In the next few days, Li Mingxun stayed in the shipyard. While supervising the construction of four sand ships, he also inspected the shipbuilding technology of the Ming Dynasty. After a few days, Li Mingxun felt that the shipbuilding technology of the Ming Dynasty was far behind that of the Thai countries. At least with his current strength, he could not create Garen-style sailing ships like the Tiger Shark.

In fact, the Eastern shipbuilding technology has put people's subjective initiative to the limit, at least in the technology of craftsmen, and what is lacking is the use of various tools and even machinery. You must know that the reason why the Dutch became a maritime coachman and owned two-thirds of European merchant ships was that they used machinery on a large scale.

Not only that, because the Ming Dynasty did not have the tradition of long-distance trade and colonization, the ships manufactured were mainly large in carrying capacity and cheap and easy to build. Although there were also cross-age technologies such as watertight compartments, fundamentally speaking, the Ming Dynasty's shipbuilding concept has already taken a detour. The ships manufactured are not suitable for using firearms, and the degree of sturdiness is not as strong as heavy artillery such as cannons.

But Lee Myung-hoon had no doubt that as long as they gave them detailed drawings and manufacturing methods, they would be able to create warships of the highest standards of Thailand.

Li Mingxun stayed in Jiangyin for five days. Now it is not only the technology that restricts the Ming Dynasty from manufacturing advanced warships, but also the materials. They can also compromise on the keel and mast to meet the technical standards. However, the ribs required to manufacture advanced warships are in short supply. You must know that each rib is hardwood for more than a hundred years, and a twenty-four-meter-long ship requires thirty-six ribs, so the length of warships often reaches fifty meters or even longer.

"No matter what, get the person back first." With some regrets, Li Mingxun returned to Nanjing.

When he arrived in Nanjing, under the guidance of Xu Changxing, Li Mingxun came to the warehouse next to the dock. Two huge warehouses were filled with goods of his own, one thousand stones of iron, piles of porcelain, Songjiang cloth, bags of tea, and various silk silk cotton. The manager of the trading company was so busy that Xu Changxing also sent a few confidants to prepare the goods of 100,000 taels of silver.

"Brother, do you want to transfer some ships from the sand boat to help you transport them back?" Xu Changxing spoke much more cordially in front of an outsider and asked with a smile.

Li Mingxun shook his head slightly. Although Xu Changxing was the shopkeeper of the Shachuan Gang, he could not be the main owner. The Shachuan Gang had his own business, but most of it was to transport other merchants' goods. Generally speaking, it was easy to go overseas and pump 20% to 30% of the goods. Moreover, for the sake of confidentiality, Li Mingxun didn't want people to know the existence of Budai Port too early.

"Brother Lao, don't worry, I have already booked several sand boats, and it's time to come. I'm sorry, I'll ask my brother to recruit some sailors and sea dogs for me, and the price is easy to say." Li Mingxun said.

"It's simple. Now that winter is coming, trade is decreasing, and many people are idle." Xu Changxing said with a smile.

"Why didn't I see Mr. Cheng?" Li Mingxun asked. If there were no 20,000 stones of food, there would be a famine in Taiwan.

Xu Changxing's face changed slightly, and he pulled Li Mingxun into a corner of the warehouse and whispered: "Mr. Cheng really has a way to do about the 20,000 shi of grain you want, but it's a little trouble."

"Is the other party asking for too high a price?" It was the time of spring famine for grain storage. Li Mingxun's first worry was the price. Although he had to buy it with a tough time, he was unwilling to spend money in vain.

"That's not, a stone of brown rice only costs one tael of eight cents." Xu Changxing said.

Li Mingxun suppressed the impulse in his heart. Now the autumn grain is almost consumed, and the brown rice on the market is now over 2.5% off. Although large-scale purchases are cheaper, they did not expect it to be so cheap. You know, by the spring next year, you can take action.

"What's the problem?" Li Mingxun couldn't help but become alert.

Xu Changxing said: "One is that the food origin is not right, and the other is that the other party has a request. If you want it, you have to buy all 35,000 stones. If you don't agree, you will not sell it at all!"

Li Mingxun frowned slightly. The second request was not an exaggeration. Anyway, Taiwan has not yet formed enough grain production, so it is okay to buy more. Li Mingxun asked: "Where is this food coming from?"

Xu Changxing said: "It's grain!"

