Chongzhen revived the Ming Dynasty

As the future heir to the dukedom, Yuan Shu is quite popular in the Suzhou-Songjiang New District.

Zhang Pu, who was in charge of affairs in the new district, went to greet Yuan Shu personally upon learning of his arrival.
"Your Highness has come from afar; you may rest in the new district for now."

"Many members of the royal family who established fiefdoms such as Chu and Tang have settled in the new areas."

"If the Crown Prince wishes, some people can be settled here."

Serving the royal family and nobles who established the fiefdom was an important task of the Suzhou-Songjiang New Area.

Even a large portion of the funding for the development of the new district came from the Chu vassal state.

The Yuan family was not as wealthy as the Chu family, but they still had a considerable fortune.

Zhang Pu hoped that Yuan Shu could invest in the new district and establish a relationship with it.

He knew that the emperor's plan for the new district was to create an industrial city—

The vassal states provided raw materials, while the new district sold industrial products.

As the son of Yuan Keli, Yuan Shu must have had a great influence in Southeast Asia.

The new district must be treated with care, and trade relations must be established with it.

Yuan Shu had the same need, because along the way, some of his subordinates had fallen ill.

These people are not suitable to go to Southeast Asia right now; they need to rest and recuperate in the new district.

He thanked Zhang Pu and then asked:
"I heard that members of the imperial family are allowed to stay in the new district. Are we, members of the official family, included in this?"

Zhang Pu said with a smile:

"As long as you are a citizen of the Ming Dynasty, whether you reside in the mainland or overseas, you can buy a house in the new district."

"This is a special policy granted by the Emperor to the Suzhou-Songjiang New Area to facilitate trade between the new area and overseas vassal states."

"However, the land in the new district is state-owned, and you can only buy a 60-year residency right at most."

"After the sixty-year term expires, they will have the right of first refusal to renew the lease."

At first, some people didn't understand this regulation, but now the officials in the new district admire the emperor's foresight.

Due to the booming industry and commerce, housing prices in the new district have increased several times over in the years since its establishment. And they are still rising, with no sign of falling.

The officials in the new district felt they had overpaid when they thought about the land that Chu had purchased.

The only thing that could comfort them was that they could resell the property when the lease was renewed after sixty years.

Even if they can't easily drive away the people from Chu, the price for renewing the lease should still go up.

It can be said that this sixty-year lease renewal provision has provided the new district with a major source of revenue for the future.

The new district is currently controlling the release of land, releasing a maximum of one-sixtieth each year. The goal is to ensure that, sixty years from now, there will be housing lease renewals every year, allowing the district to continue paying rent.

As a result, land prices in the new district skyrocketed, even requiring competitive bidding.

However, this made buying land much easier for Yuan Shu. The new district had land specifically reserved for nobles, attracting them to buy houses and properties there.

After learning all this, Yuan Shu was secretly astonished:

I never imagined that houses abandoned by immigrants in the Northwest would be so valuable in the new district.

The northwest and the south of the Ming Dynasty were almost two different worlds, leaving him feeling dazzled and mesmerized.

Looking at the prosperous scene before him, and seeing Zhang Pu's smug expression, Yuan Shu sighed:
"The new district has become so prosperous; Zhang Gong truly has the talent of a prime minister!"

It is believed that this top scholar of the fourth year of the Chongzhen reign, who was cultivated by the emperor, is very likely to become the Grand Secretary in the future.

Even if I become a duke in the future, I will still have to deal with this person.

Zhang Pu felt the same way, believing that he would have many opportunities to deal with Yuan Shu in the future.

As the son of Yuan Keli, the foremost meritorious official of the restoration, Yuan Shu's influence among the nobles of the restoration will obviously not be low in the future.

Moreover, he was a duke, one of the highest-ranking nobles in the Ming Dynasty.

Given the emperor's implementation of enfeoffment and the expansion of the power of nobles, such a person would certainly have influence in the court.

Zhang Pu didn't say he needed to fawn over him, but he still had to treat him with care.

At the very least, we mustn't antagonize them; we mustn't provoke people like that.

With this mindset, the two naturally had a very pleasant conversation.

Zhang Pu even took the initiative to introduce him to the governor to purchase the necessary military equipment:

"In the new district, we have been focusing on developing the equipment manufacturing industry in the past two years."

"You can buy warships and weapons here."

"It only requires the approval of the governor's office; it cannot be sold privately."

Yuan Shu happened to have this need, and said with great interest:

"Can I buy anything?"

"Are there any new types of muskets or cannons?"

Zhang Pu said with a smile:

"Of course there are."

"You can buy anything here as long as you have money, including muskets and cannons."

This surprised Yuan Shu, because he had heard his father mention at home that the imperial court purchased firearms from the north, while mainly buying textiles and other small commodities from the south.

Unexpectedly, Zhang Pu said that the new district could manufacture firearms and that they could buy new types of muskets and cannons.

