"How is it possible that they are all poor? Your Majesty, do you think there is money to pick up on the island of Taiwan? Just go there empty-handed?" Zheng Zhilong drank a few more drinks today and became more excited to talk.
He took a sip of the chrysanthemum white wine that Emperor Zhu had brought from Beijing, and added with a smile: "When a poor child goes to sea, he will die six times and three times and then return. Those with some wealth can more easily run a business by taking their family and property with them across the sea." With a share of the family business, it is not easy to die outside.
There are two types of people who have some wealth and are willing to go overseas to Taiwan. One is those who are good at business; the other is those who are good at fighting.
There are greater opportunities to develop overseas than to operate on land in the southeast, but there are also more dangers! Those who are not good at management, cannot fight, and have little capital go to sea and risk their lives. Whether they survive or not depends entirely on whether God will give them to them. But it's different if people who are good at business and have some capital go out, because there are more people who risk their lives when they go out, and there are fewer people who are good at business and have capital. It's easy to make money on the island of Taiwan. Moreover, they often bring their families with them, have people to take care of their food, clothing, and daily life, and can be treated in time when they get sick. Naturally, it is easy for them to make a fortune, but it is not easy for them to die.
As for those who can fight and have some wealth, haha...that will be easier! Your Majesty, you may not know that the remnants of the eunuchs who were exiled to Taiwan by you are now doing well. "
"Ahem..." Zheng Sen seemed to choke on the chrysanthemum white.
When Zheng Zhilong heard his son coughing, he felt that he was talking too much... and shut up quickly!
In fact, Zhu Chunjie had already reported to Zhu Cihong what Zheng Zhilong had revealed - most of the fallen nobles who had gone to Taiwan from Gulangyu Island had not died of illness and had shown signs of success.
This group of shabby nobles were still hanging around the military camp, otherwise they wouldn't have fallen into the trap of the "Eunuch Rebellion"!
Zheng Zhilong was also loyal and took good care of this group of poor people who had taken care of the Zheng family in the past. He not only allowed them to stay on Gulangyu Island for a year or two, but also gave them capital and equipment before letting them go to Taiwan to "fight monsters" ".
In addition, these shabby households have their families (the concubines and young girls with hairpins are naturally married off, but the eldest wife and mother-in-law also follow) and clans, and some of them even have loyal servants. A large group of people crossed the sea in a mighty manner, all carrying swords and firecrackers...
In fact, the same situation also existed in the history of European colonization.
Not all those who fled to the New World were European beggars. They begged for food in Europe and became rich when they went to the New World? Where is it so easy to mess around?
"Elder brother," Zhu Cixiang also thought of Zheng Sen at this time, "How is Annan now? Can we occupy a piece of land to grow food?"
Zheng Sen, who has been traveling around the sea and Southeast Asia for more than a year, is now dark and thin, and he has suffered a lot at first glance - it is not easy for the richest man!
When he heard Zhu Cixi's question, his head was shaking almost like a rattle.
"No, no..." Zheng Sen said, "Your Majesty, although there are four kingdoms in Annan today, the Mo and Wu clans have weakened. In fact, the North, Zheng, and South Ruan are competing against each other. And the North, Zheng, and South Ruan are fighting for each other. In the past twenty or thirty years, Nan Ruan has been forging ahead with determination and fighting, and also learned military skills from the Western Barbarians. Among them, Nan Ruan received a large number of artillery and muskets from the Portuguese, and also bought several Portuguese soft-sailed warships. With these Western firearms and warships. Although Nan Ruan's territory had a small population and no soldiers, he still defeated Bei Zheng and defended their Guangnan country.
Beizheng also learned from Nan Ruan 12 or 13 years ago, and attracted the Red Yi Netherlands as foreign aid. They were also equipped with Western muskets and cannons, and also bought Western warships. However, the navy of Beizheng was still inferior to that of Nanruan, so Zhengruan was still defeated in the last battle. However, the Zheng and Ruan families are not weak and are not easy to deal with! "
In troubled times, Xiaoqiang emerges!
It has been more than 140 years since the troubled times in Annan began. South Ruan and Bei Zheng were all ruthless characters who emerged from the troubled times, so it was strange that they were easy to deal with.
The current Ming Dynasty is known as the ZTE, but it is incomparable with the Chengzu period. It has no power to destroy the two small powers in Annan.
"How about Champa?" Zhu Cixiang asked again, "Champa should be very weak, right?"
