I am Emperor Wanli

Chapter 122 Regretful Gao Gong

Gao Lao Zhuang, Xinzheng, Henan, the backyard of Gao’s mansion.

In the pavilion in the courtyard, there is a pot of tea and a book on the middle table.

Gao Gong was wearing a plain grey robe and a net scarf on his head. He stood with his hands behind his back and looked up at the azure sky.

A flock of wild geese flew through the white clouds, spread their wings and flew northward.

The southern geese came back so early this year.

When can I return to the capital to realize my ambitions?

Gao Gong let out a long sigh.

He only knew that this day might be tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, or the day after next year.

"Master." The old servant reported at the backyard door.

"What's the matter?" Gao Gong asked without turning his head.

"There is an official who has sent in his name."

"Official?" Gao Gong didn't care and didn't even turn around.

During these days, there was an endless stream of famous scholars and local officials visiting Gao Gong. Even officials who were traveling south or north to take up posts or report on their work would rather take a detour to pay a visit to Gao's house.

Everyone knows that Gao Xinzheng, who has been a lecturer in Prince Yu's Palace for nine years, is a hidden dragon in the abyss.

"Yes, he is said to be the Minister of War and the Governor-General of Guangdong and Jiangxi."

Wang Chonggu!
Gao Gong's eyes flashed, and he turned around abruptly, stretching out his right hand: "Business card!"

The old servant hurriedly handed over the business card.

Gao Gong opened it and took a look, and it was indeed Wang Chonggu.

What is he here for?
Oh, I remember now. A few days ago, there was a report from the imperial court that the emperor had ordered him to come to the capital to report on his work.

If you go north from Jiangxi, you can go straight down the Yangtze River, enter the canal at Runzhou, and take an official ship north, which will be very comfortable.

You can also go out of Wuchang, Xiangyang, pass Nanyang and cross the Yellow River to enter northern Zhili. The journey is very tiring and exhausting.

Wang Chonggu deliberately traveled by land, so he must have intended to visit me.

Gao Gong said, "Please invite Minister Wang to the front courtyard hall. Please sit for a while and have some tea. I will come after I change my clothes."

"Yes!"

Gao Gong changed into a dark blue Taoist robe, put on a square scarf on his head, and walked leisurely to the flower hall in the front hall.

Wang Chonggu was still the same as before, except that this time he was wearing a straight-cut long gown, a big hat, and looked dusty.

"Lord Jianchuan!"

Wang Chonggu returned the greeting by bowing: "Duke Xinzheng!"

"Please take a seat!" Gao Gong extended his hand and asked, "Bring me some tea."

"Mr. Jianchuan, why did you suddenly leave Jiangxi?"

"The bandits in Jiangxi and Guangdong have been wiped out, and the emperor and the Ministry of War have asked me to go to the capital to report on my work."

Gao Gong's eyes flickered. "Are you going to be transferred to another place?"

Wang Chonggu met Gao Gong's gaze with an honest and unbiased expression, "Maybe I will be transferred to the northwest."

"what?"

Gao Gong's hand, which was stroking his beard, remained in the air, and his eyes were fixed on Wang Chonggu, trying to find clues from his face.

Wang Chonggu picked up the teacup and drank the tea in gulps.

Gao Gong's pupils shrank slightly. He thought quickly for a while and asked, "Northwest, Shanxi Xuanda or Shaanxi? If it's Shanxi, then what about Hu Ruzhen?"

"I don't know."

This simple sentence made Gao Gong pause. "I didn't deliberately deceive the Duke of Xinzheng, but I really didn't know. How the emperor wants to use his subjects, how he wants to use Hu Ruzhen, is a dictatorship, and outsiders don't know."

Gao Gong asked jokingly, "Your Highness, didn't I tell you anything?"

Wang Chonggu smiled and said, "No."

Gao Gong glanced at him and asked, "Jiangxi has been full of bandits since ancient times. Lord Yangming fought against them once in southern Jiangxi, but he was unable to eradicate them. Will you guys come back again this time?"

The tone of his voice was as if he were a minister.

Wang Chonggu disagreed and said, "In the letter from His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to me, he mentioned the bandits in Guangdong and Jiangxi, three parts of which were military affairs, two parts were political affairs, and the remaining five parts were economics.

We must find ways to provide the local mountain people with a way to survive, so that they can have food to eat and clothes to wear. No one will risk their lives to go up the mountain and become a bandit.

