The Ming Dynasty did not revolutionize

Chapter 330 Technology Explosion

Wabacsi wanted to travel overland from India to St. Petersburg and Istanbul, and also test the attitudes of Russia and the Ottoman Empire in an unofficial capacity.

There is no way to accurately control the time spent.

Wabacsi was gone for several months. During this time, Wang Gui, the head of the Ming Dynasty's Western Factory, ran from Mumbai to Delhi and collected various kinds of "evidence".

These included official documents from the Shun court, laws and decrees approved for use by the Shun emperor, and even several imperial edicts issued by the Shun emperor.

The headings and signatures of these documents are all in the name of the dynasty department or even the emperor.

Wang Gui also found an opportunity to take pictures of the Shun Emperor's palace in a suitable place and confirmed that the tiles used were all bright yellow.

The people in Shun Kingdom have always regarded themselves as emperors, and similar evidence of crimes is everywhere.

Wang Gui stayed in India for three months and felt that he had obtained enough information to prove that the case of Ming Shun Wang's rebellion was ironclad.

So Wang Gui sold all the goods he brought with him in mid-December of the 15th year of Tiangong and set off to return to Shuntian Prefecture, the capital of the Ming Dynasty.

At almost the same time, a large number of generals and soldiers who participated in the European war also returned to Shuntian Prefecture.

After more than a year of rectification, the situation in western Europe gradually stabilized, and the main forces of officers and soldiers who had fought for several consecutive years from America to Europe began to withdraw to their homeland.

At the same time, Zhu Jianxuan's dozen or so sons, who had been in Europe for more than a year, also rushed back to Shuntian Prefecture before the end of this year.

Only the sixteenth son, Zhu Jingjian, remained in Hadlen because he became the King of Hanover.

After the princes returned to Shuntian Prefecture, they rested for a night, then quickly bathed, changed clothes, and went into the palace to report what they had seen and heard to their emperor father.

When the princes visited Europe, they would write reports and send them back from time to time.

This time when I came back, I had to write a summary report to explain their findings and the thoughts and discussions that resulted from this trip.

The fifteen princes stood in two rows, saluted Zhu Jianxuan who was sitting behind the imperial desk, and then handed in their reports together.

Zhu Jianxuan's guards took the reports and after an on-site inspection found no problems, they handed them to Zhu Jianxuan.

Zhu Jianxuan did not let his sons leave either. He asked them to stand in front and wait while he read their reports on the spot.

It’s like a teacher reviewing students’ essays on the spot.

Zhu Jianxuan started from the youngest and found that these children had written a lot.

This should be because the social reality in Europe was very different from that in the Ming Dynasty, so after they arrived in Europe in person, they naturally felt many unexpected and strange things.

The majority of the content focuses on directly observed surface phenomena, some of which attempt to summarize the laws underlying them, and very few provide analysis at the social and economic levels.

Zhu Jianxuan flipped to the end and saw the report of the eldest prince Zhu Jingkun. He compared the history of Shenzhou since ancient times and sorted out the history and reality of Europe.

On this basis, Zhu Jingkun believes that war has a strong promoting effect on technological innovation.

After the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in classical Europe, the barbarians who invaded Rome established countries such as France, Germany, and Spain, which were similar in nature to the Five Barbarians and Sixteen Kingdoms of Shenzhou.

However, the social status, social system and cultural etiquette level of these barbarian countries are closer to those of the Shang and Zhou dynasties in Shenzhou.

This was because the Roman population was too small and they did not provide sufficient education to the surrounding barbarians.

After the barbarian invasion destroyed the Western Roman Empire, the Romans had no way to rely on their large population base and local control to be reborn in the barbarian-ruled countries like the Han gentry in the Northern Dynasties did.

After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the level of civilization, education, and handicraft technology in western Europe experienced a comprehensive regression.

It was not until the Tang and Song dynasties of Shenzhou that the western European countries outside the Eastern Roman Empire experienced new developments and barely approached the Warring States period of Shenzhou.

The production capacity of the barbarian countries in Europe at that time was generally at least a thousand years behind that of Shenzhou.

However, after the Mongol invasion of the West and the collapse of the Arab Empire, the level of European handicrafts, especially the level of military weapons technology, began to rise explosively.

In the hundreds of years after the Song Dynasty, they gradually made up for the one thousand year gap between them and Shenzhou, and even surpassed Shenzhou in some places.

During the Song and Yuan dynasties, Europeans obtained the papermaking technology from China through Arab merchants.

During the Hongwu period of the Ming Dynasty, the first paper mill was established in Germany. During the Hongzhi period, paper mills were established in Britain, Austria and Poland.

