Guangzong Yaoming

Chapter 449: National Destruction Project

There are three causes of famine: floods, drought, and locusts. The land is high and low, and the rain falls unevenly. Many places are lucky enough to be spared from floods and droughts. But if drought or locusts spreads, all the grass and trees in an area of ​​thousands of miles will be destroyed, and even the hair of cattle and horses and even the flags will be wiped out. The damage is even more tragic than that caused by a flood.

This is the content of the chapter on famine preparation in the Complete Book of Agricultural Administration.

At this time, at the end of the 17th year of Taichang, Xu Guangqi was already a senior official in Southern Capital. He did not have so much rich experience in agriculture, as it would take 22 years for him to print the Complete Book of Agricultural Administration.

But Zhu Changluo had already set up the Academy of Scientific Research, and the Ministry of Agriculture under the Executive Yuan, so how could he neglect agricultural policies?
As the weather gets colder, the evaporation of surface water decreases, and the climate becomes drier, so droughts will increase. When droughts are frequent, locusts are more likely to hatch in large numbers, forming a locust plague.

In Zuo Zhuan, an ancient book that was very concise with words, there were records of sixteen locust plagues in the State of Lu.

At the end of the Han Dynasty, there were successive years of drought and locusts, thousands of miles of land were barren, all the grass and trees dried up, and more than half of the people and animals died of starvation and plague.

During the Tang Dynasty, there were as many as 42 major locust plagues recorded in history. In the second year of Zhenguan, Li Shimin held a ritual in Chang'an to "ward off locusts", praying: "People depend on grain for their lives. If the people have committed a sin, it is my fault. Just eat me and don't harm the people."

Then he came to "eat locusts".

But during the reign of Emperor Li Longji, in the early Kaiyuan period, the court had a dispute over how to deal with the locust plague. Prime Minister Lu Huaishen said, "Killing too many insects will hurt the harmony." Bai Juyi also wrote a poem saying, "What's the benefit of catching locusts? It only makes hungry people work hard. Even if one insect dies, hundreds of insects will come. How can human power compete with natural disasters?"

For a time, the people only built the Eight La Temple and the Worm King Temple to worship the locust god. People even "burned incense and worshipped beside the fields and offered sacrifices but did not dare to kill them."

This situation made Yao Chong very angry, and he said bluntly, "The mediocre scholars are obsessed with literature and do not know how to adapt to changes!" After Li Longji's strong request, he ordered the locusts to be exterminated. "As a result, the locust plagues in successive years did not cause famine," and "the locusts gradually stopped."

During the reign of Emperor Xiaozong of Song, a "Locust Catching Law" was promulgated, which provided funding to encourage the people to kill locusts.

What about the Mongol Yuan Dynasty? There were locust plagues for 66 of the 103 years, especially in the 19th year of Zhizheng, when locusts were found in dozens of counties from south to north, eating up all the crops and plants. They blocked out the sun wherever they went, making it impossible for people and horses to move, and filling up all the pits and trenches. The hungry people caught the locusts for food, or dried them out and stored them. When they ran out, they ate each other.

Zhu Changluo was looking at the results of the research conducted by Yang Lian and Huang Zunsu, and next to him was the disaster reporting statistics compiled by Liu Ruoyu in the past two years.

"You have responded well. There has been no trouble caused by drought and locusts in the past three years." Zhu Changluo looked at Ye Xianggao and the others, and pointed solemnly at the things Liu Ruoyu had sorted out. "But the signs are becoming more and more obvious. Some places have had locust plagues for three consecutive years. We need to pay more attention to disaster preparedness."

The impact of climate change on current agricultural technology is too great, and the effects are cumulative.

The first thing that will occur as the temperature drops is a decrease in rice production. Although water conservancy projects have been under construction for a long time, irrigation becomes more difficult during droughts, which naturally further aggravates the drought. If there is also a locust plague, the crops with reduced yields will be eaten on a large scale. In addition, the rivers are frozen, making timely transportation difficult and disaster relief even more difficult.

Even Zhu Changluo, who had always attached great importance to this matter, thought that it might not be the severe and continuous disaster stage of the late Ming Dynasty. In addition, he had made some arrangements. Although the local government reported the disaster, it was only reported to the Executive Yuan. Zhu Changluo delegated power and established a disaster preparedness and relief system. Since the response was appropriate and no tragedy occurred, it would not be considered a big deal.

