Chapter 522: Rejuvenating the Country through Industry
Lao Zhu never expected that Liu Ji would explain the role of businessmen in this way, and he was really stunned for a moment.
However, Liu Ji did not stop and continued to talk: "Not only can they provide a livelihood for many people when they build the workshop, but when their workshop is completed, they can also hire hundreds of people to work for a long time."
"Your Majesty, as long as this workshop can continue to exist, it means that hundreds of people can get a stable income."
"Because of the high-yield grain produced by His Royal Highness, the overall grain price in our Ming Dynasty has been at a relatively low level."
"The so-called cheap grain hurts farmers. Food is the foundation of the country. It is absolutely impossible to live without food. But too much food may not be a good thing."
"And these merchants, besides farming, have provided us, the people of the Ming Dynasty, with a trustworthy channel to support themselves."
"According to His Royal Highness, this is called the employment rate."
Liu Ji explained it in detail, and Zhu Yuanzhang also had experience with these things in the process of governing the world.
It’s just that I didn’t think so deeply about it at the time.
"Even if these merchants are very important, they are just workshops with a few hundred people. You don't need to come here in person, right?"
Liu Ji smiled and shook his head: "Your Majesty, it is true that there are only a few hundred people in this workshop now. But in the future, if the operation is good, they will expand the scale."
"By then, it will not be impossible to have thousands or even tens of thousands of people."
"Shen Wansan has built seven or eight workshops in our Yanjing city, plus the municipal construction and other projects he has contracted, as well as various shops."
"He alone employs as many as 20,000 workers."
Zhu Yuanzhang frowned: "So many people are working under a businessman, if he..."
Liu Ji laughed: "Your Majesty, there is no need to worry. I have also asked His Majesty the King about this."
"What do you think His Royal Highness said to his ministers?"
Before Zhu Yuanzhang could speak, Liu Ji took the initiative to answer: "His Royal Highness said there is no need to worry about this at all."
"As long as our court can ensure that the people of Ming Dynasty can earn something from their work and will not be deceived by those unscrupulous profiteers, the people will not let go of their peaceful lives to follow those profiteers and engage in rebellion."
Zhu Yuanzhang nodded thoughtfully.
Based on what he saw and heard in Yanjing, the people here lived a prosperous and comfortable life.
Even if he had lived in a place like this, he wouldn't have been deceived by Qi Wu into joining the rebel army.
Liu Ji's words continued: "His Royal Highness, you call this kind of industry industry. These are things that can enhance the national power of the Ming Dynasty."
"But His Royal Highness the King has also said that we can take advantage of businessmen and even create a better business environment for them so that they can make more money."
"But at the same time, we must also strictly control these businessmen. Because they are people who can do anything for money."
"We cannot allow them to infringe on the interests of the people while making money."
"That's why Wei Chen came here specifically this time to express the attitude of our court."
"Our imperial court fully supports what they do, and will even provide them with many conveniences in all aspects so that they can do business better."
"But at the same time, the purpose of my coming out this time is also to warn them."
"The court is always paying attention to everything you do and every move, so don't make any small moves, otherwise don't blame the court for being ruthless."
Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly realized that it was for this reason that Liu Ji, an important minister in the cabinet, would condescend to meet a lowly businessman.
"That's right." Zhu Yuanzhang thought of a brand new vocabulary he heard when they were talking just now.
"What are you talking about, what is the minimum wage standard?"
When he mentioned this, Liu Ji's face flushed with excitement: "Your Majesty, Chen has always claimed to be a smart man, but compared with His Highness the King of England, I am just a little smart."
"This minimum wage standard is also a policy formulated by His Royal Highness."
"Because this is the first year, the minimum wage standard we set is actually not particularly high. That is, based on the current general wage, it will be reduced by about 20%."
"Any businessman, whether he is a contractor for imperial buildings or a businessman doing various small businesses. When they hire people, the wages they set for these employees must not be lower than this standard."
