423 Maritime trade, marrying Wan'er

[Go home on the Dragon Boat Festival, there is no time to code words, you can only keep constantly changing, you can't add more, forgive me, go back and add more! ] 】

Li Zixiao took Quartz and Li Yan and his entourage, and soon arrived in Qinghe County, and they went straight to Qingjiang Shipyard.

When Li Zixiao came to the Qingjiang Shipyard, what he saw was a bleak and dilapidated scene, and the entire Qingjiang Shipyard was basically suspended.

Seeing someone coming, after a while, someone finally came out to entertain Li Zixiao and them.

"Xiaguan Wu Changgen didn't know that the adults were coming, and he missed the distance, and he hoped to atone for his sins."

An official in his fifties, wearing a shabby official uniform, ran out at this time and shouted respectfully to Li Zixiao and others.

"You are the person in charge of the Qingjiang Shipyard?" Li Zixiao stepped forward and asked.

"Xia Guan is exactly."

"Take us inside the shipyard!"

Li Zixiao was on the road, and he had already read Li Yan's investigation report, and he already knew about the general situation of Qingjiang Shipyard at this time.

Therefore, at this time, Li Zixiao had nothing to ask about the factory director, and just wanted to go in and see the actual situation of the Qingjiang Shipyard at this time.

Walking down in the Qingjiang Shipyard, Li Zixiao became more and more disappointed.

The entire Qingjiang Shipyard, at this time, the old craftsmen were basically gone, leaving only a group of craftsmen with average craftsmanship, who used the shipyard to build boats for merchants here, barely making a living.

At this time, the Qingjiang Shipyard, let alone building sea boats, even those flat-bottomed inland river boats were difficult to manufacture, and could only build some very small tonnage boats.

But these small-tonnage boats must be of no use to Li Zixiao at all, he wants to build a naval army that can go to sea to fight.

At this time, most of the naval forces under Li Zixiao were inland river boats, as many as dozens of them, and they almost occupied the dominant power in the lower reaches of the Yellow River and the Huai River basin.

Just every month, Li Zixiao and the canal, the Yellow River and the Huai River water system, set up checkpoints, you can collect a lot of taxes.

All these taxes were used by Li Zixiao for the construction of the water army, but at this time Li Zixiao was no longer satisfied, and let his water army only stay in the inland river.

He hoped that his navy could go to sea and obtain the right to control the sea along the southeast coast, because Li Zixiao knew that one of the most profitable businesses at this time in the late Ming Dynasty was maritime trade.

At this time, Zheng Zhilong, who dominated the southeast coast, could make a profit of several million taels every year from sea trade alone, and the imperial court's sea ban had no effect on Zheng Zhilong at all.

On the contrary, without the participation of the imperial court, Zheng Zhilong completely enjoyed the dividends brought by the maritime trade along the southeast coast of the Ming Dynasty, and now Li Zixiao is also ready to focus on this piece of fat.

However, if you want to move this piece of fat, you will inevitably offend Zheng Zhilong.

After all, if people can swallow this piece of fat alone, they will not be willing to share it with others.

At this time, it is necessary to show his muscles properly, only with a certain amount of maritime strength in his hands, it is possible to shake Zheng Zhilong's maritime hegemony, and then he will be qualified to share the cake.

Therefore, at this time, Li Zixiao remembered to obtain Qingjiang Shipyard so much, hoping that Qingjiang Shipyard could build a huge sea fleet for him.

"Li Yan, if I hand over the Qingjiang Shipyard to you, how long can you restore it to its normal operating level."

Li Zixiao turned his head and asked Li Yan.

"General, you have also seen the situation of Qingjiang Shipyard at this time, and you want to let Qingjiang Shipyard not say that it will be restored to its previous heyday, but let it resume one or two main factories to resume work.

First of all, it is necessary to recruit a group of experienced craftsmen, and secondly, it is necessary to replace all kinds of equipment in the shipyard, which is a large expense and takes a long time.

The subordinates conservatively estimated that if the general gave full support to his subordinates, the subordinates would be able to make the Qingjiang Shipyard a general plant start normal within three months.

When the time comes, let's not talk about sea ships, at least build an inland river warship with two or three hundred materials, and it will be absolutely no problem. ”

After listening to Li Zixiao's inquiry, Li Yan patted his chest and said.

Li Yan had done his homework before, and he also very much hoped to be in charge of this Qingjiang shipyard.

Because, once he takes control of Qingjiang Shipyard, not to mention that he will receive strong support from Li Zixiao in terms of money, authority and many other aspects, he can also use this to gain the favor of the White Dragon Army.

Li Zixiao also saw Li Yan's intentions, and Li Zixiao was not disgusted by Li Yan's approach.

After all, a subordinate who doesn't want to climb high will never be a good subordinate.

