Chapter 276 Xujiazhuang's per capita meat consumption exceeds 100 catties
Mid September.
In the Jiangnan region, the busy farming period of various manors in Xujiazhuang has basically ended, and grains have been returned to warehouses.
Farmers who are responsible for agricultural work can finally take some time off and have a good rest. If they really can’t take time off, they can work as part-time workers in factories, help out on farms, or go out to other places to do logistics work to earn some money.
extra income.
In addition, although it is not the end of the year, the ninth year of Chongzhen has not yet completely passed.
However, various economic data for Xujiazhuang this year have basically been released. Production activities in winter will be significantly reduced, and people also need to use this time to rest and consume. Therefore, we can roughly estimate the economic performance in the three months at the end of the year.
And the error is very small.
For Xujiazhuang, this year is another year of explosive growth.
GDP is expected to exceed 5.5 billion silver dollars, an increase of 57% over last year.
Coal energy consumption reached 182 million tons.
Cement production reached 73 million tons.
Steel production reached 2.45 million tons.
Fertilizer output reached 6.33 million tons.
Sugar production reached 1.3 million tons.
Biodiesel production reached 875,000 tons (production capacity is somewhat insufficient).
The total grain collection and reserves are approximately 80 million tons (i.e. 1.28 billion shi).
The total stock weight of pigs, cattle, sheep, chickens, ducks, geese, rabbits and other livestock is about 8 billion jins. Based on a 50% slaughter rate, multiplied by a 50% meat yield, it is estimated that 2 billion jins of meat will be obtained.
This weight of meat is divided by Xujiazhuang's total population of 18 million.
This year's per capita meat consumption is expected to reach 111 kilograms.
This share does not represent per capita meat consumption. After all, the canned meat produced in Xujiazhuang will be sold throughout the Ming Dynasty, which is equivalent to supplying meat products to the entire Ming Dynasty. This consumption accounts for about 40% of the meat production.
But the remaining 60% is mainly consumed by the population in Xujiazhuang, that is, the per capita meat consumption is about 66.66 kilograms.
In addition, the people of Xujiazhuang also consume a large amount of aquatic products, such as freshwater fish and shrimp, marine fish, shrimp, crab, etc. This year's total consumption of aquatic products is at least 12 million shi. Divided by the population of 18 million, the per capita consumption exceeds 83.33
catty.
Then add it with meat.
The average per capita fish and meat consumption in Xujiazhuang exceeds 150 kilograms a year.
Even though the nutritional value of fish is not as high as that of meat, it takes two kilograms of fish to equal one kilogram of meat, which amounts to 108.3 kilograms.
Therefore, whether viewed in a strict sense or a broad sense, there is no doubt that the average person in Xujiazhuang eats more than 100 kilograms of meat.
Regardless of whether they are the wealthy or low-income groups in Xujiazhuang, they all meet the standard of eating more than 100 pounds of meat. The difference is that wealthy families eat more meat, while low-income families eat more fish, shrimp, and crabs, especially
Fish, shrimps, crabs, shellfish, etc. from the sea are generally very cheap. It doesn’t hurt to buy more than ten kilograms at a time. As long as you are not afraid of symptoms such as gout, you can eat them every day.
That is to say, the average person in Xujiazhuang eats more than 100 kilograms of meat. It is not mixed with any water and is eaten so much that many people even start to face the problem of obesity.
So on September 20th, the latest issue of the "Oriental Times" had the headline on the front page: "The prosperous age has begun, and the average annual meat consumption in Xujiazhuang is expected to exceed 100 kilograms." This report was reported by the intellectuals of the Ming Dynasty.
What the group saw, and what the people heard after listening to the report.
With a bang.
It immediately caused a sensation in the entire Ming Dynasty and even triggered an unprecedented heated discussion. Almost every citizen of the Ming Dynasty was discussing it.
Because meat is so important.
It is the most nutritious food.
It is the most delicious and craveable food.
It is a representative of a wealthy and happy life.
It is the most intuitive indicator of whether a family is living well, and its importance is second only to whether it has enough to eat.
Therefore, the popularity and breadth of discussion on this topic exceeds that of any previous topic.
First of all, many people expressed disbelief and found it unimaginable.
"The average person eats 100 kilograms of meat. There are eight people in my family. Doesn't it mean that we eat 800 kilograms of meat a year and more than two kilograms every day? How is this possible? Landlords cannot eat meat every day. I have seen
None of the rich people, including officials, can eat meat every day. This is so fake!"
