Imperial Master of the Ming Dynasty

"What good stuff?"

Zhu Gaoxu couldn't help but asked curiously.

"Struvite." Jiang Xinghuo emphasized specifically, "On the sea route from Daming to Luzon, there were a lot of stones made of guano accumulated on some islands."

Zhu Gaoxu curled his lips dissatisfiedly: "Mr. Jiang, don't entertain me."

"No entertainment for you."

"Struvite is usually produced on the islands to the south of the 'Wanli Shitang' (the name of the South China Sea in Tang, Song and Yuan Dynasties). It is mainly a large amount of feces produced by seabirds and undigested fish bones and other food waste. After a very long period of time, It is formed by the accumulation of phosphorus and is extremely rich in phosphorus.”

Jiang Xinghuo smiled and said: "This struvite is a natural fertilizer, and because seabirds have stopped here to rest during their flights for who knows how many thousands or tens of thousands of years, they have been piled up directly on these islands to form mountains. Just use A fleet of large ships came to fill it, haul it away, and bring it back to the grain-producing areas in the south. After a little grinding, it can be used directly, and the total amount can be used for less than a hundred years. It is almost free. It depends on whether you are willing to reach out. Just pick it up.”

As a natural and extremely pure phosphate fertilizer, struvite was the best fertilizer to increase crop yields before the industrial revolution. Western countries such as Britain and France traveled thousands of miles to dig up guano from Nauru and other places and return it to their fields, which is enough to see struvite. Effect.

In fact, since the "Qing Dynasty" period, large-scale illegal mining of struvite has been carried out openly or semi-openly in modern times and transported back to the country. The excavation process lasted for hundreds of years, directly transporting many islands After digging three feet of struvite, nothing was left.

In Jiang Xinghuo's sixth life, as a factory owner, his business fields involved machinery and chemicals, and many things in related fields were related to minerals. He had seen two papers reported in the "Journal of the Geological Society of China", They are "guano on Xisha Islands" and "accumulation of guano on Xisha Islands in Guangdong".

Therefore, the memory of this is particularly profound.

Of course, Jiang Xinghuo didn't expect that he would use this knowledge in his future travels, so he knew about the existence of struvite at that time, but he didn't know which islands they were.

So when the two asked him about his specific location, he could only say that it did exist in that sea area, but he couldn't determine where it was.

After all, this thing is not as famous as Iwami Ginzan and Sado Gold Mountain. Jiang Xinghuo never thought of looking at the map to determine where these struvite-covered islands are.

In this regard, the two expressed slight regret.

The secret room next door.

When Zhu Gaochi and Xia Yuanji heard this, their eyes suddenly shone brightly.

In their opinion, as long as this place is within the Wanli Shitang of the Ming Dynasty, there is no need to worry about not finding it, it is just a matter of time.

And if the effect of struvite was really like this, then Daming would not have to spend time refining the fertilizer elixir according to Jiang Xinghuo's original scorch oven method, but could easily obtain natural fertilizer.

"Xia Gong." Zhu Gaochi pondered for a moment and then asked: "Do you think we can dispatch the navy to move these guano islands directly back to the Ming Dynasty?"

Xia Yuanji shook his head and smiled: "Don't mention moving an island, even a small mountain. If it is true, as Master Jiang said, that it is formed by seabird excrement accumulated for thousands of years and can be used by the Ming Dynasty for nearly a hundred years, then It’s definitely impossible to move back to Daming directly.”

Zhu Gaochi even laughed himself, because he was too greedy.

After all, as the de facto head of government affairs in the Ming Empire, almost no one hoped more than Zhu Gaochi to increase grain production and income in the Ming Dynasty.

"If we want to dig, the imperial court will have to organize large-scale excavation and transportation." Xia Yuanji said.

Zhu Gaochi nodded. After all, struvite is not a native product of the Ming Dynasty. If you want to transport it back to the Ming Dynasty, at least dozens or hundreds of large ships must be traveling together on one trip... Otherwise, the maintenance of the ships, the cost of sailors, and the consumption of supplies , I’m afraid I won’t even be able to make it back.

But Zhu Gaochi couldn't help but asked: "Mr. Jiang did not give a specific location. What if coastal fishermen were widely mobilized to search for it? Although there was a sea ban, starting from the end of the Hongwu Dynasty, the court could no longer control the fishermen who went to sea to fish. .”

