The Tokai Hayato Palace has been fully completed, and the bases of the outer islands, centered on Genjong Island, where the Hayakuen Palace is located, are also operating in an orderly manner. 【】The treasure land on the sea that Ao Guang, the Dragon King of the East China Sea, sacrificed to win over and curry favor with him back then, did play a considerable role.

Outside the palace on Xuanzhong Island, there is the Taiqing Yin and Yang Array of the evolution of the Taiqing Banner Gate and a series of hidden high-tech defensive weapons given by Lao Tzu. In the underground of the palace, there is also a secret laboratory, which contains a considerable part of Zhang Zixing's family background, and this part of the power is temporarily hidden in the snow, and it cannot be exposed yet.

The maids in the palace are all biological female warriors, with loyalty to absolute obedience to orders, and according to their special surnames, they are divided into categories such as garrison, medical treatment, service, and maintenance. There are many high-end facilities in the palace, such as smart computers, visual and fidelity communication, etc. With these facilities, Jiang Wenqiang and the girls can not only pass the time of boredom, but also realize remote communication with Zhang Zixing and Shang Qingjun, which is very convenient.

On the islands around Xuanzhong Island, the Demon God Clan, who also lived and moved one after another, were well settled under the coordination and arrangement of Fei Lian's second son Ji Sheng.

Before the March retreat, Xing Tian accompanied Zhang Zixing to the island, explained his identity as the Son of Heaven and the grace of containing the Demon God Clan, and asked Zhang Zixing to show the supreme demon body to the clan. Those Demon God Clansmen were originally displaced, but now they have such a place to recuperate, and they are very grateful.

The people of the Demon God Clan felt the powerful and pure aura of the Demon God Clan exuded by the Supreme Demon Body, and believed that Zhang Zixing was the reincarnation of the ancient Demon God, which could bring hope for reproduction and prosperity to the Demon God Clan on the verge of destruction.

Because Zhang Zixing had promised Xingtian and Feilian early on to give these clansmen a place to live and not get involved in the war, the surname Suo agreed to Xingtian's request and became the head of the Demon God Clan. It also happens to borrow the power of the Demon God Clan to protect Xuanzhong Island.

After Zhang Zixing took the girls to Xuanzhong Island, he quickly divided the tasks. Xuanzhong Island is governed by the only two remaining elders of the Demon God Clan, Lu Bi and Tu Li, and a group of masters in the clan are selected as peripheral guards to be responsible for the security work on the island. As a woman, she is calm and resourceful, and Tu Liyou is the old department of Chi You, who is brave and ruthless, and her strength is extraordinary.

If there is any difficulty, you can ask Lu Bi and Elder Tu Li to make a decision, if you can't break it, you can report to the three women in the palace by Lu Bi, and ask Zhang Zixing for instructions remotely through the "magic weapon".

Tu Lian heard about the war in Eastern Qi, because Dongyi was in the same vein as Chi You, and had a deep relationship with him, so he took the initiative to bring a few good men to participate in the war in Eastern Qi. Zhang Zixing thought about it for a while, secretly thinking that Tu Lian was there, which would not only greatly enhance the strength of Yueji's hand, but also further ensure her safety, so he agreed to Tu Lian's request at the moment, and instructed him to protect Yueji's safety.

After teaching Jiang Wenqiang's three daughters to simply use some of the equipment in the palace, Zhang Zixing took Han Zhixian to say goodbye to the three daughters and returned to Chaoge. Han Zhixian and Shang Qingjun got together for a few days, and the female Lu also returned from Eastern Qi to the court. Han Zhixian didn't stay any longer, and together with the female lu, he said goodbye to Zhang Zixing and went around collecting alchemy medicinal materials.

Time flies, and in a blink of an eye, it is time for the autumn harvest, and under Zhang Zixing's methodical "update", Princess Longji's "Dream of Red Mansions" finally ushered in the "completion". Princess Longji sighed at the tragedy, and Zhang Zixing said the comments of some famous masters of Dream of Red Mansions in later generations, and listened to Princess Longji and Biyun Tong'er with relish, and every time they compared it with the original work, it was even more memorable, as if they saw a vivid character appear in front of them.

