Even though Mr. Zhang is a man of perfect strategies, he still makes mistakes sometimes. This really confuses Lao Zhu. Could it be that Zhang Ximeng also has times when he fails to catch it?
This matter has gone beyond Lao Zhu's understanding.
No, we must find out what is going on!
Lao Zhu handed over the task to Zhu Biao and asked him to arrange personnel to discuss the matter together.
Zhu Biao felt uneasy after taking over this task.
Although he knew something about this matter, he did not dare to say how deeply he understood it... In the past, Zhang Ximeng was always asked to preside over matters related to national affairs.
Only he can properly grasp the overall situation and avoid deviations.
As a result, not only Zhang Ximeng was not in the capital, but also related to Zhang Ximeng’s misjudgment at the beginning... If it is not done well, it will damage Mr. Ximeng’s reputation and also affect the development of the government.
No matter which aspect, it is not what Zhu Biao wants to see.
Huge pressure fell on Zhu Biao, who thought over and over again and considered it carefully.
Finally, I mentally drew up an invitation list.
The first person Zhu Biao came to visit was Jiang Nan, Minister of Commerce.
"Disciple has absolutely no other intentions. I just want to discuss the matter and explain the matter clearly. I hope that the master's wife will be able to see clearly. I also hope that the master's wife can come out and explain the matter clearly."
Jiang Nan was very calm and smiled brightly, "This matter is really worth talking about, but I definitely can't do it alone. You must invite Mr. Li and several more important people to explain the matter clearly.
"
Zhu Biao quickly thanked him. With his wife's words, most of his stress was gone.
As long as we can discuss things as they are, it will be much easier.
Zhu Biao then went to meet Song Lian and Liu Bowen. After a brief discussion, Liu Bowen said: "When it comes to this matter, Zhang Yu and Xu Bi have traveled to Suzhou and other places. They should be invited to talk too."
Zhu Biao nodded and wrote them down one by one.
After almost ten days of preparation, Zhu Biao finally gathered all parties.
Interestingly, Zhu Biao did not choose any palace as the location for the discussion.
Instead, he chose a pavilion in the garden of the East Palace.
Although Lao Zhu's position still faces south and north, he is on the same level as everyone else and is not above him.
On the left hand side of Zhu Yuanzhang, Queen Ma sat upright. Next to Queen Ma was Jiang Nan. Next to Jiang Nan was Da Zongzheng Li Zhen, then Song Lian, Liu Bowen, and Zhang Yu and Xu Bi recommended by Song Lian.
On the other side, Li Shanchang was the leader, and other officials from the Zhongshu Provincial Department, the Taxation Department, and the Municipal Shipping Department were all on the list, totaling more than ten people.
There are not only royal family members, but also high-ranking officials in the court, as well as highly professional young officials and rising stars.
It is of great significance for everyone to sit around and discuss a topic related to the future of the Ming Dynasty.
Zhu Biao can host such a discussion, and his meticulousness and thoughtfulness are self-evident.
Zhu Yuanzhang was the first to speak, "We have thought carefully about these days... Mr. Zhang mentioned that due to the competition among female workshops, the purchase price of raw silk was mentioned, forcing many workshops in Suzhou to research new machines that could weave sixty-four
A loom with a single thread. At that time, Mr. Zhang was very optimistic and believed that this machine would definitely change the Ming Dynasty. We want to know what happened to this machine?"
Everyone was silent for a while, then Zhu Biao said: "Xueshi Liu, please tell me first!"
Liu Bowen immediately bowed and said, "In reply to Your Majesty, this kind of machine has naturally been developed, but it is not used much in Suzhou. Instead, it is used in Peiping. It is a bit like having flowers inside the wall and fragrance outside the wall!"
When Liu Bowen mentioned this, his expression was somewhat unnatural.
A machine with high hopes has failed to shine in Suzhou. The place with the best conditions has not developed yet, which somewhat subverts the perception.
How should I put it? The plumpest and best seed fell on the most fertile land and received the best sunshine, rain and dew, fully nourishing it.
As a result, after the seed broke through the soil, it stopped growing.
