Ming Dynasty: Domination of the World from the Imperial Examination

Chapter 118: Requesting iron ore mining rights!

Zhu Yuanzhang glared angrily.

He was really annoyed with Xia Zhibai, who always liked to challenge his bottom line.

But this time Zhu Yuanzhang did not get angry.

He held the jade ruyi and scratched his back, thinking while scratching.

After pondering for a while, Zhu Yuanzhang had to admit that the omissions mentioned by Xia Zhibai were indeed what he had not taken into consideration when he designed the system of governing the country. If it was really adopted, it would not affect the existing system of the Ming Dynasty.

Tax grain will not be used.

Tax grain is the key to Zhu Yuanzhang's system.

There isn't much to begin with, so don't move it lightly.

In order to ensure that his system could operate normally, Zhu Yuanzhang deliberately streamlined the size of the government to save expenditure costs.

This is a choice he made based on the lessons of history.

In the past, the government of every dynasty was too large, and huge official salaries had to be spent every year, which was a huge burden on the people. His system was already laborious, and if the large government was maintained, it would directly crush the local people.

The biggest advantage of maintaining a small government is that you don't have to pay huge official salaries.

Moreover, a large part of the officials' salaries were paid directly from the rent collected from official fields, without the need to use tax grain at all. As for other government work, it was basically maintained through corvee labor, miscellaneous duties and other forms of service.

When he created this system, he never thought about business at all.

Therefore, business-related matters are not included in the plan, which also means that even if what Xia Zhibai said is done, it will not have any impact on the existing system of the Ming Dynasty. On the contrary, the court will get considerable returns after a few years and will be able to strengthen its control and supervision over the local areas.

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded secretly.

But it is a taboo for government officials to engage in business.

He felt uneasy.

Zhu Yuanzhang placed the jade ruyi on the table, looked at Xia Zhibai with indifferent eyes, and said in a deep voice: "It is not advisable for the government to engage in business."

"The demise of the Song and Yuan dynasties has revealed this truth. Government business will only accelerate official corruption and intensify collusion between officials and businessmen. It is a great harm to the people and the court. What you said is indeed tempting, but we cannot agree to it."

"The officials of our Ming Dynasty are already extremely greedy. If they start doing business, it will only make them even more rampant."

"We can't take that risk."

Zhu Yuanzhang pondered for a while and decided to reject it.

He doesn't trust the officials below him.

Collusion between officials and businessmen is currently prohibited, but there are already so many corrupt officials. If we open up the law to allow business, then all officials in the Ming Dynasty will be corrupt.

Xia Zhibai smiled and said with a relaxed look: "Your Majesty has misunderstood."

"I do intend to open a trade route."

"But the trade route I want to open is different from what Your Majesty wants."

"In the past, the government-run businesses in the country were basically controlled by the government, relying on officials and some clerks to be responsible. They represented more of the government's deterrent power, so they could set prices at will and plunder the people's wealth. However, the system I want to promote has a hierarchical structure."

“Only those who are truly in charge are officials.”

“The vast majority are just businessmen.”

"If you want to move from being a 'businessman' to being an 'official', you need to go through strict scrutiny by the imperial court. If you are found to have committed crimes or engaged in corruption, you will be directly convicted of corruption."

"The imperial court can also directly appoint local officials as 'merchant officials'."

"besides."

"In my opinion, this is also more important."

"These 'businessmen' have to pay personal taxes. As long as they reach a certain salary, they must pay it in order to clearly distinguish between business officials and ordinary officials. Even if they really leave the state-owned enterprises in the future, they are no exception and still have to pay taxes."

"In my opinion."

"Officials are mainly responsible for personnel, and the things that were originally handled by minor clerks and clerks are all handed over to merchants, but at the same time, these 'merchants' are given a certain amount of room for advancement, but with certain restrictions."

"Besides."

"In the past, when the government did business, it basically joined forces with local officials."

"So-called state-owned enterprises, however, are independent of local governments and are subject to local supervision, while also having the function of supervising local governments."

"If a state-owned enterprise causes chaos and disrupts people's livelihood, the local government is a different institution, and the money and grain do not go through the local government. So they don't have to cover up for each other as in the past. They can report to the court, and the court will naturally deal with it. If local officials are illegal and harm the people, these state-owned enterprises also have the authority to report to the court."

"This is what I mean by the court's other eyes and ears."

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded slightly.

Xia Zhibai’s explanation was quite clear.

It is to make certain differentiated treatments so that the so-called "business officials" are still in a lower position.

Even if you enter the court in the future, you will still be affected by "taxation".

Besides.

That is, state-owned enterprises are directly under the Ministry of Households.

It will not be managed by local governments, so it is equivalent to the court inserting a nail in the local area to supervise local conditions. It has played a very positive role in helping the court understand the actual local situation. The idea can be said to be advanced and long-term.

Very predictable too.

Zhu Yuanzhang stroked his chin, his eyes uncertain.

Zhu Biao was also thinking secretly. He felt it was feasible.

