Chapter 270: Satisfy the tillers, and keep the weavers cold
The emperor had vaguely heard some deep meaning, and the same was true for Chu Kuan. One of the two men ruled the world, but he was very studious... or curious, and always maintained strong energy and a global perspective; while the other was...
Because I often have to deal with the best among the world's talents, coupled with my subtle and embarrassing identity, I constantly work hard to enrich myself.
Therefore, Chu Kuan couldn't help but murmured to himself: "These people with spare money will buy meat and eggs that they are reluctant to buy, so the prices of meat, eggs and poultry on the market may increase... while raising pigs, sheep, and chickens
When people like ducks find these valuable, they will naturally raise more of them..."
He rubbed his temples vigorously and continued: "If there are more of these things, maybe the prices will fall, but it is also possible that they will make more money. So for those who raise pigs, sheep, chickens and ducks,
Maybe I can buy the white rice and noodles that I couldn’t afford before, all kinds of beautiful clothes, and even more expensive jewelry!”
The emperor immediately clapped his hands and praised: "Yes, this is the same principle. Also, if you eat more meat and vegetables, you will eat less rice and flour staple food. As long as more and more people have money, then even if the output of rice and wheat flour is
It has been reduced, but it can actually make the world’s people live!”
Zhang Shou nodded with a smile and said: "The emperor and Eunuch Chu have indeed thought far-reaching. However, this is only an ideal situation. The increase in production of one thing may not be able to stimulate all aspects of clothing, food, housing and transportation. It may even be because the market is full of cotton cloth and even
For a finished product like clothing, its price is as low as grass. But at least, this path is not wrong."
"I once said in the Imperial College that modern people are better than the past. Why? Today's agricultural tools are better than those of the Qin and Han Dynasties, better than those of the Tang and Song Dynasties, and of course better than those of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, the heyday of Yao and Shun, and the Western Zhou Dynasty when countless literati recalled the prevalence of Zhou rites.
And with good farm tools, the output of the fields will naturally be far better than before. Therefore, just like improving textile machines and looms, if we continue to improve farming tools, improve farming techniques, and cultivate high-quality and high-yielding seeds, the yield per mu will not be as high as before.
Wouldn’t it be higher?”
The emperor's last trace of carelessness disappeared, replaced by unparalleled solemnity. He still remembered the records when he first read Taizu's Records. Taizu had done many things, many of which many people at the time could not understand, but
There are also many things that are widely praised, including personal farming. There were even many rice fields in the northern city of the Outer Imperial City.
Nowadays, some people think that Emperor Taizu wanted to express his emphasis on agriculture, but he learned from the stories passed down orally by the ceremonial supervisor that Emperor Taizu wanted to cultivate fine rice seeds. However, because after the founding of the country, everything was in need of improvement, and later Taizu
Zu also tried his best to cultivate Taizong, and finally set sail to sea to avoid seizing the legitimate heir and because of the suspicion between father and son. However, the rice fields failed to cultivate superior varieties, and he was eventually lost in history.
He nodded slightly and said approvingly: "As expected of you, when you were a young child, you worked tirelessly in the fields to persuade the villagers to plant rice and raise tussahs. You actually have such a profound view of these men farming and women weaving.
.”
"I just feel that the lives of the folks and elders are really too hard."
When he said this, Zhang Shou was completely sincere: "I once saw that when spring planting was short of food, the villagers mixed a lot of wild vegetables with flour, were reluctant to add oil and salt, and then baked it in a pot.
A wild vegetable cake with a burnt black color, dry and bitter, to satisfy the hunger. I have also seen young children struggling in bed with fever and no money for medical treatment, but their parents can only pray to God."
"I have seen hard-working farmers who only eat two meals a day, sweating all over the soil but not daring to rest for a moment. I have seen children raising chickens and ducks, salivating at the eggs laid by the chickens and ducks, and secretly eating them.
One of them will be beaten to death by his parents, just because the eggs have to be sold for money. Although my family, or the rent of Zhao Guogong's mansion is very low, and my mother has helped them, it is still difficult to quench everyone's thirst."
"So, I heard that the capital needs a large amount of food to be transported northward by water and sea every year, and rice is expensive and rice is cheap, so I just tried to ask the villagers to change the wheat fields into rice fields, bought silkworm seeds, stocked tussahs on a large scale, and encouraged women to weave
Silk. Therefore, when Zhu Gongquan, who followed Yingying to the village, made a slanderous speech in the fields to the peasants, I was thinking of those poems."
"It's noon on the day of hoeing, and sweat drips from the weeds on the soil. Who would have thought that every grain of rice on the plate is hard work."