"Once it is discovered that they have deducted workers' wages, the court will severely punish them."
"Including but not limited to fines, cancellation of their contracting qualifications, etc."
"Even if the circumstances are too serious, they will be punished directly according to the Ming Law."
"Wonderful!" Zhu Yuanzhang couldn't help but clapped his hands in admiration.
As expected of his younger brother, he can even think of such a method.
If this is the case, there is no need to worry about these businessmen doing evil, but instead making the people full of resentment towards the court.
After all, the imperial court has stipulated what these businessmen must do. If they don't do things according to the law, it is naturally their own problem.
Of course, this is only the most ideal situation.
In the actual implementation process, problems of one kind or another will inevitably arise.
However, this requires the court to slowly adjust and try to improve this rule.
Avoid the same type of problems in the future.
After that, Zhu Yuanzhang and Liu Ji traveled almost throughout most of Yanjing City.
Zhu Yuanzhang, who was still a little dissatisfied with Liu Ji at first, now really praised him more and more.
If all the famous officials were as conscientious and responsible as Liu Ji.
As an emperor, he can sit back and relax from now on, right?
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! Zhu Yuanzhang's good mood lasted until lunch.
"Your Majesty, for lunch, would you like to go to the canteen of our Yanjing Yamen?"
Liu basically didn't want to talk about this matter.
According to his understanding of Zhu Yuanzhang, if Lao Zhu knew his situation, he would definitely be depressed again.
When the time comes, all this anger will definitely be vented on him again.
But Liu Ji also knew that if he didn't tell this matter sooner or later, Zhu Yuanzhang would know about it sooner or later.
If Zhu Yuanzhang knew it himself, he might start thinking wildly again.
Instead of doing this, it is better to say everything that needs to be said honestly and honestly now that I can barely control it.
"Canteen? What is that place? Let's go and have a look." Although in a literal sense, Lao Zhu could understand what this place was for.
But Lao Zhu couldn't quite understand why this canteen was needed.
Under the leadership of Liu Ji, Lao Zhu came to this place called the canteen.
As soon as I walked in, a familiar feeling hit me.
This is a huge room, with many meals placed on one side of the room.
Someone is queuing up to get food.
Among these people, there are a few familiar faces.
They were all low-level officials Zhu Yuanzhang met during the morning meeting today.
This scene of hundreds of people eating together reminded Zhu Yuanzhang uncontrollably.
When I was conquering the world, my soldiers were lining up to get food.
"What kind of regulations are here? We also want to give it a try."
Although it is very similar to the big pot rice in the army, there seem to be many differences in details.
Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly became eager to try.
"Mr. Chang, please follow me." When outsiders are present, Liu Ji always calls Zhu Yuanzhang Mr. Chang.
He does things in a tight-knit manner and never seems to leave anyone with any clues.
The two of them came to the meal window.
Zhu Yuanzhang saw Liu Ji pick up a wooden dinner plate from the table next to him.
He also followed suit and took one in his hand.
"Why is this plate so strangely shaped?"
This is a wooden rectangular dinner plate with four or five depressions of different sizes.
"Your Majesty will know about it soon." Since it was not an important matter, Liu Ji decided to file a lawsuit.
After taking the dinner plate, Liu Ji was waiting in line like other officials.
Zhu Yuanzhang smiled slightly: "Is this also the idea of King Qi...?"
Zhu Yuanzhang was very sure of his guess.
After all, how could anyone in this world come up with such a foolish idea?
There is only his biological brother Zhu Han.
"Mr. Chang is indeed very discerning. In the canteen, no matter how big or small your official position is, as long as you come here to eat, you will line up in order to eat. His Royal Highness has emphasized this point several times."
"His Royal Highness even punished several officials for this matter, which made everyone consciously line up."
Liu Ji said with a self-deprecating smile: "Even the minister, even the old-fashioned Liu Song, must abide by this rule."
