The room goes through the late Ming Dynasty, and the back door leads to North America at the beginni

In addition to the rectification and innovation of the salt industry in Dawei this year, similar rectification and innovation will also be carried out in industries such as tea and mining that account for a large proportion of trade.

In addition, after two or three consecutive years of fighting after the founding of the country, it is best to rest for one year.

Therefore, Liu Sheng had no plans to send troops to Northeast China in the spring.

However, military action is not necessarily necessary to put pressure on the Qing captives.

It can also be done by attacking the Qing’s foreign trade channels.

After pondering for a while, Liu Sheng said to Zhang Jiayu, the secretary who was on duty in the palace, "Have the Telecommunications Department send a message to Beijing to ask the Xiuyi Guards about the progress of the investigation of Shanxi merchants."

"Yes."

Zhang Jiayu responded and went to the telecommunications office.

When laying out the salt industry last year, Liu Sheng planned to rectify the northern salt industry, mainly the Changlu Salt Field, while also investigating Shanxi merchants, and uprooting all the eight imperial merchants of the Qing Dynasty, including the Fan family who had colluded with the Qing Dynasty.

This matter is now underway.

The Qing Dynasty currently had three main foreign trade channels.

The first was through North Korea, the second was through Shanxi merchants, and the third was through trade with the Western Regions through the prairie.

The third road here is the farthest and has the smallest trade volume.

As for the first channel - just order the navy to block the trade between North Korea and Japan, you can achieve the effect of blocking North Korea and the Qing Dynasty at the same time.

As long as the inventory of Shanxi merchants is completed, the Qing Dynasty will definitely be more difficult, and many important materials such as food, sulfur, saltpeter, etc. will become scarce.

If the Qing Dynasty wanted to solve its difficulties, it could only strengthen its control over North Korea and even capture more territory in Lee's North Korea.

···
If the eight major Shanxi merchants are regarded as private companies with large capital, their headquarters are not in Shanxi, but in Zhangjiakou Town, Xuanfu, North Zhili.

After Da'ei took over Xuanfu, he upgraded Zhangjiakou to a county. After initially rectifying the horse market, he expanded the scale of the mutual market in a principled manner.

As a result, within two years, Zhangjiakou restored seventy-eight percent of its former prosperity.

Zhangjiakou was originally a fort built in the border guard building of the Ming Dynasty. It was built in the fourth year of Xuande. It can be said to be a landmark building that transformed the Ming Dynasty's military operations on the grassland from offensive to defensive.

Therefore, in the early years, people often called it Zhangjiakou Fort.

This fort is located on a high ground beside the Qingshui River.

If you look at it from a high place, you can find that it is located in the intermountain basin in northwest Hebei, at the junction of the Mongolian Bashang grassland and the Bashang grassland in northwest Hebei.

Surrounded by mountains on three sides and Qingshui River on one side, it is easy to defend but difficult to attack, and its location is extremely dangerous.

Because the Ming Dynasty built Zhangjiakou Fort to guard against northern invaders and prevent enemies from the west from threatening the capital by bypassing Zhangjiakou, it was designed as a Chinese-style war fortress.

The fortress wall is four miles in circumference and three to five feet high, with only two doors.

That is, Yongzhen Gate in the east and Chengen Gate in the south.

There is also a smaller city in the city, which is where important facilities such as the former guard arsenal and government offices were located.

Zhangjiakou Fort City is not that big. Later, when the Ming Dynasty implemented the mutual market policy, the city was overcrowded, and there were many residential buildings even in the city walls.

Under such circumstances, it is naturally impossible for the horse market to be located within the castle.

Instead, another castle was built on the other side of the Qingshui River, named "Laiyuan Castle", which means guests coming from afar.

In order to facilitate business, many businessmen choose to buy real estate in Zhangjiakou Fort or Laiyuan Fort, or even move their families here.

Most of the Shanxi merchants who mainly engaged in foreign trade had their business headquarters located here.

