I

Page 216

"Wrong, wrong!" Zhao Han shook his head again and again.

Fei Ruhe asked confusedly, "Isn't that so?"

Zhao Han sighed: "If you can do business in an aboveboard manner, who the hell is willing to smuggle it secretly?"

"Because there is no need to pay taxes for smuggling," Fei Ruhe said.

Zhao Han analyzed: "How much money do these merchants have to spend every year to bribe the governor, chief envoy, inspector, capital department, city shipping department, inspection department, and seaside guards. The money used for bribes is no more than the normal tax payment. What they are really afraid of is that they will have to pay customs duties and pay bribes to officials.”

"That's right." Fei Ruhe scratched his head and said.

Zhao Han continued: "If the sea trade is legal, these merchants will help us fight against smuggling. Because the smugglers are also robbing their business, and there is no tariff cost. What should really be watched is that they are doing business seriously. , while secretly engaging in smuggling, and attacking other smugglers by the way.”

"Then how to prevent it?" Fei Ruhe asked.

"Smuggling is impossible to ban, it can only be controlled to the greatest extent," Zhao Han said, "I have read all the things you wrote. There are two urgent tasks: first, establish an offshore navy dedicated to search Smuggling; second, bring several smuggling ports under government management, especially Macau. Call your scholar!"

The official names are Haojing, Haojingao and Xiangshanao, but the local fishermen call it Macau.

As for the scholar, the one who put up the big-character poster has now been hired by Fei Ruhe as a consultant.

This person's name is Deng Yunzhan, who was born in a collateral line of the Deng family. His family owned a small shop in Guangzhou, and they managed to get by.

"Meet the general town!" Deng Yunzhan cupped his hands.

"Please sit down," Zhao Han said straight to the point, "Is it easy to take back Macau?"

Deng Yunzhan said with a smile: "It's easy, if there is no food for three months, and food is not allowed to go to sea, all the Hongyi in Haojing will starve to death."

Zhao Han laughed loudly: "It's really easy."

In fact, Macau is not considered a Portuguese colony, because the Ming court did not give up any sovereignty.

Ming has always allowed the Portuguese to occupy Macau, purely for the purpose of importing silver, and both sides get what they need.

There is a checkpoint in Macau, which is opened once every five days, and is specially used for Portuguese people to purchase food.

During the reign of Emperor Tianqi, He Shijin, governor of Guangdong and Guangxi, learned that the Portuguese built earthen cities, bunkers and forts in Macau, and immediately ordered the Portuguese-Macau Parliament to dismantle them.

The governor of Portugal and Macao refused to implement it, and Guangdong immediately cut off the supply of grain and timber.As a result, the Portuguese did not have enough to eat, and the ships had no wood for repairs.The Portuguese residents, who were starving, went directly to the governor of Portugal and Macau. In the end, the governor obediently demolished the bunkers and forts.

After Deng Yunzhan told these stories, Zhao Han asked, "Should Hongyi's crimes be handed over to the magistrate of Xiangshan County?"

"Hong Yi admits to handing over the criminals, but every time he finds excuses to shirk," Deng Yunzhan sighed, "In the end, there was still no food, forcing Hong Yi to hand over the murderer."

Zhao Han suddenly asked, "Can't Hongyi go to Annan (Vietnam) to buy grain?"

"I can't buy it," Deng Yunzhan explained in detail, fearing that Zhao Han would not understand, "there are also several countries in Hongyi. The Hongyi in Macau are from the big Franji people (Portugal); the Hongyi in Luzon are from the small Franji people." People (Spain); the Hongyi of the big man, I don’t know where he came from, and he is called the Hongfan ghost (Netherlands). This big Frenchman seems to have a feud with the Hongfan ghost..."

Through Deng Yunzhan's dictation, Zhao Han had a general understanding of the situation in Nanyang.

Today's Vietnam is divided into two, North Vietnam is under the regime of Zheng, and South Vietnam is under the regime of Nguyen.

