I'm really not doing business

Chapter 855: The Giant Statue at the Governor's Mansion in Jinchi
Regarding the surrender of Laos, the Ming Dynasty's scribes made some remarks. They were originally worried about the Ming Dynasty's iron fist, but after waiting for a long time, there was no such thing as the Ming Dynasty's iron fist, so they continued to work in anxiety.

There is one thing that these pens are saying that makes a lot of sense, and that is that we need to curb the momentum of the war factions that advocate expansion of territory.

Because if the current Ming Dynasty is not restrained, it will inevitably embark on the path of self-destruction through militarism.

The military strength of the Ming Dynasty was rapidly improving, and it took the lead across generations. Its line-up of firing squads and artillery support crushed the Japanese pirates, just like the ironware of the Han Dynasty versus the bronzeware of the Xiongnu, and the heavy armor of the Tang Dynasty versus the leather armor of the Turks.

The Japanese pirates have become a very powerful army in the world today.

In an era when the growth of military strength can crush all countries, everyone will inevitably embark on the path of militarism and territorial expansion, because violence is the fastest and most direct way to realize profits.

In such an era where there is a high probability of winning as long as a war is started, even the Confucian scholars who talk about being gracious to distant people and being benevolent all day long will transform into advocates of war, because everyone has a deep-rooted desire to win.

For the hereditary and elected officials of the Ming ruling class, a battle that was sure to win could appease the increasingly intensified contradictions in the country through the benefits plundered from the war, which was conducive to the stability of the rule;
For powerful people, wealthy businessmen, and local gentry, a battle that is sure to win can help them gain the right to free trade through war, expand their fixed assets, accumulate more wealth, and achieve their own financial freedom;
For the poor and coolies, a battle that is sure to be won can achieve class transition at a lower cost, from the bottom to the bourgeoisie, and even allow their descendants to become part of the ruling class.

To a large extent, the Tang Dynasty, despite the congratulations from all nations, suddenly declined. This was due to the fact that all the consensus was based on the consensus of continuous victory. From the founding of the country to the An-Shi Rebellion, there was not a single day when the country was not engaged in foreign wars.

The failure of the Anshi Rebellion made everyone sincerely doubt the rule of the Tang Dynasty.

The disintegration of consensus was also one of the reasons why the Tang Dynasty declined.

Especially the middle-class families who are above the poor laborers and the local gentry, they will be the most fanatical supporters of foreign expansion.

The middle class families, on the one hand, have to worry about their class sliding down due to various reasons, and on the other hand, they have to worry about insufficient increments. They do not get enough under the distribution rules and cannot achieve class advancement. However, they do not need to go to the battlefield to gain wealth and do not need to pay the price of blood for the war. They will madly support war and expansion.

Militarism was the path to self-destruction for the Ming Dynasty. Once it fell into the cycle of war, winning, plundering, dividing the spoils, and continuing the war, the original consensus of the Ming Dynasty would slowly be replaced by this cycle, and eventually everyone would even forget about moral realization.

With the collapse of consensus, the military, the most direct form of violence, will get out of control, and the ultimate manifestation will be the rise of numerous military governors.

The army is the most sophisticated killing machine, and this sophisticated killing machine is very easy to get out of control. The speed of moral decline makes everyone despair. The moral decline has led to the loss of the military spirit of "reporting to the emperor and saving the people", which is a disaster for the Ming Dynasty.

Once the interests outside the territory cannot satisfy the army's terrible appetite, the army will turn its attention to the heartland of the Ming Dynasty, the richest place in the world. The terror of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms and the disorder in the world are manifestations of out-of-control violence.

When Laos's submission was a great event, the emperor jumped out to ask everyone to calm down. Although it seemed a bit annoying, what they said made some sense and was beneficial to the development of the Ming Dynasty. Naturally, the emperor would not wave his fists recklessly.

After a long period of discussion, the Ming Dynasty gradually reached a consensus that Nanyang was the core interest of the Ming Dynasty and the Ming Dynasty could not give up Juezhou. As for other places, it all depended on the luck of the Mingguan.

