Great Qing Dynasty talker

Chapter 547: The radical empire dares to sell anything~
As the pie gets bigger and bigger, Finance Minister Hu Xueyu is under tremendous pressure.

Lack of money
Your Majesty put too much water into the cake in one go, and dry flour was needed everywhere.

14 army soldiers, 3 naval forces (quasi-navy), 1 patrol police, 4000 civil servants, 6000 clerks, and 4000 teachers; the annual salaries and bonuses were an astronomical figure.

This does not include the 100,000 workers in the directly affiliated factories and mines.

Nor does it count the mysterious Intelligence Agency or Ministry of the Interior.

The above is just the human cost!

……

Expenditure on military supplies and large-scale projects is even greater.

The military's logistical standards are set too high, and it is extremely dependent on artillery. Habits that are acquired from the womb cannot be changed in a lifetime.

In addition,

There were also purchases of warships, hiring of former naval officers from various Southeast Asian countries, self-built inland warships, inter-provincial cement roads, Huguang flood control, Chongming water conservancy, large granaries, communication towers, cheap medicines, school construction, steamship and steam locomotive testing, and so on.

Even mountains of gold and silver cannot withstand it.

suddenly,
He remembered another thing, that Siber Jia Xiaozhen led a large delegation back to Europe with the Saxon fleet.

Before leaving, he withdrew 10 taels of gold.

Your Majesty also allocated an unknown amount of funds from the treasury, as well as a shipload of priceless luxury goods and several of Your Majesty's hand-painted artworks.

Hu Xueyu really wanted to ask Jia Xiaozhen in person:
"How are you going to spend all this money in London?"

……

In order to solve the serious financial problems, Hu Xueyu decided to continue to open up the mining ban and approve regional monopolies.

Yunnan's copper production ranks first in the world.

The characteristics are dispersion and limited mining time of a single mine.

After discussing with the Mining Bureau, Hu Xueyu approved the permanent mining rights of 48 mines in Yunnan at one time and collected a one-time contract payment of more than 120 million taels of silver.

The coal mine resources of the entire Chenxi County in western Hunan were packaged and sold to the Suzhou Coal Mine Chamber of Commerce, with a five-year mining right and a contract price of 5 taels of silver.

The "Overseas Export License" was sold openly to the public, each license cost 500 taels and was valid for 5 years.

More than 3000 tickets were sold in one go, of which more than 1500 were sold in Guangdong.

……

These are nothing.

Hu Xueyu was thinking about selling the five-year tea purchasing rights for the entire province of Fujian.

Just a word of it attracted the crazy covetousness of merchants from Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui and Guangdong, and their bids were raised again and again.

According to the feedback below:

The Anhui-Jiangxi Tea Chamber of Commerce offered 300 million taels.

The four major salt merchants were unwilling to be left out and offered 350 million taels.

The newly established Jiangsu and Zhejiang Shipping Association actually offered 500 million taels.

It’s quite humorous to think about it. Fujian still belonged to the "Qing Dynasty" at that time.

……

Confucian theory has both dregs and essence.

such as:

Everything in the world is not the king's land, and the shores of the land are not the king's ministers.

This sentence can well summarize the mental state of the Wu court's rulers and ministers at the time - arrogant and confident.

His Majesty himself is particularly evident:

"Although it is not mine now, it will be mine sooner or later."

“No one understands economics better than me.”

After several rounds of discussions,

Wu Ting approved the early sale of the tea purchasing rights for the entire Fujian province for five years, which was divided into two parts, north and south, for auction.

finally,
The Jiangsu and Zhejiang Shipping Association took over the north with 300 million taels, and the Anhui and Jiangxi Tea Chamber of Commerce took over the south with 280 million taels.

……

The four major salt merchants, who had gained nothing, were scratching their heads and getting anxious, so they turned around and bought the 150-year sugarcane purchasing rights for the entire province of Guangxi for 10 million taels.

Sugar carries humanity’s pursuit of a better life.

The food business may seem insignificant, but the market is extremely large.

If you can’t get salt, use sugar.

The accumulation of sand into mountains is something that salt merchants understand best.
Now with the steam engine, the efficiency of sugar factories could be doubled and doubled again.

The key cutting and pressing steps are all mechanized.

