"The powerful powerful people from the mainland moved to the three capitals, the poor people from the Central Plains immigrated to the border areas, and now a large number of so-called criminal parties have been demoted to the border areas. This is really going to turn the world upside down."
"A good thing cannot be destroyed or established. According to me, this is where the emperor's sage comes from. Once these three things are completed, the Ming Dynasty will be prosperous for at least three hundred years."
In a teahouse outside the Imperial Academy, a group of young scholars were discussing current affairs. As scholars who are the beloved sons of heaven, they are undoubtedly the most promising elites of the empire. Especially after the world is at peace, scholars will be the ones who govern the country.
the main force.
In recent years, the emperor has intended to reform the academic system. In addition to the imperial examination system, a college system has emerged. Schools at all levels have sprung up. They all have their own specialties and do not focus on the content of the scientific examination. This has also forced today's imperial examination.
It is also slowly changing. It is no longer purely about the eight-legged writing technique of the Four Books and Five Classics. More disciplines have been added, and even more emphasis has been placed on policy theory.
It is now very difficult to pass the Jinshi examination just by reading the Four Books and Five Classics and studying the Eight-part Partition at home. Nowadays, it is not the first few years of Emperor Shaotian. Now the number of Jinshi has been reduced and returned to normal. Only three to four hundred people will be admitted in one subject every three years, and then additional
The provincial quotas for recruiting Jinshi made the competition more intense. In the end, the Jinshi admitted by quotas from each province took part in the palace examination. The emperor appointed the rankings, and selected the top scholar, second best scholar, and so on.
There are also many people who fail the imperial examination, so they go to colleges and universities instead. Those who are talented can take the secondary college entrance examination, and those who have imperial examination status can directly enter colleges and universities. After graduation, they will be assigned directly to their counterparts.
The future of the central and provincial government agencies, the army, some royal camps, and government agencies is also very good. No matter how you enter the system, you will be promoted if you do well.
Another student from Imperial Capital Normal University said bluntly: "I think what's really powerful is the new decree issued by the imperial court. This is the killer move that will really affect the future pattern."
All the beauties of the imperial capital knew that the New Deal that this fat classmate was talking about was actually issued by an edict issued by the emperor after returning from his western tour this year. There was no prior debate when it was issued, and it was issued suddenly, but once it was issued,
It can be said that it caused an uproar immediately.
Although this edict was issued somewhat suddenly, it had a great impact.
Because this was an edict authorizing trading companies to colonize overseas, the imperial court granted royal charters to some qualified trading firms or companies, allowing them to go overseas for trade and colonization. Whoever grabbed the land first would have the privileges of the Ming Dynasty protected.
Don't allow others to rob it again.
The emperor implemented a dual system for the charters issued to these trading companies, namely the trading company's board of directors system and the imperial court's board of supervisors system.
These companies are funded and established by shareholders. They can also issue shares and recruit more small and medium-sized shareholders to share interests and risks. Everyone pools money to buy ships and goods. If they make money, everyone will share the dividends. If something goes wrong, they will also share the losses. Because maritime trade has a maximum
The risk is that sometimes it is easy for a whole ship to sink into the sea with its cargo, losing all money. Therefore, if a group of people builds more ships, or even recruits more small shareholders to raise money, then everyone will have a share in each ship.
Then even if the ship sinks, all the capital will not be lost.
Nowadays, the merchant ships of the Ming Dynasty are traveling further and further, and they are beginning to face threats from many established colonists. For example, although the Ming Dynasty occupies Singapore at the western end of the Strait of Malacca, the Dutch are stronger here, and the Pacific route from Luzon to America,
The Spanish have a monopoly, and on the Indian Ocean side, the British are stronger.
…
In addition to storms at sea, merchant ships also face pirates and even assassinations from colonial countries. To ensure safety, it is best to be armed and even let them go overseas to establish their own trading stations, strongholds and even develop colonies.
In essence, this is just using private power to make up for the shortcomings of the lower court. The court cannot reach out everywhere and appropriately delegate some powers. This kind of cooperation will give everyone what they need.
A private person establishes a trading company, forms a joint-stock board of directors, and the court issues a license, and then obtains a certain number of shares and even a board seat. The company's business is mainly decided by the board of directors, but the company's supervisory board is mainly composed of civil and military officials sent by the court or
The supervisory board supervises the board of directors and ensures the court's interests in the company. Even the aspects of war, contract making, army formation, and combat command involved in the company's foreign colonization are mainly authorized by the supervisory board.
The board of directors is the actual partner investor of the company and is responsible for operating decisions. The board of supervisors is actually a representative of the imperial court. It is not only responsible for supervising the audit, but also responsible for more professional plunder, war, and diplomacy.
