Rebirth of Zhu Di's son

Chapter 396 Ming Dynasty cannot engage in full commercialization
"Only when the Ming Dynasty established the Sansifu County Yamen in Liang Siam and registered the population, the local natives who had hidden in the mountains and forests would surrender."

Zhu Gaoxu continued: "This matter should be done sooner rather than later. There are hundreds of wastes waiting to be done in Siam and Siam. The six ministries and nine ministers must submit the list of candidates for the governors, chief envoys and other senior administrative officials in the two places before the court tomorrow."

"The ministers obey the order."

Six ministries and nine officials responded in unison.

Zhu Gaoxu then turned his attention to Xue Lu and Chen Mao, and ordered: "Tomorrow before the court, I want to see the list of candidates recommended by the Governor's Office for the commanders of the two Siamese capitals."

"The minister obeys the order."

Xue and Chen quickly bowed.

Zhu Gaoxu paused, and then said: "This second matter is related to the construction of counties and cities all over the world."

"I remember that in the 15th year of Yongle's reign, the resident population inside and outside Nanjing had already exceeded one million. According to statistics from the Ministry of Household Affairs in the 150th year of Qianxi's reign, the permanent population inside and outside Nanjing had reached more than [-] million."

"Three years ago, the permanent population inside and outside the capital exceeded 120 million, but the problems caused by over-density of the population have become increasingly serious."

When Zhu Gaoxu said this, he chose to pause.

He wanted to give the ministers time to think.

After hearing this, all the ministers in the court subconsciously thought of the current urban administrative system of the Ming Dynasty.

Fang and Xiang are the basic administrative management organizations of Ming Dynasty cities. The inner city is called Fang, the outside is called Xiang, and the outside is called Xiang.

Therefore, Fang, Xiang and Xiang are on the same level.

The permanent population of a village may be as few as 800, or as large as no less than 3000. The former are mostly villages in the county, and the latter are mostly villages in the prefectural city.

The population of a village in the capital often starts at 3000 or [-], and may reach tens of thousands.

For example, a square or wing in Nanjing has to manage more than ten or even dozens of streets and lanes.

A li is divided between square, Xiang and Xiang, and 110 households constitute a li.

Therefore, the districts in prefectural and county towns were divided into several li.

In this way, at the local level, a five-level administrative management system of province, prefecture, county, township, and li is formed, while in each prefecture and county, a five-level administrative management system of province, prefecture, county, square (xiang), and li is formed. system.

In the inner cities of counties and prefectures, the urban construction area is divided into several squares, and outside the city is divided into Xiangxiang.

If the population density in the city is too high, it will cause problems such as housing congestion, traffic congestion, ecological environment pollution, reduced quality of life of residents, employment difficulties, and deterioration of public security.

Nanjing city is a typical example.

Since the Ming Dynasty moved its capital to Beijing during the Yongle period, although the pace of Nanjing's development has slowed down, it still relies on its huge and prosperous industry and commerce to attract countless people.

Many of the civil and military officials in the court have lived in Nanjing, and they have a deep understanding of "big city disease".

If Zhu Gaoxu had not implemented the New Deal in the second year of Qianxi, he reformed the Ministry of War and set up the Police Security Bureau. The Police Security Bureau was responsible for the pursuit of suspects and thieves in the former Ministry of Criminal Affairs and local governments. Police security branches were set up in all provincial and county yamen across the country.

I'm afraid that Nanjing's public security will become a joke to the Ming Dynasty.

Similarly, if it had not been for the imperial court promulgating road traffic laws, formulating traffic rules, and setting up traffic lights at densely populated intersections in various provincial cities in the sixth year of Qianxi, the people of Nanjing would still have a headache crossing the road.

As for population density that is too low, it will produce negative effects such as extensive land development, lack of popularity in the city, inconvenience for residents, low quality and efficiency of economic operation, and exhaustion of comprehensive competitiveness and development potential.

For example, this is the case in counties in remote areas. Even the permanent population in a county is not as large as the permanent population in a town outside Nanjing.

“I believe that population density must be compatible with a city’s ecological carrying capacity, economic resource abundance and technological development level.”

