The most concerning recent news in the Tang Dynasty is that the once arrogant Prime Minister Zhang Ming, who covered the sky with one hand, has fallen.
Although the Zhang family fell into a low point with the fall of Zheng State, because of its huge foundation, it is still a centipede insect that will not die.
Relying on their intricate local connections, the Zhang family has opened many factories and owns large tracts of land, and still maintains a great reputation.
But such a huge family was completely overturned because of tax evasion, leaving no room for struggle.
The tax department arrested people directly, and the army cleared the area without any mercy. All the young men of the Zhang family were imprisoned. Zhang Ming, the old man of the Zhang family, was so angry that he fainted on the spot. When he woke up, he could not utter a single word.
Within a few days, the trees of the Zhang family collapsed and they were no longer what they used to be. And the businesses of the Zhang family were all nationalized and had nothing to do with the Zhang family.
What's even worse is that all the Zhang family's land was confiscated and their ancestral home was taken away as fines. They still owe the country millions of gold coins in fines. I'm afraid the Zhang family will not be able to pay back this profit for generations to come.
A profitable fine.
Fortunately, the country was merciful and gave the Zhang family a way to survive: filing for bankruptcy can wipe out all debts, but everything the Zhang family has now has nothing to do with the Zhang family.
Who would have thought that Zhang Ming, who was the prime minister of a country more than a year ago, and the prominent family behind Zhang Ming, would collapse overnight.
Who would have thought that all this is not actually political strife, but just a simple conspiracy to evade taxes.
Throughout the entire incident, the performance of other businessmen has been very calm, because they did not dare to evade taxes, and they did benefit from the Industrial Reform of Datang Group.
To be honest, the vast majority of these businessmen do not understand why they are still evading taxes in such a good time. They have made ten times and hundreds of times the profits in the past, and there is nothing wrong with the country taking away their due share.
Appropriate?
Although they also knew that it was already a lot of money, most people could still understand the simple truth that without the new Tang Kingdom, they would not be able to earn so much money.
With the continuous development of time, everyone has realized the tremendous changes that the advancement of productivity has brought to this society.
In the past, it would take days and nights of hard work to reach a branch of a trading company, but now it only takes an hour to reach a branch via telegram.
In the past, it took even ten days to transport a truck of grain from Tongcheng to Chang'an, but now it only takes one day at most to load the truck from Tongcheng Railway Station to unload at Chang'an Railway Station.
What is even more astonishing is that in the past, transporting a cart of grain would have consumed at least half of the cart on the road, but now there is almost zero loss, which has more than doubled the profit.
With better seeds, the Tang Kingdom really got a huge harvest this year. Last year, the whole country was still immersed in the fear of food shortage, and this year's food prices fell directly to the national subsidy line.
If the national food security subsidy mechanism had not come into operation, it is estimated that food prices would have continued to fall. In previous years, if the food harvest was bumper, the farmers would not be happy, but now everyone has a smile on their face, and they are happier than having a wife.
Because of the abundant labor force, the total number of fields in the Tang Kingdom doubled compared to the Zheng Dynasty. Because of the introduction of terrace technology, the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, and the rational distribution of fruit trees, cotton, potatoes and sweet potatoes, the total agricultural output increased.
It's even more exaggerated.
In just one year, due to the reasonable overall planning and distribution by the state, all the people were able to eat vegetables, fruits, and have enough salt and spices.
This is no joke, but a great achievement. You must know that before the birth of Datang Group, most civilians in this world rarely had access to salt, and could not afford cooking oil and spices at all.
It is precisely because there are enough condiments that enough delicacies can be developed and the happiness index of food can be improved.
Following this, ordinary people with a certain economic foundation began to consume in a retaliatory manner, boosting the domestic demand of the Tang Kingdom.
The first thing that was in short supply was various canned foods. Because they were uneaten and easy to preserve, various canned hams mixed with starch, cheap ham sausages, and instant noodles originally developed as military rations have become popular products.
People who had never tasted or seen these things were crazy about buying them. With the construction of roads, bicycles quickly became a hot commodity.
After all, not everyone has the ability to get a driver's license to drive a car or is willing to buy a motorcycle for themselves. But a cheap and practical bicycle is another matter. As long as you learn how to do it, this thing can be used to transport goods or travel.
It's a perfect artifact.
Next, the wealthy civilians began to pursue a higher level of happiness: they began to buy glass to make their houses more transparent and brighter; then they began to buy bricks and stones, hoping to rebuild a more livable residence.
