After Yang Peng heard Zhang Zhou's remarks, he was so frightened that he went back to thank guests behind closed doors. He claimed that he was ill and never came out to see people again.
Because Yang Peng now holds great power and really doesn’t want to go out to sea and become a local emperor, he just wants to dominate the capital of Ming Dynasty, make others fear him, and enjoy the sense of glory that this kind of power brings. I never wanted to take any responsibility for Daming.
Yang Peng didn’t want to go, and Zhang Zhou didn’t intend to let him go.
People like Yang Peng seem to be good at getting things done, but their loyalty is also very problematic. Once he takes real power overseas, it is difficult to guarantee that an autonomous country will not form overseas. In the end Threaten the Ming Dynasty.
The person Zhang Zhou most optimistic about actually leading the troops was naturally Sun Shangqi, whom he had always supported.
Going to sea is imminent.
Zhu Youtang gained a huge amount of wealth from going overseas. The Ming Dynasty finally had the most effective means of printing money besides the Ming Dynasty treasure banknotes. Zhu Youtang naturally wanted to use this kind of overseas printing. The speed of making money has accelerated, so much so that they don’t plan to wait, and plan to complete the fleet’s return to sea before the year.
So Zhang Zhou directly asked Sun Shangqi to come to the theater to meet him. This was also the place where Sun Shangqi used to come most often.
But things have changed at this time. After all, Sun Shangqi went to Liaodong for more than half a year. After returning, he and Zhang Zhou seemed to have become very different, and he knew in advance that this time it was related to going to sea. , he probably also felt that Zhang Zhou would continue to promote him in the future, but he probably couldn't do it if he wanted to stay by Zhang Zhou's side all the time, or to be accompanied by a retinue of absolute trust.
When Sun Shangqi arrived, Ning Tong had just met Zhang Zhou and went to the other courtyard to wait.
Ning Tong came back with Concubine Xian’s team back to Beijing. In fact, she used the excuse of accompanying Concubine Xian to come back to Beijing for a brief reunion with Zhang Zhou. Now she is a married woman. She no longer wants to live the kind of life where her sister-in-law is alone. She wants to return to the capital when she has time.
"As for your humble position, please see the father-in-law." Sun Shangqi was still very knowledgeable and knowledgeable. He regarded Zhang Zhou as his superior and teacher, and treated Zhang Zhou with great courtesy when meeting him.
Zhang Zhou said: "Sit."
Sun Shangqi then stood up and sat on the chair.
Zhang Zhou said: "Originally, I have prepared two choices for you. One is to go to the grasslands with me next year, and the other is to go to sea and be responsible for conquering the foreign barbarians. I should have discussed it with you, but after all, you are going with the army. The Tatars don't have much experience, so they might as well go overseas and manage that place for Your Majesty."
Sun Shangqi stood up in a hurry and said, "I accept my order."
"No need to be so formal, just sit down and talk." Zhang Zhou pointed at him.
Sun Shangqi then sat down again.
At this time, Sun Shangqi was obviously still a little nervous, maybe because he had not gotten along with Zhang Zhou for a long time. He felt that Zhang Zhou was now superior, and he couldn't hold his head up in front of Zhang Zhou, so he needed to use A listening way to cope.
“Get everything settled at home.” Zhang Zhou said, “This time you return to Beijing., and didn’t arrange too many errands for you, just to give you time to prepare. "
"Yes. "Sun Shangqi said.
Zhang Zhou said again: "The rules of the expedition are that you cannot take your wife, children, or children with you. You should also understand this. "
"Yes. "Of course Sun Shangqi understands all this.
Zhang Zhou smiled and said: "But His Majesty is more considerate of soldiers who go to sea, especially some chief officers. It is very likely that you will have to stay overseas for a long time, within a year. You may not be able to come back, so Your Majesty is going to let you take a concubine and go to sea with you. "
"Huh? ”
Sun Shangqi looked surprised.
What arrangement does the emperor have?
Soldiers who are on an expedition are actually qualified to take women with them?
p>
Zhang Zhou said: "There is no way. This time we go overseas, we will have to drift on the sea for several months. If we don't worry about the homesickness of the soldiers, we are afraid that something will happen overseas. Moreover, His Majesty also ordered that the humans, animals, and maidservants acquired after going to sea will also be distributed to the officers and men in the army, and they will also be allowed to take them with them when they return to the court in the future. "
"This..."
Sun Shangqi seemed a little embarrassed.
Obviously Sun Shangqi has been busy with his career in the past two years, and his official position has been rapid. After being promoted, his status in the court has also increased, but he really can't care about his family.
And he thinks this is good.
After all, Sun Shangqi is. If a middle- and upper-level general like him has a wife, children, and children, it would be useless if he goes to sea for several years at a time without anyone to take care of him... But the rule of the army is that you cannot bring wives, children, and children with you. This is Zhu Youtang's advice to the soldiers who are about to go on an expedition. A preferential treatment.
