Wanli Youming

Chapter 344

Chapter 344

After Lu Kun, the governor of Fengyang, set off for Beijing, Shen Li, the governor of Yingtian, and Jin Xuezeng, the governor of Fujian, also set off for Beijing one after another.

Unlike Lu Kun who opened an official papermaking workshop, Shen Li opened an official equipment workshop in Suzhou, specializing in the manufacture of more advanced mixers and merchant ships for sale to civilians and ordinary merchants.

Because since the further opening of the sea, the trade volume between Daming and its surrounding areas has increased, and the world's demand for more advanced equipment from Daming has also increased. However, Suzhou is one of the areas with the highest concentration of various skilled craftsmen, and it is also one of the areas with the highest concentration of refugees. One; therefore, in order to solve the employment problem of refugees, Shen Li used the power of the government to gather a group of craftsmen to specialize in the manufacture of equipment and develop new equipment, instead of letting each craftsman work alone in different workshops as before.

As for Jin Xuezeng, he saw that there were too many civilians in Fujian who went to sea to do business, especially after the imperial court adopted tax protection for merchants in the country, more people went to sea to Haojing to ship goods.

But most of the people who go to sea are rich and powerful with big boats, and most civilians can't afford big boats to go to sea, so the risk of accidents when going to sea is very high.

Therefore, Jin Xuezeng took advantage of the fact that there was nothing wrong with the sea, so he mobilized some warships and set up an official ship merchants company, which specially recruited ordinary merchants who needed to go to sea for business, and regularly transported them to Haojing, Annan, Japan, Champa and other places. And these ordinary merchants only need to pay the shipping fee of different specifications.

In this way, ordinary merchants who can't afford big ships and hire many professional sailors can also go to sea to do business, and the government can also increase income by collecting shipping fees. The protection capabilities provided by key warships are even better and can be bigger. To avoid the threat of pirates, in addition, the navy can also increase income by providing some value-added services to these merchants on board.

There are even different levels of cabins. If you pay more, you can also enjoy the sensual services provided by Japanese women specially recruited and trained by the ship company.

Therefore, as soon as the Guanchuan Merchants Bank was opened, there were a lot of customers who took care of its business. Many rich people even used it as a way of tourism and entertainment. Even if it was not for business, they would go to Haojing and Dongying on some luxuriously decorated ships Waiting for a visit, anyway, the official ship guarantees the safety of life, so they are naturally not afraid.

Like Lu Kun, both Shen Li and Jin Xuezeng's actions harmed the interests of local wealthy gentry.

Originally, advanced equipment and large ships capable of going to sea were the means of production monopolized by the wealthy gentry except for the government.

Therefore, before Lu Kun, Shen Li, Jin Xuezeng and other bureaucrats let the power of the imperial court go, no matter whether it is domestic trade or foreign trade, even if it is by legal means, even if the big gentry accidentally take the plunder, ordinary merchants cannot compete with the big gentry, but now Once the government came to the stage, it gave the advanced means of production directly controlled by the government to ordinary business people in the form of cooperation or lease, which naturally made these big gentry lose their advantage and made it more difficult to monopolize the market.

this day.

It is already the twelfth lunar month in the 11th year of Wanli, and the winter is more intense.

Dead branches and fallen leaves covered the courtyard of the Shoufu mansion, only wintersweet blew out its fragrance early, and the fragrant Shen Shixing took a serious sniff.

"Yuanfu, what Shen, Lu, and Jin are doing is damaging the foundation of the world, and it's not the behavior of a gentleman. There is no reason for the government to do business and compete for profit with the people!"

While Shen Shixing was sniffing, he was pruning the wintersweet branches, and listening to Li Zhi, the Shaoqing of the Taipu Temple, making noises in his ears.

"It hasn't been long since the dynasty started to re-business, and many systems are not mature enough, so Ru Pei, don't be too quick to reject new phenomena. Maybe he seems to be competing for the interests of the people on the surface, but in fact, it is for the convenience of the people. .”

