Optimus One Pillar of the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 114 Terminal Disease of Flower Planting
A very difficult matter, the monarch and the ministers discussed it happily, and then the monarch and the ministers began to discuss other government affairs.

As a rookie in the officialdom, Wang Daoqiu upholds the self-consciousness of a rookie, so he just stood aside and listened quietly without saying a word.Until his old enemy Xia Yan, Kuiban reported to Emperor Jiajing: "Your Majesty, this summer's cotton in the four provinces of Zhili, Shanxi, Henan, and Shandong is still nearly two months away from harvesting. In the past, cotton in the north every year After harvesting, they are transported to the south for processing, made into cotton cloth, and then transported back to the north for sale. This back and forth is a huge waste. I suggest that just like the Nanjianhe Steel Plant, choose one in the suburbs of Beijing. Then it was stipulated that cotton farmers could only sell cotton to the government. After the government at all levels collected the cotton, it was then sent to the capital for unified processing by the capital textile factory controlled by the court. This would avoid the waste of cotton shipped from the north to the south. , and can avoid the shoddy production of small workshops. I think this is a good strategy for the benefit of the country and the people, and I hope your majesty will approve it."

Damn it!Isn't Xia Yan talking about unified purchasing and marketing? This is perfect in theory, but in fact it's just stupid bullshit?Wang Daoqiu became angry when he heard Xia Yan talking about this gangster policy that harmed the country and the people.

However, as a newcomer to the officialdom, he still wanted to see how the monarchs and ministers of the Ming Dynasty behaved like beasts when faced with this bullshit proposal. They did not consider the life and death of the people at all and were obsessed with money.I will still retain the basic conscience of being a human being.

To be honest, regarding Xia Yan's proposal, Emperor Jiajing was a little moved when he thought of those cute little coins.However, out of superstition about Wang Daoqiu's ability to manage money, he still suppressed his inner desires and did not make a decision on the spot. Instead, he asked Wang Daoqiu calmly: "Wang Qing's family, in the field of financial management, has been a leader in the civil and military affairs of the Manchu Dynasty. You are definitely number one. So tell me, what do you think of Xia Aiqing's proposal?"

"Your Majesty, I think that since Mr. Cifu is in front of the emperor and makes such a suggestion that is harmful to the country and the people, we should ask the imperial hospital to send an imperial doctor to give him a good diagnosis and treatment of his brain."

Wang Daoqiu, who originally wanted to stay by the side and listen before talking, was now called out by Jiajing, so he had no choice but to come out and directly express his anger towards Xia Yan.

But when he heard that Wang Daoqiu was in front of the emperor again and openly insulted him, Xia Yan was furious.With a livid face, he pointed at Wang Daoqiu and asked, "Young thief, how dare you openly insult the second minister of the court in front of His Majesty and all the princes in the court? Do you still have the decency to do so?"

"Blatant insult! Mr. Cifu, you said it was blatant, and this official admitted it. But you said that the official insulted you, but this official refused to admit it. After all, what the official said was the truth. Mr. Cifu, you really should ask the imperial doctor for help. Look at your brain disease."

"You, you, you...! Your Majesty, the servant Wang Daoqiu openly insulted the old minister in front of the emperor. I beg your majesty to make the decision for the old minister."

Xia Yan was extremely angry at Wang Daoqiu, but his reason told him that he was no match for Wang Daoqiu in terms of bickering.So he wisely did not confront Wang Daoqiu head-on, but turned to Emperor Jiajing for help.

Facing Xia Yan, who was kneeling on the ground crying and helpless like a child, Emperor Jiajing, who was annoyed with him in his heart, didn't bother to take another look at him.Instead, he stared at Wang Daoqiu with burning eyes and reprimanded him coldly: "The imperial preface is correct. If Wang Qing has anything to say, please make it clear and don't mess around."

"I obey the decree, and I honor your majesty. The so-called good strategy of the Second Assistant is not in vain. It is indeed a brainless and foolish move that brings disaster to the country and the people."

"Wang Qing's family, what did I just say? Do you have to ask me to punish you severely so that you can remember what I said! I say it clearly!"

