Chapter 381 There is also a sea route
Ying Zheng nodded and said: "Prime Minister Feng's concerns are very important. The Imperial Master once said that if you want to be rich, build roads first.
I didn't take this seriously before, but after being in contact with the Emperor's Master for a long time, I realized that this is a wise saying.
The quality of roads directly affects the connection between local people and the outside world.
In the villages in the mountains, there is no good road. It takes several days and nights to leave the village. Who would want to go to such a place.
If no one goes, how can we become rich? "
"Your Majesty is wise." The ministers said at the same time.
Ying Zheng sighed and said: "I am not wise. If I were wise, I should solve the road problem."
Fu Zikang said: "Your Majesty, the imperial court wants to build roads, but it cannot be completed within a hundred years."
"Then do you have any good suggestions?" Ying Zheng asked.
"Let the businessmen raise donations. After all, everyone will use this road in the future." Fu Zikang said, "Wei Chen is willing to donate 20,000 taels of silver."
"Weichen is also willing to donate ten thousand taels of silver."
"Wei Chen is willing to donate five thousand taels of silver."
"Wei Chen is also willing..."
All of a sudden, every nobleman asked to donate money for road construction.
Ying Zheng looked at Feng Quji with satisfaction. He knew that these people were arranged by Feng Quji, and it was Feng Quji who convinced these nobles.
It's just that Ying Zheng didn't expect that the nobles were so rich, at least 5,000 taels. In such a short time, the donation of 500,000 taels was gone.
If this money were converted into food, it would be enough to feed half a million people for three months.
"Okay, I accept your kindness. Feng Quji, you can count the money, manage it in a unified way, and then work with the cabinet to formulate a road construction plan."
"No." Feng Quji said.
"Your Majesty." Meng Yi said at this time, "Road construction cannot be completed in a short time, and if you want to build a road that runs through the entire Qin Dynasty, it will take an unknown amount of time.
Therefore, Wei Chen wants to open up good luck. "
"Sea transportation?" All civil and military officials looked puzzled.
What's going on with the shipping? Take the sea route?
Ying Zheng also frowned slightly and said, "Meng Yi, please tell me in detail."
"No." Meng Yi responded, "Sea transport, as the name suggests, means building docks and moving goods from the docks to ships.
Use ships to transport goods to South Vietnam and other places, and send goods directly from South Vietnam to the interior of Baiyue, which saves time and effort.
Not only in South Vietnam, but also along the coast, as long as there is a suitable coastal area, we can set up a dock to unload goods so that goods from the north to the south can circulate faster. "
Feng Quji and others were shocked. Why didn't they think of shipping by sea?
Especially Feng Quji, he was someone who knew the situation in the age of navigation, but he missed the sea route.
It was a mistake, it was really a mistake.
Feng Quji's eyes suddenly lit up and he said, "Mr. Meng, shipping requires ships. We don't seem to have that many ships."
Ying Zheng said: "It is true, we need ships. Once sea transportation becomes faster, it is estimated that many merchants will want to use sea transportation, but Da Qin does not have that many sea ships."
Meng Yi said: "Your Majesty, Wei Chen has already thought about this matter. Wei Chen hopes that Your Majesty will allow the emperor to train a few shipbuilding craftsmen, and then allow Wei Chen to open a shipyard.
When the shipbuilding technology matures, warships can be manufactured for use by the court.
Wei Chen believes that it won't be long before Great Qin's warships can go to sea and make great achievements for Great Qin. "
Ying Zheng nodded slightly and said, "What you said makes sense, but building a warship is not that easy."
"Your Majesty, don't worry. Weichen's shipyard will definitely help Daqin build a perfect warship."
"Okay. If you have any requests, feel free to ask. If I can agree, I will definitely agree." Ying Zheng's statement shocked all the civil and military officials.
This was the promise of the First Emperor. Xu Fu had received such a promise, which allowed him to go from being a third-rate alchemist to becoming the national advisor of the Qin Dynasty overnight, with more power than the two prime ministers.
Fortunately, Xu Fu did not target Li Si and Feng Quji and concentrated on researching the elixir of life.
Now that Meng Yi has also received a promise from Ying Zheng, everyone is very curious about what kind of promise Meng Yi will make.
"Thank you for your majesty's trust in Weichen." Meng Yi said, "Weichen is not a professional businessman and does not know what is most suitable for the development of business in the Qin Dynasty, so Weichen needs to consult the emperor's teacher.
Before that, Wei Chen will gather some businessmen and aristocratic families, and anyone who is willing to follow Wei Chen for shipping, Wei Chen will not refuse. "
Ying Zheng nodded and said, "I don't dare to make promises easily to things I don't know. That's good. You're much more mature. I'm very pleased.
Next time I see the Imperial Master, I will take you with me. "
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Meng Yi said excitedly.
He has decided that when he meets Qin An this time, he must ask clearly how to promote business and whether it is feasible to use the army to promote business?
Li Si said: "Your Majesty. Whether it is sea or land, labor is needed. Now that His Majesty has issued a new policy, labor has been greatly reduced. Lishan and the Great Wall have basically returned home.
This initiative won the love of all people. The people even praised His Majesty.
If a large number of laborers are recruited in order to build roads and ships, then the work done before will become in vain.
The court's credibility may even be lost as a result. "
Ying Zheng was slightly stunned and said: "That makes sense. Now the court's reputation is even higher than before. I don't want the court's reputation to be ruined. What do you think, my dear friends?"
Li Si immediately said: "Your Majesty, for the current plan, we can recruit workers and pay the people. If a businessman appears, the court does not have to intervene, so this matter will not have anything to do with the court." 33
Ying Zheng nodded and said: "That makes sense. But merchants can recruit workers, but they are absolutely not allowed to plunder.
There must also be no bullying of men and women, otherwise I will not be lenient when I learn about this. "
"No," Li Si responded, "Reporting to Your Majesty, I will ask the Legalists to formulate a law concerning workers."
"That's fine." Ying Zheng nodded and continued, "Workers and businessmen have an employment relationship with each other, as well as a superior-subordinate relationship.
Businessmen must not bully workers at will just because they have money and are employers.
Whenever workers accuse a businessman of bullying workers, as long as it is true and the circumstances are serious, the businessman will be directly ordered to make corresponding compensation and punished himself. "
"Your Majesty is wise." Li Si responded.
"The promotion of commerce is an urgent matter for Da Qin. The world's food is getting less and less, and the low price of grain hurts farmers. I don't want to see the interests of farmers harmed.
Therefore, I decided to increase the granary and collect the surplus grain from all the people in the world. The price must not be lower than the market price.
From now on, all taxes will be offset by currency. Grain taxes, commercial taxes, etc. will be offset by copper coins, gold coins, and silver coins.
The wages merchants give workers must be money, never food or cloth. "
Some people died, but not completely...
