Become a feudal king from today

"Back to Your Highness, after the establishment of the Military and Horse Departments in each county, the Military and Horse Departments in each county have also been established one after another. From now on, they will be responsible for the recruitment of compulsory soldiers, the comfort and pension of soldiers, and the arrangements for retired soldiers..."

After Liu Fu, Yang Feng introduced the restructuring situation in the army to Zhao Xu.

"In addition, since the royal troops moved south, another hundred thousand sets of military uniforms have been delivered." Yang Feng finally said.

Zhao Xu nodded.

In the current army, Chang Wei is in charge of the campaign, while Yang Feng is in charge of the army's logistics.

In addition to grain, military uniforms, soldiers' meals and other miscellaneous items, this logistics also includes the Military and Horse Department established as a result of the restructuring.

From now on, the military and horse departments of each county will send conscripts to the military for training during the annual recruitment season.

"How is the current business situation?" Zhao Xu turned to Yang He again and asked.

Yang He frowned slightly, "Due to the war, commerce has been greatly affected. Among them, bulk commodities such as paper, cloth, and soap have been the most affected, while luxury commodities such as fine wine, perfume, and glass have been less affected."

"As for the trade in Goryeo, after our high-quality and low-priced cloth entered the market, it quickly defeated the local handmade cloth. Now, most of the goods sold in Goryeo cloth shops are our cloth. However, according to the information provided by Chai Wu, some Goryeo officials are discussing a ban on cloth from Yanzhou, saying that these cloths have taken away the livelihood of the people."

Liu Fu interrupted at this time, "Your Highness, not only Goryeo, but also the people of Yanzhou have complained, saying that the cloth they worked so hard to weave cannot be sold. A few days ago, the villages near Yancheng were entering the city, asking for a halt. Weaving workshop."

"This is the general trend. When they bought the cheap yarn sold by Spun Yarn, they all praised the machine cotton yarn as cheap and good. Now that the cloth cannot be sold, they are not happy." Yang He shook his head, "Is it because they object? Are we going to shut down all the weaving workshops?”

"Of course not." Liu Fu said: "However, we have to find ways to provide more livelihood for the people."

After saying that, he looked at Zhao Xu.

"Aren't the examples of spinning and weaving workshops right in front of us? This is livelihood, and other workshops can also recruit some female workers." Zhao Xu pondered for a while and said.

He had anticipated this problem for a long time. After all, there was a lot of experience to be learned from contemporary history.

When steam engines replaced human power and steam locomotives raced on the railway tracks, people at that time were full of fear.

This is the replacement of old things by new things, and it will inevitably lead to the destruction of some traditional industries.

It is natural for practitioners in traditional industries to be dissatisfied.

However, he will not be affected by these small twists and turns. Compared with the more than two hundred years of industrial development in the West, if Yanzhou wants to catch up in just a few years, the changes will definitely be very drastic.

But he has to do this, otherwise the demands of some traditional interests will be met, and industrial development will be affected.

In the end, they will be bullied by Western soil's cannons and ships.

So on this issue, his attitude is very firm.

After all, he was standing on the shoulders of giants and looking forward, while the people of Yanzhou could not see that far.

"Despite saying this, men still don't want to let their wives and concubines come out in public." Liu Fudao said that most of the female workers in the textile mills and weaving workshops were slaves that the prince had purchased.

There are very few women who enter the workshop from ordinary people's homes.

"This is the problem that you, the prime minister, have to solve next." Zhao Xu said in a condensed voice: "The development of industry requires a large number of people, especially spinning mills and weaving mills. In the future, there will be other workshops suitable for female workers. We must It is better to change some of the stubborn ideas of today’s great people than to change some of the dross in Confucianism.”

According to Zhao Xu's understanding, there is no Confucius, Mencius, or Mozi in this world, but many sages have also been born.

Among them, there is also a line of Chinese studies that has been passed down to become Dasong, and its name is also Confucianism.

But this Confucianism is not contemporary Confucianism.

After all, the word "Confucianism" refers to scholars, so it is normal for people with the same name.

However, Confucianism, which is as lauded as contemporary Confucianism, also has many flaws.

For Zhao Xu, these dross must be eradicated, otherwise the scholars of Dasong will still be slaves of Confucianism.

He does not need Confucianism to help him rule the world, but wants a hundred schools of thought to contend.

"This..." For the first time, Liu Fu hesitated when faced with Zhao Xu's order.

He understood what Zhao Xu wanted to do, but if he did so, he was worried that King Yan would offend the scholars in the world.

Zhao Xu stared at Liu Fu, vaguely guessing his thoughts.

But he had to do this and overthrow the powerful officials. Officials like Liu Fu who were born in poor families would become a new class, the scholar-bureaucrat class.

At that time, Confucianism will become a tool for the scholar-official class to fight against the royal family and seek benefits.

In contemporary history, the noble gentry was destroyed in the Sui and Tang Dynasties, and the scholar-bureaucrat class was born.

The Donglin Party of the Ming Dynasty first taught Confucianism through academies and attracted a large number of so-called elites.

Learning from the past, he naturally tried his best to avoid this situation.

However, to do this, although Liu Fu was the prime minister, he was afraid that his weight was not enough in the eyes of Confucian scholars.

He already has a suitable candidate in mind.

So he said: "This matter requires a method. I will send a person to you. When the time comes, you only need to cooperate."

"Yes, Your Highness." Liu Fu responded.

Finally, Zhao Xu looked at Wang Ying and his son with a smile. They were the only two who would only bring him good news instead of causing him a lot of trouble.

Catching Zhao Xu's gaze, Wang Chong said with a smile: "During His Highness's absence, the first batch of steel was smelted in the converter. Compared with crucible steel-making, the quality of this batch of steel is even higher."

Wang Yingdao: "I have already used this batch of steel to cast gun barrels. The new rifled gun will be able to carry more yellow gunpowder and exert its maximum power."

Zhao Xu smiled and felt relieved.

Once the problem of large-scale steelmaking is solved, Yanzhou's industry will take off.

"In addition, one of the large steam engines developed by His Highness will be completed soon." Wang Chong continued.

The smile on Zhao Xu's face grew wider. When he asked Chen Shou to build a steamship, he asked Wang Chong to build a large steam engine.

After all, the small steam engines used in workshops were not powerful enough to propel ships forward.

With a production line capable of manufacturing large steam engines, both steam locomotives and steam ships will come naturally.

Among them, steam engines can transport commercial goods and minerals and are crucial to the development of industry.

And laying railways to border areas such as Ningjin Dusi will help him expand his territory.

The importance of steamships is self-evident.

With this thing, the efficiency of water transportation will be greatly improved.

He no longer had to worry about the British steamships stationed in the East.

And with the experience of manufacturing steam ships, the next step is to have the ability to manufacture ironclad ships.