Daming Town Haiwang

Chapter 696, Qiongzhou

After leaving Ryukyu, he continued to travel south along the long coast of Daming, and after several days of sailing, he finally arrived in Qiongzhou.

"Finally arrived in Qiongzhou!"

Arriving in Qiongzhou, Liu Jin couldn't help being excited. His mind was full of beaches, coconuts, and beauties in bikinis in later generations. Qiongzhou in later generations is a holy place for vacation.

But obviously, Liu Jin was disappointed. Qiongzhou in this era is still very remote and backward, and it has always been a place where prisoners are exiled. The famous Hai Rui was exiled to Qiongzhou.

At this time, the Haikou City where Liu Jin arrived was very small, even worse than the Ryukyu City here in Ryukyu. If it weren't for the arrival of the Ming Navy, in order to facilitate the entry and exit of ships, they came here in advance to build a large-scale Liu Jin wondered if this was Qiongzhou.

"There's nothing special about this Qiongzhou?"

Beside Liu Jin, Wang Shouren took a telescope and looked around Haikou City with some doubts. He didn't think there was anything special about Qiongzhou, but it was a very ordinary place in Daming, similar to many places on the long coastline, very ordinary.

But along the way, Liu Jin never forgot about Qiongzhou, and seemed to yearn to go to Qiongzhou.

Wang Shouren thought there was something special about Qiongzhou, but looking at it now, it seemed that there was nothing special about it.

"Old Wang, let me tell you, this Qiongzhou is a good place. Qiongzhou is similar to Nanyang. Its climate is very similar to Nanyang. Vegetables can be grown here even in winter. In the future, it may become my favorite place. Where is the vegetable storehouse of the Ming people?"

"Also, look at this beach, how beautiful it is, blue sky and white clouds, blue sea water, this thin, narrow white sand beach, do you have a feeling that you want to take a good rest here?"

"In the future, our Ming's boat will run faster and faster. This Qiongzhou will definitely become more and more popular. Among other things, it's very good to come to Qiongzhou for vacation in winter."

Liu Jin looked at Wang Shouren, then pointed to the beautiful beach outside Haikou City and said.

Although Haikou City in this era is still small and backward, it also has its advantages, that is, there is no pollution, and everything looks very primitive, natural and beautiful.

"I want to take a rest, but I don't want to bask in the sun."

Wang Shouren shook his head slightly, a little hard to understand Liu Jin.

"Forget it, you don't understand what I'm telling you."

Liu Jin shook his head straight, talking about beauties on the beach to an ancient person, isn't it playing the piano with a cow, not to mention that there are no beauties here now.

In the newly built docks and harbors of Haikou City, large ships are moored quietly. On the playground at the port, the Royal Navy of the Ming Dynasty, wearing white navy uniforms, is practicing.

They arrived here in Qiongzhou one step ahead of Liu Jin, where they got to know the climate, water and soil here first, and at the same time started patrolling in the Beibu Gulf, clearing up pirates in Qiongzhou and the like.

"Lord Liu, Lord Wang, welcome to Qiongzhou~ Zhong Fan, the Chief Political Officer of Guangdong Province."

Liu Jin and Wang Shouren had just disembarked, and before they had time to experience the beautiful scenery of Xia Qiongzhou, a group of people in official clothes immediately greeted them.

Good guy, there are dozens of people in a dark place.

"Master Zhong, gentlemen, there is no need to be too polite."

Liu Jin looked at Zhong Fan, then at the dozens of dark numbers, and said with a smile.

"Master Liu, Lord Wang~ I have come from a long way, and I have already prepared some thin wine to clean up the dust for you."

Zhong Fan also looked carefully at Liu Jin and Wang Shouren in front of him.

Both Liu Jin and Wang Shouren are very young, Wang Shouren is only in his early thirties, and Liu Jin is only in his twenties, but both Liu Jin and Wang Shouren have a bright future.

Although he is now a second-rank official, even higher than Liu Jin, when he learned that Liu Jin and Wang Shouren were coming to Qiongzhou, he immediately rushed from Guangzhou to Qiongzhou Haikou City to greet them.

Both Liu Jin and Wang Shouren in front of him are celebrities in front of the emperor, especially this Liu Jin, even though his current official position is a little lower than his own, but he is worth making friends with.

The place of Guangdong was far inferior to the status of later generations in the Ming Dynasty. In the Ming Dynasty, Guangdong and Guangxi were basically one, and they both belonged to the barren land south of Lingnan where the miasma was rampant.

For example, Qiongzhou was the place where prisoners were exiled in the Ming Dynasty, and many officials who were suppressed above the court would also be sent to Guangdong, Guangxi, Qiongzhou, and Yunnan to serve as officials.

In history, Wang Shouren was demoted to Longchang, Guizhou to be a petty official, and Hai Rui was demoted to Qiongzhou. From this, we can know that Guangdong at this time had a very low status.

Therefore, being an official in such a place basically has no future. The sky is high and the emperor is far away. The emperor may not be able to think of someone like you in ten or eight years. It is too difficult to get promoted.

