Guide to Traveling through the Northern Song Dynasty.

Chapter 1189 Epilogue : The Reformists in the Cabinet

Lu Gai, the vice-president of the Royal Society, entered the city in confusion and entered the residence of Princess Qin Guojing in a daze.

The Grand Princess often invited scholars in the past, but she never invited anyone individually.

Besides, I'm very busy recently.

"Lü Gai pays respect to His Highness."

"President Lu, please take a seat."

In order to avoid suspicion, the meeting was not held indoors, but in a waterside pavilion called Lixue Pavilion.

The top-quality green tea was served and Lu Gai nodded to thank the maid.

Zhu Tangxi took the bag from Qingluan and said, "I heard that tobacco is also widely grown in Yunnan, but the best tobacco still comes from Southeast Asia. This is what an elder brought back from Southeast Asia. I can't tell the difference, so please have President Lu taste it."

With both good tea and good cigarettes, Lu Gai felt that the situation was a bit difficult.

He didn't beat around the bush and asked directly, "Your Highness, if you have any instructions, just let me know."

Zhu Tangxi asked: "Does today's cement need to be improved?"

Lu Gai replied: "There are two kinds of cement on the market now, each with its own advantages and disadvantages, and both need to be improved. In the past few decades, many people have worked on improving cement. Some results have been achieved one after another, such as adding certain materials to calcination, but overall no qualitative breakthrough has been achieved."

Zhu Tangxi asked again: "Which kind of smelting furnace is the best now?"

Lu Gai said: "Blast furnaces and converters. It was too dangerous and hard for workers to stir molten iron, so forty years ago, someone came up with the idea of ​​a converter. But they could not find suitable converter steel, and the furnace temperature of early converters was relatively low."

"It was not until seven years ago that Mr. Wan, Mr. He, Mr. Xu, and Mr. Xue finally succeeded in producing stable and usable steel for converters. Mr. Wan jumped four levels and was promoted to Jadeite Bachelor. The three craftsmen, Mr. He, Mr. Xu, and Mr. Xue, were also promoted to Jasper Bachelors as an exception."

Zhu Tangxi said, "I remember now. The year Mr. Wan was promoted to Jade Scholar, I had just moved out of the palace. Can I leave Mr. Wan's mailing address?"

Lu Gai reminded him, "Your Highness can summon me directly, but this type of converter steel is a secret of the imperial court. Currently, there are only four government-run steel mills in the country that can manufacture it. If a private individual dares to imitate it, it would be tantamount to treason."

"So there are no converters among the people?" Zhu Tangxi asked.

Lu Gai said: "Other state-owned and private steel mills can pay to order converters from the four major steel mills. But they cannot ask about the steel formula to prevent it from being leaked overseas."

Zhu Tangxi asked again: "Which state-owned steel mill that can produce converters is closest to Luoyang?"

Lu Gai said, "Xuzhou Steel Plant. Mr. Wan is the supervisor of the Xuzhou Steel Plant. Although his position is not very high, his official title is already the first rank. Even his wife was granted the first rank imperial edict."

Zhu Tangxi had asked all the questions he wanted to ask and personally handed over a bag of tobacco.

This is seeing off the guests.

Lu Gai thanked him and took it, then took the tobacco and left the princess's house in a daze.

He was thinking all the way in the carriage, and combined with the questions raised by the princess, he guessed that someone wanted to improve cement.

Lu Gai didn't know much about this.

The converter is the top-level mechanical equipment of the Ming Dynasty. Although it can be ordered from the four major steel mills, each order needs to be submitted to the Ministry of Industry for approval!
Leaking the formula of converter steel or privately copying converters are both crimes like possessing munitions.

This was a decree issued by Emperor Dingtai, who was worried that someone was secretly building military equipment on a large scale.

……

Xie Yan was really surprised when he received the letter from the princess.

The Ming Dynasty in this time and space has actually developed the converter steelmaking method?

However, the word "converter" reminded Xie Yan of similar memories.

In the compulsory course "Civil Engineering Materials" for civil engineering students, there is a chapter dedicated to how to prepare cement. Although the basic formula is explained in detail, the machinery for making cement is only mentioned in one sentence with a picture.

Xie Yan only knew that a "rotary kiln" was needed to prepare cement, and the picture showed a long, large pipe.

Apart from the outer shell of the large pipe, nothing can be seen. God knows what the inside of a cement rotary kiln looks like.

Xie Yan thought: Will the cement rotary kiln rotate like a rotary furnace?

In the early days of cement firing, traditional vertical kilns were used, and every possible means were used to increase the furnace temperature.

After Portland cement was invented, it became widely popular, but due to unstable furnace temperature, the quality of the cement varied greatly.

Another half century passed before someone built the first cement rotary kiln, and the cement industry was basically established.

Xie Yan decided to take action.

He first went to Jiangzuo Village to visit the old chairman, then went into the city to visit Minister Chen of the Ministry of Works, and then went to the princess's house again.

With three letters of recommendation from the old president, Minister Chen and the Grand Princess, Xie Yan also brought his own Hibiscus Scholar jade pendant and finally succeeded in entering the Ministry of Industry's database.

