I'm really not doing business

Chapter 75
Datian envoys Zhang Cheng and Zhang Jin are in charge of going to Qiongzhou Xuanhairui to return to Beijing. Zhang Cheng is the adopted son of Zhang Hong, the eunuch of Qianqing Palace, and Zhang Jin is the adopted son of Feng Bao, the eunuch who is in charge of the official seal. They were sent to Qiongzhou in a hurry, and the two angels left Beijing for other reasons.

Tianzi Nanku - Yuegang.

After receiving the imperial decree, Hai Rui returned to Dianbai Port, Guangzhou Prefecture, boarded a ship to Yuegang, Chenghai County, Fujian Province, and then took a boat to Songjiang Prefecture, and then went all the way north to Tianjinwei to disembark, and entered Beijing as an official.

Yuegang was the only legal port of departure for private maritime trade in the Ming Dynasty.

In the 43rd year of Jiajing, the Japanese invasion gradually subsided. In Tan Lun's aftermath "Preparing for a Long Distance with a Plan for Public Security", Tan Lun said that people who live by the sea do not know what they are. They rely on mountains to eat mountains and seas. The people were in dire straits, and they started asking for orders to open the sea. Afterwards, the court launched a heated discussion on this.

The resistance to opening the sea was extremely huge, but the Japanese invasion also exhausted the imperial court. Finally, after repeated struggles, the Kaihai faction gradually gained the upper hand.

In the first year of Longqing, under the wind (public opinion) that "the city is popular, the bandits will turn into merchants, and the city is banned, the merchants will turn into bandits", Tu Zemin, the governor of Fujian, asked to open the sea, and Emperor Longqing immediately agreed.

Yuegang, a port that has been open to the outside world since the Sui and Tang Dynasties, is finally open.

The DPRK and China took opening the sea as the main program, and formed a political group with a certain scale and spread all over Ke Dao, officials, military, and politics with the cohesive force of the Pingwa war during the Jiajing period.

Moon Harbor is named after its shape like a moon. On the two-mile-long river bank in Haicheng County, there are eight trestle piers along the Jiulong River estuary, juxtaposed from west to east. If you go there, there are islands that are looming in the ebb and flow of the tide.

In the distance, the sea and the sky are the same color. The sea surface seems to merge with the sky. The sea breeze with the smell of the sea blows the sea surface. Layers of waves hit the reef, and the waves glow with the golden light of the sunset. , The sea breeze blew across the surface of the sea, blowing waves, blowing past the mast of the ship that was flying straight into the sky, blowing past the barge, and blowing the clothes corners of Zhang Cheng, Zhang Jin and Luo Gongchen.

Zhang Cheng, Zhang Jin, and Luo Gongchen said politely that the sea is really calm.

Zhang Cheng raised his hands, stood in the wind, looked at Luo Gongchen and asked, "I have something to say, after your Majesty knew Luo Tongzhi's auspiciousness, he was happy to see Lie Xin, and he had already opened up a ten-acre land in Jingshan, Shanglinyuan. Your Majesty is married to Nong Sang, and our family came here just to ask Luo Tongzhi, can the auspiciousness that Luo Tongzhi sent to the capital really produce twenty or thirty stones per mu?"

"This is a big matter, so please ask Luo Tongzhi to answer truthfully."

Luo Gongchen was extremely strong, with a hulking back, thick eyebrows and big eyes, and looked extraordinarily stocky. He was born in Juren, but he was a warrior. He was not good at dancing, but he was good at fighting.

As an acquaintance of Haiphong of the Metropolitan Salary Office, because Luo Gongchen returned to Beijing to report on his work, he gained the relationship with Yuan Fu and Zhang Juzheng, so the Metropolitan Salary Office is currently headed by Luo Gongchen.

"Two angels, please look here." Luo Gongchen pointed to a large area of ​​small white flowers on the edge of the beach and said, "These are all seedlings. They were cut and planted casually, and they are now lush."

"Of course I dare not lie to the Lord. If these seedlings are planted properly, they can yield more than 500 catties of grain. If they are planted casually, they can also yield [-] to [-] catties."

