My Pen Pal Zhu Yuanzhang

Chapter 330 Thank you for Lao Li’s gift

Zhu Yuanzhang put down the letter and rubbed his sore eyes. What Li Han said in the letter really made him too excited and his brain was over-excited.

Besides, reading the letter like this would be too tiring for my eyes.

He ordered people to move all the things on the Buddhist table back to the bedroom. After returning to the bedroom and putting on his glasses, well, everything became clear.

Although Lao Li sent many treasures, Zhu Yuanzhang believed that the best gift he had ever received personally was the glasses.

In the present Ming Dynasty, wearing glasses has long become a trend. Not only civil officials, but also many military generals such as Xu Da and Li Wenzhong like like like to wear glasses to appear elegant. Even small vendors on the street will wear glasses with a copper frame on their noses, as if to appear very classy.

Perhaps, Zhu Yuanzhang was thinking about learning the technology of making glasses from Lao Li, which would be another good business.

He smiled, then calmed himself down, put all those random thoughts out of his mind, and continued thinking.

When Li Han mentioned the increase and decrease in market demand using roast goose as an example, another idea actually popped up in his mind. Since the market demand has decreased, why not expand the market?

He remembered that when Lao Li was explaining maritime trade to him, he had specifically mentioned that England's overseas colonization was a process of constantly opening up new markets and searching for sources of raw materials. Similarly, when the domestic market demand of the Ming Dynasty was saturated or even shrinking, it could continue to explore overseas markets!

This is actually one of the important reasons for building a strong navy, namely to ensure that Ming Dynasty's overseas markets continue to expand, so that there will be no reduction in market demand.

However, when Zhu Yuanzhang saw the concept of industrial chain, his brain seemed to be hit by something suddenly. All his thoughts opened up in an instant and he was enlightened!

According to the example given by Lao Li, and then adding his own understanding, he believes that the so-called industrial chain is a complete production chain from raw materials to semi-finished products to finished products. In fact, the manufacturing and sale of any commodity has a complete industrial chain from materials to products.

In fact, the industrial chain has always existed. It has appeared ever since humans began to engage in buying and selling.

However, the so-called industrial chain in the past was quite simple and crude.

His brain was working fast. The most basic logic behind the formation of the so-called industrial chain is the need and exchange that Lao Li had talked about before. This also promoted the formation and development of trade.

After understanding what the industrial chain is, Zhu Yuanzhang realized how big Li Han's ambition is. This made his heart beat fast. Once it is realized, no one can predict what Jiangnan will become!
He also seems to have a better understanding of what it means to integrate resource allocation and ensure balanced regional development.

Then according to Lao Li, the whole Jiangnan region should be integrated through the industrial chain to form a complementary whole, rather than fighting alone.

However, in this process, how should the imperial court regulate and develop the industrial chain to ensure balanced regional development?

A flash of inspiration seemed to come across Zhu Yuanzhang's mind, but he just couldn't make a breakthrough. He thought hard but to no avail.

OK, OK, OK, let’s see what Lao Li says. If you have any puzzled questions, go to Lao Li for answers. After all, he is the guide of the Ming Dynasty’s industrialization.
“Then the question is, how can we use the industrial chain to ensure balanced regional development?
There is a key word here, which is also the key to the successful development of the Jiangnan region, called regional complementary advantages!
That is, each region develops its advantageous industries and coordinates with other regions to achieve the purpose of complementarity. For example, Shaoxing is rich in rice wine, which is Shaoxing's advantage, and Changzhou is rich in silk, so the two regions can trade rice wine and silk to achieve the purpose of complementary advantages.

Of course, there is a more advanced method, which is to integrate the industrial chain. Changzhou is rich in silk, and Shaoxing has a developed sericulture industry and also produces a lot of silk. Then the raw silk from Shaoxing can be transported to Changzhou for production, thus avoiding the cost increase caused by Changzhou producing silk itself.

By using raw silk from Shaoxing, the production cost of Changzhou silk can also be reduced. This is what I said at the beginning, the reconfiguration and optimization of resources. "

Complementary regional advantages?

Zhu Yuanzhang slapped his head and said, "Yes, yes, yes, Lao Li. No, no, Master, this time, Lao Zhu really got it!"
Similarly, Daming can also integrate overseas markets into Daming's industrial chain to form complementary advantages in the industrial chain!
However, Zhu Yuanzhang realized a serious problem, that is, in the process of reconfiguring raw silk and silk, the interests of local aristocratic groups would definitely be affected.

For example, if raw silk from Shaoxing is used, the interests of Changzhou Raw Silk Group will certainly be damaged. In this case, if one wants to form regional complementary advantages in Jiangnan, there will certainly be a lot of resistance.

Although I had thought of using the railway to strengthen control over Jiangnan at the beginning of its construction, I was not as far-sighted as I am now.

“Of course, the reintegration and allocation of resources means that the resource allocation rights of the interest groups that have been formed in the past will be smashed. In this process, it is inevitable to encounter resistance. If you, Old Zhu, do not want to kill people indiscriminately, how can you use more gentle means to deal with the interest groups?

This brings us to the second change that the railway network brought to the Jiangnan region, which we mentioned at the beginning.”

Well, Old Li, I didn't expect you to be waiting for me here. Zhu Yuanzhang laughed and scolded, but at the same time he admired Li Han deeply. Li Han's logic was so interconnected that people could not extricate themselves from it.

"The second change brought about by the railway network has two impacts. First, the frequency of personnel mobility in the Jiangnan region will increase rapidly. The consequence of this is that the power of the aristocratic clans, which was originally formed by blood ties, will be devastated by the decrease in family population and the increase in foreign population.

It is more likely that the original aristocratic system will be broken in a form that you cannot imagine. In this way, the aristocratic interest groups that originally held control over the grassroots will gradually lose control of the grassroots.

Aren’t you, Old Zhu, tempted by the power vacuum that would be created?
I am afraid that by then, the old tradition of imperial power not going to the countryside will be broken one by one with the construction of railways."

Hiss~~~
Seeing this, Zhu Yuanzhang couldn't help but take a breath. He had never thought about what Lao Li said.

No wonder Lao Li said at the beginning that one should have a vision. Now it seems that his vision is too petty.

After the original aristocratic power system was impacted, the power vacuum formed was not only interesting to me, but I couldn't stop myself!

In the entire Ming Dynasty, who else besides myself is qualified to fill this power vacuum?

Thank you for the gift, Lao Li!
As the king of a country, you should be far-sighted and forward-looking!

(End of this chapter)