Wang Fu, the Chief of the Metallurgical Bureau, and Zhou Pei, the Secretary of the Yu Department, looked at each other, and their expressions changed slightly.
Of course they knew what a high-ranking and powerful eunuch Eunuch Tong was. He was the most trusted eunuch Bingli around Emperor Wei. He was in charge of such a large eunuch. Even though he was a physically disabled eunuch, his power was greater than that of the Six Ministries.
Shangshu is even more important.
Why did he come to the Smelting Bureau? Is it possible...
Zhou Pei, the Secretary of the Yu Department, looked a little unhappy. After all, he came to visit the Smelting Bureau at this time. If it were not for the Smelting Bureau's new candle-making technology, Zhou Pei really couldn't think of any other purpose.
"Be patient and don't be impatient."
Noticing that Zhou Pei's face was a little ugly, Zhao Hongrun smiled and waved his hand to comfort the Yubu Shilang who had just joined his "Smelting and Manufacturing Bureau family", and then said loudly: "Invite!"
After a while, the eunuch Tong Xian, the eunuch Bingli, led another middle-aged eunuch into the house, bowed his hands to Zhao Hongrun and said, "Old slave, please pay your respects to His Highness Prince Su."
As he said this, he nodded to Zhou Pei and Wang Fu, taking it as a greeting.
It has to be said that given his status, just nodding and saluting can be regarded as giving face to Zhou Pei and Wang Fu. After all, the difference in status between the two is more than a star and a half.
In turn, Wang Fu and Zhou Pei had to bow to the great eunuch. After all, they did not have the status of princes and kings like Zhao Hongrun.
"Eunuch Tong, why do you have time to come to our Smelting Bureau today?"
Zhao Hongrun cupped his hands towards Tong Xian and asked with a smile.
To be honest, with his status, there was no need to salute the old eunuch. The reason why he did so was just because Tong Xian had taken care of him in the past, respected and cared for him, and had secretly reminded him not to do so.
Being too close to his imperial sister, Princess Yulong, would prevent the emperor from becoming angry. Although Zhao Hongrun still doesn't know why his father would be angry because of this.
"I came to the Smelting Bureau today for a... a private matter." As he said that, he turned around and introduced the middle-aged eunuch who came after standing up: "This... is under the name of my chamberlain.
, the Prime Minister of the Internal Affairs Bureau, Gao Ligao Eunuch."
Hearing this, Eunuch Gao quickly stepped forward and saluted Zhao Hongrun again: "Slave, please pay homage to His Highness King Su."
Internal bureaucracy...
Zhao Hongrun muttered in his heart. He looked up and down at the Chief Eunuch Gao of the Smelting Bureau, smiled and nodded, as a return gift.
After all, he had no friendship with this Eunuch Gao, so a nod in return was enough.
After looking at Tong Xian and then at Gao Li, Zhao Hongrun realized that the latter was probably the real owner, so he asked calmly: "Eunuch Gao came to my bureau this time, what advice do you have?"
"I dare not give you advice." Gao Li bowed and said respectfully: "I heard that the Smelting Bureau has made some new molds for making candles. So..."
Hearing this, Yubu Silang Zhou Pei's face became even more ugly.
No wonder, he had just reached an agreement with the Smelting Bureau, and suddenly an internal manufacturing bureau appeared. What? Want to take away his Yu Department's job?
Noticing Zhou Pei's expression, Zhao Hongrun raised his hand to signal the former to calm down, then looked at Tong Xian and said with a faint smile: "Eunuch Tong, does the chamberlain want to get a share of this?"
Tong Xian served Emperor Wei for a long time and had many contacts with Zhao Hongrun. How could he know the temper of His Highness King Su? Hearing this, he waved his hands and said: "Your Highness has misunderstood. My chamberlain has no extravagant desire to share the pie.
...Eunuch Gao?"
After receiving Tong Xian's hint, Gaoli, the Prime Minister of the Metallurgical Bureau, also quickly explained: "Your Highness has misunderstood... I'm afraid your Highness doesn't know. The things made by my internal manufacturing bureau have never been circulated to the outside world and are only supplied to the palace. Therefore,
, have absolutely no intention of intervening in the domestic candle market.”
