The Great Song Dynasty: You were put in charge of teaching, and you produced a whole bunch of prime

Just as Su Shi and his two companions were questioning their existence over the red brocade pouch, spring was in full bloom in Runzhou, a thousand miles away.

The Jing Shi Academy did not become deserted after the departure of three pillars of the faculty. On the contrary, a deeper atmosphere, even with a sense of "ahead of its time," was permeating the lecture hall.

Jiang Lin remained lying in the rattan chair, holding a pointer in his hand, pointing at the huge, hand-drawn "Map of the Great Song Dynasty's Territory and Economy" on the blackboard.

Those sitting below the stage were students from the second tier: Zhou Ming, Chen Tong, Liu Jin, and others.

These children, who originally came from humble backgrounds and were even somewhat dull, have, after half a year of training, lost their initial naivety in their eyes and instead have a gleam of ambition.

"Zhou Ming, you speak."

Jiang Lin tapped the words "Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun" on the blackboard. "If the Great Song Dynasty wants to reclaim this region, what should be the first step?"

Fifteen-year-old Zhou Ming stood up and said in a deep voice, "Sir, according to military strategy, training troops should come first. But according to your teaching that 'the economic base determines the superstructure,' the first step should be to destroy the Liao Kingdom's wool business."

"Be specific."

"The Liao Dynasty relied on cavalry and archery for its survival, resulting in a simple economy. The Song Dynasty could purchase wool on a large scale at high prices, enticing its nobles to fence off land for sheep farming and encroaching on arable land. Once their food supplies dwindled, the Song Dynasty could then cut off grain trade. At that point, the Liao Dynasty would fall into chaos without a fight."

Jiang Lin nodded in satisfaction: "Although it was a bit underhanded, the idea was correct. Sit down."

This is the teaching syllabus that Jiang Lin formulated for the second echelon—no longer a simple imperial examination preparation program, but a naked "Imperial Operator Training Program".

Su Shi and his contemporaries were the "nuclear bombs" used to break the old order of the literary world, while these children were the "cornerstones" that Jiang Lin prepared for the reform era five years later.

"remember."

Jiang Lin looked at these young faces and said, "Your senior brothers are currently fighting in Bianjing to snatch the crown of the top scholar. Your mission is to learn how to govern this country that is about to undergo dramatic changes."

"Five years from now, I want each of you to be able to stand on your own two feet when you are released into the world."

"Yes, sir!" the crowd responded in unison, their voices youthful yet firm.

……

The school bell rang, signaling the end of get out of class.

The students dispersed, and Qian Duoduo, who had been waiting outside the door, floated in like a ghost.

At this moment, Manager Qian was not holding an abacus, but rather a stack of papers as white as snow and as thin as cicada wings.

"Sir, it's done."

Qian Duoduo's voice was low, but his excitement was impossible to hide. "After half a month of trial operation of the second-phase paper mill, we added lime water fermentation and bleaching processes according to the new formula you provided... The cost is 40% lower than the current 'Jingshi Paper'."

Jiang Lin took the paper and looked at it in the sunlight.

It has a uniform texture, excellent toughness, and is free of any impurities.

This is already close to the level of industrial papermaking in later generations.

"What's the current market price?" Jiang Lin asked.

"Ordinary mulberry paper on the market costs seventy cash a ream. Our current 'Jingshi Paper' sells for fifty cash. And this new paper..."

Qian Duoduo held up three fingers, his eyes gleaming with a wolf-like green light. "We can reduce our costs to below ten coins."

The cost is ten coins, but it's sold for fifty coins; that's exorbitant profit.

Selling it for twenty coins is tantamount to slaughter.

"Sir, when will we release it?" Qian Duoduo was already eager to dominate the Jiangnan paper industry market. "As soon as this paper is released, even the old-established paper shops in Suzhou and Hangzhou will have to kneel down and call us grandpa."

"What's the rush?"

Jiang Lin threw the paper back on the table, opened his folding fan, and a shrewd smile appeared on his face.

"Releasing it now would at best result in a price war, which is a last resort."

"We want to make this piece of paper 'valuable'."

Qian Duoduo was taken aback: "Paper is just paper, how can it be valuable?"

Jiang Lin pointed to the north.

"The imperial examination will begin in a few days. If there are no unforeseen circumstances, news of the results will reach Jiangnan in a month."

"By then, scholars all over the world will be asking: Who is Su Shi? Who is Zeng Gong? Why did they take the top three spots? What books did they read? What kind of pens did they use? What kind of paper did they write on?"

Jiang Lin's smile grew wider and wider, resembling that of a hunter weaving a giant net.

"At that time, you can then release this batch of papers."

"I've already thought of a name: 'The Top Scholar's Certificate'."

"It also needs to be printed with the following GG language: 'The official document of Su Zhuangyuan of Jingshi Academy, with this document in hand, fame and success are within my grasp.'"

"At that time, let alone fifty coins, even if it sells for a hundred coins, those parents who hope their children will become dragons will fight tooth and nail for it."

hiss--!

Qian Duoduo gasped, her gaze towards her husband shifting from admiration to terror.

This strategy of combining "celebrity endorsement" with "IP monetization" perfectly captures the psychology of intellectuals!

"Sir..." Qian Duoduo swallowed hard. "This isn't teaching and nurturing students; you're treating Senior Brother Su and the others like cash cows!"

"This is called resource integration."

Jiang Lin calmly took a sip of tea. "They want fame, I want profit. The academy needs to be expanded, and tuition fees for poor students need to be waived. Where will the money come from? Of course, it will come from those nouveau riche who have money to burn."

"Go, fill the warehouse to the brim."

Jiang Lin stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the unseen sky to the north.

"The wind has risen."

"As soon as those three little tigers roar in Bianjing, we'll start closing in."

……

Meanwhile, in Bianjing, at the Gaosheng Inn.

Su Shi and his two companions spent the entire night staring at the red brocade pouch. Little did they know that before they even began writing in the examination hall, their teacher, thousands of miles away, had already meticulously planned out their "surplus value."

"Achoo!"

Su Shi sneezed violently and rubbed his nose: "Strange, why do I have a feeling someone's after my money?"

Su Zhe sighed, read the letter in the brocade pouch again, his voice trembling slightly:

"Brother, forget about the purse. Take a look at the 'secret code' written below the prediction question..."

"If we write this down, will Lord Ouyang Xiu kick us out of the examination hall on the spot?"