As Zhang Xiaobao spoke, Wang Juan wrote. From time to time, Wang Juan would stop to voice her thoughts.
Li Xun listened as well. He was also involved in this matter. Back then, he was the one who contributed. He even used his name as a member of the imperial family to attack the other party. He was also involved in Lu Zhou's business. Moreover, he had to find a market for the Hundred Thousand Mountains' produce.
"Provide medicinal herbs to the tribes that oppose the other people so that they can recuperate better. If the situation requires it, we can even send a small number of our doctors in Lu Zhou. Just ten of them. They can go there to provide international aid, the selfless kind. However, they must be careful not to hurt themselves."
Now that Zhang Xiaobao was talking about medicinal herbs, Li Xun nodded in agreement. He liked to hear Zhang Xiaobao say things like this the most. He felt that Zhang Xiaobao was very noble, but in truth, he was full of evil ideas.
Wang Juan wrote down Zhang Xiaobao's words and made her own suggestion. "I think we should also send the injured locals who don't have good conditions to receive treatment to Lu Zhou. Firstly, we can promote mutual understanding. Secondly, we can build a good impression of both sides. We can let the other party understand that Tang is peace-loving and that our people are kind."
"That's right. Write it down." Zhang Xiaobao agreed with Wang Juan.
Li Xun looked back and forth at the side. He looked at Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan. When he saw the sincerity in their eyes when they spoke, he wondered if he had misunderstood them. They were really willing to help the people there.
"There's one more thing to add. Once the local people are sent to Lu Zhou, don't let them know too much, especially the prices. Alright, let's move on to the next point."
Zhang Xiaobao added one more point and approved this point.
Li Xun, on the other hand, smashed the doubts that had just arisen in his heart. The sun was still the same, and the Ru River was still the same. Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan did not change either. Not bad.
Zhang Xiaobao was about to continue when he coughed. He was thirsty. He had eaten salted vegetables and jiamo just now, but he did not drink soup. He ran to the place where the workers boiled water to drink and brought back a pot of water. He poured three bowls of water, blew on it, and took a sip.
"You can provide weapons to the peace-loving Shinyuan Island tribes. You can buy them on credit first. You don't need to make any profit. It's just a capital. An iron sword costs 40 strings of arrows, and a two-stone iron bow costs 80 strings of arrows. You can also provide cement and help them build good fortifications. Remember to pack them well. Don't copy the Japanese.
Don't give them gunpowder. It's troublesome to operate, and they might accidentally blow themselves up. But, our people must be careful. They must carry firearms. Send gunships to follow them. If there's any danger, board the ships at the seaside. "
"Alright, I'll add. Also, ask Lu Zhou's craftsmen to provide arrowheads. They'll cost 200 copper coins each. When we get there, let the local tribes make their own arrowheads. It's also a technical cooperation." Wang Juan wrote down what Zhang Xiaobao said and added.
As Li Xun listened, he began to feel sorry for the people on the island. "I told you to unite and resist, but now, no one can take advantage of the situation. What kind of iron saber is worth 40 strings of coins? How much capital? I reckon many people on the island will die, and the rest will all be pro-Tang."
At the thought of the dead people, Li Xun also said, "It's best if fewer people die. The heavens are virtuous and can educate them, teach them etiquette, honor, and disgrace, and help them live a good life. I'm willing to invest in the shares and set up a Xinyuan Island branch of the Ocean Relief Fund.
I'll give them hope for a better life and buy the resources they get from their labor at a high price. I'll give them 10 catties of copper ore and exchange it with 100 copper coins per catty of cotton products. It's a small profit. "
When Li Xun said this, he mustered up a lot of courage and did not let himself blush.
"Sure, Your Highness, you're a good person who cares about the people. Why don't you directly smelt copper on the island in the future? You'll get a rough base and ship it back for fine processing."
Zhang Xiaobao was very satisfied with Li Xun, who could say such things. It was good that they had a common language.
The three of them gathered together and thought about it one by one. When the sun shone through the clouds and shone on the three of them, it seemed as if there was a golden light. The three of them kept drinking water because of the heat.
Feng Changgong stood in the distance and watched, hoping to see something. For example, something happened to Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan's families, or they lost money in business and so on. After watching for a long time, he still did not get anything. He ordered the people who followed him, "Go back. Dream Chasing Master will be here soon. Go and welcome him."
*****
In the Four Seas Academy, the matter that Zhang Xiaobao had just mentioned was happening at this time.
Shanben was at the dock by the sea, directing a group of people to load the scattered cement onto the ship. At this time, small pieces of cement had already appeared, but it was not serious. It could be crushed by hand. This was thanks to the inner courtyard of the Zhang Xiaobao and Wang family. They were afraid that the cement was too dry and dusty, which would affect the health of others, so they sprayed some water. It was not a lot, and the effect was not very good, but they had good intentions.
How could Shanben know that others had helped him out of kindness? He did not know how to preserve the cement. He used his sleeve to cover half of his face and narrowed his eyes. He said to Shanben, who was also watching the cement being loaded onto the ship, "This time, if we can figure out how to make the cement when we ship back, it will be a great contribution."
