Before leaving, Cao Cao specifically asked He Yan to help Yang Biao and others withstand the pressure of Kong Rong's crazy dogs.
He Yan originally planned to wait a few days until he became familiar with the government affairs of Xuchang Ling before going to visit Yang Biao, who had now been promoted to Taiwei. Unexpectedly, Yang Biao actually took Yang Xiu himself to Hewu to look for He Yan.
Yang Biao did not come dressed as an official this time, but in civilian clothes. He asked Yang Xiu to drive the carriage to Hewu. This made He Yan, who had only met Yang Biao once, almost not recognize him.
"Boy, I pay my respects to Mr. Yang."
After repeatedly confirming that it was indeed Yang Biao, He Yan immediately treated Yang Biao as a junior and introduced them into his pavilion.
"Marquis Shen's repair here is quite exquisite."
Yang Biao did not rely on his old age to show off his skills, but strolled around and looked around the pavilion as if he were a friend.
"They are all small houses built by the family. They are not as rich as the Yang family's century-old heritage."
After He Yan was polite to Yang Biao, he asked Mother Deng to serve honey water and sweet wine for Yang Biao and Yang Xiu and his son to drink.
"My father specifically asked me to visit Mr. Yang before he left. I didn't expect that the elder would come to visit the younger generation. It's really embarrassing for me."
Yang Biao had a generous figure, sitting on the mat like a hill. Hearing He Yan's humility, there was a smile on his face: "Marquis Shen is so polite. In terms of age, I am naturally the elder of Marquis Shen.
, but in terms of knowledge, Marquis Shen should be my teacher."
"Young man, you are so ashamed."
After hearing Yang Biao's words, He Yan already knew that the purpose of his trip was to learn new things.
"The "New Interpretation of the Book of Documents" written by Mr. Yang is truly what everyone says. I keep the book beside my pillow every night and never put it down. I often use Mr. Yang's words to warn myself. I should call Mr. Yang my teacher."
"Since Marquis Shen is like this, I will boldly call you a good nephew."
"That's my honor."
"..."
After the two sides flattered each other again, Yang Biao finally expressed his request——
"My dear nephew, I heard that my son Dezu said that Marquis Shen had a method of using manure to increase grain income?"
"It's true."
The increase in grain production is not a secret, and will be announced by the court to all parties after all the grain is harvested.
"This method seems to be related to the new learning?"
"Of course there is."
He Yan nodded and said: "In the "New Interpretation of Zhouyi" at the beginning, Hua Gong once said in the book the principle of "studying things to gain knowledge". This method of manure is just a technique discovered under the guidance of new learning. Both parties
Of course it is related."
"What my nephew means is that the method of manure is a method that is developed based on the new learning to benefit the country and the people?"
"That's exactly what I mean."
Yang Biao was thoughtful after hearing what He Yan said.
"Marquis Shen."
Yang Xiu on the side also spoke at this time, but his words were vague, as if he was hiding something unspeakable.
"Dezu can rest assured that there are no outsiders in my pavilion."
He Yan thought that Yang Xiu was going to say something confidential, but Yang Xiu's face became even more ugly after hearing He Yan's magnanimity.
"Marquis Shen, actually..."
Yang Xiu kept hesitating, but after looking at Yang Biao several times, he finally said what he wanted to say shamelessly: "Marquis Shen, since this manure method was pioneered by the new learning, can you show it on the table above?
When the emperor... said that this method was created by farmers based on the "New Interpretation of Shangshu"?"
Oh?
Only then did He Yan understand why Yang Xiu looked constipated.
"New Interpretation of Shangshu" was written by Yang Biao, and can also be called the family classics of the Hongnong Yang family.
Attributing the method of manure to the "New Interpretation of Shangshu" actually means attributing the method of manure to Hongnong Yang.
This request is really unreasonable...
After all, the manure method can greatly increase food production. In China, which is a country based on agriculture, it is almost a "sage's method."
If nothing unexpected happens, the person who created manure can definitely be included in the history books, and there is a small chance that he can even have a separate biography for future generations to admire!
