There were many officials in the Tang dynasty. Ang Lee did not know how many upright people there were, but there were too many slippery ones. Moreover, the lower the official position, the more slippery they were. Otherwise, it would be difficult for them to stay in the officialdom.
Li An didn't hate these slippery people. On the contrary, he liked them a little. This was because they were too good at being officials. They could understand the intentions of their superiors very well. They would arrange everything properly and make their superiors very satisfied. Even if they made mistakes occasionally, they could cleverly muddle through and not cause trouble for their superiors.
Of course, slippery people also had their shortcomings. That was, their abilities were generally not very good. They did not have particularly outstanding strength. At most, they could only be a small official or a small official. They could not bear too much responsibility. If a country was full of slippery officials, then the country would have no future.
However, the words of the small official in front of him were quite in line with Ang Lee's thoughts. Seeing that the national treasury had an additional 150,000 gold coins, Ang Lee was very happy. With the funds, he could better develop new technologies and industries. This was only good for the Tang Empire.
If the Great Tang Empire wanted to go far in the field of science and technology, they had to constantly research new technologies. And any technology research and experiments required money. Without money, they couldn't do anything. Only with money could they do some big projects.
Even if they did not engage in science and used the funds to pave railways, they could still expand the railways of the Tang dynasty for a long time. The more and more railways were laid, the more firm the control of the Tang dynasty's imperial court would be, and the richer and stronger the country would be.
If the money was not spent in the hands of the aristocrats, it would be a huge waste of resources. Only consumption could stimulate the development of the country's economy. Saving could not promote development.
Although the big businessmen who obtained the technology had spent a lot of money, they were very happy when they thought of the huge profits they could make in the future. However, the businessmen who prepared a lot of money but did not get the opportunity were a little unhappy. Moreover, judging from the degree of craziness this time, the rich people of the Tang dynasty were too powerful. Many people probably did not expect that there would be so many people who were richer than them. Therefore, if there was another chance next time, they would not participate. The gap in strength was too big, and there was no chance of winning.
Except for Ang Lee and a few people who won, the rest were not happy. The higher the status of the big businessmen and aristocrats, the more unhappy they were.
For example, Yang Guozhong, who was forced to give up competing for the project, and Li Linfu, who spent a lot of money to obtain the technology, were very unhappy.
Yang Guozhong had a few days to adapt to the situation, so he did not feel much after hearing that several big businessmen had won the project. Li Linfu, who was seriously ill, was naturally very unhappy when he learned that he did not win after preparing a lot of money. After hearing the news of his failure, he was so angry that he vomited blood.
"Father, take care of yourself. We have done our best. I really did not expect that the bidders would have so much gold. It increased from one thousand gold pieces to more than fifty thousand gold pieces. It is really too much. All the gold pieces we prepared only amounted to twenty thousand gold pieces. It is a lot less."
Seeing his father vomiting blood again, Li Xiu hurried to comfort him.
Because he knew that his father's health was getting worse and worse, and he often saw his father vomiting blood, Li Xiu was used to it. Although he was worried about his father, it was not that exaggerated. Even if his father died, he could completely accept it.
Li Linfu's face was full of pain. He frowned and said, "I really did not expect that there are so many rich people in the Tang dynasty. They can take out fifty thousand gold pieces so easily."
Originally, he thought that he was very rich and had prepared twenty thousand gold pieces, so he could win the bid. However, he did not expect that many people who came to participate in the bidding took out more money than twenty thousand gold pieces. This greatly stimulated Li Linfu. He had been the prime minister for so many years and had made a lot of money. He thought that his wealth was one of the best, but unexpectedly, it was only at a very ordinary level.
After all, although Li Linfu could make a lot of money, he had dozens of sons, countless wives, and more than a hundred grandsons. There were even more daughters-in-law and servants to support. He had a big family, so he needed to spend money on daily necessities.
Without exception, they all needed to spend Li Linfu's money. In other words, if Li Linfu was an honest official who did not accept bribes, most of his family would have starved to death.
Therefore, although Li Linfu made a lot of money, most of it was spent by this big family. Moreover, if there were many children and grandchildren in the family, each of them needed a house and a field. These were the foundation of a stable life. When Li Linfu needed to raise money, he could not sell his children and grandchildren's houses and fields. As a result, the money he could raise was naturally limited. For Li Linfu, he felt that twenty thousand gold pieces was a lot, but he did not expect that the nobles and businessmen would be willing to take out fifty thousand gold pieces in order to compete for the battery technology. It was really unexpected.
Originally, he had planned to arrange a way out for his children and grandchildren while he was still alive, but unexpectedly, things did not go well. He had just seen a little hope and it was ruthlessly snuffed out.
There were so many people in the family. Once he died, it was equivalent to losing the biggest source of income. The family was bound to decline. Many of his children and grandchildren who did not have the ability would struggle to survive and live like ordinary people. If these guys did not change their bad habits, it was very likely that in a few years, the family's houses and fields would be ruined. As a result, these children and grandchildren could only beg on the streets. When he thought of some of his children and grandchildren becoming beggars, Li Linfu's heart was very painful. No elder wanted their children and grandchildren to be useless. They all hoped that their children and grandchildren could bring honor to the family and carry forward the glory of the family.
"I'm old, and I don't have much time left. I didn't expect that I can't even do a small thing for my children and grandchildren. If I'm not here one day, Xiu 'er, you have to take good care of the younger brothers in the family. If they have any difficulties, if you can help, help a little! Who asked you to be the older brother? "
Li Linfu said with difficulty.
