Chapter 328 The Expensive Road

After inspecting the scaled sailors trained by Ling Cao, and then watching an organized navy performance, Shang Ji, a landlubber, had a little understanding of the basic situation of water warfare.

After that, Shang Ji left Dashi City with Liu Yi and more than a thousand black-armored Xuanqi.

However, Shang Ji did not return directly to Xiangping, but detoured all the way to Xi'anping, which is located in the southeasternmost direction of Liaodong County.

Xi'anping is also one of the ten major cities in Liaodong County. It is also located at the junction of Lelang County and Goguryeo. It can be said to be the east gate of Liaodong, and its strategic location is quite important.

For such a strategic location, Shang Ji naturally needs to inspect it in person before he can rest assured.

Stayed in Xi'an Ping for one day, inspected Xi'an Pingwei Army and part of the war army, and at the same time met Xi'an Ping's county magistrate and county lieutenant (from the Heijia Army), comforted and encouraged, and then Shang Ji took people away from Xi'an flat.

After Xi'an Pingping, Shang Ji did not return in a straight line, but inspected a circle along the border between Liaodong and Goguryeo (not North Korea, but a foreign race in China like Xianbei). Even Shang Ji took people across the border and made a slight turn around the territory of Goguryeo, as a pre-reconnaissance of the imaginary enemy of the war.

In fact, Shang Ji did not detect anything useful. The Goguryeo side was also sparsely populated. Shang Ji rode his horse and whipped his whip within the scope of Goguryeo, but he didn't come across a single living person. Naturally, there is no way to talk about the so-called investigation.

Along the border between the two, Shang Ji went directly to the junction of Xuantu County and Liaodong County, and then turned and returned to Liaodong along the edge of Xuantu County.

In fact, Xuantu County is also one of Shang Ji's potential enemies. Shang Ji's memory of how Nuomuduo's million-dollar army came here is still fresh in his memory. If he hadn't been concerned about the reaction of the Han Dynasty imperial court, Shang Ji might have launched a large-scale attack with his army long ago.

The journey was mighty and mighty, and finally ended the ten-day inspection work in Liaodong.

Returning to Xiangping City, settling down the casual army, saying goodbye to Liu Yi, Shang Ji immediately found Deng Yan.

"Third brother, immediately arrange manpower to start the construction of the chi road. We must build a chi road that runs through the entire Liaodong as soon as possible!"

There is no extra politeness, Shang Ji said straight to the point.

Deng Yan only gave a wry smile when he heard the words, and did not immediately respond as usual.

"What? Is something wrong?"

Seeing Deng Yan just smiled wryly,

Shang Ji was puzzled and asked suspiciously.

"Brother, we don't have enough money!"

Deng Yan smiled helplessly, spread his hands, and said to Shang Ji.

"How is it possible? How could it be possible that we don't have enough money?" Shang Ji's face was full of disbelief, but he confessed to Deng Yan at the time, with more than 300 million gold coins, why not enough?

Shang Ji continued to make big moves in Liaodong, expanding his army and building a naval division. At the same time, he roughly repaired Xiangping and built several large projects that cost people and money. One third has not been spent yet, how could it be possible that there is not enough money?

"Brother, do you know how much it costs to build Chidao?" Seeing Shang Ji's puzzled face, Deng Yan asked and answered.

When Shang Ji heard this, his heart skipped a beat, as if he had overlooked an important question? Holding a trace of fantasy, Shang Ji asked softly: "How much?"

Deng Yan held up three fingers, waved them in front of Shang Ji, then replaced one finger, and said, "One gold, three feet!"

"what?!"

Shang Ji's body voice suddenly raised an octave, and he looked at Deng Yan dumbfounded.

"According to my estimates, it costs an average of one gold to build a three-foot road, and five hundred gold for a mile. To build a road system that runs through the entire Liaodong County, at least 300 million gold is needed!"

"Presumably brother can't afford 300 million gold now?"

In the end, Deng Yan asked a question knowingly.

Of course Shang Ji couldn't afford 300 million gold! Now the total assets in Shangji's hands are only more than 250 million yuan, and there is still a large amount of self-funds that cannot be tampered with.

The development of today's navy has just been on the right track, and if the follow-up capital investment is cut off, it will immediately return to its original shape.

In addition, seeing that the day when the Yellow Turban Uprising broke out in history, it is natural to have some corresponding funds in hand.

Of the remaining more than 200 million funds, only 150 million can be used flexibly, and the rest have corresponding budgets.

Of course, it is impossible to spend all of the 150 million yuan on Chidao construction.

"Hey, why is this Chidao so expensive?" Shang Ji still muttered to himself in disbelief.

Deng Yan held up the construction blueprint of Chidao, and said with some regret: "Chidao is a good thing, and the construction blueprint of Chidao is not a rare thing. There are thirteen prefectures in the Han Dynasty, but why is Chidao not popular in the world? It's not because the horrible cost scares everyone off!"

"Brother, help me to calculate how much it will cost to build a Chi Road starting from Xiangping, passing through Liaodu, Xinchang, Anshi, Wenxian, Pingguo, and Dashi!"

Shang Ji said this sentence almost through gritted teeth.

Deng Yan was taken aback when he heard the words, and looked at Shang Ji with some surprise. He didn't expect Shang Ji to continue to build after knowing the construction price of Chidao.

With his eyes slightly closed, the map of Liaodong quickly appeared in Deng Yan's mind. After a quick calculation, Deng Yan opened his eyes and gently spit out a number: "Seventy million!"

"At least 70 million gold will be able to complete brother's construction plan!"

"call!"

Shang Ji took a deep breath, feeling dazzled in front of his eyes.

You must know that it only cost 50 million gold to train 500,000 elite soldiers, but now it costs 70 million gold to build a road. No wonder no one has built Chidao on a large scale.

If you want to spread Chidao across the entire territory of the Han Dynasty, I am afraid that 70 billion gold may not be enough!

"Xiu! My virtuous brother immediately started the preparations for the construction of Chidao, and started the work as soon as possible! As for the funds, Brother Yu will allocate them!"

"Brother!" Deng Yan said immediately.

"Brother Yu, you don't need to say any more! Brother Yu has made up his mind, we must repair this Chi Dao! Just as I said just now, from Xiangping City in the north to Dashi City in the south, even if you use gold to pave the way, you have to repair the Chi Dao." Spread out!"

Shang Ji is probably the person who has the deepest understanding of Chi Dao's powerful effect. When Qin Huang swept Liuhe, Chi Dao definitely contributed.

The big deal is just a Zhengguo Canal. Once Chidao is completed, the development of Liaodong will immediately reach a new level. Besides, only the money spent is real money, so if you keep it and don't spend it, can you still leave it to your opponent like He Lian?

With the status of a merchant, daring to spend money and being able to spend money is also an important ability. I have never heard that the historical hero is a miser.