Zhang Cheng was somewhat relieved. Before leaving, Zhang Hong solemnly told Zhang Cheng that the adopted son must ask Luo Gongchen if he was lying. Since His Majesty is married to Nongsang, there must be a result.

Zhang Cheng and Zhang Jin, two eunuchs, came to Yuegang for the purpose of inspecting the Emperor Nanku.

In the first year of Wanli, a total of 110 ships were issued, and there were more than 200 ships entering Daming Shipping Port every day. 6 taels of gold flower silver, and about 72 taels of silver enter Beijing as commercial tax every year.

Zhang Juzheng’s private residence, Quan Chu Guild Hall, counting the opening of the hall every three years to entertain Chu scholars who came to Beijing for the examination, used an average of 200 taels of gold flower silver a year.

72 taels of silver can support Zhang Juzheng Quanchu Guild Hall for about 620 years, which is 2193 AD.

The money traded is worth hundreds of thousands at any age, depending on both public and private interests. This is an important reason for the imperial court to reconsider the matter of sea bans after the opening of the sea. Naturally, there are many people who bark at the sea. There is still public opinion about money and forbidden seas, but the imperial court has made up its mind to compete with the people for profit.

The court of Ming Dynasty was really poor, with no food or silver.

"You two gentlemen, I have something to inquire about." Luo Gongchen took out two salt invitations and handed them out, but to Luo Gongchen's great embarrassment, neither of the two eunuchs accepted the salt invitations.

Yanyin is money, and a big Yanyin is worth one tael to five silver. Luo Gongchen probably took out more than ten sheets of salt, more than 50 taels of silver.

The sea breeze was blowing Yanyin, a little embarrassed.

Which eunuch is not greedy for money?The sun comes out from the west, and eunuchs don't accept bribes?

After Luo Gongchen thought for a while, he knew that he had done something stupid. When the two big pengs came, there was only one Yanyin. Going out, one person for one, is the way to do things.

Yanyin rattled in the sea breeze, and the atmosphere was extremely embarrassing.

"Luo Tongzhi, let's take it back. It's not that it's too little. It's really impossible to take it. Both the ancestor and the second ancestor have issued a death order. Whoever collects money outside will be caught by the outsiders. He finds a well and jumps in. Luo Tongzhi thought. Ask whatever you want." Zhang Cheng broke the silence and embarrassment, and explained the reason.

Along the way, Zhang Cheng and Zhang Jin have explained many times, no matter where they go, the officials don't believe that eunuchs don't charge money, this is outrageous.

The most fundamental reason is that the old ancestor Feng Bao refused to accept him, and neither did the second ancestor. Although the old ancestor and the second ancestor are not openly fighting, there is also a secret fight. If anyone has problems outside, the palace will It is easy to rewrite the seat ranking.

Your Majesty talked about Wang Zhen, and beat him. Feng Bao didn't want to be Wang Zhen, and since he didn't collect money, when he was sitting in the Wenhua Palace for court discussions, when he scolded people, he was called a righteous man, and he was called a scolder. Hearty.

When did the eunuch ever feel so proud?
Feng Bao also gradually figured it out, if the bell is gone, it is really gone, so much money in his hand, leaving it for the adopted son?It's better to live happily.

Luo Gongchen put away the Yanyin very puzzled, and asked, "When I went to Beijing last year, I wanted to collect taxes on foreign ships. Can I still do this?"

"Accept!" Zhang Cheng immediately said: "It must be accepted!"

Zhang Jin also said solemnly: "We don't collect taxes on foreign ships, so we keep them to have cubs? Luo Tongzhi, don't be impatient, Chao Li is still grinding his teeth, but Mr. Yuanfu still wants to push."

As for the tax collection of foreign ships, this matter itself is a matter of course, but there is still resistance in the court, and Lu Shusheng, Minister of Rites, is the biggest resistance.

"I've encountered a difficult matter right now." Luo Gongchen said with a solemn expression: "A four-masted galleon of the Frang machine is requesting to enter Hong Kong for business and trade. Is this a point or not?"

Zhang Cheng asked suspiciously: "It's just to enter the port according to the regulations, so what makes Luo Tongzhi so cautious about what's on the ship?"

