gnovel Chapter 62: Luring the snake out of its hole, Huo Guang: The Crown Prince is truly a wise ruler!
Chapter 62: Luring the snake out of its hole, Huo Guang: The Crown Prince is truly a wise ruler!
"Your Highness."
"this......"
Huo Guang's voice trembled slightly; wasn't such a request a bit too much?
"My cousin drove the Xiongnu north for the Han Dynasty, sealed the Wolf Mountain, opened up the Hexi Corridor, and opened up the trade routes to the Western Regions."
"His achievements are so great that only my uncle can compare to him. What are these compared to his?"
"The heavens are watching, and we can see that even the champion, Jing Henghou, is bound to regret his actions in the afterlife before the gods and spirits know that everyone in this world is an ungrateful wretch?"
"My purpose in doing this is to clearly tell the world that not all members of the Liu family are ungrateful."
Liu Ju stood up, his figure appearing even taller and more imposing in the autumn sunlight.
Boom!
The entire hall was silent.
Huo Guang, Xiao Shoucheng, and others all knew that the Crown Prince's words were directed at the current emperor, but it must be said that the Crown Prince's actions warmed the hearts of those who stood on the side of the heir apparent. Who wouldn't want to follow a monarch who values loyalty and righteousness?
"Your Highness."
"This isn't just about preparing a talisman for Shan'er, is it?"
Huo Guang guessed at some clues, and his expression became somewhat uncertain.
"Cousin, they dare to make a move against them."
"Would they really remain unmoved by such an honor?"
"You underestimate those people, and you overestimate our Emperor."
With his arms crossed, Liu Ju's gaze seemed to penetrate the main hall's gate, reaching Weiyang Palace and the entire world.
"Does Your Highness intend to use this to identify the rats in the gutter?"
Huo Guang had already understood the thoughts of the Crown Prince of Han, after all, those who opposed Huo Qubing were all enemies of the Crown Prince.
"Draft your memorial and present it at the grand court assembly at the beginning of the year."
"I have other plans for the rest."
He glanced at him and said confidently.
"promise."
Huo Guang responded and then said, "Shan'er is being raised in the Crown Prince's Palace."
"The confiscated items are like a hot potato if left in the Marquis of Champion's mansion."
"Your subject wishes to make a decision on behalf of Shan'er and hand over all these money, silk, and grain to Your Highness."
"These things are nothing but trouble for the Huo family, but giving them to Your Highness can change the predicament of the Han Dynasty."
"I believe my elder brother, if he knew this from beyond the grave, would certainly agree with it."
"Gurgle!"
Xiao Shoucheng, the Crown Prince's chief clerk standing nearby, swallowed hard. That was a staggering sum: hundreds of millions of coins, four million bushels of grain, sixty thousand catties of gold, and one hundred and forty thousand bolts of silk...
"I accept it."
Liu Ju calmly said, "Two million shi of grain shall be allocated to the Office of the Director of Agriculture."
"Grain seeds, oxen, farm tools, and other supplies were all provided by the Crown Prince's palace."
"Before winter arrives, I want to see 550,000 refugees from Northeast China living in peace and prosperity in Shanglin Garden."
"The Weibei Agricultural Commandant currently governs 3,000 hectares of cultivated land, and can cultivate up to 2,000 hectares of uncultivated land."
"Weinan and Zhili are different; at least 20,000 hectares of fertile land can be reclaimed there."
"Starting next year, the 550,000 displaced people will have to pay half of their grain tax."
"You will personally oversee the construction of granaries. Within three years, I will see that the granaries under the jurisdiction of the Agricultural Commissioner have stored more than ten million shi of grain."
"promise."
Huo Guang was startled and responded loudly.
"You don't need to worry about anything at the Marquis of Champion's residence; I will arrange for someone to take over."
Immediately afterward, Liu Ju added a sentence.
"Thank you, Your Highness."
Huo Guang bowed respectfully, then turned and left the main hall of the Crown Prince's Palace.
