Chapter 2288
Chapter 2288
Chapter 2288
The courtyard where Zheng Zuo lived was only about one mile away from the city of Guangzhou. Standing at the gate, he could see the tall towers and continuous city walls of Guangzhou city not far away.Similar to this kind of city defense fortifications, only Hue, which is known as the first strong city in Annan, has the same scale.However, Hue City was not able to hold out for long under the fierce offensive of the Haihan Army. It took only a few days to be breached. Today, I am afraid that Hue City will not be able to survive even three days.
"How many days will it take for the Haihan army to break through the city of Guangzhou?" Zheng Zuo looked at the city of Guangzhou not far away, secretly calculating in his heart.It's just that he knew very little about the Ming army's combat power and defense status, and it was difficult to draw a clear conclusion on this.
"My lord, the carriage sent by Fu Ruifeng to pick you up for the banquet has arrived." A guard whispered beside him, waking Zheng Zuo from his contemplation.
It's not too far from the residence that Li Nai arranged for Zheng Zuo and his party to the private house where Li Jifeng hosted the banquet. It doesn't take too long to walk there, but sending a special car to pick him up represents the Li family's respect for Zheng Zuo. , this kind of courtesy is of course absolutely indispensable.
The Li family's manor outside of Guangzhou was also renovated in recent years. It covers an area of more than [-] mu. The manor faces the river in the south and has a dedicated wharf.There are pavilions, terraces and pavilions in the manor, carved beams and painted buildings, everything is available.Although it is a traditional Chinese-style building, a considerable part of the various daily necessities in the manor are high-end goods imported from Haihan Kingdom. It can be said that it is currently one of the most luxurious private manors in Guangzhou.
It is also worth mentioning that this manor is next to Haihan's Guangzhou Office, reminding passers-by of the close relationship between Fu Ruifeng and Haihan all the time.
When Zheng Zuo arrived outside the manor, Li Jifeng, his three sons, and the main family members had all come to greet him outside the gate, which was enough to give Zheng Zuo face.Zhang Jinbao arrived a moment earlier than him, so he didn't go in first at this time, and stayed outside the door with the Li family, waiting for Zheng Zuo's arrival.
Zheng Zuo thinks that this kind of courtesy should be due to his special status. People regard Annan as a country and treat him as the prince of a country, and this kind of treatment is exactly what Annan has been doing for centuries come to pursue the goal.
Zheng Zuo was grateful, and he didn't put on airs after getting off the car, and took the initiative to quickly step forward to greet Li Jifeng and others.But Zheng Zuo didn't know that the reason why the Li family provided him with such high-level courtesy was not exactly what he thought.
His status as the little prince of Annan is certainly one of them, but when it rises to the national level, it is a bit overthinking to think that the Li family regards Annan as a country so that they value their visit so much.
Annan has been included under the rule of China since the Qin Dynasty. In the Ming Dynasty, Ming Chengzu sent troops to destroy the Hu regime in Annan and restored the rule of the region.During the reign of Emperor Shizong of the Ming Dynasty, Mo Dengyong, the ruler of Annan at that time, asked Daming Nadi to surrender, and Annan was thus served as the Annan Metropolitan Commander of Daming until the end of the Ming Dynasty.Although the binding force on Annan in the late Ming Dynasty was only on paper, and even Annan people were unwilling to admit that they were a territory of Daming, this relationship has continued.
The rise of Haihan in the South China Sea had a great impact on Annan's historical development. After the civil war between the North and the South, Annan stopped submitting to Ming Dynasty, and did not apply to Ming Dynasty for a change of ruler as he had done in the past 200 years.Anyone with a discerning eye can see that Annan wants to seek independence from the suzerain state of Daming when Daming is too busy to take care of himself.
From this perspective, the appearance of Haihan actually played an objective role in splitting Ming Dynasty.It's just that the executive committee probably won't choose to take the initiative to take the blame. In their view, Annan and Daming have long been in harmony, and it's only a matter of time before they separate.Moreover, when Haihan started his business, he happened to meet Annan who was able to provide a large amount of manpower and energy, and the cooperation plan of exchanging military aid for these resources hit it off. That's why Annan, whose military strength has been rapidly improved later, has enough confidence to break away from Daming and stand on his own. portal.
