Twenty million kilograms is equivalent to ten thousand tons.
An annual output of 10,000 tons of steel is just a drop in the bucket for later generations of steel plants.
But for Daming, it is an exaggerated number.
Because this is almost the entire Ming Dynasty’s annual steel production!
Since Wu Jinxi is a technical official, he also understands this.
"Your Majesty, this matter is absolutely impossible." Wu Jinxi said flatly, "I can't do it."
"Of course, I don't ask you for so much steel all at once. There must be a process in the middle." Chongzhen said, "You don't have to worry about the employment of factories and mines. I will give you one hundred thousand strong men!"
"A hundred thousand strong men?" Wu Jinxi reacted immediately after hearing this, "Those rebels?"
This is a bit interesting. With 100,000 strong men, it seems that it is not completely impossible to produce 20 million kilograms of iron per year.
"Yes, those 100,000 rebels." Chongzhen said, "They will spend their entire lives in factories or mines. This is the punishment they deserve. They should be beheaded according to law."
Wu Jinxi said: "If this is the case, I can give it a try."
"It's not a trial, but it must be done." Chongzhen said solemnly.
"I accept the decree." Wu Jinxi responded solemnly, "I will definitely accomplish this matter."
After saying this, Wu Jinxi continued: "However, I still have a question."
"Questions?" Chongzhen said with a slight hum, "Tell me, do you have any questions?"
Wu Jinxi said: "Why did the Holy One choose Xiangtan to set up this iron smelting factory? Wuchang can't do it?"
"Wuchang?" Chongzhen was stunned when he heard this. This is the mindset. Before, he only remembered that there was a steel factory in Xiangtan, so he subconsciously chose the iron smelting factory in Xiangtan. But in fact, there seems to be a steel factory in Wuhan, and
The scale is even larger. Wuhan even once established a famous arsenal, Hanyang Arsenal!
The rifle made in Hanyang is one of the most famous rifles in modern China.
"Wuchang is fine too." Chongzhen responded and nodded immediately, "It's up to you whether the iron smelting factory will be located in Wuchang Prefecture, Hanyang Prefecture or Huangzhou Prefecture."
"Anyway, I'll leave those 100,000 rebel soldiers to you."
"There is still money. All you need is a letter, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs will send someone to get it for you."
"Oh, by the way, there's no need to adjust it. Royal Bank has a branch in Wuchang, and you can withdraw it directly from the branch."
After saying that, Chongzhen ordered Du Yinxi again: "Qing Du, in order to prevent the rebels from causing trouble, I may have to trouble you to lead 10,000 town soldiers to stay temporarily to assist. When the new army arrives, I will dispatch the new army to replace you.
, then you can return to Xuzhou with these 10,000 soldiers. As for the other soldiers, you can go back after receiving the reward tomorrow."
"I accept the order." Du Yinxi bowed, then turned and left immediately following Wu Jinxi.
As Wu Jinxi walked, he told Du Yinxi that I planned to open the iron smelting factory at the northern foot of Guishan Mountain.
Du Yinxi responded that the northern foot of Guishan is good and close to the Han River. Whether it is mineral materials, charcoal or smelted iron, it can be transported by water, which is really convenient. You can also get wood and burn charcoal directly from Guishan to make iron.
Wu Jinxi laughed and said, if it is a factory with an annual output of one million kilograms of iron, it can indeed take wood directly from Guishan to burn charcoal, but what the Lord wants now is a large factory with an annual output of twenty million kilograms of iron. The one on Guishan
There is simply not enough firewood to use, so coal must be mined to make coke and then make iron.
The two of them walked out of the courtyard while talking.
After watching Du Yinxi and Wu Jinxi leave, Chongzhen asked Gao Qiqian to call Wang Fuzhi, Guan Siqiu and Xia Rubi to his residence.
The land issue has always been a fundamental issue.
Even if they are deterred by force, the Jin gentry in Huguang will not be willing to spit out the fat in their mouths.
If it were just the Jin gentry in Huguang, there would be nothing to worry about.
But if these powerful gentry were allowed to use the ties of clan to stir up the entire ethnic group, big problems would arise.
Therefore, in addition to deterrence by force, propaganda must also keep up, and this requires the use of diligent scholars from Huguang such as Wang Euzhi.
"Wang Fuzhi, I remember that you have a flower drum opera in Hunan." Chongzhen asked, "It's singing, dancing, and accompanied by musical instruments. It's not much different from Ruan Dacheng's opera troupe, right?"
Wang Euzhi said: "Isn't what the Holy One is talking about Changsha Flower Drum Opera?"
"That's good." Chongzhen nodded, "I'll give you an errand now."
"You will take your respective presidents to Changsha Prefecture to find these performers who can sing Flower Drum Opera, and then arrange a brand new Flower Drum Opera for them. The content is probably about the patriarch of a local powerful clan oppressing his fellow clansmen, which ultimately leads to
Many members of the same clan were destroyed, and eventually this evil-doing patriarch was suppressed by the imperial court."
After saying this, Chongzhen continued: "After suppressing the clan leader, the imperial court distributed the official land stolen by the clan leader to the clan members, and then the whole clan and clan lived a good life."
As soon as they heard this, Wang Fuzhi, Guan Siqiu and Xia Rubi knew that Chongzhen was going to be cruel to the Jin gentry in Huguang.
