Great Qing Dynasty talker

It was April 1798 and spring was in the air.

The empire's 500-ton general-purpose ships were constantly launched and shuttled across the world's oceans, and armed immigrants from the Wu State appeared in many remote places.

From Penang to San Francisco, from the Dnieper River to the Irrawaddy River, from Darwin to Hawaii, immigrants have fully utilized the "farming and fighting skills" that are inherent in their bones.

Because of the Tea War, the empire gained a vast colony.

In order to establish a dense global trade and transportation network as soon as possible~
Wu Ting's colonial department frantically printed and issued letters of appointment for sheriffs, tax collectors, maritime anti-smuggling officers, and various franchise licenses (farms, ranches, mines).

There is a big overseas stage, come if you have the courage.

Take a five-color flag, a letter of commission, a musket, a dagger, sign the profit submission document, and take office!
……

There was only one invisible threshold for the Colonial Office to issue a commission - was the candidate from a prosperous family?

Yes, that's fine.

No, it won’t work.

All those who were sent to the colonies would be repeatedly told by the respected elders in their families:
child!

The family tree will record you, and the family ancestral cemetery will reserve a good position for you.

You must remember to come back! Even if it is a hundred years later, your children and grandchildren can bring your ashes back.

Leaves fall back to their roots, never forget.

When leaving, the tribe will hold a grand farewell ceremony for the wanderers, using blood ties as a bond to suppress the outbreak of the colony's self-consciousness as much as possible.

……

As the wave of colonization and maritime exploration was in full swing, stories of heroes and stories of overnight wealth were repeatedly told in every teahouse and restaurant in the empire.

It's not all bullshit~
There are indeed many lucky people who accidentally discovered gold mines, copper mines, territories and shipping routes overseas, thus achieving a leap in status.

The most typical example is the Papua gold mine.

Once discovered, hundreds of thousands of gold prospectors flocked to eastern Papua New Guinea.

The empire deliberately ignored the risks and deaths of the immigration and pioneering process and focused only on those successful cases.

Li Yu wrote in his diary:

The empire needs blood.

The empire needs to expand its territory.

The empire does not need too much rationality for the time being; it is enough for very few people to remain rational.

……

From the outbreak of the Tea War to the present, at least 6000 million people have left the empire. Their destinations, purposes, and destinies are different. The only thing they have in common is that they all carry a musket with them.

For this,

Public opinion on the European continent does not agree very much.

They generally believed that the immigrants from the Wu State carried two guns, one for killing and the other for creating people.

Because of the war, except for Saxon, all other participating kingdoms experienced a shortage of young men.

There are too many women of marriageable age who cannot find suitable young men.

A few years later, immigrants from the State of Wu arrived.

These immigrants were surprised to find that after landing, the people who came to greet them were not their fellow villagers, but local women in fancy dresses.

Immigrants who work as factory managers and technicians in industrial parks in various countries are most popular among local women, followed by small businessmen with a little wealth, and finally ordinary laborers.

In short supply~
After all, if you don’t get married, you will have to be a nun for the rest of your life.

The night is long and the life is lonely. It is unbearable.

……

A young immigrant sent a message home:
"Brother, second brother, third brother, cousin, come quickly. There are many widows here, many dowries, and few men. Come quickly and marry a wife for nothing! Marry a wife for nothing!"

A newspaper in Paris strongly criticized the behavior of Wu immigrants occupying the country's territory and warned readers of the dangers of such behavior in the long run.

The next day at noon, the newspaper office was blown up into the sky.

The scene was filled with flames and yellow smoke.
Napoleon remained silent on this.

With the help of Wu's money, technology and labor, the economy of the northern Frankish region developed rapidly.

He privately warned his confidants:
"The people's livelihood in Frank is declining. We need to bide our time and rely on the strength of Wu to develop the economy. This takes time and patience. When the time is right, I will unify the European continent, integrate resources, and then cross the sea to destroy the Saxons."

"The European continent needs a first emperor, otherwise we will always be trampled under the feet of the Wu Kingdom."

In the summer of that year, Napoleon officially announced his accession to the throne and became the Emperor of the Franks, which greatly improved the diplomatic environment.

