Li Zicheng was secretly shocked, the "Chengdu-class" battleship originally only had ten guns, but if it was doubled, it would be twenty, and the combat effectiveness would be doubled! According to Zheng Zhilong, Western mechanics can also add more artillery......

He pondered for a long time and said, "Can Governor Zheng get a few Western mechanics over?" ”

Zheng Zhilong shook his head, "I'm afraid it's difficult, there may be Western mechanics on Dongfan Island, but the number will not be too many, the real mechanics, maybe only one or two, they are usually repairing ships in the port, and Westerners regard them as treasures!"

Li Zicheng nodded, he couldn't get these professional mechanics for the time being, so he could only rely on Zheng Zhilong, "Is Governor Zheng willing to modify warships for the South China Sea Fleet?" ”

"The villain is willing!"

Li Zicheng said with a smile: "Don't delay Mr. Zheng for long, there will be a shipyard in Songjiang, as long as the battleship is driven to Songjiang for refitting, and the workers of the shipyard have mastered the technology, Zheng Dudu can get out." ”

"Matsue?" Zheng Zhilong said: "Your Majesty, isn't the South China Sea Fleet stationed in Fujian and Guangdong?" ”

"Is there a shipyard in Fujian?"

Zheng Zhilong hesitated for a moment, and finally said: "Back to the emperor, the villain has a shipyard in Nan'an......

"Nan'an?" Li Zicheng didn't know about the existence of the Nan'an Shipyard, but Daming had Fujian and Guangdong sailors, and he thought that there would be shipyards in Fujian and Guangdong, so he said: "This is very good, so as not to delay the time of sailing back and forth." ”

He was worried about the leakage of technology, and the South China Sea Fleet fleet would be stationed in Fujian and Guangdong in the future, and it would have its own shipyard, so he planned to accept the shipyard, and after asking about the situation, he learned that the shipyard in Nan'an was not a shipyard of the Ming Dynasty, but a shipyard of the Zheng Zhilong family.

If it is forcibly expropriated, it will inevitably arouse Zheng Zhilong's disgust, besides, Zheng Zhilong did not break the law, and he has no reason to take over Zheng Zhilong's shipyard, this matter will not be mentioned for the time being, there is always a way to solve it.

Zhou Kun knew that the battleship could increase the number of artillery pieces, and he was already excited, but the South China Sea Fleet had just arrived in Fujian and lacked its own home port, so he said: "Your Majesty, where will the South China Sea Fleet be stationed in the future?" ”

Li Zicheng smiled faintly and said, "With Governor Zheng here, why bother asking me?" ”

Zheng Zhilong hurriedly said: "The South China Sea Fleet is huge, you have to choose a port, the outer port of Fuzhou is too small, but Quanzhou and Zhangzhou have many suitable islands, which can dock a large number of warships!"

"Quanzhou, Zhangzhou?" Li Zicheng hurriedly opened the military map he carried with him, "Governor Zheng takes a look, where is it suitable as the home port of the South China Sea Fleet?" ”

Zheng Zhilong confessed, only then got up, came to the map, and pointed to the map with his hand, "Your Majesty, please see, this is a large island, suitable for docking large warships. ”

Li Zicheng looked in the direction of Zheng Zhilong's finger, and sure enough, there was a huge island close to the mainland, a tunnel: "What is this place?" ”

"Back to the emperor, this island is called Ludao, there is a city on the island, called Xiamen, there is a garrison in Xiamen City, called Zhongzuo, and the island has opened up a wharf......"

"Xiamen?" Li Zicheng thought for a moment, knowing Xiamen's commercial status in later generations, but in this era, there should be no fame, checked the surrounding terrain, and his eyes suddenly fell on Kinmen Island outside.

Zheng Zhilong hurriedly said: "Tell the emperor, this is Kinmen Island, there is a city on the island, named Kinmen, the garrison is Kinmen, and Kinmen Island also has a deep-water wharf, but Kinmen Island is close to the open sea, and the wind and waves are very strong......"

