Cheng Chumo leisurely walked from Princess Changle's residence to Taiji Palace in the front hall. He saw Li Shiming in the royal study behind Taiji Palace.
"Your humble subject greets Your Majesty. The basic training of the guards you asked me to train has been completed. In the future, he only needed to send one person to do it step by step.”Cheng Chumo said.
"From your words, you mean you're going to let go? It has only been a month. Besides, who else can take over this army other than you?”Li Shimin said.
"As for who can take over this army, that's up to Your Majesty. However, I would like to recommend my younger brother, Cheng Chuliang. Recently, I heard from a merchant from the southern ocean that there is a type of rice in Linyi that can be harvested three times a year. If we can bring in large quantities of Linyi's rice seeds, the Great Tang will no longer have famine. So I plan to go to the south to see if his words are true. If such a miraculous rice seed really existed, it would be a blessing for the Great Tang and its people. Therefore, I'm here to ask Your Majesty to allow me to take the fleet to Linyi to take a look.”Cheng Chumo said.
Li Shi Min pondered for a while. "Yes, but the climate in Linyi is still different from the climate in the Tang Empire. Are you sure that Linyi's rice seeds can be harvested three times a year in the Tang Empire?”
"Your Majesty is right. It is precisely because of this that I plan to personally make a trip to the south. When the time comes, I'll introduce Linyi's rice seeds into the Great Tang. I plan to try planting them in Lingnan first. After all, oranges grow in the south of the Huai River and become oranges, and oranges grow in the north of the Huai River and become tridents. I want to see if the Great Tang can produce such a high yield.”Cheng Chumo said slowly.
"That's right. Chumo, you've considered the problem very thoroughly. If this matter succeeds, then the credit will be in the present generation and the benefits will be in the future. If you need anything, just tell me!”Li Shi Min said.
"Your Majesty, I don't need anything else. I just need someone who understands Linyi's language to translate. With my current strength, ordinary armed forces are useless to me. As for fleets, there were many fleets in the south doing business everywhere in the southern sea. I only need one less braver merchant group to go to Lin Yi. After all, they were only engaged in shipping in the coastal areas.”Cheng Chumo spoke frankly.
Li Shi Min said after thinking for a while. "Not only will I translate for you, I will also give you money to build a fleet. But I want a share of your business in the southern ocean. Don't think that I don't know! Kid, you're definitely not going to the south just for the rice seeds. Tell me, how else do you want to earn money?"
"Your Majesty, you really have sharp eyes. I really can't hide my little thoughts from you. In fact, the entire southern ocean was a treasure trove. There were a lot of minerals there, such as copper, silver, and a lot of rare wood. As for all kinds of pearls, shells, corals, and the like, there were countless of them. As long as I transport these things to Chang 'an, my profits will be immeasurable. After all, the great clans loved these things. Also, the journey from the sea to India is very short. You have to know that most of the Buddha statues in India are made of pure gold. The heaviest one will weigh 100,000 pounds, Your Majesty. Since they don't know how to use gold, then our Great Tang can help them.”
Li Shiming's eyes turned into Kaiyuan Tongbao's. His fists were clenched and relaxed at times, showing the excitement in his heart. "India really has so much gold?”
"That's right. Everyone in India believes in Buddhism. They would rather starve themselves to death than give Buddha a golden body. It was for this reason that their fighting strength was very poor. "When the sea route is smooth, we can send a large fleet and 30,000 cavalry to destroy India. However, before that, I want to go there to investigate and see what's going on.”Cheng Chumo had gone to the tropics to collect all kinds of genes for himself, and he had told Li Shimin all kinds of temptations. After all, he was a high-ranking guard, and he was the eldest son of Duke Lu. He would inherit the title of Duke Lu in the future. Moreover, it was Li Shiming, his daughter's son-in-law. If there was no special reason, he would not be released from Chang 'an.
"Your Majesty, I also plan to introduce this business to some important officials in the court and let them share some of our costs. This way, we won't have to pay for the fleet's expenses ourselves. Moreover, when the time comes, it will be beneficial for us to share the benefits equally. What do you think, Your Majesty?"
"Not bad, Cheng Chumo, you are good at doing business. Go and prepare now. Tell me if you need anything.”Li Shiming's mind was filled with the Golden Buddha statues and the Golden Pagoda. Basically, he agreed to everything Cheng Chumo said. He would also agree to any of his requests. "Of course, the main purpose of your trip is still the rice seeds. This was the foundation of the Great Tang Empire.”Li Shi Min was considered a legendary emperor after all, so he was not blinded by money. In the end, he didn't forget to remind Cheng Chumo.
"Don't worry, Your Majesty. I won't forget. If Your Majesty has nothing else to say, I will take my leave.”Cheng Chumo said happily.
"En, you can withdraw. Go back and prepare. As for your troops, let Chuliang lead them as you said.”Li Shi Min said.
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