Chapter 17                                                             �

Zhou Mengchen was silent for a while, shook his head slightly and said, "This is not easy to deal with. Jiangnan's finances are not very abundant. One million stones of food can be collected for you. But you can't take it away empty-handed. Even if I allow it, the court's rules will not allow it."

Yang Bo said: "I have prepared it long ago. This is a silver note of 300,000 taels of the Yellow River Bank. It won't make you embarrassed. I just want you to prepare a million stones of grain as soon as possible and transport it to Liaodong by sea. The faster the better."

Zhou Mengchen was silent for a while and said, "Okay. I'll let Wang Zongyuan do it now."

Because the imperial court has to supply four million stones of grain every year, the current situation in Jiangnan is that economic crops, mulberry trees, cotton, etc. occupy the vast majority of arable land, and the people in Jiangnan cannot achieve self-sufficiency in every year. Therefore, the grain can only be purchased from Huguang.

Therefore, one of the important tasks of Wang Zongyuan, the governor of Jiangnan, is to purchase grain.

Yang Bo came here and purchased directly through this channel, which was indeed much faster than he purchased privately or requested the imperial court to allocate.

However, Zhou Mengchen was a little confused. He didn't know whether he had a good start or a bad start.

Zhou Mengchen relied on his special relationship with the bank and regarded the bank as an ATM and used this money to do things. Because the bank is a new business, there are no specific rules to indicate this matter, which is wrong.

Naturally, no one realized the danger, or had already realized it, but no one dared to say it.

However, Zhou Mengchen knew very well that the consequences of the destruction of the financial order. When Zhou Mengchen drew up the bank's financial resources, he paid great attention to the bank's ability to bear. However, Zhou Mengchen did not think that others also had this ability.

There is also the relationship between Yang Bo and the Shanxi merchants, which is much closer than that between Zhou Mengchen and the Shanxi merchants. It can get more resources.

In this way, it is very likely that future officials will be top rich people, or officials who can only become supporters with top rich people.

Perhaps the Ming Dynasty at that time really entered capitalism, but unfortunately, Zhou Mengchen was not satisfied with this situation and was deeply worried. Now, it may be a worry.

This may be a worry, but it has taken root in Zhou Mengchen's heart.

But he had no choice but to have no idea, and could only watch himself trying hard to move in the direction he didn't want to.

History is undoubtedly a manifestation of the law of spiral development. Later generations were able to move forward to socialism through capitalism because some people have demonstrated what capitalism is. But now no one knows that the road is to go.

This may be a road that passes imperialism. But it may not be friendly to the people. It is also the only way that Zhou Mengchen can take. After all, historical development has its own rules, and if you take too much steps, you will get rid of it.

I can only go on like this.

Zhou Mengchen talked to Yang Bo about the political situation in Beijing. Finally, Zhou Mengchen said: "I didn't help the dispute between the Minister of War today, and I feel deeply ashamed. But please rest assured that when I return to Beijing, if there is such a thing, I will definitely support Brother Yang."

Yang Bo said: "It's enough to have you."

To this day, Yang Bo still has no regrets about the decision he made that day.

Zhou Mengchen is now the governor of the six provinces with the Minister of War in Nanjing. He is the governor of Liaodong. It seems that his official position is better than Zhou Mengchen. But in essence, Zhou Mengchen's position in the minds of the world is better than that of Yang Bo.

Moreover, Zhou Mengchen was still young, less than forty years old. He would definitely become a senior official of the court in the future. Perhaps because he was not from Shujishi, he could not enter the cabinet. However, it would be a Tianguan of the Ministry of Personnel who could compete with the cabinet bosses. Or he would break the unspoken rules that were not allowed to enter the cabinet unless he was a Hanlin. After all, the clear rules were broken, let alone the unspoken rules.

In short, although the two sides formed an alliance, although they did not win him the Minister of War, Yang Bo did not lose at all.

Zhou Mengchen felt the same way. If Zhou Mengchen wanted to go further, he would have to attack the six ministers. If he wanted to gain a foothold in the center, he had to have allies. Now it seems that Yang Bo is the most suitable allies.

Perhaps, Yang Bo’s visit to Jiangnan in this era is also to reaffirm the alliance between the two sides.

