Chapter 473 Enlightenment Economic Theory

  Lin Ruhai is very familiar with Cui Jingrong, has dealt with him countless times, and even had many disputes.

   Every year, the transfer of salt in the Huaihe River and the Huaihe River makes the Siyamen have to connect with the Ministry of Households for the salt tax money, and negotiations are indispensable.

The Ministry of Households has always been extremely dissatisfied with the original standard, and believes that this practice is a rule set by Emperor Yuanxi in the early years. Although the population in Dazhou is increasing day by day, the amount of salt used by the common people has increased greatly. This part of the salt belongs to the Ministry of Households. Class money must also increase, and the original standard should not be continued.

For this reason, Cui Jingrong has also written to the cabinet many times, requesting to adjust the amount of money that the transfer of salt envoys in the Huaihe River and the Huaihe River should be handed over to the household salt department, but it is like nothing, no matter whether it is the cabinet or the emperor, it is silent, but Cui Jingrong also never Don't be discouraged, you still have to write a letter every year, and you don't want to give up.

Lin Ruhai, an "old friend" from the Ministry of Households, knows that he is a person who does real things, and it is absolutely impossible for him to do some empty things in Yangzhou City. Since he is so aggressive, he must have a considerable relationship with Kaihai associated.

"I don't know about that. You said they assessed and checked the size of silk workshops, port terminals, and shipping companies. Go to Ningbo, Zhangzhou, Quanzhou and other places to go to sea, like the silk and medicinal materials in our Yangzhou Prefecture, you can do the same, but Dongweng, you said that like Qianpu Yinzhuang, Mipu, Cloth Shop, Timber Shop, Nanhuo Shop, etc. Statistical verification, that's just weird."

Wang Wenyan can be regarded as a familiar hand who has worked here for many years, and he is very familiar with the situation in the county. Paper, ink, and tea are all bulk materials for export, and many of them have to be transported to Yangzhou for transshipment, but things like Mipubuzhuang and Qianzhuang Timber Shop are not related to Kaihai in any way.

"In classical Chinese, maybe their business may not be just for opening the sea." If Lin Ruhai realized something, "In other words, the opening of the sea in the eyes of the imperial court may not be as simple as letting go of sea trade after opening the sea. , maybe you will feel that Kaihai should bring greater changes to our Jiangnan, and Jiangnan should give more rewards to the court."

  Wang Wenyan was taken aback. He was from Huizhou Prefecture, and Lin Ruhai was from Suzhou Prefecture.

   This time, the policy of opening the sea was introduced so quickly and smoothly, which surprised many gentry in the south of the Yangtze River.

They all felt that according to the urine nature of the Great Zhou court, at least it would take a year or so to come up with a statement, and then they would come to a year and a half to come up with a statement, and in the end it might take some time to make a final decision. It can only be said to be implemented, and it is impossible to implement it in two or three years.

   I didn’t expect that the imperial court would come up with the report in just a month or two this time. It just needs further verification and investigation. According to this posture, it may be officially open to sea next year.

"In this way, the imperial court's scheme is huge." Wang Wenyan also began to think, "This is almost a comprehensive investigation, and it is not like a simple open sea. The emperor has been on the throne for six years now. Maybe I have some ideas."

  These words made Lin Ruhai's face change slightly.

  In any case, Emperor Yuanxi has abdicated. No matter how prestigious he was when he was in power, he was still a 70-year-old man after all. Even if he can keep his word now, how long can this situation last?

   Sooner or later he will have to leave the stage.

  And regardless of his condition, he should consider the way forward, and now that his condition is like this, he needs to consider this matter even more.

   But in the same way, the Supreme Emperor will not be unaware of his illness, maybe he is waiting for his memorial.

There is still considerable power in the hands of the Supreme Emperor in the Long Jinwei, even in the two Huaidu transfer salt envoys, there are quite a few members of the Long Jinwei, and the Long Jinwei's people may belong to both sides , Similarly, among his deputies and subordinates, there are also people from the Supreme Emperor and the Emperor.

   It's just that before they lose control, everyone tacitly returns to their respective positions and does their own thing well.

Wang Wenyan's words reminded Lin Ruhai that it was time to consider other things. Although Lin Ruhai had long been prepared for this, he never thought it would come so soon. I am afraid that I am seriously ill, which will speed up the pace and rhythm of their actions.

"Wen Yan, it seems that I should introduce you to Feng Keng." Lin Ruhai finally made up his mind, but this determination only means that he wants to seriously examine whether Feng Ziying is reliable, not to the point of confiding in his heart. With the ability of classical Chinese, it should be possible to figure out Feng Ziying's details very quickly.

   "I want to do what I want, but I dare not ask for it." Wang Wenyan smiled slightly.

