Chapter 551.

Humu looked a little apprehensive and nervous.

When he was studying at home, he had heard of Zhang Anshi’s fierce reputation for a long time, and naturally he had no good feelings towards Zhang Anshi at all.

But to the railroad division, only to know that the King of Song His Highness’s greatness, under the influence of the people around, none of them are not on the King of Song His Highness’s admiration! Under this inculcation, if not to Zhang Anshi heart admiration, that would be duh.

The last time he was seriously injured, there was no way to distinguish Zhang Anshi when he faced the Holy Spirit.

This time, seeing Zhang Anshi alive and well in front of him, and still so eager, naturally, his heart warmed up, and he immediately joined the others in bowing with his head, “Greetings, Your Highness.”

Zhang Anshi appeared to be very easy-going and said joyfully, “There is no need to be so polite, we are all family.”

Zhang Anshi took his seat, then said, “All sit down and talk, there is no need to be formal, this time to teach you to come to the capital, only for one thing, that is, I do not know what you think of the stagecoach?”

You look at me and I look at you, each trying to see something in the other.

Some of those who were summoned here were on official business in the Qixia merchant bank, some were in the money changers, and some, like Hu Mu, were in the railroad division.

The way is very mixed, but all are recommended by the various divisions of the elite generals, a few of them, and even Zhang Anshi personally point.

He has quite a few impressions of some people, knowing that these people, most of them are from the clerical officials step by step up, such a person …… at least eyes and heart head will not be confused.

There are even people, because of promotion and mobilization, used to work in many places, in fact, people are roughly so, the stomach has a certain amount of ink, and then let him in various places to practice, in fact …… is not just so that he has to be all the local business are proficient, but in the process of constant mobilization, roughly grasp the method of doing things, with their own A set of methods, even if it is an unfamiliar field, can also be familiar with.

After thinking about it, it was this Hu Mu who took the lead and said, “I know a little bit about the situation of the post, and I have heard some news about the post recently, and they all say that the situation of the post is very bad, to the point that there are a lot of malpractices.”

After a pause, Hu Mu continued: “However, in my opinion, the drawbacks are on the one hand, one of the important thing is that the duties of the post is not clear, not only to usher to send, but also to pass the official documents, and even by the officials along the way to be sent to do other miscellaneous affairs, so that the post, on the contrary, do not do well, and ultimately only become to meet the individual’s errand. ”

Zhang Anshi nodded at him, encouraging him to continue.

So Hu Mu thought, and then said: “Because of this, so this malpractice appeared, it is not unusual. But whenever you do something, the first thing is to separate the main and secondary, clarify the rights and responsibilities, and then the money and grain and mules and horses, to make a register, to ensure that the property. When these things are dredged up, things will be fine.”

Zhang Anshi said, “In that case, you are of the opinion that the problem with the stagecoach is still with the people?”

Hu Mu said decisively, “Yes, treat the people before you treat them.”

Zhang Anshi was silent for a moment, and said with deliberation, “But the post station spends countless amounts of money and grain every year, so what do you think?”

Hu Mu and seriously thought about it: “the fundamental way, is still in the duty on the head, as if the Railway Division, if the railroad is built up, only responsible for transporting the soldiers and officials, then …… year after year of losses is also inevitable. And this railroad division, especially the railroad division of Zhili, can day into the gold bucket, to put it bluntly, is the separation of powers and responsibilities, which some business, is specifically used to earn silver; which some, is responsible for the duties of the court. At this point, the railroad division is clear, clear, usually bear freight as well as passenger transport, if the court needs to mobilize troops and horses, the railroad division and how to deal with, or, the local disaster, the railroad division how to bear the responsibility of transporting food ……”

Hu Mu at this time can be described as a search, in fact, his set, is nothing more than their own in the Railway Division in the official summary of the approach is just.

This kind of thought is nothing more than once and for all, when dealing with a problem, one’s own blind thinking, and there are no rules and regulations, it is completely wherever one thinks of.

He was even a bit nervous, constantly observing Zhang Anshi’s face, and was not sure if what he said was good or not.

