Chapter 101: The End of the Disaster
Zhang Zongde is essentially a mathematician.
His research on the gear problem actually abstracted the gear and evolved it into a mathematical problem.
I don’t know much about craftsmanship or anything like that.
This is also determined by Zhang Zongde's origin. No matter how many ups and downs he has experienced, in essence, he is still a scholar. Counting several generations back, he has come from a scholarly family.
Because of this, people like Zhang Zongde and Ge Tiangong, who are craftsmen, have completely different ideas. He truly treats scientific research work with a scholarly spirit and attitude. And Zhang Zongde is really interested in this matter.
As for most craftsmen, they have no passion for their craft. They are just making a living. If they can become officials and have a better life, it doesn't matter if they don't pick up this craft for the rest of their lives.
As for the steam engine project, if He Xi hadn't taken the initiative, these craftsmen would not have had any strong demand in many cases. Unless you can make money. And within the system created by He Xi, there are still no patents, or
However, Zhang Zongde was from a scholarly family and was not that utilitarian in learning.
But He Xi felt that he now had too many craftsmen, but lacked a leader in mathematical and physical thinking. If Zhang Zongde replaces Ge Tiangong, he can bring out a capable scientific team or engineer team.
Books become scarce when they are used, and so do people. Talents, especially high-end talents, have always been scarce.
He Xi even had time to think that Zhang Zongde's talent might lead to greater achievements if he delved into mathematics and theory. But then he thought about it. When science just started, there were actually no clear boundaries. It was normal for every scientist to have many titles.
The printing factory that Newton also managed was nothing.
Anyway, although the theories in He Xi's head are not many, they are enough for Ming's scientific community to study for two hundred years. Therefore, what he needs most is engineers, genius-level engineers, engineers who can implement He Xi's ideas.
In his opinion, Zhang Zongde has this talent.
At least better than Ge Tiangong. Ge Tiangong is not a foreigner, but sometimes, if it doesn't work, it just won't work. My thinking has already become rigid.
Zhang Zongde said: "The student has thanked you for your kindness. Ever since we met by the Liaosong Canal, the student has always kept your teachings in mind. Today, if you can serve you, even if you die, you will definitely give this to you." It’s done.”
He Xi heard Zhang Zongde's words, looked at Zhang Zongde intently, and then said: "So it's you."
He Xi has met too many people, and the child a few years ago has long been forgotten. Now that I think about it, I can't help but be filled with emotion.
There is a feeling that things are different and people are different, and at the same time there is a sense of intimacy.
Originally, He Xi was ready to send Zhang Zongde away.
He Xi couldn't help but ask: "How have you been these past few years?"
Zhang Zongde rambled about his life in the past two years to He Xi. Especially during the days at Yingkou University Hall.
It made He Xi miss her school days a little bit.
It's just that He Xi has a lot of things to do, so he just asked his servant to give him a famous card. From now on, you won’t have to wait for several days when you come to see him. If something happens outside in the future, He Xi's power can also be used.
Generally speaking, Zhang Zongde is also a member of He Xi's inner circle.
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After Zhang Zongde left, He Xi stood up to move his body and rubbed his temples.
I have to admit that I haven't thought about mathematics problems for many years, and now this incident suddenly happened, which made He Xi a little bit overwhelmed. Fortunately, I may have forgotten all the knowledge points from college, but I still remember the knowledge from high school very well.
At least I didn't lose my train of thought, so I couldn't even understand what I was listening to.
Just when He Xi was changing some of his thoughts, Yang Shiqi came over.
He Xi sat down again and Yang Shiqi began to report on the situation during this period.
Yang Shiqi said: "There are now twenty ships working together on the Tianjin River, and the displacement has greatly increased. According to local reports in Henan, the commander of the Henan capital, with several nearby guard posts, fought hard for more than a month, and finally closed up. Hejian, Baoding and other places , the water has receded in some places. As long as God opens his eyes and the weather clears up for a month, this flood will be over."
He Xi sighed and said, "I hope so."
Summer and autumn are usually rainy times, but now there are no even inaccurate weather forecasts. He Xi doesn't find it strange that a heavy rain breaks out while he's talking.
A month without rain is just a beautiful wish.
The most difficult days of the flood have passed, but there is still a long finishing process.
It is no easier to fight against the flood than to fight against the flood itself.
Yang Shiqi said: "In the past few months, more than 200,000 Dingkou people have been brought from Hejian, and there are more than 200,000 others in total. In the entire city of Beijing, there are now more than 400,000 people. This has also caused many problems. "
He Xi said: "What are the problems?"
Yang Shiqi said: "First of all, there is Dingkou. The total population of Hejian Prefecture is only more than 400,000. After this migration, half of the people in Hejian Prefecture will be Dingkou. Everyone in Hejian Prefecture will stay with me and will not leave. They will not leave. Know how to explain to the court. This problem is more or less common in other places."
He Xi pondered for a moment and said: "In the final analysis, is it a question of land tax? Tell them, let them clear the land again and verify the land tax. If the higher-ups are to blame, I will be responsible for everything. What kind of problem is this?"
Yang Shiqi said: "Sir, this matter should not be ignored. When these people migrate here, it can be said that the population of each prefecture and county will be greatly reduced, and the land for cultivation will also be reduced a lot. Didn't your Excellency say that there is an overall shortage of food in the north, and now that the people are migrating, There are many people in the court who agree that the farming season is wrong."
In a word, industry competes with agriculture for population.
Today, the entire Beijing has a population of only three to four million. The new Beijing city that was created out of nothing would naturally have to suck the blood of the place on a large scale if it wanted to reach the scale He Xi wanted.
This is natural.
And converting the agricultural population into an industrial population is a disguised way of competing with the landlords for the power of tenants.
To be honest, it's better in the north.
Because the north is at least sparsely populated, and Zhu Yuanzhang encourages land reclamation. There simply weren’t that many tenants. Most people have their own land. Therefore, the northern landlord class has no choice but to do anything about Beijing's behavior of absorbing the population.
But this directly affects Hebei's grain production.
It will further aggravate the food shortage in the north.
After all, the increase in so many non-agricultural workers requires food.
He Xi heard that even Yang Shiqi had some complaints about this matter.
Not that Yang Shiqi didn't know that it was necessary for He Xi to do this. It is a matter of the ratio of workers and farmers. Food is the foundation of the country. At any time, food must be more important than money. The northern part of the Ming Dynasty was not a grain-producing area to begin with. Although the grain output in Hebei is not high, the effect is great.
After all, Hebei grain is close to the front line and transportation costs are low.
And if He Xi does this, more food must be transported from the south. Previously, two to three million stones were transported by sea a year, and there was still a surplus. But according to He Xi's approach, it is estimated that more will be needed, even if the cultivated land in Liaodong is developed well enough.
It is just to make up for the loss of farmland in Hebei.
This kind of trade-off seems problematic to Yang Shiqi. He was just saying it tactfully.
He Xi was silent for a moment and said: "When will King Yan return to the feudal country? Send someone to say hello and sell more cattle from him to sell in Beijing. I remember that there are many new farm tools that could not be sold before. I guess It will be sold this time.”
Yang Shiqi understood what He Xi meant.
Increase the use of cattle and new agricultural tools, thereby increasing northern grain production. But in Yang Shiqi's opinion, this method is quite problematic.
Yang Shiqi said: "Sir, I'm afraid the water from far away will not quench the thirst of the nearer."
He Xi said: "Master Yang, what do you think our Ming Dynasty's agriculture will look like in the future?"
With this sentence, Yang Shiqi didn't know where to start? Because in his opinion, farming has been done this way for thousands of years, is there anything different?
