Prodigal Son of the Ming Dynasty

  Chapter 314 One Word

  Emperor Hongzhi smiled at Fang Jifan, but this smile seemed a little meaningful, and he handed the memorial to Xiao Jing.

  Xiao Jing understood, and handed over the impeachment memorial to Fang Jifan.

  Fang Jifan only glanced at it briefly.

  Emperor Hongzhi said: "The disciples of Fang Qing's family actually beat the Shangguan. Besides, they also made a big disturbance in the Ministry of War. Now they are being impeached. I want to ask your opinion."

   Both Ma Wensheng and Shen Wen looked at Fang Jifan without showing any signs of expression.

  Fang Jifan said seriously: "Among the students, Xu Jing is the one with the worst qualifications."

   "..."

  This guy... looks like he wants to survive with a broken arm...

  Unexpectedly, Fang Jifan continued: "But I think Xu Jing is right."

   "What?" Emperor Hongzhi originally wanted to give Fang Jifan a step down. If you criticize Xu Jing verbally, and then obediently confess to him, isn't this matter over?

Fang Jifan said: "He is a disciple of my minister. I choose to believe in him and use my personality as a guarantee for him. Your Majesty, what if the document of the Ministry of War related to the West is really wrong? The imperial court will now go to the West at all costs. Once the ship Any problems with the team, especially any mistakes in the nautical charts, will lead to a huge disaster. In the vast sea, any mistakes, even if an island is wrongly marked, will be fatal. Yes, even the lives of many people. Therefore, I think that there is nothing wrong with my disciples."

   "It's not wrong to beat the Shangguan?" Emperor Hongzhi stared at Fang Jifan.

Fang Jifan thought for a while and said: "His temper is a little hotter, but what if the facts prove that the minister's disciple is right? Then he didn't beat the Shangguan for no reason, but for the sake of the community and the court's big policy, he fought with mediocre officials It is an act of righteousness to be unyielding, and it is indeed His Majesty's fortune to have such an official in the Ming Dynasty, what a grand!"

   "..."

  Emperor Hongzhi raised his eyebrows and looked at Ma Wensheng.

   Ma Wensheng coughed and said, "There will never be mistakes here at the Ministry of War..."

Fang Jifan immediately interrupted: "Is there anything wrong? If you don't try, how will you know? The imperial court wants to build a fleet, but it may take a few years for the fleet to be built. In this case, why not let people go to sea to explore the waterway first? Speaking of which, After all, I haven’t sailed to the West for nearly a hundred years in Ming Dynasty, so it’s really inappropriate to go to sea so rashly.”

   go to sea...

   Just like marching and fighting, you need a vanguard.

   Here in the imperial court, a few sea-going ships can still be made up. Forming a small fleet and exploring the way first seems... also a safe way.

  Emperor Hongzhi said thoughtfully: "What do Ma Qing's family think?"

   "What Uncle Xinjian said is not unreasonable, you can try it. I suggest that the Ministry of War can collect a few sea-going ships and send people out to sea, along the route of the Sanbao eunuch, and go to the west first, as a test."

Emperor Hongzhi nodded, and couldn't help saying: "Look, isn't this very good, brainstorming, why are you arguing over such trivial matters? The unity of knowledge and action, haha, instead of arguing here, why not lean over and do it, Fang Qing's family , you and your disciples talk about the unity of knowledge and action every day, you see, isn’t that the case now? If you don’t try it, how will you know whether it’s good or bad?”

   "..." Fang Jifan is too lazy to explain that the unity of knowledge and action has nothing to do with him, so don't be ashamed. I plagiarized the knowledge achievements of my students, what's wrong? Besides, it wasn't his intention, was it?

  It's just... Emperor Hongzhi opened his mouth and said, "knowledge and action are one", but it made Shen Wen's eyebrows twitch, and he shuddered suddenly.

  When did His Majesty talk about these newly learned vocabulary?

However, Fang Jifan had a different suggestion for this matter: "Since it is a try, we should also send two teams of sea ships, one team can follow the sea route of Sanbao eunuch, and the other team can follow the sea route of the minister's disciple Xu Jing." .Otherwise, once the fleet of the Ministry of War sinks..."

   "Uncle Xinjian!" Ma Wensheng interrupted Fang Jifan, you can't spit ivory out of your mouth, the fleet of the Ministry of War sank... Hmph, it's really deceiving!

  Ma Wensheng couldn't help but said: "The imperial court has not gone to sea for many years. The warships that the Ministry of War can requisition are limited, but there are only three ships. I am afraid that it will be difficult to allocate ships to build a second fleet."

  Emperor Hongzhi looked at Ma Wensheng, and then at Fang Jifan.

  Fang Jifan said: "The minister is also thinking about it for the court. Isn't the dispute about this matter just on the air route? If you don't try all the air routes, then the controversy will never end, Your Majesty..."

   "This..." Emperor Hongzhi felt quite a headache.

   Ma Wensheng said solemnly: "Your Majesty, the Ministry of War has limited capabilities, but to go to sea, three sea-going ships are already stretched, and there can be no more, so the Ministry of War can only supply what the Ministry of War needs."

  Emperor Hongzhi tapped his fingers on the copybook. Ma Wensheng’s insistence was actually not unreasonable. After all, he hadn’t gone to sea for so many years, and there were few seagoing ships. The only ones that could be recruited were a few old seagoing ships for the Wawei... So...

