Seeing off the elders of the three clans, Zhao Xing sat quietly on the exclusive wooden chair of the Crouching Tiger City Lord, thinking in his heart about how to scientifically guide the animal husbandry cause in the north in the future.

Li Ru, who had already made various records, opened his mouth and said softly: "My lord, I made a rough calculation just now, and the number of pre-sold cattle and sheep reported by the elders of various clans this year has more than doubled compared to before the snow disaster. Before the snow disaster, the government purchased 350,000 cattle and sheep, but this time the data reported by the three ethnic groups combined exceeded 900,000 heads. ”

"It's okay, why don't you just have a little ambush with me. The Han Dynasty had a population of at least 45 million, and if calculated per capita, each person would be able to get one-fiftieth of the head of cattle and sheep, which was too small, and the population of the Han Dynasty would exceed 50 million in the future, and the annual consumption of cattle and sheep would reach at least 5 million heads, and the northern prairie was boundless, so it was not a problem to raise 5 million head of cattle and sheep. Zhao Xing seemed to have already settled the account, so he said in an affirmative tone.

Li Ru hesitated for a moment, but couldn't help but say: "But the lord needs to know that the price of this beef and mutton is not low, and many Han people, especially those in the areas that are not under our rule, rarely eat it several times a year. ”

Zhao Xing nodded, agreeing with Li Ru's analysis, and then said: "Wen Wei's reminder is not unreasonable, but we still have a way to deal with this situation. The herdsmen in the north have a bumper harvest this year, and I not only did I not let the government suppress the purchase price, but also raised the purchase price for protection, so that the herdsmen would have a good income. Once they get the money, they may keep some of it, but most of it will be used to spend it. At that time, all kinds of products produced in our interior can be continuously transported to the grassland, and finally the money will be earned back by the Han people. The Han people who have made money can eat a few more meals of beef and mutton, so the herdsmen's cattle and sheep will not have to worry about not being able to sell them next year. ”

Li Ru listened to Zhao Xing's analysis and felt that this was the case, but he seemed to have problems waiting for him.

Li Ru also said: "The production of cattle and sheep in the north increased this year, and the lord not only did not reduce the purchase price, but also raised the price, which will naturally be publicized in the "Jin Daily" and "Business Daily". When the time comes, if the grain-rich states come to report that this year's grain harvest has been harvested, the lord can't favor one over the other, and the farmers who don't grow grain for the Han people will also say so, right?"

Zhao Xing smiled when he heard Li Ru's words, and he said: "Hehe, I knew you were waiting for me here! However, we naturally have a way to deal with it! This year, I really want to raise the purchase price for the peasant households who grow grain, so as to protect their enthusiasm for growing grain!"

Li Ru didn't understand why Zhao Xing made such a decision, so he said: "Please forgive you for being blunt, I really don't understand the deep meaning of this, and I ask the lord to make it clear." ”

Zhao Xing then explained to Li Ru: "Wen Wei can know what industry people are engaged in in the Jin Kingdom today with the most considerable income?"

Li Ru pondered for a moment and replied: "The people who are engaged in the production and sale of all kinds of goods in various fields have the most considerable income. ”

Zhao Xing continued: "That's true. Nowadays, the commercial atmosphere of the Jin Kingdom is strong, and quite a number of original grain-growing peasant households have changed careers, and this is not a good thing in the long run! Agriculture, animal husbandry, fishery, and breeding have a bearing on the food problems of thousands of households, and this is the foundation of the country; if the common people run to make and produce all kinds of commodities because of their low income from growing grain, this will not only cause a large backlog of commodities, but may also cause a food crisis! This is not a joke, and if one is not done well, it will ruin the future and destiny of the entire country. ”

It seems that Li Ru has a lot of questions today, and after Zhao Xing said this, he continued to ask: "After the grain price of the purchasing farmers has risen, the merchants engaged in the handicraft industry are originally the most price-sensitive group, and they will naturally notice it. When the time comes, if they ask for higher prices, how are we going to respond?"

Zhao Xing seemed very interested in answering Li Ru's question today, and he still replied confidently: "I just said that we should increase the purchase price of grain from peasant households in order to protect the enthusiasm of peasant households in growing grain, and how could I have said that at the same time I should raise the price of selling the granary of the government to non-grain producers?"

Li Ru was even more incomprehensible, and he asked: "In this way, the government wants to give money to grain growers, and won't it become more and more losing money in the long run?"

"If you look at the food subsidy alone, the government will naturally lose some money. However, Wen Wei could have imagined that because of the stable price of grain, merchants engaged in handicrafts would be able to produce more goods with peace of mind, and these goods could bring rich tax revenue in the process of sales, and the new increase in taxes would not only make up for the government's food deficit, but also allow the government to get more revenue. The government used these tax revenues to pay for military spending, pay for officials' salaries, build public facilities, expand the foundation of agriculture, animal husbandry and water conservancy, and ultimately achieve the prosperity and progress of the entire country. ”

Li Ru now completely understood, and he was very admired for Zhao Xing's ability to grasp the correct direction of the country's development so clearly. But Li Ru still couldn't help but ask the last question of the day, he said: "My lord, Confucianism still has something unclear. If we follow this path of strengthening the country and enriching the people, we will always encounter new problems of one kind or another, and I wonder what the Lord thinks will be the biggest problem that hinders us from moving forward.

Zhao Xing pondered for a moment and replied with a solemn face: "The corruption and degeneration of the ruling class will be our greatest enemy! The annexation of land to private ownership and the self-respect of local lords will also greatly harm the foundation of the country. ”

Li Ru wanted to ask one more question: Then do we have a way to deal with it? But he suddenly thought of a very terrible question, so he quickly closed his mouth. What Li Ru thought of was that Zhao Xing himself stood at the top of power, and if the corruption and degeneration of the ruling class would be the biggest enemy of the Han Empire, wouldn't it mean that Zhao Xing was even skeptical of his descendants?

Zhao Xing seemed to see Li Ru's taboo, and continued: "If you want the ruling class not to dare to be unscrupulous and corrupt, you need to let the people understand more truths, let them form an institution that can supervise the ruling class, let those ugly things that cannot see the light be torn off the glamorous shell by the smart people, and let all the moths who want to be officials show their true colors!"

Li Ru didn't dare to say anything, he couldn't ask Zhao Xing: "If there is a rat among your children, when they break the law in the future, or even a capital crime, can they really be dealt with according to the law?"

Zhao Xing also seemed to think of this problem, so his face became even more solemn. I only heard him say to himself: "The road is long, I can't lose hope in sunshine and justice because I have seen too much ugliness and deception......

Originally, it was just a question that was on the rise, but because the conversation was at the end, it involved the heaviest topic, which made this dialogue between Zhao Xing and Li Ru famous for eternity by later scholars in the "Xinghe Biography".