"After all, there are too many common people in our dynasty. Even in business, small merchants and peddlers also account for a large part. They can't be suppressed too much by the court, but they also need the court to help them become rich and powerful merchants. Otherwise, on their own I am afraid that you will not be able to become a wealthy businessman after a lifetime of hard work, and those who can become wealthy businessmen can only be those who suddenly become famous in their families."

"So, since the imperial court wants to emphasize business, it is not only convenient for small merchants and peddlers in terms of business tax; the government must also provide them with convenience in terms of loans, technology, and systems, and even organize and guide them in the name of the government. Don’t just think too much about speculation, forgetting that the foundation of business lies in honesty and law-abiding.”

Shen Shixing said something to Li Zhi earnestly.

After hearing this, Li Zhi looked at Shen Shixing's back with disappointment, and after thinking for a while, he said: "But persuading Nong and Sang is the fundamental thing. Will this make the world's bureaucrats only focus on business and make money, and forget about agriculture?" The matter of mulberry, and even drove the farmer out of the field and into the workshop."

"There is no need to persuade Nong Sang, the farmer will work hard! As for whether the bureaucrats will abolish agriculture and focus on business, it depends on how the court controls it, and also depends on the amount of money brought by agriculture and business. If the income from business is just greater than that from farming The taxes on the land are just light and thin to help farmers and mulberry.”

"There is no need to worry about nothing. We must trust the officials of the world. After all, we are all scholars. If we don't even trust ourselves, how can we make His Majesty trust us and the people trust us?"

After Shen Shixing said that, he smiled lightly.

Li Zhi bowed his hands and said yes, then clenched his fists, stared fiercely at Shen Shixing's back, and then bowed his hands in a submissive tone and said, "Let me go!"

"What does Shenwu County say?"

Li Sancai hurriedly asked Li Zhi after Li Zhi came to meet him at the Yiqing Courtyard that night as promised.

Li Sancai lowered his face and said: "This old man clearly supports the three governors. On the surface, he wants to wait and see what happens, but he is actually conniving on purpose! Just like he conniving at Wang Xue's development."

"How could this be? Didn't other people in his family start out with business?"

Li Sancai asked disappointedly.

Li Zhi said: "I don't know, but his eldest son not only did not participate in the competition this year, but also worshiped under the Duke of Ji."

Snapped!

Li Sancai suddenly complained: "No wonder recently issued an imperial decree to encourage scholars to go out to the sea to gain fame and fame. This Shenwu County is really well-intentioned in order to cater to the emperor's high-spirited nature!"

"I decided to go to Fang Shuxiang and change the court."

Li Zhi said.

Li Sancai was taken aback after hearing this, and looked at Li Zhi: "What are you going to do?"

"Naturally, it is to help Prime Minister Fang Shu take down Shenwu County. Prime Minister Fang Shu does not advocate that the governor do practical work."

Li Zhi said.

Li Sancai thought for a while and said: "We still have to be cautious, changing the court is a big taboo."

"What's the matter, a good bird chooses a tree to live in."

Li Zhi refused to listen, and stopped Fang Fengshi on the day when Fang Fengshi returned to the mansion, and asked Fang Fengshi to see him alone.

So, Fang Fengshi took him into his official residence and asked him: "What's the matter?"

"In the past, the fact that the Duke returned the title to preserve the holiness was praised by everyone in the world, and the subordinates also deeply respected the Duke's courage, and knew that the Duke is the backbone of the dynasty and the pillar of the country, and he will not be harmed by treacherous officials. I am here to inform you that Shenwu County intends to let the speech officer Qi Shichen and the party participate in you, so that you will be impeached because of the controversy over the governor's establishment of practical affairs, and let Ji Guogong take charge of the Privy Council to become the only prime minister!"

Li Zhi spoke up.

Fang Fengshi squinted his eyes after hearing this, looked at Li Zhi, got up after a while, went to the bookshelf, flipped through the books and said with a smile: "That's good, the old man has long wanted to be an official, and although Duke Ji is a military minister, he doesn't want to be an official." Without a domineering spirit, and knowing that soldiers have strategic strategies, it is also suitable to be in charge of the Privy Council. However, I accept your kindness, so go back, I will not tell anyone that you have been here."

(End of this chapter)