The Rise of the European Emperor

Before Kong Tai came to Keelung, the Pingpu Ketagalan people near Keelung Bay lived by the sea, but they were short of salt.

Perhaps, in the eyes of modern people, isn't salt just a simple thing that can be obtained by boiling sea water dry? It's hard to imagine that there is still a lack of salt at the seaside.

However, it is such a simple truth that the ancients, especially the Ketagalan people who were still in the matrilineal commune society, could not imagine it. Therefore, for the Ketagalan people, their salt mainly comes from the blood of their prey and the salty stones (rock salt) on land. If you are lucky, you may be able to pick up natural salt on the beach after low tide. But, they just can't boil the sea for salt...

Moreover, Kong Tai was also lucky. Before, with the help of Liu Laogen, he used a solar cooker to show a "miracle" in front of several local chiefs, scaring the local Fan people. Therefore, even though they were greedy for the inexhaustible salt in Kong Tai's hands, the local people did not dare to make mistakes, and never thought of snatching Kong Tai's salt. Because, the previous performance like a magic stick greatly frightened the local people. Let those Fanmin think that Kong Tai is some great immortal, so naturally they dare not make mistakes. Kong Tai hired their young and strong to work, and they did not dare to disobey. It would be hard to say without the magic stick-like performance performed by the solar cooker before...

You must know that although the Pingpu people on Taiwan Island are relatively gentle, they are compared with the brutal and aggressive inland Gaoshan people. In fact, as Fanmin, they are not bad at all for being brave and ruthless. Just like the Spanish colonists in the original history, they established the city of San Salvador on Heping Island long ago, but they were frightened by the Ketagalan people on Taiwan Island and did not dare to land, so they could only hide in the fortress of Heping Island and starve abdomen. Because the Ketagalan people are also very fierce. Although their weapons are outdated, they have fierce temperaments, and they are desperate to fight.

It was because Kong Tai used the solar cooker to dance to the gods and bluffed the chiefs of the Ketagalan people that the local aborigines did not dare to make mistakes. Otherwise, I will teach you how to be a man with a javelin and a spear every minute...

Now, in the eyes of the local Ketagalan people, Kong Tai is "Kong Daxian", a ruthless man who knows magic. Therefore, they had to be happy when Kong Tai hired them to work.

However, although Kong Tai is stingy and does not pay wages, he is not stingy. For example, those young natives wanted to bring some sweet potato rice back to their families, and Kong Tai agreed without hesitation. After all, sweet potatoes are so high-yield that they will go bad if you don’t eat them. Why don’t you give some to the locals as a favor?

Then, the old and young Ketagalan people in several nearby villages simply built simple villages near the new city to facilitate the young and old to go home. At the same time, it is also convenient to come to the construction site for lunch...

When it was time to eat, the men, women and children in the Ketagalan villages also came to line up to receive the sweet potatoes. Kong Tai has harvested millions of catties of sweet potatoes, but he is not afraid of being poor. There is only one thing, these people will never allow themselves to spoil the sweet potatoes in the field, so as not to destroy the sweet potato fields and affect the production.

Gradually, more than 3,000 Ketagalan aborigines in several nearby villages lived a relatively orderly life around the newly built Keelung City. Moreover, they also began to learn sweet potato planting techniques from Han farmers such as Liu Laogen, abandoning the slash-and-burn agricultural techniques of the primitive society soil turtles in the past, and changed to the Han-style farming model. Then, the local men went to work on the construction site in Keelung City, and the women went to the fields to learn how to grow sweet potatoes... And when it was time to eat, the whole local aboriginal family went to the construction site cafeteria to eat together... This life is a bit like a collective farm... …

...

When Marin saw Kong Tai, Kong Tai was wearing a steel helmet. However, he didn't wear armor, but ordinary civilian clothes, and short clothes suitable for working. That way, it looks like a contractor who has returned from inspecting the construction site.

And the steel helmet on his head is also like a hard hat popular on construction sites...

When he heard that the aborigines now called Kong Tai "Kong Daxian", Marin laughed so hard that his stomach ached. Then, under the arrangement of Kong Tai's wife Maria, Marin and others ate a typical farm meal...

The chefs of this meal were all recruited by the women of Jilong Village where Liu Laogen used to be. It's not a high-end dish, but it's also quite distinctive. The group ate with relish and drank sweet potato wine made from sweet potatoes by the villagers. Although the wine is a little cloudy, it also has a special flavor when drinking.

