Thursday, December 1, 1622.

A heavy snowfall that began the night before officially announced the arrival of the harsh winter in North America, and also marked the beginning of a year of recuperation in the Republic of China and the United States of America.

According to the climatic pattern of North America and the North Atlantic, from December to February of the following year, the ocean-going trade will cease, and the country's infrastructure will be inspected and maintained annually within three months. Except for a small number of important production enterprises, the production of most factories and enterprises will also be reduced to a low level to set aside enough man-hours for the year-end maintenance of production equipment.

The last European trade in the Azores of the year has finally come to an end, and the three flying shear merchant ships returning today have brought back 1,000 tons of supplies, as well as a large sum of $1.1 million worth of European coins from the State Import and Export Group deposited in the Azores. They will be re-melted into standard dollar coins and paid annually to the national treasury.

The trade transport fleet returning from Shuangwan City on Bermuda Island has also completed the transportation of more than 3,000 Ming Dynasty immigrants, in addition to leaving more than 100 people to settle in the local area, the last remaining more than 800 Ming Dynasty immigrants will eventually be transported back to the mainland by the end of the year.

Interestingly, from the ports of San Salvador and Recife in Brazil, the two Portuguese fleets that arrived in November delivered several hundred tons of chromite and a large amount of sugar and tobacco, and the rubber was much less, less than a ton. And the Spanish merchant fleet that came from Havana, Cuba, also sent five ships of cotton, cane sugar, tobacco and a large amount of cloth obviously from the Ming Dynasty, and even a batch of South American walnut, the best shipbuilding timber!

Scattered local goods shipped to Double Bay were snapped up by Portuguese and Spanish merchants. But the funds obtained were obviously not enough to eat all the raw materials piled in by the two companies, especially the 12,000 horses of cotton cloth and silk from the Ming Dynasty, which directly made the business and warehouse administrators of the State-owned Import and Export Group and COSCO International Trade Company in Shuangwan City dumbfounded.

Don't go back? Fool's talent! You must know that the price of these cloths and silks produced in the Ming Dynasty, which departed from Manila and crossed the long Pacific route through Guò to Mexico in the Americas and then to the Caribbean, is more than 50% cheaper than similar goods imported from Europe! The low prices of oriental products in the 17th century are really outrageous!

The salesman of COSCO International Trade Company made a move on the spot and directly won half of the Oriental cloth and silk before the state-owned import and export group.

Stepping down from the position of Minister of Environment and Quality Inspection, leaders from all walks of life across the country celebrated. Subsequently, Di Zugong was reappointed by the government to the post of mayor of Shuangwan City on Bermuda Island, and now Di Zugong, who has only been in office for a few months, was also frightened by the influx of imported materials.

In desperation. After some internal emergency consultations, Di Zugong embezzled part of the civilian goods and materials that were originally intended to be transported to Shuangwan City to fund the Yan Siqi family in the Far East. This ensures the payment for the import of raw materials. Then the emergency power is used to use naval ships to re-transport to make up for the shortfall.

This is also the result of Bermuda's first opening of foreign trade.

Throughout 1622, the total amount of trade imports from Europe reached 15,000 tons, an increase of 200% over the previous year, and the export trade volume to Europe also exceeded the $10 million mark, and the import volume also reached $3 million for the first time, which can be called a perfect economic boom year.

Today, as if it was an appointment, more than 20 private enterprises, such as General Industries Company, North Industries Company, Huamei Wood Company, Xinhua Chemical Company, Beiyang Shipbuilding Company, etc., have held a year-end share dividend distribution meeting for shareholders.

It was a year of struggle, glory and victory, under the earnest care of the government. With the efforts of all management and employees, and with the trust of investors...... In short, even if the government tax is so vicious, the companies still make a lot of money. …,

According to the size of their respective enterprises, the composition of their shares, and the profitability of their own enterprises, more than 400 nouveau riche who have mixed sand with each other have all reaped the rewards today. On average, each person has received a dividend of 4,000 US dollars, the most of which is even twice as high as this average, and including several large state-owned groups, there are still more than a dozen companies whose dividends have not yet begun!

Then a new round of private tandem investment and shareholding began again, but this time, the board bosses of several major private companies with performance sheets to testify are obviously much more bullish. Don't invest less than that!

As a result, the act of privately selling shares has also appeared, and it is said that the value of each share of NORINCO has been raised to $3!

Finance Minister Liu Xin and Central Bank Governor Qian Weichang, who had personally experienced the "Annual Spoils and Investment Expansion Conference" of several major companies, were even planning the idea of opening a stock exchange in 1623.

The government is also happy because according to the Individual Tax Act, individuals with a monthly income of more than $15 are subject to personal income tax of 20% on the excess. The personal income tax brought by this dividend is as high as 320,000 US dollars!

As happy as the bosses of the capitalist nouveau riche, there are also ordinary employees of various enterprises, especially European workers who have emigrated for nearly a year, and today they have also received a year-end double salary bonus that they never imagined.

