Better to Rent Than Buy

When Zhang Xuezhou was still serving as a scholar-official at the Golden Horse Gate, he answered some questions from the new emperor.

When faced with a difficult question, Zhang Xuezhou used a relatively complete and systematic book, "The War of Currencies," as his answer.

This was a lengthy article, which gave the new emperor a great headache. He felt that Zhang Xuezhou had answered the question but hadn't fully answered it.

In his written answer, Zhang Xuezhou explained the obvious principles in a very simple way, but in practice, it was not so.

As a close advisor to the new emperor, Sang Hongyang held a low official position, but he repeatedly cooperated with the emperor in carrying out related experiments.

For example, they created the Sanzhu coin and sought to exchange the newly issued currency for goods.

But their move didn't make much of a splash, since Zhang Xuezhou had always used half-ounce coins and had never even heard of three-zhu coins.

The new emperor felt that Zhang Xuezhou's "The War of Currency" was too idealistic, while Sang Hongyang, who had heard the new emperor's explanation, felt that everyone's knowledge was insufficient.

It was rare to hear Zhang Xuezhou talking about people's livelihood issues, and he even mentioned some familiar theoretical terms. Sang Hongyang stood at the door and listened for a while.

Sang Hongyang only trotted in when Zhang Xuezhou beckoned.

"Excuse me, excuse me, excuse me, excuse me!"

Sang Hongyang repeatedly cupped his hands in a gesture of respect, which did not draw any objections from anyone.

But with Sang Hongyang, an outsider, around, most people refrained from speaking out of turn.

"Brother Hongyang, what brings you here from the palace?" Zhang Xuezhou asked.

"I've been looking for you," Sang Hongyang said. "Brother Dongfang, are you really someone who won't take up any official post?"

"Um?"

Zhang Xuezhou looked slightly embarrassed, while Sang Hongyang's eyes were full of helplessness.

It was extremely rare for someone like Zhang Xuezhou to hold an official position in the imperial court, yet Zhang Xuezhou official post remained remarkably stable.

When the Anle Palace faction controlled the government, no officials impeached Zhang Xuezhou. Even after the Changxin Palace faction intervened in the government, no officials impeached Zhang Xuezhou.

Everyone seemed to ignore Zhang Xuezhou Zhang Xuezhou's violation of the rules, allowing him to receive a salary without actually working.

Even now, only the new emperor and a few others urge Zhang Xuezhou.

"Um... you know I've been moving lately," Zhang Xuezhou thought for a few seconds before saying, "Yes, I've been moving constantly, I'm incredibly busy every day!"

"Guo Sheren has been guarding your residence for six days, but I haven't seen you move anything over there," Sang Hongyang complained.

"His eyesight is bad; didn't he see I've been in and out several times?"

His eyes...

Sang Hongyang pondered for a moment. He felt that Guo Sheren's eyesight was the best among them, but Zhang Xuezhou's cultivation was also the highest, and he wouldn't speak carelessly.

"Guo Zi's eyesight is a bit off," Sang Hongyang finally concluded.

"That's it," Zhang Xuezhou said. "I'm busy all day long, and he's just sitting around watching the gate, bored out of his mind. He doesn't even know how to help me out!"

"Do you need my help?" Sang Hongyang asked after thinking for a moment.

"Brother Hongyang, you've come at the right time! I'd like a Pill Furnace for refining inner elixirs," Zhang Xuezhou said. "If you know of any cheap and good Pill Furnace, please recommend one!"

"Although the materials used to forge Pill Furnace are no different from those used for large cauldrons, their prices are worlds apart," Sang Hongyang mused. "There's no standard for whether Pill Furnace is good or not; any Pill Furnace with even a little bit of expertise becomes a treasure, and its price skyrockets!"

"What kind of price is the precious Pill Furnace, which is worth so much?" Zhang Xuezhou asked.

"The Precious Pill Furnace is generally not for sale, but can only be rented. You have to pay for it every day. I heard that some people have to pay a hundred gold coins a day to rent a Precious Pill Furnace. That price is unaffordable for most people," Sang Hongyang said.

"That's outrageous?"

While Alchemist and Pill Furnace appear to be closely connected, it is actually the weapon refiners who create the Pill Furnace.

Those unfamiliar with the industry are unaware of the inside story, and a careful inquiry left Zhang Xuezhou speechless.

The Imperial Household Department, which controlled grain, Pill Cauldron, and pharmaceuticals, was in charge of all matters of the imperial court. If the Imperial Medical Academy wanted to produce elixirs, it had to go through the procedures at the Imperial Household Department.

