Uncle Lai in the Red Chamber

Chapter 47

Lai's front yard hall!

Jia's mother sat at the top, accompanied by Mrs. Xing and Mrs. Wang. Jia She and Jia Zhen stood on both sides of the palace tall and high-spirited.

Aunt Lai stood in front of Jia Mu, while her son and daughter-in-law knelt behind her.

Jia Mu said: "Even if you build some property, there is no need to hide it from us. Fortunately, you have offended your relatives."

"Ancestor! This is the first time I have heard of this." Aunt Lai said tremblingly.

Then he shouted at Lai: "Why don't you tell the old lady the truth!"

Lai Da also experienced the incident, so he was not panicked but said in surprise: "Shang Rong has set up a paper-making workshop, but it's just that the elders and uncle Zhen said they cheated the relatives and friends in the house, but that's not the case!"

Jia Zhen said angrily: "Why not! Several companies such as Zhen Guogong and Li Guogong came to visit, saying that your papermaking workshop used a new recipe, and the cost was only [-] or [-]% of the market price, but it was sold to their store but... It’s only [-]% lower than the market price!”

Jia She stroked his beard and said: "What you did is too unreasonable. Since you have this recipe, you should have told me earlier and let me... let our family take care of it! Will you be missing by then?" One share? Why did the trouble get to this point!"

After a pause, he added: "But it's not too late now. You just need to tell me the recipe, and I will come forward to negotiate with your relatives."

"Cough! Cough!" Jia Zhen coughed slightly, obviously thinking that Jia She was too explicit.

Money and silk are very attractive. Last night, Zhen Guo Gong, Li Guo Gong and other seven or eight families came to his door. He instantly understood the huge profits. When he thought that the paper used by the entire Daxia could be included in his own income, he almost wanted to do it himself. Arrest people at their door.

But Lai Shangrong had lost his citizenship, and even Lai Da was from Xifu, so he found Jia She early in the morning, and the two of them came together to put pressure.

"It's impossible for our family to take over this kind of business, let alone yours. Why don't you tell me the recipe!"

If it had been before Zhen Guo Gong and others noticed it, he would have been unwilling to share it, but now it was obvious that those companies wanted a share of the profits. Even Ning Rong's second house couldn't eat alone. It was heartbreaking to think of this.

Lai Dadao: "This is all handled by Shang Rong. We work in the house every day, and we don't know how he did it."

This is not all evasion. They really don't know the recipe. They thought that they would have to wait for the news to spread before these families could come to their senses. They didn't know what happened.

Thinking of this, I couldn't help but feel happy for my son's decision to take the concubine by surprise and go to the Imperial College early in the morning to preside over the distribution of leaflets.

Money moves people's hearts, and of course he knows the methods of these powerful people. He just hopes that the news will spread, so that they will have some scruples and not kill themselves for the sake of wealth.

"Then don't let him come out yet!"

"He...he said early in the morning that he had something to do and went out!"

…………

"Retreat!"

Inside the Golden Palace.

With the sound of retreating, Emperor Zhenglong quickly left the hall.

Xia Shouzhong, the eunuch of the Sixth Palace, followed closely behind.

"Where's Qining?"

"Back to the emperor! I'm waiting for you in the imperial study!"

Get on the imperial carriage and come to the imperial study room.

"The minister kowtowed to see my emperor..."

"Say it!"

Before Qi Ning could finish shouting, he sat down on the dragon chair and urged impatiently.

Qi Ning got up from the ground, took out a piece of paper from his arms, and handed it to Xia Shouzhong.

"Go back to the emperor! The person has been captured, but... it is slightly different from what was expected!"

"What's the point of this meeting? Tell me!"

"Just as the emperor guessed, Jin Yiwei pretended to be a workshop employee chatting in front of the people they were following, and deliberately revealed the news. They really went to Jia's house to confront each other. It's just that Lai Shangrong was not ordered by Jia Zheng at all, and... and seemed to be planning to kill him. The method of improvement will be announced to the world."

"what?"