……

Wu Ting rejected the request of the four major salt merchants to simultaneously ban the original private sugar workshops in Guangxi, and also set a restriction that the purchase price of sugarcane must not be lower than the average price of the past 10 years.

but,

Everyone knows that due to irresistible cost factors, small workshops will inevitably fall under the feet of large sugar factories.

The coarse cloth produced by the steam factory in London could not gain a price advantage over the homespun cloth produced in the Qing Dynasty.

The coarse cloth produced by Wu Ting's steam factory can create a price advantage over the homespun cloth of the Qing Dynasty.

This is an interesting economic question.

In short, the Military Industry Department allocated a large amount of production capacity to mass-produce steam engines, and the price of each unit dropped accordingly.

His Majesty has instructed:

It is better to produce fewer guns and cannons than to produce 3000 steam engines first.

It was of great significance to popularize steam power before the Saxons did. One step faster, all steps faster.

The fastest 100 years of human development have just begun. If we develop a little faster, our descendants will have an extra mountain of gold.

……

The advent of the steam engine revolutionized many industries.

The millers were pleasantly surprised to find that the small steam engine could work day and night, reducing the shelling cost per stone of rice by 7%.

slowly,
The first factory owners who took the plunge found that there was no need to buy so-called special coal for steam engines.

Wu Tingchun is fooling people.

You can just buy some coal from the market and throw it in, and it will still make a clanging sound.

Miners no longer have to worry about water accumulation in tunnels~
The iron factory owners were pleased to use steam engines for blasting, steel rolling, forging, and wire drawing.
The Royal Mint also used large steam engines for stamping.

With the significant improvement in production efficiency, the prices of ironware, rice, flour and textiles in the Wu State all dropped significantly. At the same time, sales volume skyrocketed.

The increase in sales volume is mainly concentrated in Jiangsu and Zhejiang, the Pearl River Delta, Jiangxi, and around large industrial and mining areas.

It’s not that people in other provinces don’t want to buy, the key is that they don’t have cash.

This is a very vexing economic problem.

At least for now, Li Yu can do nothing.

……

The factory owners in the Yangtze River Delta and the Pearl River Delta were grinning from ear to ear. For the first time, they understood what Your Majesty meant by "large-scale industrial production."

Scale is a powerful word.

As long as the scale increases, the cost will go down.

This is a cycle.

Having tasted the sweetness, factory owners expanded their scale again, all hoping to increase production capacity to surpass their competitors and have the best share of the spoils.

The reason why salt merchants throughout the ages were so wealthy was because they enjoyed the exclusive rights of others.

If you can't monopolize a business, try to set up an industry association.

……

The most obvious is the confluence of Jiangsu and Zhejiang.

For example: Jiangsu Silk Chamber of Commerce and Zhejiang Silk Chamber of Commerce.

After the merger, an internal offensive and defensive alliance was formed. All association units made unified purchases and prices to ensure that the meat was rotten in the pot.

The sword is aimed at colleagues in Guangdong.

Originally, Guangdong's silk industry was considered to be doing well, but after being disrupted by its counterparts in Jiangsu and Zhejiang, it could no longer withstand the pressure.

then,

The Cantonese silk merchants decided to change their strategy: no more domestic silk.

If you can’t beat your competitors, just export to Southeast Asia.

Guangzhou Port, which is right at the doorstep, has natural advantages in exporting, with short voyages, low freight costs and familiar shipping routes.

One domestic silver ingot, and one foreign silver ingot.

Tell, tell, tell me, does it, it, it make any difference?

……

The pace of Wu's commercial expansion became increasingly radical.

The Chaoshan Chamber of Commerce was anxious.

This is a special closed group.

They are more like born traders, lacking the manufacturing gene in their bones, and are clearly at a disadvantage in the current industrialization situation.

Especially when I saw the Cantonese guy next door struggling, I felt so uncomfortable.

I don’t know which Chaoshan immortal came up with this secret of getting rich, but he actually proposed to Wu Ting: Can we contract the management rights of the Forbidden City for five years for 50 taels?
If not, Lama Temple is also OK~
Wu Ting and His Majesty were shocked and strongly rejected it.

If you dare to talk nonsense again, everyone in the Chamber of Commerce will slap you in the face.

