"Xuexia." Wu Xiang patted his daughter's little hand.

Wu Xiang's favorite is this daughter, and when he sees his daughter, his heart melts.

"Dad, how are you and your mother okay during this time? Is everything okay at home? Wu Xuexia continued to be coquettish.

Originally, Wu Xuexia was secretive with Wei Bao, but Wu Xuexia didn't seem to want to hide it anymore, and she was already openly with Wei Bao, and Wu Xiang couldn't say anything.

"It's all good, it's all good, how are you?" Wu Xiang asked.

"My daughter is very good, and now I am involved in his affairs." Wu Xuexia said proudly.

Wu Xiang glanced at Wei Bao and nodded, meaning approval.

"Uncle!" Wei Bao is very polite and takes the initiative to say goodbye.

"Okay." Wu Xiang smiled at Wei Bao, and then introduced: "Do you recognize these shopkeepers, Xiaobao?" ”

"Somewhat recognized." Wei Bao glanced at Qiao Dongsheng: "There are still a few old acquaintances." ”

Qiao Dongsheng smiled, looking like he was stunned by Wei Bao: "That is, I am an old acquaintance with Wei Gongzi of Liaoxi, Wei Gongzi, don't come to harm." ”

"It's really rare to be able to work Qiao Gongzi to a remote place like our Liaoxi, is there any big deal recently?" Wei Bao laughed.

Qiao Dongsheng and the shopkeepers smiled again, everyone laughed, but they all admired Wei Bao.

As soon as the connoisseur made a move, he knew if there was one, and Wei Bao's first sentence was very beautiful.

Everyone knows what project we are talking about today, talking about the sale of grain in Weijiazhuang, who doesn't know?

But what about Wei Bao? But he just asked them if they had any big deals recently, as if he Wei Bao didn't know anything, isn't this a cow?

"Yes, Wei Gongzi will definitely be very interested." Qiao Dongsheng smiled and said, "Maybe it's not just very interested, maybe Wei Gongzi is worried about this deal in our hands in his dreams, right?" After all, Wei Gongzi has four or five million people on hand to eat, I'm afraid that the governor of any major province in Daming can't manage such a big thing, right? ”

The other grain number shopkeepers hurriedly echoed one after another, saying that President Wei's business is one of the best in Daming, and he dares to go outside the border to fight against Jiannu, which is everyone's role model.

"Isn't it easy to get food? If you have silver, where can you not buy food? Kneeling and holding it to the door, there are many of them. Wei Bao smiled slightly.

When everyone heard this, they all felt displeased, what does it mean to kneel and hold it? Don't be too arrogant, it's you who beg us, but we don't beg you!

"Wei Gongzi, that's not true, right? In these days, you may not be able to buy food with silver, and food is much more expensive than silver. Qiao Dongsheng said in a strange way, and after speaking, he looked at Wei Bao with a sense of superiority.

"What Gongzi Qiao said is right, our grain in Liaoxi is sufficient, there is local grain, and the imperial court also allocates some grain every year, but what's the matter? Isn't it not enough for a long time? Fang Yuantong said with a smile: "Since there is Wei Gongzi, this grain has become even more nervous, who let Wei Gongzi be so good at trading, there are more and more land, more and more people." ”

Wei Bao ignored Fang Yuantong's cool words, and smiled slightly: "No way, no one cares about the life and death of the common people, and I, who have a good heart, can't see people starve to death." ”

"Hahaha, yes, that's right, how kind is Wei Gongzi?" Qiao Dongsheng said with a smile: "Not only do you have to manage the people in southern Liaoning, but also the people in western Liaoning, and now you have to manage the people in Beizhili, and if it goes on like this, I'm afraid that the people of the entire Ming Dynasty will be under the control of Wei Gongzi." ”

"Hey, Master Qiao, don't dare to talk nonsense about this kind of thing, I don't care about the people, I just care about the people who eat with me." Wei Bao said with a smile: "It's not as good as the Qiao family, the business of the Jin merchants is really the whole Ming Dynasty." ”

"Wei Gongzi, okay, we are all busy people, these gossips, it's boring to talk away, and it's a waste of effort. Let's get down to business! If you don't buy the grain at the price we offered, we're going to ship it all. Qiao Dongsheng said impatiently.

"Young Master Qiao, we need food, but your price is five times the market price, is there such an outrageous price? If the price is right, our heaven and earth will naturally take care of the old friends. Wei Bao said indifferently: "Your price, there is no room for negotiation." ”

"Since that's the case, what does it mean for Wei Gongzi to come here today? Why did you ask us to meet? Qiao Dongsheng sneered: "Master Wei, don't hold it, we all know how much silver you will have in heaven and earth, five times the market price is high for others, but for your heaven and earth society, it is really trivial, right?" ”

President Wei smiled and did not speak.

