As the saying goes, there are no absolutes in everything.
Not only Xiao Ran didn't believe what Yang Fan said so brazenly, but most of the people present didn't believe it either.
After all, if you could just improve the papermaking technology and produce high-quality products, wouldn't it mean that these aristocratic families would be too stupid?
You know, since papermaking was invented in the Western Han Dynasty, the core technology of papermaking has been in the hands of aristocratic families.
And they have continued to improve papermaking technology over the years.
They really didn't believe that Yang Fan could make paper so cheaply.
Paper as a carrier of knowledge.
Precisely because they control paper, these aristocratic families can always maintain a high profile during the changes of dynasties.
Knowledge can become a luxury product because of the price of paper...
Under such circumstances, Yang Fan actually dared to utter wild words, so that everyone in the world who wants to study can use their paper, which is nothing more than wishful thinking.
Xiao Ran cursed in his heart, but kept silent.
Originally, the Xiao family did not intend to gain too much benefit from this cooperation with Yang Fan.
I just want to express my position.
What's more, as an outstanding child of the Xiao family, Xiao Ran knows that there is no benefit in fighting between spirits.
If you win, you will offend Yang Fan, and if you lose, you won't get any benefits.
They were going to visit Yang Fan's papermaking process in the end anyway, and it was most useful to speak with facts.
Seeing the disbelief on the faces of Xiao Ran and other Jiangnan aristocratic families, Li Tai pursed his lips and said nothing.
In his opinion, these Jiangnan aristocratic families are too short-sighted.
Before the imperial examination, people from aristocratic families were cheated of a large sum of money by Yang Fan and they didn't know how to remember.
Although most of the people from the Guanzhong family were deceived at that time, haven't these people heard some rumors?
Obviously, pride and complacency made these people lose their vigilance.
Li Tai had never been exposed to papermaking technology, but judging from Yang Fan's improved papermaking technology at that time.
The paper produced is definitely not too expensive and the quality is extremely high.
I had never heard of bamboo being able to make paper before, but Li Tai believed that Yang Fan would never lie.
Besides, since coming into contact with Yang Fan, no matter how unbelievable things are, they seem to be easy in Yang Fan's hands.
Therefore, Li Tai did not speak and just watched with cold eyes.
If you raise a question, you will be slapped in the face and you will be disadvantaged.
However, Li Tai wanted to see if Yang Fan could really use bamboo to make paper with good quality and high output.
If such a process could be achieved, it would surely break the family's monopoly on paper.
Once all the people in the world have access to paper, the monopoly of knowledge by aristocratic families will be gradually broken.
This is definitely good news for the stability of the Tang Dynasty and the continuation of the dynasty.
Soon, under the leadership of Yang Laifu, everyone came to a valley.
There is a stream of water pouring down from the mountains in the valley, and the paper mill is on the flat ground below the valley.
In the flat open space, there are also pools with fresh bamboo soaked in them.
Xiao Ran stopped, stopped to watch, and said in surprise: "Grand Governor, when we use hemp or bamboo to make paper, we also need to soak the raw materials, but after they are smashed, how can these of yours be just bamboos?"
Xiao Ran was a little confused as to those bamboos soaked directly in the water.
He didn't know why he took such a step.
Yang Fan chuckled, nodded to Wang Shufen who came to greet him, and motioned for her to explain.
Now that Yang Fan has expressed his stance, Wang Shufen certainly will not hide it and talks eloquently: "Dear gentlemen, soaking the bamboo is just the first step in making paper from bamboo."
"There are two benefits to doing this. On the one hand, it is for cleaning the bamboo, and on the other hand, it is for 'degreening'. Only the degreened bamboo can produce pulp that is pure in color."
"The most important thing is that the soaked bamboo is easy to smash, which is also convenient for steaming later."
Xiao Ran suddenly realized, and then asked in confusion: "If the bamboo is not broken first and then soaked, wouldn't it cost more manpower and material resources to break it again later?"
Wang Shufen explained again: "We have hammers driven by barrel carts, which can easily crush these bamboos."
As he spoke, he pointed to the huge waterwheel not far away.
Those waterwheels are more than twice the size of the barrel trucks known to people in Jiangnan.
Moreover, these waterwheels are connected to a huge iron hammer, and there is a huge groove under the hammer.
Obviously, these bamboos were smashed with these hammers, and the power came from the barrel cart.
Apart from moving the bamboo, it doesn’t require much manpower and material resources at all.
Xiao Ran was amazed by such an exquisite design. He didn't expect that the trolley could be used in this way.
