The Great Industrial Ming Dynasty Started from Beiping

Chapter 549 Soaring into the sky

Guangdong has a big advantage.

Guangdong is the biggest beneficiary of the rise of maritime trade. Although Shanghai County is very strong, it is only one county after all.

Over the past few years, Foshan, an excellent iron smelting area, has experienced great development, with the number of iron smelting workers exceeding 1.

Historically, at the end of the Ming Dynasty, there were no less than 3 workers in Foshan's iron smelting industry, and more than 170 types of manufacturing industries were developed.

Shanxi merchants in the north sold a large amount of goods to the grasslands and flowed to Nurqian and other parts of Central Asia.

Cantonese merchants in the south also sold a large number of products to the world through sea trade, including iron pots.

Japan also has iron pots, but Japan’s iron smelting technology is backward, the iron pots are expensive and the quality is not as good as Foshan iron pots.

Foshan iron pot has become one of the major commodities purchased from Japan.

Cantonese pot has been a national gift from the Ming Dynasty to East Asian countries since Zheng He's voyages to the West during the Yongle period.

Even during the Opium War of the Qing Dynasty, Cantonese pot has always been an important trade commodity.

But Foshan does not produce iron, which proves that Guangdong has formed an industrial chain with deep division of labor among various industries.

The products of Ming Dynasty’s foreign trade were far more than just silk and porcelain.

Yan Dun has been in charge of Guangdong for many years and has a high degree of awareness of Guangdong's potential. He doubts that with the Saint's layout ability, they are the Saint's backup.

The sage controls the country's resources and can resist Peiping. When Guangdong's industrialization develops, he can defeat Peiping.

of course.

These are just Yan Bu's guesses. With the situation in the capital stabilizing, there is no way to prove these guesses.

"If you help the King of Yue, the greater the harm will be to the King of Yue. The worse the King of Yue's life will be in Panyu, the more comfortable the King of Yue will be."

Yan Bu's political consciousness is higher than that of Lian Zining, a former minister of the Ministry of Industry and a practical official.

The division of labor between the two is clear.

Yan Bu was in charge of the general direction, while Lian Zining was in charge of Guangdong's industry. They cooperated tacitly and made Guangdong what it is today.

Including the two men working together to invite the Ministry of Railway Engineering to allocate resources and concentrate on building railways in Guangdong.

Yan Bu mobilized [-] people from Guangdong to assist the Railway Engineering Department with all the trivial matters including land occupation.

It can be said that Guangdong Province is the region where the Ministry of Railway Engineering has received the greatest support outside the Northern Parallel Province.

Otherwise, the Guangdong Railway will not be opened to traffic so quickly. It will probably be the same as Guangxi, with only one-third of the railway built.

This shows the importance of leaders.

Hearing Yan Bu's reminder, Lian Zining suddenly realized that he gave up the idea of ​​helping the King of Yue.

He couldn't bear it in his heart, but he didn't want to harm the King of Yue.

"Our situation in Guangdong is a bit delicate."

"Private commercial banks have developed rapidly, but the impact of the China Heavy Industry System has been minimal, plus...".

Yan Dun hesitated for a while, then whispered: "The capital has purged ministers from the lineage of the former emperor's grandson."

"You and I, as well as many officials who brought us here, are not included in the liquidation because we support the development of industrialization."

"No one knows what the saint's plan was before, but now the situation has been decided and the saint's mind has changed."

"So, we still have to reflect on some things and don't cause trouble, otherwise it will be bad for you and me, and it will be bad for Guangdong."

Lian Zining left silently.

"Steamed Vermicelli Roll."

"Eating rice rolls."

On the bamboo sedan, Lian Zining heard the sound of hawking on the roadside.

The streets of Panyu are very bustling.

Different from those in Peiping, the streets of Panyu also have a large number of shops and restaurants, but they seem tight and crowded.

"The development of private commercial banks does not have a unified layout of China Heavy Industries." Lian Zining withdrew his gaze.

street.

The vendor skillfully pulled out the steamer basket and without stopping, a bowl of rice rolls was ready.

"uncle."

"Didn't you say that Peiping is easy to do business? Why are you back?"

My nephew, who learned to make rice rolls from his uncle, finally couldn't help but asked curiously.

People said that his uncle couldn't survive in Peiping and came back after seeing the development of his hometown getting better.

"It's too cold in Peiping."

The vendor laughed.

"How cold is it?"

"It's even colder than here."

"what."

"Beiping is getting colder every year. I can't stay any longer. My hands and feet are covered in frostbite, and even applying medicine can't cure it."

But he couldn't help but show off.

"You've never seen a comprehensive shopping mall in Peiping with a scale of 10 people, tsk tsk." The vendor exclaimed, "Go and see it someday and see the market."

"Beiping is so far away."

"Isn't there a train now? Why are you afraid of going out? I tell you, primary school students in Peiping will travel far away."

"If you just stay at home, your eyes only have this piece of sky. It's not that you have to do anything in life, but if you have more experience, you will not lose in this life."

"Yo."

"You also did business in Peiping. It's disrespectful."

Two of the customers heard what the vendor said and came up to talk with a smile.

"Don't dare."

"It's just a living meal, not a business." The vendor said with a smile.

He saved a lot of money while selling rice rolls in Peiping for several years.

He originally planned to buy a new house in Peiping, but as a southerner, he really couldn't stand the cold in Peiping.

The locals could adapt, but he suffered from frostbite on his hands and feet.

Last year I went back to my hometown to pay homage to my ancestors, and found that Guangdong had changed and became more vibrant. After the New Year, I tried to set up a stall in the city.

