golden scales

When His Royal Highness the Crown Prince returned to Beijing, it was already the sixth day of March in the 21st year of Chongzhen.Although it is said to be March, because the 21st year is a leap year, there are two March. It is actually the end of April in the Gregorian calendar, and nearly a month has passed since the battle of Taiwan recovery.

Since His Royal Highness the Crown Prince doesn't like to make a big show, so after landing in Tianjin, he deliberately set the time to enter the city in the early morning, and his subordinates also entered the city in batches.Even so, the discerning people in the capital still knew the news of Chujun's return to Beijing, and spontaneously arranged an incense table in front of their house. For a while, the whole city of Beijing was shrouded in green smoke, like a fairyland.

Zhu Cihong stepped into the country in an atmosphere that did not please him, immediately dismissed the guards, and entered Miyagi with a few attendants.Except for the cabinet to greet Zhu Cihong at the Meridian Gate, other officials are not allowed to greet him and must be loyal to their duties.

"Where's Mr. Li?" Zhu Cihong immediately saw the absence of the chief minister of the cabinet.

Second assistant Wu Xin stepped forward and said: "Your Highness, Li Ge has been bedridden since last year, and it is difficult to see things."

Zhu Cihong said: "I still have to work Mr. Wu to greet Mr. Li on my behalf."

Wu Xuan retreated in response.

Li Yuzhi has been in a semi-retired state since last year's big competition, and he submitted his resignation in two months on average, but His Royal Highness the Crown Prince ignored him, and the emperor refused to let him go, so it has been delayed until now.

Zhu Cihong was also thinking about the replacement of cabinet ministers along the way, not because of the candidates, but because of the method.

Before the Chongzhen Dynasty, the selection method of cabinet members was recommended by the court, which was called "Mei Bu Da Ceremony".Later generations do not know the origin of this phrase, but it is a cultural tragedy to say that Emperor Chongzhen used "drawing lots" to select his cabinet ministers in a whimsical way.In fact, this Bu Da Ceremony is more like a small-scale democratic election, with the participation of officials above the fifth rank and above in Beijing, as well as Fengxian officials.At the same time, it also means to announce the appointment.

In addition to the court push, there is also the channel of the emperor's hand-picked appointment and Zhongzhi's entry into the cabinet.Although they are also in the prime minister, most of the officials with integrity are unwilling to be called.From their point of view, it is the hope of the people to get into the cabinet by the court, but it is a sycophant's job to rely on the emperor's favor to join the cabinet.This intentional or unintentional conflict.It made the gap between the imperial power and the civil official group more obvious.

"The divination will be discussed later," Zhu Cihong said, "I will first enter the palace to greet the emperor's father and mother."

The cabinet ministers saluted and watched them off one after another, secretly sighing in their hearts at this crown prince who had the air of a holy emperor.In ancient times, Yu the Great passed through the house three times to control the floods, but now the crown prince traveled from north to south for state affairs, even ignoring the birth of Yuan Zi. This is indeed a sign of the revival of the Ming Dynasty.

Emperor Chongzhen knew that the crown prince was coming back, so he deliberately didn't go to the Wuying Hall to avoid embarrassment for the crown prince.He and Zhou Hou sit side by side in the Qianqing Palace.Wait until the eldest son of the emperor returns.

"My son, the eldest son of the emperor, Cihong, pays homage to His Majesty the Emperor and His Majesty the Empress." Zhu Cihong entered the Qianqing Palace, saluting like a ritual.

"Give me a seat." Chongzhen couldn't help asking: "Is the battle to Taiwan over?"

It had been a month since the good news came out, Zhu Cihong sat on the embroidered pier and said: "Father, I am lucky that the soldiers put their lives to good use. The battle to restore Taiwan has been completely won, and the Taiwan government has returned to our Ming Dynasty." Say it.Zhu Cilang ordered people to hand over the two spoils of war, which were the Dutch national flag captured in Zeelandia - the red, white and blue tricolor banner.And the flag of the United East India Company with the letters avoc.

