At this time, silk was hard currency, and in many cases, it served as currency. Li Linfu, Yang Zhao and others praised Li Longji for their wealth by exchanging the world's taxes for silk and silk. They piled them up in the treasury and invited Li Longji to see them. In comparison, copper coins are used in fewer places. ??And cotton is more expensive than silk and is extremely popular in the market. Therefore, the income from cotton planting is even higher than that from mulberry trees. The market is willing to accept the use of cotton as a warehouse. What surprised Ye Chang was that there was no such thing as cotton cultivation in China. Only a few years ago, he started experimenting with it at Princess Yuzhenchang's estate in the north of the Yellow River, and later went to Liaodong to experiment with it. This year, he is preparing to promote it. Wang Changling The reason why I didn't follow him back to Chang'an this time was to urge him to plant cotton. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that now people even grow cotton in the suburbs of Luoyang. How long has it been? Two years. This is only the third year. Thinking carefully, it is inevitable that the diligence and wisdom of the Han people are probably unmatched by anyone on the entire planet. After cotton became popular, craftsmen immediately figured out how to weave cotton into cotton cloth. For the Han people who had long mastered the silk reeling technology, spinning cotton yarn was no more difficult than reeling and spinning, and the price of cotton cloth was much higher than that of silk, making cotton cultivation profitable. "Ordinary farmers and landowners have no feeling about this, but this is not the case for the powerful families in the two capitals. They are very sensitive to market reactions. After Princess Yuzhen's two villages gained more than three times more income from growing cotton than growing grain, they just waited and watched in the first year, and started to prepare in the second year. Now in the third year, everyone is Started growing cotton. "It's just that the powerful landowners can grow cotton for profit, but ordinary tenant farmers cannot." "What Mr. Lang said is unreasonable. Although kapok can be profitable, it is not useful for clothing or food. My family, old and young, cannot chew cotton for food." The tenant farmer cried out in pain: "Mr. Sir, although we are not good at poetry, But I also know that since ancient times, food has been the most important thing for the people. We have to eat and chew in the fields, and we have to pay taxes to the court. All these require food How can we survive after planting cotton? " Ye Chang didn't answer, but the people wearing silk over there shouted: "Didn't I tell you a long time ago? After you harvest cotton, my master is willing to spend money to collect cotton. With the money, you can go to the market to buy rice and noodles. That's enough." "Food at home can be used for taxes." "What if we can't buy it?" "And if all the people in the world grow cotton, where will they buy food?" The tenants couldn't help but ask, "How about wearing silk?" But he was calm and said: "If you can't buy food, you must have done something outrageous." These words sounded familiar to Ye Chang. He shook his head and said: "You said that the Song family wants to buy those things." Cottonnot to mention anything else, do you have a guaranteed price? If cotton is cheap but wheat is expensive, are you willing to subsidize the tenants? " This question reached the key point, and Ye Chang almost revealed the main idea of ??the Song family. On the surface, the 30% rent paid by the head of the Song family was indeed not expensive in this era, but the tenant farmers became cotton farmers. When the cotton came on the market, they had to exchange the cotton in their hands for food to feed the family and pay taxes to the court. At this time, the Song family could set the price of grain very high and lower the price of cotton. As they entered and exited, they increased the exploitation of the tenant farmers. In the end, the actual benefits they collected from the tenant farmers may be more than 60% or even 70%. Although the tenant farmers grew more valuable cotton, their actual income was reduced. Hearing Ye Chang talk about all the activities involved, the tenant farmers suddenly started to make a noise: "We just don't want to plant kapok because we don't know the habits of cotton and we are worried about food, but we never thought that there is something else in it." There are so many things. This man is really well-informed. If it weren't for you, how would I know this?" "Exactly, exactly, well-informed." These tenants and the landlord's housekeeper took turns talking about Ye Changjian. With so much knowledge and knowledge, some of Ye Chang's companions couldn't help but become happy. The landlord's housekeeper believed that the Song family was also a powerful man in Luoyang. Hearing that Ye Chang had so easily exposed the deal they had negotiated with the owner of the family, he became furious. No longer caring about Ye Chang's identity, he sneered and said: "This gentleman, this tenant Tenancy matters are based on your own will. If they dislike the low income from farming for my master, they don¡¯t have to." "But if we don¡¯t share the land, how will we have food?" "Since you share my land, you have to obey my family. If you don't want to, my family won't force it. Let's get together and part ways. You walk on your single-plank bridge and I'll cross mine on Yangguan Road." Seeing