King Xiang of the Red Chamber

Chapter 381 The Emperor's Appetite

"Why did my father call me?" Zhu Jinghong asked casually, although he knew there would be no results.

"This... the slave doesn't know!"

"Brother Thirteen, isn't it because of us?" Zhu Jingchun looked worried at the side.

Although they didn't have to go to class today, strictly speaking, they weren't supposed to leave the palace, so they were worried that the emperor would be the one to blame.

"If you are scared, I think you'd better not come out in the future!" Zhu Jinghong glanced at them sideways.

If someone is summoned at this time, it must be something serious. How can they go to war over these two boys?

"Everyone, we are here today!" Zhu Jinghong looked at the crowd and said.

"Master Thirteen, go slowly!"

"Thank you Thirteenth Master for the hospitality!"

While everyone was being polite, Zhu Jinghong said seriously: "Today is not just for entertainment. The first phase of training is over, but it is the beginning of a new journey!"

"The second phase of the mission is joint training. There will be thousands of people in a single military formation, or even more..."

"How to cooperate closely, how to maneuver freely, and how to use firecrackers while marching, these are the next difficult problems!"

"You should all think carefully when you go down and practice well... don't let down the great love of the Holy One!"

Immediately, someone said: "The Thirteenth Master taught me, please remember it!"

After this person finished speaking, others also expressed their opinions. They were indeed not just here for fun today.

After saying goodbye to the generals, Zhu Jinghong left with his two younger brothers. They entered the imperial city on horseback.

After entering the palace, looking at his two younger brothers who wanted to leave, Zhu Jinghong said with a smile: "Won't you come to the audience with me?"

"Brother Thirteen, I still have something to do, it's really inconvenient!"

"Me too... I missed two chapters of the homework assigned by Mr. yesterday!"

Zhu Jinghong smiled and said: "Go away!"

"Eh..."

The two people left in a flash, and Zhu Jinghong walked to Qianqing Palace alone.

It was almost noon, and the emperor was having lunch when he entered the palace.

Contrary to what ordinary people thought, the emperor's lunch did not include dozens or hundreds of dishes, it was just eight dishes and one soup.

More than three hundred years of dynasty inheritance and the historical achievements of twice restoring China have given the emperor a lofty sanctity and no need to waste dishes to show his holiness.

"Report to Your Majesty, the Thirteenth Lord please see me!"

"Let him in!" Zhu Xianming said calmly.

After a few breaths, Zhu Jinghong walked into the hall.

After saluting, he stood in front of the emperor's dining table, bent his waist and asked: "Dad...what do you want from your son?"

Picking up the dishes prepared by the eunuch from the plate in front of him, Zhu Xianming asked slowly: "I heard that someone lives in Prince You's palace. What's going on?"

Zhu Jinghong suddenly thought of Ke Qing, which instantly made him worried.

If the old man knew about his dirty deeds, it would not be impossible for Ke Qing to be executed directly.

"Why don't you speak?" Zhu Xianming stopped.

"You reward the Qin family girl to your son, and your son can only let her live in the palace first!"

"Just living in the palace?"

"Just living in the palace!" Zhu Jinghong replied firmly, as if he was telling the truth.

He has made up his mind that he will never admit anything about him and Ke Qing until death.

After staring at Zhu Jinghong for a while, Zhu Xianming knew that this boy would never admit it when he saw his lack of weakness.

So he turned his head and asked while picking up the food: "You have a celebration banquet today. It is obvious that your military training has been very effective!"

When Zhu Jinghong heard the old man change the subject, he knew that he had passed the first test. The old man obviously wanted to beat him up before asking about serious matters.

This basically means that the old man will no longer care about the things in his crotch, so he plans to talk to Yinglian tonight.

Although he was thinking about flowers, Zhu Jinghong still answered honestly: "It can't be called a celebration, it's just about calling people together to learn from each other's experiences!"

"After a month of training, the first phase of the mission has basically been completed. Today is also equivalent to swearing in the second phase of training!"

"Pledge? Eat, drink, and fight?" Zhu Xianming turned around and asked.

"This...can be considered a new experience!" Zhu Jinghong smiled awkwardly.

"In a few months, the leaders and chieftains of all the vassals and alliances will come to the capital to participate in your crowning ceremony. I plan to let them watch the new army's joint training. Can you do it by then?"

Hearing the first half of the sentence, Zhu Jinghong couldn't help but be a little surprised, and then he asked: "Father...you mean, you called them here to attend the crowning ceremony of your son?"

When he heard what Lao Liu said before, he thought it was a normal alliance, but he knew it would be in the name of his crowning ceremony.

In fact, the reason why the emperor did this was to get closer to these people. After all, they would still have to send troops to fight next.

"Am I still joking with you?"

"When the new army trains together, will they be able to do anything?" Zhu Xianming asked in a deep voice.

"It should be possible!"

"Is it possible?" Zhu Xianming looked sullen. He needed a definite answer.

"It can be done!" Zhu Jinghong said firmly.

