Ang Lee explained to Li Longji the advantages of the solar stove and the great role it could play in the military and civilian fields in detail. He also suggested that it should be popularized as soon as possible.
After seeing the powerful functions of the solar stove with his own eyes, Li Longji was naturally very tempted. He had already made up his mind to popularize the solar stove in the Tang Dynasty.
However, the solar stove was invented by Ang Lee. As for the technical details of the solar stove, only Ang Lee had a complete grasp of it. Therefore, even as the Emperor, he had to listen to Ang Lee's brilliant ideas.
"Assistant Minister Li, how do you think it's appropriate to popularize it?"
"Your Majesty, I think that the imperial court needs enough financial resources, and Your Majesty also needs your own little treasury. Why don't you appoint the eunuchs of the Imperial Household Department to take charge of the solar stove business? All the profits will belong to Your Majesty alone."
Ang Lee suggested.
He had originally thought of spreading the core technology of the solar stove and letting the craftsmen in all parts of the Tang Dynasty work together to make it so that it could be popularized. However, in this way, this promising business would soon be controlled by the aristocratic families. The craftsmen could only be reduced to poor laborers who were oppressed. The emerging wealth projects would be divided up by the aristocratic families again. The gap between the rich and the poor in the Tang Dynasty would be further widened, which was very unfavorable to the stability of the empire.
If the Emperor's trusted aides were in charge of this business, no one would dare to snatch it. No matter how powerful the aristocratic families were, they would not dare to go against the Emperor. The Emperor had a little treasury in his hands, so it would be more convenient for him to reward his concubines in the future. He no longer needed the funds in the national treasury. In this way, he could also appease those remonstrants who would knock their heads against the wall at any time.
Of course, Ang Lee had another purpose in doing this. That was, of course, to please the Emperor and make him happy.
Sure enough, Li Longji's face lit up. He said softly, "The whole world belongs to me. Do I still need to set up a private treasury for myself?"
"Your Majesty, all the ministers have their own private properties. As the monarch of a country, of course, Your Majesty should have your own properties so that you can use them more smoothly. This humble subject has heard that many remonstrant ministers have made irresponsible remarks about Your Majesty's expenses and even hit their heads against the pillars in the main hall to threaten Your Majesty. If they really hit their heads and died, they would definitely leave their names in history and Your Majesty's reputation would be damaged. These ministers only care about leaving their names in history. How could they understand the hardships Your Majesty has to go through to govern the country? Does Your Majesty want to be controlled by these remonstrant ministers all the time?"
Ang Lee followed Li Longji's thoughts and said considerately.
"If it weren't for the fear that future generations would say that I harmed the virtuous, I would have exiled these pedantic scholars to Lingnan."
When Li Longji mentioned the remonstrant ministers, he was full of anger. These remonstrant ministers never looked at the Emperor's face when they spoke and often made the Emperor unhappy. Even a magnanimous Emperor like Li Longji was angered by Wei Zheng and wanted to kill him, let alone an Emperor who coveted pleasure like Li Longji.
"Your Majesty, if you want to get rid of these remonstrant ministers, you must have your own financial resources to maintain the imperial court and reduce the pressure on the national treasury. It can also shut the mouths of these remonstrant ministers."
Ang Lee persuaded again.
Li Longji was moved. He looked at Ang Lee and said excitedly, "Assistant Minister Li is really loyal. Those conceited remonstrant ministers don't know my hardships and difficulties. As Assistant Minister Li said, I will transfer my confidants from the Imperial Household Department to be responsible for promoting and selling solar stoves. If they do anything wrong, Assistant Minister Li can just teach them a lesson. "
"Your Majesty, don't worry. I know what to do."
Ang Lee nodded and said that the assembly line of solar stoves should be placed in the corner of the R&D Center to prevent the core technology from leaking out.
Of course, Li Longji asked his confidants from the Imperial Household Department to be in charge of the solar stove business in private and would not announce it to the world. After all, the Imperial Household Department should not do this kind of thing.
But even if it was known, it would not be a big deal. According to the system of the Tang dynasty, government officials at all levels were not allowed to engage in industry and commerce. But with so many ministers, how many of them obeyed the rules? They were still secretly doing business. Since almost all the ministers did not abide by the system, the emperor could certainly not abide by it. In this way, the ministers and the emperor would have a tacit understanding and no one would take the initiative to blame the other. Everyone would make money together.
