amaotonovel Chapter 1024 Even if the sky falls, there are still tall people to hold it up.
Chapter 1024 Even if the sky falls, there are still tall people to hold it up.
Just as Yang Shaofeng was trying to find ways to annoy Zhu Biao, Xia Yu rushed to the Prince Consort's residence.
"Your Highness!"
Xia Yu immediately pulled out a secret report and presented it to Zhu Biao: "News has come from the Ningyang Steam Engine Workshop that they have developed a small steam engine that can plow the land. The steam engine and the matching plowshare are already on their way to the capital."
Zhu Biao took the secret report, glanced at it, and then handed it to Yang Shaofeng, saying, "That's good. The pace of those gentry and gentlemen's rebellion is going to accelerate again."
Yang Shaofeng was stunned and dumbfounded by the information in the secret report.
Can anyone explain to me what this steam engine-type tractor is all about?
And what the hell is this steam engine-style harvester and seeder?
What kind of amazing people were these indigenous artisans of the Ming Dynasty?
What I originally intended was to miniaturize the steam engine and then combine it with a rotary tiller for deep plowing.
However, these native craftsmen of the Ming Dynasty actually invented steam-powered harvesters and steam-powered seeders without any formal training!
What, is your Ming Dynasty planning to go down the steampunk route, intending for everything to be steampunk in the future?
Furthermore, I was thinking of promoting the industrialization of the Ming Dynasty, but your approach is far too damn radical!
Do you know what this means?
This means that the nascent industrial society driven by the steam engine will clash fiercely with the original agrarian society of the Ming Dynasty.
Either the early industrialized society will prevail, sweeping the original purely agrarian society into the dustbin of history, and the Ming Dynasty will gradually transform into an industrialized society.
Either the original purely agrarian society prevails, completely shattering the nascent industrialized society that has been painstakingly formed, thus utterly cutting off the Ming Dynasty's path towards an industrialized society.
Thinking of this, Yang Shaofeng couldn't help but scratch the back of his head.
Damn it.
It gives the impression that a play from the late Ming Dynasty was performed in the early Ming Dynasty.
Just as Yang Shaofeng was mentally ranting, Zhu Biao said with a serious expression, "Brother-in-law, you're the one who caused all this trouble. You need to think things through for your little brother."
Yang Shaofeng was taken aback by Zhu Biao's words and asked, "What are you planning?"
Zhu Biao couldn't help but roll his eyes and said, "What else could we be planning?"
"Of course, it's the promotion and application of this miniaturized steam engine."
"This thing isn't something just anyone can make, much less something that any ordinary family can afford."
"It's not even something that just anyone would use."
"How to arrange the manufacture of these small steam engines, how to train people who know how to use and repair them, and how to distribute them to various villages and communities so that the people can benefit from them—these are all things that need to be carefully planned."
"Moreover, manufacturing such a small steam engine requires a lot of steel and wood, and using this thing also requires a lot of coal. We need to plan carefully about the steel and coal supply, right?"
"Also, once this thing is widely adopted, farming will become much easier for ordinary people, and there may be a lot of young and strong laborers available in the future. We should plan ahead about how to arrange these young and strong laborers, right?"
"..."
Zhu Biao listed the problems he could think of one by one.
Yang Shaofeng was completely numb.
Well, if I said that I only wanted to annoy you and Lao Deng at first, and also to disgust certain people, which is why I promoted industrialization, but the current development speed has far exceeded my expectations, and I have no ability to solve these messy problems, you black sesame dumpling shouldn't turn against me, right?
But then Yang Shaofeng thought again that these things weren't a big deal.
As I said before, a single big problem is a problem, but a bunch of big problems are no longer problems.
To put it another way, having too many lice doesn't make you itch, and having too much debt doesn't make you worry.
Besides, there are always tall people to hold up the sky if it falls down—I was just wondering how to bring some fun to Lao Deng and Li Shanchang, and here it is.
Just as Yang Shaofeng was about to use his debt transfer technique, Xia Yu took out another secret report from his sleeve, handed it to Zhu Biao, and said, "This is news from Dengzhou. It says that Marquis Nan'an Yu Tongyuan has been going to Dengzhou University every day recently, demanding that a steam engine be installed on the treasure ship to replace the sails and oars."
Zhu Biao took the secret report from Xia Yu and handed it to Yang Shaofeng: "Perfect, brother-in-law, take a look at this too."
……
Yang Shaofeng was almost in tears because of his own mistakes.
Emperor Zhu, who received a copy of the secret report in the palace, was also on the verge of tears.
Li Shanchang and Liu Bowen, who were hastily summoned to the palace, were so distressed that they wanted to die.
Damn it, in the entire Central Plains, spanning five thousand years, including the Sixteen Kingdoms of the Five Barbarians, the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms of the North and South, and even including all those young emperors, there have been more than two hundred emperors and dozens of dynasties, not to mention all those prime ministers and censors. Who has ever experienced such a dramatic transformation?
There are simply no examples to refer to!
Therefore, trying to learn from the past and making minor adjustments to existing policies is completely unworkable.
We have no choice but to forge a new path!
Li Shanchang grew angrier the more he thought about it, so he simply reached out and took off his hat, scratched the back of his head, and said, "As far as I know, during the Zhou Dynasty, the Central Plains used bronze as the main material for weapons and armor, and wood and stone as the main materials for farming."
"In the later period of the Zhou Dynasty, iron smelting technology developed, and iron farm tools began to replace wood and stone. Li Kui of Wei relied on the technique of iron plowing and ox-plowing to "fully utilize the land's resources." Shang Yang of Qin also proposed a strategy of farming and warfare as a result."
"The steam engine's impact on the Ming Dynasty today is no different from the replacement of bronze by refined iron."
"It far surpasses the impact of steam locomotives on the circulation of goods."
Liu Bowen bowed to Emperor Zhu and said, "Your Majesty, I have come to some understanding of some things."
Emperor Zhu, curious, said "Oh" and then asked, "What has Mr. Qingtian figured out?"
Liu Bowen stroked his beard and said, "I have finally figured it out. Why did the Prince Consort only allow the people of Ningyang County and Dengzhou Prefecture to do business, but not allow the people of these two places to participate in mining?"
"I've also figured it out. Why did the Prince Consort allow the people to brew wine, open textile workshops, food workshops, and even open blacksmith shops, but not to open iron smelting workshops?"
After a slight pause, Liu Bowen continued, "I was quite curious. Given the wealth of Ningyang County, the people of Ningyang County could have used their money to open various workshops, which would have allowed Ningyang County to advance even further. Yet, Your Highness has always strictly limited the workshops that the people of Ningyang County can open."
"Now it seems that the Prince Consort must have thought of the steam engine long ago, and also long ago thought of the impact of miniaturizing the steam engine on agriculture."
Li Shanchang turned his head and glanced at Liu Bowen, then bowed to Emperor Zhu and said, "Your subject seconds the motion."