Chapter five hundred and seventieth: Li Yuanfang's troubles
Recently, the express delivery industry in the prefectures and counties surrounding the three main railway lines has become more and more prosperous.
Those rich second generation are very fond of this new thing.
Of course, express delivery is indeed very convenient, fast, and most importantly, very cheap.
Now, not only the rich second generation, but also middle-class families are gradually accepting the express delivery industry.
If nothing else, just talk about the goldfish express business in Yizhou New City. It has now become one of the most popular businesses.
Goldfish and fish tanks are really popular.
As for goldfish, in the entire Tang Dynasty, they were only sold in Yizhou Xincheng.
It is not that there are no goldfish in other states and counties in the Tang Dynasty.
It's just that in this era, goldfish are basically born.
The technology of artificial cultivation and propagation is not available in other places except Yizhou Xincheng.
Now, in Yizhou New City, the goldfish business has become another pillar industry in Yizhou New City.
The cultivation of goldfish has also become an industrial chain in Yizhou New City.
Of course, it's not just goldfish.
The fruits, local specialties, and even some handicrafts here in Yizhou New City are very popular.
In fact, some handicrafts and fruits are also available in other areas, and they are not even worse than Yizhou New Town.
But firstly, they have no publicity, and secondly, they don’t have a strong express delivery business. No matter how good the quality is, they can’t sell without channels.
At present, some businesses have even taken the idea of express delivery.
If their products can cooperate with China Express, they can break through the problem of store and sales audience, and expand their business several times in one go.
Of course, cooperation requires a publicity issue. For the time being, they only have this idea and there is no way to implement it yet.
This combination of punches from the King of Shu was fatal to the Lu family.
Now, the Lu family's car and boat business has plummeted.
The horse-drawn carriage business has basically become obsolete.
Even if the price of their traditional two-wheeled wooden carriage is reduced to one hundred cents, it will be difficult to sell it.
The price of one hundred cents was actually the result of the Lu family cleaning up their inventory and deciding to withdraw from the horse-drawn carriage industry.
It's not that the Lu family doesn't want to compete with the Chinese Commercial Bank, they also bought a lot of four-wheeled carriages for research.
But the bearings used in the chassis of the four-wheel carriage could not be manufactured at all with their craftsmanship.
Not to mention, they have no rubber at all, let alone the production of rubber tires.
The huge gap in technology forced the Lu family to sadly withdraw from the industry.
As for the fishing boat business, it is better than the horse-drawn carriage business.
Although the iron ships launched by China Commercial Bank are cheaper and of high quality, the acceptance level has still been somewhat compromised.
After all, a fishing boat can be used for more than ten years after being repaired. Even if it is taken care of, it can be used for ten or twenty years.
As for iron ships, although there are no problems for the time being, they have not passed the test of time.
However, less than half a year has passed since its launch.
The first batch of fishermen who bought iron boats still felt good about using them.
In terms of maintenance during the six months, iron boats are more trouble-free than wooden boats.
The reputation of iron ships is accumulating little by little, and there is a faint tendency to compete with iron ships.
The Lu family's fishing boat business has suffered a big blow.
And they have a hunch that as time goes by, this blow will become bigger and bigger.
As for the transportation and escort business, they have no business left in areas close to the main railway lines.
The rise of China Express has made these two businesses completely uncompetitive.
Fortunately, there are currently only three main railway lines in Datang, and the area covered is limited after all.
Their Lu family transportation and escort business is still profitable in other areas.
If Datang wanted to fully cover the railways, it would probably take at least several decades of work, and it would be impossible to achieve complete coverage, right?
The Lu family still has some buffering time, and they are currently working hard to find alternative industries.
The Lu family has a profound foundation, and even if there is no income from the outside, it can maintain the family's operation for decades.
Of course, they will never rest on their laurels.
As long as we can find alternative industries, we can continue to maintain the prosperity of the family.
…
This year's imperial examination has passed, but there was no science subject examination this year.
This made many aristocratic families and countless officials breathe a sigh of relief.
After all, the world is dominated by Confucianism now.
Science, on the other hand, is anti-Confucian.
In their view, science is nothing more than fancy tricks.
Even if science can improve combat effectiveness and make people richer and stronger, so what?
To govern the country, we still need to rely on benevolence and righteousness, and we need to rely on Confucianism.
Science does not deserve such a high status.
This year's imperial examination did not include science subjects.
The next imperial examination will be held in three years.
A lot of things will happen in three years, and it is still unknown whether the imperial examinations will be held at that time.
As for the countless scholars in the Tang Dynasty who were waiting and watching, some were disappointed and some were happy.