For such a major matter, in the past the emperor would have doubted Zhu Jinghong's ability, but after more than half a year of these events, Zhu Xianming no longer doubted it.

"If you need anything, just ask for it!"

"We need to replenish [-] self-propelled guns to replace the old muskets..."

Zhu Jinghong's first request almost made Zhu Xianming choke.

"Boy, you are so open-minded. Do you know how much money [-] self-propelled guns cost?"

After pouring a glass of wine for the emperor with his own hands, Zhu Jinghong said with a smile: "Dad... you can only accomplish things if you have money. You don't know this, right?"

"Besides, it's just money, so this thing is very easy to do!"

"Easy? You kid, take out 10 taels first!"

According to today's prices, 10 automatic guns cost about [-] taels of silver, and it would be even more expensive to buy them from foreigners.

Of course, foreigners' guns are more accurate and have a lower chance of exploding.

"I can't earn 10 taels, but dad, if you want money, let alone 10 taels...it's not even a matter of millions or tens of millions!"

"You have such a soft tone, kid!"

"Dad, did you forget what your son said during the sutra feast last year?"

After Zhu Jinghong reminded him, Zhu Xianming's thoughts couldn't help but fly far away, and he remembered what he said at the sutra banquet that day.

It can be summed up in one word... grab it!

"As far as my son knows, there are many gold and silver mountains in Japan!"

"They are a small country with few people, but they have such wealth. Do you think their virtue is not worthy of it?"

"It is precisely because of this gold and silver that they can buy guns and cannons from foreigners, and they have begun to spy on our Ming Dynasty!"

"So for all reasons and reasons, you should take good care of them and use the gold and silver in the right place for them!"

After Zhu Jinghong finished speaking, Zhu Xianming did not speak in a hurry, but showed a thoughtful expression.

"Is there really so much gold in Japan?"

"Son, how dare you lie to you? When I was fighting Japanese invaders in Jinling, I often heard people say that it was an open-pit gold and silver mine, and the ground was dug to reveal the ore!"

This is of course Zhu Jinghong's nonsense, but the emperor loves money!
"really?"

"Dad, if it's true or not, you can tell Nanzhen Fusi to check it out!"

Nanzhen Fusi mainly deals with the outside world, and it does have the ability in this area. "Even if Japan has mountains of gold and silver, but it's thousands of miles away and there's a vast sea, how can it be snatched...and given to us?"

Speaking of this, Zhu Xianming sighed: "My navy of the Ming Dynasty... don't mention it!"

Of course, the Ming Dynasty had a navy, but the scale was too small, and the warships themselves were not very advanced.

The offshore combat capabilities are quite poor, and crossing the ocean is simply a fantasy.

In addition to poor weapons and equipment, the training system for naval soldiers and generals is also incomplete. What was 100 years ago is what it is now.

It is precisely because of this that Zhu Jinghong asked Jia Yucun a few days ago to help find foreign naval generals or soldiers who could be used as instructors.

In Zhu Jinghong's opinion, it is not shameful to learn from the barbarians and learn their skills in order to defeat the barbarians.

Only falling behind and being beaten would be truly embarrassing.

At this moment, the emperor was dissatisfied with the navy. How could Zhu Jinghong miss the opportunity to make suggestions.

"Dad...Actually, this matter is quite simple. Just train a powerful navy!"

"You put it lightly!" Zhu Xianming sneered.

He was born in the military, and although he had never commanded a navy in combat, he was still considered a semi-expert and knew how much money it cost to train a navy.

Ten thousand guns cost 10 taels of silver, which can equip 10 soldiers for combat, but [-] taels of silver may not be able to build a good warship, and this is just a warship.

"Dad...don't you feel sorry for Yin Zi again?"

Having said this, Zhu Jinghong pulled up a stool and sat down, as if he was about to start discussing business.

"If you want to make money, you must spend money to build a powerful navy. You can have as much money as you want!"

"You...must open up the situation!"

Zhu Xianming could tolerate other words, but he couldn't bear this.

He was a majestic Ming emperor with millions of troops under his command. He overwhelmed all the countries in the world and surrendered. No one in the world could be more powerful than him.

"presumptuous!"

"Look, you can't stand your son's words. I'm really afraid that..."

Hearing what Zhu Jinghong said, Zhu Xianming couldn't help but doubt himself. Could it be that he really didn't have enough structure and couldn't even hold a sentence?

But in an instant, he knew that he had been tricked by the boy in front of him, and that the matter of superiority and inferiority had nothing to do with the pattern.

But Zhu Jinghong did not give the emperor a chance to get angry, and immediately said: "Dad, this world is very big. There are many blessed and wealthy places outside the Ming Dynasty. They are really full of money!"

"You talk about those foreigners, why do they travel tens of thousands of miles across the sea and go to places like Annan and Luzon? They are not doing good things!"

"It's not just for the money!"

"Their warships are really pulling back gold and silver!"

Confucianism pays attention to elegance, so Zhu Jinghong always talks about gold and silver, and is as hungry as a hungry wolf.

The emperor had no intention of eating at this time. As an emperor, he wants to rule the world, and he is the one who desires money the most.

