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?"

This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading!

"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."
To be continued...