Chongzhen and Zhou Hou looked at the Dutch flag and felt a little strange.

Zhou Hou said: "Why did you bring this back?"

"My minister intends to donate it to the museum so that the people of Ming Dynasty can observe it." Zhu Cihong said with a smile, "Thousands of years later, there will still be people who will remember that under the rule of my father, my Daming Tiger Ben went to the isolated island to expel the western barbarians."

Chongzhen didn't take it seriously.A tiny country thousands of miles away.Living on a small island in the middle of the sea, and mobilizing people to fight them, winning is not worth showing off.If you lose, it will leave a stigma and laugh for future generations.

But what Zhu Cihong said next.But Chongzhen almost bit his tongue.

"After regaining Taiwan, we purchased sugar and deerskin from Taiwan, and sold them to Japan and Southeast Asia. The annual income should be more than 58 taels." (Note 1) "Zhu Cihong said: "And this year, the Taiwan government will promote the cultivation of sugar cane, and the sugar output will increase. It is expected to reach 60 tons. In addition to deer skin and preserved deer, we also purchase velvet antlers and sell them to drug dealers in mainland China, so the increased income will be at least [-] taels."

Chongzhen's throat rolled twice: "If you can get such benefits, the expedition will not be in vain."

"Father, it's much more than that." Zhu Cihong said: "Taiwan Island has a population of only [-] people, and they make a living from fishing and hunting. There are large mountains in the center of the island, dense forests, and embracing trees everywhere. Taiwan is located in the tropics, and rice can Three crops a year, if we use the intensive cultivation of our people, the income may not be a million stones. In addition, there are high-quality coal mines in Keelung County in northern Taiwan, which can not only be self-sufficient, but also supply Guangdong."

It took Chongzhen a long time before he said: "In this way, it really should be taken back."

"This is the direct benefit," Zhu Cihong said, "the indirect benefit is even greater. First, there were tenant changes in Jiangxi and Fujian, and it was not easy to flatten the tenants. If you move to the island and give them land to cultivate, it will not be easy for them to live in tenure, so that the people can live and live, and the place can be stable.”

Chongzhen said: "This is a good idea. It is much better than suppressing fu. It's just that there are no landlords on the island?"

"Exactly, all the land is state-owned, so you can distribute it to them for planting." Zhu Cihong said: "However, I still suggest that they plant sugar cane. Because after the sugar cane is harvested, sugar extraction is a source of income. The residue after sugar extraction can be used to make paper , Wine making is another benefit.”

"For you to put it this way, it's a treasure island." Zhou Hou said.

"It can indeed be called a treasure island." Zhu Cihong said: "Especially after the return of this island, our Daming navy can find another way to travel across the ocean to America, and share the new land equally with the Taixi people. That is a land as vast as Daming, but has no master." soil of."

Chongzhen frowned slightly, and said: "Although the country is big, it will die if it is warlike. I am very pleased that you can manage your ancestors' homeland well."

Zhu Cihong restrained himself a bit: "Now that I have a son, I always have to plan for my descendants. We can't let the Thai and Western people take advantage of all the benefits. In the future, I will have to rely on others instead."

Chongzhen waved his hand, saying that such unreliable things should not be said, and asked: "Is there a plan for how to spend this money?"

"The imperial court only collects business taxes and land rents in Taiwan." Zhu Cihong said, "These trade matters are handed over to the Nanyang Company."

"Nanyang Company?" Chongzhen knew about the company founded by the crown prince.It is bigger than the store number, and often several merchants invest together, and the profits and losses are shared equally.

"Erchen set up this Huangming Nanyang Company with a total share capital of 1000 million taels. Our Tian family holds 5% of the shares, so that we will never dilute the shares. The Zheng family holds [-]%; Fujian and Taiwan garrisons distribute [-]% of the shares. Dividends are used as soldiers' allowances; Fujian water The teacher holds [-]% of the shares, Fujian Ocean School takes [-]%, and the remaining half, [-] taels of share capital, I plan to take back and give away.” Zhu Cihong reported one by one.

