Cutting 1719

Chapter 431 Strengthening Propaganda
"Father, mother, since ancient times, loyalty and righteousness have been in a dilemma. I am afraid that my son will not be able to fulfill your filial piety in this battle!"

"My son, don't worry, your majesty has a decree, and the government has an order, to kill the enemy and serve the country!"

"Father! Mother!"

The three people on the stage hugged each other tightly, and after a few seconds of freezing, they faced the auditorium below the stage together, and bowed deeply together with several other people pouring out from behind the scenes.

Ning Yu sat in the auditorium below the stage and applauded first, and the other officials followed suit and began to applaud. For a while, the applause in the whole theater was extremely enthusiastic.

"Okay, okay, this kind of drama is enough to shock people's hearts, so that more people can accept it!"

With a smile on his face, Ning Yu looked at Cui Wancai, the cabinet assistant sitting beside him, and said: "In the future, on the battlefield of the Northern Expedition, there will be more stage plays, which can better play a role in boosting morale. .”

Cui Wancai smiled bitterly and said: "Your Majesty, since the completion of the National Grand Theater, there have been many new stage plays, but they are a little more straightforward. Many people say that it is better to watch Kunqu Opera or Erhuang."

At present, the National Center for the Performing Arts has not really opened, so the reputation among scholars is not very good. It is almost equivalent to the existence of Goulan Washe, just like the newspapers at the time. It is impossible for things that are too simple and easy to understand Lin's favorite, and even greatly disparaged.

Ning Yu nodded slightly. Of course he knew that this kind of stage play brought by Ernst from the West would not be liked by princes and ministers. The main reason is that compared with traditional plays such as Kunqu Opera and Erhuang, it is really It was too indecent, even a little blunt, but Ning Yu still chose to support it vigorously, and even built a grand theater to support this new stage play.

The reason is very simple. The stage play is not an elegant art for the princes and ministers at all, but a play specially for the soldiers of the army. Only when it is easy to understand, simple and straightforward, can the needs of the soldiers be better met.

"If it's really Kunqu opera and Erhuang, I'm afraid it won't be popular in the army. If it's just a drama for a small number of people, would I still pay so much attention to this matter? This matter is of great importance, not you It's as simple as you think."

Ning Yu couldn't help sighing in a low voice, these gentry officials always impose their own preferences on the people of the world, thinking that their own preferences can cover everything, that is, elegant, as for others, they are all vulgar, this kind of Self-righteous ideas almost covered most of the gentry officials.But the fact is that what the common people like has never had much to do with elegance.

After returning to the palace, Ning Yu also summoned the cabinet ministers, the Privy Council's Privy Council, the Privy Council's Deputy Envoy, etc., looked at the crowd, and said with a smile: "After reading this "Ding Southwest", let's talk about it. How do you feel?"

Although Ning Zhongjing, chief minister of the cabinet, was busy with state affairs, he still took the time to watch the show, Fu Xu said softly: "If you just look at it for viewing, although it is not as good as Anhui opera and Kunqu opera, it still has some characteristics, and the story is not bad. Yes, it’s a little more straightforward.”

Ning Zhongyi, deputy envoy of the Privy Council, was moved in his heart, and said with a smile: "Your Majesty, I think it's not bad after reading it, although the story in it is slightly exaggerated, for example, that Xue Zhongjing did kill seven chieftain soldiers under the city of Guiyang, But he didn't die in battle, and he didn't have a wife to marry waiting for him, but overall, it's quite good."

Ning Zhongquan, Shangshu of the Ministry of Education, said in a deep voice: "It's nothing. After all, it's a performance. It's nothing to exaggerate. It's just that I think that if this method is used to reward the army, the effect will be quite good."

Ning Yu nodded slightly, and said softly: "The Northern Expedition is about to usher in. If such a song and dance troupe can be organized, it must have a very good effect on morale. As for the National Grand Theater, it can also be open to the public on weekdays. , to deduce some heroic deeds that happened on our front line, it must also play an inspiring role."

