The Southern Nation was located in the north of Ming Province. It was not part of Ming Province, but the Southern Nation under Great Qin's rule.
It was just that the Southern Nation had undergone changes after the Kings were proclaimed.
The Southern Nation's territory was even wider.
The resources within its borders were also more abundant.
The Southern Kingdom's King was called Wang Tan, and he was originally from Great Qin's imperial clan. He was one of the members of the imperial clan who had been in charge of the Southern Continent, and he held the position of General of the South. However, Wang Tan was not satisfied with this. After the world was in turmoil, Wang Tan directly rebelled, killed the former Governor of Southern Nation, and then proclaimed himself King of the Southern Nation.
Wang Tan was extremely shrewd and was not a mediocre lord. He even governed the Southern Nation, reduced taxes, and pardoned countless criminals, allowing countless people to go home and reunite with their families.
Wang Tan had a high prestige in the Southern Nation.
The Southern Nation was also very strong.
Wang Tan's personality was also calm, and he was not in a hurry to expand. The world had just begun to be in chaos, and no one knew what would happen in the future. Therefore, Wang Tan's strategy was to stabilize himself and develop his strength first.
This was a very good suggestion.
It was precisely because of this that the strength of the Southern Nation under Wang Tan's rule increased rapidly. It should be known that in the beginning, the overall strength of the Southern Nation could not even compare to that of the Ming Kingdom, but now, the Southern Nation's strength had surpassed that of the Ming Kingdom.
On this day, Wang Tan was discussing matters with the Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister of the Southern Nation was called Wu Youdao.
This person used to be Wang Tan's aide. It could be said that almost all of Wang Tan's strategies for governing the country were Wu Youdao's suggestions. Wu Youdao was resourceful and capable, while Wang Tan did not doubt the people he used.
Wu Youdao said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty, during this period of time, I've been mainly busy investigating the population. Right now, the population of the Southern Nation has been investigated. The population is about 130,000 people, but this number is not enough. The place is vast but sparsely populated, and a lot of land is under control. However, the population still cannot be increased on a large scale. Therefore, I believe that we should carry out reforms. We should make changes in order to improve our strength. "
Wang Tan said, "What do you think we should do, Prime Minister?"
Wu Youdao said, "This subject believes that there are five aspects to this matter that need to be carried out."
"Five aspects?"
After hearing this, Wang Tan was a little surprised.
Because this matter was obviously not simple.
Of course, Wang Tan was also 100% in favor of increasing the population. In order to further increase the strength of the Southern Empire, or even to allow the Southern Empire to truly dominate a region in the future, this was the long-term solution.
It was impossible not to develop the population.
It was a rootless duckweed.
Wang Tan suppressed the surprise in his heart and said in a deep voice, "Prime Minister, tell me, what are the five aspects? You mentioned five aspects the moment you opened your mouth. This Prince is also a little shocked. "
Wu Youdao said, "First, His Majesty will release the palace maids and let the extra palace maids leave the palace. After all, there were many palace maids in the palace. There was no need to keep so many of them. His Majesty, as the role model of the country, took the initiative to release the palace maids. The people of the world will be grateful for his benevolence, and the people will be more stable. "
After Wang Tan heard this, he thought for a moment and said, "Approved!"
He had always been indifferent to wealth and women. Moreover, releasing a batch of palace maids back home would not have much impact on his palace.
Wu Youdao said, "His Majesty is wise!"
Wang Tan stroked his beard and said, "What's the point of being wise or not? It's something that should be done. After the establishment of the Southern Empire, we have to think for the people. With the people, the Southern Empire will naturally stand tall. If it's the other way around and you think that there will only be people with the Southern Empire, then you're gravely mistaken. "
Wu Youdao said, "Your Majesty's strategy can be said to be rare in the world, and you're also a mighty lord. With your Majesty like this, the Southern Empire will definitely be able to establish a foothold in the world in the future and even sweep the universe. "
"Hahaha …"
After hearing this, Wang Tan couldn't help but laugh.
