Great Tang Southern Emperor

What Li Zhen knew was that on the island in front of him, there were indeed several spices that were very rare in the Tang Dynasty, such as cloves and nutmeg.

These spices may have been introduced into the Tang Dynasty before, but the quantity is definitely not too much, because the largest origin of cloves and nutmeg in the whole world is the archipelago in front of Li Zhen and its neighbor, the Banyan Island in the south of it. Da Islands.

Especially the Banda Islands, which is the origin of nutmeg. At this time, there were not many exchanges between Datang and Southeast Asia. Even if some Southeast Asian countries donated nutmeg, how much could they contribute?

That's right, the island in front of Li Zhen is the Maluku Islands, known as one of the four major spice islands in later generations. Before the sixteenth century, it was always one of the four largest spice producing areas in the world, all the way to Europe Man came and ruined everything (one more sin for the Europeans).

And if you start from Sairan Island, the southernmost island of the Maluku Islands, and then go south for more than 100 kilometers, you will find another Banda Islands, one of the four largest spice islands in the world, where nutmeg is the main product.

The island where Li Zhen is now is Halmahera Island at the northern end of the Maluku Islands, and it is also one of the main spice-producing islands in the entire Maluku Islands.

And it is very amazing that the shape of Halmahera Island is very similar. If you look at it from the map, you can find that it is also a 'k' shape, which is very similar in structure to West Sulawesi Island. I have to sigh The magic of nature.

And what's even more amazing is that part of both cross the equator, and the distance is not very far, so as long as you find West Sulawesi and go eastward for more than 100 nautical miles, you can basically see Halmahera Island. In other words, as long as you find West Sulawesi, you can basically locate the location of the Maluku Islands, and as long as you know the Maluku Islands, you can naturally find the Banda Islands-of course, the premise is to know these islands The presence.

However, Li Zhen did not follow this route, but he had checked the information on Maluku Island in his previous life, so he remembered the latitude and longitude of the island, and the glass factory made a sextant. Yi, this is the reason why he can easily find here.

"It's really a spice. It's not even landed yet, but I can smell such a strong aroma." The boat had just anchored, and the group of people hadn't landed yet, when Pei Xingjian smelled the bursts of fragrance from the island, which was very charming .

"It smells so good, I really want to live here for the rest of my life, so that I can have endless delicious food." Yuchi Baoqing has already started to imagine a better life in the future.

"It seems that what Your Highness said is right, we are really going to make a fortune." Cheng Chuliang was very excited. Li Zhen's character is to have a share in the audience, so when he found this Spice Island, not only Li Zhen made money, but he could also follow along. Broth to drink.

"It's not just getting rich, it should be said that making a fortune. If the potential here is fully developed, then this must be another Turkic." Luo Zhe also showed a rare smile. How precious it is, comparable to Turks is definitely not just talk.

How important is Turkic to Datang now?

Let's put it this way, ninety-nine percent of the wool in the entire Tang Dynasty was bought from the old Turks, but how profitable is the woolen trade in the Tang Dynasty today?

Not to mention this, it can be said that half of the cloth trade in the Tang Dynasty relies on silk, and the other half relies on wool-cotton is not yet popular, so the influence of cotton cloth is not too great.

It can be said that the entire wool trade accounted for more than half of Datang's tax revenue.

And the Spice Island is comparable to the wool trade, which already shows the profits here.

"Your Highness, after talking for so long, what is the name of this island? Also, how do you know about this island, Your Highness?" Zhang Jianzhi continued to make trouble.

"I said, you don't feel well if you don't get beaten, right?" Li Zhen looked at Zhang Jianzhi fiercely with a threatening face, and he felt that his fists could no longer be held back.

"Your Highness, just tell me, this subordinate is really curious about this." Zhang Jianzhi immediately softened his words. Although he was still asking verbally, his tone had actually softened.

