Kinmen Bay, which was originally tense, returned to normalcy due to Zheng Zhilong's safe return, but then it became lively with the double happiness of his family being named "Zhen Haibo" by the court and the crown prince Zheng Sen being named "Success" and becoming the prince's disciple. stand up.
The military port was decorated with lights and colorful decorations, sailing on expeditions was replaced by drinking and eating meat, the master ordered a banquet for three days, and the ordnance was returned to the warehouse. The captains and soldiers who learned the great news were all beaming with joy, just like the Chinese New Year. Maybe I have never been so happy during the New Year.
New Years can be celebrated every year, and the same goes for birthdays, but these two events are only once in a while, so the senior officials of the Zheng family are extremely happy. A very happy event.
The three days of the banquet are three days of vacation. This is Zheng Zhilong's decision. At present, his troops have not been threatened by any land or sea, so it can be like this.
No matter the Western barbarians from the Netherlands, Britain, Spain, or Portugal, they did not dare to overestimate their capabilities and go to the coast of Fujian to proactively provoke the powerful Zheng Group.
"Brother, the car... seems... the chain... is broken!"
Zheng Zhi'ao was very embarrassed to mention this, but he had to say it, because he was the one who broke it. This toy is so fun that you never get tired of it after playing with it for a hundred times, but it won't work until you play it for a hundred times.
"...Let's wait for it to be fixed!"
When Zheng Zhilong heard this, his face immediately stiffened. The thing he was most afraid of happened. The bicycle he brought back was just this one, but he had to use it carefully. Unexpectedly, it was broken by someone else that day.
"Brother, do you have other vehicles like this? Can you use them for riding?"
Zheng Zhi'ao, who has not yet had enough fun, plans to keep up his efforts and ride as many bikes as possible, at least until he learns to ride a bike. The level does not need to be high, just about the same as his elder brother.
"Others? Huh... Did you know that my brother only brought this one from the capital? This car was made by Academician Bo Jue and nothing else! If you want to ride again, you have to wait for several months before buying a new car, or just I can stay until the current car is repaired!”
Zheng Zhilong felt a little annoyed after hearing what his reckless cousin said. This car was the one Prince Duo loved and asked Bo Jue to transfer it to him for free. With the sophistication of this car, you just want to imitate it. It's unlikely.
The quick-thinking Zheng Zhilong also carefully observed the structure of the car after he got it, especially the chain. This component is the essence of the entire vehicle. Without the chain, it would be impossible to start it just by pedaling.
The chain is made up of dozens of extremely small iron rings interlocking with each other. It is a work of ingenuity. Even if the actual object is taken to the blacksmith shop and the blacksmith refers to the actual object, it cannot be easily made successfully and it is guaranteed to work normally.
"Only this one? This..."
Zheng Zhi'ao thought there were at least a few of them. If there was just one, wouldn't the people waiting for the bikes have to line up outside the door? When can he get back on the bike? Suddenly I felt a little unwilling, but I didn't dare to continue asking.
"The structure of this car is very precise, so the output is very low. Have you seen the wheels? It is made of rubber produced in Nanyang. The prince also told my brother to import this product in large quantities. The more the better!"
Zheng Zhilong initially planned to reduce the amount of rubber provided to a certain prince as much as possible, so as to indirectly curb the production of bicycles and ensure that the bicycle in his hand could still be shown off to the world within a certain period of time.
But then I thought about it, if the supply of rubber is too scarce, Prince's place won't be able to make enough bicycles, at least not even the quantity they want to purchase. If no one has one, they will at least have to buy one. A hundred or so cars are barely enough.
Even if it takes one thousand taels of silver to buy a bicycle, Zheng Zhilong can easily spend one hundred thousand taels of silver at one time to purchase a hundred bicycles to reward the hard-working brothers and subordinates around him as a reward for their loyalty.
"Rubber? Hmm~! No wonder it looks familiar to me. It turns out to be a specialty of Nanyang. Since Mr. Chitose wants to buy it, let's just buy some! It's okay to buy a boat, right? Can we build hundreds of cars? "
Zheng Zhi'ao had no idea about the structure of a bicycle and the materials it consumed, let alone calculations. However, in his opinion, one boat should be enough, at least enough for him to buy a bicycle.
The main reason is that buying rubber for the prince is a small thing, but it will delay his enjoyment of riding a bicycle. Zheng Zhi'ao's hands are so itchy now that he can't wait to ride the bicycle that is in urgent need of repair.
Thinking about how his eldest brother was riding a bicycle in the yard just now, enjoying the admiration of everyone and enjoying the scenery, he couldn't hold back his eagerness.
"Master Chitose himself said that this item has many uses. As much as our family can buy in Nanyang, His Highness will buy it at the market price."
