I

  Chapter 505 502【Explore outward】

  Van Diemen, governor of the Netherlands, fell ill during the rainy season and received the Manila Five Agreement in his hospital bed.

  Van Diemen immediately held a meeting and called all the councilors. He dragged his sick body and smiled and announced: "Gentlemen, we have fully achieved our expected goal in this year's Manila campaign. Although Busuanga Island is barren, its location is very important. It is located between the three powers of China, Spain, and Sulu. The crossroads of trade. Now that this island belongs to us, we should immediately mobilize manpower and supplies to build castles and ports on the island!"

Then, Van Diemen continued: "Although the southern part of Mindanao is full of barbaric indigenous people, there is a bay (Sarangani Bay) there, which is a natural safe haven, and ports and cities can be established in the bay (General Santos) City). As long as we gain a firm foothold in the Americas, this is the first stop from the Americas to the Far East! This can become the second Manila!"

   "Papa clap!"

  Members immediately applauded, but not too excited.

  The southern region of Mindanao needs to be operated for at least ten years, and it needs to cooperate with the influence of the Netherlands in the Americas, so that it can truly be realized as a rolling silver.

  Although the geographical location of Busuanga Island is very important, there are several large ports around it, which will attract trading ships, and it is difficult to make profits in the short term.

  The Netherlands won these two places. If it is compared to playing Go, it is to play in two key positions. Long-term thinking is definitely a good hand, but at this stage it doesn't have much effect, and congressmen who focus on short-term interests always feel that they are at a loss.

   Fortunately, the Netherlands has obtained the right to trade, and together with China, can monopolize the spice gems of Brunei and Sulu.

  In Van Diemen's eyes, this trading right was incidental to the negotiations, but the congressmen regarded the trading right as a real war dividend.

   Excited Van Diemen, it seems that his condition has improved a lot, and when he returned home, he asked his servant to open a bottle of wine to celebrate.

  …

  Banten Port.

  A senior employee of a trading post is writing to the top of the British East India Company:

"Gentlemen, I just received an amazing news. The Dutch East India Company, together with the Emperor of China, defeated Spain on land and sea. The Emperor of China got Luzon Island, and the Dutch East India Company got two key sites. The two sultanates of Brunei and Sulu have returned to the embrace of the Chinese emperor... By the way, the Dutch East India Company has joined hands with China to monopolize the spices and gems of Brunei and Sulu.”

   "Gentlemen, we need a war. Britain and the Netherlands will go to war directly. Only war can win commercial interests. If this continues, the British East India Company will find it difficult to gain a foothold in the Far East..."

  Teddy Holland at sea is making troubles all over the world, so naturally he won't have a good relationship with Britain.

   Both countries have the East India Company, and it is normal to compete with each other for business.

  More than 20 years ago, Britain was doing a good job in the spice business on Java Island, and the Dutch fleet suddenly came. After a fierce beating, the Netherlands forced Britain to sign an agreement: the Oriental spice trade was divided into three, and the Netherlands monopolized the second.

  The matter is not over yet. Only a few years later, the Netherlands killed all the British in the Maggulu Islands because of the spice trade.

  In the Baltic Sea, the Mediterranean Sea and West Africa, the Netherlands is also competing with the United Kingdom for business everywhere. He even went to catch herring off the coast of the UK and sold them to the British.

  If the British want to get tough, they have to wait for Lord Protector Cromwell. Right now, the British king has no intention of engaging in a trade war.

  Of course, the British, who have a hard time, are now doing well in India.

  Portugal had a bad relationship with the Mughal emperor of India. The British fleet defeated the Portuguese fleet, and the Mughal emperor was very happy. The British then acted like licking dogs, frantically kneeling and licking the Indian emperor. The British king also sent a mission to coax the Indian emperor into great joy in a way that was almost flattering.

  So, the Indian emperor ordered that officials all over the country should protect the British.

  British people do business in India without any restrictions, and officials from all over the country are not allowed to harass British factories. Even in some areas, the British are directly exempted from business tax!

  What a great Indian emperor, the British are so grateful for this, they will do their best to repay the emperor's love.

  …

   Nanjing.

  The people standing in front of Zhao Han were all important ministers of the Datong court.

  Zuo Xiaoliang said: "It is definitely impossible to set up states and counties in Luzon. We can set up a Xuanfu department to rule over them."

  Ouyang Zheng said: "The land outside Huawai should be like this. Just like the Laos Xuanweisi, set up a Luzon Xuanweisi to let the local chieftain manage the jurisdiction."

  Yang Zhong asked: "Can this Luzon cultivate land? If you can't cultivate food, it is convenient to use chieftains to govern the land."

   All the ministers argued for a long time, and they all set up chieftains.

  Zhao Han stopped discussing with them, because there was really no common language, so he simply promulgated the imperial decree directly.

  First, set up the governor of Luzon, the rank ratio is from the second-rank officials, who are selected by the left servants of each ministry. For a term of six years, he is in charge of Luzon affairs.

  Second, set up the Luzon Civil Affairs Envoy, who is a third-rank official who is elected by the directors of each province. The term of office is six years, in charge of civil affairs in Luzon.

  Third, set up a Luzon Mission Envoy, a third-rank official who is elected by the heads of the provinces for a term of six years, and is in charge of Luzon education affairs.

  Fourth, set up the Luzon fiscal envoy...

  Anyway, the governor monopolized the power, set up a bunch of officials in charge, and then sent the censor to inspect once every three years. The censor has to take root in Luzon for three years and is responsible for reporting corruption and perverting the law by local officials.

