Ming Dynasty: Ask Zhu Yuanzhang to abdicate at the beginning

Chapter 438 The New Policy Begins, and the Rich Businessmen Go Crazy!
Of course, the pace of environmental governance will not stop in Nanjing alone, but will sweep across the whole country like a spring breeze.

With the construction of cement roads, transportation conditions have been significantly improved, and the once rugged and muddy paths have been replaced by smooth highways.

At the same time, coal mining was in full swing across the country, and huge amounts of black gold were continuously transported to all parts of the country, providing ample fuel for people's livelihood and industry.

Zhu Yunwen had already made up his mind to promote the use of honeycomb briquettes nationwide.

This technology originates from mature experience from the previous generation, has a simple manufacturing process, and is easy to promote.

If honeycomb briquettes can be made available to every household, people's daily needs for cooking and heating can be effectively met.

Cutting down trees for firewood would make the situation less urgent, or at least greatly alleviate it.

The amount of timber needed for construction has decreased significantly due to the widespread use of reinforced concrete.

Moreover, Zhu Yunwen also planned to issue an edict to launch a massive tree-planting campaign across the country.

Indeed, if left to evolve naturally, trees can quietly grow in uninhabited wilderness and gradually become lush and verdant.

However, this natural gift is too slow, far less rapid and efficient than artificial cultivation.

Large-scale afforestation can significantly improve the ecological environment in a short period of time, making mountains and rivers radiate vitality.

As for those fields that have become increasingly barren due to thousands of years of farming, the problem of soil fertility loss cannot be solved overnight.

The only fundamental solution is to use chemical fertilizers.

Today, the science and technology of the Ming Dynasty are making steady progress. Although there is still a long way to go before we can achieve the high-efficiency industrial fertilizers of later generations, Zhu Yunwen is not discouraged.

Firstly, it's just a matter of time.

Secondly, he vaguely remembered that on some remote islands in the Pacific Ocean, there were piles of bird droppings tens or even hundreds of meters thick.

This is the accumulation of millions of years, with an astonishing reserve of tens of millions of tons.

If these natural treasures could be found and brought back to the Ming Dynasty, it might be a viable way to improve soil fertility.

Historically, there was a period known as the "Age of Dung."

They even had a fierce "guano war" over the competition for guano resources.

Europeans could transport bird droppings from across the Pacific back to Europe, so could the Ming Dynasty.

Not to mention, the Ming Dynasty was closer to those guano islands than Europe was by sea.

Therefore, before the advent of industrial fertilizers, using bird droppings, the best natural fertilizer, to nourish this land was by no means a pipe dream.

This might be a generous gift to the Ming Dynasty, allowing those weathered fields to regain their abundant vitality.

However, there is no need to rush to reveal this idea to the ministers of state at the moment.

Zhu Yunwen implemented environmental protection policies, increased coal mining and transportation, and promoted the use of honeycomb briquettes. These measures were uncontroversial to several ministers.

Compared to other government affairs, this is just a routine matter.

Even though it has profound implications for improving people's lives, it is insignificant on the chessboard of court politics.

The ministers were not ignorant.

They are well aware of the deteriorating environment and the extensive destruction of forests, and they understand the necessity of afforestation, but for a long time they have been at a loss as to what to do.

The conflict between people and land, like a knot that has stretched across China for thousands of years, has long been deeply ingrained in the fate of this land, triggering countless cycles of the rise and fall of dynasties.

The far-sighted ministers saw this clearly.

However, without scientific and technological innovation, no one can come up with a practical solution and can only choose to turn a blind eye and remain silent.

Now, Zhu Yunwen is trying to break this thousand-year-old deadlock with new technologies and ideas, and everyone is happy to support him.

Even Wang Zuo, who was very resistant to the new policies, had no objections.

The imperial council meeting thus came to an end.

Immediately after the meeting, Zhu Yunwen issued an imperial edict announcing the formal implementation of the new policies.

"By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees:"

"I have been appointed by Heaven to rule over all nations. I am deeply concerned about the suffering of the people and wish to reform old practices and create a new era to consolidate the foundation of my Great Ming Dynasty for ten thousand years."

"Upon examination, the tax system is riddled with problems. The poll tax and poll tax are harsh and oppressive to the common people. Even those without land suffer. This is not the way of benevolent governance."

"Now a new policy is hereby promulgated to implement the 'land tax reform,' which means that all taxes will be returned to the land and that no more poll tax or poll silver will be levied."

"Those who have no land are exempt from taxes."

"Those who own land shall be taxed per mu, and the tax shall be levied according to their class. Those who own more land shall pay a heavier tax per mu, and those who own less land shall pay a lighter tax per mu. This shall be done to curb the land grabbing by powerful families, protect the livelihood of ordinary people, ensure that farmers have their own land, and bring peace and prosperity to the country."

"Furthermore, considering the flourishing industry and commerce of the Ming Dynasty, the opportunity to enrich the country and strengthen the people has arrived."

