I seek economic hegemony in the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 238 Three Kingdoms Arms Race!

Cao Shuang elaborated on the benefits of Shu money to Wei from several points:

1. Judging from the strategy of Qi Wan and Lu Jin, after Shu money became popular in Guanzhong, Central Plains, Hebei and other places, the court could confidently and boldly start casting Shu money, and then use Shu money to purchase large quantities of Shu items at high prices.

He said that the Wei Dynasty had tens of millions of people, and the money produced from Shu could fill a hundred cities and buy the entire Yizhou.

If the Shu people dare to sell it, I, the Wei Dynasty, will dare to buy it!

Just use money to buy all of Zhuge Liang's army!

2. The imperial court casting Shu coins can quickly solve the problem of the national treasury and obtain a large amount of materials from the people.

3. The rapid circulation of coins can promote the prosperity of business in the Wei Dynasty. Since the imperial court has established Taifu Temple, it must start to develop business.

Finally, Cao Shuang concluded humbly: Although I have never eaten new salt, and I don’t know what new salt you are talking about. I have never seen it at all, and this is the first time I heard about it, but I feel that what I said is for the imperial court!

Cao Shuang's wave hit Luoyang and was thrown to the Chancellor's desk, which stunned Liu Fang.

Of course, it immediately received praise from a large number of ministers.

As for how the content of this kind of memorial was quickly known to so many ministers, it is unknown.

So, in August of the fifteenth year of Jianxing, a debate broke out in Luoyang about whether to use Shu money or not.

One group supports the use of Shu money, and the reasons are roughly the same as Cao Shuang's.

One group is opposed to the use of Shu money, thinking that Shu money is inferior currency, and the Wei Dynasty is the orthodoxy of the world, how can the coins of thieves and bandits be used?

This dispute involves a wide range of people, from Chang'an to Luoyang, then to Yecheng, and then to various counties in Hebei.

Officials from both sides scolded each other like dogs in their memorials.

But what is interesting is that this debate did not last long. Cao Rui listened to the opinions of Liu Fang, the regular servant of Sanqi, in public, and set up a money bank imitating Yizhou.

The money bank will strictly control the inflow of Shu money.

This is Cao Rui's wisdom in governing.

He did not agree with any faction, and even continued to make repeated orders to strictly prohibit Shu money.

But in the blink of an eye, the money bank has begun to collect large amounts of Shu money privately in Chang'an.

On August 23, Sun Zi hurried over.

"Your Majesty, it's confirmed that there are indeed hundreds of thousands of soldiers and horses in Jiangzhou now, and the scouts saw a large number of ships heading north along the Jialing River from Jiangzhou Ferry."

"Where can Yizhou recruit hundreds of thousands more troops?" Cao Rui's face darkened, he narrowed his eyes and stared at the map hanging in front of him, "It's not that Li Jian went on a killing spree in Yizhou, which caused greater internal dissatisfaction. ?"

"There are indeed a large number of soldiers and horses. Not only the scouts, but also the merchants of Wu State know about it. A large number of soldiers and horses arrive in Jiangzhou every day. This is not a secret! I heard that Li Jian is now implementing a new policy in Yizhou!"

"What new deal?"

"Tell me about the land equalization system and the government military system." After Sun Zi finished speaking, he quickly took out the documents and submitted them.

"Equal land system and government military system?" Cao Rui frowned in confusion and sneered, "What new tricks did Li Jian come up with?"

Then open the document and look.

The more he looked at it, the tighter his brows furrowed and his eyes changed.

At first it was confusion, then thinking, then surprise, and finally shock.

"Why is this person not in our Wei Dynasty!" Cao Rui put away the document in an instant, his tone full of unwillingness, "If he can come to our Wei Dynasty, I will be able to rule the world in a few years!"

Liu Fang glanced at Sun Zi, as if asking him, and Sun Zi said to be patient.

"Equal land system! Mansion and army system! How did he come up with these wonderful new policies!" Cao Rui sat down, took a deep breath, and seemed a little tired, "Why didn't anyone in the Wei Dynasty propose it!"

"Your Majesty..." "See for yourselves."

