In Laoshan Palace and Huangji Palace, it’s time to hold another imperial meeting between the two palaces. Today, the atmosphere in Huangji Palace is a bit solemn.
Different from the "continuous good news" situation some time ago, the good situation seems to be slipping away during this period.
First of all, there is bad news from Siam. The city of Ayutthaya in the Kingdom of Siam was finally not defended! In mid-March of the 10th year of Hongxing, the Dashun Army commanded by Li Dingguo broke through. King Nare of Siam broke out under the escort of dead soldiers and fled to the Golden Castle (also known as Thonburi) where the Ming army was stationed. That is, the Bangkok area in later generations.
It is not a small trouble for the capital of a vassal state to be captured by rogue bandits. This matter will seriously damage the Ming Dynasty's prestige in Nanyang and the Indochina Peninsula. It may cause Chenla and Laos, which are not very obedient to begin with, to defect to Dashun.
Moreover, Siam itself was also an extremely important vassal state. The Ming Dynasty imported more than three million stones of rice from Siam every year, and also imported a large amount of Siam teak. Teak is an important material for naval shipbuilding and cannot be lost.
Therefore, it is imperative to send troops to Siam, but... the wind is going in the wrong direction now!
Now in late April of the 10th year of Hongxing, it is the early summer season. There is a southerly wind on the southern sea. The Wanshi bird ships used by the Ming army to transport large numbers of troops are weak in sailing against the wind, so they can only use Western-style Galen ships to transport a small number of troops. Reinforce Zhang Yong who is defending the Golden Castle to maintain the situation in Siam.
The second bad news, of course, came from Europe. Li Shaoyou, the Ming Dynasty ambassador to France, the Netherlands, and England, reported that the Netherlands refused to join the Union, and that a large number of Dutch privateers "employed" by Spain had appeared in the English Channel.
In other words, the Netherlands, which originally stood on the side of Britain, France, Ming Dynasty, and Portugal, has actually turned to Spain, which has been fighting a war with them for 80 years... This is the case in Europe, there are no permanent friends and no permanent enemies. There are only eternal benefits!
Of course, the position of the Dutch East India Company was inconsistent with that of the Dutch Parliament (the disagreement was agreed upon). The East India Company's representatives in Nanjing had already expressed to the Ming Dynasty that they would continue to stand on the side of the Ming Dynasty and fight Spain in the Pacific.
Moreover, the warships of the East India Company will also ensure that the Ming Dynasty ships are protected from attacks by Spanish privateers in the Indian Ocean... Obviously, the Netherlands wants to eat both sides!
The third bad news comes from Japan. Kyushu's Toyotomi Army (Sashu Army) did not collapse because of the Battle of Kagoshima Bay - the Ming army retreated from Sakurajima and went to Tanegashima to watch the show. Of course the state warriors did not collapse, and many Spaniards joined the state army!
The Toyotomi army, which was strengthened by the Spanish (more than 2,000 people joined the Sashu Army), defeated the Ogasawara army on the side of the shogunate in the area of the Bunzen Mountain Kingdom and the Kawa River (Bengzen Kingdom belonged to a pair of uncles and nephews Ogasawara Tadama and Ogasawara of the Ogasawara family on the shogunate's side). Ogasawara Choji), took over all the territory of Bunzen Kingdom of more than 200,000 koku.
What stands in front of the Shimadzu family now is the Kuroda family that rules Chikuzen - once Chikuzen falls into Shimadzu's hands, the Shimadzu family will not only control the six countries of Kyushu Island, but also combine their own territory with the Maori family's surrounding defenses. , Nagato and the two countries are connected into one.
The Toyotomi family's momentum will increase greatly!
However, these three bad news are nothing to Zhu Cixiang, because the control of the Pacific Ocean is still historically controlled by the Ming Dynasty.
Even if the Spanish fleet can fight back to the Pacific, it will only be two or three years later!
Considering the distance between the Gulf of America and New Spain, it is impossible for the Spaniards to go to the Gulf of America by land. It is so far and there is no good road. I guess they will have to catch American bison for meat while walking. I don’t know when. It's time to arrive...
So the Battle of the Gulf of America was supposed to happen three years later!
"My lords," Zhu Cixiang felt that the atmosphere in the hall was a bit solemn, so he raised his voice and said, "Now that the Western Pacific belongs to me, there is no trace of Spanish warships. It is the best time for our navy and army to march eastward and open up the Americas. opportunity!
However, Spain's navy and army are tied to Europe and will not be able to use its troops on the Pacific coast within three years. Therefore, our country should seize the opportunity and go all out to firmly root the country's future in the New World!
