Ming Zhengzhi, I am Zheng Kezang

Nagasaki’s long history as a trading port began in the Ming Dynasty (1570 A.D.), when it was mainly used as one of the windows for Portuguese and Spanish missionaries to introduce European culture and commodities, and its radiating range was only a part of West Kyushu. , and cannot be compared with major ports such as Hirado and Sakai Port, which are widely visited by foreign merchants.

However, such an ordinary small port, with the Tokugawa shogunate promulgating the lock-up order for the fifth time in Japan in the 16th year of Kan'ei (1639 AD), has become the only opening in Japan that can conduct trade with visiting Chinese and Dutch businessmen. window, and thus prospered day by day.However, due to the distance of the distance and the restriction of the national lock-up order, compared with the Dutch merchant ships that visit Nagasaki once a year, the Chinese merchant ships that can come to Nagasaki for trading every spring, summer and autumn are the main body of Japan's foreign trade-- -According to the diaries of the Hirado British Commercial House and the Hirado and Nagasaki Dutch Commercial Houses as a reference, in the first half of the [-]th century, an average of [-] or [-] Chinese merchant ships arrived in Nagasaki every year.

However, after the Qing government took control of the whole of China, especially after Obai ordered the implementation of the policy of relocating the five provinces, this extensive Sino-Japanese trade declined year by year. In the 35th year of Yongli (1681 AD), it arrived in Nagasaki The number of Chinese merchant ships dropped sharply to only ten in the whole year (note: all from Dongning).

"This time, 120 jin of raw silk, 150 jin of snow sugar, [-] catties of poria cocos, [-] cans of sugar cane wine, [-] catties of betel nut, [-] catties of sumac, four ivory sticks, five rhinoceros horns, and one bird gun One hundred sticks, fifteen collars of warts, five hundred shark skins, [-] kun skins, one tiger crouching cannon, and one red barbarian cannon."

"It seems that there are a little more weapons this time." If it weren't for the Dongning Zheng family standing behind Tagawa Jirozaemon, or the silk cut Fuzhongma The Osaka businessman, who is composed of wealthy merchants from households and Osaka), would not hit him straight at all, but even so, this arrogant big businessman still expressed his dissatisfaction with the insufficient amount of raw silk in the usual Japanese way .

"There is no way. It hasn't rained in Dongning for a year, and many mulberry trees have died." 56-year-old Tagawa Shichizaemon replied slowly. "If it doesn't rain again, I'm afraid there won't even be a load of silk in the coming year." This news made several other representatives of Situ Fu Zhongjian present look solemn. "Please set the price for this year's raw silk."

"350 taels."

The Osaka businessman was fiercely haggling over the price, but Tagawa just lowered his head slightly: "It's too low. I'm afraid Dongning would rather take up the space and ship it back than sell it at the same price. Please give me a reasonable price."

"370 taels." Local businessmen from Kyoto, Sakai, and Nagasaki discussed and raised the price by 20 taels.

"450 taels." Shichizaemon smiled faintly and reported a number: "It has been many years since the Qing Dynasty that a single shipment of silk has been shipped to Nagasaki. yes?"

Jiro Zaemon hadn’t finished speaking when a representative of a wealthy businessman from Edo said: “The price of 450 taels is too high, but it’s still negotiable, but no matter how much the price is, what we want to know is whether Dongning will end this year. How much silk can be transported to Japan, and how much can be guaranteed next year, I also ask Boss Tagawa to give a clear explanation."

"This year we can only transport a maximum of 120 to [-] loads. If there is still no rain in Dongning, the amount imported will be further reduced next year." Tian Chuan replied. As the saying goes, what is rare is the most expensive, he does not think the other party is in this Sometimes there is still confidence to lower the price. "In addition, I can tell you that Dongning has decided to resume the collection of sea tax on Qing merchant ships entering the Ryukyu trade. Therefore, the price of raw silk and silk in Qing is bound to rise."

The businessman in Osaka became furious when he heard this, but before he could accuse him, the businessman in Nagasaki next to him gave him a wink: "Boss Tagawa, if the price of silk is too high, it will cause the price of silk in Japan to skyrocket, which may further increase the The price of rice also rose, which was very unfavorable to the people and some samurai.” Since all imported goods fluctuated according to the price of silk, the Japanese side naturally couldn’t watch Dongning raise prices and make a fortune. "Boss Tagawa is also Japanese, and I hope he can help convince Dongning."

Of course, Tagawa Nanazawaemon heard the hidden threat in the other party's words, but he was unmoved: "Although I have accepted the official position of the high priest in Dongning, I am also a businessman, and I know that the harvest year will require Making money, and the principle of making money is even more important in times of disaster, so everyone, don’t you think this is an opportunity?”

"400 taels." Several representatives of Silk Cut Fu Zhongjian discussed in a low voice for a while, and gave their final price.

"Since the few insist, forget it." Tian Chuan stopped haggling after hearing this, and just said. "The raw silk shipped from Dongning this time will not be included in the sales list."

The other businessmen waiting outside the corridor were in a hurry. If the negotiation on the price of silk broke down, their business would also be ruined. Jian Tianchuan opened the screen door and walked out, bowing to the people outside.

