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The British minister said, "Do you still want to build many ports?"

Ji Ao Kendao, "Manchuria is full of coastlines suitable for building excellent ports, such as Lushun, Dalian, Dandong, Yingkou, Huludao ......"

Anderson said, "Your Excellency the Marquis, Manchuria has not yet been developed, and it is not easy to build so many ports. ”

Ji Aojian said, "There are 10 million people here, how can it be said that such a large market has not been developed? Moreover, there are many coal mines and iron mines here in the Northeast, and there are large coal and iron mines near the ports I mentioned. ”

Anderson's eyes lit up, "What you said is true?"

Ji Ao said, "You can send an expedition to Manchuria with me, and I can send someone to show you one by one, so that you can explore clearly." ”

Anderson snorted, "If there is enough coal and iron, it is worth repairing the port, at least a simple dock." ”

Ji Ao Jian said, "Mr. Anderson, if you want to repair the official port and the simple wharf, what oil and water is there?"

Anderson rubbed his hands and said, "It depends on the size of the minerals that can be explored." ”

Ji Ao Kendao, "There are so many mineral deposits that you can't imagine. By the way, the Russians have long been eyeing and coveting such big interests, and they have planned to take Lushun as an ice-free port in the Far East. ”

Anderson asked, "Lushun?"

Ji Ao Kendao, "The terrain of Lushun is especially suitable for serving as a naval port. ”

Why, Mr. Minister, you don't know much about the geography of Lushun? It seems that you have not done enough homework in the Northeast.

Anderson said, "Wait. I'll look to see if there's a map of Lushun. ”

Ji Aojian frowned and said, "You haven't surveyed there yet?"

Anderson thought for a moment, "Doesn't seem to be." ”

Ji Aojian sighed. "I'll draw you a sketch. ”

After a while, Anderson breathed heavily, "Is this the terrain along the Lushun coast?"

Ji Ao Kendao, "You can send someone to see it." ”

Anderson said, "I will inform the naval fleet to investigate, and if Port Arthur is indeed the same as you painted, it must not be allowed to fall into the hands of the Russians." ”

Ji Aojian said with a smile. "Do you want to build a military port here?"

Anderson said sternly, "Do you still need to ask?"

After a while, he asked. "You are still in Suizhong, when can you attack Lushun?"

Ji Ao Kendao, "I plan to take Liaoxi within the year and Liaodong next year." Your fleet is now in the Bohai Sea. If you can help along the coast. We can march faster. ”

Anderson said, "If our fleet were to fight another war here, the cost of the war would be very high, and if it dragged on until next year, the cost would be even greater. ”

Ji Aojian said with a smile, "The war expenses are easy to handle, you just need more reparations." ”

Anderson nodded, "That's a good idea. I will do the math to build a port in Manchuria and maintain a navy for operations. How much does it cost?"

Ji Ao Kendao, "There is also the railway from the mine to the port, which is also counted." ”

Anderson nodded, "Yes, the railroad counts as well." ”

Ji Aojian continued, "Since the Russians already have interests here, they will never give up lightly, and they may fight for a long time. How many troops can you garrison here?"

Anderson had a difficult face, "This ......"

What the Kingdom of Great Britain lacks most is an army.

He thought for a moment, "Your Excellency, this requires the help of your troops. ”

Ji Aojian nodded, "It's easy to say, it's easy to say." But we can't fight the Russians with spears and bows, so let's build another arsenal, right? ”

After calculating the necessary ports, railways, mines, munitions, military expenses, and so on, Anderson said, "This will cost about 50 million taels of silver." ”

Ji Aojian smiled and nodded.

Ji Moli was already extremely excited when she heard this, and this time she saved 50 million taels of construction costs, you are too great!

The British are really good people, and they are so enthusiastic about investing so much money to develop the Northeast.

I only heard Anderson say, "If all the reparations are used in the Northeast, I also need to lobby parliamentarians in China, so I will take back 10 million taels of 50 million taels." ”

Ji Moliden felt that these Englishmen were too treacherous. If you think about it carefully, no matter how much capital they invest, it is all because of the Ming court, and they don't spend a penny of their own capital.