So when Zhu Changluo saw that winter came early in the 15th year of Taichang and the 17th year of Taichang, he specifically asked about it.

Only then did we realize that some places have been hit by locust plagues since the 15th year of Taichang, for three consecutive years, and the plague has once again broken out this year.

Winter came early this year, and there is a fear that locust plagues will strike again next year.

There are many ways to prevent and deal with locust plagues. Deep plowing, burning and irrigation will squeeze the living space of locusts into wasteland. In recent years, land reclamation has been encouraged.

Banning bird hunting, encouraging the breeding of poultry such as ducks, and popularizing the use of locusts as feed and fertilizer are already the work of the Ministry of Agriculture.

China places so much emphasis on agriculture that it has accumulated a wealth of coping methods over thousands of years.

In the Tang Dynasty, people knew how to "set a fire at night, dig a pit next to the fire, and burn and bury the locusts at the same time", taking advantage of the locusts' tendency to move toward light to lure and kill them in large numbers when a locust plague broke out.

Now that Zhu Changluo and the imperial court are prepared for disasters, they naturally have more means.

It just needs more attention.

Ye Xianggao and others naturally expressed their opinions immediately.

Zhu Changluo continued, "The north really needs to prepare more food. The disaster is manageable now, but I'm worried that it will get worse. At the Institute of Research, I'll order them to assign some people to study how to store rice and flour for a longer time and process them into emergency food. There's no shortage of food, and the most important thing is sea and land transportation. River transportation must be prepared for freezing for longer and longer periods of time. As for the rest, now that the steam engine is ready, there's one thing that will take a lot of work, but I think it's time to plan it."

Calculating the time, it is less than thirty years away from the fall of the Ming Dynasty as he knew it.

This means that disasters will occur more frequently in the future. And this Little Ice Age lasted for a long time, which does not mean that the climate warmed immediately in the early Qing Dynasty.

There were two additional things Zhu Changluo wanted to arrange. One was to further strengthen the maritime transportation system - the sea was more difficult to freeze than inland rivers, so at least the scale of continuously purchasing food from Southeast Asia had to be expanded.

Another thing is land transportation. Land transportation has always been slow and has high losses.

But since the steam engine was already available, the railway had to be put on the planning agenda, at least the line from Huguang to the capital had to be built.

With today's construction capabilities, this is certainly enough to be called a "national destruction project."

After hearing Zhu Changluo's idea, Ye Xianggao and others were naturally shocked.

"Your Majesty, such a large project will cost a lot of manpower and money. Now that the corvée has been changed..."

Zhu Changluo said coldly: "I have already thought about it. If we want to reduce the suffering of the people, we should seek the manpower needed for this matter from outside."

Yuan Keli reacted quickly and asked tentatively: "Your Majesty, are you saying..."

"That's right!" Zhu Changluo said, "In addition to the prisoners of war from Japan, Outer Yunnan, and Southeast Asia, we can also allow some of their dignitaries to recruit workers to serve in the Ming Dynasty. Although we still don't have to treat them too harshly, the cost of money and food will be less than recruiting workers from the Ming Dynasty. Moreover, if there are really continuous disasters and the people's livelihood is difficult, we can also use work as relief. Which jobs are easier and which jobs are more laborious, classify them into categories, and make plans in advance."

The Great Wall, the Grand Canal... There are always countless corpses in such huge projects, it is inevitable.

Even in the future when technological capabilities are very advanced, infrastructure of this level will still have accidents due to various situations.

Zhu Changluo's only concern was to avoid placing a greater burden on ordinary people because of such a large "national destruction level project". But there are two sides to the story. Since the big projects nowadays are hired, there are actually quite a lot of people who will volunteer to do the work like the river control.

That's why Zhu Changluo asked them to make more detailed plans and arrangements and to classify the labor required for this major project.

Let the Ming people do the easier tasks, and for the more dangerous and difficult tasks, use cheaper and more helpless people.

For example, the prisoners of war from outer Yunnan and Japan who will soon appear, and even the ordinary people there.

