"Sir, have you ever heard that the Turks are recruiting refugees to open up wasteland in the Hetao?"
After exchanging a few pleasantries with Chen Ziang, Li Chongrun got straight to the point and talked about his purpose.
"I can't plant on my own land in Yingzhou, so how can anyone go to barbarian lands like Hetao to open up wasteland?"
Chen Ziang looked disdainful: "There are quite a few people from Yunzhong who have traveled thousands of miles to come to Yingzhou to make a living."
"This is strange. The student inquired about Yingzhou all the way from Shendu. Except for Shendu, there is no such news from other state capitals. It's like..."
"It's like he's purposely walking around the capital to get news."
Bao'er spoke quickly and chirped on someone else's side and added something.
"We also deliberately chose to set up a stage in the busiest Nanshi. Who among the common people farming would go to such a place? Rather than attracting people, it is more like showing it to the emperor."
"Chen Zi'ang, the governor of Yingzhou, has met His Highness the County Lord."
Li Chongrun didn't show any ceremony when he got off the ship, and Bao'er was even more embarrassed to show off. In addition, today she was only wearing a factory guard's gray cotton-padded jacket, just like a boy. Chen Zi'ang was not familiar with her in the first place, so they were not familiar with her.
Didn't recognize her right away.
"This girl is amazing now. She and Xianhui were just granted the title of princess, and she also got a title in the Taoist sect. If one day she flies into the sky in front of my husband, please don't be too surprised."
The new steamship Li Chongrun was riding on naturally spread faster than rumors. So Chen Ziang didn't know about the extravagant work the two little girls were doing in the capital.
"It turns out that Chen is still a true immortal who has attained enlightenment. I hope that your highness, Princess, will not blame you."
Chen Ziang thought that Li Chongrun was just joking, and he just made a haha and fooled him.
"When the prince comes to Yingzhou, he doesn't send a message in advance. It's better to make arrangements to help the prince."
"Except for carrier pigeons, there is really no way to send messages faster than this steamship."
Li Chongrun smiled noncommittally: "As for the food in this world, which one can compare to the kitchen of my palace? It doesn't matter about catching the wind."
Chen Zi'ang was used to his prince's conceited temperament, so he wasn't surprised at all.
"Lvzhu learned how to make buns from the Yang family's sister-in-law. She is very good at making buns. The fact that Chen has such a belly is in some way related to the buns. Why don't she make two steamed buns to satisfy the prince's craving?"
p
Chen Ziang sent someone to inform Luzhu. Li Chongrun saw that it was still early, so he thought of going to the city for a walk.
Although he had not been in Yingzhou for a long time, after all, it was the territory where he led troops to fight, and it had not been long ago, so Li Chongrun still had some feelings for this place.
"Why is it so crowded?"
Liucheng, the garrison of Yingzhou, was more like a large fortress than a city before, and naturally there were not many residents.
It's just that I haven't been here for more than a year, and the originally sparse houses and orderly streets have completely disappeared, leaving only a noisy, messy and prosperous place full of fireworks.
"Since the opening of the mutual market, and with the support of many merchants from Yangzhou, business in Yingzhou has been extremely good recently."
Chen Ziang proudly asked Li Chongrun for credit, but everything happened: "Although there are many businessmen, there are very few farmers, and the merchants make a lot of money, but they can never collect the mediocre rents.
Another example is that although Liucheng is not far from the sea, the Daling River has to go in a long circle to reach the sea, and it is inconvenient to sail. I originally wanted to dig a canal, but it turned out that I couldn't raise the corvee, which is really a headache."
While they were talking, the group of people had already arrived at the south gate. The shed where Li Chongrun hosted the Hongmen Banquet on the other side of the river had long been demolished, but many small shacks had appeared out of thin air, densely packed and extending far south.
"This Liucheng was originally only used as a garrison, and the space was really limited. In the past two years, so many customers have moved here to do business that the city has long been unable to accommodate them. Many people have built their own shacks and land on the south bank of the Daling River.
Zongzi will live here first. In the last two days, Wei Changshi suggested building another city on the south bank, and is preparing to collect donations from merchants in the city."
