Chongzhen, who was inspecting the Hanyang Iron Smelting Workshop, sneezed twice in a row.

Lu Jiude hurriedly handed over a decrepit robe: "Long live the lord, put on this." ”

"No, it's just a little drizzle." Chongzhen said, "I'm not that delicate yet. ”

After speaking, he turned his head to Chen Bishan and said: "Chen Bishan, it is already the end of June, and the 23rd year of Chongzhen has passed halfway, how much has the production capacity of the Hanyang Iron Smelting Workshop recovered?" ”

Needless to say, how important the Hanyang Iron Smelting Workshop is.

Half of the construction of the Liangjing Railway was forced to stop because the supply of iron was not available.

The railway freight merchant collected all the iron materials of the entire Ming Dynasty, and then melted all the captured Jiannu weapons, and made up 120,000 tons of iron materials, which have all been consumed so far.

"On the sage, the production capacity has almost recovered."

Chen Bishan replied calmly: "Chen is preparing to expand ten more blast furnaces in Hanyang, and at the same time open ten more mines in Huangzhou Mansion, this time, at least 20,000 tons of iron can be produced this year!" ”

"20,000 tons?" Chongzhen was a little surprised, "Can 20,000 tons of iron be produced this year?" ”

"Yes, Chen's previous estimate was actually a bit conservative." Chen Bishan said with a smile, "The foundation of the Hanyang Iron Smelting Workshop is actually much better than the minister expected, and the transportation of mineral materials from Huangzhou Mansion to Hanyang can also be transported by water, which is very convenient, of course, more importantly, the 90,000 craftsmen of the Hanyang Iron Smelting Workshop are also very hard-working." ”

"Hard-working?" Chongzhen suspects that he is having auditory hallucinations.

These more than 90,000 craftsmen were all rebellious soldiers in Huguang Town before.

Such a chaotic soldier has nothing to do with hardship and hard work.

Chen Bishan hurriedly explained with a smile: "It's the kind of hard-working kind." ”

Chongzhen understood at once, and what Chen Bishan said was "been" hard-working.

Capitalists are indeed capitalists, and they are much more ruthless than officials like Wu Jinxi and Chen Liangbi in squeezing these prisoners in labor reforms.

To be honest, Chongzhen doesn't care about the life or death of these rebellious soldiers, but if the squeeze is too hard and the consumption of human resources is too great, it is not a good thing, so Chen Bishan still needs to be warned.

"What's that, Chen Bishan, it's okay for you to squeeze these rebels, but don't be too ruthless."

After a pause, Chongzhen continued: "Otherwise, there will be a large number of vacancies in the number of craftsmen in the workshop, and there will be no way for me to make up for you in a hurry, and now there is a shortage of people everywhere." ”

"Saint, there will definitely be losses among the craftsmen in the workshop, especially in the mines in Enshi Prefecture, people will die every month, hundreds of people will die when there are more, and dozens of people will die when they are less, there is absolutely no way to avoid it, but the minister can guarantee that the number of losses of craftsmen will only be less than before, not more."

Now Chongzhen was a little curious: "How did you do it?" ”

is more ruthless than when Wu Jinxi and Chen Liangbi were suppressed, but these rebels did not rebel, and the number of dead people every month actually dropped, this is a management wizard.

】

"Holy Lord, this is actually very simple." Chen Bishan said with a smile, "The minister just divides the craftsmen of the workshop and the miners of the mine into several teams, and then asks each team to elect a number of craftsmen or miners to be inspectors, and the craftsmen or miners who become inspectors only need to ensure the safety of the workshop or mine, no longer engage in labor, and the food standard is also improved." ”

"That's it?" Chongzhen was puzzled, "Can this increase the motivation of craftsmen or miners?" ”

Chen Bishan smiled again and said: "Yes, because the selection criterion for inspectors is how much work they do." ”

Hearing this, Chongzhen reacted instantly, and said that the brains of capitalists are better than ordinary people.

The essence of Chen Bishan's method is actually an incentive mechanism, and you can get rewards for doing the most work.

What's even more powerful is that this incentive mechanism is also dressed in the cloak of "democratic election", because this inspector was chosen by yourself, so if you have grievances, you can't spread your grievances on the head of the workshop manager, but you all go to the rest of the team, saying that you are going to be a lying dog, but you secretly work overtime, it's not a thing.

Chongzhen couldn't help but be proud of his wise choice.

It was right to choose Chen Bishan to be the chief shopkeeper of the Hanyang Iron Smelting Workshop.

As they spoke, the group gradually went deeper into the workshop.

As soon as he raised his eyes, Chongzhen saw a scene in full swing.

These former rebels in Huguang Town, one by one, are working hard.

In addition, steam engines were also used in the Hanyang Iron Smelting Workshop, and there were quite a few of them.

After turning around the workshop and coming out again, Chongzhen asked the price again: "What is the price of wrought iron in the Hanyang Workshop now, and it won't be sold for 15 yuan and 100 catties, right?" ”

"That can't be." Chen Bishan waved his hand again and again, "Now it's only 5 yuan." ”

Chongzhen silently calculated, 100 catties of 5 yuan, a ton is 100 yuan, 10,000 tons is 1 million yuan, the Liangjing Railway is still built a single line, and about 300,000 tons of iron are needed, that is, 30 million yuan.

This is only the iron money, in addition to the iron money there are other costs.

The total capital of the railway freight terminal is only 50 million yuan, which is only enough to build a railway.

