Will Jurong be built into the most advanced cotton spinning center in the Ming Dynasty?
Liu Boqin and Zhao Doubei looked at Gu Zhengchen and smiled unnaturally. Even the scribe Lin Shan, Hu Fang Luo Shao and others couldn't help but shake their heads.
Guo Liu, Chen Shan and others even laughed out loud, laughing at Gu Zhengchen's overestimation of his abilities.
He Feng, Zhou Xin, Feng Zhong and others were all depressed when they heard this.
County Lord, do you know the situation? The most advanced cotton spinning center in the Ming Dynasty is Songjiang Prefecture. The people there are divided into 60% cotton and 40% rice. It is by relying on cotton spinning that Songjiang Prefecture can withstand the heavy taxes imposed by the imperial court every year.
Jurong is only a county, how can it compete with a prefecture?
Gu Zhengchen took in everyone's expressions and put his hands behind his back with a determined look.
Regarding the development of cotton spinning industry in Jurong, Gu Zhengchen naturally conducted investigation and analysis.
Although the local cotton production in Jurong is limited, the transportation conditions in Jurong are not bad.
The Qinhuai River has two sources: east and south. The south source is Donglu Mountain in Lishui City, and the east source is Baohua Mountain in the north of Jurong City!
Gu Zhengchen asked Zhou Mao, Luo Shao and others that the Qinhuai River in Jurong, also known as the Jurong River, is the main river in Jurong. It runs from Chishan Lake to the west and leads to Jinling through Dugui, Hushu and other towns. The waterway is smooth. .
The direct waterway to Jinling is just one of Jurong's advantages. It is only about 60 miles away from the bank of the Yangtze River to the north, and about 70 miles away from Zhenjiang, which is about a day's journey by horse carriage.
There are both land transportation and river transportation, so getting some goods is not a problem.
Besides, Songjiang Prefecture’s cotton spinning is great, but it’s not so great that it cannot be surpassed.
The reason why Songjiang Prefecture is so powerful in cotton spinning is that it relies on Huang Daopo's improved cotton spinning technology, which has greatly improved the efficiency of cotton spinning.
However, Huang Daopo's improvements are not the end, and Huang Daopo is not the only one who improves textile technology.
Whether it is the four-spindle spinning wheel, the large spinning wheel and the large water-spinning spinning wheel recorded in the "Agricultural Book" written by Wang Zhen of the Yuan Dynasty, or the appearance of the "staff hanging flower slingshot" in "Gongkaiwu" in the late Ming Dynasty, they are all the results of the improvement of textile technology.
"Gongkaiwu" cannot be found at this time, but Gu Zhengchen has seen the drawings. The design of the hanging flower slingshot is very simple and there are no technical problems. It is not difficult to find Wang Zhen's "Agricultural Book". It is available in the bookstore. History Zhu Di also copied this book into the "Yongle Dadian".
Regardless of technical aspects, Songjiang Prefecture cotton weaving and weaving is taking the path of decentralized weaving in every household. Strength is created by decentralization and more. This method has its advantages. It does not disturb the people and does not delay farming. However, it also has a shortcoming. It is not efficient, various resources are not concentrated, and households are at the bottom. They lack bargaining power and are eaten up by businessmen. After eighty years of development, Cities and towns have developed, businesses have developed, and the living standards of the people have always been struggling to meet the food and clothing line.
The prosperity of Songjiang Prefecture belongs to the merchants, not the common people.
Gu Zhengchen believes that as long as certain innovations are made in the weaving, stretch, spinning and weaving technologies of cotton textiles, even if it is a subtle optimization, as long as the factory model of later generations is adopted, all production materials and resources are concentrated, and a large-scale operation is carried out, more work will be done and more will be achieved. We have to inspire the people, and we will surely develop Jurong's cotton textile industry.
As for the sales of cotton cloth, there is no need to worry. If there was no shortage of cotton cloth in the Ming Dynasty, how could the imperial court fold cotton cloth?
