Zhu Zhongliang and Zhu Jianyan, the two emperors of the Ming Dynasty, basically understood Zhu Jingyuan's intentions and ideas by comparing the contents of the pamphlet left by Emperor Shizu.
The two of them basically did not object to the plan proposed by Zhu Jingyuan, because it was an option that Emperor Shizu had also proposed.
But in terms of details, Zhu Jianyan quickly raised questions:
"How should we limit the scale and business scope of this government-run consortium?"
Zhu Jingyuan said directly:
"The scope is that there is no scope. Since it is the property of the imperial court, any existing legal industry can be operated.
“Even industries that are illegal for ordinary people and can only be operated by the royal family can also be operated by government-owned consortiums.
“The government-run consortium can compete with the royal consortium in an orderly manner and reduce the negative effects of the royal consortium’s complete monopoly.
“There is no scale either. The royal consortium is still essentially one consortium, while there are actually countless government-run consortiums.
“The central court can build global manufacturers that operate throughout the Ming Dynasty and even around the world.
“Provinces can build their own large-scale manufacturers, prefectures and counties can operate local manufacturers, and towns can also operate township manufacturers.
“But there must be some restrictions on management.
“The yamen at the same level cannot directly manage the government-run manufacturers at the same level. They must be raised at least one level higher.
“The registration and management of township government-owned manufacturers should be placed in the county, and the registration and management of county-level government-owned manufacturers should also be placed in the government.
“Overseas provincial-level government-run manufacturers are under the jurisdiction of large-region yamen, and overseas large-region manufacturers and manufacturers in local directly-governed provinces are under the control of the central court.
“In fact, it is to put the status of government-owned manufacturers at all levels on the same level as the local government offices.
“Prevent local government officials from using their status to directly interfere in various affairs of local manufacturers.
“At the same time, manufacturers operating across administrative regions must be recognized as upper-level manufacturers.
“Manufacturers operating across two counties must be considered as provincial-level manufacturers, and must register with the province and be managed by the province.
“For cross-government operations, even if it is a provincial-level manufacturer, those overseas have to register with the Dayu Yamen, and the local ones have to go to the Central Yamen.
“Whether it is local or overseas, inter-provincial operations must at least register and apply with the Central Government Office.”
Zhu Jianyan nodded and shook his head as he listened:
"If there are no restrictions on scope and scale at all, then if it is a government-owned manufacturer at the township or street level, can it also operate bun shops and small restaurants on the street?"
Zhu Jingyuan thought for a while:
“My advice is, if they can do it well and don’t lose money, go for it.
“The important role of government-owned manufacturers is to cover all industries and all aspects of society.
“We should allow all workers, in any industry, to choose to work in government-owned manufacturers.
“Their goal is to compete with the people, that is, with private capital.
“The reform direction of the Royal Consortium in recent years is to focus on high-end and large-scale industries.
“In the past few years, we have been gradually clearing out low-level and small-scale industries.
"Previously, it was transferred to private operations, but in the future, it can be directly transferred to government-run manufacturers established by the government offices at all levels."
Zhu Jianyan frowned in thought after hearing this, and Zhu Zhongliang spoke again:
"I think, Jian Yan, if you really follow Jingyuan's plan, Ming's private capital will be very painful in the future.
“The previous bureaucrats were opposed to the imperial court competing for profits with the people. In fact, they were opposed to the royal family directly competing with private capital.
“If the government-run consortium planned by Jingyuan competes with the people for profit, it will actually end up with the bureaucracy competing with private capital.
“The bureaucracy should not object, at least not collectively and explicitly.
“In this way, private capital may not be able to find a spokesperson to vent its dissatisfaction through official channels.
“But they won’t tolerate it completely unconditionally, and I can’t predict what they might do.
"You two have to be mentally prepared."
Zhu Jianyan still frowned and said nothing, thinking about these issues in his heart.
Zhu Jingyuan thought about this situation and added a few more thoughts:
“Actually, there is another option, which is public-private partnership.
“Government-owned consortiums do not have to operate entirely by themselves; they can use money to invest in private manufacturers.
“The government-owned consortium holds shares but does not directly operate it.
“We can invest in various private inventions and entrepreneurial ideas to replace the ecological niche of private capital in investment.
“Furthermore...even if private capital is dissatisfied, it will not be very obvious now.
“It will only show up when the dividends of war and science and technology subside and when civilian operations begin to have difficulties.
“And this period is just a good time to carry out this kind of reform and adjustment.”
This time Zhu Zhongliang stopped talking, and Zhu Jianyan couldn't help it:
"You also know that now there are wars and technological dividends, so even if there are problems, they will not show up.