"I have decided to open a stock market, where landowners across the land can exchange their land for company stock and enjoy the benefits of industrial revitalization, thus avoiding the burden of high taxes and opening up a new path to wealth."

"The court will grant permission to all those who wish to invest, and will strive to ensure that land transfer is orderly, industry and commerce develop in tandem, and together create a prosperous era."

“Reflecting on the system of the lowest social class, it has long caused hardship for the people, disgraced human relations, and hindered their livelihood.”

"Now all of these are abolished. From now on, the lowly and the common people are equal, with no distinction between noble and lowly. People can freely choose any profession without any restrictions."

"Let people voluntarily come to the city to work, promote industry and commerce, revitalize the economy, so that everyone has a place to stand, and the country's strength will increase."

"Furthermore, the old system of yamen runners has become increasingly corrupt and has greatly disturbed the people."

"Now they will be fully incorporated into the official management system, strictly restrained, and made to act in accordance with the laws and regulations of the imperial court."

"All levels of government must establish a national treasury with the Great Ming Bank, with clear separation of income and expenditure. All expenditures and incomes must be recorded in the books, and the integrity of the records must be verifiable, so as to prevent corruption."

"The imperial court further promotes education, repairs water conservancy projects, builds farmland, and plants trees to ensure that the people have access to education, that the land is fertile, that there is no worry about drought or flood, and that the forests are lush, so that future generations may benefit from it."

"All that follows is a long-term plan for enriching the people and strengthening the nation. All officials shall obey this decree and proclaim it to the world. Do not neglect or disobey. So be it!"

The moment the imperial edict was issued, the whole country trembled.

Previously, everyone thought that the imperial court had summoned the nation's great scholars to the capital to discuss important matters concerning new learning and new policies, and that the implementation of the new policies would only begin after this discussion.

Some who secretly opposed the new policies even harbored a glimmer of hope that the court might reach a different conclusion after a public debate, and that the new policies might not be able to be implemented smoothly.

However, no one expected that before the imagined fierce debate between the new learning and the new policies could even begin, the emperor swiftly issued an imperial edict announcing the immediate implementation of the new policies.

However, to the secret relief of many landlords and gentry, the new policy did not take the brutal approach of directly confiscating their land as they had feared.

It's important to know that the rumors circulating among the public before were incredibly varied and frightening.

Many busybodies, with a penchant for creating chaos, have embellished the rumors, making them even more sensational.

Some say that the imperial court will nationalize all the land owned by landlords across the country and then redistribute it.

Some say that even the landlord's mansion and accumulated silver should be redistributed.

Some even claimed that the beautiful maids of landlords should be confiscated and distributed to the poor people in order to realize the so-called "universal" ambition!

These rumors spread like wildfire, becoming a hot topic.

The uproar kept countless landlords and gentry awake at night, living in constant fear. Fortunately, the imperial edict that His Majesty finally issued was not as extreme as the rumors had suggested.

The core of the new policy was simply to implement the "land tax reform" and levy taxes based on the amount of land owned.

Although this still greatly affected their vital interests, it was much milder compared to the previous horrifying "remote transmissions".

Most surprisingly, His Majesty also issued a special decree to establish a "stock market," encouraging landowners to contribute their land as shares in order to seek new opportunities.

As for what exactly this "stock market" was, most of the local gentry and landlords had no idea and looked completely bewildered.

However, the Da Ming Daily spared no effort in publishing articles every day, painstakingly popularizing science among them.

Newspapers confidently asserted that the stock market was an inevitable trend for gathering global wealth, and they painted a rosy picture of how well-managed and highly profitable the companies that invested in it were.

In short, the newspapers confidently proclaimed that the returns from the stock market far exceeded those from land, enough to make investors rich overnight.

These words of praise are not without reason.

According to reliable sources, the companies about to go public include at least a newly established joint-stock bank, a large-scale department store, and numerous manufacturing workshops and a fleet of merchant ships embarking on long voyages.

The court's move was clearly intended to use concrete results to support its propaganda efforts, and to reshape the world order through this new policy.

Although the landlords and gentry were still skeptical, the imperial edict's authority and the newspaper's praises made them waver and become more hopeful.

Since its establishment, Daming Bank has been around for many years. Landlords and gentry are no strangers to it and are well aware of the astonishing wealth contained in this behemoth.

The mere thought of being able to buy bank stock and become one of its shareholders was enough to excite these gentry and wealthy families, who flocked to it, eager to get a share of the profits immediately.

As for Daming Department Store, it needs no further introduction; its reputation is already well-known.

It was a sure-fire, highly profitable business. The goods were plentiful, the store was always bustling with customers, and money was rolling in, making it the envy of many.

As for the goods produced by those factories, they also have no worries about sales and are in short supply.

Many of the landlords and gentry were well-versed in business, and had long harbored endless greed and envy after witnessing firsthand the booming sales of goods in department stores.

Through various channels, they inquired around and learned that the cost of these goods was astonishingly low, while the profits were enviably high.

