I, the Ming Dynasty, can still save me

Chapter 403 The Emperor’s Business Experience
"Your Majesty, I have finished reading."

After half an hour, Sun Yuanhua slowly closed the book, with a look of shock that could not be concealed on his face.

"What does Aiqing think of the content? How different is it from what Tang Ruowang and others said? Is it accurate?"

Hearing this, Zhu Youxiao put down the book he was reading and asked Sun Yuanhua what he thought with a smile.

"Your Majesty, the Western intelligence collected by the Jin Yiwei is very detailed. It is almost the same as what Tang Ruowang and others said. Some of the content is even more detailed than what Tang Ruowang said. It even includes the intelligence in recent years. After reading it, I am really impressed. for shock.

Take Folangji for example. I didn't expect that its national power and territory would be so huge. It actually merged with Portugal into one. It also occupied some places in the ancient Qin Dynasty and the Red Mao Yi. It could be said that it was at the height of its power in the West.

And this information is also known to Wei Chen. This Folangji also occupies a new land farther west in the Western Ocean. I heard that silver is produced there, and the combined territory is larger than the Ming Dynasty. It seems that this Folangji is really Not to be underestimated.

And judging from the intelligence, the Western countries are now somewhat incompatible with each other over the Western religion, and rebellions are beginning to appear."

Zhu Youxiao laughed secretly when he heard this. Of course, this information is detailed. He wrote it based on the history of his previous life. As a summary of the experience of later generations, the historical context, causes and consequences are much clearer than those of contemporary people.

"Ai Qing is right, Confucius said: To judge a person by his appearance is to lose his feathers. These Western countries can cross the sea and come to our Ming Dynasty, and the firearms in their hands are as good as our Ming Dynasty. This is enough to show that they are superior. I think my beloved should understand this deeply."

Sun Yuanhua nodded secretly. Although he was proficient in Confucianism and was born in Juren, he also believed in Western religion. He had followed Xu Guangqi for many years and had a good understanding of Western culture. Naturally, he knew that some aspects of it were far beyond my Ming Dynasty.

"The Chinese culture is open to all rivers and is inclusive. I think I am not inferior to the Western culture. But as the saying goes, when the moon is full, it will lose, and when the water is full, it will overflow. Because of this, I, the Chinese, cannot be proud and complacent, stay stuck in one's ways, and despise Western culture.

This is why I established the Capital Tongwen Hall and why I asked you to go on missions to the West.

These Western countries were born in pursuit of profit, and they had a large population and a small area.But because of this drive for profit, we were able to find a new land several times larger than our Ming Dynasty. I have long heard that the land there is fertile and the products are rich. However, the local barbarians are poor at slash-and-burn farming, and the best ones are like us during the Xia and Shang Dynasties. Human sacrifices were also used.

However, the Flemish Kingdom took advantage of the use of firearms to slaughter the local natives wantonly, exterminate their country for gold, and even demoted its people into slaves.

Then he seized this god-given land. From then on, there was no shortage of silver, sufficient products, and the national strength increased greatly. This further inspired the predatory nature of the Western countries, so they attacked everywhere, which is why they repeatedly invaded our Ming territory. "

Listening to the emperor's words, Sun Yuanhua was also secretly surprised. He had previously known that the emperor was interested in the West and had some understanding of it.

He just didn't expect that he would understand it to this extent, especially the things about the New World that the emperor said. This was the first time he heard someone talk about it in such detail.

I have heard from some Western priests before, but Tang Ruowang and others have always said that it is a barbaric land, and the specific situation is unknown.

If the emperor's words are true, then there are really some surprises, and even some chills on the back.

However, he also remembered some things he knew from his previous chat with Zheng Zhilong. What the Folangji people did to the natives in Nanyang was very similar to what the emperor said they did in the New World.

Therefore, what the emperor said must be well-founded and not just made up out of thin air.

"Your Majesty, I have learned a lesson. I know what this Folangji man does. Although he believes in God, he is afraid of authority and not ethical. Although he has advantages, he must be careful."

Regardless of Sun Yuanhua's views, Zhu Youxiao nodded in agreement.

As a later person, he naturally knows the virtues of these Westerners. Strength is paramount. Whatever they say is reasonable. Without strength, everything is empty talk.

"It is true, but as the old saying goes: good fortune and misfortune depend on each other. When the Westerners came to our country, they did not dare to bully me when they saw that our country was strong. Their attitude was at least respectful. At the same time, it also gave me the opportunity to understand the world."

Zhu Youxiao stood up slowly as he spoke. At this time, Zhang Chang and others had already laid out a map of the Universe.

"Sun Aiqing, although it is said that China has been among the world since ancient times, and the emperor is rich in the world, but after exploration by Westerners, it has been drawn on the map. Therefore, I can't help but have a question, is China located among the world?"

Sun Yuanhua immediately held up his hands and wanted to explain, but Zhu Youxiao waved his hand to tell him not to speak, and then continued:
"Haha, in my opinion, it doesn't matter whether you are in the world or not. What is important is why so many good places in the world are allowed to be occupied by Westerners. Are you trying to deceive me that there is no one in China?"

