Chapter 1186 What I saw in Hangzhou

Lin Si has been serving Haihan for more than a year. Before coming to Hangzhou, he often accepted Haihan's political views. His understanding of the current political situation of the Ming Dynasty was even better than that of some officials. He also knew that Haihan had a deep understanding of the Ming Dynasty.

His attitude was not as awe-inspiring as that of other small neighboring countries. Instead, he clearly had a condescending and mysterious sense of superiority. At first, he thought this was the ignorance and arrogance of the Haihan people who had too little experience, but later he gradually discovered that they were ignorant.

It’s not the Haihan people who are in trouble but themselves.

The various advanced skills possessed by this group of overseas visitors are indeed unheard of. Whether it is doing business, fighting wars or governing local areas, they know everything, are precise in everything, and calculate everything without omission. Although Lin Si himself was not under the jurisdiction of the government.

He is one of the armed smugglers, but he also has to admit that Haihan's business level on these offshore islands is much higher than that of him and his peers, and his relationship with the government is much more harmonious. Lin Si

At first, he just surrendered to the opponent's force, but then his mentality slowly changed, and his attitude towards Haihan also changed from being forced to obey orders at the beginning to obeying from the heart.

One of the views that Lin Si was taught was that the ultimate goal of Haihan's various activities in the coastal areas of the Ming Dynasty was to assist the Ming Dynasty in maintaining its rule. Whether it was to eliminate pirates in the south, establish trade routes, or go to the north to rescue refugees and fight against

Beilu, the objective effect of these actions is indeed beneficial to the Ming Dynasty. Although Haihan unceremoniously took back some offshore islands for himself in the process, this is actually harmless in Lin Si's view - even if Haihan

Before the Han people came, these islands were also under the control of pirates and armed smugglers, and they were also places beyond the control of the government.

Perhaps due to the influence of his career, Lin Si spent a lot of time dealing with foreigners, and his loyalty to the Ming Dynasty was actually very limited. However, when Haihan instilled these political views, he always started from the perspective of worrying about the country and the people.

Chang Linsi was also greatly affected. Therefore, when he and Pan Yan discussed these wars thousands of miles away, he did not know anything about it. His tone did not sound like a profit-oriented businessman, but rather like a bureaucrat within the system.

.

When Pan Yan chatted with him about these topics, there was no such situation as he had worried about before. On the contrary, the conversation was very speculative. He immediately said: "It's a pity that there are so few people in this world who can see the current situation clearly like Haihan. Even if

There are people like this, but they are not as capable as the leaders of Haihan, who can conquer the four seas and destroy the enemy thousands of miles away."

Lin Si responded: "If Mr. Pan is serious, he can change his camp and join Haihan."

Pan Yan quickly waved his hand and said: "How can I be so virtuous and talented? How can I serve Haihan?"

"Since the chiefs are relieved to let you come to Hangzhou for research, this shows their trust and respect for you. Mr. Pan, don't think that everyone can get such treatment. You are still the first person to visit Fengsheng Rice Store one year after it opened.

The foreign officers here." Lin Si clicked her tongue and said, "Even the military officers from the Fujian Xu family stay on Zhoushan Island when they come to Zhejiang. I don't see any of them coming to Hangzhou to show their faces."

What is the origin of the "Fujian Xu Family"? Pan Yan heard Wang Tom mention it. It is said that Xu Xinsu, the commander-in-chief of Fujian, was supported by Hai Han, and the Fujian military and Hai Han have always maintained a very close relationship. Fujian Ming Dynasty

Many senior military officers, especially front-line commanders of the Navy, are said to receive training in the Haihan Army and learn advanced tactics. Many of the warship weapons of the Fujian Navy are purchased in bulk from Haihan.

It can be said that they are quite dependent on Haihan militarily. From Pan Yan's perspective, this is very similar to the current situation of Dongjiang Town.

In fact, the direct officers of the Fujian Xu family are not only trained at the Penghu base near Fujian, but some of them will also go to Sanya and other places under the control of Haihan for study tours. The relevant scope is not just the Haihan near the Ming Dynasty coastline

Controlled areas, now even the South China Sea and other places are being visited one after another. Of course, in addition to receiving training, the officers who go to these places also have the task of confirming new routes and transit ports for the maritime trade of the Xu family in Fujian to open up

Fujian's trade routes to Southeast Asia and even the West.

