The statement that the country is rich and the people are strong was first put forward by Huan Kuan of the Western Han Dynasty in the "Treatise on Salt and Iron", and he advocated state-run monopoly and free economy.

Li Shimin also knows this, but he only knows it, after all, what he is best at is fighting wars, not engaging in construction.

It is precisely because of this that when Gao Ming used practical actions to expound "the country is rich and the people are strong", he was immediately shocked.

"Even if it was Li Jiancheng at the beginning, he couldn't be as clever as Gao Jian in this regard, perhaps, Datang would really appear prosperous under his rule!"

Thinking of this, Li Shimin's eyes were suddenly full of complexity, relief, expectation, and a trace of jealousy.

And Gao Ming didn't pay attention to Li Shimin's gaze, he was still talking.

"Since the Wude years, our Datang has minted a lot of Tongbao, but it is still not enough, is it really my Datang lack of copper, so the copper money is not enough? No, that's because these copper coins have been hidden by everyone, and the family has so much money that there is nowhere to spend it, but the people dare not spend it because of the lack of money, which is definitely not good! ”

Li Shimin also agreed with Gao Ming's point of view, so he immediately nodded.

"Yes, now my Datang is indeed like this, but what can be done about this?"

"Absolutely!"

Speaking of this, Gao Ming immediately laughed.

"I use luxury goods to earn the family's lords, or noble money, and at the same time collect commercial taxes from merchants, and I will spend this money on the people in other ways, and when the people have money, they will naturally buy things from merchants, and merchants will pay taxes to me when they earn money, and this money is like flowing water!"

Listening to Gao Ming's words, Li Shimin's eyes became brighter and brighter, and in the end, he couldn't help but pat the table in front of him happily and stood up excitedly.

"That's a good point! In this way, even if there are occasional natural disasters, it will not affect my Datang's taxes, even if I pay a light tax, my Datang's finances will never be scarce, good, great! ”

Seeing Li Shimin's happy appearance, Gao Ming also smiled and nodded.

"Yes, and after Liuqiu and Luzon Island are taken, the grain produced there will be enough to make up for the lack of food in my Datang Dynasty, and when the conditions are ripe in the future, I will also let people go overseas to find more high-yield grain!"

As soon as Gao Ming's words fell, Li Shimin's eyes widened again.

"More productive food? Is it higher than millet and wheat? ”

Li Shimin asked three questions in one breath, obviously he was in a very anxious mood at the moment, seeing this scene, Gao Ming nodded again.

"Well, that kind of crop is called corn, which is higher than wheat, and the yield per mu can reach at least seven or eight stones, and it is cold-resistant, and it can also be planted in barren mountains and mountains!"

"Hiss......"

As soon as Gao Ming's words fell, Li Shimin suddenly gasped.

"Our wheat in Chang'an is only two stones per acre, so isn't the corn you are talking about four times as much as wheat? Where's this corn? I'll send someone to fetch it right away! ”

Seeing Li Shimin's anxious look, Gao Ming suddenly showed a wry smile.

"I also want people to pick it up, but it's too far, and there is still a sea in between, with the ships built by our Datang now, even if they get there, I'm afraid they will lose a lot of people......"

"No matter how many people are lost, they have to go!"

Before Gao Ming finished speaking, Li Shimin immediately interrupted him with a serious face.

"If 10,000 people are not enough, send 20,000 people, and if 20,000 people are not enough, send 100,000 people, as long as you can bring this corn back to Datang, I don't care if it is damaged!"

You don't care, I care!

For a feudal emperor like Li Shimin, who doesn't take human life seriously, Gao Ming can only smile bitterly at him.

"And it's not a problem of people, it's a problem of science and technology, with the level of science and technology of our Datang, even if you send 100,000 people, maybe they will die before they find corn, so this matter can't be rushed."

Facing the new term that popped up from Gao Ming, Li Shimin suddenly blinked.

"Technology? What's that? ”

"Uh...... This so-called technology actually includes many aspects. ”

Gao Ming thought for a while before nodding towards Li Shimin again.

"Let me give you an analogy, for example, if we want to fight Goguryeo now, in the face of their strong walls and gates, in addition to storming, we can also choose to make gunpowder, and then use cannons to smash their city gates, this is military technology, and I said that if we want to find corn, we need navigation technology, and this navigation technology ......"

"Wait!"

Before Gao Ming finished speaking, Li Shimin interrupted him again.

"Don't look for corn first, tell me what happened to the gunpowder and cannon? How to smash the gates of Goguryeo? ”

“……”

Damn, didn't you swear to look for corn just now? Why do you want to bombard the gates of Goguryeo again? You're thinking too jumpy, aren't you?

At this moment, Gao Ming finally understood that Li Shimin was a war maniac, and what kind of livelihood and food he didn't have was as good as his warlike heart!

"Forget it, the corn matter is not in a hurry anyway, and it's a good thing to divert his attention."

Thinking of this, Gao Ming nodded towards Li Shimin.

"Okay, then I'll tell you what this cannon is, this cannon is actually a weapon of war beyond stone artillery, and gunpowder is its means of attack......"

Stone cannon, is the Tang Dynasty's name for trebuchet, but also one of the siege equipment that is still commonly used today, hearing Gao Ming say that this artillery is a weapon beyond trebuchet, he was immediately full of interest, and listened attentively.

Originally, Gao Ming only planned to briefly introduce gunpowder and artillery, but he didn't expect Li Shimin to be full of interest in this kind of war weapon, so he could talk about the principle of artillery firing shells, to the solid shells used for siege and the flowering shots used against enemy formations.

After talking for more than half an hour, until Li Zhi came with the roasted whole sheep, Gao Ming had not finished speaking, so Li Shimin made a decision in one fell swoop.

Eat and talk!

As soon as Li Shimin's words came out, Gao Ming's idea of planning to "escape" was immediately extinguished, but compared to sitting in the imperial study to explain, sitting at the dinner table was more acceptable to Gao Ming.

So, Gao Ming grabbed the mutton in one hand and the wine glass in the other, and the saliva flew in his mouth, which made Li Shimin and Li Zhi relish.

When the meal was finished, Gao Ming had almost finished speaking, and then Li Zhi suddenly asked a question.

"Big brother, you said that the cannon is so powerful, can it take down Chang'an City?"

"Of course you can!"

As soon as Li Zhi's words fell, Gao Ming, who was already seven points drunk, immediately slapped the table.

"I lined up fifty cannons at the gate of Chang'an City, as long as I gave an order, it would not take ten breaths to blow the gate of Chang'an City to pieces, and then the cavalry would be able to swarm in, and the old man would be able to kneel at the gate and sing "Conquest" in minutes!"

After speaking, Gao Ming pulled his throat and got up.

"I was conquered by you, I hid in the corner and wept, your cannon has been shot, and my city gate has ended......"

Li Shimin: "......"

Li Zhi: "......"