Imperial Master of the Ming Dynasty

After the Battle of Katsuragi River, the shogunate Ashikaga Yoshimochi fled back to Kyoto in panic. In this battle, Akamatsu Yoshinori was killed and Hatakeyama Motokuni was seriously injured. The other Muromachi shogunate generals were basically stained. Even Ashikaga Yoshinori was panicking and choosing the right path. During the game, he accidentally fell off his horse and injured his waist. He was then picked up and taken away by his retainers.

However, escaping back to Kyoto is not the end of everything.

Ashikaga Yoshimitsu fought for more than 20 years, and the more than 100,000 elite soldiers and generals he had saved for the Muromachi shogunate were wiped out with the Battle of Katsuragi River.

As the victor, the Ming army surrounded Kyoto, but was not in a hurry to attack. Instead, it began to carry out large-scale treatment of the wounded and statistics of military exploits. Liu Xingzuo and Li Zhong, as well as many Ming army officers and soldiers, who made contributions on the battlefield, All received awards or promotions; and on the secret front, such as Niu Zhen and others who originally contacted Si Boyi to deliver penicillin to him and spy on Japan's domestic intelligence, Jiang Xinghuo also fulfilled his promise.

Subsequently, the Ming army built a large-scale Jingguan near Kyoto using the heads of beheaded prisoners, and began to besiege the city.

It is a "siege" in the literal sense, which means to surround the entire city of Kyoto with new walls built of wooden boards, earth and stones. The walls do not need to be thick or well built, or even need to be everywhere. To build it, you just need to encircle it roughly first.

The Jurchens besieged Taiyuan, and the Mongols besieged Xiangyang. They were all besieged in this way at the beginning, first building a rough outline, and then completely encircling them.

This feeling of seeing oneself isolated from the world and unable to wait for any reinforcements is very torturous for the mentality of the besieged people. It is obvious that the mentality of the Japanese army in Kyoto and the Song army who are determined to defend the city are completely incompatible. Than.

Soon, with the consumption of supplies, prices in Kyoto City began to skyrocket, and the "rice riot" broke out among the citizens of Kyoto. The tens of thousands of remaining Japanese troops in the city did not even bother to suppress them. In addition to protecting the shogunate's granaries and armory, Simply turning a blind eye.

The night fell heavily, and the Flower Palace in Kyoto was filled with melancholy.

After the defeated shogun Ashikaga Yoshimochi dragged his tired and heavy body back to this familiar land, his eyes no longer had the luster of pursuing the peak of power not long ago, leaving only endless frustration.

When Ashikaga Yoshimitsu was alive in the past, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu didn't feel anything.

How could it be difficult to deal with the Kamakura Crown Prince, the rebellious daimyo from various places, the major families within the shogunate, and the emperor? Isn’t this just a matter of having hands?

However, when he took it on his own, he found that it was really difficult and he really couldn't do it.

He could not subdue all the opposition forces as easily as Ashikaga Yoshimitsu. Even the Muromachi shogunate itself was in chaos after the defeat. The prestige brought to him by the previous unresolved battles had long since disappeared.

And what did Ashikaga Yoshimichi do?

He did nothing.

Ashikaga Yoshimochi drank alcohol every day to drown his sorrows. The strong alcohol was like a raging fire, burning from his throat to the bottom of his heart. However, no matter how much alcohol he drank, he could not dispel the pain in his heart.

The Ming army has surrounded the city, and he has no way to escape. Even if he breaks through, where can he run? To the south is the Yamato Kingdom occupied by the Southern Dynasty, to the east is Kantō occupied by Kamakura Gonggong, and to the north and west are the Ming army and its servants.

His temper became more and more violent, and he killed people at every turn, causing the entire imperial palace to be shrouded in fear.

And Ashikaga Yoshimichi's subordinates have long been dissatisfied with his atrocities. The general they once swore allegiance to has now become a crazy executioner. But they only dare to be angry and dare not speak out. They can only pray silently in their hearts. This nightmare can end soon.

But Ashikaga Yoshimochi's subordinates can endure it, but that doesn't mean others can endure it as well.

Shiba Yishou and Isshiki Manji are ready to find a way out for themselves.

They planned to use Ashikaga Yoshimochi's head and offer the city of Kyoto in its entirety to find a way out from the Ming army.

Therefore, the two men decided to take a desperate risk, and while Ashikaga Yoshimichi was drunk, they led a group of samurai to sneak into the imperial palace and kill the general who had fallen into a state of "complete madness" in their hearts.

But the retainers of the shogunate were not idle people. Although they were dissatisfied with Ashikaga Yoshimochi's atrocities, they would never allow anyone to betray the shogunate.

Therefore, when General Shiba Yi and others led the warriors to sneak into the imperial palace, they immediately launched a fierce resistance.

Between the light and shadow of the sword, flesh and blood flew everywhere, and the entire imperial palace became a battlefield.

Ashikaga Yoshimichi was awakened. He dragged his injured waist and staggered away to the Gosho, protected by his loyal retainers. There were many soldiers and horses directly belonging to the Gosho. This was his last safe haven, and As long as he persists here until dawn, he can summon the remaining "Yu Ma Hui" to kill those rebellious officials and traitors.

As for what happens in the future, one day of drunkenness will last a day.

As the widow of Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, Hino Yasuko was a beautiful and cunning woman. Just as she had always been able to calm Ashikaga Yoshimitsu's anger at critical moments in the past, when Ashikaga Yoshimitsu fled into the imperial palace, she immediately greeted him. She used her gentle voice to coax the frightened shogun.

"General, are you okay?"

Kangzi asked with concern: "The traitors outside have been stopped, you don't have to worry."

Ashikaga Yoshimochi gasped, fear and anxiety flashing in his eyes: "They... they want to kill me..."

"Don't be afraid, General."

Yasuko patted his back gently: "As long as I'm here, no one can hurt you."

Under Yasuko's comfort, Ashikaga Yoshimochi's worried heart gradually relaxed. He thought he was safe, so he fell asleep deeply with Yasuko's company.

