I, the Ming Dynasty, can still save me

Chapter 167 Maritime Trade and Farming (Please subscribe)
Now the news in the newspapers is constantly fermenting in the capital. Even if those officials are bitter, they cannot speak out. After all, it is based on real evidence. If they want to defend themselves, there is no way.Some people who are self-sufficient immediately draw a clear line with Hui Shiyang and others and completely separate themselves.

This really made Zhu Youxiao very happy, because he only recalled last night that this Hui Shiyang was really a domestic slave with the third surname. Although he was rated as one of the Five Tiger Generals of Donglin in the Donglin General Record, he seemed to be a strong-willed minister. But in fact there is no integrity at all.

During the Chongzhen period, he was deposed for taking bribes. At the end of the Chongzhen period, when he was in his 60s, he took refuge with Li Zicheng and became his right prime minister.

After Li Zicheng's defeat, he surrendered again and joined the Manchu camp. However, the Manchus refused to give him an official position. He was dissatisfied and the rebellion ended without any problem.

Therefore, after Zhu Youxiao recalled this person, his impression of him plummeted. Now that he was criticizing him so arbitrarily, Zhu Youxiao didn't have a good look on him. It would be better to just pack up and get out. He would not have any sympathy.

After the Yanguan matter was settled, Zhu Youxiao's mood improved a lot, and Zhu Youxiao also saw a very useful piece of information in Huang Dong's letter.

Huang Dong's letter mentioned that based on chats in teahouses and restaurants these days, he found that since the maritime ban was lifted last year, merchants in Shuntian Prefecture have become very interested in maritime trade.

But after all, the maritime ban has been too long. Many people don't know much about maritime trade. In addition, the court's policies are often swinging, and the risks of maritime trade are also high. As a result, many merchants can only look back on maritime trade and feel helpless.

Seeing this news, Zhu Youxiao was quite concerned.

What these people say makes sense. Maritime trade is indeed a risky and profitable business. It is impossible to do it without a certain amount of capital, especially for merchants in the north who have been banned from shipping for a long time. This makes him reluctant to do so. No more thinking about solutions.

Why not refer to the example of the East India Company in the West in history?

When Zhu Youxiao thought of this, he couldn't help but start to wonder. Pacing back and forth in Dongnuang Pavilion with his hands behind his back made He Ning and others feel confused, wondering what the emperor was thinking.

As the emperor, his purpose was simply to allow the Ming Dynasty's maritime trade to develop rapidly and allow more people to benefit from it, so that he could prepare for future maritime hegemony and colonization, expansion of the Americas, etc.

But these goals seem to be illusory now, and the Ming Dynasty does not care about them at all. Therefore, only by making the Ming Dynasty merchants, literati and nobles realize the benefits, can a trend of going to sea to seek profit be formed.

As for how to realize it, it must serve as an example. As a prince, he continued to invest, partnered with Huang Dong and other Gyeonggi businessmen to form a trading company, established an organization similar to the East India Company, built ships, and recruited seamen. , and then use his connections to be responsible for north-south shipping, or trade to Liaodong, North Korea, Japan, Ryukyu and other places.

In this way, we can start a trend of Gyeonggi going to sea, and we can also profit from it. Why not? When we can make a profit, and then show it off through newspapers and other media, this trend will definitely set off.

The more he thought about it, the more feasible it became. As long as the Gyeonggi region started doing it, he could follow the same example and set up trading companies with merchants in Jiangnan and even Nanyang to fund them to do business.

There is just one thing. Now, the matter of investing in business must not be known to civil servants. Otherwise, even if Wuzong opened an imperial store, he would criticize his character. If he actually invests in business, he is really looking for scolding.

So you need to find an agent to take care of things for you. This person should have a high status and be suitable to come forward to settle some things. As for who it is, you have to choose carefully.

Just as he was thinking about it, Wei Zhongxian came in with some question books. According to Zhu Youxiao's instructions, he had to select some pragmatic question books about farming, salt administration, etc. from the test books submitted every day and bring them to Zhu Youxiao for his review. red.

Since Zou Yi retired, Wei Zhongxian naturally did not dare to neglect and brought the question book over early every day, lest the emperor would be dissatisfied.

"Leave it here. Have all those corrupt officials been dismissed?"

"All public officials who received money were dismissed from their posts, and Hui Shiyang was also dismissed from his post and investigated. Although the cabinet has some objections to this matter, now that the evidence is conclusive, they can't say anything."

"That's good. You still need to investigate who gave the money behind it. By the way, didn't Dongchang and Jinyiwei jointly investigate Li Sancai's embezzlement of Mo Sanmenmen's timber? Has there been any result now?"

This matter was ordered by Zhu Youxiao in November last year. It is almost February now, and Zhu Youxiao thinks he has some clues.

"Your Majesty, the evidence of corruption has been solid for a long time. Now we just need to confirm it. I just received a letter from the end of the year saying that we have solid evidence and have submitted it to Bi Ziyan, the Governor of South Zhili, in accordance with your Majesty's previous instructions. It must be during this period It’s time to act.”

Wei Zhongxian knew that Zhu Youxiao was concerned about this matter, so he made preparations in advance and answered fluently.

"Okay, that's fine. Bi Ziyan has been in Nanjing for two months now, and the results must be coming soon."

As he said this, Zhu Youxiao ignored Wei Zhongxian and picked up the question book drafted by the cabinet vote from the seat next to the desk and started reading it.

