First Minister of Ming Dynasty

First Minister Section 563

Zhang Shuning was stunned for a moment, and then said: "I'm afraid it's not just people... but also lives!"

He said, pointing to a small mound in the distance.

Hu Yan looked at it for a while, and finally let out a long sigh. It stands to reason that this is a bit too much, but everyone knows that development and construction are really too difficult, so use it if you can!

Anyway, as long as you close your eyes and pretend you don't see it, that's it.

But when Hu Yan was thinking this way, suddenly a gong sounded from the pier, which was a reminder that a fleet of ships had entered the port.Out of curiosity, the two also leaned over.

Sure enough, a batch of timber-carrying ships sailed into the port, and soon the workers started to carry the timber.

The scene was very lively and spectacular, and the workers worked extraordinarily hard. There was no way, this was for the school, the normal college, and the talents trained in the future would all be teachers.

If a family has no children, this effort should be made.

The big guy was working so enthusiastically that Hu Yan was so eager to help.

But gradually he felt something was wrong.

what happened?

These woods are not new, they are still painted with paint, vaguely, and writing.

Where did this come from?

Hu Yan looked at Zhang Shuning, but Zhang Shuning didn't know either... Coincidentally, he found a person who jumped off the boat, and Zhang Shuning really knew him!

Zhang Huan!

My own cheap senior brother and unrecognized nephew... what kind of relationship!

"Senior Brother Hu, he wrote me a letter saying that he was in the timber business in Liaodong. What's going on now?"

Hu Yan thought for a while, "Come on, let's go over and have a chat."

The two of them leaned together, Zhang Huan saw Zhang Shuning, that was a passion.

He took them to the side, purposely found a shade, and made a jar of wine to quench their thirst.

"I'm on the boat, I drink this all the time. You moisten your throat first, and when the wood is unloaded, I'll treat you! You can eat whatever you want!"

Zhang Shuning had a smile on his face, "Brother, from what you mean, did you get rich?"

Zhang Huan was still a little reserved, "Not really, just do some hard work and earn some money for running errands!" This guy was polite, but after all, he couldn't pretend to be young. He finally met acquaintances and was eager to show off After a while, he said casually: "Not much, only one hundred and eighty thousand."

Both Zhang Shuning and Hu Yan were taken aback for a moment, they could earn a hundred and eighty thousand dollars in just one trip, when did money become so easy to earn?

It doesn't make sense!

If this was the case, Zhu Di wouldn't be holding back and crying.

The two of them became more and more curious, so they kept questioning, and Zhang Huan also wanted to show off, so it can be said that they hit it off.

After a few words, Zhang Huan told the truth.

His batch of wood was all dismantled from the royal palace of Korea, so there are traces of paint and painting, but don't look at it as old wood, but it can be used in the royal palace. It could not be better.

Hu Yan's face instantly became embarrassed, and he also said that out of sight, out of mind, it's better now, although people can't see it, but the wood can't be ignored!

"So you demolished other people's houses?"

Zhang Huan was taken aback for a moment. He also felt that something was wrong, but soon he had an excuse, "General Lan ordered the demolition. He also followed Li Xianggong's intention. Li Xianggong said that the king of Korea has usurped, and he belongs to the country. With the approval of Shangguo, building a palace bigger than Shangguo's vassals is a crime of treason. It should have been set on fire, but because Goryeo was small and poor, they were allowed to demolish the palace, and then follow the etiquette system , rebuilt."

Zhang Shuning was taken aback for a moment, and then said: "I asked them to dismantle it, how did this wood get into the hands of senior brother?"

Zhang Huan was stunned, "It's like this, Li Xianggong asked them to dismantle it, and then General Lan surrounded him in advance, saying that he wanted to approve any violations... Afterwards, General Lan swept away all the gold and silver. .We went in to dismantle the wood, and there were also demolition of stones behind. All in all, the entire palace was violated. This is the situation, and the specific situation depends on the situation."

Hu Yan and Zhang Shuning looked at each other, both were speechless.

To be honest, it is really not easy for these few wonderful flowers to get together.

Demolition of other people's palaces, but also justifiable, simply refused to accept.

