What's wrong with me, a powerful minister, supporting a few female officials?

Chapter 243 I'm Keeping a Low Profile, Not Dead (Bonus Chapter for Monthly Tickets)

Su Mo carefully examined the paper she had made and then gently tugged at it.

It's very thin and light, and its toughness is also quite good. Writing and printing shouldn't be a problem!

Most importantly, it can be used as toilet paper!

Although this paper is not as smooth and white as the paper of later generations, it is definitely much better than the mainstream paper of today.

Because it mainly uses bamboo as the material, the paper is slightly yellowish, just like the unbleached bamboo paper of later generations, but this does not affect its use.

Su Mo also became excited.

The only time the Empress came to Lonely Peak Mountain was to inquire about the progress of papermaking. Afterwards, she asked me to accompany her for an afternoon nap in the back office before leaving on my own.

He also instructed himself to submit more memorials to the emperor, reporting on the progress of papermaking.

More than a month of hard work has finally paid off!

Copper movable type and printing ink were invented long ago.

With this paper, vernacular novels, tabloids, and the like can be put on the agenda!
"Let's go! To the paper mill!"

Su Mo called over Yin Rou, who was working nearby, and the three of them quickly headed towards the Five Dragon Pool.

Just as they left the craftsmen's camp, they saw the White Snake Demon carrying two golden-feathered pheasants, appearing outside the checkpoint. Upon seeing Su Mo, she excitedly quickened her pace and walked over.

"Lord Su, this is a pheasant that I just caught, and I'm bringing it to you."

Su Mo was speechless.

Ever since Xiao Lizhuang saved the White Snake Spirit, the White Snake Spirit has been grateful and has been sending wild game such as pheasants, rabbits, and roe deer to the government office every now and then to repay Xiao Lizhuang's kindness.

Su Mo could only say to the white snake spirit, "Take the pheasant. You don't need to send it to me anymore. Just keep an eye on the potato field for me."

"You may come with me as well."

The White Snake Spirit hesitated for a moment, then finally nodded: "This servant understands."

The three people and one demon quickly arrived at the Five Dragon Pool.

Today, Wulongtan has become a huge construction site.

Despite the lack of various construction machinery and the absence of machine noise, Su Mo still managed to create many simple and easy-to-use tools, such as pulleys.

In addition, the people here are extremely strong, with some villagers possessing superhuman strength and practicing martial arts, their arms capable of lifting a thousand pounds. Combined with adhesives like cement, the efficiency is naturally extremely high.

The key is that there are many people.

The idea of ​​nearly two thousand people building a manor simultaneously is almost unimaginable in later generations.

Building a large manor in a little over a month is no problem at all.

The reason it hasn't been built yet is mainly because Su Mo's requirements are too peculiar.

For example, if you want to build a toilet and bathroom in the bedroom, you also need to build squat toilets, flush tanks, septic tanks, and even hot spring baths!
Such a strange requirement meant that the builders and bricklayers had to study how to build it while they were constructing it, which naturally slowed down the progress considerably.

Su Mo was not in a hurry to inspect the paper mill.

First, we went to Shenma Rock to check out the sweet potato fields.

Outside Shenma Rock, a two-meter-high wall was built to enclose the sweet potatoes inside.

Seeing the potato field that had already spread to more than ten square meters, Su Mo couldn't help but sigh.

The sweet potatoes are growing too fast.

It's only been two months since they were planted, but the sweet potato vines have already grown to two or three meters long, spreading out over a large area.

Some time ago, Su Mo personally cut off a lot of sweet potato vines and transplanted them.

Judging from their growth, all the transplanted sweet potato vines have survived.

Once the transplanted sweet potato vines have grown, they can be transplanted again.

If we keep doing this, we could probably plant hundreds of acres of sweet potatoes in less than a year!

Su Mo dug away the soil clods under the sweet potatoes that had been planted at the beginning.

The sweet potato tubers were found to be about the size of a fist, and they could be harvested in less than half a month.

