Master Kong Zhongni

Chapter 86
Zigong pointed to a passage in "Guanzi" and asked: "For example, this place. A fire broke out in the grasslands in the north of Qi State, and the light of the fire shone under the court hall of Qi State.

However, Guanzi congratulated Duke Huan and told him: The land in our country will be opened up, and the farmers will definitely have a hundred times the profit.

As a result, the rent and tax of Qi State was paid in September, and the grain harvest was also very good.What's the point? "

Zai Yu said: "When the grass is on fire, the ash left over from the burning will become nourishment for the fields, so the harvest of grain will of course be good!"

Zigong was still puzzled. He asked, "But farmers also set fires in ordinary years. Why do you only mention the year when the grassy marshes were on fire?"

Zai Yu pointed to the book and said, "Didn't Guan Zi say that? If the grass in the north is on fire, there will be no firewood for cooking.

Then the price of firewood sold by farmers will increase tenfold.

When farmers become rich, they can calmly cultivate the land in spring and have time to weed and sow seedlings in summer.

That's why the tax can be paid in September. "

Zigong frowned and said, "But don't farmers use firewood for their own cooking? Will the price of firewood rise, won't they be affected?"

When Zaiyu heard this, he sighed a little "why not eat minced meat".

He patted Zigong on the shoulder and sighed, "Only rich people like you spend money on firewood. Look at me, or ask Ziyou, which one of us doesn't go to the field to collect firewood for ourselves?" ?”

Hearing this, Zigong suddenly realized: "So you mean that the reason why Qi State's rent and tax can be paid in advance this year is actually that the wealthy households in Qi State paid it indirectly on their behalf?"

"Your understanding is correct." Zai Yu said: "After all, farmers have money in their hands, even if they don't cultivate the land, they can use the money they get from selling firewood to buy grain in the market and use it to pay land rent. "

Zigong thought for a while: "If you say that, the people of Qi just set fire to the grassland every year. In this way, wouldn't the farmers become rich?"

After hearing this, Zai Yu was so shocked that he quickly denied it: "I can't do it!"

"why?"

"Think about it! If the fire is set every year, the price of firewood will remain high. In this way, who will farm the land? Let's just collect firewood!"

"Isn't it good to pick up firewood?"

"There's nothing wrong with picking up firewood, but if you don't plant the land, it's a big deal! Have you forgotten what method Guan Zhong used to deal with Lu when he was in charge of Qi?"

When Duke Huan of Qi first succeeded to the throne, although the national strength of the State of Lu was not as good as that of the State of Qi, it could not be manipulated at will.

Therefore, the two countries often have frictions in various fields.

After a series of reforms by Guan Zhong, the national power of Qi State increased greatly.

Duke Huan of Qi is also gearing up to expand his international influence.

Therefore, the disobedient Lu State became the thorn in Huan Gong's eyes.

Duke Huan wanted to weaken the state of Lu, so Guan Zhong made a detrimental move for Duke Huan.

The land of Lu is flat and fertile, and the textile industry is also very developed. There has been a long tradition of growing mulberry weaving rice paddies.

Guan Zhong suggested that Duke Huan should take the lead in wearing cotton-tied clothes, and that not only Duke Huan should wear them, but also officials of Qi State.

The people of Qi State saw that the officials and the monarch were all wearing Mianti clothes, so they also wore them together.

It didn't take long before wearing Mianti became a fashion in Qi State.

Afterwards, Guan Zhong ordered that no rice weaving be allowed in the territory of Qi.

In this way, Qi State can only import clothes from Lu State, and the price of Mianti will naturally rise.

Farmers in the state of Lu saw that Mianti was very profitable, so they stopped growing grain, and instead planted mulberry and silkworms, which were commercial crops.

After such a period of time, when it was time for the grain harvest, Guan Zhong immediately asked Duke Huan and the officials to give up Mianti and wear silk clothes, and demanded that all economic exchanges with the State of Lu be cut off immediately.

The Mianti of Lu State could not be sold, nor could it import grain from Qi State, so the price of domestic grain soared instantly, even reaching the point of thousands of dollars per stone.

And the price of grain in Qi State is only ten qian per shi.

As a result, the people of Lu State went to the neighboring Qi State one after another.

Within two years, the population of Lu State decreased by six tenths.

Since then, the State of Lu no longer has the confidence to challenge the State of Qi, and can only hand in tribute, respecting the State of Qi as the overlord, and obeying orders.

When Zigong thought of this, he felt chills all over his body.

