Eunuch Xiaoyan was transferred away, and the affairs of the shipping company had to be handled by others. Su Ze personally brought gifts and went to visit Eunuch Tao who complained of illness.
Regarding Su Ze, Eunuch Tao had very complicated feelings.
Well aware of the cruelty of political struggle, the eunuch is not a scholar, and he has no delusions about the court.
In his life, he had seen too many tragic consequences for eunuchs who had made mistakes and lost power. Even "death" was considered a good outcome.
Eunuch Tao knew that he was too tied to Su Ze and there was no possibility of returning to the Ming court.
Even if he kills Su Ze now, there will definitely be no good results.
The empress, Lu Bing, these are all people close to the emperor, and they have even saved the emperor's life. What is the final result?
But Eunuch Tao still had a knot in his heart. He had obeyed Su Zeyan when he was in Fujian, and he had also given Su Ze a lot of convenience when he was in charge of the Municipal Shipping Department. But how could Su Ze repay himself? Drag yourself to rebel!
Eunuch Tao felt that he had been cheated, and he was angry and did not want to see Su Ze.
However, Eunuch Tao's anger had subsided after he had been ill for so long. Su Ze's visit today was a step down.
Eunuch Tao understands that Fujian and Zhejiang have fallen into the hands of Su Ze. Regardless of whether his rebellion is successful or not, Su Ze is now the one who talks about Fujian and Zhejiang.
Eunuch Tao stepped off the bed and greeted Su Ze warmly.
"Mr. Tao, this matter in Fujian cannot be separated from you! I have to trouble you to take care of the affairs of the Mint and Shipping Department!"
Su Ze's words reassured Mr. Tao that the affairs of the Shipping Company and the Mint were inseparable from him, and Su Ze came to ask him to come out.
After being polite, Eunuch Tao said, "Then Tao will continue to serve the Governor."
Su Ze personally took Eunuch Tao's pulse and gave him prescriptions to nurse him back to health. It was a great pleasure for both host and guest.
The reason why Su Ze treated Eunuch Tao so favorably was because Eunuch Tao was a rare talent in the Shipping Department and the Mint.
When he was in charge of the shipping company, Mr. Tao handled so many goods and was able to handle them properly.
Apart from the fact that there are no problems in the ledger, the City Shipping Company involves so many interests, including local wealthy businessmen, Ryukyu missions, and various relationships in the capital. Eunuch Tao is able to divide the profit pie without causing any trouble. This ability is already It is to stand out from the crowd.
In terms of financial ability, I am afraid that only Su Ze's father-in-law Fang Wanghai can compete with Eunuch Tao.
Now that Eunuch Tao agrees to continue working for Su Ze, the atmosphere will be much better.
Su Ze naturally talked about Japan's collection of three immortal coins.
Eunuch Tao frowned and said:
"This thing started last year. The Zajia family once detained a merchant ship of the Ryukyu Mission. They said it was exporting cotton cloth. In fact, all the cotton cloth was wrapped with three cents coins. The Japanese country has been coveting my Ming Dynasty copper coins for a long time."
Su Ze smiled and said: "The Japanese country is now in the 'Warring States' era where bandits are fighting for hegemony. At this time, there is an even greater need for circulating currency. The Japanese country does not have mature coinage technology. In terms of silver, those who control a large population but do not have the territory The powerful names of the silver mines disagreed, and in the end many parties compromised, so we could only use our Ming Dynasty’s copper coins.”
"That's it. I said it's really strange that those Japanese countries obviously produce their own silver, but they don't use it. Instead, they use the copper coins of our Ming Dynasty."
Su Ze added: "Copper coins have other meanings to Japanese famous names."
Although Eunuch Tao was familiar with overseas trade, he still did not know enough about the situation in Japan.
Su Ze said: "In the current 'Warring States' era of Japan, the most powerful names belong to the Hojo and Takeda families of the Eastern Kingdom. The Daimyo of the Eastern Kingdom is the most powerful daimyo in the entire Japanese Kingdom."