However, he did not know that Yasuko soon reached a secret agreement with General Shiba outside, and would only kill Ashikaga Yoshinori while he was asleep.

In the dead of night, several muscular servants sneaked into the room quietly, holding burlap bags tightly in their hands, with a fierce light shining in their eyes.

Soon, they quickly put the sack on Ashikaga Yoshimochi's head, and then tightened the bag tightly.

Ashikaga Yoshimochi woke up from his sleep, only to find that he could no longer breathe. He struggled and kicked, but all his efforts were in vain. Those servants were usually the female sumo wrestlers raised by the imperial court. They were powerful. Infinitely, their hands gripped the sack tightly like iron pliers.

Ashikaga Yoshimochi's struggle gradually became weaker. In the dark sack, his eyes were full of fear and unwillingness. However, no matter how hard he struggled, he could not escape the fate of death.

A generation of shoguns were strangled to death in their sleep, ending his tragic life.

News of Ashikaga Yoshimichi's death quickly spread throughout Kyoto, causing an uproar. Some people cheered and celebrated, while others were sad.

But no matter how people view his death, it cannot change the fact that the era of the Muromachi Shogunate is over.

Later, surrounded by the monks and soldiers of Shokokuji Temple led by Koken Myokai, Emperor Gokomatsu "coincidentally" escaped from Kyoto through the gap between the Ming army's siege and headed east straight to Kanto.

"What a man who just left Li Jue's wolf's den and entered Cao Cao's tiger's den."

Li Jinglong couldn't help but smile when he saw the empty buildings in Japan.

"It is better to let him go to Kanto than to stay in Kyoto."

Jiang Xinghuo glanced at the emperor's throne and had no intention of sitting on it to try out the feeling.

"Since we are under the banner of supporting Go Kameyama, it is difficult to keep Go Komatsu, so giving him to Ashikaga Mitsukane of the Kamakura Duke can still maintain the division of the Northern and Southern Dynasties, but this time it is East and West are facing each other, and Kanto and Kansai are divided.”

Li Jinglong said: "It's a bit like East and West Wei."

Seeing no one around, Li Jinglong swaggered and sat on the emperor's throne.

Jiang Xinghuo smiled and said: "You are a five-star general of the Ming Dynasty. You should pay attention to your influence. You are not afraid of His Majesty's suspicion, right?"

"This seat is quite comfortable."

Li Jinglong patted the seat and laughed: "What are you afraid of? Annan's palace also has the same seats."

But all joking aside, Li Jinglong still knew how to behave and sat there reluctantly for a while before getting up.

Jiang Xinghuo said at this time: "Is the team that will take over Kameyama coming soon? When it comes time for Kameyama to appoint Imagawa Ryoujun as the Kanto explorer, the Imagawa clan's territory is all in Kanto, and then we will cut off the three controlled by the Shiba clan. If the country is given to him, Kanto will naturally be able to form a confrontation with the Kanto Tankai appointed by Go Kameyama and the Kamakura Crown Prince appointed by Go Komatsu, just get rid of it."

"It's not the Kamakura Lord. After Ashikaga Mitsukane gets it, Komatsu will definitely let him appoint him as the new shogun."

But at this time, Zhu Gaoxu walked in with his trousers pulled up, and sat down on the emperor's throne without a care in the world, and then said: "We have to let them cause chaos. It is best to fight for four to five hundred years without stopping."

There were chaotic movements outside, with screams and slashing sounds heard all the time.

But Zhu Gaoxu added: "But Xiaosong won't be here for a while, and it won't be until ten days at the earliest."

"Why?" Li Jinglong asked.

Zhu Gaoxu said matter-of-factly: "I won't seal the sword for ten days."

"If you talk about Kanto, it will also stir up the vassal states in the north."

"in addition."

Jiang Xinghuo said solemnly: "The Sado Gold Mine and Iwami Silver Mine must be obtained as soon as possible."

Sado Island is located in the northernmost part of Hokurikudo in the east of Honshu Island. It is a lonely island that was originally used to exile prisoners. Japan's large-scale naval force has long been destroyed, so the Ming Dynasty occupied it to establish overseas military forces. Base, no problem at all.

The Iwami Silver Mine is located in the Iwami Country in the west of Honshu Island. It is a northern coastal vassal state, located between the territories of the Ouchi clan and the Yamana clan. Before the Onaga Rebellion, it was the territory of the Ouchi clan.

And it is not difficult for the Ming army to control this place. The Ouchi family has gained a lot of benefits from the Ming army. I hope they can understand this. If they don't, then now that the shogunate has been pacified, the value of the servant army will be greatly reduced. , the Ming army didn’t mind helping them recognize their faces.

The Sado gold mine and the Iwami silver mine are controlled by the Ming Dynasty. With the strength of the Ming Dynasty's ocean-going navy, they will not be thrown to the Japanese until they are completely hollowed out.

However, Japan has only been initially pacified at present. In fact, the Ming army only destroyed the old order on Kyushu Island and the central and western parts of Honshu Island. As for the eastern part of Honshu Island and Shikoku Island, the old order is still maintained.

But Jiang Xinghuo doesn't mind that the old order in Japan continues to exist, because these places are inherently full of contradictions, which is equivalent to the powder keg having been shaken for a long time. All Ming needs to do is to light the fuse.

In fact, in Jiang Xinghuo's previous life, Japan began to fall into chaos with the Onin Rebellion and the confrontation between the East and West armies, which then ushered in the long Warring States Period. Jiang Xinghuo was fully confident that he would replace the East and West armies with the East and West Dynasties, allowing Japan to continue to be in chaos for hundreds of years. Years, and as long as there is a slight sign of a powerful person wanting to calm down the troubled times, just intervene and kill him.

The Japanese princes all knew what Ming Dynasty planned, but this was an out-and-out conspiracy and could not be broken.

Because the interests of the princes are always opposed to each other.

Therefore, for their own benefit, they can only kneel humbly in front of Ming Dynasty and pray for Ming Dynasty's help so that they can preserve themselves or stand out in the internal competition.

