Chapter 466: The Mohist School's First Step Out
The two princes arrived at the Earl's Mansion and everything seemed the same as usual.
"Your Highness, why are your faces swollen?"
Everyone saw the scars on the two men's faces, but only Sun Chonglou, a fool, asked without restraint.
Prince Yu laughed dryly, "I bumped into him."
King Jing said, "It was scratched by a cat."
Sun Chonglou glanced at Duoduo on Jiang Qingzhi's shoulder and made a grabbing gesture, "This is not right!"
"Okay, let's eat."
Jiang Qingzhi said.
Sun Chonglou muttered to himself, and his attention was immediately drawn to the delicious food.
Simple people live the happiest lives... Jiang Qingzhi glanced at Prince Yu and the other man, "I'll go outside the city later, you two can follow me and take a look."
After dinner, Jiang Qingzhi and others went to the land outside the city.
The place is big, but looks quite desolate.
“By then, the place will have to be surrounded by walls.” Jiang Qingzhi stretched out his hand and gestured, as if there were countless workshops and chimneys towering into the sky before him.
In this era, pollution is the only way to go.
When the air of the Ming Dynasty was filled with the smell of smoke and dust, Jiang Qingzhi felt that the whole world should tremble.
"Let's build the wall first."
Jiang Qingzhi said.
"Uncle, what are you going to do here?" asked Prince Yu.
"Mohism will move here in the future." Mohism's current stay in Bo's house is a temporary measure.
"Some people outside say that Mohism is a private school in Xin'an Lane." King Jing secretly reminded his uncle to be careful of public opinion.
"But this will cost a lot!" Prince Yu was poor and sensitive about money.
"Money is not a problem." Jiang Qingzhi has plenty of ways to make money, but craftsmen are a problem.
Before the opening of the Longqing era, the best craftsmen were in the Ministry of Industry, which was generally acknowledged. After the opening of the Longqing era, private workshops flourished and there were countless craftsmen.
This was the precursor to the Industrial Revolution. If the Ming Dynasty had been united and provided guidance from the court, the wave of industrialization would have been unstoppable.
What a pity!
Jiang Qingzhi sighed deeply.
On the way back to the city, Jiang Qingzhi turned and went to the Ministry of Industry.
"artisan?"
Minister of Industry Jiang Hua was stunned, and even wanted to reach out and touch Jiang Qingzhi's forehead, "Chang Wei Bo, the craftsmen in the Ministry of Industry are limited. Besides, you can't ask for craftsmen for anything... Have you drunk too much?"
The clerk next to him wanted to show his good will, so he reminded Jiang Qingzhi, "Chang Wei Bo, you don't know that those craftsmen are all good. If they are in the hands of private individuals and they make things that shouldn't be made... it's a taboo."
Throughout history, the primary goal of every invasion by the Man Qing was to plunder craftsmen, which was even more important than plundering money.
"I'm planning to set up a few workshops, but I'm short of craftsmen..."
Jiang Hua shook his head. "I am willing to help others, but I am afraid that the court will oppose it. So, if the court can approve it, I will not make it difficult for you."
"it is good."
This is exactly what Jiang Qingzhi wanted him to say.
Jiang Qingzhi then took the open road and submitted a memorial.
"You want a craftsman?"
Yan Song took the memorial and said, "Come to the East Tower and take a look."
Yan Shifan took the memorial and read it. "I heard that Jiang Qingzhi was planning to enclose the land outside the city. I said that he had made great contributions but did not know how to expand the Mohist School. It turns out that he was waiting here."
Yan Song said: "The work of craftsmen is taboo."
"Those people are just waiting for him to make a move. Now it's going to be a big event." Yan Shifan pondered for a long time, "Dad, the Mohist School is good at engineering. If Jiang Qingzhi wants to expand the influence of the Mohist School, he must create something that benefits the country and the people. Craftsmen...his disciples are still immature and not capable of taking on important tasks."
Yan Song raised his eyebrows, "The Mohists are good at construction, and the Ministry of Works is mainly responsible for construction. Jiang Qingzhi is trying to win over the Ministry of Works for his own use!"
"No, he wants to have both!" Yan Shifan said, "He is too greedy."
Jiang Qingzhi's memorial immediately sparked debate within the court.
……
Since Jiang Qingzhi returned to Beijing, the capital's scholars have been depressed for a long time.
