Test the gun!
Zhu Biao was even more excited than Su Jing.
Not long after, the two came to a remote and empty place.
It is definitely impossible to test the gun near your own house. This thing is a bit noisy and can easily disturb people.
"Master Su, I have set a target."
Zhu Biao inserted a round wooden board with a stick on the ground and turned to Su Jing's side.
"Don't get too close to me, Niu Yi."
Su Jing is still very cautious. After all, this is the first time a firearm has been tried out. If something goes wrong, such as the chamber exploding, it will be very dangerous.
Su Jing's biggest worry about this flintlock gun is that the cast iron is not strong enough. When the gunpowder burns in the chamber, the layer of cast iron will directly collapse.
Before making this flintlock gun, he had repeatedly confirmed it with Zhu Biao.
Most of the Ming Dynasty's firecrackers have very thick barrels.
Why?
Just to ensure the stability of the gun.
"Yes, Master Su."
Zhu Biao took a dozen steps back and found a big tree to hide behind.
Su Jing fixed the flintlock gun on a wooden stick with a rope and aimed at the target. The distance between the gun and the target was about ten meters.
The main reason is that I am afraid that no matter how far it is, it will not be accurate enough and it will not be able to hit it at all, so I don't know how powerful this flintlock gun is.
Fill the gunpowder and load the lead bullets, all in one go.
Then Su Jing tied the trigger with a thin rope, and then slowly retreated into the distance.
"Niu Yi, stay hidden!"
Su Jing shouted to Zhu Biao again.
Zhu Biao then completely hid behind the big tree.
Su Jing pulled the rope.
Bang!
There was a loud bang, and the flintlock was successfully fired.
When he looked again, white smoke was already filling the air from the flintlock gun.
Su Jing and Zhu Biao immediately ran to the flintlock gun. Fortunately, it did not explode.
Su Jing carefully touched the barrel. The temperature was slightly high, and the barrel was slightly deformed.
It's still too thin after all.
"Master Su, look!"
Zhu Biao shouted, his eyes falling on the target not far away.
I saw a bunch of holes in the round wooden board. From a distance of ten meters, the scattered lead bullets penetrated the wooden board without any accident.
For this first gun, Su Jing didn't even think about making a front sight, as long as it could shoot.
"You really don't need to light a fire, Master Su, this fire gun is simply too powerful!"
Zhu Biao looked surprised and excited.
What surprised him most about this flintlock gun was the function of pulling the trigger to fire.
Compared with the kind of firecrackers in the Daming Shenji camp that require one person to hold the gun and one person to light it, this is not much better.
The flintlock is a firearm that can be operated by one person.
A Shenji battalion with several thousand people can double its combat power in an instant.
No, not just double.
With rapid firing, even if the number of guns does not increase, the combat effectiveness will still increase.
There is no need to increase food and salary, this is simply a divine improvement.
"The strength of this cast iron is still too low, so it's not good."
Su Jing shook her head, her eyes full of questions.
According to the current condition of this gun, firing two shots in a row is probably the limit.
This was Su Jing's first attempt at ignition without putting in too much gunpowder.
Still afraid of exploding directly.
Does it really have to be made into an iron lump?
Su Jing was extremely conflicted. In his eyes, a gun was not a cannon. It must be light.
It can only be said that Su Jing is very dissatisfied with this flintlock gun.
Zhu Biao didn't care about Su Jing's comments and took the flintlock gun and looked at it carefully in his hand.
The device of Suifa was very exquisite, and Zhu Biao was filled with joy when he saw it.
As long as the existing fire guns are improved and a flintlock device is added, the combat effectiveness of the Shenji Battalion can be immediately increased.
"Go back and let me think about how to improve."
Su Jing said to Zhu Biao, already thinking about how to increase the strength of cast iron.
"Master Su, don't you want this firecracker?"
Zhu Biao was stunned for a moment and immediately asked Su Jing.
Su Jing waved her hand: "Take it, it won't be of much use anyway, so don't use it anymore. If you fire this blunderbuss again, it will explode."
Su Jing really couldn't arouse much interest in something that would stop after one shot and be scrapped after two shots.
"Yes, Master Su!"
Zhu Biao excitedly put away the flintlock gun that was about to be scrapped, just waiting to go back and study how the flintlock gun worked.
In front of the blacksmith's bench, Su Jing looked at the iron-making blast furnace and continued to think about how to increase the strength of iron.
On the other side, Zhu Biao had dismantled the fusillary device and began to study the principle of the fusillary device based on Su Jing's design drawings.
For Zhu Biao, who has a certain physical foundation, the flint device is not difficult.
