Chen Dachang raised his eyelids and said, "I should feel honored that Madam is willing to employ me."
Unfortunately, there was no trace of honor in the words, only indifference.
Gu Jiu smiled knowingly, "Eunuch Chen, working for Sihai Trading Company is a concession. I completely understand if you despise Sihai Trading Company."
Chen Dachang's face finally showed some expression.
He was wondering, could it be that Liu Zhao told Gu Jiu the truth?
How could Liu Zhao be so frank?
Deng Cunli frowned. "Eunuch Chen, that's not what you said when you first came to see me. Now that my wife has come to see you in person, you're putting on airs. What's the reason?"
Deng Cunli stood up for Gu Jiu and was also upset that he had misjudged him.
He originally sympathized with Chen Dachang's plight. He felt sorry for his fellow man and couldn't bear to see someone like him suffer the same fate, so he was willing to help.
But who would have thought that Chen Dachang would take advantage of the situation and actually do something stupid.
So shameless.
Gu Jiu waved his hand, signaling Deng Cunli not to be anxious.
"Eunuch Chen is a capable man, so it's normal for him to have a bit of a temper. Old Deng, please leave first. I have a few words to say to Eunuch Chen alone."
Deng Cunli glared at Chen Dachang gloomily and said, "Wait for us." Then he followed his orders and left the teahouse.
Gu Jiu smiled and asked, "What did Eunuch Chen think when he saw Deng Cunli?"
Chen Dachang said expressionlessly, "It's his destiny."
"Does Eunuch Chen feel even a little envious?"
Chen Dachang: “…” Haha!
Deng Cunli was unable to make it in the palace, which is why he was taken in by Gu Jiu. His current situation can only be attributed to a change of fortune.
He was originally a close attendant to the emperor and the most useful person around the late emperor.
His life had already reached its peak and he had seen the world's scenery.
Now, no matter whether it is Sihai Trading Company or Bahuang Liuhe Trading Company, they can't arouse his interest at all.
Once you’ve reached the peak, who would care about the scenery on the way down?
If Liu Zhao had not forced him, he would have been willing to live out his days in a farm outside Beijing, eating and waiting to die.
Gu Jiu somewhat understood the thoughts of people like Chen Dachang.
People, especially those who are capable, are all arrogant.
Don't think that eunuchs are not arrogant. They are even more sensitive than ordinary people and care more about their status.
Chen Dachang and Deng Cunli are different.
Deng Cunli was down and out, with nowhere to go. If Gu Jiu had given him a little trust, he would have been completely devoted to her.
Chen Dachang has never been in dire straits, he has just come down from the downturn and is on the downward slope of life.
For him, this is a necessary part of life.
Being a eunuch, one can live in peace until old age, and all one wants is to be provided with a pension and be able to see him to the end of his life.
Chen Dachang has all of these.
He has money for retirement.
My nephew was there to see him off.
It can be said that Chen Dachang's life is fulfilling enough and he has nothing to ask for.
If you want him to work for you wholeheartedly and devote himself to your work, you can only use bigger bait to lure him and arouse the desires hidden deep in his heart and the ambition that is lurking in his heart.
Gu Jiu looked at Chen Dachang as if she was looking at a mule or horse in a mule and horse market, wondering if it was worth her money to buy it.
Chen Dachang frowned slightly. It had been a long time since he had seen such a look. It made him miss it and feel disgusted at the same time.
"It seems that Madam Zhao doesn't welcome our family as she said."
Gu Jiu chuckled, "Eunuch Chen is capable, but your abilities may not be suitable for my ambition."
"Hegemony?"
Chen Dachang looked puzzled, "What is hegemony?"
Could it be that Gu Jiu wants to rebel?
Gu Jiu picked up the teacup and drank a sip of boiled water. "Eunuch Chen, have you ever heard of Shentu, Dayuan, or Gaochang?"
Chen Dachang smiled but said nothing.
As the most useful person around the late emperor, he not only knew Sindhu, Dayuan, Gaochang, but also Kucha, Wusun, etc.
Gu Jiu didn't care about the contempt in Chen Dachang's eyes.
She cast out her bait little by little.
"Has Eunuch Chen ever heard of colonization?"
Chen Dachang frowned and thought deeply for a long time, but he could not remember the word "colonization" mentioned in the collection of essays.
So he simply asked: "What is colonization?"
