Lin Gao Qiming

Chapter 365 Trip to Foshan (Nineteen)

"It's true. It's just that the language is not very similar." Li Luoyou recalled Liu San's strange official dialect, and suddenly his heart moved—the pronunciation of Liu San's official dialect was somewhat similar to that of the Han population in Liaodong. He frowned and said, "Since If you want to colonize and settle down, aren’t you afraid of the imperial court’s encirclement and suppression? The county government in Lingao doesn’t know what kind of gangster is in charge,” he said, patting the table.

"Mr. Li, please don't get excited." Quakeqiong said, "Australians should not be hostile. I haven't heard of them doing anything that endangers maritime trade. You must know that with their iron ships, they want to rob coastal Merchant shipping is easy stuff."

"That's true."

"Look, you also bought their medicines—Australians don't have any malice. They obey the rules and order in this area, and they are a good group of businessmen." Quark said happily, "I really want to talk to you. They do business."

"You must have enough opportunities to do business with them." Li Luoyou had no doubts about this.

"However, I don't know what they like yet." Quarkpoong felt a little regretful, "They like medicinal materials, but they have already signed a contract with shopkeeper Yang. If I can know what they need most, I will go directly to Lingao next month. Picked up a load of cargo."

"You are really a shrewd businessman." Li Luoyou smiled, "I think they need iron and coal, especially coal."

"Why?" Quark asked poorly.

"My buddy reported to me—the craftsmen they recruited are mainly those who burn porcelain and cast utensils. Both of these need coal—I remember that there is no coal in Lingao."

"Coal?" Quark shook his head regretfully. "It's too dirty, and I have nowhere to buy it." He thought for a while, "How about pig iron? Since they hired foundry workers."

"That's fine." Li Luoyou thought the British man's reaction was fast enough.

"I think they still need cloth." Quakeqiong thought of the unsold Indian cotton cloth that he had transported from Surat and was still piled up in Li Luoyu's warehouse... He suddenly seemed to remember something:

"Mr. Li," Quark asked, "do you really want to start a foundry?"

"Yes." Li Luoyou felt strange, wasn't this what was discussed a few days ago?

"But the making of firearms is not, in my opinion, a lucrative business."

"Not bad." Li Luoyou thought in his heart.From the point of view of making money in business only, casting cannons is not a good business. It is troublesome and troublesome, and you have to deal with the government. The cost of dealing with the government may far exceed the investment in the project itself.The Ming government has always been extremely stingy in purchasing "national use".It's basically no different from robbing merchants and people.

The Ming Dynasty used the system of "shops should act as compradors" in government procurement, stipulating that shops in various industries must take turns to be on duty to purchase goods for the government.The money for the goods is distributed by the government on the surface, but in fact it is often not enough. The exact amount depends on the character of the official, and the flexibility is very large. It is the officials who work hard to make money. Opportunity.As usual, the insufficiency will be made up by the on-duty shopkeepers themselves.

Moreover, after the middle period, the prices of goods purchased by the government were often set by Zhu Baba's era.If there is no change for 200 years, even if the government pays the price for a lot of money, the shopkeepers will also suffer a huge loss.

Shopkeepers are afraid of the power of the government, so they can only bear the loss by themselves.This system has been implemented for many years, and the merchants and merchants have been forced to complain.Rich businessmen who have the means try to bribe officials to escape from the job; small and medium businessmen who have no means are often ruined and their families are ruined.

Seeing that there were too many accumulated disadvantages, the imperial court had to make some adjustments, changing the "comprador for business" to "comprador for investment", but that is to say, in fact, the local government still can do whatever it wants.

Li Luoyou knew that the recent cannon casting in Foshan was generally regarded as a "comprador for investment promotion".But how much this investment promotion comprador can pay is quite a matter of concern.He can be considered a quite powerful businessman in Guangdong and Guangxi, and he also has a few officials who can speak up in the court to support him. The local government will not buy it by force at a low price.

"Quark," Li Luoyou sighed, "do you know? If I just want to make money, doing any business here is easier and more profitable than making firearms for the imperial court. However, the imperial court relies on these firearms to suppress local rebellion, to deal with the barbarians outside the customs—these barbarians are not inferior to the Mongols in terms of ferocity, and now they have gone south step by step, approaching the last line of defense of the imperial court. I can't imagine," Li Luoyou supported His head—the chaos when Guangning withdrew from the town came into his mind again, and he felt dizzy, "The scene of these barbarians entering the Central Plains—that will be the destruction of Chinese civilization..."