As long as Li Yan does not form a party for personal gain, but through his own ability, he has made real achievements, Li Zixiao does not object to this kind of competition among his subordinate officials.

Only this kind of healthy competition can give them a sense of pressure, be able to go up and down, and maintain the new interest team under him, which can be maintained efficiently.

"Three months is too long, I can't wait so long, I will only give you one month, during this period, I will let Zhang Fugui's intelligence bureau fully cooperate with you.

In addition, after I return to Xuzhou, I will ask Old Master Wei to pay you 200,000 taels of silver, and you can use this silver to go to other shipyards to dig up those skilled old craftsmen.

I won't ask you how to do it, I just need to see that Qingjiang Shipyard can officially build a warship in a month, at least a warship of 1,000 materials.

You are willing to take on this task and make a military order, and if you fail to do so, you will be punished. ”

Li Zixiao looked at Li Yan seriously and said in a deep voice.

After listening to Li Zixiao's words, Li Yan was both excited and felt a heavy pressure in his heart, but he still clenched his fists and responded: "General, my subordinates are willing to make a military order."

If the general's explanation is not fulfilled by the expiration date, Li Yangan will be punished in any way. ”

"Okay, let's go!"

Seeing Li Yan taking on this arduous task, Li Zixiao was not in the mood to continue wandering around the Qingjiang Shipyard at this time, so he was ready to return to Xuzhou.

"General, why are you in such a hurry to develop a naval army? With the strength of our naval army at this time, it is more than enough to deal with those Japanese bandits. ”

On the way back to Xuzhou, Li Yan asked Li Zixiao in confusion.

"Of course, how could it be worth my trouble.

To develop a naval force, no, it should be more accurate that I want to build a naval fleet, not a naval army that can only nest in inland rivers. ”

After Li Zixiao finished speaking, he left Li Yan with a mysterious smile.

And after Li Yan heard Li Zixiao's words, his heart was also shocked, and he keenly sensed Li Zixiao's intentions from the relatively new word 'naval fleet'.

"General, you don't want to meddle in maritime trade, but at this time, the southeast coast of the Ming Dynasty is controlled by the naval army under Zheng Zhilong.

It is said that Zheng Zhilong's old thing has been trading with the Hongmaoyi people a lot over the years, and even the trade between the Ming Dynasty and the Wa Kingdom and North Korea has basically been monopolized by him. ”

Li Yan also knew something about Zheng Zhilong, and said casually at this time.

"Yes, the annual benefits of maritime trade are really exciting, and I didn't have enough power in my hands before, so I couldn't take care of this piece.

But now that I have the strength in my hands, I have to take precautions, and there must be our share of the future maritime trade, if Zheng Zhilong does not agree, then fight for it with his fists. ”

"Li Yan, what do you think of Jiangnan now?" Suddenly, Li Zixiao asked Li Yan.

When it came to Jiangnan, Li Yan shook his head.

At the end of the Ming Dynasty, the south of the Yangtze River was simply a paradise compared with the drought in the northwest of the Ming Dynasty, the tension in the northeast, and the rampant rogues in the Central Plains, Sichuan, and Huguang.

So far, Jiangnan has basically not suffered many natural disasters, let alone wars.

It is said that in such a wealthy place, the annual tax revenue can fully support the Ming Dynasty to build several armies, like the Guanning Iron Cavalry.

In that way, the Ming Dynasty does not have to be afraid of the Tartars as much as it is now, and the rogues in the Central Plains will not be wiped out repeatedly.

But in fact, Jiangnan at this time had already become the private reserve of those Ming officials, and even Chongzhen was powerless to change the bad situation in Jiangnan.

In the imperial examination of the Ming Dynasty, the Jiangnan scholars had the advantage, resulting in the officialdom of the Ming Dynasty, and most of them were Jiangnan people.

These Jiangnan people have long formed a powerful interest group, no matter how difficult the imperial court is, the wealth of Jiangnan is difficult to use for the imperial court.

The salt merchants in Nanzhili, the maritime merchants in Fujian and Zhejiang, and the silk weaving merchants in the south of the Yangtze River, which is not rich flowing oil.

But they became rich, but they refused to pay the pitiful tax to the court.

Even through those Jiangnan officials in the court, they kept asking for tax reductions and exemptions, and they couldn't wait for the imperial court to collect any taxes from them.

In the rich land south of the Yangtze River, there are almost no commercial taxes, and you can only barely collect some tariffs.

According to Li Zixiao's investigation at this time, in a wealthy place like Zhejiang, the annual tea tax of the imperial court is only six taels of silver, which is simply a joke.

But at this time in the south of the Ming Jiangnan, such jokes abound.

"General, those officials and businessmen in Jiangnan at this time are completely hooked up, they are all together, and even the current saints can't solve it, I'm afraid we can't do anything."