By the end of the Ming Dynasty, between Zhangjiakou Fort and Laiyuan Fort, both sides of the Qingshui River were filled with houses and other buildings, which were larger than many county towns.

In fact, it has become a "county town" without city walls in northern Xinjiang.

It can be said that the establishment of a county in Da'ei was a matter of course.

The Fan family moved here as early as the beginning of the mutual trade more than a hundred years ago, and now they have multiplied to the eighth generation.

Therefore, the Fan family has hundreds of people in Zhangjiakou, and there are houses in the two forts.

However, perhaps to facilitate business in the horse market, Fan's main residence is not in Zhangjiakou, but in Laiyuanbao City.

Fan's main house is a typical contemporary building of a large northern family.

The inner courtyards are within courtyards, connected by passages separated by high walls. There are also second-floor corridors, underground warehouses, etc., which are no different from a maze.

People who are not familiar with the road will not be able to get out for a while.

The sunshine at the end of March is not too bright.

Fan Yongdou, who was in his sixties, ate two bowls of carefully cooked Bazhen porridge and eight side dishes of four meat and four vegetables, and then went to an open-air terrace on the second floor to bask in the sun with satisfaction.

This balcony is located on the second floor, which is actually equivalent to the third floor.

Because of the strong wind and sand in the north, there are very few buildings with more than two floors in Laiyuan Fort, so this terrace is considered a spot with a good view in Laiyuan Fort.

Fan Yongdou sat down on a rocking chair, and four handsome maids aged twelve or thirteen immediately gathered around him.

Either stand or squat.

Some squeezed their shoulders, some beat their legs, and the one with the best skills and the most mature look rubbed Fan Yongdou's temples.

Under such attentive and comfortable service, Fan Yongdou soon narrowed his eyes and seemed to fall asleep under the warm spring light.

Less than half an hour passed.

Fan Yongdou snored slightly, and the maids had already stopped.

But there was a burst of rapid footsteps.

Soon a fat middle-aged man who looked somewhat similar to Fan Yongdou came up the stairs.

But it is Fan Sanbo, Fan Yongdou's eldest son, who is now the public head of the Fan family.

He looked a little anxious, and he didn't care that Fan Yongdou was sleeping. He walked closer and said, "Father, there is news from outside the mouth."

Fan Yongdou opened his eyes, glared at Fan Sanbo dissatisfiedly, and then waved his hand to the four maids to retreat.

Then he asked, "What news?"

Fan Sanbo said, "Let us try to send another batch of sulfur, otherwise we will tell the Da'ei court about our family's affairs."

"It's really unreasonable!" With Fan Yongdou's qi-nurturing skills, he couldn't help but slap the armrest of the rocking chair angrily after hearing this, "The princes of the Qing Dynasty are really getting worse and worse, and they actually come to threaten us!"

Fan Sanbo hesitated for a moment and said: "The visitor said that the Da'ei imperial court has blocked North Korea's maritime trade, causing North Korea to lack sulfur for aid."

"They can't get much sulfur from North Korea, so they can only pin their hopes on us."

"They also said that as long as they can send another batch of sulfur to be traded overseas, money is not a problem, or they can double or triple the last price."

Double or triple the last price?
Fan Yongdou's eyes lit up when he heard this, as if a silver light flashed through his eyes.

After Da'ei captured Xuanfu and strictly inspected prohibited trade goods such as sulfur and saltpeter, the Fan family and several other Shanxi merchants who mainly traded with the Qing Dynasty transferred the prohibited trade to Datong Prefecture in Shanxi Province.

Although Datong Mansion was under Dashun's control at that time, there were many more loopholes to exploit than Da'ei.

Therefore, it did not affect their trade with the Qing Dynasty.

However, after Damei captured Shanxi and Shaanxi last year, although several more trading places were opened on the border, the search for trade contraband became more stringent.

