In the ninth year of Chongzhen, Xu Xiake's sixteenth trip was also the last trip in his life.

Originally, its original tourist route was to go straight to Ji'an from Fuzhou, and visit Guifeng, Longhu Mountain, Magu Mountain, Qingyuan Mountain and so on along the way. But the Luling Zhao thieves made too much trouble, and when they heard that the abbot of Qingyuan Temple was abused (rumors) and died, Xu Xiake could only go to Nanchang to inquire about the situation.

He hired a boat to come, and he carried a lot of luggage, and he brought a bag of long luggage, and the guys on the boat helped carry a bag, and he had to ask the dock coolies to carry two more bags.

There is a pavilion on the wharf, which is actually an advertising board, which is pasted with a lot of business information, and sometimes the emperor's decree and government notices.

I saw a group of people gathered there, and a scholar read aloud: "Mr. Luling Zhao, we are looking for people who can make water to turn into a large mill and a large spinning wheel from water to a large spinning wheel, regardless of households and craftsmen, and they all have preferential treatment." If it is made into a machine, the reward is twenty taels of silver, and those who are willing to stay as officials can be given official positions, and those who move their families are willing to divide the land with their families! Those who can improve the loom will also be rewarded! ”

As soon as these words came out, everyone was in an uproar.

A down-and-out gentleman said angrily: "Luling Zhao thief, arrogant, actually posted the notice to Nanchang Mansion!" ”

"Liu Xianggong, don't you just scold, do you dare to tear up the anti-thief notice?" There was an acquaintance next to him teasing.

The down-and-out man suddenly turned red: "I'...... Why wouldn't I dare? There is an urgent matter at home today, I have to go back quickly, I will tear it up another day! ”

"Hahaha!"

The crowd laughed.

Xu Xiake was shocked and inexplicable when he heard it, and the thieves posted the notice to the provincial capital, but no one dared to tear it up.

Are the officials of the three divisions in Jiangxi all deaf and blind?

"I know what a water-to-mill is?"

"It's a water-to-spinning wheel."

"Alas, it's a pity that I won't, otherwise I will definitely be unveiled and apply."

"Be cautious, don't be heard by officials."

"Afraid of what? Sooner or later, this Nanchang will be occupied by Zhao thieves. I heard from friends who have been to Linjiang Mansion that the small people there are living a good life, and Zhao thieves do not levy harsh taxes and miscellaneous taxes. ”

"This old cousin is right, my niece married to Fengcheng Township, and she got married in a hurry when the land was divided at the beginning of the year. I heard that as long as she marries in time, she will be able to get four acres of land by herself, and she will really get it when she marries. ”

"Then your niece's life is good, it's time to catch up."

“……”

Xu Xiake felt that there was something wrong with his ears, this was the provincial capital of Jiangxi, and a group of people were discussing the topic of thieves.

Xu Xiake couldn't help but ask the coolie he hired: "Luling Zhao thief, why is he so arrogant?" ”

The coolie replied with a smile: "During the autumn harvest, Mr. Zhao won a great victory, and I heard that tens of thousands of officers and soldiers were all gone. Now everyone is looking forward to Mr. Zhao occupying Nanchang as soon as possible, and there will be a good start in the future. ”

"The peasants can divide the land, what can you get?" Xu Xiake asked.

The coolie said: "Under Mr. Zhao's rule, the homeless people also have household registration. ”

Xu Xiake was speechless for an instant, with only one household registration, he let the coolies be willing to be thieves.

The reason is very simple, the imperial court does not issue household registration to homeless people, and acquiesces in the existence of a large number of such black households. But black households are black households after all, not only can officials squeeze them at will, but even small people can bully them. These homeless people, even if they are cheated of money, they cannot go to the yamen to fight a lawsuit.

On the way to the inn, Xu Xiake asked again: "Luling Zhao thief, what do you do to recruit craftsmen who can make water and turn large spinning wheels?" ”

"I don't know." The coolie shook his head and said.

Of course, it is the development of the textile industry!

When it comes to the textile industry in the Ming Dynasty, it is Susong, Changhu and other provinces in the south of the Yangtze River.