It was not until the Mongol invasion of the West that Europeans learned to use gunpowder.

But by the Jiajing period, European artillery had its own unique features, so much so that the Ming court even copied them for use.

In comparison, before the Chongzhen period, the speed of various technological upgrades in Shenzhou was closer to linear growth.

Europe's technological upgrades experienced explosive growth after the Song Dynasty.

Zhu Jingjian believes that this is because Europe has been in a state of war among princes for a long time, and the monarchs of various countries have a very high demand for new technologies that can improve combat efficiency.

Moreover, multiple vassal states may choose different technical routes and make feasibility attempts in multiple different directions.

Once one vassal state achieved success, others quickly followed.

There was only the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period in the native land of Shenzhou, and then a very short period of accelerated iteration during the period of chaos and fighting among the feudal lords at the end of the dynasty.

For example, during the Song, Liao, Jin and Mongolian periods, China's military equipment developed rapidly and gunpowder weapons became practical.

But after the establishment of a new dynasty, the king and his court officials tended to put their weapons into storage, let their horses go to the mountains, and enjoy peace, and the upgrading of military technology naturally stopped.

The upgrading of Shenzhou's native firearms technology basically stagnated after the Yongle Dynasty.

As the country that invented gunpowder, China began to import Rumi guns and imitate the French cannon after the mid-Ming Dynasty.

It was not until the Chongzhen period that the Ming Emperor began to take the initiative to independently guide technological upgrades, and China only then achieved a technological iteration speed close to that of Europe.

Zhu Jianxuan looked at the contents. Most of them were nothing new. They were all things he had learned about or even discussed in his previous life.

However, the words used by Zhu Jingkun always made Zhu Jianxuan feel a little strange yet familiar.

Is European technology growing explosively? Is Shenzhou growing linearly?
The emperor of the Shenzhou Empire was autocratic and the Shenzhou dynasty changed many times. The population fluctuated greatly in the last years of the dynasty.

The development of science and technology after the Qin Dynasty is indeed close to a linear trajectory.

As for Europe, after the collapse of the Arab Empire and the Mongol invasion of the West, Europeans acquired the technology and knowledge of many civilizations including Arabia, China, Mongolia, and Persia.

Apart from the New World, the entire civilizational experience of the Old World converged around the Mediterranean.

Under this overwhelming impact of multiculturalism, the Renaissance began first in southern Europe, and the level of science and technology began to grow explosively.

It took Europe three to four hundred years to close the technological gap of nearly fifteen hundred years with Shenzhou.

Then it took another two hundred years for them to leave Shenzhou and all other civilizations far behind and begin to export their values ​​​​to the world.

After China suffered the impact of Western scientific and technological civilization in modern times, a technological explosion occurred after the country was reorganized.

In the end, it actually took less than eighty years to catch up with the technological level of Europe again.

As this information rolled around in Zhu Jianxuan's mind, a strange sense of déjà vu became stronger and stronger, but after that feeling entered his subconscious, he could no longer grasp it.

At the same time, Zhu Jianxuan looked at his eldest son Zhu Jingkun's analysis, and it seemed that he was not very satisfied with the unified empire. He seemed to think that the chaotic state of war among the European countries was more conducive to technological progress.

Zhu Jianxuan had been king for more than 20 years and emperor for more than 10 years. Zhu Jianxuan's expression had become very weak.

The saying goes that someone with high emotional intelligence does not show his emotions on his face, while the saying that someone with low emotional intelligence becomes more and more expressionless.

But now with two emotions brewing, Zhu Jianxuan frowned slightly.

The princes on the opposite side were all startled.

Although according to traditional etiquette, ministers should not look directly at the emperor's face when speaking to him.

However, most of the ministers tried their best to observe secretly and judge the emperor's mood through his expression, and then prepare for the response.

Zhu Jianxuan was marking his sons' "homework" on the spot. The princes were nervous and they all lowered their heads to steal glances at their emperor father.

At the beginning, it was the same as before, with almost no substantial expression on Dad's face.

But now he suddenly frowned visibly, and the princes immediately became nervous, wondering whose report their father was reading.

However, they didn't speculate for long, as Zhu Jianxuan spoke directly:

"Boss!"

Zhu Jingkun was stunned for a moment, then quickly replied:

"My son is here."

Zhu Jianxuan threw Zhu Jingkun's report on the imperial desk:
"From what I see in your report, does it mean that you want to go to Europe to be the king?"

Zhu Jingkun didn't react. He didn't know why his father asked this question, and he didn't know why his father was dissatisfied:

"Your son... Your son did not, Your son did not say that..."

