Outlaws of the Marsh

Chapter 600 Background (please subscribe!)
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Not everyone cares about official career like Xu Derong, and not everyone has the opportunity to be an official in Shuibo Liangshan. Therefore, many people care more about their merchant ships, their goods, and their fate.

Wang Zezhen said: "If you want to return your ships and goods, it's simple, as long as you pay the normal customs duties and business of Liangshan, and then keep up with the promise that you will go to Liaodong to do business, your ships and goods should be returned on board." Goods."

Although the tariff and commercial tax of Shuibo Liangshan are high, they are not higher than those of the Northern Song Dynasty. Furthermore, the wool comes from sheep, and all maritime merchants will add the tariff and commercial tax of Shuibo Liangshan to the price of the product. Therefore, Maritime merchants can all accept the normal taxation of Shuibo Liangshan.

As for going to Liaodong to do business, that is a matter for the future. You might as well agree to it now, and then talk about it after passing the current hurdle.

Some sea merchants couldn't believe that Li Yan would return their ships and goods to them so easily, and said, "It's that simple?"

Wang Zezhen smiled and said: "How difficult can it be? As long as you pay the customs duties and commercial taxes set by my Shuibo Liangshan according to the regulations, and do not violate the laws of my Shuibo Liangshan, you can have smooth traffic in all areas of my Shuibo Liangshan. No hindrance."

Wang Zezhen further explained: "Shang is the most wise monarch in the world, how could he kill the chicken to get the eggs, so don't worry, just follow what I said, and you will get your ships and goods in a short time. "

Xu Derong somewhat entered the role of Li Yan's staff, and said: "The emperor is right to do this. Detaining our merchant ships and goods can only gain temporary benefits. If we can go to Liaodong for trade, Liaodong can truly prosper. "

After a pause, Xu Derong said again: "However, excuse me for what Xu said bluntly, merchants are after profit, even if we fulfill our promise to the emperor and go to Liaodong for trade, but Liaodong can't produce the products that Westerners like, this trade is still impossible. .”

A sea merchant agreed: "Although the colored glaze and scented soap from Liaodong are good products, Westerners prefer our Chinese silk and porcelain, which cannot be replaced by colored glaze or scented soap."

Silk and porcelain are the products of Chinese culture that have been passed down for thousands of years. How could they be replaced by the glass and soap that Li Yan created with the knowledge of later generations?This is the background, even if Li Yan brought those craftsmen to Liaodong, because of the different materials, they would not be able to produce Chinese silk and porcelain.

Today, the main products exported by maritime merchants are silk and celadon from Suzhou, Hangzhou, and Huzhou (especially Longquan celadon).

Chinese silk and porcelain were snapped up as soon as they arrived in the West.

But now, due to various conditions, the trade volume between the East and the West is very small, and maritime merchants naturally choose the most popular commodities for Westerners, namely silk and porcelain, for international trade.

In other words, at this stage, as long as silk and porcelain are available, maritime merchants will never choose glass and soap for international trade on a large scale, unless the trade volume can be greatly increased.

In fact, Li Yan also knew this, and this was also the main reason why Li Yan organized a fleet to sell colored glaze, soap, and refined iron.

Wang Zezhen said: "Trade involves not only selling, but also buying. Liangshan is rich in my waters, and gold and silver are piled up like mountains. You can send spices and other things brought from the west to Liaodong for sale."

The sea merchants couldn't help but feel a little excited!
If it was a few years ago, they would never have considered Wang Zezhen's suggestion.

At that time, the Northern Song Dynasty was stable and the country was prosperous and the people were strong. The spices, flowers and plants they brought back from the west for the court to enjoy were not used in the folk. Only Zhao Ji and the princes and nobles in Bianliang, Tokyo digested them.

But now it's different, the golden man came calling, Tokyo Bianliang was looted three feet by Zhao Huan who fawned over the golden man, in a short time, who would want the luxury they got back?

Xu Derong said: "This is possible, but it can only be at this stage. When the Jin people retreat, most of the merchants will still choose to trade with Song Dynasty. First, the road is much shorter. commodity."

