Chapter 339 The Four Inner Houses of the Southern Expedition and the Northern War. Great cause
A group of shopkeepers, clerks, and secretaries of the Huaxing Union and the bank, who were released by the imperial court, returned to Taiwan Port on three gunboats of the Second Fleet.
Yin Feng went to the dock to greet him in person. Seeing that most of the people released by the government were in good health and mental condition, he expressed comfort to them and asked Lin Xiao: "Have all the company employees who were arrested during the maritime ban been released?"
Lin Xiao replied: "Except for those arrested in the Jingshi spy case, the Ming court basically released all of our people. According to the agreement, those people in the Jingshi case may be a bit troublesome. Zeng Shan had already proposed it during the negotiations in Jiangnan. solved the problem,"
Yin Feng nodded: "We, the people of Zhonghua Company, need no reason to protect their safety. You can urge Zeng Shan and put pressure on the court. If necessary, you can also agree to pay for the court and give the government some money to redeem the person." Come,"
Lin Xiao nodded in agreement, then scratched his scalp, approached Yin Feng and asked in a low voice: "Ship owner, you haven't been home for a few days,"
Yin Feng was posing as a leader and waving to the cheering crowd on the pier. Hearing this, he turned back in confusion and asked: "...I don't know how many days have passed. What's going on? Brother Guangshi, why are you asking this?"
After hesitating for a moment, Lin Xiao smiled bitterly and said: "Isn't my house near you? Your house is very lively these days, and there seems to be always the sound of bowls and dishes being smashed..."
Yin Feng felt guilty for a while, remembering that he had been busy reorganizing and training in the military camp as soon as he returned to Taiwan. The last time he went home was about a month ago. He wiped his sweat and asked in a low voice: "There is no noise coming from the fight, right? Um, is this girl Mei still teaching pipa to others?"
Xu Hongji, who was behind Yin Feng, was holding back his laughter. Lin Xiao also put on a bitter face and said: "There was no sound of fighting. Besides, I didn't have time to listen to the corner of your house. Isn't it your new acquisition?" Auntie, it seems that I haven't been to your inner house for several days. I have been staying in the wing on the west side of Captain's Lane. Mrs. Li has been looking bad recently. I think she is probably smashing dishes."
"No, Lihua is not that bad-tempered..." Yin Feng muttered with a grimace. When he turned around, a mother and her son knelt down in front of him. The mother, who was in her forties, kowtowed repeatedly: "...I represent the ancestors of the Wang family. Thank you, Lord Captain. Thanks to you, the government has released my son, the only child of three generations, back. A commoner woman has been a widow for fifteen years, relying solely on the Captain for support. You are always my living Buddha."
Yin Feng hurriedly helped the two of them up: "Oh, it doesn't have to be like this... By the way, Wang Jinliang, right? You are the shopkeeper of Wuchang Huaxing Union. You have endured hardship in prison this year, right?"
The Wang family, mother and son, are from Fuzhou. During the Manila Massacre that year, Wang Jinliang's father was set on fire by the Japanese in the Chinese business district of Balian. The five or six members of the Wang family who went to sea to make a living all died in Manila. Mother and son The two became orphans and widowed. After the establishment of the China Company, Yin Feng found them through the Wang family's hometown connections, brought them to Taiwan, helped them live, and provided Wang Jinliang with education.
Wang Jinliang, who was less than thirty years old, was lean and thin. Although he looked tired, he was still very energetic. He handed over his hands and said: "The company gave a lot of money to the jailers, and they didn't make it difficult for me. Thank you to the captain for rescuing me. You are my reborn parents, and I, Wang Jinliang, am willing to die for the captain," he said before kneeling down.
Yin Feng quickly grabbed him: "It doesn't have to be like this...without the heroic fighting of the Chinese army soldiers and the repeated defeats of the army, I wouldn't be able to save you. Let's rest for a few days and wait until the Huaxing branch reopens in the mainland. I still have to help you all,"
…
Yin Feng then received a group of Quanzhou and Zhangzhou gentry representatives at the dock. This group of people came to discuss the status of Quanzhou and Zhangzhou after the peace talks. Quanzhou and Zhangzhou have been under the rule of the China Company for more than a year, during which the sea ban was completely banned. Abolition. There is no longer a limit on the number of licenses for merchants to go to sea. They only need to report to the Chinese customs. After paying taxes, they can go to sea at will and trade wherever they want. The exorbitant taxes and miscellaneous taxes at various checkpoints on the trade roads will be abolished. As long as the goods are shipped to the sea, The sales area pays the commercial tax once, and the merchants can travel smoothly. Local farmers, regardless of size, are exempted from tax for three years. Landless farmers are encouraged to emigrate overseas to reclaim wasteland. There is no change in local school education, except that the Chinese company has opened some professors. Technical schools for Western studies and miscellaneous studies, because the staff and administrative agencies of Chinese companies give priority to students from their own schools.
The most important point is that compared with those officials of the Ming Dynasty, the common government officials of the Zhonghua Company are completely different in terms of integrity and closeness to the people. In fact, the actual status of the local administrative officials of the Zhonghua Company is no better than those of shareholders and company employees. Gao, most of them came from poor families, so they did not have any sense of superiority as they claimed to be disciples of the emperor.
These gentry and merchants have already tasted the benefits of the Zhonghua Company, and the locals have a centrifugal tendency towards the imperial court due to the 200-year maritime ban. Therefore, they came to ask Yin Feng: The Zhonghua Company should not evacuate the two prefectures of Quan and Zhangzhou. It is best to Continue to rule.
