One of the more common thoughts and opinions regarding areas outside the Ming Dynasty is that compared with the Kingdom of Heaven, they are all barbaric and uncivilized lands, and there is simply no need to mobilize troops.

It’s also good for the countries in Southeast Asia.

So is the Indian peninsula.

Or Europa.

Even Korea, which is close to the Ming Dynasty, and even Japan Island across the sea.

In the mainstream thinking of the Ming Dynasty, it means contempt and poor products. The Ming Dynasty has a vast territory, so why should we pay attention to them?

But precisely in these areas mentioned above, whether it is deposits of precious metals such as gold, silver and copper, expensive spices, or double- or triple-ripened rice, etc., they are all actually needed by the Ming Dynasty.

Clearly located in a treasured land like China, there are obviously many reasons to start trade and development in Southeast Asian countries one step, or even several steps ahead of the European countries. However, they are influenced by the ideas of small-scale peasant economics and restricted by Confucianism, resulting in

None of this makes any progress.

The dynasty under the feudal system and the theory of Confucianism can indeed ensure the long-term peace and stability of the world, but the disadvantages behind it are also obvious.

"I have thought about what Sun Qing said, but I am not worried."

Emperor Chongzhen put down the memorial in his hand, lifted up the sleeves of his robe, and said: "At this stage of the Ming Dynasty, Tianjin is the only place where the sea ban has been opened to the outside world, and it is still in the form of a decree.

Sun Qing, do you know what this means?

Although the officials in the DPRK and other local groups, including other local groups, all open their mouths to undermine the country's foundation, and keep silent to undermine the country's foundation, but if they, or the people behind them, are really allowed to taste the sweetness, the nature of the matter will be different.

Everything in the world is prosperous, and nothing has a greater impact than gold and silver. Even I, the great emperor of tomorrow, am not exempt from vulgarity."

Sun Chuanting was silent.

Regarding the last words of the emperor, he knew very well that rebellions and disasters, just these two items, cost the country too much money every year.

From the establishment of the border area in the second year of Chongzhen to the current period, many things have been done. Although the difficulties in the national treasury have been greatly alleviated by some policy changes.

But without the support of the emperor's internal funds, it would not be easy for the Ming Dynasty to survive such a chaotic situation relatively smoothly.

"I want to break the monopoly and form a new monopoly in Tianjin, that is, maritime trade!"

Emperor Chongzhen stood up, walked forward slowly, and said seriously: "Jiangnan is the richest region in the Ming Dynasty, but it also has the most hidden problems.

It took me several years to slowly sort out and understand the complex web of interests behind this.

Tax evasion, various forms of tax evasion, and even tax resistance for various reasons all prove that the country's actual control over this region is very poor.

Did Sun Qing ever know that the Ming Dynasty repeatedly banned seas, but in fact, whether it was banning seas or opening seas, there was an extremely large private sea trade along the Jiangnan coast.

The tea, silk, porcelain and other items of the Ming Dynasty are luxury goods worth thousands of gold in the territories outside the Ming Dynasty, and only the richest can enjoy them."

Sun Chuanting: "..."

Sun Chuanting actually did not know what the emperor said, and most of the civil servants of the Ming Dynasty were not very clear about it, or simply didn't know about it.

small book booth

The only people who knew about this matter were mostly civil servants from Jiangnan, but even if they knew about these matters, they pretended to be ignorant.

The reason is very simple, it’s just profit.

"I wonder if Sun Qing has thought about it."

Emperor Chongzhen stretched out his hand and said with a smile: "Europe, which is thousands of miles away from the Ming Dynasty, why did the groups of missionaries who went to the Ming Dynasty come to the Ming Dynasty?

Are they really just there to preach?

Not really.

Including the European countries, whether it is maritime armed forces or many maritime merchants, why are they entrenched in the Southeast Asian countries, and even want to open up connections with the Ming Dynasty?

Sun Qing knows what these represent?"

"I am stupid and don't know very well what your Majesty is talking about." Sun Chuanting hesitated for a moment, bowed and saluted: "...what does it mean?"

"Of course it's for profit."

Emperor Chongzhen smiled and said: "I had a conversation with Tang Ruowang and the others before, and I just mentioned a piece of porcelain that was pretty good.

If under the Ming Dynasty, it could be sold for dozens of taels of silver, then if you take a boat across the sea to Nanyang and go to Europe, you can sell it for dozens of taels of gold.

A difference of ten times.

Even the trade balance will be even larger.

If one thing is like this, what about the whole ship?

How much gold and silver can this bring?

I have calculated an account before and found out that in this prosperous place in the south of the Yangtze River, the amount of money hoarded under the names of the huge group of officials, gentry, merchants, etc. is at least 200 million taels of silver."

Sun Chuanting: "..."

What the emperor said overturned Sun Chuanting's understanding. After all, the Ming Dynasty paid taxes every year, so how much money was there? How could there be so much money hidden in the south of the Yangtze River.

Unfortunately, these are all facts.

Against the background of this era, the Ming Dynasty's external trade surplus was extremely huge. Most of the silver that European countries had plundered through hard work flowed into the Ming Dynasty in this form.

Even in order not to scare Sun Chuanting, Emperor Chongzhen reduced this amount significantly.

It's a pity that most of the inflow of money was done secretly, so that the Ming court did not see any benefit and even suffered from it.

"It doesn't matter whether Sun Qing believes it or not."

Emperor Chongzhen smiled and waved his hands: "We can wait and see. In fact, what the European countries want most is an area where they can see the sun and truly trade.

Now, I give it to them.

In Tianjin, Chen Yansheng established the Customs Office and built the Tianjin Shipyard, including the subsequent establishment of the Tianjin Thirteenth Bank, the Talent Administration Office, the Trading Administration Office, etc., all of which were closely centered around the opening of the sea.

To give a simple example, Europa is thousands of miles away from the Ming Dynasty. The situation at sea is extremely complicated and dangers are everywhere. But why can the ships they built can withstand these?

If the Ming Dynasty could absorb their talents and actively build more advanced ships, would there be any major changes in the situation in Liaodong and in countering the rebellion of Jianlu?

After all, the progress and breakthroughs made by the Armed Forces since the arrival of Western missionaries are visible to the naked eye."

Sun Chuanting didn't know what to say.

Just from what he heard, he could clearly feel that the emperor must have many plans for the opening of the sea to Tianjin.
Chapter completed!