……

The Chaoshan Chamber of Commerce held an internal meeting for three days and three nights, drank eight kilograms of tea, and came up with a way to get rich - becoming the empire's sea coachman.

this time,

His Majesty was very pleased and approved them to go ahead and do it.

The grand project of opening up the ocean cannot be accomplished by the imperial court alone; it requires the active participation of private forces.

With approval, the Navy Department sold 100 ship-borne guns, 300 large rifles, and 1000 flintlock rifles to the Chaoshan Chamber of Commerce.

Fellow countrymen, let’s go to the sea!
You can negotiate if you can, and rob if you can.

But there is one rule: you are not allowed to touch your own merchant ships, otherwise you will be severely punished.

...Li Yu was very clear about how fierce the competition was in the land beneath his feet.

Those who succeed in life are all called “Gu Kings”.

Some of the losers and frustrated people ran away and found that there was a broad world out there and they quickly became rich.

This is called dimensionality reduction attack.

The loser's IQ and vision can crush the natives of Southeast Asia.

Just like:
An apprentice at the Daluo realm can easily crush a sect master at the Yuanying realm.

but,

We must draw the red line of rules and resolutely prohibit internal fighting. If necessary, the empire will kill those who cross the red line without mercy.

……

Speaking of this, we have to mention the Lan Fang Kingdom.

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This is another fascinating story of a student who failed the college entrance examination.

Luo Fangbo, a Hakka scholar from Jiaying Prefecture (Meizhou), Guangdong, failed in the imperial examinations many times and lived in poverty. At the age of 35, he was forced to go to Southeast Asia to pan for gold in West Borneo.

A loser at an age “close to being scrapped”, he went to a foreign country and built up a huge empire in just a few years.

Historically, the Lan Fang Kingdom lasted for a hundred years before being destroyed by Dutch colonists.

This story indirectly proves that Li Yu’s “population export policy” was extremely wise.

In the next 100 years, the empire will export 3000 million people~
Chinese can be heard in every land where the sun shines.

……

The city of Yanjing is thousands of miles away.

The court officials marched into the newly renovated Hall of Supreme Harmony with dignified steps.

Qianlong sat upright on the dragon throne, with Prince Jia sitting on his left.

Although there cannot be two suns in the sky, there are indeed two suns coexisting now.

"Announce the overseas envoys to enter the palace."

The four excited Lan Fang envoys lowered their heads and quickly walked into the hall. According to the etiquette taught in advance by the Ministry of Rites, they kowtowed three times and bowed nine times, shouting "Long live the Lan Fang!"

Heshen turned his head and watched.

For some reason, he thought of the damn American Kingdom of Seris again.

I told myself that I must not fall into the same pit for the third time.

……

Qianlong nodded slightly. No matter what, it was good news.

and,

The Lan Fang envoys also sent 1000 taels of gold sand, which was a breath of fresh air in the tributary system that was so poor that people were bleeding.

He loudly said:

"The people of Lan Fang are loyal to the Qing Dynasty. This is a good thing. We will treat them as vassal states in the future."

……

The elderly Yu Minzhong suddenly stepped out:

"Your Majesty, I have a suggestion."

"speak."

"Since Lan Fang is loyal to the Qing Dynasty, and most of the people in this country are from Fujian and Guangdong, I think we can appoint a governor-general to appease the people of Lan Fang and to communicate with Southeast Asia."

Inside the hall, there was a buzz of discussion.

The four members of the Lan Fang delegation were stunned as this had not been discussed beforehand.

Heshen, whose suspicion was becoming more and more serious, stared at the four people.

He noticed that three of them were looking at another person. It was obvious that this person was the backbone.

……

Qianlong looked at Yongyan in surprise.

Eye contact consultation:

Rebellious son, did you arrange this?
Yongyan's eyes were clear and blank, and he shook his head slightly.

Eye contact reply:

The son knew nothing about his immortal father.

The atmosphere in the court was very strange~
He Shen suddenly stepped out and asked:
"Sir Yu, our Qing Dynasty has no precedent of appointing a governor-general in a vassal state."

Yu Minzhong nodded and explained:
"Lan Fang is isolated overseas, surrounded by fierce enemies. The Qing Dynasty set up a governor to support overseas Han people, ahem, and also to increase some income."

Everyone understood instantly.

