From Chief to Ball

"It's just Qianjin Shigu. Since they want to open the market to pay tribute, they have to plan for the long term. How much will they get from this rice? If they can open the market for trade, how much can they get? But... even if it is Qianjin Shigu pretending to be a gesture , but compared to those red barbarians and profiteers, after all, they have done some good deeds, so it is hard to refuse."

"My lord, the price of rice has risen three times a day, and the people in several counties are uneasy. It will take some time to wait for the merchants in Jiangsu and Zhejiang to transfer grain and rice..."

Jiang Zhili waved his hand, indicating that there is no need to go on. Of course he understands this, and he also knows that what is most lacking at this time is enough cheap rice, but what exactly do these people want to do?

If it is really for tribute trade, I have never heard of such a thing. Even Ryukyu, which often comes to pay tribute, is just for trade goods.

Siam produces rice, Jiang Zhili also knows, but it is not easy to go to sea, and no one knows how to transport rice.Compared with other goods, the profit of rice is really not worth mentioning, but this group of people who shouted for trade sent rice at this critical moment as if they had already planned it.

After thinking about it carefully, Jiang Zhili only felt that this group of people was really terrifying, even more terrifying than those Hongyi.Hongyi is just relying on the opportunity of strong ships and guns and the emptiness of coastal defenses to conduct trade with various unacceptable means.This group of people, relying on their proficiency in the principles of heaven and earth, counted the opportunities and people's hearts correctly.

In desperation, he had no choice but to bring the messenger over and ask himself.There have long been rumors that this state is also the descendant of the people of Middle Earth. After seeing the messenger, I believed it even more.

The envoys sent by Chen Jian can already speak a lot of Ming Dynasty official language, and they are not those businessmen who have been bought by money. They are people who have been fighting in the trading company for many years. This is the etiquette of your own country.

Jiang Zhili didn't criticize him either, he asked some trivial matters first, and finally asked, "Where is your governor now?"

"It's just outside the sea. The governor said that the Celestial Dynasty has its own system, and the Emperor of China has its own system. Since this is the place under the jurisdiction of the Emperor of China, people from any country should abide by the emperor's laws on their land. Therefore, without permission, no They will call at the port privately. If Mr. Lizhi does not agree to call at the port, he can also send a small boat to trade at sea."

Jiang Zhili was startled inwardly, saying that only by knowing oneself and the enemy can success be achieved. He knew nothing about the other party, but the other party even knew his own words.According to the difference of the country, he was not called an adult, but he was called Biao, which made him feel uncomfortable, but he was not angry.

Chapter 55 Reception

Hearing what the envoy said, Jiang Zhili's heart became active.It seems that I thought too much before. After all, this group of people is different from those Hongyi Fanbang, and they will not do such things as taking advantage of the fire.

The envoy said again: "Mr. Lizhi, Governor Chen Jian also said that after the catastrophe, it is time to show the mighty grace of God. Now the rice market must be expensive. If parity is enforced, the merchants will not sell it. The only way to transport these rice Only in the past can we contain it. Otherwise, you will force the price of rice to drop, and there will only be no rice to buy in the market."

Jiang Zhili snorted and said, "As your governor said, I still have to agree to enter Hong Kong?"

The envoy also laughed and said: "The safety of more than [-] people in several counties in Quanzhou depends on Mr. Lizhi's words. Besides, our country is tens of thousands of miles away, and these people are not our people. Naturally, they are herdsmen if they enter or not. The decision is made by those who decide. I heard from Mr. Chen that there is a saying that everyone has a heart of compassion. Even if it is thousands of miles away, who does not have parents, wives and children? Who can see their wives and children scattered, starving and dying all over the place without moving?"

"What a compassionate heart everyone has. You don't have the study of saints, but you actually have such thoughts?"

"Mr. Lizhi was joking. Is it possible that without the knowledge of saints, you would kill your parents to avoid wasting food? Humans are not beasts. Could it be that before becoming saints, everyone here was beasts?"

"presumptuous!"

