Brother Zhu Youxiao

Chapter 90 Materials for Mutual Trade

Honeycomb coal, this is a product that is not technically difficult, but extremely convenient for the population in cold regions.

At the end of the Ming Dynasty when the small ice river was coming, as long as five or six of these things were lighted and stored in a special stove, it could completely warm a small yurt of more than ten square meters for one night.

Its thermal efficiency is much better than that of firewood, and its cost is much cheaper.

What Zhu Youjian has to do is to harvest the Mongolians in the north with briquettes.

Therefore, when he brought the three kinds of coal and soil from the capital, he explained to the craftsmen:
"The shape of this briquette is like this." He took out a piece of paper, on which he drew the briquette stove and the shape of briquette that can be seen in later generations.

"This briquette stove can be wrapped with iron sheets, or it can be directly refined with clay." Zhu Youjian explained:
"Break coal and soil into powder at a ratio of one to two to three qian, then knead it with water, throw it into a mold to shape it, and take it out after drying."

"Once this kind of briquette is made, it doesn't catch fire quickly, but it lasts for a long time. After it is put in the furnace and sealed, it can last for an hour. The only disadvantage is that it is a bit smoky."

"However, as long as an opening is built above the stove and a bamboo pipe is installed, the smoke can be drawn outside the house."

"As for the proportion of mixed soil, it can be mixed according to the quality of cinder, and one or two hundred catties of soil can be added for high-quality cinders."

After Zhu Youjian finished speaking, he looked expectantly at the craftsmen.

As for them, they have never heard of this kind of thing, and only think it is very novel.

He didn't laugh and say how simple this thing is like in other novels, but after hesitating again and again, he said cautiously:

"If it is really as simple as His Highness said, then Cao Min and others can try it."

I just said to try it, but didn't pat my chest and say that it will definitely work.

This is in line with human nature, and Zhu Youjian also said to Cao Huachun:

"Give them five hundred taels of silver, and ask other craftsmen to get local materials."

"Build a one-hundred-acre Wubao ten miles east of the military camp, and send a thousand households to garrison it."

After speaking, Zhu Youjian said to the craftsman again:
"For the research of this thing, each of you will be rewarded with one hundred taels of silver and ten acres of wasteland in Changping."

"If you can't study it, you won't be punished."

"Thank you, Your Highness!" Hearing this, all the craftsmen knelt down and thanked Zhu Youjian with fists in their hands.

It can be seen from this that even in the late Ming Dynasty, the status of craftsmen was still very low.

The military household system does not require the descendants to be military households from generation to generation, but only one member of each generation must be a military household. The same is true for artisan households.

This group of people who have become craftsmen must have a good life in the small family behind them. After all, they are craftsmen of the three guards of martial arts in the capital, and there may be a relative who is an official.

From the beginning of the Song Dynasty to the Yuan Dynasty, it has been a historical track for the imperial court to pay attention to basic education.

After the Ming Dynasty relay, Zhu Yuanzhang ordered the establishment of social schools in various places, inviting Confucian teachers to teach folk children.

A hundred years later, Zhu Qizhen ordered the imperial court order to appoint academic officials and prefectural and county officials to support and supervise sociology. Those who are excellent in social studies can be exempted from examinations and become scholars.

During the Chenghua period, social studies were greatly promoted in the Jiangnan area. Folk children who did not learn at the age of eight were punished by their father and brother.

In the reign of Hongzhi, Zhu Youtang once again ordered all prefectures and counties to establish social schools, and took Jiangnan as an example to stipulate that children under the age of 15 should be sent to study in social schools. This was the earliest compulsory education.

There are a total of 1438 recorded social schools in the Ming Dynasty, and almost every county is guaranteed to have a social school.

This is still recorded, and many are still unrecorded. Therefore, during the Zhengde period, the Ming Dynasty novel industry began to enter the right track and reached its peak in the late Ming Dynasty.

Therefore, it is not surprising that they could read and write in the Ming Dynasty, but due to the lack of social studies, most people still need to pay money to let their children study.

Therefore, for a craftsman like Wugong Sanwei, there may be many scholars helping behind him.

Zhu Youjian didn't mean to punish them, and after asking them to study carefully, he asked someone to take them down.

But after they went down, Zhu Youjian remembered the matter of sociology, so he said to Cao Huachun:

"How are things going with the widows of the nine side children and the orphans in the nursing home?"

