fifth form

Chapter 2583 It’s Better to Rent Than Buy
When Zhang Xuezhou was still a scholar at the Jinma Gate, he once answered some questions from the new emperor.

When faced with a difficult question, Zhang Xuezhou used a relatively complete system of "Currency War" as an answer.

This was a long article, which gave the new emperor a headache to listen to. He felt that Zhang Xuezhou had answered the question but had not completely answered it.

According to the written answer, Zhang Xuezhou stated the obvious truth and even explained it in a very simple way, but this was not the case in actual operation.

As a close minister to the new emperor, Sang Hongyang's official position was not high, but he repeatedly cooperated with the new emperor in carrying out related attempts.

For example, they minted Sanzhu coins and sought to use the newly issued currency to exchange for materials.

But their move did not cause much waves. After all, Zhang Xuezhou had always used half-liang coins and had never even heard of three-zhu coins.

The new emperor felt that Zhang Xuezhou's "The War of Currency" was too idealistic, while Sang Hongyang, who had listened to the new emperor's explanation, felt that everyone's skills were not very good.

It was rare to hear Zhang Xuezhou talking about people's livelihood issues, and he also mentioned some familiar theoretical terms. Sang Hongyang stood at the door and listened for a long time.

It was not until Zhang Xuezhou waved that Sang Hongyang trotted in.

"Excuse me, excuse me, excuse me for disturbing you all!"

Sang Hongyang bowed repeatedly and was very polite, which did not cause any complaints.

But with the addition of an outsider like Sang Hongyang, many people stopped talking.

"Brother Hongyang, why did you come here after leaving the palace?" Zhang Xuezhou asked.

"I'm looking for you," Sang Hongyang said, "Brother Dongfang, are you really not going to take up any official position?"

"Ok?"

Zhang Xuezhou was slightly embarrassed, while Sang Hongyang's eyes were full of helplessness.

It was very rare to find an official like Zhang Xuezhou in the court, but Zhang Xuezhou's official position was very stable.

When the Anle Palace faction was in charge of government affairs, no officials impeached Zhang Xuezhou. Even after the Changxin Palace faction intervened in government affairs, still no officials impeached Zhang Xuezhou.

Everyone seemed to ignore Zhang Xuezhou's violation and allowed him to collect the empty salary.

To this day, only the new emperor and others would urge Zhang Xuezhou.

"Well... well, you know I've been moving recently." Zhang Xuezhou thought for a few seconds before saying, "Yes, I've been moving, and I'm very busy every day!"

"Guo Sheren has been guarding your mansion for six days, and I didn't see you move anything there," Sang Hongyang complained.

"His eyesight is not good. He didn't notice that I went in and out several times!"

"The look in his eyes..."

Sang Hongyang thought about it, and he felt that Guo Sheren's eyesight should be the best among everyone, but Zhang Xuezhou's cultivation was also the highest among everyone, and he would not speak without thinking.

"Guozi's eyesight is a little bad," Sang Hongyang finally concluded.

"That's it," Zhang Xuezhou said, "I'm busy all day, and he's just sitting there at the gate with nothing to do. He doesn't even bother to help me!"

"Do you need my help?" Sang Hongyang thought for a while before asking.

"Brother Hongyang, you came just in time. I want an alchemy furnace for refining inner elixir." Zhang Xuezhou said, "If you have any cheap and easy-to-use alchemy furnace, please recommend it to me!"

“Although the materials used to forge an alchemy furnace are not much different from those used to forge a large cauldron, the prices of the two are very different,” Sang Hongyang thought. “There is no standard for whether an alchemy furnace is good or not. Any alchemy furnace that has some skills becomes a treasure, and its price goes through the roof!”

"What's the exorbitant price of our precious alchemy furnace?" Zhang Xuezhou asked.

"The Baodan furnace is generally not sold, but can only be rented and used. You have to pay for each day of use. I heard that someone paid a hundred gold coins a day to rent a Baodan furnace. That price is unaffordable for most people," said Sang Hongyang.

"So outrageous?"

It seems that the alchemist and the alchemy furnace are closely connected, but in fact, it is the refiner who makes the alchemy furnace.

If you don't get involved, you don't know the inside story. Zhang Xuezhou was at a loss after asking carefully. The Imperial Household Department controlled grain, elixirs, and medicine. If the Imperial Medical Clinic wanted to make elixirs, it had to go through the process in the Household Department.

