Win the Ding 1617

Riding a good night's wind, the five clipper boats of Zheng Zhilong brothers arrived in Hue.

After the [-]th of the twelfth lunar month, the city of Hue is already full of festive and peaceful Chinese New Year atmosphere.In the three streets and six alleys, workers and housewives were crowded in front of the shops with year-end red envelopes and rewards, arguing with the shop assistants in various accents.

The guys in the shop were so busy that they didn't touch the ground, their heads were steaming in the weather at the end of the twelfth lunar month, but they didn't dare to neglect at all, after all, it was also related to their own bonus.

Zheng Zhilong didn't care about these things either. The first thing he did after he entered the city was to submit the test report of his trip to the shipyard and the Craftsman Association.

The report in triplicate was signed by the craftsmen who accompanied the ship and the foreman of the shipyard, reflecting the parts that should be improved and added to the clipper ship.

With Zheng Zhilong's understanding and judgment level of ships, he naturally has a unique vision for these ships.

"Because the speed is too fast, it is more and more important for the sailors to control the rudder. However, if it is done by manpower alone, either the sailors will consume a lot of energy and the accuracy of the operation will be biased. Or the number of sailors will need to be increased, but in this way, the sailors If there is an increase, the layout of the ship will also change accordingly." "We will consider this. As the admiral said, if the corresponding equipment is not increased, the manpower must be increased, otherwise the internal design of the entire ship will be affected. "

A red-haired barbarian whose name Zheng Zhilong couldn't name expressed his attitude to Zheng Zhilong in a strange mandarin.

"So, I would suggest to Professor Galileo and others. Install a chain guide system at the operating position of the rudder stock. Use this system similar to a pulley block to save the sailor's physical strength and improve the maneuverability of the ship."

"If a pulley block is added, it is best to add it to the mainsail and sidesail on each mast. Such a ship has more than 180 sails, large and small. What is made of iron will be broken by the sail."

"Also, the speed of this ship is fast. But the hull is too slender. It doesn't have much resistance to the recoil of the artillery. You have to calculate the gun position. If it is equipped with artillery according to the standards of previous ships, it will only I'm afraid a round of artillery came down. The enemy's ship was fine. Our own ship fell apart first!"

"That's good! I will drive these five boats into the dock. Please go to your office for inspection and measurement. However, from my point of view, this boat is too fast, and the wooden boards on the bow may not be able to withstand the waves. "... The craftsmen and the red-haired barbarians looked at each other for the problems they found during use, and after hearing Zheng Zhilong's words, he flung his brocade shirt back very gracefully, turned and left.

A moment later, Zheng Zhilong was already standing outside the gate in front of the Hue Palace, and handed over his badge to the officers of the Guards Brigade and Inspection Department who were on duty outside the office.

"Admiral Zheng, the Lord is waiting for you. I have already told you to go see him as soon as you arrive."

An official housekeeper in charge greeted Zheng Zhilong with a smile on his face, and arranged for a guard to lead him to meet Shou Han.

There are several pots of orchids placed in the flower hall, each branch and leaf of Jianlan in Fujian has quite some sayings, an expert can see many inhuman ways, Shouhan is drinking tea with Zheng Zhibao who arrived a step earlier Appreciating orchids, the two looked very happy talking.

"Grand Marshal, Zheng Zhilong, the admiral of the Navy, has bid to meet the Marshal!"

For Zheng Zhilong's strict etiquette, see Dali.

"Hey! Brother Feihuang, this is not a business, not a scene. You and I are in-laws. Let's talk about family matters at home. Why is this so?"

Shou Han hurriedly got up and left his seat, abruptly cutting off Zheng Zhilong's movements.Pulling Zheng Zhilong to sit down, he gave him a small purple sand cup with both hands, "Brother Feihuang, you are an expert in this way, please taste it."...

Two-thirds of the clear yellow tea was filled in the teacup, exuding aroma and heat.

After taking a sip, Zheng Zhilong savored the taste of the tea carefully. Although the taste was not bad, he couldn't tell the truth.

