Du You and Cao Wannian were so excited that they couldn't sit down. They never dreamed that this sale would be so successful. It was like a huge success. In less than a day, nearly 10,000 items were sold, and the income exceeded 3 million.
Guanqian, the strength of Chang'an merchants is staggering.
"Your Highness, it is simply unbelievable. How can something worth hundreds of thousands of guan at most be sold for 3 million guan?"
Guo Song smiled slightly and said: "In fact, it is not surprising. These items contain something that wealthy businessmen have longed for but cannot get, and that is identity. It can be said that the part that greatly exceeds the original value is a
There is a premium for this kind of status. Big businessmen are eager for status and status, and their desire is fully demonstrated in this sale."
Du You nodded and said with a smile: "Your Highness, the highest bidder will win. It's so wonderful. The red sandalwood and white jade screen was originally priced at 20,000 guan, but it was sold for 200,000 guan. The white jade Bodhisattva was sold for 10,000 guan."
Wan Guan, I never imagined that the wealth of Chang'an merchants is so strong."
Guo Song smiled and said: "These things themselves are also very valuable treasures, and they all come from the palace. Their identities are extraordinary. They also want to pass them on to their children and grandchildren as heirlooms. They just store the wealth in a different way. It turns out that
Copper coins have now become treasures, and they actually do not lose money."
Du You went back to sort out the account books and collect money. Guo Song asked Cao Wannian, "When do you plan to start the fortifications?"
Cao Wannian smiled and said: "Actually, it started a long time ago. The walls of more than a dozen squares near the city wall have been repaired. Tomorrow we will start breaking down the square walls and building official rental housing. In addition, building the city wall requires large bricks. We can't find ready-made ones. We can just rebuild them.
Firing, the first batch has already started, and it is estimated that it will take half a month to complete, but the foundation can be dug first."
Guo Song nodded, "Go and have a look tomorrow!"
........
Early the next morning, a large number of people gathered around the city wall. Guo Song also came to the Mingde Gate, the main gate of Chang'an. On the left and right sides of the gate were Anyi Square and Yanzuo Square. The walls of the two squares were originally close to the city wall, but now they have to be demolished.
Fall about sixty steps, so that you can walk directly to the base of the city wall from the street.
In addition, in order to appease the emotions of the people who had their walls demolished, the government built a new defense wall to separate them from the root of the city wall.
'Boom! Boom! Boom!'
The soldiers hit the square wall with a battering ram. After several consecutive hits, a large hole was opened in the square wall. The soldiers hit it with a big log and demolished the 60-step-long square wall with three strikes and five divided by two.
The people around were exclaimed. They finally saw the root of the city wall. They saw a long passage in front of them, with the city wall on the left and the square wall on the right. The passage was very wide.
Guo Song entered the passage on horseback. The square wall on the right was just built, and the tall city wall was on the left.
Several craftsmen were using lime to outline the scope of the future house. Guo Song got off his horse and walked over. Several craftsmen quickly stood aside. Guo Song looked at the scope they had sketched and asked: "How are the drainage channels planned to be repaired?"
The leading craftsman said quickly: "Your Majesty the King of Jin, the drainage channel is built in front of each house and covered with large stone slabs. If there is a blockage, the stone slab can be opened to clear it. It is mainly sewage and rainwater from washing and cooking."
"Where's the water source?" Guo Song asked.
The main water source here is wells. Almost 20 households share a well. There is a ditch next to the well, and the sewage from laundry and vegetable washing will flow into the drainage channel along the ditch.
"How to solve the toilet problem?" This is also a big question.
"Toilets will also be built. About fifty households will use one, which is paved with bricks and squatted in a pit. It will be built relatively large and surrounded by walls. Then in the morning, a dung truck will come to collect the clean buckets from each household, and
It’s the same as every other place.”
Guo Song looked at the white lime area again, and there seemed to be a courtyard. He turned back and asked Cao Wannian, "Is there still a courtyard to be built here?"
Cao Wannian said with a smile: "We plan to build three types of government rental housing. One is a single courtyard with two houses, the second is a single courtyard with three houses, and the third type has only a single room without a yard. The third type is mainly used, but some population needs to be considered.
There are more families in the old city, and many families have small courtyards."
Guo Song nodded and asked again: "I think the house is only twenty steps wide, so is the road forty steps too wide?"
Cao Wannian leaned forward and said: "Your Highness, we need to build a row of shops or single-room houses near the square wall. After all, there are hundreds of thousands of lower-class people. It is impossible for them to go to the East Market and West Market to buy things, so there are all kinds of stalls, hawkers and small shops.
That’s all it takes, I believe this place will be very lively in the future.”
Guo Song had to admit that Cao Wannian was more thoughtful than himself. He thought of the low-level businesses, and he also thought of the cavalry patrolling the city to maintain order. If something happened, he would go to the city to solve it.
