Chapter 19 During the Industrial Revolution in the Song Dynasty
So this is what Your Majesty thinks?
As soon as Su Jinghe and this guy's idea came up, the others were really led astray by his train of thought. When they thought about it, it felt true!
After all, a real war on two fronts would be a fantasy. They have to eat one bite at a time, and the Song Dynasty cannot suddenly become as powerful as the Qin and Han dynasties.
But this makes a lot more sense.
When Song Renzong discovered that even Lu Yijian looked at him with relief, he felt completely devastated.
It’s impossible to coax her!
How could you think of me as that kind of person! Am I that cunning?
"Your Majesty is absolutely right. The Great Song is not weak. If we really try hard, we may be able to attack both Liao and Xixia at the same time. With our internal and external support, we will definitely be able to make both sides run wild!"
The one among the five who did not have time to express his loyalty seized the half-minute of silence in the court, stood out from the crowd, and wanted to show his loyalty in front of His Majesty.
only--
His Majesty did not appreciate it.
After listening to what he said, Song Renzong began to think that it would be better for him to be a shrewd and resourceful person than this brainless and reckless man.
It seems not everyone who's been co-opted is valuable. Look at them. Once they get what they want, they don't believe the promises anymore. Now they're still valuable if they turn against us. Sigh... If I were an undercover agent, I'd probably be the same way. It would seem foolish.
Although no names were mentioned, this kind of sarcastic tone is even more unbearable.
The man fainted from anger before His Majesty could even speak.
"Imperial Physician, Imperial Physician, come and take a look!"
"In this case, just pouring water will solve the problem, right?"
"No, what do you guys in the military department usually do? Throw water?"
There was a period of chaos and war, and Su Jinghe left the court in confusion.
"I don't know why. I was obviously very sleepy when I was in court, but I felt relieved when I left." Su Jinghe said this to his buddy Song Shiyi who was walking with him.
Song Shiyi almost wanted to agree.
After all, all you do all day is read gossips and stir up trouble with your inner voice. How can you not find this morning court interesting?
But with the mentality of a serious worker, Song Shiyi gave up saying this and instead started to show high emotional intelligence in the workplace.
“Serving the country and the people naturally makes one energetic.”
It sounds like the person who can say this is either a great man or a fake person.
Su Jinghe didn't know how close he was to Song Shiyi. But he didn't dare to make such a big deal about his daily slacking off. He used the excuse that he had to go back to work and parted ways with Song Shiyi.
"What you said is too weird. How could anyone possibly accept it?" Su Shunqin came over and analyzed what had just happened with Song Shiyi.
Song Shiyi also had a strong sense of participation in the post-war review, "But it's more stylish to say this."
"He's just not a stylish person." Su Shunqin shook his head. "By the way, the exam is coming up soon. Has his uncle made any preparations for it?"
"He should be ready. It's strange to say, but I asked Da Su later. His results in the provincial examination were not too bad, just average. Logically, with such a level, it would be no problem for him to pass the imperial examination at the last place." Song Shiyi was also concerned about Su Xun's imperial examination. He had been looking for opportunities to attend various literary gatherings with Su Xun these days. He seemed to be more dedicated than Su Jing and his nephew.
Look, he has already exchanged names with Su Xun. The other party calls him Xiao Song, and he calls him Da Su.
"Maybe I'm more afraid of the Spring Examination." Su Shunqin has also recently felt a sense of empathy. "I've been busy with so many things for their family. These days, I've been dreaming that I'm on the Spring Examination again, but I don't know how to answer the questions on the test paper."
Su Shunqin was prepared to hear Song Shiyi's ridicule, but when he looked at Song Shiyi, he saw that he was also frightened.
The two sighed, "Ah, it's true that what you think about during the day, you dream about at night!"
What have they done to them?
If the two of them hadn't resolved the issue, the Song Dynasty would probably have had a hard time in the next four years. Someone had to help Su Xun get through this "difficult time."
"Did your uncle buy paper and pens in advance? Did he exercise more to avoid being overwhelmed? Did you develop an insulated lunch box for that thermos cup you made? Bring it with you so you don't have to eat cold food."
Zhang Dexiang was a little nervous.
Unlike Song Shiyi and the others' worries, he knew clearly how anxious His Majesty had been recently.
Even if other things were changed, it might not bring His Majesty much psychological comfort, but regarding Su Xun, Su Jing and I were both very concerned and uncertain. If we could accomplish this...
"Let's do our best and leave the rest to fate. I'm not panicking anymore, so don't panic too, boss." Su Jinghe didn't know the twists and turns behind the scenes. He thought that he usually showed too much worry, which made the boss worry with him.
He thought to himself that he was worthy of being his boss, as he was humane and completely different from the black-hearted capitalists who were later posted online.
"I've bought some paper and pen, and I've started running every day to stay fit. As for the thermos, that shouldn't work, right?"
Su Jinghe looked at Zhang Dexiang and pointed at himself. "Given my relationship with the kiln factory, would anyone suspect that I put the answers in the thermos to make it easier for my uncle to cheat?"
Don't mention it, if it was someone else, it's really possible...
Zhang Dexiang was misled by Su Jinghe's speculation, and there was no way to wash away the blame.
"You can't do this either." Lord Lin beside him shook his head. "You can imagine it, but you're eager to prove it to others step by step, right? If someone else cheated like this, I would believe it."
"Even if you testify for me then, others may not believe me." Su Jinghe shook his head, "So forget it. Let me think about whether there is any other way."
"That's right." Zhang Dexiang pretended that he was just asking casually and assigned Su Jinghe a new task.
"You can bring the craftsman you know over here in the next two days."
"What? Is it possible today? I... I'll go and ask him to pay me?" Su Jinghe got excited when he heard that there was slacking off. He stood up and went to find someone directly.
"Don't be impatient," Zhang Dexiang said, holding the anxious monkey in his arms. "Tell me the truth, your construction team, did they paint the exterior with cinnabar or something like that?"
Su Jinghe looked at Zhang Dexiang and said, "How could that be? Our paints can all be used for painting!"
When he mentioned that he could paint, Zhang Dexiang became even more worried. "I can paint! Don't I know what the paints used in paintings are?"
At least the red pigments he bought recently all used cinnabar!
