Ziling, royal palace.

Early in the morning, Xiang Zhuang got up and put on his crown under the service of Mrs. Cao.

As early as a few years ago, the city was built. The city was rectangular, eight miles long from east to west and five miles long from north to south. The city wall was four zhang high and more than four zhang wide at the bottom. The trenches around the city were three zhang deep and about four zhang wide. It led the Wujiang River back to form a moat. The entire city was made of large bluestone, which was as solid as a soup.

After the completion of Ziling City, Xiangzhuang moved the capital here.

There are two long streets east-west and three streets north-south in Ziling City, which divide the entire city into twelve areas. The two blocks in the center are connected into one, which is the royal palace. On the west side of the palace is the official office and the east side is the settlement area for the rich and gentlemen of officials. The other blocks include living areas, industrial areas and commercial areas, which can be said to be orderly.

After putting on Xiang Zhuang's dress, Mrs. Cao ordered the palace maid to take a bronze mirror and tie her hair to Xiang Zhuang.

Looking at the face in the mirror, Xiang Zhuang couldn't help feeling a little dazed. Time flies, and ten years have passed in a blink of an eye!

He was already thirty-six years old and had been almost twelve years since he ascended the throne of Chu. His father Fan Zeng had committed a death sentence eight years ago. His eldest son Xiang Zheng, his second son Xiang Zhi was already twelve years old, his third son Xiang Quan, and his fourth son Xiang Shu were already eleven years old. After the ten years, he gave birth to three sons and six daughters.

Now that Xiangzhuang has seven sons and six daughters, he has completely defeated Liu Bang in this regard.

With the sound of ringing bells, Wei Yue, wearing a gorgeous dress, had already walked into Xiangzhuang's bedroom.

Five years ago, Xiang Zhuang had officially conferred Wei Yue as queen. After Xiang Zheng, Xiang Zhi and Xiang Quan, Wei Yue gave birth to Xiang Zhuang's eldest daughter Xiang Yuying and the seventh son Xiang Qing. Her status in Chu State is as stable as a rock. Even Cao Ji, the most favored one now, could not threaten Wei Yue's status at all.

Wei Yue is twenty-eight years old this year, which is the most charming time in a woman's life.

Although he had given birth to four children, Wei Yue's figure was not distorted at all, and her skin was still so white and tender. Her delicate face was still so delicate, where she should be thin, where she should be bulging, where she should be raised is still so bulging, where she should be raised is still so bulging, where she should be raised is still so bulging, but where she should be big is bigger than before!

Xiang Zhuang couldn't help but take a look at him twice. He just liked such a mature woman's style.

"King, sisters, and the children are all here." Wei Yue bowed to Xiang Zhuang.

"I know, that's all right." As Xiang Zhuang spoke, Cao Ji had already tied his hair bun.

Wei Yue personally put a nine-stamp crown on Xiangzhuang, then smiled at Xiangzhuang. He stretched out his slender hand. Xiangzhuang immediately held Wei Yue's hand and walked out of the bedroom together.

Outside the bedroom, the concubines, seven sons and six daughters were all here, and Xiang Qing, who was in the cradle, was also brought.

Today is the first day of the New Year (Xiangzhuang has changed the calendar and set January of each year as the first month). According to the etiquette, Xiangzhuang will take the queen, concubines and children to the outside of Ziling City to worship the ancestral temple.

"Yeah, lord."

"Good Father."

Seeing Xiang Zhuang, except for Xiang Qing in his infancy, the concubines and children came forward to greet him.

"Let's just flat." Xiang Zhuang waved his hand, his eyes first fell on Xiang Zheng, and asked, "Zheng'er, I heard that you have finished reading the 42 articles of Taigong's Art of War and Wei Liaozi. Are you reading Sun Tzu's Art of War?"

Xiang Zheng bowed and replied respectfully: "Report to the father, the child is indeed reading Sun Tzu's Art of War."

Xiang Zhuang frowned without any notice and said, "You have read the forty-two articles of Wei Liaozi thoroughly?"

Xiang Zheng shook his head and replied honestly: "I dare not deceive my father. In the forty-two articles of Taigong's Art of War and Wei Liaozi, there are many contents that the child does not understand very well. Mr. Baili and Mr. Bi have explained it many times, but the child still doesn't understand very well. Therefore, the two gentlemen suggested that the child transfer to Sun Tzu's Art of War, which may lead to unexpected gains."

Xiang Zhuang sighed in his heart. The qualifications of this eldest son are really average.

Xiang Zhuang encouraged Xiang Zheng a few words, and then turned his attention to Xiang Zhi who was standing beside Xiang Zheng.

However, before Xiang Zhuang could speak, Xiang Zhi had already said first: "Uncle Wang, don't force your child to study. What he hates the most is these tadpole-like words. When he sees them, one of the children's heads is bigger than two."

Xiang Zhuang frowned when he heard this. Zheng was adopted by Xiang Yu since childhood, so he was usually raised by Yu Ji. Yu Ji was so spoiled to this precious son, so he developed a arrogant and domineering character since he was young. Even his uncle didn't listen to his words. Xiang Zhi didn't like reading when he was urinating, and only liked to dance with swords and swords.

Because Yu Ji was also present, Xiang Zhuang could only scold Xiang Zhi for a few words without any pain.

Then Xiang Zhuang turned his attention to Xiang Quan again and asked, "Quan'er, what book are you reading recently?"

Xiang Quan had thick eyebrows and big eyes, and looked the most like Xiang Zhuang. He replied: "Father, my child has been reading Shangjun's book recently."

