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Chapter 217 Huge Silver Tax

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On the contrary, Yang Wudi's army was unwilling to waste precious gunpowder and arrows on these rubbish cannon fodder.

When thousands of Tianzhu cannon fodder soldiers were killed and wounded, the Delhi Sultanate drove another group of Tianzhu cannon fodder soldiers onto the battlefield.

Yang Wudi knew that if the fight continued like this, the main force of the Delhi Sultanate had not yet exerted its force, and his army would have insufficient stamina.

Timur's Tianfang Sect mercenaries were also watching, making Yang Wudi unable to make a surprise attack.

In desperation.

Yang Wudi led his soldiers to retreat back to New Dali City after killing and injuring nearly 10,000 indigenous Tianzhu soldiers.

Almost all the strongholds and territories outside the city were successively occupied by the Delhi Sultanate army that followed.

Hundreds of thousands of indigenous people have become consumables for the Delhi Sultanate.

Duan Guangfa led his troops to defend New Dali City, cutting off all access to land except for the waterways connecting the sea.

As the capital of the Ming Dynasty, Yingtian City has now become one of the most prosperous cities in the world.

The city not only has prosperous commerce, but also has an industrial atmosphere that is unique in today's world.

There are a large number of newly built factories in the south of Yingtianfu. These factories produce the latest steel, glass cloth, gunpowder porcelain, etc., which are supplied to various provinces and even the entire maritime trade market.

In the center of the south of Yingtianfu City, there is a large-scale factory called Yingtian Iron Factory.

In Yingtian Iron Works, there is a towering and majestic building.

In this building, there are five agencies: the Coin Minting Bureau, the Machinery Manufacturing Bureau, the Ordnance Bureau, the Technology Supervision Bureau, and the Smelting Technology Bureau.

Yingtian Iron Works is affiliated to the Qihai Trading Company of the Ming Dynasty. The official owner of the Qihai Trading Company is Li Zhen, Marquis of Huai'an, but the real major shareholders behind it are the Ming Emperors Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Han, as well as a large number of civil and military achievements.

At this time, the craftsmen of Yingtian Iron Works were working overtime to build the factory.

Due to the rapid development of various industries in Tianfu City, a large number of craftsmen are seriously lacking.

Therefore, in order to build Yingtian Iron Works, most of the craftsmen were recruited from all over the country.

A large number of craftsmen and technical backbones are building in the Yingtian Iron Works according to the engineering drawings. The spacious and flat streets crisscross the Yingtian Iron Works, making the already magnificent Yingtian Iron Works even more luxurious and glorious.

In traditional people's impression, the iron factory was stupid and black, but in the construction plan set by Zhu Han, it actually had a huge and spacious factory building, and the windows installed in the factory building were all made of transparent glass.

Although transparent glass has been mass-produced nowadays, many wealthy people can still afford it when used as windows. In the eyes of ordinary people, the Yingtian Iron Factory is a luxury and splendor.

Zhang Wuliu was a farmer in Huaixi. When the Red Scarf Army rebelled, he was so scared that he hid in the mountains and did not dare to go out. Later, the Ming Dynasty drove away the Mongols and created a peaceful and prosperous age, and Zhang Wuliu came out to make a living.

But at this time, Zhang Wuliu discovered that the world had undergone tremendous changes.

Many of Zhang Wuliu's fellow villagers and neighbors owned their own land because they joined the army, but he himself had nothing and could only continue to be a tenant.

The prosperity of his relatives and friends gave Zhang Wuliu the determination to try his luck.

However, since he had no courage and no skills, after coming to Yingtian Mansion, he could only rely on his strength to apply for a job as a laborer at Yingtian Iron Works.

Zhang Wuliu is twenty-nine years old this year. He is a typical northern man with a rough appearance, an upright character and a bad temper.

But he was very strong, and every time he carried a mud bag, it was like carrying a sack.

On this day, Zhang Wuliu had already carried more than a dozen loads of cement bags weighing several thousand kilograms. His face was covered with sweat. He was so tired that he almost collapsed. As he walked, his steps slipped and he almost fell to the ground.

At this time, a carriage slowly drove into the courtyard of Yingtian Iron Works and stopped next to Zhang Wuliu.

The driver opened the curtain, and a tall man in his thirties jumped out of the car, helped Zhang Wuliu up, and asked with concern: "Brother, are you okay?"

This person was none other than the Ming Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang who was visiting incognito.

Before leaving Yingtian, Zhu Han specifically told his brother Zhu Yuanzhang to focus on the progress of the Yingtian Iron Works.

Because Zhu Han told him that as long as this large iron factory is built, the Ming Dynasty will become the only super powerful empire in the world.

