This King Zhou is not stupid

"Your Majesty, this is really a new policy every month, the bathhouse, it looks really interesting."

Ji Chang was also taking a bath in a bathhouse in Xiqi, but he was accompanied by several guards. After all, he was a powerful Xibohou, so he had to pay attention to his own safety around the public.

"However, if you continue to follow me in the future, I really can't come here more."

"Master Hou, if you want to take a bath, there is also a pool in the mansion." A follower said outside the pool.

"Hey, you, Qi Le is not as good as being alone, don't you even understand this?"

Ji Chang's good mood for taking a bath was also ruined by this attendant, but at this moment, he felt something in the pool water, reached out to touch it, and unexpectedly touched an oval object.

When I took it out, it turned out to be an egg.

Ji Chang looked at the egg in his hand, didn't say anything, but smiled without saying a word.

"Master Hou."

Another person in the pool said awkwardly: "Can I return my eggs?"

"Is this yours?" Ji Chang asked the guard to return the egg to the other party without getting angry.

"Yes."

Even the bathhouse only stipulates that you can't wash clothes, but it doesn't say that you can't bring eggs in, but the other party's behavior of bringing eggs in makes him very curious.

"Why do you bring eggs to this place where people are bathed?"

"There's hot water. It's not for nothing. It doesn't matter if you bring two eggs in." The man was also honest, and Ji Chang answered whatever he asked.

Ji Chang nodded, and what he said was true, bringing in two eggs would not affect anything.

He just didn't expect that someone in the world could think of this, so he couldn't help asking: "What's your name?"

"My name is Wuji."

"What do you usually do?"

"I'm a woodcutter, but recently I've been hired by the Ministry of Land to plant trees. Thanks to Lord Hou, our life is getting better."

Ji Chang smiled and stroked his beard, then shook his head and said, "It's not me you want to thank, but the current king, who gave you the opportunity to work, otherwise you would still be chopping firewood."

Now that there is no coal, firewood consumes a lot, especially for ordinary people to eat and boil water without firewood.

However, ordinary firewood is mostly picked up or chopped dry branches, which have less water content, are easier to burn, and do not have black smoke.

"What Lord Hou said is."

Wu Ji is not stupid either, he doesn't refute what Ji Chang says.

Although it is only a few words of fate, it is considered lucky to be able to meet the legendary Xibohou.

After taking a bath, Xi Bohou's body was filled with heat, making him feel very comfortable.

There were already chariots and horses waiting outside the bathhouse, and Ji Fa waited for a long time. When he saw Ji Chang coming out, he immediately greeted him, "Father."

"Go back, this bathhouse is nice, but if I continue to stay here, I will just take up other people's space."

As soon as Ji Chang got into the carriage, he saw other people walking into the bathhouse. He also knew that the bathhouse had limited space, and in order to protect him, he needed to send someone to the bathhouse.

It's really a waste of people's livelihood resources.

"It's better to bathe in the Hou's mansion, it won't disturb people's livelihood."

"What the father said is true." Ji Fa bowed his head and replied.

Xi Bohou drove back to the mansion. After returning to the mansion, Guang Chengzi had already waited in the study for a long time, discussing some important matters.

"Master Hou, I have negotiated the surplus grain of Xiqi this year, and we can purchase grain only after your approval."

After Ji Chang heard these things, the enthusiasm in his heart also turned cold.

Although this Guangchengzi has contributed a lot to the construction of Xiqi, his wolfish ambition can be seen at a glance.

"Didn't you collect a batch of grain after the autumn harvest?" He asked rhetorically.

"Those are not enough for Xiqi officers and soldiers to eat, Lord Hou."

"Not enough?" Ji Chang's eyes were slightly cold.

"Does Guangchengzi think it's impossible to expand the armament?"

Guang Chengzi also felt that his intentions were too obvious, so he hurriedly said, "I'm just in case. This grain can be stored for several years if it is properly stored. If there is a famine, it can also be used to relieve disasters and save people."

"I know this, but I have already contacted the Dragon King of the Four Seas. They said that there will be no years of famine in recent years, unless there are powerful people doing it maliciously."