them quarreling again, the farmers began to worry. They didn't look at what they dared to do with the housekeeper just now. The thugs were fighting, but everyone knew in their hearts that if they really turned against each other and quit the tenants, where would the whole family get their food? Ye Chang smiled and said: "It doesn't matter. As far as I know, the Liaodong Marching Army Office is recruiting people to work in the fields. Anyone who is willing to go to Liaodong can only pay a small amount of money, and the man can get a piece of land in Liaodong that is no less than twenty acres." There is no less than fifteen acres of Yongye field in Bianzhou, and there is a recruitment office for the general manager of the Liaodong March."If it doesn't work out, just go to Liaodong to divide the fields." When he said this, his companion couldn't help but slap his leg. "It's really wonderful. If the tenants in the Central Plains really quit their tenancy because of cotton planting and have no livelihood, they can go to Liaodong." Well, Liaodong is short of manpower. The person in charge sneered. He didn't refute anything. He just waved his hand and said: "Lang Jun, you are a foreigner. Don't meddle in your own business here. Let's go quickly. Let's go quickly." Ye Chang didn't want to go too far. When Duo intervened in the matter, seeing that the tenants didn't say anything, he took his companions and left. Before he could get far, he heard another noise behind him. Obviously, the method he gave did not resolve the conflict between the two parties. The smile on Chang's face faded. Seeing that he looked a little depressed, Cen asked curiously: "It's not uncommon for landlords and tenants to fight. Why is Shiyilang depressed?" "Brother Cen, you are wearing cotton. How do you think cotton compares to silk?" " "Although it is not as smooth and light as silk, it is more durable and warm and will be popular in the world in the future. " "That's true, and compared to mulberry and linen, kapok is easier to plant in large quantities. Therefore, when kapok becomes popular in the future, silk and linen will inevitably be suppressed. However, if kapok wants to occupy fertile land, it will inevitably make the livelihood of these tenants more difficult, and even cotton cannibalism will occur. By then, I, the instigator, will receive a lot of infamy. " " Cotton eats people? How is this possible?" Cen Shen said in shock. "If there is no cotton to eat people, there will be sheep to eat people." Ye Chang muttered secretly in his heart, and then put the matter aside. The infamy in the future is far less than the immediate benefits. What he did Because, I don¡¯t know how many things will bring him infamy: for being close to Li Linfu, some people will scold him for being a traitor and a lackey; for promoting cement, some will scold him for causing environmental pollution; for developing Liaodong and large-scale steel smelting, some will scold him. He destroyed the ecology and wasted resources; even if he did nothing, some people would accuse him of being incompetent and accomplishing nothing. He could throw it away, but Cen Shen picked it up instead and thought about what Ye Chang said. The more he thought about it, the more he felt like this. There is a profound meaning in it. He naturally knows that the so-called "cotton eats people" is just a metaphor made by Ye Chang, but judging from what is happening now, although cotton will not eat people, it will almost certainly occupy people's food. If this is true, , How are the people doing? Are all the tenants who are unwilling to grow cotton really immigrated to Liaodong? Not to mention whether Liaodong has the ability to organize the transfer of hundreds of thousands or even millions of people to Liaodong? , with Ye Chang's financial management, he must also let them grow cotton. Will there be another conflict? After thinking about it, Cen Shen just felt that there was no solution, so all the way from Luoyang to Chang'an, he had cotton in his mind. , Food was flying around. He originally wanted to ask Ye Chang if there was a way to solve this problem, but seeing that Ye Chang seemed worried all the way, he didn't ask about it when he arrived at Zhuangzi outside Chang'an. Afterwards, Ye Chang met up with Jia Maoer and others who had arrived first, and then began to assign matters. Cen Shen was not idle either. Ye Chang handed Liu Yan's letter to him and asked him to visit the Fifth Qi Young Master. He was orphaned early and was dependent on his brother Wu Hua. Although he is now an adult and has held an official position, his residence is still simple. When Cen Shen arrived at his home, he found that the door was closed. He knocked on the door for a long time before someone trembled inside. The voice asked: "Who is knocking on the door? " There was some fear in his voice. Cen Shen thought of the current situation of Wu Qi mentioned by Ye Chang, and immediately said in a loud voice: "A certain surnamed Cen came from Luoyang, the eastern capital, with a letter from Luoyang Lieutenant Liu Gongtao Yan, and wanted to pay a visit to Wu Qi. If the Five Lords read Qi, please open the door and greet me. " The door was quiet for a while, and then it was opened halfway, but not wide. A servant-looking person stretched out his head, looked around, and saw that Cen Shen really looked like he had traveled a long way. He breathed a sigh of relief and said: "Mr. Sir, don't be surprised. There have been few guests recently, so it's a bit late. Please come in, please come in. The master of