Ming Zhengzhi, I am Zheng Kezang

It is of course not a good deal to exchange Chinese floating air balloon technology with academicians of the French Academy of Sciences. After all, after leaving the ignorant Middle Ages, any scientist is a treasure of a country.However, for Louis XIV, who was a martyr in his twilight years, restoring France's hegemony in Europe was obviously more important than scientists who were not yet able to directly transform scientific research results into real benefits.What's more, France's national strength is weak at this time, and it is unable to provide more research funds to the academicians of the Academy of Sciences. France's scientific research and development level has fallen far behind that of the United Kingdom at the same time. The relationship between the great empires is naturally a matter where the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.

While it may be possible to persuade French scientists to venture abroad, it is not so easy to persuade Spain to sell the Philippines.Although the new Spanish King Philip is the grandson of Louis XIV, the Spanish royal family is not easily controlled by the French government.

The arrogant Spaniards are obviously unwilling to give up their colonies in the east. Fortunately, Portugal and China officially signed the "Lingyamen Treaty" and the news of Xiahe's war came successively, which made the old empire, which was immersed in the glory of the past, wake up. .Yes, if you can't buy it, won't people just grab it?With Spain's current strength, how can it send a large fleet to Asia to fight against the world's first empire.It was with this understanding that the Spaniards started lengthy negotiations with Lu Weijun.

Negotiations cannot be haggling over the sale amount.The Spaniards seemed to realize that Huaxia did not want to interrupt the galleon trade, so they were unwilling to let go.After hearing the news, the British and the Dutch also put pressure on Spain, hoping that Spain can withstand the pressure from China, and even willing to form a coalition with Spain to deal with China.It’s just that the treasury of Spain is very empty, and they don’t even have money to prepare for the expedition. In addition, there are old grievances among the three countries, and France provokes them. Therefore, the plan of the so-called Triple Alliance died before it really entered the negotiation stage.

It's just that the two parties in Xiaxi have not reached an agreement on the sale price, so the negotiation has been delayed until the news of the Dutch army's defeat and surrender in the second year, and finally reached an agreement under the condition that the Spanish side backed down.In the end, Huaxia paid 300 million francs (approximately 500 million half Wucheng silver coins) or equivalent goods in four years to purchase the entire Philippines from Spain. Of course, this is a later story.

Just as Lu Weijun was fighting alone in a foreign land, Zheng Kezang, who had been on tour for more than half a year, returned to Wuchang.

After returning to Wuchang, Zheng Kezang immediately announced that Taiping Mansion would be downgraded to Jiangnan Province, and Tongzhou Mansion, which was originally under Jiangnan, would return to Jianghuai.As soon as the news came out, the whole province in western Zhejiang was greatly disappointed. However, Zheng Kezang had a good reason. After all, there were tens of thousands of workers and slaves in Taiping, and among the three provinces, only Jiangnan had sufficient troops to monitor and suppress them nearby, so he could only plan to To Jiangnan, as for Tongzhou originally located in Jiangbei, returning to Jianghuai can be regarded as rectifying the original.

Regardless of how Western Zhejiang feels that the imperial court has dealt with it unfairly, since the legendary downgrading of Taiping Mansion has become a reality, the sale of Taiping Iron Mine and Taiping Iron Smelting Plant is just around the corner. According to the news, the city of Wuchang Prefecture is still full of merchants who are trying to find out and inquire.

In order to quell the turmoil in the market as soon as possible, the Huaxia court followed Zheng Kezang's will and then issued an announcement, officially announcing that the Taiping Iron Mine and the Taiping Iron Smelting Plant would be divided and sold to the domestic market.

Among them, the stock price of Taiping Smelting Iron Works is valued at 850 million guan, which is divided into three parts for sale:

About 30% of the ironyard stocks issued at face value will be sold to workers at all levels in the ironyard below the stove head. Future interest can be used to offset credit purchases, but all workers and apprentices are prohibited from selling to other officials, merchants and civilians within ten years; about [-]% of the stocks held by the Ministry of War, the Ministry of Planning, and the inner court, except for the Ministry of War, are the original owners of the ironworks. In addition to paying any fees, Jisi and the inner court must pay the purchase price at face value to the Ministry of War. However, in view of the financial constraints of the imperial court, the Jisi and the inner court also use the earnings of the next [-] years to offset the purchase price and interest; the remaining six The finished stock is sold to officials, merchants, and wealthy people all over the world. This part of the stock is sold at a premium. many

However, as far as the Ministry of War is concerned, the income of more than [-] million yuan does not satisfy them. After all, the technicians in the iron smelting field are priceless treasures, and the heat storage tank blast furnace and coke ironmaking in the field are even more secrets. A few years later, after figuring out the secret of good iron and steel produced by the Imperial Iron Works, the blast furnace of the regenerator and coke ironmaking were quickly spread to the whole country, which greatly improved the quantity and quality of domestic pig iron production, which gave Zheng Kezang a surprise Surprise in

After the successful sale of the shares of the Iron Smelter, the Department of Industry and Commerce of the Yantie Yamen also held the first general meeting of shareholders, and formulated a system of dividends and development funds for shareholders' equity and thirteen shares, stipulating that anyone who purchases more than [-] shares Can be qualified as a supervisor, and the supervisor can supervise the operation of the iron yard.At the same time, except for some supervisors dispatched by the Ministry of War, the Division of Planning, and the inner court, all officials at all levels below the ambassador and deputy envoy of the Ministry of War stationed in the Taiping Iron Works were withdrawn, and new supervisors and principals were selected by the Supervisory Board. The principal will be directly responsible to the board of supervisors, earning more reasonable dividends for shareholders on the premise of operating independently

After the successful sale of the Taiping Iron Mine, the Chinese imperial court adjusted the operations of the Taiping Iron Mine and the Huainan Coal Mine, adopting contracting operations, that is, implementing labor autonomy by means of getting paid for the output of the team to avoid direct labor conflicts between the government and the miners.

