After Li Jingxuan left, Li Zhi put some refreshments prepared by the queen for him one by one into the giant bear's mouth. When the last piece of jujube cake was swallowed by the giant bear, Li Zhi wiped the giant bear's mouth with a handkerchief and returned the food.
After checking, he saw that there was no snack residue on the giant bear's mouth or belly, so he said to Ruichun: "Is there still no big discovery on that piece of wood in Chang'an?"
Ruichun said quickly: "Your Majesty, I have discovered many things, but there is really no big discovery."
Li Zhidao: "Yun Chu, Wen Wen, and Di Renjie will still make fun of me behind my back?"
Ruichun said: "According to the wooden report, the last time Yun Chu took advantage of His Majesty, he was talking about who was going to have sex with the Queen and who would go up and who would go down."
Li Zhi clucked his lips and said, "I'm down there. It's comfortable and it saves effort."
Ruichun continued: "Youn Wenwen said the same thing, only Di Renjie seems to have no interest in this topic."
Li Zhi smiled and said: "It doesn't matter, they are just three cowards who only dare to gossip behind my back and don't have the guts to say it in front of me.
Ask Mu Mu where Yunchu got the six thousand kilograms of gunpowder and why he didn't report it."
Ruichun smiled bitterly and said: "The six thousand kilograms of gunpowder came from Baiqisi. From receipt to transportation to use, there was full supervision to ensure that all six thousand kilograms of gunpowder were used in cutting mountains and splitting rocks."
Li Zhi sneered and said, "How much benefit did Zuo Chun get?"
Ruichun said: "The Chang'an No. 1 and No. 2 cotton spinning factories owned by Baiqisi have a serious backlog of goods. Not only are they unable to effectively subsidize Baiqisi, they also need counter-subsidies from Baiqisi.
Especially three years ago, the Ministry of War said that the various types of military products produced by the First and Second Cotton Mills were of inferior quality and high prices. After receiving the military products, various armies complained. Although they did not dare to completely stop receiving them, they cut off a large number of orders.
, switching to private procurement, this made the first and second cotton spinning mills completely become the burden of Baiqisi from the chickens that laid golden eggs, causing Chang'an Baiqisi to make ends meet, and even affected the development and training of secret agents.
layout.
At that time, the cotton spinning mill affiliated to Wannian County invented a new kind of fabric. During weaving, a certain amount of mulberry silk and fine jute were added to the warp and weft lines. The woven fabric was strong, durable, and lighter than pure cotton.
…So, so…”
Seeing Ruichun's hesitant speech, Li Zhi sighed and said, "So, Zuo Chun paid six thousand kilograms of gunpowder for this secret recipe?
Or did he come to his door and beg for the two hundred and fifty?"
Ruichun lowered his head and said nothing.
Li Zhi raised his head and thought about Yun Chu's disgusting look when Zuo Chunqiu came to his door. He couldn't help but sigh again: "Is it more difficult for him to accept asking for me than asking for Yun Chu?
"
Ruichun whispered: "Within five years, only the first and second cotton spinning mills can produce this new type of fabric..."
Li Zhi thought for a moment and then said to Ruichun: "When you were doing this, didn't you ever think about why Yunchu would pay such a high price for a county magistrate with whom he had a little friendship?
?”
Ruichun knelt on the ground with a pop, put her head on the ground and replied: "I later learned that although this kind of fabric has many benefits, it is expensive. Because it is cotton, the nobles disdain to use it, and the poor cannot afford it.
If there is no way to make money, it is a loser for them.
Liu Jiang, the magistrate of Jinji County, wanted to dig a canal, so he begged Yun Chu to help him apply for a batch of gunpowder from the court. However, private use of fifty kilograms of gunpowder needed to be reported to the Ministry of Industry for approval, and it also needed to be reported to Baiqisi.
, Baiqisi receives it from the gunpowder workshop, and finally supervises its use. He receives as much as he uses to ensure that the gunpowder does not fall into private hands...
Even if Yun Chu wanted to get six thousand kilograms of gunpowder, he would have to submit a special letter to the Zhongshu Provincial Department, and his majesty would finally approve it. However, Jinji County is not under the jurisdiction of Chang'an. Such a document would not be approved by the Zhongshu Provincial Department.
Not to mention sending the documents to His Majesty's desk...
Wei Chen heard from Mu Mu that Yunchu had clearly rejected Jinji County Magistrate Liu Jiang. As a result, at this time, the governor Zuo Chun came to Yunchu's door to discuss how to save the first and second cotton spinning mills...
…It gives room for turning around things that were originally hopeless…”
Li Zhi pinched the giant bear's ears and murmured to himself: "The new cotton cloth is sold among the people, and no one buys it. It is just right to sell it to the army. Anyway, the army only wants good things, no matter the price.
First, the Second Cotton Mill can also take advantage of the improvement in cotton quality to increase the price of military products, and it can suddenly come back to life... The Gunpowder Department is already under the supervision of Baiqisi... As long as they are ordered to produce an additional six thousand
kilograms of gunpowder, and then supervised the county magistrate to use all the gunpowder on the construction site... As a result, the accounts of the Gunpowder Department were even, and the extra gunpowder was completely used... The two cotton spinning mills were saved, and hundreds of thousands of people were saved.
