People in the Three Kingdoms: Starting from Preaching

Chapter 207 Power
Xu Chen's idea of ​​using military supplies to stimulate industrial and commercial development was carried out step by step. As time passed, the effects gradually began to show. The huge demand created by the army made the merchants in the entire Xuanxia unable to sit still.

They all felt that their hard days were over and it was finally time for them to make a big splash.

When the Yellow Turbans came to Youzhou, they targeted the nobles and powerful families, but life was not so easy for the merchants either, because the Yellow Turbans' previous policy was to control both industry and commerce, and the existence of agricultural marketing cooperatives greatly squeezed the merchants' living space, making their lives very difficult.

After Xuanxia was established, the wind direction changed, and they finally saw the light at the end of the tunnel, and finally had their own development opportunity.

Most of the merchants in this era were traveling merchants who engaged in reselling and did not produce goods themselves. Of course, Xu Chen did not need such merchants. To be more precise, he wanted factory owners. This forced these merchants to change their identities.

Xuanxia released the news of the competition for military supplies to various counties early on, basically attracting the attention of all merchants in Xuanxia.

When these businessmen became interested and began to learn about the relevant matters, Xuan Xia's various laws and regulations on industry and commerce popped up one after another, which dazzled them and many things in them were difficult for them to accept.

If you want to do business with the military, you must let the military see real factories, real workers, and real products.

To open a factory, one must first register with the government and obtain a license, and then invest in building the factory and recruit workers.

If it were just that, it would be fine. As long as they see the huge demand from the army, they are not afraid to invest. After all, the returns are predictable. Even if the bid fails, the products can still be sold to the public.

What really made them uncomfortable was the court's laws regarding workers. If they signed labor contracts and hired workers according to these laws, their costs would inevitably increase, which conflicted with the idea of ​​businessmen pursuing minimum cost and maximum profit.

But the rules and laws have already been set, and they cannot question them. They have no choice but to stop doing business or accept these two options.

The businessmen finally chose the latter. Even if they made less money, it was still money after all, so they had to accept it.

These merchant groups controlled a portion of the original social resources, and under Xuan Xia's guidance, these resources were also utilized and eventually invested in industrial and commercial industries, and a large number of factories began to be set up in various places.

It was not until several months later that the court held a bidding meeting. Merchants came to compete with their own products. The army also conducted a comprehensive investigation of various products and factories, and then gradually established its own suppliers. Through its own efforts, the Ju family successfully won one of the small items.

Once established, all related factories began to operate, and the production needs of the factories greatly stimulated the upstream raw material industries, such as steel, cotton, linen and wool, and the demand began to surge.

Driven by the army, Xuanxia's industrial and commercial links were opened up and circulated bit by bit, and some people could already feel something unusual in it.

"Brother, our factory can produce 2,000 military uniforms a month. Excluding labor and raw materials costs, we can make a profit of three coins per piece after paying taxes, which means a profit of six thousand coins a month."

One month after Ju's industry began to produce for the army, Ju Zong stopped Ju Shou early in the morning and began to report on the business situation.

However, Ju Shou did not react too much to this. In fact, one does not need to listen to this summary to know the situation of the place. The operator must have an idea of ​​whether he can make money and how much money he can make.

Despite this, Ju Zong still summed it up in a serious manner, and he looked very excited: "A small workshop with fifty workers can earn six thousand coins a month. It seems that we can continue to expand the scale and increase profits."

Ju Su nodded and said, "It's feasible. You can handle these things on your own from now on. You don't need to explain it to me."

Ju Zong laughed and said, "That's right, brother, you should stay by the side of the Prime Minister. That's where your real future lies. This little business is nothing."

However, Ju Hu, who was following behind him, curled his lips and didn't care. It was just six thousand coins, which was just a drop in the bucket in the eyes of the nobles in the past. There was no need to be so happy about it.

According to the previous strength of the Ju family, money could come just by lying down. They had plenty of tenants and servants to command, so there was no need to sign any work contracts or pay any wages.

Now, not only does he have to spend a lot of effort to build the site, but he also has to support the workers well. In the end, he can only earn a mere 6,000 coins, which is really despised by Ju Hu.

If Ju Zong knew what his nephew was thinking, he would probably only be able to sigh helplessly.

Things are different now. No matter how prosperous the past was, that was the past. Life is difficult now, and every little good change is worth being happy about.

The greater significance of the place making money is that the Ju family will have a foundation for survival in the future, which is as important as a farmer having land. Now, this place is a field in Ju Zong's eyes, not just pure profit.

Moreover, the six thousand dollars is just for the beginning of the business. Later on, you can optimize the processes and costs to improve production efficiency, and then continuously increase the scale and expand production capacity, so you can naturally earn more.

