First Minister of Ming Dynasty

First Minister Section 419

Song Lian frowned, and pondered: "Master Zhang plans to change the system? What is the magical effect of such an arrangement?"

Zhang Ximeng said with a smile: "If it is just a military general issuing the salt quotation, and then the merchants go to the salt transport envoy's yamen to get the salt... there may be too many hidden disadvantages. Even if the Yue State is loyal to the State, other officials It can be regarded as clean and honest, and there will not be too many problems, but after a few years, things will be hard to say."

"So what I think is that this Yanyin should not be handed over to the generals for direct control, otherwise there will be endless troubles, and Kaizhongfa will be ruined sooner or later... What I mean is to set up a salt business to be responsible for sales and production of salt. They will make one every year first. Estimate, take out a corresponding amount of salt, sell it to merchants, and arrange salt production according to the sales situation, and deliver in batches. How much salt is produced, how much sea salt is produced, and how much it is sold for, all are made public, and the big guys can see clearly In vain, clearly."

After Zhang Ximeng finished speaking, many people fell silent. It wasn't that this method was so clever that it collapsed, but that the big guy obviously frowned.

Not right!

Why is something missing?

After a while, Song Lian pondered and said: "Master Zhang, you, if you arrange it like this, where will the money for building the beacon tower and the expenditure for building the military base come from?"

Yup!

Zhang Ximeng's doing this is tantamount to taking out the most important thing.

The big guys discussed how to defend the frontier, but they didn't talk about how to sell salt?

Did even Zhang Xiang miss the point?

Zhang Ximeng smiled lightly, "Everyone, what will happen if the capital of Beiping and the internal funds each hold half of the shares in the salt company?"

As soon as these words came out, Zhu Biao still couldn't turn the corner, but Sun Yan and the others had already understood something, and they couldn't help but widen their eyes and showed a shocked expression. Is this possible?

Such things as dry stocks are no strangers.

Zhang Ximeng had already considered it when he first set up a food bank.

After going to Jinling, the Ma family invested a lot of money and took a lot of shares in many workshops... such as textile workshops, silk workshops, printing and dyeing factories, quilt factories and so on.

If you only consider the value of money, the Ma family is almost the largest wealthy businessman in Ming Dynasty.

Regardless of the number of artisans under control, or the scale of the industry, or even the profit, it is a well-deserved No.1.It's just that Mrs. Ma doesn't care too much, and outsiders don't dare to settle accounts with the empress.

Now that Zhang Ximeng proposed the idea of ​​setting up a salt trading company, Sun Yan easily understood the power of it, and was even about to be overwhelmed.

Seeing him eager to try, Song Lian smiled and said, "Sun Yan, please explain to everyone! Look at Zhang Xiang's good intentions!"

Sun Yan said with a smile: "Scholar Song, it's actually not difficult to guess, it's just that most people can't think of it! Tell me about the empress's quilt factory, which produces so many military uniforms. What's so good about it?"

Song Lian frowned slightly, and after a little thought, he also understood, "The empress's quilt factory naturally has to calculate the income and expenditure. It is really not easy to buy cloth and cotton, pay the workers, and maintain the operation. , can be said to be beneficial to the country and the people.”

Sun Yan said with a smile: "Then if it is like the government-run workshops in the past, or simply let the Ministry of War manage it, what will happen?"

Song Lian said solemnly: "Let the yamen be in charge, and the workers will have to serve corvee, and the wages may not be much. The needed cloth and cotton will be requisitioned directly, and the people will suffer. Military uniforms may not be appropriate..."

Sun Yan laughed loudly and said, "That's right, isn't that the purpose of setting up a salt firm!"

Song Lian pondered for a while, then suddenly clapped his palms, couldn't help laughing and said: "Yes! That's right! Commercial firms have to hire workers and pay the common people wages. For a long time, the stove households that specialize in salt production don't have to keep producing salt for generations. Their lives can be better. Zhang Shicheng was born as a salt worker, if Zhang Xiang's method was used, I'm afraid Zhang Shicheng would not rise up!"

Zaohu is a salt household that cooks salt. It can be traced back to the Five Dynasties, and generations have lived by cooking salt.

