Li Guozhu immediately fell into deep thought and did not respond for a long time.
"Old Yan, come in and listen!" Li Dan suddenly said to the person outside the door with a smile: "There's nothing to be ashamed of. Why are you passing by without entering?"
Yan Siqi walked in somewhat embarrassedly. He really had no intention of eavesdropping, but after hearing what the Emperor said, he couldn't help but stop.
"Seeing you and your son plotting in the secret room, I can't interrupt you." Yan Siqi argued, "I don't know too much and can't leave Luzon, do I?"
Li Dan laughed, gestured for him to sit down, and told Li Guozhu to pour tea.
"Even if you didn't meet me today, I would still say this to you." Li Dan gestured with his teacup and said with a smile, "Otherwise, you will have a hard time passing the Wansui test."
Yan Siqi thought about it, nodded, and did not argue with Li Dan.
Li Dan turned to his adopted son, Li Guozhu, and asked, "Guozhu, do you know the deep meaning behind His Majesty's question?"
Li Guozhu had figured things out and said, "Your Majesty appointed a Governor not for money, but because he wanted a responsible Governor who could manage the overseas territories well, manage the local Chinese well, and have the courage to fight and protect them."
Li Dan did not comment, but turned to Yan Siqi with a smile, as if asking for his opinion.
Yan Siqi gave a wry smile and said, "Guozhu is absolutely right. Your answer at the time must have satisfied His Majesty. I was just being superficial. The position of Governor-General is not an easy one to sit on!"
Li Dan lowered his head, gently turning his teacup, and said in a deep voice, "From then on, I made up my mind. Since I became the Governor-General of Luzon, I must ensure its peace. If an external enemy attacks and I cannot resist it, I will sacrifice my life rather than abandon my homeland and flee."
After a pause, Li Dan continued, "Of course, there's no need to say this to Your Majesty. It's superficial. Your Majesty doesn't want to see Luzon in such a state. Doesn't that mean he's incompetent and can't even protect the territory under his rule?"
Although the garrison troops for one year were regular troops and were not under the governor's control, the armed forces formed thereafter were under the control of the Governor of Luzon.
When faced with foreign invasion, the Ming navy and army will certainly come to your aid. However, your own armed forces must also have a certain level of combat capability, and you cannot rely on help for everything.
Honestly, such power was already enormous. Calling him a feudal lord wouldn't be an exaggeration. But with great power comes great responsibility; it's not just about paying a certain amount of money to the court every year.
The emperor was optimistic about Li Dan because he had a business acumen and was familiar with maritime trade.
Luzon, specifically the Port of Manila, will become a free port, and there will be space reserved for warships in the bay, becoming a base for the navy's external expansion.
The emperor used maritime trade to promote prosperity and development, focusing on the long term, rather than blindly exploiting Spain to make money.
"If it's just a few million per year, I think there would be plenty of people vying for the position of Governor." Li Dan raised his eyes and said to Yan Siqi, "We're short of money. Is being a Governor just for the sake of making money or paying taxes to the court?"
Yan Siqi smiled and said, "Money is nothing. What we want now is status. Overseas governor, local lord, I'm willing to do it even if it means losing money."
Li Dan smiled faintly, then turned to Li Guozhu and said, "Being the Governor-General of Luzon requires considerable management expenses. We might even end up losing money. Guozhu, do you think it's worth it?"
Li Guozhu bowed and smiled, "Father, you underestimate me. If I only care about money, I'm no different from a miser. Even if I have mountains of gold and silver, I can only afford three meals a day. But this land, this inheritance, cannot be bought with money. Father, you have a farsighted vision, and I can only admire you. Even if I lose all my savings, it will be worth it if I can manage Luzon well."
Li Dan smiled and nodded, saying, "Your Majesty, the conquest of Luzon was not for money."
Then he turned to Yan Siqi and said, "Borneo is also favored by Wansui, but if you have the ability, you might as well send someone to Temasek across the strait to see if it can be operated immediately."
"Temasek?!" Yan Siqi thought for a moment and said, "It's the site of the Malacca Sultanate. I heard the Portuguese burned down their river mouth stronghold, so not many people live there."
Li Dan nodded and said, "If it's managed well, it could become a major port of call for ships sailing between Europe and Asia. Your Majesty, if you want to dominate Asia, it will be a crucial checkpoint, crucial for controlling the entry of Western barbarian ships into the South China Sea."
"I understand." Yan Siqi humbly accepted the advice and said, "Sending a 1,800-man musketeer unit from Borneo would be enough to capture the area. Of course, I'll need to call in people to study and discuss this in detail."
After a pause, he added, "How many muskets have you bought for the present army? Should we also replace the weapons in Borneo?"
Li Dan pondered for a moment and said, "The court is gradually relaxing restrictions on overseas expansion, and flintlock muskets will also be released. If you're in a hurry, you can take 500 from me first."
"Let's take 500 first!" Yan Siqi agreed without hesitation, saying, "Don't be polite with me, no matter how much it costs. I've already taken advantage of you in Borneo."
Li Dan smiled and said, "Okay, I'll have Guozu give you a quote later. However, I have to make it clear in advance that this flintlock rifle can only be kept overseas and cannot be brought back to China."
Yan Siqi nodded vigorously, very satisfied. Not only did he benefit greatly from the new musket, but he also benefited greatly from Li Dan's guidance.
Yan Siqi was not good at trying to figure out the emperor's intentions. He was still a little dissatisfied with Li Dan becoming the Governor-General of Luzon.
But now, he finally understood that becoming a governor was not that simple. Don't think that if you get a lot of money, the emperor will be happy and will reward you with an official position or a title.
Besides, was the emperor short of money? While having more money was easier said than done, the emperor had a longer-term vision than theirs, viewing things from the perspective of the Ming Empire. Thinking of buying a governorship with a few extra bucks? Don't dream.
Yan Siqi admitted that he had been too simplistic and superficial. If it were him, he would definitely fail the emperor's assessment.
"I'm afraid I don't have the energy to continue managing the Chamber of Commerce," Yan Siqi said. "Let them re-elect. I plan to focus on Borneo."
Li Dan smiled faintly and said, "No, you must continue to manage the Chamber of Commerce. Leave Borneo and Temasek to capable personnel for management. Don't be too impatient."
Yan Siqi looked at Li Dan in confusion, waiting for his explanation.
Li Dan took a sip of tea and said, "First, do your job well. The president of the Chamber of Commerce was appointed by His Majesty. You can't just walk away from it. As for the overseas governor, you have to wait for His Majesty's decision. Don't argue too obviously."
"Is it so complicated?" Yan Siqi rolled his eyes and felt a headache again.
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