open sea

Chapter 868 Twice
When Zhao Shizhen entered the mansion belonging to a Spanish merchant in Changsheng County with striding steps, the young Fu Geer was wearing an exquisite Ming-style gown and was teaching his nephew how to be a noble man.

It seems that in order to make it easier to deal with the people of the Ming Dynasty, there is also a square patch on the front and back of his blue gown, on which is a large "Fu" character woven with black thread for him by a woman who is a skilled weaver in Mexico City , the handwriting is very familiar to Zhao Shizhen.

Zhao Shizhen didn't even need to tell, the word "Fu" on Fu Ge'er's clothes was his handwriting, it felt like it was cut and enlarged from the document he wrote to him.

He pointed at Fu Geer with a smile on his face, and said, "You're still wearing it. It's so festive. It's like Chinese New Year when I see you."

As the only Spanish businessman who freely entered and exited the border with the customs clearance talisman issued by Zhao Shizhen himself, Fu Geer bought a two-entry courtyard house at the corner of the Changsheng County market guarding the Town God's Temple.

However, because he has not yet obtained the right to open a store in Changsheng, he has neither a store nor a warehouse. A group of more than ten people live in this place, which makes the yard look a bit crowded.

The furnishings in the room were all brought by Fogel from Mexico. There are oriental tapestries, Spanish plate armor, and portraits of the family ancestors. The house is in a mess. The young maid is busy tidying up when she sees the guests Hastily stepped aside.

"Master Zhao is here!" Brother Fu didn't know where he learned Chinese, and he had a Luzon flavor. He greeted Zhao Shizhen with a smile and hurriedly invited Zhao Shizhen to take a seat. You must have some good news to tell me, right?"

Zhao Shizhen was about to speak when he suddenly heard a strange noise in the inner room. Fu Geer responded with a sorry smile and turned his head to enter the room. Not long after, Zhao Shizhen heard Fu Geer say: "Karin, Uncle has told you many times. After blowing your nose, don't open your handkerchief to examine it, as if it were pearls and gems falling from your head!"

"Uncle is meeting with very important guests, please keep quiet for now, stay here and don't go anywhere, okay?"

Not long after, Fu Geer came out of the inner room again, and Zhao Shizhen found that although his long gown was no different from ordinary Ming Dynasty clothes, but the mid laner inside was specially made, with a part of the sleeve extended, allowing him to walk with his hands in front of him Just put it on to cover your hands.

Recalling Fu Ge'er's gestures and demeanor when he gave orders to his servants, Zhao Shizhen couldn't help thinking, is this sleeve specially designed to show that he can always use other people's hands?

"I'm sorry Mr. Zhao, my nephew is still young, he doesn't know how to be a decent nobleman."

Hearing the strong accent, Zhao Shizhen finally couldn't help asking: "Brother Fu, who did you learn Chinese from? Forget it, tell me about your family."

Fu Geer smiled, and said: "If your lord doesn't plan to use General Chen to mock me, of course I'd like to introduce my family to you."

"You also know about that incident?" Zhao Shizhen was a little embarrassed, and pursed his lips and said: "It seems that this incident has spread in Mexico. That person is asking for trouble. I won't run on you. Tell me, I will want to know."

The incident they mentioned happened after the Battle of the Canyon. Among the captured Spanish knights, a baron was dissatisfied with the treatment of the prisoners in the Ming Dynasty. He complained to the fellow prisoners in Spanish, thinking that he should at least live in the castle, Instead of living with the Indians, Zhao Shizhen heard about it and was beaten up to be honest.

Zhao Shizhen said: Did you see the bannermen escorting you? Everyone is the same, they gave up the life in the castle, gave up the fiefdom, gave up the retinue, and traveled across the ocean to fight this battle.

If you are still alive, it is enough to burn incense, and then complain about what is there, no one really cares about the ransom for your lives.

In fact, Zhao Shizhen only told a part of the truth. If the ransom was paid to the Banner Army, the death rate of the cavalry of the Western Army on the battlefield would be at least [-]% lower.

"The Fugger family was the richest family in Europe 20 years ago, but our family's history is not long. Speaking of Fugger, we start from Augsburg more than 200 years ago, when the prosperous trade The center is slowly recovering from a terrible plague."

"Immigrants came in from all directions and brought new life to towns, including my ancestor Hans, who was a farmer's son from a village called Graben."

"Graben was a small place at that time, and people who didn't know the way would not be able to find it even with a map."

"It is not easy to make a living from a small village to Augsburg, where he studied as a weaver. Although my ancestors were farmers, he possessed extraordinary industriousness, thrift, dexterity and determination."

When he said this, every time Fu Geer uttered a word, he waved his hand and paused. Zhao Shizhen listened attentively, trying to get the information he wanted from it.

Suddenly he saw Fu Geer smiling at him, and said: "Otherwise, why would the weaver marry his daughter to him? There is also a weaving workshop. My family started from this workshop."

"He wove more and more cloth, and finally had to push the cart to sell the cloth to Nuremberg and Munich. Later, his two sons were also sent to Venice, the best commercial city, to serve as apprentices and learn how to do business. .”

"When Hans died, there were already three houses in the city and the land left by his ancestors in Graben. The two sons took over the business very well. One was in charge of production and the other was in charge of sales. They were not harmonious, but they still cooperated for a while. , well done."

"At that time not only sold cloth, but also sold spices, copper, silver, silk and cotton, but the silk was not woven in the Ming Dynasty, Ottoman, Ottoman silk, sometimes more like a tapestry, with wool, silver, gold, very beautiful valuable."

"Then they separated."

Zhao Shizhen propped his head and raised his eyebrows, and finally waited for a sentence that was not a messy place name but he could get in his mouth: "Brothers split up?"

"The Lihe family took risks and speculated, just like me now, so they quickly lost their capital; the Lili family avoided doing too risky business, and when the leader Jacob died 100 years ago, they had become Augs Seventh wealthiest family in the castle."

"Aren't you the Fugger family the richest man in Europe?"

Zhao Shizhen frowned. He heard it for 100 years, from a small village to Augsburg, but two generations are gone, and they are still in Augsburg, and they are still the seventh... This tells you that your family has two generations. What's the difference between Hong Kong and Chen Bancheng after being mixed for a month?

"Don't worry, the third generation is named Jacob. He did three things and changed the fate of our family. He established the Fugger Federation to avoid the loss of property in family conflicts; the banks of Rome, and borrowed funds from the great nobles to secure mineral deposits; at last . . . "

Fu Geer showed extraordinary enthusiasm when he said this, raised his finger and looked at Zhao Shizhen with bright eyes: "He bought the Holy Roman Caesar throne, Maximilian I and Charles V, twice!"

　Good morning!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)