"Silver." Luo Gongchen said with certainty.

"Didn't Luo Tongzhi say that? Most merchant ships arriving in Hong Kong have silver. Is there anything strange about having silver?" Zhang Jin asked a little puzzled.

Luo Gongchen said with an extremely complicated expression: "This ship is full of silver, about 400 million taels of silver, about 25 catties."

Zhang Cheng and Zhang Jin's originally calm expressions became slightly astonished, Zhang Cheng looked at Luo Gongchen and said, "How much did you say?"

Luo Gongchen said solemnly: "400 million taels, 25 catties, to buy raw silk, brocade, cotton cloth, tea, porcelain, etc."

"A ship, more than 400 million taels of silver...Luo Tongzhi, how many soldiers and horses do we have in Yuegang?" Zhang Jin's eyes became strange, and he ignored more than ten pieces of salt, but more than 400 million taels of silver. in sight.

grab!
The imperial court is going to be poor and crazy, but here is a big ship full of silver!
One million taels of silver!

"Da Dang, you can only grab a boat, but you can do business with ease." Luo Gongchen said in a low voice.

Luo Gongchen wants to draw points, 400 million taels of silver, calculated according to the value of 24, that is as much as 72 taels of silver, Yuegang only has 24 taels of silver a year, and this ship exceeds [-] taels. If there is an indicator, this ship has completed the four-month indicator!

Zhang Jin was a little bit embarrassed and said nothing, and there was no problem in robbing, but interfering in local political affairs, for the sake of caution, Zhang Jin did not express his position.

Zhang Cheng, the righteous son of Zhang Hongyi, the eunuch of Qianqing Palace, gritted his teeth and said: "Rituals are established for events, and legislation is made for events. Take responsibility at home!"

Zhang Cheng has the qualifications to say this, because he is an envoy in yellow clothes, and he is away from home, representing the emperor, so he has some decision-making power, but few people will exercise this decision-making power, specialize in power, since he is Those who came to wait for Hai Rui should not meddle in their own business.

But Zhang Cheng said that this foreign ship collects taxes first, and there is really a penalty. That is also his seat owner. Zhang Hong, the second ancestor of the palace, will punish him, and the outer court cannot control the palace.

Get the money first.

"Then draw." Luo Gongchen thought for a while, and decided to do it, even if no one is in charge, Luo Gongchen plans to draw points, let alone someone in charge now.

The Metropolitan Museum is here for the Metropolitan Government!

The ship of Daming Merchant Ship is going to be drawn!Fanyi merchant ships are also drawn!

For the capital payment this time, Luo Gongchen summoned more than 100 small boats, a dozen warships, and nearly [-] sergeants before sending people to communicate with the people on the galleon to confirm the points and other item-by-item matters.

Tong Shi traveled between the Ming court and the galleon in a small boat, and quickly negotiated many matters related to the barge into the port.

The galleon is quite different from Daming's ship. It is more slender and has a deeper draft, and the bow and sides are covered with black gun barrels. The main mast hangs a large square sail, and the three sails behind it are triangular sails. A sail is a vertical sail, and when sailing against the wind, the schooner turns first to one side and then to the other, zigzagging forward.

Frangji's four-masted sailboat was a giant. After repeated communication, the galleon began to slowly retract its gray-white or ochre-colored sails like a feather fan, and gradually stopped on the sea surface, letting the barge's ropes be tied to the ship.

The governor of Luzon, Francisco Sander, and the captain, Antonio Morga, had a violent quarrel on board.

"Captain, we promised that the Ming people will put away our fangs, and they will rush up, kill us, and take away our silver! We should put gunpowder into the barrel, and remove the support from the bow. Next, be ready to fight at any time." Francisco did not understand the captain's order very much, and roared his own doubts.

Captain Antonio, who came from the city of Potosi on the Rico Peak in Mexico, crossed the endless Pacific Ocean, and then came to Luzon, and then came to the moon port. How could he put away his bow and block the cannon with wood?

If the Daming people rushed up, they could only catch them without a fight.

