"Really?" Li Chengqian was pleasantly surprised.
Meton nodded and said, "You've just taken on the role of regent. The three provinces, six ministries, and other important departments of the imperial court naturally cannot act rashly. Moreover, there will be a lot of resistance."
Li Chengqian couldn't help but nod. The three provinces and six ministries were the basic system of the imperial court. It was a system of government that had been proven through the operation of two dynasties. Even if he had the courage, he wouldn't dare to act rashly.
"However, under the three provinces and six ministries, there is another department that is extremely important. Moreover, it has been incurring huge losses for years. If you can turn the losses into profits, it will definitely be a great political achievement. Moreover, there won't be too much political risk," Meton said in a low voice.
"Incurring losses for years? Could it be a relay station?" Li Chengqian suddenly thought of the official document he had just received today and had a sudden inspiration.
"A relay station!" Princess Changle's eyes also lit up.
A relay station was great! Usually, except for when the military was in an emergency, a relay station didn't have much status in the imperial court. Moreover, a large amount of money was needed to maintain it every year. Meton's specialty was the way of money. If he could make the relay station no longer incurring losses, it would definitely be a great achievement.
Meton nodded and said, "That's right, a relay station! A relay station consumes a large amount of money every year, but it can't be left unopened. It has long become a sore point in the imperial court. "
Li Chengqian frowned and said, "But how can a relay station make a profit? Are you going to let the relay station do business?"
Meton smiled and said, "That's right. Let the relay station do business."
"Husband, don't be rash!" Princess Changle's heart tightened. A relay station was an important department of the imperial court. It would be of great use at critical times. If it was used for business, it would probably not only fail to make a political achievement, it would also be punished.
Meton smiled and said, "The business that I'm talking about is an elegant business. Delivering letters!"
"Deliver a letter!" Li Chengqian and Princess Changle's hearts moved.
Meton nodded and said, "When your husband was far away in Tuyuhun, sometimes when I missed you, I would secretly write a letter and ask General Su's grain transportation system to send a letter to you."
Princess Changle couldn't help but blush. She couldn't help but roll her eyes at Meton. Her brother was right here, yet Meton was still saying such things.
However, Li Chengqian did not care about these details, but could not help but ponder.
"As the chancellor of the Firearms Division, I naturally have this privilege. However, don't those ordinary soldiers miss their loved ones? Do you know how difficult it is to get someone to deliver a letter? Do you know how happy those soldiers are when they receive a letter from their family? "Meton said emotionally.
"The flames of war last for three months, a letter from home is worth ten thousand gold. The relay stations of the Tang dynasty have always been used to deliver official documents and military information. Most of the time, they are idle. If we can use them and let the relay stations deliver letters for ordinary people, then with the relay station system all over the Tang dynasty, as long as we have an accurate address and spend a small amount of money, we can deliver a letter from home to the other party. That would be a great blessing for everyone in the world. "Meton said proudly.
"The flames of war last for three months, a letter from home is worth ten thousand gold." Princess Changle listened to Meton's popular poem and recalled her joy when she received the secret letter. She couldn't help but be infatuated.
"The soldiers far away at the border, the wanderers drifting in foreign lands, the officials working in foreign lands, and the traveling merchants all over the world, tell them to send a letter to their families to tell them that they are safe and sound and share their experiences. Their families can also feel at ease." Meton said emotionally.
Everyone nodded involuntarily. Many people wished that their families could receive a letter to tell them that they were safe and sound in foreign lands.
"However, in reality, do you know how difficult it is to send a letter home? If you meet a fellow villager who is on the way home, it is naturally a great blessing. More people ask traveling merchants to and fro to bring a letter home. Not to mention how much it costs, it takes at least a month to get home. If you meet a place as far away as Lingnan Road, I'm afraid it might even take two or three months. A round trip will take half a year. Even if there is an emergency, it will be too late." Meton spread out his hands.
Li Chengqian nodded solemnly. In this era, transportation was extremely inconvenient. It was not easy to send a letter.
"If we use all the relay stations scattered throughout the Great Tang, even if we don't talk about anything else, just an ordinary relay station that travels three hundred li per day would only take ten-some days to travel from Chang 'an to the Lingnan Road. One month would be enough for a round trip. Of course, this is just for ordinary letters. If we run into an emergency, we can use express mail that travels six hundred li per day, or even travel eight hundred li per day if we travel day and night. You can imagine how convenient this would be. Tell me, is this business worth doing?" Moton excitedly said, spreading his arms.
