Fenghou

Chapter 1408 Clues
Liu Dajiang nodded, "Remember, we have actually been to Luzon Island, but we didn't meet native people, but we didn't investigate carefully. We will go to Luzon Island next."

"And then the second mission!"

Chen Qing spread out a Nanyang map drawn by Chao Kun. Although it is not as accurate as later generations, it can still be roughly distinguished.

"After exploring Luzon Island, you go to the Three Buddha Qi Dynasty. You pretend to be a businessman to buy a piece of land from their king. I will tell you where it is."

Chen Qing pointed to a long strait and said: "This strait is the only way to Tianzhu and Dashi. If you buy the peninsula in the north, even if you can't buy all of it, you have to buy half of it. The key is to have Tamsui, I want to establish the Nanyang Trade Bureau here."

Obtaining a piece of land in Nanyang as the foundation of overseas trade has always been the wish of the Song and Ming dynasties. In history, it was Ming Chengzu Zhu Di who really realized this wish. He established the Jiugang Propaganda Department centered on the old port. It is not related to Qi's Chinese regime, but it is indeed an official Ming Dynasty institution.

The peninsula that Chen Qing asked Liu Dajiang to buy was naturally the later Malay Peninsula, and at this time it belonged to the territory of the Srivijaya Dynasty.

Liu Dajiang thought for a while and said: "In fact, with our strength, we can completely occupy any island in Nanyang. Why spend that money to buy it?"

Chen Qing smiled and said: "Of course I know that it can be directly occupied, but when it comes to military campaigns, you must pay attention to strategy and long-term vision, especially the expansion of land boundaries. You must pay attention to legality. You buy the land and then resell it. Give it to the Yong Kingdom, then this piece of land is the legal land of the Yong Kingdom."

Liu Dajiang nodded, "The humble guide Zhang Jiugong also said that the territory of the Three Buddha Qi Dynasty was too vast, and there was no territorial awareness. For the Three Buddha Qi rulers, it is of course okay to sell a piece of land to a businessman in exchange for huge wealth. Anyway, you can take it back when you need it.”

"Yes! It's the idea of ​​taking advantage of them!"

Chen Qing praised: "If the government comes forward to buy it, they will definitely have concerns. They are afraid that there will be a powerful neighboring country around them, so they may not sell it, but if it is a businessman who buys it, they will drink blood and eat meat before gnawing bones. Idea, they will sell the land, I want their deed of sale."

Liu Dajiang wished he could set off immediately, he immediately said: "The humble official will definitely take this land for His Highness!"

Lin'an has entered the midsummer season, and the heat is unbearable. The streets seem to be on fire, and the air is about to burn. Every step is sweating. Except for the people at the bottom who are still enduring the heat and running for their lives, the rest of the people are in a state of stillness. Those who have no money squat at home to escape the heat, and the conditions at home are good, so they squeeze into various teahouses to drink iced drinks to enjoy the coolness.

Apart from the people at the bottom, the only people still appearing on the street are the Plum Blossom Guards. The Plum Blossom Guards are having a hard time recently. They have received a heavy task, asking them to clear up illegal salt.

Since last year, private salt in the Jiangnan area has gradually emerged, and it has become more and more serious now. The high-ranking officials may not feel it, but the salt tax cannot be faked. Last year’s salt tax was cut by half compared with the previous year. In the first few months of this year, The salt tax dropped by [-]%.

The Song Dynasty did not suppress land annexation from the beginning of the founding of the country. The Song Dynasty unified the world very smoothly. The fundamental reason was that it did not touch the interests of powerful and separatist forces in various places and won the support of powerful landlords in various places. From the Five Dynasties to the Song Dynasty, the land has always been in the hands of the powerful and powerful. In the hands of the government, it is difficult for local governments to collect taxes on land, and land tax revenue has not always been the bulk of the Song Dynasty's fiscal and tax revenue.

This also forced the rule of the Song Dynasty to vigorously develop commerce, so as to obtain commercial tax as fiscal revenue. This is an important reason for the high development of the commodity economy in the Song Dynasty.