Zhu Gaoxu said loudly: "The development of urban construction areas in all prefectures and counties in the world must be based on local conditions and cannot be copied from other prefectures and counties. In particular, restrictions must be placed on the development of industry and commerce and the permanent population."

Words such as "density", "ecology", "economy", "technology" and "urban construction area" gradually became popular in the world after the establishment of Jinling Normal University.

Most of the officials who are active in the court today are very familiar with these words that were spread from the middle and late Yongle period.

Some of them came from Jinling Changke Academy.

Therefore, after hearing Zhu Gaoxu's words, many officials in the court echoed his words.

"The progress of the Ming Dynasty requires industry and commerce, but it cannot be separated from agriculture. In the past, all dynasties emphasized agriculture and suppressed commerce. I do not do that, but it does not mean that we emphasize commerce and suppress agriculture. I have always emphasized that agriculture, industry and commerce should be given equal emphasis. Regardless of the Ming Dynasty's technology No matter how far we develop, agriculture will always be the foundation.”

When Zhu Gaoxu said this, he looked at Prince Zhu Zhanyu who was standing below and asked, "Prince, do you know why?"

"Going back to my father, I think that if there are no farmers to produce food, what will the corporals, workers, and businessmen eat that day?"

Zhu Zhanyu bowed and replied. "Yes, while ensuring the continuous progress of agriculture, Ming Dynasty needs the prosperity of industry and commerce, but Ming Dynasty will never pursue the supremacy of industry and commerce."

Zhu Gaoxu said categorically: "I hope you will keep this in mind and don't forget the lessons learned by the Fang family in Taizhou."

The "lesson learned from Fang's family in Taizhou" in his words was the fire at Fang's textile factory in Ninghai County, Taizhou Prefecture a few years ago.

Fang's Textile Factory is a local clan-style factory established during the opening of the sea in Yongle. Its main products are silk, cloth and other textiles.

The prosperity of the factory has a lot to do with Fang Xiaoru. In the early days of the factory's establishment, it was all thanks to the background of the Fang Xiaoru people that they were able to gain a foothold in the textile industry in Ninghai County.

Fang Xiaoru strictly prohibited his descendants from doing business, so his two sons, Fang Zhongxian and Fang Zhongyu, did not directly participate in the management of the factory. They all participated in the name of their wives.

Later, after Fang Xiaoru became an official, his eldest son Fang Zhongxian became the magistrate in Suzhou, and his second son Fang Zhongyu returned to his hometown to take care of Fang Xiaoru.

After Fang Xiaoru's death, Fang Zhongyu, under the influence of his wife's family, violated his father's rule that "descendants are not allowed to engage in business" during his lifetime, and resolutely devoted himself to the textile industry.

Since his elder brother Fang Zhongxian was the prefect of Suzhou, Fang Zhongyue quickly became the actual controller of Fang's Textile Factory in Ninghai County with the support of his wife's family.

Fang Zhongyu's eldest son, Fang Wenhua, was a typical playboy. After Fang Zhongyu's death, he took over the family industry and regarded the workers in the textile factory as slaves. In order to pursue commercial profits, he exploited the workers to the maximum extent.

At its worst, workers died of overwork almost every day.

Because most workers signed lifetime contracts with the factory, workers who could not afford huge liquidated damages decided to take desperate risks in order to survive.

They joined forces and took advantage of Fang Wenhua's fortieth birthday to burn the entire Fang's textile factory to ashes with a fire. Even Fang Wenhua and his mother's family of seven were buried in the sea of ​​​​fire, and no one was spared.

Since multiple people collaborated to commit the crime, the case was solved quickly.

In view of this, Zhu Gaoxu issued an imperial edict stipulating that the maximum period of any employment contract should not exceed 20 years. Lifetime contracts are invalid contracts. If others are hired to work, the daily working time should not exceed six hours, and the continuous working time should not exceed five days, etc.

"Starting from the 18th year of Qianxi, within the next 15 years, the permanent population of any provincial city shall not exceed 150 million, a prefectural city shall not exceed 100 million, and a county shall not exceed 50. The permanent population of towns outside the city shall not be counted here. List."

