Seeing that Chen Ping was suspicious, Shen Youlong asked, "Chen Ping, do you understand now?" ”

Chen Ping crossed his hands and said: "It turns out that I don't understand the humble position at all, but seeing that the adults and Mr. said this, there is a little guess, and it is wrong, so the adults should not blame." ”

"Tell me about it." Shen Youlong said.

"I have long heard that the adults will train the new army and prepare the old army to go north to save the country in the future, and I have also heard that the Eastern Army will also participate.

Now think about it, the enemy of the Eastern Army now has no cavalry, but the future is not none. Especially after going north, the thieves and thieves in the east have cavalry, especially in the east, sometimes one person has two horses or three horses. The Eastern Army's training in dealing with cavalry was to deal with thieves and captives in the future. Chen Ping said.

"Clever, in a word." Shen Youlong said with a smile: "In the future, whether it is the new army or the old battalion soldiers, the training should also be like this, our Guangdong army has few cavalry, and the cavalry is also expensive, but we must learn the method of riding with foot." ”

Chen Ping nodded: "Yes, I understand the humble position." It's just that if the goal of training is to save the country in the north, then the cavalry must not be too little, the governor, the north is flat, which is conducive to the cavalry, if there are few cavalry in the army, after all, you can only parry. ”

"What the general said, the old man doesn't know, but ........" Shen Youlong sighed, and was about to say the current difficult situation, but was interrupted by Zhao Wenji.

Zhao Wenji said: "Dong Weng, General Chen." The new army, the geometry of infantry and cavalry, the number of horses, after all, depends on how much money there is, and it is difficult to solve it now, and it is necessary to discuss with Li Zhaoji before making a plan, and how to organize the new army, how to distribute the horse and infantry artillery, and do not decide now.

Then Li Zhaoji trained his troops quite well, and he had the heart to go north to defend against the enemy, so it was better to ask him for his opinion as well. ”

Shen Youlong nodded slightly, all along, he has relied on Chen Ping for the specific military affairs of military training and training, Zhao Wenji has to ask Li Zhaoji's opinion on everything, although Shen Youlong also agrees with this, but he must always take into account Chen Ping's face, so he asked Chen Ping: "General Chen, what do you think?" ”

As the saying goes, if you listen to it, you will know that Li Zhaoji does have some skills, and it doesn't hurt to ask one or two. In the end, the future Yue Army was created by the Governor-General, and its methods can be used, but not its people. Chen Ping said in a deep voice.

Shen Youlong is very satisfied with this sentence, even if he listens to Li Zhaoji's opinion, people will only think that the Guangdong Army was created by him Shen Youlong, and it will not have anything to do with Li Zhaoji.

The Hongbin Building is now occupied by the Oriental Trading Company, and only the front building is still serving customers, but the second floor and the back courtyard are only for VIPs and people from the Oriental Trading Company.

Shen Youlong, Zhao Wenji and Chen Ping came early, sat in the private room on the third floor, opened the window, but saw that the kitchen was delivering food in the outer wing.

Shen Youlong was amazed, and said jokingly: "How can this Dongfan entourage eat the same as feeding pigs." ”

Most of the upper echelons of the Oriental Trading Company are Chinese, and the Ming Kingdom has the largest number of people in Guangdong Province, but among Li Zhaoji's entourage, there is no shortage of natives on Dongfan Island, so in private, the Ming Kingdom always refers to Dongfan as the other party, of course, there are also many Li Zhaoji and others who are dissatisfied with cutting off their hair and shaving.

Zhao Wenji smiled and said: "Dong Weng, in Dongfandi, they eat like that, using a separate meal system, large workshops, military and trading institutions, all have canteens, which are like this, making dishes into large portions, and then each person divides a plate and a bowl, chooses their own vegetables and puts them on the plate, and uses the bowl to serve rice."