This kind of "transnational labor" business will definitely be done by people in the Nanyang vassal states and the future Japan. Of course, most of the hard-earned money will be obtained by the foreign vassal dignitaries who can participate in this business. However, in an era when labor is so cheap that it only needs to be provided with food, this is the best solution Zhu Changluo can think of.

History has its own inevitability.

If you don't want your own people to suffer, you must make other ethnic groups suffer.

Just like the Chinese workers buried under the railways on the other side of the ocean and the people whipped in the cotton fields.

"Your Majesty, such a large project is far more important than the Yellow River Iron Bridge. Now there are two major expeditions. The Outer Yunnan Campaign is fine, but the expedition to Japan to build ships..." Ye Xianggao felt that the account was really unresolved. After all, the emperor's words were very urgent. Maybe the plan would be completed next year and the construction would start the year after. "Look at it from a development perspective." Zhu Changluo was very determined. "In the first two years, of course, more money will be spent. But the benefit is that we can accumulate experience in large-scale construction and train a large number of skilled workers. When Japan reaches the next stage, it will be confiscated. With the wealth of a country, financial resources are not a problem. Grain can be bought continuously, and what cannot be stored now can be sold. When Western merchant ships return to Southeast Asia and sell more porcelain, silk, and tea, more silver will come in..."

After explaining his considerations in detail, he solemnly said to his ministers: "Of course the difficulties are great, so the monarch and his ministers need to shoulder them together. Although the national situation of the Ming Dynasty has changed, the hidden worries are still there. If you believe that my worries are far-reaching, then you can work together. In the next few decades, we will no longer be afraid of such natural disasters that will destroy the country. First, because the monarch and his ministers are of one mind, and the officials and the people work together, the party-state constitution I hope for will be realized; second, because of the great progress in learning and superb skills, we will have better ways to enrich the country and resist disasters in the future; third, the glorious Ming Dynasty will be rebuilt, the royal family and vassal states will be in order, and the power that the court can mobilize is far greater than it is now!"

Only his affirmative voice echoed in the hall: "The difficulties are only temporary, but the future is bright!"

So at the end of the 17th year of Taichang, the newly established Ministry of Communications under the Executive Yuan was given a big task.

The first phase of the Ming Dynasty plan was to build a railway from the north bank of the Yangtze River in Wuchang Prefecture, Huguang, all the way to the capital over a period of ten years.

Of course, construction can only start from the north bank of the Yellow River, but this requires that the future Yellow River Iron Bridge be able to carry "trains".

The two major projects are actually one. How much steel is needed? What kind of construction skills are needed to cope with erosion by water, snow, wind and dust?

I don’t know how many difficulties I have to overcome during the whole process.

How heavy would the carriages pulled by the steam locomotive have to be if they were to be worth transporting by land? The original roads, even the cobblestone roads, would be covered with ruts even if they were only driven by old horse-drawn carriages over the years.

After two months of preliminary discussions, it was decided to first build an experimental route from the capital to Liangxiang.

That is certainly true.

Heavy snow has been falling, but since the steam machine was built last year and the first machines produced were used in the Tangshan Coal Plant this year, the coal production this year has increased significantly.

Therefore, this year the capital and even several prefectures and counties in Hebei Province will not be so short of coal.

But how big is the Ming Dynasty? At this moment, Liaodong, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Gansu, the south of the desert, and the north of the desert are naturally in severe cold.

Next year we should continue to expand the production capacity of the machinery factory, and it would be best if the Shanxi, Chahar... coalfields could all be used.

In the face of powerful nature, only by constantly improving our technological capabilities can we barely protect ourselves.

Zhu Changluo needed money. The disaster relief for this cold winter would cost money, the subsequent construction would cost money, and the expedition would also cost money.

At the end of December, Zhu Changluo gave a banquet to the nobles and relatives in Beijing, as well as the leaders of Zongminghao and Changminghao, and started selling futures.

"For so many years, Changming and Zongming have taken the lead, and they are the main players in many businesses." Zhu Changluo looked at the dukes and earls one by one, "You have already shared a lot of profits. With the help of the two major trading companies and the rest of the Tuohai Tuanlian foreign companies, you will have all the wealth and honor that I promised you back then."

