"Thank you, Lord Squire, for your kindness!" The building was excited.

It was not until the first year of Longqing (1567) that the imperial court announced the partial opening of the sea ban, and established a "ship guidance" system to implement a strictly restricted maritime trade policy.

The ship introduction is the official license issued by the imperial court to merchants to go to sea for trade, at first there were only 50 copies, and it was only increased to 100 in the third year of Wanli. By the time of the seventeenth year of Wanli, the specific number of ports in the east and west oceans was further stipulated.

Among them, 44 were allowed to go to the East, 16 were occupied in Luzon alone, two were in other places such as hawksbill turtles, Cebu, and Brunei, and one was in Miyan, Zhongbang, and Yining. There are also 44 that are allowed to go to the Western Ocean, including four each in Xiagang, Siam, Old Port and Cochin, three each in Cambodia, Dinh Ki Gih, Thuan Tha, and Champang, two each in Malacca and Hue, and one each in Da Ni, Udin Reef Forest, and Xinzhou.

Most of the 100 ship guides were divided among the related households, and the few remaining parts were also sold at sky-high prices. Although it can be smuggled, it is always illegal, and the imperial court will also crack down on it, no better than a merchant with a ship, you can go to sea whenever you want, and you don't have to worry about being caught.

The issuing agency of the ship quotation is the Fujian City Ship Division, which was also called the Quanzhou City Ship Division at the beginning, because its location is in Quanzhou. However, during the Chenghua period, Fujian City Bosi moved from Quanzhou to Fuzhou, and slowly, not many people mentioned the title of Quanzhou Bosi.

In fact, in the Ming Dynasty, there were a total of three city divisions, in addition to Fujian City, there were Zhejiang City Ship Division and Guangdong City Ship Division, located in Ningbo and Guangzhou respectively. The three divisions were temporarily abolished, and they were all restored in the middle of Wanli, and they were supervised by the eunuchs in the palace.

At first, Fujian, Zhejiang, and Guangdong were set up to facilitate the tributary of various countries, so the three divisions were aimed at countries in different directions, Fujian corresponded to the Ryukyu area, Zhejiang corresponded to the direction of the Wa Kingdom, and Guangdong City Bosi was for the convenience of Western countries such as Champa and Siam.

For example, if you want to pay tribute to Zhancheng today, you must first drive the tribute ship to Guangzhou, and then the tribute envoy of Zhancheng will have to go to the city to find someone, and the staff of the city port department will check the authenticity of the survey with local officials, check whether the tribute road, tribute period, ships and number of people of the tribute envoy meet the requirements, and then, the city ship department will register the goods brought by the tribute envoy, arrange the food and lodging of the tribute envoy, report to the imperial court, and then send the tribute envoy and the tribute to Beijing.

In fact, the inspection of the goods carried by the tribute ships was not strict. People finally came to the Celestial Empire from Champong, and they had to buy some silk, tea, ceramics and other local products to return to China, but they had no money to buy them, so they could only sell the agarwood and special fruits produced in Champa for money. In this way, the tribute ships were not allowed to carry some private goods more or less, and for these private goods that came with the tribute, the city shipping department was responsible for inspecting whether there were any prohibited things in them, and they were taxed in a lot.

The Municipal Shipping Department has set up a tooth bank to manage the trade of private goods, which is responsible for evaluating the price of goods, so that the difference between the "given price" and the actual value of the goods is not too obvious, and at the same time facilitating the trading activities between Chinese merchants and foreign merchants.

Later, the sea was opened during the Longqing period, and the tributary trade gradually existed in name only, and more and more private merchant ships also joined the ranks of maritime trade. Even ships that did not have a survey or did not pay tribute were allowed to trade locally as long as they were willing to pay taxes, thus breaking the strict restrictions on tributary trade.

After Zhengde, with the relative prosperity of the inter-market trade between the ports of the city, the role of the tooth people as intermediary merchants has been increasing, and the tooth industry has gradually replaced part of the functions of the city port division and assumed the responsibility of managing trade. Correspondingly, the main function of the Municipal Department is to collect taxes, and the management mechanism has gradually realized the separation of administrative management and operation management, which is also a major progress in the foreign trade management system in Chinese history.

"My lord, I heard that this ship is difficult to get hold of?" Lou Dong voiced his concerns.

"It's okay, there are a few fathers-in-law in the palace who must have a way." Zhong Nan didn't say anything, he knew that the city was in charge of the eunuchs, so as long as he could get Zhang Whale's approval, a boat guide would not be captured.

"Then I'll find an inn to stay in and wait for the good news from the adults." Lou Dong's face was excited.

"Don't panic, I still have some things to tell you." After finishing speaking, Zhong Nan pondered for a while, and he was thinking about what things he could let Lou Dong do.

The smuggled goods in the building were mainly destined for the Japanese state, so that he could pay more attention to the political dynamics of the Japanese state; There is also the dispatch of intelligence officers, which can allow the building to set up a base in the Japanese country in the name of doing business in the early stage, and so on.

Zhong Nan explained the things one by one, except for the part that he didn't understand, Lou Dong had something to ask, and he didn't say a word about other matters. This made Zhong Nan very satisfied, and he thought about entrusting him with important tasks in the future.

