Chapter 454: Ding Zijuan is a genius, brainwashed and beaten
Feng Ziying naturally couldn't refuse Wei Guangwei's invitation. This person could also be considered a representative of the Central Solidarity faction, and he was from Beizhi and had a good relationship with Qi Yongtai. Based on this relationship, Feng Ziying couldn't refuse.
Feng Ziying's identity is more complicated. He was born in Shandong, but grew up in Datong, Shanxi. However, when he later studied and took scientific examinations, he was included in Beizhi Shuntian Prefecture, so Qi Yongtai (Beizhi), Qiao Yingjia (Shanxi) and Zhou Yongchun (Shandong) , Geng Ruqi (Shandong) and others all have some affinity for him.
Of course, there were also scholars from Shandong who were very cold to him, such as Wang Xiangchun.
Soon four people came out.
Wei Guangwei is only in his early thirties, only about ten years older than Feng Ziying and others. He has the appearance of a handsome gentleman and his extraordinary bearing, which makes him very attractive. In comparison, Feng Ziying, Fan Jingwen, He Fengsheng and others look much more immature.
Even though it was already dark, the streets in Zhangjiawan were still full of people coming and going. Lanterns were hung on the street shops on both sides, illuminating the entire street as if it were daytime. There was no sign of closed houses as expected.
"The Great Zhou Dynasty was so prosperous, but it's a pity that such grand scenes are rare in our north." Wei Guangwei said with emotion, "The north is withered, but the imperial court pushed forward the policy of opening up the sea. Although the debt obtained from opening up the sea is nominal It is used for nine-border defense, but Ziying, you are the initiator of this policy of opening up the sea, do you feel that the biggest beneficiary of this opening up of the sea is the south, while we in the north have been abandoned aside?"
Wei Guangwei's words didn't sound like there was much change in tone, but the more they sounded like this, the more it meant that the other party had been thinking about this issue for a long time.
"In addition to the promise of strengthening the defense of the nine borders of the North, what else can we, the scholars of the North, get? But is the defense of the nine borders of the North just for our northern provinces? Why do they in the south think that opening up the sea and borrowing money are giving us charity? , we should be angry and short-tempered, why? We are unwilling to do so."
Feng Ziying and Fan Jingwen exchanged glances. It seemed that Mr. Wei had a purpose in inviting his group out.
Wei Guangwei's views should represent the mainstream views of northern scholars. Even now that Qi Yongtai, Qiao Yingjia, Wang Yongguang and others have accepted this strategy of opening up the sea, the proceeds from borrowing are mainly used for nine-border defense, but they really have some insights. Taxi scholars can still see the long-term and huge benefits that the strategy of opening up the sea has brought to the entire Nanzhi, Fujian and Zhejiang, Guangdong and Guangxi and even the neighboring Jiangxi and other places.
Silk, tea, porcelain, paper, medicinal materials, these goods that will be exported after the opening of the sea are basically mainly produced in the south, and even food and taxes are also concentrated in Jiangnan and Huguang.
The wealthiest places in the Great Zhou Dynasty have already gathered in the south of the Yangtze River. Once the sea is opened, the economic life that is closely linked to trade will usher in a greater wave of development. For the North, this is not good news, because The North gained nothing.
This means that Jiangnan will become more and more prosperous, and the voice of the southern gentry and merchants will also increase. Although the economic base determines the superstructure, scholars in this era may not be able to truly analyze and demonstrate it from the perspective of modern political economics. come out, but there is no doubt that as the most intelligent and intelligent group of people in this era, they can still feel and understand the truth.
Look at the guild halls from all over the country that are gathered in the capital city. In addition to the Shanshan guild halls, look at the southern merchant gang guild halls that abound in the capital city. They are more than ten times more numerous than the merchant gang guild halls in the north.
Everyone knows what this kind of business association stands for and what it means.
Look again at the various street shops in Jiawan Market. What percentage of southern goods, silks, teas, cloths, medicinal materials, porcelain and antiques are accounted for by merchants from the North?
This is Tongzhou under the capital city, the real heartland of the North, and the influence of southern merchants has already penetrated here.
"Zi Ying, Meng Zhang, Ke Yao, I know that my view is a bit narrow. Well, judging from the thoughts of Qi Gong and Qiao Gong, it is not that they can't see this, but they still support the opening of the sea. In this strategy, they considered the problem from the perspective of the entire imperial court. Because Jiubian could not afford to delay, they could only take this step..."
"But it's okay to think about the imperial court's plans, but after reflection, isn't there any room for redemption in the north? Just watching the south prosperous, and we are helpless and have no plan? We are ashamed of ourselves. My hometown in the north." Wei Guangwei looked at Feng Ziying with stern eyes, "Ziying, Qi Gong and Qiao Gong have always said that you may not be good at classics, meanings and poetry, but you have a wonderful way to break through the stereotypes, why teach me?"
Feng Ziying was silent, while Fan Jingwen and He Fengsheng also looked at Feng Ziying.