Seeing that Wei Bao didn't speak, Qiao Dongsheng continued proudly: "How is it? This price is already very fair. ”

"Young Master Qiao, is your price fair? We are also buying grain, why do we have to be so much higher than the market price? Wei Bao asked.

"Is this still to be asked? Because you want a great amount! Not to mention that it is not easy to buy around, if you want to buy, you still have to go through our big grain numbers! The shopkeepers present, including the shopkeepers of North Zhili, South Zhili, Henan and Shandong, we don't sell, you can't buy it if you want to! Moreover, Wei Gongzi should know very well that the imperial court has very strict control over the circulation of goods, and there are checkpoints everywhere! It is not easy to get so much grain and transport it to Liaoxi. Even if you Wei Gongzi has a relationship in the court, I'm afraid you won't be able to do it. I can tell you clearly, in the whole Ming Dynasty, if you want to buy food, you have to go through my hands! We have all reached an agreement that no one will be left behind. Qiao Dongsheng looked like he had eaten Wei Bao, squinted at Wei Bao, elegantly held a cup of tea, covered the edge of the teacup with the teacup and slowly grinded it a few times, and blew a breath, and the fragrance of tea overflowed.

President Wei smiled slightly: "Then if you follow what Gongzi Qiao said, Daming's food will really be inedible." ”

Wei Bao's words caused everyone to burst into laughter.

"Daming's food can't be eaten? Wei Gongzi, are you afraid that you are going to run outside Daming? ”

"Wei Gongzi, do you want to rebel? Don't plan to eat Daming's food? Don't you want to eat the food of Jiannu? ”

Wu Xiang also frowned, feeling that Wei Bao's words were indeed ridiculous, thinking that Wei Bao was messed up by Qiao Dongsheng.

Wei Bao smiled slightly: "You don't have to be anxious, listen to me." You say that if you don't eat the grain of the Ming Dynasty, you will eat the grain of Jiannu? I'm afraid that's inappropriate, right? Jiannu is also a part of the Ming Dynasty, right? Okay, let's not fight over this trivial matter, I'm not Jinyiwei, I'm not Dongchang, I don't have to hold on to the handle in your words. I'm surprised, you are all big businessmen, don't you hear, in addition to the Ming Dynasty, the world is still very big? In addition to the Ming Dynasty, there is also the vast ocean, and there is a land dozens of times larger than the Ming Dynasty, don't you know? ”

When Qiao Dongsheng heard this, he looked at Wei Bao suspiciously, frowned, and put down the tea cup in his hand: "Master Wei, you don't have to deceive anymore, how good you can deceive, I know." I also have a little business dealings with foreigners, who are mostly active in Fujian and Guangdong, so how can they come to the north? The main ports and terminals in the north have our Jin merchants! Who are you trying to fool? ”

Wei Bao smiled: "Foreigners don't have long legs? In Guangdong Fujian, will it always be in Guangdong Fujian? Wherever there is silver, there is no changeable truth since ancient times, don't you hear it? ”

"What about foreigners? Where are the foreigners? Which country is it a foreigner? Qiao Dongsheng sneered: "You can please come out so that we can also see it."

Others also chimed in: "That's it! Fool it! There is still a foreigner, and there is not a single wool missing. ”

Everyone laughed together.

Wei Bao slapped his face: "Foreigners naturally can't let people see it casually, it's inconvenient." However, I do have some foreign friends who have business dealings, and we are in contact with them from time to time. My foreigner friends often bring me some food, and I bring some to everyone to try. ”

President Wei's captain of the President's Guard hurriedly asked people to bring in dozens of cardboard boxes full of snacks.

The colors are bright, and the bag is a transparent snack, which immediately attracts everyone's attention.

Everyone gathered around, not knowing what tricks Wei Bao was doing.

Wei Bao smiled: "Come, let's everyone taste it, it tastes good." Foreigners are quite capable of tricks. Before we drink and eat, it's not bad to have some snacks to cushion our stomachs. ”

Everyone looked at each other, and no one said a word.

Wei Bao smiled: "Oh, by the way, I forgot, you must not have seen these foreign things, you don't know how to eat, come, I'll teach you." ”

Wei Bao said, picking up a bag of fries: "Look, these bags have a small opening next to them, and along this small opening, gently tear them open, and you can eat them." ”

Wei Bao said, opened a pack of fries, and handed it to Qiao Dongsheng.

Qiao Dongsheng passively took it, but did not eat.

