"Expand the sea trade routes, and you will be able to replenish military supplies!"

As soon as the words fell, Liang Tianyou, who was about to drink tea with a teacup, froze, although he was still smiling, but the smile seemed to have suddenly passed through frost, and the atmosphere in the room was suddenly swept away.

"Jing Luo wants to open the sea route?"

Liang Tianyou's voice was a little cold, and there was a taste of rejection thousands of miles away.

The sudden change made Zhu Mingzhong's heart feel a little uncomfortable, and when he looked at Ryazan's face, he was also quite confused and frightened, obviously the change in his father's expression had exceeded his expectations.

"Yes, old man, this official really wants to reopen the road to the sea from the Qinghe River."

Zhu Mingzhong pondered the words, but his mind was spinning rapidly, and from the information he obtained from Shi Lei, he thought that he had a general understanding of Liang Tianyou. He was originally a man of the Ming Dynasty, and his father was also an official to the fourth grade, the reason why he withdrew from the maritime business, because the Qingjiang fell, although the Liang family was an official, but it was also a businessman for generations, and now since this reopening of the sea route, they will naturally not refuse to be a maritime businessman, so Zhu Mingzhong will report this trip with considerable confidence.

What is the only concern?

It is whether the Liang family is willing to be an "official businessman"! Like the merchants under the Zheng family, he used the profits from maritime trade to support Zheng Chenggong's great cause of resisting the Qing Dynasty.

"So, Jing Luo came here this time, presumably because he knew that the Liang family had made a living in the sea, so he intended to persuade Liang to return to his old business?"

Putting down the teacup, Liang Tianyou, who was expressionless, had a taste of rejection in his tone.

"Exactly!"

Zhu Mingzhong naturally did not deny his intention.

"In that case, then please go back!"

Putting down the teacup, Liang Tianyou refused without the slightest hesitation.

"Oh, why doesn't the old gentleman want to help the official open up the Qinghe Sea Road?"

"It's not that I don't want to, but I don't want to!"

Shaking his head, Liang Tianyou looked at his son who seemed to be moving, and said resolutely.

"The old man only has three sons under his knees, both of whom think that the country is loyal, although it is said that a round trip to the sea can get several times the huge profits, but the risk between the huge profits is very large, only one son remains, I only hope that he can provide for the old man to die, as for the others, how dare he think ......about it."

With a long sigh, Liang Tianyou arched his hand and said.

"Please don't mention this again!"

Liang Tianyou's refusal was not expected by Zhu Mingzhong at all, he was stunned for a moment, and Zhu Mingzhong pondered for a moment before continuing.

"There is indeed a risk in selling the sea, but as the old gentleman said, the people of Jiangbei have been lacking, and the merchants who sell the sea can get hundreds of thousands of silver per year, and the Japanese state has copper, which can be used to cast money and artillery, which can be said to be a lot of help for military and civilian use, and if the Qinghe River is open to the sea again, the sea boats gather, and when he goes on the Northern Expedition, he can also help the Northern Expedition......"

How to know it with affection and move with reason, Zhu Mingzhong is naturally very clear, although Liang Tianyou only has one son, but there are many major plans to communicate with the sea, how can Zhu Mingzhong give up easily.

"Furthermore, what this official intends is to establish a chamber of commerce to specialize in maritime trade, once the chamber of commerce enters the Japanese kingdom and the trade route is reopened, how can the chamber of commerce be the first to enter the sea again?"

Although Zhu Mingzhong's words were not loud, he easily promised a bait, the Chamber of Commerce specializes in maritime trade, and the head of this Chamber of Commerce is a "big gift" to the Liang family.

Sure enough, when Zhu Mingzhong threw out this bait, Ryazan, who looked very young, seemed to be a little unable to sit still, and just as he looked at his father with a complicated expression, waiting for him to answer, he saw Liang Tianyou shaking his head and saying.

"Jingluo has the intention of setting up a chamber of commerce to specialize in the sea, although Liang has no intention of being in it, but the Liang family does have a child who is good at making sea ships can be recommended as Jinglu's subordinates, for Jingluo to drive......"

Although Liang Tianyou refused, his words seemed a little loose, the so-called son of the sect who is good at making sea ships is actually the captain who understands the route, Zhu Mingzhong has long known this from Shi Lei, but he needs more than just a captain. After all, the captain can only lead the ship into Nagasaki, and whether or not he can enter the port depends on the relationship between the Liang family in Nagasaki.

After pondering for a moment, Zhu Mingzhong said with a smile.

"I think the old gentleman misunderstood the official's intentions, how could he be driven by the official? Although this chamber of commerce is initiated by the government, the government will never interfere in its operation, and the operation of the chamber of commerce is completely determined by its directors, and the rights and interests of the directors are also determined by their share capital, and the government only grants the chamber of commerce all the right to trade in Japan......"

People in this era are no strangers to the joint-stock system. And Liang Tianyou, who originally intended to refuse, couldn't help but ask when he heard him say this.

"Does the government have any shares?"

"Natural participation!"

This is for sure, after all, for Zhu Mingzhong, the reason for reopening the sea route is to obtain commercial profits through maritime trade, and how much tax revenue can he get just by relying on customs taxes? It's just a few tens of thousands of taels.

"Then if the government participates in the shares, what if the government operates the chamber of commerce with its share capital?"

When the corners of Liang Tianyou's lips were slightly raised, he was about to show mockery, when he saw Zhu Mingzhong shaking his head and saying.

"The affairs of the Chamber of Commerce are decided by the directors of the board of directors, and the voting of the resolutions of the Chamber of Commerce is implemented by one person, one vote. Even if the government holds more capital, there is only one vote, one person, one vote, which is the basic principle of the Chamber of Commerce! Moreover, the head of the chamber of commerce, the vice president and the directors are all appointed by the board of directors of the chamber of commerce, and the government does not interfere! ”

The sarcasm that had just been revealed instantly rose from Liang Tianyou's face, and he seemed calm on the surface, but he was shocked in his heart, because he knew very well what such a chamber of commerce meant, which meant that while the chamber of commerce was fully supported by the government, there would be no officials interfering in the chamber of commerce, and who could refuse such an official and business identity?

He looked at the young envoy in front of him, looked at him seriously, and said for a while.

"Jinglue, do you intend to reopen the Qinghe Sea Road, is it to solve a temporary need, or do you intend to use it as a long-term solution?"

The reason why he asked this is because Liang Tianyou knows very well that without the support of the government, this chamber of commerce, which seems to control trade with the Japanese country, will definitely become the target of public criticism in the future, so he must first understand before making a decision.

"Hmmm......"

After pondering for a moment, Zhu Mingzhong replied directly,

"Since ancient times, overseas Zhuyi have liked our Chinese goods, and this official wants to open up a maritime trade route, precisely because he wants to exchange my Chinese goods for overseas gold and silver for the use of the Chinese people, and once this trade route is opened, it must not stop, not only can it not stop, but it will continue to expand in the future......

Seeing that Liang Tianyou, who was already a little excited, Zhu Mingzhong added another bargaining chip.

"When the court returns to the court in the future, this official will ask the court to ask the emperor to grant the concession of all trade in the trade route to the chamber of commerce!"