The Ming Dynasty started with caution

He returned home from Liangxiang.

In the sedan chair, Yan Chengjin was about to take a nap, but when he heard the sedan chair being knocked a few times, he thought he had arrived at the gate of the mansion.

He lifted the curtain of the sedan chair, but saw that he was still on the official road of Liangxiang.

Just as he was about to deduct He Neng's wages, he heard He Neng approaching and smilingly said, "Master, Mr. Cheng has returned to Beijing."

Yan Chengjin was a little stunned.

Although Wang Yue was old, he could still serve as the dean of Liangxiang Science College for a few years.

What he said in the letter was that Mr. Cheng could return to Beijing, but there was no vacant official position in the court now.

Back in the mansion, Cheng Minzheng was waiting in the main hall.

It was still the same as before, with green fruits and vegetables in the yard, chickens and ducks in different bamboo cages, and three or two maids weeding in the yard.

"You didn't invite me to the new mansion either."

Cheng Minzheng was a little resentful, looking up at the hall. When he came to Yan's mansion, this was not the careful sutra of being a man.

Yan Chengjin cast a suspicious look at the figure in the main hall: "Mr. Cheng?"

Cheng Minzheng turned around and saw Yan Chengjin, and immediately smiled: "My dear nephew, you are still so distant. I wonder why you called me back to Beijing?"

"Wang Yue is old. I want Mr. Cheng to be the president of Liangxiang Science College."

My dear nephew started to fool him again. He didn't say that when he went to Korea.

Cheng Minzheng picked up the teacup, dipped his lips in the tea, and immediately had an idea:

"My dear nephew, will you promise to help me restore my official status?"

The identity of an envoy is still useful in Korea, but when he returns to the Ming Dynasty, he is no different from a commoner.

"I am really dissatisfied with Mr. Cheng. There are no vacant official positions in the court."

"My dear nephew, this..."

...

The warm room behind the Qianqing Palace.

There are nine rooms, each with two floors.

Three beds are placed on the upper floor. The new emperor can sleep on which bed every night. This way, even if someone assassinates him, it is difficult to find the emperor himself.

It is a safety mechanism to protect the emperor.

Early in the morning, Liu Jin helped Zhu Houzhao put on his regular clothes: "My Lord, Mr. Cheng is back, and the gentlemen are waiting for you in the East Warm Pavilion."

"What do you want to see me for?"

If it was a trivial matter, Zhu Houzhao planned to sneak out of the palace for a walk. If there was an important court matter, Lao Gao and Master Li would handle it.

"The Ministry of Revenue has allocated money and grain, and large ships can be sent out to sea."

One thousand large ships are divided into two batches, which can allocate money and grain and military preparations more quickly. Engineers will be sent to build stoves and houses first.

In less than half a year, a small city can be built in Huangjinzhou.

Gu Dayong, who was standing next to him, knelt on the ground with a plop: "I ask for your permission to go to Huangjinzhou to supervise the army."

After a layer of gold plating and returning to Beijing, he can be promoted to the eunuch holding the pen in the Imperial Horse Supervisor.

Zhu Houzhao ignored him and walked into the hall, asking knowingly: "Masters, what do you want to see me for so early in the morning?"

Cheng Minzheng coughed a few times, then bowed and said: "Your servant Cheng Minzheng greets the new emperor!"

He looked pretty good, with a straight face, a few white hairs on his temples, and was wearing the red robe he wore when he left the capital, which was not much different from when he was in the court.

Zhu Houzhao said happily: "Master Cheng has returned to the capital, why didn't you come to see me, and you still hold the official position of the right assistant minister of the Ministry of Rites?

"... Exactly."

Li Dongyang looked at Zhu Houzhao and bowed: "The Ministry of Revenue has prepared money and grain, and I implore the new emperor to order the supervisor of this trip to set sail on a chosen day. "

Yan Chengjin could understand Li Dongyang's feelings.

The nine frontier armies have moved south and established garrisons in the southeast. The military farms can support them and will soon overwhelm the national treasury.

It will take at least one year to go to Huangjinzhou, and at most three to five years. They dare not delay at all.

All the gentlemen looked at Zhu Houzhao.

In short, it is now a big deal to send people to Huangjinzhou to mine and farm as soon as possible.

"Master Cheng, how about you lead the navy to Huangjinzhou?" Zhu Houzhao saw Cheng Minzheng and was too lazy to think about other people.

"I recommend Song Jing." Yan Chengjin said.

The infrastructure of Huangjinzhou is tantamount to starting from scratch.

