Chapter 16 Sugarcane Can Move History (I)

  Gonghou Garden (Imperial Flower Garden)

  Wan Chunting

  "What's sugarcane decoloration technology?" Queenie read out loud. Her puzzled gaze inevitably landed on Yang.

  "...syrup is mixed with yellow mud water...can be initially obtained white granulated sugar... crude white granulated sugar after water bath method further purification, can get fine white like snow white sugar..."

  Facing the Queen Father's doubts, Yang Reform smiled: "Old father-in-law have you ever eaten brown sugar? Red sand sugar?"

  "Your Majesty, I have eaten."

  "Hmm, have you ever had frost sugar? Have you seen sugar that's even whiter than frost sugar? Pure white like snow, without a single impurity..." Yang Reform asked.

  "Your Majesty... it's not that I, your old minister, am boasting, but I have indeed tasted frost sugar. However, if you say there is something whiter than frost sugar, without a single impurity, I haven't seen it yet. Probably, such sugar doesn't exist in this world." The Queen's father replied very affirmatively. Frost sugar was a luxury item, and what were luxury items for? They were prepared for people like the Queen's father. So, when it came to such things, the Queen's father could be considered an expert.

  "Hmm, very good, old man, the book in your hand records the method of making white sugar. You said that if you produce this white sugar, what will happen?" Yang reform was like Grey Wolf tempting Lazy Sheep with sparkling white sugar, tempting the emperor's father.

  The Queen's old father fell into deep thought and muttered to himself: "...... pure white sugar without impurities......" As he continued to mutter, it was as if a magician reciting profound incantations, the more he muttered, the stronger the effect, until finally, the Queen's old father's eyes were filled with "starlight", filled with "power", and filled with "silver".

  "Your Majesty, if we can really produce such white sugar, I dare to guarantee that the sales will not be a problem! This silver, can be piled up into a mountain of gold!" As he spoke, the Queen's father had already shown some "hand-waving and foot-stomping" meaning, if it weren't for the Emperor being right in front of him, he probably would have jumped up excitedly.

  "Heh heh, old man, just knowing is good enough. Take this book back and study it carefully, then find a reliable person to thoroughly research it... the most important thing..." Yang Gaizhi sold a pass. To be honest, Yang Gaizhi wasn't purely doing it for the sake of making a profit from the difference in prices between white sugar and brown sugar, although that was a lot of money."

  "Your Majesty, what is most important?" The Queen's father was already impatient, this huge secret of making silver was not the main thing?

  "Yes, that's it. Old man, you do this, and this year, immediately send people to Guangdong, Guangxi, or Hainan to buy up large tracts of sugarcane fields, then form sugarcane plantations, and use the sugarcane decolorization technology to produce white sugar, sell it to Jiangnan and Beijing, at that time many people will know you made a fortune selling white sugar, they will ask how you got rich, you just boast that you bought a lot of land in Guangdong, Guangxi, or Hainan, or Ryukyu to plant sugarcane, and then processed it into white sugar, making money as easy as planting silver in the ground, with huge profits. This way, many people will follow you to buy land and plant sugarcane, and they will also be interested in your sugarcane decolorization technology, you can pretend to be unwilling to sell, then wait for an opportunity to sell it at a high price while ensuring the technology doesn't leak out. You have to ensure that the sugarcane decolorization technology doesn't leak out, but also ensure that those who follow you to Guangdong and Guangxi to buy land and plant sugarcane make money. This way, next year, even more people will follow you to Guangdong and Guangxi to buy land and plant sugarcane..." Yang Gaizhi said up to here, his mouth was a bit dry, he picked up the teacup on the table and took a few sips of tea, preparing to continue talking about his "big plan".

  The emperor's father-in-law couldn't help but ask anxiously: "Your Majesty, since I've already got the sugar bleaching technique, why give it to others and let them profit from it? Why not keep it for ourselves and make money from it forever?" In the eyes of the emperor's father-in-law, a huge mountain of gold was flying away. He couldn't wait any longer.

