The Rise of the European Emperor

After listening to Marin's explanation, Zhengde also agreed with Marin's statement that this is a great thing that benefits the country and the people. But Zhengde asked suspiciously:

"I know this is a good thing, but what can I get?"

"Your Majesty, you can't sell briquettes, but you can sell coal..."

"Selling coal? Ma Aiqing, don't be kidding me. If I sell coal, won't I let the ministers' spitting stars drown?"

"I didn't ask you to sell coal yourself, you can ask your eunuch to go."

"you mean……"

"As soon as the briquettes come out, the coal consumption in the world will definitely increase. If Your Majesty lets the eunuchs control the coal mines in various places first, what do you think will happen?"

"Naturally, people all over the world come to buy coal from me..." After thinking it over, Zhengde's eyes lit up with gold...

However, he hesitated again:

"Do you think the common people will accept this novel cooking utensil?" Obviously, Zhengde was afraid that no one would buy it.

"Don't worry, Your Majesty, it must be popular all over the world!" Marin is not bragging. Didn't you see that honeycomb coal appeared in cities all over the country after liberation? The poorer the family with housing shortage, the more they love to burn briquettes. You know, for poor families, saving a firewood house can greatly relieve the pressure on housing.

"Then how to take down the coal mines in the world?" Zhengde humbly asked for advice.

"In this way, His Majesty can send eunuchs to take over all the coal and iron mines in Jin Province in the name of 'strictly controlling the flow of iron into Mongolia'. Except for the mines that have already been opened, privately opened new coal and iron mines are strictly prohibited without the permission of the imperial court. The crime of collaborating with the enemy..."

"Why Jin Province?" Emperor Zhengde asked.

"Because Jin Province has the most coal in Daming..."

"How do you know?" Zhengde became even more curious.

"What the master said, he said, the Daming Coal Mine is the number one in Jin Province. Moreover, the largest coal mine is in Datong Town. Datong Town belongs to the border town, and there are guarding eunuchs there. Your Majesty can let the guarding eunuch find a way to take it down. The entire coal mine in Datong, and then the entire coal mine in Jin Province..."

"This...isn't that good...and I don't know how to get it..." Zhengde was a little embarrassed.

"Don't worry, Your Majesty, your eunuchs are very good at this matter. As long as you speak out, the eunuchs under your command will definitely rush to help take down those coal mines. As long as you take down those coal mines, and then launch the briquette stove, when the time comes , you can just sit and wait for the money to be collected. Coal mines have no cost, as long as you send people to dig them, you can sell them for money, which is simply worthless!”

"Okay, I will do as you said. As long as the matter is done, I will find a way to let Zhang Cai go with you!"

certainly,

Zhengde did not fully listen to Marin. Instead, he waited for a day and saw that the briquette stove did only use three briquettes a day before starting to act.

Sure enough, as expected by Ma Lin, Zhengde called Zhang Yong, Gu Dayong, Qiu Ju, Ma Yongcheng and other big eunuchs together, and after saying that he wanted the world's coal mines, the eunuchs were stunned for a moment, and then immediately expressed their loyalty , expressing their willingness to do so.

In the end, Qiu Ju grabbed the task and entered Jin Province in the name of "eunuch guarded by imperial order", and began to seize the coal mines in the entire Jin Province. As for the coal mines that have already been mined, if there is no one behind them, they will be robbed directly, and then they will be subsidized casually to get rid of the trouble. Those who are behind the scenes will be given more money, but the coal mine will also be settled...

Seeing that everything was going well, at the Shuo Wang Chao meeting on the first day of October in the lunar calendar, Zhengde finally proposed to deal with Zhang Cai...

A moment ago, a courtier said that Zhang Cai should be exiled to Lingnan, and Zhengde answered immediately:

"That being the case, let Zhang Cai and his family be exiled to Dongfan Island!"

"Dongfan Island?" The officials who had just discussed the exile of Zhang Cai were also stunned.

"Yes, Lingnan is a barren land, and Dongfan Island is the same. It is still a place where savages live. Isn't Zhang Cai's family exiled there similar to exile to Lingnan?"

When the ministers thought about it, it seemed to be such a reason...

"Also, I plan to directly punish Zhang Cai as a slave and give it to Ma Lin, the owner of the Fanyi Kingdom, as a slave to be driven by him. Doesn't the Lord Ma want to develop Dongfan Island? Okay, let Zhang Cai go with him, and those who What do you think about dealing with the savages of Dongfan Island?"

"This is good..." Many civil servants who had a grudge against Zhang Cai praised Zhengde's arrangement in their hearts.