"Your Majesty, you will know after reading that piece of paper. He was sneaking around with a few people this morning, preparing to go to the Imperial College to distribute this, but he was caught on the spot by the people sent by the minister!"

"Ah? So what's going on with the Jia family now?"

Emperor Zhenglong asked while taking the paper handed over by Xia Shouzhong. "The third-rank Liewei general Jia Zhen and the first-class general Jia She have already gone to Lai's house, probably to ask for improvement methods."

When Emperor Zhenglong heard this, he stared blankly at the page in his hand and pondered for a long time.

"Where's Jia Zheng?"

"He went to the Ministry of Industry Yamen early in the morning, so he probably doesn't know yet!"

Emperor Zhenglong stood up suddenly.

"Qining! Bring Lai Shangrong here!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

"Xia Shouzhong! Go to the Ministry of Works to announce that Jia Zheng has entered the palace! Take him to Linjing Hall and wait!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

After exiting the imperial study room, he said to the eunuch outside: "Show me the Fengzao Palace!"

Yu Huo came to Fengzao Palace.

Emperor Zhenglong quickly came to the palace.

"The concubine kowtows to His Majesty!"

"Get up! I remember that my father and my mother asked you to bring back a list of concubines a few days ago, show me quickly!"

He took the silk brocade handed over by Queen Tian, ​​pointed to it and asked, "Is this Jia Yuanchun the daughter of Jia Zheng, a member of the Ministry of Industry?"

"Yes, Your Majesty! She is working as a female historian in my concubine's Fengzao Palace. Does Your Majesty want to meet her?"

"Uh...no need!"

After finishing speaking, Emperor Zhenglong took the silk brocade and turned to leave.

On the way back to the imperial study on the imperial banquet, Emperor Zhenglong burst out laughing.

He murmured to himself: "Lai Shangrong! He is really a wonderful person!"

…………

Lai Shangrong, the wonderful man in the emperor's mouth, was huddled alone in a corner of the Jinyiwei prison.

After all, the means of publicity in this era were limited. Although there was a Di newspaper, he was not qualified to decide the content of the Di newspaper, so he decided to place the propaganda in the Imperial College.

Scholars love to talk the most, and the improvement of papermaking technology is related to their vital interests. Of course, they are the best publicity group.

Moreover, the literate group of ancient people was limited, and ordinary people did not know what was written when they took the leaflets. Although there were many people in places such as docks, the effect was very limited.

He also thought carefully about the contents of the flyer.

It only said that Lai Shangrong, a scholar from Chang'an, would announce improved papermaking technology in the Imperial College three days later.

There are three advantages to this.

Firstly, this is to prevent the patent from being robbed. After all, it is announced directly on the flyer. If someone takes the credit, it will be unclear when the time comes.

Secondly, I also want to appear holy in front of others, which is the sequelae of reading too much Shuangwen.

Thirdly, because the inventory for sale has aroused suspicion, as soon as the news of the flyer comes out, others may not be able to guess his identity, but those who bought their own bargains may not be able to guess it.

In order to prevent someone from being greedy for profit, he could only reveal his identity in advance, so that those people would not dare to offend the entire literati system at the risk of the world's disapproval.

And when he chose to go to the Imperial College this morning, it was not because he had foresight that Duke Zhen and others had gone to see Jia Zhen, but because he had carefully considered it.

It is not a secret that I have taken a concubine today. Even if the Jia family or the four princes and eight princes come to question me, I can refute the fact that I did not send the flyer. I originally planned to cooperate with them because of my mature technology, but I did not do a good job in keeping the confidentiality secret. Catch the duck and put it on the shelf.

The bargains sold to them were also needed to improve the technology. In addition, the concubine was really short of money, and the cost of the steam engine was concealed, which was also consistent.

In order to create an alibi, he deliberately did not post it at night. After all, it was winter, and the flyer would not be perfect if it was covered with ice, so he chose to post it an hour before the sedan arrived home.

Unexpectedly, as soon as he took out the leaflet, he was pushed to the ground by seven or eight burly men who came out of nowhere and were taken to the Jinyiwei Prison.

(End of this chapter)