(Ask for recommendation votes, ask for support.) Thanks to the book friend He Xian for the 100 coin reward)

Zheng Chenggong felt that His Majesty the Emperor's words had a tentative meaning, and beads of sweat were already oozing from his forehead.

After his father, Zheng Zhilong, took Li Dan's place, he basically monopolized trade to Japan.

Similar to the preferences of the Nanyang countries, the Japanese were very interested in the raw silk, silk and porcelain of the Ming Dynasty.

The Zheng family's ships to Japan were basically loaded with these things.

The Zheng family had extensive connections in the Hirado Domain, and these porcelains and silks were not sold at all, and they could be underwritten as soon as they were unloaded, and the price was three to five times the original price.

This may seem like a good profit, but it is nothing compared to the high risk of crossing the ocean.

The real money is made on the "goods" taken with you on the return trip.

After the Zheng family's fleet was sold, they would stay in the Hirado Domain for a while, waiting for the Japanese to load the "goods" on the ship.

The "goods" they were going to take with them on their return trip were none other than copper! Lots of copper!

Copper production in Japan is known all over the world, and there are many copper mines.

Of course, the Zheng family did not buy copper to cast a statue of the Buddha, but to make private money.

Before Wanli, there was no large influx of silver, and private transactions basically relied on copper coins.

Even after the influx of silver, it was basically gathered in the hands of a small number of merchants and landlords. Ordinary peasants and ordinary people do not have much silver in their hands. Most of the people still rely on copper coins for transaction settlement, and silver is only used in large transactions.

It is the quality of copper coins that has become the most concerned thing for ordinary people.

In all dynasties, the right to mint money was a privilege enjoyed by rulers.

If the ruler is kind-hearted, he will increase the proportion of copper. If the ruler's heart is darker, the money of copper and lead and lead is also cast.

In the early years of Chongzhen, the imperial court once minted a batch of good coins, but in the end they gave up because of the huge consumption.

The common people are not stupid, good money and bad money can be distinguished at a glance, and some copper coins minted by the imperial court are really unusable, so they will choose to use private money.

The minting of private money requires a large amount of copper, which is not something that ordinary people can get. Therefore, those who can mint private money are all big businessmen with heads and faces.

These people also have connections in the government, which can ensure that the private currency can flow smoothly into the people after it is minted.

When it comes to minting, it's definitely the most lucrative business in the world. Even if the copper coins are not as black-hearted as the imperial court when they mint them, they will definitely make some money, and the profits during this period are enough to be staggeringly high.

Of course, Zheng Zhilong will not fail to see this. He used his connections in the Hirado Domain in Japan to open up channels to purchase large quantities of copper at low prices, and then used the opportunity of sea trade to bring the purchased copper back to Fujian.

After more than ten years of painstaking management, Zheng Zhilong mastered an army of tens of thousands of people and more than 1,000 warships, just like the emperor of Fujian.

Here he can mint private coins without any scruples, and the copper coins minted will naturally flow into the homes of ordinary people.

Minting money is a matter of huge profits, and because the price of the main material copper purchased by Zheng Zhilong is extremely low, it makes a lot of money.

Of course, such a big move will attract attention, but which officials in Fujian dare not give face to the Zheng family?

All the officials pretended to be confused and turned a blind eye to Zheng Zhilong's minting of private money.

Therefore, after so many years, a letter of impeachment of Zheng Zhilong has not been delivered to the imperial front.

The Son of Heaven suddenly asked, which made Zheng Chenggong very nervous.

The abundant things in the Ming Dynasty are nothing more than silk and porcelain.

Most of these top-notch goods are the first choice for maritime merchants to load ships and go to sea.

The Zheng family is naturally no exception.

It is impossible for the Son of Heaven not to know this, so he asked Zheng Chenggong what the Zheng family was selling in Japan by sea, which was obviously a temptation.

Zheng Chenggong reluctantly calmed himself down and replied respectfully; "Your Majesty, it's mostly silk and porcelain."

"Oh." Zhu Cihong smiled faintly: "Then what did you bring with you on the return trip?" It can't be an empty ship, right? ”

Bang!

Zheng Chenggong only felt that his brain exploded, and the whole person was a little confused.

His speculation was completely correct, and it seemed that the Son of Heaven had already known about the Zheng family's purchase of copper in Japan and brought it back to Fujian to mint private money......

Zheng Chenggong clenched his fists, thinking about how to answer.

He also knows that minting private money is taboo, and his father is indeed a little too arrogant.

No matter what, Zheng Zhilong is also his father. As long as his father did not commit evil deeds such as treason and other evil deeds, Zheng Zhilong still couldn't bear to kill his relatives in righteousness.

On one side is the king, and on the other side is the father. On one side is the country, and on the other side is the home.

How should he choose, how should he choose?

"I was just joking."

Zhu Cihong waved his hand and said: "Nan Amber has been at sea for many years, so he should be very clear about Japan's specialties. The Japanese knives, folding fans, and lacquerware are all good, and the Zheng family's return ship must have been filled with these, right? ”

His Majesty the Emperor took the initiative to give Zheng Chenggong a step down, and Zheng Chenggong was naturally very grateful.

He got off the donkey and said, "Your Majesty is wise, the fleet has indeed brought back these things mainly from Japan, and they are all very good. ”

The Ming Dynasty does not prohibit knives from the people, so the sale of Japanese knives can be said on the surface.

Zheng Chenggong saw that the Son of Heaven did not mean to investigate to the end, and his mood relaxed a lot, and he saluted Zhu Cihong: "Your Majesty, I heard that the first batch of sea ships built by Longjiang Shipyard can be launched. I wonder if Your Majesty wants to use it as a sea ship or a merchant ship? ”

This question is actually a temptation for Zheng Chenggong. To some extent, the Son of Heaven's answer hinted at the future actions of the imperial court.

"Both."

Zhu Cihong said with a smile: "I am going to set aside some for merchant ships and set aside some for warships." ”

Zheng Chenggong sighed in his heart. The Son of Heaven pushed his temptation out with just an understatement, which was really clever.

However, he still couldn't understand why the Son of Heaven had just stopped and did not delve into the Zheng family's smuggling of copper and minting private coins.

Could it be that the Son of Heaven wanted to use this to knock the Zheng family and make it more honest in the matter of maritime trade cooperation with the imperial court?

The more Zheng Chenggong thought about it, the more he felt that this possibility was very high.

Otherwise, why did His Majesty the Emperor divide the first batch of sea ships built by the Longjiang Shipyard into two halves, half as merchant ships and half as war ships?

Doesn't this show that the Son of Heaven wants to form a fleet controlled by the imperial court for maritime trade?

As for the warship, it is a show of force......

Who to show off his strength, Zheng Chenggong knows very well.

Although the imperial court may not have enough soldiers to form a naval division now, if the Son of Heaven really makes up his mind, it will only be a matter of a few months to recruit manpower.

The best candidate is the fisherman, who is familiar with the water and hard-working, and has a clean background, unlike the Haikou who will attract the scruples of the imperial court.

Zheng Chenggong sighed in his heart, Your Majesty's grace and power are really the actions of the hero!

......

......