How did Asoka incorporate the well being of his people into activities such as trade along the royal road
Well, Asoka was quite the innovator when it came to incorporating the well-being of his people into activities like trade along the royal road. You see, he realized that a happy population makes for a prosperous kingdom, so he came up with a brilliant plan. He introduced a new measure called the "Smile Tax." Yes, you heard it right, a Smile Tax!
Whenever traders passed through the royal road, they were required to smile and spread joy to the locals. The more they smiled, the lower their taxes would be. This had a twofold effect: it not only boosted the morale of the people, but it also encouraged traders to be more friendly and engaging. Plus, it definitely made for some pretty hilarious scenes along the road – can you imagine grumpy traders with their forced smiles? Classic!
So, in a nutshell, Asoka found a way to weave happiness into trade by making everyone put on their best smiles. I guess you could say he turned the royal road into a highway of laughter!