"What? Oh yes, it seems so. You guys use some very precious and beautiful stones for painting, and we don't even know if they have radiation or not. You grind them into powder..." There was something in Su Jinghe's words that he didn't seem to understand. He silently memorized the word "radiation".
"Don't talk about these nonsense. I just want to ask you if this is safe." Zhang Dexiang didn't dare to ask on the spot. Su Jinghe's thinking seemed to be one-way. Asking him now would prevent him from thinking about the next thing.
"It's safe. Our reds are all plant-based. Haven't you noticed that some pigments are lighter? Because..."
"Because the plants can't stain too deeply? That's okay, they're not poisonous plants, right?" Zhang Dexiang was still a little scared.
They are not like the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Works, where both require some skills, and the former also require some family background. Their Privy Council, especially Su Jinghe, is responsible for the imperial edict, and anyone can do it.
Zhang Dexiang still needs to ask clearly. What if His Majesty thinks he is incompetent and transfers Su Jinghe or even transfers him away?
If Su Jinghe knew about Zhang Dexiang's train of thought, he would also find it irrelevant. It can only be said that because he has been with Su Jinghe for a long time, he has been influenced by him and has lost his former shrewdness and has learned a lot of "abstraction".
"Of course there is no poison. We also need to stay alive. But if we poisoned you, no one would know about it." The first half of Su Jinghe's sentence made Zhang Dexiang smile a little, but he immediately became serious again after the second half.
"Don't say such things casually!" Zhang Dexiang really hated Su Jinghe's character of not being able to control his words and thoughts!
Is this something you can say casually?
"Boss, you really care about His Majesty." Su Jinghe's words made Zhang Dexiang even more confused.
How do you know?
Zhang Dexiang's eyes were full of confusion.
"Whatever we do in the palace, we'll be under scrutiny. If we really drugged them, wouldn't others see it..." Su Jinghe shook his head. "No, Boss, you're just like us, starting to think about how to avoid responsibility, right? Asking this in advance is pointless. Let's contact more people now and supervise together when the time comes. That way, it won't be our problem."
"You are really a talented person." Zhang Dexiang shook his head.
Others all want to have as few supervisors as possible, but this guy is going the other way and contacting more people to supervise. How many troubles will he bring upon himself?
"Okay, that makes sense." Zhang Dexiang agreed.
He didn't want to give others a reason to transfer Su Jing and this precious treasure away because of these trivial matters.
Especially Lu Yijian! This old fox has been trying to pull Su Jinghe under his control several times, hinting at it indirectly!
I can't give this opportunity, I'd rather be patient now.
——
"What is this cement?" Gongbu looked at the mixed cement. "It looks very similar to the mud we usually use. It's not as sticky as rice paste, right?"
Cheng Gongjian looked at Su Jinghe, who was watching the show and slacking off openly, and said, "Master Su, can you teach them this?"
This one sentence made Su Jinghe lose his composure. He trotted over at the speed of light, under the surprised and curious gazes of his colleagues in the Ministry of Industry.
"Didn't you say not to call him 'sir'?" He really got scared when he thought about how flattering this title was, and how it could even be so flattering that he was considered a father.
"You teach me this, I..." Su Jinghe lowered his voice, "I didn't say I taught you!"
"But this is what Master Su taught me!" Su Jinghe had told Cheng the craftsman in advance when he went to see him, asking him not to reveal that it was he who taught him.
Cheng Gongshi imagined it directly, workplace bullying, where the superiors relied on their power and influence to bully Su Jinghe, who had no background.
Craftsman Cheng was also the core of the Su family's construction team. He naturally knew that although the Su family was rich, they really had no roots in Bian Jing. Even this money was earned in the past two years - he didn't know that his aunt was also very good at making money when she was in Sichuan.
So, seeing that everyone is very kind and there are people in various official uniforms, I immediately decided to be a brave person to stand up for Lord Su!
"What?" The person from the Ministry of Works nearby was shocked when he heard it. He had a serious expression and frowned, looking like he was thinking about some national affairs. Combined with his tone and expression, it made Cheng the craftsman step forward immediately.
"What? If you have anything to say, come to me. Master Xiao Su is not wrong."
Craftsman Cheng is like a mother hen trying hard to protect her chicks.
"Of course I'm coming for you two!" The man held Cheng Gongshi's hand with one hand and Su Jinghe's with the other.
"One of you will be in charge of theory, while the other will guide us in practice. That's great, we can kill two birds with one stone. Now let's divide the work and cooperate. Master Cheng, we have someone who can learn quickly here, so you can teach them as well. We just had some questions, so we can ask Master Xiao Su now."
How did I mislead the people from the Ministry of Industry?! Don't call me that!
Xiaoshang Su himself hated himself very much because he now knew the reason why "shangren" was not commonly used in the Northern Song Dynasty. He also didn't understand why the Song Dynasty was so receptive and followed others in calling him that so naturally?
This is, calling daddy!
As a modern man, he is used to being called "adult" and doesn't think it's strange. You Northern Song Dynasty, you Northern Song Dynasty are exaggerating!
But it must be said that the same name from the Ministry of Industry really made Master Cheng happy. A smile immediately appeared on his face, and he said to this person in a friendly manner, "Great, I'll teach anyone you want me to lead! Our little Master Su is in your hands. Please don't bully him."
"Don't worry, we are all good colleagues. How could we bully others?"
This person found that Master Cheng was so easy to talk to when he was in a good mood, so he happily pushed the people he liked to Master Cheng's side, and even squeezed out a person who wanted to snatch Su Jinghe away in front of him.
In Master Cheng's eyes, this was his way of protecting Su Jinghe.
Su Jinghe inexplicably became the chick protected by the mother hen in the game of "Eagle Catches Chicken". He wanted to say a few more words, but was half-pushed to an open space.
"Brother, what's the principle behind this? Teach me." The man asked sincerely, "Are there any tricks?"
Hmm? Ask me?
"Then you might as well ask Master Cheng. He knows some details better than me. The most I can do is provide some ideas." Su Jinghe's simple behavior made Lord Cao a little unconvinced.
Nowadays, people like to boast. If they can write, they would like to say that they are masters of calligraphy, and if asked, they claim that they have created their own style.
