After nearly two months of sailing, four large Aoguang-class flying scissor merchant ships departing from the city of Twin Ports on Butterfly Island in the Atlantic Ocean finally arrived at Pearl Island in early June.

A large number of Chinese goods also arrived with the third convoy and resumed the supply of Chinese goods in the Far East this year, ahead of the slow logistics and transportation capacity of the Portuguese.

For a while, throughout the month of June, Pearl Island, which was still under construction, could not wait to pour in a large number of businessmen, but most of them belonged to the Portuguese Council of Macau, Li Guozhu of Luzon, or Su Minggang of Batavia.

According to the long-standing cooperation agreement between Portugal and China and the United States, in order to maintain the flow of immigrants, a considerable part of the agency quota for the export of Chinese and American goods from the Far East belongs to Portugal, and it is still impossible to bypass the Portuguese as a middleman. Portuguese businessmen who hurried from Macau and Malacca were all smiling from ear to ear in the face of the long-lost luxury goods.

The Portuguese were keen to act as agents of Chinese goods in the Far East, naturally relying on the secret mutual assistance agreement between the two countries. In the American Concession of the Azores, the city of Twin Bays in Bermuda, or the twin ports of Butterfly Island, not only did the Portuguese get far more favorable prices than their European counterparts, but some of the gorgeous goods sold in the Far East over the past few years were official gratuitous diplomatic aid, which had nothing to do with normal commodity exports. This has produced a strange phenomenon, the Portuguese in the Far East, many kinds of goods are cheaper than Yang Xiaohua's.

Even if it can be sold at a higher price than in Europe, and it is good to purchase industrial and agricultural raw materials or special products shipped to the mainland, but the one-way freight calculated by the state-owned ocean shipping company will cost more than 150 US dollars per ton of transportation and logistics. If you add those "rigid" Pearl City customs and tax officials, they are stubbornly biting on various import and export taxes. After several tosses, the final profit of the same sea capacity per unit of time is far less than that of the Atlantic route, which makes Yang Xiaohua, who has made a calculation, sober up.

The small and incidental transport of goods to and from Asia is nothing, and the amount of Chinese goods sent to the Asian market through Portuguese and Dutch intermediaries each year is less than 1 percent of the scale of exports to Europe. If they want to independently carry out intercontinental bulk trade for the Asian market, then combined with the current domestic transportation costs and various commercial tax policies, it is obviously not worth it for private trading companies to invest their meager and rare maritime capacity in the eastern route.

In order to reduce costs, the only way to achieve commodity production and entrepot trade in the local region of Asia is to achieve this, but this requires more expensive human and material inputs, and there is a specialization. Nor is it within the current scope of COSCO International Trade Group's capabilities.

In desperation, Yang Xiaohua could only draft the last report on the group's business in the Far East, expressing pessimism about the feasibility of the long-term operation of the Eastern Route, and the joint chamber of commerce that several trading companies had tried to establish and operate in Malacca had no incentive to persevere.

……

Tuesday, June 25, 1629, the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, Dragon Boat Festival.

The Han "Customs and Customs" contains: "As the saying goes, if a child is born on May 5, the man harms the father, and the woman harms the mother." In ancient times, the fifth day of the fifth lunar month was regarded as the evil day. Since the pre-Qin period, in the Chinese folk, this day is an inauspicious day. Insert calamus and mugwort leaves to ward off ghosts, and lavender atractylodes, angelica angelica and drink realgar wine to ward off epidemics. It's just a matter of course. And people also avoid the taboo of "Duanwu" and call it "Dragon Boat Festival".

Coupled with the legends of Cao E's rescue of his father, Qu Yuan's throwing into the river, and Wu Yue's ancient dragon totem sacrifice, in addition to some of the origins we often know, the meaning of the Dragon Boat Festival is so rich in Chinese history.

Gradually, the tranquility of the Dayuan Anping Fort. On the day of the Dragon Boat Festival, there is also more vitality.

The inside and outside of the fort are filled with the unique aroma of calamus, mugwort leaves and glutinous rice dumplings, and the simple streets are crowded with people, and many people rarely change into new clothes. Or bathe in your own house with incense and incense, so as to seek peace for a year. The repair and expansion of the Shuizhai Wharf is still in progress, and the vigilance of warships coming and going on the foreign ocean has not been relaxed, but the Li family merchant ships from Luzon have already made their first trade with the Yan family at Anpingbao, and many livelihood items that have been out of stock for a long time have reappeared on the streets.