After serving himself a bowl of soup, Zhu Jinghong continued: "I heard from the foreign craftsmen in Linyuan that the cups, plates and chopsticks used by Western kings to eat and drink, as well as the pillars and floors in the main hall, are all made of gold. , so magnificent and magnificent!"

Zhu Xianming couldn't help but feel a little envious when he heard that foreigners were so extravagant.

It's not that he wants to use gold cups and gold plates, but he also wants to have so much gold and silver at his disposal, so that he can do more great things.

"Hmph, you are really a barbarian and vulgar!"

Although he said this, Zhu Xianming knew very well that he was already feeling sour in his heart.

The emperor of the Ming Dynasty was powerful, but he was not as rich as a few barbarian lords.

I want to grab it too... This idea has taken root in Zhu Xianming's mind.

"Dad, this money is not only earned at home, but there is so much money outside that you can also pick it up!"

Zhu Jinghong's words were profound. Zhu Xianming looked at him seriously, and then said: "Why...do you have any objections to the court's new policy?"

After drinking the last mouthful of soup in the bowl, Zhu Jinghong replied: "Of course not!"

"There are many rich people who don't pay taxes. Of course this needs to be rectified, but this does not prevent you from picking up money outside!"

The first half of Zhu Jinghong's sentence really shocked the emperor.

On the surface, the New Deal was to increase the court's tax revenue, but its more critical purpose was to equalize wealth and poverty, in order to combat tax avoidance and even tax evasion by the gentry.

Land annexation is difficult to suppress, but if taxes can be raised and the government can equalize wealth, long-term peace and stability can be maintained.

It would be strange for Zhu Xianming not to be surprised when these profound things were mentioned casually by Zhu Jinghong.

In his opinion, the prince would definitely not be able to see this level, and a boy like Lao Liu would be able to touch the threshold.

"Dad, what are you looking at me doing, eating vegetables!"

From the time he started drinking a bowl of soup, Zhu Jinghong had already picked up the chopsticks and started picking up his own food.

Pushing a plate of steamed mutton in front of Zhu Jinghong, Zhu Xianming said slowly: "You know a lot, but I misjudged you!"

It's not easy to say this. If you don't say it well, your character will collapse.

Holding the plate in front of him, Zhu Jinghong said while picking up the vegetables: "Your husband must have mistaken my son!"

"With my son's ability, he can be a bachelor of the cabinet. If I give him the job of chief assistant, then my son can earn as much as I want, dad!"

"Wouldn't it be better if the emperor asked you to be the emperor?" Zhu Xianming pushed another plate of dishes in front of Zhu Jinghong.

Zhu Jinghong smiled and replied: "Dad, I can only be the first assistant at most. You should give the emperor's errand to the fourth brother!"

Seeing that this boy spoke without any scruples, Zhu Xianming's suspicion weakened a lot.

"Chief Assistant? You haven't even read all four books. You are not qualified to be a ninth-grade official!"

"Dad, the books of saints are for reading, but they are useless for doing things, so whether your son can read or not... has nothing to do with being the chief minister!"

Although he strongly agreed with these words, Zhu Xianming looked cold on the surface and immediately scolded: "Asshole... It's just that you don't study. You dare to slander the learning of saints. You are simply arrogant!"

"My son made a mistake, he deserves a slap..." Zhu Jinghong stood up quickly and slapped himself twice.

"Okay, go out and fight, don't get my eyes dirty!"

"Then the son should stop fighting. How dare he damage his body, hair and skin?" Zhu Jinghong smiled sarcastically.

"Hmph, didn't you say that the book of saints is useless!" Zhu Xianming sneered.

While adding wine to the old man, Zhu Jinghong said: "There is still some use!"

"Dad, you have to take the construction of the Navy seriously. Your gold and silver have been robbed by foreigners. It's not a pity that your son feels it is a pity!"

At this moment, Zhu Xianming really didn't refute. It was obvious that he was really moved.

Of course, as an emperor who has been in power for many years, Zhu Xianming will not make major decisions based on whims. There must be full investigation and argumentation.

"Send an order to Zhao Sheng and ask him to check carefully, where there are gold and silver mines in Luzon, Japan, and the chieftains of other vassals and alliances!"

Once the gangster mentality is developed, it is difficult to correct.

After checking all the vassal subordinates and alliances, Zhu Jinghong found that the old man had a bigger appetite than him.

"Yes!" Cheng Ying responded, and then went out to send someone to deliver the order.

"Boy, tell me about your errand. Since you promised, you must complete it. If something goes wrong..."

Before the emperor could tell the consequences, Zhu Jinghong answered sadly: "Break my son's legs!"

"Dad, it's easy to get the job done, but..."

"If you fart, let it go!" Zhu Xianming looked unhappy.

Zhu Jinghong smiled and replied: "It's just a reward or something, you can't be stingy!"

"You are talking nonsense. When have I ever been stingy?"

After glaring at Zhu Jinghong, Zhu Xianming scolded: "I'll get angry when I see you!"

"roll!"

(End of this chapter)