The prince looked at Li Zhen with interest and asked tentatively:
"Since you have become the number one scholar, you will most likely want to be an official in the future. If you become the governor of a state, do you think you are sure to make this state rich?"
"have."
"Then if you are asked to be the governor of Southeast Prefecture, are you sure?"
"have."
"Tell me, if you were the governor of Southeast Prefecture now, how would you govern Southeast Prefecture? Tell me the steps and let me listen."
The prince looked at Li Zhen curiously. He was really interested and wanted to see if this top scholar in science could broaden his mind and become a person who combines arts and science.
Just like the prince himself, he is also a science student, but he shoulders the great responsibility of inheriting Kyushu. In the future, we must govern the country. Xun Shifei himself also believed that science could also govern the country.
Li Zhen thought for a while and pointed out the shortcomings of Southeast Prefecture: "Southeast Prefecture is located in all parts of Kyushu and is an area with serious land desertification. So if I want to make Southeast Prefecture rich, the first step is nothing more than two hard indicators."
When the prince heard that Li Zhen actually had two hard targets, such a very purposeful answer, he couldn't wait: "Tell me quickly. Which two?"
"First, vigorously invest in the development of transportation. Within three years, official roads will be accessible in all directions, and faster transportation may be born. Secondly, vigorously develop coastal ports in southeastern states. These are two hard targets."
The prince frowned in confusion: "The first thing is, why develop transportation? Why not develop agriculture to generate income?"
"Due to the severe desertification of the land in Southeast Prefecture, roads are sometimes unavailable. Internal transportation can only be carried out by horse. Only in a few areas with official roads can horse-drawn carriages be allowed on the road. And backward transportation will hinder the development of this region. The progress of converting resource advantages into economic advantages. Once transportation is drastically improved and resource advantages are quickly converted into economic advantages, then transportation can realize the role of complementing the economy."
The prince's eyes lit up and he slapped his thigh suddenly: "Wonderful! Wonderful. Why didn't I think of this? I just thought that some areas were backward because of the limited development environment. But I didn't expect that the traffic It's great that there are such big hidden dangers in smooth traffic. Then tell me, why do we need to vigorously develop the port?"
Li Zhen said calmly:
"Ports and inland transportation are the same. Vigorously developing the ports of Southeast Prefecture will facilitate the efficiency of trade in various places. A large number of fleets traveling to the ports of Southeast Prefecture will bring a large amount of trade. With trade, there will be growth Local consumption value, production value. Under a virtuous cycle, developed water and land transportation will attract more trade to pass through Southeast Prefecture. With more trade passing through Southeast Prefecture, even if a group of geese pass by and only pluck a hair, it only takes a short time. In just two or three years, the GDP of southeastern states will double. Therefore, if you want to be rich, build roads first."
The prince opened his mouth in shock and looked Li Zhen up and down again, until Li Zhen's face turned red and he remained silent.
I made a mistake, I really made a mistake this time!
Xun Shifei was extremely shocked. The world only said that science students cannot govern the country. But Xun Shifei, a science student, was the future successor of Kyushu. He believed that science students could govern the country.
Today was just a random whim, I wanted to take a test on Li Zhen, but I didn't expect to find a treasure. This little boy was full of witty words.
Wonderful!
This point of view, this entry point. Xun Shifei was extremely shocked.
"Prince?"
Li Zhen blushed and shouted.
Xun Shifei came to his senses and asked eagerly: "If this happens, won't the number of business people in Southeast Prefecture increase exponentially?"
"right."
"Then if everyone sees that they can make money by doing business, wouldn't it mean that agriculture is put aside and everyone goes to do business?"
"How can the prince think like this? There are more business people, so why have agriculture been put on hold? With more business people, the consumption power will also increase, and the overall GDP will also be higher. In fact, the burden on farmers is It’s lessened.”
"Why is it lessened?"
Li Zhen smiled: "Because my second step is to gradually break it into parts and replace fragmentation with production. When the region is rich, there will be more wealthy people in the region. This state will start from 'vigorously collecting Agricultural tax 'has been changed to 'strongly support agriculture'. Contract land to foreign countries and attract investors to invest in farmland and breeding industries on a large scale. Replace 'private and scattered' with large scale."
"what does it mean?"
"It's just the fields. You no longer eat the crops you grow. Instead, you have businessmen planting and breeding them on a large scale and then providing them for the market. Follow the route of a market economy, use capital to drive agriculture, and use the characteristics of businessmen who cannot afford to start early without profit. , let them see that agriculture has great potential. This is a market economy route."
"What's the benefit of doing this?"