He seemed quite proud.
One must know that Wu Youdao had always been a calm person and rarely praised like this. Now, Wu Youdao's words also made Wang Tan praise him in his heart, thinking that this was an excellent thing.
After laughing, Wang Tan changed the topic and said, "Prime Minister, let's talk about the second point."
Wu Youdao's expression turned serious and he said, "Second, the Imperial Court has issued an order that if a woman doesn't marry at the age of eighteen, the Imperial Court will directly intervene and choose a candidate for the marriage. Originally, this subject thought that the woman could marry at the age of sixteen at a younger age. But after considering that it's too harsh, it's easy to cause problems. Therefore, the Imperial Court has set a rule that if a woman doesn't marry at the age of eighteen, the Imperial Court will directly intervene. This arrangement is to make the woman marry earlier and not stay in the boudoir all the time. "
Wang Tan said, "Approved!"
Wu Youdao continued, "Third, the Imperial Court has issued an order that anyone who gives birth to a third child and reaches the age of one will be given 300 catties of grain and a sheep as an additional reward. This is to encourage fertility. Currently, the Southern Empire is vast and sparsely populated. If the people can give birth to more children, then the population will soar in the future. Even the fourth and fifth children will be given a reward by the Imperial Court. "
Wang Tan said, "Prime Minister, why don't you give the reward directly after giving birth to a child? You should wait until the child reaches the age of one before giving the reward. "
Wu Youdao said, "The human heart is unfathomable, Your Majesty. Many people have given birth to small children and it's not easy to raise them. So, in order to let the children grow up, certain conditions must be given. Before the age of one, it's easy to have all kinds of diseases. Just a little bit of disease and the child may be gone. After the age of one, it's easier for the child to grow up. "
A smile appeared on Wang Tan's face as he praised, "The Prime Minister's consideration is very thorough. Not bad, not bad!"
Wu Youdao said, "You're too kind, Your Majesty."
Wang Tan said, "What about the fourth condition?"
A glint appeared in Wu Youdao's eyes as he said in a deep voice, "The fourth condition is to give birth to a baby girl from the third child. As for the third condition, the Imperial Court will give an additional reward of two sheep. "
After Wang Tan heard it, he carefully pondered in his heart and immediately understood. He nodded and said, "The Prime Minister's consideration is indeed meticulous. Many people don't like women in this place. But to give birth and raise children, it just so happens that women are inseparable. So, the Imperial Court will give preferential treatment to let more women grow up. In the future, when they get married and have children, then our population will be able to increase further. "
Wu Youdao said, "That's what I mean."
Wang Tan said, "What about the fifth condition?"
Wu Youdao said in a deep voice, "The fifth condition is the tax exemption. As long as there is a fifth child in a farmer's family, and the youngest child is also one year old, they can be exempted from corvee labor in the family. This is the biggest incentive. "
After Wang Tan heard it, he couldn't help laughing and said, "Oh, Prime Minister, you've really put in a lot of effort to encourage the people to have children. You've really worried yourself to death!"
Wu Youdao said, "There's nothing we can do about it. Our Southern Nation is vast but sparsely populated, and our population is seriously insufficient. As for the Southern Nation's territory, under the current circumstances, it's not a problem to accommodate at least 800,000 people. If our population can exceed 500,000, then our Southern Nation's overall strength will more than double. Population is the most critical and also a big problem that restricts our development. "
After a pause, Wu Youdao sighed and said, "Unfortunately, the world is in chaos, and the control of population is extremely strict in various places. People are prohibited from leaving at will. Therefore, it was basically impossible to fish for people from other places and obtain the common people. Therefore, at present, we can only rely on ourselves. "
Wang Tan nodded and said, "You're right, Prime Minister. Go ahead and arrange this matter. This King will fully cooperate."
"Reporting!"
At this moment, a eunuch entered.
After the eunuch stood still, he reported, "Reporting to Your Majesty, a man named Lan Jiuzhen is outside the city. He claims to be the Fire Nation's Prime Minister and has come to the Southern Nation on the orders of the Fire Nation's King."