Chen Ziang has managed Yingzhou well. It was originally just a remote lower state, but in the past year or so, it has become something like a small Yangzhou out of thin air. Li Chongrun's bank has already opened, and there is a bank near the south gate.
On the doors of some cramped small shops, the door of the Commercial Press is displayed. It seems that there are quite a lot of readers.
reader body
"We have to build a new city anyway, and there is no point in building a dojo in this screw shell. If you ask me, it's better to be more generous and go directly to the seaside to build another city, move all the businesses there, build a port, and ship away
It’s also convenient to get up.”
Li Chongrun pointed in the direction of Huludao: "I think the peninsula opposite the island we hid before is good. The water is deep enough to park a large ship, and it is surrounded by sea on three sides. It is also easy to defend. After all, the world can compete with our black ships.
The navy of the fleet doesn’t even exist yet.”
Huludao was a very famous port in later generations, so it was a perfect choice for building a city.
"The terrain of Liucheng is dangerous, and it is just stuck at the entrance to the customs. If the war breaks out again in the future, it will be really disappointing that the prosperity will be reduced to ashes."
After listening to Li Chongrun's suggestion, Chen Ziang nodded seriously: "What the prince said is absolutely true. Chen will make arrangements right now."
"As for the issue of renting, there is no rush. We might as well exempt the people who come here to farm from taxes first, and wait until the population increases."
Li Chongrun was naturally familiar with the methods used by later generations to develop the western region.
"The tax is not high to begin with. If we exempt it for a few more years, I'm afraid it will be difficult for the imperial court to do business."
Chen Ziang said with a troubled face.
"Don't be afraid. Anyway, the mutual trade is here. The ministers in Shendu will always buy some skins and ginseng and deer antlers from outside the customs. The gang of second-rate dealers in Yangzhou will always use some worthless salt tea in the hands of these northern barbarians.
After these good goods are exchanged, not everyone has their own way to go north like the 7 companies."
p
Li Chongrun laughed, "There are some ways to force everyone to trade here honestly. In the grasslands and deserts, there will always be some thieves and reckless people, and there will always be a lot of smuggling, a knife-edge and blood-licking business.
Risky isn’t it?”
Chen Ziang was stunned for a moment. He didn't expect that his prince would come up with such a wild and unrestrained method. He was a bit shocked. He thought to himself that after not seeing him for a while, his prince seemed to be bolder.
"Not afraid." Li Chongrun saw that Chen Zi'ang seemed a little worried, so he did not forget to help him explain: "Your Majesty will not do things like smuggling. We can't touch the aristocratic family, which is just some desperate desperadoes. Instead of keeping them,
It is a waste of national food. It is better to deal with the problem directly and reduce a lot of instability factors."
"Even if there are more people trading here, it will only allow the shipping company to earn more money, and the taxes will still not be collected."
After all, Chen Ziang is still a traditional literati at heart. He is more familiar with the method of extracting oil from farmers passed down by the older generation. After all, from the First Emperor to the present, the idea that agriculture is the foundation of a country has only been around for a while.
It is difficult to change.
"Just get more wool from the businessmen. Anyway, these business people have nothing else but a lot of bad money."
Li Chongrun waved his hands carelessly, not caring at all as if he was the biggest businessman in the world besides the emperor.
"If we are too harsh on businessmen, I'm afraid it will cause some waves."
Li Chongrun was typical of standing up and talking at this time without pain in his back. These so-called wealthy businessmen in his mouth were not only rich, but usually also very powerful and well-established. Of course Li Chongrun was not afraid. After all, Chen Ziang still wanted to
People who make a living in the court naturally have to think more.
"What are you afraid of? It has always been the case that peasants can't afford to eat and rebel. When did you hear that businessmen can rebel? As long as the people under your command have enough to eat and drink, how can these businessmen with no foundation want to touch you?
We all have to ask the artillery behind us if they agree."
Many of the artillery on the tower at the south gate of Liucheng have been removed, but a gleaming golden Kanglong cannon is still left at the head of the city to announce the defense of Yingzhou to the people coming from the south.
It was because it had been used too many times and was on the verge of being scrapped. It had been abandoned by the black cavalry stationed here, so it was placed here by Chen Ziang.
