Prodigal Son of the Ming Dynasty

  Chapter 227 Longyan Joy

  Open the sea, ban the sea, sail to the Western Ocean, and cut off the Western Sea Route.

  In later generations, for many people, it seems that since Emperor Wen, the maritime administration of Ming Dynasty has continued the strategy of Emperor Taizu Gao.

   But in fact, it revolves around the issue of whether to ban or ban sea trade, and whether to continue voyages to the West.

  From Xuanzong of the Ming Dynasty to the Hongzhi Dynasty, the disputes between the courts never stopped.

  Every few decades, the memory of Fengchen is recalled by people, so, around the sea embargo and the strategy of the West, the two sides are fighting with each other, and they are in a close fight.

  The last sea ban controversy was during the Chenghua Dynasty.

  The representative of Kaihai and Saiyan is Xiang Zhong, Minister of the Ministry of War.

  Xiang Zhong experienced the civil fort change, was captured, and the Wala people asked him to raise horses.

   But this guy is also smart, he rode his own horse and slipped away.

  After that, the horse couldn't run anymore, so he walked for seven days and nights and returned to Beijing. He is a representative figure of the Chinese nation's escape.

   Since then, he has served as the governor of Huguang's military affairs, and served as a deputy envoy in Guangdong and an inspector in Shanxi. Because of his outstanding political achievements, he was transferred to the capital.

  At the same time, he is still from Zhejiang and lives by the sea. He is well aware of the dangers of rampant pirates and border violations. He can also learn about the prosperity of Zheng He's voyages to the West from the mouths of his father and grandfather.

  At that time, countless rare treasures were loaded and unloaded, countless large ships were being built, and countless people became sailors and sea officers. They followed Zheng He to the sea and made contributions.

  Thinking of these Xiang Zhong requests to go back to the West.

   Then immediately encountered opposition.

  The two sides were arguing red-faced.

   It can be disputed, and Xiang Zhong knows very well that this dispute will last for a long time, so...he doesn't care.

What is really chilling is not here, but when he brought people and asked Liu Daxia, who was in charge of the warehouse of the Ministry of War, angrily to hand over the sea charts and materials of Zheng He's voyages, Liu Daxia told him that all of these had been done. Burned.

   All of a sudden, all the controversy came to an abrupt end.

   No one mentions sailing to the sea and going to the West anymore.

You know, people are in awe of the sea. Daming has never built a large ship for decades, and has never gone to sea for decades. Blank, everything depends on the experience of the ancestors.

   Without the experience of the ancestors, it is completely groping, building ships, and training personnel on its own, which is... simply a joke.

  Of course, unless the imperial court really has the courage of the Emperor Wen, no matter what the cost.

  From Chenghua to Hongzhi years, the emperor kept his promises, and he was truly decisive, just like Emperor Nawen, who ordered hundreds of thousands of people to be requisitioned and used all the power of the court to build an unprecedented fleet.

  Nowadays, with so many constraints in the court, it is impossible to do such a big thing.

  So, no one debated whether to open the sea or ban the sea, and no one talked about sailing to the west, because it was meaningless, and Ming was completely cut off from the ocean.

Xiang Zhong was furious, Zhishi, in fact, he is still in his prime, he has become Minister of the Ministry of War, if he continues to work, he has great hope of joining the cabinet, after all, he still lived happily for 26 years after he became a scholar .

   And Liu Daxia became famous because of this, and his reputation spread throughout the government and the public.

  Many people praised him for his superiority, not afraid of strong BAO, and believed that he was for the country and the people, and he did not want to waste the court's public funds to let the court do great things.

   Today, Fang Jifan offered sweet potatoes, and Liu Daxia, as a gentleman for the country and the people, naturally jumped out excitedly and brushed his face, crying, moving the heavens and the earth.

  Emperor Hongzhi was quite emotional. In fact, he didn't want to howl and cry. With this sweet potato, the food problem that made him burnt out was solved.

  But he is the emperor, so he has to pay attention to his status. Naturally, he can't cry in front of his courtiers.

  Emperor Hongzhi took a special look at Liu Daxia, and he seemed to have a better impression of this doctor in the Ministry of War.

   It is said that Liu Langzhong is honest and honest, and he loves the people like a son, as expected.

  After feeling a lot of emotion, Emperor Hongzhi stared deeply at Fang Jifan, with confusion in his piercing eyes, and asked seriously.

   "Fang Qing's family, where did this sweet potato come from?"

  Fang Jifan answered truthfully.

   "The crime of death, this comes from a Hu businessman."

  It turns out...it's Hu Shang...

  In fact, Emperor Hongzhi was a little dazed when he heard it, his complexion changed slightly, and the corner of his mouth twitched unnaturally.

   "Hu Shang..."

  At this moment, the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty also showed embarrassing expressions. Looking at Fang Jifan, they couldn't laugh or cry. Sure enough, you are still that Fang Jifan.

  Da Ming only had tribute trade, and private trade was forbidden.

  Fang Jifan didn't mention which country's tribute envoy, but only said that he was a Hu merchant. Anyone with a discerning eye would know that this guy...has hooked up with a smuggler. This guy is not a thing.

   It's just that, before this great achievement, what kind of Hu businessman is actually not important at all.

  Emperor Hongzhi came back to his senses, raised his eyebrows, and did not continue to delve into the matter of Hu Shang, but sighed deeply.

   "It's unexpected that there are such living things as sweet potatoes in the world."

  Fang Jifan saw that the fire was almost ready, and glanced at Liu Daxia from the corner of his eye. Liu Daxia was still crying, and he seemed very excited, as if the joy in his heart could not be appeased.

  Fang Jifan smiled in his heart, and then spoke.