To tell you the truth, the price is not a bit high, but it is too high and must be lowered.

"It's not going to work, it's too expensive." Chongzhen frowned and said, "The price of iron must be lowered, to less than 2 yuan per 100 catties, Chongzhen 20 years ago iron was only sold for 3 yuan per 100 catties, and now with the steam engine, the production efficiency of the iron-smelting workshop has been greatly improved, and it makes no sense that the price of iron has not decreased but risen." ”

After a pause, he said: "What's more, the Hanyang Iron Smelting Workshop doesn't have to pay wages. ”

"Saint, 2 yuan per 100 catties is really a bit low, otherwise it will be 3 yuan?" As the big shopkeeper of the Hanyang Iron Smelting Workshop, Chen Bishan naturally hopes that the workshop can make more money.

But Chongzhen resolutely refused: "Just press 2 yuan." ”

"Okay, that's $2." Chen Bishan couldn't help but feel a little regretful.

However, the price of 100 catties of 2 yuan is not low, according to 20,000 tons a year, there is also an output value of 800,000 yuan, and Chen Bishan is expected to increase fivefold next year, and double again the year after tomorrow, at that time, the output value of 8 million yuan a year, he can get a dividend of 400,000 yuan from the workshop.

……

Zhang Kuang, the governor of Huguang, suddenly found the Hanyang Iron Smelting Workshop.

"Holy Lord, the thieves of Xiangyang have committed crimes along the Han Shuinan." Zhang Kuangyu said, "At present, its forward has advanced to Zhong Xiang of Chengtian Mansion, and Fang Wenmao, the prefect of Chengtian, has rushed to ask for help for 800 li. ”

"The thieves in Xiangyang actually sent troops? I didn't expect that. ”

Chongzhen smiled, and then asked, "How many thieves have come?" ”

"This Fang Wenmao's urgent delivery didn't say it." Zhang Kuang was a little embarrassed when he heard this.

"How many thieves dare to report an emergency without figuring it out?" Chongzhen's face immediately fell, "Fang Wenmao, the prefect, is really competent." ”

The expression on Zhang Kuang's face became more and more embarrassed.

Almost all Ming officials now know that Chongzhen is dissatisfied with the existing bureaucratic system and is ready to replace them in its entirety by training new officials through the Guozijian in Beijing.

Although the newly-sent officials cultivated by the Northern Prison will not be able to reach such a high position as the governor and the governor for a while and a half, it is difficult to say about the prefects of the counties, prefectures, and even the prefects of Sipin.

Zhang Kuang actually wanted to simply resign.

But he was reluctant to be the governor.

Because the governor is already a member of the second rank, if he is transferred back to the sixth department, he will be a squire, and when the court pushes the ministers, he will have the opportunity to enter the cabinet directly, and he will be the prime minister!

As a civil official, Zhang Kuangzhen couldn't refuse such a temptation.

Fortunately, Chongzhen didn't criticize too much, and quickly changed the topic: "Since I have caught up, then I can only go to Chengtianfu once, and I will destroy the thieves in Xiangyang first." ”

If this thief is cowering in Xiangyang, it will be really difficult to deal with it for a while.

But now they took the initiative to drill out, but they gave the Ming army a chance.

At this time, Chongzhen didn't know that in addition to Xiangyang, Pseudo-Shun also sent several other horse-foot armies to the east from Tongguan, Huangyu Pass and other places, and he knew that he could probably laugh at the sound of pigs.

Li Zicheng, is this too much? Why can't you think about it?

……

Li Zicheng didn't feel that he couldn't think about it at all, and he also felt that his division of troops and deployment were extremely clever, and he didn't dare to say that he could kill the Ming army and abandon his armor, at least he could let the Ming army take care of one thing and lose the other.

Six people, a total of 280,000 horses, from Xiangyang, Tongguan, Huangyu Pass, Tumen Pass, Baoma Pass and Bauhinia Pass at the same time, what a powerful lineup?

The Ming army will definitely be beaten by the Dashun army.

Chongzhen is under pressure, and he will definitely order the king of soldiers and horses in the world.

In a good mood, Li Zicheng even began to pay attention to the situation in Hexi.

At this time, the entire snow area was completely under the rule of the Khan.

After conquering the snow area, the Khan of Oirat Mongolia naturally pointed the finger at Dashun, because Dashun's former battalion had already controlled the Hexi Corridor under the leadership of Xin Sizhong.

The Dashun army sent troops from the Hexi Corridor and could directly threaten the Hami guards.

This is absolutely intolerable to the Oirat Mongols, because this is a trade route and the forbidden territory of Oirat, and the Dashun army is absolutely not allowed to get involved.

The Khan immediately launched an attack on the Hexi Corridor.

Ironically, Li Zicheng lacked interest in the Hexi Corridor.

However, this is actually understandable, because Shaanxi itself hardly produces any in-demand goods, porcelain, tea, silk and even furs, and it is indeed not cost-effective to fight with Oirat Mongolia just to earn a few tolls.

Under what conditions can the Hexi Corridor reflect its own value? When the Central Plains Dynasty unified the country.

Now Li Zicheng only occupies the two provinces of Shanxi and Shaanxi, and the trade route of the Hexi Corridor is indeed of little value.

After discussing with Song Xiance and Gu Junen, Li Zicheng instructed: "Send a decree to Xin Sizhong and tell him that the Hexi Corridor can be kept in accordance with the rules, and if you can't keep it, give up, but it is just a barren land, and there is nothing to abandon it." ”