After Japan closed the country, Han Chinese merchants controlled South Vietnamese trade, and Dutch merchants controlled North Vietnamese trade.

Han merchants control three trade lines——

First, China-South Vietnam-Japan.

Second, China-South Vietnam-Cambodia-Japan.

Third, China-South Vietnam-Philippines.

The Portuguese bought grain from North Vietnam recently, but the Dutch made a hindrance, and Portuguese merchant ships could not approach at all.

As for South Vietnam, not to mention the Portuguese, the Dutch can't go there.Because of the Nguyen regime, Western religions were banned every now and then, and white people were robbed and killed. It was too difficult for Europeans to do business there.

Portuguese can only buy food in Guangzhou!

Deng Yunzhan also reminded: "The general town must pay attention to the fact that Guangdong does not produce much grain. Once there is a natural disaster year, if we continue to transport grain to Hongyi, the price of grain in Guangdong will inevitably rise sharply, and the people in Guangzhou will definitely be hungry. No. It is said that grain is prohibited from going to sea, but merchants must be selected to specialize in it, and it is stipulated that only how much grain can be sold each month."

"This is a good reminder." Zhao Han nodded.

Deng Yunzhan also said: "We can let Han merchants go to Ruanzhu (South Vietnam) to buy grain, and only charge a small amount of tax when transporting it back to Guangdong. Only in this way can it be profitable, and only merchants are willing to buy grain back to Guangdong, so that Guangdong Grain has become richer. It was not possible before, because of the Daming sea ban, officials were required to be bribed when traveling, making it unprofitable to buy grain from Annan."

"You are a great talent," Zhao Han praised, "Any other suggestions? Feel free to speak up."

Deng Yunzhan said: "Macao can be taken back for management, but the Hongyi must not be expelled. These Hongyi can bring a lot of silver. Today's Haojing is monopolized by Dafraji (Portugal). You can send someone to contact the Hongfan ghost ( Holland), let the Hongfan ghosts also come to Macau for trade. In this way, the barbarians can be controlled, and one family will not be dominated, and it will be easier to manage in the future.”

"Great kindness!" Zhao Han thought it was a good idea.

Deng Yunzhan suddenly looked serious: "Businessmen in Foshan who privately manufacture firearms must be confiscated. Moreover, private merchants cannot interfere in the manufacture of firearms in the future!"

"I have planned this for a long time," Zhao Han asked, "Would you like to be the head of the Guangzhou Shipping Department?"

"Don't dare to say goodbye!" Deng Yunzhan was quite excited.

The prefect of Guangzhou, the magistrate of Xiangshan County, the admiral of Guangzhou Shipping Department, Zhao Han has other appointments, and they are all on their way here now.

(Guangzhou Fucheng, Panyu County, and Nanhai County are all Guangzhou City. I made a mistake before, so I hereby correct it.)

Chapter 262 [Merchants' Weapons]

"Ahhhh!"

There was a knock on the door.

The gate of the courtyard was opened, and the servant saw an official messenger outside, and hurriedly asked, "What's the matter with the messenger?"

"To your master!"

The official handed out a notice, saying: "In the counties around Guangzhou, every big family must be obedient. The chief town is afraid that the notice will be posted in Luting, and you will not be able to see it if you are blind, so I will send it to the home of the big family in person. Hurry up and pick it up." Stay, I have to go to the next one."

The house slave accepted the notice, but the official sentry did not leave.

The house slave had no choice but to go back with the notice, and soon a more senior house slave came.The high-ranking servant took out a handful of copper coins and said with a smile: "The poor master took it to tea."

"Good talk!"

The official took the copper coin, put it in his arms with a smile, and left the house immediately.

Guangdong's expansion was too fast, and officials, missionaries, and peasant association backbones were stationed only in northern and western Guangdong.Moreover, the situation in those places is too complicated, and many things have to be done slowly.