Chongzhen was not good at economics, and he was dizzy after hearing this and that.He only took 21% from his own family, and he could get [-] taels a year.This number is not small.

"Didn't someone take such a big head?" Zhou Hou was a little bit reluctant.

"Mother's queen," Zhu Cihong said. "The Zheng family is a wealthy local family, and they have all their contacts and business connections. Giving him 6000% is the right thing to do. Otherwise, send an ignorant person there, and lose money if he can't make a tael of silver? Controlled in two divisions, with a scale of [-] people, located in a remote place, adding some allowances is also the meaning of the Tian family's emphasis on heroes. Speaking of which, aren't these soldiers still soldiers of the Ming Dynasty?"

"The same is true for the Fujian Navy and the Fujian Ocean School. Both are places for the country to raise scholars, not to mention that the Fujian Ocean School has a [-]% stake in the Tianjia." Zhu Cihong said.

Chongzhen said: "In this way, aren't you afraid that Zheng Zhilong will be powerful?"

Zhu Cihong smiled and said: "Father, Zheng Zhilong is in Tianjin, and he will come to Beijing to meet the saint soon." Seeing Chongzhen's surprised face, he said: "My minister appointed him as the emperor's naval university sacrifice, and the day when he returns to Fujian will also be Not much more."

It is conceivable that Huangming Naval University is a training base for naval officers mainly from Shandong.In the future, the population of Beijing and Tianjin will gradually integrate into it.However, Fujianese would not travel thousands of miles to study at this university. Even if they wanted to come, they would be the best in the Fujian Navy, so there must not be many of them.

An officer trained by Zheng Zhilong at the Naval University, even if he accepts his love for offering wine.But most of them are assigned to the Shandong Navy or the Zhejiang Navy, so that Zheng Zhilong will not be able to form a force.During Zheng Zhilong's absence in Fujian, the Fujian navy and Zheng's army will continue to divide, and the generals will continue to compete to fill the power vacuum left by Zheng Zhilong.

After three to five years, the Fujian Navy's "de-Zhenghua" will be a matter of course.

"Who is going to give the half of the shares that my son said?" Zhou Hou asked.

"When Chaoge Fu, six ministers, Fengxian official... 5 taels of share capital is too difficult to divide." Zhu Cihong said with a smile: "So when Liaodong sees the benefits, some of the shares over there will also be distributed to them. Run."

Chongzhen was taken aback for a moment: "The Tian Family distributes the benefits to the courtiers?"

"Father, do you still remember New Year's Day in 17?"

Of course Chongzhen will not forget the bleakest New Year's Day in his life.It was that New Year's Day that made him feel the sadness of people getting cold before tea.The majestic emperor rang the bell himself in anger, and the civil servants and military generals abandoned him like shoes.If the crown prince hadn't brought his troops back in time, he would have no face to live in this world.

"To share the profits with them is to tie these court officials, large and small, to the big ship of Huangming, so that the incident of opening the door and robbing them will not happen again. When they get dividends from this shareholding and enjoy the benefits, they will naturally know what to do with them." The Tian family is in the same boat, and we will no longer be benevolent and moral in the open, and secretly dig into the corners of the country."

Zhu Cihong said in a deep voice. (to be continued..)

ps: Note 1: This data refers to "The Tax Contracting System during the Dutch Reign" (2006) written by Wu Congmin, Department of Economics, National Taiwan University, and is based on the ratio of 1 lier to 1.4 taels of silver.In fact, during the period in which this book was written, the trading currencies used by the Dutch were complicated and there were various trading methods. The exchange rate between lier and silver also fluctuated greatly with time and region, so only a relatively acceptable intermediate value can be taken.Incidentally, in 1648, sugarcane cultivation had not been promoted in Taiwan, and the sugar production was only 9000 dan. The promotion of sugarcane was after 1650. In 1648, the export of deerskins was only 11 pieces, and it was still after the 50s that the scale reached 15 pieces.

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