Although the Dragon Clan is not helpless in the face of powerful people, if the real powerful people make trouble, even the Twelve Golden Immortals will not be able to please them.

"If there are powerful people who maliciously target the human race, I hope Taoist Master Guangchengzi can help."

"It's natural."

Guang Chengzi smiled wryly in his heart, this Ji Chang is much smarter than Ji Fa, it seems that he should spend a little money to prepare some food reserves for Xi Qi.

For immortals, storing food is not difficult, but few people would do this kind of thing themselves.

"Besides, Chaoge is selling a batch of new armor and weapons recently. Could Lord Hou replace some of the military equipment for Officer Xiqi?"

As soon as these words came out, Ji Chang's face turned from red to black.

It's nothing to buy armaments, because the weapons and armor of the army are replaced every few years, and basically a batch is replaced every few decades.

However, Guang Chengzi suggested "storing grain" and "changing weapons and armor" at this sensitive moment. How could Ji Chang fail to understand the meaning.

"Yes." Ji Chang did not confront Guang Chengzi, but Xuanyuan Huangdi's teacher, which is unwise.

"But you can't approve more, and I want to see that the money is used to buy armaments instead of falling into someone's pocket."

"It's natural, Pindao will definitely do it himself."

If the budget is not much, Guang Chengzi will really make sure that the money is used wisely.

First of all, although Di Xin wanted to win Xiqi within three hours, if there was a real fight, the war would not be the way Di Xin thought.

In ancient times, war was very particular.

First of all, the first point is that the army is famous, that is to say, if you want to attack a certain country, you must have a nominal reason, and even negotiate before the attack. If the negotiation is unsuccessful, you can send troops.

Secondly, the second point is to avoid fighting. When one of the parties hangs up the card of avoiding fighting, it is equivalent to a temporary truce. One of the parties can besiege the city, but cannot attack the city. Otherwise, the victory will be ineffective and will be ridiculed by the world.

The third point is that even if one of the parties loses, one cannot chase and kill the defeated party at will, otherwise they will also be insulted by future generations.

This is the war etiquette of the ancients. Of course, etiquette is etiquette. As the saying goes, "soldiers never tire of deceit", ambush, stealing camps and other methods of "not talking about martial ethics" can be used several times, but they cannot be used more often.

Di Xin is a modern person and doesn't know these rules.

In Di Xin's view, as long as someone publicly declares 'rebellion', well, within three hours, wait for Kong Xuan to bring Jindan and Yuanying monks to arrest Ji Fa and question him.

With Kong Xuan's ability and Di Xin's style of "not emphasizing martial arts", maybe the Great Tribulation of Conferred Gods will end within three hours.

But in Guang Chengzi's view, his thoughts on war are still soldiers against soldiers, generals against generals, kings against kings, and Wen Tao against military strategies, so it is necessary to expand the armaments of ordinary soldiers.

Chapter 190: Horses Don't Run, Don't Graze

As soon as Guang Chengzi left, Ji Fa walked into the study.

He wants to prove that he has the ability to become Xiqi's successor.

"Father, my son has a proposal, I hope the father will agree."

"Let's talk, let's talk about it first, and then I'll think about whether it's right or not."

Xi Bohou and Di Xin learned this trick, but yes, if there is a request, you must ask what the request is, otherwise, let's make it right first, what if he said, "Father, please abdicate" such requests?

You should not change what you have said.

Fortunately, Ji Fa didn't put forward such a reason, but said a behavior that sounded very benevolent.

"Father, my son saw some beggars living in some dilapidated houses outside Xiqi City. It's freezing cold today. My son wants to build a soup kitchen for those beggars to improve their lives. I hope father The king can approve."

After hearing this proposal, Ji Chang was also moved with emotion again and again, Ji Fa finally had the appearance of a wise gentleman.

He stroked his beard with a long smile and said, "Okay, most of the hundreds of sons under my Ji Chang's knees are adopted sons and adopted daughters. I am very pleased as a father that you can think so."

"Then this..."

"That's right."

