Zhu Yuanzhang in the cellar

Chapter 33 My Angry Ancestor

"Food is the foundation of a country. Why was life so difficult in the early Ming Dynasty? It was because although the chaotic times had been quelled, production had not yet fully recovered. The people's lives were difficult, and they had no idea where to put their next meal. Naturally, the country could not be stable."

In the room, Zhu Yunfeng knocked gently on the coffee table, waking up the three members of the Zhu family who were in a daze.

When they came to their senses, Zhu Yuanzhang had put down the brush in his hand and was listening quietly to what Zhu Yunfeng said next, while Zhu Biao and Zhu Di were looking at him with sharp eyes, waiting for his speech.

Zhu Yunfeng glanced at Zhu Biao and Zhu Di's faces, then smiled and said, "This is the main contradiction of the Ming Dynasty now. Only when this main contradiction is resolved, everything that follows, whether it is the development of industry or economy, or the simultaneous development of economy, industry, military, education, etc., will be smooth."

"This includes recovering Yunnan, heading north to destroy the remaining forces of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty, carrying out large-scale development of the Northeast, increasing the development of the commodity economy, promoting overseas trade, and most importantly, building an industrial civilization."

He patiently said, "If I were to travel back to ancient times, these things would definitely be very difficult to handle. I might need to take it step by step and use various policies to achieve my desired goals."

"For example, first eliminate the country's ills, make politics clear and the officialdom orderly. Then reduce labor service and taxes, slowly recuperate and restore production. After that, adopt a more relaxed business policy, accelerate the circulation of domestic commodity economy, and make the fiscal surplus. Then reorganize the military force, and after having a certain amount of military power to protect itself, officially start the industrial revolution, vigorously develop the coal and steel industries, then study steam engines, steam power, and finally develop to the second industrial revolution."

"This process will be extremely long. Without the accumulation of an entire era and the application of mathematics, physics, chemistry, and technical materials, it may take thirty, fifty, or even a hundred years for a time traveler alone."

“But now you don’t have to worry about that.”

Zhu Yunfeng looked at the two and grinned, "You are so lucky. The stone tablet has no restrictions. Modern scientific and technological products and development knowledge are all ready. This will greatly shorten the time it takes for the Ming Dynasty to become powerful."

As he spoke, he thought of an old friend.

That junior high school classmate with excellent grades—Zhao Jun.

Zhao Jun is from the neighboring Meishan Town, not far from their Lansha Town.

However, they didn't know each other until they were in junior high school.

Because Zhu Yunfeng's father was a college student in the 90s, he studied in the provincial capital. After graduation, he was assigned to work in a state-owned enterprise in Changsha. Later, he went into business and made a lot of money.

However, because he was constantly traveling for business, Zhu Yunfeng's mother saw that he had some money and was afraid that he would cheat on her, so she chose to live with her husband. The couple had no fixed place to live, and it was inconvenient for them to take care of the children.

So Zhu Yunfeng was not sent to a school in Changsha. Instead, he was sent to a primary school in the county from the second grade of primary school and lived with a relative who was a teacher.

In contrast, Zhao Jun was born in an ordinary family in Zhaojiawan, Meishan Town next door. His parents worked away from home, and he completed his primary school education in the township primary school.

But Zhao Jun had very good grades and was admitted to the best middle school in the county, the Affiliated Middle School of No. 1 Middle School.

Zhu Yunfeng's grades were much worse. He and Ji He were classmates in the same primary school. They both graduated from the county's No. 1 primary school in a lazy manner and then came here together.

of course.

Ji He's grades were better than Zhu Yunfeng's, so he got in just on the passing score. Zhu Yunfeng, on the other hand, was bought in, having spent more than 10,000 yuan on school selection fees from his father.

After entering junior high school, Zhu Yunfeng was in the same class as Zhao Jun. That guy was always in the top three, and Zhu Yunfeng was also in the top three, but just at the bottom.

The teacher often said that Zhu Yunfeng was very smart, but he just didn't focus on his studies.