Although there is no loophole to exploit, with the channels that Fan currently has control over, it is quite difficult to sell a batch of sulfur.

It should be understood that they were trading with the Qing Dynasty, not a certain person or a small tribe.

The amount of contraband such as sulfur that the Qing Dynasty had to trade every time was not a small amount. Even if they are shipped separately, it will be very difficult.

Because of this, the transaction prices of sulfur and other contraband have continued to rise in the past year, reaching seven or eight times the previous high!
If the last price were doubled or tripled, it would be more than twenty times the normal price!
Such huge profits made even Fan Yongdou excited.

Considering that the Qing government had control over their trafficking in contraband and intelligence, Fan Yongdou felt that it was better to take a risk.

The reason why Shanxi merchants have grown so far is not only because they are good at planning, but also because they dare to take risks and fight hard.

After thinking for a moment, Fan Yongdou whispered: "Go to Datong Mansion in person to see if this can be done."

Fan Sanbo looked hesitant after hearing this and said, "Is it too risky? Recently, the Datong Prefecture's army patrols the border more frequently than before."

Fan Yongdou was a little dissatisfied when he heard this, and said: "You are so young, how can you be so timid? The Yi army patrols the border more frequently, you won't bribe a few more people?"

"Don't be reluctant to give up money. As long as the business can continue, the money we give away can be earned back from the Qing Dynasty."

Fan Sanbo nodded, "Son, I understand." After saying that, he left.

Fan Yongdou held him back, "Don't be timid when it's time to take risks, but don't be brave if you can't do it. Remember, this is a fatal business."

"Son, remember this."

After Fan Sanbo went downstairs, Fan Yongdou stood up and stretched his waist.

He casually glanced around the mansion, wondering if it was an illusion, and found that there seemed to be more pedestrians and vendors than usual.

"Come here! Come here!" Fan Yongdou shouted.

"Master." A maid came over.

"Go to my room and get the telescope!"

"Yes."

The maid left in response and quickly brought a telescope.

This kind of Western gadget was introduced to China through missionaries in the last years of Wanli.

As the top Shanxi businessman, Fan Yongdou bought two of them early to play with after knowing that this thing was magical.

At this time, he used the telescope to quickly take a look at the situation around the mansion.

Although no obvious flaws were seen, the feeling that something was wrong did not disappear.

Immediately, he moved the telescope further away and looked around, and then he realized that on the third floor of a restaurant, there was actually a person holding a telescope and looking at the Fan family mansion.

This time, they both discovered each other!

'Sure enough, someone is meeting my Fan family! '

'who is it? ’

'Could it be someone from the imperial court? '

Fan Yongdou felt surprised and doubtful in his heart.

He hurriedly turned around and hurried downstairs. As he walked, he said to the maids who were following him: "Quickly go and send a message and ask Fan Sanbo, Fan Nian, Fan Zheng and Fan Hua to come over!"

The last three are all his concubines.

The maids responded and left quickly.

Fan Yongdou continued to order people to summon several brothers and important clan members in Laiyuan Fort and Zhangjiakou Fort.

At the same time, he did not forget to send people out to find out the news.

the other side.

In a private room on the third floor of Xiangfu Restaurant, Xu Jiaying, commander of the Xiuyiwei Battalion, put down the military telescope produced by the Nanjing Arsenal and frowned: "Did he notice it?"

As the commander of the Xiuyi Guard Battalion in charge of the Xuan Mansion, he was ordered the year before last to monitor and find evidence that Shanxi merchants colluded with the Qing captives and betrayed the country.

Among them, eight major figures, including Fan, Wang, Jin, and Huang, are the key targets of surveillance and investigation.

In the past, their actions were very covert and careful, so they did not alert any Shanxi merchants for a year or two.

However, they basically had enough clues and evidence last year, and knowing that the superiors were going to take action against these Shanxi merchants, they had tightened their surveillance in recent days.

Unexpectedly, the old guy Fan Yongdou noticed it.