I have decided to establish a joint-stock United States in the New Continent! This United States will raise 10,000,000 taels of capital from our nobles and wealthy businessmen, and our Royal Chamber of Commerce will be the first to subscribe for 30,000,000 taels of silver! All the ministers are the humerus of the country, and they are all qualified to participate in the establishment of the new country of United States... Is anyone willing to invest? "
What?
invest?
Isn't there an imperial meeting between the two governments now?
This is a court meeting!
How did it become a prospectus?
Most of the important ministers of the two governments didn't know what to say!
And...where did the Ming Emperor get 30 million taels? Doesn’t he only get 300,000 taels from the court every year? Why are there 30 million now? Is the current emperor really the legendary "richest" in the Ming Dynasty?
But where does this money come from?
Everyone's eyes turned to Zheng Zhilong, the Minister of Household Affairs. Zheng Zhilong had already stood up and saluted Zhu Cixiang: "Your Majesty, I have some savings and am optimistic about the United States of Xinzhou. I am willing to subscribe for 15 million taels!"
What? 15 million taels? Are you, the Minister of Revenue, so rich?
"Your Majesty, I also have some savings and am willing to subscribe for 1 million taels!"
Another rich man stood up. It turned out to be Luo Grand Duke Luo Shangshu, who claimed not to love money or sex, but only loved the Ming Dynasty...
Grand Duke Luo, who doesn't like money, is actually so rich and dares to show off his wealth!
The "honest officials" in the court were all shocked!
Zhu Cixiang laughed: "I have always known that the Grand Duke is incorruptible and does not love money, but he does not love money, but the God of Wealth loves him... His family's land in Shanghai has increased countless times over the years, so he, an upright official, also You can get a million taels of silver!"
Zheng Zhilong also said shamelessly: "I am also an upright official! Although my family is rich, they have acquired it in a proper way. They are definitely not the result of corruption and bribery."
Zhu Cixiang shook his head when he said this. Luo Dagong, a big landowner, caught up with the appreciation of land value in Shanghai, so it was considered a good idea. You are a pirate who steals money, and you dare to say that you get it in a wise way...but you certainly don't take bribes! Corruption and bribery are not as fast as your making money!
"Your Majesty, my family also has some savings," Wu Sanfu, the military advisor of the Generalissimo's Office, stood up and said, "You can subscribe for 500,000 taels and make some money with your Majesty."
Zhu Cixi laughed and said: "It is not so easy to make a fortune by investing in the New World... Of course, this country of the United States has benefits, but it cannot pay dividends to shareholders immediately, and maybe it will never be able to pay dividends. Sanfu, you still have to pay dividends." Go back and think about it."
Emperor Zhu was not worried at all about not being able to win 100 million...
Wu Sanfu was a little strange: "Your Majesty, since you can't pay dividends, what can you get from investing in the United States of New Continent?"
"Being able to obtain the land of the New Continent, obtain the title of the United States of New Continent, and occupy a hereditary position as a member of the Senate of the United States of New Continent... In short, the United States of New Continent is the property of the shareholders! Anyone who believes that the United States of New Continent is property If you invest 1 million, you can get a hereditary and irreplaceable founding marquis and a senator. If I invest 30 million, you can get 30 senators and 30 marquis!"
"Why does Your Majesty want so many marquis positions?" Wu Sanfu asked again, thinking to himself: Isn't it just a matter of your words to become a marquis?
Zhu Cixiang sighed: "I have too many brothers, there must be somewhere to arrange them!"
Just arrange to become a marquis in the United States of New Zealand? The ministers said to themselves: This is really cruel!
Zhu Cihong paused and then said: "The Senate of the United States of Xinzhou has real power and can choose the king! I also want the rich man to choose the king of the United States of Xinzhou!"
Wu Sanfu already understood why Zhu Cihong was blocking his investment... The United States of Xinzhou was given to Zhu Hehao's family property! Wu Sanfu belongs to Zhu Hexing, why should he follow him? Throw it in to cause trouble?
Zhu Cixiang continued: "Now we will raise 100 million taels, and we will start investing with 1 million taels, but we don't have to pay off all the investments immediately... we have to pay according to the progress of the establishment of the United States of Xinzhou. And the money paid will be It will be used to transport immigrants to the United States of New Zealand, build towns, build ports, build water conservancy projects, build roads, establish governments, recruit troops, etc. And the United States of New Zealand will bear half of the Ming army’s military expenses in the New World!"
