I, Jiajing, Emperor Longevity

Chapter 35
Heavy industry is the focus of the construction of Ming Dynasty, and the production of means of production must be given priority. This has already been decided in Jiajing's mind.

But the production of means of subsistence, especially food, must not be neglected for this reason.

If there is not enough food and other necessities of life, the workers cannot be fed in the first place, so how can we talk about the development of heavy industry?

Therefore, the relationship between heavy industry, light industry, and agriculture must be properly handled.

Gong Er, Gong Baosen, Ding Lianshan and others left Foshan and arrived in Hanyang on the steam train "eating madly".

Light industry can also reform Daming's existing technology through reading, while heavy industry must conduct on-the-spot investigations and ask for advice from the master.

At the end of the Qing Dynasty, Zhang Zhidong, the governor of Huguang, vigorously promoted new policies such as "prospering industry and running education" in Wuhan, and established Hanyang Iron Works, Hanyang Arsenal, Hanyang Gunpowder Factory, Hanyang Needle and Nail Factory, Hanyang Official brick factory etc.

A spectacular ten-mile "manufacturing industry corridor" is formed in the area from Guishan Mountain in Hanyang to Linjiang River in Heshan Mountain.The rise of modern manufacturing directly contributed to Zhang Zhidong's "Hubei New Deal".

By copying the Hanyang model, Daming's heavy industry development will be completed.

As for the budget, the Hanyang Iron Works was completed and put into operation in September 1893.The whole factory includes 9 large factories including pig iron factory, Beishen steel factory, Siemens steel factory, rail factory, iron goods factory, wrought iron factory and 6 machinery factories, iron foundry, iron factory, fish fillet and hook nail factory. small factory.

The founding fund was originally set at more than 246 million taels. In 1892, the Qing government allocated an additional 42 taels. When it was completed, the actual expenditure was about 500 million taels.

This is the investment amount of an iron factory.

Daming has almost grown from nothing, and the investment required will only be more.

However, the finance of the Ming Dynasty was on the verge of bankruptcy at the beginning of the year. Liulichang's mirror business, Yan Maoqing's salt tour, and Zhang Juzheng's "stall into the mu" had already been completed in the north and south Zhili, which can be regarded as a wave of blood.

But the court expenditure is a bottomless pit!
Under such circumstances, the mid-year financial meeting of the 40th year of Jiajing in the Ming Dynasty was still held in Yuxi Palace.

This time, Jiajing sat in the armchair early.

The participants are as follows.

Supervisors of ceremonies: Lv Fang, the eunuch with palm printing, Chen Hong, Huang Jin, the eunuchs who held pens, etc.

Southern Party: Yan Song, chief assistant of the cabinet, and Yan Shifan, minister of the Ministry of Industry.

Qingliu: The second assistant of the cabinet + Xu Jie, the minister of the household department, and Gao Gong, the minister of the household department.

Imperial Party: Minister of the Ministry of War Hu Zongxian, Minister of the Ministry of War Zhang Juzheng, Minister of the Ministry of Officials Zhao Zhenji.

Why is Zhang Juzheng, the head of the tax reform, still the Minister of the Ministry of War?
If there are no soldiers in hand, can the reform be achieved?
And Yan Shifan resigned from the position of Minister of the Ministry of Officials. Firstly, he was a minor punishment, and secondly, he didn't have so much energy to serve as the Minister of the Ministry of Officials.

Zhao Zhenji was the last to enter the cabinet. This is also a capable person with a big picture, at least in TV dramas.

Daming is in a period of transformation, there are not too many talents, but too few.

"Speak!"

Jiajing knocked on the armchair: "Hu Zongxian, you should talk about important national affairs, such as sacrificial and military affairs first."

Yan Song was still there, his eyes lowered, and he seemed to be falling asleep; Yan Shifan, Qingliu and Didang all set their eyes on Hu Zongxian.

Zhang Juzheng was favored, and Hu Zongxian was even more favored.

"Your Majesty." Hu Zongxian's complexion was very good, his breath was long, and his internal strength was slightly accomplished. He gave a salute and then said: "The 300 warships last year cost [-] million taels, and now they are suppressing Japanese pirates in the southeast. That's it. With the addition of these thirty warships, there is still a big gap in the warships of the Ming Navy."

