With Xiao Zhuo's activities, the Ming Dynasty's recruitment of merchants to accompany the army spread throughout the southeastern coastal areas, and more and more merchants knew about it.
Most of the merchants are preparing to go to Annan to try their luck. No one who dares to do business on the sea these days is timid. Countless people gather their ships. The stronger merchants sail directly to the sea outside Annan, while the weaker merchants sail with
People with good connections formed a temporary group and rushed to Guangzhou to explore the trend.
There are also a few businessmen who feel that the profits from the business they are currently operating are already very high, and it is not worth delaying their business for a business that is uncertain how much they can earn, so they did not go to Annan.
But these have nothing to do with Yunxi now. After he ordered Xiao Zhuo, he forgot about the matter for the time being. Anyway, with Xiao Zhuo here, at least many businessmen from Jiangsu and Zhejiang will come there, and businessmen from Guangdong, Guangxi, and Fujian will see one
A large number of businessmen from Jiangsu and Zhejiang came over, and it was impossible not to ask what was going on. When they learned the truth of the matter, they would also go to the sea outside Annan to try their luck.
After Yunxi's fleet dropped off Xiao Zhuo in Jiaxing, it continued all the way south and arrived in Fuzhou, Fujian Province at the end of September. Yunxi stayed in Fuzhou for another day, first to rest the ship, and secondly to meet Zhu Wenzheng's brother-in-law Wang Kegong - that is,
The uncle of the current Jingjiang King Zhu Chanyi is now serving as the commander of the Fuzhou Guard. At least he is a relative, so Yunxi can meet him.
But it’s just a meeting. Wang Kegong is in his sixties and almost seventies this year. He is not a very good general. Even if he wanted to go to the battlefield, Yun Xi would not dare to let him go. Besides, people think that he is living a small life in Fujian now.
I'm living a good life, but I don't want to go to the battlefield.
After seeing Wang Kegong, he was allowed to continue moving forward. In mid-October, the fleet sailed to the Pearl River Estuary and was about to reach its first destination.
…
…
"I have met your Majesty, Yang Ren, the chief envoy to the left in Guangdong (Zhang Yanfang, the envoy to the Maritime Affairs Council and the director of the Shipping Department of Bao'an City). Long live your Majesty!" Yang Ren, who was sent to Guangdong by Yunxi at the end of the second year of Jianye
Ren and Zhang Yanfang knelt down and said as Yun Xi slowly walked down from the boat. As the two of them knelt down, all the people behind them who came to greet Yun Xi kneeled down.
Yunxi walked down with a smile and said to them: "My dear friends, you don't need to be polite, just get up."
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Yang Ren and Zhang Yanfang said, and after kowtowing once more, they stood up. The officials behind them kowtowed several times according to their rank and then stood up one by one.
Yunxi waited for them all to stand up, and said to Yang Ren: "Yang Qing, why do you have to make it so grand! Today I came to Bao'an Shipping Department, not Guangzhou City. It's okay to be greeted by officials from Bao'an Shipping Department.
Why did Yang Qing bring over all the officials from the Guangdong Chief Envoy Department?" Yunxi roughly counted the number of officials present and felt that even if the Bao'an Shipping Department counted all the unofficial officials, there would not be enough people.
So I guessed that Yang Ren had brought all the officials from the Chief Envoy Department.
"Your Majesty, although this is Bao'an City and not Guangzhou City, it is also a place under the jurisdiction of Guangdong Province. As the Chief Envoy of Guangdong, these officials, as the Chief Envoy of Guangdong, have come to welcome you."
Yang Rendao.
But his flattery fell on the horse's leg. Yunxi frowned and said: "The Chief Envoy's Yamen is in Guangzhou. You just come to Bao'an to greet you. You can bring many officials from the Chief Envoy's Office here."
It's very inappropriate, don't do that next time." He considered that Yang Ren had worked hard for more than a year and achieved great results, so he did not reprimand him severely.
When Yang Ren heard this, he knew that he had been flattered, but after all, he had been an official for many years, and he still said without changing his expression: "Yes, Your Majesty, this time it is your minister Meng Lang." Then he immediately ordered the governor of Guangdong behind him. The officials of the envoy said a few words. After a while, all these people left.
