Chapter 312: Cession of the City
The crop seeds and planting techniques listed in the letter can greatly improve the livelihood of the people.
The Northern Qi, which has always been brutal, warlike and cunning, unexpectedly showed kindness and brought benefits to the people of the Great Zhou.
How could Emperor Jing'an not be surprised?
The Emperor of Northern Qi was neither very wise nor broad-minded, so this letter must not have been written by him.
It should be the emperor's teacher's idea.
Emperor Jing'an could not figure out the Imperial Tutor's thoughts. When he was a hostage in Northern Qi, he had no contact with the Imperial Tutor.
All we know is that the imperial teacher was extremely talented and was regarded as a treasure by the previous emperor of Northern Qi.
Over the years, the imperial teacher has become famous in Northern Qi, worked for the welfare of the people, and is deeply loved by the people.
Emperor Jing'an suppressed his thoughts and closed the letter: "Imperial Master, what does this mean?"
"Your Majesty, Northern Qi and Great Zhou were embroiled in war, and it was the people who suffered and perished. You cared deeply about the people and could not bear to see them suffer. After Northern Qi's defeat, not only did you not pursue the victory, you were willing to make peace with them."
The Imperial Tutor replied, "Our Majesty greatly admires you and has sent me to Great Zhou with crop seeds, planting techniques, and craftsmen to improve the livelihoods of the people."
Emperor Jing'an knew very well that Northern Qi looked down on Great Zhou, and the imperial teacher's words were just polite talk.
The most fundamental reason why Northern Qi surrendered this time was that the King of Qi and his envoys were in the Great Zhou.
The officials of the Great Zhou lowered their eyes, unmoved. After all, they were in the officialdom, and they had to say countless such beautiful and polite words every day.
"Your Majesty, the Great Zhou has experienced war and natural disasters, leaving people's livelihoods in decline and all industries in tatters. Northern Qi has sent us cotton seeds, and the Great Zhou will promote cotton cultivation techniques. If the people are unwilling to plant, the court can establish a Kapok Promotion Office and hire refugees and disaster victims to plant them."
The Imperial Master smiled faintly and said, "This move has effectively solved the resettlement problem of refugees and disaster victims that has plagued various regions. By transforming them into a labor force, it has greatly alleviated the pressure on the national treasury."
The imperial teacher's words hit the nail on the head and touched upon Emperor Jing'an's concerns.
However, he still had concerns in his heart. The Great Zhou Dynasty had established the Kapok Promotion Office and tried to grow cotton, but unfortunately the process was backward and it did not spread among the people.
However, all the ministers looked at the imperial teacher, as if trying to guess the truth in his words.
If cotton planting can really provide shelter for the refugees, it would be a solution to a major problem facing the Great Zhou.
But would Northern Qi really be so kind?
The ministers could not help but whisper to each other and discuss the purpose of Northern Qi.
"The Northern Qi Dynasty established cotton cultivation offices across the country to promote cotton cultivation techniques among the people. Cotton yields higher than silk and linen, and is inexpensive. It not only provides warmth but can also be woven into soft cotton cloth, making it a favorite among the people of the Northern Qi Dynasty."
The Imperial Preceptor took in the expressions of the ministers and continued, "With more people buying cotton cloth and cotton, the demand for cotton has increased, requiring more manpower to plant it, providing the people with more opportunities to make a living, and thus improving their lives."
"Thirty percent of Northern Qi's treasury's tax revenue comes from cotton." The Imperial Preceptor bowed and said, "Northern Qi is willing to lend a helping hand to Great Zhou."
Emperor Jing'an frowned and his expression became more serious.
Because the benefits brought by cotton were very tempting to him.
After all, the Great Zhou was short of money and food, and many refugees were waiting to be resettled.
Even so, Emperor Jing'an did not give in. He believed that there was no such thing as a free lunch.
The favors bestowed by Northern Qi on Great Zhou were like a jackal turning into a docile sheep. We needed to be wary of the conspiracy hidden behind them.