In the eyes of Daming officials, Annan was a traitor who refused to obey discipline and betrayed his family.However, in recent years, there have been no armed conflicts between Annan and Daming. Therefore, although the people are not close to Annan, they do not have much antipathy.As for whether the Annan people want to establish their own country and sit on an equal footing with Ming Dynasty, these things are too far away from the lives of ordinary people. As long as there is no war, no one cares about what Annan will do.
The attitude of the merchants is more practical. As long as there is money to be made, no matter if it is Haihan or Annan, they are welcome trading partners.
The time when Furuifeng entered the Annan market was almost at the same time as Haihan's local trading ports. So far, several trading organizations have been established in Annan, and the annual trade volume settled in silver has already reached six figures. For Freedom, it is also a very important trade partner.
However, due to objective reasons such as traffic, the exchanges between the high-level figures of the two sides are not close. As for Fu Ruifeng, only Li Nai has been to Annan several times to preside over the establishment of a local trade organization.As for the high-level person who represented Annan to visit Furuifeng in Guangzhou, Zheng Zuo was still No.1.
Li Jifeng believes that Zheng Zuo's visit marks that the cooperation between the two parties has entered a new stage. An Nanguo wants to set up a quasi-official office in Guangzhou, and asks Fu Ruifeng to assist in the preparation stage. This is an improvement for himself Great opportunity for international reach.
If the things Annan asked for are done well, then maybe more countries will follow Annan in the future, please Fu Ruifeng to provide assistance for them to set up offices in Guangzhou.And such a favor is self-evident for the benefits of Freedom to carry out overseas trade activities in the future.
Therefore, after receiving the news from Li Nai through the Haihan Guangzhou Office in advance, Li Jifeng believed that the reception of Zheng Zuo must maintain a high standard, which is why Zheng Zuo received all kinds of courtesy after arriving in Guangzhou.
As for Zhang Jinbao, who also came to Guangzhou for inspection, if he came alone, he would not be able to enjoy almost the same treatment as Zheng Zuo.Although he was considered a social celebrity in Danzhou, and the investigation projects in Guangzhou were not small, but after all, it was still not enough. At most, it would be good if Li Nai could come forward to accompany him on his investigation work.Even if he could receive this kind of family banquet invitation, it is estimated that at least it must be after finalizing the plan to cooperate with the Li family to open the Guangzhou branch.
However, Zhang Jinbao is used to the world, and he doesn't think there is anything wrong with the high-standard treatment provided by the Li family to Zheng Zuo. After all, when he met Zheng Zuo in Sanya, the other party was almost always accompanied by high-ranking Haihan officials. This kind of smart person will definitely follow Haihan's reception specifications in his eyes.
As the top tycoon in Guangzhou, Li Jifeng's reception banquet for Zheng Zuo and Zhang Jinbao is naturally very rich, even the cups, dishes and chopsticks on the table are very particular. The porcelain used has a soft luster and is as warm as jade. High-quality goods that are rare on the market.
Zhang Jinbao has sharp eyes and recognized that this kind of porcelain had appeared at the banquet held by the executive committee. At that time, he wanted to buy a few pieces of the same style back to Danzhou for his own use. The new type of porcelain made of bone china has just been successfully trial-produced in Tiandu, and the production capacity is extremely limited, so it is not sold on the market at all.But today, I saw this kind of porcelain again at the family banquet of the Li family. It is obvious that this should be an internal product obtained by the Li family by relying on the good relationship with the senior management of Haihan.
In the original history, bone china was invented by Josiah Spode, an Englishman, and it appeared at the end of the eighteenth century, more than 100 years ago. However, Haihan believes that the market prospect of this kind of porcelain is very good, so The trial production work was completed ahead of time, and small batch production is already in progress.As one of Haihan's most important trading partners, the Li family also received a small amount of samples. Li Jifeng regarded it as a treasure. If it wasn't for the occasion of entertaining distinguished guests like today, the banquet would at most be to bring some Haihan The produced glassware came out to deal with it.
Zheng Zuo didn't notice such details, but he was more concerned about Li Jifeng's attitude towards Annan's preparation to set up an office in Guangzhou.Although they had already talked with Li Nai before, but after all, the head of the Li family is Li Jifeng, not Li Nai, and the final decision still has to be made by the old man in front of him.