   There are 3,000 troops stationed in Luzon, and the soldiers will make their homes there.

   Unless Luzon is under attack, or there is a riot in Luzon, the Governor cannot mobilize troops. If you want to use troops abroad, you must report to the Ministry of War in advance, obtain the permission of the Ministry of War, and then get the emperor's order before mobilizing troops.

  In addition, 70% of Luzon’s fiscal revenue goes to the royal family, and 30% is turned over to the state treasury.

  Cabinet officials want to collect more money, they must make the cake bigger.

   It is impossible not to distribute money to the imperial court, otherwise, in a few decades, it will be like Zheng He's voyages to the West, and the development of overseas territories will be denounced as "a waste of money and money." Zheng He's voyages certainly made money, and some were distributed to the national treasury, but most of them were still used to serve the emperor.

   Now that the population in the north is small, it is unrealistic to immigrate to Luzon immediately.

  Zhao Han then issued an order: If any Han people occupy unclaimed land in Luzon, they must report to the Luzon government. The upper limit of each person's land ownership is 100 mu, and more than 100 mu of land can be owned, but for every 10 mu more, the tax on the excess land will increase by 1%. In addition, families with more than 10 members must establish separate households.

  This is to encourage immigration, but also to encourage development, while at the same time restricting local influence from growing.

  There must be loopholes that can be exploited, and even lead to hidden lands, just like overseas territories must be hotbeds of corruption.

  Spain has set up agencies at various levels in the Americas, and officials check and supervise each other. Isn't corruption and smuggling common?

  Li Banghua read the freshly baked imperial decree and carefully savored its profound meaning.

   "This land of Luzon is considered His Majesty's Huangzhuang?" Li Banghua muttered.

  Tian Younian said: "Huangzhuang is managed by eunuchs, but there are court officials in Luzon. Your Majesty is expanding the territory."

   Li Banghua asked: "How much tax can Luzon get every year?"

  Tian Younian shook his head: "I don't know."

  …

  Fuzhou.

Lin Fusheng called the two concubine sons: "This is the imperial decree just sent to Fuzhou. In Luzon, each person can occupy 100 mu of land. If it exceeds 10 mu, the tax will only increase by 1%. One person occupies 500 mu of land. Among them, the tax on 400 mu of land has increased by 40%, which is nothing in Luzon. Of course, it depends on how much the tax is set. There are not many Han people in Luzon now. I heard that the red-haired ghost left a lot of land. You can go back to your hometown in the countryside , Invite fellow villagers to go to Luzon to occupy land together. Tell them, the Lin family will pay for the travel expenses, and the Lin family will supply the seeds.”

  Lin Yingwen asked: "Father, are you recruiting the villagers as tenants?"

"Confused," Lin Fusheng reprimanded, "there are not many Han Chinese in Luzon. How can they be treated as tenants after finally bringing some Han people there? There are barbarians everywhere, and they can't bother the government with everything. Give me more strength. When you bring the villagers to Luzon, you must treat them well and fight those wild people together."

  Lin Congwen asked: "But where can I find the tenants? We brothers can't farm the land ourselves."

Lin Fusheng said: "The red-haired ghost left many serfs. Your Majesty forbids them to keep slaves, so they turn these serfs into tenants. Also, don't occupy the land indiscriminately. As many people cultivate it, you can occupy as much land. The tax is based on the number of acres of land. Those who come to harvest will have to pay taxes and pay food regardless of planting. If there is not enough manpower and a large area of ​​land is randomly occupied, it will become a loss-making business!"

   "Remember, baby!" Lin Yingwen bowed.

Lin Fusheng said with a smile: "Your Majesty left a loophole for us to take advantage of. If you don't need your household registration in Fujian, you can resettle in Luzon, which means you can occupy land on both sides. In less than ten years, our Lin family can become a Big landowner! Remember, marry more native women and have more children and grandchildren. If you have more children and grandchildren, you will be able to spread out the land and pay lower taxes in the future.”

  The loopholes were of course left on purpose, to encourage private immigrants to open up. Zhao Han just pretended not to see the land occupied by the original place.

   After all, immigrating to Luzon is also risky, and one who is not acclimatized may die.

  It's a pity that everyone in the rural areas of Fujian has land, and those who don't have land immigrated to Taiwan early, and the encouragement of pioneering cannot be encouraged.

  Brothers Lin Yingwen and Lin Congwen came to their hometown and called their elders.

  They offer extremely favorable conditions, provide travel expenses, provide seeds, and you can divide the fields when you go to Luzon. However, few responded.

   "I know Luzon, that place is far away."

   "I heard that there is miasma in Luzon, and if you enter the forest, you will die."

   "The land in my family is enough, and we can earn some income by weaving, and it is not bad to buy oil, salt, sauce and vinegar."

   "..."

   After several days of tossing, the brothers only recruited three villagers.

  When they returned to the city, they saw a large number of citizens discussing before the imperial edict.

  Many of these citizens do not know how to farm, and they work in the city to make a living. At this moment, many people are tempted. Even if they don't know how to farm, they can recruit native tenants and landlords!

  Ninety-nine percent of the first batch of civilian immigrants to Luzon were urbanites!

  Especially those idlers, Zhao Han ordered local officials to crack down on gangsters. They were cut off from their sources of income and refused to work honestly. Now they finally have the opportunity to go out and make a living.

  (end of this chapter)