Zhu Youjian finally revealed his idea of building the four major commercial cities of Tianjin, Shanghai, Fuzhou, and Xiangshan Island as the starting point of the vast sea frontier to two profiteers, Zheng Zhilong and Shen Tingyang.
This is a big deal!
Zheng Zhilong and Shen Tingyang immediately realized the huge business opportunities in the four major shopping malls... This was a good deal to collect money while lying down. If it is done well, our children and grandchildren will be rich and prosperous, and we won’t have to take the risk and hardship of going to sea to block roads to collect money!
If you miss such a good deal, you will regret it for the rest of your life.
"Long live my lord," Zheng Zhilong, who was about to become his great-nephew's father-in-law, and Zhu Youjian, who was no stranger to each other, immediately asked with a smile, "Are you going to let me run the Fuzhou Commercial Market? Although I am from Quanzhou Prefecture, I am also familiar with Fuzhou Prefecture, so I can definitely handle it well."
Zhu Youjian smiled and shook his head, "Ichiguan, your business at sea, apart from blocking roads to collect money, isn't it trade with Japan? If I remember correctly, you and Japan's Grand Imperial Palace Tokugawa Hidetada are both I recognize it!”
What? Did he know about this too?
Zheng Zhilong became a little nervous... When Zhu Youjian mentioned Tea Girl before, he was a little surprised. How did the Ming Emperor know about his daughter's situation? Now when he heard Zhu Youjian talk about his meeting with Japanese General Tokugawa Hidetada, he was not surprised, but scared!
Not many people know about this! Who did Zhu Youjian listen to? Could it be Jin Yiwei? Jin Yiwei's spies are by his side?
"Long live my Lord," Zheng Zhilong laughed dryly, "Which plate do you want me to take?"
"Shanghai!" Zhu Youjian laughed, "Shanghai is relatively close to Japan and not too far from Beijing. Prince Zheng should go to Shanghai!"
What? Zheng Zhilong goes to Shanghai?
Shen Tingyang was a little dumbfounded. He originally thought he would become a pioneer in Shanghai's commercial market. He is from Chongming Island, which is not far from places like Shanghai County, Baoshan Institute, and Wusong Institute... His family still has a lot of land in Shanghai County!
He is the most suitable person to go to Shanghai for development!
"I also want to run the business market for Long Live Lord, please grant me Long Live Lord's permission." Shen Tingyang couldn't help but interjected.
Zhu Youjian nodded, "Okay, Shen Qing goes to Xiangshan Island! Do you know where Xiangshan Island is?"
"It seems to be in Guangdong..."
Zhu Youjian said: "In Xin'an County, Guangzhou Prefecture, I plan to establish a municipal shipping department in Xin'an County. Shen Qing will be the magistrate of Xin'an County and the Guangdong City Shipping Secretary... Xin'an County is under the jurisdiction of Guangzhou Prefecture, and the city The Ship Department is directly under the command of the Navy."
"Royal Navy?" Shen Tingyang was stunned. He had never heard of Royal Navy before.
"The Royal Navy is the navy directly under the Imperial Palace!" Seeing Shen Tingyang's confused look, Zhu Youjian explained, "The Royal Navy will be combined with the Zhangqian Army, Dianqian Army, Yuqian Army, Datong Army, Xuanfu Army, and Yanshan Army The army, the Daning army, and the Beizhi regiment training armies are parallel, and they are all the personal armies of the emperor!"
There is actually a navy in the emperor's army. Zhu Youjian still takes military power very seriously!
He turned to look at Zheng Zhilong and said with a smile: "Don't you want to be an admiral if you are an official? Among the military forces of the imperial court, my Eighth Army soldiers are the most powerful... It is better for you to be an official than me." I would like to be the Admiral of the Royal Navy and the Commander-in-Chief of Shanghai Shipbuilding Industry, are you willing?"
"Yes, yes, of course I am willing..." Zheng Zhilong was actually unwilling to leave his hometown in Fujian, but he did not dare to say no to the emperor publicly, otherwise he would not have spent so much money on recruitment and continued to communicate with Liu Let's just become pirates together.
"First official," Zhu Youjian also understood Zheng Zhilong's thoughts, so he explained with a smile, "I originally wanted Shen Qing to preside over the Shanghai Commercial Market and let you go to Xiangshan. But your tea girl will soon enter the palace I am accompanying my great nephew, and I will probably become my concubine in the future. That’s why I arranged for you to come to Shanghai. Shanghai guards the mouth of the Yangtze River and is located between the northern and southern oceans. Not only is the geographical location very important, but the conditions for being a business center are also unique. In the future, it will become the hub of finance and economics in the world. With a place like this in your hands, my nephew will not be short of money to use it in the future!"
In fact, Zhu Youjian put Zheng Zhilong in Shanghai and moved Shen Tingyang to Xiangshan Island not to arrange financial resources for Zhu Cihong - he did not think that the traitor would be short of money. Nizi has a lot of gold in the five elements, so he really doesn’t lack money for anything!