"Brother Feihuang, to tell you the truth, this is picked from a tea tree transplanted by Brother Yuewen in Taiwan." Handing Zheng Zhilong a pipe, a guard immediately took it, and made a gesture of goodwill for Shouhan. A perfect ending.

Zheng Zhilong took a sip, and the aroma of Luzon tobacco immediately filled his lungs.It made him feel a little ecstatic.

"Just now, brother Yue Wen made two suggestions to me."

What Zheng Zhibao meant was to promote the planting of tea trees in Taiwan's mountains and forests. Since these tea trees selected for trial planting in different regions can survive the spring and autumn, it can prove that tea trees can be planted in large quantities in Taiwan.

"Brother Feihuang must be very aware of the benefits of tea. Apart from other things, the customs have collected nearly 60 yuan in tea taxes from Guangzhou Port, which has just opened a port. This is just a newly opened port in this area. The port is only facing Japan and a few Western Red Maoyi people. The tea tax for the Jiangnan Jianghai joint defense that goes overseas from Shanghai, and the tea tax for the tea exported from Manlajia is several times, more than ten times more.”

"It's just a tea tax, and the profit from the tea trade has not been included. Brother Fei Huang's tea hills in Fujian, how much they earned in a year, brother Fei Huang must be more aware of the profits than me. "

In order to preserve the huge benefits that tea brings to all aspects, Zheng Zhibao proposed to Shou Han that there should be no more plans to carry out experimental tea plantation on Ceylon Island, at least not until the digestion of Ceylon Island is completely completed, so as not to prevent tea plantation Technology, seeds, and seedlings were accidentally stolen by people with ulterior motives, resulting in the loss of absolute control over tea.

This just happened to hit a ruffian in Shou Han's heart.

In recent years, a large amount of tea, raw silk, silk, and porcelain have brought back a large amount of gold and silver and various interests for the Southern Guangdong Army. From the remote islands of England and Scotland in Europe, to Sweden, Russia and other countries that have almost reached the Arctic Circle, To Greece, the Ottoman Empire, and then to the sultans and princes of India.How many people don't like drinking tea?How many people are not salivating over the huge benefits brought by tea?

If the silk manufacturing technology, silk reeling, silk spinning, and processing from silkworms to raw silk, and raw materials are accidentally sold by people who are greedy for small profits and have ulterior motives, as has happened in history, then , the status of monopolizing the pricing power and dominance of the tea market will be lost.

Therefore, Shou Han decided to issue a military order in the area west of Lijiapo.Not a single tea tree plant shall exist, and not a single tea tree seed shall cross Lijiapo.Violators, kill!

Another thing is to promote the planting of tung tree in Guangxi.

"I have issued a decree to Hu Sidu's branch, ordering them to transfer the funds for planting tea in Ceylon Island and other places in the business of Brother Yuewen to the tung tree business. This amount of money is not small, about 200 ten thousand yuan.”…

200 million yuan!Hearing this, Zheng Zhilong's back broke out in cold sweat.You know, Emperor Chongzhen was scolded bloody in the south of the Yangtze River and in the Central Plains, forced countless people to rebel, and only collected more than one million taels of silver.

His casual words here added two million yuan to Zheng Zhibao's charge.

"Sincerely and fearfully! Sincerely and fearfully!"

Zheng Zhilong stood up on behalf of his younger brother to express his gratitude to Shou Han for his kindness, trust, and support, and also expressed his attitude incidentally.

"Cough! This is nothing! Zhibao is right, so we must follow his rules!"

What Zheng Zhibao means is that there are many places in Guangxi that are suitable for planting tung tree, and the people are willing to plant it. However, firstly, it takes money to buy tung tree seedlings and seeds, and secondly, after planting the saplings, it will take at least three years before there will be any income. , In the past three years, what are the old snacks of the whole family?

Therefore, Zheng Zhibao put forward the idea of ​​lending to Tongnong.