"Your Majesty, I learned from the Hu merchants that sweet potatoes are not a rare commodity. They have more than just sweet potatoes. There are many other products that can be called miraculous. It is said that there is another crop that can be grown three times a year. An acre can produce a hundred stones, and it tastes delicious, and its taste is better than that of sweet potatoes. Usually, they call it corn. Oh, yes, this corn does not even need to be cultivated carefully, just let it grow. There , people don't need to bother with farming at all, but there will never be famine."

  The hall was in an uproar.

   Yield of 100 stones per mu.

   It also tastes better than sweet potatoes, and even...you don't have to spend your time on farming like rice and wheat...

  Hundred stones.

  This is tantamount to grain production, directly increased by dozens of times. The original 20 mu of land to support a family, the whole family worked hard, and they could only get the ration of dozens of shi.

  This... is a bluff.

  If Fang Jifan had said such things yesterday, he would surely have drawn ridicule from everyone.

  But today, no one can laugh. Isn’t sweet potato amazing enough? Doesn't this prove that what Fang Jifan said is true, so what's so strange about another corn?

  Emperor Hongzhi was moved, his eyes lit up, and he asked excitedly.

   "Where's the corn?"

"In the farther west of the land of Taixi." Fang Jifan said: "I also heard what the Hu merchant said, but I think he is an honest man. If you want to come, don't dare to deceive you. He also said that besides that, there There is another crop..."

"and also…"

   Everyone is going crazy.

   This completely subverted common sense, and opened a new door for the entire palace of monarchs and ministers.

  Liu Daxia loved the people like a child, so he stopped crying at this time, and hurriedly asked: "What else?"

  Fang Jifan said to everyone with a smile.

   "There is another kind of thing, they call it pearl rice. When the seeds are sprinkled, a grain of rice will be as big as a pearl. People can eat a dozen or so to fill their stomachs. The yield per mu can reach two hundred stones..."

  The monarchs and ministers, already suffocated, all opened their eyes wide, showing shocking expressions.

  This rice can actually be related to jade and pearls, but... just based on Fang Jifan's description, everyone already feels that it is very advanced.

   From this point of view, this sweet potato, in the far west of the western land, is simply food that even dogs dislike.

  When Fang Jifan was bragging, he didn't blush, he couldn't breathe, and he looked honest.

Anyway, the sweet potato has come out, believe it or not, when you really go to the farther west of the rumored land of Taixi in the future, you will find that the so-called corn is not so magical, let alone the so-called pearl rice, so what can we do, Fang Jifan I was also deceived, fooled by that **** Hu merchant, come, come, I will catch that Hu merchant and chop it into meat sauce for everyone to roast and drink.

   "..."

  The princes of the Manchu Dynasty were suddenly speechless.

  But their hearts were hot, and all of them were thinking about the food that Fang Jifan talked about.

  If this is true, why worry about the prosperity not coming?

  Emperor Hongzhi looked solemn, raised his eyes and looked around the ministers, and saw that the expressions of all the ministers were yearning. He knew very well that everyone had the same thoughts as himself.

  After scanning the crowd, Emperor Hongzhi finally put his gaze on Fang Jifan and asked.

   "Where is the Hu merchant?"

   "Already gone, sail away." Fang Jifan sighed.

"He also said that sweet potatoes are such useless things, so the country doesn't care, but even this country in the far west has heard of the prosperity of Ming Dynasty for a long time, and will never use those precious grains to fuel the arrogance of other countries, so it should The country prohibits merchants from bringing out corn and pearl rice grains, and once found, they will be killed."

   "..." Emperor Hongzhi felt that he was going to be depressed.

  Corn and pearl rice, for the emperors and ministers of the Manchu Dynasty, are like Qin Shihuang's elixir.

   It’s okay if you don’t know. Once you know that there are such miraculous things in the world, how can you still eat and sleep.

Think about it, you spend all your time thinking about how to cultivate the fields and how to persuade the farmers, and when you hear about a natural disaster somewhere, your face turns green with fright, and you are even more afraid that the people will starve and rise up to rebel. It is to suppress the rebels, which also requires money and food.

  Emperor Hongzhi exhausted all his efforts, and this country is probably nothing more than that. Now that there are sweet potatoes, there is always some comfort. But Fang Jifan told himself that there is something, like a cheat, that allows you to upgrade to 99999 every second, and is full of dragon-slaying outfits...

  Emperor Hongzhi blushed, and he glanced at Liu Jian.

  Liu Jian was also moved: "I want to see sweet potatoes."

  Emperor Hongzhi nodded.

  Liu Jian stepped forward, someone brought him a sweet potato, Liu Jian said: "Fang Jifan, is that pearl rice as big as a sweet potato?"

   "Yes." Fang Jifan said: "If one seed is planted, it can be ripened three times a year. It is not afraid of insect damage. One seedling can produce dozens of rice grains like sweet potatoes."

  Is this...still rice?

  In view of Fang Jifan's sudden honesty, Liu Jian's heart was already moved. He said: "Your Majesty, the flow of seeds is forbidden in this country, which is understandable."

  That’s right, if it were Daming, he would do the same.

   "The most urgent task at the moment is to find the whereabouts of this country. Once this is found, the era of Yao and Shun will not be far away." This is Liu Jian's conclusion.

  Pearl rice and corn are already fatally attractive to Liu Jian.

  …

Western stories, after careful consideration, have to be written more carefully, otherwise everyone will not know why Liu Daxia died. Readers who are familiar with this period of history may find it long-winded and useless. But, students, we also need to take care of new readers The feeling is not, well, thank you for understanding. Whoever dares to speak of water should stand up and let the tiger kiss him.

  (end of this chapter)