Just as a few people in the room were talking, the beautiful maid who had just been sent down by Liu Lan came to the hall again, commanded several subordinates, and brought up all the prepared ingredients and hot pot.

Zhao Chen saw the hot pot on the table, and immediately opened his mouth in surprise, the way to eat this hot pot is naturally undoubtedly transmitted by him, but he didn't expect that Liu Lan even learned this hot pot from Chang'an.

"Master Hou, try it!" As soon as Liu Lan saw that the hot pot was on the table, she motioned to the beautiful maid to retreat, and then pointed to a plate of mutton on the table with a smile, and said to Zhao Chen: "This is the lamb that the last general just ordered to slaughter, it is very tender, and now, it is not easy to eat it in this Shuo Fang!" ”

Shuofang is originally located on the edge of the grassland, relying on the entire Hehetao area, the land is fertile, the grassland is vast, it is a natural pasture, and the eight tribes of Dangxiang took a fancy to the fertility here, which only penetrated in little by little.

However, at this time, Liu Lan actually said that it was not easy to eat fresh lamb meat on the edge of the big pasture in Shuofang, which sounded like a person guarding the grain pile, sighing that there was no food to eat, which made people feel indescribably weird.

However, such strange words, listening to Zhao Chen's ears, made Zhao Chen not feel strange at all!

In fact, this is not surprising, now, with the textile mills in Chang'an, built one after another, Chang'an's demand for wool has begun to increase significantly.

Sheep that used to be used only for meat have become extremely scarce as the demand for wool increases.

In such a situation, hurry up and develop the flock. It's a little too late, who is willing to slaughter a sheep. So, Guanzhong is also good. Whether it is here in Shuofang, it is a sin to slaughter sheep.

Sure enough, without waiting for Zhao Chen to ask the reason, Liu Lan, who listened to it, had already explained with a fluttering eyebrow: "Master Hou doesn't know, when he built a textile factory in Chang'an, this wool has become golden, and the last general sometimes wants to let the sheep spread all over the grassland overnight, and he is willing to slaughter it!" ”

"So. The governor ordered the people of Xiazhou not to slaughter sheep, right? Zhao Chen sat at the table, listening to Liu Lan's explanation where his eyebrows fluttered, a cold color flashed in his eyes, and he looked at Liu Lan and asked with a smile.

"It's not like that, it's okay there!" Liu Lan didn't realize the coldness in Zhao Chen's eyes at all, and when she heard Zhao Chen's words, she said to Zhao Chen with a bitter face: "Chang'an's wool orders are flying like snowflakes, so many orders." The last general was eager to give the order directly to the eight tribes of the party! ”

"However, Master Hou can rest assured!" When Liu Lan said this, she suddenly realized something. hurriedly explained to Zhao Chen: "Although the last general has issued a ban on slaughter, he has not treated them badly, and all the grain has been sent to those herdsmen's homes!" ”

Sure enough!

Zhao Chen listened to Liu Lan's words. The corners of his mouth couldn't help but twitch, and he let out a light sigh in his heart. Suddenly, he looked at Liu Lan and asked, "Du Du likes to eat mutton, so please ask Du Du." If you are to eat mutton every day, and you can't eat a grain of grain, what will happen to the governor? ”

"Then who suffered..." As soon as Zhao Chen's words came out, Liu Lan almost pouted and smiled without thinking about it, however, after only half a sentence of this, she suddenly realized something in her mind, suddenly opened her mouth, looked at Zhao Chen in surprise, and couldn't say half a sentence.

"The Governor also knows that he can't stand it, right?" Zhao Chen looked at Liu Lan and was speechless in surprise, suddenly sighed, looked at Liu Lan helplessly, and said: "Didn't the governor never think that those herdsmen who were born to eat mutton would be able to stand it?" ”

"You can order them not to be slaughtered today!" Zhao Chen saw Liu Lan nodding unconsciously, so he continued: "But what about tomorrow? What about the day after tomorrow? What will happen to them in the long run? ”

The consequences will be very serious, this is unambiguous, these people were all snatched back from the eight tribes of the party last winter, and were placed near Xiazhou, registered, and compiled into the Datang household register.

But if they keep pressing like this, then there will be only one consequence, the already restless heart will become even more restless, and in the end, forcing them to find their old master, the work they did in the early stage will suddenly come to naught.

