Chapter 864 Ji Zijuan Zaibuzi
This was the idea he came up with to Guan Ying.
Zhongshu Ke is still brewing, but the news has already been released. It is mainly aimed at opening up a route through Ezo and across the Whale Sea to Jurchen in the East China Sea. It is also aimed at opening up a route to Nanyang that has not yet been discovered and can bring practical benefits to the court. .
In China's traditional customs, scholar-officials and official titles represent status, and military men are often excluded. However, they can obtain titles through military merit to make up for this shortcoming. However, it is difficult for merchants to achieve this. Even if they donate officials, they will still be punished. The disdain and contempt from scholars who become officials keep them at the lowest level.
But it was really difficult for merchants to study and take scientific examinations, or to win military exploits in battles, so Feng Ziying felt that there was a lot of room for maneuver in how to explore the magical effects of this.
Using this method to open up new routes and solve some of the difficulties encountered by the court, and to reward those who have made the greatest contributions with military achievements and grant them titles, is undoubtedly the most attractive temptation.
Hardly anyone can resist this temptation. Although everyone knows that the risks involved are extremely high and very few people can be granted the grant in the end, it is still a hope after all.
Especially the opening of this new route itself contains huge business opportunities, so this is almost a good thing that kills two birds with one stone, why not?
Baochai, Baoqin and even Xue Pan all looked over, obviously this statement was very attractive.
"Well, I didn't expect Brother Tao to also know the news." Feng Ziying nodded, "This is my suggestion to the official. It is indeed being brewed. It will probably take some time before the cabinet will submit it to the emperor for approval. However, Brother scorpion, this military knighthood is not so nice. In a sense, it is a gesture from the court to encourage maritime merchants to open up routes, colonize new lands, and contribute to the increase of the court's land and wealth. Only those with great achievements can be regarded as knights for military merit, not just anyone can get it."
Xue Biao laughed, "Brother Feng, of course I know that this is definitely not a simple matter, otherwise how could it be regarded as a military knighthood? The Ministry of War will certainly not agree. But this is also an opportunity. If it is simple, how can it be Isn’t everyone willing to go? And my younger brother also said that I just think it’s meaningless to sit in the house and run an ordinary business like this, so I hope to have a try..."
Feng Ziying glanced at Baochai and Baoqin, "What about the two sisters' opinions?"
Baochai and Baoqin both hesitated, and Xue Biao added: "Both sisters should know that my sister and I have been traveling around with my father since childhood. We have been to Guangzhou in the south and Tianjin in the north. Now I I also said that this is just a turn. It does not mean that I must personally go out to explore and colonize and find routes, but I can organize people, hire people, and plan this kind of exploration and colonization plan. I can let them do it in the early stage. In the end, when I am more confident, I will personally go into battle, so won't the risks be minimized?"
I have to say that Xue Biao still put a lot of thought into this, exploring and colonizing, looking for new routes, and the most important thing is to ask for money and people.
You need to have sufficient funds, buy a ship, hire people, and you also need to have quite experienced crew members, and then make a detailed and feasible plan.
These tasks are not easy. Xue Biao undoubtedly wants to be an organizer and operator rather than a personal adventurer. The risks are indeed much smaller.
In fact, both Baochai and Baoqin understood Xue Biao's mood, and they were bent on revitalizing the Xue family, but this was almost impossible to rely solely on pure business.
The Xue family has gradually declined over the years, and was eventually reduced to an imperial merchant. In name, the imperial merchant could get some privileges, but now that merchants are increasingly integrating with the gentry, the imperial merchant's status is also declining day by day. He may still have some influence in the capital city. Yu Yin, but in other places, basically not many people care about you anymore.
Because of this, Xue Biao wanted to find another way. Taking advantage of the current predicament that the court was eager to change, he used sea trade to find an opportunity for the Xue family to be knighted.
In this way, even if it is the lowest title, it will at least allow the Xue family to get rid of their position as imperial merchants, and it will also allow them to straighten their backs after marrying a daughter of the Fang family in the future, and avoid being gossiped about behind their backs. .
Unexpectedly, Xue Pan, who was usually careless and carefree, could actually say such words, which shocked everyone.
Xue Pan didn't care, "Besides, what I heard from Brother Tao earlier is very feasible. They say that wealth can only be found in danger. How can you sit in the house and wait for good things to happen to you?" I can’t study, how can I make a fortune in business? I still have to take these roads, not to mention Brother Tao, even I want to follow Brother Tao to have a career."