"Sister Lvzhu's buns are truly outstanding. They are thin-skinned, big stuffing, and have 18 pleats. They are much better than those guys from Daguanyuan."
We had dinner at Chen Ziang's government office. Lvzhu steamed two steamed buns with extremely fresh and sweet fillings. Li Chongrun was hooked.
"Your Majesty is in the capital of the gods, so of course he can't eat such fresh venison. A few brothers from the factory guard went to Xi Ren's place to deliver the goods today. They picked it up on the way and delivered it to the house at noon."
The so-called delivering goods to Xiren naturally refers to selling some afurong grown in Fanyang Youzhou to those nobles.
The reason why Li Chongrun could brazenly instigate Chen Ziang to raise taxes in Yingzhou without fear of affecting his own income, and also deceive him into using unspeakable means to crack down on other smugglers, was naturally because the biggest smuggler in Yingzhou was himself, and
What is being smuggled is profiteering stuff like opium.
When it comes to selling things, there is no competition like monopoly. The profits are huge, not to mention smuggling without paying taxes.
"Speaking of digging the canal, Mr. Huihui went to the workshop to place an order. I asked them to bring out two steam engines first. This thing is very powerful. It has the strength of a thousand kilograms. Even ten horses can't compare with it. It leaves a lot of manpower.
Quite true."
"This is very good. Yingzhou is not short of money now, but it is really short of people. If this machine can help, it will save a lot of trouble."
Steamed buns and wine, I have everything in the world. The two masters and apprentices chatted like this for half the night, lamenting the death of Lao Cui, lamenting the bitter cold in the North, lamenting the arrogance of the family, and of course, they also said a lot of things that were not suitable for others to hear.
s things.
reader body
Anyway, when Li Chongrun finally fell asleep without any alcohol left, he felt that he felt a lot more relaxed. The stone that was weighing on his heart seemed to be partially loosened, and he was finally able to breathe.
On the second day, the weather was good and there was a slight easterly wind, which was a good time for a test flight.
A group of people methodically carried out the pieces of the hot air balloon from the cabin and spread it out on a large piece of grass mat on Fenghuang Mountain on the east bank of the Daling River.
It was the day when the mutual market opened. Chen Ziang had been busy in the government office for a long time before he had time to come over and say hello to Li Chongrun.
Seeing that Li Chongrun had brought out some new things, but seeing that it was a copper stove, a basket made of pewter, and a large piece of silk cloth, Chen Ziang thought that Li Chongrun was going to have a picnic here, and brought Putong out.
.
"If the prince wants to see the scenery and find inspiration to write some poems, the outpost at the Phoenix Mouth on the top of the mountain is more suitable. The scenery is more magnificent and the facilities are more complete."
"If we say the scenery is magnificent, I'm afraid that no scenery in the world is as magnificent as this thing in front of you."
Li Chongrun directed a group of factory guards to assemble the hot air balloon below, while talking to Chen Ziang in plain language.
Without the large butane-burning blowtorch of later generations, Li Chongrun could only make a large alcohol blowtorch. However, after all, the power and energy efficiency ratio was somewhat low, which made the hot air balloon less effective. Xianhui experimented with it in the workshop.
Secondly, although you can carry two people into the sky, you cannot carry things like cargo or weapons.
This also made Li Chongrun's ambitious dream of forming a Datang version of the Air Force come to nothing.
,~Welcome to download
However, when the huge balloon took Xianhui and Shisan up to the sky, Chen Ziang, who had always thought that he had been with Li Chongrun for a long enough time and had seen many new things, almost knelt down.
"My dear, you really went to heaven. Could it be that this is really a god?"
"What a god, it's just a large Kongming Lantern."
The test flight was successful, but because of Li Chongrun's insistence, a long rope was dragged under the hot air balloon to act as a safety rope, which limited the performance of the hot air balloon and made Xianhui, who likes flying, complain.
"Sir, do you want to go up and experience it too?"
Seeing Chen Ziang's expression of eagerness to try, Li Chongrun chuckled twice and motioned for him to go up and try.
However, even Li Chongrun, who came later in life, could not handle the matter of resisting gravity with his body, let alone Chen Ziang, a middle-aged scholar who had the power to tie a chicken and could barely beat a goose.