All-you-can-eat, as much as you want. ”

Chen Ping also said: "Yes, the same is true in the Eastern Army. I went to see their cafeteria, and the stir-fry dishes were all the biggest pots, and the cooks used shovels. It is said that each eats its own food, and it is not easy to spread diseases, and of course, meals or gatherings at home are the same as on our side. ”

Shen Youlong said: "Listening to you say this, there is indeed some truth, it can be seen that this formation and training of the new army may not all be in the equipment formation, and the system also needs to work hard, Chen Ping, you must carefully observe, cautiously try, not rash, and not nonsense." ”

"Yes, sir. Obey your teachings. Chen Ping said.

"Three adults, the banquet is ready, the lord invites you over." The shopkeeper personally came to invite.

When the three of them went upstairs, they happened to meet Chen Zizhuang, who was late, and went upstairs with him, as soon as they entered the private room of the banquet guests, they felt a hot breath rushing to their faces, and a layer of fine sweat beads permeated from Shen Youlong's forehead, and on the round table in the center, there was a large copper pot, the soup in it was hot, the side dishes were on the table on the side, and the rest of the dishes around the copper pot were already neatly placed.

Shen Youlong and Zhao Wenji remembered that this time the plan to suppress the thieves was to kill a sheep in the melon shed outside the South Garden, cook the hot pot at will, and Li Zhaoji also boiled milk tea to drink. Although the food was pitiful and the environment was unbearable, the meeting had come to fruition and was the beginning of a successful cooperation between the two sides.

The pirates were suppressed, Lin Cha died, the military power was gained, and the rest was rewarded by the imperial court.

That time the hot pot created such a wonderful result, and Li Zhaoji deliberately arranged to entertain him with a copper hot pot, obviously seeking a fortune.

And sitting in front of the brass hot pot together, in addition to Li Zhaoji, there were also Lin Weiyuan and Huang Guanlou, who finally stood out from the regimental defense bureau and were able to sit down.

The wine has passed three rounds, and the dishes have passed five flavors. At this time, there was no one else, and there was no need to be so polite, Zhao Wenji said directly: "Shopkeeper Li, the last time you invited the gentry here, you didn't want to talk about military training, customs and other things, saying that you wanted to talk to Dong Weng, and now Dong Weng is here, but you can't stop talking."

Dong Weng has been waiting at home for a few days, but he hasn't seen you coming. ”

Li Zhaoji smiled, he changed a bowl of seasonings, and he still had a high appetite, unlike the old people present, who did not have a big appetite, he was in his prime, and he had no meat or joy, and he didn't feel full for a while.

"Oh, it's not that I can't visit, it's just that there are too many and too many of these things, and I always have to consult all parties and agree on them before acting." Li Zhaoji said with a smile.

Zhao Wenji said: "You and Chen Shangchuan together have decided that the customs bill and excise regulations have been reviewed by the Governor General and asked all parties, but there is not much opinion. You can put it on hold for the time being, and see the effect, if there is a problem, it's not too late to make changes. ”

"I've heard about this before. I heard that the personnel needed by the customs are being selected by the Governor, so I can do it when the imperial court gives me a letter. Li Zhaoji nodded with satisfaction, and after the customs matter was decided, he could talk about other things.

Chen Zizhuang smiled and said: "But it's not, how to distribute customs revenue now, so far there is no accurate letter, when you want to open three or seven, I waited for discussion, I felt that my appetite was bigger, I wanted to discuss with you again, but I never thought that last time you mentioned the matter of using customs taxes as collateral to take out loans for military training."

Oops, it's really full of strange tricks, so that the old decay can't resist it.

Today, it's time to settle down. ”

Li Zhaoji soaked the mutton and said with a smile: "In fact, how to divide the customs tax, both sides are not for themselves. Mr. Chen wants to take more, and that's because you and the Governor want to use the customs duties to train a new army. The reason why there is more occupation in the lower part is because the customs does not set up a yamen, and someone will automatically pay the tax.

Merchants chase profits, and in order to avoid paying taxes, merchants will smuggle.

There are two ways to smuggle: First, large ships go to sea without reporting and paying taxes, which requires a fast schooner fleet to patrol the waterway and obstruct the inventory.

