Controlling mountains and rivers since the Warring States Period

Chapter 604 Everything from Government to Private Enterprises
The state-run monopoly of the Han Dynasty
As for now, much of it has been abandoned.

Investigate its fundamentals,

After Emperor Wu established these rules, the powerful court inevitably saw phenomena such as "abusing power to bully others, forcing purchases and sales, and selling inferior goods as superior ones."

Without corresponding regulations, even the powerful will find ways to exploit loopholes to plunder the people and gain personal profit.
Moreover, there was a clear decree establishing a "salt and iron monopoly."

In addition to the reigns of Emperor Mingzhang and Emperor Jin,
The emperor died young, and the young empress dowager ruled as regent. Powerful relatives and eunuchs emerged one after another, and the government could not maintain its stability for long.

This directly led to suppression at the beginning of the dynasty. During the reign of Emperor Ming, he had to endure the "land survey" order, which made the emperor aware of just how powerful his family was. He took advantage of this opportunity to grow stronger.

This was one of the main reasons why Emperor He changed the monopoly to the collection of taxes during his reign.

However, as essential commodities for the people's livelihood, such as salt and iron, came into the control of local powerful families,

And every few years, breakthroughs in technology occur due to the accumulated wisdom of the people through labor.
This made it even more difficult for the products made by the government-run workshops to compete with those privately-run workshops run by aristocratic families.

Supporting so many craftsmen

Making so many objects,
In the end, they couldn't sell them.

Isn't this a losing proposition?

Previous emperors had a far-sighted vision and possessed some understanding of the profound concept of controlling "production resources."
Therefore, they chose to preserve those workshops.

Monarchs like Emperor An and Emperor Huan, who lived extravagantly, were even less concerned about such waste.

After all, the money spent to support a group of craftsmen is probably less than what they spend on a single banquet.

Skimping on the flesh from a mosquito's leg is such a waste of effort that they wouldn't bother doing it.

But the current emperor, Liu Hong, is different.

He really loves money.

Just thinking about how I painfully paid out money only to not get the results I wanted...

He felt as if his heart was being torn apart, and he couldn't sleep comfortably.

in this way,

This kind of liability that drags down the court should be sold off!
If it's so bad that no one will buy it...
We also need to find a way to bring some people on board and make them the second bosses of the workshop, so that we can get rid of the daily expenses and avoid having to take money from the emperor again.

If a buyer can be found...

hum,

We need to find a way to repackage that old and dilapidated workshop in a more refined way so that we can sell it for a higher price.

In the words of later generations,

Emperor Liu Hong's actions regarding state-run workshops this time were:
"Turn all government-owned resources into assets as much as possible!"

"Securitize all government-owned assets as much as possible!"

"Leverage all government-owned funds as much as possible!"

After doing these things,
Liu Hong only cared about where the money went.

As for future generations with ideals and achievements, how much effort will it take to reclaim these lost powers?

Then that's none of Liu Hong's business.

Believe in the wisdom of future generations!

just,

Just as Liu Hong was steadily increasing revenue for the national treasury, alleviating the financial strain caused by Emperor Huan's years of indulgence and the continuous disasters in various regions,

Some people below raised objections to this.

"Why are those guys from the Imperial Academy causing trouble?"

Upon receiving the news, the emperor, nestled in the arms of a beauty in his harem, frowned in displeasure.

Imperial Academy

During the reigns of Emperor He and Emperor Shun, he was highly valued by the court.

In the last few years of her life, Empress Dowager Liang Na also wholeheartedly supported its development.

but,

That was just a fleeting moment.
Just like the lives of Emperors Heshun and Empress Liang Na herself.

When the former passes away,

After Liang Ji and Emperor Huan ascended the throne,

The Imperial Academy then followed the old path of the previous dynasty, sliding downhill ever since.

Even after his sister's death, Liang Ji finally felt some familial affection and did not take any further action against the Imperial Academy, allowing it to develop freely.
Even Emperor Huan was too lazy to manage such a place that required a lot of effort and would take many years to see any results;

But teaching and nurturing people is something that...

It takes continuous investment and unwavering support to allow saplings to grow into towering trees and innocent children to grow into pillars of the nation.

The current authorities have simply sidelined them, neither deliberately suppressing nor providing any support. Everything is left to the teachers and students of the Imperial Academy, confined within the rules set by the court, to fend for themselves.

How could it not decline?

As the capital of the Han Dynasty, Luoyang's daily consumption far exceeded that of other places.

After being influenced by the atmosphere of extravagance, where it seemed that one was not worthy of living in Luoyang if one did not wear fine clothes and eat delicacies,

This made it even more difficult to maintain the operation of the Imperial Academy.

Those aristocratic families have their own ways of educating their children and grandchildren.

In order to obtain more preferential treatment,
In order to facilitate closer communication between different families,
Most of them wouldn't send their children to the Imperial Academy, but instead would choose to have them study under renowned Confucian scholars of the time. This way, they could build a reputation for themselves in their youth through the influence of their teachers and families.
Then they were recommended as filial and incorrupt officials.
Then he became an official and took charge of government affairs.

