I studied in modern times

Chapter 931 Supporting compradors (3)

Of course, since Li Ziyi said something nice, Zhao Xu would not hit him in the face. Hearing this, he said, "Good!"

"If Goryeo can really do this, my efforts will not be in vain!"

Li Ziyi immediately bowed and said, "After I return home, I will write to my lord and ask him to build a Gratitude Temple in Kaesong City to express my gratitude to your majesty for your kindness today!"

"We should also change the name of Jingdong Gate to Cheng'en Gate, so as to show our descendants that the protection of Goryeo is entirely due to your majesty's virtue!"

Zhao Xu listened and still smiled.

Then he waved his hands and said, "I am just following the teachings of the saints! There is no need for the Goryeo Kingdom to do this!"

Li Ziyi was about to express his gratitude again, but Zhao Xu interrupted his spell and said, "My dear minister, do you know what I have planned for Goryeo?"

Li Ziyi immediately knelt on the ground and kowtowed again: "How dare I, a dull and incompetent person, guess the emperor's mind?"

"I beg your Majesty to enlighten me!"

Zhao Xu stood up, walked to the imperial steps, and looked down at the uncle of the Goryeo king from a high vantage point.

"I have heard from you, my dear minister, that Goryeo is in trouble!" He sighed and squeezed out a crocodile tear: "What guilt have the people of Koryo suffered to suffer this war!"

"I feel very sorry for him!"

"Therefore, I have decided to grant Goryeo 200,000 strings of Jiaozi every year from the day the peace agreement is signed and implemented, to be used to stabilize Goryeo after the war, provide relief to the people, and provide relief to the orphans and widows!"

Li Ziyi was overjoyed. He never thought that just by opening his mouth and saying a few flattering words, he could actually get such a benefit? !

If he had known earlier, he should have said more and flattered more!
Who knows, you might get even more benefits!
This is two hundred thousand strings of Jiaozi!
It can really be spent as two hundred thousand copper coins!

Moreover, judging from the little emperor's tone, it seems that this happens every year!
With this money...

Li Ziyi couldn't help but think in his mind how to find a way to make this benefit his own.

Seeing his appearance, Zhao Xu shook his head secretly and thought: "People in the Middle Ages are still too young!"

"Haven't you heard that free things are the most expensive?!"

Then he said: "My dear, don't be too happy, I have conditions!"

Zhao Xu looked at Li Ziyi and raised his hand: "Last year, I had an appointment with Goryeo——"

"The Kingdom of Goryeo should provide Song merchant ships with the convenience of entering and leaving all ports of Goryeo!"

"Goryeo has agreed to this, but it has been put on hold due to the war!"

"Therefore, I demand that Goryeo fulfill this matter as agreed after the peace talks!"

"Yes!" Li Ziyi bowed his head happily.

In his opinion, this is a small problem!
Because, there are only a few ships that can reach Goryeo every year?
Can there be ten?
Even if it were expanded tenfold, there would only be a hundred ships!

Moreover, when the Song merchant ships arrived, in addition to selling goods, they naturally also bought Goryeo's local specialties.

Judging from past trade situations, Goryeo may not necessarily suffer any loss!
This was because the Central Plains were quite fond of Goryeo's ginseng, folding fans, stationery, paper and other items, and often purchased them at high prices.

So... open up! open up! open up everything!

Zhao Xu smiled and nodded: "Don't be so anxious to thank me, I haven't finished yet!"

"In addition to last year's agreement, I also hope to add clauses with Goryeo regarding maritime rescue between the two countries..."

"If a Song merchant ship encounters danger near the coast or port of Goryeo, Goryeo will do everything possible to provide all the rescue it can! Conversely, if a Goryeo merchant ship encounters distress near the coast of Song, Song will also provide all possible rescue for the Goryeo merchant ship!"

When Li Ziyi heard this, his face was full of smiles: "Your Majesty is holy and virtuous, and Goryeo will follow you!"

The smile on Zhao Xu's face became even brighter.

He knew long ago that the Koreans would definitely agree to his condition.

Because there is no country within the Confucian civilization circle that does not desire China's recognition.

Therefore, this seemingly equal treaty is a fatal temptation to all countries within the Confucian civilization circle.

Last year, when the Song Dynasty negotiated peace with Jiaozhi, Zhang Dun proposed a similar treaty.

The people of Jiaozhi agreed without even thinking about it.

As a result, the Song Dynasty and Jiaozhi signed the first treaty on earth that explicitly stipulated detailed rules for maritime rescue and mutual assistance.

The details of the treaty were formulated by Zhao Xu after he sent his Exploration Department to consult with the Arab merchants living in Bianliang, and then combined with the public order and good customs of East Asian society.

It has to be said that in this era, the Arabs are the world's most advanced maritime merchants.

Today, it has mature maritime rescue rules and practices.

And we already have corresponding institutional guarantees!

In this regard, the Song Dynasty is just a toddler.

Nature needs to be absorbed, borrowed and learned.

