Traveling through history leaving a name

Chapter 330 Rapid Development

The time enters 1604 AD.

It has been more than four years since Zhang Qingfeng came to this world.

He is now 18 years old and considered an adult.

And in just four years, he also climbed to the position of fifth-rank palm print eunuch, which can be described as a legend among eunuchs in the palace.

Although many people envy and hate him, there is nothing they can do about him. Zhang Qingfeng is a genius with a photographic memory, an inventor who invented various machines, and can make a lot of money for the emperor. What about the big red man?

In the Yaoshu case, the Wanli Emperor's protection of Zhang Qingfeng was obvious to all. Even Chen Ju, the eunuch who was in charge of ceremonies, was polite when he saw Zhang Qingfeng. This shows Zhang Qingfeng's current status.

However, the appearance of the steam engine made the capital the textile center of the entire north.

The role of the steam engine is also obvious to all, so many people put their ideas on the steam engine.

Some dignitaries approached Zhang Qingfeng and wanted the method of making the steam engine. If they cooperate, how about it?If you don't cooperate, so what, etc., it means a great threat.

Today, the emergence of the steam engine has made the textile industry in the north develop faster and faster, and has the momentum to suppress the textile industry in the south of the Yangtze River.

Such a situation is naturally not what the Jiangnan textile merchants want to see.

As for the textile merchants in the south of the Yangtze River, the biggest backing is the civil official groups who are officials in the court, and their energy is very powerful.

They pointed out that Emperor Wanli set up a textile factory to compete with the people for profit, but Emperor Wanli ignored them at all.

If it weren't for the fact that the steam engine was something in the palace, someone might have forcibly robbed the manufacturing technology of the steam engine long ago.

In this regard, Zhang Qingfeng directly reported to Emperor Wanli, saying that he had been threatened, and that if the technology of the steam engine was taken away, the situation where he made millions of taels of silver a year for the palace would be ruined.

Hearing Zhang Qingfeng's complaints, Emperor Wanli immediately realized the seriousness of the matter, so he directly sent hundreds of brocade guards to personally protect the personal safety of Zhang Qingfeng and some craftsmen with access to steam engine technology.

And he told Zhang Qingfeng not to be afraid, if anyone dares to threaten, just tell him and he will deal with it.

However, what was soon slapped in the face was that Zheng Guotai, Zheng Guifei's nephew, approached Zhang Qingfeng, wanting to obtain the steam engine manufacturing technology, and claimed that it was Zheng Guifei's instruction.

The Zheng family developed after Concubine Zheng was favored by Emperor Wanli.

Zhang Qingfeng belonged to Concubine Zheng, so he was naturally connected with the Zheng family.

For example, at the very beginning of the soap business, the Zheng family stepped in and robbed the business.

Afterwards, Zhang Qingfeng engaged in the textile industry, and the Zheng family was not idle. They built the largest spinning mill and made a lot of money.Just didn't expect it.Now the Zheng family turned their attention to the steam engine again.

Regarding this, Zhang Qingfeng did not tell Emperor Wanli directly, but found Concubine Zheng and asked if this was what Concubine Zheng meant.

"Your Majesty, this steam engine is something that Lord Long Live attaches great importance to. For this reason, Jin Yiwei was sent to protect the manufacturing technology of the steam engine from being leaked, but yesterday your nephew Zheng Guotai came to ask me for the technology of the steam engine, and said it was your instruction." , so I have no choice but to come into the palace to ask your opinion." Zhang Qingfeng said to Concubine Zheng.

"What? Cathay asked you for steam engine technology?"

Hearing Zhang Qingfeng's words, Concubine Zheng's face suddenly changed: "This bastard is really dissatisfied."

Concubine Zheng knew that Emperor Wanli attached great importance to steam engines. She was able to be favored by Emperor Wanli for decades, so she naturally knew what she could do and what she couldn't do.

She said to Zhang Qingfeng: "I never asked the Zheng family to ask you for steam engine technology. You don't need to pay attention to this matter. I will personally handle the Zheng family's affairs when the time comes."

"Hearing what your mother said, I will understand." Zhang Qingfeng nodded.

"Long live, don't you know about this?" Concubine Zheng Gui asked Zhang Qingfeng.

"Madam, after Zheng Guotai asked me for steam engine technology, I came to Madam to inquire as soon as I was young, but I haven't told Long Live yet." Zhang Qingfeng said.

"Well, you've done a good job, let's stop this matter, I will explain to Long Live myself." Concubine Zheng said to Zhang Qingfeng.

"I understand." Zhang Qingfeng nodded immediately.

After talking with Concubine Zheng, Zhang Qingfeng left the palace and returned to the manufacturing bureau.

Afterwards, the Zheng family never asked Zhang Qingfeng for the technology of the steam engine, so it should be Concubine Zheng who spoke.

Although the Zheng family gave up coveting the steam engine, the textile merchants in Jiangnan would not. They were trying their best to obtain the manufacturing technology of the steam engine.

In fact, when the textile industry in the north was just developing, textile merchants in the south realized the seriousness of the matter.

Soon, they imitated many looms.

However, although they imitated most of the textile machines, they could not imitate the steam engine.

Without the steam engine, their weaving cost would not be able to be reduced to that of the north, and they would have no advantage in competing with the northern cloth.

At first, many southern businessmen wanted to buy steam engine technology, but they were all rejected by Zhang Qingfeng.

He would not have sold the steam engine technology until the northern textile industry had matured.

It's not that southern merchants have imitated steam engines, but they don't have machine tools, and even if they are imitated, they cannot be mass-produced, and the cost is very high.

Therefore, Jiangnan textile merchants and the officials behind them have been trying to obtain steam engine technology.Maybe there are many commercial spies planted by them in the current Machine Manufacturing Bureau.

However, now Zhang Qingfeng thinks it's time to send people to Jiangnan to set up a factory, so it's not good to keep others thinking about it.

Afterwards, Zhang Qingfeng went up to Emperor Wanli and asked to send someone to set up a textile factory in the south of the Yangtze River.

Emperor Wanli heard that Zhang Qingfeng was going to set up a factory in the south of the Yangtze River to make money, so he immediately agreed to Zhang Qingfeng's proposal.

For the manpower to set up factories in the south of the Yangtze River, Zhang Qingfeng recommended the eunuch Wang Binwang under Zheng Guifei.

Zhang Qingfeng sent people to Jiangnan to set up a factory, not just to open two textile factories, she planned to build a place like the northern textile industrial zone.

If he had gone to set up a factory alone to make money, he would definitely be boycotted by the local textile merchants. At that time, he would not be able to buy raw materials, let alone make money.

So he is going to sell the steam engine to the Jiangnan textile merchants. Only when everyone can make money together, even if you make more, others will not unite to boycott you.

……

In addition to the textile factory, after two years of development, the cement industry in Beijing has also gradually developed.

Today, there are more than 50 large and small cement factories around the capital.

All of these more than 50 cement factories have shares in the Machinery Manufacturing Bureau. Although each company's shares are not many, only about 3 to [-]%, they can still earn more than [-] taels of profit for the Manufacturing Bureau every month.

In addition to cement, businessmen who mined mines everywhere also saw the benefits of steam engines. For a while, orders for steam engines continued.

For this reason, Zhang Qingfeng could only continue to expand the steam engine manufacturing plant.

After Zhang Qingfeng became an eunuch, the Machine Manufacturing Bureau developed rapidly. By the end of 1604 AD, the Manufacturing Bureau was able to earn about 20 taels of silver per month, which means an annual income of more than 240 million taels of silver. .

(End of this chapter)