"Invading the clan's farmland?" Chongzhen sneered, "Who lent them the courage?"
Du Yinxi said: "Speaking of it, many farmlands did originally belong to the Jin gentry of various prefectures. They did not hesitate to devote them to the names of the feudal lords just to avoid taxes. But since these farmlands are now under the names of each feudal lord, the Jin gentry has no choice.
They can take it back if they want, as long as they can make up for the taxes that they escaped after they were dedicated in the name of each vassal."
"Your Majesty, is this inappropriate?" Zhang Kuang was so frightened that his face turned pale.
Because if we do this, the attack area will be too wide, and the landlords and gentry in Huguang will be shaken.
"They can't change the world." Chongzhen snorted coldly and said, "Zhang Kuang, you just need to tell me whether you can handle this matter? If you can't handle it, I will let others handle it, but this matter must be done
It’s done.”
Chongzhen had even thought about the candidate, and that was Governor Yingtian and Admiral Cao Jiangjunjun Jinxuan.
After a pause, Chongzhen continued: "Huguang is ripe and the world is rich. Huguang is the granary of the Ming Dynasty. I will never allow those silverfish to endanger the food security of the Ming Dynasty."
Seeing that Chongzhen was so determined, Zhang Kuang gritted his teeth and said, "I can do it!"
"It's good if it can be done." Chongzhen said happily, "The hibernation has passed now, and this year's spring plowing is about to begin, so you need to handle this matter quickly. After the farmland of each vassal is taken back, it will all be used as official farmland for the imperial court and distributed to Huguang.
When the people go to farm, the land rent will be according to the amount set by Emperor Taizu Gao, which is five liters, three combined and five spoons per mu!"
After Zhang Juzheng took over the throne, Huguang had a total of more than 91 million acres of cultivated land.
By the Chongzhen period, the land occupied by various vassals and donated by the landowners and gentry in each prefecture, the farmland under the name of each vassal was at least 80 million acres, and the cultivated land left under the name of the landlords would never exceed 5 million acres.
.
Even if it is calculated based on 80 million acres, it can collect a grain tax of 4.28 million shi in one year!
This is not the most important thing, the most important thing is that it can greatly promote the increase of grain production.
Everyone is familiar with the story of the household responsibility system in Xiaogang Village. In the same place and with the same people, why can a household responsibility system significantly increase grain production?
The reason is very simple: farmers have become more motivated.
In the same way, the enthusiasm of tenant farmers and owner-cultivators is also completely different. Because the tenant farmer owns the land owned by others, he will not be very dedicated to taking care of it, because no one knows whether the landlord will let the tenant farm in the coming year? But if the land is farmed by his own family,
It's different. You must dig deep into the soil, and you must get up early in the dark to collect manure and fertilize your own land.
In short, if the more than 90 million acres of cultivated land in Huguang were left under the name of the gentry in various prefectures and were then leased to tenant farmers, they would only produce 90 million dan per year! But if the farmers were allowed to cultivate it, they would at least be able to harvest
There are 180 million shi of grain, which means an extra 90 million shi of grain out of thin air, enough to ensure the food supply in Jiangnan.
Of course, the above assumptions are only ideal conditions. In fact, Huguang has suffered from repeated military revolts and a large population loss. At least half of the cultivated land is now abandoned, so it is extremely high to be able to produce 50 million dan of grain every year. But even so,
By switching to farming by farmers, you can get an extra 50 million dan!
With these 50 million stones of grain, it is also enough to ensure the supply of Jiangnan.
Therefore, the saying that Huguang is familiar with the world is not just a proverb, it is really based on facts.
"The Holy One is saying that the farmland under the name of the vassal king will be turned into official farmland and then distributed to the people for farming?" Zhang Kuang almost suspected that he was hearing hallucinations.
Du Yinxi was not surprised.
"Yes, let's ignore other provinces for now, but Huguang is the granary of the Ming Dynasty. We can no longer allow the vassal king's bad government to continue. Instead, we must show the determination of a strong man to cut off his wrist and scrape the bones to cure the poison!" After a pause, Chongzhen said again, "
Fortunately, most of the vassal kings entrusted to Huguang have been killed by the intruders and Zhang Xianzhong, so the problem is not big."
In the future, Chongzhen will definitely extend the Huguang model to the entire Ming Dynasty.
Because of the vassal kings' occupation of cultivated land, except for Guangdong, Fujian and Jiangnan, the entire Ming Dynasty was the hardest hit area. As long as the entire Ming Dynasty followed Huguang's method, there would be no food crisis in the Ming Dynasty.
Of course, you can't take such big steps all at once, otherwise you'll be in trouble.
For now, Huguang should be dealt with first. After all, this is a big granary.
"This move by Your Majesty will indeed benefit the country and the people!" Zhang Kuang was greatly moved and bowed deeply to Chongzhen.
He stood up again and said: "However, if this policy is really implemented, it will definitely greatly anger the Jin gentry in Huguang. I am worried that these Jin gentry will collude with foreign thieves and want to harm the Ming Dynasty."
"I still said what I just said, they can't change the world." Chongzhen said coldly.
After a short pause, he added: "Of course, it is still necessary to take precautions before they happen. I have decided to set up another town in Wuchang and station 100,000 to 150,000 troops. Therefore, I have to leave four million acres of official land for me to work on.
Enshang Field, ordinary cultivated land is not enough, it must be the most fertile farmland by Dongting Lake."
Zhang Kuang said happily: "The Holy One is going to select 50,000 to 100,000 people from the rebels to serve as soldiers in Wuchang Town? And then reward each soldier with twenty-five acres of land?"
"Zhang Kuang, what are you talking about? How can there be such a good thing in the world?"