"One pound of meat costs at least sixty or seventy cents, and one hundred pounds is six or seven silver dollars. I earn a dozen silver dollars through hard work in a year, and I have to spend half of it on eating meat. The problem is that I have to support my family and have to buy
I buy salt for clothes, buy this and that for my family, and I want to break two petals of a flower for a penny. Wherever I can afford to eat meat, I can only buy three to five kilograms at the end of the year and enjoy it during the Chinese New Year. I rarely see meat at all."
"One hundred kilograms of meat, hahaha, I have never eaten so much meat in my entire life!"
"Is Xujiazhuang really so rich? How many pigs, cattle and sheep do Xujiazhuang need to raise to grow so much meat, and how much food do these pigs, cattle and sheep have to eat?"
Most readers and people were shocked and envious.
"The average person eats 100 kilograms of meat. I studied hard in Hanchuang for 20 years and finally became a seventh-grade county magistrate. I can't even eat so much meat. I am not as good as a commoner in Xujiazhuang. Haha, I am a broken county magistrate. I might as well be improper."
"Why can't I even eat ten kilograms of meat a year? Why can people in Xujiazhuang eat so much? What should I do to eat meat every day?"
"Excuse me, does Xujiazhuang still accept people? I am willing to work for Xujiazhuang and be an obedient dog. As long as you give me meat and a few more bones!"
"Why hasn't the Xu family estate expanded? I can't survive these days anymore. Corrupt officials, landlords and gentry are exploiting and oppressing me every day. Even if I can buy more than a hundred pounds of meat with my income, at least 40% will be taken away, and the rest will be taken away."
I can't stand it anymore. Xujiazhuang should expand quickly. If this continues, I'll simply kill the corrupt officials and hide in Xujiazhuang." said a farmer from Nanzhili.
"Yeah, it's been three or four years, why hasn't Xujiazhuang expanded? Isn't it useless for us to kneel down and beg for expansion? How can we merge with each other?"
"How about we kill the officials, stop paying taxes to the government, build our own manor, and announce that we have joined Xujiazhuang. I wonder if Xujiazhuang will accept us if we do this."
"This is a good idea, but I can't stand it anymore. The government only asks for things from us and can't do anything for us. What's the use of such a government? We might as well take care of ourselves!"
"If the imperial court could have one-tenth of the capabilities of Xujiazhuang and allow us to eat twenty kilograms of meat per capita, how could we lose so much popular support?"
"Although I, Mr. Wei, have the reputation of being a civil servant and have hundreds of acres of fertile land in my family, if Xujiazhuang is expanded one day, my family will be the first to respond! Without a single silver dollar to compensate, reading the books of sages cannot save the Ming Dynasty, nor can it prosper the Ming Dynasty.
Only the Xujiazhuang model can make everyone rich and like a dragon!"
In addition, there are a small number of readers and people inside Xujiazhuang. They did not have much heated discussion about this report, and the performance was quite dull, even giving people a feeling of Versailles.
"The average person eats 100 kilograms of meat, which is a lot. On average, it's only three taels a day, just a slightly larger piece of Dongpo meat. It's not much at all."
"Indeed, it's only three taels a day. I think increasing it to half a kilogram of meat a day is just right and will not lead to serious obesity."
"I think this amount of meat is completely enough. It's just right. It's very healthy. Add a fish weighing three to two pounds and eat half a catty of vegetables and fruits. This is the healthiest lifestyle."
"I agree. From now on, we can't just pursue quantity, we must also pursue quality. For example, the Chinese sacred cows raised by the owner of the farm are grown up listening to songs, drinking wine, and being massaged every day. The taste of this beef is awesome.
, I will never forget it for the rest of my life, but it’s a pity that the quantity is not much. I only got one pound. From then on, any meat I eat has no taste. It is difficult to go from luxury to frugality. I only hope to eat ten pounds of Chinese gods every year.
Beef is very satisfying." said the man who works in White Castle.
"Is the Chinese sacred beef really so delicious? Can I buy it? Is it expensive? Even if it is very expensive, I would like to buy a few kilograms to try it. I have money." The food-loving businessman said with bright eyes.
"Ah!! Stop talking and irritating me. If you keep saying this, I will kill myself in front of you!"
