A few days later.

The autumn harvest of Shaanxi, Shanxi and others also reached Beijing.

In the court, there was another commotion.

In these two places, the autumn harvest situation is also not optimistic.

However, Zhu Di still decreed that all places with great drought would be exempted from paying taxes for one year.

Even if there are officials who play it, such a large-scale exemption from taxes will make the court's finances tight.

However, Zhu Di still ignored it.

But.

Now, the most lively thing is the completion of the cement straight road from Jingshi to Shaanxi Xingdusi.

The entire Jingshi, from the officials and magnates to the street vendors, are all talking.

In the Dingguo Mansion, Guo Ang couldn't help it, and asked Guo An with a curious face: "Master, when the day after tomorrow, Your Majesty and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince will really take a carriage to Liangzhou in person?" ”

"To Liangzhou?"

Guo An's eyes widened instantly, and he looked at Guo Ang in some surprise, "Who did you listen to?" Liangzhou is more than 3,000 miles away from Beijing, Your Majesty is tired of traveling and driving, running more than 3,000 miles, running to Liangzhou, to visit those Tatar barbarians? ”

"Your Majesty is not going?"

A trace of disappointment flashed in Guo Ang's eyes, "Now, the entire Jingshi has spread that the day when the cement straight road is completed will be the day when His Majesty and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince will go to Liangzhou for inspection through the straight road!" ”

"I haven't heard of it!"

Guo An shook his head very dryly, "They pass it on, they pass it on, you can't talk nonsense!" ”

"Yes, sir!"

Guo Ang nodded slightly.

Then, when he remembered something, he looked at Guo An with a curious face.

"Master, the villain heard that the cement straight road is straight and flat, from Jingshi all the way to Liangzhou, which is more flat and grand than the gallop road paved by the first emperor of the Qin Dynasty with 300,000 young people...... When the time comes, would you like to visit it? ”

"Qin Shi Huang?"

Guo An smiled lightly, "Cement is already a scientific and technological product, how can the cement straight road be comparable to the gallop road built by the First Emperor?" ”

"Hiss......"

Guo Ang's eyes instantly widened, "In this way, isn't the merits of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince far surpassing that of the First Emperor?" ”

"Hugh is going to talk nonsense!"

Guo An glared at Guo Ang, "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is still only the Crown Prince, but in paving the straight road, he has surpassed the First Emperor, and in other aspects, there is no benefit to the First Emperor!" ”

"Do you want to go to the cement straight and run around?"

"The old man is wise!"

Guo Ang sneered, "The cement straight road is so magnificent, how can the villain be qualified to go to the top and run in a car?" ”

"Humph! Looks like you've never seen the world! ”

Guo An snorted lightly, "If you want to go, you can go, it's just a cement straight road, when you were in Beiping Mansion, didn't you go to take a carriage?" ”

“…… The really flat and straight asphalt road is straight, if you see it, won't you be shocked? ”

"Asphalt straights?"

Guo Ang's face was full of surprise, "Master, what kind of straight road is the asphalt road, why hasn't the villain heard of it?" ”

"What have you heard of?"

Guo An glanced at Guo Ang with disdain, and then lay down, not wanting to speak.

I've heard everything......

Guo Ang muttered aggrievedly in his heart, arched his hand towards Guo An, and prepared to walk out.

It's just that when I walked to the door, I remembered something, and I didn't hold back.

"Master, on the day when the straight road is completely paved, it will inevitably be very lively outside the Jingshi Gate, you really don't want to see the excitement?"

"People crowded, look at the back of the head?"

Guo An pursed his lips, "Don't go!" ”

"Yes!"

Guo Ang responded with relief and prepared to leave.

It's just that Guo Ang just walked into the courtyard when he saw a subordinate and hurriedly walked in.

"Butler Qiyu, a palace eunuch is outside the mansion, I want to see the master!"

"Eunuchs in the palace?"

Guo Ang was stunned for a moment, then his footsteps turned around, and he hurriedly walked outside the house.

Really.

A eunuch was waiting quietly outside the door.

A moment later.

Guo Ang took the eunuch to the main hall.

"Master, someone is here in the palace!"

"Huh?"

Guo An's eyes widened and he looked at the eunuch.

The eunuch hurriedly saluted, "The villain has seen the Duke of Dingguo!" ”

"Your Majesty has something to tell my father?"

