The huge convoy moved slowly along the Zhangshui River. This section is the road from Handan to Gaotang. The route has just been planned and construction has started.
Chang Yang was puzzled when he saw people mixing a gray-white powdery substance with sand and then adding water and pouring it on the gravel road, but he did not continue to ask.
It was embarrassing enough just now. As an envoy of the Yue Kingdom, you must save some face for your mother country. You can't be like those untouchables who entered the city for the first time and thought everything they saw was novel.
Even if you don't know him, you still have to pretend to know him, and you can't let Zhao people look down on you.
Chang Yang withdrew his gaze, his eyes were lowered and his expression was calm.
Lu Zhonglian smiled slightly after seeing it and said nothing.
When civilians on both sides saw Zhao Kuo's carriage, they stopped one after another and saluted spontaneously. Some who had served as soldiers and fought with Zhao Kuo saluted with military salutes, their eyes full of reverence.
Chang Yang saw in their eyes the hope and worship of the monarch that the Yue people did not have.
In his opinion, the common people should be as fearful of the monarch as a tiger, but in Zhao State it was completely the opposite.
The crowd was a bit crowded, but no one approached the frame, and no one stopped in front of the frame to redress. Everyone watched the frame leave, and then returned to their original posts to continue working.
"King Zhao has such prestige!" Chang Yang was extremely shocked. He heard that King Zhao had only been on the throne for just half a year, but in his opinion, many monarchs who had been on the throne for more than ten years could not compare with King Zhao in the public opinion!
…
"I have only been away from the Kingdom of Zhao for a few months, but I feel as if I have been separated from another world. The whole Kingdom of Zhao has changed completely, and I almost don't recognize him anymore."
At this time, Qingshe was as shocked as Changyang!
I don’t recognize anything I see, and everything I see seems strange.
"These are all the work of the king." Lin Xiangru said with a smile.
Although Zhao Kuo only took the throne for only half a year, he insisted on using work as relief, building houses, water conservancy projects, dams, and roads for the people...
He invented and popularized the curved shaft plow and waterwheel, encouraged everyone to open up wasteland, and greatly increased Zhao's grain output.
Create the Zhao Chamber of Commerce and capture the markets of other countries in the Central Plains.
He also canceled tariffs with South Korea and Wei, used his title to attract businessmen from all over the world to Zhao, implemented a monopoly on salt, iron and coal, and collected money.
It can be said that Zhao Kuo is using the power of the five kingdoms of Zhao, Han, Wei, Qi and Yan to develop a Zhao country.
Only then did the Zhao Kingdom undergo rapid changes.
However, Wei and South Korea did not suffer any loss. Instead, they received a lot of benefits due to their economic prosperity.
In comparison, Yan and Qi were much worse off.
There is only one country left to the south of Yan State: Zhao State. Most of the business has been occupied by the Zhao State Chamber of Commerce. It is only a matter of time before it is completely monopolized.
Qi State relied on the profits of fish and salt to become the richest country in the world, but now the salt industry is declining.
The salt of Zhao State was whiter, finer and cheaper than the salt of Qi State, so people began to buy the salt of Zhao State one after another.
If Qi Wangjian can take some measures at this time, increase tariffs, restrict the entry of salt from Zhao, reduce the country's salt tax, and improve competitiveness.
Qi State can still be saved.
However, how could Wang Jian of Qi have such thoughts? He was enjoying himself in the wine pool and meat forest, and left all matters to the Queen Mother of Qi.
As for the Empress Dowager Qi, although she was aware of the crisis, she did not know how to deal with it due to her ability. However, the wise ministers Lu Zhonglian and Zhou Zi who could help her were both in Zhao State at this time...
Under the pressure of the Zhao State Chamber of Commerce, the salt merchants of the State of Qi spontaneously launched a joint counterattack, but were beaten back by Zhao Mu. Finally, with Duanmu Ying defecting at the critical moment, the salt merchants of the State of Qi were completely defeated and were no longer the same.
The opponent of Zhao Guo's salt merchant...
But these are all things for later. At this time, Zhao Mu had just led the Zhao Guo Chamber of Commerce into the Qi State and was fighting with the Qi State salt merchants.
"It's also the credit of all my dear friends." Zhao Kuo said with a smile.
He just talked and relied on the experience and experience of later generations. Many problems of this era were not problems at all to him, and he could basically think of solutions after seeing them.
However, if we want to adapt to this era and implement the system, we still need to rely on the joint efforts of the Zhao ministers.
After all, no matter how good the method or system is, it will have no effect if it cannot be implemented.
"Anyone can do what I do, and even if I can't do it as well as I do, there won't be a big difference. But if the king hadn't come up with these methods, even if I wanted to do it, I wouldn't know where to start.
Ah." Lin Xiangru said with emotion.
He used to be dissatisfied with Zhao Kuo as the king of Zhao, but now it has disappeared. If he knew that Zhao Kuo had this ability, he would have helped Zhao Kuo to seek power and usurp the throne.
In Lin Xiangru's heart, the interests of Zhao State were far greater than the interests of a certain king.
"Qing Lin, there is no need to belittle yourself, you are me..."
"Hey!" Suddenly, the carriage suddenly stopped and the people in the carriage stumbled and leaned forward.
"What's going on?" Zhao Kuo asked in a deep voice.
"Your Majesty, there is news from the front. An old man fell down and blocked the road." Ben's voice came from outside the carriage.
Zhao Kuo opened the curtain, stepped out of the carriage, walked to the side of the carriage, and took a closer look. He saw an old man lying on the ground not far away, holding one leg and wailing. Blood spilled on the ground, staining it red.
The small piece of ground is as miserable as it can be.
Zhao Kuo frowned slightly. According to the normal plot, in order to win the hearts of the people, he should personally go forward to check the old man's injury, even bandage his wound, invite a doctor to treat the injury, and then send him home.
But when he thought that all the protagonists on TV were assassinated without exception, Zhao Kuo did not let him go.
The appearance of this old man was too weird. He fell down inexplicably. And it was not the future, so no one around him came to save him. They all stood still, as if they didn't see him.
"Send someone over to check and find a doctor nearby." Zhao Kuo thought for a moment and said.
No matter what, in order to maintain his image, the old man must be rescued, but Zhao Kuo cannot risk his life to save him personally. He would only do this if he is mentally ill.
"No." Liu Ping cupped his hands and walked forward with several guards.
After a while, the guard came back and reported: "Your Majesty, the old man has recovered. He would like to come over and thank the King personally."
"No, let him go." Zhao Kuo waved his hand.
"No." The guard cupped his hands and said.
Not long after, the guard came back: "Your Majesty, the old man insists on thanking you in person. He said that if he cannot thank you in person, he will feel uneasy."
"Since the old man insists, let him come over." Zhao Kuo thought for a moment and said.
"Your Majesty, I feel that this old man's intentions may be impure..." Lin Xiangru said in a low voice.
Zhao Kuo nodded, gave Bi and Yan Xiong a look, and the two silently walked to both sides of Zhao Kuo, taking precautions.
Zhao Kuo was sure that 90% of this old man was an assassin. However, he could not directly expel him in public.
The status of the old man in the Central Plains countries is very high, and even the king must treat him with courtesy. If Zhao Kuo directly expelled him, he would definitely be scolded by the world.
They don't care whether the old man might be an assassin. As long as the assassination has not been carried out, it will be your fault if you expel him.