Queen Lu looked at Liu Chang with disgust, who had runny nose and tears.
"Mom, I really just want to do something good that benefits the country and the people...but I'm too young and I can't do it without anyone to help..."
"I saw Shang Fang making farm tools before, and I understood that without good iron, it is impossible to make good tools..."
"So I have always been thinking about how to mine more ores and how to make better iron..."
Empress Lu did not interrupt him, but listened carefully to Liu Chang's explanation. After Liu Chang gave a general explanation, she frowned and began to think deeply.
"Do you really have a way to increase mineral production?"
"Of course! Mom! Others don't believe me, don't you still believe me? Who am I, Liu Chang, and when have I ever told such lies?"
After hearing this, Empress Lu, who was initially a little moved, began to hesitate again.
"Chief, mining iron ore is not a trivial matter. It requires tens of thousands of people and costs a lot. If you can't do it, don't talk nonsense... Otherwise, it will cause a big disaster."
"Mom, I can really do it. As long as you send me there, I will definitely be able to do it. If I fail to fulfill my promise...Mom can punish me! I will never say anything!"
Seeing Liu Chang's confident and high-spirited look, Empress Lu really couldn't refuse anymore. She thought for a moment and said, "Okay, I believe you for the time being."
"Great! When are we going to Shangfang?!"
"Go to your elder brother, he will help you."
"The co-authorship is so lively... In the end, you just pushed me to the eldest brother?" Liu Chang muttered in a low voice.
"What did you say?"
"Nothing, thank you, mother, ah, no, I thank you, queen!"
After Liu Chang left, Empress Lu found a palace maid and explained a few words.
"Okay! Your idea is great!!"
Liu Ying slapped her thigh suddenly and shouted excitedly.
After Liu Chang found his second brother and told him his thoughts, Liu Ying agreed immediately without any hesitation. Liu Ying had been holding her breath these days, trying to show off in front of Liu Bang.
Once. This time when he went to Huainan, Liu Bang still had the idea to let Liu Ying go on the expedition in his place, but Empress Lu still disagreed.
Even though Liu Ying begged for mercy several times, Empress Lu just ignored him. In the end, Liu Bang could only curse and go out in person. Although the war did not last long, Liu Ying was hit again, and the father and son finally relaxed.
The feelings have returned to their original point.
At this moment, Liu Ying was overjoyed when she heard Liu Chang's thoughts, thinking that this was a good opportunity, not only to prove herself, but also to bring huge benefits to the big man.
Liu Chang was a little stupid. The second brother agreed now? Don’t think about it anymore?
"Brother, aren't you afraid that I won't do well and my efforts will be in vain?"
"How is it possible that my brother can't do anything he wants to do?"
Liu Ying replied with a smile.
Liu Chang suddenly felt warm in his heart, and he grinned, "Don't worry, this matter will definitely be handled well! I will not betray my brother's trust!"
Liu Chang wanted to do something and Liu Ying wanted to do something completely different. Liu Ying and Liu Chang had just arrived in front of Shang Fang's mansion. The officials inside hurriedly came out to greet them, bending their bodies and listening to the prince's orders with smiles on their faces.
"Choose an iron mine, arrange the manpower, and prepare various tools..."
"only!"
No matter what Liu Ying said, they all hurriedly agreed without even hesitating. In Liu Bang's absence, he was the "Prince Supervising the Country" in name, taking charge of all domestic affairs. No one dared to disobey the Prince's orders, even the Prime Minister.
When it comes to major matters, they always come to Empress Lu and the Prince to discuss them.
Although Empress Lu made the decisions most of the time, if Liu Ying really wanted to do something, the ministers could not disobey her at all.
As Empress Lu said: No one can tie your hands and feet. Well, except herself.
Liu Chang looked at these groveling looks and couldn't help but gnashed his teeth, "We are all princes, why are we treated so differently? You all wait, when I grow up, I will arrest all of you and build the palace!"
The Qin State did not allow private mining of iron ore, nor private iron smelting. Salt and iron were all managed by the government, with strict standards. However, Xiao He believed that in order to restore people's livelihood as quickly as possible, ironware must
It had to be enough. He directly relaxed the restrictions on iron and allowed private mining and smelting. He only hoped to have a large amount of iron as soon as possible.