Wang Tan ordered, "Summon him!"
The eunuch received the order and turned to inform the Prime Minister.
Wang Tan turned to look at Wu Youdao and said, "If I remember correctly, Prime Minister. Lan Jiuzhen is the brother-in-law of Guer Ha of the Ming Nation. He's also very powerful in the Ming Nation. He's now the Fire Nation's Prime Minister. "
Wu Youdao said, "There's nothing we can do about it, Your Majesty. According to the news we received, the Ming Nation has been destroyed and Guer Ha is dead. So, it's not surprising that Lan Jiuzhen is now in the Fire Nation. "
Wang Tan nodded.
He suddenly remembered that Wu Youdao had mentioned it before, but Wang Tan didn't take it to heart.
He didn't pay attention to it.
After all, the war between the Ming Nation and Xia Xia in the south had nothing to do with the Southern Nation. As long as Guer Ha and Du Qi didn't intervene in the Southern Nation and didn't take the initiative to invade, Wang Tan wouldn't do anything.
It didn't take long for Lan Jiuzhen to enter.
Lan Jiuzhen was dressed in splendid attire. After seeing Wang Tan, he also glanced at Wu Youdao and said, "Lan Jiuzhen, the Fire Nation's Envoy, greets Your Highness, Prince Nan."
Wang Tan said, "Lan Jiuzhen, what's your position in the Fire Nation now?"
Lan Jiuzhen said, "I'm the Prime Minister."
Wang Tan nodded. He praised Chen Can's courage in his heart. After getting Lan Jiuzhen, he dared to directly appoint him as the Prime Minister and handed over all the government affairs to him. He was indeed courageous and insightful.
Wang Tan said in a deep voice, "You're here on Chen Can's order. What's the matter?"
Lan Jiuzhen said, "I'm here on my King's order to form an alliance with Prince Nan and discuss the matter of jointly dispatching troops to the south to attack Du Qi and Xia Xia."
After hearing this, Wang Tan pondered in his heart.
Attack Du Qi?
Seeing that Wang Tan didn't speak for the time being, Lan Jiuzhen continued, "Du Qi is a very aggressive and ruthless person. He was a businessman in Fushan County, but in a short time, he took over Songyang County and Jingyang County. Even now, he has taken over Ming County. The Xia Xia he established is to continue expanding.
"I can even conclude that his next step will be either to attack the Southern Nation or my Fire Nation.
"This is the so-called preemptive strike.
"Therefore, my King has arranged for me to come to the Southern Nation as an envoy, hoping to facilitate an alliance between the two nations. Then, we'll join hands to encircle and suppress Du Qi's Xia Xia. "
Lan Jiuzhen said in a deep voice, "Whether it's my Fire Nation or the Southern Nation, both are extremely strong. If both of us send troops at the same time, Du Qi's Xia Xia won't be able to resist and will be divided. At that time, you and I will divide Du Qi. "
Wang Tan was very calm in his heart.
He wasn't particularly moved by the benefits because he had always been a very calm person.
After pondering for a while, Wang Tan came up with a plan in his heart and said, "Prime Minister Lan, this is a very important matter. It's related to the national policy of the Southern Empire, so I must think about it and discuss it with my subordinates before giving you an answer. Go and rest. It won't be too late to tell you after I've discussed it. What do you think? "
Lan Jiuzhen said, "Of course!"
Wang Tan immediately called the soldiers and asked them to take Lan Jiuzhen away to rest.
Wang Tan looked at Wu Youdao and said, "What do you think of this matter, Prime Minister?"
Wu Youdao said, "Your Majesty, please allow me to think about it."
Wang Tan nodded and didn't urge him. He just waited quietly. After all, he still needed to see what kind of analysis Wu Youdao would give before making a decision.
After a long while, Wu Youdao said, "Your Majesty, I've roughly thought about this matter and found that there are three situations we can choose from. Therefore, I'll analyze it first. "
Wang Tan said, "Please speak, Prime Minister."
