Lu Xiu was extremely smart and understood her husband's words immediately. She was surprised and said, "Husband, do you think the Lu family will control Ji'er?"
Chen Qing shook his head, "I didn't talk about the Lu family. Your father can't do it, Lu Wei can't do it, and Lu Fan can't do it. Although he is also a Lu family, your eldest brother's city is too deep. His status as a foreign relative and such a deep city,
How can I not be worried?"
Lu Xiu was silent. She suddenly remembered that her sister-in-law often came to chat with her half a year ago. She mentioned twice that Xiaoyun was promised to Ji'er. At that time, she just thought that Xiaoyun was two years older than Ji'er and was inappropriate. There was no such thing.
Thinking about other aspects, now that her husband reminded her, she realized that her eldest sister-in-law came to see her with intentions, and it was most likely her eldest brother who instigated her.
Thinking of this, a chill ran down her spine. It turned out that her eldest brother had been harboring thoughts about Ji'er.
"I understand. In this case, it would be more reassuring if the second brother is in charge."
Chen Qing smiled slightly and said: "Your elder brother is a good person, but you don't understand. I'm not saying that someone from the Lu family must be the prime minister. I trust Lu Wei not because he is your second brother, but because he is your second brother."
He has been with me for many years, and I know him well. He has no palace, can't hide things in his heart, and is prone to sinking when he encounters a blow. As a personal character, he is indeed not very good, but monarchs often like people like this."
"Husband, do you need me to persuade my second brother?"
"When you have the chance, tell Li Mei that the person who will succeed Lu Qingshan is Hu Yun. As for Zhou Kuan, I plan to let him serve for another time. When he is seventy, he will retire from office and let your second brother do good work for the people of Taiyuan.
Make real political achievements and do it patiently, I don’t want the second Guangyuntan incident to happen again.”
........
Early the next morning, as soon as Chen Qing arrived at the imperial study, Jiang Yanxian came to report that the Foreign Trade Administration ordered Chao Kun to bring the prince of the Ni Kingdom to Beijing for pilgrimage. Chao Kun also brought another good news. The navy of the Yong Dynasty was at Srivijaya.
The Chola fleet was defeated at sea, the entire Chola navy was destroyed, and a hundred thousand Chola troops were buried at the bottom of the sea.
Soon, King Srivijaya will also send his prince to Jingzhao for pilgrimage, willing to become a vassal state of Yong Dynasty.
This kind of foreign affairs almost always comes at the same time. Chen Qing also received the news from Anxi at the same time. King Yelu Dashi of Xiliao has passed away. At present, Xiliao is ruled by Xiaota Buyan, the wife of Yelu Dashi. She has sent an envoy to Beijing.
, willing to reconcile with Yong Dynasty.
This news certainly makes Chen Qing happy. He now needs time and energy to consolidate Anxi. It will take at least ten or twenty years to manage it before he can truly bring Anxi into the territory of the Dayong Empire. He has no energy to consider continuing the Western Expedition and the Western Liao Dynasty.
To seek peace is the most ideal result, which should be a great victory for the Anxi Army and Gaoding's complete annihilation of 30,000 Western Liao coalition forces in Jinshan North, completely overwhelming the Western Liao.
It would be at least two months before the Western Liao envoy arrived. Chen Qing immediately met with Prince Balima of the Ni Kingdom in the Taiji Hall and accepted Balima's credentials.
Chen Qing also officially expressed his position as the monarch. The Yong Dynasty saw the sincerity of the Bangni Kingdom and was willing to accept the Bangni Kingdom as a vassal state. Chen Qing immediately named Balima the Duke of the Kingdom of Bangni, which actually recognized Balima as the Duke of Bangni.
The heir to the throne.
Chen Qing then met with Chao Kun specifically.
"I am here to see Your Majesty!"
"Chao Aiqing, please sit down!"
Chen Qing asked Chao Kun to sit down and asked with a smile: "Are there frequent business contacts between Quanzhou and Nanyang now?"
"Reporting to your Majesty, there used to be only two trips a year, but now that the propellers are installed, it can be done four times a year. It has become easier to go to Nanyang. There is basically no news of shipwrecks, but the profit is also low.
In the past, one trip was worth ten times the benefits, but now one trip only makes a 30% profit. If it is sold directly to the port dealer and half of it is taken away, the profit will be very thin indeed. I have no choice but to make a few more trips every year.
