***
Yun Qiaoer blinked her big eyes that were as bright as stars, looked at Qin Mu, and then at Gu Hengbo.
It is really hard to predict a person's fate. Li Xiangjun and Bian Yujing had already become Zhaoyi, but Gu Hengbo, after becoming a good woman, experienced the change of dynasties, was crushed by the wheel of the times, and fell into prostitution again, becoming a courtesan on the Qinhuai River.
What about me? If I hadn't met Brother Qin, where would I be? Would I become a pile of bones on the roadside, or would I end up on the Qinhuai River, making a living by singing and dancing to entertain people
Thinking of this, Yun Qiaoer silently hugged Qin Mu's arm, very tightly.
"Girl, what's wrong?" Qin Mu lowered his head and found that her expression was a little strange.
"It's nothing, Brother Qin, I just want to listen to Liang Zhu." Yun Qiaoer immediately smiled so that he wouldn't worry.
"Okay." Qin Mu said to Gu Hengbo, "Then I'll have to trouble you to play the Liang Zhu song for us."
"Okay, sir. If you two need anything else, just let me know."
Gu Hengbo was like a willow branch lying on the waves. She bowed gracefully, stepped out slowly, and sat down in front of the piano stand at the bow. Her jade fingers gently stroked the piano, and a string of melodious piano sounds flowed onto the river, dancing with the jumping moonlight.
The bright moon is in the sky, the sounds of oars, the lights, the singing and dancing are there, the Qinhuai River is as beautiful as a dream.
Yun Qiaoer took a sip of tea, looked at Gu Hengbo at the bow, then raised her face and said with a smile: "Brother Qin, she is very beautiful and charming. Brother Qin's heartbeat is getting faster, I can feel it."
"Nonsense, be careful or I'll beat you up."
"Brother Qin dares to hit me because he is guilty."
"Hahaha... So I really have to accept your frame-up?"
"Yes, don't deny it, I know it!"
Yun Qiao'er had beautiful eyes and a sweet smile, but Qin Mu felt that she clearly deserved a beating.
He leaned against the carved porthole, held the girl in his arms, and looked at the beautiful night view on the river, while his fingers were twisting her ears.
"Ouch! It hurts... It hurts, Brother Qin, be gentle, it really hurts."
"What did you say? Speak louder. I can't hear you."
"Okay, I know I was wrong and I won't dare to frame you again. Brother Qin's heartbeat is not faster, and he is as calm as water..."
"Hahaha... ... "
Qin Mu then let her go. Yun Qiaoer immediately rubbed her ears, pouting her lips. It was a pity that Qin Mu didn't bring a soy sauce bottle, otherwise he would have hung one up.
It was a bit chilly on that August night after the frost, so Qin Mu asked for a thin blanket and wrapped Qiao'er and himself together. The two of them leaned against the porthole and leaned out to admire the moonlight on the river, like two quails stretching their necks.
Gu Hengbo, who was playing the zither at the bow, saw this and couldn't help but laugh secretly, but at the same time, he couldn't help but feel a little envious, envious of the innocent girl who was so doted on.
She was a famous courtesan in Qinhuai. She had met countless customers of all kinds, some serious, some pretending to be elegant, and some showing ugly expressions of drooling over her beauty.
Having experienced the ups and downs of life, it was not the first time for her to see a man bringing a woman on a flower boat, but it was definitely the first time for her to see a couple like this.
Watching them wrapped in a thin blanket, stretching their necks to admire the night view, laughing and talking, oblivious to the people around them, every movement and expression was so natural, it reminded me of mandarin ducks embracing each other's necks, or cranes grooming each other's feathers.
Gu Hengbo had seen through the world and life, but at this moment, he suddenly burst into tears for the two people in the cabin, so that the sound of the piano was a little scattered. Fortunately, the two people in the cabin did not care too much about how the piano sounded.
"Brother Qin, why don't we stay here on this boat instead of going back to the palace tonight?"
"Haha, why not? It's up to you..."
"Hehe... Will Brother Qin go to see Gu Hengbo in the middle of the night? She is really beautiful."
"Why not... Oh, no, you're trying to trick me again, ears."
"No, no, it really hurts... Hehe... Haha..."
That night, Qin Mu and Qiao'er did not return to the palace. Instead, they lay on the painted boat and fell asleep with the autumn water in the river, the moonlight on the boat, and the distant music.
As for whether Qin secretly climbed onto Gu Hengbo's bed in the middle of the night, one can only imagine...
***
Regarding the problem of bad money driving out good money, Qin Mu and his ministers have discussed it several times, but still have not found a good solution to the problem. This seems to have become a historical problem.
In the Huagai Palace that day, Qin Mu mentioned this matter again and asked Xu Yingjie, "I remember Mr. Xu said last time that copper is more expensive than silver in the Qin Dynasty. Is this true?"
