Daming: Lend the system to Emperor Hongwu at the beginning

Chapter 28 Royal Steel Firm
The banquet is over.

But the turmoil about knighthood is far from the past.

At the banquet, Zhu Yuanzhang only revealed the total number of titles to be awarded and the title of Xu Da, but he did not mention others.

In the next few days, Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Biao were very busy.

Zhu Yuanzhang was busy summoning heroes and nobles, talking alone, and doing ideological work.

Compared with the simple and rude when he was knighted in the previous life, he announced it directly.

Obviously, after reading the history of Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang, who has evolved, is more handy for the job of the emperor.

Zhu Biao was busy with another errand given to him by Zhu Yuanzhang, and established the first firm under the jurisdiction of the Daming National Commercial Guild, the full name of the Royal Steel Firm.

This firm was proposed by Zhu Biao, and Zhu Yuanzhang decided to establish it after repeated consideration.

As the name suggests, the firm is state-owned, and its main business is steel smelting.

In the early years of the Ming Dynasty, iron and steel smelting was basically controlled by the government, and was used to manufacture armor, knives and guns. However, as wars became less and less, by the 15th year of Hongwu, the amount of pig iron in stock had already increased to a huge amount. remaining.

Zhu Yuanzhang even stopped many large state-owned iron smelting plants because of this, and opened the mines to private merchants, charging only one-fifteenth of the tax.

To be honest, Zhu Biao does not agree with this operation.

Steel, like grain and salt, belongs to a country's lifeline industry. The development of this industry involves almost every aspect of the national economy and people's livelihood. If a country wants to develop, the output of steel must increase, and the bulk of it must be in the hands of the country.

This is why Zhu Biao established the Royal Steel Firm.

He has already obtained five high-quality iron mines from Zhu Yuanzhang to form this iron and steel firm.

If the business runs well in the future, he is also ready to continue to increase its scale.

He has also chosen the specific person to run the steel firm.

"Boss Shen, don't be nervous. I'm not a father and I don't have such a big prejudice against businessmen."

"On the contrary, I think that businessmen can promote a country's economy to a certain extent!" Zhu Biao looked at the fat old man sitting on the chair and didn't dare to sit down, so he couldn't help but comfort him with a warm smile on his face.

"His Royal Highness can see Xiao Lao'er, it's a little old man's honor. If there is anything that needs Xiao Lao'er, His Royal Highness just orders it, and Xiao Lao'er will definitely not have any complaints."

Shen Wansan said with a thud and knelt on the ground again, saying with sincerity and fear.

He was originally from Suzhou Prefecture, and it would not be an exaggeration to describe him with a wealth of wealth, but once he had more money, he wanted to pursue something else.

Lao Shen has no other hobbies, and his only wish in life is to have an official addiction.

When Zhang Shicheng was in great power, he once supported Zhang Shicheng's Dazhou regime and helped him with money.

Lao Zhang is sincere, and indeed he is both an official and a statue.

After Zhu Yuanzhang defeated Zhang Shicheng and made Nanjing the capital, he repeated his old tricks and took a lot of money to help Lao Zhu, who was still poor and white at the time, build two-thirds of the Nanjing City Wall.

At the same time, he also tried his best to make friends with the civil and military officials under the command of Lao Zhu.

When Lao Zhu was kidnapped by profiteers, he was almost killed by profiteers. He had a lot of opinions on businessmen. Now, when you look at the good guys, you are a collusion between officials and businessmen, and you want to oppress the people!

I was instantly unhappy.

When he finished repairing the city wall, Lao Zhu made a random excuse and put him in a prison, and even planned to kill his whole family...

If it wasn't for the persuasion of his own mother, that is, Queen Ma, it is estimated that Shen Wansan would have gone to see the King of Hell by now.

Originally, this old guy was going to be assigned to the frontier, but now he was asked by Zhu Biao.

Shen Wansan had personally experienced political volatility and almost scared the old man to death, but now he is naturally very obedient.

