Datang Nongsheng

Chapter 554 Comprehensive Layout
Sun Xiangfu sometimes has to say "admiration" to the talents of this period, such as Ma Zhou, he can rely on his brain power to memorize the names of hundreds of Western countries in the Western Regions, and even their kings, main members, national environment, and political background The basic information has been memorized.

You must know that many of them are not actually a country, but just some large-scale tribes. The languages ​​are even more complicated. He communicated with these countries in the local area for only six or seven days. In short, it may only be a day or two. That is to say, since he arrived in the Western Regions, he has focused on collecting information anytime and anywhere.

In the imperial study room, since the mode of admonition to the Western Regions has been opened, it is natural to continue to focus on Ma Zhou, who has returned from the Western Regions and has the best understanding of the local conditions.

"Your Majesty, during this visit, our mission has reached national-level trade agreements with 73 countries in the Western Regions. All of these countries have a population of more than 32, and several of them have a population of over one million. Among them, [-] countries have agreed to our request to open local factories and recruit local people to work, but there are some profit sharing agreements that need to be reached. As long as we sign the agreement, we can make some inconvenient transportation locally, and Not too high-tech goods."

The so-called inconvenient transportation and low technical content do not mean that it is worthless.

The commercial market in the entire Western Regions is at least five times larger than that in the Tang Dynasty. This is calculated based on the population size. With so many countries, the population, and the commodities they need are not all high-end goods such as perfume, silk, and glass. , For example, agricultural tools, rakes, waterwheels, etc., are manufactured from Datang and sold in the past. Obviously, the gain outweighs the gain, because the freight is too expensive.

But send a few people to open a farm tool factory in the local area, and use their manpower and materials to produce directly in the local area. After doing it, they can also make a lot of money.

Back then, when Sun Xiangfu came up with the new Quyuanli, Li Shimin called it a sharp weapon of the country, and in those countries whose farming technology was backward compared to Tang Dynasty, the Quyuanli was something that was even more powerful than the sharp weapon of the country. .

The more than 30 countries that Ma Zhou said agreed to allow Datang merchants to open factories there did not simply give Datang a license. Their domestic politics are relatively stable and they have a certain ability to protect themselves. , At least as big as a county in Datang, and promised that as long as Datang officials cooperate with them to open factories, they will use the army to protect the safety of Datang merchants and factories.

The lords of the Western Regions are not stupid. They know that doing so is beneficial to both parties, because they need these things to increase their productivity. The reason why the Western countries fight to the death and the dynasties change frequently is because of religious beliefs. In addition, the main reason is that most people are prone to starvation because productivity cannot keep up.

During this period, food, salt and iron are very important to any country. Even though the output of food, salt and iron in Datang is already the highest in the world, it is currently strictly forbidden to export. Similarly, Datang also has strange What is missing, such as non-ferrous metals, gold, silver and copper.

People in Persia began to use gold and silver coins hundreds of years ago, and the Byzantine Empire also used gold and silver coins as the mainstream.

Ma Zhou suggested that the imperial court supply some controlled items through the government to relatively weak countries. This is a major benefit for the state-owned enterprises led by the Ministry of Commerce, because the price of selling controlled items is bound to be high, and it can also achieve national goals. a certain political purpose.

For example, if a certain amount of grain was exported to the Oguz country, their lord promised to open the domestic gold, silver and copper mines to the merchants of Datang. Anyway, they were not able to mine those things themselves. Still waiting to get paid.

There is also a certain amount of weapons and ships sold to the Khazar Khanate between the Caspian Sea and the Black Sea.This can not only get a lot of gold and silver in their hands, but also make it have an impact on the Byzantine Emperor's Black Sea economic circle, at least increase the defense cost of the Byzantine Empire, and recognize the impact of Datang's random actions on it , so as to pay more attention to Datang's international status.

Ma Zhou talked about many matters in the imperial study for two hours, so that the big guys had a general understanding of the situation in the Western Regions. After that, Li Shimin asked Yan Liben to draw a rough map of the Western countries according to his memory. Power distribution map.

Today's official business must be carried out together with the banquet, because there are too many things to talk about.

Although Datang is only an international sports meeting, what is really important is to complete various political goals and set up a good situation in the entire West.

During the meeting, Sun Xiangfu first reported the matter of the hot air balloon to Li Shimin, and after getting Li Shimin's full consent, he discussed with everyone about some specific procedures for Datang's sports meeting to finalize the final details.

In fact, as long as Datang's attitude towards the world is established, its core purpose will be achieved.

This is a harmonious and wealthy country. The monarch here is enlightened and willing to help countries that are still backward to seek development together.

The people here are free, the taxes are extremely low, and the economy is developing rapidly. People from all walks of life are welcome, as well as the whole of neighboring countries that are struggling to survive.

Kang, Shi, An, Tocharo, Huoxun and other ten countries in Anxi's metropolitan area were brought under the rule of the Tang Dynasty. In just over a year, the life of the local people was much better.

Because, after becoming a citizen of the Tang Dynasty, not only did their taxes on agriculture and animal husbandry be reduced to an extremely low standard, but their taxes on commerce and trade were so low that they were almost negligible.

