National color raw owl

Chu Huan knew in his heart that Marquis Gan was so interested in silver, but it might not be because the commander of the Northwest Army was very interested in silver. It was just that the Northwest Army was in a difficult situation. The stability of the army, but if things go on like this, the situation of the Northwest Army is getting worse and worse, and there is no guarantee that the soldiers under it will change.

Of course, he also knew that once there was turmoil in the Northwest Army, it would be a great disaster for the entire Northwest.

To ensure that the soldiers of the Northwest Army can guard the border with peace of mind, it is far from enough to rely on prestige and morale boosting. It is necessary to solve the practical difficulties faced by the army.

Whether it is food, clothing, or accommodation, it needs to be enhanced and improved, and to improve these, it is absolutely impossible without money.

"Whether the amount of money is more or less is actually not decided by the governor, but by the general and the brothers of the Northwest Army." Chu Huan said with a smile.

Marquis Gan obviously didn't understand Chu Huan's words right away, and frowned slightly. Chu Huan had already asked softly: "General Gan should know that during the previous dynasty, merchants from the west once traded with me in the Central Plains. Prosperity, but later the rise of the Xiliang Kingdom blocked the trade route between the East and the West."

Marquis Gan nodded and said, "That's right. The Central Plains is a land of vast land and abundant resources, a state of splendor. A long time ago, after the first batch of Western businessmen came to our Central Plains, they saw the beautiful mountains and rivers of our Central Plains, and also saw the abundance of products in the Central Plains. Since then, there has been an endless stream of Western businessmen coming to COSCO for trade, and I also had caravans from the Central Plains who once went to the West.” Then he frowned: “However, as Master Chu said, the people of Xiliang suddenly rose up and unified the nine parts of Xiliang. They have completely controlled the large area in the west, and most importantly, they have cut off the east-west trade route...!"

"At the beginning of the founding of the people of Xiliang, they did not reveal their wolfish ambitions." Chu Huan said: "Although the business road between the east and the west was cut off at that time, the trade between the two sides was not cut off, but Xiliang became a transit place. , the goods from the east and the west can only be traded in Xiliang, and the people of Xiliang have earned a lot of benefits from it...!"

Marquis Gan nodded slightly, but asked with some doubts: "Master Chu, what does this trade have to do with our Northwest Army?"

"Of course it has a lot to do with it." Chu Huan said solemnly: "According to what I know, at that time, Yanmen Pass was known as the most powerful pass in the world. There was an endless stream of businessmen coming and going from Yanmen Pass, and tariffs became one of the country's most important benefits. one."

The corners of Marquis Gan's brows stretched slightly, and he laughed and said, "Master Chu's meaning, I will understand, are you planning to open the customs duties at Yanmen Pass? Master Chu, do you know that Yanmen Pass charged customs duties, and that was in the previous dynasty, when this dynasty established the country Since then, there have never been any tariffs on Yanmen Pass!"

"The reason why my Daqin didn't have tariffs at Yanmen Pass is very simple, just because in the late period of the previous dynasty, the tariffs had not been abolished." Chu Huan said solemnly: "In the late period of the previous dynasty, the country was weak and the world was in chaos. They have been eyeing the Central Plains, but they know very well that when the Central Plains is strong, they have no chance at all. Only when the Central Plains is in chaos, they can take advantage of the opportunity. Because of this, they have already started small shares at that time. Since then, the trade between the two countries has been completely interrupted. Merchants from Xiliang no longer enter the customs, and businessmen from the Central Plains no longer leave the customs. Yanmen Pass can be said to be a circus in the cold. People entered our Central Plains, and Yanmen Pass has been closed, since there is no trade, tariffs naturally do not exist.”

Ganhou didn't speak, just looked at Chu Huan.

"Now, we reopen the trade field and allow merchants in the customs to trade outside the customs. General Gan, in fact, you should also understand that whether it is my Great Qin or Western countries including Xiliang, there is a strong desire for goods from both sides. Demands, although the two sides were at odds for a time, but the desire for trade has never disappeared." Chu Huan said seriously: "This Governor can guarantee that the establishment of this trading field will definitely promote the trade exchanges between the two countries... This Governor It is impossible to determine how long this kind of trade will last, and there is no guarantee that this kind of trade will cause the two countries to stop fighting, but the governor believes that before the next war comes, the trading field will inevitably be very frequent. "

Marquis Gan stroked the thick beard on his chin, stared at Chu Huan, but still didn't say a word.

"The governor just said that the amount of silver depends on whether the trade in the trading field is frequent and whether the trade is smooth. I have also done some research on Xiguan Road. Leaving aside other places, at least the merchants on Xiguan Road are willing to cooperate with you. The Xiliang people are doing business, but what they are most worried about now is whether their safety can be guaranteed." Chu Huan said slowly: "Of course General Gan can understand this. Soon, although it is impossible for the Xiliang people to make a large-scale invasion within a few years, no one can guarantee whether a small group of rangers will appear at the border. As for the trade field, in order to prevent the Xiliang people from infiltrating the Central Plains, Also because the people in the northwest hate Xiliang people, so the trading field can only be set up outside the customs, and cannot appear inside the customs, and those merchants going out of the customs to trade naturally have to take certain risks."

Marquis Gan finally nodded: "Master Chu's meaning, I will understand. You mean, without the protection of the Northwest Army, the merchants in the customs would not dare to go out to do business. In this way, the trading field will be useless."

