The great man will live forever

Chapter 65 Return to the Western Regions
On the official road, a carriage pulled two people, starting from Shandong. On the way back to Chang'an, one of the people on the carriage was Sang Hongyang, the great farmer, who was responsible for managing the country's finances and farming.

The other is Tingwei Tingwei Zhang Tang, who is responsible for collecting, managing, and delivering news from across the country, including arresting criminals, cracking down on spies from various countries, etc.

The great farmer ordered Sang Hongyang to shake his head, "The emperor is in the mood for a great victory. Reporting about the flood in Shandong at this time will definitely dampen the emperor's mood."

Zhang Tang was also helpless. Emperors of other dynasties might not retaliate, but if Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty found out that you had made a fraud and he was deceived, people would die. Many people would die and their blood would flow into rivers.

"But isn't this repayment? This is related to the livelihood of 70 disaster victims."

Da Nong Ling Sang Hongyang had a sad look on his face, "You don't know that the Emperor is currently planning a bigger battle with the ministers and generals in the inner dynasty."

Zhang Tang was a little surprised, "The emperor still wants to fight a big war?"

The great farmer Ling Sang Hongyang lamented, "The emperor is a promising king. He wants to achieve the limit wherever human power can be achieved. He will not be reconciled until the Xiongnu are eliminated."

"The idea is so grand, but where can I get the money?"

"How to make money, I, the big farmer, will do it for you. It's easy for you."

Zhang Tang smiled and said, "That's true."

This year, there was a flood in Shandong and many people were hungry and hungry.The emperor sent envoys to empty counties and warehouses to help the poor, but it was not enough. He also recruited wealthy officials and people who could borrow money from the poor because of their reputation, but it was not enough to save them.

Then more than [-] poor people moved to the west of Guan and south of Chongshuofang in Xinqin. They relied on the county magistrates for food and clothing, and gave them a few years of leave to property.The messengers were divided into groups to protect them, with crowns and covers facing each other.The cost is in the hundreds of millions, countless...

Because of this flood, the Battle of Mobei had to be postponed.

For this war, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty had been preparing for the past few years, working hard to increase the revenue of the treasury and make money. To cross the Great Gobi, it was necessary to build walls with men and horses and pave the road with gold.

To this end, Liu Che implemented a new policy to expand financial resources. The salt and iron liquor was officially run, and the government and state-owned enterprises controlled the production and sales of salt and iron liquor, allowing the country to monopolize the profits of handicrafts and commerce that were most important to the national economy and people's livelihood.

Not only that, in order to increase central fiscal revenue, crack down on big businessmen, and stabilize the economy, he also carried out currency reforms.

He also focused on agriculture and suppressed business, rectified finances, promulgated "calculation" and "reporting" orders, levied asset taxes on merchants, and vigorously cracked down on profiteers.

At the same time, he also established equal officials and uniform officials, and the government operated transportation and trade, which greatly enhanced the country's economic strength.

He also comprehensively, vigorously, and even spared no effort to promote the curved shaft plow and waterwheel.

So, the strong wine and Xiongnu blood that brought Liu Han's wealth became Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty.

To this end, he also specially summoned Liu Han.

"I heard that a jar of your Xiongnu blood can be sold for a thousand dollars? They kept it a secret very well. The workers didn't let them leave the house. Others tried to imitate it, but they couldn't brew it. How many jars can you sell in a day?"

Monopoly is indeed the most profitable, and Liu Han made a lot of money this year.

Liu Han probably also knew that Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty was eyeing his small treasury, so he answered honestly, "About a hundred altars a day, Your Majesty wants it?"

"Oh, it's really profitable. I'm afraid you will be as rich as the country in a short time. It's not what I want. Now the liquor has been returned to the country. Of course, I don't want to rob, and I'm not a robber. If you don't want to, I Don’t force yourself, you are my nephew.”

Good guy, if you didn’t want it, would you have asked me to come?

Also playing the emotional card, my nephew’s calls became more and more fluent. Can I not give it to him?
"In order to fight the Xiongnu, it doesn't matter if I give it all to Your Majesty. After this battle is over, Your Majesty can give me [-]% of the money earned from this wine every year."

