It was already the end of the twelfth lunar month when Yan Siqi and Zheng's aunt and nephew completed their inspection around the island and returned to the Yan's Army territory in Tainan's Tainan Port.
She got her wish and found that the Gu couple's parent-child trip and self-charging trip to Taiwan was very successful.
The two took their baby and nanny to live in Yan Siqi's large tile-roofed house not far from Mazu Temple. They enjoyed the 180-degree unobstructed sea view on the terrace in the morning. In the morning, they inspected Songjiang technicians to teach them weaving skills, and followed him in the afternoon.
Wen Akun visited Baodao's characteristic black tea rolling workshop and deerskin processing factory. In the evening, in the warm evening breeze of the South China Sea, he ate a feast of raw seafood, drank pure natural coconut juice without additives, and watched the nanny.
Run barefoot and play on the beach with your baby.
The fiery style of the island's wide openness and widening is something that the graceful and exquisite Jiangnan cannot provide, which makes Gu Shouqian and Han Ximeng feel fresh and happy.
If there is any slightly dissonant episode, it is that after Yan Siqi and Zheng Haizhu came back, when the two couples sat down with Zheng's aunt and nephew to discuss business, Gu Shouqian did not show too much involvement and only spoke warmly.
He said to Han Ximeng: "Just do whatever you want."
Han Ximeng then talked privately with Zheng Haizhu. Her husband was a little absent-minded, wondering whether he still despised the business path after all.
Zheng Haizhu remembered that the Gu family in history soon fell into decline in the turmoil of the late Ming Dynasty. In the end, it was the great-granddaughter who inherited Han Yuan's embroidery skills who came forward to set up accounts and recruit apprentices to support their livelihood. Men from aristocratic families may not be able to survive from generation to generation.
Her abilities are off the charts, not to mention that if a woman can conquer the world on her own, why bother forcing men to advance at the same time?
Zheng Haizhu then explained Han Ximeng: "Confucius said, don't do to others what you don't want others to do to you. I think I should add, don't do to others what you want to do to yourself. Think about the leisurely days that those ladies in Songjiang enjoy.
Don’t you also sneer at it? So, let’s think about it with excitement. If the young master’s mood is waning, it is normal. The young lady must not feel grudge. Besides, I think the young master has painted many buildings to watch the sea and the sun, and the door is opposite
The picture of the large sailing ship was given to Brother Wen's brother to carve on the tin of black tea. He also asked Brother Yan many questions about the artillery on the ship. It is enough to show that the young master has a far-reaching spirit and an open mind. He does not look down on businessmen, let alone warriors.
.”
Han Ximeng did not refute.
No matter how much a wife criticizes her husband, she will not refute a third party's praise of her husband.
And Zheng Haizhu understands a truth even more: whether it is sisters, close friends, or extending to all acquaintances, when a woman complains about her husband, the listener should never add fuel to the fire.
Seeing that Han Ximeng seemed to be chewing his words carefully, Zheng Haizhu continued: "Miss, we are doing business together. Taking advantage of the east wind of Songjiang's opening and closing next year, we will make a good plan for the shipping trade from South Zhili to Taiwan, so that the Han family and
The business of the Gu family is going to the sea. Of course, it is your courage, Miss. But if the young master only loves calligraphy or firearms skills, he can delve into this field as much as possible. In the future, your juniors will do business, learn literature, and appreciate calligraphy and painting like Dong Gong.
, if you practice Western skills like Master Sun Yuanhua, you will find a bright future."
】
Han Ximeng was relieved, and then he thought about business again, and said to Zheng Haizhu: "Songjiang cloth, Weitang yarn, Suzhou embroidery, Huzhou silk, Hangzhou brocade, there are too many of these things in Jiangnan, Brother Yan is grateful for your kindness.
, Let Haoming Trading Company only ask my second uncle to collect cotton cloth, which is a great help to our Han family. Then we must not be ignorant. Ah Zhu, look at it, should our couple invest money into Haoming Trading Company, or should we directly ask Yan
Brother buys local products from Taiwan and goes back to Songjiang to sell them?"
Zheng Haizhu had already prepared for this answer.
Han Ximeng was kind to her, and she was repaying the favor, but at present, she did not want to introduce the Gu family to be the original shareholders of Haoming Trading Company. Haoming Trading Company should not dilute its equity so quickly.
"Miss, the risk of dividends is greater than the risk of reselling, so it's better to buy the goods directly. The copper that Brother Yan took over from Japan is best sold in Ming Dynasty, but my firearms workshop must order a lot, otherwise I can't make cannons, Miss.
Don't compete with me. Taiwan's local black tea is mainly sold to the Dutch. In the future, it may be sold to the Tatars through Liaodong. In places like Jiangnan where people are accustomed to drinking clear tea, it is difficult to sell it for the time being, and there is no need to sell it. Songjiang is cold in autumn and winter.
, Taiwan’s deerskin should be easy to sell. There is another thing that Miss must buy, which is cane sugar.”
Hearing this, Han Ximeng smiled and said: "Sucrose is also the product I have been eyeing in the past two days. Ah Zhu, your fellow countryman is really powerful. You have occupied Taiwan for a full time, and it is only two years, right? You have already planted so much sugar cane."
