My life skills in Daming Liver

Chapter 282 Using the National Policy—Changing Rice to Mulberry

In the thirty-ninth year of Jiajing, in the twelfth lunar month, there was a severe drought in the capital, and the emperor ordered Lan Daoxing to pray for rain at the Temple of Heaven.

The emperor was in a bad mood.

According to the usual practice, at the end of each year, before the seal of the twelfth lunar month, the cabinet, the six ministries, and the supervisor of ceremonies will hold a year-end financial meeting in front of the imperial court to determine the expenditures of each ministry last year and decide on important projects for the next year.

This is also a meeting that must be attended every year since Emperor Jiajing Xiuxian asked.

However, at this year's imperial meeting, the cabinet and the supervisor of rites kept arguing, and the supervisor of ceremonies never gave any approval.

The cabinet and the supervisor of ceremonies can only send the final result to the emperor's imperial case and request the emperor's holy order.

Over the years, Emperor Jiajing has become more and more relaxed about the government.

Not only the government affairs, but even the sacrifices to the mountains, rivers, sun and moon, and ancestors and ancestors were all entrusted to the honorable ministers.

Over the years, Cheng Guogong Zhu Xizhong was ridiculed by the foreign courts as the high priest of the Ming Dynasty. The sacrificial activities that should have been attended by the emperor were almost done by Cheng Guogong.

It's just that in these years, Cheng Guogong Zhu Xizhong has also grown old, and gradually he can't adapt to tossing back and forth between his hometown Fengxiang, the two northern and southern capitals, and the imperial mausoleum in the suburbs of Beijing.

Although he didn't want to admit it in his heart, Emperor Jiajing also felt that he was getting old.

A few days ago, the emperor summoned Dingguo Gong Xu Yande, and saw that this honored minister who was about the same age as himself was also old. Emperor Jiajing, who had always shown no warmth to his courtiers, actually took Dingguogong to do the housework.

This ancestor of Dingguo can be traced back to Xu Zengshou, the third son of the founding hero Xu Da.

Ding Guogong and Wei Guogong of Nanjing are both descendants of Xu Da's two sons.

During the Battle of Jingnan, Xu Zengshou secretly responded to Chengzu Zhu Di in Nanjing. Although he was killed by Emperor Jianwen, Duke Dingguo of Xu Zengshou's lineage became prominent.

However, Xu Huizu, Duke of the State of Wei in Nanjing, supported Emperor Jianwen and was imprisoned after the death of Chengzu Zhu Dijing, but his hereditary title was not removed, but later Wei Guogong's line could only stay in Nanjing.

The current Duke of Wei, Xu Pengju, was dismissed from his post in the army because of the Zhenwu Camp mutiny, and now he is at home unemployed.

In contrast, Xu Yande, the Duke of Dingguo, did not gain the trust of the emperor and could often go in and out of the court.

It can only be said that Xu Da's sons are very good at standing in line. The current Dingguo Duke Xu Yande is also a taciturn person and never expresses any opinions on major court affairs.

"Is your eldest son Xu Wenbi an adult too?"

Xu Yande said respectfully: "The dog has grown up and will be attacked next year."

Yingxi means that when the heir of the honor reaches the age of twenty, he can hold a part of the position and wait to inherit the title.

Jiajing nodded and said, "Since that's the case, then let Wen Bi come out to do something, let him be the guard first."

Even Xu Yande, who has always been prudent, was overjoyed. The red-helmet generals of the imperial guards were all the sons of Xunchen, and Dian Suwei was the head of the imperial guards, which was a very important position.

Although it is said that since the Tumu Fort, the status of the Red Helmets General of the Imperial Guard has been greatly reduced and has become a ceremonial guard of honor, but the job of the Diansu Guard is still very important.

Emperor Jiajing suddenly said, "Lu Bing is dead."

Xu Yande once again restored the appearance of the wooden sculpture before. The death of Lu Bing, commander of Jin Yiwei, is now a taboo topic in the capital.

Since the incident with Yu Dayou last time, Lu Bing was supposed to recuperate from his illness. In fact, the emperor deprived him of the right to be the commander of Jinyiwei and confined him at home.

In November, something else happened.

Zhou Yunyi, the supervisor of the Qin Tianjian, wrote to the emperor because of the astronomical warning: "The imperial court is spending too much, the government is corrupt and ink is rampant, the people are struggling to live, and the sky is angry and the people complain."

As a result, Zhou Yunyi was ordered by the emperor to fight in the court because of "confusing the public with evil words and discussing the state affairs indiscriminately", and finally died in front of the Meridian Gate of the Forbidden City.

After Zhou Yunyi's death, Lu Bing, the commander of Jinyiwei who had been convalescing at home, suddenly entered the palace, but this time Lu Bing did not come out of the palace.

On December 11th, the thirty-ninth year of Jiajing, Lu Bing, the commander of Jinyiwei, died suddenly in the palace, and rumors abounded in the capital.

The emperor said again: "Yang Shen is also dead."

Poor Xu Yande searched his brains, and finally remembered who Yang Shen was.