Captain Antonio Morga shook his head and said: "Governor, your letter has been rejected by the king. You said in the letter: To conquer Daming, only [-] to [-] soldiers are needed. Haiphong, tell me, how to conquer them with two thousand to four thousand soldiers?"

Francisco said quite accurately: "As long as there is a chance, every Ming people will become pirates, and no one is loyal to their emperor! We can first send missionaries, infiltrate to collect enemy information and instigate internal responses, and then set off civil strife. During the civil strife in China, we sent troops under the pretext of 'escorting the Ming people back to the country' to occupy the territory, step by step."

"I wrote a plan to conquer China in September last year, but no one responded."

Antonio smiled and said, "Because the king is not a fool."

"Did you see those warships? They have dozens of ships, and we only have one armed merchant ship. Do you mean that we want to use a merchant ship to fight against warships that can't see the border at a glance?"

"We are here to do business, not to fight. We spread our spikes like hedgehogs, and the result is that we will die and they will get our silver. This is Da Ming's territory. On Da Ming's territory, Zhang It was not a wise decision to fire bows and artillery."

"They only charge 6% tax. The damn governors and tax collectors of the empire will charge us 30% tax at one time!"

Antonio said the last sentence through gritted teeth.

Maritime trade is a coexistence of risks and opportunities. The risks are wind and waves, hidden reefs, and fierce natives. Even after experiencing these, they still have to be made things difficult by the governors of various places. The governors of Mexico and Peru scraped off more than 30% of the taxes on Antonio. .

If Antonio hadn't bribed the tax officer, he would have written a lot less in the declaration of cargo. After this trip, he would have to take such a big risk and lose money.

The principle of silence refers to the amount of goods filled in the declaration manifest. The tax officials in various places remain silent and do not board the ship for inspection. Of course, to keep the tax officials silent, they must give certain tax officials. benefit.

Taking Antonio's Pelican as an example, the value of the cargo he declared was 52 silver coins, eight reals in silver coins.

At the time of departure, his ship did only have 52 silver coins in cargo, but after leaving the port, there will be a lot of small boats to replenish its cargo hold. Antonio bribed the tax officials in Peru, Mexico, and Luzon to let them pay for the goods on the ship. The number of goods, remain silent.

This time in Yuegang, Antonio chose to declare truthfully. The tax rate of the Ming court was only 6%, which shocked Antonio quite a bit, and Antonio did not know the Ming tax official.

"Okay, don't worry too much. They are not vicious natives. As far as I can see, the Ming people seem to be more civilized than us. Let's get off the boat." Antonio comforted Francisco and started to get off the boat, followed by a few people in linen shirts. servant.

Antonio is a businessman, and he is willing to take certain risks in order to develop a source of income.

"I am very happy to be able to come to the mysterious oriental country. I have heard the legends here since I was very young. Today I finally set foot on this mysterious map. This is a gift I bring to you." Antonio said. Instead of kneeling, he made a nondescript salutation.

A few servants in linen shirts opened a few wooden boxes, and inside were neatly arranged and densely packed eight real silver coins.

Luo Gongchen, Zhang Cheng, and Zhang Jin looked at the strangely dressed man in front of them.

Antonio and Francisco both wore a slanted black hat with a feather pinned to it, a large velvet coat with a cotton lining, and a bunch of pendants hanging on their chests, mainly in the shape of a cross.

Antonio was less than six feet tall, with a high nose and deep eyes, cat eyes and a hawk beak, a copper face, curly hair and a brown beard, while Francisco was much shorter than Antonio, only about five feet (1.6 meters).

Luo Gongchen and other Ming officials looked at Hong Maofan, and Hong Maofan was also looking at the officials of the Ming Dynasty. The first intuitive feeling was that the officials of the Ming Dynasty had a strict hierarchy. The patterns on the patch on their chests represented their status.

Luo Gongchen took a few steps forward, and took out a silver coin. On the front of the silver coin was a king's head, and on the back were engraved the crown and the coat of arms representing the royal family of Franji. On both sides of the coat of arms, there were two A pillar of Hercules, with paper winding pillars, very similar: $.