Although it is only an extra month's salary, it is simply an incredible happiness in the world for European immigrants who have never had to pay more taxes to the nobles at the end of the year. Native American employees, who work in the lowest jobs and earn much less well, also receive at least $10 in year-end double pay from their businesses.

The immigrants of the Ming Dynasty and some European immigrants who have just immigrated to North America are still undergoing various skills training in different ways with the immigration settlement allowance issued by the government, and they have no formal employment, so they can only be secretly envious.

Only then did he return to his hometown after handling the "Zhu Sheng Niang Niang Plan" in Shuangwan City, Bermuda, and participated in the investment and shareholding conferences of several enterprises non-stop. Yan Xiaosong, who delayed his personal investment for a year because of his participation in immigration affairs in Yuandu Daming, has now returned home with a tired body.

The beautiful villa was quiet, as if there was no one. Yan Xiaosong opened several rooms in a row, but he didn't see the shadow of his fiancée, as if the arrogant Spanish girl had evaporated at this time.

"Katarina? Belle? ”

There's also a fire in the fireplace in the living room, so I'm sure the house won't be empty for long. Yan Xiaosong added a few pieces of charcoal and wood to the fireplace, and looked around while striking a match and lighting a cigarette.

"Hey!"

With a crisp smile, a pair of small hands covered Yan Xiaosong's eyes from behind. As it sounds, Caterina is happy today.

"Hehe, don't make a fuss, I just went to the Catholic church in the New District of Long Island......"

Taking off his fiancée's hand, Yan Xiaosong said as he turned around and grabbed the other party's shoulders. Only half of the smiling expression appeared, and the remaining half was replaced by sluggishness.

The Caterina in front of her was not the glamorous palace skirt that she had become accustomed to, but a blue-black navy winter ladies officer coat, a wide-brimmed tweed belt around her waist, a boat-shaped hat, a pair of beautiful black calfskin boots, shiny copper buckles and military insignia, the collar badge was impressively the rank of a second lieutenant, and a long natural curly hair was on her shoulders.

"Hehe, His Excellency Brigadier General Wang has specially approved my application!" Caterina spun around excitedly, her smug face on her face.

Dizzy, she really joined the Navy of the Chinese American Republic?! Navy Commander Wang Tiehammer is probably entangled by her, right?

Yan Xiaosong lowered his arms weakly, took a few steps back, and sat on the sofa. Standing in the center of the living room in front of her, Caterina is heroic, the former heroine of the sea is back, and her image is countless times more majestic than the dirty Spanish sailor captain back then. …,

"Can't you? I used to be a lieutenant in the navy of the Kingdom of Spain! Caterina waited for a long time, but she didn't wait for her fiancé's admiring gaze to appear, her brows slowly furrowed, and her small mouth bit together.

"What is your job title?" Yan Xiaosong stared at the other party's eyes quietly, and asked almost word by word.

"Clerk of the Office of Recruits and Public Affairs of the Navy Command...... "At this point, Katerina was much more depressed, obviously very dissatisfied with the Navy Command's arrangement of her position.

It's okay, it's okay...... Yan Xiaosong finally breathed a sigh of relief, the "little angry Spanish youth" in front of him was the safest to stay in that kind of department.

"But I want to get on a warship!" Caterina sat down beside Yan Xiaosong in disappointment, took off her military hat and touched the cockade on it, "The battleship in the harbor is so beautiful, I think I can do it!" ”

You get on a warship? God knows if one day there is a war between this country and the Kingdom of Spain, you will not make a move to order your subordinates to stop firing.

And over time, any country with maritime dreams in the 17th century would have made the navy of the Kingdom of Spain an imaginary enemy.

"But this country needs your rich experience to train more sea warriors for us!" Yan Xiaosong's face was sincere, and his mouth began to make nonsense, "You are an excellent officer, shouldn't you bring all your good qualities to those fishermen who never know what a navy is?" Look at me, I'm sure you can do your best! ”

"Really? Honey, you know me best! The arrogant lieutenant was praised, and at this time, his heart was sweet, and the dissatisfaction just now was swept away.

"Oh, by the way, I'm not done yet, I talked to Pastor Monte, and he's happy to have our wedding in February next year. If that's okay, I'll send you an invitation! Yan Xiaosong suddenly remembered what was going on, and quickly took out a piece of paper from his pocket.

A blush came to his face, and the girl officer, who was still heroic just now, snuggled into Yan Xiaosong's arms like a bird at this time, nodded his head, and muttered words that he couldn't hear clearly.

The other party had obviously bathed before wearing a military uniform, and a fragrance was secreted into his heart, Yan Xiaosong, who had endured Caterina for a long time, was on fire in his body, and directly put his hand into the crook of his fiancée's little feet, hugged the other party in his arms, and then strode towards the bedroom.

Well, sure enough, subduing temptation is king. (Your support is my biggest motivation.) )