So the courtiers nodded in agreement. But they also proposed that Marin could not bring Zhang Cai back to the mainland, and could only be placed in Dongfan Island...

For this, Marin naturally has no problem. Anyway, he originally wanted to use Zhang Cai's rich experience in governance to manage Taiwan Island. Of course, Kong Tai is still the chief official in name, but Zhang Cai can handle specific affairs in the name of adjutant and assistant.

At the Shuowangchao meeting, the officials discussed Zhang Cai's extremely dark future enthusiastically. Thinking of the scene where Zhang Caifu was dealing with savages, many civil servants laughed outright.

Marin was then summoned to court. Emperor Zhengde said solemnly:

"Ma Aiqing, I heard that you want to develop Dongfan Island, which is full of savages. Are you short of manpower?"

Marin had discussed privately with Zhengde a long time ago, and naturally cooperated:

"That's true. There are savages everywhere on Dongfan Island, and they are extremely dangerous. I need brave and resourceful talents to fight wits and courage with those fierce savages. Moreover, you need to be mentally prepared to be eaten by savages at any time..." Marin As he spoke, he showed a bitter face.

"Hahaha..." All the ministers laughed. At the same time, I am more satisfied with this "terrible arrangement" for Zhang Cai.

"Okay, I will give you the guilty minister Zhang Cai as a domestic slave, and take him to Dongfan Island to open up wasteland!" Zhengde said with a big wave of his hand.

Marin pretended to be surprised and said:

"What? Zhang Cai? But the former Minister of the Ministry of Officials? Wouldn't it be a pity for such a big shot to be eaten by the savages of Dongfan Island?"

All the ministers said in their hearts - we just expect Zhang Cai to be eaten by savages...

Then, Zhang Cai's fate was decided...

...

After confirming Zhang Cai's fate, Marin immediately asked for instructions:

"Your Majesty, since Zhang Cai has become my servant, can I appoint him as the steward and order him to go to the south of the Yangtze River to buy pigs?"

"Buy pigs?" Zhengde and all the ministers were taken aback.

"Yes, I heard that the pigs in the Taihu Lake area in the south of the Yangtze River are extremely delicious. The savages on Dongpan Island don't raise pigs, but want to eat meat, so they had to catch people to eat. I thought, go buy some pigs for me. Those savages kept them, and they would stop eating people if they had pork..." Marin pretended to be "I'm cute" and said.

The monarchs and ministers of the Manchu Dynasty were all overwhelmed by Marin's shocking statement-buying pigs for the savages to raise, so that the savages can eat pork and not human flesh?

Then, the whole court burst into laughter, and many ministers laughed so hard that they couldn't straighten up. Zhengde was also swaying from side to side with a smile on the dragon chair. He was really killed by the excuse of Marin...

All the ministers nodded in agreement, thinking that Zhang Cai would be a servant to buy pigs, and the purchase would be given to those cannibal savages to raise, which was very suitable for the character design they arranged for Zhang Cai. As a result, the ministers issued a guide to Marin, allowing "the housekeeper Zhang Cai" to purchase domestic pigs in Nanzhili.

In fact, this is also a test Marin gave Zhang Cai. If Zhang Cai's office fails, Marin may not reuse him. If it is done beautifully, Zhang Cai can easily gain Marin's trust.

When Zhang Cai, who was waiting in the inn on the outskirts of the capital, learned that Ma Lin was going to arrange for him to go to the south of the Yangtze River to buy domestic pigs, his face turned blue and white, obviously not happy.

Malin warns:

"Don't underestimate this errand. I heard that the domestic pigs near Taihu Lake have many litters and grow fast. They are the best domestic pig breed in Ming Dynasty. This is a major matter related to the national economy and people's livelihood. Don't neglect this matter. If it's done, your Zhang family will definitely have a bright future. If it can't be done..."

"Subordinates understand!" Zhang Cai is a smart person, and immediately realized the seriousness of this matter.

"Also, when I go to the south of the Yangtze River, if I have the opportunity, I will secretly buy some tea varieties. For example, the 'Scaring Fragrance' (the predecessor of Biluochun, Biluochun's name was changed by Kangxi) tea varieties from Dongting Mountain in Wu County, Suzhou."

Taihu Pig and Biluochun are both on the shore of Taihu Lake, so Zhang Cai can go to buy them together. Moreover, the tea tree seeds are very small and hidden in the bag, so it is difficult to attract the attention of others.

Zhang Cai took the order and went straight to the bank of Taihu Lake in the south of the Yangtze River with the people hired by the Marin Gang...