Eighth year of Chongzhen

Chapter 565 The Emperor Is Not Happy

"Qi Zou Shengshang, I believe that at this time when our emperor's Ming Dynasty is waiting for prosperity, the most urgent task is to develop water conservancy, organize farmers and victims to open up wasteland and cultivate, and strive to make the Northland self-sufficient in food within two or three years. The choice, and everything else can be put aside!"

Hou Xun was the first to stand up and express his opposition to this matter.

Although Lao Hou has resigned from the post of Minister of the Household Department, in the new cabinet, according to Zhu Youjian's request for the division of labor among cabinet ministers, Hou Xun's counterpart is still in charge of the Household Department, so he is responsible for the output of the relevant fields. things are still the most concerned.

Since the ninth year of Chongzhen Emperor ordered the local governments to organize and encourage farmers to open up wasteland and open up fields, and formulated a three-year rent-free policy for newly cultivated land, according to the data reported by local governments, under the stimulus of this policy dividend that benefits all people , Hundreds of millions of farmers in areas where the war subsided broke out with great enthusiasm.

According to incomplete statistics, in the past three years, the whole of Daming has added as much as 500 million mu of land. If calculated on the basis of an average grain yield of one shi per mu, the annual increase in grain production will be as much as 500 million shi.

More importantly, the three-year rent-free period for these newly cultivated fields has come. According to the policy of halving the collection in the next three years, these newly-added fields can pay more than two million shi per year in rent, which is equivalent to silver at market prices. When it is around one million taels, this kind of huge income is enough to make life easier for the household department. This is a heavy political achievement, and it is also a credit worth showing off.

And if the emperor's new strategy is followed, the local government will devote part of its energy to expanding the planting area of ​​soybeans, rapeseed, peanuts and other crops, and the output of these crops cannot be valued, and there is no way to collect taxes. Many farmers have benefited from it, but Taicang will lose a lot of income. This kind of policy that is unfavorable to the imperial court must be prevented from being introduced.

"Qizhuo Shengshang, the people depend on food for their livelihood. Considering that there are tens of millions of people in the world who urgently need food and rice to make a living, blindly expanding the cultivation of oil and fat crops is time-consuming and labor-intensive, and it also takes up good land. It is really an unacceptable strategy. .

The Holy Majesty is the people's original heart, and all ministers are respectful, but it is better to delay the implementation of this policy for several years. "

After Hou Xun expressed his opposition, Sun Chuanting also got up to express his support for Hou Xun, but he did not completely deny Zhu Youjian's strategy, but euphemistically stated that now is not the best time, and the problem of food and clothing will be resolved in a few years It would be better to introduce relevant policies later.

After Hou Xun and Sun Chuanting expressed their objections successively, the rest of the ministers also spoke one after another, explicitly or implicitly expressing their opposition to Zhu Youjian's decision.

In the eyes of these courtiers, as long as thousands of people can stutter, it is already a blessing from the court. The emperor actually wants to let them eat better. This kind of thinking is really naive and naive.Although the era of turmoil is over now, natural disasters are still continuing. Under such harsh conditions, it is the right way to let thousands of refugees settle down. Others are just minor details, and there is no need to generalize them .

"I have just talked about the importance of oil, but Zhu Qing still doesn't think so. All these remarks seem to be well-founded, but they still haven't realized the importance of this matter.

There is no conflict between expanding the planting area of ​​commercial crops and growing grain. Today, Taicang is getting more and more full, and the embarrassment it was in a few years ago has long since disappeared. With the increase in grain production in Shaanxi provinces for two consecutive years, and the fact that there is no shortage of grain in Huguang and Jiangnan, In addition, Jinghaibo has purchased grain and rice from outside to import into our territory year after year. As long as the allocation is proper, the people in the disaster-stricken provinces in the north will have little to worry about food shortages.

With the large-scale development of the Jingxiang area, the crisis of food shortage in our Ming Dynasty will be fundamentally alleviated in the next two years.Not to mention the fertile land in Liaodong, as long as effective measures are taken, the increase in food and the huge reduction in the number of people in Shandong who need relief from the court will make the situation better.