"Get up and talk!" Zhu Biao waved his hand helplessly, and the little eunuch next to him understood, and ran over to pull the 50-year-old old Shen up.

"I asked you to come here this time because I want you to help me!"

Zhu Biaoyan went straight to preaching: "This is the planning book I asked someone to write about the Royal Steel Firm. I am a layman in business, so please help me with specific staff?"

Shen Wansan took Zhu Biao's plan tremblingly and read it seriously.

Although he doesn't understand steelmaking, he understands business!

With just two glances, he keenly sensed the huge business opportunity.

"Reporting to His Royal Highness, if it is as stated in the book, if there is a new steel-making method that can double the efficiency of the current steel-making method, then it is naturally no problem."

"More than double!"

Zhu Biao shook his head. After more than 200 years of development, the iron and steelmaking technology of the Ming Dynasty has made great technological progress. The first is the enlargement and optimization of the blast furnace. This alone can increase the efficiency by [-]%.

The second is that the fuel changes from charcoal and coal to coke, which increases the efficiency by another [-]%.

There is also the general application of the duplex method. One set of processes directly smelts mature iron from pig iron, and then smelts it into steel, which greatly optimizes the complicated steps of steelmaking.

In addition, there is the use of flux.

It can be explained in this way that after more than 200 years of vigorous development and barbaric growth of iron-making and steel-making technology at the end, the entire system has been optimized, far exceeding the current level.

Some of these techniques have even been used in modern times.

"What kind of iron products did His Royal Highness set up this iron and steel firm to produce?"

"Is it a farm tool or... a weapon!" Shen Wansan asked cautiously.

He was frightened by Zhu Yuanzhang, and he was already a little bit like a soldier. Such a steel chamber of commerce with the background of the imperial court and behind the scenes of the prince was very sensitive at first sight. He was really afraid of getting involved in a larger political whirlpool.

"Just don't worry!"

"Our iron and steel firm only produces farm implements, as well as iron products for civilian use such as iron pots and sewing needles. We won't touch any guns, cannons, or anything else, it's all a matter of the war." Zhu Biao said with a smile.

Of course, this is only the early stage. When this steel firm has formed a scale, or what new technology will be obtained in the next different world, what will be produced at that time, even Zhu Biao himself does not know.

"So little old man can rest assured, little old man is at His Royal Highness's command." Shen Wansan breathed a long sigh of relief, and he didn't ask anything else.

After all, what is the problem with a firm endorsed by the imperial court and supported by the prince?

"There are some questions, I still have to make it clear with you in advance!"

"This iron and steel firm's mines, workers, technology, and start-up capital are all provided by the imperial court. You are only responsible for selecting the site to set up the factory, management and production. I will not interfere in this regard. At the same time, if there are any difficulties and problems in the operation process, you can also You can come to me and I will send someone to solve it for you."

"I only have one request, to expand the scale as much as possible and improve the output and efficiency of iron and steel making."

"If there are workers who can optimize the steps of making iron and steel, you can report it to me, and there will be a reward."

Zhu Biao pondered for a while when he said this, and then said: "I won't give you a salary anymore, 5.00% of the annual net profit is yours, what do you think?"

This 5.00% is not a share, but something similar to a performance award. It seems like a lot, but in fact, it can only be regarded as a blank check for the steel firm that is still just an empty shell.

Of course, the future achievements of this firm with the background of the imperial court are limitless. Coupled with Shen Wansan's business methods and experience, it is even more likely that it will become a super giant across the country.

But this ratio can be changed in the future.

This point, even as smart as Shen Wansan would not fail to understand.

But even so, Lao Shen was still happy.

the reason is simple.

First, he is not really interested in silver anymore.

Second, taking the helm of such a steel firm is of great benefit to him and his family. After all, this is a serious royal business background.

In the future, he may even get rid of the identity of a businessman with this background and officially enter the official career.

And that's what he really wanted.

(End of this chapter)