"This time I rewarded you with the items from the Zheng family. I think Aiqing has already seen them in the store. What do Aiqing think?"
"Back to Your Majesty, I have indeed gone to see it. It is extremely precious. The Zheng family has received such great love from Your Majesty that they would not hesitate to shed their blood for Your Majesty.
If the price wasn't too high, I would have wanted to buy more, but the price is still too high. If it is shipped by sea, the risk is too great, and if the ship capsizes, it will be in vain."
"It's expensive but it's worth it, but this aspect can still be negotiated. The person opposite you is the owner of the Ming Dynasty Royal Store.
His surname is Chen, you can just call him the owner. Let’s chat while I go over there to read the memorial.”
After Chongzhen raised his hand to introduce, he stood up and went behind the screen. Zheng Zhibao was pleasantly surprised.
Today he was still talking about relying on two unreliable Dutch people to contact the mysterious supplier, but he didn't expect to see it in front of him in the blink of an eye.
The purpose of his trip has been half accomplished at this point. As for meeting the emperor? The purpose of meeting the emperor is still to bring goods.
"Hello, shopkeeper."
Zheng Zhibao stood up quickly, put his hands together and said hello to Chen Ye.
Zheng Zhibao would not think of a person who could sit leisurely in front of Chongzhen's case as just an ordinary businessman. Although Chongzhen had avoided it, he still maintained respect.
"General Zheng, I have admired him for a long time. I have long understood the strength of the Zheng family at the seaside. The Zheng family has huge trade routes in the south and even overseas. They should not dislike my goods."
"The shop owner was joking. How dare you object? Those things are unique in the world. Just looking at the details, I can't imagine how to make them.
I wonder if the shop owner can tell me where these things are produced? I am really curious, when did the Ming Dynasty have such skilled craftsmen but never gained a reputation?"
Zheng Zhibao didn't want to just do purchasing. His family had developed so much in the south. In addition to being a second-tier dealer reselling silk, he also had some businesses of his own.
What Chen Ye meant by asking was actually to see if there was any possibility of meddling in the source of production. If the technology could be transferred, it would be much more cost-effective than them reselling it.
"The production area is relatively far away, and many of these things are manufactured in batches. If we really want to say which craftsmen are skilled, it is probably...
Watt, Lav, Henry, Jenny, it’s not convenient for me to say, our Daming Trading Company will also have plans to set up a joint venture in the future, and the Zheng family will definitely be given priority at that time.
You can pay attention, this requires in-depth cooperation, in-depth and loyal to His Majesty, in order to reap this benefit. Do you understand?"
"I understand, shopkeeper, don't worry. We, the Zheng family, are very loyal. In the past few years, the Japanese country repeatedly violated the law, and we, the Zheng family, were the ones who beat them down. Now, do you think the Japanese and the Dutch still dare to invade our territorial waters?"
While Zheng Zhilong was replying, he was thinking, why is this shop owner talking about only Western names? He has never heard of Western technologies like this?
"It's just that the shop owner, the starting price of the items in the company is too expensive. If it is sold at the price of military coupons, we can still bear some. If it is sold at the original price, it will cost too much just to transport it out of the capital."
"It is simply impossible to buy directly at the military coupon price."
When Chen Ye heard this, he shook his head and sold it directly at the price of military coupons. Then why was he selling military coupons?
"Isn't there a lot of grain produced in the south? You can use grain to exchange for military coupons. How much grain you bring can be exchanged for as many military coupons, so the conversion can be much cheaper.
In fact, you all know that there is a shortage of food in the north, and His Majesty is also worried about this matter. If this trouble can be solved, do you think His Majesty will be very happy?"
"Is that so? Thanks to the shopkeeper for your advice, I understand. One thousand stones can be exchanged for two hundred thousand, right?"
Zheng Zhibao immediately understood that Chongzhen didn't seem to be short of money now, but he was short of food. As long as he could be given food, the Zheng family's status would be improved even more.
"That's right, but there is one thing to explain. Taxes are required for large-scale purchases and shipments out of the capital for sale. The price is so cheap. Your Majesty can't make a penny and you can make a penny, right?"
"Understand, understand, 10%. Our Zheng family is willing to directly hand over 10% of the purchase price to your majesty as tax. However, for the right to sell goods outside the capital, except for those directly sold by the company, the Zheng family can only give it to me."
"I'm afraid this won't work. I have a supply agreement with two Dutch people before, so the Dutch people's supply will continue. But I can guarantee that the price will not be lower than yours."
Zheng Zhibao thought about it and nodded in agreement. After talking about this, he suddenly remembered about the radio station and quickly asked Chen Ye.
"Shopkeeper, Your Majesty has given me something as a gift to my eldest brother. It can send messages thousands of miles. It's called a radio. I wonder if this treasure can be sold?"
"That thing cannot be sold for the time being. The general also knows this kind of thing. It is not an important weapon of the country. If it is sold casually, wouldn't it allow others to have such means?"
"What the owner said is, please let me know if it can be sold later. We are sailing a long way and we still need a few people to contact each other."
Hearing Chen Ye's answer, Zheng Zhibao was not disappointed. As long as these things have reached the point of being rewarded to them, it means that the price they can buy in the future is still very high.
Chen Ye did not continue speaking, but picked up the Coke, opened the zipper, and saluted Zheng Zhibao.
