The richest man in the Ming Dynasty, the Admiral of the Eastern Navy of the Royal Navy, the Governor of Shanghai Commercial City, the Governor of the Left, Nan'an Marquis Zheng Zhilong, with a large group of staff and subordinates, hurriedly came from the Nan'an Marquis Mansion on Kangping Street all the way from Yan'an West Street.
Zhu Cixiang was "visiting incognito" this time and was not notified in advance. Therefore, Zheng Zhilong just heard the report from his subordinate who was guarding the gate at Yan'an Gate and found out that his great nephew had come to Shanghai to celebrate the New Year. He didn't dare to neglect, so he rushed out of his palace with his people, rode through the busy market, and finally picked up Zhu Cixiang on Yan'an West Street.
Zheng Zhilong's eyesight was quite good. From a distance, he saw his daughter Zheng Chagu leaning half of her body out of a four-wheeled carriage with glass windows and waving to him. He quickly rushed to meet her. After he got close to the carriage, he got off an Indian folding horse and took a few steps forward to salute the carriage: "Your Majesty, Zheng Zhilong, sincerely wishes His Majesty the Great Nephew to be blessed and safe."
The carriage had already stopped long ago. Zhu Cixiang's head guard Wang Qi opened the door. Zhu Cixiang got out of it with a smile. When he saw Zheng Zhilong, he waved his hand and said: "Old Taishan, please get down quickly..." When I was in Beijing, I heard that Shanghai's commercial market has been very prosperous in recent years, so I wanted to come and have a look. Since the Chinese New Year is about to come, I have some free time, so Cha Gu and Qian'er came over together."
Zheng Zhilong smiled and said: "Master Qiansui, why don't you let others know so that I can make arrangements in advance."
Zhu Cixiang waved his hand and said with a smile: "Shanghai orphans will come here often from now on. It's no different from going home. What are the arrangements? Come as soon as you come. There is no need to make such a big noise or disturb the people!"
Zheng Zhilong smiled and said: "Your Highness is really considerate of the people's sentiments... The Nan'an Marquis' Mansion is not far from here and is quite spacious. If Your Highness doesn't mind the simplicity, why not go to the Marquis' Mansion to rest first."
Zhu Cixiang nodded repeatedly and said with a smile: "Okay, then I won't bother you."
In fact, Zhu Cixi also has a mansion in Shanghai, but it has not been completely completed. This mansion is located on the east bank of the Huangpu River, occupying a beach called Lujiazui. This beach land was acquired by Mrs. Xu, Xu Ruolan, when she purchased land in Shanghai on Zhu Youjian's order. However, because the location is remote and separated from the main area of Shanghai's commercial city by the Huangpu River, it has been very deserted and cannot be developed. .
In April this year, Zhu Youjian gave this land to Zhu Cihong, who was planning to go to the southeast to make money. Zhu Cihong ordered Zheng Zhilong to build a palace for him in Lujiazui, which was called Shijian Hall. The entire big house in Lujiazui was Zhu Cihong's long-cherished wish in his previous life. This time, this long-cherished wish was fulfilled. This Ten Room Hall is really big, almost taking up the entire Lujiazui...
At this time, Wang Qi had brought a sweaty horse to Zhu Cihong. Zhu Cihong got on the horse, Zheng Zhilong also got on his broken-eared horse, and Weng and his son-in-law rode side by side to the Nan'an Marquis Mansion.
It's not far from Yan'an West Street to Nan'an Houfu. You only need to turn from Yan'an West Street onto Jiangnan Street, then take Huashan Street, cross Huaihai Street, and you're almost there. There are business districts and luxury houses along the way, and there is also a university called Ishii University Hall, which is located near the Nan'an Marquis Mansion.
The name of this university is taken from the Shijing Academy in Anping Town, Zheng Zhilong's hometown (this is one of the four major academies in Quanzhou and was founded in the Southern Song Dynasty). Naturally, Zheng Zhilong funded its establishment.
This Ishii University occupies a large area, has complete facilities, and has strong teaching staff. Together with Wuxi Donglin University, Nanjing Taixue and Yangzhou Guangling University, it is known as the four southeastern universities. It is also the "cradle of Jinshi" in the southeast of the Ming Dynasty - - The Ming Dynasty's imperial examinations have been reformed several times by Emperor Chongzhen. The Four Books and Five Classics account for less and less, and the proportions of arithmetic, research, military science and Confucius' legacy are increasing. Therefore, the Jinshi of the Dabi High School in the 16th year of Chongzhen were basically teachers and students of new universities such as Shijin University, Nanjing Taixue, Donglin University and Guangling University.
The owner of the film garden, Zheng Yuanxun, was one of the founders of Guangling University and the director of the College of Materials Science (Department of Chemistry) of Guangling University. He won the high school Jinshi Scholarship in the 16th Chongzhen Competition with his essay "On Salt". .....
