Zhu Youtang was meeting his son Zhu Houzhao, and was listening to his son talk about what he saw and heard at the artillery range.
"...Father, you really should go and see it for yourself. It's really spectacular. I have never seen such a powerful artillery piece! It's so shocking that the gods and ghosts weep!"
What Zhu Houzhao was chatting about there was not fundamentally different from what Xiao Jing and others reported to him before.
Zhu Youtang asked angrily: "Have you seen other artillery pieces? Is there any comparison?"
"Eh?"
Zhu Houzhao was startled, then he chuckled and said, "Even if I haven't seen it before, I have heard of it. According to Erchen's estimate, wherever this thing is, there should be no Tatars within a few miles of it." Son!"
"The Ming Dynasty's city passes will no longer have to worry about Tatar attacks. I'm just thinking that if I use this kind of artillery to attack the grasslands, will it make the grassland people howl like ghosts and wolves... Hahahaha..."
Zhu Youtang was frightened after hearing this.
Father and son are originally different. I used to feel that my son didn't look like me in many ways. Are you still thinking that he is my biological child?
But now I suddenly feel that the results that father and son imagined when going to the grassland were so similar.
Um.
It's my biological son who didn't run away.
"It's outrageous. You don't study hard and think about all kinds of nonsense all day long? Bingkuan shouldn't let you leave the palace!" Zhu Youtang seemed to be angry.
But I was very happy.
Even if he, as a father, cannot fulfill his dream of conquering the grassland, his son may be able to help him realize it.
Zhu Houzhao said: "Father, it was Mr. Zhang who asked Erchen to leave the city. If you want to blame, blame him. But it has nothing to do with Erchen. He came back immediately after watching the artillery show! If you don't believe me, ask them! This matter My son-in-law was right about the matter."
"Prince! Do you still have responsibility?"
Zhu Youtang said sharply.
Only then did Zhu Houzhao realize that he might have said the wrong thing.
If it were anyone else, Zhu Houzhao would not be so quick to shirk the responsibility, and would even take the responsibility actively. But the problem is that it is Zhang Bingkuan...
In name, he was a gentleman, but Zhu Houzhao felt that he was simply a demon who ate people without spitting out their bones. He was being plotted by Zhang Zhou all day long, so why couldn't he shirk the responsibility?
"Okay, your mother is still waiting for you to come over for dinner. Go quickly. I have to deal with official business tonight, so I won't go there!"
"Yes, Father!"
…
…
"When will this prince really grow up?"
After his son left, Zhu Youtang sighed to Dai Yi and other eunuchs.
Xiao Jing smiled and said: "Your Majesty, the prince is very calm when he leaves the palace today. However, the prince can abide by everything Mr. Zhang reminds him. Your Majesty does not need to worry about this."
"Yes, only Bingkuan can control him now. The officials next to him may be very decent in their words and deeds, but they just... don't have Bingkuan's energy... I can't describe him."
Zhu Youtang was still thinking about it.
Why did the prince listen to Zhang Zhou and not to other officials?
Xiao Jing thought to himself, that's not it. The evil nature in Zhang Zhou is something ordinary people don't have.
If someone could really be as evil as Zhang Zhou, I guess you would be disgusted by it, but why is he not an orthodox scholar, so no matter what he does, it seems so reasonable?
If Zhang Zhou were allowed to behave properly, Your Majesty would still think that he had taken the wrong medicine, right?
…
…
Inside Kunning Palace.
Zhu Houzhao was bragging to his sister.
After all, Zhu Xiurong has passed his fifth birthday. In later generations, he will be in the kindergarten class, he has a certain logic in speaking and doing things, and he is about to enter elementary school.
But when her brother was telling her about artillery and the scenes of flying chickens and dogs, her eyes were blurred, as if she was a little girl who was not yet sensible.
It’s almost like listening to the Heavenly Book.
"Why is it like that when one shot passes?"
"If someone stood over there, would they die?"
"Brother, why can you leave the palace?"
Xiao Nizi's head was full of questions, so she bluntly asked her elder brother.
Zhu Houzhao said impatiently: "Why are there so many problems? At such a young age, I don't know what I am thinking about all day long."
Queen Zhang behind her said: "Prince, how dare you talk about your sister? What are you thinking about all day long?"
"Mother, my son is telling my sister the rules..."
"Stop talking about the rules, and don't go out of the palace in the future. If the artillery accidentally hurts you, there will be trouble in the Ming Dynasty."
