In Wenhua Hall, Chen Tingyang controlled the initial emotional fluctuations and saluted Chongzhen, he began to talk freely and truthfully report his achievements in the transformation of the canal transportation.

Once you talk about your professional field and use data to prove it, Chen Tingyang is no longer nervous, and the more he talks, the smoother he gets.

"...Your Majesty, after several months of practice, the transfer of military rations from Susongning Shao to Guanning Front, was only five cents per stone, which was over-consuming, and the rats and birds consumed a total of two dou and four liters.

Originally, the Guanning Army had been transported from Jiangnan to consume a total of seven cents of grain transport silver, silver across the river, silver across the lake, silver across the lake, silver across the Tianjin transfer ships of two cents, and silver subsequently lost four cents. In addition, grain was more than four cents, grain was more than two cents, seven liters of grain crossing rivers and lakes, and rats and birds consumed…”

"From this perspective, after Guanning's military rations are replaced by sea transportation, it can save three-quarters of the freight compared to the original canal transportation. The local grains required in the capital can also save four% of the freight."

Chen Tingyang completed it in one go, summarizing the basic accounts and overall results first. No one interrupted him during the whole process. Obviously, the political opponents did not intend to compete with him on specific numbers.

Zhu Dadian next to him always looked at his nose and his heart, looking like he was old and godly.

Who made the Ming Dynasty not have to take mathematics for the imperial examinations? So most "righteous gentlemen" were incapable of making accounts and confronted their colleagues who were businessmen in a head-on manner.

...

Chen Shuren, who was standing next to him, was always observing carefully throughout the whole process, observing both his father's performance and Zhu Dadian on the other side.

It was also the first time he saw Zhu Dadian today. Although he had thought about moving this roadblock countless times in his heart, Chen Shuren still had some illusions after seeing the real person.

Zhu Dadian was a Jinshi in Wanli for more than 40 years, almost 60 years old. He looked righteous and had a neat and pure white goatee, with sunken eyes and strong spirits.

If he is a complete treacherous person, then Shen Shuren can still use any means to deal with him.

But Zhu Dadian was just greedy, but there was no problem with the big deal. According to the "History of Ming Dynasty", although Zhu Dadian had never won a battle, his attitude towards resisting Qing Dynasty was very good. When Duoduo fought to Jinhua, he was unable to defend the city and set fire to his family and died of fire.

At that time, he was almost seventy years old and had been favored by the Ming Dynasty for the rest of his life. Perhaps he wanted to save his late life - but no matter what his motives were, he would have the backbone to die for his country. Otherwise, Qian Qianyi would still be the same age as Zhu Dadian, and wouldn't he have lived for more than ten years since then.

"No matter what, the world is complex. The opponents of good people may not necessarily be bad people, but they can also be another good person. Now that the transformation of the canal transportation can save money for the imperial court, the population has dropped sharply for many years of war, and we have other ways to solve the surplus labor force. This matter should be implemented!"

Chen Shuren finally made up his mind and no longer had any worries.

On the other hand, as Chen Tingyang's account report ended, Chongzhen also turned to Zhu Dadian for advice: "Zhu Qing, you have heard Chen Qing's conclusion. I think this is good governance. How many shares can the Governor of the Grain Transport Department be divided into each year in the future and take the lead in changing the sea?"

Zhu Dadian's beard twitched slightly, and finally began impeachment and counterattack:

"Your Majesty! I dare not obey the edict! I think that Chen Tingyang's so-called frugal savings on the wastewater transportation is purely a misleading country! In the past few months, I have sent people to secretly visit various river yamen under my subordinates to collect people's feelings. After visiting many crimes of fraud after the waterway reform, disturbing the people, and harming the people, please check it out!"

Chongzhen obviously couldn't believe it: "There is such a thing? Let you talk about it slowly."

Zhu Dadian cheered up: "First of all, Chen Tingyang claimed that the shipping of grain was only five cents per stone for more than five cents of silver. However, according to my secret investigation, only their Shen family's fleet dared to report this price. In fact, there is no other company in the world who should be at this low price.

If the imperial court wants to build its own fleet and train sailors, can it be so low? Maritime transportation requires training a large number of sailors who can run to the sea. If the current inland watershed gubernator is not strictly trained, he will not be able to go to sea at all.

But if the only ones who can call out thousands of sailors in sea boats today are Suzhou Chen Tingyang and Fujian Zheng Zhilong. If the imperial court asked them to practice sailors in sea boats for the imperial court, would they be willing? Will it be the same price to practice it?

If the court does not train the troops and build sea ships on its own, it will be a powerful weapon for the country and the officials. Who knows if the tail will be too big in the future? I think your majesty will not be able to take such a risk!

