"What's wrong?" Li Zhao was sweating profusely as he looked at the dark-skinned old farmers.
"Your Majesty... We appreciate your kindness, but this ice is too expensive. It's not worth it for you to just give it to us..."
They are already very satisfied. They have never used such expensive things since they were born.
Under the scorching sun, the villagers, who were all tanned like Africans, looked at him with burning eyes and gratitude.
Li Zhao was embarrassed by this look, because only he knew that the ice was really worthless.
But he couldn't say it, because if he said it, it would affect the entire subsequent plan, so he could only continue to lie.
Li Zhao felt a little sorry, but he had to act and said: "Dear fellow villagers..."
"I know you feel sorry for money, and you feel sorry for me... But it's really hot today. Can you still bear it now? But what happens after that? What should we do?"
"If money is gone, you can make it again. If people are gone, there is nothing!"
"Please don't worry, this ice is for use when you buy it. Although it's not much, I hope everyone can use it."
Li Zhao pointed to the prepared greenhouses and barrels and said: "Starting from the afternoon, there will be free tea here, both warm and cold, until you finish your work for the day."
"I am also here to officially announce that starting from today, as long as the villagers working here, in addition to receiving money when they go back, they can also receive extra ice cubes to take home."
"this……"
"Your Majesty..."
After hearing Li Zhao's words, the dark crowd knelt down in emotion.
"The prince is so kind and kind, but the common people...have nothing to repay!"
The group of people knelt down together, with tears in their eyes.
It’s not that they are ignorant or that their legs are weak, it’s that they are really suffering.
After being oppressed for so many years, they have become numb and have given up hope in life.
The only hope is to have something to eat and survive.
Everything Li Zhao did was a benefit to them!
People who have not experienced this kind of pain will never understand this.
"Everyone, please get up quickly." Li Zhao didn't feel good at all. He deceived everyone after all, but he knew that if he wanted to lead this group of people to wealth, he must have the right deception methods.
As a superior, without such means, he cannot convince the public or win over people's hearts.
At least, Li Zhao didn't want to harm anyone.
"Those who have received the ice will continue to work, and the carpenters will build the greenhouse as soon as possible so that everyone does not have to work in the sun all the time."
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
There was a lot of sobbing and crying. They were very easily satisfied and moved.
"In addition..." Li Zhaodao: "I have ordered people to build a market here. The main thing sold in the market now is rice, and more and more things will be sold in the future!"
Countless people looked at Li Zhao in confusion, wondering why he wanted to build a market alone.
Li Zhaodao: "I hope that the emergence of this market can help everyone and enable everyone to buy things, just like food. Now the price in Jiaozhou is two cents per catty, but my market is different, it is one cent." A pound and a half of money!”
The crowd that had just been quiet became commotion again.
Their eyes widened and they looked at Li Zhao in disbelief, as if they were dreaming.
"My lord...you...are you telling the truth?"
All the eager eyes looked at Li Zhao.
They feel like they are in a dream. Many of them have never left their villages, and some have only been to the county seat at most. The price of food in Jiaozhou is only two to three cents per catty of rice. They have no idea at all. I know that in Kyoto, the richest city in the Wu Kingdom, one penny can buy two and a half kilograms of rice.
This is the information difference.
Of course, you can buy two and a half kilograms of rice for one penny in the Jiangnan area, because there is a lot of grain there, but in other places, you can usually buy two and a half kilograms of rice for one penny.
Li Zhao couldn't give him a penny or two kilograms. Although he had plenty of food now, he had to consider the future.
Secondly, due to multiple factors, many merchants in Jiaozhou have taken a detour and food cannot come in, so the price is naturally high.
All Li Zhao had to do was to sell rice at a lower price than the local merchants, so that the people would have a way to survive.
Of course, the key step in his plan is to let people learn to spend money.
Li Zhao knew very well that developing a place was never easy.
Although he raided the Du family and forcibly collected all the assets of the Du family, integration also took time.
Unsurprisingly, the Du family will definitely not swallow this sigh of relief and will definitely take revenge in the court.
But Li Zhao is not afraid, he already has the means to deal with it.
What people in the world want is nothing more than power and wealth. Since Li Zhao cannot give him power, he will give him wealth.
The chaos in Jiaozhou is a good thing for Li Zhao.
He now has a fortune of hundreds of thousands taels, and the money must be circulated.
The villagers got the money, which is a kind of circulation.
Li Zhao obtained labor force and the villagers received payment. This is also a kind of circulation, but it is not enough.
Food is a daily necessity. Now they almost have no land to grow, and there are really very few resources to survive.
Unless Li Zhao chooses to open up wasteland.
He is the owner of this land and can and has the right to open up wasteland. It is illegal for others to open up wasteland.
However, in Li Zhao's plan, land reclamation was not at this point in time.
Fields have always been extremely important in ancient times. They occupy such an important position that even people who are close to them may fall out with them.
Li Zhao would not touch it easily, even if he was prepared.
Looking at the blazing eyes, Li Zhao replied with an extremely certain tone: "Everything I said today is true, just like the wages I gave you, it will definitely not be bad."
They couldn't bear it any longer and started to howl and cry.
One by one, they knelt on the ground, no matter how much Li Zhao shouted, they kept kowtowing to Li Zhao.
Only those who have experienced despair will understand what it means for Li Zhao to sell food to them so cheaply.
"My son..." A woman howled and cried. One of her children was taken away by the army and there has been no news yet. The second son starved to death under the oppression of these wealthy families.
If the prince had come earlier, maybe... her son wouldn't have to starve to death.
Now she only has one little girl left, and she cannot starve to death no matter what.
There were countless weepers and sobs, but they did not dare to cry too loudly for fear that the dream would be shattered.
Once upon a time, he thought ancient times were so beautiful.
Only now did he realize that TV dramas that were so cute were all lies, and those glamorous and peaceful costume dramas were all fake.
A bunch of pig's feet can easily cost you a few taels of silver for a meal. This is pure nonsense.
Even in today's Kyoto of the Kingdom of Wu, how many people can really have enough to eat without worries?
"Stop crying! Get up, get up!"
Long Jia'an wiped his tears and called the group of people together with the old village chiefs.
"Your Majesty is compassionate, and we should do our best to repay him!"
"Yeah, we still have to work."
"Stop crying and get up quickly!"