Zhang Anshi, however, was unaware of Hu Mu’s mood at this time and continued to encourage, “And?”

As for the matter of the post, before entering the capital, the DiBao have discussed, which attacked the sound of the biggest, naturally, is the question of the post waste money and food, HuMu these days, look at the DiBao process, naturally, there are also some thinking.

So, racking his brain with effort, he continued, “The situation of the post station …… can be divided into two kinds, for example, the transmission of official documents, the matter is related to the imperial court, then …… how to ensure that it is done quickly and expeditiously, or to take all the means, the fastest possible deliver the postal reports and official documents. And on weekdays, so many men and horses, if they are idle, not a pity, why …… can not be used in some way similar to pass the book on behalf of others and so on ……”

Zhang Anshi came to be interested and hooked his lips into a smile as he looked at Hu Mu with interest, “All this, how did you come up with it?”

Hu Mu busily said, “This …… this is actually …… the next official in Raozhou station there …… have experienced … …”

“Experience?” Although Zhang Anshi had a questioning tone, there was a faint smile on his lips.

Hu Mu said: “Raozhou station up and down, most people are from the south and north, everyone is uprooted from their homes, but the people out of their homes to break through, can not help but homesickness, or …… have a few thoughts about the deceased. As a result, every time someone leave to return home, there will always be someone please entrusted to the door, especially this person from their hometown near some, all hope that this person can help to pass some letters, or …… bring some things back.”

Hu Mu paused, and then said, “In fact, passing letters, such a thing …… has always been there, just …… ordinary people, most of them are confined in the countryside! The state dynasty Taizu Gao Emperor in the time, had not allowed the people to leave the countryside privately, so as not to breed the harm of the stragglers.”

“Before the state dynasty …… although there is no such rule, but in fact, the people who really leave the countryside, is a phoenix feather, because …… ordinary people, or rent land, or manipulate their own acres of land, if not corv茅e, who are willing to easily leave the countryside. The reason for this is the fact that the people are not able to leave their hometowns without labor, and they are not willing to leave their hometowns easily, because of the bandits along the way, as well as the various townspeople targeting the outsiders, which are too numerous to count, and once a person leaves his hometown, no one will know if he dies. ……”

Hu Mu said said, sighed and said: “As for, the need for letters, most of the officials and nobles, or merchants, they will pass some letters from time to time, but these people, most of the rich, the family has slaves, such as the delivery of letters such as the task, directly let their own slaves run errands on behalf of the transmission can be. The next official is ashamed, the next official at home when reading, but also with a lot of friends have letters to and from, largely repaired letters, since someone to run errands.”

“Thus, in the past …… my Daming actually in addition to official documents and dignitaries, almost very little need for correspondence, but nowadays …… my official thought that… … is very different. At least what my official has seen is the case ……”

Zhang Anshi subconsciously asked, “What was the situation you saw?”

Hu Mu then said, “On the one hand, the errands of the dignitaries …… are fewer.”

“Oh?” Zhang Anshi actually said with some surprise, “What is the reason for this?”

Look at Zhang Anshi concentrate on listening to the look, Hu Mu more and more look calm, eloquently said: “because the manpower rose, alone in Raozhou province, because Raozhou station a large number of laborers, therefore, the manpower rose greatly. In the past, the local nobles, if you want to recruit slaves, the disaster years, even if the daily give two mouths to eat, do not know how many people have to join, even if you encountered a good year, this body for the slaves, but also do not know how many. At least according to the next official in Jishui County when I know, manpower …… is traditionally as cheap as grass.”

He looked up at Zhang Anshi and continued, “But the Raozhou station has allowed manpower to skyrocket several times within a year, and I think that in the future …… manpower will only become more and more precious, nowadays, manpower is needed to repair railroads, manpower is needed for the workshops that are built, and manpower is needed to move and lift goods in the inns and wharves, too. Even the operation of the railroad, as well as the academy, medical school, and inspection office all need manpower, how can this manpower not rise?”