If you are willing to plant tung oil and become a tung farmer, according to the land you plan to plant and the size of the mountain, the tung oil company affiliated to the Reclamation Bureau will lend you money, but it is not cash, but tung tree seedlings or tree seeds.From this moment on, Tongnong owed money to the firm, and had to wait until the tung oil was harvested to pay it off gradually.Afterwards, each year the business will send money to Tongnong according to the growth of these saplings to buy food and other daily necessities.

Until the first batch of tung seeds was harvested.

In this way, all the farmers who plant tung oil in Guangxi Province will be tied to the economic chariot of the Southern Guangdong Army.Using the method of advance payment, three years will be exchanged for the output of tung tree in the next few decades.

"Brother Feihuang, in this way, a piece of tea and a piece of tung oil are all gold-absorbing weapons for our Southern Guangdong Army."

"And it will be a unique weapon!" Zheng Zhibao joked aside.

"Brother Feihuang, in-laws, I have an idea. I looked at the export volume of tea from various places in the past few years, and found that the tea exported from Manlaga Customs and Lingjiawei Customs to Tianfang, India, and Folangjiren is increasing year by year. Incrementally, I plan to use Chongzhen’s 13-year tea tax as a benchmark, and allocate half of the annual tea tax increase to build ships for the navy, what do you think?”

"If you think it is not enough, then there is tobacco tax, which is also based on the 13-year tobacco tax, and half of the annual increase will be allocated to the navy! However, Brother Fei Huang, you have to appeal to the mountainous areas in the west and north of Fujian. Let the farmers change the farmland that is not suitable for growing food to grow tobacco. I will also tell Huabao to encourage farmers to grow tobacco in Taiwan in exchange for money. It will also add a tax source for our Southern Guangdong Army and create more for your navy. some ships!"

No general would think that the expansion of his troops was a bad thing.In this way, my subordinates just need to do a good job of training a large number of qualified sailors!Zheng Zhilong secretly speculated about the direction of his next work.

The atmosphere in this flower hall immediately became harmonious and harmonious!

"Jue Shuai, when I returned from Fujian, I brought some gadgets for the girls' household, as well as things that the women in the inner house can use. They are for my daughter-in-law who has never been in the house. Can Zhuo Jing bring them over when she passes the house? ?”

It is said to be a gadget, but it is actually Zheng Zhilong's proceeds from those tea mountains in Fujian. He took out nearly one-third of it, just to save face for his son Zheng Sen.

The sooner his son and Li Shouhan's daughter got married, the relationship between himself and Li Shouhan was completely condensed.

Thinking of the marriage between his eldest son and Li Shouhan's second daughter, Zheng Zhilong suddenly thought of the jewel in the palm of Uncle Ning Yuan, his eldest lady.Li Huamei.

In all fairness, if Zheng Zhilong were to choose, he would choose Li Huamei as his daughter-in-law without hesitation, except for factors such as family background, appearance, and wealth.Huamei's combat capabilities at sea.It also greatly admired Zheng Zhilong.

"If you have a wife like this, it's much better than marrying 1 wives who can bring rice bowls to your eyebrows every day to treat you to dinner. It's a pity that this child, Damu, was allowed to stay in Fusang's grandfather's house for a few years. Thinking that women should be like that is good! He doesn’t know. A wife who can help you at sea. How many generations will it take to knock through the wooden fish to repair it!”

Suddenly.Suddenly, a flash of inspiration flashed in Zheng Zhilong's mind, and he vaguely had an idea.If my son can't marry Miss Li's family, then.Can I be a matchmaker for this eldest lady of the Li family?Through this channel to establish another layer of relationship with the Li family?It should be noted that the status of a matchmaker is detached from that of both men and women, and both parties must give face and accept favors.

With this thought, Zheng Zhilong suddenly felt that there was a thoroughfare in front of him, and his mind became clearer.Quickly began to search for a young man who was about the same age as Li Huamei.

It's a pity that those who can be close to Li Huamei's age are either from a poor family background or have a bad temper and cannot tolerate Li Huamei's temper.For a moment, I couldn't think of any suitable person to propose to Li Shouhan.

