Chapter 1862 - The Persuader

Liu San started, for in Lingao the ice-pop business was mostly monopolized by the Red Flower Society, and the Red Flower Society used enameled insulated containers across the board. No one used wooden boxes and cotton quilts. After coming to Guangzhou, he hadn't failed to notice that local vendors used different equipment—he had simply assumed from memory of Lingao conditions that it was the same here.

Being caught out like this was rather embarrassing. Throughout today's conversation, he had held the initiative. Watching this historically renowned figure do nothing but nod, ask questions, and agree while he held forth, he had grown condescending. He hadn't expected to be challenged on an error, and the other party's casually understated question had left him flustered.

He cursed himself for being muddle-headed. Ice-pop vendors using wooden boxes and cotton quilts—this was true not only in Guangzhou but even in the old timeline! What small vendor ever used an enameled vat to sell popsicles? He had completely forgotten!

The example had been a stretch to begin with. Now that Zhang Dai had pointed it out, Liu San suddenly realized that the entire conversation had been meaningless—he hadn't actually convinced Zhang Dai of anything fundamental. The only reason Zhang Dai had maintained such a humble attitude was, first, that he was genuinely interested in these "cunning trifles" and was willing to listen to Liu San ramble; and second, Liu San had the authority of a "local host," so Zhang Dai had no choice but to listen.

"These pedantic scholars—truly incorrigible reactionary literati!" Liu San cursed inwardly, looking at Zhang Dai's calm expression.

He gave a couple of dry laughs: "You're quite right, sir. That example was indeed inappropriate."

Zhang Dai intended to visit Lingao, and this "Master of Runshitang" who had lectured at length was the "local host." Going to Lingao would require his considerable assistance, so he naturally couldn't leave the man at a loss. He said, "Actually, I do understand what Doctor Liu means. These half-grown children in Guangli who rent enameled vats to sell ice pops can support themselves for two reasons: first, that the Guangnan and Hainan climates are mild year-round, and even households of modest means are willing to buy treats to cool off; second, the power of technique makes it possible to produce ice in these 'scorching southern lands by the fire of noon.' Without this capability, such a charitable endeavor could not be accomplished."

This was an acknowledgment that "the power of technique" benefited "people's livelihoods," but with a caveat—it required "favorable conditions of time and place." Not that cunning trifles alone could change heaven and earth.

Liu San thought to himself that this scholar truly had a way with words. The plans he and Wumu and Mayor Liu had developed contained more than a little self-satisfaction.

After speaking a few sentences, Zhang Dai fell silent again, clearly waiting for Liu San to continue.

Having come this far, Liu San had no choice but to soldier on and complete the routine.

"You're quite right, sir; favorable conditions are indeed essential." Liu San said, "Beyond 'benefiting people's livelihoods,' the principles of technology themselves have great applications for the military, the state, and the people!" He tried to steer the topic in the direction they had discussed.

Zhang Dai maintained his smile. He now understood: from Shopkeeper Yang to Element Liu, despite their different identities, both were performing the work of "persuaders."

As for their purpose—nothing more than to proclaim that the Australians' "cunning trifles" were a "true Way" equal to or even superior to the Way of Confucius.

To be fair, Zhang Dai was not averse to the Australians' "cunning trifles." During his stay in Guangzhou, he had read many Australian books and newspapers and heard the discussions of the Jade Source Society. He held a positive view of various Australian practices. But in his view, these were merely "techniques"—beneficial to the nation and people when used well, harmful to human nature when used badly. They were far from constituting "the Way," much less surpassing "the Great Way."

However, he had no intention of debating with the Australians. From their elaborate arrangements, it was clear they hoped to win him over. This made him both wary and somewhat gratified—yet his gratification was tinged with resentment: even these overseas Australians valued him so highly, yet the court treated him as nothing!

"Please continue, sir. I am all ears."

"Master Zhang is also a student of history, and surely knows that the northern barbarians have always lacked iron." Liu San took his time, beginning with a historical narrative. "When the Mongol-Yuan fled back to the northern steppes, their iron supply was cut off, so they used bone arrowheads. When the Eastern Barbarians raised their rebellion, their entire family fortune amounted to no more than a dozen suits of armor handed down from their ancestors. The Liao, Jin, and Mongol-Yuan did have proper military equipment—but the reason was simply that from Liao times onward, they possessed the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun, given them by the 'Child Emperor.' With Han people to farm and smelt iron for them, the Liao, Jin, and Yuan were stronger than all other northern barbarians in history." Liu San began to propagate his tool-history worldview.

Actually, this argument had holes. Setting aside Tibet, even the Western Xia—also a northern barbarian state—had a well-developed iron industry with excellent armor and weapons, and they had never occupied the Sixteen Prefectures. The Türks of Sui and Tang smelted iron on the steppes without relying on Han craftsmen.

