Great Song

After returning home, Shen Kuo stayed up for another three days, and finally wrote the memorial.Worshiping heaven in the southern suburbs is naturally the top priority.The emperor intends to "reduce expenditure", reduce expenditure, and enrich the treasury, which is also an exciting and good thing for Shen Kuo.Because of this, he spent day and night rummaging through the classics of the past dynasties and making complete revisions.It not only retains the essence of the grand ceremony, but also makes the ceremony solemn and dignified, and avoids the extravagant and cumbersome garden tour.In this way, the expenses of repairing the palace garden, buying rare treasures, and even the colorful brocade of the tent can be saved, but it is a lot of manpower and material resources.This brand new set of "Southern Suburb Style" will definitely make Longyan very happy!

With this confidence, Shen Kuo dared to include a description of the "telescope" in the memorial.Such a military weapon cannot be hidden tightly, even the princes of the two prefectures don't know about it, so they can directly face the saint, right?It would be more appropriate to discuss with the Political Affairs Hall and the Privy Council before reporting to the emperor.

So after handing in the memorial, Shen Kuo put the telescope at hand and waited anxiously for the result.Within half a day, there was indeed a message from the Zhengshitang inviting him to go.

Feeling apprehensive, Shen Kuo hurried to the Political Affairs Hall, and when he saw Han Xianggong, he immediately saluted: "Shen Kuo, editor of Zhaowenguan, see Xianggong."

As the prime minister, Han Qi naturally bears the title of "Scholar of Zhaowenguan". He is Shen Kuo's immediate boss. How can he not make him nervous?

"This "Southern Suburb Style" is not badly written, and I really like it." Han Qi praised first, and then asked, "It's just the 'telescopic mirror' mentioned in the article. Can you make a real thing?"

"It's a handle." After being praised by the prime minister, Shen Kuo was overjoyed. He immediately took out the binoculars and presented it with both hands. From a medium perspective, it is like sixteen paces away. If you look at it with a thousand-mile mirror, you can have a panoramic view of the mobilization of soldiers and horses within seven miles, and the smoke and camps. Choose a sentinel with outstanding eyes, climb up the watchtower, and you can see a radius of ten miles!"

Ten miles, even a goshawk can't see so far.But with binoculars, ten miles is like one and a half miles. If you choose someone with good eyesight, you can indeed see the enemy's movements clearly.And this is basically where the enemy's camp is located. If it is really possible to investigate, the enemy's deployment and deployment of troops is still unclear?

Han Qi heard the words, took the binoculars with his own hands, and tried it with great interest under Shen Kuo's guidance.After confirming the effectiveness of the binoculars, he put the lens barrel on the table and asked suddenly: "Then the glasses of the Han family are also made by you?"

Unexpectedly, Han Xianggong would suddenly ask about this, Shen Kuo couldn't help showing a little shame, and said awkwardly: "It's just a trial production by a lower official, and I received two hundred thanks. However, this telescope is a military weapon, and its production method is absolutely incomprehensible. Leak."

After a pause, he couldn't help but add: "Thanks to Mr. Han Lang, I was able to grind the lens with such transparent glass. This telescope is just a preliminary study. If there is a bigger and more transparent glass in the future , maybe we can make a giant mirror for watching the sky. Then we will really be able to see 'thousands of miles'!"

After praising the glass of the Han family, Shen Kuo suddenly remembered that Han Miao seemed to be from a branch of the Han family in Anyang, and it was rumored that the backer of the Han family shop was Mr. Han.Maybe Han Xianggong knew about it a long time ago.

Sure enough, Han Qi nodded slightly: "This mirror is a military weapon, and we will report it to the Son of Heaven. You have talent and ingenuity, and you will be rewarded."

Shen Kuo was overjoyed and immediately bowed to thank him.Thanks to Zhen Xiaoyou for pointing it out, otherwise how could he make a telescope?However, Zhen Qiong didn't let him mention this matter and monopolized the extraordinary achievements, which always made Shen Kuo feel a little uneasy.Suddenly a flash of inspiration flashed in his mind, he hesitated for a moment, and said: "There is one more thing, I have thought about it for a long time, and I should report it to my lord."

Seeing Shen Kuo's solemnity, Han Qi said, "What's the matter? Tell me and listen."

Shen Kuo gritted his teeth: "It is said in a book that there is a lead mountain in Raozhou on Jiangnan East Road, which is rich in bile water. The villagers can smelt copper by soaking it in iron. The next official was curious, so he went to check it himself, and found that there was such a thing. It’s just that the reason has never been figured out. But when making the telescope, it took a long time to turn it, and then I realized that the gallbladder water was copper melted into the water. According to this, there must be a copper mine near the lead mountain, and the stock is quite huge!”

A big copper mine!The expression on Han Qi's face finally changed: "Is this really the case? Where is the Daoist?"

"The Taoist priest lived in the west of the city, and he was enshrined in the house of Han Miao, the owner of the Han family shop. He personally demonstrated the process of turning copper into gallbladder and then refining it with iron for the subordinates. Hurry up and send someone to Lead Mountain to find out!" Shen Kuo said seriously.

