I really don't want to be emperor at the end of Ming Dynasty

"It's a bit unnecessary for you to worry about this now!"

Cheng Shijie looked at Xiang Hui and said: "Now Jialong is the prince of the Ming Dynasty, and his marriage is a state matter. You don't need to worry about it. Someone will naturally take care of it for you!"

Xiang Hui was still unable to adapt for a while. In later generations, Cheng Shijie was just an ordinary state-owned enterprise employee. His rank was not high and his family was not wealthy. After all, Hanhai is a resource city with many coal bosses and real estate bosses. Standing in the limelight, even a pig can fly.

In fact, Hanhai City is considered a wealthy person. An ordinary person may have a net worth of over 100 million. Regardless of the national per capita income or per capita deposit, Hanhai City is not holding back.

Whether it is Xiang Hui or Cheng Shijie, their little family fortune is really nothing in the future. But the problem is that it was different in the Ming Dynasty. In the Ming Dynasty, Cheng Shijie was not only the regent, not only the most powerful person, but also the richest person.

Ning Haijun Group is currently the largest company in the world. Even if the Dutch East India Company was placed in front of Ning Haijun Group, it would pale into insignificance.

In the Ming Dynasty, Ning Haijun Group has not annexed land, nor has it occupied resources wildly. For now, the iron ore, gold mine, and other minerals in Zhanzhou, four ports and more than a dozen docks in Xinming, In the Eastern Pacific, as well as the Sulu Sea and even the Indian Ocean, the Ning Navy controls more than 200 islands and more than 300 small military bases.

At the same time, Ning Haijun Group also owns the largest private armed company in the world. The leader of this private armed company is Gao Jie, Cheng Shijie’s eldest son, Cheng Jialong’s disciple. Gao Jie has a total of eight brigades under his command, and each of them has 6,000 to 8,000 troops. etc., with a total strength of more than 50,000 troops.

Equipped with a large number of equipment and artillery retired from the military, the security personnel of the Ning Navy Shipping Group are stronger than more than 80% of the countries in the world.

If Cheng Jialong wants to find a wife, there is no need to worry at all.

Only then did Xiang Hui realize that his son was now Tang Monk meat, and many people wanted to take a bite.

The more Cheng Jialong learned, the more he realized that being an emperor was actually not a good career. He sighed and said, "Dad, I finally know why you don't want to be an emperor..."

Cheng Shijie said: "It is indeed difficult to be the emperor. Once any system or policy is implemented for a long time, someone will take advantage of it, just like the Jin Yiwei. At the beginning, the Jin Yiwei was indeed the emperor's eyes and ears, but slowly, The Jin Yiwei has changed and has become an interest group. They are no longer simply the eyes and ears of the emperor. Just like Luo Yangxing, the former commander of the Jin Yiwei, he is actually the eyes and ears of the cabinet, focusing on the emperor!"

Cheng Jialong smiled bitterly and said: "I'm not the emperor yet, I'm just a prince. I'm exhausted. I don't have overtime pay or bonuses. I finally have some free time. I still get scolded for reading a novel and playing games. This prince deserves it." It’s not interesting at all…”

Xiang Hui asked puzzledly: "How is it possible? The civil and military forces of the entire dynasty are united, and hundreds of millions of people love them sincerely. Border troubles have been calmed down, internal worries are gradually resolved, the national treasury is full, and all kinds of waste have been prospered. Even now, the imperial education is not good. Look, what does your dad need to do every day? He is busy giving birth to your younger brothers and sisters. In half a year at most, you should have two more younger brothers or sisters."

"I'm totally different from my dad!"

Cheng Jialong smiled bitterly and said: "Ning Haijun was founded by my father. From top to bottom, no one dared to defy him. Officials from top to bottom feared him like a tiger. They all said that he was more ruthless than Emperor Hongwu. What the hell... "

Before Cheng Jialong could finish complaining, Cheng Shijie pressed Prince Cheng's head heavily on the table and shouted: "Fuck you, if I give you three points of color, you can open a dyeing workshop, right? You said you want to be the emperor." , I will try my best to pave the way for you. Now the enthronement ceremony is almost ready. When will you give me the choice? With such a bad look like you, when will you be able to look like a prince? What are you doing? When can we become a serious emperor?"

"Just say it, don't do it!"

Xiang Hui grinned as she watched Cheng Jialong being pressed down by Cheng Shijie, and kept shouting: "Ouch, ouch, ouch, don't do it!"