As long as Japan is allowed to fall into involution, Japan will never pose a threat to the Ming Dynasty.

As for Goguishan, who returned to Kyoto, he was also faced with a mess.

After Komatsu ran to Kanto, the princes on Kyushu Island and Shikoku Island still went their own way, and the Ouchi clan and Yamana clan in the west of Honshu Island, the two shogunate opponents who benefited greatly from this change, obviously would not Listen to him, and with the Ming Dynasty garrison as the supreme emperor, Houguishan will have a lot of things to worry about.

But no matter how upset Hou Guishan is, what needs to be done must be done.

Ten days later, Houguishan returned to Kyoto, which was almost in ruins, and signed the "Supplementary Contract for Tomorrow's Trade and Navigation" with Jiang Xinghuo.

Article 1: Japan recognizes the Ming Dynasty as its sole suzerainty. Later, Guishan cancels excessive titles, etiquette, and utensils, and all behavior can only be conducted according to the standards of the Ming Dynasty.

Article 2: cede sixteen vassal states or islands including Sado, Iwami, Satsuma, Osumi, Tsushima, Iki, Goto, Yakushima, Tanegashima, and Mōshima.

Article 3: According to the previous written agreement, a total of 23 million taels of silver should be paid to the Ming army to help suppress the rebellion. The payment should be paid in nine installments. If it is really impossible to pay the military expenses after the nine installments, the military expenses that are not paid after the nine installments will be charged at the rate of 100 and 20 taels per year. interest calculation.

Article 4: Open eight commercial ports including Sakai City as unarmed trading ports for free and friendly trade between tomorrow and tomorrow.

Article 5: Business people of the Ming Dynasty enjoy the suzerain's preferential rights and judicial immunity in Japan. Based on the "Tomorrow Free Trade Contract", if the business people of the Ming Dynasty are involved in disputes, Japan has no right to try them.

Article 6: In order to protect the stability of King Kameyama's regime, the Ming army was invited to station in Kyoto, and all required military pay and supplies were provided by Japan.

Article 7.

Strictly speaking, the "Tomorrow's Supplementary Trade and Navigation Contract" is a supplementary contract to the "Tomorrow's Free Trade Contract" signed between the Ming Dynasty and the Muromachi Shogunate.

Some basic provisions in the "Tomorrow Free Trade Contract" are considered to be in place in one step, so they do not need to be changed. However, there are still major changes in some aspects of the supplementary contract.

In the previous "Tomorrow Free Trade Contract", the Ming Dynasty regarded Japan as a special tributary country, followed the old example of North Korea and set up an embassy in Kyoto, Japan, and set up consulates in Tsushima, Iki, and Hirado. However, the embassies and consulates remained unchanged and changed. It must be that Japan has changed from a special tributary state to a vassal state at the princely level. Well, to put it simply, from now on the tributes will sit at the children's table, because the kings of countries such as Korea and Annan are calculated according to the standards of Ming princes.

As for the new terms of ceding land, opening ports, garrisoning troops in Kyoto, and compensating military expenses, these are considered normal operations.

The "sovereign state's preferential rights and judicial immunity" are brand-new. The previous clause was that "whenever the Japanese people file a lawsuit against someone, the Japanese side will first investigate who is wrong and then try their best to persuade them to stop the lawsuit, so that the lawsuit will not be filed and the lawsuit will be avoided." A small matter can lead to a big case. If there is a negotiation or lawsuit, and the Japanese side cannot persuade them to give up, and cannot give in, they will ask the Ming Dynasty consul to find out the matter. Once the truth is found, it will be a fair decision to avoid litigation. As for the Ming Dynasty "How a person is convicted will be handled by the Ming Dynasty in accordance with the regulations agreed upon in the "Ming Dynasty Laws", and he will be escorted back to the country for trial and punishment." This is equivalent to a unique trade preference and Japan has no right to litigate Ming merchants and citizens, which falls within the power of consular jurisdiction. Upgraded version.

Faced with this somewhat harsh contract, King Houguishan had to sign it.

If you don't sign, the Ming army will turn around and a new king will come up.

And without the support of the Ming Dynasty, the weak Houguishan would be almost unable to move forward in Japan. I don't know when a certain guardian daimyo will come to Luo with a sword and let him return to his puppet state.

Whether he wants to be an abdicated puppet or a reigning puppet, or a puppet with some autonomy, Hou Kameyama can still figure it out.

Of course, the Ming army still had conditions, which was to establish Prince Yasukouchi of Japan, who was studying at the Imperial Academy of the Ming Dynasty, as the princess, the first heir to the King of Japan.

Gogeyama didn't have much resistance to this, because there was a tradition of queens in Japanese history, and after all, this was his biological daughter.

Soon, with the signing of the "Supplementary Contract for Tomorrow's Commerce and Navigation", the islands and key areas around Japan, as well as the most important Iwami Silver Mountain and Sado Gold Mountain, came into the hands of the Ming Dynasty.

The Ming army began to drive prisoners of war to excavate Iwami Silver Mountain, a giant silver mountain that would account for one-third of the future world's output and nearly nine-tenths of the current world's output.

The steady stream of silver also provided the basis for Jiang Xinghuo's currency reform.

In the seventh year of Yongle, the Ming Dynasty officially began currency reform.

The Ming Dynasty banknotes started to be issued during the Hongwu Dynasty have become a thing of the past.

The Ming Dynasty planned to complete the nationwide banknote exchange in three years starting from the north and south Zhili. The newly issued banknotes are called "Daming Silver Banknotes". They also use mulberry paper as the printing material, but in order to adapt to the miniaturization of banknotes, The demand was changed to six inches long and three inches wide.

On the top of the note are the six Chinese characters for "Da Ming Yin Bao Chao", with the amount of the banknote written in the middle. Of course, considering that many people are illiterate, we thoughtfully drew the corresponding number of copper coins at the bottom of the banknote according to the face value, and decorated it with Dragon and sea water patterns.

