Daming Yuanfu

Chapter 2317 Fengshan (XIV) I want to see big ships and big guns!

Gao Youshi naturally had no knowledge of the two's private discussions, and even if he did, he would not take it too seriously. His main task now was to "accompany the emperor" and review memorials to avoid delays in national affairs after the emperor and the cabinet left Beijing at the same time. In addition, he also had to be aware of the arrangements for the various places along the way to the south to avoid some of the planned things not being carried out on time.

Wuqing County is where the emperor will stay tonight, but as Gao Youshi said, the emperor will not enter the county town, so as not to disturb the people because the county town is busy receiving the emperor. Therefore, the emperor will stay in the other courtyard of Wuqingbo.

The current Wuqing Earl is the emperor's uncle, and his father is the old Wuqing Marquis Li Wei, who was involved in the military uniform scandal. Li Wei not only has a special status due to his daughter, Empress Dowager Li, but also made a lot of money, and built a lot of buildings in his hometown, Wuqing County.

However, even though Wuqing County was not far from the outskirts of Beijing, their family seldom returned to their hometown to live, and the huge villa had been vacant for a long time. This time it came in handy, and was designated by Gao Youshi as one of the places to stay along the way.

There was nothing much going on in Wuqing County that night, and there was nothing much to say. Tokugawa Hidetada and Shimazu Tadatsune wanted to meet Gao Youshi, but Gao Qi, who was accompanying them, declined the offer, saying that the Prime Minister was busy and had to review memorials at night, so they should wait until tomorrow when the emperor arrived in Tianjin.

Tokugawa and Shimazu asked why he was free tomorrow. Gao Qi explained that the emperor would stay in Tianjin for two days, one day to visit Tianjin Port and one day to inspect the Tianjin garrison. If nothing unexpected happened, the prime minister would probably be able to spare some time to meet the two of them.

Upon hearing this, the two of them thanked Gao Qi profusely and gave him a small gift before leaving. Tokugawa Hidetada gave him a round-headed, gold-rained, black-lacquered bamboo fan, and Shimazu Tadatsune gave him a crane-shaped, five-color Satsuma Kiriko statue.

These things can be bought outside, and for Gao Qi, they are neither expensive nor cheap, but he still accepted them because he knew the cost - to put it bluntly, isn't it just a Japanese folding fan and a piece of glass the size of a goose egg? Both of these things are products with low cost, and their value lies in the level of craftsmanship. As long as he reports to his uncle, it won't be a problem.

The next morning, the emperor set out on his journey and arrived at the border of Wuqing County and Tianjin. The three main officials of Tianjin had already led all the civil and military officials in the jurisdiction and a small number of soldiers to line up to welcome him.

  According to official practice, when a superior arrives at the border of his jurisdiction, the subordinate officials must rush to the place where the superior enters his jurisdiction in advance to greet him, which is called "boundary welcoming." If they are like this when facing their superiors, what else is there to say when facing the emperor?

The Ministry of Rites notified in advance that the imperial carriage would enter Tianjin at about 15:01 (about 9:30 in the morning). As a result, Tianjin officials arrived at a nearby village a day in advance to find a place to stay for the night, and went to the welcoming area before dawn the next day to make preparations, just waiting for the arrival of the imperial carriage.

When the emperor arrived at the border of the two counties, officials from Tianjin had already lined up to greet him. When Gao Youshi opened the curtain inside the carriage and looked through the glass window, he heard a gong sound and someone shouted three times in a row:

"The eunuch Huang Yichen, the imperial envoy guarding Tianjin, respectfully welcomes the emperor!"

"Governor of Tianjin and Assistant Military Officer Luo Yuren respectfully welcomes the emperor!"

"Tianjin's General Zhang Wanbang welcomes the emperor!"

Gao Youshi's carriage was behind the imperial sedan chair, so he could not see the front of the welcoming team at the first sight. However, he saw the side curtain of the sedan chair open. Zhu Yijun tilted his head to take a look and said something to Chen Ju, who was riding on a horse and accompanying the sedan chair.