He knew that the reason the Crown Prince said those last words was not only to ask him to focus all his attention on the Office of the Director of Agriculture, but also to remind him not to have any other thoughts, and that everything Huo Qubing left behind must be passed on to Huo Shan.
"Your Highness."
As soon as Xiao Shoucheng saw Huo Guang leave, he stood impatiently in front of Liu Ju, his face filled with indescribable excitement and agitation.
"Gold should be stored in vaults and should not be touched except in emergencies."
"Money and silk were used for daily expenses."
"Store up grains first; they'll come in handy someday."
"As for the tens of thousands of chickens, ducks, and pigs, instruct the kitchen to provide extra food for the Crown Prince's palace guards."
"You shall immediately arrange for the purchase of iron ore, at least 100,000 jin."
Liu made the arrangements in an orderly manner.
"Your Highness."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Shoucheng was startled. Iron ore was the raw material for forging armor. What was this all about?
"Buying pig iron is too conspicuous."
"I'm afraid Father won't let us settle 550,000 refugees so easily."
"If 16500 peasant soldiers are not armored, then forging some weapons will suffice; 100,000 jin of pig iron will be enough."
With a deep, meaningful look in his eyes, Liu Ju spoke.
"I see!"
Xiao Shoucheng breathed a sigh of relief, quickly took his leave, and left the main hall.
Check-in!
After everyone left, Liu Ju silently recited a prayer in his heart.
[Ding! Congratulations, host, for successfully checking in! Reward: Underground cellar blueprints!]
"That's interesting."
Liu Ju looked at the blueprints in his hand, a slight smile playing on his lips.
The underground dwelling is a semi-subterranean traditional dwelling created by the fishing and hunting peoples of the north. When building it, a rectangular pit three or four feet deep is dug into the ground, and wooden pillars are erected to support the pointed roof. The pit is covered with animal hides, straw bundles and soil. The door opens to the south and a small window is left. The underground part and the above-ground part each occupy half. The interior is about two meters high, and a fire is set up in the center to support a hanging pot. It has the characteristics of being warm in winter and cool in summer.
Underground dwellings are easy to build, have good insulation, do not require much ground space, and can also be used to build heated brick beds.
It would take at least several months for all 550,000 refugees from Guandong to be relocated to Guanzhong. By then, winter would have arrived in Guanzhong, making it unlikely that they would be able to build their own houses. The only option would be for the Agricultural Commissioner's Office to organize people to build houses in advance and provide them with accommodation.
This underground dwelling blueprint arrived at just the right time, and it can solve this problem perfectly.
"Shi Zeng".
"Go there yourself and deliver this blueprint to Huo Guang."
Liu Juchaoshi waved his hand and handed over the blueprints.
"promise."
Without a word, Shi Zeng, the Crown Prince's attendant, accepted the order and left.
"Your Highness."
Just then, a eunuch rushed into the hall and announced, "Mr. Dongfang is outside requesting an audience."
"Please come quickly!"
Liu Ju's eyes lit up. Dongfang Shuo had arrived; he was a rare talent.
"Tap tap!"
Accompanied by crisp footsteps, a figure appeared in the main hall of the Crown Prince's Palace.
He was nine feet tall, tall and upright, with bright, piercing eyes like hanging pearls; his teeth were neat and white, like tightly woven seashells.
She wore a sky-blue wavy robe with her chest half-open, and a wooden hairpin held up her hair, with some strands falling on either side of her face.
"Ahem!"
Liu Ju had heard that Dongfang Shuo was unconventional in his behavior, but he never expected him to be so casual, which was truly surprising.
"I'm thirsty, bring some fine wine from the Crown Prince's palace."
Dongfang Shuo swaggered to the lower left, half-reclined on the brocade-edged mat, and greeted the eunuchs without any politeness.
"Your Highness."
The eunuch hurriedly looked at Liu Ju.
"Since Mr. Dongfang is thirsty, then fetch a jar of fine wine."
Liu Ju wouldn't harbor resentment towards Dongfang Shuo because of this, so he simply waved his hand.
"promise."
The eunuch got up and went to fetch a jar of wine for Dongfang Shuo.