In Zhao Gao's view, Li Shui bought straw for a penny and sold it for thousands. This was simply fooling the world.

Although Li Shui was free to set the price within one year after the patent law was enacted, such an outrageous price was really unbelievable.

What's more important is that Zhao Teng just didn't stop it, but he didn't even report it. How could he not tell the emperor about such a ridiculous thing?

From this point of view, either Zhao Teng was bribed by Li Shui, or he was deceived by Li Shui.

Zhao Gaogeng believed in the second possibility.

Therefore, he is instigating Liu Mang to impeach Zhao Teng. He hopes to use this energy to let Zhao Teng investigate Li Shui fiercely. The more brutal the investigation, the more innocent Zhao Teng will be shown.

He never expected that Zhao Teng would tell the emperor that there was no problem with Li Shui's price.

Therefore, when Zhao Gao entered the palace, he was at a loss. He couldn't help but think in his heart: "Is this Zhao Teng crazy? He is tying himself to Huai Guzi."

Zhao Gao walked and thought all the way, and finally decided that since Zhao Teng wanted to die, no one could help him. His death was a good time, so he could arrange for his own people to be internal historians and firmly control Xianyang City.

in hand.

Thinking of this, Zhao Gao felt a little excited, and he even couldn't wait to kill Zhao Teng.

When Zhao Teng rushed to Ying Zheng's study, he found that everyone was already there.

Wang Wan, Li Si, Li Xin, and Chun Yuyue. These people were important officials in the court and came to participate in the decision-making.

Zhao Teng, Liu Mang, and Li Shui were the parties involved and also came before the emperor.

After Zhao Gao saluted, Ying Zheng asked him to sit down, and then said calmly: "The ministers already know about Liu Mang's memorial. What do you think about this matter?"

Everyone was very cautious. After all, Li Shui had tricked many people, so they were all a little wary.

Finally, Wang Wan said: "We want to hear Ban Xian's explanation. It would be bad if someone wrongly accuses him."

Ying Zheng looked at Li Shui. Li Shui stood up and said: "Liu Mang's memorial is completely nonsense, spreading rumors and making false accusations, making false accusations, and making trouble. He would be punished if he framed the courtiers. Papermaking technology benefits the country and the people.

It is to create eternal peace for our great Qin Dynasty. Liu Mang deliberately obstructed it, what is his motive? It is clear that he wants to rebel."

When Li Shui got excited, he rushed up and kicked Liu Mang.

Liu Mang felt a little panicked when he heard him scolding him vigorously. When Li Shui rushed up, he subconsciously wanted to hide, but he was kneeling on the ground and had difficulty moving. Before he could escape, he was kicked to the ground.

.

Zhao Gao said dissatisfiedly: "Master Huai, how can you be rude before the emperor?"

Li Shui kicked Liu Mang again and said, "It was a small disrespect for me to beat the thief. It was a disrespect for Master Zhao to instruct Liu Mang to hinder the papermaking technology. Master Zhao, you first instigated Ma Lingshu to falsely accuse me, and then

Instigated Liu Mang to frame me. During this period, you also bribed Mo Zhe and went to Shangjun Courtyard to assassinate me again and again. What is your intention? Are you planning to rebel?"

Zhao Gao was startled and said in a sharp voice: "Don't spit on others. When did I bribe an assassin to kill you?"

Li Shui chuckled: "So, Ma Lingshu and Liu Mang were indeed instigated by you?"

Zhao Gao was a little confused and thought: "What kind of method is this?"

Ying Zheng glanced at Zhao Gao meaningfully and said nothing.

Liu Mang got up from the ground with footprints all over his body and said: "Your Majesty, Huaiguzi is vulgar and rude, and I don't share his understanding. However, regarding papermaking, everything I said is true. Huaiguzi makes huge profits and cannot be denied."

Ying Zheng said to Li Shui: "Huai Guzi, if you explain the matter clearly, I will certainly give you justice. I will find out whether Liu Mang is treasonous. You can no longer act recklessly."

Li Shui responded obediently, and then said: "This matter is easy to explain. First of all, how did Liu Mang know that my papermaking technology would be profitable? The patent law has been implemented, and within one year, papermaking technology will be

It's top secret. Did Lord Liu Mang ever send someone to spy on it? This is a serious crime."

Liu Mang had already prepared for this. He confidently told everyone: "There is a businessman named Jia Huo. A few days ago, he spent 10 million yuan to buy the authorization for papermaking from Huaiguzi, allowing him to make paper.

.”

"After Jia Huo got the authorization, he discovered that the fairy paper was actually made of straw. He was shocked. He felt that Huai Guzi had committed a heinous crime by deceiving the world and stealing his reputation, so he wanted to expose this person's trick."

"Huaiguzi has many comrades in the court. Jia Huo is worried about the protection of the officials. So after thinking about it, he found me. Jia Huo has heard my name and trusts me. Naturally, I will not let him down.

In order to meet my expectations, I wrote a memorial all night to expose this matter."

