Chapter 339

Wei Zheng suddenly moved in his heart, suddenly turned around and looked at Merton. His eyes were fierce and said, "I'm afraid nephew Mo has been counted to this moment when he was building a brick road!"

All officials suddenly realized that mojiazi first attracted Li Shimin and all officials with brick roads, and then conceived a method that was conducive to the imperial court. If it was said that mojiazi had no premeditation, no one would believe it.

Merton nodded generously and said, "when Wei Chen conceived the brick road, he wanted to play the matter to his majesty, but he had nothing to say. In addition, the cost of building the brick road was too much, I'm afraid it would be difficult to implement it. As a last resort, the boy had to take the opportunity of corvee to build a 50 mile brick road first and prove the benefits of the brick road with facts."

Li Shimin could not help nodding. If Merton had written to the court and spent hundreds of thousands of yuan to build roads, it would certainly become a joke in front of all officials and the biggest laughing stock of Chang'an City, and it would not be possible to implement it.

However, at the moment, the benefits of brick road are clearly in front of everyone, and its feasibility is fully demonstrated. All officials have no conflict with the construction of brick road.

Wei Zheng said with a bitter smile, "it's my duty to persuade the emperor. I've heard of written advice, face-to-face advice, even military advice and death advice. Today, I'm an eye opener. I saw the unprecedented money advice."

"Qian Jian!"

All officials could not help shaking their heads and laughing when they heard this word.

Isn't that right? Merton wanted to persuade the imperial court to build brick roads. As a result, he spent more than 20000 to repair a section first. What's not Qian Jian?

Morton was embarrassed and said, "boy, these words were originally prepared for a period of time. When the effect of brick road came out, they were written to the imperial court, but they didn't want to be told today."

Fang Xuanling appreciated: "nephew Mo, such a thing that benefits the country and the people is naturally carried out as soon as possible."

As the Prime Minister of the Tang Dynasty, he can naturally see that brick roads are too good for the Tang Dynasty.

"With only one idea, you can directly spend 20000 yuan. You are so sure that you can convince me and all officials." Li Shimin asked.

Merton was silent and said, "in fact, it is not the boy who persuaded the emperor, but the general trend to build brick roads."

"The general trend?" Li Shimin frowned slightly, puzzled.

"Although the rammed earth official road is cheap, it is not resistant to wear and tear, and it is difficult to bear the huge load of four-wheel carriages. If the brick road is not built, the wear of the brick road will be more serious next year, and the corvee will certainly be more heavy next year.

The second is rainy weather. Rammed earth officials are most afraid of rainy weather. Once it rains, business travel will be cut off and goods will be stranded. If it is good for goods that can withstand release, if they are fresh-keeping things such as melons and fruits, they will lose their money. Even the documents of the imperial court may be cut off for more than a month. It can be said that a brick road is needed from the imperial court to the people. "

The third is that the emergence of Horseshoes prevents horseshoes from being worn by brick roads. It can be said that the time to build brick roads is ripe. Even if there is no boy today, you adults will take the initiative to build brick roads next year. "

"The time is ripe for construction,

When Merton finished, all officials immediately nodded. It is really necessary to build brick roads, whether from strategic needs or practical interests.

Of course, after the construction of the brick road, the Mohist village will benefit the most. At that time, the goods of the Mohist will certainly be sold in the Tang Dynasty, and the pillar four-wheel carriage of the Mohist will certainly make a qualitative leap. However, in terms of the income of the Mohist village and the whole Tang Dynasty, it is a drop in the bucket. Moreover, the Mohist village does not pay nothing. The Mohist gives its red brick secret skills and various road construction techniques Enough to satisfy chaotang.

"What do you think of Aiqing?" Li Shimin asked the officials.

So far, we have not discussed whether to build brick roads, but how to build and how long to build them.

Although the one-time investment is huge and the effect is amazing, together with the road maintenance fee, it can be used for at least a hundred years. Li Shimin and all officials have long been persuaded by this temptation.

"Please obey the emperor's orders." all the officials said in unison.

The benefits of building brick roads are obvious. At this point, all officials naturally no longer object, and even Wei Zheng remained silent.

Li Shimin nodded and said in a loud voice, "in that case, take Chang'an City as the midpoint, east to Luoyang and west to Longyou, and lay brick roads along the East and West lines at the same time."

Morton was shocked. Unexpectedly, Li Shimin was so bold that he directly laid the two lines at the same time.

Chang'an to Luoyang is a prosperous area. As long as the construction effect is sure to be immediate, Chang'an city to Longyou is to ensure the victory of the war against Tuyuhun.

"Your Majesty is wise." a group of generals said excitedly. If there is such a brick road as the logistics line and the battle of Tuyuhun, Datang will have no future trouble.

Li Shimin continued to order: "the Ministry of civil affairs is preparing to issue road construction bonds, the Ministry of works is mapping roads, preparing to recruit migrant workers and build brick roads."

Li Shimin was so excited that the brick road must be no worse than the Beijing Hangzhou Grand Canal Project. Although Yang Guang was scolded as a tyrant by later generations, no one can deny the achievements of the Beijing Hangzhou Grand Canal. At the moment, Li Shimin can build a political achievement comparable to the Grand Canal, and the cost is not much. Isn't it better than Mohist

"Recruit and issue migrant workers?" Wei Zheng said hurriedly: "Your Majesty, think twice. The people's corvee service has just ended. If you want to recruit and issue corvee again, it will certainly arouse people's resentment!"