Ji Ao Kendao, "It should be like this." ”

Anderson dropped 10 million taels, and his spirits perked, "This is only the first phase of the cost, and the additional development investment will be made in the future, what else is the name?"

The minister felt that the development of the Northeast was simply a cornucopia, and if he continued to cooperate with Siberian Hou for a long time and fought for more projects for him, he would always be able to get a generous "business expense".

Ji Aojian handed over another apple and said with a smile, "Mr. Minister, let's talk about the current cost first." If you want Ming Guo to compensate 50 million taels of silver, even if you negotiate and sign it, you won't be able to get it in a year or two. ”

Anderson wondered, "Why?"

Ji Ao said, "The annual income of the Ming government is only more than 30 million taels of silver. If you don't eat or drink, it will take two years to pay off, and if you lose 10 million a year, it will take five years to pay. ”

Anderson was surprised, "How can such a big country have such a small amount of national taxes a year?"

Ji Ao Kendao, "You know, the tax collection capacity of the Middle Kingdoms was very inefficient, and they could basically only receive agricultural taxes. Therefore, if you want the Ming government to pay compensation faster, your country needs to help us improve our tax collection capacity. ”

Anderson asked, "How can this help?"

Ji Ao Kendao, "The tariffs of the Ming Kingdom in various coastal areas are basically zero. Your country can build our imperial court, and in accordance with international practice, set up a customs agency to check the collection of taxes, so that the government revenue can at least double, and 50 million taels of silver can be easily compensated. ”

Anderson thought for a moment, "Could it be that your government didn't want to collect more tariffs before?"

Ji Ao said, "How can you not want to? However, gangsters are rampant and powerful in various parts of the country, so they just don't pay tariffs. But with the help of your country, it will be different, if you do not pay customs duties anywhere along the coast, you will block the port with gunboats, so that the local people cannot trade, and they will naturally have to pay taxes obediently. ”

Anderson frowned, "We, the Royal Navy, help the Ming Imperial Court obtain a long-term tax source, is it just to get an indemnity of fifty million taels of silver?"

Ji Ao Kendao, "This collects tariffs on import and export trade, and it requires relevant talents who are familiar with international commerce." We lack such a figure in the Ming Dynasty, and we have to ask people from your country to help us run it in the early days. ”

Anderson nodded, "You're right, but it's not enough. ”

I thought to myself, there seemed to be some room for maneuvering.

Ji Aojian smiled, "Mr. Anderson, I have a Jian yì now. ”

Anderson asked, "What is built?"

Ji Ao said, "Since the matter of collecting customs duties is so complicated, we can cooperate to set up a customs and taxation committee to contract the collection of customs duties to the Ming Imperial Court." In this way, we pay an amount every year, and the excess is our own income. ”

Anderson's eyes lit up, "Good!"

But he immediately wondered, "Why do you want to work with you to form a committee?"

Ji Ao said, "First, I have two silver numbers in my country, and if your country wants to find a domestic financial partner, there is no more suitable one than me." Second, because my family is a conglomerate, I am a sponsor of many important members of the DPRK and China, and I have a great influence on the political situation. Thirdly, if you do not cooperate with me, I will establish a court to assist the French, Dutch, and Americans in customs affairs, but I will not cooperate with your country. If you think about it, your country has just lost a war at your hands, and the whole court is resistant to you. ”

Anderson was taken aback, "Your Excellency Marquis, you must not mention this building. It's enough for us to cooperate, and other countries don't have to get involved. ”

Ji Aojian said with a smile, "Then Mr. Minister, you will take the establishment of the Customs and Excise Committee as one of the contents of the negotiations." This can not only help the imperial court increase taxes, but also help solve the indemnity, how can they not agree. ”

Anderson was also smiling, "That's a good idea. ”

Ji Ao said, "Then let's talk about the candidates for the chief tax secretary in this committee." My sister is the president of a large consortium in northern China, and she has a wealth of government connections, so it is most suitable for her to be the chief tax department. (To be continued)