Zhu Houzhao compared the two lists and immediately laughed. Among the two lists, half of the people on the cabinet list could be found on the list Zhang Heling gave him, but the remaining half were not. What does this mean?

Of course, the cabinet balanced the list and left half of the list for the nobles headed by Zhang Heling. At this time, they did not want to completely break up.

Zhu Houzhao handed the list to his father, and then said with a smile: "No problem, it looks good this way, just follow the cabinet list!"

Zhu Youtang was taken aback for a moment, then he smoothed his beard and said with a smile: "Yes, yes, the emperor has grown up. That's good. Don't exhaust everything. You must learn to leave three points of leeway. That's a good thing."

I will send this list to you immediately, and the Salt and Iron Department will handle it accordingly." After saying this, Zhu Youtang once again glanced at his son with admiration.

Smiling softly, Zhu Houzhao nodded and didn't care. He sneered in his heart. Come on, the more you come, the better. He was just afraid that Xungui's side was not enough.

Although the businessmen of the Ming Dynasty are not conspicuous, the wealth of the businessmen of the Ming Dynasty is definitely beyond the imagination and reach of many people.

The businessmen of the Ming Dynasty regarded the township as their party. This is how the term township party came about. They formed a partnership to do business. They consolidated their strength together and launched their own representative parties in the court, which is the origin of the Qi, Zhechu Party and Donglin Party. These

What if there are many people and money? A business of hundreds of thousands taels can only be considered a small thing, and a big business of one million taels can be considered a medium meaning.

The salt merchants in Yangzhou, headed by Shanxi merchants, were able to mobilize millions of taels of working capital. In this era when landowners were the main assets, they were able to mobilize millions of taels of silver to invest in a business. These people had to

How rich.

The smugglers along the coast are also rich people. They can convert rice into mulberry in Jiangsu and Zhejiang. This is how capable they are.

Zhu Houzhao just wants to make money, so of course the more the better. He must pay attention to these. After getting the salt field, with the salt, it is not just to make money however you want, but if it doesn't work, just increase the price! But Zhu Houzhao will know when the time comes.

Let them know what flowers are and why they are so red. When the time comes, these people will have no place to cry. Come on, obediently take out the money.

"Father, don't worry, I know what to do." Zhu Houzhao said to his father with a smile, feeling very at ease in his heart.

After leaving the Qianqing Palace, Zhu Houzhao directly ordered Liu Jin: "Send someone to Shouning Hou's Mansion and give this to Shouning Hou." After saying that, Zhu Houzhao handed two documents to Liu Jin. These two documents were

One written by Zhu Houzhao is about the salt policy, and the other is about the secret system of officials and envoys.

Liu Jin nodded, respectfully took the document handed over by Zhu Houzhao, turned around and walked out.

After completing these things, Zhu Houzhao can finally breathe a sigh of relief. The iron furnace at the Bingzhan Bureau has come to an end, and there are many R&D personnel left there. Zhu Houzhao can start his own steelmaking plant. The first thing to do is

The best thing is to build a blast furnace. If you try this thing, you will always succeed. Zhu Houzhao is ready to spend money.

Zhu Houzhao believed in the old craftsmen of the Bingzhan Bureau that the blast furnace steelmaking of this era may not be able to produce high-quality steel, but it can greatly increase the output.

This is actually enough for Zhu Houzhao. In Zhu Houzhao's view, whether it is plate armor or the current Ming Dynasty armor, the defensive power is actually excessive. However, due to the production process and raw materials, it cannot be used on a large scale.

Mass production. Daming's good armor, such as the one he wore for himself, has top-notch protection.

But the problem is, without money, how can you equip the entire army with such good armor? You have to know how many excellent equipment in history have not been equipped with the entire army. Why?

Very simple, too expensive, and low cost performance. What kind of equipment does the army need? Low cost, superior performance, mass production, and easy repair. This is what large-scale armaments need. For example, the ak series of the former Soviet Union, that is this

A model under the concept. Due to the current conditions, Zhu Houzhao felt that plate armor was the best choice.

First of all, it is easy to manufacture. It is directly stamped by hydraulic pressure. It does not need to be as time-consuming and labor-intensive as fish scale armor. It is even more time-consuming and labor-saving than leather armor.

This reduces production costs and provides the prerequisite for large-scale equipment. Secondly, it is lightweight. Under the same weight, it can provide the best defense and is conducive to cavalry charges.

The production cost is low, the manufacturing is fast, and the protection is good. If you don't choose it, what will you choose? Originally, plate armor was going to shine in history. Unfortunately, when the water stamping and forging technology appeared, plate armor could be used on a large scale.

During the time of fielding, muskets also developed rapidly, and plate armor was swept into the garbage heap of history before it could shine.