After discussing some details, Li Longji asked his personal servant, Yu Chaoen, to leave with Ang Lee. This kind of thing should not be publicized, so of course, it should be handed over to the most trusted and reliable person. Although Gao Lishi was more reliable, he was too old. In addition, Li Longji still needed the Gao Lishi's help in many things. He could not leave the Gao Lishi, so he could only let the younger Yu Chaoen be in charge of this matter.
"Assistant Minister Li, whether I can do this job well or not depends on Assistant Minister Li."
Yu Chaoen followed Ang Lee with a fawning face, but he was always half a step behind. After all, all the technology was in Ang Lee's hands. Moreover, he knew nothing about the assembly line production and the scientific management of craftsmen. Everything depended on Ang Lee's great help.
"Don't worry, Fish Ambassador. The technology of the solar stove has been matured. The production and manufacturing can be handed over to me. You only need to be responsible for selling and collecting money. This is a lucrative job!"
Ang Lee said with a smile.
"I understand, I understand. Thank you very much, Assistant Minister Li."
Yu Chaoen's face was full of gratitude. The Emperor had given him such an important industry to manage. This showed his trust and support. Moreover, Ang Lee had taken such good care of him. This made him feel very at ease, and he walked with a jolt.
The large-scale production and manufacturing of the solar stove was not very difficult. It only required a certain number of craftsmen. Advertising and selling was also not very difficult. All that was needed was to hire people.
Yu Chao En did not leave the palace alone. He still had a dozen subordinates under him that he could order around. Furthermore, some of these subordinates were proficient in accounting, while others were proficient in management. Therefore, it was not very tiring for him to do things.
Due to the fall in the price of iron, the cost of iron products had also been greatly reduced. The market price of a large pot that could cook three buckets of rice had fallen from seven hundred copper coins to five hundred copper coins per pot. The cost was less than three hundred copper coins.
However, the solar stove developed by Ang Lee required better casting technology and advanced polishing and grinding technology. Thus, the cost was higher. Even if it was produced on a large scale, the cost of a single stove would not be less than five hundred copper coins. It could even be as high as eight hundred copper coins.
However, the price of firewood in Chang 'an City was as high as three hundred copper coins per cart. A cart weighed five hundred kilograms, which was enough for a small family of three or four people to use for three months. However, in ancient times, large families lived together, so the demand for firewood was relatively greater. Thus, a cart of firewood could only last for two months, or even one month.
In this way, even if it could last for two months, six carts of firewood would be needed a year. The total cost was one thousand eight hundred copper coins. In fact, it might cost two or three thousand copper coins, which was equivalent to half a year's income of a laborer. The burden was still very heavy.
In other words, as long as the price of the solar stove was about two or three strings of copper coins, it was still acceptable for ordinary people, especially for large families. After all, one or two years would cover the cost.
The cost of the solar stove was only five hundred to eight hundred copper coins. If it was sold at two or three strings of copper coins, the profit would be several times higher.
After a discussion between Ang Lee and Yu Chaoen, they decided to set the price of the solar stove at three strings of copper coins. Although it was a little expensive, it was definitely cost-effective in the long run. The reason why they did not set the price lower was to prevent the aristocratic families from buying in large quantities at a low price and then selling it at a high price. In this way, most of the profits from the solar stove would go to the aristocratic families. The Emperor only made a small amount of money, but the aristocratic families benefited. This was not Ang Lee's original intention.
The price of three strings of copper coins was just close to the upper limit of what the people could accept. If the aristocratic families bought in large quantities at three strings of copper coins and then sold it at four or five strings of copper coins, the sales would not be too high. It was very likely that they would not be able to sell it. Naturally, the idea of hoarding would be abandoned. Moreover, the processing factory in the R&D Center had been in mass production. The people would rather wait a few more days than buy the ready-made goods at four or five strings of copper coins.
At the thought of the four times profit, Yu Chaoen was so happy that he could not close his mouth. He immediately told Li Longji the good news, making Li Longji happy as well.
After the craftsmen were ready, the assembly line production soon began and achieved a large output. One batch could be produced every three days, and there were as many as five hundred batches in one batch. At this speed, more than one hundred batches could be produced a year, and fifty thousand batches could be produced a year. It would take two or three years to meet the needs of Chang 'an City. Of course, the production could be increased in the future. After all, the army also needed the solar stove.
