The First Gongsheng of Ming Dynasty

The provincial examination results were released, and there was a lot of excitement in front of Zhang Zhou's mansion.

Many people took the opportunity to come here to become apprentices, and some were fishing in troubled waters and wanted to establish a relationship. There were even many candidates who were not from Shuntian Prefecture. There were previous candidates from the south of the Yangtze River who wanted to establish relationships with Zhang Zhou. There were even Zhang Zhou’s former “friends”, or He called his friends and friends, and came all the way to the capital to curry favor with Zhang Zhou.

All these people were blocked from the door.

When Zhang Zhou came back that night, there were still many people lingering at the door. When Zhang Zhou arrived at the door, he saw that there were guards in Jinyi maintaining order. He couldn't help but said to Jia Laoshui, who was guarding the courtyard: "Laoshui, drive everyone away." For a moment. Tell them not to come here casually in the future, or hand them a greeting card and go back to wait for notification."

After all, it is a public place outside. It is unrealistic to stop everyone from strolling around. Why do people have to say that they are just passing by?

Then just block it so no one can get close to the door.

"Yes, sir."

Jia Laoshui is still as honest and honest as ever, even if he is a royal guard, he can't bring up his spirit.

Zhang Zhou entered the courtyard, but before he had a hot meal, he was informed that Xie Qian was visiting.

"Thank you, Jieyuan's father." Zhang Zhou smiled at Liu Gui who came to deliver the message, "Please go to his main hall and wait."

"Yes."

The smile on Liu Gui's face was also a little narrow.

……

……

In the main hall of Zhang's mansion, Xie Qian was sitting there. His mood seemed not to be very high. However, when Zhang Zhou arrived, he still had to get up as a guest.

"Why are you being so polite, Mr. Xie Ge? When you get here, you feel like you are at your own home." Zhang Zhou was very polite and asked someone to change the tea when he came over.

Xie Qian glanced at the attendant at the door, then turned around and said, "Bingkuan, there's no need to be so polite. I'm just here to talk to you about the Hanlin Academy, and I'll leave after that."

Zhang Zhou said: "What kind of matter, Mr. Xie Ge can just send someone to talk about it. Do you still need to come here?"

Xie Qian sat back on the chair, as if sulking and said: "Tell me, why do you want to use the middle as the solution element?"

This question...

Matters involving the Hanlin Academy?

"Before opening the seal, no one knows who it is. If Mr. Xie Ge doesn't believe it, you can ask Yang Hanlin first. He knows this very well. Even when he chose the prince, Yang Hanlin supported him. His The article is really good, there should be sample essays for the provincial examination in the next few days, Mr. Xie Ge has also trained many young bachelors, you will know after taking a look."

Zhang Zhou looked like he had been wronged.

"I naturally know what my son's article is like, but he is still a little bit far from being able to solve the problem..."

Xie Qian's tone sounded very tough, "I don't want him to get too close to you."

Zhang Zhou didn't respond now.

You old guy, you used the pretext of talking about official business, but in the end you came to disassociate yourself from me for your son, right?

You are really a stubborn old man. You have never thought about how your son will be able to function in the court in the future if you withdraw from the court?

Relying on your influence, how famous can he be in the court?

History has proven that your son’s career as an official has been under your shining light. Without you, his future is basically ruined. Only you feel that the Ming Dynasty’s court is still the same as before, but you don’t know the future. Without deep-rooted party alliances, the Ming court might not even be able to serve as an official.

"Why, stop talking?" Xie Qian was also curious about Zhang Zhou's silence.

Zhang Zhou said: "Mr. Xie Ge has already talked about this, what else do you want me to say? I have never even met you, and I may not have a deep friendship with you in the future. You and I still have people like you. My father supports me, and I don’t need others to worry about my future.”

Xie Qian said with a dark face: "Yi Zhong's future is up to him to fight for. What does it have to do with me as a father?"

"Haha." Zhang Zhou smiled unceremoniously.

Are you really naive, or are you pretending to be naive in front of me on purpose?

A gentleman says you are not a party member, but you yourself are not a representative of the traditional civil servant faction? The group of people you are with regard you as an opinion leader.

"Since Mr. Xie Ge said so, then I will keep my peace with you." Zhang Zhou didn't seem to care too much. Who cares what your son is? Who do you think would like to be your son's teacher or something?

Even if you beg me in the future, I won’t care.

"That's good." Xie Qian agreed without any politeness.

"Don't Mr. Xie Ge still have official duties? Otherwise... I won't send it off?"