"The name of this island is called the Spice Islands, and the one in front of us is called the Clove Island." Since it is an island he discovered, Li Zhen will naturally not use the name Maluku Islands anymore. It just so happens that there are so many spices on it, it is called the Spice Islands It couldn't be more appropriate. As for the name of other spice islands in the future, Li Zhen can't control it anymore. Anyway, except for the Maluku Islands and Banda Islands, it is basically impossible for other spice islands to be called by Li Zhen. Found out, he will not have the time to go sailing in the future.

"As for how the Palace of the Spice Island knew about it—what do you think?"

"It must be recorded in the heavenly book." Cheng Chuliang said without hesitation, and then looked at Zhang Jianzhi with contempt: "How dare you call yourself the number one scholar of the Yue Palace, and the number one scholar is at this level?"

"Huh? The first bachelor? Just you?" Li Zhen looked at Zhang Jianzhi suspiciously, and said with a sneer: "I thought you were against me, and you were a scholar, but now it seems that you are an egomaniac Ah, do you dare to call yourself the number one scholar of the Yue Palace? Old Master Liu Jingshan (ask the chief teacher of Tian Shuyuan, and also Li Zhen’s teacher in name, with a very respected status) Let’s not talk about it, do you still think you are comparable to Mr. Cen? ?"

"Of course not, but in the younger generation, my subordinates don't think anyone has a higher literary background than me." Zhang Jianzhi repeatedly denied that no matter how arrogant and confident he was, he would not dare to compare himself with Liu Jingshan and Cen Wenwen.One of these two people is the prince and Taishi (after Li Zhen became the prince, Liu Jingshan was added by Li Shimin by the way), and the other is the prince and Taifu (Li Zhen was registered as the prince, and Cen Wenwen's position naturally increased, except for this In addition to the two, there is Qin Qiong's prince Taibao, also known as the third master of the East Palace), who are both teachers of His Royal Highness, Cen Wenwen is also one of the eighteen bachelors of the Qin Palace, how dare he compare with these two?

Chapter 834 Spice Island (3)

Chapter 196 Spice Island (3)

"The younger generation comes first? That's not necessarily it?" Li Zhen still sneered: "Confidence is a good thing, but excessive self-confidence is narcissism."

"But apart from Di Renjie, I don't think anyone in the Prince's Mansion can compare with my subordinates. Even Di Renjie is slightly inferior to His Highness." Zhang Jianzhi said confidently.

"You really know how to compare. Why don't you compare with Li Jingye?" Li Zhen said speechlessly. Di Renjie was five years younger than him. One was in the 20s (625) and the other was in the 30s (630). The two are not of the same generation at all, can this be compared?Di Renjie is just a tender little fresh meat now, how can he compare with Zhang Jianzhi who has grown up?

"Besides, you are looking at the sky too much, don't you? Do you really think that the establishment of Wentian Shuyuan by Bengong didn't teach real talents? When we go back, I will find a few people for you. After you have competed, you will know God How high is the sea, how deep is the sea." Li Zhen is unwilling to waste much time on this matter, so let's prove everything directly - it has been eight years since Li Zhen founded Wentian Shuyuan, and the first batch of students passed away last year. Graduation, this year there are also a group of talents who have successfully graduated. There are quite a few elites among them. If you just pick one, you can at least guard one side, and the top ones are no problem.

Zhang Jianzhi's talent is certainly worthy of recognition, but it is absolutely impossible to say that there is no one better than him in Wentian Shuyuan. Otherwise, wouldn't it be a waste of effort for Li Zhen to establish Wentian Shuyuan for so many years?

"..." Zhang Jianzhi didn't speak, seeing Li Zhen's confident appearance, he felt a little guilty for some reason.

"Come on, let's go up and have a look."

The fleet has completely stopped, all kinds of small boats have begun to be released, and batches of people have been sent to Halmahera Island (I was mistaken before, and there is no such island as North Maluku Island, it is just Hama Part of Hera Island is Ben-san's fault).

"By the way, Your Highness, since we are looking for spices, why do we bring so many people?" Standing on the temporary pier, Pei Xingjian asked curiously as he watched batches of guards being sent up: "Is it Is there any danger on this island?"

Li Zhen didn't hide it either: "Of course it's dangerous. Even places like Luzon have aborigines. You don't think there are no aborigines here, do you?"

