The Late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 465: Big profits

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Seeing that Zhu Youjian didn't mean to be angry, Liu Bingzhong had to sigh secretly, and no longer stop Liu Gongzi from speaking. Maybe the young emperor was really interested in overseas experience, and they were similar in age and interested in similar things.

"Your Majesty, Cao Min has been to a country called Guli..." Liu Gongzi showed his beautiful glutinous rice tooth again. It would be nice if this tooth grows in a woman's mouth. It is a pity that Liu Gongzi is not a woman.

"Guli? By the way, Zheng He died here during his last voyage to the West. Hey, after Zheng He, Daming hasn't had a large fleet for a long time." Zhu Youzhen sighed slightly.

"Your Majesty knows the Kingdom of Guli?" Young Master Liu was a little surprised, "Didn't Your Majesty have been overseas?"

Zhu Youzhen smiled indifferently, "Although I have never been overseas, there are records in Daming's classics. It is not surprising that I know this. How about, have you seen Zheng He's grave?"

"I saw it, Cao Min went to pay respects specially."

"It turns out that Young Master Liu also respects Zheng He who drives the big boat?"

"Zheng He was the first person in Daming to travel the West by boat. I have admired him since I was a child."

"Oh, what about Young Master Liu and what he has learned overseas? Come and listen."

Gongzi Liu tilted his head and thought for a while, "Well...Have your Majesty heard of black tea?"

"Black tea?" Zhu Youjian was taken aback. It seems that the black tea in Qimen, Anhui hasn't been made yet, right? "Is there any black tea now?"

"Your Majesty, Caomin did come across black tea and drank black tea." Liu Gongzi smiled lightly, thinking that there is no such thing as a Ming classic, right

Zhu Youjian had to listen obediently, "Where did Master Liu meet the black tea?"

Young Master Liu was a little proud, he smiled, "It's on an island called Ceylon."

"Ceylon?" Zhu Youjian thought hard, and finally remembered that it was Sri Lanka in later generations. "Is there black tea now on Ceylon Island?"

"Well, there is black tea," Liu Gongzi felt wrong, "Your Majesty said..."

Zhu Youzhen realized that he had failed, and he hurriedly tightened his body and sat upright, "I mean, Ceylon Island has not yet established an independent state? Is the island a Portuguese or a Dutch?"

"Your Majesty really knows Ceylon Island?" Young Master Liu narrowed his triumphant expression, tilted his head and thought for a while, "Although there are very few Dutch on the island, it is the Portuguese who really occupy the island. They are all red. Mao, it’s hard for outsiders to tell clearly when talking in bird language."

"Ao, Mr. Liu went to... Colombo?" Zhu Youzhen didn’t know what Colombo was called now. If Mr. Liu didn’t know, he would lie to a mountain in the northern part of the time and landed from Ceylon anyway. They are all in the south.

"It's Colombo," Liu Gongzi looked at Zhu Youjian with a surprised look, then glanced at his father Liu Binzhong, and then lowered his voice: "However, Colombo was originally called Mango Port. It is said that after Portugal came here, it was to commemorate him. Their great navigator, Columbus, was changed to Colombo..."

"Haha," Zhu Youxian was relieved, but he took a breath in his heart, and he was about to help. The key is that he could not tell the source of knowledge, and he blamed himself for not learning the history well, and there was no way, so he had to continue to flicker. "Since you come here to do business, Daming’s navy will come here sooner or later, so... Daming’s investigation... This is a military event..."

"Zhi'er!" Seeing Zhu Youjian falter, Liu Bingzhong hurriedly spoke to prevent Young Master Liu from further questioning.

"Oh, that's how it is!" Liu Gongzi was half-believing, his eyes circling between Zhu Youzhen and his father.

"It is precisely that it is not convenient to reveal too much about these military affairs at the moment. Where Daming merchants need to protect, there will be a Daming navy in the future." Zhu Youjian finally passed a thrilling test. "What else? I believe I will go to the West." There must be many things I don’t know about on the way."

"Also... Has Your Majesty heard of black people? The kind of people whose whole body is pitch black, darker than... than charcoal." Liu Gongzi's eyes flashed again, and he didn't believe that this kind of character Zhu Youzhen would also know about it.

"Black people? Have you ever been to Africa?" Zhu Youjian widened his eyes and looked at Young Master Liu exaggeratedly.

Liu Gongzi completely stopped cooking. He lazily said: "Dad's caravan went to the port of Aden to deliver goods, and I went to the opposite port for a tour. They are all black people. It is really boring.

Zhu Youjian chuckled and shook his head, "I thought Young Master Liu would buy two black men back to play."

"What did the grassroots do to buy those niggers?" Liu Gongzi gave Zhu Youjian a white look. "Your Majesty grew up in the deep palace, but he knows all over the world. Is there anything that your Majesty doesn't know about in this world?"

"Although I grew up in the deep palace, I have read many books since I was a child. I have not only learned about hundreds of historians, poetry and songs, but also rare classics for ordinary people. I also have a lot of knowledge." Zhu Youjian laughed, "I I also know that Young Master Liu does not like needlework and female celebrities, and likes to travel with his father’s caravan..."

"Your Majesty..." Liu Gongzi knew that Zhu Youjian's identity was broken, and she blushed unconsciously. She lowered her head, fiddling with her clothes uneasily with her hands, and never dared to look at Zhu Youjian again.

"Your Majesty, the Caomin is a death crime! The Caomin should not deceive your Majesty!" Liu Bingzhong took the lead and knelt down in front of Zhu Youjian's seat, his forehead banging on the gold bricks.

