The Ming Dynasty started with caution

Seeing that Emperor Hongzhi was furious, Xiao Jing whispered, "Your Majesty, Madam Jin is in Kunning Palace."

Madam Jin is the mother of Marquis Shouning, and she is somewhat protective of him.

After His Majesty gave Yan Chengjin the mansion of Earl Jianchang, he had some complaints about Yan Chengjin.

If His Majesty punishes him, Madam Jin will definitely cry to the Queen Mother.

Liu Jian bowed, "Marquis Shouning must be punished!"

The officials nodded in agreement. What if the Queen Mother protects him?

Marquis Shouning hoarded paper and made the price of paper sky-high. They couldn't afford it, especially Li Dongyang, who was used to practicing calligraphy after his shift every day.

Today, the paper ran out, and even if he had silver, he would have to wait a long time before he could buy it.

"Call Marquis Shouning and Earl Jianchang to the palace!"

Emperor Hongzhi had a gloomy face and clenched his teeth to spit out a few words. He hated it so much that it seemed like there was a brazier in his chest and he wanted to vent it.

Soon, Zhang Heling and Zhang Yanling were carried by the Jinyiwei and walked through the Guangting in panic.

"Yan Chengjin had just entered the palace, and His Majesty summoned us. It must be this dog official who complained!" Zhang Yanling said hatefully.

Zhang Heling thought for a while: "Brother, when His Majesty asks about it later, you can say that you bought it."

"Brother is cunning, it was obviously your idea!"

Zhang Heling slapped him and scolded: "If you say it was you who bought it, we will only lose one ship of goods. If I admit it, both ships of goods will be taken away by His Majesty."

They each bought a ship and prepared to transport silver to the island country.

Before entering the hall, they felt the sharp eyes of the gentlemen in the hall.

Zhang Heling and Zhang Yanling said respectfully: "Your Majesty, I have seen you!"

"I heard that you two bought out all the paper in the capital. Is this true?" Emperor Hongzhi said.

"No... no."

The eyes of the gentlemen were like knives, sharp and a little scary.

These two brothers really don't care about their lives for silver. How dare they deceive the emperor in the court?

Yan Chengjin said: "I have found the ships of the two lords. The ships are full of cargo and seem to be going to sea. The cabins are full of papers."

"How dare you slander the Duke!" Zhang Heling blushed.

"Ship numbers, 58438 and 11139. I have sent people to intercept the ships." Yan Chengjin said.

Zhang Yanling roared and rushed towards Yan Chengjin, but was pressed to the ground by the Jinyiwei.

Seeing this, Emperor Hongzhi could guess that what Yan Chengjin said was true.

Wang Ao frowned and said: "Your Majesty, Shouning Marquis and Jianchang Earl are doing evil in the streets. The people all scolded Your Majesty for shielding them and tarnishing Your Majesty's holy name."

These civil servants, we have never harmed anyone, but we are said to have done many evil things.

Zhang Heling was furious: "Lord Wang, you have to show evidence when you speak!"

The gentlemen looked at the Zhang brothers with a look of deep contempt.

Yan Chengjin said: "You can't blame the two lords for this. The high price of paper in the capital is a good thing!"

Zhang Heling and Zhang Yanling were stunned.

This dog official actually pleaded for him. Compared with Wang Ao and other gentlemen, Yan Chengjin was indeed better.

At least, Yan Chengjin lied to them openly without any tricks.

The gentlemen looked at Yan Chengjin in a daze, speechless with surprise.

It's fine to plead for the Zhang brothers, but to say that the high price of paper in the capital is a good thing?

"The Imperial College is short of paper, and even the exams cannot be carried out. I guess it's even worse in the streets. It will delay the scholars' study and will inevitably affect the imperial examinations and selection of scholars. How can it be a good thing?"

Zhang Sheng was sure that the war between the Ming Dynasty and the Tatars would not end.

The capital will always be short of paper.

Even the gentlemen on duty in the palace have no paper to use.

Yan Chengjin continued, "The Tatars have invaded Hetao more than once, so why did this time make paper expensive?"

Yan Chengjin's voice echoed in the hall.

Li Dongyang and the others were all in deep thought.

