The Later Three Kingdoms: Slaying Deng Ai, and Reviving the Han Dynasty

After Huang Chong finished listening, even though he was mentally prepared, he still gasped and looked at Liu Chen with a strange expression.

"I am greedy and stingy, and I act recklessly without restraint." Liu Chen laughed heartily and gave Huang Chong a bright smile.

He transformed from the greedy Prince Chen into a tyrannical and lawless feudal lord. He amassed wealth with incredible gusto.

Huang Chong took a deep breath, his mood calming down slightly. After pondering for a moment, he said to Liu Chen, "Your Majesty is adept at accumulating wealth, which I admire. However, it is still not enough."

"Hmm. That's definitely not enough." Liu Chen nodded in agreement. Although making money was already fast, it wasn't fast enough. A fierce glint appeared in his eyes. Should he kill her husband and seize her land a few more times? After all, there were plenty of lawless and unruly people among the powerful clans of Bashu. However, if he kept doing this, it might incur the wrath of both heaven and man.

Huang Chong wouldn't speak without reason; he probably had some idea... Then a thought struck him, and he suppressed his fierce glint, looking up at Huang Chong and asking, "Your Excellency, what is your plan?"

Huang Chong was prepared and immediately said, "We can start with Shu brocade, salt, and iron."

Liu Chen changed from kneeling to sitting cross-legged, shaking his head with some disappointment, and said, "I am currently working on Shu brocade. Many women on my estate make a living by weaving cloth. I have also inherited some businesses from my wife's family. The Shu brocade trade is booming. As for salt and iron..."

He paused, frowned, and said, "The Crown Prince, the princes, the ministers, and the wealthy all have their eyes on the salt and iron industries, their influence is intertwined. I cannot get involved."

Shu brocade is undoubtedly a pillar industry, with countless practitioners.

Salt and iron, on the other hand, were extremely profitable.

When Zhuge Liang was alive, he established the Salt Commissioner to specifically manage the trade of salt and iron.

Private sales of salt and iron were prohibited, and the government was required to monopolize the industry. This was because salt and iron were essential to the lives of ordinary people. This was essentially a form of "profiting at the expense of the people," and a disguised form of taxation.

The monopoly on salt and iron brought a continuous and enormous amount of revenue to the Han Dynasty's treasury. However, after Zhuge Liang's death, the policy became virtually ineffective.

This is a piece of prime meat. A giant crocodile lurking in the water, ready to take a bite from anyone.

He had long coveted it, but had no way of knowing how. As a dignified prince, he couldn't very well actually engage in hand-to-hand combat.

Although he ran businesses, he never intended to engage in commerce; he left everything to his subordinates. Merchants were a minor profession.

Thinking of this, Liu Chen's heart stirred again, and he looked up at Huang Chong. Wait, since Huang Chong has already said that... and Huang Chong's abilities are beyond doubt.

Sensing Liu Chen's expectation, Huang Chong nodded slightly in response. He then said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty, making Shu brocade is extremely profitable, but if we can unite with the wealthy merchants of Ba and Shu to do business together, the profits will be even greater."

"Your Majesty's wife's family, the Chen clan, is very influential among the major merchants of Shu brocade in Sichuan and Chongqing. We can start with them. They can manipulate the price of Shu brocade and manage its production. They can trade with Cao Wei, Eastern Wu, and the people of Nanzhong. They can obtain gold from Cao Wei, treasures and oxen from the people of Nanzhong, and people and pearls from Eastern Wu."

"As for salt and iron, since the Crown Prince and the other princes can all get a share, this old minister is willing to pave the way for Your Majesty and share a piece of the pie."

He was getting on in years, and although he was in good health, he was still out of breath after speaking all that. But he was extremely energetic. As long as Liu Chen did as he said, his power and wealth would grow rapidly in just two or three years.

He stared intently at Liu Chen, his eyes seeming to speak volumes. "Please say yes."

Acquire people from Eastern Wu? Liu Chen's heart skipped a beat. After a moment's thought, he almost blurted out, "The Shanyue?"

"Your Majesty is wise," Huang Chong smiled and nodded with pleasure.

Population, oh population! Liu Chen stood up excitedly, pacing back and forth with his sword in hand, his blood surging.

