Great Qing Dynasty talker

Chapter 499 Famous Economist - Li Yu

Li Yu walked out of the house.

Look around at the people around you:
"Director Wang is gone. He died for river work and deserves a grand funeral."

"Your Majesty, where is he buried?"

Li Yu looked up and pointed to a slope not far away.

"Pile up the earth and raise it to 5 meters. Plant pine, cypress and shrubs. Put a 3-foot stone tablet in front of the cement tomb. Confer the title of minister posthumously!"

"According to the order."

A labor official came running over.

"Your Majesty, are the river workers still digging?"

"dig!"

"Are you still paying your wages?"

"Not a penny less, I will send it to you as promised."

……

Avoid the sight of people,

When they reached a ditch, Li Yu bent over to wash his hands.

Scrub carefully~
He untied the cloak covering him and threw it into the river.

Back to the team,

Stepping into the specially made four-wheeled spring-loaded imperial carriage, Li Yu pulled out a wooden box from the side of the carriage and took out two corresponding pills.

Break the wax seal and swallow.

Two pieces of wrapping paper printed with the name of the doctor who provided the prescription floated out of the window and fell into the muddy water of the river not far away.
Soon it was trampled into the mud by the endless stream of laborers.

50 copper coins per day, including 2 meals.

in addition,

Hot water, simple medical care, and repair tools are provided day and night at the river digging site.

……

As soon as the county government offices mobilized the people, they came quietly with their tools.

basically,
Every family with male children would contribute labor.

The people of Suzhou and Songjiang generally looked down on the heavy physical work that paid only 50 cents a day. They had more channels to earn easier wages.

but,

They still actively participated in digging the river!

Everybody knows,
Once the first-level river network is completed, it means that the two prefectures will no longer suffer from flooding and will no longer have to worry about irrigation.

If someone is dishonest and doesn't work,

The descendants of later generations will not be able to hold their heads up as human beings.
……

So far,

The first-level river network has barely completed two-thirds of the total project, mobilizing hundreds of thousands of people and with terrifying working hours.

Wang Liu was extremely ashamed of this.

Most of the 200 million taels of funding he spent was for salary.

Every time he goes to ask for money~
The people in the Finance and Taxation Bureau looked at him like a parent looking at a prodigal son, full of disappointment.

300 million taels!

As a result, the two prefectures of Suzhou and Songjiang no longer have to worry about waterlogging and irrigation for decades.

does it worth?
Ninety percent of Wu Ting’s officials thought it was not worth it!
They did not dare to criticize His Majesty in private, so they excluded Wang Liu, a tactless guy.

now,

When a person dies, the debt is settled, and the grudges eventually become the topic of conversation in the government office.

Occasionally someone mentioned Wang Liu, but it was just a meaningless sigh.

……

The two directors of the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Food set off for Wuchang with their capable staff.

Following His Majesty's instructions,

Food in Huguang is of paramount importance.

Surplus grain must be collected and replanting must be done as soon as possible.

Whether there will be a good harvest of grain next year is related to the empire’s future strategic direction.

The information that the Java volcano eruption had caused a reduction in grain production was only circulated within the Wu court in a small circle to prevent panic among the people.

Astronomy!

It is too easy for someone with ulterior motives to make a fuss about it.

……

The combination of these two factors caused food prices to fall.

In the territory of Wu,

The market price of 1 jin of rice has dropped to 10 wen, which is a staggering difference compared to the rice price in Qingtong District.

The first factor is:

import!

Guangzhou Port exempts imported rice from tax.

The news spread,

Rice merchants from Siam and Annan formed fleets and sailed along the coastline to Guangzhou to trade.

Firstly, sailing along the coastline can avoid pirate attacks.

Secondly, you can buy best-selling items on the return flight.

Thus,
The accident caused a rise in food prices in some food-deficient areas of Southeast Asia, such as Lan Fang.

