One Piece of Song Dynasty

Li Xin read through the financial reports again: "By the way, what's going on with the five joint venture steel groups with domestic businessmen?"

Zhao Fei replied: "They have all been established. Huating Baosteel Group, Taiyuan Iron and Steel Group, Jinan Iron and Steel Group, Luanzhou Iron and Steel Group, and Wuhu Iron and Steel Group. Now each iron and steel group has an open hearth under its jurisdiction, including Baosteel, Luan Iron and Steel, and Wuhu Iron and Steel Group. All three steel groups use imported ore, and the remaining two, Taiyuan and Jinan, use locally mined ore.”

Li Xin nodded and said: "Well, Taiyuan and Jinan are neither close to the sea nor big rivers. It is not cost-effective to use imported ore. You can use domestic ore. How much do you expect the national steel production to be next year?"

Zhao Fei thought for a while and said: "Counting the six steel groups and eight open-hearth furnaces in our Longyuan Steel Group, based on this year's ore imports, the steel production next year is expected to reach six million tons and pig iron production eight million. Ton."

Li Xin said: "Well, the place that uses the most steel now is Xinghan Road. How is the railway construction there?"

Zhao Fei replied: "Yes, Your Majesty, railway construction consumes a huge amount of steel. Now one hundred kilometers of Xinghan Road Railway have been completed, connecting the three cities of Xinghan, Jilong, and Taoyuan, and the rest are still under construction." It is estimated that it will take another four years to complete the entire Xinghan Road Ring-Island Railway."

Li Xin asked: "Well, how many locomotives are in operation now?"

Zhao Fei thought for a while and said: "There are currently six locomotives in operation that travel between the three cities every day. New locomotive manufacturing and locomotive research are in progress."

Li Xin took a sip and said: "Well, very good. Another thing I asked you to come today is that I plan to establish two more group companies, Datang Feixiang Sports Industry Group and Datang Tobacco Group. The Sports Group is currently mainly engaged in sales and installation. Mainly sporting goods, such as football and basketball related products; the tobacco group mainly sells cigarettes, I will send someone to send you the information on cigarettes later, and you can cooperate with the Ministry of Agriculture in tobacco cultivation."

Zhao Fei nodded and said, "My subordinates have written it down."

Li Xin then instructed: "Cigarettes are currently only used for export and the military, and are not sold domestically for the time being."

Zhao Fei wondered: "Your Majesty, why is this?"

Li Xin sighed: "To tell you the truth, smoking too much is bad for your health, but smoking a few cigarettes can have a relaxing effect when people are anxious and stressed, so I agreed to relax the restrictions on cigarettes in the military. , Soldiers are sometimes under great pressure, especially when they are about to go to the battlefield."

Zhao Fei said: "Yes, I understand."

Li Xin continued: "Youming Grain and Oil Group has reduced the price of salt to Chinese dollars per catty."

Zhao Fei was surprised and said: "Your Majesty, why is this? Now the price of salt is Chinese dollars per catty. There is no need to worry about selling it. There is no need to lower the price."

Li Xin asked: "I want to ask you how much you know about the price of salt in the Kingdom of Jin and the Kingdom of Xia. What is the cost of salt in their country?"

Zhao Fei shook his head and said: "This subordinate really doesn't know."

Li Xin said: "Originally during the Song Dynasty, the green salt of Xixia was the flagship product exported to the Song Dynasty because of its good quality, and the price was not low. Now our salt is not inferior to the green salt of Xixia at all, and the cost is much lower than that of Xixia. Well, according to the information I got, the cost of green salt in Xixia is about Chinese yuan per catty, while the cost of our table salt is only Chinese yuan per catty. What do you think if we reduce the price of salt to Chinese yuan per catty? What will happen to Chinese coins per catty?”

Zhao Fei took a breath and said: "Hiss, if this is the case, then not only will Xia Guo lose the sharp weapon of green salt, but it will also import our salt, because our salt is much cheaper than the cost price of their green salt. Our salt A large amount of salt entering the Xia Kingdom market will have a serious impact on their green salt. If the other party also sells it at a lower price, they will lose money, and the other party's green salt workshop may go bankrupt soon."

Li Xin nodded and said: "That's right. The Xia Kingdom is like this. You can imagine that the salt in the Jin Kingdom is worse than that in the Xia Kingdom. But even if our salt is sold for twenty Chinese dollars per catty, we can still earn fifteen Chinese dollars." There is no need to worry at all. Not only that, after the price reduction, our profits may also increase a lot than before, because we will sell much more than before, and Xia Guo will not be very wealthy after losing the sharp weapon of green salt. It will get worse.”

Zhao Fei cupped his fists and said, "I understand."

Li Xin thought for a while and then said: "Also let Xingchen Group start importing wool on a large scale from Jinxia and Jinxia."

Zhao Fei frowned and said: "Imported Wool Emperor, what is the use of this wool?"

Li Xin replied: "Of course it is for making clothes. Wool is a good thing for making clothes."

Zhao Fei smiled and said: "I'm afraid the emperor doesn't know something. Clothes made of wool are greasy and have the smell of sheep. Even in the grasslands, they are only worn by people at the bottom."

Li Xin nodded and said: "I know this, but now there is a method that can remove the greasiness and smell of wool. You can go to the eldest princess about this. She has the method. I believe in the clothes made from wool after removing the greasiness and smell. It will definitely sell well. Clothes made of wool are very useful for keeping warm in winter, as good as cotton."

Zhao Fei said excitedly: "Your Majesty, this is true."

Li Xin said solemnly: "Of course, but remember to keep this method secret and ask Xingchen Group to build a wool garment factory to prevent leaks. This is a top secret in the Tang Dynasty."

Zhao Fei said with a stern expression: "I obey my orders."

The principle of wool degreasing is to react the stearic acid covered on the wool surface with sodium hydroxide to form water-soluble stearate and then wash it off. Li Xin told Li Jing about this method very early and asked Li Jing to experiment. Later, after the experiment was successful, the matter was left alone, because at that time, Song and Jin were still hostile, and the Song Dynasty only had half of the country, and the time was not yet ripe for large-scale import of wool.

Now that the Tang Dynasty has been restored and the war has been suspended, it is time to release the powerful weapon of wool, which can also open up more financial resources for the royal family.

The Spring Festival is getting closer and closer, and the city of Yanjing is getting more and more lively. People are decorating with lanterns and colorful decorations. Li Xin also ordered Zhao Fei to prepare a lot of fireworks and firecrackers to have fun with the people. After all, it is the first Spring Festival after the restoration of the Tang Dynasty. .

On New Year's Eve, Li Xin got up and had breakfast and called Cao Long and said, "Cao Long, today is New Year's Eve. I will leave the palace incognito in a while. Please make arrangements to accompany me."

Originally, Li Xin wanted to take one or two princes out of the palace secretly, but then she thought it would be unfair to the other children to take only one or two princes out of the palace, so she didn't take any of them.

Cao Long cupped his fists and said, "I obey your order."

Soon after the princes and princesses paid their respects, Li Xin changed into clothes and secretly left the palace with Cao Long and other guards.