Spring and Autumn I Am King

"Young master, are you kidding about Zhu's national fortune?"

Contrary to what Cao Pi, the son of the state of Zhu, imagined, the ceremony of the hundred prisons that he proposed not only did not make Zhao Wuxi happy, but aroused his anger. 【...】

Do you think I'm a fool like Fuchai? What he didn't know was that Zhao Wuxi's heart was so mad at the moment.

Nanzi also turned his face to the side and couldn't help laughing. The matter of offering a hundred prisoners to arrogate his will was originally what Zhao Wuxi had left after cheating on his husband half a year ago. This young master of Zhu country actually wanted to treat him with his own way? Could it be that he thought that Zhao Wuxi played this show because he liked it too?

She could see it clearly. Although she is extremely close to her own people and protects her shortcomings, in the relationship between country and country and family, General Zhao is completely useless and cannot afford to be early. Hundreds of pigs, cattle and sheep want him Give up the benefits that will come at hand? It's really absurd.

The son, Cao Pi, finally had to leave in despair and returned to the State of Zhu, reporting to Zhu Zi that his mission had failed.

It is said that Zhu Zi, Cao Yi, was so angry that he used Yu Gui to severely beat this self-righteous younger brother, and then reluctantly sent Zi Gong back to Langdi. At the same time, 250,000 shi of grain and 1,500 pieces of linen were also delivered. These grain and cloth were then lent to Song by Zhao Wuxi. As long as Le Ming saved a little, it would be enough to feed 20,000 people a year. The cost is enough to appease the restless emotions and the cold and hungry bodies of the Song people after the chaos.

All of this is naturally not free, and Song Guo took this opportunity to be included in the circulation of "Zhao Coin".

The currency of the Song State imitated the Jin State system. The monarchs of the past dynasties cast a small amount of "square foot cloth", and its characters, outlines, casters, copper and tin ratios are no different from those of Jin coins. In the Shangqiu market, it circulates together with Qi Dao coin, Chu Yibi coin and Jin Yuan.

But now, the emerging Zhao coins have a tendency to occupy the dove's nest. After the mass production of iron farm implements and rougher iron weapons began, a large amount of bronze was saved and minted, and the circulation of Zhao's Kong Fang coins was increasing day by day. It can meet the limited circulation in the country of Lu.

"Half two" and "five baht" two kinds of Kongfang money are exquisite in workmanship and have great purchasing power, far exceeding the value of bronze obtained after casting. Moreover, the casting power is now firmly in Zhao Wuxi's hands. With this casting money, Zhao Wuxi has earned a lot of scissors from the Luguo market in the past year.

After making a profit at home, Zhao Wuxi's greedy eyes began to turn to foreign countries, and Zhao Yang in Jin State was a good man. Kongfang money has been used in the territory, and now the Sishang princes have been added. As a result, the Zhao clan of Jin State, including Lu, Song, Cao, Zhu, Teng, Xue and other Sishang princes, formed a new economic area: Zhao Coin District, which became one of the main currencies in the Central Plains.

But then the question is. The copper and tin stocks in the treasury of Qufu began to run out, so Zhao Wuxi urgently needed the thousands of gold and tin from the state of Zhu. Wu Xie planned to melt the copper and tin into Kongfang money, and then put it into the state of Zhu, which was exempted from the tariffs of the Lu people, in exchange for the real thing, so that Zhuzi would bleed again.

Only by hurting the neighbors can Dongzhao be steadily stronger, and the days of the Lu and Song peoples can continue in the era of military violence. This is a simple equation, and Zhao Wuxi couldn't make the productivity run across the times in the blink of an eye. Only in the short term. If the people of the Sishang lords can't bear the tyranny, the gate of the border of Lu and the law that the young and strong can rent hundreds of acres of land for their cultivation are open to them at any time!

Zhao Wuxi hopes that Ludi will become a beacon of prosperity in Si Shang, and also a beacon of oriental civilization in this era...

