In the palace of King Qin, a map hangs in the glorious hall.

Unlike many maps, this one is very sketchy, with most of the area blank and only a few areas labeled with place names.

"White Wolf Country, Qiongdu Country, Yelang Country, Dian Country...... If it weren't for the opening of trade routes, who would have thought that there would be so many countries in the southwest of my Qin country......" Qin Wangji's gaze slowly moved on the map.

Since the opening of the Hexi Corridor, countless merchants have embarked on an adventure.

Since ancient times, merchants have been the most adventurous people.

They are willing to take any risk for the sake of profit.

According to the ancient books of Bashu and the classics obtained from the Zhou State, as early as more than 1,000 years ago, a group of people from the Xia Dynasty were exiled to the southwest, and then continued to migrate to the southwest, and disappeared after crossing the 100,000 mountains.

As a result, the Qin State began to organize people to explore the southwest in search of new trade routes, also in search of a new civilization.

Soon, the White Wolf Kingdom, the Qiongdu Kingdom, the Yelang Kingdom, and the Dian Kingdom ...... One country after another appeared in front of Qin's eyes.

Judging from the level of the Qin State, the strength of these countries is undoubtedly very weak, and the cultural level and scientific and technological level are also very backward, not to mention the current Qin State, even the Qin State in the Spring and Autumn Period, they can't compare.

Therefore, Qin Wangji was excited!

What is the most lacking thing in the Qin State?

Undoubtedly, it's the land!

As long as there is enough land, slaves can be pardoned, soldiers can be rewarded, and nobles can be rewarded.

What is the reason for the conservatives who chatter every day, buzzing in his ears like flies?

To put it bluntly, isn't it because the interests are not enough?

If each person is given a fief, even if they lose, this group of people will not let go of a single fart.

But soon, Qin Wangji was disappointed.

The investigators came back to report that these places are crisscrossed by mountains and forests, all kinds of fierce beasts and poisonous insects, dense miasma, and the living conditions are extremely bad, and it is difficult for the locals to survive, let alone the Qin people.

For the Qin State, land is a good thing, but land that cannot be cultivated is not a good thing.

Of course, the Qin state can also take several generations to transform, just like the transformation of the Chengdu Plain.

But this is not possible.

On the one hand, the geographical environment of these places is not as good as that of Chengdu.

Before the Qin State did not build Dujiangyan, Chengdu was the capital of the Enlightened Dynasty of the ancient Shu Kingdom, the capital of a country, how bad could it be?

Moreover, during the hundreds of years of the Enlightened Dynasty, in order to control floods, water conservancy projects and roads were constantly built.

Later, on the basis of his predecessors, Li Bing built Dujiangyan and Wuchi Road, gradually transforming Chengdu into a country of abundance.

The strength of those small countries is not even as good as that of the Enlightened Dynasty, and the capitals of some countries are barely about the same as the county towns of the Central Plains, and some do not even have capitals, and the area of the plains is even smaller and smaller, and the development value is not high.

On the other hand, Qin's control over Bashu and Shu was not strong enough, and it was difficult for them to continue to radiate southward through them.

The Qin State occupied the two places of Bashu for less than a hundred years, and initially adopted the means of razing and razing, until the Marquis of Shu rebelled several times, and the Qin State realized that Huairou's methods were useless to the enemy, so they adopted tough measures to rule Bashu.

However, both Ba and Shu have their own cultural systems, and the top and bottom reject the invader of Qin, and unless everyone is killed, the people of both places will still not identify with Qin.

Of course, this will slowly change over time.

After all, Ba and Shu have died, and not everyone wants to live in the past.

As the new generation grows up, they identify with the Qin State more than the older generation.

In addition, the Qin State had good means, on the one hand, it sent troops to suppress the tribes and clans that were dissatisfied with the Qin State, and on the other hand, it built water conservancy projects and rented farm tools for free, as long as it was repaid with grain in the coming year. He also established a brocade official and purchased Shu brocade at a guaranteed price. Build roads and strengthen exchanges between Shu and Guanzhong.

Unified weights and measures in Bashu and so on.

Under various measures, Qin's control over Bashu and Shu continued to deepen.

The remaining remnants of Bashu who were dissatisfied with the Qin State and unwilling to submit to the Qin State could only continue to move south and hide in the 100,000 mountains.

In recent years, the Qin State has taken advantage of the wars between the Southern Barbarians and the Western Qiang to continuously recover the barbarians, driving them down the mountains to farm, and those who are unwilling to submit to the Qin State have basically been wiped out by Wang Jian and the Qiang people pretending to be Qiang troops.

This is the only way for the Qin State to truly complete its rule over Shu County, but it still needs to go a long way before the people of Shu can truly identify with the Qin State.

