"Work hard, work hard!"

"Hey, hey, hey, a few people take out the candle from the third mold!"

"Candle oil, candle oil here!"

When Zhou Pei, the Yubu Shilang, rushed to the smelting bureau in a hurry, the smelting bureau was frantically making candles, and the craftsmen of the hundred or so were surrounding the ten candle molds and mass-producing candles at an incredible speed.

On the side, Lang Guan of the Smelting Bureau holds a pen in one hand and a booklet in the other, recording the number of candles in each batch and the time consumed, which will be used to further improve these molds in the future.

And looking at the boxes of candles being made, Zhou Pei, the commander of Yubu, only felt a little uneasy in his heart.

Although it is said that not all of the Yu Department is maintained by making candles and selling them to the domestic market, it is undeniable that candles, which are consumed by the public every day, have always been one of the main incomes of the Yu Department to maintain the operation of the Department.

But now, the Smelting Bureau has refined the candle process, and the speed of mass production of candles has been increased to an unimaginable level, which makes him feel bitter in his mouth.

"Lord Zhou?" Seeing that Zhou Pei, the commander of the Yu Division, stopped in the open space where the candles were made, staring at the craftsmen deadly, a civil official of the Smelting Bureau reminded in a low voice.

"Huh?" Yubu Shilang Zhou Pei woke up like a dream, and then realized his intention: "I'm sorry. …… Please continue to lead the way. ”

"Please!"

"Please!"

Under the guidance of the civil official, Zhou Pei, the secretary of the Yu Department, came to the office of Cheng Wangfu of the Smelting Bureau.

At this time, Wang Fu was estimating the monthly salaries of the officials and craftsmen in his smelting bureau in the house, after all, Zhao Hongrun proposed a "subsidy", which made his workload increase a lot at once.

"Tuk-tuk." There was a knock at the door.

At this time, Wang Fu was fiddling with a few finger-long bamboo sticks for calculation, and his thoughts were suddenly interrupted by this disturbance. He glanced at the door a little helplessly: "Come in!" ”

As soon as the words fell, the civil official of the Smelting Bureau led Zhou Pei, the commander of the Yu Division, into the house, and said with his hand: "Lord Jucheng, Lord Zhou Pei, Zhou Pei, the Secretary of the Yu Division, is here to visit." ”

"......" Wang Fu looked at Zhou Pei in surprise, quickly stood up, and said with his hand: "Lord Zhou." ”

"Wang Jucheng." Zhou Pei also returned the salute.

After all, both of them are Shiro-level officials. The rank is the same.

"Tea."

After instructing the civil official, Wang Fu invited Zhou Pei to sit down on a chair in the room, and said with a smile: "Lord Zhou came to visit my smelting bureau today, which really makes my smelting bureau shine." ”

In fact, Wang Fu knew very well why Zhou Pei came, but he didn't know how to mention the topic, after all, he was in the smelting bureau, but he was about to snatch the job of the Yu department.

However, Zhou Pei, the commander of Yubu, was obviously not in the mood to listen to Wang Fu's politeness in the officialdom. Waving his hand and saying with a wry smile: "Wang Jucheng, in the past, we were all colleagues in the Ministry of Industry, and Zhou would not beat around the bush." …… I've heard that your bureau has built 10 new iron molds for making candles, which can make 4,000 candles in one hour, right? ”

"This ......" Seeing that Zhou Pei mentioned this matter at the beginning, Wang Fu couldn't help but be a little embarrassed, and said: "In fact, it should be less than this ......."

Zhou Pei did not take Wang Fu's humility seriously. With a bitter face, he exclaimed: "This time, your office is really proud...... But. This raised eyebrows and exhaled my Yu Department suffered, how can you bear it in your heart? Wang Jucheng, the Smelting Bureau and my Yu Department are all from the Ministry of Industry...... Aren't you trying to force my Yu Department to a dead end this time? ”

Wang Fu was very embarrassed when he heard this, after all, the officials of the Ministry of Industry have always been the same enemy because of the relationship between the six ministries of the imperial court in the past. The internal unity is very strong, and it seems that this kind of thing of stepping on the top of the Yu Ministry is actually undesirable in Wang Fu's heart.

It's just that he can't help it.

After thinking for a moment, Wang Fu lowered his voice. With a helpless face, he said to Zhou Pei: "Lord Zhou, this matter is not allowed to be decided by Wang." …… That one wants to make candles to make money and raise funds for my smelting bureau......"