"Second brother, concentrate on business in the future, you may be able to stand in a high position in the future." Ju Su said meaningfully. Ju Zong was stunned for a moment: "We are from aristocratic families and cannot join the religion. Can we rely on these alone?"

Ju Su said: "It is impossible to be like the nobles in the past, but I think if the family can become a wealthy merchant, they can still occupy a high position in the future. I am afraid that the future will be an era of industrial and commercial prosperity, and merchants will fly with the wind and soar to the sky."

Ju Hu was a little bit unconvinced: "Is it possible? Can a businessman also be on the stage?"

Ju Su glanced at them and said, "You run your own workshop, don't you feel anything?"

Ju Zong and Ju Hu looked at each other and shook their heads: "What is that?"

Ju Su took a deep breath and said, "The Prime Minister once told me that once industry takes off, its explosive power will turn the world upside down, and you should be able to smell a little of this power."

The power of industry?
Ju Zong looked confused, and Ju Hu was even more puzzled.

Seeing their reactions, Ju Shou could only shake his head. It was obvious that they did not understand what he said.

But this cannot be blamed on them, because they are at too low a level, while I am at the core of the imperial court, so I can see things at a more macro level and feel things more strongly, so I can smell a hint of the so-called power of industry.

You don’t even need to see it with your own eyes, just seeing the data presentation is enough to feel it.

There are actually more than a dozen small factories like ours that make military uniforms. The seemingly huge demand for military uniforms for an army of 50,000 people actually only takes more than two months to complete. Even if things like armor and weapons take a longer cycle, it will not take more than half a year to fully equip them.

In other words, in at most half a year, Xuan Xia would be able to equip a fully-equipped army of 50,000.

Every soldier in this 50,000-strong army is equipped with the same standard equipment. Each soldier has a set of summer clothes, winter clothes and shoes, 30,000 sets of light armor and 20,000 sets of heavy armor. Then, according to the different types of troops, they are equipped with standard ring-handled swords, standard spears, and standard shields.

In addition, each soldier is equipped with a water bottle, a dagger, and a first aid kit, while the army's carriages, beds, crossbows, tents, and mats are all equipped in order according to the military sequence.

Whether it is the army as a whole or individual soldiers, it can be said that the phrase "armed to the teeth" has been implemented to the extreme.

If the Han Dynasty were to equip an army of this level, it would take at least two or three years, let alone half a year, even if the entire country were to unite. Just 50,000 sets of light and heavy armor would be enough to suffocate people, and 100,000 sets of winter and summer clothes would not be something that could be produced in four months.

It was also when he saw the macro data of the densely packed factories, the tens of thousands of workers, the dazzling monthly output, and the endless stream of trucks carrying all kinds of supplies to the army that Ju Su felt the so-called power of industry.

Although according to Xu Chen, this amount of power is less than one millionth of the real industrial power, it is enough to shock Ju Shou.

With his gradual understanding of industry, Ju Shou came to understand more clearly that the production of these equipments was not only to equip the army, but also had a considerable role in providing jobs for society. Many farmers during the slack season, or unemployed women, could participate in industrial production.

The court issued legal money and allocated it to the army, which then funded the purchase of military supplies from various suppliers. The money entered the factories, and finally most of the wealth flowed to the workers in the form of wages. When workers have money, they will think about spending it, so market demand is created, which in turn stimulates the factories to produce products.

Ju Shou thought of Guan Zhong's economic theory again. Only when the higher-ups spend more money can the lower-ups live a better life. In fact, this is what Xuan Xia is doing now.

Thirty percent of the court's annual revenue was allocated to the military budget, which was actually a rather exaggerated proportion, but only an investment of this magnitude could achieve the goal of developing industry.

Moreover, this kind of military investment can only be implemented at the current stage when the Yellow Turbans' annual income is unprecedentedly abundant. As people's livelihood gradually enters a cycle of continuous investment and as the court structure becomes more and more complete and complex, money will be needed everywhere, and it will be difficult to find such an opportunity again.

It is foreseeable that after Xuanxia's industry and commerce prosper in the future, there will be more and more goods on the market, and they will become cheaper and cheaper, and all people can benefit from it.

For Xuan Xia, social wealth continues to grow and national strength will gradually become stronger.

Ju Su patted Ju Zong on the shoulder and sighed: "This world will become unrecognizable to everyone in the future, and the Prime Minister is even more of a saint king who has crossed the ancient and modern times. You will understand in the future. Staying in Xuanxia may be the best choice for us in this life."

After saying that, Ju Su walked out of the house and went to the office to start a new day of work. He was looking forward to the future.

Being able to be a participant of the times is truly a blessing in life!

(End of this chapter)