Du Qi did not care about how Hu Youshan governed Yanqi Country. This was because Jin Wuque was in charge of supervising and disciplining. With Jin Wuque there, the governance of Yanqi Country would naturally be reformed.
However, Du Qi paid attention to the matter of Hu Youshan inviting the new salt merchants. At the start, when Hu Youshan announced that he had invited the new salt merchants, it caused a huge reaction.
Many salt merchants came over when they heard the news, hoping to sell salt within Yanqi Prefecture. In the end, Hu Youshan chose two salt merchants and allowed them to sell salt within Yanqi Prefecture.
With that, with competition and comparison, the price of salt within Yanqi Prefecture started to fall. In the end, it reached a relatively stable price. The current price of salt was at least 50% lower than the original price of salt in Yanqi Country.
The commoners were happy to see this happen.
Each and every one of them praised Hu Youshan. Due to the current price, the commoners were able to eat much cheaper salt.
Du Qi also praised this situation.
Especially when Hu Youshan managed to calm down Long Zheng Yang's emotions, such that Long Zheng Yang did not resist at all. Du Qi even received news that Long Zheng Yang had a conflict with Zhang Zicheng over this matter. In the end, Zhang Zicheng did not dare to say anything more and just obediently set up the Crystal Clear Salt Store. As such, Hu Youshan's first administration went smoothly.
Yanqi Prefecture's reforms also proceeded.
Hu Youshan did things in a systematic manner, and his methods were light. However, after the personnel were adjusted, the officials were all grateful to Hu Youshan and did not resist at all.
As such, the reforms proceeded smoothly.
As they entered the end of the 6th month, the weather became hotter and hotter. However, the development of Yanqi Prefecture started to speed up. Due to the addition of Du Qi's merchants, the exemption of taxes, and the abolition of labor, the commoners' lives became better and better.
Apart from that, there were also many fortifications.
Everything was progressing well.
6th month, 28th day, close to noon. A servant entered the palace and saw Du Qi. He reported, "Your highness, Advisor Yi has returned and is asking to see you."
Du Qi instructed, "Let him in."
"Yes!"
The attendant immediately went to pass down the order.
It didn't take long for Yi Fusheng to enter. After he entered the main hall, he immediately knelt down and kowtowed to Du Qi. "Your Highness, I was incompetent and failed to live up to Your Highness's trust. When I arrived in the Qiuci Kingdom, I was imprisoned by the Qiuci Kingdom's ruler. Now, because the Qiuci Monarch learned that Your Highness had defeated the Turks and won a major victory, he released this subject and allowed this subject to return. "
"This subject shall be sentenced to death!"
"Please punish me, Your Highness!"
At this moment, Yi Fusheng looked ashamed. This was because his diplomatic mission to Qizi Country had actually failed. After he went to the Qiuci Kingdom, the Qiuci King imprisoned him without a word. It was only now that the Qiuci Ruler knew that Du Qi had conquered Yanqi that he allowed him to return. It could be said that his diplomatic mission this time did not help Du Qi at all.
Du Qi looked at Yi Fusheng's expression and said, "When it comes to being an envoy, success is not guaranteed. It didn't mean that one had to succeed in order to be rewarded. Although your diplomatic mission to Qizi Country failed, it's good that you returned. Diplomatic missions are extremely dangerous to begin with. Rise, I don't blame you. "
When Yi Fusheng heard this, he felt even more ashamed because he had failed to complete his mission. He stood up and said, "Your Highness, this subject has returned with the Qiuci Monarch's words. However, this subject believes that his words cannot be trusted. "
Du Qi asked, "What did he say?"
Yi Fusheng said seriously, "The Qiuci Monarch congratulated Your Highness on your great victory. In order to congratulate Your Highness, he had this subject bring a lot of wealth and jewels. In addition, the Qiuci Monarch said that he is willing to submit to Your Highness and pay tribute every year. "
When Du Qi heard this, he snorted coldly.
A fierce look flashed across his eyes.
Submit and pay tribute!
Du Qi did not need people to submit and pay tribute. What he wanted was complete control of Qizi Country. He wanted the entire country to submit to him, not Qizi Country to become an independent country.
Yi Fusheng continued, "Your Highness, there were many people in Qizi Country who were willing to surrender. However, the Qiuci Monarch Chi Cheng vetoed them, which was why he imprisoned this subject. As for now, there are still many people who are willing to surrender. However, Chi Cheng was unwilling to surrender and chose to become an independent country. "
Du Qi said, "Chi Cheng chose to submit and only asked you to bring back wealth and jewels. Then, he asked you to pass on a message. Did he not send any other envoys? "
"Yes!"
Yi Fusheng nodded and replied.
Du Qi sneered, "Chi Cheng's methods are truly arrogant! He submitted to the higher-ups and didn't even send an envoy. I reckon that this submission was just for show. In reality, he was worried that if he sent an envoy, it would be easy for this King to kill him. "
Yi Fusheng said, "Your Highness is wise!"
Du Qi said, "Now that Yanqi Country has been pacified, next is Qizi Country."
Du Qi immediately arranged for someone to call Guo Xiaozheng and Jiang Changzong over, saying, "We've already taken down Yanqi Country. This King plans to attack Qizi Country. Do you have any suggestions?"
Hearing this, Jiang Changzong said, "Your Highness, for this attack on Qizi Country, will we send out the entire army or only a small number of people to attack Qizi Country?"
Du Qi said, "This King will remain in Yanqi Country and will only send out an army to attack Qizi Country. After all, Yanqi Country has just submitted, and everything is still unstable. If the army suddenly leaves, it's very likely that the rear will catch fire. Yanqi Country is slightly different from Gaochang Country, so I won't leave for now. "
Jiang Changzong immediately breathed a sigh of relief after hearing this, saying, "Your Highness is wise!"
He was worried that Du Qi would go with him.
If Du Qi went, there would be no one to oversee Yanqi Country.
It would be very easy for problems to arise.
Jiang Changzong continued, "Your Highness, since we're dispatching troops to attack Qizi Country, I believe that speed is the most important thing in war. We can dispatch troops directly and attack Qizi Country as fast as lightning. This time, if we want to completely crush Qizi Country's army, we must dispatch troops quickly. In addition, I suggest that we use grenades and gunpowder to launch a powerful attack. "
Du Qi said, "That's what I mean."
Yi Fusheng said, "I've been to Qizi Country before and know the route. Although I didn't make any contributions when I was there, I didn't persuade Qizi Country to surrender. However, I've memorized the map along the way. "
Du Qi nodded, saying, "That's fine!"
Guo Xiaozheng said again, "Your Highness, I think we can dispatch Generals Xue Rengui and Ma Yuan for this battle. As for Yanqi Country, General Xiao Yuanqi is enough. "
Du Qi said, "That's fine!"
After a pause, Du Qi said, "For this battle, Xue Rengui will be the main force, and Ma Yuan will be the support."
Guo Xiaozheng and Jiang Changzong then talked about the reforms that Yanqi Country needed to undergo, and Du Qi approved them one by one. After everything was arranged, Yi Fusheng personally went to deliver the order. After all, Yi Fusheng had to go with the troops.
Yi Fusheng entered the army and quickly conveyed Du Qi's order. Xue Rengui and Ma Yuan received the order, and the two of them mobilized a total of ten thousand troops, two thousand of which were cavalry.
This army quickly left the county town and headed west. The distance between Yanqi Country and Qizi Country wasn't far, and the army only took half a day to march. Not long after they left Yanqi Country's Iron Gate, they entered Qizi Country's territory and headed straight for the country's capital.
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