When Zhu Hao returned to the capital, it was already the eighth day of the first lunar month.
When Tang Yin saw Zhu Hao, he found that Su Xigui was also there. Judging from Su Xigui's excited expression, there should be progress in coal mine exploration and site selection.
As expected, Su Xigui said excitedly after seeing Tang Yin: "I found three places where I can dig pits. Although the ground is a bit off, many of them are surface coal mines, so there is no need to dig deep... The young master is indeed a master of the Fang family. He uses a compass to
A test..."
Tang Yin didn't have much doubt about Zhu Hao's ability. Now that Zhu Hao had accomplished everything, there was no need to be surprised.
Tang Yin asked: "Dongzhu Su followed you?"
"hey-hey."
Su Xigui said with a smile, "I didn't go with him at first. On the second day of the second year of junior high school, I heard a message saying that there were some sightings. I couldn't help but be curious and went to have a look. I accompanied the young master to witness the discovery of the last two coal pits... That's called a
magic!"
Although Tang Yin didn't question anything, he still sighed: "It's not easy. In this case, the coal mine can be opened... By the way, Zhu Hao, don't think about anything else, and hurry up and finish the recent backlog of official business!
"
Zhu Hao said with a bitter face: "Sir, I just came back. I haven't even gone home to see you yet. Why do you want me to work?"
Tang Yin glared at Zhu Hao: "If you don't do it, who will?"
Su Xigui next to him was very puzzled when he heard this. Didn't he say that the young master was just doing some inconspicuous book repair work in the Hanlin Academy?
Even if he became a staff member of the new emperor, he could just serve as an advisor and give advice at any time. Why did Zhu Hao have "official business" to handle when he just came back?
What kind of official business is that?
"Dongzhu Su, you have worked hard these days. You followed me up the mountain and down the river. Take a good rest when you get back." Zhu Hao said with a smile.
"it's okay no problem."
Su Xigui was still very excited, "With a good mine, the young boss doesn't have to worry about money. Not to mention 20,000 taels of silver, even 50,000 taels can be taken out! I'll take my leave now!"
Su Xigui left excitedly.
Tang Yin looked at the direction in which Su Xigui's carriage was leaving and asked in confusion: "Why did you ask him to go?"
Zhu Hao rolled his eyes and said: "Do you think he is a fool? If he doesn't go and witness it with his own eyes when I talk about finding a mine, can he rest assured? Besides, it is rare to have His Majesty's support. If you can open a new mine, you don't have to worry about being occupied by nobles.
, such a good deal can be said to be a huge profit, who wouldn’t be active in finding someone to dig up money in the mountains?”
"It seems to make sense."
Tang Yin nodded, and then thought of another question, "If such a good mine is known to the nobles, especially the Zhang brothers..."
Zhu Hao smiled and said: "So we have to start work quickly! I was busy the first few days, and you will be busy next, Mr. Tang!"
Tang Yin was dumbfounded when he heard this.
The Chinese New Year has just passed and the Lantern Festival has not yet arrived on the 15th day of the first lunar month. Tang Yin originally wanted to have some peace and quiet, but then he remembered that he was actually the most tired person in this matter, and felt that he had been tricked by Zhu Hao again.
…
…
Zhu Hao had someone notify Zhu Si in the palace that day about the discovery of three coal-rich mine pits during this trip.
Originally, Zhu Si had no intention of leaving the palace, but he hurried out after hearing the news.
After listening to Zhu Hao's detailed report, Zhu Si was only concerned about one thing and asked: "How much coal can be produced in that year? How much money can it be sold for?"
This question confused everyone around him.
I don’t know when Zhu Si also learned to be diligent and frugal in managing his family. Perhaps before he became the emperor, Zhu Si felt that he could do whatever he wanted as an emperor and would have endless money. After he became the emperor, he realized that not only could he not take the money home, he would also have to pay it back.
...No one can turn a young emperor into a calculating housekeeper.
This also fully shows that after Zhu Si became emperor, his power was severely restricted by civilian officials.
Zhu Hao said: "If we look at these three mines alone, the coal produced in a year should be sold for less than 10,000 taels of silver."
"ah?"
Zhu Si looked very disappointed.
For ordinary merchants, ten thousand taels can be said to be money that cannot be earned in a lifetime, but for Zhu Si, the number of ten thousand taels is too small. Compared with the huge expenditure of the court, it is simply a drop in the bucket.
Zhu Hao smiled and said: "We can't just use these three mines to look at the annual output, nor can we use the output of the coal mine to determine the money we will earn in the future. Let's put it this way, more and more mines will be opened. Ten thousand taels of silver
If the coal is used to smelt iron, its value is equivalent to 20,000 taels or even 30,000 taels. Once the iron is smelted and then made into ordnance, firearms, and ships, the value of this 10,000 taels of coal will be
, will exceed fifty thousand taels."
For others, this kind of economic theory, which seems very simple to later generations, is enough to get people involved.
But Zhu Si is not an ordinary person after all.
This was a student cultivated by Zhu Hao. Although Zhu Hao did not adopt a quality education, the knowledge he imparted in his lectures was far beyond the comparison of those old academics of this era who talked a lot.
Zhu Si's face was full of joy: "Then Zhu Hao, tell me, if we run this entire industry, how much money can we make in a year?"
Sure enough, I still care about money.
How poor is this little emperor?
