Prime Minister

Chapter 177 Make Money
It was not long after the Dragon Boat Festival in May.

It is a custom in Bianjing that every household nails wormwood to the door.

Just after the festival, Wu Shiqiniang and the Wu family drove to a nunnery in the eastern suburbs of Bianjing.

But I saw several weeping willows planted outside the nunnery, surrounded by small rivers, the scenery is not bad, and there is also the tranquility of a place far away.The car parked far outside the door, Shi Qi Niang got out of the car, and ordered her close maid to distribute money to those who greeted her, and then entered the nunnery.

Seventeen Niang was guided to the side room, but saw a nun kneeling on the futon, meditating.

Seventeen Niang waited for a while, and the nun opened her eyes and said, "Yes, is Li'er here?"

Only then did Shi Qiniang come forward and knelt on the futon next to the nun and said, "Mother, I'm here to see you."

The nun looked at her daughter's face and said: "You shouldn't come, the eldest lady will not like it if she finds out."

Seventeen Niang said: "I came here after I reported to the eldest lady. I heard that my mother is not in good health recently."

The nun said with a smile: "It's just a chronic illness, that's it. You don't have to worry about me. The people in the nunnery treat me very well. You don't have to give money anymore. You don't have much monthly money. Li also needs money to manage it.”

"Besides, you have reached the age of marriage. Keep more money on your body. When you get married in the future, your in-laws will not dare to neglect you."

Seventeen Niang laughed and said: "Mother, if you even value my money, then this in-law's family is no good."

The nun said with a smile: "You have never been in charge of the house, you don't know the seven things to open the door, you don't know how expensive the firewood, rice, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar and tea are. It is enough to have more money on your body to be confident. This marriage is said to be a good relationship between two surnames, but After all, it is still a matter of family status and money. Let me tell you, your grandfather still has some money and farmland, and I will save it for you, and give it to you after you get married, but don’t say anything about it.”

Seventeen Niang said sadly: "My daughter understands. But what will you do after you give her money?"

The nun said: "How much money can I spend on fasting in this nunnery, the most important thing for me now is you alone."

"Have you encountered any troubles?" the nun asked carefully.

"No." Seventeen Niang smiled.

"When you were young, it was always the same when you were unhappy, but you were wronged by the eldest lady?"

Seventeen Niang smiled and said: "No, although the eldest lady is usually strict, she treats me very well."

"Really?" the nun asked, "Yes, what is your father's plan for your marriage? Are you looking for a matchmaker? Or are you doing it yourself?"

Seventeen Niang said in a low voice: "Daddy met someone a while ago."

"Acquainted with one? Those who can fall into your father's eyes must not be ordinary people."

Seventeen Niang said: "Not really, it was Scholar Ouyang who first took a fancy to it, and then recommended it to Dad."

"So the family is not an official?"

"No."

The nun laughed and said, "It's good not to be an official. If you don't become an official, you don't have the habits of officials and eunuchs. In this way, it is definitely a good book."

Seventeen Niang nodded and said, "Exactly."

A smile floated on the nun's face and said, "A scholar?"

"Too student."

The nun said with relief when she heard the words: "That's good. Although such children are a little arrogant, they have real abilities, but they are also betrayed... Hey, what do I worry about, there will be no difference in people your father can look after."

"You can't tolerate sand in your eyes. If you go to a noble family, you will be as deep as the sea once you enter the noble family. I am really worried that you will... end up like me in the future."

Seventeen Niang said: "Mom, after all these years, you still haven't calmed down Daddy?"

"It doesn't matter if you don't mention the past... Let me tell you, it doesn't matter what your background is. Although he has a bad background at the moment, your father invited him to the house to see him. He must have some advantages."

Seventeen Niang said: "But Daddy is fine, but he... wants to talk about marriage after being admitted to Jinshi."

The nun heard the words and said, "Is that true?"

"I didn't say it explicitly, but I have revealed the meaning first."

"Is it Qi Dafei's coincidence, or is there another reason?"

"I don't know."

"Have you seen him?"

Seventeen Niang was silent, with tears streaming down her eyes, she turned her head and said, "Mother, my daughter wants to go back."

The nun finally understood the reason for her daughter's dislike and said, "Since you're here, why not talk to me again."

"Okay." Seventeen Niang sat down on the futon again.

The nun said: "Don't judge people rashly. Maybe if you are rich, you will see what you support, and if you are poor, you will see what you don't receive. Does he really have such ambition? To judge people, we should not only listen to his words, but also observe his actions. "

"My daughter understands."

"But to be admitted to Jinshi? How many years of young talents have been spent in the examination room? How many talented children have been unhappy all their lives, and their black hair has turned into white hair. So what if they get a special title?"

"It's hard for men to wait for this kind of day, and it's even harder for women to wait. But in the end, the boat will be straight when it reaches the bridge."

