Hu Xiaotian nodded. His shortage of people was indeed the greatest problem he faced, and it had grown increasingly apparent as his territory rapidly expanded. People were the foundation of both productive capacity and military strength. A nation rested on its people; without that foundation, there could be no talk of development. This was also why Hu Xiaotian saw little hope for Western Sichuan. A country with a backward economy and declining fortunes still had a chance to turn things around, but without its people, it became a tree without roots, water without a source. Governing a great nation was like cooking a small fish-how could anyone cook with a pot but no ingredients?
Zhuge Guanqi said, "The fundamental reason Great Kang opened a passage for the refugees from Western Sichuan was to shift the burden onto you, my lord. Your decision may cause the economy to stagnate or even regress in the short term, but in the long run, it will bring you benefits without harm."
Hu Xiaotian said, "Brother Guanqi, your words have cleared the tangled brush from my mind. These past few days, I've been wavering over whether I should stop accepting refugees."
Zhuge Guanqi said, "Tianxing and I have calculated it. Taking in three hundred thousand refugees would be no problem at all, provided we use the treasury reserves to purchase grain on a large scale."
Hu Xiaotian smiled. "Since its founding, the Gold and Jade Alliance has yet to flex its strength even once. The Fragrant Kingdom and the Bohai Kingdom are both lands of fish and rice. I'll make arrangements immediately. We'll buy grain at ten percent above the market price."
Zhuge Guanqi smiled. "Why pay ten percent more, my lord?"
Hu Xiaotian said, "Even if they're our allies, we can't let them suffer