Zheng Zuo also did some preparatory work before coming, such as understanding Li Jifeng's personal preferences and so on.According to the information he has, Li Jifeng is extremely shrewd, but he is also very bold in making decisions. As long as he can provide him with enough benefits, it should not be difficult to cooperate with him.
After drinking for three rounds, the atmosphere of the banquet gradually warmed up, and Li Jifeng took the initiative to ask: "I heard that the young prince came to Guangzhou this time, and he intends to open a permanent organization in the local area, responsible for the Annan Trade affairs in the Guangdong area?"
Zheng Zuo put down the chopsticks in his hand as soon as he heard about the business, nodded and said: "The trade between Annan and Guangdong is increasing day by day, but Guangzhou has always lacked a special organization to assist these trade activities. This move will definitely help regulate bilateral trade in the future, and it is also a good thing for businessmen on both sides."
Li Jifeng said: "The young prince is not an outsider, so the old man just said it straight. I don't know if this organization will openly operate in the official capacity of Annan?"
Zheng Zuo pretended not to understand and asked, "May I ask Boss Li, is there any difference?"
Li Jifeng said: "I believe that the young prince also understands that the relationship between our country and Annan... is not particularly harmonious. Although this will not hinder private trade activities, if you want to open this institution with an official nature, The local government may not be able to turn a blind eye to it, and there will inevitably be some obstacles at that time."
"If this institution is opened in the official name of Annan, then the government may come forward to make trouble, am I not wrong?" Zheng Zuo asked.
Li Jifeng didn't answer this question directly: "I don't dare to speculate about the government's attitude, but if you can take the initiative to avoid some troubles, it will ultimately be beneficial to you."
Zheng Zuo said: "I would like to ask you for advice. I heard that when Haihan established an office in Guangzhou, it was also Boss Meng Li who assisted here. How did they handle the relationship with the local government at that time?"
Zheng Zuo's question was very specific. Li Jifeng knew that the other party had come prepared.
Only half a year after Haihan arrived in Sanya, he sent people to Guangzhou to set up an office to open up the trade channel between Sanya and Guangzhou.The role played by the Guangzhou Office in the history of Haihan's development is indisputable. It can be said that most of the early trading activities were realized through this channel, which helped Haihan win a lot of important resources in the early stage.
Zheng Zuo also put a lot of effort into the study of Haihan's family history, so naturally he would not ignore the existence of this special agency, the Guangzhou Office.At that time, how Haihan used the Guangzhou Office to obtain various resources in Guangzhou has always been a question of great interest to him.
Li Jifeng responded: "Since the young prince knows the existence of the Guangzhou Office, he should also know that Haihan had not established a country at that time, and was not well-known in Guangzhou. They set up an office in Guangzhou in the name of Haihan, and almost everyone I think this is just a business post, and I don't think that this institution has other special functions. The government has received all the benefits that should be received, so I just regard Haihan's Guangzhou Office as a time-honored Gong’s fat sheep, as long as they don’t cause trouble in Guangzhou. By the time Haihan rebelled in Qiongzhou, the situation would have been different. Many people in Guangzhou depended on Haihan to make a fortune. You will also be restrained by too many conflicts of interest. If I say this, does the little prince understand?"
What Li Jifeng meant was that the situation of Annan today is different from that of Haihan back then. Haihan was not well-known when he set up the Guangzhou Office in Guangzhou, and no one was prepared to guard against him, let alone regard him as a foreign embassy. The official organization of Ming Dynasty will look at it.In recent years, Annan has been trying to break away from the fact of the formation of Ming Dynasty and form a country of his own. If Annan's official name is used to set up an agency in Guangzhou, then the local government will inevitably respond to this. After all, Annan is still in name How could the territory of the Ming Dynasty send official agencies to other areas of the Ming Dynasty without authorization.
However, considering Annan's face, Li Jifeng did not speak too bluntly. He believed that with Zheng Zuo's mind, he should be able to understand what he meant immediately.
Zheng Zuo was quite satisfied with Li Jifeng's explanation.He also didn't insist on setting up this institution in the name of the Annan government, but he just listened to Li Jifeng's opinion as a reference before that, which might be more beneficial for him to make a corresponding decision.
"Boss Li is right, I'm being educated!" Zheng Zuo responded politely: "I would like to ask Boss Li again, do you have any other suggestions on this matter?"