It turns out that he is eyeing Lan Fang's gold. Mr. Yu is a wise man who is good at planning for the country.

……

"Yongyan, what do you think?"

"I think it's feasible. How about we discuss it after the court is adjourned?"

The Lan Fang envoy walked out of the Hall of Supreme Harmony in a daze.

Led by the young eunuch, he went to a nearby side hall to drink tea.

However, the tea from the Forbidden City is valuable.

The eunuch rubbed his fingers and asked for 500 taels of silver before leaving satisfied.

Luo Fangbo actually felt relieved at this familiar feeling.

The Qing court could never have imagined that the great commander of Lan Fang would disguise himself as an envoy and secretly come to Beijing.

"Mr. Fang, what should we do?"

"If the imperial court sends a governor, who will have the final say in Lan Fang in the future?"

Luo Fangbo sighed:

"It's just an honorary position. I'll give it to you if you give me a little more gold. Just think of it as going to the temple to pray to the gods."

Seeing that the other three messengers were angry,
He further explained:
"The motherland is our root. There are dangers everywhere around Lan Fang. The European colonists are powerful and the island natives are brutal and bloodthirsty. Lan Fang needs strong foreign aid."

……

Everyone was silent.

In the first month of the year, a Dutch warship hijacked a Lan Fang merchant ship, and later sent someone to explain that it was a pure accident and sent the crew and the empty ship back.

Several local kings in Borneo are sharpening their knives.

Compared with previous wars, Turkey now has a lot of European muskets.

One person lowered his voice and asked:

"Wu in the south?"

Luo Fangbo glanced at him sternly and shook his head:
"Wu can't win."

"They do not respect the saints and reject Confucianism. Even if they prosper for a while, they will sooner or later repeat the fate of the Three Feudatories. Don't mention it again."

……

The next day, Yu Minzhong came to the post station in person.

Tell them with a smile:

"Congratulations! The Emperor was moved by the sincerity of the people of Lan Fang and decided to send a young and capable governor to guide the development of Lan Fang."

"The Lanfang tribute envoys, listen to your orders."

"~I feel for the homesickness and fear of the people of Lan Fang, so I recognize Lan Fang as an overseas vassal state of the Qing Dynasty and appoint Wang Danwang, the Governor-General of Fujian and Zhejiang, as the Governor-General of Lan Fang."

"Lan Fang's daily affairs are also decided by you."

"Appoint Lan Fang's ruler Luo Fangbo as the second-class light chariot commander, award him the second-class hat, grant him the imperial jacket, and make him a student of the Imperial Academy. All the leaders under his command will receive their due rewards."

"Thank you, Lord. Long live the Qing Dynasty. Long live the Emperor."

Luo Fangbo knocked down to the ground, crying uncontrollably. A gray braid hung down from the back of his head.

……

Yu Minzhong left after a brief greeting.

Sitting in the carriage, he finally breathed a sigh of relief, having successfully completed the task assigned by Emperor Wu.

Although it is unclear what the purpose of letting Wang Danwang serve part-time as the Governor-General of Lan Fang was, one thing is certain: it was definitely not to seek benefits for the Lan Fang people.

Thinking of this,

Yu Minzhong found it quite ironic.

Wang Danwang, that bastard, must have surrendered long ago. What he did in Gansu was exposed last year, but the court dared not say a word.

I dare not even pursue my accomplices.

originally,

Everyone in the court knew that Wang Danwang and the State of Wu were flirting with each other, but there was only a thin layer of window paper between them.

If we investigate the Gansu relief fraud case now, Fujian will change color overnight.

……

The Hall of Nourishing Heart.

Qianlong and Heshen were having a secret conversation.

The chief eunuch Qin Si stood guard at the door like a door god, not allowing the eunuchs and palace maids to approach.

Today, Prince Jia’s spies are as numerous as spider webs in the Forbidden City.

"Heshen, please sit down."

"Yes."

The king and his ministers sat opposite each other, looking at each other in silence. There was no transgression, no etiquette.

Heshen shed tears and Qianlong's eyes also became red.

"Master~"

"Don't cry, don't cry."

Qianlong even took out his bright yellow handkerchief and handed it to this loyal servant.

After sobbing for a while, he asked:
"I heard that Yongyan stole your concubine?"

(End of this chapter)