Joy of Life: Starting from the Prince of Zhennan in Northern Qi!

Chapter 140 If you want to be rich, build roads first!

All the civil and military officials of Da Qi looked at their noses and their hearts.

No one spoke.

In the past, after the eunuch finished speaking, they would just report the matter and go through the process.

But today when Yang Xiu appeared in the court, anyone with a discerning eye could tell.

Today in the court, it is Yang Xiu's personal show.

Naturally, no one would be the first to interrupt.

Zhan Doudou also looked at Yang Xiu.

Yang Xiu straightened his royal robe.

Get out of the crowd.

"Your Majesty, I have something to report!"

Zhan Doudou nodded: "Prince Qi, please excuse me! What do you want to report?"

Yang Xiu said: "This time, I came all the way from Nanqing, and I have seen and heard a lot on the way! Our Great Qi has a vast territory, but the distance between the north and the south is too far, and it cannot be connected, so the economy has not been able to develop! Take my Shangjing as an example. Shangjing is defending the north, under the feet of the emperor, so the economy is naturally developing well! However, it is not the case near the south! The south is close to the border, and it is too far away from Shangjing, so the goods cannot be connected! Merchants are profit-seeking and mostly based in the north! This has led to a large economic gap between the north and the south of our Great Qi! Therefore, the life of the people in the south is not good! Therefore, I think that we should find a way to connect the north and south economies! Let the south also develop! Otherwise, in the long run, there will be more and more merchants in the north, and the economy will get better and better! And the south will get worse and worse! The people will also choose to migrate to the north. Over time, the population in the south will become smaller and smaller, and the economy will get worse and worse! Farming will also get worse! This is not good for the development of my Great Qi!"

Zhan Doudou thought about it and nodded: "That makes sense! What does the King of Qi think we should do?"

Yang Xiu said: "As the saying goes, if you want to get rich, you must first build roads! The most fundamental reason why the north and the south cannot connect now is the inconvenience of transportation! Therefore, I think the first step should be to facilitate transportation! Only in this way can the north and the south be connected! Although there are official roads between the north and the south now, most of them are paved with loess. Even if some counties are willing to spend money, at most they can only lay a layer of bluestone on the loess! If the carriages travel on it for a long time, these bluestone roadsides can't bear it, let alone the loess roadsides! This also makes it extremely inconvenient for merchants to transport goods, which leads to the fundamental reason why the economy is difficult to connect now!"

Zhan Doudou said, "But the roads nowadays are all paved like this! The loss of long roads has always been a difficult problem to solve! King Qi brought it up today, could it be that he has already thought of a solution?"

Yang Xiu nodded: "That's right! I have discovered a material! It is cheap, but very hard. I named it cement! It is a very good paving material! If we can use cement to pave a straight road running through the north and south, the problem of connecting the north and the south can be easily solved!"

The officials in the court understood.

Yang Xiu came here just for the money.

But they just can't jump out at this time.

After all, Yang Xiu had already made it very clear just now.

The issue of north-south connectivity has become very important now.

If the delay continues, it will indeed hinder the development of the South.

Over time.

The Southland may be left deserted.

Zhan Doudou thought for a moment and said, "If the King of Qi wants to build a straight road running from north to south, how long will it take and how much money will it cost?"

Yang Xiu said, "I haven't calculated the details! Someone needs to calculate it! Now everything in Da Qi is developing rapidly! Economic connectivity requires the assistance of straight roads! Moreover, this north-south straight road is only the first step! More straight roads should be built later! Only in this way can the economy of some remote areas be connected. Over time, the economy of Da Qi will be prosperous! Therefore, I think we should set up a special department! This new department will be responsible for repairing bridges and roads! Although these things have always been the responsibility of the Ministry of Households and the Ministry of Works, new road surfaces, including maintenance and paving, and site selection are all troublesome! The Ministry of Works and the Ministry of Households have too many responsibilities and are simply too busy!"

Zhan Doudou's pupils contracted slightly.

He understood what Yang Xiu meant.

Yang Xiu’s road construction is one aspect.

The real purpose must be to take action against the six ministries.

Rights gradually differentiated and subdivided.

Yang Xiu had told him this before.

The six ministries are now doing too much miscellaneous work.

The authority in his hands is too great.

If the six departments were in collusion with each other, it would be easy to deceive their superiors and subordinates.

Therefore, the six departments should be further divided.

Divide the responsibilities into different groups, even though this will require many people.

But the responsibility can be implemented.

At that time, there will be no trouble of pushing one to two, or two to three.

However, Zhan Doudou did not expect that Yang Xiu would bring up this matter so quickly.

I took a look at the locations of the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Works.

It was found that officials from both departments were standing quietly.

There was no intention of refutation at all.

They are all officials from the Yang family.

Naturally, I wouldn't have any objection to what Yang Xiu said.

Zhan Doudou nodded: "That makes sense! Do you have any other opinions?"

All the officials bowed and said, "It's all up to your Majesty!"

Some officials from the Queen Mother's lineage wanted to speak.

But in the face of the trend, there was no chance to speak at all.

Zhan Doudou nodded: "If that's the case! Then let the King of Qi handle this matter!"

Yang Xiu bowed: "I obey your command!"

Zhan Doudou said, "Anything else?"

Yang Xiu said: "Your Majesty, although our Great Qi is developing well now, our Great Qi's treasury is not that full after all! These days, I have also learned that all officials in the court seem to be short of money! The development of Great Qi is imminent, and a lot of money can't be delayed!"

Zhan Doudou nodded.

This is indeed a problem.

The treasury of Northern Qi was never full.

Although this time, Yang Xiu brought back gold and silver from Nanqing.

But compared with the operation of a country, it is still a drop in the bucket.

Especially in a rapidly developing country, there is never enough money to spend.

Money is needed everywhere.

However, Zhan Doudou had no good solution.

Zhan Doudou said, "Does the King of Qi have any good ideas?"

Yang Xiu said: "I think that most of the wealth in the world is accumulated in the hands of merchants! So, if we want money, the best way is to start from the merchants!"

Zhan Doudou frowned: "Merchant?"

This time.

Those officials from the Empress Dowager's lineage finally found an opportunity.

"Your Majesty! This is absolutely unacceptable! How can the government compete with businessmen for profits? If this gets out, it will damage the dignity of the royal family!"

Zhan Doudou frowned.

These old creatures usually don't show their heads, but they bite people when they find an opportunity.

It's annoying.

Yang Xiu snorted coldly: "When did I ever say that I would do business and compete with the people for profits?"

(End of this chapter)