Looking at Shi Qiniang's questioning eyes, the nun said: "What a scheming and resourceful person your father is, it depends on his arrangement."

Daxiangguo Temple, Soujizhai.

Wang Anguo came as a guest as usual, and this time he also had a friend.

Wang Anguo smiled and said: "Sanlang, I brought my friends to beat your autumn wind again."

Zhang Yue cursed from the bottom of his heart when he heard this, "Fuck you, I'm just a poor student."Don't you have a conscience if you are cheeky to come here for food and drink?
But with Wang Anguo's friend here, Zhang Yue still gave enough face and said: "Since Pingfu's friend is my friend, I will invite the two of you to Shaozhuyuan to eat roasted kidneys later."

"it is good!"

The two applauded together, Wang Anguo smiled and said: "I told you that Saburo is a bold person and a friend worth making."

The three sat down in the room.

Wang Anguo's friend was named Li Chu, a man from Jinghu, who was in the cotton spinning business, and seemed very shrewd.

Although the other party said it politely, saying it was a small business, Zhang Yue guessed that it would not be too bad to be able to make friends with Wang Anguo.

Wang Anguo chatted with Zhang Yue, and he liked to chat with him in Zhang Yue's collection room recently.Although Zhang Yue doesn't talk much, he can get to the point once in a while, and his thinking is clear and unique, and he finds another way.

Even Wang Anshi, Wang Anguo's elder brother, Wang Anguo has never heard so many novel insights from him.

Li Chu has a lot of experience from traveling all over the world, and after listening to Zhang Yue Wang Anguo's chat, he can also get in his mouth.

During the period, Zhang Yue mentioned that Li Chu was in the cotton cloth business in Shanzhou, and suddenly remembered Huang Daopo, and couldn't help asking a few words about the cotton seed removal technology.

Li Chu's workshop was still peeling cotton seeds by hand, so Zhang Yue told him the rough method of ginning.

When Li Chu heard that Zhang Yue actually had this method, he couldn't help but be delighted, and immediately got up and said: "If this method can be achieved, Li would like to thank Sanlang with a generous gift."

Zhang Yue smiled and said nothing.

Immediately, Li Chu listened halfway, feeling itchy in his heart, so he said that he would be the host, and invited Zhang Yue and Wang Anguo to have a drink in a restaurant near the capital, and the three agreed.

When he arrived at the restaurant, Li Chu asked for a private seat.

The elegant seat is upstairs, separated from the outside by a pair of landscape screens, and inside is a round table with six seats.

After the three of them entered, Li Chu said with a smile: "The Yellow River carp soup here is the best, just boil it in the pot now. If you two are afraid of fishy smell, you can also divide this fish into fish soup and fish soup. Or fried fish bream."

Both Zhang Yue and Wang Anguo laughed.Wang Anguo said: "We are all from the south, so there is no reason to be afraid of fishy fish, so we all come up together!"

Zhang Yue couldn't help being speechless, Wang Anguo was really a big foodie, and he was willing to bow down.

Li Chu said with a smile: "That's it. Cut two catties of mutton and sieve two bottles of good wine. Don't need a big bowl. I'm going to talk about it later."

During the dinner, Li Chu kept asking about Zhang Yue's cotton ginning machine. Zhang Yue didn't say anything directly, but told the general direction. As for the details of the ginning machine, he didn't disclose it.

Although Wang Anguo said that he took a sip of warm wine and fish soup, but he listened to the words here without missing a word.

Li Chu gritted his teeth and said: "If the cotton ginning method is feasible, I would like to give you five hundred guan, and another fifty guan as a reward."

Zhang Yue lamented Li Chu's straightforwardness, and he didn't even doubt whether he was a liar, he was so straightforward.

I have to lament that businessmen are good at seizing opportunities. If they have any new ideas, they can tell those scholars to Li Gou.One of their reactions is whether your boy is reliable or not. If you are reliable, then think about whether it is in line with the rules, and then think again and again for a long time.

As for businessmen, they are decisive, as long as there is a real benefit, they will do it immediately.

For an epoch-making technology like cotton ginning, five hundred guan is not expensive at all.

Zhang Yue and Li Chu chatted speculatively. At this time, Wang Anguo put down the soup bowl and asked inappropriately: "Sanlang, if you say so, the cotton peelers will lose their livelihood? This is not a big deal for them. Good thing."

When Zhang Yue heard it, sure enough, are all scholars like this?

Li Chu saw that he was afraid that Zhang Yue would be persuaded by Wang Anguo and not tell him the method of cotton ginning, so he immediately said: "Pingfu just joked, how could it be useless?"

Wang Anguo shook his head and said, "Is there anything I don't understand here?"

Next, Wang Anguo remained silent and was in confusion.