They had to pay a price 4% higher than that of Guangzhou Port before rice merchants were willing to patronize them.

all of these,
The State of Wu was neither aware of this nor interested.

……

The second factor that caused the drop in grain prices was the change in planting patterns in the eight prefectures of Jiangnan.

Since the mid-Ming Dynasty,
The proportion of grain planting in the Jiangnan region has been decreasing year by year, while the proportion of cash crop planting has been increasing year by year.

the reason is simple:
Market oriented!

The profit per acre of cotton, mulberry and tea is much higher than that of grain.

In some provinces,

The proportion of cash crops planted even reaches 5%.

Farmers used silver to buy grain from Huguang~
If Huguang is prosperous, the world will be prosperous!
This is the best description of this moment.

Li Yu felt like he had a thorn in his throat.

So we also use market means to regulate!
It secretly reached a long-term and large-scale order for purchasing raw cotton with the Saxon East India Company, which had a severe impact on cotton planting in Jiangnan.

quickly,

The proportion of grain planting in the Jiangnan region increased by 10 percentage points.

……

While focusing on food,

Li Yu also did not forget one other thing - winter fuel.

Pingxiang Coal Mine and Tongling Coal Mine are mines directly under the Coal Administration. Their management received secret orders to increase production at all costs.

Prisoners can be forced to do hard labor until they die of exhaustion.

At the same time, workers are encouraged to increase production by giving bonuses to the teams with the highest output every day.

In a word:

The more coal production, the better.

In the territory of Wu,

All large heavy industrial factories need to stockpile at least four months' worth of coking coal and bituminous coal.

Each state, county and city must stockpile at least three months' worth of honeycomb coal for civilian heating.

Each government office posted notices, advising the people to stock up on honeycomb coal in advance for the winter.

……

Approved the establishment
Wuguo Honeycomb Briquette Factory No. 1, located in Jiangning.

The sales areas are Jiangsu and Zhejiang.

Wuguo Honeycomb Briquette Factory No. 2, located in Pingxiang.

The sales areas are Jiangxi, Hunan and Hubei.

Wuguo Honeycomb Briquette Factory No. 3, located in Guangzhou.

The sales area is Guangdong.

……

In these three factories, Wu Tingjun held a 3% stake, and the remaining 2% was held independently by the gentry of the province.

All shareholders do not participate in the management of the business and hire unrelated professional managers from other places. This is called the "big manager".

His Majesty personally set the upper limit of the selling price - 100 coins for every 50 pieces of honeycomb briquettes!

As long as it does not exceed this upper limit, you can set your own price.
150 pieces of honeycomb briquettes,

That's about what a southern family uses for a month. Not a lot, but enough to get by.

200 yuan is basically enough.

300 is quite comfortable.

Because of the shares.

From now on, the Wu court would no longer impose any nominal taxes on the honeycomb coal industry.

……

in addition,

Considering the transportation cost issue, these three factories can develop downstream OEM workshops in remote counties and cities within the divided areas.

Small workshops purchase raw coal, molds, and process proportions from factories.

They are allowed to sell them publicly locally under the name of large factories and earn a meager wage.

There is no technical difficulty in making honeycomb briquettes.

Raw coal, soil, wood shavings and limestone are simply mixed in fixed proportions.

You can find any farmer and train him for an hour to make it by hand.

In order to cut costs,

All three factories have installed machines, customized molds, improved production lines, and mass-produced honeycomb briquettes to minimize costs.

One-time investment, long-term benefits. Of course,
At present, the profits of honeycomb coal factories are still relatively thin.

The gentry, who lack long-term vision, are unwilling to make large investments and only invest a little bit reluctantly to show their appreciation.

In less than three years,
These people will regret it and want to die.

18st century,

Apart from salt, the only industry that can meet the daily consumption needs of the entire population is coal.

……

There are many reasons why Li Yu vigorously promotes the honeycomb coal project.