The winter of the 16th year of Wanli arrived as expected. With the collision of the northwest cold current and the southeast warm current, snowflakes began to fall at the end of October. The capital had gradually entered the cold winter, while Jinchi City, the home of the Jinchi Governor's Mansion, had entered midsummer.

The sunshine in the southern hemisphere is quite bright, shining from the clear blue sky onto the sapphire-like sea, making the waves sparkle.

Fishing boats and pleasure boats went out to sea, leaving streaks of white water. Fish kept jumping out of the water, creating waves.

There is a fast sailing ship, the Jinchi, at the port. After sending Jinsha back to Ming Dynasty this year, it was deployed in the Jinchi Governor's Office with the approval of His Majesty. The manpower, weapons and equipment, goods, talents, etc. are all support from Ming Dynasty to the Jinchi Governor's Office.

This is the most advanced fast sailing ship in the Ming Dynasty. It is an improved version of the Ding-shaped fast sailing ship. It is equipped with four Shengping No. 6 steam engines and propellers to propel the ship.

The main power of the T-shaped fast sailing ship is still wind power, and the iron horse is on board so that the fast sailing ship can still have power to move forward when the wind is not ideal, mainly to ensure that the gold is transported smoothly to the Ming Dynasty.

This 33-meter-long slender sailing ship was quietly parked on the sea. Those black cannons were the greatest deterrent to the disobedient ones.

Jinchi Bay consists of two natural harbors, large and small. The surrounding mountains block the impact of violent storms on the harbor. The abundant rainfall brings joy of harvest to the Jinchi Governor's Mansion. The reclaimed land last year has begun to be harvested. For the first time, the Jinchi Governor's Mansion has achieved self-sufficiency in food.

The main crops are potatoes and sweet potatoes, followed by wheat. Jia Shanhai, a doctor of agronomy from Zhejiang, has been working to formulate agricultural time guidelines for sowing based on local precipitation and climate changes since the Ming fleet arrived at the Jinchi Governor's Office.

Jia Shanhai tried to grow rice, but the harvest was not particularly ideal.

In the past year, Jinchi City has built seven brick factories, three cement factories, six composting factories, a coke factory, a glass factory and a shipyard.

Jinchi Governor Deng Zilong stood at the port, looking at the sea with a little anxiety.

This year, the Governor's Office in Jinchi has finally stabilized. The Governor's wife, Lorien, and several children set out from Manila. The journey took about three months. Pinghaiwei reported urgently yesterday that the Governor's wife's ship had docked in Pinghaiwei and arrived in Jinchi City today.

A five-masted ocean-going ship appeared on the horizon. Seabirds were flying around the ship. Soon the sails began to slowly drop. Barges were dispatched, rowing towards the five-masted ocean-going ship and towing the ship to the port.

Lorien is no longer young. She married Deng Zilong fifteen years ago. The traces of time have already appeared on her face, but she did not age as quickly as most Westerners and still has her charm.

Lorien believes that the reason for this is closely related to eating habits. At this time, Taixi's diet is still too rough and may even accelerate aging.

The wind blew her red hair, and she was looking anxiously. When she saw Deng Zilong, she smiled, because this was the person she had been thinking about.

After the boat stopped, Lorian quickly got off the boat, holding up her skirt, and ran all the way to the end of the pier. Like a young swallow flying into the forest, she threw herself into Deng Zilong's arms.

"Come down, there are so many people watching us." Deng Zilong caught his wife who jumped up and pounced on him, turned around to release the force, and said in a low voice.

After so many years, Deng Zilong is still not used to being so intimate in front of so many people.

Luo Li An refused to come down, but instead clasped her legs together, shook her head and said, "No, I will hang on you today."

"Hehe, be obedient." Deng Zilong patted Luo Liyan, indicating that there were many people watching at the dock. He was no longer a general of the Luzon Governor's Office, but a governor guarding a place. The governor's office's guards, officials, agents of the general office of the official factory, and other leaders were all watching him.

Only then did Lorien notice that there were so many people at the end of the pier welcoming the arrival of the ship. She quickly got off Deng Zilong, tidied her appearance, and actually looked somewhat elegant and dignified.