Zheng Sen nodded: "Champa is indeed not strong... It is only a matter of time before the country is overthrown, but we'd better not get involved in Champa."
"Why?" Zhu Cixiang asked, "Isn't Champa a vassal of our Ming Dynasty?"
“The situation in Champa is very complicated,” Zheng Sen said. “There is not only the dispute between Sui Chenla and the Nguyen Phuoc clan of Quang Nam (Nan Nguyen’s official surname is Nguyen Phuoc), but also the dispute between Brahman, Buddhism and Tianfang Sect... .The competing interests of all parties are fierce and can be seized in time, but extremely difficult to quell.”
Zhu Cixiang thought for a while and then asked: "Then only Shuizhenla is left?"
"It is indeed Shuizhenla that is easy to deal with!" Zheng Sen said, "Fifty years ago, Siam's heroic lord Naresuan once launched a large-scale eastward expedition to the Chenla Kingdom and captured Longvik, the capital of Shuizhenla, in one fell swoop. It collapsed. Now, although the country has not been destroyed, it has fallen apart. The royal family is divided into several factions, fighting each other and vying for the throne. The regent of Ude, who now rules the eastern part of Shuizhenla, once competed for the position of king of Shuizhenla, and then retreated after losing. Pulian Ge, relying on the support of Lord Annan Ruan, ruled the small half of Shui Chenla.
When I went to Shuizhenla, I went to Puliango City to meet the Ude prince, and also stopped by Chaigang where the Annan people lived. This firewood stick is near the city of Puliango. It was King Jita II of Shuizhenla who reigned during the Tianqi period in order to marry a daughter of the Ruan Lord. He allowed the Annan people to live and cultivate there. Now it has become the Ruan people. The clan's stronghold in Shuizhenla.
Because there are also many people from the Ming Dynasty cultivating and cultivating in Shuizhenla, we may also follow the example of Annan and build a piece of land near Puliango City. "
"Really?" Zhu Cixiang thought for a moment, "How can we follow the rules? Marry a princess as well?"
"That's not necessary," Zheng Sen shook his head and said, "If I really want to marry the princess and the county lord, I'm afraid that Lord Anan Ruan will have some thoughts... I think it's better to spend money to rent land."
"Spend money to rent land?" Emperor Chongzhen interjected, "Isn't this a tenant?"
Then take it! Zhu Cihong said to himself: I have already begged for food, so why are I afraid of becoming a tenant?
"It doesn't matter if you work as a tenant for the Shuizhenla people," Zhu Cihong said, "The key is not to lose money!"
I can't afford to lose... Although Emperor Zhu Cixiang is quite rich, he has more places to spend money!
"It's no loss!" Zheng Sen shook his head. "I have inspected the boundless plains near Puliango City. They are almost as big as those in the south of the Yangtze River. Instead, the water flow is abundant and the climate is warm enough to produce three crops a year. And the population in that area Not much, most of the land is forest, and as long as the trees are cut down, it can be cultivated.
In addition, there are very few Chenla people there, most of them are Annan and Ming immigrants. Now that the Annan people have sent officials there, I, the Ming Dynasty, should follow suit... The theory of renting is just a thought, and it won't pay much. If it is not convenient for the court to pay, the minister can pay for it out of his own pocket. "
Zhu Cixiang waved his hand, "Money is not the problem, the question is how many people are willing to go there and how many fields can be cultivated?"
Zheng Sen said: "Your Majesty, there are already many Chinese people around Chai Gun, most of them are Cantonese... The Cantonese people have large clans and are brave and good at fighting. They often go to sea with their families. However, they are not good at business. , most of them are engaged in farming. If you want to recruit farmers to farm in Shuizhenla, it is best to recruit them in Guangdong."
Zhu Cixiang thought for a while and said: "Since someone is willing to go, there is nothing to hesitate about... Senior brother, can you still go to sea after this autumn?"
Zheng Sen smiled and said: "I am young and strong, and I am not afraid of the wind and waves on the sea... However, the three countries of Annam, Champa and Shuizhenla are actually one body. If we want to squeeze in, we should cover everything, at least to Guangnan." The support of Ruan Lord Ruan Fulan.”
Zhu Cihong asked: "Will Ruan Fulan support this?"
Zheng Sen confidently said: "If we want to get involved in Champa City, Ruan Fulan will definitely not agree, but Shui Zhenla is still far away from Guangnan, Ruan Fulan will not think that far for the time being, and he still wants me to make a great tomorrow!"
