On December 21, 1628, November 26, the first year of Chongzhen of the Ming Empire, the winter solstice.

The snow line of the Xiaoice River climate shifted southward, causing temperatures in Liangguang and northern Fujian to plummet again. Shouning County, Jianning Prefecture, Fujian Province, experienced a few feet of heavy snowfall overnight, and countless houses in the county's villages were flooded and collapsed by snow, heavy snow fell, livestock froze to death, mulberry and hemp cotton fields were destroyed, refugees were displaced, and tens of thousands of people were mourned.

At this time, the temperature in Macao has also dropped a lot, and there are fewer pedestrians on the streets of Macao, which were already controlled by the Ming army, than in the past. The thousands of Portuguese people in Macao, who have been "idle" for the time being, are still obediently staying in their homes, preparing for Christmas in the Western calendar a few days later.

After more than a month of private visits, Yan Xiaosong felt that the situation was more complicated than he imagined. Du Ting, the county magistrate of Xiangshan County, Guangzhou Prefecture, who once governed Macau, was also dismissed from office in the great change of the Ming Dynasty, and now Xiangshan County is an unknown old man in history.

Wang Zunde, the new governor of Liangguang, with his peculiar rigid personality of jealousy and hatred, had no intention of letting Macao go, which made the governor of Macao, Luo Bao, and a group of Portuguese businessmen in the Macao Council sigh. Nowadays, most of the merchant ships that sail daily in the Ming Dynasty and Macao with Japan and Malacca do not dare to return to Macao, except for a small number of Ming Dynasty maritime merchants are still running, Macao's bulk maritime trade has gradually come to a standstill.

The Donglin Party was still taking advantage of the "big victory" to hastily lay out in the center of the imperial court, and tried its best to squeeze out the Qi, Zhejiang, and Chu Party officials who were quite close to Wei Zhongxian at the beginning, and complete the redistribution of interests. Anyway, the boiled duck can't run, so naturally I haven't had the leisure to think about the once popular trade in Macao, which is about to fall into a dead end. And more Daming maritime merchants who have not yet found the direction of the wind have to choose to wait and see at this time.

The Huamei seafood from the Portuguese channel in Macao has basically been out of stock, which has also disappointed the Daming maritime merchants who have not had much background in Macao for a long time, and the grand occasion of competing for Huamei seafood in Macao's unique is gone, and many Daming maritime merchants have chosen to leave Macao temporarily, which leads to all walks of life in Macao are in an extremely sluggish state.

After leaving the home of the Portuguese Governor of Macau, Robo. Yan Xiaosong has been sullen, and it seems that if he wants to break the deadlock, he can only hope that Li Guozhu, who returned to Daming with him, can play some role. At this time, Zhao Mingchuan was also instructed by Yan Xiaosong to leave for Zhaoqing as early as the end of last month, trying to find a way to obtain the contact information of the governor of Liangguang.

As soon as he returned to his house in the carriage, he found a carriage parked on the side of the street, and the tarpaulin of the carriage was rusted with Li Guozhu's unique home mark. Seeing that the other party had brought news to him for more than a month, Yan Xiaosong couldn't help but clench his fists.

……

In the main hall, Caterina dressed in Han makeup is acting as the head of the family. didn't care about any etiquette, accompanied by Qiao Kuan, with a big belly, he entertained Li Guozhu and his party gracefully, Qiao Xiaomei, the granddaughter of the Qiao family, served tea and water like a maid on the side, and his son Yan Shuming was accompanied by the second grandson of the Qiao family, and had a lot of fun in the front yard.

"The owner is back!" Qiao Kuan welcomed Yan Xiaosong back to the main hall, and everyone in the room got up and saluted.

After a slight glance around, he found that there was no one for Li Guozhu. There are also a few middle-aged men I don't know, but all of them look very shrewd, like Daming maritime merchants and the like.

"Mr. Yan, it's more than a month to say goodbye." Li Guozhu greeted Yan Xiaosong quite closely. The surrounding Ming merchants also bowed respectfully one by one.

No matter how Li Guozhu is not Zheng Zhilong or Yan Siqi's opponent, after all, he is also a human spirit who has experienced strong winds and waves, and the Daming maritime merchants who secretly contacted him this time are basically all small characters who have been ignored by the Li family. Now it's just in handy. Although this type of businessman has weak capital and connections, he will not attract much attention for a certain period of time.

Looking at her husband's posture, it seems that he is about to put on a posture in the main hall. Caterina left with the housekeeper Qiao Kuan and Qiao Xiaomei, and closed the door with her hands.