Under the leadership of some Chinese soldiers, the soldiers were attracted by all kinds of novelty Dragon Boat Festival things, and a group of foreign legion buns who had almost never eaten glutinous rice were even more enthusiastic about zongzi.

The mansion of Yan Siqi, the original deputy general, has resumed its liveliness. Since the seventh uncle and the seventh aunt returned to live in the big staff, this has become the most frequent residence in the entire Anpingbao. The number of servants and maids is more than in previous years, one by one new clothes and new dresses are beaming, and all kinds of holiday food gift boxes are sent inside and out.

At this time, the Ming Dynasty, the Dragon Boat Festival in the south of the Yangtze River, Fujian and Zhejiang also has the nickname of the daughter's festival, in these days, the girl who has not been out of the cabinet naturally must dress up well to avoid evil, and the married girl should also "return to Ning" on this day, and return to her parents' house with her husband.

Now in a boudoir in the mansion, Yan Xianping is frowning and tangled in front of the dressing mirror.

For the eldest lady of the Yan family, who went to the gorgeous beauty at the age of 15, even if the life in the navy was full of boring and restrained, she was essentially accustomed to that kind of gorgeous and free and comfortable life. Even though it has been more than half a year since he returned to Daming, Yan Xianping still lives on the battleship all day as a Chinese naval officer most of the time. Now as soon as Qigu returns to Anpingbao, she suddenly has to return to the girlhood with strict etiquette, and Yan Xianping is still a little uncomfortable.

"Yuyan hairpin head Ai Hu is light", the Dragon Boat Festival hairpin ornament on the table made Yan Xianping unable to adapt, and Xiaoyu, the personal maid on the side, smiled and tried to compare on the long hair one by one.

"Hey, these gadgets are so interesting! Why haven't I seen it sold in China, I really should let Aunt Yang take a look at these! ”

Tang Hannah, dressed in a Han dress, holds an ornament in each hand, and has no ability to resist these elegant and youthful girl's jewelry. The Aunt Yang in her mouth is Yang Wenwen, who is known as the queen of gorgeous fashion.

"Isn't today the Dragon Boat Festival feast? Why bother! ”

When Tang Hannah took it upon herself to tie a "Ai Hu" woven of mugwort leaves and colored silk to a hairpin, looking at the gadgets swaying on his head in the mirror, Yan Xianping finally couldn't help but grab it.

"Oh, Miss, today is Daughter's Day! And it's also a big day for the seventh master to invite the matchmaker! Xiaoyu held down her own lady. Three or two times I picked up a "bean lady", "Oh yes, the slaves embroidered several purse sachets last night, and Miss Tang also helped!" Miss, you see which one is suitable, and the slave maid can also be sent to my uncle. ”

As he spoke, he opened a large number of colorful and delicate small sachets from the side and spread them directly on the table, which were prepared by the little maids in the house "ordered" for their eldest lady.

"It's still early, when will Sun Yang be an uncle! How can you make a purse for others! ”

Seeing that the personal maid also had to hand a sachet to someone for herself according to the Dragon Boat Festival customs. Yan Xianping's face was even more ashamed, and he directly pressed Xiaoyu's hand, but he knew that he was "fooled" in an instant.

"Oh, oh, my future husband turned out to be Chief Sun...... Then you're planning to deliver it yourself?! Also, you can't say anything unlucky now! After succeeding, Tang Hannah and Xiaoyu burst into laughter, and the other maids standing by the boudoir door also let out a laugh of "eat".

"I'm...... How can there be a ...... to invite the media on this day" Yan Xianping blushed, and his voice became lower and lower.

"However, it can't make him too proud, showing the screen. Chief Sun is a well-known person...... "Seeing his companion, he looked like a little jasper. Tang Hannah also lowered her voice in due time.

……

In ancient times, inviting a matchmaker did not hinder three situations. The first is the matchmaker of the "three aunts and six women", the second is the "matchmaker" of adult beauty, and the third is the "old moon" who both men and women take the initiative to ask for. And the latter two. It usually happens at the turn of generations, whether it is a "matchmaker" or a "moon old", they are the most familiar friends of both male and female families.

In fact, for the reckless Yan family, it is far from being a high-ranking family. However, the Yan family has been very strong in Daming Bianhai for many years, and the business plate is large, and the performance in all aspects will naturally improve. The number of children who abandoned martial arts and literature in the clan gradually increased. In addition, Yan Siqi once walked to the position of the deputy general of the Ming Dynasty and occupied Dayuan Island. Therefore, from the perspective of Dayuan Island, the Yan family seems to be a wealthy family that dominates one side.

