Chapter 542: The Ross Clan (Special thanks to my book friend LX for his 3 monthly tickets!)

In less than three months, more than 500,000 households and 3 million immigrants were recruited from various large population areas.

Under the arrangement of the court, in April of the 44th year of Kaixi, when spring was in full bloom, they set off for Kiev.

Crown Prince Chai Jiyu spent the New Year's Eve of the 44th year of Kaixi stationed in the largest city in the Northwest, "Huyan Zan City". During this period, he ordered government officials in various parts of the Northwest to count the losses suffered by local people in the invasion of Kievan Rus.

It was already February 16th when the imperial edict was received.

After reading the imperial edict, Chai Jiyu immediately discussed with his close ministers, including the eunuch chief of the Prince's Mansion Qin Han and the commander of the Dragon Guard Zhang Xingzhou, to determine the compensation standard that the court would give to the victims:

The original land was returned to their families, and each of the victims was compensated with fifty taels of silver or given two Russian slaves.

For those who have no direct relatives alive, the government is responsible for collecting the property, building tombs and erecting monuments, and the land is taken back and redistributed by the government.

After arranging all this, it was already April and the local weather had warmed up, so Chai Jiyu led his army to Bian Jing.

After more than two months on the road, they arrived in Bian Jing on June 22nd.

Chai Zongxun offered sacrifices to heaven at the Altar of Land and Grain and rewarded the prince.

After seeing the ceremony, Chai Zongxun said:

"Yuer led the army this time and lived up to my expectations. He conquered the entire country of Kievan Rus in just one year, and made great contributions to the country!"

Chai Jiyu said:

"This is all due to the wisdom and bravery of my father, the dedication of our soldiers, and the sharpness of our firearms. I am just following my father's teachings and fulfilling my mission."

Chai Zongxun nodded slightly and said:

"Yu'er is naturally intelligent and can command well. With more experience in battles in the future, he can be said to understand military affairs!

This time, we will enhance the prestige of our Great Zhou nation, and all the soldiers will be rewarded handsomely."

After the ceremony, Chai Zongxun summoned Crown Prince Chai Jiyu to the Yangxin Palace and asked him about the details of the expedition.

After Chai Jiyu finished speaking, he said:
"Father, the climate in Kievan Rus is cold, the people are poor and barbaric, and they rely on their height and strength to kill and plunder the people of our Beiming. I wanted to follow your will and massacre all the states to make them completely submit to our Great Zhou.

However, King Vladimir of Kievan Rus surrendered sincerely and ordered all provinces to surrender. In order to avoid too many casualties of our soldiers and waste of financial resources, I agreed to his surrender.

Now, according to the order of the emperor, all the members of the Vladimir royal family have been escorted to Beijing. Please let the emperor decide their fate."

Chai Zongxun smiled and said:
"Yuer's decision is appropriate. As long as our Great Zhou conquers the entire territory of Kievan Rus and makes its people tremble with fear, what's the harm in causing less killing?

Yu'er was tired from the expedition, so he returned home to rest.

Bring Vladimir and others to the court."

Shortly after Chai Jiyu bowed and left, Vladimir I and more than a hundred members of the royal family were brought into the palace by the imperial guards.

While waiting in "Huyanzan City" and on the way to Bianjing, Vladimir I and his companions had been taught the etiquette of the Great Zhou Dynasty and the commonly used Chinese language for half a year. At this moment, they paid their respects to Chai Zongxun and shouted:

"See your majesty! Long live my emperor! Long live my emperor!"

Chai Zongxun couldn't help laughing when he heard Vladimir I and others speak Chinese which is about 70% accurate:

"My dear ministers, please stand up!" After Vladimir I stood up, Chai Zongxun took a few glances at him and saw that he was about forty years old, with blond hair and blue eyes, a high nose and deep eye sockets, and a large light yellow beard under his chin.

Chai Zongxun said:

"Vladimir, I was on an overseas expedition before. How dare you allow your people to invade our country and kill and plunder our people?!"