Just when Xie Qian thought Zhang Zhou wanted to discuss business with him, he heard that Zhang Zhou was issuing an eviction order.

Xie Qian was startled.

I thought to myself, this guy is really rude.

But then he thought that he came to clear the relationship between his son and Zhang Zhou, and there was nothing polite about it. Zhang Zhou's expulsion order didn't seem to matter. After all, it was just "tit for tat", and they were fighting each other?

"Ah."

Xie Qian originally wanted to talk to Zhang Zhou about repairing books, but Zhang Zhou wanted to drive him away, and he was too embarrassed to wait any longer.

After getting up, Xie Qian, still caring about his own face, cupped his hands and said, "See you later."

"Haha." Zhang Zhou said with a smile, "We meet often in the court, and we are not friends who are about to be separated from each other. There is no need for Mr. Xie Ge to be so polite. Please."

……

……

There is no need for Zhang Zhou to send it off in person.

From Zhang Zhou's point of view, if you respect me a foot, I will respect you a foot, and I don't need to warm my face but feel cold butt. You can do whatever you want. Anyway, I never wanted to join you.

Zhang Zhoudang returned to the inner courtyard.

Jiang Pingyu brought the food over and asked curiously: "Does the master have no official duties?"

"Not today." Zhang Zhou said, "It's strange to say that in the last provincial examination, I was still a candidate, and this time I am the examiner. I used to call others sir, but now others call me sir. It's really good luck. It changes so often and so quickly that I can’t even adapt to it.”

Jiang Pingyu said with emotion: "That's right, it's been three years in the blink of an eye."

Jiang Pingyu actually felt a little emotional when she mentioned this.

Three years ago, during that exam, everything seemed to be different. Zhang Zhou led them out of the small courtyard, and then they became famous.

"I haven't been too busy recently, so I come back often. Speaking of which, I should work hard. The people in this courtyard are still not prosperous enough. How can we not have three, five, or seven sons of top picks waiting in line to go? Just study, and then you will be able to write and write, and write and write to conquer the world?"

Jiang Pingyu blinked and said, "Master, am I wrong?"

"That's right, what I want is a man who is versatile in both civil and military affairs. Not everyone can be as naughty as Zhang Jun. In the future, I should arrange for him to become a military householder and let him practice more martial arts." Jun doesn’t seem to be the material to study.

He looks smart, but he is very playful at heart. After going through the changes from rich to poor, this kid doesn't study hard at all.

In the future, Zhang Jun is likely to inherit the title, so it is better to let Zhang Jun focus on martial arts. Of course, this is just Zhang Zhou's idea, and maybe he should be both civil and military.

But there is one thing Zhang Zhou was right about.

It seems that making babies cannot be stopped.

……

……

It's approaching September.

The weather began to turn cold. After the morning court, Zhu Youtang sent someone to invite Zhang Zhou to the palace for a piece of news coming from the south.

"Bingkuan, I have just received Xu Er's memorial. This is the memorial. Take a look."

Zhu Youtang directly handed the memorial given to him by the minister to Zhang Zhou, without any concern about whether it was in compliance with the rules.

Zhang Zhou took it over and saw that it was Wei Guogong, who was serving as the admiral at the Jiangnan Shipyard, reporting the return of ships from the sea.

"We discovered a large piece of land with dense jungles and some savages. We even seized a lot of silver and some of the grain you mentioned... The samples will be sent to Beijing tomorrow, as well as the Silver Society Charge it into the Jiangnan Foundry and call it for you."

Zhu Youtang's face was a little rosy.

Obviously this was another time Zhang Zhou's prophecy came true, and he testified again.

Zhang Zhou said: "I haven't seen the sample yet, so it's hard to say."

Zhu Youtang smiled and said: "It seems to me that we are inseparable. Bingkuan, how do you know this? You have always said that there is a great man from this world who will be your husband. I really want to meet him. Could it be that? Is he an immortal? He even knows about Penglai Wonderland? It makes me want to go eastward."

Only then did Zhang Zhou understand why Zhu Youtang was so excited.

Probably Zhu Youtang regarded that continent that no one knew before as Penglai Wonderland.

After all, there have been rumors of "crossing Penglai eastward" since ancient times. That is to say, in the spread of the ancients, it is known that there is a fairyland of Penglai in the east of China. No one can say clearly what it is, but it cannot be said that the ancient Chinese did not People who have traveled across the ocean to the American continent and even come back from there.

Of course these are just rumors.

Zhang Zhou said: "Your Majesty, that is just a piece of pure land in the world. No one has ever gone there, and it is far away from our country. It will take several months for ships to reach it. Just bring back the things there, or send people to develop them. Can."

