Grandpa Mao, the saint of the Mao family, once said: Ten thousand years are too long, so I have to seize the day!

As unprecedented, the court's attitude made a 180-degree turn. From the original suppression of the commerce and sea sealing to the Longqing switch, it was just a matter of ignoring the matter. However, now, the Regent personally established the company and personally encouraged it to go into the sea. For a time, Hangzhou actually had a trend of competing with hundreds of boats. In July and August, more than 70 large sea boats were loaded with silk, porcelain, tea and other goods, sailing out to sea, heading straight to Southeast Asia where the eunuch of Sanbao had visited.

But this is just Southeast Asia.

More than a hundred years ago, the Longqing switch, Taiwan's chicken cage, Tamsui, Xiagang, Siam, Old Port, Jiaozhi and Luzon, which is Manila controlled by the Spanish, these places have become fixed maritime trading points for Ming merchants. They have sold silk, tea, and sugar from Jiangnan and bought pepper, somum, ambergris, and pearls. The profits have reached two or three times, and the merchants do not need to take risks to explore further places.

From the topography, China is in an excellent geographical location. After Columbus discovered the American continent, Western colonists frantically plundered precious metals such as gold and silver in the New World. However, these treasure ships loaded with treasures did not return as usual. Instead, they ventured through the rough Pacific Ocean, followed the currents along the coast of Australia to Southeast Asia, and then circled Africa to Europe along the Indian Ocean.

The reason is nothing more. No matter how much shiny gold and silver is, it is just a pile of beautiful metals. Money still has to be spent to be called money. Another part of world trade is in the East!

Chinese silk, porcelain, Indian native cloth, Juan cloth, and Southeast Asian spices are all the most delightful luxury goods by Western aristocrats. Especially spices!

Most of the main Western nations were composed of Germans who destroyed the Roman Empire, and they liked to eat meat. However, in that era, there was no acid removal technology or freezing and preservation technology, and the animals slaughtered were not fresh in a few days. By relying solely on salt marination, the smell and taste of meat can be imagined. After Indian pepper was introduced to the West, it was simply a savior of the Western aristocratic dining table. In the West, the value of pepper was equivalent to gold coins. It was better to pay the bill with a few peppers when eating than paying the bill with money.

What's more black and interesting is that the establishment of the British East India Company, which later ruled a small half of the world, was entirely because the British business rival, Spaniards, doubled the price of pepper. For the spicy taste on the table, the British were enough to muster up the courage to form a fleet and rush to the most remote location in the world.

The natural advantage of trade has turned Southeast Asia into a crossroads at the intersection of China and the West. This is both a good thing for the Ming Empire, but it is also a bad thing. It is too easy to obtain rich benefits of trade, so that the Eastern merchants lack competitiveness and enterprising spirit. Without managers of the Atlantic Ocean and the stormy Pacific, the Eastern fleet that has experienced the stormy Pacific Ocean will ultimately be unable to gain a place in the unprecedented opportunity and challenge of the Age of Discovery.

Fortunately, Mao Jue acquired the British East India Company, instead of forming a new East India Company by himself. The merchants of the Ming Dynasty were not very interested in the distant India, but these British men were extremely interested. Moreover, they also had a trading stack and supply points there. Among the teams where most ships were hooked straight south and then stopped abruptly, there was a fleet of ships bravely rushing towards the west through the wind and waves.

The fleet is quite large. The pilot ship is the British Red Deer and a Galen sailboat, but it is small enough, with a total length of 27 meters, which is about the same length as the Cangshan ship of the Ming Dynasty. It has a single deck and two masts. I have to admire the British's enterprising spirit and adventurous spirit. Such a small boat has a load capacity of enough to be comparable to two 30-meter-level sailboats in the Dongjiang River. Mao Jue set up a lounge room for the sailors and sailors. They all used it as cargo holds, and the sailors slept directly on the cargo box.

Following closely behind were three Dongjiang third-class battleships. The Dongjiang Navy was a bit messy. It was nominally a national fleet, but in fact it was equivalent to Mao Jue's private fleet. Although after the capital was established, Mao Jue began to distinguish between the two and establish a formal national navy, there was no rush. There was still a navy who had to run private work for Mao Jue.

Moreover, the commander of these three sailboats is still considered Mao Jue's old acquaintance.

Former Ningyuan General Wu Sangui!

Further behind were six local blessed ships from Jiangnan, and the maritime merchant fleet under the command of Zheng Zhilong from Fujian. A total of ten ships were filled with goods from north to south, including three large pieces of silk tea and porcelain from Jiangnan, as well as special goods under Mao Jue, cigarettes, white wine, and woven cloth. Even the proud goods glass of the West also contained several boxes. These goods were equivalent to the East India Company's trade volume for at least five or six years, which made William Smith, the captain of the Red Deer, almost unhappy.

The fleet's goal is to Bangladesh, India. Just before Mao Jue invested in the shares and wanted to buy the East India Company, the British had just established a new trading house here through bribery, and the plank road was located in a small village.

Kolkata!

The gold shone everywhere, and dozens of personal soldiers gathered under his hands to help. In addition, he was a formal officer and had outstanding command ability. Wu Sangui quickly got from the second lieutenant to the captain's position, but now, he regretted and confused.

