My lord, spare his life!

Han Wo was constantly scheming in his mind.

Zhang Yang's side didn't stop either.

"...Previously, I had Bafeng purchase grain and fodder, and I discovered that the vast majority of the grain and fodder was purchased from the Imperial Clan Court, the Imperial Clan Court, and Bodu. In comparison, the arable land in the Eunuch County and Hu County is much less. This shows that the development of different regions is not balanced."

Zhang Yang has now taken control of half of the mountain.

The horse farm that Lu Yuan mentioned is located in the other half of the region.

Furthermore, due to the geographical advantage of the Imperial Capital, it was like a nail driven deep into the heart of the mountain prefectures, resulting in extremely low and slow resource circulation between them. Areas with troops lacked provisions, while areas with abundant provisions couldn't support high-quality elite troops; each had inherent weaknesses. But what if all these territories were in Zhang Yang's hands?

That would be a different story.

Zhang Yang couldn't help but try to emulate the observation of the samples and paint a rosy picture for Han Wo: "Given my current friendly relationship with Dizuo City, once all the counties in the mountains are under my control, Dizuo City can become the transit point for the entire region. We can repair the official roads and open up both waterways and land routes, so that everything can be sent to any corner through Dizuo City."

"The grain from Bodu County can be sent to Dou County, and the horses from Dou County's horse farm can find markets. Small counties like Zong County and Tusi County can also sell the agricultural products produced within their counties. If the mountain counties cannot absorb the products from various places, they can sell them to other forces in a unified manner."

Han Wo shook his head: "My lord's words are somewhat naive."

But I have to admit, it's a delicious pie in the sky.

Zhang Yang was dissatisfied with Han Wo's evaluation.

"You think I'm naive?"

Han Wo: "In recent years, there has not been as much fighting in the mountain prefectures as in the outside world. The common people have been able to rest and recuperate, but they are not wealthy enough to need the water and land routes that you mentioned, my lord."

The output is too low.

Even if there is waste in various places, it won't amount to much.

The vast majority of ordinary people are still hungry.

Zhang Yang said, "With the counties in the mountains under my control, everyone will have land to cultivate, and taxes will be light. It will be impossible for anyone to extract most of their hard work without lifting a finger. The government will also provide low-interest subsidies to poor families, such as seeds, livestock seedlings, fertilizer, farming tools, or other things... In short, during the harvest season, the government can also purchase and manage the agricultural products in a unified manner according to their quality."

Han Wo was taken aback.

He doubted that he had heard correctly.

No, is this still the government he knows?

Han Wo was restless, wondering if he had misjudged the situation—Zhang Yang had just been a cunning and calculating person, how could he suddenly be so different? He had to ask one question: "Does my lord know how much money and grain all this has cost?"

These funds and supplies cannot be saved through centralized allocation.

Zhang Yang is a frank and honest person.

"I don't know, I haven't done the math." Han Wo was putting her in a difficult position, giving her a problem on the spot, and asking for "details." How could she have time to find someone to do the math and make a plan? It would be good enough if she could give a general idea; the rest would naturally be taken care of by others.

Han Wo's expression twisted for a moment.

His face was a mixture of surprise, anger, and confusion, making it extremely difficult to decipher: "Does Lord Zhang mean you're just saying whatever comes to mind?"

Zhang Yang said, "More or less."

Han Wo was so angry his blood pressure was about to explode. He pushed the box containing the prefect's seal toward Zhang Yang and couldn't help but say sarcastically, "Prefect Zhang, please forgive me, I am not very knowledgeable and I'm afraid..."

Zhang Yang: "It's just a small amount of money, why make any plans?"

Han Wo paused, his anger now raging like wildfire.

He frowned: "A small amount of money?"

“Yes, how many people could all the counties in the mountains have combined? If these policies were implemented, how big would the local finances be? Ten thousand taels of gold? Thirty thousand taels of gold? Fifty thousand taels of gold? Even more, one hundred thousand taels of gold—it’s not like I can’t afford to cover it. Why torture ourselves with internal strife when problems can be solved with money?” Zhang Yang looked at the box that Han Wo had pushed back, then looked at Han Wo in confusion and asked, “Fu Long just said it was okay, why is he saying it’s not okay now?”

Han Wo: "Where did my lord get so much money?"

"I have my own methods. Take, for example, the human skin that Xiuying sells. Each piece costs five thousand gold coins, and the supply still can't meet the demand. Scarcity drives up prices, and the less there is, the easier it is to raise the price. But if you're really short of money, you can always go for low-profit, high-volume sales. Raising children costs money, otherwise why would they be called 'money-devouring beasts'? As a mother, I will naturally find a way to solve the money problem."

Han Wo asked in surprise, "Human skin?"

He had indeed heard rumors that the Painted Skin Ghost was buying human skin.

At first, I thought it was a shady industry, like some unscrupulous people secretly raising young children to serve as human skin for powerful and corrupt officials. The trade in human skin has even developed into a complete industrial chain.