Xue Pan's words shocked several people even more. Even Feng Ziying couldn't help but look him up and down, "Wenlong, aren't you doing well here in Daguan Tower? And you are also getting married. Why did you suddenly give birth to a child?" Is this an idea?"
"Ziying, although I am dull, I can still see some things clearly. I am actually of no use in Daguan Tower. It turns out that Brother Liu and Brother Yun are doing things. I just help to stand up. Now Lian The second brother went to Yangzhou to help you with big things, and Brother Yun went to take over the work of the second brother Lian. The Daguan Building was replaced by Ni Er's people to help, and it was just as safe. I felt that there was no point in bringing it here. , also thinking about what I can do..."
Xue Pan also seemed very calm in the face of everyone's suspicious eyes. In the past few years in Daguan Tower, he had received and sent off, and he had seen a lot of people and worldly things, and he had made some progress.
"Now that Brother Tao has come up with what he wants to do, I think it's very exciting. It was you who came up with the strategy of opening up the sea. At least there is an uncle over there in Denglai to take care of you. You must have some ideas as well. That’s why Brother Tao chooses to do things from Shandong. I think it’s okay if Brother Tao is in charge and I can help take care of it, right?”
Baochai couldn't help it anymore, "Brother, what are you going to do about your marriage? Also, my mother can't agree..."
"The marriage is only a matter of these two months. Can I still stay at home after getting married?" Xue Pan said nonchalantly: "I will go to my mother's place to tell her. Am I, Xue Wenlong, just going to live like this all my life? Brother Biao My idea is very good, explore and colonize, maybe in the future Brother Tao and I can learn from the historians and become a double prince..."
Xue Pan’s words made Feng Ziying amused, but he still admired Xue Pan’s temperament.
At least her performance is much better than in the book "Dream of Red Mansions", and her attitude is very upright, and she is willing to help Brother Tao, not just because she is the elder brother. This at least shows that she is still very self-aware. of.
In the final analysis, everyone’s attention returned to Feng Ziying.
Now Feng Ziying has become the backbone of the family. Without Feng Ziying's nod, whether it is Baochai Baoqin's marriage, Xue Pan's ambitions, or Xue Pan's wild ideas, there is no feasibility at all. And if there is Feng Ziying's nod, then It's completely different. The family's confidence will immediately increase tenfold.
Feng Ziying also remained silent.
Xue Biao’s idea is a good one, but there are many uncertainties in exploring and colonizing new routes.
Some people can achieve results after three or five expeditions, and some people die at sea all their lives but get nothing. Fortunately, Xue Biao’s idea is just to be a trader and organizer, so at least the risk to his life is much less. I don’t want to blame myself in the future.
"Brother Tao, Wenlong, from my personal point of view, operating and planning in Denglai is a worthwhile thing for Liaodong, North Korea, Japan, Ezo and even the Jurchen route in the East China Sea beyond. To be honest with you, There are also some maritime merchants in Zhejiang who are also running this matter, but they have more doubts, so the progress is slower. If you can convince the two aunts, I personally think this matter can be done, Wenlong's uncle As the governor of Denglai, I also have some connections in Denglai. The shipyards, maritime merchants and even the naval admiral can help introduce you. As for how to operate in the future, it depends on you guys."
Feng Ziying's support boosted Xue Biao's spirits, and even Baochai and Baoqin began to think seriously about the matter.
"Brother Feng, is the court really going to introduce regulations that reward those who have made contributions to exploring new routes and colonizing new lands in the Zhou Dynasty with military merit?" Bao Qin looked at Feng Ziying with clear eyes.
"Your Excellency, I agree very much. I have also discussed it with Mr. Qi Ge and the first and second assistants. The emperor also commented on an article I wrote in "Internal Reference". He should agree with it, so it should be Yes, it just depends on the time. Jiangnan and Guangxi face the entire Nanyang area, while the north faces Liaodong, Korea, Japan, Ezo, and the Jurchens of the East China Sea. Each has its own emphasis."
Feng Ziying smiled and said, "Wealthy places such as the Capital, Yangzhou, Suzhou, Datong, and Hangzhou have an increasing demand for spices, precious woods, pearls, furs, ginseng, copper, gold and silver, and these places are precisely where these are the most abundant. , doesn’t it just form a cycle of mutual exchange with the silk, cloth, tea, porcelain, salt, and iron produced by our Zhou Dynasty? Even for these commercial benefits, this is very worthwhile."
(End of this chapter)