This made people who were full of expectations disappointed.
From one thread to sixty-four silk threads, what an improvement!
Intuitively speaking, it is also a good thing.
However, when it came to actual implementation, it fell by the wayside.
What's going on?
The next person to speak was Xu Bi, who had really studied it.
"Your Majesty, the original research on new machines fell to Fudan Academy. There are indeed several masters there, together with skilled craftsmen from Susong and other places, who made a batch of looms and initially put them into Suzhou. The results are very good.
In just six months, Suzhou's silk production increased threefold!"
Zhu Yuanzhang frowned and said: "This is a good thing! So what happens next?"
"Then the workshop stopped working due to insufficient supply of raw silk. And due to too much production, there was a backlog of silk. Instead of making any money, we suffered heavy losses."
"What?" Zhu Yuanzhang was puzzled. "Why is there no supply of raw silk? Is it because there are not so many mulberry trees?"
At this time, Zhang Yu bowed and said: "Your Majesty, although the imperial court has restricted the planting of mulberry trees to ensure food supply, as the saying goes, some people do the business of beheading, but no one does the business of losing money. In fact, in recent years, some people have continued to change rice fields into
Mulberry fields, increase the production of raw silk. Speaking carefully, the production of raw silk in the south of the Yangtze River has at least tripled in ten years!"
Lao Zhu was even more puzzled, "There is no shortage of raw silk, why is there still a shortage of supply?"
"Because silk workshops have opened up in other places." The person who spoke this time was Jiang Nan. She was in charge of the Department of Commerce and specialized in this aspect, and she had no shortage of data.
"Your Majesty, there are now no less than 500 registered silk workshops in Huaidong Province, Zhejiang Province, large and small cities, including villages and towns, and many more that have not been registered. A conservative estimate is that there are more than 100 weavers.
Thousands, or even more!”
Jiang Nan said: "Initially, workshops in Suzhou were able to negotiate a good price with local mulberry farmers and successfully purchase raw silk... But gradually, there are also silk workshops in the local area, and they are more willing to sell to their own families. Or some workshops are mulberry trees."
It’s run by farmers. They grow mulberry, raise silkworms, reel and weave silk. They make a lot of money by themselves, so how can they sell it to workshops in Suzhou?”
Liu Bowen nodded and agreed: "What Jiang Shangshu said is very true. Originally it was just a city in Suzhou. As the wages of weavers increased, it was still profitable to use machines. Now there are workshops everywhere and there are too many weavers. If we use machines, it will be profitable."
It’s not worth it anymore.”
Lao Zhu frowned, how could things be like this?
"Mr. Li, can't you think of a way?"
Li Shanchang smiled helplessly, "Your Majesty, we have just experienced war, and everything is in dire need. Local governments are eager to set up workshops, sell silk, and improve people's livelihood. The people are like this, and the officials are like this. It seems that the veterans can only strictly check the taxes.
, they are not allowed to mess around, but they cannot be banned after all!"
Lao Zhu became more and more angry because this matter was not like Tang Shengzong and Lu Zhongheng annexing land, nor was it like Liao Yongzhong and others smuggling to profit... In this kind of thing, we should understand right and wrong, right and wrong, as long as we can kill ruthlessly.
But what happened this time made Lao Zhu very confused.
From Suzhou's perspective, it's not wrong to develop silk workshops, improve textile technology, and seek higher efficiency, right?
But for other cities and villages, they also need to restore their vitality and find a way out for the people.
We rely on mountains to feed ourselves, and we rely on water to feed ourselves. Silk is produced locally, and there are craftsmen who are good at weaving silk. What’s wrong with we weaving silk and selling it out to make money to support our families?
No matter what, the court should not care about this kind of thing!
Lao Zhu thought about it for a long time, and even felt that doing this in various places was worthy of encouragement. People's livelihood and economy cannot be ignored!
"By the way, weaving silk has to go through the shipping department. Can the silk from those small workshops be used? They can't sell it and make money, so they naturally stop doing it!"
It's okay. Zhu Yuanzhang studied with Zhang Ximeng for several years. Economically speaking, he is not blind after all.