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Zheng Zhilong's Nan'an Marquis Mansion is deep and luxurious, with not only Chinese-style courtyards, but also Japanese-style and Western-style courtyards. The hall he used to entertain Zhu Cixiang was a hall located in a Western-style courtyard. It was very spacious, but it had excellent lighting because of the many glass windows installed. The indoor fireplace is burning warmly, as if you are in the warm spring season, very comfortable.
Both Zheng Zhilong and Zhu Cixiang put on loose Taoist attire and did not wear crowns or hats, looking leisurely and at ease. Waiting in the hall was a blonde foreign girl with a graceful figure and extremely delicate facial features. Zheng Zhilong called her Natalie.
Zheng Zhilong pointed at the blond beauty who was making coffee and said to Zhu Cihong: "This girl is a slave girl that I ordered to buy from the Ottoman Empire at a high price. It is said that she comes from Poland in the West. She is going to be trained and presented to the Lord Long Live... .”
"My father indeed likes Orchids," Zhu Cixiang looked at the woman and smiled, "When he came back from conquering the Western Regions, he brought a lot of Orchids with him...but his hair was not as yellow as hers, and his skin was also dull. Not as good as her."
As he spoke, Zhu Cixiang looked away... Isn't it just a girl with yellow hair and white skin? What's so great about it, my nephew doesn't care about it!
Seeing that Zhu Cihong was not interested in Mao Mei, Zheng Zhilong didn't say much more - in fact, there was a Mao Mei in the Hou Mansion, which he bought with Natalie. He originally planned to give it to Zhu Cihong, but now it seems that he has to give up. .
Next, Weng and son-in-law chatted for a while about the customs and customs of Shanghai Commercial City. Although this commercial city is located at the junction of Songjiang Prefecture and Suzhou Prefecture, occupying some territory in Shanghai County, Baoshan Suo, Wusong Suo and Jiading County, most of its residents are from outside. Among them, Quanzhou, Huizhou and Ningbo have the largest number of immigrants.
Most of these immigrants are engaged in industry and commerce. The industry and commerce in Suzhou Prefecture and Songjiang Prefecture are very developed. There are sayings of "Suzhou Silk, Songjiang Cloth" and "Suzhou and Songjiang Half the World". The textile industry in Shanghai Commercial City combines the strengths of the two companies, and a large number of machine shops (textile workshops) have emerged. Shanghai's shipbuilding, ship repair, ironworking (related to shipbuilding), military industry, glass, woodworking, papermaking and other industries are also developing very well, and it seems to be becoming a handicraft center.
What is more developed than the handicraft industry is of course the import and export trade and shipping industry of the commercial city... This is the foundation of the current Shanghai commercial market!
Because industry and commerce develop rapidly, the demand for funds is also very large. When the demand for funds is large, interest rates will naturally be high.
"Old Taishan, I heard that you made a lot of money from loan sharking here in Shanghai!" Zhu Cihong and Zheng Zhilong were chatting, and somehow they ended up talking about loan sharking.
Zheng Zhilong stroked his beard and felt quite proud: "That's... the money you owe me, Zheng Yiguan. Unless you die, you have to pay back the principal with interest and a lot of money!"
"What if it's not enough?" Zhu Cixiang asked again.
"Then chop..." At this point, Zheng Zhilong realized something was wrong and quickly changed his words, "Then, it depends on the situation..."
Zhu Cixiang asked coldly: "Should I chop off my hands or feet, it depends on the situation?"
"This..." Zheng Zhilong broke into cold sweat on his forehead and thought to himself: How did my nephew know?
Zhu Cixiang glanced at him and asked: "I heard that your family's loan sharks always come out nine times and come back thirteen times?"
"No, it's not that high..." Zheng Zhilong waved his hands repeatedly, "That nine-year debt and thirteen-year debt is just a dead debt. No one will really redeem it. The debt lent by the Chen family is ten-year-old debt and fourteen yuan debt."
"That's not much different!"
Zheng Zhilong waved his hand and said, "Isn't that the annual interest rate...I don't lend money to help the poor or emergency, it's all given to merchants, especially maritime merchants. Maritime merchants will travel for at least a year, as long as they can return safely, The profit has more than doubled.”
"It's still too high," Zhu Cixiang said. "Except for maritime merchants, who else can afford such money?"
Zheng Zhilong smiled and said: "Some people also use it..."
Zhu Cixiang said: "The majority must be trapped in the end, right?"
Zheng Zhilong smiled bitterly and said, "Money is tight..."
"What if money is no longer tight?" Zhu Cixiang asked, "Can the annual interest rate of 10% or 20% be released?"
"One or two percent?" Zheng Zhilong was stunned, "How is this possible?"
Zhu Cihong said: "I will give you seven points of annual interest, which is the annual interest...and you can get as much as you want! Do you want it?"
"Seven cents annual interest? Impossible..." Zheng Zhilong looked at Zhu Cihong, "How is it possible to have such cheap money? You can have as much money as you want..."
Zhu Cixiang said: "Of course! I can turn it into money!"