Zhu Jianxuan continued:

"You said that the division and fighting among European countries is conducive to technological innovation and progress..."

Zhu Jingkun finally figured out what went wrong:

“What I want to express is that when the countries and people concerned are in a state of confusion and ignorance, when no one has any idea that scientific and technological progress can indirectly improve production efficiency and combat effectiveness, the state of chaos among the princes is indeed conducive to technological progress.

“Because the urgent situation of possible extinction at any time can force all countries to find any feasible methods to improve the combat effectiveness of the army as much as possible.

“This is actually using real needs to promote technological progress.

“But when we realize the role of technological progress, we no longer need to rely on the reverse driving force of ignorance.

"We can now take 'technological progress' itself as the goal of our efforts, without having to indirectly drive technological progress through the need to improve military combat effectiveness.

"Father, you have been doing this all these years, and the industrial technology level of the Ming Dynasty has also experienced a new round of explosive growth under your governance.

“Although the competitiveness of companies and laboratories under the unified management of the imperial court is insufficient, the economies of scale can be better utilized.

"The resources and manpower that Ming can invest in any industry are unmatched by any European country. Even if the unit efficiency is not high enough, it is enough to suppress the world."

Zhu Jianxuan was quite satisfied with this answer.

Before humans had the concept of "science and technology are productivity", it is true that the oppressive environment of warring warlords could promote technological progress.

That is the stage where one knows the result but not the reason.

However, once you have the corresponding concepts, you don’t need to worry about the situation of division and chaos, because you already “know the truth” and can directly face the principles rather than the appearances.

Precisely because we know the truth, we can also plan ways to promote progress.

So Zhu Jianxuan responded and reminded Zhu Jingkun a few more words:
“You still have some brains, but even at this stage, full competition is still useful and can promote technological progress.

"We already have an idea of ​​the role of technological progress, so we can promote competition in technological progress without going to war.

"At present, the main task of Daming Industry is to implement new industries, and what we are pursuing at this time is speed and scale.

“Now we can realize the most basic functions on a larger scale as quickly as possible without having to pay special attention to costs or user needs.

“If we allow competition at this stage, the actual construction efficiency will be low because of the disputes among multiple manufacturers.

“Once the goals of this stage are achieved, that is, after the initial comprehensive industrialization is completed, there will naturally be more pursuits.

“At that time, we can establish multiple government-run companies with overlapping businesses in the same industry, or multiple similar laboratory institutions.

"Using the market benefits of multiple companies and the scientific research results and benefits of each laboratory, we can rank them as advanced and backward, and give them corresponding rewards and supervision.

“Just like there should be competition among you brothers, so that you are all motivated to learn more and be willing to think more.

"Instead of just pretending to live a lazy life, waiting to inherit the throne or become a rich and idle king."

Zhu Jingkun suddenly realized that his father had really thought long-term and planned in advance what strategy to adopt and when.

At the same time, the competition among the princes mentioned by Zhu Jianxuan at the end also made Zhu Jingkun and his brothers feel complicated:
"I understand. I will follow your instructions."

Zhu Jianxuan nodded slightly in response this time, then stood up and looked these half-grown children up and down:

"My son, you are not stupid. Your performance is at least acceptable. But being acceptable is not enough. You need to continue to study and practice.

"Big brother, second brother, third brother, fourth brother, after the New Year, you four will be twenty years old, and you have learned almost everything that the teacher can teach directly.

"Next you can only go to the local level and actually participate in the management of affairs, so as to continue to exercise and improve your governing ability.

"So make good preparations during the Chinese New Year, say goodbye to your mother and explain the situation clearly, and be ready to leave after the Chinese New Year."

Zhu Jianxuan had already told his sons, and reminded them more than once, that after finishing their studies, these princes would have to work at the grassroots level for more than ten years.

Now it is finally about to officially begin, and everyone is feeling excited and nervous, confused and expectant.

These princes were not very opposed to this matter.

Although they knew that this kind of work must be very hard, they had never actually experienced it. They only briefly watched others work during a visit.

I don't have any sense of reality about the job itself, but I do have a bit of curiosity.

Now when they heard about the richness, they all bowed and ordered:
"My son, I obey."

Zhu Jianxuan nodded slightly to his sons again, and walked over to gently pat the shoulders of the four oldest brothers:

"Okay, go back and rest. Spend more time with your mother during the New Year. We will be separated for a long time in the future."

The princes bowed again and agreed, then carefully left Zhu Jianxuan's office.

(End of this chapter)