The three of them came to the inn, found a seat on the first floor, ordered four dishes and a small jar of wine, and chatted while drinking.
The waiter at the inn also knew Li Hongji, and he treated him warmly. He even gave him an extra plate of salted peanuts so that he wouldn't have to wait for the food to arrive.
"Xiao Chen, why are there so many carriages outside the warehouse?" Li Hongji asked the waiter with some surprise.
The waiter chuckled and explained, "The imperial court has started migrating people again, and the post stations and merchant warehouses are responsible for transportation. The more they transport, the more subsidies they receive. Our Chinese Chamber of Commerce has customized a large number of carriages because we want to share the burden of the imperial court and serve the country."
Li Hongji laughed and said jokingly, "Xiao Chen is becoming more and more talkative. He even helps the court with its worries. He talks about making a lot of money."
The waiter laughed and said, "When you're welcoming guests, you can't always be rude. Even if you listen, you can learn some nice words."
"They're going to immigrate again. I wonder where they're going to?" Gao Yingxiang asked. "What new policies are there?"
Seeing that there were not many diners, the waiter briefly introduced the place: "The main thing is that all food and drink expenses on the way to Liaodong and Dongfan Prefecture are free. Once you arrive at your destination, you can farm the land and be exempt from taxes for two years..."
If immigration work only relies on the policies issued by the court and the people's spontaneous actions, it will obviously be inefficient.
Transportation, food and accommodation on the road, etc., must be quite difficult for most people who have never even left the county or town.
The emperor also realized this problem, so he began to take the lead of the government, with the participation and assistance of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce, to take charge of the immigration work from start to finish and alleviate the people's fear of difficulties.
Compared with northern provinces such as Shaanxi, Henan and Shanxi, which are suffering from continuous drought, the Liaodong region, although cold, has cold-resistant crops and the farming situation is much better.
You know, the reason why the Little Ice Age in the late Ming Dynasty was so severe and even became one of the main reasons for the demise of the Ming Empire was that farming did not undergo adaptive changes.
For example, in the second year of the Chongzhen reign, a heavy snowstorm hit most of Shaanxi Province. Snowfall in a year of severe drought is usually a good thing, but this heavy snow came after spring plowing, freezing all the seedlings to death.
In December, Yan'an Prefecture suffered another snowstorm, and countless people froze to death or fled from famine.
The coldness during the Little Ice Age was rare in history. If you were still growing traditional rice and wheat, a poor harvest would be the least of your worries, and even a total loss of harvest would not be surprising.
If crops with short growing seasons and cold and drought resistance, such as potatoes, corn, and rye, are planted when the drought is alleviated by heavy snow, the results will be much better.
Li Hongji nodded repeatedly. It was not much different from the previous policy, but it solved the difficulty of traveling, and more people would respond.
Chinese people are traditionally attached to their land, but there's also a saying that goes, "People move and live, trees move and die." This is especially true for those who don't own land, giving them a chance to start over by buying a home.
Population dilution is certain, but it will not lead to a situation where there is no one living for thousands of miles. The target of immigration is mainly landless and poor farmers.
On the one hand, it is to reduce the burden of disaster relief in the disaster-stricken areas, and on the other hand, it is to effectively utilize manpower and carry out the development and construction of new areas.
The imperial court only provided some subsidies, but the disaster would last at least three to five years. The value created by immigrants in these three to five years would definitely be greater than if they stayed in the disaster area.
The emperor introduced such a policy based on his estimation of the duration of the disaster.
Although he predicted the coming of the disaster and made relatively adequate preparations in advance, not many people believed that this major disaster would last for more than ten or twenty years.
Therefore, the work of disaster prevention, disaster relief and disaster relief has been advancing and deepening, and we must make preparations to survive major disasters in the past ten or twenty years.
More and more people are being affected. The court has thought carefully and acted meticulously. Whether the opportunity can be seized depends on personal ideas and courage.
"It seems you have quite a farsighted vision." Gao Yingxiang, having learned about the new immigration policy, agreed with his nephew's idea of going into the transportation business. "But Guo'er and I still want to join the army and fight for our future."
Li Hongji raised his glass in a toast and said, "Uncle is pursuing great wealth and honor, while nephew only cares about the small profits in front of him. I feel ashamed."
"No matter how big or small, it's all about making a living." Gao Yingxiang took a sip of wine, shook his head and said, "Everyone has their own ideas, and no one has foresight. It's hard to say whether it's good or bad. Let's wait and see in ten or eight years!"
Whether it is to fight in the army or to make a living in other ways, it is always a personal choice. Who can guarantee that the hope in your heart can be realized?
But there are always choices. There will be no despair of being left with no other options and having to take risks and endanger society.
Even if the court takes more money, there is no need for the royal family to accumulate mountains of gold and silver, but giving the people more ways to make a living is the only way to ensure the stability of the country and society.
The emperor understood this principle best and was constantly working towards this goal.
………………
Liaodong, Jilin Prefecture.
After pacifying Liaodong, the imperial court resumed its expansion strategy, expanding northward from Liaodong, first establishing Jilin Prefecture, with its seat in Jilin Shipyard City, also known as "Shipyard", "Jilin" and "Jiangcheng".
After the reconstruction of Jilin Prefecture, the shipyards along the river also began to recruit workers for construction. A large number of canal workers from Jianghuai and craftsmen from major shipyards were moved here.
To the east of Jilin Prefecture City is the capital of the Bohai Kingdom during the Qing Dynasty, Huhan City (now Dunhua), which was called Aodong City at that time.
To the west is the former Nurgan Dusi Yidonghewei, also known as Long'an Station, now renamed Changchun by the imperial court. During the Song Dynasty, it was even more well-known as Huanglongfu.
The Ming army's first round of northward advance relied on these three points as support, forming a solid defense line. It could continue to advance towards the Songnen Plain in the north, and in the south it could encompass thousands of square kilometers of directly administered territory.
Although Jilin Prefecture is vast and sparsely populated, the stationing of tens of thousands of officers and soldiers and the arrival of a large number of immigrants have made it show a thriving momentum.
The main reason is the preferential support of the imperial court policy. Immigrants enjoy one policy in Liaodong, but if they choose Jilin Prefecture, the policy they enjoy is more favorable and more attractive.
First, villages and towns were built around the three new cities of Jilin Prefecture, Changchun, and Aodong; then, post stations along the transportation routes and relay warehouses for the Ming army to transport supplies were built, and the people settled in the surrounding villages.
The planning of villages and towns was determined by the government, and they were either existing sites or newly designated areas suitable for living and farming. Being close to the military not only improved safety, but also made it easier for the military to assist in construction.
If we rely solely on immigration to build Jilin Prefecture, it is obviously not enough. You know, Jilin Prefecture is the logistics base for the Ming army to continue advancing northward and eliminate the remnants of the Jiannu.
Therefore, the conscription system was implemented in Liaodong, and a total of 26,000 soldiers were recruited, all of whom entered Jilin Prefecture to participate in the pioneering and reclamation of wasteland.
This year alone, the army and immigrants reclaimed nearly three million mu of wasteland and established more than 400 villages and towns, which initially changed the scene of Jilin Prefecture where there were wilderness everywhere and no one lived for hundreds of miles.
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