Chongzhen said: "These rebels gathered in crowds to mutiny, set fire to kill people, and even killed the governor of Huguang in the Ming Dynasty. I will not punish them severely but will instead reward them with kindness. Do you think this is appropriate?"
After a pause, Chongzhen said again: "He Tengjiaoquanxiayouzhi will probably be so angry that he comes to life again, right?"
"I am not thinking well here." Zhang Kuang quickly apologized to Chongzhen in a somewhat sarcastic manner, "Please forgive me, Your Majesty."
"Punishment will be waived." Chongzhen snorted, "Zhang Kuang, it is good to have a benevolent heart, but if you are too kind, you will become a bad person, and the people who have received your kindness will not miss you.
"
"O minister, I would like to accept the teachings of the Holy One." Zhang Kuang bowed his head again.
Chongzhen continued: "However, I listened to what you just said."
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! "I will not kill the 180,000 rebels indiscriminately. The 80,000 who have not done any evil should stay in Wuchang Prefecture to farm. You can give them two cents per soldier first."
For ten acres of land, 50% of the harvest needs to be paid in the first three years, and then it will be reduced by 10% every year until it is reduced to five liters, three and five spoons per mu. From now on, the grain tax will be collected according to this amount."
"As for the remaining more than 100,000 rebel soldiers, they must serve in hard labor for life."
"I plan to set up a large-scale iron smelting factory in Xiangtan County, Changsha Prefecture. These 100,000 rebel soldiers will smelt iron there for me and the imperial court for a lifetime."
At this moment, Zhang Kuang was so impressed that he fell to the ground.
There is no better punishment than this.
However, Zhang Kuang is still worried about Huguang's safety.
Zhang Kuang said: "Your Majesty, where did the soldiers of Wuchang Town come from?"
Chongzhen said: "There are no soldiers in Wuchang Town for the time being. As for safety, you don't have to worry. I will transfer all 270,000 new troops from Nanjing to Wuchang for long-term training."
Hearing this, Zhang Kuang was immediately relieved.
Zhang Kuang, the new army recruited by the imperial court, has already been seen. It is said that less than 3,000 new troops defeated more than 6,000 elite rebels. Now the Holy Emperor wants to mobilize 270,000 new troops to garrison Wuchang for a long time. What else can happen?
? Even if you are hypocritical or if you build a slave and send all the troops of the country southward, there is nothing to worry about.
After a pause, Chongzhen said again: "Zhang Kuang, while the spring plowing hasn't started yet and the people are still idle, quickly organize the strong men to build water conservancy projects. As for the money, as far as I know, there is plenty of money in the Ministry of Household Affairs. If you ask,
If you ask for it, it’s probably very difficult to get more than one million taels, but it shouldn’t be difficult to get hundreds of thousands taels.”
"I accept the order." Zhang Kuang bowed his head and rushed away happily.
After sending Zhang Kuang away, Chongzhen sent someone to call Wu Jinxi to the camp.
After Wu Jinxi paid homage, Chongzhen asked: "Wu Jinxi, I heard from Du Qing that you are quite involved in gold and stone mining and smelting?"
"I can't say that I have extensive knowledge, I can only say that I have some knowledge." Wu Jinxi responded with a modest face, but it was obvious from his expression that this gentleman should really understand the art of mining and metallurgy.
Chongzhen decided to take a test on Wu Jinxi.
“Have you read Song Yingxing’s Tiangong Kaiwu?”
"Replying to the Holy Spirit, I am fortunate enough to have read the book Tiangong Kaiwu."
"Can you tell me where pig iron comes from, where does wrought iron come from, and where does steel come from?"
"I borrowed from the original text of Tiangong Kaiwu. All iron is divided into raw and cooked. When it comes out of the furnace, it becomes raw. When it is stir-fried, it becomes cooked. When the raw and cooked phases are combined, it becomes steel. However, I think that the method of making steel is not feasible.
.”
"Oh?" Chongzhen asked, "Do you have a better way?"
"There is indeed a method, but it was not created by me, but I got it from an ancient book." Wu Jinxi said, "Since pig iron can be fried into wrought iron, it can also be fried into steel without tempering!"
Chongzhen smiled and said: "You are talking about the method of frying steel, right? It existed in the Han Dynasty."
"The Holy One has actually read that ancient book?" Wu Jinxi couldn't help but be a little surprised.
Having said this, it can be confirmed that Wu Jinxi is indeed involved in mining and metallurgy, and is a technical official.
At that moment, Chongzhen straightened his face and said: "Wu Jinxi, I want to set up a large-scale iron smelting factory in Xiangtan County, Changsha Prefecture, specifically to smelt pig iron, wrought iron and steel for the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Now I need an iron smelting censor to be responsible for this. Are you willing?
To shoulder this important responsibility for the imperial court? If you are willing, I will propose to the cabinet that you be promoted to the position of Censor of Youqian Capital and Censor of Iron Smelting."
Wu Jinxi couldn't help but be a little confused when he heard this. Large iron smelting factory? Iron smelting censor?
But I have only heard of the Tuntian Censor, never heard of the Iron Censor, but the Youqiandu Censor is quite good, a fourth-grade Kedao Yanguan, and one step further up, he is an important court official or a feudal official.
.
After a long while, Wu Jinxi asked: "Your Majesty, the cost of building an iron smelting factory and mining..."
"You don't have to worry about the expenses." Chongzhen interrupted immediately, "The Ministry of Internal Affairs will provide all expenses."
Wu Jinxi thought for a while and then said: "How large is the scale of this iron smelting factory? How many kilograms of iron is produced annually?"
"The bigger the factory, the better. The more iron we produce each year, the better." Chongzhen said without hesitation, "I won't set an upper limit for you, but I have to agree on a lower limit. The annual iron output should be no less than 20 million kilograms!"
