Walking into the palace wall, looking back, there are many guards.
Luo Shao, Yang Liang, Zhou Mao and Ding Ben were a little scared and even walked cautiously. The road inside the palace is flat, and the wheels of the cart make a subtle grunting sound as they run over the stone bricks.
Outside the Huagai Palace, Zheng Bo ordered the sergeant to search him and ensure safety before entering the palace to report.
The cart enters the Huagai Hall.
Luo Shao, Zhou Mao and others knelt down and worshiped Shan Hu.
Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Biao looked at the two carts, one large and one small, one simple and one complex. They were very different from the wheelbarrows they had seen in the past.
"Get up and talk."
Zhu Yuanzhang stood up and walked out from behind the desk.
Luo Shao, Zhou Mao and others stood up and dropped their hands to their sides, not daring to raise their heads.
Zhu Biao walked to the back of the cart, pushed it gently, and the cart moved forward, pulled out the small seat, and opened the top bow-shaped wooden bar, and a covering white curtain stretched out.
Zhu Yuanzhang examined the cart and saw Zhu Biao getting excited about playing with it. He smiled and said, "I can see that you like this cart very much. You might as well take it to the East Palace so that it can be used as soon as possible."
Zhu Biao was stunned for a moment and said quickly: "Father, where can such a small cart be used in the East Palace?"
"You don't know what this cart is for?"
Zhu Yuanzhang raised his eyebrows.
Zhu Biao's heart tightened, he looked at the cart carefully and suddenly blushed.
Such a small stroller is obviously not built for me, nor can it be used by my father. It cannot sit on it, and only children can sit on it!
Gu Zhengchen, it’s okay for dad to urge me to give birth. Why are you trying so many different ways to urge me...
Thinking of the tiger whip wine and the torturous figure of the princess, Zhu Biao was also extremely depressed. He had worked hard.
"Father, I think this stroller is most suitable for the two brothers Zhu Chun and Zhu Bai. They are very active and difficult to take care of at this time. With this stroller, we can save a lot of money." thing."
Zhu Biao didn't want it.
There is not much movement in the princess's stomach now, but there is a lot of movement in the father's house. Hongwu just gave himself two younger brothers in the fourth year, named Zhu Chun and Zhu Bai. I heard that the father often spends the night at Concubine Guo recently. , I estimate that it won’t be long before I have another younger brother or sister...
Dad's majesty is incomparable.
Zhu Yuanzhang snorted and looked at Luo Shao and others: "What's so famous about this little cart? Didn't Gu Xiaozi leave any words?"
Luo Shao, Zhou Mao and others were shocked.
Gu Xiaozi?
The emperor actually called Gu Zhixian Gu Xiaozi. He was so affectionate, as if he was asking a nephew rather than an official!
Luo Shao calmed down and said quickly: "Your Majesty, the county magistrate said that this small stroller is called a baby stroller. The baby always lies in the cradle and is held in his arms for a long time. Not only is the person tired, but even the baby is uneasy. With this stroller, it can be easily rolled out, which not only makes the child happy, but also makes the caregiver relaxed.”
Zhu Yuanzhang nodded slightly and said with a straight face: "If a county magistrate doesn't manage the place properly, why would he destroy these utensils? In my opinion, he is doing nothing but doing nothing."
Seeing that the emperor wanted to get angry, Luo Shao was afraid, but he still said bravely: "Your Majesty, the county magistrate did this for the sake of the people..."
"Oh, tell me."
Zhu Yuanzhang was a little surprised.
Luo Shao did not dare to wipe away his cold sweat and lowered his head to explain: "The county magistrate summoned a group of craftsmen and planned to use the craftsmen's free time in winter to build these carts for sale. The county magistrate said that parents in this world love their children and are willing to do it for them. Children spend money, and this baby stroller offers ease of use, convenience in walking, and peace of mind and effort. I hope there will be many buyers.”