However, even on Sishang, there is still a dark corner, waiting for Zhao Wuxi to "illuminate", and unless the worries of the east are relieved, he will not be able to go west after the autumn harvest.

...

Zigong's first foreign mission was a great success. After his return, Zhao Wuxi praised him very well, calling him a "unparalleled debater" and "a model for people in the state of Lu".

But Zigong didn't think it was his own ability. Because he was like the fox in Zhao Wuxi's fable, he relied on the deterrence of the Zhao clan behind him to make Zhu Guofu obey. In the situation of the integration of Lu and Song, there are not many options left for Zhu Guo. With their courage and stature, they must choose to submit to offering sacrifices.

So Zigong was not satisfied. He had just returned to the state of Lu, and before he had a good rest, he made up a note without stopping, requesting Zhao Wuxi to let him go on another mission.

"Where does Zigong want to go this time?"

Zigong sold it first. He asked back: "Dare to ask your lord, what is the most lacking resource in the treasury for the State of Lu?"

Zhao Wuxi said: "The country of Lu has nothing but relies on foreign imports, nothing more than gold and tin (copper and tin) and sea salt."

"Of course, as my master said, if a worker wants to do a good job, he must first sharpen his tools. Gold and tin are important because every woman who wants to work in mulberry and hemp must have a needle and a pair of scissors. Every ploughman must have a plough, a share and a big **** before he can accomplish anything; every woodworking craftsman must have an ax, a cone, and a chisel before he can accomplish anything. There are no people in the world who can do the above things with tools. In the past, these things could only be made by gold and tin. Now there are three iron mountains in Lu State, which can be cast and forged into tools that everyone needs, alleviating the scarcity of gold and tin. , but the lack of salt did not change anything."

Zigong pointed his finger at Zhao Wuxi and calculated the account: "Lu has a population of nearly one million, and needs 40,000 bells of salt every year. In the past, it was mainly purchased from Qi, but now the relationship between Lu and Qi has broken down again, and the border is even sporadic. In the state of war, Qi State once again stopped selling sea salt to Lu, so Lu people can only find salt from the following places."

"One is that the soil salt produced in China is not only small in quantity, but also of poor quality. It is difficult to swallow and even causes diarrhea. The annual output is only 10,000 hours, which is not enough for consumption. The salt shipped from Yi and Wu State from Huainan was too expensive, plus shipping costs, they had to be bought at the price of 50 yuan and 60 yuan per pot, more than double the price of Qi salt, and each was only about 10,000 hours. , there is still a huge gap in the salt of Lu. It can be said that most of the profits made by casting Kongfang money this year have been invested in the purchase of salt!"

Zhao Wuxi's face became serious, this was not an alarmist talk by the debaters, but it was true, salt was indeed the weakness of Lu State.

The last salt crisis taught Zhao Wuxian a lot of lessons. For the official establishment of salt and iron, the allocation of rare resources must be done well from the very beginning. He has asked Ji Qiao to draw up a budget for the strategic resource reserve. Not only that, the salt production area that belongs to your own forces must be controlled as soon as possible.

He nodded and said: "I understand what Zigong means, borrowing salt from other countries. At most, it can solve the urgent need, but it cannot be ruled for a hundred years. The country of Lu urgently needs an inexhaustible source of salt. land!"

Zigong said happily: "Of course, this is the place the minister said about!"

The two rulers and ministers coincided, and their eyes looked east from the open door of the tent, across the eastern land of Lu State, across the tall Yimeng Mountains...

over the mountain. It is the rough blue sea!

...

The morning tide slamming on the shore has lasted for thousands of years, which made Zilu hear the sound of the waves even in his sleep.

His stomach was empty. He only drank some fish soup with a little fishy smell yesterday. Once he was pleasantly surprised, he would not be able to fall asleep. He could only get up from the humble stable and tiptoe over the brothers and sisters who were also crying hungry in their dreams. , walked out of the building with a long sword.

