Chapter 1006 Release the Bait

After listening to Ye Zi's words, not to mention Shen Luoyan and Miaoyin, even Yun Zheng was stunned.

And this operation?

By the way, the Northwest Protectorate did nominally belong to the imperial court.

Su Zan was the prime minister of Xiqu.

Su Zan made great efforts in the unification of Xiqu.

If Sangjie were asked to exchange one million dan of grain for Suzan, he would probably agree, right?

However, although this matter can be justified verbally, everyone actually knows what is going on.

Doing this is really a bit unethical.

Although he didn't think he had a good character, he still had to maintain his credibility. After all, he still had to trade with Xiqu!

If we do something too extreme at once, all future trade plans will definitely be ruined!

While Yun Zheng was still silently calculating the gains and losses, Shen Luoyan stared at Ye Zi and teased, "Sister Zi'er, you have also learned bad things from Yun Zheng!"

"that is!"

Miaoyin nodded with deep understanding.

Shouldn't Yun Zheng be the one who could come up with such a dirty trick?

Ye Zi did not deny it either.

In fact, she originally learned it from Yun Zheng.

If this had happened in the past, she would never have thought of such a dirty trick.

"Do you think it's feasible?"

Ye Zi stared at Yun Zheng with burning eyes.

"We need to be careful about this."

Yun Zheng said seriously: "If we really do this, it will be no problem to get a few hundred thousand dan of grain from Xiqu! But let's consider the long-term. I just signed an agreement with Su Zan to open an official market in Sawtooth Ridge..."

Yun Zheng expressed his considerations.

Ye Zi’s method is not impossible.

But this is a one-time deal.

They have to consider whether to look at long-term benefits or just the immediate benefits.

Yun Zheng's idea was to use the official system to force the princes and nobles of Xiqu to exchange grain for luxury goods such as Zhang Gongzui, refined salt, and white sugar, so as to corrupt and disintegrate Xiqu from within.

They can even develop forces in Xiqu that are affiliated with them.

After all, Sangjie forcibly unified the tribes in western Moxi, and there must be people who were dissatisfied with Sangjie.

These forces that are dissatisfied with Sanjay can all be used by them.

Ye Zi thought about it and smiled: "If that's the case, my method is a bit redundant!"

"It's not redundant!"

Yun Zheng smiled, "If we don't want to start a trade with Xiqu, this is a good idea! Anyway, Xiqu and we are only at peace on the surface, and we will have to fight sooner or later."

"Okay, stop comforting me!"

Ye Zi smiled and said, "It was just a sudden thought. I won't blame myself for such a thing."

Yun Zheng nodded and smiled, saying no more.

He did have the intention of comforting Ye Zi in his words.

But this is also true!

If there is no better choice, Ye Zi's method is indeed good.

If he was afraid of losing his reputation, he could have staged a rebellion with Dugu Ce and let Dugu Ce, who had "surrendered to the court", detain Su Zan on behalf of the court.

But now, there is really no need to take this step.

……

Su Zan originally wanted to go to Shuofang for a good trip.

Since Yun Zheng proposed it, Su Zan followed Chen Bu to visit Shuofang.

Although Shuofang has developed well nowadays, it is still far inferior to Dingbei and Mayi.

However, Chen Bu believed that in one or two years at most, Shuofang would become a prosperous city.

Led by Chen Bu, Su Zan and others wandered around Shuofang.

Su Zan also paid special attention to the shops in Shuofang, especially the grain shops and cloth shops.

Whether the supply in these places is sufficient can largely reflect the current people's livelihood situation in Shuobei, and can also simply determine whether Shuobei is stable.

However, as they walked along the way, the supplies in places like grain shops and cloth stores were relatively sufficient. Although most of the people on the street had sallow complexions, their clothes were still relatively thick, and many of them had smiles on their faces.

It can be seen that the people of Shuofang basically live and work in peace and contentment.

This is not good news for Xiqu.

After taking Su Zan and the others around the inner city for a while, Chen Bu, at the request of Su Zan and the others, took them to the outer city that was being expanded.

"Master Chen, Shuofang is building such a large-scale project, it must cost a lot, right?"

As soon as they arrived at the outer city, Su Zan asked Chen Bu with a smile.

Su Zan had a lot of doubts in his mind.

If Yun Zheng really wanted to purge the emperor's side, why did he build so many projects in Shuofang?

Is it just to strengthen control over the Northwest Protectorate?

Or did Yun Zheng never think of rebelling at all?

Were all the things Yun Zheng told him lies?

Well, we need to figure this out!

“It does cost a lot.”

Chen Bu sighed, "It would be fine if only Shuofang was involved in the construction, but the key is that now Shuobei is involved in the construction everywhere. The Prime Minister should have seen it when he came to Shuofang. The prince also ordered people to build a highway from Shuofang to Yufeng. All these cost a lot of money, which has put Shuofang's finances in a very tight situation..."

Su Zan still shook his head and smiled, "Master Chen, I have something to say, but I don't know if I should say it or not."

"Please speak, Prime Minister."

Chen Bu smiled.

Su Zan looked around and said sternly, "Shuobei is a bitterly cold place. It's really a waste to build such a large-scale project!"

"What the Prime Minister said is absolutely right!"

Chen Bu nodded in agreement, "I have repeatedly advised Your Majesty not to invest too much in Shuobei, but Your Majesty insisted on doing so, and I really can't persuade him..."

Having said that, Chen Bu couldn't help sighing.

"Your Highness is a great talent in the world. Perhaps, Your Highness has other considerations!"

Su Zan pretended to praise and continued to look around.

boom!

Just as they were looking around, they suddenly heard a loud noise in their ears.

The sudden loud noise startled Su Zan and others.

"Protect the Great Prime Minister!"

The leader of Su Zan's guards shouted loudly and quickly drew his sword.

The other guards also drew their swords to protect them, and looked around, but they could not find the source of the loud noise.

"Don't panic!"

Seeing this, Chen Bu quickly raised his hand to stop the guards, and at the same time ordered the accompanying officials with a stern face: "Go to the quarry immediately and order the people there to stop blasting! If they dare to disturb the Xiqu envoy again, I will take their heads!"

"Yes!"

The accompanying officials did not dare to delay and hurried to the quarry.

Chen Bu turned around and looked at Su Zan and the others with an apologetic look, "I am so sorry, I did not expect you to come here, and I did not tell the people below well, so I disturbed you. I hope you can forgive me."

"Master Chen is too polite!"

Su Zan came back to his senses, glared at the guard leader angrily, and shouted: "Put away the knife quickly!"

The leader of the guards sheathed his sword in disappointment and ordered the other guards to put away their swords.

"Master Chen, what was that sound just now?"

At this time, Danqu asked Chen Bu again with doubts.

"Nothing, nothing."

Chen Bu waved his hand and said, "It's the blasting and quarrying at the quarry..."

blasting?

Quarrying?

Su Zan frowned, feeling that he didn't understand Chen Bu's meaning at all.

After thinking for a moment, Su Zan asked with a smile: "Master Chen, would you mind taking us to the quarry? I also want to see how your country mines stones."

"This……"

Chen Bu looked embarrassed, then laughed and said, "The quarry is dusty and dirty, so let's not go there!"