This made him suspect that the imperial court's technology had been leaked, and he inquired:
"Can I really buy anything?"

"I want the latest version of the lightning gun, and the breech-loading Lu Gong cannon."

"Can you really manufacture this kind of state-of-the-art firearm?"

Zhang Pu laughed heartily and said:

"Of course we can build them!"

“Apart from the primers of bullets, anything can be made here.”

"Liu Gong set up a steel plant in the new district, and now the Suzhou Steel Plant in the new district is no less than the best Fujian Steel Plant."

"Your Highness will know once you get your hands on it that the firearms here are by no means inferior to those in the North."

"There are also gunsmiths from the West who specialize in making firearms for nobles."

This is one of the people intercepted by the new district when the mission to the West returned.

The new district, which was struggling with a shortage of skilled craftsmen, retained a number of those craftsmen with specialized skills.

Among them were gunsmiths in Germany, skilled in crafting firearms such as wheel-load guns and flintlock guns.

These firearms were outdated in the Ming Dynasty, but the technology was still useful.

In particular, the techniques for making gun barrels and rifling greatly inspired the craftsmen in the new district.

Their rifled version, modeled after the electric cannon, became the most accurate weapon available at the time.

Many nobles who went abroad were willing to buy a few as part of their equipment.

Yuan Shu was intrigued upon hearing this, and driven by his instincts honed from years of working in the Embroidered Uniform Guard, he felt compelled to investigate further.

He felt that the imperial court seemed unaware of these matters and that he must remind his father.
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The following day, after meeting with Wu Shangmo and obtaining the qualification to purchase equipment, Yuan Shu, led by Zhang Pu, went to the equipment industrial park in the new district.

Upon arriving at this place, Yuan Shu felt that what he saw was even more eye-opening than yesterday:

Weapons were packed into boxes and placed on horse-drawn carriages before being hoisted onto the large ship.

There were more than just this one box on the ship; at least a hundred, judging by a rough estimate.

Yuan Shu asked in surprise:
Where are these weapons being transported to?

"How come there are so many?"

Zhang Pu explained to him:
"This was ordered by the Qin family."

"Twenty short guns per box, this batch needs a thousand boxes."

"The Crown Prince of Qin plans to equip the militia with short guns so that they can practice bayonet techniques."

"It can also be used for self-defense against natives and wild animals. When attached to a long pole, it can become a spear and form a spear battle formation."

"This is the most popular weapon in Southeast Asia, and many vassal states have placed orders for it."

“Your Highness can also buy some and distribute them to the immigrants in your fiefdom.” As he spoke, he gestured to the guard beside him to fetch a pistol.

Then he took a wooden stick and quickly assembled it into a spear.

Although not as sturdy as a single, solid spear, it is more practical.

Given the situation in Southeast Asia, there was rarely a need to form spear formations. Short guns were more practical in ordinary times, and could be used to practice bayonet techniques.

Those who dare to use pistols to kill wild animals are likely to be willing to engage in bayonet fighting on the battlefield. Even after the new army adopted firearms, bayonet training continued, precisely to select brave warriors who dared to see blood.

Yuan Shu knew all this and found the weapon quite interesting.

In terms of durability, this combination of spears is certainly inferior to a single spear.

However, those spears were practically useless in ordinary times, except for forming battle formations, and were even difficult to use for training.

With the advent of firearms, this kind of cold weapon is becoming obsolete, and there is no need to practice it at all.

Short guns are practical in daily life, and can even be carried for self-defense like swords. However, short guns are not very useful on the battlefield, far less so than more powerful weapons.

This new type of combined spear, which can be used as a short gun, solves the problem perfectly:
Normally used as a short spear, it can be used to form a spear formation when necessary.

In particular, the length of the pistol is exactly the same as that of a musket with a bayonet, and the weight is also very similar. It can be used to train bayonet skills and let soldiers become familiar with how to use bayonet techniques.

This means it could be used as a weapon for training new armies, which explains why the vassal states of Southeast Asia liked to buy it.

Yuan Shu, who greatly admired this, immediately decided:

"Give me three thousand of them; all the soldiers I'm leading need to be equipped with them."

"Who invented this weapon? It seems to have some traces of border troops."

They keenly noticed that this type of combined spear was very similar to the spears used by the army in the northwest.

Yuan Shu frowned, feeling that it should have originated from the Northwest.

Its appearance in Jiangnan today seems to carry an unusual significance:

Who is it?

"Could they be border troops who have been stranded in Jiangnan?"

"Or are they bandits who fled to Jiangnan?"

He was very sensitive to this issue while suppressing bandits in the Northwest.

Under the garrison system, border troops would never appear in Jiangnan unless mobilized by the imperial court.

Only those border troops who defected from their garrisons and joined the refugee army could possibly escape here under the court's attacks.

If that's the case, then this is unusual. He doesn't know how many bandits are lurking in the new district.

Yuan Shu quietly signaled to the guards to be on guard, and heard Zhang Pu say:

"This weapon was invented by Luo Liu."