After drinking, Li Chu bid farewell and left, probably to practice the cotton ginning method that Zhang Yue just said, but Zhang Yue firmly believed that Li Chu would come back to find him in the end.

Wang Anguo looked at Zhang Yue and said, "One is named Chu, the other is named Yue, you two from Chuyue, are you so opportunistic when it comes to words and interests? Sanlang, you are good at everything, but you are a little blind to money."

Zhang Yue said in his heart, okay, if you don't see money, don't come here for food.

Wang Anguo and Zhang Yue were originally one generation behind in age, but because they admired Zhang Yue's talent and learning, they dated as equals.This is the first time Zhang Yue has been said.

Zhang Yue heard and said: "Brother Pingfu, these are the things you said earlier that you were suspicious!"

Wang Anguo said seriously: "Yes and no."

Zhang Yue said: "I think what Pingfu actually wants to say is that the benefits don't go to the common people, but only to the merchants, so it's ashamed to talk about the benefits."

Wang Anguo clapped his legs and said, "Yes, Sanlang, that's exactly what I mean."

Zhang Yue laughed and said, "It's just like the land owned by the landlords in the countryside. You said that local officials build canals to irrigate the farmland to benefit the people? Isn't it the same for hired farmers to pay rent to the landlord?"

Wang Anguo shook his head and said, "Otherwise, the hired farmer will also benefit. Originally, the mu received two stones, one for the landlord and one for himself, but if the irrigated mu received three stones, he would get one and a half stones."

Zhang Yue said: "No matter how high the income per mu is, the farmer can only get one stone."

"How can it be?"

"You think again?"

Wang Anguo was startled, thought for a moment and then said, "It's really a snake's heart..."

In the end Wang Anguo said: "People's hearts are not like this, but I think there are still people with kind hearts, otherwise we don't have to talk about virtue."

Zhang Yue said: "That's not true. Landlords get more land because of irrigation and get more money, so they can buy more fields. As for more people who sell their fields, they can only become farm laborers."

"The former farm laborers might still be able to get a stone and a half, but because there are more and more farm laborers, they only get one stone or even half a stone. In the end, they can't make ends meet and can only sell their sons and daughters."

Wang Anguo was stunned for a while, unable to speak.

"Is it a good thing or a bad thing for officials to build canals to irrigate farmland?"

Wang Anguo said: "Of course it's a good thing, but it can only be slowed down for a while. In the end, the rich will still be filled with fields and the poor will perish."

Zhang Yue said: "Exactly, why there is a great order after the great chaos, because at the beginning of the country, the household registration was scarce, and there were idle fields everywhere. If the population multiplied, the people would just go to plow the idle fields. If the family has land to cultivate, they are called self-cultivating farmers."

"There will be no idle land in the future. In times of disaster and famine, people sell their fields and become farm laborers. If there are many fields, farm laborers come to work and become landlords."

"What's the difference between a hired farmer, an owner-peasant, and a landlord?"

Wang Anguo thought for a while and said, "There are no fields, there are fields, and there are many fields."

Zhang Yue said: "That's true. This is what Mencius said, those who have permanent property have perseverance."

"It is becoming more and more difficult for those without permanent property to buy land. In the end, they will either starve to death or become thieves and thieves. Those who have land will sell their land in case of natural disasters and become landless. In this way, there will only be more and more land owned by landlords. This is the current situation. Song Dynasty, if you are an official in the court, what should you do?"

Wang Anguo said: "Restrict the fields and suppress mergers!"

Wang Anguo thought for a while and asked, "How does Sanlang claim?"

Zhang Yue thought to himself, of course it is to revive Wang Mang's old system, making all the land in the world Wang Tian.

However, Zhang Yue put it bluntly: "Suppression of mergers can only be delayed, but it is not enough to get rid of the bottom line. As long as there are more people without land, sooner or later..."

"How to get rid of the salary from the bottom of the pot?"

"Use the technique of Shen Shang (Shen Bu Hu Shang Yang)!"

Wang Anguo couldn't help but said: "Is it still going to this step? Sanlang said, using the technique of applying for business to share the benefits of the vested interests, where will the worries come from?"

Zhang Yue said: "It comes from the construction of ditches to irrigate the farmland, and it also comes from the mixing of cotton on the truck tracks."

Wang Anguo was dumbfounded when he heard this, it turned out that after going around for a long time, Zhang Yue justified his name for his own profit!
This fellow is too cunning.

But Wang Anguo thought about it again, and couldn't help feeling that what Zhang Yue said was very reasonable.

On that day, Zhang Yue returned to Taixue after finishing his studies in Chen Xiangna.

A few days later, Zhang Yue was eating at Taixue, and heard from his classmates that a businessman named Li Chu came to look for him outside.

Zhang Yue expected that the other party would come to him.

