Author: Gongsun Wujiu

The next day, at noon, a group of people gathered around the notice board at the entrance of the Luntai Fortress and started talking.

"If you ask me, it should have been like this a long time ago. Luntai is now a Han country, and we are also Han people. How can we speak nonsense and practice foreign customs!"

"Cai, from now on if someone behaves in vulgar ways and talks nonsense in front of us, Nai Gong will definitely teach him a lesson!"

After Zhang Yue and Li Si discussed it, they posted the notice the next day.

To Zhang Yue's surprise, the people who most agreed and supported this matter were not the real Han people, but the naturalized Hu people.

However, Zhang Yue soon understood that this was just like the Manchus in later generations who implemented the policy of shaving their hair, and the people who were most enthusiastic about it were the Han people who surrendered.

From this day on, Luntai began a vigorous Sinicization movement.

In just two or three months, the appearance of the entire Luntai has been greatly changed. In the entire Luntai, from Zhang Yue to the slaves, there is no longer a person with braided hair.

Regardless of whether they were originally Luntai people, Qiuci people, Wuhuan people, or Qiang people, the records in Luntai now show that they are all Han people, and everyone wears their hair in right knots. It is a scene of the Han family.

Under the leadership of Li Si, the first school in Luntai was also established in order to encourage naturalized people to learn calligraphy.

Zhang Yue concluded that as long as the free people could learn 500 characters, they could be registered as households and become real Han people. They would have the same rights as the Han people in the pass.

A slave who can learn Chinese calligraphy for 500 can become a free citizen, and a slave who can learn Chinese calligraphy for 1,000 can become a Han Chinese.

When Zhang Yue formulated the rules, he naturally did not forget the soldiers of the Han Army and Yi Cong. Zhang Yue also gave generous rewards. For 500 calligraphy training, the soldiers of the Han Army and Yi Cong could get a first-class salary and be directly transferred to Yi Cong.

He is a regular soldier of the Han army.

In addition to these, for every 100 Chinese characters learned, you can also get a reward of 3 buckets of grain.

Under the generous rewards, the entire Luntai fell into a vigorous literacy campaign.

The Han Army in Luntai also became the only army outside the Central Army of the Han Army in which everyone was literate.

When Mani led the caravan to Luntai again, he felt that he no longer knew Luntai at all.

The entire Luntai is wearing Chinese-style clothes with a right lapel. They are obviously from the Western Regions and have high noses and deep eyes, but they have their hair combed in a Chinese-style bun. When they met each other, they no longer performed the old rituals but bowed to each other.

What is even more strange is that from the fortress to the fields, there is the sound of reading everywhere.

After careful questioning, Mani finally understood what had happened in Luntai.

He couldn't help but shudder. Luntai's behavior reminded him of what would happen ten or twenty years later.

With the support of the powerful army of the Han Empire, if they continue to adhere to such a policy, you can imagine what will happen decades later.

The countries in the Western Regions will no longer have other languages ​​and writings, and Chinese language and Chinese culture will rule the entire Western Regions.

After a few generations, I am afraid that everyone will forget their original ethnicity, and they will think that they are born Han Chinese.

But Mani soon felt relieved, and even began to envy these people who were learning Chinese.

Mani, who was well versed in the history of the Sogdians, knew how sad it was to be a small and weak nation.

If you can really become a member of the most powerful and civilized country in the known world, that would be a blessing.

In the past two years, he has actually realized this deeply.

The envoys and merchants of the Han people were the guests of kings in all countries. However, the Sogdians always encountered various difficulties.

Those who can speak Chinese and write Chinese characters will receive preferential treatment in the countries along the Silk Road.

Mani secretly decided to urge his relatives to learn Chinese seriously.

Even if you cannot become Chinese, learning Chinese will be looked upon highly by others, and it will be of greater benefit to business.

…

"Greetings to Mr. Ming!"

In the Luntai military camp, Mani performed a standard Han salute to Zhang Yue.

Zhang Yue smiled with satisfaction and said, "Mani, this trip went smoothly."

Mani said respectfully: "Thanks to Duke Ming, the Silk Road is now much safer than before."

Zhang Yue said: "That's good. Now I am planning to reformulate a new tax system. I wonder if you have any suggestions."

Mani said: "I am just an insignificant barbarian businessman, how can I understand this?"

Mani said this, but in fact, he had already found it difficult to calm down, because any small change in taxation would seriously affect his income.

Today, most merchants and envoys traveling on the Silk Road choose to take the southern route because the tolls on the southern route are lower.

Zhang Yue looked at Mani and smiled and said: "Mani, if you have any advice, it doesn't matter. There is no need to worry. You are now also a member of Luntai."

What Zhang Yue said is not nonsense, because now Mani has officially joined Qianniuwei and serves as a general manager of Qianniuwei's peripheral forces.

From this aspect, he can also be regarded as a member of the Han army in Luntai.

Zhang Yue had already said this, so Mani naturally knew that he had to say something, otherwise he would be disrespectful.

"I am reporting this to Duke Ming. I feel that if Duke Ming wants us to obtain higher returns, he must not set taxes too high."

Mani gritted his teeth when he said this and continued: "If the tax is set too high, it will only make businessmen switch to the southern route, so our Luntai's income will become less and less."

Zhang Yue said with satisfaction: "It is indeed a good word. To be honest, I am planning to halve Luntai's commercial tax. I would like to trouble you to publicize this news to the outside world."

Mani hurriedly said: "Don't dare, don't dare, this is all a servant's duty."

This time Mani was sincere, because the tax halved would greatly increase the income he could obtain.

Zhang Yue said with a smile: "I am doing this for Luntai. With merchants like you coming to trade, Luntai can become prosperous again."

"Mani has one more thing, and I need to ask Thor."

Mani said: "You may ask me, but as long as I can do it, I will do my best."

Zhang Yue smiled and said: "I'm serious, but it's actually not a big deal. I just want you to find some seeds."

Mani said in surprise: "I don't know what kind of seeds Minggong needs. I dare not tell you anything else. As long as it is from Anxi, Bactria, and around Yueshi, our Sogdian Chamber of Commerce can definitely find it."

Zhang Yue put his hands on his hands and laughed and said: "That's great. This is the list of things I need. Let's take a look first."

After Zhang Yue finished speaking, he handed a piece of linen cloth with writing on it to Mani.

The fine linen cloth Zhang Yue handed to Mani was naturally written in Chinese characters, but this did not trouble Mani.

Since the last time he met Zhang Yue, Mani spent a lot of money to hire a Han Chinese living in the Western Regions to teach him Chinese characters. In addition, because of his business relationship, he could speak Chinese.

Therefore, it is much faster for ordinary people to learn Chinese characters, and now they can recognize thousands of characters.

Mani took the list, looked down, and immediately felt relieved.
Chapter completed!