Among the capital, Zhu Qizhen has been waiting for a long time.
Ever since Peng Qing went to sea, his heart was filled with hope and at the same time extremely worried.
If a country wants to be rich and powerful, it cannot ignore the ocean. Wealth comes from the sea, and danger also comes from the sea.
Zheng He spent his entire life making seven voyages to the Western Ocean, and his understanding of the ocean was deeper than anyone else's.
Although at the beginning, the imperial court launched its voyage to the West, its original intention was not to dominate the ocean, but for other purposes.
As for this purpose, everyone understands it...
When the Ming Dynasty's ships went abroad for the first time, and when those small foreign countries saw such a huge treasure ship for the first time, one can imagine how shocked they were.
After Renxuan, the imperial court had to give up its voyages to the West in order to recuperate.
What they don't know is that the Western Age of Discovery is coming.
Thousands of miles away in the Franconian countries, a child named Columbus has been born.
In another forty years, he will sail across the ocean and reach the American continent.
Maybe hundreds of years later, people will feel very sorry.
Since the Ming Dynasty had world-leading navigators like Zheng He, why did it stop exploring the ocean?
Peng Qing's voyage not only carried the hope of the Ming Dynasty, but also carried the hope of countless future generations.
However, the ocean is extremely dangerous, and there has been no news for two years. People can't help but wonder, are they still alive?
For Zhu Qizhen, the voyage to the West must be put on the agenda. Even if Peng Qing has died, Ming Dynasty's exploration of the ocean cannot stop!
The imperial court will continue to send people to sea, twice if it doesn't work once, three times if it doesn't work twice... One day, Ming's ships will appear in any corner of the world.
In the whole world, there is nothing but the royal land.
On the shore of the land, could it be the king’s ministers!
The emperor who was called the emperor in his previous life has long since disappeared in the long river of history. What he has to do now is to build the Ming Dynasty into an empire on which the sun never sets. If he can achieve it in his lifetime, this life will not be in vain.
The three assistant ministers of the cabinet and officials from the Ministry of Rites were all waiting in Fengtian Hall. Finally, Huai En trotted into the hall with a puff of smoke.
"Your Majesty, people are coming!"
"Xuan!"
Zhu Qizhen couldn't help but sit up straight, his face became solemn.
Under the escort of the royal guards, Peng Qingmai entered the palace.
In the main hall, everyone was stunned.
They originally thought that Peng Qing, who had returned from a long voyage, would be as high-spirited as a general returning in triumph.
But what caught his eye was a man with unkempt hair, black face, and a withered appearance.
His steps were slow and his figure was a bit stooped, but he tried his best to straighten his spine.
In just two years, my whole person has completely changed beyond recognition, and I seem to have aged twenty years.
Many people were shocked, and the smiles on their faces gradually disappeared.
Zhu Qizhen looked at Peng Qing and frowned slightly. In his memory, Peng Qing was a man with fair skin and elegant manners, but today...
"Your Majesty Peng Qing, long live my emperor!"
Peng Qing came to the hall and bowed down.
His voice was a little hoarse, but full of energy.
Zhu Qizhen's heart skipped a beat, and he hurriedly said: "Without courtesy, I will give you a seat!"
Huaien moved the Jindun, Peng Qing sat down, and then said: "Your Majesty, I have something that I want to dedicate to the Emperor."
Zhu Qizhen suddenly became energetic. This man had suffered a lot but did not complain. The first thing that came to his mind was that he had something to offer.
No wonder Bei Lin often laments and says that her achievements today are all due to the teachings of her mentor Peng Qing.
Zhu Qizhen asked: "What did the Qing family offer?"
Peng Qing took the baggage from behind his back and opened it, revealing a map.
"This is the waterway from the Ming Dynasty to Mugudusu. Thanks to the Holy Grace, this trip will fulfill our mission!"
Everyone couldn't help but feel shocked. Peng Qing went to sea this time to explore the Western Ocean for the Ming Dynasty.
Unexpectedly, he arrived directly at Mugudusu.
This is the furthest place Zheng He’s fleet has ever visited!
During the two-year voyage, he had to endure the loneliness of being far away from his homeland all the time, and had to deal with various upcoming risks at any time. He never forgot his mission.
Exploring the waterway is easy to say, but to do it, none of the ministers present can guarantee whether they will suddenly go crazy while wandering in the vast sea.
In an inconspicuous corner, Hanlin Tang Xiaozhong buried his head low, for fear that others would know his existence.
He was the one who insisted at the beginning that there was nothing wrong with the nautical charts preserved by the Hanlin Academy.
