I am Emperor Wanli

Chapter 615: Looking East at Jieshi and Overlooking the Sea

Lulong City, formerly Yongping Prefecture, now the backyard of Luanzhou Prefecture, became Zhu Yijun's residence.

The garden in the backyard is not big, but it is quite unique. Half of the garden is decorated with flowers and trees, interspersed with red and green; the other half is decorated with rockery and a pond, as well as a pool of lotus leaves and a few lotus flowers. The breeze blows gently, and the leaves and flowers unfold.

Zhu Yijun was wearing a double-breasted jacket and wide-legged cotton silk trousers. He had short hair and was not wearing a turban. He sat in the pavilion very comfortably, eating pomegranates.

Feng Bao stood by and took the tea brought by the eunuch and placed it on the stone table next to Zhu Yijun.

"Your Majesty, pomegranate seeds are sour. Eating too much is bad for your stomach. Drink some tea."

"Okay, Feng Bao, you sit down too." Zhu Yijun waved his hand.

"Yes."

Feng Bao sat down on the railing of the pavilion opposite Zhu Yijun.

"How is Chengde Xingzai's cultivation going?"

"In reply to Your Majesty, the foundation has been laid and the concrete has been poured. I have also checked it carefully according to the drawings and there are no errors.

Your Majesty, I think the only bad thing about Chengde Xingzai is that too little wood is used. No beams or pillars are used, only the window frames and door frames use some wood from the Northeast, which does not reflect the royal style. "

"The royal style cannot withstand fire." Zhu Yijun said with a smile, "I wish I could replace all the palaces in the Forbidden City with cement bricks and stones.

Although lightning rods are installed there now, it is still easy to start a fire using candles at night, and once it starts, a large area will be affected, which is terrible.

Besides, there is not much large timber now. The timber used by my grandfather to rebuild the three main halls and by my father to repair the imperial mausoleum was all transported from Huguang and Sichuan with great difficulty.

It's just a temporary residence, it doesn't have to be luxurious, just solid and durable. As for the surface work, just paint it more. Next year, when we gather the Mongolian princes, what they will be in awe of is the army and guns of the Ming Dynasty, not the palace with carved beams and painted rafters. "

Feng Bao was peeling a pomegranate in his hands, peeling out the bright red pomegranate seeds one by one, placing them on a plate, and carefully picking out the stems and veins inside.

But he advised: "Your Majesty, the Ming Dynasty is now rich, but the mountains are high and the roads are long. However, there are a lot of timber in the South China Sea, Luzon, North and South Islands, and the four islands of Yanzhou. Just send an order to have them transport it here."

Zhu Yijun picked up a handful of pomegranate seeds from the plate and stuffed them into his mouth. "Kaka, no need to go through so much trouble. Save those big pieces of wood to build sailboats. A sailboat can travel around the world and make a living by trading goods, which can bring millions of gold to the Ming Dynasty.

I use it for cultivation, but it's just sitting there. I can't live here for more than a few months a year. It's a waste!"

The two chatted casually in a relaxed atmosphere, just like a family chatting about daily chores.

"Feng Bao, look at the leaves on the trees. They are starting to turn yellow. Autumn is coming."

Feng Bao looked in that direction and saw that the leaves not far away had lost their green color and were beginning to turn yellow.

“Your Majesty is right, time flies, and autumn is coming.

"Autumn is here, and the persimmons are about to ripen. I remember there was a big persimmon tree in the backyard of Prince Yu's mansion. Every autumn, it would bear many fruits, which would hang on the branches like small lanterns, bright red.

At that time, I entered the Western Garden, and every ten days when I returned to Prince Yu's Mansion, I would go to the backyard with you, and then say, "Feng Bao, help me pick some persimmons." You climbed up the branches and picked several for me to eat.

You were sweating profusely when you came down. I was very curious at the time, is climbing a tree so tiring? Later, I heard from Mr. Huang that you had a fear of heights since you were a child, and you were sweating profusely even when standing on a chair.