Li Xiu's expression froze for a moment, and he seemed a little unhappy. After all, his official position was not high, and his salary was only so much. It was not a problem for him to live a better life, but if he had to take care of these foppish younger brothers, the pressure would be too great. If his younger brothers were sensible, they could support themselves with a few acres of land. But if they continued to be foppish, how could he have the ability to help these guys? Even if he contributed all his income, it would not be enough.
"Father, my official position is too low. Compared to you, it's not just a little bit. It's good enough that I can support myself. Taking care of my younger brothers is indeed stressful. If they don't have food to eat, I can help. But if they reach out and ask for money, then I don't have any extra money! I can only want to help but can't. "
Li Xiu said with a frown.
"Alas …"
Li Linfu sighed helplessly. He also knew his son's ability. It was indeed impossible for him to get a lot of money like himself. Businessmen and aristocrats were not fools. They could give him a lot of gifts and gold because he was the Right Prime Minister, a senior official in the Tang Empire, while his son was just a small official. It was estimated that no fool would give him a big gift. In this way, relying on the salary of the imperial court could only ensure that he could live a little better and help his younger brothers. It was really hard for him.
"Father, in fact, you can go to Assistant Minister Li. Lower yourself a little and ask him for a money-making project. Look at Yang Guozhong's industry. Isn't it a gift from Assistant Minister Li? Now it's making a lot of money. Its business is all over the country, and it's still expanding."
Li Xiu said.
Li Xiu was very envious of Yang Guozhong's huge An Erle Sanitary Industry. After all, Yang Guozhong made a lot of money through this industry and obtained huge benefits for himself. Who wouldn't be envious? Anyway, Li Xiu was very envious. That was a small amount of money! No one would dislike money.
"It's just a disgrace to resell women's things. We can't accept such an industry that's given away for free."
Li Linfu said with a disdainful look.
Although he didn't have much time left, he still valued the dignity of the family very much. He was unwilling to do anything that would disgrace the family. Although Yang Guozhong's women's sanitary industry was doing well, in his opinion, it was just a disgrace to his ancestors. Although it was just a behind-the-scenes industry, there was no wall in the world that didn't have a crack. Everyone knew that the boss behind An Erle was Yang Guozhong. Naturally, many people laughed at Yang Guozhong, thinking that it was too shameful for him to be a woman's thing and a disgrace to his ancestors.
Li Xiu felt that his father's disdain was very naive. The Li family was about to fall, but his father still cared so much about the so-called family's dignity. Could it be that letting his brothers go begging on the street could prove the family's dignity? Compared with begging on the street, what was wrong with being a woman's business? It was simply pedantic to the extreme.
However, this could only be Li Xiu's inner thoughts. He still didn't have the courage to argue with his father. Since he was a child, he had never dared to argue with his father. This had become a habit. Even if he thought his father was wrong, he didn't dare to talk back. He would obediently obey his father's preaching and be a good and obedient son.
Now, his father was so old that he was about to enter the ground. He also wanted to argue with his father about some issues to relieve the huge pressure in his heart after so many years. However, he didn't dare to say it. He looked at his father's old and sick appearance and couldn't bear it. He couldn't bear to add to his father's troubles. If there was a selection of filial sons, Li Xiu should definitely be considered a great filial son.
"Father, you're right. Women's menstrual products are really indecent, but father, you can ask Assistant Minister Li for some useful items! Whether there are any or not, we have to try to make people give up, right? "
Li Xiu said.
Li Linfu frowned and said awkwardly, "I'm the Right Prime Minister of the Tang dynasty. Do I have to ask a junior for help?"
In fact, Li Linfu was not only afraid of losing face, but also worried that Ang Lee would find an excuse to refuse. In that case, he would have made a trip in vain. Not only would he lose face completely, but he would also get nothing. Wasn't this superfluous?
Although Ang Lee was a generous person, he had developed so many technologies. Except for a small part of his own, most of them were given to the imperial court. The extra ones he gave to the Yang family as a favor were only women's menstrual products and women's underwear. They were really not presentable. He didn't care for them at all. He even felt that it was more honorable for his descendants to beg for food than to do this job.
"Father, you still can't put down your face?"
Li Xiu could see his father's concerns at a glance. After all, they were father and son. As a son, he naturally understood his father better and knew what kind of person his father was.
"Your father has been the Prime Minister for more than twenty years. My face is more important than anything else. You want me to beg a junior for such a thing? Moreover, it's hard to say whether or not it will succeed. How can your father do such a shameful thing? Li Linfu opened his mouth and spoke his true thoughts.
"Sigh …"
Li Xiu sighed and said, "Father values your face so much. I'm afraid that the younger brothers really have no hope. The younger ones have their own fortune. Father, you don't have to worry too much. Even the imperial family is no different from commoners after four or five generations. Liu Bei of Western Shu was the imperial family of the Great Han Dynasty. Didn't he also make a living by weaving mats and selling shoes?"
After saying that, he looked helplessly at his father. The family's decline was imminent. As his father's most outstanding son, he felt that he was not capable enough. If he had a higher official position, the family would not have declined, and his younger brothers would not have no guarantee of living in the future. It was the incompetence of his sons that caused his father to be so worried. He felt that he was guilty for not taking care of his younger brothers, causing each one of them to be more incompetent than the next. At most, there were only three of them, including himself.
"Weaving mats and selling shoes. Weaving mats and selling shoes. Do my descendants have to rely on weaving mats and selling shoes for a living?"
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