As for the content at the bottom, it is Lao Zhu’s classic quotation that has been slightly modified into a new version.

"The Bank of the Ming Dynasty approved the printing of Ming Dynasty silver treasure banknotes, which can be used together with copper coins. Forgers will be killed, and those who accuse the arrest will be rewarded with two hundred and five taels of silver, and the prisoner will still be given property. Printed on Yongle × year × month × day."

The currency exchange ratio of Ming Dynasty Bao Banknotes and Da Ming Yin Bao Banknotes is two to one. This is not to evaporate people's wealth, but in fact, if you exchange Da Ming Bao Banknotes for copper coins, you can only exchange them for half the face value of copper coins.

And this was the result that Jiang Xinghuo spent six years to achieve through means such as Ming Dynasty treasury bonds and adding salt to banknotes.

Without Jiang Xinghuo's intervention, the current Ming Dynasty treasure banknotes with a face value of one thousand cash can be exchanged for dozens of copper coins, which is considered a high price. Officials would have to exchange copper coins as soon as they receive their salary, or should they wait in line to get it? The copper coins will have to be a lot less.

Throughout the currency reform process, Jiang Xinghuo also remained true to his original intention and basically followed the grand idea he had when giving lectures in prison, that is, not to provide services for exchanging Dabai silver banknotes for silver according to the standards of the Yuan Dynasty gold and silver leveling treasury, but to It is clear that silver banknotes and copper coins are legal tender, while gold and silver are only regarded as precious metals and do not have legal tender status.

That is, you can buy silver with silver banknotes, but you cannot buy silver banknotes with silver, and no official silver exchange is provided.

In this way, when Japanese silver is hoarded by the Ming Bank and not imported into the country, the domestic silver price is basically constant due to the small annual output of domestic silver mines, even if someone buys silver with silver treasure notes for hoarding. , Daming Bank can take action at any time, so it will not affect the price of silver. The domestic silver price forms a stable currency anchor.

In order to adapt to the development needs of the entire Ming Dynasty economy, the bank of Daming Bank will also strictly control the amount of silver that the bank puts into the market with reference to economic growth every year to affect inflation.

Jiang Xinghuo talked about these principles in prison, and they can be summed up in two points. The first point is that in order to prevent the normal price increase of domestic silver in Ming Dynasty due to the normal price increase of "things are rare and expensive", it is necessary for Ming Bank to invest a certain amount of silver every year. Silver is balanced to keep the domestic silver price in Ming within a very small fluctuation range, thereby stabilizing the currency anchor; the second point is that the Bank of Ming must use the price of the currency anchor based on changes in the ability of the economy to create real value in Ming. Control the over-issuance or suspension of currency.

While Japanese silver did not enter the Ming Dynasty's domestic market, the Ming Dynasty obtained Japanese silver at a low cost and began to use trade methods to kill all parties around the world and establish monetary hegemony.

Not only can the Ming Dynasty now allow official and private trade fleets to earn foreign profits through key commodities such as silk, tea, porcelain, cotton textiles, etc., but the Ming Dynasty official can also use the cheap silver stocked by the Ming Dynasty Bank to purchase the Ming Dynasty at a very low cost. Foreign goods that cannot be produced.

Because for foreign merchants, silver is a natural currency that can be used for trade settlement. This kind of thing is recognized by everyone from the Timur Khanate to France.

They don't know how easy it is for Ming Dynasty to obtain this silver, but if they know it, they probably don't care, because the silver is still valuable in their hands.

In the seventh year of Yongle, Zheng He's fleet came to Europe for the second time and landed on the Apennine Peninsula. At the same time, he deposed Gregory XII and Benedick XIII, and signed the "Peace of Pisa", making the sensible Alexander V the new king. of the pope.

In the eighth year of Yongle, the Uliangha Tribe (Duoyan Sanwei) who had invaded the Jurchens' territory gradually became more powerful. It not only destroyed the harmonious situation among the tribes in Nurgandusi, but also attempted to nomadically move to Liaodong. Zhu Di issued an edict to Uliang "In the past, the people of Wuliangha were unable to settle down due to the plundering of Tatars, so they surrendered and swore to keep their ministerial integrity. My great ancestor, Emperor Gao, was poor and impoverished, so he established three guards: Fuyu, Duoyan, and Taining. And I granted you and other official positions, so that each of you can lead his people. I have been on the throne for several years, and the court has been more generous to you. Compared with you, you have disturbed the Nurgan capital, and conducted spying in the Liaodong market. This is so cunning. Sins can be tolerated. I am sending a special edict to atone for my previous sins if I repent, otherwise I will send troops to kill the rebels, and it will be difficult to pursue them if they repent."

The Wuliangha tribe disagreed, so Zhu Di launched the second northern expedition. The Wuliangha tribe was defeated and scattered in the valley.

In this battle, the Ming army killed dozens of bandits led by Wu Liangha, beheaded ten thousand people, captured their tribal population, burned their baggage, and collected all their cattle and sheep before returning them.

Zhu Di's second Northern Expedition severely attacked the Uliangha tribe. In fact, it was also the consequence that the Jurchens had to bear to sweep the caves in Liting. After all, Han people in this area could not immigrate in large numbers for the time being, and the Uliangha tribe had been in the Ming Dynasty since the Hongwu Dynasty. Recuperate and recuperate under the protection of the Ming Dynasty. In the past forty years, the population has become large. Under the pressure of population, this kind of thing is really normal. However, the Ming Empire is now in great power, and it still does not need to pay anything to defeat the small Uliangha tribe. cost.

In the ninth year of Yongle, Zheng He's fleet came to Europe for the third time and landed in France. It quelled the demonstrations against the import of cotton textiles from the Ming Dynasty. After burning the Louvre Museum, the crazy French King Charles VI was guillotined on the streets of Paris. Zheng He established The thirteen-year-old Jean de Valois, Duke of Touraine, was the fifth king of the Valois dynasty of France.