"Don't worry, it's not poisonous!" Wei Bao smiled, took out a french fry from Qiao Dongsheng's hand and threw it into his mouth, the bite was a little expired, but the taste was still very crisp, and it was quite delicious: "Well, it tastes good, let's everyone taste it?" ”

Still no one has their hands on it.

President Wei took another pack of beef jerky, tore open the seal, took a slice of beef jerky and ate it, "Well, it's so fragrant." Then he handed it to Wu Xiang: "Uncle, can you eat some and see how about the foreigner's jerky?" ”

In fact, there are words on these bags, but Wei Bao sent someone to erase them with a marker pen in advance.

Otherwise, even if you don't know some of the simplified words, most of the words can still be guessed, and you will definitely be goofed when you see the place names of China.

Wu Xiang took out a piece of jerky suspiciously, bit a little carefully, and after chewing, he cheered for Wei Bao and said: "Well, fragrant, the taste is really okay, is this really a foreigner's thing?" ”

Wei Bao smiled: "Authentic American beef!" Foreigners are not forbidden to eat beef, let's eat foreigners' things, it is not a ban, everyone should eat it. ”

Wu Xuexia took the beef jerky in her father's hand, took a piece, and took a bite elegantly: "It's delicious." ”

Wei Bao smiled again and took out a package of dried bayberry, which had not expired yet, and said to Wu Xuexia: "You eat this, dried bayberry, it is better than fresh bayberry." ”

Indeed, the Zhenyuan ship is an imitation warship used for tourism, and the things on it are all for travelers, and the snacks are very high-end! It is by no means an ordinary small supermarket, and the cheapest snacks in the small store cost more than 10 yuan a pack, and they are sold for more than 30 yuan a pack.

Wei Bao was on the way here, on the way to travel, but after wandering around the supermarket on the warship for a long time, he was not willing to open a bag to eat.

Wei Bao, Wu Xuexia, and Wu Xiang were happy to eat.

Others still just watched, and no one dared to eat.

Wei Bao smiled and personally took out potato chips, French fries, shrimp crackers, snow cakes, preserved fruits, sour horn cakes, plums, peanuts, pine nuts, almonds, pistachios, fish fillets, dried meat, and spiced fried pork from dozens of boxes.

Basically, two packs were taken out of each box, and then the guards carried them away.

"Let's leave it to everyone to try! These are very expensive, and a pack costs a few taels of silver! I'm reluctant to take out too much to invite everyone to eat, and since everyone is so polite, I just save it. Wei Bao laughed.

Those grain shopkeepers were already very curious, and then heard Wei Bao say that these things were so expensive, so someone couldn't help but open a bag to eat, and the person opened a sour horn cake, which was sweet and sour, and smashed his mouth while eating.

Some people start, others can't help it and come to eat.

Even Qiao Dongsheng couldn't help but put a slice of potato chips in his hand into his mouth.

Daming didn't have potatoes at this time, so Qiao Dongsheng naturally couldn't eat anything, so he asked Wei Bao curiously: "What is this?" ’

"This is baked potatoes, Daming doesn't have these things at all, they are all from outside, and I told you that they are all foreigners' things, and you still don't believe it." Wei Bao laughed.

The shopkeepers of these big grain numbers are all masters who know the goods, they know agricultural products, whether they are Daming things, they can recognize them at a glance, and after a group of people taste them, they can conclude that Daming definitely does not have this kind of thing!

Wei Bao smiled proudly: "I didn't lie to you, did I?" ”

At this time, the doubts of the grain number shopkeepers were much smaller, and they gradually believed Wei Bao's words, believing that Wei Bao did have contact with overseas foreigners!

At this time of the Ming Dynasty, in fact, the contact with overseas has a long history, Zheng He went to the West at that time, the Ming Dynasty and overseas trade has been, and it has not been broken.

In the 15th ~ 17th centuries, extensive transoceanic activities and major breakthroughs in geography were initiated around the world, especially in Europe.

These ocean-going activities facilitated communication between the continents of the planet and led to the creation of numerous new trade routes. With the opening of new shipping routes, cultural and trade exchanges between the East and the West increased substantially, and colonialism and free trade began to rise.

Europe grew rapidly during this period and laid the foundations for prosperity beyond Asia.

Not only did people discover new continents and increase their geographical knowledge during this era, but also greatly promoted Europe's overseas trade, which became one of the important links in the rise of European capitalism.

The impact of the new sea routes on the development of the world's continents hundreds of years later, and the impact of the great geographical discoveries on countries and peoples outside of Europe is also complex and contradictory.

It should be pointed out that the so-called "Great Discovery" was made from the perspective of Europeans at the time, not the real first discovery in human history.

