"Canal?"

Zhao Wuxian was slightly surprised, this was the first time Zigong had clarified this matter to him. Pen? Interesting? Pavilion wWw. ｂiquge。 ｉｎfo

But after a little thought, he understood the cause and effect.

Two years ago, Ji Ran presented Zhao Wuxian with a "century-old plan" to integrate Jinlu and Shandong, and wanted to merge the two countries politically, first of all, to integrate the two countries culturally and economically.

But in this day and age, water transport is undoubtedly a more convenient way to connect the two countries than land transport, which can squeak and squeak and break its axle at any time, and a canal can perfectly achieve this. Because this canal is planned to be excavated from Lanyuan, passing through the suburbs of Diqiu, and flowing into Pushui at Qingqiu, the whole process is in the territory of Weiguo, so it is called "Wei Canal".

The total length of the Wei Canal is nearly 100 miles, and the manpower and material resources for excavation are very amazing, but Zhao Wuxian only set aside a small part from the finances of the Zhao family and the Lu State, but the bulk of the money and silk was borne by the Wei Guo, which was a punishment for Wei Guo standing on the side of Qi and Zhi in the Liuqing Rebellion. Weiguo also had to organize labor and cooperate with some Qi captives in the Wenshui War to work, so the Wei Guo ruling Kong Yu was miserable, and the Wei people were also dissatisfied with the labor, singing "Decline, decline!" Hu does not return"......

The construction period of Weiqu is expected to be three years, but at present, it seems that it will not be completed without four or five years, and Zhao Wuxian is not in a hurry, anyway, his strategic focus will not be placed in the east for the time being.

But he is not in a hurry, but some people are in a hurry.

……

As a business tycoon who has been walking among the princes for a long time and has three to thousands of gold, Zigong's vision is extraordinary. Seeing that the construction period of the Wei Canal is nearly half, others think that this is a hub that can connect Jinlu, but in his opinion, this canal is also a terrible opponent that makes the status of the Central Plains Trade Center of Taoqiu shift and decline!

The reason why Taoqiu can flourish is precisely because it is located in the middle of the world. Since ancient times, the river, Huai, He, and Ji have been called the 'four defilements', and Taoyi is in the center of the river transportation network formed by the four defilements, and the land routes also extend in all directions. Here south to Song, Wu, north to Yan, Jin, east to Qi, Lu, Sishang princes, west to Zheng, Zhou. Therefore, the princes are willing to come here to trade, and the market is closed and not levied, so that it can stand out among competitors such as Xinzheng, Shangqiu, Chaoge, and Diqiu.

However, if the Wei Canal is built, most of the merchants and official caravans of the Jin, Zheng, and Lu kingdoms will be more willing to go to Puyang, which has a canal flowing through it and water transportation is convenient, so that the trade volume of Taoqiu is likely to be cut in half! At that time, the commerce of Taoqiu weakened, and the prosperity of the city came to an end.

Therefore, Zigong was worried, and seeing that he couldn't and couldn't stop the Wei Canal from being dug up, he discussed it with Tao Gu and others, and came up with a plan.

You can dig canals, and I can dig Taoqiu!

"The plan for this canal was designed by a craftsman named 'Peng' in Taoqiu, who has been digging ditches for people inside and outside Taoqiu all his life, and he has a lot of experience. Your lord, please see, if you dig a waterway from Heze to the east of Taoqiu to the southeast of the lower terrain, pass through the Song Kingdom, and then divert water to the Luguo Tangyi, where there are many lakes on the shore of Surabaya, you can communicate Jishui and Surabaya......"

The sky was getting dark, and Zhao Wuxian looked at the map on Zi's contribution, and he was so happy in his heart.

If he remembers correctly, isn't this the canal that Wu Wangfu dug ten years later in history in order to compete for hegemony in the north? The canal is called Heshui because the water source comes from Heze, and the Heshui flows into Surabaya, and then connects with the Hangou in the south, which is the prototype of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal in the later generations.

However, on this historical line, Fu Cha is only afraid that he will not have a chance to dig Heshui, because Zhao Wuxian has already taken the lead, saving Cao, Lu and Sishang Xiaoguo in his hands, and forming an alliance with the Song State to form a defense line to prevent the northward expansion of Wu State ten years in advance.

