Duan Qianqiu smiled and said: "I make a bold inference here, but I don't know if it's correct or not, and I ask Zheng Shibo to correct it at any time." ”

"You can speak your mind!"

"Actually, Your Majesty wants to open the sea ban, but it is limited by the opinions of the ministers and the last instructions of the emperor, so he doesn't want to rush it for a while, right?"

King Zheng Yang's eyes widened and said, "How do you know? The Holy Will does have this original intention, but I am afraid that the courtiers will oppose it, so it will be put on hold for the time being." ”

"I am familiar with Brother Lu Bangyan, and I often talk about some court affairs, and Brother Lu mentioned that the emperor has often summoned some people who are familiar with maritime affairs recently. Therefore, based on the recent personnel promotions and transfers of the ministry, I guess that there is a possibility that the Holy One will reopen the sea. ”

"Well, it's a brewing thing. ”

"There is a lot of controversy about abolishing the maritime ban, but this is the perfect time. Because the supply of military supplies in northern Xinjiang is the top priority of the Dajing Dynasty's Cao Yun, as long as the opportunity of reopening sea transportation can be used to solve the grain crisis, Duan believes that His Majesty will definitely issue a formal decree to abolish the sea ban and reopen the sea lanes. Duan Qianqiu said.

King Zheng Yang asked in surprise: "Is the solution to this grain crisis the resumption of shipping?"

"It's not. Far water can't save the near fire, but the reopening of the sea is the foundation, otherwise the imperial court will have no bargaining chips in its hands!"

"What chips?" King Zheng Yang said confusedly.

"Bargaining chips with people!"

Zheng Bingrong interjected at this time: "Does the imperial court still need to negotiate with others? In the whole world, it is not the king's land, the shore of the land, and the prince's ministers, who has such qualifications to negotiate with the imperial court?"

Duan Qianqiu said with a smile: "People are under the eaves and have to bow their heads, even the imperial court is no exception. Now the defenders of northern Xinjiang are short of food, and the grain of the imperial court cannot be transported in a short time. For now, we are going to borrow grain from the people who have the most grain and grass in the places closest to the front line!"

"Borrow grain?!Borrow from whom?!" asked King Zheng Yang.

"The richest grain in the world is naturally the rice merchant. Duan Qianqiu said.

"Rice merchants?!How can the dignified Jing Dynasty borrow grain from rice merchants!"

Duan Qianqiu responded flatly: "The people of Dajing have the obligation to be loyal to the country and serve the imperial court, and the rice merchants are also a member of the Dajing Dynasty, so they should naturally contribute." ”

King Zhengyang was speechless for a long time before he said: "A thousand enemies, but how can a rice merchant in the world lend so much military rations?"

"Dengzhou Mansion Cui Chengxiu!" Duan Qianqiu said confidently.

"What is the origin of this man? King Zheng Yang frowned.

"This person is not famous, Zheng Shibo, you have lived in the court for a long time, and you know very little about the affairs of the rivers and lakes, and it is normal that you have not heard of his name. ”

"He is a merchant?!If he is a merchant who can afford to lend grain to the imperial court, then the business must be very large, why is he so nameless?"

Duan Qianqiu touched his nose and said, "He is not a pure businessman. ”

"And who is he?"

In addition to being a businessman, he was also a pirate, smuggler, and protector of coastal fishermen. Duan Qianqiu said leisurely.

King Zheng Yang was shocked: "Qianqiu, you are asking the court to bend down to a giant thief, this matter is absolutely impossible, the emperor will never ask for help from a person who is not tolerated by the world." ”

Zheng Shibo, the matter of Cao Yun is either/or, there is never a middle way to speak of, if you can't solve the problem, you can't stay in this position. ”

Seeing that King Zheng Yang was still hesitating.