In just half an hour, Zhu Biao had completely understood it.
He immediately redrawn a detailed sketch with detailed explanations.
This thing must be delivered to his father Zhu Yuanzhang as soon as possible.
Just after finishing the illustrations and explanation of the principles of the flintlock device, Zhu Yuanzhang's reply arrived.
It has been a long time since Zhu Biao came back from the Forbidden City last time and he has not received a reply from Zhu Yuanzhang.
He couldn't wait to open the letter and read it carefully.
Zhu Yuanzhang told all the recent major events in the Ming Dynasty in every detail.
The Wolf Constitution and the movable pulley block have been successfully implemented.
This made Zhu Biao very happy, and he felt a little more grateful to Su Jing in his heart.
The People's Daily is also in the process of preparations, but the matter of Daming Infrastructure has encountered resistance.
Zhu Yuanzhang directly wrote Li Shanchang's refusal clearly.
One, two, three, four, five, very clear.
Zhu Biao's expression was a little solemn. Although he did not have a specific and detailed plan, he had also considered the issues Li Shanchang mentioned.
It's just a matter of speed, and it certainly doesn't mean it can't be implemented.
Zhu Biao respected Li Shanchang, the left prime minister.
The construction of the Ming Dynasty was inseparable from Li Shanchang's diligent and hard work.
However, at this time, Zhu Biao really didn't understand why Li Shanchang declined in such a way.
Or is it really unfeasible to combine relief for work with infrastructure construction?
This was the plan proposed by Su Jing, but Zhu Biao didn't believe it was feasible.
With doubts, Zhu Biao found Su Jing.
"Teacher Su, before you talked to the students about the plan that combined work-for-relief and infrastructure construction, the students encountered some problems and wanted to ask Teacher Su for advice."
Zhu Biao asked Su Jing seriously.
In front of the blacksmith's bench, Su Jing put down the big hammer in her hand, looked at Zhu Biao and said, "Why, last time I remember you said you wanted to find a way to implement it, but now you're running into problems?"
"Let me guess, does it mean that the Ming Dynasty's treasury reserves are insufficient, this move is a waste of people and money, and it is not suitable to start now."
As soon as Su Jing said this, Zhu Biao immediately nodded and said: "Yes, just as Master Su said."
Zhu Biao didn't have the slightest doubt about Su Jing's statement.
This is his teacher, and it is not natural to be able to see through such little things.
Su Jing looked at Zhu Biao and said, "I won't ask you who said this. It's probably a big shot in the Ming Dynasty. Let's just talk about this."
Regarding how Zhu Biao tried to implement this matter, who he found and what he said.
Su Jing didn't ask any more questions. It was enough to know that Zhu Biao's family background was not simple.
"Please also ask Master Su for advice."
Zhu Biao listened carefully, for fear of missing any details.
Su Jing said lightly: "Actually, this is also true. According to the current situation of the Ming Dynasty, the national treasury is definitely not full. If you want to carry out infrastructure construction, you must also use the work-for-relief method. Money and food are necessary."
"But is it really impossible to implement? I don't think so."
"What is the reason for insufficient money and food? On the one hand, the productivity of the land is limited. There is only so much cultivated land in the Ming Dynasty."
"On the other hand, there are successive foreign wars, many military operations, and huge expenditures on food and military expenditures."
"These two aspects, one is production capacity and the other is consumption."
“If we want to solve this problem, we need to increase revenue and reduce expenditure.”
Increase revenue and reduce expenditure?
Zhu Biao frowned as he listened to Su Jing's words.
This principle of increasing revenue and reducing expenditure is an extremely simple principle, and everyone knows it.
As long as ordinary people in the Ming Dynasty think about living a good life, aren't they all trying to increase revenue and reduce expenditure?
"Master Su, the emperor now encourages farming and land reclamation, and agricultural taxes are also greatly reduced. This can be regarded as a source of income."
Zhu Biao said to Su Jing: "As for cutting expenditures, the border troops from various places guard the territory, so they cannot cut their military expenditures."
Zhu Yuanzhang was not an incompetent king. He encouraged agricultural production and paid very low taxes.
However, after the war, the population dropped sharply, and it would still take time to restore the population.
At the same time, the productivity of land is limited, and there are no fertilizers or pesticides to increase productivity.
Therefore, the effects of open source can only be said to have just begun to unfold.
In any case, it is only the second year since the establishment of the Ming Dynasty.
Su Jing nodded and said: "Yes, today's government is indeed doing a good job in encouraging people's livelihood, but because the time is too short, the effects of these policies still need time to take effect."