As a result...if it weren't for good luck, he and the accompanying crew would have been buried on the isolated island.
He knew the value of this chart better than anyone else. At this moment, he felt his face was burning, as if he had been slapped ten thousand times in public.
Zhu Qizhen couldn't help but be moved, and tears filled his eyes.
With this chart, the Ming Dynasty could officially launch its voyage to the West.
From now on, batches of ships will go abroad, carrying the hopes of countless people, and travel to every corner of the world.
The empire on which the sun never sets starts from this chart.
His eyes were red and he said excitedly: "Bring it here and let me take a look!"
Huai'en had already stepped forward, bowed, carefully took the map from Peng Qing's hand, and presented it to the emperor.
Zhu Qizhen stared at every line inside, from the capital to Tianjin Wei, along the coastline of the Ming Dynasty to the south, he saw Annan, Luzon, Siam, Java, Sumatra, Manchuria, Ceylon,
Kozhi, Guli...all the way to the distant African continent, which is the end of the trip, with all the bones tied up.
This is also the final destination for Zheng He’s fleet.
Peng Qing did not have a treasure ship like Zheng He, but he was able to accomplish such a feat. It was not easy, which is very impressive.
Seeing this, Zhu Qizhen couldn't help but sigh: "Everyone, please take a look and see how vast the world outside is!"
Huaien took the chart and handed it to Cao Nai, and others came forward one after another.
The Ming Dynasty boasted that it was a kingdom with a vast territory that could make people proud of it. However, in front of Zhu Qizhen with this sea map, everyone realized that the so-called kingdom of heaven was just a small place.
.
Peng Qing not only marked the route, but also marked the local customs and specialties of the countries along the way, making it clear at a glance.
Under this map, there is actually a line of inscription.
"If you want a country to be strong and prosperous, you must not ignore the sea. Wealth comes from the sea, and danger also comes from the sea. Once the king of another country seizes the Nanyang, China will be in danger. Our fleet is invincible and can be used to expand business, subdue foreign lands, and make it
I don’t dare to covet Nanyang.”
This passage is the original words of Zheng He. No one understands the importance of the ocean better than Zheng He.
However, after Renxuan, the power of the Ming Dynasty gradually declined. Although there were plans to go to the West too much, they had no choice but to give up.
So many years have passed, and Zheng He's painstaking efforts have long been forgotten. But now, when everyone in the government realizes the importance of the ocean again, and when they read these words, everyone's eyes couldn't help but get wet.<
/p>
Peng Qing, however, was very calm and said: "I went to sea this time to comfort all around. The Western countries all admired the emperor's kindness, so when they returned, they sent envoys to pay tribute. I am good at making opinions, and will thirty
The envoys from the two countries brought us to pay homage to the emperor. They are willing to have good relations with me, the Ming Dynasty, for generations to come!"
Thirty-two countries!
Everyone in the main hall was moved.
Everyone’s first reaction is that Peng Qing is lying!
It is a gratifying and congratulatory event for all nations to come to Korea.
Although the quality of this so-called country is a bit poor, it can still be gilded after all.
With a smile on his face, Zhu Qizhen felt happy in his heart and said happily: "It's very good. The Qing family has really worked hard and accomplished a lot!"
Peng Qing hurriedly replied: "I dare not take credit. This time I went to sea, I relied on the emperor's saintliness and the hard work of everyone on the same ship."
Zhu Qizhen naturally did not believe that Peng Qing's success came from his own holiness. These words were just as nonsense as Long Live.
However, it is not important whether he believes it or not. What is important is that the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty and the people of the world believe it.
Therefore, when Peng Qing said these words, Zhu Qizhen nodded secretly.
In fact, behind the seemingly glamorous appearance of the so-called tribute, there is actually intrigue.
When the imperial commander personally conquered the Tumu Fort, it was because the Oara people came to pay tribute.
When the tribute system was originally designed, it was quite necessary for the Ming Dynasty to stabilize all countries in the world. For example, during the Yuan Dynasty, a horse breeding farm was established in Jeju, North Korea. Naturally, the Ming Dynasty would never allow the North Korean horse farm to raise countless fine horses.
Because war horses are the most precious strategic materials, the more war horses of the Ming Dynasty, the better. Once a vassal country has too many horses, it is inevitable that there will be other intentions.
Therefore, when Emperor Taizu established the tribute system with Korea, he made it clear that Korea must pay tribute to war horses on time. The horse breeding farm that the Mongolians set up in Korea eventually became the place where horses were raised in the Ming Dynasty. Korea
The country had to pay tribute in full, but there were hardly enough war horses in the country, so that the top nobles had to use ox carts to travel.