He glanced at Quark Poong, who was staring at him with gray-blue eyes--Quak Poong had never seen this big businessman so excited.But he compares the barbarians to the Mongols, which the Englishman understands perfectly: Mongols - the destroyers of civilization.

"...By that time, China will degenerate into the current Ross, a barbaric country ridiculed by others." Li Luoyou said in a low voice, "I will do my best to prevent this day from coming."

Quaikeqiong had no perceptual knowledge of Hou Jin, but seeing Li Luoyou's love for his motherland, he couldn't help being moved.

"I see." Quark nodded poorly, "This is not just a business." He continued, "Mr. Li, how does this cannon factory plan to operate?"

"Of course it is to hire a local foreman, and then let him recruit local craftsmen." Li Luoyou said, "I don't know the technology of casting and smelting."

"Mr. Li, have you ever thought about hiring craftsmen from England and building a foundry completely according to the British model?"

"The British model?"

"Yes." Quarkpoor nodded, "Although I haven't seen a local foundry, since the imperial court has so recognized the naval guns on the East India Company's ships and regarded them as sharp weapons, it is obvious that the firearm technology is still far behind compared to Europe. big difference."

"Yes, in this respect, our technology is indeed relatively backward." In Li Luoyou's view, China is rich in products, but its technology is becoming increasingly backward, especially since he is doing business in Guangdong and often goes to Southeast Asia with his ship. .I saw large European ships with full sails, towering bulwarks, and numerous gun ports. Although they were clumsy and difficult to sail in offshore waters, they were more maneuverable and faster than traditional Cantonese ships and Fuchuan ships when they reached the sea. Be nice.

This gap has always made Li Luoyou restless.He is not a person who underestimates himself, but he can feel the stagnation and decadence of Daming in many aspects.Now Quark Poong proposed to use European craftsmanship to make cannons, and Li Luoyuan got the spirit.

"What do you mean by European foundries?"

"There is a special iron heating furnace, a boring machine, a drilling machine, and a blast furnace, all of which are driven by water wheels..." He added, "We can also use the hollow casting method to make explosive bombs. And the most important thing in your court A good bird gun is not as good as a matchlock gun."

"These..." Li Luoyou was taken aback, "Do you have to buy the machines you mentioned from England? And the craftsmen also have to be recruited from Europe."

"Except for a few special machines, most of the machines can find substitutes in Daming. It is not too difficult to manufacture locally. It only needs the guidance of a few European craftsmen. I heard Father Ma said that on the When it comes to cast iron craftsmanship, Chinese workers are no worse than European craftsmen, and they will only do better if someone guides them..."

Li Luoyou hesitated, this is a very tempting idea.Once such a cannon foundry is formed, all the current factories imitating Western cannons will be dwarfed by comparison.And according to Quark Poor, the production efficiency will be very high.

It's just that the investment in such a factory is more expensive than the local general foundry, and it also involves foreigners coming to China.I'm afraid the government will not be too talkative.Finally, if the order from the imperial court is limited, or the price is insufficient, wouldn't such a huge investment in the cannon factory lose everything?

He voiced his doubts.

"Sales don't matter." Quakeqiong said, "In East Asia and Southeast Asia, only Macao and Goa can cast European-style artillery. The output is very small. But there are many places that need firearms. Not only you, Siam and Le Dynasty They are also building a foundry to manufacture arms. Even if the Chinese court does not buy the firearms in the foundry, selling them is enough to maintain the operation of the factory."

This is the idea of ​​making up for losses inside the dike and outside the dike, and it is a way out.

"But there are British craftsmen and equipment." Li Luoyou said, "It will take at least a year and a half to come and go."

"Let's say it will take two years. But you want to manufacture firearms on a large scale. I don't think this time is too long." Quark shrugged poorly, "Once a factory is started, it can operate for many years."

Quark Poong volunteered, saying that if the matter could be settled, he would immediately write to his friend in the British shop in Surat, asking him to go back to England and get everything ready.

Li Luoyou thought about it again and again, and thought it was feasible.

"However, I won't pay you anything until you get things done—or until your equipment and craftsmen land on Chinese soil." Li Luoyou said, "You can do the calculations first. Find out your cost and profit on this trade, and then quote me."

This is a great opportunity for Quark Poor, but also a great risk.Needless to say, if the equipment he purchased sank on the way to China, all the funds he invested in the early stage would be completely ruined.

After much deliberation, the Englishman nodded: "Okay! I'll give you a price in a few days." (7.12)

(End of this chapter)