In the Yuan Dynasty, the Yamen was responsible for the management of the production of salt by means of salt transportation, and the officials of the Yuan court collected salt from the kitchen households at a low price and sold it at a high price.

The kitchen households earn very little and can only live a difficult life.

Later, the Yuan court opened the river to change banknotes, causing the price of precious banknotes to plummet. After hard cooking of seafood salt, a pot of salt could not be exchanged for two steamed buns. The kitchen households fled one after another, and many kitchen households joined the Red Turban Army.

They are also Yan Ding under Zhang Shicheng.

If the Ming Dynasty continued to uphold the model of salt transport envoys to manage the yamen, and continued to let the kitchen households cook salt for generations, it would not be impossible for the salt workers to flee and gather in the mountains one day.

However, if it is changed to a commercial bank, the commercial bank must pay enough wages to recruit workers... and in order to reduce costs and improve efficiency, the commercial bank is more willing to use the method of drying salt, and by the way, it can also promote the use of new technologies.

As for the use of sun-dried salt method, less salt workers are used, it is not a problem.In the current Ming Dynasty, there are many places that lack people. Going to the Central Plains, Beiping, or even Lingnan is a hundred times better than being a kitchen household!

In this way, the disadvantages of hereditary kitchen households can be easily resolved.

"Following the rules, the salt company pays taxes to the tax department, and all the money and taxes are returned to the national treasury. This problem has been solved." Sun Yan continued: "The salt company will give Dusi half of the stock, and the dividends can naturally be used to build beacon towers and strengthen border defense. As for the remaining half, dedicating it to the emperor is equivalent to holding the frontier army in His Majesty's hands, so that there will be no feudal towns, and they will not disobey orders. Of course, if His Majesty is kind, you can also allocate some money from internal funds to help Build a beacon tower. I don't think Zhang Xiang will object."

Zhang Ximeng smiled implicitly, "There are actually some problems with my method. After all, the interests of commercial firms are different from those of the capital. It's hard to say how much bonus they can give to help build the beacon tower. My idea is that His Majesty and the capital jointly come up with Some dry stocks are sold to businessmen, and a sum of money is raised from businessmen to strengthen border defense. Those who actively buy shares are also eligible to purchase salt first.”

Zhang Ximeng was calm and unhurried, avoiding many of the shortcomings of the original Chinese-French program, and also carried forward the advantages.

In particular, the problem of financial and tax confusion was avoided, and the share that the tax department should get was not lost at all.

If there is still a problem, it is the distribution of shares. Can the capital take half, and the remaining half should be given to internal funds or to the national treasury?

These things are definitely still up for debate.

But no matter how much it is fought, the salt business will continue to operate and generate a steady stream of dividends... It seems that all parties will not simply abolish it like they did with Kai Zhongfa.

Zhang Ximeng spent a few days discussing this upgraded version of the Chinese Opening Method, and Prince Zhu Biao participated in the whole process. Gradually, he also understood Zhang Ximeng's idea.

Zhu Biaoxin happily wrote a letter to his father, queen and queen... In the letter, Zhu Biao spared no effort to praise his master, and praised Zhang Ximeng like a flower.

Zhu Biao also said that he wanted to learn how to manage business with Zhang Ximeng. That's the way the merchants are!

Zhang Ximeng, return our good son!

Zhu Yuanzhang was furious!

Chapter 585 Addicted to merchants, can't extricate themselves

Zhu Yuanzhang was very angry. He always felt that agriculture was the foundation, and commerce was just to adjust the products of various places and exchange what was needed.Although indispensable, it must not be overwhelming.

Therefore, the future emperor must govern the country with agriculture as the foundation of the country.

But Zhang Ximeng doesn't see it that way. Obviously, he advocates agriculture as the foundation, business and industry to enrich the country.

In other words, agriculture is only the foundation of a country. If you want to go up, you must rely on industry and commerce to develop and grow, to enrich the country and the people... One person regards industry and commerce as a subsidiary, and one person regards industry and commerce as a treasure.

Although it is not tit-for-tat, it can also be said that it is the opposite.

Zhu Yuanzhang has always wanted to attack Zhang Shuning, and he also intends to influence the next generation to win Xiao Zhang to his side... What Lao Zhu never imagined was that instead of getting Xiao Zhang, he paid Xiao Zhu for it.

