Follow Zhu Yuanzhang to conquer the country

Chapter 218 Agricultural Promotion General Zhu Yuanzhang, the Steam Engine Appears

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded: "Of course!"

As he said that, Zhu Yuanzhang put his hands on his hips and sighed: "Before the country was established, some people inside had become greedy. The bureaucracy mentioned in the books you gave me is now getting worse."

"Then when will the superiors plan to rectify this matter?"

Zhang Cheng asked.

Zhu Yuanzhang smiled and said, "We plan to wait a little longer and give you a big gift when the time comes."

Zhang Cheng obviously guessed what kind of gift it was, so he smiled, then looked at Zhu Yuanzhang and said:

"But you can't wait too long, otherwise some people will think that your supervisor is incompetent, and they will despise supervision, despise the supervisor, and even despise you, the supervisor. What's more, the supervisors will also despise you."

Zhu Yuanzhang's expression became solemn and he nodded: "What I'm saying is, wait for them to search for some more gold and silver, and then we will close the net!"

"Now Hangzhou has been captured, and Shaoxing and Mingzhou are just around the corner. As long as Mingzhou is captured, we can go to the Japanese country along the ocean current, and then we can get a lot of silver and gold. By then, these bureaucrats and gentry who are collecting gold and silver will do what they are doing now. I will continue to regret it.”

Zhang Cheng also laughed when Zhu Yuanzhang mentioned gold and silver.

He has recently eaten potatoes grown by Zhu Yuanzhang and potatoes grown by Guo Tianxu.

After watching the whole process, Zhang Cheng immediately ordered:
"Initiate mass production as soon as possible and replace the spinning equipment! If the spinning workers are willing to leave, let them leave according to the agreed buyout money. If they are unwilling to leave, immediately select a group of young people and organize them to receive training in operating the new equipment. , we must strive to bring the price of cotton fabrics to a higher level as soon as possible!”

Many contradictions can be further eliminated invisible.

"Furthermore, when the sweet potatoes you planted are harvested, we will have more food to eat. At that time, they can only watch as fewer and fewer people work as slaves and maids in order to be fed and clothed. "

"Speaking of sweet potatoes, we haven't looked at the sweet potatoes we planted since we came back."

However, Zhang Cheng knew that increasing food production could not only rely on sweet potatoes and potatoes. He had already asked people to develop chemical fertilizers and use chemical methods to produce nitrogen fertilizers, phosphate fertilizers, and potassium fertilizers, and was preparing to use chemical fertilizer technology to increase agricultural output.

"Mr. Zhang, the Ordnance Department said that the steam spinning machine you requested has been developed according to the drawings you gave, and it is expected that it can be spun and tried tomorrow."

Zhang Cheng nodded: "Of course!"

Now he is looking forward to eating the sweet potatoes grown by the two of them.

Zhang Cheng was very happy after hearing this, and went to the Ordnance Department in person the next day to watch with his own eyes the spinning process of the steam spinning machine.

Zhang Cheng looked at Zhu Yuanzhang's back and smiled.

These people can work full-time as soldiers, full-time developers and craftsmen, or even as officials. Naturally, more people can receive education and engage in education outside of work.

By then, the food produced will only be more abundant and sufficient.

Then, Zhang Cheng said to Zhu Yuanzhang: "In short, we can not only use violence to deal with them, but also use methods to benefit the world. These groups born from backward production relations will become more and more advanced as the productivity develops." Incompetent, so when the steam engine appears, cotton will be even less valuable. I am afraid that everyone can have cotton clothes and quilts, and even the poorest farmers can wrap themselves in cotton quilts for the winter, instead of relying on straw to survive the winter. "

Li Shanchang, who came with Zhang Cheng, said at this time: "In this case, will we have to purchase more cotton?"

In this way, technology will advance faster, and more land and minerals can be developed and mined.

And sufficient food can feed more non-agricultural people.

On this day, Wang Guangyang brought good news to Zhang Cheng.

Zhu Yuanzhang said and walked quickly towards his backyard.

Zhu Yuanzhang laughed and asked: "Just like they regretted hoarding food before?"

Zhang Cheng nodded: "I don't know if Cheng Renmo and others bought cotton from Zhang Shicheng and others."

Moreover, since Zhang Shicheng decided to conquer Liu Futong, he asked his second brother Zhang Shide to lead troops to attack the Lingbi owned by Liu Futong.

Therefore, Zhang Shixin and his colleagues are the only ones assisting Zhang Shicheng in handling internal affairs.

After Zhang Shicheng learned that the Chinese Army wanted to purchase a large amount of cotton at a high price, he quickly realized that something was wrong and asked Zhang Shixin:
"Is it easy for Zhu Yuanzhang to produce cotton cloth now?"

"According to the news from the people we sent to Jiqing to inquire, it is indeed easy for them to produce cotton cloth now. The spinning machines and looms they use are different from ours. The key is that they also have cotton gins that can automatically remove cotton cloth. Seed, I heard that Zhang Cheng improved it based on the skills provided by Huang Daopo."

Zhang Shixin replied.

After hearing this, Zhang Shicheng nodded repeatedly: "No wonder they want to buy cotton on a large scale. It's just that they don't grow cotton themselves, but they come to us to buy cotton at a high price. Obviously they want us to grow cotton for them, and their own fields can be used for planting. food."

"Brother is wise, Zhu Yuanzhang agreed to Zhang Cheng's request and changed the tax policy. Anyone who grows cotton will be taxed heavily. It is clear that he does not want cotton to be grown in their own fields."