"I'm about to tell Your Highness about this matter." Cao Huachun saluted and said:
"One and a half months later, the eunuchs sent out by Xuqin Palace brought back a total of more than [-] people, most of whom were dead generals, widows of soldiers, parents, and children under the age of [-], a total of [-] people. One hundred and twenty-seven people, and two thousand orphans."

"The servants arranged for them to be twenty-four miles to the east, allocated [-] mu of land for them, and sent craftsmen and men to build twelve villages for them."

"More than [-] people? So many?" Hearing Cao Huachun's words, Zhu Youjian frowned slightly and said:
"Didn't I remember that Beilu hasn't knocked on the customs for many years?"

Zhu Youjian recorded very clearly that since the late Ming Dynasty gradually began to enshrine the Mongols and began to trade with each other, the relationship between the Mongols and the Ming Dynasty has gradually eased.

Such relaxation means that since the forty-fourth year of Wanli, the Mongols will basically not go south to plunder.

Now it is the first year of Taichang, and in a broad sense it is the forty-eighth year of Wanli.

In four years, it is unlikely that there will be so many orphans...

However, Zhu Youjian still relied too much on the memory of his previous life, so Cao Huachun explained to him:
"Sarhu No. [-] Middle School, Jinglue Yang Gao dispatched soldiers and horses from all over the Nine Borders. Most of these orphans are children of soldiers who died in battle in Jizhen and Liaodong, as well as Xuanfu and Datong."

"Hmm..." Hearing this explanation, Zhu Youjian understood a little.

However, so many children and those who migrated have to eat the grain of the Yumajian. They will pay [-]% of the grain according to the rules of the Yumajian until the next autumn harvest.

So Zhu Youjian asked again: "How much food has been allocated?"

"Returning to Your Highness, we allocated [-] shi of grain and a lot of wood for building the house." Cao Huachun said this first, but then said:
"Your Highness, the wasteland in Changping has been distributed, and only Huairou and Miyun are left."

"So fast?" Zhu Youjian didn't expect to send it out so quickly, but Cao Huachun explained:

"The whole family of the enlisted soldiers is allotted the fields, so they will receive one mu per head, for a total of [-] mu, and then the widow will get another [-] mu, so that's [-] mu."

"There are [-] people who migrated from the nearby people, and [-] men participated in the construction of the imperial tomb. This is [-] mu, and the [-] mu in Changping will be distributed."

"The problem right now is that according to the relocation requirements, we are going to provide them with food until the autumn harvest."

"All of them are close to [-] people, and they have to eat [-] shi of grain every month."

"Before the Yumajian, there was no more than [-] shi of grain in storage. After the autumn tax in various places, [-] shi were harvested and handed over, a total of [-] shi."

"All kinds of food and drink have already used up [-] shi, and there are still less than [-] million shi."

"Isn't that a lot?"

Hearing that there were still two million stones left, Zhu Youjian relaxed a lot.

Seeing Cao Huachun's serious look, he thought that the Yumajian had run out of food.

But his relaxation made Cao Huachun smile bitterly:
"Now there are still ten months before the autumn harvest, but if other people from the chief secretary come later, I am afraid that two million stones will not be enough according to the way the land is distributed."

There are one million mu of wasteland, and two mu for each family member of the army. According to the current shortage, it is at most [-] mu, and the remaining [-] mu is divided by head.

If they came one after another, it would probably be after the beginning of spring.

But even so, from spring to autumn harvest, it took more than eight months, more than [-] people plus the current [-] people, it was more than [-].

More than [-] people, even if they save more every month, they will also eat [-] shi of grain, which is [-] million shi in eight months.

If things go on like this, people will go bankrupt before the land is raised.

Cao Huachun is worried. After all, Zhu Youjian told him that in the spring, the Yumajian will do business with the Mongols, buying cattle and horses.

But if it goes on like this, even if the money for repairing the imperial mausoleum is counted, it will not be able to support so many people.

You can't keep looking for Wanzai, can you?When the time comes, Long live will be impatient, so naturally he won't be angry with his highness, so he will vent his anger on him and Wang Chengen first.

But when Zhu Youjian saw his sorrow, he smiled and said:

"What should I do? So it's this? Don't worry."

Zhu Youjian comforted him with a smile, and explained to him:

"I'm already sure about the food."

"As long as the food from the Imperial Horse Supervisor lasts until summer, that's enough. You don't have to worry about the rest of the food, it's all handed over to the briquettes."

"Honeycomb coal?" Cao Huachun smiled wryly, there was nothing to say about the horoscope, and His Royal Highness was confident.