Actually, it’s not his fault.

His family was really rich when he was in junior high and high school. His father was worth tens of millions and he wore a lot of branded clothes. He really didn't need to work as hard as others.

Before his family fell into poverty and his parents divorced, although Zhu Yunfeng did not like studying, he liked history very much.

It just so happened that Zhao Jun also liked her. Although they had some unpleasantness before and even fought, it did not affect them from gradually becoming friends. The two of them often discussed ancient times.

They once talked about this topic: if they traveled back to ancient times and became emperors, how would they develop and govern the country.

I was too young at that time and my ideas were very naive.

His mind is full of thoughts about killing all treacherous ministers, employing loyal ministers, and then working hard to govern the country, developing technology at the speed of light, and letting the flag of the empire fly all over the world.

I have to say, the youthful enthusiasm and arrogance of that time are still vivid in my mind.

Both of them had the same idea and felt that they had met too late.

But now that I have grown up, I understand that my thoughts at that time were too naive and superficial.

What is a treacherous minister?

What is a loyal minister?

Can we really distinguish between loyalty and treachery?

And how should we work hard to govern the country?
When the reform touches upon certain interest groups, have you considered whether it will lead to failure?
Is technology so easy to develop?
You may not even understand the interpersonal relationships in a class, let alone govern a huge country.

Now when I look back at my younger self, I probably just smile slightly, thinking that young people don’t understand the feeling of sorrow and their understanding of the world is far from enough.

After graduating from junior high school, Zhu Yunfeng and Ji He both went to the relatively inferior No. 3 Middle School.

Zhu Yunfeng still bought it and ended up spending money to read three books.

Zhao Jun went to the better No. 1 Middle School, and it was even said that he was later admitted to the History Department of Renmin University.

It’s just that we haven’t been in touch for a long time and I don’t know where he went.

If he were by my side, perhaps I could ask him about his opinion on how ancient society should develop today.

I think that with his talent in history at NPC, he should be able to help me a lot.

Zhu Yunfeng thought.

Maybe after I go back, it’s time to look through my phone and look for that almost forgotten yearbook.

"Are you planning to bring back hybrid rice from modern times?"

Zhu Biao's words interrupted Zhu Yunfeng's thoughts and brought him back to reality.

Zhu Yunfeng looked up at him, nodded and said, "Not only seeds, but also fertilizers! There are only two ways to increase grain production, one is breeding, and the other is fertilizer. You don't need to worry about breeding, modern technology will help you do it, and fertilizer is another key to increase production. If all of these can be transported, then it is foreseeable that Daming will soon jump from 300 to 400 kilograms per mu to more than 1,000 kilograms, and the population will also usher in explosive growth."

"What do we need so many people for? We can barely support them now."

Zhu Di muttered something beside him.

Zhu Yunfeng shook his finger at him and said, "You are wrong. You are totally wrong. Population is very important because it represents the potential of a country. The larger the population, the greater the potential. Of course, with the exception of India, once education, industry and economic development become popular, the strength of the entire country will also usher in a rapid improvement. You must understand that the strength of the Ming Dynasty does not mean that the Ming Dynasty has a large territory and a lot of land. It is because the Ming Dynasty has a large population, which is larger than all the surrounding ethnic minorities, so it can suppress them."

There is no doubt about this. The demographic dividend is not only a standard for national strength growth in modern society, but also in ancient times.

A large population means more labor force, more cultivated land, more grain, soldiers and corvee labor that can be collected, and the ability to build the Great Wall, repair canals and fight against foreign races.

Except for the Jin and Song dynasties, the Central Plains dynasties always suppressed foreign races, and the rest of the dynasties often beat foreign races. Including the Ming Dynasty, even in the late Ming Dynasty, it was able to suppress the Mongols and the Jurchens.

For example, the three major expeditions of the Wanli period.

It was not until the civil unrest at the end of the Ming Dynasty that the Ming Dynasty was destroyed by Li Zicheng's peasant uprising army. The Jurchens took this opportunity to move south and rule the Central Plains.