"Someone held a poetry gathering the day before yesterday, but everyone was in low spirits. Someone mentioned Jiang Qingzhi by chance, saying that his return had made people lose interest in writing poetry."
Yang Qing held the chess manual in his hand and said in a teasing tone: "Jiang Qingzhi is not Li Bai, nor is he Su Dongpo. He can make the scholars in the capital lose interest in writing poetry. If he continues like this, I'm afraid they will be terrified at the mere mention of a tiger."
Han Yu fanned himself with his folding fan and felt hot. "Poetry and lyrics are just a hobby. Only those people take them seriously. The most important thing right now is the Ministry of Industry!"
Yang Qing nodded, "Jiang Qingzhi returned with great power, and many people were waiting for the Mohist School to take action. Now he has indeed taken action. The piece of land outside the capital has been vacant, and Jiang Qingzhi did not take action. Some people said that he was afraid of our Confucian School, but this is biased..."
"The Mohists are good at construction. Jiang Qingzhi only has a few people around him. The Mohist disciples have not yet learned and are not useful. But if we wait until they have learned, I'm afraid it will be too late." Han Yu said: "Craftsmen are his lifeblood. If he dares to ask for craftsmen before going south, the court officials will be able to drown him with a spit."
"Recovering Yunnan, defeating the Burmese rebels, and capturing the rebel king alive, only with these two achievements in hand did Jiang Qingzhi dare to speak. What did they say?" Yang Qing placed a move.
"Those people have gathered quite a lot in the past two days, and have discussed for a long time, and have reached a conclusion." Han Yu mentioned those people with a hint of sarcasm in his eyes, "They say it takes ten years to grow a tree, and a hundred years to cultivate a person. If Jiang Qingzhi wants to wait for his Mohist disciples to become talented, he will have to wait a long time. Therefore, the land outside the city is the place he values most.
That is the first step of the Mohist expansion. We must stop him! Not only must we stop him, but we must also give Jiang Qingzhi a blow on the head and send him back to Xin'an Lane."
"Do they have any tricks?" Yang Qing held the chess manual in his hand. "How can they stop Jiang Qingzhi from using his achievements to speak?"
"They found the counselor who served under King Ning back then and asked him some interesting questions..."
Yang Qing exclaimed, "Is this... accusing Jiang Qingzhi of treason?"
"No, saying that Jiang Qingzhi is plotting a rebellion will only make people laugh. The old King Ning once asked for craftsmen." Han Yu's eyes were full of smiles and pride, "The court also agreed. The strategist confirmed this." Yang Qing's eyes were full of smiles, "Those people are really..." He placed a piece, looked at the chessboard carefully, and praised: "This is a great move!"
……
"The voices of opposition in the court are growing louder and louder. Qingzhi, my brother has some craftsmen, you can take them and use them." The old dandy was very righteous.
"Is your family workshop closed?" Jiang Qingzhi asked.
"Your business is more important. Besides, do I need that little money, brother?" The old dude really didn't need money.
"It's not necessary." Jiang Qingzhi said lightly.
"After you went south, those people seemed to be dormant, but they were actually gathering strength. After you returned to the capital, you silenced the scholars in the capital for a long time. Those people didn't even dare to hold a poetry meeting. Some people said that this matter would become a laughing stock for future generations. They would rather become a laughing stock for future generations than take action, just waiting for an opportunity. This time, you asked for the craftsmen and gave them the opportunity to fight back."
Zhu Xizhong said, "I know you have a great idea in mind, but can't you wait? I have some connections, and I can get some craftsmen for you later."
"The Mohist school is in high spirits right now. It would be unlucky if we don't start construction now." Jiang Qingzhi said lightly, but Zhu Xizhong saw the sneer in his brows.
"Secondly, I really can't use those craftsmen of yours, Old Zhu."
"Those are all veterans." Zhu Xizhong felt that Jiang Qingzhi was a little too ambitious.
"Do you know what my workshop is going to do?" Jiang Qingzhi pointed to the sky. "My workshop is going to create something that will change the Ming Dynasty and the world. Most of the craftsmen with such skills are in the Ministry of Industry."
Almost all the masters who can forge weapons are in the Ministry of Industry.
"Changing the Ming Dynasty...you are quite arrogant." Zhu Xizhong said with a smile.
Jiang Qingzhi didn't laugh.
Xia Yan went out for a while and came back and said, "Those people swore to make you return empty-handed. Someone heard some news vaguely, saying that this time not only will you return empty-handed, but you will also be humiliated and forced to lie dormant."
