Zhu Qizhen secretly thought that the management of this Huangzhuang was pretty good, but the output was a bit low. If high-yielding crops such as sweet potatoes, potatoes, and corn were planted in the future, the output would be quite impressive.
Thinking of this, he became more determined to open the sea to the Western Ocean. The vast Golden Continent is full of treasures, and those Western pirates must not be allowed to get there first!
In the words of Qin Shihuang, forehead dripping, forehead dripping, all resemble forehead dripping!
"Oh, the Emperor must be thirsty. This servant was only busy replying and forgot to make tea for the Emperor!"
Xiao Jing seemed to have just remembered this, his face was full of apologies, and he hurriedly turned around and went out to pour tea.
Wynn followed him out and said, "I have all the tea sets used by the Emperor here. You just have to arrange for someone to boil water!"
Xiao Jing came to his senses immediately and said with a smile on his face: "What Eunuch Huai ordered me to do is that I am also confused. How dare I let the emperor use the tea set from outside?"
"Don't be in a hurry to drink tea!"
Zhu Qizhen walked out of the house with his hands behind his back and said, "Take me around and take a look."
Xiao Jing led the way, and when they left the courtyard, they saw that the village was quiet, as if there was no one there.
Zhu Qizhen looked around. Although there was no one on the street, he could see pairs of curious eyes looking behind several closed doors.
Of course he knew what was going on. It must have been Xiao Jing who cleared the scene. However, as the emperor, if he went in front of the people, talked cordially, and asked about their well-being, maybe... he would scare the other person into getting sick...
The people in Zhuangzi would usually shrink when they see the leader of the village, let alone the emperor. Besides, there is no need for him to put on a people-friendly attitude, because what he has to do now is to work hard to improve the lives of the people.
, rather than a meaningless face-saving project.
Across from Zhuangzi, there is a small river at the east end of Zhuangzi, which should be a tributary of the Yongding River.
Due to the continuous drought in recent days, the river has nearly dried up, and most of the river bed is covered with ice and snow. Only a small stream is flowing slowly in the middle of the river bed.
Xiao Jing stepped forward and said: "Your Majesty, this river used to have a lot of water. The fields on both sides were easily irrigated and the grain production was more than it is now. However, the water volume has become smaller and smaller in recent years, so I had to send people to plow a few fields."
We use well water for watering. I am afraid that in a few years, the river will dry up completely. By then...sigh..."
Seeing Xiao Jing sighing, Zhu Qizhen suddenly asked: "How many years have you been managing this Zhuangzi?"
Xiao Jing hurriedly replied: "For your information, Your Majesty, I have been here in Zhuangzi for three years since I was twelve years old. However, at the beginning, I was only responsible for daily chores. I really took over the responsibility of management.
Last year."
Wynn said from the side: "Your Majesty didn't know something. Xiao Jing was proficient in arithmetic and managed Zhuangzi's accounts from a young age. He was meticulous in everything and organized clearly. Eunuch Jin thought that this person was a talent, so he promoted him." p>
Zhu Qizhen nodded and said: "You've done well. If you continue to work hard in the future, I won't treat you badly."
Xiao Jing was immediately moved and hurriedly knelt down and said: "This servant deserves no praise from the Emperor. I just want to serve the Emperor and the royal family wholeheartedly!"
Zhu Qizhen pondered for a moment, and then said: "I am going to set up a new policy pilot in this Zhuangzi and make some changes. Xiao Jing, the burden on your shoulders will be heavier in the future, are you sure?"
Xiao Jing just stood up and immediately bowed down again: "This slave will be shattered into pieces, but he will not let down the grace of God!"
"Get up and talk!"
Zhu Qizhen waved his hand and said: "I don't need you to break to pieces, but you have to withstand the pressure."
Xiao Jing was moved and shocked at the same time, and asked cautiously: "I wonder how the emperor is going to change?"
"Let me ask you first, how much is Zhuangzi's rent?"
"Back to the Emperor, 70%!"
"Okay, the first one is to lower the rent!"
"Reducing rent?"
"That's right, lower the rent!" Zhu Qizhen said, "The common people's land rent will be reduced from 70% to 30%!"
"Ah..."
At this time, not only Xiao Jing, but everyone present was stunned.
Thirty percent?
With this kind of tenancy, even if a prodigal sees him, he still has to call him an expert...
Since ancient times, the rent has never been less than 60%. Huangzhuang charges 70%, which is considered more conscientious. In other places, there are many people who charge 80%, and even 90%!
Directly reducing it to 30% is simply going to subvert people’s cognition!
If you are an ordinary person, that's it. If you accumulate virtue and do good, others can't control it. However, you are the emperor. Once you make this move, what will the other gentry and landlords in the world do?
