"Cheap? Am I the kind of person who can't afford it?"
Suzhou Prefecture, a station five miles outside the city, was already crowded with countless people, people bumping into each other.
People were carrying small parcels and looking around from time to time, not to mention how nervous they were.
Long queues stretched out for hundreds of steps, moving forward one after another, making the people behind them sweat on their foreheads.
At the ticket window, there were about a dozen old men, tall and tall, with loud voices, and they were not easy to mess with at first glance.
They were aloof, like court servants in a pawn shop, speaking condescendingly, with cold and impatient expressions.
Those who bought tickets raised their heads, reluctantly put their money in front of them, and shouted out the tickets they wanted.
Although I know it's awkward, everyone is in a weak position and no one dares to speak.
Even those with a slight fortune did not want to refute.
Compared with the attitude, the fare is more uncomfortable.
Here is the ticket office for the railway carriage.
At this time, the newly appointed Zhenjiang magistrate, Fang Yizhi, accompanied by a group of elders, came to the ticket office outside the city.
In front of them was the person in charge of operating the railway tracks. He looked gentle, but exuded a bit of a businessman's air, a mixture of the two.
Since the construction of the railway was a joint venture between the Ministry of Internal Affairs and private gentry, the person in charge was elected by the businessmen and was called the Grand Treasurer.
I saw that the big shopkeeper had also seen the world, and he was not afraid at all when facing the prefect, and explained in an orderly manner:
"Fu Zun, the rail carriage traveled five hundred miles from Zhenjiang Prefecture to Songjiang Prefecture. The stations it stopped at were Danyang, Wujin, Changzhou, Wuxi, Suzhou, Kunshan, Qingpu, and Songjiang, a total of eight stations..."
"Just these 500 miles of railway track cost 3.5 million yuan. It can be said that it was built step by step, paved with mountains of gold and silver..."
"Look, this railway track is a double track. It's very convenient and fast to go back and forth. There is a train every two quarters of an hour..."
"Oh? Regarding the railway tracks, I have heard about them in the newspapers. Now I am lucky enough to see them. It is better to meet them than to be famous."
Fang Yizhi stroked his beard and praised.
His old father passed away a few years ago, and he had been living in Anqing for two and a half years. Now he has officially taken up the post of Zhenjiang prefect. This is the first time he has seen this thing.
"Master Fu, the people in Yingtian Mansion are not happy and are clamoring to retire to Yingtian." At this time, the governor also joined in the fun and said:
"They don't even think about it, can Ying Tianfu Yin make the decision? It has to be the Holy One's decision. It won't happen in a year and a half."
"Why should Yingtian Mansion also cultivate?" Fang Yizhi asked softly, his eyes full of exploration.
"Master Fu, this railway track is naturally more convenient."
The big shopkeeper then continued: "In the past, it took only three to five days to get off from Zhenjiang to Songjiang Mansion, including boats and carriages."
"Now that we have this railway carriage, although it takes time to replace the horses, it only takes half a day at most. It is very convenient and there is no danger."
After hearing this explanation, Fang Yizhi did not hesitate.
The colleague on the side said in a low voice: "Let the government know that this railway track is convenient, but it is a bit expensive. One stop costs one yuan. From Zhenjiang to Songjiang, eight stops cost eight yuan."
"A carriage can transport about thirty people, and a round trip costs nearly 500 yuan. They can earn at least 400 yuan."
"What are the benefits of the Yamen?" Fang Yizhi asked in a deep voice.
"There are also benefits." Tongzhi chuckled and said, "Although this business is done by the emperor and the gentry, the government is also involved."
"Think about it, with such a long railway track, if there is the slightest mistake, the car will crash and people will be killed. Moreover, we have to prevent those unscrupulous people from stealing the railway track, but we have to ask the Yamen to protect it."
"Therefore, each station has to pay 1,000 yuan to the local county government every month, which is considered a tax."
Fang Yizhi suddenly realized.
One thousand yuan may not seem like much, but it is 12,000 yuan a year, which is extremely rich for the local county government.
But this shows how terrifying the profits of railway tracks are.
What's more, the entire southern Jiangsu area is densely populated and wealthy. Eight yuan may seem like a lot, but compared to several days of hard work, food, drink and accommodation, it's worth the money.
"It's no wonder Yingtian Mansion covets you."
Fang Yizhi sighed: "This is like a mountain of gold and silver, everyone wants to have it!"
"You're always right."
The big shopkeeper nodded, and said respectfully and proudly: "The gentry and yamen in those places want to build railway tracks privately, but they don't have the door."
"His Majesty personally decided on this matter. No one can build it privately without his permission."
"However, please let me keep it under wraps. The matter of Yingtian Mansion is still going to be a hassle!"
"oh?"
