Listening to the sound of looms in the factory, Yang Yi suddenly felt very good, as if he could hear the wheels of capitalism rolling forward.
During the Ming Dynasty, because Huang Daopo improved cotton spinning technology, Songjiang Prefecture's annual output of cotton cloth was less than 20 million pieces, and it was known as "clothing and quilts for the world";
Now the Western Indian Ocean Trading Company has spent more than 10 million yuan, equivalent to 5 to 6 billion yuan in future generations, to support the cotton industry;
The annual output of cotton cloth in Yongqiu alone is no less than three million pieces, and there are ten larger cotton spinning mills than the Western Pacific Trading Co., Ltd. in Yongqiu. The total annual output of cotton cloth should not be less than 2,000 pieces. Ten thousand horses.
And this is just the beginning. The amount of cotton planted will increase year by year, and textile technology will continue to improve. In a few years, who can predict how much cotton cloth will be produced in the Song Dynasty?
Yang Yi followed Zhang Jiehe around the various factories. When he came to the spinning factory, it was a different scene. The spinning machines here were all driven by water power or animal power;
Originally, spinning was more labor-intensive than weaving, but after improvements by Shisanniang, the efficiency of the spinning machine has increased dozens of times. There are nearly a hundred large hydraulic spinning machines that can spin tens of thousands of kilograms of yarn every day, requiring manpower. Only three or four hundred people;
Here, Yang Yi can more truly feel the coming industrial revolution. Qing Niang and Adela were the first to see the hydraulic spinning wheel, but there was only one when tested in the Yang family, lined up with hundreds of them here. The majestic scenes are simply incomparable, and the feelings produced are completely different.
Qing Niang couldn't help but sigh: "Brother Yang, if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn't have dared to imagine such a scene. Now that it's better, people all over the world don't have to worry about having no clothes."
Yang Yi smiled faintly and said: "That's true. But Qing Niang, you think too simply. Cloth production has been transformed from household textiles to large factories. This actually has advantages and disadvantages. Needless to say, the advantages are disadvantageous. You can probably imagine the side of Qing Niang."
Qing Niang thought about it for a while, but finally shook her head to express her ignorance.
Yang Yi said: "Since ancient times, all people in the world have been men farming and women weaving, and women are weaving at home. If there are enough raw materials, hard-working and dexterous women can weave thirty or forty pieces of cloth a year, and they can make a lot of money just by hand. An income sufficient to maintain the daily life of a family of three;
Now, with the emergence of large-scale textile factories, the cost of cotton cloth produced here is much lower, and the quantity is huge, and it is overwhelmingly introduced to the market. The prices of various cloths will definitely drop;
It is inevitable that the income of peasant women from weaving will be reduced, and many women now do nothing but weave at home. In other words, the emergence of large-scale cotton spinning mills. It will have a big impact on many families. "
"What should we do? So many people have lost an income, but what should we do? Brother Yang, you must have a way to solve it, right?" Qing Niang was a little anxious and looked at him expectantly.
Yang Yi smiled bitterly and said: "Qing Niang, it is inevitable that traditional home textiles will be impacted. Just like when a biological child falls to the ground, the mother will always have to bear some labor pains."
"But"
"Qing Niang, don't be too anxious. Fortunately, most of the people who lost their land in the Song Dynasty have been relocated. Our country in the Song Dynasty is currently seriously short of labor. Even if the money from weaving is less, it is easy for the people to find other livelihoods."
"But Brother Yang, it's not convenient for women to show up. What kind of livelihood can they find?"
"This is a matter of concept. In order to survive, we must change our original habit of not opening the front door or leaving the second door. For example, in Tokyo, many women from the street go to restaurants and tea shops to serve tea and water. They are not surprised if they are different. Yet?
As the saying goes, it is a blessing in disguise. Breaking the original tradition of men farming and women weaving may not be a good thing for the people. Women can not only weave. Qingniang, look at your sister Bi'er. If she were in another family, she would do what? When we get to our house, as long as we let her do it, she can do many things better than men. "
"Ah" Qing Niang asked in surprise: "Brother Yang, do you want all the women in the world to imitate Sister Bi'er?"
"If you can learn it, it's not a bad idea to get there, haha"
Yang Yi and his group walked and chatted, and it took nearly an hour to walk down the entire factory area.
Zhang Jiehe finally sighed: "Mr. Yang, the most labor-intensive process at present is weaving, which consumes nearly seventy people. It would be great if the loom could be improved. If the efficiency could be increased several times like the spinning machine." Ten times, the entire factory can reduce its labor force by half."
"The loom must be improved. There are already some ideas. I think the hydraulic loom will be developed within next year." When Yang Yi said this, he lowered his voice and asked: "By the way, we are currently here. How much does it cost to weave a piece of cloth?¡±
"Back to Taifu Yang, currently, including raw materials and labor, the cost of a piece of cotton cloth is about 3,800 yuan, of which the raw material cost accounts for a little more than 60%, and the labor cost is about 30%."
Yang Yi did the math. Now the Western Indian Ocean Trading Co., Ltd. intends to control the quantity of cotton cloth put on the market. Most of the cotton is used to process quilts. This makes the price of cotton cloth not drop too much. The current wholesale price of a piece of cotton cloth is still Around five thousand dollars.
¡° If the costs of subsequent sales and commercial taxes are included, then a piece of cotton cloth can still earn a net profit of about 800 yuan.
