Ming Dynasty: Domination of the World from the Imperial Examination

Chapter 144 Zhu Di: You want me to be your sword?! (The third update)

Yao Guangxiao said in a deep voice: "What are you going to do?"

Xia Zhibai said: "Of course we have to do it step by step. His Majesty has approved that I can manage the entire northern salt market."

"The tool I use to mine salt is a steam engine, which requires a lot of iron. So I have to build the ironworks in Shuntianfu, and the sooner the better."

"in addition."

"Your Majesty has approved one more thing."

"It means that I can use the post station directly to transport salt in the future."

"This will significantly reduce travel expenses and increase the utilization rate of the post stations."

"However, the salt production in the north is not as good as that in the south or the coastal areas. The cost of transporting salt is still very high even with the existence of post stations. Therefore, it is not that easy to completely lower the salt price like in Yingtian Prefecture, and it will not reduce the burden on the people in the north that much."

“But salt is just the beginning.”

"Since I'm going to take over the entire business."

"Of course, we won't just focus on salt."

"I am currently planning to build a textile factory in Yingtian Prefecture to purchase excess cotton from the people. Cotton is mainly used to make clothes. The population in the north is sparse, and a lot of land is still in a wasteland stage. Therefore, if conditions permit, I will petition the court to set aside some areas in the north specifically for growing cotton."

"in addition."

"Cotton has another function."

“It’s medical treatment.”

"This is also a preparation for the Northern Expedition."

Hear the words.

Zhu Di's eyelids twitched.

Hearing Xia Zhibai talk about the so-called business plan, Zhu Di had no interest in it at all. But when he heard that it was related to the Northern Expedition, Zhu Di's eyes lit up and he asked, "How is cotton related to the Northern Expedition? Isn't it just cloth?"

Xia Zhibai gave a mysterious smile.

It has not been long since cotton was truly popularized throughout the country.

Because cotton seeds are difficult to process, their price is not as high as that of mulberry and hemp, and the current textile machine efficiency is also low, they are not taken seriously.

Xia Zhibai said: "Cotton has high yield and good heat preservation."

"The weather in the north is relatively colder, and cotton products are very helpful in keeping out the cold."

"In addition, cotton cloth has good breathability. It is very useful in the treatment and recovery of soldiers' injuries and can greatly reduce the number of soldiers dying from injuries."

"The population in the north is small, and every male is precious."

“Population will always be the foundation of the North’s development.”

"Only if more people survive the war can the North recover faster after the war."

Zhu Di frowned.

I have some doubts about the effectiveness of cotton cloth.

Xia Zhibai said: "If your highness has any doubts, you can write a letter and ask King Zhou. King Zhou is good at herbal medicine and has done some research on cotton cloth in medical treatment. Maybe he can answer your doubts."

"Old Five?" Zhu Di was stunned.

Then, thinking that Xia Zhibai was from Kaifeng, it was not so surprising.

His younger brother was indeed interested in medicine. Some time ago, he was said to have compiled a book called "Compendium of Herbs for Famine Relief". It was said that he was secretly accusing his father, saying that the Ming Dynasty was not peaceful and prosperous, and that many people could not afford food and had to eat tree bark and grass roots. This naturally made his father furious, and he sent people to whip him fifty times, and he had to lie in bed for more than half a month.

Xia Zhibai said meaningfully: "Your Highness can actually ask King Zhou more."

"King Zhou has a lot of good things in his hands."

Zhu Di suddenly looked at Xia Zhibai, and also became interested, and asked: "Oh, what good things does my brother have in his hand?"

Xia Zhibai chuckled and said, "What I presented to Your Majesty is all available at King Zhou's place. There are potatoes that produce 1,000 kilograms per mu, and rice that is 10% to 20% more productive than usual."

"In addition, King Zhou is also intentionally cultivating some high-yield vegetables, fruits, and melons. However, when I left, King Zhou didn't seem to have achieved much success. But with time, there should still be some effect."

"Of course your Highness should prefer something else."

"What is that?" Zhu Di asked curiously.

"telescope!"

"Telescope?" Zhu Di looked confused.

Xia Zhibai said: "Your Highness can also think of it as a telescope."

"A telescope can illuminate what is a thousand miles away, as if it is right in front of you. When you look at the stars in the sky, they are all very large; when you look at the moon, it is so big that it cannot be measured; when you look at the Milky Way, the stars are clustered together, which is no longer what you usually see. It can also illuminate a few hundred steps away, and the tiny words can be read clearly."