Feng Bao, why didn't you say anything at that time? "

Feng Bao smiled and replied, "Your Majesty, I am so blessed to be able to pick persimmons for you. Your Majesty is a benevolent and wise ruler. After learning the cause of my illness from my godfather, he no longer asked me to pick persimmons. Instead, he asked Lu Yong and Liu Yi to pick them in turns."

Zhu Yijun looked at him, "How many lifetimes have you cultivated for this blessing? In this life, you and I are master and servant, it is indeed fate. I can be the emperor, it is also a blessing that I have cultivated for many lifetimes.

But you, Feng Bao, should do good deeds in this life so that you can be born into a good family in the next life.

I know that you have built a merit temple and invited several monks to chant sutras and pray for blessings day and night. After returning to Beijing, ask the inner treasury to take 100 silver dollars as merit, and then ask Master Li to write a Qingci for you. I will sign and seal it, and then use the imperial seal to take it there to worship the heaven.

After all, I am the emperor of the Ming Dynasty. I have connections above me. God and Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, who is in charge of reincarnation, should give me some face. "

Feng Bao had tears in his eyes and kowtowed respectfully, "I thank the emperor for his grace."

"Get up, get up quickly." Zhu Yijun said with a twinkling look in his eyes. After Feng Bao sat down, he continued, "On the eighth day of the fifth month of the thirty-eighth year of Jiajing, three days after I came back to life, the Emperor summoned me to the West Garden at night after hearing the news.

I remember that you carried me into the West Garden. I was on your back and felt you trembling all over, with sweat all over your back. I was confused at the time, but later I realized that you were worried about me.

You kept saying, 'Brother, we are not afraid, brother, we are not afraid.'

Who in the world is not afraid of the Emperor's eccentric temper?

Feng Bao, I will remember your words, 'Brother, we are not afraid' for the rest of my life."

Feng Bao knelt on the ground, tears streaming down her face, "Your Majesty, I have seen Your Majesty change from the eldest brother to the crown prince, then to the crown prince, and now to the crown prince, and now to the supreme ruler of the country. I am so happy that even my death is worth it."

"You old thing, you kneel down again while talking. Get up!" Zhu Yijun's eyes also flashed, and he stretched out his hand to pull Feng Bao up.

"Feng Bao, are you unhappy when I ask you to go to Chengde?"

Feng Bao wiped the tears from her face and answered Zhu Yijun directly, "In reply to your Majesty, I was very depressed on the way to Chengde, and it took me several days to come to my senses after arriving in Chengde.

But I remember that the emperor asked me to go to Chengde to supervise the construction of the imperial palace. I may be upset, but I dare not delay the important work that the emperor has asked me to do."

"Well, I know that you only rested for half a day and one night in Chengde, and went to inspect the construction site the next day. Feng Bao, in a few years, I will have to ask you to go out for a while."

"Your Majesty, please allow me to learn to swim first, even if I have to learn to swim like the eunuch Sanbao and go on a diplomatic mission to India and the Arabs."

Zhu Yijun laughed and scolded: "Don't dream of beautiful things. Sending you to be an angel of the country is a great thing for you! It's a tough job. You have to run around in the mountains and sleep in the open air. It's very hard."

Feng Bao smiled and said, "Your Majesty, instead of asking me to learn from the eunuch Sanbao, you want me to learn from Zhang Qian?"

"You are just daydreaming! In two years, when my prince is born, Feng Bao, you will go and survey the auspicious land for me."

Auspicious land?

Feng Bao was stunned.

But then he realized that for emperors of all dynasties, choosing a Feng Shui-rich site for their mausoleum was the top priority after ascending the throne.

After Emperor Longqing ascended the throne, his first edict after the national mourning was to select an auspicious site, wait two months for the completion of the project, and then choose an auspicious day to start construction.

Don't think it's urgent. Who would have thought that he, who was young and strong, only sat on the throne for three years.

The emperor was only sixteen years old, and it was relatively late to survey the auspicious land until the prince was born.

"The slaves obey the order."