Therefore, population represents the cornerstone of a country. Zhu Di, who is only 19 years old now, does not understand this truth. He will probably understand it when he becomes emperor in the future, but unfortunately, he probably will not be able to become emperor in the future.

"Food and population growth are just the first step. With the help of modern technology, I plan to make a three-step plan for the development of Ming Dynasty."

Zhu Yunfeng spread out another page and said, "The first step is to set up a grain company in modern times, purchase a large amount of seeds and fertilizers, and ship other modern high-yield crops including corn, sweet potatoes, potatoes, etc. to Daming, so that Daming's grain production can be doubled within two years."

"The second step is to double the grain production while establishing an industrial base. And it should not be a backward product of the First Industrial Revolution like the steam engine, but should be developed directly from the Second Industrial Revolution, just like the early days of our country's construction."

"The third step is to use the Ming Dynasty's powerful ships and cannons to sail to all parts of the world, shouting to them, 'Open the door, free trade.' We will force them to buy Ming Dynasty's goods, and let Ming Dynasty go further and further on the road to prosperity, leaving others far behind."

"Of course, there are still many details involved in each step of the plan, including institutional reform, economic development, education, military strength, and scientific and technological research."

"For example, scientific research does not mean that you have to start scientific research from scratch. Instead, I will bring modern science and technology to you, and you will understand and learn the principles, and then popularize science in education, thus laying the foundation for scientific education."

"There is also economic development, which is even simpler and more direct. Abolish the banknotes that our ancestors used to cheat people. I brought silver from the modern era. The price of silver today is as cheap as cabbage, and the price difference with gold is a hundred times. If you exchange it for gold, you can directly make a tenfold profit."

"Then military development is also simple. I will find a way to understand the principles of modern guns and ammunition, and then find a way to find out how to make raw materials. Finally, I will bring the knowledge to Ming Dynasty, and bring some manufacturing tools such as lathes, and build a military factory in Ming Dynasty to make guns by hand."

"As for the development of education, this is a bit more troublesome. There are no ready-made teachers, and you won't understand anything just by bringing textbooks. I will first get a batch of tablet computers, projectors and other things, charge them, or bring them over with solar power. The next batch of famous teachers from elementary school to high school will give lectures, and you can find smart people to follow their example. If they fail to learn, you can teach them. It takes ten years to grow a tree, and a hundred years to cultivate a person. This thing can't be rushed, it can only be done slowly."

"Finally, it's about institutional reform. Our ancestors had many systems that were deceiving, such as reversing history, closing the country to the outside world, killing people, enfeoffment of princes, abolishing the prime minister system, establishing the Jinyiwei, establishing the Wei Suo, promoting banknotes, hereditary household registration, massacres, strict laws, and collective punishment. In the end, it hurts both others and ourselves."

"But there are many things that can be studied here. As long as the pie is bigger, it will be able to greatly ease the contradictions. It's okay for our ancestors to like some systems. We can do it later."

Before he could finish his words, he heard a "bang" from the inner room.

"enough!"

Zhu Yuanzhang slammed the table and stood up, then lowered his head with a gloomy face, put his hands behind his back, and walked angrily from the study to the warm room, staring at Zhu Yunfeng.

Zhu Yunfeng was surprised for a moment, and his hand unconsciously reached for the pepper spray button in the pocket of his tactical vest and pointed the nozzle at Zhu Yuanzhang.

If Old Zhu wanted to use knives or guns, he would be forced to make a decision that goes against his ancestors in order to protect himself.

Zhu Yuanzhang's face was full of anger.

He looked at Zhu Yunfeng's unfriendly face and roared in anger: "You have been saying bad things about me from before, I endured it, but is there any point in talking about me from beginning to end? What did I do to make you belittle me like this? As the ruler of a country, is the national policy I made really so bad? Moreover, many of the things you said I have not implemented yet. You are using things I have not implemented to stab me in the face and slander our ancestors like this. Do you still deserve to be a descendant of the Zhu family?"

