Daming Yinghua

Chapter 74
Zheng Haizhu, as a firm traveler who has not forgotten how to write the word humility, knows that she did not come to the No. [-] Seaport of Ming Dynasty to catwalk.

So after speaking only one sentence in English, she showed a somewhat embarrassed expression, and said to Eunuch Liu who was also surprised: "Haizhu and the missionaries in Songjiang have learned a little bit of superficial language, and there will be no more."

Unexpectedly, Liu Shimin quickly accepted the dissatisfaction, and cheerfully said to a group of officials including the magistrate of Haicheng County, "Why don't you say that the people in the south of the Yangtze River are outstanding? A year later, we all know that the Hongyi people have opened an East India trading company in the sea."

This time, it was Zheng Haizhu's turn to be surprised.

Liu Shimin also understands English?
And you also know that you are talking about the East India Company with the Dutch businessman?

However, there is no word for "company" in Chinese at this time, so Eunuch Liu equated "company" with "business company".

Seeing Zheng Haizhu's instant reaction, Liu Shimin pursed his lips and said, "Little girl, our Suzhou mansion is closer to Nanjing than your Songjiang mansion, and there are more Thai and Western missionaries. Our family sells silk for Long Live God to Fanren If you don’t learn some words, wouldn’t you be like General Ma leading his troops into battle but not being able to recognize new weapons?”

When Zheng Haizhu heard this, he couldn't help but sigh with emotion, saying that the eunuchs of Ming Dynasty had the highest level of education in all dynasties, and it was true.

And this Liu Shimin, as recorded in the historical data, is a top scholar among the top scholars, and it is rare that he, like Xu Guangqi, does not reject Western learning and foreign languages.

Ma Xianglin on the side also smiled in response to the occasion, and naturally understood in his heart the real reason why Eunuch Liu is familiar with the overseas situation.

Today, Liu Shimin also planned to use some knowledge to suppress the Hongyi people who had just started to occupy territory in the southeast coast. Is it a villain?" the translator said kindly: "Old brother, our family is also like this girl. I can't speak much Saxon and Frankie. I still have to thank you."

After speaking, Liu Shimin made a gesture, and Zheng Haizhu and Fan Polu immediately followed the officials and wives of the Weaving Bureau, and quickly opened the camphor wood boxes engraved with the word "Chi" one after another, and took out all kinds of silk cloth goods. .

Ivory white, neatly coiled raw silk.

Shining brocade, forging, silk and bamboo.

Cotton with a fine fleece that feels like a baby's cheek to the touch.

The silk handkerchief of Suzhou embroidery is the size of a palm, but can show the spring scenery of the garden.

The fabric is silent, but with its pure color, soft luster, beautiful pattern and excellent handle, it vividly tells the world how ingenious, careful and delicate the hands of the craftsmen of the Ming Dynasty are.

All of a sudden, in the courtyard full of sunshine, there are more flowers than in the world, just like the fairy flowers in Langyuan in the heaven.

The leader of the Dutch businessman who came to meet Liu Gonggong today through Yuegang Yaxing is called Gullit.

With the strong support of the domestic dignitaries and the overseas East India Company, Gullit, like other Dutch businessmen, drove their flat-bottomed sailing boats, holding a cross in one hand and a sword in the other, traveling all over Malacca, An Timor (now Indonesia), Champa (now Vietnam), Chenla (now Cambodia), Siam (now Thailand), Borneo (now Brunei), Luzon (now Philippines), Hirado (now Japan).

The Dutch firmly believe that after Portugal and Spain dug up the first few pots of gold in the Age of Discovery, their power has faded away, while the Britons seem to have just woken up, and they may not have the strength to take a share of the pie right away.

Therefore, after these ambitious maritime coachmen in the Netherlands completed the occupation of the small countries in Southeast Asia and the infiltration of Japan in Japan, the next thing to do is to aim at the huge but heavily guarded Eastern Empire of Ming Dynasty, and strive for the shortest possible time. During the period of time, the Portuguese and Spaniards were kicked out, and the sea trade with Ming was monopolized.

In the autumn of last year, Gullit had already sneaked into Macau, where Ming Dynasty allowed the Portuguese to do business, by bribing local officials in Xiangjiang. He made a quick victory on the coast and sold linen, leather shoes and hats, sugar, metal utensils, and cheese products. and dried herring, and bought back a whole ship of porcelain, tea, Shu brocade and Canton embroidery.

At that time, Gullit and his subordinates were stunned by Shu brocade and Canton embroidery, which were much higher than Japanese fabrics, and they all expressed emotion. No wonder Governor Cohen told them that the Ming Empire was a huge oriental treasure house.

Unexpectedly, luck got better this time. Not only was he able to squeeze into the team of fan merchants in Yuegang, but he also conquered an old dental firm with gold coins, and was able to do business directly with officials of Daming.

What made the Dutch even more amazed was that these silk and cotton fabrics, which were said to be shipped from the most affluent land in Ming Dynasty, were more magnificent or softer than the silk goods seen in Macau before.

Gullit's eyes lit up, he held up two strands of raw silk, and asked how much it was.

At the beginning of asking the price, the local officials of Yuegang, under the leadership of the county magistrate, bid farewell to Mr. Liu with interest.

