Chapter 651: Liu Zheng's Ambition

London.

This is a very magical city.

It just so happens that this city, during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, developed from a peripheral city into the largest city in Europe.

At the beginning of the sixteenth century, London was still an obscure city. At that time, Spain and Portugal intended to dominate the oceans. "Colonialism" and "Empire" had no direct connection to the lives of Londoners. Compared with other European countries, Britain had not left any profound cultural imprint either.

However, after that, London thrived and became one of the top international metropolises. How was this achieved? Many people would explain the rise of London and even Britain from the perspectives of reforms by monarchs and powerful ministers, or changes in political systems. However, the historian Stephen Alford found other angles to explain the rise of London in *London's Triumph*.

He believed that it was precisely in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries that London's great merchants and adventurers opened up shipping routes externally and carried out reforms internally, laying the foundation for the future stability of the alliance between the grand bourgeoisie and royal power. The great merchants of London became the protagonists in the history of London's rise.

Speaking of the history of London, one cannot leave out the Roman Empire.

This city of London was built single-handedly by the Roman Empire. The earliest center of Roman rule in Britain was Manchester. After 49 AD, this center of rule gradually shifted to London. The reason the Romans shifted to London at that time was the consideration that "London, as an undeveloped area with no local inhabitants, was conducive to the transplantation of Roman systems." The site of London chosen by the Romans was located on the River Thames and was close to the estuary, which laid a good foundation for its later development.

In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, London merchants became the protagonists of Europe and Britain. Because of the superiority of their geographical location, as well as the advancement of their political and commercial models, Britain began to set sail.

So what was their commercial model?

Very simple.

Private merchants and Imperial Merchants. That is, private businesses and spokespeople for the royal family.

In the sixteenth century, the Royal Exchange was officially established in London, attracting wealthy merchants and tycoons from all over the country. Afterward, the East India Company, the Royal African Company, and the Levant Company, in which the British royal family held shares, emerged.

Under these various advantages in politics, economy, population, and geographical location, they also caught up with the First Industrial Revolution.

London truly began to take off.

Very similar.

As Liu Zheng pondered to this point, he suddenly felt that London was very similar to the current Liaodong Port!

Both were places with almost no people, both were port cities, and both had rivers and streams in their hinterlands!

Even the planning of this Economic Special Zone involved the Longyan imperial court, which also held the highest share! Isn't this exactly what an Imperial Merchant is?

London could do it?

Then why couldn't Liaodong Port?

Now, back to the Little Ice Age and the troubles caused by weather! How did London deal with it? Very simple: coal, industry! When the population and factories became more and more numerous, the consumption of coal was undoubtedly huge. Under such circumstances, the greenhouse effect was not a bad thing. Later, with the arrival of the age of the Steam Engine, London at that time was filled with smoke all day long, leaving behind a steampunk era in the long river of history that people loved to talk about.

Thinking of this.

Liu Zheng could not help but take a deep breath.

This Liaodong Economic Special Zone could not be handled by just one Western Regions Construction Corps.

Every aspect had to be taken care of!

A single Liangzhou Chamber of Commerce could absolutely not support the construction of this Economic Special Zone.

In other words.

Not only were there no people, but there wasn't enough money!

Find a Method, must find a Method!

Just at this moment, Prince Yong pushed the door open with a clatter, his face full of anxiety: "Oh my, my Scholar Liu, why are you still here writing and drawing?"

Liu Zheng was stunned: "What's wrong?"

Prince Yong rolled his eyes: "What's wrong? Are you not going to manage the Longyun Games? There are only seven days left, seven days!"

Liu Zheng slapped his forehead.

Good heavens, he had forgotten about this matter entirely.

Prince Yong smiled bitterly: "Others are all training intensively, what are we doing here? Let me tell you, the Emperor is still very interested in this matter and takes it very seriously. You have been having people promote 'higher, faster, stronger'! Saying that sports competitions would replace military actions! If we lose this time in Longyan, I'm afraid you'll have a hard time!"

Liu Zheng chuckled: "Prince Yong, rest assured, this matter has long been arranged. How did you get in?"

He was a bit curious.

Prince Yong had come in, yet there were no rotten vegetable leaves on him?

Prince Yong grinned: "The masses are forgetful; are they not going to live their lives? Making a scene is enough; seeing that the imperial court had no reaction, they just went back to work and farmed. Now everyone's eyes are starting to focus on the Longyun Games!"

Liu Zheng stopped talking and walked to the window, opening it.

Good heavens.

Sure enough.

He was living on the second floor, and at this glance, the entire Jinghua had changed. Unlike the various parade processions that filled the streets a few days ago, the streets of the entire Jinghua now presented a festive atmosphere. Of course, unlike the Emperor's Christmas, this festive atmosphere was specifically manifested in the various advertisements and promotions on the streets...

"One Longyan, one dream!"

"Higher, faster, stronger!"

"Love and peace!"

Slogans were everywhere; of course, in the bottom right corner of these slogans were printed different "trademarks": "Liangzhou Chamber of Commerce," "Jiangnan Chamber of Commerce," "Jingchu Chamber of Commerce," "Chu-Shu Chamber of Commerce," "Liangzhou Chamber of Commerce, exclusive sponsor!"

It was simply a dazzling variety of things.

Liu Zheng laughed when he saw it.

It seemed the advertising and investment department of the Liangzhou Chamber of Commerce was still very effective.

In short, the momentum for the Longyun Games had been built up. Because it was the first edition, although people did not know what kind of grand event this was, their curiosity exceeded everything. It seemed everyone had the same thought: If it's produced by Liu Zheng, it must be a fine product!

Although...

This traitor's political leanings had been a bit lackluster recently, but he really did have some genuine ability.

And this was a grand event equivalent to a gift for Longyang Princess Xie Chan, so it was definitely worth looking forward to!

Lively.

Jinghua suddenly became lively. Prince Yong was right; the masses are forgetful. Since the matter of the Liaodong region had become an unchangeable fact, the Longyun Games became the thing people were most concerned about. Coupled with these chambers of commerce that had spent money on advertising, they also increased their promotion during the period leading up to the Longyun Games. Thus, you could see that in this Jinghua City, there were various promotional activities, various exhibition stands, various sounds of gongs and drums, various promotional teams, and even floats—it was bustling with excitement.

No one noticed.

At this time.

In this lively Jinghua City, amidst the noisy and festive crowd, a seemingly ordinary Horse Carriage was moving slowly and aimlessly.

Xie Tianyao sat inside the Horse Carriage.

Grand Eunuch Zhou served him cautiously by his side.

"Preposterous, simply preposterous!"

Xie Tianyao finally could not hold it back and cursed angrily: "This Longyun Games, is it not even livelier than My Christmas?"

Grand Eunuch Zhou suppressed a laugh and hurriedly lowered his head.

Who told you not to hand your Christmas Ceremony over to Liu Zheng to handle?

Handed to the Ministry of Rites, that naturally would be...

Xie Tianyao said crossly: "This Liu Zheng, fine, I shall see how he wraps this up this time!"