The emissary was not afraid, and said with a smile: "Before I came, Mr. Chen told me that Mr. Lizhi would not refuse. First of all, you have a good official reputation, and you have already inquired about it. If you are a corrupt official, we will have a heart of compassion. There is no need to be so troublesome. What can’t be done by throwing gold and silver? Besides, even if you disagree, is it possible that no merchants will go to sea to load? At that time, the rich merchants will benefit, but the common people will suffer. Good thoughts can’t bear it. If it’s presumptuous to have compassion for people, then I can go back and ask the person who recorded the history to write in the history of our country: On the day of the year, the earthquake in Quanzhou, our country’s envoys couldn’t bear to starve and die, and transferred rice. , Ranzhou Mu Jiang Zhili..."

When Jiang Zhili heard this, his previous anger actually subsided a little, not only because he was angry, but because he was overly angry, he actually laughed.

Looking at this emissary who is neither humble nor overbearing, he said with a smile: "Forget it, you don't understand the words of the saints, and I don't care about you. If that's the case, where is your governor's fleet? I will personally set up a boat to pay a visit."

"It's just a hundred miles away from the sea. According to the law of our country, all offshore islands within a hundred miles are territorial waters, and they are not allowed to pass without consent."

Jiang Zhili originally thought about educating this person about what is the king of the world, but then he thought that these verbal disputes are not interesting, so he stopped talking and prepared to go to sea to meet Chen Jian.

After all, he is still a good official, so Chen Jian did what he liked, just like Gao Cai did what he liked, but the methods he used were quite different.

Chen Jian was indeed at sea at this time, but just as Jiang Zhili thought, he didn't come here after hearing the earthquake here, but started preparing as early as the end of June when he sent the envoy.

The Quanzhou earthquake was a big event, and it was also the starting point for a series of Quanzhou people to go to Taiwan for reclamation. Chen Jian must manage his relationship with Quanzhou officials well.

Yuegang is a trading port, while Quanzhou is gradually declining and there is not much arable land, and it is closer to Penghu and Taiwan. In the future, this will be the grassroots of Taiwan, so I have to worry about it.

At the beginning of June, he sent people to stay in Ayutthaya to continue wrangling with Thailand, so he began to buy rice and lime, as well as some medicinal materials to prevent plague and malaria from the shop in Ayutthaya.

Maritime merchants had already told Chen Jian about the situation of the navy's Xun soldiers, and Chen Jian didn't miss the opportunity. When he sent envoys to Zhangzhou and Fuzhou to make troubles, he took the fleet to Taiwan and took advantage of the navy's departure. in a circle.

The tribute trade is not something that a governor can decide, it must be reported, and Chen Jian estimates that the time to report will not be until the end of August, even if everything goes well, it will have to wait until next year.

There are many things that can be done in this year, but there is also a place to dock. Without authorization, it is impossible for him to dock in Daming's port. After all, this is a warship, not a simple merchant ship.The bribe money should be used as it should be, and it is pure waste if it should not be used. It is unavoidable to occupy Taiwan and do something. Of course, it must be planned early.

Regarding the tribute trade, Chen Jian still has confidence, at least he wants to have confidence in himself.After all, this is the ethnic group to which I belong, and it is impossible to make a Ming Dynasty Maggarni incident that will cause eternal hatred. I also brought flintlock guns, regimental field artillery, looms, and mathematics. I also brought books, as well as matches and hot air balloons, so it shouldn't go unnoticed.

I just don't know if those big bosses who are busy fighting for the country and the demon book case are interested.Firearms master Zhao Shizhen is about to die of worry, Sun Yuanhua is still studying elementary geometry in Shanghai, Li Zhizao is not in the capital but digging rivers in Jining.

For this tribute trade trip, Chen Jian also took great pains.On the one hand, national pride made him emotionally believe that the Ming Dynasty version of Magarni would not be produced, and on the other hand, the rationality of interest analysis made him believe that this time it might be difficult.

In order to make complete preparations, this sea trip from Ayutthaya also hired some local Chinese and sea merchants who can write traditional Chinese characters. Various books that came over.

From the "Geometric Algebra" he sorted out to the "Induction and Logical Deduction" he first wrote to his husband; from the construction of water conservancy engineering to the accounting manual for calculating accounts for money and grain; from the breeding of improved breeding to decades A summary of several classic battles in the previous Unification War...

During the day, I kept translating carefully selected things with my mouth, and at night I tried to practice writing traditional characters. All these actions have caused dissatisfaction among many people on board, and some people were extremely dissatisfied.

Chen Jian had already endured the enormous pressure from some people in the fleet to write the national letter like that. He knew that it was easy to be picked out and rejected, but this was already the limit.