Because he was angry, he even changed his name.

You should know that in front of my family, or sometimes when issuing imperial edicts, I rarely say "I" to ministers who are relatively close to me, such as Li Wenzhong, Xu Da, Chang Yuchun, Tang He, and Mu Ying.

It is usually "I" or "me".

But now he calls himself "朕", obviously Zhu Yuanzhang is telling Zhu Yunfeng that he is the emperor of the Ming Dynasty!

It is His Majesty of the Ming Dynasty who has the final say!
You want to teach me a lesson.

You are not qualified yet!

However, Zhu Yunfeng also felt aggrieved.

He first said: "Old Ancestor, I really don't mean to belittle you, I'm just talking about the facts."

Then he pressed the paper on the table and said in a more serious tone: "We have made three rules. We should talk rationally and not act out of loyalty. The jade seal is stamped on it, and the ancestor cannot go back on his word!"

"Three chapters of agreement?"

Zhu Yuanzhang was furious and raised his hand to hit him.

But seeing that Zhu Yunfeng was wearing such a thick helmet and such a thick tactical vest, and there was no place to hit, he aimed at the printed paper on the table!
"I'm going to make you set three rules so that you can have a rational conversation and not act on impulse."

He stepped forward, snatched the stack of printed paper, and pretended to tear it up.

But suddenly he remembered that this paper contained his plan for the prosperity of the Ming Dynasty, so he gritted his teeth and threw it to Zhu Biao beside him.

Then he stood in front of the small bed in the warm room, slapped the coffee table in front of Zhu Yunfeng and said, "I'm telling you, if it's not approved by me, it won't count!"

"Snapped!"

The small table was quite hard and remained intact despite Zhu Yuanzhang's full-strength hitting, but it made a loud noise.

Zhu Yuanzhang pointed at him and said, "Come on, what else do you have? Take it all out, and I will smash it all to pieces!"

Although Zhu Yunfeng did not have a durian on him, he did have a triangular barbed arrowhead, which he placed in the backpack containing his compound bow.

He really wanted to take it out.

But he saw that Zhu Yuanzhang's right hand had retracted, and the place where he had hit the table had turned red. He was holding one hand behind his back, enduring the severe pain and yelling at him.

If he really took out the triangular barbed arrow, it might provoke Zhu Yuanzhang to chop him with a knife.

Zhu Yunfeng couldn't help but shrink his neck and remained silent.

This grumpy ancestor of mine.

The emotions are too unstable.

Although Xiao Zhu is not someone who is afraid of a fight with Lao Zhu, the cooperation has not been concluded yet.

The novel has been discontinued, and the online debt has not been repaid. All the savings have been used to buy weapons and equipment such as chainsaw anti-stab vests, hoping to get some money from the Ming Dynasty and make a fortune.

This angered Zhu Yuanzhang, and the two sides severed ties. The Ming Dynasty would certainly suffer the heaviest losses, but he would not have an easy time either.

After all, the prerequisite for handing it over to the country and receiving national rewards is to be sure that you can travel through time.

Only when the town leaders see it with their own eyes and then report it up the chain of command, with the town reporting to the county, the county reporting to the city, the city reporting to the province, and the province reporting to the central government, can it attract attention.

The time and efficiency gap in between is bound to be huge, and it cannot be figured out in a few words. For example, the county may need confirmation, and the city may also need confirmation. It is impossible for the town leaders to say whatever they want.

It is very likely that by the time Zhu Yunfeng reported the matter, by the time it reached the highest level of attention, several days, even more than ten days, or even a month had passed.

But doing so would give Lao Zhu a lot of time to react.

Once he fell out with Zhu Yuanzhang and the communication with the Ming Dynasty's stone tablet was cut off, then his stone tablet would be completely worthless.

The people sent from above could not verify it through the stone tablet.

The country will not believe such things, and you will have no place to cry when the time comes.

Ugh.

This is the sorrow of adult men.

(End of this chapter)