Li Zhi sat in the middle, Wu Zetian and Wang Zheng sat on his left and right, and Wu Yi, his four brothers and sisters, and Di Renjie sat opposite.

Li Zhi smiled and said, "I didn't ask about Wu Yi's return. It just so happens that the five of you are gathered together this time, so I will have a good chat with you. The matter of the borderland was initiated by the chief steward, and the rules were not brought into the court.

The reason for this was also the suggestion of the Grand Steward. He believed that the court was calm but inefficient, and was not very suitable for managing development. After all, what development needs most is efficiency. Many times, a person's decision, even if it is wrong, is better than no decision.

I deeply agree with you. Over the past two years, facts have proved that you are right. The achievements you five have made in the desolate borderland are obvious to all. Now the desolate borderland is no longer worthy of its name. At least the word "desolate" can be removed.

Originally, I gave each of you ten years, but now it seems that it won't take that long. Of course, since I have made a promise, I will not change it easily. I said that you will be exempt from taxes for ten years to allow you to develop freely. As long as you don't make any mistakes, I will not regret it.

I came here today mainly to hear what you want. As long as I can give, I will do my best to satisfy you."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." The five people stood up and bowed.

After Li Zhi finished speaking, he looked at Wang Zhen, who stood up and saluted, saying, "I want to point my sword at Persia."

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When the people had no land to farm and could not get enough food to eat, their only options were to gather together and cause trouble or become slaves of the wealthy families. Either way, the emperor did not want to see either situation.

Wu Yi nodded, agreeing. "There's nothing big going on in the south of the desert. Just follow the plan. Three to five years will be enough to deal with. After all, the area is vast. Although many people have gone there now, they are not enough to fully develop the south of the desert. So, we need to wait and see about the north of the desert."

Li Zhi raised his eyebrows and said, "You have always been thoughtful and careful. Although you have done things in a rush, you have never made any mistakes. Tell me your reasons. As long as there is a need, I will agree to your request.

But since Wang Zhen wanted to target Persia, Li Zhi had to think carefully. According to Li Zhi's original intention, he had no intention of launching a foreign war so quickly. At least he had to wait until the border areas were opened up and mature before considering expanding the territory.

“The reason why I want to target Persia is actually for future planning. Although the Western Regions have vast land, it is mostly desert Gobi. Even if I try my best, I can’t cultivate much fertile land to grow white calamus. After all, the snow-capped mountains are only so big and there are only so many rivers.

The reason why the emperor cracked down on the aristocratic families was not only because the aristocratic families were so powerful that they posed a threat to the imperial power, but also because they occupied too much land.

The best arrangement now is to divert them to the border areas. It will only take ten years, and the emperor can afford to wait.

Li Zhi's meaning was very clear. He did not object to the five general managers opening up the border areas, but they could not ask him for money.

Now Wang Zhen wants to target Persia, but Li Zhi is not happy about it. Persia is also very poor and far away. How much benefit can it gain from conquering it? Li Zhi thinks that controlling the Western Regions and ensuring the smooth flow of the Silk Road is enough. A few years ago, when the Persian prince Bilus asked for help, Li Zhi did not agree.

In the past few years, Li Zhi suffered from his impatience. After conquering many places, he only gained a good reputation, which was of no practical significance, and he still had to promote and enrich his soldiers.

This was a very cost-effective deal, and there was Yuzhou as a sample. Li Zhi and Wu Zetian discussed it for a whole night and agreed to it directly without going through the court.

The plan that Wang Zheng and Li Zhi discussed at that time was to provide ten years' salary for ten thousand people, a certain amount of material, a general manager and some positions of provincial governor and county magistrate, and let them work on it. After ten years, the desolate borderland would be turned into a prosperous one and then returned to the court.

Wang Zhen's voice was not loud, but everyone was startled and looked at him in shock.

However, it is still the same as the previous rules of the Grand Steward. I will only give you a salary of 10,000 people and a certain amount of materials. If you want to target Persia, you have to prepare everything you need in the Western Regions by yourself."

The country has been stable for decades, the population has multiplied for several generations, and the land has become undivided. The vast land in the south of the desert can be regarded as a solution to the urgent need. The dried meat and Cistanche there are still very good, especially Cistanche, which I occasionally take in small amounts. "

Li Zhi smiled and waved his hand, "No need to be so polite, let's get straight to the point, starting with Wu Yi. Although you're back to manage the bank, you'll still be the chief steward. As for the specific candidates, I'll leave it to you to decide. After all, you're more familiar with the people in Yuzhou."

Facts have proved that Li Zhi's choice was correct. After just over two years, not only has the barren land seen initial results, but the most important thing is the increase in land, which has completely solved the major problem of overpopulation in the country.

So when Wang Zheng proposed that Goguryeo delay for two years, even though the situation was very good at the time, Li Zhi immediately agreed to delay for two years, because Liaodong was cold and bitter, and not much tax could be collected by conquering it.

Li Zhi nodded and said with a smile: "Haha, it's good to be able to follow the routine. I like to follow the routine because it means stability. Although Mo Nan doesn't have any special features, it's a good place as it is vast.

Although you don't need to worry about land issues in the next thirty or twenty years, after that, you will feel the need to expand outward.

Instead of trying to find a solution later, it is better to start now. After all, the opportunity is rare now. Persia is still in the midst of war, and Prince Perrus is a good leader.

With his leadership, the old subjects of the old country will all be helpers of our army, and there will also be people who are familiar with the terrain. Compared to thirty or twenty years later, starting now will definitely save a lot of effort.

Moreover, if the Tibetan king is given thirty or twenty years to travel west with your winter clothes, he might have left India by then. It would be troublesome if he were to confront our army. Therefore, I would like to point our sword at Persia now.

As for the money and food, the court does not need to bear the burden. After all, at the beginning, the number of troops sent out will not be too large. Moreover, I plan to fight to support the war and eat the enemy, so I think it should not be a big problem. "