Since the Chenghua period, the imperial court changed the Changyun Law, the ancestors have repeatedly emphasized that the grain transportation must be carried by the military, and that it cannot be transported by the people. What they are afraid of is that their lifeline is controlled by the people!

After the court relied on him, Chen Tingyang, if he used the excuse to raise prices, he would fabricate some storms and lies, saying that five cents of silver could not be handled, and he would have to pay one tael of silver and two taels of silver, which would have increased to as expensive as the original inland waterway transportation, would His Majesty agree or not?

Now he is simply earning his Majesty at a low price of losing money to make his Majesty promised him to restructure. Once his Majesty succeeds, he will rely on him and this price will never last long!"

Zhu Dadian's counterattack was also completed in one go, first attacking the most important point.

This truth, translated in a modern context, is that "the lifeline of national strategic resources must be state-owned assets and state-owned enterprises, and cannot give private capital the opportunity to intervene."

Chen Tingyang is now an official of the Ministry of Revenue. He also serves the court and takes out his own resources to optimize and reorganize them. But after all, it is just similar to Wan Qing's "official private business". The resource investment is private, but only accepts government management and supervision.

Chongzhen was not professional on these issues. After hearing Zhu Dadian's vigorous refutation, he immediately hesitated and turned to Chen Tingyang: "Chen Qing, how do you explain this?"

Chen Tingyang quickly replied humbly: "Your Majesty! Huanghai Shipping, there are not only one family in the world! It's just that other families are smaller. The court also has many ward naval divisions in Denglai, so it has to use official ships. How can it be said that the ministers have the power to threaten the court?

At most, I only have my family's experience in running the sea for more than 80 years since the Longqing switch was opened. I have some experience in boat building training sailors. If the court is worried, I would like to teach all the unique features of my family's shipbuilding skills to the relevant yamen of the Ministry of Works, and I will never hide my personal experience! The experience of sailors in training can also be exchanged with the naval garrisons in Denglai, Tianjin and other places!

What's more, Zhu Dadian said that the ministers contracted the imperial court to transport grain at a loss price, and was cheating His Majesty of agreeing to the law of reform. This is even more nonsense! Even if it costs five cents of silver per stone, it is still slightly profitable. Looking for other maritime merchants, as long as the quantity is large, they can still agree to this price! How can you deceive the emperor!"

Chen Tingyang's defense was very sensible. He first divided the problem into two parts. One was a qualitative analysis, saying that he "monopolized" and "threatened the lifeline of the imperial court's grain fortune". This must be strictly clarified to prove that he did not monopolize, and he was willing to "teach all his money" what the imperial court wanted to learn.

The second part is quantitative, that is, Zhu Dadian questioned that he "losed the capital first and then raised the price". This question is not as fatal as the first one, and his answer is relatively stable.

He had discussed with his son before, and as a time traveler, Chen Shuren is of course very experienced in "how the company proves that it has not dumped". According to the arguments directed by Chen Shuren, it is definitely enough to counterattack outsiders like Zhu Dadian.

After hearing this, Chongzhen's worries about the first part immediately disappeared.

He thought to himself: "Yes! Zhu Dadian said that the lifeline of the court should not be controlled by people, but how could it be controlled by Chen Tingyang? There is only one canal, and one can occupy the canal and the other canal cannot be used.

But the sea is vast and everyone can go. Chen Tingyang is willing to share all the secrets of shipbuilding and training sailors with the court. That is, the court can expand as much capacity as it wants in the future. What are you afraid of? Chen Tingyang did not cherish his skills and was really loyal."

When Zhu Dadian heard this, his face was also gray. He knew that the most important attack had been blocked. Unexpectedly, Chen Tingyang was so decisive and dared to publicly present the technical advantages that he had accumulated for more than 80 years to the court. How could he attack?

After some rigging, this question was completely put on hold. Chongzhen stared at the second point of questioning Zhu Dadian: "Zhu Qing, don't mention the lifeline of the country. Chen Qing asked you back and answered. If you question him for losing money, you should come up with ironclad evidence."

In fact, there was not much evidence from Zhu Dadian, because his yamen was only in Tongzhou at the northeastern direction, and he had no power.

The first two batches of grain from the Shen family and his son were mainly transported to Shanhaiguan and Ningyuan, and Zhu Dadian did not understand the place at all.

Therefore, his source of evidence mainly depends on Susong River Dock, which provides undercover data on shipment at Suzhou Port.

At this point, Zhu Dadian can only go all the way to attack in areas where he is not good at:

"Chen Tingyang, you said that a stone is only five cents of silver, but according to the regulations of the court, in previous years, the silver across the river and the silver across the lake were about the expenses of loading and unloading and transfers, and the manpower of the docks. This piece requires at least two cents of silver. Could it be that you can transport grain from Suzhou to Shanhaiguan with only the remaining two cents?"

