Dragon of the Three Kingdoms

But there was a gleam in Li Yi's eyes. He said that to everyone just now, but in fact, he also had his own thoughts.

Li Yi's refusal to name the paper was not out of any major considerations, but just a little bit of selfishness.

At first, Li Yi thought about naming the paper "Xianghou Paper" after it appeared, so as to promote his reputation, and the effect would definitely be very good.

But after returning from Yangzhou, Huang Yueying told him yesterday that low-cost paper can already be produced, and a large workshop can be built for mass production only after the specific process is optimized. At that time, Li Yi was shocked by Huang Yueying's efficiency. Although he was full of confidence in Huang Yueying, but I didn't expect her to be so efficient.

However, seeing Huang Yueying's little face that was obviously a little more tired than when he set off, Li Yi understood that the current results were all made by Huang Yueying's overtime work.

Therefore, Li Yi wanted to give Huang Yueying something in return, but she is a woman, so there is no point in giving him money and property, so Li Yi thought about naming Huang Yueying after Huang Yueying's name in the future, such as "a concubine paper" "some type of.

As for the fact that due to the problem of paper production, it is not sold to the outside world for the time being, but it is not forbidden to leak out privately. This is completely copying the hunger marketing of later generations.

What makes Li Yi a little regretful is that although these people around him are smart, they are not in business after all, and they don't seem to understand his meaning. Moreover, these people seem to underestimate the role of paper in business .

Only Mi Fang spoke suddenly, which made Li Yi feel a little bit of anticipation.

Although the traveler can think that he is superior in his heart, but in many cases, some ideas need to be recognized.

"What do you think Zifang thinks, just say it yourself!"

As Li Yi said, he walked up to Mi Fang's side, making a gesture of listening.

Mi Fang hurriedly bowed, although this is his future brother-in-law, and he is indeed not as old as him, but after this period of time, he is really convinced, and now, when others hear him interrupting suddenly, they are probably dissatisfied or disapproving, but only Li Yi didn't mind his status as a businessman at all, and there was an obvious look of encouragement in his eyes, so Mi Fang was very useful, and he even regretted that his brother shouldn't have worked under Tao Qian so early ,Pity.

"Fang has some superficial opinions, and I don't know if they are appropriate. If she makes a mistake, I hope that the Marquis of Xiang will not blame her."

"It doesn't matter, Zi Fang just said what he had to say, why would I blame him for my words?"

"Then, Fang is taking the liberty."

Bowing again, Mi Fang looked at the paper in her hand, and said softly: "During the Chinese New Year, General Dian Wei showed my brother a piece of paper. At that time, my brother had a private conversation with me, and he said bluntly that this thing is of great interest, even no less than Salt iron."

Cai Yong frowned in dissatisfaction. In his opinion, this is a scholar's business. It is too vulgar to measure it with money. However, Cai Yong did not express his opinion because he was treated roughly by Li Yi for a long time. Cai Yong is obviously not the only one who thinks this way.

Li Yi nodded. He didn't know how much money the paper could make, but it was a lot anyway, so he looked at Mi Fang and waited for his next words.

Mi Fang looked to the side, pointed to a few workers who were beating the pulp and said: "However, after seeing these processes with her own eyes today, Fang finally realized that the only materials used to make paper are these rags, rotten wood, rotten grass, etc. The cost is so low. , Far beyond our previous imagination, so my brother may be wrong when he said the predicted profit, in fact, it is far more than salt and iron."

Li Yi didn't express his opinion on this. He is not a businessman, so he can't tell how much of it, but Mi Fang's family is in business, and he believes that Mi Fang should not make a mistake.

Mi Fang looked at Li Yi, saw Li Yi smiling, and seemed to agree with his words, and then continued: "Fang's expectations are not bad, Xianghou should not allow the method of making paper to be spread, so it's fine to spread a small amount of paper at first. , Everyone in the world knows that this thing is convenient, but because of the small quantity, they must think that this thing is precious, even though they covet it, they can still maintain their rationality."

"Scarcity is the most precious thing, so the price of paper will inevitably skyrocket. After Xianghou builds a large workshop and sells a large amount of paper, even if the price drops, the money in and out of it will still be incalculable. Therefore, it will definitely Some people use all kinds of means, even desperately want to get this paper-making method from the hands of Xianghou."

At this time, other people also understood what Mi Fang meant, which meant that the profit of paper, especially the initial profit, was beyond imagination, and it was easy to attract wolves.

Zhang Liao immediately said in a loud voice: "My lord, let me repair our military equipment. If there is a Xiaojinfan, Liao is willing to guarantee it with the head of the item, and we will definitely let him come and go!"

Li Yi smiled and said, "With Wenyuan here, I can rest assured."

After that, Li Yi looked at Mi Fang again and asked: "I don't know much about merchants, but I am also the court prefect now, and just making paper profits will make people risky?"

Mi Fang made a bitter face, struggled for a while, and then lowered her voice as much as possible to Li Yi and said: "Although my Mi family is a family of merchants, from my Mi family's point of view, the contacts of the world's aristocratic families are all for profit, and they all act like merchants. Therefore, the Marquis Xiang held the world's most important interests, and was punished."

"Well"

Li Yi pondered slightly. In his plan, he would start selling paper after he sat on Jingzhou Mu, so by then, Li Yi would naturally not be afraid of being remembered about these things.

However, through Mi Zhu's words, Li Yi suddenly had another idea, could he make some articles from another angle?