Chen Ju then rode forward a few steps and replied loudly: "The emperor has ordered: no need to be polite, you gentlemen, just lead the way."

"We accept your command and thank you!" The three main officials of Tianjin bowed in thanks and stood up, leading the imperial carriage team towards Tianjin.

When it was almost noon, when the imperial carriage slowly drove into Tianjin, the whole city seemed to be awakened by an invisible force, immersed in a solemn and festive atmosphere.

The imperial procession came in a mighty procession, stretching for miles, with great momentum. In the front was the royal guard, with dragon flags flying and golden swords and iron horses shining brightly in the sun. The imperial guards in full uniforms lined up in neat formations, and the horses' steps were sonorous and powerful, showing the great military might of the Ming Dynasty.

Following closely behind was the magnificent imperial sedan chair with thirty-six bearers, and a large number of carriages loaded with important officials and accompanying officials. The rumbling of carriages and horses, and the presence of officials and hats like clouds, fully demonstrated the imperial majesty.

Wherever the emperor passed, countless people gathered on both sides of the street, some kneeling to greet him, some looking up, their faces filled with excitement and awe. Children stared with curiosity, trying to stick their heads out of the crowd to catch a glimpse of the emperor; the elderly put their hands together and murmured prayers, as if to express gratitude for the emperor's grace.

Tianjin, a seaport city that has been increasingly prosperous over the past thirty years, is even more bustling today with lights and decorations. The streets are lined with red lanterns and colorful silks, and the shop signs sparkle in the sun, with a wide variety of goods on display. Teahouses, restaurants, cloth shops, pharmacy shops, rice shops, pawnshops... all are cleaned up to welcome the arrival of the emperor who will only be seen once in several lifetimes.

When the imperial carriage slowly drove into the city center, officials and clerks of all levels in Tianjin who had been waiting here in advance knelt down to greet him. Behind them was a group of people in festive costumes, holding flower baskets or colorful flags, cheering and applauding one after another, forming a sea of ​​joy.

Tianjin Governor Luo Yuren, Tianjin General Zhang Wanbang and Tianjin garrison eunuch Huang Yichen, the three highest officials in Tianjin, those who have been granted robes wore the robes granted by the emperor, and those who have not been granted robes wore official uniforms. They have once again stood in the most conspicuous position outside the governor's office, ready to welcome the upcoming imperial carriage - previously they were welcomed outside the city, this time they are received inside the city, the two are not the same thing.

The emperor's procession slowly approached, with dragon flags flying and horses and weapons flying, in a solemn and dignified manner. Upon seeing this, Luo Yuren, Zhang Wanbang, and Huang Yichen immediately led the civil and military officials and local gentry of Tianjin Wei to kneel on the ground in unison, shouting loudly: "Your Highness, we respectfully welcome you. Long live the emperor!"

This time, Zhu Yijun stepped out of the imperial chariot, looked around at the crowd kneeling on the ground to welcome the emperor, smiled with satisfaction, raised his hand and said, "Everyone, please stand up." Then, without waiting for the officials to stand up, he walked back to the imperial chariot. Chen Ju gave a look to the eunuchs around him, and a group of eunuchs shouted in unison, "The emperor's oral order: No need to be polite, please stand up--"

It turned out that the emperor's words "stand up" were addressed to officials such as Luo Yuren, and only they could hear it clearly, while Chen Ju was announcing on behalf of the emperor that all citizens in the city should stand up.

After this ritual, the imperial carriage moved forward slowly again surrounded by the crowd, and finally stopped at a place in the city not far from the port area. The courtyard wall here is high and thick, covering a large area. There are three tall buildings in the courtyard. The middle building is nine stories high, and the buildings on both sides are seven stories each. The architectural style is very similar to the Rixin Building in Nanning Marquis's Mansion. Looking at the plaque outside the courtyard, it is inscribed with eight large gilded characters: "Jinghua Tianjin Welcoming Hall".