Zhou Mengchen had just sent Yang Bo away. Xu Wei came over again and said, "The Prince of Ryukyu Shangyuan came to pay a visit. It was said that there was something important."

Zhou Mengchen was stunned and said, "What are he here to do?"

Xu Wei said: "I don't know, but I see that he looks really wrong. I feel a little restless."

Zhou Mengchen yawned. During his negotiations with Yang Bo, time passed quickly, and it should have entered midnight, that is, it was past 11 o'clock in the evening. This time may be the beginning of nightlife for future generations. However, there were not so many nightlife in ancient times. Zhou Mengchen also slowly entered the countryside and followed the customs. He went to bed early at night and got up early during the day.

It was already very late for him.

Zhou Mengchen said, "Then let's meet."

Zhou Mengchen had ideas about Ryukyu.

After all, Ryukyu's geographical location is particularly important between Japan and the Ming Dynasty.

It is precisely because of the important geographical location. Zhou Mengchen really wanted to garrison troops in Ryukyu to deal with Japan. However, the relationship between the Ming Dynasty and Ryukyu was too good, and Ryukyu was too obedient to the Ming Dynasty and obeyed to the point of unreservedness. Zhou Mengchen didn't know how to garrison troops. Because once this was done, it would easily damage the prestige of the court. After all, you have garrison troops in Ryukyu, a good vassal state, and you are not too obedient to other vassal states. Wouldn't it become a negative teaching material?

It is precisely because of this that Zhou Mengchen was willing to meet the Prince of Ryukyu. If it weren't for this reason, it would be tomorrow.

After all, Zhou Mengchen is not an ordinary person. His time is very precious.

Soon the Prince of Ryukyu came over. Zhou Mengchen first looked at the words and deeds of the Prince of Ryukyu. From his words and deeds, he could not tell at all that he was not a Chinese. Zhou Mengchen could even feel a strong smell of Fujian from him.

If he hadn't known that he was the prince of Ryukyu, Zhou Mengchen would have guessed that he was from Fujian.

This was not something Zhou Mengchen guessed randomly, but for a reason. During the Taizu period, the 36 surnames of Fujian entered Ryukyu and became Ryukyu nobles. Although the 36 surnames of Fujian were in Ryukyu, they lived the same life as those of Fujianese, and they had always held important positions in the Ryukyu royal court, and even passed down from generation to generation. Everything that dealt with the 36 surnames of Fujian was handled by descendants of the 36 surnames of Fujian. Even the Shanwang, who is one of the teachers of the Ryukyu king, must have the 36 surnames of Fujian, and those with knowledge were among them, plus intermarriage and marriage, etc.

For Ryukyu, it is natural to want to learn from the Celestial Empire, and they meet the Celestial Empire, which is Fujianese. Therefore, it is normal for the Celestial Empire to have some Fujianese flavor on them.

Although he studied in Nanjing Imperial College for a long time, he still had a little Fujian flavor in his speech.

Zhou Mengchen only returned from Fujian last year and is very familiar with this feeling.

Zhou Mengchen had no time to greet the prince of Ryukyu and said, "It's so late, you insist on coming to see me. What's wrong?"

The Prince of Ryukyu knelt down on the ground with a "splash" and said, "I have obtained a confidential military information from my country. Please ask the adults to take their backs."

Zhou Mengchen was stunned, with a serious expression. He looked at the prince of Ryukyu and said, "They are my confidants, so there is no need to avoid them. However, you have to think about it and report the military information. It is a serious crime. Even the prince of Ryukyu cannot be exempted from liaring."

"The small country dares not deceive the Celestial Empire. This news must be true." The Prince of Ryukyu said: "A month ago, we had already received news that a large number of Japanese pirates gathered in Nagasaki, Tsuma, Kyushu and other places. They were all waiting for the wind. Once the wind turns north, they would immediately go south. It is said that the number of people exceeded 10,000, and as for the specific number, it is not clear at all."

Before Zhou Mengchen could speak, Xu Wei stood up and said, "This is not a joke, do you think this is serious?"

The prince of Ryukyu said: "Absolutely serious, I dare to guarantee it with my life."
Chapter completed!