People in Hongwu, from heavenly master to emperor master

Chapter 184 Investing in the Emperor, Become a National Teacher

The stack of "paper" that Zhang Yi handed to Lao Zhu was a bank note.

Lao Zhu thought that Zhang Yi would give him a lot of support, but he never thought that Zhang Yi would give him money.

"A while ago I took some manuscripts and the medicine money I gave to the Confucian Mansion for medical treatment. There are more than 2000 taels here. Just treat it as my investment uncle!"

Zhang Yi handed over to Zhu Yuanzhang the banknote that Chen Ke sent over a while ago, and Lao Zhu immediately had mixed feelings.

If he was really just a businessman, even those rich households in the south of the Yangtze River, even the wealthy Shen family such as Shen Xiu, who wanted to take an adventurous trip to the sea, would probably take his family there.

The least cost of this trip is tens of thousands of silver.

Although Zhang Yi's money is usually a lot, it is not too much for a trip to the sea.

But Lao Zhu understood that this was all the boy could offer, he himself was a gold swallowing beast, and there was not much money left.

Zhu Yuanzhang took a deep look at Zhang Yi, but said with a smile:
"Are you worried that your uncle will lose the family because of his temper?"

Zhang Yi laughed:
"My little money is just a drop in the bucket, not even a drop in the bucket!"

Although Zhang Yi didn't know how much it cost to go to sea, it didn't prevent him from calculating it.

There is a ready-made example in later generations. During the time of Emperor Yongle, Zheng He traveled to the West.According to the prices at that time, Zhang Yi can reverse the cost of Uncle Huang's going to sea today.

The cost of a ship is about 500 taels and 6000 taels of silver. It is conservatively estimated that it will take about ten ships to go to America.

On average, it is about 5 taels of silver.

The repair and maintenance of the ship will not be lower than the cost of the ship, which is another 5 to [-] taels of silver.

The cost of recruiting crew, eating, drinking, and drinking will not be less than 2 taels of silver a year, and it is conservatively estimated that it will take one or two years to go to and from the Americas.

Here is another 5 taels.

In other words, under Uncle Huang's impulsiveness, he needs at least 15 taels of silver to pay for his dream.

This is not counting some miscellaneous expenses, and it will cost 8 to [-] taels.

Is seventeen or eighty thousand taels a lot for a wealthy businessman in the south of the Yangtze River?

If you say a lot, you can't talk about it. Many wealthy businessmen in the south have a net worth of several 10 taels.

Before Zhu Yuanzhang came to the throne, he borrowed more than 10 taels of military expenses from merchants, which shows that these merchants can afford the price.

But then again, having a net worth of 10 taels and being able to sell 10,000+ taels are completely different concepts.

In ancient times, when merchants made money, most of them liked to buy land and become landlords. In fact, most of their wealth was in land and goods.

Zhang Yi reckoned that even if Shen Wansan's Shen family's family property is used to estimate Lao Huang's net worth, he would definitely bleed a lot if he went to sea once, and if he lost his investment this time, he would definitely suffer heavy losses.

What's more, Lao Huang didn't leave his name in the history books, and he probably couldn't be richer than the Shen family.

That is to say, after Uncle Huang listened to his bragging, if he wants to complete this adventure, he must sell his property...

If the boat that went out didn't come back, the Huang family might go bankrupt.

Zhang Yi was quite moved by this sense of trust.

Of course, Huang He can also find other rich businessmen and friends to invest in the sea together, just like the businessmen in the era of great navigation in the future.

If everyone divides the cost, there is no need to hurt muscles.

Zhang Yi reckoned that businessmen who often walked by the sea had experienced this way of buying and selling.

It's just that if someone knew that he wanted to find the New World, they would probably think he was crazy!
Therefore, there is a high probability that Huang He will not be able to attract investment.

"This money is my plan to invest in my uncle..."

Zhang Yi chuckled, and pushed back the banknote that Lao Zhu had pushed back.

investment?

Zhu Yuanzhang was taken aback for a moment.

"That's right, investment! Going to sea to find a new continent, although the risk is a bit high, but the rewards are also huge profits!
Not to mention political capital, if you can bring back things like sweet potatoes, you can definitely get a title with the emperor!
Of course, benefits are also indispensable. As long as my uncle gets a dividend, I'm afraid I can earn ten times the money?
This money is not all of my investment. I calculated it. If I use the papers in the next few years as collateral, I can probably get 3000 taels of silver from Chen Ke. I have made an advance payment with him!
In addition to the flower work such as new teaching aids, and write him a few best-selling novels!

