At the end of Qin, I became a son of the plane

Chapter 658: Everyone Wants to Show Off Their Skills and Excellent Craftsmen
After communicating with Zhang Pijiang and others, Xu Aimin asked Guan He to bring the memorials to be reviewed today.

The first memorial was about rails. Jia Yi wrote a letter to replace the existing rails of the Han Dynasty with steel rails. According to Jia Yi, the Han Dynasty began to popularize converter steelmaking on a large scale, and the price of steel dropped tenfold, which greatly reduced the cost of making rails with steel. The wear resistance and hardness of steel rails were better than those of iron rails, and the railway capacity could be increased by three times. The operating fee of steel rails was only one twelfth of that of iron rails. He requested the court to replace the iron rails with steel rails and comprehensively upgrade the railway network of the Han Dynasty.

Xu Aimin said: "Guan He went to find some information about the Han people's recent steelmaking technology."

"promise!"

Soon after, Guan He came with some information about the new steelmaking technology of the Han Dynasty. Then Xu Aimin learned that steelmaking technology had improved again, and oxygen top blowing technology was developed, which greatly reduced the cost of steelmaking. The cost of ordinary steel dropped from more than ten times that of iron to only 3-4 times that of iron. After Jia Yi became the rail commander, after the price of steel dropped, many infrastructures that were previously wanted but could not be built due to the cost can now be built, and rails are one of them.

Even though steel rails have so many advantages, it is difficult to completely replace them. The railway mileage of the Han Dynasty exceeds 4 kilometers, and the amount of steel required for a complete replacement will be astronomical. Xu Aimin thought about it and wrote in his reply that an experimental railway from Chang'an to Gaoling could be built first.

Then Xu Aimin picked up another memorial, this time it was from the Minister of Agriculture Feng Tang, and the content was to reduce or exempt agricultural taxes, which was also one of the political goals of the Han Dynasty.

The income of farmers in the Han Dynasty was obviously not as good as that of craftsmen, so since the establishment of the Han Dynasty, reducing agricultural taxes has become the political correctness of the Han Dynasty. Several generations of prime ministers have been trying to reduce agricultural taxes. Now the agricultural tax in the Han Dynasty has been reduced from three tenths in the founding period of the Han Dynasty to less than one tenth. At the same time, the Han Dynasty court would occasionally use various excuses to reduce the land tax. Now the land tax accounts for less than 5% of the total tax revenue of the Han Dynasty.

Feng Tang conducted in-depth inspections in five counties, namely Beidi County, Shang County, Jiuyuan County, Shuofang County, and Yanmen County, and investigated a large amount of tax data. He found that the cost of collecting this land tax in the Han Dynasty was higher than the tax itself.

Feng Tang wrote with deep sorrow that the land tax had become a living tax for the villages. It was not the imperial court that needed these taxes, but the village officials who needed these taxes to support themselves. However, this in itself increased the burden on farmers in poor areas of the Han Dynasty. He asked the imperial court to cancel the land tax to reduce the burden on farmers in the Han Dynasty.

Xu Aimin saw this memorial and smiled bitterly: "Everyone wants to show off their skills."

The imperial court had already noticed the issue of land tax when Zhou Bo was prime minister, but the Han court did not have a good solution at the time. Firstly, the land tax accounted for a considerable proportion of the Han Dynasty's tax revenue, and the court would find it difficult to bear the loss of the land tax. Secondly, as Feng Tang said, the land tax was mainly used to support grassroots Han officials.

However, the grassroots Han officials of the Han Dynasty not only handled agricultural-related affairs, but also relied on them for grassroots management, the transmission of government orders, and military tasks. In other words, the Han Dynasty could not do without these Han officials. Even if the land tax was abolished, the court still had to support these Han officials. At the same time, the Han Dynasty's granary system was also enriched by these land taxes.

The warehousing system is the most important balancer for the Han Dynasty to maintain national prices. However, if there is no land tax, the warehousing system will have to be reset. In short, reducing or exempting land tax will have a far-reaching impact on the Han Dynasty.

However, the land tax is not too important in the financial system of the Han Dynasty. Now that the Han Dynasty wants to build a middle-class wealthy society, it is more difficult for farmers to increase their income than it was a decade ago. Slowing down the land tax can indeed reduce the burden on farmers, Xu Aimin wrote after pondering, and he would try it out in Shangjun first.