"How can it be so easy? My son is in good health! It's just that today... it's a bit cold!"
…
…
In the court hall.
Zhou Jing, the Minister of Household Affairs, is reporting on the epidemic situation in various places.
The period from winter to spring is generally the peak season for plagues, and epidemics in various places generally cannot be reported in detail until the end of spring, and detailed memorials can also be summarized in many places.
One of them involves the spread of smallpox epidemic around Beijing last year.
"...According to reports from various places who have been sown with the magic medicine for acne, so far, no one who has been sown with this medicine before the spread of acne has shown any signs of illness."
"Originally, the miracle medicine was only cultivated near the capital, and then more medicines were added to Liaodong, northwest and other places. Before the plague passed last year, it was promoted in various places in the south of the Yangtze River. Currently, among the places in the north of the Yangtze River, there are Henan and Shanxi.
In other places, they were invited by the imperial court and donated magical medicines. To the west of Jiangxi and Jiangxi, including Huguang, Sichuan and other places, there are still only one or two out of ten people who grow medicines. If there is another acne and the plague spreads, I am afraid that there will still be
Some people are suffering from this..."
The verification of something takes time.
Zhang Zhou wanted to promote cowpox, so the best way was to use the royal family as an introduction.
If even the royal family can grow it, then why can’t the common people do it?
In the past, the court and the government didn't believe that this thing worked, and they were all picky about it. But as half a year passed, basically all the ministers in the court and the government had it, or everyone around them had it.
Now if you say you don’t cultivate, you are almost like a fool.
The situation was completely different from when Zhang Zhou first arrived in the capital.
After listening to Zhou Jing's report, Zhu Youtang sighed: "If this medicine can cure acne, it will be a blessing for the Ming Dynasty. There is medicine, but... alas! I don't know what to say. Don't let the people
Knowing where the medicine comes from, let’s try our best to let all the people of the Ming Dynasty grow it within this year.”
Tu Fu, the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, came out and asked: "Your Majesty, how is this medicine made? How can acne, which has been incurable since ancient times, be resolved with this medicine? Should we wait for verification and wait a few years before...
What about promotion?”
According to Tu Yu's point of view, half a year is still too short.
What if it is a chronic poison that attacks again in ten to eight years? By then, everyone in the Ming Dynasty will be cultivating the drug, wouldn’t it mean that the population of the Ming Dynasty will be completely wiped out?
Zhu Youtang frowned and said: "This medicine was made by Bingkuan, and I have not even awarded him a reward for it! As for how to make it, do I need to tell you in detail? As for you saying that this medicine has not been verified... just I want to ask you, is there anyone who hasn’t planted it now? I have planted it myself! As I said before, even if it is the most poisonous poison, can just a little bit of it kill people?"
Tu Yu was speechless.
In fact, there are still ministers present who are ignorant. Of course, they will not publicize it to the outside world, so as not to be regarded as aliens.
To put it bluntly, they are still worried.
Since that little bit of medicine is not fatal, why can a little bit of it make a person's body resistant to smallpox? It doesn't make sense.
"Recently, there have been significantly fewer reports of border troubles in various places in the northwest. Even the Yansui area has not had any reports for more than a month. The current border troubles are also due to Bingkuan's advice, as well as the Marquis of Weining, Marquis of Anbian, etc. Due to the bravery and good fighting skills of the people, the Ming Dynasty's border areas have become much more stable, but I would like to ask that border preparations still need to be strengthened this year, especially in terms of making artillery. I am planning to allocate another hundred thousand taels of money to make cannons."
Zhu Youtang is now reaching out to the court to ask for money.
Not for himself either.
But the ministers would always create some trouble for the emperor when he proposed to use money. The emperor would usually discount the amount he wanted, and Zhu Youtang would not argue too much with them. For Zhu Youtang, it was enough.
Zhou Jing, who had previously mentioned the smallpox plague, continued: "Your Majesty, last year, the second Huai'an Prefecture in Fengyang and the Tenth Guards Station in Fengyang Youzhong suffered from floods. The local government requested that the autumn grains of the eleventh year of Hongzhi be exempted, a total of 27 Four thousand six hundred and forty-eight stones are strange."
Your Majesty, don't you want money?
Let’s talk about last year’s Jianghuai floods.
Zhu Youtang said: "Hasn't this matter been reported to the court? Why do we have to report it to the court?"
