Emperor Ming Dynasty

The cost of the steam engine is not high.

In today's era when the price of pig iron has been lowered, the price of a catty of iron is only ten yuan, and a steam engine weighing about one thousand catties is only ten silver dollars.

Of course, whether it is gears, screws, or chains, they are all made by hand, and the labor cost is extremely high.

Therefore, the cost of a steam engine is only a hundred silver dollars.

For ordinary people, this is money that cannot be spent in a lifetime, but for rich people, a room in Beijing costs more than a hundred yuan.

"By the way, how long can this steam engine run?"

The craftsman was taken aback for a moment, and immediately said: "I have nothing to do with you, but basically as long as you have coal, you can keep running."

"A thousand catties of coal should be able to run for about ten miles, and it will take half an hour..."

"Utilization is too low."

Zhu Yixi murmured.

According to this efficiency, if you want to run fifty or sixty miles, at least one car box of coal must be loaded.

The speed of ten miles per hour, his carriages are thirty miles per hour, and the speed of rail carriages is fifty or sixty miles per hour. How can this compare?
This is just the original steam engine, and it still needs to be improved by Watt!
Just how to improve it?
Damn, the steam engine has come out, and it still needs to be improved...

"No, it's not good to be able to run, and we have to continue to improve."

The emperor's face was serious: "At the very least, a thousand catties of coal can run a hundred miles, and it is appropriate to run thirty to fifty miles in an hour, so as to attract people better."

"Whoever can improve it, a certain one will be rewarded with ten thousand yuan and be promoted to Baron."

In an instant, all breathing became much thicker.

A group of workers stared at the train with sparks almost bursting out of their eyes.

After the inspection, the emperor was about to leave when the supervisor suddenly said, "Your Majesty, although this steam engine is not good at pulling people, it can pump water."

"As long as iron pipes are laid, water can be pumped directly in wells tens of feet deep, and the speed is extremely fast."

"The huge pond can be pumped out in an hour, and there is no need to rest. If this is applied to the people, there will be no fear of drought."

Hearing this, Zhu Yixi stopped walking.

In today's era, the technology of digging wells is actually not very developed. In the south, water is only five or six meters away, while in the north, it is only about ten meters away.

So there is an unknown amount of groundwater stored under the land, but it is not used.

There is only one difficulty in getting water.

Relying on people's shoulders, I don't know when and what month it will be watered into the ground.

Even if there is a lot of well water, it is difficult to use it as soon as possible.

If the steam engine can continuously pump water up, its efficiency is many times stronger than that of manpower.

Moreover, with the steam engine, wells can be dug deeper without worrying about water shortage.

I said, dare to point technology to agriculture.

"Today's initial steam engine, although inconvenient as a train, can be used in farming."

Zhu Yixi's eyes lit up: "Like the plowing machine that plows the land, it doesn't pay attention to efficiency, and it doesn't need much energy, even if it burns wood."

Bringing hundreds of people and cultivating land are two different things, and the consumption is lower.

The reason why the development of the Northeast is slow is not because of the lack of manpower. The old forests in the Northeast with big trees and deep roots cannot be done by the productivity of this era.

The cost of reclaiming an acre of wasteland is several times that of the Central Plains.

With enough land, who will develop the Northeast?
Therefore, for hundreds of years in the Ming Dynasty, at most, it continued to develop familiar lands like Liaodong, and the rest of the land was handed over to the Jurchens and Mongols.

Historically, the development of Jiangnan began gradually after the ironware gradually matured.

The state of Wu has the support of the state of Jin, the state of Yue has the support of the state of Chu, and the productivity and system are perfect, so that they can successively seek hegemony.

The reason why the Chu State was able to fight the Zhou Dynasty hard and refused to accept Zhou was not because it had mastered the most important copper resources in the Spring and Autumn Period.

After the rise of ironware and the advent of the Warring States Period, the state of Chu stopped cooking.

Thinking of this, he turned his head and said to the craftsman: "Very well, the Han Dynasty won the steel technology of the Western Regions, and it was able to overwhelm the Xiongnu. If such a steam engine can be used for farmers, what is the drought during the Chongzhen period? "

As he said that, he couldn't help being encouraged: "Although the imperial court has all of Mongolia now, there are still not enough farming cattle. This steam engine can walk on the ground. If it replaces farming cattle, wouldn't it be beneficial to the country and the people?"

"The folks call it strange, obscene and strange, but there are steam cows, who dares to underestimate you?"

"Add wheels to the steam engine?"

The craftsmen talked one after another, waiting for a wonderful idea, which was really unexpected.

They are not technically incapable, but their thinking has been imprisoned. Now that I think about it, if there is a steam iron ox, it is no less than the wooden stream ox horse invented by Zhuge Kongming in history.

Leave a name in history!
This iron cow does not eat feed, only firewood, and it is not easy to get sick, so it will be no problem to work for decades.

In addition to not giving birth, it has many advantages.

