Next to Zhang Yinian, there was a young man who was handsome and well-educated. Every move he made had a reserved demeanor, and he was obviously of extraordinary origin.
This is Zhang Chaoguang, the grandson of Hailing Marquis Zhang Yanqing. Although he is a commoner, he is also a son of a noble family and has enjoyed a good education since he was a child.
In the more than 20 years since the rise of overseas trade, the noble class of the Han Dynasty has been a group that cannot be avoided. This is natural. How could it have developed to what it is today in just 20 years simply by relying on the initiative of the people?
degree.
Among the many nobles, the original intention of many of them was not because they had a pioneering spirit. Some of them did it to please Emperor Liu, and some were simply entrusted by Emperor Liu and had to reluctantly become the pioneers of overseas colonization.
Official, become a trendsetter who leads the trend.
However, with the booming trade, as the market becomes bigger and bigger, and the benefits become more and more, no matter how reserved people and families are, it is inevitable that they will be tempted. As long as there is profit, there will never be a shortage of people surrounding them, and they will be jealous.
, a large number of nobles and bureaucrats also stepped in and joined the interest wave of overseas colonization.
As a leader in the navy, the Zhang Yanqing family will naturally not lag behind others. It is also one of the first nobles to participate in the navy. It will end early, have more power and convenience, and naturally earn greater profits.
Of course, in order to look good or to avoid criticism, in the early days, most of them supported some merchants or domestic servants to act as puppets on the table. Although the specific situation was always transparent to the upper class,
I just don’t know the specific details.
Later, Emperor Liu's attitude became clearer and clearer. Apart from higher tax requirements, the imperial court did not impose any restrictions. This stimulated the enthusiasm of the participants from top to bottom and enhanced their courage.
Moreover, seeing the benefits getting bigger and bigger, some nobles also began to send family members to personally participate in it and take over the business. This was true for both Zhang Yinian and the young Zhang Chaoguang.
Zhang Chaoguang is the second grandson of the eldest son of the Zhang family. He was born as a concubine and has basically no inheritance rights to the title. The family property cannot be divided too much. Naturally, he has to find another way out. Of course, if he is just a noble son and lives in dreams, he will not have much success.
Big problem.
However, the Han Empire was still on the rise, and the overall atmosphere was positive. Especially these noble children, who had excellent education and wider knowledge, were naturally more willing to venture into and fight hard.
Whether it was the initial development of Andong or the expedition to Nanyang, so many concubines or descendants actively participated in it. This is why. If it was just driven by Emperor Liu, without its own motivation, it would be difficult to achieve scale.
Unlike some brothers of the same clan who are focused on official career and want to be an official, Zhang Chaoguang thinks that he is average in academics and difficult to pass the Jinshi examination. He has no patience for studying, his martial arts is even sparse, he has no talent for practicing medicine, and he is not too talented for farming.
Mediocre, after much thought, I finally decided to go into business and make a fortune.
For a family like the Zhang family, they need someone to be an official or a general in order to gain power. Similarly, they also need someone to do business and farm land for the sake of wealth. And Zhang Chaoguang chose the latter. Among the Zhang family, they are the most prosperous.
None other than Zhang Yinian. This time, while he was personally supervising the Haifeng's first voyage to the South China Sea, he also came with him, hoping to observe and learn from it.
As a son of a nobleman, Zhang Chaoguang has naturally seen the world, but at this time, he could not help but look curious when observing the scene in the Hekou Port.
Continuous docks, vast stretches of cargo yards, ships of all sizes with their own characteristics, and of course, all kinds of exotic people, such as the giant cannibal with a white turban on his head, the Tianzhu people with turbans on their heads, deep eyes and high noses,
There were white-faced and yellow-haired Westerners, as well as barbarian merchants in even more bizarre costumes, and even some swarthy "savages".
Of course, the most numerous are the ragged indigenous coolies, all kinds of them, which is an eye-opener for Zhang Chaoguang. In the Han Dynasty, it is not that we have never seen foreign barbarians, but they are so abundant and concentrated, and they have to be in a hub for exchanges like Liangping Island.
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"Second uncle, it's unbelievable that this small Liangping Island is so prosperous, with sails and sails like weaving, and crowds of people, even as high as Jinling!" As he walked and observed, Zhang Chaoguang couldn't help but sigh to Zhang Yinian.
road.
