The most reckless man in the Ming Dynasty

Capital of the Ming Dynasty.

After Ma Wensheng received Wang Hao's report, he immediately took the initiative to find Liu Jian for discussion.

What Tang Hao, the Marquis of Zhongshan, did in Shandong was actually not surprising. After all, this Marquis of Zhongshan was notoriously cruel.

However, Ma Wensheng still felt a little uneasy about Tang Hao going to sea, so he took the initiative to find Liu Jian, the chief assistant of the cabinet.

Of course, given Lord Tianguan's qualifications and prestige, even if he was the chief minister of the cabinet, Liu Jian would come in person.

"The Marquis of Zhongshan went to sea, what do you think about this matter?"

After Liu Jian sat down, Ma Wensheng spoke directly.

He always felt that Liu Xixian was hiding something from him, such as Tang Hao's going to sea.

He is a dignified Marquis of Zhongshan in the Ming Dynasty. He only has a good life with fine clothes and fine food. Does he have to go to sea when he is full and full?

You know, these days, traveling to sea is actually extremely dangerous.

Although Ma Wensheng has never set foot in the ocean, he has lived long enough after all, so he has dabbled in various aspects.

For example, when traveling to the sea, there are water channels, sand lines, sunken reefs, mud bottoms, stone bottoms, deep and shallow water, etc. This is a very complicated and detailed account. If you cannot master it, you will not be able to navigate in the sea. You don’t know how you will die while sailing, you will only be buried in the belly of the fish!

Back then, there were more than 27,800 eunuchs in the Sanbao eunuch's voyage to the West. Every time the fleet went to sea, it would be good to have more than half of them back. Most of them died on the ship and encountered all kinds of things. Crisis and danger.

When encountering a storm at sea, does the Marquis of Zhongshan know how to achieve a high degree of consistent cooperation between the sea route, the sealing of the ship, and the people on the ship to escape danger, escape from the predicament, and avoid the tragedy of shipwreck and loss of lives?

In this case, why did Tang Hao forcefully go to sea in the name of suppressing Japanese?

In the secret letter, Wang Hao also raised doubts about this matter. When the Marquis of Zhongshan left, he looted all the available warships in the entire Beiwa Dusi, and even took the Japanese pirate ships with him!

No matter how you look at it, Tang Hao doesn't look like he's going out to sea to fight against Japanese pirates, but more like he's going to fight!

Lord Yuanfu on the opposite side chose silence and was not in a hurry to speak for a while.

Seeing this situation, Ma Wensheng immediately scolded: "Liu Xixian, are you hiding something from me again?"

"Sir, you are worrying too much!" Liu Jian said without being happy or angry after hearing this, "I am just making some guesses about this matter."

"Tell me carefully!" Ma Wensheng followed closely.

Liu Jian took a sip of tea and said, "Tanghou previously forcibly took away the files of the Three Treasure Eunuchs' voyages to the West from Liu Daxia!"

As soon as these words came out, Ma Wensheng was even more shocked and angry.

"How brave!"

"This Liu Daxia actually dares to deceive you!"

That's right, it was bullying, and more than once!

For the first time, Emperor Chenghua asked for Zhang Fuzheng's Annan files, but Liu Daxia hid them and refused to give them to him, claiming he had lost them.

This second time, Emperor Chenghua asked for the files of Zheng He's voyages to the West, but Liu Daxia hid them. In the end, he was forced to do nothing. He also shouted about the justice of the family and the country. In order to avoid wasting money and food and increasing the burden on the people, he directly These precious information were burned on the spot!

At that time, everyone thought that Liu Daxia had really burned the precious archives of Zheng He's voyages to the West, even Emperor Chenghua. In the end, he simply stopped mentioning the matter and did not bother to pursue Liu Daxia.

At that time, Ma Wensheng was serving as the right deputy censor of the capital, and was in charge of water transportation.

When he heard about this, he praised Liu Daxia as a rare and upright man who did not care about himself for the sake of his family and country. He was a true gentleman in this world!

Liu Daxia himself also rose to fame and was highly praised by both the government and the public. Until, like Ma Wensheng, he and Wang Shu were praised by people at the time as the "Three Gentlemen of Hongzhi".

However, no one thought that this so-called "true gentleman of the world" did not burn the archives of Zheng He's voyages to the West, but used some kind of deception to secretly hide these precious archives!

In other words, Liu Daxia not only deceived everyone in the world, including Emperor Chenghua, but he also used this matter to gain fame and gain the reputation of a gentleman for nothing!

