The base camp of Yangzhou salt merchants, the mansion of the Wang family. Pen, fun, pavilion www. biquge。 info

Wang Wenyan of the Wang family said with a smile: "If Zheng Chenggong wants to buy it, let him buy it." In this way, we can also save a lot of effort and just sit back and wait for the money to be collected! ”

Wu Ziwei scolded: "Confused! If he really contracted all the salt to Zheng Chenggong, he would be fooled. In the future, Zheng Chenggong wants to leave us alone, he has soldiers and money, what will we use to resist. ”

Lu Zhi said, "That's right. Mr. Wang, selling to Zheng Chenggong is digging his own grave, and he can't agree to it! If Zheng Chenggong feels that the protection fee is too low, it can be discussed. Just double it again, and we can accept it. But it is resolute not to sell all the salt to Zheng Chenggong. ”

Wang Tengsheng looked at a large group of salt merchants present and said: "Since everyone does not agree to sell salt to Zheng Chenggong, then everyone agrees, whoever dares to contact Zheng Chenggong privately, don't blame me for not being merciful at that time." There are also families who go back to warn the stove households that those who dare to sell salt to Zheng Chenggong without permission will be severely punished! ”

……

Nanjing Zheng Mansion, Zheng Chenggong invited Yao Qisheng, Gu Yanwu, Wang Zhongxiao, and Lu Zhenfei over.

He passed the letter sent by Wang Tengsheng to them, and said, "The Yangzhou salt merchant sent a message and said that they could negotiate the cost of the escort. Not a word about it, the matter of selling salt! ”

After reading the letter, Wang Zhongxiao said: "In order to live a luxurious life, these salt merchants continue to raise the price of salt and loot the people, so that the people eat lightly and the people are full of resentment. General, why don't we send someone to buy salt from the stove households, and ignore the salt merchants! ”

Yao Qisheng objected and said: "No, for many years, those stove households have been strictly controlled by the salt merchants, and the general can't easily buy them." Moreover, these salt merchants have a close relationship with the Jiangnan literary circle, and it is easy to create a handle for them, saying that the general competes with the people for profit! Bad for the reputation of the great general! ”

Lu Zhenfei also said: "General, since those people are willing to increase the escort fee, we will agree to their request for the time being." Wait for the world to be unified, and then settle accounts with them! ”

Zheng Chenggong said: "No, the heavy weapon of the salt and iron country cannot be controlled in private hands. They raised the escort fee, but they only transferred these fees to the common people, and in the end, it was the people who suffered. You don't have to worry, in business, since they want to play, I'll play with them to see whose means are higher! I have recruited you here today because I have a task for you! ”

Yao Qisheng, Gu Yanwu, and Wang Zhongxiao hurriedly bowed their hands when they heard this: "General, please make it clear!" ”

"Since we can't buy it, then we make it ourselves. Mr. Yao, you sent a few technicians who knew how to make salt and students from Gewu College to Taiwan, and told Chen Yonghua to build a salt factory in a place called Budai on the southwest coast of Taiwan Island. There are extensive sandy beaches, gentle slopes, little fresh water injected into rivers, strong monsoons, dry and little rain in the winter half of the year, long sunshine, high temperatures, fast evaporation, and high salt content of seawater. It is a good big salt farm, as long as it is built properly, it will definitely be able to supply three or five provinces. Zheng Chenggong said to Yao Qisheng.

Yao Qisheng hurriedly arched his hand and said, "Yes!" ”

Zheng Chenggong said to Lu Zhenfei again: "Mr. Lu, you go to Guangdong to discuss with Li Chengdong about buying salt and iron." At the same time, I discussed with him that I was willing to pay 500,000 taels to buy Qiongzhou Island with him. If he doesn't agree, then discuss with him, and I can replace the Chizhou Mansion connected to Jiangxi with him. Compared with the poverty in Qiongzhou, presumably Li Chengdong will not refuse! ”

Lu Zhenfei heard that he hurriedly dissuaded: "General, don't!" Qiongzhou is a wild place, and most of the Li people there do not obey the king's law and often gather people to make trouble. Not a good place! “

