Uncle Lai in the Red Chamber

Chapter 54

The imperial edict that Lai Da had been thinking about finally arrived when Lai Shangrong had lunch.

The family hurriedly threw away their bowls and chopsticks and went to the gate to greet them.

"Master Lai, please come with me to the palace to thank me!"

Lai Shangrong got up from the ground and heard the shrill voice of the eunuch who had delivered the order.

Except that Xing Jin promoted a fellow Jinshi, but the reward of 500 taels of gold plus some sundries such as brocade, round fans, and sachets was also worthy of going to the palace to express gratitude?

Isn't this emperor too idle?

However, he was not allowed to question it, so he told Yuchai: "Go to my house and help me find a carriage!"

Of course, the Lai family didn't have carriages, but Third Sister You was going back to move, and Lai Shangrong didn't expect to enter the palace, so he gave her two carriages at home.

Although he could hire a carriage, firstly, it would not be too long, and secondly, he had the idea of ​​showing off his holy family to the Rong Mansion.

Anyway, both parties have concerns. If you show off your muscles properly, you can get more benefits. Why don't you give me a jade bracelet today?

After sending away the jade bracelet, Lai Shangrong took out a banknote from his arms and handed it to the eunuch who delivered the order.

"I haven't asked you your father-in-law's name yet! Why don't you go in and have a cup of tea first?"

"My family's surname is Zhou."

After being led into the hall, he handed over the imperial edict to his father for proper placement. After chatting with Eunuch Zhou over a cup of tea, the carriage from the Rong Mansion arrived.

After getting on the carriage, Lai Shangrong muttered to himself that the emperor was really free, which made his plan of enjoying the afternoon come to nothing. Then he thought that he had taken a concubine yesterday, but the emperor had also taken a concubine yesterday.

He had met Yuanchun twice before entering the palace, and he still vaguely remembered her appearance back then, especially her dignity, elegance, grace and splendor, which could arouse men's desire to conquer.

But he is an emperor after all, and the most important thing he needs is this grace and splendor. Otherwise, how could he have the leisure to see himself at this moment, or why he loves the country but not the beauty?

After a while, the carriage stopped outside the palace.

Lai Shangrong followed Eunuch Zhou to the imperial study room. He did not see the emperor, but saw two people sitting in the palace.

"Are you Lai Shangrong?"

Before Lai Shangrong could salute, the middle-aged man with a big belly in a five-clawed python robe asked.

"Yes! Your Majesty!"

In ancient times, there were regulations on clothing, and only princes could wear five-clawed python robes.

While Lai Shangrong replied, he secretly looked at another middle-aged man in a scholar's shirt.

"Brother Huang said that you have a lot of insights on economics. It just so happens that you also tinkered with this improvement recipe. Why don't you tell me how to use this improvement technology to benefit the people!"

Lai Shangrong couldn't help but wonder, was the emperor summoning him to the palace to thank him and bringing him to the imperial study room to arrange for these two people to test him?

However, the emperor knew about the leaflet yesterday, and now the prince is still asking, is there any problem?
So he said cautiously: "Back to your lord, it depends on what the court needs!"

"Oh? Don't you want to announce it to the world?"

"Uh!...The villain did it because he was depressed and frustrated at the beginning."

This was also said to the emperor. It was not a secret. Sometimes, the more frank you can be in front of the superior, the better.

"So you don't want to announce it to the world?" "Students think that as long as the price of paper can be lowered and everyone can afford to read, it will benefit all people!"

Lai Shangrong didn't know what kind of medicine was sold in the emperor's gourd, and he didn't dare to express his position easily, so he could only prevaricate like this.

"What a pity! Nowadays, the national treasury is in dire straits, but those rotten scholars are still clamoring to compete with the people for profit! The country does not collect business taxes, so if this improved technology is announced to the world, isn't it just letting those merchants reap the benefits!"

Lai Shangrong has always wondered why he was targeted by the emperor when he bought a steam engine. Now it seems that he has long been interested in the profits of papermaking, but he is not sure why it was delayed until yesterday, and Jia Zheng got a big advantage with this unnecessary move.

It seems that the arrangement of these two people was not to test himself, but because his high-pitched talk yesterday had an effect, and he came to ask for advice. It was just because of the emperor's face that he arranged someone to test him first.

"This matter is actually not difficult to say, it just depends on the emperor's thoughts!"

Lai Shangrong sneers at competing with the people for profit. Some people only talk about doctrines and only care about business in their hearts.

Isn't annexing land to compete with the people for profit? Those aristocratic families are not keen on this. Those who clamor to compete with the people for profit are nothing more than gaining fame or motivated by profit.

Out of caution, he first expressed his firm support for the emperor's decision.

"Brother Emperor, of course... of course, the country is our top priority!"

"If you want to use papermaking to increase the revenue of the treasury, students have several plans!"

"Oh? Come and listen!"

Lai Shangrong spoke eloquently: "The next best option is to sell improved technology. The advantage of this method is that the court does not need to worry. As long as it is profitable, those merchants will naturally not be stingy. The disadvantage is that it is difficult to avoid private resale.

Zhongce was to announce it to the world and at the same time operate the imperial court's own papermaking workshop on the grounds of stabilizing prices. Although this method was also profitable, the results would be slower due to the initial investment.

The best strategy was to slightly modify the middle strategy. Students called it joint-stock management. The imperial court established papermaking workshops and allowed private citizens and officials to subscribe for shares in the workshops.Of course, each workshop must be owned by the imperial court, and the specific subscription price can be discussed later. At the same time, existing private paper-making workshops are allowed to have craftsmen and workshops as shareholders.

There is also an invisible benefit to these three strategies. If you want to truly save costs by improving the method, you will have to use a steam engine. At that time, you will have to purchase and even maintain it from the court..."

The middle-aged man in Rushan asked: "Why is shareholding management the best strategy?"

"Joint-stock management seems to divide the shares and dilute the profits, but it is not the case. Firstly, the court's establishment of workshops rarely requires upfront investment, and secondly, skilled papermaking craftsmen may not be easy to find, so the scale of the workshop is inevitably limited, and it absorbs these The workshop not only solves the personnel problem, but can also increase the income from equity investment. Since the imperial court’s shares do not require investment, as long as the scale increases, the income will not decrease but will only increase.”

Capital costs are also costs, but Lai Shangrong does not want to explain in detail.

The two looked at each other, but neither asked how to resolve the objections in the court.

As long as shares are allowed, the so-called clear streamers will rush to participate.

Since there are two official words, since shares are allowed, can't it be said that stabilizing paper prices will benefit the people?

As soon as he finished speaking without a cup of tea, he heard from outside: "The Emperor has arrived!"

The three people saluted quickly and shouted long live the mountain.

"Be flat!"

Emperor Zhenglong was in a good mood and beaming with joy, and introduced the two of them to Lai Shangrong.

Only then did Lai Shangrong realize that after chatting for a long time, this prince was the famous King Zhongshun, and the middle-aged man in scholar's shirt was the Queen's brother Tian Guojiu.

After thanking him and leaving the palace, Lai Shangrong complained in his heart that the emperor was really trying to burn bridges by crossing rivers and burning bridges. He racked his brains to come up with suggestions and dismissed himself after thanking him.

Instead, King Zhongshun and Uncle Tian Guo were left behind. It is not known whether these two people will miss the credit again.

(End of this chapter)