After Queen Ma heard Zhu Yuanzhang's question, she said softly:

"Why don't you go to Shanghu County and buy some slaves?"

"Those slaves are only ten taels of silver each, and even if they buy ten thousand people, they are only one hundred thousand taels of silver."

"10,000 people must be enough for the highway in the early stage."

Zhu Yuanzhang was reminded by Queen Ma, and a flash of inspiration flashed in his mind, and he began to bow his head and ponder the feasibility of this matter.

Hu Weiyong on the side felt that his brain was no longer enough.

Slave?

There are still slaves in Shanghu County? How is this possible?

In the Ming Dynasty, the slave trade was strictly prohibited for a long time, why did the emperor still allow Li Jin to continue the slave trade even though he knew that Li Jin was engaged in the slave trade?

Shouldn't Li Jin be arrested at the first moment of discovery, and then completely dismantled the slave trade network?

Hu Weiyong's face was full of confusion, and he didn't understand what was going on in this, so that Zhu Yuanzhang could tolerate Li Jin's slave trade to continue?

At this time, after thinking for a while, Zhu Yuanzhang thought of the delay of cash-for-work, turned his heart sideways, and said directly:

"Hu Weiyong, you can hold an auction of the expressway in a few days."

"You don't have to worry about manpower, we will find someone to solve this matter for you."

"But when you calculate the budget, you need to add this part of the budget, after all, if you really buy slaves, it is likely to cost hundreds of thousands of taels of silver."

Hu Weiyong was shocked, but he didn't expect the emperor to really plan to buy slaves.

But thinking of the consequences of using slaves to build highways, Hu Weiyong still stiffened his head and said:

"Your Majesty, is there something wrong with this matter?"

"Our Ming Dynasty has banned the slave trade, how can we still use these slaves to build highways?"

"If the imperial history knows about this, I'm afraid they won't let go of this opportunity to criticize the highway."

Hu Weiyong said it very tactfully, but he also reminded Zhu Yuanzhang that the purchase of slaves was really unreliable.

As the king of a country, he actually allowed his own people to be bought and sold, and when this matter spread, it would definitely attract the crazy impeachment of the imperial history.

How could Zhu Yuanzhang not know what Hu Weiyong meant, but he was not worried at all, but said indifferently:

"These slaves are not the people of the Ming Dynasty, but some aliens."

"If anyone dares to sell our Ming people, we will definitely break him into pieces."

"But if these slaves are those widows, then it doesn't matter, these people deserve to die."

"You don't have to say that you are slaves, you can say that they are captives."

Only then did Hu Weiyong understand that the slaves that Zhu Yuanzhang wanted to buy were some aliens from other places.

If this is the case, then Hu Weiyong is not afraid, after all, if it is not my race, his heart will be different.

This kind of thing has long been understood by the Chinese people, and no one will sympathize with these aliens.

If someone really doesn't open their eyes, Hu Weiyong can clean them up.

"Got it!"

Hu Weiyong's three problems were all solved by Zhu Yuanzhang, and his heart was suddenly put down, and he felt relaxed.

"We are very optimistic about the highway, I hope you will pay more attention to it, don't let us down, do you understand?"

Zhu Yuanzhang finally did not forget to tell Hu Weiyong to be careful.

After all, if this matter is done well, then this kind of road will be paved everywhere in Daming in the future.

At that time, the rule of the old Zhu family was really solid.

After listening to this, Hu Weiyong arched his hand towards Zhu Yuanzhang with a solemn expression and said:

"The minister will definitely handle this matter and not disappoint the emperor."

"Let's go down and prepare."

Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand to let Hu Weiyong leave, he had already finished saying what he had to say, if Hu Weiyong still disappointed him, then Hu Weiyong's position in the future would be the peak now.

After Hu Weiyong left, Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Queen Ma and said:

"Sister, didn't you pity those slaves before, why did you take the initiative to let us buy these slaves now?"

Queen Ma glanced at Zhu Yuanzhang and said:

"I just think that if these slaves die in the Colosseum, it is better to follow Hu Weiyong to build roads."

"It'll last a little longer."

Zhu Yuanzhang was stunned for a moment, then laughed and said:

"It's still the sister's kindness."

Queen Ma didn't pay any more attention to Zhu Yuanzhang, turned around and walked towards the door.