"These people are all close friends of the Li family when their father was alive, and they have been suppressed by Zheng Zhilong many times in the past few years, so I am specially invited to have a meeting with Mr. Yan today." Under Li Guozhu's praise, one by one the Ming merchants stepped forward, all looking at this legendary gorgeous nobleman with surprised eyes.

"This is the shopkeeper of Jieyang Yang in Chaozhou...... This is the shopkeeper of the king of Quanzhou...... This is the shopkeeper of Zhangzhou Lu......"

"This is Chaozhou Chengxiang (Meizhou) Han shopkeeper, Han shopkeeper is quite familiar with Foshan business market, Foshan iron smelting industry used charcoal refined coal, mostly from the hands of Han shopkeeper. It is also commonly used in the cannon casting station of the local Franco machine man in Macao. ”

After a few small maritime merchants, Li Guozhu smiled and focused on introducing a thin Guangdong businessman to Yan Xiaosong.

Good guy, this Li Guozhu is really well-connected, and he really found the source of goods he wanted! Yan Xiaosong had heard a little about the coal mines in Meizhou, Guangdong Province in later generations, and although Meizhou's coal resources were not worth mentioning in later generations, they were now a supply channel urgently needed by the entire Huamei Expeditionary Fleet.

Yan Xiaosong's eyes lit up, and he directly stretched out his hand to the thin businessman in front of him to invite him to take a seat: "Jiuyang, I don't know how the shopkeeper Han is doing now?" ”

"Shame, shame! It's just a subsistence business, it's all cheap goods, and you don't get into the hall of elegance, and you don't get into the hall of elegance......"

Originally, he was just a little-known small businessman, but he was flattered by being invited by a big man like Li Guozhu, and then such an obviously exaggerated pursuit made this small charcoal merchant in Meizhou even more nervous, and now the rumored gorgeous nobleman was obviously more polite to himself, and he suddenly fidgeted and waved his hand again and again.

"Shopkeeper Han is polite, is the supply sufficient, and what is the price?" Yan Xiaosong picked up the teacup, didn't go around in circles, and went straight to the point.

"The iron of Guangzhou, Fujian, regardless of official smelting and private smelting, refined iron mostly uses charcoal, the amount of refined coal is not much, and the despicable place is only tens of thousands of catties of refined coal per month. One load (100 catties in the Ming Dynasty, about 60 kilograms) is only two coins of silver, and the profit is only three or two cents...... "The small charcoal merchant is quite honest, so he quickly surrendered his hand and told the truth."

"What is the maximum supply of the finest refined coal?" Yan Xiaosong remained silent, just looked at the green leaves in his teacup, and his voice was very calm.

"If it is urgent, within half a month, 500 quintals can be transported." The little charcoal merchant touched his beard and cautiously extended a slap.

"What about the long term?" Yan Xiaosong smiled and looked at Li Guozhu, who was not far away. The voice was raised a little, and it seems that this Daming coal boss is really just a small sesame.

"No less than 800 quintals per month, if it is more, I am afraid it will not be able to last. Nowadays, the mountain mines are in ruins, the miners are hungry, and many are scattered, so the supply is unstable...... "The small charcoal merchants are a little nervous.

"High-grade refined coal, two dollars and five cents per load of silver, I need 10,000 quintals every month! I can make an advance of 20% upfront. Yan Xiaosong put down the teacup and threw a big bomb directly.

10,000 quintals are about 600 tons. The calculation method of Daming is 1 million catties, and it is every month! The price of two cents and five cents of silver per load is a big deal of 2,500 taels per month, and 30,000 taels a year.

600 tons of refined coal is only enough for the expeditionary fleet to cruise off the coast every month, and as long as it is a slightly larger sea battle, this bit of refined coal will be burned out in an instant. Judging by the price. It is only slightly higher than the domestic coal price, but in the Far East, it is unimaginably cheaper than the Chinese and American Navy, and the current scale of procurement can only solve the initial problem. In the future, more carbon suppliers need to be contacted to participate in the supply.

Yan Xiaosong lightly threw out the big list, which suddenly made the Ming businessmen present gasp, and even the sea businessmen like Li Guozhu who had seen the big scene were slightly surprised. No matter how good coal is, it can only smelt iron and copper. can't even be used as household firewood, this Mr. Yan's repeated entrustment to find a charcoal merchant is curious enough, and he actually gave such a large amount of purchases.

"One ...... a month 10,000 quintals? Mr. Yan joked...... "The teacup in the hand of the small charcoal merchant in Meizhou is trembling. His eyes widened, as if he couldn't believe his ears, he didn't know how other charcoal merchants were doing the charcoal business until now, but he had never encountered such a big appetite himself.

