Chapter 1081: The Hengshan Plan

After Xiao Xi retreated, Zhao Xu said with a bit of laughter and tears: "Xiao Jintuo, I'm afraid Daolong doesn't have such rough-pressed black tea... Mingrun, this Xiao Xi is very difficult to deal with, and the Song Dynasty will not be able to eat it in his hands."

What a loss."

Cai Que, who had been silent for a long time, said at this time: "Your Majesty, it seems that the relationship between Duke Yu and Minister Xiao is not bad. How about letting him take charge of the negotiations with Xiao Xi?"

Su You smiled and said: "Speaking of friendship, the only friendship we had was when Xiao Xi brought 40,000 troops to cross the Yellow River, but I threatened him with a crossbow, and then entered the camp with a thunderbolt to threaten him. At that time, I was still the Privy Deputy Du Cheng

It’s been so many years since I’ve been dazzled..."

Wang Gui was a little surprised: "No wonder Xiao Xi is so polite to you Mingrun. It seems that Yi people are like this, fearing power but not being moral."

Su You cupped his hands and said: "What Mr. Wang said is reasonable. The only country in the world that is reasonable is the Song Dynasty. As for other countries... it is more realistic to analyze their behavioral motives based on the benefits they receive."

Wang Gui said to Zhao Xu: "The agreement between the Liao people and the old minister is really inappropriate. They want to open up trade, and they clearly want to seize more benefits. Five hundred thousand gold and silk a year is not enough. It is really too much."

Desire is hard to satisfy!"

Zhao Xu had always been a little afraid of the Liao Kingdom, and the actual situation in Hebei and Hedong, after being reported to the Military Aircraft Department, made him even more worried.

The key problem is that the north is in decline. Even if we want to increase troops, the northern economy and population cannot afford it.

According to a report from the Department of Water Resources, the river conditions this year are not optimistic. It is said that a major flood that occurs once in 61 years is very likely.

Zhao Xu threw down the memorial after reading it. How long has it been since I took the throne? How many times have we encountered this once-in-sixty-year flood?! What about the promised once-in-sixty-year event?!

The issue of annual coins is an absolute shame. The Liao Kingdom has increased from 100,000 coins a year to 500,000 coins now. The Song Dynasty has only given in again and again and has no choice.

Looking at Zhao Xu's face, Wang Gui said: "Fortunately, the Song Dynasty's economy has been booming in recent years. If they want to trade, it seems..."

Su You sneered and said: "The Liao people talk nicely about trade. What do they use for trade? As for their current horses, we really don't like them."

"According to the Liao Kingdom data compiled by Chao Buzhi, the Khitan people were originally a nomadic people. They hunted fish for food, wore furs for clothing, horses chased water and grass, and people drank cheese."

"After occupying Youyun, we began to build an oasis and filled it with the plundering Han people, and gradually agriculture and handicrafts developed."

"Nowadays, the economy of the Liao Dynasty mainly belongs to the Department of Animal Husbandry. Their Department of Animal Husbandry is similar to our Dynasty's Department of Transport, which shows that its main economic output is still based on livestock."

"The land is similar to that of the Song Dynasty, divided into two categories: public land and private land. Those who set up villages along the border and recruited people to cultivate the land were official land, which was considered public land. After ten years of farming, the people had to pay rent to the court."

"At the same time, it is also open to purchase. Those who occupy land and buy property that are taxed are private lands."

"The farmlands were mostly concentrated along the northern border, while the private fields were mostly in the southern border of the Liao Kingdom. The people responsible for farming in the country were Han people, which was no different from the Song Dynasty. Mainly men farmed and women weaved."

"Most of these people are the descendants of the Han people who were captured and plundered in previous wars. They have now become the main population of many Touxia military states in the heart of the Liao Kingdom. Except for a small part of the money and food provided, the rest of the income belongs to the Touxia master.

.”

"The Liao Dynasty entered a period of stable development after the alliance between Shengzong and Chanyuan. Internally, it eliminated bad governance, rectified the administration of officials, appointed virtuous people and eliminated evil ones, and opened up new schools to recruit scholars. Externally, it ceased fighting with our country, but secretly supported the party.

"

"In order to encourage people to open up wasteland, the Liao Shengzong made a law that if you successfully open up agricultural land, you can be exempted from rent and taxes for ten years. For a time, the Liao Dynasty reached its heyday."

"However, after Shengzong, the politics was dark. We experienced the rebellion of Xiao Yujin in the reign of Xingzong, the rebellion of Yelu and Chongyuan in the same dynasty, and the rebellion of the deposed crown prince. The affairs of the country were getting increasingly urgent."

"In recent years, disasters have been frequent in our Song Dynasty, and the same is true in the north, including drought, locusts, and a fire in Beijing the year before last. The impact on the fragile Liao economy was huge."

"Last year there was a great famine in Nanjing. The Lord of Liao had to exempt them from rent and taxes for a year and provide money to support them. Their life was not easy either."

"Another important point is that all kings and queens of the Liao Dynasty promoted Buddhism, and the temples owned a large amount of land and tenants. Most of these were donated by nobles and bureaucrats along with the land."