……

At the suggestion of Count Jia, the first "Paris Oiran Beauty Pageant" was held grandly.

Newspapers repeatedly advertised:

The first-place Oiran will receive a prize - a dress made of gold and jade pieces, and will also be able to take the latest international steam cruise ship to visit Suzhou Prefecture.

Wu State was killing people in the cultural field~
Paris lay down completely and allowed the Wu Kingdom to take over.

So much so that Napoleon shouted in grief and anger at an internal meeting:

"We will resist in the Channel, we will resist on the plains, we will resist in the Mediterranean, but the women of Paris have chosen to surrender on their couches."

"One day, I will~"

……

London has ulterior motives.

On the one hand, they clung to the big brother's big legs, and on the other hand, they built fortifications on many tidal flats that were easy to land on.

Downing Street judged based on various intelligence:

The next tea war is inevitable and will definitely break out.

When will it happen? That depends on the Corsican dwarf.

In addition,

They also came up with a lesson:
After the war, when countries divide the spoils, it does not depend on how much contribution the country made in the war, but on how much strength the country has preserved.

So~
When the next war breaks out, the Royal Navy must implement the appeasement policy of "protecting the ships and defeating the enemy, and keeping the enemy at the side of the Channel."

As the Franks are sharpening their knives next to my bed~
London formally proposed to Suzhou that Wu’s army be stationed in Belfast.

However, Emperor Wu was not interested in this and declined again and again.

In desperation, George III had to hold his nose and confer the title of Viscount Belfast on Smith, Baron of Mindoro, who was conferred the title by Emperor Wu.

……

Wu Ting was not interested in stationing troops in the territory of his allies and seemed content to circle the Mediterranean region, building a Mediterranean fleet while digging the Suez Canal.

The whole world believed that this showed that Emperor Wu was very confident in peace.

In fact, no one knew that Emperor Wu had no hope for peace at all.

Li Yu is certain that the second tea war will break out in 10 years at the latest.

Ten years is enough time for a snotty-nosed kid to grow into a young man with a gun.

By then,

The Saxon Kingdom had to bear the wrath of the Franks and even the entire European continent.

……

When Napoleon, a military genius, led his army to penetrate the European countries and then turned around to attack the Channel.

The million-strong Wu army equipped with the latest weapons will march along the mature route of the South China Sea - Indian Ocean - Red Sea - Suez Canal - Mediterranean Sea, land in Sicily, and then quickly reach Paris.

With a thunderous force, he broke the backbone of the Franks and won the victory in the Second Tea War.

At the same time, he received the gratitude of all the feudal monarchs in Europe~
Then~
The United States, which has been forgotten in the corner, has experienced decades of development and must be thriving. It is just the right time to reap the rewards and share some of the profits with its injured Saxon ally.

The rhythm is perfect!

As long as there is no chaos within the empire, everything Li Yu envisioned can be realized.

……

August 1799, 4.

Suzhou Prefecture.

On the cement official road shaded by green trees on both sides, there was a constant stream of carriages and horses heading towards the Wu Imperial Palace.

Hundreds of businessmen who were at the top of the imperial business community got out of their cars outside the cordon and walked into the square.

They're all here for a meeting.
The atmosphere in the huge dome-shaped auditorium was solemn and dignified, with His Majesty sitting at the top.

After everyone took their seats in turn, they stretched their necks to listen to the holy sound.

……

As usual, let’s talk about the results first.

After the agricultural revolution was successfully tested in the Northeast, it began to be implemented in North China and the Central Plains.

In recent years, with the departure of a large number of immigrants from North China and Central Plains, the labor force that had been surplus for hundreds of years is finally no longer surplus.

A family has to cultivate dozens or even hundreds of acres of land. The previous farming methods are simply not feasible, and every family must own several large livestock.

Don horses, Shire horses, Mongolian horses, blue mules, donkeys, and cheap iron farm tools entered thousands of households.

There are fewer people, but more imported food~
Farmers in North China and the Central Plains only need to use half of their fields to grow grain crops every year, and the other half to grow radishes, clover, and corn.

Radishes are grown in the winter and have deep root systems that collect minerals that shallow-rooted crops can't get.

Clover can fix nitrogen from the air and use it as fertilizer.