Li Shimin looked excited and hesitated.

Duan Lun, the Minister of industry, immediately catered to Li Shimin and said, "Your Majesty, building brick roads is to collect corvee from nearby villages. As Lord Mo said, it will not be far away from home. What's the grievance of the people? Besides, it's not to let these people work in vain. All the people who work in corvee will be exempted from corvee next year."

Duan Lun's words should not be nodded immediately. In this way, it is also a solution.

Li Shimin was about to nod his head and answer, but he heard Merton say in a loud voice: "the time of corvee service every year is the regulation of the Empire. How can it be changed easily? It is a taboo to levy corvee for the coming year."

A bald head in later generations is best at this move. He collects taxes in advance, and some even collect taxes for 20 years in advance, which has caused huge public resentment. Merton doesn't want to set a bad precedent in Datang.

"Living beyond their means." Li Shimin and his officials suddenly looked ugly. Although they heard the word for the first time, they immediately understood its meaning.

Li Shimin nodded slowly and said, "collecting corvee for the coming year is absolutely impossible."

Corvee can not be easily collected and issued. The lesson of emperor Yang of Sui Dynasty is not far away. Of course, Li Shimin is very alert.

Duan Lun was unhappy. His idea catered to Li Shimin very much. If there was no accident, he must have been adopted by Li Shimin. However, he was destroyed by Merton and embarrassed him in front of Li Shimin.

"What should I do with the intention of Lord mo." Duan Lun's tone was not good.

But Merton didn't take it seriously and said, "the people are dissatisfied with the corvee, because the corvee is for nothing. If the imperial court hires the people from both official ways, pays them wages by day, builds roads by the imperial court, and the people make profits, wouldn't it be the best of both worlds?"

Duan Lun sneered, "do you know how much more the court will spend?"

Merton proudly said, "the problems that can be solved with money are not problems."

Li Shimin and other officials couldn't help but look sideways. Merton's words were overbearing and reasonable.

"Of course, this money will also be collected from the toll in the future," Merton quickly explained.

Dai Zhou could not help but bow his head and smile bitterly. In this way, the bonds issued must have increased again.

Li Shimin took a deep breath: "the three provinces and six ministries will make a plan for the construction of brick roads, which will be discussed by the imperial court in three days."

"Yes!" the officials replied.

However, everyone knew that if there was no accident, they would come according to the plan of Mohist Zi.

"Congratulations to the emperor!"

After Li Shimin and all the officials left, Merton invited Xu Jie.

"Have all the brick money of HeJiazhuang and others been settled?" Merton asked.

Xu Jie's face suddenly showed a trace of excitement and said: "don't worry, all villages agreed to use the red brick secret skills to offset part of the brick money. In addition, all villages also purchased tools specially made for firing red bricks in Mojia village. This time, Mojia village almost didn't have to pay for building brick roads."

With his strong sales ability, Xu Jie can sell the red brick secret skills to 20000, and he is naturally very proud in his heart.

"I have given the red brick secret skill to the imperial court and promoted it to the world for free. Later, you will hand over the brick money to each village." Merton will give the red brick secret skill. The imperial court decided to build a brick road.

Although Xu Jie understood, he was still unwilling to say: "dongweng is dedicated to the country, but Mojia village pays 20000 more. Is this price too heavy?"

Twenty thousand Guan is not a small sum of money, and it is all cash. There are not a few people in Chang'an city worth twenty thousand Guan, but I'm afraid few people can take out ten thousand Guan money.

Even if the brick road is built, the sales of four-wheel carriages in Mojia village have increased greatly, but it is still not easy to earn 20000 yuan.

Merton laughed at the speech and said: "Mr. Xu, compared with the brick roads built by the imperial court, what is the 20000 yuan spent by the Mohist school? Even if the imperial court spends 2 million yuan to connect the ten brick roads in the Tang Dynasty, then there will be no brick roads between counties, townships and villages in the Tang Dynasty. At that time, the money needed by the Tang Dynasty will be more than 100 million yuan!"

"One hundred million!" Xu Jie suddenly opened his eyes and tongue tied.

Merton looked at Xu Jie and said with a mysterious smile, "even if the court builds all roads into brick roads, who knows that there will be a road ten times better than brick roads?"

Xu Jie was suddenly surprised. I'm afraid that at that time, Datang will set off a new round of road construction.

"How can we support such a large project by digging in the land alone? The more money the imperial court needs, the more attention it will pay to businessmen who can create profits and pay taxes. The status of scholars, farmers, industry and Commerce will be rewritten from now on. The more money the imperial court is short of, the higher the status of businessmen will be. The road to the rise of industry and Commerce will begin with the brick road under our feet."

Merton's tone was plain, but his words showed his ambition to shock the world.

Xu Jie was in a trance. He couldn't help recalling that after he was drunk, he asked Merton how to improve the status of businessmen. At the moment, Merton proved to him that changing the status of businessmen was not impossible and within reach.

"Dongweng Yingming!" Xu Jie was deeply impressed.