Chapter 211

Soon, Gao Tianlong ordered the kitchen to prepare a table of food, and it was very sumptuous.

"The Duke and the Junior Official should eat together too."

Wu Zhao looked at Gao Tianlong and Gao Feng and said.

"Your subject thanks Your Majesty for your holy grace."

Both of them thanked her in unison.

But Gao Yang had already started eating directly, which made Gao Feng's lips move several times, but he finally endured it.

Wu Zhao did not have any other reaction.

Gao Yang was different from ordinary officials; she had always known this, and she was always more tolerant toward Gao Yang.

"Oh no, there's a fire!"

"Come quickly, there's a fire!"

At this moment, sounds rang out one after another in the prefecture.

Wu Zhao was suddenly startled and was about to stand up.

Gao Tianlong and Gao Feng were also full of shock.

But Gao Yang was very calm, "Your Majesty, this is all normal. Failure is the mother of success."

"But I still had the foresight. It's fortunate that I didn't let Your Majesty go there; otherwise, if it had burned Your Majesty, who would be held responsible?"

Wu Zhao: "..."

Gao Feng and Gao Tianlong looked at Gao Yang. This brat, this was burning his own house.

How could he be so calm?

Soon, the flames were extinguished, leaving only some thick smoke.

Seeing Gao Yang eating more and more deliciously.

Gao Tianlong couldn't hold back anymore. He said in a cold tone, "Your Majesty is eating, how can there be no entertainment? Rebellious grandson, I will hold a horse lance and spar with you!"

When Gao Yang heard this, he almost spat out his food.

He looked at the coldness on Gao Tianlong's face and his powerful aura, "Grandfather, grandson knows he was wrong."

Gao Tianlong said to Wu Zhao, "Your Majesty, please don't blame me. I just find this rebellious grandson unpleasant. Serving the country, my Dingguo Duke Prefecture is naturally duty-bound."

Regarding this, Wu Zhao also said, "I naturally know the loyalty of the Duke. But this place is indeed not good; coming in and out is also noisy and disturbs the Duke's rest. I will send someone to move it tomorrow."

Gao Tianlong immediately bowed, "Your subject thanks Your Majesty for your holy grace!"

Then, Wu Zhao said to Gao Yang, "Since I am here, I will ask you together: how is the strategy for strengthening the nation that I asked you to think about?"

Gao Yang put down his chopsticks and said, "Your subject has thought it through, but is Your Majesty sure you want to hear it?"

Upon hearing this, Wu Zhao immediately raised her eyebrows.

"Since it is a strategy for governing the nation, what is there that I cannot hear?"

Seeing this, Gao Yang did not hesitate and said directly, "My first move is to nationalize salt and iron, and prohibit private operation."

Once these words were spoken, not only were Wu Zhao and Shangguan Wan'er very shocked, but even Gao Feng and Gao Tianlong looked at Gao Yang.

Salt and iron have been highly profitable since ancient times, and there are extremely complex power entanglements behind them.

They did not expect that Gao Yang would point to salt and iron right from the start!

"As long as a person is alive, they must eat salt; this involves survival. Farming is the same; farming requires iron tools, which is also a rigid demand that no commoner can avoid."

"As long as Your Majesty nationalizes salt and iron and prohibits local private operation, there will naturally be countless more wealth. With money, the imperial court will be strong, and then you can weaken the vassal kings step by step!"

"But this move harms the interests of the common people; it is competing with the people for profit!"

Wu Zhao's expression shifted.

She did not expect Gao Yang to come up with such a ruthless move right away.

Nationalizing salt and iron!

Restricting the rigid demands of the common people to collect wealth from them.

"How is this bad for the common people?"

Wu Zhao did not answer immediately but asked.

Gao Yang smiled faintly, "The reason is very simple. Although salt and iron are rigid demands for the survival of the common people, if private operation is allowed, competition will be fierce."

"Whichever market is cheaper and has better quality will be sought after by the common people. This will force merchants to improve and lower prices, and the imperial court can also collect taxes from it, a win-win for all three parties. But once it is nationalized, causing a monopoly, this will lead to rising prices and declining quality."

"But if salt is expensive, you can eat less of it, and iron tools can be used for many years. This method of boiling a frog in warm water will harm the interests of the common people, but it can make Da Qian strong."