In the textile workshop, the buzzing textile sound seemed so pleasant to Li Kuan's ears.

It is said that when the cannon goes off, there are ten thousand taels of gold.

As soon as this textile machine is turned on, it is not much different from running a money printing machine.

Looking at the bales of wool thread in the corner, as well as the constantly busy female workers, this means that Liangzhou City will play a pivotal role in Datang.

"Binwang and Dengshan, to completely control the grassland, wool alone is naturally not enough. But you also said, food, clothing, housing and transportation, this is the most basic needs of people, we use wool, not only to provide a new way to solve the problem of keeping warm for the people of Datang, but also to provide an opportunity for herdsmen to turn waste into treasure, this is definitely a long-term and effective method. Then think about it, the most people on the grassland are cattle, sheep and horses, right? What else can be utilized besides wool? ”

Li Kuan let Ma Zhou and Chu Suiliang think about the problem by themselves.

Chu Suiliang: "Sell cattle and horses to the Central Plains? ”

Li Kuan: "Of course, this is a method, but have people done this since ancient times and successfully controlled the grasslands?" ”

Ma Zhou: "I heard that a lot of cattle and sheep often freeze to death in winter on the grassland, can we buy these beef and mutton?" ”

"Beef and mutton are not easy to preserve and transport, otherwise no one would have thought of using them for so many years."

Before Li Kuan could speak, Chu Suiliang spoke out and rejected Ma Zhou's suggestion.

"That's right, if this path is really feasible, it won't be our turn to discuss it here today." Ma Zhou frowned and thought, "The prince's wool turned into treasure, which is equivalent to increasing the income of the herdsmen out of thin air, so there are so many herdsmen to support it." What else is wasted, but can be exploited? ”

"Lord, goat's milk, milk, and mare's milk, I think these things are very similar to wool, although the herdsmen will also drink their own milk, but so many cows and sheep produce milk, they can't drink it at all, and most of it is wasted. Is there something we can do here? ”

Ma Zhou's words gave Chu Suiliang inspiration, he vaguely felt that he seemed to have grasped something, but he didn't know how to use it, so he had to say it and confirm it with Li Kuan to see if his idea was right.

"Clever!" Li Kuan smiled, "Whether it's wool, milk or goat's milk, these are all things that the grassland herdsmen have now, but they don't bring them any value." What do you think these herders would do if they could get more goods and a better life if they could rely on just these two things? ”

Ma Zhou: "Raise more cattle, sheep and horses?" ”

Chu Suiliang: "Living around Liangzhou City? ”

"Yes, you're right. You can live a life by raising cattle and sheep, so naturally there is no need to beg for a living on the tip of a knife. Whether it is wool or cow or sheep milk, if you want to sell it to Datang, you can't live too far away from the Datang Bazaar, otherwise no one will buy it at all. ”

"Lord Wang, since ancient times, the Central Plains Dynasty has always had a hard time fighting against the grassland peoples, and a very important reason is that they have no fixed residence, even if they want to crusade against them, they often need to send several times the military strength, and they will lose money and labor. If the grassland herdsmen live around the states and counties of the Tang Frontier, even if something happens, it will be much easier to deal with them. ”

I don't know if Ma Zhou is more dark-bellied, and when he heard Li Kuan say that the herdsmen would live around the vicinity of the Datang Bazaar, he immediately thought of how to deal with them.

"That's right, the grassland is too big, and it is impossible for Datang to completely occupy it, so it can only build various fortresses and control it indirectly. As long as the herdsmen graze around these forts, sell the wool and cow and sheep milk to us quickly, and then exchange them for all kinds of porcelain and cloth, and even wool thread and milk powder, the interests of the steppe herders are tied to us. ”

"Shhh Ma Zhou suddenly thought of something, and couldn't help but shudder in his heart, "We buy the herdsmen's wool and milk at a low price, and then the herdsmen buy our porcelain, wool thread, and milk powder with copper coins, their lives have become better, and our northwest trade has also made money, and after a long time, they can no longer leave us, even if the nobles on the grassland call on them to rise up against the Tang Dynasty, no one responds, right?" ”

"From thrift to luxury, from luxury to thrift! Now that the herdsmen on the grassland are short of food and clothing, we will help them fill their stomachs, put on clothes, use iron pots and porcelain, and even encourage the rich herdsmen to wear silk and wine, and collect all the money they have paid from the grassland......"

Ma Zhou and Chu Suiliang will be his right-hand men in the future, and Li Kuan doesn't mind wasting some words to have a good chat with them about his thoughts.

Talking to smart people, as long as they are thorough, they can often draw inferences and come up with more tricks to deal with the uncivilized people on the grassland.

……

The winter of the fifth year of Zhenguan was a little cold, and in the afternoon, it began to snow in Chang'an City.

First, small snowflakes fluttered on the hair, shoulders and everywhere of pedestrians, as if urging people to hurry home; Soon, the snowflakes grew bigger and bigger like catkins, and eventually fluttered around like goose feathers.

Li Shimin walked to the door from the imperial study, looking at the heavy snow outside, and his face showed a trace of sadness.

For the literati, this situation is the most suitable for expressing the hills and valleys in their hearts, drinking wine, and leaving ink treasures.

But for ordinary people, such winters are indeed the most difficult.

"Fortunately, Kuan'er made honeycomb coal, and the people of Chang'an City finally had cheap and easy fuel. However, in this kind of weather, people don't have enough thick and warm clothes, so they can't go out at will, which is also a trouble. ”

Li Shimin felt relieved for a while, and anxious for a while.

It's cold in the heights!

There's so much to worry about sitting in this position.

"Your Majesty, His Royal Highness the King of Chu sent someone to send a few winter clothes over, do you want to take a look?" Just when Li Shimin was in a daze, Li Zhong quietly appeared to the side.

"Kuan'er sent winter clothes?" Li Shimin felt warm in his heart, this Kuan'er, as soon as I thought of him, he sent something, and he didn't love him in vain, and he was a little filial.

"Yes, Your Majesty, over there?" Li Zhong pointed to the two palace maids not far away and said.

"Since Kuan'er has a heart, then take it and try it."

Li Shimin naturally doesn't worry about food and clothing, but some things have different origins and completely different meanings.

"Huh?" As soon as Li Shimin took the so-called clothes from the palace maid, he was stunned.

Is this the clothes?

Why is it so weird?

What is it made of?

How to wear it?

"Your Majesty, His Royal Highness the King of Chu still has a letter, and his subordinates guess that there may be some explanations of these clothes in the letter."

Li Zhong also saw the so-called "clothes" sent by Li Kuan, so he naturally understood why Li Shimin was stunned!