1. Solve the widespread fuel shortage problem among the people
Second, it forces the mining industry to develop
3. Artificially create a tax that can be levied universally
4. Improve the health and living standards of the people
Fifth, let agricultural civilization gradually adapt to industrial civilization
For now,

Honeycomb coal was popularized in all cities within the territory of Wu.

Even in suburban areas, a large proportion of the population has been covered.

But in remote villages and mountainous areas, people still rely on firewood as their only fuel.

Li Yu knew this very well and didn't want to change it.

because,

These people really have no cash!
In order to make these people earn money, we have to develop industry.

But the territory is too big.
Even if it develops for 50 years, industrial civilization will coexist with agricultural civilization for a long time.

……

His Majesty's enthusiasm for promoting steam engines is extremely high.

The Metallurgical Bureau and the Military Industry Bureau even temporarily suspended military production and used 7% of their production capacity to mass-produce standard steam engines.

As the quantity increases, the process is simplified and the cost is reduced.

In order to make more money, the merchants who bought the steam engines racked their brains to improve the process and develop matching molds.

An era filled with black smoke slowly began.

Under the profit orientation,

The steam industry of the Wu State is about to usher in rapid development.

……

In Ningxiang County, Changsha Prefecture, there was also billowing black smoke.

Acting Hunan Governor Zeng Di rode on his horse, looking at the black smoke rising into the sky and said with a smile:

"This is a strategy of fortifying the city and clearing the countryside."

"If you can't move it, burn it. Don't leave it to Wu the thief."

The onlookers said nothing.

The precious 6 shi of grain were turned into ashes.

Feeling sorry~
Dozens of officials and gentry in Ningxiang County bowed their heads and remained silent.

Everyone knew that the new governor was ruthless and vicious. He issued a series of official documents ordering all counties and cities to immediately escort the silver stored in the foreign treasury and the grain stored in the official warehouse to Xiangxi.

Any local official who disobeys orders,
All of them were beheaded on the spot for treason during wartime.

The senior prefect of Chenzhou complained a few words about the burning of Changsha and now he has become a victim of the sword.

……

Nowadays, there is a saying in Hunan:

If you can speak Xiangxi dialect, you can carry a big knife!
Xiangxi dialect is actually Southwestern Mandarin.

The governor, who was from Yuanzhou, made great efforts to employ his fellow countrymen from western Hunan, regardless of whether they were native or Han Chinese.

That's not counting,

The governor actually stopped paying the salaries of the Hunan Green Camp on the pretext that the Ministry of War had not paid them.

This caused chaos in Yuezhou Prefecture, the front line.
When the Green Camp soldiers heard this, they were shocked.
We are ready to fight to the death, but the imperial court dares to owe us money? Who gave the imperial court the courage?
The angry soldiers turned their guns on the whole city and looted it, killing all the civil servants from the prefect down to the rank of governor.

then,

He sent someone with a dozen heads and a big seal to contact the Wu army that was heading south.

Anyway!

……

"Brother, should we hurry back to Yuanzhou?"

"Are you afraid that Wu Zetian will chase you across the Xiang River?"

"Yes!"

"There has been no news from Lao Liu who is guarding the Yuelu Mountain. I think the Wu bandits have not crossed the river. I am reluctant to part with these supplies." Zeng Di's triangular eyes were sinister as he explained, "Xiangxi is good in everything except being too poor. I need to support the militia and make friends with the chieftains. How can I do without money and food?"

"I listen to big brother."

Late that night,

Zeng Di was just about to take a break when he heard chaotic and noisy sounds outside.

"what happened?"

The seventh brother, who was approved by the entire server, rushed over.

"Brother, the Wu bandits have crossed the Wei River."

……

Zeng Di climbed up the city wall and saw Wu cavalrymen with torches everywhere in the mountains and plains, and it was impossible to judge their number.

But looking at the momentum,

At least several thousand cavalry.

He immediately felt bitter.
Cursed:

"Old Six is ​​incompetent and is a burden to the army."

