Daming Yuanfu

Chapter 38: On Salt and Iron (Part [-])
In fact, while talking with Gao Gong, Gao Yushi secretly thought in his heart: What is the reason why Sanbo talked to himself about the importance of the country's financial management?

He didn't think that Gao Gong used this level of government affairs to discuss with an eight-year-old child because Gao Gong took a glance at his nephew, because Gao Gong was confident enough in his own ability; Cultivate his ability to handle government affairs so that he will avoid detours in the future, because in the eyes of their elders, now is the time for him to lay a good foundation for learning, and he should try to avoid distractions; Chatting, because he is an old and dignified emperor, Zaifu, time is very precious, how can it be so leisurely?
Thinking about it, the little brow frowned.

Gao Gong also noticed the change in Gao Yushi, but he still kept smiling, and asked: "What are you thinking?" Then he paused for a while, and then said: "Let me guess...you are thinking, Sanbo asked me What are these intentions?"

Gao Wushi hesitated for a while, and said with a dry smile, "Third Uncle really... this, you can see thousands of miles away."

Gao Gong gently tapped the armrest of the Taishi chair with his right index finger, squinted his eyes, and asked: "I can see thousands of miles? I really dare not take it... For example, when you made that soap, I didn't know you I would think of it as a big event, let alone mass production."

Gao Wushi was really taken aback, and quickly asked, "How do you know?"

"Hey, you have caused such a big battle in the mansion. If I still don't know, I'm afraid that you will demolish the house one day. I don't know...Your third uncle and I are very poor. Although the house is not big, But at the beginning, it also cost me seven or eight years of savings, if it burns down, then we, uncle and nephew, will have to borrow to live in Chongfu Temple." Gao Gong rarely looked serious, but smiled He looked at Gao Wushi with a non-smile: "But think about it carefully, if it really burns, it's just that I go to live in the temple. After all, you still have a courtyard in the west of Beijing. I heard that the courtyard is not only big enough, but also nearby. There is also a huge mountain forest? Well, it is also a good place to study and learn, and it is much better than the noisy place of Zen and bell ringing in the temple."

Gao Wushi became more and more embarrassed: "Sanbo..."

"There is no need to explain so much." Gao Gong gradually withdrew his smile, but his face was still calm, and asked: "I have been watching you all day for the past two years, and I still know a little about you, and I also know that although you are young , but I understand a lot of truths, it’s just that sometimes my thoughts are a little weird... Forget it, tell Sanbo about your plan.”

Gao Yushi opened his mouth and wanted to explain, but after looking at Gao Gong's face, he finally decided to ask for it from the truth—honesty is an important requirement for any elder to his juniors, as long as Gao Yushi still needs the golden signboard of Gao Gong , you cannot lie to him.And judging from the current situation, Gao Yushi feels that there may be a chance to be lenient if he confesses, instead of being imprisoned.

"Third Uncle, it's a long story, can you let me think about where to start?" Gao Wushi hesitated, and finally said.

Gao Gong seemed to be a little surprised this time, but he still nodded, and while reaching out to pick up his own teacup, he said flatly: "Yes, you can answer after thinking about it."

Gao Wushi also picked up his already cold teacup, sipping it slowly, frowning and pondering carefully.

After a long while, he suddenly raised his head and said, "Uncle San, I feel that many systems in Daming are no longer suitable for this era."

Gao Gong raised his head in astonishment, the tea he was holding almost poured out, he hesitated for a moment, and frowned: "You have been thinking for a long time, and you just want to say this? Is this related to the fact that you made that soap and plan to mass-produce it?"

Gao Yushi put away the childish innocence that he often pretended on weekdays, and said seriously: "You talked about financial management with your nephew just now. In fact, there is a question that my nephew has always wanted to ask: How much is my annual income in Ming Dynasty? How much is my annual income in Song Dynasty? Why is Ming Dynasty Finances are so difficult, yet the ex-Song government treasury is so full? Could it be that I, Ming, are really so impoverished?"

Gao Gong was holding the teacup, motionless, he realized that he didn't know where to start, and after a long while, he said: "My Emperor Taizu was born in a difficult situation, and later he got a great treasure. Light and thin..."

Gao Yushi interrupted his uncle quite unreasonably this time: "In fact, Ming Dynasty may not be poorer than Song Dynasty."

Gao Gong was stunned: "Why do you say that?"

Gao Yushi stood up and paced back and forth, "I'm only sure that our dynasty is wider than Song Dynasty, and there has been no huge expense in the past hundred years. There is no such thing as the so-called suburban old coins and shrines in Song Dynasty. , However, Yinzi is limited to military positions, and there are not many civil servants. The ministers examine the positions of the divisions, and there are 65 households in Hongwuzhong, 870 hectares of cultivated land, and 840 stones of tax and grain. Although the number of household registrations is slightly comparable to that of the Song Dynasty, it is far too far to cultivate land today. The income is more, and the expenses are less than that. , non-Song comparable". (Wufeng Note: It comes from Qiu Jun's "Foot Country Use Discussion".)
After repeating Qiu Jun's words, Gao Yushi added: "Also, according to my nephew's research, during the reign of Huangyou in the Northern Song Dynasty, 720 jin of iron was produced annually, and in the early Southern Song Dynasty, 2106 jin of iron was produced every year. In the early years of Hongwu in the Ming Dynasty, I produced 140 jin of iron. The output in the early years of Hongwu was nearly three times that of the Northern Song Dynasty, and more than eight times that of the early Southern Song Dynasty. The war damaged production somewhat, but the pig iron output of the government-run iron smelter was still maintained at 840 jin. In the ninth year of Xuande, even if the government-run iron smelter was not counted, the pig iron output of the private iron smelter alone reached 26 catties. 840 taels of catties, and from the Jiajing period of the first emperor to the present, it has reached about 7606 million catties. It can be seen that in terms of iron smelting alone, our Ming Dynasty has increased by about eight times compared to the previous Song Dynasty." (Wufeng Note: The data here refers to In fact, it is only the amount of tax levied by the court, and the real production volume is much higher than this. Of course, the comparison here is the tax amount of the Song and Ming dynasties.)
Gao Gong frowned and said, "You say that Song Fuming is poor, and at the same time give examples of the huge gap in iron smelting production. Isn't this a paradox?"

"Sanbo, this is exactly what my nephew wants to talk about." Gao Wushi said with a serious expression, "First of all, I must create a term: gross national product."

"Gross national product?" Gao Gong frowned and pondered for a moment, hesitating slightly, and asked, "You mean...the goods produced by the entire Ming people?"

"Uh... that's pretty much what it means." Gao Wushi said while thinking: This is much worse, but now I can only explain it this way.

(End of this chapter)