"Accompany us to the construction site." When Li Longji heard the report, he put his hands behind his back and walked towards the back.
After Gao Lishi was reassured, his footsteps became lighter.
"Lishi, to be honest, I quite dislike Xiao Bao. He always speaks halfway. When I ask him, he always beats around the bush. Guess with me, who did he transfer the money to? How did he transfer it? "
Li Longji began to sink into a special emotion. To put it bluntly, it was as if he was possessed. He would only act like this when he was facing Zhang Xiaobao. In the past ten years, he had fought in this dark scheme time and time again, but he had never seen the light of day.
Without waiting for Gao Lishi to reply, Li Longji continued, "It has already become a habit, a habit that we like. We can only relax when we are facing Xiao Bao and Cuckoo, apart from the harem. Do you know why?"
"This subject does not know, but … this subject also dislikes Xiao Bao. When others face this subject, they will always flatter me, but this subject has never seen this from Xiao Bao and Cuckoo. They will not mock this subject behind this subject's back because of the defects of this subject's body, nor will they flatter this subject because of this subject's status.
Xiao Bao will sometimes flatter this subject, but this subject knows that it is definitely not because this subject is close to Your Majesty, but because he has recognized this subject as his adoptive father. This subject, who is used to others flattering this subject, feels uncomfortable. "
Gao Lishi followed Li Longji's words and acted as if he was angry.
Li Longji smiled and patted Gao Lishi's shoulder.
"As expected of this subject's most considerate Lishi, you are as hateful as Xiao Bao. You have to beat around the bush even when explaining things. You should have just said that Xiao Bao is not afraid of this subject. Why did you have to shift the topic to you?
They are indeed not afraid of this subject. In fact, they don't even show the most basic respect. The only time they showed respect from the bottom of their hearts was … when they decided to abolish the land and salaries of all officials and increase taxes based on their income.
At that time, I promised to give Cuckoo half of the military forces to fight against the threats of the important ministers and the various families. Unfortunately, I was wrong at that time. I thought they would use force to force the various families to compromise. Who would have thought … "
"Who would have thought that when His Majesty wanted to give them soldiers, they would have no use for them at all. Not only did they have Cuckoo, who was good at fighting, they also had Xiao Bao, who liked to play tricks and schemes. They knew what they would face, so they made preparations in advance. However, they still accepted your kindness. "
This time, Gao Lishi did not beat around the bush and spoke bluntly. In this era, he was the only one who dared to analyze Li Longji's psychology. No one else dared to, and it was even more impossible for Li Longji to have such a heart-to-heart with his subjects.
Similarly, Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan respected him, not because of his high position, but because they knew his loyalty throughout history, even if he was a eunuch.
Li Longji nodded. "Speaking of dislike for Xiao Bao and the others, it's a recognition of them. However, there are people that I truly dislike. The group led by the Minister of Revenue, Wang Bei, and the people from the Censorate are eager to try. Their goal in opposing Zhang Zhong is to oppose Xiao Bao and Cuckoo.
I know that they are doing this for me to see. The way to be a ruler is to use people and use their abilities to suppress their hearts. There needs to be a balance. That's why they stood out and opposed Zhang Zhong. I can't deal with them yet, so I can only give them hints. They clearly received the hint, but they still acted the same way. "
Li Longji's expression turned ugly as he spoke, as if he thought that Wang Bei and the others wouldn't understand his intentions. Furthermore, they were hinting at him through their actions, asking him to remove Zhang Zhong from the position of Minister of Works, even if it was another minister.
The problem was …
"The problem is that Your Majesty doesn't need to be balanced against Xiao Bao and Cuckoo. This subject has discovered that they are also ambitious. The difference is that their ambitions are not in the imperial court, but outside. They want to use all sorts of methods to seize more land and resources so that the common people of our dynasty can live better lives.
According to their psychology, this is the path that they use to realize their personal worth. This subject feels that they feel that the imperial court and even imperial authority are too small for them, and they aren't willing to tie themselves to the court and play with the world. "
Gao Lishi was even more disgusted by Wang Bei and the others. It was easy to remove Zhang Zhong, but difficult to replace him. Xiao Bao had said long ago that they needed to take control of the Great Tang's industries and build a powerful Great Tang Heavy Industry.