The two met in a teahouse next to Taixue.

Li Chu ordered a pot of tea, and took money to let the idle man sitting in front of the door go to the restaurant to buy some delicacies.

Zhang Yue knows the customs of Bianjing, teahouses and wine shops have such idlers as their servants.

On weekdays, when you say that you have to be a geisha when you eat wine and tea, or what kind of restaurant food you want to eat, you just give some tips to such an idler to run errands to buy it.At the beginning, Zhang Yue mistakenly thought that Da Song was so developed that he already had delivery boys.

Li Chu said with a smile: "It was very presumptuous to meet for the first time that day. Let's get to know each other again. Li Chu, my mother's surname is Yang, and she is the niece of Yang Xiuyi who is next to the official family."

Zhang Yue knew in his heart that the other party had something to do with him, so he confirmed it, but he didn't know if he had any other cards.

Zhang Yue said: "It turns out that brother Li is disrespectful and disrespectful."

Li Chu said with a smile: "I dare not take it seriously. This time I took the liberty to come to Sanlang because of the trouble. I would like to add up to [-] guan to buy the picture of the car turmoil, and then give [-] guan a month."

Zhang Yue smiled when he heard the words, but did not agree. At this time, the idle man had already crossed the street with a food box, and brought back a plate of fried liver and a plate of shredded chicken to the tea house.

Li Chu rewarded the money and said: "Sanlang, what worries do you have?"

Zhang Yue said: "Brother Li, since you have a truck, where do you plan to track the cotton?"

Li Chudao: "Of course it's in the city of Shanzhou."

Zhang Yue said: "Are there any other cotton merchants in Shanzhou?"

"Have."

Zhang Yue said: "Then if you build in Shanzhou, you will either be stolen or smashed by jealous people."

"Who dares to do that?" Li Chu said sternly.

Zhang Yue said: "Of course I believe in Brother Li's ability, but you have cut off people's livelihood. You use the agitator five times faster than without the agitator. In the future, the machinist will be more proficient, and it will be more than eight times. Wouldn't it be smashing others? rice bowl?"

Li Chushi said: "Yes, this is a way to cut off people's wealth!"

Zhang Yue said: "That's right, unless all the merchants use the churn, if you use it alone, you will cut off your wealth, and if it spreads to others, it will be destroyed quickly. Therefore, I advise you to stay far away from the city. At the same time, keep the secret strictly and never let it out.”

Li Chu thought for a while, and said seriously: "Sanlang really has far-reaching plans, thank you for your advice."

Li Chu was a little unconvinced by Zhang Yue before, but now he is a little convinced by him.

"The picture of disturbing the car?"

Zhang Yue said: "One thousand guan, and another hundred guan every month."

Li Chuwen's expression changed and he said: "Too many, one thousand strings, do you know how many there are?"

Zhang Yue said: "I know, I can't afford a room in Bianjing."

Li Chu laughed and said: "Sanlang, although I really want to make you a friend, but a thousand guan is too much!"

Zhang Yue said: "If that's the case, then I'll take my leave. Brother Li can come to me whenever he has figured it out."

Li Chu stood up and said, "Sanlang, I don't have that much cash, why don't I share your shares?"

Zhang Yuexin thought that it would be a good plan to cooperate with Li Chu in the cotton cloth business. If he expanded the scale, he would definitely be able to earn more money.But Zhang Yue's own focus is still on studying, and the business of cotton cloth will involve too much energy on him.

The joint venture is too risky, if you have support, of course you are not afraid of the joint venture, but if you don't have support, it is better not to get involved if you are a poor family.

It's not that I can't believe Li Chu's character, but because I never intend to believe it.Without any restrictive means, are you really willing to give you a large sum of money every month?Work for you?It is better to take the benefits that are visible in front of you.

"Sorry, brother Li, I'm not interested in dry stocks."

Zhang Yue walked out of the gate of the tea house, and was about to enter the imperial school, but felt that someone had slapped him on the shoulder.

It turned out that Li Chu had already caught up, and said with a livid face: "One thousand guan is one thousand guan!"

Zhang Yue said with a smile on his face: "Okay, we need to establish a written evidence, and at the same time invite Wang Pingfu to come to testify."

Li Chudao: "Pingfu hates words the most, Sanlang, I'm not afraid to find him..."

Zhang Yue smiled and said, "It's okay."

A few days later, the two made a written agreement.

Zhang Yue handed in the plan to stir the car, and as for Li Chu, he also gave Zhang Yue [-] guan, and promised to give Zhang Yue [-] guan every month after it went into production.

Zhang Yue also had a lot of feelings.

If you have money on your body, it's a thousand strings!
Then Zhang Yue was dragged by Wang Anguo to Fanlou for a meal and used up five or six passes.

(End of this chapter)