Princess Changle nodded repeatedly and suddenly turned into a fangirl. She looked at Meton with infatuation. What she liked most was Meton's endless tricks and his means to turn something rotten into something magical.
"Of course, we should do it. Even if the courier station loses a lot of money, we must do it." Li Chengqian slapped the table and praised. Not to mention other things, it was a great achievement to let people all over the world exchange letters.
"We won't lose money!" Meton said confidently, "Let's calculate according to the most common price of one coin per letter. With the population of 40 million in the Tang dynasty, even if each person writes one letter per year, we will earn 40,000 strings of cash per year. A letter is as thin as a cicada's wing, how much space and weight can it take up? A four-wheeled carriage can probably pull thousands of letters easily. The imperial court only needs to add a batch of four-wheeled carriages to earn 40,000 strings of cash per year. What a profitable business it will be.
Of course, this is only an ordinary express mail that travels three hundred miles. If it is an express mail that travels six hundred miles, the charge for an express mail that travels eight hundred miles will naturally be higher. I dare not say that we will make money, but there is no problem to maintain the courier station's balance of income and expenses and not lose money. "
Meton thought of the famous postal system in the future and could not think of the possibility of the courier station losing money.
"But in this way, I'm afraid that the courier alone will not be enough!" If there was really such a large number of tasks, the manpower of the courier station alone would not be enough.
"Then recruit people. The Tang dynasty has been fighting for years, and many wounded soldiers have retired from the army. Most of these wounded soldiers know how to ride horses, and they can send letters. They can also find a way to survive for the generals and soldiers who have contributed to the Tang dynasty," Merton said.
"Okay, let's do that?" Li Chengqian immediately said with great ambition.
In the imperial court, courier stations cost a lot of money every year. Transforming the courier station system of the Tang dynasty would not only change the situation of the courier station's continuous losses, but also allow the people of the world to enjoy the convenience of communication. This was a great achievement, and just thinking about it made him excited.
Not to mention that the courier station system of the Tang dynasty was perfect, and only needed to be slightly modified. Moreover, it did not involve the imperial court, so there was the least resistance. It could be completed in two months. It was a good thing that was tailor-made for him.
"No hurry. Do you think it is easy to build a courier station system that communicates with the whole country? If you want to do it perfectly in two months, you still need the help of two people! "Meton shook his head and said.
"Please teach me, brother-in-law. No matter who it is, I will be courteous to the wise," Li Chengqian said after taking a deep breath.
Mo Dun smiled mysteriously and said, "What a coincidence. You and I both know these two people. One of them is my teacher, Shen Hongcai, a former mathematics professor at the Imperial College. The School of Mo's carriage system from Chang 'an to Luoyang depends on Teacher Shen's precise calculations. It is efficient and fast. With his help, we can draw up a detailed blueprint for the relay station system. You can also use this blueprint to persuade the Imperial Court to support you. This matter is half done."
"Teacher Shen!"
Li Chengqian nodded. Shen Hongcai was a recognized mathematics master in the Tang dynasty. With his help, they could certainly plan an efficient and fast courier station system.
"What about the other person?" Princess Changle asked curiously.
Moton said with a smile, "The other person is our benefactor, General Su Dingfang, whom we are able to communicate with."
"General Su!" Li Chengqian couldn't help but think.
Meton nodded solemnly and said, "It is easy to say but difficult to do. General Su personally commanded the Tang dynasty's grain and fodder escort to ensure the supply of grain and fodder for the Western Expedition. He has rich experience. No matter how good the blueprint is, if no one executes it, I am afraid it will become an armchair strategist. At that time, not only will it be useless, but it will also become a big joke."
Li Chengqian heard this and suddenly blushed. He still thought too simply of this matter. If it were not for Meton's thorough plan, he was afraid that when the time came, it would be hard to say whether it would be a success or a failure!
"Thank you, brother-in-law, for your guidance!" Li Chengqian thanked him solemnly.
Meton waved his hand and said, "I also have my feelings. If there was a courier station to send the letter earlier, I would not have to secretly ask someone to send the letter."
Princess Changle's face suddenly turned red. She glared at Meton with hatred and then gave up. She ordered the kitchen to prepare a meal and was ready to entertain her brother.
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