All three crops are good fodder.

Because of the sufficient feed, the number of livestock and poultry raised soared, and people could finally eat meat.

Livestock, in turn, fertilize the land, increasing food production.

The per capita meat consumption increases year by year.

This means that the empire has finally achieved the agricultural revolution, which in the long run is no less significant than the industrial revolution.

……

After talking about agriculture, let’s talk about industry.

The empire developed the first generation of standardized assembly line industrial system, led by the coal and iron industry and the steam cotton textile industry.

The agricultural revolution promoted the industrial revolution, and the industrial revolution in turn fed back to the agricultural revolution.

Food, meat, steel, cotton, bricks and tiles entered the lives of ordinary people in large quantities and at low prices.

Industry feeds back to education, and education supports industry.

The first batch of children of workers and miners entered the workshops on a large scale. They were influenced by their parents' practical experience and mastered science and technology culture. They soon became the backbone of the empire's industrial workers.

Invest in promoting industry.

Massive amounts of money from bankers flowed into various industries, promoting the continuous expansion of production scale, continuous improvement of technology, and continuous upgrading of machines.

……

Finally, Li Yu used eight words to describe it: raging fire and full of vitality.

Instantly received countless cheers and applause.

It is difficult to accurately describe the atmosphere on the scene with one word; it goes beyond fanaticism and is close to piety.

A banker wearing Chinese traditional costume sighed: "Vatican Square is just like this."

Your Majesty is very eloquent and his speech is full of magic.

After talking about the Industrial Revolution and the Agricultural Revolution, let’s continue talking about “market”.

In order to last long, the various industry chambers of commerce in Wu State have been committed to building brand awareness, quality systems, publicity matrices, and price alliances.

……

Among them, there is a relatively special market that cannot be ignored - the luxury goods market.

It can also be divided into external and internal.

Externally, the Wu State continuously exported various types of luxury goods, endowing them with cultural core, with the ultimate goal of building a brand and earning high profits.

Internally, the Imperial Department of Commerce purchases local specialties from all over the world through exclusive channels and determines the annual purchase quantity, purchase price, and terminal selling price.

For example, mink, alpaca, bear skin, etc.
This enables:
Money-driven -- Civilian expeditions -- Imperial deterrence

……

The arms market is dominated by the empire, which sells weapons through various channels to make profits on the one hand and achieve regional balance on the other.

The 19th century was an era of rapid technological advancement.

Before a new generation of weapons came out, the empire would clear out as many old weapons as possible.

There is no need to worry that the enemy's purchase of weapons will harm the interests of the empire. It is purely groundless worry.

Whether in history or in the future, there has never been a case of becoming a regional military hegemon by purchasing arms.

On the contrary, it can also strike at the enemy's military industry.

……

In addition, there is also a speculation market. For example, jade, diamonds, collectibles, corals, Taihu stones, cute pets, etc.
Several major chambers of commerce have clear division of labor. They repeatedly hype concepts, distribute products, push up prices, and finally sell at high prices, trying to collect as much money as possible from small wealthy people around the world.

One round of speculation every 5 years.

The cycle repeats itself, never stopping.

Frankly speaking, human memory is not much longer than that of fish.

……

As gold and silver from all over the world continued to flow into the Wu Kingdom, the empire made rapid progress in all areas.

rich!

Have a lot of money!

You can do many things, such as education, water conservancy, science and technology, health, transportation, and private loans.

Sihai Finance, controlled by the Wu royal family, opened its doors to loans to all citizens of the empire at an annual interest rate of 3%.

No guarantee is required for amounts below 100 silver dollars.

For amounts above 100 silver dollars, a guarantor is required and collective guarantee by the family is accepted.

Ocean ship loans are the business focus of Sihai Finance.

Fishermen from the coastal areas of Fujian, Zhejiang and Guangdong purchased more than 4000 single-masted sailing ships with guarantees from families with the same surname and made a living by operating shipping.

……

The empire funded the establishment of 5000 literacy teams, which went from street to street, staying for half a month in each place and teaching commonly used Chinese characters for free to children who were willing to listen.

People flocked to the lectures and were grateful to them.