"What? There are still natives on this island?" Cheng Chuliang quickly drew out his weapon, and said cautiously: "In this case, your Highness, you should not go to the island, and leave the task of exploring the Spice Islands to your subordinates."

"Yes, Your Highness, for your safety, you should not disembark." Luo Zhe also persuaded.

"Then how can I do it?" Li Zhen shook her head again and again when she heard this, "I have traveled thousands of miles to come here. Although there was no danger along the way, it was still hard work. Now that I have finally arrived at the destination, you don't want me to come here?" Disembark—can you stop being so cruel?"

"...What is this all about?" Zhang Jianzhi couldn't laugh or cry: "Is this the time to talk about this? Your Highness, we are all for your own good. As the saying goes, a gentleman does not stand under a dangerous wall. Whether the natives are friendly or hostile to us, Your Highness is a body of gold, and you must not be careless, otherwise, if you hurt your body, we will not be able to forgive the crime even if we die."

Li Zhen said lightly: "Don't worry, the people on this island will not be friendly to us."

"Oh ah?"

"The people here are mainly Malays and Papuans. Their personalities are actually similar to those of the natives of Nanyang, and they are more uncivilized and barbaric. They are more aggressive than the Nanyang people." What kind of hostility do Malays and Papuans have, but it is purely from an objective point of view-you must know that even at the end of the [-]th century, there have been many incidents of anti-Chinese in Southeast Asia, such as the anti-Chinese incident in the Philippines, Malaysian anti-Chinese incident, Indonesian anti-Chinese incident, Papua anti-Chinese incident...

If once or twice is accidental, anti-Chinese riots have occurred so many times in so many countries, which has already explained the essence of the matter.

Don't say that this is caused by the local authorities' instigation to divert domestic conflicts. If it is not for the local aborigines' hatred of the Chinese, even if the authorities instigate it, how many people will respond?

Through these anti-Chinese incidents, Li Zhen has seen through the nature of Southeast Asian peoples—like the natives of Southeast Asia, these people are lazy by nature, but they still don’t like others, and the Chinese are famous for their hard work, so they have mastered a lot of national wealth. Therefore, it aroused the hatred of the natives.

To put it bluntly, it is jealousy, they are jealous of the hard work of the Chinese, because they can't do it-this is also a group of lazy people, and they are also white-eyed wolves, the kind that can't even be fed.

Faced with such lazy people who have strong jealousy and are not yet familiar with it, Li Zhen doesn't think it is necessary for such a race to survive—they don't even have the qualifications to be slaves, because there are enough slaves in Nanyang Well, it's too far away from Datang, and the quantity is still small. It's really not worth transporting them back to the mainland as slaves. The value of this slave is probably not enough for one trip.

Of course, Li Zhen would not massacre them, after all, it would be too cruel to do so.

Li Zhen just wanted to force the courage of the Han people, not the ferocity of the Han people. He didn't want to see his people become a group of wild beasts that could easily get out of control, which would only hurt others and himself.

So the best way to deal with these people is-exile, exile them to isolated islands, let them fend for themselves, this is the best solution, anyway, the number of indigenous people on these small islands will not be too large Many, exile is still very convenient.

"Then you can't go, Your Highness." Pei Xingjian persuaded: "If it is really impossible, let the subordinates explore the surroundings first, and then disembark after confirming that it is safe. For now, you should go back to the boat first."

"Oh, why are you so annoying? I wouldn't have taken you out if I knew it earlier." Li Zhen was immediately irritated by a group of people buzzing like flies: "Why do you think I came here? Is it because you're bored? Don't want to stay in Yuezhou? Now you want to trap Bengong on the boat, so why am I here?"

"But……"

"No, but, it's settled." Li Zhen ignored the few people, and walked forward first: I know you are doing it for my own good, but you are too underestimating others, right?My body is precious, but will I easily come to a strange place without preparation?

Do you really think that the thirteen knights around me are just decorations?

These 13 people can represent the top level of [-] industries. With them, even if I want to die, it will be difficult for me.

Chapter 835 Spice Island (4)