"Besides, on weekdays, newspapers, dramas, novels, etc. may seem inconspicuous, but if the imperial court uses them properly, they will be good tools for governing government affairs. No matter how cold it is, it can even better mobilize the enthusiasm of the people."

Propaganda is always an extremely important battlefield. Ning Yu uses newspapers, stage plays, and some new forms of publicity that may appear in the future. Naturally, the purpose is not just to have fun for the people, but always has his own purpose. exist.

It's like the imperial court is about to go to war. It needs to boost morale and encourage the people to join the army. You can use these propaganda methods to let more people take the initiative to join the army. Not only can you better maintain combat effectiveness, but it also saves a lot of trouble. .

For another example, if the imperial court wants to implement the Industry 1.0 plan, in order to reduce the opposition of the people, it will naturally use these methods to publicize the benefits they will bring in the future, so as to avoid greater friction and conflicts.

Whether it is painting a big cake or actually practicing it, it needs to be spoken out, and it needs to be spread to the ears of the people in order to have a real effect, and these means of cultural communication are excellent. way of publicity.

Speaking of this, everyone can naturally understand what Ning Yu meant, but Ning Zhongjing, Cui Wancai and others are more or less worried. What they are worried about is not other things, but the conflict of ideas behind it. That is to say, this kind of propaganda is essentially mobilizing the masses. Although it is very useful, it is also a double-edged sword.

Therefore, whether it is newspapers, dramas or even novels, it is essentially a process of enlightening people's wisdom. Only when people have their own ideas, will they be moved or even other emotions from it. The problem is that this kind of thinking is not necessarily completely If it is beneficial to the court, what should I do if it is used by someone with a heart in the future?
After Ning Yu listened to the worries expressed by Ning Zhongjing and others, he didn't feel too surprised, because the essence of this problem is the biggest conflict point of this era, not one of them.

Strictly speaking, since the advent of muskets, the form of war has been gradually changing. After the musket technology gradually matured, the traditional mode of warfare was completely subverted, which also changed the key factors in the war.

In classical warfare, everyone usually practiced the strategy of elite soldiers. The number of real front-line combat troops was always controlled at a low level. At this time, the quality of the army was greater than the quantity. Only a part of the elite was enough to lead a big battle. Therefore, the Guanlong noble group, the Mongolian noble group, and the Eight Banners military group have all successfully won the world.

But after the musket era, the war has become a queue to shoot, and a group of soldiers who can go to the battlefield can be trained in three months, and those samurai who have been trained for ten or twenty years can only change in front of muskets. Into a pile of rotten meat, the influence of quantity decision has been greatly strengthened.

Just like what Ning Yu said before, at this time, the war has become a math problem, and the result of the war can be obtained by calculating the number of people and firepower-this is of course a bit of a joke, but it also reflects that One point, the evolution of warfare in the age of firearms from a small number of elite soldiers to a large number of ordinary soldiers is an inevitable fact.

As for the reason why the Fuhan army was able to repeatedly win more with less, it was entirely because the Fuhan army was using the new army to beat the old army of the Qing court. If the enemy was replaced by the British army or the Russian army, then they would not win so much. Simple, when the time comes, quantity will become a very important determining factor.

Therefore, when people become the decisive factor in war, more and more people will naturally need to take up guns and go to the battlefield. Considering the current population of major countries, there are enough people with guns in theory, but How to mobilize them is the real question.

If it’s just simply conferring officials and titles, it’s not enough, because people will die in war, and there are not many people who just hope to use military exploits to gain wealth and status. It is also necessary to turn those who are unwilling to join the army into those who can take Soldiers with weapons can meet the needs of this era.

Regarding this problem, all Western countries have begun to think about it, because the traditional methods have gradually lost their effect. If you want to mobilize the people to fight, you need something else, and this thing was found by the Prussians, that is Education, through education, allows citizens to have a sense of ownership, so that they will voluntarily take up guns to fight.

Ning Yu knew in his heart that Ningchu was not able to carry out large-scale basic education at the moment, so in turn, he could use newspapers, dramas, novels, etc. to guide the people quietly, which was also Ning Yu's goal all along.

"I have thought a lot in the past. I deeply believed that the people can carry a boat or overturn it. The decline of the Qing court naturally cannot escape this truth."

