After all, the roads in the city are not as wide as outside the city. In addition, the city's security and traffic management have become increasingly strict. It is no longer easy to set up stalls and sell directly on the streets, so it is better to go directly to the outside of the city, where there are even
You can be assigned your own fixed stall.
This naturally further diverted the flow of customers from the city's markets.
For ordinary people, there are bigger and wider markets around the city, so why come to a place of this size in the city? Not to mention that the merchants in the city need to pay high rents, so these expenses are evenly spread on the goods, which makes it even more frustrating.
Their products lack competitiveness.
Therefore, the market in the city is now forced to transform and move towards mid-to-high-end trade, such as some rare goods shipped from other parts of the country to Chang'an.
But how many people in the city really need these goods?
Therefore, the market in the city is declining at a speed visible to the naked eye.
This also made Li Xingchen couldn't help but sigh, maybe this is the disadvantage of the complete range of industries.
The huge Chang'an workshop is driving the rapid development of the entire Guanzhong region, which naturally allows many industrial products to be produced locally. Goods coming in from outside gradually lose their competitiveness, and everyone has nothing more to do than look for novelties.
However, this also allowed Li Xingchen to legitimately mobilize these merchants in the city for his own use.
Didn't he come here this time to solve problems for everyone?
The solution to the problem is the Silk Road.
The so-called "Silk Road" is actually an invention of later German scholars. It did not exist before this era. Otherwise, as the most important pass on the Silk Road, Yumen Pass should be called "Simen Pass". In fact,
The Silk Road was first used by the Han Dynasty to import high-quality white jade from the Western Regions, also known as Hetian jade, hence the name Jade Gate.
After the unification of the Han Dynasty, Li Xingchen had already set his sights on Liaodong and Hexi. Liaodong was naturally for the fertile land and large mineral resources. After all, it was still during the Little Ice Age these days, and it was indeed unrealistic to farm in Liaodong, but
Minerals are also very enviable.
And Hexi is naturally for trade with the West.
Therefore, a long time ago, the concept of "Silk Road" was proposed in the newspapers of the Han Dynasty to introduce people to this road that has been buried in the sands of history. It attracted many scholars' research. With official endorsement, everyone naturally followed
Gradually I accepted the name.
Now that the Han Dynasty has captured Hexi, the Silk Road has become smooth again, and the imperial court can resume trade with the Western Regions through Hexi.
Before this, the Silk Road had not actually been cut off in a real sense. Goods from the Western Regions and more distant Arabian regions were still entering the northwest region through the Silk Road. However, because there were too many goods on this road,
Waiting to collect tolls, so this directly caused the price of a commodity to skyrocket after it was shipped to Dahan or from Dahan to the West.
After all, Tuyuhun and many small countries in the Western Regions, who had also grasped this path before, could not sell their products and even had to spend a lot of money to purchase these products. Therefore, this meant that they had to increase their sales volume in order to make up for their losses.
Toll taxes on goods.
If you want to live from now on, you must leave money to buy your way!
The small countries in the Western Region don't dare to be too arrogant. After all, there are still several big countries watching around. If the price of the goods is too high and directly affects the people of the country - of course, mainly the royal family and nobles - buying and using it, then they don't mind.
I'll beat you right up.
The key lies in the fact that several big countries in the Western Regions, represented by Gaochang, and Tuyuhun, a behemoth entrenched in Hexi, are raising taxes and driving up prices.
Unfortunately, there is nothing anyone can do.
This naturally resulted in the price of goods traveling through the Silk Road being too high. Although the Silk Road was still in operation, it existed in name only.
In the Han Dynasty, only merchants from the northwest participated in the Silk Road trade.
After all, if they did not rely on the Silk Road, they would only be at the end of Dahan's entire trade network. The dealers at the lowest level would make the least.
But things are different now. The Han Dynasty captured Hexi and stood directly at the gate of the Western Regions. Without Tuyuhun to make a profit in the middle, the importance of the Silk Road was suddenly raised.
So many high-quality goods from the Han Dynasty smoothly entered the Western Regions through the Silk Road, and then entered the West. Behind this would be a huge trade surplus that would make Li Xinchen laugh out of his dreams.
After all, during the Han Dynasty before this, the Central Plains could exchange silk and magical oriental leaves such as tea for a large amount of real gold and silver. What's more, now the Han Dynasty can not only sell silk and tea, but also a large number of industrial products.
The West is still in the endless darkness of the Middle Ages, so industry is naturally out of the question.
A very simple assembly line industrial product might be regarded as a treasure there.
The development of industry cannot be separated from the accumulation of large amounts of money.
The huge trade surplus is simply sucking blood.
Drain all civilized places!
Although this is indeed a bit cruel, Li Xingchen will never be merciful.
If you fall behind, you will be beaten. This is an eternal truth.
Now that I am so powerful, I am not plotting against you, but who is plotting against me?
The merchants seemed to be aware of the huge profits that the Silk Road could bring, and they could not help but whisper in front of His Majesty.
However, they also knew that they could not be too rude, and soon an old man stood up as a representative: "Your Majesty, the Silk Road connected the Han Dynasty and the Qin Dynasty, but I don't know if the Qin Dynasty is still there... But in the long run
Since then, our counterparts in the northwest have relied on the Silk Road for their livelihood, which proves that it should be feasible to reopen this trade route and send our goods out."
Li Xingchen nodded: "I give you this power, you can do whatever you want."
The merchants immediately exchanged glances.
The key point of this issue is not that His Majesty asked them to do it, but how they should do it.
However, before they could ask, Li Xingchen added: "Whatever you ask for, the court will satisfy you."
As the representative, the old man couldn't help but said in a trembling voice: "Your Majesty, what if the journey is too long and it is difficult to arrive with bulk goods?"
"The Ministry of Industry is already planning a straight road to Yumenguan and Yangguan. In addition, new machinery is being developed, which will make cargo transportation twice the result with half the effort." Li Xingchen said directly. In order to establish control over the Western Regions, a straight road is inevitable.
.
As for trains and the like, of course Li Xingchen knew that we would have to wait for many, many years, but at least we have seen the light of day now, right?
What's more, it didn't take many years for trains in history to be developed and officially become a means of transportation. Therefore, Li Xingchen believed that within one or two generations, laying railroad tracks might become a reality.