Li Shimin laughed and cursed, and said calmly: "You are also the royal family. There are some things that don't need to be vague. Why is Chang'an getting richer? It's because King Zhao deliberately gave up his interests. He set up a trading center in Fanyang, but stipulated that all merchants must come to Chang'an to report!"

As he said that, he stopped and then said: "For example, if a merchant in the Western Regions wants to sell goods in Fanyang, the goods can be transported directly to Fanyang, but people must come to Chang'an, first report the quantity and name of the goods, and then pay the due commercial tax according to the rules, so that they can get the right entry certificate. Only with the certificate can they go to Fanyang to sell goods."

Li Chong then added, saying, "If they do not have certificates, then even the treasures of heaven and earth will only rot. Even if they are transported to Fan Yang and begged, King Zhao's trading center will not be included."

The emperor laughed and cursed again, pointed at him and said, "You didn't understand just now."

Li Chong said embarrassedly and said with a salivating face: "Weichen has been studying recently, especially the commercial goods theory that King Zhao has just published. I have learned the vocabulary of the trade port from it, and I also know what land customs tax is. Our Chang'an is the land customs, and the trading center of the Zhao King is the trade port. Merchants all over the world must pay taxes at the customs and then sell goods at the trade port..."

"yes!"

Li Shimin said happily and said with emotion: "Originally, the trading port and the land customs should be set up together, but in order to transfer the interests to me, King Zhao deliberately asked Chang'an to set up a tax yamen. This was to give the customs to me. I could collect millions of guan by doing nothing a year."

Li Chong laughed, as if the emperor was proud of his wealth.

Li Shimin looked at him, then looked at the sky outside, and pondered: "I came a little early today. It's still a while before I went to court. Let me tell you again if there are any rumors about Hebei Road recently."

Li Chong suddenly became interested and hurriedly said, "Hey, there are no rumors about Hebei Road one day. There have been rumors about Hebei Road every day in the past two years. Weichen specially dispatched a team of Hundred Riders, mainly inquiring about this on the streets and alleys. Some rumors sounded exaggerated, but after hearing this, I felt full of energy."

"Okay, tell me, I took a break from my busy schedule today and I also want to hear the exaggerated words of the people."

Li Shimin was obviously very interested.

Li Chong quickly took out a booklet from his arms, opened it and started to read it, saying, "Hebei Road, this year, we are planning to open up 10 million acres of land and nourish 10 million pigs, so that the entire Tang Dynasty can eat fat intestines and noodles."

Li Shimin was stunned for a moment and said in surprise: "Read ten thousand acres of land? Raise ten million pigs?"

Li Chong smiled and explained in a low voice: "This is all the people's hype. They don't know what the number is 10 million acres. Not to mention the land reclamation of ten thousand acres, one million acres will be scary. King Zhao worked hard in Hebei for more than two years, and the throne had only 500,000 acres of land reclamation. In order to allow the people to eat enough when they are reclamation, he himself brought more than three million stones of grain into it. It is said that the grain merchants of the aristocratic families were happy. What they wanted to hear most was that Hebei would need to open up the land again, because once Hebei was reopened, King Zhao had to buy food for them."

Li Shimin snorted and said, "When Hebei develops for a few more years, I will see who their grain will be sold to. At that time, King Zhao will use millions and tens of millions of acres of land, and any citizen can get dozens of acres. At that time, it will not be the Hebei Road to sell grain to the aristocratic families. I am afraid that the aristocratic families will have to turn around and buy grain from the Hebei Road."

Li Chong was very excited and smirked, "The King of Zhao is amazing and can always make the aristocratic family dirty. In the ginseng hype two years ago, at least one hundred aristocratic families in our Tang Dynasty became paupers. The wealth of thousands of families was gone in a blink of an eye. They had to sell the grain in the granary to pay off their debts. They were just taken into account by King of Zhao, and they all helped the poverty of Hebei."

Li Shimin looked at him and smiled and said, "You speak of King Zhao at one time. You must know that is your cousin. In addition to killing people and beheading your head, you should also study hard with your cousin. They are all the royal family's legitimate genitals. Look at how glorious King Zhao is."

Li Chong suddenly looked frowning and said in disappointment: "Where are we, the juniors of the royal family, dare to compete with him, compare strength, he is the best in the world, compare knowledge, understand the past and the present, compare wealth, make money like a mountain collapse, compare skills, he is able to strategize and win a thousand miles..."

"Okay, okay!"

Li Shimin waved his hand and cursed with a smile: "You are a cousin, and you are so envious of your brothers. Are there any rumors about Hebei Road? Read a few more for me to hear."

Li Chong smiled embarrassedly, then flipped the book to read it, saying, "The King of Zhao wants to open up the land and is preparing to dig the Yellow River. King of Zhao is rich enough to rival the country. He is preparing to pay private money to hire civil servants. This time, the Yellow River is excavated and 3 million civil servants are recruited. One hundred large canals are dug in the entire Hebei Road to divert the water of the Yellow River to every field for irrigation. After success, the entire Hebei will be filled with water..."

It is still an exaggerated word unique to the street rumors, full of the people's infinite yearning for Hebei.