When Zhou Jing saw it, he felt that the emperor had some objections and quickly returned to the court.
Zhu Youtang asked: "Do you think that I should not spend more money on making cannons?"
Liu Jiandao: "Your Majesty, we should act within our capabilities. If the Tatars have withdrawn now, we might as well cast hundreds of cannons as backup. It seems that the Ming Dynasty's border reserves do not need to be replenished within a year."
"One hundred?" Zhu Youtang frowned. This number obviously did not meet his expectations, but in fact he didn't know much about it. After all, he had agreed to let Zhang Zhou build the cannon and purchase it in the way of the imperial court. Of course, The rules are still set, that is, the cannon building must be completed under the supervision of the imperial court, and if there is no order from the imperial court, Zhang Zhou is not allowed to build the cannon privately.
"How much money do you need?" Zhu Youtang looked at Xiao Jing beside him.
Xiao Jing has always been responsible for the intermediate contacts.
Xiao Jing replied: "Your Majesty, based on what Mr. Zhang mentioned before, a cannon requires about 200 to 300 kilograms of iron. The price of ordinary pig iron generally costs more than ten yuan per kilogram. If it is used to cast a cannon , it will cost about thirty taels of silver, plus the cost of labor, shells, etc., a fully equipped cannon will cost up to 20 taels of silver. A hundred cannons will cost about 2,000 taels of silver."
"Two thousand taels?" Zhu Youtang was a little surprised when he heard this number, frowned and said, "Is it only two thousand taels for one hundred cannons?"
Xiao Jing said: "If it is a nine-sided land, even if one area is given to a hundred gates, it will cost nearly 20,000 taels."
Zhu Youtang nodded and asked Liu Jian: "Mr. Liu Ge, there are only a hundred cannons in each of the nine sides. Isn't that a little less?"
Liu Jian was also startled.
The emperor asked for 100,000 taels to build a cannon, and they thought it was Zhang Zhou who was asking for it. After listening to Xiao Jing's accounts, they realized that the price of the cannon that could change the era was quite "affordable".
One thousand cannons, including cannonballs, etc., only amount to 20,000 taels.
Thinking about it this way, Zhang Zhou was much more conscientious than those who purchased things for the imperial court in the past. In the past, whenever the imperial court wanted to purchase something, the prices offered... were simply outrageous.
After thinking about it, Liu Jian said: "Your Majesty, I wonder how the cannon construction is going?"
Zhu Youtang pointed at Xiao Jing again, and the meaning was still yours.
Xiao Jing said: "The furnace is now open. In a month, we can probably make sixty or seventy cannons. This is just one furnace, but Mr. Zhang has said that the coal mines in Xishan have already produced a large number of high-quality cannons." Coal can be used to refine pig iron or even directly into steel, which can be used to make cannons. Mr. Zhang did not seek any personal gain from this. Everything is accounted for."
Zhu Youtang sighed: "No wonder a cannon only costs twenty taels. It turns out that Bingkuan only wants to save money for the court. This is not possible. What should be given to him must be given..."
Upon hearing this, the ministers present realized that something was wrong.
Zhang Zhou doesn't seek personal gain, so the emperor still wants to help him?
Your Majesty, the money spent is the court’s money, it’s your own money!
Not distressed?
"Dear gentlemen, do you also feel that Bingkuan should not suffer a loss?" Zhu Youtang asked seriously.
Liu Jiandao: "Your Majesty, it is your duty to build cannons for the imperial court. Your Majesty gives high-ranking officials generous salaries. If you don't serve the imperial court attentively, you really shouldn't do it."
"Okay, if you want a reward, I will give it myself. As for the money for making the cannon, the imperial court will allocate it. Then according to the progress of the cannon-making, one can be built, and the Ministry of Revenue will allocate the money for one cannon. Is there any problem? "
"this……"
Liu Jian hesitated.
From what I heard earlier, the progress of cannon building is indeed not very fast.
It took only one month to build sixty or seventy gates, and the total amount of silver was only more than a thousand taels.
But I also said that there are new furnaces ready to be put on the shelves, and they will be built quickly at that time, just in case the emperor needs 10,000 cannons...
Li Dongyang came out and said: "Your Majesty, this method of making cannons should be strictly kept secret and should not be known to too many people. Even the craftsmen of the Ming Dynasty should keep it a secret. Otherwise, if foreigners find out, I am afraid it will cause rebellion in the Ming border areas." Suffer it!"