Fang Yizhi was a little surprised.
According to common sense, Yingtian Mansion has a very high status. As the capital of the imperial court, the governor's status can reach directly to the imperial court. It should be very easy to build just a few railway tracks.
He took another look and saw an endless stream of people coming out of the station entrance, as well as shops, warehouses, inns, wine shops, and even more than a dozen places to look for flowers and flowers as far as the eye could see.
In such a busy area, the local government office probably collects more than a thousand yuan in taxes every month!
"You are so clever." The shopkeeper whispered, "There is a Xiaoling Mausoleum outside Nanjing City."
"The government and the public are paying attention. Many people have written letters and said that the noise on the railway tracks has disturbed the peace of Grandfather Taizu. Who dares to bear such a big responsibility?"
"That's true." Fang Yizhi looked serious: "Huang Ming has always governed the country with filial piety. When it comes to the Grand Ancestor, you really need to be cautious. A small profit is nothing."
"See you, Sir——"
Everyone praised him and started wandering around the station again.
The more he looked, the more shocked Fang Yizhi became.
The entire station covers an area of less than thirty acres, but an earthen wall has been built, which is more than three feet high, surrounding the entire station. There is only one exit.
All people who buy tickets will be stamped as proof of entry and exit.
In addition to money, guests must also have a road guide as proof, otherwise they will not be able to ride at all.
"This is the seal?"
The prefect looked at it with curiosity and felt surprised.
"This is a method that a certain dye dealer came up with. We used to use road signs to stamp the stamps, but we found that people boarded the bus repeatedly, so we stamped them directly on the back of our hands."
The big shopkeeper chuckled and said: "This dye is also strange, it can be eliminated in a day's work."
"You see, at the entrance, those big men are rubbing the backs of their hands. As long as they can't be rubbed off, they will let them go. It's very convenient."
"It's like if you want to go to Changzhou, you will have Zhenjiang and Changzhou stamped on the back of your hand. If you take the bus to Songjiang, you will have to pay a fine..."
Fang Yizhi walked around for a long time before returning to the government office.
With the front office and the back residence, Zhenjiang Mansion is worthy of being the location of southern Jiangsu. It looks shabby on the outside, but it is magnificent on the inside, and the furniture is of the best style.
Not long after he sat down, the housekeeper came to report that a businessman from Anqing Mansion asked to see him.
Hearing that he was from his hometown, Fang Yizhi thought about it and agreed.
The businessman did not have a philistine air, but was very elegant: "Master Fu, the article you published in Anqing Wenbao has been published in the newspaper, and I have come here specially to pay you for the manuscript!"
After hearing this, Fang Yizhi suddenly realized.
It turned out that during his stay in Ding You, he was not idle, so he refilled some parts of the "Little Knowledge of Physics" he had compiled, and then published it in Anqing Wenbao.
He hadn't been seen for more than half a month. It was surprising that he got the news not long after he took office as the prefect.
However, after thinking about it for a moment, he realized that they were just looking at the food.
"Why don't you bother to repay me for my humble work?"
"What the hell." The businessman hurriedly apologized and said with a smile: "The editor of the newspaper was fired before, and then all your articles were missed. I saw it a few days ago and was shocked."
"When I wanted to send you the manuscript fee, I found out that it was your house. The common people were very frightened, so they came to Zhenjiang in person to apologize to you..."
After hearing these words, Fang Yizhi's expression softened.
At this time, he suddenly understood that it was reasonable for people to abandon their own articles.
My "Little Knowledge of Physics" is not eight-part essays or novels. It just involves fifteen categories, including heavenly categories, calendar categories, wind, thunder, rain, and Yang categories, earth categories, horoscope categories, and human body categories. It is explained in conjunction with Western learning.
For example, it has been traditionally believed that the sky is round and the earth is flat. Missionaries came to China and brought the theory of a round earth. Fang Yizhi accepted it, so he said: "The terrain is like a walnut, with convex mountains and concave seas."
Moreover, based on Xiyi's observation with a telescope, he discovered that Venus "sometimes is dim, sometimes is full, and sometimes is waxing and waning." He also put forward the hypothesis that Venus and Mercury orbit the sun.
No matter which one it is, the impact on the public is huge.
In this case, how could other newspapers publish it?
"This is your royalties."
The businessman handed over a bag of money.
When I opened it, it turned out to be a golden circle.
"This is quite rare." Fang Yizhi was surprised, a bit surprised.
How many silver rounds are there in the market today? One silver round is worth one tael of silver, while one gold round is worth ten silver rounds.
Gold is more precious than silver, so naturally it is worth a lot of money, and the silver coins minted by the imperial court are not as common as those made in the past.
A mere thirty pieces, worth three hundred silver coins.
The royalties seem to be quite a lot.
