Chapter 146

Inside the Imperial Study.

Wu Zhao wore a look of shock, her phoenix eyes fixed on Gao Yang, her mind buzzing.

"Using a nation as a setup to strike at its economy?"

Her expression turned solemn; she even took a deep breath.

She had a premonition that today she would hear something that would overturn her worldview.

"Gao Yang, continue."

"How should I set the stage to harvest a nation's wealth, or even cause a nation's system to collapse?"

Wu Zhao looked curious, a glimmer of brilliance flashing in her phoenix eyes.

If she could destroy a nation without shedding a drop of blood, she would be more than happy to do so.

Shangguan Wan'er also looked at Gao Yang with her beautiful eyes, a wave of shock rising in her heart as well.

Still, the same thought remained: if anyone else had said these words—even Cui Xinghe, the current top scholar—she would have held a shred of doubt.

But just by standing there and discussing this setup, Gao Yang exuded a professional, unquestionable authority.

She was deeply convinced.

Gao Yang looked at Wu Zhao and began, "As the saying goes, the highest form of warfare is to attack the enemy's strategy. If one wishes to conquer a nation, relying solely on military conquest is the lowest of strategies."

"Furthermore, once a great army moves, the daily grain and fodder costs are an astronomical figure. Moreover, in military campaigns, soldiers suffer heavy casualties, and if one encounters a famous general who turtles up in a city, the losses are even greater, damaging the nation's strength."

"Therefore, I advocate for economic warfare. Not only is it bloodless—killing without a blade—but its power is no less than that of a million-strong army!"

"Since the Zhao Kingdom disrespects Your Majesty and harbors rebellious intent, I shall use the Zhao Kingdom as an example to execute a 'Smooth-Picking Grain-Crowning' setup!"

"The essence of this setup is to use the weaknesses of human nature. Its core is to grant the opponent small gains to entice them to continue participating, investing more and more, until the final harvest is complete!"

Hearing this, Wu Zhao frowned, as if weighing Gao Yang's words.

"Granting the opponent small gains to entice them to continue participating, then completing the harvest."

She looked thoughtful.

Gao Yang casually picked up a pastry from the table, put it in his mouth, and said, "Let me be more specific. May I ask if Your Majesty knows of Zhao Gao?"

"I naturally know of Zhao Gao; it is a type of fabric produced in abundance by the Zhao Kingdom. It is said to be thin and fine, making for extremely beautiful clothing."

"But this Zhao Gao is merely ordinary clothing. What does it have to do with the economic warfare or this 'Smooth-Picking Grain-Crowning' setup you speak of?"

Gao Yang shook his head and said, "Your Majesty is mistaken. Food, clothing, housing, and transportation are the foundations of human life. Since this is economic warfare, one must naturally start from these basics."

"Has Your Majesty ever worn clothing made of Zhao Gao?"

Wu Zhao frowned slightly and said, "Since I ascended the throne, I have never worn Zhao Gao. This clothing is not cheap. As the ruler of a nation, if I were to lead by wearing it, everyone from nobles and aristocrats down to the common people and wealthy merchants would surely follow suit."

"Is this not simply sending silver to the Zhao Kingdom, or even using the silver of our Da Qian to raise their soldiers, only for them to come and attack our Da Qian?"

"Do I look like such a foolish emperor?"

Wu Zhao's voice was cold and righteous.

Shangguan Wan'er also added from the side, "The Zhao Kingdom is far from Da Qian, and the costs are extremely high, so the price is not cheap at all."

"To subsidize the enemy is extremely unwise!"

Gao Yang remained calm.

He understood Wu Zhao's thinking well, and this line of thought was the standard logic of a normal person.

But the next second, he said, "But what if my plan requires Your Majesty to personally wear clothing made of Zhao Gao, and even encourage the people of Da Qian to wear it under the pretext of promoting friendship between the two nations?"

As soon as these words were spoken.

Wu Zhao was instantly unsettled.

"What?"

"You want me to personally wear this Zhao Gao, and even issue an imperial decree encouraging the people of Da Qian to all wear it?"

Shangguan Wan'er was also shocked. She couldn't help but say, "But if that happens, the price of Zhao Gao will surely skyrocket. Wouldn't the Zhao Kingdom make a huge profit?"

"In that case, the Zhao Kingdom's national strength will surely grow even stronger. Isn't this a case of losing one's wife and soldiers as well?"

