Zheng Zhihu followed Zheng Zhilong into the carriage, and the others also got into the carriage, and entered the General Military Mansion in a short time. Pen @ fun @ pavilion wWw. ｂｉｑUｇE。 info Zheng Zhihu was very keenly aware that the entire General Military Mansion seemed to be filled with a festive taste, although it was now the end of the year, it was time to have a festive taste, but this taste seemed to be stronger than in previous years. After entering the second gate, the ladies in the house also greeted them, and then they set up a banquet, and after everyone finished eating, Zheng Sen and others accompanied Zheng Zhihu to say some words, and then retreated one after another.

Zheng Zhilong said to Zheng Zhihu and Zheng Zhihu's wife: "Second brother, you came back from afar, and you are tired of coming." It's time to go back with my siblings and have a good rest. Oh, your yard has changed places, your original yard is cool in the summer, but it's a little cold in the winter. So I asked my siblings to move to the yard next to me, well, the yard that was originally left for Asen. Anyway, Assen is about to marry his daughter-in-law, so he should live in a different place. ”

Zheng Zhihu heard this, and hurriedly asked, "What day is it?" Is it settled? The eldest brother didn't say it earlier, and he said earlier that I would bring some gifts back in Luzon. ”

Zheng Zhilong said with a smile: "It has been decided, the twenty-third day of the first lunar month this year is a good day." I've already made a deal with them, and I'm going to pick up the bride that day. As for gifts, the second brother, it's not the eldest brother who said that if the younger brother and sister are not around, you can't buy it. And the younger siblings are ready. ”

"Big brother, congratulations!" Zheng Zhihu arched his hand with a smile on his face, "In two years, the eldest brother will be able to hold his grandson." ”

"Hehe," Zheng Zhilong also laughed, "Second brother, now I regret finding my daughter-in-law late, right?" It will be a long time before your son will marry his daughter-in-law. And the second child, look at you, your son still can't speak, you and your younger siblings want to hold your grandson enough to wait. ”

Zheng Zhihu has been fighting in the south and the north in the past few years, and he didn't care about marrying a daughter-in-law, but after settling down in the past few years, he was a little high and low, and he didn't marry a daughter-in-law until three years ago, and gave birth to a big fat boy last year.

"How can this be compared to Big Brother?" Zheng Zhihu laughed.

"This time, the brothers have gathered, one is to prepare for the marriage of this kid Asen." Zheng Zhilong said, "Second, I will also use the New Year to discuss some things in our family in the future." But you've just come back today, so you'd better get some rest. After the New Year, after worshipping the ancestors, let's discuss it together. ”

Zheng Zhilong knew that his plate was getting bigger and bigger, and there were indeed a lot of things to discuss in detail, so he nodded and said, "That's okay, I'll listen to my eldest brother." Originally, when he came back this time, there were a lot of things he wanted to ask Asen, but now that he is going to marry his daughter-in-law, he is afraid that he will be busy, so it is not good to ask him. ”

Zheng Zhilong laughed when he heard this: "If you want to say that he is busy, he is usually busier than now." Now it's his turn to marry a daughter-in-law, he's fine, like no one, watching everyone busy, he has become an idler. If you want to do anything, just go to him, he has something to do now, and we are not all doing it for him. ”

Zheng Zhilong's description of Zheng Sen is not too fair, because at this time, Zheng Sen is not really idle at home. In fact, Zheng Sen is still very busy, these days, with the help of Li Xiangjun, he is sorting out all kinds of information to prepare for the family conference after the New Year.

"It seems that the imperial court is really out of money." Li Xiangjun said with emotion while collecting a stack of information in the capital. Most of this information came from the Zheng family's business in Beijing, and most of the content was not secret, but it was just the price of goods in the market, the number of goods bought and sold, and taxes and so on. Although these things are inconspicuous, they can explain a lot of problems when taken together.

"The court is now caught in a vicious circle." Zheng Sen also lamented, "Whether it is to deal with Jianxuan or suppress the rogue, he needs a lot of money." But to have more money, you need to collect more taxes. Collecting more taxes will force more people to become homeless or outcasts, which on the one hand increases the power of the enemy and cuts their own sources of tax revenue on the other. ”

"If you are the first assistant, can you save the time?" Li Xiangjun asked.

"What if I'm Shousuke?" Zheng Sen smiled, "Then I really have no other way than to quickly become a big corrupt official, embezzle a sum of money, and then secretly prepare a boat that can fit the whole family to go to sea, and run away immediately if something goes wrong." ”

"How can the husband say that about himself. Isn't this a big traitor? Li Xiangjun turned his head and smiled.

