Wanwan: "The initial investment is also quite large. We need to set up a caravan and have people to protect them, otherwise they are easily robbed by Japanese pirates. So, we need to spend a lot of money in the early stages."

When my second brother and I were just planning to build a merchant ship, we invested almost all of my savings, as well as the private savings of my second and third brothers.

They even sent people to learn Western techniques, and it took them six years to return. It was only then that we learned that the production cost of glass was so low.

After my factory renovation, it's spotless and crystal clear, making it even more valuable.

Kangxi was getting increasingly anxious. "You've said so much, but tell me how much money you can make on a single voyage?"

Seeing Kangxi's anxious expression, Wanwan smiled at him. Kangxi immediately realized that as an emperor, being so "money-loving" seemed somewhat shameful.

Wanwan thought for a moment and then said, "The fastest we ever went by ship before was eight months round trip. We went to several countries in Nan'an and brought back less than ten million taels of silver."

The longest I spent was over three years. I don't know exactly where I went, but I was always heading west.

When the fleet returned, they said that the people there were not yet engaged in an agricultural economy, and some were still hunting, but they had plenty of mineral resources, and were rich in gold and silver.

Some of our silk and porcelain items were sold directly to them by weight. For example, a vase was worth a certain number of taels of gold based on its weight, and sometimes even more. Most of them were looted, especially our silk, which was almost completely sold out as soon as it arrived.

Besides, the porcelain we brought wasn't anything expensive; it was just ordinary porcelain that almost any ordinary person could afford.

The money brought back from this trip was quite substantial, less than forty million taels. After my second brother, mother, and father divided it among themselves, I alone received ten million taels.” (This is made up. I know that overseas (at that time) was very lucrative, but I don’t know the exact amount. Don’t try to verify it; it doesn’t stand up to scrutiny.)

Emperor Kangxi was shocked. "My goodness, this is incredibly profitable!"

Emperor Kangxi was a little envious. He, as an emperor, didn't earn as much money as they did from a single voyage at sea, even after they had divided it into several portions.

Emperor Kangxi muttered, "This is making way too much money."

Upon hearing this, Wanwan smiled and replied, "Yes, it really makes a lot of money, much faster than robbing."

Emperor Kangxi was speechless at this remark. After thinking about it, he realized that it made sense. Even if it was robbery, you couldn't possibly rob 40 million taels of silver in three years, could you?

Upon hearing this, a voice in Kangxi's heart said, "We must open the seas, otherwise so much silver will just slip away in vain. How can that be allowed?"

Emperor Kangxi thought that opening the sea would not be so easy, and there was a lot of preparation work to be done in the early stages. So he wanted Wanwan to learn from her experience and "tell me the details of the early stages."

Upon hearing this, Wanwan knew that Kangxi would definitely open the seas, even if the entire court opposed it.

Just like when he quelled the Three Feudatories, not only did the entire court oppose him, but even Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang opposed him, yet he still went ahead with it anyway.

It is evident that if Emperor Kangxi truly made up his mind to do something, none of the officials in the court could stop him.

Wanwan lay down easily. "Okay, then I'll tell you what I did in the early stages?"

"Let me tell you first, the most important thing is to ensure the safety of merchant ships. When departing from a treaty port, the most likely enemy is the Japanese pirates."

This is the first hurdle. As for the rest in Nan'an, although there are challenges there too, they're usually minor skirmishes.

Babies, you must read this!

And thank you all for your support.

(?????)?? Love you all, muah!