Zhao Han picked up a piece of information sent by Zheng Guozhong and asked, "Where did you get these statistics?" ”

Zheng Guozhong replied: "The data before the occupation of Manila by the Datong Army came from the Philippine Governor's Office in Spain. ”

"Why is it that the volume of trade fluctuates and the disparity is so great?" Zhao Han asked.

The entire document records the trade volume of the former Spanish Philippines and the current Chinese Luzon.

Zheng Guozhong explained: "In the past, when Spain ruled Luzon, the main trading partners were Han Chinese merchants. Every time Chinese goods became extremely abundant, the Spanish governor either raised tariffs or the poll tax on the Han Luzon, or simply slaughtered the Han Luzon and plundered Chinese merchant ships. If this is done, the volume of trade will inevitably plummet, and then gradually recover. When prosperity was restored, it was done again, and it plummeted again. ”

Was the Spanish Viceroy insane?

Heck, the trade volume is too big, and the customs taxes are too much. No, we have to raise taxes, we have to slaughter Han Chinese, and we have to keep the tax revenue of the Philippines down!

"How hot is the Spanish governor?" Zhao Han wondered.

Zheng Guozhong explained: "Once trade flourished, the number of Han Chinese in Luzon increased. In order to levy more taxes, the Spaniards raised the commercial tax and the Han Chinese poll tax. The Han people must be angry, and they have repeatedly revolted, and the Spaniards can only engage in massacres. After the massacre, although trade taxes plummeted, local officials in Spain were able to loot countless goods. ”

Okay, Zhao Han understood.

The Spanish colonial officials, seeing that commerce was flourishing and that there were more Han Chinese, made every effort to raise taxes in order to make more money.

forced the Han people to rebel, and took the opportunity to massacre.

The massacre led to a drop in tax revenues, and the loss was the revenue of the Spanish crown. Colonial officials, on the other hand, were able to loot at the opportunity, and the officials and missionaries made a lot of money, and when their term was up, they returned home and threw the mess on the next colonial government.

The peak of trade between China and the Philippines was in the 40th year of Wanli. Then it fell all the way, and the trade volume was cut in half, and then continued to be cut in half. During the Chongzhen period, it was finally restored to half of the 40th year of Wanli, and Spain carried out massacres in Luzon, so the trade volume was cut in half again.

Zheng Guozhong said: "Today, Luzon's trade volume with Spain has barely recovered to the end of Wanli. Many Han Chinese merchants were still apprehensive about the massacre, and they were reluctant to trade with Spain. However, trade in Luzon is rising in other European countries, especially the Netherlands. After the Dutch lost southern Taiwan, the Japanese-Dutch trade sometimes stopped at Luzon, which incidentally increased Luzon's trade volume. ”

The Dutch and Japanese trade, choosing to dock in Luzon for supplies, only received port berthing fees. But the more they anchored, the more trade would gradually arise, such as the tobacco in Luzon, and the Dutch bought more and more.

Zhao Han asked: "Compared with the Spanish period, did Luzon's tariffs on Han Chinese merchants be lowered?" ”

Zheng Guozhong said: "Take cotton cloth as an example, it has dropped from 6% to 5%, and Han businessmen are happy. ”

When Spain first occupied Luzon, the tariff on cotton cloth was only 2%.

After the volume of trade increased, the governor of the Spanish Philippines said: "Merchants from other countries should only charge 2% of the tariff, but the Han should collect 3%. ”

Clearly discriminating against the Han Chinese, the Han businessmen were furious and said that they would never come to Luzon to do business again. In this way, trade was deserted for a while, and whether to do business or business, the Han merchants accepted this tariff. rose all the way, and finally rose to 6%, and the Han businessmen could only accept it.

Zhao Han asked again: "Is there any change in Spain on the Philippine side?" ”

The current "Philippines" does not include Luzon, but refers to the large and small islands in the southern part of Luzon.

Zheng Guozhong said: "In the Philippine islands, there are indigenous uprisings every year, and the Spanish governor is too busy quelling the chaos to bother us. On those islands, there are also Han Chinese who have settled down and are migrating to Luzon one after another. Every year, one or two thousand Han Chinese migrated from the Spanish-ruled islands to Luzon. According to the information provided by the Han Chinese, Spain is becoming more and more difficult, and after the soldiers are killed, the replenishment speed is very slow. Even warships shipwrecked and were no longer rebuilt, and Spain had fewer and fewer ships. The newest one was built more than a decade ago. ”

Zhao Han was very pleased: "This is excellent. ”

Zheng Guozhong hurriedly vaccinated: "Your Majesty, the minister thinks that Luzon should not continue to open up to the south." It would be best to leave the islands, big and small, to Spain to rule. If our country robs it and drives Spain away, then the trade with Spain will be finished, the trade with America will be gone, and the gold and silver of America will not be able to be lost. ”

No matter how much Spain declined, it was still the hegemon of the Americas, firmly controlling the Pacific shipping lanes.

It is true that Spain cannot be driven out of the Philippines, and once Spain is expelled, it will be equivalent to cutting off trade from the Americas to Asia.

Zhao Han nodded and said, "That's true." When our navy has the energy to go to America one day, we will think about driving Spain out of the Philippines. ”

After talking about business, Zheng Guozhong said: "Your Majesty, when the minister returned to Beijing this time, many indigenous chieftains of Luzon have presented treasures to Your Majesty. Those treasures, though...... Although some of them are relatively simple, they are also the hearts of the indigenous people of Luzon. ”

Zhao Han asked, "Where is the tribute?" ”

Zheng Guozhong said: "It has been handed over to the Ministry of Rites, and the Ministry of Rites should be handed over to the celebrant supervisor." ”

Zhao Han ordered: "Then bring it." ”

Dozens of minutes later, the tributes of the indigenous chieftains of Luzon were moved by the female officers and their guards.