Hearing what Ning Yu said, all the ministers nodded. After all, the Qing court won the world by entering the customs with the Eight Banners. There is a big shortcoming.

After all, people in the world are not blind. In the past, you were the only one who loved Xinjueluo's official shop, so in order to be an official, you just had to compromise. But after Ningchu's uprising, people in the world have another choice, and they began to wait and see. After Ning Chu unified the south, the other Han officials in the Qing court began to mutter that everyone was thinking about the way out.

This is true in the officialdom, and even more so in the private sector.

Seeing that everyone nodded, Ning Yu then expressed his thoughts, "For me, Ning Chu, it is not only the gentry and landlords who want to win over the world, but also countless ordinary people. If you understand it, the common people must be able to understand the drama, so that they will turn to the imperial court."

"The Ministry of Education must coordinate this matter well. Before the war, at least seven or eight plays should be prepared. Keep it simple. The main content should be the battles we fought before, and the Northern Expedition. The content must be Check it out!"

"My minister obeys."

Ning Zhongquan, Shangshu of the Ministry of Education, said in a deep voice, but he had already started to think in his heart, who should write this new book?
In late April, Ning Yu took Ning Zhongjing, the second assistant to the cabinet, and Ning Zuyi, the deputy envoy of the Privy Council, and dozens of officials. This inspection will be the last inspection before the Northern Expedition, and its purpose is naturally the military factories located in Wuchang, Hanyang and other places.

Nowadays, the two cities of Wuchang and Hanyang have completely become the production bases of all Ningchu armaments. There are more than ten large and small production factories such as gun factories, gunpowder factories, grenade factories, and rocket factories. More resources flowed into these factories, and a large number of finished weapons were shipped out and distributed to various troops. Just for all the workers served by these factories, there were as many as 3 people.

In addition, Wuchang and Hanyang, as the hometown of emperors, have the highest loyalty. In the current Fuhan Army, a large part of the officers and soldiers are from the two prefectures, so Ning Yu's inspection tour , but also to further motivate the military.

Since Ning Chu took over the Southwest, the waterway of the Yangtze River has been completely unblocked. In theory, Ning and Yu can take a boat all the way through the Three Gorges and arrive at Chongqing. Of course, at the same time, the Yangtze River has also resumed its former Bustling, there are many more cargo ships on the water.

Of course, this is only the section of the waterway from Nanjing to Wuchang that is so prosperous. After all, there is not much communication between these two places on weekdays. However, it can be inferred from this that in the future, Ningchu will be able to pass through the Yangtze River waterway. Well realize the connection of upstream and downstream and obtain water transportation dividends.

"Cui Qing, do you know how long it will take us all the way to Wuchang?"

Ning Yu stood on the bow of the boat, wearing a brocade cape, overlooking everything on the river.

Cui Wancai was also wearing a cloak, but said in a low voice: "If there are no other problems along the way, I'm afraid it will take ten days."

"Yes, from Nanjing to Wuchang is sailing against the current, and it takes ten days to travel by water, while from Wuchang to Nanjing, it goes straight down the river, and it takes three days. But what I want to say is that if there is a boat in the future, I can only take you From Nanjing to Wuchang, it only takes two days and two nights, do you believe it or not?"

Ning Yu chuckled, looking at Cui Wancai with a bit of a joke.

"Of course I believe it, because no matter how unbelievable things His Majesty said at the time, they all came true afterwards. Now I have to believe it if I don't believe it."

"Cui Qing is worthy of being my teacher. This alone is enough for me to learn more."

Ning Yu smiled wryly. He originally had some thoughts of showing off in his heart, but now he no longer has them. Then he said with emotion: "When the steam engine technology gets a certain improvement, this kind of boat will be realized. Really. At that point, everything will change dramatically.”

"Steam engine?"

Although Cui Wancai had already guessed many times in his mind, he still didn't think of this point. After thinking about the mint and mines before, he couldn't help being a little curious. Could it be that this steam engine can be used anywhere?
If this is the case, it will indeed benefit all peoples.

(End of this chapter)