In the autumn of October of the twenty-third year of Chengshun, Jinling City was as full of prosperity as ever, and the many commercial streets were bustling with people coming and going.
Speaking of the prosperity of a simple city, it also appeared in the prosperous times of various dynasties in the past.
However, the so-called prosperity of any dynasty is different from the prosperity of the Chu Empire.
In the Great Chu Empire, not only large cities like Jinling City were prosperous, but also many small and medium-sized cities and even ordinary rural areas lived and worked in peace and contentment.
I dare not say that we will be fully fed, but at least there will be no large-scale famine and starvation to death.
In the past dynasties, the so-called prosperous times were nothing more than a sharp decline in population after frequent and long-term wars. Later, there were fewer people and more land, and land conflicts were alleviated.
The same is true for the so-called ZTE!
Essentially, the population is smaller and the land is more, so there is more food per capita.
So when you look at the so-called prosperous times and resurgences of past dynasties from the perspective of food per capita, you will find a very cruel fact: before the prosperous times or resurgence, there will be a large-scale population extinction event, and this event will be without exception It's all war!
Even so, the per capita food supply in these so-called prosperous times was still a very miserable figure.
When it comes to the Chu Empire, the early recovery of people's livelihood cannot escape this law. This is especially obvious in the northern provinces.
There is still so much land in several northern provinces, but the population has dropped significantly after experiencing various natural and man-made disasters in the late Ming Dynasty.
After the Chu Empire pacified these places and organized the local people to resume agricultural production, land conflicts were no longer so intense. Correspondingly, after normal agricultural production was restored, per capita food data increased to a certain extent.
But this situation is limited to the early stage!
As the Dachu Empire continued to develop industrialization, various factories powered by water-powered machinery and then steam-powered equipment were put into production, and production efficiency was greatly improved.
This improvement in industrial production efficiency not only brings about an increase in industrial and commercial income, but also significantly reduces the cost and selling price of various industrial products that can be used in agriculture.
Such as farm tools and various daily tools!
In the past, agricultural production tools such as iron hoes, plows, sickles, wood knives, axes, etc. were very valuable to any ordinary farmer family.
Because iron is expensive, agricultural tools made of high-quality iron materials are even more expensive!
If an ordinary farmer's family wants to buy an iron hoe, they have to save money for a long time.
Restrictions on production tools have resulted in farmers’ production efficiency being limited in past agricultural production.
But in the Dachu Empire, iron was no longer an expensive raw material, and iron products were no longer expensive tools.
Because of the official capital and profit-seeking private capital in the Da Chu Empire, countless iron ore and coal mines were invested and developed.
A large number of steel plants were also opened and constructed.
The amount of steel raw materials it produces is very large, enough to lower the price of iron products to a level acceptable to the public.
In addition, the official capital of the Dachu Empire has promoted the plan of local machinery factories from the beginning, ensuring that every prefecture-level/state-level administrative region has at least one government-run small machinery factory. This kind of small machinery factory is not Used for other purposes, it is specifically used to mass-produce various tools required for various agricultural productions and supply them to the local market at a reasonable price.
A large amount of mineral mining, a large amount of steel raw materials, plus local small machinery factories everywhere.
All of these enabled the vast number of farmers in the Chu Empire to obtain enough various production tools, especially agricultural tools, at low prices.
The improvement of production tools has led to the improvement of the production efficiency of farmers in the Dachu Empire. The per capita cultivated land is more, or they can have more leisure time to do odd jobs, or do other things to make money to support their families.
In addition to the improvement of tools, the extensive promotion of animal husbandry in the Chu Empire was also an important reason for the improvement of agricultural production efficiency.
In the feudal dynasty, cattle, mules and horses were all expensive production tools. They were extremely expensive and could not be owned by ordinary peasant families.
However, the officialdom of the Da Chu Empire began to vigorously promote the development of folk animal husbandry, especially the development of cattle and agricultural mules and horses. Through the establishment of a large number of government-run cattle or mule farms, more cattle or agricultural mules and horses were cultivated and promoted market, and at the same time vigorously encourage private capital to invest in animal husbandry.
When the supply of cattle and mules and horses increases, the prices of cattle and mules will naturally gradually decrease.
Coupled with the gradual increase in farmers' income, some wealthy farmer families have gradually been able to purchase and breed cattle.
After about ten years of support and promotion of agricultural and animal husbandry, the number of cattle and agricultural mules and horses among the people in the Chu Empire is now very large.
This has further improved the per capita production efficiency of agriculture.
Of course, the Chu Empire's continuous construction of various water conservancy facilities for twenty years is also indispensable.
Each of these measures and policies may only have a small effect, but when the effects of many policies are aggregated, it becomes a very impressive figure.
In addition, the Chu Empire also carried out large-scale agricultural development in the northern areas with less people and more land, especially in the northeastern region. Large-scale horse farming was carried out here, which added a large amount of additional food supply to the Chu Empire. .
There were also expansion and colonization activities in the Nanyang region, which also brought a large source of food to the Chu Empire.
