Chapter 81: Not Worrying About Poverty, But Worrying About Inequality

Several people all felt strange.

Which city nowadays lacks city walls and city gates? This has even become the iconic architecture of a city.

Especially when there is an outside invasion, the city wall is the final barrier.

Liu Zheng laughed out loud: "It's very simple, our Yinzhou cannot be this small!"

Several people were moved one after another.

Liu Zheng's words were grand and bold, with a Qi Swallowing Mountains and Rivers. Even Zheng Yue Ru, who had not spoken to him along the way, could not help but look at him with stars in her eyes again. She only felt that at this moment, Liu Zheng already possessed a leader's temperament; that calm smile on his face and that indomitable gaze made people so infatuated.

In fact, regarding the matter of city walls, or rather fortresses, Liu Zheng had his own considerations.

In later generations, there was such an argument. A ruler will only build solid fortresses if they fear their people more than they fear outsiders. But if they fear outsiders and do not fear their own subjects, they will destroy the fortresses. Building fortresses without regard for the situation may bring unimaginable disasters upon oneself. Therefore, not letting the people hate you is the best fortress. If the people hate you, once they pick up weapons, outsiders will help them.

By that time, the fortress will instead become an existence that imprisons you.

Especially in the current situation, the Yinyang Prefecture Marquis... then why not simply merge Yinzhou and Yangzhou into one and forge it into a super city? Completely destroy the barriers between the two cities, let the people of both places become one's own people, and from then on, there will be no distinction between Yinzhou and Yangzhou, but only Yinyang!

That kind of harmony is what Liu Zheng wanted.

Liu Zheng's idea was that since Yangzhou has city walls, that is enough!

Yinzhou does not need them! Even if possible, as his territory expands, he would still only need one set of city walls! No matter how large the territory, the scope of the city walls would just expand along with the territory, but within his own territory, he did not need things that were detrimental to the unity of his subjects.

"Good!"

Liu Dahao laughed out loud: "Destroy them!"

The crowd also immediately understood Liu Zheng's meaning, and only then did they realize that this Liu Zheng had grand designs.

"How about it?"

Liu Zheng looked at Zheng Yue Ru.

The latter was made to blush deeply by his gaze, glared at him fiercely, and rode her horse into Yinzhou City.

The current County Marquis Mansion had also been upgraded to a State Marquis Mansion.

Seeing Liu Zheng return, Liang Erfu ran over excitedly to report on the spring plowing matters. During the days Liu Zheng was in Liangzhou, the cultivation of Sweet Potato Seedlings had been surprisingly smooth. Led by Liang Erfu, they had actually cultivated enough seedlings to plant on a thousand mu of fertile land. The Yinzhou Plow had also been distributed, just waiting for the second day of the second lunar month, when the dragon raises its head. Once these city walls were demolished, the farmers and commoners of Yinzhou and Yangzhou would interact even more, without any obstacles at all. The commoners felt even more admiration for this, knowing they had encountered a wise lord.

Liu Zheng was overjoyed to hear this.

In addition, the recruitment work had not stopped, and now the official troops of Yinzhou Prefecture had reached a count of twenty thousand! Adding the Yangzhou Army, these Yinyang troops already numbered thirty thousand!

With these thirty thousand troops, plus the defensive fortifications of Yangzhou City, even if one hundred thousand Liangzhou troops came over, Liu Zheng would dare to fight them! This was also the reason why Chen Ping did not dare to come and make things difficult for the Liu father and son after they returned to Yinzhou.

And Zheng Yue Ru, in these past few days, had also begun to make contact with the Baiya Army. The goods of the Yinzhou Chamber of Commerce were not only flowing into Liangzhou but were then transported to the whole country. This time, it could be considered as opening up the channel with the Baiya Army, and this concept was quite different...

The Baiya Army was an existence comparable to the Liangzhou Prefecture. With the Yinzhou Chamber of Commerce cooperating with them, they would save a lot of entry taxes and bridge tolls, and in this way, profits would increase.

Everything was developing in a good direction.

In this way, it would soon be the second day of the second lunar month. The spring plowing was very busy.

Liu Zheng thought to himself that his great cause of salt production could also truly begin.

"Young Master, where are we going today?"

Once again, Liu Zheng lamented that he did not have enough talent around him. Currently, Zheng Yue Ru was busy with the Chamber of Commerce's affairs, Qin Zhangfeng was busy training troops, and that kid Jiang Xuan had recently become obsessed with training his "Special Agent Squad" and could not be seen all day. Liang Erfu was busy with spring plowing, and Wei Tiezhu was busy with the Shen Gong Workshop producing various goods.

So today, when Liu Zheng came out, he could only drag Shen Xing along.

Liu Zheng smiled slightly: "Doing big things."

Shen Xing chuckled: "Whatever the Young Master does, in Shen Xing's view, is a big thing!"

Liu Zheng asked curiously: "How come after not seeing you for a few days, Shen Xing has learned to flatter?"

The two looked at each other and laughed.

While riding their horses, Liu Zheng asked Shen Xing: "Now that the Yinzhou Chamber of Commerce is gradually stabilizing, in Shen Xing's opinion, can the agricultural tax be abolished?"

Shen Xing's spirit was lifted. He held the position of Chief Clerk and was very clear about the accounts. After thinking carefully, he said: "According to my calculations, it just balances out! Young Master, the great plan for the world lies in the agricultural tax. This has nothing to do with the harvest, but with the hearts of the people!"

Liu Zheng laughed out loud; he knew what Shen Xing meant. This agricultural tax was not only the government's largest source of income, but the key was that it could control the hearts of the people. This was what was mentioned earlier, the empire of two taels of silver!

Since ancient times, no one had ever dared to truly let go of the agricultural tax, just for fear that these farmers would be too full and, having nothing to do, would cause some trouble.