If Zhang Zhong wasn't given the position of Minister of Works, Xiao Bao would definitely have split the research institute and not allowed anyone else to interfere. But it was clear that Wang Bei and the others wanted to seize the research institute.
How could that be possible? Let alone Xiao Bao and Cuckoo, even His Majesty wouldn't agree. Only by placing the research institute in the hands of Xiao Bao and the others would His Majesty be at ease. He wouldn't have to worry about the speed of development or the problem of confidentiality.
"Thus, We intend to adjust Wang Bei's position. What does Minister think?" Li Longji asked.
"This subject believes that it cannot be done. Wang Bei has done very well in the Bureau of Revenue. If it were someone else, they would have made many mistakes. Moreover, Xiaobei and the others have already acted first and cut off the free welfare provided to Wang Bei's family. Wang Bei's daughter-in-law was pregnant at the right time, so Xiaobei and the others took out the things to send over.
Ah, benevolence and righteousness. Little children also know how to give and take. They're much better than many officials in the court. When officials are in conflict with their opponents, they won't rest until they're dead. Who could have imagined that Xiaobei and the others would send so many nutritious products to Wang Bei's daughter-in-law when she was pregnant? Wang Bei should feel ashamed. That child should be able to walk now, right? "
Gao Lishi wanted nothing more than to kill Wang Bei, but when he considered his opponent's abilities, he could only give up on his grudge.
"It's born, it's born. That child has received a great deal of support from Xiaobei and the others. There of prenatal education, and they've even sent him a carriage to learn how to crawl and walk. In a few days, he'll probably have his first birthday celebration. We will go and take a look when we have time. When we get back, we can report to Xiaobei and inform them.
Speaking of Wang Bei, We remember the court assembly at the end of last year. Because the Zhang Family and the Wang Family had spent too much on other things, especially on intelligence, the year-end settlement was five million strings less than the previous year. Wang Bei was overjoyed.
But later on, the new group they set up with the Ministry of Works didn't make a single cent of profit. They were in a situation where they would make a loss during the year, but would be able to make a profit after the year. That is to say, there were no dividends during the year, but they didn't have to worry about making a loss, because after the new year, they would be able to make up for the loss.
According to what Zhang Zhong said that day, this is called breaking even. But according to what We heard from Xiao Bao, as long as a sum of money doesn't produce a profit, then it's depreciating.
This is a type of relative depreciation. It means that our country is issuing more money, so the amount of money that can be bought has decreased. And there's a simple rule. The more luxury goods are bought in society, the more the currency will inflate. This is a type of relative depreciation.
Xiao Bao also said that there's another type of absolute depreciation. He said that he guaranteed to control this situation and wouldn't allow it to happen, or at least within a certain period of time. And absolute depreciation is when the rate of increase in currency issuance exceeds the rate of increase in the production of people's goods.
This is reflected in the specific situation. The price of goods necessary for survival is rising too quickly, much faster than the rate of people's income.
There are two reasons for this situation. First, it's the issue of large amounts of currency when productivity can't keep up. If we don't want to give up on the speed of currency issuance, we have to improve production technology. Second, it's the wrong interference of administrative orders. The ruling class artificially hinders the majority of the people from obtaining the right to currency. If we don't want to give up on this wrong interference, we have to add new administrative policies aimed at the welfare of the majority of the people.
This is what Xiao Bao said to us. Wang Bei wants us to balance out Xiao Bao, but we're confused. What do we use to balance? If we balance Xiao Bao, who will balance the country's income and output? Who will balance the problem of unemployment caused by the speed of social development? Who is going to balance the balance between spiritual civilization and material civilization for me?
Can he, Wang Bei, do it? Whenever a part of the country is affected by a disaster and needs money, Wang Bei will have a sad expression. He's sad because he can't find a good way to allocate money. If it's Xiao Bao, he's sad because he's afraid that his orders will be issued too slowly and the people will suffer.
These are two different things. One is sad because he can't do anything, and the other is worried because he's afraid that his actions will be implemented too slowly for the people affected by the disaster. This is so infuriating. If we were Xiao Bao, we'd teach him a lesson. "
Li Longji muttered a bunch of things under his breath as he rubbed his chest with his hand. It seemed that he was really angry.