In his opinion, as long as the water flow is continuous, these barrel trucks can continue hammering day after day, which is definitely an efficient labor force.
Looking at the shocked expressions of everyone, Yang Fan smiled and said nothing, not afraid that these people would steal this skill.
In Yang Fan's heart, he wished that these people could steal his example and build more paper mills.
The more paper mills there are, the cheaper the paper will be in the future, which is definitely a good thing for ordinary people.
The widespread dissemination of knowledge can definitely better promote social changes and processes.
Besides, these papermaking techniques are actually not complicated at all...
It is actually very similar to the original methods of making paper using hemp, teng, and bark fibers.
At most, Yang Fan only used the power of the water to save some labor costs.
Since he did not decide to keep it secret, Yang Fan asked Wang Shufen to introduce the steps of how to beat the pulp one by one.
Everyone was curious as they watched the ground pulp flow into a nearby pool, then settle into another pool, and someone was constantly mixing the pulp.
Looking at the milky white bamboo pulp, Xiao Ran asked: "Why is the pulp so white?"
Yang Fan chuckled and said: "Only white starch can produce flawless white paper. Brother Xiao, aren't you afraid that the quality of the paper is not good?"
Hearing Yang Fan's words, Xiao Ran's face turned red.
Thinking of the question just now, it turns out that the clown is himself!
But Xiao Ran couldn't figure out why Yang Fan didn't hide anything about the craftsmanship of using bamboo to make paper.
Is it true that Yang Fan is so high-spirited and doesn't want to make money in papermaking?
He couldn't figure it out, so Xiao Ran stopped thinking about it!
Anyway, the Xiao family plans to cooperate with Yang Fan in making paper, and does not intend to keep the formula as their own.
Since this recipe was created by Yang Fan, who Yang Fan wants to show it to or pass it on to is a matter that only Yang Fan can decide.
After watching the process of making pulp from bamboo, Yang Fan led a group of people towards the final finished room.
There is a huge pool built outside the finished house, which is used for making paper.
Papermaking actually means putting the prepared viscous pulp into the paper tank, adding water and stirring to dissolve evenly and become a thin slurry.
Then the papermaker gently shakes the pulp to evenly settle and form a film, which becomes wet paper. When the wet paper dries up, paper is obtained.
At this time, a group of women and children were doing this process by the pool.
This process requires care and gentle skill, and women are best suited for this kind of work.
After visiting the papermaking process, Xiao Ran finally realized the gap between his own papermaking technology and Yang Fan's.
Yang Fan here only went through a few processes to produce the finished product, but the papermaking process they inherited and transformed was too complicated!
Entering the paper drying room, Wang Shufen asked the craftsmen to remove the dried paper.
These papers are as white as snow and as thin as cicada wings, and are obviously different from the yellowed papers commonly used.
Yang Fan also asked someone to get a pen and ink and let Li Tai write on the newly made paper.
The pen and ink are not soaked at all, and each stroke is clearly visible.
It's obvious that this is an excellent paper for writing on.
Xiao Ran's eyes lit up and he praised: "Paper of this quality can definitely compete with the best on the market. It is a rare and high-quality paper. I wonder how much does this piece of paper cost?"
Wang Shufen said proudly: "Each stack contains about 100 cards, and the cost is up to ten cents..."
Hearing Wang Shufen's words, Xiao Ran couldn't help but take a breath of cold air.
According to the popular high-grade paper on the market now, the quality is similar to these, and may even be a little yellower. Each sheet costs about 2 cents, and 100 sheets is 200 cents.
But Yang Fan's paper mill was able to control the cost at ten cents.
Compared with before, it is simply a bargain.
If you can sell these papers as an agent, it will definitely be a huge profit.
Xiao Ran's eyes were burning as he stared at Yang Fan and said, "Grand Governor, just give all these papers to our Xiao family's sales department, right?"
This is a huge fortune, and even the Xiao family cannot refuse such a temptation.
If the Xiao family were in charge of sales, they would not only be able to make money, but also improve their Xiao family's status in the scholarly community in one fell swoop!
Paper and knowledge themselves represent status and class!
Yang Fan said matter-of-factly: "The sales of paper will naturally be left to your Xiao family, but the world is so big, how much space can your Xiao family supply?"
Xiao Ran thought for a while and said, "How about our Xiao family be responsible for selling the entire Jiangnan paper?"
In his opinion, as long as he masters the sales channels of Jiangnan paper, the Xiao family will always be the leader of Jiangnan, and no one can surpass it.
