I started on a deserted island and encountered Ying Zheng, who insisted I was an immortal.

Zhang Ying stretched out her finger, dipped it in the water in the wine bowl, and drew a circle on the table.

"money."

"With the money, the farmers could sell their surplus sweet potatoes and use the money to buy cloth, salt, and repair their houses."

"The Weaver Girl can use the cloth she sold to buy food and needles and thread."

"In this way, everyone gets what they need, things can circulate, and life can get better and better. That's what true wealth is!"

Li Si was rendered speechless by these simple and straightforward words.

It's not that he doesn't understand this principle, but he has never connected it with "national policy".

Seeing his expression, Zhang Ying knew the time was right, so she added another potent ingredient.

"Prime Minister Li, I'll ask you again, what is the money of the Great Qin?"

"Naturally, it's a half-ounce copper coin issued by the imperial court."

Li Si answered instinctively.

"Where is all this money now?"

Zhang Ying pressed for an answer.

"Most of it... is naturally in the national treasury and the treasuries of various counties and prefectures."

Li Si's voice lowered.

Why?

Zhang Ying's tone was like a sharp awl, piercing deeply.

"Because you prioritize agriculture and suppress commerce!"

"You treat merchants as parasites on the state, suppressing and restricting them. Without merchants traveling far and wide, exchanging goods, how can products circulate?"

"Goods don't circulate, and the people live on their small plots of land, self-sufficient, their neighbors living in close proximity but never interacting with each other. They have very few needs for money!"

"Once the money is in their hands, what can they do with it except bury it in a jar and hide it?"

"Money that doesn't move is just a pile of scrap metal! Like water, it only becomes living water when it flows; if it's blocked, it's just stagnant water that will eventually stink!"

Zhang Ying pointed to the bowl of clear Erguotou in front of Ying Zheng.

"Your Majesty, the money in the national treasury is like a stagnant pool. The money in the hands of the people is also like a stagnant pool."

"The entire economy of the Qin Dynasty is stagnant!"

"The national treasury is empty not because there's no money, but because the money isn't being used effectively!"

"You, Li Si, holding onto the legal code from a hundred years ago, have personally blocked the lifeblood of the Qin Dynasty!"

"Now, do you still think that a single sweet potato can solve all the problems?"

"boom!"

Li Si felt as if something had exploded in his head.

Money... is like flowing water...

His lips trembled, and he slumped into the chair as if his bones had been removed.

Yes, how could he not have thought of that?

The Qin Dynasty is not short of money; its treasury is piled high with copper coins. Yet, every year, His Majesty and his courtiers are driven to despair by the military expenditures.

Because the money can't be distributed or collected.

Taxation mainly relied on the collection of grain and cloth.

Money plays a negligible role in the operation of the entire country.

So that's where the root of the problem lies!

It's not that agriculture is failing, but that trade routes are blocked!

"Can……"

Li Si struggled to ask his final question.

"If everyone goes into business and chases profits, then... then who will farm? Won't agriculture be neglected?"

"stupid!"

Zhang Ying cursed without any politeness.

"Prime Minister Li, let me ask you this: If I were to go and forge iron, could you handle it? If I were to weave cloth, could you manage it? If I were to go into business, could you keep accurate accounts?"

Li Si blushed and shook his head.

"That settles it then!"

Zhang Ying shrugged.

"Everyone has their own unique talents and strengths. Farmers should just focus on farming because they can sell their produce to merchants all over the world and earn a lot of money. Why would they want to change professions?"

"He can become rich just by farming; it's much better than being a small businessman!"

"As commerce develops, the demand for more goods increases, which in turn motivates farmers to work harder and produce more goods!"

Agriculture is the root, commerce is the lifeblood. With deep roots and smooth flow of blood, people can be strong and healthy. The same principle applies to a nation!

"Agriculture and commerce have never been opposed, but rather complementary!"

His words were like the resounding toll of a great bell, awakening and enlightening the deaf.

Li Si fell silent. He lowered his head, picked up the bowl of wine that had long since gone cold, and drank it all in one gulp. The spicy wine made him cough repeatedly, and tears streamed down his face.

Ying Zheng remained silent; he simply listened quietly.

When Zhang Ying said that "the economy of the Great Qin is a stagnant pool," his hand unconsciously tightened its grip on the hilt of his sword.

At this moment, looking at the distraught Li Si and then at the eloquent Zhang Ying, his heart was already filled with turbulent emotions.

Strengthen the nation through commerce.

These four words opened a completely new door for him.

"gentlemen."

Meng Yi, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke.

His face showed no shock like Li Si's, but rather a sense of solemnity and contemplation.

"What you say is thought-provoking. But there is one thing I don't understand."

"you say."

Zhang Ying sat down and picked up another steamed bun.

"These sweet potatoes yield 5,000 jin per mu and are easy to store, lasting up to a year."

"If this policy were implemented nationwide, it would be ideal if, in the first year, the people were well-fed and the national treasury was full."

"But the following year, a new harvest of sweet potatoes was harvested. What should be done with the mountains of old sweet potatoes that piled up in the national warehouses last year?"

"The people's homes were also piled high with food. They couldn't eat it all, nor could they sell it, because every household had some."

"And what about the third and fourth years?"

Meng Yi's question hit the nail on the head.

"At that time, this miraculous crop that yields 5,000 catties per mu will probably become worthless waste. Low grain prices hurt farmers, and if people lose their enthusiasm for farming, won't we be back to square one?"

Upon hearing this question, Li Si, who had just recovered from his shock, was also taken aback.

Yes!

Having too much stuff is a huge problem!

Everyone looked at Zhang Ying, wanting to see how he would solve this seemingly unsolvable problem.

Zhang Ying laughed, chewing on his steamed bun, and mumbled, "Who says sweet potatoes can only be eaten raw?"

He gestured with his lip towards Wang Ruoshu, who was standing next to him.

"Girl, bring out the treasures you've been hiding, and show them to your father and Uncle Meng."

Wang Ruoshu blushed and somewhat embarrassedly pulled out a small oil paper packet from her bosom.

Wang Ben glared at her: "You little brat, when did you start hiding food again? You have no manners whatsoever as a lady from a respectable family!"

Wang Ruoshu reluctantly opened the paper package, inside which were several dark red, chewy-looking strips.

A sweet aroma wafted out.

"This is……?"

Meng Yi picked one up out of curiosity.

"Dried sweet potato".

Zhang Ying answered for her.

"Cut sweet potatoes into strips, steam them, and then dry them in the sun or oven."

"Sweet potato chips made this way are not only sweeter and chewier, but they also last longer. They won't spoil for three to five years."

"This is what we call deep processing."

Looking at the stunned crowd, he dropped another bombshell.

"This stuff can be ground into powder and made into noodles and vermicelli. It can also be used to brew wine, and the wine made from it is even sweeter and more fragrant than Erguotou."

"Sweet potatoes are a treasure trove of benefits; eating them directly is just the most primitive and basic way to use them."

"With the right methods, it can be transformed into all sorts of things and sold to every corner of the Qin Dynasty, even to the Xiongnu and Baiyue people!"

"Brother Wang."

Zhang Ying suddenly turned to Wang Ben, her smile carrying a hint of malice.

"Don't just talk about your daughter, why don't you take out what you're hiding in your sleeve and show everyone?"