Afterwards, Xu Aimin reviewed several memorials. He saw one from Liu Heng, which talked about the closure of some small mines by the Shaofu. But in the end, Liu Heng said that the sons of the princes of the Han Dynasty wanted to play with the financial industry, and asked the court to pay attention.

"Financial industry?" Xu Aimin frowned. Although the Han Dynasty suppressed the money banking system, stock market and futures market, it also attached the most importance to these financial means. However, this emphasis was not to strengthen the development of the financial industry, but to limit the disorderly expansion of the financial industry.

Whether it is the money shops, stock markets, or futures markets, they were all first created by the Han Dynasty. The Han court required these three institutions to assist the development of the Han Dynasty's industry, rather than playing with innovations such as going long, going short, or transferring and financing.

His father repeatedly told him that if the money houses, stock markets and futures markets were used well, they would be boosters to support industrial development, but if they were not used well, they would be a place to transfer wealth, and would transfer the money of the poor to the hands of the rich, creating wealthy and powerful people at hundreds or thousands of times the speed.

Xu Aimin hated the emergence of local tycoons the most. In addition, the several economic crises in the Han Dynasty had destroyed the money banks and left the Han Dynasty with huge debts. The stock market crash in the Xiongnu also made Xu Aimin wary. Therefore, he suppressed the money banks, stock markets, and futures markets that could mass-produce tycoons.

"Zhou Jianyi, Zhang Gao, Mei Shao, Ying Ming!" After seeing his nephews, Xu Aimin couldn't help but smile bitterly: "They are all second-generation rich people. These people only like to make quick money and don't like to do practical work. Now they don't even want to run the industry." At the end, Xu Aimin could no longer suppress his inner anger.

He had a bad impression of these people. Most of them were lazy and only cared about doing good things. The second generation of aristocrats actually had a great advantage in the political arena of the Han Dynasty. With these people's family background, as long as they were willing to endure hardships, it would be a hundred times easier for them to become a Han official with a salary of two thousand stones than to become an ordinary Han official.

Xu Aimin is even less wary of the nobles than Xu Fan. From the three dukes and nine ministers of the Han Dynasty, it can be seen that people of aristocratic origin occupy a small half of the positions. As long as he has the ability, Xu Aimin will not care about the nobles and the poor.

But Xu Aimin was extremely concerned about whether these second-generation nobles were pragmatic and capable. Even if these people wanted to make progress, they still had to start from the most basic level of the Han Dynasty, go to Yinzhou Continent, Yanzhou Continent, Nanzhou Continent and other poor places to be officials, and go to the front line of factories to be technicians and managers.

Xu Aimin attached great importance to the pragmatism and hard-working ability of Han officials. He preferred Han officials with calluses on their hands and those who had been to other continents. Among Han officials with a salary of more than 1,000 dan, a small half had been to border counties, the New World, and so on, and the number increased to 70% for those with a salary of 2,000 dan.

Those so-called noble positions in the Han Dynasty had almost no prospects for promotion. At the same time, this was also a screening mechanism for the nobles. Nobles who could not endure hardships would be eliminated in the Han Dynasty's selection system, and most of these powerful people were eliminated.

Xu Aimin thought for a moment and said, "Ah Chang."

Liu Chang came in from outside the palace and saluted, "Your Majesty!"

Xu Aimin said: "You arrange some people to monitor Zhou Jianyi and his men, and report to me any actions they take."

Liu Chang nodded and said, "Yes."

June 51, 9rd year of the Han calendar.

The Roman purchasing team was sitting on the railway heading to Chang'an City, where they were going to take over a batch of second-hand mining equipment.

Team member Anthony was a little puzzled and asked: "Elder Fabius, are we just going to buy some old equipment and bring it back?"

Originally, the members of the purchasing group were very excited to come to the Han Dynasty, but Fabius either purchased some second-hand textile machines or second-hand iron-making equipment. He was completely in the attitude of picking up junk. Spending 100 billion to pick up junk in the Han Dynasty naturally made the young Romans in the purchasing group feel depressed.

Fabius said: "Although we have 100 billion, this money is far from enough for what we want to do. Although the second-hand machinery of the Han Dynasty is old, the price is only 2-3% of the original price, and the quality is more than 8%. It is more cost-effective for us in Rome to use these old equipment.

