Chapter 135: 30 orders dropped!Everything is solved!
After Zhao Shenyan took over the entire Japanese slave Southern Dynasty regime, he was not in a hurry to send troops but immediately wrote a letter to report the current situation to the court.
He probably didn't expect it to go so smoothly, so Zhao Shenyan was a little excited.
Ming dynasty.
Daming has been developing smoothly in the past month.
The smoothest thing was the promotion of flying shuttle looms and spinning jenny in Jiangnan.
After seeing such a good opportunity, major workshop owners introduced it one after another.
The Gongbu Craftsmanship Factory opened by the imperial court made a lot of money during this period just by producing these two types of machines.
And this is also a prototype of the Daming Chamber of Commerce that Chen Han said.
Although it is just a small workshop producing machines now, it is a good start.
Good news also came from the Longjiang Shipyard, and another dozen warships have been launched.
At the same time, in order to ensure this Eastern Expedition, Zhu Yuanzhang summoned North Korean envoys in the past month and reached an agreement with them on the conditions for the opening of Hepu Port.
North Korea heard that in a few months, Ming Dynasty would be actively preparing after purchasing a large amount of grain in Hepu.
They still don't know that this is actually Ming's preparation for establishing a base on Tsushima Island.
North Korea only knows that there is business to be done.
However, there was one thing that the court did not think of for a while.
……
Southeast Songjiang Prefecture, as the largest producer of cotton cloth, has experienced huge fluctuations in both people's lives and production during this period.
Under such circumstances, many workshops began to introduce Jenny spinning machines and flying shuttle looms. After a period of training, the efficiency increased significantly.
But another negative effect emerged.
That is when these workshops began to lay off workers in large numbers.
Chen Han didn't know what to say when he heard the news, he just felt a little dumbfounded.
I just thought about how to improve work efficiency, especially in weaving.
But they have forgotten whether the current production capacity and the consumption level of the people can be linked together.
Now it doesn't seem like it can.
During the gap when the imperial court was unable to place large orders, the efficiency of the workshops was improved, but they had no orders, and having a few fewer workers was a good thing for them, at least they didn't have to pay so much.
But the workers didn't agree.
They don't care whether shuttle looms can improve efficiency.
All they know now is that the improved technological level of looms has made them unemployed.
Seeing that the summer tax collection season is coming soon in August, all taxes and services are now collected in treasure money.
Others can use their agricultural products to exchange for cash to pay taxes, but because they have gone to work in the city, the fields at home are cultivated by others, and they only collect a small amount of food every year to make ends meet.
The main focus falls on the income from this part-time job.
If you don’t have a job and still have to pay the land tax, isn’t that driving people to death? So this group of workers started to cause trouble.
It’s okay if we don’t make trouble.
But those workshop owners also have a point. Now that we have good machines that make us more efficient, why do we need to raise people in vain?
As a result, in the troubled Songjiang Prefecture, a large number of workers and workshops appeared to confront each other, arbitrarily obstructing the start of the workshop, maliciously smashing the workshop, burning the Jenny spinning machine in the workshop, etc.
Fengtian Temple.
Zhu Yuanzhang also got angry this time.
"Is there no way to solve this problem?"
This time, it was not only Xia Yuanji and Chen Han who were in Fengtian Hall, but also Zhao Mian, the Minister of Household Affairs.
They are quite aggrieved now.
Xia Yuanji had a premonition that something like this would happen in Songjiang Mansion.
At that time, Chen Han proposed to change the military uniforms for the army, so that he could provide a large number of orders.
But the Ministry of War disagreed, for no other reason.
The army has not entered winter yet, why should they change it? It is simply a waste of people and money.
The most important thing is that the army just changed their winter clothes last year.
Chen Han also proposed that the Eastern Expeditionary Army can be replaced with military uniforms immediately.
The order was placed.
But it is a pity that for the current Songjiang Mansion, the order of [-] cotton clothes is too small, and they can digest it quickly.
Chen Han admitted defeat this time.
Being overly optimistic about being able to go according to plan.
Unexpectedly, there is really a big gap between practice and talking on paper.
This kind of thing is not what a modern person like Chen Han is good at, and now something really happened.
Fortunately, no one was killed. It was just a group of workers who objected to something that was too efficient, causing them to lose their jobs.
When Chen Han saw Zhu Yuanzhang getting angry, he had no choice but to step forward and said, "Your Majesty, it's all my fault that I didn't think of the current situation."
When Zhu Yuanzhang saw Chen Han coming out and speaking in such a formal manner, he couldn't help but wonder.
"No one is to blame for this matter. Is there any way to solve the cotton clothing order issue?"
Zhao Mian, the Minister of Household Affairs, suggested: "Your Majesty, Master Chen cannot be blamed for this matter. Wei Chen has a solution."
Zhu Yuanzhang asked: "Tell me!"
“Since the efficiency of cotton clothes has increased, the imperial court can cooperate with workshops to purchase cotton clothes at reduced prices and sell them to the people, thus opening up a wider market.
