I seek economic hegemony in the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 111 Cao Rui: I will cooperate with Shu to make money, and then attack the Shu army?
June 28, Luoyang.

"Your Majesty, please take a look." Liu Fang presented a piece of paper to Cao Rui.

After Cao Rui took it, he observed it carefully.

Cao Rui couldn't help but admire: "The craftsmanship of this paper is more refined than the one I got for the first time last year, and the texture is softer."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Is this kind of paper popular in Luoyang recently?"

"Yes."

"Where did this paper come from?"

"I got it from the Marquis of Changling Township."

The Marquis of Changling Township is Xia Houxuan.

"Where did he come from?"

"I asked. He just said that there were some businessmen in Luoyang recently transporting a batch of paper into the city. I don't know where it came from."

Cao Rui had a headache.

Smuggling of Shu brocade has become the norm. Wouldn’t it be a loss of face if officials of the Wei Dynasty did not wear Shu brocade?
Wu State even strongly supported Ji Han's textile industry in order to let Ji Han's prolific Shu brocade be sold to them.

Do poor people think that spending so much money on a piece of clothing is a disease?
You can't live without Shu brocade, right?

There is no way, this is the thinking of the poor. The poor consider the issue of eternal life and death.

Because the resources at the bottom are really limited, even the things that sustain life must be exhausted to fight for it.

Nobles never have to consider the issue of survival. For them, items that are not distinguishable from civilians are absolutely unacceptable.

In other words, it is impossible to have items that can be distinguished from people of lower rank than yourself.

For example, if the nobles of the Xiahou family found out that the clothes they wore were made of the same material as a small county magistrate in Dawei, they would feel extremely insulted.

The origin of this insult comes from the power characteristics of this era.

The characteristic of power in this era is not the level of official position, but the status of the family.

It is a blasphemy against power to assume that aristocratic families cannot be distinguished from poor families in all aspects.

A very important means for aristocratic families to maintain their status is to maintain the existing power order.

This is an issue of class attributes, not a simple issue of economic needs.

The same is true for paper.

"How many people in Luoyang are using this kind of paper now?"

"People from all the great princes and aristocratic families have begun to use it, and some have even begun to seek it at a high price."

"How much?"

"A piece of paper!"

Cao Rui suddenly turned pale!

This is fucking more expensive than Shu brocade!

"Your Majesty, please calm down. This is just rare. I believe that with this kind of business opportunity, more people will inevitably start selling paper, and the price of paper will drop as the quantity in circulation increases!"

“More people selling paper!”

Cao Rui's face became even more ugly: "Where did they get the paper?"

"I don't know," Liu Fang said, "but I think this is not a bad thing. Your Majesty is now short of money for war. Why not send someone privately to take over this matter, transport a large amount of paper to Luoyang, sell it to aristocratic families, and earn this Where’s the money?”

"Let me earn this money?" Cao Rui was furious. He looked at his knights and cursed, "How could I do such a thing!"

"If Your Majesty doesn't do it, other aristocratic families will naturally do it, so the money will become theirs?"

Cao Rui was speechless for a moment. He was angry in his heart, but at the same time he felt that what Liu Fang said was really fucking reasonable!

By trading with the Shu State, making a profit in the Wei State, enriching the national treasury, and then going to war with the Shu army on their own territory?
It sounds like, no matter how you explain it, you have earned it yourself!

Can……

Forget it!
Cao Rui felt that the more he thought about it, the worse it became.

"Who's going to do this?"

"I am willing to help Your Majesty do your best."

Cao Rui took a careful look at Liu Fang and smiled. Without revealing Liu Fang's little thoughts, he said, "Then it's up to you."

Liu Fang came from a poor family, and the power behind him was not great. Three generations of Cao Cao, Cao Pi and Cao Rui could use him with confidence.Liu Fang said: "Well, I will definitely make good arrangements."

"However, we must not neglect the pursuit of papermaking technology. I want to master this papermaking technology by the end of this year."

"Here!"

On the first day of July, Li Heng packed up and took a group of people from Guanzhong to Chengdu.

As for Lu Zhi and Ma Yong, they were still in Tianshui and were transferred again.

Accompanying Li Heng were Dong Hong, Xue Liang and others.

Dong Hong asked: "Mr. Li, what do you think after going to Chengdu?"

"Go back to Chengdu first and weave more cloth."

"I guess many people are now counting on you to improve the weaving of Shu brocade and increase the textile output of Shu brocade."

"I know." Li Heng said, "But the craftsmanship of Shu brocade is very complicated and cannot be improved easily."

"Is there no way?"

"It will take some time, so start with regular pieces of cloth."

"Can this realize your diplomatic strategy towards Wei?" Dong Hong asked doubtfully.

"No, we need other things."

"what?"

"You will know later."

Dong Hong asked again: "Then where do we start selling?"

"Start in Berkshire."

"Why?"

"Bajun has the Yangtze River running through it and can reach Wuchang. Our first batch of fabrics and paper were sold to Soochow."

"Why not start from Hanzhong County? Hanzhong County is rich in products."

"Hanzhong County should be cultivating land instead of bamboo and ramie."

"That's it." Dong Hong understood immediately.

"Bajun is not far from Chengdu, but I am still worried that they will not cooperate with us immediately."

"So I'm asking you to do this for Buckshire."

"I?"

"Yes, this is crucial."

"Who are you going to work with in Wuchang?"

"I don't know for now."

Although Li Heng didn't know who to cooperate with, he knew who he had to get rid of if he wanted to take Jingzhou.

Who?
Lu Xun!
The third day of July, Wuchang.

"I heard that after your Majesty met with the envoy of Wei, he decided to have good relations with Wei." Zhuge Jin sighed and said.

Sitting opposite him was an elegant man, about fifty years old, but with extraordinary temperament. He was Lu Xun.

Lu Xun said calmly: "This is a good thing."

Zhuge Jin said: "Bo Yan has always disapproved of the Northern Expedition, but we know that the Lord of Wei is eyeing my great Wu. The envoy from Wei this time is because the battle on the western front is unfavorable, and we should immediately send troops to the north."

"Tzuyu is impatient. Now is not the time to send troops."

Lu Xun was the most staunch opponent of the Northern Expedition in Wu State. As a native clan in Jiangdong, his interests had nothing to do with the Northern Expedition.

Instead, he believed that Ji Han should be dealt with.

Because of the Battle of Yiling, Lu Xun and Ji Han had a deep hatred. Lu Xun always believed that Ji Han would not let it go.

Zhuge Jin asked: "Does Boyan think that the Shu Kingdom's Northern Expedition will be completely exhausted in Guanzhong?"

Lu Xun smiled and said, "Don't you think so?"

“But the Lord of Wei sent people to seek peace with us, which shows that the situation on Wei’s western front is not optimistic.

"This is what is most beneficial to us. Lord Wei is going to send more troops to the western front. Wei and Shu will suffer both losses, and this is our opportunity."

(End of this chapter)