Finally, I can eat roasted sweet potatoes in this world and taste the flavor of my past life.

Su Mo was in a great mood!

He ordered the guards and villagers to carefully watch over the potato fields.

Then, he took Liu Siyun and others to the papermaking workshop.

The paper mill was the first workshop building built, and although it looked simple, it was extremely well-equipped.

Outside were several huge fermentation pits filled with large amounts of rotten bamboo, straw, mulberry bark, and other materials, emitting an extremely foul odor.

Even without the use of bleach and other chemical elements, papermaking still produces some pollution, although the level of pollution is relatively low. As long as the wastewater is properly treated, it will not have a significant impact on the environment.

Su Mo wrinkled her nose as she walked into the workshop.

The workshop is mainly constructed of cement pillars and topped with thick thatch; in short, it's a large shed.

If it weren't for the need for secrecy, there wouldn't even be a need to build a wall.

Dozens of pulp workers, under the personal guidance of Zhou Dong and Zhou Guan, swung the huge sieves to scoop up the pulp and let it dry.

On the bamboo rack next to it, a large amount of bamboo paper was drying.

Upon seeing Su Mo enter, Zhou Dong and Zhou Guan quickly gave a few instructions to the pulp workers and then jogged over to greet him.

"This humble servant greets Lord Su, Madam Su, Lord Yin, and Lady Bai!"

The Zhou brothers greeted everyone without missing a single one.

Su Mo nodded, then asked, "How's the papermaking going?"

Zhou Dong hurriedly replied, "Your Excellency, my brother and I obtained your secret recipe and after much study and testing, we have finally managed to create bamboo paper."

"The paper for adults is much better than the paper that children used to see in paper mills!"

"In addition, following the guidance of the adults, the little man's paper production has also greatly increased, and he can make five hundred sheets of paper a day."

Su Mo nodded slightly.

Paper was extremely expensive. A ream of 100 sheets of ordinary paper cost 1,000 coins, or 10 coins per sheet.

The high-quality Xuan paper produced by the Cui family costs one hundred coins per sheet, ten times the price of ordinary paper.

If I sell this bamboo paper normally, I should be able to make three ounces a ream without any problem.

Even if we have to engage in a price war with the Wang family, lowering the price to two taels per knife, we can still make those cheap paper products like rattan paper and straw paper lose their bearings!

Five hundred dollars a day, a thousand taels of silver in income, thirty thousand taels a month.

It is much taller than Baiyujing and Yanyulou.

Most importantly, this is basically a business with no capital investment; the material is just bamboo, which can be found everywhere in Gufeng Mountain!

Labor costs? Ha!
No wonder the Wang family became a powerful clan throughout history.

The profits in paper manufacturing are unimaginable!
No wonder the Wang family was so nervous when they heard that he was making paper, and immediately taught him a lesson by removing him from his position as military supervisor.

Although the Palace Mistress of Su Nu did not make a move.

But Su Mo could roughly guess that it must have been a scheme secretly devised by the Wang family because they saw that he refused to stop and continued making paper!

Cutting off someone's livelihood is tantamount to killing their parents.

This path to wealth is so vast that it's equivalent to Su Mo slaughtering the entire Wang family!
Su Mo checked the paper that was drying again, and the quality was indeed the same as the one Liu Siyun had given him.

"Not bad!"

Su Mo patted Zhou Dong and Zhou Guan heavily on the shoulders and praised them, "I knew I hadn't misjudged you!"

"Later, each of you should go to Siyun to collect your fifty taels of silver reward!"

"The other paper craftsmen will each be rewarded with one tael of silver!"

Zhou Dong and Zhou Guan were immediately excited and quickly said, "We thank you for your generous reward, sir!"

Su Mo said solemnly, "If you brothers, or any other papermakers, have any needs, you can tell Siyun, and I will certainly meet them." "However, this is a crucial period for papermaking, and I have no choice but to keep you in the workshop and not allow you to go out easily. I hope you understand!"

