From Chief to Ball

All that remains is to outline the smallest indivisible thing and the most magnificent universe, and interpret the brand new world based on this worldview.

Three months later, Lin Xi had gradually perfected her own ideas, and began to write the preface of her notes along the way under the big cactus that she had taken pictures of before at the beach.

"On the other side of the earth, another philosopher 2000 years ago once explained what heaven is. His name is Xun Kuang."

"About the universe, he understood it in this way: the stars are revolving, the sun and the moon are revolving, the four ages are governed, the yin and yang are magnified, and the wind and rain are given. When you see the merits of things, what they are is called a god; everyone knows why they are made, but they don’t know what they are invisible, and what they are is called heaven.”

"Coincidentally, we have a similar, even the same, view of heaven and earth, and we have touched the mysterious beginning of the way of heaven and earth, as hazy as a rainbow on the banks of a river of grass."

"We know the existence of gravity, and we know that the stars, sun, and moon seem to be so, but they are actually because of the manipulation of gravity; The observed things of heat, combustion, and combination are actually due to the process of re-disassembling and recombining; we know the existence of air pressure, and know that the water-lifting machine can only draw water a few steps high. Although it is common sense, but But because two feet of mercury is exactly equal to ten steps of water..."

"Knowing what it is, and knowing why it is, seems to have become possible. Now that we have found the way of the stars, the sun, the moon, the air, combustion, explosion, and landing, then the existence of all things and the myriad changes , isn’t there also an inner Tao that we take for granted but actually hides a secret?”

"To give a very simple example, at the beginning of the founding of the country, we all knew the existence of the ruler, which is the length of a hundred grains of wheat put together. This is recorded in ancient books and has never been changed."

"However, we all know now that the length of a hundred grains of wheat is not one foot, but much longer than one foot. However, the ruler made of gold is still there today, and it is placed in the capital , the ruler has not changed for hundreds of years, then the only possible change is the length of the wheat."

"We have to admit one thing: the length of wheat grains is much longer and larger than when the country was founded hundreds of years ago. Obviously, there was no silver salt photography at that time, but thanks to our The books and the weights and measures and the precise records that our ancestors left for us."

"Even the most ordinary farmers in the northern wheat region know that when saving seeds, they should choose larger grains as seeds. So hundreds of years have passed, and the current wheat is no longer the original wheat, at least in terms of length and size. It has grown, and the change has been astonishing—the hundred-seed wheat is now much bigger than it was in the past.”

"From Minjun to Dahuangcheng, to Europe to the ends of the earth, to Wangbei City, Black Swan River, and Fresh Meat Island, just from the perspective of crops, I have witnessed many things that I took for granted but were not."

"For example, the original corn, the original sugar cane, the original rice, the original radish, the original cabbage, and many, many more that I saw in the Great Deserted City."

"Where there is civilization, these crops always grow differently from places where they don't know how to grow them. So is this difference natural? Or is it screened from generation to generation like our wheat?"

"I don't think that's a difficult question to answer."

"Since the seeds can be artificially selected, is the harsh nature also secretly selecting the seeds? ——Although the world has no personality and no preferences, the world is the world, which creates the environment, and the natural environment uses a non-personal" Preferences determine what a species looks like."

"It has to be said that this kind of non-personal preference is cruel. The world is not benevolent and treats all things as straw dogs, and which kind of "straw dogs" can survive, since it does not depend on heaven and earth, it can only depend on them Can you adapt to the local environment?"

"How cruel is this choice? It's like the previous investigation of some diseases in warm climates: because southerners are more resistant to these warm diseases than northerners, so southerners are more resistant to these warmer diseases than northerners." Are these febrile diseases more resistant? Or is it because southerners are more resistant to these febrile diseases than northerners because the febrile diseases are more common in the south and those who cannot resist die and have no offspring?"

"This kind of reason is what this book is about. Just like the explanations given for the common things that are taken for granted in the sun, moon and stars, this book will use a kind of Tao for granted, instead of observing It is reasonable and natural for it to exist..."

"This book will reveal the way of heaven hidden in all things, break those original things for granted, and tell a terrible and respectable existence-we have become the first of all things in this terrible choice..."

After finishing the preface in one go, there was a rumbling sound from far away. Lin Xi looked at the flames and smoke that symbolized death erupting from the island far away, witnessing life and death just like the animals beside him. Alternate...