"It would have needed more, but it seems that Shopkeeper Han looks down on this small deal?" Seeing that a few "irrelevant" businessmen around him also looked incredulous, Yan Xiaosong deliberately picked up the teacup and looked like he was ready to send off the guests.

"No...... No! The small charcoal merchant in Meizhou hurriedly stood up and gave up his hand, and the roots of his teeth were clenched, "Han Mou is a small business, if Mr. Yan really needs 10,000 quintals of high-grade refined coal every month, even if Han Mou gives up this cheap life, he will make up for Mr. Yan!" ”

After speaking, he bowed to the ground and his attitude was very sincere.

Importing things is secondary, and cultivating the power of commercial agents belonging to China and the United States in Daming is the key. Subsequently, the restrained atmosphere in the main hall quickly dissipated, and Yan Xiaosong continued to read out heavy orders, so that everyone was eager to take the lead.

Several merchants in Chaozhou were awarded contracts to supply large quantities of lacquer, and it was also the only industrial raw material that could be valued and entrusted by the Huamei Congress and the Commission of Science, Technology and Industry.

This oriental natural resin paint is almost one of the core raw materials most desired by the Huamei chemical industry, especially the shipbuilding industry, and even in later generations, it is basically an important chemical raw material that is not replaceable.

However, the anti-corrosion paint produced by pure chemical industry is always imperfect, and the anti-corrosion quality of the anti-corrosion paint after adding natural lacquer is directly raised by several grades, which has immeasurable value to the entire shipbuilding industry. In addition, the textile, chemical and power industries are being upgraded in full swing in China and the United States, and their industrial equipment has also put forward a huge demand for raw paint coatings.

I had more or less done business with Francois before, but I had never made such a large purchase as this gorgeous nobleman. The long-term purchase of raw lacquer made the Chaozhou merchants who had already been mentally prepared still not sit still on the spot, and immediately said that they could do their best to ensure the supply, while several other Quanzhou and Zhangzhou merchants got orders for the supply of raw silk, silk and tea every year.

The export price advantage of Ming raw silk and silk was enough to hang their counterparts in Lyon, the "silk capital" of Europe, and tea, an oriental drink that had just entered the eyes of Europe's top aristocracy in the early 17th century, cost as much as £6 to £10 per pound, and was only popular among a few high-ranking aristocrats in Portugal. Even because of the early emergence of demand in China and the United States, the annual purchase of the Portuguese was still less than 300 pounds, and although most of it was supplied to the Chinese Americans, there were still very few people in China and the United States who could drink Daming green tea.

Historically, after the Portuguese princess married into England, she officially "instigated" the tea drinking trend throughout England society and spread to all of Europe. At present, judging from the fashion influence of China and the United States in Europe, it is not difficult to let Europeans drink tea twenty or thirty years in advance, so there is not necessarily any harm in importing tea.

All trade orders, except for coal, belong directly to the military. The other Yan Xiaosong only temporarily signed on behalf of Yang Xiaohua and other Huamei traders who were not present, presumably the nouveau riche who got these business contracts soon after, what kind of salivating expressions would be.

Since Macao is still in a semi-closed state, and ports such as Chaozhou and Quanzhou are also in Zheng Zhilong's sphere of influence, so many goods can only be imported into Pearl Island on a large scale, so many ports can only be found. After some deliberation, the final export place of the goods was tentatively set in Panyu, Guangzhou.

After an "exchange meeting", almost all the Ming businessmen left the Yan family with red and excited expressions, leaving only Li Guozhu with more important things to communicate with Yan Xiaosong.

……

The emaciated camel is bigger than the horse, and Li Guozhu is worthy of being the biological son who inherited Li Dan's social connections. Yan Xiaosong learned about the current situation on Dayuan Island from Li Guozhu.

As Yan Xiaosong thought at the beginning, Zheng Zhilong, the hero, really adopted the strategy of "only besieging but not attacking", and the Yan family, who were clinging to Dayuan Tamsui Fort and Anping Fort, was unable to break through the blockade, and the two families were deadlocked. It is said that Zheng Zhilong was delaying on the grounds that "the ship was blunt, the food and salary were difficult, and the men and horses were in difficulty", and kept asking the governor of Fujian, Xiong Wencan, for money and grain.

It was Xiong Wencan who appeased Zheng Zhilong back then, and now he has become Zheng Zhilong's top boss again, facing Zheng Zhilong's somewhat "unruly" attitude. Xiong Wencan, a big man in history who "succeeded and appeased" was also appeased, was also a little angry.

