Chapter 48 Coming soon
He Xi has finalized the deal. Dai Mingshi is easy to talk about.
Dai Mingshi did not add fuel to the fire. He just conveyed He Xi's conditions to the other party. Let the Chen family set their own price.
For a moment, Chen Zuxiao didn't know what to say.
How to make a price?
The recognition and official position from the Ming Dynasty was simply a golden sign for the Chen family. With this sign in place, it was justifiable for Chen Jiahuo to merge with Liang Daoming. There are other benefits too.
But what is the specific price tag? This is really hard to say.
At the same time, Chen Zuxiao was not a fool. He was also worried whether this was just empty words to deceive him.
In short, various concerns.
This contact can only be tasted briefly. However, the most basic conditions were met. That is the ship of Jinghai Company, which can reach the old port. The Chen family ensured the safety of these ships in the old port. But they did not guarantee the safety on the way from Daming to Old Port.
Likewise, Jinghai Company ensures the safety of the Chen family's ships in Jingjiang. Safety on the road from Nanyang to Jingjiang does not guarantee safety, including encounters with the Ming Navy.
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Back in Nanyang, Chen Zuxiao reported the conditions here to Chen Zuyi.
Chen Zuyi thought for a while and asked, "Do you think we should agree or not?"
Chen Zuxiao said: "If it can really be achieved, these conditions are nothing. It is not a bad idea even if we privately give each other more money to open the way. But what I am most worried about is, do these people keep their words? We only know now that Jinghai There is King Jingjiang behind the company. But although King Jingjiang is a prince, can he have such power to change the decisions of the Ming Dynasty?"
"That's what I'm afraid of. The other party can't do it at all, but they just lied to us."
Chen Zuyi sighed and said: "This is also what I am worried about. However, it is precisely because I am worried about this. I have decided to agree to all their requests for Nanyang, no matter how much, as long as they do not give out real money."
Chen Zuxiao said: "Brother, this is not good. Let's not talk about anything else. Our waterway to Tianzhu is shared back and forth. Many times it depends on their face. We will bring in Jinghai. Can it really be done?"
Chen Zuyi said: "It doesn't matter. The world is bustling for profit, and the world is bustling for profit. The more profits they make in Nanyang, the less they can give up. In Nanyang, only I can guarantee their interests. They will The less likely you are to fall out with me."
"When the time comes, host and guest change, they are the ones begging us. We are not begging them."
"If you can't let go of your children, you can't trap the wolf."
Chen Zuxiao couldn't help but said: "What about our business?"
The Chen family's main source of profit is actually the distribution of Ming Dynasty products to various parts of Southeast Asia and even the West. If Jinghai Company is introduced. Then their interests must be divided.
Chen Zuyi said: "It doesn't matter. They are outsiders and can't compare with us anyway. Furthermore, by cooperating with them, we will gain a lot and won't suffer much loss. Furthermore, we have other things to do." .”
As for what exactly is going on, I won’t comment for now.
Although it is difficult to understand simply that Chen Zuxiao received instructions from Chen Zuyi. But it was still implemented.
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A few months down the line. Under He Xi, the new Jingjiang City has been built.
Jingjiang was originally another name for Guilin. Or Jingjiang.
But now it has been renamed Guilin. Now, the new word "Jingjiang" may be removed in a few years. There is only Jingjiang City.
Within these few months, Jingjiang City has been completed. Although they are all rammed earth buildings and not covered with bricks, it looks like an ordinary small town. There are only tens of thousands of people, and in real terms, it is estimated to be a little more than 10,000 households.
However, the basic economic operation has begun to operate slowly.
Inside and outside Jingjiang City, there are mountains of large trees. Will be sold here. Transfer to Fujian. Or, just build the boat here.
Big ships may not be built. But fishing boats have already started to be built. King Jingjiang is also preparing to recruit some fishermen. Specialized in fishing. As for deer skins, the first batch of deer skins has passed through Jinghai Trading Company and was sold in Nanjing. King Jingjiang made a lot of money. King Jingjiang specially set up a deer shooting team, all of which were good archers, to hunt deer. If you could shoot a deer without damaging its fur. Will be seriously injured.