Yu Shilang Zhou Pei nodded with relief, after all, he also knew that the real master in the smelting bureau now was His Royal Highness King Su Hongrun, and the bureau in front of him, although he still had the position of the bureau, but in fact he could only be regarded as a second master, just to play for His Royal Highness King Su.

Therefore, Zhou Pei did not embarrass Wang Fu, and pleaded in a low voice: "Please introduce on your behalf." ”

"Lord Zhou wants to see His Royal Highness King Su?"

"Ahh Zhou Pei nodded, and finally clarified his intentions: "Zhou wants to meet His Royal Highness King Su, I hope that there is still room for redemption in this matter, otherwise...... I'm afraid I'm going to really ...... this year," he shook his head helplessly.

Because they were all colleagues of the Ministry of Industry at the beginning, Wang Fu hesitated for a moment, then nodded and agreed, and at the same time did not forget to give advice to this colleague who used to belong to the Ministry of Industry: "His Royal Highness King Su eats soft and not hard, and when Lord Zhou talks to His Royal Highness later, don't have any verbal conflict." ”

"Do I have the guts?"

"I understand." Zhou Pei glanced at Wang Fu speechlessly, and said in his heart that the three ministries of the Succession Department, the Military Department, and the Household Department all suffered losses because of their stubbornness with His Royal Highness King Su. Isn't that looking for death?

After the instructions, Wang Fu led Zhou Pei to the house where Zhao Hongrun, the king of Su, was.

At the same time, Zhao Hongrun was playing with two new candles made by his smelting bureau in that room, thinking about the sales channels used to sell these candles.

said yes, Zhao Hongrun was reluctant to use the channels of the warehouse under the jurisdiction of the household department, after all, this meant that he would give the household a share of the benefits of the candle, otherwise, why would the household department contribute to him?

As for building your own sales channels?

When do you have to wait?

You must know the sales channel of the warehouse, which is the official channel with the help of the entire imperial court, and there is no sales channel that is more complete than the sales network covered by the warehouse.

Therefore, even if Zhao Hongrun is reluctant, he can only use the channels of the warehouse to sell these candles.

The question is, how much profit should be given to the warehouse under the jurisdiction of the household department?

The warehouse department was not satisfied with the lack of people, and the smelting bureau suffered a loss if it was given more, so this problem has plagued Zhao Hongrun for a long time.

He was going to wait for a specific amount to be calculated before going to discuss the matter with Kurabe Shiro Kuangke.

"Tuk-tuk."

There was a knock on the door.

"Come in." Zhao Hongrun shouted casually.

As soon as the words fell. I saw that Cheng Wangfu of the Smelting Bureau led Zhou Pei, the commander of the Yu Department, into the house, and the two of them saluted Zhao Hongrun respectfully: "Your Majesty will meet His Royal Highness King Su." ”

Zhao Hongrun raised his head and glanced at Zhou Pei, and at a glance he saw that this person was a little unfamiliar, and asked suspiciously, "Who is this?" ”

Hearing this, Wang Fu hurriedly explained: "Your Highness, this is Lord Zhou Peizhou, the commander of the Yu Department. ”

Zhao Hongrun was stunned when he heard this. Immediately, he came to his senses, stood up and said with a smile: "It turned out to be Lord Zhou." ”

Zhou Pei smiled bitterly a few times in his heart, peeked at Wang Fu, recalled this person's advice to him, bowed his hand, knelt on the ground and said in a deep voice: "His Royal Highness King Wangsu saves my Yu Ministry!" ”

"......" Zhao Hongrun looked at Zhou Pei who was kneeling on the ground in front of him inexplicably, and hurriedly helped him up and comforted: "Lord Zhou doesn't have to make such a big gift, please get up and talk about it." He said. He saw Zhou Pei stubbornly kneeling on the ground, and said helplessly: "Just some candles, is that so?" Get up and talk about it! ”

"A few candles?"

Zhou Pei's belly was scarred, and he said in his heart, His Royal Highness King Su, you have a 'mere candle' in your mouth, but it will make my Yu Department suffer unimaginable losses!

The three of them sat down on the chairs in the room, and at this time, Zong Wei Shen Yu served Wang Fu and Zhou Pei two cups of tea.

It's a pity that Zhou Pei didn't have the interest in drinking tea at all, and said to Zhao Hongrun worriedly: "His Royal Highness King Su." The candle molds of your department are really an eye-opener for the lower officials. Xia Guan really didn't expect that the process of making candles could be simplified to such a level, but it was just ...... I'm going to be in trouble. Can Your Highness see that in the past, my Yu Department and the Metallurgical Bureau were both under the name of the Ministry of Industry, and raise your noble hand, so that my Yu Department will not completely cut off this profit......

