Dominate the Country

Thanks to ‘Suifeng Reading Thoughts’ for the 1,000-coin reward.

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The afterglow of the setting sun disappeared in the sky, and when the last ray of light disappeared in the horizon, the whole earth was shrouded in the afterglow of the setting sun. Nanjing, which had been noisy all day, finally quieted down. Accompanying the starlight in the night sky, the street lights on the streets of Nanjing City rose. The tall street lamp posts were painted snow-white, and beautiful windproof oil lamps were hung on them.

In the years before the steam age, the dark night was the main body of the world. Whether in the East or the West, there are always very few places with bright lights at night. Take many residential areas in Nanjing as an example. In addition to the street lights installed on the third-level roads at the expense of the government, in other alleys and lanes, not to mention the wind lanterns hanging outside for lighting, there are not many oil lamps in the house that are lit. Once it gets dark, most people have gone to bed.

The light of one hundred candles is roughly equivalent to a 100-watt electric light. In this era, the light in most homes around the world after dark is the same as the light in the refrigerator door in the 21st century. At this time, in London, the most populous city in Europe, it was common for guests and hosts to gather at a table and play cards around a candle at night; the rich people in the thirteen states of North America lived in European-style houses made of white pine, drove slaves, and then lit four candles and three oil lamps in their spacious dining rooms to have a dinner party.

So when it got dark, Nanjing became two different worlds. The fluorescent light on the first, second and third level roads formed a light belt, connecting the imperial palace, Qinhuai River, Xuanwu Lake and Wuyi Lane, and was clearly separated from the majority of civilian areas.

Most of the few families in the residential areas who did not turn off the lights could hear the "clicking" sound of the loom. However, the price of local cloth is very low now, especially in the Jiangnan area. There are not many families who can insist on weaving local cloth for a living, and even if they still weave local cloth, the yarn they use is mostly machine yarn purchased from the spinning mill. Many families weave homespun cloth just for themselves, because homespun cloth is much stronger and thicker than machine-woven cloth.

In Nanjing, people who weave with oil lamps and candles at night are definitely not weaving homespun cloth, but silk.

Under the light of street lamps, several policemen surrounded a carriage with a small red flag on the front and rushed to the State Guesthouse. A person sat in the carriage, none other than Yue Wenhai, the current Nanjing Shuntian Prefecture Governor.

The review was over, Yue Wenhai dealt with a series of follow-up chores, and had a good rest for two days. Just as he recovered, he received a post. It was a post from Shangxi, the King of Ryukyu. Two days later, he would leave Nanjing and return home.

Chen Ming met Shangxi during the day, and Shangxi also held a banquet himself at night.

Not only Yue Wenhai attended the meeting, but his son-in-law Chen Jigong was also invited by Shangxi, as well as foreigners from Shangguan Street, the head of the banking industry in Nanjing, and Li Qi from Sulu, Annan, and Korea, etc.

Yue Wenhai's smile was very intriguing. Who is he? The head of Nanjing Shuntian Prefecture, the power in his hands is much greater than that of Shuntian Prefecture in Beijing during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Less than an hour after receiving the invitation, Shang Xi had reported to Yue Wenhai who he had invited to the banquet. Shang Xi was obviously "borrowing flowers to offer to Buddha" to maintain relations. The latter Ryukyu, although known as the "bridge of all nations", is a transit point for trade between Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia. But things are different now. With the full opening of China's foreign trade ports, except for Japan, which needs to pass through Ryukyu to go south, Chinese merchant ships need to go through Okinawa to go to the South Sea.

Even if the sea-going ships from Shanghai to the south do not go through the Taiwan Strait, they can go through the sea outside Taiwan, which is the Bashi Strait and Balintang in later generations. The port revenue of the Ryukyu Kingdom can be expected to be greatly reduced in the future.

But Shang Xi is not blind. He can see the "contradiction" between China and Japan, and even happily hopes that Japan will be severely taught a lesson by China. This will not only give Ryukyu a good sigh of relief, but also a 165-year humiliation. Ryukyu's entire dignity has been trampled under the feet of Satsuma. China fights Japan, and Ryukyu agrees with all its hands and feet. Moreover, this war is related to the future interests of Ryukyu.

Small Japan will definitely not be able to withstand China's fierce attack. It is better to "open" Japan's door and let Japan, like China now, be open to all countries for business. After the Tokugawa shogunate closed its doors to the outside world, Japan now only opened its doors to the Netherlands and China, which greatly damaged Ryukyu's re-export interests.

And if Japan also allows all countries to trade, then Ryukyu's port economy will be immediately revitalized.

So he not only sent a message to China, but also invited Europeans on the trading street.

This is called "betting on both sides"!

The Chinese are the boss of the Eastern world and the father of Ryukyu, so they must be respectful. However, the trade between China and Japan is more direct, and it is difficult for Ryukyu to obtain enough profit from it. On the contrary, European merchant ships represented by the Dutch, when they come to Japan, seven or eight out of ten will create a certain amount of profit for Ryukyu.

Shang Xi is not stupid.