Both Liu Jin and Wang Shouren were popular before Emperor Hongzhi, and this time they came to Qiongzhou to prepare for the southern expedition to Annan and Nanyang, Zhong Fan felt that his chance had come.

As long as we can establish a good relationship with these two people, and at the same time do a good job in logistics support this time, after the victory over Annan, Liu Jin and Wang Shouren will mention their names in the memorial, and I may have hope to come from Guangdong. Promoted here to the capital.

Even if you can't go to the capital, it's good to be able to fall back to other provinces, it's better than staying here in Guangdong.

In Guangdong, where there is no future and no future, he wanted to leave a long time ago, but he has been suffering from being irrelevant and not being in the eyes of the emperor. He will spend almost half his life here in Guangdong.

"Master Zhong is a guest~"

Liu Jin looked at Zhong Fan. He had a higher official position than himself. It stands to reason that there was no need to be so polite. He was so active and enthusiastic, which made him feel a little strange.

Everyone entered Haikou City, and in the official residence of the prefect of Qiongzhou Prefecture in Haikou City, everyone started to chat slowly after drinking wine.

"Master Liu, Lord Wang, what do you think of this place in Guangdong?"

Zhong Fan seemed to have something to say.

"Guangdong is a good place. You see, it borders Huguang and Jiangxi in the north, Fujian and Ryukyu in the northeast, Guangxi and Annan in the west, and Nanyang in the south."

"There are many coastal areas, and there are many excellent ports. Compared with Fujian, its geographical location is also better, especially in the Pearl River Delta region, where the terrain is flat, open, and connected by the Haihe River."

"I dare to predict that in the future, Guangdong will definitely be the number one or number two place in China."

Liu Jin thought for a while and said with certainty.

"One of the best places?"

When everyone heard this, they were all startled. Everyone knew the situation in Guangdong very well. Liu Jin even said that Guangdong would become one of the best places in China in the future.

Who would believe this.

"how?"

"You don't believe me?"

Liu Jin looked at the surprised expressions of Zhong Fan, Wang Shouren and others, and said with a smile.

"Liu Jin, it's not that we don't believe it, but that Guangdong is now, not to mention number one or two, it can't even compare with Fujian, let alone Jiangxi and Huguang in the north, let alone Nanzhili and Beizhili. place compared."

Wang Shouren thought for a while and said.

"That was the past, I mean the future."

"The geographical conditions here in Guangdong are very good, and the location is extremely superior. When I annex Annan and Champa, this place can be regarded as one of the best places to go south to Nanyang."

"In the past, we banned the sea in the Ming Dynasty, and ocean trade and navigation were not developed, so Guangdong could not develop. However, with the development of ocean trade and navigation, Guangdong's geographical location can be gradually highlighted."

"Look at Guangdong. Guangzhou can go directly to the sea along the Pearl River. There are many excellent port areas along the Pearl River estuary. These places have great prospects for development in the future."

"As long as Guangdong firmly grasps the opportunity, it will definitely develop rapidly in the future."

Liu Jin asked someone to take out a map, pointed to the Pearl River Delta area in the center of Guangdong and said.

"Master Liu, what you said is very reasonable. In the past few years, the number of merchant ships and fishing boats in the coastal areas of Guangdong has gradually increased, and the number of merchant ships heading to Nanyang has also increased."

Zhong Fan immediately became pensive, thought for a while and said.

"Lord Zhong, with the development of ocean-going trade and overseas colonies, the future of Guangdong is bright. You can accomplish a lot here in Guangdong."

"As long as Mr. Zhong follows the trend and stands on the cusp of the times, it will be difficult for Guangdong to develop. By then, Mr. Zhong will naturally be able to rise, and His Majesty will definitely remember Mr. Zhong's contribution."

Liu Jin looked at Zhong Fan, in fact, he had already guessed Zhong Fan's purpose, and said to him after thinking about it.

With the advent of the colonial era and the age of navigation, this Guangdong will inevitably rise. There is no doubt that the advantages of the coastal and riverside areas will gradually become prominent, and gradually surpass the traditional inland areas.

"Master Liu, can Guangdong really do a lot?"

Hearing Liu Jin's words, Zhong Fan immediately became excited, and so did the other Guangdong officials present. In fact, they had stayed in Guangdong long ago and wanted to be transferred to other places.

After listening to Liu Jin's words now, it seems that the future development of Guangdong must be very good, and it is still a good place.

"Of course, Master Zhong, if you don't believe me, you might as well go to Ryukyu to have a look. Ryukyu used to be a real wild land, desolate and uninhabited."

"But now, in just a few years, Ryukyu has developed rapidly, and now there are seventeen cities with a population of more than two million people."

"Guangdong's foundation is much better than that of Ryukyu. If we seize the opportunity, we can certainly achieve a lot."

Liu Jin nodded solemnly and said.

　The writing is a bit procrastinated, mainly for the purpose of writing some foreshadowing later~
　　
　
(End of this chapter)