It's only been a few days, have you forgotten what you taught me?

This bastard Zhu Biao is so focused on tinkering with merchants, what is this?

Your own education has failed too much!

"Sister, tell me, what should we do? Is there any good way to warn Zhang Ximeng?"

Mrs. Ma chuckled lightly, and then sat down on Zhu Yuanzhang's dragon chair, letting Lao Zhu stand beside her. She laughed and said, "What? My son, why are you bullying Mr. Zhang?"

"You, what did you teach?" Zhu Yuanzhang asked in surprise, "What did you teach him?"

"It's nothing, just ask him to go to the quilt factory, to see the spinning wheel in Suzhou, and to the Baochao Bureau, the Food Bank... After all, this is our family's property, and he, the young owner, should know about it."

Ma Shi said lightly, but Zhu Yuanzhang's head grew bigger in an instant, and he seemed to realize something!

broken!

Let Zhang Ximeng figure it out again.

In other words, Zhang Ximeng had been by his side from a very early stage, and the most important Empress Ma was pulled over and became the biggest businessman in Ming Dynasty.

Although Empress Ma doesn't value that little money, she still has the idea of ​​making the country rich through industry and commerce.

However, Zhu Yuanzhang was always in charge of the imperial conquest, and as a result, Zhu Biao was influenced by Queen Ma.

It's not that Xiao Zhu changed as soon as he went to Peiping, but the foreshadowing was laid early!

Zhang Ximeng!

you are vicious!

Zhu Yuanzhang can deal with anyone, but there are only a few people he can't do anything about, and the most helpless among them is Madam Ma...

"Sister, you, aren't you afraid that Biao'er will learn badly? It's impossible for you to pamper him like this." Old Zhu was heartbroken.

Ma said, "Your Majesty, you have been in Beiping for several months. You should know that the land in Beiping can only harvest one season of crops a year, right?"

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded subconsciously, "Yes, it is indeed only one season, so what's the matter?"

"Last year, we just won Dadu, and there is still a lot of waste to do, and it is in a depression. Now there are two months before the spring plowing, and half a year will pass by the autumn harvest! Now there is a shortage of everything, no food, no seeds, no people, There is no farm tool... Chonghachi, what do you ask them to do in such a situation? Just starve honestly, and wait until the grain is produced?"

Zhu Yuanzhang was instantly stopped by the question, "This...we also know it won't work. If it's not too difficult, why leave it to Mr. Zhang! He has so many ideas!"

"No matter how many ideas there are, he can't conjure food out of thin air. All he can do is use salt, wood, and these things that can be turned into money to attract merchants and sell supplies to Beiping. Isn't this just a way to open up China and France? Was it the original intention?"

Zhu Yuanzhang snorted: "We all know this, we mean that Biao'er should not be involved in these things, he is the crown prince of a country, how can that be?"

"How could it be?" Ma said with a smile, "Aren't you still saying that I shouldn't touch you! You're also saying that a woman's incompetence is virtue? Are you still planning to issue a precept for women and teach me that the harem should not be involved in politics? "

Empress Ma asked unceremoniously, Zhu Yuanzhang only felt chills in his neck and shuddered all over his body, and his wife got angry, which was really scary.

He quickly argued: "We didn't mean that. We just thought that Biao'er was too young. If he got addicted to it and couldn't control it, I'm afraid he would learn to be cunning, and that would be bad."

Mrs. Ma took a deep breath, and suddenly said: "Chongba, do you think Mr. Zhang is a treacherous villain?"

"Of course not!"

"That's right." Empress Ma said: "Chongba, children and grandchildren have their own blessings. You have conquered such a big world, from a little monk to a nine-five-year-old supreme... Ask yourself, where is the success?" ? Are you sure you can teach Biaoer well? Let him do things like you?"

Zhu Yuanzhang had no choice but to smile bitterly and said, "We knew it was not possible, so we found a master for him."

"Then you want Mr. Zhang to teach another Zhu Chongba? No! It can't be done!" Ma said earnestly: "I think Biaoer is doing well now. He sympathizes with the border guards and knows that it is not easy to come to the frontier. Hold on. He's figuring it out, he's putting his heart into it. That's good."