"Oh, are you reading Shangjun's book? Can you memorize a passage for your father?" Xiang Zhuang was a little surprised when he heard this. Shangjun's book was a legal work compiled by Wei Yang and later generations. The content was extremely boring. Children like Xiang Quan, who are in their early teens, should like military books and subjects like history. How could he read legal works?

"Yeah!" Xiang Quan responded with a respectful voice, and immediately recited Shang Jun's book with his tender childish voice.

Clearing his throat, Xiang Quan recited three chapters: "Reclamation Order", "Registering Order" and "District".

Xiang Zhuang has read Shang Jun's book repeatedly. Although he can't memorize it like a stream, he still remembers the general content. After comparison, he was surprised to find that Xiang Quan recited it very well.

"Good boy, not bad." Xiang Zhuang touched Xiang Quan's little head and walked to Xiang Shu again.

Among all the children who have already enlightened, Xiang Shu is definitely the smartest one. Even the prince's tutor Bishu and Bailixian did not hide their appreciation for Xiang Shu. Xiang Shu had already read the subjects of "Shangshu", "Analects of Confucius", "Mozi", "Taigong Art of War", "Forty-two Articles of Wei Liaozi", and "Sun Tzu Art of War" at a young age.

Baili Xian and Bi Shu, the two princes, even laughed when chatting with Xiang Zhuang, saying that in three years at most, they would have nothing to teach Xiang Zhi.

Xiang Zhuang no longer had the intention to test Xiang Shu, but just encouraged him: "Shu'er, both the princes' tutors said that you are extremely intelligent and can be praised by just a glance. However, you must not be proud. You must maintain a humble heart and humbly ask the two princes' tutors and famous scholars in Jiangdong, and do not be arrogant."

Xiang Shuying said: "The child remembers the teachings of his father."

Not far away, looking at Xiang Zhuang, Xiang Shu and his son, Ying Zhen was extremely complicated. If Xiang Wang had not been later, Ying Zhen would be very happy, but after giving birth to Xiang Wang, Ying Zhen's feelings for Xiang Shu became subtle. No matter what, Xiang Shu was not her biological child. Compared with her stepchild, she was still separated by a layer.

After encouraging Xiang Shu, Xiang Zhuang walked directly over in front of the remaining sons.

Because among the remaining children, Xiang Wang, the oldest, had just entered the school and was still in his infancy, and there was nothing to compare with.

A moment later, a family of more than a dozen people boarded the carriage and headed straight for the outside of the palace.

After leaving the palace city, the streets along the way were bustling and bustling. The imperial guards who accompanied him tried their best to finally clear the streets. Xiangzhuang looked out through the curtains of the carriages and saw that the shops, wineries, teahouses, inns and other buildings on both sides of the street were lined up, and it was a prosperous scene.

Compared with ten years before the beginning of the reform, the commercial atmosphere in Jiangdong is now very different.

Ten years ago, the scale of commercial trade in Jiangdong was still very small. In addition to public transportation paper, book loans and soybean wine, there were very few goods widely circulated on the market and the tax revenue contributed very little. However, now, the commercial trade in Jiangdong has become extremely prosperous, and there is almost nothing that cannot be bought on the market in Zhiling.

With the prosperity of business, business tax revenue also increased significantly.

Ten years ago, the commercial tax in Jiangdong was converted into rice and grain for only more than 30,000 stones. However, now, the commercial tax in Jiangdong has been converted into rice and grain for more than 500,000 stones. Although it is less than half of the land tax, the growth of land tax is slow, but the commercial tax is growing rapidly. At most five years, commercial tax will exceed the land tax and become the main source of treasury income.

Of course, the commercial taxation of Chu State does not collect rice, grain, but five zhu coins and gold coins!

With the help of public transportation paper, monopoly dumping of books and soybean wine, the State of Chu almost plundered all the gold from the Central Plains countries. As early as five years ago, the State of Chu had accumulated more than 600,000 kilograms (Qinjin jin). According to historical records, the total amount of gold in China at the end of the Qin Dynasty was about 180,000 kilograms, equivalent to 720,000 kilograms.

Now, these golds have basically flowed into Chu State.

With enough gold, Xiang Zhuang immediately implemented currency reform and minted a large number of gold coins as legal currency. A gold coin weighed about one liang, about 50% of its full color, and could be exchanged for two thousand five zhu coins, which was much higher than the price of gold at the end of Qin Dynasty. At the end of Qin Dynasty, one liang of gold was worth 36 stones of millet, and one stone of millet was worth 30 coins. According to comparable prices, one liang of gold could only be exchanged for 1,080 coins!

It can be seen from this that the value of gold coins stipulated by Chu far exceeds the actual value. However, after Chu hoarded most of the gold, there was nothing wrong with such price comparison. Who made Chu gain the right to speak? Chu wanted to implement naked wealth plunder on the Central Plains countries through such price comparison.

In fact, another reason why Xiangzhuang determines such a gold comparison price is that it lacks gold reserves.

Compared with the current commercial scale of Chu, more than 600,000 kilograms of gold reserves are enough, but what will happen in five years? What will happen in ten or twenty years? Also, if the Chu State unifies China, its population will surge, and its commercial scale will increase in a magnitude. At that time, this mere hundreds of thousands of kilograms of gold is far from enough.

Therefore, Xiangzhuang must prepare for the future and set the gold price as high as possible.

In the future, there will be more gold mines in China, the mining process of gold mines has increased, and the output of gold has increased. It will not be too late to reduce the gold price. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to come to Qidian() to vote for recommendations, monthly votes, and your support is my greatest motivation.)


Chapter completed!