Jinyi Town Mountains and Rivers

Chapter 331 Meeting Kun Ning Palace

Zhang Juzheng asked Tina: "Do you Western businessmen hope to do business with our Daming?"

Tina nodded hurriedly: "It's natural! Porcelain, tea, and silk from your country are the top luxury goods in Europa! Every Europa merchant dreams of leading a fleet full of oriental goods to return to Go West."

Zhang Juzheng smiled slyly: "When doing business with me, Da Ming, naturally we can't just let you take advantage. We will levy [-]% customs duty based on the value of the goods."

Tina nodded: "Taxes are also levied for mutual trade between European countries. This is very reasonable."

Zhang Juzheng said with a smile: "We can't just let you ship the good things from our Ming Dynasty back to the West! Your good things from the West, such as exquisite clocks and watches, new-style firearms, and those American native products that pull nails, you will also ship to us. Is Daming coming?"

Tina hurriedly said: "Absolutely no problem! The government of your country can make a manifest. As long as you need something, our Utrecht Union will definitely try our best to get it and ship it to your country."

Zhang Juzheng said again: "It is said that your six merchant ships are equipped with artillery? How do you explain this matter? Since it is a friendly trade, why did you bring the artillery to our Tanggukou?"

Intentionally or unintentionally, Tina flattered Daming: "Dear Your Excellency Zhang Juzheng, you must know that there are tens of thousands of miles from the west to your country. During the long voyage, you will encounter countless pirates. Our Merchant ships must be equipped with weapons for self-defense. We know very well that we are as insignificant as an ant in front of Ming’s powerful navy. In the words of your Ming country, we absolutely dare not have two minds!”

Zhang Juzheng said again: "The currency of our Ming Dynasty is copper coins, gold and silver, and precious banknotes. Your country should also have its own currency, right? This involves the issue of how to settle customs duties."

Tina said: "This is not a problem! Gold and silver are common currencies all over the world. We are willing to use gold or silver to settle taxes!"

Zhang Juzheng nodded in satisfaction.He seemed to see that the goods of the Ming Dynasty traveled across the ocean to the outer domains through the merchant ships of these Western merchants, and exchanged huge amounts of silver for the treasury and countless new Western firearms for the Ming army.The business of Ming Dynasty prospered due to overseas trade, and the people of Ming Dynasty benefited from the opening of the sea ban. . .

Zhang Juzheng said to Tina: "Tomorrow you will have an audience with the most honorable woman of our Ming Dynasty—Concubine Li. I hope you will abide by our Ming etiquette."

Tina said: "My dear Mrs. He is teaching me the court etiquette of Daming. Please rest assured, I came to Daming with a friendly heart, and I will definitely not show a trace of rudeness in front of the queen of your country." .”

Zhang Juzheng couldn't help laughing: "Concubine Li Gui is not a queen, but well, her weight in the emperor's heart is much higher than that of Queen Chen."

The next day, Kunning Palace.

Bai Xiaoyan led Tina to meet Li Guifei.All the concubines and princesses in the palace came to Kunning Palace to watch the fun.

Tina bowed to Concubine Li Gui.

Concubine Li Gui said: "Please get up quickly! Your name is Tina?"

Tina replied: "Yes, Your Majesty the Imperial Concubine."

Concubine Li Gui asked: "I heard that you are the lady of your Ukrainian country? How many fiefdoms do you have?"

Tina replied: "I have a castle and two manors in the Netherlands. The area of ​​the manor, according to your country, is about two hundred acres. There is no way, our land in the Netherlands is too small The chairman of the parliament only has [-] acres of land. But I have a large plantation in Latin America, with about [-] to [-] acres of land.”

Concubine Li Gui nodded: "Oh, then you are equivalent to a third-class uncle of our Daming. I also heard that you have your own fleet?"

Tina replied, "Yes. I have two fleets of six merchant ships each."

Concubine Li Gui smiled: "Then you are equivalent to a thousand households of our Daming navy. Heh, I never thought that Xiyang would have a brave female Qianhu like you! It is said that there are tens of thousands of miles from Xiyang to Daming, there must be countless Japanese pirates, right? What can you do as a woman when you meet them?"

Tina replied with firm eyes: "Meet pirates? Of course I want to kill them all!"

All the concubines and princesses were speechless.

Concubine Li Gui shouted, "Okay! Tina, you are really Hua Mulan, Liang Hongyu, and Madam Qi, a female hero, a heroine!"

Tina said: "My merchant fleet is part of the Utrecht Alliance Navy. Eliminating pirates is one of our duties. We will never stop until we kill all the pirates."

Concubine Li Gui nodded: "Your words remind me of one of our Ming heroes——Qi Jiguang. Xiao Yan, you told me the story of the Battle of Hengyu a while ago..."

Bai Xiaoyan quickly said: "Yes. At that time, Qi's army went to Hengyu. All the soldiers shouted: 'If you don't kill all the Japanese pirates, you will never stop the army'. This is similar to what Lady Tina said just now."

Concubine Li Gui suddenly asked Tina: "You often go to sea. Then tell me, is there an end to the sea?"

Tina's answer made everyone feel like a heavenly book: "The sea has no end. Because our world is round. And the circle has no end."

Concubine Li Gui smiled and said: "After all, you are from a small western country, your knowledge is superficial. Who doesn't know that the sky is round and the earth is round. But you say the world is round?"

Tina took out a chart from her sleeve, unfolded it, and said, "It is indeed round. Dear Concubine, please look, this is my hometown, the Netherlands in Europe. This is Asia, and this is Daming. This is Latin America. I sailed all the way to Daming from here. If our world is not round, then I will never reach Daming.”

Concubine Li Gui was a little angry: "Our Ming Dynasty is a state of heaven, a great country, and all nations come to court. Why is Daming drawn on the right side of your map?"

Tina shrugged her shoulders: "The map does not represent the strength of a country. Ming is the most powerful country I have ever seen. From population, to wealth, to the strength of the navy, it is amazing! You Do you know? In your country, a moderately wealthy family can drink tea. In Europa, only the royal family, nobles or wealthy merchants can enjoy tea. I envy you very much, because you are the most honorable member of this great empire woman!"

Unknowingly, Tina flattered Concubine Li Gui a lot.

Concubine Li Gui said: "Since you came to see me, I will reward you well! Come! Present it!"

Several young eunuchs carried more than a dozen bolts of high-quality silk into the main hall of Kunning Palace.

Tina caressed those silks and couldn't put them down: "My God, even the queen of the Spanish king can't expect to have so many top-quality oriental silks!"

Concubine Li Gui smiled: "Then what kind of queen you are talking about is too petty. Forget it. Whether your small country can do business with our Ming Dynasty is up to me. I hope the emperor and his ministers We can allow you to trade with us. Alas, it is too pitiful that none of your queens can own a dozen bolts of silk in this area."

(End of this chapter)