A director from the Ministry of Industry accompanied him throughout the process, which not only facilitated the search for information for Xie Yan, but also provided supervision to prevent Xie Yan from taking away any top-secret information.

Xie Yan asked the head of the Ministry of Works to find blueprints of various furnaces and kilns across the country.

For several days in a row, Xie Yan was looking up information.

……

Zhu Tangxi was waiting to be received by the Queen Mother.

It was not until two days later that Empress Dowager Ye sent someone to summon her.

Tao Jinfeng was tutoring the little emperor with his homework, and Empress Dowager Ye called Zhu Tangxi to the side hall next door.

"I heard that you invited Mr. Xie to play polo?" Empress Dowager Ye looked pleased with herself.

Zhu Tangxi said: "I also invited him to my home for a visit."

Empress Dowager Ye asked, "Is he not interested in a career in government?"

Zhu Tangxi nodded: "Xie Liulang is devoted to academic research and has recently been busy improving cement technology."

Queen Mother Ye smiled and said, "Whenever you need a marriage, just come to the palace and let me know."

Zhu Tangxi asked: "Is the cabinet still arguing?"

Empress Dowager Ye sighed, "Alas, we have been arguing for several years. After a conclusion is reached, a decree is issued, and then the argument continues behind closed doors."

The seven cabinet ministers still have different opinions.

They all agreed to reform, but had huge differences on how to reform.

Especially those related to land!
……

Cabinet, another meeting.

Yuan Huaiyi, who was born as a low-ranking military officer and was known as the first person to rise up to support the emperor, was now sitting there in a frail old man with his eyes half-closed, as if he could fall asleep at any time.

He comes from the Heilongjiang River, and his foundation is too shallow. Now he has lost even his military power. After entering the cabinet, he has been playing dumb. You can make as much noise as you want, just don't disturb my sleep.

"Reform industry and commerce first, agriculture cannot be touched, especially the fields cannot be measured!" Deputy Prime Minister Ge Congxin shouted.

Prime Minister Deng Gongwu said: "We can leave agriculture alone for now, but we must start to take action within three to five years at the latest. Not only are mergers and acquisitions intensifying, but also the chaotic and excessive taxes are returning. If there were no large amounts of grain from overseas that could be transferred to help with disaster relief, there would be countless civil unrest during the years of famine."

Ge Congxin said: "Since we can transfer grain from overseas, let's not touch it for now. The area where the Ganges River meets the sea has been used by Indian aborigines for decades. Now if we move Han people there, it will become a major granary."

Several decades ago, the Ming Dynasty sent troops to help Prince Xina restore his country, and Prince Xina donated the Ganges Delta to the Ming Dynasty.

Why is donating soil so straightforward?

Because the Ganges Delta in the Middle Ages was covered with mangroves and swamps, it was not a major granary at all. Instead, it was rampant with miasma and a very high mortality rate.

The Ming Dynasty built a port there, and did not station many troops there, and did not care about places far away from the port at all.

But there is one thing that I have persisted in doing for decades.

That is, the central coastal area on the east coast of the South Asian subcontinent was colonized, and Han Chinese were constantly migrated to the governor's office there. The local people whose land was seized by the Han Chinese were thrown into the Ganges Delta to cultivate the land.

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At the same time, they used the methods they had used to deal with the grassland peoples since ancient times to divide and win over the Indian countries. To put it bluntly, it was the same method used by the British to stir up trouble.

The Ming Dynasty did not allow a powerful country to emerge in India. If any state showed signs of rising, they would pull a bunch of small countries to attack it. The Ming Dynasty only needed to send out one or two thousand elite troops, and the rest were all troops from various Indian states.

The Ming Dynasty would also purchase prisoners of war at low prices and send them to the Ganges Delta to reclaim wasteland.

Decades later, large tracts of fertile farmland have appeared in the Ganges Delta.

Ge Congxin's governing philosophy was simple: to suck blood from overseas colonies to prolong the life of the Ming Dynasty, which was intensifying its land annexation. The Ganges Delta, which was gradually becoming cultivated, was the next blood bank of the Ming Dynasty.

Deng Gongwu questioned: "If a national natural disaster occurs and refugees gather in all provinces, will overseas grain still be useful? If we can save one province from disaster, can we save ten provinces from famine at the same time?"

Ge Congxin said: "The famine in the ten provinces can still be saved, but the army needs to be dispatched to quell the rebellion. From ancient times to the present, such a situation is normal. Although the annexation of the country is intensifying now, the people are living very well. Since the Qin and Han dynasties, which prosperous era can compare with the present?"

Deng Gongwu was furious: "You are just doing it like a paperhanger!"

"What else can we do?" Ge Congxin said, "Which Ming official has not learned the history of the reforms of the former Song Dynasty? From Wang Linchuan to Cai Jing, which land inventory did not make a mess? Wang Linchuan had to do the land inventory because the Zhao Song court had no money!"

"The current Ming treasury has gradually become full after years of peace. Since the treasury has money, why are you investigating the land? You and I, as well as the gentlemen present here, who can investigate the land like Taizong did? It will definitely cause chaos in the world!"