"Well, honeycomb!" Zhu Youjian explained with a smile:
"The honeycomb coal is made in a simple way. Don't worry about those craftsmen, but as long as they go back and make it for a few days, they can make it out."

"Just get out the briquettes, and then buy cinders and coal stones from the local government in Shanxi at a low price, and add more than [-] people to pay people."

"In less than three months, not to mention the completion of the imperial mausoleum, tens of millions of catties of briquettes can be produced."

"That briquette... is it really that simple?" Cao Huachun was a little unbelievable, always feeling that his highness was fooling himself.

He Cao Huachun is also a person who has read poetry and books in the inner school, but he has never heard of such a thing.

However, this is not to blame Cao Huachun, if Zhu Youjian hadn't been peeking at the honeycomb coal factory when he was a child, he would not have known it was so simple.

But even if Zhu Youjian said so, he knew in his heart that the financial pressure of the Yumajian was very heavy now.

He wanted to come to Yumajian, not only for himself, but also to help the emperor brother to share the burden.

If he can't share the burden, but wants to ask for money from the good emperor brother, then wouldn't he be a joke?

So after thinking this way, Zhu Youjian said to Cao Huachun:

"It's still too late in time, and the briquettes still have to earn a lot of money in winter."

"You ask someone to supervise those craftsmen. Once the honeycomb coal is ready, ask someone to buy coal around."

"When buying coal, send people to Zhangjiakou with enough coal to test the market. If there are Mongolians who are willing to buy, discuss and set the price, and then lead people to engage in mutual markets at Baimaguan and Xifengkou."

"This briquette is not considered military supplies, and the imperial court can't help but sell it under the name of the Royal Horse Supervisor, and by the way, set the quantity of goods after the spring of next year."

"Slave servant... Slave servant takes orders..." Cao Huachun couldn't bear to interrupt his highness's words, so he could only nod along with him.

Seeing that Cao Huachun didn't believe it, Zhu Youjian didn't point it out, but smiled and motioned him to go first.

After a while, Zhu Youjian found a Jin Yiwei and told him to call Lu Wenzhao over.

After a quarter of an hour passed, after Qi Jin ordered everyone to rest, everyone rested in the school yard, and Lu Wenzhao also caught up with the school platform.

"Your Highness, did you call me?"

Lu Wenzhao thought there was something urgent, but he didn't want Zhu Youjian to ask:

"Where are Lu Jianxing and the others?"

Seven or eight days have passed since Lu Jianxing and the others went to Jiangnan.

With so much time, it's time to go to the south of the Yangtze River even on horseback, so Zhu Youjian couldn't help asking.

When Lu Wenzhao learned that he was asking about this matter, he replied:
"Four days ago, they arrived at Yangzhou Mansion, and then visited Yang Yipeng, Governor of Water Transport, and spent three thousand taels of silver to get the documents for water transport from Yang Yipeng."

"Following your Highness's wishes, I ordered Nanjing Nanzhen Fusi to come forward and transfer the [-] small boats and [-] sand boats in the Nanjing Water Transport to Lu Jianxing."

"Na Lu Jianxing did not go directly to Sichuan and Huguang by boat, but directly purchased [-] bolts of Yunjin and Songjin, [-] bolts of white cloth, [-] tans of raw silk, [-] catties of West Lake tribute tea, and six A thousand catties of brown sugar and [-] catties of chestnuts, and three hundred pieces of official porcelain were detained."

"Then he asked one of his general banner leaders to go to Japan by boat two days ago, and he led the people to Fengyang."

"Going to Japan?" Zhu Youjian frowned, while Lu Wenzhao said:

"The Yun brocade and Song brocade are tribute brocades, which are expensive in Japan and cannot be bought even if you have money. As for the specific price, I don't know the exact price."

"Similarly, there are tribute tea from West Lake, as well as white cloth and official porcelain."

"As for the sugar and chestnuts, I don't know what they are used for."

Lu Wenzhao felt a little ashamed. After all, the Fusi of Nanzhen had stored a lot of documents. Logically speaking, they should have the most information.

But they didn't know what Lu Jianxing did, which was enough to make him feel ashamed.

Zhu Youjian, on the other hand, is very aware of the power of the candied chestnuts.

Stir-fried chestnuts in sugar!Stir-fried chestnuts sold at 15 yuan a catty on the streets of later generations are still too expensive, but now they are special offerings of the Japanese royal family!

In fact, there are wild chestnuts in Japan, but the sugar needs to be imported. In order to eat it, the Japanese royal family and feudal lords from all over the world have charged sky-high prices.