Gao Lishi hurriedly comforted him, "Your Majesty, calm down. It's not worth it. Wang Bei can't do anything about Xiao Bao. The Censorate wants to impeach him, but they don't dare. Not to mention them, even if Wei Zheng was alive, he would also have to remain silent.
Just as Your Majesty said, Xiao Bao has already taken revenge on Wang Bei. Otherwise, with Xiao Bao's ability, how could the new company not be able to make money? When it comes to making ends meet, it's also a skill. Even if you investigate carefully, you won't find any problems.
Xiao Bao can't go too far. You heard it that day. Wang Bei shouted that Xiao Bao promised not to do anything to the people in the country, but he played tricks on them. If they really lost money, they'll cry even louder.
The main thing is that Xiao Bao promised Cuckoo that he won't use his ability to harm his own people. Otherwise, look at Tibet in the past, as well as Xinluo and Japan now. When Xiao Bao was against them, he really invaded them like fire.
Your Majesty, don't be fooled by Wang Bei's loud voice. He's actually afraid. He thought that Xiao Bao is gentle and kind to the country, but he forgot that Xiao Bao is a vengeful person.
Your Majesty, look, we've arrived at the Yin and Yang Palace. According to your instructions, we'll build a three-story building here and make some space to build a fountain. We'll raise ornamental fish in the pond and transport local water plants from Hangzhou. It'll definitely be a grand scene in summer. "
Li Longji looked at the busy people at the construction site and nodded in satisfaction. Then, he said, "In the past, when I wanted to build the palace, the ministers always stopped me. Now that I'm building it, who dares to say anything? If it weren't for Xiao Bao making money for me, not to mention building a three-story building, I would have been controlled by others. "
Gao Lishi could tell that Her Majesty's mind was filled with Xiaobao's goodness. No matter what was said, no matter what topic was brought up, Her Majesty would definitely think of Xiaobao first.
After Li Longji finished speaking, he looked around the Yin and Yang Palace and did not give any instructions to the construction team. This was because the construction team here was from the Zhengzheng Construction Group. No matter if it was safety, technology, or quality, there were no problems.
What made Li Longji depressed was that the price was very high. This was because, according to the rules set by Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan, the charging method for the rich and powerful was different. The higher the status and the richer the family, the higher the fee would be. They were not afraid that the other party would play dirty tricks. Whoever had the guts to try it could try.
As the Emperor, Li Longji's fee for him was naturally the highest.
"Your Majesty, you don't need to worry. For the internal funds, building the palace is like a drop in the bucket. The annual interest is enough. Moreover, the money earned by the Zhengzheng Construction Group will immediately be used in other areas, such as building bridges for the village, schools, or roadside pavilions for people to rest."
Gao Lishi fanned the dust with his hand as he spoke.
"I know. It's just that every time I take money out, I can't control the urge to take it back because I don't know how to earn money. I'm not like Xiaobao, who doesn't feel bad about spending money because he can continue to earn. I can't even compare to Xiaobei and the rest, who don't have to pay for all the expenses at home themselves. The money earned by Darling's Candy House can be spent as they please. Furthermore, Xiaobao and Juanjuan don't care.
Li Longji murmured.
At this time, Gao Lishi did not know how to respond, so he maintained his silence.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, the Crown Prince is here. He's … he's already inside." The sound of the construction site could not cover up the eunuch's shrill voice. A eunuch came to report the situation.
Just as he finished speaking, Crown Prince Li Hong, who was originally Li Ying, walked in from outside.
In theory, even the Crown Prince could not casually barge in, but Li Ying had received a telegram from Zhang Xiaobao, so he had enough confidence to enter directly. Moreover, he had also received guidance from Zhang Xiaobao, who told him that if he followed the rules too much, he would lose affection. Occasionally, he would make a small mistake to bring people closer to each other.
Therefore, Li Ying chose to barge in at this time without any notice. In his hand was an item with the signatures of the manager of Savant's Restaurant and the head steward of Zhang Wang.
"Hong 'er, don't you have anything to do today?" Li Longji did not consider the fact that his son had come without notice. This was a construction site, and it was a mess. Who would be notified?