  Fang Jifan has made up his mind to be steadfast in this matter. He made his own opinion. After mentioning it, your Ministry of War wants to kick people away and go to play by yourself. This is unreasonable.

Fang Jifan said conveniently: "Actually, it's not impossible at all. The Governor's Office of the Five Armies has banned some private merchant ships in Tianjin Wei. Why not..." Fang Jifan paused, then continued: "Let's use these private ships as pioneers... "

  When Ma Wensheng heard this, he immediately felt that Fang Jifan was a little whimsical. Those private boats were no bigger than the only remaining official large ships of the imperial court. There are also a lot of people who can be attached to the top, since they are going to the West in the name of the imperial court, only this kind of official ships can show the majesty of Ming Dynasty.

   But you, Fang Jifan, went out with just a few private boats and hung the flag of Ming Dynasty. What the **** is this?

  I am in the West, and I used to be a respectable person. Can you, Fang Jifan, show some respect?

   Ma Wensheng said hastily: "Your Majesty, this private boat is small in size, with a head like a mouse and eyes like a mouse, and I think... if I sail under the flag of Ming Dynasty, it will be inevitable..."

   This sentence hits the point.

  Emperor Hongzhi is also a person who needs face.

  Fang Jifan didn't care, you all have shame, but can I, Fang Jifan, be shameless?

Fang Jifan said conveniently: "It's easy, just requisition these private boats in the name of the Eastern Palace, without flying our Ming flag, and set sail in the name of Xishan, escorted by the minister's disciple Xu Jing himself, all supplies and personnel are provided by the Eastern Palace. Responsible for the selection, what does His Majesty think?"

   "..."

Shen Wen had been listening silently, but now he slapped his thighs, his eyes lit up, and his face suddenly became brighter, and he said quickly: "This is a good idea. Uncle Xinjian's move has fulfilled the dignity of the court. , and set a precedent for voyages to the West, Uncle Xinjian is indeed worthy of resourcefulness, admiration! Admiration!"

  Xu Jing is going to go to the West, which is really great.

   In this way, the Hanlin Academy will lose another scourge, which is not a joy.

  Emperor Hongzhi also smiled, and said: "Then that's it, this matter will be left to the crown prince and Fang Jifan."

  Finally, the desired effect was obtained, and Fang Jifan complied with the order with satisfaction.

  …

  When I came out of the Snapper.

   Ma Wensheng seemed very unhappy. His Majesty approved Fang Jifan's suggestion, which meant that he did not have the slightest trust in the Ministry of War.

  Although the Ministry of War has messed up some things in the past, doesn't it even have this little trust?

  As Minister of the Ministry of War, he felt that His Majesty's trust in him had gradually been lost.

   "Ma Gong..."

   Behind him, he heard someone calling him.

   Ma Wensheng stopped, looked back, and saw Shen Wen chasing after him out of breath.

   Ma Wensheng said with a livid face: "Mr. Shen, you...you...",

  The implication is that I blame Shen Wenfang for supporting Fang Jifan's going to sea in front of the imperial court.

  Going to the West is originally a matter of the Ministry of War. What does it have to do with the East Palace? It's still using the signboard of Xishan... this... hey...

Shen Wen sneered and said: "Ma Gong, please forgive me, the old man has no choice but to do it, think about it, Xu Jing is a stunned young man, he beat up the superior in the Imperial Academy, everyone in the Imperial Academy is in danger , as a university scholar, the old man suppressed the matter, and people who didn’t know thought that the old man was afraid of Fang Jifan who was behind Xu Jing..."

   "Why, isn't Mr. Shen afraid of Fang Jifan?" Ma Wensheng asked back, with a touch of irony in his words.

   "..." Shen Wen was a little angry, and he didn't slap people in the face, could he not be so direct.

"Hey..." Shen Wen finally suppressed the unhappiness in his heart, shook his head and said: "Now that kid Xu Jing can go to the sea, how wonderful it is, it won't come back in a year or so, all in all, this is not a bad thing Well, Ma Gong calm down. But speaking of it, the old man is very worried about one thing. Just now, did you hear His Majesty mention the unity of knowledge and action? Ma Gong, is it possible that this Majesty has learned something new recently? His Royal Highness is running to the west mountain every now and then. Ah, this is really worrying..."

Ma Wensheng looked very indifferent: "There is nothing to worry about. Since the Song Dynasty, I don't know how many new studies have emerged. Can there be one who can replace Cheng Zhu? As long as Cheng Zhu is still in the imperial examination, all scholars in the world will have to take the exam." Hold Cheng Zhu to read, look, in a few days, isn’t it the township examination? The scholars who went to Xishan, the old man knows a little bit about the details, they are all scholars who have failed in the exam, what’s the use if they fail the exam? If you fail the exam, you are nothing, at most you are a scholar, what is there to worry about?"

  When Ma Wensheng said this, Shen Wen felt a little relieved.

  That’s right, for stereotyped essays, you still have to use Cheng Zhu, and if you fail the exam, new learning is just a game for some hopeless scholars to entertain themselves.

   But when it comes to these things, he thinks of one thing: "I don't know if Mr. Liu's son will take the provincial examination this year? He has passed the exam five times, and all of them have passed Sun Shan. Hey, Mr. Liu is so lucky."

  (end of this chapter)