"He is from Macheng and is skilled in building houses. He built the blast furnace in the new district."

"Initially, the steel produced by those blast furnaces was of poor quality and could not be used to manufacture guns and cannons; it could only be used to make cold weapons."

"Luo Liu and a group of blacksmiths invented this spear."

"So that's why he's so good at these things, he comes from the border army?"

Suspicion about Luo Liu has always existed in the new district. Liu Lishun specifically mentioned this when he stepped down.

According to the imperial court's investigation of Macheng, there was no such person as Luo Liu.

They weren't runaway slaves; they were more like people who suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

Upon hearing Yuan Shu say that this weapon bore traces of border troops, Zhang Pu said:

“If the border troops come to Jiangnan, they can only be deserters.”

"Is that why he's hiding his identity?"

"But this isn't right! They've come in a whole group."

At this point, Zhang Pu and Yuan Shu exchanged a glance and immediately realized that Luo Liu and his group had a serious problem.

Although Yuan Shu had no evidence, based on his intuition from years of working in the Embroidered Uniform Guard, he suggested:

"First, take Luo Liu into custody and have the Embroidered Uniform Guard interrogate him thoroughly."

"It's best if there are no problems; if there are, take him down."

Zhang Pu smiled bitterly upon hearing this and said to Yuan Shu:
"No, you can't just arrest people here."

"Only police officers associated with the Imperial Guard have law enforcement authority to arrest people after obtaining approval."

"Moreover, Luo Liu is now certified as an engineer, and his status belongs to the scholar class."

"The process of arresting him is more complicated, and torture is not allowed."

Yuan Shu was aware of these regulations, but he never paid attention to them while he was in the Northwest.

Because the entire Northwest is currently under martial law and military control, the Imperial Guards can arrest whomever they want without any restraint.

Hearing Zhang Pu say this now, he realized even more that these were two completely different worlds:
"The Northwest and the Jiangnan region are truly completely different!"

"The Emperor has a way; he uses the pretext of martial law to implement different policies."

They had a greater understanding and acceptance of the emperor's actions.

Given the current state of the Ming Dynasty, it is imperative to implement new measures in the Northwest.

However, if the changes are made based on the situation in the Northwest, the people in the Jiangnan region will definitely disagree.

The emperor used the pretext of martial law to separate the two places, effectively avoiding any potential conflicts.

Yuan Shu pondered these things from the perspective of a monarch and discovered many things he had never seen before.

He was no longer so hostile towards Luo Liu, who might be a bandit.

He is no longer the Northwest Garrison Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, but a feudal lord.

From the monarch's perspective, someone like Luo Liu is a talented individual, and it is essential to provide him with a sense of security so that he can live and work in peace and contentment.

Regardless of his past actions, all questioning in the new district must be conducted according to regulations. Otherwise, arbitrary arrests that cause unrest among the people of the new district would be a greater loss to the imperial court.

Therefore, Yuan Shu quickly agreed to Zhang Pu's insistence on following the proper procedures.

He also suggested:

"The imperial court is re-establishing rites and music, and various new systems are being perfected."

"This system of requiring official approval to arrest people is good, but it may also allow criminals to escape."

"I believe it should be improved to allow for temporary detention, with approval required if the detention exceeds a certain period."

This suggestion was made from the perspective of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, who believed it would be beneficial in apprehending criminals.

Criminals should not be allowed to escape just because there is no official approval. They can be temporarily detained and the approval can be obtained later.

Although Zhang Pu felt that this would lead to the expansion of the Weiwei Temple's power, he thought that the suggestion was feasible, considering the previous cases of criminals escaping in the new district.

Thinking of the emperor's purpose in sending him, he said:
“This system is necessary, and I will add it to the trial etiquette regulations in the new district.”

"But not now, it has to go through Parliament."

"This suggestion cannot be implemented until it is passed by parliament."

He explained to Yuan Shu the differences in governance in the new district. These long-term systems must be formulated into laws and regulations by the council.

The power of officials was limited to formulating short-term policies; anything longer than three years required approval from parliament.

Now, as a pilot area for the imperial court to reform rites and music, the new district has the authority to formulate laws. The imperial court's rites and laws are improved based on the practices of these pilot areas and then extended to other regions.

Each point needs to be discussed repeatedly; it cannot be decided on a whim.

Yuan Shu, who came from the Northwest, frowned as he listened, not believing that this approach was efficient.

In the Northwest, the faster the decision is made, the better, and once a decision is made, it should be implemented as soon as possible.

Unlike the new district, where everything is restricted and you have to argue with all parties.

This system cannot be implemented in war-torn areas, let alone when he wants to establish new vassal states.

This made Yuan Shu realize that although the new district was prosperous, the system it adopted was not suitable for him.

His Dengzhou regime still intends to follow the policy implemented during the martial law period in the Northwest: first secure the territory, then plan for further development. (End of Chapter)