The Soldier of the Red Mansion

Chapter 287 Promotion
The Hetao region is a broad concept, also known as the Hetao Plain, which is a fault-depression alluvial-lacustrine plain between the Yinshan Mountains and the Ordos Plateau.

The plain is divided into three parts by mountains and desert.

From the perspective of the Central Plains, it was named the Front Plain, the Back Plain, and the West Plain.

The Qiantao Plain is located outside Datongkou.

The Houtao Plain is located outside the Great Wall in northern Shaanxi.

The Xitao Plain is located in Gansu Province.

The area of ​​the Qiantao Plain is more than three times that of Datong.

Datong is located in a mountainous area.

Therefore, the Datong mountain area has always been a battleground between nomadic and agricultural peoples.

Whoever controls Datong holds the initiative.

It took me two whole years to turn the situation around.

Datong, which had been on the defensive and repeatedly invaded by the Hu people, is now completely stable and has begun to penetrate into the Hetao region, establishing a firm foothold there.

However, winning the war is the key.

Later governance and development must also keep up.

Otherwise, like Jiaozhi during the Ming Dynasty, which was recovered with great difficulty, all previous efforts were wasted due to inadequate governance and development in the later stages, resulting in a loss of countless resources.

Wang Xin did not trust officials.

History has proven the reactionary nature of ancient feudal officials.

Those who do not believe in history will eventually be taught a lesson by history.

Wang Xin was a man who learned from his mistakes.

Therefore, they switched to using merchants.

History has proven this once again.

Trade drives market demand, and market demand brings about the Industrial Revolution.

The Great Zhou Dynasty possessed abundant resources: coal mines, a large population, a vast market, and advanced technology. It enjoyed unparalleled advantages, including incredibly cheap canal transport that was as efficient as early railways.
The reason why the Industrial Revolution did not occur and we did not enter an industrial society is...

Because of the constraints that officials place on society.

Suppressing businessmen and abusing power for personal gain is the inevitable end for officials.

Ultimately, this prevented the market from developing healthily, thus limiting demand. Capitalism only began to sprout in the Jiangnan region, far from the capital, but was quickly suppressed by the large official and gentry class.

In the minds of officials and gentry, it was the landlords who supported the people, not the other way around.

in short.

The people are able to live entirely thanks to the virtuous governance of the officials.

Therefore, both the Song and Ming dynasties, with populations of over 100 million, were ultimately destroyed by tribes with populations of only a few hundred thousand.

"You all say I have the Midas touch, but I don't."

The war in the Osaka region is coming to an end.

Wang Xin returned to Yunchuan City with his personal guards and began preparations for the construction of Dabansheng, personally inviting some merchants.

Yunchuan City has been fully completed.

No matter how good the name is, it's still just an earthen city, but that doesn't diminish the prosperity of Yunchuan City.

Countless goods.

From large items like tents and carts to small items like needles and thread and hair ties.

Ceramics, earthenware jars, bronze mirrors, soapberries, writing brushes, cotton cloth, silk, linen, combs, and tea.
The warehouses in Yunchuan City were filled with all kinds of goods.

The merchants who came all had to admit one fact: the prosperity of Yunchuan City was brought about by the person in front of them. Without this person, there would be no Yunchuan City, nor would there be the prosperity it enjoys today.

Wang Xin did not show any smugness, but instead looked serious.

Many of the views held by the ancients were wrong.

"Many people subconsciously believe that doing business involves winning and losing. If someone makes more money, then someone else must lose money. Therefore, they despise businessmen, and the bigger a business is, the more it is despised."

Everyone was stunned.

Although some people do not agree with this view, it is indeed the mainstream view. Even if they do not agree with it in their hearts, they can only silently endure it, and may even be affected and fall into self-doubt.

Regardless of how many merchants might accept his ideas, Wang Xin's first priority was to communicate his views.

By creating a model that is accepted by more people and fosters a new understanding of it from the bottom of their hearts, the Datong model can truly take root and flourish outside the Great Wall.

The atmosphere became serious, but Wang Xin smiled slightly to ease the tension.

Seeing this, a merchant seized the opportunity to ask, "I greatly admire the general's abilities. It's not that I don't believe in the general, but is what the general just said true?"

Wang Xin nodded.

"Business varies greatly, so it cannot be generalized."

"Some businesses decline and fail, while others thrive. The former is a vicious cycle, and since it is vicious, it will inevitably decline in the end. On the other hand, the latter is a virtuous cycle."

Everyone was confused.

Most of them didn't understand.

Wang Xin knew that it would be difficult for everyone to understand, but he had made ample preparations and now had plenty of time.

To conquer the world, you must act quickly.

Governing the world requires meticulous attention to detail.

