Steam Daming: Stop calling me to supervise the country

Chapter 249 Dongying Secret Agent

When the whole country was celebrating and the city was full of joy, only Zhu Zhanchang frowned and looked at the secret letter in the mansion. At this time, Chen Xinyue came over with tea: "His Royal Highness, the weather is cold, you are riding a horse again today, drink some ginger tea first. Bar."

"Okay, let's put it away."

"Why is Your Highness so sad today?"

"Nothing."

Zhu Zhanchang didn't say anything, and Chen Xinyue didn't continue to ask.

Chen Xinyue talked about another thing: "His Royal Highness, when I entered the palace yesterday, my mother said that Hushang Palace will be leaving the palace after the new year. She has been in the palace for so many years, and she could leave the palace before, but the princess insisted on keeping it. She, I thought that Hushanggong could be obedient to the female officials of the entire palace after all, and she was someone with great ability, so I discussed waiting for Hushanggong to come to the mansion after leaving the palace, and Hushanggong agreed."

Before Zhu Zhanchang was in Guangzhou, he had letters with Hu Shanwei from the very beginning. Chen Xinyue was a careful person, and he noticed that the relationship between her husband and Hu Shanggong was unusual.

"OK."

"Then I will arrange for Hu Shanggong to live in a different courtyard in the mansion, just like Zara, Xiaozhu and the others."

This is the treatment for Hu Shanwei's side concubine. Although there is no status, the treatment is already equal.

"Okay, New Moon, thank you."

"Your Highness, why do you have to say thank you?"

"New Moon, the next day's New Year's dinner, you are ready to enter the palace with me."

"It's Your Highness, let Zara sleep tonight."

"Let me have a quiet meeting tonight, I have some things to think about."

"Okay, Your Highness."

Zhu Zhanchang was immersed in the darkness alone, watching Li Xianyu send back a secret letter in front of him.

Li Xianyu went to Dongying as a female embassy officer and is still in the embassy, ​​but she contacted the Ashikaga family.

She said that she had been the outer chamber of the Prince of Zhujiang County and had been dormant for many years. Now that the Prince of Zhujiang County got married and dismissed her, she won the trust of Ashikaga Yoshichi with a copy of the first version of the steam engine drawing.

The Ashikaga family thought that the previous spy plan had failed and Li Xianyu lost contact, but they did not expect to be able to contact them after so many years. This precious steam engine drawing is enough to make up for their current shortcomings.

Now she is still in the embassy. Dongying thinks she is their spy buried in the Daming embassy, ​​but she doesn't know she is a double-faced spy.

The news that Li Xianyu has now is that Dongying does have a steam engine, but the steam engine is very problematic, and their current steam engine cannot maintain good operation.

Moreover, Li Xianyu has already inquired about the news that Dongying's steam engine is based on the imitation of Daming, and there are drawings of some parts, but these drawings are obviously not compatible with each version, some are the first generation, some are the second and third generations and some Missing, and then they research and assemble it themselves and they don't match.

But being able to get these blueprints shows that Dongying's spies in Daming either have a large number or a low position, or they can't get so many blueprints.

Dongying is an opponent that must be guarded against. The reason for guarding is not its strength, but its heart.

Since the contact between the two countries, Dongying has never stopped coveting the Central Plains, and they dared to declare war on the powerful Tang Dynasty.

As long as they feel that the national power is strong enough, they will launch a war against the Central Plains. It is a pity that they were in a turbulent era for a long time after being repulsed by the Tang Dynasty. Enter a relatively stable and unified period.

The Ashikaga family felt that they also wanted to do an unprecedented feat, and the idea of ​​​​invading the Central Plains was inscribed in their culture, so they moved their minds, arranged spies, and learned to imitate.

Zhu Di wanted to be an emperor through the ages, didn't the generals of Dongying want to leave a name in the history?
Men are the same, power and fame are always the ultimate goal of men.

At this time, it has been five months since Li Xianyu went to Dongying. After gaining the trust of the Ashikaga family, he gradually found some news, but the more in-depth information, Zhu Zhanyi felt that she should not be able to find out, and the Ashikaga family should also Only the most important people know.

He wrote a letter overnight, so that Li Xianyu did not need to investigate too much, but stabilized the current situation.

"Looks like it's time to find a chance to visit Dongying." Zhu Zhanchang muttered to himself.

In recent years, Zhang Xianqi has done a very good job in Dongying. The embassy is well organized and the cultural promotion is good. Dongying people can say that they are eager to see the culture of Daming. The Ashikaga family also agrees that Zhang Xianqi taught Daming culture in Dongying.

Last year, four Dongying students went to Daming to take the imperial examinations. Although they were all passed down, it has to be said that the mentality of Dongying people is unusual.

After thinking about it, Zhu Zhanchang entered the palace overnight and came to the prince's study to explain the matter. After that, the two found Zhu Di together.

Zhu Di, who was still in good spirits during the day, was lying on the bed at this time, his body was weak and his lips were a little white. If it were not really weak, he would not have seen people in such a sick manner.

Weakly said, "I was riding a horse today and I was sweating. At the time, I felt happy, but now I am suffering. I am old, old."

"My father will take care of the dragon's body, and my son will come back when my father is in better health."

"No, it's just a cold. It's not a big deal. You should have something important to see me overnight."

The two looked at each other, and Zhu Zhanchang handed the letter to Zhu Di.

"Grandpa Huang, Dongying's embassy is reporting. Dongying and I have spies in the court. They stole our steam engine blueprints. Although they are some parts, the spies must have penetrated seriously if they can get so many blueprints. Grandson investigates spies."

After Zhu Di read it, he sighed meaningfully: "Once the investigation is done, it will surely alarm many officials, cough cough, the government and the opposition will shake, now is not a good time to investigate this matter, I will order Jin Yiwei to secretly investigate all and Dongying first. There are related officials, so don’t make big moves now.”

"But the emperor..."

Before Zhu Zhanchang could say anything, Zhu Gaochi stopped him and shook his head to signal not to speak. The two looked at each other, and Zhu Zhanchang bowed and walked out.

After the two exited, Zhu Di looked at the closed door and muttered to himself, "My son, I just think too much."

Zhu Gaochi and Zhu Zhanchang were walking on the road in the palace, and Zhu Zhanchang asked a little puzzled: "Father, why didn't you let me say that the matter of Dongying is not a trivial matter, and the people of Dongying have to guard against it."

"Before the expedition, Your Majesty had considered the matter of Dongying, and he had told you that your grandfather naturally has his arrangements for many things, and your grandfather is not feeling well today, so just let him know and wait for him. It's not too late to discuss after two days when I feel better, and Dongying's affairs are not a matter of one or two days."

"It's still my father's thoughtful consideration."

"Also, why did you let your spies bring the first version of the steam engine's blueprints to Dongying?"

"I don't want my child to be trapped in a wolf, and if I don't bring valuable things, people won't trust my spies, and it's just the first version of the steam engine blueprint. It's really going to be built according to the level of Dongying, and it will take some time. It's not on the same level as the steam engine we have now improved over several generations."

"Is that really the only reason?"

"Yes."

Zhu Gaochi smiled and said, "You asked the spies to bring a reason to go to war."

Zhu Zhanchang was silent.

"Zhanchang, after the New Year, you can go back to the fief."

(End of this chapter)