Zhou Zhen nodded slowly. It was normal that there were not so many people doing business now. After all, in the Zhou Dynasty, the status of scholars, farmers, industry and commerce, and merchants was the lowest.
So what if they were wealthy? Not only did businessmen not have the right to take the imperial examinations, but even their children would be affected.
Therefore, few people will become businessmen, and few people will respect businessmen.
Otherwise, how could it be possible to label all businessmen as profiteers?
Zhao Feng briefly explained the currency circulation and the role of merchants in the economy, which made Zhou Zhen's face become a little solemn.
"I didn't expect merchants to have such a big role?"
Zhao Feng nodded slightly.
"Yes, if we want to make the economy of the Zhou Dynasty boom, it is impossible to keep merchants at such a low status. We don't need to raise the status of merchants too high. We just need to make them the same as ordinary people. That’s it.”
"So I feel that if the eldest prince can really marry Miss Li, it will be an encouragement to businessmen all over the world, and it will also be an opportunity to change the status of businessmen!"
Zhou Zhen thought about it carefully and felt that what Zhao Feng said was indeed very reasonable.
If you want to improve the status of a businessman, it is impossible to directly improve the status of a businessman by saying a hasty word, because the low status of a businessman has been subconsciously formed over a long period of time. Changing people's ideas cannot happen overnight.
If Li Wanyi can really marry the eldest prince Zhou Rui, it means that the status of a businessman will not be disliked. This is equivalent to affirming the contribution of those businessmen to a certain extent.
But Zhou Zhen still felt that this matter was a bit unreliable.
"Even if the two of them are secretly in love, the ministers in the court may not agree!"
Zhou Zhen sighed softly. In fact, he was still a very enlightened monarch, otherwise he would not be so obedient.
Zhou Zhen knew that he didn't have that many talents and strategies, so one of the biggest advantages was that he didn't trust the people he hired and didn't use the people he doubted.
Now he believed in Zhao Feng very much and knew that what Zhao Feng said was right.
Zhao Feng smiled slightly and lowered his voice.
"But the premise is that these businessmen have no way to make achievements."
Zhou Zhen was slightly startled and looked at Zhao Feng in surprise.
"Did you mean..."
Zhao Feng nodded slightly and his expression became serious.
"Your Majesty, I have a plan!"
"The caravan I sent out some time ago was plundered by the Huns, causing me to lose a lot of money!"
When Zhou Zhen heard this, he immediately smiled. He didn't expect that someone as smart as Zhao Feng would lose money sometimes.
However, the existence of the Huns did threaten the caravans. If the Zhou Dynasty wanted to do business with those countries in the Western Regions, the threat of the Huns was also an issue that could not be circumvented.
Zhao Feng continued.
"So I plan to sell salt to those Xiongnu people!"
Zhou Zhen was stunned for a moment and looked at Zhao Feng with a strange expression on his face.
The Huns robbed your goods, but you still want to sell them the supplies they are most in need of. Isn't this crazy?
But Zhou Zhen knew that Zhao Feng's idea was not that simple, so he deliberately said nothing and waited for Zhao Feng to continue.
As expected, Zhao Feng said decisively.
"But the salt we sell to the Huns is poisonous salt! If used for a short period of time, there is no problem, but once used for a long time, the people of the Huns will be infected with some chronic diseases."
"It will even cause many deaths among the Xiongnu people!"
When Zhou Zhen heard this, he took a deep breath and stood up from the chair.
"What are you talking about? Is there such a thing?"
Zhao Feng nodded slightly.
"This kind of poisonous salt can only be made by Chen. It looks very similar to the snowflake salt we usually eat, but the taste is slightly fishier. This is because this kind of salt mainly comes from the sea, which is the salt of sea water. , which is made by simply removing impurities, but it also contains many toxic ingredients.”
"But the Xiongnu people have never seen the sea, so it is impossible to distinguish this kind of sea salt."
"At that time, we will not only be able to make money from the Huns, but we will also be able to reduce the combat effectiveness of the Xiongnu soldiers. Although this method will harm Tianhe, we can't worry about that much!"
Zhou Zhen walked around behind the imperial desk, frowning and thinking hard.
In fact, in Zhou Zhen's heart, he had no sympathy for the Xiongnu people at all. After all, everyone in the Xiongnu was a soldier. Even the Xiongnu people would become Xiongnu soldiers during the war.
Zhou Zhen was just thinking, if the Li family really produced these poisonous salts and allowed the Xiongnu to be defeated because of this small amount of salt, how much benefit could the Zhou Dynasty achieve?
After thinking for a long time, Zhou Zhen looked up at Zhao Feng and asked.
"Since there is no difference between this salt and normal salt, can we also sell this salt to those countries in the Western Region?"
Zhao Feng's eyes widened and he looked at Zhou Zhen in great horror.
This is simply the living king of hell!
Zhao Feng thought he was ruthless enough, but he didn't expect that the emperor Zhou Zhen was even more ruthless than him.
"Your Majesty, this matter must not be dealt with by the Xiongnu. We can use this method because we are beyond our reach and cannot control the Xiongnu or conduct friendly commercial exchanges with the Xiongnu."
"After all, the Huns are stronger than us, and only the stronger party has a greater say in trade."
"But transactions with those countries in the Western Region are based on equality between both parties. If we use this method, it will only limit our future foreign trade!"
Zhou Zhen waved his hand and looked at Zhao Feng with some complaints.
"Okay, I just said that, and I haven't been so cruel yet!"
"Let's do this in secret. If you can really use these salts to make the Huns lose their combat effectiveness, then I will definitely commend the Li family. With this commendation, if she wants to marry Zhou Rui, she will also No one dared to say anything.”
Zhao Feng nodded happily, but he didn't expect that this matter would end with these salts.
Now that Zhou Zhen has agreed, all he needs to do next is to do this well. Not only can he get a lot of wealth, but he can also make the marriage between Li Wanyi and Zhou Rui happen.
If Li Wanyi marries Zhou Rui, Zhou Rui's enthronement as king will also be postponed, which can be said to be a plan to kill three birds with one stone.
Zhao Feng left the palace happily and went home directly instead of returning to Zhongshu Provincial Yamen.
When I got home and asked, I found out that Li Wanyi had gone out in the morning, and it was said that Zhou Rui had picked her up.
This made Zhao Feng look a little weird, so he had to wait until night to talk about it.