Lou Dong has been working in the mall for twenty or thirty years, and he has also dealt with various officials, so he knows what to ask and what not to ask. Now that you have made up your mind and boarded the ship of Lord Squiro, you should move forward. Now is the time when Lord Shirou is short of people, and he joins at this time, and when Lord Shilang soars into the sky, he will be considered a veteran.

As for whether he will make a mistake, Lou Dong is not too worried, judging from his many years of life experience, Zhong Nan's lower limit is also to enter the cabinet; As for the ceiling, he said no, but "anything is possible."

After meeting with Lou Dong, Zhong Nan asked Hu Huanshan to take the name card and go to the eunuch Wang Zhong. Originally, he planned to find Zhang Whale directly, but Zhong Nan thought that he was on vacation, and Zhang Whale was with the emperor most of the time, so it was better to find Wang Zhong to explore the situation first.

After Wang Zhong received Zhong Nan's post, he immediately reported it to Zhang Whale, who checked the emperor's itinerary and determined that he could take time out of the palace the day after tomorrow, so he asked Wang Zhong to set the time of the dinner two days later.

Two days later, the dinner was held in Wang Zhong's private residence in Beijing, Zhong Nan only brought Hu Huanshan and another personal soldier, and only Wang Zhong and Xiao Yu accompanied Zhang Jing.

After the two sides exchanged pleasantries, Zhong Nan withdrew the two pro-soldiers, and Zhang Whale also dismissed the other little eunuchs, leaving only the two of them and Wang and Xiao on the entire table. Wang Zhong and Xiao Yu did not serve the table, and the two of them poured wine and served food on the side, temporarily acting as a small servant.

"Father-in-law Zhang, I have long wanted to come to visit you, but you have been by the emperor's side, and I don't know when you will be free. That's why it's been delayed again and again, and I ask Grandpa Zhang to forgive me! Zhong Nan lowered his posture first.

"Zhong Shilang is polite, the miscellaneous family has long wanted to meet you, I heard that Zhong Shilang has a good amount of wine, there are thousands of cups not drunk, let's drink well today!" Zhang Whale didn't hold it up.

"No problem, let's get drunk!"

In fact, the main content of this meal is not to eat and drink, but to express an attitude, the attitude of both parties towards each other. After eating such a meal, the two became acquaintances in the true sense of the word, and no matter which camp they were in, they could also talk to each other.

Both of them know that their status is closely related to Zhu Yijun, so to a certain extent, they can also be regarded as comrades-in-arms in one camp. But they can't really form an alliance like Feng Bao and Zhang Juzheng in the past, because Zhu Yijun will definitely not allow it, so this will test the political ability of the two, not only to work together for Zhu Yijun, but also not to collude and fool the emperor.

The two chatted while eating, talking about some topics to accompany the meal, many of which were stories of officials. Zhong Nan also picked up some historical anecdotes to tell everyone, but Zhang Whale had never heard of them, shouting "Zhong Shilang is knowledgeable", and the guests and hosts enjoyed a meal.

When Wang and Xiao removed their cups and dishes and replaced them with a pot of tea, Zhang Whale took the initiative to ask, "Is there something wrong with Zhong Shilang who needs to talk to the miscellaneous family?" ”

"Don't hide it from you, I really have one thing here, I need Gonggong Zhang to give you a trick." Zhong Nan didn't hide it either.

"Oh, as long as it's within the jurisdiction of my inner court, it's naturally no problem!" Zhang Whale took a sip of tea and replied calmly.

"That's the case...... Zhong Nan roughly recounted the cause and effect of the incident, "...... So I have to trouble you to think of a way to see if you can issue a boat guide. ”

"I thought it was a big deal, I don't need to go out at all, Xiao Yu can do it for Zhong Shilang!" Zhang Whale laughed.

"Indeed, as Grandpa Zhang said, this ship is a trivial matter. Wu Fei of Fujian City's Bo Division Wu Gonggong was my subordinate before, I wrote a letter to Ming'er, and Lord Shilang took it to find Wu Fei, he must have done it properly! Xiao Yu, who was pouring tea on the side, explained.

"Therefore, some things are difficult to reach the sky in the eyes of outsiders; But in the eyes of those who have a way, it's just a matter of words! Zhang Whale glanced at Zhong Nan and summed it up meaningfully.

"That's nature, who doesn't know that Grandpa Zhang's energy is great!" Zhong Nan slapped it slightly.

"It can only be the affairs of the inner court, and the miscellaneous family can speak, if it is above the court, you still have to rely on a few pavilion elders and Zhong Shilang!" Zhang Whale was modest.

"Everyone is doing things for the emperor, and they should communicate with each other and do the things that the emperor has to do!" Zhong Nan also has something to say.

"What a 'mutual exchange'! Well said, Zhong Shilang. Zhang Whale sincerely appreciated, "The emperor's vision is really outstanding!" ”

The two smiled heartily, and the cooperative relationship was preliminarily settled. As for the depth of cooperation in the future, it depends on Zhu Yijun's tolerance and the political wisdom of the two.

The next day, Xiao Yu personally came to the door to deliver a handwritten letter to Wu Fei. After Zhong Nan got the handwritten letter, he immediately summoned Lou Dong.

Lou Dong didn't expect the problem to be solved so quickly, and he admired Zhong Nan a lot, but also felt more awe, and also strengthened his belief that he would go to the dark.