The shortcomings were the hostility of the local indigenous people and the plague. Therefore, a large number of boatmen died of malaria, and the risks of going to sea were huge. Even if the court wanted to organize a fleet to go there again, it would have to make more adequate preparations and not let the people know about it.

Therefore, there is no rush to make this matter public."

~~

In the blink of an eye, summer has arrived again, and there are still officials in the DPRK and China who are opposed to shipbuilding and going overseas, believing that the national treasury can no longer afford it, but some changes are quietly taking place.

Luoyang, Shouan County.

The Cui family's Jinping villa business was a little more depressed than before, but the Cui family, as the first family to support the emperor's reform, was finally preserved.

On this day, Cui Dong was summoned by the head of the family, Cui Can.

"You still have a good relationship with Huangfu Ran, right?"

"yes."

Previously, Huangfu Ran went to the south of the Yangtze River for inspection, and Cui Dong also went to see him off and wrote a poem called "Send Huangfu Ran off to Baitian". The poem said, "The sun is full by the river and the pheasants are flying. When will you return to Baitian?"

"

Cui Can pondered, tapping her fingers lightly on her knees, and then said, "Did you know that not long ago, Huangfu Ran sent another letter suggesting that merchants be allowed to participate in shipbuilding and ocean-going voyages?"

"I don't know." Cui Dong replied, he was not interested in these.

Cui Can took out a newspaper, threw it to Cui Dong, and said, "Read it yourself."

"The world is round?! This is impossible..."

Cui Dong first looked at the front page and immediately shook his head to refute this idea that subverted his understanding.

However, Cui Can didn't care whether the sky and the earth were round or square, and said: "Look at the next page."

Cui Dong flipped through the newspaper and saw on the back page that it was said that the Jiangnan East Coast Coast Guard had raised 10 million yuan from business travelers. It could also be the equivalent of manpower, goods, or even experience and skills, and the wealth brought by the fleet would be

"Dividends" are distributed according to the proportion of investment.

"This is?"

"What do you think?"

Cui Dong said: "How could anyone be willing to do such a stupid thing?"

"We do."

"Uncle?" Cui Dong was surprised and confused.

Cui Can didn't seem to be joking, her eyes were deep, and she said slowly: "I got a confidential information. This matter is indeed a huge profit. Therefore, I want you to go find Huangfu Ran and find out..."

Although he did not say where he got the news, a large family with such a profound background naturally has various old stories in the court, and they are the most knowledgeable people.

A month later, Cui Dong went to Jiangnan East Road under the arrangement of Huangfu Ran.

After traveling and traveling to Huating County, he was surprised to find that there were many aristocratic families and wealthy businessmen who came. Although some famous families did not send their children, they also sent their family members who were in charge of business.

Cui Dong talked with these people and learned that they all had connections with important officials of the imperial court. No wonder they could get such confidential information.

…

After staying in Huating County for seven days, Cui Dong rushed back to Shouan and reported what he saw and heard to Cui Can.

"It was true that a gold mine was discovered, not long after the fleet landed. But they were also attacked by locals, coupled with malaria, resulting in heavy casualties."

Finally, Cui Dong said: "The Cui family has inherited etiquette, so there is no need to participate in such profit-seeking things. The risk is too great. I don't know how many people will die in just one trip."

But Cui Can's answer was very straightforward.

"What are the deaths of some people? If you want to do great things, death is the most basic sacrifice. What we are least afraid of is the death of some people."

"But the Cui family..."

"It's nothing to be proud of. Since you can easily find gold mines, it's worth taking some risks." Cui Cu sighed: "Since the implementation of the new law, the number of acres and tenants in the family has dropped sharply. If this continues, the family will inevitably weaken. We must have courage. Only by giving it a try can we continue the blessings left by our ancestors."

"yes."

Although Cui Dong still believed that the Cui family should not let down their dignity and engage in a lowly business of business and travel, he knew that he could not stop it, so he said no more.

"Go find Huangfuran again." Cui Can personally took out a box and said, "Just take the money with you."

He is quite courageous in doing things. When he said that he supported Xue Bai, he would give up his interests and express his support. Now, once such a big thing is decided, he will immediately put up the money.

Cui Dong took it and was about to leave when he turned around and walked several steps.

"Wait a minute."

Cui Chu suddenly called him and asked him another question.

"Is there really a fleet back?"

Although Cui Dong objected to this matter, he had never considered this issue and asked in surprise: "Why does my uncle ask that?"