“You can go to sea for up to two years at a time and need to rotate. "Zhang Zhou said, "In the future, the fleet returning from the New World will make several trips a year. In addition to transporting more overseas income, it also allows for more replacement of soldiers. "
Sun Shangqi said: "I don't understand the humble position very well. ”
Zhang Zhou said: “Actually, the wind and waves in the sea we want to go out are relatively small. Now the Ming Dynasty’s ships are relatively large, and generally there will be no big trouble, but there will still be hurricanes and other situations. Only From April to September every year, this period is not suitable for going to sea. "
"Yes. I have also heard about it in humble positions. "Sun Shangqi said.
"Except for this time period, I plan to let the fleet go to sea once every two months. In the future, through steamships and other means, the one-way time can be controlled to one and a half months. In about two months, there will be three fleets traveling between Daming and the New World between September every year and April next year. "
Sun Shangqi said: "Dare I ask, is the New World referring to... the land of Penglai? ”
“Well, that’s what I call it. In fact, it should be called America, but what we call it is our own business. We name it, and even occupy that place. Become our overseas place, where there is a large enough population, vast land, and evenRich in resources, Ming's expansion requires the accumulation of resources there. "
Zhang Zhou said, handing something like a book to Sun Shangqi.
"In the next two days, take it back and study it carefully. Zhang Zhou said, "Before you go to sea, you will be summoned by His Majesty to formally accept your sacrifice." "
When Sun Shangqi heard this, his spirit immediately cheered up: "I accept the order from my humble position. "
Zhang Zhou smiled and said: "There is also the matter of your concubinage. Your Majesty will even give you a concubine. This will help you choose a good lady and make it easier for you to do things. "
Sun Shangqi didn't seem to be very interested in this, but he hurriedly saluted and said: "I will definitely not betray the trust of Your Majesty and the Lord. ”
……
……
That night, Zhang Zhou stayed overnight in the other courtyard where Ning Tong lived.
Following Zhang Also coming here on Monday is Chen Ying.
After all, the two girls were "good sisters" when they were in Nanjing, and the two girls are now Zhang Zhou's estranged wife... Although Chen Ying is. She went back to the mansion with Zhang Zhou, but she only went back to check the door. She didn't enter the mansion herself.
After all, she wanted to help outside.
Ning Tong never entered. Since leaving the Zhang family, Ning Tong has never even returned to the mansion because she didn't want to.
For Ning Tong, marriage may be just a decoration. After all, Mrs. Anbian Hou's reputation has dragged her down. For a long time, if she cared about the status that marriage would bring to her, she would not take the initiative to leave a wealthy family like Chengguo Palace.
Ning Tong would rather stay outside the palace, but now she is facing Zhang Zhou. It’s just a little more attached.
“I think it’s good to go to sea. ”
It was already midnight, and Zhang Zhou still didn’t sleep.
After all, it was already very cold, and the other courtyard where he lived was not heated. Zhang Zhou stayed at the table. When he walked in, he even had to put on heavy clothes.
Ning Tong probably felt that the room was still a little dark, so he also walked over and helped Zhang Zhou light another candle.
p>Zhang Zhou said: "Just light one, why waste it? "
"Don't care. Ning Tong said, "Did I hear what I said?" ”
Zhang Zhou looked at Chen Ying who had fallen asleep, and also wondered why Chen Ying looked so nervous in front of Ning Tong and could sleep so peacefully... After all, this place is still a strange place. .
After all, Zhang Zhou doesn’t need to worry too much about this kind of thing.
Zhang Zhou said: “What, do you want to go to sea? "
Ning Tong nodded and said: "Actually, I also want to go out and have a look. I heard that there are gold and silver jewelry everywhere, and even ordinary people are wearing gold and silverware. "
Zhang Zhou smiled and said: "Are you greedy for money? "
Ning Tong said: "For me, the most practical thing now is probably wealth. Having wealth means having a future. If not...it's hard to imagine what will be left when the color fades with old age. ”
At this point, the tone is still a little sad.
Zhang Zhou sighed: "It seems that I should rest early. When I fell asleep, I had everything in my dreams."
"I am telling the truth," Ning Tong said.
Zhang Zhou also put away his scornful expression and said: "Overseas places are too hard. It often takes years to go there, and you can't bring anything back after you go, because in your Majesty's opinion, , Everything belongs to the imperial court, and I have nothing left behind. What do you think you will get if you go?"
Ning Tong lowered his head.
Zhang Zhou said: "Besides, you are no longer as free and loose as before. I don't agree with you going overseas."
Ning Tong sighed: "It seems that it is only suitable for you. "Working for the master."