Hearing this question, Chen Tingyang was immediately overjoyed and finally caught a problem of hitting the gun directly.

He quickly defended Chongzhen: "Your Majesty, Zhu Dadian has this question because he does not understand the latest craftsmanship and management methods. My loading and unloading fees and dock management are more efficient than the old methods of the Cao Transportation and Warehouse."

As he said that, he came prepared to take out a few drawings and tried to explain his dock management, as well as the new lifting machinery used, and how to modify the layout of the trestle to reduce the number of times of passing through the sidelines in front of the emperor...

He didn't understand this part very clearly, so he begged Chongzhen to allow Shen Shuren to explain it.

Chongzhen was stunned when he heard this: "Chen Qing! This is your duty, how can you let others do it for you!"

Chen Tingyang rarely blushed and said ashamed: "Your Majesty forgives your crime. I will use these, but I can't explain the truth... I can't hide it. These craftsmanship are all thought by the dog son by chance."

Upon hearing this, Chongzhen threw a slightly unexpected appreciation look at Chen Shuren standing next to him, thinking that this kid can not only be able to pass the Jinshi exam, but also become a writer, but he also knows strange skills and tricks?

But he would not stop him. He immediately let Shen Shuren show off and explain the new crane and dock trestle design and dock workers' management measures clearly.

Chongzhen actually didn't fully understand it, but he could hear that this new method seemed very powerful and should be able to save money.

After listening, he looked stern and asked Zhu Dadian: "Zhu Qing, do you understand? If you understand, do you have any new doubts?"

How could Zhu Dadian question it? He had to let go of all the technical questions and find another offensive point.

Zhu Dadian was nervous and sweating profusely. He finally caught another point: "Your Majesty! I really don't understand how much money these strange tricks can save, but I know a simple truth!

If Chen Tingyang really had a way to reduce the freight to that low, why was the freight he set when doing other business so profitable? As far as I know, the Shen family traveled to the sea, whether it was transporting silk, cotton, tea, etc., to Tianjin or North Korea, at least three or five taels of silver per stone goods would be left! He only collected five coins for the court to transport grain. This was deliberately showing goodwill to Your Majesty and deceiving Your Majesty!”

When Zhu Dadian retorted this, Chongzhen was actually a little unhappy: My minister is willing to give me benefits. When you are like this, how come you deceive the emperor?

Isn’t it natural to discount the royal business?

Before Chongzhen could scold him, Chen Tingyang on the other side was already rushing to explain:

"Your Majesty, the price I give to the court is indeed the best, and I will not raise the price in the future. But I can prove that it is indeed profitable to only give to the court five cents - because the court's orders are huge.

I usually sell silk tea and cotton medicinal materials, but the profit is indeed more than ten times, but those businesses are too small, so I cannot let my fleet have stocks every day. Of course, I have to increase the unit price to make up for the idle time when I have no stocks.

The imperial court's grain was four million stones a year, which was enough for all the sea boats to go thirty times a year - in fact, only seven or eight times a year.

Therefore, even if the court now subcontracts all the grain transport to the ministers, the ministers cannot transport them. If they stop other businesses, they will transport at most 30% of the grain. They must expand their fleet three times, or organize the court and other maritime merchants to join them to eat them.

With such a huge scale, the cost of loading and unloading machinery and wharf trest construction mentioned above can be spread equally on each ship of grain. If it is spread thinly, it can ensure small profits but quick turnover, and there is still profit."

The larger the industry scale, the more cost-effective the depreciation and amortization of fixed asset investment in the early stage. This is a truth that people who pay a little attention to economic common sense know.

Unfortunately, the corrupt scholars of the Ming Dynasty did not know that the moral gentleman like Zhu Dadian had no concept of "fixed cost amortization" in his mind, so he felt that there was a fraud in it.

As a result, he questioned with great enthusiasm, but finally stepped into the pit of professionals.

Chongzhen's face became ugly again, and it can be seen that his patience with Zhu Dadian was gradually exhausted.

If Zhu Dadian had not been ranked second in the second rank, and his opponent was only a small character in the fifth and sixth rank, Chongzhen would not have given Zhu Dadian so many opportunities at all.

"Zhu Qing, have you heard it clearly? If you can't think of anything wrong, this matter will be settled."

Zhu Dadian's face was gray and unwilling to stop here. He was filled with blood and decided to bet on his own political life, and finally he had a try:

"Your Majesty, no! Even if Chen Tingyang did not make fake accounts, even if Chen Tingyang really has the ability to manage finances and save money! The transportation of the canal is the food and clothing of millions of canals!
Chapter completed!