Wynn laughed along with him and said, "Your Majesty, would you like to think about it again? Land rent is a major source of income for the palace. Without the income, the nobles in the palace will complain and make trouble!"
"Isn't what I said clear enough?"
Zhu Qizhen suddenly turned serious, his tone unquestionable.
In his opinion, this is exploitation, naked exploitation!
The common people work hard in the wind and sun every day, and 70% of the harvest will be taken away. The remaining food will at most make people barely starve to death. In this way, everyone actually thinks it is natural and natural.
Hua En didn't dare to say anything anymore. Xiao Jing secretly wiped the cold sweat on his forehead and said, "I will take note of this."
Zhu Qizhen did not intend to explain concepts such as civil rights and equality to them, because they did not understand it.
Since you have supreme power in your hands, why not use it?
"You will do whatever I say. Anyone who dares to say another word will immediately go to Fengyang to guard the imperial mausoleum!"
Wynn and Xiao Jing shrank their necks and did not dare to say anything anymore.
Zhu Qizhen continued: "Second, you arrange people, choose an open space, and build a textile workshop. The scale cannot be too small, and it must be able to accommodate at least a thousand people."
Xiao Jing was a little confused and asked: "Your Majesty, there are only more than 2,000 people in Zhuangzi. The people have to work in the fields on weekdays. I'm afraid there aren't that many people working..."
"I haven't finished speaking yet!"
Zhu Qizhen rolled his eyes at him and said: "This textile workshop will only recruit female workers when it is built!"
Xiao Jing wanted to shut up, but he couldn't help but ask: "Female worker?"
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"Yes, only female workers are recruited. Most of the people are men working outside and women working inside. How much of a waste of labor is this? In the future, this rule will be changed, and women can also go out to work. By then, textile workshops will not only recruit female workers, but also women.
Managers should also choose from Dongchang and women to save others from gossiping!"
In this era, it is a virtue for a woman not to have talent, and the important thing is to stay at the front door and never leave the second door, because the only woman who needs to show herself... is a prostitute.
Therefore, if a girl from a certain family or someone's daughter-in-law often dresses up and goes out in a flamboyant manner, she will definitely be said by her neighbors to be unruly.
On the other hand, touching your clothes with bare sleeves is considered disrespectful. If you are touched by a man outside, should you marry him or go home and find a rope to hang yourself up?
Over time, everyone has formed a consensus that women are not allowed to appear in public.
What Zhu Qizhen has to do is to liberate women from the family. They are an important part of social productivity. If Ming Dynasty wants to develop, this step must be taken!
"As for the style of the workshop and how to construct it, I will inform the Ministry of Works to arrange for relevant people to come. Your task is to gather the young people in the village and start construction in the spring of next year. Remember, this is not labor, it is work. You need to
If you are in charge of food, you still have to pay wages!"
Xiao Jing nodded repeatedly and said: "I obey the order!"
By this time, he also figured it out, we will do whatever others say, and we will ignore everything else!
Zhu Qizhen continued to order: "Third, send someone to purchase a batch of livestock and distribute it to each household free of charge. Mobilize the elderly, weak, women and children to keep them in captivity. If conditions permit, raise pigs and sheep. If conditions do not, raise some chickens and ducks.
”
While Xiao Jing agreed, he murmured in his heart. He was building a workshop and providing livestock. Where would the money come from?
Zhu Qizhen seemed to know his worries, so he said: "I am not short of money now. I will allocate 100,000 taels to you first. If it is not enough, I will take it later!"
These words are not an exaggeration. What Zhu Qizhen is most in need of right now is money.
As many as a thousand officials from all over the world have been implicated in rebellion and smuggling cases, and most of them are in coastal areas south of the Yangtze River, and countless amounts of property have been confiscated.
I once ransacked Wang Zhen's home and got 60 million taels of silver. I was very excited.
Looking back now, I am still too young!
The two treasuries in Nanjing and Beijing were so full that many properties could not be taken away, so they were directly handed over to the local officials for disposal.
Although the money in the treasury belongs to the imperial court, the Ming Dynasty belongs to itself. Isn’t the money in the imperial court its own money?
Therefore, a mere one hundred thousand taels of silver is just a joke.
"Write down everything I just said. If you don't understand anything, come to the palace at any time and I will explain it to you face to face. Do you understand?"
"I have all taken note of this. I will definitely be able to do everything the Emperor has told me!"
Zhu Qizhen nodded and said: "That's good. I'm waiting for your good news. In addition, if you don't have enough manpower, go to Huai En. He will pick some people from the palace to help you. After all, there are many things. You can do it yourself."
It’s too busy.”
Wynn quickly responded: "I will cooperate with you fully!"
