Like Cao Xianjian, Ning Zeyuan, the head of the Maritime Administration, is now very proud. I think when I first arrived in Daming, I was trembling like a little daughter-in-law, and everyone lowered her eyebrows and was pleasing to her eyes, but now her eyes are blinking, and the old hen has become a duck.

Unlike the Dasi Nong Yamen, the Maritime Safety Department still asks people for money and funds, and they don't ask for anyone now. Asking for money, they have a large number of merchant ships under their command to carry out a steady stream of sea trade transactions, every ship back, can bring them a lot of money, in the past they were afraid of pirates, now every time they go to sea, the battleship escort, even this one is exempt, the only thing that can bring them trouble is the sea itself. If they are unlucky and encounter strong winds and waves, the battleship will not be able to help them. Dignitaries, except for the two shipyards, they have more than 5,000 soldiers alone.

So now it's not the Maritime Safety Department asking for help, but many yamen in the imperial court are staring at the Maritime Safety Department and want to pull the Maritime Administration over. The household department took a fancy to the ability of the Maritime Administration to create wealth, and Su Kairong would chatter about this as long as he saw Qin Feng. The military department not only looked at this, but also stared at the dozen warships and thousands of sailors. If the Maritime Administration is brought over, it will not only have an additional source of funding, but will also make great progress in terms of military strength. The political affairs hall felt that it was not a matter for the maritime affairs department to grasp the financial power and the husband and power and often wander outside, and wanted to separate them, but the royal brother Jin Jingnan thought that such a powerful yamen was the most likely to breed corruption, and very forcefully stuffed a few supervision of the imperial history into the Yamen of the Marine Administration.

But Ning Zeyuan didn't care about all this. As long as the emperor did not nod his head, the Maritime Administration could not recognize anyone. It doesn't matter if you are the head of the household department or the government hall, I just have to bury my head in developing the Maritime Administration better, build more ships, train more soldiers, and make more money.

As there were more and more warships and soldiers became stronger and stronger, Ning Zeyuan's heart became bigger and bigger. Whether it is the State of Qi or the State of Chu, their so-called sailors are just some small fish paddles in Ning Zeyuan, do these little shrimps know what the real naval battle is all about? He was now staring at the farther sea, and the fact that His Majesty was going to build a naval base in Manila also made him vaguely see the hidden ambition of His Majesty the Emperor.

Even if His Majesty never thought of conquering those distant countries, as long as there is a powerful and invincible fleet across the sea, recreating the prosperous Tang Dynasty scene of all nations coming to the dynasty thousands of years ago, I am afraid that His Majesty will be extremely willing. Otherwise, His Majesty would not have granted him so much power. Even Ma Xiangnan, an old minister, got him a position in the Maritime Administration, which was for this old man to take over the cylinder for himself.

For such a respectable old man, Ning Zeyuan is certainly not afraid to send his greatest kindness. Baoqing is now a bright pearl in Changyang, and it is the heart that leads the economic and people's livelihood development of Changyang, and all this is naturally because of Baoqing Port and Taiping Shipyard. Both cornucopias are now under the direct jurisdiction of the Marine Administration.

With the great development of Daming sea trade, Baoqing, the port of Daming, has become a distribution center for a large number of sea trade commodities, a huge warehouse has risen here, and merchants from all over the country have been constantly transporting their goods here, and then selling them to the Maritime Administration.

The current Baoqing port and Baoqing county are more prosperous than Changyang County, both in terms of population and financial resources.

Ma Xiangnan squatted in Changyang County for seven years, from the beginning of the Ming Dynasty to Changyang County, he became the Changyang County Guard, Changyang County from a poor and white, miserable county, slowly operated into a fruit, medicinal herbs planting and processing as the main source of money of the middle county, the people are slowly from extreme poverty to a well-off society step by step. It can be said that Changyang County is like the son of Ma Xiangnan.

Now Changyang County has gotten rid of the state of malnutrition, but if you want to grow stronger, but you can't catch it, Ma Xiangnan knows in his heart that it is like this, with Changyang's manpower, land and material resources, it has almost reached the extreme, and if you want to go further, then Baoqing Port and Taiping Shipyard have become the leader that leads Changyang's second take-off.

Therefore, he has always had the greatest goodwill towards the Marine Department. Baoqing Port and Taiping Shipyard are in his Changyang territory, what is needed, he will provide, never say a word, the Yamen of the Maritime Administration moved from Baoqing to Huludao, and he was in pain for a long time.

However, during this time, Ma Xiangnan was proud. His Majesty actually let him take on an inexplicable position in the Maritime Administration, and he was still above Ning Zeyuan, of course, he had no real power. But Ma Xiangnan doesn't care about this, the emperor's thoughts, Ma Xiangnan guessed, it was nothing more than to use his old face to block the wind and rain for Ning Zeyuan.