Xu Yingjie bowed and said, "Your Majesty, that's right. In fact, since the opening of the sea in the reign of Emperor Longqing of the Ming Dynasty, with the influx of a large amount of silver from overseas, there has always been a trend of silver being cheap and copper being expensive, but it is more obvious now. This is mainly due to the huge increase in trade with Japan.
Since Japan opened the Edo Port, the trade volume between Daqin and Japan has been nearly ten times that of the Ming Dynasty. Japan is rich in silver, and as Daqin drove the Western countries out of the South China Sea, Japan's original trade with Westerners has been cut off, so almost all of Japan's silver has flowed to Daqin.
In general, the trade balance between Daqin and other countries is favorable. Daqin exports a large amount of goods and receives a large amount of gold and silver in return. On the other hand, Daqin's copper production is small. Affected by market supply and demand, the trend of silver being cheap and copper being expensive is probably difficult to change. "
Qin Mu thought for a moment, and asked the eunuch to bring the globe over. He drew a circle on the northern foot of the Yanran Mountain in Mobei, and then said, "When I was on the Northern Expedition, I happened to hear the Mongols say that copper was produced somewhere on the northern foot of the Yanran Mountain. There was probably a huge cave mine."
Qin Mu paused for a moment before saying to the Minister of Works Song Yingxing, "The Ministry of Works might as well send someone to explore here next spring. Our Great Qin lacks copper, and copper is an indispensable and important metal with a wide range of uses. If there is really a huge copper mine at the northern foot of Yanran Mountain, it will greatly alleviate the domestic copper shortage."
It doesn’t matter whether the emperor really heard about this matter.
The ministers were convinced that he had a magical power that could turn stone into gold.
The Ma'anshan iron mine, the Baguio gold mine in Luzon, and even the asphalt mine in Sichuan were all discovered by him.
With these precedents, as long as the emperor said where there was a mine, no one would have any doubts at all.
Song Yingxing was delighted and said, "Don't worry, Your Majesty. I will send people to explore Yanran Mountain right away."
Yanran Mountain was later called Hangai Mountain. In Erdenet City, at the northern foot of Hangai Mountain, there is one of the largest copper mines in the world, located not far northwest of Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Outer Mongolia.
If you look carefully according to the range drawn by Qin Mu, it should not be difficult to find it.
Lu Zhenfei stroked his beard and said, "Your Majesty, Mobei is bitterly cold and not conducive to farming. Once the people of Mobei are allowed to roam, it will be difficult for the court to govern. Although Mobei has been conquered, it has always been like chicken ribs, tasteless to eat and a pity to abandon. I have thought about it for a long time, but I have not come up with a good solution to the problem of Mobei.
After listening to what Your Majesty said today, I felt like a new light has finally come to me. If, as Your Majesty said, there is really a huge copper mine at the northern foot of Yanran Mountain, then Mobei will have a new output that can serve as an economic pillar. From a long-term perspective, this will be of great help to our dynasty in consolidating its rule over Mobei."
"Haha, what Lu Qing said makes a lot of sense, a lot of sense."
Qin Mulang smiled. In fact, the cave mines are not only found in Yanran Mountain in Mobei. The reason why Qin Muzhi mentioned this copper mine is actually to strengthen the rule over Mobei.
Now Daqin has many pastures such as Liaodong, Mobei, Hetao, Longyou, Hexi, Qinghai-Tibet, etc. Mobei is vast, sparsely populated and located in a bitterly cold area. To Daqin, Mobei is indeed like chicken ribs now.
People will certainly not value a piece of territory that has little value, let alone spend much effort to manage it.
Although the Qin copper coins have been gradually replaced by paper money, the use of copper as currency has gradually faded. However, as an important metal, the demand for copper has always been great. Now silver is cheap and copper is expensive in the market, but there are few domestic copper mines and low production.
If the Erden copper mine could be developed and produce huge benefits in Mobei, then Mobei would no longer be a waste, and the court would get corresponding returns for its great efforts to increase its rule over Mobei.
Sima An pondered and said, "Your Majesty, as far as I know, the copper mines in various parts of the country currently have small reserves, low copper content, and high mining costs. If there are really huge copper-rich mines in Yanran Mountain, you can consider closing some domestic copper mines to reduce waste. At the same time, you can invest more manpower and material resources in Mobei to strengthen the development of Mobei. With huge economic benefits as a bond, the relationship between Mobei and the Central Plains can be closer. This is a good thing that kills two birds with one stone."
Qin Mu was a little stunned after hearing this. Didn't the ministers trust him too much in this regard
He just said this casually and hasn't sent anyone to look for him yet. A prime minister like Sima An has actually started to consider closing those useless copper mines in the country. This is really... I don't know what to say.
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.(To be continued..)
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