Chapter 96                                                

Zhou Mengchen took a deep breath and became nervous for a moment. It is certainly a very important thing to overturn Yan Song, but it is even more important to determine the overseas policy of the Ming Dynasty than overturn Yan Song. Because this is to determine the marine policy of the Ming Dynasty.

Zhou Mengchen said: "The South Ocean is to the court, just like the Western Regions to the Han Dynasty. Once the Silk Road is opened, the Western Regions trade roads have flourished the thirty-six countries. Now the deserts in the Western Regions are eroding, and the roads between the east and west are blocked. We can only walk on the sea route. This is also the reason why the customs are opened, and the annual income is tens of millions. This alone is a treasure land. However, the South Ocean itself is rich in resources, including gold, silver, copper, iron, spices, grains, and medicinal materials. But I think this is nothing to the court?"

"I am rich in the Ming Dynasty, and nothing is there. Although there are many supplies in Nanyang, it is not indispensable."

"I think the greatest wealth in Nanyang is the land in Nanyang."

"Land?" Jiajing said: "It's just some smoky places, with many diseases. I heard that many people go overseas have died?"

Zhou Mengchen became more and more sure of one thing, that is, there were people around Jiajing who kept giving him eye drops. Anyone who did what he did or had problems would report it to Jiajing. As for the achievements, it had to be said. After all, Zhou Mengchen's location is a critical place.

Everyone in the world was watching how Zhou Mengchen dealt with the Japanese pirates, and Jiajing was also among them.

It is impossible to hide it.

However, Jiajing was not all concerned about external affairs. Once Zhou Mengchen was not in such a vital position and came to a second-class position, that is, a place where Jiajing didn't pay much attention to it, then, let others talk.

Zhou Mengchen only felt that the murderous intent around him was like a tangible sword, hanging it around his neck, waiting for the opportunity to cut it down with one knife.

The murderous intent in the political arena has always been so indifferent. When it is revealed, it is time to kill people.

Zhou Mengchen immediately defended: "Your Majesty, many people who went to Taiwan, Nanyang have died of illness, but they are still under control, but the people in Fujian and Jiangxi are not under control. In the 200th year of the Ming Dynasty, the population was growing, and the hidden households were more than three times that of Huangce. The court did not know how many people there were. However, according to this, the population in the Ming Dynasty was around 200 million. Moreover, the population in the south was far greater than that in the north. The largest population in the south were Jiangxi and Fujian provinces. Nangan Provinces repeatedly rebelled and were chaotic for almost twenty years. Fujian drowning infants was the highest in the world, so it was so hindered by human relations. Even so, it was barely maintained. Among the pirates, eight or nine out of ten thieves were all from Fujian. Because life in Fujian was difficult, they all died, so why not go to the sea to break a path of life."

"This is also the difference between Jiangxi and Fujian. It is also a breeding population. Although there are bandits in Fujian, the thieves are not very powerful. Jiangxi has repeatedly in chaos and pacified Nangan, and it will move millions. Instead of promoting soup to stop the boiling, why not remove the firewood from the bottom of the pot?"

Zhou Mengchen knew to tell Jiajing that the benefits of Nanyang in the future were not caring. Jiajing would not care about it. The reason was very simple. If the governor of Beiyang drank the blood of the Japanese and could maintain it, and even had a surplus, then for a long time, the governor of Nanyang would lose money and need to allocate funds from the court.

After all, the colonization of the Ming Dynasty was completely different from that of the Western colonization.

The so-called colonization in the West is actually not immigrating the people, but how the Ming Dynasty used the model of Japan. Through military and political means, it opened up the business cycle and sucked blood from the colony. The colony sent by Zhou Mengchen was actually like the Saint King Kaizhang that year, who led the people to reclaim land, moved here and reproduced.

Maintaining the business model does not require many people. However, the people of Ming Dynasty need a large population to develop agriculture. They can even absorb local indigenous people. After a long time, it doesn’t matter whether indigenous people or immigrants.

