Although Lao Zhu also praised the strategies Xu Yungong and Xu Miaoyun said, there was no look of surprise on their faces. Come to think of it, these two strategies were originally part of Lao Zhu's original plan. Asking them is just a test.
But he is different. He has already participated in the formulation of the national policy of the Ming Dynasty. Since he specially sent someone to summon him to the palace this time, he will not just talk about it. This is already a memorial related to the future of the Ming Dynasty.
Xu Da showed difficulties in managing the grasslands. In order to expand China's influence to the grasslands, he should also work hard.
Zhu Su thought deeply for a long time. In the banquet, no matter whether it was Lao Zhu and Queen Ma, or Xu Da and the Xu family siblings, they all quietly did not disturb him. After a long time, Zhu Sufang raised his head and said, "In that case, my nephew will express some immature thoughts."
"Uncle Xu wants to explore the grassland, but my nephew believes that the most important thing is to do business."
"Business Dao?" Xu Yungong frowned. "Thanks to His Majesty's kindness, the woolen mill has been handed over to my father. I ordered my father to use it to explore the grassland."
“But to manage a place, you still rely on manpower after all... Woolen mills can make a lot of money every day, and they can also use sweaters to allow the grassland tribes to profit from the wool and bring them back, but after all, they cannot do it out of thin air. Increase manpower..."
"Yes. Therefore, what I mean is that by announcing the technology of wool spinning machines, the businessmen of Ming Dynasty can also get a share of this emerging industry..."
"Announced?" Xu Da asked doubtfully. "If it is announced, won't the benefits of the woolen mill be reduced? If money is insufficient, won't it be more difficult to visit remote places on the grassland?"
"On the surface, it does appear to be so." Zhu Su said. "However, announcing the wool spinning technology also has its benefits. Apart from that, in recent years, the Ming royal family and the Xu family have made hundreds of thousands of silver dollars every year just from wool spinning. In this way, they are just marketing the wool to Jiangnan and Shuntian. Just two places.”
"Our Ming Dynasty covers all four seas, even the land south of the Yangtze River. In winter, sweaters are needed to keep out the cold. Not to mention the common people in the prefectures in the north of the Yangtze River. There are also army sergeants. Now only the Shuntian and Liaodong frontier armies are issued sweaters. There are still Millions of military households are still unable to protect themselves from the cold in winter. We promoted sweaters in the first place so that everyone in the world would have clothes to wear and not be cold in winter. Publicizing the technology is just to enable other merchants to help us to promote sweaters. To the land of the four seas.”
"And I think it won't detract too much from my own interests."
In the words of later generations, the market was too big for Zhu and Xu to monopolize it. Why don't we divide it and let everyone eat this piece of cake together, without having to hide it and worry about making enemies.
"Xiao Wu'er is right. You and I are members of the imperial family, so having too much to eat is a disaster rather than a blessing." Empress Ma nodded. "The more the royal family has to eat and occupy, the less will be left for the people. It is important for the people to have clothes to wear in winter."
Everyone nodded. Zhu Su continued: "Since the wool spinning technology has been announced, countless merchants around the world will definitely invest money to build factories. Since there are factories, there should naturally be raw materials. Where do the raw materials come from? You must know that the Ming Dynasty emphasized agriculture. In the land within the pass, it is definitely not allowed to raise sheep in pens. Then, merchants can only come to the grassland to buy."
"When businessmen go there, they will naturally become popular on the grassland. Once you are popular, are you worried that you won't be able to gather enough people?"
Xu Yungong's eyes lit up: "Wonderful! The advent of a technology can turn the grassland upside down! If Han merchants often come and go on the grassland, even though it is a foreign land, how is it different from the Central Plains?"
Xu Da also nodded.
"It's not over yet." Zhu Su smiled. "Uncle Xu, does he know that there is a place called 'Sakai Port' in Yingzhou?"
"I heard a little bit." Xu Da nodded. "I heard that it was a temporary port built by His Highness and the army officers in Yingzhou?"
"It's not just a port now." Zhu Su said, with a hint of complacency in his tone. "Today, Sakai Port has become an important town under our Ming Dynasty Yingzhou Xuanwei Division."
"In Sakai Port, Japanese merchants, Han merchants, and even red-haired merchants are constantly coming and going. Although it is not as prosperous as Suzhou and Hangzhou, in terms of population, it is comparable to the old Japanese Kyoto."
Xu Da, Xu Yungong and others were all surprised. Sakai Port was just a temporary port built by thousands of Ming troops. Now, it has become a prosperous port city?
"As for the reason, it is precisely because Sakai Port is connected to our Ming Dynasty by maritime trade routes. With the help of commerce, this originally uninhabited place became a prosperous place for our Ming Dynasty overseas."
"If we, the Chinese, want to truly control the grassland, we must build more cities just like we built Sakai Port, so that we can rely on them as our foundation. And even if there are merchants going to and from the grassland, they all come today and return tomorrow. Without the protection of cities, they will eventually He is just a passer-by, and he will not settle down in the grassland."
"Therefore, my nephew's idea is that he needs to work harder to build roads on the grassland. As the saying goes, 'If you want to be rich, build roads first.' Once there are roads, then build a forage shop next to the road, which will attract merchants to gather. Also, The management rights of the vacant grasslands around the farm can be handed over to merchants. The Xunmen buy wool. After all, it is not as economical as raising sheep and grazing by themselves. If the grasslands are full of Han merchant pastures, the children of Han merchants will naturally move to the grasslands. These people are the foundation that Uncle Xu can rely on first."
"When merchants take root on the grasslands and live in peace, they will naturally seek shelter and convenience. Then, they will also spontaneously run business. Even if they were asked to help when building the city wall, they would surely donate generously. After all, the city protects their own safety. and wealth.”
"In this way, we don't need to waste our lives and money, and we will have businessmen to help build the grassland. Wherever the roads are built and where the foraging fields are set up, our Han family's city can be built wherever it is. Once we have the city, we can live in peace. , and then continue with education and development. As time passes, will the Anzhi grassland become a Chinese paradise again?"
Zhu Su finished speaking in one breath, borrowing the power of merchants, this is the most terrifying part of "sheep eating people".
As long as it is profitable, the merchants will not care about the bitter cold of the grassland. They will swarm in and encroach on the grassland... And what the Ming Dynasty needs now is exactly this kind of encroachment.
"Okay, what a 'If you want to get rich, build roads first'!" Lao Zhu was overjoyed. "It is a wonderful strategy to use the power of merchants to expand the territory of Ming Dynasty!"
"Tiande, when all grassland things are started, it is time to pool our efforts. Winning over businessmen is also a good way. Don't be picky and reluctant to give up the money to build roads."
"Yes. Now that there is cement, the cost of road construction has been greatly reduced. Naturally, I will not be stingy with the small money and lose the big for the small." Xu Da replied. After a while, he sighed again: "After all, things are different now. Wool spinning and cement, two small innovations, have become the key to opening up the world."
"In the future, if anyone calls these tricks and tricks again, I should draw my sword. This is the foundation for the development of the country, so why talk about tricks?"
Everyone laughed.
(End of chapter)