After eating and drinking, Marin and Kong Tai came to the secret room to talk alone...

"How is it? How is the situation in Ming Dynasty?"

Kong Tai frowned and said:

"It's not very good. It is said that the Ming Dynasty is in chaos now. The great eunuch Liu Jin has monopolized power, and the court has been made into a mess by him. Officials from all over the country have to bribe him in order to protect themselves. It is said that officials from all over the country go to the capital to pay homage. Bribing him would cost as little as a thousand taels of silver, and as much as five thousand taels..."

"Stop! That's not what I want to hear!" Marin was a little annoyed. He could tell that these were obviously the opinions of the people of the Ming Dynasty, and more of the opinions of the civil officials of the Ming Dynasty. But it's none of his business? What he wants is to obtain trade qualifications, not to care about the internal affairs of the Ming Dynasty.

Therefore, he reprimanded unceremoniously:

"What I want you to inquire about is whether we can attach to the Ming Dynasty, not the internal problems of the Ming Dynasty. If Liu Jin harms the Ming Dynasty again, what does it matter to us? If we can be recognized by the court, so what if we bribe Liu Jin?"

"Bribe Liu Jin? Will that ruin your reputation?" Kong Tai hesitated...

Marin almost laughed angrily:

"Fame? What reputation do we have? In the eyes of Ming Dynasty officials, we are barbarians, uncivilized savages, what reputation can we have? What I want is to become a local official of the Ming Dynasty, not to be a model of the Ming Dynasty!" Kong Tai said. Guy, his thoughts are a little closer to the literati of the Ming Dynasty, which makes Marin very speechless.

"If Liu Jin falls from power, will we be implicated? After all, bribing Liu Jin will be regarded as rebellious after he falls..." Kong Tai's words are to the point and very reasonable.

Moreover, Marin remembered that Liu Jin seemed to have fallen this year. He was probably impeached in August of the lunar calendar and then killed. The reason why he was killed was because King Anhua rebelled in the name of crusade against Liu Jin. After such a big mess happened, Emperor Zhengde couldn't keep him anymore, so he had to push Liu Jin to take the blame. At the same time, he ate his fill by confiscating Liu Jin's family property.

You know, when Liu Jin's family property was confiscated, there were actually 2.5 million taels of gold and 50 million taels of silver, making him the richest man in the world at that time. Even Marin, the richest man in Europe, is not worth mentioning in front of Liu Jin's huge wealth. You know, the 2.5 million taels of gold alone is worth more than 26.19 million gold coins, not counting the 50 million taels of silver...

However, these have nothing to do with Marin. All he wanted was to obtain the status of chieftain of the Ming Dynasty, so that he could go to the Ming Dynasty to purchase and do business at any time.

Therefore, he did not hesitate to bribe Liu Jin in order to obtain the status of chieftain of the Ming Dynasty as soon as possible. Moreover, bribery is also a shortcut. Because, generally speaking, power rape after receiving money is still very efficient. Otherwise, it may take a long time to teach those honest civil servants to discuss. But this matter must be hurry up, because Liu Jin will fall from power in August of the lunar calendar. If it was too late, the bribe money would be wasted.

So, Marin ordered:

"Kong Tai, send someone to the inland immediately, secretly contact Hu Jian's Jin Yiwei, give enough money, let them pass it on for them, and beg to see Liu Jin. Then, send 10,000 taels of silver!"

"Not through the government?"

Marin rolled his eyes:

"We are bribing, of course we have to do it secretly. Jinyiwei belongs to the factory guard, and it is the most convenient to contact Liu Jin. If it is through the official, it is to give the other party evidence of the crime!" Kong Tai learned a lot of Confucian culture, and he learned a little pedantic about people... …

Marin intends to use Liu Jin's last glory this time to help him obtain normal trade qualifications. You know, Liu Jin is now at the height of his power, almost controlling the government. If he wants to be qualified as a chieftain, Liu Jin absolutely cannot avoid it. Therefore, it is better to bribe him and ask him for help. As for Liu Jin's downfall in the future? Just say you were bribed. Anyway, this matter has not passed through the civil service system, and it is not easy for others to investigate. As long as the little Emperor Zhengde is coaxed well, everything will be fine...

And after bribing Liu Jin to get through the relationship, Ma Lin will be able to set off smoothly to visit the wharf in the capital of the Ming Dynasty...