As for the Guangzhou mansion, Zhao Han has already dispatched manpower, and they are arriving one after another. The officials in Guangzhou are temporarily using locals.

The high-ranking slave went in with a notice: "Master, that Zhao Tianwang has ordered that all the firearms privately hidden by the people be handed over to the yamen, and private firearms are not allowed in the future."

"He said he would hand it in?"

Xie Shijun had a sneer on his face: "There are many big families in the Guangzhou Mansion, so could it be that he is going to search every family?"

"Master is right." The senior servant smiled apologetically.

After a while, the slave came in and reported, "Master, Master Deng invites you to drink tea."

"Prepare the sedan!"

In fact, it was in Foshan Town, not far away, but Xie Shijun still went in a sedan chair, and hundreds of people followed him.

The people sitting together today are all merchants in the iron smelting industry.

In the past, the largest iron smelting family in Foshan was called "Xixiang Li", which was also the family where Li Daiwen, the Minister of the Ministry of household affairs, belonged.

The rapid growth of the Li family first came from official orders.

Because from the middle of the Ming Dynasty, the imperial pots for the internal officials, the military pots for the Ministry of War, and the official pots for the Ministry of Industry have all been purchased in Foshan Town for a long time.Foshan hot pot is even exported to Mongolia. It is not damaged when bumped on horseback, and is deeply loved by grassland herdsmen.

Foshan pot first goes northward by water, then goes to Jiangxi along the Meiling Ancient Road, passes through the Ganjiang River, enters the Yangtze River, and is transported to Beijing.

After Li Daiwen became a senior official, the court only bought pots from the Li family.Other merchants who wanted to sell hot pot had to go through the Li family, and the Li family naturally prospered.

Now, Mrs. Li was killed by a team, and the property under his name was divided up by other merchants.

Even the wealth of the Guangzhou Shipping Department was divided among these merchants, because Fei Ruhe was far away from Huizhou at that time.

"Did everyone see Zhao Tianwang's notice?" Deng Yunqiu asked.

Deng Yunzhan, the head of the Guangzhou Shipping Department appointed by Zhao Han, is a member of this Deng Yunqiu's clan.It's just that the two sides should have distanced themselves long ago, and it was also Deng Yunzhan, a member of the Deng clan, who proposed to ban private possession of firearms.

Huang Zhaoxiu said: "An arm can't twist a thigh, so let's do it."

Although the arms business comes in quickly, the number of orders is also small.If other businesses are delayed due to privately manufactured arms, the gain outweighs the loss.Many merchants who did not make firearms, or rarely made firearms, were very willing to carry out Zhao Han's orders.

Merchants in Foshan can also be internally differentiated.

"No," Xie Shijun immediately objected, "It's not about money, nor about firearms. It's about our hard work in seizing the city, so how can we count it as meritorious service? This Zhao Tianwang first killed people in front of us, and now he He wants to confiscate firearms, but he has not mentioned how to do business in the future. What does he want to do? I think he wants to cross the river and demolish the bridge!"

Feng Yangdong reminded: "I heard from a businessman from Jiangxi that this person has a dark face and likes to talk about rules. Whoever abides by his rules will talk easily. Anyone who does not abide by his rules will be arrested, and most importantly, he will ransack his family and destroy his family." , at least they will be distributed to mines."

"He sets the rules!"

Xie Shijun slapped the table fiercely: "In the future, what should we do in the land and sea business, and set the rules as soon as possible. What's the plan if you don't say anything?"

Feng Yangdong said: "Confiscating firearms and prohibiting private manufacture is to establish rules."

Deng Yunqiu's heart skipped a beat, and he suddenly came to his senses.

Yes, this is making rules.

And it depends on who obeys the rules and who doesn't.To severely punish those who do not obey the rules, Zhao Tianwang's real intention is probably to lure snakes out of their holes, and then kill chickens to scare monkeys!

Deng Yunqiu wanted to understand this, but he didn't say it.

