Datang: I am the prince of salted fish, I impeach Li Er at the beginning

Chapter 197

"Mr. Fang, the paper machine is not useless."

"On the contrary, the emergence of paper machines has driven down the cost of papermaking, prompting a cliff-like decline in paper prices."

"In the past, buying a ream of paper often cost [-] Wen, but now only [-] Wen is enough."

"The money that used to only buy one piece of paper can now buy two."

"Isn't it going too far to say that this is a useless trick?"

Li Zhi said calmly, trying his best to suppress his state, so as not to speak out, and give Fang Xuanling a chance to play.

However, even though he was well prepared, he was still choked by Fang Xuanling's words.

Just listen to the old man shaking his head and saying: "What is money? Profit! A gentleman does not learn the science of economics and economics, the policy of peace and stability, but pays attention to the way of small business. Isn't this short-sighted? Your Highness is still young. , don’t be lost by the small interests, it’s better to study with peace of mind and learn something useful..."

Hearing these words, Li Zhi's temples began to feel a little bulging when he heard it in Li Zhi's ears.

Keep your blood pressure up!
What is Economic Economics?

Is there anything more economical than technology?

Do you have to learn those old-fashioned and basically useless "sage studies" in order to govern the country well?

More than 1000 years ago, those academic theories of the pre-Qin period were indeed advanced enough, and indeed, to some extent, they could enable people to comprehend the concept of An Bang Ding Guo.

But it has been 1000 years, those things should have been eliminated long ago!
It's nothing if you don't know how to make progress. In this age, you still have to worship the sages of ancient times.

Either driven by profit, or with cerebral palsy.

There is no doubt that Fang Xuanling must be the former.

As for why he said that, it was just because he was afraid that the development of science and technology would cause the gentry to lose control of the power in their hands. What other reason could it be?
Having figured out Fang Xuanling's intentions, Li Zhi calmed down and said calmly: "The prosperity of the world is for profit, and the world's hustle and bustle is for profit. This king does not want to rule the people for the sake of ruling the people. This king hopes to lead the people. Towards a better life. To improve the lives of the common people, it is necessary to deal with interests. The king does not think it is a trivial matter to lower the cost of papermaking. On the contrary, that is what leads the common people to a happy life. The key point!"

Fang Xuanling made a gesture of listening. After listening to Li Zhi's speech, he immediately shook his head.

"However, Your Highness, you forgot that the price of paper will fall, and many people will not have enough to eat."

"For example?" Li Zhi did not directly refute, but asked for details.

Fang Xuanling paused, stroked his beard and said, "For example, those people who claim to make rice paper for a living, if the price of bamboo paper is too low, what should they do?"

Li Zhi shook his head and retorted aloud: "First of all, the price difference between rice paper and bamboo paper is so great. No matter how low the price is, it is impossible to affect the sales of rice paper."

After speaking, he paused, took a deep breath and continued to speak: "Secondly, even if the price of bamboo paper affects the sales of rice paper, so what?"

"Before the prevalence of paper, writing was difficult to preserve, and many accumulations in ancient times were difficult to survive."

"And now?"

"Because the paper is as thin as a cicada's wing, the production cost is low, and it can be stored for a long time, it is easy to organize the knowledge into a book and keep it!"

"This is social progress and a sign that the world is moving in a good direction!"

"For the overall benefit of Datang, what's the problem with sacrificing a small number of people?"

"Could it be that bamboo paper affects the sales of rice paper, and can those people starve to death?!"

"If Mr. Fang really thinks that way, then I can only comment that it's too much to waste food because of choking."

The emergence of every new technology will inevitably cause damage to the old interest groups.

In order to ensure that no one is lost, it is necessary to resist the progress of technology?
If you say this, wouldn't it be a big joke in the world!
Due to the virtue of respecting the old and loving the young, Li Zhi couldn't use sharper language.

But the words have been said clearly enough.

The truth becomes clearer and clearer.

After carefully separating and analyzing the problem, it is not difficult to find that Fang Xuanling is just relying on the old to sell the old.

Fang Xuanling was speechless, and couldn't find any other arguments for a while, and couldn't help repeating the old tune: "It is not the way of a gentleman to compete with the people for profit. The sale of bamboo paper is in the hands of the imperial court. How can the imperial court do harmful things?" What about the common people?"

"Mr. Fang only sees the disadvantages, but he can't see the benefits behind this matter." Li Zhi said calmly: "After the price of bamboo paper comes down, ordinary people can afford paper, and those poor families will have more to spare Cultivating talents is a matter of one hundred benefits and one harm, how to choose, I don't think I need to say more?"

"But!" Fang Xuanling poked his neck and said, "It is the gentry who lose their interests, and the ordinary people who benefit! How can there be such a reason in this world that the interests of the gentry are damaged for the sake of ordinary people? Only the gentry are full Only the common people will have enough to eat, King Jin, you don’t know this truth, do you?”

"Ha! Mr. Fang was joking." Li Zhi couldn't hold back anymore, and couldn't help laughing, "You're saying the opposite, only when ordinary people are full can the gentry absorb enough blood from them .”

After finishing speaking, Li Zhi saw that Fang Xuanling was still waiting to open his mouth, and interrupted: "Let's stop messing around here. The general trend is like this. There is no need to fight against the court and the people for the sake of a group of moths. You are also a decent person. Don't say such things that make people laugh." It's ridiculous."

Although Fang Xuanling's family is also a gentry, it has not yet reached the level of a first-class gentry, and is not valued by the gentry group at all.

He charged forward here, how much can the gentry group remember him?
But the outrageous remarks he said now will be recorded in the history books.

What will future generations think when they hear that a generation of Ming officials have turned black and white here in order to hinder the development of society?

Sometimes Li Zhi really can't understand, is power really that important?

In order to keep their social class, they don't even want their humanity, even for a generation of Ming officials.

Perhaps human beings themselves are hopeless creatures?
Fang Xuanling opened his mouth for a long time, but finally he couldn't utter a single word.

He was really scared.

One is that the flood of bamboo paper will lead to the spread of knowledge, and the gentry will no longer have a unique competitiveness.

The second is that I am afraid that my reputation will be nailed to the pillar of shame forever because of hindering the progress of science and technology.

(End of this chapter)