The southwestmost part of the European island of England, formerly Cornwall, is now the overseas colony of the Ming Empire, Hong Kong.
Because the Ming Dynasty is about to usher in the New Year, according to the system stipulated in the Ming Dynasty's latest holiday code, during the New Year period, the entire Ming Dynasty will have a fifteen-day holiday.
Therefore, the whole of Hong Kong also ushered in the first Spring Festival in history.
In the newly built huge harbor, ships flying the flag of the Ming Dynasty are moored in the harbor. These ships are basically Ming ships coming to Europe for business.
Because time was too short to return to the Ming Dynasty, I chose to come to Hong Kong to celebrate the New Year. After all, only on my own territory can I feel more at home.
In the harbor, according to the order of the Governor of Hong Kong, everywhere in the harbor was decorated with red.
Red lanterns, red window paper, and red couplets can be seen everywhere, and there is a happy red everywhere.
There are crew members from the Ming Dynasty pasting red couplets and words on each large ship, usually praying for peace, blessings, wealth, and so on, for everything to go well in the coming year.
At the same time, some captains, businessmen, etc. brought various tributes to the ship god, Mazu, Guanyin, Dragon King, turtle god, etc. on the dock to burn incense and make sacrifices, praying that these gods can continue to bless them at sea in the coming year.
safe and sound.
Various firecrackers and fireworks were set off one after another, and the sound resounded through the sky.
Tom and Jack are queuing up to receive their wages.
In the sixteenth year of Hongzhi, which is about to pass, the entire Hong Kong has undergone unprecedented changes.
Because it became an overseas colony of the Ming Dynasty and the first colony of the Ming Dynasty in Western Europe, it naturally became the bridgehead for the Ming Dynasty to enter and contact Europe.
Not only did it attract a large number of Ming merchants, firms, and Ming people to come to Hong Kong to do business and settle down, but also thanks to Hong Kong's special status, it also attracted a large number of European businessmen to come here to do business.
This has greatly promoted the prosperity and development of Hong Kong. In just one year, Hong Kong has undergone earth-shaking changes.
In the past, the port was just a small fishing village, but now it has become a big port, a big city, with wide cement roads, tall buildings painted white, and glass windows shining in the sun.
The sky is sparkling, and it is no longer the small fishing village it once was.
As local natives, Tom and Jack naturally enjoyed many benefits.
They used to make a living by fishing. In addition to the heavy taxes from the British king and the church, Tom and Jack could only eat the most unpalatable horse bread and black bread to survive.
But now I work here at the dock. First I participated in large-scale infrastructure construction, and then I worked as a porter at the dock, loading and unloading goods.
Although it was also very hard and tiring, the wages given by the Ming Dynasty people were high, and life has undergone earth-shaking changes.
"Jack, how much can you get this month?"
Tom looked at the long queue in front of him and silently calculated his income in his heart.
"It's less than three taels of silver~"
Jack thought for a while and said, as the currency in Hong Kong became a colony of the Ming Dynasty, it quickly switched to the currency of the Ming Dynasty. Copper coins, silver dollars, and banknotes also replaced the original pounds and pennies in a very short period of time.
"I'm about the same. Ming people are rich. I heard that these Ming sailors can easily earn more than ten taels of silver a month, and some can even earn dozens of taels of silver."
Tom looked at the Ming Dynasty sailors who were relaxing in the port. With the beginning of the annual vacation, these Ming Dynasty sailors also became more leisurely.
Hong Kong has gathered a large number of merchant ships, captains, and sailors. These wealthy Ming sailors have always been the object of Tom's envy.
These Ming sailors have endless money, and they are always surrounded by people, whether they are little sheep from England, Gallic chickens from France, blond female bullfighters from the Iberian Peninsula, or even women from the Mediterranean.
The hot girls are extremely enthusiastic about these generous Ming sailors.
In addition to money and women, these Ming sailors also have a very high status. As long as they are willing to settle in Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Governor's Office will directly give them one hundred acres of land to attract Ming people to settle here.
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But such a policy has no appeal at all to these Ming people. These Ming sailors are basically people with considerable wealth.
Almost everyone is in the Golden Continent, the overseas vassal states of the Ming Dynasty, and the colonies own large areas of land, a large number of slaves, manors, etc., and they simply don't care about the hundred acres of land in Hong Kong.
One hundred acres of land, for Tom and Jack, is something they dream of owning, but it is something very, very difficult to obtain.
But for the people of Ming Dynasty, they are easily available, just because they are people of Ming Dynasty, it is so simple.
