Early the next morning, Chen Qing came to the official room as usual. He sat down in his seat, and his own soldiers came in to pour him tea.
Originally, the tea boy in Chen Qing's room served him tea, but Chao Qing discovered that this was a security loophole. If someone bribed the tea boy, the consequences would be disastrous.
At this time, Chao Qing said at the door: "Your Highness, Chao Kun is already waiting in the corridor!"
Chen Qing nodded, "Let him come in!"
Chao Kun has always been an official that Chen Qing valued highly. He was independent and daring to take risks overseas. This adventurous spirit really impressed Chen Qing.
At this time, Chao Kun was pacing back and forth in the corridor. The corridor is located on the patio. It is a place where officials take a rest and chat at noon. The corridor can lead to the meeting hall and the staff hall. At the same time, the corridor is also a place where officials wait for summons.
, of course there are tables and chairs where you can sit and drink tea, or you can walk back and forth to relieve the tension in your heart.
Chao Kun was indeed a little nervous. He went to Nanyang again last year. He couldn't find any of the crops His Highness King Yong asked him to look for, so he didn't know how to explain it to His Highness.
At this time, the elder brother said at the end of the corridor: "Akun, His Highness lets you in!"
Chao Kun came over and asked in a low voice: "How is your highness feeling?"
"Go ahead! Don't worry."
Chao Kun plucked up the courage to enter the official office, bowed and saluted, "See you, Your Highness!"
"Please sit down!" Chen Qing smiled and asked him to sit down.
The smile of His Highness King Yong made Chao Kun feel at ease, and he sat down on a chair nearby.
Chen Qing asked again: "Have you been to Nanyang in the past two years?"
Chao Kun's heart tightened. His Highness was indeed the most concerned about this matter. He hesitated for a moment and said: "Reporting to Your Highness, I went to Nanyang last year. Unfortunately, I didn't meet the crops that Your Highness wanted. Not even the palm fruit."
could not find it."
Not finding anything of his own, Chen Qing expected that this was not a place originally from Nanyang.
"Forget it if you don't find it. I'll look for it more carefully when I have the chance."
Chao Kun felt relieved. He had been worried about something for a year, but he didn't expect His Highness King Yong to solve it in just two sentences.
"Beizhi went to Nanyang last year mainly to buy spices."
Chen Qing also knew that the spices sold in Jingzhao were continuously transported from Quanzhou, and Chao Kun should have brought them back from Nanyang.
"Have you ever met a Dashi businessman in Nanyang?"
"Yes, there are, but not as many as before. It is said that there were many before."
"Why is there less?"
"Actually, it has something to do with the imperial court."
Chen Qing raised his eyebrows, "It has something to do with the imperial court, why?"
"The imperial court forcibly requisitioned merchant ships as warships, which resulted in the loss of merchant ships going to Dashi. merchants from Dashi generally took our Song Dynasty merchant ships. Without our thousands of stone ships, they really didn't dare to take small boats.
Merchant ships, they say small merchant ships will capsize when encountering a storm, only our sea-going ships are the most reliable."
"Without our sea ships, there will be fewer food merchants in Southeast Asia?"
"exactly!"
Chen Qing asked again: "What kind of goods do food merchants usually sell?"
"Rugs, blankets, tinware, cloth, mainly cloth."
"Cotton?"
Chao Kun nodded, "I went to the spice shop and cloth shop last night and found that the quality of our cloth is much better than theirs. Our cloth is mainly kapok, while theirs is straw cotton."
Chen Qing's heart was moved. The other party could weave cloth from pure cotton. Is their lint longer and easier to weave? He asked: "Have you asked them for some cotton grass seeds?"
"Your Highness, the natives of Nanyang have always wanted to ask for cotton seeds from Dashi, but the merchants of Dashi are very vigilant and will never take cotton seeds to Nanyang. However, I believe that their cotton seeds should be the same as ours. We
The cotton species came from the Western Regions, and the earliest ones came from Persia or Dashi."
After a pause, Chao Kun said again: "There is another matter. I have to ask His Highness for instructions!"
"you say!"