"Xiangjun, do you think those traitors want to be traitors themselves? Well, do you know what a prisoner's dilemma is? Zheng Sen said with a smile.

"What 'prisoner's dilemma'?" Li Xiangjun had already put away the documents at this time and walked over slowly.

"Two thieves were caught when they were thieves, and the county magistrate knew that they had done something else, but there was no evidence. They did not want to be tortured to extract confessions, and if neither of them confessed, they would be sentenced to one year and sixty rods according to the current crime. So the magistrate shut them up in a room, and told them that if one of them confessed and the other did not, then he should give sixty rods to the confessed one, and three thousand miles to the army that had not been recruited; If both of them are recruited, they shall be in prison for three years, with a hundred rods. Well, what do you say these two thieves will do? ”

Zheng Sen didn't wait for Li Xiangjun to answer, so he continued: "These two thieves have to worry, if they don't recruit themselves, but the other party does, it will be miserable, so although I know that it is better for both of them not to recruit than to recruit both, but for any of them, it is better to recruit than not to recruit." So, in the end, both thieves will confess. Well, have you heard about Li Chuang's capture of Luoyang? is the best example. ”

"What's the best example?" Li Xiangjun asked.

"King Fu in Luoyang City is said to be very rich, and then Li Chuang came over, and some people persuaded King Fu to take the money out to donate military salaries. King Fu refused to give it at first, because he felt that even if he paid the money, the money would be deducted from the hands of the officials first, and then deducted again from the hands of the commanders, and then deducted again from their subordinates, no matter how much money was given, no money would fall into the hands of the soldiers. If you don't get the money, you will naturally not make any effort to fight, and then, if you can't win, you still can't win. And those officials and generals who handle it also have no reason not to deduct, because if you don't deduct, others will also deduct, anyway, in the end, those who serve as soldiers still can't get a penny. So, it's better not to give it. Zheng Sen replied with a sneer.

"That's too much, isn't it? It's better to give than not to give, right? Li Xiangjun said.

"However, it's really better not to give." Zheng Sen smiled bitterly and shook his head, "Later, when the Liukou soldiers came to the city, King Fu was still afraid, so he gave the army the silver, and then ......."

"And then?"

"And then what? Naturally, because the silver was unevenly divided, there was a dispute...... Then some of the defenders, who felt that the money was scarce, made a fuss, and then simply opened the gates of the city and let the rogues in. Then, Luoyang fell, and His Royal Highness King Fu also lost his life. Zheng Sen unraveled the mystery.

"Ahh How can this be? Li Xiangjun was taken aback.

"Today's imperial court can basically be said to be rotten. This is no longer something that can be solved by one first assistant. For example, you know, my family is very rich. I am afraid that I have more money in my hands now than all the saints can use today. But Xiangjun, how useful do you think it would be if we donated a sum of money to the Holy One? Zheng Sen asked again.

Li Xiangjun thought for a while and said, "I'm afraid it's useless, it's like pouring water into a hole in a water tank." ”

"It's not just a water tank with a hole, today's court is almost a bottomless water tank, and it doesn't matter how much money you give him. Speaking of which, if the court was just a water tank with a hole in it, then I would really like to pour some water into it. Zheng Sen said.

Zheng Sen is not lying. Now that Luzon is under control, the Zheng family's demand for population has risen to a new level. At the same time, a lot of the Zheng family's income does not only come from foreign trade, but the domestic market is becoming more and more important. If it is really like in the original history, let the Manchu Qing Dynasty enter the pass, and then fight indiscriminately, it will not be a good thing for the Zheng family's career, whether it is colonization or business. In the past, Zheng Sen felt that it would not be bad to let the Manchus come in first, kill those troublesome vested interests first, and then clean up by himself, so as not to dirty his hands. However, Zheng Sen now feels that if his hands are dirty, they will be dirty, after all, real benefits may be more important. Of course, he also knew that his family and his army were not ready to sweep the world. Therefore, Zheng Sen feels that the speed of the Zheng family's expansion may need to be further accelerated, and the direction of expansion may also need to be adjusted. Of course, it will take time. So at least for now, Zheng Sen really needs to let Chongzhen's Daming hold on for a while longer. In fact, this is one of the most important issues to be discussed in the sub-family meeting.

It's just that Zheng Sen hasn't made up his mind about how to solve this problem for a while. It is really difficult to strengthen the imperial court, but perhaps it would be a good direction to find a way to weaken the other opponents of the imperial court. It's just that the Zheng family's ability to invest their strength is a problem, unless Jian Yan or Li Chuang run to a place not far from the port by themselves, otherwise the Zheng family really can't do anything about them.