Thinking that his weather-beaten face could still have such a big face, and he could use him to seek more benefits for Changyang County, Ma Xiangnan smiled, now he can ask Ning Zeyuan for benefits in a bright and bright way! How fat the Maritime Department is, a little leakage from the fingers is enough for Changyang County to be happy.

If you want to get rich, build roads first. His Majesty the Emperor said this sentence to Ma Xiangnan, and now he is enshrined as Guibao, and Changyang County has suffered from the poor roads. Even now, except for one main gallop road, the traffic in Changyang County is still very bad, and Ma Xiangnan has formulated a clear development map for his future career as a county guard, that is, to leave the best road for Changyang County in all directions.

Of course, it takes money, a lot of money.

Railways don't have to be thought about for a while. The geographical situation of Changyang County is too complicated, and if you want to build the railway, don't even think about it now, even if those masters from the Taiping Iron Mine have already surveyed the roads in Changyang County and are ready to dig holes, but this is probably not something that can be done in a short period of time, and I may not be able to see it in my lifetime.

So Ma Xiangnan decided to take a different path.

Cement.

For this thing, he squatted in Taiping County for a long time.

Isn't it marl, limestone, these ores, Changyang County is full of mountains, mountains and mountains stretch endlessly, it is difficult to find such a mine, the cement produced by your cement mill in Taiping County can only be used for the military and important counties such as Yuejing City, then I will do it myself.

Mobilize the whole county to find this kind of mine, the effort paid off, Ma Xiangnan not only found the mine, but also the deposit is quite rich, now, all he needs is the money and master craftsman to open a cement mill.

The master can go to Taiping County to dig, and the money will fall on the Marine Administration.

It turned out that he was still worried about how to open his mouth to Ning Zeyuan, but an official hat fell from the sky and smashed on his head, everything was solved at once, if you want my old face to carry the spittle star for you, then you have to come up with real money.

So this time, Ma Xiangnan came to ask Ning Zeyuan for money, and he had to be justified.

"Ma Lao, don't worry. Isn't it just the money to open a cement mill, and our Maritime Administration has paid for it. Ning Zeyuan was quite refreshing, patting his chest and making a guarantee. When you start work, when will I give money. ”

Ma Xiangnan is eyebrows smiled, "You can start work immediately, now in winter, there are many idlers, first build the workshop, prepare everything you need, and there will be the first batch of cement production tomorrow spring." ”

"No problem, when I return to Huludao, I will be able to allocate money to you immediately." Ning Zeyuan responded to the requests of this old man who came to take the blame for himself, and besides, this is not a private relationship, it is all for state affairs.

Ma Xiangnan is indeed a person worthy of his respect.

"Ma Lao, in fact, there is another way to make a fortune now, I wonder if Ma Lao is interested?" Ning Zeyuan lowered his voice.

"What's the way?" Ma Xiangnan was surprised and delighted.

"This time I went to the capital, and His Majesty said that he was ready to open up the sea trade and allow private capital to enter this market." Ning Zeyuan said: "Ma Xiang, it can be imagined that in the future, Daming is afraid that there will be a boom of national aviation and sea trade." ”

Ma Xiangnan was taken aback: "Why don't I know?" In this way, you will not be as profitable as you used to be! ”

"This is just an idea of His Majesty, and it is still necessary to discuss some details with the Political Affairs Hall, but Your Majesty said that the tax revenue of maritime trade is still the responsibility of the Maritime Administration, and the tax money received is still used by the Maritime Administration." Ning Zeyuan said: "This will take a process, but it will be announced no later than next spring." ”

"What do you mean?"

"Ma Lao, no matter what he does, the person who is at the forefront can always make the most money and establish an advantage in this industry." Ning Zeyuan said with a smile: "I haven't talked about this news to anyone yet, because the Maritime Safety Department also has to make a considerable adjustment for this." ”

"I want to participate, but I don't have the money, I don't have a boat, I don't have anyone!" Ma Xiangnan's face darkened again.

"Everybody doesn't have a boat." Ning Zeyuan said with a smile: "So next, Baoqing Shipyard will no longer be responsible for the production of warships, but will specialize in the production of sea ships, and Ma Lao can place an order first." As for the money, is Ma Lao still afraid that he won't be able to get it? Although Changyang County is not rich, there are still a few big businessmen, as long as Ma Lao finds them and joins hands with them, the money will naturally be there, and the Changyang County Government can also use its own advantages to occupy the majority of the shares! Compared with ships and money, Ma Lao, more important is qualified shipyards, sailors, which are scarce talents. If you want to get involved in this business, you have to get someone like that first. If you start late, the competition will be fierce when the law is announced next year. ”

Ma Xiangnan nodded his head and pecked at the rice: "You are so right, I will do this as soon as I go back." ”

"Confidential!"

"Of course we have to keep it secret, we are poor in Changyang County, and we finally caught such an opportunity, of course we have to eat alone." Ma Xiangnan said excitedly.