"Master Qiansui, I had a discussion with Fan Damen and asked for two hundred thousand taels of silver for the four fortresses."

When the autumn wind picked up, Zheng Zhilong, wearing a Duke's python robe, bowed and followed Zhu Cihong, walking swaggering by the waterside of Zhongzhou Island in Xuanwu Lake. A pair of sneaky eyes kept looking at the eunuchs and maids who were waiting around Zhu Cihong.

Looking at it, it looks a bit treacherous!

Zhu Cixiang changed into a loose-fitting prince's uniform. Because it was one size too big, it looked like a stolen dress, but it was sewn by Empress Zhou herself. The reason why it was one size larger was because Zhu Cixiang had been wearing it during this period.

He’s grown again! So when making clothes, they have to be wider, so as not to be unable to fit in a few months. Zhu Cixiang is now 1.8 meters tall. He is really a handsome man! In his previous life, he was a short Zhu Cixiang, but now his face is full of

A proud smile.

He is now a legendary rich and handsome man, and he is also the number one rich and handsome man among all mankind!

A brand-new dragon boat was docked at the Zhongzhou Island pier. Chen Shifang, the admiral of the East Factory, led his people to guard the pier. When he saw Zhu Cixiang approaching with a smile, he quickly knelt down to greet it.

"Get up!" Zhu Cixi waved his hand, and then said to Zheng Zhilong, "I've finished watching Zhongzhou Island, Lao Taishan. Isn't it good? There are several islands on Xuanwu Lake, how about giving you one too?"

Zhongzhou Island was originally the location of the Yellow Register. However, after Zhu Cixang took full power, these inaccurate Yellow Registers were no longer considered treasures. Therefore, they were transferred to Zhongzhou Island and stored in the Treasury of the Ministry of Revenue. At the same time,

The vacated Zhongzhou Island was used to build a "pension palace" for Emperor Chongzhen.

Zhu Cixiang was so filial, so of course he paid close attention to the construction of the "Retirement Palace". Not only did he spend 300,000 li of silver, but he was also personally responsible for bidding and awarding contracts. Now the Ministry of Industry of Ming Dynasty no longer does the project itself, but is only responsible for bidding, contracting, and acceptance.

.The "Retirement Palace" is a model project, and Zhu Cihong put a lot of thought into it.

After the noon meeting today, Zhu Cixiang, a filial son, was going to inspect Zhongzhou Island. He happened to meet Zheng Zhilong asking for an audience, so he took him with him to see the place where Emperor Chongzhen retired.

After reading it, Prince Zhu was quite satisfied. The project was almost completed, and only the interior decoration work was still being done. Chongzhen's "Retirement Palace" was built in a garden style, modeled after the original Xipu of Wei Guofu.

Yes, although no huge wood or jade was used, it was still beautifully built. The three hundred thousand taels were obviously worth the money.

Emperor Chongzhen must be looking forward to living in it, right?

Weng and son-in-law boarded the dragon boat back to Taipingmen Pier. After they sat down separately, Zhu Cixiang smiled and talked to Zheng Zhilong about the transaction on Taiwan Island, "Old Taishan, you are the number one businessman in our Ming Dynasty. You don't need to ask how to do the business."

I, but one thing has to be said, once Rejelan City is obtained, they should be allowed to live on the island of Taiwan for a few years, right?"

"They" refer to the sinners of the "Eunuch Rebellion" who were sent to Taiwan by Zhu Cixiang. There are thousands of them. They have now arrived in Fujian, but they did not go to Taiwan. Instead, they were arranged by Zheng Zhilong to go to Gulangyu Island near Xiamen Island.

Moreover, Zheng Zhilong built a house for them on Gulangyu Island and provided them with good food and drink.

Exile in Taiwan has turned into a vacation on Gulangyu Island. But Lao Zheng also has something to say. Now that there is Dutch power on the island of Taiwan, what if these former noble ministers in trouble collude with the Dutch?

His reasons were sufficient, so Zhu Cixiang did not pursue the case. But now that Taiwan Island is about to completely return to the motherland, it is time for the criminals to go to Taiwan Island to stay!

"I will make arrangements after I return," Zheng Zhilong chuckled. "Actually, Gulangyu Island is also an overseas desert island, a barbaric land, similar to Taiwan."

Who are you fooling? Zhu Cihong said in his heart: I have been to Gulangyu Island and I still need to buy a ticket! How could that place be a wilderness?

