Chapter 915 - 95: Gradual Accumulation, Kyushu’s Fresh Winds

The commerce of Kyushu before the great chaos had already reached a bottleneck and had formed a relatively mature trade system.

Now, it is an explosion after a long silence.

Goods accumulated in various "industrial zones" re-entered the market as trade routes opened up, and as the situation gradually stabilized, the laborers in these "industrial zones" were re-employed, providing the people with a way out.

This revival of commerce, like thawing spring water, quickly spread over the canals’ banks, coastal docks, and into the inland regions and prefectures.

The kilns in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi, were ablaze throughout the night, not only to fulfill domestic officials’ and gentry’s orders but also to catch the monsoon shipping season heading to Quanzhou State.

Kiln owners discovered that through the "coordination" and standardized depot systems of the Cao Sea General Control Department, the transportation loss of mass-produced porcelain decreased, and cost accounting became clear.

They began to dare to accept large orders from overseas merchants with special designs and shapes, and some were even bold enough to attempt firing a cyan-blue glaze mixed with Southern Ocean soot, specifically for long voyages.

The weaving machines in Suzhou and Hangzhou were buzzing densely like falling rain once more.

In the past, the finest brocades were mainly supplied to the court and nobles, but now the high-quality fabrics, with patterns more suited to foreign demands, began to be packed in boxes, sealed with the General Control Department’s tax seal, and transported to "official depots" in Mingzhou State and Guangzhou State.

Some larger weaving workshops started attempting to hire more female workers who had left the land, initiating preliminary division of labor and collaboration to meet the continuous market demand.

Yes, female workers.

This was something that was utterly impossible to happen in the original history.

Yet, all of this naturally occurred within the current Kyushu.

Even the Gu Clan didn’t deliberately do anything regarding this.

Of course, there are reasons why this phenomenon occurred.

——Firstly, the changes in the textile industry. The principles of steam have made significant progress over the years, and under high demand conditions, merchants all over naturally discovered the meticulous nature of female workers compared to male workers.

Simply put, it’s about profit.

——When profits are sufficient, many so-called rules and etiquette are naturally ignored, and not even a ripple was caused during this time.

Because those who hired female workers were themselves the so-called supporters of rules and etiquette.

And as for the ordinary people, it was even simpler.

Who wouldn’t want an extra income for their household?

Of course, this naturally has changes brought by the iteration of thought, and with the establishment of the Gu Academy, it seems this never ceased, regardless of the circumstance of great governance or chaos across the land.

But this is not all either.

The so-called female workers were limited to applicable industries.

And the most significant change was not just in the textile industry but rather in the larger context of mining and smelting areas.

The copper mines in Huainan, the lead, and tin in Jiangxi, the iron mines in Guangdong, either abandoned or reduced production during the war, but now with relatively stable order and clear mining taxes, they are emitting dense smoke again.

And this time, Gu Hui initiated an astonishing move.

He expanded the mining department of the Central Hub.

And made special plans for overseas mineral deposits.

This move immediately caused a huge stir in the court and society.

In traditional concepts, "Under the heavens, not a single inch is not the king’s land," but to actively stretch the court’s reach, planfully into the vast ocean and barren lands to seek "stones," was seen by most scholars as adventurous and even as a hint of "competing with the people for profit" or "neglecting one’s proper duties."

Even though the current overseas affluence had also deeply penetrated into the hearts of the people, all of this still clashed with many ancient sayings and common knowledge.

However, Gu Hui and the core members of the cabinet overrode all opposition and directly settled the matter.

No way—

The development of Kyushu had indeed reached a bottleneck.

Unless there is a revolutionary iteration in productivity, for Kyushu to achieve further development, it must expand outward.

Of course, this outward expansion doesn’t need to use Martial Force.

——Instead, it relies on the influence of the Gu Clan.

It is worth mentioning that the influence of the Gu Clan overseas has already undergone a monumental change.

Relying on the inherent advantages of Kyushu, with the continuous expansion by the Gu Clan, this was more than enough to perpetually enhance their reputation, especially concerning all that relates to overseas, Gu Yi similarly never restricted the Gu Clan from engaging in religiosity.

The influence of the Gu Clan overseas has long surpassed the mere scope of commerce and knowledge dissemination, penetrating into the spiritual belief layer of the local communities, presenting a unique and powerful combination of "sacred" and "pragmatism."

This was not the result of deliberate evangelism by the Gu Clan, but a product spontaneously molded by local communities during prolonged exchanges, protection, and imparting of skills, mixed with local beliefs.

In the Southern Ocean islands and some coastal areas of the Southeast Asia peninsula, the Gu Clan’s disciples or Chinese immigrants deeply influenced by them were often revered as "embodiments of wisdom and order" for engaging in trade, teaching farming and water conservation techniques, and even mediating tribal disputes.

Among them, early pioneers of the Gu Clan who made outstanding contributions to exploring sea routes, establishing trade outposts, and introducing new agricultural tools and calendars have been integrated with the native deities or Buddhist and Hindu deity images by some local groups.

Still, the talents of these disciples weren’t particularly strong.

They merely applied some common knowledge overseas based on Kyushu’s advantages, and even this alone was sufficient.