Zhang Xuezhou does not work in a relevant department, so it would be difficult for him to use the imperial furnace beyond his authority, and it would be a big taboo for him to refine it for himself privately.

Due to various factors, Zhang Xuezhou had to either purchase the alchemy furnace himself or rent one from outside.

But Zhang Xuezhou does not make a living by refining alchemy, and he does not need to use the alchemy furnace every day, so the cost of renting the alchemy furnace would undoubtedly be lower.

"The Kong, Cao, Zhuo, Cheng and Zheng families in Nanyang are good at refining equipment. If Brother Dongfang is interested in the Baodan furnace, you can go there to take a look. You can buy it or rent it at that time," Sang Hongyang recommended.

"to make!"

Zhang Xuezhou thought about it and nodded.

The rental price for a top-grade precious elixir furnace for one day is as high as one hundred taels of gold, so it would undoubtedly be a sky-high price to buy it.

This is no different from the instruments in real research institutes. The materials used to make the instruments are nothing more than some alloys, but the finished products cannot be bought even with money.

Although the materials used to make the alchemy cauldron are nothing more than copper and iron, it becomes completely different when the means of refining are added.

Zhang Xuezhou suddenly understood why the high-level elixirs sold by alchemists were so expensive, and they were not even circulated in the form of half a pound of money.

In addition to the rarity and preciousness of high-level elixir materials, Zhang Xuezhou also thinks that the elixir furnace is definitely one of the price factors as it involves the success rate of alchemy and medicine making.

"Brother Dongfang, as court officials, how can we make elixirs without having to spend our own money to borrow alchemy furnaces?" Sang Hongyang suddenly sighed.

"Then we have no choice but to spend money to buy or borrow it from outside," said Zhang Xuezhou.

"As His Majesty's close ministers, it shouldn't be so difficult for us," Sang Hongyang said seriously, "Is there something wrong with this?"

"This is a huge problem," Zhang Xuezhou waved his hand and said, "Iron smelting and mining should not be developed by private individuals. We are now left with nothing and nothing to use!"

"Shouldn't it be?"

Sang Hongyang's eyelids twitched.

If he had not addressed actual needs and discussed it with Zhang Xuezhou, Sang Hongyang would still have found it difficult to understand "The Currency War".

It was not until Zhang Xuezhou made a casual rebuttal that Sang Hongyang realized the serious economic problems of the Han Dynasty.

For example, there were local gentry who occupied the land, iron merchants who owned iron smelting and mining, and salt merchants who mined and made salt. Many industries that should not be controlled by private individuals were occupied, which also led to the embarrassment that they, as close ministers of the emperor, had to spend money to rent alchemy furnaces.

The ever-expanding web of relationships has also surrounded officials with various interest groups, forcing them to restrict their actions.

Sang Hongyang was in charge of the accounts and reconciliation, which was a different area from that of Zhang Xuezhou and others.

As an official in charge of economic affairs, Sang Hongyang felt that under normal circumstances, he should not only point out to Zhang Xuezhou where there were weapon-refining families who could rent alchemy furnaces, but should also be able to provide alchemy furnaces for court officials to use. This should even be a normal benefit for court officials.

"No wonder the Empress Dowager reprimanded His Majesty for a whole morning for recruiting 100,000 troops. This is all because of the waste of money!"

The new emperor mobilized a large army to attack Minyue. The march would take at least two to three months. The money consumed in mobilizing the army was a bottomless pit, and the logistical supply costs were enormous.

If the Han Dynasty had to go back and forth to mobilize troops, no matter how much savings it had, they would all be exhausted.

If the new emperor had other intentions, the Li Qi he was after could bring him unlimited returns, and this expedition would be a pure loss of money, so it was no surprise that he was reprimanded by the Empress Dowager.

"Your Majesty was scolded," Sang Hongyang whispered, "He summoned you several times before he ordered the troops to be dispatched. Later, he dispatched the troops alone in the main hall of Weiyang Palace. Only Zhuang Zhu was willing to accept the order, and almost everyone else was against it!"

"What does your Majesty's scolding have to do with me? I don't lead troops to fight, and I don't have any good solution," Zhang Xuezhou complained.

“I don’t think that makes sense either!”

Sang Hongyang shook his head and agreed repeatedly. He felt that Wei Qing and others were the ones in charge of military affairs, and Zhang Xuezhou had nothing to do with this expedition.

He waited for two days and finally met Zhang Xuezhou, and quickly told him the purpose of his visit.