open sea

Chapter 980
"Is this the rubber tree?"

Something embarrassing is happening in Changsheng.

Chen Mu has been looking for rubber trees for a long time, even half the world is no secret, Shao Tingda is looking for rubber for him, Yang Tingxiang is looking for rubber for him, even the Portuguese in Brazil are looking for rubber for him.

As a result, when Shao Tingda brought the rubber, Chen Mu finally knew why Shao Tingda sent the rubber instead of someone else, because it was impossible for others to find it.

He couldn't clearly express the word 'rubber tree' to the Portuguese. Yang Tingxiang asked about the physical properties of the rubber tree, but Chen Mu didn't know what rubber was like, so he had to say that it was something similar to Eucommia gum.

I only mentioned it a little while drinking with Shao Tingda. It is probably a kind of tree, and the gum can be obtained from the tree. It should be found in the forests on the edge of Peru and Chile.

Shao Tingda was just like a blind man feeling an elephant, but he really found it in the end.

In fact, it cannot be said that Shao Tingda found it, because after Shao Tingda sent the tree species and raw rubber, Chen Mu found that he had seen the tree before, not only him, but also Zou Baldzi, and most of Chang Sheng had seen it.

It's just that Chen Mu didn't know that there was a large rubber tree around the terrace where he held the martial arts performance, which was planted by the Spaniards in the early years.

Even Francis Bacon, an Englishman who lived abroad and was always victorious, laughed when he saw the raw rubber, saying: "I didn't expect the general to be interested in this. I have worn clothes and shoes made of this, and this thing is useless."

What Chen Mu didn't know was that 50 years before he landed in Asia, there was a rubber boom centered in Spain.

Because the aborigines were the first to use rubber, the Aztecs had already used things made of rubber before the Europeans came. They made plates and pipes, and of course they used raw rubber to make bouncy balls. to please the Aztec emperor.

The Spaniards exchanged the bouncy balls from the Indians with Venetian glass beads... No matter how he thought about it, Chen Mu felt very fucked.

After the Spaniards came, they were also very curious about this new thing. They promoted the planting of more rubber trees, and used the rubber smoked by burning coconut shells to make clothes and shoes, which became a novel and fashionable wear.

The rubber suit worn by Bacon when he served as the envoy's attache in France came from Spain.

There is nowhere to find it after breaking through the iron shoes. In fact, he sees rubber trees every day, but he has never seen people harvesting rubber.

So Chen Mu decided to ask a Spaniard to find out, and he sent someone to find Almansa, the vice-governor of New Spain from Mexico City.

In fact, Acosta is a better choice, monks are often more knowledgeable than others, not to mention that he is devoted to research on how to convert Indians, so he knows aborigines very well.

But it was a pity that this expert went to Madrid to report the situation in the New World to Fei Lao Er in the downwind fleet of the Duke of Alva. Chen Mu had no choice but to find the old governor of this land.

Chen Mu really didn't want to see Almansa. The old man was very wronged by him for sending Yang Tingxiang to be the governor, but he came very quickly. Seeing Chen Mu complaining endlessly, he couldn't strangle him to death when he heard that he was too big. Very helpless.

Especially the tone, the most temper-prone, full of non-standard Tianjin Wei language, one can tell that he learned it from Yang Tingxiang.

Chen Mu remembered that the head of Yang Tingxiang's personal army was from Tianjin.

When he said, "How about you, Marshal", I'm afraid he himself didn't know whether he was an official of the Ming Dynasty or a governor sent overseas by Spain.

In any case, complaints always have an end. After Chen Mu promised him to find him a part-time job in the Eastern Army Mansion on the condition that he would not resign as the vice-governor of New Spain, the old governor stopped.

The situation in New Spain is weird these years, who knows what will happen in the future?
Simply put, most of New Spain has been controlled by Yang Tingxiang. The grassroots are now following his lead, and most of the diehards have no skills. They are considered to be in the New World.

The official position does not depend on the size, nor does the salary. In case Chen Mu wants to go to the Royal Palace of Madrid one day, this is a guarantee for Almansa.

It's not that Almansa agrees with Ming Guoduo, it's just that he has no choice in New Spain, which is far away from Madrid and closer to Changsheng.

"This thing is useless."

Regarding rubber products, Almansa said this: "Go out to a party on a cold night, and wait until someone else's house can stand up; go out in the morning wearing rubber shoes, and the soles of the shoes are gone for a while, and rubber hats can be used in hot weather. Will stick a lady's hair."

"Weeping sap did come into fashion for a while before I was sent here as governor, but it was found to be of no use for anything but novelty."

Almansa shook his head and said: "There will be fewer crying trees in the future. In the past, there were crying trees all over the mountains and plains. Later, instead of letting slaves take care of the crying trees, it is better to let them go to the mines to dig silver. The crying trees are abandoned. There are still some The plantations have been uprooted and replaced with corn and sugar cane, and now even the Indians don’t care about these things.”

"Marshal..." Based on this title alone, Chen Mu knew that Almansa and Yang Ting got along well. He used to be called General Chen, but now his face was full of sincerity: "I know you are looking for this , but it's of no great use."

"Instead of spending time on this, why not bring more silk and porcelain from the Ming Empire, those goods are selling well in Europe, everyone is profitable, of course, you are the one who earns the most."

earn the most?
Chen Mu: "I didn't! You guys have misunderstood!"

Knowing how the Spaniards used rubber, Chen Mu was overjoyed.

Others don't have a way to turn rubber into resources, but he does!Who doesn't know the name of vulcanized shoes, the name says how it is made.

It puts him in the mood to schmooze with Almansa.

"You all don't know that when a piece of silk is sold here from Daming, it goes through countless processes, and every process costs money, not to mention the shipping fee of thirty thousand miles across the sea, which is all included in the cost. If Lu silk is sold here, it will cost nine thousand."

Chen Mu curled his lips as he said, "Besides, this silk and satin is not mine, it's just the porcelain with Chen's inscription on it, just give me some embellishment."

Master Chen’s words can’t be more true. The silk and satin are not his, and the whole transaction has nothing to do with him. He proudly raised his finger and said, “Isn’t it unbelievable to you? Officials and priests are involved in the trade. , how can there be Chen who is so high-minded, yes, high-minded."

Isn't it a joke to say that he earns the most?
Who still trades.

joke!

Is it not good for us to print money for silver and set up cards to collect taxes?How can it be easy to trade without thankful efforts?

Almansa knew that Chen Mu would not tell him the real situation, not to mention that he didn't plan to do business, so Chen Mu listened to it, and let it go if he didn't. At this time, he arched his hands and said, "Even if the commander-in-chief doesn't call I, I am also planning to come here, half a month ago, a group of English pirates attacked the east coast of Mexico City, and after being repelled by the defenders on land, they went south."

"I'm afraid they're targeting Panama."

"Panama?"

Hearing Chen Mu's rhetorical question, Almansa saw Chen Mu's face full of disbelief from the wide-eyed Chen Mu's face, and then saw Chen Mu smile for some unknown reason, from uncontrollable sneering to laughing with his head raised .

"Where can't you go? Go to Panama, isn't it good to live?"

　Good morning!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)