"How dare you do this, my bastard?!"

Ma Wensheng scolded sternly, obviously very angry.

This is a serious crime of deceiving the emperor!

By doing this, aren't you fooling Emperor Chenghua into thinking he is a fool?

Whether you are loyal to the emperor or not is another matter.

But wasn't he, Ma Wensheng, fooled by Liu Daxia as a fool?

For a moment, Master Tianguan was extremely angry and felt nakedly deceived!

Liu Jian looked calm and reminded in a deep voice: "Sir, this matter is just my guess. Only Tang Hou and Liu Daxia know whether it is true or false."

"However, it is not difficult to see from the fact that Marquis Tang had to surround Liu Daxia's residence that day even without an edict to mobilize troops. It is very likely that this matter is true, and the archives of Zheng He's voyages to the West that Liu Daxia had hidden also fell into the hands of our Marquis of Zhongshan! "

Liu Jian spoke calmly and tried to bring the topic back to Tang Hao.

As for Liu Daxia, he didn't bother to waste any time.

What Liu Daxia was like as a person, what achievements he had in the country, and what merits and demerits he had in his life had nothing to do with Liu Jian. It will be commented by future generations!

Ma Wensheng glared at Liu Jian coldly, and then placed the teacup heavily on the desk.

"This is bullying!"

"During the Chenghua period, they dared to be so rampant!"

"I see that they are really lost. They have almost forgotten who is the master of the Ming Dynasty!"

Liu Jian was as calm as a pond of water.

It is nothing new for civil servants and gentry to be rampant and domineering.

Since Tumu, there has been only one Emperor Chenghua who tried to regain the power of the emperor. Unfortunately, he failed in the end. In other words, Emperor Chenghua succeeded during his reign. He successfully regained a lot of power with his own imperial skills. But as soon as he collapsed, those powers naturally returned to the hands of civil servants and gentry.

When a person dies, the government will cease; if the person survives, the government will continue; if the person dies, the government will cease.

Not only for officials and gentry, but also for emperors.

"Sir, let's get down to business!"

Liu Jian sat still and said: "This time Tang Hou went to sea in the name of suppressing Japanese invaders. Naturally, it was not just for suppressing Japanese invaders."

"If what I have predicted is correct, Tang Hou is preparing to restart Zheng He's old voyages to the West. The reason why he wants to personally lead the troops is to confirm the archives left by Zheng He and prepare the basis for the navy's official voyages in the future. Gain experience.”

It is undeniable that Liu Jian has been the chief assistant of the cabinet for so many years, so he is naturally not a simple thing. In one sentence, he revealed the real purpose of Tang Hao's forced sea voyage.

"To put it more bluntly, the fleet led by Marquis Tang at the moment is the navy's advance team to go to sea!"

"On the shores of the East China Sea in the Ming Dynasty, there are the three countries of Korea, Japan and Ryukyu. The three countries are all adjacent to the sea, and their shipbuilding skills are quite advanced according to local conditions. Tang Hou only needs to do some on-the-spot verification for his trip to sea, and he can draw a picture based on the archives left by Zheng He. A detailed and practical nautical chart, and by the way, bringing back some young men and craftsmen who are proficient in water skills from these three countries to rebuild the Ming Navy and major shipyards, then this matter will become..."

Ma Wensheng listened with fear. Based on his experience and knowledge, he could instantly confirm that what Liu Jian said at this moment was most likely the truth!

That means that Tang Hao and His Majesty the Emperor want to open the sea and lift the ban and restart the voyage to the West!

"This matter... must not be done!"

Ma Wensheng said with a solemn expression.

There is almost no need to think about it. Even he, Ma Wensheng, firmly cannot agree to this matter.

Regardless of the interests involved behind this, or the political affairs of the country, no one will be allowed to try to open the sea and lift the ban!

Liu Jiansu responded with the same attitude.

"Well, of course it won't work."

"Now the entire Ming Dynasty will not allow them to do this!"

Some things cannot be done just by thinking about it.

It is true that due to the strict maritime ban implemented by the imperial court, the Ming Dynasty Navy was neglected and gradually deteriorated, leaving the coastal people with no way to make a living...

It is true that the profits from ocean trade are astonishing. The former Song Dynasty used half of its country to fight against the Jurchen Mongolia for hundreds of years, all relying on the profits from ocean trade...