Accepting ordinary herdsmen, even at the expense of snatching back the herdsmen, driving away the chieftains above them, and compiling these herdsmen into the household registration of the Tang Dynasty, coupled with the continuous mutual market, let these people, after a long time of adaptation, completely become the herdsmen of the Tang Dynasty.

This strategy was originally proposed by Zhao Chen in Shuofang, and later, after the performance was given to Li Er, Li Er also readily agreed.

In this way, as long as they persist for a long time, one day, the entire grassland will be completely turned into the territory of the Tang Dynasty, instead of the kind of nominal belonging, but in fact it is still under their own jurisdiction.

It's just that, according to what Liu Lan has done so far, this strategy to deal with the grassland is being wreaked havoc by Liu Lan.

Moreover, if this continues, Zhao Chen can be very sure that it will take less than a year at all, and the Hetao area, which has just been pacified, will consider using troops again.

Liu Lan's face was completely pale at this time, Zhao Chen just simply helped him analyze the consequences of doing so, and the rest, even if Zhao Chen didn't have to tell him in person, Liu Lan himself had already imagined it.

Dead!

As long as he continues to persecute like this, then once those people can't stand it anymore and start to resist, the Hetao will be in chaos.

Chang'an had to send troops over to quell the chaos, and at that time, Liu Lan's head was estimated to be gone.

"I'm afraid the governor has received a lot of benefits!" Zhao Chen looked at Liu Lan, whose face was pale, and paused slightly, before asking.

In fact, as soon as Zhao Chen entered the Governor's Mansion, he already felt that Liu Lan was just a Governor of Xiazhou, where there was so much money that he could be squandered like this.

And the only thing that can be explained is that someone is sending money to Liu Lan endlessly, and it is not a small amount!

And Liu Lan is just the governor of Xiazhou, at best, he is just the highest military governor in a border area.

Zhao Chen calculated, and only those noble families in Chang'an could send money to Liu Lan in a steady stream.

A textile mill was built. The wool rose with the tide, and Liu Lan was the governor of Xiazhou. It can be said that it is the ass sitting on a mountain of gold. At this time, those nobles in Chang'an naturally took a fancy to Liu Lan and sent money in a steady stream.

"Master Hou, the last general knows that he is wrong!" Liu Lan's face turned pale at the moment, and when she looked at Zhao Chen, there was a pleading look in her eyes, and she almost knelt down for Zhao Chen.

This guy was born as a military general, and he often goes straight to things. never thought about it in depth, but Zhao Chen, who listened to Zhao Chen's analysis at this time, immediately felt the seriousness of the matter.

"A lot?" Zhao Chen saw Liu Lan's expression, and immediately sighed, looked at Liu Lan with a slightly irritated expression, and asked in a condensed voice.

Hearing this, Liu Lan gritted her teeth vigorously and nodded at Zhao Chen.

Since the beginning of spring, after Hu Lu took away the first batch of wool. Almost every once in a while, he would attract an 'envoy' from Chang'an with a large sum of money to him. Leave the required wool orders.

For nearly a year, Liu Lan has received a lot of orders one after another, and at the same time received a large amount of money. That's enough for him to spend the rest of his life, even if he doesn't do anything. You can live comfortably lying down.

"Hah!" Seeing Liu Lan nodding, Zhao Chen couldn't help but let out a sneer. looked at Liu Lan and said: "I really want money and don't want my life, for this little money, I even put my own life into it!" ”

"Hou Ye, save me!" When Liu Lan heard this, her already pale face turned even paler, her eyes showed a look of fear, and she looked at Zhao Chen and pleaded.

Hu Lu, who was originally sitting on the side, also laughed from the chair at this time, his face was also slightly pale, he frowned, looked at Liu Lan and said, "In that case, why don't the governors return those orders?" ”

As soon as Hu Lu's words came out, Liu Lan raised her head slightly and thought for a while, and then shook her head gloomily and dispelled this thought.

Those noble families in Chang'an, who are all people who eat people and don't spit out bones, can pat him on the back when he comes to send him money, but if he wants to regret it and wait for his fate, I am afraid it will be very miserable.

"Don't go back yet!" Zhao Chen naturally understands how shameless and cruel those people in Chang'an are, since Liu Lan accepted their money, it is destined to not be sent back.

