My Pen Pal Zhu Yuanzhang

Chapter 82 Even if there are thousands of people, I will go

Hou Xiangbai put down the teacup, took out a letter from his sleeve and handed it to Zhao Mao.

"Master Zhao, look, this is the information that my servant got by pretending to be a craftsman and entering the Industrial Department. Unfortunately, Li Min is very alert, and my servant was quickly discovered and kicked out because he didn't know how to be a craftsman."

Before Hou Xiangbai passed the imperial examination and became a Jinshi, he was a disciple of Zhao Mao. Therefore, although they were both Shangshu, he still remained respectful in front of Zhao Mao.

Zhao Mao held up the teacup and asked, "They didn't find out it was you who did it, right?"

Hou Xiangbai shook his head and said:
"No, although there are Jinyiwei guarding the Industry Department, my servant is smart and only thinks he is a gangster who went there to make a living. It's a pity that he was discovered too early, otherwise we could find out what Li Min is doing in the Industry Department!"

Zhao Mao had a blank expression on his face. He took out a pair of glasses from his sleeve and put them on his nose.

However, this pair of glasses was different from the ones worn by Li Min and others. He ordered someone to make them himself using gilded copper wire.

In the current court, it is popular for ministers who have not been rewarded with glasses to find craftsmen to make glasses for themselves.

Although there are no lenses in the frame, what Zhao Mao wants is that temperament.

After taking the letter and taking a look at it, he sneered:
"The people in the paintings can move and talk? There are also beautiful women? What on earth is Li Min doing? Showing those craftsmen and peasants pornographic pictures?"

"I also find it strange, but my servant said with certainty that the craftsmen in the Industrial Department have all seen paintings that move. However, when I asked more questions, no one dared to answer."

Zhao Mao slammed the table, "Pretending to be mysterious is simply disrespectful to society!"

Hou Xiangbai smiled and soothed him, "Master Zhao, please do not be angry. Li Min is currently trusted by His Majesty and is in the limelight. If we want to bring him down, we really need to think carefully and plan carefully."

"Hmph, think carefully, should we continue the business of our noble family? Your Majesty has been deceived and listened to the slander of that strange man. Is it against the will of heaven to start an industry?"

"Lord Zhao, be careful with your words." Hou Xiangbai looked around and saw that there was no one around, so he continued:
"Now that Li Min and Yang Siyi from the Ministry of Revenue have become an accomplice, why don't we start with Yang Siyi, find out their handle, and then take them down in one fell swoop!"

Zhao Mao shook his head. "Do you think I don't want to? I have also informed the Censorate and the Ministry of Justice. It's a pity that Yang Siyi did a perfect job and we couldn't find any evidence against him."

"Sun Yuanliang, the assistant minister of the Ministry of Revenue, is my colleague. I heard him say that he found some good stuff when he was checking the accounts of the inner and outer treasuries."

Hou Xiangbai pretended to be mysterious.

"Oh? What good stuff?" Zhao Mao immediately became interested.

"I think Minister Sun should be here by now. Let him tell you the good news."

There was a gleam of ruthlessness in Hou Xiangbai's eyes.

"Your Majesty hates corrupt officials the most. Any Ming official who embezzles more than 60 taels of silver will be beheaded and displayed to the public. The good stuff that Minister Sun found is enough for Yang Siyi and Li Min to skin and feed them. Even if Your Majesty wants to protect them, you can't stop the gossips in the court!"

"Okay, okay!" Zhao Mao laughed and said, "Lord Hou, let's wait together for good news from Minister Sun!"

……

As steam engines became more mature and steel mills began to come into production, many factories began to use steam engines.

Factories sprang up like mushrooms after a rain, and many private iron workshops were squeezed out and went bankrupt.

However, the factory needed a large number of workers, and folk craftsmen were absorbed by the factory in large numbers, transforming from handicraftsmen into steel workers. The craftsmen were amazed at the power of the steam engine, which could lift such a large pot of molten steel, and the steel forged by the steam engine was many times stronger than the so-called hundred-fold tempered steel in the past.

Watching batch after batch of steel being produced by their own hands, the craftsmen went from being shocked at first to becoming extremely enthusiastic about the production.

The higher the output, the higher the wages. Who would be willing to stay in the old shop?

Large quantities of steel made using the new process were produced, most of which was sent to the Ordnance Bureau for the manufacture of needle-fired rifles.

The rest were quickly absorbed by other industries.

With the new steel, the quality of the needle-fired guns made by the Ordnance Bureau was further improved. Combined with the new explosive formula provided by Li Han, the power of the bullets was also greatly improved.

Nowadays, the range of the needle-fired gun can reach over a hundred feet.

Of course, now they began to use the unit of "meter". One hundred zhang is more than three hundred and thirty meters!

Yang Siyi and Li Min were also surprised. Is this the power of industrialization?
Now they finally understood why His Majesty always told them and the nobles that steel was the backbone of industry.

However, the output of steel is still too small, far from meeting the demand. Steel is used everywhere, and the Ming Dynasty needs more steel mills!
According to the strange man's teaching video, the shipyard was successfully put into production, and the research and development of marine steam engines was also proceeding in an orderly manner.

But at present, we can only use wood to make the hull. I don’t know when we can build the ironclad ship in the painting!
The steamship construction technology is now the core secret of the Ming Dynasty. Workers entering the factory must also be strictly screened by the Jinyiwei.

Everything was going smoothly, but the two of them keenly felt that beneath the calm, undercurrents were still surging.

During the Hongwu period, civil and military officials attended court on the first and fifteenth day of every lunar month. This time, it was the first day of the lunar month again.

Carrying the memorial in his pocket, Yang Siyi went out without hesitation before daybreak, like a warrior going to war.

Today, he is going to do something big!
With the increasing number of factories, the shortage of industrial workers is getting bigger and bigger, but what is more lacking is skilled technicians.

A few days ago, His Majesty summoned several of them to discuss this matter.

According to the inspiration Your Majesty received from the extraordinary man, it is necessary to establish official technical schools to train skilled workers.

But this matter affected the entire body. Whether it was private schools or official schools in the Ming Dynasty, what was taught were the Four Books and Five Classics, the Classics of History, and at most the Mathematical Classics, and these things were also tested.

But we need to set up official schools to teach people how to work?
Even Yang Siyi himself found it unbelievable. After all, he was a graduate of a serious imperial examination and was a second-class Jinshi in the Xinhai Imperial Examination in the fourth year of Hongwu.

But the current situation is urgent. If there is no rapid replenishment of skilled workers, a large number of factories will face the crisis of shutdown.

The losses caused are incalculable!

It may even ruin industrial plans and even overseas trade will be affected.

But once this matter is made public, causing a sensation in the court is not a big deal. What is more likely is that it will set off a huge wave among the many Confucian scholars in the Ming Dynasty!
Among the four classes of people, scholars are always ranked first. How could those craftsmen and peasants ask the imperial court to set up official schools?

Yang Siyi could almost guess their reactions.

His Majesty asked him to plan this matter, and he resolutely took on the responsibility.

Today is the day when everything will be revealed. Even if there are tens of thousands of people against me, I will still go!
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(End of this chapter)