Gao Hub couldn't say anything else, so he had to pick up his pen and draw a circle in the blank space.
Cao Nai still looked angry, so Gao Hub excused himself and returned to his apartment. He immediately ordered the clerk: "Go to the Ministry of War and ask Chen Ruyan to come see me immediately!"
"Yes!"
The Ministry of War Yamen is very close to Wenyuan Pavilion, and Chen Ruyan arrived in less than a cup of tea.
"I've seen Enfu!"
But Gao Hub said with a dark face: "Let me ask you, what did you do last night?"
Chen Ruyan was stunned for a moment and subconsciously replied: "I didn't do anything last night..."
"Think carefully, who did you meet and what did you do?"
Only then did Chen Ruyan come to his senses and said: "The student did meet a person, it seems his name is... Dong Chang Yuan. This person is an envoy from the Japanese state. He came to visit, and the student could not refuse."
"Is it just that it's hard to say no?" Gao Hub snorted coldly and said bluntly, "How much money did you charge him?"
"Students dare not..."
Dong Changyuan trembled with fright and quickly explained: "It's just that... this person brought some gifts when he came to the door."
"Do you know what he did?"
"He...did?"
"This person publicized your conversation last night at Honglu Temple, and wrote a memorial to the court in the name of the Japanese envoy, which was full of praise for you!"
"This..."
Chen Ruyan suddenly realized that he might have fallen into a trap.
Gao Hub said expressionlessly: "The memorial will be presented to His Highness King Tan very soon. You must be mentally prepared!"
Chen Ruyan wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and asked: "The Japanese country is a country designated by Emperor Taizu Gao as a country without conquest. The student's remarks, when you think about it, it doesn't matter..."
"A country without conquests?"
Gao Hub sneered: "Annan is also a country that will not be conquered, so what will happen in the end?"
Chen Ruyan felt more and more chills on his back, and said cautiously: "His Royal Highness King Xi is a wise king, and he should not easily provoke wars. Besides... regarding the Japanese pirates, there is no evidence that he has anything to do with the Japanese leader.
Directly related to this matter..."
Gao Hub interrupted him and said: "Although the emperor is not here, His Highness King Xi has changed a lot now, and he has vague intentions of taking the lead in the war. If you have such an attitude now, the position of Zuo Shilang may be unstable!" Chen Ruyan hurriedly said: "What happened last night was due to the student's carelessness. I would like to ask Enfu to say a few kind words in front of His Highness. The student would be very grateful!"
Gao Hub helplessly shook his head and said: "You, you must think clearly when doing things, and never be taken advantage of like this again! As for whether this battle will be won or not, His Highness King Tao cannot decide. He will wait until the Emperor himself
Mobei is back..."
While he was talking, a scribe came in a hurry.
"Old Gaoge..."
Gao Hub said impatiently: "What's all the fuss about? Didn't you see that I was discussing official business with Chen Shilang?"
"Yes, yes... I'm just presumptuous, but..."
Gao Hub saw this person holding a letter and seemed very anxious.
"Tell me, what's the matter?"
"This is what Mr. Zhang and Mr. Kuang sent back from Mobei. It's six hundred miles away, expedited!"
Gao Hub's expression changed and he said: "Bring it here!"
The clerk handed the letter over, and Gao Hub waved his hand: "Go down!"
"Yes!"
Chen Ruyan stepped forward curiously and asked: "Master Zhang and Master Kuang must have seen the emperor!"
Gao Hub opened the letter, glanced at it, and was stunned.
Chen Ruyan asked in confusion: "En Mansion, did something happen to Mobei?"
Gao Hub didn't say anything, just handed the letter over, and Chen Ruyan took it carefully.
Immediately afterwards, he was also shocked and murmured: "Your Majesty... didn't go to Mobei?"
Gao Hub sat blankly for a long time and then said: "It seems that the emperor has gone to Nanjing!"
"But why did the emperor go to Nanjing? And he did it secretly, without letting me know?"
Gao Hub's expression changed, he stood up and said, "I'll settle the accounts with you later!"
After finishing speaking, he took the letter and hurried to Cao Nai's apartment.
Cao Nai was writing annotations on a memorial when he saw Gao Zhu running over in a hurry and asked: "What's the matter?"
Gao Hub took out Zhang Yi's letter. After reading it, Cao Nai fell into deep thought.
The two of them were like this, one standing and the other sitting, in silence for a long time.
Finally, Cao Nai sighed, shook his head and said, "That doesn't make sense!"
"Yeah!" Gao Hub then said, "That doesn't make sense!"
"Why did the emperor go to Nanjing?"
"Could it be that..." Gao Hub's expression suddenly changed and he said with a clear conscience, "Is the Emperor planning to go to Annan himself?"