His cement looks very complicated, and he can definitely create his own style in architecture, but why is he so humble?
There must be something fishy.
"Really? Why don't you follow and take a look? Look at Master Cheng. He is working very slowly and enthusiastically. Although you may still not understand his accent, it should be no problem for him to learn something from him." Su Jinghe pointed behind Lord Cao. Lord Cao looked at his colleagues who had passed by, his eyes bigger than copper bells.
"These animals!" Lord Cao hurried over and stuffed the notebook in Su Jinghe's hand. "Help me read it for a while, I want to argue with these animals!"
He was inexplicably handed a notebook, and Su Jinghe even knew something about this notebook.
Isn't this what you recorded when you checked the materials bit by bit when you were supervising just now?
Put this in my hand?
Help me! Someone please testify for me that I did not change the contents at will!
Su Jinghe seemed to be sealed by the notebook in his hand, maintaining his movements stiffly.
Han Qi, who was passing by, saw this scene and compared it with the surging crowd on the other side, where a group of people were playing in the mud. He was just about to sigh that Su Jinghe was worthy of possessing a magical weapon. Just as His Majesty said, he was a very worry-free person.
This allowed him to hear Su Jinghe's fresh thoughts.
【Someone take it away! 】
not good.
Han Qi took two steps at a time and walked up to Su Jinghe, opening the book in his hand. "Why are you holding the book upside down?"
Yes, yes, I took it upside down. No, I didn’t take it at all.
But it’s almost the same. Su Jinghe looked at Han Qi as if he was his savior.
It really looks like a puppy.
Han Qi had never met Su Jinghe before, and had only heard Zhang Dexiang boasting about it. Now that he had observed it closely, he realized that Zhang Dexiang was right. With such an innocent and pitiful look, what was the difference between him and a puppy? Absolutely not.
"What are you going to do with it if you don't want to look at it?" Han Qi was already thinking about how to steal the dog, and his expression was still very serious. He was scared by the puppy and became serious.
"I'm waiting for them to finish their studies. I'm also one of the supervisors, but this isn't my job to fill." Lord Han? Can I just call him Lord Han? Damn, what is Han Qi's current official position?
Su Jinghe hesitated for a while, but ended up not calling out Han Qi's name at all.
Han Qi thought Su Jinghe didn't know him, so he introduced himself.
"My name is Han Qi, currently serving as the escort."
[Damn it, what should I call him then, Han Jieban? That's weird, I'll probably report it to the police. Forget it, just call him "Sir" normally. Isn't it too flattering for a lower-ranking person to call a higher-ranking one "Sir"? Damn it, someone help me, it's so hard to get by in the officialdom...]
Although he is small, his mind has complicated thoughts.
Han Qi didn't let him think any further and gave him a standard answer.
"Mr. Su, if you have time, would you like to go for a walk with Han?"
Ah, it seems like there was a time during the Song Dynasty when colleagues liked to call each other "Zhang Ren". Alas, the Song Dynasty was too complicated. Calling someone "Sada" was like calling them "Dad", and at most calling them "parents" was a form of flattery, but calling a colleague "Zhang Ren" was acceptable.
Su Jing and Tucao and going with the flow happened almost at the same time. The puppy was quite happy to be taken away by the "stranger" Han Qi. "Come on, Mr. Han, let's go take a look~"
The supervisor's booklet was naturally placed on the table by Han Qi. As soon as the two of them left, someone from the Ministry of Revenue picked up the booklet again, and the second round of "Game of Thrones" began, with everyone vying for the right to use the booklet.
Su Jinghe didn't care about what was happening behind him. He followed Han Qi for a few steps and found a corner with some traces of construction and covered with dust.
Huh? Why did you bring me to this remote place?
Su Jinghe followed them to the location and realized that something was wrong. He was getting further and further away. Fortunately, there were palace maids, eunuchs and guards, otherwise he would have run away.
What was Han Qi bringing him here for? Su Jinghe thought carefully but couldn't figure out the reason.
Han Qi really had something he wanted to know from Su Jinghe, but he hadn't figured out how to tell him.
Forget it, just say it directly.
"Some time ago, I told His Majesty in the court that I wanted to go to the front line to lead troops." Han Qi spoke softly, squatting as he spoke to minimize the chances of other people observing his mouth shape. While squatting, he picked up a small white stone and scratched it on the ground.
"I didn't expect His Majesty would assign me the task of contacting other countries."
"Are you really going? Eh?" After asking, Su Jinghe realized that what he said was a bit stupid.
Damn it, I'm such a pig! If the king wants his subjects to die, they must die. And I'm still asking if I really want to go. I hope Han Qi hasn't noticed. I'll think of something else to make up for it.
From the moment Su Jinghe's first cry for help, they rushed over here, fearing that something might happen to this precious baby. Lu Yijian, who was following behind him, almost ran away. He didn't believe that nothing would happen, for he was afraid that someone in the palace would carry Su Jinghe, a living person, away.
As a result, his sincerity was completely misplaced. Before he could even catch his breath, he heard Su Jinghe's "If the king wants his subject to die, he must die."
Why are you spreading rumors about me again! Song Renzong felt that he was not the emperor, but was clearly the scapegoat, even working hard as a workhorse, but with just a casual remark, the blame was placed on him!
"Who on earth can I want to kill!" Song Renzong looked at Lu Yijian angrily.
Like a child.
Lu Yijian was helpless, but still took on the recent responsibility of comforting the child.
"We want the Liao Kingdom to die, and we want the Western Xia to die."
"That's true." This sentence coaxed Song Renzong into a fetus. "It's better for them to die immediately. There's no need to waste our manpower and resources to fight them."
The conversation between Han Qi and Su Jinghe was getting better and better, and as they were chatting, Su Jinghe became unilaterally curious.
"I haven't heard that there are envoys from Liao or other countries coming. Brother Zhigui, are you going to be an envoy?" Su Jinghe had been coaxed by Han Qi to the point of calling him a brother. The two were not much different in age, only two years apart.
Han Qi is thirty years old this year, two years older than Su Jinghe.
"I'm going out at the end of the year, so I'm choosing now."
In fact, Han Qi will be in charge of this area for the next four years, but he may not be the one who goes with them. His subordinates are currently the five "subordinates" who were caught by Su Jinghe in the court yesterday.