These memorials are all targeted. The first one was written by Zuo Guangdou, the governor of Tianjin. He took office together with Guan Yingzhen. He was a practical and capable minister, and he also made a splash in Tianjin.

The imperial court said it would impose a sea ban and build a navy, so he recruited craftsmen and migrant workers in Shuntian Prefecture to dredge the port. He also personally selected a site to build a shipyard in Tianjin Prefecture. He had previously written a letter saying that construction of the shipyard had already begun.However, this time the petition is not about the shipyard, but about the farming.

Zuo Guangdou has always attached great importance to farming. He was born in poverty and his family was not rich. He had experienced starvation. He often worked in the fields with his father when he was a child, so he had always been interested in farming.

Therefore, after serving as the governor of Tianjin, he has been concerned about this matter. He believes that small farming will bring small profits, and large farming will bring big profits. Once the paddy fields are developed, even if they cannot completely replace water transportation, they can at least reduce the number of water transportation to a certain extent. Therefore, I hope Zhu Youxiao Let him try it for a few years, and if he doesn't succeed, he will be willing to accept the punishment.

He not only said that, but also put forward corresponding countermeasures. After taking office, he immediately wrote to Zhu Youxiao the so-called "Three Causes" and "Fourteen Discussions" on the farming proposition. The specific contents were dredging, dredging canals, diversion, and building dams. , build gates, set up slopes, build land, ponds, recruit people, force fields, raise wealth and open noble houses, select people, select generals, and garrison.

How could Zhu Youxiao disagree with such a neat suggestion? With a wave of his hand, he also allocated an additional 15 taels from internal funds to let him go ahead and do it. Now it seems that his methods are gradually taking effect. Effectiveness.

According to what the title book says, he now asked Lu Guanxiang, the magistrate of Tianjin Prefecture, to do it himself, dredging branch canals, digging ground for wells, setting up dams to block water, and building slopes downstream to solve irrigation problems.

He himself also personally explored wasteland and established a village school. Taking advantage of the village school's advantages in taking the imperial examination, he encouraged people to donate land for school and encourage local farming. Now he has more than 7000 acres of land and has recruited [-] households of refugees. He is waiting for the start of spring. After farming.

His current idea is to continue to reclaim wasteland and to introduce rice from the south of the Yangtze River to Tianjin for cultivation.

The cabinet was also very satisfied after seeing it. The vote was to let him continue to do it. The same was true for Zhu Youxiao. What he wanted was someone who could do practical things. Zuo Guangdou did the work himself and it was effective. He was naturally satisfied with it. .

But when Zhu Youxiao saw that he said he wanted to plant rice, he suddenly had an idea in his mind.

He knew that the late Ming Dynasty was part of the Little Ice Age, with temperatures plummeting and disasters occurring. It was a little better now, but when the seventh year of the Apocalypse began, natural disasters continued, especially droughts that swept for many years, which led to a peasant uprising that could not be extinguished.

Therefore, how to alleviate the drought and produce more food is the top priority in the future. After all, as long as the people are given a way to survive, they will not rebel.

Zhu Youxiao has also thought a lot. In addition to vigorously cultivating fields and providing disaster relief, famous crops that are resistant to cold and drought and have high yields, such as sweet potatoes, potatoes, corn, etc., naturally need to be planted.

Although these crops have just been introduced to China, the quality is very low, and the yield is far from the modern ones, but these things have advantages.

That is, it does not compete with rice and wheat for land. It can be planted in various remote places in mountains and hills, or on small pieces of land, or in corners around houses, or in mountain ravines, or in drought-infested and insect-infested areas. , can be planted in large quantities.

Therefore, as long as the people plant a little bit, even if all the original wheat and millet are lost due to drought, the sweet potatoes and potatoes planted in their spare time can still save their lives.

Historically, many people in the Ming Dynasty tried to promote this thing, especially sweet potatoes. Historically, Xu Guangqi had already planted it in Tianjin, but it was not further popularized. Now he is responsible for firearms and other matters, and he cannot leave for a while.

Therefore, after seeing Zuo Guangdou's memorial, Zhu Youxiao did not hesitate to mark it red in the title book.

"I am deeply gratified that my beloved, you have enough food and clothing at night. It would be a great achievement for rice, a southern crop, to be cultivated in Gyeonggi Province. However, I have heard that overseas, there are sweet potatoes, potatoes also known as potato, corn or corn, and other crops. , was introduced to China from Jiajing to Wanli years."

"It is said that it is cold-resistant and drought-resistant, does not eat the soil, and has a large yield. Aiqing can buy it and plant it to see how the effect is. Xu Guangqi, the minister of the Ministry of Industry, has planted this plant before. You can correspond with him more and ask for details on this matter. "

After approving the red paper, he handed it over to Wei Zhongxian and asked him to distribute the question book quickly and pass on the decree.

"Zuo Guangdou is capable in his work and has won my heart. I will reward you with a jade belt and a jade belt. I hope he will continue to work hard and not disappoint my expectations."

After hearing this, Wei Zhongxian immediately accepted the order, thinking that the emperor really valued the Donglin Party. Zuo Guangdou had been rewarded not long after he took over as governor, but he didn't think much about it and immediately went down to deliver the order.

Zhu Youxiao was very satisfied with the first memorial and praised Zuo Guangdou more, but the good mood went away as quickly as it came.

The second memorial from Gyeonggi Governor Zou Yuanbiao immediately made Zhu Youxiao's smile disappear.

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(End of this chapter)