As soon as he went out, Zi Lu could hear the screams of the seabirds overhead. In the distance, a faint light pierced through the mist at sea and shone near the horizon. He saw hills like ancient beasts, the steep slopes covered with pines and black cedars. This row of rocky ridges stands between land and sea, creating an excellent bay port.

This is Langya, the country of Ju, and the sea on the other side of the mountain.

Ju State is located to the east of Lu State, near Qingdao in later generations.

Juguo was also rich in history. It once owned more than 30 large and small cities and towns, and was the second largest country in Shandong after Qi and Lu. At one time, the people of Lu State worriedly said: "There is something wrong with the lords in the world of Ju, so they attacked me in the east."

However. Under the background of Duke Huan of Qi's respect for the king and the barbarians, Ju was attacked more and more times, five times by Qi, four times by Lu Da, and four cities and towns were cut down. And because of the tyranny and impermanence of his own monarch, the political situation is chaotic. Therefore, Dr. Qing often took cities and towns to join the state of Lu, and this is how the expansion of the eastern part of the state of Lu is now. Today, the population of Juguo is only more than 200,000, which is equivalent to the land of three counties in Luguo.

The capital of this country is called Ju. It is located at the eastern foot of the Yimeng Mountains. It is easy to defend and difficult to attack.

Confucius and his disciples happened to be in the state of Ju. They first went to Jizhang City. However, to Confucius's disappointment, there were no ancient rituals that were lost in China. Under the rule of ignorant ghosts and gods, communication is impossible.

Therefore, with the idea of ​​paying homage to the famous mountains, they went to Langya again, but there is not much difference between here and there.

Roughly carved stone statues stand beside the Langya harbour and lagoon. They have solemn expressions and are stained with seabird droppings. These are stone figures from Zhenhai. This season of the year is the flood season, and the sea will blow with strong winds, sweeping away the fishing boats and even the people and animals on the shore, so there will be a grand sea sacrificial ceremony in June and July, and Juzi will even come from the country himself. He is now living in Langya. in the palace.

For the people of Ju State, mountains and seas symbolize everything. Zilu was not impressed by this. He had stayed in the port, the crunching of wood and ropes, the shouting of the crew, the salt and fish with the smell of the sea were all so unfamiliar. Unaccustomed to seafood, he vomited and diarrhoea for a time, and afterward he was secretly glad that the Master had already intended to return to the Central Plains, instead of "floating in the sea" as he said, and took Zilu to the Sanxian Mountains, where the vast and misty news is hard to find. Jiuyi land.

It's a pity that they can't make the trip for the time being, because the silk coins they brought with them have run out. In the case of Juzi and the nobles' indifferent attitude towards Confucius, they can't even get together the entanglement of the study tour, so they can only stay here temporarily. Do your best.

In order to allow the master to live in a cleaner building, the disciples moved to the dirty stables one after another. In order to allow the master to eat fish at every meal, the disciples began to eat crumbly sea vegetables and brown rice. go on difficult.

So Zigong came out early in the morning, just to see if he could find something to do.

He went to the port first, where Juguo's boats could travel along the coast to fish. Zilu saw a dozen fishing boats busy collecting under the cliffs covered with pine trees.

Among the countless masts of fishing boats, he also caught a glimpse of a large boat unloading cargo from Qi. Avoiding countless reefs and islands is extremely dangerous. To the south of the port is the tidal flat where salt is boiled. The trees on Langya Mountain were cut down and added to the salt-boiled business. Fish salt is the main income of Juguo. But because of the state of Qi, Juzi forbade the sale to Lu, and instead sold it to the princes of Sishang.

Zigong circled around the port but found nothing. He had no water. He didn't know how to fish, and he didn't know what to say about Juguo, so no one wanted him.

He could only reluctantly return to the densely populated area in the west of the city, feeling smug in his heart.

Zilu used to be a light chivalrous warrior of the country, what kind of hard work has he not done? Even robbery is no exception. If you are in a hurry, the big deal is to put on a scarf and "borrow" some money and silk from foreign merchants or messengers.