But someone quickly refuted it. Li Zhen smiled bitterly and said: "Your Majesty, have you forgotten the navy smuggling? They have amassed tens of millions of dollars, many of which are from silk!"
"Okay!" Zhu Yuanzhang was so angry that he slapped the table and stood up suddenly, furious!
"Liao Yongzhong, Yu Tonghai! Big beetles!" Zhu Yuanzhang yelled, "We let them command the navy, but we didn't expect that they actually ruined national affairs for their own selfish interests! We should have killed them early and wiped out the nine tribes, leaving no one alive!
"
Lao Zhu was so furious that he was so frightened that others did not dare to say anything, but Queen Ma coughed lightly and said: "Your Majesty, this matter is not that simple. Even if you don't smuggle it outside, it is okay to smuggle it to other provinces as long as it is profitable.
The Shipping Department can only manage the external silk trade, not the internal one."
Zhu Yuanzhang was speechless for a while, and then said: "Can we just let them do this? Is there really no hope for the silk workshops in Suzhou? Let's simply issue an order to strictly inspect the silk workshops in various places, and stipulate that only raw silk can be transported to Suzhou.
How about this?"
After a brief silence, Song Lian spoke, "Your Majesty, I think that your Majesty may not be able to make this decree. The Suzhou Silk Workshop is indeed important, and the new machine is also a treasure, but after all, there are millions of weavers everywhere, and countless families are involved.
, their food and clothing are dependent on them, how can your majesty kill them and cut off their livelihood?"
Zhu Yuanzhang was speechless again.
After thinking silently, Zhu Yuanzhang realized that Zhang Ximeng had actually said these things.
This is the dilemma faced by a huge country that wants to develop industry and commerce.
If we want to pursue efficiency, we must reduce the number of craftsmen... This is easy to say, but in fact it affects every household and local officials.
There are so many layers and layers that I can’t do it at all.
It’s not that we don’t want to develop, it’s that we simply can’t develop.
Lao Zhu became more and more irritable and couldn't help but said: "So, encouraging the development of Suzhou's silk industry was in vain?"
Li Shanchang coughed quickly, "It's not a waste of effort to get the position. If it hadn't been for the original rectification, there wouldn't have been millions more tariffs every year!"
Lao Zhu was startled... Zhu Biao also added weakly: "There is also a machine!"
machine!
Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly realized something and asked quickly: "What happened to this machine? Why did it go to Peking?"
Zhu Biao said: "This machine was originally used to weave silk, but its use became less and less. There were only a few machines in Suzhou. It was because the fourth brother wanted to develop wool spinning, so he bought it and hired one from Fudan School.
A few people spent more than half a year to re-create a loom capable of spinning wool threads, and then they came back to life."
Lao Zhu was greatly surprised that there was such a level?
"Let me ask you, will Zhu Di's side make the same mistake as Suzhou?" Lao Zhu looked at everyone.
It was difficult for others to answer, but Empress Ma said softly: "It doesn't look like it will be possible for the time being. After all, there is a shortage of craftsmen in Beiping, and hiring workers is not cheap."
Then Zhu Biao also said: "Not only is it difficult to hire workers, but my fourth brother has a lot of money, which he can use to buy machines!"
Lao Zhu was startled!
Zhu Di was amassing money everywhere and wanted any money. He was not merciless in scheming against his third brother, but both Zhang Ximeng and Zhu Biao tolerated him. Is this the reason?
Lao Zhu thought for a moment and then asked: "The looms in Suzhou were very good at first, but then the supply of raw silk was not available. What about Beiping? Is there any way?"
Zhu Biao nodded and said: "Yes!"
"What method?" Zhu Yuanzhang asked.
"We collect them from Liaodong and get them from the Mongols...and you can buy them from your third brother!" When Zhu Biao said this, he couldn't help but sigh softly.
It’s really not that he favors Zhu Di, nor does he have to let Zhu Laosi bully others, but if he wants to feed the machine, he must concentrate capital and raw materials, and pour them all into Peiping!
Suzhou has failed. If Peking fails to succeed, this road of developing industry and commerce will not continue...