The son of Yang Tinghe, Yang Shen, who was relegated to Yunnan for his whole life because of the great ceremony, finally died.

Emperor Jiajing took out a piece of paper and began to recite:

"The rolling waters of the Yangtze River flow eastward, and the waves wipe out the heroes. Whether it is success or failure is turned around. The green hills are still there, and the sunset is red several times.

White-haired fishermen and woodcutters on the river, used to watching the autumn moon and spring breeze. A pot of turbid wine is happy to meet. How many things in ancient and modern times are all jokes. "

After Xu Yande heard it, he almost clapped his hands and applauded. Yang Shen is worthy of being the suzerain of the literary world. This poem is really sublime!

But Xu Yande didn't dare to admire, he secretly glanced at the emperor's face, and quickly lowered his head.

"I have already pardoned the Yang family and allowed his family to carry the coffin back to their hometown."

It was only then that Xu Yande discovered that the emperor's hair also had gray hairs, and the Taoist emperor, who once claimed to be invulnerable to cold and heat, was also wearing winter clothes at this time.

Xu Yande quickly lowered his head again.

Emperor Jiajing tapped the copper and said:

"Back off, Huang Jin!"

Xu Yande stepped back quickly, only to see Huang Jin, the number one eunuch among the eunuchs, who was honored as the ancestor by the eunuchs in the palace, hurried into the palace.

Huang Jin's hair was already grey, Xu Yande lowered his head and brushed past this powerful official, trying his best not to see or listen to injustice.

But when he walked to the gate of the palace, Xu Yande still heard the emperor's conversation.

"The construction of the Grand Project and the temple cannot be stopped, and the Ministry of Industry must not be short of money. Let the important officials of the court, Kechen Yanguan, write a letter, how to solve the hole in the Ministry of Industry next year!"

Naturally, the Supervisor of Ceremonies did not dare to be negligent, and rushed to spread the emperor's order to all the yamen in the capital before the Chinese New Year.

After receiving the emperor's order, Yan Shifan, then Minister of the Ministry of Industry and known as Xiaoge Lao, immediately gathered in the mansion.

His confidants Zhao Wenhua and Yan Maoqing gathered at the mansion, Yan Shifan paced back and forth, cursing.

"Old thief Xu Jie! His household department knows how to cry for poverty. Doesn't he know where our engineering department's money is spent?"

Thinking of the verbal battle at the imperial meeting, Yan Shifan became furious.

Zhao Wenhua hurriedly advised: "Don't be angry, Mr. Xiaoge, this time is also a good opportunity for Mr. Xiaoge to perform!"

Yan Shifan sat on the grand teacher's chair and asked: "What good strategy does Mr. Zhao have to solve the deficit of the court?"

Zhao Wen also hurriedly said: "Mr. Xiaoge, do you know how much silk Fuzhou Ships has sold this year?"

Yan Shifan froze for a moment, then shook his head. The Shibo Department is an institution within the palace. As the Minister of the Ministry of Industry, he certainly doesn't know the account of the Shibo Department.

Zhao Wenhua said: "The silk that the Ryukyu envoys bought in Fuzhou was worth 200,000 taels of silver."

Yan Shifan took a deep breath.

Zhao Wenhua added: "That's it, it's still because the silk sold is not enough. With the current market price, as much silk as weaves, the Ryukyu envoys can receive as much silk."

Yan Shifan was not a fool either, he asked suspiciously: "Ryukyu is just a tiny country, how can there be so much money to buy silk?"

Zhao Wenhua smiled and said, "Aren't there Japanese people and Folangji people?"

That's right!

Yan Shifan suddenly realized, but he said again:

"But there's only so much silk, so it can't be more."

Zhao Wenhua said mysteriously, "I have a plan."

Yan Shifan asked in a respectful tone: "Brother Yuanzhi, please enlighten me."

Zhao Wenhua stroked his beard and said, "Change rice into mulberry."

"Changing rice into mulberry?"

Both Yan Shifan and Yan Maoqing were chewing on these four words Zhao Wenhua said.

Soon Yan Maoqing clapped his hands and said, "Wonderful!"

Only then did Yan Shifan come to his senses, clapping his hands and saying, "A great strategy!"

Yan Shifan stood up again, cupped his hands and said to Zhao Wenhua, "Brother Yuanzhi, since we want to change rice into mulberry, where do we start?"

"Zhejiang!"

Zhao Wenhua said almost firmly.

Zhao Wenhua said again: "However, there is a stumbling block in Zhejiang's transformation of rice into mulberry, Hu Zongxian."

Yan Shifan showed a fierce look and said: "Hu Zongxian is my father's disciple, so he is not false to me, but this person is very important to my father because he fought against the Japanese in Zhejiang."

Yan Shifan said again: "However, if it is a national policy, Hu Zongxian will definitely implement it!"

Throughout the Chinese New Year, Yan Shifan and Zhao Wenhua Yan Maoqing gathered all day long, and even the newly married concubine did not "take care of".