"Then when it breaks out in ten or twenty years, can you solve it by yourself?"
Zhu Jingyuan shook his head directly:
"I don't know either."
Zhu Jianyan was suddenly speechless:
"Then you still dare to say it."
Zhu Jingyuan thought for a while:
"This is at least a generational thing. By the time private capital feels that the government-run consortium is suppressing them in every aspect, and the royal consortium is still controlling all the rules at the top, it will be a done deal."
Zhu Jianyan immediately asked:
"The done deal is done, aren't you afraid that they will break it and create the bourgeois revolution you mentioned?"
Zhu Jingyuan smiled and said:
“The highest-level bourgeoisie is the royal family, and the largest bourgeoisie is the imperial court.
“Under the suppression of these two mountains, private capital can develop on a scale that can account for one-third of the Ming Dynasty’s GDP, which is not bad.
“As the emperor controls the royal consortium and the government-run consortium, most of the bureaucracy will be on the emperor’s side.
“How do ordinary private capital groups rely on to carry out bourgeois revolution?”
Zhu Jianyan thought for a while and said:
"According to your statement, private manufacturers, let alone developing and growing, are more likely to be directly acquired by government-owned consortiums.
“In the end, there may only be some individual small vendors left, and it can also be a privately operated industry.”
Zhu Jingyuan smiled again and said:
"That situation cannot be said to be bad. If it is true that all industries are run by the royal family and the court, then we can not directly shift to ownership by the whole people..."
As soon as these words came out, the reactions of the two emperors Zhu Zhongliang and Zhu Jianyan were a little fierce.
Almost at the same time, they looked at Zhu Jingyuan with wide eyes:
"You are the prince! The most core member of the royal family! What kind of ownership by the whole people!"
Zhu Jingyuan also realized immediately that he was a prince:
“Then let’s slightly limit the business scope and scale of the government-run consortium.
"Remove the lowest level, the township-level yamen are too small, so there is no need to set up government-run factories and commercial firms.
“Government-owned manufacturers should start at least in the county town, and small and medium-sized markets and self-employed businesses below the county level should be left to the private sector as much as possible.
“At the same time, top-level industries can also be restricted.
“The government-owned consortium focuses on industries with economies of scale, bulk products and consumer goods, as well as various labor-intensive manufacturing industries, to absorb and control more industrial people for the imperial court.
“If you don’t take the initiative to get involved in high-tech core industries, those things will be left to the royal consortium to run.
“In this way, Ming’s industry will be able to form a three-tier structure in the future.
"The royal consortium controls core and high-end industries, the government-run consortium focuses on bulk commodities and industries with economies of scale, and private capital focuses on low-end, small-scale industries at the local and township levels,"
Zhu Jianyan was more satisfied and accepted this time:
"That's pretty much it."
After determining the general direction, Zhu Zhongliang, Zhu Jianyan, and Zhu Jingyuan continued to discuss the details.
Mainly Zhu Zhongliang and Zhu Jianyan stared at Zhu Jingyuan, listed all these ideas, and the three of them discussed and judged the pros and cons together.
The grandfather and grandson held secret talks in this small conference room for three days.
No one outside knew what they talked about.
However, after the talks, Emperor Zhu Jianyan of the Ming Dynasty returned to the court and began to organize the "Ming Dynasty Consortium".
The first batch of people and industries were transferred directly from the royal consortium.
At the same time, we began to improve the welfare standards of bureaucrats at all levels and began to build various living security facilities.
The organization and construction of these housing, schools and other security facilities are the first new businesses of the newly established Daming Consortium.
From the moment he was admitted as a scholar, he had complete control over his life until his death.
No matter which one, it is a great good thing for officials.
The original withdrawal of vassals and establishment of provinces was a great benefit to the officials of the vassal state.
Opening up the six major industries is a good thing for bureaucrats who own industries at home and represent certain industries.
This increase in the salary of all officials is a good thing for all officials.
The current mission of the government-run consortium seems to be a related organization specifically responsible for the treatment of officials.
Therefore, even officials with property at home did not immediately think about the subsequent competition between the government-run consortium and their families.
Therefore, the entire official system feels like everyone is celebrating.
Many bureaucrats even cried with joy.
More than 150 years have passed since Renwu, and the emperor of Ming Dynasty finally thought of loosening the bureaucracy.
Although no one knows the specific reason why the emperor changed his mind, the emperor's close officials revealed some side information.
The three generations of the emperor's family held a meeting at Yingtian Mansion.