Zheng Chenggong laughed when he heard it, "This is the short-sightedness of the world, Qiongzhou Island has no frost all year round, warm winter, rice can be three crops, and vegetables are full of four seasons, which is an ideal base for southern breeding." In the future, we will be able to eat vegetables in winter, and I am afraid that we will have to thank Qiongzhou Island. Moreover, Qiongzhou Island is an ideal natural salt field, and many places along the coastal harbor and tidal flats can dry salt, as long as it is properly managed, it is not difficult to supply the whole country! At the same time, there is still the most urgently needed iron ore in our army on Qiongzhou Island, and our army now has a large demand for iron. In recent years, the amount of foreign purchases has become larger and larger. In the future, when there are conflicts with other warlords, iron people are restricted, and the harm to our army is great. Therefore, we must control a large iron mine so that it will not be controlled by people. ”

Zheng Chenggong smiled and continued, "The most important thing is that we started with the navy, and Qiongzhou Island must be in our hands in order to build a complete defense and coastal defense. ”

Lu Zhenfei was persuaded by Zheng Chenggong's various reasons, and hurriedly said: "My subordinates can leave for Guangdong to meet Li Chengdong, and I will definitely do my best to persuade him to sell Qiongzhou Island to us!" ”

Zheng Chenggong nodded and said, "Well, Mr. Lu, hard work!" ”

Zheng Chenggong turned his head to look at Gu Yanwu and said, "Mr. Gu, you are now managing the Ministry of Science and Culture, and you have a great responsibility. The newspapers and weekly magazines set up a few years ago are a great weapon, and you should make good use of them. In the past few days, you have gone to discuss with the main persons in charge of newspapers and weekly magazines, and guided the people to understand and treat them correctly with the theme of salt. ”

Qian Zhenyi is Zheng Chenggong's teacher, and he used to be the leader of the Jiangnan literary circle, in order to appease Jiangnan scholars, Zheng Chenggong thought for a long time before appointing Qian Zhiyi as the Minister of Science and Culture.

However, in order to fulfill his wish for many years, Qian Zhenyi accepted Zheng Chenggong's recommendation and went to the Yongli Imperial Court in Guangdong to serve as a cabinet scholar.

Now the Ministry of Science and Culture is actually managed by Gu Yanwu.

Gu Yanwu heard it and pondered for a while and said, "Yes!" ”

Zheng Chenggong looked at Gu Yanwu and said: "I know that Mr. Gu is also a member of the Donglin Xue Party, but the Donglin Xue Party has long forgotten the original intention of founding the faction, and now it is just a tool for some ambitious people to fight and eliminate dissent. It is no longer qualified to be a leader in the literary world! ”

Gu Yanwu heard that he wanted to refute Zheng Chenggong, but since the end of the Ming Dynasty, what he had seen and heard over the years made Gu Yanwu unable to refute.

Moreover, since he became the dean of Nanjing University of Political Science and Law, he has had more contacts, which has made him doubt Confucianism, not to mention suspicion of the Donglin Party.

Zheng Chenggong saw Gu Yanwu silent, and said: "The throat of future discussions will inevitably be newspapers, weekly magazines, etc., Mr. Gu must grasp it!" ”

With these words, it is almost clear that Gu Yanwu abandoned the Donglin School Party and followed Lao Tzu, I will support you as the leader of the literary world.

Faced with this opportunity for the scribe to be the biggest puzzle, Gu Yanwu was moved for a while, but quickly calmed down again.

Gu Yanwu said quietly: "A gentleman is to learn, to know the way, to save the world!" Yes, I should encourage it! If not, discard it! ”

Zheng Chenggong heard the meaning of this game, I want to learn the way of a gentleman, I will not care about the interests of Donglin Xue Party, nor will I care about the interests of your Zheng Chenggong. If it's good for the people, I can do it. I will not do what is not good for the people.

Zheng Chenggong said praisefully: "Mr. Gu is really a gentleman!" ”

Although he praised it in his mouth, Zheng Chenggong thought in his heart, Lao Tzu doesn't care if you want to be neutral or something. If you dare not to share a boat with Lao Tzu, you will be kicked away at any time. Get your daughter back to the academy and continue to be your Mr. Teacher! (To be continued.) )