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Chapter 1467 The Cornerstone of Industrial Production

The approach used in North America this time is a new combination, and the third point, regarding the overall level of restrictions, has never been used before. Or rather, before North America, none of the overseas territories occupied by the Ming Empire had the conditions for complete self-sufficiency.

"Your Majesty is wise... Your subject is willing to accept the imperial decree to plan this matter, and after the preliminary plan is drafted, Your Majesty will review it and make the final decision!"

When Yuan Yingtai first heard the emperor's plans for North America, his expression remained grave. These tactics were nothing new and couldn't significantly reduce the likelihood of powerful regional officials declaring themselves kings.

But as he listened, his brows gradually relaxed, and a hint of satisfaction appeared on his aged face. As expected of the powerful emperor who seized power from the Donglin Party and the Zhejiang Party, and wiped out the Jurchens, Mongols, Koreans, Portuguese, and foreign tribes, he was not only capable of conquering foreign powers but also ruthless domestically, with a variety of tactics and strategies.

Deliberately restricting the development of industries in overseas territories is a very effective tactic. No matter how far away North America is or how abundant its resources are, to contend with the imperial court, one must possess a sufficiently strong and relatively independent military force. Otherwise, the imperial army will arrive and annihilate them instantly.

Given the Ming army's current combat methods, achieving a certain level of combat effectiveness requires a sufficient number of firearms, artillery, and ammunition. North America has abundant raw materials for arms manufacturing, allowing it to be completely independent of its own resources, even to the point of self-sufficiency in building naval warships.

It is precisely because of this condition that it is even more worrying. If a governor-general and the garrison commander were to collude and secretly manipulate the situation for several years, it would be difficult to quell the unrest once the court learned of it and sent troops to suppress it.

But with such favorable conditions, it would be a waste not to develop the arms manufacturing industry locally. Relying entirely on local transportation would not only greatly increase costs, but also make it difficult to control the quantity.

The emperor suggested that manipulating the chemical industry would be the key to success. This way, smelting, casting, machining, arms manufacturing, and even shipyards could all develop, but the court would hold back on chemical plants, effectively strangling all the aforementioned industries.

No matter how well-made a musket or cannon is, it still needs bullets and shells to function. Large-scale production of bullets and shells requires certain raw materials produced by chemical plants.

The clever thing is that these raw materials are small in size and weight, and can be transported long distances by sea with a little care, without causing too much trouble for the shipping industry.

But the most ingenious aspect is not the advantages mentioned above, but the people! Chemical engineering is a relatively new industry, and its pioneer is none other than the current emperor.

Currently, in all the chemical plants of the Ming Empire, every single person who can be called an engineer and has mastered the key production technology is a eunuch personally trained by the emperor.

This group may not be very loyal to the Ming Empire, but they are absolutely devoted servants of the emperor, the kind of people who would rather die tonight than wait until dawn.

These people are like the catalyst; without their dedicated work, even if the chemical plant were built as big as Beijing, it would be a waste, as they could only produce mixed oils and asphalt and do nothing else.

Trying to win over these eunuchs to join forces against Emperor Jingyang is basically wishful thinking; at least for now, there seems to be no possibility of success.

Now I finally understand why the emperor insisted on building a chemical laboratory by the Taiye Pond, making the palace a smoky mess with a strange smell all day long, causing widespread complaints.

It wasn't a case of indulging in frivolous pursuits; it was a long-planned scheme. He spent ten years cultivating a group of loyal followers, gaining absolute control over an industry, and then indirectly influencing almost every other industry through it. Now, whether it's agriculture, textiles, manufacturing, construction, shipbuilding, or even the military industry, they are increasingly reliant on chemical products. Yet, all of the Ming Dynasty's chemical industries are firmly controlled by the emperor through eunuchs who possess key technologies; without royal shares, they can't move an inch.

"Your Majesty, I am willing to serve you even in my old age!" Li Ruzhang may not have thought things through as clearly as Yuan Yingtai, but he still expressed his opinion.

"Granted! But don't rush things, and don't overwork yourself. Don't ruin your health. The empire has come this far thanks to your efforts. It would be such a waste to raise a child only to pass away before seeing him marry and have children. In another five to ten years, it should be the season for us, the sovereign and his subjects, to reap the rewards together!"

Hong Tao could understand why the two old men were unusually eager to take on work. They were indeed highly respected, but always receiving the highest salaries without doing any real work was bound to attract criticism over time.

They couldn't handle work that was too strenuous or demanding, but just then, they were tasked with developing a major development plan for North America. Although the work was tedious, complex, and carried a heavy responsibility, it was perfect for them to contribute their remaining energy.

When it comes to coordinating, wrangling, and calculating gains and losses among various departments, the effectiveness of having two old men handle things is second only to that of an emperor. If these two old faces don't give in soon, they might be stuck with this mess.

"Your Majesty's words still resonate in my ears. Sometimes, when I can't sleep, I think of all the things I did in Southeast Asia. I dare not hope that I will be able to see it with my own eyes one day. I would have no regrets in this life!"

Upon hearing the emperor's concerned words, Yuan Yingtai's eyes immediately welled up with tears. Since taking office as the governor of Liaodong in the second year of Jingyang's reign, he had worked diligently for over thirty years, enduring countless hardships and difficulties along the way.

On several occasions, he was on the verge of death. If the emperor could not withstand the attack, close ministers like Li Zhi, Yuan Keli, Chen Ju, and himself would be knocked to the ground and trampled on, recorded in history as treacherous ministers who would never be able to rise again.

Now, nearing seventy, with my ambitions about to be fulfilled, the past events come vividly to mind, and my heart is filled with mixed emotions. Thinking of my former classmates and friends who have all left, the joy and pride I once felt instantly diminished.

As the saying goes, "One general's success is built on the bones of ten thousand," and in reality, every accomplished emperor has also traversed mountains of corpses and seas of blood to get there. He dared not make the slightest mistake along the way, or he would face utter ruin.

But what is the purpose of all this hard work? Some say power, some say wealth, some say a sense of accomplishment, but looking at that face a meter away, it seems like he's not after anything.

For more than 30 years after ascending the throne, this emperor did not even have a proper office, bedroom, or reception room. The small Hall of Mental Cultivation served as his office, reception room, and meeting room, and sometimes even as his bedroom.

In terms of lifestyle, this emperor was unparalleled in history. Five meals a day might sound extravagant, but each meal consisted of no more than three dishes. If it was dumplings or noodles, they were simply served with Laba garlic. Even a fifth-rank official in the capital ate more elaborate meals than high-ranking court officials.

The most unbelievable thing is the concubines. The number of people in the harem, including the female cats, never exceeded 150. Ninety percent of them were palace maids and eunuchs. Most of the courtyards were empty. Apart from daily cleaning and ventilation, no one could be seen year after year. It became a veritable cold palace.

(End of this chapter)