Said here, he hooked his lips and laughed: “Just because the price of manpower rose so much that …… in the past, the manpower, such as the grass, such as the general manpower, now has been easy to find, will only send a letter, but teach a slave, rolling hundreds or even thousands of miles, back and forth, this kind of things …… As far as the next official knows, that is, quite a few scholar-gentleman families, has also begun to some meat pain.”

Zhang Anshi nodded his head, not sparing any praise, “So that’s how it is, it’s you who are observant and subtle, this king didn’t think of it instead.”

Hu Mu laughed, “I am ashamed to say that the one who made these grass-like manpower in the first place was precisely someone like my humble servant.”

Zhang Anshi coughed and laughed dryly.

Well, big brother doesn’t laugh at second brother, and I, Zhang Anshi, am no better.

Hu Mu then put away the smile, sitting upright: “In addition, is Zhili and Jiangxi and other places, the rise of the railroad, not only the people began to travel, that merchants also began to go further and further away. In addition, a large number of people leave their hometowns to work, these people …… are no longer like the former people, even the food has become a problem, this people who work, although also poor, many people …… weekdays scrimp and save, but most of the people can eat and drink, monthly deductions, but also be able to save some spare money.”

“What’s more, they are already away from their hometowns, and there is already a need for correspondence …… If the new policy continues in this way, the next official even thinks that …… the number of people who need to pass on letters may be ten or a hundred times greater than today’s needs ……”

Zhang Anshi listened, but also nodded his head, his eyes unconsciously floated the color of appreciation, Hu Guang this son, is indeed a practical type! If it is not clear that there are a lot of curves here Yao Yao, and how can say so well.

So he said, “I didn’t really think that you could think like that.”

Hu Mu modestly said: “This is not what I think, in fact, just experience, in the Department of Railways, there are a lot of people around the trustee to pass the letter, which is very inconvenient, on the one hand, is always a nuisance to others, on the other hand, this trustee, is not a full-time pass the letter, and therefore along the way if it is lost, or did not deliver, it is also common that a lot of news can not be conveyed, but instead of breeding a lot of regrets. On the contrary, it breeds many regrets. In Raozhou station, I have witnessed many such things, so I was inspired.”

Zhang Anshi is actually still worried, this post office business problems, although he still has some confidence, after all, …… before the emergence of the telephone, the post itself is profitable, only with the rise of a variety of means of transmitting news, which is gradually decline.

But now the situation …… learned from Hu Mu s mouth is enough to reassure Zhang Anshi.

In the final analysis, it is the rise of commerce and industry, a large number of people uprooted from their hometowns, but also fostered a large number of people with a certain degree of spending power, and these people, it is the postal service’s main business people.

Zhang Anshi thought for a moment, then asked Hu Mu again, “Is there such a thing as sending a parcel or something like that?”

Humu said truthfully, “Yes, but not much.”

Zhang Anshi frowned, “Why is this?”

Hu Mu said, “After all, what is involved is property, and the problem with property is that it is inevitably risky to entrust it to others.”

Zhang Anshi laughed, then said, “It seems that this is just a matter of credit, if you can win the trust of others, then …… such things will certainly be more.”

Hu Mu nodded his head deeply and said, “If so, it is really so, and my humble servant thinks so too.”

Zhang Anshi shook his spirit, said: “This king wants to under the Ministry of Railways, set up a postal division, its size, and the railroad division of each place, of course, this matter has been reported to his majesty, his majesty is extremely favorable to this, intends to this matter, teach the palace and the Qixia merchant bank to be responsible for the expenditure of its money and food, of course …… the palace and the Qixia The merchant bank both out of the silver, then the proceeds and income, naturally also belong to the palace and the Qixia merchant bank!”

Said here, Zhang Anshi swept a glance at the crowd, and then said: “This time …… the king intends to take you as the backbone, with the original stage as the foundation, you first take a good cleanup, and then …… come up with a Practical and feasible way, just as Hu Mu just said, think more about the business that can be undertaken, and how to operate, or even …… whether it can be entrusted to the Division of Railroads …….”