Yue Wenhai smiled when he saw the list of Shang Xi's dinner guests.

His son-in-law Chen Jigong, in addition to being in charge of the largest Jiangnan Shipyard in the court, is also the vice president of China Foreign Trade Corporation, the president of Jiangnan Trading Company, and is ordered to explore the sea east of Japan.

According to the truth that the earth is round, it is possible to reach the land of America by heading east from China to the sea.

Using the longitude and latitude of the foreigners, it can be calculated that the straight-line distance between China and the Americas is as long as 10,000 miles. Is there no land in such a vast sea?

The Kyushu Chamber of Commerce, which was established years ago, is the first registered company wholly owned by the royal family. It funded the China Foreign Trade Corporation with one million silver dollars, allowing the latter to use commercial capital to operate the exploration of the eastern seas and the exploration of the four seas.

The China Foreign Trade Corporation thus established four overseas exploration bureaus. The first bureau took Beihaicheng in Ezo as the starting point and Sakhalin Island as the forward base to explore the icy northern seas; the second bureau took Shanghai as the starting point and Ryukyu as the forward base to explore the eastern seas; the third bureau took Singapore as the starting point and Belitung Island as the forward base. This place had just been ceded to China by the Sultan of Palembang, Sumatra for 300,000 silver dollars. The geographical location is directly opposite the Sunda Strait, and it can pass through the East Indies and continue to go south in the fastest and most convenient way. The fourth round is to start from Penang, use the Andaman Islands as a forward base, explore the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean, and explore the Arabian World and Africa further west of India.

The Jiangnan Trading Company, which Chen Jigong is in charge of, is the mother body of the second overseas exploration bureau, and Chen Jigong is also the head of the second bureau. This news must have reached Shang Xi's ears now. Shang Xi will definitely not forget Chen Jigong.

Shang Xi is only mediocre, but he is not stupid. Most of the people on the banquet list are useful to him, even Sulu Hou, envoys from the two countries of Annan, and Li Qi of Korea...

The last two important figures are Bao Zhidao, president of the Commercial Bank, and Zheng Zhilun, vice president of Zhongyuan Bank, China's first private bank.

The dinner was held in the State Guesthouse, that is, in Xuanwu Lake, which is the best place in Nanjing. Not far away is the gathering place of Chen Han's dignitaries, and there is also a royal palace at the foot of Zijin Mountain.

Although it is wrapped in the city of Nanjing, it is very quiet, without the hustle and bustle of the downtown area.

When arriving at the entrance of Xuanwu Lake, Yue Wenhai saw the construction site of the horse-drawn carriage track, and his eyes darkened. This is a political achievement project with no risk at all, and it runs through the entire city's public transportation project. Unfortunately, this big piece of good meat was taken away by the previous one. Wu Xizeng, who took over Yue Wenhai's position, only made a start, and the main things still had to be taken care of by Yue Wenhai, who took over. And he worked hard, but the biggest medal of honor was someone else's.

The State Guesthouse stands next to a lake. The lights are bright in the night, and the illuminated water surface is shining with silver light, which is particularly eye-catching in the dark. The larger roof streamlines, multi-level brackets overlap, the structure is symmetrical, and the shape is beautiful.

"Shuntian Prefecture is here."

In the long shout, Shang Xi came forward with joy. They have been in Nanjing for so long, and they have troubled Shuntian Prefecture a lot. Of course, among all the guests who will be attending the meeting tonight, Yue Wenhai's status is also one of the few. Don't look at him without a title, you let that Sulu Hou give him a head-on confrontation? Scare the Sulu Marquis out of his wits.

If Yue Wenhai does a good job as the Shuntian Prefecture Governor, he can directly enter the central government. Moreover, his in-laws are Song Wang Chen Cong, the first person in the current royal family, and a person who is extremely trusted by the current emperor, and the first cabinet minister; the son-in-law does not seem to have the possibility of inheriting the throne, and has not even been conferred a title yet, but many people know that Yue Wenhai's son-in-law has a good relationship with the emperor.

Among the guests present today, Yue Wenhai's weight is definitely one of the few. Didn't you see that Bao Zhidao, the president of the Commercial Bank, who has always maintained a sense of pride since arriving at the venue, has already bowed and nodded himself?

Su Yunsun also came forward to greet Yue Wenhai, but he knew that his weight was limited, so he withdrew after greeting him. It's a bit embarrassing to say, but compared with the situation in Sulu, Su Yunsun is already very satisfied with his life now. The Su family lives a happy life in Nanjing.

Although in Nanjing, the Su family is not taken seriously by many people despite the fact that they are wearing the title of Marquis, but in business, this title of nobleman still has some weight. Su Yunsun, who is now engaged in the tide of business, earns much more money in a year than his annual title salary.

"Haha, Mr. Li, I haven't seen you for a long time. Are you doing well in Nanjing?"

