Although the current price of mild steel used in building ships is still relatively high, this is because the output of wrought iron has not really increased. At the same time, there are also some problems in the processing of mild steel, which has not yet been able to solve the industrial production of large parts.
However, technology continues to develop. As a soft material, wrought iron production will continue to increase, and the production rate will be very fast. It is estimated that it will reach more than 100,000 tons in a few years.
In terms of processing, Daye Heavy Machinery Company and even other machinery companies are also working hard. It may take one or two years, or three or four years, but they can always solve the problem of mass production.
When that time comes, the cost of iron parts for shipbuilding will drop significantly, even more than the cost of using wood.
This is what the top brass of the Navy values.
Using cheaper iron to build ships can also lead to better performance.
In this way, the Navy can have a large fleet at a lower cost.
Therefore, the top brass of the Navy also attaches great importance to the application of iron materials in warships. The successful construction of iron-ribbed wooden hull ships is directly related to the next strategic development of the Navy.
Luo Zhixue, as the ruler of the empire, was equally clear about these, even more so than the top brass of the navy. This was also an important reason why Luo Zhixue continued to promote technological development.
The continuous development of industrial technology is the improvement of production efficiency, and the improvement of production efficiency means the reduction of costs. The reduction of costs can allow more industrial products to enter the homes of ordinary people and improve people's living standards.
As for making money or not, this is actually secondary.
For the ruler of a country, the purpose of developing industry is not to make money, because for the emperor Luo Zhixue, purely making money has no meaning to him, and it actually has no meaning to the entire empire.
The continuous improvement of people's living standards is what is truly meaningful.
The direct purpose of Luo Zhixue's industrial revolution was to increase people's income, improve people's living standards, and make people live and work in peace and contentment through industrial development.
Rather than any other messy stuff.
If something has no effect on improving people's living standards, then it has no value to the empire.
This concept can actually be expanded to develop armaments.
Why Luo Zhixue built a large-scale navy was not to build dozens or hundreds of warships, but to build a powerful navy and then use this powerful navy to compete for overseas living space for the people of the empire.
In Luo Zhixue's mind, the navy's direct role is to protect and compete for overseas interests.
For example, protecting shipping routes, protecting the overseas markets and raw material supply of companies in the Chu Empire.
The last step is to fight for overseas territories for the empire to accommodate more immigrants.
If not for these reasons, why would he spend so much military expenditure to develop the navy?
Finally, why does Luo Zhixue spend so much time improving people's living standards?
On the one hand, there are ideals and self-pursuits, which are relatively illusory things. Many emperors or other types of supreme rulers have a certain pursuit of false fame.
But the most important thing is to maintain his rule.
After all, if the people can survive and live a good life, they will not think about rebellion. If there are hungry people everywhere... No matter how awesome Luo Zhixue is, there will be turmoil every day, and he will have to worry about the rebels one day coming in. The palace cut him into pieces.
Maintaining rule is Luo Zhixue's greatest pursuit.
In addition to maintaining rule, they can then pursue some false fame, such as opening up territories and expanding their territory.
Therefore, there is no need to think that Luo Zhixue worries about people's livelihood issues every day and really loves the people like his own children... He is more worried about the hungry people revolting and giving himself to Kacha.
This is also a common concern of many supreme rulers, but because of this concern, the methods they adopt may be slightly different.
For example, some people use high-pressure control to forcibly suppress various dissatisfactions.
Others maintain a balance through various compromises and transfer of power.
Others use the development of people's livelihood to prevent people from rebelling. After all, as long as they can survive and live well, most ordinary people will not rebel.
As for careerists, this is beyond the scope of the discussion. No matter what era or situation there will be careerists who are dissatisfied with their desires. They just want to get more power or even become the emperor themselves, and they don't care about you.
But as long as the interests of the majority of people can be guaranteed, there will basically be no chaos.
As for Luo Zhixue, he adopted a two-pronged approach... On the one hand, he maintained high-pressure rule. For example, he enacted a lot of harsh laws, firmly controlled the military power, and even stationed C-class garrison divisions in every county. Forces to suppress.
On the other hand, he continued to develop people's livelihood and try his best to make people's lives as sustainable as possible.
So far, the effect is quite good. Although there are still various rebellions every day, they are basically limited to some chieftains, gentry and wealthy families in remote places, or simply gangsters. These so-called rebellions are the so-called rebellions. Careerist.
Some ambitious people made trouble, but they could not shake the rule of the Chu Empire.
And with the continued tough suppression, there are fewer and fewer rebellions today... The Da Chu Empire has always been very harsh in dealing with various rebellions.