Gu Jiu smiled!
His eyebrows were curved and he smiled proudly.
I am not afraid of you being arrogant because of your talent, I am just afraid that you have no ability.
Gu Jiu offered his own rough cut definition of colonialism: "Controlling a city, a place, or a country, exploiting their labor, seizing their taxes, mining their minerals, cutting down their forests, and seizing their seaports.
Use the food grown on their land to feed the people of Da Zhou, and use their minerals to fill Da Zhou's coffers.
At the same time, they will dump our high-profit products such as cotton, silk, porcelain, tea, candy, etc. produced by our Great Zhou. Let our Great Zhou merchants go to that city, place, or country to do business and earn their money.
At the same time, we will open schools to train scholars and officials loyal to our Great Zhou, and support princes loyal to our Great Zhou to inherit the throne. At the same time, we will corrupt their armies, send our troops to garrison their barracks, and let them pay us to support our army. This is colonization!
boom!
It was as if a hundred pounds of explosives exploded in my mind!
Chen Dachang's heart, which had been silent for many years, was beating rapidly at this moment, seeming to be particularly powerful.
The turbid eyes seemed to be torn through the fog, flashing with a piercing light.
His voice was trembling, his whole body was shaking. "Using the power of another country to raise our own people?"
Gu Jiu nodded, "Eunuch Chen is indeed the smartest student in the inner study. His summary is very accurate."
"Is this going to start a national war?"
Gu Jiu smiled!
"Eunuch Chen is wrong. This is colonization. Colonization doesn't require a war. It uses military force as a deterrent and trade as a means to directly force open the borders of other countries. Once the borders are opened, what to do next? This little thing shouldn't be a problem for Eunuch Chen. With Eunuch Chen's abilities, if he can't even handle colonization, I'm going to doubt the late emperor's judgment in selecting people."
Chen Dachang's breathing became rapid, his face flushed, and his muscles twitched.
He grabbed the low table with both hands, like a crazy gambler, "Where will the force come from?"
Gu Jiu laughed. "Jiangnan, on the sea. Those pirates are the best pioneers. If they die, they die. There's no need to feel bad. Would Eunuch Chen dare?"
Chen Dachang narrowed his eyes.
At this moment, he had been bewitched by the promise made by Gu Jiu.
He longed for that kind of life.
He is not yet fifty years old this year. If he is lucky, he can live for another twenty or thirty years. He wants to colonize overseas.
He wanted to go out and dominate the world, letting people know that he, Chen Dachang, could not only serve the emperor well, but also conquer the world.
He was breathing heavily, but there was still a little bit of rationality left in his mind.
"Madam, do you want to subdue the pirates?"
Gu Jiu shook his head: "No, not to subdue. I want to beat them into submission. I only want pirates who are obedient and courageous, no troublemakers, no rebels. All troublemakers and rebels will be killed without mercy."
Chen Dachang was surprised.
Gu Jiu in front of him was obviously a gentle person, but the words he spoke were full of blood.
Gu Jiu raised his eyebrows and smiled, "If Eunuch Chen doesn't have the intention to kill, you don't have to go to Jiangnan."
“No, no…”
"Eunuch Chen, do you want to go to Jiangnan or not? Please be clear. If you don't want to go, I can find someone else. Eunuch Chang En's godsons are all capable and can be considered good candidates. As for those military generals and nobles, if they are willing, this lady will not hesitate to sponsor them to go to sea."
Chen Dachang shook his head repeatedly. "None of the people Madam mentioned are suitable. No one is more suitable for this task than me, Chen Dachang."
"Really? Fighting pirates isn't just talk. What are you planning to do, Eunuch Chen?"
Chen Dachang gritted his teeth, his face grim. "Madam, give me some men and horses. In three years, our family will give you a peaceful coast."
Gu Jiu slowly shook his head. "Eunuch Chen doesn't understand the sea. He's taken things for granted in the past three years. From what I've learned, the pirate leader, Li Hailong, is actually Zhou Jin, a young man with a ruthless heart. He has a strong army and countless ships. How can Eunuch Chen defeat him? Let alone completely subdue him.
To be honest, Eunuch Chen, our ships are still inferior to those of the pirates. The shipyards in Jiangnan are working hard to upgrade their ships, aiming to build vessels more suitable for long-distance voyages. However, shipbuilding is slow due to a shortage of refined iron and timber. The timber has to be shipped in from overseas, which is a real waste of time.