"The Great Zhou is currently short of food. Northern Qi, with Yingcheng adjacent to the northern border, is rich in wheat. We are willing to provide it to the Great Zhou unconditionally and preferentially within three years."
The Imperial Master threw out another bait: "The two countries will trade with each other, and Northern Qi is willing to reduce or exempt tariffs for merchants from Great Zhou."
The ministers looked at the imperial tutor in disbelief. If the imperial tutor had not been standing in the position of the Northern Qi envoy, they would almost think that the imperial tutor of Northern Qi was the imperial tutor of their Great Zhou.
The Northern Qi not only sent crop seeds to the Great Zhou and taught them technology, but also sold grain to them and reduced tariffs.
How could this be an enemy country with whom we have a deep blood feud?
He is clearly a living Bodhisattva.
Solve the difficulties faced by Da Zhou one by one, and then help Da Zhou become rich step by step.
It is undeniable that most ministers were tempted and wanted to agree to Northern Qi's request for peace.
However, the remaining ministers became more vigilant, fearing that Northern Qi might have ill intentions and might be setting a trap for the Great Zhou.
Emperor Jing'an had a stern expression on his face. The imperial teacher proposed conditions one by one and promised huge benefits based on the shortcomings of the Great Zhou.
This shows that the imperial teacher is well aware of the situation in the Great Zhou.
Emperor Jing'an developed a fear of the imperial tutor, who was not only good at manipulating power, but also good at controlling people's hearts.
Yesterday, the imperial teacher hinted to the people at the Siyi Pavilion that he, as the emperor, would do his utmost to ensure that the people had enough food and clothing.
This sentence undoubtedly put him on the fire.
If he did not agree to Northern Qi's request for peace, he would not be able to obtain cotton seeds, and the people's wish for food and clothing would be dashed.
At that time, Northern Qi would blow another evil wind, implying to the people that he had given up the benefits offered by Northern Qi for personal grudges and disregarded the lives of the people.
The people of the Great Zhou would immediately turn against him and point their spearheads at him as the emperor.
The Northern Qi didn't have to do anything, the Great Zhou fell into chaos on its own.
If it were just these, it would be fine. After all, the people who went to the Siyi Pavilion were only a very small part, and he could completely suppress them with tough measures.
But the Northern Qi emperor's teacher was very resourceful. He arranged for someone to spread the news last night and tell the people in the capital.
The soldiers of Northern Qi were no match for the King of Zhenbei. Now the King of Qi had angered the people of Great Zhou and was afraid that the cavalry of Great Zhou would crush Northern Qi. So he taught all the techniques of crops and water conservancy to the people of Great Zhou in order to appease the anger of Great Zhou.
With these technologies, the Great Zhou will no longer be free from the suffering of war. In winter, they will have cotton clothes to wear and will not have to suffer from the cold. They will have food to eat and will not have to go hungry.
We are just waiting for him to nod his head today, accept the apology of Northern Qi, turn hostility into friendship, and sign an alliance treaty between the two countries. Then these benefits will be implemented immediately.
At daybreak, the people waited at the palace gate for news.
Emperor Jing'an looked at the ministers who were whispering to each other. They were all very emotional, with red faces and ears, as if they had disagreements and were arguing.
He sighed in his heart. The imperial teacher said one thing in public and another in private, forcing him into a dilemma. It seemed that he had no choice but to agree to the peace talks with Northern Qi.
But he was unwilling to be strangled by the imperial teacher and let them control him.
"Yingcheng borders Licheng, which was expanded by the Great Zhou. The soldiers of Yingcheng travel to and from Licheng as if they were entering an empty land. The soldiers of the Great Zhou are restless day and night and want to incorporate Yingcheng into the territory of the Great Zhou, but they don't want the people to be caught up in the war."
Emperor Jing'an remained emotionless. "Beijing sincerely wishes to negotiate peace and will unconditionally sell Yingcheng's grain to Great Zhou. We might as well cede this city to Great Zhou as compensation for Northern Qi's invasion of Great Zhou territory."
When these words were spoken, everyone in the room was shocked.
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