Inside the Xianyang Palace. King Qin is looking at the investigation report handed over by Wang Jian, Yang Duanhe and others.

"Zhao Gao. Prepare the car and go to the prime minister's house." King Qin said after reading the report.

"Here." Zhao Gao promised and was ready to go immediately.

Inside the prime minister's house.

Shang Wen walked back and forth without saying anything, while Meng Yi sat on the sofa and watched Shang Wen walk back and forth.

"The prime minister, why don't we ask King Qin to explain the situation now?" Meng Yi asked as he looked at Shangwen walking back and forth.

"No. It's not time." Shang Wen said, shaking his head.

"It's not time?" Meng Yi asked.

"Right." Shang Wen nodded and said.

"This matter is too big. Although we have made a plan, it is really not the time now." Shang Wen continued.

"do not understand". Meng Yi shook his head and said.

"What's not the time?" At this moment, King Qin walked in and asked.

"The king." Meng Yi saluted immediately.

"The King." Shang Wen saluted at this time.

"Tell me, why isn't it time?" King Qin asked.

"En. Your prince. What the minister wants to talk about is about the merchants on the northern border." Shang Wen said truthfully.

"En. It's the same thing for widows to come here." King Qin said while standing.

"Wang Jian, Yang Duanhe sent the report. After reading it, the widow felt that this matter was difficult to deal with, so widow first listen to your opinion." King Qin said.

"However, since you are going to say the same thing, the widow wants to hear why you are saying it. It's not the time yet." King Qin continued.

"En." Shang Wen nodded.

"Your Majesty. This matter involves the interests of the military. If the commercial interests of the North are rushed into it at this time, I am afraid it will be detrimental to the State of Qin, and it is indeed not the time now." Shang Wen continued.

"En. Tell me more specifically." King Qin continued.

"Your Majesty. The matter of frontier defense is the matter of Qin's military. Now the military is divided into the army, the navy, the heavenly army, and the three parties." Shang Wen said.

"And these three parties need a lot of financial revenue to support. Among the three armies, the army is the main one," Shang Wen said. King Qin waited patiently.

"Why the army can get most of the funds from fiscal revenue. Mainly because they guard Qin's border defenses. Only when they guard the border defenses can the army have any meaning. Now the army and the heavenly army are extremely competitive. The army does it for its own sake. Interests. Naturally, I am definitely not willing to give up the defense of the North. I thought about it. The original plan was to quickly establish the Qin State Northern Trading Company, but the Army would definitely not agree to it." Shang Wen said.

"Why?" King Qin asked.

"The state of Qin implements an active defense strategy. The state of Qin absolutely cannot compress the defense line on the inside line, and the defense strategy should be placed on the outside line. But at present, Qin State lacks a lot of financial support. The army only defends on the border It's online." King Qin said.

"The minister's method is to let the merchants have a large amount of armed forces and put their defenses on the outside line. Then they use outside diplomacy, military, and economic methods to defend themselves." Shang Wen said.

"The military is obviously unable to satisfy this point. Only the merchants are suitable for this. And the merchants have mastered a part of the military armament. Especially the external tribal armaments. This is currently the case." Shang Wen said.

"En." King Qin said.

"If you are a widow, the widow will not agree to this matter. Businessmen are all profitable. If they are profitable, the interests of the State of Qin cannot be taken into account. The widow is in this matter, and the worry is here." King Qin said.

"As long as Qin State gives enough funds, this army can defend this border line. This is also beneficial to Qin State. Few people can't figure it out, what is your active defense strategy?" King Qin asked.

"My lord. The minister's idea is that the merchants are highly profitable. But if the state participates in it, special licenses will be issued. If necessary, the Qin army can participate in it. In this way, the merchants will go ahead. The soldiers will provide security guarantees behind. National soldier." Shang Wen said.

"And the state participates with a license and takes up a certain amount of shares. This part of the shares. It is the national interest. And businessmen with this license can seek greater benefits, what do they get. Part of the freedom of diplomatic rights, and the right to war. , Commercial trade rights. And what did Qin get? Trade taxes, in addition, a large amount of trade also drives the economy of the inland, especially the economic development of several neighboring states, so that Qin will indirectly generate more taxes." Shang Wen Then talked about.

"Not only that, Qin also participates in the shares. It is best to set up this company in the name of the country, involving merchants and merchants. In this way, a huge merchant group will be formed at the border. The merchants have a lot of hands. All kinds of resources, such as money, weapons, logistics supplies, etc. These various resources can quickly launch the final fatal blow to the Huns under the profit of the merchants. Think about it. This is very cost-effective." Shang Wen said.

