The Prodigal Son of Zhenguan

"What to talk to him about? Tell him directly to let them grow cotton in Gaochang?" Li Shimin asked doubtfully.

Li Fu spread his hands.

"Why not?" Li Fu smiled: "If there are benefits, Ju Wentai will not want it? Gaochang is a place where cotton is grown and there will be a good harvest. The Tang Dynasty will give them money and food. They just need to grow cotton with peace of mind."

"Although I have never been to Gaochang, I know what the Western Regions are like. The grain yield there is not high. They can't harvest much grain throughout the year, but growing cotton and exchanging money, grain, silk, and all kinds of things from the Central Plains will definitely be more cost-effective than growing grain." Li Fu said.

"In this case, will our Tang Dynasty lose money?" Fang Xuanling asked.

He didn't know much about doing business, but if it was exchanged for grain, wouldn't it still have to pay for grain?

"How can there be a loss if it is equal exchange?" Li Fu said calmly: "The main thing is that after the people in Gaochang get used to this model, Gaochang will gradually become a frontier fortress of the Tang Dynasty.

Although Gaochang will still be governed by Ju Wentai in the future, in reality, Gaochang cannot do without the trade of the Tang Dynasty."

"People are used to a good life. Will they be willing to return to their previous poor days?"

"If there are no accidents in the middle, the so-called Gaochang King Ju Wentai is actually just a frontier official of the Tang Dynasty. For these surrounding countries, some trade can be opened. The Tang Dynasty will not lose money, and they will also think that they have made money. When they become overly dependent on the Tang Dynasty, even if they have some ideas, will they dare to move?"

After Li Fu finished speaking, everyone present took a breath.

Such a plan is not unfamiliar.

"The Tang Dynasty has plenty of food. If the Tang Dynasty is willing to give them food, they can eat well, wear warm clothes and live a good life. If the Tang Dynasty is unwilling to give them food, they can continue to grow food as before and live a life where food and clothing may not be guaranteed."

"With food in hand, there is no need to panic." Li Fu said slowly, with a calm look.

"During the Warring States Period, when other vassal states were emphasizing agriculture and suppressing commerce, Guan Zhong proposed to give equal importance to agriculture and commerce in order to make Qi prosperous." Changsun Wuji started the conversation.

Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui also thought of this.

"Qi State could not starve with the profits from fish and salt, but it could not get rich either, so it opened up the sea and sold tiger and leopard skins." Fang Xuanling said: "If the Koreans do not pay tribute, how about using the leather of a leopard as currency? A leopard skin can contain gold. Then the Koreans, which are eight thousand miles away, can pay tribute."

"In this way, the trade generated by the goods from overseas was monopolized by Qi State. Qi State also quickly became strong in this way and accumulated strong national strength. Merchants in the Eastern Zhou Dynasty also gathered in Linzi, and the grand occasion was unprecedented."

"However, merchants pursued profits, and scholars traveled around the countries for development. Merchants like these people who traveled all over the country directly infiltrated Qi State, and the rapid prosperity of merchants hit Qi State's agriculture. People began to "Qi State has no longer been engaged in farming, and is busy with business, which has made Qi State rely heavily on buying food from other vassal states."

"Qi State has fewer farmers, resulting in insufficient soldiers, and the army has no strong combat effectiveness, let alone military law masters. Most importantly, the affluent life has blinded Qi State. Whether it is the Jiang State of Qi in the Spring and Autumn Period or the Tian State of Qi after the usurpation of the throne during the Warring States Period, they all mistakenly believe that Qi State is strong, and even stop making progress because of this."

"When the vassal states joined forces to attack Qin, Qi State often did not participate, or took a passive approach, because it did not want to offend anyone, and the war would affect the development of its business and lose its trading partners."

Li Shimin nodded slightly.

Du Ruhui looked at Li Fu.

"Does the King of Jingyang want to turn Gaochang into the second Qi?"

"How can Gaochang be compared with Qi?" Li Fu asked back: "It's just to let them farm honestly. Besides, relying on farming, they can live a good life. Isn't this what most people want to pursue? The Tang Dynasty just satisfied their pursuit."

"The Tang Dynasty is kind and well-intentioned. Don't think too much."

Li Fu had a harmless smile on his face.

But everyone present was surprised.

After doing something, he still had to leave a good reputation of being great, bright, upright and kind.

What a King of Jingyang.

Gaochang is on the main transportation route for trade in the Western Regions. Once this happens, no one dares to offend Gaochang.

"That's the thing, and that's the situation." Li Fu smiled and said, "But, although Gaochang can't beQi State, but it doesn't mean that other places can't succeed. "

"Think about it, is there any place that can monopolize something, and right now, Datang needs it very much."

Everyone looked at each other, and after looking at each other, they thought of the same thing.

"Grassland!"

The four kings and ministers said in unison.

"Smart." Li Fu smiled brightly and praised them.

But this praise was a bit awkward for Li Shimin and others.

"What is there on the grassland, cattle, sheep, war horses, especially war horses, Datang's war horses are far inferior to the horses on the grassland, am I right?"

Li Shimin nodded.

Although... it is also true.

"Datang must have its own grassland and cultivate excellent war horses belonging to Datang. "Li Fu said: "In this way, the soldiers have excellent war horses, and their combat capabilities can be greatly improved. With the matching weapons and equipment, they will be a strong combat team.

In this way, everything the court does is valuable. It improves the combat capability of the army and has highly mobile cavalry. No matter what happens in the future, the court can point to where to fight. "

"In addition, trade is also needed on the grassland." Li Fu said: "In addition to war horses, cattle and sheep on the grassland, the key is that things that are very worthless to the people on the grassland can be traded into the Tang Dynasty, and the Tang Dynasty can turn them into valuable things to benefit the people of the Tang Dynasty."

"What?" Li Shimin asked.

"Wool."

"Wool?" Li Shimin looked puzzled.

"That's right, cotton can be turned into cotton clothes and quilts, and even cotton thread and cotton cloth in the future, and wool can also be turned into cotton clothes and quilts. "In the spring, herders shave their sheep. Before winter, the wool on the sheep will grow again and produce new wool in the spring of the following year. For herders, wool is a renewable resource that is inexhaustible," said Li Fu.