While war was raging in Europe, the Ming Empire was developing rapidly with each passing day.
Daming Telecommunications Trading Company was a trading firm established by Liu Jin after he acquired the telephone invention of Kuang Xiong, a teacher at Daming Royal Institute of Technology.
Similar to previous routines, after acquiring the patent, Liu Jin invested a large amount of money in it and established a commercial bank and a specialized laboratory. On the one hand, he studied and improved this technology, and on the other hand, he tried to find ways to promote this technology.
The prospects and financial prospects of the telephone are very broad. It can make real-time calls and tell real-time fairy tales thousands of miles away. In this era, it is definitely a leap forward breakthrough and development.
Its technology and principles are also very simple. With the current technology of Ming Dynasty, it can be widely promoted and used. Not to mention popularizing it in the whole society, at least there is no problem in promoting it in some major fields of Ming Dynasty.
With Liu Jin's large personal support, the phone developed very quickly. It had undergone many innovations in a short period of time and was fully capable of marketing.
"Old Liu, you didn't sleep well at home this weekend, so you pulled me out this early in the morning. What's going on?"
Zhu Houzhao's face was full of dissatisfaction and he yawned. It was finally a weekend. He originally planned to have a good sleep in bed. He worked too hard last night. It's very human.
This Liu Jin is a little too ignorant.
"Your Majesty, you will know later!"
Liu Jin pretended to be mysterious and took Zhu Houzhao to the headquarters building of Daming Telecommunications Bank located in Xincheng, South District of Beijing.
"Daming Telecom Company?"
"Old Liu, you are starting a new business again, why don't you bring me with you?"
Zhu Houzhao got out of the car, looked at the sign hanging outside, thought for a while and said.
Liu Jin didn't seem to have told him about cooperating to establish a telecommunications company. If he remembered well, it seemed like this.
"Your Majesty, the businesses of Daming Telecommunications Company and Daming Telegraph Company are actually somewhat similar, so I will not mention this matter to your Majesty again."
"From now on, there will be a competitive relationship between Daming Telegraph Company and Daming Telecommunications Company. Only with competition can there be services, progress and breakthroughs."
Liu Jin explained with a smile.
In fact, the main reason is that now that Zhu Houzhao is the emperor, he is the chief minister of the cabinet. It seems inappropriate and not good for this chief minister to always collude with the emperor and only think about business.
"Similar to the business of Daming Telegraph Company?"
"Could it be that a more advanced telegraph was invented?"
When Zhu Houzhao heard this, he immediately became energetic. He was always full of curiosity about new things.
"Your Majesty, you will know later."
Liu Jin still said mysteriously.
After taking Zhu Houzhao into the telecommunications company, Kuang Xiong was already waiting with people from the telecommunications company.
"Your Majesty, Mr. Liu!"
"Um!"
Zhu Houzhao waved his hand to indicate that there was no need to be polite. In this regard, Zhu Houzhao had always had no airs. He was similar to Emperor Hongzhi and was more easy-going.
"Hurry up and introduce your products."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Kuang Xiong nodded quickly and solemnly, and then led everyone to the telecommunications company's product exhibition hall, where the first generation of Ming Dynasty's truly commercially available telephones were displayed.
It is similar to the telephones of later generations. It consists of a receiver and a microphone. Hold it next to your ear and face the position of the microphone when speaking. Then there is a telephone line connected to it, and there is also a dial pad with the same number of 0s on it.
-9 Arabic numerals as well as several function keys.
"Is this your product?"
"What is its role and function?"
Zhu Houzhao looked at this strange invented device in front of him, picked it up and looked at it carefully, but he didn't understand its usage and function.
"Your Majesty, this is called a telephone."
"It allows people to have real-time conversations over long distances."
Kuang Xiong also quickly introduced: "The method of use is also very simple. Put this end next to your ear, you can hear the other party's speech, and then aim at the position of the microphone when speaking."
Kuang Xiong said while demonstrating.
"that's it?"
Zhu Houzhao picked up the phone and imitated Kuang Xiong and asked.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"However, Your Majesty's phone is currently not connected, so you cannot make calls yet."
"We have a phone here that has been connected to Tianjin, and we can make calls in Tianjin at any time."
Kuang Xiong nodded and said.
"Can this phone call tell people in Tianjin?"
When Zhu Houzhao heard this, his eyes widened slightly.
Then after thinking about it, he ordered Liu Jin who was following him: "Immediately send a telegram to Fengxi of Tianjin Prefecture and ask him to come to Tianjin Telecommunications Company to listen for instructions."
"yes!"
Upon hearing this, Liu Jin quickly gave instructions to the little eunuch beside him.