"Go on." King Qin sat on the sofa and listened patiently to Shang Wen's explanation.

"Qin State has reduced a lot of military financial expenditures, and military expenditures can be gradually reduced. Financial pressure can be reduced a lot. This is one of them." Shang Wen continued.

"Secondly, the attack on the Huns will take a variety of methods simultaneously. Military strikes cost too much financial pressure. At present, the Qin State cannot meet the requirements. Moreover, the cost of military strikes is too high. It is too uneconomical. At this time, the Huns are already. The division is very serious. Although the Huns are not as strong as before, they still have them. If Qin uses military pressure to suppress them at this time, not only Qin’s finances cannot bear it. The cost of war is high. At the same time, the impact on the Huns is also effective. Not very good. If merchants form a business group and participate in it, they will take military strikes against the uncooperative Hun tribes. Especially after joining diplomatic means, the Qin State can unite with other Hun tribes or other minority tribes to participate together. Divide the Xiongnu territory, and use trade and other means at the same time to divide, disintegrate, and digest these minority tribes. Then, the effect of Qin will change very quickly." Shang Wen said.

"The military has only one method of military strikes. And businessmen form a commercial group, especially after Qin participates in shares, Qin has a lot of means. Diplomacy, military, economic and trade, etc. These are just dealing with the Xiongnu." Shang Wen said.

"More?" King Qin felt that Shang Wen had said enough. But he didn't expect Shangwen to say a lot.

"Right." Shang Wen nodded then.

"Also, it is the development of the northern territory. Qin is not only trying to eliminate the hidden dangers of northern nomadic tribes. At the same time, Qin also wants to develop the north. The north is like Qin’s current Guyuan. The north must contain a lot of mineral resources. The development of these mineral resources is important for the establishment of commercial groups in the north. Qin's industry not only needs these resources. Qin's economy. Six countries. The Central Plains, and even the entire world. Therefore, Qin needs to be established in the north. Such a business group." Shang Wen said.

"En. The prime minister thinks far away. Just relying on the pastures, horses, cattle and sheep on this prairie. These businessmen will not exert such great power. They will not have such good benefits to worry about them. If the prime minister speaks out the resources , These people, don't go digging. This is more long-term than the widows." King Qin agreed with Shang Wen's view. In particular, Shang Wen proposed the idea of ​​establishing a business group to gain greater resources. This made King Qin not expect.

In fact, this is not a thought. This is the way of thinking. In Shangwen's view, these places are already quite developed. Siberia in the north, in the eyes of the ancients, is a barren land. But after modern people, especially modern people, have mastered various sciences and technologies, the resources they use will be broader than the ancients, and they can naturally see more long-term. On this point, Shang Wen looked farther than King Qin.

Why hasn't the problem of northern nomadism been solved for a long time in ancient times? The root of the problem lies in economic problems. In the eyes of the ancient Central Plains people, the north was a barren land. There is a lack of various materials, and the Central Plains is a land of prosperity. Especially after the development of the South. The economic center of gravity has shifted further south. It is even more difficult to control the north. Therefore, the problem of northern nomadism has not been resolved. This is a limitation of ancient people.

But Shangwen has no such limitations. he knows. The solution of the problem also requires a technical solution. Overcoming technical problems is only time, but resources must be deployed as soon as possible. This is a strategic layout. In Shangwen's view, northern Siberia is not a wild land. There are a large number of various mineral resources in the wild underground. This is very important to Qin State. Therefore, Shang Wen thought of using the merchant group to do it.

"Your Majesty. The difficulty lies with the military. The interests of the military. It is difficult to calm down. Moreover, the force of the military is needed behind this policy. This is a good idea. But if the interests of the military cannot be mobilized. Or It's not to let the army participate in it. I think. It's difficult." Shang Wen said worriedly.

"Is this the time you said it hasn't arrived?" King Qin asked.

"Yes." Shang Wen nodded.

"En. This. Minister. I have thought a lot. But there is no way yet. What can I do with the merchants? The generals can come up with such ideas. Naturally it is the natural reaction of the military. After all, the military does not get anything. . If the active outside defense is controlled by merchants, the status of their soldiers will be severely reduced. If it does, military expenditures will fall rapidly. This is difficult to calm down. Therefore, the minister believes that this is very difficult. Moreover. The time has not come." Shang Wen said.