By that time, who dares to say that the newly opened land is not the land of the Ming Dynasty?

But this requires a lot of investment in the early stage.

Jiajing is not too cold to long-term plans. It’s nothing more, and it’s not that Zhou Mengchen alone would draw cakes for his boss. In fact, most ministers are very skilled in drawing cakes. Jiajing often doesn’t see what many people say, but just see what they think?

Because he knew that his ministers would always speak better than they did.

It's useless to hear what they say.

Zhou Mengchen directly changed a concept and equated the development of the South China Sea with the maintenance of stability in Southern China. Jiajing was a little moved. He thought to himself: "Yes, no matter how many people die, they will be fine as long as they don't cause trouble in their hometowns. If it takes a long time, they will really gain something. It is my credit. After all, is it a expansion of territory?"

Jiajing nodded and said, "It's rare that you have a vision."

Zhou Mengchen breathed a sigh of relief after hearing this.

No matter what he did before, but now he doesn't pass it in front of Jiajing, it may become useless. After hearing what Jiajing said, Zhou Mengchen struck while the iron was hot and said, "Your Majesty, I have something to ask Your Majesty to make a judgment."

Jiajing said, "What's the matter?"

Zhou Mengchen said: "Now tomorrow, the power of the Great Ming Dynasty is everywhere, but there is no special agency in the court to manage overseas. The Beiyang Governor is different from the Nanyang Governor from other places. It involves all aspects and customs taxes. Which yamen will be transferred to in Beijing?"

Jiajing knew as soon as he heard this, Zhou Mengchen had a curse. Jiajing asked, "What are your opinions?"

Zhou Mengchen said: "I think the functions of the Honglu Temple overlap with other departments. It is better to include the customs and the governor of the two foreign countries in the Honglu Temple. It is also considered a unified management and share the worries of Your Majesty."

Wang Anshi reformed the law and became a power institution. Zhou Mengchen just inherited the same plan.

Originally, the Honglu Temple was just a marginal institution, in charge of court meetings, guests, and good and bad rituals. At all national ceremonies, suburban temples, sacrifices, court meetings, banquets, imperial banquets, imperial banquets, enthronements, promotions, and promotions. It seems that there are many, but the problem is that the Ministry of Rites is in charge of whether the National Ceremonies is in charge of, whether the Guanglu Temple is in charge of banquets, and the Hanlin Academy will not let the Honglu Temple be in charge of the matters of the imperial banquets. It can be said that the Honglu Temple has division of labor in many things. But he is not in charge of anything.

During the Qing Dynasty, the Ming Dynasty system was inherited, but the Qing people also felt that the Honglu Temple was useless. After entering the Qing Dynasty, its importance decreased even more.

In the ancient official system, it was too difficult to set up a new yamen. However, it was very easy to add power to a certain yamen. Moreover, Zhou Mengchen chose the Honglu Temple not only because it was an idle yamen, but also because the Honglu Temple was in charge of guests, that is, diplomatic etiquette. It is also a bit related.

The Honglu Temple newly established by Zhou Mengchen was similar to the Qing Dynasty General Office of the affairs of various countries. The difference was that one was passive and the other was active. It was also similar to the British colonial department.

He manages all overseas affairs and can even manage overseas troops. He has the power to launch a small-scale war. The customs are included below. First, there are some inconsistencies between the customs charter formulated by Zhou Mengchen and the original charter of the Ministry of Revenue, because the finance of the Ministry of Revenue is dead, and the accounts handed down from Emperor Hongwu are only repaired, but the customs accounts are alive, and even need to be adjusted according to the market conditions. Of course, it is not as flexible as in later generations. However, there are already some modern and modern finance styles that cannot be said to be with the Ministry of Revenue.

Not to mention, Zhou Mengchen also understood that operating business overseas is also a sharp knife. Naturally, it must be controlled by the Honglu Temple, which has jurisdiction over overseas. Of course, with money in hand, the Great Honglu Temple has more freedom and authority.
Chapter completed!