All kinds of development are very necessary, and the preliminary preparations must be done well, all for the sake of better development. There are many things that need to be done well next, and the management of Southeast Asia will likely be a key focus of Zhu Yunying's policies. These tasks must be done well.
Development is imperative, and we must strive to develop it even better; this is something Zhu Yunying cares about more than anyone else. In the early stages of development, as the emperor, he must work hard to lay out a grand strategy, even if it takes a little longer to plan; he can afford to wait.
Just like now, palm oil, palm fruit, or oil palm are all the same.
All of this seems to make perfect sense, but without all these years of business in Southeast Asia and beyond, where would we have found these wonderful things!
At this point, Song Zhong continued, "Your Majesty, many of the indigenous peoples in the Western Ocean are barbarians, with fierce and uncouth customs. However, many of them also possess some skills and have considerable interaction with the Abbasid Caliphate and other regions."
These are indeed facts, and everyone is aware of them.
Although the Ming Dynasty is currently very active in Southeast Asia and it seems quite lively, many people are aware that maritime trade and maritime civilization have existed since ancient times.
There's no need to go into the details of the Silk Road; in the past, trade was mainly conducted through the Western Regions and with places like the Abbasid Caliphate and Persia. That all happened during the Han Dynasty, when there weren't many large ships traveling by sea and land.
However, during the Tang and Song dynasties, maritime trade began to flourish, and it was no longer just focused on places like Japan. Often, trade also ventured towards Southeast Asia and the Persian Gulf, and these trades were indeed based on some existing foundations.
Needless to say, the Ming Dynasty's fleet was growing larger and larger, and its maritime trade was indeed becoming increasingly developed. Therefore, it goes without saying that the Ming Dynasty's fleets, through continuous accumulation, established various channels to reach even more distant places.
Africa was certainly not the limit, and Persia and the Abbasid Caliphate were definitely not Zhu Yunying's only goals.
Song Zhong continued, "Your Majesty, there are also many barbarians and natives in Nanyang, and they are not peaceful either. This time, we captured some people who were all dark-skinned, and those oil palm fruits came from those dark-skinned people."
Zhu Yunying couldn't help but chuckle, and asked with a smile, "Are you referring to those Kunlun slaves mentioned in ancient texts?"
Song Zhong wasn't sure either, but he knew to tell the truth. "Your Majesty, I dare not speak presumptuously. Those dark-skinned people, it is said, at first glance, resemble Kunlun slaves. However, those black people seem to be even darker than Kunlun slaves."
That's the truth, historically Kunlun
Many of the slaves were indigenous people from Southeast Asia, who were actually of the brown race in Southeast Asia. If we're talking about Black people, they were relatively few, not the Negroes of Africa, but rather Negritos.
Zhu Yunying smiled and said, "Whether they are Kunlun slaves or not, I don't care. Our Great Ming Dynasty doesn't need Kunlun slaves or Silla maids. What I want is palm oil, so that the people of our Great Ming Dynasty can have some oil in their bellies."
Song Zhong became quite excited and said, "Your Majesty, I have already strictly ordered the Imperial Guards to find the oil palm trees and trace their origin. This time, I have ordered the Imperial Guards to contact the local chieftains to find some oil palm trees."
This is no small matter; these are things that the Ming Dynasty absolutely must do. Song Zhong is quite perceptive of the Emperor's intentions. He knows the Emperor attaches great importance to palm oil, so this is just some preliminary preparation work. He won't wait until the Emperor gives instructions before doing anything, as that would delay things.
Zhu Yunying smiled at Song Zhong's answer, "Good, as expected of my Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. You have done a good job, so I will give you credit."
Zhu Yunying was indeed adept at making grand promises, but he wasn't just a figurehead. He had many responsibilities to fulfill as emperor.
Of course, Zhu Yunying was also a very conscientious person. He would definitely reward his subordinates for their contributions when the time was right.
Looking at Song Zhong, Zhu Yunying said earnestly, "You also need to do well on your end. Hurry up with the oil palm project. Bring back the oil palm fruits and seeds as soon as possible, and also find some craftsmen and farmers. These trees should be able to be planted within our Great Ming territory."
Zhu Yunying took these matters seriously and sincerely hoped to do them well. Ensuring the people had more food and clothing was also a responsibility of the emperor; he did both things that were right and wrong.
The news brought by Song Zhong was quite good, which put people in a good mood. The oil palm industry is something that needs to be addressed urgently, and Zhu Yunying understands this, but in reality, it cannot be fully promoted in the short term.
Besides these dietary habits, it's also due to issues with raw materials and productivity.
Southeast Asia may become the world's main producer of palm oil in the future, but right now, palm oil is still stuck in its native Africa, and many people haven't yet realized its benefits.
That means Zhu Yunying will need to work hard and expedite these matters to bring back valuable resources as soon as possible. This will bring significant benefits to the Ming Dynasty, making it even more prosperous.
Zhu Yunying was serious and was working hard. Naturally, his subordinates couldn't stop either; they all needed to do their jobs well and make greater contributions to the development of the Ming Dynasty.
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