After boosting morale, the emperor's interest remained undiminished, and he summoned Wang He, Minister of the Interior.

"Land of coal mines, what are the difficulties?"

After taking off his regular clothes, Zhu Yixi put on a loose short jacket again, without the demeanor of a monarch.

Wang He was taken aback, but there are many capitals in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, so there are coal mines, he said seriously: "Your Majesty, the coal mines are quite profitable, but there are three difficulties, one is landslide, the other is explosion, and the third is accumulation. water……"

The landslide is easy to understand, and the explosion is due to the dust explosion.

As for the accumulation of water, the leakage of surface rock formations and groundwater, it is impossible to prevent it.

Once there is too much water, the coal mine is basically unable to mine, and can only wait for nature to clean it up.

The first two can be prevented, but water accumulation cannot be prevented.

"I have something to cure stagnant water."

The emperor smiled: "The Ordnance Department has recently researched a steam engine. As long as it keeps burning coal, it can pump water from the ground to the ground, and it doesn't need to rest, day and night."

Wang He was delighted: "If there is such a good thing, the coal mine can be mined for many more days, and it will benefit a lot."

"It's also very good for farming."

"That's right. The Ministry of Internal Affairs has set up a steam engine workshop, which specializes in the production of steam engines. It can also handle all the folk farming and mine water."

Zhu Yixi ordered casually, and the latter naturally agreed in a hurry.

Wang He left the court and returned to the Yamen of the House of Internal Affairs.

Since the establishment of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, after years of continuous improvement, it has formed a unique system.

It is divided into two parts, bureaucrats and imperial merchants.

The former are decision-makers and leaders, while the latter are executors and tentacles.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs will be led by the minister of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (Zheng Sipin), and the co-organizers (cong Sipin) will be managed by three people, all of whom are appointed by the emperor himself.

The official rank here is just treatment, not a formal official position.

In other words, the officials of the Ministry of Internal Affairs belong to the inner court and cannot be transferred to the outer court (imperial court). Like Jin Yiwei, they maintain their independence.

Below the Ministry of Internal Affairs, there are four departments, each headed by the head of each department.

Tianbe manages all Huangzhuang and land.

The Mining Department is in charge of the emperor's mines and forests.

The business department is responsible for the operation of shops, caravans, and all profitable transactions.

Money Department, for all money storage, transportation work, and verification of accounts.

As for the customs, although the Ministry of Internal Affairs has always wanted to merge, it has an independent customs affairs office management, which is even more detached.

These four bureaucrats were either from the imperial business family or appointed by the emperor.

By the 20th year of Shaowu, the size of the Ministry of Internal Affairs continued to expand, with more than 500 employees, but only [-] officials with decision-making power.

Their annual expenditure is about 500 yuan, but the profit they make exceeds [-] million yuan, reaching the level of [-] million yuan.

For example, the Ministry of Internal Affairs controls Taiwan, the sugar industry in Hainan, ginseng and fur in the Northeast, and some cattle and sheep in Mongolia.

More than [-]% of the world's mineral resources are controlled by it.

However, the Ministry of Internal Affairs never stopped doing business, but granted the imperial merchants the right to operate for a certain period of time, allowing them to replace the internal affairs management, so as to obtain the maximum profit with the minimum effort.

There are many advantages to this, such as not having to conflict with local gentry, and avoiding the situation of causing fire into the palace during the Wanli period.

Moreover, the income is guaranteed in drought and flood, so there is no need to worry about whether the operation is good or bad. Anyway, the annual authorization fee is still charged.

The bureaucrats of the Ministry of Internal Affairs are even more happy. They don't have to worry about being charged with embezzling the imperial property, because they are more secretive about taking bribes from the imperial merchants.

As soon as Wang He entered the yamen, he asked several imperial merchants who operated the Xishan Coal Mine to come.

He straight to the point described the magical function of the steam engine pumping water, and then chuckled lightly: "You guys are quietly collecting some waterlogged coal mines at a low price, remember, don't make a fuss—"

"I'll understand later." The royal merchants understood that this was a bargain hunting at a low price.

"For every additional coal mine, the annual fee will be 5000 yuan more."

"Yes—" the imperial merchants bowed their heads in response.

They buy mines by themselves and have to pay authorization money.

There are many coal mines in Yuquanshan, but the number of people in Beijing is limited, and only in winter can they be sold at a high price.

Therefore, many coal mines can only be dumped to the Zunhua Iron Works at a low price. The more ironmaking is for the coal mines, the better.

Even if a rich mine is limited by manpower and material resources, plus labor costs, settling expenses, commercial taxes, etc., the annual net profit is as much as [-] to [-] yuan, and as little as [-] to [-] yuan.

And once a mine disaster occurs, such as an explosion or a landslide, all the profits have to be compensated for the resettlement fee, and a mine may also be lost.

Risks, as well as hard work, commercial taxes, the imperial merchants recited it, but the Ministry of Internal Affairs only collected money directly, how hateful!
But there is no way, this is the price of the emperor.