Ji Chang agreed to this without even thinking about it.

He is also a loyal minister who loves the people like a son, so naturally he would not let the people of Xiqi suffer, so he immediately allocated a large sum of money to Ji Fa.

"Go to Guang Chengzi and buy that batch of grain."

"Yes."

Xiqi's finances are also good, because Xiqi is inland and lacks salt itself, and Xibohou is responsible for Xibohou's salt. It can be said that all income deducted from expenses is in Xibohou's pocket.

This is nothing, after all, the price of salt in Xiqi is the same as that in Donglu, there are no unscrupulous traders, it is nothing more than selling more and earning more.

After Ji Fa got the money, he did buy a large amount of grain and began to give porridge to beggars around Xiqi City.

That day, there were many beggars gathered around the porridge stand, and they waited for the porridge with the rice bowls they brought. Ji Fa was also very conscientious, and the rice porridge given out was enough to stick chopsticks in it without falling over.

Instead of rice soup with only a few grains of rice, such a conscientious serving of porridge, even Di Xin would applaud when he saw it.

I can only applaud.

Because Di Xin would never do such a thing, not to say that this approach is bad, on the contrary, it is very good, completely in line with the behavior of a good person in Di Xin's heart.

But too much.

Ji Fa didn't notice the problem at first, he wanted to use this method to make Xiqi no more beggars, and establish a perfect image of Xiqi to show his father.

But a month later, when the coldest period of the weather was almost over, he suddenly discovered that the porridge shed, which was originally only two meals a day, and two buckets of porridge for one meal, now still had two meals a day, but one meal cost four. There is a bucket of porridge.

He sensed something was wrong right then, and called the person in charge of the soup kitchen.

As soon as the man arrived in Ji Fa's study, Ji Fa slapped the table to frighten the man, and knelt on the ground on the spot.

"Why are you kneeling?"

"Young master slapped me, and I was shocked to the heavens, and scared the officials down."

Although this man was just a small food distribution officer, he was also dexterous and returned quickly.

"Hmph, I'm afraid you've done something with ghosts in your heart, tell me! Did you forge the bills!"

"I don't dare to be an official. Every day, I follow what my son said, and donate as much rice porridge as there are beggars who come. I never dare to be greedy."

The official knew that corruption was a serious crime, but Ji Fa didn't believe it.

"Then why do you explain why the original two barrels of porridge became four barrels?!"

Ji Fa didn't care about the four barrels of porridge, his father was rich, but if four barrels became eight barrels, and eight barrels became sixteen barrels in the future, the expenditure would be greater than that of the army.

The problem is that raising the army is useful, and it is pragmatism; but giving to beggars is a kind act, and it is to reduce beggars from freezing to death and starving to death. How can they be held back by beggars?

"Master Hui, you don't go there every day. I don't know. Now there are more beggars in Xiqi, and the officials are already preparing five barrels of porridge for daily distribution."

The more Ji Fa heard it, the more wrong it became.

"How can there be more and more beggars? Did you frame me!!!"

Ji Fa couldn't go to the soup kitchen every day. He also had other things to do. Apart from reading and studying, he also had to learn Taoism.

Could it be that he has to do the porridge himself, so what is the use of the porridge official?

"I don't know about this official, but you can ask a beggar and give him some benefits, and he will definitely tell if he knows."

"Humph!"

Ji Fa also got up and went to the porridge kitchen. The porridge kitchen should have not stopped serving porridge at this time. As soon as he arrived at the soup kitchen, he suddenly found out that the soup kitchen did not lie.

There are indeed more people, and the growth has more than doubled.

"This..." Ji Fa really couldn't figure out why so many beggars suddenly appeared in Xiqi.

He sent someone to grab a beggar on the side of the road and give him some money, and the beggar immediately accepted it with a smile on his face.

Then Ji Fa asked the beggar, "Where do you come from?"

"My lord, Caomin is a native of Xiqi." The beggar naturally knew everything when he got the money.

"Are those beggars also natives of Xiqi?"

"No, some are beggars from Wuguan, some are from Chongcheng, and some are from Chuzhou."