Well said!
Zhou Pei, the Secretary of the Yu Department, murmured in his heart.
You must know that as far as he knows, the internal manufacturing bureau does not dare to spread things with the imperial tribute label to the outside world, but some things that are built according to the imperial tribute specifications but are not labeled with the imperial tribute label are not secretly circulated by the manufacturing bureau.
Sold to the Ji princes and wealthy families in the Wei Dynasty?
This is actually the profit that belongs to their Yu Department!
Of course, the quantity of such items secretly leaked from the internal manufacturing bureau is not large, and it will not have a serious impact on the Yu Department. Zhou Pei is just unhappy that these items leaked from the smelting bureau, even if they are expensive, are still favored by domestic wealthy families.
Just praise and enthusiasm.
For example, a pair of jade chopsticks are also sold to wealthy families in China, but the price of the jade chopsticks flowing out from the Smelting Bureau is several times that of the jade chopsticks made by Yubu, but those damn wealthy ones
The Qian family also rushed to buy jade chopsticks from the Smelting Bureau, which made Zhou Pei very persistent.
To put it bluntly, he was a little jealous: the craftsmanship of the internal bureau was obviously not much different from that of his Yubu, but they took advantage of Huanggong, so naturally they sold the land better and faster than him.
Although he also understood that this kind of thing might be tacitly approved by the emperor in order to make up for the huge expenses of the palace, he still felt a little uncomfortable after thinking about it.
But Zhao Hongrun doesn't care about this. In his opinion, as long as the eunuch is not here to pick peaches, he is not his enemy. As for the private leakage of some royal tribute, how much can it have? It is not enough to affect the domestic market of Wei Dynasty.
.
"Then what does Eunuch Gao mean?" Zhao Hongrun asked kindly.
Seeing that His Highness Prince Su's tone had softened a bit, Gao Li also breathed a sigh of relief. After all, the people in the palace were the first to realize that His Highness Prince Su was not someone to be trifled with, even if he was the bureau chief who was causing trouble internally.
, and cannot afford to offend His Highness King Su, so it is better to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings as much as possible.
"Your Highness, please note that our internal manufacturing department also has craftsmen who specialize in making candles, but these candles are all made of beeswax and are supplied to the palace..."
"Hmm." Zhao Hongrun nodded. He had heard Wang Fu talk about this earlier. Only then did he know that the candles he lit in Wenzhao Pavilion were all made of beeswax produced by the Internal Manufacturing Bureau.
The candles made are different from ordinary candles made of grease. No wonder there is no black smoke when lit, but a faint sweet fragrance.
"...It's just that the craftsmanship used in my internal construction is still old, and it requires a lot of manpower... Your Highness, you also know that there are many palaces in the palace, and they are all lit by candles twelve hours a day.
, you can imagine how many candles need to be consumed every day. Therefore, after hearing that the Smelting Bureau has created an iron mold that can produce candles in large quantities, I specially asked Eunuch Tong to recommend it on my behalf. I hope that the Smelting Company under the control of His Highness King Su will
If you can create a bureau for me, I can also build a few iron molds."
I see.
Zhao Hongrun nodded after hearing this, and Gao Li's explanation made him relieve his hostility. After all, if it was just a supply to the palace, it would not conflict with Zhao Hongrun's money-making plan.
Of course, Zhao Hongrun would not do it in vain to build iron molds for the internal manufacturing bureau.
Therefore, he nodded and said: "What Eunuch Gao said is reasonable and reasonable. I have no intention of rejecting it, but...making iron molds is time-consuming, labor-intensive and expensive. This..."
Time-consuming and labor-intensive? It costs a lot? Then your Smelting Bureau built ten in ten days?
Gao Li was filled with fear. He was not a fool. He naturally understood the implication of His Highness Prince Su's words and said quickly: "Don't worry, Your Highness, all the expenses will be borne by me."
"Okay!" Zhao Hongrun put his hands on his hands and said with a smile: "One hundred thousand taels of iron molds. I wonder how many Eunuch Gao wants?"