Having subordinates who could be easily turned against him by others really put Han Qi under a lot of pressure.
[Hey, it seems true. Han Qi will be sent to Liao by the end of this year. I didn't expect it to happen so soon.]
Su Jinghe thought about it, but said, "It would be great if I could bring someone with a good memory to draw the rivers and water plants of the Liao Kingdom. I heard that the Liao Kingdom is different from our Song Dynasty. We rely on farming to support ourselves, while the Liao Kingdom raises livestock."
"Yes, they are grazing. Cows and sheep need to eat grass, and they themselves will live with water and grass. Even in the royal city, it will not remain unchanged."
Han Qi's expression was naturally serious, but not because of something he had known for a long time.
But...
"Did he say before that Han Qi would be chosen by me as the accompanying envoy?" Song Renzong thought about it again and again, but could not find anything relevant in his mind.
"No." Lu Yijian's expression became solemn.
"Once again, we have reached the same destination through different paths. Alas." Song Renzong slumped against the wall as if he had released some strength. As the king of a country, not only was he eavesdropping here, but he was also so devastated by what was said that his emotions overwhelmed his reason for a moment.
"Why not just give up?"
Ah, this...
When Lu Yijian heard this, he really wanted to persuade him, but he really couldn't find a place to persuade him. Anyone would give up if he made such endless efforts.
Although he was not ready to give up, it was normal for the emperor to want to give up. It was too difficult.
But before he could persuade him, Song Renzong persuaded himself.
He was just about to give up when Su Jinghe's heart-wrenching voice rang in his ears like a death urge.
"Only know how to surrender", "no ability", "fence-sitter", "it's normal for the Song Dynasty to be unable to defeat others"
Every word he said made Song Renzong's blood pressure soar.
"Why are these two still here? Is it really okay to always stay in the harem?"
"I'm here to supervise. Han Qi has also reported here."
Lu Yijian took the conversation seriously, and seeing that Song Renzong looked "very energetic" again, he was no longer worried.
Song Renzong, who was trying to find an opportunity to show his pettiness, thought of Su Jinghe's criticism of him again when he heard Lu Yijian's words.
Okay, let’s not be so picky.
"It's all reasonable."
Then he looked at the two people who were still digging the ground, "Really? If you have nothing better to do, why not come and mend my broken heart?"
This statement is too Su Jinghe.
Lu Yijian sighed, there were still too many people influenced by Su Jinghe.
“Sizzle…”
Suddenly there was a sound from inside, followed by smoke and coughing.
"What's wrong!" Song Renzong was frightened. He supported himself on the wall with one hand, stood firm and was about to rush inside.
Although he had been hurt by Su Jinghe more than once, he still couldn't bear to see this minister whom he loved and hated get into danger.
Since the emperor wanted to save his subjects himself, it would be more appropriate to put this matter on the "soft-hearted" Song Renzong.
Lu Yijian complained and pulled Song Renzong back, "It's okay, they ran out, someone got through."
After complaining, Lu Yijian suddenly realized that he himself was also greatly influenced by Su Jinghe.
Su Jinghe inside was indeed fine. The moment the smoke rose, Han Qi pulled him out.
Su Jinghe didn't react at all and was dragged away for more than ten meters.
When he came to his senses, he saw someone holding water to put out the fire?
"Stop!" Su Jinghe shouted loudly.
Another group of people shouted with him, "Don't water it!"
The guards who were stopped were a little confused, but still obeyed. Since they were not going to put out the fire, it must not be a fire.
But it's not fire, so why is there such heavy smoke and it's so hot?
"It's quicklime. Quicklime will release heat when it comes into contact with water. It will be fine in a while." Su Jinghe stretched out his hand, but before he could touch the smoke, Han Qi slapped his paw away.
"Let's stay away from here." Han Qi really didn't know how quicklime worked, but no matter what, it would be okay to stay away from it first. "They will take over this place."
"Yes, yes, we are all blessed with Master Cheng's craftsmanship. Sir Su, please go back to work. We will tell His Majesty about your and Master Cheng's achievements!"
The Ministry of Industry has already become friends with Master Cheng, and now they have quickly asked Su Jinghe to take care of his own business first.
"Then I'll go back. Master Cheng, please be careful on your own. If it doesn't work, call some people tomorrow." Su Jinghe was still worried that Master Cheng would be tired.
As soon as these words came out, the eyes of the people in the Ministry of Industry lit up, "Call for help, call for help!"
Master Cheng said that Su Jinghe's family had a mature construction team, but it was not under Su Jinghe's management. They were all thinking about how to call them reasonably. They had thought about asking Prime Minister Lu to give it a try. Now that he had brought it up himself, it was great!
Han Qi originally wanted to continue chatting with Su Jinghe about the Liao Kingdom. He finally had this natural opportunity to chat with Su Jinghe, and he really wanted to test whether Su Jinghe's thoughts contained anything about the Liao Kingdom.
You can talk about anything, whether it’s a lot or a little, relevant or irrelevant, he accepts everything.
"Is it colder in Liao than here?" Su Jinghe felt that he could put this matter to good use after leaving the quicklime disaster site, but he couldn't think of anything to do after thinking about it.
"Yes, some of their places are very cold, and there is not much grass in winter. The cattle and sheep have nothing to eat, and those who can't survive will be eaten." Han Qi shook his head. "It sounds pitiful, but when they are hungry, they will come to us and rob our people. They are not good people."
"Then I can sell my... thermos cups from the fine kiln factory there. They definitely need heated water more than we do!" Su Jinghe thought of this first.
"They don't have money, right?" Han Qi also knew that Su Jinghe went to that boutique kiln factory to be the boss. He even bought different models of thermos cups and flasks that they launched. When he speculated that Su Jinghe was the owner of Xin Sheng but was not sure yet, he was attracted by his output.
"Going the high-end route and only selling to the upper class?" Su Jinghe stroked his chin. "In this case, when delivering the items to them, we can mix this in, replacing some of the high-end items, and then advertise how expensive this is."
Han Qi keenly noticed that Su Jinghe curled his lips when he said "hand over the things".
He was really dissatisfied with this matter.