Large-scale animal husbandry has been developed in the northern grasslands. Although the meat provided by the animal husbandry in these places is difficult to supply to distant places due to the lack of preservation technology, it is not a problem to supply it locally and to some northern provinces. .
If the northern provinces receive more meat supply, the corresponding consumption of rice and other food will be less, and then gradually rice, wheat and other food can be transferred to the south, ultimately improving the food supply level of the entire empire.
In the end, the per capita food supply in the Chu Empire has increased significantly in the past twenty years.
There is a lack of limited data in the early days of the founding of the People's Republic of China, but based on a few data it can be inferred that in the early years of the founding of the People's Republic of China, in most places under the rule of the empire, the per capita food level was only a little over 200 kilograms, and there was little more than 250 kilograms.
Looking at it from the perspective of later generations, the entire empire was in a state of severe famine.
By the twelfth year of Chengshun, Suzhou, which was the richest in the Chu Empire and had the highest per capita food supply, only had 320 kilograms. In many places, it was only 2560 kilograms, and in a few places it was only about 200 kilograms. .
At that time, the Chu Empire was still in a state of famine, and most of the people had never had enough to eat...
By the way, as a digression, don’t underestimate the level of the Chu Empire. In the 12th year of Chengshun, the per capita food level of the Chu Empire was almost the same as that of India in the 21st century.
In India in the 21st century, the per capita self-produced grain is only more than 200 kilograms... which is about the same as in the early days of the Chu Empire. However, under such circumstances, they also exported grain on a large scale... which is also strange!
In the global scope of future generations, among the non-war-torn countries that ordinary people can name, she is the only one in a state of severe hunger...North Korea is even better than it. According to the United Nations statistical standards, this is at least 300 kilograms.
For comparison, generally speaking in later generations, the per capita food supply in a normal country should be maintained at more than 400 kilograms. If it is lower than this figure, there is a risk of famine... It is commonly known that people do not have enough to eat!
In the past twenty years of the Chu Empire, the people actually did not have enough to eat most of the time...
There is nothing we can do about it. The agricultural production technology is only at this level and there are so many people.
In the seventh year of Chengshun, when the various forces of the Ming Dynasty and the southwest garrison were initially pacified, and all large-scale internal wars were ended, when the Chu Empire fully controlled the land of China, the preliminary population count was around 80 million. Moreover, the population continues to rise. In the past two decades, according to preliminary statistics, the population has increased by at least 100 million...
The current population of the Great Chu Empire is more than 250 million, and the population is growing at an extremely fast rate!
Although the grain output has doubled, the population growth rate is also fast, so it is very difficult to increase the per capita grain.
However, after twenty years of hard work, especially with the basic improvement of water conservancy facilities in various places, the development of Liaodong and grasslands has increased the source of food in the Nanyang region. The Guannai area has also deeply explored food production in Huguang, Sichuan, Guangdong and Guangxi and other regions, and also in After the artificial diversion of the Yellow River, the focus was on developing the grain industry in Henan, Jiangbei, Anlu, Hebei, Shandong and other places.
After making great efforts, today in the 23rd year of Chengshun, according to the statistical report of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the per capita food level of the Dachu Empire has increased to 300 kilograms.
Although this data is still quite correct, it is already a very remarkable achievement for the Chu Empire.
This is an achievement achieved under the premise of substantial population growth and limited agricultural technology, without even the use of chemical fertilizers and mechanized planting.
This is due to the large amount of additional grain imports from the Nanyang region and the additional grain supply obtained from the large-scale agricultural development in the Liaodong region.
If you only rely on the self-produced grains of the provinces in the Guan Nei area... don't even expect 300 kilograms. If you can get 245, you will have to burn high incense.
The reason why there are so many food issues is because food is the most important thing for the people!
No matter how much land the Chu Empire conquered, no matter how many guns and warships the army equipped, it would have no meaning in itself to defeat the indigenous peoples around the world.
The strength of the military itself will not allow even one grain of food to be added to the people's rice bowls.
On the contrary, it is a waste of money and food!
Only when military expansion is used to plunder food, or simply farmland, to expand the amount of food rations for one's own people, does this have practical significance.
This kind of expansion can bring about the so-called prosperous age. Otherwise, just fighting without being able to obtain food from the outside will mean that the war will end sooner or later with an empty stomach.
As for the external expansion of the Great Chu Empire, if you look at its essence, you will find that the expansion of the empire is not for gold or silver, but only for food!
Whether it is through colonization, plundering the indigenous food in an economic way, or directly occupying the land and developing and cultivating food on their own.
All in order to obtain more food and feed the people.
This is also the core goal of the three major overseas expansion plans of the Chu Empire.
Now, these three major overseas expansions are already underway.
In the plan to build an absolute defense circle along the local coast, the Edo Tokugawa shogunate on the Fuso side has already recognized the reality. In the spring of this year, the Chu army landed on Kyushu Island on a large scale and powerfully defeated more than ten troops organized by the Tokugawa shogunate. Wan Dajun captured many important members of the Tokugawa family alive.
