Chapter 706: Ironware is not for sale
Fujiwara once set foot on the land of Goryeo. He dug up the fertile soil of Goryeo, held it in his hands and greedily inhaled the fragrance of the soil. The endless fields aroused the raging wildfire in his heart, and he even dreamed of annexing the territory of Goryeo.
This guy was extremely unwilling to accept the result and wanted to reorganize his troops into a new type of army like the Shenwei Army of the New Song Dynasty. He wanted to work hard and fight Goryeo again .
Oda said in embarrassment: "We are currently at war with the New Song Dynasty. The maritime trade between the two countries is limited to daily necessities such as tobacco, alcohol, tea, soap, tooth powder, and toothbrushes. The New Song Dynasty will not even sell us iron tools such as kitchen knives and hoes, let alone strong bows and crossbows."
What do we use to arm the army?
The president of the Wulong Society who was in charge of the investigation nodded repeatedly and said: Yes, the New Song Kingdom only left our foreign envoys in Chengdu, and expelled all the others.
Not only that, the New Song Dynasty is now expelling our warriors from the whole country, and warriors with residence rights are also told not to carry weapons outside. Alas, this is because our attempt to assassinate the young emperor of Goryeo was exposed after our failure, and the New Song Dynasty caught us with evidence. Many secret agents of the Wulong Society were arrested, and we suffered heavy losses.
Oda was distressed that their secret guard network hidden in the New Song Kingdom had collapsed, and he was so angry that he screamed and vomited "Bang, bang."
Fujiwara smiled cunningly and said sinisterly: Even though the two countries have become mortal enemies, it is very simple to make peace. We can also become a vassal state of the new Song Dynasty. In that case, not only can we buy everything, but we can also get countless good things rewarded by the superior country.
We can also walk around the counties and prefectures of the New Song Dynasty to investigate their military defenses, secretly obtain their new weapons and tools, and quickly improve our means and capabilities of producing weapons.
Damn it, this guy is really calculating.
Fujiwara said proudly: I have received secret information from the palace that the emperor wants to make the country a vassal state of the New Song Dynasty, intending to rely on the power of the New Song Dynasty to restore the royal family's former power.
We can just take advantage of this and have the royal family ask the New Song to establish a vassal relationship with it.
The president of the Wulong Society said with a grim face: We must be cautious about this. Becoming a vassal state of the New Song is not a matter of a word. The New Song has its own charter for governing vassal states. They will station troops on our island, and there are countless assessment clauses. If you don't agree, the New Song will not accept you.
Fujiwara said with a laugh: Then agree to everything. Once we get what we want, we will kill all the troops and officials stationed on the island. Then, we can easily get the weapons they brought, including the warships that came across the sea, right?
Fujiwara fiercely raised his hand knife and slashed his neck, making a beheading gesture that everyone understands.
Damn, that's a really good plan.
In the small palace of Goryeo Kingdom, the young emperor returned with his injured queen wife.
Although he did not fully achieve his wish during this mission to the New Song Kingdom and his most beloved little imperial concubine died, there was one piece of news that made him very excited, that is, the superior country decided to attack the island country of Wa, which was to avenge the Goryeo Kingdom and to avenge him.
As soon as he came back, he secretly summoned his son Wang Dian and asked him to arrange 50,000 elite troops to be sent to Liu Zheng's military camp. He also instructed the generals at all levels to obey the orders of the Shenwei Army and practice hard to kill the enemy.
At this moment, this girl is in the palace taking stock of the gains and losses of the past year.
With the help of the New Song, Goryeo completely wiped out the invading army of the island country of Wa, achieved peace and prosperity, and turned to local governance and people's livelihood. Only then did it discover that government offices in various places were incomplete, people were short of food and clothing, and roads were rugged and uneven. It was truly a devastated place with a lot of waste to be rebuilt.
When the young emperor visited the capital of the New Song Dynasty, this feeling was even more real and intense.
The roads in the upper country are wide and flat, and the imperial capital is like a fairyland, so exquisite and prosperous that it is beyond imagination.
There are also magical trains and electric lights that seem to come from outer space.
As he was reminiscing, the Minister of Personnel reported: Many officials fled during the war. They fled to Kaijing and Liaoyang of the new Song Dynasty and never came back. They would rather set up stalls in Kaijing to tell fortunes and support their families than return to their posts. The shortage of officials in various places was due to the inability to pay salaries, so no one was willing to take up the post.
The Minister of Revenue said: The money we print is depreciating too quickly and no one wants it. Officials and common people all recognize the rustling paper money of the New Song Dynasty. People who make a living are even too lazy to accept silver, because the banks of the New Song Dynasty exchange silver coins and paper money at a one-to-one ratio. As long as you want, you can go to the border bank in Kaifeng to exchange them at any time, which is very convenient.
The young emperor said indifferently: Then just give out silver, use the silver from the Imperial Household Department to pay the salaries.
The Minister of Revenue was shocked, and the old eunuch in charge of internal affairs looked at the little emperor what to do.
The little emperor said calmly: Don't worry, I have borrowed a sum of money from the superior country, which is enough to deal with the current crisis.
He proudly told his ministers about the results of his mission to New Song.
The Minister of Revenue was delighted at first, but then he frowned and said that the money borrowed from Xin Song must be repaid, and we still have to find a way.