However, at this time, two months after the imperial examination, Tang Emperor Li Shimin actually took an additional Enke exam, and it was an Enke exam specifically for science subjects.
It can be seen that the Tang Emperor Li Shimin attached great importance to scientific subjects.
In fact, the reason why it was delayed for two months was mainly because of the problem with the test questions.
At the beginning of the year, Li Shimin handed over the task of formulating examination questions to the King of Shu, Li Min.
In Li Shimin's view, it was just a matter of asking a few questions. It was a very simple matter. Isn't it difficult enough to ask questions in one month?
But setting questions for science subjects is really not a simple matter.
There are many aspects that Li Min needs to consider.
First, we must truly elect useful talents.
After these people pass the imperial examination, they can devote themselves to scientific research.
Second, he must master the world and master science.
Li Min really didn't know much about these. He could only gain a certain understanding through Yizhou University.
With this support, it was postponed directly to the beginning of the imperial examination, and the test questions had not yet been released.
Therefore, science subjects were not included in this year's imperial examination.
But Li Shimin attached great importance to scientific subjects.
After Li Min finished presenting the questions, Li Shimin couldn't wait to hold an enke meeting and added an exam in science subjects.
This time, the candidates taking the imperial examination were actually from Yizhou University and several other universities in Jiannan Province.
After all, these are the only schools that teach science.
This time, there were quite a lot of people taking the exam, more than 3,000 people.
Well, this is almost one-fifth of the candidates in several universities.
Many students who had been in school for less than three years took the imperial examination by chance.
This year is the first-year science exam. What if I pass it?
By then, they will be able to enjoy the treatment of seventh-grade officials.
Everyone at the Yizhou Scientific Research Institute, including Di Renjie, was also sent by Li Min to take part in the imperial examination in scientific subjects.
Based on their ability, they will definitely be able to pass this imperial examination.
In principle, passing the imperial examination is only the first step.
They must enter the imperial court's scientific research department before they can enjoy corresponding treatment.
However, Li Shimin also made some compromises with Li Min, that is, joining the scientific research institute in Yizhou and the scientific research department of the imperial court, and enjoying the same treatment.
Even, the scientific research institute in Yizhou was directly designated as a subordinate unit of the imperial scientific research department.
This imperial examination has touched the hearts of countless people.
It is worth mentioning that in this science test, Li Shimin once again accepted the proposal of King Shu Li Min.
This time the exam was conducted on a nameless basis.
In other words, after the exam, the names of the candidates are blurred.
When the examiner corrects the paper, he cannot see the candidate's name.
This avoids the bad habit of examiners admitting candidates based on their impressions.
In the Tang Dynasty, examiners had too much power.
If you are very optimistic about a certain candidate in advance, he can be admitted directly during the exam.
Therefore, it was popular in the Tang Dynasty that Kung Fu was outside the examination room.
This is also the crux of the problem that by the mid-Tang Dynasty, the Five Surnames and Seven Hope Society were so prosperous and could control almost 70% of the court officials.
Because it is entirely up to the examiner to decide who will be admitted.
And the examiners are all from their family, so naturally, the candidates they admit are all from their family.
This time the anonymous examination also brought inspiration to Li Shimin.
Well, this method is very good, it can put an end to imperial examination fraud!
Waiting for the next imperial examination, the name-blinding system will be implemented.
Of course, only Li Min knew that cheating could still be done after the name anonymity system.
They can cheat through fonts.
As long as the examiner is familiar with a candidate's font, he can use the font to admit the candidate when correcting the paper.
However, there is a way to deal with this trick, which is to not only obscure the name after the exam, but also add a step of finding someone to copy it.
In this way, the occurrence of imperial examination fraud can be avoided to the greatest extent.
However, there is no need to unleash this move now, and it would not be too late to wait a few years.
After the assessment was completed, Li Min led a group of teachers and students from the Women's College to correct the papers.
Among them, the teachers and female students at the women's college were responsible for correcting the papers.
As the examiner, Li Min is responsible for the final ranking and supervises the marking of papers by other examiners.
The reason why we need to find teachers and students from the women's college to correct the papers is because there is currently no one available for Li Min.
There was no way, because people from the Research Institute, Yizhou University and several other universities in Jiannan Province, all top-notch students, including teachers, came to take the imperial examination.
The rest are basically freshmen who have been in school for one, two or three years, and they have never studied most of the questions on the exam paper.
Even if we come to them, they won't be able to complete the task.
As for the teachers at the Women's College, as well as the senior girls at the Women's College, their knowledge is not much worse than that at Yizhou University.
And a few of their graduates were called into the Yizhou Research Institute.