The Quanzhang Garrison is the 10th to 15th sentries of the Marine Corps Taiwan Corps, plus a squadron. The deputy director of the Zhangquan Garrison, Qi Yue, also came to Taiwan Port today. Qi Yue is at the end of Penghu Fenggui. The Zhangzhou Guard Baihu Qiyue who was the first to surrender to the Chinese Army in the Battle of Penghu returned to the Zhangzhou Guard to work as a junior officer after the Penghu War. Because he was not good at currying favor with superior officials, he never had any future prospects. The Chinese Army captured Zhangzhou, and after Quanzhou , he surrendered to the Chinese Army with his confidants and brothers. Because he was familiar with the local situation, he was appointed deputy director of the garrison.
Yin Feng immediately appointed Qi Yue as the deputy battalion commander of the reorganized Zhangquan Battalion on the dock, and comforted the merchants, civilians, and gentry that the Chinese army would always hold Zhangzhou and Quanzhou.
…
Yin Feng quietly returned home in the evening. At the door of his home, he heard the melodious sound of pipa playing from the inner house, as well as the faint laughter of women and children. Moreover, a group of servants from the Zeng family were in the yard, which explained the two big bosses of the Zeng family: Zeng Ke and Zeng Qi were both at his home.
Yin Feng immediately understood: Lin Xiao had been deceived. Lin Xiao was probably following Zeng Qi's instructions to find a way to let him go home. The arrival of Zeng Qi and Zeng Ke must be for Yin Feng's remarry. .
Yin Feng quietly slipped out of the house and led his guards out of Captain's Alley.
"Shipmaster, where are you going?" Lin Yue, the captain of the personal guard, asked helplessly as he looked at Yin Feng who was wandering around the city of Taiwan.
Yin Feng coughed: "Haha, I am inspecting, do you understand?"
"But you have already circled this square twice..."
Xu Hongji couldn't bear it any longer. He stepped forward with a smile and said to Yin Feng: "Sir, shipowner, there is no way to avoid this."
Yin Feng smiled awkwardly, sighed and said: "Mr. Xu, people don't say secret words, let me tell you straight: the girl from the Zeng family, the lady from the Qiao family in Shanxi, and other women, I actually
I don’t have any prejudice to say that I don’t like beautiful women,
That's a lie. The women in my family are all pretty, but I really don't like this: they stuff women into my home like goods. Secretly, they want to make deals with me, the Chinese company, and the Chinese army. This
What's going on?"
Xu Hongji has already understood Yin Feng's character: Yin Feng is known as unparalleled benevolence and righteousness. Although he has been cruel to enemies, he actually has a lot of political mysophobia and is not suitable for the official games of the Ming Dynasty at all. Fortunately, this is not the official government of the Ming Dynasty.
.
Xu Hongji took a step forward and sneered: "Sir Shipowner, in fact, China Company and you are one. You have reached this point and have become a person who influences the world. In the past, you may have to make good friends with various forces and cooperate with government and businessmen.
Marriage between gentry and gentry can be regarded as a way to form a good relationship, but now your status is no longer what it used to be. Family affairs are state affairs, and everyone in the world is watching."
Yin Feng shook his head and gritted his teeth and said, "Mr. Xu, I understand everything you said, but I just can't accept this kind of purposeful marriage."
The shadow of Zeng Qian has always been shrouded in his heart: he married the Zeng family for the purpose of finding a backing for himself. After getting married, the two had a very embarrassing experience, but after the Xinxing ship encountered pirates, he did fall in love
He fell in love with the kind-hearted Zeng Qian, but deep down in his heart, Yin Feng felt a sense of guilt towards Zeng Qian, which he still cannot eliminate.
Regardless of his inner feelings, Xu Hongji continued: "Master Captain, every move you make now is related to your great cause. Even today, you cannot choose the harem exactly according to your own preferences. Then again, you are now
Your position is to allow others to curry favor with you. If you insist on acting according to your own wishes, it probably won’t be a big deal: both the Zeng family and the Qiao family must marry you now. However, the two elders of the Zeng family
I guess you’ll be disappointed,”
After Zeng Qian's death, Li Lihua was Yin Feng's favorite wife. This kind of gossip is basically known to the insiders of Zhonghua Company.
Yin Feng nodded repeatedly when he heard the words, then thought about it and sighed: "Hey, no matter what, the Zeng family is kind to me. This matter is difficult to handle. Jun Ting is only 17 years old. If I marry her, wouldn't it be an old cow taking advantage of her young age?"
Damn it, I’m too old, what nonsense?” Yin Feng smiled bitterly, turned to Xu Hongji and said, “Mr. Xu, what do you think my great cause should look like?”
Xu Hongji was stunned for a moment, then thought for a while and said: "The captain told us the general trend of the world. In the whole world, only you can lead us to catch up with the general trend of the world..."
"The general trend, haha," Yin Feng shook his head and sneered: "When the emperor changes dynasty, can it really change the destiny of China and change the historical trend of thousands of years?"
"This..." Xu Hongji couldn't understand Yin Feng's words, and he hesitated for a moment and said: "Sir, in the final analysis, the things in your inner house are still small things. In any case, your great cause is the big thing. How to choose, you are the only one.
, we can’t help,”
Yin Feng made up his mind at this moment, waved his hand and said: "Part of the current trend in the world was created by me, but I can't change part of it. Okay, that's it. Let's go home."
…
Ten days later, a well-informed clerk of the Commercial Daily revealed a piece of gossip: the ship owner was about to marry Li Lihua as his wife, and at the same time take the seventh daughter of the Zeng family and Mei Xinlan as his concubines.