Salt tax and wine tax have always been the biggest tax revenues of the imperial court. Of course, there are government-run mining industries and overseas trade, etc., so the flood of illegal salt will undoubtedly make up for the imperial court, which is increasingly struggling with financial revenue. It seems that the amount of military salary has to be paid, which will drive the emperor Zhao Gou crazy.

Zhao Gou issued a strict order to Meihuawei, to clean up the private salt in the Jiangnan area within one month, otherwise the Meihuawei will be disbanded.

This almost cost the life of Plum Blossom Guard. Everyone is mobilized from top to bottom. Everyone is busy cleaning up illegal salt, and extortion is temporarily ignored.

In the official office of King Yong's special envoy, Yan Xin, the commander of the Meihua Guard, visited the special envoy Lu Gang. Of course, Yan Xin had sufficient reasons to suspect that the private salt was related to the Yong Kingdom. The rise of private salt coincided with the time when Fujian Road was occupied by the Western Army. If it wasn't for the kingdom of Yong secretly selling salt, how could the private salt in the south of the Yangtze River be flooded so quickly?

Lu Gang understood Yan Xin's euphemistic and implicit expression, and he smiled and said, "Why didn't Yan Dutong just say it outright, asking us not to sell salt in the Jiangnan area?"

Yan Hard smiled and said: "Some things can't be said too bluntly, as long as Special Envoy Lu understands what I mean, that's fine."

"But Yan Dutong didn't have any evidence. He just took it for granted that we were selling salt in Jiangnan."

"This... I was also forced by the emperor to have no choice. If there is any offense, please forgive me!"

Lu Gang said coldly: "I understand Yan Dutong's difficulties, but I can tell Yan Dutong frankly that I have never heard of Yongguo or the Western Army selling salt in the Jiangnan area, and I can also tell Yan Dutong responsibly. Tong, we don't have this idea, the flood of private salt in the south of the Yangtze River has nothing to do with us, of course, if Yan Dutong is willing to listen, I can provide some clues."

Yan Xin quickly got up and saluted, "If Envoy Lu Te can provide you with clues, I will be very grateful!"

Lu Gang smiled slightly and said: "Since the year before last, we have been suppressing private salt dealers on Jiangnan West Road. We killed [-] of the thirteen private salt dealers, but there are still three private salt dealers from Jiangnan East Road. They escaped us, but we informed your Yantie Supervisor, Li Zengping from Xuanzhou, Luo Zhi from Ningguo Mansion, and Lu Guang from Health Mansion. The three salt lords are still at large.”

Yan Xin took a breath and said, "Could it be that the three of them are responsible for the flood of private salt?"

Lu Gang shook his head, "Things are not that simple. Even if they are making waves in the Jiangnan area, who will provide them with a source of private salt? Also, who will distribute it for them in various places? These salt lords are just middlemen. The source and the end are like a net of selling branches."

"I implore Special Envoy Lu for further guidance!"

Lu Gang said indifferently: "I can't talk about advice, it's just a little common sense. With the skills of the three salt lords, they are more active in a few states at most, but they spread to the entire Jiangnan in just half a year. Think about it, Yan Dutong, who can do it?" Has such a great ability?"

Even though Yan Xin was relatively dull, he also understood, "What does the special envoy mean, collusion between government and business?"

"I'm just guessing, but I don't have any evidence. This matter has nothing to do with us. In fact, it's easy to catch illegal salt. Yan Dutong might as well go back and torture the housekeeper in his house. Where did he buy the salt? One point, trace back to where the goods were purchased from, and find the second point, and then trace back to the third point, and trace it back one by one. I believe that within a few days, we can find Lin'an Mansion. Who is the private salt boss?"

Yan Xin scratched his head and said, "I checked our family's accounts, and the price of our salt is official salt, and we didn't buy private salt."

Lu Gang laughed, "Spend the money of private salt and report it to the account of official salt. This is the reason why private salt is flooding, and it is profitable!"

Yan Xin's face suddenly became extremely ugly. Could it be that the housekeeper dared to greed his own money?
(End of this chapter)