But Liu Zheng disagreed and said indifferently: "If the world is in Great Harmony, the territory is thriving, and the hearts of the people are upward-looking and have higher goals, why fear that the hearts of the people will be unstable?"

"Remember, poverty should not be a cure for governance. But hardship can make people progress; however, people do not worry about poverty, but worry about inequality!"

Shen Xing was shaken to the core, his eyes filled with shock.

Great Harmony in the world?

Where had people of this era ever heard such words? Heaven-Given Imperial Power, one person is supreme; under the whole heaven, is it not the king's land; within the borders of the land, are they not the king's subjects. This kind of thinking was deep-rooted; where could it be easily overturned?

And...

He really found it hard to imagine that his own Young Master truly did not like that privilege, did not like that feeling of ruling over the world?

This was probably something no one would refuse, right?

When he truly began to manage a piece of territory, what he considered was the Great Harmony of the world?

Shocking!

He once again refreshed his view of Liu Zheng.

This viewpoint of Liu Zheng left Shen Xing stunned for a long time, unable to react for a moment.

Liu Zheng did not explain further, laughed out loud, and spurred his horse to this Yinzhou, the real Yintan... that vast expanse of white salt lake, and the white sandy beach, made Liu Zheng's eyes shine. This was all money!

"Young Master, Shen Xing understands!"

Just at this moment, Shen Xing was shaken all over and gasped.

Liu Zheng looked at him with a smile: "Really understand?"

Shen Xing dismounted and bowed deeply: "Young Master, Shen Xing really understands! To keep Yinyang stable, give the common people a better life, let them see more beautiful things and a more Great Harmony world. In this way, the hearts of the people will follow, and who can compete with us?"

Liu Zheng nodded: "Shen Xing..."

"Subordinate is here!"

"Are you interested in taking a post in Yangzhou?"

Shen Xing was shocked, then immediately overjoyed: "This subordinate accepts the order!"

Yangzhou Prefecture still needed a local official; although Liu Zheng could not give Shen Xing the position of County Marquis, he could still grant him an official post like County Magistrate. For these past few days, Liu Zheng had been considering who would be the most suitable person to manage Yangzhou.

Since Shen Xing had attained enlightenment today, he was the best candidate.

It was just that...

Liu Zheng sighed deeply: "Once Shen Xing leaves, I will have no one left by my side again."

Recalling the process of how the two had met and come to know each other, Shen Xing's eyes also turned red. Suddenly, as if remembering something, his expression changed slightly, and he took several sheets of paper out of his pocket: "Young Master, Shen Xing remembers now; there is one matter I have been too busy to report recently. Please look!"

Liu Zheng looked over with curiosity, picked up the sheets of paper, and examined them carefully.

Upon seeing them, his expression changed drastically.

There was nothing else on these papers, only a few pictures. Yet, it was these pictures that made him unable to sit still. These pictures, which looked like a comic strip, were soul-stirring. The first one showed a group of people carrying goods to Liangzhou.

The second one showed Liu Zheng in his element in Liangzhou.

The third one showed the Liangzhou troops surrounding Liu Zheng and the others.

The final one showed Liu Zheng riding a horse, standing at the entrance of Yinzhou City, looking east at the trends of the world...

The most crucial part was that the completion dates of these drawings were all before Liu Zheng had even left Yinzhou! If this were true, did this person not possess the heaven-defying ability to predict the future?

Liu Zheng took a deep breath: "This, this, where did this come from?"

Shen Xing smiled bitterly: "Young Master, this subordinate does not know. It was the day Young Master left Yinzhou that I saw them at Fengming Pavilion. At the time, Shen Xing did not believe it either, but I kept them, and now..."

Liu Zheng felt his scalp tingle as he listened.

A thought arose in his heart that he must find this person!

"Give the order, investigate this for me immediately!"

Liu Zheng commanded.

Shen Xing accepted the order. If this were truly real, then this person must be a great talent living in seclusion! To be able to describe Liu Zheng's trip to Liangzhou based solely on their own guesses! Regardless of whether this person was a friend or an enemy, and whether they harbored good intentions or malice, they had to be found!

If they were a friend, Liu Zheng would definitely recruit them!

If they were an enemy, then Liu Zheng would be the first to eliminate them!

But in his heart, Liu Zheng was actually very excited. His Fengming Pavilion had truly attracted a phoenix. Although he did not know where this phoenix was, since they had left these drawings, they would definitely appear again.

"Young Master, why are we here?"

After the two chatted for a while, Shen Xing asked this.

Liu Zheng slapped his forehead and laughed heartily: "I almost missed the main business. Shen Xing, what do you think of this place?"

Shen Xing smiled bitterly: "The name of Yintan has been known to the world for a long time; not a blade of grass grows here..."

Liu Zheng smiled: "Go and take that white object to taste."

Although Shen Xing did not understand why, he obeyed Liu Zheng, walked over, picked up a white stone, put it into his mouth, and then spat it out: "Too bitter!"

Liu Zheng sneered: "What if I told you this is salt?"

Shen Xing's expression changed: "Young Master, what did you say?"

Liu Zheng nodded: "This is salt, and it is much better than all the salt currently in the world!"

Shen Xing was incredulous: "This, this, this..."

He was a native of Yinzhou; how could he not know that this Yintan was actually a vast expanse of salt?

"Look over there!"

Liu Zheng pointed, and an old farmer herding sheep appeared to the west. After those sheep arrived at Yintan, they all used their tongues to lick the stones here, regardless of their size.

Shen Xing looked on, puzzled: "Young Master, what is the meaning of this?"

Liu Zheng laughed: "Even animals know about salt, why don't you? Hahahaha!"

Shen Xing was greatly alarmed, falling into shock and deep thought.