Northern Song Dynasty: Starting from the son of Song Renzong

Chapter 338 Great Development

The sixty-fifth year of the Li Yuan Dynasty.

Zhao Xin should have ascended the throne at the age of 25.

to date……

It has been exactly ninety years since I last traveled through time.

In today's Song Dynasty, business is booming in the southeast sea, so much so that places like Fuzhou and Quanzhou have begun to eat food shipped from Ryukyu.

and……

According to Zhao Xin's own questions to local officials, the amount of food consumed by Ryukyu and other countries imported has also increased.

There is no way around it. After all, a large number of people related to maritime transportation gather here.

And these people certainly don't know how to farm themselves.

As for transporting it from other places in the mainland, of course, transporting it by land is also a costly undertaking.

these years……

Both Jiaozhi and Srivijaya had shipped food here.

Others are shipped from Guangzhou.

of course!

It was not very stable in the past. It might be lucky this year, but unlucky the next year.

But now, as some merchants from the Song Dynasty have also actively joined the grain trade, the trend of coastal areas eating imported grain has become inevitable.

There were also Koreans who tried to transport the grain away from here.

Be reasonable!
The southeastern part of the Song Dynasty is becoming more prosperous and busier day by day.

This year, Zhao Xin also made sweet chili sauce.

The second person in the Song Dynasty who tasted sweet chili sauce was of course Chen Yuanyuan.

And beef offal with sweet chili sauce and radish is a perfect match.

Products like corn and pumpkin were also sent to Youzhou City after being harvested that year.

This is something that the Song Dynasty spends 200,000 strings of cash every year to get back.

If Fan Zhongyan were still alive, he would have knocked on the door and had a good argument with Zhao Xin about whether it was worth spending so much money every year.

Even Chen Yuanyuan, when she heard that these things were shipped back from at least 25,000 miles away from overseas and then cultivated in Quanzhou, couldn't help but look at them with her eyes shining.

How valuable is this, after all?
And it's still 25,000 miles away. Along the way, you can't see a piece of land, only the vast and boundless ocean. People are like a lonely boat in it. There is dead silence in front, behind, left and right.

estimate……

Only the sound of some waves can be heard.

If Zhao Xin was not old and the ministers were not required to respect the elderly, they would definitely oppose such expenses.

of course!

Two hundred thousand strings of cash per year, this cost can be reduced slowly.

and……

After a large amount of crops from America are transported back, Zhao Xin may no longer send people out to sea.

Mainly, you have to see what your purpose is for going to sea.

Zhao Xin’s goal now is just to bring back the crops from America.

"It's sour, sweet, and a little spicy, which is good."

"It's quite appetizing."

The female official who was serving at the same time also said: "The emperor also made some very spicy food, and it is not sweet. But the emperor said that the queen is old and her stomach will not be able to tolerate it. So... I made this specially for the queen. This is not available outside, and only the queen can eat it."

Chen Yuanyuan said, "But it still costs too much."

of course!

I said this, but I still felt sweet in my heart.

In Quanzhou...

This part of the peppers, corn, pumpkins, etc. are also taken to the best restaurants to be processed and then sold.

The reason for choosing the best restaurant is that the added value of this place is high. At the same time, many of their owners are also good at telling stories.

In this way, these peppers, corn, pumpkins, etc., combined with special specific tracks, can be sold at high prices immediately.

After all, Zhao Xin was throwing out 200,000 strings of cash every year, so he had to make a profit.

After tasting it, local wealthy businessmen and officials also praised it highly.

of course!

It doesn’t necessarily mean it’s really delicious.

The kind that's so delicious that it can make your clothes burst.

However, because they are brought back from far away, they often give people a sense of freshness and a feeling of showing off to others that they are superior.

then……

These things were also selling well in Quanzhou this year.

Zhao Xin also built a framework for the entire plantation and research institute.

By then, plans will have been made for who will be responsible for research and development, who will be responsible for investment and trading, who will supervise, and how to distribute the profits.

The research and development will definitely be handed over to the people of the Academy of Sciences, the investment and trading will be handed over to the Song Dynasty's merchant group, and the supervision will be carried out by the young officials who have just passed the imperial examination that year.