Cao Nai was immediately shocked. According to the emperor's current urinary properties, it is really possible!
Before the envoys from the Champa Kingdom came to the Ming Dynasty, the emperor had plans to conquer Annan, but he couldn't find a reason.
There is a reason now, but it is not sufficient yet.
If the King of Jing'an County sends an envoy to Annan, and the other party gives in, he will retreat and the battle will not be fought.
Could it be that the emperor couldn't hold himself back anymore and was preparing to conquer it himself?
This is a big joke...
Cao Nai said impatiently: "Don't say anything. The top priority is to get the emperor back. Let me go there!"
"I'd better go!"
Gao Hub stopped him and said: "The capital needs someone to take charge. You are the chief assistant and cannot be easily moved."
Cao Nai didn't argue with him. The cabinet must be replaced. As for the two of them, it doesn't matter who goes.
The two discussed the matter and settled the matter, and then went to meet Zhu Qiyu, the King of Tao.
Cao Nai told the ins and outs of the whole thing. After listening to it, Zhu Qiyu behaved very calmly, as if he had known the result for a long time.
Gao Hub then said: "Your Highness, the emperor is in a very dangerous situation now. I have decided to bring officials from the Ministry of Rites to greet him early tomorrow morning."
Zhu Qiyu nodded calmly and said: "Brother Huang's move is indeed inconsistent with etiquette, so it will be hard on all the ministers!"
Cao Nai added: "I originally planned to go together, but considering that there is no one in the cabinet..."
Yu Qian went to Huai'an, Zhang Yi went to Mobei, and now Gao Zhu is leaving again. If he goes together, the cabinet will really be gone.
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Zhu Qiyu said: "I understand, by the way, what happened to Chen Ruyan?"
While talking, he took out a memorial, which was exactly the one that Cao Nai had just drafted.
Cao Nai and Gao Hub looked at each other, and sure enough, His Highness King Xi seemed to be very disgusted with what Chen Ruyan had done.
"Your Highness, please calm down. Chen Shilang was just out of favor, so he was just taken advantage of by the Japanese emissary. This matter was indeed caused by Chen Shilang's inconsideration. The old minister has already talked to him and ordered him to pay all the gifts immediately.
Return it and make sure this never happens again!"
Gao Zhu was also helpless and planned to just let go, but Chen Ruyan was considered one of the more capable men under him. If he could say a few nice words to him now, he would be even more devoted to him in the future.
Cao Nai saw Gao Hub defending Chen Ruyan, but he didn't say anything.
He knew that most likely it was Chen Ruyan who was greedy for petty advantages and took other people's money, but suffered a big loss despite not wanting to.
This incident can be regarded as a lesson to him. Let’s see if he dares to accept gifts in the future!
"Humph!"
Zhu Qiyu threw the memorial aside and said: "I will keep this memorial first and give it to the emperor's brother, the Holy Inquisition!"
Gao Hub smiled awkwardly, but did not dare to persuade him.
Otherwise, it will appear that you are deliberately covering up.
I hope that when the emperor comes back, everyone will forget about this, and then everything will be fine...
Zhu Qiyu seemed to have thought of something and said: "There is another thing. Do you remember that there was a fight between Peng Qing, the Imperial Supervisor of the Imperial Academy, and Tang Xiaozhong of the Hanlin Academy of Literature and History?"
Cao Nai and Gao Hub nodded together and said, "Remember!"
"Before the emperor left, he discussed this matter with me. The voyage to the West is related to national policy. Any small mistake on the chart may have serious consequences. Therefore, we specially found some people from Nanjing, Fuzhou and other places.
, some of them had followed the Sanbao eunuchs to the West, and some were smugglers who had gone to sea and had now joined the imperial court. After these people came to Beijing, they carefully reviewed the existing nautical charts of the Hanlin Academy. After repeated deliberation and comparison, they found that it was true.
There are a lot of mistakes!"
Cao Nai asked: "So, is there really a problem with the Hanlin Academy's copying process?"
Zhu Qiyu shook his head and said: "But the problem is that Tang Xiaozhong refused to admit it alive or dead. He insisted that the picture brought by the Ministry of War was like this. The officials only copied a copy of the original picture and would never erase or modify it without authorization."
The difficulty of this matter is that it cannot be explained clearly. Although everyone believes that the chart of the Hanlin Academy is wrong, there is no conclusive evidence.
Who can guarantee that what they say is correct? Is it possible that the chart drawn by Zheng He is like this, and you have remembered it wrong?
The original version of that year is no longer available, and now that Tang Xiaozhong refuses to let go, there is really no way to determine who is right and who is wrong.