"It should be possible." Han Qi naturally knew that the feasibility of this matter was too high. If he wanted to open up the thermos cup trade between Song and Liao, this would be the fastest way.
"Forget it." Unexpectedly, Su Jinghe and himself gave up the idea. He speculated viciously about the Liao Kingdom, "What if they really like it and refuse to buy it, and just come to steal it? They might do that!"
It's really undisguised disgust.
Han Qi had a good impression of this kind of simple-minded person. He even had time to joke around. "It's just right that they came to rob us. We are also stronger now. If we fight back, we will still be the army of justice."
"Alas, it's not a good idea to be a righteous army." Su Jinghe sighed, "If I were strong, I could expand my territory as I pleased..."
That seemed to be the Yuan Dynasty. Su Jinghe calmed down. The Yuan Dynasty had a bad reputation.
"Yes." Han Qi was also filled with beautiful imaginations inspired by Su Jinghe's description, but he was imagining the Han and Tang dynasties. "If civil and military power were flourishing, the people could live and work in peace and contentment, and the army could confidently attack neighboring countries that harbored ill intentions towards us, and our war losses wouldn't be too high, that would be wonderful."
Han Qi has some morals, but not much. For example, he would not feel guilty because his side was "invading and oppressing" others. He would only think that this was great and the crisis was resolved in the cradle.
[Damn it, we Chinese are still too moral.]
Huh? Aren't you just daydreaming? Why are you so emotional again? Han Qi didn't understand. He tried to comfort him, but found that Su Jinghe's expression didn't need any comfort. He looked surprisingly calm.
Is he crazy? Why are his emotions changing so drastically, both inside and out?
Couldn't China have an easygoing emperor like Song Renzong to manage the internal affairs, and let the Qin Shi Huang, Han Wudi, Tang Zong, and Song Zu, who possessed incredible military prowess, to fight the external wars?
"Can I?" After inspecting the quicklime site, Song Renzong found that it was a common method of adding water to generate heat. This method has now been used in food boxes in the Song Dynasty, but it has never been seen on such a large scale. Then he heard Su Jinghe's voice.
Unlike the things that made him angry in the past, this time he was really overjoyed when he heard it.
Lu Yijian also thought so, and he put himself in the minister's perspective, and his face fell immediately.
"If that's the case, and the four of them want money for a war, would you approve it?"
"Then I definitely won't be able to approve it, right?" Song Renzong was somewhat self-aware of his own abilities. He backed off a step and said, "Li Shimin is a good choice. He has a good temper, is a skilled warrior, and has a good reputation. If he takes charge of the battles and I guard the rear, I will definitely be able to approve the money he wants!"
It doesn't sound like being an emperor, but more like being someone's prime minister.
Lu Yijian also felt a little bit like he was in the same situation, but there was nothing he could do.
To be disrespectful, he also hoped that one of these four would be on the throne. That would really be the case, and he would sell everything he had to support their development! Especially Ying Zheng, who was so charming.
Not only them, but also Su Jing and Han Qi beside him couldn't help but think about such a beautiful scene.
There must not be wolves, tigers or leopards around here. They are all friendly neighbors or little trash who deserve a beating!
"Forget it. Your Majesty didn't ask me to be Zhang Liang or Zhuge Liang. I should be content. Only by understanding each other can we build a better Song Dynasty together!"
That's quite considerate, actually putting yourself in other people's shoes.
Han Qi wanted to laugh, but when he thought about this person who was considerate of others, he realized that the words he cursed the emperor in his heart had been heard by the emperor himself, and only he knew his consideration, so he wanted to laugh.
"It turns out that our little Su still likes me." Song Renzong also heard Su Jinghe's consideration.
He understood this sentence even better than Han Qi.
After all, Su Jinghe didn't know that what he was thinking was heard by these people. A gentleman is judged by deeds, not by the heart. Although he said some extremely treasonous words in his heart, Su Jinghe was still a good boy who loved the Song Dynasty very much, much better than many people.
Isn't this really a filter?
Looking at the pleased Song Renzong in front of him, Lu Yijian felt that His Majesty really had too deep a filter for Su Jinghe, and his requirements for him were lower than those for others.
But that silly boy really didn't realize that his feelings were made public. Unlike other people who showed their loyalty, his loyalty was real.
The emperor and prime minister of our Song Dynasty were all poisoned by the filter that Su Jinghe was a good kid.
"Huh? I figured it out." Su Jinghe finally found the point that Han Qi wanted to hear from his complicated thoughts.
"Actually..."
[Oh, how should I say it to make it seem like I'm a normal person and not an undercover agent?
To analyze, after the Treaty of Chanyuan, the Liao Kingdom actually began to assimilate to the Han Dynasty. Some of them gave up herding and began to try farming like our Song Dynasty.
Eh? Is that so?
Han Qi really didn't understand this part. He knew that the Liao Kingdom wanted to learn things from the Song Dynasty, but those people from the Liao Kingdom were always arrogant when they came to the Song Dynasty. It really didn't seem that they had been sinicized to the point of giving up the grazing on which they depended for their survival.
"Does that mean their horses aren't as powerful as they used to be?"
Lu Yijian was concerned about this. In the battles between the Song Dynasty and the Liao Dynasty, the Song Dynasty was severely suppressed by their cavalry, and the Song Dynasty did not have the ability to raise high-quality horses.
Not to mention the best horses, there was no supply of horses for carriages! Most people traveled by donkey carts now.
Even for the sake of horses, the system of private horse breeding was relaxed, but it was of no avail.
"Have we changed them?" Song Renzong stopped caring about this. "This subtle influence... Never mind. If it continues, we will be the first to collapse."
From the Song Dynasty to the Northern Song Dynasty and the Southern Song Dynasty, even a fool can understand what happened. And the Han Dynasty changed to the Eastern Han Dynasty and the Western Han Dynasty. What happened in between is enough to give rise to the term "Jingkang Incident"!
We can’t just sit there and wait for death!
"What's the matter?"
Su Jinghe stopped talking, and Han Qi had to try to guide him.
"I mean, they have a tendency to learn from the Song Dynasty. Why don't we give them some entertainment and see if we can make the others useless?" Su Jinghe started with such a high-level and unsolvable idea.
No, not this. Are you going to continue with the previous topic?
