"Girl, where do you live?"
"Miss, let's talk about whether it's far or not. It's about three or three miles from here!"
In the backyard of the Zhou family in Ningbo, which is comparable to an imperial garden, the sounds of silk and bamboo are melodious. On the stage that has just been built, two famous actresses have graceful sleeves and graceful figures, and their smiles are charming.
What they sang was a famous piece of Yue Opera, "Wang Laohu steals a bride."
Under the stage, a pampered gentleman, being served by maids and servants, shook his head and followed in agreement.
On the main seat, while watching the play, the head of the Zhou family, Zhou Dehong, turned his head slightly and secretly looked at the expression on the side of him, Chen Baisen, the prefect of Ningbo.
Chen Baisen, who was born as a Jinshi, was usually upright and elegant, but now when he looked at the two famous actors on the stage who were singing, chanting, and fighting, his face and eyes were filled with enthusiasm.
"Hmph! Fake Taoism that takes the dry road!"
Zhou Dehong said sarcastically in his heart, but smiled attentively on his face and said, "Master Futai, what do you think of these two characters?"
"Okay!" Chen Baisen was still looking at the stage, his eyes fixed, "Where did Mr. Zhou find these two top performers? It's really... I feel pity for them!"
These words immediately gave Zhou Dehong a chill in his heart.
It should be noted that in such a place where Neo-Confucianism is prevalent, it is absolutely impossible for women to appear on the stage where operas are performed for wealthy families. The graceful and charming famous actors on the stage are actually male and female, and it is difficult to tell the difference between male and female.
"Since your Excellency likes it, I will send them to your house later!" Zhou Dehong laughed and said, "I will also send their body and clothes together!"
"How can this be done?" Chen Baisen finally turned his head, eyes ecstatic, and refused, "How can this be done?"
"Why isn't this possible? Your Majesty loves Yue Opera, poetry, lyrics and music. It's a noble thing!" Zhou Dehong said seriously, "Send it over. Your Majesty just happens to personally train it day and night and write the lyrics himself!"
"No, no, it's going to cost you too much!"
"A sword is given to martyrs, and pink powder is given to beauties!" Zhou Dehong smiled again, "Isn't it a perfect match for two famous actors to be given to you? Sir, you and I have known each other for a long time, and we have even become friends. Gentlemen have the friendship of generalists, so what else can we talk about?
The word "expense"?"
Chen Baisen smiled and said, "In this case, I would be disrespectful!"
"Drink tea, drink tea!" Zhou Dehong laughed.
The two looked at each other for a while, and then the song ended.
Chen Baisen spoke slowly again, "Mr. Zhou invited me here today. What's going on?"
"It's okay, it's okay, I'm just inviting you to watch the show!" Zhou Dehong said with a smile.
"Brother Zhou, you don't mean what you say!" Chen Baisen laughed.
~~~~
As the saying goes, if you have a plan, you must first show courtesy to others.
Only when the gift given by the beggar is received by the person doing the work can it be said to be just right.
As soon as the scene changed, Zhou Dehong and Chen Baisen had walked from the stage into the back hall.
In the beautifully decorated and magnificent elegant room, the Western glassware worth a thousand gold is shining brightly on the table.
Those utensils, wine glasses, flasks and other objects were crystal clear and suddenly became natural.
The chilled grape wine that Semu people brought from the Western Regions traveled thousands of miles, swaying slightly in a transparent glass cup, was pleasing to the eye.
"Glow-in-the-dark cup of grape wine, if you want to drink Pipa, hurry up!" Chen Baisen took a sip of the wine and said with a smile.
"Master Futai is so talented!" Zhou Dehong praised with a smile.
Chen Baisen smiled and said, "Brother Zhou, there are no outsiders here. If you have anything to do, just tell me!" As he said that, he looked at the glass goblet in his hand, "If you don't tell me, this wine will be tasteless to me!"
"I can't hide anything from you, my lord!" Zhou Dehong personally gave the other party a full meal and muttered, "You also know that I am appointed as the president of Ningbo Maritime Merchant!"