However, as Li Shimin listened, he gradually changed his color and suddenly interrupted Li Chong and asked: "Is there any official document from Hebei Road to dig up the Yellow River?"

Li Chong was stunned for a moment and wondered: "This is all street rumors. It is usually made up by the people. It is purely absurd to dig up the Yellow River. This matter has never been heard of since ancient times."

"wrong!"

Li Shimin interrupted him again and pondered: "There is no wind or wave in the world, especially the stinky brat of King Zhao. He likes to start public opinion the most before doing things. Every time he wants to do something shocking, he must first let the people discuss and promote it on the streets. When everyone hears it, they feel that things don't sound shocking, so they fall into his trap. Then it is time to do things."

When the emperor said this, he subconsciously stood up from his chair, frowned and thought for a long time, and murmured to himself: "Digging the Yellow River and digging the Yellow River, this matter has never been heard of in the ages. Once he takes action, he will definitely shock the world. After all dynasties, no one dared to dig the Yellow River. Not only did he dare not dig it, but he was even afraid that the Yellow River would break, because once the Yellow River breaks, the entire north will suffer half of the disaster. Hiss, what is the stinky brat doing? He won't really want to dig the Yellow River."

Li Chong listened for a long time and carefully reminded the emperor: "Your Majesty, these are the street rumors that the Hundred Cavalry Investigated, and most of them are full of speculations from the people. Maybe King Zhao just wanted to build a few main canals, but when it came here, it turned out to be digging the Yellow River."

This explanation is obviously reliable, but Li Shimin still frowned and pondered. The emperor walked back and forth in the study with his hands, muttering to himself, and whispered: "Digging the Yellow River? Recruiting three million civilians? Digging the Yellow River? Recruiting three million civilians? This matter is clearly strange. Why does it sound like Yang Guang was going to build the Grand Canal back then..."

Li Chong suddenly said in a low voice, saying with concern: "When Emperor Yang of Sui built the Grand Canal, he recruited more than three million civil servants. During the construction of the canal, he had to go to a expedition to Goryeo again. As a result, he recruited civil servants again, which made the people in the world miserable."

"You know nothing!"

Li Shimin snorted and said, "The so-called people's life is not a secret promotion by aristocratic families, wait, I understand..."

The emperor had just said halfway, and suddenly let out a light sigh, taking a deep breath and said, "The King of Zhao digs the Yellow River and Emperor Yang of Sui builds the Grand Canal. These two things sound exactly the same, and both require the recruitment of millions of civilians. If this matter really begins, it will definitely remind the aristocratic families of what they did back then. When the aristocratic families are secretly making trouble, that is, when the King of Zhao reveals his minions."

Li Chong obviously didn't understand!

But the emperor did not hide the confidant. He said to Li Chong with his eyes: "That stinky brat wants to dig the Yellow River openly, and I'm afraid he is secretly preparing to kill Liaodong."

Excavating the Yellow River?

Kill Liaodong?

Li Chong subconsciously grabbed his forehead, clearly feeling that these two things could not be linked together.

He was about to speak, but Li Shimin had already laughed and suddenly raised his foot to walk out the door, and said leisurely: "It's almost time. I'm going to go to the morning court. Hahahaha, digging the Yellow River, such a loud slogan. I feel impatient now, and I want to see the reactions of the ministers in the court..."

Li Chong held the booklet in his hand and asked the emperor behind him, saying, "Your Majesty, are you still quite upright after you go to court on the street?"

"I just listen!"

Li Shimin smiled and went out, saying, "You can release a bird quickly and ask King Zhao to send me a message as soon as possible. When will he dig the Yellow River? I can cooperate with him to recruit civilians..."

"Didn't you say you want to kill Liaodong?"

Li Chong chased after him and asked deliberately, "In fact, he was definitely not a foolish person who could be elected as the commander of the Royal Hundred Riding Division. The question was mainly to please the emperor."

Li Shimin laughed and said, "Two things, together. Based on my understanding of that brat, this matter must be one light and one dark. Go quickly and let a bird ask about the situation."

Only then did Li Chong stuff the booklet into his arms and ran all the way to a hidden place in the palace.

Li Shimin made great strides towards Taiji Hall. At this time, the sky was already slightly brighter. This was the time of the morning court, and countless court officials were waiting in the hall.

Li Shimin stepped into the palace and sat directly on the dragon throne. When the ministers finished their salutes, the emperor suddenly said slowly: "I have heard some legends on the streets and alleys recently. One said that King Zhao was going to step down as the chief marching officer of Hebei Road, and the other said that King Zhao was going to recruit three million civilians to dig the Yellow River. These two rumors were completely opposite. One represents resignation from office and self-cultivation, and the other represents rolling up his sleeves and doing something big. I feel very curious and want to hear what you all love friends think."

The emperor's words were all confused by the civil and military officials in the court!

Many people have been discussing the rumor of resignation recently, but the digging of the Yellow River is obviously a speculation of the people among the people. Why did His Majesty actually come to the court? This is obviously not in line with the emperor's usual style.

"Could King Zhao really want to dig the Yellow River?"

This is the first reaction of many ministers.

...
Chapter completed!