Daming Town Haiwang

Chapter 1112, Prosperous Hong Kong
The most southwestern part of the island of England in Europe, formerly Cornwall, is now Hong Kong, an overseas colony of the Ming Empire.

Because the Ming Dynasty is about to usher in the New Year, according to the system stipulated in the latest Ming Dynasty's Humu Code, during the Chinese New Year period, the entire Ming Dynasty will have a [-]-day holiday.

Therefore, the whole of Hong Kong also ushered in the first Spring Festival in history.

In the huge newly built harbor, ships flying the flag of Ming Dynasty are moored in the harbor. These ships are basically Ming ships that come to Europe to do business.

Because the time was too short to return to Daming, I chose to come to Hong Kong to celebrate the New Year. After all, only in my own territory can I have a more sense of belonging.

In the harbor, according to the order of the Governor of Hong Kong, the harbor is decorated with red everywhere.

Red lanterns, red window paper, and red couplets can be seen everywhere, and there is a happy red everywhere.

Some crew members of the Ming Dynasty were pasting red couplets and words on the big ships, usually for peace, good luck, and wealth, and other things to pray for the smoothness of the coming year.

At the same time, some captains, businessmen, etc. brought various tributes to offer incense and sacrifices to the ship gods, Mazu, Guanyin, Dragon King, Turtle God, etc. on the pier, praying that these gods would continue to bless them on the sea in the coming year. safe and sound.

All kinds of firecrackers and fireworks are also being set off one after another, and the sound resounds through the sky.

Tom and Jack are queuing up to collect their wages.

In the coming sixteen years of Hongzhi, the whole of Hong Kong has undergone unprecedented changes.

Because it became Daming's overseas colony and also Daming's first colony in Western Europe, it naturally became the bridgehead for Ming to enter and contact Europe.

Not only did it attract a large number of Ming businessmen, firms, and Ming people to come to Hong Kong to do business and settle here, but also benefited from Hong Kong's special status, it also attracted a large number of European businessmen to come here to do business.

This has greatly promoted the prosperity and development of Hong Kong. In just one year, Hong Kong has undergone earth-shaking changes.

In terms of the port in the past, it was just a small fishing village, but now it has become a big port and a big city, with spacious concrete roads and tall buildings painted white. The sky is shining, and it is no longer the original small fishing village.

As local aborigines, Tom and Jack naturally enjoyed many benefits.

They used to make a living by fishing, and with the heavy taxes imposed by the British king and the church, Tom and Jack could only eat the most unpalatable horse bread and black bread to satisfy their hunger, struggling to survive.

But now he is working at the wharf. At first, he was involved in large-scale infrastructure construction, and then he worked as a porter at the wharf, loading and unloading goods and so on.

Although it is also very hard work and very tiring, the wages given by the people of Daming are high, and life has undergone earth-shaking changes.

"Jack, how much can you get this month?"

Tom looked at the long queue in front of him, silently calculating his income in his heart.

"It's less than three taels of silver~"

Jack thought for a while and said that the currency in Hong Kong quickly switched to using Ming's currency when it became a colony of Ming Dynasty. Copper coins, silver dollars, and silver bills also replaced the original pound and pence in a very short period of time.

"I'm almost the same. The people of Ming Dynasty are rich. I heard that these sailors of Ming Dynasty can easily earn more than ten taels of silver a month, and some even earn dozens of taels of silver."

Tom looked at the Daming sailors who were relaxing in the port. With the beginning of the annual vacation, these Daming sailors also became more relaxed.

Hong Kong has gathered a large number of merchant ships, captains, and sailors. These rich sailors of Ming Dynasty have always been the object of Tom's envy and envy.

These Ming sailors have endless money on them, and they are always hugged from left to right, whether it is a little sheep from England, a Gallic chicken from France, or a blond female bullfighter from the Iberian Peninsula, or even a man from the Mediterranean Sea. The hot girls are extremely enthusiastic about these generous sailors of Ming Dynasty.

In addition to money and women, these Ming sailors also have a very high status. As long as they are willing to settle here in Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Governor's Mansion will directly give [-] acres of land to attract Ming people to come to Hong Kong to settle here. .

But such a policy is not attractive to these Ming people at all. These Ming sailors are basically people with considerable family fortune.

Almost everyone owns large tracts of land, a large number of slaves and manors in the Golden Continent, the vassal states overseas of Daming, and colonies, etc. They simply don't care about the one hundred acres of land here in Hong Kong.

One hundred acres of land is something that Tom and Jack dream of owning, but it is very, very hard to get.

