On February 24 of the first year of Jingding, in the open space of the Mawei Shipyard in Fuzhou, surveyors gathered next to the surveying and mapping instruments. When the sun finally moved a little away from its highest point, the gang gathered together and shouted in a long voice at the head: "One! Two! Three! ”

Everyone shouted at the same time: "The earth is round!" "The earth is round!"

Such shouts could not dissipate the joy in their hearts, and some people untied the small hat with a brim for shading the sun and threw it into the sky with force. A moment later, amid cheers, one by one the hats spun and flew into the sky.

There were boats passing by in the river, and the sailors were surprised to see these people so crazy. However, the people of Mawei Shipyard have always been famous in Fuzhou for their excellent craftsmanship and strange rhetoric in recent years. Everyone is not surprised.

The observers didn't care what the people on the river thought of them, and the survey team was divided into several groups. Some of them went to the seaside to observe, and some of them went up the Minjiang River by boat, and went to the west to observe a place hundreds of miles away, and there were four waves of east, west, north, south, north and south distances of 10 li, 20 li, 50 li, and 100 li. Several groups of people made full observations by using sea level and water level as a reference, and the sun, moon, and North Star as references. After returning to compare the data, it was not only determined that the earth was indeed round, but also calculated that the radius of the earth was about 20 million Song feet.

With such inaccurate surveying and mapping equipment, a relatively reasonable data was obtained, and Zhao Jiaren also felt very admired. But the joy can't go on forever, and when the joy ends, normal life begins. Surveyors set up surveying and mapping teams to survey coastal lighthouses, cities, and islands, and make detailed charts for internal use.

"Glass mirrors are fragile and are sold for one-third the price of a copper mirror of the same size." The survey team can't use so much glass, and the rest of the glass will naturally be used to make money. After determining the price, Zhao Jiaren instructed hatefully: "Contact Li Pu's side, if Li Pu is willing to exchange alkali for a mirror, we will trade with them at one-fifth of the price of a bronze mirror of the same size." ”

"Why? Doesn't this make Li Pu make too much money? Sports Commissioner Liu Meng asked puzzled.

"If you don't get up early, it's because you have money to make that Li Pu is willing to change." Zhao Jiaren explained.

"He's made money, aren't we going to make it?" Liu Meng continued to ask.

Zhao Jiaren didn't want to talk about the importance of soda ash in front of so many people, so he said in general terms: "Don't worry, if that Li Pu makes a penny from this business, we will earn at least ten yuan." If he earns one more penny, we will earn ten more pennies. If he earns one penny, we will earn ten pennies less. Such a deal must be made big. ”

This kind of thinking is normal for Zhao Jiaren, but it doesn't seem to be the case for his subordinates. Many people showed surprised expressions, puzzled that Zhao Jiaren actually cooperated with the enemy.

Too lazy to raise the ideological realm of these people, Zhao Jiaren ordered: "In addition, half of the fleet will go to Quanzhou." If the new Fujian Lutidian prison does not come in two days, we will immediately go to Quanzhou. ”

In February, the spring flowers in Fujian were blooming, and Qi Ye sat in the yard, absentmindedly looking at the flowers and trees that had grown buds in the yard. This small mansion is unpatronized, only the Qi Ye family lives here. The struggles within the family are often extremely tragic, and Qi Ye's cousin Qi Rong has completely taken over the management of Jianxian Qian Village. For such a situation, Qi Ye found that he was not angry at all.

When the courtyard door was open, Qi Ye saw Zhao Jiaren walking into his courtyard with his entourage, and shouted, "Is Brother Qi here?" ”

After shouting, Zhao Jiaren saw Qi Ye sitting at the window, and he smiled: "Brother Qi is so elegant." ”

Knowing that Zhao Jiaren didn't talk about pomp, Qi Ye let Zhao Jiaren into the house to talk. The two sat down, and Zhao Jiaren asked, "Brother Qi, can you receive my letter." ”

"Roger." Qi Ye replied. As before, Zhao Jiaren warmly invited Qi Ye to join him in the letter.

"I don't know what Brother Qi thinks?" Zhao Jiaren asked happily.

Looking at the man opposite, who was admitted to the Jinshi at the age of thirteen, led the army as a civilian official at the age of nineteen, and was promoted to the governor of Quanzhou at the age of twenty with great military merits, Qi Ye asked lazily: "Brother Zhao, I have something I don't understand. What is it that makes you soar. ”

Qian Zhuang has seen the rise and fall of too many people, and Qi Ye can understand the possibility of making a fortune by relying on mosquito coils, cotton cloth, and freight. Anyone who can seize one of these opportunities can take off. But Zhao Jiaren seized all the opportunities and used them to the extreme. No matter what others think, in the eyes of the Qi family, this is abnormal and extremely dangerous. The relationship with Zhao Jiaren has also pulled the Qi family into this abnormal whirlpool, and it is necessary to alienate Qi Ye, the culprit.

"Because I know I'm afraid." Zhao Jiaren replied sincerely.

"Scared?" Qi Ye was stunned for a moment, and then couldn't help laughing. This is really funny, as a member of the Zhao clan, as a Jinshi, what is Zhao Jiaren afraid of.