Zhang Xuezhou did not work in the relevant department, so it would be difficult for him to overstep his authority and use the imperial Pill Furnace. It would be a major taboo for him to refine alchemy for himself without authorization.

Due to various factors, Zhang Xuezhou either purchased his own Pill Furnace or rented Pill Furnace from elsewhere.

However, Zhang Xuezhou does not make a living by alchemy, so he does not need to use the Pill Furnace every day, and the cost of renting Pill Furnace would undoubtedly be lower.

"The Kong, Cao, Zhuo, Cheng, and Zheng Lineage of Nanyang are skilled in weapon crafting. If Brother Dongfang is interested in the Precious Pill Furnace, you can go there to take a look. You can buy or rent it then," Sang Hongyang recommended.

"Become!"

After thinking it over, Zhang Xuezhou nodded.

Renting a top-tier Pill Furnace for a day costs a hundred taels of gold, so buying it would undoubtedly be an astronomical price.

This is no different from the instruments in real research institutes. The materials used to manufacture these instruments are nothing more than alloys, but the finished instruments are something you can't buy even if you have the money.

Although the materials used to make Pill Cauldron are nothing more than copper and iron, the addition of refining techniques completely changes the process.

Zhang Xuezhou suddenly understood why Alchemist sold high-grade pills at ridiculously high prices, and why they weren't even sold for half a tael of silver.

Besides the rarity and preciousness of high-grade medicinal materials, the success rate of alchemy and pharmaceutical production also plays a role. Zhang Xuezhou believes that the Pill Furnace is definitely one of the factors affecting the price.

"Brother Dongfang, you're telling me that even as court officials, we have to spend our own money to borrow Pill Furnace to refine pills?" Sang Hongyang suddenly sighed.

"Then what can we do? We can only spend money to buy or borrow from outside," Zhang Xuezhou said.

"As His Majesty's close advisors, we shouldn't be facing such difficulties," Sang Hongyang said earnestly. "Is there something wrong with this?"

"This is a huge problem," Zhang Xuezhou waved his hand and said, "Iron smelting and mining shouldn't be privately developed in the first place. It's made us lack everything we need!"

Shouldn't it?

Sang Hongyang's eyelids twitched.

If it weren't for addressing practical needs and discussing them with Zhang Xuezhou, Sang Hongyang felt he would still find it difficult to understand "The Wars of Currency".

It wasn't until Zhang Xuezhou casually retorted that Sang Hongyang realized the serious economic problems plaguing the Great Han Dynasty.

For example, local gentry and wealthy people who occupied land, iron merchants who owned iron smelting and mining, or salt merchants who mined and produced salt—many industries that should not be privately controlled were occupied, which led to the awkward situation where they, as close ministers of the emperor, still had to pay money to rent Pill Furnace.

The ever-expanding network of relationships has surrounded officials with various interest groups, forcing them to act with restraint.

Sang Hongyang was good at accounting and reconciliation, which was different from the direction that Zhang Xuezhou and others were responsible for.

As an official responsible for economic matters, Sang Hongyang felt that under normal circumstances, he should not only point out to Zhang Xuezhou where there were Aristocratic Clan of weapon refiners who could rent Pill Furnace, but should also provide Pill Furnace for use by court officials. This should even be a normal benefit for court officials.

"No wonder His Majesty was reprimanded by the Empress Dowager for an entire morning for mobilizing 100,000 troops; it's all due to the financial losses and trouble!"

The new emperor mobilized a large army to attack Minyue. The army's march would take at least two to three months. The money spent on mobilizing the army was a bottomless pit, and the logistical supplies were extremely expensive.

Every time troops are conscripted back and forth, even the Great Han Dynasty's vast reserves will be depleted.

If the new emperor's true intentions weren't elsewhere, and if his plot against Li Qi could bring immeasurable rewards, then this expedition would be a pure financial loss, and it's no wonder he was reprimanded by the Empress Dowager.

"His Majesty was scolded," Sang Hongyang whispered, "He summoned you several times before ordering the troops to be dispatched. Later, he alone dispatched the troops in the main hall of the Weiyang Palace. Only Zhuang Zhu stepped forward to accept the order; almost everyone else opposed it!"

"What does it have to do with me that His Majesty is being scolded? I don't lead troops into battle, so I don't have any good ideas," Zhang Xuezhou complained.

"I also think it doesn't make sense!"

Sang Hongyang nodded and nodded in agreement. He felt that Wei Qing and others were in charge of military affairs, and Zhang Xuezhou had nothing to do with this military expedition.

He waited for two days before meeting Zhang Xuezhou, and quickly relayed the purpose of his visit.