(End of this chapter)
The courtyard where Zheng Zuo lived was only about one mile away from the city of Guangzhou. Standing at the gate, he could see the tall towers and continuous city walls of Guangzhou city not far away.Similar to this kind of city defense fortifications, only Hue, which is known as the first strong city in Annan, has the same scale.However, Hue City was not able to hold out for long under the fierce offensive of the Haihan Army. It took only a few days to be breached. Today, I am afraid that Hue City will not be able to survive even three days.
"How many days will it take for the Haihan army to break through the city of Guangzhou?" Zheng Zuo looked at the city of Guangzhou not far away, secretly calculating in his heart.It's just that he knew very little about the Ming army's combat power and defense status, and it was difficult to draw a clear conclusion on this.
"My lord, the carriage sent by Fu Ruifeng to pick you up for the banquet has arrived." A guard whispered beside him, waking Zheng Zuo from his contemplation.
It's not too far from the residence that Li Nai arranged for Zheng Zuo and his party to the private house where Li Jifeng hosted the banquet. It doesn't take too long to walk there, but sending a special car to pick him up represents the Li family's respect for Zheng Zuo. , this kind of courtesy is of course absolutely indispensable.
The Li family's manor outside of Guangzhou was also renovated in recent years. It covers an area of more than [-] mu. The manor faces the river in the south and has a dedicated wharf.There are pavilions, terraces and pavilions in the manor, carved beams and painted buildings, everything is available.Although it is a traditional Chinese-style building, a considerable part of the various daily necessities in the manor are high-end goods imported from Haihan Kingdom. It can be said that it is currently one of the most luxurious private manors in Guangzhou.
It is also worth mentioning that this manor is next to Haihan's Guangzhou Office, reminding passers-by of the close relationship between Fu Ruifeng and Haihan all the time.
When Zheng Zuo arrived outside the manor, Li Jifeng, his three sons, and the main family members had all come to greet him outside the gate, which was enough to give Zheng Zuo face.Zhang Jinbao arrived a moment earlier than him, so he didn't go in first at this time, and stayed outside the door with the Li family, waiting for Zheng Zuo's arrival.
Zheng Zuo thinks that this kind of courtesy should be due to his special status. People regard Annan as a country and treat him as the prince of a country, and this kind of treatment is exactly what Annan has been doing for centuries come to pursue the goal.
Zheng Zuo was grateful, and he didn't put on airs after getting off the car, and took the initiative to quickly step forward to greet Li Jifeng and others.But Zheng Zuo didn't know that the reason why the Li family provided him with such high-level courtesy was not exactly what he thought.
His status as the little prince of Annan is certainly one of them, but when it rises to the national level, it is a bit overthinking to think that the Li family regards Annan as a country so that they value their visit so much.
Annan has been included under the rule of China since the Qin Dynasty. In the Ming Dynasty, Ming Chengzu sent troops to destroy the Hu regime in Annan and restored the rule of the region.During the reign of Emperor Shizong of the Ming Dynasty, Mo Dengyong, the ruler of Annan at that time, asked Daming Nadi to surrender, and Annan was thus served as the Annan Metropolitan Commander of Daming until the end of the Ming Dynasty.Although the binding force on Annan in the late Ming Dynasty was only on paper, and even Annan people were unwilling to admit that they were a territory of Daming, this relationship has continued.
The rise of Haihan in the South China Sea had a great impact on Annan's historical development. After the civil war between the North and the South, Annan stopped submitting to Ming Dynasty, and did not apply to Ming Dynasty for a change of ruler as he had done in the past 200 years.Anyone with a discerning eye can see that Annan wants to seek independence from the suzerain state of Daming when Daming is too busy to take care of himself.
From this perspective, the appearance of Haihan actually played an objective role in splitting Ming Dynasty.It's just that the executive committee probably won't choose to take the initiative to take the blame. In their view, Annan and Daming have long been in harmony, and it's only a matter of time before they separate.Moreover, when Haihan started his business, he happened to meet Annan who was able to provide a large amount of manpower and energy, and the cooperation plan of exchanging military aid for these resources hit it off. That's why Annan, whose military strength has been rapidly improved later, has enough confidence to break away from Daming and stand on his own. portal.
