Great Song Super Scholar

Chapter 582 Persuading the Zhizheng Hall

Early the next morning, Fan Ning came to the Zhizheng Hall located in the lower province of the Imperial City Gate. As soon as he entered, Fu Bi saw him and said with a smile, "Mr. Fan is here!"

When Fan Ning saw the seven ministers gathered together, he knew that they planned to hold a meeting in the Zhizheng Hall.

"Congratulations to Zhizhengtang for making a fortune, and I'm here to congratulate you!" Fan Ning came in and joked.

"The abundance of wealth is also thanks to Mr. Fan."

Han Qi, who was rarely serious, also made a joke. He smiled at Fan Ning: "Wait a moment, have a cup of tea, and we will finish our discussion soon."

Wen Yanbo also said to Engeng: "Use the dragon tea for honored guests to make a pot of good tea for Mr. Fan."

Various attitudes show that the ministers of Zhizhengtang are extremely satisfied with Fan Ning, who can make money.

Those who can be the Prime Minister are all elites who have been in the officialdom for decades. The principles must be followed, and the favors must be given, so Fan Ning proposed to buy the island, and the Prime Ministers agreed when Fan Ning met the conditions. , and gave him a big discount, [-]% off on top of the [-]% discount, and gave him a huge discount with a [-]-[-]% discount.

In the guest hall, Fan Ning was drinking the best tea with strong tea fragrance, but he was thinking about how to persuade the ministers to build a mansion in the Southern Continent. This is the main purpose of his coming to Zhizheng Hall today, and how to develop Southeast Asia?
Since the people are unwilling to go to Southeast Asia and the Southern Continent, the imperial court has no choice but to take over.

Of course, there is also some selfishness of Fan Ning in this. If the imperial court does not manage the southern continent, how can he borrow troops from the imperial court to develop the North Island?
A quarter of an hour later, an officer came over and said, "Mr. Fan, my gentlemen are welcome!"

It seemed that their discussion was over. Fan Ning came to the meeting hall quickly, and saw seven Xiangguo sitting in their seats chatting and drinking tea. The Xiangguo presiding over the Zhizheng Hall today is Cai Xiang, the Minister of Political Affairs.

Seeing Fan Ning walk in, Cai Xiang got up and said with a smile, "Please take a seat!"

Mr. Fan's address can be used as a joke, but in formal occasions, you really can't call him casually. Calling Fan Ning an economic envoy is the official official title.

Fan Ning sat down across the long table, and Cai Xiang asked with a smile, "Is there anything that the Economic Envoy needs the assistance of Zhizhengtang today?"

Fan Ning reported directly to the Empress Dowager and the Son of Heaven. Basically, he had little contact with the Zhizheng Hall. He cleared his mind and said to everyone: "Today, I would like to talk to you all about the affairs of the Southern Continent."

Fu Bi nodded, "We've read all the reports on the expedition to the south, and it's really unexpected. You're not interested in Southeast Asia and the Southern Continent, but you can't force it at this time. Do you have any better suggestions?"

"The humble official suggests that the government take over the Southern Continent, and set up prefectures and counties in the Southern Continent just like the Luzon government."

Everyone looked at each other, and Fu Bi said again: "It will take three months of sailing to reach the Southern Continent, it's too far away, Zhizhengtang's original intention is not to establish a government there, but we still want to give you a chance, tell us why !"

Fan Ning took out a report and handed it to everyone, "This is the investigation report of the Southern Continent. Five hundred soldiers landed and searched two hundred miles deep. Please take a look at some of the things they found."

The report was very short, about [-] words. Fu Bi took it and read it quickly, then passed it to Han Qi, and then to Wen Yanbo, and everyone passed it on one by one. After a while, everyone finished reading Fan Ning's report.

"In just two hundred miles, the soldiers discovered a large piece of fertile land, huge copper and gold mines, and large carbon fields that are easy to mine. We can basically be sure that the resources in the southern continent are abundant As far as Luzon Mansion is concerned, once it is developed, the Song court will surely obtain a steady stream of huge wealth for a long time."

Wen Yanbo nodded and said, "Your reason is indeed tempting, but the long distance is the biggest obstacle. How to overcome the three-month voyage?"

Fan Ning calmly said: "First of all, I want to explain that the voyage did not last for three months. The survey fleet spent too much time near the Luzon Mansion. In addition, the route was unfamiliar, and they took a lot of wrong roads. These factors are deducted, at most one and a half months is enough, 45 days of sailing.

Second, the steam engine has been successfully developed, and Zhujia Shipyard is installing it on the ship. Once the steam ship appears, not only will it no longer require hundreds of rowers, but it will also increase the speed by two to three times. The 45-day voyage will arrive in 20 days. , which is the same as the time-consuming to Kunzhou.

Third, we can learn from Kunzhou’s experience and use Danzhou as a transit point. In this way, we can set up several transit cities along the way. The fleet can arrive at the destination in a few days, unload and return. Now Luzon is the It is a good transit point. In the future, we will set up two transit cities, so it will be very easy to develop the Southern Continent. "

Fanning's reason was indeed very strong, and everyone had to be convinced.