"Back to Dingguogong, Your Majesty will tell you, three days later, the cement straight road from Beijing to Liangzhou will be completely completed, and Your Majesty will bring hundreds of civil and military officials to experience the cement straight road by car!"

"Your Majesty...... Isn't he unexperienced? ”

Guo An was speechless.

"Grandpa?"

The eunuch's face was shocked, and he looked at Guo An incredulously, he was a little suspicious that he had heard it wrong?

"Nothing!"

Guo An smiled lightly, and then said: "You get up and go back to Your Majesty, I will go on time in three days!" ”

"Yes, Grandpa!"

The eunuch hurriedly answered, and was sent out of the mansion by Guo Ang!

Then, Guo Ang came back with a happy face, very excited.

"Master, in three days, what carriage will you take and how many guards will you take? But what do you want to prepare, do you want to bring the two little boys......"

"Go on an errand, why are you so excited?"

Guo An didn't have a good breath and said, "Let Xu Yong take a few guards, and as for the two boys, and Han'er want to go, they will go together."

Horse-drawn carriages, which must be rubber-tired carriages...... Eat, prepare water and snacks, and bring more pastries......

Who knows, Your Majesty will rise and will run farther......"

"The villain understands!"

Guo Ang answered and ran out excitedly.

On the recliner, a trace of doubt flashed in Guo An's eyes, going by himself, what is the joy of Guo Ang, the housekeeper?

……

Three days later.

Early in the morning, Guo An took the three elementary children in his family, got into a carriage, and two boxes of food, and went to Dinghuai Gate in Beijing under the escort of Xu Yong and others.

Dinghuai Gate is located in the northwest corner of Jingshi.

Out of the Dinghuai Gate, not far away, is the branch of the Qinhuai River, followed by a very large cement stone arch bridge, on which can pass three carriages side by side.

But despite this, today's bridge is bustling with people, and at a glance, it is full of heads.

Under the Dinghuai Gate, there are luxurious and wide carriages, at least hundreds, and around each one, there are several subordinates to escort them.

In front of the entire Dinghuai Gate, at least more than 100,000 people were crowded.

After a glance, Guo An sighed helplessly, and asked Xu Yong to drive the carriage to a slightly wide place.

Here, it has been occupied by a group of arrogant and domineering martial artists, with a group of fierce men.

It's just that when these fierce gods saw Guo An's carriage, they all immediately showed a smile on their faces.

"I've seen Wei Guogong and Cao Guogong."

"Marquis of Wuding, Marquis of Changxing...... You've already arrived? ”

"I've seen Dingguo Gong!"

"Hahaha, Dingguo Gong is finally out!"

"Why did you come so early?"

"In the past, the first emperor of the Qin Dynasty requisitioned 300,000 people to build a gallop road for two years, and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince recruited thousands of people, and the cement straight road paved should be wide and flat......

With such a path, how could we not come sooner? ”

"Exactly, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince paved such a road, it will be recorded in history and will be recorded in history, we will ......"

Looking at this group of nobles who seemed to have been beaten with chicken blood, Guo An was speechless, and this was the first cement straight.

If you wait until more than ten years later, the Ming Jingshi will go to all the provinces of the Ming Dynasty, or the provinces of the Ming Dynasty will be connected by straight roads, then you will not be excited about cerebral hemorrhage?

"Huh? This cement straight road, is Dingguo Gong to His Majesty to admonish, this is the successful construction of the straight road, now the paving is successful, why does Dingguo Gong not seem to be excited at all? ”

"Brother Guo, hasn't he already walked on this straight road many times?"

"Hahaha, what Cao Guogong said is very true, Dingguo Gong is not ......"

Guo An was speechless.

"Your Majesty has arrived!"

At this time, with three loud whips, everyone in front of Dinghuai Gate fell silent, and hurriedly looked towards Dinghuai Gate.

As a group of freshly armored guards came out, two luxurious chariots followed.

On the first car, Zhu Di and Queen Xu sat down.

On the one in the back, Zhu Gaochi was sitting.

"Ministers see Your Majesty, see the Empress!"

"See His Royal Highness the Crown Prince!"

"Untouchables see Your Majesty, Queen......"

Outside the city, hundreds of thousands of powerful officials, as well as businessmen and ordinary people, hurriedly saluted Zhu Dixi.

"Rise up, everybody!"

Zhu Di smiled heartily.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Everyone got up according to the words and stared at Zhu Di with burning eyes.