In essence, they were not much different from colonial trading companies such as the British East India Company and the Dutch East India Company, except that the Ming court had slightly stronger control over the trading and colonial companies.
There are few licenses issued in the early stage. You must have a certain scale to be eligible to apply. On one route, too many licenses will not be issued to avoid vicious competition. Those small and medium-sized companies that cannot obtain licenses can only be affiliated to these large companies.
Only in the name of a company can we obtain colonial permission. The imperial court allowed large companies to take care of it, which also reduced costs and strengthened supervision.
Anyway, as soon as this edict was issued, the royal family took the lead in establishing the Nanyang Trading Company, the East China Sea Trading Company, the Siberia Trading Company, the Yindi Trading Company, the Australian Trading Company, the Indian Trading Company, the Burmese Trading Company, and the African Trading Company.
Officials such as the Ministry of Household Affairs and the Ministry of Industry also immediately established several government-run trading companies.
The private sector, and even many trading companies applying for licenses, all saw the benefits behind this edict. The risks and benefits coexisted. If they could obtain colonial rights, they would have the power to seize territory.
Even after the seizure of the colony, they only had economic privileges, but those powerful relatives were all aware of the huge profits, and some of the current policies of the court made many people feel the crisis.
If we can acquire some territory overseas, we can have multiple escape routes in case of an emergency.
Just like the emperor's eldest son-in-law, the son of the former Nanyang Admiral Zhou Rui, he went to Johor to cause trouble, supported a king, and actually controlled a large area of the archipelago. It was the mouth of the strait on the golden waterway. Now there is
The trade volume is astonishing, the population is also growing rapidly, and the value of those inconspicuous and abandoned islands has doubled.
If Prince Consort Zhou had developed this territory with a license, then it would be very scary for the profits to belong to private individuals. Even if they had to share some with the court and pay taxes, it was such a large territory.
Nowadays, it is impossible to own a real fiefdom in the mainland of the Central Plains. Even in the border areas, one can only obtain the economic rights to build some manors and pastures on some land.
And if you build colonies overseas, you will really be a Turkish emperor.
…
What kind of indigenous sultan or king is a puppet?
“There are so many trading companies recently, which one’s stock have you bought?” a student asked with a smile.
They belong to the elite class, the darlings of heaven, and they study in the imperial capital, so they know very well about national affairs and can be the first to interpret these latest policies.
The trading companies that have sprung up like mushrooms include royal, government and private companies. Many of them have obtained colonial licenses and are issuing stocks to raise more capital to buy ships and goods, and even recruit mercenaries and purchase weapons and armaments.
, even buying insurance, etc., all of which require a lot of money, and raising money by issuing shares can also spread risks.
"I bought several royal and government-run companies, especially the Nanyang Trading Company. I think they have the royal name and the scope of their business is the most promising. There is also the private Pacific Trading Company, which I think has a better future.
Yes, their announcement said they will focus on the Luzon Islands."
Another person said, "I am more optimistic about Ruianxiang Oriental Trading Company. This company mainly operates in the Japanese direction, and the major shareholders behind it are all founders, and they are mainly from the Eastern Palace background, and they are all the prince's father-in-law."
Japan is rich in silver and copper, and now a large amount of it is imported into the Central Plains, and the slave trade is also very popular. The shogunate of the Northern and Southern Dynasties in Japan is inextricably linked. Tomorrow's official and smuggling trade, and even maritime plunder, the slave trade is very popular, and the imperial court is there
Bian itself has a strong military garrison and is close to the Ming Dynasty, so the college student felt that there was nothing wrong with buying the stocks of the Ruianxiang Oriental Trading Company with a background in the East Palace, and just wait for the dividends.
He even told his classmates with some pride, "There were not many stocks issued by Ruianxiang Toyo Company, and they were all sold out as soon as they were released. I still relied on a classmate's relationship to buy some. Nowadays, many people have directly bought them.
The stock price of Ruian Xiang increased by 30%, and it looks like the momentum will continue to rise." He bought Ruian Xiang stock worth 100 silver dollars, and the value increased by 30 yuan in a short period of time. Thirty silver dollars is worth 30%.
For him, who comes from an official family, this is nothing, but it is very interesting that this thing can appreciate in value so quickly, which shows that he has good vision.
"I heard that there is a guild hall at Daqianmen. Now there are many people who specialize in selling and trading stocks, bonds, etc., and it is very lively."
"Well, it is true that many large companies have issued stocks recently. Not only these trading companies, but also those military industrial companies are benefiting."
One supervisor has reservations and believes that the current policy is not necessarily good.