There is no doubt that this hall is owned by Gao Shishi, and is specially designed to receive distinguished guests. It is large in scale, luxuriously decorated, and elegant. It is one of the most prominent buildings in Tianjin. Uh, maybe we can remove the "one of".

As the host of the residence, Gao Youshi also got off the carriage in advance to personally welcome the emperor and lead him into the guild hall. The guild hall had already been decorated like a fairyland. The flowers that could bloom in early spring were either transplanted or just in full bloom. At this moment, they were already competing for beauty and fragrance.

This is just one of the details. In fact, every detail here seems to show the owner's attentiveness and respect for the emperor. Zhu Yijun rarely left the palace for many years. He praised the layout of the guild hall and liked Gao Fushi more and more. He said to the latter with a smile on his face: "Rixin, you took the trouble. I am very satisfied."

Gao Youshi bowed slightly and said, "It is a great honor for me to welcome the emperor to stay here."

After a brief greeting, Luo Yuren, Zhang Wanbang and Huang Yichen met the emperor again in the guild hall and reported in detail the arrangements for the emperor's arrival. Luo Yuren first introduced the layout and arrangements of the guild hall to ensure that the emperor could enjoy the most comfortable and safe living environment here. Zhang Wanbang reported on the military security measures to ensure that the guild hall was foolproof inside and outside. Huang Yichen supplemented the arrangements for internal affairs, including details of food, daily life, and daily services.

Zhu Yijun had always been a hands-off boss. He nodded, praised Gao Youshi a few times and then looked at him, meaning "You will be responsible for the rest of the process."

Gao Youshi laughed, turned around and expressed his approval of the three people's work, and emphasized the next task: "The emperor's visit to the south is related to the national plan. You must continue to remain highly vigilant and not be careless in all details. At the same time, you must also pay attention to people's livelihood and ensure that the emperor's arrival will not cause inconvenience to the local people."

Luo Yuren bowed and said, "Your Majesty, please rest assured. The Jinghua Guild Hall is in an excellent location. You can go upstairs and have a good view of the port area. It is not in the residential area, so you don't have to worry about disturbing the people."

Zhang Wanbang said: "The emperor's residence here is truly a great retreat from the city, and security arrangements are also very easy to make - there is a ten-foot open space around the courtyard, and after the guards are stationed, no one can get close."

Huang Yichen specifically said to the emperor: "Your Majesty, the drinking water and food during your stay will be checked by a special person, and the procedures are the same as in the palace. The rest of the arrangements have also been repeatedly reviewed according to the requirements of the prime minister. I think it is foolproof."

After hearing this, the emperor expressed satisfaction with the work of Gao Youshi and the three Tianjin officials, and bestowed them with silver and silk as a reward. Since it was the first time for the emperor to go on a long journey, the three Tianjin officials did not dare to disturb the emperor's rest. Seeing that the emperor and the prime minister did not seem to have other instructions, they stood up and took their leave. Zhu Yijun nodded in agreement.

Gao Youshi also stood up to leave because he still had to review memorials, but the emperor stopped him and said, "Hey, Rixin, don't leave in a hurry. I have something else to ask you."

Gao Youshi had no choice but to sit back down and asked, "Your Majesty, do you have any questions?"

"Oh, that's not really a question." Zhu Yijun said, "According to the arrangement, we are going to visit Tianjin Port tomorrow, right?"

"Yes." Gao Youshi smiled and said, "Hasn't the emperor often told me that he wants to see large sea ships? Tianjin Port not only has various large and small sea ships, but also has a shipyard under the name of Jinghua. You can visit it tomorrow.

In addition, there are various shops selling foreign specialties in Tianjin Port Commercial District. As far as I know, they are very diverse and have everything you need. If Your Majesty is interested and has enough time, you can take a look tomorrow to see what the folk customs under your rule are like. "

Zhu Yijun was overjoyed and said, "Great! I have ruled the country for more than 20 years. Although I have seen the treasury grow richer and the foreign wars win, I have rarely seen the people happy. This is indeed a great pity. Since I have the opportunity this time, I must go around and see for myself, so as to understand the people's feelings, don't you think?"

