Chapter 125: Establishing a Trade Caravan

At first glance there seemed nothing wrong, a vast patch of deep and light green, fervent and vigorous.

But everything fears comparison—how come the neighboring fields are laid out in clear, distinct strips?

How did his turn into one big mess?!

The Great King was dumbfounded!

"What… what's going on? Why is my land different from theirs!?"

His cousin laughed hysterically beside him; Ling Yin really didn't understand, and finally the head of his personal guard, Liu Zhang, forced himself to come forward and reply.

"Your Highness, it's because you wouldn't let anyone touch your land; after lying fallow for so long, the grass filled in the ridges and ditches……"

Wei Shen: "Hahaha～"

The Great King almost cried from anger; I've painstakingly planted this for so long, even the tiniest sprouts I'd pinch up……

He dismounted and walked into the field, the weeds had grown up to the Great King's chest……

Wei Shen laughed until he hiccuped!

The Great King squatted down and pulled at the green grass, posing a soul‑searching question: "These… which are weeds, which are my vegetables?"

A group of people shook their heads together.

Everything the Great King planted was strange; they really had no experience. Liu Zhang weakly said: "I only know wheat and millet."

"You, go to the manor and summon Tong Hui back, and have him bring a few experienced hands over immediately! Everyone else stay behind to pull weeds."

Wei Shen just wanted to watch the fun; seeing the Great King revive, he thought of running off, but was immediately spotted by the Great King: "Cousin, where are you going? You're not coming to help me pull weeds?"

Wei Shen: "Want to go back for a drink?"

Great King: "I brought it."

Wei Shen: "Actually I'm a bit hungry……"

The Great King pulled the candy box hanging from his person: "Have some candy to tide you over～"

Well, today there's no escaping; Wei Shen resignedly dismounted.

The Great King relied on memory to feel his way to where he'd planted the cold melons, and dug out a few baby cold melons as if they were priceless treasures.

"Come quickly and pull weeds here—once the melons set, you'll be able to tell which are the seedlings!"

Passing by their fields, the local Youzhou soldiers' families couldn't help shaking their heads—no wonder they could farm the land like this; they couldn't tell weeds from crops, nor did they know which unit or household the plots belonged to……

Time flew by; when Youzhou entered the midsummer heat of August, both construction projects were completed.

The Great King first had Tong Hui scatter the dark‑purple alfalfa seeds, and ordered the Bai family to help purchase some cattle, sheep, and horses—the Great King was going to open a ranch!

As soon as the city's infrastructure was finished, the Great King immediately had the authorities give the public health training to the populace, issuing a long list of related regulations.

One principle: keep Youzhou's sanitation clean, strictly forbidding dumping wastewater on the streets; the newly paved roads also forbid littering, with fines for offenders.

Actually, only the last one really works—you can wear out your lips talking, but when money's involved people become honest.

The Great King walked far along the newly built wide avenue; the new road was straight and clean, the crisp sound of horse hooves striking the pavement sounded like a lovely melody, and the people he met all had a rare, cherishing attitude, which made the Great King feel relieved.

The only ugly thing was the dilapidated houses along the roadside, which really didn't match Youzhou's city walls and roads.

"Mr. Zhao, when do you think Youzhou will have everyone eating their fill and be able to put up solid new houses? This year's drought is no lighter than last year's; I'm afraid the autumn harvest won't be very good either."

"Improving housing is never easy in any era. As for Youzhou, we still need to develop commerce to gradually revive the economy. The townspeople only have a little bit of self‑reclaimed wasteland; the urban economy isn't prosperous either, because lacking purchasing power, teahouses, inns, and stalls hardly do any business. At this stage…… Your Highness should find jobs for the city's residents."

The Great King worried: "Haven't we just finished shearing the dream‑dream sheep? The ranch is all built—what work can I still find for them? I see the open spaces in the city are all about used up. This year the people are working harder than last year; I'm afraid that after all this toil they still won't make it through winter."

Zhao Zhuge reminded the Great King: "Didn't you already find a livelihood for the whole of Tongshui County?"

"You mean the Yanque Mountain coal mine?"

"Exactly, I heard the able‑bodied men of Yanque Mountain are all digging coal in the mine, the older folks in the county are making honeycomb coal, and I heard the small vendors of Youzhou City have started going to Tongshui to make a living—this is the market economy."

The Great King pondered seriously for a while, and Zhao Zhuge didn't disturb him.

"The Internal Affairs Office made a batch of furnaces, but iron is scarce so they didn't make many; Youzhou can't sell them. We need to study how to sell coal and honeycomb coal to Chang'an. As for finding work…… what if we don't sell to the wealthy merchants, but sell it ourselves?"

Zhao Zhuge nodded: "Coal is Youzhou's pot of gold. Your Highness can establish your own caravan, set up a Youzhou trading house in Chang'an or a few prosperous commanderies and counties, selling your own special goods will easily open the market. Coal isn't necessarily only saleable in the north—it burns better than any charcoal or wood of the Great Jin, giving it a unique advantage in the smelting industry."

The Great King thought: "Iron mine? Silver mine?"

Zhao Zhuge: "My lord is wise. Others can't, but with your status as a feudal prince you're qualified—you can try discussing this business with the Grand Granary."

The Great King grew happy again—indeed, a child's happiness is just this simple.

Great King's Diary:

{August 5, Youzhou City.

I have my own caravan now! It's called——Youzhou Shengping Trading Firm.

Main goods: coal, honeycomb coal, Youzhou dried sea fish, pickled cabbage~

I heard my second older brother won't be enfeoffed until next year, so before the heavy snow blocks the roads this year, the shops in Chang'an must definitely open up~】