In the eyes of Daming officials, Annan was a traitor who refused to obey discipline and betrayed his family.However, in recent years, there have been no armed conflicts between Annan and Daming. Therefore, although the people are not close to Annan, they do not have much antipathy.As for whether the Annan people want to establish their own country and sit on an equal footing with Ming Dynasty, these things are too far away from the lives of ordinary people. As long as there is no war, no one cares about what Annan will do.
The attitude of the merchants is more practical. As long as there is money to be made, no matter if it is Haihan or Annan, they are welcome trading partners.
The time when Furuifeng entered the Annan market was almost at the same time as Haihan's local trading ports. So far, several trading organizations have been established in Annan, and the annual trade volume settled in silver has already reached six figures. For Freedom, it is also a very important trade partner.
However, due to objective reasons such as traffic, the exchanges between the high-level figures of the two sides are not close. As for Fu Ruifeng, only Li Nai has been to Annan several times to preside over the establishment of a local trade organization.As for the high-level person who represented Annan to visit Furuifeng in Guangzhou, Zheng Zuo was still No.1.
Li Jifeng believes that Zheng Zuo's visit marks that the cooperation between the two parties has entered a new stage. An Nanguo wants to set up a quasi-official office in Guangzhou, and asks Fu Ruifeng to assist in the preparation stage. This is an improvement for himself Great opportunity for international reach.
If the things Annan asked for are done well, then maybe more countries will follow Annan in the future, please Fu Ruifeng to provide assistance for them to set up offices in Guangzhou.And such a favor is self-evident for the benefits of Freedom to carry out overseas trade activities in the future.
Therefore, after receiving the news from Li Nai through the Haihan Guangzhou Office in advance, Li Jifeng believed that the reception of Zheng Zuo must maintain a high standard, which is why Zheng Zuo received all kinds of courtesy after arriving in Guangzhou.
As for Zhang Jinbao, who also came to Guangzhou for inspection, if he came alone, he would not be able to enjoy almost the same treatment as Zheng Zuo.Although he was considered a social celebrity in Danzhou, and the investigation projects in Guangzhou were not small, but after all, it was still not enough. At most, it would be good if Li Nai could come forward to accompany him on his investigation work.Even if he could receive this kind of family banquet invitation, it is estimated that at least it must be after finalizing the plan to cooperate with the Li family to open the Guangzhou branch.
However, Zhang Jinbao is used to the world, and he doesn't think there is anything wrong with the high-standard treatment provided by the Li family to Zheng Zuo. After all, when he met Zheng Zuo in Sanya, the other party was almost always accompanied by high-ranking Haihan officials. This kind of smart person will definitely follow Haihan's reception specifications in his eyes.
As the top tycoon in Guangzhou, Li Jifeng's reception banquet for Zheng Zuo and Zhang Jinbao is naturally very rich, even the cups, dishes and chopsticks on the table are very particular. The porcelain used has a soft luster and is as warm as jade. High-quality goods that are rare on the market.
Zhang Jinbao has sharp eyes and recognized that this kind of porcelain had appeared at the banquet held by the executive committee. At that time, he wanted to buy a few pieces of the same style back to Danzhou for his own use. The new type of porcelain made of bone china has just been successfully trial-produced in Tiandu, and the production capacity is extremely limited, so it is not sold on the market at all.But today, I saw this kind of porcelain again at the family banquet of the Li family. It is obvious that this should be an internal product obtained by the Li family by relying on the good relationship with the senior management of Haihan.
In the original history, bone china was invented by Josiah Spode, an Englishman, and it appeared at the end of the eighteenth century, more than 100 years ago. However, Haihan believes that the market prospect of this kind of porcelain is very good, so The trial production work was completed ahead of time, and small batch production is already in progress.As one of Haihan's most important trading partners, the Li family also received a small amount of samples. Li Jifeng regarded it as a treasure. If it wasn't for the occasion of entertaining distinguished guests like today, the banquet would at most be to bring some Haihan The produced glassware came out to deal with it.
Zheng Zuo didn't notice such details, but he was more concerned about Li Jifeng's attitude towards Annan's preparation to set up an office in Guangzhou.Although they had already talked with Li Nai before, but after all, the head of the Li family is Li Jifeng, not Li Nai, and the final decision still has to be made by the old man in front of him.