"You can try this, but I think it's better to let the navy do it. After all, this should be something controlled by the country." Xia Yuanji thought for a while and said, "I think that since the migration of seabirds has certain Regularly, the distribution of struvite should be very regular. Only some islands may have a lot of them. There may certainly be many islands without struvite. What the navy has to do is actually not complicated. They just need to find the right ones. Target the island and send a fleet to transport the struvite to the location designated by the court. In this way, the Ming Dynasty or the Jiangnan area of ​​the Ming Dynasty should be able to obtain enough struvite, right?"

Of course, Xia Yuanji, the God of Wealth of the Ming Dynasty, also thought of another important point.

Xia Yuanji pondered for a moment and said: "Although struvite is used as a fertilizer, the cost of mining it is worthless. It has similar properties to sea salt, but after all, it was transported from overseas by the Ming Navy..."

Zhu Gaochi nodded suddenly and instantly understood what Xia Yuanji meant.

Just as from the time of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, the imperial court implemented a monopoly on salt, iron, wine and food, and salt was elevated to the status of a "strategic resource."

So is it really difficult to make salt?

There is no difficulty at all. With large-scale manufacturing, the cost is extremely low and the output is extremely large.

Struvite, as a natural fertilizer, can increase farmland production and income, and this is the same way.

In the beginning, even if it could be obtained for free, the court would never be able to directly distribute it to the people all over the world for free.

Zhu Gaochi thought about this clearly and asked Xia Yuanji: "How to control and sell this struvite? What does Xia Gong think?"

Xia Yuanji immediately said: "I suggest that the price should not be too high, but it should not be extremely low either. Otherwise, if the price of struvite is extremely low and this method is promoted on a large scale, the landowners may not feel very grateful, but will feel that it is easy. .”

Zhu Gaochi thought to himself that this Xia Shangshu was a cunning bureaucrat. Although it made sense, he probably had his own plans.

After all, in addition to this consideration, Xia Yuanji's household department will have huge financial resources only if the imperial court monopolizes the sale of struvite!

Only when the God of Wealth has money in his hands can he have a strong waist and hold more weight in the temple of the Ming Dynasty.

But there is no need for Zhu Gaochi to expose the other party's little thoughts. Since struvite is a hugely profitable thing, everyone has something to gain, so why not do it?

At least what the Ming court currently lacks is money. Among Zhu Di's ideas, whether it is moving the capital to Peking, building the Yongle Grand Ceremony, or conquering Mongolia, which one does not require money?

And this unexpected financial source of struvite is an opportunity.

Zhu Gaochi said in a deep voice: "Mr. One of the papers contained a soil fertilizer method, as well as a struvite fertilizer that is thought to be more effective."

"In this way, farmers can make soil fertilizers by themselves. Although the effect is not as good, it is much better than before when there was no chemical fertilizer available. If landlords or wealthy farmers want to increase food production and income, they have to buy struvite from the court. fertilizer!"

"If this continues, it will not only ensure that farmers farm more efficiently, but also expand the imperial court's financial resources through the sale of struvite fertilizers!"

"The most important thing is that this financial source has almost no cost. It only requires troops to be stationed and the entire process is transported by the Navy. It is a complete monopoly!"

After hearing Zhu Gaochi's series of explanations, Xia Yuanji said that the heroes had similar views, and the two of them thought about it together.

Xia Yuanji was originally suffering from a headache due to Zhu Di's uncontrolled spending, but now he seemed to see a lot of money flying into his pocket, and he couldn't help but smile from the bottom of his heart.

Zhu Gaochi also laughed.

"When today's lecture is over, I'll send someone to notify Ma He."

Well, after preparing to sail to the West, go to Japan to mine gold and silver mountains, and colonize Luzon and Tianzhu, Jiang Xinghuo unintentionally found a big job for Ma Sanbao.

It is true that if the leader talks, his subordinates will lose their legs.

Jiang Xinghuo flicked the dust off his clothes, stood up and said.

"The formal content of this lesson actually ends here."

"On how to combat the Little Ice Age that will last for hundreds of years in the future, these are what I call internal and external prescriptions."

"Internally, soil fertility should be improved through artificial or natural fertilizers such as soil fertilizers and struvite. Although these fertilizers are not completely comparable to real 'chemical fertilizers', the advantage is that they will not affect the soil. There are so many side effects, and even if they are present, they are easily cured.”