Judging from the current situation, it is just that the people are not aware of the improvement in workshop efficiency and the prices remain high.
If the court could force workshop prices to drop through court means, maybe people would be willing to buy cotton clothes.
Seeing the profits, local aristocratic families will also join in.
This can force workshop prices to drop.
By then, the people will be able to accept the generally falling prices of cotton clothing, and the market will be open. The workshops will only need to make small profits but quick turnover to survive. "
Chen Han didn't expect that the Minister of Household Affairs was still an expert.
This method does work.
In the current information-blocked environment, there is nothing better than doing something to let people know that the current efficiency has increased and prices have fallen.
The best way, as the Minister of Household Affairs said, is to first let the court purchase a batch at a loss so that the people can taste the sweetness, thereby forcing factory prices to fall.
This method is okay, but it will only damage points and easily shorten your life.
Before Xia Yuanji's words came out, Zhu Yuanzhang had already agreed, "Quan will do it first!"
After coming out of Fengtian Palace, Chen Han looked at Xia Yuanji.
"Brother Wei Zhe, I saw you seemed to have something to say in there just now." Chen Han is now wearing a green robe, and he is now a full fifth-rank official.
If this were in modern society, this would be almost on the same level as the mayor. He was happy for a few days, but now he is Liqian's expression wasn't very good either.
Xia Yuanji saw that it was Chen Han calling him and immediately came over: "Brother Chen Xian!"
"Tell me what's going on?" Chen Han asked.
Regarding Xia Yuanji, a practical expert, Chen Han did not dare to underestimate him at all.
Xia Yuanji sighed: "Brother Xian, do you think Zhao Butang's method is feasible?"
Chen Han smiled: "It's a bit of a loss, it's just a temporary measure."
Shen Liqian pouted and shook his head: "Trouble is coming."
Xia Yuanji also smiled: "Brother Chen Xian, you hit the nail on the head."
Chen Han even said: "It's just the pain caused by the reform. This is a fact that cannot be changed. Improved efficiency will cause workshop owners to lay off workers in a short period of time in order to reduce costs. This cannot be solved by human power.
Everyone is chasing profit, don't take it to heart, time will solve these problems. "
Xia Yuanji looked concerned about the country and the people: "It's just these people who have suffered."
"Reforms are like this. Even if we know it will be like this, we people have to keep doing it. As time goes by, they will benefit." Chen Han persuaded.
Xia Yuanji had no choice. The three of them were going to do their own things when they saw Ling Han, the Minister of Rites, hurriedly going to the palace to see the emperor.
Seeing Chen Han and Xia Yuanji at the entrance of Fengtian Hall, Ling Han approached them.
"Teacher Xiao Chen, Wei Zhe and Meng Li are also here."
All three people saluted him.
Chen Han asked in Henan dialect: "Sir, what are you doing?"
Ling Han was embarrassed for a while: "Don't make trouble, it's a good thing. North Korean envoys came to pay tribute. Didn't you say that North Korea's Hepo Port is close to Tsushima Island? It's up to you whether you can let them help this time."
Chen Han was stunned: "What does this have to do with me?"
"You messed up the flying shuttle loom and the spinning jenny in Songjiang Mansion. You think I don't know! Now all the civil servants are laughing at your joke..." Ling Han said with a smile.
Chen Han's face turned red: "Master, let me be clear about this. What does it mean that I messed up? This is the inevitable pain of reform. Do you understand?"
"Don't say these cliches. Young people don't have a good grasp of the rhythm and mess up things. It's okay. Who didn't come here like this? What doctor can become a famous doctor without killing a few people.
Don't talk nonsense, now you have a chance to make up for your past mistakes, do you want it? Ling Han said.
Xia Yuanji said: "Say it!"
"Let's go in and meet His Majesty first before we talk!"
Ling Han took Chen Han, Xia Yuanji, and Shen Liqian to Fengtian Hall.
Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Biao were having a headache. Seeing Chen Han come in again, Zhu Yuanzhang asked directly: "Monkey boy, why are you coming in again? You are addicted to being scolded. The Ministry of Etiquette is planning your marriage with Jiang Du. Why don't you go? Keep an eye on it?"
Chen Han really doesn't have that much time to take care of these things now, because there are too many important national affairs.
"Old man, I didn't want to come in, Ling Butang asked me to come." Chen Han felt aggrieved.
When Zhu Yuanzhang saw Ling Han, his temper became a little better: "Ling Aiqing is here, give me a chair!"
The little eunuch moved a chair for Ling Han to sit on, while Chen Han, Xia Yuanji and Shen Liqian could only stand on the side.
"Ling Aiqing has something to report!"
Ling Han was not too wordy: "Your Majesty, it's a good thing. The North Korean envoys are here to pay tribute. In addition to paying tribute, they also want to import 20 cotton clothes from our Ming Dynasty!"
Chen Han was stunned, and Zhu Yuanzhang was also surprised: "Have they dug a gold mine? Do they want so much?"