"A person's capacity for food is fixed. No matter how much power or wealth a person has, their stomach can only be so big, and they cannot eat more food."

Wang Xin drew a picture of his own belly.

The businessmen couldn't help but smile, and the atmosphere became even more harmonious.

"So what is wealth?"

"Labor value".

"For example, if 500 people cultivate 10,000 mu of land, the labor value of those 500 people can feed 4,000 people. If 1,000 people cultivate it, then the same labor value is used with more labor, and the labor value of each person becomes less."

"Therefore, we must increase the value of everyone's labor."

“How can we improve it?”

"Twenty mu of land in the mainland can support a family, but not on the grasslands. It takes thousands of mu or even more pasture to support a herder family. That's why we need to control the herder population."

Zhou Shiming suddenly realized.

No wonder Wang Xin insisted on it back then.

Some people raised their objections, knowing Wang Xin's character: "Wouldn't it be better to support more people?"

He understood what Wang Xin meant.

However, he believed that while 4,000 mu of pasture could provide a comfortable life for one family, there were many disaster victims. He suggested that the 4,000 mu of pasture could be divided among three herding families, thus supporting a larger population.

Wang Xin shook his head.

"You have the wrong idea."

Before anyone could ask questions, Wang Xin patiently explained.

"Four thousand acres of pasture were allocated to a herder family. He raised cattle and sheep to make a living. Beyond making a living, he had other needs, such as nice clothes and a clearer mirror."

"Then he needs to exchange his surplus cattle and sheep, the value of his labor each year, for them."

"This is market demand."

"When there is market demand, it will encourage more people to produce."

"If three households each receive a thousand acres of pasture, then these three households will have no surplus labor value to exchange, and will live in poverty and numbness, with no needs and unable to meet any needs, merely existing."

“But if a family is allocated 4,000 mu of pasture, they will have surplus labor value, which they will then exchange. At this time, the other two families can then make bronze mirrors, pottery, and other commodities, which is also their surplus labor value.”

"In this way, with the same amount of grain, because the three households have different divisions of labor and each household has its own labor value, they can exchange and trade with each other, and thus their wealth will increase."

"Demand is infinite, and so is wealth, unless all the coal, iron and other minerals in the world are mined out."

Wang Xin said slowly.

Many businessmen were lost in thought, while others hesitated to speak.

Wang Xin gave another example.

"Many vernacular novels have been published in Jiangnan and are very popular among the people. Why did vernacular novels come into existence when they didn't exist before?"

"Because of demand?"

"Demand is one aspect. In the Jiangnan region, due to the dense waterways, transportation costs are low, trade is developed, and there is a greater division of labor, which brings more surplus labor value. However, surplus labor value alone is not enough. At this time, commerce is needed to stimulate demand."

"Commercial trade stimulates market demand, which in turn leads people to exchange their surplus labor value, creating a virtuous cycle."

"In that case, General, what is this vicious cycle?"

One of the businessmen asked with interest.

"The imperial court's stipend."

Wang Xin answered without hesitation.

Everyone gasped in surprise, while many others became excited.

Okay.

For thousands of years, the imperial court has been humiliating merchants, but now someone is humiliating the imperial court.

"What the general said is somewhat lacking."

Zhou Shiming frowned.

Wang Xin understood.

Zhou Shiming is not a traditional businessman; he is a power-driven businessman.

Wang Xin calmly said, "The imperial court collects taxes and corvée labor to meet the needs of the Great Zhou. What is needed between the needs of the Great Zhou and the needs of the people is a balance." Zhou Shiming stared at Wang Xin.

Wang Xin disagreed and continued, "The court's accumulated problems are becoming increasingly serious and difficult to eradicate, resulting in annual deficits, which has led to additional levies."

“The additional troops are to support the general in eliminating the Hu.” Zhou Shiming retorted, “The Japanese pirates in the southeast have only been quelled for a few years. The barbarian scourge in the east and the Hu chaos in the north—which one doesn’t require money?”

Wang Xin nodded.

There was no rebuttal to Zhou Shiming's opinion.

For a moment, everyone was confused about Wang Xin's thoughts, and they looked bewildered.

Wang Xin continued, "For example, in cases of foreign invasion, special measures must be taken. That's why I call it a special situation, or a wartime state."

"Wartime state?"

This piqued the interest of not only Zhou Shiming, but also Zhang Hui, Li Dexing, and others.

“In a state of war, winning the war is of course the primary goal. At this time, the whole society must contribute its labor value, which is undeniable,” Wang Xin said with a smile.

"well said."

Li Dexing clapped his hands and laughed.

That makes sense.

Zhang Hui smiled wryly, "That makes sense, but the court itself has its own shortcomings. If we could achieve what the general said, with the size of our Great Zhou, how could we be troubled by hundreds of thousands of tribes?"

