Does commercial development benefit the country and the people, enrich the country and the people, and strengthen the country and the people?
These words shocked the opposing ministers and those who remained silent. Who made such rebellious remarks?
If he dares to come forward, they will scold him to pieces.
Amid everyone's curious looks, Xi Duanfan, who was waiting outside the door, was led into the Huangji Hall by the Fang family.
"The common people are sitting at the table to pay homage to Your Majesty!"
"Get up!"
Chongzhen said lightly and pointed at the ministers who had objections: "These are all those who oppose the development of business. Come and argue with them!"
"The common people obey the decree!"
After Xi Duanfan responded, he took a few steps back, and the other ministers also retreated to both sides, leaving the middle position to the ministers and Xi Duanfan who had objections.
Xi Duanfan looked at everyone and clasped his hands in fists: "My lords, let's begin!"
"Mr. Xi, the full development of business will definitely arouse the participation and imitation of all the people. Then who will farm the land? How can we ensure the demand for food if no one farms the land?"
As soon as he said this, everyone's expressions became serious.
Since ancient times, when dynasties changed, the reason why they have always emphasized agriculture and suppressed commerce is because they were afraid that the fields would be abandoned and they would not be able to meet the demand for food. A lack of food would lead to chaos. This is the root cause.
"My lords, this is a good question. Let me ask you a few questions. After answering these questions first, you will understand.
I would like to ask: What was the population of the Northern Song Dynasty? What is the geometry of the cultivated land? How much is the yield per mu? How old is my Daming? "
A minister stood up and said: "Advisor Xi, I am the right minister of household affairs, Zeng Xian. I will answer these questions for you.
The problems of the Northern Song Dynasty are recorded in the "History and Geography of the Song Dynasty". The cultivated land area in the Northern Song Dynasty is estimated to be between 5.4 million hectares and 6.2 million hectares.
The peak population was in the third year of Daguan Period, with 20.88 million households and a population of approximately 112.7 million people.
The exact amount of cultivated land in our Ming Dynasty is not yet clear, but based on the current clearing of land and resources by the Ministry of Land and Resources, it is estimated that it should be between 900 million acres, and the population is between 180 million and 200 million. "
"Thank you Master Zeng!"
Xi Duanfan cupped his hands and then looked at the opposing ministers: "Everyone, the prosperity of business in the Northern Song Dynasty was the most prosperous in the history of the dynasties. There is no doubt about this!
According to the data given by Mr. Zeng, the average per capita in the Northern Song Dynasty was five acres and two cents, with an output of two stones per mu and a per capita output of ten and a half stones.
The per capita output of the Ming Dynasty was similar, but the average per mu was two and a half dan, and the per capita output was twelve and a half dan, which was a full two dan more than that of the Northern Song Dynasty.
The Northern Song Dynasty was able to make a living, but I, the Ming Dynasty, can’t? "
Can't?
Who dares to answer this?
The first round of confrontation left everyone speechless and choked.
Without waiting for anyone to respond, Xi Duanfan continued: "Let's put aside the data of the Northern Song Dynasty and only talk about the actual situation of the Ming Dynasty. The yield per mu is two and a half stones. This is an output that can only be achieved under good weather conditions.
But in fact, it’s good to get two stones, which is equivalent to three hundred kilograms of rice.
One pound of rice produces about seven taels of rice, and one acre of land equals two hundred and ten pounds. The cultivated land of the Ming Dynasty can produce 189 billion pounds of rice.
On average, the common people eat one kilogram of rice a day and need 365 kilograms of rice a year. The entire Ming Dynasty needs 65.7 billion kilograms of grain a year, and the output is obviously greater than the demand.
If we remove other uses, such as wine making, snacks, etc., and add natural disasters, man-made disasters, etc., these grains can definitely meet the demand. The problem is that the grains are all in the hands of wealthy merchants and gentry.
The imperial court is now implementing the policy of returning land to the people, and the average per capita is five acres. In other words, the existing 900 million acres of land is just enough for the 180 million people to share it equally.
So this will raise three questions. First, how many merchants were there in the Ming Dynasty? Will one million more and one million fewer people have an overall impact?
Second, the prosperous age is coming, and population increase is inevitable. Taking twenty years as one generation, excluding the number of natural deaths, there will be an increase of at least 20 million people in the Ming Dynasty in twenty years. Is the existing cultivated land enough? "
“Third, with the substantial increase in population, can today’s yield per mu still meet demand?”
Once the accounts were settled, everyone fell silent.
They may be aware of these issues, but they have not thought about them in depth.
Was there really a shortage of food in all dynasties? There is no shortage as a whole, but the people at the lowest level are lacking, and the food in the homes of the rich has become moldy.
"Do you want to say that the Ming Dynasty has a vast territory and many places are undeveloped. If the population increases, then we can continue to cultivate it.
If you think so, you are really stupid... drinking poison to quench your thirst.
If an additional population of 10 million can be cultivated, how can an additional population of 100 million be cultivated? "
The faces of the ministers who objected became gloomy. Although Xi Duanfan changed his mind, he was just saying that they were stupid.
One person asked very stubbornly: "Then what do you think we should do?"
"what to do?"
Xi Duanfan chuckled: "His Majesty has already given a solution to this matter."
"What do you think His Majesty is doing by establishing the Agricultural Research Institute and the Industrial Research Institute? The Agricultural Research Institute studies how to increase food production, such as increasing one acre of land from two stones to three stones... five stones.
The Industrial Research Institute studies how to improve the efficiency of farmland. A person who used to work hard to cultivate five acres can now easily cultivate ten acres with the help of tools.
A slight improvement in either would allow more arable land to be cultivated with fewer people. "
Seeing that everyone still wanted to refute, Xi Duanfan continued: "Don't think it's impossible. Before potatoes and sweet potatoes came out, have you ever thought that these two kinds of potatoes can produce more than ten stones per mu?
Before the wind turbine thrust water trucks came out, have you ever thought about people getting water without manpower?
Since you have never farmed before, you naturally don’t know that there will be a big difference in grain yield under intensive farming. "
"So, I firmly believe that one day in the future, there will be a huge breakthrough in both of these two types. By then, tens of millions of people will be free. How will you arrange these tens of millions of people?"
Everyone was speechless when asked.
Tens of millions might be an exaggeration, but freeing up a few million should be fine.
It would be difficult to arrange for tens of thousands of people, let alone millions.
When idleness leads to chaos, this is an iron rule.
As the saying goes: An idle mind creates other things, and an idle person creates right and wrong.
"Mr. Xi, if I follow what you said, there will eventually be hundreds of millions of people left vacant. How will we arrange it?"
“Agriculture doesn’t need so many people, so turn to other industries, such as handicrafts.
Among the handicrafts are agricultural handicrafts, such as plowing, irrigation, and threshing tools;
Another example is the entire process from raw materials to production of textile handicrafts such as cotton, linen, wool, silk, silk and satin;
There are also pottery, porcelain, copper and iron utensils, etc., which can be vigorously developed.
And what to do if we produce so many things?
Then merchants need to collect it and bring it to various regions to form a circulation. This solves the work of idle people and allows them to earn money. "
"The question that arises is, what should I do after making so much money?"