After listening to this, Li Shui suddenly realized: "It turned out to be Jia Huo who told you. But when he purchased the license that day, he had already signed and pledged it in the patent office. If you dare to reveal the method of making fairy paper, you will be beheaded immediately. Is he crazy?"

Risking being killed to tell you this?"

Zhao Teng testified from the side: "Jia Huo did sign and certify it."

Liu Mang didn't know these details, but he didn't care whether Jia Huo lived or died, he was just a businessman.

So Liu Mang sighed and said: "It can be seen that Huaiguzi has aroused public resentment. Jia Huo, a merchant, is willing to risk his life to expose this matter. He is truly a righteous man."

Zhao Gao looked at Li Shui with a smile on his face to see if there was any other way he could save himself.

Li Shui took his time and said calmly: "What Jia Huo saw was right. I did buy a cart of straw for one penny, and then sold the paper for hundreds or even thousands. But there are a few things he ignored.

.”

"The first thing is, judging from the cost of a piece of paper, it is indeed not high. It is only a few taels of straw at most, which can be said to be worthless. But does it require hiring manpower to turn straw into paper?

Do you need a venue? Do you need a fire to burn firewood?”

Liu Mang sneered: "How much money can be spent on these things together?"

Li Shui nodded and said: "It really doesn't cost much. I just want to remind you that the price of a piece of fairy paper is different from the price of straw. It doesn't take much manpower to make fairy paper today. It can be refined tomorrow.

Does the elixir require thousands of people? Don’t we need to include this money?”

Liu Mang said calmly: "Let's finish talking about the fairy paper first, and then talk about the elixir."

Li Shui nodded and said: "The second thing is profit. It is human nature to seek advantages and avoid disadvantages. If making paper is not profitable, you will even have to lose money. Why should I make paper? This is not laborious.

Isn’t that flattering? Therefore, the price of paper is naturally far higher than the price of straw.”

Liu Mang said: "That's tens of millions of times more, which is a bit exaggerated."

Li Shui said: "There is a third thing. I want to leave some of the remaining money to prepare for the next research. If you are empty-handed and penniless, how can you make something new? I will keep part of the profit from the fairy paper and use it to

It’s time to study the elixir.”

Liu Mang chuckled: "Even if this is the case, your price is too high."

Li Shui said: "The only thing left is the last thing. Yes, the current fairy paper costs less than a penny to put it bluntly. But the first piece of paper cost hundreds of millions of dollars. When divided evenly,

It’s not surprising that fairy paper sells for this price.”

Liu Mang said: "Huaiguzi, you are talking nonsense. How do you need hundreds of millions of dollars to make a piece of paper?"

Li Shui said: "How much money does Brother Liu think it will cost?"

Liu Mang said: "It took one person a few days to make a bundle of straw. Three or five dollars is enough."

Li Shui said in confusion: "Since three or five dollars is enough, why hasn't Brother Liu made fairy paper? He still has to use bamboo pieces to wipe... and write on it?"

Liu Mang was stunned: "I didn't know how to make paper before, so of course I can't do it anymore."

Li Shui sighed: "It seems that you are not stupid. Yes, after learning the art of papermaking, you can make a large pile of fairy paper with no money. But if you don't know the art of papermaking, you will need constant trial and error."

"From leaves to roots, from stones to tiles, from rabbits to roosters. Do you know how many materials I have tested? Do you know how much manpower, material and financial resources I have used?"

"Isn't all this money? It took me several years to finally sum up the method of papermaking. The cost during this period was more than 100 million yuan? Tell me, is this first piece of paper worth 100 million yuan?"

Liu Mang had nothing to say.

Li Shui bowed his hand to Ying Zheng and said neatly: "Your Majesty, Liu Mang falsely accused the court officials and intended to commit rebellion. I ask that he be executed."

Liu Mang's face turned pale and he collapsed to the ground.

Wang Wan couldn't help but said: "Master Huai, in addition to treason, our Daqin has other crimes. In addition to beheading, there are also other punishments."

Li Si also said: "Liu Mang didn't know anything after all. He was also deceived by Jia Huo. First, he was just out of righteous indignation."

Wang Wan and Li Si interceded for Liu Mang, not because they wanted to please Zhao Gao, but because they really sympathized with this guy. If Liu Mang is not a good official, why would he provoke Li Shui? Isn't this looking for death?

Zhao Gao also said angrily: "Lord Huai is always ready to kill people. I'm afraid that in a few months, all the civil and military officials in the dynasty will be killed."

Liu Mang also reacted, knelt on the ground, and said to Ying Zheng tremblingly: "Your Majesty, I am a mortal, I don't know the joints. I... I am ashamed, I..."

When Liu Mang said this, he suddenly paused, raised his head in confusion, and glanced at Li Shui.

Immediately afterwards, a confused smile appeared on Liu Mang's face: "Master Huai, I just remembered something. Aren't you an immortal from heaven? This immortal paper is also a thing from the immortal world. You have already known how to make paper.

Technique, right? In that case, does it also require years of trial and error for you to make fairy paper?"

As soon as this statement came out, everyone was stunned.
Chapter completed!