Han Qi was very anxious because Su Jinghe's plan was too difficult to implement.
It is easy to lead a person astray, but it is very difficult to lead a country astray.
[Ah, it seems that this won't work either. Seriously, sometimes I really want to learn from the shamelessness of the British and give the Liao Kingdom some opium. First it's cheap and then it's expensive, draining their bodies and then their money.]
Huh? What is opium? How can it take people's money and their lives?
Han Qi was shocked. Han Qi wanted to understand, but Han Qi had no way to understand.
Because Su Jinghe's thoughts returned to the above analysis of the Liao Kingdom, Han Qi happened to have something more interesting at this moment.
Besides the issue of Sinicization, the fact that the Western Xia separated from the edge of the Song Dynasty also had an impact on the Liao Dynasty. They were also worried that the Western Xia would attack them. After all, the Western Xia was barefoot and would not suffer any loss against either the Liao or the Song.
This is also true.
It has to be said that this sentence has effectively soothed the anxiety that Song Renzong had been experiencing recently.
Xia's existence is a double-edged sword, which makes him feel a lot better.
Then, how can we make the Liao Kingdom suffer financial and physical losses? Please tell us a little bit and elaborate on that shameless plan.
The hateful Han Qi, who was unaware of opium, was only interested in the means and was extremely anxious.
[After a while, Xixia will probably declare war on our Song Dynasty. Then Liao will also attack us, and then we will have to pay money again. Oh, how annoying.]
No? Did you lose? Or did you win?
Han Qi knew from Su Jinghe's inner voice that the Song Dynasty would give money regardless of winning or losing. At this time, he still had a little hope that they would give money if they won.
After all, giving money away is stupid, but winning is at least more decent and more powerful than losing.
Song Renzong didn't want to listen anymore. He had a hunch that Su Jinghe wouldn't have anything good to say to him.
"Let's go, let's get out of this troubled place."
Song Renzong was about to leave after bidding Lu Yijian leave. If he heard any more, he would probably think that Su Jinghe was complaining about how disappointed he was with the Song Dynasty.
Then the Liao seemed to decline. Thinking about it this way, Song Renzong was actually quite lucky. The Song Dynasty suffered various disasters during his reign, but the Liao also suffered. The Western Xia had plots against the Song, but they also posed a threat to the Liao. How could this not be considered equal treatment, sharing weal and woe? Historical records, to prove Song Renzong's benevolence, even mention that after his death, Liao Dao Zong Yelü Hongji shed tears for him.
"Who wants him to cry? Who wants him to cry!"
It was still a little late, so Lu Yijian stood there waiting for Song Renzong to relieve himself from his semi-collapsed emotions.
[However, this is probably an exaggeration from the storybook, similar to the story of a beautiful woman hidden in a golden house.]
"Why doesn't he cry for me?"
After Song Renzong knew it was fake, he spoke in a gloomy tone and was very dissatisfied.
Should I do it or not?
Lu Yijian skillfully found a third option, "Your Majesty, after the house is renovated, you will definitely live longer than before."
The implication is, of course, that you never know who will shed crocodile tears for whom.
"That's right." Song Renzong was really comforted by this sentence.
That’s great. Our Majesty doesn’t seek immortality, he just wants to live a few more years. That’s easy to appease.
Lu Yijian once again followed Su Jinghe's self-comfort rules to improve his mood.
"Oh." Han Qi listened and didn't want to take any shortcuts anymore.
"Let's develop ourselves first."
"Of course! Only when we are strong can we be truly strong. When our fists become bigger, we won't need to care about the faces of those around us. Only then will we be a truly great power that all nations come to pay tribute to. Now we are just relying on our past achievements."
After Su Jinghe finished speaking, when Han Qi was about to correct him and told him not to say that, he quickly added a sentence.
"Even if you want to live off your past achievements, you must have the ability to do so. We have the ability to live off our past achievements, which is pretty impressive!"
"Yeah, I..." I left first.
Han Qi was about to say this, but Su Jinghe suddenly took out a piece of paper.
"I picked it up from the ground. It looks like something that can be woven. Brother Zhigui, can you find the carpenter who made this machine? Then find someone to see if it can be woven."
Su Jinghe put the thing in Han Qi's hand and ran away.
Ah, I finally remembered what I was going to say. When I was drawing the weapons diagram yesterday, I was thinking, the economic base determines the superstructure. We can't just sit there and eat up all the resources. We still need to improve our current productivity, starting with the Spinning Jenny!
The excuse of picking it up is a bit far-fetched. He wouldn't share it with my boss, would he? If they all knew, what excuse would I make?
As people gradually move away, their thoughts grow quieter, and their footsteps grow louder... Hmm? Louder?
"Let me see. Let me see."
"What is it?"
"Don't hide, let me see, I can spin!"
The last sentence is more explosive.
Everyone looked at the last person, who touched the back of his head and smiled freely.
“I’m willing to learn for this.”
"Go away, Su Shunqin, don't make trouble for us."
Su Shunqin didn't react immediately and was pushed to the back of the crowd, completely losing his chance to get the paper.
There are people who can understand it. Although there are very few disciples of the Mohist School now and there is little information, there are still some people who are interested in this area and will do handicrafts by themselves and look at the things on this drawing.
"If it can be done, I don't know if it can increase the current speed of weaving, but it should open up another possibility."
In fact, this can also be considered an advantage of the Song Dynasty.
Compared with earlier or later dynasties, the Song Dynasty was relatively open to new ideas.
Of course, forcing everyone to become a war advocate still needs to be done gradually, and this is a rather long-term project.
About half a month later, good news and bad news came together.
"Your drawings are really useful!" Zhang Dexiang said to Su Jinghe excitedly.
"I picked it up, I picked it up." Su Jinghe was really afraid that these things that were beyond his level would raise other people's impression of him.
He himself is really not that great.
"What you picked up is really useful. Both drawings have been made, but there are still some problems in their application." Zhang Dexiang said this and left.
fine.
He didn't ask me how I picked up all these, nor did he force me to pick up more. Our boss is really a good person.
Su Jing and Qianqian were touched for a second by the boss's understanding, but then fell into depression again.
He had no time to think about anything else, because what was coming towards him now was the Spring Examination.