"In addition, I have to say another reason!" Fanning said again.

"Please tell me the economic envoy!"

"Before I met two western businessmen from Genoa in Xingang, they told me that there are still some coastal powers in the west, and their navigation technology is also very strong. I am worried that if we abandon the southern continent, once the westerners discover the southern continent And occupy, in the future our children and grandchildren will scold us for being incompetent and giving up huge wealth and resources to others.”

Fan Ning's words made everyone's hair stand on end, and Han Qi couldn't help but said: "Jing Lue Shi, this kind of statement is too exaggerated!"

Fan Ning shook his head, "It's not an exaggeration. What I'm talking about is the truth. History will evaluate our choices today. If you don't want to be infamous in history, then please agree to my suggestion and establish a government in the Southern Continent."

The Zhizhengtang finally reluctantly agreed to Fan Ning's suggestion, and planned to establish Dingnanfu in the southern continent, and initially set up two counties, which will be implemented by the overseas economic and strategy government. Zhizhengtang will relocate [-] households and agree to recruit [-] workers.

At noon, Xiangguo Han Jiang invited Fan Ning to lunch at Qingfeng Restaurant on Yujie Street as usual.

The two of them didn't enter the elegant room, but found a seat by the window on the second floor. The drinkers around here are relatively far away, so they don't have to worry about being overheard when they talk.

"You don't seem to be satisfied with today's results?" Han Jiang poured Fan Ning a glass of wine and asked with a smile.

"It's not dissatisfaction, but I do feel that the imperial court's interest in overseas development has faded."

At this point, Fan Ning realized that his tone was too harsh, so he said in a joking tone: "Is it true that Luzon Mansion sells islands and land, and the money is soft, so they have no interest in the Southern Continent?"

Han Jiang smiled and said: "Actually, there is a reason for this. The people are generally dissatisfied with the Southern Continent and the Southeast Asian islands. Those powerful and wealthy businessmen complained one after another, saying that the ship had gone for three months and a ship sank. , causing the imperial court to have doubts about that side, but the more important reason is the distance, everyone can't imagine how far the three-month voyage is?"

After a pause, Han Jiang said again: "In fact, the imperial court finally agreed to build two counties, which is already the biggest compromise."

"However, I feel that the migration of [-] households is still too small."

Fan Ning said bluntly: "Thirty thousand households have been relocated in the small Luzon Mansion, and only [-] households have been relocated in the Southern Continent. This is sending beggars away!"

"Mr. Fan, you need to understand the court's difficulties. There have been too many overseas immigrants in recent years."

Fan Ning sneered and said, "How many people are there in the Great Song Dynasty, and how many immigrants are there? All of them add up to a maximum of 50 people, which is not even a fraction of the Great Song Dynasty. It's embarrassing to say that there are too many overseas immigrants."

"You can't say that. Soon the rich and powerful will develop the island, and there will definitely be another wave of immigration. The land in the Song Dynasty will be barren. What should I do?"

"Then find a way to improve the planting technology, or grow corn or wheat, and one person can plant hundreds of acres of land, and all problems will be solved."

Han Jiang smiled wryly and shook her head, taking it for granted.

Fan Ning was silent for a moment and said, "Then I'm ugly. If the court refuses to develop the Southern Continent, then I will suggest to the Queen Mother and the Emperor that the military take over. Once the military gets tens of millions of taels of gold, the court should not regret it."

In the afternoon, after listening to Han Jiang's retelling, the Prime Ministers of the Zhizheng Hall shook their heads. Fan Ning was just messing around and asked the military to take over the Southern Continent. Fortunately, he figured it out.

Han Qi was silent for a moment, then asked Fu Bi and Wen Yanbo, "What do you think?"

Fu Biyang raised the report in his hand, "Large gold and copper mines were discovered after only two hundred miles of exploration. If this report is true, the Southern Continent is really a treasure land."

Wen Yanbo also said: "Fan Ning is more likely to get the support of the military. Once the military really takes over the Southern Continent, we will be passive. Although the Southern Continent is far away, if it is really like what Fan Ning said, take the steam ship , 20 days will arrive, I think it can be considered for development.”

Han Qi nodded, "In the area of ​​[-] Luzon mansions, it is indeed a little less to move [-] households, so let's do it! We will operate as two Luzon mansions, move [-] households, and build ten houses in two mansions." Counties, but they cannot be moved all at once, and they will be moved successively in five years."

"What about the army and Japanese laborers?" Fu Bi asked again.

"The army is set at 5000 people, and the Japanese laborers are set at 5 in advance."

Han Qi thought that Fan Ning was using the military to force Zhizheng Hall, and he was really annoyed in his heart, so he said with a hint of ruthlessness in his tone: "Fan Ning must be there to watch over the establishment of the first county. If it succeeds, there will be no way to continue with the subsequent plans.”

(End of this chapter)