Wuying Hall in the Imperial City, Zhu Yuanzhang is in charge here, Zhang Yifan naturally came here to meet his father-in-law, and it happened that Prime Minister Hu Weiyong was also doing something here, and when he saw Zhang Yifan coming, he stopped.

So, Zhang Yifan stepped forward to salute. As for Zhu Jingjing, she took Zhang Yifan to dictate, and she recorded and sorted out "The Legend of Sword and Fairy" back to the harem.

As soon as the etiquette was over, Zhu Yuanzhang looked at him with a smile and said, "Do you want to ask about the price of cement?" The official price I set is nine dollars per bag, just your kind of cement bag! Sell as much as you want! Hearing this, Zhang Yifan was taken aback.

As soon as this brocade guard was established, the spy news came to his head? However, when he saw Zhu Yuanzhang smiling and seeming to be very satisfied, he felt a little wrong.

After thinking about it carefully, he remembered that Zhu Di probably told his father! Thinking about this, Zhang Yifan was a lot more relieved.

Then I remembered what I saw on the road, and it happened to take advantage of this topic to ask clearly. So, he asked Zhu Yuanzhang: "Father, I don't know how to deal with the cement of the imperial court?" Hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang glanced at the prime minister who was standing with his hands down.

Hu Weiyong understood what he meant, so he said to Zhang Yifan: "With the provincial capital as the center, the whole country will spread out together, and the official roads will be repaired first, and then you can sell money to the people for water conservancy." ”

"Wouldn't the imperial court spend a lot?" When Zhang Yifan heard this, he immediately asked,

"I just heard you say before that the imperial court is short of money and food." When reading the book and talking about the Japanese in the front hall, Hu Weiyong jumped out and said about this money and food.

At this time, Hu Weiyong listened to this hairy boy jumping above him all of a sudden, and he was not polite when he spoke, and he couldn't help but scold Li Shanchang in his heart for not being a person, he was a national prince, what are you doing to raise this horse captain so high!

However, on the surface, especially in front of the emperor, he still didn't dare to show his dissatisfaction, and just replied normally: "The horse should know that the cost of cement is not high, and the court will not spend much money." As soon as the official road is repaired, a lot of grain and grass materials can be saved just by transporting grain and grass materials to the north! "The cement price set by the imperial court is a penny cheaper than the price estimated by Zhang Yifan before, which is a bit unimaginable.

Because he knew that the imperial court burned cement, there were no hydraulic facilities at all. Therefore, Zhang Yifan immediately asked again: "So, the imperial court requisitioned a large number of people to burn cement?" Isn't this passing on the cost to those people, and is oppressing the people! "The raw materials of cement are everywhere, and the cement kiln can also supervise the construction of the people, the fuel can be transported by the people, and the crushing of the coarse cement can be used by the people.

According to such an algorithm, the imperial court really did not spend much money. After all, the people who serve in the conscription have to bring their own dry food.

"Don't talk nonsense, don't talk nonsense!" When Hu Weiyong heard this, he was startled, glanced at Zhu Yuanzhang, and hurriedly explained: "It is natural for the imperial court to levy and issue conscription. When the official road is repaired, the people can also benefit. As long as it is not the busy season of farming, how can it be regarded as squeezing? Zhang Yifan knew that this was actually the concept of the ancients, and he and Hu Weiyong said that it was useless, the key was still on the side of the old man.

So, he turned to look at Zhu Yuanzhang and said sincerely: "Father, the levy and conscription, even if it is a slack time, is still a laborious act. If the cement is fired, it is just a repair of the official road, but it is okay. But this cement is still used for sale, that is the blood and sweat of the people...... "According to Zhu Yuanzhang's ambition, the book will be paved to build cement roads across the country.

It's really unlikely that it's just a commercial one. According to the ancient custom, large-scale requisition of people, with the province as the unit, and the state capital is divided into sections, and it is estimated that it will take a year to make the main official roads in the country cement roads.

This can also be regarded as the superiority of concentrating forces under the monarchy centralism. However, this approach is not sustainable, as it is based on the exploitation of people.

After a long time, there will inevitably be problems. For the common people, there was no cement, and there was no such conscription.

As a result, the cement came out, and they had to serve one more conscription, even if the cement road was repaired, everyone would benefit, but as far as the people themselves were concerned, it was estimated that few people were willing to serve this cement labor.

Perhaps, because of this matter, Zhang Yifan will be infamous and scolded him for offering this cement!

Therefore, I heard him say to Zhu Yuanzhang: "Father, if you do this, I will be infamy, and my father will also be infamy." This kind of conscription can't be lightly opened! "Zhu Yuanzhang was born as a peasant, and of course he knows how unpopular conscription is.

However, he did want to build concrete roads, and he also wanted to use cement to build water conservancy. These things, in his opinion, are for the country and the people, not the use of conscription for personal enjoyment as in previous dynasties.

At this time, based on his understanding of Zhang Yifan, he couldn't help but be a little curious, so he asked: "Then what method do you have, you can not only cultivate official roads, build water conservancy, but also not work the people and not be scolded by the people?" Hu Weiyong listened to it on the side, and couldn't help sneering in his heart, how can there be such a good thing, you want it and want it, see how you return to Your Majesty!