Let me see if I can borrow 5000 taels of silver!
Later, I will ask Kong Xixue to borrow a little more, and I can still borrow 3000 taels of silver!
So uncle, I will try my best to find a way to find 1 taels of silver for you..."

Zhu Yuanzhang was stunned and did not speak.

When Zhang Yi settled the accounts for him in a serious manner, he didn't want to admit it, but he was really moved in his heart.

If his identity was the emperor, he would not be interested in this kind of enthusiasm, but with his current identity, Zhang Yi's behavior can be regarded as a timely help.

Fifteen to sixty thousand taels of silver, although nervous for an emperor, he could barely scrape together.

Although Lao Zhu is not short of money, he also remembers Zhang Yi's favor.

"You are not afraid that I will lose all my money. You have worked hard for several years, and you still want to sell yourself to that fat man?"

"Hey, it's okay, I have many ways to make money, uncle, don't worry, even if you lose money in the future, I can help you up!

Don't forget, we also have glass workshops, allicin workshops and other things that we haven't cooperated with!
In the future, I will sell books with you, and the profit will be considered as my investment for the time being. I reckon that "The Romance of the Three Kingdoms" should make some money. Although it may not be as good as "Confucianism", at least it will be better than the paper!
I strive to write "Water Margin", "Journey to the West" and "Red Mansion"... to earn us some travel expenses! "

Lao Zhu didn't realize that a certain literary copyer almost wanted to collect all the four great classics in order to raise money.

He only thinks that Zhang Yi is a beautiful fantasy, how much can these books sell for?
Although story-based novels gradually became popular in the early Ming Dynasty, it was still early in the fashion.

The emperor does not have the ability to foretell, nor can he feel the changes.

He accepted Zhang Yi's favor and nodded slightly.

Then he put the bank note Zhang Yi gave him in his cuff.

Zhu Biao and Li Qingmo, who hadn't had time to leave, were stunned.

Zhu Yuanzhang accepted Zhang Yi's bank note, Zhang Yi couldn't see it, how could the prince and Lao Mo not know?

Is this the emperor's approval of Zhang Yi's investment?

The problem is that Zhang Yi invested in the emperor's business, but the emperor acquiesced.

It may not seem like a big deal, but it has profound implications.

Zhu Yuanzhang smiled, and asked someone to find a pen and paper, and seriously wrote a receipt to Zhang Yi.

Then, he picked up what Zhang Yi had written to him and looked at it.

Just looking at the charts, Li Qingmo, an old sailor, was a little surprised. Not to mention the accuracy of the charts, Zhang Yi's hand-drawn charts were much less accurate than other charts!

The emperor put down the chart and looked at the map of the Americas. Zhang Yi marked the general mountains, rivers and lands, and there were all products and humanities.

"The Indians..."

A brief introduction to the Americas is enough to make Lao Zhu drool. The fertile fields on the map are almost equal to the entire land of China.

These places are the most dreamed-for arable land of the farming civilization. On the land of China, the arable land and the mountains and hills are about four or six or seven or three points, but there is actually all arable land.

"This place should belong to my Daming!"

Although Lao Zhu was very greedy, he finally had a trace of calmness.

He continued to look down and opened the manuscripts. The manuscripts recorded some little knowledge, all the knowledge about navigation that Zhang Yi could think of.

Although he himself could recall the things he had seen in his previous life, there was nothing he could do if he hadn't seen them.

Common sense such as the Black Death can be regarded as the knowledge acquired by sailors of later generations in exchange for their lives.

Zhu Yuanzhang looked very satisfied. Many things seemed worthless to future generations, but at this time, they were secrets that would never be exchanged.

"These things, I count your investment of 1 taels of silver!"

Lao Zhu put away all the materials with great care, and joked to Zhang Yi:

"You gave me all your property, and you don't keep any for yourself?
Don't make it so that you don't have money to buy alchemy materials another day! "

Zhang Yi smiled and said: "There is still some small money, isn't this the emperor's promise to reward me for curing the old man of the Kong family?

I guess no matter how stingy he is, he still has two or three hundred taels of silver, which is enough to spend...

Well, wait!

How many days have passed, and he still hasn't moved!

The emperor doesn't want to renege on his debt, does he? "

Zhu Yuanzhang: ...

Zhu Biao: ...

Old Mo: ...

This guy, Zhang Yi, put his family's support on the emperor's head.

Old Zhu was ashamed, he really forgot about it.

The main reason is that he is resisting summoning Zhang Yi, and he also knows that he and Zhang Yi will meet sooner or later, and if they don't meet, sooner or later they will be suspicious.

But how to see, how to see?
This matter needs to be studied further.

Ma De, the emperor was upset when he thought of this.