"Exactly!" Chu Huan nodded with a smile and said, "Only with the protection of the Northwest Army and the trading field under the protection of the Northwest Army, merchants will have no worries and can safely enter and exit Yanmen Pass." After a pause, he continued: " The governor is ready to re-open the tariffs. Before coming here, he had also discussed with the merchants in Xiguan. In fact, they knew very well that the trading field can really be opened smoothly. Doing business there will inevitably generate huge profits, and they have no objection to tariffs, and are still willing to bear them, and compared to the profits they earn, the proportion of tariffs is not high."

Marquis Gan nodded slightly, and said: "Master Chu has strategized and planned ahead, which I admire. It's just...has Mr. Chu thought about one thing?"

"Please pass!"

"It's about the ownership of the tariffs!" Ganhou said solemnly: "Since Mr. Chu knew that the tariffs at Yanmen Pass were also an important income of the country in the previous dynasty, now that the tariffs are restarted, don't these taxes need to be paid to the court? I will know , In the previous dynasty, the tariffs on the Yanmenguan side were collected by the northwest local government on behalf of the court, and then transferred to the national treasury. Now the tariffs are restarted. If you follow the method of the previous dynasty, your Xiguan Road government collected the tariffs at that time, and then passed Escort your hands to the treasury...!" He paused, squinted his eyes, and said with a half-smile: "Anyway, the Northwest Army is guarding the Yanmen Pass. Could it be... that the tariffs will be given to us by the Northwest Army?"

"General Gan is right. This governor is planning to hand over tariffs to the Northwest Army." Chu Huan said with a smile, "Actually, this governor has calculated that even if the trade is smooth at the beginning, due to the domestic situation, trade is impossible. It has reached the previous height, but it can indeed collect a lot of tariffs. The governor plans to hand over the tariffs for the first three years after the start of trade to the Northwest Army. The governor thought that the three-year tariff is enough to guarantee the Northwest Army The supply of various supplies has greatly improved the current plight of the Northwest Army."

"What does the imperial court say?" Marquis Gan said solemnly: "Master Chu surrendered the tariffs, and the imperial court will agree? If the imperial court asks Lord Chu for tariffs, how will you respond?"

Chu Huan said with a smile: "General Gan doesn't have to worry about this. My emperor is sage, benevolent and generous. He has already issued a decree. Within three years, all taxes on Xiguan Road will be exempted. Yanmen Pass is still within the territory of Xiguan Road, so The customs duty at Yanmen Pass is also one of the taxes on Xiguan Road, and the imperial court exempts all taxes on Xiguan Road, which naturally includes the customs duties here."

Marquis Gan's eyes finally brightened, but he still couldn't believe it. He asked, "Lord Chu, are you serious? You mean that within three years, all customs duties at Yanmen Pass will belong to the Northwest Army? Is it the imperial court, or your Xiguan Road, who won’t take a penny from the tariffs?”

Chu Huan said: "General Gan, if the governor said that the opening of the trading field is not just for the commercial development of Xiguan, but another important reason is for your Northwest Army, do you believe it?"

Gan Hou was startled.

"The imperial court is very difficult now, and the national treasury is also very empty." Chu Huan sighed softly: "General Gan and the governor are very clear that the imperial court is now flattening the Tianmen in the east and conquering the blue sky in the north. It can hold down the Northwest Army for a while, but after a year and a half, the supplies will not be available, and I believe that even General Gan cannot guarantee that the Northwest Army will be as stable as Mount Tai."

The corners of Ganhou's eyes twitched slightly, but he couldn't help but nodded slightly.

"Before opening the trade field, the governor thought about how to help the Northwest Army solve difficulties." Chu Huan said softly: "With the current capabilities of Xiguan, it is actually difficult to provide effective help to the Northwest Army, and there are still many ordinary people in Xiguan Starved to death, the governor is very ashamed, he can't even take care of the people, so naturally it is impossible to give too much help to the Northwest Army, so after thinking about it, opening a trade field and restarting tariffs may help the Northwest Army. It is also the only way that the Governor has come up with right now."

Marquis Gan said solemnly: "Master Chu has the Northwest Army in his heart, and he would be very grateful."

"Actually, it can't be said that it's all for the Northwest Army. In the final analysis, it's for the Xiguan Road." Chu Huan smiled and said, "To put it bluntly, if there is chaos in the Northwest Army, the first to suffer is the Xiguan Road. Therefore, the governor definitely hopes that the Northwest Army can be stable. In addition, starting a trading field and promoting trade between the east and the west will also be of great benefit to the business development of Xiguan Road. Must do."

"There is no need to say anything." Marquis Gan suddenly got up, "Master Chu, the trade field is a matter of your Xiguan, and it is also a matter of our Northwest Army. From now on, our Northwest Army will be fully responsible for the safety of the trade field. Tomorrow, we will arrange for troops to leave the customs, and we will prepare to set up a legion to protect the trade field, so that no one with ulterior motives will do any harm to the trade field. Hahaha, today is a big day for the Northwest Army. Although the border It's bitter cold, but we still have to celebrate...!" He strode towards the gate and shouted loudly: "Chang Huan, bring a few jars of wine from your Tiangu Castle, I'm going to get drunk with Master Chu." Stretched out his hand When he opened the door, he saw a figure in front of the door. He was stunned for a moment, but that person was actually Chang Huan, and he didn't know when Chang Huan had appeared in front of the door.

It's just that Chang Huan had a bitter face, his expression was extremely ugly, Gan Hou frowned, and scolded: "Are you fucking mad?" Suddenly he saw a figure behind Chang Huan, and he frowned even more, seeing the man behind him The figure slowly turned sideways, Ganhou's expression changed drastically, and he yelled, as if he had seen a ghost.