Bringing the Railway to Daming

Chapter 380: Weiwu School and Military Academy, a bumper harvest of sweet potatoes! [Please subscribe]

Liu Kuan said: "We can imitate the railway transportation company and establish a company related to the soldiers. The court will send a special person to be responsible for operation and management, and give the generals shares."

"For example, to encourage soldiers overseas to fight bravely and actively develop land, we could set up a company focused on overseas farming, mining, and logging."

"In this way, the greater the Ming's overseas territories, the more resources it will acquire, and the greater the benefits its generals will receive. Naturally, they will align themselves with the imperial court."

After hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes lit up.

He felt that Liu Kuan's suggestion, in addition to providing benefits other than land to generals, could also strengthen the court's control over generals, which in turn would strengthen the court's control over the army.

It can be said that it accomplishes multiple things with one stone!
Then Zhu Yuanzhang thought of another key issue.

"Since it's a company, it could potentially generate profits or losses, right? If the company continues to perform poorly, the benefits the generals receive from it will decrease year by year, or even disappear. I'm afraid they will resent the court."

Liu Kuan nodded. "Your Majesty is wise, that is indeed the case. Therefore, if we want to do this well, we must require the court to focus on cultivating talents in management and commerce, and systematically expand and maintain the interests of related companies."

"In fact, from the perspective of later generations, many problems in ancient dynasties were caused by insufficiently strict and efficient management."

"Of course, the officials who were less careful in managing the military and local affairs throughout the dynasties were mainly restricted by money and grain. After all, management requires costs."

"But now that the Ming Dynasty is striding into an industrial society, productivity has greatly increased, and the court has sufficient funds and grain, it is natural to gradually strengthen the management of the army and local areas."

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded. "While your words aren't particularly insightful, they do touch upon the essence of governing the empire—ultimately, it all comes down to money and grain. As long as we have sufficient money and grain, we can not only recruit, employ, and support people freely, but we can also ensure that the people remain united."

After talking about this, Zhu Yuanzhang felt that he had gained a lot, but at the same time he also realized that he had strayed too far from the previous topic.

He then said, "Why don't you talk about establishing a military academy for the guards? If we were to reform the guard system according to the suggestions you just gave us, what would we do with the military academy?"

Liu Kuan thought for a moment and said, "I don't think it's necessary to establish specialized martial arts schools in each garrison."

Zhu Yuanzhang was surprised, "What do you mean?"

Liu Kuan said, "The guards are originally military units. The children of military households are taught by their elders from a young age and are influenced by them. If they are interested in military affairs and have talent, there are plenty of opportunities to learn relevant military knowledge."

"In addition, the imperial court previously established guard schools in the guard posts, and now the education reform will also involve the guard posts, and schools will be established in the guard posts."

"If a martial arts school is established, will the children and teenagers in the garrison go to the school or to a school?"

"I believe that they should all go to school to learn cultural knowledge first, and then learn martial arts when they reach a certain age."

Zhu Yuanzhang was puzzled and asked, "Didn't you suggest not to establish a martial arts school? Why do you allow the children in the garrison to attend martial arts school after they reach a certain age?"

Liu Kuan smiled and said, "I do not recommend holding it in the garrison, but I did not say that the court should not hold it."

"In my humble opinion, if the garrisons run martial arts schools, not only will the children be forced to study martial arts too early, thus delaying their academic studies, but it will also easily further solidify the military hierarchy in the garrisons."

"So, why not have the imperial court run a few typical martial arts schools, or military academies, to train reserve generals?"

"For example, if we establish a military school in Peking to fight against the nomadic peoples of the grasslands, we can call it the 'Peking Military Academy'."

"A school specifically designed for combat operations in the Northeast forests and severe cold weather should be established in Liaoyang. It could be called the 'Liaoyang Military Academy.'"

"By analogy, the imperial court only needs to establish regionally targeted military academies in the remaining cities of Xi'an, Chengdu, Kunming, Guangzhou, Ningbo, etc., so that it can cover the many garrison troops of the Ming Dynasty."

"Of course, we also need to establish one or two military academies in the capital, specifically to train senior generals, staff officers, military spies and other high-level talents."

Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes lit up again and he nodded repeatedly.

He found that Liu Kuan's head seemed to always have new knowledge that was useful to Yu Daming, which could never be exhausted and could always bring surprises.

After Liu Kuan finished speaking, he said, "Liu Kuan, the suggestions you made are very useful to our Ming army. So, please compile them into a memorial and submit it to me."

Liu Kuan's face suddenly turned bitter when he heard this. He said, "Your Majesty, I have already had quite a few memorials to write recently. Moreover, I am the director of the Tiangong Academy, not a military commander. I am afraid that writing such memorials will have a bad influence."

"How about this? I will find time to present to His Royal Highness the many military-related suggestions I have made today. Please organize them and draft them into a memorial. I sincerely request your approval."

"You kid." Zhu Yuanzhang saw that Liu Kuan was trying to avoid suspicion, and he was very satisfied. He smiled and said, "Well, let's do as you say."

"Yes." Liu Kuan bowed. "If there is nothing else, I will take my leave."

"Well, back off."

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A few days later, Liu Kuan went to Wenhua Hall to meet Zhu Biao and reiterated the suggestions that Fengxian Hall had made that day regarding the system of the Ming Dynasty’s guards and the establishment of martial arts.

Zhu Biao took notes of the key points while listening and was full of praise after listening.

"Although I know my brother-in-law is from the future, every time I hear him give suggestions that are of great use to the Ming Dynasty, I can't help but regard him as a great talent like Zhuge Liang."

Liu Kuan said, "Your Highness, I am too kind. I can offer these suggestions only because I stand on the shoulders of the giants of our time."

