Rebirth of Wu Ba Spring and Autumn

Chapter 500 How Big the World Is
The current population of the state of Wu, the ten counties of the state of Wu, add up to more than four million. This is a conservative estimate.

If one more Jing country is added, it may exceed six million.

But compared with the Persian Empire, which has a population of more than [-] million, it is too far behind, probably three times the difference.

According to Qingji's estimate, the total population of all the Huaxia vassal states is more than [-] million, not more than [-] million.

"This Achaemenid Empire, does it really have such a huge territory and so many people?"

"Hiss! That's amazing! There are so many countries in the world?"

"Looking at the sky from a well. I used to really look at the sky from a well. I only thought that the Chinese countries were the 'world'. I never thought that there is such a big country in the far west."

The ministers didn't care about the other small foreign countries on the map.

The only thing they valued was this so-called "Achaemenid Empire".

In the past, Chinese people believed that they lived in the world, that is, "the world", barbarians from all over the world, drinking blood like hair, eating ancient things without transforming.

The Chinese people have the power to open up to the outside world, but they think that the land in all directions is barbaric and barren, and it will take time and effort to rule those places, which is really not worth the loss.

It is precisely because there is no goal of foreign development that the vassal states choose to fight on their own and attack each other.

In the Xia, Shang, and Western Zhou dynasties, the rulers of the world would entrust their sons and brothers, or the heroes would go to remote places to establish a country, and then forge ahead in all directions.

This is "Under the whole world, is it the king's land. On the shore of the land, is it the king's minister"!
The existence of the Achaemenid Empire is undoubtedly surprising.

Confucius asked very curiously: "Your Majesty, the Achaemenid Empire must be very rich, right?"

"Wealth can't be said."

Qing Ji shook his head and said, "I don't know the specific situation."

"It is said that I have been to the Achaemenid Empire, please introduce me to the second and third sons!"

Lao Tzu, who was ranked as Shangqing, was sitting among the ministers at this moment.

Hearing Qingji call his name, Lao Tzu immediately stood up, saluted Qingji who was on the platform, and then bowed politely to the officials.

For the unfamiliar Achaemenid Empire, the ministers and officials of Wu State are very interested.

"Second and third sons, this old man has been to the Achaemenid Empire and lived there for three years."

I actually lived in the Achaemenid Empire for three years?

Including Qing Ji, all the ministers of Wu State were very surprised.

However, it seems unsurprising that Lao Tzu rode a green bull out of customs in the past, had no news for more than ten years, and lived in one place for three years.

"This country has been established for about two hundred years. After more than a dozen generations of unremitting efforts and pioneering efforts, it has finally completed its rise in the past few decades and created the current Achaemenid Empire..."

Qing Ji knew a thing or two about this matter.

The Achaemenid Empire was founded by Cyrus II, but he was not the founder of the Achaemenid tribe.

About 705 BC, that is, two hundred years ago, the Persian tribal leader Achaemenes established the Kingdom of Persia.

He was the first official king of the Persians, that is, the Iranians.

Laozi talked eloquently: "The business of the Persians is quite prosperous, mainly animal husbandry and agriculture."

"This country has a large territory, many ethnic groups, and a large population. It's just that many small foreign countries have only been conquered by the Persians. I'm afraid it will be difficult to really integrate..."

Under Lao Tzu's introduction, the officials of Wu State, including Qingji, had a preliminary understanding of the Achaemenid Empire.

And Qingji, also at this time, revealed his purpose.

"Second and third sons, the widow's intention is to establish a road leading to the west, to the Achaemenid Empire, and even to a more western region, to trade with Westerners and make profits from it."

"I don't know what the second and third sons think, how?"

Hearing this, all the ministers couldn't help but look at each other in blank dismay.

"Your Majesty, I think it's wrong!"

Dazai Jiran was the first to stand up and retort: ​​"My country of Wu is already very rich now."

"Looking at all the countries in the world, only Qi and Jin can be compared with my Wu country. There is really no need for your majesty to take the risk of sending a caravan to a place tens of thousands of miles away to do business with Westerners."

"My Majesty please enlighten me!"

Hearing this, Qingji just frowned, noncommittal.

The eunuch Shen Xi followed and said: "Your Majesty, I think what the Dazai said is very true!"

"My country of Wu is now full of treasury, rich and well-off people, why bother to risk my life and go to the far west for trade?"

"not worth it!"

"My minister agrees!"

Bei Li, Hu Yong and other old family ministers all stood up to persuade them.

Qingji still didn't speak.

Seeing this, Bo Tong, who was good at figuring out Qingji's thoughts, immediately came under the majesty's platform with his Yahu in his hand, and said, "Your Majesty, I think that our country of Wu should conduct trade with the West!"

"How big is the world?"

"In the past, I Chinese people only thought that all directions were barren and barren, but I never thought that there was such a powerful country as the Achaemenid Empire in the West."

"Porcelain, tea, silk and other items that are unique to China are not available in the West and cannot be produced."

"If you can sell those products to the west, do you know how much money you will make?"

"..."

All the ministers and officials shook their heads, expressing that they did not know.

Then Bo Tong thought about it secretly, and said loudly: "If I sell a piece of silk from Wu State to Qin State, I can earn [-] to [-] renminbi, which is about two or three times the profit."

"If you sell a bolt of silk to the Achaemenid Empire, or even further afield, it will be worth at least [-] or even [-]!"

"How much more than ten times the profit?"

"This……"

All the ministers stared at each other, as if they had seen a ghost.

Qingji smiled knowingly.

According to Bo Tong, this is actually a conservative estimate.

Ten times the profit?

joke!

Silk, tea, and porcelain are all unique to China, specialties!

This is tens of thousands of miles away, and ten times the profit is still too low.

At least dozens of times the profit!

How do second-hand dealers make money?
Price difference!

Erdao dealers are actually middlemen.

From the State of Wu to the Achaemenid Empire, and even to Athens, Macedonia, and the Celts in the west, the journey is long and difficult, and merchants must sell it at a high price.

As the saying goes, what is rare is more expensive.

The merchants of Wu state want to sell it cheaply, and I am afraid that the western aristocrats who are buyers will not agree!
Knowing that doing business with Westerners may make huge profits, and it is very profitable, Dazai Jiran and others hesitated for a moment, and then agreed.

After all, no one would dislike having a lot of money in their pockets.

What's more, the state of Wu is only relatively rich, and there are actually a lot of places to spend money.

(End of this chapter)