When Queen Ma heard that she could only save her capital, she immediately felt unhappy. She was here to make money, so wouldn't she not be able to make any money? "Can't we still make wine? Isn't wine making extremely profitable?"
Han Du took a deep look at Queen Ma and explained: "Brewing wine is a last resort. According to Wei Chen's estimation, before the people of the Ming Dynasty can have enough to eat, there will be almost no extra grain for brewing. . Even in the same year, the situation in various places will not be exactly the same. There are always good years in some places and bad years in other places. Once the royal family takes control of the grain trade, the most they do every year is to take advantage of the good years. Local food is transported to places experiencing famine, not to make wine.”
When she heard that there was no money to be made from food for the time being, Queen Ma suddenly lost half her interest. But she couldn't say that the Ming Dynasty Royal Grain Industry would simply stop doing it. After all, she was very active when she asked Han Du to hand over 90% of the shares of the briquette workshop. If she said this, wouldn't it mean that she was here just for the money?
This is a bit too tacky.
So, Queen Ma turned her attention to the emperor, hoping that Lao Zhu would make the decision.
Lao Zhu pondered for a while and said solemnly: "If you can't make money, you can't make it. I have never thought about making money from food. As Han Du said, the people have been struggling to sell food at a low price in good years, and they have been sold out in famine years. People with high prices have been selling their sons and daughters for a long time. Not to mention that it’s just that they can’t make any money, even if they lose money, I will give this suffering to the people of the world.”
These words are sonorous and powerful, and have a strong voice.
After hearing this, Han Du felt a surge of power in his chest.
He knelt down and shouted loudly: "On behalf of the people, I thank the Emperor for His grace!"
Lao Zhu waved his hand nonchalantly, asking Han Du to stand up, and immediately said: "I immediately issued a decree to establish the Ming Dynasty Royal Grain Industry and the Ming Dynasty Royal Charcoal Industry, not to make money, but just to...well, In your kid’s words, it’s just to ensure that the people have charcoal to cook and food to eat.”
When Queen Ma heard that the emperor had agreed to establish the Ming Dynasty Royal Charcoal Industry, she finally laughed and said to Lao Zhu: "Your Majesty, don't underestimate briquettes. Food is not very profitable, but briquettes can make a lot of money. Otherwise, I will I won’t be so concerned.”
"Isn't that right?" Lao Zhu looked at Queen Ma in confusion, pointed at Han Du and said, "Last time he told me that a honeycomb briquette weighed two kilograms, so he only sold it for three cents. I calculated that one hundred kilograms of pebbles One hundred and thirty coins can only make fifty briquettes, which is really not very profitable."
"Hmph!" Seeing Lao Zhu's innocence, Queen Ma couldn't help but smile and snort. He waved his sleeves and said: "I used pebbles when I was a child. I remember it very clearly. After a pound of pebbles is burned, there is only a little residue left, less than one or two pounds. But now I see Each of the briquettes weighs a pound after being burned. Don’t even ask, what did your good minister who claims that briquettes don’t make money add to it?”
Han Du was looked at by Queen Ma in amusement, and he felt the urge to turn around and run away. But it's useless to run now. I'm afraid Han Du will be captured before he reaches the outside of the palace gate.
After listening to Queen Ma's words, Lao Zhu suddenly felt something was wrong. Looking at Han Du, he asked sharply: "What did you add to it?"
Han Du said hesitantly: "Yeah, it's nothing. I added things to it mainly to make the briquettes shape. If I don't add them, the charcoal will not be able to make the briquettes. It will just be a pile of loose slag."
Let’s not talk about anything else. Let’s first explain to Lao Zhu the importance of adding things to the briquettes.
"Tell me, what did you add to it?" Seeing Han Du talking about other things, Lao Zhu asked a little louder.
Han Du had no choice but to reply honestly: "Added, added loess..."
Sell the coal in the loess to the people? Lao Zhu's eyes widened, and he suddenly felt that the profiteers he thought of as a child were all cute bunny babies in front of Han Du.
"Yeah, not much, just about the same, almost half..." The more Han Du said, the softer his voice became, as if he was afraid that Lao Zhu would hear it.
But at this time, the imperial study room was quiet. No matter how quiet Han Du's voice was, Lao Zhu could hear it clearly.
half?
Lao Zhu was shocked by Han Du's words. Han Du actually sold half of the loess to the people as coal? Fortunately, at the time, he thought that Han Du's price for the briquettes was set with good conscience. Unexpectedly, Han Du's heart was as black as coal and he directly made half of the profits of the people.
Taking a breath of cold air, Lao Zhu pointed at Han Du, his fingers were trembling, and asked sternly: "Tell the truth, how many briquettes can be made from one hundred kilograms of pebbles? Think about it, I will send someone to you later. Go check it out in the briquette workshop, and if there is any falsehood, I will punish you for deceiving the king."
There is nothing these Handu can do.
He carefully stretched out three fingers and whispered: "About three hundred."
Three hundred?
Lao Zhu's eyes shrank, and he waved his hand and smashed the tea cup in front of Han Du. "Is this what you told me about briquettes not making money?"
I’ve already made twice as much money. Isn’t that enough money?
Han Du shrank his neck and muttered in a low voice: "I never said that briquettes are not profitable."
When Lao Zhu heard this, he was stunned. After thinking about it carefully, he found that he could not find the memory of Han Du saying this. The so-called briquettes were not profitable, which was all Lao Zhu's own speculation.
But the reason why I think so is not because your kid misled me? Did you make me mistakenly think that briquettes are not profitable?
This kind of behavior is even more abhorrent.
Seeing Lao Zhu, he was about to get angry. Han Du quickly defended: "Your Majesty, although I have made a little money, I have also benefited the people. If the people burn firewood, they need to spend forty or fifty cash per day. But it only costs less than ten cents to burn briquettes, and I have saved the people almost five times the cost of firewood."
Queen Ma suddenly heard that briquettes were twice as profitable, and she was very happy. The harem, which had been harsh for so many years, could finally breathe a sigh of relief. The more she looked at Han Du, the more she liked him, and she quickly spoke up to help Han Du, because Queen Ma didn't want the emperor to lower the price of briquettes, so helping Han Du now was just helping herself.
"Your Majesty, what Han Du said is true. He has indeed helped the people save money, which can be regarded as meritorious service."
Who knew that even with Queen Ma's support, Lao Zhu would still be reluctant and said angrily: "Forget it if you have merit? You can't earn so much even if you have merit."
