Zhang Anshi has arrived at the Imperial Prison.

Looking at the people who were invited by the driving sticker, I couldn't help but be excited.

These...... It's all going to be ...... Manpower.

Xinzhou has vast land, especially rich mineral resources, and most of the minerals are rich ores, with low mining costs and extremely high quality.

Not to mention that there is still enough arable land and pasture, at least in this era, even to feed tens of millions of people.

Just now...... What Xinzhou lacks most is precisely people.

Compared with the homeless, Zhang Anshi actually preferred the relatives of prisoners.

It's not because the prisoners are easy to manage, but because, in the Ming Dynasty, those who can talk about the four words of the relatives of the prisoners are actually either rich or expensive.

People from such families don't know how much they have used since they were young, and they have put countless resources into it for training.

Reading and writing are no problem for them.

Person...... After all, they still have to study, no matter what kind of book they read, even if these people can no longer count on the imperial examination, but after reading, it is far easier to learn other crafts and things to make a living, than people who are illiterate.

No matter how ugly it is, even if it is just carpentry, a veteran craftsman who relies entirely on experience may not be able to create higher value in the carpentry industry than a person who has read poetry and books and has a lot of experience.

After all, as long as you really do it, you can slowly raise it.

But how to draw inferences, how to use your brains in the process of woodworking, and improve the process and production methods, this is far from the former.

The problem with the Ming Dynasty is precisely that the truly diligent people do not have access to the resources of education.

However, the dignitaries and nobles who have a lot of educational resources disdain production.

As a result, all the production methods, even if they have created a lot of brilliance, no one is willing to record them, so that they cannot be accumulated, and no one summarizes them, and finally they are short-lived.

What Zhang Anshi lacks is not manpower, but a large number of people like Shen Kuo and Song Yingxing who are both concerned about production and knowledgeable.

The educational resources that have been piled up by the people have finally been reduced to a tool like writing articles with the title of the gold list, which is really a tyrannical thing.

And now, these people are all sinners and have fallen from the clouds.

Uncle Zhang was about to reward them with a bite to eat and send them to Xinzhou to regain their lives, they suffered a hard meal, stabbed thousands of miles, and after suffering a crime, they finally had a place to live.

Now that they have become the lowest level of ordinary people, they have to count on labor to eat, and they are afraid that they will turn against the sky?

But if they are willing to combine their knowledge with the application of their work, they will become the backbone of all walks of life.

Zhang Anshi paced to the torture hall of the Imperial Prison, inspected it, and then called Chen Li and Chen Daowen over, and said, "How many Qin prisoners are there now." ”

"More than a thousand, and I'm afraid that there are more than a thousand people in each province."

Zhang Anshi said regretfully: "So little? ”

"Ah...... This ......"

Zhang Anshi said: "What does this king mean...... To eradicate the evil, His Majesty means to cut down the grass and eradicate the roots this time, of course...... Nor can you wronged good people. ”

"Humble understood." Chen Li said: "Now...... It's just the tip of the iceberg...... The humble side is still trying its best. ”

Zhang Anshi bowed his head: "It's okay, you can take your time, now it adds up, there are more than 2,000 households, this family is old and young...... I'll do the math...... Can such a large family have more than a dozen people? ”

"I'm afraid it's more than that." Chen Daowen said on the side: "Your Highness...... These are all big families, and they have arrested a lot of people and taken a lot of family members, and the scale of this family is not small. Many people, wives and concubines have several rooms, and many children, probably ...... It must be thirty or fifty people in a household. There is also a man named Liu Jin, this person is a gentry from Jiangxi, his brother-in-law, or a scholar of Wenyuan Pavilion, this guy has a wife and concubine of nine rooms, that's it...... That's not all......"