Then, to continue the family's glory.

They have their own circles.

Empress Dowager Liang forced them to send their school-age children to the Imperial Academy.

There is also the possibility of breaking out of this circle.

Let those who hold power in the court, out of their paternal love and because of the connection between their children and the Imperial Academy,

He wanted to maintain the Imperial Academy after his death, so as not to let the educational reforms established by Emperors Heshun and Shun stagnate or even deteriorate.

Unfortunately, Liang Na's actions were unsuccessful.
They wished that the Central Plains would always be filled with families that recommended filial and incorrupt officials, so that they would not shake their foundations for the sake of a mere child.

If the child is not taught badly

After Liang Na's death, they would bring her back and re-educate her.

If it were to be tainted by those guys at the Imperial Academy who had studied in the Western Seas and brought back a head full of "heretical" ideas,

If you don't want the child, then you don't have to.

The family has no shortage of children!

that's it,
In the past ten years,

Powerful ministers, monarchs, and aristocratic families all watched coldly as the Imperial Academy declined.

Just like how they joined forces to prevent educated young people from rising to positions of power.

The younger generation was very dissatisfied with this, which led them to the idea of ​​learning from their predecessors and starting their own businesses.

Yet, in the vast but desolate Imperial Academy, they still thought of continuing to endure.

Many of those old, decrepit teachers, as dilapidated as this old academy, were Zhang Heng's disciples.

They still remember the glory of Emperor Shun's restoration of the Han Dynasty, and the even greater splendor of the Han Dynasty long before.

As for the Liu family's destiny that lasted for more than three hundred years.

They still believe, they still have expectations.

Based on past patterns, who knows, the next emperor might be a capable and wise ruler who can save the dynasty from collapse?
therefore,

During Emperor Huan's reign, they cultivated the vacant grounds of the Imperial Academy to achieve self-sufficiency.

On the one hand, he used his knowledge to create some ingenious tools to earn money for his research.

They eagerly awaited the arrival of a wise ruler.

until,

Liu Hong was reinstated as a member of a collateral branch of the family.

until,

With a wave of his hand, the new emperor sold off the workshop used for gunpowder research, which they had obtained from Empress Dowager Liang before her death. "They've already made some progress!"

"If we continue to invest money and effort, we can produce firearms as powerful as those of the Song Dynasty."

"Why is His Majesty so heartless!"

Upon hearing that the workshop was to be sold off without mercy, the old men who guarded the Imperial Academy and were surrounded by a small number of disciples immediately cried until they fainted.

But the emperor naturally had his reasons for this.

He has always been meticulous in his business dealings.

Before selling off the various workshops, the emperor conducted a thorough investigation.

Otherwise, if good things are sold at low prices, wouldn't the emperor be heartbroken?
Yes,

He knew about "gunpowder".

It was even clearer that with the Han Dynasty's current level of research, gunpowder could only be used to make large firecrackers, and its cost and effect were not well matched.

of course,

The delays in gunpowder research were certainly related to the imperial court's lack of attention and the inability of scholars to allocate sufficient resources.

If, as the unconscious old man suggested, we continue to invest money and effort, the results will inevitably be richer, and the gunpowder will be even more effective.

After all, Emperor Taizu of Song saved up for a long time to develop this thing.

To compensate for the lack of natural saltpeter deposits in the Western Sea, the Song Dynasty had to spend a large amount of money every year to purchase saltpeter from the Western Regions and other places.
To improve the gunpowder formula, money and time are needed to train a large number of talented people...

This led to the development of various gunpowder weapons in the Song Dynasty.

But how could the national conditions of the Han Dynasty and the Song Dynasty be the same?
Liu Hong's biggest goal in becoming emperor was to make money!

How could we possibly keep investing money in?
Not to mention that results are inherently related to luck,
If you're lucky, you can get it in a few days.
If you're unlucky, you might never get it in your lifetime.

Investing in it is very risky.

Take the Han dynasty throne, for example. It's like it's been cursed. After Emperor Ming, whoever sits on it will only live to be around thirty years old.

The shrewd Liu Hong did the math and realized that doing something so time-consuming would be extremely unprofitable for him.

If he did his best, but the results weren't satisfactory, he would suddenly turn to death.
Wouldn't that fame and achievement be passed on to those who come after?

"Get them out of here!"

So the emperor waved his hand impatiently, showing no sign of wavering in his decision to sell the workshops despite the opposition from the Imperial Academy.

But the latter refused to give up.

The old gentlemen said to their disciples, "These old bones of yours are of no use to us now. We might as well risk everything to protect that hard-won treasure!"

The power of gunpowder,
They met in the Western Sea.

But often,
The use of an object is determined by people.

Just like in Xinxia, ​​they use gunpowder to make firecrackers.
In the Western Sea, gunpowder was used to create a vast empire.

The imperial court currently doesn't value gunpowder, considering it a money-losing endeavor.