Zhu Yijun patted his shoulder and said, "I don't feel comfortable if others go, but I feel comfortable if you go. When you go to investigate, remember to leave a good piece of land for yourself."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

"Okay, sit down, you sit down too." Zhu Yijun picked up the tea and took a few sips. "Next, I will go to Changli, Funing, and Shanhaiguan for a walk along the coast." "Your Majesty, there are no factories over there."

"I am going there, first to see the sea again, and second to inspect my navy. Lu Tong is leading the Xuanwu navy and is waiting for me on the sea near Jieshi, Shanhaiwei."

"Your Majesty, didn't you just come back from Hulu Port?"

"This is related to the second thing I want to do during my trip along the coast, which is to find a good port for the capital."

Feng Bao asked in surprise: "Your Majesty, Dagu and Hulugang are not OK?
"Both Dagu Port and Hulu Port have a common problem, a fatal one at that, which is that they are easily blocked by river silt. Dagu Port is located at the mouth of Wei River, and Hulu Port is located at the mouth of Hulu River, a branch of Luan River flowing into the sea. Both rivers have a lot of silt.

According to the survey team, the two places were formed by siltation in the past decade. In another decade or so, the coast will move forward several miles.

Dagu Port is relatively better, with not too much siltation. But Hulu Port is very serious. Since the port opened, we have had to clear the silt in the channel twice.

So we have to choose another place as the port."

Feng Bao thought for a moment and said, "Your Majesty, there are no big rivers in Changli, so there shouldn't be any problem of river siltation."

"Feng Bao, it's not that simple. In recent years, the weather in the north has been getting colder and colder. Last winter, Dagu and Hulugang both experienced partial freezing.

We must also find a harbor that does not freeze in winter. The surveying team of the Surveying and Mapping Bureau has found a place in the south of Shanhaiwei, at the Jieshi Mountain of Shanhaiwei. I will go and take a look."

Feng Bao smiled and said, "Your Majesty, when you talk about these military and national affairs, I don't understand."

"Don't be so modest. After you went to Chengde to supervise the construction, the Imperial Household Department was in a mess. Although Chen Ju and Li Chun were diligent, they were inexperienced after all, and they were busy like headless flies all day long.

When you go back, please sort out the Imperial Household Department.

Master Zhang has been implementing the performance evaluation system in the central government and has been quite effective in rectifying the administration of officials. The outer court is making big moves, and the inner court cannot just sit there and do nothing. You must also take action when you return, learn from the performance evaluation system, and rectify the Silijian as well.

Also, the Advisory Bureau is only an advisory body. Each advisor has a full-time job, but they take turns to work in the Advisory Bureau every day, and they only get together to discuss matters when there is something to discuss.

The Secretariat became a fatherless baby, and the Tongzhengsi was originally a deserted government office. After Master Zhang formed the cabinet, he despised it, and it became a wandering ghost.

So, Feng Bao, when you return to the Imperial Household Department, take over the Secretariat and the Public Administration Department, and see what tasks to assign to them so that they can't just take their salaries and allowances for nothing."

"The slaves obey the orders!"

When it comes to important matters, Feng Bao's eyes sparkle.

The eastern tour team soon arrived at the Jieshi area of ​​Shanhaiwei, where Lu Tong commanded the Xuanwu navy and was waiting there for inspection.

After a night's rest, Zhu Yijun, Zhang Juzheng, Zhang Xueyan, Hu Ruguang and others, under the guidance of Lu Tong, boarded the ferry and climbed up the rope net on the side of the ship to the flagship of the Xuanwu Navy, the Liaoyang.

This is a Class B battleship launched in the second year of the Longqing reign, with a displacement of 1,820 tons and 76 guns.

Standing on the stern deck, feeling the hull swaying slightly with the waves, Zhu Yijun, dressed in a blue navy general's uniform and a navy blue round-brimmed hat with a red edge, was very excited.

He leaned on the railing, looked at the sea, turned his head and said to Zhang Juzheng and Lu Tong: "This is the prince's large sailing ship. I have been on the throne of the Ming Dynasty since I ascended the throne from the prince, the grandson of the emperor, and the prince. This is the first time I have boarded it."