But if Zhu Youjian remembered this matter correctly, it should have been passed back to the Ming Dynasty at the end of the Ming Dynasty.

Now Lu Jianxing actually knew about it, and started the business.

From this point of view, this guy is afraid that his own grain trade will not meet my expectations, so he wants to earn money through sea trade.

Thinking of this, Zhu Youjian narrowed his eyes, and then said to Lu Wenzhao:
"Ask your people to supervise Lu Jianxing and the others, and they can help them with anything they need."

"As for the sea ships, you send someone back to Shuntian, and ask the emperor to call out some sand boats and lucky boats from the south of the Yangtze River, and see if the emperor can agree."

"A lowly official takes orders!" Hearing what Zhu Youjian said, Lu Wenzhao heard from his words that he was very satisfied with Lu Jianxing's actions.

As for the so-called permission, in fact, as long as His Royal Highness speaks, as long as it is not too much, Long Live will nod.

Thinking of this, Lu Wenzhao saw that Zhu Youjian stopped talking, so he slowly retreated.

As for Zhu Youjian, after the other party withdrew, he took time to read the book again, and then felt a little sleepy, washed up, lay down on the bed and fell asleep.

It's just that when he was asleep, he dreamed of himself hanging from a tree with a crooked neck, which woke him up instantly.

"Your Highness..." Seeing that Zhu Youjian suddenly opened his eyes, the little eunuch in charge of the attendant saluted slightly.

"What time is it?" Zhu Youjian asked with a foul breath.

"Your Highness...it's six o'clock now..." The little eunuch responded honestly, and Zhu Youjian no longer stayed in bed when he heard the words, but turned over and started to wash.

It's just that he just started to wash when he heard Cao Huachun's excited voice:

"Your Highness! It's done! It's really done!"

Hearing this, Zhu Youjian wiped his mouth, then Cao Huachun entered the bedroom and said excitedly:

"Your Highness, the briquettes have been made according to what you said."

"Have you lit it?" Zhu Youjian was not surprised, but at this time Cao Huachun also nodded and said:

"After igniting, make it according to 3 catties each. One can burn for an hour. If you store five like His Highness's stove, it can burn for three or four hours."

"3 catties..." One catty in the Ming Dynasty was 596 grams, which means that three were already close to 1.8 kilograms.

Zhu Youjian felt a headache, thinking that no wonder one can burn for two hours.

But according to this calculation, three is [-] catties. If [-] catties are put in the stove and the lid is covered, it can be burned for about three or four hours.

The efficiency of this combustion is very good, even if it is used for heating, it is enough for the Mongolians to use.

"Where's the smoke? Is there a lot?" Zhu Youjian got up, and the little eunuch beside him changed his clothes.

"It's a bit smoky, but it's much better with the bamboo pipes installed."

"If it is to be sold to the northern captives and local barbarians, we can tell them to build a pipe in the middle of the tent as His Highness said earlier." Cao Huachun replied.

"What's the cost?" Zhu Youjian's words were short and simple, while Cao Huachun immediately responded:
"It's cheaper than what you said, Your Highness, about one hundred catties and ninety Wen."

"And the servant girl asked the craftsmen of the three guards of martial arts last night, and there are hundreds of catties of soot left in the Ministry of Industry and the Military Warfare Bureau every day."

"If you save these coal ash and bring them here, you can earn hundreds of taels of silver every year."

Cao Huachun's words made Zhu Youjian very happy, and when he was in a good mood, he said in a relaxed tone:

"In this case, first ask someone to make three hundred catties, and take it to Zhangjiakou, Baimaguan, and Xifengkou to show the Mongolians in the mutual market there."

"This year's wind and snow are heavy, and the Tatar tribes must be worried."

"It's better to be in a hurry, and you can sell it for a good price if you are in a hurry." Zhu Youjian said with a smile:

"As for the honeycomb coal, immediately follow what I said before, stop everyone in the imperial mausoleum, and get it ready for me first, and then we can get [-] million catties! The silver you need is up to you. Changping's coal is not enough, so call it The Ministry of Industry will ship it, and we will buy it with money.”

"Servants take orders!" Hearing Zhu Youjian's words, Cao Huachun got up immediately, took his men and went down to do business.

As for Zhu Youjian, after getting dressed, he sat in the hall and waited for breakfast.

While waiting, various things kept appearing in his mind.

According to the period of An Dahan, Monan was divided into [-] households in Chahar, [-] households in Outer Khalkha, [-] households in Inner Khalkha, [-] households in Moxi, [-] households in Hetao Ordos, and Tumo in Guihua City. Special [-] households come to see.