When Li Yi was thinking about it, Cai Yong suddenly let out a soft cry, and said, "If this matter gets to the ears of the Emperor Chang'an, I think that the emperor is very likely to issue an edict to let the lord introduce the method of papermaking, how should the lord respond?"

Chapter 347 Invite Mi Fang to become an official

If Cai Mi Fang's speech just made some people present vigilant, Cai Yong's words made everyone tense up.

It’s true that the court is chaotic nowadays, but it is undeniable that there are still many smart people there. Once the paper is published, there are definitely not a few people who can see the hidden value of fame and fortune in it. Then a few people, or a certain force combined, In the name of the emperor, it is quite normal to go to Li Yi with this papermaking method.

Of course, this is Li Yi, who has no foundation, no background, is a soft persimmon, easy to handle, and those people in the court would not dare to make up their minds if Yuan Shao came up with these things.

Immediately, several people couldn't help but look worried, because Li Yi could refuse those aristocratic families or local officials who made crooked ideas, or even beat them back directly, but what about the court?

As long as the Han Dynasty is still there, it is really helpless to suppress a righteous name.

Moreover, it’s fine if it’s a prosperous age. Kings are generally not stingy when courtiers hand in the results. Most of the courtiers end up with both fame and fortune, but the current little emperor’s words don’t work at all. Oral rewards are at most giving some cloth and satin, but in fact there is no benefit at all.

Even, after the method of papermaking falls into the hands of other dignitaries, there is a great possibility that they will suppress Li Yi, the inventor, in turn.

Always, as long as this happens, it doesn't matter whether Li Yi agrees or not.

Facing everyone's worries, Li Yi groaned for a while, and then smiled. Under the puzzled eyes of everyone, Li Yi looked at Guo Jia. Guo Jia understood, bowed his hands to everyone, and said with a smile: "Everyone, have you forgotten?" Yangzhou Yuan Shu? Once something happens in Yangzhou, not to mention the lord's plan, even if it is only on the bright side, the importance of Nanyang should not be underestimated. Therefore, as long as the time is properly controlled, the court will only reward and appease the lord at that time. An act of bullying!"

Everyone was suddenly stunned and relieved, but Cai Yong was also a little bit disappointed after being relieved. He is the highest cultural level here, but Li Yi rarely asks him for advice, just arranges affairs directly. Although Cai Yong was happy to be at leisure, he also felt that Li Yi despised him a bit.

But now he suddenly understood that although he was famous, in some respects, he was really inferior to others.

Li Yi smiled slightly and said: "Okay, everyone, continue to observe, but Zifang, what you said just now made me feel something in my heart, why don't you and I talk about it in detail?"

After Cai Yong's speech, Mi Fang thought her words were meaningless, and she was a little bit disappointed. Unexpectedly, Li Yi issued an invitation in public, secretly happy in her heart, and immediately responded: "Fang is very happy."

Li Yi nodded, gave Jia Xu a look, and asked him to arrange affairs here, and then took Mi Fang to Huang Yueying's "office" next to him.

Mi Fang followed behind Li Yi, her thoughts turned quickly. He felt that Li Yi probably wanted him to participate in the future paper sales, so he thought about how to arrange it so that he could make money without risk.

But after taking his seat, Li Yi didn't directly talk about the paper, but asked, "I know that the Mi family has a big business. I don't know if there are Mi family members in other states and counties except Xuzhou?"

Mi Fang's eyes widened slightly, the question was somewhat unexpected, but he quickly figured out that Li Yi wanted to find out the background of his Mi family. After all, this paper is a heavy gift, how can it be easily entrusted to others?

This discovery made Mi Fang very happy. Dian Wei talked to Mi Zhu in Xuzhou before about selling paper to the Mi family in one state, but in Mi Fang's eyes, it was just a dowry gift, and it didn't mean that his Mi family could not get more in subsequent contacts. large proportion of benefits.

Moreover, his Mi family is not a moth. Li Yi borrowed the channel of the Mi family, and their Mi family shared some benefits from the side. It was a matter of mutual benefit, which was perfectly normal.

Thinking that he might close a big deal, and then get his brother's approval after returning to Yangzhou, the smile on Mi Fang's face could hardly be held back. Fortunately, he didn't forget that Li Yi was by his side, so he didn't lose his composure .

Mi Fang coughed lightly, and said: "The root of the Mi family is in Xuzhou, but a few years ago, there were also business contacts outside of Xuzhou, such as Yanzhou, Qingzhou, Yangzhou, and Yuzhou. In fact, my brother still intended to go to Jingzhou and Luoyang. Spreading business routes, but the continuous war, business is not easy and the priority is too big, so this is put on hold for the time being."

Mi Fang's words were simple, but there was a hint of pride in her tone. In fact, Li Yi was listening, and she was also very admirable.

In later generations, if you run a company with branches all over half of China, do you think such a boss is great?

Not to mention that in ancient times, the transportation was inconvenient, wars were fought everywhere, and the social order would be easily broken. Under such a bad environment, such a large stall could be spread, even if it relied on family inheritance to a certain extent, But Li Yi also really admired the Mi family, anyway, he wouldn't be able to do it.

Therefore, Li Yi did not hide his admiration, and praised: "It is really admirable that the Mi family can have such a scale. From Li's point of view, Tao Zhugong's life is probably nothing more than that!"

Although Mi Fang was complacent, she didn't get carried away, and hurriedly said modestly: "The Marquis of Xiang is too famous, it's just some tricks of merchants, it's not worth it."