"Yes." Zhao Hongrun drank tea and said with a smile: "Those ten candle molds." This king can give it to you, and ask the craftsmen to teach you how to make candles with new techniques. ”

"Huh?"

Zhou Pei was going to recount his hardships and plead again, but he didn't expect Zhao Hongrun to be so refreshing.

He nodded in joy. Suddenly, I was stunned.

"What? Give me all the ten candle iron molds and teach the new process to the officials of the Yu Ministry? Isn't that ......

Zhou Pei's eyes widened in surprise, and he was about to speak, when Wang Fu took the lead and couldn't help but ask: "Your Highness, you said that you want to hand over all the ten molds to Yubu?" Cannot! Cannot! ”

He shook his head repeatedly.

"Why are you like this?"

Seeing that Wang Fu, who was still standing on his side, suddenly changed his mind, Zhou Pei was half angry in his heart, but it was difficult to speak, after all, this Wang Fu was now regarded as the confidant of His Royal Highness King Su, and his status was much higher than him, so he just looked at Zhao Hongrun with his eyes, and asked again with joy: "Really...... Seriously? ”

Zhao Hongrun waved his hand to signal Wang Fu not to speak for the time being, and nodded with a smile: "This king is not joking!" …… The Yu Ministry and my Smelting Bureau used to be brothers under the name of the Ministry of Industry, sharing weal and woe, how can this king really step on the top of the Yu Ministry? ”

Just kidding, the craftsmen of the Smelting Bureau, which Zhao Hongrun hopes to use to develop top technology, in his opinion, to let those craftsmen make candles, it is simply a waste of talent.

It is undeniable that Zhao Hongrun has long thought about letting Yu Bu take over, so it depends on when Zhou Pei, the Yu Bu Shilang, will come over to negotiate.

Hearing Zhao Hongrun's reaffirmation, Zhou Pei's heart was reassured, especially Zhao Hongrun's words of "brother division", which made him feel even warmer.

He couldn't help but sigh in his heart: His Royal Highness Suchuan Su Wang Hongrun is in the six departments of the imperial court, but only our Ministry of Industry looks at it differently and treats it very favorably, which is really true!

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but rejoice and said, "In this way, the lower official thanked His Royal Highness King Su on behalf of my Yu Department!" ”

"Eh, don't be in a hurry to thank you, although this king wants to teach you the new process of making candles, but the profit is ...... Fifty-fifty! ”

"That's nothing."

Zhou Pei's heart was settled, and the smile on his face became stronger: "Thank you, Your Royal Highness King Su!" ”

Seeing this, Zhao Hongrun deliberately said: "Lord Zhou, you have to think clearly, my Smelting Bureau is only responsible for teaching the craftsmen of your department how to make candles, and is also responsible for the maintenance of iron molds, and I don't care about the rest of the things." ”

"What's there to think about?"

Zhou Pei was overjoyed in his heart.

He knew what His Royal Highness King Su meant, to put it bluntly, he asked Yu to work for the Smelting Bureau, but what was this?

You know, learn a new process, a mold can produce 400 candles in an hour, as long as a few more molds are made, the output will rise, although the profit will be distributed to the smelting bureau half, but it is undeniable that if the smelting bureau is ruthless and refuses to distribute profits to them, they will not get a profit from the Yu department.

What's more, according to Zhou Pei's estimates, even if they want to share half of the profits of the Smelting Bureau, the benefits they get in the end will still be far greater than before.

There is no way, the iron mold developed by the Smelting Bureau, the speed of producing candles is too fast, the fatal thing is that the output of 4,000 candles in an hour is only limited to the premise of ten iron molds, as long as they increase the number of people in the Yu Department, the output of candles can still go up, and even if it exceeds the number of candles consumed by Great Wei every day, it is not impossible.

Zhou Pei had already thought that by that time, Yu Bu could even sell to foreign countries, such as Weiguo.

At that moment, there was another knock on the door.

"His Royal Highness King Su, the chief eunuch Tong Gonggong asks to see you."

"Tong Xian?"

Zhao Hongrun, who was drinking tea, was stunned when he heard this, and the big eunuch Tong Xian next to his father, Emperor Wei Tianzi, suddenly appeared in his mind, and he was really a little puzzled in his heart.

"What is he doing in the Smelting Bureau?" (To be continued.) )