My husband is no longer a general, but a local lord like Luzon Governor Yin Zhengmao. As a mistress, I have to be dignified.

Looking from the dock, there is a wide road leading directly to the Governor's Palace. The road is more than 15 meters wide and very spacious. The road in the middle is closed. This is the Imperial Road. Only angels who announce the Ming Dynasty's decree can walk on this Imperial Road.

On both sides of the road are three-story brick and stone buildings, neatly arranged on both sides of the road, with various signs hanging on them. The streets are busy with traffic and look particularly prosperous.

There are 13,000 Han people and more than 30,000 foreign slaves in the Jinchi Governor's Office, and the number is still increasing. The Jinchi Governor's Office is building houses for the Han people who have come to live here. In order to attract Han people to live here, the Jinchi Governor's Office distributes houses, land, and production tools. As long as you stay in the Jinchi Governor's Office for three years, all of these will become your private property.

The marriage between Lorien and Deng Zilong was partly a political marriage.

In the early years of the Wanli period, due to various reasons, the glory of the Ming Dynasty's shipbuilding industry had become history. The semi-finished three-masted plywood ship built in Manila was a new beginning for the Ming Dynasty's shipbuilding industry.

At that time, some red-haired foreign craftsmen were very worried about their lives. The marriage of Deng Zilong and Luo Li’an made these red-haired foreigners feel at ease and they became the backbone of the Ming Shipyard.

The Ming Dynasty could have lost. In the early years of the Wanli period, the Ming Dynasty acknowledged the backwardness of its shipbuilding industry and began to eliminate the dross and retain the essence, conduct archaeological-style scientific research, and catch up in the shipbuilding industry.

Deng Zilong watched the laborers coming off the two five-masted ocean-going ships and said with a smile, "We have discovered three gold veins and two coal mines this year, but we are still in great need of laborers. This ship of 2,000 laborers has really solved our urgent needs."

"Are there so many gold mines in Jinchi?" Lorian said with some surprise.

Deng Zilong smiled and said, "Well, at the current mining speed, these proven mineral veins may not be mined out in hundreds of years. The main reason is the lack of manpower."

The Jinchi Governor's Office is very short of people. It needs to build roads, factories, official residences, mines, and docks. The Jinchi Governor's Office is seriously short of people. Unfortunately, the supreme and omnipotent Emperor does not have enough Han people to coordinate with the Jinchi Governor's Office.

The leaders of the Governor's Office gathered at the dock to welcome the Governor's wife and children and to allocate the labor on the ship.

Half of the two thousand laborers were Japanese slaves, a quarter were Nanyang barbarians, and the remaining quarter were black foreigners. The red-haired foreigners did not have enough silver to trade for goods, but they had enough black foreign slaves.

All the black slaves were castrated in Malacca. The black slaves provided by the red-haired slaves were not castrated. The reason given by the red-haired slaves was that they were afraid of infection of the wounds and unnecessary losses. However, the Ming Dynasty's pig-knocking technology was very mature.

Lorian got on the carriage heading to the Governor's Palace. He looked out the window at the various shops: a butcher's shop, a rouge and powder shop, a clothing shop, a silk shop, rice and flour, cloth, the four treasures of the study, tea, ironware, a pharmacy, a post station, clay, coffins, leather, old things, sauces, etc. Lorian was dazzled.

This road is called Daming Street. There is a Daming Street in every Han town in the Luzon Governor's Office and the Old Port Governor's Office.

"I thought I would have to suffer in Jinchi Governor's Mansion, but I didn't expect there is everything here." Lorien said in surprise. There are only more than 40,000 people in Jinchi Governor's Mansion, but there are such a wide variety of businesses, which really shocked Lorien.

Lorien even saw a street full of brothels.

The street where the brothels are located is close to the military camp and the factory area, which is a place where people are rich and can afford to spend money. Their buildings are very beautiful, with various flowers decorating the windowsills. It is obvious that the young and beautiful girls, under the leadership of the madam, clean the house inside and out very well and wait for customers.