Some people mistakenly think that the "Great Geographical Discovery" is simply the discovery of the New World of North America, but it is actually a synthesis of several geographical events.

Daming's side also had close ties with the outside during this time.

In 1592, in the "Imjin Patriotic War" in Korea, Toyotomi Hideyoshi invaded the Korean Peninsula across the sea, China aided Korea, and the Sino-Korean alliance finally broke the Japanese army.

In 1595, the Dutchman van Linshoult compiled the first nautical chronicles, describing the winds and currents of the Atlantic.

At the end of the 16th century, the beginning of the four generations of the Age of Discovery.

In 1600, the British East India Company was founded.

In 1602, the Dutch East India Company was founded, and the conflict between Britain and the Netherlands intensified.

At the beginning of the 17th century, the Dutch spectacle merchant Parrish invented the telescope.

In 1604, the French East India Company was founded.

In 1624, the Dutch colonists invaded and occupied Taiwan, China's treasure island.

This is all last year's thing, a new thing that just happened, and these well-informed big businesses are naturally clear.

Although Wei Bao did not say which country of foreigners, they all knew that it was either the Netherlands, or the British, or the Spaniards, or ordinary people, anyway, they couldn't do without these countries.

"Wei Gongzi, even if you really know foreigners, it's useless! To transport a large amount of grain to Daming, this is a violation of the king's law, Daming sailors will never sit idly by, this also violates the interests of our Ming merchants, we will not sit idly by! Qiao Dongsheng put down the potato chips in his hand and said in a fierce voice: "Master Wei, put away your tricks!" Don't think that bringing some foreigners' food will scare us! ”

A group of grain shopkeepers also suddenly woke up, and they all said that they would not be frightened, and the grain outside wanted to be transported to Daming, which was simply wishful thinking!

Wei Bao then deeply understood why the economy collapsed so quickly at the end of the Ming Dynasty, even if there was a large-scale food shortage, and the people starved to death, these businessmen would not allow the grain from outside to be transported into the Ming Dynasty, let alone go to Nanyang to get grain, or send people to Nanyang to plant food.

These big businessmen, one counts as one, and their conscience is eaten by dogs, they are all beasts in the world!

President Wei smiled indifferently: "It doesn't have to be foreigners to transport grain, some people are hungry and panicked, they should think of going out to buy some food, right?" You don't know much about the outside, but I know a little bit, I have a nautical chart here, whether it's going to Oceania, or to Europe, to the Americas, as long as you want to go, in fact, this world is not very big. ”

Wei Bao said, took out a map he brought, and showed it to everyone: "Well, this is our Daming, here, this is this piece, if you want to go outside, you can take the sea route, whether it is from here, to here, or from here, to here, it will be possible to go back and forth in a few months." ”

A group of grain number shopkeepers were unconsciously led by Wei Bao's nose, and they all looked at the place Wei Bao pointed to, and whispered while watching.

Many of them are knowledgeable, and this world definitely does not have such an accurate map that Wei Bao took out!

The rough world map of the foreigners has already been introduced to the Ming Dynasty, and they know at a glance that Wei Bao's map is not fooling people, just for the map of the Ming Dynasty, accurate to the names of the various places in the township, they are already convinced, and they are very admired.

"Wei Gongzi, listen to what you mean, you are planning to go to the territory of foreigners to buy grain, you must know that the Ming Dynasty prohibits non-governmental trade overseas, which is a violation of the king's law!" Qiao Dongsheng coldly threatened: "Be careful that someone has reported you, and you can't eat and walk around." ”

Wei Bao sneered: "I know, how can I not know?" However, we can do business with North Korea, and you Jin merchants have not done less, if North Koreans go out to buy grain, will the Ming find us? ”

Qiao Dongsheng was stunned, he knew that Wei Bao had achieved considerable power in North Korea, and he heard that Wei Bao had a North Korean princess by his side, which was true.

"Even if you can take the loophole, but don't forget, there is a lot of risk in going to sea to do business, just knowing one or two foreigners is useless, do you dare to guarantee that you will not be cheated when you go to the land of foreigners? Moreover, do you have the kind of sea-going ships that can go out to sea to do trade? It's okay for the people to make a small fight, but you really have to do a lot of grain trade, do you know how many big ships you have to prepare? ”

Wei Bao smiled slightly: "Thank you Gongzi Qiao for your concern, come and see!" ”

Wei Bao said and walked to the window: "Everyone, please look, there is a ship in the distance, you have all seen it, right?" That's the boat I got people to come on from North Korea! ”

Everyone looked around, only to see the Shanhaiguan estuary, there is indeed a big ship, although it is far away, but it can still be seen clearly, what a big ship, and there is smoke, it seems that there are cannons on board!

