The Ming Dynasty started with caution

Chai Sheng bowed and said, "Sugarcane is planted in paddy fields, occupying the arable land for grain. I think it is not allowed!"

Planting sugarcane is the same as planting mulberry leaves, occupying the people's fields.

Sugarcane residue is worthless, but the fields are valuable.

"I agree with Mr. Chai. Sugarcane residue is worthless. If paper is worthless, it is not easy to collect taxes." Wang Qiong considered the tax.

Paper is worthless, and it can't collect a few silver coins.

Yan Chengjin took something out of his sleeve, and Chai Sheng and Wang Qiong looked nervous.

"Your Majesty, please look, this is the prosperous map of the mountains and rivers of the Ming Dynasty drawn by me."

Xiao Jing was stunned for a moment, stepped down in small steps, and took the map.

Emperor Hongzhi raised the corner of his mouth, and couldn't understand what the map meant. It was yellow, green, and red.

"Mr. Yan, how do you read this map?"

"Yellow is the distribution of grains in our dynasty, green is tea, and red is cotton."

After saying this, it immediately became clear.

No wonder, Jiangnan is dominated by yellow, with blue and red interlaced. Jiangnan is a land of fish and rice, with grain as the main crop.

Guangdong is colorful and mottled, representing all kinds of grains.

Yan Chengjin drew a large area on the map: "Although sugarcane is rare, it can be planted in Guangdong and Guangxi. I ask the court to set up more agricultural product exchange offices in the south. This is the key to prosperity."

In feudal society, the most valuable resource is land.

He continued: "The Ming Dynasty controls half of the territory in the east, with vast land and abundant resources, but it has not utilized the value of the land."

Just like the rare earth resources in later generations, before the rare earth development technology was mastered, rare earths were sold abroad at a low price.

After mastering the rare earth development technology, the price of rare earths increased tenfold.

The correct way to develop land is to cultivate it. Now that the sea ban of the Ming Dynasty has been lifted, what is lacking is the variety of commodities.

However, not many people have planted economic crops such as cotton, sugarcane, and jute in the Ming Dynasty.

Hurting farmers.

First, it would occupy the poor fertile land of the people.

If the crops were planted by the imperial farm, the people's land would not be harmed.

Second, the people did not know who to sell them to.

Emperor Hongzhi was a little overwhelmed and looked confused: "The Agricultural Products Exchange Office?"

The faces of the gentlemen were full of questions, so that the hall fell into silence, but they pretended to be stupid and did not want to ask Yan Chengjin.

Liu Jian guessed vaguely: "But the Tea-Horse Exchange?"

"Mr. Liu is wise, but it is a little different from the Tea-Horse Exchange. The people are the sellers and the imperial court is the buyers.

Do you know why the people dare not grow cotton, sugarcane, jute and other things?" Yan Chengjin asked.

"Why?"

"Because I don't know who to sell them to."

If you can't sell rice, you can still eat it yourself, but if you can't sell cotton, it can only rot in the field.

The people dare not use the only fields they have to grow other plants.

As a result, although cotton and other things are valuable, they have not been promoted.

Yan Chengjin said: "People will sell their agricultural products to the court in exchange for silver. The popularization of cotton and sugarcane can alleviate the hunger and cold of the people, and a prosperous era is expected."

The Ming Dynasty is a country with a large population, which means it is destined to be an agricultural country.

Otherwise, hunger and cold alone can drag down the Ming Dynasty.

How can we talk about a prosperous era?

"Your Majesty, he is changing the system! He is going to change the system again!"

Chai Sheng finally understood. After a long detour, this guy's purpose is to change the system!

The gentlemen woke up from a dream and stared at Yan Chengjin. They were almost fooled by this guy.

The Zhang brothers were stunned and looked at Yan Chengjin.

"What Lord Chai said is right. The new government office is indeed a change of system." Yan Chengjin said.

This is the first time that the court has collected the people's crops as a buyer.

Emperor Hongzhi frowned: "Isn't this competing with the people for profit? The court has never interfered in the business of the market, and you want me to pay money to buy the goods from the market?"

Emperor Gao has a rule that it is not allowed to compete with the people for profit.

Li Dongyang nodded: "And where will the collected agricultural products be used? Whether the bagasse can be made into paper is still unknown, it is just your guess."