"Actually, it's not impossible to do this!" Seeing Liu Lan's desperate look, Zhao Chen suddenly sighed, looked at Liu Lan and said, "This matter is not so complicated originally, even if you accept their money, it will not become like this!" ”

"The last generals will listen to Hou Ye, but please give me advice!" Like a drowning person, he suddenly grabbed a life-saving straw, Liu Lan heard Zhao Chen's words, there was still room to turn around, and the already desperate person suddenly brightened up, and looked at Zhao Chen with a look of surprise and inexplicable said.

"Actually, this could have been done in a different way!" Zhao Chen looked at Liu Lan and said with hatred that iron is not steel: "Isn't it just an order for wool!" Guarding such a large grassland, other things are scarce on the grassland, but the only thing that is not lacking is this wool! ”

Without waiting for Liu Lan to speak, Zhao Chen continued: "The wool is not only these in front of you, but also the eight tribes of the party and Xue Yantuo, so you won't do business with them?" ”

"Master Hou, this can't be done!" When Liu Lan heard this, she immediately shook her head gloomily and said: "Your Majesty didn't say that you want to open a mutual market here. The sin will not be affordable! ”

"Stupid!" As soon as Zhao Chen heard this, he pointed at Liu Lan angrily and said: "You are planning the grassland for the Tang Dynasty, once it is done, Your Majesty will not be able to reward you at that time, how can you blame you in turn?" ”

As soon as Zhao Chen's words came out, Liu Lan's eyes were still blank, but Hu Lu on the side was already thoughtful, obviously, Hu Lu had already guessed what Zhao Chen meant.

Seeing Liu Lan's dazed and ignorant look, Zhao Chen had no choice but to sit there and explain to Liu Lan in detail.

In Datang, as Liu Lan said before, if you set up a mutual market privately, you will be questioned, but if you open a mutual market privately, it will bring ten times more profits to Datang?

I'm afraid, as Zhao Chen said, once it is done, it will be too late for the emperor to reward him, how can he still be held accountable!

The wool on the grassland is the least valuable, and the only use for a year is to make the wool into felt and set up tents, which is useless.

And now, with the construction of the textile factory in Chang'an, wool has become a precious thing in Datang.

At this time, if you take the least scarce things in Datang, such as salt, grain, etc., and exchange them for wool with the grassland, it will be beneficial for both parties.

Of course, the most important thing in this is that this exchange cannot be directly carried out in the form of barter, otherwise, it will not be able to achieve the effect of expanding Datang's interests.

Therefore, if you want to expand the interests of Datang, all you have to do is that there must be an extra money transaction.

That is to say, the things of the Tang Dynasty are transported to the grassland, whether it is for the tribe, they must be bought with the currency of the Tang Dynasty, instead of exchanging wool or other things.

No money? That's easy to do, when the time comes, Liu Lan will pay for the wool on the grassland, and then go back and let them take the money to buy Datang's goods.

The same mutual market, but the effect is completely different, if, let this kind of border trade continue to develop for a long time, the grassland began to gradually get used to money transactions.

Then, the final result is that the entire grassland will be kidnapped by Datang's coins!

"Master Hou, can this be done?" Liu Lan listened to the blueprint drawn by Zhao Chen for him, and suddenly felt a little yearning, but after thinking about it again, she was still a little uncertain and asked.

"Well, you won't understand all the truth!" When Zhao Chen heard Liu Lan's words, he didn't bother to explain to Liu Lan in detail, looked at Liu Lan and said: "However, you can write what Ben Hou just told you and submit it to Your Majesty, and Ben Hou promises that Your Majesty will reward you when you read it!" ”

"The last general, thank you for mentioning it!" Liu Lan is also a very happy person, as soon as she heard Zhao Chen's words, even if she was ruthless, she decided to follow Zhao Chen's instructions, turn back to His Majesty the Emperor, and write a note in person.

"Less of this!" Liu Lan, who Zhao Chen saw, shook her long body, and suddenly said angrily: "Ben Hou only hopes that when you do things in the future, you can have more eyes, don't be bought by others, and you still help others count money!" ”??

"What Hou Ye said is that the last general must remember today's Hou Ye's teachings!" When Liu Lan heard this, she bowed to Zhao Chen again, and said in a sincere tone.

"Eat hot pot, eat hot pot!" Zhao Chen waited until Liu Lan straightened up, and without waiting for Liu Lan to say anything more grateful, he quickly grabbed the chopsticks and greeted Liu Lan and Hu Lulian, but he had already picked up a piece of fresh and tender mutton in the pot, put it in his mouth, and took the lead in eating it with cool air. (To be continued.) )