"Not bad! I hope construction can start soon!"
Cao Wannian said with a smile: "We spent ten days to draw the white line, dig the drainage channels, lay stone slabs in the drainage channels, and then demolish a group of vacant houses in the old city and use their bricks and tiles to build government rental housing. It will be completed in ten days at the earliest
Construction can begin.”
"As soon as possible! Now we have sufficient financial resources. If they speed up, wages can be increased. As you know, a large number of officials will move to Chang'an next month. I am under great pressure here."
"Beizi understands, so Beizhong will build, draw lines, and demolish at the same time, all at the same time. The wages are also based on ten hours a day, and 3,000 craftsmen are recruited."
Guo Song nodded, "Let's go see the old city!"
Everyone turned their horses and headed towards the old city...
While Chang'an was in full swing for large-scale city construction, the atmosphere in Jiangning Mansion was quite tense. Han Huang, who had just been transferred from Mingzhou to Runzhou as governor, took a boat close to the north bank for several days to observe.
He got the news that Zhu Si's army was building large ships in Jiangyang County, which made Han Huang worried. He knew what the other party wanted to do. He had three thousand naval troops and more than thirty large ships of more than one thousand stones in his hands. They were originally used to escort the salt tax.
Now it is used to defend Zhu Si's army.
With this naval force, it would be impossible for Zhu Si's water transport fleet to cross the Yangtze River. But if Zhu Si's army wanted to consider the logistics of attacking Huaixi, there would be no need to build ships. The thousands of tankers they had in hand would sail across the Yangtze River and Huaihe River.
of rivers is enough.
It is obvious that Zhu Si had to look forward to Shu, occupied Yangzhou and Chuzhou, and was planning to enrich Jiangnan.
Although Han Huang could understand Zhu Si's intention, he had nothing to do. He only had 5,000 troops in his hands. In addition to 3,000 naval troops, there were only 2,000 soldiers left. Moreover, the two Zhejiang provinces lacked troops and all the states had the same strength.
There were less than 20,000 people in total, and their equipment was generally poor. Once Zhu Si crossed the river, they were completely unable to resist.
Zhu Si must have noticed this, so he showed signs of building ships to invade the south.
When Han Huang returned to the military office, he felt anxious and anxious. He ordered the navy commander Luo Ziyu to be found.
Luo Ziyu was originally the captain of Yangzhou, but was later demoted to Runzhou regiment training to train the militia reserve navy. The current Runzhou navy was trained by him.
Not long after, Luo Ziyu hurried to the military office. He knelt down on one knee and saluted: "See you, Prime Minister Han!"
Han Huang gave a bitter smile and said with some helplessness: "I have told you many times that I am no longer the Prime Minister, please stop calling me Prime Minister, but you just don't listen."
Luo Ziyu grinned and said: "I have told the Prime Minister many times that fairness is in the heart of the people. The Prime Minister is a great master in governing the world, and those in the imperial court are not worthy."
Han Huang pointed at him and said with a smile: "If you speak rudely like this, the court may dismiss you from office. Wait, don't say you can't get what you want."
Luo Ziyu's lips moved, she couldn't help but scratch her head and laughed.
Han Huang put away his smile, pondered for a moment and said to him: "I have been observing the situation on the other side these days. I feel that Zhu Si's next target is Jiangnan. I would like to discuss with the general. Is there any countermeasures?
"
Luo Ziyu said: "Beizong is also considering this issue. Beizong believes that the best way is to strike first and completely destroy the enemy's shipbuilding factory."
"But we don't have such ability!" Han Huang said frankly.
Luo Ziyu nodded. At this time, he did not want to boast or betray himself. The enemy had 10,000 troops to protect the shipbuilding factory, but they only hit the stone with an egg.
"Actually, we still have time."
Han Huang thought for a while and said: "It will take at least one or two years for the other party to build more than a hundred large ships. Can we ask the court for support? If there are 30,000 heavy troops stationed in Runzhou, even if the other party has hundreds of large ships to cross the river, we
Don’t be afraid either.”
Luo Ziyu sighed, "Yangzhou, such an important financial and taxation place, was lost. The imperial court didn't even respond at all. There was not even a few words from the ministers. It was like a pile of worthless wheat straw was stolen. The prime minister was counting on the imperial court for assistance, but.
....Is the imperial court reliable?"
Han Huang also fell silent. Although Luo Ziyu's words were very harsh, Han Huang had to admit that what he said was actually right.
The two were speechless for a moment.
At this time, Luo Ziyu said slowly: "Actually, I have a way to protect Jiangnan. It depends on whether the Prime Minister is willing to accept it."
"What can I do?" Han Huang asked.
Luo Ziyu was silent for a moment and said: "Ask for help from His Highness the King of Jin!"