Zeng Zhao, the sixth son of the Zeng family, was still foolishly on the top of Yuelu Mountain, watching when Wu Jun would cross the river.
He never thought that
Wu Simai actually abandoned his infantry and, under the cover of the Hell, led his cavalry to cross the Xiangjiang River from Jinggang in the lower reaches of the Xiangjiang River, spending three days to pursue the enemy with light equipment.

When the Minister of the Army, Lin Huaisheng, went to the north of Jingzhou City to hunt the Mongolian cavalry,

A military order was sent to Wusimai:
The battle of Jianghan is fierce and time is pressing. Your troops can attack freely to ensure that the essence of Hunan does not fall into the hands of Zeng's bandits.

……

Zeng Di thought for a moment and decided to break out under the cover of night.

the reason is simple,
Ningxiang is a small county, and its city walls are not high and not strong enough.

The Wu army only needs to trap themselves and then the infantry will arrive.

The city was attacked and captured that day, and all the male members of the Zeng family were exterminated that day.

Midnight,

The four gates of Ningxiang County suddenly opened wide.

The common people fled out of the city gate crying as if they were being chased by ghosts, and the area around the suspension bridge made a thumping sound like dumplings being dropped into the water.

The exhausted Wu cavalry,
Hurry up and get on your horse and start chasing.

The saber was invincible wherever it went.

It took me a while to find out.

Most of them were civilians, mixed with a few enemy soldiers.

……

The Zeng brothers, along with their personal soldiers and chieftain's soldiers, took advantage of the chaos to escape from Ningxiang.

Before retreating,

The old guy repeated his old tricks and set another fire.

but,

Fortunately, in order to protect their property, the gentry of Ningxiang County desperately organized people to put out the fire.

The sun is rising,

Wusimai saw a devastated county town with five streets burned to ashes.

The magistrate led the gentry to kneel at the gate of the county government office.

He cried and sobbed, complaining about the governor's evil deeds.

"General, do you think we are surrendering? We did not resist. It was all done by the butcher Zeng."

……

Wusimai urged his horse closer and suddenly raised his sword.
He stabbed the magistrate in the neck with a sword.

The magistrate of Ningxiang fell to the ground, convulsing and bleeding.

Under the horrified gaze of the surrounding people,
Usmaila shouted:

"Ningxiang County officials and gentry colluded with Zeng Bandits to burn granaries, murder civilians, and resist the Heavenly Army. This is unforgivable. I hereby declare that all Ningxiang officials and gentry will not be pardoned. Men will be beheaded, women will be exiled, and their property will be confiscated. This is to be executed immediately!"

Looking at the people who were kowtowing like crazy,

Wusimai thought,

The Qing flag was taken down and the Wu flag was raised.

You paid a few hundred taels of silver as a token of repentance without any hesitation, and then you can still be the masters.

Your Majesty is really a kind person~
The army marched,

People eat and horses chew, and the consumption is huge.

If we don't kill some gentry to recover our losses, we will suffer a loss.

As an important official,

If you still don't know the purpose of His Majesty's establishment of a "property-confiscation working group", please resign and return home as soon as possible.

……

Gather enough grain to feed the horses, and provide the soldiers with dry food and fresh water.
The men and horses rested for an hour.

then,

The light cavalry corps rumbled out of the county town and hunted down Zeng Di.

60 people stayed behind.

More than 20 of them were wounded, and others lost their mounts or their horses were killed.

Supervise two county clerks and dozens of archers to carry out the clearing order.

It turns out that

Once people lose the courage to resist, numbers are meaningless.

There were at least 500 servants, guards, archers, yamen runners, and idlers in the city. No one dared to step forward and they all obediently lived in the county jail.

On the same day,

The remaining troops supervised the execution of 52 male members of officials and gentry's families and sealed off 71 houses and shops.

Post a notice to reassure the public.

Then wait for the house search team to arrive~
(End of this chapter)