This ironworks uses the latest blast furnace to smelt steel, which can provide a high-temperature furnace of 1,500 to 1,600 degrees.

Such a powerful iron factory is enough to make Ming weapons cheap and easy to use.

In order to prevent the officials and craftsmen below from interfering with the court, Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang of the Ming Dynasty led his bodyguards in disguise to inspect the iron factory.

Zhang Wuliu waved his hand and said with a heavy breath: "It's okay, I'm just exhausted, just take a rest."

Zhang Wuliu saw that Zhu Yuanzhang was wearing decent clothes and guessed that he must be an official in the iron factory or a military household guarding the iron factory.

Therefore, Zhang Wuliu was very polite to Zhu Yuanzhang, fearing that he would lose his job as a laborer in the iron factory.

Zhu Yuanzhang smiled and ordered: "Brother, you should take a rest first."

Zhang Wuliu said gratefully: "Thank you, brother."

With that said, Zhang Wuliu was helped by the guards to sit next to Zhu Yuanzhang.

Zhu Yuanzhang asked Zhang Wuliu many questions, most of which were about matters in the iron factory, and Zhang Wuliu answered them clearly and clearly.

Then, Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly changed the topic and asked: "Brother, how do you think our people in Ming Dynasty are living now?"

After Zhang Wuliu was silent for a while, he replied: "I don't know what to say..."

Zhu Yuanzhang laughed: "Then tell the truth! Let's chat about home affairs."

Zhang Wuliu thought for a moment and said: "Under the rule of His Majesty the Ming Emperor, the people live and work in peace and contentment, and their lives are very comfortable. I am also happy for the people of the Ming Dynasty."

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded: "Well, continue."

Zhang Wuliu continued: "However, the price of grain is getting lower year by year, and the grain produced is not valuable. There are fewer and fewer people farming. Will they go hungry again in the future?"

This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! Zhang Wuliu’s words made Zhu Yuanzhang laugh.

Zhu Yuanzhang smiled and said, "Haha, I thought it was something, but it turned out to be this! Brother, don't worry, no people will be hungry anymore in the future of Ming Dynasty. To tell you the truth, look at this iron factory.

As long as this iron factory continues to produce steel from now on, it is entirely possible for the people of the Ming Dynasty to eat meat every day, let alone starvation."

Zhang Wuliu was just an ordinary farmer. He came to the capital with the new atmosphere of the Ming Dynasty and became a worker. He still had some experience. Naturally, he did not understand what Zhu Yuanzhang said about why the steel factory could keep the people from being hungry.

abdomen?

As the emperor of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang naturally knew the importance of steel to a country.

Whether it is farm tools or other tools, they are all inseparable from steel.

Once the Yingtian Steel Plant starts production, the cost of steel in Daming will drop by half!

Farmers will be able to afford more sophisticated iron farm tools and produce more food.

Craftsmen can also have more and better tools, invent and create more amazing items.

More importantly, the Ming Dynasty's army will also have more sophisticated weapons. Whether it is swords, spears, armor, protective gear, or muskets and artillery, they will be sharper.

With such a strong national power, no matter how severe a natural disaster occurs, it is impossible for the people of the Ming Dynasty to starve to death.

As the saying goes, if a neighbor gathers food and I gather guns, as long as the weapons are in hand, it will only be the neighbors who starve to death, not the Ming Dynasty.

Zhu Yuanzhang inspected a circle of iron factories and was quite satisfied with the performance of officials and craftsmen.

Although the visit was incognito, many key parts of the iron plant were unable to be inspected.

However, Zhu Yuanzhang was still able to see the construction of many peripheral workshops of the iron factory by virtue of his fake identity as Jin Yiwei.

Whether it's attack or quality, officials and craftsmen of all sizes check it at all levels.

Especially the cement shipped from Huainan has doubled the speed of various construction projects in the iron plant.

Cement has a wide range of uses and is low in cost. The production process is just a layer of window paper. After Zhu Han exposed it, Ming Dynasty's simple cement had a broad market among the people.

The construction of iron works naturally requires these strong and useful cements.

The laborers Zhang Wuliu mainly did the work of transporting cement, sand and stone.

Zhu Yuanzhang was very satisfied with today's market. After returning to the palace, he immediately ordered rewards for the officials and craftsmen of the Tiantie Factory.

Even the lowest-status workers like Zhang Wuliu were rewarded with three days of extra meals.

The fragrant fatty meat and fried fish made iron factory workers like Zhang Wuliu feel grateful to the Ming Dynasty.

"The Ming Dynasty is really good. What the brother said that day seems to make sense. This iron factory can really make us eat meat!" Zhang Wuliu thought in his heart while chewing the pork belly slices in the bowl.