Pan Yan thought that no one from the Xu family had been here before, so it was indeed a special treatment. However, he was from a special background and did not dare to speak nonsense. He also knew that Lin Si was from the Haihan Security Department, and he did not know what the other party was saying.

Whether you are sincere or deliberately testing yourself, if you say the wrong thing, you will probably be reported back later, so it is better to be cautious.

Pan Yan's worries are not unreasonable. The content of his conversation with Lin Si will indeed be part of Lin Si's next work report. However, the outrageous remarks he is worried about are not that sensitive, and Haihan does not expect to be like this.

A former Ming army officer like him will completely change his original political stance in a short period of time. As long as he does not maliciously slander Haihan behind his back, or reveal some reactionary thoughts, he will not incur trouble for himself.

trouble.

Pan Yan didn't dare to talk too deeply with Lin Si on this topic, so he excused himself from drinking and went back to his room to rest. Lin Si didn't force himself when he saw this. Anyway, Pan Yan should stay in Hangzhou for a few days, talking and chatting.

There are still many opportunities, so there is no rush at this moment.

Before Pan Yan came to Hangzhou, Wang Tom specially approved two hundred taels of activity funds for him. Although it was not a big amount, he had nothing to spend money on and wanted to experience the customs of Hangzhou in just a few days.

The favors are enough. Lin Si's usual job is mainly to welcome people and send them off. He also knows the routines of reception work. He knows that one of the important things these soldiers must do after entering the city is to go to Fengyue Place to satisfy their physiological needs.

, the next day he pointed out some fun and interesting places to Pan Yan. Lin Si originally wanted to accompany him in person, but Pan Yan still declined his kindness - it would be too depressing to have someone follow him when he went to a brothel.

Some.

Lin Si didn't insist, but just told Pan Yan to be careful not to reveal his identity. If he encounters trouble that is difficult to solve, don't force himself to come forward. He just needs to spend money to find someone to send a letter back to Mihang immediately, and they will try to solve it for him.

Question. Pan Yanxin said that since I was kidnapped by the rebels and sent to Liaodong, I have been living with my tail between my legs. The edges have been smoothed out a long time ago. How can I take the initiative to stir up trouble in the brothel? I just give money and leave when I am happy. There should be no such thing.

What trouble.

However, it is not suitable to go to places like brothels during the day, so Pan Yan arranged his daytime itinerary as a one-day tour in the city. Lin Si originally wanted to arrange a guide for him, but Pan Yan politely declined. He just wanted to walk around the city.

Look, I don't intend to go to a specific place.

Hangzhou is known as the largest city in the south of the Yangtze River. Even the pre-war Dengzhou is far less prosperous than Hangzhou. There are rows of commercial shops in the city, and pedestrians are walking around on the streets. Pan Yan is among them. It is hard to imagine that this city was still there just two days ago.

It was in a state of military blockade. The people in the city seemed to lack sufficient understanding of the crisis that had just passed. As he walked around, he listened to the topics discussed by the people around him, and no one was discussing the reasons why Haihan raised and withdrew his troops this time.

, as if this crisis never happened.

Of course, it is also possible that this is just the publicity work of the government that has been done well, making the public think that the closure of the city a few days ago was just to arrest the real culprit of the Tongsheng Pier fire case, and that the Qiantang River was blocked outside the city.

The foreign troops only cooperated with the arrangements of the government. There were not many people who really knew the armed conflict in the eighth year of Chongzhen. However, Haihan controlled the intensity of the action after entering the confrontation and cooperated afterwards.

The government's propaganda direction no longer spreads rumors that are unfavorable to the government among the people.

It would be fine if it were anyone else. Pan Yan once served in the war-torn areas of the north, so he naturally knows how powerful the government's tactics of whitewashing peace are. People outside the battlefield are often deceived by the government, thinking that they are still in peace and prosperity.

Only when war has befallen you will you realize that this world is not as peaceful as the government says.

The people in Shandong did not know that the Liaodong Peninsula across the sea had been captured by Hou Jin. Only the occasional refugees from Liaodong who fled across the sea to Denglai would make them aware of the war in Liaodong. The same goes for people in the south.

They don’t understand how much damage the Denglai Rebellion caused to Shandong, and they don’t know that there are Ming armies like Dongjiang Town overseas struggling to survive. People like Haihan who can control the overall information almost don’t know.