Li Yan was worried about Li Zixiao, and at this time, his eyes were set on the rich land of Jiangnan, but Jiangnan was rich and rich, but it was also a swampy quagmire, and it was easy to fall into it.

"Haha, what about Li Yan, don't worry, General Ben knows it in his heart, and he also knows that this is not the time for us to meddle in Jiangnan, but Ben will still have to snatch a piece of meat from their plate.

It's good to take the opportunity to test the attitude of some of these interest forces in Jiangnan, and maritime trade is the first piece of fat I have my eye on.

When the time is ripe, I will ask the Holy Lord to completely lift the sea ban, re-establish the city shipping department, and rebuild the customs, and then we will take the opportunity to break Zheng Zhilong's monopoly maritime trade. ”

"Completely lift the sea ban, reset the city shipping department, and rebuild the customs? It's a good idea, but I don't know if the Holy One will agree? ”

Li Yan's pupils also shrank, admiring Li Zixiao's idea, which can be regarded as a salary draw from Zheng Zhilong's cauldron bottom, so that it is really possible to break Zheng Zhilong's monopoly on maritime trade.

Why does the Zheng family make so much money? It was because the imperial court had completely lost control over the sea, over the port tariffs.

The Zheng family had a strong maritime force, and while they organized fleets to trade overseas, they also collected protection fees from other maritime merchants while also providing protection.

These things that the Zheng family did at sea at this time were actually duties that should have been performed by the imperial court, but unfortunately they were now replaced by the Zheng family, and all the money earned fell into the hands of the Zheng family.

To put it bluntly, this result is caused by the collusion of local officials and businessmen, and they do not hesitate to confront the imperial court and damage the interests of the imperial court for the sake of huge maritime trade interests.

After Li Yan learned about Li Zixiao's plan, he felt that the burden on his shoulders was not light, and after he was ready to go back to attend Li Zixiao's wedding, he immediately launched the revitalization action of Qingjiang Shipyard.

At this time, Li Yan already had a preliminary plan in his heart, he had Li Zixiao's full support anyway, he could do things without scruples, and Li Zixiao would support him anyway.

………………………………………………

Toot toot toot! Knock knock knock!

At the beginning of June, Li Zixiao officially married Lin Wan'er, a red welcoming team, gongs, drums, suona, blows, blows, and beating, and went to Yangzhou.

"One worships heaven and earth, two worships the high hall, husband and wife worship each other, and send them to the cave room!"

Soon, Li Zixiao was also full of joy and under the guidance of special etiquette personnel, he completed this luxurious and cumbersome wedding.

Li Zixiao had to admit that after such a standard ancient wedding, he felt more tired than fighting a big war.

Just the etiquette rules made Li Zixiao confused, and his head was big for a while.

Fortunately, someone specially guided Li Zixiao when and what to do, otherwise Li Zixiao would be directly blindfolded.

"General, my subordinates toast you, I'm done."

"General, today is your big day, I hope that after the general marries his wife, he can give birth to a noble son as soon as possible, and his subordinates will also toast you."

Qian Guangyuan, Li Yan, Qiu Guangming, Wei Hong, Zhou Dazhu, Liu Chong, Wei Lao Fuzi, etc., these civilian officials and officers of the White Dragon Army, who are scattered everywhere and are rarely seen on weekdays, also rarely take the opportunity to get together this time.

The only pity is that Qi Wei and others, who were in Ruzhou at this time, could not rush back to attend Li Zixiao's wedding.

Only one Luo Chao came back, and it happened that Li Zixiao also transferred him back to take charge of the newly established cavalry battalion, and also took the opportunity to bring back the blessings of the soldiers of the Western Expeditionary Army.

Woooooo

In the middle of the night, Li Zixiao, who was half-drunk by his subordinates, stumbled into the festive cave room, and a bride with a red hijab was sitting in front of the red bed.

Li Zixiao cautiously walked up to the bride, picked up the red hijab on her head, revealed a delicate and beautiful face, and smiled at Li Zixiao.

"You're drunk, I'll pour you some water to wake up the bar."

Lin Wan'er, whose face was slightly red, was also a little nervous, and spoke.

"No, I'm not drunk, as the saying goes, 'a moment of Spring Festival is worth a thousand gold', let's do the right thing first, and talk about the rest tomorrow."

After speaking, Li Zixiao directly blew out the candles in the house and hugged Lin Wan'er to the bed.

The next day, as soon as it was dawn, Li Zixiao woke up, and then according to etiquette, they were going to visit Li's mother, tea and other rules.

"Mother, please have tea!" Lin Wan'er blushed, gave a bowl of tea to Mother Li, and shouted sweetly.

"Haha, good." Mother Li took Lin Wan'er's tea, took a sip, and said with a smile.

After getting married, Li Zixiao also took the opportunity to be lazy and gave himself a small vacation.

(End of chapter)