The worker who worked in Xujiazhuang but had difficulty settling down said with red eyes, he was very stimulated. He dreamed of joining Xujiazhuang, but it was difficult, too difficult. Although he worked here, he could also eat a lot of meat.
, but the family cannot enjoy it together and is still struggling on the edge of poverty. However, these people in Xujiazhuang actually do not attach much importance to the per capita meat consumption of 100 pounds, and instead begin to pursue quality.
How could he bear this, and how could he control the mad impulse in his heart?
…
the other side.
In the Forbidden City Palace.
After reading the latest issue of "Oriental Times", I saw that Xujiazhuang has achieved the goal of per capita meat consumption exceeding 100 kilograms.
Emperor Chongzhen Zhu Youjian was in a very bad mood.
Very uncomfortable and depressed, feeling very irritable and depressed, like a weak student who has finally passed the exam with a score of 60 through hard study, and suddenly sees a top student easily score 100 points, with a relaxed and indifferent look on his face,
This made Zhu Youjian unacceptable from the bottom of his heart.
The per capita meat consumption of 100 kilograms may be just a cold, fluffy, statistical number for Xujiazhuang.
But for most people in the Ming Dynasty, it was a goal that could never be achieved. It was very difficult to even eat twenty or thirty kilograms of meat per capita.
Zhu Youjian even sent someone to investigate to find out the amount of meat eaten inside the palace.
It was found that the average annual meat consumption of the royal family members, who have been often criticized by civil servants for their extravagant displays, is less than 100 kilograms per year, only about 70 or 80 kilograms.
As for the maids, eunuchs, and guards, the average amount of meat eaten per person will be even lower, probably only forty or fifty kilograms.
And this is based on the great improvement in the royal family's finances in the past few years. Especially this year, the royal farm run by Fang Yizhi has achieved a good harvest. In addition to 5 million shi of grain, people have also sent 20,000 fat pigs and 30,000 shi.
A single sheep can probably produce 2.5 million catties of meat, but after some extortion by civil servants, they asked for favors, and each of the 50,000 new troops was rewarded with ten catties of meat to increase their loyalty.
In the end, there was only about 500,000 kilograms of meat left. Even if everyone in the palace was divided equally, the per capita meat consumption this year would not exceed 100 kilograms.
Dissatisfied.
Zhu Youjian felt strongly dissatisfied!
"I can't make the people of Ming Dynasty eat a hundred catties of meat. Can't I make it possible for everyone in this small palace to eat a hundred catties of meat? I am not poor now, and I must not allow Xujiazhuang to compare with me in every aspect.
, otherwise the people in the world have gone to Xujiazhuang, how can I still be the emperor? Even if I buy hundreds of thousands of extra kilograms of meat this year, I have to catch up with the amount of meat in the palace, and I must suppress Xujiazhuang.
One head!"
Zhu Youjian said secretly.
However, when he told Empress Zhou, his sister-in-law Zhang Yan and others about this plan, he said that from now on, there must be big fish and meat on the table every day, including the maids, eunuchs, and guards, and everyone should eat no less than the amount of meat every day.
After four ounces.
Empress Zhou advised him: "Your Majesty, there are now more than 15,000 people of all kinds in the palace. Each person eats a hundred catties of meat, which is 1.5 million catties. The price of meat in the capital is high, and it costs at least 150,000 silver dollars. This is not a big deal."
It’s a small expense.”
The emperor's sister-in-law Zhang Yanze said: "Xujiazhuang is a power of merchants. It is no problem for each person to eat a thousand pounds of meat. Your Majesty is the emperor and a model for all people in the world. When many people in the Ming Dynasty have difficulty eating enough, your Majesty eats it every day."
Meat, how will the people of the world view this? How will the officials advise? Your Majesty, forget it, we can eat two more mouthfuls of meat on a daily basis, but we must not make such a big show of it."
Hear this.
Zhu Youjian wilted, and his angry thoughts about competing with Xu Jiazhuang disappeared immediately.
The emperor's sister-in-law is right. The people will criticize and the civil servants will gather together to dissuade him. Who made him the emperor? The people are suffering and eating grass. How dare he eat so much meat when he is the emperor? That heavy responsibility will only require him
If you eat less meat, if you try to eat more, you will be criticized and opposed, and you will even lose public support, causing dissatisfaction and anger.
At this moment, Zhu Youjian realized why Xu Yuan didn't want to be the emperor anymore. He didn't even want to do this hard profession!