The Su family has many plantations in West Borneo. In addition to a few natives and migrant Chinese, the farmers and workers there are slaves introduced from Korea. Compared with the natives of West Borneo, or even the Sulu people, these Korean slaves are gentle, easy to feed, and work hard. Before Su Yunsun met Li Qi, the Su family's caravan had taken care of the serf business of Li Qi's forces many times. Now that Li Qi has finally arrived in Nanjing, even if he has an indelible stain on him, Li Qi's power in Korea continues to exist, so he is a nobleman that the Su family must respect. The plantation economy requires a large number of slaves!

"Marquis Su is still as elegant as ever." Li Qi was enduring the silent cold reception at the banquet. Looking at the enthusiastic Marquis Sulu, he finally felt a little warm in his heart. The strangely accented Chinese spoken by the latter sounded as pleasant to him as the call of a lark.

Su Yunsun certainly knew Li Qi's current situation. After a few polite words, he lowered his voice and said, "Mr. Li, why should you worry about the temporary cold reception? You are the only direct descendant of the royal family of the Li Dynasty. As long as you stay in Nanjing, your safety and treatment are comparable to those of a king. And the truth will be revealed sooner or later. By then, even if you are cleared of suspicion, the throne will not be yours."

Su Yunsun's words were apparently to comfort Li Qi, but in fact they were to point out Li Qi's needs. Don't worry about the cold reception at the banquet. Go and get in touch with the emperor. As long as you have the emperor's support, it will be easy to come up with a "truth". When the "truth comes out", you will inherit the throne, and everything in Korea will still be yours, right?

Li Qi certainly understood what Su Yunsun meant. His father-in-law Jin Hongchang also thought so, as did several of his trusted confidants who came to Nanjing with him. Is the truth of the matter important? It is not important. The support of the Chinese emperor is the most important.

With the emperor's support, "putting the wrong hat on someone else's head" and "calling a deer a horse" are not impossible. The stains on him are not stains at all.

However, "how easy is that." Li Qi did too many things, which made the Chinese emperor have a very bad impression of him.

Li Qi looked at Su Yunsun's back with a hint of envy. The days wrapped in malice and hatred were not easy. Compared with that, the life of Sulu Hou was easy and happy.

After Su Yunsun had gained a good impression in front of Li Qi, he had to rush to show his face in front of a person in charge of the Jiuzhou Chamber of Commerce. He also knew about the Overseas Exploration Bureau. Su Yunsun believed that the people of the Su family could be involved in the exploration of the third and fourth rounds.

They are natives of Nanyang, and they know more about the situation south of the Sunda Strait and the environment east of Java Island. Moreover, they are white hats. Going to the Tianfang world, they are obviously more convenient to deal with the natives of Tianfang than the Han people.

"Master Yue is a general of the Song King's line. Zheng saw that President Bao had a good conversation with him just now. It seems that the Commercial Bank has gained a lot." Zheng Zhilun, vice president of Zhongyuan Bank, said to Bao Zhidao beside him with a faint smile, with a little bit of condescending expression, but the taste was very clear. Zheng Zhilun knew exactly what Bao Zhidao and Yue Wenhai were discussing. Because the Zhongyuan Bank, which had a deeper background, had already signed an agreement with Shuntian Prefecture, although they were a private bank. After the news spread, the Commercial Bank was afraid that it would come here because of the smell of fish.

Bao Zhidao did not feel embarrassed at all, "Of course, of course. It would be a pity to miss such a great opportunity tonight!"

Zheng Zhilun looked at Bao Zhidao calmly. From the leader of the Shouyuan Sect in Yuzhou to one of the leaders of the specific affairs of the Zhongyuan Bank, Zheng Zhilun was no longer the Zheng Zhilun of the past. But how could Bao Zhidao still be the big shopkeeper under Wu Zunde?

The two people's eyes met, and the friction could produce sparks. In the big project undertaken by Shuntian Prefecture, the Zhongyuan Bank and the Commercial Bank are partners, but also competitors.

The two were the only two people from the banking industry who attended the banquet. Behind them sat numerous nobles of Chen Han. It was these people who invested and gathered 12 million silver dollars to obtain the license of China's first private bank. The Commercial Bank relies on the Industrial and Commercial Bureau and the Cabinet, and occupies a dominant position in many foreign trade port cities in China. It should not be underestimated.

Shang Xi certainly didn't know that the Nanjing government was planning a major project to introduce capital to improve the infrastructure of Naha Port, and he wanted to build a high-end dock in Naha Port, but the huge amount of money required was not something Shang Xi could afford. So Shang Xi sent a post to Bao Zhidao and Zheng Zhilun, and gave a high standard of personal reception. Zheng Zhilun and Bao Zhidao also expressed a certain interest in the planning of the King of Ryukyu. Both banks have the strength to let capital go out.

So Shang Xi, who was so happy that his mouth was almost grinning behind his ears, felt very proud. What he didn't know was that the real target of these two giants in the Chinese banking industry tonight was not him, Shang Xi, but Yue Wenhai, who was invited by Shang Xi.

Many people don't know that this year, Nanjing and the docks of Nanjing Port will start the second phase of the port area expansion and renovation project. Because Nanjing has been opened as a trading port, it can be predicted that there will be more ships coming and going in the future.

Zhongyuan Bank and Commercial Bank both want to get a piece of the pie.