The hot air balloon only flew in the sky for a while, and then slowly landed. Landing with the hot air balloon, there was also the laughter of Xianhui and Chen Ziang's vomit...
"The student also tried it once, but he vomited for a long time before he recovered. Today, I saw that my husband couldn't bear it. It seems that it is because of the inheritance of the teacher, and it is not that the boy is weak."
All joking aside, the test will continue. The rate of alcohol consumption is much higher than Li Chongrun expected. It can only fly for more than an hour after filling up with fuel. This makes Li Chongrun take a hot air balloon directly from Yingzhou.
The plan to go straight to the Loop fell through.
But fortunately, emergency plans have been made. There are not many other things in Yingzhou, but there are many horses.
In just one day, dozens of recruited carriages formed a mighty convoy, leading Li Chongrun and a group of factory guards to the Turkic territory.
Chen Ziang originally wanted to stop Li Chongrun from going to the Hetao to investigate in person, but he naturally understood Li Chongrun's temper. In addition, when he saw the factory guards secretly stuffing a lot of wooden boxes with the factory guard emblem into the carriage, Chen Ziang
Naturally, he knew that those boxes contained powers that did not belong to mortals, and seeing that Li Chongrun had been vague about the details of the mission, he knew that it must involve some things that were inconvenient for him to understand, so he decisively stopped talking.
.
"Going west from here is the territory of the Xi people. The current Khan of the Xi people is a bit useless, and he is also addicted to aphrodisiac and strong liquor. It is estimated that his time is not long. Now the person in charge of the clan is his eldest son. This person is in charge of the clan.
I have been studying in the capital for many years, yearning for the prosperity of the Central Plains, and respecting the Han people very much, so the prince can rest assured."
After seeing off Li Chongrun for a long time, and seeing that they were about to leave Yingzhou, Chen Ziang reluctantly stopped.
"In the past, the territory of the Xi people was the Turks. The Turks lived in pursuit of water and grass. There were few towns and cities. Besides, except for a few leaders, most of them were barbarians who did not understand the language. Your Majesty, you should be careful."
Chen Ziang made long-winded arrangements, and Li Chongrun naturally knew that he meant well and that he really didn't understand these things, so he listened attentively.
"In addition to the Turks, there are also many horse bandits. They are cruel by nature and extremely greedy. Most of them are abandoned tribesmen or thieves who have escaped from the pass. It is more convenient to deal with them without having to compromise morality. It is more convenient to take action directly."
"Students know."
God was not kind, or rather, God was too kind. When we were leaving, the drizzle of stars actually started to drift.
p
Many buds sprouted on the grassland in spring. They were splashed by the drizzle, and the buds were covered with pearl-like water droplets.
"After seeing you for thousands of miles, we need to say goodbye in the end. We will go to Hetao here and leave Yingzhou in the west. There will be no old friends again. Your Majesty, you still have to cherish it."
After talking a thousand words, it was inevitable to say goodbye in the end. Li Chongrun waved to Chen Ziang on the carriage and led everyone into this vast world.
It is more than 2,000 miles from Yingzhou to the Hetao, even if it is a day and night journey, when the vast grassland with both heaven and earth finally showed some ups and downs, the guide leading the team reported to Li Chongrun with a tired look on his face: "Your Majesty, the Hetao has arrived.
."
The journey 1 cannot be said to be without words, but it cannot be said to be ups and downs either.
Li Chongrun did not experience any big troubles with Xi Ren, and even received some preferential treatment.
Although it was not convenient for Li Chongrun to reveal his identity, even a fool would know that this smiling young man's identity was unusual for being able to lead so many followers on the prairie.
It's just that after leaving the Xi people's territory, it became the territory of the Turks. In addition, he encountered many horse bandits who had no eyesight. Li Chongrun rarely enjoyed a few days of being a dandy who could tell the difference between life and death.
The small tribe of Turks was okay. After all, Li Chongrun was not the kind of bad guy who killed people and took pleasure in killing people. He could just hide away. When there was no supply, he could exchange some candies, liquor and other items for some meat.
It's just that the horse bandits are quite annoying. After seeing the miserable situation of the horse bandits 4 several times, Li Chongrun simply issued a kill order.