Now, if we sign a similar treaty with Goryeo, we can just take the maritime mutual rescue treaty between the Song Dynasty and Jiaozhi, change the name and use it.

Judging from the implementation of the maritime rescue treaty signed between the Song Dynasty and Jiaozhi, the treaty stipulates that the rescued ships and crew members need to provide the rescuers with compensation ranging from a minimum of 100 guan to a maximum of one-third of the value of the cargo on the ship, depending on the rescue situation and risks (generally the compensation is agreed upon by the rescued party and the rescuer. If there is a dispute, the judicial officer of the rescued area will make a ruling. If dissatisfied with the judgment, they can appeal to a maritime rescue court appointed jointly by the Song Dynasty and Jiaozhi).

Therefore, the people of Jiaozhi were very active in rescuing Song Dynasty merchant ships in distress.

There have been several examples of merchant ships that were in distress and capsized near the coast of Jiaozhi, and were rescued by fishermen and merchant ships from Jiaozhi, along with their people and cargo.

This provided reliable protection for the Song Dynasty's maritime merchants' long-distance voyages.

After all, sailing on a long sea voyage carries huge risks.

If you are not careful, the ship may sink.

Once a ship sinks in a foreign country, the loss is usually irreversible.

In most shipwrecks, both the ship and the people on board are destroyed.

Now, maritime merchants can enjoy a certain degree of security guarantee throughout the Song Dynasty waters and Jiaozhi waters.

Because there is a reward, once in distress, as long as there is a ship nearby, they will provide rescue.

Even if the goods cannot be salvaged, at least lives can be saved!
This will naturally have a great impact on increasing the enthusiasm of Song Dynasty's maritime merchants to go out to sea.

Of course, at present, the effect has not been shown because the time is too short.

However, this did not prevent Zhao Xu from looking for every opportunity to sign maritime rescue treaties with relevant countries.

Because he knew that only in this way could the Song Dynasty truly move towards the ocean.

After Li Ziyi finished expressing his gratitude, Zhao Xu continued, "By the way! When you return home, you can tell everyone in your country that I am not a stingy person!"

"Since the Goryeo ports are open to the Song merchant ships, then the Song ports will also be open to the Goryeo merchant ships in return!"

Since it is free trade, you cannot unilaterally ask others to open up to you while you hold back.

In this case, the logic cannot be closed.

In addition, if the Song Dynasty only asked Goryeo to open up, but closed its ports to Goryeo.

How can the rich and powerful people in Goryeo come to the Song Dynasty to benefit from it?

How did the Song Dynasty absorb Goryeo's technical talents and wealth?
Zhao Xu had already prepared in Bian Jing the blessing that would belong to the second generation of the future generations of Goryeo, Jiaozhi, Dali and other countries - ridiculously expensive school district housing!
However, Zhao Xu believed that the second generations of these countries would continue to come to Bian Jing to study by various means.

Thanks to the Tang Dynasty, the Song Dynasty's imperial examination achievements could be known throughout the world and were recognized by the entire Confucian civilization circle.

The Jinshi of the Song Dynasty need not be said much. Even if one only passed the examination for the title of Gongsheng and got a ticket to the provincial examination, he would be a rare high-end talent for other countries!

Haven’t you seen that decades ago, two students who failed the imperial examinations in the Song Dynasty became national masters in Dangxiang!

Of course, the lessons these two failed students brought to the Song Dynasty were also very profound.

It was because of them that the imperial examinations in the Song Dynasty were no longer eliminated.

In any case, the value of the Song Dynasty's achievements is enough to attract the second generation of people from surrounding countries to gild themselves.

Therefore, the price of school district housing in Bianjing still has a lot of room for growth in the future.

Li Ziyi listened and naturally bowed his head repeatedly to thank God for his grace.

Zhao Xu waited until he finished thanking him before smiling and saying, "My dear, you are a grateful person!"

People who know how to say thank you will at least get a word of praise even if their food is on the menu.

Li Ziyi bowed and said, "Your Majesty is so holy and virtuous that I am deeply grateful. I will pass on the teachings to my descendants and always cherish your grace!"

This is the truth!

Before today, Li Ziyi was still worried that after returning to China, he would be besieged by the government and the public, and be called a traitor, which would bring disaster to his family.

However, with these favorable conditions from the Song Dynasty, he would be praised by all after his return to China, and might even be regarded as the contemporary Shen Baoxu.

For his family, this is a political resource that can benefit several generations.

Zhao Xu saw this, hummed, and then asked: "I have given Gaoli so many benefits, so what has Gaoli given me in return?"

Li Ziyi was speechless. After thinking for a long time, he bowed and said, "Your Majesty, Goryeo is a small country with weak people... It really has no strengths..."

"only……"

"Your Majesty's grace, even Korea cannot repay it!"

"Therefore, if Your Majesty needs anything from Goryeo, Goryeo will respond to whatever it wants!"

Zhao Xu immediately smiled: "My dear, you are indeed a grateful person!"

"Logically speaking, I shouldn't be too harsh on Goryeo!"

