Ming Zhengzhi, I am Zheng Kezang

In a private house in Phuket Town Guard's Mansion, Liu Xiang, who was already dressed as a fifth-rank first-class captain, was trying to persuade Liu Ling: "Brother, you have made a lot of money these years, and your nephew has just been born. , you don’t need to do business at sea.”

When it came to his mixed-race son who was born unexpectedly, Liu Ling also hesitated: "Second brother, brother, I also want to be a decent member of the staff and leave a piece of property for your little nephew, but it doesn't matter whether it's on the island or on land. There is very little production in the ghost place, so I am afraid that when the time comes, I will sit and eat the mountains. Attached to the letter, you can get an inheritance from the Nei Fan."

The person Liu Ling mentioned was of course Fang Yunchun. Now this guy is amazing. He has gathered a large group of men to occupy a big island on the southern border of Burma at Myelao, and bought thousands of people. The slaves farmed for him, and at the same time continued to do a promising business of pirates and maritime merchants. There are more than 36 similar maritime merchants known as "[-] western merchants", and they are short of starting a country and establishing a business by themselves.

"Western 36 families, a group of native chickens and tile dogs." From the perspective of Chinese military officers, those pirate merchants who defended the island with a few Chinese and Western ships and hundreds of men are not worth mentioning at all. "It's just taking advantage of Wang Hua's lack of time, just entertaining himself over there, it doesn't matter if you don't learn." Liu Xiang continued to persuade. "Nowadays barbarian boats don't go through the Strait of Malacca, and my brother's business is also difficult."

Liu Ling hastily interrupted Liu Xiang: "Second brother, you are wrong. The barbarians will not go to Malacca. What is sad is the Dutch red barbarians. It doesn't have much impact on us." [

Liu Ling pointed to the opposite side of the sea: "The Ministry of War and the Governor's Yamen have joined forces to do firearms business with Jinzhou (Sumatra Island). You should also know that. Due to the treaty between the imperial court and the Dutch Hongyi, it is impossible for them to be aboveboard. Sending people to the island to sell, we have to use people like us, this is the first place to get money; secondly, the suduan on Jinzhou Island not only fights against Hongyi, but also has wars between its own people and their own people from time to time , they are willing to spend a lot of money to hire us to fight against their opponents; finally, to do serious sea trade, our ships can now go straight to Burma, Dapanpan (Bangladesh), Chola (Jinan Kingdom, the southern tip of Tianzhu) and Xilan; Therefore, without Yangyi, the business is not bad but better."

Speaking of this, Liu Ling said happily: "Your brother, I have already taken a good look at the place. As soon as the money comes together, I will immediately buy its slaves of [-] or [-]. When the time comes to enclose the island, we will also get a place." Small country for fun."

Seeing Liu Xiang's disapproval, Liu Ling was a little anxious: "Don't think that your brother and Xiyang 36 yyng have a small island and are full of ambitions. Those places are all big islands, and any one of them has a radius of several hundred miles?"

"Hundreds of miles around?" Liu Xiang seemed to think of something, and suddenly became serious. "Is it the new system or the old system?"

Liu Ling didn't notice Liu Xiang's discoloration, and replied solemnly: "Of course it's the new system. The old system won't make a difference with Xiyang 36. I will either not make it for your brother, or make a big one."

Liu Xiang took a step closer and asked: "Then, are there any natives on these islands?"

"Yes, there are dog-masked men, but they are some uncivilized savages. If they obey, they can save their lives. If they don't obey," Liu Ling smiled disapprovingly. "Your brother and I have been in the industry for a long time, and I am not a soft-hearted person."

Liu Xiang didn't care about the life and death of the natives, he just asked again: "Are there any trees on the island that are suitable for building boats?"

"Yes, there are mahogany, hemp chestnut, walnut, and oak," Liu Ling's eyes lit up when he mentioned his future kingdom. "Mahogany and oak are both good materials for shipbuilding. I still think that if we have the opportunity to recruit some foreign shipwrights from Tianzhu in the future, we can also build soft-sailed clippers. As for the walnut wood that can be used as furniture, Also a good item”

"I'm afraid the island my brother chose is Eucalyptus Man (Andaman)," Liu Xiang sighed and interrupted Liu Ling's chatter. "I advise my brother to give up on this idea. The imperial court has decided to set up the Tianzhu Protectorate in Duman. Not only Duman, but also the country of the people (Nicobar Islands) a little further away will be counted as the protector. under the rule of the government."

Liu Ling was taken aback for a moment, and immediately cursed: "My thoughts are in vain, why did the court take a fancy to that place!"

"Brother, how do you like it, that's how the court likes it." Liu Xiang said something twisted. "The memorial to the governor's yamen has been approved by the emperor, and the text of the Ministry of War has also come down. The official yamen will be officially set up in the middle of the year. Your brother and I are out of luck. I was appointed as the commander of the Tianzhu detachment. No, it is now the pre-departure time." rest"

"I said, why are you so clear? It turns out that you are the second child who robbed me!" Liu Ling sighed for a while, and then regained her spirits. "Forget it, forget it, if the island is gone, just look for it. In the worst case, I will find one next to Xiyang 36." Having said that, the islands suitable for living and reclaiming in the first line of Myelao have been divided up by Xiyang 36. After one bite, the rest is either too small, or the terrain is steep and uninhabitable, so Liu Ling said harshly. "It's really not possible. I'm going north to run business under the eyes of the Burmese. If I want to come to the navy of the Burmese, I still have a chance."