A group of Nanyang sisters were soliciting customers on the street in revealing clothes. Deng Zilong told Luo Liyan that these Nanyang sisters' homes were in the large townhouses at the back, and the sanitary conditions were a bit poor. Some even shared a room with two people to solicit customers.

If these Nanyang sisters leave their specific area, they will be arrested and imprisoned for disturbing public order and vagrancy. Deng Zilong said helplessly: "I once ordered the arrest of these Nanyang sisters and taught them needlework so that they could do some legitimate business, but soon they went back to their old ways and they even scolded me for meddling in their business."

"Ma'am, what did I do wrong?"

Luo Lian looked at those Nanyang sisters and said very clearly: "You are trying to save a group of people who are used to getting something for nothing, just like the Emperor and the Prime Minister of the Ming Dynasty, who have a naive fantasy about some scholars and officials, hoping that they will turn back, but in the end, most of the harvest is disappointment."

"My love, you are not a Buddha, why do you want to save all living beings?"

Officials of the Ming Dynasty all suffered from the same disease. They would either become corrupt and die, ignoring the people's livelihood and eventually causing civil unrest; or they would care about the world, be virtuous and want to save all living beings. The Emperor of the Ming Dynasty was like this, as was the Governor-General of Luzon Yin Zhengmao, and so was her husband.

Yin Zhengmao originally wanted to convert the barbarians, but after more than ten years of appeasement, the attacks on the Ming people began. If Yin Zhengmao had not responded properly, there would have been an even bigger mess.

Some people cannot be saved at all, like Deng Zilong who traded his sword to the barbarians in the hope of gaining their friendship, but these barbarians intensified their attacks on the Ming Dynasty's coastal defense inspectors; just like these Nanyang sisters, they have long liked this kind of life, and the wages from needlework are not enough to cover their living expenses.

"maybe."

"Half of the businesses here were established by the third-class pioneer marquis Sun Keyi, and the other half came with Songjiang Ocean Trading Company because there is gold here." Deng Zilong explained why the business in Jinchi City is so prosperous.

Because there was gold, merchants flocked to the area. Although the goods were very expensive after adding the freight, the existence of the gold mines made it profitable for these merchants.

Sometimes, Deng Zilong also thought that the Overseas Governor's Office of the Ming Dynasty was just a variation of the Kaizhong Salt Law. It just expanded from farming in the border areas to mining various minerals, and merchants no longer received salt permits, but precious metals such as gold, silver and copper.

No matter how many changes there are, they cannot escape the ancestral laws in the end. Where there are industries and minerals, these businessmen flock to them.

"Our stargazing ship has found a river that is 5,000 miles long. The flow is far less than that of the Yangtze River, but this 5,000-mile river has brought more than 3 million hectares of arable land." Deng Zilong said, looking at the sky in the north: "Even with the most conservative estimate, 3 million hectares can support 50 million people."

Three million hectares is equivalent to 300 million mu of land. 300 million mu of permanent farmland can feed 50 million people, which is more than enough for the Ming Dynasty, which practiced intensive farming. Fujian, Zhejiang and Nanyang, where the population is large and the land is limited and the contradiction between population and land is acute, can be alleviated because of this development.

"What's the name of that river?" Lorien snuggled in her husband's arms. She was not particularly interested in farmland. She just liked talking to Deng Zilong. Her husband was a real man.

"Tongze River, this is the name I gave it. It means the connection and the benefits to the four seas. All the rivers in Juezhou start with the word 'Tong'!" Deng Zilong said happily.

Deng Zilong is not good at naming. The name starts with the word "Tong", and is Tonghegong, with three water radicals forming the name of a river.

Lorian was also stunned when she heard this. These governors-general in Southeast Asia also had their own fears, and they were very afraid. They were afraid that the Ming court would abandon them, and that opening the sea was just a temporary expedient measure of the court. As a result, these governors-general always used various ways to express their loyalty.

This is completely different from the colonists in the West. The relationship between the colonial governors in the West and the king is cooperative.

The reason why Lorian was so afraid was that she had heard from Deng Zilong that the White-headed Army, which had been guarding the Western Regions alone for more than 40 years, would become abandoned children without a father to protect them and a mother to love them after leaving the overseas governor's office supported by the local area, and would eventually end in tragedy.