Not only that, in the Ming Dynasty's tribute system, it seemed that the Ming Dynasty was suffering a loss. The vassal states presented rare treasures from various countries, such as the Japanese state sending Japanese knives, and the Korean state presenting war horses and ginseng. The specialties of other countries were different. p>
But the one who really holds the pricing power is Daming.
In the eyes of Ming Dynasty, are your Korean horses valuable?
The Japanese sword of the Japanese country is just a sword. How much is it worth?
I’ll give you a tael of silver. Do you want me to love you? Don’t let me down!
The Ming Dynasty still set its own prices for gifts from various countries. You can't even buy my silk in the market. My porcelain is even more powerful. You can't find it even if you don't have a hundred taels of silver.
Emperor Taizu started his career by expelling the northern barbarians. He never suffered losses from others in his life. The tribute system he designed was roughly like this. He collected goods from the vassal state and enriched himself at a lower price. At the same time, he gave gifts to the vassal state.
Silk, porcelain and other items that are relatively rare.
It seems that this is a losing business, but in fact, silk and porcelain are just luxuries, while medicinal materials, war horses, and swords from various countries are real materials that have enriched the Ming Dynasty's army.<
/p>
Even exotic beauties can enrich the harem.
And the pricing power was completely controlled by the Ming Dynasty. Under this situation, the so-called tribute trade seemed to have taken advantage of the vassal states. You see, you exchanged the worthless horses, knives, and medicinal materials for the Ming Dynasty.
The rare silks and porcelains show that my great emperor has great grace and virtue, and his virtue is spread all over the world.
As for why the tribute system always gives people the feeling of taking a huge advantage, the reason depends on who has the right to speak.
Of course, the tribute system is not without its faults, and sometimes it often breaks down.
The Wara people completely turned against the Ming Dynasty because the Wara people were trading with the Ming Dynasty. They were in urgent need of iron pots for cooking and a lot of tea. However, the Ming Dynasty thought that the iron pots were ironware and could not give them to you.
Even if I give you more silk and porcelain, the Wala people don't need silk in the freezing desert. Wearing silk will freeze to death.
As for the cattle and horses they brought, the pricing was decided by Ming Dynasty, so every time there was a mutual trade, conflicts between the two sides continued. After the conflict, they went home to gather troops and horses, and they wanted to rob them, and the two sides fought fiercely.
After the fight, we went back to the negotiation table and continued trading. The Ming Dynasty still refused to sell iron pots, thinking that it was a sign of supporting the enemy. The Wala people thought that I had to cook food without a pot. There was not enough tea, and the meat was difficult to digest. I took
There are so many cows and horses, you sell me this?
Why are our cattle and horses worthless? Your silk and porcelain are so valuable. Don’t mention culture to me. Culture cannot be eaten!
So, another round of beatings.
At the same time, overseas countries are gradually coming back to their senses. No, the silk and porcelain given by the Ming Dynasty are good, but are they really worth so much money?
As a result, the smuggling industry prospered. People discovered that even if someone risked beheading to smuggle, the price of the smuggled silk and porcelain was actually lower than the price of silk and porcelain exchanged for tribute, and there were actually huge amounts of them.
arbitrage space.
Zhu Qizhen knows the secrets here best.
None of the emperors of the Ming Dynasty, starting from Zhu Yuanzhang, was pure. The creation of this tribute system itself was designed to weaken the vassal state and strengthen itself. However, under this purpose, the Ming Dynasty mastered the pen.
The Hanlin officials are constantly polishing things at the same time, but they always appear to be victims.
As for how future generations understand and interpret it, history editors don’t care. Generally speaking, Ming Dynasty suffered a loss.
I have so many expensive treasures in exchange for worthless war horses, Japanese knives, medicinal materials, spices, ivory, and beautiful women who paid tribute from Korea. I lost all my pants!
Zhu Qizhen withdrew his thoughts. As for whether the tribute system is good or not, it must be improved in the future. At least it can show my status as a great country tomorrow.
For example, the envoys from the thirty-two countries who came with Peng Qing were very considerate.
Although these countries have a lot of water and some are just small territories, their willingness to take the initiative to join them shows that they are very sincere.
Zhu Qizhen nodded and said sternly: "Peng Qing's family went to sea and made great contributions. He was awarded a bachelor's degree in Dongge, an imperial envoy to patrol the sea, and took charge of Western affairs!"
…………
ps: Regarding the voyages to the West, I have always wanted to write something seriously, but I feel that the content is too empty, because this is a book, not a history book, so this part may be streamlined, and the rest will focus on the plot.