Chen Dachang is a smart man.
He calmed down from his heated blood, "What do you want me to do, Madam?"
Gu Jiu looked at Chen Dachang with a half-smile, "Eunuch Chen, are you willing to go to Jiangnan?"
Chen Dachang nodded and said, "I am willing to drive for you, Madam."
It’s really not easy!
By painting a big pie in the sky, he finally won over the cunning Chen Dachang.
Gu Jiu secretly breathed a sigh of relief, but also felt proud.
Who is Chen Dachang? He is the most useful person around the late emperor.
Now that this person has been conquered by her and is willing to serve her, she is so happy.
Gu Jiu said, "To facilitate shipbuilding, this lady has already arranged for people to go out to sea and build a shipyard overseas, using local materials. Eunuch Chen, don't worry about this for now."
"Eunuch Chen, the first thing you need to do when you go to Jiangnan is to secure the Jiangnan market for me, sort out local relationships, and completely open up the situation. You'll also need to identify the pirates' land-based partners and their secret ports. I'll send someone to inform Eunuch Chen of the specific situation in Jiangnan before he departs."
Chen Dachang pondered for a moment, "Madam, do you have any trump card to deal with the pirates?"
Gu Jiu laughed. As expected of Eunuch Chen, he saw the crux of the problem at a glance.
Pirates are not so easy to deal with. It is difficult to completely eliminate them relying solely on the newly established navy.
Not to mention that Liu Zhao reached an agreement with the Grand Commander of the Jiangnan Military Governor's Office, and the two sides suspended their fighting for several years.
In this context, if you want to deal with pirates, you must have your own trump card.
Gu Jiu said, "This is confidential, so I can't deny it for now. One day, when Eunuch Chen proves his ability and earns my trust, Sihai's plans in Jiangnan will be completely open to Eunuch Chen, leaving nothing to chance."
Chen Dachang was a little indignant, but he could understand it.
If it were him, it would be impossible for him to explain everything at the beginning.
When it comes to life and property, no matter how cautious you are, it is not excessive.
Chen Dachang nodded and said, "If possible, we hope to leave Beijing for Jiangnan in ten days."
Gu Jiu laughed.
When people have desires, they become particularly motivated.
"Eunuch Chen, there's no need to be so anxious."
"No, we want to go to Jiangnan as soon as possible to see the world."
There is nothing worth remembering in the capital.
I have been in the palace since I was young, and I am very familiar with the capital. I have seen it all my life.
Now there is a wider world waiting for him outside, and he is unwilling to waste time on trivial matters.
"Madam, we are very old, and every day that passes is a day less. We want to go to Jiangnan as soon as possible, and we also want to set foot on overseas land as soon as possible, and one day realize colonization."
Gu Jiu lowered his head and smiled.
She knew that Chen Dachang was an active pioneer.
This is in line with the temperament of the late emperor.
When the late emperor selected people to serve him, he naturally chose people who were pleasing to his eyes and capable.
It is important to be pleasing to the eye.
Only when the temperament matches will you feel pleasing to the eye at first sight.
Gu Jiu said, "Since Eunuch Chen has insisted, I will do my best to cooperate. Before Eunuch Chen leaves for Jiangnan, why don't you stay here? I will send someone to bring you all the information you need. There is a lot of information, and I'm afraid ten days will not be enough.
If Eunuch Chen is worried about his family and has any plans, please feel free to tell the servants here to do it. I can't say anything else about our Sihai Trading Company, but our efficiency is unmatched in the capital."
Chen Dachang hesitated for a moment, then nodded heavily. "Okay, I'll stay here for the next ten days. As for home, I'll arrange for someone to take care of it when I remember."
Gu Jiu nodded, "Then I won't delay Eunuch Chen from doing his homework. Goodbye!"
Gu Jiu got up and left.
Soon, Erzhuang brought people and came to the tea room carrying seven or eight baskets of information.
"Eunuch Chen, these are the documents my wife sent to you. There are more than a dozen baskets in the back."
Chen Dachang: “…” No wonder Gu Jiu said there was too much information and not enough time.
This is not just a little too much, it is too much.
Chen Dachang gritted his teeth and made his first request, "I need people. Several of my godchildren are still serving in the palace and facing difficult circumstances. If they are willing, please help them leave the palace and follow me to Jiangnan."
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