"At the same time, there is also crop rotation and interplanting, which must also be promoted. This scientific and reasonable agricultural planting method has been written on that piece of paper according to the appropriate characteristics of different regions. It only needs a little testing before it can be promoted on a large scale. This is all based on my experience.”

"For the outside world, based on the three conditions of 'within the reach of the Ming Dynasty', 'suitable for farming' and 'the target area is easy to conquer', the two regions of Luzon and Tianzhu were selected, which are enough to support a population that exceeds the carrying capacity of the Ming Dynasty's fields. We can even use high-yielding crops to feed the Ming Dynasty."

"In this way, the Ming Dynasty should be able to usher in a period of recuperation and accumulate a certain ability to withstand large-scale natural disasters. After waiting for several generations, the population of the Ming Dynasty has completely returned to its peak state, and at the same time it has affected the entire region from Tianzhu in the west to Japan in the east , is the day when the new Ming Empire was born."

Jiang Xinghuo paused here.

Because he knew that the British Empire in history relied on the strategy of controlling India to feed the mainland, and slowly became an empire on which the sun never sets in the true sense.

The history of the past life is destined to be unchangeable.

His past seven time travels must have been unable to resist the correctional force of history due to various reasons.

Although Jiang Xinghuo didn't know Zhu Di, Zhu Gaochi and others, they always eavesdropped on his lectures in a secret room separated by a wall.

But Jiang Xinghuo vaguely felt that what he told the two second-generation nobles in prison this time would really be able to be used in some way if one of them becomes powerful in a few years. sense, changing the destiny of this country.

After all, if there are still some difficulties in institutional matters, the two of them cannot influence the emperor and the court to formulate policies, but there are real things such as Shijian Yinshan, Wanli Shitang struvite, etc., as well as the things they refined. Chemical fertilizers must have had an impact on this era.

If he couldn't make any changes, Jiang Xinghuo felt a little regretful from the bottom of his heart.

——What a wonderful era this is!

The Yongle Dynasty was the most progressive era of Chinese civilization after the Han and Tang dynasties. Whether it was the Five Expeditions to Mobei, which was full of martial virtue, or the seven voyages to the West, which are shining in the annals of history, they all showed that the Ming Empire had re-established its hegemony in the world.

In this era, the Ming Dynasty can be regarded as the well-deserved number one in the world in terms of population, economy, military power, technology and other indicators!

However, however.

This short-lived number one in the world will soon be overtaken by the later Western powers with the opening of the Western Age of Discovery. From then on, Chinese civilization will fall into continuous decline and humiliation.

Looking at the modern history of the West, it is nothing more than a three-step path to rise.

The first step is the opening of new sea routes, geographical discovery, and global colonization.

The second step is the Renaissance, religious changes, and the Enlightenment.

The third step is the great transformation of the bourgeoisie and industrial transformation.

This is a series of things with extremely profound internal logic.

It was the opening of new shipping routes that promoted the primitive accumulation of assets and gave rise to the bourgeoisie. As the bourgeoisie grew, it required changes in thinking to give businessmen a higher status. Then came the Renaissance, which proposed humanism. Demand freedom from religious shackles.

Then the bourgeoisie carried out religious reforms and established new sects that were beneficial to the bourgeoisie. Since then, the bourgeoisie has continued to grow and demanded changes in temples. This requires its own temple theory. The Enlightenment Movement came into being and proposed the separation of powers, etc. theory, and then the bourgeois revolution broke out and the bourgeois regime was established.

The bourgeoisie removed all obstacles and provided conditions for further economic development, and industrial reform began. The completion of industrial reform marked the final establishment of the asset system.

The opening of new shipping routes and overseas colonization are the most critical first steps!

If the Ming Dynasty could take this first step and cultivate a bourgeoisie class that could compete with the gentry class through overseas trade, then things in the future would be possible.

After all, without the existence of the bourgeoisie, without industrial change and factories, the Red Dawn would not have come.

This is an inevitable law of history and a prerequisite for the progress of the times, and it is not subject to human will.

Regardless of whether it is from a national or other perspective, if the Ming Dynasty can really give birth to a bourgeoisie, the future will be much better than being dragged back to the track of a traditional agricultural country by the gentry class who are destined to be conservative and decadent.

As for the second step of thinking change, Jiang Xinghuo has nothing to worry about.