Qisi was rich again, and the canal that the county magistrate wanted was blown up... He was able to achieve more with one stone without knowing it.
I’m the only one who has truly become what Yun Chu often calls the wronged person, right?”
Ruichun kowtowed like a fool. When he did this, Zuo Chun didn't hide it from them. It was the unanimous opinion of their Baiqisi superiors, because the whole thing was just like the emperor said, there was a perfect closed loop.
, how is it appropriate to exchange six thousand kilograms of not very valuable gunpowder for two chickens that lay golden eggs...
Li Zhi stood up, raised his leg and kicked Ruichun on the head and said, "No more next time."
Ruichun got up gratefully, grinning, and the pain in her waist was unstoppable. It was not the weight of Li Zhi's kick, but the giant bear that followed Li Zhi and took the opportunity to slap him on the back.
.
When Wu Mei came over, she found that Li Zhi and Ruichun were joking. Although Li Zhi was the only one who was happy, Ruichun's legs were still shaking when he stood. However, in Wu Mei's view, as long as the emperor is happy, it means that this
The two of them were just talking and laughing.
Wu Mei first glanced at the empty snack plate on the table, and said with resentment: "Why did you feed the bear and ruin my good intentions?"
Li Zhi smiled and said: "It's not a waste. I ate half and the bear ate half. If you don't believe it, ask Ruichun."
Rui Chun retreated behind the curtain expressionlessly, not prepared to answer such a question that might cost him his life.
Wu Mei did not comment on Li Zhi's words. She came to the table and took a look at the booklet above and asked, "What's wrong with Yun Chu?"
Li Zhidao said: "He didn't want to go to Yanshi County to quell the rebellion. He thought he was killing a chicken with a bull's-eye, but Li Jingxuan rushed to go there. I'm sure."
Wu Mei frowned and said, "Why are you so picky? If you continue like this, you will be careful to raise an arrogant and domineering person."
Li Zhi laughed and said: "Seeing that he is still capable of being arrogant and domineering, I will tolerate it for the time being.
However, Queen, Yun Chu, Wen Wen, and Di Renjie are extremely interested in the sexual intercourse between you and me. I heard Mu Mu reported back that they are guessing whether you are superior or I am superior, what do you think?"
It was difficult for Wu Mei to feel shy about this kind of thing, so she casually said "shameless" and said to Li Zhi: "Your daughter has started to squander the land."
Li Zhi said without changing his expression: "What is she going to do?"
Wu Mei looked through Li Jingxuan's secret notes and said casually: "A greedy princess who was taught by Yu Xiurong. She is going to lend money to the farmers in Yanshi County at very low interest rates and even at a loss."
Li Zhi said: "Knock on the bones and suck out the marrow?"
Wu Mei shook her head and said: "Yu Xiurong can't teach a greedy princess who sucks the blood of the people. She just wants to lend money to the people, and then let the people use the money to buy seeds, piglets, and chicks from her.
The ducklings are preparing for next year's spring plowing, and after the autumn harvest, the chickens and ducks will grow up and then pay her back.
It sounds quite conscientious."
Li Zhi shook his head and said: "I never believe in the conscience mentioned by merchants, not a word of it."
Wu Mei picked up the pen and wrote some words in scattered positions on a piece of paper, and then connected them with line segments. After the connections were completed, she showed them to Li Zhi.
After reading the connection between these words, Li Zhi said: "Is An Ding going to make a big bet?"
Wu Mei sighed and said, "If An Ding planned this, I would praise him for his cleverness. If Yun Chu planned this, I would have to describe it as having ulterior motives."
"Ruichun——" Li Zhi called loudly.
Ruichun, who was hiding behind the curtain and rubbing her waist, immediately appeared in front of Li Zhi. Li Zhi picked up the piece of paper written by the queen and showed it to Ruichun.
Ruichun said unhurriedly: "Give me a stick of incense."
After that, he hurried out. As Ruichun left, a soldier as thick as a mountain rumbled into the hall.
Li Zhi thought for a moment and said: "It shouldn't be Yun Chu's work. Spending a lot of money to get a small profit doesn't seem like something Yun Chu is willing to do.
What did Yun Chu say at the beginning - oh, asset-heavy, yes, those are the three words. He is smart enough, and there are enough fools in the world. I don’t think he will use such a stupid way to make money."
Wu Mei said: "The countryside has been governed by squires and clans since ancient times. Now Li Si is involved. What does she want to do?
As for a little bit of money, it’s not that big of a deal.”
Li Zhi shook his head and said: "There are no squires in Yanshi County now, and the clan has been almost destroyed."
Wu Mei looked at Li Zhi for a long time before saying, "Your Majesty, are you unwilling to think too badly of Yun Chu?"
Li Zhi nodded and said: "If he is really treacherous and loyal, I will be heartbroken."
Wu Mei sneered and said: "People are always changeable. One moment and another is the normal state of life. Not to mention that Your Majesty liked Yun Chu ten years ago, I also felt that seeing him was like seeing him.
When it comes to sunshine, however, after more than ten years, it cannot be sunny every day, and there will always be clouds that block the sun.
If Your Majesty doesn’t believe it, you will know after watching Ruichun’s investigation.”