This is also inevitable. After all, the time for Shuibo Liangshan to be established is still too short, and it is seriously lacking in heritage, and it is still unable to pursue these luxuries in large quantities.

Another sea merchant said: "I don't think it is so easy for the Jin people to retreat. The Jin people are all wolves. How could they retreat so easily when they came to the wealthy Song Dynasty?"

Another Haishang answered, "The court is still weak, and they were beaten into the house and blackmailed."

All sea merchants sigh!
Wang Zezhen said: "Wang went to sea last year, and accidentally learned about the affairs of the Song Kingdom. He just heard that the Song Kingdom changed emperors, and the Jin people called. I don't know the specific situation. Can you tell Wang about it? What is going on with Song Guo now?"

A sea merchant said: "What else can I do? There will be a war, and there will be peace. The government orders are not unified, and the military orders are not unified. Numerous women were robbed from all over Tokyo, and then swaggeringly withdrew from Da Song."

Another Haishang said: "The treacherous ministers are in power, and people of insight like Li Youcheng and Zhong Xuanfu are not used. How can they not be humiliated by using villains and mediocre talents like Bai Shizhong and Li Bangyan to govern the country?"

Immediately someone agreed: "If the prime minister employs the right people, the government will be able to get good strategies, the government will be able to implement good policies, the surrounding countries will hear the news and will not dare to invade, and the people of the Li people will live in peace and work happily.

If not, Zaifu is guilty of committing treachery and harming the country.

The former Dazai Bai Shizhong and Li Bangyan had a vegetarian meal during their tenure. They were incompetent and shameless, arrogant and not inferior.

With Wang Fu, Liang Shicheng, and Cai You, they were both inside and outside, and many things were carried out without the permission of the officials.

Not only that, but they have more serious sins.Previously, Jin Shi went south to invade, but he had not yet reached the capital. Hearing that the official family had succeeded him, he was both shocked and afraid, and had the intention of returning to his teacher.However, Zaifu was incompetent and wasted no time.Shi Zhong asked His Majesty to take refuge in Xiangyang, and Bangyan asked His Majesty to cut off the land of the three towns.Zaifu was so cowardly and unfaithful, which aroused Jinren's ambition and went south desperately.

During the time of Emperor Zhangsheng in the past, the Khitan raised troops to invade the bandits.At that time, the courtiers either invited Shu or Jiangnan to be lucky, and only Kou Zhun proposed to lead the Northern Expedition alone. The Khitan was afraid and retreated after seeking an alliance.

From this point of view, the crime of time is serious.

During the reign of Emperor Renzong, the Khitan was arrogant and wanted to take back the land of Guannan. At that time, Fu Bi was ordered to send an envoy to explain the interests to the Khitan, and finally the Khitan had to give in.

From this point of view, Bangyan's crime is serious.

If there are virtuous ministers like Wen Xianggong and Zhao Xianggong in the Great Song Dynasty, how can the Jin people bully our Song people? With hundreds of thousands of troops, how can we watch [-] to [-] Jin people bring a large amount of gold and silver jewelry and Song women to swagger? departure? "

After hearing this, Wang Zezhen said: "Although Wen Xianggong and Zhao Xianggong have the talents of the world, they must be appreciated by the monarch so that they can display these talents. At the beginning, Wen Xianggong taught in Tokyo for more than [-] years, and no one knew them. His great talent, let him waste time, only the superiors know it, please come out of the mountain, and then there will be today's Wen Xianggong. Zhao Xianggong served in the court of Song Dynasty for many years. No one knew his great talent. He was only taught by a small official. Please ask Go, there is today's Zhao Xianggong, Song Guo is not without talent? Li Youcheng and Zhong Xuanfu are all great talents, but no one uses them to their full potential. In the final analysis, it is all about whether the monarch is wise or not."

All the sea merchants in the Song Dynasty did not dare and did not know how to respond to Wang Zezhen's words...

……

(End of this chapter)