In the 10th year of Yongle, the Ming Dynasty completely completed important reform measures nationwide, such as land surveying, grain payment by the gentry, and banknote exchange.

In the twelfth year of Yongle, the Oara tribe took the opportunity to develop rapidly after the first northern expedition to the Tatars. In the eleventh year of Yongle, they stationed at the Luqu River to peek at the Central Plains. The Tatar tribe also gathered for several years, and Arutai also returned to the blood. Most of the time, in order to deal with the threats on the grassland, Zhu Di decided to go on another personal expedition.

In February of the twelfth year of Yongle, the Ming army set out from Beijing. On the third day of June, Arutai escaped quickly. The Ming army did not capture the Tatar tribe, but defeated the Oara tribe's scout cavalry at the mouth of the Three Gorges and captured Tongue. On the seventh day of the lunar month, the Ming army marched to Belan and suddenly lost temperature. The Oara army never fought with the Ming army. The swollen Oara tribe relied on the mountains with 40,000 people to resist in three groups. Zhu Di sent Zhu Gaoxu to lead 3,000 battalions of cavalry to lure the enemy soldiers. Leaving the mountain, he then ordered Liu Sheng's Shenji Battalion to launch an artillery bombardment. He also personally led the cavalry into the enemy's formation. The Wala army was defeated and retreated. The Ming army took advantage of the situation to pursue them, killing tens of thousands of enemies. Wala was severely damaged in this battle and did not dare to do so for many years. Offend.

In the thirteenth year of Yongle's reign, Zheng He's fleet set sail again.

This time, the size of Zheng He's fleet reached an unprecedented 420 giant ships, but the number of people was only 23,000, which was basically the same as the previous times. The reason why the number of people on the ship was small was because Zheng He shouldered a heavy burden. An important mission - to explore the New World and complete a circumnavigation of the world. For this purpose, Rongguo Gong Yao Guangxiao accompanied him.

The plan for this voyage was that once they reached the Americas and obtained high-yield crops, Wang Jinghong would lead part of the fleet to escort them back, while Zheng He's fleet continued its mission of sailing around the world. The fleet's reserves were enough for them to use for three years.

Also in this year, the situation in Ming Dynasty also underwent drastic changes.

——————

In the early spring of the thirteenth year of Yongle, Nanjing.

The night is like ink, covering the East Palace deeply.

In the room of the East Palace, there was only a solitary lamp on the table, swaying with weak light, barely dispelling the surrounding darkness.

Prince Zhu Gaoxu sat in front of the case, his figure looking particularly heavy in the dim light, his eyes flashing with anger, as if he wanted to condense all the dissatisfaction into a substantial flame.

"teacher!"

Zhu Gaoxu clenched his fists tightly, and the joints were faintly white, showing his inner excitement.

Not long ago, the army from the Third Northern Expedition returned to Nanjing, and because one of his subordinate officials was late to greet Yongle Emperor Zhu Di, he was severely reprimanded by Zhu Di and accused of failing to supervise the country.

This blow was undoubtedly heavy for Zhu Gaoxu, who had worked hard over the years. He felt that his dignity had been ruthlessly trampled on by Zhu Di, and he was simply being treated like a monkey.

"Teacher, how much effort and effort have I put into the Ming Dynasty over the years?"

Zhu Gaoxu's voice was very deep, as if it was squeezed out from the depths of his heart.

"The Battle of Jingnan, the Northern Conquest of the Tatars, the Western Conquest of Timur, and the Eastern Conquest of Japan. How many times have I been in danger, how many times have I fought bloody battles, and have I endured all my life for my father, both openly and secretly? I have achieved my status today. However, my father is so harsh on me because of a trivial matter, and even wants to deprive me of my position as supervisor of the country."

There were even faint traces of tears in Zhu Gaoxu's eyes. He felt that his efforts did not receive the rewards he deserved, but instead suffered a ruthless blow, and he was very angry.

At this time, the darkest and dishonest side of Zhu Gaoxu's heart was exposed in front of his most trusted teacher.

His heart was filled with desire for supreme power and resentment towards Zhu Di.

As the crown prince and grand master, Jiang Xinghuo, who came to see him, listened quietly to Zhu Gaoxu's words.

At this time, Jiang Xinghuo had also grown a beard, and he asked, stroking his beard.

"Then what do you want to do?"

"The worst we can do is come to Xuanwu Sect again!"

Zhu Gaoxu stood up suddenly. If he wasn't afraid of making too much noise, he might even overturn the table.

"calm down."

Jiang Xinghuo scolded: "What kind of strength does Li Shimin have, and what kind of strength do you have? I'm afraid even the Fengtian Sect won't be able to break through and they'll be captured!"

"What should we do?"

"I told you that night fourteen years ago."

Zhu Gaoxu gradually calmed down from his anger. In his mind, he recalled that night fourteen years ago.

That night in prison, Jiang Xinghuo asked him who he admired most. The first time he answered, he lied. He said he admired Zhu Di the most. But the second time he answered, he revealed his true thoughts. He admitted that he was good at martial arts and admired Tang Taizong Li Shimin the most, but Li Shimin did not dare to tell others about his idea of ​​killing his brother and imprisoning his father.

And what Jiang Xinghuo told him was that he should just imitate Li Shimin's character at all times.

"You have read so many history books, so let me ask you, on June 3, the ninth year of Wude in the Tang Dynasty, the day before the Xuanwu Gate Incident, Li Yuan asked Li Shimin if the celestial phenomena had changed, and Fu Yi, who explained the celestial phenomena, told him that "Taibai Jian" Qin is divided, and the king of Qin should rule the world. What did Li Shimin do?"

In fact, this was the darkest moment Li Shimin encountered in his life. Even on the eve of the Weishui Alliance, he was not forced to do this. On the one hand, the Qin Palace was about to be disintegrated, and on the other hand, Li Yuan doubted himself.

Zhu Gaoxu thought for a while and said: "Li Shimin only said that he didn't know what was going on, and also said that Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji had an affair with the concubines in the harem."

"Then let me tell you again, you are different from Li Shimin."

