Zheng Haizhu initially completed the communication with Jun Song, and did not rush back to the capital. Instead, he took the leader of his bodyguard team, Huang Zude, the general banner of Jinyiwei, and Chang Zhongxin, the Shanxi merchant prince, and continued eastward along the Great Wall.
Let’s investigate half of Ji Town between Jizhou and Shanhaiguan.
After walking around, she felt more and more that Daning Town outside the customs should not be abandoned.
The distance from Daning to Shanhaiguan is about the same as the distance from Jizhou to Shanhaiguan, less than 400 miles. It is about 600 to 700 miles from Longmen Station in Xuanda Town, where Ma Xianglin is currently stationed, forming a triangle.
When he was still in Chahanhot, Ma Xianglin had already agreed upon the recommendation of Zheng Haizhu. If the Long Live Lord and the court agreed to rebuild Daning Town and send the Sichuan army, Huang Zude could go to Daning to be his guest and be responsible for communicating with Chang.
Zhongxin handles business routes, ticket numbers and other matters.
Huang Zude then became more and more meticulous, and he had already written down the third book in his hand.
According to what the lady said, if the tea-horse road in Eastern Mongolia is opened in the future, not only will merchants from Shanxi and Shaanxi be willing to take the safe road within the pass, gathering from the west to Ji Town and then out of the fortress, but also merchants from Songjiang and Fujian in the south will be able to go directly
Take the sea route to Tianjin Port, and then change from Tianjin Port to several sections of inland rivers until you exit the Xifengkou and head towards Daning and Chahar.
"Zude, sea ships can transport tea, silk, and porcelain, as well as food and military uniforms. Therefore, when I return to Beijing to report to the Long Live Lord, the three things that should be explained clearly are all related to food, rice, and clothing. First,
If rice and sweet potatoes are planted in the wasteland near Daning to Daling River, how many people will have to move out of the fields; secondly, when the land has no output at first, what price will the private grain merchants in Ji Town and Xuanfu charge?
Shandong now produces grain and cotton, and it is difficult to supply Liaodong. So if we take a sea ship from Nanzhili to transport grain, rice and cotton clothes to Ji Town and then to Daning, what is the route and how long will it take? This third point is especially important.
.”
Huang Zude nodded and said: "My subordinates understand. As the saying goes, before the troops and horses are moved, food and grass go first. In the future, this area will be the place where the Ming Dynasty and the Tatars will have a head-to-head confrontation. We cannot fully expect to ask the merchants in the north to buy it with money."
Zheng Haizhu lamented: "So we still need to open a sea route. Sea ships save time than canals and can carry more. In addition to food and clothing, they can also transport artillery."
After investigating all the way, Zheng Haizhu waited for Xu San who came to meet him after arriving at Shanhaiguan.
As the general manager of the northern line of Haoming Trading Company, Xu San met up with people from the Du family and visited the Du family's private port in Shanhaiguan to prepare for the future in which part of the trading company's tea silk goods would be exclusively supplied to the Du family.
At the same time, Xu San also brought Zheng Haizhu reassuring news - Mu Zaohua should have successfully entered the city of Hetuala.
"Madam, after parting with you, I went all the way to Fushun City. Mang Gurtai and the others robbed things and people. They walked slowly and had to take a detour from the north. Therefore, it was just before the Chinese New Year that Zhenglan Qi returned to his old nest. Outside the pass, we
The message sent back by the intelligence officer said that the old chief Nurhachi rewarded a Han woman who saved Xiao Beile's life, and also gave her a coat and a field. In other words, Zaohua didn't... so what..."
When Xu San said it at the end, he somewhat didn't know how to word it.
Zheng Haizhu, however, did not shy away from direct analysis and praise: "Well done to Zaohua, why was he not quickly taken over by Mang Gurtai, like Fuji Fujin?
That gives you more room for your wrists. Xu San, you will have more work to do in the future, so try to give her what she deserves."
Xu San agreed.
The fact that Zaohua lurked into Hetuala as a spy was of the highest level of confidentiality. Even Li Daniu and Chen Sanni, who could report directly to Zheng Haizhu, thought that Zaohua had died of the epidemic.