Deng Gongwu also knew that the other party had a point, so he said in a slightly slower tone: "No matter how difficult the task is, someone has to do it. If you and I don't investigate, will it be left to future generations to investigate when it's too late to reverse the situation?"

Ge Congxin said: "I am not afraid of a little chaos, but I am afraid of a great chaos in the world! I am afraid that we will do bad things with good intentions!"

Deng Gongwu looked at the other cabinet ministers, and wherever his sight reached, everyone lowered their heads.

With the lessons learned from Wang Anshi and Cai Jing, all the cabinet ministers were very careful and tried not to touch the land as much as possible, because they could not afford the stigma of causing chaos in the country.

Moreover, the Ming Dynasty was supported by industrial and commercial taxes and could continue to suck blood from overseas territories, so it was not necessary to conduct an inventory of land.

It cannot be checked.

Once it is investigated, there will be chaos, and once the chaos occurs, countless ordinary people will inevitably pay the price.

This might even lead to more mergers!
The policy of equalizing the land tax by Zhu Guoxiang and Zhu Ming has completely fallen into the trap of "Huang Zongxi's Law".

When the land tax was distributed, a large number of miscellaneous taxes were abolished, and the remaining miscellaneous taxes were all distributed according to the land. Now, the miscellaneous taxes that were distributed must be collected as a matter of course, and the chaotic miscellaneous taxes have made a comeback.

Moreover, due to the large number of "flying taxes" and other phenomena that occurred during the land annexation, many people had to inexplicably bear miscellaneous taxes that did not belong to them.

Seeing that the prime minister and deputy prime minister were silent, Yang Zhengfu, the fifth-ranked cabinet minister, spoke up: "I think we should use the method discussed last time. First, rectify the industrial and commercial taxes and use the increased industrial and commercial taxes to replenish the central and local finances; second, after the local finances are replenished by industrial and commercial taxes, order the local governments to cancel various illegal taxes."

“As for agriculture, let’s put it aside for now.”

Hou Guang, the third-ranked cabinet minister, immediately seconded the motion, saying, "I agree to shelve the agricultural reforms."

"I agree too."

"Seconded."

"I agree too."

"..."

The cabinet ministers expressed their opinions one by one, leaving only Deng Gongwu and Yuan Huaiyi.

Yuan Huaiyi fell asleep.

Deng Gongwu sighed. He could not go against public opinion, not even with the support of the Empress Dowager and the Emperor.

Like these ministers, his foundation is still unstable and he needs to work together to carry out reforms.

The ministers of the cabinet and ministries this term are not deeply involved with industry and commerce for the time being, but each of them comes from a gentry family.

They support reforms, namely reforms of industry and commerce, especially raising industrial and commercial taxes in certain industries.

The essence of this reform is a counterattack by the landlords against the capitalists!
Once they develop their power for a few more years, they will gradually merge with capital, and by then even industry and commerce will no longer be targeted.

Ge Congxin couldn't afford to quarrel with Deng Gongwu: "Mr. Deng, shelving the dispute is the best outcome. Otherwise, we won't be able to reach a conclusion even if we argue for another ten years. Why don't we talk about something practical first? For example, the industrial and commercial laws that have long become dead letters, how to truly implement them or simply abolish them."

Zhang Yu, the sixth-ranked cabinet minister, said: "The prohibition on close relatives of dignitaries and officials from doing business should be abolished. They can just find a slave to run industry and commerce, and it is difficult to investigate them because they hide in a roundabout way. It is better to just prohibit the person himself from doing business. If something goes wrong, we can find out the truth after investigation."

Deng Gongwu glanced at Zhang Yu and knew that these guys were impatient and wanted to let their relatives run certain industries that they had been eyeing for a long time.

This thing cannot be stopped. Just like what Zhang Yu said, just throwing out a slave can circumvent the ban. As long as the master's power is not overthrown, those slaves dare not embezzle the shares.

It’s better to put it on the table!
"Who supports abolishing this ban?" asked Deng Gongwu.

The cabinet ministers raised their hands in agreement.

Only old Mr. Yuan Huaiyi was still sleeping.

Deng Gongwu said: "Since everyone agrees, I will draft a petition to Your Majesty. Since the replacement of local officials last year, local governance has improved, and the reform of industrial and commercial taxes can also be started. In the next half month, we will summarize and discuss the tax reform plans submitted by the cabinet and the ministry. The meeting is adjourned!"

Deng Gongwu turned and left, while the other cabinet ministers all smiled.

After all the ministers had left, the meeting clerk shouted, "Mr. Yuan, Mr. Yuan, it's time to wake up."

Yuan Huaiyi slowly opened his eyes: "Is the meeting over?"

"It's over." The clerk said with a smile.

Yuan Huaiyi stood up tremblingly and walked out of the meeting room slowly with a cane.

More than three years ago, he was still alive and well, leading the Shaanxi troops to attack Luoyang, and even rode his horse to Tongguan to persuade the defenders to surrender.

I don't know why, but I looked very old as soon as I arrived in Beijing.

(End of this chapter)