However, five thousand gold coins is outrageous.

A human slave trader can raise a usable "spare human skin" for only three to five taels of silver, and sell it for a few hundred or a thousand taels.

How could it be five thousand gold coins?

wrong--

Han Wo suddenly remembered another rumor.

He dragged the box back with his hand, which he hadn't yet withdrawn.

He tentatively asked, "Having money is useless if no one is willing to sell."

Zhang Yang was somewhat displeased: "It's not that we've been held back by the Xuanwu Decree... Originally, I wanted Xiu Ying to expand the business scope further, so buyers could pay cash or use equivalent goods to pay for human skin. It will definitely be difficult at first, but things will get better once production in various regions increases. With increased production, the living conditions of children in different regions will improve, and the economy can circulate internally, no longer remaining stagnant..."

"Boosting production is extremely difficult."

Zhang Yang didn't hide anything: "Tianyue is using new fertilizer, and judging from the feedback from the farmers using it, the effect is very good."

Do you even know what it means to "make a game, and it must be a masterpiece"?

Don't underestimate the power of the game's home system!

Han Wo: "..."

Zhang Yang said seriously, "Now that you know so many secrets, even if you're not really capable, you have to be, otherwise—"

She paused deliberately for a moment.

Han Wo saw the direction her gaze fell—

That box containing the prefect's seal.

Han Wo: "..."

Although Zhang Yang didn't finish her sentence, even a fool could guess what she meant. Someone who knew too many secrets but refused to serve her didn't deserve to live. Hearing Zhang Yang's undisguised threat to his life, Han Wo laughed instead.

"I will not disappoint my lord."

Compared to a naive and brainless ruler, a ruler who is shrewd and adept at both scheming and intrigue is naturally more favored by him.

Han Wo bowed and accepted the task.

Zhang Yang left, and upon returning, he complained to Fan You, "The person you recommended wasn't very good; he kept jumping from one side to the other. If he's capable, he's capable; if he's not, he's not. He's somewhere in between, like a Schrödinger. I don't know if he's being overly humble or something else."

As a mother, she favored outgoing and confident children; as a ruler, she preferred energetic and motivated subordinates. She didn't quite like Han Wo's awkward and contradictory personality. However, she also had to consider Fan Youzhe Meng's feelings.

Han Wo was recommended by Fan You and was also an acquaintance of Zhe Meng.

Fan You: "Did he displease our lord?"

Zhang Yang recounted Han Wo's several unusual behaviors in detail, which was actually a complaint: "His guilty conscience and lack of confidence show that he is not confident in his own abilities and is afraid of doing things poorly and exposing his shortcomings."

Fan You: "..."

Han Fulong clearly didn't mean that, did he?

This guy has clearly changed his stance several times.

If we disregard the process and only look at the result, it's still good. The lord has managed to intimidate Han Wo: "The lord has done very well."

Han Wu's several changes were unpleasant, but in chaotic times, getting people to serve you sincerely inevitably involves a psychological tug-of-war. Zhang Yang's clashes with Han Wu also provided him with valuable experience.

Fan You's praise put Zhang Yang in a great mood.

She said, "That's right, but look who's in charge. Uncle Yan, keep a close eye on Han Fulong's performance; if he doesn't meet the targets, he'll be demoted."

Fan You chuckled and said, "Yes."

Han Wo was unaware that Zhang Yang cared so much about him.

After Zhang Yang left, he pondered how to govern Bodu County, drawing upon Zhang Yang's words. In the celestial constellations, Bodu has two stars that govern buying and selling, ensuring fair trade and honest merchants. Before the fall of the Bodu Star Lord, it brought a boost to the local silk and textile industry and commerce. After its fall, the silk and textile industry suffered repeated setbacks and unexpected events, ironically allowing agriculture to surpass it by a significant margin.

Nevertheless—

"...even some of the remaining legacy can be put to use."

Since the fall of Lord Bodu, the local area has lost its silk and cotton textile industry. Coupled with changes in the surrounding situation, and in order to protect itself and strengthen its alliance with the Zongzheng and Zongren counties, it has proactively changed its main crop. Now that Zhang Yang wants to develop local specialty industries and integrate resources from various regions, could Bodu revive silk and cotton textiles?

Han Wo sorted out the jumbled thoughts in his mind.

Suddenly, he remembered some of the things Zhang Yang had just said.

He got up, leaning on his cane, and went to find Zhe Meng, mainly to inquire about her knowledge of the human skin trade and the list of goods that Lü Yuan had spent money to trade with the Zongzheng and Zongren prefectures. As a military officer, Zhe Meng didn't really know much about it, only some superficial details.

Even if it's not much, it's enough for Hanwo to make a judgment.

"...Lü Bafeng is buying all this? What does she need so much ramie and silk for?" Or rather, what is Lord Zhang Yang buying all this for? Is he buying and selling it to make a profit? He'd rather sell a few more exorbitantly priced human skins than make such a small profit.