"When a toad yawns, it has quite a big tone." Jiang Qingzhi's eyes were deep, "I'll have to wait and see."
There was a small court meeting on the third day.
"Chang Wei Bo said he would come." After returning to Beijing, Jiang Qingzhi said he wanted to rest for a while, so he has been very lazy recently and took a leave of absence from the last small court meeting.
"What does he want the craftsman for?" Emperor Jiajing frowned. "Go ask him. If it's an important matter, I'll give it to him privately."
It seems like you are using your private money to subsidize your children... Huang Jin smiled bitterly in his heart and then went to Xin'an Lane.
Jiang Qingzhi was bathing Duoduo, who was screaming. Sun Chonglou covered his ears and said, "Master, Duoduo is horny."
"Fuck you." Jiang Qingzhi picked up Duoduo and wiped its body with a towel.
Duoduo raised his paw, and Jiang Qingzhi snorted coldly and stared at it.
"Meow!" Duoduo turned around decisively and roared at Huang Jin who came in.
"Why is Old Huang here?" Jiang Qingzhi said with a cold face.
Last time, Huang Jin brought his men into the Jiang family’s kitchen in a threatening manner, confiscated all the bacon, and threatened to come again next time.
Jiang Qingzhi was planning to go to the palace to plunder someday, first digging up some flowers and trees, then getting some high-quality food, such as bear paws, tiger bones, and other things...
Damn, that thing is wild, and if it is used to make wine, it will make many people in the future jealous.
"Your Majesty asked, are those craftsmen being used properly?"
"nature."
"If you use it for the right purpose, the palace can give you some."
Huang Jin's eyes were filled with undisguised envy. "Those craftsmen all have secret skills. In the past, we couldn't even lend them to anyone, let alone give them away as gifts."
Jiang Qingzhi put Duoduo down and said, "Your Majesty, the Mo family should take what they want!"
Huang Jin was surprised, and then said angrily: "Your Majesty has good intentions, but Lord Wei you..."
But when the Taoist got the report, he just laughed it off and said, "This idiot is really arrogant. I will wait and see."
On the third day, Jiang Qingzhi entered the court.
The small court meeting was over, but the Taoist priest did not speak and the ministers were not in a hurry.
They are all waiting.
Jiang Qingzhi came out and said, "Your Majesty, I am planning to build a few workshops, but I am short of craftsmen. I would like to ask Your Majesty to allow me to borrow a group from the Ministry of Works."
The words were calm, but they felt like a boulder dropped into a pond.
With a plop, it exploded.
"Your Majesty." The person who came out was Lan Zhen, the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works.
The Ministry of Industry has turned against us... Cui Yuan looked at Jiang Qingzhi with sympathy. Although they were comrades-in-arms at the moment, it was absolutely impossible to ask him to help.
Lan Zhen said: "The craftsmen in the Ministry of Industry have mastered the secret techniques of forging weapons, which have never been shown to others. The important craftsmen have worked in the Ministry of Industry for generations. Long Wei Bo Menglang."
Jiang Hua's control over the Ministry of Industry is not very good!
Jiang Qingzhi said calmly, "You mean, I took the craftsman to plan a rebellion?"
"Chang Wei Bo is planning a rebellion... I don't think it's possible." Lan Zhen said, but then he revealed his true intentions. "Back then, the old King Ning asked the court for craftsmen, but the ministers opposed to no avail. Later, those craftsmen became the weapons of King Ning's rebellion, making weapons and warships for him..."
Just because you, Jiang Qingzhi, did not commit treason, does not mean that your descendants will not commit treason.
You may be ambitious, but you have too many enemies, so you can only endure it. The old King Ning was the same in the past. You can only know a person's face but not his heart. Who knows if you, Jiang Qingzhi, also have such ambitions?
Someone said sinisterly: "Who dared to say that the old King Ning had rebellious intentions? You can only judge a person by his appearance, not his heart!"
Damn it!
Zhu Xizhong didn't expect these people to bring up the old story of the old King Ning. "It's just empty talk without any evidence."
Lan Zhen smiled and said, "Back then, one of King Ning's advisers escaped capture. Unfortunately, he was found a while ago."
Hey!
Zhu Xizhong glanced at Jiang Qingzhi and signaled him to retreat for the time being.
(End of this chapter)
