Di Ming

Chapter 57 Wolf's Den
We've reached the Yangtze River, which means we've reached Yangzhou.

And across the Yangtze River, a hundred miles to the west, lies Nanjing!

This section of the river is where Gaoyou Lake flows into the Yangtze River. Not far to the right, on the riverbank, stands a magnificent city, its prosperity seemingly fading into the distance.

Yangzhou.

At this very moment, a thousand sails and hundreds of boats are all looking towards Yangzhou.

"We've arrived in Yangzhou," Zhu Yin said softly with a sigh. "We've traveled thousands of miles from north to south in just over a month."

Ning Caiwei was also a little excited, "From the Changbai Mountains and Heilongjiang River, to the Shandong Plain, and then to the misty Yangzhou..."

She was expressing her emotions when she suddenly fell silent, her eyes fixed on a few ships in the distance.

The sailors on those ships were seen emptying yellowish-white liquid from their chamber pots into the water.

Her lyricism instantly turned into a sigh of lament.

"Sigh, the hygiene conditions in ancient times are really a headache."

"With so many people dumping their toilets into the river, won't the fish in that river have excessive levels of E. coli?"

Zhu Yin smiled wryly and said, "What else can we do? We've been on the boat for so many days, how can the toilet not be full? It's inevitable that it will be dumped into the river."

"However, they are not so careless. They usually only dump the water when they go south to the Yangtze River or north to Tianjin, so that it is washed into the sea and does not pollute the river."

"Ancient rivers were larger, and the population was much smaller than in later times, so how could the water quality have exceeded the standards so easily?"

"Now that they've entered the Yangtze River, according to the rules, they can empty the chamber pots."

"That's why the fish from the section of the Yangtze River estuary are the cheapest."

Ning Caiwei was speechless. "So, does that mean we have to dump our chamber pots into the Yangtze River too?"

Zhu Yin nodded heavily and said, "Of course, several toilets on the ship are almost full..."

"Alright," Ning Caiwei said weakly, "Let Kangxi or Kangxi and Qianlong do it?"

Zhu Yin's expression was strange. "Alright, let them do it. We can't spoil kids; they'll easily become lazy."

Ning Caiwei: "..."

Zhu Yinqing called out in a childish voice, "Kangxi! Kangxi and Qianlong!"

The twin boys appeared together. "My lord, what are your orders?"

Zhu Yin pointed to the bottom of the cabin and said, "Empty the toilet and clean it."

"Alright," Kangxi and Kangqian agreed and got to work quickly.

The black ship did not dock, but turned directly east and flowed eastward down the river.

Zhu Yin pointed west and said to Ning Caiwei in a low voice:
"Nanjing is just a hundred miles upstream. That old man Hai is now a high-ranking official in Nanjing, but he won't live much longer."

Ning Caiwei whispered, "How many more months can he live?"

Zhu Yin held up three fingers.

“Three months…” Ning Caiwei’s expression turned serious. “He died of illness? Can he be cured?”

Zhu Yin whispered in her ear, "He died of illness while in office, without even taking sick leave. He lived to be seventy, which is quite old. I don't know if he can be cured, but we can try."

"China desperately needs people like Uncle Hai. We should save them if we can. But not now. We need to go to Zhoushan first, eliminate the Japanese pirates who are trafficking people, and rescue the victims who are about to be transported to Japan."

"After I return from Zhoushan, I will come to Nanjing to bring warmth to Uncle Hai."

Ning Caiwei nodded, "Okay, I'll listen to you."

Just as I was saying this, I felt my sister pinching me, and it hurt a lot.

"What are you doing?" Ning Caiwei glared at Ning Qingchen.

Ning Qingchen looked displeased.

I am the doctor.

I certainly agree with your suggestion to save Hai Rui, but you shouldn't ignore me.

Am I air duck?

Tool man?
I've done so many good deeds, and you haven't shown me any appreciation whatsoever!

Ning Caiwei guessed what her younger sister was thinking, and tapped her little nose with a smile:

"Once we've settled down again, I'll find you the best wet nurse. I love you the most, be good, okay?"

Ning Qingchen: "..."

They've known how to manipulate me since I was little, always trying to make me obey.

Listen to your sister!
You're not President Ning anymore, so what are you talking about?

...

There were far fewer ships heading out to sea compared to those heading north or south.

Because the Ming Dynasty banned maritime trade, private ships were not allowed to go to sea. Along the Yangtze River, which stretched for hundreds of miles from Nanjing to Chongming, patrol boats, forts, gun emplacements, and beacon towers of river defense were scattered throughout.

It was heavily guarded and had multiple checkpoints.

Except for ships belonging to the imperial court, privately owned ships with special permits, and tribute ships belonging to overseas envoys, no one is allowed to sail out to sea from the Yangtze River, nor can they enter the Yangtze River from the sea.

However, those were all old stories from before the Hongzhi era.

Now, it's practically nonexistent.

After the Hongzhi Emperor, the so-called maritime ban actually only applied to ordinary people.

Aside from honest, law-abiding, penniless, and powerless ordinary people, no one can resist it.

The laws of the Ming Dynasty prohibited the private construction of two-masted sailing ships. However, large ships with two or even three masts owned by wealthy gentry were ubiquitous on rivers and seas.

The massive warships of foreigners, Japanese pirates, and other pirates arrived uninvited, and how could they possibly withstand them?
The only ones who suffer are the imperial court and the common people.

