When Feng Ziying proposed to Cui Jingrong to reduce the checking time in Fujian, everyone agreed.
I have been here for more than two months. I traveled from Linqing, Dongchangfu to Jining, then to Xuzhou and Huai'an, and then to Yangzhou and Jinling. I basically stayed in Yangzhou and Jinling for several days and did a very detailed investigation.
Even a bunch of officials complained endlessly, saying that there had never been such a detailed and thorough investigation as this one.
The following cities, Songjiang, Hangzhou, and Suzhou, are also a few key cities to investigate and understand. In addition, Ningbo, the last one, involves many aspects of opening up the sea, and we already have a general understanding.
But we still have to go to Fujian, but there is no need to go to both Quanzhou and Zhangzhou. We should go to Quanzhou to have a look, no matter what, we must give face to the chief minister.
Although the decision between Quanzhou and Zhangzhou is still in the hands of the cabinet, it must at least make a good gesture and invite relevant personnel to Quanzhou for a small-scale discussion, which can be regarded as an explanation.
In the end, it was decided that Wu Liangsi, Wei Guangwei, and He Fengsheng would lead a group of officials to Quanzhou. Cui Jingrong, Feng Ziying, and Sun Juxiang were already preparing to prepare a detailed investigation report on this trip to Jiangnan.
*******
Zhen Yingjia had just returned to the study and before she could sit down, she heard Chang Sui say outside the door: "Master, that person is here again, do you see him?"
Zhen Yingjia had a headache. He didn't want to see her, but he knew it would be impossible not to see him.
I can't push this matter away. I came all the way from Fujian and there is no way to explain it. This guy will definitely not go back without talking about it, and there will definitely be sequelae.
After thinking for a while, he sighed and said, "Invite him in."
"I've met Duke Zhen. It's really hard to see this side of Duke Zhen." There was already a bit of anger in the visitor's brows.
"Shizun, it's not that I don't want to see you, but I know your purpose of coming, but I can't do anything about it now."
Zhen Yingjia did not beat around the bush and went straight to show her cards. Although she could still maintain restraint on her face, she was already a little impatient.
"I know what you want, but I can't give you a clear answer now. The court has not discussed this matter at all. How can I give you a clear answer? I remember I told you in the last letter
Please be patient, Brother Shizun!"
"Zhen Gong, I also want to be patient, but hundreds of brothers under my command have to eat. You said that the imperial court has not discussed this matter yet. I'm afraid you are wrong, right? I heard that a group of officials from the imperial court who are responsible for investigating and discussing the plan have come down.
, Cui Jingrong, the right minister of the Ministry of Revenue, led the team. He was still in Jinling 20 days ago, brother, you didn’t lie, right?"
There was a shrewd look on the round face of the visitor, but his eyes were always locked on Zhen Yingjia's face, as if he wanted to get some clues from Zhen Yingjia's face.
Zhen Yingjia felt a shiver in her heart, but then came to her senses, Cui Jingrong and his entourage did not keep secrets when they came to Jiangnan, and they could not keep them secret.
For such a big event as the opening of the sea, the imperial court had to make a final decision, so it was natural that it would have some explanations. It was not limited to maritime trade, the imperial court had deeper considerations, so it was normal to have such an investigation team.
However, Zhen Yingjia was not interested. He only cared about issues involving himself.
"Brother Shizun, I know what you are talking about. They stayed in Jinling for a few days and I went to visit Mr. Cui."
Zhen Yingjia didn't lie. He did go to visit Cui Jingrong, but Cui Jingrong had too many guests, so he could only stay for half an hour before saying goodbye and leaving.
"But there is nothing agreed upon as you said. I asked Mr. Cui, and Mr. Cui also said that it was just a thorough investigation of some matters that need to be included in the unified dispatch of the imperial courts in South Zhili and Fujian and Zhejiang. It is still early for the results to be released.
Let alone agreeing on what you said, how could the court be so hasty? Brother Shizun, let me tell you, this list will not come out within half a year, so you don’t have to worry. Of course I can’t do anything, but don’t you believe it...?
"
Tang Shizun shook his head slowly, and his eyes were a bit colder: "Zhen Gong, I can't wait for half a year, and neither can my brothers. If everyone waits for half a year, that's no problem, but if others get the word,
But we still have to wait half a year before we talk. Then, by that time, if Mr. Zhen says there is no chance, what will we do?"
Zhen Yingjia's heart skipped a beat and she asked urgently: "Who? Who has the confidence? This is impossible!"
"It's not impossible. Not only have the four families got accurate information, but the Jiang family didn't come to you. The He family didn't come to you either? They have climbed up to the heights of the chief minister, and they probably won't come to you. Then the Tian family
What?" The fierce look on Tang Shizun's face became more and more fierce, "The Tian family has recruited several small ones, and it looks like they are going to be bigger, but he is so sure that he can get a spot? The Li family has the backing of Mr. Li Ge, I guess.
It’s no problem, besides me, who else is there in Zhangzhou?”
A sense of powerlessness lingered on Zhen Yingjia, leaving him speechless.