There were two large chests, some of which were very shabby.

There is even a piece of bamboo carving, carved with bamboo roots, the production is quite exquisite, but the craftsmanship is relatively ordinary, and similar ones can be bought on the streets of Nanjing.

"What kind of knife is this?" Zhao Han picked up a knife and asked.

Zheng Guozhong said: "The minister does not know its name, but it is a machete made by a tribe, which is used to cut off the heads of prisoners of war during sacrifices. ”

It is a bit similar to a dog-legged scimitar, and a bit like a woodcutter in some provinces of China. However, it is made with more care, and the handle is made of buffalo horn and inlaid with silver jewelry.

Continuing to pick, Zhao Han said suddenly: "Hey, this axe is very peculiar. ”

Zheng Guozhong explained: "This is the Kalinga Axe, which is a special weapon for Chief Kalinga. ”

The shape of this thing is extremely exaggerated, not like a practical weapon, more like a hero in a video game, and a VIP weapon that can only be owned after recharging. Its function, more like a scepter, is used to show the majesty of the chief.

In addition to weapons, there are more so-called treasures.

"I've got you covered." Zhao Han picked up a pair of tortoiseshell bracelets.

Li Xiangjun was overjoyed: "Thank you, Your Majesty for the reward!" ”

The most is the pearl necklace, and the harem concubines can almost send one by hand.

Zhao Han can fully understand the enthusiasm of the emperors of the past dynasties for the coming of all countries, and even understand why they give more gifts in return. It's all the hearts of small countries and small clans, how can you not be generous as the monarch of the central dynasty?

Of course, this kind of behavior cannot become a system, otherwise it will be completely sour.

Zhao Han said: "The Cabinet of Ministers will send tax money back every year in overseas territories, and you can bring three indigenous chiefs with you. It must be the most obedient tribe, the chief or the chief's child, to bring them to Nanjing to see, should cost the royal family. This is a reward for the Zhongshun tribe to give them a taste of the prosperity of China! ”

Not only to appreciate the prosperity of China, these indigenous chiefs, after returning to their hometowns, will inevitably boast about what they have seen and heard in China. The wider the story spreads, the stronger the natives' longing for China becomes, and the more envious the other tribes will be of these rewarded chiefs.

Zheng Guozhong said: "On Luzon, the most placated and recruited are the tribes that can build terraces. Luzon is as mountainous as the clouds, and the terrace technique is particularly important. Moreover, these terraced tribes, although some still retain the headhunting tradition, are relatively docile and easy to speak, and it is easier to accept Chinese culture. ”

"Farming tribes, that's true," Zhao Han said, "let the Hanlin Academy make up a story, since they can build terraces, let's say that the ancestors came from Yungui, and they were all a family thousands of years ago." In the schools of Luzon, children should also be taught in this way, and those children should be guided to change their Chinese names and surnames. ”

The terraced rice fields of Luzon were found not only in the later province of Ifugao, but also in other surrounding provinces.

For example, Baguio City, which is rich in gold, has many terraced rice fields. Today, the indigenous people around Baguio have been in contact with the Han Chinese, but unfortunately several large gold mines have not yet been discovered - near the Baguio gold mine, there are silver and copper mines. And the scenery is beautiful, the four seasons are like spring, the climate is pleasant, it is simply a treasure land.

Waving his hand to let Zheng Guozhong retreat, Zhao Han began to arrange the reward objects of tribute.

Not only will it be given to the harem concubines and princesses, but also some ministers in the court will also be rewarded.

I also specially picked two pieces and gave them to my sister and sister.

Zheng Sen has been promoted to be the director of Shandong, and Zhao Zhenfang naturally went to Shandong with her husband, and asked the post staff to send it over after the beginning of spring.

After Zheng Guozhong stepped down as governor of Luzon, he temporarily rested in Nanjing. The imperial court is discussing the reform of the political envoys, and in the future each province will have two right-hand envoys, and Zheng Guozhong's next post is the right-hand envoy.

Luzon Island is very large, but the areas that can be actually controlled today are also on the western, northwestern, and southwestern coasts, and are placed on the territory of only a few counties in China. Therefore, Zheng Guozhong still needs to be trained, and it is very suitable to be a right-hand political envoy.

The new governor of Luzon had already arrived in Manila, and his name was Zhang Huangyan.

Carefully selecting the two most beautiful pearl necklaces, Zhao Han returned to the harem after work and called the sisters Fei Rulan and Fei Rumei.

"Come and see, this is a Luzon chieftain." Zhao Han said with a smile.

In fact, it was not very precious, but the emperor took it out to them, and the sisters were very happy, and immediately put it on their chests and spun in place.

Fei Rumei said: "After the beginning of spring, it looks better to wear it, and it is so cold these days that it is almost worn into a ball." ”

Zhao Han said: "It's really cold, what does the north have to be cold." ”

Fei Rulan said: "I heard that the price of fur fur in Nanjing has risen a lot, and rich people are buying leather goods. Cotton jackets don't look good to wear, or fur fur is more popular. ”

Zhao Han looked at the northeast: "The three precious furs, sable, sea otter, and lynx, all have them in the northeast. If you want to wear a fur coat, you have to hold the Northeast firmly in your hands! ”

7017k