The Late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 464: Seen and heard overseas

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"I plan to govern with my hands. I will neither send officials nor participate in management," Zhu Youzhen found that Li Chunye's mouth was open like a stupid donkey, and then continued: "But the necessary peripheral work still needs the court. Do it."

"..."

"First is the garrison. The South China Sea Fleet has set up a naval base in Borneo. Now you know why I advocate for the establishment of a navy, right?"

"Your Majesty, Borneo is so huge, the South China Sea Fleet alone is probably not enough? Do you want to dispatch some army?"

"No, the South China Sea Fleet is mainly for deterrence. It is the police who really maintain daily social security. There will also be police in the provinces of Solvay and Daiyan, which is equivalent to the arrest of the Ming Dynasty. They are managed by the local government. There is no need to allocate additional military payment for the payment of payment silver."

"Your Majesty can guarantee that the officials elected by the people are intent on Daming?" Li Chunye was still uneasy.

"It's very simple. Provincial governors, prefects, and prefects must be Han people. If Han people are short of manpower, some small officials can be naturalized Han people."

"Oh," Li Chunye understood a little. No wonder Zhu Youzhen was not stunned. He had planned it a long time ago, "Your Majesty, are there many Han people on the island?"

"It's not much now, it is estimated that it is less than 100,000, but when the South China Sea Fleet is stationed in Borneo, some local people will be naturalized as Han people. Even if there are no immigrants, the number of Han people on the island will continue to increase."

"Your Majesty, this model, even if Borneo belongs to Daming, what good will it do for Daming?"

"The good thing is to pay taxes. Although the officials on the island are not dispatched by the imperial court, the laws of the Ming Dynasty must prevail throughout the island, and the people need to pay agricultural taxes, industrial and commercial taxes, etc."

"If Borneo pays taxes to the Department of Taxation, then... don't the officials know the current situation in Borneo? Can they accept this kind of Borneo?"

"The main job now is to naturalize the people on the island. The taxes paid on the island can guarantee the normal operation of the island. Where can the money be paid to the tax department? To be honest, the court did not spend a penny, nor Without worrying about the people on the island, is it still not enough to be able to get such a large island in vain?"

"Your Majesty..." Li Chunye hesitated, and finally couldn't help asking: "Can the island really be as your Majesty imagined?"

"To be honest, I don't know," Zhu Youjian smiled bitterly. If he knew that the electoral system was suitable for the Han people, he would be ready to directly implement it in the inland of Daming. Is it necessary to try it secretly here? "However, Borneo's influence on Daming is weak. Even if the electoral system fails and the South China Sea Fleet is here, Borneo will not be able to fly out of Daming's Five Finger Mountain."

"Oh," Li Chunye let out a long sigh of relief. He understood that Zhu Youjian was trying out, and he didn't know whether it would be successful, so he announced at the Korean meeting that he would temporarily abandon Borneo and make a decision later, "Your Majesty, The minister understands, the minister supports your majesty's determination."

Li Chunye happily left Zhu Youjian. The stone in his heart fell to the ground. Zhu Youjian was also proud. Not only did he vomit quickly, but he also settled the vast land of Nanyang. Although the candidate for the governor of Shunta province has not yet been determined, that It's the personnel department, as long as he is willing to delegate power, he can completely ignore it.

After lunch, Zhu Youzhen took a nap. Now the weather is too hot. If you lie directly on the dragon bed, you are not allowed to sweat. Cai'er and the two maids have been fanning for Zhu Youzhen, which is much more comfortable.

Cai'er was originally Zhou Yufeng's personal maid. Zhou Yufeng was in labor and needed manpower to take care of her, but Zhu Youjian needed a woman's care. Zhou Yufeng sent Cai'er to the Qianqing Palace to temporarily serve as Zhu Youjian's personal maid, taking care of him day and night. Zhu Youjian's diet and daily life.