This is already very good. Based on the annual output of 20 million horses, the trading company will have a profit of about 16 million yuan a year, which is equivalent to recouping a huge investment in one year. Starting next year, the profits can be collected Come to pay dividends.
Currently, the production cost of a piece of cotton cloth is as high as 3,800 Wen, mainly due to the high price of cotton.
In order to quickly promote cotton cultivation, when the trading company signed contracts with farmers in the first year, the purchase price was very high.
Money can make all the difference. It was precisely because trading companies set high purchase prices that farmers rushed to plant cotton, which allowed cotton planting to spread rapidly in the Song Dynasty.
People who planted cotton made a lot of money last year. It can be predicted that cotton planting will increase exponentially this year, and the purchase price will definitely drop.
When the total cost is reduced, cotton cloth can become a consumer product for ordinary people.
Seeing that there were no major problems in the cotton spinning mill, Yang Yi did not stay in Yongqiu longer. After eating some meals, the group boarded the boat again and went south along the Bianhe River.
Policies in the Gyeonggi area are implemented relatively well. Yang Yi will not waste his expression in the prefectures and counties near Gyeonggi. He will not abandon the ship and go ashore until he has passed Yingtianfu and truly start this inspection work.
The Bianhe River is actually the Tongji Canal dug by Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty. Today, on this vast river, boats and boats are weaving in and out day and night. The land on both sides of the bank is fertile, the products are rich, and there are many towns;
The most distinctive feature is that both sides of the river are lined with ancient willows. After Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty dug out the Grand Canal, he ordered people to plant willows on both sides of the river. When boating on the river, the scenery is picturesque.
Qing Niang leaned against the small window of the cabin, letting the river breeze blow her hair on her forehead. She looked at the scenery for a while, then turned around and smiled at Yang Yi: "Brother Yang, according to historical records, the predecessor of Bianhe River was during the Warring States Period. As for the gap, during the Spring and Autumn Period, King Hui of Liang wanted to dominate the princes and moved the capital from Anyi to Daliang. After moving the capital, he started construction and digging canals twice;
After the Wei State occupied Daliang City, a large ditch was dug in the Yellow River field to divert the Yellow River water into the field, and a canal was dug from the field for farmland irrigation; this was the earliest section of the ditch dug;
The world has gone through vicissitudes of life, white clouds and gray dogs. Thinking about it now, it really makes people sigh. The unbridgeable gap between Liu Bang and Xiang Yu has become the hub of communication between the north and the south since the great cause of the Sui Dynasty. As well as the products of the southeast, there are hundreds of things and treasures, which are incalculable. They also sent firewood from the Western Mountains to transport grain to the capital to revive Hebei's urgent needs. They relied on supplies both internally and externally. Of all the waterways in the world, nothing is more important than this. "
Yang Yi looked at the busy scene on the Bianhe River and said with a smile: "Qing Niang, after you said this, Brother Yang suddenly didn't want to do anything anymore."
"Why is this?"
"A person is so insignificant in this magnificent river of history. No matter how hard he struggles, he is just a small wave in the long river of history. Why bother!"
Qing Niang sat next to him and said with tenderness: "Brother Yang is not a little wave, you are a huge wave that pushes the long river of history forward. Among the famous officials in ancient and modern times, Han Xin and Wei Qing are slightly inferior to literary talents, Fang Moudu Duan, a little less coquettish, there are really not many people who are as accomplished as Brother Yang in both civil and military affairs."
Qing Niang pursed her lips when she said this, but did not continue. Yang Yi had already guessed who she was thinking of, and couldn't help but reveal a wry smile;
It is true that there are not many people who combine literary and military achievements, but it is not impossible, such as Cao Cao. In terms of literature, the handsome and vigorous poetic style of Cao Cao and others is known as the "Jian'an Style" and is a towering monument in the history of Chinese literature;
In terms of martial arts, in the war of war between heroes, Cao Cao defeated the strong with the weak, unified the Central Plains, and also attacked the Wuhuan and other foreign tribes in the north. Although he failed in Chibi, no one can deny his outstanding achievements in martial arts;
In terms of governance, ¡®white bones are exposed in the wild, and there are no roosters crowing for thousands of miles. ¡¯ The north was prosperously governed by him, laying a solid foundation for the later Wei and Jin Dynasties to unify the world.
"Obviously, Qing Niang also thought of Cao Cao, but Cao Cao had a bad reputation. How could he compare it with his brother Yang?
Yang Yi gently patted Qing Niang's shoulder and said with a smile: "Qing Niang, don't worry, I don't know how many people in the world say that I am Cao Cao. It's up to others."Go ahead. In fact, Brother Yang admires Cao Cao very much. Cao Cao has a bad reputation just because his son Cao Pi failed to live up to expectations. The Northern Wei Dynasty did not last long. You know, history books are written by future generations! "
After hearing Yang Yi¡¯s emotion, Qingniang suddenly said: ¡°So, I must finish writing Brother Yang¡¯s biography and record Brother Yang¡¯s achievements truthfully one by one, and will not allow future generations to distort it.¡±
"Hahaha" Yang Yi couldn't help laughing loudly when he saw her serious look.
Qing Niang¡¯s serious look is really beautiful. She has the attitude of Ban Ji continuing history and the attitude of Xie Ting Yong Xue, which is unforgettable.