Now that the Hongnong Yang family wants to take away this credit directly, it is no wonder that the proud and arrogant Yang Xiu is so ashamed that he can't speak.
"Marquis Shen, it's not what you think. If you want any compensation, I can give it to you!"
Yang Xiu quickly added another sentence, as if this could alleviate his guilt.
Unexpectedly, He Yan said lightly and directly: "This method was originally completed by Brother Dezu and my incompetent brother Cao Pi. It is actually correct to say that it was founded based on the "New Interpretation of Shangshu"."
"Um?"
"Um?"
Yang Biao and Yang Xiu were both unhappy masters in the book, but at this moment they were staring at He Yan with eyes as big as copper bells.
According to He Yan...it seems that this credit can be given away?
"The method of manure is a technique to increase food production. As long as this technique is spread and more food is grown in the fields, so that people no longer go hungry, that is enough."
He Yan calmly picked up the cup on the table and took a sip of honey water to moisten his throat: "As for who discovered it, it doesn't matter."
After hearing He Yan's answer, Yang Biao's nose suddenly became sore.
In troubled times, he has seen too many selfish people and too many people who prey on the common people.
But He Yan, who really thinks about the people of the world... is rare!
The same goes for Yang Xiu. In his eyes, He Yan suddenly grew several feet taller, becoming much taller than his father.
"My dear nephew, this..."
Yang Biao was already prepared for heavy bleeding before he came.
The method of manure is too important to the Hongnong Yang family. As long as the Hongnong Yang family takes this gift, Yang Biao is confident that he can completely suppress those conservative Confucian classics families in both the officialdom and the private sector.
As long as they are suppressed, the status of the Hongnong Yang family cannot be said to directly catch up with the Kong family. It is also a unique existence and can lay the foundation of a thousand-year-old family!
Because of this, before Yang Biao came, he almost gave himself away for He Yan to enjoy. Unexpectedly, He Yan agreed so easily?
He Yan was a little amused when he saw Yang Biao and Yang Xiu's stunned expressions.
As He Yan just said, after the manure method is popularized, it is always the people who benefit, and it does not matter who invented it.
Besides...
Even if I report this credit, what can I do?
Even Cao Cao currently has no title for He Yan. Can the Han Dynasty still grant He Yan a title?
As for money...
Forget it, He Yan didn't want to see Xun Lingjun come to him crying with tears and runny nose. He Yan really looked down on the two five-baht coins in Han Shi's pocket.
"Marquis Shen, this is the land deed for a thousand acres of fertile land. Please accept it."
Yang Xiu felt even more ashamed when faced with He Yan's generosity.
For such a genius, this shame is like a thorn in the heart. If it is not removed, Yang Xiu will probably feel uncomfortable for the rest of his life.
"No need."
He Yan still refused.
"It doesn't matter whether this land is in my hands or the Yang family's."
"If Dezu is really feeling sorry for himself, I have an idea."
"My dear nephew, please tell me!"
Yang Biao spoke out before He Yan could, for fear that He Yan would swallow his words again.
"As far as I know, the Hongnong Yang family owns thousands of hectares of fertile land in Guanzhong. Doesn't Mr. Yang have any ideas?"
idea?
Yang Biao and Yang Xiu were a little confused.
"My dear nephew, please tell me clearly and don't beat around the bush with me. After all, I am getting old and I can't figure out many things. I am not as active as you young people."
He Yan nodded slightly: "What I mean is that once all manure is used on the fields, the price of food will inevitably plummet."
"When the time comes, Yang Gongda can directly purchase the fields in Guanzhong, and establish a Guanzhong grain shop with the aristocratic families in Guanzhong and Hedong to control grain prices. In this way... Is it possible for Yang Gong to do anything?"
Harvest the fields?
Control grain prices?
Not to mention Yang Biao, Yang Xiu felt his neck was chilly right now.
Does He Yan know what he is talking about?
Could it be that Cao Cao's sword is not fast enough?
Grain prices are related to the stability of the country and have always been a top priority for the government. If it were to change other things, it would be easy to negotiate, but if the grain prices were to be moved... then it would simply be a challenge to the government.
"My dear nephew, there are some things about this matter, there are some things..."