What he valued most about Wu Youdao was his analysis of the situation. His analysis was very clear and detailed.
Wu Youdao's eyes were sharp as he said, "First, if Lan Jiuzhen comes to ask for help, we'll naturally agree directly. Then, if that's what Lan Jiuzhen said, we'll join forces to deal with Xia Xia. "
Wang Tan said, "What's the second choice?"
Wu Youdao said, "Second, we'll ignore it and wait to see what happens for the time being. We'll just take care of ourselves. If Lan Jiuzhen really joins forces, then we'll just forget about it and ignore the Fire Nation. "
Wang Tan said, "Third?"
A glint flashed in Wu Youdao's eyes as he said in a deep voice, "Third, we'll do the opposite and join forces with Du Qi of Xia Xia to deal with the Fire Nation directly."
Wang Tan's heart shook when he heard this analysis. Wu Youdao was indeed his strategist.
Wu Youdao's analysis was really bold.
Wang Tan said, "Prime Minister, which option do you lean towards?"
Wu Youdao replied, "Your Majesty, regarding this matter, I believe that Du Qi of Xia Xia is indeed not easy to deal with. He's extremely powerful. Such a person is actually not suitable to be our enemy for the time being. Because we're currently fighting with Du Qi. I believe that even if we join forces with the Fire Nation, we may not be able to eliminate Du Qi. The reason is simple. The Ming Nation was directly wiped out. This shows his strength. "
"Moreover, according to the previous news, the Fire Nation had sent tens of thousands of troops to reinforce Guer Ha. In the end, Chen Can's own troops were also exhausted. Not only did he not help, but he also did not get any benefits. Instead, he got himself into trouble. "
"Just from this battle alone, we can see Du Qi's strength."
Wu Youdao said, "So, when dealing with such a person, we either don't make a move or maintain a peaceful relationship for the time being. As for what the future will be like, it will depend on our own development and ability. "
"So, I'm leaning towards joining forces with Du Qi."
"Attacking the Fire Nation at the same time."
"Further, we'll strive to divide the Fire Nation's strength and further increase our strength. After all, for us, it's best for us to develop steadily and surely. "
Wu Youdao said, "Your Majesty, this is your subject's consideration. But how to choose and how to decide is still up to Your Majesty. After all, this is what Your Majesty is good at. "
Hearing this, Wang Tan nodded.
He was also weighing the pros and cons in his heart.
Which one should he choose?
Waiting and watching was obviously not the most suitable strategy, because there would be nothing to gain. Once Du Qi destroyed the Fire Nation, then Du Qi's strength would increase too much. So, he needed Wang Tan's intervention.
Wang Tan's intervention was also not suitable for them to become enemies with Du Qi for the time being. It would be best if they could get a share of the profits.
Wang Tan thought for a while and said, "Prime Minister, we'll adopt your strategy. But since we've adopted this strategy, how should we arrange it? "
Wu Youdao said, "Your subject is willing to personally go to Hongshan County in the South Xia to visit Du Qi. First, we'll bring Lan Jiuzhen there to show our sincerity. Second, we'll form an alliance. Third, we'll take this opportunity to test Du Qi and observe Du Qi's overall strength. After all, we won't know the situation without personally observing. "
Wang Tan thought for a while and said, "Since that's the case, then we'll have to consider the consequences of offending the Fire Nation. So, this matter must be carried out secretly for the time being and can't be arranged immediately. At least, we'll have to form an alliance with Du Qi before we can hand him over and leak the information about Lan Jiuzhen. "
Wu Youdao nodded and said, "Your Majesty, don't worry. Your subject understands."
Wang Tan said, "Prime Minister, since you already have an idea, then make the arrangements as soon as possible. I'll be waiting for your good news. "
"Your subject will take his leave!"
Wu Youdao immediately got up and left.
After all, he was the Prime Minister and was responsible for many things. Now that he was leaving, he had to hand over all the government affairs in his hands before he could go to the South Xia.
As for Lan Jiuzhen, he could only be imprisoned.
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