"Okay, that's it for today, my bookstore is about to open, I'm waiting for your "Romance of the Three Kingdoms"!"

Zhu Yuanzhang stood up, ready to end the visit.

He stayed in the Taoist temple for almost a day, and the sky outside had gradually darkened.

Zhang Yi knew that if he was late, he would not be able to enter the city in time, so he didn't want to keep him.

After sending the emperor away, he looked at the shadow of the carriage and thought for a long time.

"Think of a way to make money!"

On the carriage, Lao Zhu closed his eyes and thought.

Zhu Biao, who was in the same car, didn't dare to disturb his father, but just took advantage of the dim light to read the materials given by Zhang Yi.

"Science, God!

The reasoning of the younger brother of the Zhang family is vaguely at the level of founding a sect! "

Zhu Biao put down the materials and felt emotional.

"So he doesn't like Zhengyi's position as a celestial master, maybe the old god of the Zhang family just took a fancy to Zhang Yi's ability, so he came here in a dream!
I just don't know if there is a place for gods in Zhang Yi's Tao!

His reasoning is more like Confucius' attitude towards ghosts and gods, keep them at arm's length! "

Zhu Biao's words interrupted Lao Zhu's thinking, and the emperor replied:
"You are right, Zhang Yi's theory has already gone beyond the scope of Taoism itself, if he expands his theory of productivity!
It has already involved the way of governing the world! "

Interpret the way of heaven as the law of the change of things, and then classify the theory of studying the law as the way!
Zhang Yi's approach, to a large extent, is to secularize Taoism, try to remove the content of immortals and gods, and only focus on the human world.

The more he got along with Zhang Yi, the stronger Zhu Yuanzhang's feeling became.

Zhu Biao laughed and said:

"Perhaps the lineage of Longhushan will produce another lineage in the future. No wonder the younger brother of the Zhang family looks down on the position of celestial master. He can be comparable to Zhang Daoling himself, and open another lineage!"

"Master?"

Zhu Yuanzhang laughed. The people in Longhushan wanted to get this name back, but he refused to give it.

But Zhang Yi was the only one who didn't like this title in his heart.

"Zhang Yi's Tao is not born out of the world, but into the world!

Don't seek illusory longevity, only seek the present moment of happiness!

If this way is perfected, what should be worried about is not the Sanqing and Liuyu, but the rotten Confucians of Confucianism!
If this way is successful, it is for the position of a saint and a national teacher!

From the point of view of the Daoist sect, his method is actually a magic theory!
Comparing the way of heaven to rules, immortals and gods will have no place to stand.

From Taoism to Taoism, the personification of rules and the deification of gods are the foundation of a religion.

But Zhang Yi is going back, so it's no wonder that Zhang normal made a fuss, saying that his son is a evil star!
But the evil star of Longhu Mountain is actually a lucky star in this world!

I really want to see, what does this kid look like when his fox tail is exposed? "

The emperor's eyes were full of smiles. Compared with Confucianism's advocating empty talk, Zhang Yi's principles were actually more in line with his heart as an old farmer from the bottom.

It's just that Confucianism is better than Confucianism. Zhang Yi's current principles have yet to be verified.

Lao Zhu is not a person who silently abides by stereotypes, but his words are a great shock to Zhu Biao who has been educated in Confucianism.

How can the word "National Teacher" be said casually?
What's more, the person who said this was Zhu Yuanzhang.

Zhu Biao understood his father's thoughts best, he couldn't even tolerate a non-threatening "Heavenly Master", let alone such a prestigious position as a national teacher?
"I'm just a metaphor, what is your expression?"

Seeing his son looking at him like a ghost, Zhu Yuanzhang replied angrily.

In the end, he was not reconciled:
"I'm not as intolerant as you imagined, it's just...forget it, you don't understand!"

Zhu Yuanzhang really wanted to talk about this topic with Zhu Biao, but he didn't know where to start.

He simply swallowed the words back, not entangled in this issue.

"I plan to agree to the matter of simplifying the text!"

"This doesn't seem like something that my father would agree to. Could it be that my father was moved by the fact that Zhang's younger brother gave charcoal in a timely manner, so..."

"You're wrong, Zhang Yi doesn't so much approve of me, it's better to say that he approves of my going to sea!

His goal does not lie in personal gain or loss, nor does it lie in the rise or fall of my Ming Dynasty!

The place where he landed is the prosperity of China for thousands of years, and he was the one who glimpsed the catastrophe that swept China. He intends to do his best to stop it!
I was able to get his approval because I did what he wanted to do but couldn't!

He recognized me, not so much out of sympathy and friendship, but because he felt that I was his like-minded fellow Taoist!