The Ming Dynasty had a vast territory, and it was difficult for the imperial court to take care of everything. Even in Yingtian Prefecture, the imperial court could not take care of everything and had an accurate understanding of the local situation. This was even more so in the local areas. If the imperial court could spread its spies throughout the local areas through state-owned enterprises, it would be of great benefit to the stability of the world.

It is also a great warning to local officials.

Zhu Biao cupped his hands and said, "Father, I think it's worth a try."

"Now in Xia Zhibai's hands, at least the salt industry has been proven. The court will be able to recover its expenditures and convert them into profits in a few years. Through this, the court can also crack down on private salt dealers, while reducing the merchants' profiteering and reducing the burden on the people. It can be said that it kills two birds with one stone."

Zhu Yuanzhang glanced at Zhu Biao, then glanced at Xia Zhibai, feeling a little uneasy.

He said, "Yingtian Prefecture is Yingtian Prefecture, and other provincial governors are other provincial governors. They cannot be treated the same."

"I don't believe you don't know this aspect."

Xia Zhibai nodded and said with a smile: "Your Majesty is wise."

"The operating model of Kyoto Salt Industry is not completely applicable to the rest of the country. In addition to supporting salt ponds, the most important thing is coal mines. Therefore, based on the current situation, it can only be promoted in the north. It is not so easy in the south."

"And the cost of making salt is relatively low. The biggest expense is transportation."

"Therefore, I suggest that the post station be divided into two."

"One part remains intact, and the other part is used as a 'post office', specifically for the transfer of goods."

"Or maybe."

"The court has set up another state-owned enterprise on the road that the post station is responsible for, to be responsible for transporting goods."

"The imperial court issues special 'tickets' for this purpose, with certain prices based on the type, weight, size, etc. of the goods. Of course, if there are major military and national affairs, the post stations will be given priority unconditionally, but at other times, the 'post offices' will also be able to use the most convenient and spacious roads."

Zhu Yuanzhang frowned.

The post station is related to the transmission of major military and national affairs throughout the world.

No matter how much he streamlined the government, he never touched the post stations at all.

He is well aware of the importance of intelligence.

Soldiers are valuable and quick.

But information transmission is also worth a fortune.

Just as Xia Zhibai said, the post stations occupy the best roads in the world, but many places are idle and are only used a few days a year.

In a way, this is a huge waste.

If it can be used reasonably, it can not only bring a considerable amount of income and expenditure to the court, but also be used to count the world's trade situation, so that the court can have a general understanding of the local prosperity, crack down on local smuggling, and control the transmission of information in the world.

But every advantage has its disadvantages.

There are too many things involved in the post station.

If the transmission of state policies is slowed down due to civilian goods, the impact on the world will be immeasurable, especially since the area surrounding the Ming Dynasty is not stable. If military intelligence is delayed, it is likely to lead to a catastrophe.

Zhu Yuanzhang did not dare to make a decision easily.

Xia Zhibai naturally guessed Zhu Yuanzhang's worries.

He cupped his hands and said, "The post station issue is not urgent. The changes to the post stations are mainly in the south. The north is rich in coal resources and is not urgent. Therefore, I would like to ask Your Majesty to approve the establishment of salt companies in various prefectures in the north to reduce the burden on the people and share the burden with the court."

Xia Zhibai knew that the road had to be taken step by step.

Although he wanted to open up the "post station", he also knew that Zhu Yuanzhang would not act easily.

But this is just an attempt.

At present, he will still focus on salt enterprises. Through the existence of salt enterprises, he will reduce the burden on the people, train a large number of workers, develop certain basic industries, and export some of his own business ideas to the world.

What he wants is to change the world bit by bit.

He had to start with "business", which Zhu Yuanzhang paid the least attention to. Only when the power of "business" grew stronger, cultivated enough talents, accumulated enough power, and greatly promoted the progress of the world, and Zhu Yuanzhang realized the importance of "business", could he pry open Zhu Yuanzhang's stubborn system like a "turtle formation".

He has enough patience.

Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes darkened, and he said in a cold voice: "Your idea is good, but I don't have that much money to lend you. Yingtian Prefecture alone cost us 40,000 silver coins. If it is spread across the entire north, with 20 to 30 prefectures, it will cost millions of silver coins. I really want to agree, but I really can't agree."

Zhu Yuanzhang stared at Xia Zhibai intently. He knew that Xia Zhibai would not give up.

After saying so much, if there is no gain, wouldn’t it be in vain?

He would like to see it.

How did Xia Zhibai get so much money on his own?

It is absolutely impossible for you to touch the stolen money recovered from official corruption.

Xia Zhibai nodded.

He was also aware of the situation.

If you ask Zhu Yuanzhang for money directly, there is no way he will agree.

Therefore, we can only ask for policies.

Xia Zhibai said: "This time I don't want money. In addition to incorporating local cooks into the salt enterprise and asking for some necessary coal mines, the more important thing is that I want Your Majesty to allow me to participate in iron mining. I don't ask for much. Since the court can't give it to me, I will do it myself. I will rely on my workers to open mines and mine pig iron for steam engines. If possible, I may be able to improve the steam engine and use it in iron mining."

"Please give me your Majesty's permission."

　I have some things to do today, so I should update twice.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)