The second is that it is smuggled by barge, just like in the past on Neilingding Island. Foreign ships bring foreign goods to a small island, and various paddle boats enter the transportation and buy and sell goods. If we want to deal with this kind of smuggling, we must use a galleys fleet with galleries as the backbone and fast crab ships as the main force.

What's more, it wasn't that the four surnames were suppressed, the Pearl River Estuary was completely calm, and there were still many pirates and mountain pirates entrenched.

It is not possible for other businessmen to pay taxes to the imperial court, but businessmen cannot keep their families safe at the mouth of the Pearl River, and they need to send troops to deal with these people.

I also have my own difficulties, asking for more money, and it won't go into my pocket. ”

"Then what do you think, the stalemate continues, but it won't work." Shen Youlong said.

Li Zhaoji put down his chopsticks with a smile: "This matter is not something that you and I can solve by taking a step back." If you can't get enough money to train the army, it's not good for the imperial court, you can't accept it, I can't get enough money to organize an anti-smuggling fleet and suppress thieves, then I will have to pay out of my own pocket to work for the imperial court, how can I be willing.

So, you have to have enough money for you to train and let me cope, so there is a loan.

To tell the truth, if I don't have a loan, I have to take 70%, and if I have a loan, it doesn't hurt if I give back.

The list on my side has been listed, and the construction of the fleet, personnel, rations, and customs yamen will need 150,000 taels of silver, and 20,000 taels of silver will be needed every year for silver. This can be done in two years, for the sake of more leeway, even if it is 200,000 taels.

After two years, only 20,000 taels per year will be needed to maintain expenses. ”

"Doesn't that mean that all the customs taxes are given to you, and it's not enough." Chen Zizhuang banged on the table, his beard curled up.

Li Zhaoji also slapped the table, and it was louder than he slapped: "Mr. Chen, now it is my fleet that is maintaining order on the sea, so far, the customs has not received a penny of silver, I am working for the court with my own money!"

Just ask which loyal minister and filial son of the Ming Dynasty have half of my loyalty! This time, I didn't ask the court for a tael of silver for the extermination of the four surnames, the military expenses for the troops, and the aftermath of the bereavement.

Now my expenses are more than 50,000 taels, who can reimburse me if I talk to someone. ”

Shen Youlong smiled and said, "Zhaoji, if you are willing to belong to the imperial court, these are all easy to say." ”

When Lin Weiyuan and Huang Guanlou heard this, their faces tightened, and Lin Weiyuan immediately said: "Your Excellency the Governor said that he was joking, he was joking. ”

These two people don't want Li Zhaoji to be appeased, to put it bluntly, their purpose is to establish a bank and make a lot of money while holding the right to speak. The reason why the bank dared to lend money to the imperial court for military training was because the customs was under the control of Li Zhaoji.

If the customs are controlled by the imperial court, who would dare to lend money to the imperial court? Don't say that the number of etiquette is unreasonable, what can the court do if it doesn't pay it back?

Therefore, if Li Zhaoji is attached to the official, then the matter of loan training will be yellow.

Why didn't Shen Youlong understand this truth, he just wanted to try, after all, the loan training was what Li Zhaoji thought, if he could get him, maybe he could come up with other methods?

"Haha." Li Zhaoji slammed his fist on the table and said in an unquestionable tone: "If I don't talk about being an official today, I just want to make money!" ”

"Speak well, why knock on the table and smash the bench." Zhao Wenji persuaded him.

Li Zhaoji snorted coldly, sat back in his seat, and continued: "Okay, then I'll continue, I said, in the next two years, I want 200,000 taels." As for the imperial court, there is an account of how many soldiers to train and how much it costs. ”

Zhao Wenji said: "Dong Weng has some thoughts on this matter, but I still want to hear your opinion on the matter of military training." Exterminate the thieves, your battalion has performed well, and it can be called a strong army.

The new formation of the new army in Guangdong Province also has a goal. Your battalion costs a lot of money, and it can adapt to fighting in the north, can the imperial court learn to train soldiers, are you willing to talk about it? ”

new