The back garden of Daming Palace, the summer flowers are splendid, and the water is trickling.

Chen Dexing took the hand of his wife Li Cuixian, who was pregnant with Liujia, and walked through the mountain and stone paths, followed by only Yang Po'er. They came out of the Empress Dowager Guo Fuer's Deshou Palace, preparing to return to the Empress's Xixiu Palace.

They had just met with Chen Xu, and now was the time to be full of thoughts, so they didn't say anything all the way.

Chen Huaiqing and Chen Defang's father and son have special identities and cannot be treated as their ordinary vassal kings. Moreover, Chen Dexing also knew that his biological father's little abacus had always been very shrewd, and the contradiction between him and his eldest brother may be intentional......

Tianzhu Great Britain is already huge! It occupies Bengal and the Gangetic Plain, which is currently the richest territory in Tianzhu. Now it's all to Great Britain! Not yet satisfied, even the capital of the Delhi Sultanate, Delhi, was occupied.

It is in the current situation that there is already a trend of dominating Tianzhu. If it continues to expand, Tianzhu may be a big Indian country in the future!

Chen Dexing can't ignore this matter. Moreover, Chen Dexing also knows that his eldest brother is not a fuel-efficient lamp. Although the craftsmanship of fighting the war is a bit trendy, the political skills are not bad. Just look at what he did as Governor of the Straits Settlements...... Chen Dexing's group of cheap younger brothers are young, and they will not be the opponents of his old fox in the future, and he will be obedient to the custody.

Therefore, we must carefully consider the matter of Tianzhu Great Britain, and we must not recklessly lose support for Chen Defang to fight the world.

I don't know how long it took, but Li Cuixian, the big-bellied woman next to Chen Dexing, suddenly pulled him. Chen Dexing looked up and saw that he had already arrived outside Xixiu Palace.

It's almost dinner time. Chen Dexing usually has dinner with his wife, concubines, children, and Empress Dowager Guo Fuer and others in his Qianqing Palace. After eating, choose a chamberlain among the concubines. And Li Cuixian is going to produce. They eat on a specially prepared stove, so they don't eat with everyone. Husband and wife. It should be distinguished here.

Chen Dexing glanced at the porch of Xixiu Palace and smiled: "Let's eat here today." Mother-in-law, go and get someone to prepare. ”

Mrs. Yang answered, she knew that Chen Dexing must have wanted to discuss the matter of Tianzhu with Li Cuixian, but she still asked: "Sage, which lady do you want to call?" ”

"No need, I'll accompany the queen tonight." Chen Dexing waved his hand and helped Li Cuixian into the spacious room of Xixiu Palace.

……

"Cuixian, how is your old man? Are you still in good health? ”

Chen Dexing sent Li Cuixian into her dormitory. The husband and wife sat down on the two soft couches, and the palace maid who served them brought fragrant tea and snacks. Chen Dexing took a sip of tea and casually asked about Li Pu's recent situation.

Li Cuixian said with a smile: "He's fine, he and my eldest brother travel around the mountains and rivers all day long, and the famous mountains and rivers of the Ming Dynasty are almost all over by them." ”

Li Pu and his son were rich prisoners when they were first "invited" to Beijing, but now no one cares about them. The Li family also had their own country in Nanfan, the territory of Shandong was also recovered, and there was no army in the Ming Dynasty. It's just two or three hundred Hakka retainers who watch the houseguards, what else is there to guard against? Naturally, they were left to the chaos of the world.

"Think it's better for them to be like this," Li Cuixian said again, "If they were made the king of the feudal kingdom back then." What might happen now? ”

This is also true, the problem between the father and son of the Li family that day was no less than that between Chen Huaiqing and Chen Defang. After all, Chen Defang's position as the crown prince is no problem, not only because Chen Defang is Chen Dexing's eldest brother. is also because Chen Huaiqing's other sons are very young, but Chen Huaiqing is over sixty years old. Most of them won't live to the time when other sons can take over. And the Li family is two adult sons who are taking the heir. And both sons have a certain amount of troops.

Chen Dexing smiled bitterly, "Since ancient times, there has been nothing good about the emperor's family. Fathers and sons fight each other, and brothers kill each other, which are common things...... It doesn't seem to be something that a "Chen Li" can control. He sighed, "I'm still alive, and there are a lot of indecent things!" God knows what it would be like if I wasn't there! ”

Li Cuixian touched her belly and said with a smile: "The saint is worried, but the concubine is not worried." Children and grandchildren have their own blessings for children and grandchildren, and it is already a great blessing for them to be born in the emperor's family. Besides, the saint left so many countries for them, this country can't stay, and there is always a way out for another country. During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, were there still fewer princes and sons who died in other countries? In short, we have left them the way out, and how to go is their own business. ”

That's not a bad thing. For a group of dragon sons and grandsons, the great unification is sometimes easier to kill! Because they don't even have a place to run, once something bad happens, it will be a disaster to rob their families and destroy their clans. And Chen Dexing's method of dividing the Chinese countries will at least allow them to have many places to escape when the situation is unfavorable.