She thought that the island, now lava and dead, would one day be filled with life.And those creatures are not created by the world with personality according to their own preferences, but the creatures have become the masters there with their own strength and adaptability.

It's not that you look that way because you look that way.It's because the island is like that, and those who don't grow like that are all dead.

Chapter 9 Big Overlooked Events

20 days after the Galapagos Islands expedition, the last two ships of the circumnavigation fleet finally arrived at the port of the Republic. At this time, the most prosperous island in the entire tropical archipelago is Ziyou Port.

The forts made of boulders and concrete in the distance are like crouching monsters. Many dried pirate corpses are hung on some tall logs by the coast, moving with the wind like wind chimes, and some of them peeled off their skins and filled them with straw. , The wind blows and makes a whining sound.

In contrast to such a barbaric scenery, there are all kinds of ships with various flags moored at Ziyou Port.The hired workers carrying the goods could be seen at the port. A group of soldiers saw Chen Jian's flagship and fired salutes. The hired workers who carried the goods also stood up and shouted towards the sea.

In addition to the black and white flags and winding dragon flags, there is also a strange flag of the Nanyang Trading Company that depicts a sailing ship sailing upstream of the gold coin, and a red slogan is painted on the wall facing the port: Warn the pirates, and get back to good soon .

A slave ship that had just returned from Africa was unloading its "cargo" at the port. A group of Africans were driven to an open area. Several people were pouring water mixed with bleach powder on these Africans. , gender, and fitness into categories.

A four-storey building with a wooden frame obviously imitating the earliest masonry structure in Fujian County, with the words "Coastal People's Joint-stock Bank from the Oil Port Branch" written on it, it seems to be used for settlement of bills and exchange of silver coins from various countries Yes, there are a lot of people coming and going, probably knowing the news of the return of the fleet, they all went to the pier to greet them.

A warship approached and fired salutes in the distance, and then the two cargo ships were forced to divert water to allow Chen Jian's ship to enter the port first.

On the deck, Chen Jian looked at the few people around him and said with a smile: "I guess you are still very uncomfortable. The great honor of being the first group of people who sailed around the world in the Republic does not belong to you, but to those who came back first." Yes. Whether you say it or not, I know that this kind of fame is always what many people want."

The sailors laughed and said: "But we were the first to discover the new continent in the southern Pacific Ocean. Speaking of which, we have not yet reached the higher-level needs that Mr. Chen said that food and clothing have been solved, but there will definitely be regrets. Even if Mr. Chen wrote down our names, but hundreds of years later, when people talk about the discovery of the southern hemisphere continent, they will definitely not think of us... but you first."

"Then I can only blame you for not having money. Who made me rich before?"

Everyone laughed and tidied up their clothes. Many sailors went to prostitutes when they were about to disembark. They scrambled for binoculars and looked at the glamorous women on the pier. Then he said something that he had been holding back for a long time, and let out bursts of laughter.

The commanders of the local garrison and the heads of banks and companies also came to greet them in horse-drawn carriages, and prepared the banquet as quickly as possible.

Regardless of whether it is a bank or a Nanyang company, Chen Jian has a lot of shares, and he is also the promoter. Such a hospitality standard is a bit embarrassing.

During the banquet, Chen Jian naturally sat on the left. The people who received him didn't know that he was about to withdraw his shares. Chen Jian had the right to ask about many company news.

Everyone at the banquet also knew the news about the company that Chen Jian was concerned about, and the wine was only available when they were ordered. Speaking of the current situation.

"There are now two forts on the island, and the garrison is still the same, but the company has more than 900 armed employees. A lot of plantations have also been opened up on the island. This is an important transfer station, and the company has invested a lot. The "Anti-Piracy Convention" is in place, and the fleet also patrols on time, so it can be said to be indestructible."

Chen Jian thought of the pirates hanging on the tree, and asked, "Are these pirates captured at sea?"

"Yes. As long as the Spaniards can provide evidence, we will also admit the pirates identified by the Spaniards. A few years ago, the Spanish Navy was defeated by the Dutch, and the royal family went bankrupt. We also helped escort a group of silver ships and trade fleets. .and sometimes helping the Spaniards patrol the colonies and catch smugglers from other countries."

Chen Jian said with a smile: "The board members are really warm-hearted."