At a short time, Zhu Youzhen woke up and saw Cai'er still fanning. Zhu Youzhen felt distressed, "Cai'er, I am not hot, so please stop!"

"Your Majesty is awake?" Cai'er shook her head, "Cai'er is not tired, does Your Majesty want to get up?"

"Well, I get up to relax." Zhu Youjian started from the dragon bed.

"Your Majesty will not move, the servant will change your majesty's clothes." Cai'er took Zhu Youjian's robe, helped Zhu Youjian finish wearing, and brought a basin of clean water to serve Zhu Youjian and wiped her face, "Your Majesty, just now Zhang The Gonggong reported that businessmen from Guangdong and Jiangnan asked for a meeting."

"Businessman? What businessman wants to see me?" Zhu Youjian was puzzled. Although the status of a Ming merchant has improved, he might not be qualified to see the emperor, right

"I heard Zhang Gonggong said that it was Guangdong businessman Li Yusheng, Jiangnan businessman Liu Bing and others. Zhang Gonggong saw that his majesty was resting and did not dare to disturb his majesty. He asked the servants to tell his majesty when he woke up." Cai'er stood at Zhu Youjian. In front of him, two little hands kneaded each other.

"Oh, it's them, no wonder you dare to see me," Zhu Youjian thought for a while, "where are they now?"

"Grandpa Zhang said, they are waiting outside the palace."

"Then let Zhang Gong publicly tell them to come in, I just have time this afternoon." Zhu Youjian came to the main hall first.

"Yes, your majesty, the slave and maid will let Father Zhang go to pass on them." Cai'er went out for a while and followed Zhu Youzhen to the main hall. She first made Zhu Youzhen a cup of fragrant tea.

Not long after, Zhang Yixian led Li Yusheng and others into the hall. Zhu Youjian looked up and saw that there were four people in total. Apart from Li Yusheng and Liu Bingzhong, there were two young people. Zhu Youjian felt a little strange.

"Caomin, see your Majesty!" The four quickly walked into the hall and bowed in front of Zhu Youjian.

"Get up, give a seat!" Zhu Youjian looked at Li Yusheng, perhaps because of the sea breeze, Li Yusheng was a lot darker than last time, and he was a little older.

Zhang Yixian instructed the young eunuch to move the seat and let Li Yusheng and others sit down, while Cai'er, under Zhu Youjian's instruction, prepared tea for the four.

"Your Majesty Xie!" Liu Yusheng is already an old acquaintance of Zhu Youjian. Although he knows that Zhu Youjian doesn't like polite gifts, he is more embarrassed than the two young people under the high pressure of Emperor Wei.

Zhu Youjian wanted to get rid of Li Yusheng's anxiety and fear, "Li Dongzhu is everyone. It's a good comment. How about the tea from the Qing Palace?"

Tea tasting is Li Yusheng’s strong point. Most wealthy people often talk about things while tasting tea. If you don’t taste tea, it means that your taste is insufficient. At most, you will be a local tyrant. People will not give you the respect you deserve. Just like the business activities of later generations, if you want to make a good impression on the other side, it is best to drive a BMW or Mercedes Benz.

There are also many tea shops in the market, most of which are for people to taste tea and discuss matters. It is a fashion, but the public tea shops are ordinary people who come and go, and people like Li Yusheng who were born in the homes of wealthy merchants have nothing to do. Comparison of.

Hearing Zhu Youjian ask him to taste tea, Li Yusheng opened the lid of the cup, glanced at it, sipped it, then closed his eyes slightly, and moved his tongue gently, "My Majesty, the tea is green, fragrant, and tasteless. It should be Longjing before the rain. It is a treasure of tea. It should be mellow when you drink it. It should be brewed with mountain spring water, "Longjing before the rain, brewed with mellow water." Isn't it this kind of tea?"

Mountain spring water seeps out of sand and stone, and the copper coin is gently placed on the water surface. The copper coin does not sink and fills a cup. The water surface is higher than the mouth of the cup without overflowing. This indicates that the mountain spring water has high density and high surface tension, so it is called mellow.