In addition to this, the road to the southwest is also one aspect.

The road between Qin and Shu is difficult enough. Back then, in order to destroy Shu, Qin also used a plan, and lied to the king of Shu that there was a stone ox in Qin, and the baba pulled out was gold.

Qin was willing to give this stone ox to Shu, but the road from Qin to Shu was too difficult to walk, and the stone ox could not be transported to Shu.

After the road was repaired, the king of Shu did not wait for Shiniu, but waited for tens of thousands of troops of Qin......

The road leading from Chengdu to Nanyi is even more treacherous, with most sections only five feet wide, hence the name "Five Feet Road", on which horses can fall off cliffs at any time, and there is no way to march and transport grain and grass.

"It's a pity that such a big place can't be owned by my Qin State!" Qin Wangji sighed.

"My lord, these places are not completely worthless, according to the news from the caravan, these small countries combined, there are still many places suitable for living and farming...... If we can build a road at a very small cost, our Qin State can easily occupy these places. Fan Ju arched his hand slightly and said with a smile.

As long as one road could be built, the Qin State would only need a few thousand people to sweep through the entire Southwest Yi country.

"What's Xiangguo's plan?" Qin Wangji looked at Fan Ju.

"Five years ago, from Xianyang to Longxi, there was only a small road. To the west of Longxi, it is even more unparalleled. But since the opening of the Hexi Corridor, the road from Xianyang to Zhangye has been unimpeded. Some time ago, the nobles and merchants of our Qin State even wrote to the imperial court to ask the imperial court to build an official road from Xianyang to Zhangye. But was rejected by the king. Dare to ask the king, is there such a thing? Fan Ju asked.

"Not bad." Qin Wangji nodded.

He knew that the Silk Road was profitable, and if he could build a road from Xianyang to Zhangye, or even to the Western Regions, the time on the way back and forth could be greatly shortened, merchants could make more profits, and the Qin State could also get more commercial taxes.

In addition, the officials and businessmen of the Qin State could also make more money.

However, building roads requires a lot of manpower and material resources, and all the money and food of the Qin State are currently used to support the front line, and even Xianyang City has not been expanded, so how can there be money to build roads.

"If this road doesn't need to be paid by the imperial court, will the king build it?" Fan Ju looked at Qin Wangji with a smile.

"If the court doesn't pay, who will?" Qin Wangji frowned.

"Merchant. Merchants made a lot of money from the Silk Road, and they wanted to make more money, so they wouldn't skimp on it. It's just that we didn't get the production method of cement from Zhao Guo, and Zhao Guo didn't want to sell it to us. It may have taken us a bit long to build this road. Fan Ju said.

Without cement, Qin could only use the old methods to build roads. Although it is still possible to build a wide and smooth road, it is not half a point in efficiency.

"Whose road was repaired?" Qin Wangji asked in a deep voice.

This path is a matter of national strategy, and even if it is not repaired, it is impossible for him to hand over ownership to merchants.

The Qin State can not suppress the merchants, but if the merchants kick their noses in the face and test the bottom line of the Qin State through Fan Ju, then Qin Wangji will let this group of merchants know what Qin Law is.

"Of course it's from the imperial court." Fan Ju said with a smile that he was not going to be a pawn for a group of businessmen.

Qin Wangji breathed a sigh of relief and asked with a smile, "This is the Hexi Corridor, what about the southwest?" ”

"According to the latest information from the caravan, they went south along the Lingguan Ancient Road from Chengdu, crossed the water, Ruoshui, and Heishui to a small country called Ye Yu, and then turned over the 100,000 mountains to the west, and in a place thousands of miles away from my Great Qin, there was a powerful country called the Peacock Dynasty."

"They are very fond of the glass and silk we brought with us, as long as we can establish commercial contacts with the Mauryan Dynasty, this ancient road in the southwest is no less valuable than the Silk Road, and it can bring a steady stream of money to my Qin State. After the Hexi Corridor road is repaired, it is easy to gather merchants to build the southwest road. Fan Ju said slowly.

With the strength of the Qin State, it was enough to build two roads at the same time. However, if the imperial court did not contribute money or effort, only merchants and nobles could build a road at the same time.

As for whether they have this technology, Fan Ju is not worried. Those merchants didn't, but the nobility certainly did.

What's more, many nobles are merchants themselves, relying on the Silk Road to make money, and they will not give up this opportunity.

Besides, the Qin State will definitely send someone to preside over this matter.

"...... of the Peacock Dynasty" Qin Wangji pressed his left hand on the map and muttered in his mouth.