Seeing his mother supporting him, Cheng Jialong hurriedly said: "Ouch...it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, dad, please be gentle, I know it's wrong, why don't I change it!"

Cheng Jialong sighed: "Can you blame me? You don't know what you have come up with. Ning Haijun Group is now the same as the Dutch East India Company! In fact, it is different. The Dutch East India Company has almost nothing in the Netherlands. Influence, but Ning Haijun Group is different!"

Cheng Shijie immediately understood that Cheng Jialong was waiting for him here.

As the largest monopoly industry group in the country, Ning Haijun invests 90% in steel, 100% in railway construction, numerous reservoirs and dams, and a huge army. Of course, this is not the most important thing. , the important thing is that the subsidiaries of Ning Haijun Group are also behemoths.

For example, the current Ninghai Ocean Shipping Company has built the largest Fuzhou ship with a length of 80.955 feet and a width of about feet, which means that it is meters long and nearly meters wide. It can carry a load of three million This heavy-duty ocean-going sailing ship can build ships at a time. So far, Ninghai Ocean-going Company has ships of more than stone.

According to the Ming Dynasty, each stone is about 150 kilograms, one thousand stones is equal to about seventy-five tons, and eight thousand stones is about six hundred tons. In other words, Ninghai Transportation Company now has more than 3,500 transport ships of over 600 tons, which is more than the entire Europe combined.

In addition to Ninghai Transportation Group, there is also Ning Haijun Salt Company, which can produce more than 1.6 million tons of sea salt every year. In addition to part of it being consumed by the people of the Ming Dynasty, a considerable part is made into salted fish or dried meat for export.

Ninghai Machinery Factory has more than 60 sub-factories alone, covering all mechanical fields. It can produce large steam engines, small carriages, and water pumps.

Ninghai Agricultural Reclamation Group now owns the entire Zhanzhou, including part of Xinming, Luzon, Indochina, Ceylon, part of Mughal, and part of East India. The territory it actually controls is larger than the Ming Dynasty itself.

Cheng Shijie looked at Cheng Jialong and said, "Do you want to break up Ning Haijun Group?"

"Split is inevitable!"

Cheng Jialong said: "Otherwise, what can I do in the face of such a behemoth?"

"You are also from that era, and you should also know the necessity of retaining these state-owned assets!"

Cheng Shijie said: "If you want to split it up, I won't agree to it!"

"Then take a step back!"

Cheng Jialong said: "You must support my new tax bill!"

Cheng Shijie understood again that Cheng Jialong's real purpose must not be to split up the Ninghai Group, nor to want to be a prince, but to prepare to implement a new tax law. The new tax bill implemented by Cheng Jialong has abolished many taxes, including the capitation tax for more than two thousand years. Tax.

In the feudal era, since Liu Bang established the Han Dynasty, the agricultural taxes in the past dynasties were actually not heavy. Even if ten taxes were paid, farmers could fully afford it. The biggest problem was that there were too many miscellaneous taxes.

Fu is the rent of land by officials and people, which is divided into regular tax and additional tax. Theoretically, there is a certain tax base, but the system of the Ming Dynasty was too rough, and tax rates varied widely from place to place. But in general, the south was higher than the north, official land was higher than civilian land, and the tax rates were slightly higher for nearby wealthy households such as military guards. The distance is much higher, and there is no definite number at all.

In addition to the official tax, there are various kinds of consumption, and there is no fixed amount for this thing at all. After paying the grain, the people need to bear the freight for transportation to the designated granary. The first system is for large grain payers to take over this work. Obviously, this will lead to bankruptcy quickly.

Especially when moving the capital to Beijing, water transportation is heavy. This task is not something ordinary grain ministers can undertake, and they cannot afford it. Ming Taizu's bizarre financial design made the people of the Ming Dynasty busy working as porters, which would inevitably delay the farming season.

Xuande's reforms eventually formed the exchange system, in which part of the tax and grain was delivered locally in prefectures and counties for a certain cost and transported by soldiers. This was the exchange system, forming a system in which military and civilian movements coexisted.

In addition to regular taxes and taxes, there are also gate taxes, dam and ship taxes, banknote duties, customs duties, etc.

The new tax law implemented by Cheng Jialong has three main reform aspects. The first is the complete abolition of the poll tax, as well as various miscellaneous taxes, such as horse tax, dog tax, eagle tax, chicken tax, duck tax, and goose tax. People only need to bear personal income tax, deed tax, stamp tax, and appreciation tax, pig tax, sheep tax, cattle tax, etc.