This naming method, which means that Tonghe Palace benefits the whole world, is also a way for governors-general to rally people's hearts, not by interests, but by consensus.

"This statue." When Lorian got off the car, she saw a giant statue of Ming Emperor Zhu Yijun which was about to be completed in the square in front of the Governor's Mansion.

It is six zhang high, thirty zhang wide, and weighs two million eight hundred thousand jin. It is made of 625 layers of white granite carved and joined together. The emperor is dressed in military uniform, standing upright facing the sea, with his right hand holding the Qi family military sword and his left hand behind his back. His eyes are piercing and he looks majestic.

The statue was designed by Governor Yin Zhengmao himself. There is one in Luzon and the Governor's Office in Jiugang, Coconut Sea City, and now there is also one in the Governor's Office in Jinchi.

"Didn't His Majesty specifically issue an order prohibiting the erection of statues? His Majesty doesn't like such extravagant and useless things." Lorian said with a smile on her face. The Governor's Palace had not been completely repaired yet, but the statue was erected first.

"A general is not bound by the orders of his king when he is away from the court. We must tell everyone where we come from." Deng Zilong bowed to the statue and turned around to look at the shops on Daming Street.

The emperor has no say on the matter of the statue. The Governor's Office has its own difficulties. This statue is a symbol of centripetal force.

There is a special store on Daming Street that sells various dragon emblems. The smallest one is three inches in size and can be embroidered on clothes. A three-inch dragon emblem costs fifteen cents, and there is one on almost every piece of clothing.

Ming Dynasty is where they came from, and they have never forgotten it.

"Lin Fucheng once discussed the alienation of religion on people in a miscellaneous newspaper and put forward a view that if people want to get rid of religion, they must first get rid of the environment that requires religion. This is true for statues, the flag emblem with a dragon, or the gold coin in my hand."

"People need an afterlife." Deng Zilong took out a gold coin, which weighed about one cent. There was a pattern on it, which was a portrait of His Majesty, and it was very exquisite.

People need an afterlife, that is, a spiritual sustenance. There is no doubt that a real Ming Dynasty is the best sustenance. Just like the gray-haired soldiers who have guarded the isolated city for forty years, they need to rely on something to sustain themselves.

Of course, the natural endowment of Jinchi Governor's Mansion is much better than that of the original Western Regions. The final ending will not be so tragic. On the day when Jinchi Governor's Mansion is filled with 50 million people, whoever comes here will be planted in the soil because this is also the inherent territory of the Ming Dynasty!

In places where farming is not possible, the barbarians surrounded the city and could not move, so they could only defend it. When they arrived at places where farming is possible, Deng Zilong still didn't believe that anyone could defeat the Ming expeditionary force on three million hectares of land!

There is also a group of small statues surrounding the emperor statue, including sculptures of Nuwa mending the sky, Jingwei filling the sea and other mythological stories from the Ming Dynasty.

After looking at all the statues, Lorian walked into the Governor's Palace. Today she became the Governor's wife.

"My dear husband, I find it hard to understand. We are 20,000 miles away from the Ming Dynasty. Why do you still want to be loyal to the royal family?"

"When you first landed in Luzon, the Ming court dumped you to Luzon like a burden." When no one was around, Lorian asked a question that she hadn't asked for more than ten years.

It would be more accurate to say that it was the Ming court that started the war rather than Yin Zhengmao, Zhang Yuanxun, and Deng Zilong. After annihilating the Japanese pirates, they found a home for the foreign soldiers who had nowhere to go. The Ming court, which was used and then discarded, did not seem to deserve the loyalty of this group of overseas military heroes.

Originally, Lorian thought that Luzon would be unable to survive without the support of the Ming court, so she showed her loyalty.

But the Jinchi Governor's Mansion and the Jinchi City were impregnable, with a large river to the north and millions of hectares of fertile land. No matter what, there was no need to show loyalty that was close to flattery.

