Chang'an City, Yun Xiyan's residence.
It's a day off today, and Yun Xiyan invited Yan Xiwen, Qin Mowen, Ning Yuchun and Sima Tao to come to his house to enjoy the snow.
Yun Xiyan's mansion is very large, with five courtyards in front and back. The best place to enjoy the snow is the Listening Snow Tower in the Plum Courtyard.
The windows of Tingxue Tower are bright on all sides, and there are plum trees outside the windows.
The plum blossoms are in bud, and a few flowers that can't wait have already bloomed.
The red plum blossoms, yellow plum blossoms and white snow set off each other, creating a beautiful scene.
Three stoves were lit in Tingxue Tower, and eight people were sitting in front of a tea table made of finely crafted rosewood. Among them were the three most powerful prime ministers of Daxia, as well as wealthy tycoons.
Among them were Zhang Qiyue, Qiao Chushi and Chen Qingyi who returned from the Leah continent.
"This year's Ministry of Revenue's financial report is out." Yun Xiyan brewed tea, looked at everyone's expectant eyes with a beaming face, and kept it a secret: "Guess whether it's an increase or decrease compared to last year?"
Sima Tao smiled and said, "Of course it has increased. My family has roughly calculated this year's revenue from domestic and foreign trade, and it has increased by a full 20% compared to last year!"
"Then do you know where the main increase this year is?"
Yun Xiyan asked this question again. The three prime ministers still didn't know about this matter. Yan Xiwen pondered for a moment, raised an eyebrow and asked, "Could it be those poverty alleviation places?"
After asking this question, Yan Xiwen grinned and shook his head, denying his own thoughts, "It won't come from those impoverished areas."
The rural revitalization plan has been implemented for more than half a year, and there are definitely some results. However, because the roads are still not connected and the foundations in those places are too weak, these results cannot be reflected in the financial report of the Ministry of Households in just over half a year... In fact, according to the financial report of the Ministry of Households, these places are still spending large amounts of money and are still receiving relief from the central government.
Qin Mowen twitched his beard. "Trade with neighboring countries? There are more and more foreigners in Chang'an now, most of them are merchants from countries like the Arab Empire, Loulan, and Persia. The overland Silk Road is now largely connected, and I imagine the benefits it brings are very considerable."
Yun Xiyan poured tea for everyone and said with a smile, "Prime Minister Qin is half right!"
"In fact, over the past three years, the biggest growth point of our Great Xia economy has indeed been trade with neighboring countries, but this year is a little different..."
Yun Xiyan put down the teapot and sat down, glancing at everyone. "This year, there is a place that has performed particularly well, and that is the Leah Continent!"
Everyone was surprised when these words were spoken.
Last year, shipping routes were officially opened to the continent of Leah, but the real trade with the continent of Leah did not start until the second half of last year.
In other words, in just a year and a half, the trade between Daxia and the Leah continent has achieved rapid development.
"According to incomplete statistics from the Port Administration, the number of round-trip flights from Daxia to the Leah Continent was only five per day at the end of last year, but by this summer, it had increased to thirty flights per day!"
"When the news of the banquet hosted by the Emperor arrived on the Leah Continent this year... July and the other three all knew about it... The Emperor designated the Leah Continent as a springboard to Europe and North America. This means that trade with those countries will become more frequent in the future."
"Although no one knows what the European and North American continents look like, the Emperor has said that this route is the Maritime Silk Road. He said that the countries in those places are very wealthy and there is gold everywhere!"
"Our merchants in Daxia have made a fortune following him... You all are making fortunes by following him, right?... So after hearing his words, our merchants in Daxia quickly turned their attention to the Leah Continent!"
"By the end of the year, the number of cargo ships traveling to and from the Daxiajiangcheng wharf to the Leah continent has reached a whopping one hundred per day!"
"This has benefited Far East Road. It has become an extremely important cargo transit and supply location, driving its rapid development."
"According to statistics from the Ministry of Revenue at the end of this year, thousands of merchants from Daxia have opened workshops on the Leah Continent, including your Sima family, the Qiyue family's Jinxiufang, and many others."
"Over the past year or so, those three countries on the Leah continent have become Daxia's largest commodity processing base! Labor there is cheap, and resources are abundant. As their living standards improve, their spending power is also gradually strengthening, becoming a core growth point for Daxia's economy this year!"
Yun Xiyan said this in a very eloquent manner, and only then did Yan Xiwen and the other two realize that the place that Fu Xiaoguan had opened up was so important to Daxia!
"He's playing a big game!"
This "he" of course refers to Fu Xiaoguan.
Yun Xiyan added with great emotion, "If the European and North American continents are really as he said, if he really signed trade agreements with those countries... the Leah continent will become even more prosperous, and Daxia will stand at the top of the world!"
There is no exaggeration in this statement.
Because Yan Xiwen and the others knew how beneficial the agreements drafted by Fu Xiaoguan were to Daxia!
Daxia will definitely gain a great advantage. If this Silk Road is completed as expected, it will definitely be the golden avenue he mentioned!
This is something everyone is looking forward to.
"Ah...it's been over a year since he left. I wonder where he's at now, or if he's doing well." Ning Yuchun sighed as he picked up his teacup. "Before he left, he said it would be five years at most, three at least...why do I feel like every day feels like a year?"
"Hahahaha..." Yan Xiwen laughed. "It's mainly because the pie he painted is too big. The people and merchants of Daxia are all eyeing it eagerly. Of course, they all hope to get a piece of it as soon as possible!"
"That's the truth... By the way, the emperor went to Guanyun City. I heard that he was going to the royal cemetery to pay homage to the New Year... Why didn't you three accompany him on such an important occasion?"
Yun Xiyan looked at the three prime ministers and asked this question.
"I went to the Imperial Study to ask the Emperor, and he said that state affairs were more important... He only brought a few officials from the Imperial Observatory and some people from his inner court with him. I think the Emperor must have grown sensible."
Yun Xiyan pondered for a moment and looked out the window. Snow was falling outside the window, and everything was white. He looked a little lonely.
Qin Mowen frowned slightly and asked, "Is there something we don't know?"
"The treasury...is out of money!"
"How do you know?"
"Your Majesty... Before he left, the Retired Emperor told me to look for Li Jindou to check the treasury." Yun Xiyan looked at Chen Qingyi. "A month ago, I went to see your master. Mr. Li was very upset, but there was nothing he could do. The treasury was originally the emperor's personal vault. If the emperor wanted to use it, he had to withdraw it. But Mr. Li was careful and recorded the whereabouts of the money!"
Yan Xiwen asked in a low voice: "Where did you go?"
"In addition to the summer resort, more money...was deposited into an account called Qinglong Trading."
Yun Xiyan pursed his lips and continued, "I asked the bank president, Li Cai, to track down this account. The person who opened it is Gong Huanyu, and most of the funds in the account have flowed into the Xixia Autonomous Region!"
"Coincidentally, the account holder in the Xixia Autonomous Region is Tuoba Yu... He is the uncle of Tuoba Wang, the governor of the Xixia Autonomous Region!"
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