Chapter 6

As Wu Zhao spoke indifferently, for a moment, the civil and military officials all frowned.

This question was one of her trump cards. Anyone who could provide a perfect answer must have world-shaking talent!

She swept her phoenix eyes across the court, and the officials lowered their heads in unison.

Even Cui Xinghe frowned tightly.

This question was indeed somewhat difficult to solve.

A tea merchant from another place goes to the remote and poor areas of Jiangnan to contract a barren mountain.

There are three difficulties here.

First, the tea merchant is a stranger in a strange land and, apart from money, has no great support.

Second, the local people are inherently lazy, and reclaiming wasteland is hard and tiring; unless you recruit with high wages, it is difficult to recruit people!

Third, even if you recruit with high prices, the people will still work sluggishly.

What Wu Zhao wanted was not just to solve this matter, but an optimal answer to demonstrate ability.

This question was very challenging.

Wang Zhong was not clear about the twists and turns, so he spoke directly, "Your Majesty, what is difficult about this? If one times the wages doesn't work, then two times, three times the wages!"

"Under heavy rewards, are you afraid there won't be people responding to reclaim the wasteland?"

Wu Zhao shook her head, "Old General Wang's words are wrong. Since he is a merchant, he should value profit. Three times the wages, certainly there will be people responding, but wouldn't the cost increase significantly?"

"Furthermore, as I said, even if the people go to work, most are lazy. The tea merchant has no foundation in Jiangnan and is difficult to restrain. How do you solve this?"

When Wang Zhong heard this, his face changed.

He was still thinking too shallowly.

"It is this general's lack of consideration, but Your Majesty's question is too difficult."

"The local area is remote and poor, and the people are inherently lazy. If you don't increase the wages, how can there be people responding?"

"And laziness is human nature. The local area is remote and poor, so the people must be even lazier. This sluggish work is simply impossible to curb!"

"This question is unsolvable."

As soon as Wang Zhong said this, the officials nodded in succession.

This was exactly what they were thinking.

Wu Zhao's expression was cold, and a thick majesty permeated her entire being.

She said indifferently, "Since it is to select great talents for the country and the people, how can it be too simple? In the world of Da Qian, there are countless government affairs more difficult to handle than this. Should we just leave them all alone?"

"This general dares not!" Wang Zhong hurriedly knelt down.

At this moment, under the thick majesty surrounding Wu Zhao, the officials lowered their heads in succession.

Wu Zhao continued, "This question, reclaiming wasteland is not difficult, farming is not difficult, but wanting to complete the reclamation with the minimum cost and the fastest speed is very difficult."

"Beloved Minister Cui, you are the top scholar of our Da Qian. It is said that you wrote poetry at eight and read the classics thoroughly at twelve. You are one of the four great talents of Changancheng, with amazing literary talent. Do you have a solution?"

Wu Zhao asked indifferently, her gaze falling on Cui Xinghe.

Cui Xinghe frowned tightly, then shook his head with a bitter smile, "Your Majesty, this subject has not yet thought it through, but if you give this subject another stick of incense time, this subject will surely give Your Majesty a satisfactory answer."

The plan in his heart, although more brilliant than Wang Zhong's, certainly could not satisfy Wu Zhao.

He needed to think more.

Wu Zhao's eyes were indifferent, and she just said indifferently, "Then Beloved Minister Cui, think more."

Immediately after, she turned her eyes to a Confucian scholar with graying hair.

"Zhou Laoyezi, you are a Grand Academician of the Han Lin Academy, a giant of our Da Qian literary world."

"Do you have a solution?"

Zhou Laoyezi's body stiffened, and then he shook his head with some embarrassment.

"This old subject does not yet have a better method."

What he thought was similar to Wang Zhong, which was to increase money.

But this point was obviously rejected by Wu Zhao.

The coldness in Wu Zhao's eyes became thicker, but it was not revealed.

Finally, she looked at Gao Yang and said indifferently, "Gao Yang, do you have a solution?"

Gao Yang shook his head, "This subject also needs to think."

Although he didn't like Cui Xinghe, this Cui Xinghe was after all a top scholar talent.

What's more, this Zhou Laoyezi was not simple either, a Confucian scholar of the Han Lin Academy, a giant in the literary world.

If they all had to think, if he blurted it out, it would be too offensive.

Although he didn't like these two, there was no need to make enemies in public.

This did not conform to Gao Yang's way of conducting himself in his previous life.

Wu Zhao's lips curled, "Oh?"

"You tore down my recruitment decree, so I treat you differently from others. If you can't think of it, then I will have to punish you for the crime of deceiving the Emperor."

"Where is the Black Ice Guard?"

Wu Zhao said majestically.

Outside the hall, several imperial guards holding swords walked into the hall, their faces cold.

Gao Feng's body trembled.

The crime of deceiving the Emperor would implicate the entire Gao family.

The Gao family's hundred-year foundation, could it be destroyed just like this!

He was just about to step out to plead guilty when he heard a voice from behind him.

"Your Majesty, this commoner suddenly thought of a few strategies, which seem to be able to solve this question."