In addition to acting as a storyteller, Zhang Zixing often takes time to take Princess Longji's master and servant around to relax, or play the flute ensemble, which is very leisurely. Gradually, Princess Longji and him also had a tacit understanding in their hearts, and when they disappeared every few days, both parties couldn't help but miss it. As time passed, the frost on Princess Longji's face gradually melted, and her smile grew, and Biyun Tong'er secretly told Zhang Zixing that she had never seen her so happy since she served Princess Longji.

With the "completion" of "Dream of Red Mansions", the dream of making a fortune in the northwest has also come to an end. According to Zhang Zixing's original words: "After making so much money in vain, it's time to pay something." ”

This day, Ji Dan hurried over and reported a bad news to Ji Fa in front of the ministers. Before Ji Fa and Jiang Ziya finished listening, their faces had changed greatly.

The cause of the incident is this: Empress Shang Qingjun heard that because of her personal preferences, the purple pen, snow paper and western pottery in the territory of Dashang were flooded, and the price was expensive, which affected the normal commercial circulation and caused serious extravagance and waste. Shang Qingjun felt that his virtue was at a loss, so he asked the Son of Heaven for his guilt, and he set an example by no longer using Zihao pen and snow-light paper, and removed the Western pottery decorations in the palace, so as not to let the Son of Heaven focus on such strange things and affect national affairs.

When the ministers of the court and the central government, led by Bigan and Jizi, learned of this, they all praised the virtuous Empress Shang, and also gave advice one after another, persuading the Son of Heaven that this is not the time to have fun and playthings, and to give priority to state affairs. The Son of Heaven was no longer what it used to be, and immediately followed the advice of the ministers, and issued an edict in which he confessed his mistakes, and in order to show his determination, he called on the whole country to prohibit the use of these three things, and promulgated some favorable policies to encourage the people.

Originally, these three things were hyped up to sky-high prices, and they were not irreplaceable and necessary. The Son of Heaven was very considerate of the people, and many civilians raised a large number of mountain rabbits to make Zihao pens were also purchased at a moderate price and made into dried meat for military rations.

However, this news is like a bolt from the blue for the north and south controlled by Ji Fa.

For a time, the price of Western pottery and snow hemp plummeted, a large number of pottery workshops closed down one after another, and the snow and hemp fields all over the mountains were abandoned, and there was no return.

The most terrible thing is the lack of food.

Originally, the people who planted grain all went to make pottery, or planted all the fields with snow hemp, and even if a very small part of the fields still had some grain harvest, it was a drop in the bucket and could not take care of the entire northwest and the two places.

Xiqi's Sanji Warehouse still has some grain in stock, but in recent years, the establishment of Xiqi's army has increased too quickly, and it can only barely maintain the consumption of the army - if Ji Fa wants to reduce the army that he has built with great difficulty and intends to compete for dominance in the world, it is absolutely impossible.

Fortunately, this "three treasures" storm has made a lot of money in the northwest and the northwest, and spending money to buy grain is also a feasible way.

Just when Ji Fa and Jiang Ziya were about to take urgent measures and quickly go to the big merchants to purchase grain, the Son of Heaven issued another order, so that the only hope was ruthlessly extinguished. This order is exactly - a trade embargo!

Never trade with rebels, block trade!

The western and northern passes are closed, and it is strictly forbidden for any business travelers to enter and exit, and for civilians, they are also allowed to enter and not leave. During this time, merchants in the territory of the Great Shang were not allowed to communicate with other places, but were only allowed to trade in the country.

At the same time, the Wandering Soul Pass and the Sanshan Pass were also semi-closed, and if the princes of the southeast and southeast wanted to trade in the territory of the Great Shang, they had to comply with a series of strict regulations and restrictions, and be approved by Prime Minister Mei Bo, and conduct transactions of a specified type and quantity at an officially designated location. Jiang Huanchu, the Eastern Bohou who did not comply with the holy decree and violated the territory of Concubine Yue's mother, also made corresponding economic sanctions.

Ji Fa and Jiang Ziya came to their senses at this time, it turned out that all this was a conspiracy of the enemy! From the beginning when it was rumored that Shang Qingjun loved the Three Treasures, to the Son of Heaven taking the lead and leading the big merchants to popularize the Three Treasures, and then causing high commercial profits, making the two places crazy to grow hemp and pottery, abandoning farming, and then to the later ban on the Three Treasures and now the trade embargo, all of them are a series of interlocking and meticulous plans!

