The most arrogant in history

Wen Ah Xiu nodded: "Yes, the specifications of the banquet include two items. One is the number of people, and the other is the catering standard. This must be determined."

Ye Kun smiled and said, "Since it's a thousand-year-old banquet, there will definitely be a lot of people, so let's make it a thousand people. The banquet standard doesn't need to be too expensive. By the way, how much does a table of ordinary food and wine for ten people cost in Pingye County?"

In fact, this thousand-year-old banquet should be called the thousand-old man banquet.

Emperors Kangxi and Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty held such activities.

Find a thousand old men to come and drink, brag, and show off the prosperity of the times.

Zhu Chengbang replied: "One ounce and a half of silver is enough for a banquet for an ordinary family."

"And what about the expenses for the cook and the handyman?"

"That won't cost two taels of silver."

"Okay, let's set the catering standard at three taels of silver per table. In addition, we'll add another tael of silver per table for hiring a chef and other expenses."

Ye Kun thought for a moment and said, "I'll pay for this. It's four thousand taels of silver in total. You guys arrange the banquet and send out notices to confirm the attendees one by one. Three days later, we'll hold the thousand-year-old birthday banquet. Is that about right?"

Zhu Chengbang said with a smile, "It's no problem to find a thousand old men in three days. As for the banquet, it's no problem either. It's still winter now, so it's easy to prepare the food. However, since the thousand-year-old banquet is held in Pingye County, our county should also take out two thousand taels of silver to make it more lively."

Wen Ah Xiu shook her head: "When the emperor travels, he always uses his own private money, not the court's money. County Magistrate Zhu, you should save your two thousand taels of silver."

Zhu Chengbang had no choice but to nod.

Wouldn’t it be better to save money?

Ye Kun said, "There's no need to waste too much on food and wine. Just slaughter some cattle, sheep, chickens, ducks, fish, shrimp, and stir-fry some vegetables. As for drinks, just get some rice wine and sweet wine. Strong liquor is not necessary. All the people here are old, so don't make them drunk, it will be bad."

Everyone laughed.

Zhu Chengbang bowed and said goodbye, and went to arrange the work for the thousand-year birthday banquet first.

Ye Kun said to Jiang Yourong and the others, "Everyone take a rest for the night, and tomorrow morning, we will go back to visit the old place. This time, everyone can act alone. Everyone can go wherever they want. However, safety protection work must be done well."

Liu Yuejuan smiled and said, "Won't the emperor join us?"

Ye Kun smiled and said, "Of course I have to accompany you to visit the old county magistrate's compound in the county town. That's where you lived when you were a child. Then, I will accompany the queen to visit Caomiao Village and Jianghetou."

Liu Yuejuan nodded in thanks.

Xie Baochan smiled and said, "I don't have any relatives or friends in Pingye County, so I can travel around on my own."

Jiang Yourong said with a smile: "Sister Baochan, please don't get lost."

Xie Baochan laughed: "Yizhou is such a big place. I have traveled everywhere before and never got lost."

Everyone burst into laughter again.

Qiao Nu, Dai Xi and others were all very happy.

When I return to my hometown, the wind is sweet.

After dinner, Ye Kun took a walk in the inn.

Liu Yuejuan accompanied Ye Kun and said with a smile: "Pingye County, there should be no electricity yet, right?"

"No." Ye Kun shook his head and said:

"A stable power supply requires at least a small hydroelectric power plant or a thermal power plant. Pingye County is actually short of resources. There are no conditions for building a hydroelectric power plant, and there is no coal production. If we force a thermal power plant, it will definitely lose money."

Liu Yuejuan nodded in agreement.

Ye Kun added: "Tianmen County is building a hydroelectric power station, and it is expected to generate electricity by the end of the year. However, we cannot afford to send electricity from Tianmen County. After all, our power construction is still in its infancy. It will probably take another fifty years for all people to have electricity."

If things continue to develop smoothly for another fifty years, there will be hope of electricity for all the people.

The current power construction is basically to supply industrial machinery production.

The imperial city of Zhuo County now has electricity throughout the city.

There was originally a plan to provide electricity to the entire inner city, but when it came to implementation, it was found to be very difficult.

Currently, half of the inner city of Zhuo County still has no electricity.

In Zhuojun Science and Technology City, electricity is now available throughout the city, and there are electric lights in the staff dormitories.

Liu Yuejuan nodded: "Yes, the power equipment uses gold, silver, copper, iron and aluminum, which is too expensive. Only the emperor can afford to use gold, silver, copper and iron as if they were soil."

Ye Kun smiled: "It's not that I can afford it, but the productivity has greatly improved. In the past, the copper and iron in the homes of ordinary people did not even weigh a few pounds. Now the steel production is more than a hundred times that of the past. Every household has two or three iron pots, axes, shovels and kitchen knives.

To be honest, a lot of the silver and copper were earned by our soldiers from outside.”

After so many years of external expansion and foreign trade, large amounts of gold, silver, copper and other metals have poured into the nine provinces of China.

The gold and silver mines in Fuso Nagashima have been in production for a long time, employing native Fuso workers without paying any wages.

The amount of silver from Fuso Nagashima alone is several million taels every year.

The same is true for the gold, silver and copper mines in Tianzhu and Jiaozhi, where there are large numbers of free laborers helping with the work.

There was also money earned from business, spoils of war, and reparations from colonies...

If it weren't for his crazy pursuit of global wealth, Ye Kun would not be able to afford such large-scale industrial production.

Liu Yuejuan was well aware of the various operations of the imperial court. She covered her mouth and laughed, "Did you steal it?"

"Your Highness is right to say so."

Ye Kun actually admitted it openly and nodded, saying, "There are no eternal friends between countries. There are only calculations of interests and ambitions to harvest each other. If you don't harvest him, he will be destined to harvest you when he becomes powerful."

Liu Yuejuan thought for a moment and said, "Your Majesty is right. But there is one thing I don't understand. It won't be long before we conquer the whole world. At that time, there will be no distinction between domestic and overseas. Everywhere will be one China.

Now that we have harvested all of our crops overseas, isn't that the same as harvesting ourselves?"

Ye Kun smiled and said, "It will probably take another hundred years to conquer the whole world. It's impossible to reap our own harvest. Because the principle I set is that the nine provinces of China are given priority. Overseas, the Han people are given priority."

Liu Yuejuan still didn't quite understand, so she asked again: "For example, our son Ye Chan is in Hanhuang Island. A few decades later, under the principle of giving priority to the Nine Provinces of China, will his wealth be harvested by the Nine Provinces of China?"

Ye Kun was stunned for a moment, then slowly said: "In theory, Hanhuang Island should pay tribute every year and pay a portion of taxes to support the court. Because it was the power of the court that took over Hanhuang Island.

However, please rest assured, Your Majesty. As an overseas vassal state, Hanhuang Island is financially independent. The annual tribute is the same thing. The court and the overseas vassal states will exchange goods through fair trade relations. "