He had been to Qianshan Mountain before, and mines were opened in the Tang Dynasty.Now that the old mine has been exhausted, there is still gall water oozing out, indicating that there is still a bigger mine hidden somewhere.The imperial court's finances are tight, and there is a shortage of money.If a large mine is discovered, it will be a great contribution.He reported the truth, and in the future, there must be Zhen Qiong in the discussion of meritorious deeds!In this way, I can also repay Zhen Xiaoyou's kindness...

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Han Miao is also waiting for news.After Shen Kuo made the telescope, the glass shop came to a critical moment.He had already discussed this matter with Zhen Qiong several times in detail, and he had also made complete preparations.Shen Kuo's memorial will definitely pass through the two prefectures. If there is any movement, Han Qi will definitely ask him to go and ask.It just depends on whether his preparation can impress the ministers of the two governments and even the emperor.

As a result, before it was time to leave the office, the prime minister's mansion came to take charge, saying that the prime minister had invited him.

coming!Han Miao followed without hesitation.Arriving at the Prime Minister's Mansion, Han Qi waited for a full two minutes before returning home and immediately summoned Han Miao to see him.

"The telescope that Jing Sheng said at the beginning has really been made. Everyone thinks it is a military weapon, and someone even suggested that your shop should be closed." Han Qi said straight away when he saw someone.

The ministers of the two governments wanted to seal up their own properties. If it was another person, they would have been paralyzed in fear at this moment.Han Miao smiled calmly: "Uncle said so, could it be that this proposal has been refuted?"

Seeing that he didn't scare anyone, a smile appeared on Han Qi's lips: "You are quite courageous."

Han Miao also laughed: "It's always safer to talk with money."

After presenting the Longevity Mirror, Han Miao approached Han Qi and said bluntly that Shen Kuo was studying the telescope and that the mirror was beneficial to the military.At that time, Han Qi was still a little confused. If that was the case, why did Han Miao give him the Longevity Mirror?If the store really opens up and conflicts with state affairs, wouldn't it be asking for trouble?

Unexpectedly, Han Miao's words made him change his mind.Without him, only two words - "gunpowder".

The birth of gunpowder was not short, but in this dynasty, there were firearms used in battle.And even though the "Wu Jing Zong Yao" was compiled, which detailed the uses of various firearms, there are still fireworks and firecrackers among the people, which are used by all people.Just as iron can be used to make armor, it can also be used to make agricultural tools.Anything that appears will not have only one effect.It is really unreasonable to strictly order the people to burn colored glaze to make glass just because of the telescope.

Han Qi is not a person who can't understand the past. On the contrary, he has been the prime minister for nine years and has gone through three dynasties. His knowledge is far more extensive than others.Of course he could hear it.But the glass shop has really opened, and the profit is not a small amount, enough to make people salivate and give birth to some special thoughts.And among these people, even the emperor himself, who was eager to fill the treasury.Wouldn't it be a headache if the glass was banned and the people were not allowed to buy and sell at will?

Han Miao also gave a fairly safe answer to this question.If he is just not allowed to open a shop, or take away his prescription, how much profit can the court gain?Smelting glass, after all, is not brewing tea, it needs a huge site, tea garden fields, and the court can easily ban it.Instead, a glass kiln can be as small as a hut in the mountains.If the court forbids discussing it, or changes it to an official business, the biggest possibility is that the profits will fall to the side, and a lot of dignitaries and wealthy businessmen will be fattened.

But what if we can't help firing glass and only raise business taxes?Businessmen chase profits like flies, even if taxes are increased, someone will burn them.And glass is not something that ordinary people can afford, so raising taxes and raising prices is nothing more than collecting more money from high-ranking officials and dignitaries, which is harmless to the people.And once the taxes on glass and other extravagant items are raised, the increase in commercial taxes for the national treasury in a year will be immeasurable.

This statement really moved Han Qi.It is precisely because of this that he cooperated with Han Miao and made such a big show to promote glasses.Now that glass products have become popular in Tokyo, the number of glass-making workshops has increased even more.Sudden tax increases may make some small workshops unable to operate, but for more large workshops, it is nothing more than a heartache.

Seeing Han Miao's confident expression, Han Qi's eyes also flashed some praise, but he said: "My lords are really moved after hearing the tax increase. It's just that if this matter is reported to the emperor, maybe the tax increase will be much higher." .If the tax increase is more than doubled, how can you sell your glasses?"

No one understands the emperor's mind better than Han Qi, the prime minister.The emptiness of the national treasury has become a serious worry for Zhao Xu.If you hear about this method of raising money, you may double or even triple the business tax.That would be a tax of two to three out of ten, and not only glass, but jewelry and jade, etc., would also rise.

And glasses sell not only lenses, but also frames.Not everyone has to buy this thing. Once the price soars, it may become unsalable.

Han Miao didn't care, "My boy's shop does not rely on glasses to make money, but glass windows. In the future, the frame may increase in price, but the lenses will never be changed. This is a medicine for curing diseases, so why is it making money? "

These words made Han Qi nod his head.Han Miao's behavior is really out of the ordinary.This was the case with the release of sugar before, and now it is not stingy to propose a tax increase.This doesn't look like a businessman, but he is like Zi Gong, a sage who said "preserving Lu and chaotic Qi".

However, appreciation is appreciation, but it was not Han Qi's original intention to recruit Han Miao today.Smiling slightly, he suddenly changed the subject: "In Jing Sheng's house, is there a priest who is good at alchemy?"