Li Zicheng had no intention of establishing a naval base on Kinmen Island, but was only interested in the name "Kinmen."

He did not make an immediate decision, but asked Zhou Kun to personally inspect Ludao, and if it was suitable, establish a home port on Ludao, and if possible, set up a large shipyard on the island.

In today's remarks, Li Zicheng deeply felt that although Zhou Kun was the commander of the South China Sea Fleet, the predecessor of the South China Sea Fleet was a naval army in the inland rivers of the inland rivers, and he had always been active in the rivers and knew very little about the sea.

If the South China Sea Fleet wants to quickly adapt to the sea and form combat effectiveness as soon as possible, it is inseparable from Zheng Zhilong, a hero who has been hunting on the sea for decades!

After thinking for a moment, he said lightly: "Is Governor Zheng willing to stay in the South China Sea Fleet and serve as the deputy commander of the South China Sea Fleet?" ”

"Thank you, little man!" Zheng Zhilong hurriedly bowed to Xie En, although he didn't know how big an official the deputy commander of the South China Sea Fleet was, but the South China Sea Fleet was a regular fleet, with tens of thousands of soldiers, and the official position should not be too small.

"No rudeness!" Li Zicheng is not worried about Zheng Zhilong himself, but the sailor behind Zheng Zhilong.

To be precise, although Zheng Zhilong is the governor of the Ming Dynasty, the Fujian Navy is basically Zheng Zhilong's private army, but most of the time, he obeys the orders of the imperial court and exterminates the bandits for the imperial court and the Zheng group.

Huaxia has formed the South China Sea Fleet, the original naval division will no longer exist, and the soldiers of the Fujian naval division have only three ways out: choose the best to join the South China Sea Fleet; Demobilization and return to the field, and the land will be issued by the local government; Transform your status as a soldier and join the Zheng Clan's Maritime Trade.

Li Zicheng didn't want to attack the Zheng clan's maritime trade, as long as it obeyed the laws of Huaxia!

When he traveled south by land, he was in Fujian Province, where there were hills along the way, and there was obviously a shortage of arable land, so if Zheng continued to engage in maritime trade, it would promote the development of the local economy and feed more people.

The Zheng Clan's Maritime Trade originally had the nature of a pirate, but Li Zicheng did not intend to exterminate it, but to help clear it, as long as it cooperated with the Chinese court.

Fujian is temporarily unable to develop industry on a large scale, and may be able to take the road of overseas trade, as well as Guangdong in the south, only when the economy develops, the people can have enough food and clothing......

He glanced at Zheng Zhilong, who was respectful, and said with a casual smile: "Commander Zheng has come to serve in the South China Sea Fleet, so what about the Zheng family's maritime trade business?" ”

"The Emperor's ......"

"Commander Zheng rest assured, Huaxia will not ban sea trade, and I will not blush the silver of Zheng's sea trade," Li Zicheng said with a smile: "However, in the final analysis, Zheng's sea trade, after all, belongs to Huaxia and must abide by the laws of Huaxia." ”

"Please ask the emperor to make it clear!"

"Zheng's sea trade must set up a legal trading company, specializing in maritime trade, and pay taxes in accordance with the laws of China!"

"Obey the order!"

"Also, in the future, except for self-protection, you must not engage in sea plunder, especially against Chinese merchants," Li Zicheng said: "The South China Sea Fleet will protect all Chinese merchants, including the Zheng family's trade activities!"

Zheng Zhilong's heart moved, and he said, "The emperor is saying that everyone can engage in maritime trade in the future?" ”

"Theoretically," Li Zicheng nodded, and said: "But there are certain risks in maritime trade, not only there are strong winds and waves, but also unknown pirates, and there should only be a few companies that are really engaged in maritime trade activities." ”

“……”

Li Zicheng said lightly: "Commander Zheng thinks that other people's engagement in maritime trade will affect the Zheng family's commercial profits? ”

"Don't dare!"