"Gao Yang, Wan'er's words are not without reason. According to what you said earlier, to strengthen oneself, one must weaken the opponent. If Da Qian wants to be strong, it should sanction the Zhao Kingdom. Why give them money for nothing?"

Gao Yang looked into Wu Zhao's eyes, his back straight. "If that thought came from a commoner of Da Qian, it wouldn't be wrong. But as an emperor, Your Majesty should have a broader perspective."

"Perspective?" Wu Zhao looked puzzled.

"Perspective is vision. As the Emperor of Da Qian, Your Majesty is destined to become an emperor for the ages. You should naturally view the whole matter from a broader perspective."

"Since it is a setup, one must not look at the surface. Furthermore, as I said earlier, the core of the 'Smooth-Picking Grain-Crowning' setup is to first grant small gains, causing the opponent to continue participating and investing more, so that the final harvest can be completed."

Wu Zhao stared at Gao Yang.

For a moment, she couldn't tell if Gao Yang was saying her vision was too narrow or if he was praising her.

But she understood Gao Yang's meaning: "You mean the Zhao Kingdom making a huge profit is just a surface phenomenon, just letting them earn a small gain, while there is actually a more vicious aspect?"

"And I just didn't notice it?"

Gao Yang's eyes were deep, flashing with powerful confidence. "Correct. When Your Majesty, as the ruler of a nation, personally wears clothing made of Zhao Gao, then everyone in Da Qian, from nobles and aristocrats down to the common people, will surely follow suit!"

"Not to mention if Your Majesty personally issues an imperial decree encouraging the people of Da Qian to wear Zhao Gao. In this way, the demand for Zhao Gao in the market will exceed supply, and the price of Zhao Gao will surely skyrocket."

"Thus, it will definitely lead to one phenomenon: a price difference!"

"Once there is profit to be made, merchants will surely swarm in. Da Qian merchants will go to the Zhao Kingdom to purchase goods and sell them in Da Qian at a high price, and Zhao Kingdom merchants will also purchase from their own country, crossing thousands of miles to Da Qian to earn high profits."

Having said this, Gao Yang paused specifically, looking at Wu Zhao and Shangguan Wan'er.

A smile appeared on his face once again.

But this smile made Wu Zhao feel a chill in her heart.

Shangguan Wan'er was even more tense, as if facing a great enemy, her eyes fixed straight on Gao Yang.

When Gao Yang smiles, someone's life is surely in jeopardy.

They waited quietly for Gao Yang's follow-up.

"When any object is in the world, if supply exceeds demand, the price falls; conversely, if demand exceeds supply, the price rises!"

"If supply and demand are balanced, the price will be correspondingly stable."

"Take the grain price in Linjiang City as an example. When Da Qian is stable and the harvest is bountiful, the grain in the market will stabilize at thirty wen per dou, or even lower. But when there is a great drought or flood and the harvest is poor, demand exceeds supply, and grain prices begin to soar."

"When grain is valuable, more people will go to farm."

"Zhao Gao is the same. The first point of this setup is to inflate the price of Zhao Gao and grant profits to the Zhao Kingdom!"

"When the price of Zhao Gao begins to soar, Da Qian merchants and Zhao Kingdom merchants will frantically sweep up goods, and the stakes in the Zhao Kingdom itself will increase accordingly."

"Because in the past, the demand for Zhao Gao was limited. Merchants wouldn't travel thousands of miles to transport it to Da Qian; market demand was stable, and any excess would just sit unsold, with no profit to be made."

"But now, our entire nation of Da Qian is wearing Zhao Gao clothing, and demand has surged."

"As a result, not only will the price of Zhao Gao soar, but it will also put pressure on supply. Greedy merchants and local powerful clans, in order to compete for next year's market, will surely increase the wages of silk-weaving workers and expand mulberry planting and silkworm rearing. Under this mutual competition, the Zhao Kingdom commoners who originally planted mulberry and reared silkworms will also make a huge profit!"

"Only a fool wouldn't take advantage of a bargain. Since Zhao Gao is so valuable, who would go to farm the fields?"

At first, Wu Zhao's eyes held a hint of contemplation, as if weighing the situation.

But when she heard that this increase in demand would inevitably lead to an increase in supply, and that merchants and powerful clans would increase wages and expand mulberry planting and silkworm rearing to earn a huge profit the following year, goosebumps rose all over her body.

Gao Yang's goal was clear as day!

She said in disbelief, "Your ultimate goal is the Zhao Kingdom's farmland?"

Wu Zhao looked incredulous, a stormy sea rising in her heart!