A while ago, the two unlucky brothers and brothers with him were together with him. Wang Fuchen, the West Road Ma Yaozi, made military achievements in Lizhuang. He was already a regiment deputy, and Ma Bao, a surrendered general of the rebel army, relied on fighting and killing. He was also a team leader. Although he was fighting for official positions, the three of them were similar, but they were rising steadily in the army. No matter how you look at it, they had many opportunities. What about themselves? He fell to being a nanny for a group of merchants!

When joining the navy, Wu Sangui saw Yuan Dabao here for the first time, and the battle between Shanhaiguan, he was impressed by this opponent. He was probably a beautiful person to be placed here. The second point is that his future goal is to pacify the south of the Yangtze River, to fight against the southern Ming Dynasty, and there are probably many places to use ships, and there are many opportunities to make contributions.

Man’s plan is not as good as God’s plan. God knows that Mao Jue will not fight if he says he won’t fight!

"Oh, God is jealous of talent!"

In his eyes, there was a rushing sea. It had been more than a month since he set off from Hangzhou. Apart from the supply in Chameng, he had been sailing for six or seven consecutive days, and he didn't even encounter a big storm. Looking at the rugged sea in front of him, Wu Sangui couldn't help but yawn again, and then sighed helplessly.

Otherwise, I would like to go back this time and find Wang Fuchen to take a walk? Even if I am under his command, the army will have many opportunities and will not waste their youth here. It is not easy to get into this thousand-household navy family, and it is a pity to give up.

Just when Wu Sangui was struggling, a laugh suddenly sounded behind him.

"Brother Ng is so excited! You can see the sea so stunningly!"

Wu Sangui turned around, but a young boy of only sixteen or seventeen years old walked out of the cabin in an interest. A few drops of ink were stained on his face, and he was carrying a full of painting boards and paints.

The boy's surname is Xu, and he defected to Mao Jue. Through the imperial examination, he relied on the prefect of Xing'an. The nephew of a scholar named Xu Xiake. Xu Xiake was a salt merchant Qingke in Yangzhou. He had this relationship. The boy sneaked into the fleet as a company employee.

Wu Sangui feels like he is connected to the same fate. If he goes to Mao Jue’s civil service exam, he might be the leader of this and that game, but now he is sent to the frontier with him.

Wu Sangui, who has always been fierce, was also rare to smile kindly and shook his head.

"Mr. Wu, you are not as sentimental as you literati! Wu is just sighing that the world is so big, and I haven't arrived after walking for so many days!"

Not to mention, a casual perfunctory sentence made the boy's eyes lit up suddenly with excitement, and he nodded continuously.

"No, I've already traveled around with my uncle before, and I already felt that the world was big. After following the Regent, I just realized how he was a frog in the well!"

"Brother Wu, look, this is the map of India that I translated the books of the Western Fan family and painted! This is the village of Bangladesh and Kolkata that we are going to. This is the holy mountain mentioned by Tibetan monks. From here to the sea, it is actually the size of the Central Plains! The population here is almost as large as the Central Plains. I didn't expect that I could have a great empire as rich and powerful as my Ming Dynasty when I came back!"

Comparable to the Central Plains? Listening to the feelings of Xu Liangui, Wu Sangui couldn't help but snorted coldly. Even though he was so depressed and out of here, the Ming Empire was still the center of the world in his mind. The rest were all backward barbarian vassal states. Can they be comparable to the Ming Dynasty? It's either Yelang's arrogant or a fantasy!

After all, he is young, and has no hair and short knowledge!

He didn't notice Wu Sangui's contempt at all, so he put the first map on the deck to dry. Xu Liangui opened the second one and then showed off his pointing to Wu Sangui.

"This river is the Ganges of the Indians, which is equivalent to the Yellow River of our Ming Dynasty. From here, it is full of the great plains, rich in rice, cotton and linen! It is densely populated, and the task assigned by the company is to go up as much as possible and understand the local mountains, rivers, geography, customs and customs!"

"I am so lucky to be the first person in my Ming Dynasty to go deep into foreign lands, Xu Liangui is in this life!"

Stars were rising in his eyes, and Xu Liangui hung the second itinerary to dry itinerary. The speaker was unintentionally listened to it. Although he was still very suspicious and disdainful of the Ming Dynasty, a few words still jumped into Wu Sangui's heart.

It's all plains! It's rich in rice! It's densely populated!

Mao Jue suddenly ceased to fight with the Southern Ming Dynasty and immediately acquired the British East India Company. As the regent, he actually wanted to manage the lowly business business. This has already caused an uproar in the government and the opposition, and everyone wondered why the regent wanted to do this.

But now, Wu Sangui understands a little bit! What a Mao Jue, such a big ambition. Before the Ming Dynasty has calmed down, he has already begun to focus on foreign lands. He is going to become an emperor like Emperor Wu of Han to make a name for his outside world!

Then it is unknown who is Wei Qing and who is Huo Qubing!

Suddenly, he was not so resistant to this mission. While the boy posted the information, Wu Sangui couldn't help but pick up the telescope again.

Looking around, the endless sea suddenly had an end, and the emerald green land suddenly faintly came into view!
Chapter completed!