Of course, although they can enter the scientific research institute in Yizhou.
But throughout the Tang Dynasty, they could not take part in the imperial examinations, let alone become officials.
Therefore, Li Min asked them to correct the papers.
The dean of the women's college is Qiao Qiqi.
Qiao Qiqi was remarried once. After that experience, Qiao Qiqi seemed to be completely desperate for marriage and has no plans to get married.
In fact, Li Min could vaguely sense that Qiao Qiqi seemed to have some feelings for him.
However, Li Min has enough women around him now, and he just treats Qiao Qiqi as an ordinary friend.
Therefore, Li Min tried his best to alienate her.
Since the establishment of a women's college, Qiao Qiqi has focused all her energy on the college.
Now, under the leadership of Qiao Qiqi, the women's college is developing vigorously.
The assessment results of the women's college are not even much lower than those of Yizhou University.
The most elite and most senior teachers in the women's college are princesses from fifteen countries.
They initially studied with Qiao Qiqi and were considered Qiao Qiqi's teachers.
When the women's college was first established, there were only fifteen of them teachers, plus one dean, Qiao Qiqi.
Now, these princesses from the fifteen countries have become the most senior teachers in the women's college and have brought out many outstanding female students.
At present, all other teachers in the women's college were brought out by them.
These princesses from the fifteen countries were all sent to the Tang Dynasty for marriage, and they were all Li Min's nominal wives.
Of course, in the first two years, we encountered the death of the Supreme Emperor and the death of Empress Changsun.
Later, the wedding date was postponed.
Then with the establishment of women's colleges, and with the fifteen countries sending a large number of noble children to Yizhou to study, the marriage ceremony has been delayed.
Li Min didn't mention the matter of getting married or those fifteen countries, but selectively forgot about it.
Because they were afraid of offending the King of Shu.
In their opinion, sending their children to study at Yizhou University is more important than the happiness of their princess.
As for when the King of Shu chose to get married, or even whether to get married at all, they didn't really care that much.
Anyway, their goal has been achieved.
But when they met again this time, the princesses from the fifteen kingdoms had quite resentful eyes when they saw Li Min.
And Li Min also knew that he was in the wrong, and he didn't dare to look directly into their eyes.
Fortunately, the correction work started soon, and they were also busy.
As the examiner, Li Min felt at ease.
There were only two men in the entire place where the papers were being corrected.
One is naturally the King of Shu, Li Min, and the other is Li Min's guard captain, Li Yuanfang.
Li Yuanfang's duty is to protect the safety of the King of Shu.
Usually when he is in Yizhou, there are at least a dozen members of the Huya Special Forces around Li Min who are responsible for protecting him.
And this time, the papers being revised were all women, so it was naturally difficult for Li Min to bring in so many male guards.
Therefore, his safety was entirely entrusted to Li Yuanfang.
Because there were more than 3,000 candidates this time, it took seven days to complete the paper revision.
The first place this time is Di Renjie.
The top ten rankings are also produced by scientific researchers in Yizhou Xincheng Research Institute.
This time, a total of 168 people were admitted, 110 of whom were scientific researchers from Yizhou Xincheng Research Institute.
They all chose to return to Yizhou Xincheng Scientific Research Institute.
The remaining fifty-eight people were added to the scientific research department.
…
Soon after returning to Yizhou New City, Di Renjie told Li Min some good news.
Steam automobiles have been successfully developed.
After testing, the results are good and can now be put into production.
Of course, these steam cars are still used for military purposes.
The speed of these steam cars has reached eighty miles, and has surpassed war horses in speed.
Of course, the only shortcoming is that it relies too much on roads.
As long as the enemy destroys the roads, these steam vehicles will immediately lose their use.
Li Min ordered Di Renjie to produce only 3,000 military steam vehicles in the first stage.
In the past few years, there should have been no major wars in the Tang Dynasty, and three thousand steam vehicles were enough for use.
Li Min ordered Di Renjie and others to build a batch of steam cars for civilian use.
Of course, Li Min has no intention of selling it to anyone else.
Until more advanced second-generation locomotives come out, steam cars will not be sold to the outside world.
This time, Li Min asked Di Renjie to build buses and trucks.
Four-wheeled carriages can certainly greatly increase freight capacity.
But compared to the steam truck, it's totally unattractive.
Steam buses can also fill the shortcomings of truck transportation. In areas not covered by train tracks, steam buses can be used instead.
…
After returning from Chang'an to rewrite papers, Li Yuanfang was very troubled during this period.
Although Li Yuanfang is the leader of the guards of the King of Shu, he is also the captain of the Huya Special Forces.