However, Jiangxi also has four major cotton-producing areas and textile areas, namely Jiujiang, Guangxin, Yuanzhou, and Ji'an, two of which belong to Zhao Han's territory.

The "Ji'an Mansion Chronicles" of the Wanli Dynasty recorded: "The land is not silkworms, and the clothes are kapok." ”

Before the Orthodox Dynasty in Yuanzhou Prefecture, farmers transported cotton cloth and ramie (linen) cloth to Anqing to earn grain on behalf of the autumn endowment, which was very inconvenient. Zhou Ying, the Fenyi Zhixian of the Orthodox Dynasty, asked the imperial court to directly fold rice with cotton cloth and ramie, and obtained the consent of the imperial court.

The peasants of a prefecture used cotton cloth and linen cloth instead of autumn grain to pay taxes, and it is conceivable that the local textile industry is very prosperous.

However, there was no scale of Jiangnan Prefectures, and there were no large-scale textile factories, all of which were weavers weaving at home.

Now Zhao Han is already formulating an economic development plan -

Linjiang Prefecture focuses on the development of medicinal materials, iron smelting, and commerce.

Yuanzhou Mansion focuses on the development of textiles, iron smelting, ceramics, and commerce.

Ji'an Province focuses on the development of textiles, cloth dyeing, ceramics, and commerce.

Ganzhou Prefecture focuses on the development of cash crop cultivation (tung oil, wood lacquer, camellia, tobacco, etc.) and commerce.

Why are there trade?

Because there are important water transportation towns, commerce and trade are already developed!

After Zhao Han abolished the excesses and miscellaneous taxes, commerce and trade within the jurisdiction became more prosperous, and many foreign merchants were willing to come to do business. The development of commerce and trade can expand the market for various commodities, and the merchants will export local specialties to various provinces.

As for the water-to-large spinning wheel, it was born in the Southern Song Dynasty, and its work efficiency is more than 30 times that of the man-powered spinning wheel, and it can spin more than 100 catties of linen yarn every day.

Unfortunately, the cotton fibers are too short for this kind of hydrospinning wheel.

Therefore, after the popularization of cotton cloth, the water-powered spinning wheel was also eliminated, and it was almost extinct by the end of the Ming Dynasty.

Zhao Han decided to take three steps:

The first step is to rebuild the water-to-large spinning wheel and spin a large amount of linen yarn. The linen yarn is then sold to the weaver woman, who spun it into linen, and this linen cloth is also marketable.

The second step is to improve the water-to-large spinning wheel, so that it is suitable for textile cotton yarn, and slowly give birth to a large-scale industry.

The third step is to improve the loom. When cotton yarn can be produced in large quantities and quickly, businesses will inevitably invest in improving looms, and a virtuous circle of technology research and development will be formed.

Jiangxi's water network is dense, and it is a pity that it is not conducive to water-powered machinery!

When he came to the inn to stay, Xu Xiake began to sort out his diary and revise his articles on visiting Longhu Mountain and Magu Mountain. At the same time, he also has to record what he has just seen, "Xu Xiake's Travels" also wants to write about events, and secretly poke and poke using Spring and Autumn brushwork, and Jiangxi Travels alone satirizes several people.

"Knock knock!"

There was a knock on the door next door, followed by a conversation.

"Brother Shizai, look at what good things I got out."

""Datong Female Generals"? I've read this book, and it's not a woman who doesn't keep women's morals. ”

"Hey, hey, open it again."

"Hey, there are illustrations, which bookstore printed them?"

"I don't know, anyway, someone is secretly selling it, and the price is quite expensive."

"Don't worry, let me see the painting skills."

“……”

Xu Xiake has watched "Datong Collection", and that thing has been spread to Fuzhou and Raozhou.

What is this "Datong Female Generals", as soon as you hear it, it is an anti-thief propaganda book. However, not only did it spread unhindered in Nanchang, but also booksellers took the initiative to print illustrated editions to make money.

It can only be said that Jiangxi is really a magical place!

In fact, Zhao Han couldn't cry or laugh, "Datong Female Generals" is for women. Prostitutes, maids, among them, literate women, after reading it, they will definitely yearn for it.