At this time, the officials of the Bao'an Shipping Department also returned to the Yamen. Yang Ren and Zhang Yanfang were beside Yunxi, one on the left and the other on the right. They accompanied him as they walked towards the Yamen of the Shipping Department, while talking about the situation of the Bao'an Shipping Department; Dozens of guards surrounded the three of them in a circle to protect them.
By the time they arrived at the Shibosi Yamen, Zhang Yanfang had already described the situation here, and after sitting down in the Yamen, Yunxi had nothing to ask.
However, Yunxi still praised Zhang Yanfang a few words. In less than two years, the tariffs of the Baoan Shipping Department had exceeded two-thirds of the Shanghai Shipping Department, and there was a trend of continuing to catch up. Therefore, the Ming Dynasty The tariff plus commercial tax, salt tax, etc. have exceeded the agricultural tax, so Zhang Yanfang certainly deserves a reward.
After Zhang Yanfang thanked him, Yunxi asked casually: "Is there any problem with Bao'an Shipping Company now?" He felt that after so many years of development, Shanghai Shipping Company had no problems worth telling him, so he just asked casually.
But he didn't expect that there was really a problem that needed to be reported to him. "Your Majesty, the Bao'an Shipping Department does have a problem that needs to be decided by your Majesty," Zhang Yanfang said.
"What needs to be decided by me? You are not only promoted by the Bao'an City Shipping Department, but also the envoy of the Maritime Administration. I have handed over all the matters related to the City Shipping Department to you. Can't you handle it?" Yunxi was a little curious. What is it? Yunxi gave Zhang Yanfang a lot of power. In addition to expanding the number of policemen in the Municipal Shipping Department, basically as long as he can ensure that the tariffs continue to rise. Although Yunxi needs to understand everything, he will not interfere; Zhang Yanfang has also been in the Municipal Shipping Department. Si Yamen has been aware of this for more than four years. What is it that prevents him from making his own decisions?
"Your Majesty, this matter cannot be completely regarded as a matter of the Shipping Division, but because the only government office currently in contact with foreign merchants is the Shipping Division, it is up to Zhang Yanfang to report to Your Majesty." Yang Ren said.
"What on earth is going on?" Yunxi became more curious and asked again.
"Your Majesty, it is a matter of several businessmen from outside the country requesting naturalization."
"I have never encountered anything like this before when I was at the Shanghai Shipping Department; but just last month, several foreign businessmen suddenly requested to settle in the Ming Dynasty and become citizens of the Ming Dynasty." Zhang Yanfang said.
"Huh? There are actually foreign businessmen doing this?" Yunxi was a little surprised, but also a little relieved. The surprise was because he felt that these businessmen were running around all year round. What was the point of becoming citizens of the Ming Dynasty? You know, the policy of the Ming Dynasty is to allow foreign businessmen to do this. The merchants who have settled in the two Shibosi for a long time are not allowed to go to other cities. If they just bring their family members to settle in Shibosi for a stable life, it is enough. There is no need to become a citizen of the Ming Dynasty. Now go to Shanghai Shibosi There are some foreign businessmen there who have moved their whole families to Shanghai with the intention of living there permanently. Moreover, although it will be easier to move around in the Ming Dynasty after truly becoming a citizen of the Ming Dynasty, you will have to pay more taxes and have to perform corvee labor. It is better to just stay in the Ming Dynasty. Shibosi settled down.
He was also happy because these businessmen were running around all year round and wanted to become citizens of the Ming Dynasty. There were foreigners who wanted to immigrate to the Ming Dynasty. This was a treatment only available to economically powerful countries in later generations. Although he did not like many people immigrating to the Ming Dynasty, it was a developed country after all. symbol of.
‘Is it time to introduce a formal immigration bill?’ Yunxi thought, and asked at the same time: “Have you ever asked them why they want to become citizens of the Ming Dynasty?”
"Your Majesty, I have asked them. They claimed that their original country was in war and instability, but the Ming Dynasty was stable, so they wanted to become a subject of the Ming Dynasty." Zhang Yanfang replied.