Zhao Xin is trying a method in which private businessmen invest, the government supervises, and the rest of the people contribute their efforts and wisdom, and in the end, everyone can profit.

of course!

They are said to be private businessmen, but how can ordinary businessmen have such ability?
So in the end…

In the end, it all depends on the business group he formed before to see who can take over this matter.

After you take over, you have to pay the money. As for whether the investment will fail at that time, you may ask.

can only say……

Investing is always risky.

Failure, isn't that a normal thing?
This is better than these rich people who only buy land once they have money.

In fact...

In today's Song Dynasty, it is no longer possible to buy land.

In the past, buying land was profitable because you could lend money, and lending money was almost like robbing money.

The interest rates that year were shockingly high.

However, with the improvement of the railway facilities in the Song Dynasty and the rational distribution of granaries across the country, the price of grain has been lowered, so that a large number of people who could never have had enough to eat before now have the opportunity to have enough to eat.

Then the income from lending will drop significantly.

Moreover, when Wang Anshi was still alive, the government had already monopolized more than 60 to 70 percent of the grain lending business in the entire Hebei region. How could others compete with the government's low-interest lending?
Therefore, even if you make money now, it will be useless to buy land.

Because no matter how much land you buy, your interest income will never be higher than the standards set by the government.

If your loan is too high, people will go to the government for loans.

This has led to the fact that over the years, many wealthy people have nowhere to put their money.

If you can’t buy land, then you can only put it aside or spend it directly.

There are also some people who buy land to grow vegetables, raise pigs, sheep, etc.

But the problem is...

Even so, it is still not as convenient as buying land and renting it to others for farming.

of course!

It's not like they're really burying all their money in the ground.

The key point is that we are using paper money now, and it won’t work if you bury it in the ground.

At last……

This actually promoted the business and consumption of the Song Dynasty.

But even so, this kind of business and consumption is unlikely to consume all the wealth of the people, mainly the wealth of the rich.

Some rich people have started building houses with transparent glass on all four sides.

This has promoted the development of the glass manufacturing industry.

But glass cannot be made every day.

Moreover, the ability of rich people to make money is always far beyond that of ordinary people.

How can we put this unusable money back into the market for a new cycle?
What Zhao Xin is doing now is a good example.

I don’t care if your investment fails. You still have to pay your salary.

If you make money, everyone can share the profits.

The end of the year.

After Zhao Xin discussed with all relevant personnel.

The first agricultural company invested by capital in the Song Dynasty was born.

and……

The agricultural company will receive a thirty-year exclusive license to grow a variety of American crops.

As soon as this news came out.

All the wealthy businessmen and rich people were stunned.

The officials in Youzhou City of the Song Dynasty were also stunned.

Can you really play it like this?
Of course! Is this good or not? Can you make money?

Hard to say.

Anyway...

The person chosen by Zhao Xin must be feeling worried now.

Can I get my investment back in 30 years?
The government can't cheat him, right?

To know……

My grandfather had a very good relationship with the government and could be considered an old acquaintance.

After seeing chili sauce, corn, pumpkin and other things being brought to the restaurant and causing a heated discussion, which in turn led to more people being willing to try them.

The man felt a little relieved.

In addition...

Except chili sauce, corn, pumpkin.

Sweet potatoes are also very popular in this winter.

Chen Yuanyuan started eating it in the palace.

and……

Good ingredients do not require excessive processing. Just simply throw the sweet potatoes into the charcoal fire and wait for them to be cooked.

Of course, this thing...

For Chen Yuanyuan, it was not very attractive.

mainly……

Chen Yuanyuan herself came from a wealthy family and had eaten all kinds of sweet things.

This baked sweet potato definitely can't satisfy her so easily.

but……

If you can eat a bowl of hot sweet potato soup on a winter morning.

That feels different!

This thing tastes better than rice dumplings!

And it’s not as greasy as rice dumplings.

This is absolutely amazing!
The sweet potatoes also taste great!

There is also corn and lamb soup.