What kind of people can still come to this banquet nowadays?
Zhu Changluo continued, "The Duke of Qian went on an expedition to Outer Yunnan, and the Marquis of Zhenyuan guarded Korea..."

He recited the names of the outstanding former ministers who could still make contributions in the army, and then said, "I have promised them another future, rich and noble. This is what they have earned through their own hard work. When the great cause is accomplished, there will be many foreign vassal states. At least there is a shortage of people in Outer Yunnan, Japan, and the unowned territories occupied by Takumi Tuanlian Foreign Company. If you want to go there, you will also be rich and noble."

The old nobles, who only had money on their minds, looked nervous and embarrassed.

"Even if you don't want to relocate your family and take on important responsibilities in the vassal states, the sons and branches of your clan should lend a helping hand to my uncles and brothers. They risked their lives, and you can buy them with money. Land, good houses, properties, servants, and even official positions in the vassal states. They are all loyal ministers of the Ming Dynasty. My uncles and brothers will occupy real land in the future, and they are in need of loyal and capable people. Although your positions are not as good as those of the meritorious generals, you are more trustworthy."

Zhu Changluo paused for a moment and added, "Of course, the current shareholding ratio is still there. After going there, we can make another profit by trading with the Ming Dynasty based on the output. My uncles and brothers also know how to use this method. In the future, the relationship between the Ming Dynasty and its vassal states will be closer than before, and trade is an important part of it. I first proposed this idea, and you all tell me what you plan to do?"

They are already lords, but Zhu Changluo is now selling official positions and assets. However, what he is selling are futures, officials and assets in foreign vassal states, and what he is selling are also opportunities.

After the establishment of the Privy Council, the selection of military generals no longer left many opportunities for old meritorious officials to intervene. The left governors of the Five Military Governors' Offices were now all newly meritorious military commanders.

These remaining old meritorious officials have no say in the government affairs at all, and all they do in the Ming Dynasty now is make money and spend money.

Zhu Changluo had to continue to provide them with a salary as a meritorious official.

This situation has certainly solved some of the problems at the beginning of his succession to the throne, but Zhu Changluo felt that now was also an opportunity for them to "make the best use of everything."

According to the current rules for inheriting titles for meritorious officials, there is pressure to be demoted, and they must pass the examination. If they go to the outer vassal states, they will of course be just meritorious officials from the outer vassal states from then on.

What are the rules over there? Since it is a relatively backward place, it is natural to use the old rules to win over the people's hearts first. After all, they want to unite and rule the local people.

Plus he can participate in government affairs.

Zhu Changluo felt that it was not difficult to choose them, only some of them were really worried about their future in a foreign country.

But the emperor had already spoken, so could they ignore the emperor's attitude? Proposing this plan was certainly a good treatment of the old heroes. If they were still regarded by the emperor as waste who coveted wealth, they would have many problems with being demoted and inheriting titles, and after several generations they would probably be no different from ordinary people.

We may even find reasons to attack them next.

At this point, Zhu Changluo began to use this method to make money.

Changming and Zongming are like pigs that have been raised for so many years and now it is time to "slaughter" them.

There are still many kings in Nanjing.

If one wants to escape from the "Forbidden City" of Nanjing and live relatively freely in the new border like the King of Chu and the King of Shu, or even go further and become the ruler of a newly-appointed foreign vassal in the future, then in addition to the emperor's basic assessment of one's ability, one must of course pay something else.

This was the method of raising money that Zhu Changluo did not tell Ye Xianggao and others.

The Ming Silver Bank was under construction and the management of the national treasury was being unified.

As an emperor, he could use the huge amount of money accumulated in the treasury to supplement it, but in addition to directly replenishing part of it, there was of course borrowing.

With the support of the imperial merchants and this method, he can lend money continuously.

This will also be a link that his sons and grandsons will be able to use to maintain their relationships with various ministers in the future.

As for the more distant future... never mind.

Anyway, Zhu Changluo didn't care now: if they were lent out and then returned in a similar way like gold and silver, wouldn't they all be circulated within the Ming Dynasty? The inner court also had to purchase them now, and there was no need for local annual offices or miscellaneous offices.

This year is the time for the old officials to think and make decisions.

As spring came, Zhu Changluo started collecting money.

(End of this chapter)