It was getting late at this time, and Zhu Qizhen was preparing to return to the palace. Suddenly he saw the mountains in the distance, and an idea came to his mind.
"How do people keep warm? Are they burning charcoal or coal?"
"Back to the emperor, the common people mainly burn charcoal."
"I remember that burning coal is cheaper than burning charcoal, so why not burn coal?"
In my memory, there are many coal mines in Xishan area, and they are not buried deep and are easy to mine.
"This..."
Xiao Jing was a little hesitant. When Wynn saw this, he couldn't help but said: "Whatever the emperor asks you, you just say it. What does it look like to dawdle?"
"Reporting to the Emperor, the price of coal is indeed cheaper than carbon. Coal has been burned before. However, since last year, all the coal mines in Xishan have been fenced off and no one else is allowed to mine them."
Zhu Qizhen raised his eyebrows and asked, "Who is it?"
Xiao Jing shook his head and said: "I don't know much about this. I just remember that it seemed to be a nobleman who said that all the coal in Xishan was supplied to the stone quarry, and ordinary people were not allowed to mine it. This caused constant complaints. It is said that... there seems to have been a human life.
."
Zhu Qizhen couldn't help but think of Chen Huai, the uncle of Pingxiang. This old man has been digging stones and making cement in Xishan since he came back from building a civil fort. He needs a lot of coal. Could it be him?
If this is really the case, it will be difficult...
After all, he is a comrade who has followed him through life and death, so he should deal with it impartially. If it is inhumane, he should not deal with it. How can he explain it to the people?
He felt very uneasy and asked: "Is this distinguished person you are talking about Uncle Pingxiang?"
"No!"
Wynn shook his head and said, "This person seems to be named Zhang."
"The surname is Zhang..."
Only then did Zhu Qizhen feel relieved. If it wasn't Chen Huai, it would be easy to handle. The one with the surname Zhang...
When mentioning the noble surname Zhang, the first thing that comes to mind is Zhang Mao, but he is not in the capital.
Suddenly, he thought of someone, and his face suddenly became ugly.
"Huaien, when you go back, inform Yuan Bin to find out who did it. He competed with the people for profit and even killed people. Who gave him the courage?"
Huaien quickly agreed: "After I return, I will personally go to Beizhen Fusi to convey the emperor's intention clearly."
Zhu Qizhen looked around. The sun was setting and it was already late. However, he suddenly didn't want to go back to the palace.
"It's rare to come out, so I'll stay here tonight and return to the palace tomorrow morning!"
Huai'en was so anxious that he quickly spoke out to persuade: "Your Majesty, the city gate has not been closed yet, and it is not too late to return to the palace. If you spend the night here... I'm afraid those Qingliu people will be in trouble if they find out..." p>
Zhu Qizhen disagreed and said, "The people who live here are all my people, so there is nothing to worry about. As for those Qingliu, they like to talk about it, but I don't care!"
Wynn was a little helpless. He had agreed to leave the palace for a walk, but why didn't he stay there?
You didn't tell me in advance, and I didn't prepare anything. If something happens, I can't afford it...
Zhu Qizhen said again: "Besides, the affairs in the palace are handled by King Xi, so I should go out more often. Otherwise, if I know nothing about the affairs outside the palace and the sufferings of the people, wouldn't I become a fool and a mediocre king?"
Jun?"
Wynn was frightened and said quickly: "Your Majesty, you must not dare to say that. You are an eternal wise king, and your martial arts skills are as good as those of Taizu and Taizong!"
Zhu Qizhen didn't want to talk nonsense with him and returned to Zhuangzi.
Xiao Jing did not dare to neglect, first ordered someone to make tea, and then hurriedly went to prepare dinner.
Fortunately, he had prepared in advance and prepared eight dishes and eight bowls, as well as stewed an old hen. Although it was not as delicious as a mountain delicacy, it was still rich.
"Your Majesty, the food in the countryside is poor, please bear with me."
Zhu Qizhen was not particular about eating or anything else, so he said: "Eat, as long as you can eat enough, let's do this. You leave four dishes for me and Fan Zhong, and I will reward you with the rest."
You guys!"
Xiao Jing was immediately flattered and said quickly: "Your Majesty, please don't do this. I can just eat some of this."
Zhu Qizhen didn't want to be polite to him, so he said: "Follow my instructions, and if you are verbose, you will be punished as a rebel!"
Xiao Jing had no choice but to leave four dishes and take away the rest.
Zhu Qizhen picked up the bowl and started to cook the rice. As if the wind was blowing, he finished a bowl of rice.
"You guys eat too, I'm going out for a walk to eat!"
When Fan Zhong heard this, he immediately wolfed down his food, then put down his job and followed out.
Wynn looked at the food in his hands that had not been touched with chopsticks, shook his head, and had to get up to follow.