"I have something to do, so I'm busy. However, Xiao Bao sent me a telegram and told me something. At the same time, he asked me to bring something over. I also miss Father, so I rushed over. Look, I haven't changed my clothes yet."
Li Ying lifted the item in his hand and smiled at Li Longji.
This casual attitude of his was faked. To be precise, it was trained. In front of the mirror, he practiced according to Zhang Xiaobao's teachings. Not only did he have to practice his expression, voice, and eyes, but he also had to cooperate with his mental cultivation method. That was … if he was strong, he would be strong. If he was tyrannical, he would be tyrannical. If he was tyrannical, he would be tyrannical. If he was tyrannical, he would be tyrannical. The kind that would not fight back and would talk cheerfully and wittily.
Li Longji sized up his son and saw that his son's clothes were dyed black. Other than black, there were also yellow and red.
"What was the Crown Prince busy with before you came?" Gao Lishi asked Li Longji.
Li Ying was very respectful of Gao Lishi. In private, he would call him 'Master Gao'. Of course, the respect he had for him now was slightly less, or perhaps even more.
Everything was because of Zhang Xiaobao's support. Therefore, with Zhang Xiaobao's support, he did not have to pay too much attention to others. However, Zhang Xiaobao was Gao Lishi's adopted son, so he had to respect him even more.
Li Ying understood Zhang Xiaobao's meaning. He did not want the country to be too unstable and affect its diplomatic relations. At the same time, he would not allow others to mistreat his adopted father.
Thinking of this, Li Ying adjusted his attitude and said with a smile, "General, I went to the newly established printing workshop to see them working. The Ministry of Works' research institute sent a new dye called ink paste or coloring agent. Anyway, that's what it is.
As a result, newspapers can be printed with various colored patterns and words. Although the patterns are a little troublesome and not very accurate, they are modularized. Various small patterns are done first and then pieced together. The requirements for the printing staff are very high. Otherwise, they would not be able to piece together well. "
"Oh? You brought printed newspapers over? " Li Longji's interest was piqued. He had just seen a remote data command map today. Now, there was a colored newspaper and some modularized patterns. Very good.
Li Ying, who was already prepared, took out a few rolled up newspapers and handed them to Li Longji with one hand. Then, he placed the things he was carrying on the ground and stood there panting. It was obvious that the things he was carrying were not light.
Li Longji and Gao Lishi gathered together to read the newspaper. There were indeed patterns, but they were a little rigid. There were many different colors on the newspaper, and it was very eye-catching.
The two of them then looked at the content. The headline was two large red words, 'Debate.' Following that was a row of small yellow words, 'Strong enemies are watching. The long journey is not for the next life, but for this life. With the hot blood of Tang, who can withstand the blade of the treasured sword?'
At the bottom, the author's name was written, 'Wang Juan.'
Then, there was a large picture of a warrior riding a horse and waving a blade. The background was a large flag with the word 'Tang.'
There was also a row of blurred flowery words printed diagonally on the picture, 'Swallowing Ten Thousand Li Like a Tiger.'
Li Longji subconsciously straightened his back, as though he was the one riding on the horse and waving the blade.
Gao Lishi also gritted his teeth and took a deep breath.
Li Ying said, "The boards with the picture have been sent to various places. According to the request, a copy of this newspaper will appear in all newspapers in Great Tang tomorrow morning."
"Good, good. Send it out. The people know that there is going to be a war. In the past, they were also looking forward to it. Now, it has finally begun. Xiao Bao will soon bring out the administrative plan. Hong 'er, what is the price of this newspaper? "
Li Longji knew that tomorrow's newspaper was going to start promoting the war, and it was going to win the support of the people.
Li Ying took out another newspaper and put it together with the previous one. "Father, it's the same as before. One copper coin per copy. Don't throw it away after you read it. If you collect three copies, you can exchange it for two copper coins. If you cut out the advertisement section of the newspaper, you might even be able to get a bargain of one copper coin."
Li Longji put on a smile and said, "Lishi, do you see this? This is Xiao Bao. There are many articles written by great scholars and the policies of the imperial court. It's easy to sell it at a high price, but look at what Xiao Bao is doing? Why is he doing this? "
"This subject knows. Xiao Bao sells many copies of each newspaper for one copper coin. It's not enough to cover the printing costs. But in order to let the people see it, at least their children who have studied for two years can read it for them, he only sells it for one copper coin. He also sells it for two copper coins for three copper coins. Buying one copy is only a third of a copper coin.