Therefore, Zheng Haizhu, who was extremely cautious, would never listen to Xu San's report on the matter in the post house. Even near the private harbor protected by the sound of waves, Huang Zude and the other two Jin Yiwei were kept far away by Zheng Haizhu.
of.
At this time, after talking about important matters, Zheng Haizhu and Xu San left the coast and took Huang Zude and others back to the post house.
Not far away, Zheng Haizhu stopped abruptly when a male voice came from the shack on the roadside.
The man inside actually speaks Italian like the missionary named Jin Nige in Beijing?
Zheng Haizhu looked sideways at the shack and saw a blond Westerner wearing a black robe with a cross collar being pushed out by two Chinese women.
"Go away, I sold myself out, it's none of your business!"
"Haha, little bastard, if that foreign Bodhisattva of yours is as clever as you brag about, can he bring my man back to life from the ground?"
The two women had dirty buns and looked skinny. In this early spring and February season, they only had a thin shabby gray jacket wrapped around their bodies, but their mouths were very aggressive.
The man who spoke Italian pinched the cross on his neck, with a look of helplessness on his face. He switched to Chinese with a thick accent and said: "Join the association, and you will be more peaceful than having a husband. Please be more peaceful. People of the Ming Dynasty, join the association."
.”
The woman became more and more rude: "I said, if you want to pay us to sleep with us, then come into the house. If not, get out of here as far away as you can."
When the missionary saw that the two women were really out of touch, he had no choice but to sigh and leave dejectedly.
Turning around, I saw a woman wearing a poncho standing ten steps away, looking solemnly at this place, with several male attendants around her.
The missionary thought he had met a wealthy woman who was called "Grandma" in the Ming Dynasty. He was overjoyed and hurriedly stepped forward to salute and prepared to introduce himself.
I didn't want the other person to open his mouth, but he pointed out his identity first: "Your Majesty, are you a Jesuit?"
"Ah?" the missionary said in surprise, "Grandma, but a church member?"
Zheng Haizhu smiled lightly and gave a small silver ingot as a gift: "I'm not a church member. I've just seen you preach. It's not easy for you either. It's cold here. I have a little silver. Please accept it, sir, and buy a thick robe from a clothing store in the city.
.”
After all, he had friendship with Xu Guangqi's family, and he had benefited greatly from the Western learning brought by Matteo Ricci. Zheng Haizhu politely expressed his feelings to this Jesuit missionary whom he had met by strangers.
The young missionary ran around for a day and received countless looks and abuses. At this moment, he was touched and surprised by the courtesy. After the surprise, he did not forget his mission. After taking the money and thanking him, he still persisted in preaching the doctrine to Zheng Haizhu.
Zheng Haizhu flattened the corners of his mouth and made a gesture, and Huang Zude came over to block the missionary from getting closer.
Zheng Haizhu walked up to the two women who were dazed in front of the shack, took off his wind robe, added two small ingots, and presented them with both hands.
"You, why are you giving us two things for free?" One of the older ones asked warily.
Zheng Haizhu said frankly: "Sister, I heard clearly what you just said to the Westerners. I have a good friend who is just like you."
"Good friend?" When another younger man heard this, he opened his mouth, looked at Zheng Haizhu up and down, and said, "You, aren't you a woman? Do you have friendship with people like us?"
Before she finished speaking, her companion had already taken over the robe and money, stared at Zheng Haizhu and said: "Oh, I understand, you are also in this business, but, just looking at your arrogance, are you working as an official?
It’s the gentleman’s business, right?”
Before Zheng Haizhu could hold his forehead, the other party showed some enthusiasm and said: "We are all traveling together. Let's sit in the room and have a bowl of hot tea."
The younger one pointed to the harbor and said: "Sister-in-law, the ship is coming, we have to go grab the passengers."
Zheng Haizhu looked in the direction of her finger, and saw a tall ship slowly entering the sea on the sea that had just frozen a few days ago.
And soon, she saw an even more unspeakable sight.
Many women emerged from the surrounding shacks, large and small, and rushed to the port.