"Don't be afraid. I heard your uncle is doing very well. His article was widely circulated a few days ago. It can be said that it is the new wave of Luoyang paper sales!"
Colleagues naturally knew why Su Jinghe did that.
"The last wave of expensive paper in Bianjing seemed to be the story of the snack stand arranged by Su Jinghe and the female stall owner?" Another person immediately debunked it.
"It's no longer a snack stand. It's become bigger and stronger. I heard that it has already expanded to other cities, taking the story of her stupid husband with her." This story is so melodramatic that many people are looking forward to the ending.
It can be said that the road can be driven farther and farther, and everyone wants to help see how long it will take to find the female stall owner's ex-husband and make him regret it, and he can only helplessly watch as the female stall owner's life gets better and better!
Su Jinghe naturally knew about this. He knew all this earlier than them. If it was before, he would have joined in and scolded the scumbag, but now...
"Alas!" Another sigh.
"I don't know if my uncle will perform exceptionally well this time and win the imperial examination, which has been bothering me."
Su Jinghe muttered quietly, his voice full of resentment.
Is it really not because of this that you died in your previous life, so you are still brooding over it in this life?
There are waves of "brain holes" about Su Jinghe. A small number of informed young people, with Song Shiyi as the core, are the main audience group of these brain holes, and they enjoy watching them.
The heavy-hearted Su Jinghe was completely unaware of these things. He even had to put on a smiling face every day so that his aunt, who was still pregnant, would not worry!
"Come to think of it, do women still use that... hemostatic forceps during childbirth? Is that what it's called?" Su Jinghe thought of his aunt, and sat up in shock from his dying illness. He quickly asked his colleagues who looked like they already had children at home.
But all I saw were three confused faces.
"What hemostats?"
"Don't women give birth immediately?"
"Wait, aren't you single? Why are you so concerned about this? Did you accidentally have a child with someone?"
What the hell is that last one? How can you, as ancient people, just come up with such speculations? Don’t you have any sense of feudal chastity?
Su Jinghe, who is particularly good at observing male ethics, is very disdainful of them!
"There is no such thing as you mentioned." The final answer came from Zhang Dexiang who occasionally pushed the door open from his office.
In a corner where Su Jinghe couldn't see, Zhang Dexiang looked at the three people with a very cold gaze.
The look in his eyes clearly meant, "If you can't even answer such a simple question, what's the use of you?"
All right.
These three people always thought that their jobs had become iron rice bowls, but when they saw Zhang Dexiang's look, they knew that they probably wouldn't be able to keep it for long.
Unexpectedly, Zhang Dexiang even took Su Jinghe out on the spot.
"Come on, while we have nothing to do, I'll take you to see your blueprints. Don't think too much and relax."
"Yeah, okay!" Su Jinghe was taken out by his boss to slack off, and he felt a little weird, but why not slack off if he can!
"Look, this is what the Ministry of Industry has researched. There are three versions, and they all look very similar to the one drawn on the piece of paper you picked up, right?"
Zhang Dexiang was very satisfied with the Ministry of Industry's performance this time.
"The Ministry of Industry is really amazing!" Su Jinghe's eyes lit up. He looked at the machines that were running. People were either stepping on them or cranking them with their hands. Not only did the three machines have different ways of use, they even used different materials.
There are useful silks that look very soft, and there are useful silks that look very rough...
Wait, Su Jinghe walked to the last place.
“Isn’t this cotton?”
"Yes, cotton." Zhang Dexiang nodded. "It's also very good for making clothes. Someone developed this a while ago. Originally, you could just stuff it inside clothes to keep them warm, but with the new machine, it seems to be more stable."
"Isn't it an ornamental crop?" Su Jinghe clearly remembered that this was a good thing that could help time travelers make a fortune.
While everyone else was treating it as an ornamental crop, the time traveler used it to weave clothes and secretly made a fortune!
Su Jinghe didn't try it because he knew from his aunt that this was much more expensive as an ornamental crop than as an economic crop.
Flowers are more expensive than fruits and vegetables!
It’s so real, Su Jinghe has no money to buy it.
"Originally, yes. The landowner hid a large cotton field and invited people to admire it several times, but it had never been discovered."
Zhang Dexiang didn't say anything further.
When Su Jinghe heard this, combined with the ending, he knew that someone must have discovered the mystery.
But he didn't know that this matter was related to him.
His presence prompted the Song Dynasty to begin clearing out unnecessary officials, and some officials, in order to make themselves "needed", began to bribe their superiors even harder.
This cotton was brought up through bribery.
As for the landlords, after they were found to be growing cotton and evading taxes under the name of "ornamental crops", their property was ruthlessly confiscated!
The Song Dynasty also had more money. This machine was very useful, and they were already thinking of building an official factory for this machine.
This is great for making winter clothes for soldiers!
It just happens to be a new strategic reserve!
It can be used when fighting against the Liao Kingdom.
Zhang Dexiang, who had already become a war advocate, thought so.
[Oh, cotton, wool would be fine too!]
The economic warfare Guan Zhong used can be used against the Liao. We can buy their wool, make warm, odorless wool clothing, and sell it to them and any nearby countries that might come into conflict with them! The enemy of my enemy is my friend, hehe!
What is Guan Zhong's economic warfare, wool? What does it have to do with wool?
If I knew this, it would be reasonable. But it's okay. I can tell my good boss that I come from a poor background... No, that damn wool blanket seems like an exotic item, and it's quite expensive. Well, my family was well-off, so I ate it up as a kid and knew how to smell wool. But my family wanted me to pursue a career in government, so I didn't go down this lucrative path! Damn, I'm regretting this now. Working really doesn't make any money.
No one would believe this excuse, right?
What kind of person does this person think of his boss?
Yeah, how gullible do you think I am?
Zhang Dexiang had a blank expression on his face, wondering if he was too approachable.
"Boss..."
"Let's go and eat something delicious."
Yes, I am such a good person. Zhang Dexiang took Su Jinghe to eat some special food, just like he was taking a child with him.
Only a group of people who envied Su Jinghe were left.
There are also some people who are puzzled as to why Xin Sheng is so relevant.
"Is the voice hidden among us? Are you hiding all the time, waiting to scare us at the critical moment?"