He thought to himself, "No matter what, I can't let the Master suffer. We must collect the travel expenses as soon as possible and leave Ju State."

Zi Lu's bad eyes began to look at the cars and horses on the road, looking for a target. But when a total of 100 people, driving light chariots and fat horses, passed by the envoy under the flag of Lu, Zilu felt guilty for a while. Quickly turned away.

But it was already too late, someone saw Zilu squatting inside the city gate d, like an unemployed vagabond, and hurriedly shouted happily, "Zilu!"

It was Zigong.

...

"Zigong, what do you want to do when you come to Ju country?"

Sitting in a market that sells dogs, Zigong pays for it, and Zilu devours it rarely. He drank in a big bowl, ate in a big bowl, and burped when he was full. Wiping off the wine juice from the thick beard, he raised his head and asked this question.

Zigong had already inquired about the Master before, and knowing that the Confucian disciples were in a difficult situation, he came here this time. One purpose is to give the Master some money and silk to support him. He also had a lot of savings when he was in Taoqiu, and of course it was within his power to help Confucius travel. Even if the disciple can't serve by the teacher's side, if he is allowed to suffer outside, Zigong is ashamed to call himself a scholar!

As for official business, he did not shy away.

"You should know about the general's conquest of Sishang, Zilu?"

"How majestic. Since Bo Qin, the country of Lu has never been so prosperous..." Although there were many misunderstandings and disapproval, Zilu was amazed at Zhao Wuxi's achievements in just three years. , and even regretted that he could not witness it in person.

He smiled and said: "Now in the halls where the lords of Sishang gather, there are even foreign passers-by who sigh and say, 'The Zhao family is now a little uncle'!"

This is used to praise Duke Zhuang of Qi and Duke Qi Xi's work. When the two monarchs were in power, the political situation was relatively stable. Sexual tyrants laid the foundation for Duke Huan of Qi to dominate.

But Duke Zhuang of Qi, Duke Xi of Qi, and even the little tyrants of later generations were at least at the level of princes. As the minister of Lu State, Zhao Wuxi was secretly praised like this, but it was the first time in thousands of years. His domineering and domineering was comparable to that of his ancestor Zhao Xuanzi.

Zigong was also very proud of helping Zhao Wuxi to achieve such a success, he smiled and said: "Yes, all the lords in Si Shang are obedient, but on the coast of the East China Sea, the state of Ju is still an enemy of the state of Lu, so I came here to persuade Juzi."

"That's impossible." Zilu boasted that he knew the situation in the state of Ju, and shook his head: "Ju and Lu have a feud, and even though the state of Ju is in decline, it still has 15,000 soldiers, and both Yimeng and Langya are dangerous. , the shape of mountains and rivers is better than that of Zhu Guo. And Ju Zi's attitude is firm~www.wuxiahere.com~ It is absolutely impossible to want Ju country to serve Lu!"

Zilu had a basis for what he said. The state of Lu had always taken a contemptuous attitude towards the state of Ju, a country of barbarians and barbarians, and thus became the biggest enemy of the state of Ju. Therefore, in order to obtain his own survival, Ju often relied on the great powers Jin and Chu to fight against the state of Lu. For example, Guozhi would turn to Chu and Pingqiu would turn to Jin.

In recent decades, Qi State took advantage of the opportunity of Jin State's six ministers to manage their own affairs, and gradually turned Ju State into its own country. Qihou Chujiu attacked Ju twice, convened an alliance of Putun, forced Gonggong Ju to flee, and supported Ju Ziju, who was close to Qi.

How could such a state of Ju surrender to the state of Lu, bow down and pay tribute like the lords of Sishang?

Zigong just smiled: "Public and private first, Zilu, please send the money and silk to Master first, and I will go to Langya Palace."

He got up and looked at the sun that was about to reach three poles in the sun, and said confidently: "Before the sun sets, I will definitely let Juzi recognize the current situation!"

ps: The big chapter is one top two, that's it for today (to be continued.)

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