Qianlong: Qing Dynasty?What about my Daqing?

Chapter 60
Chapter 69. Taipan Luo's Fudge

"General, the reason why Zhu Daohua's army has such sophisticated weapons is because they are backed by the extremely large Daohua firm in Europe."

"They can buy whatever they need through trade."

Rodriguez said.

"The Qing Dynasty can do the same. In this world, as long as you have money." Rodriguez stretched out his hand and made a gesture of counting money, "There is nothing that cannot be bought."

"Can you buy arms even if you run a bank?"

Fukang'an hasn't spoken yet.

Guo Shixun asked.

In order to prepare for this war against the Ming army, the Governor of Guangdong and Guangxi also moved to Guangzhou.

After all, Guangzhou is the center of Guangdong. As long as Guangzhou is still in the hands of the Qing court, Guangdong is not considered lost.

Rodriguez hurriedly said, "Master Guo, I am a businessman, and I will do what I want to make money. The Qing Dynasty needs arms, so I can transport guns and artillery from the factory in Calcutta, India."

"Foshan Town can also produce muskets." Guo Shixun was noncommittal.

"It's natural. The technology of musket production is not a secret." Rodriguez spread his hands and said, "The only problem is the cost."

Speaking of it.

Rodriguez made a five sign.

"Five taels of silver, only five taels of silver! Brand new Indian flintlock guns can be sent to Guangzhou!"

"Five taels?!"

Guo Shixun and Fukang'an were shocked when they heard the words.

Not to mention the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Beijing, even the craftsmen here in Foshan cost more than five taels to simply build a musket.

"How can it be so cheap?"

Fukang An asked.

Rodriguez thought, of course it's because I didn't intend to sell muskets at all, but for your money.

There was a slight smile on his face: "General, I want to be friends with Da Qing."

"Friend? Daban Luo, you can just say what you want." Fukang said.

He knew that if the other party shipped the goods at the price of five taels of silver for a musket, there was a high probability that they would give up their profits.

If the other party gave up their profits, they would definitely have to make up for it elsewhere.

Rodriguez did not answer directly, but showed a playful smile: "I heard that the Thirteenth Bank in Guangzhou used to mainly trade with the Dutch?"

Neither Fukang'an nor Guo Shixun answered this question. Fukang'an looked at Wu Dunyuan, the general merchant of the Thirteenth Bank, who was sitting on the side.

Wu Dunyuan originally looked at the nose, nose and mouth, and sat beside him like a mud bodhisattva. When Fukang'an saw his eyes, he hurriedly stood up, bent his waist and lowered his hands, and came to the center of the hall.

"My lord, the raw silk, porcelain, and tea exported before the thirteenth line all followed the way of the Dutch."

Thirteen Lines is a commercial organization with an official and commercial nature.All foreign businessmen who buy domestic products such as tea and silk or sell foreign products need to go through thirteen lines.

Thirteen Banks does not go directly to sea for trade.

Instead, it uses Macao and Guangzhou as ports for port trade by receiving foreign businessmen.

Every year, more than 200 large Western ships come to Guangzhou for trade. The Guangdong Customs can contribute more than 200 million taels of silver to Qianlong's treasury every year for tax revenue alone.

This is just a "contribution" on the surface.

In fact, the Thirteen Banks have the power to monopolize their operations, and they still need to use money to feed the nobles at all levels from Emperor Qianlong to banner owners and Manchu nobles.

Of course Wu Dunyuan knew.

Can Thirteen Lines make money?

It's just a matter of a word from these Manchu princes.

"And since the Dutch were defeated by Ni Ming, there have been no large Western ships coming to Guangzhou for trade in the past six months."

Wu Dunyuan cupped his hands and said.

It forced him to send people to Batam Island to set up a business firm. Daming's control over Nanyang made the merchants of the Thirteen Banks restless.

"This is because King Ming does not allow Western merchant ships to cross the Strait of Malacca."

Rodriguez added.

"This Niming is too domineering!"

Fukang'an snorted coldly.

The income supplement of Guangzhou port trade is missing.