Zhang Anshi didn't react for a while, so he subconsciously said: "What does it mean that you haven't finished yet?" ”

Chen Daowen said: "There are still many girls who have a room, not counted, there are more than 20 children in this house, and there are several brothers...... Nor is it a fuel-efficient lamp. Up and down, there are nearly 100 mouths. ”

Zhang Anshi was also shocked, and then a wave of anger came up, and said angrily: "Damn, ordinary people can't even marry a daughter-in-law, they are so bad...... Come on, this man...... His Majesty has pardoned and left his head, but ...... The death penalty can be avoided, but the living crime cannot be escaped, the family is neat, no one is missing, and they will all send me to Xinzhou for exile! Remember, to be neat, this person is the wife and brother of Jin Gong after all, if there is something left behind to teach them to separate flesh and blood, this king can't bear it. ”

Chen Daowen said: "Your Highness rest assured, humble and understand." ”

Zhang Anshi said: "If there are thirty or fifty people in one household, wouldn't there be nearly 100,000 people in this way...... If you catch some more prisoners...... If there are 200,000 ......"

Seeing Zhang Anshi babbling, the more he spoke, the more radiant he became, Chen Daowen was speechless, and couldn't help but look at his uncle Chen Li, as if he wanted to see something from his uncle's face.

Chen Li glanced at Zhang Anshi, and also said that he was very helpless.

Zhang Anshi immediately said: "Okay, this matter...... That's it, the next thing is what you have to work on, and the king won't care about the rest. But there are a few things that you have to keep in mind. ”

Chen Li and Chen Daowen hurriedly put away their minds and said seriously: "Please also ask Your Highness to show me." ”

Zhang Anshi paced a few steps thoughtfully, and then said slowly: "First, these are Qin criminals, and their dependents must be strictly guarded immediately, and if they escape, it is a capital crime." ”

"Second, there is no need to teach them to suffer, they should eat and drink, they should not starve, they should be cured of their diseases, and they should not be punished unless necessary."

"Third......" Zhang Anshi paused, and then said: "This is the most important, without the holy decree and the edict of this king, no matter who he is, whether he is Dongchang, Wenyuan Pavilion or Liubu, if he asks for dependents, he will not be able to give any of them." ”

Chen Daowen opened his eyes suddenly, and said in shock: "Your Highness...... Isn't it...... There are still their henchmen in the DPRK and China, and it may ...... Find a way to get them away from their crimes? ”

Zhang Anshi glanced at Chen Daowen deeply: "What if you don't have to? ”

Chen Daowen said solemnly: "Your Highness rest assured, your humble understanding understands that from today onwards, Your Majesty will personally guard it." ”

Zhang Anshi smiled and said, "If this is the case, then this king will also be at ease." ”

Immediately, Zhang Anshi drove home.

Chen Li and Chen Daowen personally went out of prison to see each other off, watching Zhang Anshi's car gradually move away, Chen Daowen's eyes still had admiration, and said: "Uncle, no, Du Dudu, His Royal Highness is really thoughtful, why didn't I think of it?" These Qin criminals are all rich or noble, and they are very well-connected, and there will be someone in the court to help, so it seems that the pressure on our Jinyiwei is not small. ”

Chen Li smiled at him, and only said lightly: "Okay, don't spend your days thinking about it, do your own thing." ”

Chen Daowen reined in his mood, and then said: "Governor, I think I have to find a way to transfer the freshmen of the official school to guard, my eyelids are always jumping, after listening to His Highness's words, I feel even more strange in my heart, Governor ...... Don't you think...... This is the aftermath...... Could there be anything else big? ”

Chen Li glanced at Chen Daowen meaningfully: "You think there is." ”

Chen Daowen: "......"

On the other end, Zhang Anshi rushed back to his palace.

At this time, Zhang San had already opened up.

Originally, I thought that the emperor had died, so the palace was all dressed in linen and filial piety, and the palace was also decorated.

Now that I have heard that His Majesty has come back to life, I feel unlucky, and I quickly remove it, and the whole palace is too busy to be involved.

As soon as he saw Zhang Anshi coming back, Zhang San said, "Your Highness, don't you know......

Zhang Anshi waved his hand: "Okay, okay, this king's mother's brocade guard, the roundworm in His Majesty's stomach, there are still things in the world that this king doesn't know?" Don't mess around with the you hear in front of the king. ”

Zhang San then smiled and said, "No...... Ahem...... Be......... The owner of Mars Shipbuilding...... Come and visit. ”

Zhang Anshi was stunned for a moment, a little surprised, and then frowned and said, "Is that the champion duke?" ”

"Exactly."