For example, the steel mill we bought in Kuaiji County is old equipment, but it is a large steel mill with an annual output of 100,000 tons. If we buy two such steel mills, we can double Rome's steelmaking capacity. Originally, we could only buy one such steel mill, but now we can buy three. For Rome, which is in urgent need of steel, these second-hand equipment are more suitable for our national conditions. "

"With the money saved, we can hire more skilled craftsmen. Developing industry requires more than just machines. We also need a large number of skilled workers. By purchasing these second-hand equipment, we can get the effect of spending 100 billion yuan with 300 billion yuan. As for the ugly appearance, it doesn't matter."

"Come on, let's go have lunch."

In the dining room of this train, Fabius and his companions met an old acquaintance. "Master Zhu Tie, why are you here too?" Fabius was very surprised to see Master Zhu Tie of Wuxian Iron and Steel Plant. A few days ago, when he went to Wuxian Iron and Steel Plant, it was Zhu Tie, a technical backbone, who introduced him to various data of the steel plant.

Zhu Tie was also surprised and asked, "I am a representative of outstanding craftsmen from Kuaiji County. I am going to Chang'an City to receive the emperor's commendation and attend the Sages' Meeting. Are you going to Chang'an City as well?"

Fabius nodded and said, "Let's go to Chang'an City to take over some equipment."

Zhu Tie said: "In the entire Han Dynasty, only Chang'an has more advanced heavy machinery and equipment than ours."

Xu Fan is a qualified copycat. He copied many good systems of later generations to the Han Dynasty, such as the representative of excellent craftsmen. If the Han Dynasty wants to develop industrialization, it needs a large number of knowledgeable, talented and skilled craftsmen to invest in industrial production and technology research and development. This kind of thing cannot be done by just shouting a few slogans. It requires giving fame, profit and power.

Why did scholars in the later feudal era study hard? It was not because they loved learning, but because studying could lead to becoming an official. Emperor Zhenzong of Song Dynasty wrote a poem that said, "A rich family does not need to buy good farmland, as books contain thousands of bushels of grain. A comfortable home does not need to build a high hall, as books contain a golden house. Do not be sad that no one accompanies you when you go out, as books contain many carriages and horses. Do not be sad that you do not have a good matchmaker to marry, as books contain beautiful women. If a man wants to fulfill his life's ambition, he should study the Five Classics diligently in front of the window."

Xu Fan naturally took advantage of such a good and excellent system. Learning technology in the Han Dynasty could make you rich, become a noble, and become famous. Even the promotion of officials in the Han Dynasty gave priority to technicians. Among the officials in the Han Dynasty, about 3-4% of the Han officials were craftsmen and farmers. This is the best example. The Han Dynasty maintained this system for fifty years, and naturally countless elites devoted themselves to technology research and development.

After Zhu Tie asked the team leader for permission, the team leader learned that Fabius and his team were big customers of Kuaiji County, and warmly entertained Fabius and his team for dinner. The food in the dining room surprised Fabius, a top Roman aristocrat. There were high-end fruit wine, pastries, beef and mutton cooked with all kinds of precious spices, and unprecedented fruits after the meal.

After the meal, Anthony asked Zhu Tie, "You are the nobles of the Han Dynasty, right?"

Zhu Tiedao: "Why do you ask like that?"

Anthony pointed at Zhu Tie's wrist and said, "This watch is worth tens of thousands of dollars in Dahan, not to mention the food in the dining hall. Even if Dahan is rich, it is not something that ordinary people can afford."

Zhu Tieyou proudly shook his watch and said, "You are knowledgeable. This is a Chang'an brand watch. It costs more than 100,000 coins, but you may not be able to buy it even if you have money. This is a reward from the court for me becoming an excellent craftsman, and these foods are also prepared by the court for us excellent craftsmen."

At this time, an old craftsman named Zhu Tie said, "This year's treatment is not good. The year before last, the court specially chartered a cruise ship to take those outstanding craftsmen to a place called Pearl Island in Tianzhu Pangguo (Maldives). It is said that the scenery there is particularly beautiful."

Zhu Tie said: "Mr. Ji, Kuaiji County is on the sea. We have been to all kinds of islands. The court took this into consideration and arranged for us to go to the desert to experience the grassland scenery in order to arrange a good trip for us."

Anthony was dumbfounded by what the two craftsmen said. Although he understood what they said, he found it difficult to comprehend the inner meaning.

After they returned to their private room, Anthony asked, "Senator, were those craftsmen the nobles of the Han Dynasty?"

Although it was incredible that some craftsmen were nobles, there were also some nobles in Rome who liked blacksmithing. He could not think of any other explanation.