"The main reason why this Dongguo daimyo is stronger than other daimyo is because they use the high-level system."
"The system of the Japanese state is very different from that of the Central Plains, but Eunuch Tao can understand that the Guangao system is a feudal system that uses the copper coins paid every year to allocate land."
Eunuch Tao is in charge of the affairs of the Municipal Shipping Department and has some international vision. He nodded and said: "I heard that the Japanese country's national system is backward and it is still in the age of princes with land enfeoffment. Is this really the case with the governor?"
Su Ze thought for a moment and said, "That's more or less the case. Land ownership in Japan is complicated, so it's okay to understand it this way."
"These big names, similar to princes, once again granted their lands to their retainers, based on Guan Gao."
"Using the tax generated by the land as the highest level. For example, the tax generated by a piece of land per year is 100 yuan, then the vassal can receive this much money from the villages on his own land."
“Copper coins were the unit of measurement for the Japanese enfeoffment, because the Japanese could not inspect the land and clear the fields like the Ming Dynasty, nor could they determine the specific grain yield of the land. They could only use this method of tax negotiation with the villages to determine the value of the land they owned. "
"The reason why the daimyo of the Eastern Kingdom are stronger than other daimyo is that they have a relatively complete and fair system of high-level affairs, which allows retainers who have made military exploits to receive due compensation, and they have enough copper coins in circulation to ensure the operation of this system. "
"Because of the existence of the Guan Gao system, copper coins are not only currency in circulation, but also the basis for the Japanese lords to win over their subordinates and realize the military merit system. It is no wonder that Japanese businessmen found ways to smuggle Sanxian coins."
After listening to Su Ze's explanation, Eunuch Tao suddenly said with enlightenment: "I see, I didn't expect that the leader of the Japanese country also knows the principle of clear rewards and punishments to make his subordinates work hard."
Speaking of this, Eunuch Tao couldn't help but sigh again. Even the barbarians of the Japanese country understood the truth, but it seemed that it would not work in the Ming Dynasty.
Many ministers who had made great contributions were killed. If Su Ze hadn't rebelled, Eunuch Tao wouldn't have been able to hold his position in the shipping company for long.
"Then how to restrict the smuggling of Three Immortals Coins?"
Su Ze laughed and said: "Restrictions? Why restrictions?"
"Since the Japanese want it, just give it to them!"
"The technology of casting Sanxian coins has matured. Let the mint increase the power of the coin and sell it to the Japanese people in an upright manner!"
Eunuch Tao looked at Su Ze in surprise and said, "If the copper coins flow out, won't there be less money in the country?"
Su Ze said: "I just want to discuss this matter with my father-in-law. Now the Ryukyu mission brings a lot of silver every time. It is quite inconvenient for the people to use broken silver. We can mint silver coins."
Mint silver coins?
Su Ze nodded and said: "The silver in the hands of Shibo Division is enough to mint silver coins. I want to use five taels of silver as a basis to mint half a tael worth of silver coins."
"The amount of copper coins is too small, and it is okay to use in daily life. However, in the increasingly developing commercial trade in Fujian, it is too inconvenient to use copper coins to trade. Even if it is a hundred coins like three cents, some transactions are Bring a cart full of copper coins."
Eunuch Tao thought for a while and felt that what Su Ze said made sense.
When their shipping company was trading, they handled so many copper coins that they had to have dedicated personnel to count them every time.
It's heavy to use silver, and you have to confirm the fineness of the silver. In fact, it's not convenient to settle the money.
Eunuch Tao heard that in the Ryukyu market, it is now more popular to use silver coins minted by Westerners for settlement.
Su Ze's proposal to mint silver coins was indeed a policy conducive to commerce.
Su Ze said to Eunuch Tao: "Please ask Eunuch Tao to cast silver coins. You can sell the excess copper coins to Japanese merchants, but they must be exchanged for silver."
"It's so high! It's so high!"
Of course, Su Ze would not be polite to the coinage rights sent by the Japanese country themselves.
This is because his current power is insufficient. After unification, he will definitely have to fight against the Japanese country.