Although Yang Biao is very old, he doesn't want to meet his ancestors so soon yet.
Precisely because he has lived a long life, Yang Biao knows very well what things can be touched and what cannot be touched.
This price of food is undoubtedly untouchable.
"Please also ask Mr. Yang to wait for me to finish."
He Yan signaled to Yang Biao to be calm: "Controlling food prices certainly does not mean going against the government and intimidating the people."
"After grain production increases, grain prices will plummet. Even if Yang Gong and others don't sell grain, others will sell grain... In this case, why not just monopolize grain directly?"
Yang Biao still had a wry smile on his face: "My dear nephew, this matter is not as simple as you think."
"If the price of food is low and the people have worked hard for a year to grow the food but they can't feed themselves, then what do you want them to do?"
The cheapness of the grain hurts the people.
There is a lot of knowledge in these four words.
If food becomes cheaper and the people do not make a profit, then who will continue to farm in the fields?
If the price is too high, not to mention the government coming to drink tea, even honest and responsible people will turn into vicious gangsters and come to steal food, which will make the gain outweigh the loss.
"That's right, I just want to keep the price of food as low as possible! So low that no one except us is willing to farm!"
When He Yan said this, his tone was a little cold, which was the opposite extreme from the sage who "had the world in mind" just now.
Yang Biao and Yang Xiu looked at He Yan strangely again.
Obviously, both father and son are wondering whether He Yan is crazy...
Yang Xiu was a little better. Although he didn't quite understand, he was very courageous and could follow He Yan's thinking.
So Yang Xiu asked with some stuttering: "Then Marquis Shen... the people don't go to farm anymore, what do you want them to do?"
If the common people don't farm, can they still be called common people?
Refugee? Bandit? Thief?
In today's secular concept, if people don't cultivate the land, they mean they don't learn well! They mean they are extremely evil!
Even if Xia Jie and Shang Zhou were still alive, they would not dare to say that they would not allow people to cultivate land.
Otherwise, you are digging your own grave and bringing about your own destruction.
Binding the people with land has been the experience of rulers for almost a thousand years. Now He Yan suddenly said that people would not be allowed to farm land. This made Yang Xiudu wonder if He Yan was an undercover agent sent by Cao Cao's enemies to trap Cao Cao...
"Of course it has a place to go."
He Yan looked at the window, taking in the entire scene of Hewu.
"Mr. Yang, Dezu, if you are interested, how about following me around Hewu?"
Although Yang Biao and Yang Xiu were a little helpless at He Yan's betrayal, they still got up and followed He Yan to visit Hewu.
The three of them were all wearing coarse cloth clothes. When walking on the road, they just thought they were an old man wandering around with his nephew and did not attract anyone's attention.
He Yan took Yang Biao and Yang Xiu to the market and sat in the corner watching the people passing by.
"Yang Gong, Dezu, look."
He Yan raised his hand and motioned for them to look at a stall in the market.
When the father and son heard the sound, they looked over and found a young couple choosing clothes at the stall.
Yang Biao and Yang Xiu looked at it for a long time without seeing anything, and they were still confused until the couple sold their clothes and left.
"Do you two understand?"
"..."
Yang Biao and Yang Xiu's eyes were full of clear stupidity, and they could only listen to He Yan's answer for them——
"Looking at their clothes, they are actually just ordinary people, but they choose to go out to buy clothes... Don't they find it strange?"
China has been a self-sufficient small-scale peasant economy since ancient times.
The usual rule is that men plow the land to fill the family's stomach; women weave and weave clothes for the family... This has always been the case for thousands of years.
Buying and selling is something only wealthy families do. Children from poor families will most likely wear clothes spun by their mothers, wives, and daughters throughout their lives, without exception.
Under He Yan's suitcase, Yang Biao and Yang Xiu finally discovered something unusual.
Yang Xiu was very smart and was happy to discuss with He Yan: "Marquis Shen, why does that woman go out to buy clothes instead of making them herself?"
"You two, follow me."
He Yan took them to his textile factory again.
As He Yan's wealth grew, the size of the textile factory, which initially had only a few dozen textile machines, had expanded several times, occupying almost half of He Wu's space.