"The area around Rezhelan City is not bad, right?" Zhu Cixiang said. "After all, it has been developed by the Dutch for more than 20 years, so it is not considered raw land. Let those sinners live there for a few years first, and when they adapt to the climate, I will

It will give them a chance to atone for their sins."

Zheng Zhilong smiled and said: "Then I will thank His Highness the Crown Prince for his grace on behalf of those sinners."

The living conditions around Rechelan City are indeed a little better than other places on the island of Taiwan. It is not seven deaths and three lives or six deaths and four lives. There is always a 50-50 ratio, and maybe it can be a little higher.

If those criminals could survive in Rechelan City for a few years, they would be able to adapt to the life in Champa and Shuizhenla, and they would be sent to work as colonial officials.

Thinking about colonization, Zhu Cixiang asked again: "How have you considered the matter of going to Champa State and Shuizhenla to buy rice that I told you last time?"

Zheng Zhilong smiled and said: "Master Qiansui, I have already asked someone to settle the accounts. The business of buying rice from Champa State and Shuizhenla is not profitable. The value of rice is too low. How much is a ship of rice worth?"

And we don’t have much to buy to Champa, Shui Chenla and Annan. But I still have a way to import rice from Champa and Shui Chenla!”

Zhu Cixi laughed and said to himself: I know you, a profiteer, have a way! You profiteers are more capable than the scholar-bureaucrats!

"Speak quickly, speak quickly!" Zhu Cihong urged.

"It's actually very simple," Zheng Zhilong said. "The import ship tax does not collect silver, but rice. Our Ming Dynasty maritime trade has always seen more going out and less coming in. Exports include silk, porcelain, cotton, ironware, woodware, tea, etc.

Wait, there are all kinds of them and there are a lot of them.

The bulk of the imported goods are only spices, brass, colored glaze, and rare wood. Therefore, Western merchants will ship a large amount of silver every year to make up for the gap in the value of the imported and exported goods. But silver does not weigh much. Therefore, import trade

Most of the cargo ships from various countries come empty and leave fully loaded.

If the shipping tax levied by the imperial court were levied in rice instead of silver, then merchant ships coming from far away trade would dock at Champa and Shui Chenla to purchase rice and transport it northward. After all, the price of rice in Champa and Shui Chenla is only

One-third of the south of the Yangtze River, merchant ships are on the way again, paying rice is much more cost-effective than paying silver!

Based on the annual import ship tax of 3 million taels, the maximum amount of rice converted into rice is 3 million dan. If it can be purchased from Champa, Shuizhenla and Annan at the price of 5 qian silver per dan, the merchants traveling between Shuizhenla and Annan will be able to save a year.

One and a half million taels.

In order to ensure the supply and keep the price of rice down at the same time, the maritime merchants will open up land in Champa and Shuizhenla. The maritime merchants are rich and have the means. They are also businessmen, good at calculation and efficient in doing things. The maritime merchants

Go ahead, colonize and seize the city, Shui Zhenla, you can definitely get twice the result with half the effort."

"Okay!" Zhu Cixi said with a smile, "Quan Guo Gong is really my humerus. If the Minister of Household Affairs allows you to do it, I will be able to save a lot of trouble."

"Master Qiansui is joking," Zheng Zhilong thought Zhu Cixiang was joking with him, so he smiled and replied, "How can I, a reckless man, become a minister in the cabinet?"

"Why not? You can do a hundred times a thousand times more than those nerds."

Zhu Cixiang smiled softly and did not continue to insist. But he thought in his heart: sooner or later, he will trick you into becoming a minister! It doesn't matter if you don't have a Jinshi diploma, and Wu Xiang doesn't have one, why don't you still become a minister of the Ministry of War? If it doesn't work, you can also take the exam

It's the imperial examination! I can ask Qian Qianyi to give you some tutoring, and you will definitely pass.

"It's better than this." Zhu Cixang turned the topic back to trade and colonization. "For the tax package in Quanzhou and the tax package at the Nanyang Governor's Office, we both have to pay rice. The two tax packages plus one are one million taels. You always have to pay

Eight hundred thousand shi of white rice will suffice."

Zheng Zhilong was stunned, why is it all about me again? He thought about it again and felt that it was okay. Taiwan Island will be taken over soon. Maybe more land can be opened on the island to plant rice. If it can

With Fujian's harvest, four to five million acres of fertile farmland would be enough to pay 800,000 kilograms of rice.

In addition, there must be profits in Champa and Shuizhenla! Zheng Zhilong thought: Brother Pulian seems to be prosperous. When Damu comes back from defrauding Japan, he will definitely go to Shuizhenla again.
Chapter completed!