Bringing the Railway to Daming

Chapter 213: The Three Kings Enter the Water Division, the King of Shu Says a Word [Please Subscribe]

Fortunately, Zhu Chong was not stupid. After being reminded by Zhu Biao, he realized what Zhu Yuanzhang meant - Zhu Yuanzhang did not quantify the punishment because he wanted to test him to see whether he truly repented.

Therefore, if he wants to regain his title as a king, he really has to completely change his ways and change himself. There is no other way.

After realizing this, Zhu Chong gritted his teeth and decided to fight for a happy life in the second half of his life!
Seeing that Zhu Chong was silent, Zhu Yuanzhang said, "The eldest, third, fourth, sixth, seventh, Xiongying, and Liu Kuan will stay. The other princes should return to the main hall."

"Yes."

The others responded in unison and filed out towards the main hall.

Zhu Tan looked back unwillingly - he found that those who were left behind by Zhu Yuanzhang were all princes who had decided to become vassal kings overseas and had already been sent abroad. This meant that the next thing to be discussed was definitely related to the start of the great voyages of discovery!

He really wanted to get involved.

But he is only fourteen years old, not yet of age.

"Well, I'd better wait patiently for two years."

In the side hall.

Zhu Yuanzhang first said to Zhu Ying, "Third Brother, we've seen your performance over the past two years. Although your grades in the main hall were average, you've learned a lot of useful knowledge. You've also made some progress in training military and police dogs."

"After the Mid-Autumn Festival, you will hand over the training of military and police dogs, return to Taiyuan, and lead your guards to participate in the preparations for the expedition against the Northern Yuan Dynasty."

"You have made some minor contributions since you were enfeoffed in Taiyuan. If you can achieve more merit in the next northern expedition, I believe you will be close to the military merit standard for an overseas vassal."

Zhu Ying was overjoyed when he heard this.

"I can finally graduate from the main hall? It's really not easy!"

With a sigh in his heart, Zhu Ying immediately clasped his fists and said, "Thank you, Father. I will be well prepared and make great contributions in the next northern expedition!"

Zhu Yuanzhang said sternly: "War is not a joke, so don't think about making great achievements. Just listen to the orders of the generals above."

Zhu Ying didn't take it seriously, but still replied, "Yes!"

Zhu Yuanzhang then said to Zhu Di, Zhu Zhen, and Zhu Gui: "You three have already made more military achievements and are closer to the standard for overseas fiefdoms, so we will not allow you to stay in the army."

"Well, the distinction between the army and navy comes from later times. I'm sure you all understand its specific meaning, so I won't explain it in detail."

"I've already discussed the court's preliminary plan for launching the Great Navigation, so you will be assigned to three naval divisions to gain experience and make contributions."

At this point, Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Zhu Di and said, "Fourth Brother, you will first join the Beiyang Fleet. Now our Ming Dynasty's exploration fleet has arrived at Ice and Fire Island. Next February, it will set sail directly from Ice and Fire Island and head for North America."

"In addition, our people have discovered the location of the gold mine on Sado Island and will start mining within the year."

"Therefore, the route from our Ming Dynasty to Ice and Fire Island is extremely important, and its safety and security must be guaranteed."

"However, whether it's Korea or Japan, seeing our Ming fleet frequently plying this route, they will surely become suspicious and a dispute will arise within two to three years."

"Even if they don't come to provoke us, we will find a reason to seize important islands on the route, such as Tsushima Island."

"That is to say, in the next two or three years, the Beiyang Fleet will have a place to use its skills, and it will be a chance for you to hone your skills. Are you willing to go?"

Zhu Di thought for a moment and said, "Father, I am willing to serve in the Beiyang Navy for two years. If I cannot accumulate sufficient military merit within two years, I will go to the Nanyang."

"Besides this, I hope to send some of the guards to the South China Sea Navy to receive training and participate in the court's efforts to develop the South China Sea."

Zhu Yuanzhang laughed and said, "You are really good at scheming. Well, I will grant your request."

Zhu Di clasped his fists happily and said, "Thank you, Father!"

Zhu Yuanzhang then said to Zhu Zhen: "Sixth Brother will go to the East China Sea Navy and participate in the encirclement and suppression of the East China Sea pirates. We will also take this opportunity to train a thousand-man escort navy."