The sound of textile machines inside was constantly ringing, and countless female workers were working on it, spinning pieces of cloth.
"Have you two seen it?"
He Yan pointed to the female workers: "Their salary for working here for five days is 50 five baht coins."
"In this way, if you do it for twenty days in a month, you will get 200 five baht coins."
"Two hundred five bahts are enough for them to buy a brand new set of clothes. But if they make it themselves, it will probably take them two months or even longer."
"The common people know how to settle accounts themselves. If you compare it to this, these women will naturally not choose to make clothes at home, but will choose to work in textile factories."
"Do Yang Gong and Dezu understand my explanation like this?"
Yang Biao's mind was groggy at this time, and he obviously couldn't keep up with He Yan's thoughts.
Yang Xiu seemed a little excited: "Marquis Shen means that the reason why these female workers come to work in the textile factory is because the benefits they get from working here are more than the benefits they get from working at home?"
"With this large amount of benefits, they can not only buy clothes for their own family, but also save some spare money to buy food, livestock, and even houses, carriages and horses?"
This was the first time for Yang Xiu to see such a magical operation method, but he still grasped the key point: "Marquis Shen, I have some doubts."
"Dezu, please speak."
“Why do these women earn so much money in textile factories?”
Yang Xiu gave an example: "Just take these clothes. Suppose they can produce one piece of clothing a month, which is worth two hundred five bahts. Then if you give them two hundred five bahts, wouldn't it be a loss-making business?"
"No loss."
Seeing that Yang Xiu finally got to the bottom of the matter, He Yan smiled happily: "This is the most important thing - efficiency!"
"When they weave at home, it is inevitable that their weaving time will be delayed by other things, such as taking care of children, cooking, etc."
"But in the textile factory, there is only one thing they have to do, and that is weaving!"
"In addition, I have improved the textile machines to make them more efficient... which is far better than the efficiency of weaving at home!"
"So, when the efficiency is improved... they can actually make two pieces of clothing every month! Not one piece of clothing as Dezu said!"
"So, does Dezu still think I will lose money?"
Having said this, Yang Biao could no longer keep up with He Yan, and Yang Xiu also looked at He Yan with a confused look on his face.
Too cruel!
Isn't this exploitation?
They can produce two pieces of clothes, but He Yan only gives them half the money?
If you calculate this... isn't it much more than the hard-haha bully tenants?
For ordinary land rent, the government takes 30%, and the tenants keep 30% for themselves. The landlord can't even get half of it, and he will be called "Zhou Bapi". How can He Yan be so upright and rightly demanding?
Yang Xiu was a little confused: "Marquis Shen, this... I think there is something wrong, right?"
"What's wrong?"
"It always feels like...it goes against the way of a saint?"
"Which saint? Do I know him?"
"..."
He Yan took Yang Xiu to the previous stall again and asked him to observe it carefully.
"What are you looking at this time?"
"Look at freedom."
"free?"
"Yes! Freedom!"
First, a pretty girl came over to choose a brightly colored dress, and then a sturdy man came over to buy a robe specially produced for a figure like his...
"see it?"
"I saw it."
But Yang Xiu is still puzzled: "Just buying clothes is called freedom?"
"Buying clothes is not freedom."
He Yan exhaled a breath: "But choice...choice! This is freedom!"
"People can choose the clothes they want, the food they want to eat... and even the life they want to live."
At the end of the sentence, He Yan looked back at Yang Xiu: "There was a family dinner at my father's house a few days ago, and all my younger brothers and sisters were talking about what they wanted to do in the future."
"Some of them said they wanted to be scribes, and some said they wanted to be generals... But in fact, except for a very few people, all they wanted to do was follow in the footsteps of their fathers."
He Yan picked up a handful of soil from the ground and slowly let it scatter into the wind: "It's Dezu, are you really doing what you want to do now?"
"In this world, there is more than just selling one's life to the emperor's family, more than just working on the fields, more than just being a general or a prime minister. And the most important thing is——"
"Spend your short but splendid life the way you like."
"This is the original intention of Xinxue!"
There should be another chapter tonight, try to publish it before twelve o'clock