In the warehouse of the paper workshop.

Cao Shuo looked at the paper introduced by the previous steward.

Twisting the paper, the corners of his mouth twitched: "This thing is not at all the same as what I want, these are just confetti, not to mention water absorption, you can't do anything with them." ”

"What does Childe want absorbent paper for?" Deng Zhan asked blankly.

"It's useful, and it's useful." Cao Shuo said: "Don't underestimate paper, there are many places where this kind of thing can be used in the future, not just for writing." ”

Deng Zhan was still puzzled.

Cao Shuo knew that as far as Deng Zhan's current receptivity was concerned, even if he said it clearly, it was impossible to understand, so he didn't say more.

A moment later, Zhu Ao walked in with an old craftsman.

"Childe, I asked, he is the most dedicated in the paper workshop." Zhu Ao bowed to Cao Shuo and said.

Looking back at the old craftsman, Cao Shuo asked, "What's the matter with these confetti?" ”

Glancing at the confetti he was holding in his hand, the old craftsman said, "This is the paper that was not rolled and flattened when it was made, so it has become like this." ”

"What do you think can be done to make the paper feel better?" Cao Shuo asked again.

"It's not enough to just rely on pulp." The old craftsman replied, "If you want to make better paper, you have to think about it more." ”

"What do you think you have to figure out?" Cao Shuo asked again.

"I don't think paper is always good because there's something in the wood that's hard to break." The old craftsman said, "If you can make these things softer, you might be able to make better paper." ”

"Is there a way to make them softer?" Cao Shuo asked.

"Not yet." The old craftsman replied: "But the methods are all thought up by people, as long as you are willing to do it, you can find a way sooner or later." ”

Nodding his head, a smile appeared on the corner of Cao Shuo's mouth: "From today on, you are the manager here." I want a lot of paper styles, some soft and some hard, some that can be used for writing and some that can be used elsewhere. ”

"Childe said other places......" The old craftsman looked at Cao Shuo in surprise.

Leaning into his ear, Cao Shuo whispered, "Don't you think it would be better to wipe your butt with soft paper than with stones and leaves?" ”

The old craftsman was stunned.

Looking at Cao Shuo, he looked surprised: "Childe ......"

"That's what I said, you just write it down." Cao Shuo said: "I will come again in a few days, but don't let me down." ”

Leaving the warehouse, Cao Shuo said: "The environment of the paper workshop has to be changed, it is a strange smell when you enter here, and you don't feel depressed when you work here all year round." ”

"The next time Childe comes back, it will never be like this." The old craftsman replied.

"Don't let me down." Cao Shuo nodded and left with Deng Zhan, Zhu Ao and the others.

Walking out of the paper workshop, Deng Zhan asked Cao Shuo: "Childe, why did you suddenly think of the paper workshop?" ”

"We don't have a lot of battles lately." Cao Shuo said: "I want to go to more than just the paper workshop. If we don't take this opportunity to arrange all the things that make money, what will we use to raise troops in the future? What to feed those tax-exempt people? ”

"The people are happy that they don't pay taxes." Deng Zhan said: "How do they know how much the son has borne because of this. ”

"Now that the words have been released, of course they have to be done." Cao Shuo said: "When the day of tax collection in some places comes, the people here are strictly forbidden to move out, and at that time, they will send people to take care of these things." ”

"Will the people move out?" Deng Zhan said puzzledly: "Even if you start collecting taxes, the son won't want too much......"

"No matter how little you want, it's more than a little more." Cao Shuo smiled indifferently and said to Deng Zhan: "People are different. Some people are atmospheric and do things in a down-to-earth manner, and some people are born with small bellies and chicken intestines, and they will always calculate these. There are thousands of people, and there are always some who are reluctant to pay taxes. I will not forbid them to go anywhere else, but only to a place where the collection of taxes has not yet begun. ”

"If it weren't for the people who came under the rule of Gongzi...... Deng Zhan asked.

"That's how much we go, of course, how much we accommodate." Cao Shuo said: "What we lack is population, and the more people we have, the more taxes we will collect in the future, and the more soldiers we can recruit." ”

"After I go back, call Tian Yuanhao to the study to see me." He gave another order to Deng Zhan.

Walking along the street, Cao Shuo kept an eye on the shops on both sides of the road along the way.

He didn't say anything to Deng Zhan and the others, and Deng Zhan and the others who followed him didn't know what he was thinking.

Back at the residence, Deng Zhan invited Tian Feng to go, and Cao Shuo went to the study accompanied by Zhu Ao.

After a full stick of incense, Tian Feng came.

After meeting Cao Shuo, he asked, "Dare to ask Gongzi, what is the important thing to ask me for?" ”

"One thing suddenly occurred to me." Cao Shuo said: "You have to do it, I can rest assured." ”

"Dare to ask Childe, what is the matter?"

"In less than a year, it will be time for Shouchun and other places to be exempt from taxes for ten years." Cao Shuo said: "I think that there will be people who will move elsewhere in order not to pay taxes. You are responsible for preventing people from moving. ”

"What should I do?" Tian Feng said with a smile: "Actually, the son doesn't have to make a big deal at all. ”

"How?" Cao Shuo asked, "Could it be that there is a better way?" ”

"Absolutely." Tian Feng said: "Didn't there be a roster before? Paying taxes does not depend on the locality, as long as it depends on each household. ”

"What does Yuan Hao mean ......" Already understanding what Tian Feng meant, Cao Shuo still asked.

"What's the use of collecting taxes on the roster, and moving them elsewhere?" Tian Feng said: "All the people who migrated were registered by the government, otherwise the tax would be doubled. That way, there will be no more people running around thinking about the good thing of tax exemption. ”

"You're really more thoughtful than I am." Cao Shuo said: "Then follow your method." ”

He changed his tone and said, "There is one more thing I have to tell you. ”

"Childe, please speak." Tian Feng bowed in response.

"I looked at the shops along the street today, and I always felt that they were just shops, as if some goods were not flowing smoothly." Cao Shuo asked, "Do you know where foreign merchants and local merchants complete large transactions?" ”

"It's all in the market." Tian Feng replied: "I have also seen merchants deliver goods in the market. ”

"The streets are only so wide, and the delivery of goods by them will definitely affect others." Cao Shuo said: "I plan to set aside a piece of land in the city and build a trade market, where merchants can buy and sell in large quantities in the future." ”

(End of chapter)