I open a history tutorial class in Daming

Chapter 40: Form a fleet and go to Japan! (Please read it later)
Zhu Yuanzhang was in a daze throughout the entire class.

Even Zhu Biao, a good student who always listened attentively, didn't understand much.

When the class was about to end, Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly remembered something and grabbed Zhu Qizhen beside him and asked:
"Sir, did you talk about the Ming Dynasty or anything after the Ming Dynasty?"

Zhu Qizhen's skin tensed up and he shook his head quickly:
"No, no, the teacher only talked about some things in the past, about the Xia, Shang, Zhou, Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods. There wasn't much new."

Zhu Yuanzhang then breathed a sigh of relief.

He loosened Zhu Qizhen's collar and immediately heard the broadcast echoing in the classroom.

get out of class has ended.

Everyone was thrown out of the system space together.

…………

Ming Dynasty, the tenth year of Hongwu.

The study room in Zhang Wei’s home.

"Your Majesty and Your Highness, why did you come to my house as a guest and discuss matters in this study?"

Outside the study, Zhang Wei and Mao Xiang stood side by side and asked sincere questions.

This morning, the emperor and the prince talked to Song Shen incognito again, and then turned around and went to his house next door.

Zhang Wei was not so narcissistic as to think that he was in the emperor's favor. His Majesty and His Highness had been in a hurry ever since they left Song Shen's house, as if there was something important. They probably just found a suitable place to talk. What's more, there was Mao Xiang, a hawk guarding the door of the study, and who knows how many people were hiding to watch over it secretly.

He didn't expect Mao Xiang to say anything, but His Majesty and His Highness had already been in the study for half an hour, and they had also been standing outside for half an hour. If they didn't chat for a while, Zhang Wei was afraid that he would fall asleep while standing.

Mao Xiang didn't even look at him, staring at the study door without blinking, and said lightly:
"Don't ask what you shouldn't ask. There are some things that your majesty didn't say that we, as ministers, shouldn't know."

"Besides, do you think I know?"

Zhang Wei was choked and was speechless for a moment.

After all this time, even Mao Xiang, the emperor's well-known confidant and court lackey, didn't know why?

Then why is he still teaching himself a lesson!
Zhang Wei took a breath and was about to find some other topic to relieve his boredom, but he heard the door creak and was pushed open from the inside.

Zhu Biao stood at the door and waved at them:
"Commander Mao, please come in."

"Censor Zhang, please wait outside."

Mao Xiang immediately trotted into the room, and Zhang Wei bowed in greeting, somewhat flattered.

Although he had come into contact with His Royal Highness the Crown Prince several times, for a marginal character like him, it was difficult to see the true faces of His Majesty and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince even when they were in court. Now that the Crown Prince spoke to him so approachably, Zhang Wei felt that the only chance he had in his life to hit the jackpot was now.

In the study.

The door was closed tightly by Mao Xiang and checked several times.

Zhu Yuanzhang sat on the chair and said in a deep voice:

"Mao Xiang, there are a few things we need to entrust to you."

"First, investigate the Lu family in Chunhe Palace, including the family behind her and any family members who are in contact with her. All of them must be investigated. Time is not important, but you must investigate thoroughly. Do you understand?"

Chunhe Palace is the East Palace.

Lu is the prince's concubine who is now in her seventh or eighth month of pregnancy.

Hearing this order, Mao Xiang broke out in sweat. Of course, he understood the order, but he had no idea what it meant.

Could it be that the prince's concubine has something to hide? This is not right. If His Majesty has any new information or clues, unless the prince and the queen report it directly, the information of others will be passed through Mao Xiang's hands. Where did this information come from?

The secrets of the imperial palace...if there is something true, it must be of great importance!

But before Mao Xiang could clarify the matter, Zhu Yuanzhang spoke again.

"Second, we need to build a fleet. We need to create an identity of Chen Guorui from the Jiangnan Chen family and build a fleet - the kind that can go out to sea."

This time, Mao Xiang was really stunned.

As early as the founding of the Ming Dynasty, the iron rule of "no ships are allowed to go to sea" had been set. In the third year of Hongwu, His Majesty abolished the Taicang Huangdu Maritime Customs Office, and in the seventh year of Hongwu, he even removed the three Maritime Customs Offices in Quanzhou, Guangzhou, and Mingzhou that had been set up during the Tang Dynasty, completely cutting off the route to sea trade.

But what does Your Majesty mean now?
He actually wanted to secretly establish a seagoing fleet under the guise of a civilian merchant? !

Isn't this just slapping yourself in the face!
"Your Majesty, the fleet is easy to deal with, but the naval forces along the coast are not idle. They patrol day and night. If they find that a civilian fleet has gone out to sea without permission, they will definitely..."

Before Mao Xiang finished speaking, Zhu Yuanzhang glared at him:
"Idiot! I just said that you should take advantage of Chen Guorui's status. I didn't ask you to really build a civilian fleet. Of course, I know that the navy is not just for free, but you are!"

"Don't you know to tell the navy with our secret order and ask them to send out men and ships? Let alone building a ship from scratch, it will take countless years. You are usually so stupid, how come you can't think straight now!"

Although His Majesty was scolding, Mao Xiang felt a lot more at ease.

Okay, okay, just give your order!
If such a matter touching on national policy was handled by word of mouth without imperial decree, once something went wrong, Mao Xiang would lose his head. He didn't have that many heads to lose!

He chuckled and said:
"I understand, I understand!"

"So after this fleet is formed, where exactly will it go?"

Zhu Yuanzhang glanced at Zhu Biao:
"Biao'er, have you ever asked that idiot in class?"

The stupid donkey, naturally, refers to Zhu Qizhen.

Zhu Biao nodded:

"I asked him, and he said the richest place is Southeast Asia. It is said that there are countless rare treasures, as well as precious spices and trees, and even jewels fished up from the bottom of the sea. They are all very good."

"But I don't agree with what you just said..."

"He asked us to form a caravan to go to Japan, and even specified a location in detail. Do you think there is another purpose behind this?"

That's right.

The proposal to form a fleet was the second thing Song Shen mentioned to Chen Guorui and Chen Biao, father and son.

He only said that he needed to rent two ocean-going ships and bring more people to Japan, but he did not mention the purpose or specific plans. He only asked "Chen Guorui" to tell him after he was ready.

Song Shen knew how risky it was to do such a thing secretly in the early Ming Dynasty.

But after Zhu Yuanzhang's hypocritical proposal, he still stated firmly that as long as the goal was achieved, the court would not only not punish them, but would even ask them, the first group of people who had been to Japan, to lead the way. By then, Chen Biao could become any official he wanted, and perhaps even be granted the title of duke or marquis.

Things have come to this point. If Zhu Yuanzhang still refuses to agree, it would go against the profit-seeking nature of a businessman and would definitely be exposed.

So, considering that Song Shen is familiar with two thousand years of history, and considering that he has no unfavorable thoughts towards Ming Dynasty...

This vote is done!

(End of this chapter)