No other Central Plains dynasty in the past had such a strong demand for manpower as the Great Zhou Dynasty. A regime based on farming would only try its best to suppress the movement of people until land annexation destroyed the foundation of the countryside; while a regime based on inland , then it cannot afford the cost of personnel mobility.
The Great Zhou Dynasty has many advantages in this regard. The stable relationship between the Great Zhou Dynasty and the Song Dynasty in the Southern Dynasty is enough to ensure the continuous expansion of commercial interests; the Great Zhou Dynasty has been operating at sea for many years, which is enough to connect Goryeo and the Central Plains at the lowest cost. .
What's more, Goryeo itself is also an important part of sea trade. There are stable and reliable routes from Yecheng Port to Tianjin, Denglai and other places.
Since last year, some trading houses have been writing to Zuo Si and Qun Mu, saying that after the huge amount of materials produced in the northeastern hinterland are collected in Liaoyang Prefecture, they do not need to be transferred to Tianjin by land. A considerable part of them is directly transported from Chengzhou or Fuzhou. After the state enters the sea, or arrives in Shandong, or transits at Yeseong Port in Goryeo, you can then directly join the trade route to Song and Japanese countries. In this way, just by saving time, you can bring 30% more profits.
At the time, these suggestions were shelved.
The reason is that in order to expand ports and roads, a large number of people have to be recruited. The people of Dazhou have lived a peaceful life in the past two years, and their horizons and appetite are stronger than before. The recruited people have to have food and accommodation from the first day they arrive. Ten thousand For food, clothing, housing, processing money and rewards, one can get at least 200,000 guan a year.
It’s not that it can’t afford it, it’s just that there are too many places where the Zhou Dynasty has to spend money. Not to mention the expenses of the large number of troops stationed in the north, the many new factories and newly opened trade routes in which the imperial court has a stake are also a heavy burden before they can generate profits.
The system of the Great Zhou Dynasty was different from that of previous dynasties, and no one had any experience. In the past few years, Guo Ning had actually made the mistake of expanding too fast and too fiercely, so that the entire military and political group was like a giant beast on the verge of going crazy, pulling and pulling The bridle could not be pulled. Fortunately, the trouble was temporarily solved.
Originally, the benefits from Yeseong Port were enough to feed Cui Zhongxian's party. Therefore, out of the need to stabilize its own political situation, Koryo was unwilling to see itself being tied too deeply into the maritime trade routes and had always resisted the expansion of Yeseong Port. scale, not to mention opening other ports in Korea.
But after Cui Zhongxian's party was destroyed, a lot of the wealth they accumulated fell into the control of the Zhou Dynasty, which was enough to alleviate the financial embarrassment. Now that the thin dyke that originally blocked Goryeo and the Central Plains has disappeared, the Koreans and dykes at the head of the dyke The Han merchants from outside will come and go in large numbers, and no one can stop them.
Then, the port construction needs of Fuzhou and Chengzhou can be solved by encouraging a group of merchants to actively contribute. As for how to expand Yecheng Port in Goryeo, the new king and ministers who finally returned to Kaesong will definitely be very active.
Ordinary people in Korea have been living in poverty for a long time. Not only are they highly motivated to respond to recruitment, but they also eat less and work more. According to common sense, after the local indigenous people migrate to work, they are in a strange environment and lose their past connections and reputations. No matter how many thoughts you have, you can only stay humble and do things according to the rules of the Zhou Dynasty. As long as hundreds of thousands of such people are added to various fleets, docks and factories, the profits will be immediate.
In Goryeo, the blank space created by the outflow of a large number of strong men was very suitable for Han merchants to paint on a piece of white paper. No matter how barren Goryeo was, it was still a large country on the east coast, with three thousand rivers and mountains, enough for people to wreak havoc on.
During this process, Yin Chang, who was in charge of Goryeo, did not even need to do anything.
Which trading firm has the strength to set foot on the sea and the courage to reach out everywhere without a powerful general of the army behind it? This kind of trading firm has all the soft and hard means. Yin Chang only needs to play his role as an intermediary between him and the kings and ministers of Goryeo, and there is no need to do everything. Intervene.
If Yin Chang was smart enough, he should have understood that his subsequent task in Goryeo was to pull the bridle for the emperor, or to maintain order at the dinner table.
"I see that this document was signed fifteen days ago. It will be sent to Zhongdu soon. Should Yin Chang's messenger follow me into the city? There is no sea at the moment. I am afraid it will take a lot of effort on the way."
"Yes, the envoy rode a horse-drawn boat into the sea, and used human power to paddle along the way. After crossing the Laotieshan Waterway and arriving in Tianjin, he rode a post horse to Zhongdu. While His Majesty was in the palace, the document arrived. In addition, …”
The clerk's speech slowed down a little, and Guo Ning asked: "Where are the reports from the Left and Right Department and the Recording Department?"
The clerk quickly presented the other two documents that were already in his hands: "The reports from these two families came earlier. Your Majesty, please take a look."