Chen Dexing smiled: "You can see it!" Xian'er, what do you say I should do with Tianzhu this time? One is a father, the other is a big brother, and neither is a fuel-efficient lamp. ”

Li Cuixian smiled like a flower, and in a blink of an eye, she retracted again, "Sage, did you say that about your father and brother?" It's just that this Tianzhu matter, I'm afraid you have to reconcile it yourself...... I just don't know, Tianzhu, what are you going to do? ”

One sentence made Chen Dexing frown, and only after a while did he sigh lightly: "It's better to divide it into more pieces, the territory of the British Kingdom is not small now, and if it expands, it will be two thirds of Tianzhu." Cuixian, you're right, I really have to go to Tianzhu in person. Not only Tianzhu, but also Persia has to go there. Zhu Sijiu's kid Land Rover will definitely not be caught, and I must go out in person! ”

There are indeed a lot of troubles in the west, and the contradiction between a father and son in Tianzhu is a small trouble. Zhu Sijiu, it's only a medium trouble. Land Rover, he can't see it, Chen Dexing arrives, does he dare to come?

He paused and said, "It doesn't matter how long Chen Li can last after a hundred years, but I will always try to maintain it while I am alive. This is not the time for the deceitful ......"

It is impossible for a "Chen Li" to regulate the Chinese countries forever. However, at the beginning of the establishment of the Chinese states, it was very necessary to maintain the authority of the "Chen Li". Because most of today's Chinese countries were founded in the beginning, and the foundation is not solid. The population (Han Chinese) is not large, if you can't use "Chen Li" to regulate your behavior. Generate too many unnecessary internal struggles. It is very likely that these Chinese countries will fall before they grow stronger!

And after the Chinese countries are strong enough, it is certain that the etiquette will collapse. Just like the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period after the Western Zhou Dynasty. Moreover, Chen Dexing's division is a division of the world, and no matter how strong the Ming Dynasty is, it can't manage the feudal country so far away in the sky. Once their population and economy develop to a certain level, they will compete with each other, and even with the Ming Empire itself!

Competition, on the other hand, is certainly conducive to progress and development.

……

Beijing City, Yamen of the Cabinet Office.

Just when Chen Dexing was worried about the internal strife between the Western Expeditionary Army and the Great Britain in Tianzhu. In a small conference room in the North Mansion of the Ming Cabinet Office (and a South Mansion in Jiangdu), there is also an extremely far-reaching thing happening these days.

Representatives of businessmen from Jiangdu Commercial Market, Tanggu Commercial Market and Mingdu Commercial Market. It was here that he was discussing with the representatives of the Ming Dynasty an important document closely related to the construction and development of the Sixteen Cities of the Northern Ming Dynasty (now is not the time of the founding of the People's Republic of China) - the Covenant of the Sixteen Cities of the Northern Ming Dynasty.

"In order to promote the truth of the Heavenly Dao, to make Mingzhou enter our China, and to spread the prestige of the empire and the saints, we have crossed the ocean and established a colony in the land of Beimingzhou. We have formed a bloody alliance before the One God, and have formed a community of popular self-government. For the early success and development of the purposes of the Beginning, we pledge to abide ......by the laws, rules, ordinances, statutes, and official offices which are most advantageous to all the people of the colony and to the monarch in accordance with the Chenli, and which we pledge to abide by."

In the conference room, Liu Sheng, the chief advocate representing the Jiangdu Chamber of Commerce, was reading out a "Covenant". The Covenant now sounds like nothing. But its historical significance cannot be overlooked. Because this "covenant" established that "popular self-governing associations" could make and promulgate laws, rules, ordinances, bylaws, and official offices "in accordance with the Chenli!" And it must be in the best interest of the colony as a whole, and for the monarch!

In other words, the Covenant not only granted full autonomy to the autonomous cities of Northern Mingzhou, but also made it clear that the autonomous city authorities of Northern Mingzhou must be accountable to both the people and the monarch...... And the monarchs of the Sixteen Kingdoms of the Northern Ming Dynasty will definitely not be able to take office for a long time, which means that the future autonomous authorities of the Sixteen Cities will only be responsible to the entire people!

