The literary giants of the late Ming Dynasty began by copying books

Chapter 293 Colonial Benefits

Everyone had already rested, and after warming themselves by the fire for a while, they felt warm and ready to continue on their way.

This time when he went to Xiamen, Wang Wenlong did not take Pan Xiu with him, but Wang Wenlong took several copies of the "On Nation-State" manuscript that Pan Xiu compiled for him. Pan Xiu did not dare to say he was tired of copying it anyway, so Wang Wenlong just pretended have no idea.

After getting to the carriage and taking out his luggage, Wang Wenlong took out a set of manuscripts and handed them to Yao Lu and said: "Mr. Yuanke, this is the manuscript of "On the Nation and the State" that I am writing. It talks about civilization and nation. Sir If you are interested, you can take a look."

"Thank you very much," Yao Lu took the manuscript and said with a smile, "I always like to read Mr. Jianyang's articles, but this time I can feast my eyes on him first."

Everyone got on their carriages and horses and continued towards Xiamen City.

Yao Lu sat on his horse, holding the manuscript of "On the Nation-State" against the saddle, and looked through it carefully. He was a little surprised by the content of the manuscript, which turned out to be the source of analysis of nationalist thought.

However, the analysis in the book is very reasonable and solves many doubts in Yao Lu's mind. Those sociological views are very consistent with his own feelings about human nature. It feels like Wang Wenlong has described all the ideas that he could not express verbally in the past. .

While reading, Yao Lu couldn't help but think: "This "On the Nation and the State" is indeed another masterpiece. It should be read by those literati who are still doing stupid scholarship in their studies."

After discussing with Wang Wenlong and knowing how fierce colonialism is today on the sea and reading "On Nation-States", Yao Lu's thoughts have changed a lot. He also feels the urgency of nationalism and external territorial expansion. The scholars of the Ming Dynasty who buried themselves in their studies doing some classics and morals also felt that they were stupid.

However, the situation outside Xiamen City does not look good now. Many businesses have closed down and more than 30% of the piers are empty. It can be seen that Xiamen City is rapidly declining due to the lack of business of immigrants to Dayuan Island.

A sea owner was quite dissatisfied and said: "We are waiting for the pawn to sell the property and continue to immigrate to Da Yuan Island. However, many people in Fujian official circles are gossiping. Even many people in the countryside think that they will go there after immigrating overseas. Being a traitor is no longer like the time when we talked about immigration and everyone was so happy."

"Ever since General Shen's failed expedition to Taiyuan Island this year, Fujian has begun to shirk its efforts to immigrate to Taiyuan Island. None of the Baojia people we originally agreed to contact for help were not sure. At first, I and other businessmen pooled money to continue together. We accepted immigrants, but then we gradually ran out of money, so we had to start pawning off our properties, and now we are almost out of money and food.”

After meeting Li Guoxian one by one, everyone went to meet Shen Yixiu, and also went to have a wedding ceremony with Chen Di and Yao.

Wang Wenlong and others entered the hotel, and as soon as they settled in, a group of gentry came to pay them a visit.

"Hello, Master Yang Hai," Wang Wenlong bowed his hands to everyone and introduced his family members: "This is my wife, Mrs. Shen, and this is my second concubine, Sister Li."

"Oh, it's hard to handle," Yang Tiansheng, as the representative of the crowd, couldn't help but sigh as soon as he started speaking:

Wang Wenlong said: "Mr. Xu has made up his mind to go to Damuan Island again. This time he will most likely be successful. By then the Japanese pirates will be wiped out on the island, which will eliminate the suspicion of the people and the immigration business will surely turn around smoothly."

Li Guoxian nodded gracefully, and the sea masters present all bowed their hands to Li Guoxian. The person standing in the front said warmly: "We are also familiar with Brother Li."

"I hope so," said Lu Wenhui of the Trinity Sect: "The most important thing is that the follow-up money and support cannot be cut off. If it drags on for another month, not to mention that all the sea masters are the banks of our sect. There’s going to be a shortage.”

Hearing this, Yang Tiansheng was quite surprised and said, "Isn't it Miss Li Er?"

Wang Wenlong saw a dental shop with only half the door open, and a sign hanging on the door that read: Only women are hired, the number of male workers is full, the shipping date is uncertain, and we will go when full.

After Shen Yixiu, Li Guoxian and other female relatives returned to the room, Wang Wenlong asked: "Brother Yang, can you tell me about the immigration situation at this time?"

The person currently standing was Yang Tiansheng. When he saw Wang Wenlong, he bowed first and said, "Mr. Jianyang, I haven't seen you for half a year. Thank you very much for coming to Xiamen to meet you."

"To this extent?" Chen Di asked in surprise.

After more than a year, I came to Xiamen City again. I saw that the Tucheng that seemed to have been built hastily last year has now been built very solidly, the land is flat, and regular merchants have appeared on both sides of the gate. It no longer looks like a gathering of refugees. .

Some poor-dressed women were looking around fearfully outside the store. They were caught by the dentist and introduced. They wanted to leave, but they wanted to go in. I don’t know if these yamen are specifically used to deceive women, but under such conditions The fact that it can still attract people really shows that the situation of immigrants to Dajuan Island at this time is not very optimistic.