She had to hurry up and arrange the steward of the auction house, as well as the materials for building the road and the slaves, all of which had to be discussed with Li Jin.

...

When Queen Ma saw Li Jin, Li Jin was still busy in the shipyard.

After more than three months of busyness, Li Jin's planned fleet is proceeding in an orderly manner.

According to Li Jin's plan, in three months, the first naval fleet of the Ming Dynasty will be completely formed.

At that time, it will be the time to wipe out the Japanese and bombard the Japanese island.

Hearing that Queen Ma was coming, Li Jin put down the work at hand and specially met with Queen Ma.

"Madame, why are you here?"

After Li Jin and Queen Ma finished greeting, they asked straight to the point.

Queen Ma smiled at the corner of her mouth and said:

"I came here this time to tell you a great joy."

"The last time the emperor heard the report of the master, he decided to implement the expressway in Daming as well."

"I'm here this time to buy highway materials from you, so that you can make a lot of money."

When Li Jin heard that he was here to do business, the smile on his face became more cordial, and he said:

"What did Madame say, we are partners, and if I make money, Mrs. will make money."

"It's just that I have a question, Daming is now in the treasury, can he come up with so much money to pave the highway?"

"You must know that the cost of the highway is not low, and if it is built in the whole Ming Dynasty, I am afraid that the treasury of the Ming Dynasty will not be able to bear it."

When Queen Ma heard this, she said with a smile:

"Don't worry about this, the emperor plans to let the gentry of the world raise money to build a highway."

"And this kind of highway is only built in Tianfu for the time being, and it will not be built together with the whole country, so you don't have to worry about the problem of silver."

Li Jin nodded at this time.

If it is really like what Queen Ma said, it is indeed a way, after all, the imperial court does not need to pay a penny, and it can get a built highway for nothing, which is indeed pie in the sky.

"In that case, then I will give my wife a cheaper, and I can be regarded as contributing to the country."

Li Jin then asked his subordinates to take out the pen, ink, paper and inkstone, and began to calculate the cost of the materials in front of Queen Ma.

However, Queen Ma stopped Li Jin and said:

"It's not just about materials, you also have to send a team of professional workers to the Ming court, so that the court can carry out normal construction."

"You can also count this labor cost, as long as you give the people from the Ministry of Industry to the church, and then trouble you people in Shanghai County in the future."

Only then did Li Jin understand that Queen Ma wanted to provide one-stop service by herself.

Thinking of this, Li Jin estimated the price again in his heart, and began to calculate the accounts for Queen Ma on the paper.

After the bill was calculated, Queen Ma picked it up and saw that just a highway from Yingtianfu and Songjiang Mansion would cost about 500,000 taels of materials.

"Lord Li, isn't this price too high?"

Queen Ma looked at the calculated price, and was a little shocked, after all, in her heart, no matter how expensive this material is, it will not be more than 300,000 taels at most.

It is an exaggeration to say that it is now about twice as much.

Li Jin shook his head and said:

"Madam, this is already the cheapest price, after all, we not only provide materials, but also technical support."

"If there is any problem in the future, it may be necessary to provide after-sales service, which can not be lower."

Queen Ma pondered for a moment and said:

"This price is not impossible, but I need you to go to Shanghai County and provide us with 10,000 slaves to build this highway."

Li Jin was not calm when he heard this, and said:

"Ten thousand slaves? You must know the price of slaves now, but it is ten taels. ”

"Ten thousand slaves are one hundred thousand taels of silver, which is simply impossible, at most a thousand will be given to you."

"Eight thousand!"

"Two thousand!"

...

In the end, Li Jin gave away another 3,500 slaves for nothing, and this deal was reached.

And Queen Ma gave 60,000 taels of silver and bought 6,000 slaves, so that all the things that Zhu Yuanzhang explained were completed.

Li Jin saw that an order had been completed, and he was very satisfied.

At noon, he even invited Queen Ma to dine together, and during the meal, Li Jin suggested that Queen Ma could start work at the same time from Songjiang Mansion and Yingtian Mansion.

This significantly reduces the time and allows the two to start working at the same time, even at the point where the two interact.

This three-pronged approach will save a lot of time and allow the highway to be built quickly.

When Queen Ma heard this, she was very happy, and decided that after she went back, she would suggest to Zhu Yuanzhang that he should do this.