"Your Majesty, the proposal of Lord Cifu is absolutely unacceptable to the imperial court. If the imperial court implements the policy proposed by Lord Cifu in the four provinces of Zhili, Shanxi, Shandong, and Henan, I dare to say that next year If the imperial court does not put a knife on the necks of farmers in these four provinces, none of them will grow cotton."

"That's nonsense. Growing cotton is more profitable than growing grain, and the court guarantees the harvest of the cotton they grow. Why don't they grow it?"

Wang Daoqiu said that once his policy was implemented, no one in the four northern provinces would plant cotton next year. This made Xia Yan very unconvinced.As soon as Wang Daoqiu finished speaking, he asked Wang Daoqiu with anger on his face and his neck raised.

Faced with Xia Yan's eyes that wanted to eat him, Wang Daoqiu Si was not afraid and looked directly at Xia Yan. He said in a very contemptuous tone: "Master Xia started his official career in Xingrensi and became famous in Yu. History. Mr. Xia served as a censor for many years when he was young, supervising hundreds of officials for the imperial court. After working as a censor for so many years, Mr. Xia should be well aware of the grassroots administration of our dynasty, right? Good times Mr. Fu, if you think about it now based on the current situation of our grassroots officials, if your policy continues to be implemented and you don't use a knife to force the people next year, will the people in the four provinces use their land to grow cotton?"

"This, this..." Xia Yan is a very smart person, but now that he is nearly seventy years old, his brain is not as clever as when he was young, and he is prone to forgetting things, but the old foundation of his brain is still there.So after Wang Daoqiu reminded him, he also understood that his own policy seemed perfect in theory, but if it were to be applied in practice, it would be just as Wang Daoqiu said, and it would bring disaster to the country and the people. .

So after saying "this, this" to Wang Daoqiu several times, Xia Yan, who understood, no longer looked at Wang Daoqiu, but kowtowed to Emperor Jiajing, saying miserably: "Your Majesty, I will die. I almost missed your majesty and the court. I will die. I take back what I just said."

"It's okay, it's okay. The court memorial is meant for discussion. You can't dare to do it just because you're afraid of making mistakes. Well, Xia Aiqing, please step aside!" "I thank the Lord for your kindness."

Xia Yan took the initiative to admit his mistake, and Emperor Jiajing would not punish him just because a minister's suggestion was wrong.After all, if that's the case, which minister will dare to make suggestions in the future?So after Xia Yan admitted his mistake, Emperor Jiajing comforted him and then asked him to return to court.

After Xia Yan retreated, Emperor Jiajing asked Wang Daoqiu with some confusion: "Wang Qing's family, I'm still a little confused. Why will farmers in those four provinces not be able to survive next year once Xia Aiqing's policy is implemented?" Will anyone grow cotton?"

In fact, Wang Daoqiu just broke down the management of grassroots officials, and now all the ministers standing here have reacted.But Emperor Jiajing lived in the palace since he was a child, and was imprisoned in this palace to become emperor when he was 15 years old.It can be said that he has never lived in the market, so naturally he has no intuitive understanding of the grassroots situation in Ming Dynasty.Therefore, after Wang Daoqiu pointed out the key to grassroots official governance, he still couldn't react and asked Wang Daoqiu such a cheap question.

The emperor's problem is very cheap, but if the price drops again, he will still be the boss.So after hearing Emperor Jiajing's question, Wang Daoqiu could only answer honestly: "To answer your Majesty's question, Lord Cifu's policy is good in theory, and both the officials and the people will benefit. But If this policy is to achieve the desired results in actual implementation, it requires local officials at all levels to uphold the public spirit when implementing this policy and deal fairly with farmers, but this is impossible. Officials are not sages. There are selfish desires, especially those of local officials. Subordinate officials are fiercer than tigers. They are unavoidable in all dynasties. It is human nature."