But for the people of Ming Dynasty, they are easy to get, just because they are people of Ming Dynasty, it's as simple as that.

"No comparison with them~"

Jack looked at the Daming people in the harbor, hugging each other, holding his beauties in Hong Kong for a leisurely vacation here, looking at the beauties in their arms.

Blond hair, blue eyes, tall stature, all kinds of styles, all of them are the best in the world, but they are all from these Ming people, and some are even slaves bought back by these Ming sailors.

"Tom~"

At this time, a voice sounded, and when Tom heard it, he hurried forward.

"Guan Li is good~"

Tom saluted the Daming people in front of him with Daming etiquette, and what Daming said was a bit lame.

"Tom, you worked 30 days last month. You worked diligently and earnestly. My son paid you two or two or eight dollars. But since you work hard and have a good attitude, I will give you some extra rewards. You can get three or two or four dollars in total. In addition, the Chinese New Year is coming soon, according to the rules of our Ming Dynasty, some rewards are given during the Chinese New Year, so this time I will give you a total of four taels of silver."

Manager Li took out a notebook and told Tom according to the content on it.

"Four taels of silver!"

When Tom heard this, his eyes widened slightly. This feeling is good. I didn't expect that there would be rewards and New Year's benefits, which is fine.

"If there is no problem, come here and sign it, and the money will be collected."

"Okay, okay~"

Tom quickly picked up the writing brush, drew a circle on it, and then pressed his handprint, and soon received four silver dollars that were shining in silver.

"Whoo~"

After receiving the silver dollar, Tom quickly took a breath and put it to his ear. Hearing the wonderful sound, his eyes narrowed happily.

"Tom, you're so good that you got four silver dollars."

At this time, Jack also came over with three silver dollars and a bunch of copper coins.

"Haha, thanks for the New Year, I like Daming's New Year."

Tom smiled and kissed the silver dollar in his hand.

Since Cornwall became Ming's Hong Kong, they also enjoyed a lot of benefits. During Chinese New Year, the firm they work in will give them some benefits.

During the Mid-Autumn Festival, the commercial company distributed flour, rice, and oil to them. Now, during the Chinese New Year, they directly distribute silver. It is really a wonderful Ming Festival.

Now he can't wait for every day to be Daming's holiday.

Because as long as Daming is a holiday, not only do they not have to work, but they also have various benefits, which have never happened before.

"Let's go and have a good drink~"

Jack patted Tom on the shoulder, and the two walked towards a place called the Knight's Tavern.

The Knight's Tavern is a tavern that specializes in receiving locals and crew members and sailors from other parts of Europe, and it is also a tavern opened by locals.

The drinks in the tavern are cheap, and you only need a few copper coins to drink a big glass here, and then flirt with the women in the tavern. After the price is negotiated, you can also have a passion.

Of course, Daming people would not go to such a place.

People in Daming always go to restaurants to drink, and the restaurants are all run by Ming people, so the consumption is relatively high, and the wine they drink is also shipped from Daming, and few of them Europeans can afford it.

The two of them walked on the spacious concrete road. On both sides of the road were bustling neighborhoods. There were tall buildings standing there. There were various slogans on the tall buildings. These buildings belonged to Daming Commercial Bank and merchants.

The text on the building also uses Ming characters, English, French, Spanish, etc., to explain the business that this firm operates, and the products it sells and buys.

You can see many businessmen from all over Europe coming in and out of these buildings. The Chinese New Year is coming soon. The consumption power of Ming people in Hong Kong is very strong. European businessmen want to sell their products to these Ming people. , and then buy silk, porcelain, sugar, cloth, spices, etc. from Ming merchants.

It took a full hour for the two of them to walk through the bustling commercial district.

The commercial district here in Hong Kong is where Ming people live. They are not allowed to live here. They can only work and pass here during the day. At night, they are not allowed to appear in the commercial district. .

In the commercial district, the streets are spacious, the roads are tidy and clean, and the houses are very new and neatly planned. There are hospitals, schools, etc. run by Daming people.

The local aborigines in Hong Kong live in another area, which is habitually called the old area. The roads in the old area are all the original muddy roads. The houses are very small and dilapidated, and everything is dirty. Mess.

The Knight's Tavern is located in the old district and has always been a favorite place for locals.

"Old John, two glasses of dark beer~"

As soon as Tom entered the Knight's Bar, he immediately yelled at Old John, the bartender in the bar.

"Haha, it seems our dear Tom is getting paid again~"

When Old John heard this, he couldn't help laughing immediately.

(End of this chapter)