"It's really light and soft!"
Su Lingnong picked up the quilt and weighed it carefully. Although it wasn't as light as a brocade quilt, it was much better than a hard and heavy cloth quilt.
"And it's very warm."
Li Shimin put the quilt on his body. After a while, he actually felt sweaty. It was much better than a cloth quilt or brocade quilt in keeping him warm.
Their interest was piqued, but they were not satisfied with just observing. They tore a large hole in the cotton quilt and took out balls of white cotton from inside.
Meton's mouth twitched. This was the one and only cotton quilt in the world. Before they could use it, they had already died.
Meton said, "In addition to making cotton quilts, this cotton can also be stuffed into clothes and made into winter clothes. As long as this thing is popularized, the people of the Tang dynasty will no longer have to endure the bitter cold of winter."
"What's the production of this thing?" Su Lingnong asked.
Meton thought for a while and said, "Cotton is as light as a feather and can't be measured by weight. However, I estimate that the cotton planted in one mu of land will be enough to keep a family free from the cold."
"Good. This thing is worth it even if it's two hundred or two thousand gold, let alone twenty gold," Li Shimin said excitedly.
In the Tang dynasty, there was a lack of things to keep out the cold in winter. The rich people all had mink fur and brocade clothes, but the poor people only lacked clothes and other things. Most of the cloth quilts were stuffed with wheat straw to keep out the cold.
Every winter was the most difficult time for the poor people of the Tang dynasty. Once the temperature dropped, it would be freezing. Every year, there would be incidents of people freezing to death because of the cold.
"Moreover, cotton seeds contain a lot of oil. Whether they can be eaten or not is still unknown, but at least they can be used as an oil lamp to light them," Merton said.
In the Tang dynasty, every night was dark. The biggest reason was that the price of light in this era was very high. Most of the rich people spent a lot of money on candles.
Ordinary people, on the other hand, used oil lamps more often. Most of their sources of oil came from cooking oil. Ordinary people did not even have enough oil to eat, so how could they bear to light lamps?
According to Meton's memory, although oil could be extracted from cottonseed, it contained toxins. Without further processing, it would cause a man to regret it for the rest of his life. Besides, there was also a huge market for lighting oil. There was no need to worry about sales.
"Every part of this plant is a treasure. The earlier it is popularized, the earlier the people of the Tang dynasty can benefit. I will immediately send an envoy to Gao Chang to collect the seeds and vigorously promote it in the Tang dynasty," Li Shimin said excitedly.
As for the poor commoners, what they did not lack the least was land. As long as this thing could be planted in the soil, all problems would not be a problem.
"Your Majesty, you can't?" Su Lingnong hurriedly stopped him.
"What is it?" Li Shimin suddenly wondered. If Meton objected, Li Shimin could understand. After all, this was bought by Meton at a high price. If the imperial court bought the seeds, Mo Jiazi's 20 gold ingots would be wasted.
However, as the Minister of Agriculture, how could Su Lingnong object to something that was beneficial to the country and the people?
Su Lingnong explained, "Your Majesty, the plantation is different from others. It depends on the weather and soil. If oranges are grown in Huainan, they are grown in Huainan. If oranges are grown in Huaibei, they are grown in Huainan. The climate of Gao Chang and the Tang dynasty are different. If we rashly promote it, I'm afraid it's not appropriate."
Li Shimin suddenly understood. He also knew that he was too anxious.
Meton could not help but praise Su Lingnong. This person was a real farmer.
He understood that in many cases, although it was simple and fast, there were endless regrets. In fact, they only heard that the seeds were introduced to China in later generations, but they did not know that these seeds were domesticated for several generations before they took root in the Tang dynasty.
Li Shimin slowly breathed a sigh of relief. He knew that he was a little anxious. He took a deep breath and said, "Even so, you only have a few seeds in your hands. How can you try to plant it?"
Meton suddenly showed a shy expression and said embarrassedly, "Your Majesty, since I found that cotton can keep people warm, I have placed a large number of orders to the barbarian merchants in the Western Regions. In two months, a large number of cotton with cotton seeds will be shipped here!"
At this time, there were no peeling tools. Even in Gao Chang, peeling cotton seeds was a troublesome thing. Although white folded cotton was more expensive, cotton with cotton seeds was cheap.
Li Shimin suddenly froze. He glared at Meton and said, "Did I say that you are clever or greedy?"
It was conceivable that when this soft and warm new cotton quilt was on the market, it would be popular in Chang 'an. At that time, Mo Jiazi's 20 gold ingots would be easy to get.
"Aren't you preparing for a rainy day? I not only emptied the Mo Family Village in the Western Regions Festival, but also owed a lot of money. "Meton suddenly complained.
He even had to prepare 50 gold ingots from the Johor merchants! In addition, the seeds sent by the merchants in the Western Regions in the future would be unceasing. All of these required gold ingots. After careful calculation, he suddenly saw stars.
Thinking of this, Meton could not help but look at Li Shimin eagerly. At this moment, he hoped that Li Shimin would shake his body, wave his hand and say, "I'll pay for it."
"I'll leave this matter to the two of you. Try to plant it first. You must get cotton suitable for the Tang dynasty." Li Shimin directly ignored Meton's pitiful expression. In terms of the ability to make money, no one dared to say that they were first in Chang 'an, let alone complain about being poor in front of him.
"Yes!" Meton and Su Lingnong immediately answered at the same time.
"If the Johor rice is real! That would be the greatest blessing of the Tang dynasty. "
With the success of cotton seeds as a precedent, it proved that what the Hu merchants said was true. Li Shimin could not help but look forward to the fine rice that the Johor merchants mentioned.
Modun said, "Your Majesty, in my humble opinion, the Johor merchant has no reason to lie. Of course, this humble one has also clearly stated that this rice seed needs to be planted in the Lingnan Road before the payment will be made."
"It's double the gold." Li Shimin coldly stabbed Meton.
Meton suddenly felt his heart bleed. He gritted his teeth and said, "If this rice is real? Even if the Mo family sells everything, they will still pay. "
"Really?"
Li Shiming's expression suddenly froze. Double the amount of gold, that is a hundred gold. Even if the rice is real, this matter does not have much benefit to the Mo family. And what is the purpose of the Mo family doing this? "
Meton nodded without hesitation and said, "In the exhibition, I once said that the Mo family will lead the Mo family to a well-off status. The prerequisite for achieving a well-off status is to solve the problem of food and clothing.
If one is poor, one should take care of himself; if one is rich, one should take care of the world. Cotton and rice are the gifts that the School of Mo has given to the common people of the Great Tang to solve their problems of food and clothing. When the common people of the Great Tang no longer have to worry about hunger and cold, the School of Thought will naturally flourish and the School of Mo will rise again. "
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