Water Margin people

Chapter 1649 New Guangzhou Port

"Port? This..."

Huang Zhongfu was in a dilemma because all his preparations were in Guangzhou city and he had nothing prepared at the port.

Moreover, the port in front of us has been decorated. It is not so easy to rebuild a ruined port. Now the port only has an outer area, and it is all construction sites when you walk in.

"Is there anything wrong with that? You don't have to prepare anything. I'll live on the ship!"

Sun Lei glanced at Huang Zhongfu and said.

"This... Your Majesty, the port construction is only 30% complete..."

Huang Zhongfu knew he could no longer hide the truth, so he had to tell the truth.

"30%? That's not what you said in your memorial. You used those things to block it, right?"

Sun Lei looked at the wooden walls in the port, which blocked the interior of the port.

"Your Majesty, isn't this to reassure people? Those merchants don't care about the difficulties in port design and construction, they only care about making money!"

Huang Zhongfu said helplessly that what he publicized to the outside world was that the reconstruction of Guangzhou Port was already more than half completed.

"I need to take a closer look. If you are not satisfied, you should quit your post as prefect and go mining overseas!"

Sun Lei waved his sleeves and led his men into the port.

The people were welcoming the emperor on the road, but Sun Lei went to the back of the port as soon as he entered.

“It really is a construction site!”

Sun Lei looked at the piles of wood and laughed. It was hard to tell from the outside.

"Your Majesty, I am guilty!"

Huang Zhongfu and others immediately knelt down and apologized.

Sun Lei had no intention of speaking. He just waved his hand and asked someone to bring the drawings over and started to compare them.

"It is constructed according to the drawings!"

Sun Lei walked for a long time and looked at several construction sites before he spoke.

Sun Lei did not mean to blame Huang Zhongfu. At present, the population and economy of Guangnan Road are not strong, and there is no way to compare with Quanzhou.

Therefore, Huang Zhongfu could only think of some unconventional ways to attract merchants from all over the place, whether it was to welcome him or to lie about the construction period, it was all for these purposes.

"How is the road to Jinghu going?"

Sun Lei looked at Huang Zhongfu and asked.

"Your Majesty, the road is still under construction, but because it has to cross mountains and rivers, it may take another two years to complete!"

Huang Zhongfu said.

"Two years?"

Sun Lei frowned, but was not surprised. In that era, there were no machines and everything depended on manpower. The tools used were just hoes and shovels. It was difficult to open up a road that was wide and flat enough.

"There's no need to rush the construction of the port, and don't put too much pressure on yourself. You can't eat hot tofu if you're impatient! Now that Qi has conquered the territory of the Arabs, sea transportation will become prosperous. Even if the passing ships don't unload their cargo, they will have to resupply here."

Sun Lei looked at Huang Zhongfu and said that Huang Zhongfu was too eager for quick success. It was not difficult to build a port, but it was not easy to run a port prosperously.

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Huang Zhongfu led a group of officials to kneel down and salute, saying that the emperor said these words without intending to blame them.

"Okay, go get some supplies delivered."

Sun Lei looked at Huang Zhongfu and said that their fleet had sailed so far and needed supplies.

The fleet stayed in Guangzhou Port for two days. During these two days, Guangzhou Port was very busy. It was not easy to supply hundreds of warships, which also attracted the attention of merchants.

The fleet's sailing route was also announced. Knowing that the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea were already controlled by Qi, all the merchants were excited. If Qi controlled those places, it meant that they could do business there with confidence.

The news spread quickly, and soon the prefectural government offices were surrounded by merchants who were eager to know how they could get the opportunity to go out to sea to do business.

"Everyone, don't be anxious! Don't be anxious!"

Huang Zhongfu didn't expect that the emperor's arrival would cause such a sensation, and he hurried to appease the merchants.

"Sir, we are all here at your invitation to do business in Guangzhou. Please give us some advice!"

The merchants were very anxious and kept urging Huang Zhongfu. They knew that merchants from all over the country would arrive soon and the competition would become even more intense.

"Everyone! Everyone! I know how you feel, but this matter is not something I can decide on my own. This must be reported to the court. In addition, I don't even know the strength of each family. How can I reply to you? Going to the open sea requires a large ship! A fleet is best!"

Huang Zhongfu looked at everyone and said, "My family has three twenty-meter sea-going ships and ten fifteen-meter sea-going ships!"

"My family has twenty fifteen-foot sea vessels!"

"My family has five twenty-foot sea vessels and twenty fifteen-foot ships!"

……

Everyone started talking about their family's assets.

"Everyone, go register first. I will report to His Majesty as soon as possible!"

Huang Zhongfu immediately asked the chief clerk to start registering.

Two hours later, Huang Zhongfu excitedly took the booklet to the ship in the port to pay homage to the emperor.

"Your Majesty, great joy! Many people are going to sea!"

Huang Zhongfu reported the good news that the army had conquered the foreign tribes and expanded the territory of Qi. Now the merchants could go out to do business to promote prosperity in various places.

"Put it aside. Not only you, but also people from Quanzhou, Dengzhou, and the Yangtze River coast will go there. We need to think about this matter carefully!"

Sun Lei waved his hand and said.

"Think long term!"

Huang Zhongfu was a little puzzled. If he had to make a long-term plan, he didn't know how long he would have to wait.

"At least we need to set a tax rate! It's hard for the army to fight, and it's even harder to guard such a distant territory. The country has put in so much effort, so why should we let these merchants just take advantage of it?"

Sun Lei looked at Huang Zhongfu and spoke.

"It is my fault for not considering it carefully!"

Huang Zhongfu immediately realized his mistake.

"You should also be careful. You have been in Guangzhou for so long. You should have learned a lot about the profits at sea. Write a detailed memorial and send it to me."

Sun Lei looked at Huang Zhongfu and said, taxation is not fixed. Taxation at sea should be calculated based on the profits of maritime merchants.

"Yes, I understand!"

Huang Zhongfu immediately accepted the order.

"Okay, I'll leave with the fleet tomorrow! You just do your best."

Sun Lei looked at Huang Zhongfu and spoke.

"Your Majesty is leaving now!"

Huang Zhongfu was a little surprised, as he had hoped that the emperor would stay a few more days.

"If you don't leave now, your port will be shut down!"

Sun Lei said with a smile that since the fleet entered the port, all merchant ships have been parked outside the port.

"Your Majesty, those merchants will not have any objections. They just begged to see you and admire your majesty!"

Huang Zhongfu said quickly.

"Then let's arrange it tonight. I'll set off tomorrow and visit Fengshan Port and Quanzhou! I also have to go back to the palace to celebrate the New Year!"

Sun Lei shook his head and said that he was very pressed for time and had to return to Liangshan City before the New Year, so he couldn't stay any longer.

"Then I will arrange it right away!"

Huang Zhongfu immediately bowed and left.

"Go and arrange a banquet. Make sure it is luxurious enough!"

Sun Lei looked at Lu You and spoke, emphasizing the word luxury.

"I understand!"

Lu You understood the order and went.

"You want to show off your wealth?"

Lu Zhishen also understood what Sun Lei meant.

"I have more than a hundred ships of gold, silver and jewelry. What's wrong with showing off my wealth? Even sitting on a mountain of gold is no problem!"

Sun Lei chuckled.