"Then let Song Jing try?" Yan Chengjin asked.

After leaving the Fengtian Hall, Zeng Jian followed him and guessed that he was going to the Ministry of Works.

In this world, except for Song Jing and Xie Pi, it is difficult to find such a powerful craftsman.

Yan Chengjin found Song Jing and said bluntly: "Do you know that paper is expensive in the capital?"

"I know, Lord Yan, do you have anything to make?" Song Jing bowed slightly.

"I use sugarcane residue to make paper. The process should be similar to the current papermaking technology. You can try it. You have been in the Ministry of Industry for half a year. It is time for promotion."

Yan Chengjin estimated that it was September now, and it was almost the end of the year, the time for the annual reward.

Zeng Jian looked at Yan Chengjin deeply, wanting to say something but stopping.

Sugarcane is not easy to find in the capital. It is a pastime for the nobles.

After searching for a few days, he found a place to buy sugarcane in Baoding Prefecture.

It was October, the season for harvesting sugarcane. Merchants transported some from the south to the north, but the quantity was not much, only twenty pieces, and it was frighteningly expensive.

Although sugarcane can be stored for two months, it is inconvenient to transport.

After Song Jing bought it, he sent it to Yan Mansion for Yan Chengjin to taste, and then sent the sugarcane residue to Liangxiang.

He Neng swallowed his saliva and smiled: "Master, do you want to eat it?"

"No, if you eat it, you will spit out the residue."

If he is not reminded, this dog slave will eat even the residue.

Half a day later, the sugarcane residue was sent to Liangxiang, and Song Jing made paper according to the method of paper mulberry bark.

Pour the sugarcane residue into lime water, put it into a barrel and steam it for eight days. After eight days, open the barrel and take out the boiled sugarcane residue, and then pour it into the floating pond to wash.

Remove the hard objects and wait for the slurry to solidify and form paper.

"Just looking at the slurry surface, it really looks like paper!"

The engineers were delighted. The yellow-white slurry surface was just like a piece of yellow rice paper, but it smelled very bad...

But after half a day, the paper did not move at all, and it was still clear water.

"Master Song, what did you do wrong?"

"The pulp is not sticky."

Song Jing quickly found the problem. After the slurry dried, it did not stick together.

...

In Fengtian Hall,

Emperor Hongzhi stood by the railing and looked out, as if looking in the direction of Zhu Houzhao.

Although he always scolded this rebellious son, he was his only son after all. After not seeing him for more than half a month, his eyes gradually became red.

Xiao Jing knew that His Majesty was tough on the outside but soft on the inside: "Your Majesty, the prince is blessed by the heavens and will surely return safely."

"How is Yan Chengjin's paper?"

"It's not done. I heard from the factory guards that there are two sugarcanes left. If it can't be made, it will be gone."

Emperor Hongzhi was somewhat relieved that he didn't ask this boy to issue a warrant.

This way, even if it can't be made, it won't be considered as deceiving the emperor.

"What do you think of the Agricultural Products Exchange Office, Xiao Banban?"

"I think it's purely Yan Chengjin who wants to change the system."

"How dare you! Can you belittle the ministers in the court?"

Xiao Jing was so scared that he knelt down with a plop. You asked me to say it. It's so difficult for us.

Emperor Hongzhi took a deep breath, turned around and ordered: "Order Wang Qiong to see me."

Soon, Wang Qiong came to the hall, saluted Emperor Hongzhi, and stood in the hall at a loss.

"Mr. Wang, how much grain did you pay after the promotion of corn, sweet potatoes, peanuts, etc.?"

Corn, sweet potatoes and peanuts are considered agricultural taxes, and taxes are paid in kind, not in silver.

Wang Qiong said in embarrassment: "Not much, two thousand shi of corn, three hundred shi of sweet potatoes, and twenty shi of peanuts."

The summer tax was just calculated not long ago, and he remembered it all.

Emperor Hongzhi was secretly shocked and said angrily: "Why is it so little!"

"I don't know why, the promotion can't go on." Wang Qiong didn't dare to look up.

This week is really 996, I have to make up for the annual leave and go back to work tomorrow. Finally, it's almost the end of the month, please give me a monthly ticket~