Although the families of Wang Fuzhi and the others were also gentry from Huguang, the three of them supported Chongzhen's decree with both hands, because they supported the comprehensive equalization of land from the bottom of their hearts.
When Du Yinxi was returning to Guide to equalize land, they wanted to return to Hunan to implement equalization.
Chongzhen said: "This is not to equalize the land, but to take back the occupied farmland under the names of each vassal."
"Your Majesty, why don't you just equalize the land?" Wang Fuzhi asked puzzledly, "Wouldn't it be great to take advantage of this opportunity to resolve the land annexation problem in Huguang once and for all, and truly realize land to the tiller?"
"Yes, why is the land uneven?" Guan Siqiu and Xia Rubi were also puzzled.
Chongzhen smiled and said: "I remember that your three families also have quite a lot of land. If the land is fully equalized in Huguang, it will probably be unavoidable for your family. How will you go home to see your parents in the future?"
"This is just self-interest," Wang Euzhi sighed, "equalizing land is a matter of national interest."
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! Guan Siqiu and Xia Rubi also said: "How can individual selfish interests be compared with the national justice?"
"I know your ambitions," Chongzhen said, "but we have to eat one bite at a time and do one thing at a time. The matter of land equalization cannot be rushed. The most urgent task is to take back the occupied farmland under each vassal's name.
"
"I understand," Wang Fuzhi and the others said, "I will lead the troops to Changsha now."
The three of them, Wang and his wife, had just left, when cheers like a mountain roaring and a tsunami suddenly sounded outside.
Chongzhen immediately rushed to the door and shouted: "Wang Daban, what's going on outside? Who is shouting long live?"
Wang Chengen immediately walked into the marching hall and said respectfully: "Long live Lord, those rebel soldiers are grateful for your kindness in not killing. They are shouting long live to express their gratitude to you."
"So that's what happened." Chongzhen nodded and said, "Oh, by the way, have you counted all the gold and silver jewelry, livestock and women seized from the rebels?"
Zuo Liangyu guarded Wuchang for many years and accumulated a lot of wealth.
After Zuo Liangyu died of illness, Zuo Mengeng never returned, and the property was divided among Ma Jinzhong and four others.
After Ma Jinzhong and four others were killed by He Tengjiao, the property was divided among a dozen people including Lu Guangzu.
And now, all these properties have returned to Chongzhen, together with the cattle, sheep and horses that were previously seized, as well as the properties looted within a month after the war.
Chongzhen estimated that the amount of wealth would not be small.
While he was talking, Gao Qiqian and Le Dianding walked in.
"Gao Banban." Chongzhen asked, "Have all the belongings been counted?"
"Long live Lord, the exact figures are still being verified." Gao Qiqian said with a flattering look.
"But the approximate figures have come out. There are about more than two million yuan in silver. In addition, there are also jewelry and antiques, calligraphy and paintings worth more than one million yuan."
Chongzhen's face immediately fell.
More than two million yuan in cash plus jewelry worth more than one million yuan, which is more than three million yuan.
Huguang passed through Li Zicheng and Zhang Xianzhong and looted many times. It was already in dilapidated condition. I didn't expect Zuo Liangyu to loot so much in the past few years when he was in Wuchang.
Just remember this account first.
When the time comes in the future, we will make a fuss out of this and move Zuo Liangyu's tablet from the Ancestral Temple. Letting such a rebellious minister stay in the Ancestral Temple is simply a humiliation to the ancestors of the Ming Dynasty.
Sooner or later, Zuo Menggen's Dukedom of Chu will have to be taken away.
"Where are the war horses?" Chongzhen asked again, "How many horses have been collected in total?"
Gao Qiqian said: "Gather more than 7,500 war horses, more than 15,000 oxen, and more than 120,000 sheep. In addition, there are more than 20,000 armors and stomachs, and more than 160,000 waist knives or spears.
There are about more than 10,000 pieces of muskets, about 9,000 sidecars, and more than 100,000 stones of food, silk, cotton, etc. are still being counted."
Chongzhen's face suddenly turned serious: "Gao Banban, you didn't reach out, did you?"
"Long live my Lord!" Gao Qiqian immediately knelt down with a thump and said in panic, "How dare I stretch out my hand? Besides, there are so many Qinwang scholars staring at me. Even if I want to stretch out my hand, I have no chance."
"Get up, just don't reach out." Chongzhen snorted and said, "Besides, listen carefully, you can only take gold, silver, treasures, antiques, calligraphy and paintings, or houses and estates that I have given to you. No matter what others are, you can take them."
Whoever gave it to you is not allowed to take it, and you are not allowed to reach out randomly. Otherwise, if I find out, you should know the consequences."
"Yes, I know." Gao Qiqian nodded like a chicken pecking at rice.
But I lamented in my heart, with a long live master like you, who dares to reach out?
"But I won't treat you badly." Chongzhen smiled and said, "You guys have worked hard this time. After you return to Beijing, go to Ma Mingluan to collect the reward."
"Old slave, thank you Long Live the Lord." Gao Qiqian was overjoyed when he heard this.
Wang Chengen also came down to say thanks: "Thank you, Lord Long Live, for the reward."
Chongzhen smiled and continued: "Ten taels per person!"
The smile on Gao Qiqian's face froze, it turned out there were only twelve?
But Chongzhen added another sentence: "High companionship, don't be too little."