"No comparison with them~"
Jack looked at the Ming people in the harbor. They were all hugging each other, holding their beauties in their arms while they were enjoying a leisurely vacation in Hong Kong. He looked at the beauties in their arms.
Blonde, blue-eyed, tall, charming, all of them are the best in the world, but they are all from the Ming Dynasty, and some are even slaves bought back by these Ming Dynasty sailors.
"Tom~"
At this time, a voice sounded, and when Tom heard it, he hurried forward.
"Good job, Manager Li~"
Tom politely used Ming etiquette to salute the Ming people in front of him, but Ming's words were a bit lame.
"Tom, you worked for 30 days last month. You were hardworking and serious. My son's salary is 20,000 yuan. But since you work seriously and have a good attitude, I will give you some extra rewards. In total, you can get 22,000 yuan. And then
In addition, the New Year is coming soon. According to our Ming Dynasty rules, some rewards are given out during the New Year, so this time I will give you a total of four taels of silver."
Manager Li took out a notebook and told Tom according to the contents.
"Four taels of silver!"
When Tom heard this, his eyes widened slightly. This relationship is so good. He didn't expect that there would be rewards and New Year benefits. That's okay.
"If there's no problem, just come over and sign and get the money."
"Okay, okay~"
Tom quickly picked up the brush, drew a circle on it, then put his fingerprint on it, and soon received four dazzling silver dollars.
"Huh~"
After getting the silver dollar, Tom blew quickly and put it to his ear. Listening to the beautiful sound, his eyes narrowed in happiness.
"Tom, you are so awesome, you actually received four silver dollars."
At this time, Jack also came over with three silver dollars and a bunch of copper coins.
"Haha, thanks for the New Year, I like the Ming Dynasty's New Year."
Tom smiled and kissed the silver dollar in his hand.
Since Cornwall became the Hong Kong of the Ming Dynasty, they have also enjoyed many benefits. During the Chinese New Year, the business firms they work for will give them some benefits.
During the Mid-Autumn Festival, the merchant company distributed flour, rice, and oil to them. Now during the Chinese New Year, they directly distribute money. It is really a wonderful Ming Dynasty festival.
He now wishes that every day was a Ming Dynasty festival.
Because during the Ming Dynasty holidays, not only do they not have to work, but they also have various benefits, which has never happened before.
"Let's go and have a good drink~"
Jack patted Tom on the shoulder, and the two of them walked towards a place called the Knight's Tavern.
The Knights Tavern is a tavern that specializes in hosting locals as well as sailors and sailors from other parts of Europe. It is also a tavern opened by locals.
The drinks in the tavern are cheap. With just a few copper coins, you can enjoy a large drink here, and then flirt with the women in the tavern. After negotiating the price, you can also have some passion.
Of course, Ming people would not go to such a place.
People in the Ming Dynasty went to restaurants to drink. The restaurants were all run by the people of the Ming Dynasty, so the consumption was relatively high. The wine they drank was all shipped from the Ming Dynasty. Few of them Europeans could afford it.
The two of them were walking on a spacious concrete road. On both sides of the road were bustling neighborhoods, with high-rise buildings standing there. There were various advertisements on the high-rise buildings. These buildings were owned by Daming Trading Company and merchants.
The text on the building is also in Ming Dynasty script, English, French, Spanish, etc., explaining the business conducted by the firm and the goods sold and purchased.
You can see many businessmen from all over Europe coming in and out of these buildings. The Chinese New Year is coming soon. The Ming Dynasty people in Hong Kong have very strong spending power. European businessmen all want to sell their goods to these Ming Dynasty people.
, and then buy silk, porcelain, sugar, cloth, spices, etc. from Ming merchants.
It took a full hour for the two of them to walk through the bustling commercial district.
The commercial district here in Hong Kong is where the Ming Dynasty people live. They are not allowed to live here. They can only work here during the day. After passing by, they are not allowed to appear in the commercial district at night.
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In the commercial district, the streets are spacious, the roads are neat and clean, the houses are very new and neatly planned, and there are hospitals, schools, etc. run by the Ming Dynasty people.
The local aborigines of Hong Kong live in another area, which everyone habitually calls the old district. The roads in the old district are all original mud roads, the houses are very small, very dilapidated, and everything is dirty.
Chaos.
The Knight's Tavern is located in the old district and has always been a favorite place for locals.
"Old John, two large glasses of dark beer~"
As soon as Tom entered the Cavalier Bar, he immediately shouted loudly to the bartender Old John.
"Haha, it seems our dear Tom has been paid again~"
When Old John heard this, he couldn't help but laugh.