Zhao Ning said: "The Song Dynasty smelted a lot of iron every year, why is there not enough?"

It is said that the peak annual iron production in the Northern Song Dynasty was 150,000 tons, equivalent to 300 million kilograms.

30 million catties have been invested in farming, but there is still much left over.

"Your Majesty, more and more people are using iron pots for cooking, business is booming, and the number of weighing weights is also increasing, and..." Cai Mao said.

"And what?"

"I believe that a large number of immigrants should be immigrated to Jiaozhou as soon as possible. Jiaozhou has a lot of fertile land for growing crops. In this process, a large number of iron farm tools will naturally be needed. There is indeed a big gap in iron tools."

Zhao Ning looked at Zhao Ding and said, "I remember that the iron ore on Jinghu North Road is already being mined?"

Zhao Ding said: "Yes, Your Majesty, the iron ore in Daye County on Jinghu North Road is being vigorously exploited."

"The Fujian Road Iron Mine is also making preparations."

Zhao Ning thought for a moment and said: "The manufacturing of agricultural tools in Annan can be left to Annan. After the immigration, iron ore mining, agricultural tools manufacturing, and reclamation are encouraged. These matters need to be specially dispatched by the imperial court to manage them, and the political affairs hall can handle them.

, I don’t want to interfere too much.”

"yes."

"As for the iron shortage in the entire Song Dynasty, I think this problem can be solved by vigorously mining iron ore in the south to replenish iron tools."

Zhao Ding said: "I think that if we want to vigorously mine iron ore, we can restructure the existing government-run iron ore mining industry."

Zhao Ning asked: "How to reform the system?"

"The current mining control is very chaotic." Zhao Ding continued, "I believe that firstly, the iron ore mine supervision can be transformed into a state-owned iron ore trading company, which will be responsible for its own profits and losses; secondly, some quotas of private iron ore trading companies can be released to allow private

Merchants register iron ore trading companies and then mine, so that iron ore can be mined faster and more widely to prepare for the increasing needs of the court."

Will iron mines be opened to the private sector?

Iron ore mining was on the prohibited list of the Song Dynasty.

Since Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty began to state-owned salt and iron, private individuals could no longer mine iron ore.

Cai Mao said: "Your Majesty, I'm afraid it's inappropriate to open the iron mines to private individuals. If private individuals sell it to people with evil intentions, we will be in trouble."

Zhao Ding said: "Don't worry, each line of iron ore can only be opened to a maximum of two places, and the relevant government offices can supervise the mining of each line of iron ore."

"But there must be people who make false accounts." Cai Mao was obviously opposed to this.

The political philosophy that Cai Mao has always adhered to is not to make random changes. If you change one place, it will have an impact on many places.

Zhao Ding said: "False accounting is a judicial issue, not an administrative issue. Is there no such thing as false accounting at present?"

Now Cai Mao had nothing to say.

Zhao Ding continued: "The population of the country is also increasing, and the demand for iron will only increase. If we continue to restrict our hands and feet, there will soon be a shortage of iron."

Cai Mao hesitated for a moment and said, "Your Majesty, I heard a sound recently."

"what sound?"

"Some people are spreading rumors that since the Song and Jin Dynasties have already negotiated peace, why did the imperial court deploy such a large number of troops on the northern front? Moreover, the weapons supervisor is still casting weapons day and night, which consumes a lot of money."

"Oh." Zhao Ning suddenly became curious, "Who are these people spreading the news?"

"I don't know who the specific person is. I just heard some gossip."

"Does Prime Minister Cai think the war is really over?"

"I don't dare to say for sure."

"You can just say it."

"I think that if the two countries had in-depth commercial exchanges, the Jin people would probably not be willing to fight anymore, and the relationship between Song and Jin would be like that between Song and Liao."

"This is a big mistake!" Zhao Ning was not angry at all. "The Jin people are ambitious. Wu Jie said it in the memorial to me the day before yesterday. There are Jin troops in Daizhou. They are very clever in concealing themselves. The Jin people are paralyzing them."

We, if we take it for what it is, will be in great trouble."

"I am stupid."

Zhao Ning added: "The need for iron for the country and the dynasty is increasing day by day. Let's follow what Mr. Zhao said about this and reform the ban on iron."