Xiong Wencan himself was a neutral official in the late Ming Dynasty, and he was not involved in the bloody party struggle, so he was naturally a feudal official who was not necessarily very pleasing to both ends. But Xiong Wencan naturally has his way of being an official. This time, he went all out to organize the encirclement and suppression of the Yan clan on Dayuan Island, and also eliminated some small pirate forces along the coast, which was considered to be the right appetite for Chongzhen.

But looking at it now, it is obvious that Zheng Zhilong also realizes the truth of cold lips and teeth. On the one hand, he forced the Yan Group to the point where everyone shouted and beat him, and on the other hand, he used the other party as an excuse for his own development, making the Ming Dynasty his own ATM. This kind of move. Xiong Wencan would not have been able to do so without ideas.

“…… My father also had dealings with Lord Xiong, who was the political envoy of Shandong at the time, so he had Zheng Zhilong's future. Now that Zheng Zhilong is secretly delaying the battle, Lord Xiong must be suspicious, this is a good opportunity. ”

Li Guozhu pinched his beard, pointed to the table, and put forward his own opinion.

"Zheng Zhilong was friendly with the Dutch, and used the hands of the imperial court to ban the Nanyang trade between the Ryukyus, the Yan family and the Franco people of Macau, and openly sold the 'customs defense ticket flag', all of which were greedy for the interests of maritime merchants. Quan, Chao, Zhang, Fu, Hangzhou...... Nowadays, many maritime merchants in various coastal areas have complained about Zheng Zhilong's exclusive use of gorgeous seafood by the hands of the imperial court. If ......" Li Guozhu showed a hint of a sinister smile and drew a few words on the table with tea, "I think Zheng Zhilong should also know the depths." ”

On the sea of the Ming Dynasty, which one behind it is not the shadow of the powerful people in the government and the opposition? Even if Wei Zhongxian fell, the Ming maritime merchants would inevitably carry out a "survival of the fittest", seeing the wind and making the rudder or turning around to take refuge is commonplace, and the fundamental state of affairs is not something that anyone can change.

Zheng Zhilong used the hands of the Donglin Party to crack down on dissidents, cut off the connection between Dayuan Island and the outside world, and teamed up with the Dutch East India Company to attack the Portuguese in Macao in an attempt to usurp the mainland import channel of Chinese goods. Thinking of Li Guozhu's plan to mobilize coastal maritime merchants to make large-scale advances to Wang Zunde, the governor of Liangguang, and Xiong Wencan, the governor of Fujian, Yan Xiaosong nodded again and again.

However, in a high position, neither Wang Zunde nor Xiong Wencan may be able to directly face the opinions of these businessmen, so getting through the other bureaucrats around these two people has become the key to the success of Jinyan, and naturally some special "means" are needed.

"Well, then it's time to bother the shopkeeper Li to make a hard trip, if you need anything else, just ask." Yan Xiaosong is also very decisive now, and wrote a note on the spot, stamped with his personal seal, "This is an accounting note of 100,000 US dollars, which is about more than 70,000 taels of silver, you can send your henchmen to Nanyang Wuxiayu, and when you see this chapter, someone will naturally allocate money." As for Zheng Zhilong and the Yan family, we will deal with it when the main force of our Huamei Expeditionary Fleet is rested. ”

"It will take months for this matter to take effect, so Mr. Yan will wait for good news." Seeing that the other party almost never bargained, Li Guozhu was generous, and naturally he was full of confidence, and he planned to leave on the spot.

"By the way, there is one more thing, what is the news of the Liu family in Shandong......" Yan Xiaosong hurriedly called Li Guozhu.

"This ...... To tell the truth, the Liu family in Shandong is almost exhausted. Liu Dianxu, the former secretary of the Nanjing Ministry of Industry, and Liu Dianshen, the former attendant of the Nanjing Ministry of Rites, were beheaded in Beijing a few months ago in the name of eunuchs; Former Shandong Inspector Yushi Jiang Fu, Liu Dianshen's niece and son-in-law, dismissed from office for the people; Zhao Youheng, the former governor of Nanjing, Liu Dianxu's son-in-law, was demoted to the Qiongzhou Mansion ......"

From officials to businessmen, the Liu family in Shandong, a wealthy family with a once glorious scene, was swept to the end almost overnight, and they could never turn over again. And Liu Yaoyu himself does not know his whereabouts. After saying this, Li Guozhu's expression was also helpless.

Thinking of Liu Yaoyu, a curious young man who had chased after him and asked questions, Yan Xiaosong couldn't help but sigh. Even if he didn't deliberately take advantage of others at that time, Yan Xiaosong felt a little guilty. (To be continued......)