He has to consider the feelings of these people, because one person can't do anything and needs the help of these people.The republic of Chinese people's thinking has serious xenophobia, and this xenophobia is not divided by race but by ethnic groups in the community.These people also have dignity and face, and it is impossible to follow Ryukyu and write a letter of credence claiming to surrender. If the news spreads and returns to China, it will be a radical bullet.

There are mercenary merchants in the fleet, but there are also young officers and young men who are willing to sacrifice for the sake of glory, and some things are really difficult to balance.

If the trade request is rejected this time, no matter who becomes the governor of Asia, he will make some moves that Chen Jian does not want to see. This is the interest.

Now the initiative is still in my own hands for the time being, but once the situation cannot be opened, the initiative will fall into the hands of others, and I am afraid that they will do some things that the colonists should do at this time, and then the trouble will be big—— Colonization also requires scientific management. The tools have been learned, and it will only be easier to use, softer, more delicate, and more aggressive.

By putting the magic stick under the guise of science, Chen Jian took out all the things he could rely on. From then on, the history he knew was no longer meaningful.

At this time, Chen Jian was also fidgeting. He didn't settle down until he received the news that Jiang Zhili had come in person.

Everything is as usual, let the soldiers line up on the deck to welcome them, and line up their guns in salute.

Jiang Zhili also knew that he was representing the dignity of the heaven and the kingdom, so he held his head high, as if he couldn't hear the gunshots, but he was secretly surprised by the sharpness of the guns and the size of the boat.

Chen Jian led the crowd to greet them, and after a ceremony, they didn't know how to address them. After all, there had never been a country that insisted on talking about equal exchanges between states.

Without arguing about this issue for the time being, Chen Jian said that he would call each other Mr. according to his seniority, and Jiang Zhili did not refuse.

After the ceremony, they entered the cabin and were already ready for the banquet. They sat down according to domestic etiquette, and Chen Jian introduced everyone at the banquet one by one.

A good introduction with official status, the official names are all nondescript things copied from the beginning, and the envoys are nothing more than Yuanwailang or the like.

Because of Lan Qi and Lin Xi's performance in the smallpox epidemic in the capital city, their status was not low among the crowd, and they sat down in the third or fourth place, which made Jiang Zhili quite puzzled.

At first, I thought it was a diva, but after looking at her demeanor, she didn't look like it. Moreover, the man sitting under the two women actually felt at ease, and didn't have any expression of embarrassment.

But Jiang Zhili still couldn't bear it after all, and said with a smile: "There are principles in the universe, and there are rules in human relations. Your country lives in the far west. Could it be that the morning steward in your country is actually a rooster?"

Chen Jian wiped off his sweat secretly, then hurriedly turned around and said to those people: "He asked why you are sitting at the bottom of the two women?"

The people sitting behind said a few words, Chen Jian explained again, Jiang Zhili nodded and said: "It turns out that she is a benevolent concubine from the Far West, which is understandable."

Lan Qi obviously didn't know who the righteous concubine was, and she didn't understand the chicken too well, but after so long, she understood what Jiang Zhili meant, and cast a dissatisfied glance at Chen Jian, who was obviously translating randomly, and said seriously: "Mr. Shepherds in Quanzhou, with a population of [-]. However, the sister next to me tried the medicine, so that tens of millions of people in the country no longer fear smallpox. Stop the spread of the epidemic. If you talk about achievements, I’m afraid you are not qualified to say what kind of chickens we are. When you can do something that benefits millions of people, it’s not too late to say this. Within our country, hundreds of years ago When the country was founded, it was rumored that women can hold up half the sky. They went out with the army to heal wounded soldiers, taught Meng children to read and write, and delivered children to increase the population. Don't mention it again."

Chen Jian coughed lightly, thinking that this was also a troublesome matter.I'm afraid that even if it is possible to trade, women will definitely not be able to go ashore. He originally planned to take Lan Qi to experience the land system here, but now it seems that he may not have this opportunity.

Jiang Zhili had never seen such a woman in public, his face changed slightly, but fortunately Chen Jian changed the subject.

After changing the topic, Chen Jian didn't directly talk about trade or rice. Knowing that people are talking about the world at this time, he asked, "Does Mr. Jiang know the world at this time?"