Zhu Youzhen smiled slightly, "Dongzhu Li is worthy of a wealthy background, and he can even tell the tea from the spring."

There is a hint of gratitude in Li Yusheng's smile. Why doesn't he understand Zhu Youzhen's intention? Liu Bingzhong also followed with a smile, and he also praised Li Yusheng for being proficient in tea ceremony.

Zhu Youjian nodded in admiration, and suddenly found a few gray hairs on Li Yusheng's head, "Dongzhu Li and Dongzhu Liu have spent a lot of time at sea this time, right?"

"His Majesty, Cao Min waited twice to go to sea and stayed overseas for nearly three years." Li Yusheng clasped his fists in both hands and saluted Zhu Youjian as he spoke.

"Three years? No wonder Li Dongzhu's hair is white. I remember the last time Li Dongzhu still has smooth black hair. Haha, the years are making people grow old!" Zhu Youjian teased, and the atmosphere in the hall became more relaxed.

"Your Majesty, while doing business overseas, the profits are considerable, but under the blowing of the sea breeze, people tend to grow old. Unknowingly, the grassroots are already growing with gray hair. Hey, they are still living on land." Li Yusheng straightened his body, not like the beginning. It was so nervous.

"Ao, Xiyi are all from the sea, no wonder their hair is colorful, it's because of the sea breeze?" Zhu Youjian Yun was light and breezy, as if to say something casually.

"Puff!" The young man sitting next to Liu Bingzhong burst out laughing, revealing two dense rows of glutinous rice teeth. He may have discovered that he was rude in front of the emperor. He hurriedly covered his mouth with his hands, and his two big eyes secretly aimed at Zhu Youjian. .

"Before your Majesty, Zhi'er must not be rude!" Liu Bingzhong yelled, seeing Zhu Youzhen still smiling, and his heart was slightly settled. He left his seat and knelt in front of Zhu Youzhen, "Your Majesty, the child is young and has nothing to say. , Please forgive your Majesty."

"Dongzhu Liu, please!" Zhu Youjian was originally to enliven the atmosphere, but he unexpectedly scared Liu Bingzhong, "It turns out to be Dongzhu Liu's son? Haha, I don't know what Liu Dongzu laughed at? Did I say something wrong?"

Liu Gongzi's eyes were moving, looking forward to Zhu Youzhen, "Your Majesty..."

"Zhi'er can't talk nonsense!" Liu Bingzhong took his seat again, his face was pale with fright, and he stared at his son fiercely. His arms trembled slightly, wishing to block Liu Gongzi's disobedient little boy with his hands. mouth.

"Don’t worry, Dongzhu Liu," Zhu Youjian looked at Young Master Liu, with red lips, white teeth, and clear eyes. There was a shallow meniscus scar on the corner of his left eye. If it was a female son, I don’t know how many young men would envy him. "I have never been overseas, Liu Let him speak if he has anything to say."

"Your Majesty," Liu Gongzi glanced at Liu Bingzhong and saw his father lowering his head. Then he said boldly: "Xiyi's hair is not blown by the sea breeze. They are like this."

Liu Bingzhong cast a fierce look at Liu Gongzi. The emperor’s mistakes, even the ministers dare not say, you, a child, confronted the emperor face to face. He sighed in his heart, and then slowly retracted his desperate gaze, even his eyes. It's almost closed.

Zhu Youzhen didn't care, "Oh? Did Mr. Liu meet the Xiyi people? Did Mr. Liu go overseas with the fleet?"

Gongzi Liu didn't have the time to look at his father. He followed his father's way and gave Zhu Youjian a gift with both hands. "In response to your Majesty, Cao Min went out to sea with his father and saw some Xiyi."

Zhu Youjian has already seen the clues, "Where have Master Liu been? Can you tell me some interesting things about overseas? I stay in the palace every day. It is really boring."