Fabius had been in the Han Dynasty for four years and had visited many places in the country. His understanding of the Han Dynasty was far beyond that of Anthony. He thought for a moment and said, "When I was studying in the Han Dynasty, a teacher there once said in class that the Han Dynasty was not the Han Dynasty of the royal family, but the Han Dynasty of the people of the world. To some extent, Master Zhu Tie and his men were the elders of the Han Dynasty."

Anthony didn't believe it and said, "The elders of hundreds of millions of people?"

Fabius sighed, "Although it's incredible, it's true from the perspective of the Han Dynasty. As the elders and ruling class of the Han Dynasty, it's not unusual for Master Zhu Tie and his people to enjoy some aristocratic treatment. Are you surprised that the Roman aristocracy enjoys a little luxury?"

This is why Xu Fan is not here, otherwise he would definitely treat Fabius as a confidant, because this is Xu Fan's truest thought. He just wants the craftsmen of the Han Dynasty to adapt to these things, adapt to their treatment, adapt to the fact that they can manage the Han Dynasty, and adapt to their identity as the master of the Han Dynasty.

When all of this was first promoted, there were great obstacles within the Han Dynasty. The Han academic community also wondered whether it was inappropriate for the craftsmen to indulge in such extravagance.

At this time, Xu Fan created a pen name, turned himself into a troll, and fought against hundreds of scholars alone.

They said that craftsmen should not indulge in extravagance. Xu Fan mocked these scholars as being spineless. With the current wealth of the Han Dynasty, these treatments were far from being extravagant. On the contrary, the wealth created by the four dynasties of Xia, Shang, Zhou and Qin was far less than that of the Han Dynasty, but the kings and nobles of the four dynasties spent more on luxury than the Han Dynasty. You dare not criticize the monarchs and nobles of the past four generations for their extravagance, but only dare to criticize the craftsmen for their extravagance. You scholars are the lackeys of your mothers who feed you. You only dare to criticize the craftsmen, but not the monarchs and nobles who gave them bones. If this is not spinelessness, what is it?

Those people also said that thrift and diligence are the virtues of the Chinese people. Xu Fan immediately retorted: "This is what the various schools of thought said to persuade the monarchs and nobles during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. The biggest difference between you and the various schools of thought is that the various schools of thought dared to educate the monarchs and nobles during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, but you only dared to educate the craftsmen of the Han Dynasty."

Xu Fan used the argument of comparing kings and nobles with craftsmen to make hundreds of Han scholars almost autistic. Later, they may have discovered Xu Fan's identity and dared not to fight him. Instead, Xu Fan ended the debate with a little disappointment.

September 51, 9st year of the Han calendar, Chang'an City, Lantian Coal Mine.

Factory Director Ouyang Jie led Fabius and others to inspect the entire mining area and said, "With these machines, our Lantian Mine can produce 50 tons of coal every year. The price of one ton of coal in Chang'an is 300 coins, and the annual output value is 1 million coins. Now these equipment only cost 5000 million coins, and they are yours."

Fabius looked at these dirty steam engines and huge conveyor belts and hesitated: "Can these machines be shipped to Rome?"

Ouyang Jie said: "Don't worry about this. These machines can be disassembled and loaded into containers, and then reassembled for use. These machines have been used for less than 10 years and are relatively new models. Our mine will also send craftsmen to help you assemble the equipment, but you have to pay the salary according to the agreement with the court."

Fabius said: "That's no problem."

The scale of Roman industry was extremely weak, with only some simple textile mills and small steel mills. Even now, Rome's annual steel production capacity barely reaches 20 tons. This shows how small the scale of Roman industry was. Although they now take out 100 billion to greatly expand the scale of Roman industry, Rome has not cultivated industrial talents. It can be said that without the craftsmen of the Han Dynasty, even if the Romans sold the machines back, it would be difficult to start them up. Therefore, introducing industrial talents from the Han Dynasty was one of Fabius' main tasks in coming to the Han Dynasty.

Anthony looked at the quiet mining area and asked curiously, "Why can't we see any craftsmen in your mining area?"

Ouyang Jie said dejectedly: "The scale of our mine is too small. The court has ordered it to be closed. Otherwise, we would not be able to sell the equipment in the mine to you."

Anthony and others were silent. The 50-ton coal mine was the largest in Rome, but in Han it was a small coal mine that was about to be closed. The gap between them was too big.

(End of this chapter)