"
Zheng Haizhu nodded: "Sugar cane can only be grown well in hot places, and Taiwan is very suitable. I asked Wen Akun yesterday, and she said that this year's cane sugar was made in the twelfth lunar month, and it was estimated to be less than 10,000 kilograms.
.I will take some to Xiamen in a few days to run an errand. For the rest, you and Brother Yan and his wife can discuss how much to buy."
…
On the second day of the Lunar New Year in the forty-seventh year of Wanli, Zheng Haizhu and Zheng Shoukuan boarded a sailboat carrying two thousand kilograms of cane sugar, and were escorted by Yang Tiansheng, a sworn brother appointed by Yan Siqi, to Xiamen to visit Xu Xinsu.
Yang Tiansheng was also from Fujian. In his early years, he smuggled across the sea to Hirado, where he met Yan Siqi, and their friendship gradually deepened. When he heard that Yan Siqi was in Taiwan, he brought his two ships and more than thirty men to join him.
Yang Tiansheng had heard rumors about Zheng Haizhu to some extent, and at first he had some wild speculations. But when he saw her this time, there was no show off in her movements, and it was almost impossible to realize that she was a woman. Seeing Wen Akun again
Yang Tiansheng respected her even more than Yan Siqi and took it calmly when she and her husband sailed on the same boat. Yang Tiansheng also treated Zheng Haizhu's aunt and nephew with great courtesy.
Previously, when Yan Siqi went to pay homage to Yu Zigao, the commander-in-chief of Fujian Province, he was accompanied by Yang Tiansheng. During the voyage from Tainan to Xiamen, Zheng Haizhu kept asking Yang Tiansheng about the current situation of coastal defense in this water area, as well as the details of the appearance of Yu Zigao and Xu Xinsu.
As early as the early Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang ordered General Zhou Dexing to set up Yongning Guards in Fujian, which was under the jurisdiction of Xiamen Zhongzuo Station and Kinmen Station. During the Wanli Period, "guerrillas" were set up in Penghu. Although the guerrillas were not fixed guards stationed on the island, they were stationed in the fields.
However, at least it shows that the Ming Dynasty still attaches great importance to the coastal defense in Fujian and Taiwan.
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! When the ship passed Penghu Island and approached Kinmen Island, a Fujian navy ship approached. Yang Tiantian quickly ordered the sailors to raise the "Yan" flag for fear of the other party.
He fired recklessly, and sure enough, after the flag was raised, the navy ship slowly turned around and sailed back to Kinmen Port.
"Brother Yang, General Yu's subordinates are quite diligent. Even during the Chinese New Year, they don't forget to patrol the sea."
Yang Tiansheng curled his lips: "It's not that I'm afraid that if I let the smuggling boat go, I'll have less oil and water in my bowl. But, Miss Zheng, look at the gunboats at Kinmen Station. They are indeed in good order."
Zheng Haizhu took the telescope handed over by Yang Tiansheng and asked, "Is the large area in front of Kinmen Institute called Liaoluo Bay?"
Yang Tiansheng was slightly surprised: "Have you ever been to Kinmen, girl?"
"I've never been here, but I heard it from an official. Now that I've seen it, it's really spectacular. It can accommodate many warships, and it can be regarded as the gateway to Xiamen Island."
Yang Tiansheng nodded: "Yes, Kinmen Liaoluo Bay, Penghu Island, Taiwan...these are good places given to the Ming Dynasty by God. It will be difficult for Japanese pirates and foreigners to attack the Ming Dynasty."
Zheng Haizhu thought, that is not necessarily the case, the key depends on whether they can always control these military key points. In the history of the late Ming Dynasty, the Dutch coveted Penghu Island and Taiwan, then occupied it, and finally fought with Zheng Zhilong, who represented the Ming court.
Navy, the Battle of Liaoluo Bay broke out.
After sailing like this for another hour, before docking at a private port in the southeast of Xiamen, sailor Yang Tiansheng put down a firewood boat and said to Zheng Haizhu's aunt and nephew: "I will go ashore first and report to the Xu family. This is just a walk.
Etiquette, don't worry, girl, I have two thousand kilograms of cane sugar to celebrate the New Year and several thousand taels of silver, Xu Xinsu will not neglect the girl."
Zheng Haizhu watched Yang Tiansheng and his two followers go ashore, and chatted with the guard who showed up. As expected, the guard led him to a house behind the port.
Zheng Haizhu turned to his nephew Zheng Shoukuan and said, "Go and change into your robe, and then put on the headscarf bought by the Nanjing Imperial College."
Not long after, Yang Tiansheng returned to the shore and waved his arms to let the ship dock.
Zheng Haizhu gradually saw clearly that the tall and thin man standing next to Yang Tiansheng was also dressed as a scholar.
"My wife is Xu Xinsu. Miss Zheng has worked hard all the way. Xu is sorry for your inconvenience. I apologize. I apologize."
"Mr. Xu, you're welcome. The two sides of the Taiwan Strait are one family. We should travel frequently during the New Year. I brought some Taiwanese customs with me. Please accept it, sir."
Yang Tiansheng, who was standing by, was secretly amused when he heard Zheng Haizhu calling him "sir".
This guy named Xu is a piece of shit. When I was in Hirado, like Lao Yang, I couldn't read a few Chinese characters or Japanese characters.