Originally, when they took a trip to the Central Plains, they had to pass through many countries. Each country had to pay road tax, city entry tax, etc. Usually, the tax paid was much higher than the value of the goods themselves, which made them unable to Goods that are not sold at a higher price lead to very small sales each year.

Now, it's completely different. In the Central Plains, they don't need to pay any fees for customs clearance or crossing the city. They only need to pay a transaction tax when trading.

At the same time, there is no need to spend a lot of money to support the army. This aspect is all borne by the Tang court. If the local young and strong are selected to serve as soldiers, not only will they not have to worry about food and drink, but they will also get a higher military salary every month.

Moreover, with the support of Datang's various technologies, the productivity of the local people is also rapidly increasing. Some things that they didn't know could be sold for money can be sold at high prices after the officials stationed by the imperial court take office in the local area. Moreover, these officials are really kind. When they go to the local area, they will help them develop industries, revitalize the economy, introduce more advanced agricultural and animal husbandry tools, technologies, and so on.

These things can be used as examples for people from the Western Regions.

Once the banquet starts, it usually ends at dusk, and most things are finalized during the eating and drinking process.

Because Yu Shinan was too old to work hard, Li Shimin asked Sun Xiangfu to temporarily replace him to complete the functions of Minister of Rites and receive foreign guests. At the same time, he also handed over all the affairs of the World's No. Deputy Zhou.

In terms of security, Li Jing was the chief dispatcher, with Du Ruhui, Hou Junji, Niu Jinda and others as deputy. Including the Anbei Army, the number of troops used to maintain order in Dingxiang this time reached more than 20. Although the number of people is huge, the task It is also very difficult, because counting the local spectators of Datang, Dingxiang City may gather more than 350 million people.

As for Li Shimin himself and Fang Xuanling, within a period of time before the start of the competition, based on some information provided by Ma Zhou, they will formulate an overall layout for the Western Regions. If the commercial market is more than five times larger, if it is deeply developed, Datang's annual profit in the West will not be more than 1000 million yuan, at least two or three times.

Moreover, in order to achieve the political goals of the imperial court, Li Shimin also needs to meet with many local forces and mobilize corresponding materials.

For example, the five families in Shangqi City need to contribute the output of more than 1000 million mu of land they have opened up, because their location is less than four thousand miles away from the country of Oguz, and about [-] miles away from Peveneg However, the distance between Oguz and the Khazar Khanate is less than [-] miles, which is more than [-] miles closer than the Central Plains directly supplying this area.

This is the advantage of them going to the frontier to develop the fields. They also grow food. Their food may be sold at two to three times the price of the Central Plains, because the gringos are short of food.

In addition, Tai'an City, which is managed by Xu Jingzong, has radiated all the old lands of Gaochang, Qiuci, and Khotan, and needs to talk to Qu Wentai and other local big landlords.

After the construction of Tai'an City, which is dominated by industry, the productivity of this area has increased by more than two grades, and the area of ​​arable land has also exceeded tens of millions of acres. Their output goes through Shule, across Congling, and reaches Tocharo The county is only three or four thousand miles away, and when it reaches Tocharo, it can be exported to Persia.

Also because of the proximity, the cost for them to export food and goods there is much lower than that of the Central Plains, and the price of this kind of strategic material that can solve the problem of Persia's survival must follow their call.

Before Li Shimin meets with the leaders of other countries, a united front needs to be reached within Datang. This is a good thing for everyone to benefit from, and no one will object. It is happy to see the results, because everyone will benefit.

However, there is also a different kind of existence, and that is Wang Hao.

Two days later, when Sun Xiangfu drove his horse into Dingxiang, among the crowd, Wang Hao, who looked like a Central Asian with a tangled head and a beard, looked at him with complicated eyes. .

Even if he is as conceited as Wang Hao, he has to admit that Sun Xiangfu is much better than him.

That idiot Zhang Cheng was targeted by Cheng Chumo. If he hadn't discovered it in time, he would have been caught by Cheng Chumo a long time ago. He had no choice but to take advantage of the situation and convert Zhang Cheng's line into a false one to confuse Cheng Chumo.

However, doing so will make his manpower very insufficient, because every time he gives an order to Zhang Cheng, he needs to turn many turns, and he dare not use the person who has used it a second time. .

The intelligence personnel under Sun Xiangfu are too powerful. If it wasn't for a chance, he knew the performance of the telescopes in the hands of these intelligence personnel. He still doesn't know why the Tang army can easily win every war.

Now, he is not even sure that his plan will be successful, because he is no longer available.

There are too many foreigners in Dingxiang City, and it is impossible for Sun Xiangfu to pay attention to an ordinary foreigner. He has not even gone to the other courtyard that Zhang Chunyi built for him early in the morning, and he has received a report from Chang Sun Chong. Yi Nan led Xue Yantuo's delegation to arrive, and he needed to go out of the city to receive them. Because of the number of people he carried and the large number of cattle, horses and livestock, he had to set up camp outside the city.

(End of this chapter)