Gao Youshi nodded and smiled, "Your Majesty always remembers the people. I can't help but admire you."

"Water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it. I naturally dare not forget this." Zhu Yijun answered casually, then changed the subject and asked tentatively, "Speaking of large sea vessels, I heard that there are giant ships in Beijing that are specially built for combat. There are several floors of gun towers on them, and each floor has dozens of huge cannons. When fighting, hundreds of cannons fire at the same time, and they are invincible... Is this true?"

Gao Fusi was startled and replied, "Your Majesty seems to be referring to the battleships under the Jinghua Two Oceans Fleet. If so... it is indeed true."

Zhu Yijun's eyes lit up and he asked, "Is there any battleship parked in Tianjin Port?"

Gao Youshi didn't expect the emperor to ask this. He was stunned for a moment and said thoughtfully, "I don't know much about this either. I need to ask someone below me."

Zhu Yijun said without hesitation: "Then go find someone to ask now."

Gao Youshi thought to himself, "Oh no, the emperor doesn't want to see the battleships, does he?" But he couldn't refuse, so he had to ask his people to find Gao Qi and Ruan Fuyuan. One of them was an intelligence secretary, and the other was a naval secretary. They must be familiar with the ship movements of the Beiyang Fleet.

Not long after, Gao Qi and Ruan Fuyuan hurried in. Although it was their first time to see the emperor, they were both accustomed to big scenes, so they did not behave improperly in front of the emperor and met Zhu Yijun in a proper manner.

China no longer has the saying "my vassal's vassal is not my vassal", so my subordinates' subordinates are still my subordinates. Zhu Yijun directly skipped Gao Youshi and asked: "Does anyone of you know if Jinghua has any battleships docked in Tianjin Port now?"

Because the emperor did not ask them to stand up, Gao Qi and Nguyen Phuc Yuan were still kneeling on the ground with their heads bowed, not daring to look up. They had no idea what Gao Youshi's attitude was, so they could only quietly look at Gao Youshi's feet with their eyes slanted, while keeping their ears perked up, for fear of missing any hint from Gao Youshi - such as a cough or something.

However, Gao Youshi did not respond.

The two could only think that this was a tacit agreement. In addition, they did not dare to leave the emperor alone, so they turned their heads and looked at each other. Finally, Nguyen Phuc Yuan answered: "Your Majesty, the Beiyang Fleet's battleship Dongchang is in Tianjin Port and is currently docked at the No. 2 berth of the Jinghua Tianjin Shipyard for routine maintenance."

"Well, what a coincidence!" Zhu Yijun was overjoyed. He turned to Gao Youshi and said with a smile, "Rixin, you just said that we could go to the shipyard tomorrow. Now there happens to be another battleship parked there. So, I want to go on board the ship for inspection tomorrow. You won't refuse, right?"

Gao Youshi hesitated for a moment, but did not answer immediately. Instead, he turned to ask Ruan Fuyuan: "What is the condition of the Dongchang ship? If the emperor were to go on board for inspection, would there be any safety risks?"

Gao Youshi said this without any emotion, and Ruan Fuyuan didn't know whether he objected to the emperor boarding the ship, so he could only answer honestly: "The Dongchang is just undergoing routine maintenance, and it has been in the berth for more than a month. If there are no accidents, there should be no safety hazards. If the teacher is still worried, students can ask them to move all the gunpowder on the ship back to the warehouse tonight, so that it should be safe."

Gao Fusi was about to say yes, but unexpectedly Zhu Yijun interrupted loudly, "You can't move down!"

Everyone was stunned. Gao Youshi frowned when he heard this: "Your Majesty..."

  "Don't rush to persuade me..." Zhu Yijun stretched out his hand to stop him, saying, "I just want to see what the scene of the huge cannon firing is like. If I listen to your student's words and move all the gunpowder down, then what is there for me to watch?"
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Thanks to book friend "doni" for your monthly ticket support, thank you!

PS: The emperor is also a man, so there should be nothing wrong with him being interested in big ships and big guns, right?