open sea

Chapter 1001 Triangular Trade
In the autumn of the seventh year of Wanli, Lautaro arrived in Panama with 370 and three subordinates. He did not make a special trip to see Chen Mu, but asked Deng Zilong to send a message to Chang Sheng. The group wore Western-made armor and carried Western-made matchlocks on their shoulders. Gun, with firm steps across the border into Colombia under Spanish control.

On the same day that Chang Sheng received the news that Lautaro led his troops into Colombia, the fleet belonging to Shi Xiaolou under the name of Hexingsheng Company arrived in the Gulf of Mexico and returned with a full load, and then Shi Xiaolou appeared in the Yamen of the Eastern Military Government.

Only one day and one night behind the rider who reported.

"Everyone has arrived in the Gulf of Mexico, and this voyage is not short." Chen Mu looked at the dusty Shi Xiaolou and said, "Why don't you come back after a few days of rest in Wei Harbor. Don't be in such a hurry, right?"

The clothes on Shi Xiaolou's body were meticulous. It was obvious that he had washed up and changed his clothes before visiting the military mansion to meet Chen Mu, but the tiredness on his face could not be washed off, which made him look a bit distressed, but his eyes were bright.

He cupped his hands and said: "Thanks to the commander in chief, this voyage lasted more than eight months, passing through England, the Netherlands, France, Spain, Morocco, Mali, Songhai and Brazil, the triangular route was very successful!"

"The value of the goods is still being calculated at the customs gate set up by Governor Yang of New Spain in Port Wei. The port there is small and there are few people. It can't be calculated in half a month, but it should be no less than when I'm still at sea. 27 taels."

"If two ships hadn't sunk, there would be an additional 6 taels."

Shi Xiaolou said happily, when Chen Mu frowned and asked, "It's sinking, why is it sinking?"

6 taels of goods, that is 9000 taels of tax, no wonder Chen Mu frowned.

"I met robbers in the Netherlands, and I was robbed of two ships. Later, I negotiated with the seven northern provinces to return one ship, and the other ship sank; the other ship was on the south coast of France, just in time for the attack by General Nine Classics. Bordeaux, the French fleet did not hit General Jiujing, but they saw my ship."

"Later, I had no choice but to retreat to the north, take a detour before going to Spain after resting."

Shi Xiaolou laughed as he spoke, and waved his hands: "It's not important, Commander, I brought back duck down and dyes from France; Venetian glass purchased from the Netherlands; four shipments of Spanish wool are the largest cargo; There are also gems brought back by Morocco, Marin, and Sanghai, and the gold that General Yang Ce of the Han Dynasty exchanged for goods, and the gold alone is six hundred catties."

"There is also mahogany in Brazil. This year, we will find out the route and the goods from various places. Next year, the route will be better. Hexingsheng can send more ships."

Shi Xiaolou spoke so fast that Chen Mu didn't have a chance to interrupt, and he said like a cannonball: "Besides, the fleet also brought back the trade request from the Alliance of the Seven Northern Provinces of the Netherlands and the Duke of France. The kings of Morocco, Marin, and Songhai hope that Daming will have a fixed route to do business every year."

Hearing such a lot of words, Chen Mu was a little confused. After digesting it, he asked: "It sounds like you have solved the problem of the Netherlands. What happened to France? The Nine Classics attacked Bordeaux?"

"Back to Commander, General Nine Classics recruited mercenaries from Western countries in the seaport of Bilbao in northern Spain, and attacked Bordeaux with more than [-] troops. Within ten days of the battle, the defenders who went out of the city to fight were defeated, but the casualties in the headquarters were too large. Unable to continue attacking the city, I asked them for a ransom and went back."

"Unfortunately, at this time, I sailed south along the west coast of Europe, and hurriedly led the fleet to escape to the port in northern France, where the fleet was well taken care of by the Duke of Guise. He was very impressed with the actions of General Nine Classics in attacking Narva Henry. Appreciate it, and asked the villain to send a letter to General Jiujing."

"correct!"

Shi Xiaolou was thinking about something, and said to Chen Mu: "When I sent the letter to Governor Li in Seville, the Governor asked me to send back the spoils of General Jiujing. It was originally a hundred horses, but sixteen died in the sea. They are all very tall mares, and they are currently being taken back to Mexico City by Governor Yang to take care of them."

Chen Mu was even more confused. He doubted his ears: "It sounds like Bordeaux was robbed, and then the French Duke of Guise also praised Jiujing for robbing their city?"

"France is very chaotic. King Henry is not in charge, and the queen is in charge. The Spaniards and the English are competing there. The leader of the Northern Catholic League is the Duke of Guise, and the leader of the Southern Protestantism is Narva Henry. They have been fighting each other for a long time. gone."

"The Duke of Guise still wants to join forces with General Nine Classics to attack Narva. No matter how many villains don't understand, they only know that the relationship between the north and Spain is good, and my merchant ships are quite safe there."

Chen Mu nodded slowly, remembering these names, but he didn't know much about more things, and he still had to wait for the information from Chen Jiujing and Li Dan to come back.

On the contrary, Chen Jiujing asked Shi Xiaolou to send back the war horse that made him very interested. It seems that the adopted son has found a good breed of horse and wants to send it back as a breeding horse. This is undoubtedly a great thing. If anything else, he would have had the horse brought back from Mexico City right now for him to see.

The more important thing in his heart is none other than Shi Xiaolou's words just now: "I heard you said that there are many countries, including Europe and Africa, and the countries you go to want to trade with us...Why are you the only one? Without the English, they don't want to trade with us?"

Shi Xiaolou only mentioned that he went to England, but he did not want to trade with England, and the goods he carried did not have English goods.

When it came to England, Shi Xiaolou's cheerful expression finally calmed down a little. After taking a long breath, he nodded slowly and said, "Back to Commander, England is really hard to say. It's not that they don't want to trade with us."

"I went to their palace according to the trade conditions that the Marshal offered to England, but the Queen didn't want all the trade to start in England, and also wanted to come to the Gulf of Mexico to buy and sell goods, and they didn't pay much for the Marshal. satisfy."

"Besides, I also looked at their goods."

Shi Xiaolou shook his head and said: "There is nothing to buy. I have seen all the goods. They are too expensive, and they are not unique to Yingyi. Many of their merchants have opened factories in the Netherlands. Wool is not as cheap as Spain. I really want it." What can be bought there, England is an excellent place to sell, but not a good place to buy."

"It's damp and cold, there's not enough food, and the barbarians don't know how to cook. It tastes like a deliberate waste of food. Trade is still a trivial matter. Speaking of later, the queen has accepted the establishment of a special trading port in southern England—but their queen doesn't Agree to set up a commercial station in our Ireland."

Shi Xiaolou regretted: "There is no room for mediation."

"You're doing well, too good, forget about England."

If this voyage took place in another world that Chen Mu is familiar with, it would be recorded in the annals of history, because these powerful countries are all on the eve of great changes.

But in this world, Chen Mu can only let Shi Xiaolou take a good rest, and prepare to go to Port Wei in the Gulf of Mexico to receive the escort ship given by the imperial court in accordance with the tax in a few days.

Because these countries will soon lose their strength and lose the possibility of being strong.

No room for discussion?

Chen Mu narrowed his eyes and smiled softly.

Then let's not talk about it.

(End of this chapter)