It may exist among the people of Ming Dynasty.

Pan Yan randomly found a popular restaurant in the city for dinner at noon. There happened to be a table of businessmen sitting next door, both from Hangzhou and from other places. The topic they were talking about happened to be related to Haihan. Pan Yan was interested.

Unintentionally, I raised my ears and listened for a while.

However, the topic that people at this table were talking about was not the Haihan Army's bold military action in Hangzhou a few days ago, but the Zhejiang Chief Envoy's recent announcement of the opening of Haihan trade rights. Although this matter has been announced by a notice

, but there is not much discussion among the people. The reason is that most people are not aware of the immediate impact this matter will have on their lives. Naturally, no one will care if it is insignificant. Even the review and announcement

The Zhejiang officials who made this decision may not have thought that Haihan would cause so much trouble in Hangzhou Bay and do so many things. The ultimate goal was to obtain this seemingly useless trade right.

However, there are still some people who, with their keen sense of smell and some special information channels, are aware of the positive impact this decision will have on local import and export trade in the future. For example, the table of Ming Dynasty businessmen next to Pan Yan happens to be

They belong to this kind of people. After listening for a while, Pan Yan knew that this group of businessmen were gathering here for the purpose of winning several agency franchises at the next investment conference.

These merchants do not seem to be big merchants and do not have enough financial resources to operate alone, so they plan to join forces and jointly contribute money to gain an advantage in the auction, and then distribute the operating income according to the proportion of the money contributed.

This kind of business method is nothing new. There are many businesses in the north that use similar shareholding cooperation methods. But what surprised Pan Yan was that this group of businessmen had no experience in cooperating with Haihan before. Just because

Haihan's business situation in the past year after entering Zhejiang, as well as the trade decree promulgated by the Chief Envoy, made them believe that this was a business opportunity that could not be lost, and they must try to get some benefits for themselves.

Pan Yan didn't particularly understand Haihan's efforts to obtain such a trade right. He thought it was all a fuss over a molehill, and the effect might not be immediate. After all, it was the result of military threats, and the people of the Ming Dynasty might be dissatisfied with it.

And they have feelings of fear and disgust towards Haihan, which affects their enthusiasm for cooperation.

But now it seems that I still think too simplistically. These Ming merchants who have interests first do not care whether Haihan invaded Hangzhou with force before that. The most important thing is the profitable cross-border trade. And it is brought about by open trade rights.

The effect is far beyond the few bright businessmen in front of me. According to what they said, many businessmen in various states and counties are eager to take action after hearing the news. Even small businessmen who do not have the strength to compete for regional franchises have begun to look for opportunities.

I plan to find the supply channels in advance so that I can at least drink a few mouthfuls of soup even if I can't chew the bones.

After Pan Yan arrived in Zhoushan, he visited the operation of the local trading port and had a certain understanding of Haihan's development strategy of using business to promote military power and using military force to protect business. Haihan earned huge profits from trade with the Ming Dynasty every year, among which

A considerable part of it will be used in the form of military expenditures to develop the military and manufacture warships and guns. Wang Tom once said to him in a joking manner that more than half of the funds Haihan spends on manufacturing weapons and training the army are produced through trade.

The Ming Dynasty is a huge market. From a certain perspective, it is not an exaggeration to say that the Ming Dynasty paid for Haihan to build an army. In turn, these armies provided Haihan with a way to continuously expand maritime trade routes and overseas markets.

Strong guarantee. For example, this time it can force the Zhejiang government to open up trade rights. The final force is the army that Haihan is proud of.

However, the citizens of the Ming Dynasty did not seem to be aware of this situation at all. The government only had a negative attitude towards Haihan's trading methods because its own interests were harmed, or they were worried that Haihan would take the opportunity to invade the Ming Dynasty. Few people realized this at all.

The hidden essence behind this kind of trade relationship is actually one party's plunder of wealth from the other party. Of course, from Pan Yan's current position, he is not disgusted with Haihan's approach, but admires him for being able to come up with this set of operating modes.

The high-level officials of Haihan. And thankfully, although Haihan acted deliberately and unintentionally, at least he did not really invade the territory of Ming Dynasty and massacre the citizens of Ming Dynasty. On the contrary, to a certain extent, he helped Ming Dynasty maintain its rule.
Chapter completed!