If you enjoy the benefits of this layer of skin, you have to bear the consequences.

Seeing that the imperial merchants were interested, Wang He didn't repeat himself, and then went to prepare for the construction of the steam workshop.

……

However, after Wang Fuzhi was appointed Governor of Beihai, he was also titled Minister of the Ministry of War, and his position reached the second rank. It can be said that the scenery is infinite.

The threshold is about to be broken.

Even Zheng Sen, who served as the Governor-General in Luzon in Luzon, heard about the incident, and sent a letter from the Clippers to ask the Zheng Mansion to send people to congratulate him. The move was extremely generous, and he sent a gift worth a thousand silver dollars.

Just when he was about to thank the guests behind closed doors, Xia Wanchun, the chief envoy of Shandong, came to ask to see him.

Wang Fuzhi's scarred face moved, and he hurried out to greet him.

Both he and Xia Wanchun were born as Scholars in the fourth year of Shaowu, and the latter was the number one scholar, and his promotion was extremely fast.

In just over ten years, every time he passed the exam, he would be promoted. Occasionally, he would skip two or three grades, and the smoothness was unbelievable.

Zheng Sen was three years earlier than him, and now he is only the governor of Luzon (the second rank), only half a rank higher.

You know, Wang Fuzhi is now fifty and seven, and will soon be sixty, while Xia Wanchun is only 36 years old. It can be said that he has a bright future.

"Brother Xia, aren't you in Shandong?"

Wang Fuzhi smiled all over his face, and was taken aback immediately: "You can't be?"

"My younger brother came to Beijing to report on his duties and see the emperor."

Xia Wanchun said softly.

"But you've only been here for less than two years!"

Wang Fuzhi was hit hard.

Well, if you come to Beijing to have an audience with the emperor to report on your duties, there are nine out of ten chances that you will be promoted again.

The chief executive is the governor, or the minister of Taichang Temple, the minister of Guanglu Temple, or the minister of Taipu Temple, who are the second-rank officials.

(Governor and Minister of the Ministry of War rank as the second grade)
"That's all." Wang Fuyi looked deeply shocked: "You can come to see me when you return to Beijing, and you will have no regrets."

Welcoming the young and outrageous Xia Wanchun in, Wang Fuzhi asked about the local conditions and customs of Shandong, and then revealed his policy on the governance of Beihai:

"Suppression and appeasement are used together, and both animal husbandry and cultivation are used together, so that Beihai can be ruled."

When Xia Wanchun heard the words, he laughed and said, "There is one more time. Your Majesty built a city in Chechen Khan for King Fu. You, the governor, can do a lot."

"Governing the people is invisible, but the Xiongcheng is eye-catching, and King Fu is always concerned, how can the Sacred Heart not be noticed?"

"What Brother Xia said is true." Wang Fuzhi was greatly shocked.

Sure enough, it makes sense for people to be promoted.

He also asked for some experience, and Xia Wanchun didn't leave until late at night.

Sure enough, two or three days later, Xia Wanchun was transferred to Guanglu Temple Minister.

After a year or so of grinding, it will be released as a patrol, even to the governor, as long as Jun En is with him.

With the idea of ​​being promoted, Wang Fuzhi said a few words about the city of Beijing and headed towards Mobei.

Along with him, in addition to Mobei General Luzhou Hou Xiong Yingjie, there are also [-] Beijing camps, who are going to replace the Beijing camps that have made great contributions.

Due to the blessing of transporting grain back then, there are countless post stations along the way, and the road is considered smooth.
When he arrived at the majestic Kulun city in Mobei, Wang Fuzhi sighed:
"The sky is dark, the wild is vast, the wind blows the grass and the cattle and sheep are low, and this place has become a piece of fertile soil."

Xiong Yingjie, with his big arms and thick waist, looked at the cattle and sheep all over the ground, and muttered: "There are cow dung and sheep dung everywhere, it stinks too much."

Upon hearing this, Wang Fuzhi chuckled and said, "The general will have to live here often in the next few years, just get used to it."

After saying that, he went directly into the city.

Xiong Yingjie sighed. He is a dignified general of Mobei, Marquis of Luzhou, and he will be under the control of a civil official in the future. He will not be free at all, not as good as Jilin and Heilongjiang.

After resting for a while, Wang Fuzhi washed up and went to the temple to see Jebtsundamba Huoxi.

As the leader of the entire Mobei region, his age is extremely young, he is only in his thirties now, and he is pampered and pampered all the year round, making him extremely tender.

"Amitabha, I don't know what's the matter with the governor?"

Luosang Tenbei Gyalzan was very intelligent. He chanted a Buddhist name before opening his eyes and asking.

"Your Majesty's order, I ask the Great Lama to move north to teach the people..."

Jebtsundamba's eyes lit up, this is extending his influence to the Beihai region!
"For the benefit of the people, what's the point of suffering for the poor monk?"

ps: Calvin, hold back for a long time
(End of this chapter)