"I'm afraid it's not worth it!" Fang Yizhi shook his head and pushed his money bag forward: "Although my book is good, there are many objections in it, and it's less than three hundred yuan."
"Who in Tongcheng doesn't know your reputation?" The businessman said respectfully: "Just your old name is worth the price."
Fang Yizhi is a representative figure of the Tongcheng faction, and his reputation is naturally very great. He is also one of the four famous princes.
Fang Yizhi looked straight and said in a deep voice: "If you have anything, just tell me directly. If you and I are from the same country, we can take care of you."
"Futai, there is really no other way."
The businessman smiled bitterly and said: "Recently, there has been news circulating in Anqing Prefecture that Yingtian is going to build railway tracks. You are from Anhui, so you should know that if Yingtian Prefecture sneezes, we Anqing people will have to put on some clothes-"
"I heard that Yingtian Prefecture is building a railway track, and Anqing Prefecture is uneasy. The gentry among the people are clamoring, thinking of building a railway track to go to Luzhou Prefecture."
"No matter what happens, Tongcheng will go to Luzhou, right?"
"Nonsense——" Fang Yizhi heard this, frowned, and said in a deep voice: "The affairs of the railway tracks are all under the dictatorship of the Holy One. How can I, a little prefect, make the final decision?"
"The common people also know this, so the gentry have spoken out, and asked officials and people from all walks of life to jointly submit a letter to the court. You are a local person with high talent and reputation, so I want you to respond..."
The businessman spoke calmly and in an orderly manner, so Fang Yizhi had no choice but to agree.
Because this is a joint event for the entire Anqing Prefecture.
If he doesn't want to be ostracized and scolded at home, he must agree.
"What do the local gentry do to repair the railroad tracks?"
Fang Yizhi frowned and asked casually.
"Our Anhui provincial capital is in Luzhou. Although it is not far from us, it is full of mountain roads and rivers. It is very difficult to walk. It is inconvenient to take the provincial examination or the provincial examination.
Unlike previous years, you can get to Yingtianfu by taking a boat directly from the pier, and you can get there in one day."
"If you ask me, it would be best to put the provincial capital in Yingtian. If not, it's better to put it in Anqing."
The businessman complained that what was on his mind was the affairs of the provincial government.
Obviously, Yingtianfu has been the center for three hundred years, and the people of Anqing still do not trust Luzhou.
There is even a bit of pride in my heart.
Anqing is bounded by Hubei to the west, Jiangxi to the south, and the Yangtze River passes through the city. The transportation is very convenient. Anqing is the richest city in Anhui, and is as rich as Huizhou, which is prosperous in business.
In terms of imperial examinations, Anqing Prefecture also ranked first in Anhui and was the best even in Jiangsu.
Now Luzhou Prefecture has become the provincial capital, and half of it has been divided into Lu'an Prefecture. Whether it is population or taxation, it cannot be compared with Anqing.
Under such circumstances, who would want to recognize Luzhou and wish they could become the provincial capital themselves?
"Okay, I agree." Fang Yizhi shook his head and said with a wry smile: "Just take the money back!"
The businessman refused.
Fang Yizhi had no choice but to take ten gold yuan. His words were only worth so much.
However, he said that in the entire Jiangnan area, because of the huge profits made from the railway tracks, there was a big uproar among the people through newspaper publicity.
Firstly, the gentry loved the convenience, and secondly, they wanted to make money, so they all wanted to build railway tracks.
But this kind of matter was presided over by the emperor, so they had no choice but to make noises and submit letters.
At this time, the emperor, after inspecting Zunhua, went to Shanhaiguan.
The end of the railway track is Shanhaiguan.
As a barrier inside and outside the pass, the importance of Shanhaiguan is self-evident. Three thousand border troops are directly stationed here.
After all, unlike before, this is no longer a border, but a checkpoint.
The real frontier of the Ming Dynasty has expanded to the north for more than 500 miles, and 30,000 frontier troops are stationed in Chahar. As long as it is safe there, the entire Gyeongsang Province will be peaceful.
Zhu Yixi watched the endless stream of merchants passing through the customs, his eyes swept through the large and small bags, his expression remained unchanged:
“How much money can Shanhaiguan collect in a year?”
The guard general is a guerrilla general. He said tremblingly: "Your Majesty, I don't dare to be greedy. These are all controlled by the Commercial and Taxation Department. I am just a guard..."
Zhu Yixi was speechless and glanced at him, making the latter tremble with fear.
Soon, people from the Commercial and Taxation Department came and reported: "The huge Shanhaiguan Pass has more than 300,000 people passing through it every year, and it can collect about one million yuan."
"The humble minister is lying, given time, the whole of Liaodong develops, Shanhaiguan can rise again -"