Zheng Zuo also did some preparatory work before coming, such as understanding Li Jifeng's personal preferences and so on.According to the information he has, Li Jifeng is extremely shrewd, but he is also very bold in making decisions. As long as he can provide him with enough benefits, it should not be difficult to cooperate with him.
After drinking for three rounds, the atmosphere of the banquet gradually warmed up, and Li Jifeng took the initiative to ask: "I heard that the young prince came to Guangzhou this time, and he intends to open a permanent organization in the local area, responsible for the Annan Trade affairs in the Guangdong area?"
Zheng Zuo put down the chopsticks in his hand as soon as he heard about the business, nodded and said: "The trade between Annan and Guangdong is increasing day by day, but Guangzhou has always lacked a special organization to assist these trade activities. This move will definitely help regulate bilateral trade in the future, and it is also a good thing for businessmen on both sides."
Li Jifeng said: "The young prince is not an outsider, so the old man just said it straight. I don't know if this organization will openly operate in the official capacity of Annan?"
Zheng Zuo pretended not to understand and asked, "May I ask Boss Li, is there any difference?"
Li Jifeng said: "I believe that the young prince also understands that the relationship between our country and Annan... is not particularly harmonious. Although this will not hinder private trade activities, if you want to open this institution with an official nature, The local government may not be able to turn a blind eye to it, and there will inevitably be some obstacles at that time."
"If this institution is opened in the official name of Annan, then the government may come forward to make trouble, am I not wrong?" Zheng Zuo asked.
Li Jifeng didn't answer this question directly: "I don't dare to speculate about the government's attitude, but if you can take the initiative to avoid some troubles, it will ultimately be beneficial to you."
Zheng Zuo said: "I would like to ask you for advice. I heard that when Haihan established an office in Guangzhou, it was also Boss Meng Li who assisted here. How did they handle the relationship with the local government at that time?"
Zheng Zuo's question was very specific. Li Jifeng knew that the other party had come prepared.
Only half a year after Haihan arrived in Sanya, he sent people to Guangzhou to set up an office to open up the trade channel between Sanya and Guangzhou.The role played by the Guangzhou Office in the history of Haihan's development is indisputable. It can be said that most of the early trading activities were realized through this channel, which helped Haihan win a lot of important resources in the early stage.
Zheng Zuo also put a lot of effort into the study of Haihan's family history, so naturally he would not ignore the existence of this special agency, the Guangzhou Office.At that time, how Haihan used the Guangzhou Office to obtain various resources in Guangzhou has always been a question of great interest to him.
Li Jifeng responded: "Since the young prince knows the existence of the Guangzhou Office, he should also know that Haihan had not established a country at that time, and was not well-known in Guangzhou. They set up an office in Guangzhou in the name of Haihan, and almost everyone I think this is just a business post, and I don't think that this institution has other special functions. The government has received all the benefits that should be received, so I just regard Haihan's Guangzhou Office as a time-honored Gong’s fat sheep, as long as they don’t cause trouble in Guangzhou. By the time Haihan rebelled in Qiongzhou, the situation would have been different. Many people in Guangzhou depended on Haihan to make a fortune. You will also be restrained by too many conflicts of interest. If I say this, does the little prince understand?"
What Li Jifeng meant was that the situation of Annan today is different from that of Haihan back then. Haihan was not well-known when he set up the Guangzhou Office in Guangzhou, and no one was prepared to guard against him, let alone regard him as a foreign embassy. The official organization of Ming Dynasty will look at it.In recent years, Annan has been trying to break away from the fact of the formation of Ming Dynasty and form a country of his own. If Annan's official name is used to set up an agency in Guangzhou, then the local government will inevitably respond to this. After all, Annan is still in name How could the territory of the Ming Dynasty send official agencies to other areas of the Ming Dynasty without authorization.
However, considering Annan's face, Li Jifeng did not speak too bluntly. He believed that with Zheng Zuo's mind, he should be able to understand what he meant immediately.
Zheng Zuo was quite satisfied with Li Jifeng's explanation.He also didn't insist on setting up this institution in the name of the Annan government, but he just listened to Li Jifeng's opinion as a reference before that, which might be more beneficial for him to make a corresponding decision.
"Boss Li is right, I'm being educated!" Zheng Zuo responded politely: "I would like to ask Boss Li again, do you have any other suggestions on this matter?"
(End of this chapter)