I studied in modern times

Chapter 472 Inspection

Dingwei (20) in April of the first year of Yuanyou.

Accompanied by Cai Jing, Zhao Xu took a chariot and inspected Jing'anfang, which had been completely expropriated.

The residents in Jing'an Square have all moved out at this time.

Of course, they also received compensation.

Generally speaking, each household received an average of about 1,000 yuan in demolition compensation.

This seems like a lot of money.

In this city of Bianjing, it actually means nothing!

Because the monthly rent for any single room in a Di Dian in Bianjing City is more than five guan.

The courtyards where ordinary people live like these are basically small courtyards with two entrances.

If you rent out a yard like this, you can get a stable income of 30 yuan a month.

But now the government only used three or four years of rent to expropriate the houses where these people have lived for generations.

However, no one complained, and it was impossible for anyone to dare to be a thorn in the side.

Everyone moved out immediately after receiving compensation.

Zhao Xu was very satisfied with this.

"My subjects are indeed honest and kind people!" He walked happily in the streets of Jing'anfang.

Cai Jing bent down beside him and laughed along with him: "People all say that it is rare in the ages for an official to be benevolent and saintly and not harm the people's wealth!"

Zhao Xu chuckled.

Surrounded by Yulongzhimen, we walked to the end of Jing'anfang.

He turned around and looked at the entire area.

The entire Jing'anfang covers an area of ​​about two to three hundred acres.

If we follow the old construction methods of the Song Dynasty and demolish them all, even if the area utilization rate reaches the highest level, we will only be able to build three to five hundred small courtyards.

Including the construction of public infrastructure, profit margins are already extremely narrow.

So...this won't work!

Zhao Xu turned his head, looked at Shen Kuo who was following him, and asked, "Shen Qing, how is the construction of each kiln farm going?"

Shen Kuo lowered his head and reported: "I have reported to the officials that according to the imperial decree, I have been working with the Bureau of Arms Manufacturing, together with the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the General Supervisor and other officials, to summarize and improve the kiln-making methods of the past dynasties... "

"Then, he bought it from merchants with various methods, and now eleven kilns have been built outside Bianjing, employing more than 2,000 workers..."

As he said that, Shen Kuo looked at the little official who was not even taller than his chest with a look of reverence.

Shen Kuo is now more convinced of this official than anyone else.

Because he really understands technology!

And he is really willing to respect technical talents!

In the past ten months in the Ordnance Manufacturing Bureau, more than twenty craftsmen and clerks have been transferred to official positions by imperial decree because of their meritorious service in assisting inventions, creations or organizational management.

Although they are all skilled officers, Mo Kan also followed the path of the chief and deputy envoys of various divisions in the East Ban.

But the morale boost for the bureau, which specializes in manufacturing arms, is obvious.

Zhao Xu nodded and asked Shen Kuo: "Have all the kilns been put into operation?"

Shen Kuo replied: "Your Majesty, I have informed you that all eleven kilns have been put into operation. I just visited them yesterday..."

"How is the construction of cement, lime and brick kilns going?" Zhao Xu asked again.

Shen Kuo replied respectfully: "Your Majesty, I would like to inform you that the brick kilns are making the fastest progress. Now the brick kilns in the Sun family, Lu family and other kilns have begun to produce bricks... Now, tens of thousands of bricks have been prepared, and I have inspected them." After all, they are all good red bricks!"

Baking bricks is not an overly difficult technique.

The Bureau of Ordnance Manufacturing, under the instructions of the government, developed a brick kiln for burning charcoal bricks.

Tens of thousands of bricks can be produced at one time, the quality is no worse than before, and the price is only one-third of the price of bricks in the past.

Therefore, the Bureau specializing in manufacturing weapons directly placed a large order for the relevant brick kilns at half of the past brick price.

"Three lime kilns have been put into operation, with a monthly output of 100,000 kilograms of lime..." Shen Kuo continued to report: "The cement kilns are still under construction, because refractory bricks need to be specially fired, and the results may be produced by the end of this month. .”

Zhao Xu hummed: "That's good!"

Lime kilns and cement kilns are both readily available technologies.

The high-temperature porcelain firing technology of Ge kiln and Ru kiln is used, and then improved on this basis, and the flue and reverberatory furnace technology required for the blast furnace steelmaking technology currently being developed by the Specialized Manufacturing Ordnance Bureau is applied. And equipped with special refractory bricks.

This allows the temperature inside the kiln to reach an unprecedented height.

Thereby calcining out what is needed.

Lime is very simple. It can be calcined with limestone. It has no disadvantages except that it is more polluting.

As for cement, it took a lot of effort and a lot of time, but finally I slowly found the method and the correct formula - of course it is the so-called indigenous cement in modern times!

