Wanli 1592

Chapter 393 Chen Longzheng's Journey to the West ([-])

In the middle of last year, Xiao Ruxun arranged for Chen Longzheng and Matteo Ricci to set off from the port of Yangon to Europe to recruit skilled craftsmen, especially blacksmiths and firearms craftsmen. More than a year later, the two of them finally returned with full rewards. In this era without the Suez Canal, since To reach Europe from Asia, you must go through the Cape of Good Hope in Europe. Matteo Ricci came from this route at the beginning. As an experienced navigator, Matteo Ricci was appointed to accompany him as an interpreter to Chen Long's rightful assistant.

Chen Long was the only one of the scholars who came to Myanmar to assist Xiao Ruxun because of Yuan Huang's letter, and he was also one of the only three scholars under Xiao Ruxun. The other two were of course Yuan Huang and Yuanyan, and the third was Chen Longzheng. The officials under Xiao Ruxun were all unreputed Chinese from Southeast Asian countries. Yuan Huang was in charge of government affairs, and Yuan Yan was trained by Xiao Ruxun and arranged to be the mayor of Yangon.

The commercial area arranged by Xiao Ruxun is actually just a long and narrow coastal area. He built a city at the mouth of the Ayeyarwady River, named Pinghai City, and then used this as the starting point in the west, along the coastline until the city of Moulmein. The four cities are equivalent to four treaty ports. Merchants from various countries can only reach the surrounding areas of these four treaty ports, and businessmen from Ming Dynasty cannot enter the mainland at will without Xiao Ruxun's permission.

The Bagu line is the northernmost point that Westerners and businessmen from all over the world can reach. All commercial activities and businessmen’s actions can only reach Bagu. Going to Bagu to buy land from farmers living here caused Xiao Ruxun to issue a ban.

The land is owned by the peasants, but they are not allowed to be bought and sold at will, and the sale must be approved by the Zhennan Houfu.

Xiao Ruxun hates such vicious things as land enclosure, and he can't control things in the mainland of Ming Dynasty, but here, he, Xiao Ruxun, is Wang Fa, and you can't control the sky and land, but you can't control Burma Town, no matter who it is, you will go back If there is any objection, a banning order will be issued throughout Southeast Asia, prohibiting the sea-going ships of this person's relevant chamber of commerce from going to other countries to do business.

After the three major campaigns to suppress pirates, Xiao Ruxun's prestige in Southeast Asian countries was not ordinary, and he almost became the spiritual leader of each country. His words still carry a bit of weight, especially when the four major treaty ports become this one. After the regional commercial hub, any maritime merchant doing business here will give Xiao Ruxun three points of face.

It was also at this time that Xiao Ruxun felt the charm of power. At the moment when the Ming court did not care about Myanmar Town, everything in Myanmar Town was decided by Xiao Ruxun. If you dare to disagree, you should first ask Xiao Ruxun’s army whether they agree or not. Not to mention the army, the [-] policemen alone are enough for these sea merchants to drink a pot. If they dare not follow the rules, they will be sent down directly with a team of policemen.

The so-called strong dragon does not suppress the local snake, Xiao Ruxun is the biggest local snake in this large sea at this moment, the government of a small country can't beat him, the government of a big country is too far away, and will be powerless. Obey Xiao Ruxun's prohibition honestly, do business honestly, and dare not make mistakes.

This is why the four major trading ports in Burma Town are now prosperous. Except for these four trading cities, the remaining four cities are all in the interior, including Bago City, which are all settled cities with agricultural populations. , the farmers all settled in these four cities, Xiao Ruxun is also sending people to build roads to connect these four cities to form the first ruling center area, and then slowly expand to the no-man's land.

However, although the environment is generally peaceful, Xiao Ruxun can't relax. The big stone of Shenzhou Luchen is pressing on his chest, which can make him worry all the time. He knows what he has to do, so although he is in a relatively safe place Under such circumstances, he still invested most of his money in weapon innovation and military equipment.

For this reason, he insisted on asking Chen Longzheng and Matteo Yuanyang to go to Europe to recruit artisans and firearms-related technicians to contribute to his firearms production line. Since they are all recruiting artisans, firearms artisans from Spain, Italy, and Turkey should not Let it go, by the way, if he can recruit some craftsmen of other categories, he is also willing.

The first person recorded in Chinese history to arrive in Europe was called Lieban Saoma, who lived in Mongolia and Yuan. He was a Uighur, not a Han. I went to Europe and met with King Louis XIV of France. He became a famous figure in Europe at that time. Later, he went to England and Belgium. He was one of the first Chinese who came into contact with Europe. Unfortunately, this person died of illness on the way home. .

Now Chen Long is under the influence and arrangement of Xiao Ruxun, and he is very honored to leave a strong mark in the history books. Xiao Ruxun can't wait to meet him and ask him what he thinks and thinks about his trip to Europe.

The two soon arrived in Bagu City. The Western artisan team was taken to the designated place by the people sent by Xiao Ruxun to rest and pack up. Xiao Ruxun mainly met Chen Longzheng and Matteo Ricci.

Chen Longzheng was still a rare scholar, without prejudice, and had enough respect for Xiao Ruxun. After seeing Xiao Ruxun's generosity and foresight, he even felt lucky for his original decision. He was deeply influenced by Yuan Huang, and what he hated the most was paying The "giants" on paper and in the pen appreciate most those who practice.

For this reason, he also became a person who practiced himself. Although many people in his hometown did not understand him, why would a scholar with a bright future give up his future in that remote and wild place? He didn't care. He had his own ideals and ideas. Pursuit, strictly speaking, he and Yuan Yan are the same people, one is too rigid, the other is too idealistic, neither of them can gain a foothold in today's corrupt officialdom of Ming Dynasty.

But their luck was very good. They met Yuan Huang and Xiao Ruxun, which changed their life trajectory. Yuan Yan was the mayor of Yangon. , Yangon has a permanent population of 20 and a floating population of [-], which is the largest among the four major treaty ports. Yuan Yan can still manage it in an orderly manner. He has no talent for governing the country, but it is more than enough for governing the place.

And Chen Longzheng is full of idealism, full of exploration and dedication. As early as when he first came, Xiao Ruxun arranged for him to travel around by boat to contact small Southeast Asian countries and become a diplomacy that connects countries to form a loose alliance. He is a person like an official, and now the whole Southeast Asia knows that Chen Long is the diplomatic envoy of Lord Xiao Hou, and he has a three-point face in the whole Southeast Asia.

(End of this chapter)