"The craftsmen can use the money and grain earned from selling these carts to pay the two taxes, add some rice and flour to their families, and accumulate some surplus. Working in winter will not delay the spring and autumn farming, nor affect the people's livelihood, but also add an additional income. No. Many people hope that this cart will be sold smoothly, so that at the end of the year, it can bring blessings and longevity to the parents and new clothes for the children..."
Zhu Yuanzhang fell into deep thought after hearing this.
Although Luo Shao was talking about the work of Jurong craftsmen, Zhu Yuanzhang, who was deeply moved, was thinking about the craftsman system of the Ming Dynasty.
The craftsman system of the Ming Dynasty was inherited from the Yuan Dynasty, and some craftsmen from the private sector were gathered together to work as craftsmen in the government. They were called "official craftsmen". They had no personal freedom, no income from their work, and their descendants were hereditary.
There are such craftsmen in Jinling and Fengyang now.
Each prefecture and county has a list of craftsmen, and if the court needs it, it can call for people at any time.
The life of these craftsmen is indeed very hard. Although the imperial court distributes rice and salt every month, the amount given by the imperial court is only enough for their personal needs. If someone deducts from them and takes one or more hands from them, they will not even have enough to eat. .
The craftsmen in Fengyang made trouble not once or twice, and more than one craftsman was killed.
Now it seems that he still agrees with Gu Zhengchen's words, people need to eat, and only when they have enough food can they be obedient citizens.
If you think about it carefully, if we had enough to eat, how could we have gone to join the Red Turban Army? Or maybe we would have stood on the hillside and cursed the Red Turban Army.
Gu Zhengchen used the method of craftsmen to make work and sell it to improve the lives of craftsmen and common people. Can he also use it to alleviate the dissatisfaction of Jinling craftsmen and Fengyang craftsmen?
Zhu Yuanzhang walked towards the cart and pushed it slowly.
That’s right, craftsmen in Jurong can make these objects and sell them to support their families, why can’t craftsmen in Jinling and Fengyang?
You must know that when winter comes, many craftsmen cannot do any work. They are idle when they are idle. Why must the court prohibit them from doing anything but lying idle and spending the winter?
"How much is Gu Xiaozi going to sell this cart?"
Zhu Yuanzhang asked in a deep voice.
Luo Shao said quickly: "The county magistrate said that if this cart is sold to a wealthy family, the workmanship and layout will be even more sophisticated, and the cost is quite high, so it should cost one to three thousand dollars. If it is sold to ordinary people, it does not need too many carvings. The layout does not need to be too elaborate, it should be practical, and only one hundred and fifty to three hundred cents will be sufficient."
Zhu Yuanzhang thought.
A cart costs more than 100 yuan, which is enough for a craftsman to eat for seven or eight days. If he makes and sells three pieces a month, he can live.
When the craftsmen worked in their spare time, the court did not need to provide grain, rice and salt. It only needed to relax control over them and let them make a living. In this way, no one could have enough to eat and no one could blame the court.
"Give him one hundred and fifty coins, and I'll take this cart."
Zhu Yuanzhang was very disciplined.
The chamberlain took out one hundred and fifty coins, which made Luo Shao, Zhou Mao and others tremble.
Your Majesty, if you sincerely give, shouldn't you go according to the big family's price? Look at the tiger skin covering it, the carvings on it, the patterns on it, the workmanship...
Well, one hundred and fifty coins is just one hundred and fifty coins. It’s pretty good that the emperor can put down his dignity and buy it instead of asking for it.
Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Zhu Biao and said seriously: "Gu Xiaozi, this incident has reminded me. Later, you will send a message to the officials of the Ministry of Industry. In the future, the court will recruit craftsmen. Those who are off work will not be given grain and rice, and they will be allowed to make a living." . Let them find their own way out when they are idle or off work."
Gu Zhengchen would not have thought that because of a small cart, Zhu Yuanzhang would reform the craftsman system thirteen years earlier!