Zhu Youjian was actually "moving the feudal vassal", moving the two big pirates away from their respective nests, so they would have to turn their tails between their legs and become thieves!
"Long live my lord," Shen Tingyang was still a little unwilling, "I still have to transport rice to Liaodong... Your Majesty wants to change the canal to the sea, and I will also use my sea sand gang... If I After going to Guangdong, what should I do with these things?"
"These businesses are still from the Haisha Gang!" Zhu Youjian said with a smile, "You are going to Guangdong to be an official, so you don't have to take your own business south, right? I will let the Portuguese general Gongsha De Silao go with you. Going south, you go to Huai'an to recruit a group of sailors from the former Canal Army, and take them to Xiangshan Island. Gongsha will recruit some Western bow crews for you and help you train your navy."
In fact, the Haisha Gang played an important role in the transportation of grain from the south to the north, which was also an important reason why Zhu Youjian transferred Shen Tingyang to Guangdong.
Although the Haisha Gang mainly escapes to live on the sea, they actually travel across rivers and seas. The boats of the Haisha Gang are all flat-bottomed sand boats. Not to mention the Yangtze River, the Huaihe River can enter - now the Haisha Gang transports grain northward from Huai'an.
Their sand ships are responsible for transporting 2 million shi of military grain and materials from Jiliao and Pingliao every year. In the future, if they add 4 million shi of grain, the total will be 6 million shi! It can be said that the Haisha Gang controls the jobs of Ji Liao and Ping Liao armies and the city of Beijing.
If Shen Tingyang is allowed to control the Yangtze River Haikou and Shanghai commercial market, and then control a royal navy... this is incredible!
If the Shen family has any different intentions and Shen Tingyang wants to become Shen Lushan, then the sand ships will enter the Yangtze River and the Wu army will enter Yingtian... If another navy obeys Shen Tingyang's orders and sails north to attack Tianjin Haikou , then wouldn’t the world be in danger tomorrow?
Therefore, Zhu Youjian had to get rid of Shen Tingyang, a local snake in Jiangdong, and let Zheng Zhilong, a "Hu Jian" man, come to Shanghai to develop the commercial market and build the navy.
Zheng Zhilong firstly did not have a sand fleet, secondly he was not a native of Jiangnan, and thirdly he was not a member of the Southeastern scholar-bureaucrats... He was just a rich pirate who wanted to rebel against Zheng Lushan, but he could not get the support of the Southeastern wealthy family. , it will definitely lead to a dead end.
But these are all the emperor's tricks, just keep them in your heart. You have to encourage Shen Tingyang in order to save face. Zhu Youjian smiled and said to him: "Shen Qing, do your best... you have done well in Shibo." Sihe Xiangshan Island Navy, come to Beijing for a trial in the 10th year of Chongzhen!"
This is to reward Shen Tingyang as a Jinshi!
Although Shen Tingyang inherited a pirate family, he was already a scholar-official at heart, and Jinshi was what he dreamed of.
"I will definitely live up to my trust!" Shen Tingyang quickly stood up and bowed to him.
Zhu Youjian smiled and waved to him, gesturing for him to sit down and talk.
"Long live Lord, who will be responsible for the Fuzhou commercial market?" At this time, Zheng Zhilong asked again about Fujian's arrangements.
Zhu Youjian laughed and said: "Let your sworn brother Li Guozhu do it. I plan to recruit him... Is he now working with the East India Company of the Red-haired Country?"
Li Guozhu is the son of Zheng Zhilong's godfather Li Dan. Li Dan was the number one sea merchant (pirate) in the Southeast Sea during his lifetime, and Zheng Zhilong could only hang out with him.
However, Li Dan's son Li Guozhu was mediocre in ability and could not inherit the Nuo Da family business, but he still had some strength and could join forces with Liu Xiang to fight against Zheng Zhilong with the support of the Dutch.
"Long live my lord," Zheng Zhilong was of course unwilling to take charge of the Fuzhou Shipping Department with Li Guozhu, who had conflicts with him, and quickly reminded him, "this sworn brother of my minister is very close to the Hongmao Kingdom..."
Zhu Youjian smiled: "Isn't this good? First officer, don't you want me to make peace with the Red-Haired Country? In fact, that's what I mean! I open the border and set up a commercial city. Originally, I want to be open to all rivers and welcome all directions. Guests. Of course I welcome merchants from the Red Hair Country to come and trade!" He suddenly calmed down and looked at Zheng Zhilong, "First Officer, I personally negotiated with the representatives of the Red Hair Country and the East India Company to reach an agreement. This agreement will never let you suffer... When you send Tea Girl north next spring, bring the people from Hongmao Country and Li Guozhu to Tianjin. I will negotiate with them in Tianjin Commercial Market! "
