The city of Guangzhou in the Ming Dynasty was expanded three times before and after, which was basically the same as the old city of Guangzhou in later generations.

However, the Pearl River at the end of the Ming Dynasty was very wide, and the riverbank was in the Taipingsha area. The river in the south of Guangzhou is 700 meters wide, and after a few hundred years only 150 meters remain (the old city), which is the result of the continuous accumulation of sediment.

Zhao Han changed ships halfway and arrived in Guangzhou, and countless businessmen were already waiting at the wharf.

These businessmen want to know what Zhao Han thinks of sea trade!

It doesn't matter whether the sea is open or not. Because they are the ones who oppose the opening of the sea, and they are also the ones who oppose the ban on the sea, this statement seems to be very contradictory.

They oppose the opening of the sea for fear of losing their monopoly on trade.

The opposition to the sea ban is to oppose the sea ban being too strict, which makes it difficult for them to smuggle.

While imposing a sea ban, while conniving at smuggling, this is the situation that businessmen want to see the most.

"Meet Mr. Zhao!"

Hundreds of businessmen, large and small, knelt down and greeted Zhao Han at the dock.

The business travelers and the people also looked at it curiously.

The people looked at Zhao Han's eyes, and they were finally not so resentful, of course Fei Ruhe did something.

Zhao Han smiled all over his face: "Haha, please get up." You deserve a great reward for your dedication to the city! ”

"Don't dare, don't dare."

The businessmen stood up one after another, and they resigned one after another, feeling apprehensive.

Zhao Han behaved amiably and seemed to be very talkative. But these businessmen are all cunning guys, how can they believe that Zhao Han is good at talking?

There are countless landlords in Jiangxi who have been raided!

All the landlords in Jiangxi were divided into fields!

Is this easy to talk to?

The matter in Jiangxi has long been spread to Guangzhou, and at the same time, news has come that Zhao Han seems to be very friendly to Shangjia.

Guan Jialun took the lead in saying: "The Tianzheng of the head town is well known to the people of Guangzhou, and this is a great thing for the benefit of the people." We and other Guangzhou businessmen have reached a consensus and are willing to fully cooperate with the town to divide the land! ”

"You are well aware of the righteousness, the blessing of this country, and the blessing of all people!" Zhao Han hurriedly saluted.

It seems that the atmosphere is harmonious, but in fact it is all nonsense.

The division of fields must cooperate, and if you don't cooperate, you have to cooperate. The focus of attention of both sides is the specific trade policy, but Zhao Han did not mention it at all.

"Meet the Town!"

Fei Ruhe took the soldiers, but he just clenched his fist with one arm and crossed his chest, and did not kneel. Compared with the merchants' bowing, it seems too disrespectful.

Zhao Han walked a few steps forward, saw many people tied up on the dock, and asked, "What are these?" ”

Fei Ruhe replied: "They are all traitors and criminals, and they should be killed for their crimes, please show the general town." ”

"Kill when you should kill, what are you waiting for me to do? Executed on the spot! Zhao Han said.

These are all gangsters, and if they are replaced by other thieves, they will definitely be rewarded and praised, because they participated in the seizure of the city and took refuge.

But here in Zhao Han, he took advantage of the chaos to burn and kill the prostitutes, and all of them were beheaded without discussion.

Fei Ruhe has already cut down a group of heinous criminals, and kept these for Zhao Han Liwei. Immediately shouted: "Execution! ”

On the wharf, in front of merchants and ordinary people, more than 40 people lined up to be beheaded.

"Good!"

The people of Guangzhou were thunderous with joy, they had been harmed before, and it was the evil done by these gangsters in front of them.

There must be fish that have slipped through the net.

For example, the crutches have dispersed in the countryside, and Fei Ruhe has no energy to investigate and arrest.

For example, the house slaves are hiding in the rich merchants, and Fei Ruhe does not dare to start easily for the time being.

The faces of the merchants changed drastically, and these gangsters were all hired by them to seize the city. Now in front of them, all the brains are killed, what does this mean?