The young emperor told him not to worry, he had his own way, no worries. At present, food was still in short supply, we could export 100,000 laborers to the New Song. He asked the Ministry of Revenue to select 100,000 young women to work and earn money in the New Song State, and allow these women to marry and settle down in Liaoyang, provided that they mailed the money they earned back home within three years.
The guy took a sip of tea leisurely and said: We are short of food. Years of war have resulted in fewer men and more women. We can send some women to Liaoyang Road to work and earn money. This will not only reduce food consumption, but also earn money for the court. This is killing two birds with one stone.
Everyone laughed, which was rare, and praised the emperor's strategy as brilliant.
The little emperor continued: As for currency, we will no longer print it. We will allow the people to use the new Song currency freely and circulate it in the same way as our paper currency and silver coins. We will also collect the new Song currency when we collect taxes.
By doing this, our banknotes will no longer depreciate.
Not only that, we also need to organize the people to repair ditches, roads, and farmland, and we need to be willing to spend money. We also need to lower our tariffs to return to the original state, and then subsidize merchants to transport goods to New Song for trade, and earn back New Song currency, right?
Everyone was surprised.
Wang Dian also found that his father seemed like a different person. How come he suddenly became so open-minded?
The general leading the troops of the Li family believed that Goryeo's extensive use of New Song currency might not be a good thing. If taxes were also collected in New Song currency, it would be equivalent to being one with New Song. What would be the difference between that and being incorporated into the New Song Kingdom?
An old white-haired censor in front of the court immediately shouted loudly: Your Majesty, this cannot be done. If this happens, our Goryeo Kingdom will be destroyed.
The little emperor became impatient and frowned, saying: "You are just exaggerating. It's really nonsense." He ordered the imperial guards to drag him out.
The guy pointed at the censor who was dragged away and said angrily: Whenever there is a big event, this guy comes out to sing the opposite tune. I don't know how many good things he has ruined while I was with him.
This move slapped the Li family in the face.
The emperor suddenly became angry. All the ministers didn't know why, so they lowered their heads, looked around, and counted the dust on their toes.
The young emperor said coldly: The people of Goryeo are currently living in poverty and the court is at a critical juncture. If we do not make bold changes, how can we ensure that the people have enough food to eat?
If I don't do this, there will be no need for the New Song Dynasty to send troops, and the people will go to the upper country to ask for the dethronement of me.
The young emperor's passionate speech caused silence in the court, but everyone took it to heart.
Goryeo was so poor that there was nothing to eat or wear. Some families only had one pair of pants for the whole family. Some people would wear them when they went out, while others would stay in their tattered quilts and cross their eyes. Even some officials fled to Liaoyang and never came back. From now on, the common people would flee to the new Song Dynasty over the mountains and over the ridges. Who could stop them?
After the court discussion, the young emperor left Wang Dian behind and gave him a secret explanation, telling him that although the Li family members were good at commanding battles, especially in water skills, the Li family had always been rebellious. This time, in the fight against the Japanese pirates, the children of the Li family fought well and made great achievements. The support in the court was very high, and it must be suppressed, otherwise the court would not be at peace.
The young emperor asked Wang Dian to go to the New Song Kingdom and ask the garrison commander Liu Zheng to help solve the Li family's problem. Then he went to the capital of the New Song Dynasty to ask the king if he could live in the capital of the upper country.
He needed the oral instructions from Lord Zhao.
Wang Dian was stunned.
Seeing this, the little emperor asked him unhappily: What's wrong?
Didn't hear clearly?
Wang Dian immediately nodded and said: He understood, and they will set off now.
The young emperor saw Wang Dian's bright eyes and said: That's right, how should we do it? Just report it to the Lord of Zhao. I am already exhausted and don't want to worry about it anymore.
Wang Dian immediately said: Your Majesty is in the prime of life...
But the little emperor waved his hand to interrupt the conversation, telling them to stop doing these useless things and get on with their work.
Wang Dian no longer hesitated and said goodbye and left.
In Huaxi Village outside the west gate of Chengdu, Ma Linger called together his own children and shopkeepers from various quarters to hold various annual meetings. The newly built banquet hall was filled with shopkeepers from various places.
Ma Linger was happily chatting and drinking tea with Si Niang, Xiao Niang and some elders. When she saw Shunzhidi coming in with Zhao Yulin's hand, she immediately asked the maid to invite them to take a seat.
The woman said with a smile, "Brother, I'm late. Please explain to all the shopkeepers."
A group of children were cheering for him to speak.
Zhao Yulin said that he and Zhidi just came here to have a free meal, and he wouldn’t say any more.
Zhu Fugui was in charge of the construction business, and he took the lead in asking his father-in-law to give some advice to the sisters.
Zhao Yulin asked him to first tell us about the street construction situation this year.
Fugui introduced the scale and profit of street construction in various places in detail and asked for his comments.
Zhao Yulin was very satisfied. Fugui was really meticulous and did things very carefully. In the past two years, he concentrated on building a large number of new houses for the professors and craftsmen in Cuiping Mountain and Hongmeng Valley.
He asked: No matter how we do business, it is difficult to make a loss, and we will not let the shopkeepers and masters go hungry, right?
You must be kidding. This is the business of his Zhao family, the emperor's backyard. If his family loses money in business, then all the businessmen in the New Song Dynasty will probably starve.