The annual budget for the cheap medicine project increased to 1500 million silver dollars, covering 132 common diseases and corresponding 518 pill prescriptions.

His Majesty requires that a pharmaceutical store, a steam boiler bathhouse, and a theater be built in every county town.

No need to make a profit, just protect your capital.

Save all living beings!

Cleanse all living beings!

……

The rapid development of the empire, in turn, attracted capital and talent from all over the world.

The long-term bonds issued by Sihai Finance, a subsidiary of Wu Royal Asset Management Group, are sought after in Europe because of their stable returns and strong credit, attracting buyers in droves.

The Songjiang Branch of the Wu Royal Academy of Sciences has abundant funds and the most superior scientific research environment. Countless talents have crossed the ocean to Songjiang, hoping to become the second Wolf and gain both fame and fortune.

Guangzhou Port has become a world-class shipping center.

……

Li Yu spoke completely without notes during the two-hour speech, without any stuttering.

The merchants were very excited.
Some foreign scientists, bankers, and journalists attending the conference were equally excited.

The palace guards silently opened the windows, allowing fresh air to flow into the palace and dispel the frenzy.

After the meeting,

Presidents of chambers of commerce from various industries were invited to attend His Majesty's luncheon.

The long table is filled with delicacies.

Before starting, Li Yu said with a smile:

“Is business good now?”

Everyone said in unison:

"Okay, that's easy to do."

"Then, I would like to ask you a question. How many generations do you think your business can be passed down?"

……

Everyone stared at His Majesty in surprise, first with confusion in their eyes, then with astonishment, and even with fear.

His Majesty said nothing and just ate the fish.

The atmosphere gradually became depressing.

No one dared to speak for five minutes.

Li Yu finished a whole steamed mandarin fish, wiped his mouth, and looked around at everyone. Some people had sweat on their foreheads, some looked around, and some lowered their heads anxiously.

……

"From now on, two of the 18 ministers of the empire will be reserved for two of you. This will become a regular practice."

"Of course, the Minister of War and the Navy can forget about it."

The tycoons could hardly believe their ears.

Li Yu continued:

"But don't be happy too soon."

"I have one more request for you. No, not a request, but an order. From today on, you will calculate the net profit of your business. 4% of the profit will go to the shopkeeper and shareholders, 2% will go to the empire, and the remaining 4% will be distributed to the workers."

……

Li Yu suddenly glanced at the Crown Prince, Li Yuanzhen, who was sitting on his left.

"Zhen'er, what do you think?"

"Father, your majesty is wise. If these two points are implemented, merchants will no longer be merchants, but the pillars of the empire. After implementation, all tycoons can avoid some great risks and do not need to follow Fan Li~"

"Well, you said it very well."

The father and son were like a crosstalk, singing in unison.

……

A few minutes later,

Jiang Zongshang, president of the Imperial Sugar Association, suddenly stood up and left the table excitedly.

"I have realized it, and I am willing to take the lead in carrying it out."

"You really figured it out?"

"I have really figured it out. If you take 4%, it will be passed down from generation to generation. If you take 9%, you will die. 4% is enough, enough~"

Li Yu nodded with satisfaction and asked:

“If someone in your sugar association can’t figure it out and is reluctant to give the 4% profit to the workers, what will you do?”

"I will invest in buying out his properties and get him out of the business world."

"Well, the means should be civilized. You can engage in business wars, but don't kill or burn people."

……

Everyone present was smart. They quickly figured out the subtle logic here and expressed their willingness to accept His Majesty's advice in full. Then they ate with relish and started to eat with great appetite.

Reassured~
A stone that has been hanging for thousands of years has fallen to the ground.
During this meal, Li Yu solved a huge hidden danger with gentle means.

Half a year later~
More than 400 large factories and mines took the lead in implementing the policy, using 4% of last year's annual net profit to increase wages, improve the working environment, improve workers' meals, purchase labor protection supplies, build dormitories, recruit more workers to share the original workload, open factory-run schools and hospitals, etc.

At the same time, the on-site tax commissioner was renamed "audit commissioner".

Happiness came too suddenly. The workers burst into tears and were grateful to the factory owner.

However, the factory owners were obviously unwilling to accept such "exorbitant" love.