Looting homes and exterminating clans is a traditional skill of the Chu army!
The key members of the rebellion were basically confiscated and exterminated, even ordinary rebel soldiers who were bewitched by their leaders.
The Dachu Empire never said that they would just release people home and wait for them to rebel again... They would usually put people directly into various prisoner-of-war camps and then throw them into various mines for mining or other heavy labor. live.
While suppressing the people with high pressure and developing people's livelihood at the same time, Luo Zhixue was a carrot in one hand and a stick in the other, carefully maintaining his rule over this huge empire.
Putting aside the high-pressure suppression, let’s talk about the development of people’s livelihood. The project that had the greatest impact on people’s livelihood in Chengshun’s sixteen years was still the Yellow River diversion project.
This is a huge project that directly affects the livelihood of millions of people and indirectly affects tens of millions of people.
There are four provinces directly affected, Henan, Jiangbei, Anlu and Shandong.
Jiangbei is the province most directly affected and also the largest, because this is where the lower reaches of the Yellow River are located. The Yellow River is in Jiangbei and directly takes the Huaihe River into the sea.
The Yellow River diverts the Huaihe River and flows into the sea, even leading to the emergence of Hongze Lake.
Anlu was affected because after the Yellow River diverted water from the Huaihe River and entered the sea, the water in the middle and upper reaches of the Huaihe River system was unable to flow smoothly through the lower reaches of the Huaihe River and into the sea during floods. It then accumulated in the middle and upper reaches of the Huaihe River, causing large-scale floods.
Similarly, Henan was affected for the same reason. After the Yellow River took over the Huaihe River and entered the sea, the Yellow River water had to compete with the Huaihe River water if it wanted to go out to the sea... Then during the flood, the water in the middle reaches of the Yellow River was difficult to flow eastward smoothly, which in turn led to more frequent floods in the middle reaches of the Yellow River. The outbreak of floods.
These three provinces were directly affected by the Yellow River diverting the Huaihe River into the sea. Floods have been frequent in the past few hundred years, with small floods every year and major floods every three years.
If the Yellow River is artificially diverted, flood disasters in these three provinces will be significantly reduced visible to the naked eye.
Finally, in Shandong, the artificial diversion of the Yellow River will also have an impact on the local area, some good and some bad. The advantage is that after the Yellow River water enters Shandong, various water conservancy projects are integrated, especially some key water diversion canals under construction. The project can bring abundant water resources to the local area, irrigate large areas of land, and make local inland navigation more developed.
Come and try it quickly. 】
But there are good things and bad things. With the influx of water from the Yellow River, even the Chu Empire planned and constructed new river channels in advance, built river embankments in advance, and dredged and straightened the sections of the river that were prone to siltation. We have prepared several flood storage areas and other powerful flood control measures, but if a major flood occurs, it will inevitably have a negative impact on the local area.
But overall, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, and this is especially true for the entire empire.
Of course, the Da Chu Empire has also eliminated and prepared for potential risks in advance. For example, in addition to preparing regular flood storage areas that are uninhabited all year round, it also delineates a number of areas that are still normally occupied on weekdays, but in the event of super floods. A backup flood storage area for emergency evacuation of personnel.
Ensure that the loss of people and property is within control when the time comes.
The artificial diversion project of the Yellow River is a people's livelihood project. Luo Zhixue didn't just want to make the Yellow River turn around and go to Shandong!
Since it is a people's livelihood project, it is natural not to do bad things with good intentions. Luo Zhixue does not want the people to be extremely resentful and even cause unnecessary turmoil.
Therefore, necessary preparations are required.
In August of the 16th year of Chengshun, when Luo Zhixue summoned officials from the Ministry of Water Resources, the Ministry of Civil Affairs and other departments to discuss the Yellow River diversion project, he once again proposed that the people in the proposed flood storage area should be properly resettled and the flood control and construction of the proposed river channel should be strengthened. We should focus on the publicity and guidance of the backup flood storage area.
Luo Zhixue also proposed that during the construction process, practical considerations should be taken and priority should be given to hiring local people for construction to increase local people's leisure income.
However, Luo Zhixue also emphasized that during the construction process, people are not allowed to be forcibly recruited for construction under any pretext. Workers must be paid in place and living conditions must be guaranteed. In addition, compensation for families who need to expropriate land must be in place. Not only There must be direct compensation in money and land compensation.
It is absolutely forbidden to throw out three melons and two dates and send people away.
In this regard, the relevant officials who attended the meeting bowed their heads one by one and remembered when they heard Luo Zhixue asking about the arrangements for the Yellow River immigrants.