"Once the papermaking industry stabilizes, you may go out if you need to."

Zhou Dong and Zhou Guan quickly said that this was no problem.

These days, especially for disaster victims, being able to have enough to eat is already a blessing, let alone expecting any freedom!
Staying in Zhifang and taking walks around the neighborhood from time to time, what is there to complain about?

Su Mo nodded and said in a deep voice, "The paper mill needs to be expanded!"

"I will grant you another thousand pulp workers to strive to produce more than three thousand reams of paper per day. If you achieve this, I will reward you handsomely, with silver, women, or even official positions!"

Zhou Dong and Zhou Guan were stunned when they heard this.

Three thousand reams of paper produced daily?

Despite the population of two or three million in the capital, the number of scholars and wealthy families who could afford paper was probably less than one hundred thousand.

In fact, paper was a high-profit, small-scale industry, incomparable to grain and cloth.

Su Mo's previous life was also like this.

Otherwise, the "Three Capitals Rhapsody" would not have caused Luoyang to become a paper shortage.

Producing 3,000 knives a day means 300,000 sheets of paper. Is Lord Su trying to drive up the price of paper in the capital?

However, the paper mill now only employs about two hundred people, not counting the mountain villagers who collect materials and crush bamboo, straw, and tree bark.

Adding another thousand pulp workers, producing three thousand reams of paper doesn't seem impossible.

Thinking of Su Mo's mention of money, women, and even official positions, the two of them simultaneously swallowed hard.
Just as Su Mo was making empty promises to the Zhou brothers, Jiang Lai suddenly arrived.

"Master, the Fourth Madam sent me to deliver two thousand shi of grain, but..."

Jiang Lai suddenly hesitated for a moment.

Su Mo frowned: "What's wrong?"

Jiang Lai gritted his teeth: "Grain prices in Beijing have risen a lot recently."

"The head steward went to many grain stores, and the managers either said that there was a shortage of grain or that the price of grain had been greatly increased."

"These two thousand bushels of rice cost a full three thousand five hundred taels of silver. The head steward is worried that we won't be able to buy any more grain in the future."

Su Mo's expression suddenly darkened!
Just as Nangong Sheyue had predicted, grain prices skyrocketed, and it became impossible to buy grain!

The Wang and Cui families finally couldn't hold back any longer and actually made a move!

The combined size of Lone Peak Mountain and the artisan camp reached nearly 30,000 people, most of whom were engaged in heavy physical labor and consumed 600 shi of grain per day!

The Empress sent a considerable number of troops in the early stages, but compared to the scale of 30,000 people, which was almost an army, it was far from enough.

Now it's even more complete—no food is being delivered.

At this grain price, one can earn a thousand taels of silver a day!

In addition to the wages and benefits, it amounted to 1,500 taels of silver per day.

Despite the seemingly high revenue expectations of Gufeng Mountain, most of it hasn't started to materialize, and some of it simply can't be sold at all, like cement.

They only made money from bicycles and rickshaws.

The Empress even gave IOUs for the rickshaw fares!

If grain prices rise again, the Su family's remaining silver may not last a month!

It seems I have to go back to the capital.

Su Mo wanted to see which grain merchant was so powerful that he dared not sell grain to him!

Could it be that the Wang family, the Cui family, and even enemies like Zhang Guojiu felt they had lost their position as military commanders and dared not return to the capital because they were no longer favored by the emperor?
Are they no longer afraid of themselves, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard?

He's just keeping a low profile, he's not dead!

Princess Baicheng promised that if the Wang family or the Cui family caused any trouble, she would take full responsibility!
It's about time to pay them a visit.

Just as Su Mo was about to speak, Jiang Lai suddenly said, "Master, a lot of people came from Changping County this morning."

"Master, your third uncle has also arrived."

"The Fourth Madam instructed me to see when the Master will return to the capital."