Such a strange scheme of relying on commerce to strike at the enemy was simply unheard of! Moreover, the effect was so strong and the coverage was far greater than that of the army, and it was so easy to destroy the economy and livelihood of the two places in the northwest without spending a single soldier! Moreover, the situation in the southeast and southeast was quickly brought under control.

Rao is Jiang Ziya's conceited strategic talent, and he couldn't help but shiver, and the heroic figure suddenly appeared in his mind, and the chill in his heart was even worse: Tiger, even if he is asleep, is still a tiger. What's even more terrifying is that the tiger has now woken up!

Actually, Jiang Ziya didn't know that his so-called tiger had never fallen asleep.

In the face of the emergency situation, Ji Fa was also helpless for a while, and the proliferation of hemp planting and pottery was also due to his acquiescence, and he wanted to hoard a large amount of military spending, but now he was so cruel by the other party. Thinking that Jiang Ziya had persuaded him not to waste farming, he couldn't help but regret it. However, if regret is useless, the key is to find a solution to the food shortage as soon as possible, otherwise the consequences will be unimaginable.

Jiang Ziya's method was: while trying to gather as much as possible such as game, mountain fruits, etc., for emergency purposes, while trying to buy grain, and at the same time sending people to secretly go to the east and south to collect grain.

However, there was already a shortage of grain in the two places, and everything that could be eaten had already been collected, so where was Ji Fa's turn to "gather"? And the strict order of the trade embargo made it even more impossible for the merchants who bought grain to do anything. As for the grain in the east and south, it was secretly bought up by the rich and noble trading houses at a low price early in the morning, and it was returned to the big merchants, and there was no surplus grain to buy and sell.

For a while, the price of food skyrocketed, and there was no market for it, and I couldn't sell it if I had money. The big and small slave owners all tightened their belts, and the starving people were naturally the vast number of civilians and slaves, and there were countless fugitives. For this reason, Ji Fa's special army guarded the main road and brutally slaughtered the fugitives.

However, under this coercive and bloody means, the crisis has not been resolved, but has intensified, and both nobles and ministers and ordinary people have complained. Every time the Xiqi Palace jointly wrote a letter and asked for help. The previous time, it was difficult to appease and win over the top and middle levels of society by various means, and they began to make opposition, making Ji Fa anxious like an ant on a hot pot.

The envoys sent by Ji Fa to Donglu and Nanjun to borrow grain also brought back bad news: Eshun was newly defeated and was forced to retreat to Nanjun, and the supplies were extremely tight, and he also asked Ji Fa for help; Jiang Huanchu was also sanctioned, and he was in a confrontation with Dongqi, and there was no surplus food, so he could not borrow it.

When Ji Fa heard this, he was furious, he didn't care about his appearance, and slapped the table in public and scolded Jiang Huan Chu and E Shun. At this time, the emergency document of the Ghost Fang King of the Northland asking for help was like a worse situation, which made Ji Fa almost run wild, and it was not until Jiang Ziya's arrival that he gradually stabilized his mood.

Jiang Ziya brought an important piece of news: Bibe secret detectives found that some time ago, when everyone was planting hemp and pottery on a large scale, the branch of Xiqi Fugui Firm was buying grain at a low price, and it should have hoarded a large amount of grain, and if it was willing to sell, it should help Xizhou tide over the difficulties.

When Ji Fa heard this, he was sure a lot: the rich business is the largest business in the country, with a very high reputation, and the owner of the Xiqi branch is surnamed Dou, which is the largest "taxpayer" in Xiqi. Fugui business has always cooperated happily with the government, and during the drought that year, it also took the initiative to cooperate with Ji Chang to contribute grain and contribute money to help the victims. After Ji Fa succeeded to Xibohou, this businessman surnamed Dou was also very supportive, not only offering generous gifts many times, but also funded and sponsored the Xiqi army when Ji Fa was ordered to conquer Eshun.

The practice of the merchants who make heavy profits, and the Xiqi branch of the wealthy merchant must be trying to take advantage of the soaring grain prices to obtain more money. Ji Fa believed that as long as he, King Wu of Zhou, personally ordered to buy grain from the Xiqi Branch, the merchant surnamed Dou would not refuse. However, this businessman surnamed Dou is also powerful, he is actually prescient, when everyone is hot-headed, he knows how to hoard food, and it seems that he can also make an exception to seal a petty official for him to do, perhaps, this guy will also take the initiative to offer food.

