I studied in modern times

Chapter 806 Lu Huiqing's Request
Zhao Xu leaned back slightly in his chair, looking at Lu Huiqing, who was trembling in front of him.

For the first time, he laughed from the bottom of his heart.

"It seems... Lu Huiqing, whom I regarded as a 'fierce minister' in my previous life, is also afraid!"

In particular, Lu Huiqing showed this attitude in front of him.

This made Zhao Xu particularly proud.

Is there anything that can compare to the satisfaction brought by the achievement [Scare Lu Huiqing]?
Of course, it is not ruled out that Lu Huiqing was acting.

After all, the civil officials of the Song Dynasty were all good at acting.

Back then, there was the Heavenly Book incident in the Zhen Temple, and there was the Fengshan ceremony and the construction of the Yuqing Zhaoying Palace.

Among the ministers at that time, few dared to oppose.

Most of them are scrambling to flatter.

There are countless flatterers.

Just like the so-called [Five Ghosts], they were actually suffering for the real temple.

This is the emperor!
I'll take the credit, you take the blame!
So, Zhao Xu doesn’t care.

As long as the ministers behave themselves in front of him and can resolutely implement and execute his deployment, what else does he need?

Confucius once said: If someone stays for a long time and doesn't return, how can we know that he doesn't exist?

As long as they can act as loyal subjects in front of me for their entire lives, then they are loyal subjects!
Therefore, Zhao Xu only enjoyed it for a while before saying to Lu Huiqing: "Sir, this is a place for me and you to discuss the Dao, so there is no need to be so formal. Let's get up and talk!"

"promise!"

After Lu Huiqing stood up and sat down, Zhao Xu continued, "The Xihe Road was an important border defense area in the past, responsible for monitoring the western bandits and Tubo."

"And now, it has gradually become an important place for national finances!"

"My husband should know something about the cotton matter!"

"I have heard and seen it in the capital..." Lu Huiqing said, "I heard that this year the country has earned millions of guan just from cotton cloth!"

"This is truly because of your Majesty's divine power and your wisdom and intelligence!" He also offered words of flattery.

Zhao Xu found this very useful!

He even curled up his lips in pride!

There was no way he could have won the cotton fields on Xihe Road.

The Song Dynasty won the cotton issue more than once.

They used the cotton fields to round up a large number of Qiang, Tibetan and Dangxiang people in the cotton farms, turning these unstable forces into stable employees and members who would dedicate their youth and descendants to the revival of the Song Dynasty.

At the same time, the development of the textile industry driven by cotton in Xihe Road is also very gratifying.

The sales and export of cotton cloth have made outstanding contributions to the national finance and taxation.

The most important thing is that Zhao Xu completed the important step of "primitive accumulation of capitalism" as mentioned in modern textbooks on Xihe Road!

Because, in Xihe Road, the money paid for hiring workers to reclaim cotton fields and plant them.

Except for a small number of copper coins, all of them are iron coins!

Even though, now it has been replaced with fine iron coins which are of better quality and have a stronger value.

But this is also a pair of scissors!
Zhao Xu used this pair of scissors to complete the harvest of Xihe workers.

The key is that there have been no complaints.

Both the hired workers and the cotton farmers were very satisfied with this.

I even feel that Emperor Zhao is very conscientious!

As for things like iron coins, we just have to wait for Xuzhou Liguojian to start stable production.

As much as you want!

With this pair of scissors, Zhao Xu can continue to reap the blood and sweat of the workers on Xihe Road.

Even if Daiying's sheep eats people, they are probably no match for the scissors that Zhao Xu has now.

Because Zhao Xu had already pointed the scissors at other people.

After tasting the sweetness in Xihe, Zhao Xu sent people to follow the sugar ships coming from Guangxi south with tens of millions of iron coins.

Send the blessings of Emperor Zhao to the southwestern tribes, Dali, Jiaozhou and Jiaozhi.

A trade network may soon be formed.

The sugar from the sugarcane plantations in Jiaozhou would be transported by grain ships or sea vessels to major cities such as Yangzhou, Hangzhou, Suzhou, and Bianjing in the Song Dynasty to meet the sugar needs of the gentry in the Song Dynasty.

