Late Ming Dynasty: Oops, I am surrounded by the Donglin Party

Although each side had their own arguments, in the end both sides took a step back, and Zhang Shikang entered the castle of Haojing with only 300 personal guards.

The castle was not big, and there were Western-style houses on both sides of the street. Many French workers were busy. While introducing the trench mirror to Zhang Shikang, Schrobao took him to his governor's office.

In fact, he was still very surprised by the great marshal of the Ming Dynasty. He was too young.

When Shi Luobao himself was this age, he was still a sailor on a ship.

He likes young people very much because youth means inexperience, and the reason why profits can be made, in addition to strength, is cognition.

Ignorance is a very bad quality in oneself, but in a trading partner, there is really no better quality than ignorance.

Zhang Shikang casually glanced at the Governor-General's office. The decoration was ordinary, but the style was very different from that of the Ming Dynasty. It made him feel like he had returned to the Tianjin Embassy District in the 1990s.

"This is wine from France. Please try it, Your Excellency the Grand Marshal." Shi Luobao personally poured a glass of wine for Zhang Shikang and handed it to him.

Europeans like to drink red wine. Zhang Shikang took a sip and found it sour and bitter, just like in later generations.

He never liked drinking this stuff, so he put the wine aside and started chatting with Schrobao.

Shi Luobao originally thought that Zhang Shikang was just like the Ming officials he had met before, pedantic and ignorant, but after chatting for a while he found out that he was wrong.

Putting aside the unpleasantness when they first met, the young marshal of the Ming Dynasty in front of him not only knew a lot about his country, but also had a general understanding of the European countries.

This includes the European colonization of America and the religious wars taking place within the Holy Roman Empire.

Especially when talking about maritime trade, Shi Luobao looked at Zhang Shikang with admiration.

When talking about the Ming Dynasty court, Zhang Shikang did not hide the war that had occurred in the Ming Dynasty in the past year. He even told him why the war happened and the future development direction of the court after the war.

Shi Luobao even felt a little excited. Just from Zhang Shikang's words, he could easily tell that the Ming Dynasty's policies in the future would undergo earth-shaking changes.

This may be an opportunity for the Ming Dynasty, but it may also be an opportunity for his country, France.

No country was more eager to establish direct trade relations with the Ming court than the French.

But Shi Luobao was an experienced man after all, and no matter how anxious he was in his heart, he held back and did not show it.

"But at present, our Ming Dynasty still has many shortcomings." Zhang Shikang looked at Shi Luobao.

The saliva was almost dried up from chatting. This old Bidden is really cunning.

"Your Excellency the Grand Marshal, in a vast empire, any reform will encounter a lot of resistance. This is something that must be experienced. There is no need for you to be depressed." Shi Luobao comforted.

I am not frustrated at all! ! Zhang Shikang thought to himself.

"You French people should be very disgusted with Zheng Zhilong, right?" he said in a different way.

“He looks like a merchant, but in fact he is just a wolf in sheep’s clothing, he is just a pirate.

A true businessman will only compete through goods, not through violence, and we really don't like him.

No one in Europe would like him.

He is a villain!" Shi Luobao expressed his indignation towards Zheng Zhilong without any reservation.

A merchant ship earned three thousand taels, and even if they were transporting the lucrative spices from the Spice Islands, nearly one-fifth of the profits would be taken away by the Zheng family.

If it was some ordinary goods, these three thousand taels could even take away one-third or even more of the profit of a ship.

This is robbery!

"I actually don't hate him." Zhang Shikang said with great surprise.

He felt that Schrobao was angry because it was not their country that committed the violence.

If the French had the naval power that the Zheng family had in Southeast Asia, they would only collect huge protection fees and would never be even a little bit better than the Zheng family.

The ultimate goal is to make money, so don't think you are so noble.

Zhang Shikang's words made Shi Luobao frown. When Zhang Shikang brought up this topic, Shi Luobao originally thought that the other party would join him in denouncing Zheng Zhilong's shamelessness!

"But he is an insurmountable obstacle for the Ming Dynasty's future maritime trade," Zhang Shikang added.

When dealing with issues concerning the imperial court, Zhang Shikang might sometimes act a little recklessly, but he always had to be rational.

Zheng Zhilong was a good person. Not only did he treat him to good food and drink, he was also generous with gifts, and he himself did not have any bad habits.

He is just making money through the chips in his hand.

But from the perspective of the imperial court and the people of the Ming Dynasty, these trade volumes should belong to more people, rather than just enriching your Zheng family.

"Governor Shi should understand that whether the Ming Dynasty is an enemy or a friend to your Franco Kingdom depends entirely on your performance."

“Your Excellency the Grand Marshal’s coming here obviously shows your attitude, which makes me very happy.

Your Excellency, the Grand Marshal, you may as well speak frankly. If I can make a friend like the Grand Marshal, Shi Luobao will be happy to help."

This is how you talk to smart people, no need for too much nonsense.

But the prerequisite is that this smart person is in the same camp as you. If he is on the opposite side, then you have to be careful.

"I need artillery and merchant ships." Having talked about this point, Zhang Shikang was no longer vague.

"That's no problem. Our Franji cannon-making skills are well-known throughout Europe.

It's just that the way our Franji merchant ships are operated is different from that of the Ming Dynasty, but I can equip each merchant ship with a skilled sailor, who will follow the ship for a year so that your sailors can adapt. "

Shi Luobao enthusiastically agreed to Zhang Shikang's request.

The Ming Dynasty had not developed maritime trade for decades. The last time was during the reign of Emperor Longqing of the Ming Dynasty. But Shi Luobao knew that it was actually an illusion.

"I want to buy it at cost price." Zhang Shikang looked at Shi Luobao very firmly.

This put Schrobao in a difficult position. Trade was for the purpose of making money, and so were shipyards and gun foundries. Moreover, given the importance of merchant ships and artillery, the profit margins were much higher than that of trade.

Buying at cost price, this has never happened before.

"Your Excellency, Grand Marshal, this is very embarrassing. You know, I can't explain this to the nobles behind me or even to His Majesty the King."

Schrobao obviously disagreed.

As the governor of Haojing, what he cares about first is interests, visible interests, but what Zhang Shikang gave him was just a prospect, and there are still many variables.

"I heard that you French people not only hate the Zheng family, but also hate the Dutch." Zhang Shikang threw out the fragrant bait again.

……