At first, Chen Yuanyuan felt that the two hundred thousand strings of cash a year was not worth spending.

just now……

As more and more rare dishes were served on the table, she suddenly felt that the two hundred thousand strings of cash a year was nothing.

After all, if you can live your whole life and eat such rare dishes, what does a mere 200,000 strings of cash a year mean?
And in the second year.

The amount planted will be greater.

And since it is an exclusive business, there is no competitor in this business.

It only took one year, and that was when the production capacity was not very high.

the second year……

The turnover of this agricultural company reached 100,000 strings of cash.

This is no different from stealing money.

Although it is only turnover now, not profit yet.

but……

Even if all costs are ignored, the turnover of 100,000 strings of cash is still frighteningly high.

Those who were originally selected by Zhao Xin to take the contract all knelt down before Zhao Xin.

In fact, at the beginning...

He really felt like he was being forcibly dragged into the car by Zhao Xin.

After all, the government has specifically asked you to do it, how can you not agree?

"Your Majesty! You are like my adopted parents!"

Zhao Xin also replied: "Don't do that. If you say that, my Yuanyuan will misunderstand."

After that, Zhao Xin added: "But selling it at such a high price is not a good idea after all."

"After all, it's impossible for people to spend several or even dozens of strings of cash every day to taste your stuff. At most, they can just try it for the sake of novelty at the beginning."

"So... from now on, you have to lower the price of these things, expand the scope of target customers as much as possible, improve planting technology, and increase crop yields. This is the right way."

The other side said: "I will definitely remember the official's teachings."

Zhao Xin added: "Besides...there is too little land in Quanzhou. Crops like these can also be promoted to other areas."

The other side said: "I will order people to promote the planting."

This year……

Tobacco was brought back from America by fleets.

only……

Still no rubber tree seeds were found.

but……

It cannot be said that there is no news.

According to the local chief, he had seen that thing when he was young.

But you have to go south, there is one in another tribe.

then……

This year.

After the fleet arrived in America again, the captain of the fleet led his people to explore south again.

Local indigenous young people were invited to board the ship to serve as guides.

In addition...

During the exploration, we can't help but ask some frequently asked questions.

For example, what is on the other side of the mountain? Is it still a mountain? What is at the end of the sea?
This made the people on the ship, especially the researchers from the Academy of Sciences who were sailing with them, more curious and more eager to fully explore the continent.

rumor……

The land beneath their feet is actually a circle.

So, if we continue heading east from here, can we return to the Song Dynasty?

If we continue heading east from here, how long will it take to return to the Song Dynasty?

It was because of this wave that the fleet almost sank at the southernmost tip of South America.

The waves there were extremely high and huge, and the storm was raging.

It's like the end of the world.

The wind is whistling.

Fortunately, although some people died and the ship almost sank, the crew did not have any internal conflicts.

This is mainly because the government had done some psychological preparation for them before they went out to sea.

They said that even if they unfortunately died at sea, they had nothing to fear, because the value brought by the crops from America would continue to benefit their descendants.

at the same time……

Their eldest sons and grandsons can also enroll in the Academy of Sciences and no longer have to work hard on farming.

But to be honest, we should put quotation marks around the idea of ​​no longer having to farm. After all, people from the Academy of Sciences are currently studying how to farm.

The captain could only turn the ship around. It was too dangerous here, so they decided to go back first.

period……

No less than tens of thousands of kilograms of rubber tree seeds were transported back, and pineapples and other fruits were also discovered.

The sixty-sixth year of the Li Yuan Dynasty.

With the introduction of cocoa into the Song Dynasty.

Chocolate in the Song Dynasty also began to take shape.

But this thing...

I guess most people can't stand it.

Who can accept this black technology of mixing cocoa and chili together and drinking it?

But if you just add some sugar, it would be okay.

Speaking of which...

Coffee is also what Zhao Xin wants.

only……

It seems that it has not been discovered yet.

Zhao Xin felt relieved after learning from the crew that rubber did exist and could be obtained.

Of course!
If it is a rubber tree, it is impossible to plant it directly in Quanzhou.

You have to go to Srivijaya or somewhere like Xiaosong Island.

(End of this chapter)