Except when Li Min needs to go out or on some special days, Li Yuanfang is not always with Li Min.
His mission is to train members of the Huya Special Forces.
When correcting papers in Chang'an, Li Yuanfang discovered that among the princesses of the fifteen kingdoms, Natasha, the princess of Guizi Kingdom, looked at him with something strange.
The look in his eyes was very bold and enthusiastic.
These women from foreign countries really don't understand any etiquette, justice and shame, which is simply too much.
Of course, Li Yuanfang had to admit that this Natasha was very beautiful and had a good figure.
At least it is very suitable for Datang's aesthetic vision, which is fat - well, it should be said to be plump.
Natasha just has a big frame and a plump figure, so she can't really be called fat.
But this is quite in line with Li Yuanfang's aesthetic concept.
But the status gap between the two parties is really too big. One is just the leader of the bodyguards, while the other is a princess of a country.
That's all. What's more important is that this princess was sent to marry the King of Shu.
She is the nominal fiancée of the King of Shu.
The King of Shu was not only kind to him, but also regarded him as his brother.
How could he, Li Yuanfang, do something as bad as a beast?
Therefore, facing Natasha's passionate eyes, Li Yuanfang chose to avoid it.
Originally, Li Yuanfang thought that after the paper was revised, the two would no longer have any intersection, and the matter would be settled.
But unexpectedly, after returning to Yizhou New City, Princess Natasha would come to see him every now and then.
This made Li Yuanfang frightened and distressed.
How could this Princess Natasha do this?
Although I don't have any wrong thoughts towards her.
But if His Highness comes to know about this matter, what will His Highness think of me then?
Therefore, every time Natasha came to see him, Li Yuanfang would always do everything possible to avoid her.
…
On this day, Xu Hui came to report to Li Min again.
However, Li Min keenly noticed that Xu Hui seemed to be a little absent-minded.
The information reported was actually insignificant information.
Normally, Xu Hui would not report this information to him.
Several times, Xu Hui hesitated to speak and seemed to find it difficult to speak.
Seeing this scene, Li Min couldn't help but be a little surprised.
What is going on?
How could Xu Hui be so embarrassed?
Li Min couldn't help but ask: "Hui'er, do you have something to tell me?"
After hesitating for a long time, Xu Hui said awkwardly: "Your Highness, there is something that I, I don't know whether I should tell you or not."
Li Min laughed and said: "Since you don't know whether to say it or not, that means you are afraid that I will know about it, so just don't say it!"
Um?
Hearing Li Min's words, Xu Hui couldn't help but open her eyes in surprise, showing a look of uncertainty.
After you heard what I said, didn't you want me to say it quickly without being happy?
How can you be so happy?
And you still won’t let me say it?
Xu Hui felt that her brain was short-circuited, and she couldn't help but said: "But, but, this..."
Li Min laughed and said: "Hui'er, we have been together for such a long time, don't you still understand who I am? If there is anything, just tell me, what worries do you have?"
Xu Hui took a deep breath and said: "Your Highness, after you hear about this matter, don't worry too much. In fact, nothing happened, it's just a sign."
"Maybe I'm overly concerned, or maybe there's nothing wrong with me. But I think it's better to tell His Highness about this matter earlier. If something happens, I'm afraid it will end badly.
."
Hearing Xu Hui's words, Li Min couldn't help but frown slightly.
What is all this mess?
So what happened?
Li Min couldn't help but frown and asked: "Hui'er, what is going on? Just tell me!"
Xu Hui took a deep breath, and then said: "Your Highness, it's like this. Recently, Princess Natasha, the princess of Guizi Kingdom, often goes to see your bodyguard Li Yuanfang."
"Of course, Guard Li has been avoiding Princess Natasha and has never met her."
"Princess Natasha may be asking Guard Li for something, so, so..."
It turns out that this is the case, no wonder Xu Hui is in such a difficult situation.
The princesses of these fifteen countries are now nominally his fiancées.
Of course, in fact, Li Min had no intention of marrying them.
If he is married, he will not only be irresponsible to the women around him.
For the princesses of the fifteen countries, it is also irresponsible.
However, if you don't marry and keep delaying, it will be the same irresponsible behavior for the princesses of these fifteen countries.
Soon, Li Min nodded and said, "Hui'er, I know about this matter, and I will handle it well."
Xu Hui said worriedly: "But..."
Li Min smiled slightly and said, "Don't worry, I know how to deal with it."
Hearing Li Min's words, Xu Hui opened her mouth, but didn't know what to say, and finally left with worries.
After Xu Hui left, Li Min's face darkened, and then he ordered outside: "Come here, please bring Princess Natasha over."