Zhu Zhen glanced at the world map and said, "Father, I, your son, will also send some of our guards to the South China Sea Navy for training and to participate in the development of the South China Sea!"

Zhu Yuanzhang said with a smile: "You kid knows how to learn from the fourth brother, I agree."

Then he looked at Zhu Yu and said, "As for the Seventh Brother, you will go directly to the South China Sea Navy, receive training as a deputy commander, and participate in the war to open up the South China Sea."

"In addition, you can also send some of your guards to receive training together with the guards of the Fourth and Sixth Brothers."

"Thank you, father!" Zhu Yu's face was full of joy.

From Liu Kuan’s previous explanation of the colonial history of Western powers in later generations, we know that if the Ming Dynasty wanted to expand overseas territories, Southeast Asia would be its first choice.

If they wanted to establish a vassal state overseas, whether they wanted to go to the southern half of the South Pacific Islands and Australia, or to India and Africa, they had to pass through the South Pacific.

India's local power is relatively strong, but Africa is too far away, so if one wants to establish a vassal state as soon as possible, the southern half of the South Pacific Islands and Australia are the best choices.

For the above reasons, Zhu Di and Zhu Zhen thought of sending part of the guard troops to the South China Sea navy for training - they already knew the climate and environment of Nanyang. Whether they wanted to establish a vassal state there or pass through that area, it was necessary to have an army that could adapt to the local climate and environment.

In this way, the South China Sea Navy will become the most important of the three ocean navies of the Ming Dynasty for a long time to come.

Zhu Yuanzhang believed that he was sent there to hone his skills and make achievements, which undoubtedly showed Zhu Yuanzhang's preference for him.

···
On the afternoon of the day after the Mid-Autumn Festival, not long after Liu Kuan arrived at the Ministry of Science and Technology, an eunuch came to tell him that Zhu Biao invited him to the Eastern Palace for a reunion.

Thinking of what Zhu Biao said and arranged in the side hall yesterday, Liu Kuan guessed that Zhu Biao was looking for him probably about the overseas vassalage.

As expected, when he arrived at Chunhe Palace, he saw all the princes over ten years old were there. Liu Kuan immediately bowed and saluted, "Your humble servant greets His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, the Prince of Jin, the Prince of Yan..."

Zhu Biao stepped forward to stop Liu Kuan and said with a smile, "Today is a family gathering, so there's no need for the third brother-in-law to be so polite."

There were about ten princes present. If Liu Kuan really wanted to pay his respects, he would have to say a lot of names, several of whom were his students, so he stopped.

Then he asked, "I wonder why His Royal Highness the Crown Prince summoned you today?"

Zhu Biao said, "Didn't the Emperor ask my fifth brother and the others to consult you yesterday about starting a company and the shareholding system? They were afraid that visiting you one by one would be too much of a bother, so they asked me to invite you here to explain this to them."

"I see." Liu Kuan nodded, then said, "Regarding the company and the shareholding system, I have already written a memorial and submitted it to Your Majesty. It should be with Your Majesty now."

"If your Highnesses wish to learn more about companies and the joint-stock system, you may copy this memorial from Your Majesty and read it. Today, I will only briefly explain what a company and the joint-stock system are."

Then, Liu Kuan explained the two concepts of "company" and "joint-stock system".

Because these two concepts did not come out of thin air in later generations, but showed some signs in the Song Dynasty when commerce was booming, and there were traces to follow, so Zhu Di, Zhu Su and others understood them almost as soon as they heard them.

As for Zhu Ying, Zhu Tan and others who had been Liu Kuan's students for a year or two, they naturally found it easier to understand, and some even had some understanding of it.

The more Zhu Di thought about it, the more profound the concepts of companies and shares seemed to him. He wanted to go back home immediately to discuss them with the monk Daoyan.

It’s a pity that Daoyan is not around.

He then asked Liu Kuan, "Third brother-in-law, what benefits will it bring to the overseas vassal kings if we set up a company to explore overseas lands and develop vassal states?"

Liu Kuan asked in reply, "Your Highness the Prince of Yan should consider the overseas vassal states as one family, right?"