After the turmoil in the East China Sea, the Yan family, the elite children have suffered many losses, and their strength is not as good as before, and among the people in the older generation who directly followed Yan Siqi to start a family and work hard, only the old seventh uncle of the side branch is left. Although the seventh uncle was still very low-key in the Yan Siqi era, at the moment when the family suffered heavy losses and internal unrest, the old man's old sense of seriousness became conspicuous, and his daughter Qigu had been publicly designated by the deceased Yan Siqi as Yan Xianping's guardian, so the seventh uncle has become the most powerful figure in the Yan family today.

According to the plan of the seventh uncle, in today's case, people such as Li Guozhu in Luzon and Liu Xiang in Nanyang have entered the "Huamei Friendship Circle", and even Zheng Zhilong has the intention of getting close to Huamei. At the critical moment when the Ming Dynasty and the Yan family re-established the relationship between the Ming Dynasty and the Yan family, it was extremely important to promote the deepening of relations with the Huamei government.

After Sun Yang cheekily invited Zhang Chunrui, the commander-in-chief of the Huamei Expeditionary Fleet, to put forward his intention, the seventh uncle naturally fell to the ground in his heart, and in accordance with etiquette, he personally visited Zhang Chunrui and began Zhang Luoyan's wedding.

After careful consideration, the Yan family's "Yue Lao" chose Li Guozhu, a person who once had the same relationship with the Yan family, but now he has stood on the same front as the Yan family, and has become the Yan family's "world friend", and his status is also quite important in the Daming East China Sea.

On the Huamei side, Yan Xiaosong's wife Katarina served as the matchmaker. Yan Xianping's growth and life in Huamei, Katerina naturally helped a lot, although she is a "fanwoman" in the eyes of outsiders, but the identity of the other party is not low, and the seventh aunt who is used to living in China and the United States is very much in favor.

In the end, Zhang Chunrui was temporarily promoted to be the man's subordinate representative, handling various marriage and employment matters for Sun Yang. With the strong appearance of the Commodore of the Chinese and American Navy, the face of the senior Yan family can be regarded as full.

Interestingly, Uncle Seventh gave up part of his position this time, and according to the original model of taking care of the children of the Yan family in the United States, he set Zhong Jinshan, the supreme judge of China and the United States, and his wife Zhong Jinshan and his wife as Yan Xianping's caregivers, and let his daughter Seventh Aunt worship Zhong Jinshan's wife Huang Nian as his godmother early.

All in all, an "unbreakable" relationship is a must! This time, this marriage. In Dayuan Island, only the engagement ceremony is done, and the official marriage still has to go to China and the United States.

……

The contact with Xiong Wencan, the governor of Fujian in the Ming Dynasty, is still in a state of "wanting to talk", but with Zheng Zhilong giving up the siege of Dayuan Island very tacitly, Dayuan Anping Fort has been able to see the dawn of hope, so the feast of the day is a big show.

In addition to the Yan family, there were also many Chinese businessmen from Fujian or Luzon, as well as a maritime merchant from Leizhou Mansion in Guangdong Province who came to the office on behalf of Liu Xiang. On the other hand, today's feast is also a symbol of the formal alliance between the Yan family, the Li family, and Liu Xiang.

Not long ago, after obtaining a sums of gorgeous seafood worth more than 300,000 taels of silver, Li Guozhu at this time was acting as a "moon elder" with a red face, walking around frequently at the banquet. greeted the Chinese military and political officials who were present. And the Yan family did not "show weakness", and directly came forward by the seventh uncle and invited Yan Xiaosong to the back hall to talk and play chess.

Zhang Chunrui and Yan Xiaosong's "preparation" of the next dowry list for Sun Yang this time can be described as thoughtful. At the beginning of the banquet, Binyi, who was in charge of singing the gift list, almost didn't say anything.

"10,000 stone of top-grade Nanyang tribute rice!" -- Actually, it is Siamese rice transferred from Pearl Island, 10,000 stone seems to be a lot, but it is not valuable.

"One hundred crystal glass jade phoenix mirrors!" -- Zhang Chunrui directly took half of the goods in Yang Xiaohua's hand this time, and only 200 large floor-to-ceiling vanity mirrors produced by the West Point Town Glass Company were shipped.

"Ten pearls of the South Seas! A pair of jade jade ruyi! Liu Xiang didn't know where to scavenge a batch of things that could be seen but not eaten, and this time they borrowed flowers to offer Buddha and were used by Yan Xiaosong as a dowry.

