unclear

Chapter 132
"But because of the sugar factory?" The emperor has something to ask of himself?It's usually not a good sign to say something like this.Li Zhi thought about it but couldn't think of any place where he needed to charge into battle. The closest one was the sugar factory.

Since the first year of Jingyang, when royal treatment was reduced, Huangzhuang in Quanzhou Prefecture was turned into a sugar pressing factory, controlled by internal officials. The adoption of new production methods not only improved the quality of sugar, but also increased the output.

In just over two years, it accounted for [-]% of local sales and almost monopolized the export share. It also extended its tentacles to surrounding areas, buying land to build factories in Xinghua Prefecture and Zhangzhou Prefecture, and encouraging local farmers to plant a large amount of sugar cane.

Such a rapid rise not only caused dissatisfaction among some local merchants, but also aroused the vigilance of the government.In particular, the method of subsidizing farmers to reclaim a large amount of wasteland to plant sugar cane and then purchasing it all seems a bit too overbearing.

In the past six months, some officials have come out to criticize Huangzhuang Sugar Factory for competing for profits with the public and disrupting the market.Although it did not cause too much trouble in the court, it was a reminder that local officials had already had a basic attitude, and it had spread to the capital through normal and abnormal means.

If we don't find a way to restrain it, I'm afraid it won't be long before there will be another wave of attacks against the Huangzhuang Sugar Mill, just like how the civil and military forces of the entire dynasty unanimously opposed the mine supervisors.

"Master Li is a great talent. A mere sugar factory doesn't matter." Compared with Li Zhi's worries, Hong Tao was very calm and indifferent. He didn't even want to talk more about the sugar factory. He stretched out his hand to signal Wang Chengen to bring up the two trays.

The sugar factory's business model, machinery manufacturing, and production processes were all arranged by myself and managed by people assigned by the Royal Horse Supervisor. The possible impacts and consequences had been considered at the beginning of the plan, and the least opposition from local officials would be .

The rise of any new thing must advance on the corpse of conservative forces. This is true in ancient times and in modern times. There is no difference and cannot be completely avoided. This is called the law of development.

Impeach?Then let it go. As long as it is conducive to improving overall economic development, it is not unfair to be scolded.The sugar factory essentially belongs to the imperial merchants and is not under local jurisdiction. They can only use their pen to scold the emperor in various ways to relieve their anger. They will not go to war in the short term.

When the sugar factory develops to a certain scale and profits increase to a certain level, which really makes the local gentry salivate and try their best to get a bite, they will have the ability to hard-core and pretend to be like Emperor Wanli. The drama of living bastards definitely does not exist. Anyone who is not convinced will give it a try.

"I have two things here. Master Li, take a closer look, can you recognize them?" He opened the brocade with his own hands, revealing the items in the tray, and sent them to Li Zhi with a smile.This old man finally caught up today. I wanted to mention this matter some time later, but I didn't expect him to come to my door on his own initiative. It's better to choose a random day than to pick one.

"...This is barley and taro. They both come from Fan countries. Their taste is not as good as rice and taro. They are rarely grown in my hometown." Li Zhi is really not a rotten scholar who studies hard. He has traveled to many places and is knowledgeable. He immediately I immediately recognized what the two items in the tray were. They not only had names but also brief introductions.

"Is my wheat and sweet potato different from those in Master Li's hometown?" Hong Tao was not surprised by Li Zhi's knowledge. In fact, corn and sweet potatoes had been introduced to southern China from Vietnam in the early Wanli period, and were used in many countries. Small areas are planted in various places, and the Ministry of Household Affairs also keeps detailed records.

So why hasn't it been popularized on a large scale?There are mainly three reasons.First, the corn and sweet potatoes of the early 17th century did not undergo long-term selection and optimization, nor did they have the assistance of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, so their yields were not as high as in later generations.

Second, as imported products, the taste of these two foods was not liked by Ming Dynasty people. They did not have as many cooking techniques as later generations, and they were far less delicious than rice, white noodles and millet.

Third, and most importantly, the imperial court did not issue corresponding policies to encourage it, and even did not allow corn and sweet potatoes to be used as offsets during the autumn grain harvest.As a result, farmers naturally have no motivation to plant in large areas, and they can just plant some in front of and behind their houses for snacks when they have free time.

"Well...it's a little bigger and has plump seeds. I think it's due to the careful care and sufficient fertilizer in the palace."

If the emperor hadn't mentioned it, Li Zhi wouldn't have noticed the difference between the corn and sweet potatoes on the tray. After looking at it carefully, he still didn't think so.The peasants' big fields are definitely not as well taken care of as those in the palace, so it is inevitable that the crops will grow better.

"No, these things are not grown in the imperial palace. They come from the imperial villages in Shandong and Nanzhili. Since the first year of the reign, I have ordered people to find seeds from all over the country, and it took three years of breeding in the imperial villages before I got any results. , the yield is [-]% higher than that of ordinary seeds.”

Most of the emperors of the Ming Dynasty, especially those in the middle and late periods, would definitely think that Li Zhi's words were reasonable.But Hong Tao is different. Although he has never planted a field himself, he has studied it carefully and can distinguish the difference between different varieties and intensive farming.

"Your Majesty means..." Even so, Li Zhi still didn't see the use of corn and sweet potatoes. So what if the yield was [-] to [-]% higher?We cannot force farmers not to grow rice and wheat, but to instead grow these two things that cannot be eaten every day.

"Many prefectures in this dynasty are mountainous and have little water resources, making it impossible to grow food. Wheat and sweet potato are more suitable for planting in barren and arid land. If special fertilizers are added, the yield can be increased by [-] to [-]%.