"Beizi went to the spice shop yesterday. In fact, he was selling spices for his colleagues. Including Beizi, he also bought a load of spices himself. They were all purchased by himself. I don't know if I can do this? Please give me your instructions!"
Chen Qing knew that all sailors, including soldiers, who went overseas would carry some private goods with them to earn a little money back and forth. This was understandable. When the water was clear, there would be no fish. Chen Qing understood this truth. If he only talked about dedication without any
The good thing is that in the end no one will do anything.
Chen Qingxiao asked: "How much did you personally earn from a trip to Nanyang?"
"The humble post spent three hundred guan of capital to buy a load of spices and sold it for 2,500 guan."
"not bad!"
Chen Qing said calmly: "I only give you four words, enough is enough. It's okay to carry a small amount. If you want to buy hundreds or thousands of kilograms, then absolutely not."
"I understand. I will raise this issue when planning the establishment of the Trade Supervision. Rules must be set as to how many personal belongings each person can carry. If there are no rules, there will definitely be a large number of people carrying goods for others, occupying the load of the ship."
"Anything else to report?"
"There is one more thing I have to report to Your Highness."
"go on!"
Chao Kun thought for a while and said: "This time we went to Japan and posted a notice to hire some laborers for twenty coppers a day. It is said that this was twice as expensive as the labor price back then. The locals paid ten coppers a day, which is ten coppers.
As a result, too many people came to sign up. It was a huge crowd. I heard that Japan has a large population and few opportunities to make money. Many people came to the seaport to find work. I was wondering if I could recruit Japanese workers to pick cotton in Ryukyu.
, after all, only 20% of the cotton we pick on Ryukyu Island every year, most of it is wasted, which is a pity.”
Chen Qing thought for a while and said: "In principle, it is possible, but the details must be done well. For example, Japanese workers are not allowed to settle on Ryukyu Island. Of course, it is okay if a Japanese woman marries a Han worker, so she has to change her job after one year."
People, let them cut trees, build roads, grow sugar cane, and pick cotton. The wages can be slightly higher, including food and accommodation, fifty cash per day. This can attract more people to come over. If they die, they can be compensated ten thousand yuan.
"
"Should this matter be discussed and decided by the House of Councilors?"
Chen Qing shook his head, "No need for the time being. You start with it. In the first year, the number of recruits will be less than 3,000. In the second year, the number can be increased to 5,000. In the third year, the number will be 10,000. If you succeed for three consecutive years, then you can recruit more people."
The Internal Affairs Hall makes an application, and the Internal Affairs Hall will formulate the system. As for the army to maintain order, I will give you a thousand soldiers."
Chen Qing thought for a while and then smiled and said: "You'd better write an application! I'll approve it for you so that you can do things easily."
"The humble job will be submitted tomorrow!"
Chao Qing had been paying attention to his brother's situation outside. Seeing that Chao Kun had reported for nearly an hour before coming out, he was secretly surprised. His Highness King Yong rarely received officials for more than half an hour, but he actually talked with his brother for nearly an hour. See
His Highness King Lai Yong valued his brothers very much, and of course he also valued the huge profits from overseas trade.
"How's it going? Have you been criticized?" Chao Qing asked with concern.
Chao Kun nodded, "Fortunately, His Highness asked a lot about overseas matters, and His Highness also agreed to the plan I proposed."
At this time, Chao Qing saw Jiang Yanxian accompanying Zheng Tongquan, and he quickly said to his brother: "You go back first! We will talk in detail in the evening."
After Chao Kun left, Chao Qing came up to greet him and said with a smile: "Counsellor Jiang wants to see His Highness?"
Jiang Yanxian smiled and nodded, "Your Highness, are you free?"
"I just met with Chao Kun. I'm going to ask. The counselor will be waiting for you!"
Chao Qing entered the room and reported: "Your Highness, Counselor Jiang and Duke Zheng want to see you."
Chen Qing looked at the clock and saw that it was almost noon. He stood up and said with a smile: "Go to the teahouse to talk to them, arrange a carriage, and then invite Counselor Zhou too!"
Soon, the carriages were arranged and Zhou Kuan arrived. The four of them got into two carriages and drove to the teahouse.