"If Your Highness had a telescope that could see a thousand miles away, he would be able to see the changing situation on the battlefield even if he was several miles away."

"Is there really such a magical object in the world?" Zhu Di was a little excited.

Xia Zhibai smiled and said, "Since grains that can produce a thousand gold coins per mu can exist, telescopes that can see a thousand miles away can also exist. However, this kind of telescope is very difficult to manufacture. I am afraid that after so long, King Zhou has not made many of them."

Zhu Di looked indifferent and sneered, "I am his fourth brother. If I want this thing, how dare he not give it to me?"

"If he dares not give it to me, I will bring people to beat him up."

"With such a good thing, this old man actually wants to keep it to himself. He must be too arrogant."

Zhu Di looked arrogant.

If it were any other vassal king, he might have thought twice, but he didn't care about King Zhou at all.

He beat the fifth child since he was a child.

Xia Zhibai was not very concerned about the little episode between King Yan and King Zhou.

He continued: "My idea is to boost the economy of the North by monopolizing salt and building textile factories. At the same time, by unifying the commercial market in the North, the profits of the more commercially developed areas in the North can be used to maintain the basic living security of the underdeveloped areas."

"in short."

"The profits of more developed regions compensate the less developed regions."

"At the same time, through the development of handicrafts, the utilization rate of northern land will increase, while the population of the south will continue to be absorbed."

“Realize the migration of population to the north.”

"After iron ore is used to produce steam engines, it will be used more in the production of farm tools. However, these new farm tools will be improved to a certain extent based on the suggestions of the people, so that the production efficiency of these farm tools will be higher. Through this series of methods, the production and efficiency of the north will be boosted."

"all above."

“I can actually do it myself.”

“It just takes more time and energy.”

"The reason why I want His Highness and other vassal kings to participate is to use the soldiers in His Highness's hands to suppress merchants who may cause trouble."

"There are also officials, landlords and generals who may be involved."

"The North can't afford to delay."

"What I want is to use the power of many vassal kings to forcibly integrate the businesses in the north."

"Use force to clear the way."

“Then it laid the foundation for the development of the north.”

Xia Zhibai's gaze suddenly changed, becoming more ruthless and fierce.

The whole hall was silent.

The hall was quiet, without any sound.

Yao Guangxiao and Yuan Gong both lowered their heads and remained silent, while Qiu Fu and Zhang Yu looked at each other, their scalps tingling as they listened.

Only Zhu Di was thinking secretly.

What Xia Zhibai said was all good, but there was one very bad point.

Just let him be Xia Zhibai's sword. He is a prince.

How could Xia Zhibai come up with the idea of ​​making a knife for a scholar?
If he agreed, wouldn't it mean that he, the prince, is not as good as Xia Zhibai?
How can this be done?
Xia Zhibai's gaze swept across everyone in the hall and finally fell on Zhu Di. Zhu Di had a gloomy face and had no intention of speaking.

Xia Zhibai sighed softly in his heart.

He guessed it.

These princes of the Ming Dynasty all have their own pride.

They are already lawless in their fiefdom, so how could they be willing to be 'ordered' by others?
They can't afford to lose this person.

And what he said, after all, didn't really happen.

Is it possible to bypass these vassal kings?
can.

However, the princes and the provincial governor were the largest forces in the local area. The provincial governor and the princes supervised each other, but the provincial governor was inferior to the princes to a certain extent, especially during the reign of Zhu Yuanzhang. Moreover, corruption among local officials must have been a group of cases. Without the princes to keep them in check, many things would have encountered great resistance and obstruction if they were to be implemented.

Because there are too many interests involved.

Because the princes were only in charge of military affairs, they were not deeply involved in official corruption.

Therefore, it is the best leverage at the moment.

Moreover, these princes really dare to kill people and are so cruel that they will not be punished too much after killing them.

Xia Zhibai took a deep breath.

Since he dared to make this promise, he must have his own way.

Xia Zhibai said in a deep voice: "This is cooperation."

"Your Highness, help me clear the obstacles in my business. In return, I will help Your Highness build a batch of new equipment, mainly firearms."

"As for the manufacture of firearms, no one in the world can surpass me."

"When I first met your Majesty, I presented him with a 'cluster rocket' that can fire dozens of rounds in a row. Its power is also very astonishing, but this is not the limit of firearms."

"I didn't have 'Hundred Refinement Steel' at the time. If I had enough Hundred Refinement Steel, the firearms I could make would be several times more powerful than the current firearms, and more accurate, easier to operate, and more lethal."