Li Mingxun immediately understood that this batch of grain was not just grain, but also stolen grain embezzled by officials. Since the Beijing-Hangzhou Canal, the grain transportation yamen on the canal has a first-class fertilizer shortage, and only the salt administration can compare with it. Take the Ming Dynasty for example. The grain transportation cereals transported the capital every year as much as four million stones, but the loss was twice as much. There were also projects such as water and feet and silver. In total, it was probably cost tens of millions of stones. The officials of the Ministry of Revenue and the heads of the Ministry of Revenue intervened in the process and embezzled the grain in the warehouse. Even those warehouse officials could get a lot of grain. Millions of stones of grain were put into the pockets of these "hamsters" every year, and they became the main patrons of grain merchants and the initiators of hype of grain. Of course, these people were also the main force that hindered the sea transportation trade.

However, Li Mingxun still didn't understand that these officials had been doing this business for a long time, and some of them were passed down from generation to generation. It is impossible not to know the reason why spring wasteland sells so much, and why such a big sale is like a store demolition in later generations, selling it with tears and selling it with great discounts.

"This is the food of Zhu Dadian, the former governor of the canal transportation!" Xu Changxing whispered.

Li Mingxun came to his senses. Xu Changxing explained in detail that Zhu Dadian was the governor of the grain transport after Zhang Xianzhong invaded Fengyang and served as the governor of the four prefectures. Although Zhu Dadian made many contributions, he was sitting on the Gold and Galaxy and in charge of the grain transport, so he naturally made a lot of money. Later, because the thief was overdue, he was demoted. Shi Kefa was replaced by him. Shi Kefa was different from Zhu Dadian. He worked hard to govern and rectify the grain service, impeached and dismissed three grain supervising channels in succession, and investigated Zhu Dadian's past.

If Zhu Dadian didn't care about it in normal times, he had a deep background and was supported by the Donglin Party, but now Zhu Dadian was suddenly promoted and was in charge of military affairs in Fengyang, governor Jiangbei, Henan and Huguang. If anything is found out at this time and he is charged with "not being able to maintain integrity", he will be overwhelmed by the memorial of the censor.

So Zhu Dadian hurriedly dealt with the illegal accounts of the Governor's grain during the water transportation, and the grain in his hand became a hot yam. If someone was accidentally caught, he would be wasted all his previous efforts. He didn't want to throw them away for nothing. If he followed the previous method, he would easily be followed by others. However, Li Mingxun's identity was just as Zhu Dadian's request. To put it bluntly, Li Mingxun is an overseas Chinese and is difficult to investigate. But he bought it alone, exempting many channels from it, which was even more appropriate.

"So, was he Zhu Dadian begging me to buy it?" Li Mingxun was not stunned by the pie that was smashed from the sky, and realized a very critical issue.

"Brother, don't have any thoughts. This is the Ming Dynasty, the land of Jiangsu and Zhejiang, and you will never be able to do it." Xu Changxing took Li Mingxun's hand and reminded anxiously.

As he dated Li Mingxun more, Xu Changxing became more familiar with him. In Xu Changxing's eyes, Li Mingxun was not so wise but courageous. Even the Eastern Barbarians dared to steal a hand. He was too brave. He was worried that Li Mingxun would do something inappropriate to reduce the price, such as spreading news about Zhu Dadian's greed and arbitrary behavior in Jiangnan, forcing this guy to ship the goods early.

Once Zhu Dadian was really annoyed, the post about Shen Youlong in Li Mingxun's hand could not save him.

"Don't worry, brother, I'm from Mingxun." Li Mingxun smiled and said.

Half a month later, Zhenjiang.

When Li Mingxun arrived at the restaurant, he saw Cheng Bi waiting at the door. Li Mingxun laughed: "Brother Cheng, thank you for planning the food for me this time. I am really grateful."

Cheng Bi looked deeply and said with emotion: "I, Cheng Bi, have been in business since I was a child. I have been to most of the thirteen provinces in the north and south of the Yangtze River and the thirteen provinces. I believe that I have seen many green forest heroes. Now it seems that I am also a frog in the well. There are really people outside the mountain. Alas, it is my blessing to meet you, Li Mingxun, for my life. What can I do to help you with some small favors?"

No wonder Cheng Bi's feelings about Li Mingxun changed drastically. That day, he was drunk on the Yongjin Hun. When he woke up, his servant sent a brocade box, saying it was Li Mingxun's gift. After opening it, he saw that it was a seal with foreign words engraved on it. It seemed that it was a bit different from Mongolian language. He found a knowledgeable person to check it out and found out that it was the seal of the Jialazhangjing Sea Tower in the Qing Dynasty. This Jialazhangjing was a third-rank military general, equivalent to the title of general general of the Ming Dynasty. What's more important is that this Haita is a Juelu, a distant relative of the old slave of the Donglu. If it were in the Ming Dynasty, it would be considered a royal family member.