If Sanxian Coin can really replace Yongle Tongbao and become the basic currency of the Japanese country, then before the war begins in the future, the coinage power can be used to plunder the resources of the Japanese country.
Su Ze had the right to mint coins, and he could use the money to support the great names of Japan.
Naturally, you have to eat this fat meat in one bite!
After settling the matters with the Shipping Department and the Mint, Su Ze returned to the Governor's Mansion.
Xu Wei, the counselor of the Metropolitan Governor's Office, found Su Ze in a dilemma with a letter.
"Is it a letter from Hu Butang?"
Su Ze took the letter. This was a letter written by Hu Zongxian to Su Ze.
Hu Zongxian actually wrote two letters, one to Xu Wei and one to Su Ze, talking about the same thing.
Waiting until Su Ze finished reading, Su Ze's expression did not change at all.
Xu Wei then said cautiously:
"Hu Butang has written to me. He agrees to serve as an official in the Governor's Mansion, but he hopes that the Governor will be magnanimous and allow some scholars to leave Zhejiang."
Su Ze closed the letter and said: "Hu Ruzhen is one of the first advocates of mutual protection between Fujian and Zhejiang. How can we say that she is an official? It's just that Hu Ruzhen has recovered her mood and will continue to work for the people of Zhejiang."
Xu Wei had long expected that Hu Zongxian would defect to Su Ze.
Hu Zongxian was originally regarded as a rebel and sent to Beijing by the imperial court. Now Hu Zongxian's signature on the memorandum is second only to Su Ze's. He is already an iron rebel on the imperial list.
Moreover, in order to reassure Hu Zongxian, Su Ze even found a way to move all the people from Hu Zongxian's hometown in Huizhou to Zhejiang before the war started.
But for other people on Hu Zongxian's letter, Xu Wei himself was quite contradictory.
Many of those clamoring to leave Zhejiang were also Xu Wei's old friends and colleagues. Hu Zongxian wrote to plead for mercy, but Xu Wei also had to take into account his old friendship and persuade Su Ze to agree to release these people.
Hu Zongxian recruited a lot of staff to fight against the Japanese, most of whom were literati like Xu Wei and Wen Zhengming who were frustrated in the academic field but had great reputations.
The rest are officials like Tan Lun who are still loyal to the Ming Dynasty.
Xu Wei knew that some of them were still capable and did not want Su Ze to let them go back.
Unexpectedly, before Xu Wei could persuade him, Su Ze said directly:
"Those people Hu Butang mentioned, as well as the officials and gentry from Zhejiang and Susong Prefectures who want to leave, if they want to leave, let them go."
Xu Wei was about to open his mouth to persuade Su Ze, but he suddenly raised his head and asked, "Grand Governor, do you want to let them leave?"
Su Ze said: "Let go, we are benevolent and righteous soldiers who want to punish the people, and we are not bandits who want to force people to join the gang. If you are willing to stay, I, Su Ze, will use those who are talented. If you are not willing to stay, No matter how talented I am, I won’t be able to use them if I keep them.”
Xu Wei still didn't understand and said: "But these people returned to the Ming court. Some of them are familiar with Zhejiang's military affairs, some have prestige in Zhejiang, and some have abilities themselves. If they are used by the Ming court, or our Zhejiang-Fujian coalition forces, What should I do if I say bad things?”
Su Ze said with a smile: "If the Ming Dynasty could fight, it would have fought long ago. Whether the Ming Dynasty fights or not, what does it have to do with so many officials and gentry? Is it possible that these scholars can still go to the front line?"
"If the Ming Dynasty wants to attack, we will defend. If the Ming Dynasty wants to attack, we will defend."
Xu Wei looked at Su Ze. He had been calculating Su Ze's intentions these days.
Logically speaking, Su Ze issued a remonstrance, but Su Ze made no move to go north. He even gave Nanjing a symbolic blow, and stopped fighting when Zhenjiang hit a wall.
Xu Wei has never seen Su Ze be so rebellious in history.