The finances of the Qing Dynasty may shrink a lot.
However, the immediate worry is that these thirteen-line businessmen are also anxious-because the Qing Dynasty stipulated the minimum tariff amount at the Guangzhou port, if it is not enough, these thirteen-line merchants have to supplement it by themselves.

Moreover, filial piety to nobles of the Eight Banners like Fukang'an is naturally indispensable.
"In this case, why do you guarantee that you can deliver the goods to Guangzhou?" Guo Shixun tapped his fingers on the chair's assistant, and squinted at Rodriguez with his slender eyes.

"It's very simple. Western merchant ships can enter Batam Island, and Eastern merchant ships can also enter Batam Island. It's just a entrepot trade. King Ming didn't have any restrictions on the commodities traded."

When Rodriguez said this, his eyes looked back and forth from Guo Shixun and Fukang'an, two Qing Dynasty officials from Guangdong.

"So... if possible, I would like to have the exclusive right to trade in the port of Guangzhou."

"Exclusive trade is absolutely impossible, but Guangzhou Port does not restrict foreign trade, as long as the ship tax is paid." Fu Kang'an stared at Rodriguez, this Hongyi is really whimsical, actually wants to get exclusive trade power.

"what a pity."

Rodriguez said regret in his mouth, but his face showed joy.

Seeing this scene, Fukang'an snorted coldly in his heart, this Hongyi was indeed a businessman who demanded a lot of money and paid back the money on the spot.

"The entrepot trade in Batam sounds simple. Are you afraid that Zhu Daohua will know that you sell muskets to the Qing Dynasty?"

Rodriguez's gaze turned to Guo Shixun who was speaking.

"My lord, Daohua Trading Company is currently the most profitable business organization in Zhu Daohua's hands, and the main market of Daohua Trading Company is in Europe, especially the UK."

Rodriguez pointed to his nose.

"And the many shareholders of my HSBC Bank are nobles of the British Empire. As long as I have not violated any laws set by King Ming, if he takes action against my HSBC, his Daohua Commercial Bank will inevitably be punished by the British Empire." revenge!"

"That's why King Ming will not offend HSBC, nor will he disregard the relationship with Great Britain. The trade between us may not even be conducted through Ming Yuan."

"No need for Ming Yuan?" Wu Dunyuan's eyes lit up.

"Master Wu, if you want to trade with the Qing Dynasty, it is best to bypass the Ming Yuan. HSBC has enough strength to support the trade between you and me." Rodriguez said, turning his head to look at Fu Kang An.

"General, if you allow my HSBC bank to set up a commercial bank in Guangzhou to absorb deposits, then the trade between us will be safer. Qing Dynasty only needs to deposit silver in HSBC bank and convert it into flying money, and I can transport the guns to Guangzhou, and even our subsequent trade can go through HSBC, thus bypassing Ming Yuan for direct trade.”

To run a bank to absorb deposits.

Is this HSBC bank, which claims to have a lot of shares in the British Empire behind it, trustworthy?

"Zhu Daohua dare not seal up HSBC?"

"Absolutely not."

Rodriguez Road.

Wu Dunyuan looked at Fukang'an, who nodded slightly.

Wu Dunyuan came to his mind, and said, "Dapan Luo, if HSBC can really bypass Mingyuan, Thirteen Bank can strengthen cooperation with HSBC."

Being able to bypass the Ming Yuan, a currency that was a headache for officials and businessmen in the Guangzhou government of the Qing Dynasty, HSBC has its own value.

Rodriguez smiled slightly, just about to add fire.

An official came in a hurry outside the door and whispered something in Fukang'an's ear.

Fukang'an suddenly stood up.

"Luo Daban, Wu Dunyuan is in charge of the musket trade."

Rodriguez hurriedly imitated the officials of the Qing Dynasty, and withdrew his hands and withdrew.

"Duxian, what's wrong?"

"Ni Ming has occupied Lantau Island!"

Fukang'an took a deep breath.

In the hall, the faces of several people suddenly became serious.

There was a draft.

The coldness came.

(End of this chapter)