Ming Dynasty man

Chapter 501 Monopoly Department

Gao Qi laughed and said, "I'm talking about strategy. In terms of strategic vision, Cao Wenzhao and I can't catch up with big brother."

"Without tactics, strategy is just a flower in the mirror?" Li Jing laughed.

Gao Qi said with a smile: "Since the elder brother thinks highly of the brother, then the brother will teach Anguo what he knows."

Li Jing smiled: "It is his good fortune to have a brother who guides Anguo."

Speaking of this, Li Jing said to Li Anguo: "Your Uncle Gao has never accepted students seriously, you have to study hard."

Li Anguo was overjoyed: "Has the kid learned how to lead troops to fight?"

Li Jing smiled and said, "Do you want to lead troops to fight?"

Li Anguo nodded again and again, "My boy wants to be a great general like Brother Hutou and Brother Dinguo."

"If you have ambition, then you have to study hard, otherwise you won't be able to become a general." Li Jing laughed.

Li Anguo hurriedly said: "Father, don't worry, the child will live up to Uncle Gao's teachings."

Gao Qi smiled and said: "If you want to be a great general, you must first learn to be steady. You have to catch this fish well."

Li Jing said with a smile: "This is the first lesson your Uncle Gao taught you, so remember it."

Li Anguo said: "Yes!"

Li Jing smiled and said, "Go."

Gao Qi cupped his fists at Li Jing and left with Li Anguo.

Seeing Gao Qi and Zhang Ao meeting at the corridor bridge, the two smiled and said a few words, Zhang Ao gently stroked Li Anguo's head, Li Jing shook his head slightly, his son was so doted on by his brothers, he didn't know Is it a good thing or a bad thing.

After a while, Zhang Ao followed Xiao Jiu to Shuiyun Pavilion, saluted Li Jing, and Zhang Ao said, "The Commander has something to do with me?"

Li Jingjing nodded, beckoned Zhang Ao to sit down on the stone bench in the pavilion, then pointed to the box and said, "Look at this thing."

Zhang Ao opened the box and was startled when he saw what was inside. He lowered his head and smelled it. Zhang Ao smiled and said, "This is tobacco. It was brought to Daming by Franji. It is said that it can cure diseases."

"Do you know tobacco? Does Daming grow tobacco?" Li Jingqi asked.

Zhang Ao smiled and said, "I saw this thing ten years ago when Shen Liu'er and I went to Fujian to buy sweet potato seeds. In recent years, people in the Central Plains and northern regions have started smoking tobacco. But apart from Putian, Fujian, I haven't heard of it anywhere else. There are other kinds."

"Then do you know what kind of land tobacco needs to be grown on? Or does tobacco affect the land?" Li Jing asked.

Zhang Ao shook his head and smiled, "How do I know this?"

Immediately Zhang Ao smiled and said, "Does the commander want to plant tobacco? It's simple, just go to Putian and find some people who can grow tobacco to give advice."

Li Jing shook his head: "I'm afraid it's not that simple. Before we know whether tobacco will affect the land, we can't plant it randomly."

"How did the commander come up with the idea of ​​planting this?" Zhang Ao asked doubtfully.

Li Jing sighed and said: "This thing has spread from the south to the north in just a few years. If it is not controlled early, it will definitely spread in the future."

Zhang Ao said: "The commander-in-chief means that the government will control it?"

Li Jingjing nodded: "That's what I mean by looking for you. In this way, you can draw two pieces of land in Henan and Anhui, preferably around the yellow flood zone. The area should not be too large. Let's first set aside [-] acres, and we will try to plant it first. one time."

"Then what name is used to enclose these lands?" Zhang Ao asked.

"This... After this thing is planted, it must be controlled by the imperial court. You should set up a department. I think it is called the Tobacco Monopoly Department, which is temporarily under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Land." Li Jing pondered.

Zhang Ao thought for a while and said, "If the imperial government wants to control tobacco, then the whole country's tobacco planting must be under the jurisdiction of this department, otherwise I'm afraid it won't be able to control it."

Li Jing shook his head: "This thing cannot be grown in the whole country, it can only be grown in our designated areas. If anyone dares to grow and sell it privately, he will be punished heavily."

"What about Putian? It has been planted there for many years, why not include it in the planting area?" Zhang Ao said.

Li Jingjing nodded: "Yes, in this way, tobacco planting will be allowed in three places across the country. Later, I will report to the local governments. Anyone who finds privately grown tobacco under the administration will be deemed as unqualified by the local officials. Isn't there an inspector under the Ministry of Land Department? Ask the Audit Department to keep an eye on this matter for me."

"The land is easy to manage. The key is how to manage the trading of tobacco. We can't open shops to sell tobacco all over the country, can we?" Zhang Ao said.

"No, we just need to control the supply of goods, and the sales are still left to the merchants. Well, stores also need to be opened, but not too many, just open one store in each prefectural city. Let the merchants go to the franchised stores in the prefectural city to get goods, so that the merchants It saves trouble, and it is convenient for us to manage." Li Jing said.

Zhang Ao murmured: "There are more than 100 prefectures across the country, that is to say, more than 100 stores need to be opened. We don't have so many people."

Li Jing smiled: "Is there still no one? Recruit in the name of the Ministry of Land? Don't all your subordinates recruit like this?"