"Yes." Zhu Youtang smiled and nodded.

Zhang Zhou said again: "As I know, that place is rich in silver, but it is not just the Ming Dynasty that covets that piece of pure land. Even Westerners will covet it. In the future, we will probably need to use bigger ships and stronger artillery." , and only with stronger troops can we completely occupy that place."

"Bingkuan, are you saying that someone else knows about the existence of that place?" Zhu Youtang became nervous.

Zhang Zhou said that the mainland he sent out to find was rich in products and undeveloped, and could be used as a vassal territory of the Ming Dynasty.

Of course, you want to keep such a good place as your own, how can it be coveted by others?

Zhang Zhou said: "Yes. I know about it, and obviously people have been there before. As for how to occupy it, my idea is... to build more ships, carry soldiers there, build mines there, and cultivate them. Some small cities were even built. But because they are too far away from the Ming Dynasty, control must be strengthened to prevent these overseas places from posing a threat to the Ming Dynasty."

"Bingkuan, you are overly worried. Since you are sending people from the Ming Dynasty, why should you guard against them? As long as you can capture them. No big deal... You can change them frequently in the future. Send people to sea for a few years and then come back. I can Entrust them with important responsibilities. In short... I will not mistreat those who work for the imperial court."

Zhu Youtang is still very open-minded.

In Zhang Zhou's view, this monarch is not easy to trust people, but once he trusts him, he will never change.

This is a type of obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Zhang Zhou said: "The details will depend on the samples of the crops. Your Majesty, do we need to inform the officials in the court?"

"This one……"

Zhu Youtang smiled and said, "Let's talk about it. They object to me sending ships to sea, and even make irresponsible remarks about your shipbuilding. I actually just want to let them know how ridiculous you are after you succeed. You always take Some things that follow the old tradition and are thought to be wise sayings are actually outdated... Even the traditional Confucian thoughts are treasured and there is no need to show them to shame."

Zhang Zhou was also ashamed.

It seems that the emperor's intention to reform is very clear.

Maybe there was no such opportunity in the past, but now it is rare to have the opportunity to make changes. The emperor is obviously more enterprising than the ministers.

Perhaps the most restless person in the entire Ming Dynasty, besides Zhu Youtang, was his son, the current crown prince and future emperor!

Because apart from pursuing change, they seem to have nothing worth pursuing.

……

……

Zhang Zhou successfully sent a ship to land from America and returned after completing preliminary exploration...

In terms of time, Zhang Zhou felt that it was not appropriate. After all, the time of return was in the eighth month of the lunar calendar, that is, he returned from the Americas in June and July. The Pacific Ocean is the most unstable in summer and autumn. If a ship is at sea, If something goes wrong in the storm, it would be a joke for him to send the ship out to sea.

But it seems that there was no big trouble this time.

Furthermore, the quality of the ships built by Zhang Zhou was still very high.

"Cai Guogong."

Zhang Zhou met Zhu Youtang. As soon as he left the Qianqing Palace, he saw Li Zhang standing there respectfully. When he saw him, he hurried forward to salute.

Zhang Zhou said: "Eunuch Li, your Majesty asked you to take me to meet the people from the south."

Li Zhang smiled and said: "Yes. Our family has been waiting for you here. That's right, the people coming from the south are divided into three batches. This is the second batch. The first batch actually arrived the day before yesterday, but they The things haven't been shipped yet. This time, the people from Chuanyi have brought the memorial from Duke Wei. The only thing left is to send you the specific things you need."

Zhang Zhou said: "Thank you."

"That's right." Li Zhang said, "It's hard to say exactly how much there is, but it is said that there is a lot of silver, and I heard that it is of good quality. It is said that some slaves were brought back, all of them are uncivilized savages. When you come to the capital, you may not even know how to speak.”

Zhang Zhou nodded and said: "This is what I told Duke Wei before. If we can bring back Di Yi from overseas, we should bring them back and record their pronunciation through communication so that we can send ships there to conquer and rule in the future." They make preparations. Of course, they also need savages from many regions, because their languages ​​may not be the same."

"Really? Then why not study their writing?" Li Zhang asked eagerly.

Zhang Zhou smiled and said: "Maybe they don't have any writing at all? The savages are not civilized, and maybe they don't even have the most basic writing. It's better to start with the pronunciation of their speech. If you want to make them surrender, you must first be able to talk to them. If we don’t communicate well, wouldn’t it mean that the donkey’s lips are incompatible with the horse’s mouth?” (End of this chapter)