"I'm sorry." After seeing Luo Gongchen put the silver coins back, Antonio signaled the linen servant to close the box.

With so many people blatantly offering bribes, it may violate local laws. It is more appropriate to do this kind of thing quietly.

Luo Gongchen was very interested in silver coins. A silver coin weighed about six cents and seven cents. The Flang robot brought not many silver coins, but more silver ingots.

The drawing of points began. There were five Haiphong co-prefects in the Metropolitan Government, and four eunuchs present. The governor of Fujian, the inspector censor, and the prefect of Fuzhou were all watching the scoring and weighing.

Luo Gongchen estimated that the difference was not bad. This galleon brought a total of 24 taels of silver, and 200 taels were drawn according to the system. half split.

The money traded is hundreds of thousands of years old, and it depends on both public and private interests.

Antonio is very puzzled.

According to his estimation, after the tax is collected, there should be all kinds of troubles. He has prepared silver coins for the joints, but after the points are drawn, they get the tax bill issued by the Metropolitan Salary Office, and they can Started to buy goods.

"Is this over? It seems to be inconsistent with what the governor said." Antonio said to Francisco, quite puzzled: "Sisko, you have been in the East for a long time, and the bureaucrats of the Ming Dynasty are doing things so quickly and concisely." ?"

Francisco said even more confused: "On the contrary, there should be various officials such as tax officials and city defense officials making things difficult, because before the shipment from Luzon to Daming, we have encountered many difficulties."

"The two beardless people we saw should be eunuch envoys sent by Emperor Ming, so no one dares to make things difficult for us when the envoys are here."

Francis guessed that the two beardless people should be the legendary eunuchs.

Only then did Antonio understand, and said, "Look, tell me: every Ming citizen will become a pirate, and no one is loyal to their emperor."

"But the emperor's envoy is in Yuegang, and these officials don't even dare to do things that make things difficult for us. If this is not loyalty, then what is loyalty?"

"Well, I admit that I don't know enough about this mysterious land." Francis was a little bit emotional. This rich land didn't seem to be so easy to conquer.

The Son of Heaven, who is sitting thousands of miles away, only needs to send two eunuchs who don't look so strong, and the local officials can put away their usual ugly faces.

It really is a strange and mysterious oriental world.

"We brought 600 million silver coins. Can this small port satisfy us?" Antonio said with a little worry.

Francisco is the governor of Luzon appointed by Spain. He said with a smile: "If you bring 6000 million silver coins, even if it is more, Yuegang can satisfy you. Of course, if you bring [-] million silver coins, then it will not work." gone."

Francisco used to be in Luzon. He knows the richness of this land too well. There is everything that can be produced here. It is like a monster that can never eat. No matter how many silver coins are thrown into Ming Dynasty, it cannot satisfy the greed of this monster. appetite.

Zhang Cheng was very disturbed. He was an eunuch in the palace, and he was dispatched by Xuan Hairui to return to the imperial court. When he was waiting for Hai Rui to come to Yuegang by boat from Guangzhou City Shipping Department in Yuegang, Zhang Cheng made the decision to deal with the foreign affairs. The ship has been drawn points, which is not within his scope of authority, and even a bit presumptuous.

"Now you know you're panicking?" Zhang Jin was sitting still, looking at Zhang Cheng's panicked appearance, he was full of smiles. To make money is to make money. This is the job of eunuchs when they leave the palace. This supports local officials to collect taxes on foreign ships. When they return to Beijing, they will definitely be impeached by the eunuchs.

"When we get back to the capital, your Majesty and the Queen Mother can beat, scold, kill, or open a well. Anyway, I brought the money back. Isn't this Yuegang the Emperor's Nanku?" Zhang Cheng comforted himself.

He felt that he had done the right thing in bringing the money back to the court, but the officials in the court were fierce, and he was afraid that he would use this matter again to impeach the internal officials for interfering in politics.

In June, Hai Rui started his journey after receiving the imperial decree. He boarded the ship from Baigang, Fudian, Guangzhou, and arrived at Yuegang.