Liu Fang took it and quickly read it. The more he looked, the more shocked he became.

But in the end, Liu Fang calmed down, and he said to Cao Rui: "Why is your Majesty doing this? How can such a good new policy be effective in Yizhou? If we just move here and implement it in our Wei Dynasty, wouldn't it be more beneficial than Li Jian's?" Which state is better?”

"You want me to go on a killing spree like Li Jian?" Cao Rui asked.

"No, no, your Majesty is a sage, wise and benevolent king. How could he be as dim as Liu Chan, and how could he be as cruel as Li Jian?" Liu Fang said in a gentle tone, "It's just that the Du family, the Zhi family, and the Han family have all been ransacked recently. Our farmland totals tens of thousands of acres. If it can be distributed, and everyone who signs up to join the army can be exempted from tax, why wouldn't the people be happy?"

Cao Rui nodded.

Liu Fang continued: "There are still many people who have liaisons with Shu people who have not been caught. They are still at large. The court cannot relax."

"Well, what you said makes sense."

Sun Zi also added: "The imperial court originally had 130 million acres of land and 870,000 households. By exempting half of the tax, it could mobilize an additional 430,000 troops."

"Where does this part of the tax revenue from the imperial court come from?" Cao Rui asked, "Now the Western Front is in urgent need of military supplies."

Sun Zi immediately said: "The imperial court will mint a large amount of money by itself, and then use Taifu Temple to expand business and supplement it from this part. That is what Li Jian did."

"Your Majesty, this Li Jian is indeed a talented person, but he chose the wrong place. If he were in our great Wei Dynasty, he would be able to show his great ambitions. It is a pity that he chose Yizhou, which is relatively safe. Even if all the strong men in Yizhou were pulled out, he would not be as good as him. I am the Great Wei Sanyi!"

"Your Majesty, this plan is very clever. If it is implemented, and with the addition of various tribes, the country will have at least one million troops! Southeast will no longer worry about Sun Quan."

Cao Rui thought for a moment and said: "Now we will implement it in Guanzhong."

"Your Majesty, I think it can be implemented in Yangzhou on a trial basis. Yangzhou's defense must be strengthened as soon as possible."

"Okay, let's try it out in Yangzhou too!"

In the blink of an eye, it was already the end of August, and the good news of Sima Yi's expedition to Liaodong was quickly sent to Luoyang.

Cao Rui was overjoyed and immediately sent people to reward the three armies.

The heads of Gongsun Yuan and his son were sent to Luoyang in September.

At the same time, Cao Rui hurriedly summoned Sima Yi to return to Beijing.

In September, Sima Yi took Sima Zhao back to Beijing.

The first thing Sima Yi did was not to go to the palace to meet the saint, but to read all the information collected by Sima Shi.

"I didn't expect that so many things happened during the six months I went to Liaodong. It was beyond my expectations."

Sima Zhao was puzzled: "Li Jian increased his troops by one hundred thousand, and the court did not want to increase defense, but actually discussed Shu money!"

"The purpose of discussing Shu money is to solve military expenses." Master Sima said calmly, "According to secret intelligence, His Majesty banned the possession of Shu money by the people, and at the same time sent people from Taifu Temple to Chang'an to collect Shu money."

"Cao Shuang, who is in charge of Liangzhou, also came to join in the fun at this time. Apparently he has been doing new salt business with the Shu army for a long time. His voice was also secretly instigated by His Majesty. If nothing happens, next year the court will openly sell fine salt with the Shu people. It’s a sale!”

Master Sima continued: "This Li Jian will really cause us problems. Shu money is just one of them. Its harm will take time, but the results of equalizing the land and the soldiers have been immediate. Sun Quan must have heard about it, and Sun Quan cannot implement it all." , but if he can implement part of it, he can definitely increase his military strength."

"Li Jian's schemes are endless!" Sima Zhao said with emotion, "Three years ago, he dug trenches, surrounded the fields and built cities, and later engaged in commerce and minted coins. Now he has even thought of equalizing the land and the soldiers!"

"Your Majesty summoned father back urgently, probably because it has something to do with the government soldiers."

(End of this chapter)