The second is the abolition of fire charges. Within one year of the implementation of the new tax law, all silver and gold held by the people need to go to banks to exchange for silver or gold coins. From now on, people do not need to bear fire charges, and broken silver and gold will no longer be circulated. Silver ingots, and a mess of silver coins.

The last step is to increase some tariffs. For raw materials and resources coming to Daming, the tariffs will be reduced by half on the basis of the original tariffs, and the commodity tax rates from Western countries will be increased.

Cheng Shijie said: "You should go to Yun Niang about this matter..."

"Dad, Aunt Yun listens to you the most. Tell her..."

"No need to talk!"

Cheng Shijie shook his head and said: "She is a person who distinguishes between public and private affairs. Try borrowing money from her, she will not even calculate a penny less in interest!"

Cheng Jialong sighed.

"When you are an emperor, you must first learn to unify opinions and eliminate differences!"

Cheng Shijie said: "There are some things that you need to deal with yourself!"

Cheng Jialong said: "Is it okay for me to reason with them with a gun?"

"No!" Cheng Shijie said: "This method of yours cannot scare those idiots!

"and many more!"

Cheng Shijie asked: "Why do you have a gun?"

"It's too easy to make a gun!"

Cheng Jialong said: "Guess how many small hardware factories we have in Hanhai?"

"More than fifteen hundred!"

Cheng Shijie said calmly: "I know this!"

"Any small hardware factory can make the parts for your pistol!"

Cheng Jialong said: "Custom-made core parts, and some exterior parts that you wouldn't dare to make. Now we can also do these. The only thing we can't do is bullets!"

Cheng Jialong then took out a very classic Desert Eagle and said, "Dad, if I ask them to copy this gun, they can make it, right?"

"It's very difficult. Some technical conditions still cannot be broken through!"

……

Catherine brought the consul Francesco Elizzo to her home in Dongzhimen. This mansion was only an alley away from Cheng Shijie's original mansion. The first courtyard after entering the gate was very shallow, which was the outer courtyard.

The street gate faces east, and there is a row of seven inverted houses on the east side of the outer courtyard facing away from the street. One is a concierge, one is a living room, and four are servants' living rooms. There is also a warehouse.

Passing through the hanging flower gate is the main courtyard. The five rooms in the north are tall and facing south. There are three wing rooms on each side. The tall courtyard wall in the south is separated from the homes in the south. The wing rooms, the main room and the hanging flower are all connected by corridors and patios. There are waist-high lotus jars and potted flowers in between, and an osmanthus tree is also planted.

Passing through the main house and going to the back is the backyard. There is a row of low back rooms facing south, which were usually used as warehouses, miscellaneous rooms, and residences for maids and mothers-in-law. The whole house plus the wing rooms has a total of thirty rooms. No matter where it is placed or in what era, it can be considered a mansion.

The entire house was just renovated two years ago, using the most traditional craftsmanship and carved beams. Francesco Elizzo sighed: "Catherine, is this your castle?"

The courtyard wall more than four meters high is like a typical castle. The courtyard has a certain defensive function. This three-in-one courtyard is a castle in the eyes of Francesco Elizzo.

Catherine smiled bitterly and said: "What kind of castle is this? It's just an ordinary three-in house. I also have a house in Jinzhou, which is bigger than this one!"

Looking at the Ming style furniture and exquisite porcelain placed in the living room, Francesco Elizzo looked at Catherine and said: "There are no outsiders here now. I want to ask you, our Venice has become the vassal state of the Ming Dynasty. , is this a good thing or a bad thing?”

"Your Majesty the Consul, there is no turning back for us now!"

Catherine said: "There are hundreds of vassal states in the Ming Dynasty, including tributary states, vassal states, vassal states, vassal states, tributary states, screen vassals, vassal states, and many other categories!"

Francesco Elizzo asked, “What is a tributary state?”

"This is actually a relatively distant relationship. It means that you are nominally a vassal to the Ming Dynasty, and you are relatively independent. You will only have the opportunity to pay tribute to the Ming Dynasty once every three to five years, and the Ming Dynasty will reward you with some property!"

"If these tributary countries are attacked, will Ming take care of it?"

This is Francesco Elizzo's biggest concern.

"will not!"