"Oh? Really?" Zhu Youtang seemed to have no idea.
Xiao Jing came out and said with a smile: "Master Li, you are too worried. We asked Mr. Zhang before, and he said that steel is required to make cannons, and the conditions are very harsh. Only the Ming Dynasty's vast resources can produce enough materials. As for the The craftsmanship and so on are also very complicated, and he will not personally teach the craftsmen many things."
Li Dongyang disagreed.
How confident is Zhang Zhou that he feels that everything is under his control?
"Mr. Zhang also said that this is not the best cannon he can develop." Xiao Jing said another piece of news that shocked the ministers present. "He said that he could build a better one later."
"ah!?"
The ministers present were really shocked.
Xie Qian smiled and said: "Then we can't wait until a better one comes out and then mass-produce it? If we make some ordinary ones now, won't we have to replace them later?"
Xiao Jing also smiled and said: "Mr. Those who can shoot five miles, there are also those who can shoot two miles, what do you think?"
"False!" Xie Qian retorted bluntly, "If you can shoot ten miles, can't you launch two miles? Why bother?"
"yes!"
Many ministers present agreed.
Since something that can shoot ten miles can also shoot two miles, why do we need to build one that can shoot two miles?
Xiao Jing continued to smile and said: "Mr. If you build a cannon that has a lifespan, it cannot be used all the time. So the maintenance cost is the same as that of a two-mile cannon?"
"this……"
Only then did Xie Qian realize that he was the one talking on paper.
Xie Qian was also upset.
Why didn't you think of this layer?
It seems that because of the presence of the sharp-tongued Zhang Bingkuan, even these eunuchs who usually seem very gentle like to argue?
Those who are close to vermilion are red; those who are close to ink are black!
Zhu Youtang couldn't stand listening anymore. He found that everything had to be brought to the court. It was really better to just listen to Zhang Zhou alone. At least at the decision-making level, there would be less wrangling.
"My lords, I don't want to hear any more, so I give this order. From now on, the Ministry of Household Affairs will fully cooperate with Zhang Zhou in building cannons. If the number of cannons exceeds a thousand, they will be brought to the court for discussion. In the future, there may be new cannons, or It's a new firearm, you can bring it to the court and say it, that's all!"
The ministers present lost their temper this time.
It seems pointless to set up a barrier between the emperor and Zhang Zhou and save money for the court.
…
…
After the court meeting is over.
Zhu Youtang returned to Qianqing Palace, sat down angrily, slapped the table and said, "I don't even know what they are talking about!"
Dai Yi and others immediately realized that this was not a question.
There is no need for them to repeat what those ministers said.
It's more like the emperor is complaining.
"Where is Bingkuan?" At the critical moment, Zhu Youtang thought of his loyal minister again.
Dai Yi reminded: "Your Majesty, today is the day of marriage between Mr. Zhang and the daughter of Minister Lin!"
"Nacai? Not concubinage?" Zhu Youtang frowned.
Was it because of Zhang Zhou’s concubine that he delayed himself from asking Zhang Zhou?
Dai Yi said: "Your Majesty, this is the matchmaker guaranteed by the Empress Dowager. Your Majesty's marriage, even if it is just a concubine, may be more formal than an official marriage from a matchmaker."
"oh."
Only then did Zhu Youtang realize that he was the culprit.
"What is Bingkuan doing recently? I haven't seen him for several days!" Zhu Youtang said.
Dai Yi thought to himself, they haven't seen each other for just a few days, and this is what they think?
Dai Yi looked at Xiao Jing, meaning that you, Xiao Jing, often follow up with Zhang Zhou, and you know what he does better than I do.
Xiao Jing said: "Your Majesty...Mr. Zhang, it seems that he is revising a book..."
"What book should I study?" Zhu Youtang was puzzled.
Xiao Jing tentatively said: "It seems to be the "Da Ming Hui Dian". Mr. Zhang said that he has almost finished it, and he plans to find someone to study it in detail recently. It has been initially decided that he will find Lin Shilang, the minister of wine at the Imperial Academy, and have some leisure time in the capital. Cheng Minzheng, a former Hanlin scholar who lives here, asked them to give some advice."
"What? Is this his business alone?" Zhu Youtang was even more puzzled.
Xiao Jing said: "The specifics... I don't know much about it."