Zhang Dai nodded. He knew the Mongols lacked iron. One of the great businesses of the Shanxi merchants was trading beyond the passes with the Mongols—a venture yielding a hundredfold profit. Iron pots were among the Mongols' favorite goods. Whether the Mongols really needed so many "iron pots" was none of the merchants' concern. Quite a few northern gentry were involved in this trade. In the capital, it was an open secret.

Liu San nodded in acknowledgment and said, "Since they lack iron, there is demand. Where there is demand, there is a market; where there is demand, there is profit. A great sage of Australian Song said, 'With 10% profit, it will be used everywhere; with 20% profit, it becomes active; with 50% profit, it will risk everything; for 100% profit, it will trample all human laws; for 300% profit, it will commit any crime, even at the risk of the gallows.'" After delivering this "famous saying" known to every Element, Liu San deliberately paused, waiting for Zhang Dai to absorb it.

Though unfamiliar with "percent" phrasing, Zhang Dai had read enough Australian publications over the past months to know that 10% meant "one-tenth" and 100% profit meant "doubling." His mind made the conversion quickly, and he understood immediately. "A marvelous saying! It lays bare the nature of merchants pursuing profit!" Zhang Dai applauded.

"Frankly speaking, the greatest demand for iron is still household goods. In a single household, the iron pot weighs several jin, the hoe and plow heads another few jin, nails and miscellany add up to a jin or so—divided among the household members, each person has a jin or two of iron. How much iron does an army equipped only with swords and spears use? Most foot soldiers carry spears; a spear looks big, but the spearhead weighs only a few jin. A quiver of arrows, counting just the arrowheads, weighs only a few ounces." Liu San continued his analysis.

Though Zhang Dai had never seen front-line soldiers or combat troops, Nanjing was one of the two capitals; its standing garrison might be slack, but the framework was there. In the past, when touring Nanjing with friends from the society, he had observed them. Thinking back now, not only did ordinary soldiers use only a few ounces of iron, even some centurions and junior officers wore paper armor; the only real iron on their persons was a sword for show—perhaps a few jin at most.

But once firearms entered the picture, iron consumption soared. A single three-eyed firearm required at least ten jin of iron, and the military's firearms amounted to an enormous total.

Zhang Dai still remembered an imperial edict in the dibao gazette from the Tianqi reign, listing the firearms quantities in the Liaodong armies: apart from the first- and second-class bombards, which numbered in single digits, various "border divine cannons," "crouching tiger divine cannons," first- and second-class Franks, and iron-pellet cannons were numbered in the hundreds. As for iron chain-shot cannons, iron three-eye guns, and bird-arquebuses, those were counted in the thousands. The iron consumption was obvious.

As for the Australians' forces before him—they were renowned for firearms and especially skilled with artillery, capable of "laying waste to dozens of li in a single shot." It was said that casting a single "General Cannon" required hundreds of thousands of jin of material. The Australians were also experts at building great iron ships—leaving aside whether such vessels could float, their sheer bulk must contain tens of millions of jin of iron. Each ship carried dozens of "great cannons." The amount of iron in Australian Song's military must be an astronomical figure. Zhang Dai made a noncommittal response and waited for Liu San to continue.

"To guard against the Mongols, the court banned iron exports. Because even if you sell iron pots, they can melt them down and reforge weapons. But this embargo has little effect: since Mongol demand is strong, merchants find ways to smuggle. Of course, smuggling isn't limited to iron—salt and grain are also major contraband. Whether the distant Mongols or the nearby Eastern Barbarians, there are merchants smuggling goods to them. The principle, again: where there is demand, there is a market; where there is a market, there is profit."

Hearing this, Zhang Dai couldn't help thinking of several friends in the society who loved to discuss current affairs. At one gathering, they had said that the Eastern Barbarians' last raid into the capital region was fundamentally enabled by traitorous Shanxi merchants who had guided them. His heart sank, and he sighed involuntarily. Of course, Zhang Dai didn't know that those friends had gained their "insight" from a secretly circulated issue of an Australian-published political analysis magazine.

Admittedly, great cannons, fast guns, and iron ships all relied on "cunning trifles." But this Doctor Liu had taken such a roundabout route—clearly not just to say this.

"Of the five metals, only gold and tin resist rust." Liu San paused; seeing Zhang Dai nod after brief reflection, he knew the man had this "common knowledge" and didn't need further explanation. "But the ancients long ago knew that pure smelted copper is soft and unsuitable for casting. Bronze, made by mixing copper with tin ore, is not only suitable for casting but produces harder objects. Thus in the Three Dynasties, weapons and ritual vessels were mostly bronze.

"Yet though bronze is harder than pure copper, it's brittle. The small coins and inferior coins on the market, heavily mixed with lead and tin, crack into eight pieces at the slightest bump. The reason is simply that mixing in tin changes the material properties."

(End of Chapter)