Zheng Zhilong originally planned to give it away for free. After all, he had a bigger and more profitable business to do. But if the prince wanted to buy in large quantities, in order to avoid losing too much, he couldn't provide it for free, but he would not do it in this matter. Just seeking huge profits.
"Are you serious? Nanyang is rich in this product. If so, wouldn't our family be able to make a lot of money?"
Hearing this, Zheng Zhifeng interjected, saying that everything involving buying and selling is all business. Even if the next person is the Crown Prince, he can still make some money.
"Master Qiantose sticks to his word, so this is of course the case, but there is still bigger business to do, such as rice and sugar!"
After returning to the hall and everyone was seated, Zheng Zhilong told everyone about the benefits he got from going to Beijing. This visit was very fruitful, and it was not just the titles on the surface, otherwise Zheng Zhilong would not be so contented.
"Everyone, this time I went to Beijing to see the Thousand-year-old Lord. His Highness has already told Zheng that he can purchase a large amount of rice and rubber in Nanyang. The imperial court will use cash to purchase them all at market prices. The rice is one or two and eight qian per stone, and the rubber is additional. This is One. Second, His Highness will entrust the business of transporting snowflake candies to Japan to the Zheng family. Our fleet can earn one hundred copper coins for every kilogram of snowflakes transported by our fleet!"
What makes Zheng Zhilong most proud is that not only has he become an earl, but he can also do big business. All the gifts he gave out are earned back with interest. The profits can be said to be priceless.
"What? Brother! Did I hear it correctly? One pound can earn a hundred cents? How many pounds can our family transport?"
Zheng Zhibao almost felt like he smelled the Japanese copper coins. One pound could net him a hundred coins. It was really a rare and good deal!
"The output will not be too high at first, but it should not be less than 500 to 10 million jin per year. We will be responsible for the transportation and pay the payment in advance, 150 jin per catty, and we will bear all the risks during the journey. After arriving at the Japanese country, General Tokugawa will buy them all for two hundred and fifty cents per catty!"
The prices on both sides of this transaction are fixed and will not rise or fall easily. As a middleman, Zheng did not directly earn the price difference, but had to advance the payment for the goods and then charge the Japanese party for the goods after arriving at the destination.
If you encounter a storm at sea and the ship sinks, you will have to consider yourself unlucky. No matter whether it is the family above or below, no compensation will be given to the Zheng family. This business is profitable, but naturally there are risks.
One hundred copper coins is almost one penny of silver. Even if it is less, it will not be less than seven cents of silver. If ten million kilograms of sugar can be transported to the Japanese country every year, then this is really a huge and profitable business.
Although the Zheng Group can make tens of millions of taels of silver every year, its trade involves porcelain, tea, silk, ironware, grain, spices, ivory, deerskin, jewelry, precious wood, and even takes advantage of the difference in the silver and copper exchange rates between the Ming and Japanese countries. to make money.
Naturally, sugar is also involved, but if sugar alone can account for 10% of the total profit, then everyone will pay attention to it. From what the head of the family said, Chitose had already made arrangements for the Japanese country, and he could collect the money as long as his own fleet transported it.
Like the Dutch East India Company, the Zheng Group is also a commercial organization with the original intention of making money. However, it pays more attention to the management of East Asian waters. The ratio of warships to merchant ships is much higher than that of VOC.
"Brother, if Chitose has already negotiated this matter with General Tokugawa, and the sugar is not worried about selling, then our family will be happy to take on the transportation task!"
Zheng Zhifeng felt that the prerequisite for this matter was that the market must be determined, that is, the Japanese side must pay the full amount as agreed. The Zheng family cannot be allowed to risk the shipwreck of the goods to arrive at the Japanese port, and the next family cannot pay the full payment.
"There is no need to worry about this matter. It will be resolved by the imperial court. General Tokugawa can also benefit hugely from it. He will definitely be excited. It is reasonable to agree to this matter. Our family will only focus on sea transportation."
General Tokugawa didn't have to do anything but just receive the goods. After the two parties handed over the goods at the port, they could sell the goods to local sugar merchants and make a profit of 50 copper coins per catty. Zheng Zhilong heard it from Chitose. In other words, this is called "making money while lying down".
You don't have to do anything, and you can earn hundreds of thousands of taels of silver every year. As long as General Tokugawa is not a fool, he can agree to this business. If it were him, he would happily agree.
"That's good, but General Tokugawa has always advocated shrinking the share of trade, and has already expelled the red barbarians from the Japanese territory. Even for overseas merchants like us, who are very well-behaved, the requirements are more stringent. This..."
Because of business matters, Zheng Zhifeng often travels between the Ming Dynasty and the Japanese country, and has a good understanding of the Tokugawa general's behavior. The Japanese country has greatly reduced the number of overseas traders and only cooperates with the Zheng family.