Xiao Bao doesn't want the people to lose the opportunity to pay attention to the country because of money, so it's very cheap. But Xiao Bao doesn't want to lose money, so he found merchants from all over to advertise. At this time, the newspaper has profits, and it's very big.
In order to let the people pay attention to the advertisements in the newspaper, Xiao Bao also asked the merchants to take turns. Every day, a merchant would take out the cost of the item to sell, but they would need the piece of paper in the newspaper.
Every place is different, but the same thing is that there are discounts every day. Thus, our dynasty sells many newspapers every day. This is because when the people buy it, there's no loss at all. If they need to buy a lot of things, they can even take advantage of it.
Not only does it allow the people to be educated, but it also promotes the sales of goods. At the same time, it also allows our dynasty's newspaper distribution industry to earn profits. And Xiao Bao clearly can get more money from this, but he gives it up. He doesn't have any selfish motives. He's doing this for the sake of the country and the people. "
Gao Lishi sincerely praised, not at all affected by Xiao Bao's identity as his adopted son.
"General Gao is right. Xiao Bao …"
"Hm?" Li Longji said doubtfully.
Li Ying quickly changed his words: "Zhang Xiaobao …"
"Hm?" Li Longji continued to question.
"Father, what do you want me to call him? Usually, when Xiao Bao sends me a telegram, he always ends it with 'Xiao Bao'. I can't say 'Zhang Jiedushi', right? "Li Ying said awkwardly.
"Hm!" Li Longji replied affirmatively this time.
Li Ying heaved a sigh of relief. Even though it was just a title, it involved a lot of things. Normally, the people could casually address them as Xiao Bao and Cuckoo. However, officials were definitely not allowed to do so. They had to be addressed as officials, unless one was a retired official or an elder recognized by Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan.
It represented a kind of closeness, a kind of relationship, and even a kind of identity and status in the bureaucracy. 'Xiao Bao and Cuckoo' weren't that easy to address.
Thus, Li Ying was allowed to address them as Xiao Bao. It wasn't easy for him to obtain this title.
Revealing a sincere smile, Li Ying said, "Xiao Bao has indeed done many good deeds. If they were to make a move on their own people, our Great Tang would be in danger. Xiao Bao and Cuckoo are trying to make their own families rich first before helping us.
I discovered something, and that is, the more power they have, the better the lives of our people. Many officials come from rich families and are businessmen. The people are jealous, helpless, and resentful.
But when I go out for a stroll, I've never heard any of the people say anything bad about Xiao Bao and Cuckoo. Could it be that they don't have money? They are truly rich enough to rival a country. Xiao Bao has restrained himself, but he still earns hundreds of millions of strings of cash every year. He has already stopped expanding the businesses of the Zhang family in Great Tang, but the people who work with them are expanding, so their money will only increase.
But the people still acknowledge them. Why? I've thought about it. They are earning money in our Great Tang, and they are earning it fair and square. At the same time, they have to fork out a lot of money to help the disaster areas every year. Disasters are the same as before, and they never stop. The only difference is that there was no Xiao Bao and Cuckoo in the past.
Imperial Father, although they always donate money in the name of the imperial court, the people aren't fools. What was the imperial court's policy towards disaster areas in the past? What's the speed of response now? "
"What speed?" Li Longji realized that this was the first time he truly cared about his crown prince. In the past, Li Hong had never spoken so much. He had always been very careful, so he deliberately asked this question. He hoped that he could feel more familial affection and communication from his son.
Just like when he was with Xiao Bei and the others, it wasn't that everything Xiao Bei did was right, but that he cared about Xiao Bei's considerate feelings. Even if she did something wrong, seeing Xiao Bei's bashful and embarrassed appearance, he had to give her the right answer.
Yes, what Xiao Bei did was wrong, but shouldn't he support such a cute child? If she was wrong, then she was wrong. Did he have to beat her to death? Could it be that everything he did in his life was right? Nothing went against his heart?