The coins minted by the Liguojian in Bian Jing, Xuzhou, and the future Tiejian in Jingdong Road will be transported back to Guangxi and Jiaozhou on sugar ships, and then imported into the southwestern tribes, Dali, Jiaozhi, and even Champa, Zhenla, Brunei, Srivijaya and even the Arabs!
The wealth of people from all countries will be harvested by this pair of scissors.

What is the medieval triangular trade?

Of course, this trade network is not stable.

And as the Song Dynasty's refined iron/steel production increases, it will eventually collapse.

But can't it still be carried out now?

At least for now, things like refined iron are still very valuable.

Thinking of this, Zhao Xu briefly explained to Lu Huiqing his deployment of the cotton fields in Xihe Road.

To sum up, we should take advantage of the current window period when refined iron is valuable and use iron money to exchange for the blood and sweat of people of all ethnic groups in Xihe.

Then, the cotton grown with the blood and sweat of these people of all ethnic groups was sent back to Bianliang, allowing Bianliang's textile industry to get its first pot of gold and start operating.

This enabled the Song Dynasty's textile industry to survive its most vulnerable embryonic stage and thrive.

Therefore, Zhao Xu asked Lu Huiqing to strictly control the cotton in the cotton farm in Xihe.

During his term of office, he must firmly control cotton production.

We should adopt the spirit of the salt and iron monopolies and ensure that the people grow the cotton and the government harvests the cotton.

After hearing this, Lu Huiqing became more and more afraid of Zhao Xu.

But at the same time, his loyalty to Zhao Xu reached an unprecedented level.

It even exceeded the loyalty that emerged from his gratitude after Zhao Xu executed Zhang Zhijian in the eighth year of Yuanfeng.

Because Zhao Xu executed Zhang Zhijian, what he showed was just love for him.

In Lu Huiqing's opinion, this might just be the reason that the late emperor had once instructed him to do.

So, he was grateful and thankful.

But only there.

It’s different now!

Zhao Xu's deployment and arrangements for Xihe were ruthless and well-organized.

This made Lu Huiqing feel a sense of recognition from a soul level.

Lu Huiqing felt a sense of relief, like a long drought finally ending in rain, or like he had met a close friend overseas.

At this moment, Lu Huiqing knew that if he wanted to fulfill his ideals and ambitions and realize his political pursuits, he could only rely on the young master!
Therefore, after listening to Zhao Xu's deployment and explanation, Lu Huiqing immediately bowed and said: "Your Majesty, I will obey your command and work hard day and night to live up to your trust!"

Zhao Xu listened, nodded slightly, and spoke highly of Lu Huiqing: "In this world today, the only one who can lead the gentry of Xihe to bring peace is you, my lord!"

Lu Huiqing deserves this evaluation!

Contemporary scholars and officials attacked Lü Huiqing, saying that he was the reincarnation of Shang Yang and Han Fei.

This is not a false accusation or slander.

But fact!

In a sense, Lu Huiqing went even further and was more radical than Shang Yang and Han Fei!
In modern times, Zhao Xu read some of Lu Huiqing's works.

He knew what Lu Huiqing was thinking and understood the world in Lu Huiqing's eyes.

Lu Huiqing was excited and said, "Your Majesty has trusted me so much that I will repay you with all my loyalty, even if I die a hundred times!"

Zhao Xu nodded, and suddenly said to Lu Huiqing: "I was reading recently, and suddenly I felt something..."

Lu Huiqing looked at Zhao Xu in confusion.

Zhao Xu smiled and continued, "I think... a sage is unkind and treats the people as straw dogs. He has no permanent heart and regards the people's heart as his own. He only regards himself as a straw dog. It is understandable why he behaves like a straw dog in the face of the world!"

Lu Huiqing's scalp tingled and her whole body trembled. She looked at Zhao Xu with fanatical eyes.

Zhao Xu smiled, looked at him and asked, "Sir, what do you think the saints are doing in the world?"

Lu Huiqing said in a trembling voice: "It is etiquette, benevolence, justice and law!"

Zhao Xu nodded: "So..."

"Sir, you should make good use of these saints' experience in the world!"

What Zhao Xu said was from Lu Huiqing's article.

To be precise, it is the content of "Collected Commentaries on the Meaning of Zhuangzi" which he wrote during the Shaosheng period.