Cheng Bi was originally a hero, otherwise he would not have dispersed all his wealth in the future Jiangyin Battle to recruit bravely to fight against the enemy. He knew that since Li Mingxun had obtained this general seal, the man from Haita must have been awarded the title. Cheng Bi asked around and learned from the sailors of Yongjin that Li Mingxun not only killed Yijia Lazhangjing, but also brought back more than 300 from Nuer Gandusi, and there were still hundreds of Donglu slaves in the workshop under his name.

With such a scale, it is a great victory even in the Ming Dynasty. How can Cheng Bi not be excited?

"Oh, Shopkeeper Cheng, why did you start chatting here? It's really heartbreaking to keep us aside." A thin man walked out of the inside, glanced at Li Mingxun, and said indifferently.

Li Mingxun looked at the man in front of him. He was over 40 years old. His pair of triangular eyes were very smart. He walnuts were playing with walnuts and flew up and down with two hands. The walnuts were bright and red, which was brighter than agate. Whether it was dressed or spoken or spoken, they were all rich and blessed. However, when he heard his words, he had three points of official accents, which was really a bit inappropriate.

"I wonder what this adult is called?" Li Mingxun, who entered the inner room, asked with a smile.

But the guy was angrily snorted and treated him coldly. Cheng Bi smiled and said, "This is Lord Song Ye and Lord Song, who is now working in the warehouse."

Song Ye smiled: "Our Song family was in the canal transportation yamen when they fought against Jiajing."

Only then did Li Mingxun understand that in the Ming Dynasty, officials were officials and officials were officials, and they could not be confused. The "separation of officials" from the Song Dynasty was demonstrated in the Ming Dynasty. In particular, Zhu Yuanzhang's small peasant thoughts were extremely hated by officials, so he compressed the official team on a large scale and allowed more administrative affairs to be undertaken by officials and staff. Among the officials in each yamen, the warehouse officials in the yamen were rare.

These guys usually use the tip of the head to the point of the husk, exchange the old for new things, and squeeze porters and boaters. They are full of borers and rats. They have been made in the past dynasties and have been richer than ordinary businessmen. Some rely on their complicated relationships and network of contacts to directly serve high-ranking officials and become confidant minions, and are more powerful than the seventh-rank county magistrate. Song Ye is naturally one of them.

"Oh, everyone says that the land of Jiangnan hides and lies in the creeping tiger. I didn't expect to see Lord Song today. It's such a great joy." Li Mingxun said with a slight smile.

Song Ye waved his hand: "Don't say those useless words, we are here to talk about food. Manager Li is the one who is not rushing to take action, you will not be able to get such a low-priced food, but I have been working on it all over the past few days. "

Li Mingxun naturally knew that this guy was asking for benefits, but he didn't panic. He sighed and said, "Oh, the food matter has changed a little now."

After saying this, Li Mingxun carefully looked at Song Ye. He said this to test Song Ye's urgency to see if he could lower the price. Song Ye seemed to understand this and said, "Is it not that I am busy if I don't pay enough money? Anyway, there is Manager Cheng, so the remaining amount will be sluggish for a few months."

Li Mingxun thought to himself that there was a way to reduce the price. If this guy was not busy taking action, he would have slammed the door and left with his arrogance. Li Mingxun was unable to say: "It really doesn't use that much food. Lord Song, the price is based on yours. How about I want 10,000 shi?"

Song Ye's face changed slightly. He thought about giving it to Li Mingxun. Now Li Mingxun not only did not eat it all, but the 20,000 stones he originally asked for also turned into 10,000 stones. Even though he was so cunning, he couldn't help it at this time. He slapped the table, making wine and juice splashed, and the soup spilled: "Li Mingxun, what do you mean? Do you know whose food this is? Are you just enjoying me?"

Li Mingxun was not annoyed and said, "Mr. Song is not angry, but it's not that he doesn't have to pay enough money. He really doesn't need that much. He originally had to ask for 20,000 shi because he was an overseas Chinese. He came to the Ming Dynasty for a time. He was afraid that it would be a one-time transaction, so he bought as much as possible. But now, Mr. Meng Nan has to make a deal and set the trade for the next year. Naturally, it will be changed. In fact, five or six thousand shi can be used until next summer. Wouldn't it be better to ship some back then?"
Chapter completed!