Ling Han smiled and said: "No, these guys know that we want their Hepu Port as a springboard to attack Tsushima Island, and they want the court to sell it to them cheaper."
Zhu Yuanzhang cursed in a low voice: "Chicken thieves, this is taking advantage of the situation!"
But when Chen Han heard this, he suddenly realized. No wonder Ling Han just said that his chance to atone for his sins had come.
When North Korea came to blackmail Ming Dynasty, it was definitely going to be a loss-making deal, but it seems that is not necessarily the case now.
It just so happened that Daming had such a high-efficiency machine, and the cost more than doubled, so it was cost-effective to sell it to them at a discount.
His eyes lit up and he looked at Xia Yuanji, and Xia Yuanji's eyes were also sharp.
Chen Han looked at Ling Han, and Ling Han also winked at him.
Standing in the main hall, Zhu Biao saw them winking at each other and smiled knowingly: "Chen Aiqing, you have a good idea and you haven't come up with it yet!"
Sure enough, it was my father-in-law who was so partial to me.
Zhu Yuanzhang glanced at Zhu Biao, which meant: You will find credit for your son-in-law.
Chen Han quickly stood up and said: "Your Majesty, what Zhao Budang said earlier is that the imperial court can invest in purchasing a batch of cotton clothes and sell them to the people at low prices, opening up the market for low-priced cotton clothes and returning Songjiang Mansion to normal order.
Now that North Korea is asking us to purchase 20 pieces of cotton clothing, why not place the order with Songjiangfu Workshop, purchase the goods at [-]% of the original price, and then sell them to North Korea at [-]%.
In this way, the price of cotton clothing will be lowered, and the workshop owners will have an order of 20 from North Korea and an order of [-] from the court. Even if the price is reduced, they will not lose money, and the workers can still return to the factory. Isn't this the best of all three? beautiful? "
Zhu Yuanzhang laughed and said, "You are so clever, you little monkey boy. This is a good thing for you to make atonement for your sins."
Then he looked at Ling Han: "Ling Aiqing, we can negotiate with the North Korean envoys at this price, but we also have a condition that we let them set up a grain transfer point at Hepu Port. At that time, I will buy the rations for the Japanese slaves in the Ming Dynasty directly from them.
It just makes North Korea cheaper, so they have to make a lot of money from this deal with the rations of so many soldiers. "
Chen Han said from below: "The Ming Dynasty can get so much silver from the Shijian Silver Mine, is it still afraid that there will be no money to pay for it?"
Zhu Yuanzhang laughed after hearing this.
This time North Korea should be said to have solved a big problem for Chen Han.
The Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Revenue received such a large order and hurriedly went to Jiangnan to find a workshop to cooperate.
The workshop owners were worried that there would be no orders and they would have a fight with the people. Songjiang Prefecture almost asked Songjiang Guards to send troops to suppress it. After such a large order was placed, their urgent need was immediately relieved.
30 orders were given to several large workshop owners, and the time requirement was three months to complete.
So the workshop owners who had laid off workers had no choice but to invite the workers back to their workshops.
Although they were a little unhappy when they heard that the price had been reduced to [-]% of the original price, after calculating the accounts, they still made some money because of the introduction of new machines, and they made more money than before. They were very satisfied with this transaction.
After paying tribute to North Korea, they happily paid a deposit and returned home.
Although North Korea and Ming Dynasty are currently in the honeymoon period, they are not ambiguous at all about things that can make them cheap, and they are just like thieves.
But what they didn't know was that even if they were given a [-]% discount, Daming would actually still make money. Who made Daming's workshop now have new machines?
Even North Korea will soon feel the pain, because their domestic handicraft industry, which is not very developed, will soon suffer a fatal blow because of this cheap order.
Where can they find cheap and high-quality cotton clothes like Daming's in China?
This little clever move by the North Korean king will soon make them completely dependent on the Ming Dynasty's textile industry. Of course, this is all a story later.
……
A certain teahouse.
"Hmph! I thought that this incident would give that little bastard Chen Han a boost and make His Majesty give him some hardships, but I didn't expect that it would actually help him make great achievements." A middle-aged man snorted coldly.
"Songjiang Prefecture destroyed a lot of workshops, which was a good sign. Unexpectedly, North Korea came to interfere. Now, the momentum of cheap cotton will not be stopped. The so-called reforms have benefited the people. We went to support him, what should we do?" one man said.
"It's a good thing that new machines are being promoted, but this kind of thing is not in the hands of a few of us, but is distributed aimlessly. Then we simply don't want it!!" someone said fiercely.
A slim figure stood by the window: "Jinyiwei has become a tax inspection department, working as a tax inspector, and the officials and gentry are all working as errands to pay taxes. Huh, this Chen Han is trying to destroy the roots of us scholars! But nothing is so cheap. If you can dodge this move, it won't be so cheap next time! Give him a hard blow! ! ! "
……
(End of this chapter)