"Anyone who went to the city yesterday and came back with tears streaming down his face and silk scarves all over his body is not a sericulture farmer."
"Making the tillers full and keeping the weavers cold, this is what an official should do most. I am a white man who has never obtained any meritorious service, but thanks to the favor of the emperor, I am now an official and a doctor of the country. I only hope to be able to
In addition to cultivating a group of talented people, I will also do what I can for the farmers and weavers. Moreover, I also want to collect cotton seeds from all over the world, as well as various other overseas seeds."
Zhang Shou paused and said word by word: "You know, the cotton used for weaving today was not originally produced in the Central Plains, but came from the west. And now we eat watermelons or grapes,
It is also not produced in the Central Plains. I feel that outside the territory of our Ming Dynasty, these seeds that can make people full and full are more valuable than spices, gems, jade and other goods."
"Okay, very good, very good! Zhang Qing, I really did not misjudge you!"
The emperor did not hesitate to express his appreciation for Zhang Shou, using three good words in a row. Chu Kuan on the side woke up from his dream, and when he looked at Zhang Shou again, his eyes were also full of incredulity.
Regarding the matter of Zhang Chen cheating the second prince, if it were another person, he would definitely have to shed his skin even if he died, but Zhang Shou not only jumped over this natural chasm with ease and deftness, but also used such logic to win the emperor's favor.
Praise!
Although he could not be said to have breathed a sigh of relief, the emperor had completely forgotten the fact that the second prince was cheated by Zhang Chen. He waved to Zhang Shou to come forward, and after asking Zhang Shou a few more questions, Zhang Shou heard that
After Shou finished talking about the arrangements for Zhang Chen, he gradually relaxed.
"If those guys who are holding back their energy and fighting Zhang Wu and Zhang Lu knew that you had laid such a trap for them, I wonder how aggrieved they would be?"
Zhang Shou smiled slightly and said nonchalantly: "Being kind and generous will bring happiness to your family. Being rich and unkind will lead to destruction from heaven and earth!"
The emperor immediately listened to the music, pointed at Zhang Shou and scolded with a smile: "People all say that if a person does not serve himself, he will be destroyed by heaven and earth, but here you have become a man who is rich and unkind, and he will be destroyed by heaven and earth? If your words spread, I don't know how many rich people there will be.
The family will gnash their teeth at you! Even those mountain kings who claim to rob the rich, give to the poor, and do justice for heaven can't do what you do!"
"Everyone has selfish motives, and ministers are the same. If you are poor, you can take care of yourself, and if you are prosperous, you can help the world. If you can have good food and clothing while allowing more people to have enough food and clothing, wouldn't that be the best of both worlds?"
Zhang Shou paused for a moment and then said nonchalantly: "In addition, I just asked the emperor for permission to collect seeds from all over the world. I didn't want the imperial court to issue an edict. Because when a government order is conveyed and passed through various levels of government,
Often it will continue to be distorted, and eventually it will spread to the ears of the people. Maybe asking for good seeds will turn into asking for good luck, misinterpreting the emperor's good intentions, and the censors will also attack in groups. "
The emperor suddenly let out a light sigh, and then said approvingly: "That's not bad. In the past dynasties, when various good government orders were conveyed to the people, they were already in disarray, and this must be the same. In this case, then you are ready
How to collect? In your name?”
With a smile, Zhang Shou said calmly: "The world is so big that there are all kinds of wonders. Some people like thin waists, some people like plump waists, some people like literature, and some people like martial arts. In this case, some people have sudden whims and are tireless farmers.
That’s normal. For example, my future second uncle is not good at literature and martial arts, so he finds another way and wants to be a good farmer. This should be normal, right?”
Zhang Shou actually had Zhu Er's idea!
After realizing this, Chu Kuan secretly took a breath and couldn't help but mourn for Zhu Er, but then he heard the emperor laughing: "Zhu Erlang was jumping up and down while his father and brother were not around. When his eldest brother comes back,
He has already been beaten, and now that Zhu Jing is back, he is afraid that he will be beaten again!"
"Don't tell me that you want him to be a good farmer now, even if you ask him to go to the fields himself, he will be willing to do it!"
Zhang Shouzheng had a long and in-depth talk with the emperor in Qianqing Palace, and then the emperor asked Chu Kuan to go to the imperial dining room to pass some snacks. As you continue to say, if you don't have enough time, you can stay and have dinner with me. When Zhao Guogong's mansion was occupied by Zhao Guogong Zhu Jing,
After returning home, there was a lot of excitement. Among them, Zhu Er was undoubtedly the most desperate.
Although he had been calculating the date of his father's return, he never expected that his eldest brother would suddenly come back, and his father, who still had hundreds of soldiers with him, would suddenly come back! Even if his father stayed away from home, he would come back suddenly.