But if it falls into the hands of others, who knows, they might just develop gunpowder?
Are we going to bombard Luoyang with artillery fire and thank the emperor for opening up new sources of revenue?

They knew that those who took over the government-run workshops were all powerful and influential families.

Those guys were concerned about the long-declining court.
There will be little reverence or loyalty.

"How can we allow the mighty Han Dynasty to fall to such a state!"

that's it,
Several old men knelt in front of the palace gate and began to wail.

The emperor ignored them.

Most officials ignored them.

joke,

Kneeling before the palace gates and pleading his case was an important way for scholars to gain fame and prestige.

Do these people who only know how to investigate things deserve to be called loyal, good, and virtuous ministers of the Han Dynasty?

snort!
Instead of settling down in the Imperial Academy to farm and carve wood to support himself, he...
Why are you blocking the way at the palace gate?
Seeing this, Cao Song, the Commandant of the Capital Region, felt a little soft-hearted.

Because his father was a eunuch, he was always looked down upon by the upright officials and was ostracized in officialdom.

He was able to rise through the ranks to his current position thanks to his father's influence.

Just a few years ago,
With Cao Teng's death, Cao Song lost his greatest support in the court and had few familiar and friendly colleagues around him, which made him feel somewhat lost and weary.

Such a state of mind,
How similar they are to the teachers of the Imperial Academy after Emperor Shun!
Moreover, Cao Song also studied at the Imperial Academy when he was young.

There are many children there, unlike the adults, who are full of dark thoughts.
With the emperor's attention and the teachers' dedication, Cao Song was able to enjoy a wonderful period of his youthful studies.

Cao Song doesn't like studying, has no talent for reading, his grades have always been bad, and he has even bullied his classmates... His parents have been called in several times.

But in general,

Cao Song had a pretty good impression of the Imperial Academy.

Now he's become an ugly adult, mingling in places like the imperial court.

When you suddenly encounter people and events from your youth, you can't help but feel a little emotional.

Cao Song hesitated for a moment,

Finally, he walked to the old man kneeling on the ground, weeping, and said to them:
"His Majesty did this simply to increase the revenue of the treasury."

"I am willing to provide some financial assistance to relieve your worries."

The old gentleman was naturally delighted and grateful.

Unable to receive a response from the emperor for a long time, their spirits had already cooled considerably.

Who would have thought that there would be a chance for things to turn around?

As for the emperor...
Having accepted Cao Song's money, he naturally stopped going to the science workshop.

He has always prioritized integrity in his business dealings.

Now that the workshop has been bought by Cao Song and then given to those old guys at the Imperial Academy, this is a matter between the two of them and has nothing to do with the imperial court.

The emperor would not resell the workshops again simply because "the Imperial Academy belongs to the court and the workshops belong to the Imperial Academy," thus committing a dishonest act of selling goods to two different people.

He was simply admiring the treasure trove he had rapidly accumulated during this period, and casually asked Zhang Rang, the eunuch beside him:
"The fact that Cao Song was able to do such a thing shows that the amount of money spent was not something he hesitated over."

Zhang Rang, well aware of the emperor's preferences, immediately replied:
"When Cao Teng was alive, he accepted a large amount of bribes by taking advantage of the close relationship and trust between Emperor Shun and Emperor Huan."

“His son inherited the family business and his skills, so he is naturally not short of money.”

The emperor then picked up a newly minted gold ingot, gently stroking the traces of fire left on the gold, and said with emotion:
"A eunuch and his son, just two generations, and they managed to amass so much wealth..."

I wonder what kind of wealth those aristocratic families, who have inherited their lineage from the former Han Dynasty, have accumulated for themselves.

"Indeed, when it comes to doing business, you have to do big business!"

The key to building a big business lies in first reaching a high position.

otherwise,

How could a minor marquis of Hejian County possibly chat and laugh with the powerful and influential people sitting in Luoyang?
"We need to find a way to extract money from those powerful and wealthy families!"

"The book 'The Way of Peace' is well written. The common people have suffered so much, how can they be squeezed out of a little more money?"

"It's really not worth it to spend so much effort and earn so little by taking things from their pockets!"

"Only making money off the powerful families can give me true satisfaction!"

Liu Hong thought to himself.

To be an emperor, one must naturally have the goal of being an emperor.
When he was still in Hejian County,

Liu Hong pondered his own situation and realized that he did indeed need to deal with ordinary people.

But now he is in Luoyang, the master of the palace, the ruler of the country.
We can't just focus on small amounts of money.

While the emperor was enjoying his time alone with gold,

When Cao Song returned home from court, he found his son Cao Aman out again, playing around with a group of cronies and looking disheveled, showing no signs of studying. He immediately flew into a rage and chased after his son, giving him a good beating.

Despite his unruly nature, Cao Cao still harbored some fear of his father.

Upon seeing Cao Song chasing after him with a stick, he immediately used his youthful agility to scale the wall and escape, leaving his father with only his back to him.

(End of this chapter)