Zhao Han smiled and explained to Shang Jia: "Don't worry, I, Zhao, have always been rewarded for my merits and punished for my mistakes. They were beheaded because after they had taken the city, they had burned and plundered the city. You are safe and law-abiding, and naturally you have no merit or fault. ”

"The head town is wise."

Guan Jialun hurriedly agreed, the hairs on his body stood on end, and he felt more and more that Zhao Han was not good at speaking.

Zhao Han entered the city with a smile, and accompanied by Shang Jia, he came to the former Liangguang Governor's Mansion.

There were only two people left in the room.

Zhao Han asked, "What about Guangzhou?" ”

Fei Ruhe said: "Sticks are rampant, and they often abduct people, either to Nanyang or to Hongyi. ”

"What are you talking about these details, forgetting what I taught you to sort out the contradiction between primary and secondary?" Zhao Han didn't have a good airway.

Fei Ruhe thought for a while: "The main contradiction is that we want to open the sea to collect tariffs, and businessmen want to continue smuggling." ”

"Wrong, wrong!" Zhao Han shook his head again and again.

Fei Ruhe said confusedly: "Isn't that so? ”

Zhao Han sighed and said: "To be able to do business in the bright light, who the hell is willing to smuggle secretly?" ”

"Because you don't have to pay taxes for smuggling." Fei Ruhe said.

Zhao Han analyzed: "These businessmen have to take out how much silver every year to bribe the governor, the political envoy, the inspection envoy, the capital department, the city shipping department, the inspection department, and the seaside guard. The amount of silver used for bribes is no less than the normal payment of customs duties. What they are really afraid of is that they have to pay customs duties and bribe officials. ”

"That's right." Fei Ruhe scratched his head and said.

Zhao Han continued: "If the maritime trade is legal, these businessmen will also help us fight smuggling. Because the smugglers are also robbing their business, and there is no tariff cost. What should really be watched is that while they are doing business seriously, they are secretly engaged in smuggling, and by the way, they are also cracking down on other smugglers. ”

"How can I prevent that?" Fei Ruhe asked.

"Smuggling cannot be stopped, it can only be controlled to the greatest extent," Zhao Han said, "I have already read all the things you wrote." There are two priorities: first, the establishment of an offshore division dedicated to the search for smuggling; Second, several smuggling ports were brought under the management of the government, especially Macao. Call your showman! ”

The official names are Ho Keng, Ho Kiang Macao, and Xiangshan O, but the local fishermen are all called Macau.

As for Xiucai, he is the one who posted the big-character poster, and now he has been hired by Fei Ruhe as a consultant.

This person's name is Deng Yunzhan, born in the Deng family, and his family has a small shop in Guangzhou, and his life can go on.

"Meet the Town!" Deng Yunzhan arched his hand.

"Please be seated," Zhao Han said straight to the point, "Is it easy to take back Macau?" ”

Deng Yunzhan said with a smile: "It's easy, if you don't have food for three months and forbid food to go to sea, all the Hongyi in Haojing will starve to death." ”

Zhao Han laughed: "It's really easy." ”

In fact, Macau is not a Portuguese colony, because the Ming court did not give up any sovereignty.

The Ming Dynasty had always allowed the Portuguese to entrench themselves in Macao, purely to import silver, and both sides took what they needed.

Macau has set up a card, which is opened once every five days, and is dedicated to the Portuguese to buy food.

During the Apocalypse, the Governor of Liangguang, Ho Shih-jin, learned that the Portuguese had built earthen cities, pillboxes and forts in Macao, and immediately ordered the Portuguese and Macao Parliaments to demolish them.

The Governors of Portugal and Macao refused to carry it out, and Guangdong immediately cut off the supply of grain and timber. As a result, the Portuguese did not have enough to eat, and the ships had no wood for repairs. The hungry Portuguese residents directly fought with the Governor of Portugal and Macao, and finally the Governor obediently demolished the pillboxes and forts.