Thinking of this, Xu Jiaying immediately said to the embroidered guard behind him: "Go and ask Cheng Gang if they have captured the Mongolian businessman who was in contact with the Fan family."

"Yes."

The embroidered guard left in response.

Xu Jiaying continued to observe Fan's mansion.

Sure enough, we found that people came in and out a lot more frequently, as if something big was going to be done.

Not long after, the Xiu Yiwei who went to ask questions came back and said: "The camp seat was captured."

Xu Jiaying just saw several important members of the Fan family entering the mansion one after another, so he put away his telescope and walked out of the box quickly.

"Quickly notify Brigadier Zhang, according to the list we determined yesterday, immediately surround Fan's and other Shanxi merchants' houses and carry out arrest operations!"

"As ordered!"

···
The Fan family mansion.

Fan Sanbo and others quickly arrived at the main hall of the main house because they were inside the house.

It's just that several people were confused and didn't know why Fan Yongdou suddenly summoned them.

Especially Fan Sanbo, he went back to his room and asked people to pack his luggage and prepare to go to Datong Mansion.

At this time, he couldn't help but ask: "Father, what is going on? Do we have to wait until everyone is here before we can talk about it?"

These words reminded Fan Yongdou.

He then said: "I was on the balcony just now and found that many people were watching outside my home. There were even some people at Xiangfu Restaurant who used clairvoyance to peek inside my home."

"Although our Fan family has many opponents, none of them can achieve this in Zhangjiakou."

"But the imperial court can. Therefore, I think our Fan family is probably being targeted by the imperial court."

After hearing what Fan Yongdou said, the first few people who arrived were immediately shocked.

Then the concubine Fan Nian couldn't help but wonder, "Why would the imperial court focus on my home? If it noticed something, it would definitely take action directly. There is no need to monitor it like this?"

The others didn't understand either.

Fan Yongdou said, "This is exactly why I summoned you for discussion."

After a while, several brothers of Fan Yongdou and several other important clan members also arrived one after another.

Just as Fan Yongdou was about to say something, his youngest son Fan Hua hurried in.

"Father, it's not good! I saw many officers and soldiers entering the city, and a large group of them seemed to be coming towards our house!"

It turned out that Fan Yongdou saw that it would take a while for everyone to arrive and was worried that the situation would change, so he asked Fan Hua to go up and use a telescope to observe the surroundings and act as a sentinel.

Unexpectedly, the true energy has taken effect.

But it also frightened more than ten important Fan family personnel in the hall.

"Isn't it because the imperial court discovered that my family was selling sulfur to Qing captives?"

"This is how to do?"

"If this is true, our Fan family will be doomed..."

Fan Yongdou was very dissatisfied when he saw that most people were panicking.

He slapped the table and said, "Why are you panicking? Even if the army comes, it will take a while. Even if they do come, my Fan family's mansion is not that easy to break into!"

"Now, you each go back to your homes, collect your gold and silver, and be ready to leave through the tunnel with me at any time."

"Remember, don't tell anyone beforehand - if the officers and soldiers really force their way into my Fan home, they will immediately bring their wives and children to my place to gather!"

After saying that, Fan Yongdou motioned for everyone to disperse.

Fan Sanbao also wanted to leave, but was stopped by Fan Yongdou.

"What did father say?"

Fan Yongdou glanced outside the door and whispered: "When you return to the courtyard, immediately take your family through the secret passage in your courtyard. Don't wait for us."

Fan Sanbo was surprised, "Father, isn't it like this?"

Fan Yongdou stared at him and said, "Don't be afraid of ten thousand, just be afraid of the worst. If things really go wrong, you should take the first step, and our lineage will not be cut off."

Fan San gritted his teeth, nodded and left quickly.

After that, Fan Yongdou also ordered several personal maids to pack up his belongings and bring some dry food to prepare for his escape.

However, the maids had just packed up a few things when they heard a loud explosion! (End of chapter)