After leaving the big workshop, Chen Qing led a group of officials to the third weaving workshop in the same city. He had already recognized the high-end wood cotton cloth. At this time, he was more concerned about the production capacity of mid-range wood cotton cloth.
Gu Xin, the chief steward, heard that King Yong was coming again and hurriedly came out to greet him.
"Are you having a rest today?" Chen Qing found that the workshop was very quiet, there was no sound of looms, and no one could be seen. The windows that were opened last time were all closed.
Gu Xin nodded, "We are going to stop weaving fine linen and switch to kapok weaving. We will take two days off today and tomorrow to make up for the vacation we owed. The day after tomorrow, everyone will start learning to weave kapok."
Chen Qing frowned slightly and said, "Didn't it say that kapok must be mixed with grass cotton to spin yarn? Do you have enough grass cotton?"
"Yesterday a batch of straw cotton was shipped from Gaochang, weighing three thousand kilograms. It should be enough to learn weaving."
"Where is it? I want to take a look!"
"In the warehouse, please come this way, Your Highness! All high-ranking officials, please come!"
Gu Xin led everyone to the warehouse and saw that the large warehouse was filled with straw bales the size of wine jars, and more than a hundred young women were squatting on the ground selecting carefully.
The young women suddenly saw a large group of officials walking in from outside, and they stood up in fright.
"Gu Guanshi, what are they doing?"
Gu Xin smiled bitterly and said: "We found that the three thousand kilograms of grass cotton are actually of different varieties. Some are of high quality and some are of low quality, so we need to pick them out and then try weaving them."
"What impact will different varieties have?" Zhang Xiao asked from the side.
"this."
Gu Xin couldn't answer, so he turned around and waved, "Come up Xiaomei!"
A young lady came out. It was Yang Xiaomei, the most skilled textile expert whom she had seen last time. Chen Qing smiled and said, "Xiaomei, long time no see!"
Yang Xiaomei was a little embarrassed and stepped forward to give Chen Qing a Wanfu gift, "Xiaomei comes to see His Highness and thanks His Highness for his love!"
She was grateful for the love for a reason. She invented the mixed weaving method, which greatly reduced the textile strength of kapok and made large-scale weaving of kapok a reality. Chen Qing rewarded her with a yard to support his parents.
Chen Qing smiled and introduced to everyone: "The two pieces of wooden cotton cloth we saw were woven by this young lady. Her hands are very skillful and smart."
Yang Xiaomei quickly bowed to everyone, and Chen Qing asked again: "We are all curious, what are the effects of different qualities of grass cotton?"
"Reporting to Your Highness, the difference is huge!"
Yang Xiaomei took three grass cottons and handed them to Chen Qing, "There are only three types now. The middle one is definitely not good. The fiber is too short and is not as good as kapok. The left one is not good either. It also has short fiber. The right one is slightly better.
But it’s still a bit worse than the last batch. I think the last batch is the best. The fiber is long and can be easily intertwined with kapok.”
Gu Xin's face looked a little ugly. What Yang Xiaomei meant was that this batch of grass cotton was not up to standard. The so-called "slightly better" was an implicit statement, but she still said it was no good.
Chen Qing asked: "Where did you buy the grass cotton last time?"
Gu Xin looked embarrassed and said: "I purchased it from a Sogdian last spring. The problem is that it took too long and I can't find this person."
"Are there any cotton seeds?" Chen Qing asked.
"Cottonseed?"
Gu Xin thought for a while and nodded repeatedly, "There are cotton seeds. We peeled them for a long time and finally put them in an urn. I also said I would grow them myself in the future."
Gu Xin ran to the corner, rummaged around for a long time, and finally ran over with an urn in his arms, "They are all still there, well preserved, and there is a full urn!"
Chen Qing nodded and said to Zhang Xiao: "It seems that we are really going to start planting grass and cotton. This matter is led by the government. We should ask more Sogdians to see if anyone knows how to plant it. We can also try it ourselves!"
Zhang Xiao nodded silently, "The humble position will make arrangements!"
Chen Qing said to Gu Xin again: "I don't blame you for the failure of this batch of straw cotton. We all have no experience. These straw cotton can be used to make cotton jackets and quilts, but you still have to find a way to buy the last straw cotton, otherwise
You have to wait until autumn, you know what I mean?"
Gu Xin took a deep breath and said: "The villain will definitely get the grass cotton as soon as possible!"
On the way back to Jingzhao City, Zhang Xiaoxiao asked: "I found out that His Highness values wood cotton cloth and came to the weaving workshop for the second time. What's the reason?"