Liu Xiang really wanted to persuade him again, but his brother could be serious. If he gave up his ambition, Liu Xiang couldn't convince himself, so he had to think for a while and said: "Why don't you choose Sittwe? There are a few big islands, which are also within the cruise range of the Tianzhu detachment."

Liu Ling laughed: "Brothers fighting tigers, father and son soldiers in battle, okay, when your side is implemented, brother, I will go north to have a look. If it is not bad, this is the foundation of our Liu family. When the time comes There must be your share."

"I have the grace of the imperial court, so I don't need to give it to me." Liu Xiang is an official of the fifth rank, and the meritorious noble has also reached the founding uncle. After the preparation, it is true that there is no need to count on Liu Ling's gift. "Let's leave it to my little nephew."

"It's just so small, who knows how long it will grow up." Liu Ling's words sounded like he had no affection for his son, but he was still very precious to his son as a middle-aged child. "If there is an accident, who else can leave it to you?"

"Brother drank too much." Liu Xiang hurriedly stopped Liu Ling's silly words. "However, this is also a problem. Although Phuket has been in town for several years, there are probably no good doctors except military doctors, and those doctors in the army are good at treating bruises and amputating stumps. You really can't count on headaches and brain fever." Liu Xiang tried to persuade him. "It's better to send the barbarian girl and little nephew to Lingyamen or Pontianak, the conditions there are much better."

"I also have this idea, but the child is too young, I'm afraid I won't be able to withstand the storm." [

"Just use the clipper boat I'm on." Liu Xiang is the chief official of one party, so he still has some power. "Shunfeng can reach Ling Yamen in one day and one night." Liu Ling did not refuse this, so the matter was settled like this. "That's right." Liu Xiang took out another oilcloth bag from his arms. "This is the Cinchona cream issued by the army. It is specially used to treat severe cold and heat. It is better than Artemisia annua. It is not sold in the market yet. Brother, take it first, just in case."

Liu Ling was not polite, she reached out to take it, put it in her arms, and said at the same time: "Since it is decided to settle in Ling Yamen temporarily, I also need to make some preparations here, you see, is it enough to bring three thousand guan? .”

"If it's just a house, I'm afraid it won't cost that much money." Liu Xiang's family members are also in Ling Yamen, so it makes sense not to let Liu Ling's wife and children move there directly. First, he wants to avoid suspicion. Secondly, Liu Ling's woman is actually a white slave girl he snatched, and she was also a different kind in the eyes of the people of the time. Even Liu Ling himself didn't regard her as a real wife, and it was only because the mother valued her son that she got rid of her status as a slave. It is not suitable to be put into Liu Xiang's house. "However, if you want to buy a property, the new land in Lingyamen costs about [-] acres, and the [-] acres can only buy about [-] acres. It is better to let people buy land in Xibo Ni or Johor. It’s a good deal, but if you want to buy property in two places, you have to send someone to watch over it.”

"No need, no need." Liu Ling waved his hands. "It's expensive to buy, but also expensive to sell. It's not like letting their mother and son just guard these lands to live. It's just one of the three caves of the cunning rabbit. A hundred and ten acres is enough for their temporary expenses."

"That's right." Liu Xiang also smiled. "It's just that my brother still needs to leave someone to take care of him."

"Can you help me watch?" Liu Ling was a little unhappy. "If you can't trust others, can you still trust you?" Seeing what Liu Xiang wanted to distinguish, Liu Ling shook her head and refused to listen. "Don't say that you will go out to Tianzhuyang in the future, and you will not be in Lingyamen. You are a first-class captain of the fifth rank, will you have no servants at home? Since you have one, you can assign one or two to take care of things."

"Okay, okay, okay, I'll listen to my brother, let the people in my house take care of me." Liu Xiang had no choice but to surrender. "It's just the manpower for farming, so slaves and so on, I can't solve it here."

"Don't worry, your brother, I don't need anything but slaves." Liu Ling said broadly. "Those in Jinzhou sometimes can't afford the money. The most they have is people. It's possible to take hundreds or thousands of dollars to offset the bill, so you just need to rest assured."

Hearing Liu Ling's words, Liu Xiang was thoughtful: "So, that's how the 36 Xiyang Family got their staff?"

"That's right, those who are lucky may be sent to the ship as servants, or even sailors, but if they are unlucky, they can only work to death under the whip."

"Grow rice?"

"How is it possible? Of course, it is sugar cane. It doesn't cost much to buy rice and cassava from Myanmar and Jinzhou. It is to produce cane sugar. Whether it is sold to China or sold to Tianzhu, there will be a lot of income. Idiots will grow food."

"I see. No wonder there seems to be more and more sucrose on the market, and the price is getting lower and lower. But this is not a good thing. I'm afraid Shibo will be unable to sit still soon."