Zhang Shixin replied.

Zhang Shicheng couldn't help but snorted after hearing this: "This Zhang Cheng is really cunning. He is obviously determined to control us through various trades."

"You can't be fooled by him alone."

"Gu also ordered a ban on growing cotton and imposed heavy taxes on those who grow cotton."

Zhang Shicheng said in a deep voice. Zhang Shixin said: "Brother, this is right."

Zhang Shicheng reminded Zhang Shixin: "You have to ask us to govern the large households with land not to plant cotton just because cotton is profitable. Don't have to look at Zhu Yuanzhang's face when the time comes to eat."

"Yes!"

Although Zhang Shixin agreed, he still couldn't help but remind Zhang Shicheng: "Brother, I'm worried that because the price of cotton is too high and cotton is too cost-effective, those big households will continue to grow cotton instead of grain, because I heard that Zhang Cheng has also lowered the tax rate on cotton purchases so much that it is almost equivalent to no tax. For merchants who go to Jiqing to sell cotton, the tax rate is even lower than that for those who come and go to sell iron materials. "

"What a clever trick!"

Zhang Shicheng sighed, and then gritted his teeth:

"How did Zhang Cheng do it? Can he use this method to deal with us?"

Zhang Shixin looked embarrassed: "My brother doesn't know either, but I feel that it is better to clear the block than to block it. We might as well let the private fields under our own names be planted, go to Jiqing to earn some cloth coins, and buy more grain and grass to store back." Keep it in case there is any trouble, after all, there are still places where food and fodder are needed for the next expedition against Liu Futong."

"Go ahead and do it."

"Yes!"

Zhang Cheng also soon learned through the Gongwei Department that Zhang Shicheng and other landlords were still planting cotton extensively, so he laughed and secretly sighed that these people really couldn't resist the temptation of cotton interests.

Of course, Zhang Cheng also encouraged them to continue to buy food from him, because now Datong Society is not short of food at all.

In August of this year, when Zhu Yuanzhang began to dig up the sweet potatoes he had planted on a trial basis, he was pleasantly surprised because his sweet potatoes were also very productive.

"Wenying goes and asks Mr. Zhang to come!"

Zhu Yuanzhang excitedly shouted to Zhu Wenying. At the same time, he personally brought a few sweet potatoes to Guo Tianxu next door: "Lao Guo! Lao Guo!"

Now that Zhu Yuanzhang and Guo Tianxu often discuss farming matters with each other, their relationship is much better than before, so their private addresses become more and more casual and cordial.

Guo Tianxu has been a little unhappy recently because he harvested spring potatoes last month and his harvest was not as good as Zhu Yuanzhang's.

This made him very depressed.

He did not expect that he was not as good as Zhu Yuanzhang in fighting, and he was far inferior to Zhu Yuanzhang in farming.

Therefore, when Zhu Yuanzhang came to see him, he was not in much of a mood. He just asked lightly: "What's the matter? Don't ask me for money. There are still potatoes to harvest."

"Let's give you some of the sweet potatoes I planted before. You can try them."

As Zhu Yuanzhang spoke, he handed a washed sweet potato to Guo Tianxu: "Eat it."

Guo Tianxu took the red potato and took a bite: "Not bad! It's very sweet!"

"The key is that it's also very productive. Come with me!"

As Zhu Yuanzhang spoke, he took Guo Tianxu to his backyard. Then he pointed to a large pile of sweet potatoes that he had dug out and said, "This is from this part of the land. How about it? It's very productive, right?"

Guo Tianxu was stunned for a moment when he saw this.

Suddenly, Guo Tianxu ran back immediately.

Seeing this, Zhu Yuanzhang hurriedly asked: "What are you going back for?"

"I'm also going to dig up the sweet potatoes I planted."

Guo Tianxu replied.

He was influenced by Zhu Yuanzhang to plant some at the beginning of the year, so now he is eager to go back and see how the sweet potatoes he planted are doing.

Not long after, Guo Tianxu laughed happily as he watched a large pile of sweet potatoes being dug out: "The yield is really high. Mr. Zhang really didn't lie to his superiors!"

Guo Tianxu then came to Zhu Yuanzhang because he was a little tired from digging. When he saw Zhang Cheng also came and was still helping Zhang Cheng dig sweet potatoes, he suddenly became unhappy and said:
"Mr. Zhang, please help us too! Is Zhu Yuanzhang the only one who is your friend?"

Zhang Cheng said here: "I'm here to help dig out. Why don't you come along and help the superiors dig out first? Then we will help you dig out and talk about the upcoming military and political affairs."

Guo Tianxu thought for a while, then took a hoe and started digging.

"Once so many sweet potatoes are promoted, I'm afraid it will be able to feed many more people."

Zhu Yuanzhang said this first when he was pounding the soil with a hoe.

Zhang Cheng said: "In addition to feeding a few people, we can also feed a lot of pigs. After the fertilizer is put into production, when the field army is in the field next spring, they should be able to use fertilizer for farming. Then potatoes will not be planted. Let’s switch to wheat cultivation! Potatoes are only allowed to be grown in barren lands, and the same goes for sweet potatoes. In this way, wheat can also produce high yields and can continue to be the staple food for the army and officials. Potatoes and sweet potatoes are mainly used as food and nutrients for external sales. Grain for pigs.”

“After all, cereal is more nutritious!”

"But if Zhang Shicheng knew that they eat the same as our pigs, wouldn't he be so angry?"

Guo Tianxu couldn't help but ask at this time.

(End of this chapter)