He couldn't help cursing: "Guan Yiwu, what a villain!"

Jae Yu didn't catch a cold: "But you have to admit that this person is really talented."

"That's true. No wonder Master also recognizes Guan Zhong's talent. Those who can help Duke Huan to become a hegemony should not underestimate him!"

Zaiyu picked up the "Guanzi" in front of Zigong, turned a few pages back, pointed to a paragraph and said.

"Don't you want all the people to collect firewood? Look at this paragraph, this is the end of collecting firewood."

Zigong glanced over.

Duke Huan wanted to crusade against Lai and Ju. Guan Zhong suggested that Duke Huan send soldiers to mine the copper mine in Zhuangshan, mint coins, and buy firewood rich in the two countries at a substantial premium.

The people of the two countries abandoned their fields and went into the mountains to cut firewood.

Two years later, Guan Zhong repeated the same trick and ordered to stop buying firewood.

The price of food in the two countries soared to 370 yuan per stone in an instant, so the people fled to Qi State one after another, and the country was once empty.

The two countries of Lai and Ju are tougher than Lu, and they have been tough for 28 months.

But in the end, he still didn't hold back, and could only surrender to Qi.

Zigong asked, "Isn't this the same technique?"

Zai Yu shook his head and said, "It looks the same, but Guan Zhong's methods against Lai and Ju have improved compared to the one against Lu."

"Where is the progress?"

Zai Yu pointed to the section where Guan Zhong ordered the minting of coins, and said, "Progress is here."

Zigong frowned and thought for a while: "Why is the coin minting an improvement?"

Zai Yu said: "The batch of coins ordered by Guan Zhong is specially used to buy firewood for the two countries of Lai and Ju.

In other words, this batch of currency will not flow into Qi's own market.

The prices of commodities on the market are not fixed. If there are more commodities, the prices will be cheaper.If there are fewer commodities, the price will be higher.

This is the reason why things are rare.

But have you ever thought about what would happen if there were too many coins? "

With Zigong's intelligence, he blurted out after thinking for a while.

"If there are more coins, then money is worthless. So the price of goods will go up."

Zai Yu nodded and said: "So Guan Yiwu minted currency to buy firewood from Lai and Ju, instead of using the currency stored in the country to buy it, so as not to affect the price of the country.

However, the two countries of Lai and Ju received a large amount of coins in a short period of time, and the fixed grain production became less.

Therefore, the price of food will rise much faster than usual, and not only the price of food will rise, but other commodities will also rise with the increase in the number of coins.

Therefore, the people of Lai and Ju fled more and ran faster than the people of Lu.

It can be seen from this that Guan Yiwu's resourcefulness has gradually improved after practice again and again. "

Zigong liked to hear these economic theories, and Zaiyu's introduction fascinated him.

He hurriedly asked: "Then after Lai and Ju, has Guan Zhong's methods improved again?"

Zai Yu said: "Of course! Lu, Lai, and Ju are all small countries in the final analysis.

After that, Guan Yiwu took a more mature strategy and ruthlessly calculated the Chu State in the south. "

"What method did he use this time?"

Zai Yu said: "Guan Zhongming said on the surface that Duke Huan liked the live deer in Yunmeng Lake of Chu State, and then ordered the minting of currency, and sent envoys to bring a large amount of gold and 2000 million copper coins to Chu State to buy deer.

The king of Chu was very happy when he heard the news. He smiled and said to his ministers: "Everyone pays attention to coins, and the country depends on coins to maintain its operation."And animals are just a group of pests, so if the people of Qi want them, they can give them to them.Please inform the people to hunt live deer as soon as possible in exchange for all the treasures of Qi!

Unexpectedly, Guan Zhong not only bought live deer, but also secretly stored six tenths of Qi's grain, and secretly sent people to Chu to buy grain.

As a result, Qi State stored five times more grain, and Chu State also had five times more coins.

After that, the checkpoints were closed and economic exchanges with Chu State were cut off.

When the price of grain in the state of Chu reached [-] yuan per shi, the state of Qi sent people to transport the grain to Qiandi for sale.

In the end, not only did Chu State spit out all the money it earned, but even the people of Chu State fled in large numbers. "

Hearing this, Zigong, who had always been prejudiced against Guan Zhong, had to sigh deeply.

"Nine vassals, one governs the world. Great talent! Guan Yiwu!"

　The recommendation tickets flow into my pocket, but my pocket is still not full.

　　——Excerpt from "Zaiyu's Diary"

　　


(End of this chapter)