Lu Tong said quickly: "The emperor designed the draft of the prince's sailing ship that year, and the Wusong Shipyard built the first prince's sailing ship in the 43rd year of Jiajing. It took seven years for the emperor to come in person."

“When I boarded this large sailing ship and looked at the many battleships around me and the officers and soldiers with high morale, I felt a great sense of pride.

Wherever the sun and the moon shine on the ocean, there will be Ming navy sails hoisted and flags flying. "

"We will definitely bear in mind the emperor's earnest expectations and live up to his wishes."

Next, the Xuanwu Navy's twelve main battleships, sixteen frigates, and eighteen cruisers lined up to conduct exercises on the vast sea.

At Zhu Yijun's strong request, Lu Tong ordered four battleships to conduct artillery exercises on an abandoned target ship.

Amid the rumbling of artillery fire, the battleship's guns whizzed past one after another, riddling the target ship with holes and causing it to sway like a dead leaf.

"Well, for a naval bombardment, we must have the courage to attach bayonets to the cannons and use them in hand-to-hand combat.

I have read the intelligence compiled by the Intelligence Bureau. Boarding hand-to-hand combat is still popular in India and the Arab world. After being taught a lesson by the Portuguese with artillery fire, they have not yet fully learned their lesson.

It doesn’t matter. The Ming Navy will use blood and fire to show them how naval battles in the new era will be fought.”

After giving some encouragement, Zhu Yijun awarded the Zheng He Medal to 56 officers and soldiers of the Xuanwu Navy on the "Liaoyang".

Zhu Yijun then took a boat and took a tour of the new port area surveyed by the survey team.

There is no river siltation problem here, and it is an ice-free port all year round.

"Your Majesty, to the northeast is the Shanhaiguan Laolongtou of Shanhaiwei, and to the southwest is Jieshi Mountain, which is where Cao Cao, the King of Wei, wrote "Viewing the Sea".

The captain of the survey team was giving instructions on the stern deck.

"Your Majesty, there is a small river ahead that can provide fresh water. The coast to the north is deep and wide, suitable for a harbor."

Zhu Yijun looked at the sea and listened to the introduction of the captain of the survey team, when a name suddenly popped up in his mind.

"I heard that this was the place where Emperor Qin Shi Huang sent Xu Fu to sea?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. There is a small island nearby. It is said that this is where Qin Shihuang offered sacrifices to the sea and where Xu Fu's fleet sailed to sea."

"Okay, the new seaport will be located here, and it will be called Qinhuangdao from now on." Zhu Yijun immediately made a decision, "I have seen the map, and this place is backed by the sea, and the distance to Chengde, Liaoyang, the capital, and Tianjin Dagu is about the same.

Well, it's a great place. In the future, it will not only be the largest seaport in Gyeonggi Province, but it can also become a railway hub."

The Xuanwu Navy carried Zhu Yijun and his entourage south along the coastline and docked at Dagu Port.

Zhang Juzheng, Zhang Xueyan and others vomited all over the place, but Zhu Yijun, Hu Ruguang and Feng Bao were not hurt at all, which was quite magical.

After landing in Dagu, Zhu Yijun booked the largest restaurant in the area and hosted a banquet for Lu Tong and all the captains, first mates, surveyors, boatswains, artillery chiefs, medical officers and other officers of the Xuanwu Navy.

At the same time, he also issued an edict to purchase wine and food locally to reward all the sailors.

After the meal, Zhu Yijun temporarily summoned Zhang Juzheng, Zhang Xueyan, Lu Tong and the commanders of the Xuanwu Navy at the Dagu Garrison Office. After they had chatted for a few words, Qi Yan hurried in.

"Your Majesty, an urgent report has been sent from the capital over eight hundred miles away."

Zhu Yijun took them and saw that they were two urgent reports. After reading the first one, he became furious.

"Lu Tong!"

"Minister!" Lu Tong stood up subconsciously and responded loudly.

(End of this chapter)