After Zhu Youxiao said this, he slowly turned his head to look at Sun Yuanhua and said solemnly:

"That's why I decided to let Ming Dynasty also participate in this great struggle. That's why I sent a mission to the West. Therefore, as the person in charge of this mission, you have a particularly heavy burden."

Sun Yuanhua was surprised by the emperor's words, feeling that this was the first time he knew the emperor.Ever since the Portuguese arrived in the Ming Dynasty during the Zhengde period, no emperor of the Ming Dynasty had ever thought about going to sea, let alone competing with the West to compete for these places.

But the young emperor in front of him was so ambitious and had high hopes for himself, which made him both surprised and happy.So he immediately knelt down to show his loyalty. "What your Majesty said really makes me ashamed. I will definitely do my best when I go to the West and live up to your Majesty's expectations."

"Okay, okay, it's great if you have this. I'm very pleased. So before you went to the West, I arranged things for you to handle. You must do your best to do it well."

Zhu Youxiao laughed when he heard this, waved his hand and asked Sun Yuanhua to get up, then turned around and sat on the dragon chair, looking at Sun Yuanhua again.

"Please show your majesty."

Zhu Youxiao paused for a moment, his eyes drifted to the "Atlas of All Nations Kun", and he slowly began to give instructions.

"The first thing I ask you is that after you arrive in the West, you should visit more Western countries and meet with their kings and officials. Tell them that the Ming Dynasty is now open to the sea, and the emperor also encourages Western merchants to come to the Ming Dynasty. do business.

We also promise that everyone who comes to Daming for business will be treated equally and will not be biased or discriminate against them. "

Zhu Youxiao's purpose of doing this is to attract investment from the West.

The porcelain, silk, tea and other items of the Ming Dynasty are hard currency for those Western bumpkins, but they are symbols of wealth and status in Europe. There is a huge demand for them in European countries.

In the past, a large part of the gold and silver mined by Spain from the Americas was shipped directly to Asia. After purchasing porcelain and silk, it was then shipped to Europe.

However, the Ming Dynasty did not have a large demand for Western goods, which resulted in the Ming Dynasty's sea trade always being in surplus (exports were greater than imports), and a large amount of silver poured into the Ming Dynasty every year.

But based on historical memory, Zhu Youxiao knew that in the late Ming Dynasty, due to reduced silver production in America and Japan, as well as the European War, the inflow of silver in the late Ming Dynasty decreased significantly.

Zhu Youxiao naturally didn't want to let this situation happen, so instead of waiting for Xiyang to take the initiative to do business, he might as well go over and solicit business himself.

Moreover, most of the trade routes to Asia are now monopolized by Spain. The United Kingdom, the Netherlands, France, etc. are all eager to get a share of the pie. If I go to recruit them for business, I dare not say anything else. As a sea coachman, the Netherlands will definitely do it. agree.

"As for the second thing, I want you to take me the Kru cannon, blunderbuss and flintlock developed by the Ming Dynasty, and try to negotiate a business deal with the king of Folangji. If it succeeds, I will definitely remember it. You have done a great job, so it doesn’t matter if you don’t succeed.”

Business?

When Sun Yuanhua met the emperor, he did business with his mouth open and business with his mouth closed.Now that he was asked to do business with Fo Langji, it was hard for him to accept it and he was filled with doubts.

"Your Majesty, I dare to ask you what kind of business you want to do with the Folangji people."

Hearing what Sun Yuanhua said, Zhu Youxiao suddenly started to curse. What kind of business could he do? Of course it was the arms business.

"Haha, Sun Aiqing. Our Ming Dynasty's firearms are comparable to those of the West, especially the Krug cannon. Although the prototype is derived from the Western Red Yi cannon. But after the development of you, Xu Aiqing and others, using the iron core copper body method, the cost It is far lower than the Western Ocean, but its stability is much higher than that of the Western Ocean. It can be said that it is based on blue and is better than blue. You know this better than me.

And I know that the Western countries are not at peace now. You just said that countries are fighting each other because of their different beliefs in Western religions.

Therefore, these guns and artillery must be what they need, so you can sell them. No matter how many they want, as long as the price is right, we can make them. "

If Europe only fights a war for one or two years, Zhu Youxiao will naturally not sell arms to them.

But Zhu Youxiao knows that this war in Europe will take a full 30 years, and it is only the third year now. How can there be no shortage of arms in this war across Europe? This is a long-term business.

Even though the war has just begun, countries such as Spain are quite wealthy and have some foundation to support themselves.

He even dismissed Ming's proposal and would not buy arms because of the distance.But Zhu Youxiao was certain that no one in Europe could have imagined that this war would last 30 years.

When the war continued for a few more years and the high military expenditures made it impossible for them to survive, Zhu Youxiao was sure that they would come looking for him.

And by that time, it will be time for Ming to make money.At that time, the Ming Dynasty accepted all comers, and Western countries gave the best money. If you didn't have money, it was no problem, you could exchange it for something else.

As for what to exchange, it depends on Daming's mood.

Obviously, this is why Zhu Youxiao wants to do arms business with Spain.

(End of this chapter)