"Don't fight with the emperor. If you are stubborn, he will only become more stubborn."

"I'll apologize to you, and then go to the palace to resign from my post as supervisor of the country."

The reform has reached this point, and it is a fact that no one can change. As long as Zhu Gaoxu does not make mistakes, and wait another seven or eight years, everything will be completely out of suspense, and history will be led in the opposite direction by Jiang Xinghuo.

Jiang Xinghuo sighed deeply, but if he could not stop Zhu Gaoxu's impulse, the outcome would be to repeat the tragedy of history.

At this time, he really hoped that Zhu Gaoxu could stay rational and calm and not be carried away by anger.

In the end, Zhu Gaoxu's clenched fists slowly relaxed.

"Teacher, I understand."

——————

Jiang Xinghuo left the East Palace and returned to his mansion.

As the most prominent figure in the Ming Dynasty, his huge mansion located in the core area of ​​Nanjing has been completed for many years.

As Wang Bin slowly closed the heavy side door, the hustle and bustle of the outside world was also cut off, leaving only the quiet silence in the deep courtyard.

The lights in the mansion were sparse, with only a few lanterns swaying in the night wind, emitting a faint and soft halo, like dots of starlight, falling on the floor tiles.

Jiang Xinghuo walked quietly. In the courtyard, the rockery stood quietly, the water in the pool was silent, and even the old trees seemed to be lost in thought, standing silently in the night.

There is a faint smell of sandalwood in the air, intertwined with the coolness of the night, making people feel an indescribable tranquility. Occasionally, a few melodious flute sounds can be heard in the distance.

"teacher."

Yu Qian greeted him.

The seventeen-year-old boy was wearing a blue uniform. Although the material was not gorgeous, it was clean and exuded a bit of a bookish air. His figure looked thinner and taller under the slightly swaying light, exuding an indomitable spirit. Momentum.

Jiang Xinghuo looked over and was stunned for a moment, all he saw was himself from back then.

"Have you finished studying? Come with me for a walk."

Yu Qian nodded.

In this mansion, time seemed to have frozen. The figures of Jiang Xinghuo and Yu Qian were looming in the dim light. Jiang Xinghuo walked slowly, seeming to savor this rare tranquility and freedom.

However, there was an unspeakable loneliness in his figure.

"I am a Shanshui Lang from Qingdu, a disciple of Tianjiao and Shukuang.

I once granted the rain branch and the wind decree, and I borrowed the moon stamp from the clouds on the tired sky.

With thousands of poems and thousands of cups of wine, how many times have you ever set your sights on a prince?

Returning lazily from the Jade Tower and Golden Tower, Luoyang is intoxicated by placing plum blossoms. "

Jiang Xinghuo stopped in front of the bamboo forest in the corridor, lowered his head and chanted.

He raised his head and looked at the disciple beside him: "I originally wanted to live this life as an idle cloud and wild crane, but unexpectedly, I accidentally became the real minister in white. I have been trapped in a cage for so many years, and I don't know when I can return to nature."

The fatigue in Jiang Xinghuo's tone was barely concealed. Although he held a high position, he was always a lonely person.

Only at this moment did those battles for power and status, and those intrigues in the court, become out of reach.

Yu Qian thought for a while and just said: "I read history books and often think about it in my spare time. I wonder if Marquis Zhuge Wu went out to Qishan and rested in a thatched cottage in Chengdu one day. One day when he was tired, he took a nap and dreamed that he was still in Nanyang Long. Where is the young man who slept soundly until the sun was high?"

"Everything in the world goes with the flow, and it is possible to have a dream come true."

"That must be tiring."

Jiang Xinghuo smiled bitterly and said: "How can there be any reason not to be tired? All the important military and national affairs of a country are shouldered on our shoulders. It's just that the fire in our hearts has not been extinguished and we have to hold on."

Yu Qian suddenly smiled and said: "Teacher, you must set a good example. If I have such a day in the future, I will only have the strength to walk with a heavy load of ten thousand kilograms after thinking about today."

"Okay, okay!"

Jiang Xinghuo patted his shoulder and showed a rare smile: "You have such ambition, it couldn't be better."

"Teacher, are you still feeling sad?"

"much better."

Jiang Xinghuo continued to move forward: "It's just that things have changed and people have changed, and old friends have withered away. It's inevitable to feel sad."

Daming has changed a lot in these years, and the people around Jiang Xinghuo have also changed a lot.

He has extraordinary abilities, but he cannot defeat time.

Yuan Gong, minister of Taichang Temple, died at the age of seventy-five in the eighth year of Yongle reign.

Mr. Gao Xunzhi of Mr. Luanshan died of illness at the age of seventy in the tenth year of Yongle after completing the masterpiece "Spring and Autumn State History" divided into classics and history with a strong breath.

Gao Xunzhi's old friend Mao Dafang, who had played "hide and seek" with Ji Gang for many years, was also captured by the Jin Yiwei in Jiangbei in the same year. On the day of execution, Mao Dafang worshiped south and died, and the remaining party members were eliminated.

Kong Xilu also succeeded in developing penicillin at the end of this year, and then headed west at the age of eighty-five.

The deaths of these old friends inevitably brought quite a lot of negative emotions to Jiang Xinghuo, especially since the old monk also embarked on a fleet that sailed around the world. He didn't know if he could see each other again, which made Jiang Xinghuo's mood even more gloomy. .

And Jing Qing's two daughters have been raised by him. One is married to Zhu Zhanji, and the other is married to Zhu Gaoxu's eldest son Zhu Zhanhe. Jiang Xinghuo can't say whether it's bad fate or not.

His younger sister Jiang Xuan also found a good home and married her neighbor Xu Jingchang. The two met when they were young, and now they are in love. Xu Jingchang, the Duke of Dingguo, is both his disciple and one of the most important supporters. Although Jiang Xinghuo is reluctant to give up, he can It’s hard to say anything.

The little beggar picked up in the snow that year also became a monk at Datianjie Temple. This time he went to sea with Yao Guangxiao and disembarked in South Tianzhu to study Buddhist scriptures. I don't know how long it will take to come back.