Duan Qianqiu smiled and said, "The little nephew is just making a suggestion, please deal with it as appropriate for Zheng Shibo." If Fang Cai's words are abrupt, please forgive Zheng Shibo. ”

King Zheng Yang smiled tolerantly: "No, Qianqiu's suggestion is like an initiation, let me wake up all of a sudden, the matter of Cao Yun is indeed either/or, the emperor wants a capable official who can do things, not a mediocre person who abides by the old rules." ”

"It's just that who is this Choi Sung-so, and why do you know him?"

Duan Qianqiu said: "Before the little nephew joined the Caowei of Huaiyin Mansion, he used to travel all over the world and do business everywhere. It was at that time that he met Choi Sung-so, who was of Goryeo descent and used sea ships to trade between Silla, Fusang and Daejeong dynasties all the year round, and the most important commodity was grain in addition to gold and silk. It is rumored that his granaries are all over Dengzhou Mansion, and the amount of inventory is comparable to the Caoyun warehouse of Youzhou Mansion, so the imperial court can borrow grain from him. ”

"How do you know he'll lend it to us?"

Duan Qianqiu smiled and said, "He is a businessman, and he has no treasures. As long as the terms we offer are attractive enough, he will definitely borrow it. ”

"Is it conditional on the abolition of the sea ban?"

"He has been doing sea smuggling all his life, and although he is rich in the world, he doesn't want to be seen as a pirate for the rest of his life. If the sea ban can be opened, his reputation can be whitewashed, and he can also do overseas trade in an upright manner, just lend some grain to the imperial court, how can he refuse!"

After hearing this, King Zhengyang thought in his heart: "This Cui Chengxiu has repeatedly violated the sea ban, and according to the law, it is a crime to exterminate the clan, if you compromise with him on the grounds of opening the sea ban." It is equivalent to asking the emperor to bend his knees to him and ask for peace, can the emperor stand this anger?" he hesitated again when he thought about it, so he remained silent.

Seeing this, Duan Qianqiu knew that King Zheng Yang had not made up his mind, and it was time for him to leave.

Just as he was about to leave, Mei Fang returned!

Mei Fangren stayed outside the living room, but didn't come in, just squeezed his eyebrows and kept waving at Zheng Bingrong.

King Zheng Yang saw it and said with a smile: "Rong'er, Xiaomei Fang must have something difficult to do with you." ”

Zheng Bingrong said to Mei Fang in a loud voice: "Come in, you are not a thief? ”

Mei Fang blushed and "squirmed" in from the door like a little daughter-in-law.

King Zhengyang laughed and said: "Let's talk, I still have some things to go to the Yamen of the Ministry of Officials, so I won't accompany you." Qianqiu, the suggestion you just made is very interesting, I will think about it first, and when the time is ripe, I will propose it to the emperor in private. ”

The three people in the room gave him a farewell salute and saw him walk out of the hall. Zheng Bingrong's face sank, and he said to Mei Fang: "Where have you been fooling around in the past two days? I don't see a single figure, I don't know, I still think you are going to cultivate immortals again?"

Duan Qianqiu also answered: "Doctor Mei has indeed gone to the mountains to cultivate immortals. ”

After hearing this, Mei Fang's face froze, and he looked at Duan Qianqiu.

Zheng Bingrong didn't know what to do, and said in surprise: "What?"

Duan Qianqiu pointed to a few grasses on Mei Fang's skirt and hair and said, "The so-called forest is deep and the grass is abundant, and Doctor Mei must be an immortal who went to the deep mountains to cultivate." Otherwise, I wouldn't have brought back so much fairy grass. ”

Mei Fang secretly sighed, and after pulling off the grass on his body and head, he glanced at Duan Qianqiu and said, "You are sharp-eyed, you are right, I did go to the mountains to collect medicine..."

"Well, it must be around Ailao Mountain, where there are many hidden caves, and it is said that elixirs often appear. Duan Qianqiu said leisurely.

When Mei Fang heard this, his face changed greatly.

(New people and new books, code words are not easy, ask for recommended votes, ask for collections, please raise your noble hands, raise your precious vote! Thank you very much!!)