After two months of spring plowing, the outer wall and internal facilities of the R&D Center were all built. The railway from the north of the Daming Palace to the Hot Spring Palace was also laid. It was a double blessing.
Of course, there was another blessing. That was, the solar stove business that Yu Chaoen was in charge of went very smoothly. Almost all the products produced in the early stage were bought by the aristocratic families and hotels. Six thousand solar stoves were sold in twelve batches, and a total of fifteen thousand strings of copper coins was earned. According to the price of one gold coin for six strings of copper coins, a total of two thousand five hundred taels of gold. One tael of gold in the Tang Dynasty was forty-two grams in the future. Therefore, according to the weight unit of the future, it was more than one hundred kilograms of gold, which was heavier than a person.
Li Longji's mood could only be described as ecstasy. Moreover, very few people knew about this profit. Only a few people, such as Ang Lee and Yu Chaoen, knew about it. That was to say, all the civil and military officials, as well as all the imperial concubines, did not know how much money Li Longji had in his treasury, let alone how much the cost of the solar stove was.
With his own private money, Li Longji could wake up laughing in his sleep. From now on, he did not have to look at the faces of those remonstrating officials in order to allocate money from the national treasury for his harem. This was what an emperor should enjoy. If he had to look at the faces of those remonstrating officials everywhere, what was the point of being an emperor?
"Everyone, today is really a triple blessing!"
Yu Chaoen was reporting the profit of the solar stove. Seeing Li Longji chuckling, he echoed.
"Triple blessings? Yes, it really is triple blessings. The research and development center and the railroad tracks have all been completed, and Our unique business has also reaped a bountiful harvest. Triple blessings, triple blessings! "
Li Longji happily chuckled.
"Everyone, it should be triple blessings. Assistant Minister Li has come."
Gao Lishi hurried over and reported with a smile.
"Mm, that's right. As long as Assistant Minister Li comes, there must be something good. It can truly be called a triple blessing. Summon Assistant Minister Li for an audience."
Li Longji was in such a good mood that he loudly called out.
Ang Lee strode into the hall and first explained the situation of the research and development center. Then he talked about the railroad tracks and brought out the new locomotive and five carriages that he had just built. He wanted Li Longji to experience them.
"Assistant Minister Li, We have already experienced the iron carriages you made. This time, we only added four more carriages. Is there a big difference?"
Li Longji asked curiously.
"Your Majesty, this time, the new locomotive designed by me has not changed much, but the five carriages are brand new, far more than the previous single carriage. Now, the locomotive and carriages have been transported to the north gate of the Daming Palace. The craftsmen have finished the adjustment and can set sail at any time."
Ang Lee did not mention the specific situation, and it was not necessary. It would be enough if Li Longji went to inspect and see it with his own eyes.
Of course, Li Longji had to go and have a look. After all, the railroad had just been connected, and all the ministers and relevant officials had already gone there. As the Emperor, he also had to go and have a look and praise the official in charge of paving the road to show his importance to the railroad.
"Zhongxuan Gate."
Li Longji sat in the dragon carriage and went straight to the Zhongxuan Gate in the northernmost part of the Daming Palace, surrounded by a large number of maids, eunuchs, and guards.
At this moment, the Zhongxuan Gate was open. Outside the Zhongxuan Gate, the ministers led by Right Prime Minister Li Linfu were visiting the five carriages newly made by Ang Lee.
Although their task was to celebrate the connection of the railroad, there were only two lines from the beginning to the end, so there was nothing to see. However, the five carriages newly made by Ang Lee had perfect internal facilities and were worth visiting. Of course, what surprised the ministers the most was that the sides of the five carriages were inlaid with large pieces of medicinal jade, so that they could see the situation on the other side from one side.
"His Majesty has arrived."
With a loud shout, Li Longji arrived at the Zhongxuan Gate and slowly got out of the carriage with the help of a little eunuch.
"Your Majesty, we pay our respects to you."
The ministers led by Li Linfu immediately knelt on the ground. The craftsmen and commoners around them also knelt on the ground, looking very respectful.
"Rise, all of you rise, all of you rise."
Li Longji waved his hand and asked everyone to rise. He looked at the five carriages in surprise and strode over.
"Assistant Minister Li, the windows are all made of medicinal jade, so beautiful! Hey, five carriages, why are there only three doors? "
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