Daming: I, the emperor who trains the carpenter

The plan proposed by Zhang Haogu,
It's grand, yes.

But it's not fake, something that takes a lot of effort and money and ends up being futile.

This is a practical plan.

It's different from the Donglin Party who is full of morality, benevolence and righteousness. He opens his mouth to give you some plan, and then you ask him what to do and how to implement it, but he doesn't speak.

The plan proposed by Zhang Haogu is visible and tangible, and the court will not spend much effort to implement it.

Take the straight road widening project as an example. The official roads in all provinces, prefectures and counties of Daming will be widened and reinforced so that they can be used for a longer period of time and can accommodate more vehicles. It is beneficial to the imperial court, and it can be done right now.

As for the Chidao Project and supporting wooden cows and horses, some traces have already been seen now. The Academy of Engineering has successfully built a real steamboat, not the original small wooden boat, but a real steamboat that can accommodate dozens of people. A medium-sized steam paddle steamer with paddle wheels.

The greatest significance of this boat is that it is already possible to use steam engines as power to propel boats and vehicles.

Zhu Youxiao has ordered to allocate more money to the Academy of Engineering, so that the Academy of Engineering can develop larger and more efficient steam engines.

Don't think that this kind of thing is so difficult.

From ancient times to the present, in a unified dynasty, as long as the interior is stable, the court's government orders are smooth, and the emperor's prestige is sufficient, then there is nothing that the emperor wants to do.

Qin Shihuang, Han Wudi, Tang Taizong.
Here are vivid examples one by one. Even Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty was able to ask millions of people to dig a canal for him to go to Yangzhou.

With the development of science and technology, the level of science and technology in the Ming Dynasty is not weak, and the court has money and people, so as long as Zhu Youxiao thinks, the Academy of Engineering can make it for him.

It is just a steam engine with high efficiency and high kinetic energy. It is only a matter of time before those bachelors of the Academy of Engineering want to get it out.

Even if the steam engine can't be researched for a while, the horse-drawn carriage can be used after the road is laid.

It's not like Daming doesn't have enough pack horses, two or three horses are not enough, are eight horses enough?

On the specially paved road, eight horses pull seven or eight carriages, and they can still run.

After Zhu Youxiao agreed to Zhang Haogu's plan, the cabinet held another small meeting to discuss the implementation of the plan.

Zhang Ruitu, Lu Xiangsheng, Huang Liji, Wei Guangwei, and Qiao Yunsheng were seated on both sides. Zhang Haogu sat on the first seat. The six were wearing red crane robes. They were holding tea and chatting. The atmosphere seemed very harmonious.

Holding the tea, Zhang Haogu said: "About Chi Dao, there is no rush for now. For the rest of this year, the official roads will be repaired first, especially the official roads from the capital to the south of the Yangtze River."

"In addition, the road from Datong to Balanadu and the road from the capital to Chahar should also undergo preliminary repairs."

"The standards of these two roads should refer to the straight roads in the mainland. Four horse-drawn carriages can pass side by side. The roads should be compacted and can withstand the force of ten thousand catties. This is the foundation."

"These two ways are related to the connection between the imperial court and the grassland. If the imperial court wants to firmly control the grassland, these two ways cannot be ignored."

"In addition to this, there is the issue of education on the grasslands."

"Balian Nadu, Chahar, two grasslands, add up to a grassland of three thousand miles, and there are millions of herdsmen in my Ming Dynasty living on it. Three thousand miles of grassland, each piece of grassland, each flag and each pasture, children go to school. It’s not easy to travel dozens of miles.”

As soon as Zhang Ruitu heard it, he heard Zhang Haogu's understatement. Zhang Haogu thought that there were too few Datong Academy on the grassland.

less?

Right now, there are only five Datong Colleges in Nadu and Chahar, and the students of Datong College have to go to various banners and farms to teach herdsmen. Can this be a lot?
After wiping off his sweat, Zhang Ruitu said, "Governor Chen told me about this matter, and the Ministry of Rites is also working on it."

Zhang Haogu nodded: "The Ministry of Rites has a lot of things this year, the layout of Datong Academy in the south of the Yangtze River, the naturalization of Jiaozhi, and the grassland right now. If you can't take it back, then all your previous efforts will be wasted."

Zhang Ruitu quickly said: "Yuanfu, don't worry, the Ministry of Rites will make preparations for the grassland next, and guarantee that there will be a Datong Academy in the eighteen grasslands of Balian Nadu and Chahar, and this is it."