After waiting for only the people from the Weaving Bureau and the Dutch businessman to remain in the hospital, Liu Shimin made an unhurried quotation: "200 taels of silver a load, we have as much as Ming wants. Well, a load is a hundred catties, and Fran It's about the same as a Fanega of a Christian."

Pointing to another box, he said: "The color silk over there is 230 taels of silver a load. I have checked and visited, and the Dongying people went to Haojing to buy raw silk for the Frankie people, and the asking price would never be lower than our color silk. s price."

Zheng Haizhu, who was listening from the side, was once again refreshed by Liu Shimin's performance.

She thought that it was an official from the Weaving Bureau who came out to discuss the details with the Dutch, but Liu Shimin actually went to battle in person, like a skilled Fujian merchant.

At this time, Japan has indeed raised a large number of silkworm babies, but if we fight for the quality and quantity of raw silk, then our Ming Dynasty can still crush it.

Dutchman Gullit's blue eyes were shining brightly.

But the calmness in the businessman's bones and the pursuit of greater profits made him still shake his head.

He asked an interpreter from the dental shop to tell Eunuch Liu: The price of raw silk is indeed the market price, but colored silk is too expensive.Since the Netherlands got rid of the rule of the Frankies, it has planted a large number of dye plants on its own land. It has achieved great results in just a few years. Now even the Saxons are transporting wool and woolen wool to the Netherlands by boat. The land comes up stained.

The implication of the Dutch is very clear, since we can dye it ourselves, why buy such expensive colored silk, unless the price comes down.

After listening to Eunuch Liu, he smiled lightly, turned his head to Zheng Haizhu and said: "Miss Zheng, this red-haired man sits on the ground and pays back the money. You also know how to dye. Come on, talk to him."

The sudden order was to test whether the girl had a sharp mind and a fighting will.

Zheng Haizhu has been listening attentively. This is the first time she has experienced a high-level sea trade negotiation in the empire after traveling. What a rare opportunity for actual combat. Therefore, she follows every sentence of the interpreter and simulates the counterattack in her mind. .

Listening to Liu Shimin's call at this moment, Zheng Haizhu is like a soldier who is ready to go, and immediately enters the attack state when he sees the semaphore.

She went to the box containing the colored silk, rummaged through it, selected three or four handles of red colored silk, and then went to another box to take out a silk face towel blended by Hanjiazhifang, walked up to Gullit, and politely He gestured and said: "My Daming admires red, and I know how to dye red the most. Fortunately, some of them are used as dyes for plants or minerals, and only my Daming land can produce them."

Gullit cheered up: "May I ask this profound lady, what kind of plant or mineral is it?"

Zheng Haizhu thought, there are too many, such as knotweed, big-leaf banyan, madder, daich, and Xiapu grass in Zhangquan area.

But if you think I'm stupid, I will tell you their names directly.

Su Yanran smiled and said: "It's useless to find these plants and ores. There are many exclusive formulas and techniques in the dyeing process. We call it non-material culture in Ming Dynasty. These are not important. The important thing is that I believe that Mr. Gullit saw it with his own eyes. In fact, I already have the answer in my heart, whether our beautiful silk threads, satins and cotton cloths are the same color as the woolen yarns and woolens dyed by your country.”

The interpreter at Hong Kong Yaxing that month was stunned when he heard the words "non-material culture", and said to himself... I don't even know what this word means in Chinese, so how to translate it into Hongyi dialect.

Hearing the words "these are not important" again, I breathed a sigh of relief, Miss Zheng was right, there is no need to talk nonsense with the Hongyi people, just tell him that you will definitely not be able to dye such a good-looking one, that's all.

How could Gullit, a foreign fighter like Gullit, disarm in the first round?

He still put on a seemingly respectful but suppressed smile, asked Zheng Haizhu for the silk-cotton blended handkerchief, stroked the red velvet part that was as bright as the morning glow, and shrugged his shoulders disapprovingly: " For example, this color is indeed very red, but it is not impossible to dye it outside of your country."

As he spoke, he took out a cloth bag containing shredded tobacco, pulled it evenly, and showed it to the proud Ming people in front of him.

"Look, everyone, the red clothes of the bishop on the bag are the same as the red color of the face scarf in your country, right?"

Liu Shimin looked intently, and had to admit that the embroidery of the foreign monk pattern on the cigarette pouch was too messy to notice, but the thread embroidered on the cassock was indeed bright red.

Eunuch Liu has stayed in the palace for many years, and he knows that no matter whether it is porcelain or weaving, craftsmen have the reaction of "talking about redness", because the most authentic and beautiful red, whether it is fired or dyed, is a test of skill, and sometimes it needs to be dyed. See how lucky you are.

That's why Zheng Haizhu just picked the red goods to challenge the Dutch, and Liu Shimin quite praised it.

Unexpectedly, Hongmaofan also has a trump card.

Zheng Haizhu glanced at Liu Shimin's slightly frowned brows, and pretended to ask for instructions cautiously: "Eunuch, this Hongyi is cheating. Can Azhu say something more serious? If Hongyi's face is offended, they will leave in a huff. Can you blame me?"

(End of this chapter)