain the absolute trust of the Tang Dynasty and let their family be protected by the Tang Dynasty. Once they showed that they were unwilling to cooperate and were half-hearted, the Tang Dynasty would have to consider other families carefully. At least, they would have to rope in the nearby families and let them check and balance with the Angi family. They might even deliberately suppress the Angi family. If they thought that they could make the Tang Dynasty feel at ease by only offering half of the gem mine, they were too naive. The Tang Dynasty was not the bodyguards of the Angi family who would work loyally as long as they were paid. The Tang Dynasty was the master of the world. Only the Tang Dynasty could teach others how to behave and how to behave, and no one could teach the Tang Dynasty how to do things.
The Angi family had just started and could not leave the protection of the Tang Dynasty. They were far from being suppressed by the Tang Dynasty. As far as the current strength of the Angi family was concerned, even the nearby Deqin family and Saye family were no match for them. At least in the next five years, they did not have to worry about the Tang Dynasty suppressing their family. But the more merits they accumulated, the less likely they would be suppressed in the future. They had to plan ahead and perform better than other families in all aspects. They had to suppress all other families and make the Tang Dynasty the most eager to cooperate with the Angi family so that they could firmly cling to the thigh of the Tang Dynasty.
Sometimes, antipathy was not formed in a single step. Rome was not built in a day. A family could not be targeted by the Tang Dynasty in the blink of an eye. Instead, they had failed to do things well and disappointed the Tang Dynasty again and again. Then, the Tang Dynasty would change its attitude step by step and support other families. This was how things developed in Nanzhao.
If it were not for the support of the Tang Dynasty, how could Pi Luoge have the ability to unify Nanzhao? After Nanzhao was founded for a long time, their reverence for the Tang Dynasty faded and they were not as respectful as before. They even had rebellious thoughts and went against the Tang Dynasty many times for their own interests. In the end, the Tang Dynasty could only change its attitude and destroy them once and for all.
Whether it was an individual or a faction, once their strength changed, their mentality would change. When they were still weak, they naturally did not dare to disobey their big brother's words, but when their strength gradually increased and they were on par with their big brother, why should they listen to their big brother? Could it be that they could not make their own decisions? This was the most basic and common mentality, and it was the case in the vast majority of cases. The Angi Clan was probably the same. Although they did not have such thoughts right now, and perhaps their generation would not have such thoughts, the next generation of patriarchs and elders might not have the same thoughts as this generation. Perhaps as the Angi Clan grew stronger, they would have new ideas. At the very least, in the eyes of the next generation, perhaps they would no longer have the same reverence for the Great Tang and would even have thoughts of bargaining. This would inevitably make the Great Tang wary, and they would begin to support other clans in suppressing the Angi Clan.
At least for now, the Angis did not dare to show the slightest disrespect to the Tang Dynasty. Their strength was still too weak, and the short period of development had limited the growth of their strength. Their current strength was still inferior to the neighboring Deqin Clan and Saye Clan. Moreover, the strength of these two clans was not strong, and there were stronger clans. If all these clans united, their strength would be nearly a hundred times greater than that of the Angi Clan. They were giants that the Angi Clan could not compete with. Moreover, these clans were very lucky to have obtained the best gemstone vein, so they were very jealous of the Angi Clan and wanted to have a share in it. But this stability was based on the protection of the Tang Dynasty. Once they lost the protection of the Tang Dynasty, the Angi Clan would be finished and would no longer be able to establish a foothold in the northern part of the Pyu Empire. Therefore, they had no reason not to serve the Tang Dynasty wholeheartedly, even if they had to lose a lot of benefits. The protection of the Tang Dynasty was their only life-saving straw. They had to grasp this straw tightly and use it to constantly restore their strength. Only then could they safely get through the current crisis. They could not estimate how long the gemstone vein could be mined, but at least, it would not be completely mined within the limited lifespan of the current patriarch and elders. They did not have to worry about financial resources for the time being.
However, if the gemstone mine was exhausted in the future, what kind of wealth could they offer to continue to tempt the Tang dynasty and continue to support the Angi family was something they had to consider in advance. After all, such a thing would happen sooner or later. They had to face it sooner or later. The Angi family did not believe that the gemstone mine would never be exhausted. The gemstone mine would be exhausted one day. After the gemstone mine was exhausted, they had to find new sources of income. Firstly, they could continue to support the normal operation of the family. Secondly, they could continue to show filial piety to the court of the Tang dynasty so that they could always be protected.
Business was the most profitable way to make money. This was the best way to make money that the head of the Angi family and the elders had thought of. Of course, businessmen were the most profitable people in the world. Businessmen bought things at a low price and then sold them at a high price. They could make a lot of money from the difference. This was the fastest way to make money. Of course, it was not easy to be a businessman. The trade route also needed some hard work to be stable. Otherwise, anyone could become a businessman, and then businessmen would be worthless. How could it be so easy to make money?
The trade route required long-term operation and the continuous efforts of generations of people. At the same time, it also required enough strength to occupy the trade route. Strength included financial resources and a huge network of relationships. None of these were indispensable. It was not easy to run a trade route. It required a lot of time and energy.
In ancient times, the bandits and local tyrants along the way were enough to give businessmen headaches. In addition, there was also the cruel competition and strife among the same trade. These were all stumbling blocks to a businessman's success. These all needed to be resolved by the businessman himself. The family business could integrate many people in a family. They could help each other, so it was easier. However, it was not so easy. Which big family did not do business? One could imagine how fierce the competition was.
If the Angi family wanted to make a lot of money in the future, they had to control a very reliable trade route. It was better to be able to compete with other businessmen and achieve a monopoly. In this way, they could get more benefits. No business method could get more benefits than a monopoly. Monopoly was the way to get the most benefits. If they wanted to achieve a monopoly, it was necessary to control the control of a station. Only by controlling a station could they achieve a monopoly effect for their family by controlling the flow of goods. For example, if someone in the Tang dynasty continued to sell goods to the Angi family, after they controlled the station, they could let the Angi family buy goods and transport them to the Tang dynasty at the fastest speed. The goods of other families would be held at the station and would not be set off until one or two days later. In this way, the Angi family naturally took all the benefits. In addition, there were more fresh fruits in the Pyu region. These fresh fruits were very popular among the people in Chang 'an. The shelf life of fruits was very short. If the fruits were transported to Chang' an in time, they could naturally get a higher price because of the good quality. However, if they were delayed for too long, they would go bad when they were transported to Chang 'an. Therefore, the speed of transportation was very important.
After the Angi family took control of the station, they could let the fruits they bought take the fastest train. At the same time, they could ship the goods as soon as possible, thus greatly reducing the transportation time. As for their competitors, they could find all kinds of reasons to let them take slower trains. At the same time, they could also make them wait for one or two days. It was not so difficult to find excuses. They could just find a few excuses, as long as they were not too excessive. Anyway, only by taking control of the station could they really know whether there were empty carriages on each passing train, how many local goods needed to be boarded, who was the owner of each batch of goods, how many privileges they had, and what kind of goods they were transporting. In short, there was a lot of messy information. Without a certain position, they could not get all the information. It seemed that it was not difficult to do some under-the-table manipulation.
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