Sapphire, Li Shanchang, these are all lacking great virtue.

But looking back, if they weren't shameless, it would not be easy to build such a big school.

After all, the two of them didn't have dinner with Zhang Huan. They only said that they had to go to Peiping, so they left in a hurry.

Waiting to leave from Dagukou, talking along the way.

Hu Yan also found a clue.

"Junior brother, do you think it is better to build the school in the city, or outside?"

Zhang Shuning pondered for a while, "It can only be said that each has its own merits! The city is convenient, the population is large, and the supplies are abundant, which is really convenient."

Hu Yan said, "I don't think so. Look, in a place like Dagukou, the land is cheap, and it is close to the port, and there are good vegetable fields around. In fact, there is no shortage of things that schools need. Big schools have If you want to live on campus, there is no need to covet the convenience of the city. Our Jimin Academy used the land of the original Bailudong Academy. I see that the university hall is arranged in a small town with convenient transportation, and there are not so many messy things Things. The land is cheap, and if you want to build any facilities, it is easy to acquire the land, and it doesn’t cost a lot of money. As for teachers and students, they can do their studies with peace of mind, and be down-to-earth, isn’t it better than living in the city?”

Zhang Shuning thought for a while, then said with a smile, "Senior brother is absolutely right. In fact, according to your thinking, including the middle school, everything should be in the town!"

"Even if we don't put it in the town, we should put it in the county!" Hu Yan said: "Junior Brother, all along, your father, Grand Master Zhang, and Your Majesty, are afraid that the students will become like the former scholar-bureaucrats if they don't work hard. Putting the school in the city, pampering and pampering them, it is difficult for children from poor families to go to school, and it is undoubtedly more difficult for them to go to school if they have to walk hundreds of miles. If the schools are mainly concentrated in market towns with convenient transportation, it will be somewhat inconspicuous. It’s a small city. It’s good for the students and the place.”

At this moment, Zhang Shuning couldn't help but feel his heart skip a beat.

"That's right, senior brother is right...how about we hurry up and meet my father! Tell him your thoughts as soon as possible. Now is the time to build a school on a large scale. Once the site selection is completed, it will not be easy to change it."

When Hu Yan heard that he was going to meet Grand Master Zhang, he was still a little nervous, but he soon calmed down. He also knew that once the site was selected, there was no way to change it, and the time was really urgent...

Chapter 782 Zhu Di, very fat!

When Zhang Shuning and Hu Yan arrived in Beiping, they easily found Zhang Ximeng's residence. His son and his classmates came with him. Zhang Ximeng was in a good mood and prepared some dishes for them.

Hu Yan was also an excellent student in Jimin Academy, and Zhang Ximeng had a good impression of him at the beginning.

"Well, what's your plan after graduation?" Zhang Ximeng asked with a smile, and casually picked up a piece of rotten deer tendon for Hu Yan.

Hu Yan thanked in a hurry, and then said: "Teacher, the students want to study the development of Beiping, so as to summarize some laws. To be honest, the students can't understand whether Beiping is poor or rich, whether it is good or bad?"

Zhang Ximeng smiled, "I can't say how to evaluate this. Don't talk about evaluating the quality of a place, even if it is evaluating a person, it is difficult to make a clear conclusion at once. If you can invent a Standards, if you learn from everyone, you will be able to achieve a school of theory."

Hu Yan was slightly taken aback, and quickly said: "The students don't have such big ambitions, the students just want to answer the doubts in their hearts."

At this time, Zhang Shuning said: "Brother, what my father said is right! How did we measure the quality of a country in the past? The people are full of wealth, the people are full of music, they don't pick up things on the road, and they don't close their houses at night. Father is kind and son is filial. , be content with yourself. That’s the rule of the Three Generations.”

Hu Yan thought for a while, then said: "In the past when Confucianism ruled the world, there were too many standards that focused on folk customs and morality. For example, the number of chaste and martyrs, such as the number of people executed every year... I think these can still be discussed. The most fundamental thing should be It’s two different things, one for output and one for income! That is to say, how much material can be given out, and how much can the people get!”

"Production and consumption!" Zhang Ximeng concluded with a smile: "Hu Yan, do you mean this?"