the house is waiting in the living room. "After Cen Shen entered the door, he found that although the courtyard was simple, it was well organized. Everything seemed to be placed in a simple and convenient place. As soon as he entered the door, the servant hurriedly closed the door and bolted it, and then came to lead the way. : "Please come here, Mr. Lang. " The small courtyard is not big. After a few steps, we arrived in front of the living room. We saw a handsome man standing in front of the door. He looked to be no more than thirty years old. Cen Shen stepped forward and saluted and said, "But the fifth prince is in front? " That person was Wu Qi. As soon as he saw Cen Shen, he knew that his initial guess was wrong. This person was not the messenger Liu Yan asked to deliver the letter. He was probably a scholar-official. When he heard the other person's name again, he couldn't help but He made a sound, then changed his expression and said: "Cen Gong is not in Liaodong, why is he here? " "Has such a despicable name ever reached the ears of the Fifth Duke? "Cen Shen was surprised. "Ye Chang manages Liaodong and relies on Cen Gong as his right-hand man. Cen Gong's old poems are blown by the wind and the grass is broken, and Liaodong is covered with snow in August. "Suddenly a spring breeze came overnight, and thousands of pear trees bloomed. I have heard about it for a long time." Wu Qi said this, but he was very surprised in his heart. His current situation is very bad, becauseBecause of the implication, he was suspended from his official position and was kept at home. It took a long time and he didn't know where he would be demoted. It happened that at the beginning of this year, some of Wei Jian's old officials and junior officials complained against Wei Jian while they were drinking. After being reported, many of them were imprisoned. Even here in Wuqi, people from Yushitai were summoned. he asked. At this time, Ye Chang's cronies came to look for him. Is it really just a letter for Liu Yan? Cen Shen was also very happy. He was proud of his poetic talent, but before going to Liaodong, the poems he wrote were not widely read. Now in Liaodong, after experiencing the battle, his poetic style became more fierce, and his poems on the frontier fortress were unrestrained and generous. Even the poet Emperor Wang Changling was full of praise for him. "And now his new poem can be recited by Wu Qi as far away as Chang'an, which proves that his trip to Liaodong was indeed correct. "It's a clumsy work, it's just a dirty work. When I came from Liaodong this time and passed through Luoyang, I got a letter from Luoyang Lieutenant Liu Gongyan and handed it over to me." Fifth Qi received the letter and asked Cen Shen to take a seat, and called for someone to come up. tea, and then opened the letter and read it. He only read a few words before his eyebrows rose up. He threw the letter on the table and sneered: "Mr. Liu himself is unwilling to stoop to be a traitor, but he asked me to be this traitor's pawn." Cen Shen's heart moved and his brows furrowed. He stood up and said, "Who is the traitor you are talking about?" "Of course it's Ye Chang." Wu Qi looked at Cen Shen and said, "Poems are the voice of the heart. I have observed that Cen Gong's poems also have the intention of generously serving the country, but how can I stoop to serve the country?" Is he an adulterer? I am far away in Liaodong and I don¡¯t know the inside story. The traitor¡¯s life may not be long. I can leave him at this time. I can still be at peace. Otherwise, it will be too late to regret.¡± Cen Shen came here to serve Ye Chang. The order invited Wu Qi to help. Originally, Ye Chang thought that with Liu Yan's letter and Cen Shen's persuasion, the matter would not be too difficult. Even if it failed, the worst thing Ye Chang could do was come there himself. But he never thought that before Cen Shen could persuade him, Fifth Qi over there would be the first to persuade him to leave Ye Chang. Cen Shen was furious and stood up and said: "Ye Sima heard Mr. Liu recommend Mr. Fifth. Mr. Wen Dao has extraordinary knowledge and broad wisdom. , Xingran said, "I have finally found the most intelligent people in the world." A certain person came here from Liaodong, but his horse could not unsaddle, so he went to the palace again. It was because Ye Sima didn't care about the talent, but heard about it. People follow what others say, and actually call loyalty a traitor and denounce evil, don't you think there are people who have eyes but no pearls?" He went to Liaodong and saw Ye Chang's actions, and his admiration and friendship for Ye Chang reached its peak. And Ye Chang treated them extremely well, which made them famous in the world. Therefore, Wu Qi's attack on Ye Chang was treacherous, and he fought back without giving in. Wu Qi was stunned by these words. After a while, Wu Qi said with a smile: "My lord said that Ye Chang was loyal and upright. I don't know what the crime of Wei Gongjian was. He was falsely accused by Ye Chang and imprisoned. What did Wang Zhongsi do?" , was slandered and expelled by Ye Changzhi, Li Xiangshizhi, who was loyal to the country, why did he commit suicide by taking medicine, and Li Yong of Beihai, who was so talented and famous, why was he imprisoned? "This series of names, their defeat and derogation? , all have a close relationship with Ye Chang, Wu Qi listed these people, and then looked at Cen Shen with a smile, waiting for his rebuttal. In his mind, these names are the accusations, and Cen Shen has no defense