"Temple farmers not only pay taxes to the state but also pay rent to the temple. Coupled with the northern climate, the yield of the land is not high, and the livelihood of the tenant farmers is difficult. In the event of famine, they have no choice but to become homeless."

"The agriculture is roughly the same, let alone the handicraft industry."

"The common people of the lower class mostly use leather, wood, and pottery. Although they also have gilding, silver gilding, dyeing, weaving, porcelain, and papermaking, and some even have very high craftsmanship in their workshops, they all serve the rich and powerful."

"The only thing that can be used is harness and steel."

"But the scale of their iron smelting industry has not changed much in more than 20 years."

"Liaodong is an important iron-producing area. Initially, Hengzhang and the wealthy family established Heshu Shilie."

"Heshu means "iron" in the Khitan language, and Heshu Shilie is the military supervisor who is engaged in smelting."

"When Heshu Shi Lie was in Liao Shengzong, due to the proliferation of household registrations, in Shoushan, Sanqi Gusi and Liu Shihe were divided into Sanye, and Shi Lie was renamed as a tribe, but his tribe was still assigned to iron."

"Khitan iron and steel were once known as the best in the world together with their saddles. But now..."

"The country can produce white porcelain, green porcelain, and three-color porcelain, with quality that even the Koreans despise..."

"But because of the popularity of Buddhism, the ability to burn porcelain statues of the Buddha is not weak."

"As for commerce, Taizu Taizu of the Liao Dynasty established Yangcheng in the north of Tanshan Mountain in the early days to set up business, buy and sell livestock, and facilitate various trades."

"After the Five Capitals were built, decent commercial development began."

"A wealthy merchant class has also appeared in the territory, but the scale of the economy is so small that it doesn't even use coins."

"Among the currencies in circulation, Liao money accounts for less than 2%, while Song money, imported money, accounts for almost all."

"The domestic situation is roughly the same. It can be said that the annual annual currency of 500,000 guan, excluding silk and silk, the remaining 250,000 guan, is the main increase in economic circulation of the Liao Kingdom."

"We are developing, and they are also developing. Now it seems that the increase in currency circulation of 250,000 guan is no longer able to meet their economic needs."

"But according to the information remembered by Chao Buzhi, there were no huge changes in the agriculture, industry, and commerce within the Liao Dynasty."

"Therefore, the growth of this economic volume can only be closely related to the prosperity of trade in the coastal states and counties of the Liao Kingdom."

"Now the trade of the coastal states and counties of the Liao Kingdom is in the hands of the Song Dynasty!"

Wang Gui's eyes suddenly lit up: "The plan of Hengshan Jingmao?"

This was Guan Zhong's strategy during the Spring and Autumn Period.

During the Spring and Autumn Period, the Hengshan Kingdom was a country that was good at making weapons, and all countries purchased weapons from the Hengshan Kingdom.

Qi wanted to annex Hengshan, so Guan Zhong purchased weapons from Hengshan in large quantities at high prices.

The people of Hengshan saw great profits, so they all made weapons, and no one wanted to engage in agricultural production.

Guan Zhong also purchased grain from various countries at high prices, so that the surplus grain from various countries flowed into Qi.

In this way, although Qi State spent a lot of money, it possessed weapons and food, and destroyed the economic balance of Hengshan State.

Afterwards, Guan Zhong suddenly stopped purchasing weapons and began to attack Hengshan Kingdom.

However, Hengshan State had plenty of money, but lacked food. The surplus grains from various countries were all purchased by Qi State, and there was no way to raise money.

So the Hengshan Kingdom was defeated without a fight and surrendered.

This is the famous "Hengshan Conspiracy" in history.

Guan Zhong also played a lot of this kind of economic strategy, and similar ones include "Guizhen's Strategy", "Luniao's Strategy", "Jingmao's Strategy", and "Shibi's Strategy".

They all use economic means to seek political benefits for Qi State.

Wang Gui and Cai are indeed people who have read poetry and books, so they naturally know this.

But they knew it, and the people of the Liao country also knew it. Su You smiled and said: "Everyone has read books. I am afraid that the people of the Liao country are not as easy to deceive as the Hengshan and Chu countries."

Zhao Xu thinks about it, "Guanzi" is so bad, who doesn't know these allusions?

Su You then said, "But the method remains roughly the same."

Zhao Xu couldn't help but feel a little excited: "Mingrun, tell me."

Su You said: "Guan Zhong's method is actually to create a false supply and demand relationship. This supply and demand relationship, in the short term, benefits the enemy and disadvantages us, but it seriously affects the economic structure of the enemy country."

"After the economic structure of the enemy country changes, once this supply and demand relationship is terminated, it will have a serious impact on the enemy's people's livelihood and national strength."

Everyone nodded secretly.

Su You said: "But unfortunately, there are rational people in every country. Their existence will greatly increase the error tolerance rate of national policies, and as long as the king is above the standard, he will never do such a stupid thing."

Zhao Xu's heart felt cold, so what the hell were you talking about?
Chapter completed!