"at the same time."

“I will prioritize laying tracks in the north.”

"It was used to promote steam locomotives in the north in the future. Steam locomotives are a derivative of steam engines and a kind of man-made 'iron horse'."

"The Ming Dynasty is short of horses, and the emergence of steam locomotives will completely change this situation. These steam locomotives can transport dozens of people at a time. With improvements, they can even transport hundreds of people at a time, or even more. The speed can reach dozens or even hundreds of miles in half an hour."

"in addition."

"With the control of northern commerce."

"I will also try to infiltrate the north, obtain secrets related to the Northern Yuan Dynasty, and draw a geomancy map of the north."

"When these secrets are transmitted back to the court, they will also be shared with Your Highness at the same time."

"of course."

“Now I can’t even deliver on that.”

"But if Your Highness really wants to see it, I will try to create a new type of firearm when the ironworks is built in the future. Your Highness will know after you try it."

"As for the 'iron horse', it is indeed impossible to complete it in a short time. However, when the salt factory in the north is opened, Your Highness can go to the salt factory to see the operation of the steam engine, and then you will know whether what I, Xia Zhibai, said today is true or false."

"Your Highness is in charge of the military, and the Governor is in charge of civil affairs."

“And I’m in charge of business.”

"The three should have been clearly separated, but the existence of the Northern Yuan Dynasty has always been a threat to the imperial court. The imperial court will definitely try to eliminate it, but elimination means war. I, Xia Zhibai, do not want the Ming Dynasty to suffer too many casualties, nor do I want the Mongols to fail to be completely eliminated in these northern expeditions. Instead, their hatred for the Ming Dynasty continues to accumulate and even become a feud that lasts for generations."

"The Ming Dynasty cannot afford such turmoil."

“The people can’t bear it.”

"My thoughts, Xia Zhibai, are simple and pure."

"It's all done in one battle."

"It's just that what I want is even crazier than what Your Majesty and Your Highness want. What I want is to completely annex the Northern Yuan Dynasty and bring it under the rule of the Ming Dynasty. Under the threat of iron horses and muskets, the nomads in the north will never dare to raise troops again, and will never dare to think of resistance again. They can only sing and dance under the might of the army."

"Completely resolve the thousands of years of turmoil in the northern border."

"Your Highness, wouldn't it be more satisfying to win the reputation of Yongding Northern Frontier in one battle than to seal the Wolf's Lair?"

"Isn't this more powerful than any other dynasty?"

Zhu Di was moved.

He looked at Xia Zhibai deeply for several times, with a trace of struggle and hesitation on his face.

Instinctively, he was disgusted.

Especially making yourself listen to a civil servant.

But Xia Zhibai's words gave him infinite temptation.

Conquering the Wolf's Lair and recording his achievements at Yanran, how many military generals would aspire to do so?
He is also included.

But these honors seemed insignificant when the First World War eliminated the war in the north.

And this is still expanding territory.

Zhu Di licked his lips, unable to make a decision.

a long time.

Zhu Di regained his composure, his face showing a bit of solemnity, and with a bit of regret, he said: "Xia Zhibai, you are really amazing, even I was persuaded by you, no wonder you angered my father again and again, but you were still able to escape unscathed, your talking skills are really amazing."

“He is indeed talented.”

"Your idea is crazy and bold."

"But I like it."

"As the commander of an army, if you don't even have this much ambition, then what's the point of commanding an army? Just go home and hug your children."

"I can agree."

“But I also have requests.”

"I can't hand over such a large North to you."

"Beiping must be under my control."

"And I must review some of the situations in Peking first."

"That's the bottom line."

Xia Zhibai nodded and said with a smile: "Your Highness, don't worry. I am a business official, and I mainly focus on business. Politics is not in my plan. I have no intention of getting involved in political affairs so early. Besides, Your Highness thinks too highly of me."

"If I don't rely on your Highness's help, and only rely on my own strength, it may take me three to five years to build a complete commercial market."

"Your Highness must be involved."

"I only care about the business in the north. As for the rest, I won't care, ask, or say anything."

"But I also hope that Your Highness will not interfere in business matters so easily."

Zhu Di stared at Xia Zhibai closely, and after hesitating for a while, he nodded and agreed.

"Thank you, Your Highness." Xia Zhibai bowed in thanks.

"I don't know whether it is good or bad to promise you." Zhu Di said softly.

Xia Zhibai smiled and said, "It should be a good thing."

"At least for the world, it won't be a bad thing."

(End of this chapter)