Therefore, the workers who had come to their senses gave 7 points of merit to His Majesty and 3 points of merit to the factory owners.

……

After this~
The Empire officially announced to the world:

Micro-family workshops based in one's own home and staffed by immediate family members are exempt from taxation.

Small factories employing less than 100 people shall pay an annual fixed tax according to industry classification.

Large factories employing more than 4 people should station audit specialists in a 4-2- ratio.

All chambers of commerce and associations will take the lead in implementation.

Labor prices in the empire experienced a rapid rise, and being able to work in a large factory or mine meant joining the middle class.

……

May 5th~
The four giants of the Bankers' Alliance were invited to go boating on Lake Taihu.

Two teak-built royal steam yachts dropped anchor near Huzhou waters, with barbecues on the decks.

All kinds of food ingredients are neatly arranged.

The "newest courtesan in Paris" wears a lotus-colored bellyband inside and a Suzhou embroidered double-breasted shirt outside, with her long black hair tied up with a gold hairpin. She helps grill the kidneys, which are sizzling with oil.

The “new Viennese courtesan” squatted and peeled garlic.

……

Li Yu suddenly waved:

"Cohen, come here."

The banker named Cohen hurried over, bowing slightly.

Li Yu slowly picked up a sharp knife from the barbecue grill, first pierced a clove of garlic, and then pierced a piece of bloody kidney.

Then he raised the knife and pointed it at Cohen.

"eat."

Looking at the sharp tip of the knife in front of him, Cohen's heartbeat accelerated instantly.

After hesitating for a few seconds, he stretched his neck forward, slowly opened his mouth and bit the food.

Li Yu's face was cold and his hands were steady.

After the food was off the blade, he looked at Cohen who was chewing hard and asked:
"Is it tasty?"

"good to eat."

"Like it?"

"I like it." Cohen's eyes turned red from the spicy food, but he kept nodding.

……

Li Yu shook his head: "I don't like it."

Cohen immediately changed his words: "Your Majesty, I don't like it either."

Li Yu laughed out loud~
Cohen also laughed.
Crown Prince Li Yuanzhen also laughed~
The two foreign courtesans also smiled foolishly. Although Emperor Wu did not touch them, this gilded experience would be a beautiful dream.

……

When they arrived at Wu, the bankers were surprised to find that the entire finance of the empire was controlled by the royal family. They could only cooperate with the royal family and could not choose any other partners.

They were in awe and fear of Emperor Wu.

Running as hard as possible, hoping to survive on this thick tree trunk.

"Cohen, how are the talks going with the southern merchants from the United States who are trading in Guangzhou Port?"

"Your Majesty, the plantation owners in the South are willing to join the Global Free Trade Association. They welcome the low-tariff import of daily necessities. However, the North is indifferent. Their factories have been greatly impacted by us. They hope that the empire's trade surplus rebate can be tilted towards the North."

Li Yu seemed to be thinking about something.

"Records: Let Nanyang Heavy Industries come forward to sell a batch of guns and cannons to the Citibank Southern Plantation Owners, and also suggest that they purchase several shallow-water steam gunboats."

"Yes." The guard quickly recorded it.

Li Yu restrained his smile and stared at Cohen.

"You must hurry up and issue a universal paper currency system anchored by gold reserves. The Navy will support you, the Foreign Ministry will cooperate with you, and the Finance Ministry will also cooperate with you. I will give you whatever you need. However, I can only give you five years. If you mess up, you will have to live out the rest of your life in Siberia."

The four of them knelt down in unison, extremely docile:

"Yes."

……

A cool breeze blew on our faces as we sailed back.

It was evening, the setting sun was shining on the lake, and occasionally fish jumped out of the water. It was a truly beautiful scenery of Taihu Lake.

The father and son stood at the front of the deck, cutting through the waves under their feet.

Suddenly, Li Yu asked:
"Zhen'er, you have traveled to many places with me in the past few years and participated in many things. Now, I want to test you."

"Please ask the question, Father~"

"Tell me in one word, what is history?"

Li Yuanzhen lowered his head and thought for a while, then suddenly looked up with his eyes shining.

"Father, I understand."

"money."

【Complete book】(End of this chapter)