I didn't expect men to like to watch it too, completely out of curiosity, and the spread speed was faster than that of "Datong Collection". So much so that unscrupulous booksellers quietly pirated the prints, and now even made illustrated editions.

He has a specialization in the art industry, and he is worthy of being a bookseller, and he understands the psychology of readers very well.

Still chatting next door -

"If you want to say that this is the same one hundred and eight female generals, Tianying Star Zuo Shangyun is the most pleasing. He was born in a side branch of a large family, and he was not a prostitute, a maid and other lowly people, and he also had excellent poetry. "Qingjiang Moon" of the First Battle of Qingjiang, the lyrics are written by this woman. Alas, if you are not a thief, you are also a talented woman. ”

"I prefer Pansaisai, who is rumored to be a famous prostitute in Ji'an Mansion. The appearance is charming, the figure is graceful, and the voice is especially beautiful when singing. This illustration is also well drawn, but I don't know which artist it came from. ”

"This day killing star Liu Fengying is also extraordinary, brother read the book, he assisted in dividing the field in Wugong Mountain, and suddenly encountered dozens of thieves. The chief officer was afraid and wanted to retreat, but Liu Fengying was not chaotic in the face of danger, organized more than 30 people from the mission group and the peasant association, waved flags and shouted in the forest, and led the crowd to suddenly kill, and captured more than 50 bandits on the spot. It's really a heroine, I can't wait to see it! ”

“……”

Xu Xiake laughed in the room, and at the same time felt the cunning of the thief, and actually played a beauty trick on the reader.

Zhao Han could only shout that he was wronged, he didn't want to show his beauty tricks. It's the unscrupulous booksellers who make hellish illustrated editions and paint all the female missionaries beautifully, causing the stinky men who read the books to lust themselves.

If this development continues, it is estimated that some people in the teahouse have written books and made all those female missionaries into legendary stories!

Beauty and curiosity are really easy to spread, and the folk influence of "Datong Female Generals" can throw "Datong Collection" out of a hundred streets.

Knowing that the Zhao thief did not kill people indiscriminately, Xu Xiake only stayed in Nanchang for one day, and then took a boat and went straight to Qingyuan Mountain outside Jishui County. Qingyuan Mountain in the Ming Dynasty was not only that peak, but the nearby mountains were also collectively called Qingyuan Mountain.

At this time, it was late autumn, Xu Xiake entered the mountains and found that sweet potatoes were planted everywhere.

Only a few mountain people are tending to the fields, and most of them are building roads, both men and women, young and old, to help.

The four-year compulsory education cannot be extended to the mountains for the time being, and children still work on the farm at a few years old.

Xu Xiake couldn't help but walk over, clasped his fists and asked, "This old man, is the forced labor here very heavy?" ”

"What kind of conscription is it to build one's own road?" The old man is not old, he is only in his fifties, but he has gray hair and wrinkles.

Xu Xiake had to ask again: "If it is not a conscription, can the government pay the salary?" ”

The old man smiled and said, "What kind of wages do you need to build your own road?" ”

Xu Xiake was puzzled: "If you don't pay your salary, it's not considered forced labor, so what is this road construction?" ”

The old man said happily: "Mr. Zhao asked me to repair the road, and we will help to repair it." This piece of mountain road belongs to Dashuao (village), and when the road is repaired, it will be easy to go down the mountain. If you have nothing to do at home, you might as well come and repair the road, if you can't repair it this year, you will come to repair it again next year, and sooner or later it will be repaired. ”

"The government didn't force you?" Xu Xiake asked.

The old man was still laughing: "To build your own road, you still need to be forced by the government?" ”

In fact, the reason is very simple, in the past, the biggest beneficiary of road construction was the landlord in the mountain.

Now the road is being built, and the beneficiaries are all the farmers!

The old man opened and closed his mouth to "repair his own road", which is to have a sense of ownership. They couldn't call the shots before, but now they can call the shots, and they themselves are the masters of the mountain road.

From the founding of New China to 2000 A.D., Chinese farmers also built village roads in this way.

Don't take a penny of the government's money, bring your own tools, bring your own dry food, open mountains and split rocks, and build your own roads. After the repair, it will be maintained every year, and men, women and children will work in full swing.