Hu Yan thought for a while, and quickly said: "Thank you for your guidance, the grand master, it really hits the nail on the head."

Zhang Ximeng said with a smile: "A family, how much it can earn, how much it needs to spend, and living within its means is the long-term solution. Although I oppose the idea that a country is equal to an expanded family, in this matter, I still agree with this analogy. How much can be produced, how much can be distributed to each person, and how much can be used to survive... As long as these simple things are cleared up, it will be clear at a glance when governing the country."

Hu Yan praised again and again, "The grand master always hits the nail on the head. If you want to think about what the students think, the grand master has already thought of it. The students are really clever."

"No, it's not!" Zhang Ximeng said directly: "What you said is wrong. In fact, these things are found in many ancient books. It's nothing new. But although there are similar expressions, we are still at a loss. The problem is that this matter was not clearly explained. For example, Zhao Song encountered trouble when he revised the Shihuo Zhi of the Song Dynasty, and it was a big trouble. Many people said that the treasury revenue of the Song Dynasty was extremely high. It is the pinnacle of all dynasties, so it is concluded that the Song Dynasty was extremely prosperous. Especially looking at the records about the prosperity of Tokyo, it even blows the Song Dynasty to the sky."

Hu Yan couldn't help laughing, he had also encountered this matter in school, and there had been heated debates.

Some people even said how prosperous and great Zhao Song was based on some notes.I am afraid that the Ming Dynasty will not be able to catch up with the Song Dynasty in another 100 years.

But after a little deduction, you will find that this matter is not reliable at all.

These notes are probably recorded by literati and bureaucrats. They are favored and generally rich...and then they went to Bianliang, Tokyo, where the wealth of the world is gathered, and it goes without saying that they spend money to enjoy.

But while lamenting their good life, have you ever thought about those coachmen, cooks, servants, and even girls from the brothel who provided them with convenience... What are these people like?

And who stands on their side, leaving a note to record their life?

Looks like not yet.

In fact, it is not impossible to start with this matter... As long as you can calculate a few basic data, you can get an intuitive conclusion.

For example, in the past dynasties, how much grain was produced per mu, and how much was distributed to the people?Is the distribution even?

However, even on these data, there are often serious deviations.

For example, some experts, based on a certain record in historical materials, came to the absurd conclusion that the yield per mu was two shi, or even four shi, and finally released the astonishing results that the per capita grain of the Song Dynasty was more than 400 catties, which can make people laugh out loud.

In the absence of disruptive breakthroughs in agricultural technology, the grain yield per mu is not high.Of course, it is not ruled out that there may be two stones per mu, or even more, but this must not be regarded as an average value, let alone naively think that it is like this every year.

Because the soil fertility is not constant, after continuous cultivation, it must be fallow.There is another problem, that is, we depend on the weather, and the climate is constantly changing.

Needless to say, just the change of drought and flood is enough to seriously affect the grain yield per mu... If the high temperature lasts for dozens of days in a certain year, it can kill the crops, and the production will be reduced in this season, and the harvest will be wiped out.

If you don't consider this situation and calculate the average value directly, then your brain is broken.

According to Zhang Ximeng's observations over the years, if irrigation can be ensured, the ten-year average yield per mu can be stabilized at about five stones per mu. If there is no irrigation, on average, there may not be even one stone a year.

This has generally been the case throughout the ages, with few exceptions.

The level of intensive farming in the Song Dynasty may be higher, but the farmland in the Song Dynasty was limited and the fertility of the land was lost. It is really hard to say how high the yield per mu is.

Anyway, if you want to say that the Song Dynasty was more powerful than the Tang Dynasty, it would be nonsense.

When Hu Yan and Zhang Ximeng talked about these things, they didn't want to black the Song Dynasty, but just wanted to discuss an evaluation standard.

Take the current Beiping as an example. After so many years of tossing, what progress has it made compared with other places in the Central Plains?What standard should be used to measure?

If it's really useless and can't do anything, then there's no need to bother, just wash up and go to sleep.

It has to be said that a genius like Hu Yan, after Zhang Ximeng's guidance and giving full play to his strengths, is indeed quite remarkable and has his own uniqueness.