Francesco Elizzo asked in confusion: "Then Luzon was invaded by Spain. Why did the Ming Dynasty send troops to attack the Spanish?"

"This Luzon is not a vassal state of the Ming Dynasty!"

Catherine introduced: "In 1405, the Ming Dynasty consecrated Xu Chailao, the leader of the overseas Chinese in Jinjiang, as the governor of Luzon, taking charge of the political, economic, military and cultural power of Luzon. The Xuanwei Division, the Dewu La Xuanwei Division, the Lao Xuanwei Division, and the Cochin Chief Envoy Division all belonged to the Ming Dynasty. They only enjoyed a high degree of autonomy. The Luzon people massacred the Ming Dynasty envoys and expelled the Ming Dynasty officials, which was considered a rebellion. , when Spain invaded Luzon, the Ming Dynasty sat back and watched, and the Ming Dynasty immediately became stronger again!"

When Catherine made it clear the differences between vassal states, tributary states, vassal states, tributary states, vassal states, and vassal states of the Ming Dynasty, Francesco Elizzo said: "Our Venice has become a vassal state of the Ming Dynasty, so what will happen again?" Enjoy a certain amount of autonomy?”

"The biggest difference is that we have to reflect our values, otherwise Daming will not always support us!"

Catherine continued: "The top leader of the vassal country is no longer the governor or the consul, but the vassal king!"

"Then it can't be elected? Can it only be hereditary?"

“Elections are OK!”

Catherine said: "The elected vassal king cannot automatically take office, but is canonized by the Ming Emperor. You can compare it with the king of Korea. Korea is the closest vassal state of the Ming Dynasty. The trade exchanges are very close. Koreans will not be discriminated against in the Ming Dynasty. Koreans You can also be an official in the Ming Dynasty. In fact, except for North Korea, Qiang, and Annan people, you can take the imperial examination of the Ming Dynasty. As long as you pass the provincial examination, you can go to the capital for the imperial examination, and you can choose regardless of the number."

Francesco Elizzo said: "Can we Venetians compete with the great Ming scholars on the same stage?"

"If the situation is fair, there will definitely be no competition. However, in order to show fairness, the Ming Dynasty will admit some people with exceptions. For example, Jin Tao of North Korea was awarded the Jinshi and was awarded the title of Dongchang Fucheng!"

Catherine said: "Fu Cheng is the adjutant of the prefect. Dongchang Prefecture governs one state and nine counties, which is almost equivalent to our thirty Venices. By the way, the population is a hundred times as much as ours!"

Francesco Elizzo thought for a while and said: "We have become a vassal state of the Ming Dynasty. It seems that apart from paying more taxes, we have no other losses?"

"Yes, in terms of diplomacy and military affairs, we need to be consistent with the Ming Dynasty. If in the future, the Ming Dynasty turns against the Spanish Empire, or even starts a war, we must follow the Ming Empire and declare war on the Spanish Empire!"

Francesco Elizo said: "Then we will face a full-scale attack by the Spanish Empire?"

"When the Ming Empire declares war on the Spanish Empire, do you think the Ming Empire will give the Spanish Empire a chance to resist?"

Catherine said: "We will give Northern Candia to the Ming Dynasty. As a military port, the Ming Dynasty will station at least 60 warships in Northern Candia and no less than 8,000 elite soldiers!"

"Eight thousand..."

Francesco Elizzo looked surprised: "This is more than half of our troops in Venice..."

"It's only eight thousand, you know nothing about the strength of the Ming Empire!"

Catherine said calmly: "The Royal Navy of the Ming Dynasty is currently divided into eight fleets. The ocean-going fleet in Madrid is only one of them, and it is a relatively small one. The largest fleet of the Ming Dynasty is stationed in Lushun. How many warships are there? I am I don’t know, anyway, there are countless warships, densely packed. In addition to the navy, they also have millions of army troops. They are just fifteen miles south of the capital. There was a battle more than four years ago, and the Ming Dynasty invested Eight brigades with nearly 200,000 troops..."

"Two hundred thousand troops!"

Catherine said: "This is actually just a battle. In the history of the Ming Dynasty, there have been several decisive battles involving 500,000 or 600,000 troops. They are even protecting hundreds of thousands of troops in Siberia, and there are also hundreds of thousands of troops in Central Asia. The army on the Indochina Peninsula is even larger, no less than 600,000 to 700,000 people!"

"Oh, God!"

Francesco Elizzo could no longer describe his mood in words except shock. (End of chapter)