Zhang Haogu said with a smile: "I heard in the pavilion that there are many students in the south who are passionate and have the heart to serve the country with all their might?"

Zhang Ruitu's eyes brightened: "Exactly, these students must be willing to go to the grasslands to educate the herdsmen."

Zhang Haogu also said: "This pavilion also contributes. Those who are willing to go to the grassland to educate the herdsmen in everything, if they are properly educated within two years and the herdsmen are satisfied, they do not need to start from the farm after returning, but directly start from the township. start."

Zhang Ruitu nodded again and again: "So, the southern students must be willing to educate the herdsmen."

If you want the horse to run, you have to feed the horse. The students who come out of Datong Academy must have a future, but it is not easy for the students in the south to have a future.

Give them an opening now, and they won't fail to grasp the opportunity.

Zhang Haogu looked at Lu Xiangsheng again: "Miss Lu, the household department has a lot of expenses this year, right?"

Lu Xiangsheng smiled wryly: "Yuanfu, the governor of Ganshan and Shanxi, the construction of reservoirs and the digging of ditches are not counted, and the vegetation along the banks of the river has been restored, more forests have been planted, and grazing and farming will be prohibited along the banks of the river. In order to relocate the people, the cost has increased. gone."

Zhang Haogu comforted: "Ganshan lacks too much vegetation, and soil erosion is serious. If Ganshan cannot guarantee water and soil, Henan Zhili will suffer in the future. If you spend more money now, spend more money. Just spend less."

Lu Xiangsheng said: "The cost in Gansu and Shanxi is still small. The construction of reservoirs in Henan this year, the reinforcement of embankments, and the widening of river channels have already achieved results. Once the flood is over, it will be rebuilt again."

When these words came out, everyone in the cabinet sighed.

Who said no?
It took several years in Henan to build reservoirs, strengthen embankments, dig ditches, and repair official roads. Finally, the construction of various places flourished, and the people lived and worked in peace and contentment. After a flood, Henan had to be rebuilt again.

This is equivalent to the continuous investment of the imperial court in the past few years, most of which have been in vain. The 27 counties in the four prefectures are all counties along the river. All the infrastructure construction in these places has to be pushed back.

Thinking about the expenses, Lu Xiangsheng felt distressed.

"Natural disasters are like this, what can humans do? For the reconstruction of Henan, there must be no shortage of money. Henan's loan, let the bank slow down, and then give Henan a special grant to let Henan recover first." Zhang Haogu pondered. .

Lu Xiangsheng asked: "Yuanfu, this one."

Zhang Haogu said: "Didn't the court keep several emergency funds last year?"

"In addition to the money for the Southwest War, the court should have two emergency funds in its hands, one for Henan."

"Isn't this year's taxation already in sight?"

Lu Xiangsheng nodded: "This year, the statistics of the tax bureaus in various provinces came out. It is estimated that the tax revenue will be 800 billion. It should have been more than 6000 billion. But Yunnan and Henan suffered from military disasters and floods, and the tax revenue will be reduced. gone."

Zhang Ruitu said: "In any case, the tax revenue of the imperial court is still rising. Now that Hubei and Jiangnan are implementing new policies, these two food-heavy areas should have tax revenue in the coming year."

Zhang Haogu nodded: "Didn't the imperial court ransack the house once in Hubei, and collect all the gold, silver and jewels into the national treasury for statistics, so that the emergency funds of the household department can be supplemented."

Lu Xiangsheng added: "Yuanfu, the potato harvest on the grasslands this year is pretty good, these potatoes"

"Accept, accept as much as you have, let the merchants accept it with confidence, and the court will ask for it all." Zhang Haogu said.

Wei Guangwei kindly reminded: "Yuanfu, the number of these potatoes is not small."

Zhang Haogu said: "Because of this, the imperial court wants to eat them all."

"The grassland is newly attached. The imperial court has to let the herdsmen see their attitude, so that the herdsmen can grow potatoes and herd cattle and sheep in a down-to-earth manner."

"Letting herdsmen plant potatoes and graze cattle is better than letting them ride horses and make trouble for us with machetes."

Qiao Yunsheng said: "But why do we need so many potatoes now?"

Zhang Haogu said: "Let the merchants sell it to Liaodong."

"Cotton and soybeans are now fully planted in Liaodong. What do they eat?"

"Sell them potatoes, so that the Manchus and scholars in Liaodong can grow cotton and soybeans with peace of mind."