Most of the iron ore in the Northern Song Dynasty came from the north, such as Xingzhou, Cizhou, Yanzhou, Xuzhou, and Weishengjun were the five large-scale iron smelting centers in the Song Dynasty, accounting for 89.4% of the country's iron ore.

Iron ore mining takes time to prepare, and the next target is obviously the south.

As Zhao Ding said, the ban on iron ore mining should be adjusted.

"Times have changed." Zhao Guanjia finally concluded, "The territory of the Song Dynasty is increasing. The management methods of the 24th Route in the past may not be suitable for today. If you want to manage a territory of unprecedented scale, you must decentralize it."

Zhao Ning used the simplest words to set the tone for the subsequent political power restructuring.

With the power structure of the Song Dynasty in the past, it was simply impossible to expand.

"That's it for today."

Seeing that Zhao Guan's family didn't seem to want to talk any more, everyone left it at that.

Zhao Ning didn't want to ask too much about the establishment of the Annan Protectorate or the detailed discussion of Jiaozhou's civil affairs.

Now that the general direction has been decided, it is naturally a matter for the political affairs hall.

The rest of the people retreated, and Qin Hui stayed in Wende Hall.

"How about Huaidong and Jiangdong?" Zhao Ning asked.

"Reporting to your Majesty, everything has been arranged." Qin Hui said politely.

"Where is the local squire?"

"Conviction for the conviction, all distributions for the distribution."

"How to deal with those who had stopped taking exams before?"

Qin Hui said: "Announce that Huaidong will never be admitted!"

Zhao Ning said: "To deal with scholars, you have to use two extreme methods to ensure the stability of the country. Your way of handling it is inappropriate."

Qin Hui said: "I am stupid."

Zhao Ning said: "Think about it, why did the country increase the number of people taking scientific examinations?"

Qin Hui replied: "Of course we are recruiting people from all over the world who are well-read in poetry and books to govern the world for your majesty, so that everything can be peaceful."

"You are only right about one thing." Zhao Ning said, "In this world, there are two kinds of people who are the most terrifying, one is the scholar, and the other is the refugee who cannot afford to eat. Have you read the historical materials of the Anshi Rebellion?"

Qin Hui said: "I have read it."

"Why do you think the Anshi Rebellion started?"

"It's An Lushan's ambition." Qin Hui said.

"It is true that An Lushan is ambitious." Zhao Ning said, "But there are many people in the world who are as ambitious as An Lushan. Why can An Lushan respond to a hundred people?"

"I am stupid."

"Because during the pre-Tang Dynasty, a large number of unsuccessful scholars from poor families joined Anlu Mountain. With their existence, Anlu Mountain had the confidence to rebel." Zhao Ningyan said concisely and concisely, "When scholars failed to achieve their goals,

They will have random thoughts, spread irrational rumors in private, and destroy the etiquette and laws of the world."

"Your Majesty is Holy Ming."

"The purpose of the state to win over scholars is not only to govern the world, but also to win over the smartest people in the world into the official cage, so that they can worry about gains and losses here, so that they will not deceive people among the people, so that the world can be

It will be safe, understand?"

"Your Majesty's Holy Light illuminates the candle, and I have learned from it."

What the monarch and his ministers said privately was very direct.

"Now there is a group of people in the southeast whom you have determined to never be admitted. A considerable number of them are talented and have ideas. What do you think they will do among the people?"

Qin Hui shuddered and said quickly: "They may deceive people's hearts, even like Fang La's rebellion back then."

"It's good that you know." Zhao Guanjia's tone was calm. There seemed to be no emotion in this calmness, not even coldness.

"I am stupid, I don't know how to deal with it."

"Either kill them all, or let them go to the border areas to be rehabilitated."

Qin Hui said: "Wouldn't it be even harder to control them if they are sent to the border areas?"

"They have lost the support of the local clan, are in a remote area, are unfamiliar with the place, and don't understand the language. What else can they do?"

"I understand. I will handle it according to your Majesty's instructions."

"If you remember it from now on, what should scholars do with it? Do you know?"

"I know." Qin Hui thought for a moment and said, "Do other roads in the south need to be dealt with now?"

"Don't move for now."
Chapter completed!