What worried Jiang Xinghuo the most was that his aunt also died of illness at the beginning of spring.

When Jiang Xinghuo first remembered her more than ten years ago, her aunt's lungs had been in bad condition and she had been coughing violently. She had taken many medicines and supplements over the years but had no improvement. When she was critically ill, she even used the newly developed penicillin. , but still to no avail.

Many people have left his life, which makes Jiang Xinghuo even more alone.

Jiang Xinghuo is a traveler in the long river of time and space. He has been used to this kind of loneliness. But this time he abandoned the ship and landed. He met too many people and had a lot of good things and worries, so he invested too much emotion. And expectations, just like the travelers in "Peach Blossom Spring", when they fade away from the prosperity again and become alone, they feel an unconcealable loneliness.

He has changed a lot, but there are still many things he cannot change.

Therefore, as the struggle in the court intensified, Jiang Xinghuo inevitably felt mentally and physically exhausted.

But there were some things that he couldn't tell Yu Qian.

Yu Qian will take part in the imperial examination this year and has already won two yuan in a row. However, the current imperial examination has been revised with the addition of Xunzi's theory and the emphasis on the Six Classics. The academic load is quite heavy, and it is really useless to talk to him about matters in court. , but affected him to win the top prize in the end.

Moreover, thanks to Jiang Xinghuo's support, science has gradually developed. A large number of schools and research institutions have been established. Physics, chemistry, biology, astronomy, geography and other disciplines have shown vigorous development and integration with practice. The trend of positivism continues to spread among the intellectual class.

Yu Qian is also very interested in these things, so Yu Qian actually seems to be busier than him every day, from morning to night.

Jiang Xinghuo, who was in a better mood, told Yu Qian to rest early and prepare well for this year's imperial examination, then changed his clothes and went out.

He still has friends to whom he can confide his concerns.

Fortunately, Jinglong was not asleep either.

Li Jinglong really didn't sleep, and he wasn't dragged out of bed by Jiang Xinghuo.

Mochou Lake, painting on the boat.

"The water surged over the mountains, where was the young Zhou Lang? He disappeared into ashes without realizing it, and the poor Huang Gai was injured and groaned.

The cannons and oars used to destroy Cao Cao were all gone for a while, and the river water where the soldiers fought was still hot, so that I could feel so miserable!

This is not the heroic blood that Jiang Shui has shed endlessly for twenty years! "

Li Jinglong, who was relieved of his post as commander of the Ming Army stationed in Japan and returned home to report on his duties, was already slightly drunk. He staggered to the dancing girl and sang a Yuan song while holding a wine glass.

Sometimes Jiang Xinghuo really envies Li Jinglong. The so-called "born as a relative of an emperor, grew up to be a libertine", but now he is forty-six years old. Not only he is well-maintained, but he can still persist in playing the flute heartlessly every night. , what stands out is that I have a good attitude and don’t want to worry about so many things.

"Jiang~lang!"

When Li Jinglong saw Jiang Xinghuo coming, he called out in a playful tone.

"Brother Jiujiang." Jiang Xinghuo cupped his hands.

Li Jinglong served the wine himself, and the two sat down on the low couch next to the painting boat.

Seeing that Jiang Xinghuo seemed to have something on his mind, Li Jinglong didn't ask anything and just continued singing his "King Guan Goes Alone to the Meeting".

"Thinking about the past and present, we are so sick in passing the sun and the moon! Time is like a horse whipping up, and the floating world is like falling flowers and flowing water.

If you want to think about meritorious deeds in ancient and modern times, where are the five Shun people and the three Han heroes? "

The moonlight filtered through the window lattice, and Li Jinglong only poured wine for Jiang Xinghuo.

"The two dynasties were separated by several years, and if they didn't pay enough attention to see each other, they would grow old prematurely.

Drink a few glasses happily, bring the wine, and wait for the night to be drunk. "

The two clinked glasses, and Jiang Xinghuo smiled bitterly and said, "It would be great if I could really get drunk all night."

Immediately afterwards, Jiang Xinghuo drank until the glass was dry, but he was not drunk at all. He only stayed up until midnight, but he was a little sleepy.

The two of them leaned on the couch and stared at the moon outside the window. No one spoke for a long time.

"How is the situation in Japan now?"

"The East and West dynasties stand side by side, and there will be a war every year, and there will be no small war every month. I have already told the British Duke Zhang Fu what to do."

Jiang Xinghuo nodded and didn't ask any more questions. Japan's Warring States Period had arrived early. With the intervention of the Ming Army stationed in Japan, reunification was absolutely impossible. Any force that showed signs of this would be ruthlessly suppressed by the Ming Dynasty.

Zhang Fu has now grown into the backbone of the younger generation of the Ming army. After serving as the commander of the Ming army stationed in Annan and going through two northern expeditions, he finally succeeded to the British Duke. This time he released the commander of the Ming army stationed in Japan. It is also a matter of course.

It's just that the contradiction between land and sea has already begun to show up in the current Governor's Mansion of the Five Armies. Li Jinglong was relieved of his post as commander of the Ming Army stationed in Japan. In addition to fear that he would gain self-respect by supporting troops overseas, the internal conflicts of the Ming Army may also have affected it. factors in the emperor's decision-making.

Zhang Fu was also quite alienated from Zhu Gaoxu, but became very close to Zhu Gaochi.

In short, the Fifth Army Governor's Office is just fighting among itself. This is the annual military expenditure. It gives the Navy a shipbuilding base, and the Army Division has less to build armor and swords. Of course, the new flintlock muskets and paper-cased custom-loaded ammunition These are things that both sea and land are clamoring for.

"Are you still thinking about what happened in the court?"

"How could you not want to?"

Jiang Xinghuo looked at Li Jinglong beside him, and he didn't know when the other man had a few gray hairs on his temples.

"Up and down, the conflicts are getting deeper and deeper, and it's getting more and more awkward."

