The First Gongsheng of Ming Dynasty

After hearing Zhang Zhou's remarks, Yang Peng was so scared that he went back and refused to see visitors. He claimed to the outside world that he was sick and never went out to see anyone again.

Because Yang Peng is now in power, he really doesn't want to go out to sea and become a local emperor. He only wants to act arrogantly in the capital of the Ming Dynasty, make others afraid of him, and enjoy the glory brought by this power. He never wants to take any responsibility for the Ming Dynasty.

Yang Peng didn't want to go, and Zhang Zhou didn't plan to let him go.

People like Yang Peng seem to be able to get things done, but their loyalty is questionable. Once he is allowed to hold real power overseas, it will be difficult to guarantee that an autonomous state will not be formed overseas, which will eventually threaten the Ming Dynasty.

The person Zhang Zhou most favored as the actual commander of the troops was naturally Sun Shangqi, whom he had always been promoting.

Going out to sea is imminent.

Zhu Youtang gained a huge amount of wealth from going to sea. The Ming Dynasty finally had the most effective means of printing money besides the Ming Baochao. Zhu Youtang naturally wanted to speed up the overseas printing of money, so he did not plan to wait and planned to complete the fleet's going to sea again before the New Year.

So Zhang Zhou directly asked Sun Shangqi to come to the theater to see him, which was also the place Sun Shangqi visited most often.

But things and people had changed a lot by then. After all, Sun Shangqi had been in Liaodong for more than half a year, and he seemed to have become much more estranged from Zhang Zhou after he came back. Moreover, he had already known in advance that this was related to the voyage. He probably also felt that Zhang Zhou would continue to promote him in the future, but he probably couldn't always stay by Zhang Zhou's side, or be accompanied by the kind of absolutely trusted entourage.

When Sun Shangqi arrived, Ning Tong had just met Zhang Zhou and went to the other courtyard to wait.

Ning Tong returned with Concubine Xian's team. In fact, she used the excuse of accompanying Concubine Xian to return to Beijing for a brief reunion with Zhang Zhou. Now that she is a married woman, she no longer wants to live alone like a young girl, and wants to return to the capital whenever she has time.

"I am your humble servant, paying my respects to you, sir." Sun Shangqi was still very knowledgeable and tactful. He regarded Zhang Zhou as his superior and teacher, and showed great courtesy when they met.

Zhang Zhou said, "Sit down."

Then Sun Shangqi stood up and sat on the chair.

Zhang Zhou said: "Originally, I have prepared two choices for you. One is to follow me to the grasslands next year, and the other is to go to sea and conquer foreign countries. I should have discussed this with you, but after all, you don't have much experience in fighting against the Tatars. It would be better for you to go overseas and manage that area for Your Majesty."

Sun Shangqi stood up hurriedly and said, "I obey your orders."

"No need to be so formal, sit down and talk." Zhang Zhou pointed at him.

Only then did Sun Shangqi sit down again.

At this time, Sun Shangqi was obviously still a little embarrassed, or maybe it was because he had not gotten along with Zhang Zhou for a long time. He felt that Zhang Zhou was superior to him, and he could not raise his head in front of Zhang Zhou, so he needed to respond in a listening manner.

"Settle all the things at home." Zhang Zhou said, "I didn't assign too many tasks for you when you return to Beijing this time, so that you have more time to prepare."

"Yes." Sun Shangqi said.

Zhang Zhou continued, "The rules for going to war are that you cannot bring your wife, children, and elders with you. You should understand this."

"Yes." Sun Shangqi certainly understood all of this.

Zhang Zhou smiled and said, "But your majesty is more considerate of the soldiers who go to sea, especially some of the chief officers. It is very likely that you will stay overseas for a long time and may not be able to return within a year. In this case, your majesty is ready to let you take a concubine to go to sea with you."

"Ok?"

Sun Shangqi looked surprised.

What is the emperor's arrangement?
Are soldiers going to war qualified to bring women with them?

Zhang Zhou said, "We can't help it. We will be on the sea for several months this time. If we don't take into account the homesickness of the soldiers, we are afraid that something might happen overseas. And your Majesty has also ordered that the people, livestock, and maids obtained after the voyage will be distributed to the soldiers in the army, and they will be allowed to take them with them when they return to the court."

"This one……"

Sun Shangqi seemed a little embarrassed.

Obviously Sun Shangqi has been busy with his career in the past two years. His official position has been rapidly promoted and his status in the court has also risen, but he really can't take care of his family.

And he thinks it's good this way.

After all, Sun Shangqi has a wife, children and the elderly. It is not possible for a middle- or upper-level general like him to go to sea for several years at a time without anyone to take care of him... But the rule of the army going to war is that wives, children and the elderly cannot be brought along. This can be regarded as a kind of preferential treatment by Zhu Youtang to the soldiers who are about to go to war.