"Fifty boxes of Xihai Jade Xianglong Grease Cream!" ――Well, these are said to be Yang Xiaohua's meaning of "brother-in-law Ren Changle" in China. Half a piece of alabaster from the inventory that was allocated to Sun Yang.

"Huamei eighteen catties of South China Sea Fire Dragon Refined Iron Cannon...... Twelve doors! This is the most shocking thing, whether it is in the Far East or in Europe today, the Huamei 24-pounder cannon is making its debut. And as soon as it came, it became one of the bride price.

However, this kind of thing, like Siamese rice, can only be piled up in the warehouse of Shuizhai Wharf, and it is too heavy, otherwise according to Yan Xiaosong's principle of pretending to be forced. Iron will definitely carry a door to the banquet hall to show off.

When the Huawu military ordnance was openly delivered to the Yan family in the form of a dowry, the audience was shocked, and Yan Sihai stood up even more. Ecstasy.

There were all kinds of dowry gifts worth at least 200,000 taels of silver in Daming, which stunned the guests present.

Unlike everyone's joy and envy, the actor Sun Yang who was present did not look very good at this time. Because according to the private notice, for his "political marriage" pretending to be hired, the people were "generous", and all the procurement and freight costs were calculated on his account a penny, but considering the internal relationship, only the wholesale price was charged.

Roughly calculated, the total value of the goods that Sun Yang had to pay for afterwards exceeded 60,000 US dollars, which was almost equivalent to the investment income of an ordinary Huamei traveler for two years......

……

“…… It is the consistent position of the Chinese government to maintain peace and stability in the Dayuan Strait and establish a win-win and mutually beneficial order in the East China Sea. Under this premise, Dayuan Island should have a stable foundation and development capabilities, as well as the principle of sustainable exchanges with Daming. ”

In the backyard, Yan Xiaosong was playing chess with Uncle Seven. Compared with the former's stinky chess skills, it is so difficult for Uncle Seventh to make a few moves.

Listening to the calm words of the young junior opposite, a trace of suspicion rose in the seventh uncle's heart.

While Huamei wanted to fortify and help the Yan family regain the recognition of the Ming court, it obviously did not want the Yan family to really become the local government unit of the Ming court. If Yan Siqi's attitude in the past was still between "subordination" and "partiality", then at this time, the future direction of the future leaders under the "guidance" of China and the United States is naked and infinitely close to "separation"!

Compared with the European powers that have already set sail for the world and are greedy for every piece of the "New World", perhaps Dayuan Island is still a wild land in the eyes of the Ming Dynasty, but the Yan family or the Zheng family, who are walking in the stormy waves, have long recognized the infinite value of this place in the future. Both have ambitions, but if they want to cut off the land and become the king under the "eyelids" of the Ming Dynasty, I am afraid that the hurdle in the bones is still difficult to overcome.

"How can the Yan family be able to take on this great responsibility." After leaving a son, the seventh uncle saluted with both hands, "This dispute in the East China Sea has been going on for a long time, and the Yan family has settled down. There is no longer a desire to compete for profit. The fact that the children of the repatriate family live in the United States is proof of this. ”

Quietly looking at the old man's calm expression, Yan Xiaosong smiled slightly in his heart.

"Of course, these are just an expectation of my government. We recognize the rights and interests of the Ming Dynasty in the East China Sea, but we reserve the right to act autonomously until the Ming Dynasty has given its final attitude on the 'quelling of unrest' in the East China Sea and the South Sea. ”

Yan Xiaosong suddenly took out a copy of Wen Jiàn from his arms and gently handed it to the seventh uncle: "This is the 'preparatory gift' that I personally prepare to give to the Yan family." ”

took it politely, and after reading a few lines, the seventh uncle's expression changed greatly.

"Here...... Cut the northern Tamsui Fort and Jilong Mountain area in China and the United States, and Xu Huamei army and navy ships were stationed in the United States. If the Ming Dynasty and Zheng Zhilong knew that the Yan family was like this, wouldn't it be eternal peace! The seventh uncle stood up slowly, his fingers trembling and pointed at the young man who was still sitting firmly in front of him, his eyes showed anger, "What a great gift!" How different is this from the Dutch Fanyi back then! Is it to put my Yan family to death?! ”

Since the Dutch and Spanish adventurers first discovered gold sand in the rivers around Jilong Mountain in northern Taiwan, "Jinguashi" has appeared on the historical stage of gold mining in Taiwan, and in terms of reserves per unit area, it is ranked among the world's first-class gold producing places.