"The Zheng's boat will leave the port for Zhenhai immediately after replenishing the fresh water. The Zheng's boat will not come again this year and next. I feel really sorry for making the bosses wait here for nothing."

"Boss Tian Chuan, how can this be possible." Among them, a short and fat man jumped out. "The Sendai feudal clan has already paid a deposit for the ten warts and red cannons, and the Zheng ship just left. Why do you want me to explain to Katakura?"

One jumped out, and others came out one after another. This one was talking about snow candy and rock candy, and the other was talking about ivory and rhinoceros horn. For a while, the noisy voice from the corridor came into the room, making the silk cut between Fu Zhongjian The faces of the representatives were ashen, but they were always just businessmen who were interested in money rather than samurai who drew their swords in anger. Therefore, after a moment of silence, they reached a consensus, and Tagawa Jirozaemon was invited again Back to the house.

"Boss Tianchuan, the price is 420 five taels. If Boss Tianchuan is still not satisfied, then we have nothing to say."

"Okay," Shichizaemon didn't want to turn his back completely, so he also took a step back. "However, I have one condition. All the goods must be settled in gold this time. If not, all the goods will be paid in copper bars."

The ratio of gold and silver in Japan is only one to four, while in China and Southeast Asia it is as high as one to ten, and in Batavia and India it is even one to eleven or twelve. It may be cheaper for Mingzheng, so the two parties agreed that in the future, all raw silk and silk fabrics exported to Japan will be paid with strip copper. As for the payment methods for other commodities, the underwriters will confirm with Mingzheng respectively. Office will not intervene.

The negotiation was reached, but the people in Sicut Fu Zhongjian were somewhat unwilling, so a conspiracy was born.

"Brother Ouyang, Brother He, have you heard? Dongning arranged for the Tianchuan family to be the owners of the Japanese business house, and also gave the old guy Shichizaemon the official title of the fifth rank." Employed by the Tang General Affairs Office Jiang Qiguan, one of Tang Nian's executive directors, said this to his colleagues. "In the future, goods from Dongning and even those from mainland China must be stored in the store."

The appointment of Tagawa Jirozaemon as the owner of the trading house and even the appointment of the official has nothing to do with the Tang Nian Xingsi, but it is a violation of the Tang Nian Xingsi to require all Chinese goods imported into Nagasaki to be stored in the trading hall set up in Dongning. For their interests, you must know that people living in Tangning make their fortunes by keeping goods for Laihang Tang people, intermediary mediation, receiving and paying for goods, and booking goods for the coming year. Now Dongning actually wants to cut off their wealth and life. How can one be patient.

"Dongning, Mrs. Zheng, did Zhu Qin think it was when Zheng Yiguan was still there?" He Sanguan couldn't help yelling when he heard the words. "He wants Dongning's goods, I don't care, but he also wants to intervene in mainland goods. If it is urgent, I will ask someone to make Tianchuan old ghost first and then smash his family's business."

"Not right, not right!" Ouyang Yuntai waved his hand. "Not to mention that the merchant ship from the mainland has not arrived for a long time, but the old ghost Tagawa is a Japanese. If the Japanese samurai do it, it's okay. If we Tang people do it, the Japanese will never help us." Ouyang Yuntai said as if pointing. "Even if there are Japanese standing behind us, if Dongning retaliates, can the Japanese protect us?"

As soon as this remark came out, Jiang Qiguan, who took the lead, couldn't help being stunned. Yes, Dongning still has tens of thousands of troops and several counties. Although it can't beat the Qing army, it is not as powerful as the Tokugawa shogunate. It's not difficult for him to be alone, and he also became troubled for a while: "Could it be possible to see that Dongning Commercial Hall has eaten our business?"

"Be patient for now," Ouyang Yuntai sneered. "I heard that the Tartars have sent Shi Lang to go south to prepare to cross the sea. If there is a fight, even if the Zheng family wins, their vitality will be severely injured. At that time, we will see how rampant he is."

Speaking of which, Ouyang and the others also did not want to become subjugated slaves and fled to live in Japan, but just like Nanming was defeated in the internal strife of his own family, they only cared about their own interests and did not support Dongning, the last high-ranking Ming court. The Han Chinese regime with the flag, on the contrary, is willing to stab its compatriots in the back while watching the fire from the other side.

"Brother Ouyang, there is some truth to this." Jiang Qiguan nodded. "Let's hold back and see how he defeats himself"

This side is preparing to add insult to injury, but Zheng Kezang is not without countermeasures. Just when the Dongning Merchant House and the Japanese merchants negotiated a price and paid the money and delivered the goods, a merchant ship in the port suddenly fired a cannon. The hanging of the flag shook the whole of Nagasaki.

"What? The envoy of the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty is on board, please submit the country to the shogunate?" Nagasaki insisted on keeping his eyes straight---the trade between Dongning and Japan is frequent, but the two sides have no direct diplomatic relations---the last time The envoy of the Ming Dynasty was still in the era of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, so how to deal with it is beyond the scope of Nagasaki's decision.

"Quick, quick, report to Edo immediately, Ming Dynasty is here to make diplomatic relations"