Zhang Ximeng smiled and said: "I am also looking forward to your achievements...Agriculture, industry, food, cloth, fuel, clothing, food, housing and transportation... In every aspect, come up with a set of standards to comprehensively evaluate the governance results of various places. Good is good, bad is bad. Bad. Be down-to-earth and come up with a conclusion."

Hu Yan nodded again and again, "Thank you for your guidance and encouragement, the grand master. The students will definitely do their best and live up to the entrustment!"

Zhang Shuning thought for a while, and then said: "Senior brother Hu, I don't know if you are interested, I will take you to Yanwang's mansion, I will inquire about the truth of Yanwang."

Hu Yan was naturally overjoyed. If he wanted to know the situation in Beiping, he could get the information directly from Yanwang Mansion, which would be of great reference value.

It's just that Zhang Shuning's wording is very strange. Could it be that Zhu Di has something to hide?Outsiders still don't know the truth?

Hu Yan expressed doubts.

Zhang Ximeng is not surprised at all, that kid Zhu Di, learned to be more slippery than loach, don't look at it under his nose, Beiping can manage such a large area, involving all kinds of things, what is the status of Zhu Di's family? Hard to say.

Is it like Zhu Di cried, who owes 1000 million yuan in debt and is so poor that he can't even pay the interest?

There is still another mystery, which is really hard to say.

It would be best if Zhang Shuning was willing to inquire. After all, as we all know, Zhu Di and Zhang Shuning grew up naked. These two little bastards are probably closer than brothers!

……

"Shu Ning, you are finally here. How about it, Peking University Hall or Peking Normal School, you choose one, if you want to have both, I will give you both!"

Zhang Shuning couldn't help laughing, "How old am I, how can I have the face to be a mountain leader?"

Zhu Di didn't take it seriously, "When I was the vassal king, I wasn't as old as you are now! You see, I didn't do a good job."

Zhang Shuning suddenly laughed, "You really did a good job? But how did I hear that you are so poor? The interest alone costs millions of pennies every year. You called me here to pay off the debt with you, right? Then I won't do it!"

Zhu Di lowered his face and snorted, "Who do you think I am? You really think I have no family at all!"

"Are you rich?" Zhang Shuning asked curiously.

Zhu Di blinked his eyes, "How should I put it, although I have no money, I have something in my hand!"

"what?"

"The most important thing!"

Zhang Shuning couldn't help laughing, "The most important thing, besides money, is grain? Could it be that the grain company had a bumper harvest?"

Zhu Di laughed loudly, "I just said, no one is as smart as you! Congratulations, you guessed it right!"

Zhang Shuning brought Hu Yan here, they had discussed the food issue before, how can they be indifferent to hearing about the bumper harvest!

Zhu Di blinked, "That Shu Ning, I can tell you. But you'd better promise not to tell my husband, let alone my father!"

Zhang Shuning was stunned, and said helplessly, "I can only do my best. If this matter doesn't involve other things, you can do whatever you want."

Zhu Di was also helpless, and gritted his teeth angrily, "I knew it, you kid has always been like this!" Zhu Di gritted his teeth, but he still couldn't hold back.

"Forget it, I'll tell you if I tell you. Now there are dozens of farming companies, the least one has 300 mu of fields. The land in Liaodong is quite fertile, with an average yield of five buckets per mu. Although it is not much, it is better than acres of fields. The amount is astonishing. I can hold at least [-] million shi of grain this year, so what do you think I have to be afraid of?"

Zhang Shuning didn't speak, but Hu Yan couldn't help it anymore, "His Royal Highness, your grain production is not high, so what's deducted for farmers and taxed, isn't there much left?"

Zhu Di was slightly taken aback, "What kind of farmer? How can there be any farmer here? The farming company uses labor from Korea and Japan. During busy farming seasons, a catty of grain a day is enough. Otherwise, sell it to a lumber mill and let them cut the wood."

Hu Yan was dumbfounded when he heard it... He admitted that he was negligent, it seems that he can't just count how much he produces and how much he distributes to the people... but also how much he can grab and squeeze!

In a word, the current Zhu Di is actually very fat!