Daming: Dad, you are really not good at governing the country

Chapter 317 Tribute trade becomes Kanhe trade, Ming Dynasty recruits overseas agents with exclusive sales rights

The Siamese envoy nodded and said, "The tribute trade is the official foreign trade of the Ming Dynasty and should only be open to tribute ships.

The Ming Dynasty adopted the Kanhe system to prevent people with ulterior motives from taking advantage of the situation. This was also a good deed to protect the interests of both parties from being harmed.

At the same time, the foreign ministers suggested that the Kanhe certificate should be set with a time limit, so that it can serve as a warning and spur to those vassal states that lack sincerity. "

Zhu Biao said thoughtfully: "Father, I think the Siamese envoy's words make sense.

My third brother also said, "The envoys from vassal states were treated to delicious food and drinks throughout their stay in the Ming Dynasty."

They did not have to pay a penny for the related expenses, as all were covered by the court.

This is also a considerable burden on the national treasury.'

How about setting the tribute once every ten years? What do you think?"

Zhu Yuanzhang smiled and waved his hand, "My Great Ming is rich and powerful, and it is only natural that we should treat vassal states that are willing to make friends with us with sincerity.

However, since the tribute trade has become the Kanhe trade, it is still necessary to make some institutional adjustments.

The prince must have a good plan in this regard. Why not discuss it with us in front of the Siamese envoys? "

Under the somewhat surprised gaze of the Siamese envoy, Zhu Biao took out a memorial from his sleeve.

Then he gently unfolded it and said as if reading from a script: "Your son suggests that the grocery store under Yujing Pavilion be reorganized into the Ming Import and Export Trading Company, which is jointly held by the royal family and the vassal states.

Every commodity sold by the trading company will be recruited within the scope of vassal states.

The so-called investment promotion means recruiting overseas agents with exclusive sales rights.

Of course, exclusive sales does not mean that overseas agents can set prices at will. There is a standard.

The final selling price of overseas agents with exclusive sales rights shall not be higher than the retail price of Daming Import and Export Trading Company. "

In the early Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang banned private overseas trade and replaced it with official tribute trade.

Because the Ming Dynasty's tributary system was very complete, the total number of tributary states listed in the "Ming Hui Dian" in history actually exceeded 100.

Of course, these countries came to pay tribute not necessarily because they admired Chinese culture or were intimidated by the military power of a great country, but more out of considerations of economic interests.

After all, when vassal states came to pay tribute, the Ming Dynasty would pay a price, which was often much higher than the market price.

For example, ambergris, which is called "gray amber", is worth 9 strings of coins per pound according to relevant historical records.

However, according to the "Ming Hui Dian", the price the Ming Dynasty paid to most tributary states was 48 guan per catty, which was more than 5 times higher than the market price.

For example, the waist swords that Japan presented as tribute had a market value of no more than 3 guan each, but the Ming Dynasty priced them at 10 guan each.

In addition to the exquisite silk and porcelain "return gifts", one could earn several times the profit just by paying tribute to the Ming Dynasty once.

It is no exaggeration to say that it was this policy of "giving more and taking less" that attracted neighboring countries to rush to pay tribute.

This shows that the Ming Dynasty did not make any money in the tribute system, and even lost money.

The reason why emperors of all dynasties maintained the tributary system was mainly to maintain international stability in Southeast Asia and to preserve the reputation of the Celestial Empire.

According to historical records, the many conflicts and wars between the Ming Dynasty and its neighboring countries were sometimes caused by the court's inability to afford the other side's tribute.

For example, after the Ming Dynasty reached a tribute agreement with some Mongolian forces in the early days, the Mongols often came to pay tribute.

As the number of tribute horses increased, the imperial court could no longer afford it.

So the "Ming Dynasty God of War" Zhu Qizhen asked the Mongols to come less often and offer fewer horses as tribute, but they just wouldn't listen!

Wang Zhen, who was known as one of the "Four Great Eunuchs of the Ming Dynasty" along with Wang Zhi, Liu Jin, and Wei Zhongxian, was very angry. He relied on his position as the eunuch in charge of the Imperial Household Department to lower the "horse price", which angered the Mongols and led to a massive invasion of the Ming Dynasty. This was also one of the main reasons for the "Tumu Incident".

However, Zhu Gang certainly could not mention in the memorial things that had not yet happened in the future.

But when Zhu Yuanzhang learned that he was being treated as a "sucker" by the tributary state and had his gold coins exploded, he was so angry that he didn't eat for the whole day.

This led to the scene where he and Crown Prince Zhu Biao sang the same tune and acted in front of the Siamese envoys.

The Siamese envoys realized belatedly that they had been tricked by the two rulers of the Ming Dynasty.

However, there are huge economic interests behind porcelain, silk, lacquerware, tea and saltpeter, and Siam would never give them up.

Moreover, it was a wrong thing for Siam to establish diplomatic relations with Japan, which killed the Ming envoy.

Now the Siamese envoys could only hope that the "overseas agency" proposed by Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Biao would be profitable.

Otherwise, when he returns home, he will have to endure the wrath of the King of Siam.

"I don't know how the country plans to recruit overseas agents with exclusive sales rights. Your Majesty and His Royal Highness, please let me know."

Seeing that the time was ripe, Zhu Yuanzhang dropped another bombshell news.

“We plan to hold an investment auction after Prince Jin’s wedding.

According to the division of the imperial court, vassal states were divided into big countries, China and small countries.

The starting prices of goods are different for vassal states of different levels.

Of course, the competition for overseas agents is not about agency fees, but a guarantee of sales.

Take your Siam as an example. For example, the sales contract period is five years, and the annual sales volume of refined salt is 1000 kilograms.

This is the minimum agency standard officially established by the Ming Dynasty for import and export trade, and the auction will be increased in accordance with this standard.

After the auction is successful, Siam only needs to pay for the first year's goods and a part of the deposit.

If the expected sales volume cannot be achieved, the Ming Dynasty will deduct the deposit to compensate for the losses incurred during the trade process."

As he was speaking, Zhu Yuanzhang ordered Wang Jinghong to hand over the refined salt sample handed over by Zhu Gang to the Siamese envoy for careful inspection.

“I have seen the finest green salt, which is said to be used by the royal family and nobles of the Ming Dynasty for brushing their teeth.

I wonder what the annual production of this extremely fine white salt is?"

Looking at the somewhat agitated Siamese envoy, Zhu Biao pretended to be puzzled and asked, "Since it is used exclusively by the Ming imperial family, where did you see it?"

After hesitating for a moment, the Siamese envoy said with lingering fear: "Since the Governor-General of Nanzhili, Li Zhitai, allowed the silver in hand to be exchanged for salt at the Ming Dynasty bank, many envoys from vassal states have participated in it.

Among them, Ashikaga Naofusa, who claimed to be an envoy of Japan, exchanged the largest amount of salt.

He had publicly boasted about this in Huitong Hall not long ago, and the foreign officials saw it at that time. "

Zhu Yuanzhang gnashed his teeth and said, "The Japanese pirates have repeatedly harassed the coastal areas of the Ming Dynasty. Maybe the silver that Ashikaga Naofunaga used to exchange for green salt was the blood and sweat of the people plundered from our country!"

The Siamese envoy suddenly realized, "No wonder some of the Japanese envoys acted like pirates.

Fortunately, they had kept their personal weapons in Huitong Hall in accordance with regulations.

Of course, if the imperial court is worried about the continued existence of pirates in Japan, Siam can provide shipbuilding craftsmen to help the imperial court build a navy capable of dealing with pirates in Japan. "

(End of this chapter)