I m the Farmgirl You Can t Mess With - Chapter 1328: Side Story: Having the Whole World in View (5)
Chapter 1328: Side Story: Having the Whole World in View (5)
Editor: Atlas Studios
Qi Haoran brought the two imperial physicians to meet the three foreign doctors. Unfortunately, they didn’t understand each other’s language. Even if there was an interpreter, because they used too many specialized terms, the interpretation wasn’t quite sufficient.
However, they still understood each other’s general meaning. Regarding the Emperor’s physical condition, these western doctors did not have any better methods than the doctors of Great Qi.
Qi Haoran was a little disappointed.
Still, the two imperial physicians had a merry chat with the three foreign doctors. With the help of the interpreter, of course.
In the past three years, they had followed King Rong everywhere to seek out famous doctors. They knew that an individual’s knowledge was limited, and that every famous doctor had their own areas of expertise. Even the imperial physicians who came from a long line of doctors couldn’t possibly know everything.
Therefore, the two imperial physicians were very broad-minded. As they were making a compilation of the prescriptions and diagnosis methods they had gathered, they had plenty to talk about with every doctor they met.
The three foreign doctors were also highly curious about Chinese medicine.
When they were on the ship, they had heard the crew briefly talk about Great Qi’s medical skills and yearned to find out more. When they saw that King Rong of Great Qi was not interested in them, they were a little disappointed initially, afraid that he would vent his anger on them.
However, when they saw that King Rong only walked away and that the doctors of Great Qi were very willing to exchange pointers with them on the topic of medicine, the three of them immediately cheered up again.
Finding the banquet too noisy, they escorted the two imperial physicians outside to talk.
The two interpreters who came with King Rong opened their mouths and looked at King Rong, who was speaking with Andre. They really wanted to stay by King Rong’s side.
However, an imperial physician quickly pulled them over and said with a smile, “Come and help us translate.”
The interpreters could only follow helplessly.
After befriending Joao and Jose, Little Leopard came to look for his mother excitedly. “Mother, didn’t you want to hire someone to teach us Western languages and European history? Why don’t you let Joao and Jose do the job? They know quite a lot, and they speak fluent Mandarin, unlike other Westerners.”
Little Fu walked over helplessly and complained to Mu Yangling in a low voice, “Fourth Aunt, those two Westerners are not good people.”
Mu Yangling asked in surprise, “How are they not good people?”
Little Fu said seriously, “They have other motives.”
After all, Little Fu had been in the palace for three years and believed that he was a good judge of character.
Mu Yangling glanced at Joao and Jose and patted Little Fu’s shoulder. Smiling, she said, “Then do look out for your younger brother.”
Little Fu’s mouth fell open, surprised that Fourth Aunt didn’t support Little Leopard.
At the side, Qi Haoran only glanced at Joao and Jose and did not interfere.
Little Leopard immediately became bold and whispered to Little Fu, “How can you tell that they have other motives? Why didn’t I sense anything?”
Little Fu held it in for a long time before finally saying, “They’re too enthusiastic. Moreover, considering they’re ten years older than us, we don’t have that much in common. We’re not familiar with each other.”
The ones who communicated with Joao and Jose were their older brothers, not them. Most importantly, their older brothers clearly didn’t communicate with them often, but Joao and Jose kept trying to create the impression that they were extremely chummy with their older brothers. Also, since they watched Little Leopard and Little Fu grow up, they suggested they’d also be good brothers and good friends with them.
Little Fu didn’t think that he had that much in common with them.
Little Leopard scratched his head and decisively pulled Little Fu back to continue their chat with Joao and Jose. He felt that he had to observe seriously this time and see if they really had ulterior motives towards him.
The reason why Qi Haoran and Mu Yangling let them be was very simple. Little Leopard had almost never participated in such scheming before, and was even more straightforward than Little Bear when he was young.
It was fine for now since he was just a child, but if he was still like this when he grew up, he would appear too straightforward. The two of them wanted to use the brothers, Joao and Jose, to grind his personality.
And with the shrewd Little Fu by his side, there would definitely be no problem.
On the other hand, Little Fu was a tad scheming when it came to handling matters, so it was a good opportunity for him and the honest Little Leopard to balance each other out. This way, he’d probably be more relaxed.
The two adults let the two children handle it themselves and went to discuss business with the people from the Chamber of Commerce.
In the past few years, sea trade had been developing rapidly. Mu Yangling’s exports to the West were mainly clocks and glass products. Meanwhile, Qi Haoran had already started to sell their cannons to the West and then bought their cannons from the West.
As for the commoners, other than satin, porcelain, and tea leaves, the delicacies of Great Qi were also being exported to the west.
For example, exports now accounted for 20% of the annual sales for the rabbit meat factory in the north, which employed a large number of crippled soldiers and veterans.
The real reason for the rapid development of the sea trade was the increase in the import of goods from Great Qi. Apart from gemstones and spices, grains, ores, and various wood materials were the top imports. Some Western fabrics had also begun to enter the Great Qi market.
Unfortunately, their cloth was far inferior to Songjiang cloth, which was good and cheap. After entering Great Qi, it was like a stone sinking into the sea. On the other hand, Songjiang cloth was exported to the West in large quantities and was well-loved by the people of the West.
The business that Qi Haoran wanted to discuss with Andre was nothing more than to buy two new models of cannons or sell the new cannons made by his factory to the west.
Although the weapons trade was huge, after witnessing the ability of the Qi people to research and duplicate, Andre refused to sell him the updated weapons, so he was warmer towards Mu Yangling.
That was because the glass products and clocks deals that Mu Yangling wanted to discuss were luxury goods and did not pose any threat to their country.
Mu Yangling glanced at Qi Haoran and smiled at Andre. “I really want to send more exports your way, but you have to know that the production of the two factories is limited, and the contracts I signed with the businessmen of other countries are all five-year contracts. If you suddenly request a higher quantity, I can only reduce the amount of goods exported to others. It’d be unfair to them.”
Smiling, Andre asked, “Your Highness, I don’t understand why you won’t expand the two profitable factories. I believe that you’ll definitely reap huge profits by expanding production.”
Mu Yangling shook her head and smiled. “I have enough money, and there are many ways to earn money. Whether it’s a glass factory or a watch factory, it’s extremely troublesome to build them. I’m not willing to work so hard to earn that bit of money.”
“Besides,” Mu Yangling shrugged and said, “You’re a businessman, so you should know that rare things are precious. I’m not likely to expand my production without a reason that moves me.”
Andre felt that it was a pity. “This is the first time I’ve seen someone who thinks they have too much money. Your Highness has really broadened my horizons.”
Mu Yangling smiled and looked in the Portugueses’ direction. “Money isn’t very important to me. In comparison, I’m more willing to make my husband happy. However, it’s obvious that there are others who value money very much. Though Mr. An is a principled person, I don’t know if others are as principled.”
Andre was silent.
Overflowing with ’happiness’, Qi Haoran reached out to hold his wife’s hand and nodded at Andre. “Then it seems that our discussion today has failed. The three famous doctors you invited are of no help to me, and our business negotiations have also fallen through.”
Seeing the couple stand up, Andre was a little anxious. He stopped the two of them and said, “Your Highness, please give me two days to consider. You have to know that even the English army only has 20-odd of those new cannons that you wish to have. It’s simply too difficult to get one’s hands on them.”
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