Everyone at the banquet laughed, and they knew the benefits of this better than anyone else.Now Spain is maintaining the colony. Relying on the legal trading rights it has obtained, every smuggling ship of the company is legal, and Spain cannot seize it—the ones that are seized must be legal, and the ones that are not seized are smuggled.As for smuggling ships from other countries, they will naturally be blocked in the port and handed over to the Spanish governor. Over the past few years, the local second-class smugglers in the colony are not willing to trade with people from other countries, and sometimes they will take the initiative to report .

The smuggling trade in the two viceroyalties of Spain is basically monopolized by the Nanyang Company, and the price paid is to make enemies of all the pirates in the entire sea area. Now it seems that the price is extremely worthwhile, and it does not follow the crooked path of you pirates and me pirates.

After talking for a while, someone said: "Now only we and Spain have signed the "Anti-Piracy Convention". Britain, France, and the Netherlands have not signed, so sometimes it is difficult to handle. When we hunted down pirate ships, they hid in The immigration area of ​​the French Puritans or the small port of the British, if they go in and arrest them, they will start a war, and they will not admit that they are pirates... Sometimes it is very difficult. Sometimes the pirates change ships when they enter the port, and we can't Grasp……"

Chen Jian pondered for a moment and said: "Don't touch the bottom line easily, some matters must be decided by the board of directors."

"Don't worry about this, Mr. Chen. Everyone here now understands that you can do anything in secret, but you still can't do too much on the surface."

"Well, what about the rest of the domestic sea merchants?"

"I'm begging the company to expand its shares, what else can I do? The company is now helping the navy to fight smuggling, and Mr. Chen's father is in Min County. This is extremely strict. In addition to the audit by the shipping insurance company, we don't care about domestic trade. , Trading companies outside of Africa, Europe and Spanish colonies did not reach out, and everyone was able to get by."

Another person also said with a smile: "I can't fight and fight, but I can't fight for money. How can I be a joint-stock company? There are also people who take risks to smuggle. They are honest after being caught a few times. Nowadays, there are so many people in the coastal counties who buy shares. Many, how many people's interests are involved in this? Don't mention them, even if the families in the north really want to smuggle, they just play in the country, and they have to listen to the company when they come here."

"The training of the crew must also keep up, and the money must be spent."

"Don't worry about that. The Navy... er, no, the Ocean Navigation School provides a group of qualified interns every year. Now it has formed a scale, the company has subsidies, and there are many students admitted to the school every year. The number of interns The number is definitely enough. Just the six coastal counties, the poor children who sign up every year can support two fleets. Now the board of directors is waiting for Mr. Chen to go back to discuss the expansion of shares and some future matters."

"What? Your appetite has grown again?"

"If the situation does not change much, it is not a problem to control the sea rights here. But it is difficult for us to obtain trade rights in Europe. The Spaniards prohibit us from trading in European ports in Spain and Portugal, and the Dutch monopolize the rest of the world. Trade earns the difference, but the Dutch navy is in full swing at this time, and we will definitely not be able to beat us here, and we will definitely not be able to beat them in Europe... Now European ships want to trade domestically, they must berth and register at self-oil ports; but we want to If you want to trade in Europe, you can only go to the Dutch first..."

Chen Jian spread his hands and said: "There is no other way. Spain is still a giant. The cost of colonization is too high for us to manage. It is better to continue smuggling. We still have to rely on the Dutch to hold Spain down. Now we should not eat alone, but sell some of the benefits appropriately." Wait, those who should practice with pirates should practice with pirates, and trainees who should train interns, there may only be one opportunity when the opportunity comes, so don’t miss it.”

Everyone at the banquet nodded, and said: "We have no choice. It is inconvenient for us to intervene in domestic trade, so we can only focus on the outside. In the current situation, we cannot continue to make high profits without expanding the scope of trade. The company wants to learn Spain collects land rent in some places, which is considered a large amount of income, so we all look forward to Mr. Chen’s return and figure out where to collect land rent.”

"The profit from trade is not enough?"

"Mr. Chen is joking, how can money be too little? The company has already figured it out. If it can conquer a rich, populous and easy-to-manage land, the profit from collecting land rent is not lower than the profit from trade. Or gold and silver A place with a lot of mines."

"The company isn't planning on playing the Great Deserted City, is it?"