At the same time, another kind of trade also flourished unintentionally.
Nothing else but medicinal materials.
First of all, deer antler is very popular as a medicinal material. Sold along with the deerskin. Soon King Jingjiang found out. This is truly a treasure. Because of the original ecological conditions, many continents are difficult to find. Or medicinal materials that cannot be found.
Moreover, King Jingjiang did not need to send people to pick these medicinal materials himself. Just let the various tribes of cooked barbarians use them as commodities or tributes.
In the past few months, King Jingjiang went on three expeditions. Almost all the major tribes in southern Taiwan were conquered. It also made Jingjiang City the political and economic center of Tainan. Many barbarians are trading in Jingjiang City. King Jingjiang organized a business to resell Ming Dynasty's daily necessities to the indigenous people, and they could also make a lot of money.
In short, within the past few months, King Jingjiang's family was no longer empty.
Of course, the most important thing is farmland. Pieces of cultivated land have been reclaimed, covering tens of thousands of acres. The Jingjiang River management project is also under preparation. It is planned to fill in the wetlands in the lower reaches of Jingjiang River and use them as paddy fields. If this project can be completed.
It is not a problem for Jingjiang Fan to be self-sufficient, and it is even possible to sell grain to the court.
This way, there is still some distance between maintaining this stall.
However, the court has promised to take charge for three years. Now the three guards of King Jingjiang all receive royal salaries. But this was only the first year, and after three years, the foundation of the Jingjiang clan was solid.
There is no need for He Xi to stay here.
Because the matter of He Xi presiding over the vassal status of King Jingjiang can be considered completed.
However, in He Xi's view, King Jingjiang has changed a lot during this period. Sometimes it is very helpful for a person to personally participate in something instead of getting caught up in emotions.
He Xi had never seen the King of Nanchang who guarded Nanchang alone for three months. During Chen Youliang's nearly 100-day siege, various problems arose, and even once he invaded the city, they were all resolved by the King of Nanchang. But some old people around King Jingjiang cried secretly when they saw King Jingjiang like this, saying that King Jingjiang had the temperament of King Nanchang.
He Xi felt that King Jingjiang was not hopeless.
So, before He Xi leaves. Decided to have a good talk with King Jingjiang.
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On a high ground next to King Jingjiang Pier, He Xi and King Jingjiang stood side by side. He Xi looked at the ships on the dock from a distance. The current Jingjiang Wharf receives about ten merchant ships a month. Some come from Southeast Asia, some come from mainland China. Even came from Japan once.
Although there are some less than a dozen ships. But a good start.
He Xi said: "We need a lighthouse here."
King Jingjiang said: "Lighthouse?"
He Xi said: "Lighting up lights at night is used to guide ships. It is of great use to the port. I am also planning to set up lighthouses along the coast. It is best to have lighthouses along the coast of the Ming Dynasty. It will allow ships to sail at night."
This is He Xi's truth.
With the advent of the Age of Discovery, some infrastructure is also very important. Many ports in China do not have lighthouses. Many ports in Western Europe have them. The reason is that the Ming and Qing Dynasties did not pay much attention to shipping. And when the Westerners opened the country, it didn't take long for radio to be invented. The lighthouse is of no use anymore.
But in this day and age, lighthouses serve as a basic measure. Still very useful.
King Jingjiang said: "I know."
He Xi said: "Life in this world is actually like being on the vast sea. If there is a lighthouse to guide the direction, it will not deviate and cause a big disaster. Do you think it is right or not, Your Majesty?"
King Jingjiang naturally heard something in Li Hexi's words and said, "What uncle wants to say. Just say it."
He Xi said: "Okay. I'm leaving. As a vassal king, you can't leave the fiefdom without permission. We don't know when we can meet again in the future. There are some things I want to say frankly. Of course, you don't want to hear it. If so, just ignore it. I just do my best and obey fate."
King Jingjiang said: "Uncle, please speak."