In early August, Hai Rui disembarked at Tianjin Wei, accompanied by his wife Wang, his youngest daughter, two eunuchs Zhang Cheng and Zhang Jin, and 24 taels of cash.

Hai Rui returned to the imperial court as the second rank of Youdu Yushizheng of the Metropolitan Procuratorate. After he settled down, he went to the Ministry of Officials to report to get his seal, chatted with Yang Bo, and then reported to the Metropolitan Procuratorate. After chatting with Ge Shouli for a while, he returned home.

In the early morning of the next day, Hai Rui was wearing a second-grade embroidered golden pheasant patch, and stood in front of the Wenhua Palace, waiting for the court meeting.

Youdu Yushiben was one of the courtiers, Hai Rui's clothes were a bit loose, the officials did not expect Hai Rui to be so thin, and the court clothes he made were a bit too big.

After three blows of the clean whip, the officials entered the hall.

"I'm waiting to pay my respects to Your Majesty, is Your Majesty safe?" All the ministers saluted.

Zhu Yijun stretched out his little hand and said, "Excuse me, I heard yesterday that Mr. Hai has returned to court. Where is Mr. Hai?"

"I have seen Your Majesty." Hai Rui stepped out and bowed his head.

Zhu Yijun sized up Hai Rui. He stood upright, looked thin, with piercing eyes, and a bookish air all over his body, worthy of the nickname Shan Pen Holder.

"Okay, all ministers sit down, let's continue the court discussion." Zhu Yijun waved his hand, signaling the ministers to sit in the court discussion.

Ge Shouli took the lead in launching the attack, and said: "The governor of Fujian Province, the inspector censor, Fujian Zuo Buzheng and others impeached Zhang Cheng, an internal official, interfered in government affairs, opened coastal defense privately to connect foreign ships, and set up cards to collect taxes. .”

Zhang Jin stayed out of the matter and was not on the impeachment list because Zhang Jin did not express his position.

When Wang Guoguang heard this, a smile appeared on his face. After the money was divided into internal funds yesterday, it had already entered the national treasury. Emergency.

Feng Bao was observing the situation and planned to teach Ge Shouli a good lesson. Although Zhang Cheng was Zhang Hong's adopted son, the money went into the internal treasury, and the eunuch's face was wrinkled. The court had no money, but the internal treasury was actually No money either.

A penny stumps the hero.

Talking about so many nonsense principles, farts are useless, no rice in hand, call chicken, chicken should not!
Before Feng Bao opened his mouth to speak, Hai Rui stood up, bowed his head and said, "Your Majesty, I have an ancestral precept in the Ming Dynasty. The officials in the Ming Dynasty are in charge of politics, and the government has no set policy to follow and collect taxes. Lord, stealing the power of the country, tormenting the people, using small faith to be grateful, and then dare to be a big traitor and a big evil to mess up the government."

Zhu Yijun looked at Hai Rui, and waited for Hai Rui to finish speaking. Zhu Yijun could understand the words, and after gaining the emperor's trust and grace, he dared to be a big traitor, and a big evil would dare to disrupt the government and bring disaster to the country and the people.

Hai Rui continued: "But from the point of view of this matter, I think that Zhang Cheng's actions are not inappropriate, and my sister-in-law needs to help her. The matter is urgent and expedient. The big sailboat is at sea. If you don't draw points, Then in the future, the galleons will not be able to draw points when they arrive in Hong Kong, then, is there any need to set up the Metropolitan Salary Hall?"

"I implore Your Majesty to learn from you."

It is the first time for a galleon to arrive at Yuegang, if the imperial court does not draw points for the first time, it will not be able to draw points in the future, and conflicts will easily arise. Once this end is opened, then the capital's salary office will not be able to do it, and the salary will not be paid. Also set up a tax office?

Zhu Yijun laughed after hearing this, Hai Rui's words were very strange.

To sum up Hai Rui's words, Zhang Cheng's matter was right, but it was also right.

The sky is constantly changing, the earth is constantly changing, and people are constantly changing. Hai Rui asked Xu Jie to return to the fields, but he was impeached and returned to his hometown to live idle.

　Ask for a monthly ticket on the shelf, woo! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

　　
　
(End of this chapter)