"Forget it, this is not the meaning of today's question. I will discuss it with Zhi Bao and others after I go back."

"Brother Feihuang is polite. Since my wife has returned to Hue, she should let the little girl serve her mother-in-law at the house. How can she let her mother-in-law come?"

"Uncle, who is this lord?"

A man in his 40s, wearing a three-mountain cap and a big red robe embroidered with a flying dragon pattern with wings and a fish tail, is the famous flying fish suit.With a chubby body, his face is full of the kindness of a rich man, but if you look carefully, there is a hint of arrogance hidden under the appearance of kindness, with a hint of murderous intent.

It was Wang Dehua, the angel who went to Hue to preach the decree and was waiting for good news from Myanmar, to arrive.

Although Chongzhen didn't send eunuchs to supervise the army here in the Southern Guangdong Army, there were only a few small roles who supervised and urged the shipping of grain, rice, silver and money, but when Wang Dehua arrived in Hue, he vaguely had the aura of eunuchs in charge of the army.

The power of guarding eunuchs in Ming Dynasty is very great. In an imperial edict issued by Ming Wuzong, Emperor Xuande, who has left hundreds of years of absurd infamy for playing with dragons and phoenixes, he elaborated on the power of eunuchs in the army in great detail: "...all the officials in the army and guards, the old in the banner army, and the local tyrants, who have fled the army, prisoners, and officials for many years, and those who have served in the official for a long time, rely on the powerful, hijack the government, steal money and food, and monopolize the officials. Those who exploit small people, or hide and flee, kill or injure people, or seize land and population, or insult people's wives and concubines, or file lawsuits, frame good people, or gather dead people, rob in the countryside, and harm the army and the people, etc. It is the same as Dali Qing Hugai's physical examination. Those who should be captured together should be arrested without asking military and civilian officials. Even their family members sent officers and troops to protect and release Beijing. Those who refused to accept it. Even if the guards sent officials and troops to arrest them, there is still a report. ..."

That is.Guard eunuchs, supervise civil and military officials, dispatch guards to suppress people's resistance, suppress local tyrants, arrest fugitives, propose to the central government to increase or decrease administrative and military settings according to the needs of local security, and coordinate civil and military officials of the province and divisions, governments, The official affairs of the county organization, the power to recruit the lost population, etc.This basically means that the imperial envoy on behalf of Tian Xunhun is nothing more than that.

During the reign of Chongzhen, although he dealt with the great eunuch Wei Zhongxian as soon as he came to the throne, after a series of failures and incidents, Chongzhen discovered very sadly that the people who can be trusted around him are still those eunuchs.Especially the eunuchs who followed him during the Xinwangfu period.As a result, the eunuchs went out to supervise the army to monitor the key points in the frontiers and Kinki respectively.These eunuchs also possessed unprecedented powers such as controlling soldiers, distributing military salaries and rations, dispatching expedient advances and retreats, officials rewarding and punishing meritorious deeds, and listening to cheap actions, etc. It can be seen that Chongzhen classmates placed the greatest trust and hope in them.

Shou Han would naturally not offend such a person, as long as he has self-knowledge and doesn't break into the forbidden zone that Shou Han has set in his heart, even if his daily life is more corrupt and his style is domineering, what should he deserve?Even the famous Yuan Dadushi, didn't he also take the lead in advocating the construction of a ancestral hall for Wei Zhongxian in Ningyuan?And the first and fifteenth day of the first day of the pilgrimage in the past?

"Who do I think it is? It turns out that the prince has arrived. This is the family of Benbo's son and daughter, Zheng Zhilong, who is currently in the Fujian General Army, and General Zheng Feihuang."

Shou Han smiled and chatted with Wang Dehua, and introduced Brother Zheng Zhilong to him.

In front of Wang Dehua, the trusted family slave of Emperor Chongzhen, Shouhan, Zheng Zhilong, and Zheng Zhibao brothers would naturally not reveal Zheng Zhilong's identity in the Southern Guangdong Army. Know.

This layer of window paper cannot be pierced.

This is everyone's tacit agreement.