The opening of the Silk Road made many people, including Qin Wangji, realize that there is more than a small piece of the Central Plains in the world, although there is no country that can compare with such a brilliant civilization as the Central Plains and be more powerful than the Central Plains.

But no one can guarantee that there will be none.

According to the information from the caravan, the strength of the Mauryan Empire is no less than that of any country in the Central Plains, and may even surpass.

And that's just what the caravan can reach in a short time!

This news gave Qin Wangji an unprecedented sense of urgency.

The state of Qin, only by unifying the Central Plains, can it compete with such a country.

"That's it, let's build the Hexi Corridor first. After the road was built, a stone tablet was erected at each end of the road, and the names of all the people who donated money and food, or contributed manpower and material resources, were engraved on the stone tablet for future generations to admire. The order is according to the number of money and food donated. Qin Wangji said.

"The king is wise, so he is not afraid that some nobles will not donate." Fan Ju arched his hand.

The road is for everyone to walk, but if a big merchant makes a lot of money by relying on this road, but he doesn't donate a penny, or he donates very little, the merchants of the entire trade route will crowd him out.

The most important thing for businessmen is to make connections, and they will not do this kind of self-digging thing.

"Urgent news, King." At this time, the Xuanniao Division commanded Qin Liu to hurriedly walk in from outside.

"What's the matter?" Qin Wangji asked.

"Someone found the city north of Longxi, suspected of being occupied by the Zhao State." Qin Liu said quickly.

"What! North of Longxi occupied by the Zhao State? Did someone send someone to verify? Qin Wangji's face suddenly changed greatly.

Longxi is the rear of the Qin State, and it also guards the economic artery of the Hexi Corridor, and just now he also planned to build an official road in the Hexi Corridor.

If Zhao really occupies a large area of land north of Longxi and can complete self-sufficiency. When the Qin State was fighting on the front line, he sent an elite army from Longxi to the Qin State, which could cut off the Silk Road without much effort, and even hit Xianyang, giving the Qin State a heavy blow.

At that time, all the energy of the Qin State was focused on the east, but as a result, King Wuling of Zhao went south from the river and entered Xianyang, the capital of Qin, which frightened Qin Wangji into a cold sweat and immediately built the Great Wall on the northern border to resist the cavalry of Zhao.

Now that Zhao Guo has run directly behind the Qin State, how can the Qin State resist?

"Someone has been sent to verify, but it will take some time for the news to come through." Qin Liu arched his hand and said.

"Notify the widow immediately if there is news." Qin Wangji paced back and forth in the main hall, his old face showing a little worry and a little luck.

Fortunately, it was discovered in time that if Qin had not discovered Zhao's conspiracy, hundreds of thousands of troops would have been on the front line, and at this time, Zhao sent a large army to attack Qin from the rear...... The consequences are unimaginable.

"No."

"What does Sangkook think about this?" Qin Wangji looked at Fan Ju, and at this time, only the other party could reassure him.

Even if something big happens, as long as Fan Ju is there, Qin Wangji also believes that the other party can solve it.

"A few years ago, my Qin State destroyed the Yue Clan, defeated Qu Yan, and Qu Yan fled north. Later, news came from Zhao Guo that Qu Yan had been destroyed. At that time, the minister did not take it seriously. But since then, there has been no Rongdi invasion in the north of our Qin State. Now that I think about it, it is very likely that the news back then was true. Fan Ju said.

There was a sentence he didn't say, it was impossible for the Qin people who reported the news to lie, because there was no meaning. This kind of lie can easily be debunked, and it can be punished for it.

"If it's true, I'm afraid there will be a big war between my Qin State and Zhao State." Qin Wangji muttered.

"The king doesn't need to be disturbed, even if the Zhao State really expands its territory to the north of Longxi, it is not certain whether it has the ability to send troops. As far as the minister knows, from Guanzhong to the north, the terrain is gradually increasing, and the mountains and rivers are vertical and horizontal, which is not suitable for farming, let alone the north of Longxi. It is impossible for Zhao Guo to transport grain from Hebei. Fan Ju said with a smile.

The reason why the expansion of the Qin state to the northwest to the upper reaches of Jingshui and Luoshui was stopped was because it was no longer suitable for growing grain further north.

And there are high mountains to block, which is difficult to cross.

It is difficult for the Qin State to pass, which means that it is also difficult for the Zhao State to come over.

And where the land cannot be farmed, the population cannot be very large, coupled with the short occupation time of the Zhao State, the people's will is not attached, and it will not pose a threat to the Qin State.

"Thank you, sir, for your advice." Qin Wangji leaned over and saluted, he was indeed a little impatient just now, and after listening to Fan Ju's analysis, he realized that things were not like that.