Cotton cloth, like grain, is hard currency.
If you carry grain to buy something, others will sell it to you. If you carry a piece of cloth to buy something, others will sell it to you.
The market demand for cotton cloth is huge and its value is relatively stable.
During the thirty-one years of the Hongwu Dynasty, supplies were still abundant and could not lower the value of cotton cloth. Historically, the price reduction of cotton cloth only occurred in the mid-Ming Dynasty.
When Gu Zhengchen chose cotton textiles to develop Jurong, the most critical consideration was not these advantages and feasibility, but Lao Zhu's attitude.
In Zhu Yuanzhang's concept, there was a narrow understanding of merchants, and this narrowness was amplified to the entire commercial level. He not only hoped that business could bring benefits, but also did not want merchants to move. That is, he wanted to suppress the wealthy gentry and wealthy families in Jiangnan. Yu Li moved this group of people from the deep-rooted Jiangnan to Fengyang, and hoped to use this group of people to prosper Fengyang and prepare for the subsequent relocation of the capital.
There are more or less people who want your money and materials, but also want to build a memorial arch. But this is the real Zhu Yuanzhang. This is related to his profound experience at that time. He was harmed by profiteers. Therefore, he hated businessmen and was harmed by corrupt officials. Yes, so we killed corrupt officials.
Gu Zhengchen must consider Lao Zhu's character and attitude when doing things. The cotton textile industry is a business type that Zhu Yuanzhang can accept. Although the cotton textile industry is a business, it itself has too many people's livelihood attributes, not to mention Lao Zhu's support for cotton spinning. .
Only by responding to policies and catering to the big boss can we ensure the smooth construction of the cotton spinning "factory". If the boss, Lao Zhu, does not agree, nothing will happen.
After all the village chiefs calmed down, Gu Zhengchen said solemnly: "After we return, all the village chiefs will write down a list and send it to the villagers who are good at defense, bombardment, spinning and weaving, especially those who are poor at home. Those who have few acres of land, are struggling to make ends meet and have these skills will be specially marked and sent to the county government after seven days."
After that, Gu Zhengchen saw that everyone was fine, gave him a few words of encouragement, and left after finishing the autumn harvest and other matters.
The village chiefs dispersed.
Second hall.
Gu Zhengchen began to write documents. He must tell Zhu Dalang and Lao Zhu about the development of cotton textile industry in Jurong, and explain the reasons and benefits. Otherwise, Lao Zhu will not allow people to work in factories on the grounds of laboring the people, and things will be difficult to handle.
After all, this document is about pie-making. Thanks to the experience of eating pie in later generations, Gu Zhengchen's ability to draw pie is very strong. I heard that Lao Zhu likes to eat pie, so I believe he will not refuse.
Liu Boqin and Zhao Doubei are writing their official documents. Gu Zhengchen wants to overturn the old case. If he doesn't leave, it will be over.
After Gu Zhengchen wrote the document to Zhu Dalang, Liu Boqin and Zhao Doubei's official documents were also delivered. Gu Zhengchen looked at the two sincere documents and smiled to persuade him to stay: "You two can't leave. Chen Dianshi has left. , The county government office already lacks a capable person. If the chief registrar and county magistrate also become officials, the court will think that I am overbearing and cannot tolerate my colleagues. I will not dare to approve or send this document."
Liu Boqin wiped his cold sweat and almost begged: "Your Majesty, I..."
Gu Zhengchen interrupted Liu Boqin: "Liu County Cheng, you were a Jinshi for the fourth year of Hongwu. You have been an official for less than three years. How can you leave? Even if the documents are sent up, the officials will not approve them. And Master Zhao Book, you are in good health, so you don’t need to join in the fun, right?"
Zhao Doubei said with a bitter look on his face: "Your Majesty, please hand it over for us. Recently, I have been feeling powerless and often in a trance..."