Cement, glass, red bricks... building materials began to sell well, many farmers began to build vegetable greenhouses, and some villages and towns began to spontaneously build roads.
The slogan "If you want to get rich, build roads first" was posted everywhere in the Tang Kingdom, but the following sentence was changed to "Have more children and plant more trees"...
There was no way, for a soul from the 21st century, Tang Mo felt that a country's population of two to three hundred million was not really a lot.
What's more, the population of the Tang Kingdom is actually far from this level. The census is now underway, and Roger's team estimates that the total population is around 40 million.
This is actually a very scary number, because the Tang Kingdom has been frantically absorbing foreign populations since it captured Zheng State, and even spent money to buy people.
According to Tang Mo's vision, within the next twenty years, not counting the new population gained through expansion, the population of the Tang Kingdom will exceed at least 200 million! This is an ambitious goal, or a goal that is almost impossible to achieve.
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! In order to support this goal, Datang Group has come up with many advanced technologies. Many chicken farms have been established in the Datang Kingdom, using modern, large-scale integrated methods to raise chickens.
poultry to provide sufficient meat and eggs.
This technology improves the efficiency of poultry production. Although it reduces the meat quality and taste, it does ensure the most basic meat supply.
For the common people of the Tang Dynasty, these were almost not problems: they were not qualified to eat meat before, but now that meat and eggs are available, it is too late to be happy. Who would pick on problems such as taste.
The animal husbandry industry is also highly integrated, using a large-scale farm model for mass production - this can maximize production and ensure the most basic supply quantity.
Of course, one of the biggest problems with high-density breeding is infectious diseases, and this problem is simply insignificant in the face of Datang Group's drug research institutions.
With Tang Mo's ideas and the continuous research of the world's most sophisticated talents, Datang Group's vaccines and drug technology have crushed the viruses and bacteria of this era.
Almost all infectious diseases such as chicken plague or bird flu can be treated, and the shortcomings of large-scale breeding do not exist for Datang Group.
Civilians who had enough food, clothing, housing and transportation gradually began to pursue a higher quality of life, and lighting equipment such as gas lamps began to be out of stock.
Villages close to the city began to receive electricity and lights, and even wealthy families began to use radios. Areas far away from the city also began to have some nightlife, at least a little bit of light.
If there was a satellite in this era that could overlook the earth, you would see that a piece of land in this world is beginning to become brighter.
This alone does not seem to reflect the changes in the Datang Kingdom over the past year or so, because in the past year or so, the entire Datang Kingdom manufactured 300 locomotives!
Yes, this is simply a miracle! Based on the incomplete railway network of Zheng State, the Tang Kingdom built more than 3,700 kilometers of new railways regardless of the cost!
What is this concept? This data is equivalent to saying that in the past year of the Tang Dynasty, one country built half the length of railways in the world!
According to the current trend, in the new year, the number of railways built by the Tang Kingdom will still account for more than half of the world's total!
What makes people feel even more exaggerated is that the locomotive technology of the Tang Kingdom is the most advanced, and its performance is much better than that of locomotives from other countries.
The industrial zone in Tongcheng has been spread out, and countless factories are emitting thick smoke day and night. The lights in these industrial zones are brightly lit, and manufacturing is happening all the time.
Many people who were transferred from Bunas are familiar with this scene. When Bunas was under construction, it was a scene like this. At that time, everyone in Bunas had a happy smile on their face, and every one of them
They are also full of hope for the future.
It’s just that when Bunas was built, it was far from so fast and far from so good! Even these craftsmen and officials from Bunas have to admit that the hard-working Chinese are really born workers. They may be the world’s
The best producer on the planet!
Advanced production deeds are reported in newspapers every day, and countless model workers are selected and then widely publicized.
In order to create a better life and welcome a better tomorrow, all the people of Tang Dynasty burst out with unprecedented enthusiasm and desperately built the place where they were.
Everything in this world is afraid of comparison, especially when you see people separated by a wall living better and better, it is really painful.
When the common people of Chu, Qi and even the Great China Empire saw the example of Tang, they became restless. Countless people crossed the border, hoping to pursue a better life in Tang.
All this naturally caused great dissatisfaction among several neighboring countries.
From the day it was born, the Tang State has been constantly purchasing people from Chu and Qi. This matter has almost become a semi-open secret until now.
The border defenders bent the law for personal gain and regarded human trafficking as a way to make a fortune. They recruited refugee bandits and sold them all to the Tang Dynasty.