Nowadays, under Zhao Xu's instructions, these technologies have been authorized to relevant merchants through a method similar to Duquyuan's purchase of distilled yeast.

Through this method, Zhao Xu controlled the rhythm while carefully protecting the budding leaves, so that these monsters that should not appear in this era can develop and grow in a safe environment.

Shen Kuo watched from the side and asked cautiously: "Do the officials really need to purchase from merchants for relevant needs?"

Zhao Xu hummed: "This is natural!"

He looked at Shen Kuo and the ministers around him.

Cai Jing, Su Song, Fan Chunren, Cheng Yi, Lu Dafang...

Then, he whispered: "I have always felt that the government has too much control over the affairs of the world!"

Everyone lowered their heads and had different thoughts in their minds.

But they were all happy about Zhao Xu's statement.

The government is involved in too many things!

This is something that has been recognized by everyone in the world since the founding of the Song Dynasty, but few people dare to say it.

no way!

Zhao officials have always suffered a loss if they don't take advantage.

However, today's officials are benevolent and sage, caring about the people and thinking about the common people. Since taking office, they have stated many times that they must relax supervision and restrictions, pay attention to people's livelihood, lighten corvees and reduce taxes, and reduce the burden on the people.

This made the scholar-bureaucrats happy and encouraged, calling the Holy Emperor!

"So, I have been thinking about stripping away some unnecessary officials from the supervisory and chamberlain departments!"

"For example, the East and West Kilns used to employ more than 2,000 workers and had 13 supervisors. It was too many!"

"Since this year, I have eliminated more than a thousand people and reduced the number of supervisors to seven. However, it has not affected the cost of the palace or the operation of the country. On the contrary, it has increased efficiency!"

Everyone bowed in unison: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty!"

This is Zhao Xu’s political achievement!

This is why he now enjoys widespread support.

Shen Kuo, who had personally experienced these things, even worshiped: "I obey the decree and supervise the relevant affairs. I deeply admire your majesty's sage wisdom!"

This year has been a magical year for the Ordnance Bureau.

After the first month, a decree came to him, Shen Kuo, from the palace.

In accordance with the decree, under the leadership of Shen Kuo, the Ordnance Manufacturing Bureau took the lead, together with generals serving as supervisors and internal ministers.

We sorted through the technologies that were sitting on the shelf in the palace and gathered dust. After selecting the ones that were usable and usable, we put them in the specialized weapons manufacturing bureau.

These technologies are all kinds of weird and involve all aspects.

There are textiles, dyeing, porcelain, kiln related...

Anyway, they are all developed by the palace or the bureau specializing in manufacturing weapons.

Many of them are good-looking but not practical - they are either too expensive and cost-prohibitive, or they are too complicated and involve too many processes.

At this time, the Bureau that specializes in manufacturing weapons has to find a way to make it civilian-friendly, simplify it, reduce the cost, and come up with a substitute for the beggar's version.

then……

After two leap months, something happened that shocked Shen Kuo.

The merchants from Bianjing City, led by the palace envoys, actually came to the door with money.

Then, under the command of the palace, Shen Kuo signed contracts with these merchants.   adopt the same method as buying Jiuqu in Duquyuan.

Merchants will pay to participate in the research and development and application of some technologies through bidding.

When the research and development of these technologies are completed, these businessmen will have priority in obtaining relevant technologies.

At the same time, they also gained market access related to this technology.

Therefore, the bureau, which specializes in manufacturing weapons, has employed thousands of craftsmen and officials to do relevant research without using a single copper from the country.

This is nothing!

The real magic is what happens next.

Under the command of the palace, many officials of the Ministry of Supervision and Internal Affairs were abolished or downsized one by one.

Especially the affairs of the east and west kilns were almost cut in half - only the kiln workers responsible for the royal fine porcelain would be retained.

To be sure, such a thing did not cause any turmoil.

Everything went through in an orderly manner.

The laid-off craftsmen were even happy - they went to work for merchants, and their wages were much higher than working for Zhao Guan's family, and they didn't have to be deducted from their wages by Shangguan.

Only those officials who have lost their fortune will complain a few words.

But who cares about the wails of these defeated dogs?

After these dazzling operations, Shen Kuo was surprised to find out.

More than half of the employees and officials in the East and West kilns were abolished, but the expenses of the palace and officials could still be met.

The remaining funds were used to purchase various porcelains needed by the palace and Yuji from relevant merchants.

Finally, the supervisor will settle the accounts - the expenditure has been reduced by 20 to 30% compared to the past!

What a win!

What's even more exaggerated is that after these operations, about 20% of the funds of the Bureau dedicated to manufacturing weapons are now various fees paid by merchants.