Then he forced the Tokugawa family to sign the "Treaty of Chu-Hi-Hiirado", which was even more harsh than the conditions originally proposed by the Chu Empire.
The two most core clauses are:
The Emperor of Japan revoked the title of Emperor and changed the title from the Chu Empire to the King of Japan. The new king of Japan needs to be canonized by the empire before he can become the official king;
The Edo shogunate, which actually controlled the power of Japan, had the title of "Shogun of the Barbarians" of the Tokugawa family, which required the approval and appointment of the empire.
These two items alone mean that Japan has officially become a puppet state of the empire.
Without the empire's nod, the Tokugawa family would not even be able to succeed the 'General of the Conquering Barbarians'.
In addition to these two core clauses, there are a lot of messy conditions, covering everything from political rights to economic rights, military power, etc.
There are two main conditions. One is military. The army of the Da Chu Empire has the right to pass freely anywhere on the Fuso Islands and the right to station troops in certain designated places for a long time.
This is the right of garrison and military passage.
The second point is that the Tokugawa Shogunate and other major names are not allowed to develop or maintain workshops and factories that manufacture guns, ammunition, and warships. Once discovered, the Chu Empire will launch a thunderous attack.
However, in order to meet the needs of the Tokugawa shogunate and the major lords for internal suppression and mutual crusade, the Chu Empire will open up the export of guns. An arms trading company orders guns and other types of military supplies.
The reason why they still need guns and guns is that the Chu Empire has made it clear that the empire will not interfere in the internal affairs of the Kingdom of Japan, especially the conflicts between the shogunate and the major names.
In one sentence: From now on, we don’t care what you want to do internally... We don’t care if you fight... This is almost a clear statement to those ambitious big names: You can start fighting to compete for more territory and interests.
Secondly, it is economic. The market of the Kingdom of Japan is fully open to the Empire. Imperial merchants can do business, live, mine, etc. in the Kingdom of Japan on their own, and tariffs are formulated by the Empire and the shogunate. In principle, any kind of goods tariffs Neither shall exceed five percent.
The shogunate and other daimyo who participated in the war jointly shouldered the war compensation of 50 million Chu Yuan. Because it was impossible for the Japanese side to come up with such a large amount of money, the Da Chu Imperial Finance Bank and three other banks jointly provided loan payments. The Japanese side used Customs duties, salt taxes, and other fiscal revenues were used to repay the mortgage in fifty-year installments.
The interest on this loan is naturally not low. In order to ensure that they can repay smoothly, the customs and salt tax agencies are established and managed by people directly sent by the empire, and other administrative revenue is also sent by the empire for supervision.
Putting all these conditions together, the Kingdom of Japan has actually become a puppet state of the Great Chu Empire, and will continue to be drained of blood by the Great Chu Empire in the days to come...
This was also the strategy that the Chu Empire set against Fuso from the beginning. There were too many local people to annex directly, so they would first establish a puppet state and use it as a dumping ground for industrial goods, especially weapons, to continue sucking blood.
This is also an important reason why the Chu Empire made it clear that it would not interfere in the affairs of the major figures within the Kingdom of Japan after the war.
Now the Great Chu Empire is eager for them to fight first so that they can sell their weapons and make money!
And this is indeed the case. On that day, some ambitious big names had begun to actively contact the weapons merchants of the Dachu Empire, preparing to purchase a large number of weapons for a big fight!
The Fuso Islands affair basically came to an end with the signing of the Chu-ri Hirado Treaty in June of the 23rd year of Chengshun, and results were also achieved in the Luzon Islands shortly afterwards.
After a long period of negotiations, the Chu Empire finally reached an agreement with the Kingdom of Spain on the purchase of the Luzon Islands.
According to this agreement, the Chu Empire will invest 2.6 million Chu yuan to fully obtain control of the Luzon Islands from the Spanish. The Spanish need to smoothly transfer the colonial fortresses.
The 2.6 million Chu Yuan was not paid in cash, but in the form of discounts on various commodities.
Considering that the premiums for these goods when exported were very high, the actual cost paid by the Chu Empire was actually less than one million Chu Yuan.
It only cost less than one million Chu Yuan to smoothly take over control of the entire Luzon Islands, and also intactly obtained various fortress cities that the Spaniards had operated on the Luzon Islands for many years. This was a pretty good deal. of trading.
At least it would be much cheaper than the Chu army launching a war on its own.
The settlement of the Fuso affair and the smooth purchase of the Luzon Islands mean that the first of the three major plans for overseas expansion has been successfully completed.
Next, it is time to significantly advance the second and third plans.
Everyone in the empire is looking forward to this. Many people, especially those in the industrial and commercial circles focused on overseas exports, are already gearing up to make a fortune from this wave of overseas expansion.
Not to mention the expectations of domestic industrial and commercial enterprises for overseas expansion, the navy is also preparing for an important strategic plan: seizing Batavia in the west of Java Island and the Spice Islands area controlled by the Dutch.
The Dachu Empire wanted to completely drive out the last European colonists in the Nanyang region, the Dutch, and make the Nanyang region the real back garden of the empire!
