Ouyang Bian did not make this suggestion rashly, because he had a similar idea a long time ago, during the period of Renzong, but it was just called Huguang Development at that time.

However, Renzong was frightened at that time and was rejected directly.

However, Ouyang Bian did not give up at that time. He saved the country in a curve and used the central bank to develop Jinghu North Road, used the central bank's strong funds to cement the state road, and popularized the central bank's service area, thus stimulating the economic vitality of Jinghu and allowing Jinghu North Road and Jinghu South Road to be fully developed.

It is precisely because of this that when the north was hit by a full disaster this year, although the grain output on Jinghu South Road and Jinghu North Road could only alleviate some of the famine, it was already quite amazing.

Now Ouyang Bian's ambition is not just that, his eyes are focused on the whole country.

"The year of disaster is a crisis, but the crisis is composed of two words: crisis and opportunity. There are opportunities in danger, because farmers who are unemployed in the year of disaster are the best labor force, and this is the best opportunity.

Today, the Song Dynasty is a sick person. I prescribed three medicines to the court, one is called relief, one is called resurrection, and the other is called reform.

Relief refers to disaster relief, labor-for-relief, which is a temporary measure to allow the people to survive; recovery refers to the recovery of agriculture and commerce, which restores them to normal; and the reform will not be discussed for now, because it has not yet reached that point.

Let’s talk about recovery and the recovery of agriculture. What I am talking about is not the level before the Dao disaster, but the level during the Tang Dynasty. The agriculture of our Song Dynasty was not as good as that time, and farmland water conservancy was disrepair for many years.

My plan is to fully revive agriculture and make agriculture stronger again. Otherwise, if we encounter such a disaster year, we will be filled with sorrow. No matter how developed the economy is, it will be useless. No matter how rich the business is, it will not be rich, but a country without farmers cannot be stable."

Ouyang Bian's so-called three-pronged medicine is actually based on the Roosevelt's New Deal, which was later.

Although the dilemma in the United States at that time was an economic crisis and the crisis in the Song Dynasty was a drought, the situation was actually no different.

All the economy is on the verge of collapse and the people have no support for food and clothing.

Disaster relief is naturally the first priority. Using work-for-relief and revitalizing agriculture is also a basic practice to turn crises into opportunities. As for change, it is actually been done all the time, so there is no need to mention it specifically, that is what happened after the crisis.

Zhao Xu was moved by Ouyang Bian's words.

Yes, without stable agriculture, there will be no stable country. For the emperor of the Chinese nation, this is simply engraved into the genes.

Zhao Xu gritted his teeth: "Okay, Ji Mo, I have always believed in you, what are we doing now!"

Ouyang Bian smiled and said, "Your Majesty doesn't have to do this. Relief of the victims and the development of water conservancy are all things that the people across the country support. No one in the court will object, so our pressure is just how to raise funds for the development of water conservancy."

Zhao Xu smiled bitterly and said, "Just... Ji Mo, you don't know how much it costs to build water conservancy, especially to manage the Yellow River and the Yangtze River!"

Ouyang Bian nodded and said, "Let's do it step by step. The first step can be to build irrigated river canals and reservoirs; the second step is to build cemented river embankments for some rivers that are prone to flooding; the third step is to control the Yellow River and the Yangtze River.

With cement, it is not known how much trouble and cost you will save compared to before, and the time you persist is not comparable to that of previous materials.

As for fundraising, your Majesty, you don’t have to worry. In a year, as long as the drought is over and agriculture is restored, we will recover. Once business prospers, commercial tax is the big deal. In just two years, the treasury will be filled again, as long as there is no harm again..."

Ouyang Bian stopped, but Zhao Xu had a fever on his face.

Although he made a bet with Ouyang Bian, he did agree to promote the market law. He really wanted to get a share of the pie in business, which made the business hurt.

Ouyang Bian did not want to hurt Zhao Xu's face, so he quickly changed the topic: "... Moreover, there are many benefits to shifting the focus to this.

The previous reforms were a little radical, so that the court's kindness was gone. Now a confrontation has formed, and it is just right to take this opportunity to solve this problem well.

Developing agriculture and surviving the crisis is the common interest of everyone. There will be no big dissent. Your Majesty also took the opportunity to reconcile it. After all, internal friction will harm the court."

Ouyang Bian was very thoughtful.

This is his last effort and his greatest kindness.

This time, Han Qi used this method to make him come back, which was clearly a mistake. He had the intention of passing the blame, but he probably wanted to destroy himself.

This means that Han Qi has regarded the reformists as the biggest threat, and regarded him as the culprit, and must be eliminated quickly.

This shows that the contradiction between the conservatives and the reformists is already very serious.

If you do not adjust at this time, according to the direction, it will eventually evolve into what the two factions have continuously consumed internally, which will exhaust the last little vitality of the country.

Then no matter how beautiful Ouyang Bian built this country, it would eventually be destroyed.

This is his greatest kindness and final effort. If this time it cannot be reconciled...then there is only the real war left!

Hopefully I won't get to that point.

Ouyang Bian said in his heart.

Zhao Xu nodded, but did not continue on this topic, but instead focused on how to raise funds. Ouyang Bian couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.

Agricultural revival is naturally a big deal, but personnel issues are probably more important. It seems that Zhao Xu does not pay attention to it.

Or rather, it is not that he does not pay attention to it. Ouyang Bian suspects that this is the result of Zhao Xu's deliberate confrontation.

There was a tradition of so-called "different theories and stirring up each other" in the Song Dynasty. In nice words, it is said that different opinions are allowed to exist. To put it bluntly, it is the monarch's balanced imperial technique.

This is probably due to the sequelae of the Song Dynasty's incorrect country.

The inferiority of the Zhao family is engraved in their bones, and even Zhao Xu is inevitably unable to avoid it.

However, Ouyang Bian was not disappointed with agricultural revitalization because of his disappointment. He seriously explained to Zhao Xu the issue of how to raise funds.

"...The central bank and the Agricultural Bank of China are the best fund pools. The country can borrow money from them and mortgage it with the national credit. In fact, it is to release a batch of treasury bonds to allow many financial institutions to buy it, and also allow those large enterprises to buy it.
Chapter completed!