At present, Lu Huiqing probably hasn't started writing yet.

Zhao Xu chose to speak it out, both to get closer to Lu Huiqing and to let Lu Huiqing know that he and he were on the same path.

At the same time, it is also a reminder to Lu Huiqing: Don’t write down everything!

Even if you want to write, wait until you retire in the future!

As for now...

All people in the world are straw dogs!
When in a situation, even a saint can only learn to be a straw dog and explain the way of heaven using principles and words that straw dogs can understand and explain.

In this process, "traces of the world" such as benevolence, righteousness, morality, propriety, law and order were created.

Now, my husband is also in the game.

Naturally, we should learn from the saints.

To be in harmony with the light and be one with the dust, and to be one with all the people in the world!

Therefore, benevolence, righteousness, propriety and law cannot be abandoned!
Not only can you not throw it away, you also have to recite it every day and keep it in your mouth at all times.

After all, Zhao Xu had read history books in modern times, and he knew that the colonists in Europe were all like this, chanting "God is merciful and loves all living beings" while brutally suppressing the colonial people.

The literati of the Song Dynasty could naturally recite the teachings of Confucius and Mencius on benevolence, righteousness, loyalty and forgiveness, and sent countless lives to purgatory.

At worst, our descendants thousands of years later will bow and apologize to the descendants of the victims: "I'm sorry, I was wrong back then!"

"But... the past is the past, please let us look forward to the future!"

Zhao Xu felt that if there were more and more people like Lu Huiqing, the more likely scenario would be that even if future generations wanted to apologize, they might not be able to find anyone to apologize to.

Because in the eyes of people like Lu Huiqing, there is no benevolence, righteousness, or morality, only the cold and merciless way of heaven.

This Heavenly Way is his ideal and ambition.

In order to realize his own ideals and ambitions, he can give up everything and sacrifice everything!
Just as he himself said - Heaven is based on reason, man is based on emotion. If one is based on reason, then one will be broad-minded and public-spirited, while if one is based on emotion, then one will be narrow-minded and selfish.

What this means is that your love is just a small love, and this small love is harmful in the long run.

Although I am cruel, cold-blooded and ruthless.

But I have great love!
My love is like that of a strict father to his filial son, teaching him with the stick.

Let them know what they can and cannot do.

Make them walk the right path, abide by the law and follow the rules!
Lu Huiqing listened to Zhao Xu's words and pondered for a moment.

Then he bowed again and said, "Your Majesty, I will accept your teachings!"

At this moment, Lu Huiqing officially regarded Zhao Xu as a king he could rely on and who was worthy of his lifelong loyalty.

Because he found that he and his 'lord' had reached the legendary "comrade-in-arms" relationship.

This is the relationship between King Wen and Taigong, and King Wu and Duke Zhou.

So he raised his head and whispered, "I have an unreasonable request, I hope Your Majesty will grant it!"

"Ok?"

"Outside the new city of Bianjing, a merchant said: Li Erhu is good at doing business. I want to make him my retainer... I want to use his business skills to get money and goods!"

When saying these words, Lu Huiqing was extremely frank.

He is such a person.

When it comes to what you want, you never hide it, but say it openly.

Just like his writings, which were criticized by countless scholars including those from the New Party.

He just wrote it out.

It doesn't matter what other people think.

Zhao Xu listened, chuckled, and said, "Whatever you ask, I will certainly agree to it!"

He was really looking forward to it.

We are looking forward to seeing how far Li Erhu can go under the shelter, protection and encouragement of Lu Huiqing.
Is it going to become the first trust, cartel or conglomerate in the Song Dynasty?
Zhao Xu is looking forward to this.

Even encouraged!

Because Zhao Xu couldn't do these things.

Including the merchants he supports, they are not allowed to do these things.

This is not just to avoid suspicion, to divert conflicts and to avoid putting the royal family in the crosshairs.

At the same time, it also allows for more competition.

As we all know, capital cannot be run by the government.

Government-run enterprises are bound to be plagued by problems and will only become a feast for the yamenei/commissioner/commissioner or any other people with similar titles!

Therefore, even if Sun Ci gets on the right track, Zhao Xu will let him go.

(End of this chapter)