Emperors Wen and Jing in history also maintained the tradition left by Xiao He. This was a good thing for the early Han Dynasty when everything was waiting for improvement, and played a great role in rebuilding the world. Until the period of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty
, in order to create wealth for the country and continue to fight the war, the ministers began to focus on salt and iron again.
In the early Han Dynasty, there were relatively many iron mines, but most of them were small private mines with only a few hundred people, and the daily mining volume was also very low. As for the mines run by the government, unlike the Qin Dynasty, the Han
There were not many criminals in the Han Dynasty, and the Han Dynasty would not mobilize large numbers of people to dig mountains and mines. Therefore, the mining rate of government-run mines was also very low.
On the basis of the system of the Qin Dynasty, the Western Han Dynasty subtracted many criminal laws, learned the lessons of the Great Uprising, and no longer frequently issued corvees and mobilized people's power. This is certainly a good thing, but in the early Han Dynasty, mining and the use of iron tools were not
It is far inferior to Great Qin. I can only say that there is no perfect policy, all have advantages and disadvantages.
Shang Fang could not control the iron mines, but they could contact the prince. After conveying the prince's order, the Shaofu gave the largest iron mine in Shangjun to Liu Ying to manage. The iron mines here have one
With more than 3,000 criminals, it can be considered a very large mine.
Liu Ying decided to make arrangements for Chang'an first, and then set off for the mine.
Liu Chang took advantage of this opportunity and hurriedly found his friends.
"At that time, as soon as I walked to Shang Fang's gate, everyone from Shang Fang rushed out and stood respectfully waiting for my order. I told them at that time that the big man needed iron and I could help them mine iron ore.
, after I explained our ambitions, they were so shocked that they hurriedly gave me an iron mine in Shangjun with a workforce of hundreds of thousands of people!"
"Later, the prince found me and said that he knew what I was thinking and wanted my help. For the sake of brotherhood, I agreed to him."
The friends were stunned for a while after hearing this, their eyes full of admiration.
"But, brother..."
"Call the king!"
"Your Majesty... Didn't you say you want to take us with you to do big things... Now you are planning to go to Shangjun with the prince, and we can't accompany you, so what use are we?" Zhou Shengzhi said helplessly.
"Who says you are useless? Don't you have any available manpower in your respective mansions?"
"Don't you have money or food in your hands?"
"When the iron is smelted, you can also help sell it!"
Liu Chang stretched out his hand, asked everyone to come closer to him, and whispered: "After you go back, you can discuss this matter with your family... Don't say it was my idea, just say it was the prince who wanted to do this..."
Everyone listened attentively and nodded from time to time.
In the Prime Minister's Mansion, Xiao He looked helplessly at his son sitting in front of him.
Xiao He has two sons. The eldest son, Xiao Lu, is already married. Xiao Lu is a calm man and has a cool head. He no longer needs to worry about him. But this second son, I don’t know what is going on, is always a little slower than others and stupid.
Silly, even when I spoke to him, it took him a long time before he even responded.
Xiao He was very anxious at first and thought of various ways. Until one day, a retainer saw the stupid Xiao Yan and came up to congratulate Xiao He. Xiao He asked back, and the retainer told him: You are already the prime minister.
There is no official more illustrious than you. Your descendants can inherit your title even if they do nothing. They will not endure hardship. Instead of thinking too much and tarnishing your wisdom in the future, what's the point of spending the rest of your life honestly like this?
What’s not good?
Xiao He was convinced, so he no longer forced the child to study and study. Instead, he followed his temper and did whatever he liked.
Xiao Yan was a simple and honest man, with no wealth, a kind heart, and a weak nature. Fortunately, people like Zhou Shengzhi never bullied him and always took him to play. He played happily every day. Xiao He felt that this was good.
.
"Father...the prince wants to make iron and wants my help."
Xiao He didn't know how to reply for a while. There were so many flaws in this sentence that the Han Prime Minister was speechless for a moment. He was silent for a long time and asked: "Who asked you to say this?"
"Well...it's the king."
"Master?"
Xiao He shook his head and couldn't help but laugh. This naughty kid really knows how to cause trouble. He had already heard about the iron mine, but Liu Chang insisted on dragging these brothers... Xiao He suddenly realized
When he realized something, he frowned and his face became serious. After thinking for a moment, he shook his head and his face became calm.
"In this case, then you can support the prince in your own name... I will prepare it for you tomorrow. When the prince and others set off, you can send it over... Remember, it is in your name. Remember