The abundance of gold sand in the rivers around the chicken coop was that the river gold panning continued until the early 20th century. It can also reach an annual output of more than 200 kilograms of placer gold. Although the large-scale mining of Jinguashi gold mine is not yet the energy and ability of the Yan family to do, only with the small-scale river gold panning, Yan Siqi reached an annual income of 5,000 taels of gold when he was alive. Also, in the chicken coop area. The copper and silver ore resources associated with the gold mine are also very rich, and the Jilong Coal Mine has a record of local mining since the end of the Ming Dynasty.

"We want to send it, but no one dares to take it. Asking for a sky-high price, landing on the ground for money. Just be prepared......" Yan Xiaosong picked up the green tea on one side and sipped it gently, "As far as I know." You and Xiong Wencan's appeasement and negotiation are not smooth, right? As the direct head of diplomacy for Far Eastern affairs of the Chinese and American governments, it seems a bit unreasonable not to express some opinions at this time......"

lowered his head and groaned for a while, and the seventh uncle suddenly woke up, and a trace of joy appeared in his eyes.

……

"Hehe, uncle, you follow the slave maid, the young lady is in the back garden now, I have something important to discuss with you!"

Among the red flowers and green leaves, Sun Yang, who was dressed in a gorgeous navy uniform, followed a string of little maids of the Yan family around in confusion.

I've been watching this kind of thing up and down for months, it's so obvious, what's the matter? Sun Yang was puzzled.

From the path through a few bushes of flowers and green forests, by the small pond in front of him, Yan Xianping was sitting on the stone bench dressed as a Ming girl, staring at the pond intently.

Except for the personal maid Xiaoyu who was qualified to be at the scene, the other servants all retreated, and Sun Yang stood by Yan Xianping's side stupidly.

"What? I seem to remember that there are a lot of rules here, so it's appropriate for me to come here like this? Looking at the girl who was destined to be a "dish on the plate" in front of him, Sun Yang was secretly proud, and at the same time, he deliberately touched his chin and thought.

"Well, there are some things that must be said clearly now."

Suddenly, a familiar female voice came from behind him, and when he turned his head to look, he saw Tang Hannah, who was also dressed as a Ming girl, appear.

"What?" Sun Yang was even more confused, but there was a hint of something bad in his heart.

With a dragon groan, white light flashed, and a long sword was placed on Sun Yang's shoulder. Looking at it, Yan Xianping didn't know where to pull out the sword, and was glaring angrily at him, and he was still holding a revolver on his hanging right hand.

"Sun Yang, I know you used to like to look for flowers and ask willows, and do some unclean things outside!" Yan Xianping blinked his eyes wide, and his tone was a little stiff, "If you plan to mess around with flowers and grass in the future, or if you want to keep a woman privately, don't do this marriage contract!" ”

It's all yours...... Sun Yang's stiff neck slowly turned, and he looked at Tang Hannah, who was smiling hippie, and a wry smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

"This time the Ming media is marrying, since I am married to you, I will strictly abide by the rules of women, if you ...... You ......" Yan Xianping gritted his teeth, a glimmer of water appeared in his eyes, "If one day your bad habits arise again and fail me, I will kill you...... And then he committed suicide! ”

I'm going to go, I said this girl is not easy to mess with, who the fuck always encourages me!

Sun Yang knows that the other party is arrogant and strong, and God knows if the other party will carry out the "final trial" after finding out how many lovers or illegitimate children he has outside.

"Actually, it's better to make it clear, Uncle Sun." Tang Hannah also approached a little closer at this time, gently opened the sword, and deliberately straightened her face, "How many illegitimate children are raised outside now?" Of course, you can't just throw away the responsibility you should bear, but you have to be more responsible for the display screen, don't run out of someone to call you dad in the next three days. ”

"Six...... Oh no, seven...... Oh, the fleet has increased to eight before departure......" Sun Yang grabbed his scalp and counted in fear.

The sword in Yan Xianping's hand slowly drooped down, with a look of surprise, and even Tang Hannah was stunned at this time. Although we all know that Sun Yang has a few good friends outside, and there are even rumors of several illegitimate children, this order of magnitude is simply incredible.

"Oops!" A black object hit his head, Sun Yang's forehead hurt, and he almost squatted on the ground. When I opened my eyes, the revolver was smashed by Yan Xianping as a stone.

Yan Xianping ran away with tears on his face, and the maid Xiaoyu hurriedly chased after her, and the initiator Tang Hanna was also a little embarrassed.

"Too young, too simple...... How did I confess? It's really not a good thing for a woman to know too much of the truth......" Rubbing the red envelope on his forehead, on the way back to the main hall, Sun Yang muttered something that only he could hear. (To be continued......)