Although opening this kind of branch is similar to feudal princes, it is different after all, because a "branch" is also a company. How can an ordinary company have an army?...
But the company Li Sheng wants to open is certainly not ordinary. It is of course a kind of East India Company... On the outside, this is what it looks like.
The difference is that the branch belongs to the parent company after all - in terms of equity and finance, the branch cannot be separated from the parent company after all...
All means, in the final analysis, are just the word money... and when it comes to means specifically, they are the word debt.
To be more specific, it is precious metals and grain.
The method to control the princes and ensure that the princes will not be divided is very simple. As long as he cannot provide food for himself, then he will naturally obey those who give him food.
In today's industry, something like an "industrial chain" has gradually emerged.
In a considerable part of Hangzhou... to be precise, it is actually a large part of the shipyards. The ships produced have now been turned into assembly plants - the reason is also very simple, because the merchants in Jiangdong area know shipbuilding and maritime affairs.
If trade makes money, then in some inland places, capable wealthy families will certainly want a share of the pie.
And how to distinguish it? Shipbuilding... definitely cannot be done inland.
All kinds of wooden components needed for shipbuilding can be manufactured inland!
Since the income in the inland areas is naturally low, it is conceivable that the people here will charge lower wages for the same quality.
As a result, part of the huge profits from shipbuilding in the Jiangdong area, headed by Hangzhou, was naturally divided.
Of course, the result of this is that a lot of employment has been divided, but... merchants are just pursuing profits.
In short, Li Sheng was secretly quite surprised. He really didn't expect that not long after shipbuilding became popular, in just a few years, industry transfer and industrial chain would have already appeared.
So……
Since there is an industrial chain, many other things will of course be supported.
The simplest of many new operations is, of course, this kind of branch office similar to that of a prince...
Normally speaking, feudal princes certainly have their disadvantages. The biggest one is that the risk is high. What if this guy gets mixed up and his hometown can't fight him, and he can't move anymore?
But the branch company doesn’t only care about this, even though it has industries, stable or even strong financial resources, and its own army...
Li Sheng even said that he is allowed to build his own temples - this is freedom of belief. Temples can be used to worship ancestors, or to worship gods, anything.
In short, the degree of freedom is very high. But... you don't have to worry about these guys threatening your hometown.
The reason, of course, is this industry chain.
The economy of a branch company can be very developed, but it cannot separate from China's industrial chain and carry out industrial production alone!
Without independent production, the economic pillar may be cut off at any time.
How is this going to happen? On the other hand, in addition to the industrial chain being tied to China, there is another aspect of finance.
By providing debt lines and equity investments, the branch can be operated with leverage.
Once he wants to cause trouble, without saying anything, just pinch his funds and finish the job.
Of course, this is not a problem for ambitious people who really want to be warlords.
But now in the Tang Dynasty, there have been some changes that many people in this era expected, but also unexpected... That is technological progress.
To be precise, it is the universality and all-roundness of technological progress.
In addition to many visible things, such as warships, clocks, and other physical products, there are also many invisible or hidden things that can take advantage of the east wind of technological progress and evolve into new forms.
For example, currency.
Only branches were given credit currencies issued by the imperial court, while the real physical gold, silver and precious metals were all retained in the Tang Dynasty.
Under this premise, even if there are ambitious people who want to become warlords, they will not be able to do so - without the support of precious metals, it is impossible to issue their own currency, and naturally their control over the "territory" economy will also be greatly reduced...
Say one thousand, preach ten thousand.
Any progress in human society is progress in the division of labor, a more refined division of labor.
...And when society has a more refined division of labor, it will of course call for a closer overall organization - the finer division of individuals and individual opinions will bring higher and stronger wealth creation efficiency, and the same will naturally be true for society.
This "tighter overall organization" has had many versions in later generations, some are similar to Apple and some are similar to Microsoft. Li Sheng chose the Microsoft route, using financial means to control the long industrial chain, and then...
Controlling various nodes of the industrial chain, large and small, they are called enterprises but are actually many entities of feudal lords.
Of course, there will be times when such control will fail, but based on historical experience, it will be unknown how long it will take... Even based on Datang's current development speed.
As for now, that is the most efficient and reliable development method and operation idea.
At this time, Li Shengcai finally felt the pretentious pleasure of standing on the shoulders of giants and talking loudly...
Although I have stood on the shoulders of giants many times before, but...
What does a steam engine or the like mean to Li Sheng? There is no pleasure at all!
After all, although the influence of the steam engine is huge, how can it compare with the glory of the entire great cause of the sun never setting?...The reason is that simple.
However, the simple principle is not... not that simple to operate.
A little infrastructure was still needed, and Li Sheng knew he had to complete it.
This small piece of paper in my hand, as well as the calligraphy and painting on it... must be completed as soon as possible and sent to old man Li Er.
In Lingzhou City, inside the institute.
Li Sheng looked at the half-painted banknotes in his hand, scratching his hair and thinking hard about this thing in his previous life. In addition to watermarks and other things, the patterns on it were also anti-piracy... But how were they painted?
By the way, is the acting in the movie Chasing the Dragon right?
"Wait a minute... Why have I forgotten the plot of my horse riding? What kind of bad movie..."
It is quiet at night. Lingzhou City is not a modern society after all, and most of the buildings have no lights at night.
There is only a little light in the distant attic, and sometimes you can hear something like...
"...How come I have to do the old man's mission after traveling through time..."
"Is this life... I'll kill you..."
Credit currency...a product of technology.
The science and technology of modern society in later generations is developed... no, it is advanced technology, but this thing is in the hands of many, many people.