  The emperor's old man's brain is almost not enough, thinking that this emperor is so stupid! Such a technology of sugarcane decolorization that can bring great wealth, actually wants to hand it over to others, this emperor is probably crazy and confused. Of course, he dare not say it out loud, just muttering to himself.

  "Cough, cough... It's like this! Old man, I won't hide it from you, the money earned from sugar cane is what I want, but it's not the most important thing. The key is to make those big landowners and merchants in Jiangnan believe that planting sugarcane in Guangdong can make a profit. Hehe, once they've set their sights on Guangdong and bought up all the land, you'll guide them to gradually move to Ryukyu, Vietnam... hmm, also Annan, that is, Jiaozhi, to buy land and plant sugarcane... then... further away..." Yang reformed his throat, taking another sip of water.

  "Your Majesty, why is this?" The Queen's father was not clever enough and couldn't think of what it was for. Ryukyu? That's an island in the sea! Annan, Jiaozhi? That's a remote corner! Ten thousand li or twenty thousand li? The Queen's father was completely dizzy. His thoughts were pulled from the capital to Annan, and due to the overwhelming burden, they snapped.

  "...those landlords and merchants who have made money and tasted the sweetness will naturally take a large amount of silver to buy land in even more distant places... Hehe, this way, it is certain that many people will be needed, which can alleviate the population tension and land shortage in our dynasty. Old man, do you understand my painstaking efforts?" Yang Reform devoted all his energy to finding a way out for the Great Ming Dynasty.

  If the emperor said it here, and the queen's father still didn't understand, then he really was an idiot. This is obviously a disguised immigration plan. The large-scale migration of the Ming Dynasty has been done before, Zhu Yuanzhang did it, and it is said that Shanxi's "Big Oak Tree" is the starting point for immigrants.

  However, immigration costs money, and under the current government's economic situation and administrative execution ability, it is impossible to implement immigration. Yang's reform can only be a flash in the pan.

  "Your Majesty has worked hard, for the sake of the people's livelihood, you have exhausted your mind and body! You are indeed the wise ruler of our great Ming dynasty, Your Majesty..." The Empress Dowager's old father had already tearfully and snot-nosedly sent over a steady stream of flattery.

  "Haha, old man, I don't trust anyone else with this matter. Firstly, I'm afraid they can't protect the secret of the sugarcane decolorization technology. Secondly, the two Guang provinces are too far away, and ordinary people may not be able to handle those local tyrants. It requires someone like you to keep them in check. Moreover, old man, you must have many acquaintances in Beijing and Jiangnan, with extensive connections that can effectively entice those landlords and merchants to follow you to the two Guang provinces to plant sugarcane. Haha, once the trend of planting sugarcane starts, I'm not worried they won't find their own way." Yang Gaizhi said, no matter what, he had to give it a try.

  "Your Majesty is truly wise..." The Queen's father continued to flatter without end.

  "Old man, but I must say this beforehand. This time you go out, it's not just about promoting the sugarcane wind, but also to organize these sugarcane people and set up a sugar industry association to unify the sales price of white sugar, so as not to mess up the pricing and disrupt the market, understand?"

  "Your Majesty, I understand. I will remember it in my heart." The Queen's father knelt down and kowtowed properly again. In the Ming Dynasty, no one would not get along with silver, and when it comes to money, can't you be a bit more proper?

  "Ah, rise up! And this money earned, the most I can give you is 20%... As the Emperor's father-in-law, you should understand my difficulties. If I were still the Emperor of the Great Ming Dynasty, your daughter would still be the Empress of the Great Ming Dynasty, and you would still be the Emperor's father-in-law... Alas! If we lose due to lack of military pay, the country will be destroyed, and your daughter will have to die with me. You won't be a father-in-law anymore, but someone else's slave, trampled underfoot... Ah, national affairs are difficult indeed! Think about it yourself...

  Also, I must send people to collect taxes. Prepare all the tax money, don't embezzle or let others do so. Understand?" Yang reminded him.