Although the business was not as good as that in Peiping, he could still support his family. With his savings, he bought a house in the city.

Now that my life is stable, I feel calm about life. The street vendor is very talkative, and the two parties have a pleasant conversation. "You want to go overseas to do business in the feudal country?"

"The spice trade definitely has its roots."

"As long as our Ming Dynasty continues to maintain this momentum, let me tell you, as far as the restaurant industry in Panyu is concerned, no matter how much it is, if it can catch up with Peking, the size of this restaurant will more than double."

Although the vendor did not dare to take risks himself, he could not help but point out the situation.

The newspapers in Peking and the changes he had seen with his own eyes were all based on his experience, which made the two guests marvel.

"Beiping newspapers call these industries the tertiary industry."

"The development of the primary and secondary industries will definitely drive the tertiary industry."

"What is the tertiary industry?"

"The tertiary industry refers to all businesses except the primary industry and the secondary industry." As the customers asked more and more details, the vendors gradually became unable to answer.

"You have such talent, how can you accept this? Why don't you go to sea with us?"

"It's true."

"We have money in hand, but unfortunately we can't find a business channel. The domestic competition is too fierce and we can't grab it."

"But the vassal state is different. The vassal state is a blank market. We are one step ahead, just like the merchants who first went to Peking."

"Everyone was the same back then. They just encountered an opportunity. Now the feudal country is our opportunity."

The vendor was stunned.

He didn't expect to be invited.

"We have a joint venture of 500 taels of silver. You have such insight. Let's do it this way. As long as you are willing to work together, you will pay 50 taels and hold 20.00% of the shares. The three of us can try it out. This life will be worth it."

The vendor hesitated.

His nephew's eyes were also shining. He didn't want to be like his uncle, guarding a stall for the rest of his life. The things his uncle told about Peiping had already made this young man unwilling to accept reality.

The demand for spices from various places in Peiping, the northern provincial capital, and even the capital city, Xincheng District, Jianghuai area, etc. has caused the growth of this trade and the supply has always exceeded demand.

Guangdong has a developed business model and detailed division of labor.

The shipowner provided the ship, the shipowner and the sailors were responsible for the navigation, and the cargo owners handed over the goods to the merchant houses. The maritime trade model of the Ming Dynasty and the detailed division of labor brought low costs for doing business.

You can join the sea trade with 500 taels of silver.

This is unthinkable in the mainland.

The Pearl River flows into the sea.

There are many excellent islands in the Pearl River Estuary. With the prosperity of maritime trade, wharves have gradually been established to provide supplies for merchant ships.

The best ones are Hong Kong on the left and Macau on the right.

Macao belonged to Nanhai County in the Qin Dynasty and was called Haojingao by the ancients.

Because there were many ports here at that time, people called it "Ao", which refers to the bay or port.

Macau and its surrounding areas are rich in oysters. The inner wall of the oyster shell is as bright as a mirror, so it is also called an oyster mirror.However, later people changed the name to the more elegant "Hao Jing".

Supporting sea trade is a new thing in Ming Dynasty.

Yan Dun has been in power in Beipingxing Province for many years and has adapted measures to local conditions. He knows that he does not have such a sharp weapon as China Heavy Industry, nor does he have such great strength.

Therefore, we chose to relax all restrictions and encourage private warriors, but we did not dare to be overly open.

Hao Jing'ao has become the area with the most intensive circulation.

As the merchants of the Ming Dynasty went to sea, Western merchants came to the Ming Dynasty, and finally traded in Haojing'ao.

"Three together."

A newly-opened business, a simple shop, was listed amidst the sound of firecrackers, and no lion dance was invited. People were accustomed to it.

There are large and small businesses opening every day in Hao Keng O.

There are people from Fujian, people from Guangxi, and people from Guangdong. There are even many people from the Jianghuai region, and there is no shortage of Huizhou merchants.

"Yan Ji, please guard the shop. We will leave by boat at the port tomorrow."

"Do not worry."

The vendor said with a proud face as his nephew was sweeping the floor.

There is nothing in the shop.

"Although there are no products, I will not let go of any customers who come to inquire. When you bring back the spices, I guarantee that they will be sold out on the dock."

Their capital is too small and they can only do local business.

The bulk of the profits will still be taken away by businessmen from the mainland. Businessmen from the mainland come to Haojing'ao to purchase spices and then transport them back.

Haojingao.

There is no idle person on the pier.

Everyone is talking business.

From porcelain to silk, from tea to cotton, from Guangdong pots to spices, from cotton to paper fans, from inkstones to brushes, from jewelry to corals.

There are various shops where you can purchase all the bulk commodities you want.

Relying on the meticulous division of labor model, low costs, generous benefits, and large and small businessmen can participate, developed commerce in the middle and late Ming Dynasty flourished ahead of schedule with the recovery of national power.

"uncle."

"Why don't I feel tired?"

The young man simply giggled and said that he had just returned from the dock and was dancing excitedly. This place is completely different from the mainland.

"Silly boy."

Yan Ji sighed.

If the prosperity in Peiping is majestic, then the prosperity here is more like a prairie fire.

Yan Ji suddenly understood.

When he was in Peiping, he often heard businessmen discussing business opportunities. Yan Ji never thought that he would no longer be selling rice rolls and would become a businessman from a street vendor.

Isn't this an opportunity and a business opportunity?

The rise of the spice trade was a business opportunity.

When he met two partners who invited him, it was an opportunity.

Anyway, even if he failed, he would probably go back to his old business and continue selling rice rolls.

I also want to have a taste of what it's like to be a big businessman.

(End of this chapter)