Chương 661: Leaving Jiangnan, Old Master Zhang's Home

The salt fields expanded by 30%, and the output of Huai salt was enough for half of the Han people. Salt prices were very stable, and there was no more rampant private salt production. The people were eating only government-supplied salt.

In terms of water conservancy, the irrigation area was renovated, and new irrigated fields were added... that is...

"Huainan has a large network of waterways, and the land routes are difficult to travel. People have to take boats to reach remote counties, which is a lot of trouble and involves many detours. I was thinking of building more cement roads and bridges to connect the county towns with the docks, so that people would no longer have to take the long way around by water."

Liu Ce did not respond directly, but the next day he took his men to visit the Shouchun Wharf.

The dock was bustling with activity. Grain, salt, silk, and porcelain were piled up like small mountains. Porters carried goods back and forth, their shouts rising and falling, and they were all drenched in sweat.

Many merchant ships flew flags bearing the names of Yangzhou, Jinling, and Luoyang, while spice ships from Southeast Asia were moored in the distance, their bows adorned with colorful flags.

Shen Wansan looked at the goods on the dock, his abacus spinning rapidly. He leaned close to Liu Ce's ear and said, "Your Majesty, the annual commercial tax from Huainan dock is equivalent to that of two ordinary prefectures. If we expand it further and establish a transit bonded zone, the tax revenue could increase by another 30%."

Liu Ce glared at him with a smile: "You think you're so good at accounting?"

After visiting the dock, we went to see the government-run weaving workshop... Dozens of female workers were busy, their efficiency was several times higher than that of manual weaving, and the shuttles were flying back and forth.

Back on the ship, Liu Ce said to Chen Mo, "The road and bridge project is approved, and the Ministry of Works will provide technical support. Also, Huainan has a dense network of waterways, so we should build more small steamships for inland waterway transport to connect all the counties. With faster cargo flow, the people will naturally become richer."

"I obey your decree!"

After spending two days in Huainan, the Qiming set off again, heading south along the Grand Canal towards Jiangnan.

The journey south was marked by frequent stops and starts. At the end of May, the Qiming slowly entered the Nanjing city dock.

Jiangnan Province Governor Zhang Maocai, along with officials of all ranks, had been waiting at the dock for some time. The dock was crowded with onlookers, all eager to see what the legendary "steamship" looked like. Many students and businessmen stood on tiptoe, trying to catch a glimpse of the emperor, and some even held up binoculars.

As soon as Liu Ce stepped off the boat, he was enveloped by the lively atmosphere of Jiangnan... The air was filled with the fragrance of osmanthus, the aroma of sweet porridge, and a faint scent of rouge, completely different from the ruggedness of Luojing, soft and sweet.

"Your Majesty, you must be tired from your journey! I have prepared a temporary palace for you; may you rest for a while?"

Zhang Maocai bowed and said, "No rush."

Liu Ce waved his hand, "Let's take a look around first and see just how rich Jiangnan really is."

Over the next few days, Wang Maocai accompanied him on a tour of the entire area.

On the first day, I strolled along the Qinhuai River. Painted boats glide on the water, singing girls play instruments, shops line both banks, and people come and go in a crowded manner, with the sound of string and wind instruments floating on the water.

Cheng Yaojin stared wide-eyed, then grabbed Xu Chu and began to mutter:

"My goodness, Jinling City is so lively! It's even more flamboyant than Luoyang! Look at the girls on those painted boats, singing so beautifully..."

The next day, I went to the government-run textile bureau. They had already put steam looms into use. Dozens of machines were turning around with a rumble. Cotton yarn went in and cloth came out, quickly and evenly, without the yarn breaking.

The steward explained, "Your Majesty, one steam engine can replace twenty weavers. The amount of cloth that used to take half a month to weave in a day is now three times the production of cloth in Jiangnan. It's in high demand everywhere, and supply can't meet demand."

Liu Ce touched the woven cotton cloth; it was smooth and thick, and nodded in satisfaction.

"Okay. Not only do we need to weave cloth, but we also need to dye it in more colors, make it into clothes, and sell them for a higher price. Don't just sell raw materials; we need to earn money from the craftsmanship. One garment can earn the price of ten bolts of cloth."

On the third day, we went to the maritime trade port. Hundreds of ships were anchored in the harbor, some bound for Yingzhou Province, others for Southeast Asia...

Dockworkers carried porcelain, tea, and silk onto the ship, while unloading spices, ivory, gemstones, and sappanwood piled up like small mountains, their colors vibrant and varied.

Zhang Maocai reported: "Your Majesty, last year there were over 1, 200 ships entering and leaving the sea, and maritime trade tax revenue accounted for 40% of the province's commercial tax revenue. Now, people are eager to build ships and go to sea; the profits are substantial. However, there is one problem... pirates occasionally appear at sea, and small countries also collect tolls, making merchant ships somewhat unsafe. Sometimes, goods are seized, and people cannot return.

I am thinking, should we send more ships from the navy to patrol?"

Liu Ce nodded: "I will remember this. Zhou Yu is building three major naval forces, and there will be warships escorting the South Seas routes in the future. You can also organize merchant fleets to go to sea together, and the court will issue armed permits, allowing you to carry a small number of firearms for self-defense."

Shen Wansan's eyes lit up as he stood to the side. He pulled Zhang Maocai aside and asked him all sorts of questions, pondering whether he should open a government-run trading company in Jinling to specialize in maritime trade. He had already started marking things up in his notebook.

That evening at the imperial palace, Zhang Maocai presented the year's account books, providing a detailed report on population, grain, commercial taxes, education, and governance.

Finally, Liu Ce said to him:

"It's a good thing that Jiangnan is prosperous, but we can't just be prosperous ourselves. We need to bring prosperity to the surrounding areas, and Lingnan and Huainan should work together. Also, we shouldn't just focus on making money; schools and hospitals should also keep up. As people make more money, they should also read more books and newspapers."

Furthermore, Nanjing will become the main base for trade with Southeast Asia. The port needs expansion, shipyards need to be built, and a dedicated maritime trade office needs to be established. Only by laying a solid foundation can we go further in the future.

Zhang Maocai nodded repeatedly, writing everything down in his notebook as his pen flew across the page.

After spending a full week in Jinling, enjoying local delicacies, visiting many buildings, and seeing numerous sights, Liu Ce reluctantly set off northward.

The Qiming ship traveled north along the Grand Canal, stopping and starting for more than ten days, before entering the territory of Jizhou Province.

Accompanied by the governor of Jizhou, they first went to Hejian Prefecture... This was Liu Ce's hometown, the root of the Liu family. When the boat docked, the prefect of Hejian and the local clan chief were already waiting at the dock with the villagers.

Hearing that the emperor had returned to his hometown, people from all around rushed over, bringing their families and crowding the roadside to catch a glimpse of the emperor. Some even brought their grandchildren.

As soon as Liu Ce got out of the car, he looked at the familiar road and trees and felt a warmth in his heart.

The clan chief, an old man with a white beard, was Liu Ce's distant great-uncle by seniority. He stepped forward shakily, intending to perform a grand salute, but Liu Ce stopped him.

"Uncle, don't be so polite. I'm just going back to my hometown to visit, not to put on a show."

As the group walked inside, villagers gathered on both sides, chattering amongst themselves...

Liu Ce smiled and agreed to each of the gifts, accepting the vegetables handed to him by the villagers. He told Dian Wei to keep them and to have Lu Bing pay for them at market price later, so as not to take the people's things for free.

Back at the old house... the old locust tree in the courtyard is still there, even thicker than before, its canopy covering half the yard.