Such a person, to some extent, is also a double-edged sword!

If sacrificing Ming Dynasty can make China a thousand years old, I will never be merciless if I sell this product! "

puff!
Zhu Biao couldn't help but laughed out loud first.

Having been with Zhang Yi for so long, the Zhu family's father and son probably understand the younger brother's ideals and behavior style.

He is a devil, his rebellion is not shown on his face, but engraved in his bones.

It's just that ordinary people can't see Zhang Yi's unruliness at all, and he hides this thought very well.

Emperor, Zhang Yi really doesn't care.

He recognized Zhu Yuanzhang because Zhu Yuanzhang did a good job, not because he was the emperor.

It is also because of this temperament that Zhu Yuanzhang trusts him more than anyone else.

Because this kind of lunatic doesn't care much about power other than ideals.As long as Daming's interests do not conflict with Zhang Yi's ideals, Zhang Yi is the most selfless comrade in arms.

"At least for now, the interests of our Daming and Huaxia are one!"

"Ok!"

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded slightly, and he agreed with this sentence. After understanding Zhang Yi, he really let go of his guard against Zhang Yi.

Maybe these vigilances will wake up because of something or a certain node in the future.

But it is undeniable that Zhang Yi's position in his heart is getting closer and closer to that of a nephew.

"Simplifying the text has both advantages and disadvantages.

The benefit side can indeed promote many things. I am very much looking forward to how to reduce the power of the prime minister!
As for the disadvantages, I have also thought about it. If the people's hearts can be controlled, compared to the benefits, this matter can still be implemented!

Wait until I look back at his "Romance of the Three Kingdoms"!
Even if there are disadvantages in promoting the simplified text, the imperial court can stop this matter at any time! "

"Father is wise!"

"Also, let someone send a silver coin to you later...

By the way, ask him what he wants! "

Zhu Yuanzhang's face darkened suddenly when he thought of the kid complaining about him just now.

Made,

Originally, he was still thinking about how to reward Zhang Yihao. After all, he had entered the imperial examination and this time, he really owed Zhang Yi a lot.

If it wasn't for protecting this kid from being watched by more people, he would have given Zhang Yi a title.

But since this kid blackmails himself for being stingy, the emperor will show him how stingy he is.

One dime of silver, no more!
"If the younger brother of the Zhang family knows the truth, he will cry to death..."

Zhu Biao smiled, the emperor became angry, but he was no different from a child.

As an emperor, he couldn't teach people as he wanted.

Old Zhu's aggrieved look made Zhu Biao feel that it was a good thing instead.

Since becoming the emperor, the father has become more and more serious except in front of Queen Ma and himself.

As the younger brother of the Zhang family said, the king is, to some extent, a symbol!
Because the whole world would be shaken if it was pulled, and Lao Zhu wanted to be a good emperor even more because of his background.

The result of this is that Zhu Biao sometimes looks at his father's words and deeds, and feels that he is no longer a "person".

In Zhu Biao's view, the emotional expression of his father may be that his emperor's career will become less and less willful in the next 30 years.

In the eyes of his son, Zhang Yi can keep the emperor's waywardness. This alone is enough for Zhu Biao to thank him.

Only, maybe with the future he knows the truth,
When Zhang Yi put away his wanton publicity and hid his edges and corners, he would no longer let the emperor see him.

Will Zhu Yuanzhang feel disappointed?

Or, degenerate the relationship between people back to the use of monarchs and ministers?
Thinking of the future that will almost certainly appear, Zhu Biao also sighed slightly.

At that time, not to mention the emperor and Zhang Yi, I am afraid that it will be difficult for him and Zhang Yi to have such a harmonious relationship.

Go ahead and cherish it!

The father and son stopped talking, and the carriage disappeared into the gradually dark streets of Yingtianfu.

The emperor returned to the palace and continued to write vigorously.

In addition to reviewing the memorial, he also read through the materials submitted by Zhang Yi all night, and then fell into long-term thinking...

On the other side, Zhang Yi was also writing furiously.

What he wrote silently is the most familiar simplified Chinese characters in later generations, and this is what he promised to Kong Kejian.

The promotion of simplified Chinese characters was one of the deals he and Kong Kejian reached after communicating in the room.

On the surface at least, it's a win-win deal.

After this incident, the entanglement between the Kong family and Emperor Hongwu finally came to an end.

On the second day, Zhang Yi, who had stayed up all night to write the first batch of copybooks, rushed to the Confucian mansion.

It's just that when he saw the grandparents and grandsons of the Kong family, they had different expressions.

"what happened?"

"Most of them are broken..."

(End of this chapter)