It is true that Zheng He's ideological proposition that "if you want the country to be strong and prosperous, you must not ignore the ocean. Wealth comes from the ocean, and danger also comes from the ocean..." is not without some truth...

But so what?

Taking into account the overall national political situation, it is imperative to implement the maritime ban.

Even Zheng He's voyages to the West during the Yongle period were nothing more than official actions and had nothing to do with ordinary people!

These common people should plow the fields in the countryside honestly and produce food for the Ming Dynasty, instead of swarming towards the sea for the sake of commercial interests!

At that time, all the young and strong laborers will see that going to sea is profitable, and they will all rush to the sea desperately. Then who will plow the fields?

Paying attention to agriculture and mulberry trees has been the top priority of those in power since ancient times, and it is also the fundamental reason why China has been able to last for thousands of years!

National affairs, money and food are two words.

Merely having money is not enough, food is the foundation!

Without food, no matter how much money there is, what's the point?

Therefore, the Ming Dynasty wants to implement the national policy of maritime ban. The Ming Dynasty does not need the ignorant people in Guizhou to know the huge profits of maritime trade. It only needs the common people to cultivate the fields in the countryside with peace of mind!

"What I'm really worried about now is the Iwami Silver Mine mentioned by the Marquis of Zhongshan!"

Liu Jian frowned and said in a deep voice: "Once this matter is found out to be true, then the gentry and gentry will take action. Even we can't stop them. They will encourage the imperial court to intervene in Japan's internal affairs and seize this giant silver mine. !”

Ma Wensheng was startled when he heard this, and then he couldn't help but shook his head sadly.

Of course he understood what Liu Jian was worried about.

The greed of the gentry is far beyond ordinary people's imagination.

It is not enough to seize national interests, but also to exploit the people. Wherever there is profit, there will be no shortage of gentry!

Once the Shijian Silver Mine is confirmed to contain hundreds of millions of silver, even if Zhongshan Hou Tang Hao and His Majesty the Emperor do not speak, there will be countless gentry secretly instigating and instigating, trying to occupy this giant silver mine, and then get a share of it. soup!

This is where it gets really tricky!

Because even the two of them, a Lord Tianguan who is in charge of the civil service and a Lord Yuanfu who is in charge of the cabinet, cannot stop them, otherwise they will be against the gentry and gentry in the world!

As soon as he thought of this, Ma Wensheng couldn't help but sneer again and again.

"Our Marquis of Zhongshan is really good at it!"

"First use the Japanese mission to release the news about the Iwami Silver Mine and lure the gentry to go and verify it!"

"He himself will lead his army to go to sea first and accumulate experience to open up shipping routes. Even if the Shijian Silver Mine really contains hundreds of millions of silver, the gentry and Jin gentry will not be able to get around him, the Marquis of Zhongshan, if they want to get a piece of the pie. What's more, He is still in charge of the military power of the Beijing Army!"

The more Ma Wensheng talked, the more excited he became, until he slapped his hand on the desk.

"This man is really disgusting!"

Liu Jian burst out laughing when he saw this, and was speechless.

In fact, even if they knew all of Tang Hao's plans, what would they do?

This is a conspiracy to use the greed of the gentry to promote the development of the Ming Dynasty's maritime industry!

Anyone who hinders the gentry from running towards the Ishimi Silver Mine at this juncture will be torn into pieces by these greedy people, even if they are two important ministers in the court!

"There's no way, it can't be stopped!"

Liu Jian sighed heavily.

"Now we can only hope that the Iwami Silver Mine is not real and is just a bait deliberately released by Marquis Tang."

When Ma Wensheng heard this, he just sneered.

"Does it matter if it's true or false?"

"As long as that Shijian Silver Mine exists, the gentry will never give up!"

"God knows if this silver mine contains hundreds of millions of silver? But it is there after all. It is a mountain of silver!"

Liu Jian was silent, and then sighed.

At the same time, in the secret room.

Li Dongyang looked at the person in front of him and forced a smile.

In fact, the disgust deep in his bones could not be concealed.

The visitor didn't care at all about this. After all, he cared more about the plan proposed by Li Dongyang than these details.

"Scholar Li, it is said that you are bedridden and will not die soon. Why do you look so energetic and not seriously ill?"

"What? Is Academician Li deliberately trying to deceive the emperor?"

What a big crime!

Is it a show of strength right from the start?

Li Dongyang shook his head, coughed a few times, and then replied in a hoarse voice.

"Why so?"

"Since you are willing to take the risk and come here, it at least proves that you have this intention. Why do you need to use these little tricks here?"

