Chapter 229 The Ming Dynasty’s dominance over the world [Seeking Quan Ding]

The value of silver coins was greater than that of copper coins, and the mining of silver mines and the production of silver coins were all in the hands of the Ming Dynasty.

Under the same value system, the Ming court was equivalent to having the right to define currency.

All countries that trade with the Ming Dynasty will be restricted by the Ming Dynasty currency from now on.

Of course, the implementation of the silver coin system does not mean the abolition of other currencies.

The most widely circulated copper coins are still in use, but they will be changed to new styles in the future.

Gold coins with greater value will also be issued on a large scale, specifically to pay for large amounts of trade.

The currency reform of the Ming Dynasty completely pushed Jiangnan's business to another level.

A large number of currency banks have sprung up in places such as Yingtianfu and Suzhou.

The circulation of money has become faster and more convenient, and many wealthy people have begun to look for new growth points for their wealth.

And at this time.

Ming Dynasty's two voyages to the West within one year gave these Jiangnan businessmen a keen sense of profit through generous returns.

Zhu Han and Tang He's two voyages to the West brought back a large number of slaves, horses, medicinal materials, spices, etc.

Although the cost of the two voyages to the West was very high, the goods brought back were enough to quadruple the cost.

In particular, Zhu Wenzheng, King of Jingnan in the Ming Dynasty, sent someone to report to the court that he had all the Nanyang Spice Islands under his control.

This news made businessmen even more crazy.

You must know that in today's Ming Dynasty, the price of a pound of pepper is one tael of silver!

If we can send a fleet from the Ming Dynasty to go to Nanyang and bring back a shipload of spices, we can immediately make several times the profit.

Stimulated by such huge profits, various banks have participated in large and small maritime trade.

In just a few months, at least one million taels of silver entered the accounts of major shipbuilding companies.

Zhu Han is naturally very clear about all this.

It can be said that this was one of the purposes of his personal voyages to the West.

Now that the Ming Dynasty has three important footholds in Southeast Asia, East India and Persia, the Ming Dynasty's fleet will no longer be as dark-eyed as before.

The Ming Dynasty's military power in these three places will become the best security guarantee for merchants.

As long as safety and profits can be guaranteed, no one will be able to take advantage of this ocean except Daming.

However, there are also many fleets belonging to Arab and Persian merchants on this ocean.

In order to suppress and control these Persians and Arabs, driven by Zhu Han, the Ming court passed a new decree.

Any ship that wants to berth in these three places must undergo Ming's review.

In this way, Ming Dynasty will gradually establish its dominance on the ocean.

Kunming, Yunnan.

A thin drizzle of rain was falling.

The whole city was quiet.

Tens of thousands of soldiers wearing armor and waiting solemnly, each with a very solemn look on their face.

In a palace in Kunming City.

This was originally the palace of Prince Liang of the Yuan Dynasty.

It is now the palace of Han Emperor Chen Youliang in Yunnan.

Two days ago, Chen Youliang held a banquet with soldiers singing and dancing in this palace.

but.

In today's palace, there is only chaos all over the floor.

Countless rare treasures were smashed to the ground.

A large group of eunuchs and palace maids knelt on the ground and shivered, not daring to express their anger.

Chen Youliang held a sword and sat slumped on the dragon chair.

In front of him were kneeling civil and military officials.

In front of the civil and military officials, kneeling was a thin young man.

""Father, calm down, the child deserves to die!"

This young man is Chen Li, the son of Chen Youliang.

When Chen Youliang led his army on an expedition, he left his prince in Chengdu to supervise the country.

Chen Youliang originally thought that Sichuan's defense line was impregnable and Chengdu was the city in the rear area. It would be enough for his prince to stay there to calm people's hearts.

But Chen Youliang never expected it.

Xu Da of the Ming Army actually led a group of elite soldiers to sneak into Sichuan from the mountainous areas in the north.

After entering Sichuan, this Ming army first captured Guanghan, and then rushed all the way to Chengdu.

As the crown prince, who is Xu Da's opponent, Chen Li?

With just one encounter, the army in the hands of the Han Crown Prince was defeated.

After losing the protection of the army, Chengdu naturally could not be saved.

Without any choice.

The Crown Prince of the Han Dynasty, Chen Li, could only lead some people to escape in panic.

Chen Youliang, who had just vented his anger, became angry again when he heard his son's voice.

Chen Youliang rushed forward and kicked his son several steps away.

"Why do not you go to hell!"

"Even if we only need to defend for three days, we can wait for reinforcements!"

"Why did I, Chen Youliang, the first hero, give birth to a son like you, who is like a pig and a dog?"

The more Chen Youliang talked, the more annoyed he became. He even picked up the sword in his hand and was about to chop it off on Chen Li's head.

When Zou Pusheng, Chen Youren and others next to him saw this, they quickly stood up and grabbed Chen Youliang's arm.

"Your Majesty, please calm down!"

"Your Majesty, take care!"

"The Crown Prince is young, Your Majesty, please calm down!"

…

Finally, under the persuasion of these people, Chen Youliang finally calmed down.

"Where are Wang Bao from Badong and Liu Quanan from Northern Sichuan? Where are their troops now!?"

Chen Youliang took a deep breath and sat on a chair in the palace and asked.

The two people he mentioned were both generals of the Chen Han regime. One was stationed in the east and the other was stationed in the north.

Logically speaking.

Chengdu is attacked by the enemy. Soldiers and horses from these two directions should quickly rescue Chengdu.

Zou Pusheng and Chen Youren looked at each other.

"Your Majesty, there is no movement from these two people."

"But there are rumors that they seem to have surrendered to the Ming army."

Chen Youliang didn't believe these two generals surrendered to the Ming army at first.

But only two days passed.

Very reliable news came from Sichuan.

Under the leadership of Xu Da, the Ming army successively took over the territory of Badong and northern Sichuan.

And there was no fighting at all.

This means that these two generals of the Chen and Han regime must be the Ming army who really surrendered.

Chen Youliang became furious again after learning of this situation.

Originally, he planned to use Yunnan's troops and horses as the main force, and let Wang Bao and Liu Quanan's troops and horses support him from the rear, so that it would be possible to recapture Chengdu.

But now both generals have surrendered to the Ming army.

The organized army of the Chen and Han regime in Sichuan no longer exists.

If Chen Youliang still dares to lead his army from Yunnan to Sichuan at this time, he will plunge headlong into the encirclement of the Ming army.

Even if Chen Youliang's army enters Sichuan, there will be no need for Xu Da to lead the Ming army to attack, and most of the soldiers will surrender or flee before the battle.

because.

In Chen Youliang's army, almost most of the soldiers left their families in Sichuan.

Now that Sichuan has become the territory of the Ming army, it is no longer possible for these soldiers and their families to get together.

There are big rivers and high mountains between Yunnan and Sichuan, so these soldiers did not dare to think of escaping back to Sichuan easily.

But if they were allowed to set foot on the soil of Sichuan, the Ming army would only need to wave their fingers, and most of Chen Youliang's soldiers would completely collapse.

After learning about this situation, Chen Youliang became so furious that he fell ill.
To be continued...