Zhang Ao shook his head: "This is different. In the past, we recruited officials. If you do a good job, you will have the opportunity to become an official. This time we open a shop, which means doing business. Few scholars are willing to be businessmen."

Li Jing nodded silently when he heard the words. Although he was trying to improve the social status of businessmen, the thought of literati over business was deeply rooted, and it could not be changed in a short while.

After thinking for a while, Li Jing said: "Let's not worry about that, there are scholars who are willing to do the best, and they are not afraid if they can't be recruited. Jixian's business is getting bigger and bigger.

Zhang Ao said with a wry smile, "If it's really not possible, that's the only way to go."

After pondering for a while, Li Jing continued: "In addition to the special management of tobacco, the wine industry, tea industry, and sugar industry should also be managed according to this model. These industries are all related to land and agriculture, and they are temporarily included in your department to manage.

Brother, these industries are the most lucrative. The so-called money touches people's hearts. You'd better set up an inspection department and do a good job in the inspection work. At the same time, I will let the Metropolitan Procuratorate keep an eye on you. Guan, don't let your subordinates discredit you. "

"Don't worry, Marshal, whoever dares to take bribes and pervert the law will be ruined by me." Zhang Ao said.

Li Jing nodded with a smile: "You have to have the courage. You used to be a bit soft in doing things, but this time you must be tough. If you don't grasp it tightly at the beginning, it will be difficult in the future."

"Yes!" Zhang Ao replied.

Li Jing patted Zhang Ao's hand lightly and said, "Brother, you have worked hard during this time, I know you are tired, but there is no way, I can only rest assured that I leave these things to you."

"Marshal! Zhang Ao is just an outstanding talent. It was the Marshal who raised Zhang Ao from humble beginnings. Zhang Ao has nothing to repay the Marshal. He can only do his best to repay the Marshal for his kindness." Zhang Ao choked Said loudly.

Li Jing sighed softly: "Xiaolan is going to give birth in two or three months, right? I'm afraid you won't have time to go home and take care of her when you're away on business. Send it to my house. I'll let my wife take care of her." .”

"Madam has so many things to do, so I don't have time to take care of her. It's better not to bother Madam." Zhang Ao said hastily.

Li Jing smiled: "It's okay, both Xiaodie and Xiaozhu have experience in taking care of pregnant women, and there are a few sisters of Xiaolan in my house, they will definitely take care of Xiaolan. Well, take the younger siblings to me too In the mansion, the siblings have worked hard enough these years, come to my mansion and let her enjoy the blessings."

"Marshal, Zhuo Jing is a vulgar person, he can't stand in the hall of elegance, so don't show yourself in front of Madam." Zhang Ao hurriedly said.

Li Jing waved his hand: "Why are you so vulgar? When we were bandits on the mountain back then, no one was better than the other. That's it. When you leave, I will ask my wife to bring my younger siblings and Xiaolan to the house."

"Ah! Marshal, you still worry about this mess in my family all day long. Zhang Ao really doesn't know why to repay Marshal." Zhang Ao sighed softly.

"Repay what? We brothers still need to repay? If you really want to repay me, just take good care of your health, and when the baby is born, just toast me with a glass of wine." Li Jing said with a smile.

Zhang Ao said with a smile: "Wine must be to respect the commander. Well... the commander likes to drink green bamboo leaves. Later, I will get you two jars of 50-year-old wine."

"Hahaha! Good! I'll just wait for your two jars of 50-year-old wine." Li Jing laughed.

After laughing for a while, Li Jing said: "By the way, when it comes to wine, I think of one thing. Song Yingxing has a lot of experience in wine making, and he also has a lot of research in sugar production. Take time to ask him for advice."

Zhang Ao shook his head and said, "Master Song is currently focusing on those factories, and I'm afraid he doesn't have time to help me."

Li Jing smiled and said: "It's okay, just tell him I said it. Also tell him not to get tired, Mr. Song is now our Daming's national treasure, if he gets tired, our Daming will suffer a lot .”

"How many times have you told him, but he won't listen, so what's the use of me talking?" Zhang Ao shook his head and said.

Li Jing sighed lightly and said, "Mr. Song is a man of work! It's a pity that there are too few people like Mr. Song in Ming Dynasty."

"Don't worry, Commander. Over the years, the Academy of Sciences has cultivated a lot of talents. In a few years, there will be more talents like Mr. Song in Ming Dynasty." Zhang Ao said.

Hearing this, Li Jing nodded slightly.

"By the way, when you visit Anhui this time, pay attention to the local geographical conditions and see if there is any suitable place to build a military factory. Our military factories are all in the north. Now we are using troops in the south. It is too inconvenient to transfer military resources. It's convenient, I plan to build another military factory in Anhui." Li Jing said suddenly.

"Built in Anhui? Is it suitable?" Zhang Ao asked doubtfully.

Li Jing shook his head: "The water system in Anhui is relatively developed. You can go up the river to Jiangxi, the two lakes, and Sichuan, and go down the river to Zhejiang. It is only convenient to build here. Now the national treasury is not abundant, so we can't build too many military factories." , can only be chosen in a place where transportation is more convenient.”

Zhang Ao nodded: "Then I'll do a good survey when I arrive in Anhui."

"Thank you for your hard work." Li Jing said.

Zhang Ao said with a smile: "There are many famous mountains and great rivers in Anhui. When I go to choose a location, I will treat it as a leisure trip."

Li Jing laughed out loud.

(End of this chapter)