In addition, in order to avoid frequent accidents causing adverse effects on the nearby Chinese people, the Taiping Iron Mine and Huainan Coal Mine began to fully use foreign contract slaves instead of using Chinese labor; Land was granted to border counties for forced immigration, and the Qing army captives and Manchurian Eight Banner soldiers who were originally used to work in mines in various places were gradually transferred to the reconstruction of the Zhengguo Canal Project and the construction sites of the Jianghuai, Haixi, and Shandong coastal seawalls

The Qing court in the north has been driven to the territory of the Russians, the Dutch in the south have also been driven out of the Chinese sphere of influence, the chieftains in the southwest are also very law-abiding, and the economic recovery of various places is also on the right track, but Zheng Kezang But he was still depressed---from the beginning of the first month of this year, four former senior ministers died of illness, and now he has received the news that Zheng Keshuang is critically ill.

"Qin She, don't worry, take care of it slowly, and your bones will get better." Zheng Kezang, who came to Zheng Keshuang's mansion, could only comfort his terminally ill younger brother in this way. Like unfading movies, they resurfaced before his eyes one by one. "You are still young"

Zheng Kezang's consolation sounded incoherent to outsiders, so Zheng Keshuang reluctantly opened his eyes and said with a smile: "Brother Emperor, there is no need to comfort Qin She. I know my body, so it won't work."

"Nonsense, come here," Zheng Kezang ordered to the attendant bachelor with some sternness. "Pass down the decree, add Yuyang County King as King Yan, and then order the palaces and temples all over the world to pray for Yan King and prolong his life."

Zheng Kezang's conferment at this time was nothing more than a so-called joy, and as for praying for blessings and prolonging life, it was just a matter of human affairs. Zheng Kezang, who knew this well, shook his head: "Brother Emperor, there is no need to mobilize people. In fact, I have already lived too much. If I was liquidated back then In Feng Xifan's time, if Brother Huang didn't hold back, I'm afraid I'd be a dead bone in the hole, I'm already content."

Speaking of this, Zheng Keshuang couldn't hold it any longer. He said in a half-dream and half-awake state: "Some people say that if Feng Xifan succeeded in the past, Jiangshan would be mine now, but I know that if I were the Lord of Dongning, how could I lead him?" Mrs. Zheng is gone today. Therefore, Brother Huang won’t let me do politics or do business. I won’t be wronged. I’ll be fine if I see my aunt, father, and mother.”

"October Yihai in the 16th year, Xia Yanwen King Zheng Keshuang passed away, and the emperor mourned greatly, and stayed in court for three days to mourn him" --- "The Chronicles of Xia Taizu"

"Pass the decree," Zheng Kezang, who was filled with emotion, saw the coffin of Zheng Keshuang, who was six years younger than him, being transported to Dongning for burial. The story of death and death, so he had to make some preparations. "I searched various places to investigate the pros and cons of the Gongmin Association. Looking at it today, it can be said to be good. Therefore, I ordered the world to implement it in all counties and prefectures in the 17th year of Wucheng."

It is Zheng Kezang's first step to make the Gongmin Association, which only has the power of supervision and partial impeachment, to become a new force in the Chinese government. Zheng Kezang’s real goal is to transfer part of the legislative power and financial supervision power to the parliament. China's national policy.

After promulgating the edict to fully establish the Gongminhui, Zheng Kezang redefines the inner vassal system and formally establishes the division standards of principalities, marquis states, bo states, and the general administration of the capital.In the future, county males can obtain hereditary governorships with a radius of [-] to [-] (Xia) miles overseas; Overseas territories can be called Earl (jue) countries, with an area of ​​more than [-] (Xia) li and less than [-] (Xia) li; the territories of county and county marquises are called Marquis (jue) countries, with an area of ​​[-] (Xia) li in radius. Above (Xia) li and below one thousand Xia li; the territories of county, county, and state dukes are called duke (jue) states, with an area of ​​more than one thousand (Xia) li; there is no king (jue) state to avoid The tail is too big to lose, and finally the Zheng family can kill each other on their own.

According to the new internal vassal system, Hong Jun, the son of Hong Lei, Ke Shiliang, the son of Ke Ping, Chen Qiong, the son of Chen Shengwu, and Yang Wenjie, the son of Yang Ying, respectively obtained North Sulawesi, West Nusa Tenggara Islands, The southeast archipelago and part of the original territory of Irian Jaya in the Netherlands were established as marquis states, and other meritorious officials such as Hong Gongzhu, Zheng Guofen, the son of Zheng Yingping, Lin Sheng, and Cai Bolun, the son of Cai Hanxiang, and their children also waited in North Sulawesi and Iri, the Netherlands Part of the territory of Anjaya establishes the primary state