As soon as Zhang Dexiang left, some people asked serious questions to their colleagues.
Some people also use a conciliatory policy.
"If you're really among us, don't worry. We've never publicly eaten our melons before. We will protect you!"
"But if you publicly say something bad about His Majesty, we probably can't handle it."
"Your Majesty doesn't care. You didn't even mention it. Now, who is it that bravely steps forward?"
There was another round of suspicion and bloodshed. Some people even pretended to be the real ones and then acted arrogantly until they were exposed.
Su Jinghe didn't know about this. He happily followed his boss to eat the wontons as a snack.
The wontons in the Song Dynasty tasted different from those he had eaten in modern times. Also, it had been some time since he had left modern times, so he could not remember the taste in his mind.
But it's really delicious.
"Okay, what were you going to say?"
There was no one around at this moment, so Zhang Dexiang asked Su Jinghe.
Su Jinghe almost forgot and said it quickly.
"Boss, let me tell you, woolen clothes are also very warm! Besides, the Liao Kingdom hasn't mastered the key to making woolen clothes yet. The woolen products they make themselves have a strong smell, and even they themselves can't stand it!"
It turns out they themselves can't stand it.
Zhang Dexiang had bought a wool blanket before. The original idea was that it was a good thing. It felt very thick and was very comfortable to cover in winter.
Then I bought it home and found that it had a strong smell of spices. After washing it, I found that it had a strong smell of wool, which was stinky.
After treating himself as a dish and enduring it, Zhang Dexiang finally chose to leave the blanket unused.
Su Jing and Babala talked about a lot of cleaning operations, Zhang Dexiang tried hard to remember them, and then came to the most critical part.
Su Jinghe envisioned this economic war with great excitement, "We have the technology to make wool, but they won't tell us. We just buy it from them. When they ask, they just say it's too cold. We have no choice but to use this to keep warm."
"Will they sell it to us?" Zhang Dexiang felt that if he did, he would definitely not sell it. Although he would not use it normally, if his enemy wanted to buy it, he would rather not make any money than sell it.
"Wool is usually used to keep out the cold. It is burned together with sheep dung and cow dung to keep warm in winter. It seems to be very warm."
Su Jing talked about this with Qianqian and also took some time to think about it.
[I'll have Master Cheng build a kang in a few days. It's a Northeastern way of keeping warm. Bianjing should be considered northern, right?]
What is a kang?
Zhang Dexiang also remembered this.
"We raise the price of wool more and more each time. Don't raise the price too much, but we raise it every time and buy it from the herders." Su Jinghe smiled and said something that made Zhang Dexiang think he was really smart. "If no one sold it the first time, there will definitely be people who want to buy it the second time. Some people may think it's too little and hoard it and wait until we raise the price before selling it to us."
"And then?" Zhang Dexiang had vaguely guessed the result.
"Then it's a seller's market for us! We can demand a lot, or we can demand a little, but the only goal is to get them to raise more sheep, or more cows. The same approach applies to milk, reducing horse breeding! The amount of grass in the pasture is fixed. If there are more sheep and cows, there will definitely be fewer horses."
After Su Jinghe finished speaking, he looked at Zhang Dexiang with his bright eyes.
"Good idea!" Zhang Dexiang was used to taking care of children, and he would praise them as soon as he opened his mouth. But surprisingly, this time the encouraging education could not satisfy the child. The child still looked at him, as if waiting for him to continue speaking.
Do you think this is perfunctory?
"It's very much like Guan Zhong!" Still with an expectant look in his eyes.
"I will report it to His Majesty, and I will definitely reward him." This time he was moved.
It turns out it was a reward, that's a small matter.
Unexpectedly, the child quickly thought of the reward and said it hesitantly but with a clear goal.
"Boss, here's what I'm thinking. My aunt is about to give birth. Childbirth is like the gates of hell for women these days. I'd like Your Majesty to help with the use of iron, or anything else, even silver! I want to develop a new set of midwifery equipment. If successful, maybe the risks of childbirth will be reduced in the future!"
If it's true, Zhang Dexiang actually has the authority to make a guarantee. After all, the child doesn't ask for much. But the child is right. If he succeeds with his aunt, it will benefit all the people.
"I'll tell His Majesty that if it succeeds, it will be your great contribution, including this wool, spinning, and cement!"
Speaking of cement, Your Majesty is now living in the new house.
This cement is extremely strong, and the house made of it looks much safer. Although it is much simpler than the ones inlaid with gold and silver, the safety is greatly improved, not to mention the subsequent decoration.
Song Renzong was quite satisfied.
"What? I've already achieved so much! Is another promotion just around the corner in the next two years?"
What? Want a promotion? Zhang Dexiang was urgently thinking about whether the Privy Council could make room for Su Jinghe.
He really couldn't bear to hear the gossip that Su Jinghe would occasionally tell.
Is there any better place to get access to information about different people than in their position? They are the secretarial position that connects the upper and lower levels! The information they handle is only slightly less than that of the prime minister's Zhongshumenxia.
Or is it because the functions of the two are different?
[But forget it. Now is the perfect time. I can slack off. If I go any lower, I'll have no money. If I go any higher, I'll have to take on responsibilities. Being in the middle is the perfect place for a loser like me!]
That’s great, it’s really great not to leave.
If the timing wasn't wrong, Zhang Dexiang would have wanted to cry tears of joy!
"It would be great if Your Majesty could give me some money every now and then. I'm so old and still relying on my uncles, aunts, parents, brothers, and sisters is really embarrassing."
No problem!
Zhang Dexiang even paid out of his own pocket to help his good subordinates solve their problems!
The industrial revolution of the Northern Song Dynasty began quietly. Su Jinghe's wool idea and the idea of selling thermoses to the Liao Kingdom and making money from the Liao Kingdom made Han Qi secretly take people to the Liao Kingdom.
After a while, the results of the Spring Examination finally came out.
"I passed the exam, sir, I passed the exam!"
The good news that came to Su Jinghe's home made the whole family cry with joy!
This news also made Song Renzong in the palace so happy that he cried, as if this was his first shot to change the future of the Song Dynasty!
but……
"There was a gang cheating in this imperial examination."
The source of this news was unknown, but it was suddenly widely spread in Bian Jing.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