"Yes!" Shanben also thought so. "There are also radishes that can grow ginseng, seeds, and ten thousand thermometers that we bought at a high price. I hope we can succeed. When the time comes, our country will not lack ginseng, and we can sell it elsewhere."
"We don't have money. The money sent by our country has been spent. We still owe ten ships of silver ore and five ships of sulfur. After the ship returns to our country and unloads the things, we can return them when we come back. Otherwise, we will be arrested. The people Between the Clouds and the Water will also encourage the Great Tang Emperor to forbid other people from entering the Tang Empire."
Shanben said with a little worry.
Without money, they could not get close to others. If they could not get close to others, they could not learn skills. It would take at least half a year for the ship to go and return. They had to catch up with the wind. During this time, they could not move around, which would waste a lot of time.
Shanben was also distressed about the money. The Four Seas Academy did have people to teach and ask, but it was impossible to learn good skills. If it was in the past, with a few words of praise and some money, they could learn. But now, there was no one to teach, and all the good skills were controlled.
The best skills were in the hands of the Zhang family in Sanshui County. They were even stricter. Many skills were asked for, and it was said that the Tang Empire's imperial court did not have them. This time, they were lucky to get the skills to grow ginseng, but they could not just leave them there.
Thinking of the luck last time, Shanben was tempted again. He said to Shanben, "I think we should get in touch with Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan in Boxin County more. Maybe we can get the skills when they are not paying attention."
Shanben nodded and then shook his head. "This matter can't be done now. Zhang Xiaobao is always thinking about money. Without money, he will definitely not talk to us. But there are many good places in Tang Empire. We can send people to secretly learn and see if it can be used in our country."
"Well, when the ship leaves, I will arrange for people to learn it. Yamamoto, why don't we use other methods to get some money first?" Shanben took over the matter and proposed a new idea.
He meant to use economic means, either to earn money directly or to cheat, but the tendency to cheat was greater.
"No, you can't. Didn't we suffer enough in Boxin County? Originally, we planned to let them gamble on the silver ore at a high price. Then, when we found that there was no firewood to use during the refining, we would sell them the wood we bought in the forest. In the end, only a small part of the silver ore flowed out. Most of it was kept by Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan. It was piled up there and not refined at all.
In two confrontations, not only did we not earn a copper coin, but we also lost a lot. As long as Tang Empire has Zhang Xiaobao, we can't expect to cheat others, unless a more powerful person comes. "
This time, Shanben decisively rejected. He still had a lingering fear when he thought of the two confrontations. The rumors were true. Zhang Xiaobao was very proficient in money and liked others to find trouble. As long as Shanben made a move, he knew that Zhang Xiaobao would participate. Then, he would easily lose the last bit of living expenses.
"Yamamoto, Yamamoto, just now, our people sent news that Boxin County is going to draw a branch of the Rushui River that flows through Xincai County. Li Xun, the son of the Tang Dynasty's Prince Li Chengyi, is also building a workshop in Xincai County. He is the Commandery Prince of Tong 'an County in Shuzhou."
A person hurried over from the dock and whispered to Yamamoto and Yamamoto.
Yamamoto's eyebrows immediately formed the Chinese character "Sichuan", indicating that the person had understood. After the person left, he said to Yamamoto, "The forest in Boxin County is probably bought for nothing. Once they draw the river, as long as there is not enough firewood, they can quickly send the firewood from Xincai County to the place by boat."
"Then, the straw bought at a high price of two thousand strings of coins this year is also lost?" Yamamoto also said.
"Lost. We shouldn't have made a move in Boxin County. It was Feng Changgong from Xincai County who insisted on benefits. Otherwise, we wouldn't have encountered such a thing in Xincai County."
Yamamoto regretted it. He knew that Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan had gone to Boxin County, but he was not convinced and insisted on going there to try. Now, it was fine. He had lost the first time, but he had also lost the final arrangement. It was really too sullen.
What they did this time was not a plan specifically targeted at him. They just conveniently brought him along.
*****
Indeed, the river was not directed at the people of the Four Seas Academy, but it was directed at the academy's purchase of forest and future straw.
The sun in Boxin County was warm today. No longer worried about Zhang Xiaobao, Wang Juan, and Old Man Pi, they began to play the role of lecturers and demonstrators again.
They explained the history of Gyeonggi Province to others in the model area. Now, they were talking about astronomy and geography. Many people who had not been to Gyeonggi Province wanted to go and have a look immediately.
Those who did not know the identity of the two old men asked about it and sighed again. Ministers and prime ministers were indeed different from ordinary people. With two people personally explaining, it was worth the ticket money, even if it was ten times the price. They were people who could see the emperor every day.
While Old Man Bi and the other two were talking and demonstrating happily, one after another, horse-drawn carriages rushed over in a long line that stretched as far as the eye could see. The ground was filled with 'black soil' that had accidentally leaked out.
Just as they passed by, three old men saw them. Old Man Pi personally approached them and asked, "What is this?"
The people in the inner courtyard of the Zhang family immediately replied, "It's coal from Xiangcheng. It's cheap. The young master and the young lady said it would be of great use."
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