Zhu Houzhao also didn't think about using firearms to solve the problem, but the grassland was so big that cavalry had to save trouble and effort. The research and manufacturing difficulty of plate armor was much lower than that of guns.

At worst, when the gun is made, we change the cavalry into musketry cavalry. That thing should be quite powerful.

There are many ideas, but the reality is that we need to do it step by step. Steelmaking is the foundation. Let’s start with steelmaking. So Zhu Houzhao explained the matter and left the palace, because today is the day when the salt merchants take photos of the salt field. In such a day

Under the nice and sunny weather, Zhu Houzhao was going to see the excitement. Of course, the main reason was to see his own money.

After leaving the palace, Zhu Houzhao brought his entourage to the Yantiesi Yamen. In order to appear solemn, the auction was held inside the Yamen.

Zhu Houzhao also changed his clothes and mingled with the team with an invitation in his hand. This invitation was said to be an invitation, but in fact it was a salt admission certificate. To put it bluntly, only by getting this can you be qualified to come here and receive this knife.

Even though I knew I was going to get scammed out of money, I was still willing to get scammed.

Tapping the invitation in his hand, Zhu Houzhao hurriedly walked into the yamen, wandering around with a smile on his face. Soon Zhu Houzhao discovered that some people looked at the invitation in their hands with envy. Obviously these people did not have an invitation.

They came here to watch the excitement. Or maybe they wanted to see if there were any bargains to be found. Zhu Houzhao could only say to them, you are overthinking.

The remaining people, that is, the people with invitations in their hands, have more complicated expressions in their eyes, showing happiness, arrogance, and even unconcealable distress.

A group of people were standing in the yard waiting. People who usually yelled at me here, let alone yelling at me, didn't even have time to wait for tea. Not to mention waiting for tea, I didn't even have the qualifications to enter the house.

We could only stand in the yard and wait. Although everyone was unhappy, no one dared to say anything.

As the saying goes, the harder it is to get, the more you cherish it. These people know very well how they got into it.

How much favors have been asked for and how much money has been spent. If you are kicked out if you cause trouble here, all the money will be wasted.

Zhu Houzhao clasped his hands behind his back and looked around in the crowd. He soon discovered that these people were gathered together, including Shanxi merchants, Zhejiang merchants, Huizhou merchants, etc. It was difficult to say that they were distinct, but they were not much different. Obviously, everyone's interests were

When they are unanimous, local groups will naturally appear. Zhu Houzhao knows that the most fierce competition will definitely be Lianghuai and Changlu.

Shanxi merchants, Hui merchants and Zhejiang merchants, none of them want to give up these two salt fields. Shanxi merchants were driven out of Yangzhou and are likely to be replaced by Zhejiang merchants and Hui merchants. Now is their chance to make a comeback. Hui merchants and

Zhejiang businessmen definitely don’t want to give up their interests. The Lianghuai Salt Field is right at their doorstep. How could they be willing to let it go?

On the contrary, it is the Guangdong Saltworks, which must be the territory of Fujian merchants. It is probably not easy for others to get involved.

However, there is also a question here, and that is whether other salt merchants also want to go north, for example, whether Fujian merchants want to get involved in Yangzhou, which is not far away anyway.

It’s lively!

It’s good to be lively!

Zhu Houzhao is different from other businessmen. He is very happy at this time because he knows that these people are his big fish!

Not long after, an official from the Salt and Iron Department walked in. He was a thin civil servant in his thirties, and his official uniform should be of the fifth grade. He glanced down, and then said: "Everyone, what time is it?"

We're here, please come with me!" After saying that, he turned around and led the way, and everyone didn't dare to neglect and quickly followed.

The expression on Zhu Houzhao's face was also indifferent, and he followed at the end without any pressure, shaking the invitation in his hand, as if he was ready for a big fight.

The group of people soon came to a room at the back. There were chairs already prepared here. There was no table in front of the chairs. Each chair was numbered. The number was the same as the aura of the wood in front of the businessmen entering the door.

The cards were the same, so you were seated accordingly. Zhu Houzhao quickly found his seat, sat down and waited to watch the excitement.

Not long after everyone sat down, a young man came on stage. He smiled and cupped his hands, and then said: "Everyone, Qian Guangdou, I will host today's salt auction!"

"The first thing we are going to auction is the Guangdong Salt Farm!" Qian Guangdou said, asking someone to hang up a map, and then said: "The Guangdong Salt Farm, large and small, totals 13 yuan. We have information here. You can take a look.

Look!" He said and motioned to the side, and many people began to go down to hand out something similar to flyers.

On one side of each person, there are thirteen pictures, each with a small map and text introduction next to it.

The text introduction states the specific location, size, and annual salt production. Of course, the production is all up-to-date. Since Zhu Houzhao promoted the new salt production method and system in Lianghuai, the Salt and Iron Department has been
Chapter completed!