This question is so big that even Feng Ziying cannot answer it easily.
"Brother Xianbo, Master Qi and Master Qiao have actually implicitly mentioned your question. That is why since the Tang and Song Dynasties, our north has been declining day by day, while the south has been in the ascendant?" Feng Ziying did not answer Wei Guangwei's question. , but set up another question.
And this question seems to be sharper and more pointed, and it makes people feel the impermanence of historical changes. Why did the north always be the center of the entire country's imperial court before the Song and Tang Dynasties, whether it was Chang'an or Bianliang, they were all firmly located there. The upper hand, but now it has become like this?
In fact, starting from the Northern Song Dynasty, the country’s center of gravity began to shift to the south. Whether you admit it or not, this is an irrefutable and irreversible reality.
"There may be many answers to this question, and they all have certain truths. For example, there are constant wars in the north, while the south is relatively stable, and the population migrates from north to south. For example, the court of the former Song Dynasty was centered in Hangzhou, so it naturally promoted the development of Jiangnan. But I think, These are not the most important reasons." Feng Ziying paused and then said: "I think the most fundamental and critical factors are two. First, the natural conditions for agriculture are better in the south, while the north is drier and has more disasters. , In comparison, the water, heat and light conditions are better in the south,..."
Feng Ziying briefly explained to the three people the impact of water, heat, light and soil on the development of agriculture. Although everyone knows these factors, when Feng Ziying used a relatively professional and modern vocabulary to explain the reasons for these and their impact on agricultural planting. When the impact came, it still shook them severely.
At least they have never really understood the requirements for water, heat, light and soil whether it is wheat, rice, cotton or mulberry. It is more of a traditional and simple representational thinking. But Feng Ziying gave them another lesson today. a lesson.
"Wait a minute, Ziying, are you saying that the conditions for farming in the north are incomparable to those in the south? Then why before the Tang and Song Dynasties, the north was more prosperous and prosperous, while the south was sparsely populated, like a wilderness? " Before Wei Guangwei could say anything, Fan Jingwen couldn't hold himself back at first.
"Mengzhang, let me tell you, this is the change brought about by the improvement of agricultural production technology. After the introduction of Champa rice from the Champa State in the Song Dynasty, this kind of rice has a short growth period, is drought-resistant, has high yield, and is more suitable for Jiangnan. The weather in Hunan, Huguang and Guangdong and Guangxi, or the water, heat and light in these areas are more suitable for this kind of rice cultivation. It can achieve two and three crops a year, and the rice output per season in the same area is about twice the wheat output in the north. This kind of rice Under such circumstances, southern agriculture has completely overwhelmed us in the north in solving the most critical problem of filling our stomachs..."
Feng Ziying calmly and cruelly dealt fatal blows to several people.
"After this kind of rice has established its main position, the possibility of us in the north trying to make a comeback in agriculture is very small, because we can think about it, assuming that one acre of land in the north can produce one hundred kilograms of wheat in one season, and The south can produce two hundred kilograms of rice in one season, and it can rotate two or even three seasons of rice and wheat every year. Even if the north can add some other crops to make up for it in the remaining time, in fact we all know this kind of grain. The huge gap in income of up to four or five times cannot be made up by anything else,..."
Everyone was silent. He Fengsheng was from Huguang, so he naturally understood this truth, especially the difference in rice and wheat cultivation between the north and the south. Wei Guangwei and Fan Jingwen were almost slumped when they figured out this truth.
“When there is enough food to fill the belly, the population will naturally increase. And when the population increases and the food is temporarily sufficient, then more land can be freed up, or other uses can be used. When the land suitable for growing rice and wheat is used to grow mulberry, hemp and tea, when women and children can still spend their free time spinning and weaving, how can we in the north compete with the south?”
Feng Ziying said calmly: "This does not take into account the dense water network in the south. Regarding the huge advantages in transportation consumption costs, we know very well that the difficulty and hugeness of the Jiubian grain supply is actually transportation damage, and if there is a line like The canal under our feet runs along the nine sides from the northwest to Liaodong, so it will be very easy for us to reduce our food and salary expenditures by half..."
Wei Guangwei felt that he had never been "brainwashed and beaten" like he was today. In fact, many problems are not complicated. You can understand them if you think about it carefully. However, he has never thought about it before considering the system and the overall situation. But when Feng Ziying listed them all like this, he felt that he was completely convinced, and there was no room for refutation.
"Ziying, according to what you said, we in the north have no chance?" Fan Jingwen took a few breaths. He felt that Feng Ziying's words were like a huge stone in his heart, and it was difficult to move away. He wanted to refute and overthrow, but he couldn't find a reason and in accordance with.
"Under the current production model that basically revolves around the basic needs of having a full belly and clothing and clothes, it is difficult to change when the south has a larger population and more traditional agricultural conditions. Well, maybe we in the north There are still some opportunities, but it is basically impossible to completely reverse the situation." Feng Ziying answered rationally and affirmatively.
(End of this chapter)