"However, I still need to give an explanation to the hundreds of millions of people in the Song Dynasty! I need to give an explanation to my ancestors!"

"Otherwise, how would I face the emperor when I go to the ancestral temple the next day and pay homage to the emperor?"

"How about this!" Zhao Xu chuckled, "Last year, Goryeo promised to cede Tamra to merchants from the Song Dynasty as a place to dry goods and take shelter from the wind!"

"Since last year, I have loaned Goryeo a huge sum of one million strings of cash for military equipment!"

"Therefore, Goryeo will cede the outer islands of Tamra, Baekryeong, Ganghwa, and the Greater and Lesser Black Mountains to the Song Dynasty in return for my armor and annual gifts!"

Li Ziyi swallowed his saliva, then prostrated himself on the ground and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, it's not that Goryeo doesn't want to, but now, except for the islands in Ganghwa Bay, all the other islands of Goryeo have been owned by the northern barbarians!"

This is a fact!

The Liao navy has been tirelessly sweeping the many outlying islands of Goryeo in the open sea.

There are not many or even no troops stationed on these outlying islands.

In addition, the Koreans were not prepared at all to face the Liao navy.

Therefore, just a few months after the war broke out, the control of the outer islands and the sea areas of Korea fell into the hands of the Liao army.

Originally, the islands in Ganghwa Bay might have fallen under the control of the Liao army.

But then the Liao people suddenly landed on Japan's Kyushu Island.

As a result, the focus of its navy shifted to ensuring the Liao army's foothold in Kyushu.

Secondly, Ganghwa Bay is a natural barrier that Goryeo must defend.

Therefore, after reacting, the Goryeo navy firmly controlled the waterway of Ganghwa Bay and used its familiarity with the hydrology of Ganghwa Bay to repeatedly thwart the invasion of the Liao navy.

This barely preserved the control of the sea in Ganghwa Bay.

But as long as you leave Jianghua Bay, the Liao navy will rule the world!

Because the damn Liao army exchanged Goryeo's Elandian for the loyalty of the Donghai Jurchens.

The various Jurchen tribes in the East China Sea have a long tradition of piracy.

In the past, they formed pirate groups many times, attacked the coast of Goryeo, and even went to Japan, causing the invasion of the barbarians.

Now, with the support of the Liao Kingdom, he boarded a large ship, put on the Liao Kingdom's iron armor, and picked up the Liao Kingdom's powerful bows and crossbows.

Facing the Goryeo navy, they naturally had nothing to fear.

Almost every time we meet, we look for an opportunity to join forces!

The Goryeo navy, having lost its geographical advantage, was no match for the fearless Jurchens.

Li Ziyi wept and bowed his head, saying, "As for the Ganghwa Islands, it is not that Goryeo does not want them, but this place is the lifeblood of Goryeo..."

Without control of the sea in Ganghwa Bay, Kaesong would be undefendable.

Moreover, Ganghwa Bay leads directly to the rear of Hanyang.

For Goryeo, losing control of Ganghwa Bay would be tantamount to a loss.

Zhao Xu nodded. When he mentioned Ganghwa Island, he was just asking for a sky-high price and he didn't really want it.

Seeing Li Ziyi in such a miserable state, Zhao Xu said, "Since Ganghwa Island is the lifeline of your country, I don't want to take away someone's lifeline!"

"Then remove it from the cession list!"

I am so generous, you can't refuse my request to cede other outlying islands, right?

Li Ziyi bowed and said, "But the other islands are now in the hands of the northern barbarians!"

"You don't need to think about this, my dear minister. I will negotiate with the Liao Lord myself!"

The Liao people now do not attach importance to the value of those outlying islands at all.

The relevant leasing matters had already been settled in the last negotiation. Now with Goryeo's endorsement, Zhao Xu only had to add a little more money on the basis of the last negotiation and strive to get the Liao Kingdom to cede these outlying islands to the Song Dynasty.

These outlying islands, at present, seem to have no value.

In fact, it was difficult for the Song Dynasty to actually control the local area.

At most, it is like what Zhao Xu said, a place for merchant ships to take shelter from the wind and dry their goods.

But what about the future?

Regardless of other things, the fish off the coast of Dengzhou will be caught out sooner or later.

Once offshore fishery resources begin to dry up, Zhao Xu will have no choice but to ban fishing for the sake of future generations and allow the ocean to recover.

But the fishermen need to eat!
At this time, the rich fishery resources off the coast of North Korea became the savior of Dengzhou fishery!
Zhao Xu remembered that even in modern times, the offshore fishery resources of North Korea and South Korea were very rich.

Of course, fishing there requires larger fishing boats and more advanced fishing techniques.

In addition to fishery resources, if Zhao Xu remembered correctly, the Korea Strait should still be a place for many whales to migrate and forage for food.

Whale blubber and whale bones are important raw materials necessary for the future industry of the Song Dynasty. Before opening the modern chemical technology tree, whale blubber is the best lubricant!
(End of this chapter)