Wealth, food, and population are all important. But population is of paramount importance; the more people in the Northern Palace, the more troops he can support.

Only when taking action can one be "as swift as thunder" and "as powerful as a tiger".

He had always done it this way. But he had never considered acquiring people from Eastern Wu.

Yes. The powerful and influential in both Eastern Wu and Cao Wei were obsessed with Shu brocade, to the point of near fanaticism. Cao Wei was even willing to use warhorses to buy Shu brocade.

But the population is too exaggerated.

That's the bottom line.

However, Eastern Wu had its own unique circumstances.

Mountains and mountains.

From the time Sun Ce founded the Eastern Wu regime, he was fighting against the Yue tribes. Historical records document countless Yue uprisings.

Sun Quan was fighting a war abroad, but suddenly he wanted to return to suppress the Shanyue people.

The reason why Sun Quan, the King of Wu of Wei, found it difficult to expand his territory was largely due to the rebellion of the Yue tribes in the rear.

The term "Shanyue" originally referred to the Yue people, who were mountain dwellers scattered throughout the mountains and forests of the Jiangdong region. They usually farmed, but when the harvest was bad, they would descend from the mountains to plunder.

Later, some large Han Chinese clans also called themselves "Shanyue Shangshan".

The mountain tribes have a population of at least two to three million.

However, the harm is mutual.

The Shanyue people descended the mountains to plunder. Sun Quan, on the other hand, suppressed the Shanyue and acquired their population.

If we use Shu brocade to lure the powerful clans and wealthy merchants of Eastern Wu, and get them to arm themselves to attack the Yue people in the mountains, then after capturing them, we can send them, young and old, to Yizhou in exchange for Shu brocade.

The powerful clans of Eastern Wu were all very influential. Their actions were beyond the control of the Eastern Wu court.

There is room for maneuver in this matter.

There is plenty of wasteland in Sichuan and Chongqing now. If these mountain people come over, they can be organized to cultivate the land and produce food immediately.

They also organized strong able-bodied men and trained them during the off-season.

Liu Chen grew increasingly interested and convinced that it was feasible. Finally, he stopped pacing back and forth, took a deep breath, sat down again, and looked up at Huang Chong with a spirited expression, saying, "You are better at business than I am. Good. Go and do it immediately. Just tell the accountant how much money you need and how many people you require; there's no need to report to me."

Money is no problem; if the job is done, you'll earn it back tenfold or a hundredfold. Trust those you employ, and don't employ those you don't trust. Whether it's a thousand or three thousand taels of gold, just take it.

This weighty trust... Huang Chong once again thought of his strange relationship with Liu Shan, and then looked at his current relationship with Liu Chen. He was truly shocked by the difference.

Huang Chong was deeply moved. After taking a deep breath, he bowed and said, "Your Majesty, rest assured, this old minister will certainly do his best."

"Go ahead," Liu Chen said with a smile and a nod.

"Yes." Huang Chong composed himself and bowed to Liu Chen once more before standing up, gripping his sword, and turning to leave.

"Salt, iron, and Shu brocade are the three pillars. Cao Wei's gold, the treasures and oxen of the Southern people, and Eastern Wu's pearls, people, and grain. Excellent, very excellent." Liu Chen recalled the content of the conversation just now, and couldn't help but clap his hands and laugh, feeling very pleased.

Just then, hurried footsteps sounded. Liu Chen looked up and saw a familiar eunuch enter. The eunuch bowed and said, "Your Majesty, the Queen is approaching."

"Mmm," Liu Chen hummed in response.

"An old married couple..." Although it's a bit strange to say that he hasn't shared a bed with Chen Mingzhen yet, Chen Mingzhen has indeed become an integral part of his life; she is a queen he is very satisfied with and who is very competent in her role.

He had gotten used to Chen Mingzhen's presence.

The eunuch came to inform her first, and Chen Mingzhen arrived soon after, surrounded by a retinue. Because she was in the palace, she was still dressed in coarse linen clothes, looking as simple as an ordinary woman from a common household.

She smiled and bowed to Liu Chen, then said in a clear voice, "Your Majesty, I have already raised Lady Lü well and have come to present her to you."