"Did you deceive? Did Liu Dongzhu deceive me?" Zhu Youjian raised his right hand and signaled Liu Bingzhong to get up, "Don't be alarmed, Dongzhu Liu, the knowledge I learned in the classics is the previous knowledge, and the experience of the daughter-in-law is the current overseas situation. "

As soon as Liu Bingzhong thought, he didn't say that Liu Yuzhi was his son. He was so grateful that he wanted to hit the wall of the Qianqing Palace, "The grassroots wrote that your majesty is magnanimous. He banged his head, and then slowly got up and motioned to Liu Xianzhi with his eyes.

Liu Xianzhi held back his shame, got up and bowed down in front of Zhu Youjian, "Mr. Liu Xianzhi, see your Majesty."

"No ceremony, flat body," Zhu Youjian smiled at Liu Yuzhi, "How is it in the palace than overseas?"

It turned out that Your Majesty knew that she was a woman. The blush that Liu Yuzhi had just faded appeared on her pretty face again. "Your Majesty..." She flew to Zhu Youzhen with a blank eye, but did not dare to look directly at Zhu Youzhen, but her eyes fell on her. On your own tiptoes.

"Haha," Zhu Youjian retracted his gaze, glanced at Li Yusheng and Liu Bingzhong, "The two proprietors came to the capital, will they just ask me for a chat?"

Only then did Li Yusheng remember the business. He took out a lot of silver bills from his arms, "Your Majesty, Cao Min waited twice to go to sea and earned a total of two or three million silver. This is the share of Cao Min’s filial piety, a total of one hundred and eighteen. One hundred thousand taels."

"One hundred and eight hundred thousand taels?" Zhu Youjian was stunned. Although he knew the high profits of overseas trade, he didn't expect to make so much. He didn't take the silver taels. He smiled and said, "The book is going to be bribed. Me?"

"Caomin dare not!" Li Yusheng made a gesture of kneeling down to plead for crime.

Zhu Youjian stopped Li Yusheng, "In three years, he has made three million yuan. Overseas trade is really a huge profit! No wonder Xiyi desperately wants to go east."

The silver bill in Li Yusheng's palm is still in the air, "Your Majesty, the Caomin is engaged in overseas trade. One benefited from His Majesty's complete lifting of the sea ban, and the other benefited from the power of Ming. Wherever the Caomin goes, even strong people dare not embarrass the Caomin Therefore, Caomin negotiated with other shareholders to dedicate 60% of the profits to Your Majesty."

Zhu Youjian is still lamenting the huge benefits of overseas trade, but he does not accept Li Yusheng’s kindness far away. Now that the Ming Treasury is overflowing, and the royal industry is booming, Zhu Youjian is not short of money. "I understand the intention of Li Dongzhu, but it is profitable. Don't give it to me, give it to the tax department!"

"Yes, Your Majesty." Li Yusheng withdrew the bank note, with undisguised disappointment in his eyes.

Zhu Youjian thought of the Dutch East India Company. It seemed that the state accounted for less than 20% of the stock. The East India Company had to support a large number of troops on its own, while Li Yusheng’s trading company was under the protection of the South China Sea Fleet. The necessary security bodyguard, the security cost is much lower than that of the East India Company. Thinking of this, he said to Li Yusheng: "Master Li, Daming’s industrial and commercial tax rate is 15 tax per unit, but overseas trade profits are high, and it needs the protection of the navy. Let’s pay 20% of the profit in accordance with the provisions of the "Industrial and Commercial Tax"!

"Your Majesty..." Li Yusheng and Liu Bingzhong glanced at each other, both of them were uncertain.

"Dongzhu Li and Dongzhu Liu, now the treasury is full. I don't want your hard money for the time being. I won't be polite with you if I need it." Zhu Youjian knew the reason for the disappointment of the two. The status of the Ming merchants is not high, although the merchants can spend a lot of money. But without rights, there is no guarantee of safety. The more money you have, the more people will be jealous. If you can approach the emperor, you will be the uncrowned king among merchants. "The two proprietors have ample funds and can build bridges and make roads and donate money. To help students, do more good deeds for the neighbors."

"Your Majesty, Caomin has been educated," Li Yusheng keenly realized that Zhu Youjian implemented compulsory education in the five central and southern five provinces and built roads on a large scale. It was exactly when he expressed his performance. "The eldest son of Caomin went overseas with Caomin. But the second son of Caomin is based in Guangzhou. After Caomin returns to his hometown this time, he will allocate a special bankroll to build avenues in the local area and assist the government in establishing schools."

"Dongzhu Li made such an arrangement. I am very relieved. I remind you that everything must be done within your ability, but you must have a long-term plan. Just like doing business, you must not be overkill." Zhu Youjian said, "The status of scholars, farmers, commerce, and merchants. Not high, this is probably also related to the businessmen’s profit-seeking nature. If the businessmen can use legal means to make money, and they can properly repay the society, and if funds allow, they can do some practical things for the people appropriately, and the prestige of the businessmen can be improved. ."

"Your Majesty, the Caomin knows, the Caomin is ashamed." Li Yusheng sighed, he deserves to be a king, not thinking about the enrichment of his own money, but the people of the world.

"The Buddhist school has said: All beings are equal, and all are Han people, why should people be divided into three, six or nine? I do my best to improve the social status of businessmen and advocate equality for all. You businessmen themselves should also cherish their feathers and obey Da Ming’s rules. According to the law, don't fight for black-hearted money and ignorant money, and both sides work hard. Why can't they not eliminate the difference in identity