Li Longji considered this, so he was very tolerant of Xiao Bei and the others, especially Xiao Bei. When she hugged you and acted coquettishly, you would feel sorry for Xiao Bei's cuteness if you didn't sign a few unequal treaties. Even if you were dreaming, you would be scared awake by guilt.
Li Ying waited until her father was almost done thinking before she said, "Half a month ago, Hedong Circuit's Luzhou had been dry for more than 20 days. Fortunately, they had to plant soybeans, so they weren't in a hurry at the beginning. However, it didn't rain. So Li Xun found me. He is now in charge of the agriculture and industry of the entire Hedong Circuit.
Previously, he had already reported it to the imperial court, but it was suppressed by the head of the secretariat. He asked the local officials to pray for rain, but it didn't happen.
While I was thinking of a solution, Xiao Bao sent a message to the research institute and asked them to move the things that were still being tested to Luzhou. That day, the clouds drifted horizontally from west to east as usual. However, the rumbling sound of artillery fire came from Qinzhou, and then it rained in Luzhou.
That day was the last few days to plant soybeans. If it was missed, the soybeans wouldn't be able to grow well or even be sown. On the third day after the rain, the well drilling team of the Ministry of Works' research institute came.
Li Xun told me that he saw the bearings break down one after another because they didn't rotate fast enough. Within a day, the research institute had drilled 142 wells in Luzhou, and the local drought was immediately solved.
This is what I understand about Xiao Bao and Cuckoo's speed. It's not an exaggeration to say that they are as fast as lightning. One day of rain, three days of well drilling. Therefore, the people are not afraid of the imperial court's administrative orders being issued slowly, nor are they afraid of the unrest in the surrounding countries. At the same time, they acknowledge that the Zhang Family and the Wang Family have endless wealth. They are afraid that Xiao Bao and Cuckoo will give up on them. "
Li Ying said that the people of Tang supported Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan, and at the same time, expressed that she also supported them.
However, Li Longji and Gao Lishi couldn't follow his train of thought. Li Ying didn't need to say anything to know that the people supported him.
At this time, Li Longji and Gao Lishi were thinking about … what could make it rain? This thing was even more terrifying than high-speed bearings. If the bearings didn't meet the standards, it was just that their hardness wasn't good enough, and the curvature of the balls wasn't accurate enough. This was within the scope of industry. Rain was different.
"Hong 'er, tell me, how did it rain in Luzhou?" Li Longji grasped the crux of the problem.
"Firing cannons. Xiao Bao and Cuckoo had people fire cannons at Qinzhou, which is in front of Luzhou. They fired at the clouds, and when the clouds flew to Luzhou, it started to rain. It's very simple. It just needs to rumble for a while." Li Ying's eyes occasionally signaled to Li Longji to look at the things he had brought over.
Li Longji no longer cared about his dignity as an emperor. He walked over to Li Ying and slapped him on the head. "Are you stupid? This is rain, not a simple method of burning firewood to resist frost.
Do you think I don't know how to fire cannons? The problem is, what are they firing? You don't think it's the cannons we're using now, do you? That'll kill people. What exactly did the research institute send up? "
Li Ying finally reacted and shook his head. "I don't know. I only heard that Li Xun sent a signal to Xiao Bao for help. Xiao Bao sent back several orders in succession, and thus the disaster in Luzhou was resolved. Father, don't you think Xiao Bao is amazing?"
"Do I need you to tell me whether Xiao Bao is amazing or not? Go, go to the research institute and ask. Oh, go greet Zhang Zhong first. Although you're the crown prince, you can't directly enter. If you're stopped at the entrance, you'll be embarrassed. Zhang Zhong will also think that you have something against it. "
Li Longji instructed.
"Yes, this son understands. If you provoke Zhang Zhong, you'll be miserable. If you scold Xiao Bao, he might ignore you. But if you scold his father, then it's over." Li Ying understood very well.
Li Longji lowered his head and finally turned his attention to the thing his son brought. He asked, "What is this?"
"A large pressure cooker. There's a wild boar's elbow and hind elbow stewing inside. In less than an hour, the meat has already been separated from the bone. It's suitable for use in highlands," Li Ying replied.
Li Longji asked curiously, "It's so magical? This is good stuff. Let's set up a project. "
"Father, there's no need to set up a project. This is a byproduct of the steam engine." Li Ying smiled and introduced.
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