Today's upstarts are more and more maritime merchants. At the beginning, the court strongly supported it, and the golden period of naval escort to ensure safety, many small boatmen took advantage of the opportunity to make a fortune. The commercial taxes of these people provided the court with sufficient fiscal revenue, so the court naturally had to repay their kindness and protect the rights and interests of these people.

The arrival of Japanese envoys has spread rapidly, and Japan is a hot commodity in the eyes of these maritime merchants. However, the conditions for the shogunate to allow trade were too harsh. There was only a fixed time. In Nagasaki, you could trade with Japanese merchants or private transactions.

As the Han merchant ships became larger and larger, such a level of trade naturally could not satisfy the appetite of maritime merchants. Therefore, the threshold of Hou Xuanyan's royal mansion was almost broken by the wealthy merchants who came to complain.

Today, I simply held a banquet at the mansion and invited representatives of merchants from Jinling, Suzhou and Yangzhou. The regent attached so much importance to him, so the merchants were naturally flattered and came to the palace to wait early. This was a courtesy that I had never had before. Just a few years ago, the Ming Dynasty implemented the system of scholars, farmers, industrial and commercial.

The ones coming to Jinling were Wu Shouyu, the prince of the Wu family; Li Chunsheng, the giant porcelain of Jiangpu; Lin Ruyue, the leader of the salt merchant in Lianghuai; Gu Shouye, the Siling Gu family in Suzhou; and many people were waiting outside the palace, and the carriages and horses filled the wide Changganli Avenue in Jinling.

The servants of the royal palace served wine and food, and these wealthy merchants also stood up to give in modesty. They were the seventh-rank official in front of the prime minister's door, let alone the regent who was many levels higher than the prime minister.

Hou Xuanyan walked out of the inner room with a tinge of spring, and everyone saluted. Hou Xuanyan laughed and said, "You have been waiting for a long time."

"The prince is so kind, let's wait for a year, and we are willing to do so."

"Haha, Young Master Xiao Wu is still so good at speaking. Is your father in good health? Last time I heard that Old Wu is ill, so I asked the Medical Center to send someone to see him."

Wu Shouyu smiled and said, "I am thanking the prince's concern, my father is fine. I said yesterday that I will come to the palace to thank you in a few days."

Hou Xuanyan thought to himself that the Medical Museum was built in Jinling, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Changsha, Chengdu and Yangzhou. Among them, Jinling and Changsha Chengdu were all paid by the Wu family. Even if they didn't speak, the Medical Museum might send someone to see it.

After taking the seat, Hou Xuanyan smiled and said, "The war in the north is not yet peaceful. It is the time when the country is tightly frigid and the military and civilians work together to conquer Liao. The food on this table is not rich, and it may be insufficient compared to what you use at home. But I think of this king's kindness, everyone drinks more and eats more."

Everyone was inevitably polite again, but they were secretly worried in their hearts that the prince came up and cried poorly. They were all rich people, which was not a good sign.

After drinking for three rounds of dishes and five flavors, Hou Xuanyan said softly: "I'm going to invite you all today. I believe you know what you are doing, just for Japan."

All the businessmen present concentrated their breath and pricked up their ears to look at Hou Xuanyan.

"Japan is now locking the country and blocking the seas, and is unwilling to communicate with other countries. This not only hinders our merchant ships, but also makes the people in their country in poverty. I am kind-hearted and cares about the lives of the people in all the lands shining by the sun and the moon, and the lands that the rivers reach, and the lives of the people are in my heart. In order to save the Japanese people from water and fire, I have decided to send troops to Japan and force its country to open a commercial port."

Several businessmen looked at each other and saw excitement and joy in each other's eyes. Today's highlight has finally come.

Hou Xuanyan continued: "This war is different from the past. It is a war of merchants. We will use money to open the country of Japan and then earn more money back. Anyone who funded this battle more than 100,000 taels will be exempted from all taxes in Japan within three years after winning in the future!"

The regent's purpose of crying for poverty was obvious, but all the families present decided to pay immediately. When the news reached outside, everyone became excited. The court was going to start a war for the merchants, prying open the country's doors and exempting the tax on Japanese trade in Japan, which was a huge profit.

Some small and medium-sized merchants had to unite to form factories like Siling, Suzhou. The purpose was to raise 100,000 taels and make a lot of money in Japan in the future. In just three days, the court raised 20 million taels of silver, and Hou Xuanyan once again saw how much money the private merchants had in the hands of the late Ming Dynasty.

No one questioned the ability of the court. They were all people who had seen the strength of the navy. Four years ago, when they were poor and powerful enemies everywhere, Hou Xuanyan spent a lot of money on the Navy Songjiang. Now it is time to use this sword.

The imperial court in Jiangnan was born in response to the Northern Expedition. Once the huge war machine started to operate again, everything was ready in just two days.

The one who is about to take charge is not someone else, but the veteran Zhu Dadian who has just been transferred back. The 80,000 soldiers of the Shuizi Camp, Songjiang and Denglai have a total of 150,000 navy personnel, totaling 160 warships and 3,000 giant cannons.

To explore the weather and days, in July of the second year of Jingyou, the Denlai Naval Division and the Songjiang Naval Division set out together. The two major naval divisions were like two giant beasts, heading towards Nagasaki, Japan.

Zhu Dadian sat on the largest warship, the Northern Expedition, holding the secret scroll given to him by Hou Xuanyan, which detailed the mission of the battle.

Hou Xuanyan knew very well that it was very difficult to conquer and occupy Japan. Now that the enemy in Liaodong has not been eliminated, there is no need to cause trouble. Just force them to sign a treaty and allow the business to be opened. So in his secret letter to Zhu Dadian, he even had a written post-war treaty.

The establishment of Jiangnan's large factory has greatly improved their production capacity. Coupled with the continuous innovation of technology caused by the rise in the status of craftsmen, the goods in Jiangnan's wealthy merchants have reached the point where they cannot be sold. It's not that the goods are not attractive enough, but that the market is not big enough. Zheng Zhilong locked Penghu, and Japan is the largest market that can be seen at present.

The porcelain and silk from the Ming Dynasty were dumped everywhere. As long as Japan agreed to trade, it would not have to worry about selling it. Moreover, it could also be used as a transit station for Franchise, Dutch and British.

This is a complete money war. It starts with money. Winning and losing will be determined by money will inevitably end with money.

The 20 million taels of war funds were turned into orders for the navy and fell into the heads of merchants. This not only drove the development of the factory, but also strengthened the strength of the navy, and also avoided inflation caused by the inflow of silver.

Zhu Dadian was amazed and said, "In the past, the cannon was fired, and gold was 10,000 taels. Wars have been the most expensive thing since ancient times. Unexpectedly, when it comes to the prince's hands, wars can make money."

Wu Yi said suspiciously: "I'm surprised. During the Chongzhen Dynasty, no matter how the emperor asked, the gentry refused to give out a penny. Why did the prince come to the prince? Since the rebellion in Suzhou, these people tried their best to give money. What kind of ecstasy did the prince give them?"

"The prince is never afraid of others making money. If they give money to the prince, they earn more money than they give. Who is not happy?" Zhu Dadian laughed. His own family is also a famous wealthy merchant in Zhejiang, and no one knows the tricks of it better than him.
Chapter completed!