"Hey, you have fallen in the eyes of money. I gave you more than 8000 households and a feudal state, but I still can't feed you. Why do you need so much money?" Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty laughed and cursed.

"Who would dislike too much money? If your Majesty doesn't have enough money in the future, you can ask me for it at any time. I will treat it as a deposit for you. Aren't we a family?"

"You've made a good calculation. I'm rich in the world, and the world belongs to me. Will I ask you for money? Okay, get out."

"Okay." Liu Han saluted and turned to leave. Then he thought of something and turned back.

"What's wrong, do you regret it?" "No, I suddenly thought that in the desert, horses are not necessarily good. Camels can be used to transport things."

"Camel?" Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty wondered, what is this?

"An animal from the Western Regions, a bit like a horse. I heard them mention it. Zhang Qian must have seen it. It has four long legs and can walk long distances. It has two camel humps. It can store water and is especially suitable for transporting things in the desert. "

"If there is such an animal, it would be great. Quick, let someone call Zhang Qian over."

"No!" A chamberlain immediately called Zhang Qian.

After a while, Zhang Qian came.

"Greetings to Your Majesty, I wonder what your Majesty wants from me?"

"Shui Chehou said that there is an animal called a camel in the Western Regions. It has two peaks and is particularly suitable for walking in the desert. Do you know?"

"Camel?" Zhang Qian was also confused.

Liu Han was afraid that he wouldn't understand, so he described it specifically, "It has four legs, like a horse, but it has a lot of hair, and there are two big bulging bumps on its back. Have you never seen it?"

"Oh, Shui Che Hou is talking about tuó. I have seen this several times in the Western Regions."

Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty asked quickly, "Shuiche Hou said that it is very convenient to transport things in the desert. I don't know whether it is true or not?"

"I haven't paid special attention to this, but it is true that many tribes use camels in the desert."

"I know, I will immediately send someone to bring in some."

Zhang Qian immediately knelt down and worshiped. He had been unhappy recently. He had lost his way in the war and fought to the end. He wanted to make great achievements.

"Your Majesty, let me go. I request to be sent as an envoy to the Western Regions again to visit the countries in the Western Regions and establish diplomatic relations. I want to visit Dayuan, Kangju, Dayuezhi, Daxia, Wusun, Amancai, An'an, and Tiaozhi. , poisoned these countries, and brought camels back to breed them to see if they were suitable for transportation in the desert."

"Okay, Zhang Qian, listen to the order. I order you to be the Zhonglang General and go on a mission to the Western Regions again. I will send you more than 500 attachés and guards, carrying tens of millions of gold coins, silk and other property, and tens of thousands of cattle and sheep. Secondly, He went on a diplomatic mission to the Western Regions and established diplomatic relations.

Also, you must bring the camel back and show it to me. If it turns out to be like what the Waterwheel Hou said, you will have made a great contribution. "

"Yes!"

Zhang Qian was very happy. What Liu Han didn't know was that because he said that camels are suitable for deserts, Zhang Qian's second mission to the Western Regions was advanced a year and a half earlier, and he had more people and things to bring with him.

"You are really my blessed general. If the camel is really like you said, I will also mark your great merits."

"By the way, Your Majesty, I have recently thought of two good things and am working on them. If they come out, our cavalry's combat power will definitely be doubled."

Liu Han couldn't stop talking about it. He thought that the cavalry's three-piece set of iron hoofs and stirrups would come out. He didn't come out with it at first because he was afraid that the Huns would imitate it.

Now that the Xiongnu's vitality is severely weakened, the Han army has the upper hand. This gives them an even greater advantage. Moreover, the Xiongnu are not good at forging iron. They know it. They don't know how long it will take to get the iron shoes and stirrups that 10,000+ cavalry need. Time is life. , step by step, step by step.

"The cavalry's combat power has doubled? Are you kidding me?" Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty stood up directly.

"You know, this is bullying the emperor?"

Regarding this, Liu Han was full of confidence, "Your Majesty, just wait and see. When did I ever say such big things?"

"If I can really do it, I will agree to whatever you ask for."

"promise!"

(End of this chapter)