Zhang Anshi bowed his head and said, "Where are the people?" ”

Zhang San was a person who followed Zhang Anshi all the way in the past, and he was a little more casual than other subordinates in front of Zhang Anshi, so he said truthfully: "Originally, I didn't teach him to enter, this is the Wuhu County Palace, how can it be that idle people come when they want to?" Your Highness, Your ......"

Zhang Anshi looked at him with a smile: "Then he stuffed you with a little silver, and you invited him in?" ”

Zhang San was shocked and said, "Your Highness, can you ...... That's not the case......"

But his tone was visibly getting weaker and weaker.

Zhang Anshi didn't say much, only smiled, and said, "Where are the people?" ”

"Arranged in the side hall."

Zhang Anshi nodded and continued to walk inside.

When he entered the side hall, he saw someone get up and hurriedly salute Zhang Anshi, it was that Ma Yu.

Zhang Anshi just said: "Excuse me, you know this king, you don't like it...... How can these vain courtesies ...... Mr. Ma smelled something again and suddenly came running. ”

Ma Yu smiled, and he said, "I heard some news. ”

Zhang Anshi sat down steadily, picked up the tea cup sent by his subordinates, and took a sip of tea before saying, "Say." ”

Ma Yu said: "I heard...... Your Majesty has captured many prisoners, and there are many of them, and all their people will be exiled, and they will hear of it...... Is it exile to New World? ”

Zhang Anshi immediately put down the teacup and glanced at Ma Yu vigilantly.

This Ma Yu got the news very quickly.

Ma Yu seemed to understand Zhang Anshi's intentions, and hurriedly explained: "Your Highness, don't blame, contemptible people only do business, and they don't dare to interfere in the affairs of the court, and they don't dare to ask more." It's just that...... In this way of business, news is also the most important, many times, a piece of news, enough to make people one step ahead, and one step faster...... means profitable......"

Zhang Anshi also agreed: "There is such a thing. ”

Ma Yu was quite honest, so Zhang Anshi did not continue to investigate deeply, and immediately picked up the teacup again, and said, "Mr. Ma saw an opportunity?" ”

"Yes." Ma Yu said: "The students plan that Ma's Ship Line will increase the number of shipping from Xinzhou to Songjiang Estuary, Pearl River Estuary and Denglai ports, and increase the number of cargo ships from 31 to 62 per month, and the number of passenger ships from 9 to 30. ”

Zhang Anshi couldn't help but smile and said: "This is a good thing for mutual benefit, suddenly so many manpower has been increased, especially so many people need to go to Xinzhou, you can't afford to lose this passenger ship." When people go, they inevitably have to bring more things with them, and this freight ...... Don't suffer a loss, Mr. Ma...... It seems that there is always an opportunity to make money. ”

Ma Yu continued: "This is only secondary, the first thing is to be able to contribute to His Highness, otherwise, so many people at once, if they want to send it to Xinzhou, I am afraid it will not be easy, and Ma's shipbuilding will add some shipping here for the sake of Xinzhou." ”

Zhang Anshi bowed: "However, this king thinks that this is just a small profit after all, and Mr. Ma is a person who does a big business, so he will not run for this small business." Anyway, what's the matter, don't get me wrong, this king is not unkind, but he is used to getting straight to the point. ”

Ma Yu smiled, Zhang Anshi's words were really not flattering him, Ma Yu, the Ma shipping company, is now regarded as a leader in the sea shipping industry, and even the scale is larger than the second and third shipping companies combined.

Shipping is an asset-heavy industry, the annual cost of buying ships, is astronomical, and the capital of Ma's shipping is also the most abundant, although not as good as Qixia firm, but its growth rate, is staggering.

This is the buying and selling of passenger and freight transport, and people like Ma Yu may not really be eye-catching.