Therefore, in the past two years, Wang has been in Jiangxi and Guangdong, using military force to suppress rebellions as a supplement, while reclaiming wasteland and opening up land and water passages between Jiangxi and Guangdong has become his main business. "

"Open up the land and water passage between Jiangxi and Guangdong?"

"Yes. The Poyang Lake area in Jiangxi is also a land of fish and rice. But the nearby Han River and Dongting Lake are also lands of fish and rice, and the grain cannot be sold at a high price. A bumper harvest hurts farmers.

If we can go south along the Gan River, cross the Yuling Mountains, enter the Zhen River, and go straight to Guangzhou. Guangdong has many mountains and few fields, and there are many typhoons, so there is often not enough food. Rice from Jiangxi can at least be sold at a high price when it is transported to Guangzhou.

In addition, tea, porcelain, and silk from Jiangxi could be transferred to Guangzhou through this route and could be directly shipped out to sea without having to go through Shanghai and other places, thus saving a lot of travel.

Guangdong has Guangzhou as its gateway to the sea, and is backed by Jiangxi and Hunan. If a north-south route can be opened up to allow for mutual exchange of goods, it will be a great thing for the three regions, and at least it can support hundreds of thousands of people.”

Looking at Wang Chonggu who was talking so eloquently, Gao Gong felt as if he didn't know him anymore.

Gao Gong was the leader of the Jin Party and Wang Chonggu was a member of the Jin Party. The two knew each other well, but after not seeing each other for several years, Gao Gong found that Wang Chonggu had completely changed.

When Wang Chonggu finished speaking, Gao Gong could not help but say, "Lord Jianchuan, you seem to have become a different person."

Wang Chonggu was stunned for a moment, then smiled and said, "Wang likes to discuss civil affairs and military affairs. He has been traveling around the country, trying hard to find a way to benefit the country and the people, but he has not found it for a long time.

The year before last, I went to Beijing to report on my work and met His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. We had six long talks, ranging from military affairs to civil affairs, from border troubles to internal worries. At that time, Wang realized that there is always a world beyond the world, and sometimes you need to jump out of the shackles to see farther and higher. "

Gao Gong couldn't help but feel puzzled as he listened to Wang Chonggu's words.

Zhang Shuda has said and done something similar, Zhao Dazhou and Tan Zili have also said something similar. Now you are also saying this, does His Royal Highness really have such extraordinary insight?

Gao Gong felt a little regretful.

Back when he was in the capital, he claimed to be Prince Yu's tutor, his actual teacher, and he was too disdainful to condescend to have a deep conversation with His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.

Later, because Hu Zongxian and other members of the Crown Prince's party took control of Datong, Shanxi, the Jin Party completely broke off relations with the Crown Prince and no longer had any chance.

Gao Gong stopped asking about this and changed the subject, "I heard that the Lifanyuan in the capital is discussing with Altan Khan's brother Bosihaer about opening up border trade in Shanxi?"

Wang Chonggu nodded: "I have heard of it."

"Mr. Jianchuan, you can't just listen to it. You are going to be transferred to Shanxi. The matter of opening up border trade is of great importance to you."

Wang Chonggu looked at Gao Gong and replied, "Shanxi's opening of border trade has something to do with me, but also nothing to do with me."

Gao Gong was stunned and understood the meaning of the words.

If Wang Chonggu took over as the governor-general of Xuanda, Shanxi, it would be related to the opening of border trade; but if he did not take over as the governor-general of Xuanda, Shanxi, it would have nothing to do with it, and it would have nothing to do with whether he was a Jin person or not.

In other words, opening up border trade has nothing to do with the previous Jin Party.

Gao Gong sighed in his heart, of course it has nothing to do with it.

The Jin Party, which had previously been full of talented people, had been crippled by the investigation into the Gengxu Incident in the 43rd year of the Jiajing reign.

There are only a few key members still active in politics, including Wang Chonggu, Wang Guoguang and Huo Ji. You can't even tell whether they are from the Jin Party or the Taisun Party.

Although the Jin Party is a centipede that will not die even if it is cut into pieces, there is still myself, Zhang Siwei, and dozens of Jinshi. It's just that its backbone has been broken once, and it is difficult to repair it.

At this point, Gao Gong felt a little regretful deep in his heart.

He never expected that the prince was as ruthless as the emperor. If he had known this, why would he have encountered this bad luck?

Why not hide aside like the cunning Xu Jie?
Ugh!
(End of this chapter)