"Hahahaha! Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly laughed heartily. When the King of England made this decision, that guy Liu Song must have been one of the most fiercely opposed people, right?"
Liu Song was an old-fashioned person, so he naturally took the rules of king, king, minister, father, son and son very seriously.
Everyone lined up together. In Liu Song's opinion, this was not a mess for Tsuna.
Speaking of this incident, Liu Ji couldn't help but laugh: "Sir, you are right. Liu Song had a big quarrel with His Royal Highness because of this incident."
As for the outcome of the quarrel, Liu Ji didn't say it out loud.
After all, the current situation in the cafeteria can fully explain the problem.
There were not many people in the queue in front of the two of them, but the canteen was very slow in serving food, and it was their turn soon.
When he walked near the dining window in the cafeteria, Zhu Yuanzhang's stingy habit broke out again: "I don't see that your food is not bad."
This is an open cooking window. Even from a distance, Zhu Yuanzhang had already seen most of the dishes above clearly.
There are not only seasonal vegetables, but also pork and chicken here.
Moreover, these dishes seem to be made by chefs.
The food not only exudes a tempting aroma, but also looks very appetizing.
Zhu Yuanzhang was even certain that many officials in the Yingtian court might not be as good as they were.
It's not that those officials are poor, or that they are stingy or anything.
After all, this is the Ming Dynasty, not the current era of developed logistics.
There are many things that even if you have money you may not be able to buy them.
At least the food they eat will not be as rich as the food in this cafeteria.
Liu Ji couldn't help but sigh: "It's all thanks to His Royal Highness."
"This kind of thing also has something to do with Qi Wu."
Liu Jidao: "After His Highness came to Yanjing, he not only invited bids for many projects, but also brought many capable businessmen."
"These merchants come from all walks of life and come from all kinds of people. Some sell vegetables and some sell meat."
"Even because we in Yanjing now take special care of businessmen."
"Many businessmen simply invest and set up factories here."
"One of His Royal Highness's students, Jiang Hurui, is very proficient in breeding."
"Under his guidance, many villages around Yanjing have begun to raise chickens, ducks, pigs and other livestock on a large scale."
"Although it is still in its early stages, large livestock such as pigs and cattle are not yet fully mature, but chickens and ducks have already begun to be sold on the market."
"This has also caused the price of chicken and duck meat in Yanjing to drop rapidly."
Speaking of this, Liu Ji just laughed from ear to ear.
"Your Majesty, you don't know that many ordinary people in Yanjing can now eat a meal of meat in three to five days. This was something I couldn't even imagine before."
Because she was so excited, Liu Ji even forgot to address Zhu Yuanzhang's pseudo-identity, but directly addressed him as Your Majesty.
Fortunately, at this time, Liu Ji still maintained his most basic sense.
His voice was not very loud, and the officials in front and behind were also chatting.
Therefore, no one noticed how he called Zhu Yuanzhang.
"You can have a meal of meat in a day or two?" Zhu Yuanzhang was so surprised that he could hardly close his mouth.
He is not one of those emperors who doesn't understand anything. As the only person in this land who has turned from a beggar to an emperor.
Zhu Yuanzhang knew very well what kind of life the real people at the bottom lived.
Meat is something that is not often available even in the homes of hunters.
Because even if they catch prey, they will go to the city to exchange it for silver or food.
Unless there are special circumstances, they will eat their prey themselves.
This is true even for hunters who make a living by hunting, let alone ordinary people who farm.
At most, it is only during the holidays that I would cut some meat to improve my life.
Or those who do physical work, if they don't eat meat, the body will be really exhausted.
And even these people are usually reluctant to eat.
But what about the people here in Yanjing?
According to what Liu Ji said, you can have a meal of meat in three to five days.
This day is simply too good, isn't it?
"You really didn't lie to us?" Zhu Yuanzhang asked in disbelief.