Ma Yu smiled slightly and said, "Your Highness knows me." ”

He paused, and then said: "This time, Ma also hopes to be able to go to Xinzhou. ”

Zhang Anshi looked at him curiously and said, "Oh? ”

Ma Yu said: "Ma also knows a little about the situation in Xinzhou, and it is said that it is not bad, this time...... I would like to take this opportunity to take another walk on the ground. ”

Zhang Anshi looked at Ma Yu meaningfully: "Why? ”

Ma Yu said: "It's not a secret, there is only one thing, and that is hope...... Ma's Boat Company plans to enter New Island in a big way. ”

Zhang Anshi said: "Really? ”

His face was a little serious, he looked at Ma Yu, and said, "Mr. Ma, just tell the truth, that place in Xinzhou...... This king has always been the same, if only because of ...... Entering the new continent in a big way, I want to take the opportunity to curry favor with this king and teach this king what favors to you, this ...... Not really. ”

Ma Yu shook his head: "The grass people have taken a fancy to the business opportunity and have nothing to do with His Highness." ”

"Business opportunity?"

Ma Yu nodded and said: "The grass people said before that the grass people have some understanding of the situation in Xinzhou, at least now they have received the information that the land is vast, there are no foreign enemies, and the minerals are abundant, and now the towns everywhere have begun to take on some scales." The grass people have always wanted to ...... Ma's ship line entered the Western Ocean and other places. ”

"It's just...... Most of the Western vassal states had a treacherous environment, and there were many natives around them, who attacked each other on weekdays, so the demand for firearms and steel was great, and the demand for production and shipping was not small, but after all, it was only secondary. ”

Ma Yu paused and continued: "Xinzhou is different, Xinzhou is stable, and it has been carried out reclamation, mining, construction, and production, and here, from the perspective of shipping, it is closer to the Western countries, such as shipbuilding, if it is shipbuilding in Xinzhou, opening up routes to Western countries, and supplying the needs of Western countries, the cost is actually comparable to that of Daming. After all, the mineral deposits are much cheaper than those of the Ming Dynasty. In the future, smelting will be the pillar of the new continent. ”

"What's more, Xinzhou may be profitable right now, on par with Daming. But after all, Xinzhou is a barren land at the moment, and once the population increases in the future, in the long run, today's investment may be far inferior to that of the Ming Dynasty. After all...... Although the Ming Dynasty is prosperous, after all, it ...... Many industries are probably overcrowded, and the competition is not small. And the new island ...... There are more uses. ”

After hearing this, Zhang Anshi couldn't help laughing and said, "So, do you want to lay out in advance in Xinzhou?" ”

"Exactly." Ma Yu said: "The grass people in Daming, has been invested in shipping, but only by shipping, can not be, to compete with other shipping, relying on the purchase of ships, the risk is still not small, today Ma can raise funds, buy ships on a large scale, but other shipping companies, now also sharpen their knives, sooner or later, Ma's firm to seize the opportunity, is to slowly fade. The only way to fight against the ships is to operate on multiple lines. ”

Ma heard about it...... When I came from Xinzhou, there was a kind of iron-hulled boat, which had stayed at the Songjiang port, and it was made in Xinzhou. I even heard that it was the Xinzhou side that was envisioning moving the steam engine to the ship, which greatly inspired the grass people. ”

Appearing very serious, he continued: "Nowadays, the use of the steam engine is ...... There are many, many workshops, all of which are used to replace manpower and horsepower, since it can be used to make cars, can be used to replace manpower and water power for weaving, then...... Resting on the ship...... Why not? Or even in the future...... Maybe it can be popular. ”

"If that's the case, then it's terrible, how much steel does it take to smelt a new ship every year? In addition, now that the New Deal is imminent, it is only a matter of time before the provinces will roll out the railways, and how much steel will be needed? In the world, only the iron ore excavation in Xinzhou has the lowest cost and the best quality. However, if the ore is transported to Songjiangkou for sale, the cost of transportation is not small. So...... The biggest possibility is that in order to meet the demand for steel in the Ming Dynasty, there will be large-scale smelting in Xinzhou, smelting the ore into high-quality steel, transporting it to Songjiang or Zhujiang to supply the needs of the Ming Dynasty. ”

"In addition, there is shipbuilding, once the steel required for shipbuilding increases significantly, then the biggest cost of shipbuilding in the future may be steel. If you wait for Xinzhou to smelt steel and transport it to the dockyard of Daming to make ships, this is not only time-consuming and laborious, but also greatly increases the cost. Then the biggest possibility is ...... Nearby manufacturing, after Xinzhou smelts steel, it is directly transported to the dock of Xinzhou, manufactured into ships, and then delivered. ”