But the truth was completely different from what Lorian had thought. The atmosphere of loyalty in the Jinchi Governor's Office was much stronger than that in the Luzon Governor's Office.

Deng Zilong thought about it carefully, shook his head and said, "It's nothing. You know, in the early years of the Wanli reign, the court owed the border troops twelve years of wages. The half of the wages was owed by the court officials out of kindness, but these border troops did not rebel."

"If the court does not pay, I will lead the soldiers to demand it. If the court pays, even if it is half pay, I will lead the army to fight for the king. I want to be worthy of the emperor, and I want to be worthy of the soldiers."

"Your Majesty has given me the latest fast sailing ships. If my soldiers do not want to stay in the Governor's Mansion of Jinchi, they have the right to go home. I cannot let them never return home for my own selfish desires."

In response to his wife's question, Deng Zilong gave a direct and clear answer to his thoughts. In fact, it was very simple. The emperor had done nothing wrong to the Jinchi Governor's Office. Every golden ship that returned to the Ming Dynasty would be exchanged for a very generous reward.

Luo Lian thought for a moment and said, "I understand! The people of the Ming Dynasty are attached to their land and value returning to their roots. The overseas colonization of the Ming Dynasty and the West is completely different. The Ming Dynasty makes every place it goes to be its home, so there are so many Han towns rising from the ground."

"This is the fundamental difference. Legazpi's high moral inferiority of colonization cannot be said to be wrong, but it is not completely right."

The Ming Dynasty's overseas expansion was managed as if it were its own homeland, so the Ming Dynasty worked very hard, instead of relying on complete plunder like the West. This is what the Ming Dynasty always said: it is better to plant than to rob. Admittedly, the returns come slowly, but the duration of the returns is long.

Perhaps, the idea that it is better to plant than to rob is the core concept of the Ming Dynasty.

The development of the Jinchi Governor's Office was very rapid, and a route to Datielingwei had been opened. Along the Juezhou Bay in the south of Juezhou, all the way west, the Ming Dynasty established several supply points, and a comprehensive exploration of Juezhou had begun.

"In the southwestern part of Juezhou, a place we call Fushun, the geomancers of the Stargazing Ship have discovered a silver mine. Although it is not as good as the rich silver mine, it can also supplement the insufficient inflow of white silver. I hope everything goes well." Deng Zilong looked at the geomancy map and smiled brightly.

The economies of Juezhou and Daming are completely complementary. Juezhou has abundant reserves of gold, silver, copper and iron ores, but Juezhou does not have many craftsmen. Only Daming can consume such a huge amount of minerals, and only Daming can provide such abundant, high-quality, and inexpensive goods.

Juezhou is establishing mineral-commodity exchanges with Ming Dynasty. Once established, Juezhou will no longer have the possibility of separating from Ming Dynasty.

As long as this convection is completed, just like the coal and silver convection in the Ming Dynasty, there will be a steady stream of population to replenish the Jinchi Governor's Mansion.

The Jinchi Governor's Office can flourish.

Deng Zilong would not consider the possibility of rebelling against the Ming Dynasty because he could not get rid of the economic constraints. Rebelling against the Ming Dynasty would gain nothing except unnecessary trouble, so it would be better to be loyal to the end.

"Perhaps there will come a day when the imperial court will be unable to make ends meet and will increase the tax rate on the Jinchi Governor's Office. By then, the people of Jinchi, who will be forced into a desperate situation, will rise up in resistance, but at least not while I'm alive." Deng Zilong said absentmindedly while looking at the sparkling ocean.

He could not guarantee what choices future generations would make, but he was still alive, and the Jinchi Governor's Mansion was the Ming Dynasty's private mineral reserve. This was the only thing he could be sure of.

"It shouldn't." Lorian felt that her husband was worrying too much. The Ming Dynasty had opened its seas for so many years, and the tariff had been increased to 13%. Even so, the emperor still published a long report to explain why the tariff was increased.

The Ming Dynasty was a production-driven dynasty. Imposing taxes on the source of raw materials was tantamount to cutting off one's own arms, wasn't it?
Unless one day the Ming Dynasty moves away from reality and becomes virtual.

(End of this chapter)