Not to mention that he would end up personally, intending to use his own theory to compete with Neo-Confucianism.

Well, if he wins, he will become a saint on the spot.

If he loses, he will just be destroyed in body and name by the defenders, and then he will continue his journey through time in the next life.

In fact, even without his time and space, judging from the thinking of those such as Li Zhi, Huang Zongxi, Gu Yanwu, Wang Fuzhi and others in the middle and late Ming Dynasty, as long as the bourgeoisie has sprouted, the corresponding ideological reform requirements will almost naturally be born.

The physical foundation determines the top structure, that's all.

Therefore, the key lies in this first step!

Overseas colonization!

In addition to Zheng He's voyages to the West, how can we promote the colonial process of the Ming Dynasty?

Jiang Xinghuo suddenly remembered an interesting idea he saw in his previous life - if Zhu Di sealed his second son and third son overseas, would Ming Dynasty really start the era of global colonization?

To be honest, if this is really done, it is really possible, because in the traditional sense, dividing states and establishing a country can not only become the best reason for overseas colonization, but also become the direct driving force for the Ming Dynasty to rule Tianzhu, Luzon and other places.

The territory the princes conquered was their own vassal state. Can they do their best to promote the Ming Dynasty's colonial process?

These thoughts are a long story, but they are actually just the result of Jiang Xinghuo pondering for a few breaths.

Jiang Xinghuo suddenly asked: "Gao Yu, do you know Zhu Gaoxu?"

For a moment, the eyes of Zhu Gaoxu and Li Jinglong showed horror.

Could it be that Mr. Jiang has figured out their identities?

"I, it seems, maybe, I know each other, right?" Zhu Gaoxu stammered.

"It's good to know each other." Jiang Xinghuo nodded, "If you have a good relationship with him, if you fail to compete for the crown prince in the future, you can actually persuade him. With his status in the emperor's heart, he can't compete for the crown prince. Then lead the army to raise three The ruler sword traveled thousands of miles across the stone pond, destroying countless countries like Wang Xuance, and establishing a vassal state overseas is not an unfeasible method. It is better than failing to fight for the throne, wasting the rest of your life and wasting your bravery."

Zhu Gaoxu was stunned.

Obviously, he heard something deep in Jiang Xinghuo's words.

His heart beat violently, and the word flashed across his mind like lightning - overseas nation-building!

This idea suddenly appeared, which shocked Zhu Gaoxu, but he couldn't get rid of it. He quickly shook his head to get rid of this crazy idea.

Zhu Gaoxu thought to himself: "Bah, bah, bah, I want to be the emperor of the Ming Dynasty. Why should I go overseas to become the emperor? Why do you think I can't win the throne?"

Jiang Xinghuo didn't know the other party's inner reaction, so he just continued.

"Overseas colonization was the first step for the Ming Dynasty to move towards the right track of history, and this first step was destined to be extremely difficult. Combined with the actual national conditions of the Ming Dynasty, the establishment of separate states was a relatively reliable measure that could promote overseas colonization."

"Either the old vassal kings will do this, or the new vassal kings will do it. In short, it cannot be separated from the relationship between the vassal kings, otherwise the Ming Dynasty will not have any motivation to support it."

"After all, the vassal kings went overseas to establish their country. On the one hand, it reduced the internal conflicts of the Ming Dynasty and the emperor's suspicion. On the other hand, it helped to expand the influence of the Ming Dynasty without worrying about any major damage to the Ming Dynasty. It can be said that The pros outweigh the cons.”

After hearing these words, Zhu Gaoxu somewhat agreed.

If you want to achieve overseas colonization, establishing a vassal state overseas is indeed the best way.

Otherwise, it would be impossible for the Ming court to agree to private overseas colonization, and if it was led by someone other than the Zhu family, the court would not be able to rest assured.

When the vassal king went overseas to establish his country, the Ming court could shed its burdens and expand the territory of the Ming Dynasty, getting the best of both worlds.

"I said before that the reason why the Ming Dynasty's military ministers and nobles will be completely defeated by the civil servants and gentry in the future is because the Ming Dynasty cannot repeat the founding of the country and Jingnan, but it must repeat the imperial examination every three years."

Jiang Xinghuo narrowed his eyes slightly and said.

"At that time, I actually had the next sentence I didn't say."

The two looked at him.

"The true direction of Ming Dynasty's maintenance of martial arts lies not in the land, but in the sea."