unclear

Chapter 1243 Lamentation
On the other hand, it was precisely because of the rich resources of the Ming Dynasty that the Dutch became the only maritime power connecting Asia and Europe, and therefore earned a lot of profits.

I heard from officials of the Ministry of Rites that the United Provinces was the richest in Europe, with more than 2 merchant ships, and Dutch merchants could be seen almost everywhere there was a port.

Why would they not do such a good exclusive business and instead turn against the Ming Dynasty for the sake of their enemies? Whether analyzing it from the perspective of personal gain or national interests, there is no rationality.

But since the emperor said so, it was very likely true. As an assistant to the emperor, I had to know why. Otherwise, I would not be able to communicate with the various departments in the future, and I would not even know how to arrange the guard work, which would cause a big mess.

"Well, first, light a cigar for me, and then prepare paper and pen. After you understand and remember clearly, you must not only know it but also tell others so that everyone can understand the reason."

Hong Tao turned his head and looked at the clock. It was still early for lunch and it was windy outside, so it was not suitable to go out for a walk. So he decided to start an international politics class. But he couldn't just tell Wang Chengen about it. Whether he understood it or not would not be of much use. He had to use him to let others understand, such as the Imperial Household Department and the General Staff.

"This is the latest product of the year, and Zhuque specially sent someone to deliver it to the palace. Your Majesty, please taste it. If it's not good, I will immediately tell him not to send it anymore."

When Wang Chengen heard that the emperor wanted to give him a lecture, his reaction was completely different from that of most people. He did not feel helpless at all. He happily prepared paper and pen, found a large wooden box from the back hall, took out a cigar and burned it with a match, while walking around and explaining its origin.

"Suzaku... I haven't seen him for many years. When you have time, tell him to come to the palace as soon as possible to report on his work and tell me about growing tobacco in Yunnan."

In fact, Hong Tao is not sure whether cigars are good or not. As long as they suit his taste, he will smoke them even if they are not made from high-end tobacco leaves. On the contrary, some tributes that are said to be made from top-quality tobacco leaves do not taste good.

For example, the cigars brought by Suzaku have too strong a fruity wood flavor and are too fermented, so the nicotine content is relatively low. In other words, they are boring and not very enjoyable to smoke.

But he did not say that it was bad to smoke, but he became interested in Suzaku. This royal relative should be regarded as a hero in promoting reforms after he became emperor. Although he was not as eye-catching as Li Zhi, Yuan Keli, Yuan Yingtai, and Wang An, he did a lot of practical work.

Many years ago, the Snowflake Sugar Group he led began to develop the tobacco industry. After the successful transformation of the chieftain system in Yunnan, it cultivated large tobacco fields in Jianshui, Ningzhou and Mengzi, and partnered with local chieftain families to run tobacco factories.

If Song Huizong was a painter born in the wrong body, then Zhuque was also a businessman born in the wrong body. He seemed to have a natural talent for business. Although he had never done business for a day before, he could do any business to the top.

This time was no exception. Snowflake cigars opened up sales in the Ming Dynasty within a few years, standing out from dozens of tobacco factories. Although it cannot be said to dominate the Ming Dynasty tobacco market, it is at least a dominant force in one area, and it also has a large share of exports.

When thinking of the sudden death of Queen Guo, Hong Tao felt a little sad. He felt that the people he knew would leave one by one, and it was a bit desolate that he would see them less and less. He couldn't help but want to see them more. Even if he didn't have enough time, he was willing to chat for a while.

“Your Majesty, don’t worry. He will not leave Beijing in the short term. No matter how good the cigars are, there is no need for him to escort them personally. He came back this time specifically for his daughter’s wedding. I heard that the wedding day is set for the eighth day of the first lunar month. The son-in-law’s family is in Tongzhou. He is the son of a wealthy businessman.” Seeing that no one said that cigars were bad, Wang Chengen quickly revealed another piece of news, then glanced at the emperor’s reaction with his peripheral vision, waiting for further arrangements.

"Alas... forget it. If I go, it will be too much of a distraction. Marriage is a big deal, and it's the first time in life. I'd better not make things more complicated. Let the flat-headed brother run a trip on my behalf and pick out some of the spoils I brought back from the battle and send them over as a gift."

Hong Tao was about to arrange it, but changed his mind. In the eyes of ordinary people, it must be a great honor for the emperor to come to congratulate their children at their weddings, which can bring honor to the family, but in fact, there are many troubles.

Security alone was enough to make the two families miserable. Anyone who attended the wedding had to undergo a background check by the Dongchang and Jinyiwei in advance, and the final guest list had to be finalized by the Cuju team. Who could come and who couldn't come, the one who married the daughter-in-law or daughter-in-law had no say.

What does it mean to waste money and labor? In addition to lavish eating and drinking, and squandering the national treasury on large-scale construction, it also means moving around without regard for one's status. Even if the emperor was frugal, the expenses for traveling were still considerable, enough to feed dozens of ordinary families for a year.

In order not to cause trouble to the treasury, officials, inner court guards and the people, even though Hong Tao was willing to go out for a walk and was not afraid of being assassinated, he had to endure it. If he really wanted to move, he would find an opportunity to lead the army in person, which was the most economical way for the emperor to travel.

"I have already prepared gifts, so forget about the spoils. I heard that those things were robbed by the pirates brought ashore by the brother of the Marquis of Korchin. They are too evil, and ordinary people cannot afford them except for the golden statue of His Majesty."

Hearing that the emperor would not attend the wedding, Wang Chengen breathed a sigh of relief. Otherwise, from now until the Spring Festival, the Cuju team, the East Factory, and the Jinyiwei would have to worry about at least a few hundred people.

"Hey, who is so quick-witted that he dares to gossip about my background!"

"Your Majesty, calm down. It was not someone else but Commander Setel who told me this privately when he was delivering something to the palace. He also gave me a pure gold chain with a cross on it, which was said to have been taken from the neck of a church abbot.

I couldn't refuse it at the time, but I gave it to Minister Xiong the next day. You dare to steal things from the temple, and you have the nerve to give it as a gift. Aren't you afraid of shortening your life?"

When talking about Settle, Wang Chengen's face was full of disgust. Although he did not believe in gods and Buddhas under the influence of the emperor, he did not reach the level of deliberate blasphemy. He avoided such gifts as much as possible, and did not want to put a pile of stolen goods into the treasury.

"What is a church host? It's called a bishop or a priest. Come on, start the lecture, and prepare to take notes."

Hong Tao certainly knew where the spoils came from. A large part of them were seized from the nobles of the Spanish Navy by his own order, including the armor, weapons and jewelry they wore. All those with good workmanship and fine patterns were confiscated, and he got more than a dozen swords of various kinds.

As for whether it is immoral for the emperor to take the lead in robbing other people's property, it doesn't matter. The army is originally a robber in the guise of the state, but the target of the robbery has changed to other countries. It is reasonable, legal, and natural. It is a sin if you can't rob or are always robbed by others!
(End of this chapter)