At the same time, Su Ze still brought Fang Ruolan back to Changningwei to spend the 40th year of Jiajing New Year.

It's just that this time they took a new type of flying clipper, and they arrived in Changningwei from Shanghai in only fifteen days.

After finishing all the things for the New Year, Su Ze boarded the boat non-stop, and followed Lin Mojun to Dongao Island.

At this time, Dong'ao Island is also a scene of Chinese New Year. Su Ze looked at the increasingly crowded Dong'ao Island, and asked Lin Mojun beside him:

"Why are there so many people on the island?"

Lin Mojun sighed and said, "The situation in Fujian is not very good this year. These are people who have fled."

"Escape?"

Lin Mojun nodded and said, "This year Fujian is not only full of Japanese pirates, the government has also imposed a lot of exorbitant taxes, and people in many places have fled."

"Is it so serious?"

Lin Mojun nodded and said, "There was even a civil uprising in Guangdong, but now Minguang has the elite of the imperial court, and it was quickly suppressed."

Lin Mojun said: "Aren't you going to recruit immigrants to develop Dayuan Island? The people near Fujian have a tradition of going to Nanyang, so I recruited these immigrants in the name of going to Nanyang."

Su Ze said excitedly, "How many people are there now?"

Lin Mojun said: "I will place the newly recruited immigrants on Dongao Island first, and then send them to Dayuan Island after they have adapted for a while."

"There are currently more than 2,000 people on Dongao Island, and 5,000 people have been sent to Dayuan Island."

Su Ze didn't expect Lin Mojun to achieve such results in just half a year.

Lin Mojun said: "In addition to the people who can't survive in Minguang, there are also slaves who were bought from the Japanese kingdom. Among them, there are more than 500 people, and they have also been resettled in Dayuan Island."

After inspecting Dong'ao Island, Su Ze took the clipper boat non-stop and went south to Dayuan Island.

A blockhouse has been built on the place bought from the original residents of Dayuan Island, and a small city around the blockhouse has begun to take shape.

"According to your instructions, every commoner on the island, regardless of gender, will be given a hoe and a giant; one household will be given one iron pot; five households will be given one farm tool. Give a stone of rice and allow them to open up wasteland on the island, and the first year's farm income will not be requisitioned."

A special flag was raised, and a speedboat was immediately dispatched from Dayuan Island to escort the clipper ship to the port.

After the clipper ship docked, Su Ze saw that there was still a neat team of soldiers practicing on the pier.

"Dayuan Island is not so peaceful. Nanyang pirates and Japanese pirates often harass it. It is only after the construction of this fort that it becomes more peaceful."

Su Ze nodded, and he soon saw a familiar figure among the officers leading the team.

"Mr. Su!"

Zhang Biao stepped forward quickly. He was the general banner that Su Ze took away from the Zhenwu Camp change half a year ago.

Su Ze not only rescued the officers who took the lead in the rebellion from the barracks, but also arranged for their families to come to Dayuan Island, so that they could avoid the court's settlement after autumn.

In the past six months, Su Ze has "taught martial arts" in various military camps in Nanjing. As he continued to give lectures, he also picked out some seeds of progress.

Some of them were left in various camps in Nanjing by Su Ze, and some of them were smuggled to Dayuan Island by Su Ze.

Zhang Biao held a blunderbuss and wore a Yanping blue dyed cotton military uniform. He looked like a different person from the last time Su Ze saw him in Nanjing, and he was full of energy.

"Su Xianggong, this is my soldier!"

Lin Mojun said from the side: "Now there are 500 bird gunners on Dayuan Island, all of whom are off-the-job training soldiers. They all use the enlightenment textbooks you compiled, and the training materials are all sent back by you last time. drill book."

Su Ze nodded in satisfaction, and Zhang Biao said to Su Ze again: "Mr. Su, everyone is looking forward to your lecture!"

Zhang Biao was originally literate, otherwise he would not have been elected by the soldiers to be the leader in asking for salary.

After the Zhenwu Camp mutiny, Zhang Biao originally had some fantasies about Daming, so he didn't plan to leave.

But after listening to Su Ze's analysis and Su Ze's short lecture, he completely gave up his fantasy about the Ming court.

Later, the progressive soldiers that Su Ze sent to the senior officials also told Zhang Biao about the Ming court's settlement and the arrest of Zhang Biao. Zhang Biao was afraid and grateful to Su Ze.

Of course Su Ze readily agreed. He gave three consecutive lectures in the hall completed on Dayuan Island, and even the aborigines on Dayuan Island came to listen to the lecture in the third lecture.

Immediately afterwards, Su Ze visited the newly opened farmland and sugarcane plantations on the island. It was not until before the Lantern Festival that he and Lin Mojun returned to Changningwei.

On the boat, Lin Mojun hesitated to speak and asked:

"If it's just for immigrating overseas, there's no need to prepare for war like this. Aze, what exactly do you want to do?"

Su Ze said: "I do this, just wait and see what happens."

Years later, the imperial court of the capital made a decree to promote the transformation of rice into mulberry in Zhejiang.