Han Wo thought about it and then consulted with his lord.

However, he hadn't expected Zhang Yang to be so elusive. How could a patient with crutches possibly catch up with her? He had no choice but to turn to Fan You and ask him directly about the doubts that had been bothering him.

Fan You didn't make things difficult for him and answered all the questions he could.

Upon learning that the goods Lu Yuan acquired were all sent to Tianyue County for processing before being sold as finished products, Han Wo's doubts deepened: "Wasn't it said that Tianyue County suffered from seasonal upheaval, resulting in a massive loss of population overnight?"

How can it be processed with so little labor?

Fan You: "Our lord set up a carpentry workshop and innovated the spinning wheel."

"Is this spinning wheel useful?"

Fan Youdao said, "It's much better than the old-fashioned spinning wheel."

Multi-spindle spinning wheels were widely adopted within Tianyue territory. With the return of raw materials such as ramie and silk, the water-powered spinning wheels that had been built long ago were also put into use. If there were no external interference, one can imagine how quickly Tianyue's economy would have recovered. However, due to the sudden appearance of the Xuanwu Decree, the original plan was completely disrupted, forcing their team to focus their efforts on the mountain prefectures.

Han Wo suddenly understood: "So that's how it is."

Fan You: "You know so much, aren't you afraid of danger?"

When he didn't know, he could find an opportunity to switch jobs, but now that he knows, he can only risk his life if he wants to switch jobs.

Han Wo smiled and said, "My lord has already reminded me."

Fan You: "..."

It's really not surprising at all.

Han Wo said, "I admire your meticulous thinking, my lord."

Fan You: "..."

He couldn't help but think to himself, "This dragon is blind."

That being said, Han Wo's addition was still useful and lived up to Zhang Yang's high regard. Fan You's recommendation of Han Wo was not due to his magnanimity, but rather to his own calculations. The three prefectures of Zongzheng, Zongren, and Bodu were banding together, while Tusi and Zong prefectures were squeezed into a corner, with little land and few people.

The three counties hadn't previously annexed these two because they were too poor.

In recent years, many poor people from Tusi County and Zong County, unable to make ends meet, have secretly sought refuge in the three counties. Of course, these poor people did not own any land in their hometowns, and they had even less in the three counties. They either sold themselves or borrowed money to rent land. The former were all hidden households of the local powerful families in the three counties, exploited to the point of being squeezed dry. The latter, although free, had no chance of turning their lives around, and their final fate was no better than that of the hidden households, and might even be worse.

Seeing this, the three counties of Zongzheng had no need to waste their energy fighting.

Even if we do nothing, Tusi County and Zong County will become blood bags.

When Zhang Yang slapped the three commanderies in the face, Tu Si Commandery and Zong Commandery, which were further away, were slow to react and didn't even have a chance to launch a surprise attack. They missed their opportunity.

Fan You suggested that Zhang Yang promote Han Wo for this very reason.

As long as Han Wo and his men stabilize the situation, Tu Si County and Zong County will not dare to make a move. Once Zhang Yang takes over the other half of the mountain region, these two small counties will also take the initiative to submit in order to protect themselves.

Achieve maximum benefit with minimum cost.

Fan You and Zhang Yang analyzed the situation carefully. The only thing Zhang Yang could do was to have the system log record his long speech; expecting her to digest it on the spot was impossible. Fan You wouldn't harm her.

"Godmother, godmother—"

The next day, an urgent letter arrived.

Zhe Meng looked somewhat anxious.

"Something big has happened!"

Zhang Yang was feeding the birds. Zhang Da Gu and Zhang Da Ji were competing with each other, and Zhang Da Gu had visibly lost a lot of weight. This made Zhang Yang, who had initially vowed to make Zhang Da Gu lose weight, feel sorry for him and couldn't help but feed him again.

Zhang Dagu and Zhang Daji were huddled together on a perch, jostling each other. Hearing Zhe Meng approaching quickly, they both turned to look. The man and the two birds shared the same expression: "What's the big deal?"

Zhe Meng reported back: "Hu County has been harassing Dizuo City recently, feigning an attack and besieging it. The reinforcements from Dizuo City, fearing something might go wrong, have already returned with their troops. Dou County sent someone to Bafeng with a rare and fine horse, saying it was a gift for a hero, but it doesn't seem like they have any good intentions. It's probably just a ruse."

Zhang Yang clapped his hands: "They're not slow either."

"besides--"

Zhe suddenly paused, stopping his words.

She looked warily at Wang Qi, who was leaning against the doorpost with his arms crossed. He had a half-smile on his face, but a hint of murderous intent in his eyes.

Zhe Meng subconsciously tensed his back and raised his hand to grip the knife handle.

Zhang Yang: "Anything else?"

Wang Qi said, "Dou County sent people to contact the old man."

"Does Wang Ba know? Is Youzheng still safe?"

? ?(?w?)