"There are too many benefits. Businessmen's pursuit of profit, combined with the scientific concept of development, will greatly increase output. Not only that, but also reduce the input generated when the state collects agricultural taxes. If there were 10,000 farmers in a county before, of crops, then when levying agricultural taxes, a hundred people will be invested. But if the crops are broken into parts, then only one person is needed to collect agricultural taxes for the same large crops. This is the cost reduction when levying agricultural taxes."
Xun Shifei took a breath: "Is there any cost to collect taxes?"
"Of course there is a cost. The government has to send people, and manpower is a cost. It has to count every household and everyone's situation. This is another cost..."
"I...I didn't expect that there would be costs for collecting taxes. It turns out that's the case. But, as you said, if agriculture becomes more productive and industrialized, what will happen to those farmers who face the loess and turn their backs to the sky? They are gone. Survival skills, I can’t survive.”
Li Zhen shook his head in denial: "No, because by that time, the wealth of the southeastern states will exceed that of all states. And the southeastern states will use a small part of the tax revenue to feed back the farmers, and the farmers in the southeastern states will enjoy the special rights and interests of the state's household registration. Then It is the subsistence allowance. By that time, the southeast state will be able to support all the farmers and give money to the old and homeless farmers every month to help them live. This will transform the state from 'farmers supporting the country' to 'the state supports farmers'. And the elderly farmers After receiving voluntary support from the southeastern states, young and strong farmers will turn to other industries.
Another batch of manpower has been invested in other industries, which has led to the vigorous development of other industries. This is a virtuous cycle. "
Xun Shifei pondered for a moment: "It won't work. Your method won't work. Yield-based planting is simple, but it still requires a lot of manpower to plant. That's what you said about inviting farmers. If you invest too much manpower, it will The interests of businessmen are squeezed and the profits are thin, so what businessman would contract the land?"
"Hasn't the prince imagined that one day in the future, people will no longer be needed to farm the land?"
Xun Shifei's eyes widened in shock: "What? How is this possible? You don't need people to farm the land? What do you need?"
"Mechanized production."
"Mechanization... Where can I find that kind of machinery?"
"There will be."
Li Zhen smiled proudly.
Xun Shifei looked at Li Zhen in surprise: "You... can you invent that kind of machine?"
Li Zhen smiled lightly and said: "Within five years, that kind of thing will definitely come out."
"What exactly?"
"One of the infinite evolutions of the steam engine. If you give me time, the internal combustion engine can even appear. It can replace cattle, it can replace people, and only one person is needed to complete the work of ten people."
"Steam engine!" The prince suddenly exclaimed: "Is this a thing recorded in ancient books? Can you restore such a magical thing?"
"If conditions permit."
Li Zhen's heart beat uneasily. Under my leadership, the steam era will definitely come early!
The prince became serious and stopped talking too much on this topic. He already knew in his heart that he underestimated Li Zhen's situation...
Li Zhen's pattern is to change an era.
Rather than simply being the king in one subject. He doesn't need anyone to compete with him academically, and he doesn't need to gain any false reputation. His pattern is to change an era.
"It's late at night, go to sleep."
The prince did not say any words of encouragement or ask questions about the steam engine. He left quietly with his hands behind his back.
After talking at night, the prince had a plan in mind.
What exam? What kind of knowledge competition? It's all just clouds.
"Xiaolian."
"What's wrong, Prince?"
"Tomorrow morning, we will send Li Zhen and others to Beijing."
"Ah? Isn't it a competition of knowledge?"
"No more competition. I've already lost."
The prince sighed, but there was no trace of failure or frustration in his eyes, only excitement and ecstasy.
As the heir of an empire, there is nothing more ecstatic than discovering a talent that changes the era. So what if you gain a false reputation? He has proved that he is not Li Zhen's opponent, or Li Zhen is not his opponent, so what
The lifeblood of the empire!
"The enthusiasm of the people is so high. Now we can't compare. Aren't rumors spreading everywhere?"
Xun Shifei sneered: "Rumors and public opinion, what do they matter?"
“…”
Li Zhen was also very excited. When he and the prince talked about agriculture, he planned to tell the prince about his steam engine plan. He just wanted to plant a seed in the prince's heart, which would take root and sprout in his heart with the advent of the steam engine.
For the emperor, what is more exciting than mechanized production, efficient production, and the complete solution to the problem of food and clothing for the whole people
Is this the end of the steam engine? No. The steam engine is just the beginning, the future is too long, and Li Zhen needs the lifeblood of the empire—money and power.
The night passed.
That night, I did not dream of Zhang Zhi.
(End of chapter)