Nanming: I can build wonders

Chapter 64 Game
Zheng Kezang did not keep the craftsmen waiting too long, and his ideas on the reform of the craftsmen's households were soon heatedly discussed in the court.

Yang Ying, the boss of the household department, first stood up to object: "Your Highness, scholars, farmers, businessmen, how can craftsmen be given the same status as scholars, this is not in line with etiquette."

"Master Yang, for a long time, we have ignored the craftsman class. You know, they are also the force that promotes the development of the country. They have a force that cannot be matched by scholars, farmers, and businessmen." Zheng Kezang retorted.

Yang Ying felt that Zheng Kezang was a little hysterical, and he actually elevated the status of craftsmen to such a high level.

"I know some of you are not convinced and don't believe what I said. Let's go to see something together today." Zheng Kezang decided to take them to see mule spinning machines and let them experience the power of technology.

Jiang Xi, a small craftsman standing by the mule spinning machine, did not expect to see so many officials and lords all at once today.

He was a little nervous, but thinking of what Zheng Kezang said to them yesterday, he straightened up unconsciously.

In fact, the prototype of the mule spinning machine was invented in the late Southern Song Dynasty: the water-turned spinning wheel.

The water-turning spinning wheel is a textile tool invented in the Southern Song Dynasty with water power as the driving force. Its working part is roughly the same as that of a human-powered spinning wheel.

Using water to drive the spinning wheel, its structure and principle, according to Wang Zhen's "Nongshu" records: "It is the same as the method of water turning and grinding."

That is to say, a water-excited runner is placed at the place facing the stream, and the water-excited runner is connected to the shaft to drive the spinning wheel to rotate for spinning.

There are up to 32 spindles in the water-turned large spinning wheel, which are mainly used for twisting hemp strands.

More than 100 catties of hemp yarn can be spun every day, and the efficiency is more than 30 times that of a three-spindle spinning wheel.

After the Yuan and Ming Dynasties, cotton was gradually popularized, and the demand for hemp yarn decreased, so the spinning of hemp by large spinning wheels decreased day by day.

The cotton fiber is short, the pulling force is small, and the water-turning large spinning wheel is not suitable for spinning cotton yarn, so it has not been popularized and used.

However, after the knowledge of Huaxia mechanical technology represented by the large water spinning wheel was transmitted to Europe, it was an important inspiration for British inventors such as Alekt to develop a hydraulic spinning wheel that can spin cotton.

The gears of the hydraulic spinning machine started to move slowly. Zheng Kezang took the cotton from the little craftsman Jiang Xi and put it on the machine.

When everyone was stunned, a batch of brand new cotton cloth had been formed, and this speed shocked the group of scholar-bureaucrats.

They had never seen such a fast weaving method, and they couldn't imagine how fast the machine would be if it was fully fired.

Zheng Kezang pointed to the mule spinning machine and said, "This is the power of craftsmen."

"Not to mention this great machine, the porcelain bowls we usually use, the plows for farming, and the firecrackers for fighting against the Tartars are all inseparable from the efforts of these hard-working craftsmen. Our life also allows us to see those amazing works of art, they are not so-called lowly craftsmen, they are masters who strive for excellence."

Zheng Kezang's words were deafening, and Yang Ying, the household official who had spoken the most violently to Zheng Kezang before, fell into deep thought.

As the general envoy of Dongning, Chen Yonghua's attitude is particularly important.

"I support the will of Jian Guo. The imperial court has treated artisans harshly for too long. The Qing Dynasty, which is across the sea from us, has also abolished the artisan household system. If you are poor, you want to change. It is time to change the status of artisans." Chen Yonghua said.

If it is a wrong decision, he will not support Zheng Kezang just because he is his son-in-law. Although he is also a literati, Chen Yonghua is absolutely on Zheng Kezang's side in this matter.

Because he came into contact with many craftsmen in the process of resisting the Qing Dynasty.

These craftsmen did live a very difficult life, but they did not give up hope in life, but worked hard again and again.

Many craftsmen were willing to travel across oceans to follow Ming Zheng's army, which touched Chen Yonghua very much.

He hopes to do something for these artisans to make their lives better.

If it is said that there is the great mountain of the Ming Dynasty's ancestor system, Chen Yonghua is not easy to say anything.

But this is Ming Zheng, not exactly Daming.

Now Ming Zheng is the most powerful of the three people. The first is Zheng Jing, the second is Zheng Kezang, and the third is Chen Yonghua.

It doesn't matter that there are two voices in the court meeting.

Because Chen Yonghua was on the side of Zheng Kezang, this situation of monarch and ministers being united made those opponents feel a little discouraged. Is it necessary to offend the prestige of the supervisor and the chief envoy at the same time in order to gain a quick moment.

After carefully weighing the pros and cons, these people naturally retreated.

Under Chen Yonghua's strong initiative, the court finally passed Zheng Kezang's will.

The Ministry of Works panicked for a while, but the Ministry of Works is the department directly in charge of craftsmen.

Basically all official artisans are subject to their jurisdiction.

This edict from Zheng Kezang created a Dongning General Manufacturing Bureau, and now all the craftsmen are out of the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Industry.

This really corresponds to the saying that profit is the biggest driving force.

The interests of the Ministry of Industry were mobilized, and the old guys in the Ministry of Industry began to be unable to sit still.

Fortunately, Zheng Kezang compromised a little bit, and the Ministry of Industry could arrange an official to supervise the operation of the General Administration of Manufacturing, which made the Ministry of Industry stop.

Once the decree of reforming craftsmen's status was promulgated, the craftsmen in the entire Dongning Mansion rejoiced. In the past, they were driven as cattle and horses, and their lives were very hard. The only thing they hoped for was to be able to eat enough and wear warm clothes.

I dare not have extra thoughts at all.

But now their eyes are full of light, because they see hope.

Jian Guo was wise and powerful, abolished the old craftsman registration system, and gave craftsmen full respect and social status.

From then on, craftsmen are also children of good families, and are no longer bound by the status of craftsmen.

As a result, the craftsmen have put in all their strength and are ready to work hard. Although Zheng Kezang has not specified the specific examination method, it should be fair.

As long as it is fair, they will fight for it.

If it can be called a master craftsman, it can also be regarded as a glorious lintel.

As long as you can change your destiny through struggle, this is really infinitely yearning.

They really caught up with a good time and a good prison country.

Today's Jian Guo has given them a reason to be high-spirited, so they can't let Jian Guo down. They want to prove that they can also share the worries of Jian Guo like scholars and contribute to the revival of Ming Dynasty.

Moreover, while abolishing the artisan household system, the Yanping Palace also issued a series of decrees such as the "Dongning Building Recruitment Compensation Order", "Rewarding Employment Order", "Promoting the Development of Practical Skills and Specialty Protection Order", which directly protects craftsmen. interests of the household class.

Literati, warriors, and craftsmen, perhaps in the days to come these three types of people will contribute to the momentum of the tripartite confrontation.

This reform of artisan households was Zheng Kezang's first attempt to test the gentry class, and the game was successful without touching their fundamental interests.

(End of this chapter)