After working in Su Ze's Governor's Mansion for a while, Xu Wei finally understood what Su Ze was thinking.
Su Ze's occupation of Zhejiang and Fujian was a knife stuck in the empire's southeastern belly.
From this wound, Su Ze could march west to Huguang, south to Guangdong and Guangxi, and also harass Qilu along the coast.
Occupying the southeastern region, which is now the richest part of the empire, the power of Su Ze and Ming Ting was ebbing and flowing.
As long as it holds on for a period of time, with the wealth of Southeast, the Ming court will only continue to decline, while Southeast will continue to grow stronger.
Therefore, the most important thing in Su Ze's message to the Ming court was not to seek rebellion, but to "protect each other."
In short, Su Ze's current strategy is simply "drag".
The release of these Zhejiang officials and gentry was also Su Ze's confidence. He did not think that these officials and gentry could cause harm to him, and the Ming court would not attack Zhejiang and Fujian at this time.
Xu Wei still said: "Grand Governor, if you let these people go back, they will definitely say bad things about you. What if the people in other places are bewitched by them?"
Su Ze said with a smile: "If you let them go back, isn't it just to scold us? Say that our Zhejiang-Fujian allied forces burned, killed and looted? That we eat human flesh and share wives? If these officials and gentry are not put back, isn't the Ming court saying the same thing? I I heard that Zhang Juzheng ran an "Imperial Affairs Times" in Nanjing and published jokes in it every day to scold me. Isn't that okay?"
"As for the secrets, the registered land in Zhejiang and the deployment of troops at the garrison, the Nanjing Household Department and the Capital Military Department are more complete than us, but is it useful? Relying on these, the Ming Dynasty could not accomplish anything in Zhejiang. Wei Sang messed up, and the fight against the Japanese relied on the new army, what secret information can they bring back? - Will Hu Butang surrender to the 'enemy'?"
Xu Wei was speechless.
Su Ze murmured: "What I need now is time. History and time are on our side. If releasing these people can delay a little more time, it will be more worthwhile."
On August 14, before the Mid-Autumn Festival, Su Ze personally signed a decree from the Metropolitan Governor's Office, allowing former Ming court officials from Fujian and Zhejiang, or distinguished scholars to travel to Nanjing.
Tan Lun, the former governor of Zhejiang, immediately went north with his wife and son, accompanied by 17 prefecture and county officials from Zhejiang.
Most officials in Fujian and the remaining officials in Zhejiang still chose to stay in Su Ze's territory and wait and see.
However, Su Ze was no longer polite to them. Officials of any rank only rationed food based on their head, and no longer entertained them with delicious food and drinks.
Scholars who have no meritorious status will be released to their hometowns in accordance with regulations if they have not committed any criminal offenses that violate the Ming Dynasty Laws.
Su Ze was too lazy to recruit them, let alone spend money to support them.
In the 41st year of Jiajing's reign, the two governments of Fujian, Zhejiang and Suzhou issued a memorandum announcing mutual protection and a counter-remonstrance, requiring the imperial court to punish traitors, stop major construction work, and provide peace and stability to the people.
The Ming court only declared Su Ze and Hu Zongxian to be traitors and traitors, and asked everyone in the world to fight against them.
However, the Ming court did not respond or refute the petition, and at the same time it did not move troops.
The two sides actually faced off peacefully across the Yangtze River.
It is said in history that Fujian and Zhejiang protected each other. (End of chapter)
Ps1: This chapter is over, the next chapter will be tomorrow.
Ps2: I thought I could repay the debt, but there are still 300 words left, but the plot is like this, it’s boring, so I’ll make up for it tomorrow!
Ps3: Fat Bird had his teeth extracted today. His wisdom teeth were really painful. I wrote this chapter with great pain, but I won’t stop updating it. We are a team that focuses on stability!
Ps4: Does anyone want to see my wisdom teeth? The doctor said that the wisdom teeth are very standard and grow very well. If anyone wants to see it, I will send an Easter egg stamp for everyone to see.
(End of chapter)