But what he didn't expect was that the histories were strikingly similar, and for various reasons, Zigong, who was in Taoqiu, also had the idea of digging a canal, although the purpose was different.

Now, Zigong is using his eloquence to try to convince Zhao Wuxian to support the plan.

"This canal is a deep ditch, leading to the field of Song and Lu, can connect Jidu and Surabaya, the whole field is one hundred and fifty miles, starting from Taoqiu by boat, going down along the terrain to the southeast, if you are fast, you can arrive at Tangyi in one day! You can envelop the small kingdoms of Sishang, Xue, and Teng, who originally lived in a secluded corner, in the Zhao family's cargo circle. If you go further south in Tangyi, you can go down Surabaya to Pengcheng in the Song Kingdom! ”

Although every sentence of Zigong was for the sake of the Zhao family's management of Sishang and the manipulation of the Song Kingdom, Zhao Wuxian could also hear that Zigong had selfish intentions and selfishness for Taoqiu's business considerations.

If this canal is opened, military convenience is one of them, so that Taoqiu will become to a greater extent "the key to the river, according to Huai, Xu, Song, Wei, Yan, Zhao's spine" is the second, Taoqiu will maintain the Central Plains economic metropolis, military strategic place and water transportation center status, "in the world" reputation is unbreakable for at least 500 years.

"It is understandable that if a person is selfless, he is a saint...... Zhao Wuxian himself can't do it, although he wants to ask himself to get rid of too many selfish desires, such as the desire for gold and jade jewelry and other external objects, such as the insatiable greed for more beauty, but that is for his greater desire to "open up the land, go to Qin and Chu, and visit China and raise the four yi"!

At least Zigong is not thinking about his own financial and selfish interests, and Wuxian doesn't want his fancy Wang Bazhi to be corrupted so quickly.

Duanmu Ci didn't know what Zhao Wuxian was thinking, and he was still talking there.

"In addition to enveloping the princes of Sishang and strengthening the control of the Song State, this canal will allow the Zhao warriors to continue to advance southward and reach the Pi State at the junction of Song and Wu, and the troops will be in Xudi!"

In just a moment, Zhao Wuxian's face sank, and then he skillfully covered up the past, and said with a smile: "This plan of yours is very good, the only problem is ...... Where did the money, food, manpower and animal power come from for digging the canal? ”

"Tao Qiu can raise his own funds to build part of the Cao Kingdom......" Zigong swallowed his saliva: "But there are still some shortcomings, if you can share some money and labor from Song Guole Ziming and Lu Guo Zhang Zi......"

"It's not right."

Zhao Wuxian is not the second stunned man, fighting for the not thick national strength of Wu State, he dug Heshui and Hangou in a reckless southern country, resulting in the withering of people's livelihood, and even the army could not supply food. The selfless spirit of Fucha is enough to be praised for thousands of years, but it is a pity that future generations only remember Zheng Dan and Xi Shi.

The Zhao family organized the excavation of the Wei Canal, so that the Jin and Lu could be integrated, the merit in the present generation, and the benefit in the future, which is a very necessary project. But the plan proposed by Zigong is a bit of a chicken rib as far as it can be seen at present......

"Judging from the map, the distance of Heshui is longer than that of Weiqu, and the construction was started in the territory of the Song Kingdom, which involves many problems. Besides, the Zhao clan was concentrating on ensuring that the Wei Canal was completed, and it was not possible to supply the two canals at the same time. ”

"Therefore, it is not advisable to implement this policy immediately, but in five or ten years, I will consider it, go back and complete the plan first, and submit a copy to me."

Zigong was a little disappointed, but at least Zhao Wuxian didn't categorically deny his entire plan, and after five or ten years, it should be too late!

He was about to leave after he agreed, but this time it was Zhao Wuxian who took the initiative to stop him.

But seeing Wuxian, he asked casually: "Zigong, you just said that Heshui can let the Zhao clan's military soldiers go directly to Pengcheng and Piguo, and the soldiers are in Xudi, even you think that I intend to be in Xuguo?" Or, what did Xu Cheng say to you? ”

(To be continued.) )