"It's still the same sentence, how much cotton and soybeans they have, and how much we collect. If they want food, we will sell them at a low price."

"When will Liaodong be abolished, and when will the imperial court take over Liaodong smoothly."

Seeing that there was no objection from the crowd, Zhang Haogu said: "These things are settled like this."

"Next, let's talk about the court's business plan."

"Everyone is also aware that the imperial court is not only going to open the sea ban, but also the commerce between the provinces is becoming more and more common. At present, the official roads between the provincial capitals have been damaged in many places, which not only affects the merchant trade, but also affects the imperial court. Communication, the army To pass, these roads must be repaired!"

"The meaning of this cabinet is that the cabinet issued a decree to the provinces, ordering the provinces to count the number and length of damaged official roads in their provinces, and then calculate how much money they need. When the imperial court allocates funds to the provinces, it will issue an extra sum of money for the provinces to repair. the way."

"The repair of the official road does not need to follow the straight road standard, the old system is enough."

The straight road standard is the latest official road that the imperial court is repairing in Zhili, Henan and Shandong. It is fully paved with cement, wide and strong, and can accommodate four horse-drawn carriages driving side by side.

If the cement is used, the cost will go to the sea.

At present, the imperial court does not have so much cement for the consumption of the provinces, and the straight road leading to the grassland has not been repaired yet, so the straight road to control the grassland is much more important than the official road in the interior.

Regarding this, the members of the cabinet have no opinion. How much money does the imperial court have to do big things? Right now, the imperial court does not have enough cement, and the funds must be used in more important places.

Huang Liji said: "I have no objection."

Wei Guangwei and Qiao Yunsheng also nodded: "Yes."

Seeing everyone passing by, Zhang Haogu said: "Then, let's talk about the afforestation plan in Ganshan and Shanxi. This is the note submitted by Shi Kefa, Governor of Ganshan and Shanxi. Let's take a look."

Huang Liji frowned when he saw it: "Four discounts a year, and the next time I need money, I want Ganshan to return farmland to forests. It's easy to say that Ganshan and Shanxi are returning farmland to forests. Most people in Gansu and Shanxi use grazing and farming as their livelihood." What do the people eat after returning farmland to forests?"

Zhang Ruitu said with a smile: "Huang Xiang, there are many people in Gansu and Shaanxi, but there are not many people along the river. Returning farmland to forests along both sides of the river and consolidating the river course is a long-term plan that benefits the country and the people, and they will not give them proper arrangements. Have a plan?"

Huang Liji sighed: "Mr. Zhang, the people have lived along the banks of the river for many years. If you say let people move, let them move. Isn't this difficult for the strong?"

Zhang Ruitu said: "The imperial court specially allocated funds to distribute resettlement money to the people along the river, and at the same time gave the people to build new villages elsewhere. How could the people not be happy?"

Wei Guangwei also said: "What if the officials in Gansu and Shanxi forcibly relocate the people during the execution process and cause trouble?"

Zhang Haogu nodded: "The cabinet has also considered this matter. In the name of the cabinet, we might as well send someone to visit Ganshan and Shanxi together with the officials of the water conservancy office to confirm the situation."

Huang Liji nodded: "This cabinet agrees."

Zhang Ruitu also said, "That's fine."

Rubbing between his brows, Zhang Haogu sighed softly in his heart. Returning farmland to forests, consolidating riverbeds, and planting trees are indeed good things that will benefit the future, but for the present, especially for the people living in Gansu and Shanxi, it has an impact. matters of their own livelihood.

It is not enough to just mention Tilly in the future, but also focus on the present age.

The livelihood of the people in Gan and Shanxi needs to be taken seriously, which is why Zhang Haogu did not rashly agree with Shi Kefa's excerpt.

After discussing these, Zhang Haogu slowly took out a note: "This is the emperor's intention, this pavilion is for you to see."

After Huang Liji, Wei Guangwei and others read them one by one, the cabinet fell silent.

Zhang Haogu took a sip of tea: "If you have any opinions, please tell me."

"Building roads to connect the grasslands, increasing trade with the Tatars, I won't talk about this matter, but is the emperor too impatient about building roads to the northwest?" Wei Guangwei asked.

On this booklet, there is impressively written about Daming's plan to build straight roads, together with Yilibali and Uszangdusi. Although it only says to build roads and open trade with the Northwest, who can't see the meaning behind it?