“What I fear most are the risks during the immigration process.”

Wang Wenlong asked: "I heard that the struggle between the various immigration settlements on Dayuan Island is very fierce?"

After hearing this, several sea masters looked at each other, and Yang Tiansheng nodded and said: "I can't tell about other places, but the generation in our immigration point is quite peaceful. The immigrants only organize to defend the village, and occasionally fight with The confrontation between the natives is, after all, they are all farming. If there was no blood feud between them, no one would be willing to use knives or guns."

Wang Wenlong asked: "There is no active looting?" Lu Wenhui said proactively: "We are in a middle-level or above immigration settlement. As long as we can operate stably, we will definitely be able to pay off over time. A stable situation will only be good for us. . But if it’s a small sea owner like Duke Jianyang mentioned, with a dozen people immigrating to a village, they won’t be able to open up wasteland, and there will be some looting.”

Wang Wenlong inquired and learned that although the area of ​​Damuan Island has reached at least the early level of Zheng Zhilong in his previous life, and there are 30,000 to 40,000 Han people on the island, the colonial points are still in the reclamation stage, and the trade between the colonial points is still there. It has not yet prospered, and small-scale towns are still under preparation. At this time, the island is still just a wild place.

Wang Wenlong asked again: "Do you have any objections to the Ming Dynasty's military garrison at sea?"

Everyone said: "Don't dare to have any opinions."

Wang Wenlong thought about it and felt that the tone of these people's words was quite sincere. He guessed that for these big forces, after all this trouble, they also knew that large-scale reclamation of Daguang Island was impossible without the support of Fujian. Most of them They have made up their minds and are willing to exchange part of the rights on the island for Fujian's support for their reclamation operations.

Wang Wenlong and Chen Di looked at each other. Chen Di obviously felt the same way and said proactively: "I am in General Shen's tent. Maybe I can help you contact Shen Shihong."

"Mr. Chen, are you willing to speak to me?" Hearing this, Yang Tiansheng and even Lu Wenhui were a little excited.

"The army also needs the support of Dajuan Island when it goes on an expedition. If you and others serve the country loyally, General Shen will definitely agree."

Everyone present was instantly overjoyed. They all knew that as long as Shen Yourong was willing to support any force, that force would be able to directly eliminate the suspicion of being a traitor, and the Fujian side would have much more support for that force.

Yang Tiansheng directly grabbed Chen Di's hand and said excitedly: "If Mr. Chen can accomplish this, he will be the savior we have been waiting for."

"I'll try my best to do it." Chen Di didn't confirm it, but everyone thanked him again and again.

After chatting for a few words, everyone present said goodbye and left. Yao Lu went out to have tea with a friend, while Wang Wenlong and Chen Di returned to the house to do their own business.

Wang Wenlong spread out his manuscript paper and continued writing his "On the Nation and the State". In the evening, Yao Lu knocked on the door.

Yao Lv's face was quite excited. He entered the room and said to Wang Wenlong: "I discussed with the group of maritime merchants. According to them, this European has indeed been coveting my Damuan Island outside the Ming Dynasty for a long time, and even once I went to Dayuang Island to investigate, and the Japanese came to harass them many times."

Wang Wenlong nodded and said: "I hope Mr. Yuanke can spread this idea after he returns."

"That's what I will do." Yao Lu promised. Just as he was about to leave, Wang Wenlong stopped him again and said, "Sir, please stay here."

"Is there anything else?"

Wang Wenlong said: "Sir, do you know why colonists from various European countries coveted Taiyuan Island?"

"The Damuan Island is also a fertile land. If it can be successfully reclaimed, it will definitely be a fertile land." Yao Lu said straightforwardly.

However, Wang Wenlong reminded: "There are not many owners on Dayuan Island to drive, and those Europeans are not willing to cultivate the land themselves, because they think this method makes too little money."

Yao Lu didn't understand for a moment and asked, "Then what are they going to do when they come to grab this land?"

"Mostly it is intended to be a trading port," Wang Wenlong said: "Whether it is Europeans or Japanese, they regard trade with China as an extremely important aspect of their overseas trade, just because they can earn a lot of money from trading with our country, the Ming Dynasty. Gold and silver, if all the countries have a trading port near my name that is not under the control of the Ming Dynasty and can come and go at will, it will be like holding a cornucopia, and you can collect money by sitting on the ground."

He said: "Xiangshanao is such a small place, but within a few decades it has been built into a prosperous port with tens of thousands of people. Its wealth is also famous in Guangdong, which shows how huge the profits are."

Yao Lu was stunned when he heard this. At first he didn't believe that he could make a fortune just by owning a transit port, but after thinking about it carefully, he felt that what Wang Wenlong said was very reasonable.

He returned to his room and was still thinking. After thinking about it, he felt that the amount of money that colonization could earn was unimaginable. This European colonial thinking seemed worth studying.

Compared with the hot phenomenon in Xiamen City last year and the year before last year, although many invitations were sent out to the maritime business gathering in Xiamen City this time, and the names of Quanzhou Business Daily and Trinity Church were used, the number of people invited was smaller than that of the previous year. There was so much less before.

Everyone loves the icing on the cake, but few are willing to provide help in times of need. Only people like Wang Wenlong would come all the way.

(End of this chapter)