As Ji Fa expected, the merchant surnamed Dou immediately rushed over as soon as he heard the personal summons of King Wu of Zhou. When he heard that Ji Fa had made him an official, the merchant surnamed Dou couldn't help but be excited, and expressed his willingness to sell a part of the grain at a flat price to the common people for ordinary use, so as to solve the urgent need, and promised to send a large amount of grain to the Xiqi army for free.

Ji Fa was overjoyed, and secretly proud in his heart: these businessmen were originally greedy for money, and they were difficult to be officials, but now they are exceptionally appointed, and they are glorious ancestors, and they are inevitably ecstatic. It is simply too cost-effective to solve the dilemma of food shortage with a small and small official function.

However, what happened next made Ji Fa's intestines remorse.

After the merchant surnamed Dou returned to the trading house, he kept his promise and put grain near the east gate of Xiqi - it was free grain, not selling grain, and the crowd who heard the news flocked to it.

At this moment, the merchant surnamed Dou came out and shouted: "Fathers, brothers, listen to me!"

Everyone turned their eyes on this life-saving hopeful, only to hear him shout: "Since I became the owner of the Xiqi branch, I have been able to afford it thanks to my fathers and neighbors, so his business is prosperous and he has a little wealth. Now Xiqi is facing a shortage of food, so he puts food for everyone. However, we are the people of the great merchants, and thanks to the holy grace of the Son of Heaven, we pray to heaven to relieve the drought in the world, rescue thousands of slaves, and grant the people land to cultivate, so that the people can live and work in peace and contentment! Now Ji Fa is a sinner for the ages, and he has disregarded the name of Ji Xianbo and the sage, and has fallen into the fire and water of the people in the northwest with his ministers! Ji Fa has vainly wanted to grant me an official position and crusade against the Son of Heaven with military rations, how can I do such an ungrateful and rebellious thing!" The noise of the surrounding crowd suddenly fell silent, and the freak listened silently to the bold and generous words of the merchant surnamed Dou.

"Although I am a businessman, I also know loyalty, righteousness, and shame, how can I stoop to be a thief for the sake of a mere official position? I would rather be a broken jade than a complete tile! These grains will be given to all the fathers and elders to relieve hunger, and I will take a step ahead of you if someone is not talented, and please take care!"

After speaking, the merchant surnamed Dou actually pulled out a short dagger and killed himself on the spot. At the same time, the Xiqi branch of the Fugui Commercial Bank began to catch fire, and the fire was extremely fierce and very strange, and the nearby residents poured water on it, but not only could not extinguish it, but spread the fire even more. Soon, the entire business, along with the "large" amount of grain hoarded inside, was burned clean.

The story of "Rather for the broken jade than for the whole tile" spread rapidly in the West and North, causing quite a stir. When the news reached Chaoge, the Son of Heaven was also moved, and personally wrote a eulogy for this person as a "loyal martyr", and posthumously assumed the position of baron.

People all over the world also remember the name of this businessman surnamed Dou: Dou Pill!

When he committed suicide, Ji Fa, who received the news, suddenly fell into an ice cellar. By the time he arrived, the fire had burned the business to the ground, and there was no grain to be saved. In front of the people at the east gate who received the blessing of the Dou Pill, even if Ji Fa was angry at breaking the body of the Dou Pill into ten thousand pieces, it was not easy to come out, so he had to pretend to be plain and order someone to bury him.

The people did not dare to speak out on the surface, but behind the scenes they were discussing, this pill was kind and charitable, when there was a great drought, he took the initiative to open a warehouse to release grain, and also won the praise of the former Xibo Hou Jichang. Unexpectedly, now he was forced to death by Ji Fa because of righteousness! This "King Wu of Zhou" is indeed a rebellious man who ignores his father's loyalty and is rebellious!

Only Ji Fa faintly understood something in his heart: This Dou Xuan Pill is probably the dead soldier sent by Chaoge! He actually lurked in Xiqi for so long, and he still stabbed him, the martial king, from behind at a critical moment! But he still has to pretentiously show his respect for this "righteous man", which is simply a great grievance!

If Ji Fa knew about another thing, he was afraid that he would immediately spurt blood - the comrade "Dou Xuanmaru" who made him grit his teeth and hate him was "buried" and secretly crawled out of the grave. After covering up the traces, he activated the biological transformation technology, changed his face and identity, and continued to swagger in Xiqi, spreading the heroic deeds of "himself" everywhere......

(To be continued)