"Isn't it great?" Zhang Zhou said, "In the past year, you have been able to come and go whenever you wanted between Binhai City and the capital." Restricting your freedom, even in the north, you can go wherever you want and walk around." Ning Tong said: "I can't let go of the business in Binhai City. ."
Zhang Zhou smiled.
This woman wants to be a little woman, even counting money behind a man’s back, but at the same time she wants to go out and have a look... It’s probably very complicated. Even Zhang Zhou himself can’t quite understand what she is. What do you think?
A normal woman would want to travel overseas with a fleet, just to move gold, silver and jewelry to her home?
"Get some rest early." Zhang Zhou said, "I still have something to do here. You can wander around Jingduo in the past few days, but be careful about the Queen's people."
"Arrived After Beijing, I will not go anywhere."
Ning Tong is also a very careful master, "I will not cause trouble to the master in the capital."
Zhang Zhoudao. : "Yes, you are a big boss in Binhai City's entertainment industry. What kind of scene have you never seen?"
Ning Tong wrinkled her nose and said, "Is what the master said true or ironic?"
p>
"You can think about it yourself." Zhang Zhou said, "After all, follow me. Sometimes I am really too lazy to care about you. Only going to sea is a bit too unrealistic, so don't think about it now. If in the future If I want to go to sea, I will definitely take you with me."
When Ning Tong heard this, his eyes really seemed to light up, and he smiled and said, "I think so too."
Only then did Zhang Zhou seem to know that Ning Tong seemed not only unwilling to settle for mediocrity, but also seemed to want to encourage Zhang Zhou to not be mediocre.
This kind of mediocrity...
Probably not mediocrity in the conventional sense, but wanting Zhang Zhou to do something more unique.
Zhang Zhou said: "I'm going to sea... I probably have to wait until I fall asleep and think about it in my dreams first. But it's really good. If you give me a place, everything will develop according to my ideas, and it won't take a few seconds." Ten years, as long as ten or eight years, I think... haha."
Some words don't need to be explained too clearly.
It really made him go to the American continent, give him ten years, he can accumulate enough weapons and troops to subvert the whole world, and the entire earth will be changed by him.
……
……
The news that the emperor was going to send people to sea quickly spread throughout the court.
Although Yingcheng Bosun, the honorable minister who went to sea last time, did not receive any promotion when he came back, he received a reward of thousands of taels of silver and his status in the court rose rapidly. As soon as he came back, he He was assigned to perform his duties in the Beijing camp.
This also made the honorable ministers of other families, especially those who were unsuccessful in the Hongzhi Dynasty, want to take advantage of it and go to sea to gain experience.
There seems to be no risk of capsizing when going out to sea with a big ship. There is such a huge fleet when going out to sea. No matter it encounters wind, waves, rocks, or encounters overseas barbarians, A fleet can handle it.
If you can get rewards and promotions in official positions...
Even if you have to go through a year of hard work, you will still rush to get there.
This mentality is in sharp contrast to Yang Peng, a very realistic sycophant.
I am powerless and want to make a living overseas.
Once I become powerful, going to sea will only cause trouble for myself... Why should I make trouble for myself?
Among the many applicants, one person is very special.
It is the British public Zhang Mao.
Originally, he had nothing to do with going to sea, but he didn’t know where he heard that Zhu Hui, the former protector of the country, might have the opportunity to go to sea and perform meritorious service, so he did the same this time. He sharpened his head and wanted to be qualified to lead troops to sea.
Zhang Mao could not go to Zhang Zhou in person, so he asked Zhong Decai to go to Jiang Dezhong, and then Lao Jiang brought the message to Zhang Zhou.
"...Xian son-in-law, the British father-in-law also said that he knows that you will be annoyed when he sees him, and also knows that he will be a hindrance in Beijing, so he does not intend to annoy you. This is not the case in his house now. Is it too late to open the door? He wants to take advantage of this trip to improve his wealth. He still has a position in the Governor's Office, but he doesn't even have an errand... He is also worried..."
Jiang Dezhong. He can also be considered a qualified lobbyist.
Zhang Mao at least made the right choice when it came to choosing Jiang Dezhong as his ally.
In terms of being responsible for Zhang Mao, Jiang Dezhong is still very reliable.
Zhang Zhou said: "He went there because he was afraid that the output of overseas silver and gold mines would be reduced by a few percent every year."
"How many are there? Folks say, Ten million taels? But seriously?" Jiang Dezhong's eyes were also shining.
Zhang Zhou smiled and said: "That's not wrong at all, just a lot more. Does Lao Taishan also want to join in the fun?"
Jiang Dezhong smiled awkwardly and said: " Just say this, dear son-in-law, don’t take it to heart. By the way, my brother recently returned to Beijing and brought your nephew to my house for a visit. How about... you arrange for him to go? "The situation has been serious recently. Let us be more motivated and update faster. Please use your little hands to exit the reading mode. Thank you<