Zhu Di said loudly: "Today, it is built by the crown prince, and the day when the first cement straight road in my Ming Dynasty is completely completed."

Since then, all the people of my Ming Dynasty, from Beijing to Henan, Shaanxi, all the way to Liangzhou, there is no more steep and uneven road, and there are no bandits and bullies, even if it is heavy rain and snow, you can walk normally! ”

"Your Majesty Shengming!"

"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince!"

“……”

Suddenly, all the people shouted praise, their faces full of excitement.

They didn't think about why they could walk normally even on heavy rain and snowy days.

Even, many people in the distance couldn't hear Zhu Di's voice.

However, he still followed the people in front of him with excitement on his face, shouting loudly.

Seeing this, Zhu Di's eyes were even more joyful.

"Today, the straight road is completed, and I want to take thousands of people from my Ming Dynasty to test the cement straight road together!"

"Your Majesty Shengming!"

"Your Majesty......"

Immediately, Zhu Di's car drove slowly, drove across the bridge, walked past the toll station, and entered the cement straight!

Behind.

Guo An and other nobles and officials hurriedly asked their subordinates to drive the carriage and followed closely.

After that, there was a group of gentry, merchants, and common people......

It is dense and crowded, and if you stand in the air and look down, you will think that it is ants moving.

"Hey, at the end of the straight, how can there be a few small cement houses?"

"yes, how can there be a rejection of the pile?"

"Perhaps, these have another effect!"

"Hiss......"

"How can this straight be so wide? It's perfectly possible to run four carriages in parallel, right? ”

"yes!"

"On both sides of the straight, how can there be steps? Ditch? ”

"So flat?"

"Hahaha, I'm really blessed to wait for Shangjia in the future!"

"Yes, what Shopkeeper Shen said is right, Your Majesty has really made a big difference to me and other businessmen!"

"In this way, we must not let Your Majesty down!"

"It's extreme, it's ......"

And at the forefront.

Zhu Di's car.

Empress Xu looked at the straight and straight road in front of her, and her eyes widened with surprise on her face.

"Your Majesty, such an ingenious straight road was really paved by the prince with thousands of craftsmen?"

"Exactly!"

Zhu Di looked proud, "This straight road has cost us millions of silver!" ”

"Millions of taels of silver?"

Empress Xu couldn't help but open her mouth wide, her face full of distress.

"Your Majesty, spend so much money to pave such a road......

"Rest assured, girl!"

Zhu Di smiled lightly and said: "This straight road, whether it is for the imperial court or for the people of the Ming Dynasty, is of great use.

The value of these millions of taels of silver is spent, and according to Guo Qing's method, within a few years, these silver can be earned.

In the future, the money earned by this straight road will be all our internal money......"

"Earn money on this straight?"

Empress Xu looked puzzled.

"Exactly...... The girl can see the small houses on the straight just now...... Also, every fifty miles of the straight road, there will be a large inn......

On weekdays, there are soldiers patrolling the straights......"

When Zhu Di finished his introduction, Queen Xu's face was full of surprise.

"Dingguo Gong has such a wonderful method, just a straight road, he can come up with such an unheard of method!"

Zhu Di laughed directly, "Guo Qing is not like that Guo Taishi at all, his mind is full of ways to make money!" ”

"Hmm!"

Empress Xu nodded slightly, and then said again: "Your Majesty, from the perspective of the concubine, the Duke of Dingguo is also very similar to that Guo Taishi!" ”

"Oh?"

Zhu Di looked curious.

Empress Xu said: "That Guo Taishi delved into all kinds of craftsmanship and academics, for the country and the people.

The determination of the national government is to integrate all kinds of craftsmanship into the things that benefit the people.

Moreover, the more the concubine looked at it, the more she felt that this Dingguo Duke seemed to have been making money and was building and repairing the Ming Dynasty! ”

"Build and repair the Ming Dynasty?"

Zhu Di's eyes widened.

"Hmm!"

Empress Xu continued: "Your Majesty, if you think about it, when you were in Beiping Mansion, this Dingguo Gong paved cement straights, built cement houses, and built various workshops......

When he arrived in Jingshi, the straight road that this Dingguo Duke wanted to pave was longer......"

"What the girl said is reasonable......

Looking at the cement straight road in front of him, which seemed to be endless, Zhu Di fell into deep thought.

……

This time, Zhu Di took hundreds of officials to inspect the cement straight road and inspected it for half a day.