Is silver so rare?
Zhu Haodao: "In terms of mining, my goal is to earn 100,000 taels of silver in the first year, and then I can increase it to 100,000 taels every year..."
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"One hundred thousand taels... not bad, not bad!"
Zhu Si finally felt better after hearing this number.
Zhang Zuo listened for a long time, then thought of something and asked: "Well, young gentleman, I said before that you can make a lot of money by opening a bank account, right?"
Zhu Hao nodded: "Yes, the bank account's annual profit is about two to three hundred thousand taels."
Zhu Sidao: "Can you make a little more and earn one million taels a year? I think that's pretty much it."
Zhang Zuo was speechless after hearing the emperor's goal: "Your Majesty, the expenditure of the Ming Dynasty last year was only three million taels. Do you want Mr. Zhu to create another Ming Dynasty?"
"Is it so little?" Zhu Si was obviously educated by Zhu Hao to be insensitive to small numbers, but he did not expect that the entire Ming Dynasty's expenditure was only a few million taels.
Zhu Hao smiled and said: "We have just started. We will make a few hundred thousand taels a year first. If there are any needs in the northwest or southeast, they will be solved. The rest can be left to the inner government, and your majesty can use it at his own discretion.
"In addition to mining and iron smelting, I want to let Mr. Tang supervise shipbuilding, build sea-going ships, and train the navy... I read in an ancient book that there is a place overseas that is rich in silver.
The amount of silver produced in a year is no less than three million taels."
"Really? Is that an island made entirely of silver?"
When Zhu Si heard this, he immediately became interested.
Zhang Zuo said hurriedly: "Your Majesty, if there is too much money in the market, then the food, clothing, housing and transportation will be much more expensive, and then the money will be worthless."
Zhu Sidao: "Can money in other people's hands be the same as money in my hands? Even if things are twice as expensive, I still make money if I have money in my hands."
Obviously, Zhu Si even understood the reason for inflation caused by the issuance of additional currency. Although he did not understand the specific theory thoroughly enough, he did understand the general principle, that is, the value of Ming's property was constant. Increased silver meant additional issuance of currency, which would inevitably lead to a depreciation of the price of silver.
, the selling price of the goods will naturally increase.
In the past, the imperial court wanted to issue more currency, so it issued Ming Dynasty banknotes. However, because the value retention rate of Ming Dynasty banknotes was too low, the court's additional currency issuance was limited to paper.
But now Zhu Hao's strategy is to directly mine and smelt silver, so the situation is different.
Why, does my silver stink better than folk silver?
They are all silver, so their purchasing power is naturally the same.
Zhu Hao looked at the dejected Zhang Zuo and comforted him with a smile: "Actually, Eunuch Zhang is right to worry. We cannot let the prices of goods among the people remain high. If the people's livelihood cannot be guaranteed and the people cannot live and work in peace and contentment, it is the court's dereliction of duty. So we have to create
We need to produce more goods, and the wealth currently created by the people is at least more than 30 million taels a year, and 3 million taels is just the income of the treasury."
When Zhang Zuo heard this, he felt a little better.
If the Ming Dynasty only produces three million taels of goods a year, then adding three million taels of silver will indeed double the value of the goods.
But how can it be possible to create only such a small amount of value next year?
Zhu Hao said that 30 million taels was an underestimate, because the taxes in the Ming Dynasty were indeed not high. Even the commercial tax was only 1 in fifteen. During the Hongzhi period of the Ming Dynasty, the annual commercial tax revenue did not exceed 100,000 taels.
, this was also the case in the last years of Zhengde.
It can be seen that the proportion of commercial taxes in the revenue of the Ming Dynasty treasury was too small, and the Ming Dynasty was still supported by agricultural taxes, salt taxes, etc.
"Where is that overseas island? When can I dig for silver?"
Zhu Si is more concerned about the speed at which Zhu Hao makes money.
Zhu Hao said: "We must first build ships. These ships can be used not only to quell the pirates in the southeast, but also to go out to sea to conquer foreign barbarians... That place is vast, probably much larger than our country, the Ming Dynasty, but because it is a barbaric land...
...It requires a large number of people to cultivate the land.
"Okay, okay, it's all up to you, Zhu Hao. I suddenly feel that you must take the lead in the affairs of the Ming Dynasty. Not only is it mining and going overseas to find money, but you have not been here in the past few days. Those memorials are all gone."
I'm worried to death, please fix it quickly, otherwise I won't even be able to sleep well!"
This is what Zhu Hao wants.
Zhu Si's work was all done by him, which made the little emperor feel more comfortable lying down, so he was willing to hand over the power in his hand.
What Zhu Hao wants to do is to be a powerful minister. According to the positioning of ordinary civil servants, if he wants to change the times... it is almost impossible, and don't expect the court to give him much support.
If you want to change the times, you have to do it yourself! Like now, get the authority to mine, smelt, and build ships yourself outside the court system.
Has the court ever thought about asking?
Then use your own money to solve the southeast coastal defense problem! After driving Yang Tinghe away... Zhu Hao feels that there are no big obstacles in the court, and he can work more freely.
"Your Majesty, before I start working, I want to go home first. Speaking of which... I haven't been back recently. I will come back to work in the evening. I wonder if Your Majesty..."
Zhu Hao asked for instructions.
Zhu Si said cheerfully: "It's okay, you go and come back early!"