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Chapter 1082: First Exploration of America
Whether it is a cargo ship sailing eastward from the Arabian Sea and the east coast of Africa, or a cargo ship sailing westward from the Strait of Malacca, the most convenient and fastest port of call is Ceylon.

If we take advantage of the east-west traffic and build a large port and many sheltered anchorages on the island, and then build some warehouses and inns near the port to provide services for passing ships, it will definitely be popular and we will make a quick profit.

But Hong Tao is not so petty, willing to make some hard-earned money from the merchants. What he wants to do is to turn the Port of Colombo into a relay station for the flow of goods between East and West Asia, and then make a lot of money without doing anything.

Don't even call it a delusion, he did just that during the Southern Song Dynasty. At that time, Colombo was called Calamba, and the fat Prince Calamba quickly became the richest king on the island by relying on entrepot trade, and then he raised an army to unify Ceylon.

Since it was possible in the Song Dynasty, there was no big difference in the Ming Dynasty, and the types and quantities of goods were even greater. As long as the port's throughput was sufficient, the infrastructure was well built, and the rules were formulated, there was nothing to do but wait to collect the money!
In this way, there are two trade distribution centers in the Asian sea area, Manila and Ceylon, and Enniao Port between Asia and Europe. The three trade centers can also circulate among each other, learn from each other's strengths and weaknesses, so that the goods produced in southern Asia can be fully circulated and the economies of all countries can be revitalized.

Look, this is the difference between the way the emperor thinks and how his ministers and generals think. The emperor thinks at the national level, or even between multiple countries, or even the whole world.

Ministers and generals only need to think about how to do their department's work better. If they have the energy to think more about the country or a larger scope, they will be good ministers and great strategists.

"...In this case, the location of the military base will have to be changed. Your Majesty, I think the natural conditions of the previously destroyed small port are good, with suitable water depth, current, and wind. We only need to build a bridge over the river and lay a track less than 5 kilometers long to connect it with Colombo City.

Separating the military port from the commercial port not only ensures safety but also allows ships to dock nearby when necessary, which is equivalent to having an additional backup port, killing two birds with one stone."

In addition to recording the emperor's speech, the officers' minds were also constantly working. Before he stopped writing, Zhu Haiou had a new understanding and plan for the construction of the naval base.

"I think this is a good idea. You should first send someone to work with officials from the Ministry of Construction to map out the hydrogeological parameters of the two locations in detail. If there are no special factors that hinder the construction, you can start construction together. The required funds will first be drawn from the navy funds, and then supplemented when the additional funds from the Ministry of Revenue are approved."

This is exactly what Hong Tao wants. He must motivate, induce, and encourage officials to think independently. He cannot go to the site to observe and measure everything, and cannot come up with very specific plans, so he must rely on his subordinates to make up for it.

If officials and generals all become yes-men and dare not have their own ideas and insistence, then the original intention and the result of everything will go against each other. From the moment the decision is made, it is out of touch with the actual situation.

"Kim Gyu is here to see the emperor..." When everyone was discussing the port construction issues enthusiastically, the loud announcement from the eunuch of the Cuju team outside the door stunned everyone present, except Hong Tao.

"Student Jin Gui greets His Majesty!"

A moment later, a middle-aged man in a navy uniform, with dark skin, thin figure, and dog-chewed hair, strode into the main hall, knelt on one leg, and saluted with his right hand on his chest.

"Sit down and talk... Oh, if Wang Chengen hadn't informed me first, I wouldn't have dared to recognize you when we met! I'm glad you're back. To be honest, when I assigned you this mission, I wasn't sure I'd see you again. I was only 50% sure!" Hong Tao smiled and waved his hand, motioning Jin Gui to sit across the table. "It's really you! How did you get your hair like that? Did it get burned?" As Jin Gui sat down, Zhu Haiou was the first to greet him.

Although Jin Gui has left the navy and joined the Royal Advisory Office, the personal relationship is still there. It's just that I haven't seen him for a long time, and I don't know what he is doing and why he has made himself look like this.

"Chief of General Staff Zhu, please forgive me for joking. I asked the navigator to cut my hair. The sea was rough and the waves were strong, so I couldn't hold the hair steadily. It was very good to have it cut like this. I came back in a hurry and didn't have time to tidy up my appearance. I'm sorry to have embarrassed His Majesty and you all." Jin Gui touched his hair and felt that he looked ugly, so he apologized with a fist.

"Then you...hahaha, that's good, very good. I'm used to seeing you as a big boss in North Korea, and I'm a little uncomfortable with your sudden change to short hair." Zhu Haiou was surprised to hear that Jin Gui had gone to sea.

Whether it is the East Ocean, the South Ocean or the Indian Ocean, there is a naval statistics department in every port, and an old veteran like Jin Gui who is well-known in the navy should not be overlooked.

Just when he was about to ask where he had been, he caught a glimpse of the emperor's half-smile, and shuddered in his heart, and quickly changed the subject. Now Jin Gui is no longer part of the navy, but has gone to the advisory office, doing work assigned by the emperor himself, how can he be asked casually.

"What's so good about it? It looks like it was bitten by a dog. When it's loose, I'll ask Wang Chengen to fix it for you. Have you seen my hairstyle? It's neat, right? It's all his work." Hong Tao made the final judgment on Jin Gui's hairstyle and gave a way to correct it.

"Manager Wang is very busy, and I dare not bother you. There is a shop outside Chaoyang Gate that specializes in short hair shaving. The most expensive shop is no more than half a silver coin..." Jin Gui stood up immediately and flatly refused.

It's not that he is worried that Wang Chengen's skills are not up to par, but he is the chief steward of the royal family. In his entire life, he can probably only take care of the emperor's hair and beard. There is no need for him to bear too much psychological burden because of such a small matter.

"That's fine, let's talk. We are all important people in the court, so we can speak freely."

Hong Tao knew exactly why Jin Gui refused, so he stopped forcing her. But if he didn't say anything, Jin Gui would definitely not mention the mission in front of any third person, including Wang Chengen.

This matter was originally classified because of poor preparation, and it was easy to leak out if too many people knew about it. Now the conditions are basically in place, not only can we not keep it secret any longer, but we have to lower the confidentiality level and make it a topic that can be discussed openly at the imperial meeting.

"I have fulfilled my mission and completed all the tasks during this voyage to the west coast of America. I have returned to Beijing to report and ask Your Majesty to make the decision!" With the emperor's approval, Jin Gui immediately took out two thick folders from his briefcase and placed them on the table like handing in homework, waiting for his teacher to review them.

"America... West Coast!" Everyone present, including Wang Chengen who was standing, was curious about where Jin Gui was going. But when they heard the location, they all looked at the emperor in disbelief.

(End of this chapter)