"Wish us a happy cooperation."
“A pleasure to work with.”
Zheng Zhibao looked at Chen Ye's actions, picked up the can, and instantly felt a stinging coldness. He touched the ring on it and pried it open with his fingers, and heard the sound of carbon dioxide rushing out.
"Shopkeeper, is this a drink?"
"Oh, the ice-cold Feizhai Happy Water, my dear, you can try it, it tastes great."
Chongzhen had been behind the screen, and after Chen Ye and Zheng Zhibao had reached an agreement, he came out with a can of Coke in his hand as well.
Zheng Zhibao quickly stood up and bowed to Chongzhen. For Chen Ye, he understood that Chen Ye was Chongzhen's white glove. This person was responsible for making money, and the emperor was behind the scenes.
He took the Coke and poured a small amount into his mouth.
"This smell is so refreshing!"
"Of course, the shop owner said that the colder the happy water is, the happier it is. I feel the same way."
Zheng Zhibao took another sip with a look of admiration on his face, feeling a cold and tingling sensation rushing into his stomach.
"Thank you for your majesty's reward. The Zheng family will be loyal to the Ming Dynasty and always protect your majesty."
The ensuing negotiations went smoothly. Zheng Zhibao had received authorization from his elder brother before arriving. Chongzhen put out a backup radio station in the corner. After connecting on the spot, he contacted Zheng Zhilong.
After receiving some suggestive replies from Zheng Zhibao, Zheng Zhilong agreed that the first batch of fifteen large ships would go out to sea.
He transported 150,000 shi of grain to Beijing in exchange for 20 million military coupons. He let Zheng Zhibao make the final decision on the details of these goods.
Anyway, those things were sold at the price of military coupons, so there was no need to worry about selling them.
"By the way, Zheng Aiqing, the Japanese ships often come and go, transporting food for the slaves. Do you, the Zheng family, know about it?"
"Is this happening? Your Majesty, I don't know that the Japanese country still behaves like this? Jiannu repeatedly violated the Ming Dynasty, and the Japanese country dared to transport food to Jiannu. It is really hateful!"
Zheng Zhibao righteously condemned the Japanese state, but in fact the Zheng family knew the Japanese state's actions very well.
I just don’t know what Chongzhen means. Do you want them not to do business with the Japanese country?
"The capital is short of food. Not only do you need to transport it from the south, but you also need to transport it from Japan."
"I understand. I will explain it to my eldest brother. When the caravan to Japan arrives this year, I will go and speak to the name of Japan.
Anyone who sells grain to Jian slaves in the future will be an enemy of Your Majesty, and I, the Zheng family, will kill them with blood."
As soon as he heard what Chongzhen meant, Zheng Zhibao understood that this meant that he would cut off the food route on the sea to build slaves. For the Japanese people, who should they do business with?
"My love for you is so deep in my heart.
Tianjin Port will be opened in the future. You can carry out normal trade in Tianjin Port in the future, but you will need to pay taxes.
If the navy wants to station in the port and must be supervised by the Jin Yiwei, the navy will also arrange for the supervising troops to go there to prevent chaos. They are not allowed to leave the military port privately and go inland."
"I obey the order. I will explain to my eldest brother that we will select a naval force as soon as possible and head to Tianjin Port.
As for the navy being supervised by the Jinyi Guards, it should be true that the Zheng family leads the troops to fight for His Majesty, and I, the Zheng family, will not even frown wherever His Majesty says we will fight."
Zheng Zhibao said excitedly, for them, it doesn't matter whether there are supervisors or not. Anyway, they are not afraid that the emperor will seize military power. If the emperor turns against him, just a few supervisors will chop him up.
On the contrary, with the Tianjin Port, the Zheng family can trade directly with the north, without having to go through the layers of water transportation from various places in the south.
"Well, those reward materials will be withdrawn by Gao Banban to you later. If you want to contact Mr. Zheng, you can contact him at any time.
This radio station is lent to you, you can take it with you at any time, and when Zheng Sen comes, give it to him and contact your family at any time."
Radio stations can send and receive information to each other, especially the main station in Chongzhen, which has the frequency number of each radio station. Even if Zheng Zhibao contacts Zheng Zhilong alone, he can see all the contents.
Zheng Zhibao's eyes lit up, and based on this, he instantly thought of a solution.
If someone who went to Japan brought a radio with him, and sent a message to the radio station in the capital through the radio, then relayed it, and then sent it to Fujian, wouldn't this be equivalent to achieving communication?
With this item, long-distance trade can be planned in advance, and you can know what is missing.
As for information security, they would also use secret messages to send it. He did not believe that the thing Chongzhen gave had no flaws. If Chongzhen could restrict it, there would definitely be a way to crack it.
After Zheng Zhibao left, the color of Chongzhen's eyebrows improved a lot.
"Congratulations, Lao Zhu, with the help of the Zheng family, at least you don't have to worry about food."
"One hundred and fifty thousand dan is still too little. The shopkeeper can buy 800,000 dan at will."
Chongzhen was not satisfied. For him, what he wanted to feed was the entire north.
There are now more than 600,000 people in the capital, and tens of millions of people in the entire north. They need to consume a huge amount of food every day, 150,000 shi, which is more than 10,000 tons.