"Also, with the New Year approaching, the Fourth Madam asked the Master what kind of New Year's goods he needed to purchase."

Su Mo's complexion improved considerably in an instant.

My third uncle is here!

I guess Niu Da and Chen Hu came along too.

The number of people and disaster victims recruited by Gufeng Mountain was enormous, but very few were truly trustworthy.

Now that the construction of the fiefdom is on track, it is necessary to form a private army to protect the fiefdom and one's own property.

The Empress promised to raise three hundred private soldiers.

At the artisan camp, the armor and weapons have been forged and they are just waiting for the troops to arrive!

Once the private army is established, along with Qinghefang, we will have the confidence to fight against the Wang and Cui families no matter how fiercely they fight, and we won't have to rely entirely on the protection of the Empress and Princess Baicheng!

Thinking of this, Su Mo asked, "Has the First Madam returned home yet?"

Jiang Lai immediately shook his head and said, "The First Madam has not returned yet."

"However, the day before yesterday, the Third Madam received a letter from the First Madam saying that she would return to the capital before the end of the year."

Su Mo nodded and looked at Yin Rou: "Yin Qi Guan, please inform the textile factory of the artisan battalion to pack up the wool sweaters that have already been woven. I will transport them back to the capital tomorrow!"

"Furthermore, send the paper to the printing press and have half of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms printed overnight! I'll take it with me too!"

Yin Rou nodded in agreement.

Su Mo thought for a moment and then said, "New Year's Eve is approaching, so Officer Yin should also return to the capital with me tomorrow."

Yin Rou hesitated for a moment, then bit her lip: "This disciple understands."

Su Mo then looked at Liu Siyun: "Tonight, we'll sort out the year-end gifts for hired workers and villagers, as well as the list of those who need additional rewards."

"After I returned to the city, I bought everything and sent it to you as a fief."

Liu Siyun gave a soft "hmm," hesitated for a moment, and then asked, "My third uncle has arrived. Should I return home to pay my respects to him?"

Su Mo shook his head: "There are too many things to do in Fengyi. Don't go back. I will explain everything to my third uncle."

She paused, then said apologetically, "You've worked hard these past few days. Please take good care of the fiefdom for me, and we'll reunite in the capital before the New Year."

Liu Siyun quickly smiled and said, "I'm not tired at all!"

"My lord, you can rest assured and entrust the fief to me!"

……

Su Mo had seen Liu Siyun's contributions to the fiefdom.

Despite Lord Qianhu's imposing and powerful position, Xue Yishu is knowledgeable and reasonable, and Jiang Lan can also win Su Mo's heart through his stomach.

But in Su Mo's eyes, the ones who can really get things done are Liu Siyun and Yin Rou!
During this period, Liu Siyun lost more than ten kilograms, and her plump figure became much thinner.

Let's not talk about Yin Rou.

Her waist, which was already so thin it looked like it was about to break, became even thinner; her lower back was probably so small that one hand could wrap it around her!
To express his guilt towards Liu Siyun, Su Mo used all his skills that night to engage in a passionate lovemaking session with his gossipy concubine for over an hour!

As for Yin Rou, she certainly couldn't act in that way.

The only thing we can do is give her more money as a reward, and while we're at it, we can talk to Nangong Sheyue about it and see if we can promote her from a minor officer to a higher rank.

The next afternoon, Liu Siyun was in high spirits, her eyes filled with affection, and she watched Su Mo leave with great reluctance!
They returned to the capital together with Su Mo.

There were also more than eighty large trucks, and the trucks were fully loaded with goods!
There are also four other gifts that Su Mo carefully prepared for the Empress and Princess Baicheng!

The convoy set off in a grand procession.

In mid-air, the wind and snow mixed with raindrops, as if foreshadowing that Su Mo, who had been silent for a long time, would bring a great storm to the capital this time, and even sweep across the entire city!
　This chapter is a bonus chapter for monthly votes. Tomorrow there will be three chapters with over 10,000 words!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)