"So if it is stipulated that cotton farmers can only sell cotton to the government, then there is no doubt that local officials at all levels will try their best to profit from it. For example, when harvesting cotton, if the quality of the farmer's cotton is not good, Either they say that the cotton is not clean enough, or they deliberately weigh it down when weighing... Anyway, they are using various excuses and tricks to lower the price, greedy for quantity, and finally ask the farmers for the freight and loss fees for escorting the cotton to Beijing. So Tell me, Your Majesty, as long as the court orders, farmers' cotton can only be sold to the government. Then these cottons pass through the hands of local officials and are priced at ten cents per pound. In the end, the farmers can get three or four cents, which is good. So as long as The imperial court has decreed that cotton farmers can only sell their cotton to the government. The fate of the cotton farmers is that they are both unprofitable and have to suffer. Your Majesty, tell me, if this is done, which farmer will use the land to grow cotton?"

I see!With Wang Daoqiu's point, Emperor Jiajing also understood that Xia Yanti's policy was indeed perfect in theory.But in order to be implemented, the prerequisite is that the officials at all levels must be public-minded.And this official who has power but can uphold the public spirit has been a rare animal that is only one in a hundred or even one in ten thousand in all dynasties.As for these two honest officials, can he fight against hundreds or even thousands of dirty officials?Therefore, Xia Yan's policy theoretically benefited the country and the people, but in fact harmed the country and the people, exploiting the farmers to death.

After thinking about this, Emperor Jiajing was a little embarrassed, why did he have to ask such a simple truth?But it's okay, there's another Xia Cifu who acts as a fool in front of him.

I understood that Xia Yan's so-called good strategy was nonsense, but when I thought about it again, Xia Yan's starting point was still a good one.After all, cotton from the north has to be transported to the south to be woven into cloth, and then the cloth is transported back from the south to the north for sale. The manpower and material resources involved in transporting it back and forth for thousands of miles seem to be a bit unfair. How can I say this? It is better to weave it into cloth directly in the north and sell it locally!

Thinking of this, Emperor Jiajing thought of the financial genius Wang Daoqiu, so he said: "Wang Qing's family, although the policy suggested by Mr. Cifu just now is wrong, the problems he raised should also be solved. I don’t know if Wang Qing’s family has any good ideas for this?”

"Replying to Your Majesty, it's not that there is no cotton spinning industry in the north of Ming Dynasty. It's just that the cotton spinning industry in the north is small in scale and inefficient. The looms and workers' skills are relatively poor. Therefore, the price and quality of the cotton produced are far inferior to those in the south. So. Cotton cloth produced in the north is put on the market together with cotton cloth from the south. No one buys it at all. This is why most cotton from the north is sold to the south instead of being processed nearby. Therefore, if we want to develop the cotton spinning industry in the north , then we must introduce cotton spinning merchants from the south, let them come to the north to invest and set up factories, and let them bring the technology, equipment and advanced management experience from the south to take root in the north."

"Let businessmen from the south invest and set up factories in the north. Will they be willing to come?"

"Back to Your Majesty, there is no such thing as whether southern merchants want to come to the north. I can assure you that the big cotton spinners in the south all dream of setting up factories in the capital. The cotton and labor here in the capital are comparable to those in the south. It is much cheaper. Moreover, through various rivers or land routes, the capital can reach tens of millions of people and hundreds of thousands of troops. More importantly, this is the capital, which dominates the country's government procurement. Your Majesty, think about it , How much money is this in a year, how could those businessmen not want to make money?"

"In that case, my dear, why have no big businessmen from the south come to our capital to invest and set up factories?"

"Your Majesty, do you still need to ask about the reason behind this? There are many nobles and officials at all levels gathered here in the capital. Isn't it easy for these nobles to manipulate a businessman? So if the southern businessmen dare to invest and set up factories in the capital, then what? Are you just looking for death?"

Power, relationships!This is an absolute factor in China's commerce for thousands of years, and it is also the biggest stumbling block to the healthy development of China's industry and commerce.With 5000 years of flower cultivation, wealth has never been vulnerable to power. This is the tragedy of flower merchants.This is also the fundamental reason why our country has always been like a [-]-year-old after mankind entered industrial civilization and commercial civilization.

Faced with this incurable disease of planting flowers, Emperor Jiajing lowered his head after he understood it. He was considering whether to use his power to fight against those powers for the money.

Emperor Jiajing had to make this decision himself. Wang Daoqiu couldn't help, so after he finished speaking, he stood there and waited quietly.

(End of this chapter)