At the same time, he thought to himself that it was fortunate that Zhu Biao did not say that he regarded him as "Crouching Dragon and Phoenix Chick", otherwise his expression would probably be unable to hold back.

"If my brother-in-law's suggestions can be implemented effectively, I believe our Ming army will eliminate many of its shortcomings and maintain its combat effectiveness for a longer period of time." After closing his notes, Zhu Biao continued, "By the way, tomorrow the sweet potatoes from Gejiakou and other villages will be harvested. Would you like to come with me to witness the bountiful harvest?"

Liu Kuan recalled the aggrieved look on the faces of the villagers in Gejiakou and other places who were forced to grow sweet potatoes in late spring, and he smiled and said, "I'm very happy to do so!"

So the next day, Liu Kuan took his small guard team and left the capital together with Zhu Biao's large guard team.

Perhaps because he had the deepest impression of Gejiakou, or perhaps because he had made a promise to the villagers there, Zhu Biao ordered his troops to head straight to Gejiakou.

Zhu Biao specially sent someone on a fast horse to notify them first, so when the large group of people arrived near the village of Gejiaqiao, the Jurong County Magistrate and other officials and the villagers of Gejiaqiao had already gathered at the sweet potato field waiting.

Zhu Biao's visit to the countryside to inspect the harvest of new crops such as sweet potatoes and corn had a propaganda purpose. Therefore, unlike his previous visits, he did not go incognito, but came with a flag and ceremonial guard.

Seeing this scene, the Jurong County Magistrate and other officials understood that Zhu Biao wanted to let the villagers know his identity. They immediately bowed deeply and said in unison: "Welcome His Royal Highness the Crown Prince!"

Ge Sanqi and other villagers looked at Zhu Biao's face with a familiar and gentle smile, and were stunned for several breaths. They came to their senses when a minor official pulled them back, and bowed deeply in a random manner.

"Welcome Your Royal Highness!"

Zhu Biao said with a smile: "Stand up."

Ge Sanqi's legs suddenly became weak and he couldn't stand up - he remembered that a few months ago, he kept questioning the prince's words in the field, and he felt scared.

"Will the prince bear grudges and chop off my head?"

I couldn't help but think so.

Fortunately, the young men behind Ge Sanqi were alert enough to help him up.

Zhu Biao dismounted and approached the Gejiakou villagers. He first looked at the thick sweet potato vines around him, then looked at Ge Sanqi and asked with a smile, "Old Man Ge, I'm here to fulfill my promise. If the sweet potato harvest today is less than what we harvested from other crops in previous years, I will make up for it. I won't owe you a single cent."

Hearing this, Ge Sanqi became even more frightened and immediately admitted his fault, saying, "It was all my fault that I was blind and didn't recognize the true master. I dared to question the words of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. I beg Your Highness to forgive me."

As he spoke, Ge Sanqi wanted to struggle and kneel down.

Zhu Biao quickly supported him and said, "Why are you being so harsh, Mr. Ge? Do I look like someone who would hold a grudge just because of a few words? Besides, you guys never grew sweet potatoes before, so it's normal for you to be skeptical about their high yield."

Seeing that Zhu Biao really didn't look angry or resentful, Ge Sanqi breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Thank you, Your Highness."

Zhu Biao found that the villagers of Gejiakou were obviously reserved in front of him, and were not as close as they were the previous two times he came. He knew that with his status, it was doomed to be impossible for him to get the people to get close to him.

He said, "It's getting late, let's prepare to harvest the sweet potatoes. Let me see how much the sweet potatoes grown by Gejiawei can yield per mu."

"Yes!"

It would obviously take a lot of time for the hundreds of young and strong people in Gejia Village to dig up the sweet potatoes near the village.

Zhu Biao and Liu Kuan didn't have time to wait, so Zhu Biao ordered hundreds of guards to join the team digging sweet potatoes.

Together with the officials and patrolmen brought by the Jurong County Magistrate, thousands of people spread across the sweet potato fields around Gejiakou. In just over an hour, they dug up all the sweet potato fields.

Looking at the sweet potatoes piled up into small hills at the edge of the fields, Ge Sanqi and other villagers of Gejiakou, even though they had some expectations, were still grinning from ear to ear. Ge Sanqi's old face looked like a blooming chrysanthemum.

Afterwards, everyone used dozens of large scales brought by the officials of Jurong County to weigh the total sweet potato production of Gejiacun.

"Clean up the dirt."

"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is watching, don't lie."

"Don't make mistakes in weighing and recording, and report truthfully!"

With the shouting of the Jurong County officials and the participation of Zhu Biao's guards, in less than an hour, the per-acre yield of Gejiakou sweet potatoes was calculated.

The Jurong County Magistrate personally calculated it again with an abacus. His face flushed with excitement and he shouted loudly: "Gejiaqiao, the sweet potato yield per mu is 1,080 kilograms!"

When Zhu Biao and Liu Kuan heard this number, they both smiled.

Especially Liu Kuan, who was very calm at this time because he knew that sweet potatoes could produce several thousand kilograms per mu in the future.

But the villagers of Gejiakou who personally achieved this result were stunned.

After coming to his senses, Ge Sanqi staggered to a pile of sweet potatoes.

He touched the large sweet potatoes and muttered, "A thousand kilograms per mu, it really can yield a thousand kilograms per mu... God, why didn't such a high-yield crop appear earlier? If it had appeared thirty years ago, how many lives would have been saved."

At the end of his speech, Ge Sanqi suddenly remembered something, and tears streamed down his wrinkled face.

　Second update.

　　Good night~
　　
　　
　
(End of this chapter)