Because Zhao Han definitely wanted to kill the family, and he couldn't establish his prestige without killing the family.That being the case, let's wait for a fool to hit the knife's edge. A dead fellow Taoist will not die a poor daoist. Anyway, the Deng family can quietly hand in their firearms.

Xie Shijun asked suddenly: "That General Zhao Er..."

"My surname is Fei, and it has been changed back to my real name," Deng Yunqiu reminded.

"Yes, that's General Fei," Xie Shijun said. "At the pier a few days ago, this man didn't kneel down. How arrogant is his attitude? In my opinion, General Fei and Zhao Tianwang must have a rift, and they don't even have face in front of everyone I did. And I heard that Zhao Tianwang used to be a slave of the Fei family, just like the Lu family was to Liu Bang. Why don’t you make friends with Fei more? Zhao Tianwang will definitely not stay in Guangzhou forever. When he leaves, let’s pay the fee Shi, don’t you have everything?”

(In the section at the pier, it is said that Fei Ruhe does not kneel, which is disrespectful to Zhao Han. It is purely from the perspective of a merchant. Why do some readers say that the protagonist is hypocritical? Maybe the author did not make it clear.)

Including Deng Yunqiu, everyone suddenly realized.

Yes, you can make good friends with Fei, and then play as you want.

Just like what they did before, they superficially surrendered to the imperial court, wooed and bribed local officials, and then acted positively and violated secretly, and the wind flourished.

Why fight?

Only fools will fight against the government, and their usual practice is to corrupt the government!

Xie Shijun smiled and said, "Last month, I gave General Fei 500 taels of silver, and General Fei took it all."

"I sent 300 taels."

"I also sent 100 taels to General Liu who he accepted."

"..."

Everyone reported all the bribes, and they burst out laughing, feeling confident in an instant.

So we decided on a countermeasure——

During this time, whatever Zhao Han said, they all cooperated fully.As soon as Zhao Han leaves, he will use the influence of the Fei family to continue to win over corrupt officials. At most, it will take a year or so to bring Guangzhou back to its old ways.

They are too familiar with the routine, how to corrupt officials, they have countless ways.

Zhao Han's weapon is a knife, and their weapon is silver.

……

"Have you handed in all the firearms?" Zhao Han asked with a smile.

Fei Ruhe said: "Very positive, never hide it privately, they dare not force it."

To deal with these Foshan merchants, Zhao Han didn't need to use a knife at all. There were two ways to get rid of the fire.

First, there are no iron ore mines in Foshan, and the rivers are blocked directly to prevent iron ore from being sold to Foshan.

Second, apart from iron pots, there are many other iron wares in Foshan that need to be transported from Jiangxi to the north for sale. Zhao Han can order that the iron wares are not allowed to go north!

These two methods can put Foshan merchants to death.

As for the bribe money, Fei Ruhe handed over all of it.Not only Fei Ruhe, but also other officers along the way, as well as missionaries in the army, many of them received money.

After Fei Ruhe received the first sum of money, he called the military judge and missionary officer over, and said with a smile, "If someone gives you money, you will accept it. You have to record how much money you receive, and it will be considered as a merchant's donation."

There must be someone who will be corrupted, but it will definitely not be a high-level person like Fei Ruhe.

Especially Fei Ruhe, if he can find Zhao Han to do some business, the family will be able to make a lot of money, so why should he be greedy for your few hundred taels?

Zhao Han sighed and said, "I'm a little worried about their cooperation like this. Especially for the soon-to-be-established Shipbuilding Department, I'm afraid people will send money every day, and I don't know how many officials can resist it."

Deng Yunzhan interrupted suddenly: "This must be strictly investigated. For more than [-] years since the founding of the Ming Dynasty, merchants have been using money to buy officials. If they come to buy one another, [-]% of the officials will not be able to resist the temptation. The remaining [-]% are honest and selfless. Either pretend If you are deaf and dumb, you will be a muddleheaded official, or you will be bought and transferred by them to enforce the law impartially."