If the engineers sent encounter difficulties and cannot ask for advice, it will delay the construction period. It is better to send Song Jing to command the overall situation and speed up the construction.

Cheng Minzheng secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

"Jincheng Grand Prince agreed to issue Kanhe to the people and will arrive in Tianjin Wei soon. "

Li Dongyang pondered for a moment, and felt that the labor service was too little.

Siam and Ryukyu had not sent back any news yet, and I wondered how many people could be recruited.

Zhu Houzhao's eyes lit up.

"Pass on my order, order Song Jing to lead the navy to go to sea, and as for Master Cheng, he will serve as the Zhanshi of the Zhanshi Mansion."

Song Jing went to Huangjinzhou, and the position of Zhanshi of the Zhanshi Mansion was vacant.

I have been making achievements outside for more than ten years, and I am still a Zhanshi when I come back. It is better to be an official in the court.

Cheng Minzheng muttered a few words to himself and bowed to receive the order.

...

A month passed in a blink of an eye, and the capital gradually became cooler. On this day, several large ships were parked at Liangxiang Port, and Song Jing led engineers to prepare to go south and go to sea from Songjiang Prefecture.

"Lord Yan, do you have any important instructions for this trip?"

Yan Chengjin took out a blueprint from his arms, "Don't forget to study this map when you go to Huangjinzhou. "

Song Jing was used to this, and after bowing, he boarded the ship.

Gu Dayong cried and stood beside Yan Chengjin: "Master Yan, don't you have a note to give us?"

"...No." Yan Chengjin.

To send a tough eunuch, although Gu Dayong is not as flexible as Liu Jin, his advantage is that he is loyal and not very courageous.

Ye Zhun came over to report that Zhu Houzhao wanted to call him back to the palace.

...

East Warm Pavilion,

Zhu Houzhao was a little distracted, on the one hand he wanted to go to Liangxiang for a walk, on the other hand he had to review today's memorials.

He was a man of integrity. He promised to review the documents in three hours, and he would finish them even if he cried.

"Have you found out clearly?"

"My Lord, Gu Banban has left the capital, and the new envoys are not from Tang and Song, but from the Holy Roman Empire of France."

Liu Jin smiled and reported the two things he had been ordered to find out.

Wang Shouren was attacking the Holy Roman Empire, and he had just learned about it. The envoys came to the capital at this time, and they must have something to ask for.

"You said you want to go to the palace to see the emperor tomorrow?"

Not long after, Yan Chengjin returned to the palace from Liangxiang. It was almost time to get off work. If Zhu Houzhao had nothing to do, he would go home.

The Holy Roman Empire disdained to send envoys to the Ming Dynasty.

At this time, they sent envoys to the Ming Dynasty, which surprised Yan Chengjin. After discussing, the two decided to meet.

………

The next day, the morning court.

After Yan Kesong reported that the navy had set out to sea, Hong Yuan, the Minister of the Ministry of Rites, stepped forward and said, "The envoy of the Holy Roman Empire wants to see you and begs to pay tribute to the Ming Dynasty."

Li Dongyang looked over in surprise. France only paid tribute to the Ming court during the Hongwu period.

After that, the sea ban almost cut off exchanges.

Amid the whispers of the ministers, the French envoy Ludovich stepped into the hall and bowed slightly to Zhu Houzhao:

"Respected Emperor of the Ming Dynasty, I am here to pay my respects to you on behalf of Emperor Maximilian the Great."

Zhu Houzhao blinked and looked at Liu Jin next to him in confusion.

Liu Jin came up and whispered, "My name is Maximilian, from the Holy Roman Empire."

Zhu Houzhao sat up straight, with a look of sudden enlightenment in his smile, and said with a smile:

"Why don't you kneel when you see me?"

"This is the etiquette of France, please forgive me, Emperor of the Ming Dynasty." Ludovich spoke in a clumsy Chinese, looking a little nervous.

Zhu Houzhao: "Do you hold a high position in the Holy Roman Empire?"

Ludovich: "I am the Grand Duke."

The officials were all confused.

Zhu Houzhao was also a little confused, and turned to look at Liu Jin. Liu Jin covered his mouth with his hand and whispered in Zhu Houzhao's ear: "It's the Duke."

Zhu Houzhao's eyes lit up, and when he looked at Yan Chengjin again, his face was more happy: Lao Gao, this man has a high position, drag him away and chop him off?

Yan Chengjin pretended not to see it, and asked: "I wonder why Duke Ludovich came to the Ming Dynasty?"