Hearing this, Zhang Yinian smiled and said: "Jinling is the capital of Jiangning, and Jiangning is the capital of Jiangnan. How can it be compared to Liangping Island? Look at this place, which is only ten miles in radius. It is condescending and can be seen at a glance. However, if we talk about it,
When it comes to merchant ships, Jiangning may not be as good as this place.
This place is strategically located in the strait. If merchant ships from the east and west want to pass through, they must come here. Whether they are Han ships going south or returning to the north, or Western merchants going east to west, they all gather here. You can imagine the huge number of them.
.
It's July now, so it's not obvious yet. After a month or two, you will be able to see more merchant ships arriving, and then thousands of merchants will gather together, with flags and banners like a forest.
There are still a lot of vacancies at the Hekou Port, and they will all be full in a while!"
Listening to Zhang Yinian's narration, some pictures appeared in Zhang Chaoguang's mind, and he couldn't help but sigh: "I only thought that overseas was poor and full of uncivilized barbarians. I never imagined that there could be such a prosperous place and a prosperous scene!"
Hearing his emotion, Zhang Yinian laughed and explained: "If the overseas countries were poor, why would so many people go south eagerly? However, before we Han people went south, it was indeed a deserted land. Even now, these thousands of islands,
Only a very small part of the vast land has been cultivated and some strongholds have been established.
These Nanyang barbarians are sitting on treasure mountains but don’t know how to make good use of them. They can only rely on us to help them. Over the years, the wealth that has been imported into the country in large quantities is also the result of the hard work of us Han merchants and sweat and blood.
Even life.
Take Liangping Island as an example. Even more than a year ago, it did not have the same atmosphere as it does now. It is already a mess now, but when it was in the hands of Srivijaya, it would be even worse.
These barbarians are short-sighted. Although they know how to make money from this golden waterway that connects the east and west, they only know how to block the road and collect taxes. They do not want to make good use of the natural harbor here. God has given it to them, and they don’t know.
use efficiently.
There is no need to talk about management. If it weren’t for the great men who came to spread their blessings, how could we be as prosperous as we are today?”
"Second uncle is right!" After listening to Zhang Yinian's long speech, Zhang Chaoguang obviously agreed with it. With the inherent arrogance of the Han aristocrats, he chuckled: "It's a pity that the Three Buddhas of Qi country don't know good and evil, and dare to disobey the Han people.
How dare you raise a sword!"
Zhang Chaoguang's words fully demonstrated that his butt position was in a straight position. Zhang Yinian did not feel there was anything wrong with his words and responded: "If you fight, you will be obedient! It has to be said that Guo Liangping is very careful about this matter.
, well done, with the style of our great man, without losing the prestige of the country."
"Liangping Island, this name always sounds a bit harsh to my ears!" Zhang Chaoguang said with a slight curl of his lips.
Zhang Yinian stretched out his hand and drew a circle in the three directions of southeast and west, and said with a smile: "If you are interested, you can find an island to occupy and name it Chaoguang Island."
Hearing this, Zhang Chaoguang shook his head and said: "I don't ask for this false reputation! Besides, in this barbaric land, who can I take it for? Can it be passed on to the big man? Guo Liangping is still thick-skinned."
Hearing what Zhang Chaoguang said, Zhang Yinian's expression became serious and said: "It's not because I want to be a teacher, but I still have to remind you that Guo Liangping is senior to you no matter what. He is not only the commander-in-chief of the Nanyang Navy, but also a meritorious minister appointed by His Majesty.
I can't tolerate the contempt of you guys!
Don’t be deceived by some slanderous words in China. If you really offend Guo Liangping here, you will have nowhere to redress your grievances even if you lose your life!”
Seeing that Zhang Yinian suddenly changed his face and defended Guo Liangping, Zhang Chaoguang was a little surprised, but seeing that his expression was serious and not like a joke, he became serious and said with cupped hands: "My second uncle's teachings, my nephew will remember it! I just said it casually, if
Don’t dare to be presumptuous in front of Mr. Guo!”
Hearing this, Zhang Yinian's expression returned to normal. He didn't want the master's son from China to offend Guo Liangping because of those unknown things.
Guo Liangping has done so many things in Nanyang in these years, how can he be a good person? Although Liangping Island is prosperous and lively in front of him, there are countless corpses of Sri Buddha Qi buried in the strait.
"You guys, you have been in China for a long time and have never been there. You just heard about it and underestimated Guo Liangping after all." As if thinking of something, Zhang Yinian couldn't help but let out a deep sigh.
