Start Summoning West Factory Flower

Chapter 55

Shanhai County has started recruiting troops again, this time recruiting all sailors.

If you want to completely control the Luoyu Islands, you need at least 1000 sailors, but Shanhai County only has [-] sailors, and the remaining fleet of Yihetang is only more than [-] people, which is far from the number of [-]. .

Of course, this recruitment is mainly based on the people on the Luoyu Islands, and Shanhai County is only a support.

In addition to recruiting soldiers, the registration of household registration for the islanders was also on the agenda. The county government sent more than 30 civil servants to the various islands of the Luoyu Islands.

Allocating arable land, building villages, planning navy stations, trading islands, etc., everything is proceeding in an orderly manner.

Slowly, some people from the island came to Shanhai County. They brought a lot of fishery products and sold them in the county town, which were warmly welcomed by the people.

Don't look at the coast of Shanhai County, but there is really no seafood for sale, otherwise Zheng Ming would not have gone to the navy to ask for it before.

With the arrival of the islanders, Shanhai County became more lively.

It's just that winter has come, the temperature is getting lower and lower, and most of the buildings in the county have been suspended.

"Your Highness, the enthusiasm of the people to buy cotton has finally subsided."

In the palace, Xin Qiji breathed a long sigh of relief.

Food and clothing are the most important materials for the people.

In the past, people in Shanhai County were poor, and even in winter, they would not buy cotton-padded clothes.

But this year, Zheng Ming spent a few months to release hundreds of thousands of taels of silver, and the people naturally had to buy some cotton-padded clothes for the winter.

However, Shanhai County does not produce cotton, so it can only be purchased.

In the past few months, Xin Qiji arranged more than a dozen caravans to travel to and from Beibianfu, almost all of them purchasing cotton and linen.

Zheng Ming frowned slightly as he looked at the account book in his hand.

There seems to be something wrong with his money-making plans.

Indeed, in the past few months, he released hundreds of thousands of silver.

However, in the last half month alone, nearly 80,000 taels have been taken back for linen and cotton clothes alone. This does not count other materials such as food. If it is included, almost half of them have been taken back.

The circulation of money is a good thing, but it is not a good thing to have all the money flowing back to the county government.

"Take advantage of the leisure time in winter, you can formulate the following business taxes."

"Next year, the restrictions on people's business will be lifted, and it is best to support a few big businessmen."

Now all the caravans in Shanhai County belong to the county government, and there are no private caravans, which is not a good thing for Shanhai County.

"As for maritime merchants, let's get through the routes with the three dynasties first."

Zheng Ming said.

"Xiaoguan understands." Xin Qiji replied.

He had thought about it, and was already looking for a target to support.

……

The weather is getting colder and colder.

Shanhai County has also become deserted, and the people have begun to prepare for winter at home.

But the fleet in the sea became more and more lively.

The monsoon in winter is the greatest convenience for the northern fleet. The Dajin Dynasty in the north will have a large number of merchant ships heading south, and they will bring the specialties of Dajin to the Eastern Ying Dynasty, the Dazhou Dynasty and even the countries further south.

Yihetang took advantage of this to collect a lot of protection fees. A merchant ship charged 100 taels of silver, and received more than 50,000 taels in just half a month. Zheng Ming was taken aback by this costless transaction.

50,000 taels for half a month, wouldn't it be possible to receive millions of taels in a year?

Of course, this is not the case. There are only two commercial surges like this every year, and the combined winter and summer are only four or five months. Although there are usually sea ships, the number is much smaller.

And this year, without the competition between Tiger Shark and the Inoue family, Yihetang's income has also increased a lot.

In previous years, Yihetang could earn 200,000 taels a year, which is not bad.

As for whether there are still pirates?

Not necessarily.

If you pay the protection fee, there will be no pirates.

No protection fee is paid, pirates can have it at any time.

Of course, there are also businessmen who are head iron. They are unwilling to pay protection fees, and they also employ many warriors.

As long as such a fleet does not have a deep background, basically there is no return.

Don't think that Yihetang only talks about benevolence, righteousness and morality. In the past, Yihetang also looted merchant ships.

The winter monsoon not only brought many merchant ships of the Dajin Dynasty, but also took away the merchant ships of Shanhai County.

This time, it was an attempt in Shanhai County. There were only four merchant ships, two went to the Eastern Ying Dynasty, and two went to the Southern Zhou Dynasty.

Just took away some furs and herbs, and of course the fine salt that was just harvested. As for other things, Shanhai County did not have it.

This time, it's mainly for exploring.

Everything is going on in an orderly manner in Shanhai County, but there is a dignified atmosphere in Kyoto.

The situation in the court over the battle for the prince became more and more intense.

The eldest prince Su Wang Zhenghua with deep roots, the second prince Qing Zheng Xu with illustrious military exploits, the learned third prince Ning Wang Zheng Peng, and the fourth prince Tang Zheng Feng who is already a fourth-rank martial artist just 20 years old this year. This kind of conspiracy continues.

The entire Kyoto was surging because of this, and even some sect forces were involved.

However, as the referee of the prince's dispute, Zheng Qingsong seemed to be unaware of all this.

In the Warm Pavilion of the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

Zheng Qingsong sat at the desk and looked at a book of memorials.

"Burn it!"

After he opened a memorial and glanced at it, he threw it to Eunuch Wei.

Unexpectedly, Eunuch Wei took the memorial and threw it directly into the stove next to it.

The most work he has done these days is burning memorials.

All memorials related to the battle of the prince were sent to the furnace.

suddenly.

Zheng Qingsong paused when he looked at a memorial.

His brows furrowed, his face a little embarrassed.

"What is this old thing doing?"

Eunuch Wei stood beside him, his eyebrows lowered.

Zheng Qingsong said a little unhappily: "Go, recruit Wei Shang over."

Eunuch Wei raised his head sharply, then bowed and slowly exited the warm pavilion.

Wei Shang, the governor of the Dali Dynasty, was the left governor, a mighty general, and Duke Dingguo, a figure who stood at the peak of the military of the Dali Dynasty.

However, Wei Shang is more than 70 years old this year. Although he is a first-rank martial artist, his body is not as good as Zheng Qingsong's due to many old injuries. He even has difficulty walking and can only rely on a wheelchair to survive.

However, Wei Shang has a very high prestige in the Dali military. Many generals in the military are his disciples, either under his guidance or under his leadership.

Moreover, Wei Shang was also Duke Dingguo, one of the seven hereditary dukes of the Dali Dynasty, and in some respects he could represent the noble class.

Now Wei Shang is in a semi-retired state, and he hardly interferes in any state affairs except for a temporary post in the Dudu's Mansion.

But once he speaks out, it will affect the entire court situation.

Not long after, Eunuch Wei took Wei Shang back to the Warm Pavilion.

The two little eunuchs pushed Wei Shang to Zheng Qingsong.

"Old minister greets His Majesty!"

Wei Shang had white hair all over the sky, his face was ruddy, he was in good spirits, and he seemed to be in good health.

(End of this chapter)