"
"What about Korea and Japan?"
"Goryeo is gone. It is very unfriendly. Businessmen who go there will confiscate their ships and goods, or even lose their lives. We all go directly to Japan after replenishing supplies at Tamna Island. Officials buy silver, while ordinary businessmen buy it.
Other goods.”
Chen Qing nodded, "Tell us about the land in Nanyang!"
This was the main purpose of Chen Qing's summons to Chao Kun. He needed to establish a fulcrum in Nanyang. It was more difficult for Yong Dynasty to expand westward, but it was much easier to expand northward and overseas. They were all large areas of uninhabited land.
In particular, the two major opportunities in America and Australia were missed by the Song and Ming Dynasties. It must be said that this is the biggest regret in Chinese history.
"Did you get the land I mentioned?"
Chao Kun quickly leaned forward and said: "Report to your majesty, we have negotiated three times and have taken it. The north shore of the Malacca Strait is three hundred miles deep. I have signed an agreement with the king of the other side and bought it for 10,000 guan."
"Have you already bought it?" Chen Qing asked.
"It has been purchased, and now 20,000 Japanese laborers are building a city by the Malacca River near the bay."
Chen Qing nodded, he could move the Nanyang pacification envoy there. Yongnan Island is only temporary, and the island can only garrison troops. The real administrative office still needs to be on land.
Chao Kun added: "There is another piece of land, which is the land given to us by the Bangni Kingdom. It is located on the east bank of the Tongla River. It is not small, just like Yongnan Island. In the end, Cao Shijun and Wei Chen decided to use five
You can buy it with thousands of dollars, and you won’t accept it as a gift.”
"Why give us land?"
"Reporting to your majesty, the west bank of the Tongla River is the Kingdom of Srivijaya. The Bangni Kingdom could not resist the encroachment of the Kingdom of Srivijaya, so it inserted us to stop the eastward expansion of Srivijaya."
Chen Qing praised: "Small countries have the survival wisdom of small countries."
This is actually the same as later small countries allowing big countries to establish military bases in their territories, also for fear of being annexed by another big country.
"Have you ever visited that land?" Chen Qing asked again.
"I have visited in my humble position. It is very fertile. It is the most ideal place for growing rice. There are three crops a year. There is also a small city over there called Siwu City with a population of several thousand. Their officials and garrison have all retreated. They are currently occupied.
Our five hundred garrison took over."
Having said this, Chao Kun sighed softly, "The biggest problem in Nanyang is that there is too little usable land."
"How do you say this?" Chen Qing asked in confusion,
"Reporting to your Majesty, all parts of Nanyang are covered by large expanse of lush forests. Only a small amount of land on the seaside can be used. Because water is needed, it is usually near the river. If it is too far away from the river, then the seaside cannot be used."
Chen Qing also understood that it was precisely because of too much forest coverage that the Southeast Asian countries could become the center of spices in the world. Not only did they come to buy spices, Arabs, Persia, and even Eastern Roman merchants also came to buy spices.
"I know!"
Chen Qing nodded and said: "The trade in Nanyang will continue, but we must step up the construction of the new city of Malacca, as well as the land here in the Bangni Kingdom. The focus is to recruit Han people to live there."
"Your Majesty, it used to be more difficult to recruit people now. There are more women and fewer men in Nanyang. If Your Majesty agrees to let the soldiers stay, they can marry the women there and have children."
Chen Qing thought for a while and then said happily: "I have never objected to soldiers staying overseas and marrying local women. You should pay attention to one thing. It is not to let the soldiers integrate into the local area, but to let the local women integrate into us, and even let the local women integrate into us.
The local people are gradually becoming Sinicized, allowing their children to learn Chinese and Central Plains etiquette."
"Wei Chen fully understands His Highness's national policy!"
"As long as you understand, I have been paying close attention to Ryukyu Island. Three counties have been built there. We need to increase the population migration from the Central Plains. As long as the population exceeds 10,000 households, we can build an independent government and establish Ryukyu Prefecture. Let's work hard.
!I will make you the first governor of Ryukyu Prefecture."
Chao Kun was excited, stood up and bowed: "Wei Chen will definitely do everything possible to increase the population of Ryukyu Island."