Two days later, in Li Xiaogong's palace, Xiao Rui explained his purpose.
Li Xiaogong said in surprise: "Start the work early? Why? It's hard to have a few days off during the New Year's Day, and you are just a slacker. How about waiting until the Lantern Festival Lantern Festival to start the work again? No one else can ask for it. Even if you are an official, It's better for you to escape and have some leisure time. A sixth-grade official is as busy as if he were at war all day long."
Xiao Rui has trouble saying, do you think I am willing to leave early? I can't stay in Chang'an anymore. I'm being caught by several women every now and then and playing with them. Even if they come one by one, I'm willing to do it. But you come together to find me, and you have to face propositions every day. Did you discuss this? It made me exhausted mentally and physically.
Now I understand that monogamy in later generations is really about protecting men.
Although there were three wives and four concubines in the Tang Dynasty, the imaginable scenario of the husband becoming the eldest son was rare. Because getting married requires a good match. Do you want someone to serve you? But why? She is also a charming eldest daughter from her mother's family, and both parties have similar status. Unless they have a gentle personality, which eldest daughter will be submissive when married? If there is, it is probably after Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism in the Song Dynasty.
If the system of three wives and four concubines is really the ultimate pursuit of excitement for every man, then the famous Prime Minister Fang Xuanling will not be afraid of his wife.
Xiao Rui couldn't tell the truth to Li Xiaogong when he said this, so he could only reluctantly give a reason: "Not long ago, I agreed to a condition of Your Majesty. The New Year has passed, and spring plowing will begin when spring begins. The world has been in war for a long time, and the people are in poverty. , most of them don’t have large livestock, so spring plowing is very difficult.”
"You won't agree to His Majesty to help solve the spring plowing problem, will you?" Li Xiaogong smiled, "Boy, you can't just work overtime for a few days to get big cattle and other livestock."
Xiao Rui looked around carefully. Li Xiaogong understood and waved away the maid and servant.
Xiao Rui lowered his voice and said: "I improved the plow, which can greatly save labor and speed up farming efficiency. Even if there are no big animals, two strong Laura plows, one person holding the plow, and three people working in a group. It can be done in one day Plow out two acres of land.”
(ps: According to the introduction of the old people, in the early years before mechanization, oxen plowed the land, and each person had one ox. The efficiency was very low. The oxen was very tired at the end of the day. If it could plow two acres of land, it was already a good ox. . But it also depends on the soil quality of the plot. Sandy soil is more labor-saving, and it is more than two acres. Hard loess soil is the most labor-intensive. In addition, the abuse of chemical fertilizers causes soil compaction, etc., so the efficiency is not high. But in ancient times, there was basically no soil compaction problem. Therefore, it is inferred that the efficiency of two people pulling a plow is two acres per day. After all, in ancient times, there was no need to plow too deeply.)
Hiss...seriously? ? ? Li Xiaogong had been on the ground before, so he knew the seriousness and stood up in surprise.
Xiao Rui nodded confidently: "Conservative estimate. What I guarantee to your majesty is the people of Guanzhong and Henan Province. Most of the people in these two places live by the water. Most of them are on the floodplains on both sides of the Yellow River. People pull plows instead of oxen, even for a day. Maybe three acres."
Li Xiaogong excitedly patted Xiao Rui's shoulder: "Good boy, I really have you. Tell me, what do you want me to do? You want people or money, just say it, as long as I have it."
"No money is needed. The framework of my construction site by the river has been built, and it can be easily occupied and started. I would like to ask my uncle for help. From your thousands of retired veterans, select a group of people with sound hands and feet and strong bodies to be stationed there first. The construction site will immediately start producing new curved shaft plows. Spring plowing is still two months away, and the assembly line production should be able to produce tens of thousands of new plows."
Li Xiaogong muttered: "This is a bit difficult. About one-third of the people with sound hands and feet are. And the production of new plows requires craftsmen, carpenters and blacksmiths. I am a top soldier everywhere, and many people can't."
Xiao Rui laughed loudly: "Don't worry, I have a method called the production assembly line. Each person is only responsible for producing one part. As long as it has the same size, it can't be wrong. In the end, we just assemble it. It's very simple."
Li Xiaogong seemed to understand. Seeing Xiao Rui's confidence, he nodded and said: "Okay, you can make arrangements. How about I transfer all the three thousand people to you, select some with sound hands and feet, and leave the rest?" People may feel uneasy. You can also bring others with you, whether they are useful or not, even as a cart driver. You don’t have to pay for the food, my palace will provide it, and I will allocate a batch of tents. "
Xiao Rui said movedly: "Okay, let's all come. The food expenses are mine, and you can take care of the tents. Let them feel aggrieved for the time being. When the construction site is completely completed, they can settle down normally and get rid of the farming life and change careers. I have been a craftsman for many years. When our new plow takes off, the factory will expand production and achieve profitability. I'm afraid three thousand craftsmen are not enough, and I don't think thirty thousand is too much."
Li Xiaogong asked in confusion: "Profit? What? Are the new plows you produce going to be sold to the people? Isn't the court distributing them for free? If so, I'm afraid many people will be reluctant to pay for them."
Xiao Rui's lips curved slightly, and he said slyly: "Uncle Wang, if the court wants to distribute them for free, that is the court's business. I can provide the new plows to the court at 'cost price'. After all, our materials are as good as those eaten by horses." , the investment is not small. If we give it away for free, thousands of people in the factory will starve to death. How can we continue to produce in the future?"
Cost price? ? ?
Seeing Xiao Rui's expression, Li Xiaogong didn't know what the cost of this treacherous boy was? He clearly wanted to earn money from the court to support the factory.
However, if you support the factory, you will support the retired veterans. No wonder he was so confident before that he could solve the problem of 200,000 veterans. If this is the method, it might actually work, but I don’t know if the imperial court is willing to pay for it.
That afternoon, Xiao Rui returned to the construction site with Pei Ji's son, Lawyer Pei.
Xiao Rui was absent from all the first court gatherings, Lantern Festival lantern garden parties, etc. The people in Chang'an who wanted to see the talented scholar Xiao were greatly disappointed. On the contrary, those dandies who dared not go out because of Xiao Rui breathed a sigh of relief and clapped their hands and applauded that this evil star was finally gone. With him in Chang'an, the New Year would not be easy.
A few days later, Li Xiaogong's people were in place. Sun Wuji, the uncle of the state, went to the palace to ask for an audience with the emperor, "Your Majesty, there is a letter from the Ministry of Industry saying that Xiao Yushi's construction site wants to purchase a large amount of pig iron. We don't know its purpose, and we dare not approve it because the amount is too large."
pig iron?
Li Er remembered Xiao Rui's military order and waved his hand: "As long as he can afford the price, give it to him."
"However, the amount he wants is a bit large. If he gives it all, it will affect part of our weapons and equipment production." Changsun Wuji is different from the emperor. He will not completely trust a little baby.
Salt and iron have always been strictly controlled by the imperial court. Last time, he engaged in salt production. It hasn’t been more than a year, and you’ve reached out to pig iron? If something weird happens, you have to guard against it!
After pondering for a moment, Li Er smiled and said: "You can tell Xiao Rui about this difficulty. If he can solve this problem, then we can discuss it. By the way, the price of pig iron must be fair, and you cannot give him a discount because of me. This guy has money."
Changsun Wuji smiled, "Wow, I finally have a chance. Xiao Rui, you fell into my hands. No wonder I avenged my personal revenge. His Majesty hinted that I blackmailed you."