Although it doesn't taste good, it can fill your stomach.Now that Taicang is empty and there are foreign threats, I cannot reduce or reduce taxes.However, the people have to survive, and they can survive with some shabby clothing. If they can't even eat, I'm afraid Emperor Taizu Gao will appear again.

I plan to ask Mr. Li to resign as a cabinet minister and governor of Guangdong and Guangxi. I will encourage local farmers to reclaim hillside land and vigorously promote the cultivation of sweet potato and sweet potato. We will see the effect and then promote it in various places. What do you think? "What do you mean? It's time to show off at this point. Hong Tao has no other intention. He just wants Li Zhi to give up the honor of cabinet bachelor and willingly serve as a border official for a few years to promote the cultivation of corn and sweet potatoes on his behalf. .

Why does it have to be Li Zhi?Because there is no one available for me.Xu Guangqi, Li Zhizao, Zhao Shizhen, Wang Zheng and others have more important work to do. They can't let the eunuchs persuade farmers. They don't have this power. That's the job of the Ministry of Household Affairs.

Only Li Zhi was suitable for this position. First of all, his rank and reputation were high enough. Going from bachelor to governor was not only not a promotion but also a bit of a demotion, and he would not encounter much resistance in the court when he was appointed.

Secondly, he is from Quanzhou and is familiar with the climate and humanities in the Lingnan area, and he also has certain family connections.If you let a northern official do this, the difficulty will increase several times out of thin air.

The last thing is character. Li Zhi is not attached to officialdom, but rather values ​​the future of the country and the nation.Only this kind of person can endure humiliation and shoulder heavy burdens willingly without asking for anything in return, and he is full of courage to risk his own life to achieve his ideals.

If you want to promote a new thing, you will inevitably encounter great resistance. Without this fierceness, it is difficult to withstand the pressure and temptation from all aspects, not to mention the risk of taking the blame for the emperor and ultimately being ruined.

"Your Majesty, I dare to ask, can this thing really make the people full?" Li Zhi has never been short of courage, and he has enough ruthlessness, and he is not stupid at the same time. Just a few beautiful words are not enough to make him follow blindly. .

"Come, bring my golden porridge and golden cakes to the great scholar to try!"

Do not believe?That's right. Anyone who suddenly hears that the problem of food and clothing that has not been solved for thousands of years can make a big difference by relying on two plants must question it. This is the responsible official.How can you prove that what you say is true?Easy to handle, don’t watch ads to see the efficacy!

"But it's okay to eat. If Master Li hadn't happened to come, I would have been able to give them an advantage." Wang Chengen brought a bowl of yellow porridge and two amber-colored pancakes.

Seeing Li Zhi's hesitation, Hong Tao couldn't help but smile bitterly.The majestic emperor can't even make his own decisions about what to eat and drink. This life is so frustrating!
"How does it taste? Maybe it's enough to satisfy your hunger?" As Li Zhi drank up a bowl of porridge and then ate a piece of pancake, Hong Tao stood up with hope, smiling like Grandma Wolf.

"Is this made from wheat and taro?" By this time, if Li Zhi still couldn't guess what he had just eaten and drank, his job as a bachelor would have been in vain.But he still didn't dare to fully believe it. If the imperial chef added other ingredients to it, the people would not be able to spend so much money.

"You are not joking, there is nothing but wheat and sweet potato." There is indeed nothing added to the cornmeal porridge and dried sweet potatoes. This is also the most suitable cooking method that Hong Tao has come up with.

Corn can be ground into flour to make porridge, steamed cakes, and steamed buns. If mixed with white flour, it can also be used to make more foods, such as noodles.In the early 20th century, it could still be used as a staple food. There was no reason why people in the Ming Dynasty couldn't use it to satisfy their hunger.

Ming people have already learned how to steam sweet potatoes, but it seems that drying sweet potatoes in slices is not yet popular.Dried sweet potatoes are also a good thing in difficult times. They are easy to store and carry.

"...If this is the case, I am willing to accept the order!" After eating it personally, Li Zhi finally felt confident. He was indeed not too attached to the position of cabinet bachelor. He spent all day scheming, telling lies, doing nothing, and was even a little bored.

Now that we have the opportunity to realize our ideals, even if we are not sure, it is still worth a try. The most important thing is that we have the strong support of the emperor, and the chance of success is much higher. Who doesn't want to leave his name forever?

"Very good... I will try my best to provide convenience for Master Li, and first include wheat and sweet potato in the autumn grain collection in a small area. There is no need to spread it over a large area in a hurry. You can find one or two prefectural capitals to try planting it for a year or two. Look at the effect and minimize the impact on local food cultivation.

In addition, there is no need to actively intervene in the affairs of sugar cane and sugar mills, and there is no need to secretly take advantage of it. You only need to report to me regularly.Whoever opposes the most actively and fiercely should tell the name to the sugar factory officials and I will handle it! "

Sending Li Zhi to promote the planting of new food crops is not enough. The next step is to tilt the policy.If you want to mobilize the enthusiasm of farmers, you have to make them profitable, such as using them as tax crops.

As for whether the cabinet and the six ministries and nine ministers can agree to my suggestion, there is no point in saying it in vain. It seems that it would not be too difficult if one or two cabinet bachelor positions are exchanged.

Li Zhi's resignation will leave a position vacant. Zhu Geng, the chief minister of the cabinet, is not young anymore. Instead of being caught in a dilemma among a few mature colleagues all day long, it is better to become an official and return to his hometown for a few years of leisure, instead of working too hard. One day he will die in a foreign country again, which will be his reward for stabilizing the cabinet in the past few years.

(End of this chapter)