The Rise of the European Emperor

Marin didn't know how influential the order he issued to "widely plant betel nuts" would be. Because betel nuts are a bit addictive to eat, and later they became a favorite snack for Europeans. Oral cancer then became a common ailment among Europeans...

The taste of betel nut is a bit weird, but people are very excited after eating it. And the current Europe just likes this kind of weird taste similar to spices. Later, the Portuguese who tasted it got betel nut seeds in Southeast Asia, planted them in West Africa, and provided dry betel nuts to Europe, which was very popular among nobles. Then, many people in the nobles were recruited. Although the proportion is not high, but the number is also quite a lot...

The funniest thing is that the Portuguese did not take advantage of the miasma-proof effect of betel nuts to supply the most needy immigrants. Instead, they shipped them back to Europe and sold them as snacks. Then, the Portuguese did not gain a firm foothold in Africa, and still relied on blacks, which paved the way for the loss of colonies in the future.

Of course, this is something. Fortunately, the Beihai State avoided various problems because of Marin's regulations prohibiting eating more. People in other countries don't believe it, so they naturally chew on it, and they can't blame people if they get tricked. And Marin was also happy to watch the joke, who told them not to listen to his advice. Moreover, the main recruits are those who chew betel nuts all day long. It's not a big problem to eat two or three pills a day. Chewing betel nuts all day long is like smoking a few packs of cigarettes a day. You are doing it yourself, and you can’t blame others.

In order to reduce the harm of arecoline in betel nuts, Marin specially ordered the large-scale planting of lemons in Cuba, and then extracted citric acid to promote it in the tropics and lemonade, and asked the lemonade to stay in the mouth for a while before swallowing.

The specific requirements are that after chewing betel nuts, you must first rinse your mouth with water, and then drink some lemonade with citric acid added. In this way, acid-base neutralization can also reduce the harm of arecoline.

Speaking of which, the island of Cuba is really a good place. Although the island has an area of ​​only 100,000 square kilometers, most of the island is plain, which is very suitable for agriculture. Therefore, after Marin occupied Cuba Island, he planted all the tropical crops he wanted to plant on Cuba Island. As for Panama, only sweet potatoes, peanuts and other crops are grown there as food supply for the local area.

In addition, there are world-class nickel mines on the island of Cuba. Not only can it provide Marin with a large amount of nickel metal, but also in the process of extracting nickel sulfide, it can produce a large amount of sulfurous acid and sulfuric acid, which can be used in the processing of phosphate rock, making it an easily absorbed phosphate fertilizer.

Thinking of the lateritic nickel mine in Cuba, Marin slapped his head again and ordered another 20 million French Denier "silver coins" to be minted with nickel-nickel-nickel copper.

20 million French Denieres "silver coins", worth more than 1.86 million gold coins. It seems that the total value is not much, but a large amount of supplies can be bought back from France. Among other things, France, as an agricultural country, has no shortage of cattle and horses, as well as donkeys and mules. These cupronickel "silver coins" forged by Marin privately can purchase a large number of livestock from France. In addition, the wines of Burgundy and Bordeaux can also be purchased in large quantities with these fake Denieres.

In addition, recently, the spy merchants under Kohler suddenly discovered that it seems that people can be bought in France with Denier silver coins...

Yes, coins can also buy population in France!

Regardless of the fact that France, like Britain, has long begun to abolish slavery. However, in many places in the countryside, there are still many remnants of serfdom. Even during the "French Revolution" two or three hundred years later, there were still millions of serfs left in the French countryside.

In France, only big cities such as Paris, Marseille, and Lyon and their surrounding areas can be considered developed areas, and their ideas are relatively progressive. However, in the vast rural areas, there are still many remnants of feudal serfdom.

Moreover, France is now the country with the least shortage of population in Europe, with a total population of more than 15 million, and it is the country with the least valuable human resources in Europe.

Because there has been no war and the Black Death for a long time, the population in various parts of France has grown rapidly, and many surplus populations have emerged.

By chance, when the spy merchants under Kohler went to the area near Germany in eastern France to buy goods with cupronickel and fake silver coins,

It turns out that a down-and-out local aristocrat is actually selling serfs in the market...

Of course, restricted by the laws of the Kingdom of France, the down-and-out nobleman did not dare to sell people as slaves, but sold the extra boys in the manor in the form of contracts, and sold them to others as indentured slaves.

After all, slavery has been legally abolished in France, and human trafficking cannot be overt. Therefore, when the manor owner sold the surplus serf children in the manor, he sold them in the form of "employment contracts".

Although it is said that they are not slaves, the "employment contract" does not specify any rights and interests of any "hired" slaves. In fact, among the French nobles, the surplus serfs in the manor were also traded privately. Some are for repaying the money, and some are simply because the manor has too many people to support.

Especially boys in their teens, as the saying goes, "Half a child, eat a poor old man". If there are too many boys from serf families in the manor, the manor owner may send them away to serve as apprentices (apprentices will not receive wages for seven years), or some greedy lords simply use them as "contract slaves" in the form of selling to others.

This is a bit like the slaves of ancient Chinese feudal dynasties. Although they are not in the hands of slave owners like slaves, they have no freedom and must obey the orders of their employers. Moreover, their property, like serfs, belonged to the master. The only thing better than slaves is that employers cannot easily kill them.

Generally, such transactions are private. Moreover, it is mostly carried out among the manor owners. After all, some manors have a large population, while others have a small population.

However, when Kohler’s spies went to Dijon (the original capital of the Principality of Burgundy) to purchase Burgundy wine, it happened that the manor owner was in financial crisis and was eager to sell the extra serf boys, so he brought them to the market. It was sold in the market, only to be discovered by Kohler's men...

Then, Marin was surprised to find out that there was also human trafficking in France! Although it is hidden deeply, it is still there.

After all, men and women were still very popular in Europe in this era. And male and female servants must be reliable people, what is more reliable than contracted servants?

So, privately, the French slave trade flourished. As long as you spend a dozen gold coins, you can buy a half-sized man as a servant. Half-grown girls are cheaper than boys with ordinary looks, but good-looking ones are available for 30 gold coins. Because such good-looking maids are usually playthings of nobles, or bought back as lovers, the price is naturally a bit more expensive.

Marin is not interested in buying girls, but he is very interested in the trade of half-sized boys. After all, if you buy it and raise it for a few years, you will be a strong male laborer. As for women, you can buy cheaper hair girls...