  While Lin Ruhai and Wang Wenyan were discussing Feng Ziying, Feng Ziying was also having a heated discussion with Cui Jingrong, Wu Liangsi, and Wei Guangwei in Chaoguanli, Yangzhou Household Department.

"Why do we need to conduct such a detailed investigation? Previously, the lower officials have already given a detailed introduction to Cui Gong, Lord Wu, and Lord Wei. Although Yangzhou is not a city of opening the sea, it is even quite far away from our target of opening the sea. Distance, but I also told Cui Gong before that opening the sea seems to be just a strategy to liberalize the sea trade. It seems that we only need to see, um, whether the wharf construction in Ningbo can meet the demand, or the Xiejia in Quanzhou Whether the organization and personnel are sufficient, whether it can meet the trade needs of overseas merchant ships and merchants after the arrival, or whether there are enough sailors and boatmen in Zhangzhou, once the sea is opened, a large number of ships will be built, and whether it can meet the needs, etc., "

  Feng Ziying has instilled a lot in the past few days, so that Wu Liangsi and Wei Guangwei are a little deafening.

Unlike Cui Jingrong, these two people used to hear some remarks and opinions about Feng Ziying, but they didn't have too deep and intuitive feelings. Even in Linqing, Dongchang Mansion and even Huai'an Mansion, they were relatively low-key, or It is normal, but after arriving in Yangzhou, its style suddenly changed.

  Before Feng Ziying asked Fan Jingwen and He Fengsheng to lead a group of officials to conduct a comprehensive investigation of all walks of life in Yangzhou Prefecture, which made Wu Liangsi and Wei Guangwei baffled.

You said that you went to Ningbo or Quanzhou to conduct a thorough investigation, which barely makes sense, and it involves such a broad area, covering almost the entire business industry, which is too exaggerated. Yangzhou is hundreds or even thousands of miles away.

  However, Cui Jingrong has never made a statement, and even agreed to Feng Ziying's proposal to conduct a comprehensive investigation of Yangzhou's industrial operations. Naturally, Wu Liangsi and Wei Guangwei could not object.

   "But I think it's not enough." Feng Ziying's words made Wu Liangsi and Wei Guangwei's ears **** up.

   Not enough, so what else?

"As we all know, our Jiangnan has a lot of people and little land, and the land is narrow and densely populated. Sometimes we have to support a family on such an acre of land. Well, to put it bluntly, it may be barely enough to support, but you have to think again. It is difficult to live a better life. Whether you grow rice, lotus root, mulberry or silkworm per mu of land, there is always only so much production, and only so many people are needed. If there are too many people What to do? One of the purposes of opening the sea is to allow more people to go out to sea and support their families, but this is far from enough,..."

  Speaking of key points, Cui Jingrong has already listened to Feng Ziying's indoctrination once, but he still hopes to listen carefully again.

"How many people can be accommodated on a boat? A boat plus boatmen and sailors, there are no more than a hundred people on a large ship, and dozens of people on a small and medium-sized boat. It’s enough to be able to board a boat, but for the narrow and densely populated Jiangnan, Fujian and Zhejiang, it’s just a drop in the bucket,…”

"..., also in the north, in the past twenty years or so, everyone knows that the weather is not good, floods, droughts and locusts continue, and if there is a little carelessness, the common people can only become refugees and go out to eat. Judging from the situation in the Yuanxi period, As long as there is a famine, there are tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of refugees who go out to eat. This puts great pressure on the relief of the imperial court. These religious bandits have been attracted to become rioters,..."

"One more thing, little brother, is it true that there is no food for food in these places? I'm afraid it's not entirely true. We all know that the gentry and grain merchants everywhere have a lot of food, but yes For these people, they think it’s okay to give out food for a while or some. If you want them to take out all the food for relief, they will definitely not do it. But if these eaters have money in their hands and are willing to buy food, then maybe this Contradictions will not be so prominent,…”

"...Of course, some people will say that the price of food will be artificially controlled and skyrocketed at that time, and those people can't afford it, but at least this is much less risky than desperation and becoming a homeless or even a mob. The government can also use it. Other ways to transfer food to reduce pressure, this is another topic,..."

   "What I want to say, there are actually two problems. One is that there is indeed a shortage of food, and the other is that ordinary people lack purchasing power,..."

   "Purchasing power?!" Cui Jingrong, Wei Guangwei, and Wu Liangsi were taken aback by the word, the new term might have been invented by the person in front of them.

"Well, let me explain this term. It can be understood as the ability of ordinary people to buy things, such as buying food, such as buying cotton cloth, such as buying hoeing, such as buying cattle and horses,... They must have the ability to buy, or more directly. To put it bluntly, they must have the opportunity and ability to earn money,..."

  (end of this chapter)