By the time Guo An returned to the Dingguo Mansion, it was already getting dark.

The two boxes of snacks I brought with me have also been eaten cleanly.

But.

The entire Jingshi was completely sensational.

It was the first time for everyone to actually see the concrete straight.

Therefore.

This time, it shocked them even more.

Less than a day's work.

The grandeur and magic of the cement straight road have been exaggerated dozens of times by the people of Beijing.

The entire Kyoshi.

Everyone is curious about the cement straight.

Even.

Some businessmen who often go to Shaanxi and Shanxi have already discussed and are ready to form a caravan and walk a cement straight road to explore.

It's just that they haven't waited for them to make a move.

A notice was posted all over the capital.

At the same time, a new issue of Di Bao was also released.

"Cement Straight Road Operation Notice: From Jingshi to Liangzhou Cement Straight Road, the total length is 3,980 miles, a total of 15 prefectures, 72 inns are built, it takes one year and eight months, and costs 8.6 million taels of silver.

However, in order to facilitate the people of the world and enrich the Ming Dynasty, this silver is all spent by His Majesty's internal funds, and now His Majesty's internal funds are empty, which is no longer enough to support the expenses of the palace.

However, now that it has been built, the straight road must recover its cost, and the straight road must be maintained and repaired every year, and all merchants, convoys, and horse and mule teams must be charged for walking on the straight.

Pedestrians do not charge any fees, but for convoys, a car is charged ten cents for ten miles, and a horse and a mule are charged for ten cents......

Enter the straight, get the guide, get off the straight and return the guide, and pay the fee!

On the straight road, every 100 miles, there are straight road soldiers patrolling and checking at all times.

The Straight Road Inn also needs to be inspected by the road guide before you can enter the inn to rest......

If a caravan is found to be opportunistic and steals into the straight, it will be fined 100 taels of silver, and it will not be allowed to enter the straight for another year! ”

"This ......"

All the merchants and gentry who saw these notices and newspapers were stunned and a little incredulous.

"There is a charge for the straight?"

"In order to pave the straight road, Your Majesty actually spent so many taels of silver?"

"More than 8.6 million taels of silver, Your Majesty is really willing to do it!"

"Hmph, that's naturally a charge! Your Majesty is also going to make money with the straight, so I really have to wait......"

"Phew, what's wrong with spending so much money to let those merchant convoys walk on the straights and collect some tolls?"

"Really, Your Majesty's money has been spent, what's wrong with collecting some points?"

"Don't forget, pedestrians don't charge, only caravans, convoys, and horse caravans!"

"Exactly!"

"Your Majesty is merciful!"

“…… Moreover, on the straight, there are soldiers patrolling! ”

"Soldier patrol? …… In this way, there are no more bandits and bullies blocking the road and robbing? ”

"This ...... Hahaha, okay, this toll, I am willing to wait for the businessmen to pay it! ”

"Yes, I'm willing!"

“……”

"Let's go, aren't there a few shopkeepers in the south of the city, who want to go to Liangzhou to deliver goods to the Tatar city? I'm just going to go with us! ”

"Exactly, by the way, experience those straight inns!"

"Let's go!"

"We'll leave the day after tomorrow!"

"It's ......"

And in the major official offices.

A group of officials, looking at the newspaper in their hands, had different reactions one by one.

There are dissatisfied, red-faced.

"How can Your Majesty be like this?"

"Your Majesty, as my Ming King, how can you compete with the people for profit like this and do that businessman's behavior?"

"Yes, you must have been bewitched by traitors!"

"I'll wait for the admonition!"

"Pole is, pole is ......"

There are also those who agree with the understanding.

"Hmph, there is no charge for the straight road, Your Majesty has spent so much effort and so much money to pave such a long straight road?"

"Exactly! At the time of the paving, His Majesty had already told the ministers about it! ”

"Alas......"

"There is no charge, how can Your Majesty get the money to pave a straight road from Beijing to Sichuan and Yunnan?"

"Hmph, I'll wait and see, if there is a businessman who will go to the straight road to pay!"

"Look at it, you see ......"

Among the hundreds of officials, there was a lot of noise.

Probably, it's still for the sake of the little interests in their hearts.

After all, paving a straight road also has pros and cons for them!

Moreover, they can charge fees in the court, and it will be uncomfortable to let His Majesty collect the fees alone!

However, for the courtier's recital, Zhu Di directly threw it aside and ignored it.

…… (End of chapter)