Cui Can took in his surprise and said slowly: "If you don't predict anything, you won't succeed. If you want to accomplish something, you must first consider all possibilities. For example, if this matter is a scam."

Without decades of life experience, one would not be able to be so cautious. Cui Dong, for example, has no such awareness of preventing fraud.

But when Cui Dong thought about it carefully, he realized that Cui Can was overly worried.

"My uncle is worried that Yuan Jie will deceive the emperor? Don't worry, there is no way this matter is false."

"Why not?"

"I have seen gold and rare treasures with my own eyes. I have also seen malaria-infected ships. They also brought back some prisoners. They were dressed strangely and spoke strange words. They were different from the barbarians I had seen in the past. No one could tell There are so many things in such a big drama that even an editor can't make up."

Cui Xu nodded after hearing this and said: "I am worrying too much, go ahead."

~~

Only two months later, Jiangnan Dongdao Haizheng Yamen received donations from many aristocratic families, and once again started preparations for a vigorous voyage.

The huge burden on the treasury was transferred to Gongqing Shizhou.

This was something that the courtiers could not have imagined. After the reform, the emperor and the ministers had already become incompatible, but this time the ministers vigorously implemented the emperor's will.

Of course, some people can figure out the joints, and secretly think that as long as it is for profit, it is true that money can make the world go round.

But I have to admit that after all, these officials and ministers are well-informed and have a long-term vision.

Gradually, the discovery of a large number of gold mines in the ocean could no longer be concealed, and some details were revealed little by little over time.

The time soon came three years later.

The eleventh year of Zhengxing is the year of Gengxu Dog.

Cui Dong set off for Huating County again. This time, he felt that he had been neglected and perfunctory.

After drinking the third pot of tea at Hai Zheng Yamen, he finally angrily slapped the case and started scolding.

"Let the person in charge come out and see me!"

After a while, a pair of official boots finally crossed the threshold, and an official in green robe came over slowly.

Cui Dong turned his head, and the moment he saw the visitor, the displeasure on his face froze.

"Inkstone?"

"Yuan Zhiyuan, Chief Registrar of the Maritime Affairs Department of Jiangnan East Road, Mr. Lao Cui has been waiting for a long time."

Cui Dong had heard about this scholar and knew that he had passed the Jinshi examination a few years ago. Of course, the imperial court had continued to increase the number of candidates in these years, and Jinshi had become increasingly unbearable in Cui Dong's eyes.

Correspondingly, the proportion of Menyin officials in the court has also been decreasing.

"I think you are deliberately avoiding me."

Cui Dong did not exchange much greetings with Yuan Zhiyuan and said in a business-like manner: "Do you know how much money the Cui family has sent here in the past three years? What is the result? The fleet sent two batches, why has no one returned yet?!"

"Cui Langjun, calm down, a long voyage is not something that happens overnight."

Yuan Zhiyuan tried his best to maintain a neither humble nor arrogant demeanor, but when he spoke, he still shrugged slightly unconsciously, betraying the nervousness in his heart.

He asked Cui Dong to sit down again and said: "The sea is very rough, but it does not mean that as long as one fleet returns safely, all other fleets will be able to go smoothly."

"Then has all the money from the Cui family been wasted?!"

"Of course not, we plan to send another fleet to sea."

As he spoke, Yuan Zhiyuan took out a file and said: "The shipyard now has new shipbuilding technology. It will replace the old wood with iron decks to make the ship more resistant to wind and waves. However, more manpower and material resources need to be invested. …”

"Revote?" Cui Dong angrily interrupted Yuan Zhiyuan and said, "Stop talking, I won't listen!"

"Lang Jun, I will not harm the Cui family."

Yuan Zhiyuan began to calculate for Cui Dong again that once a fleet returns, the Cui family will receive generous returns, which can completely cover the previous investment.

Cui Dong was very impatient when he said the same content in different ways every time, and he also didn't trust Yuan Zhiyuan.

But when Cui Dong wanted to say, "The Cui family quits," he couldn't make up his mind.

The Cui family has paid too much for the voyage.

At first, Cui Can did not expect that the investment in this matter would be so huge. As manpower and material resources were added again and again, the Cui family had sold off a large amount of land, and many of the family members were clamoring to separate their families.

The fleet that went to sea three years ago is likely not to come back. If we no longer send a group of fleets to sail, the investment that year may be in vain.

"Mr. Lang, think about those gold mines."
To be continued...