jdhmnovel Chapter 954 You really don't care about Old Zhu's life or death!
Chapter 954 You really don't care about Old Zhu's life or death!
The old... Emperor Zhu looked at the steam locomotive in front of him, which was emitting white smoke, and his head was filled with big question marks.
What the hell are you doing here? Is this still the Ming Dynasty?
Yes, we've heard about steam engines from that bastard's mouth, and we've seen steam engines that can power large water presses, as well as steam engines that can power drilling machines and sawing machines. But those steam engines were only the size of a horse-drawn carriage. What about this steel behemoth the size of a house?
One of these steel behemoths would require 40,000 jin of steel.
The total steel production of the entire Ming Dynasty was only 20 million catties.
Emperor Zhu unconsciously scratched the back of his head, then looked pitifully at Empress Ma, "Sister, what should we do?"
Empress Ma shook her head and sighed, "You're asking me? Who should I ask?"
Steel production is insufficient.
In any case, the Ming Dynasty's steel production was simply insufficient.
As one good son-in-law said, what is a steel production of 20 million jin? Even 50 million jin of steel production is just a drop in the ocean.
Of course, the Ming Dynasty is not lacking in iron ore, nor in the technology to smelt steel, nor in coal.
But the Ming Dynasty was short of manpower.
Iron ore mining requires a large number of young and strong men, steel smelting also requires a large number of young and strong men, and coal mining still requires a large number of young and strong men.
The advantages of the steam engine are obvious.
This thing can weave the entire territory of the Ming Dynasty into a net, and whether it is a natural disaster or a man-made disaster, the railway network that covers the Ming Dynasty can enable the court to respond quickly.
It can be used to transport troops during wartime, to transport supplies during natural disasters, and to transport goods for merchants in peacetime, thus speeding up the flow of money and goods.
It has advantages everywhere.
Aside from the unsolvable manpower problem.
Empress Ma's head throbbed with worry, so she turned to Liu Bowen and asked, "Mr. Qingtian, what do you think?"
Liu Bowen pondered, "I'll just use my eyes to see. Otherwise, how else can I see?"
I am, after all, a decrepit old man in my sixties, and I hold the position of the head of the Censorate, whose main responsibility is to investigate and impeach officials.
For something like the steam engine, shouldn't we bring that old scoundrel Li Shanchang back to ask for his advice?
Oh, that old scoundrel Li Shanchang is still in Liaodong, still losing his hair over the matter of Prince Black Sesame Dumplings and a certain prince consort wanting to seal the Wolf Mountain.
That's okay.
Liu Bowen stroked his beard and smiled, then said in a low voice, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, although I don't have any good solutions, there is one person who can definitely solve these problems."
Emperor Zhu glanced at Liu Bowen, gave a soft snort, and said, "Master Shanchang is currently in Liaodong, and that scoundrel is obsessed with the Fenglangjuxu incident. If we bring them back now, are you sure they won't cause us even more trouble?"
Liu Bowen smiled again, "I am not referring to Prime Minister Li and the Imperial Son-in-Law, but to someone else entirely."
Emperor Zhu was slightly taken aback and asked, "Who?"
"Zhou Jingxin?"
"That one is also a handful."
"Besides, how could a child like him possibly handle something as important as the steam engine?"
As Emperor Zhu finished speaking, Liu Bowen felt as if a wad of phlegm was stuck in his throat, unable to spit it out, yet too disgusted to swallow it.
Is Zhou Jingxin a child?
Good heavens! You, Emperor Zhu, know all about what Zhou Jingxin has done in Huai'an Prefecture.
They withheld laborers sent by vassal states to Liaodong.
They sent people to recruit workers in other nearby prefectures.
The memorials impeaching Zhou Jingxin, if put together, would not be as tall as a person, and would be at least three feet thick.
How could Emperor Zhu have the audacity to say that this thing was still a child?
Just because he's young?
Just because he's your son-in-law's prized student?
The favoritism is so extreme it's unbearable to watch!
Besides, do you really think Zhou Jingxin is too young?
You want to keep him for your eldest son's use, and you're also worried that he'll write memorials to annoy you!
You're a coward!
I bother!
Liu Bowen rolled his eyes discreetly, then bowed to Emperor Zhu and said, "Your Majesty, the person I was referring to is someone else entirely, not Zhou Jingxin, but Chen Mo, the executive deputy magistrate of Ningyang County."
"During the time that the Prince Consort was in Dengzhou and Liaodong, it was this Deputy Magistrate Chen who was in charge of Ningyang County."
"He was extremely clear about not only the manufacturing process of the steam engine, but also how to use it."
“If the superior simply issues an imperial edict from the Ministry of Personnel to transfer him to the Ministry of Works, the steam engine issue will be easily resolved.”
Emperor Zhu glanced at Liu Bowen again.
Should Chen Mo be transferred to the capital?
Yes, theoretically speaking, bringing Chen Mo to the capital is indeed the best solution at present.
The problem is that there's still a lot of work to be done in Ningyang County. If Chen Mo is transferred to the capital, are you sure that some bastard won't be furious?
When some scoundrel gets so angry he jumps up and down, he'll write a memorial to us.
Which of those memorials he wrote didn't make us lose clumps of hair?
Liu Bowen, Liu Bowen, in order to get rid of the trouble of the steam engine, do you really not care about the life or death of our old Zhu?
What, are you one of those people from Ningyang who can't handle anything?
Emperor Zhu, his face dark with anger, was inwardly cursing, while Liu Bowen stroked his beard and said, "Regarding the matter in Ningyang County, we can demote and transfer Xu Liang, the Assistant Magistrate of Dengzhou Prefecture, to Ningyang County as the Executive Deputy Magistrate."
"The Assistant Magistrate of Dengzhou Prefecture can be chosen from among the ten magistrates of Dengzhou Prefecture."
"Or we could send Xu Jingyu or Zhou Jingxin to Dengzhou Prefecture as assistant prefects."
Liu Bowen raised an eyebrow: "A win-win situation, gaining power."
Emperor Zhu immediately became interested as well.
Demoting Xu Liang, the Assistant Magistrate of Dengzhou Prefecture, and transferring him to be the Executive Deputy Magistrate of Ningyang County would probably make him laugh in his dreams, unless he's stupid.
As for the vacant position of Assistant Magistrate of Dengzhou Prefecture?
Xu Jingyu is out of the question. He is currently the prefect of Huai'an. Transferring him back to the position of assistant prefect would be a demotion, not to mention that Huai'an Prefecture cannot do without him for the time being.
It's also hard to say about those transferred from other places.
Whether or not people transferred from other places would see Dengzhou Prefecture as easy prey is one thing, but the sheer number of complicated matters in Dengzhou Prefecture alone makes it difficult for just anyone to take over.
However, if you just pick one of the ten county magistrates under Dengzhou Prefecture, there won't be any problem. These people are familiar with the situation in Dengzhou Prefecture, and they have all worked under that scoundrel for three or four years. They should be able to take over directly.
However, the best choice should still be Zhou Jingxin.
He has experience working in the Secretariat and the Cabinet, experience helping Xu Jingyu promote water pumps in Huai'an Prefecture, and is also a good student taught by some scoundrel. It would be perfectly fine to put him as the Assistant Magistrate of Dengzhou Prefecture.
Of course, the most crucial factor was that Zhou Jingxin was skilled at writing memorials, especially at using sarcastic and ironic language in them.
In this way, nothing will be delayed, and even that scoundrel will have a headache.
Simply perfect!