The Emperor, your humble servant just visited the Drunken Immortal Pavilion. My brother there gave me a piece of paper with some suggestions for you.
After Cheng Yaojin finished speaking, he took out the paper from hisζι and handed it to Li Shimin.
Li Shimin frowned as soon as he opened it.
"Even if drunk on the battlefield, don't laugh; how many have returned from ancient battles?" Is this all this rubbish handwriting says?
Clearly, someone had already reported yesterday's events at the Drunken Immortal Pavilion to him.
After criticizing Fang Er's handwriting.
However, as he read the contents of the paper, he became increasingly interested.
In fact, Fang Er's content, if put into later generations, could be described with just two words.
That is.
National debt!
With Li Shimin's current prestige, this was entirely feasible!
Fang Er's proposal was very simple.
It was for the court to step forward and borrow money from wealthy merchants.
It could have a specific name.
For example, War Bonds.
The money borrowed would be used for military expenses in foreign campaigns.
In essence, it was the same as Fang Er lending him military provisions, with repayment of the principal plus interest after the war was won.
Hmm.
If there hadn't been a large number of captives this time, this matter would have been settled.
*Slam!*
Li Shimin smacked his forehead.
"That's right!"
"Go and summon Prime Minister Fang, and also find Fang Anzhi!"
Li Shimin turned and spoke to the guards at the door.
Before long, the guard returned with Fang Xuanling.
Fang Er, who was sunbathing in the backyard of the Drunken Immortal Pavilion, saw the Eastern Palace guard coming to find him and quickly followed.
Fang Xuanling was looking at the paper he had written for Li Er.
As Fang Er entered the hall, Li Er motioned for Eunuch Deng to bring him a chair.
Fang Er felt a sense of being overly honored.
What's going on?
Old Cheng and Lao Da Hei are still standing!
"Sit, and tell me about your national debt idea."
Seeing Li Er's amiable expression, Fang Er didn't think much of it.
"Your Majesty, it's actually similar to what I said last time, but we can offer some special privileges."
"For example, we can convene a court session specifically for wealthy merchants."
"We can release the exclusive trading rights for specialties from foreign targets."
"Like the exclusive rights for cattle and horses from the grasslands, or the exclusive rights for mountain products from Goguryeo, the exclusive rights for iron ore, and so on."
"You see, these have always been controlled by aristocratic families, and while merchants in the lower and middle strata have money, they lack good investment directions. In this way, it gives them a chance to turn their fortunes around."
"And the army of our Great Tang is the most powerful guarantee for the national debt."
"As long as the Great Tang exists, there will be no worries about repaying the national debt!"
"Doing this is like borrowing a hen to lay eggs. We borrow the merchants' hens, they lay eggs, and after hatching a group of chicks, you return the mother hen. Of course, if you are pleased, you can also add two eggs as interest."
Fang Er used a vivid metaphor to explain the principle of national debt.
Li Er became more and more interested as he listened.
Meanwhile, Fang Xuanling beside him was utterly shocked.
How does this Officer Fang's mind work?
This idea is indeed excellent.
Li Er rested his elbows on the table, propping his chin with one hand.
It was clear that he fully understood what Fang Er had just said.
"By the way, do you have any good suggestions for those eighty thousand captives?"
Li Er asked again.
"Your Majesty, your subject is thirsty."
Fang Er touched his dry, cracked lips.
*Damn.*
*I've been talking for ages.*
*Not even a drop of water.*
*Too stingy!*
Li Er winked at Eunuch Deng beside him.
Eunuch Deng quickly went out to fetch a small teapot.
"Officer Fang, this is prepared for His Majesty. Please drink it, and then speak properly."
Eunuch Deng said with a smile.
He took it and gulped down a large mouthful, then shoved the empty pot back into Eunuch Deng's hand.
Fang Er wiped his mouth and began to speak.
"Reclamation! Since we can borrow money through national debt, let's use it to buy grain! As long as they don't starve, let them reclaim land! Let them work!"
"Since there's nothing else to do now, let's send them out to reclaim land wherever there's barren land!"
"Next spring, let's plant some spring wheat and millet, and by autumn harvest, won't we have grain?"
"With grain in hand, the heart will not panic. Even if there are more captives in the future, we will have a way to utilize them!"
"Don't you think, Your Majesty, that this makes sense?"
After listening, Fang Xuanling slapped his thigh.
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
"These two ideas from Officer Fang, combined, are simply brilliant!"
Li Er nodded.
Suddenly, an idea flashed through his mind.
Then, he looked at Fang Er with a playful smile.
"Prime Minister Fang, I haven't treated you unfairly, have I?"
"Look, the matter of the Zheng family, I turned a blind eye and let it pass."
"The matter of you privately manufacturing firearms, I also turned a blind eye and let it pass."
"The matter of you privately manufacturing cannons and armor, not only did I not pursue it, but I also bought twenty of your cannons."
"Can this be considered as looking out for you?"
Fang Er shivered.
*What the hell!*
*Are you bringing up old scores?*
"No, Your Majesty, if you have something to say, just say it. This way, your subject feels uneasy."
"Well then! Since you proposed this national debt, what do you think about supporting it?"
"Uh!"
Fang Er was stunned.
Did he just dig a pit and throw himself into it?
However, thinking of that large iron ore deposit in later generations.
Fang Er's heart suddenly grew warm.
"Anshan Steel!"
"Heh heh."
"You wouldn't have heard about my auction yesterday, would you? Who is this gossipy person? I haven't even had time to warm up yet!"
Fang Er pretended to be reluctant.
"Iron ore!"
"Didn't you say Goguryeo has iron ore? I grant you the exclusive mining rights for iron ore!"
Li Er offered his terms.
"Are you serious?"
Fang Er was somewhat skeptical of Li Er's words.
*Damn, the current total annual steel production of the Great Tang is only around five thousand tons.*
*Even calculating with a 40% iron content, the annual iron ore mining volume is only over ten thousand tons.*
*The Anshan iron ore plus the Benxi iron ore have a total reserve of up to ten billion tons!*
*This can be mined for a million years!*
"Good! Your subject accepts. How much money will I need to pay? When the iron ore is actually mined, at what proportion will I pay taxes? Also, what is the term of my exclusive mining rights?" Fang Er looked at Li Er eagerly.
"Prime Minister Fang, for matters like this, you take him to the Ministry of Revenue to discuss. Afterward, send the plan for my perusal."
It was clear that Li Er was an amateur when it came to such matters and directly handed it over to Fang Xuanling to handle.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Fang Xuanling took Fang Er back to the Ministry of Revenue.
"Please sit, Anzhi. What you said in the palace just now was truly brilliant! This old man even thinks you're qualified to be the Minister of Revenue!"
At the Ministry of Revenue, in Fang Xuanling's office, he enthusiastically pulled out a chair for Fang Er and then poured him a cup of water.
"Prime Minister Fang, you flatter this humble boy! I dare not, I dare not."
Fang Er quickly stood up and said.
"You dare, you dare. For the country and the people, you are worthy!"
Fang Xuanling pressed Fang Er into the chair.
After a brief period of polite back-and-forth, the two began to get down to business.