Vladimir said in fear:

"Your Majesty, my country is located in a wild place, and the people live in poverty. There are many hunters and civilians who have no means of living. Seeing that the people of your Majesty's Beiming are all rich, they decided to rob them. I have issued orders many times but failed to stop them, which has offended your Majesty."

Chai Zongxun smiled and said:
"Just because the people have no means of living, you can kill and plunder the people of our Great Zhou?

I think you Russians think you are taller and stronger than our Zhou people, so it is easier for you to rob them?"

Vladimir I said he dared not to, and said:
"Your Majesty, I sincerely surrender and am willing to offer the most famous beauties in the kingdom, Princesses Catherine and Sophia, to serve Your Majesty."

Princesses Catherine and Sophia immediately saluted Chai Zongxun again.

Chai Zongxun took a quick look and saw that both girls were young and beautiful, with skin as white as milk, attractive curves, and quite exotic charm. He couldn't help but feel satisfied.

Chai Zongxun said:

"You Russians are bandits by nature. I originally wanted to slaughter you all to avenge the people of Bei Ming. But now that I see that you are sincere in your willingness to submit, I will not go too far and will spare you.

I took Catherine as my consort, and gave Sophia to the crown prince.

I will confer upon you the title of "Marquis of Ross" and grant you a residence in Bianjing. From now on, you can be a commoner in my great Zhou."

Vladimir I was overjoyed. He immediately thanked the emperor along with the rest of the royal family and left the hall.

From then on, the Russians became a new ethnic group in the Great Zhou Empire, and Vladimir I and other royal family members became the ancestors of the Russians who lived in Bianliang in later generations. During the 800 years, several famous officials emerged.

Half a month later, the Ministry of Internal Affairs selected an auspicious day to hold the wedding of the Emperor and his concubine Ekaterina. Shortly afterwards, the Crown Prince Chaijiyuna Sofia became his concubine.

On the afternoon of July 12, the 44th year of Kaixi, when Chai Zongxun was writing an economics book in Yanfu Palace, the eunuch in front of the palace reported that the Prime Minister Kou Zhun wanted to see him.

Chai Jiyu immediately put down his brush and summoned Kou Zhun to meet him.

After greeting, Kou Zhun said:
“Your Majesty, now that Kievan Rus has been annexed, our Great Zhou has gained nearly a hundred prefectures and cities, and the affairs have increased greatly. The Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of Revenue, which are in charge of the country’s internal affairs, are already somewhat overwhelmed.

Especially as the business in the country is booming, the number of business affairs that officials need to deal with is increasing day by day, resulting in low efficiency in approval. I am afraid that this will be detrimental to the development of industry and commerce in our Great Zhou."

Chai Zongxun knew that the commercial population of the Great Zhou Dynasty now accounted for more than half of the country's total population, and the commercial society had become stable. This brought with it a large number of affairs such as the establishment and operation of workshops and businesses in various states. Now there were nearly a hundred provincial capitals in Kievan Rus. Even with dozens of departments under the six ministries, the officials were already too busy to handle it.

Chai Zongxun pondered for a while and said:
"Since I unified the country, I have implemented policies to reduce taxes, ease the burden on the people, and vigorously promote industry, commerce and maritime trade, all in order to push our Great Zhou society from an agricultural society to a more prosperous and advanced commercial society.

Currently, industrial and commercial taxes account for 4% of the national tax revenue, nearly billion taels of silver, and maritime trade taxes account for % of industrial and commercial taxes, which is sufficient to prove that our Great Zhou Empire has officially entered a commercial society and entered the "Age of Navigation".

The role of merchants in society is growing, and their role in the development of productivity, increasing people's income and enriching the national treasury is becoming increasingly important. However, the social status of merchants is still as low as in the previous agricultural society, which is no longer appropriate.

The interests of merchants and commerce should be protected and promoted by the corresponding court departments, so as to adapt to the development of social economy. "

(End of this chapter)

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