Yang Fan shook his head and said: "Jiangnan's commercial law stipulates that in the future, the sales of goods in Jiangnan will not allow exclusive monopoly, but will implement fair competition. Everyone can participate in the production and sales of paper, and it will be regulated according to market demand... It is still the same principle, sales volume Overseas, everyone depends on their ability!”
In this era when commerce is underdeveloped, the economy is not prosperous, and productivity is relatively low.
Although we really want to implement a market economy, necessary regulation is also needed.
Although it is fun to put all the money in your own pocket, it will inevitably cause envy and jealousy if you look too ugly.
Moreover, Yang Fan's purpose is to enable people to read and live a life of adequate food and clothing.
If everyone invests all their money in studying and studying, it will feel like they are sacrificing the foundation for the end.
Besides, if it operates exclusively, it will inevitably arouse the hostility of other noble families.
After all, paper is even more precious to aristocratic families.
After hearing Yang Fan's words, Xiao Ran didn't fight for it anymore.
He knew very well that Yang Fan planned to use
This improved papermaking technology gradually disintegrated the alliance of Jiangnan gentry, and even disintegrated the knowledge monopoly advantage of the world's aristocratic families.
Although everyone knew this was a conspiracy, no one dared to object.
After all, once people know who is opposed, they will definitely be attacked by those at the bottom.
Although these aristocratic families are not afraid of those mud-legged people at ordinary times, once these mud-legged people unite, even the emperor has to take them seriously.
Yang Fan took everyone to visit the industrial park this time. It seemed that he not only wanted to cooperate with the family.
What's more important is that he wants to tie everyone to his chariot, and then conquer them one by one, and finally use them for his own use.
This is a grand game of differentiation and co-optation, a classic example of carrot and stick.
Li Tai didn't know how Yang Fan could use these routines so proficiently at such a young age.
This is just like an old man in the officialdom!
In his opinion, these Jiangnan nobles had no reason to object.
Because this is a naked conspiracy, no one can refuse such a temptation.
Later, Yang Fan took everyone to visit the cement factory and soap factory...
It wasn't until nightfall that everyone reluctantly left the industrial park.
At this time, all the talents of the Jiangnan gentry discovered that Yang Fan had far surpassed them in terms of manufacturing technology and cost savings for common daily necessities such as food, clothing, housing and transportation.
Judging from the admiration of Yang Fan by those craftsmen, the current transformation of these things has the shadow of Yang Fan.
How old is Yang Fan!
In Guanzhong, he was a stick that everyone praised. Who would have thought that such a playboy would have so much knowledge and ideas.
Of course, what impressed everyone even more was that Yang Fan was actually willing to share all these things with everyone.
People present can say with certainty that if they had such technology, they would be eager to hide it and offer it as a treasure. How could they find someone like Yang Fan to seek cooperation?
Obviously, Yang Fan's ideological realm has transcended the scope of money and begun to climb to heights that no one could have imagined.
After visiting the industrial park, everyone was silent on the way back.
Because everyone is thinking about the direction in which their families want to cooperate in the future.
After all, this involves the benefits that the family can obtain in the future.
But after some mental calculation, everyone discovered a problem.
That is, no matter which investment it is, the funds consumed are absolutely huge.
Not to mention monopoly, even if they only occupy a large share, their family's existing funds cannot support their ambitions at all.
As a result, many people had sad faces and felt extremely depressed.
There is obviously an opportunity to make money in front of us, but my family is not able to take it, so what can I do?
Seeing everyone's sad expressions, Yang Fan seemed not to notice, but instead talked and laughed with Li Tai, as if all this had nothing to do with him.
This is what Yang Fan wants.
The only way is to make these people despair and then throw them a straw.
In the face of huge interests, these aristocratic families are willing to throw away their fields and people.
If there is no absolute benefit, given the nature of these aristocratic families, they will never mortgage their heirlooms such as fields.
Of course, Yang Fan also knew that his conspiracy forced these people to jump down.
Because everyone present knows that if their family does not participate, they will be left far behind by other families in the future and will never have a chance to turn around.
It can be said that Yang Fan can not only divide the relationship between the Jiangnan nobles, but also tie these Jiangnan nobles to his chariot. It can be said that he kills two birds with one stone.
After all, as long as everyone participates in these cooperations, there will be more or less competition among the Jiangnan gentry.
In the face of huge interests, it is obviously unrealistic for these people to want to be as monolithic as before.
(End of chapter)