"There is another matter, which is considered a secret, but it doesn't hurt to tell you. That is that the imperial court plans to borrow 50,000 troops from the Japanese country to use in Liaodong. In exchange, it is this sugar business!"
Zheng Zhilong got a lot of valuable information during this trip, both economic and military. He can be considered a well-informed person. He has a broader vision than the idiots in his hometown, and the information he possesses is also better. Much more.
"...The imperial court plans to borrow troops to attack Liao???"
Not only Zheng Zhifeng exclaimed in surprise, but everyone was shocked when they heard this earth-shattering news. The imperial court had never used such a method before, and it was hard to accept it for a while.
"Of course! Mr. Chitose has already negotiated with the special envoy of Japan, and the corresponding conditions are relatively generous. General Tokugawa must have agreed to the imperial court's agreement to borrow troops at this time. Our family will send people and ships to be responsible for sending troops from various ports of Japan. Liaodong transported Japanese soldiers and soldiers."
This is free transportation, but Zheng Zhilong does not intend to profit from it. What comes in comes out. He cannot just take advantage of the prince and the court, otherwise it would not be called a transaction. He must use practical actions to show goodwill to the other party in order to obtain greater business. and profit.
"Brother, the imperial court acted like this and actually used Japanese troops to attack Donglu. Isn't it just for fear of losing face and being criticized by the government and the public?"
If his brother did not report this matter personally, Zheng Zhiwan would definitely not believe it when he heard the relevant rumors. The court's move was tantamount to a disguised admission that the 100,000 Liaodong soldiers and horses were embarrassingly useless.
"Loss of face? Haha, from early winter to spring, the Donglu destroyed dozens of cities and looted hundreds of thousands of people. The gold and silver they obtained were worth millions of taels. Even King De was captured. The court had already lost all face. How could the king implement such a strategy if he hadn't been exhausted from successive battles? In my opinion, it seems that Chitose's insistence on using Japanese to control the captives is not a bad idea. Our family only needs to send people and ships, and there is no need to fight on land. If the Eastern captives dare to Send out warships to attack our ships, and make sure he never comes back!"
From the strategy of borrowing troops to conquer, Zheng Zhilong could see that the imperial court was really unable to resist the aggressive Donglu who had been knocking at the pass for many years, so they had to put down their dignity and ask for help from the Japanese country.
Fifty thousand Japanese troops may not seem to be many, but they are full of combat power. Just looting the Liaodong Peninsula is enough to give Huang Taiji a headache. Sending troops to attack the Japanese troops can reduce the pressure on the pass by the Donglu.
Master Wang had been defeated repeatedly against the Donglu, and he had already become timid. Now he could hardly keep his dignity, so what else could he do to save face? If this trick is used well, it can achieve extraordinary results without losing the king's troops.
"What the eldest brother is saying is that if our family does not need to send troops to participate in land battles and directly manages the transportation of Japanese troops, it will be okay. If Donglu is not good at water warfare and dares to call our family for battle, then he is asking for his own death!"
Zheng Zhibao, like the Zheng brothers, only wants to take advantage and does not want to suffer losses. Although Zheng's army is large, they will not easily fight against the vicious Donglu.
Donglu is indeed powerful, but it is on land. If the two sides engage in a naval battle, the officers and soldiers of the Zheng army can beat Donglu to the point of calling him grandpa with less than 50% of their strength!
I can't guarantee anything else. If Donglu dared to sink one of Zheng's ships, Zheng would sink ten of Donglu's ships, just a few more, and not a single person would be left alive.
In the waters of the East, the Zheng family is the well-deserved king. Even the Xiyi people did not dare to provoke the Zheng family after they had suffered a lot when they arrived here.
"Isn't it just the few ships that Kong Youde brought that Donglu relies on? Huh! It's not worth mentioning at all. In my house, I could crush this guy to death with just one finger!"
Zheng Zhi'ao would not take Donglu's navy seriously at all. Without his elder brother's intervention, he dared to pat his chest and guarantee that he could lead a fleet to directly destroy all the Donglu's warships and beat them until not a single one of them was left.
When it comes to naval battles, the nearby Japanese, Kimchi, Donglu and even the navy of the Ming Dynasty have no equal to the Zheng family. It is no exaggeration to say that as long as the Zheng family disagrees, it will make it difficult for you to move at sea.
To bombard any Zheng ship is to become the enemy of the entire Zheng group and will be frantically besieged by hundreds or thousands of Zheng warships, and Huang Taiji's navy is no exception.
If the Zheng family is angered, they can even block the Donglu warships in their own port and clean them up, and sink all the people and ships on the beach in front of their home...