At the same time, the workshops and facilities built by these merchants became an extension of the bureau that specialized in manufacturing weapons.

Many trivial tasks and parts can now be left to these merchants.

The Ordnance Manufacturing Bureau only needs to be responsible for the core processes.

This is equivalent to giving a pair of wings to the Bureau dedicated to manufacturing weapons.

The production of various ordnance continues to increase.

Military supplies that are in high demand, such as iron armor, enemy-defeating bows, and hoofs, have experienced three consecutive increases this year.

For example, the output of enemy-defeating bows this month has reached more than 300.

The output of iron armor has reached more than two hundred pairs.

It has completely caught up with the output of the weapons supervisor.

However, the scale and number of employees of the bureau, which specializes in manufacturing weapons, has not expanded.

In Shen Kuo's eyes, this is simply magic!

Cutting down craftsmen and reducing institutions were things that officials in the Song Dynasty wanted to do but did not dare to do.

Now, this matter has been done by the officials.

And it has not affected the normal order at all. Whether it is in the palace or the court, there are still things that should be done, and there are still people who do what should be done.

And earn a lot of public support!

It’s really amazing!

Zhao Xu chuckled twice and said: "Next, I will abolish the eight works that will serve as supervisors..."

"There are eight things to do, and thousands of workers are employed to do everything, and only a few people are too busy!" He shook his head and said, "This is not good!"

After saying that, Zhao Xu looked at Lu Dafang and said: "Lu Aiqing, I plan to let you serve as general supervisor and preside over the abolition of the eight east and west works. What do you think?"

Lu Dafang immediately bowed and said, "I obey your will!"

This is his favorite thing to do.

It's also something he's good at.

While in Chengdu, Lu Dafang presided over the reform of Chengdu Duzuo Academy and Chengdu Lingjin Academy.

A large number of unnecessary departments were eliminated and a large number of unnecessary positions were eliminated. At the same time, the efficiency of Chengdu Duzuo Institute and Lingjin Institute was greatly improved.

Zhao Xu nodded and said: "As for the east and west, from now on I will just focus on repairing the palace and maintaining the gardens."

"As for the rest, just purchase it from the private sector!"

The East and West Eight Works are the largest organization under General Supervision.

It is also an organization that maintains royal palaces and gardens and presides over the construction of royal palaces.

There are countless skilled craftsmen in the eight works of East and West, and the palaces and gardens they created are completely in line with the aesthetics of the Zhao officials.

The only thing is – it’s too bloated and has too many things to do.

This vast institution, like other royal institutions, is an ouroboros.

It is not only responsible for repairs and construction.

It is also responsible for the production and manufacturing of every link in the entire ecological chain.

For example, paint and mud can obviously be purchased from outside.

But it doesn’t!

I prefer to make it myself and use it myself.

In this way, although the quality is guaranteed, a huge expenditure is added out of thin air.

After studying abroad in modern times, Zhao Xu would no longer be used to this kind of behavior.

Therefore, after a small trial of the East and West kilns and accumulation of experience, it was time to take action on this organization.

It is enough to leave professional matters to professionals.

Leave the rest to the market.

It turns out that not everything needs to be produced by the royal family themselves.

For example, after half of the East and West Kiln Services were abolished, both the East and West Kiln Services lost their ability to mass-produce general commercial porcelain.

From then on, the porcelain used by the female officials and ministers in the palace, as well as the officials in the three provinces and six ministries and in Beijing were purchased from the market.

However, the final reckoning is settled.

Purchasing from the market is far more cost-effective than producing it yourself.

As for quality?

To be honest, this kind of commercial porcelain has been wasted in large quantities.

A little worse quality, a little better, it doesn't matter.

After saying that, Zhao Xu looked at Shen Kuo and said, "You can walk more with Lu Qing."

"After the abolition of the East and West kiln affairs, we will focus on the porcelain procurement related matters under the auspices of the Ordnance Bureau. Let's introduce it to Lu Qing."

"No!" Shen Kuo accepted the order respectfully.

Lu Dafang also came forward and said, "I accept the decree!" He bowed his hands to Shen Kuo and said, "Please give Shen Tiju some advice."

To be honest, Lu Dafang didn't really like Shen Kuo.

Because he always felt that there was something wrong with Shen Kuo's character.

However, Shen Kuo is now a close confidant of the official family.

He is also a minister who presides over the military weapons manufacturing bureau for the government. This is the royal minister.

There has always been a rumor in the market that in the future, a bureau specializing in arms manufacturing may be added to the fourth generation.

Shen Kuo returned the salute: "I don't dare!"

(End of this chapter)