The First Young Master of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 41 Responsibilities
Open a paper mill to make money?Zhong Zishuo was a little confused, why did his master Hou think of opening a paper mill?We also need to improve the hard yellow paper. Isn't this hard yellow paper from the pre-Han period to the present?
Although he was puzzled, he still had to do his best to toss Xuan Shijing, and immediately asked: "I wonder what kind of place the young master is looking for?"

"There must be a water source nearby, it must be sunny, and it must be close to where people live to facilitate the recruitment of workers in the future." Xuan Shijing said.

Zhong Zishuo lowered his head and looked carefully at the map on the case, his eyes lit up: "Young Master, what do you think of our Zhuangzi?"

"Let's go to Zhuangzi?" Xuan Shijing looked at the map carefully: "There is no water source near our Zhuangzi."

"There is a well in our village, young master, look here." Zhong Zishuo pointed at the side of Dongshan County: "There is a river here, not far from your fief, and a canal will be built on our village in the coming year. It is enough to dig the canal into a river channel, and the water in this river will be drawn in time, which can not only irrigate the farmland, but also satisfy the little prince. You open a paper workshop, but this tossing may cost more money than before Some."

"Money is not a problem, it's just that the excavation of the river channel was originally planned by Zhuangzi?" Xuan Shijing asked, if there was no such plan in the first place, and it was purely for the papermaking workshop, the excavation of the river channel would not be possible.

"Yes, young master, your Dongshan County fiefdom is flat and is a plain. It is easier to drill a well on the plain, but it is not convenient to irrigate the farmland. The large and small droughts last year have been bitter. Farmers in Zhuangzi, so this year we plan to divert the water from this river to our Zhuangzi." Zhong Zishuo said.

"Since this is the case, it is useless to just dig the river. In this way, the crown prince and the king of Wei will send a batch of money in two days, and put all the money into Zhuangzi. Build a large reservoir, and then dig the river, so that even if there is another drought, the farmer in the field will not be deprived of water." Xuan Shijing understands how important a stable water source is for farmers who rely on farming to survive. Since there is no river in the fief, it should be excavated by hand. They are all people in their own village, and it is convenient to use. What's more, it is also a good thing for future generations. If you pay more or less wages every day, it should not There will be objections.

"Uncle Zhong, take some time to find someone to go to Zhuangzi, tell the door about this matter, and ask them what they think. If they agree, then this matter will be settled. After spring, we will start work. The workshop and Digging the river works together." Xuan Shijing said.

"My lord, if this is the case, isn't there too much noise? The river will be dug and a workshop will be opened..." Zhong Zisuo hesitated.

"It's all for the benefit of the farmers. I went to the village a few years ago. I was deeply touched by Lord Hou. Uncle Zhong, look at those farmers. They are the most simple and kind people in my Tang Dynasty. , but look, what kind of life they are living now, as their patriarch, it is natural to think of them a lot, we don't have to worry about money, and Shanpinfang is gradually getting on the right track. From time to time, we can get some things to sell together with preserved eggs. In the future, there will be profitable business in the Hou Mansion, and money will be made, but the money can be put in the future, and the livelihood of the farmer’s family is the most important." Seeing the scene on the screen, Xuan Shijing couldn't help but sigh.

Zhong Zishuo nodded seriously: "What Hou Ye said is that all the village households should be at home to celebrate the New Year. Tomorrow, I will send someone to go to Zhuangzi to see if there is any suitable place to build a paper mill."

Xuan Shijing pulled the map in front of her, studied the area of ​​her fief for a while, and found that there was indeed a river nearby, and it was still a big river, but it never flowed through her fief.

"Uncle Zhong, is the house on our village near the river?" Xuan Shijing asked.

"Master Hou wants to use our house on Zhuangzi as a paper mill? That's absolutely impossible, Young Master." Zhong Zishuo repeatedly waved his hands to object.

"Why? Uncle Zhong, look at that house. People are already unwilling to live in it. We can only repair it and use it as a workshop. Anyway, there are plenty of places on the fief, so we can just build another house in the future." Xuan Shijing said: "Now We mainly invest our money in digging the river, and the paper workshop can save as much as possible.”

"Since this is the case, then I have to ask Madam for her opinion." Regarding the house on Zhuangzi, this is considered a major event, and Zhong Zishuo couldn't make up his mind, so he had to ask Wang's opinion first.

"That's fine, let's do this first. By the way, don't we still have three assassins in our house? Don't let them idle, throw them on Zhuangzi and let them help dig the river." Xuan Shijing lowered his head. Looking at the map and said.

"Yes, Young Master." Zhong Zishuo responded with a smile, and seeing that Xuan Shijing had no more words, he said, "Little Lord, if there is nothing else, then I will go down first."

"Oh, okay, let's go, Uncle Zhong." Xuan Shijing raised his head and watched Zhong Zishuo leave the study.

"Money!" Xuan Shijing sighed with emotion: "It's always not enough."

It seems that we have to think of ways to make money. Digging a river can be regarded as a big project, not to mention building a reservoir upstream. This is equivalent to an artificial lake, and the cost will be huge. For now For the Hou Mansion, this is a bottomless pit, and I don't know how much to fill.

"Young Master." Long'er came out of the back room carrying a stack of books: "I found "Hanshu."

Xuan Shijing hurriedly put away the map and vacated the desk, and Long'er put the books in her hand on the desk.

"So many?" Xuan Shijing couldn't help being dumbfounded looking at the two stacks of books placed on the desk.

"Young Lord, I just looked through it. It was newly transcribed a few years ago. Of course, there are notes added by people later, so there will be more. This "Han Shu" is divided into former Han Since Cai Hou was from the Eastern Han Dynasty, it should be recorded in the Later Han Dynasty." Long'er said while wagging her fingers.

Xuan Shijing looked at Long'er in amazement, she even knew the difference between the former Hanshu and the later Hanshu, she really underestimated this girl.

"Long'er, you know quite a lot."

"That's right, Young Master, when Long'er was a child in Erxian Village, she also went to private school with the children in Zhuangzi! It wasn't until Madam was pregnant with you that Long'er came to Chang'an with Madam. "Long'er smiled and sat on the other side of the desk: "Not only Long'er, but also Gao Jun, Qiandui and other young people in Erxianzhuang have attended private schools for many years."

(End of this chapter)