Ma said again: "It is easy to fight the country, but it is difficult to defend the country. Chongba, since ancient times, it has not been easy to be the son of a hero. Don't push too hard."

Lao Zhu frowned. He wanted to explain that a father would not want his child to be well, but Mrs. Ma stopped him, "Chong Ba, what is good at the top will be bad at the bottom. You have worked hard to teach Good bid, but in the end, the people below will use a hundred times more thought to persecute the child together... How old is he! If I don't think about these things, how can I be willing to send him to Peiping, do you understand?"

Old Zhu was stunned for a long time, finally let out a long sigh, and stopped talking, he suddenly strode outside, went directly to the residence of Zhu Lao Si, and found that the boy was climbing a tree, and Lao Zhu stretched out his hand to hug him, directly under the armpit.

"Go, let's take you on a horse ride!"

Zhu Di paused for a moment, rolled his small eyes several times, and realized that his father was not lying, finally grinned and danced.

Zhu Yuanzhang put Zhu Di in front of him, father and son rode on the same horse, rushed out from Yingtian, and went directly outside the city to hunt...

His Majesty took the fourth son of the emperor to hunt, and dispatched the prince to Peiping.

Almost instantly, it became Ying Tian's hottest topic.

It stands to reason that no one can shake the position of the crown prince, and it is impossible to shake it.Everyone is working hard towards the East Palace.If it weren't for Zhang Ximeng's presence, those who robbed the crown prince's division would have been overwhelmed. The civil servants and generals would do everything they can.

But looking at it now, how could there be a change in this certainty?

The big guys started to set their sights on Zhu Di, but unfortunately, apart from a lot of black history, this fourth son of the emperor is nothing.

Playing tricks on the teacher, peeing in Fengtian Temple, and almost setting the palace on fire.

How can such a naughty little thing compare with the sensible crown prince?

The big guy is puzzled, is it possible that our majesty is out of his mind?Don't like good kids, but like noisy ones?

Do you want your own child to be a bit of a dude, running rampant on the streets of Yingtian, maybe he can even attract the attention of the emperor?

It's good that Jane is in the emperor's heart!

Ying Tian's heart flutters, he has everything he wants, but Zhu Biao can't control these anymore, he is participating in a very important technological innovation!

That's right, it was Zhang Ximeng who personally took charge of it. Currently, the largest scientific research project in Ming Dynasty... Sun Salt!

Zhang Ximeng had told Hu Dahai about this a long time ago, and Hu Dahai had indeed done it.

The price was that Lao Hu had stretched his stomach for three days, and such a strong person almost collapsed.

It turns out that the practice of sun-drying salt has been around for a long time. It is hard to say when the kitchen households introduced seawater into the salt pan and evaporated it with sunlight. Cook it in a pot, which is to cook the sea for salt.

Is it a bit embarrassing?

There is already salt precipitation below, why not continue to evaporate?

In this way, you can get table salt directly without using an iron pot or firewood. Wouldn’t it be wonderful?

The result of Zhang Ximeng's thinking was that Hu Dahai dragged him for several days and almost lost his life.

The salt directly dried by seawater has too many impurities, and the sanitary conditions are not up to standard... After repeated tests, clean seawater was selected, and the salt dried out in the end can only be fed to livestock, and people don't even think about it.

The technology of drying salt is related to Zhang Ximeng's overall plan. Whether the salt business can succeed and whether the problem of the stove household can be solved depends on this innovation.

He had no choice but to go into battle himself.

After some observations, Zhang Ximeng also figured it out. The kitchen households transported the concentrated seawater back home and let it sit for a while to allow the impurities to settle. They poured the clear seawater into the pot and boiled it on high heat.

In this way, there are fewer impurities, high-temperature sterilization, and water evaporation... Most of the harmful things can be removed, and the salt produced can reach the standard for human consumption.

Therefore, the wisdom of the common people is still very good, and many practices have deep meaning.

Zhang Ximeng deliberated over and over again, and he decided to dry out the table salt first, and then pour the dried sea salt into clean water to wash away the impurities on it.

But after doing this, the salt dissolves in the water again, should I continue to cook in the pot?