Chen Qing smiled and said: "There are two main significances for replacing fine linen with cotton cloth. One is that the elimination of hemp fields can increase 30% of cultivated land. This is the most important. It can be said to benefit the country and the people, and then it is fiscal revenue. Once
We have mastered the source of kapok, just like salt. Even if we only earn 30 cash from a piece of kapok cloth, it will increase our financial income by more than millions every year, so everyone is looking forward to it."
Zhang Xiao was silent for a moment and said: "Actually, I have already learned this from Counselor Jiang, but I still want to advise His Highness to be cautious!"
"Why?" Chen Qing was stunned.
"Your Highness has never thought that one day in the future, those in power will take advantage of the monopoly of cotton to exploit the people. It may be one hundred and twenty cents per catty now, but it will rise to one thousand two hundred cents per catty in the future. What will happen?
?The people cannot afford it, so they can only destroy the land to grow hemp. Suddenly there is not enough food to eat, will it cause chaos in the world?"
Chen Qing thought for a moment and said, "What about Zuo Si's opinion?"
Zhang Xiao smiled slightly and said: "Just keep the first one and delete the second one."
"how to get to?"
"It's very simple. Plant kapok in the south and grass cotton in the north. Even if people can't afford kapok cloth, they can trade grass cotton for kapok and spin and weave their own cloth."
Chen Qing nodded: "I understand what you mean. The key is that the government should not monopolize kapok. Once the production of kapok cloth increases and gradually replaces linen, every household in the south will plant kapok trees in front and behind their houses, just like planting kapok.
Just like mulberry trees, as long as kapok is cheap enough in the market, it doesn’t matter whether we grow kapok in the north or not.”
"This is what I want to persuade Your Highness. Clothing is necessary for everyone. The government must not monopolize cotton, let alone rely on it to obtain finances. There will be big trouble in the future."
"Thank you, Zuo Si, for reminding me, I will definitely think about it carefully!"
In Daming City, two caravans one after another gradually approached the city gate. The caravan in front came from Jingzhao. The cargo was a thousand sheepskins. The owner of the cargo was Han Feng, a man about thirty years old.
Naturally, he was Wang Shuang's confidant. After half a month of trekking, he finally arrived at Daming City.
After entering Hebei Road from Fuyangxing, a lot of taxes were imposed along the way. In Xiangzhou, a group of desperate soldiers wanted to inspect the goods, but Han Feng frightened them away by taking out Wan Yanchang's silver medal.
The caravan at the back was a medicinal material caravan. Han Feng met him in Hedong City and was also going to Daming Mansion to sell medicinal materials. Wan Yanchang had a strict order that medicinal material merchants were exempted from tax and the army was not allowed to harass them. Despite the order, this medicinal material was returned.
The caravans still paid taxes, but they were not harassed.
The proprietor of this caravan, whose surname was Qian, was a short, fat businessman in his fifties. He often went to Yanshan Prefecture, but this was his first time visiting Daming Prefecture and the road conditions were unfamiliar, so the two caravans traveled together and entered Hebei Province.
Later, the officers and soldiers looked like bandits along the way, but no real bandits were encountered.
You can only choose one of the two. If you take the small road, you will not encounter officers and soldiers, but you will easily encounter bandits. If you take the official road, you will not encounter bandits, but you will definitely encounter officers and soldiers at the checkpoint.
Of course, as long as you give money, your life will basically not be in danger.
"Brother Han!"
The short and fat proprietor Qian caught up with him on a donkey and said with a smile: "How about we stay together after we enter the city? We are not familiar with Daming City."
Han Feng hesitated and said: "Brother Qian, you can go to Wanjia Inn in the west of the city. That is a good store, not far from the city. I have to deliver the goods to the owner, so I won't stay at the inn."
"Brother, do you want to go directly to the master's house?"
"Yes! I was delayed for too long on the road. I have to go to deliver the goods immediately. We will contact you later. I will buy my brother a drink."
"Okay! You can come to the inn to find me at any time. If I want to go back to Jingzhao, maybe we can be together again."
"Brother Qian is going to Jingzhao?"
Boss Qian nodded, "I found out that sheepskins are very profitable at Hebei Road, and I also want to go to Jingzhao to purchase a batch of sheepskins. I have so many sheepskins, which makes me jealous!"
Han Feng chuckled, "I'll come to the inn to find you later. Maybe we can go back together."
The two entered the city and were not interrogated this time. Boss Qian entered the Wanjia Inn not far from the city gate, while Han Feng led the caravan straight to the Marshal's Mansion.
Boss Qian looked at Han Feng's walking back and winked at one of his men. The man understood and immediately followed him from a distance.