Although these reports may not be entirely accurate, they are enough to ignite a burning desire in their hearts, giving rise to envy, jealousy, and hatred.

Meanwhile, under Zhu Yunwen's careful planning, the Intelligence Bureau quietly took on the important task of spreading information.

They spread rumors everywhere, vividly proclaiming how the stock market could generate huge profits and how buying stocks would bring astonishing windfall gains.

The propaganda offensive of the Daming Daily never stopped, touting the alluring prospects of the stock market day after day.

However, there are always some people who prefer the mystery and excitement of "rumors" and scoff at official articles.

Zhu Yunwen, well aware of people's hearts, decided to cater to their desires and ordered the intelligence bureau to make these rumors more vivid and credible, just right to stir up the restless hearts of the gentry and wealthy merchants.

Moreover, a single stock is worth a fortune, which is beyond the reach of the poor; it is a wealth feast exclusively for "gentry and wealthy merchants".

It is said that this is also His Majesty's "compensation" to the gentry!
Amid this escalating hype, local gentry and wealthy merchants were all eager to try their luck, hoping to capitalize on the upcoming opportunity and buy up large quantities of the legendary "stocks."

The anticipation burned like a raging fire in their hearts, accumulating day by day until it finally reached its climax.

The Jinling Stock Exchange was solemnly inaugurated, marking the official listing of the first batch of joint-stock companies in the Ming Dynasty.

On that day, the air was filled with the sounds of gongs and drums, and the crowds were bustling. The list of companies making their debut on stage was dazzling.

Daming Department Store Group, Daming Import and Export Trading Company, Daming Development Bank, Jinling New Medicine Company, Jinling Jewelry Company, Commercial Publishing and Printing Company, Daming Agricultural Technology Company, Daming Construction Group, Daming Grain Group, Daming Road Group, Jinling Urban Investment Company, New Impression Real Estate Group, Daming Industrial Group, Shencheng Shipbuilding Group, Daming Steam Engine Company, Daming Military Industry Group, Daming Investment Group, Daming Insurance Group, Daming Environmental Protection Group...

This string of names shines as brightly as the stars!

These companies were all personally selected by Zhu Yunwen.

What is the purpose of going public?
Naturally, this is to raise funds.

To put it bluntly, the goal was to "pocket" the wealth of the gentry and landlords, and use it to establish factories, create enterprises, and set up companies, thereby promoting the vigorous development of the Ming Dynasty's national economy.

The essence of going public is to make money.

For every area that requires funding for development, a corresponding company is established to raise capital.

Some of these companies have already amassed considerable wealth and profits.

For example, Jinling Jewelry Company had already amassed a fortune by selling jadeite treasures, antiques, and calligraphy and paintings.

However, in Zhu Yunwen's eyes, this was far from enough.

He was ambitious and determined to expand this business of exploiting the rich to major cities across the country, spreading it far and wide.

To realize this grand undertaking, raising funds is of paramount importance.

As for the money earned by the company, it can be collected into the national treasury and used for other purposes.

Other companies are still in their infancy, having been established for a short time and yet to generate profits.

To put it bluntly, it's just an empty shell, a bluff.

The plan is to wait until the IPO raises enough funds before gradually expanding and growing stronger.

However, none of this matters.

The essence of the stock market has never been about current profits and losses, but about whether it can weave a captivating story that entices investors to open their wallets.

Zhu Yunwen was well-versed in this matter and had already planned ahead.

On the day of its listing, the city of Nanjing was packed with people, creating a lively and bustling atmosphere.

The area in front of the stock exchange was packed with people, so crowded that it was impossible to move. Not to mention buying stocks, even a ticket to enter the exchange building was being sold for more than ten taels of silver.

Even so, there is still no market for it despite its high price; buyers flock to it, but there is no way to acquire it.

Many more could only gather in the square outside the exchange to watch from afar and share in the aftershocks of this spectacle. Some couldn't even squeeze into the square and were forced to look on from the outside with envy.

On this day, Zhu Yunwen, as the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty, personally visited the Nanjing Stock Exchange and rang the opening bell.

The melodious and stirring sound of the bells echoed over Nanjing, heralding the arrival of a new era.

At that time, the world was far from the information society of later generations. Stocks were not just a string of numbers on a computer screen, but real paper certificates, carefully printed and still carrying the scent of ink.

To prevent any unforeseen circumstances, Zhu Yunwen secretly ordered Yao Guangxiao to arrange manpower and prepare funds in advance, in preparation for "market intervention" if necessary.

If no one pays attention, they will secretly manipulate things among their own people, transferring money from one hand to the other, and forcefully create this craze.

However, it turned out that his caution was unwarranted.

The moment those companies' stocks were listed, they were snapped up like wildfire.

The exchange was bustling with activity, silver notes were flying everywhere, and wealthy merchants were scrambling to get in, afraid of falling behind.

The scene was far more spectacular than Zhu Yunwen had anticipated.

……

(End of this chapter)