In order to pay for the war, Spain shipped the silver mined in the Americas directly back to Spain, interrupting the triangular trade! This caused Ming Dynasty to lose its largest source of silver!
In just these 30 years, the Ming Dynasty experienced three emperors: Taichang, Tianqi, and Chongzhen. During their reigns, natural disasters caused agricultural harvests, and shortages of silver and copper materials led to currency shortages, which made farmers' tax problems become more serious. The situation became more serious, and in the end I had no choice but to rise up! It can be said that economic problems have always been the biggest problem plaguing the Ming Dynasty!
Therefore, Zhang Juzheng did not underestimate the price reduction of copperware at all. Although the price of copperware in the capital is not much, if one day it can be promoted to the whole country, and the price of copperware nationwide is more than 30 cents, what a huge number it will be!
At this time, the young censor said loudly and unwilling to fail: "You said that you will reduce the cost in the future, but how can you be sure that you can reduce the cost?"
Liu Haojia naturally knows how to reduce costs. At present, the cost of hand-producing a mirror is so low. Once industrialized production is formed in the future, the price will naturally be even lower! But he couldn't say that now, so he changed the reason: "I said you don't understand and pretend to understand, but that's really the case! Just think about it carefully, any artifact in the world has a price when it first appears. Expensive, but as time goes by and the technology improves, the price will get lower and lower. This is the law of nature! And I am sure you don’t know that a few months ago, the selling prices of all glass mirrors have dropped by two Done! You can compress so much price in such a short period of time. In the long run, the price will naturally become lower and lower! And this glass can now be made into mirrors. Do you think it can be made into glass basins, glass candlesticks and other utensils? Completely To replace the copperware?"
After speaking, Liu Haojia turned around and said to Emperor Wanli: "Your Majesty, I have arranged for someone to deliver some things outside the main hall. Please allow me to display these things!"
Emperor Wanli said: "Accurate!"
The ministers were in a commotion after hearing this. Could it be that he had really made something new out of glass? But Yushi Ning and others were worried! But this does not prevent everyone from looking forward to the door of the palace!
With permission, Zhang Jia arranged for a eunuch to go out. After a while, the eunuch led four guards to carry two large boxes and placed them in the middle of the hall. At the same time, four more eunuchs brought two tables and placed them next to the box.
Liu Haojia stepped forward, opened the box, reached out and took out an object wrapped in straw. After he opened the straw, a crystal clear basin with a finger-thick wall was revealed! The style is no different from the copper basins sold on the street!
Then he took out a second object wrapped in straw and opened it. The exposed object also looked like a basin, but in the form of a small mouth and a big belly. But its walls are much thinner than the glass basin just now.
After Liu Haojia arranged the things, two eunuchs brought water and filled the two things with water. Seeing this situation, the officials immediately understood and let out low exclamations! It turns out that there are really two basins made of glass!
At this moment, Liu Haojia took out something from his arms and threw it into a small round basin. Everyone looked carefully and saw that it was a small wooden fish. The fish was painted with red paint and maybe added with lead. The little red fish was sinking and floating in the water, as if it was really swimming! The ministers immediately let out another burst of admiration. It turned out that this was a fish tank!
Then Liu Haojia took a third object, and everyone knew it was a five-branch candlestick! Sure enough, a eunuch came over, placed five candles on it and lit them. The candlestick flickers under the light of the candle and looks beautiful!
By the time Liu Haojia took out the fourth item, the officials were already numb and showed no signs of surprise at all! As for Yushi Ning and others, their faces were pale and their heads were covered in cold sweat! Because what Liu Haojia just said has become a reality!
Soon, more than ten items of various sizes were placed on the two tables. Then Liu Haojia said: "Your Majesty, this is the new sample of Jubaozhai's latest goods, and these items are all made of glass! Although the types are still different now. It’s not complete, but I believe that your majesty and all the gentlemen can see that, except for some special objects, glassware can also do what copperware can do! Please think about it, if glassware can really be promoted to the world, what can be done? How much copper material can be saved to be used for making money, wouldn’t this be a major event that benefits the country and the people?”
Before Emperor Wanli could speak, Zhang Juzheng had already said, "How much is the price difference between these objects and the original bronzes?"
Liu Haojia bowed and said: "Mr. Zhang, the current price of these things is higher than that of copperware! But now that they have been made, the cost will definitely be reduced in the future, and they will definitely be cheaper than copperware in the future!"
Upon hearing this, Zhang Juzheng twirled his beard and sighed: "What a pity, what a pity!"
Liu Haojia naturally knew what he meant by pity, but now he didn't want to lower the price at all! In fact, what he said is higher than the price of copperware is nonsense! If he wants to, he can lower the price at any time!
But he wanted to use these newly produced glassware to harvest a handful of silver from a wealthy family! Anyway, these wealthy families never lack money when buying things! In fact, what he did today was simply a huge advertisement, and it worked well! The surrounding officials' eyes were on fire when they looked at these things! I can’t believe that I’ll have to go to Jubaozhai to snap up some after the next court session!
At this time, Liu Haojia turned to Ning Yushi and others and said, "What else do you have to say now?"
Ning Yushi struggled and said: "These things can indeed replace bronze wares, but once they are promoted, the craftsmen who cast bronze wares will really have no place to use them, so they should not be displaced!"
Liu Haojia smiled and said: "Everyone, glass cannot completely replace copperware, so some craftsmen will still maintain the original business. As for other craftsmen, they can go to the glass workshop to make glassware! If glassware is promoted Opening it will definitely require a lot of craftsmen! Why can’t you even figure this problem out?”
Ning Yushi was immediately speechless. But the assassins' attention was all on the glassware, and they didn't hear what they said. Naturally, no one helped.
But while the ministers were admiring the glassware, a group of eunuchs came up and took everything away! Seeing all the civil and military officials stamping their feet, I wanted to snatch it back! But they also knew that they couldn't get them back, because these things must have fallen into the hands of Emperor Wanli! If you didn’t look at his face, he would almost smile!