"Ten...one hundred thousand taels?!" Gao Li opened his mouth in shock when he heard this.
Wang Fu, the Chief of the Smelting Bureau, and Zhou Pei, the Secretary of the Household Department, even secretly gasped: His Highness, Prince Su, is going to kill the internal Smelting Bureau?
…
Gaoli, the Prime Minister of the Internal Affairs Bureau, looked deeply at Zhao Hongrun.
I have to say that if it had been anyone else, he would have cursed angrily, but in front of His Highness King Su, he did not have the courage.
After all, he is a member of the palace, and only the people in the palace can understand more and more what status His Highness Prince Su has in the mind of Emperor Wei, and how much he is valued.
Therefore, he could only look at Tong Xian and his immediate superior with helpless eyes.
Unexpectedly, Tong Xian said with a smile: "Eunuch Gao, His Highness King Su is willing to sell you a mold for a mere one hundred thousand taels. You have already taken a big advantage in making the bureau. Why don't you thank His Highness quickly?"
Unexpectedly, the eunuch who served as a chamberlain actually agreed to Zhao Hongrun's seemingly outrageous price.
This left Gao Li a little stunned.
He is worthy of being the old man beside his father.
Zhao Hongrun looked at Tong Xian, and after thinking for a while, he said: "Well, for the sake of my father and Eunuch Tong, Kaneuchi Manufacturing Bureau is the first to purchase valuable molds from our Smelting Bureau, so I will give you a special gift
Half-price discount... But there is one thing that I have to say up front. The molds I sell to the inner-making bureau can only be used in the palace and must not be exported. Otherwise, I will take back the candles.
Two iron molds."
"Of course." Under Tong Xian's hint, Gao Li nodded repeatedly and stopped as soon as he was ready.
Seeing this, Zhao Hongrun glanced at Wang Fu, who understood, nodded and said: "Don't worry, Your Highness, I will arrange it later and ask the craftsmen to make two more molds and deliver them to the in-house construction team."
"Please be sure to make the land more carefully." Gaoli, the Prime Minister of the Internal Construction Bureau, warned from the side.
"Eunuch Gao, please rest assured."
Wang Fu seemed to be replying calmly, but who knew he was laughing in his heart?
There was a time when the Internal Manufacturing Bureau was in charge of their Smelting Bureau. When they asked for something, they would always pay such a high price. At most, they would only pay some fees for the craftsmen and the cost of raw materials for the items, and sometimes they would not even give them a penny.
There is no other way, who can tell others to create the situation internally?
But now, hey, even if it is the high-ranking Metallurgical Bureau, if they want something, they have to pay in a regular manner, and they will still make huge profits.
What a huge profit... Two molds cost one hundred thousand taels, tsk tsk!
Wang Fu's mood was a little agitated and it was difficult to calm down.
Afterwards, after walking out of the gate of the Smelting Bureau, Gaoli, the Prime Minister of the Internal Manufacturing Bureau, looked a little unhappy: "I didn't expect that in the end, I still wanted one hundred thousand taels..."
"Be content." Tong Xian said calmly from the side: "Do you think this Metallurgical Bureau is still the same Metallurgical Bureau that people used to call around?... It's different from the past!"
Hearing this, Gao Li sighed somewhat depressedly.
It is true that once upon a time, their internal manufacturing bureau was under the control of the Smelting Bureau. When did they ever give such a high price? Didn't they just take it as they wanted? But as Tong Xian said, today's Smelting Bureau is no longer at the mercy of others.
The Smelting Bureau.
There is no way, who knows that His Highness Prince Su is backing the Smelting Bureau now?
On that day, the news that the Internal Manufacturing Bureau spent a high price of one hundred thousand taels to customize two molds specifically for the production of candles from the Smelting Bureau spread throughout the six departments of the imperial court.
At this time, the entire imperial court truly realized that the Smelting Bureau was indeed different from the past.
This is not good news for ministries and departments like the Ministry of War and the Ordnance Casting Bureau that require technical support from the Smelting Bureau. (To be continued.)