"The Dutch East India Company and the British East India Company have astonishing power and strength. They have countless ships, hired workers and mercenaries. If trading companies like ours in the Ming Dynasty obtain licenses, they can also develop colonies all over the world, and even
Seizing land for colonization may weaken the power of the imperial court. If a powerful and famous family goes overseas, even a few generations later, it may be possible to separate overseas territories or even become independent. Wouldn't that be troublesome?"
"Brother Xian, I think your worries are a bit unfounded. Aren't the boards of directors of those trading companies also supervised by the supervisory boards appointed by the imperial court? Their armed forces can only be overseas and cannot return to the mainland. Moreover, these colonial armed forces are also commanded by the supervisory board.
Command is also included in the command sequence of the imperial court, and even their weapons and equipment are provided by the imperial court. However, the imperial court has express regulations that trading companies and colonies are not allowed to produce their own weapons and must purchase them from the imperial court."
…
"Furthermore, the imperial court also stipulated that many handicraft manufacturing industries, especially some processing manufacturing industries such as shipbuilding, iron and steel making, etc., are not allowed to be opened in colonies. What are colonies? Colonies provide raw materials and cheap labor, and become
As for the sales place of Ming Dynasty products, you said that with these restrictions, how could the colonies threaten the imperial court?
Even if they are separatist and rebel, as long as the imperial court cuts off their supply of ships, weapons and even commodities, and no longer accepts the raw materials they produce, do you think they cannot surrender immediately?"
"I think the saint is still wise and great. The royal granting of colonial license is quite remarkable. The world is so big and there are so many overseas territories. Properly authorizing those powerful nobles to go out and develop will also increase the number of territories.
The power of Ming Dynasty also allows them to share the benefits. This is a win-win situation.
Otherwise, these noble families will be imprisoned in the Central Plains, and they will definitely start trouble sooner or later. Then they will either annex the land, or oppress the people, and create a mess. It is better to guide them to expand overseas for the Ming Dynasty, which can also curb those European colonists.
By."
The country can use these companies to expand colonization, curb foreign colonial companies, and conquer the indigenous people without spending a penny or sending a single soldier. The risks are all theirs, but the profits can be shared by the court, and they can even drive trade and manufacturing.
industry, improving military manufacturing, shipbuilding, etc.
Overseas colonization will inevitably bring cheaper raw materials, open up more trade markets for the Ming Dynasty, provide a market for manufacturing, and also bring cheap slaves, etc.
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! This is simply a huge profit.
In comparison, some possible risks, especially political risks, are actually not a big problem.
There are so many trading companies, and there are not just one or two colonial companies. It is impossible for them to be the only one, let alone big enough to threaten the imperial court.
After all, the emperor had patched it up in advance. These trading companies could obtain licenses to colonize overseas, and even be protected by the monopoly rights of the emperor and the court. However, the emperor had already made it clear that some high-end manufacturing industries could not be established in the colonies. What about shipbuilding?
They are not allowed to make weapons or even needles, so they have to import. They just provide raw materials. Those with timber resources will sell timber, those with ore resources will sell ores, and those with agricultural conditions will engage in planting.
Anyway, if they are not allowed to upgrade their industries, let alone make their industries comprehensive, the consequence of this is that relying on the mainland of the Ming Dynasty and through import and export trade, these colonies can become rich, especially the trading companies that control the colonies will definitely make a lot of money, but if there is
If you are strong enough to stand on your own, don't even think about it.
Many colonial countries in history did this to their colonies. This kind of colonial economic policy was even more powerful than strong ships and cannons, making it impossible for them to leave their homeland. Otherwise, they would have to go back for decades, and they would not even be able to open the pot.
When the colonization failed, the money lost was the money of the shareholders and merchants, and the dead were the employees and mercenaries hired by the merchants. The court did not lose anything, but if they succeeded, the court would be able to obtain dividends, collect taxes, and obtain
Cheap raw materials and increase product sales market.
Of course, businessmen will also gain a lot if they succeed. In addition to bringing huge financial benefits to shareholders, these colonies can even become overseas fiefdoms for powerful people, providing them with additional protection.
Everyone is happy and the cooperation is win-win.
The imperial court also engaged in colonization, but the colonial model of the imperial court was still very different from what was now liberalized to trading companies. What was liberalized now was only a supplement to the imperial court's external development.
But it is also a kind of appeasement and compensation for the nobles, nobles and powerful people. Since the mainland is not allowed to be annexed, and there are even many political restrictions, we must give them an appeasement and compensation, and now this compensation is quite good.
"When I'm waiting for my internship, I also want to do an internship overseas. Japan, North Korea, Annam, Myanmar, and Longyamen are all fine."
"Why don't you go to Siberia, Yindi, and Australia?"