After Deng Yunzhan told these stories, Zhao Han asked, "Hongyi is a traitor, is it handed over to the Xiangshan Magistrate to deal with?" ”

"Hongyi admits to handing over the criminals, but every time he finds an excuse to shirk," Deng Yunzhan sighed, "and in the end, he still ran out of food and forced Hongyi to hand over the murderer." ”

Zhao Han suddenly asked: "Can't Hongyi go to Annam (Vietnam) to buy grain?" ”

"I can't buy it," Deng Yunzhan was afraid that Zhao Han wouldn't understand, so he explained in detail, "Hongyi also has several countries. The Red Yi of Macau is the Grand Francois (Portugal); Luzon's Hongyi, the little Francois (Spain); The Hongyi of the big man, I don't know where it came from, called it the Red Fan Ghost (Holland). This big Francophone seems to have a feud with the Red Devil......"

Through Deng Yunzhan's dictation, Zhao Han had a general understanding of the situation in Nanyang.

Today's Vietnam is divided into two parts, with North Vietnam under the Trung regime and South Vietnam under the Nguyen regime.

After Japan closed itself to the rest of the country, the Han Chinese merchants controlled the trade of South Vietnam, and the Dutch merchants controlled the trade of North Vietnam.

Han Chinese merchants controlled three trade routes-

First, China-South Vietnam-Japan.

Second, China-South Vietnam-Cambodia-Japan.

Third, China-South Vietnam-Philippines.

The Portuguese were the closest to buy grain from North Vietnam, but the Dutch got in the way, and the Portuguese merchant ships could not get close at all.

As for South Vietnam, not to mention the Portuguese, the Dutch could not go. Because of the Nguyen regime, which forbids Western religions every once in a while, and robs and kills white people, it is too difficult for Europeans to do business there.

The Portuguese, can only buy grain in Guangzhou!

Deng Yunzhan also reminded: "The head town must pay attention to the fact that Guangdong does not produce much grain. Once there is a natural disaster year, if we continue to send grain to Hongyi, the price of grain in Guangdong will inevitably rise sharply, and the people of Guangzhou will definitely be hungry. Not to mention the prohibition of grain going to sea, but it is necessary to select merchants to monopolize it, and stipulate how much grain can only be sold per month. ”

"That's a good reminder." Zhao Han nodded.

Deng Yunzhan also said: "You can let the Han merchants go to the Ruan Lord (South Vietnam) to buy grain, and transport it back to Guangdong for only a small amount of taxes." In this way, it will be profitable, and only then will some businessmen be willing to buy grain and return to Guangdong, so that Guangdong will become rich in grain. In the past, it was not possible, because of the ban on the Ming Dynasty, officials had to be bribed to come and go, which made it unprofitable to buy grain from Annan. ”

"Jun is a great talent," Zhao Han said approvingly, "What other suggestions?" Just speak out. ”

"Macao can take back its administration, but it must not expel the Hongyi, which can bring a lot of silver," Deng said. Today's Hao Jing is the exclusive possession of the Grand Franc (Portugal). You can send someone to contact the Red Fan Ghost (Netherlands) and let the Red Fan Ghost also come to Macao for trade. In this way, it is possible to raze and raze, not to make one family dominant, and to facilitate management in the future. ”

"Great goodness!" Zhao Han thought it was a good idea.

Deng Yunzhan suddenly had a serious expression: "Foshan businessmen, privately made firearms, must be confiscated." Moreover, in the future, private traders cannot be allowed to interfere in the manufacture of firearms! ”

"I've had a plan for this," Zhao Han asked, "Are you willing to be the head of the Guangzhou City Division?" ”

"Don't dare to quit!" Deng Yunzhan was quite excited.

The prefect of Guangzhou, the prefect of Xiangshan, the governor of Guangzhou City, and Zhao Han have been appointed separately, and they are all on their way to come.

(Guangzhou Fucheng, Panyu County, and Nanhai County are all Guangzhou City, which was made wrong before and is hereby corrected.) ）