The visitor was silent for a moment, then nodded with a sneer.

"good!"

"Then tell me, how to kill that reckless man?"

Li Dongyang kept coughing, which made people feel bored.

But he finally held back and waited quietly for Li Dongyang's next words.

Finally, after a heartbreaking cough, Li Dongyang quietly opened his mouth.

"Come to think of it, you should also know that now is the best time for us to take action."

"Because as long as that reckless man is around, His Majesty will unconditionally support and defend him, so we have no chance to take action!"

"Even if this reckless man leads his army to leave the capital, he is still accompanied by imperial guards. He and His Majesty can communicate with each other at any time, but they cannot take action at all!"

"Now, the time has come!"

Li Dongyang's face was pale, but there was a sickly blush on his face, as if he was excited!

"It has been more than a month since that reckless man led his army to the sea. On the vast sea, even the Jin Yiwei sent a message and it would take a long time, enough for us to complete all our plans!"

When the visitor heard this, he looked deeply at Li Dongyang.

This sick man is really a poisonous snake!

Previously, they were suppressed extremely miserably by Tang Hao, the Marquis of Zhongshan. The Huguang Township Party, which was once at its peak, was directly hit by Tang Hao and was severely damaged. Even Li Dongyang, a bachelor of Wenyuan Pavilion, had to temporarily leave the court to recuperate. Just to stay at home.

However, those are just appearances.

This venomous snake only lay dormant temporarily, staring at Zhongshan Hou Tang Hao from the depths of the shadows. As long as Tang Hao showed a flaw, he would instantly launch a fatal blow, and his sharp fangs would pierce his chest and kill Tang Hao. Hao's life!

"Scholar Li, what's the plan?"

"As you just said, your Majesty has great trust in the Marquis of Zhongshan!"

"In this case, even if the contact between Marquis Zhongshan and His Majesty is temporarily lost, what can we do with all this time?"

"Ha!" Li Dongyang sneered, "That's enough!"

"Why does Tang Hao dare to act so recklessly and recklessly?"

"Have you ever thought about this?"

When the visitor heard this, he rolled his eyes speechlessly.

Isn’t this asking knowingly?

It's not because Tang Hao saved His Majesty's life that Your Majesty trusts this damn reckless man immensely!

"It's not just His Majesty's trust!"

Li Dongyang said in a deep voice: "He Tang Hao can really overwhelm all officials and frighten the court because he now holds the military power of the Beijing army!"

"Without military power, no matter how much Tang Hao wins your Majesty's trust, the civil servants and gentry will not take him seriously!"

"It is precisely this military power that gives this traitor endless confidence, and also allows the civil servants and gentry to attack him!"

The military power of the Beijing army!

A word that wakes up the dreamer!

The visitor reacted immediately, and his eyes flashed with excitement.

But then, he calmly shook his head.

"no!"

"Your Majesty attaches great importance to the Beijing Army!"

"In addition, the current Minister of War, Xu Jin, is a member of the Zhongshan Marquis. It is simply impossible for you to take the opportunity to seize the military power of the Beijing army!"

"Why is it impossible?" Li Dongyang wiped the corner of his mouth and said quietly: "Wouldn't it be enough to change to another Minister of the Ministry of War?"

As soon as these words came out, even the visitor couldn't help but look at Li Dongyang with shock and disbelief.

"The Minister of War is the great Sima who is in charge of the military affairs of the world. Isn't it child's play? Can you change it if you want?"

"Haha, it depends on each person's methods."

Li Dongyang's eyes were profound.

"The reason why Liu Daxia was replaced was because he took the initiative to become an official and His Majesty followed suit, so he was replaced."

Speaking of this, Li Dongyang was also very angry!

That day, Liu Daxia was stupid, insisting on taking the initiative to say this!

If he doesn't speak up, no matter how much the emperor forces him, he will not openly dismiss a minister of the Ministry of War. This is a taboo!

"Of course Xu Jin will not take the initiative to say this, but it is not impossible to replace a minister of the Ministry of War!"

"For so many years, the civil servants and gentry have controlled the government and have long formed a set of established rules for the operation of the court. Your Majesty may not abide by it, and that reckless man may not abide by it, but Xu Jin insists on abiding by it!"

"As long as Xu Jin leaves and regains his position as Minister of War, Tang Hao will be like a rootless duckweed!"

The visitor took a deep breath, and after much hesitation, he nodded firmly.

"Then it will be as you say!"