Wei Bao said with a smile: "This kind of ship, they have a lot of North Korea, there should be hundreds of ships, with this kind of thing, is Qiao Gongzi's concern still a concern?" I invited you this time, not to buy food, but to discuss cooperation with you! At present, the grain in Daming is too tight, and the grain is bought and sold, it is easy to do, and it is easy to do, because there is little, you can hoard and raise prices! It's hard to say, it's not easy to do, because no matter how much you hoard and raise prices, the number of people who can afford to buy food will only get smaller and smaller, and when everyone is almost starving to death, there is no one left, where are you going to do business? ”

Everyone was silent when they heard this, and they worked together for a long time, Wei Bao came to them today, not to buy their food, to listen to Wei Bao's meaning, but to cooperate with them, and to encourage them to go overseas to buy food?

The middle of the 19th century was preceded by the Archaic period. The first warships of that time appeared in Egypt, Greece and Phoenicia around 1200 BC, and were mainly powered by oars, sometimes supplemented by sails.

China was once at the world's leading level in ancient shipbuilding technology, and was able to make canoes and oars 7,000 years ago, and built large warships for water warfare during the Spring and Autumn Period (770 BC--- 221 BC).

In the 5th century BC, the Mediterranean countries had established a sea fleet with double- and three-deck oared warships with bow angles at the lower end of the bow column.

In the famous Punic Wars (264 BC---- 146 BC), the Roman fleet defeated the maritime power Carthage with these ships and established maritime supremacy in the Mediterranean.

During the Three Kingdoms period (220---280), China had a variety of ship types such as three- four-story high, shipwrecks and boats, and there were already sail warships.

During the Northern and Southern Dynasties, the car and ship were invented, and the wooden wheel was used to propel it. In the 11th century AD, the compass was already used in China for navigation.

After the Tang and Song dynasties, the construction technology of wooden ships has reached a relatively mature stage.

The ships of the Ming Dynasty were the peak of the development of ancient shipbuilding technology, and there were monographs on shipbuilding since 1368; Treatises on seafaring techniques, as well as on the armament of a large number of warships.

In the 15th century, Chinese ships became the largest and most seaworthy ships in the world.

Zheng He led the world's largest fleet of ships to the Western Ocean seven times at that time, which was able to comprehensively use land navigation navigation, compass pointing, astronomical positioning, metering, timing and other technologies.

The development of Western sailing fleets and the refinement of sail equipment and sailing techniques contributed to the opening of new shipping routes and the plundering of colonies in the 15th and 16th centuries.

In addition to cold weapons such as knives, spears, crossbows, and arrows, ancient Chinese naval weapons also included long hooked spears, long axes, hook rejects, and slap rods that were specially used for water warfare.

In the history of the world, gunpowder weapons appeared in China for the first time.

Records of the Ming Dynasty include medicinal weapons such as "fire dragon out of the water" (this should be the wrinkled shape of a rocket) used by warships; At the latest, in the tenth year of Hongwu in the Ming Dynasty, Chinese warships began to be equipped with metal tubular firearms-Huotong; Tang Shunzhi of the Ming Dynasty recorded the "underwater mines" operated manually.

Due to the low level of science and technology under the ancient productive forces, and the slow development of naval technology, the wooden galleys have been used for nearly 30 centuries.

In general, during this period, the warships in the early period were galleys and sail warships, the hulls were wooden structures, the power was mainly artificial oars, supplemented by sails, the weapons of combat were mainly cold weapons, supplemented by more primitive firearms, and the combat methods were impact warfare and broadside warfare; The later warships were sail warships, the hull was also a wooden structure, the power was sails, the weapons were mainly equipped with smoothbore guns, and the combat mode was close-range artillery combat.

Shipboard combatants mainly engaged with knives, spears, arrows, throwers, and early firearms.

A group of grain number shopkeepers saw the ship Wei Bao was referring to, although Wei Bao said that it was a North Korean ship, but everyone understood that it was a warship made by Wei Bao himself!

The warship was as tall as the treasure ship, and it was smoking, and it was running so fast, and it was equipped with cannons, if there were really hundreds of such ships, it would be really possible to go to sea to do business!

Now, a group of grain number shopkeepers believe in Wei Bao's words!

Wu Xiang and Wu Xuexia were also blinded by Wei Bao's god-level operation.

It's snacks again, it's a big warship, and it's a chart for everyone, Wei Bao has shown it in all directions, he not only knows foreigners, but also has prepared to go to sea to do trade, food, it's not a problem!