choke element

Zhigu Village.

In every war in the past few years, this shipping hub will be targeted by the enemy and suffer considerable losses.But after every war, it can always recover rapidly, and then expand even more.

It is now approaching late autumn, the wind and waves on the sea are getting stronger, and the sea breeze is gradually bringing some coolness, but the sea is still far from freezing.Experienced sailors counted and estimated that it would take about two months before the ports in Liaodong and Korea would freeze.At that time, the sea ice stretched for several miles or even tens of miles, and the sea passages were completely cut off.So at this moment, we have to pay extra attention and arrange for the fleet to enter the port and load the goods.

After the navy took control of the central capital, their territory was no longer two pieces facing each other across the sea, but a complete semi-circle.Theoretically speaking, land transportation will be opened up, and the dependence on sea transportation will be reduced, but this is not the case in reality.

The construction of the Dajin Kingdom’s roads, delivery shops, and post-transmission systems began in the Tianhui period and was perfected in the Taihe period.The person in charge of perfecting it was Xu Ding, who was then the Minister of the Ministry of Industry and is now the Youcheng Minister of the Great Jin Kingdom.During this period, there was also a story of a fast horse handing over seven hundred miles a day to transport lychees for Emperor Sejong.

However, the so-called perfection did not last for a long time, because after the end of Taihe, Dajin and Mongolia continued to fight, postmen and posthorses were continuously transferred, and post stations and post roads were also rapidly destroyed.Right now, what the Dinghai Navy inherits are the broken roads, the evacuated maintenance manpower and the ancillary buildings that look like ruins. If you want to restore them to the old look, I am afraid that it will not be difficult to see results in three to five years.

Therefore, the maritime traffic is still in full swing. According to the eye-catching records issued by Zhigu Village, the business of many maritime merchants has improved several times compared to last year.The Southern Dynasties blocked the grain demand in the North for a time, but this action in vain caused the price of grain transactions to rise sharply. When the price fell, the shipments of various materials could only be more than before.As a result, the withdrawal amount in Zhigu Village also turned around and went up.

The number of goods collected and distributed has increased, and the number of merchants staying and traveling has increased, and the affiliated shops, warehouses, docks, and fortresses have been expanding.Up to now, Zhigu Village is no longer the long strip stretching along the Xin'an Sea, but has become a "Y" shape extending to the upper reaches of Lushui and Lugou River. Wuqing County must be included.

Even further upstream, when Chen Ran led his troops to fight against the Mongols, they built many temporary camps one after another. Around these camps, there were also stables or continuous houses out of thin air, which were rented out for profit.

Guo Ning knew that some of them were established by merchants themselves, some were established by profit-making organizations under the left and right divisions, and some were built by local soldiers with their own military salaries and rewards to make extra money.

It is a taboo for the military to do business, but Guo Ning has not yet figured out whether it is appropriate for soldiers to do business in their private capacity, and whether they can manage it.So let's just turn a blind eye.

In terms of the scale of the building and the prosperity of pure enjoyment, this place is still far away from Daxing Mansion in the central capital.However, the difference between the two places is also very clear.

In a big city like Daxing Mansion, the central capital, which is the center of military politics, almost all the wealthy people in the city are concentrated under the nobles and officials. Governance, and the ability to control resources are closely related to political status.

However, in a port formed by commerce and smuggling like Zhiguzhai, resources are in rapid turnover, and the officials representing the Ding Navy face the merchants and leaders at sea, and are members under the same rules. , so they seldom display their official power, and the atmosphere between the military and the people is very harmonious.

Of course, this is under normal circumstances.

Once a big event happened in Zhongdu City, and this big event was related to the direction of Zhigu Village, the atmosphere would not be harmonious.Although the guarding officials here tried their best to put on a safe and sound posture, the solemnity in the air still lingered.

Zhou Keshan took his fleet and advanced to the port in an hour, planning to leave the port on the same day.

He is a subordinate of Dinghai, but his external identity is more like an agent or collaborator of Dinghai at sea.Based on this, it was more convenient for him to travel around the Song Kingdom in the Southern Dynasties. At least on the surface, everyone could justify it, without involving the delicate relationship between the Jin and Song Dynasties.

However, with this status, he and his fleet rarely undertake the transportation tasks assigned by the Marshal's Mansion, but have to earn money in a serious manner.After opening up the grain trade, Zhou Keshan lingered in Chuzhou, Gaoyou and other places in the Song Dynasty for a while. Through the introduction of local officials, he got a batch of copper mirrors and copper lamps produced in Huzhou, and transported them all the way back to Zhigu Village. .

This batch of bronze wares will be eaten up by the Marshal's Mansion according to the previously agreed price, and melted into money.And Zhou Keshan will get a batch of exquisite silk, and resell them to Korea to make a fortune.

It is the garrison officials in Zhigu Village who are responsible for transporting and handing over the silk fabrics.The local officials and several small officials are familiar with Zhou Keshan.So Zhou Keshan didn't shy away from them, and arranged to ship a batch of ironware to the ship by the way.

Ironware does not take up much space, but it is very heavy and there are a lot of it, because the first batch of iron needles to be put into the ship's warehouse are all iron needles.This is a commodity that is in short supply in Korea. As long as it is sent to Licheng Port, the price can be increased by five times.

The reason why the profit is so high is that copper and iron are forbidden materials.The Song Dynasty strictly prohibited the export of bronze wares, and Zhou Keshan sold them anyway, just as the Jin Dynasty strictly prohibited the export of iron wares, so Zhou Keshan did the same business.This was a special discount given to Zhou Keshan by the Dinghai Navy, and it was also the basis for him to occupy a certain position at sea and in front of the merchants of the Song Dynasty in the Southern Dynasty.After all, the tighter the commodity, the more money it means, and who would have trouble with money?
After the iron needle, there are shovels, shovels, iron pots, etc., all of which can be sold at high prices.

The Zhiku under Zhou Keshan counted and reported the number loudly: "[-] iron needles, [-] shovels, [-] shovels, [-] large iron pots... and the previously agreed What about the iron ax?"

This is the normal operation when sending and receiving goods on a daily basis.Many materials are not listed in the ledger records on the surface, because the ledgers are just spending accounts, and there are private account records, which are not clear on the top, but you will suffer.

But the atmosphere on the pier at this time is really different from the past.Nazhiku reported twice, and suddenly an officer rushed over with dozens of soldiers, and yelled, "This is iron! How can iron be shipped out!"

Zhiku has rarely been scolded like this here, and he showed an angry look at that time.

Zhou Keshan hurriedly stopped Zhiku, took a few steps forward and said with a smile: "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm afraid this general just came to Zhigu Village not long ago, I'm a bit unfamiliar..."

Before he finished speaking, the officer punched Zhou Keshan in the face and knocked Zhou Keshan down.

This punch was not light, and Zhou Keshan's face was bleeding immediately.He turned his back to the sky, held his nose and waited to slow his cheeks, when a reckless man was picked out from behind the side of the boat, it was Wang Erbai.

This guy has been at sea for a long time, and his temper has become a little violent. He immediately kicked the officer out of the trestle bridge and fell into the sea water.