Over time, there will not be so many homeless people who are hungry and in urgent need of relief that can be sold casually, which is also an inevitable result.
As a large number of people were sold to the Tang State, Chu and Qi actually had enough land to settle the remaining civilians. Even if the productivity was not as good as that of the Tang State, as long as the population was low to a certain level, the land could feed everyone.
But human greed is endless, and it is impossible for the generals of the border army and the high-ranking officials who have received the benefits to stop human trafficking when the benefits are attractive enough.
In the eyes of these officials and generals, civilians are just tools to make money and are a kind of bargaining chip that can be sacrificed at any time.
Soon, the general colluded with the landlords, powerful evil gentry and profiteers near the station, and began a series of slutty operations.
They ignored or even supported landlords to annex land, plunder and occupy civilian fields, and squeeze rich peasants who originally owned land into homeless people who could not survive.
Then, they continued to sell these refugees to the Tang Kingdom to earn profits to support their already expanded desires.
It has to be said that the luxury goods of the Datang Group have greatly broadened the horizons of these officials, generals, landowners and gentry, making them realize that there is no end to the road of extravagance and lust.
In the beginning, the Datang Group used real money and silver to acquire the population. Later, these people used the population in various ways to exchange for various good things from the Datang Kingdom.
An exquisite car can be sold for a sky-high price of several hundred gold coins in Chu or Qi. A string of exquisite gemstone necklaces with a sad story can make a sentimental wealthy daughter pay tens of thousands of gold coins.
The indigenous people who had just witnessed modern technology suddenly found that there were too many things they had never eaten or seen before, and for a while they actually had a strong sense of inferiority.
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! In order to eliminate these inferiority complexes, they began to crazily praise the products of the Tang Kingdom and spontaneously gave these products extra value.
How can this almost semi-public human trafficking be hidden from everyone? It’s just because the interests involved are so great that the senior officials of the relevant countries can only turn a blind eye.
But as time goes by, all countries have found that their population values have changed contrary to common sense, and the rulers of each country have to start stopping illegal trade on the border. It is just that there are policies and countermeasures.
It is impossible to completely eliminate human trafficking at the border.
Although this kind of management did not cause the Tang Kingdom to lose anything, the attitude of these neighboring countries towards the Datang Kingdom was inevitably a bit hostile.
These hostility caused the Datang Group to lose a huge order, and also caused Cyric to draw a lot of blood. For a while, he even vaguely wanted to keep pace with the Datang Group.
Under the influence of this hostility, the Chu State first decided to purchase Cyric's weapons and equipment, including paddle steamers and new cannons and machine guns and rifles.
Later, Qi State also spent money to purchase the same weapons and equipment, because Qi State learned that the Great China Empire purchased Cyric weapons and equipment.
The first batch of Cyric's weapons and equipment purchased by Dahua actually had nothing to do with the Datang Group. Dahua only saw that Mirage defeated Zheng with these new weapons, so they unilaterally felt that Cyric's new weapons were capable of
It was better, so I paid for some.
But then the Great China Empire was very upset because of the Tang Dynasty's destruction of Zheng. In the subsequent arms procurement, they once again chose Cyric.
Hundreds of thousands of rifles, thousands of artillery pieces, dozens of new warships, hundreds of millions of bullets - the funds to purchase these weapons have really made Cyric a lot of money.
Later, he helped the Dahua Empire build factories, achieve preliminary industrialization, and build railways and roads... This series of projects brought a huge amount of funds to Cyric.
With financial support, Cyric has also made its own breakthroughs in some technologies. These breakthroughs have also allowed Cyric's products to gain more recognition.
At this time, after crossing thousands of mountains and rivers, the special envoy of the Laens Empire crossed the endless sea incognito and arrived at the Great China Empire.
The special envoy who had just jumped off the carriage, after revealing his identity, secretly met with Chu Muzhou, the Prime Minister of the Great China Empire.
"Your Excellency Prime Minister!" The envoy from the Laens Empire who came from afar looked a little unhappy, because traveling all the way was really uncomfortable.
In order to keep it secret, he first took a boat all the way to Nanshui Port, then detoured from Nanshui to Mirage Kingdom, and finally transferred a boat in Mirage Kingdom to Qi State, where he took a carriage all the way to the Dahua Empire.
In fact, the Civil War in the Trade Federation had just begun when he set out, and now it seems that this civil war is about to end.
The mission of this secret envoy has also changed from contacting the Great China Empire to contain the Tang Kingdom that may participate in the war, to contacting the Great China Empire to contain the Datang Kingdom in a future war.