"Maritime trade, the profits are huge, far beyond the imagination of Deputy Commander Zheng," Li Zicheng said: "In the current maritime trade, the profits are mainly monopolized by Westerners, and the profits of Zheng's maritime trade are a fraction of those of Westerners." ”

Zheng Zhilong was stunned for a moment, and hurriedly said: "The emperor is saying that the maritime merchants of China can enter the Western Ocean where Zheng He went in the future?" ”

"Not only the West, but also farther places, even the hometown of Westerners," Li Zicheng knew that the West in Zheng Zhilong's mouth was actually only the South Seas, and there was farther Europe, which was where the biggest profit of maritime merchants lies, "The distance is long, the profits are also large, only one Zheng family, it is difficult to monopolize China's foreign trade, and the Zheng family also needs to share risks, in case of pirates, it is not only the Zheng family that will be damaged, so as not to ......lose all their money."

"Got it!"

"Zheng is the most familiar with the sea, and in the future, Zheng will have the greatest advantage in maritime trade," Li Zicheng said with a smile: "The most important thing now is that Zheng will set up his own well-known trading company, specializing in maritime trade, so that he can go further in business and earn higher profits in the future......

Li Zicheng talked with Zheng Zhilong for a long time, resettled the original Fujian and Guangdong sailors, and at the same time laundered Zheng's maritime trade, and Zheng Zhilong integrated the original trade business into "Jinkai Commercial Bank".

The proprietor of the Jinkai Commercial Bank is Zheng Zhilong's third brother Zheng Zhibiao (the second brother Zheng Zhihu is dead), and from the date when the South China Sea Fleet officially enters the South China Sea, it will be converted into a normal overseas trading firm and will no longer engage in sea robbery.

In order to reassure Zheng Zhilong, Li Zicheng asked Zheng Zhilong to transfer the headquarters of the Jinkai Commercial Bank from Nan'an County to Quanzhou Fucheng, and the future Quanzhou Fucheng will be opened to the outside world, allowing foreign caravans to stop here and engage in normal trade, but all trading companies, including Jinkai Commercial Bank, must abide by the laws of China.

Such a result is a completely win-win situation for Huaxia and Zheng Zhilong.

For Zheng Zhilong, the Zheng Group's transformation from a pirate enterprise to a normal trading firm will no longer be living a life of fear, whether it is an opponent at sea or a Chinese country, they will no longer stare at the silver in his hand.

Due to the needs of maritime trade, Jinkai Commercial Bank will also retain a part of the armed escort fleet, but it is mainly used to deal with pirates, which is of a self-defense nature, and the main escort work will be undertaken by the South China Sea Fleet.

The Huaxia Kingdom has obtained the most essential part of the original Fujian Navy Division and Guangdong Navy Division, including Zheng Zhilong himself, and the sea areas of Huaxia along the southeast coast will be completely owned by the South China Sea Fleet, and the national sovereignty will be demonstrated; Jinkai Commercial Bank became a normal maritime trading company and would pay taxes in accordance with the "Tax Law" of China.

But that's not all.

At the last moment, Li Zicheng asked Zheng Zhilong and Zhou Kun to send people to Dongfan Island (Taiwan Island) in the east to investigate the detailed information on the island.

Zheng Zhilong's heart moved, and he hurriedly said carefully: "Does the emperor intend to take back Dongfan Island?" ”

Li Zicheng smiled but did not answer.

Zheng Zhilong knew that he had guessed Li Zicheng's thoughts, so he said: "Your Majesty, Dongfan Island is an extremely important stronghold in the sea, bordering China in the west, Japan and Chao # Xian in the north, Nanyang Islands in the south, and the vast sea in the east......"

"Deputy Commander Zheng knows what I'm thinking," Li Zicheng said with a faint smile: "Dongfan Island is so close to Huaxia, it is naturally an island in Huaxia!"

"However, the current Dongfan Island ......" Zheng Zhilong decided to test it, "Your Majesty, as far as the minister knows, there are two thousand Dutch armed soldiers on the island......"