Today is no different than before. There is no news about the few letters I sent to the Emperor. Even the earliest letter from the Dowager was half a year ago, but the letters from Prince Yitada are constantly coming, without exception.
It's about money.
The problem was that Lin Ruhai didn't have the Emperor's will, so he wouldn't buy it at all. At the very least, he had to have the Dowager's order before he would consider it. Lin Ruhai simply ignored Prince Yi Zhong's words.
And the money from these businessmen is not easy to get, and they all have to pay for it. What should someone like the one in front of me do?
Not only this one, Zhen Yingjia knows that many people will come to visit one after another. Opening the sea involves their interests. They pay tribute every year, so they will naturally have to pay back. This one is just one of them.
It's just the most urgent thing.
That's all. At most, this group of people can only vent and make noise here. If they really ignore it, they can only suffer it. But what about Prince Yizhong? He opened his mouth and said twenty
With ten thousand taels of silver, where can I get him two hundred thousand taels?
Lin Ruhai had already become suspicious of some of the concubine's orders and sent a letter asking for verification. This gave Zhen Yingjia a headache. Did Lin Ruhai really intend to figure everything out before she died?
Seeing that Zhen Yingjia remained silent, Tang Shizun, a short and sturdy man, seemed to understand Zhen Yingjia's thoughts, "Mr. Zhen, my Tang family is one of the five major families in Zhangzhou. According to the news from the imperial court, let's forget about the past and support the largest one. Then I
Should the Tang family have a chance?"
Zhen Yingjia shook his head: "Shizun, you think of the problem too simply. The news from the court is from a certain side. Everyone only spreads what is beneficial to themselves. Even if you are given this opportunity, it is not without cost.
.”
"I understand, Mr. Zhen, so if it can be done at this time, I have prepared one hundred thousand taels of silver..."
Tang Shizun's words shocked Zhen Yingjia. He thought that only three to fifty thousand taels would be the other party's limit. He did not expect that the other party would be so bold and generous this time, which seemed a bit incredible.
Seeing that Zhen Yingjia couldn't believe it, Tang Shizun didn't hide anything, "There are five families willing to follow me, and they also have to share some of the burden..."
"That's more or less." Tang Shizun felt that if there were one hundred thousand taels of silver, then this matter would be worthy of careful management. No matter the ministers in the cabinet or the six officials of the imperial court, they were not impeccable. Even the emperor had his emotions and anger.
Sadness and music, as much as he believed in them, also had capable people who could persuade the emperor.
"Then what Mr. Zhen means is..." Tang Shizun became energetic.
"Slow down a little longer, don't be impatient." After some calculations, Zhen Yingjia felt that this business could be done, but it would not only involve Tang Shizun's family, but also several more. Fortunately, it was not difficult.
"Okay." As long as there is a positive answer, Tang Shizun can still wait.
"What about the Japanese...?" Zhen Yingjia hesitated for a moment. This guy also had close contacts with the Japanese. But then again, in the maritime business, who hasn't had contact with the Japanese? Which fleet doesn't have dozens of numbers?
Ronin?
It is said that after the death of the Japanese Guan Bai, there was a competition among the heroes. Now it is said that a man named Tokugawa Ieyasu won, but there are still many people who are not convinced. There are still small-scale wars, and a large number of ownerless ronin have begun to wander the sea. These days
During the year, there were many wanderers in various merchant fleets. They were good at jumping ship to join the ship, and they were also good at landing and ambush warfare.
"Mr. Zhen, don't be anxious. As you said, the opening of the sea will take time, and these ronin are inconspicuous, but they are still very valuable." Tang Shizun shook his head, "Maybe these people will be of great use in the future."
While the two sides were discussing in Jinling City, Feng Ziying also ushered in the harvest period.
He didn't expect Wang Wenyan to be able to pull out such a huge "team" for him. In fact, it wasn't just one team, but several teams totaling dozens, with mixed good and bad.
In fact, it was not Wang Wenyan who brought him here, but Wang Wenyan who sent messages there through Yan Xiao's acquaintances, and he sent messages in a targeted manner.
For example, the Seven Families of Quanzhou and the Five Families of Zhangzhou were all well-established, but Wang Wenyan simply abandoned them and threw them aside. However, if they were too small, they would not mean much. Only those groups whose size and strength were slightly inferior to those wealthy families with large surnames had a large number of people.
Funds, manpower, and ships are valuable.
"Sir, they are here."
"How many people are here?" Although he had been mentally prepared for such a straightforward conversation, he also thought about it for a long time and decided that he still wanted to meet and talk.
"The four people from Zhangzhou were the first to arrive." Wang Wenyan whispered: "They are the most anxious, probably because it is rumored that all five Zhangzhou families have already obtained admission qualifications."
"What are the characteristics of this group of people?" Feng Ziying was also the first to come into contact with this type of maritime merchants. Although she knew their purpose, she still had to consider how to make use of this group of people so that they could be used for her own purposes.
comprehensive.
"It is said that they all came from humble backgrounds, but their styles were wild and wild, and they all had close contacts with the Japanese. In other words, there were a lot of Japanese sailors in their fleets." Wang Wenyan did some detailed research.