Gu Zhengchen looked at Zhao Doubei who was complaining, but he really couldn't find any other reason for swearing. Liu Boqin could also add that he had an old mother at home, but Zhao Doubei's parents passed away early, so this reason was no longer needed. As for physical problems, if you exercise a lot in bed at night, can this also be used as a reason for becoming an official?
Not handed.
Gu Zhengchen didn't know how many mistakes these people had committed in the past few years. If they just wanted to be greedy and take a little for the sake of the family's survival, Gu Zhengchen could turn a blind eye. However, these people used their methods to pave the way for the powerful clan to seek personal gain, so that The people have completely lost their trust in the county government and do not even dare to file a complaint. This is no longer an economic issue or a style issue, but a matter of using power for personal gain and seeking wealth and life!
There is no room for compromise on these issues.
Gu Zhengchen drove away Liu Boqin and Zhao Doubei, and once again opened the files on the disappearance of Sun Yiyi and Sun Erkou.
When night fell, Gu Zhengchen returned to the magistrate's house. Just after dinner, there was a knock on the door.
Sun Shiba opened the door and saw that the person who came was Sun Niang, so he quickly invited him in.
Zhang Pei watched Sun Niang take out two improved tactical backpacks, his eyes full of anticipation, and while replacing the rice and other items in the old backpacks, he praised: "Sun Niang's skills are amazing."
Gu Zhengchen saw that Sun Niang was a little tired and said with a smile: "You don't need to rush to work like this. It's just a night and a day. No one is rushing you."
Sun Niang raised her hand to straighten her hair and said easily, "Although the common people don't know what the county official wants this backpack to be used for, but from what Zhang Yamen and the county magistrate said, it should be for supplying the army of the garrison. How can the common people dare to slack off."
Gu Zhengchen gave Sun Niang a cup of tea and nodded slightly: "You're right, this thing is for the Beijing Army, and it may be supplied to all the sergeants in the guard station in the future. Are you curious about why I, a county magistrate, would have anything to do with the Beijing Army? Is Weisuo involved?"
Sun Niang took the tea bowl and thanked her: "If ordinary people are not curious, what the county magistrate does must be reasonable."
Gu Zhengchen looked at Zhang Pei who was skillfully carrying his backpack and moving, and ordered Gu Cheng to get buckles. These buckles were made by craftsmen outside the city. They were made of wood on the outside and a fixed iron pin in the middle. After the buckles were installed, The shoulder straps can be adjusted better.
Zhang Pei was so excited that he asked Yao Zhen to fill up another backpack and carry it on his back.
Gu Zhengchen checked and found that except for the tung oil oil coat, the tactical backpack was ready. He did not care whether Sun Niang was present. He looked at the two of them seriously and said in a deep voice: "Zhang Pei, Yao Zhen!"
"The mark is on!"
Zhang Pei and Yao Zhen stood solemnly, their bodies straight.
Gu Zhengchen took out two documents and two letters and handed them to Zhang Pei: "The tactical backpack is of great importance. Jinling has been waiting for it for many days. It cannot be postponed any longer! I now order you to leave the city early tomorrow morning and lead your horse on a thirty-minute walk." Here, check the results. If there are any problems, send one person back to Jurong, and the other person to Jinling to deliver documents and letters. If there are no problems, send them to Dalang Shou Zheng as quickly as possible."
"Take orders!"
Zhang Pei and Yao Zhen agreed loudly.
Gu Zhengchen waved his hand: "Go down and rest."
Zhang Pei and Yao Zhen looked at Gu Zhengchen with some reluctance.
Yao Zhen was a little worried: "Your Majesty, if you don't want Zhang Pei to go to Jinling, I can stay here. Jurong seems a little uneasy."
Gu Zhengchen looked at Zhang Pei and Yao Zhen and smiled easily: "Don't you think you won't come back after returning to Jinling? What are you thinking? This tactical backpack is a business, and you are the waiters. How can we go to school if we don’t come back?”
"Ah, this-"
Zhang Pei and Yao Zhen want to vomit blood, but what the heck, the dignified guards are going to become associates, and their future is worrying.