At present, there are about [-] to [-] Mongolians in the Monan area, which is similar to what Lin Danhan boasted to Nurhachi.

There are only about [-] to [-] people in Mobei, and Moxi may be more because of the passage of time, but according to the period of Wala and Junggar, the Oirat Mongols in Moxi are at most less than [-].

There are estimated to be [-] to [-] Mongols in Qinghai, but only [-] to [-] males.

All the Mongols add up to about [-].

If Moxi and Mobei are not counted, Monan and Qinghai are only [-] to [-], and at most [-] to [-] men are drawn.

Excluding Neikalka, who has taken refuge in Nurhachi, and Qinghai, naturalized Tumed, and Ordos Tumed who are not listening, the population belonging to Lin Danhan is less than [-].

That is to say, Lin Danhan's soldiers and horses are actually about [-] to [-].

From this point of view, the Mongols are dying in the [-]-year entanglement with the Ming Dynasty, and they cannot form a unified empire to threaten Ming Dynasty.

Since there is no threat, it becomes feasible to win them over.

While thinking this way, the breakfast dishes were also served on the table, and Zhu Youjian was thinking while eating.

"If I want to deal with Neikalkha, I have to beware of the Horqin Mongolia in the north. If Lin Danhan can control Horqin and even fight the two sides, it will be very beneficial to me."

"In this way, with Liaoshen's white-armed soldiers and Qi's army, the old slave must not dare to send a large force to support Neikalkha."

"As long as I defeat the captives of Engedel in Nekhka, I can kill the hardcore gold supporters in Nekhka."

"Once this guy dies, the gap between Neikalka and Houjin will be difficult to repair. At that time, only the help of the Horqin Mongols will be difficult to support."

"only……"

Zhu Youjian suddenly said to Jinyiwei Qianhu who was standing at the door: "Has Qi Yuanfu returned to Zhejiang now?"

Hearing the question, Qianhu, one of Lu Wenzhao's subordinates, immediately replied: "Return to Your Highness, I returned to Zhejiang on the [-]th of last month."

"According to the news from Beizhen Fusi, after Qi Yuanfu returned to Yiwu, the local county magistrate refused Qi Yuanfu's recruitment because there were not enough males. Many counties in Zhejiang also rejected Qi Yuanfu's recruitment request."

"..." Upon hearing the news, Zhu Youjian frowned for a moment, and then asked:

"Didn't he send someone to ask Jin Yiwei for help?"

"No, he said he can solve it by himself." Jin Yiwei Qianhu explained, and then said:

"Despite the obstruction of the counties, when Qi Yuanfu offered a military salary of one tael to five cents a month for training in the local area, five taels of family allowance per person before departure, and one tael, six cents and six cents a month after departure, people in Zhejiang still came forward. Go apply."

"According to the news sent three days ago, Qi Yuanfu has recruited [-] soldiers, and the number may have exceeded [-] now."

"Huh!" Zhu Youjian snorted suddenly, and everyone in the hall lowered their heads, looking at their noses and hearts.

They all knew that Zhu Youjian was angry at the actions of Zhejiang officials.

But when Zhu Youjian got angry, he immediately realized that something was wrong. Just because he asked Qi Yuanfu to recruit soldiers, it was impossible to cause such a big reaction from Zhejiang Party officials.

"Qi Yuanfu, is there anything else to do?"

Zhu Youjian spoke suddenly, and Jin Yiwei Qianhu replied immediately:

"Long Live ordered Qi Yuanfu to train troops, and then go north in June next year, and go to Nanjing by the way, and transfer the money owed in Nanzhili and Zhejiang this year, the autumn tax, grain, and the summer tax next year to the north."

I see……

Hearing what Jinyiwei Qianhu said, Zhu Youjian finally understood why the Zhejiang Party wanted to embarrass Qi Yuanfu.

To put it bluntly, military training is a trivial matter, but it is a major event to block Qi Yuanfu's military training and escort Cao grain and Cao Yin to the north.

Tens of millions of shi grains, more than [-] million taels of extra silver and autumn taxes were all transported away at once, and the backbones of officials, gentry, squires, and merchants who used this money for their own affairs would be broken.

Therefore, the autumn tax cannot be transported away, let alone the grain!

If Zhu Youjian's thinking is correct, the tens of millions of stones and grains may have been sold by Jiangnan officials as private grains at a high price to the people in the north of the Huaihe River who are suffering from food shortages...

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(End of this chapter)