Zhu Gaoxu said: "In order to adapt to changes in current events, the limit on the total population of provincial capitals and counties will be adjusted every 15 years."

Historically, the state system of the Ming Dynasty was slightly different from that of the previous dynasties. The Zhili prefectures directly under the Chief Secretary were the second-level administrative divisions, with a status equal to that of the prefectures but slightly lower than the prefectures. The scattered prefectures that were subordinate to the prefectures were the third-level administrative divisions. The status is equivalent to that of a county but slightly higher.

According to relevant statistics, at the peak of the Ming Dynasty, there were more than 170 prefecture-level administrative districts and more than 400 county-level administrative districts.

In the 20th year of Qianxi, Zhu Gaoxu adjusted the administrative division system of the Ming Dynasty, upgrading more than 100 Zhili prefectures to prefectures and more than [-] scattered prefectures to counties.

For example, Chuzhou, Zhili Prefecture, directly under the Chief Secretary of Huaixi Province, was upgraded to Chuzhou Prefecture, with jurisdiction over Quanjiao County and Lai'an County.

Another example is that the scattered prefectures of Lu'an Prefecture and Wuwei Prefecture under the jurisdiction of Luzhou Prefecture in Huaixi were changed to Liu'an County and Wuwei County.

Zhu Gaoxu limited the total population of the provincial towns and counties in order to restrict local officials from engaging in land enclosure movements and expand the size of the cities.

After all, in order to pursue political achievements and improve economic and industrial and commercial development, local officials often go to any lengths to force and lure people into the city or to work in factories outside the city.

If this continues, a large number of people will turn into professional workers or businessmen, and many cultivated fields will be abandoned.

However, Ming Dynasty’s land policy did not prohibit private land transactions. Once an economic crisis occurred in the future, business was hit, and a large number of workers were laid off, it would definitely lead to unrest.

What's more, in order to cope with the constant cold climate in more than ten years, Zhu Gaoxu must ensure that the amount of cultivated land in Ming Dynasty increases year by year.

Businessmen pursue profit, and business first means profit first.

Ming Dynasty needs commerce, but Ming Dynasty cannot engage in comprehensive commercialization, just like Zhu Gaoxu cannot engage in comprehensive industrialization.

The result of comprehensive commercialization is the collapse of etiquette, the destruction of music, everyone chasing profit, laughing at poverty but not at prostitution, and not knowing what etiquette, justice and integrity are.

The result of comprehensive industrialization is that the "three industrial wastes" will turn the whole world into hell. (Note 1)

To put it bluntly, what Zhu Gaoxu pursues is to use industry and commerce to develop the Ming Dynasty, rather than letting the Ming Dynasty be dominated and coerced by industry and commerce.

"I have been in the imperial court for seventeen years, and now I am over sixty years old (62 years old). I am getting older day by day, and I often feel that I am not able to do what I want. However, state affairs cannot be neglected. Prince Zhu Zhanyu is smart and brave, and he is very suitable for me."

When Zhu Gaoxu said this, his tone suddenly changed and he became serious: "All ministers, listen to the order. From tomorrow, the prince will supervise the country, and all political affairs will be punished by the prince, and then he will report it. This is what I want to do today. The third thing I said!”

As soon as these words came out, all the ministers were shocked.

Starting tomorrow, Zhu Gaoxu will hand over all government affairs to Prince Zhu Zhanyu. Zhu Zhanyu will decide all major affairs in the court and then report them to him.

The ministers understood that Zhu Gaoxu was trying to imitate Zhu Di and planned to smoothly transfer military and political power to the prince in advance.

Note 1: "Three industrial wastes" refers to "waste water, waste residue, and waste gas" discharged from industrial production. These wastes contain a variety of toxic and harmful substances. If they are not properly treated, if they do not meet the prescribed emission standards, they will be discharged into the environment. (atmosphere, water, soil), exceeding the allowable amount of environmental self-purification capacity will pollute the environment, destroy ecological balance and natural resources, and affect industrial and agricultural production and human health.

(End of this chapter)