, went directly to the palace to face the saint, but he didn't even have time to move reinforcements - and when he thought of asking Zhang Shou, he learned a bad news.
Zhang Shou was dragged into the palace by Zhu Ying!
What shocked him the most was that when Zhu Jing and Zhu Ying returned home, he learned that Zhang Shou had something important to tell the emperor, so he stayed in Qianqing Palace while his father and sister came back first.
Realizing that the last savior could not help at all, the frustrated Zhu Er simply stopped going to Qing'an Hall and stayed in his Ziyan Pavilion like a trapped animal waiting for the final verdict.
Sure enough, not long after, he heard Mother Li's familiar voice coming from outside the door: "Second Young Master, I am at Mrs. Qing'an Hall's place, asking you to come over."
"oh."
Originally, when his father came back, his son should go there as soon as possible, but Zhu Er was really afraid of his father's thunderous wrath, so he just wanted to delay it for a moment. At this time, after agreeing, he walked forward listlessly and opened the door.
Mother Li stood outside the door. He was about to ask how his father was feeling, but after a second thought, he gave up the idea.
Even if my father is in a good mood, it will definitely not be good to see him!
He walked up and down to the outside of Qing'an Hall. Zhu Er saw the maidservants lined up in front of the entrance, but there was no sound. When he passed through the hall and came to the yard in front of the main hall, he heard Zhu Ying's crisp voice in the house.
There was laughter, and occasionally the voice of his elder brother Zhu Tingfang. Thinking that his eldest brother was excellent, his sister was beautiful, and he was the only incompetent person in the middle, he felt even more depressed.
When he came to the door with his head drooped, he heard Mother Li say: "Madam, Master, Madam, the second young master is here."
"I thought he didn't see me as a father, and he wouldn't know to come to see me unless he sent someone to invite me!"
Zhu Erdeng's heart skipped a beat. When Mother Li next to him stretched out his hand to lift the door curtain, he bravely stepped forward with his stiff legs and crossed the threshold. But before his other foot followed him, he heard the voice he hadn't heard for a long time.
It seemed to be getting more and more majestic, a voice that made people's scalp numb.
"Why, you don't dare to come in and see me? So, in your heart, Zhu Tingjie, do you still know the word "fear"?"
Zhu Er, whose knees were weak from fear, did not dare to argue. He fell to his knees on the ground and said with a sad face: "Dad, I know I was wrong."
"You know your fault? You caused such a big incident and almost brought shame to our Zhu family. Now you actually say that you know your fault?" When I first heard about all these things at home,
Zhu Jing was already so angry that he wanted to fly back to the capital and chop the traitor with a knife. Now when he saw the person, he finally couldn't help but burst into anger.
"Your eldest brother ignored the safety of his life and destroyed the firearms camp that Beilu regarded as his life. Your father and I risked our lives not to be famous, but also to clean up the mess in Datong into something that can be seen. Your grandmother is a lot older, but she is still alive.
You have to support this family in all the ups and downs. Your mother can also put down her original chores and go home to help, and even your sister is more sensible than you!"
Hearing his father talk about the good things about other people, Zhu Er didn't even dare to raise his head. This was not the first time that he felt as if he was not his parents' biological child, as if he was not a child of the Zhu family - not just because he was in
His status in the family is still because he feels that he has not inherited any advantages from his parents or grandmother.
Even Zhu Ying... wasn't as brainless as he thought before. She fell in love at first sight and she was able to choose such a talented and beautiful husband as Zhang Shou!
Seeing that Zhu Jing was shaking with anger, Zhu Ying looked at her father's hair, which was already half white, and unknowingly softened her heart. She originally just wanted her father to teach her second brother a few words -
After all, my grandmother beat her second brother with a family method, and the eldest brother came back and beat the second brother again. If her father got angry again and passed on the family method at this time, she really doubted that the second brother would be beaten to death!
Therefore, Zhu Ying quickly hugged Zhu Jing's arm and said coquettishly: "Dad, what do you mean, even I am more sensible than my second brother, as if I have never been sensible before! Both my grandmother and eldest brother have been beaten.
I’ve already scolded him, and besides, my second brother knows that he’s changed now, so just forgive him this time!”
Zhu Jing suddenly looked at his daughter in astonishment. But at this moment, he heard a familiar but unfamiliar voice coming from his ears: "It's the father's fault if he didn't educate him. If you want to blame Erlang, you should also reflect on it."
You yourself, even I, have neglected my duties as a mother, but I am not without responsibility. The past is in the past, it’s good that Erlang knows his mistakes and can correct them, and he can make progress."