The arrangement of the Great Zhou Dynasty in Goryeo was not only the temporary manpower brought by Yin Chang. Before Yin Chang launched his plan, both the Left and Right Departments and the Recording Department also had some secrets in Han Shang and even Kaicheng. This incident was a success. , their contribution to fueling the situation for several consecutive years is indispensable. And the court also needs to use their eyes to observe any movement in Haidong.
Guo Ning took the other two documents, found a chair and sat down to read. After a while, he chuckled a few times: "The peaceful days have passed for a long time. Three consecutive groups of messengers rushed into the mansion, and there was a lot of movement. This is the Marshal's Mansion. There are all people born in the Year of the Dog outside, and their noses are very good. Someone must have gathered around me at this moment."
The clerk was stunned, thinking about how to deal with it. Jing Anmin happened to step in and heard Guo Ning say that the dog's nose was dizzy. He immediately smiled and said: "Your Majesty's guess is good. There are a lot of people coming to inquire. I will arrange one. Can you please come to the side hall to receive me?"
At the end of last year, the people of Jing'an claimed to be old, and then retired from their post in Xijing, and returned to Zhongdu to serve as Minister of the Ministry of War and participate in political affairs. However, the military power of the Great Zhou Dynasty was concentrated in the Marshal's Mansion, and the Ministry of War did not actually fight the war. , and is mainly responsible for sorting out military households and farming, caring for retired soldiers, and is also used to care for veterans.
A county prince like Jing'an Min, who was granted a title of 200 households from the second rank, was naturally the best among the veteran generals. He did not often go to the Yamen in daily life, but he accompanied Guo Ning more often to discuss military affairs.
"That's exactly what it should be."
Guo Ning nodded repeatedly and said: "The side hall must be prepared with exquisite snacks and herbal tea to ward off the heat. However, those old guys are always climbing up the pole, so don't agree to anything easily."
"It's from my province." Jing Anmin accepted the order and went.
Just like Guo Ning Plastic, dozens or hundreds of people gathered from all over the city south of the Marshal's Mansion.
The population of Daxing Prefecture in Zhongdu was almost more than one million at the height of the Jin Dynasty, and the grain transshipped through Tongzhou every year exceeded one million shi. However, after the establishment of the Dazhou Dynasty, many newly established real power agencies and commercial management agencies that brought in money They are all in Tianjin Prefecture, and the population of Zhongdu is constantly evacuating.
The population has decreased, but the scale of the city has expanded. For example, in the south of the city, commercial areas, storage areas, and large residential areas and military camps have been opened. In addition, there are also manors and the like for officials and nobles to live. .
Many people living in this area are rich or noble, and their faces are shining when they go on the road. Among them, many people who are veterans or followers of capable generals have the qualifications to enter and exit the Marshal's Mansion.
For safety reasons, a large flat area has been set aside near the Du Marshal's Mansion, and generally speaking, outsiders are not allowed to stay at will. Suddenly seeing people gathering, the peripheral guards of the Du Marshal's Mansion immediately activated an early warning, and then some soldiers with halberds came up to question them. In the blink of an eye, In the meantime, a group of cavalry arrived, holding their bows and arrows on guard, observing and confirming their identities in case of any eventuality.
Everything has a solid and reliable process, the response is very fast, and there are no flaws. The surveillance and interrogation of the guards and soldiers are also meticulous.
These bodyguards and generals are not just ordinary people. They are all selected from the army and experienced in many battles. When they are ready for battle, they naturally have a murderous aura. The cold light of their swords and armor is even more eye-catching. Palpitations.
This kind of solemn majesty unique to the army is a deterrent to ordinary people, but no one in the crowd gathered in front of them would be afraid of this feeling. Instead, they felt particularly friendly, just like the spring breeze blowing on their faces, making people indescribably comfortable.
Everyone looked at the knights with a smile on their face. The senior ones, even when they were checking in with their names and papers, they turned around and said loudly: "Look at their armor, look at the long swords in their hands, how many Bright! The horse is also a good horse, fat and strong! His riding skills are also good, he has been specially trained!"
There was another old man at the head of the crowd waving his hands: "Little Shuanzi! Little Shuanzi! I know you are in the team! Come out and let me see you!"
The relatives and juniors of some of them were serving in the guard army, and it happened to be their turn to guard the Marshal's Mansion. The senior soldiers usually used this as an excuse and had boasted to their companions many times, and now they were impatient I want to call out my loved ones and make myself look good.
Sure enough, a young man in the cavalry team was called out by his superiors. He jumped off his horse with a red face and ran to salute in front of his elders.
The old men nearby saw the young man's arrogance, and their eyes suddenly lit up. They all came forward, patted the young man's armor affectionately, and asked him what his current position was and whether he had ever been married.
While the commotion was going on, Jing Anmin came out of the side door and coughed lightly: "What's the fuss about? Are there any more rules? Everyone, stand still, tell me if you have anything to say!"