Everyone nodded.

"So this is a vicious cycle."

"Because wartime consumes the surplus value of the total social labor, the principle of 'sitting idle and running out of resources' is something everyone understands."

After Wang Xin finished speaking.

No one is arguing anymore.

Even Zhou Shifeng.

After all, he was also a businessman, unlike a pure scholar who held onto the words of sages to restrain himself and others.

The failure of the Yuan and Qing dynasties was entirely due to the failure of their civilization; they were inherently backward.

The failure of the Song and Ming dynasties was entirely due to the officials.

What is a parasite on society?
The termite is not an insignificant insect that can be easily crushed; it is a pest of society.

Everything will inevitably be hollowed out.

Even the tallest trees will eventually be hollowed out.

Then it falls over at the slightest touch.

Despite its towering presence, the world's largest tree is actually incredibly fragile.

The enemies of the Great Zhou were mostly tribes with populations of several hundred thousand.

Dealing with such a small enemy, or even a counterinsurgency war against Japanese pirates, would be a prolonged and substantial state of war, draining the surplus labor value of the entire society and ultimately dragging everything down.

The reason is entirely due to officials.

Nothing else.

"So, gentlemen, you are businessmen, born to pursue profit, so you should pay more attention to the surplus value of your employees' labor. Even if I didn't say it, you would do it anyway."

Someone laughed.

What General Wang said just now was rather vague, but upon closer inspection, it simply means making the workers do more work and work longer hours.

One hundred people did the work of a thousand.

Doesn't that also mean the value of labor has increased?

Wang Xin was not angry when he heard the laughter.

Human nature is what it is.

"Besides the surplus value of labor, there is also market demand. Don't forget that if workers have no demand, no matter how much labor value you have, it's worthless."

Wang Xin cleared his throat and revealed his true purpose.

“Juzhongchang has monopolized the procurement rights in the Hetao region. As the biggest beneficiary in the market, it must consider issues from a long-term perspective, rather than living for the moment.”

Juzhongchang is already quite large.

No one will go against their own interests.

Li Dexing and Zhang Hui exchanged a silent glance, already guessing Wang Xin's thoughts.

Zhou Shiming quietly stroked his beard.

Wang Xin raised his voice.

"I require that the minimum wage at Juzhongchang be no less than eight qian per month, and the monthly wage for a formal employee should not be less than one tael of silver. The maximum working hours per day are five hours, and employees must have ninety days of leave per year."

Some people instinctively panicked.

Do apprentices also need to be paid?

"Apprentices also need to be paid, eight coins a month, and the apprenticeship period can only be three months at most. If the apprentice has not made any mistakes after three months, Juzhongchang cannot abandon them."

For a while.

The room became lively, and the noise gradually grew louder.

Some people looked agitated.

"Oh!"

Sudden.

A loud slam on the table silenced everyone.

"Everyone!"

"You want to make money!"

"I still want to be a slave owner like a tribal taiji!"

Wang Xin asked without any politeness.

"I think the general is right."

"I support the general."

"The general is right. Juzhongchang should do business for the long term."

soon.

Many people voiced their support for the general.

Wang Xin saw this and a smile appeared on his face.

As a result, more businessmen changed their attitudes.

A man who knows the current affairs is a hero.

The general has a gun; people are just being polite, but you can't take it seriously.

I've been observing others' expressions for thousands of years.

Businessmen do have this kind of insight.

Wang Xin shook his head.

Businessmen are profit-driven, and many are short-sighted.

No one is more noble than anyone else.

Feudal officials could govern a country with hundreds of millions of people for three hundred years, and tribal civilizations could enslave a country with hundreds of millions of people for three hundred years.

So the traditional way of scholars.

It is indeed historical garbage.

The different political atmospheres of the Song and Ming dynasties, but the similar political structure dominated by civil officials, have been clear evidence of this for six hundred years.

Even during the Industrial Revolution, sheep ate people.

The lives of ordinary people were miserable, but the social benefits brought by commerce cannot be denied.

As for whether ordinary people are doing well.

They need to understand that they themselves are the saviors.

Only when ordinary people know how to save themselves can they live a good life.

This is also clear evidence from history.

If we rely on officials, businessmen, or others, then no one can save us.

But since I'm already here...

We have to do something.

Wang Xin was constantly thinking about what his greatest strength was.

When Wang Xin left Yangzhou, he attributed it to his own "ability".

Later, while serving in the Beijing garrison, they came to Datong.

I'm experiencing more and more things.

Wang Xin understood.

I haven't forgotten my roots.

This is my greatest advantage.

Otherwise, one would no longer be oneself, but just another ordinary general assimilated by society. No matter how capable one is, one would still be the same, and in the end, everything would just be a thing of the past.

(End of this chapter)