Zhu Di also asked, "Is there anything wrong with this?"

Liu Kuan said, "There's nothing wrong with thinking this way, but if we use this idea to prepare for establishing vassal states overseas, or even to develop and build vassal states based on this idea in the future, the efficiency will be very low."

"I'll give you an example so Your Highness can understand. If Your Highness opened a restaurant and set employee salaries, you would have two options."

"The first option is to treat the company as your own and give the owner a fixed monthly salary. The second option is to demutualize the restaurant as a company and give the owner a 1% stake in the restaurant."

"Your Highness, in which situation do you think the owner will work harder in running the restaurant? Which situation will lead to better profitability?"

Zhu Di said without hesitation: "Of course, under the second option, the shopkeeper will work harder and achieve better results."

In fact, Zhu Di had already speculated on the benefits of corporatization and shareholding, and the examples cited by Liu Kuan made him understand it more thoroughly.

The same was true for the other vassal kings.

Liu Kuan continued, "For example, Your Highness wants to open a restaurant, but doesn't have enough capital. Would it be faster for you to slowly accumulate capital, or would it be faster to take out some of your restaurant shares and ask other princes for money?"

This time Zhu Di did not follow Liu Kuan's words and instead asked, "Can't I borrow money from other princes?"

Liu Kuan smiled. "Then, Your Highness, which is easier, borrowing money or exchanging shares for cash? Let me give you another counterexample. If you run a restaurant and lose money, would you suffer less loss by borrowing money or exchanging shares for cash?"

Zhu Di frowned and said, "If the restaurant I opened would lose money, who would be willing to buy shares in my restaurant?"

Liu Kuan said gently and persuasively, "Before the restaurant opens, who can be sure whether it will make money or lose money? So, Your Highness, won't you let others believe that your restaurant will most likely make money?"

At this time, Zhu Su couldn't help it - he felt that this third brother-in-law from the future was leading his good fourth brother astray.

"Third brother-in-law, if you say that, wouldn't we, the princes who were tricked into buying shares, be miserable? Since there's a risk of losing money, why would we buy shares and invest in Fourth Brother and the others?"

Liu Kuan anticipated that it would not be easy to make the feudal lords, who were accustomed to agricultural production, understand the business concepts of later generations. Therefore, he did not get angry or annoyed by Zhu Su's questioning.

He patiently explained, "There are two sayings in later generations. One is 'Business is like a battlefield' - if you want to win on the battlefield, you must make careful preparations, including strategic planning, logistics, and training, to increase your chances of victory. If the odds are against you, a wise person won't fight."

"The same is true for business investment. When someone approaches you for investment, you naturally have to examine whether the project they're talking about is profitable. If you're wrong, you can't blame them."

"As for the second sentence: As long as you want to make money, whether you invest in domestic workshops, shops, etc., or invest in overseas vassal states such as the King of Yan, there are risks."

"Borrowing money has low risk, but even if you make nine out of ten, can you earn several times or even dozens of times the profit? No. Investing, however, can—that's what we call the coexistence of risk and opportunity!"

Zhu Su had come to this gathering to secure some wealth for his descendants. Since investing could yield higher returns than lending, he naturally wanted to try.

So, after listening to Liu Kuan's explanation of the reason, he began to ponder.

At this time, Liu Kuan added, "Actually, whether you're investing in a workshop, a shop, or an overseas vassal state, as long as you invest enough and hold enough shares, your influence on that sub-industry will be greater."

"In this way, we can naturally use various means to ensure that this industry is profitable, or even make it more profitable."

"At this level, the investment risks are controllable for investors."

When Liu Kuan said this, Zhu Chun, who was not very prominent among the princes, suddenly said, "Teacher, isn't this just a few people partnering up to do business, or do something else?"

Liu Kuan was stunned when he heard this, then smiled bitterly and said, "The King of Shu is very smart. This one sentence summarizes all my explanations, and it is also simple and easy to understand."

At the same time, Liu Kuan thought that history said that the first King of Shu was good at business, and there were even rumors among the people that he had received magical methods and treasures for making money from immortals.

Now it seems that Zhu Chun probably has a talent for business and making money.

　Second update.

　　Good night~
　　Something delayed the update again.
　　
　　
　
(End of this chapter)