Everyone knows that fertilizing soybean fields is common sense in farming. If soybeans are planted in rotation with grain and rice, the soil will be more fertile after sufficient rest and grain production will increase a lot.

Since Zhu Qing doesn't pay much attention to this, let's try this strategy in the territory of Liaodong first.

The cabinet issued a statement to the governor's office in Liaoning. From next year, under the condition that the immigrants and aborigines in Shandong have no worries about food rations, soybean planting area will be expanded. While crops are rotated, they can be cultivated in half with grain fields at most. There is no need to discuss this matter. You can obey the order! "

After seeing the attitude of the ministers, Zhu Youjian felt uneasy and gave the order with a cold face. After the ministers looked at each other, no one came out to express their continued opposition. Wen Tiren stood up and saluted to receive the order. This ended with both sides taking a step back.

"Since I have decided to open the sea and intend to build Shanghai Port in Huating County, Songjiang Prefecture, and Ningbo Port in Mingzhou Prefecture, has the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of Household Affairs sent people to these two places to do business?

Although this matter is not urgent, it must be carried out as soon as possible. After the survey and construction are completed, many merchant ships from various countries in Xiyi will arrive and trade with merchants in our Ming Dynasty. As for the tax collection by the customs, follow the regulations of Tianjin Port! "

Due to the opposition from all the ministers just now, Zhu Youjian's face became stern, and his tone was a little impatient.

Hou Xun and Fan Jingwen looked at each other, and the latter stood up bravely and saluted back: "My lord, because the former envoy of the Netherlands left not long ago, and considering that it will take nearly two years for him to come and go, so the Ministry of Industry They all feel that this matter is not in a hurry, so they have not yet arranged manpower to go to Songjiang and Ningbo for survey and construction. After the consultation, I will immediately arrange relevant people to leave Beijing and go south to handle this matter. It will be completed within a year!"

"My Majesty, the customs tax collection can only be carried out after the construction of the port is completed. Therefore, the Ministry of Accounting has not sent any personnel to go south. If the Majesty is dissatisfied with this, I will send relevant people to go south immediately!"

After seeing that the emperor no longer called everyone Aiqing one by one, Hou Xun knew that the emperor was a little angry.People like myself were promoted by the emperor not long ago. I didn't expect the new cabinet to sing against the emperor at the first regular meeting. After thinking about it, it really shouldn't be.

The emperor's strategy did not harm everyone's interests, but he just wanted to improve the living conditions of many people. Even if this move is dispensable, or it means that the plan is too early, but everyone should not agree Expressed opposition, how did the emperor get down like this?

"Everything is foregone, and if it is not forewarned, it will be abandoned! I have repeatedly emphasized that court officials must be efficient in their work. As long as the plan is properly planned, they will be implemented immediately. Since it is a strategic agreement, why do they have to count the time to catch up with the construction period? The port will be completed as soon as possible. It will take the initiative to stop for trade, and the court will collect taxes and put them into the treasury one day earlier. Why do we have to wait until we trade with the Netherlands?

Do not delay this matter!Must get started as soon as possible!The Procuratorate sent the censor to supervise the construction of the port. If the local government shirks and postpones the construction of the port, all those involved will be fired! "

Zhu Youjian said in a cold voice with a sullen face, and Fan Jingwen bowed to accept the order with a face full of embarrassment. After seeing the emperor like this, the rest of the people also felt a little uneasy in their hearts, and the atmosphere in the hall became a little dull.

"Jing Haibo's attitude towards the opening of the sea and the establishment of the navy is the key point. The court must send important officials to Fujian to explain my intentions to him! Who can go there?!"

After all the ministers looked at each other, Zou Weilian got up and saluted: "Only the old minister in the court is familiar with Jing Haibo, this veteran is willing to go!"

　Thanks to Xiahou Haoyue for the reward.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)