The pork belly in the bowls of these workers was more than half a catty.

The sizzling and oily pork belly rolled in Zhang Wuliu's mouth, making Zhang Wuliu hum happily.

Zhang Wuliu thought that maybe this iron factory in Ming Dynasty would really allow all the people to eat meat every day.

In order to enable the Ming Dynasty to develop industry as soon as possible, Zhu Han also built other supporting cement and quarries in order to build a Yingtian Iron Works.

In addition to these emerging industries, the original papermaking, ceramics, textile and other industries have also received a lot of technical guidance from Zhu Han.

The total output of silk in the entire Jiangnan region in the fifth year of Hongwu exceeded the total of the previous three years.

The greatest credit for this naturally belongs to Zhu Han. More advanced sterile silkworm rearing and standardized feeding and cultivation have more than doubled the silk production in Jiangnan.

These projects have achieved rapid progress, making Zhu Han's reputation in the Jiangnan business community unprecedentedly high.

At the same time, because of the huge impact of technology on industry, various businesses in Jiangnan attach great importance to technology.

Even in Jiangnan, technical research laboratories belonging to various companies were spontaneously established to develop new technologies specifically for this industry.

The huge output of the Ming Dynasty also brought about a huge increase in exports.

Just Hongwu's share of maritime trade for five years and one year allowed several coastal shipping companies to collect nearly 15 million taels of silver in taxes.

Zhu Han led the Ming Dynasty fleet to purchase a group of strong slaves before leaving the city of Malacca. These slaves were mainly used to serve as rowers on galleys.

These slaves who served as oarsmen were all trafficked by Persian merchants, mainly from countries and regions along the Mediterranean Sea.

The Mediterranean region in the Middle Ages was in chaos, with various countries and religious forces constantly arguing with each other, and large numbers of captives were often sold into slavery.

Even in the distant Southeast Asia, there are many white slaves from Europe.

Zhu Han's Ming fleet sailed north along the coastline and soon arrived in the southern part of Myanmar, which was the east coast of the Indian Ocean. Apart from the hot rainforest, there were no valuable specialties.

Zhu Han commanded the Ming Dynasty fleet to replenish some Danshui here, and purchased some livestock from the local indigenous people to slaughter and make bacon.

Zhu Han led his men around the place again and found that except for the local indigenous people, there were no other signs of civilization.

These backward natives did not have the ability to purchase Ming products, and the only items they could produce were some gems that were not in good condition.

Except for hard currencies such as gold and silver, Zhu Han was not interested in luxury goods such as gems and jade.

He has his own considerations about the business model.

These things have the harmful effect of corroding and degenerating the people.

All luxury goods are only useful when harvesting foreigners.

Zhu Han felt that the extravagant and hedonistic trend of the Ming Dynasty must be controlled artificially.

It is not far from Tianzhu Road, and after about ten days of sailing, we can reach the new Dali City where Duan Gong is located.

This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! However, when Zhu Han was about to set sail, some rocks collided with each other, causing considerable damage to the two galleys.

These two galleys are necessary vessels for the Ming army's activities in the offshore. They have shallow drafts, fast speeds, and are not affected by the wind direction. Without these two galleys, the Ming army's reconnaissance and landing in the offshore will be greatly affected.

Impact.

So Zhu Han immediately ordered the craftsmen on the ship to find a way to repair the two ships as soon as possible.

What a coincidence.

The craftsman who was good at repairing sailboats had suffered from plague and dysentery before, and his body was too weak. He stayed in Malacca City and did not follow him.

The current craftsmen are not skilled enough and the progress is far behind Zhu Han's requirements.

At this moment, a slave rower in charge of rowing stood up and asked for help in repairing the warship.

This slave was a Catholic slave with curly black hair. After being introduced by his translator, Zhu Han agreed to the slave's request and decided to give him a chance. As long as he could repair the warship, he would be given a free sailor.

identity of.

Among the Ming Dynasty's ocean-going fleet, hierarchical order is the most important.

To maintain hierarchical order, a tight and strong superior-subordinate relationship must be ensured.

If you want to change your status on the ship, you must use real merit to change your status level.

From the captain of a battleship to the ordinary oarsman on the ship, every position requires sweat and blood to get what you want.

The slave rower did not disappoint. With his help, the Ming army's warship was quickly repaired. In order to reward the slave, Zhu Han announced in front of all the sailors on the ship that the slave would be restored to the status of a free man.

After Zhu Han learned about his repair process, he was surprised to find that the slave was not illiterate.

He drew many figures on the drawings and wrote a lot of Latin text.

Although Zhu Han couldn't understand which language these Latin characters belonged to, he could clearly know that this slave was definitely not an ordinary person.

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