"Kong Xianggong. Do you think the Covenant is viable? After reading the draft of the "Covenant", Liu Sheng looked at Kong Yu, the deputy prime minister, who was sitting opposite a rectangular conference table, with a smile on his face, and asked.

Kong Yu frowned, there seemed to be nothing wrong with the Covenant...... According to the formulation of Liu Sheng and others. This "Covenant" is for Chinese immigrants who went to the sixteen cities of the Northern Ming Dynasty, and everyone must swear to abide by it. Sounds a bit like joining some sect?

"Qian Zhishi. What do you think? Kong Yu asked in a low voice the money of the Tanggu Zhishi beside him, who had been dealing with market affairs in the past few months. He was also busy discussing with the Chamber of Commerce in Tanggu City about investing in Beiming Autonomous City.

"Xianggong, the lower officials think that this paper "Covenant" still needs it." Qian Du replied with a smile, "How far are the cities of Mingzhou from the Ming Dynasty?" It is difficult for the court to pass the law, so the only way to let the people be autonomous and let the people be allied by blood, it is also appropriate to set a rule. ”

He paused and said, "If this is not the case, I am afraid that no businessman will dare to throw money at the sixteen cities of Beiming!" ”

Kong Yu shook his head and said, "This "Covenant" clearly stipulates that it is beneficial to the people, what does it have to do with the businessmen who invest? Isn't this businessman a joint stock company who speaks according to the number of shares? ”

Qian Du said with a smile: "This is the "Covenant" of the people of the Sixteen Cities, and each public bank has other regulations. ”

Liu Sheng added with a smile, "Xianggong, the Covenant of People's Self-Government is in charge of the sixteen-city municipalities and the council...... Each joint-stock bank is in charge of urban development, which is two different things. Unless the saint is prepared to grant the joint stock bank special powers to organize armies, make laws, and establish governments......"

"That's not going to work!" Kong Yu shook his head again and again. Let a joint-stock public bank have an army, and the government can still make laws, is this worth it?

Liu Sheng also said: "It's not okay. The affairs of a joint stock bank are determined by the shareholders, and if a joint stock bank is allowed to have an army, a government, and legislation, it is equivalent to handing over these powers to the major shareholders. This major shareholder...... I'm afraid no one dares to do it. ”

It's not that there is no one, Chen Dexing can do it. But Chen Dexing lacked skills and couldn't go to Beimingzhou at all. Therefore, the matter of Beimingzhou can only be entrusted to an agent...... Isn't this just handing over the sixteen cities of Northern Mingzhou to the courtiers with full authority? Who knows if these courtiers will become the second or third Zhu Sijiu?

Qian Du also nodded, "Xianggong, what Liu Shishen (Liu Sheng has already bought the Gentry card) makes sense." A joint stock bank is different from a city council, and if a public bank has military power and political power, it will be the same as a feudal town. This is not a business, but I am afraid that honest businessmen will not dare to do it. ”

"That's right!" Kong Yu thought for a while, nodded and said, "This "Covenant" is feasible, I will report it to the saint when I enter the palace tomorrow." Also, how is the formation of the joint stock bank? How much capital have been raised? ”

Of course, Kong Yu would not have thought of the far-reaching consequences of this "Covenant", and what he was most concerned about now was when the construction of the Sixteen Cities of the Northern Ming Dynasty would begin.

In fact, Liu Sheng, who drafted this "Covenant", did not expect ...... He just talks about things, the councils of the sixteen cities of the Northern Ming Dynasty can't be responsible for the merchant bank, so who can restrain the merchant bank? Since he could not be responsible to the merchant and the monarch did not know where, he had to carry the whole people out.

Historically, the thirteen states of North America have been so blind, and most of them are due to this reason - the kings of England are on the other side of the Atlantic, and they have no time to care about those North American mobs with guns.

"Xianggong, you don't have to worry about raising capital, there are already many businessmen who have said they want to invest money."

Qian Du took over the topic with a smile and replied: "The affairs of Jiangdu and Mingdu are unknown to the lower officials, but Tanggu City is managed by the lower officials. As long as this "Covenant" can be passed, our Tanggu City will be able to raise two million yuan immediately! ”

Although two million guan is not a small amount, it is not difficult to raise Tanggu City, one of the top ten commercial cities in the Ming Dynasty (Jiangdu, Lin'an, Quanzhou, Shenjiamen, Guangzhou, Mingdu, Leizhou, Putian, Dinghai, and Beijing).

"There are two million ...... I can do something! Kong Yu smiled and nodded. If Jiangdu Commercial City and Mingdu Commercial Market can also raise this number, the construction of the three cities of Northern Mingzhou can at least start. (To be continued.) )