"One voyage lasts no more than two years, and we 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 gains, it will also allow soldiers to rotate more frequently."

Sun Shangqi said: "I don't quite understand."

Zhang Zhou said: "In fact, the sea is relatively calm. The ships of the Ming Dynasty are relatively large now, so there are generally no major problems. However, we still encounter hurricanes and other situations. It is only from April to September every year that it is not suitable to go out to sea."

"Yes. I have heard about it too." Sun Shangqi said.

"Except for this period, I plan to have the fleet go out to sea once every two months. In the future, through steamships and other means, the one-way time can be controlled to about one and a half to two months. There will be three fleets that will travel back and forth between Ming Dynasty and the New World between September and April of the following year."

Sun Shangqi asked, "May I ask, the New World, are you referring to... the land of Penglai?"

"I guess so. I just call it that. In fact, it should be called America, but how to call it is our business. We will name it and even occupy that place and make it our overseas territory. There are enough people there, vast land, and even rich resources. The expansion of the Ming Dynasty requires the accumulation of resources there."

As Zhang Zhou spoke, he handed Sun Shangqi something that looked like a book.

"Study it carefully after you take it back in the next two days." Zhang Zhou said, "Before you set out to sea, you will be summoned by His Majesty to formally receive the imperial seal."

When Sun Shangqi heard this, he immediately became excited: "I will obey your orders."

Zhang Zhou smiled and said, "As for your concubine, His Majesty will even grant you one. This way, he will help you choose a good lady, which will make things easier for you."

Sun Shangqi didn't seem to be very interested in this, but he saluted hastily and said, "I will definitely not let down your Majesty and your trust."

……

……

That night, Zhang Zhou stayed in the villa where Ning Tong lived.

Chen Ying also came with Zhang Zhou.

After all, the two girls were "good sisters" when they were in Nanjing, and now they are both Zhang Zhou's concubines... Although Chen Ying and Zhang Zhou have returned to the mansion, she only went back to recognize the family, and she did not enter the mansion itself.

After all, I have to help with work outside.

Since Ning Tong entered the Zhang family, she has never even returned to the mansion, and it was Ning Tong herself who didn't want to do so.

For Ning Tong, marriage might just be an embellishment. After all, the reputation of the wife of Marquis Anbian has been a burden to her for a long time. If she cared about the status that marriage would bring her, she would not have taken the initiative to leave such a wealthy family as the Chengguo Mansion.

Ning Tong would rather stay outside the palace, but now she is more attached to Zhang Zhou.

"I think going to sea is a good thing."

It was already three o'clock in the morning, but Zhang Zhou still hadn't slept.

After all, the weather was very cold, and the villa they were staying in had no heating, so Zhang Zhou even had to put on very thick clothes when he got down to the table. Ning Tong probably felt that the room was still a little dim, so she also came over and helped Zhang Zhou light another candle.

Zhang Zhou said: "Just light one, why waste it?"

"I don't care." Ning Tong said, "Did the master hear what I said?"

Zhang Zhou looked at Chen Ying who had fallen asleep, and wondered why Chen Ying seemed so calm in front of Ning Tong and could sleep so soundly... After all, this place was still a strange place.

After all, Zhang Zhou doesn't need to worry too much about this kind of thing.

Zhang Zhou said: "Why, do you want to go out to sea?"

Ning Tong nodded and said, "In fact, I also want to go out and take a look. I heard that there are gold, silver and jewelry everywhere over there. Even ordinary people are wearing gold and silver items."

Zhang Zhou laughed and said, "Are you greedy for money?"

Ning Tong said: "For me, the most practical thing right now is probably wealth. Having wealth is like having a future. If you don't have it... it's hard to imagine what will be left when you are old and ugly."

When he said this, his tone was still somewhat sad.

Zhang Zhou sighed, "It seems that I should rest early. When I fall asleep, I can dream about anything."

"I am telling the truth." Ning Tong said.

Zhang Zhou also put away his contempt and said, "It's too hard to go overseas. It takes years to go there. You can't bring anything back after you go there. Because in your Majesty's eyes, everything belongs to the court. I didn't leave anything behind. What do you think you will get when you go there?"

Ning Tong lowered her head.

Zhang Zhou said: "Besides, you are no longer as free and easy as before. I don't agree with you going overseas."

Ning Tong sighed and said, "It seems that I am only suitable to work for the master."

"Isn't that good?" Zhang Zhou said, "For example, in the past year, between Binhai City and the capital, you have been able to come and go as you please. I haven't restricted your freedom. Even in the north, you can go wherever you want. It's not impossible to walk around and have a look."