“In short, what ideas can have, what can try, but there is a …… this king wants is to turn this postal division, into a second railroad, to be profitable. In addition, and to fulfill the duties of the court, how do you think?”

The crowd listened and looked at each other.

In fact, before they came, they had thought of many possibilities, but they never thought that His Highness, the King of Song, would let himself come for this.

Upon hearing His Highness’s words, some people were energized, while others had some doubts.

Zhang Anshi saw the crowd’s reaction in his eyes, smiled and said, “Hu Mu, this postal division of the first transit ambassador, will teach you to do, this matter I will petition his majesty, you this transit ambassador, and the status of the ambassadors of the provincial railroads division is equal to the status of the emperor, you have to know, even if the emperor’s son of his highness, is only an ambassador of the railroad division of jiangxi province.”

Hu Mu was appalled and outright shocked.

Although the status of the Emperor’s grandson is still higher than him this transit ambassador, after all, people also served as a minister of the Ministry of Railways it.

But even so …… still let him be greatly shocked, after all, he was once but the district of the canonical officials, although there have long been rumors, this time he made a great achievement, and sealed the title, most likely, he will become a station chief of a certain station, must be able to rise high.

But this station director of a station, and the Division of Railroads, compared to the ambassador, or a few levels, where to think, he went to the capital this time, actually want to preside over such a vital.

Although his heart was excited, he still said, “Your Highness, the seniority of the subordinate official ……”

Zhang Anshi felt that it was rare for a person to be able to weigh his ability to do things.

So Zhang Anshi to Hu Mu this guy’s impression and a few points better, smiled and said: “The problem is here, this postal division was first built, a hundred things to be busy, to be busy with a lot of things, there are seniority …… age is not small, teach them to move the nest, come to do this and other strenuous things, the king is somewhat intolerant. ”

You are still young, and in the Raozhou station, this king will see you can defy, see …… is willing to do this desperation, and then again, your merit examination, not only his majesty over the eyes of the past, the king also read, act really meticulous, the king said all of the above, is the king ultimately resolved to teach you to take on this great task of the heart. ”

Zhang Anshi gazed at him and said: “Do not restrain a pattern of lowering talent, such a thing …… once upon a time, but not much, after …… only afraid of more phoenix hairs and horns. This postal division, now is the target of all, you do not think you have a high promotion, but in fact, the menace of which, I think you also know, I do not know how many people, are staring at it, but where a tiny bit of half a point of error, I am afraid that the world will be shaken, incurring countless people’s comments, because of this …… you also do not want to think that this is what is a good thing. Fu Ruoxi disaster depends on, disaster Ruoxi blessing, you think about it yourself.”

When it came down to it, all Hu Mu had left was to be grateful.

A person …… who reveres himself, but can trust himself so much, entrusting such a major stem in his own hands, which for Hu Mu so but quite ambitious people, almost can be said to be regenerative parents is not too much.

So unconsciously, his eyes hot tears, at this time, finally can not help but think, why would someone say a life of drifting, only hate not meet the bright master and so on.

The feeling of being trusted, even for people like Hu Mu, is enough to produce the heart of entrusting one’s life.

So Hu Mu heartily bowed down and said: “I dare not try my best, if there is negligence, I would like to bring my head to see! After today, I and the Postal Service will be closely related to the success of the matter, then the honor and glory, not, then I ask to die.”

Zhang Anshi smiled, but did not greet him with pleasantries and polite words such as ‘ah ah ah ah, why do you say such bad luck’ or: ‘how can the king let you die’ and so on.

Instead, he smiled and nodded.

It’s kind of a military order to write down.

Zhang Anshi then began to deliver his duties and mission, and he took out a copy, which he had prepared long ago, of the charter, and then began to let them circulate it.

Those present, all excited, looked down at the charter and comprehended it in detail.

Zhang Anshi boarded up his face and said, “Other arrangements, tomorrow you go to the Ministry of Railways on your own, accept the appointment, followed by …… then start office, how to do things, the king does not care, the king as long as the results!”