Chapter 523: The situation changes, and the era of princes fighting for hegemony has completely begu
Therefore, the strategy for the Peacock Kingdom had actually been decided a long time ago. That is to first maintain the existing achievements, and then gradually erode the Peacock Kingdom according to the original plan. Under the pressure of the powerful military force, the Peacock Kingdom could only helplessly surrender to Gao Yao.
Gao Yao began to display and promote all kinds of exquisite items from the southern border. At the same time, since Daqin was originally more powerful and prosperous than the Peacock Kingdom, whether it was a variety of advanced instruments, gorgeous and soft silk, or a large number of exquisite cloths, coupled with the endless new and wonderful things in the southern border, this all-round advantage made Daqin completely crush the Peacock Kingdom.
Gao Yao would not refuse to use these resources for commercial transactions. After all, these items are of great value and appeal, and can become a powerful tool for him to gain benefits. If someone wants to trade with Gao Yao, then first of all, they must learn to speak Chinese.
Afterwards, Gao Yao could slowly infiltrate other noble classes in the Peacock Kingdom with these dazzling array of goods. If those nobles were eager to get these mouth-watering goodies, enjoy delicious food and a comfortable life, it would naturally not be a problem, but the premise was that they had to pay the corresponding price - either to buy them with real money or to exchange them with slaves.
Population is always in a state of scarcity for Gao Yao, because he knows very well that every time more people are introduced, more human resources can be added to various industries.
At present, the South Border is vigorously promoting the development of shipping, various factories are springing up like mushrooms after rain, and road repair projects are in full swing. All of this is inseparable from sufficient labor support. So, how could Gao Yao easily let go of such a great opportunity?
So far, the road coverage rate in the entire Gaoyao area is only a pitiful 30%. However, in Gaoyao's mind, the road coverage rate he expects should be at least 70%! This gap of nearly double undoubtedly makes it extremely difficult to achieve the goal.
To achieve such a grand goal, not only does it require a continuous investment of a large amount of human and material resources, but it also requires long-term and sustained efforts to gradually realize it. Moreover, all these burdens are placed on Gao Yao's shoulders alone. If it were any other prince, I'm afraid they would be daunted and retreat. After all, the money and grain consumed is an extremely terrifying number.
Fortunately, Gao Yao was a wealthy man with a lot of money. With his strong financial resources and extensive connections, he was able to barely support this huge business. Most of the lucrative businesses in the southern region were firmly controlled by Gao Yao.
This not only increased Gao Yao's wealth, but also further consolidated his unshakable position and influence in the southern region. It is no exaggeration to say that the stable and prosperous life that the people of the southern region now lead is all thanks to Gao Yao.
Therefore, it is conceivable that if Gao Yao were to suffer any misfortune or even fall, not to mention what would happen to Xiao He who had always followed him, the common people would never agree. After all, the life they have now was given by Gao Yao! Of course, it is impossible for someone to demolish his own house for no reason.
On the other hand, the situation in Hanzhong was developing. General Lu in Hanzhong was indeed quite smart. Under Gao Yao's careful planning and arrangement, although General Lu was frightened, he did not blindly choose to surrender on a large scale. On the contrary, after careful consideration, he decided to adopt a more prudent strategy: let some of the undecided royal family members and some soldiers surrender first.
There were not many royal family members, only about a dozen people; while there were more than 10,000 soldiers who surrendered. For Li Yi, this arrangement basically met his original idea. After all, being able to accept a part of the troops and royal family members without bloodshed was also a good gain. Therefore, Li Yi accepted their surrender without hesitation and properly settled these surrendered soldiers and royal family members.
At the same time, the army led by Zhang Han was still stationed outside the pass of Hanzhong, as if they had become regular visitors there. This powerful army was like an insurmountable mountain, which brought great pressure to Wang Ben and his son in Hanzhong City. Even in the face of such a difficult situation, Gao Yao could not help but admire the decision made by Wang Ben and his son.
Wang Ben and his son unexpectedly found a new way and unexpectedly recaptured Xianyang City, which had been abandoned by various princes. The reason why the princes did not dare to easily get involved in Xianyang was simple - no matter who completely occupied the city, it would immediately arouse the vigilance and fear of other forces. Therefore, everyone stayed away from Xianyang for fear of getting into trouble. But Wang Ben and his son dared to take the risk, and their courage and strategy were truly admirable.
The decision made by Wang Ben and his son was like dancing on the tip of a sharp knife. It was so thrilling! However, it was amazing that they actually succeeded in the end. At this moment, it was a very special period. All the princes were doing their own thing and had their own thoughts. If they wanted to work together as they did in the past to fight against the city of Xianyang that had been conquered once, it was obviously a foolish dream and impossible.
The benefits of successfully seizing Xianyang are self-evident. In this way, they can form a situation of mutual dependence and reliance with Hanzhong. Not only that, but more importantly, this move has greatly alleviated the problem of money and food shortage that has plagued them for a long time.
A part of the elite soldiers could be left in Hanzhong to garrison, and at the same time a group of troops could be stored in Xianyang. After all, as the former capital, Xianyang still had a considerable population and a certain foundation even after repeated attacks and looting by the princes.
As long as they are good at guiding and managing it carefully, it is not difficult to quickly restore the city. At least according to the current intelligence, after a whole year of hard dealings and delays, Wang Ben and his son have finally managed to take the first step out of the difficulties. At least they have been able to achieve basic self-sufficiency and no longer need to rely too much on external assistance.