When Zhu Jingyuan came back from Nanyang, three generations met at Yingtian Mansion for a meeting.
It is conceivable that there must be Zhu Jingyuan's reasons for this.
Otherwise, the two generations of emperors didn’t have to go to Nanjing, and they still couldn’t decide in the capital?
Considering the series of measures Zhu Jingyuan had proposed, most officials were grateful to Zhu Jingyuan.
As for the impact of competition between government-owned consortiums and private capital, that is a matter for later.
It is conceivable that even if this kind of competition begins, except for officials who represent the interests of certain industrial capitals, the vast majority of officials who come to serve purely as officials will definitely still be interested in the imperial court.
On the other side, after the meeting, Zhu Jingyuan and Zhu Zhongliang went to visit the battleship industry factory around Yingtian Mansion.
The most important thing is the naval gun factory.
The reception and accompanying personnel were Wang Lai and Li Rui who followed Zhu Jianyan from the capital.
Seven years ago, the two were the heads of the Arms Department and Ship Department of the Ministry of Industry, and both were officials of the sixth rank.
Now they are all ministers of the newly established "Ordnance Department" and are already officials of the third rank.
The two of them rose to six levels in seven years, which was an absolute anomaly in the Ming Dynasty's bureaucracy.
Under normal circumstances, the term is three years. After one term is completed, if there is no fault in the inspection and there is contribution, you can be promoted to the next level normally.
Since there are normal situations, there are also abnormal situations.
The Ordnance Department and the Ship Department of the Ministry of Industry have very important responsibilities, but in the past few years there was no way to separate the departments.
Therefore, the rank of the chief official Langzhong of the two divisions was raised from the fifth rank to the fourth rank.
This promotion coincided with the two of them meeting each other. Less than two years after being promoted to doctor, they were promoted two levels out of thin air.
Last year, after the Ming Dynasty established the Great Region and was in charge of Jiuqing, the Arms Department and the Ship Department were finally separated from the Ministry of Industry, forming a new Ordnance Department.
As the heads of the two divisions that were the actual predecessors of the entire department, the two naturally became the assistant ministers of the new department.
Let them be promoted within the department in advance instead of transferring officials of a more suitable grade from outside, because there is another convention set by Emperor Shizu in the Ming Dynasty officialdom, and professional department officials should be promoted internally as much as possible.
So let them jump directly from the fourth rank to the third rank as a minister, instead of recruiting someone from the third rank to serve as a minister from outside.
Both of them are indeed capable and have made great contributions.
Under Zhu Jingyuan's guidance and urging, these two departments have continued to produce new inventions in the past few years.
If you don't look at seniority and years of experience, but simply based on merit to determine the grade, these inventions are enough for two people to be promoted to minister.
Therefore, these two people were particularly grateful to Zhu Jingyuan and respected him from the bottom of their hearts. They both felt that they had really met someone like Emperor Shizu.
The two received Zhu Zhongliang and Zhu Jingyuan's grandparents outside the factory gate. They saluted very seriously and even a little excitedly, and then led the two people to visit the factory together.
Everyone first went directly to the experimental site of the manufactured artillery.
On the way to the venue, Li Rui excitedly explained the situation to Zhu Jingyuan:
"Your Highness, the performance of electroslag remelted steel is really great. Compared with steel smelted by traditional processes, it has been improved in all aspects.
"The naval gun produced using this process can fully meet the requirements you originally raised.
"Moreover, if we just want to meet the parameter requirements you mentioned, we can even suppress the total weight of a single artillery including the breech block to less than one hundred tons. At the same weight, using traditional technology may only be able to produce three hundred and eighty tons. mm artillery.
“In order to obtain better performance and leave enough margin, we relaxed the weight of the gun to one hundred and twenty tons.
“Currently, we are still working on the 100-ton electroslag resmelting furnace, and the existing test gun barrels still use a three-layer structure.
“The multi-layer nested structure of the gun barrel itself allows the worn internal liner to be replaced individually, which is also a cost advantage.
"A 420mm caliber, 50 times caliber artillery, using a 1,360kg super-heavy armor-piercing projectile, when the muzzle velocity reaches 800 meters per second, there are still at least 300 to 400 rounds life span.
“If the weight of the shell is further increased, using an extremely heavy-weight shell of 1,500 kilograms, and continuing to maintain a muzzle velocity of 800 meters per second, it should still be able to maintain a lifespan of more than 150 rounds.
"So now designers are having some disputes on this issue, that is, whether to use extremely heavy armor-piercing projectiles weighing 1,500 kilograms in mass-produced artillery."
(End of chapter)