Ning Tong said: "I can't let go of the business in Binhai City."

Zhang Zhou smiled.

This woman, on the one hand, wants to be a little woman, even counting money behind a man's back, and on the other hand, she wants to go out and see the world... It's probably very complicated, even Zhang Zhou herself can't quite understand what she is thinking.

Would a normal woman think of following a fleet to overseas destinations just to move gold, silver and jewelry to her own home?
"Rest early." Zhang Zhou said, "I have some things to do here. You can stay in Beijing for the next few days, but be careful of the Queen's people."

"After arriving in Beijing, I will not go anywhere."

Ning Tong is also a very careful person. "I won't cause trouble for you in the capital."

Zhang Zhou said: "Yes, you are the big boss of Binhai City's entertainment industry. What kind of scenes have you not seen?"

Ning Tong wrinkled her nose and asked, "Master, are you speaking the truth or the irony?"

"You can figure it out yourself." Zhang Zhou said, "You are with me after all. Sometimes I really don't want to care about you. The only thing is that going out to sea is a bit unrealistic. Don't think about it for now. If I want to go out to sea in the future, I will definitely take you with me."

When Ning Tong heard this, her eyes seemed to really light up, and she smiled and said, "I think so too."

Zhang Zhou then seemed to realize that Ning Tong was not only unwilling to be mediocre, but also seemed to want to help him, Zhang Zhou, become extraordinary.

This mediocrity...

Perhaps it's not mediocrity in the conventional sense, but they want Zhang Zhou to do something more unique.

Zhang Zhou said: "I'll go out to sea... I can only think about it in my dreams after I fall asleep. But it's really good. If I'm given a place, everything will develop according to my ideas. It won't take decades, just ten or eight years. I think... hehe."

Some things don't need to be stated too clearly.

If he were really allowed to go to the American continent and given ten years, he would be able to accumulate enough weapons and men to subvert the entire world, and the entire earth would be changed by him.

……

……

The news that the emperor was going to send people out to sea quickly spread throughout the court.

Although Yingcheng Bosun Jixian, the meritorious official who went to sea last time, did not receive any promotion after returning, he received a reward of several thousand taels of silver, and his status in the court rose rapidly. As soon as he returned, he was arranged to perform his duties in the Beijing camp.

This also made the meritorious officials of other families, especially those who were unsuccessful in the Hongzhi Dynasty, want to take advantage of the situation and go to sea to gain some experience.

Going out to sea with a large ship, there seems to be no risk of capsizing. The fleet is so large that no matter if you encounter wind and waves, reefs, or barbarians overseas, one fleet is enough to deal with it.

You can get rewards and promotion in official positions...

Even if it means going through a year of hard work, people will still rush to go.

This mentality is in stark contrast to that of Yang Peng, a very realistic and treacherous minister.

I have no power or influence, and I want to go out to sea and make a name for myself.

Once I become powerful, going out to sea will only bring trouble to myself...Why should I make myself unhappy?
Among the many applicants, there was one person who was very special.

It is the Duke of England Zhang Mao.

Originally, going to sea had nothing to do with him, but he heard from somewhere that the former Duke Baoguo Zhu Hui might have a chance to make amends for his crime by going to sea and making merit, so he was trying his best to get the qualification to lead troops to sea this time.

Zhang Mao could not go to Zhang Zhou in person, so he asked Zhong Decai to go to Jiang Dezhong, who then conveyed the message to Zhang Zhou.

"...My dear son-in-law, the Duke of England also said that he knows that you get annoyed when you see him, and that he will be a nuisance in the capital, so he doesn't intend to bother you. Isn't his family now almost unable to make ends meet? He wants to take advantage of this voyage to improve his wealth. He still has a position in the Governor's Office, but he doesn't even have an assignment... He is also anxious..."

Jiang Dezhong can also be considered a qualified lobbyist.

At least Zhang Mao did not make a mistake in choosing Jiang Dezhong as his ally.

When it comes to being responsible for Zhang Mao, Jiang Dezhong is still very reliable.

Zhang Zhou said: "If he goes, I'm afraid that the annual output of those silver and gold mines overseas will decrease by several percent."

"Then how much is it? People say that there are tens of millions of taels? But is it true?" Jiang Dezhong's eyes also sparkled.

Zhang Zhou smiled and said, "That's absolutely right, no more, no less. Old Taishan wants to join in the fun too?"

Jiang Dezhong smiled awkwardly and said, "That's just what I said. My dear son-in-law, don't take it to heart. By the way, your brother returned to Beijing recently and brought your nephew to visit me. How about...you arrange for him to go?" (End of this chapter)