"These days, my colleagues in the maritime trade and the merchants from other countries have been visiting me all the time!" Zhou Dehong said as if he was embarrassed, "Everyone knows that I am good to you, so they all come to beg me!"
"What can I ask of you?" Chen Baisen said, holding a jade-like lotus root slice.
"Our Ningbo is a port specially designated for Japanese trade when the Ming Dynasty was founded!" Zhou Dehong added, "All Japanese ships that come to the Ming Dynasty to do business can only dock in Ningbo, and goods can only be traded here!"
As he spoke, he looked at Chen Bosen's face and continued, "Now that the world is at peace, more and more merchant ships from the Japanese are coming..."
Chen Baisen suddenly stopped his chopsticks and asked, "Should we expand the pier, or what?" As he spoke, he took another sip of wine, "If it is a good thing to expand the pier, Ningbo is as prosperous as it is today, all because of sea trade.
.I am not a pedantic person who studies hard, so I naturally know the benefits of expanding the dock!"
As he spoke, he suddenly changed the topic, "However, whether it is to expand the wharf or the water port, the quota of Japanese merchant ships and the number of ships entering the port cannot be changed." At this point, he looked at Zhou Dehong and said seriously, "If you want
If there are too many Japanese ships entering the port, they must first be reported to the Chief Secretary, then to the Ministry of Accounts, and finally to the Emperor's Holy Judgment!"
Zhou Dehong immediately smiled and said, "What your lord is saying is, and I also know that this fact is very difficult to handle!" After saying that, he paused and said, "But lord, I would like to say something only in front of you, the more Japanese people come to Ningbo, the more likely we are to be in Ningbo."
Isn’t it prosperous?”
Chen Baisen nodded, noncommittal.
Zhou Dehong said again, "So, I have thought of a way that is easy to use and does not violate taboos!"
Chen Baisen stopped his chopsticks and listened.
"The quota for Japanese ships entering the port remains unchanged, but can the Japanese be allowed ashore?" Zhou Dehong slowly poured wine again, "Of course, they don't want to think about our inner city, so we just draw a street in the outer city for them to live in.
!”
"Speaking of which, I also think about the prosperity of our place."
"The Japanese people living ashore are like sending out clerks from a business. Whatever goods they want there, they buy them here and then ship them directly after they come to the ship!"
"In this way, the trade between the two parties is simple and clear, and no longer needs to be so complicated!"
"You also know that after a Japanese ship enters the port, it first finds people, then a trading house, and then selects the goods for shipment!"
As he spoke, he lowered his voice and said, "What could have been done in one day will take almost ten days to complete. If the Japanese have men on the shore, they can arrive on the same day. The Japanese ships entering the port can come in and out quickly, which is very cheap.
ah!"
"Since then, the daily quota of Japanese ships entering the port has remained unchanged, but the number of ships coming has more than doubled!"
Chen Baisen thought carefully and realized that what the other party said made sense.
For example, if Ningbo Port only allows ten Japanese ships to come in a day, and these ten ships stop there after they come in, there will still be these ships for ten days. If the ships that come in every day leave on the same day. Second
As new ships come in every day, the volume of sea trade is drastically different.
"This is a good thing!" Chen Baisen pondered, "But there is no precedent for this! Let the Japanese stay on the shore permanently?"
"My lord, just give them one or two streets in the outer city!" Zhou Dehong said with a smile, "If you are still alive, just give them a few pieces of wasteland. They will build their own houses and shops directly. They are also under the control of our yamen on weekdays and are not allowed to act recklessly!"
"In fact, in my opinion, this is really a good thing!"
"Our great tomorrow has a universal mind and gives us some benefits. Why aren't these Japanese people grateful?"
"Actually, despite being poor, the Japanese do have some good things. Folding fans and Japanese knives are both good things!"
"Give them some space for them to establish themselves. You are generous and let them set up shops to do some business! Firstly, the yamen can also get some tax revenue from scattered silver coins every year. Secondly, the people will have more leisure.
A relaxing place to go!”
"Why not?"
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This chapter has been completed!