Jiajing nodded and said: "Open the sea! It's not enough to open a port, draw a circle, and collect taxes. Ships need to be built, and guns must also be built. A good ship with good guns can be invincible. Ships that open the sea don't need to discuss it. The Ritual Supervisor and the Household Department have approved it!"

"Yes!"

There is no objection.

"It takes money to build ships, but it also takes money to build guns. The Ministry of Households can't change the money, Zhang Juzheng, you have done a good job in the north and south Zhili, let's talk about it!"

Is the day finally here?Zhang Juzheng swallowed hard, and then his face became extremely resolute.

Although there are thousands of people, I will go!
Big deal, a dead ear!It's nothing but ashes!

In fact, the increase in tax revenue is not much, but it only touches the cheese of the landlord, and the common people benefit more. They don't have to be tied to the land, and they have more career choices, which indirectly consolidates the ruling foundation and wins more popular support.

Directly, the industrialization that has come to Ming Dynasty has a class of workers and comrades.

And the combined boxing after the stalls enter the mu is to return the fire to the public, and it is "officials and gentry work as one, and one pays food".

Jiajing is forcing Zhang Juzheng to become a saint.

He trembled slightly, exerted all his strength, and took out the memorial that had been written for half a year from his bosom: "The minister has a copy of the book."

Jiajing flipped through it pretendingly, handed it to Lu Fang and said, "Read it! Let's see what loyalty is! What is to establish a heart for the world, to establish a life for the people, to inherit the knowledge of the past, and to create peace for all generations... Great Ming, fortunately, there is Taiyue. ah!"

Zhang Juzheng knelt down slowly with "hot tears in his eyes" and said, "For Ming Dynasty, for the emperor, the minister died only after death."

Jiajing personally stretched out his hand to help him up, looking like a sage and minister.

Lu Fang knew that Yuxi Palace was right that night half a year ago, and he read Zhang Juzheng's memorial in a cadenced tone.

Immediately, only the cuckoo sound of cuckoo was left in Yuxi Palace.

What is a small amount of money?
Officials and gentry work together on errands and pay food together, this is the big killer.

Qingliu's faces turned pale, and Yan Song also recovered from his stupor, looking at Zhang Juzheng, wondering what he was thinking.

"I won't go into details about this matter here. After returning, the cabinet will hold a meeting to discuss and come up with a charter."

Jiajing's eyes stayed on everyone's face for a while, and he said to Yan Shifan: "The Ministry of Industry has produced a lot of good things recently, didn't you tell me?"

"I... I listen to the emperor..."

Yan Shifan stopped struggling and accepted his fate, and the whole world opened up.

"Listen to me, what do you want me to do as a servant of the Ministry of Industry?" Jiajing said quietly.

Yan Shifan showed an expression that he didn't know how to describe: the landlord's donkey can't be manipulated like this!
"Ahem! The master craftsmen of the Ministry of Industry have built a new type of loom according to the emperor's instructions. Judging by the father-in-law and Mr. Shen of Jiangnan Weaving, it can make a profit of more than 500 million taels of silver for Daming every year."

"In the past few days, major weaving households from various provinces have also come to Beijing to see the finished products."

"The initial investment does not require expenditures from the court and the palace, and the weaving bureaus and weavers in various places have taken care of it. This is a great thing."

"However, the Ministry of Industry is planning to build a steel factory in Shijingshan. It plans to invest 500 million taels of silver, and the first batch of funds will be at least 200 million taels. Daming may have to build more than ten such factories."

"The silver gap is naturally not small. My colleagues from the Ministry of Household Affairs, according to the plan of the Ministry of Industry, the expenditure in the second half of the year may reach 1000 million taels..."

"The household department has no money!"

Gao Gong said sullenly with a bitter face.

At this time, Lu Fang said: "The supervisor of ceremonies discussed a solution. Everyone in Kaihai knows that it is profitable. The new looms have just been promoted, and they can also make money. Not to mention the mirrors of Liulichang... If you want to use the distance to solve the near fire, the Ministry of Households can try the national debt..."

(End of this chapter)