Emperor Hongzhi thought for a long time, but couldn't figure it out: "Why?"

"As far as I know, more people in Beijing use paper, and books are spreading among the people. This is a sign of the revival of the literary world, so paper is in short supply." Yan Chengjin said.

Papermaking and printing promoted the Renaissance.

The carrier of literature and thought is still paper.

Zhang Heling said coldly, "If we brothers don't stock up on paper, paper will become more and more expensive. Papermaking uses the bark of the mulberry tree, which is peeled every two years, and the thinner it is peeled, the more paper is needed, but the supply and demand of paper is increasing."

Emperor Hongzhi looked enlightened.

He usually reviewed memorials and dealt with military affairs and political affairs in the streets, and rarely thought about these principles.

Yan Chengjin was slightly surprised, "What Shouning Hou said is true."

The Zhang brothers are smarter than officials in doing business.

The bamboo paper in the south is complicated in craftsmanship. In the local area, ten sheets are sold for one cent of silver, which is not low.

If it is sold in the north, plus the transportation cost, the price will be several times higher.

It is more expensive than the mulberry paper in the north!

So, merchants are unwilling to transport it to the north to sell, forming regional limitations.

Liu Jian thought about the long-term future: "In this case, the court can only issue an order to strictly prohibit the people from buying paper and leave the paper to scholars."

Yan Chengjin showed a little astonishment. Issuing an order to ban the purchase and sale of paper will hinder the Renaissance of the Ming Dynasty. Mr. Liu actually came up with such a plan...

"I think it's not possible."

Zhang Sheng nodded: "I agree with Mr. Liu. The supply of paper is insufficient. It should be left to the Imperial College and scholars in the market."

It's useless to give it to the people. It's better to leave it to scholars.

Han Wen and others all agreed with Liu Jian's advice.

Emperor Hongzhi pondered for a moment, and once he issued an edict to recall him, he could easily take it back.

"Your Highness second the motion!"

"Then let the cabinet draft an edict for me and announce it to the world, leaving the paper to the scholars to temporarily solve the urgent problem." Emperor Hongzhi said.

Zhang Heling and Zhang Yanling were secretly happy, they had made a fortune.

Once the edict was issued, the people would be unable to get paper, and the price of paper would rise again. They had more than 10,000 kilograms of paper in their hands.

The School of Science was also considered a commoner, not a scholar, so they could not buy paper.

Yan Chengjin raised his head slightly, "I may have a way to make the price of paper as cheap as tea."

The gentlemen were surprised.

Tea was given for free in the big inn, and only the mountain tea shops on the official road could sell it for a few copper coins.

Paper has never been too cheap, and this kid actually said that he could make paper as cheap as tea?

Emperor Hongzhi's Adam's apple rolled slightly: "Qing Yan's family, please tell us."

The hall suddenly fell silent.

Yan Chengjin considered carefully: "October is the time when sugarcane is harvested. I guess that sugarcane residue can be used to make paper pulp."

It is common knowledge in the previous life that sugarcane residue can be used to make paper.

He didn't know how to make it specifically.

According to Qian Dongbao, the raw materials for papermaking in the Ming Dynasty were paper mulberry bark, mulberry bark, bamboo and hibiscus.

Although there are many bamboos, they are hard and extremely difficult to dissolve into paper pulp.

Due to the constraints of raw materials, paper in the Ming Dynasty was scarce.

If paper can be made from sugarcane residue, it will greatly improve the papermaking technology of the Ming Dynasty.

Sugarcane residue?

Isn't this a useless thing that you spit out after eating?

The gentlemen looked suspicious.

Sugarcane has been planted in the south for a long time. Sugarcane juice can be used to make brown sugar. If sugarcane residue can be used to make paper, wouldn't it be a treasure?

When Chai Sheng was the governor of Guangdong, he often ate sugar cane: "Where did you hear that, Lord Yan? I have been the governor of Guangdong for three years, but I have never heard of eating sugar cane."

"Yes, you wouldn't say that the foreigners told you, right?"

The Zhang brothers blinked their eyes. Could it really be made into paper?

"The paper feels a bit like sugarcane residue? I dare not conclude, I am just guessing." Yan Chengjin said.