The emperor was not reconciled to the fact that Daming only had the current actual territory, and wanted to completely include the Northwest, which had always been outside the court, into the territory of Ming Dynasty.

Wei Guangwei didn't even need to think about it, if he spent manpower and material resources to build the straight road today, tomorrow the imperial cavalry would march westward along the straight road!
Zhu Youxiao can definitely do this kind of thing.

The emperor who conquered the north and the south, expanded the territory, and established the prosperity of the apocalypse with one hand, has great ambitions!
That was an even bigger ambition than Chengzu.

Take a look at the series of plans of the imperial court, build Chidao across the provinces and government, build straight roads to connect all regions, at the same time train the new army, develop technology, promote the development of industry and commerce, encourage the people to have more children, and vigorously develop the people's livelihood
All this means that Zhu Youxiao has huge ambitions. He needs a strong empire, an empire with sufficient population, countless resources, and powerful military force, to realize his ambitions.

Now the Tatar tribe has been swallowed by him, and the three thousand li grassland in Monan has become the grassland of Ming Dynasty.

Annan was destroyed by him, and the rivers and mountains in the southwest became the grain fields of Daming.

Now, he is eyeing the northwest again. It is the Protectorate of the Western Regions of the strong man, and the Protectorate of Anxi in the prosperous Tang Dynasty. There are yellow sand all over the sky, thousands of miles of Gobi, and oasis towns. Countless ancient countries have perished. There is silk. where the road is.

Now Zhu Youxiao has set his sights on this place, and obviously wants to swallow this place.

Wei Guangwei looked at Zhang Haogu, Zhang Haogu looked indifferent, with a calm and calm expression on his face.

Wei Guangwei couldn't understand why Zhang Haogu, a handsome young man who could be called a gentleman in words and deeds, had such great ambitions?
Why did the emperor take a fancy to the Northwest? Wasn't it Zhang Haogu's suggestion?
Can't you be an official, everyone?
Why do you have to think about so many things?
This Daming is not the country of your Zhang family, so why don't you devote yourself to death for the Zhu family?

Huang Liji said, "Yuanfu, why don't you bring this note to the court for discussion?"

Zhang Haogu said with a smile: "No hurry, this pavilion still has a copy, let's take a look."

This brochure is about opening the sea ban. It not only needs to open the sea ban, but also open a series of seaports in the south of the Yangtze River and Shandong to trade with foreign countries, and also set up naval forces for coastal defense.

Although this excerpt is too much, compared to the last one, Huang Liji and Wei Guangwei are obviously more acceptable.

"Let's discuss these two documents in the hall tomorrow."

In the early morning of the next day, all civil and military officials from the capital of the Ming Dynasty went to the court, and all the ministers came to the Meridian Gate and found that Zhang Haogu and other cabinets had been here a long time ago.

This is a novelty, the Outer Court is different from the Inner Court, don't these cabinet ministers hold the Inner Court meeting by themselves, why did they go to the Outer Court today?

Although full of suspicion, all the civil and military officials and noble relatives stepped forward one after another: "It's great that Mr. Huang is here."

"Wei Xiang, you are here too."

"Qiao Xiang, sit down and sit with me?"

The officials of the new party stood there without any disturbance. Even if the core of the new party, Zhang Haogu, Zhang Ruitu, and Lu Xiangsheng were there, everyone still did their duty and did not act rashly. Compared with the new party, the Donglin party members and Xungui's place is as lively as a vegetable market.

As the court time came, all the ministers lined up and went to court one after another:

"Long live my emperor, long live, long live."

"You love yourselves."

Zhu Youxiao was wearing a bright yellow five-clawed dragon robe and a black gauze wing crown on his head, his eyes were bright: "My dear friends, this morning, I want to announce some court plans."

"Wang Tiqian, tell all my loves about my plan."

Wang Tiqian bowed and saluted, then straightened up and took out the imperial decree, and read it in a rhythmic tone. This imperial decree was obviously drafted by Zhang Ruitu.

The civil and military ministers listened to the imperial decree, and gradually understood what Zhu Youxiao meant: the dog emperor wanted to abolish the ancestral system and open the sea ban, not only to open the sea and ban the establishment of seaports to trade with foreign countries, but also to rebuild a huge naval force comparable to the Yongle period. Western, and even rebuild the Silk Road, connecting Daming and the Western Regions
After hearing Zhu Youxiao's plan, all civil and military officials looked at a loss:
The dog emperor is going to heaven? !