But who knows, Zhang Yifan listened, but immediately replied: "There are two ways to avoid being scolded by the people, but they can get things done, each with its own advantages and disadvantages." When Hu Weiyong heard it, he didn't believe it, but there were two ways?

How can it be! Zhu Yuanzhang was also curious, and immediately asked: "Which two methods, let's hear about them?" Zhang Yifan listened and replied without hesitation: "The first method is to change the conscription to hired labor, and all the people who work can receive money, so that they will not have complaints......" Before he finished speaking, he saw Zhu Yuanzhang frowning and said: "Didn't you say that money can't be printed indiscriminately?" Otherwise, this method will work! Although he still hasn't sorted out the complicated matter of money, he already knows that Daming treasure banknotes really can't be printed as he wants.

Otherwise, he could indeed send money to all the people, anyway, it was just a matter of printing. Hu Weiyong was a little confused when he heard it on the side, what money can't be printed indiscriminately, why don't I know?

Of course, Zhang Yifan didn't know what he was thinking, but he continued to answer Zhu Yuanzhang: "Money really can't be printed indiscriminately, and the imperial court doesn't have so much money for a while, so it doesn't matter." You can make a white slip, give each migrant worker a blank piece of paper stamped by the government, and agree on how much to give to the Qing ...... at the latest" Zhu Yuanzhang was speechless when he heard it, and had to interrupt Zhang Yifan and said: "Then the court still has no money, how to cash it?" ”

"Yes, donkey, the court's money and food are tight, even if it is delayed for a few years, I am afraid that there will not be so much money!" Hu Weiyong heard this and hurriedly agreed.

When Zhang Yifan heard it, he glanced at him, and then replied to Zhu Yuanzhang: "After the official road is repaired, the cement workshop will continue to burn cement, and this cement is used to sell money, and the money can be used to cash the white strips in the hands of the people!" In other words, these white slips are backed by the credibility of future cement revenues. Speaking of this, he didn't wait for Zhu Yuanzhang to ask, so he hurriedly added: "In order to maintain the normal operation of the cement workshop, the follow-up cement workshop should be managed according to the normal workshop, and the people who work in it will have to pay, and the comprehensive cost of cement will be obtained, plus a certain profit will be sold to people who need cement, they can repair houses, etc., and even the government will use cement to buy it, so that the cement workshop can run for a long time, and the profits can be repaid." After the white slip is cashed out, the proceeds will go to the government. ”

"Also, it can be explained in advance that people with good performance can be given priority to become regular employees of cement workshops to make money." After Hu Weiyong heard this, he provoked and said: "Then if no one buys this cement, how can they get the money to pay back those white strips?" At least it can't be sold for that much money, right? I'm afraid it's not safe to do this, right? When Zhang Yifan heard it, he looked at him and said: "You can also use the second method, don't spread it out at once, don't play white strips, the cement workshop will sell it for money first, and then use the income to repair official roads and water conservancy!" Sell as much as you want, repair as much as you want! While he was talking, Zhu Yuanzhang kept thinking.

After hearing what he said, I saw Zhu Yuanzhang frowning and said, "If I can reduce the burden of the people, I am willing." But Hu Qing is reasonable, how many people will buy cement, and how much can they sell? ”

"Then the government will buy it, and the court will buy it." Zhang Yifan listened to it, and said without thinking about it,

"Cultivating the official path is also an expense. In addition, the benefits of cement house repair can be imagined, there are many rich people in the Ming Dynasty, as long as it is maintained, the cement workshop must be able to make money. Zhu Yuanzhang did not agree with his statement, shook his head and said: "Why bother so much when you buy and sell yourself?" As soon as he heard this, Zhang Yifan suddenly remembered that the classmate Zhu Yuanzhang in front of him was very disgusted with business practices and had a very typical small-scale peasant thought.

According to Zhu Yuanzhang's idea, it is best for all yamen, guards, and all units to be self-sufficient, and that is the best.

And he also believes that taxes should be collected less, so as to benefit the people. To this end, he has even set quotas in many respects.

For example, in the commerce of the Ming Dynasty, he set all commercial taxes, and collected 200,000 yuan a year, and this total amount was distributed nationwide, and he would not collect this amount if he received it.

During the Song Dynasty, such as the Song Renzong period, the commercial tax amounted to 22 million yuan. He believes that it is the exploitation of the people and the increase of the burden on the people.

His idea of being rich and peaceful, or trying not to disturb the people, is reflected in all aspects. His grandson, Emperor Chongzhen, eventually died of poverty, and part of the responsibility was attributed to the financial policy he set at the beginning of the founding of the country.

To sum up, Zhu Yuanzhang is very good at fighting and grasping power, but his knowledge is really not enough!

Thinking of these, Zhang Yifan suddenly felt that there was a long way to go to transform Zhu Yuanzhang's thoughts.

In this cement matter, it involves a major event in the whole country, and if you say it directly, I am afraid that you will not be able to convince him.