The domestic main trade road network has been built. There is a main road running from South Zhili to North Zhili, and there are branch trade roads like capillaries next to it. The cement road not only brings convenient transportation, but also brings trade Huge increase in volume and efficient transportation of goods.

In terms of overseas trade, Ming's merchant ships have spread across most of the world from the Ottomans to Europe to Japan, and the tariff revenue brought to Ming every year has exceeded the total fiscal revenue ten years ago.

The Ming Dynasty controlled all key waterways on the route, established fleet bases with overseas bases and fortresses as the core, and this time also began to explore South America in an attempt to complete global navigation.

The cake is getting bigger and bigger, but there are also more and more contradictions.

New social classes such as businessmen, citizens, and factory owners began to seek a voice that matched their wealth. The openness of the world also made it increasingly difficult for the court to govern the people.

The decline of Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism meant the rise of the philosophy of mind, which advocated freedom, and the practical philosophy of managing the world. The ideological world once again returned to a tripartite state, and various deviant thoughts also began to appear.

For the imperial power, the emergence of these new things has begun to cause visible damage to the foundation of the imperial power. Therefore, the conservatives who intend to reverse the reform have repeatedly gained power in many incidents. The Qi Wang family within the reform faction , and also used these things to continuously put pressure on Jiang Xinghuo.

But so what?

The situation Jiang Xinghuo faced at this time was the same as that of Zhu Gaochi in his previous life.

There is no alternative but to be patient.

When Zhu Gaoxu was extremely angry, he could blurt out "Xuanwumen again" in the East Palace, but Jiang Xinghuo knew very well that this was impossible.

Zhu Di is not Li Yuan.

In other words, Zhu Di is not his enemy.

Jiang Xinghuo's feelings for Zhu Di are very complicated. It was Zhu Di who changed the trajectory of his life. Without Zhu Di's support, there would never have been the changes in today's Ming Dynasty. Although the two used each other and had constant conflicts, they could not move forward for more than ten years. Come down, no matter what, it doesn't have to be a life-or-death situation.

And Jiang Xinghuo knew very well that Emperor Yongle was equally helpless sitting in that position.

Nowadays, the achievement of "ruling the Tang and Song Dynasties and reaching the Han and Tang Dynasties" is already in sight. Although the reform is irreversible, the hidden dangers of the changeable law to the imperial power are also gradually revealed.

Many years after Queen Xu passed away, Zhu Di's mental state has not improved. On the contrary, it is worse than Jiang Xinghuo. During this period, he was even more irritable.

What else can be done besides suppressing it?

This situation may only last until Zhu Di dies naturally before he can be relieved.

Ashikaga Yoshi has the conditions to do poisoning, but it does not mean that Zhu Gaoxu has the conditions to do it. After all, the palace environment of the Ming Dynasty is not that of the Mingxian Sect. Now in the Yongle Dynasty, Zhu Di's diet and daily life are strictly controlled and absolutely safe. .

Moreover, even if Zhu Gaoxu yells loudly, if he really wants to attack his biological father, who has the deepest affection for him, Zhu Gaoxu will definitely not be able to do it. That’s why Zhu Gaoxu never forgets Li Shimin of the Xuanwu Sect. When Di Gong stood up and Li Yuan scolded him, he felt guilty and did not dare to retaliate.

But no matter what, although the current situation is bad, it is not so bad that one has to risk a narrow escape and carry out a mutiny.

Perhaps for Zhu Gaoxu, a person in power, his father was too harsh, making him feel that his position as prince was about to be thrown away. But in fact, from Jiang Xinghuo's point of view, although Zhu Di was violent, but According to his historical experience in his previous life, all he needed was the word "forbearance".

As long as there is no mutiny, Zhu Di will not depose the prince.

"My aunt died of illness, and I have decided to leave. It's time to go back to Jingtingshan and have a good rest."

Jiang Xinghuo told Li Jinglong his plan. His aunt treated him very well, like a mother. According to the etiquette of this era, Jiang Xinghuo had every reason to go back and observe filial piety. As for how long, it all depends on his intention to avoid the Yongle Dynasty, which is getting deeper and deeper. How long will the political vortex last?

As for seizing love, it is impossible to seize love.

Today, after more than ten years of development, the Ming Dynasty has formed a system, including the examination law, the unified grain payment of the gentry, the accounting law, social security, and reformed education. All reforms are on the right track, even without Jiang Xinghuo's intervention , as long as we continue to develop along the original track, we will not go astray.

"Do you have any regrets these years?" Li Jinglong suddenly asked.

Jiang Xinghuo suddenly felt sleepy. Looking at the dim moonlight, he thought about how he had done a lot of things over the years, and he didn't feel sorry for anyone in particular. It wasn't really a regret.

The moment he closed his eyes, a beautiful figure suddenly appeared in Jiang Xinghuo's mind.

He didn't know what happened back then until Queen Xu died of illness. At that time, they were supposed to travel to Jiangnan together, but it was Xu Huizu who took Xu Miaojin and knelt in front of the memorial tablet of King Xu Da of Zhongshan and said something, which changed Xu Miaojin's mind, not what Zhu Di gave him. pressure.

But if you miss it, you will miss it after all.

There are always regrets in life, but it is the path you choose.

Seeing that Jiang Xinghuo didn't reply and started snoring gradually, Li Jinglong rubbed his eyebrows, stood up and put on the old thin quilt on him. He sat on the couch and looked at the sleeping Jiang Xinghuo quietly.

Li Jinglong knew very well that Jiang Xinghuo's personality was different from his. He could have wine one day and get drunk the next, but Jiang Xinghuo couldn't. Even after drinking so much wine, Jiang Xinghuo couldn't relieve his sadness.

Pain is Jiang Xinghuo's background.

Li Jinglong struck the knot with his hands and silently hummed in his heart the poem that Jiang Xinghuo sang to him when they first met on the Qinhuai River.

"The bright moon is good for loving him, and being haggard is also related to the intermittence of dreams in skirts. How much hate the west wind can blow away the eyebrows~"