Officials from the Immigration Department of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, which coordinates immigration arrangements, reported this.
“For land expropriation compensation for resettled people, we entrust financial banks to distribute funds directly to each individual company. There is no middleman or yamen handling the matter, ensuring that compensation funds are 100% distributed strictly in accordance with various standards.”
"For subsequent immigration arrangements, we have coordinated with Liaodong and other northeastern provinces as well as Nanyang, and planned a number of special resettlement areas. Immigrants can choose a certain place to immigrate according to their own wishes, either Liaodong or Nanyang, anywhere The immigration conditions and treatment are slightly different!”
"However, although the amount of land distributed varies and the specific benefits vary, free arable land, free simple houses, free farming tools and grain seeds are provided, and corresponding agricultural tax exemption policies are given."
"For those who do not need resettlement and want to work in the city, we also provide arrangements to work in government-run factories, and the subsidies will be paid over ten years and a certain amount of subsidies will be paid on a monthly basis."
"We have strictly followed His Majesty's instructions and fully granted the Yellow River immigrants their independent will, ensuring that no one will be wronged!"
Luo Zhixue was flipping through the report and listening to the words of the official in charge. Although he looked kind and smiling on the surface, in fact he was laughing in his heart...
Just say nice things...
People who don’t know think they really regard immigrants as their ancestors, but is this actually possible?
Impossible!
There are actually various types of compensation, but it is common for them to be discounted during the actual implementation process. Except for land, no one discounts it, and everything else is more or less discounted.
Land is not discounted because the places where immigrants are arranged are places with fewer people and more land. For example, the Northeastern provinces are such vast places, but the total population today is only a few million people, and most of them are Concentrated in Liaodong Province, there are actually not many people in the remaining places.
For example, these official organizations have organized immigrants from the Yellow River in the past. Even if ordinary people go there on their own, the local government can directly give you hundreds of acres of land for free... As long as you can develop and plant it, you can even apply to the government for more. of land.
Therefore, no one will discount the compensation for land, and even increase it.
However, in other aspects, it is hard to say, because land does not cost money, but other things do.
However, funds are limited, and corruption and bribery will inevitably occur during the entire process, so some problems will arise more or less.
Luo Zhixue knew about this without these people reporting it, because there was a relevant investigation report from the Internal Affairs Department.
In this regard, Luo Zhixue's attitude is still the same as before. As long as it is not too much and the things can be done, then just turn a blind eye.
If things go too far, then kill the chicken to scare the monkeys.
As long as many things are not excessive, Luo Zhixue is actually quite tolerant of his courtiers.
It is understandable that everyone wants to make money to support their family in Hukou and want a decent life. However, Hanchuang studied hard for so many years before passing the imperial examination and becoming an official. Making some illegal income to supplement the family and maintain a decent life are all trivial matters.
Even Luo Zhixue has been gradually increasing the salary of officials in the past few years. The salary of officials in some economically better places is not low, far exceeding the income of ordinary people these days.
Taking Songjiang Prefecture as an example, the monthly salary of an ordinary worker without specific skills in Songjiang Prefecture is about two Tang Yuan; a skilled worker with certain skills can earn about three Chu Yuan.
The salary of low-level managers and ordinary technicians can reach about five yuan.
The above are all within the category of ordinary people. If they are higher up, they are middle and senior managers or engineers. These people are very few, so there is no value for discussion.
In other words, in Songjiang Prefecture, a place with the most active industrial development in the Chu Empire, the income of ordinary people ranged from two Chu Yuan to five Chu Yuan.
And what about the officials of the Chu Empire? One of the most ordinary police officers in Songjiang Prefecture, a ninth-grade patrol officer who just joined the job, has a standard monthly salary of six Chu Yuan, and various miscellaneous subsidies add up to two or three Chu Yuan. Taken together, the monthly income is about eight Chu Yuan.
Four times that of an ordinary worker!
After working for several years, even a ninth-grade patrol officer who has gained seniority can still earn a comprehensive monthly income of about ten yuan.
As for the eighth-level patrol officers, such as the captains of the patrol teams under the county patrol bureau, their combined monthly income can reach about fifteen yuan.
Well, we only talk about legal salary income here!
As for the seventh rank, it actually has nothing to do with ordinary people. You have to know that the mayor of the Dachu Empire is only at the seventh rank, and the chiefs of various departments in the county are also at the seventh rank.
There are actually not many officials above the seventh rank in the Dachu Empire; there are only two in a town, namely the magistrate of the seventh rank and the deputy town of the seventh rank; there are only twenty or thirty in a county, that is, The first and second leaders of each town, as well as the section chiefs and deputy section chiefs of the county yamen, and then counting the county magistrates, county magistrates, county magistrates and other high-ranking officials.