Cao Nai thought for a while and said: "I remember that there was a man named Wu Canghai who was originally a smuggler and had been to sea many times. I wonder if this person is here?"
"Here we come!" Zhu Qiyu nodded, "He also believed that there was something wrong with the Hanlin Academy's map. Moreover, he also carried a nautical chart with him. When comparing the two, there were indeed inconsistencies."
Gao Hub said thoughtfully: "But the question is, who can guarantee that the charts carried by Wu Canghai are foolproof?"
This is a problem, because this thing is not an object that can be held in front of you to see if it is true or false.
Whether your chart is true or false, you need to actually go to the sea to see it. Sitting in the capital, who dares to vouch for it?
Zhu Qiyu looked confused: "The issue of sea charts is directly related to the success or failure of the voyage to the West. I will not dare to make a decision easily without conclusive evidence."
Gao Hub suggested: "How about letting it go for a while and waiting for the emperor to come back before making a decision."
Unexpectedly, as soon as he said this, Zhu Qiyu's face became even more ugly and said: "The emperor has never been to the sea, how can he judge the authenticity of the sea chart?"
Gao Hub clearly felt the dissatisfaction in Zhu Qiyu's tone, so he said no more.
At this time, Cao Nai said: "Your Highness is absolutely right. Since the imperial court is preparing to return to the Western Sea, it must be foolproof. Regarding the issue of sea charts, I have an idea."
Zhu Qiyu's expression softened slightly, he raised his head and said, "Let's talk and listen."
"Currently, the treasure ship for the voyage to the Western Ocean is still under construction. It will take at least half a year to launch. It is better to send one or two ships as outposts during this period to explore the way. In this way, who is right and who is wrong in what both sides say?
It’s clear at a glance.”
Zhu Qiyu nodded and said: "This is a good idea, but... who should be sent there?"
Cao Nai replied: "This matter needs to be carefully considered, and it must be done by someone reliable."
If I were to find an unreliable person who would casually wander around on the sea and come back and tell you nonsense, would you believe it or not?
Zhu Qiyu thought for a while and said: "How about... let Peng Qing and Tang Xiaozhong each take a boat, and each explore the road according to their own charts, and let them experience it for themselves. It is worse than quarreling at home every day."
Cao Nai and Gao Hub nodded repeatedly, this is a good idea.
Don't you two have different opinions? Now we can't decide who is right and who is wrong. You might as well prove your own opinions.
In this way, it can be guaranteed that the court will get the correct chart, and as for the wrong one, he will keep his mouth shut at that time.
"Then it's settled, it's time to issue a charter from the cabinet. After I read it, I will arrange for them to go to sea as soon as possible!"
"Yes!"
The two of them returned to Wenyuan Pavilion from the Wenhua Palace. Gao Hub still had to prepare for the pursuit of the emperor, so the regulations on the advance team for the voyage naturally fell on Cao Nai.
That night, the busiest thing was the Ministry of Rites. Lord Shangshu was still eating sand in Mobei. Now that he got the news, he had to send people to chase the emperor again.
Why do you say again...
This matter caused quite a stir in the court, and it was easily leaked out.
Outside Chaoyang Gate, No. 4 Factory Huangzhuang.
Song Guxi was shocked and asked: "You mean, the emperor secretly went to Nanjing?"
"Shh!"
Xiaohua made a sign of silence, and then whispered: "The news is absolutely accurate. The imperial court, led by Gao Hu, a cabinet scholar, and officials from the Ministry of Etiquette will set out early tomorrow morning."
Song Guxi paced back and forth anxiously, murmuring: "What exactly went wrong..."
"Miss, actually you don't need to be so nervous. It is said that the emperor was preparing to conquer Annan personally, and was worried about the opposition of the officials, so he ran away secretly!"
"It's not that simple!"
Song Guxi shook her head and said: "My foster father has been dormant for many years, and now everything is ready. We only need the east wind. What we want is to be foolproof, and there must be no mistakes!"
Xiaohua said with a look of disbelief: "You mean, the emperor's goal is...Master?"
"My foster father is in Nanjing. By coincidence, the Emperor also went to Nanjing. Do you think this is just a coincidence?"
"Perhaps... it's really just a coincidence? The master's whereabouts have always been secretive. Even the White Lotus Sect has been kept in the dark for so many years. The emperor has been living in the palace for a long time, how could he know about it?"
"No, no, this matter is not that simple!"
Song Guxi thought about it over and over again, but she still felt that something was wrong and that something big was about to happen.
"Go and get ready. We will leave immediately for Nanjing early tomorrow morning."
"But..."
Xiaohua wonders: "My master's intention is for the two of us to stay in the capital to provide support..."
"We can't control that much anymore. We must see our adoptive father immediately. We are in such a hurry that we can't wait!"