"But I think the current Ming Dynasty is still not good enough for farmers."
Isn't this good enough?
Zhu Biao felt extremely horrified when he listened to Su Jing's words.
Throughout the dynasties, not many farmers have been treated as well as they are now.
"Master Su, students don't understand."
Zhu Biao looked at Su Jing with doubts in his eyes.
Su Jing said calmly: "Now the Ming Dynasty's agricultural tax should be completely exempted."
Agricultural taxes are completely exempted!
Hearing this, Zhu Biao was stunned.
He immediately said: "The current agricultural tax in the Ming Dynasty is already very low. Compared with the Song Dynasty, it is only one-eighth."
"But even so, the main revenue for the state treasury still mainly comes from agricultural taxes, followed by salt taxes and commercial taxes."
"Agricultural taxes are completely exempted, and the people must be happy, but the Ming Dynasty is afraid that it will not be able to sustain it."
The formulation of the agricultural tax in the Ming Dynasty was decided over and over again by Zhu Yuanzhang.
Zhu Yuanzhang was very aware of the suffering of the people, so he enacted such a small agricultural tax.
Now that Su Jing has exempted all agricultural taxes, Zhu Biao really doesn't understand.
There must be no money in the Ming treasury.
Su Jing said lightly: "Niu Yi, do you still remember what I told you about land annexation?"
Zhu Biao nodded immediately and said: "Of course I remember that land annexation was an important reason for the demise of a feudal dynasty."
Su Jing smiled and said: "According to the current agricultural tax collection method of the Ming Dynasty, when ordinary people reclaim farmland, they will be charged an additional agricultural tax for every additional piece of farmland, but officials and gentry are exempt from tax. Who do you think these fields will eventually end up in?" superior?"
When Su Jing said this, Zhu Biao also understood.
It is true that the common people can reclaim more wasteland, but reclaiming wasteland means paying more taxes, and each common person can only do so much work.
At this time, officials and gentry came to annex their land and charge less than the agricultural tax, so the people would naturally be happy.
In this way, this policy of encouraging people's livelihood actually benefits the pockets of officials and gentry!
For Ming Dynasty, the increase in treasury revenue may only be a little bit.
"Master Su, how should we resolve this matter?"
Zhu Biao looked at Su Jing, his eyes full of anxiety.
He didn't expect that there would be such a relationship.
"Didn't I say that agricultural taxes are completely exempted, so that people will not have any tax pressure to reclaim wasteland, and it will not be so easy for officials and gentry to annex land."
Su Jing said lightly.
Without agricultural taxes, there would be no point in naming land in the names of officials and gentry.
Although land annexation cannot be completely eliminated, it will definitely be effective.
"this……"
Zhu Biao's face was tangled, and he looked at Su Jing and said: "But if this happens, won't Ming Dynasty have no income? The court needs money and food everywhere!"
Taxation is the foundation of a country's existence, and agricultural tax is the core income of the feudal dynasty.
As the prince, Zhu Biao knew all the Ming Dynasty's annual expenditures.
That's a huge sum. Without agricultural taxes, the court couldn't even operate normally.
Su Jing looked at Zhu Biao and said, "Niu Yi, Niu Yi, why can't you turn your head around? Remember what I told you back then?"
Hearing this, Zhu Biao's expression changed.
How could he not remember the time when he was married? He felt very good at that time.
In addition, the officials and gentry paid the grain together, which was simply a good strategy to save the Ming Dynasty.
It can greatly reduce the survival pressure of farmers and avoid the wanton spread of land annexation.
It's just that the resistance is too great and it's difficult to realize it.
"Isn't this also a tax collection?"
Zhu Biao asked back to Su Jing.
Su Jing patted Zhu Biao's head and said, "They are all tax collections, but the names can be different!"
"I told you before that the government and the gentry will be opposed by the vested interest class, that is, the landlord class."
"What if the agricultural tax is exempted and the rent is levied on the acres?"
"Isn't the creation of clever names a tactic used by rulers?"
rent?
Zhu Biao was really shocked by Su Jing's novel idea.
"The land is privately owned! Master Su, no one is willing to pay this rent."
Zhu Biao asked in reply: "And you also said that the core of the feudal dynasty was the private ownership of land. I'm afraid this will be difficult to implement."
Hearing Zhu Biao's words, Su Jing nodded and said: "Not bad, not bad. You still remember the content of my previous lecture."
"But have you forgotten the old saying, there is no king in the world."
"This world was conquered by the emperor. The land of the ministers comes from the emperor's gift. What's wrong with collecting some rent!"
(End of chapter)