Generally speaking, officials above the seventh rank are not universal among such a large group of officials.
For most of the so-called 'officials', in fact, they have no hope of crossing the seventh-grade threshold in their entire lives. These people are responsible for specific affairs for a long time and are the majority of the official group.
Therefore, it is of little value to discuss the treatment of officials above seventh rank.
Just looking at the salary income of low-level officials, the gap between the salary and income of ordinary people is huge. This is several times the income gap.
It can be seen from this that Luo Zhixue is quite concerned about the salaries of grassroots officials and does not treat them badly.
But, sometimes no matter how much you give, it’s still too little!
Most people can never have too much money, so corruption has always existed. Once a group is killed, another group will pop up.
The Grand Inspectorate's crackdown on corrupt officials is like cutting leeks, one after another, never ending... One batch after another of corrupt officials has created the rise of countless censors.
Because the censors in the Grand Inspectorate in the Chu Empire wanted to be promoted, and everything else was unreliable. They could only hope to pull down a few officials.
If you kill a few corrupt officials today, your superiors will be able to promote you tomorrow. And now it has almost become an unspoken rule, and there is even a clear price tag.
For example, if you want to become the censor of Zuodu in the Grand Inspectorate, and become the first person in the judicial system of the Great Chu Empire, you will not be able to get there even if you have a few high-ranking officials from the second or even second rank.
To put it simply, if you don't kill a few officials at the level of minister or governor, you can't expect to be the first or second leader of the Grand Inspectorate.
Don’t even think about it!
Promotions for other positions in the Inspectorate are similar. There is no point in getting promoted through seniority, and there is no point in doing anything else. You can only rely on killing other officials as your stepping stone.
Therefore, all the high-ranking censors in the Chu Empire were official butchers...
Because any censor from the third rank or above has the blood of a large number of corrupt officials in his hands, otherwise he would not be able to rise.
In the Great Chu Empire, official corruption was the norm, and the Supervisory Office's anti-corruption campaign was also the norm. Luo Zhixue did not interfere too much in this regard. He rarely interfered in specific anti-corruption work unless it was a matter of principle.
Again, if you want to be promoted and become a real high-ranking official, Censor, you must first kill a few corrupt officials... As for how to do it, specifically who should be targeted, Luo Zhixue.
However, when it comes to some principled issues, Luo Zhixue will take action personally and launch a vigorous rectification of officialdom.
Luo Zhixue did this several times in the early days of the empire. At that time, he mainly targeted the remnants of the former Ming Dynasty. These guys got into the official ranks of the Chu Empire through submission, imperial examinations, etc., and then tried to shake the Chu Empire from within. Base.
That is, trying to shake up the tax issue of the Chu Empire.
In the early years, there were remnants of the Ming Dynasty within the empire who had been advocating to abolish the unified taxation of the gentry, restore the unified agricultural tax to the previous combination of Ding tax and land tax, restore the corvee system, etc.
We also want to change the method of collecting agricultural taxes from a combination of physical goods and cash to pure cash taxation, etc.
Then he also expressed dissatisfaction with the high industrial and commercial taxes.
In short, they had countless dissatisfaction with the taxation of the Dachu Empire, and then impeached them every two days.
In response to this situation, Luo Zhixue took control of this situation through several consecutive years of administrative actions, and sent a large number of remnants of the former Ming Dynasty to the guillotine on various charges of corruption and perversion of the law.
After the country was completely unified, especially after the defeat of the Dong Dynasty, the Huaxia region ushered in true unification. After the Chu Empire was firmly established in the world, many officials felt that after working hard for so many years, they could finally enjoy the glory and wealth.
In addition, after the Chu Empire completely unified China, the domestic gentry capital also recognized the reality clearly and actively participated in industry and commerce in an attempt to make a fortune. At this time, these gentry capital still had a strong style of doing things in the pre-Ming era. I want to drag officials along with me in everything I do.
Under the temptation of the money and women of gentry capital, a large number of middle- and high-ranking officials in the empire who were born with mud-legged backgrounds were corrupted and began to use their power to seek unimaginable economic benefits for themselves and their families. They even forgot how rich they were back then. Those who hate the corrupt officials of the previous Ming Dynasty.
The warrior who slayed the dragon also turned into an evil dragon!
For a time, especially in the three or four years before and after the 10th year of Chengshun, large-scale collusion between officials and businessmen, official corruption, etc. appeared in the domestic officialdom, which directly affected the normal development of the domestic industrial and commercial market.
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