As the emperor of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Houzhao always had people with him who were carrying mobile telegrams. Whenever necessary, he could immediately send a telegram to various parts of the Ming Dynasty. Not only could he mobilize the governments of various places, but he could also mobilize the troops of various parts of the Ming Dynasty at any time.
It can be said that the emergence of the telegraph strengthened the emperor's control over all aspects of the Ming Dynasty.
Zhu Houzhao was the chief envoy of Beizhili before, and he was very familiar with the situation of the various states in Beizhili, especially the officials in Beijing and Tianjin.
This Fengxi was an imperial examination candidate at the same time as Liu Jin. Liu Jin was the number one scholar, and he was the first in the second class and fourth overall. He was also an outstanding person and also entered the Hanlin Academy.
Then according to the current official selection system of the Ming Dynasty, Fengxi was also sent to the state capital for training. Because he performed well, he was also transferred to Tianjin.
The status of this Tianjin Prefecture is similar to that of the North and South Zhili. Because of its developed economy, large population, and large taxes, the governor of this Tianjin Prefecture is also a third-grade official, which is one level higher than the fourth-grade officials of ordinary state capitals.
Because of the emergence of the telegraph, in order to strengthen its control over various parts of the Ming Dynasty, the Ming Empire had already spread the telegraph to the county-level areas of the Ming Dynasty.
If the emperor wants to know the situation in various places, all he needs to do is send a telegram.
At this time, in the Yin Mansion of Tianjin Prefecture, Fengxi was looking at the map of Tianjin and thinking about Tianjin's future development.
As the first city to start industrialization, capitalization and colonization in the Ming Dynasty, Tianjin is now larger than the capital city.
There are many large and small factories here. The Shili Foreign Trade Co., Ltd. here is extremely prosperous, and the amount of transactions every day is extremely huge. The ports here handle huge amounts of goods every day. The transportation here extends in all directions, gathering all the goods and wealth from all over the world.
However, after decades of development, Tianjin's land use has become increasingly tight, and there is not much land left for development and use. This also means that Tianjin's future development cannot follow the old path.
We must find ways to open up new paths, so that Tianjin can continue to prosper and develop.
"Some low-end industries must be forced out, so that there is room to develop more high-end, high-value industries."
"Enterprises like cement factories and textile factories are no longer needed in Tianjin. We have to find a way to force them out of Tianjin. What Tianjin needs is high-output value industries such as automobile manufacturing and shipbuilding manufacturing, so that it can absorb more
Too many taxes.”
“We need to make room for industries with low output value.”
“But how to force these low-value industries out of business?”
Fengxi is thinking carefully. There is not much extra land in Tianjin, and basically all the land has been developed.
If you want to continue to develop, you must adjust the industrial structure and upgrade the industry.
"My lord, my lord!"
"The Emperor has called, the Emperor has called!"
At this time, an official hurriedly ran over and handed a telegram into Fengxi's hands.
"The Emperor is calling?"
When Fengxi heard this, he quickly retracted his thoughts, took the telegram and read it, and everyone was stunned.
"Could it be a mistake?"
"The emperor will ask me to go to some telecommunications company to wait for instructions?"
Looking at the contents of the telegram, Fengxi also asked rhetorically.
"There is no mistake. I have confirmed it over and over again. This is indeed a telegram instruction from the emperor. What's more, whoever dares to fake the emperor's telegram instruction now is equivalent to counterfeiting an imperial edict and will be beheaded."
The officials under him said quickly.
"That's right. Let's go to Daming Telecom."
Fengxi thought for a while and nodded. This telegram cannot be stamped, but telegrams also have their own encrypted content and methods, and the emperor's telegrams also have their own special identification methods, which are difficult to counterfeit.
Fengxi got in the car and hurried to the Tianjin branch of the telecommunications company.
Because it was a newly established trading company, Fengxi searched for more than an hour before finding this telecommunications company.
"Your Majesty, Fengxi has arrived at Tianjin Telecom Branch, and the call has been made."
Over in the capital, Zhu Houzhao and Liu Jin were waiting patiently while drinking tea.
When Fengxi arrived at the branch, the branch staff quickly called to report.
"good!"
When Zhu Houzhao heard this, he immediately became energetic. He came to the phone and imitated Kuang Xiong and said, "I am Zhu Houzhao, am I Fengxi?"
On the other end of the phone, Fengxi, who had just arrived at the trading house and was confused, took the call. Hearing Zhu Houzhao's voice coming from the phone, he immediately said respectfully: "Your Majesty, this is Fengxi!"
Not only did Zhu Houzhao and Fengxi meet, but they also had contact with each other for a period of time, so they could recognize Zhu Houzhao's voice.
"Haha, your voice is really Fengxi. This phone call is really magical."
Hearing Fengxi's answer, Zhu Houzhao immediately laughed happily. This phone is really good. You can chat directly like this, in real time. There is no need to translate like a telegram to know the content.