"Brother Qi, apart from the Great Song Dynasty, there is only Mongolia left in the world. Mongolia has destroyed countless countries, do you think it will let go of the Great Song Dynasty? Although I won the war with Mongolia this time, I was not happy at all. The Mongolian army understands military affairs and will study it carefully. Their population is smaller than that of the Great Song, but the army that can be pulled out is much larger than that of the Great Song. There is a strong enemy outside, why am I not afraid? Zhao Jiaren explained.

The first thing he looked for when he returned to Quanzhou was Qi Ye, and now he has many industries, but there are no capable business talents. Those men may know how to buy low and sell high, but they don't know how to be economical. By Zhao Jiaren's side, the only one who understands economics and may work for Zhao Jiaren is Qi Ye.

Qi Ye had no concept or interest in distant Mongolia. Fang Cai laughed and exhausted Qi Ye's passion, and after listening to Zhao Jiaren's explanation, Qi Ye still replied lazily: "That's hard Brother Zhao." ”

Seeing that Qi Ye was not moved, Zhao Jiaren continued: "There are strong enemies outside, and there are big troubles inside. For example, the Pu family and his ilk are entrenched in our Great Song Dynasty, colluding with officials and robbing trade routes. They are internal worries, and if they don't get rid of them, the Great Song Dynasty is in danger. ”

As soon as he heard the mention of the Pu family, Qi Ye finally had some spirit. One of the reasons why the family thinks that Qi Ye is in trouble is that the Pu family burned Qi Ye's perfume shop twice. Regarding Zhao Jiaren's internal worries, Qi Ye agrees. But the governor of Quanzhou has been elected for three years, and for decades, the twenty governors of Quanzhou have not been able to move the Pu family, so they don't see that the Pu family is a scourge?

Sitting up straight, Qi Ye's voice finally had energy, "Although I am not talented, Brother Zhao has always invited me to help, I am very grateful." Since Brother Zhao could see that the Pu family was a scourge, he asked Brother Zhao to eradicate this scourge. When the Pu family fell, I would definitely defect to Brother Zhao. ”

Zhao Jiaren looked at Qi Ye carefully, and asked in a calm tone: "Brother Qi, if I really eradicate the Pu family, won't you be afraid?" Shouldn't it be because I stabbed the hornet's nest and ran away in fear? ”

"Haha, Brother Zhao always speaks so truthfully." Qi Ye smiled, the reason why he never hated Zhao Jiaren was that Zhao Jiaren always told the truth, "What Brother Zhao said is indeed possible." However, although I, Qi Ye, am greedy for life and afraid of death, I am not a person who does not know what to do. Where is it so easy to eradicate the Pu family, the person who can eradicate the Pu family must not be a reckless man who dies with the Pu family. ”

"Are you serious?" Zhao Jiaren continued to ask.

"When I refused Brother Zhao's invitation, I didn't take it seriously." Qi Ye Zhengse said.

"Good! I can finally put my mind at ease. Zhao Jiaren nodded, the matter of inviting Qi Ye finally came to fruition, and there was no need to worry about this matter in the future.

After coming out of Qi Ye's house, Zhao Jiaren rushed to the yamen of Quanzhou Zhizhou. Someone in the distance was hiding in the dark, watching Zhao Jiaren leave from Qi Ye's house, and immediately rushed to Pu's house. Qi Ye, as the object of Zhao Jiaren's invitation, of course, can not care when Zhao Jiaren returns to Quanzhou. The Pu family knew Zhao Jiaren's hostility and was mad when they learned that Zhao Jiaren would be appointed governor of Quanzhou. They began to prepare early, and as soon as Zhao Jiaren arrived in Quanzhou, he immediately followed it carefully.

Listening to the watchman's report, Pu Shougeng sighed slightly, "This Zhao Jiaren is really unrelenting." ”

Pu Shiwen ordered Qi Ye's perfume shop to be burned twice, and naturally knew very well that the big proprietor behind the shop was Zhao Jiaren. Hearing his father say this, he also nodded vigorously. "Father, spices and other things are good to store. We don't do business this year, and we have to make this Quanzhou City Boshi have no income. Most of the Zhao family's annual support money is paid by the city, and Zhao Jiaren has no money in his hand, so I'll see what he does. ”

Pu Shougeng was pleased with his son's opinion, and he added: "Hmm. In addition, the people of Champa and Wa also had to come to Fujian to make trouble. Those townships who believe in the true god can't make Zhao Jiaren feel better. ”

The pirates of the Japanese Kingdom are just that, the Pu family and them are only cooperating, and they don't have so much to do with each other. The Pu family was originally from Zhancheng, and when he thought of Zhao Jiaren's warship, Pu Shiwen said with palpitations: "Father, aren't you worried about the loss of the Zhancheng ship?" ”

Listening to his son's words, Pu Shougeng smiled slightly, "The Song court is afraid that something will happen, as long as there is something in the local area, blame the local officials first." If the official can't solve the problem, the recall is certain. Zhao Jiaren's warship is powerful, so he has to let the Cham people come to Fujian, so that this little thief will be difficult to take care of. There is no tax revenue in Quanzhou, and Zhao complains, and those officials who have no income are dissatisfied. As long as the recitals of a few parties are sent to Lin'an. How long can this Zhao Jiaren last? As long as we carefully inquire about the news, they should not be too greedy for money, and the loss will not be too great. Tell them that if we don't fall, we will be able to eat back what we lost in a year or two. If we fall, who will they rely on to come to Fujian again? ”

After listening to his father's analysis, Pu Shiwen's heart was bright, and he nodded again and again with joy on his face, "I'll arrange it!" ”