Because he carries a telegraph machine with him, his tasks can be changed in time. This is a benefit brought by the technological revolution of Datang Group.
"Mr. Special Envoy!" Prime Minister Chu Muzhou of Great China was very polite when he saw this special envoy from the Lions Empire.
After all, the visitor is a guest, and this special envoy from afar seems to have brought some good news to the Great China Empire.
The Dahua Empire, which has always been dissatisfied with the Tang Kingdom, needs some more useful allies to jointly target the powerful Tang Kingdom.
Frankly speaking, the more they understand the series of changes brought about by the Industrial Revolution, the more Chu Muzhou and Zhao Kai will be wary of the rising Tang Kingdom.
The more they understand the technological advantages of the Datang Group, the more everyone in the Dahua Empire feels that going to war against the Datang Kingdom is not a good choice.
Under such an atmosphere, Emperor Zhao Kai of Great China, who wanted to regain his face, no longer even wanted to start a war with the Tang Dynasty.
"The credentials I submitted...the prime minister must have read it..." the special envoy from Lains said respectfully.
Chu Muzhou nodded and said affirmatively: "I have indeed seen it. There is no problem with the cooperation between the two countries. His Majesty the Emperor of our country is very willing to form an alliance with the powerful His Majesty Laines I."
Anyway, it's just a kind of intentional cooperation. There is no price for this kind of thing. It's just a casual conversation, a few drinks, a pat on the shoulder and recognition of a friend. There is no need to take it seriously.
"In addition, our country hopes to establish a consulate in your country to be responsible for future contacts..." the special envoy from Lains asked tentatively.
"There's no problem with this. We've even chosen an address." Chu Muzhou didn't mind giving up a house to keep the envoys of the Ens Empire.
Telegraph machines are nothing new in Dahua, and Cyric now has no technical difficulty in mass-producing telegraph machines. From Chu Muzhou’s point of view, as long as the communication is smooth, the Dahua Empire and the distant Laien
It is definitely a good thing to form an alliance with the Sri Lankan Empire.
The strategic formula of distant friendship and close attack is not a profound theory. Of course, the senior officials of the Dahua Empire know that there cannot be any conflict of interest between the distant Reins Empire and the Dahua Empire. On the contrary, they have a very wide range of cooperation areas.
For example, if you just ask about the Datang Group, you will know that there are also cooperation and conflicts between the Datang Group and the Lions Empire.
Realizing that it was possible to contain the currently strong Tang Kingdom in the distant Eastern Continent and distract the Tang Kingdom's attention, Chu Muzhou became interested in sending an envoy to the Eastern Continent.
The special envoy from the Laiens Empire inspired Chu Muzhou and made the prime minister of the Great China Empire think of a good idea.
He felt that it seemed to be a good idea to follow the example of the Lions Empire and send envoys to the Eastern Continent to contact those national forces that were not so confrontational with the Tang Group and create some trouble for the Tang Kingdom on the other side of the Endless Sea.
Ever since, Chu Muzhou and the special envoys from Lains began to chat about Datang Group, Bunas and Yucheng.
Everyone is a smart person, and you can hear everyone's thoughts from between the lines - since they all want to target Datang Group, then things will be easier to handle, right?
Far away on Dragon Island, the deputy commander of the Tang Kingdom's intelligence agency, a burly bartender, handed a report to Tang Mo.
"Huh?" Tang Mo saw the content above, and his eyes shone with interest. He raised his head and looked at the second-in-command of his intelligence department.
The bartender immediately explained: "The people from the Electronic Investigation Department screened it. Recently, the exchange of telegrams between the Dahua Empire and the Lions Empire has become more frequent, and most of the telegrams have been encrypted."
"Can you decipher it?" Tang Mo seemed to have guessed part of the contents of the telegram, and tapped the report in his hand twice, making a crisp sound.
"The password used by the other party is very complicated and cannot be deciphered at the moment." The bartender replied apologetically: "However, what is certain is that this is an official transaction and not a bad idea of a businessman."
"Interesting, things are getting more and more interesting." Tang Mo stroked his forehead with his hand, and a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth: "I really didn't expect that I didn't worry about others, but others had my mind on me first.
.”
Although there is no evidence that there is any conspiracy between the Lains Empire and the Dahua Empire against the Tang Kingdom, Tang Mo still instinctively smelled a hint of danger.
This may be the sixth sense accumulated over the years of scheming against others. It is sharp and unreasonable.