This is what is meant by: "Not a single plank is allowed to go to sea, while massive warships come from the river, not an inch of cargo is allowed to be taken off the coast, while women, children, and precious goods are always carried away."

Take this black ship, for example, which bears the secret markings of human traffickers. Because it had been bribed beforehand, the patrol boats didn't even bother to question it.

Any ship that enters the sea has either been bribed or belongs to a powerful or influential person. If it hasn't been heavily bribed and isn't a ship belonging to a powerful or influential person, then once discovered, it will bring ruin upon your family and be enough to destroy you forever.

Officials naturally knew that the river and coastal defense garrisons were extremely wealthy, so they simply stopped paying their military salaries and provisions, a tacit understanding between the two sides.

In this way, the imperial court saved on military expenditures, and the relevant garrisons gained gray income. They didn't care about the meager wages, so it was convenient for both sides.

The human traffickers are bribed once a year, and this year they have already done so, which is why the illegal ship was able to travel unimpeded.

Because of the heat, the Ming navy patrol boats didn't even wear armor; they just wore straw hats and went shirtless.

Those who didn't know better might mistake them for fishermen, not soldiers defending the river.

Many gun emplacements on the coastal forts were empty. At least half of the cannons had been dismantled, melted down, and sold for copper.

Without a doubt, most of the gunpowder stored in the fortresses and bunkers was probably sold to firecracker workshops.

Some soldiers guarding the river even set up stalls on the riverbank, working as vendors, with banners hanging on their spears to solicit business.

Where is the might of the Ming army? It's simply unbearable to watch.

Qi Jiguang couldn't help but shake his head upon seeing this.

"How tragic was the war against the Japanese pirates back then? It ravaged six provinces and caused countless deaths and injuries. How many years have passed? It has deteriorated to this state, truly beyond redemption."

“In the future, powerful foreign enemies will surely sail up the Yangtze River and attack Nanjing.”

Taking the opportunity, Zhu Yin criticized the court, saying, "Father is absolutely right. In my opinion, the court is in such a sorry state because there is a foolish emperor above and treacherous officials below. The court lacks righteousness and has an abundance of evil."

When Qi Jiguang heard the words "a tyrannical emperor above", he frowned and was about to reprimand him, but he couldn't bear to scold Zhu Yin because he was only nine years old.

He could only patiently and earnestly teach:
“Childhood Tiger, His Majesty is still wise and sagacious. With the emperor and father above us, how can there be a tyrant? Don’t speak so recklessly.”

“Those who do evil are incompetent and deceitful, but they are nothing more than court officials and eunuchs who deceive their superiors and mislead the emperor.”

Zhu Yin wasn't in a hurry and followed the old general's words:

“Father is right, I will remember. It is precisely because the court is controlled by incompetent and greedy people who hold the emperor hostage that we must rectify the court, reform the old and establish the new, and return the power to the emperor.”

"Return the reins of power to the emperor?" Qi Jiguang was taken aback upon hearing this.

The idea of ​​a young tiger is novel, but doesn't the emperor already hold absolute power? How can one claim to return power to the emperor?
Could it be that the emperor has actually lost power and has been sidelined or even secretly controlled?

If that day ever comes, then we will indeed need to take drastic measures and do extraordinary things.

Zhu Yin planted a seed in Qi Jiguang's heart, and continued to sow discord:

"Many things are like rotten wood, and can only be torn down and rebuilt. For example, military equipment and taxes. If those in power are allowed to do this, the country will cease to exist in the long run."

"I worry that decades from now, the Ming Dynasty will not only lack soldiers to defend against enemies, but also silver to pay its troops."

"If we truly want to revive the Ming Dynasty and revitalize China, we cannot take the usual path; we must burn our bridges."

Qi Jiguang nodded in agreement, his expression a mixture of relief and complexity.

“Young Tiger, although you are only nine years old, you already have a voice as clear as bells and drums. Even child prodigies throughout history have not surpassed you.”

"What you said is very insightful. If we are to revive the Ming Dynasty in the future, it may truly be a matter of necessity."

Zhu Yin smiled slightly and said nothing more. Many things require a gradual, persistent effort.

At this moment, Qi Jiguang felt even more disillusioned with the imperial court. The Ming Dynasty was now neglecting its military preparedness, and Japan would surely launch a larger-scale military campaign.

Having dealt with Japanese pirates for so many years, Qi Jiguang knew better than anyone how big Japan's ambitions were, so big that many court officials simply couldn't believe it.

Everyone who heard it would think that Qi was exaggerating.

He had long known that Japan was not a small country; it was at least no smaller than the Jiangnan region and had a much larger population than Korea. This was a tiny, insignificant nation.
Qi Jiguang couldn't help but look northeast, towards that good neighbor separated only by a narrow strip of water.

Two days later, the black ship passed through Langshan Garrison and Chongming Garrison without incident, and went straight into the sea!
……

East of Ningbo lies the Zhoushan Islands.

At this time, most of the Zhoushan Islands had been abandoned by the Ming government.

Apart from Jintang Island and Zhoushan Island, Shuangyu Island, Daishan Island, Qushan Island, and others were abandoned.

Even on the largest island, Zhoushan, the Ming army's control was very weak, with only two incomplete thousand-household garrisons and a force of just over a thousand men.

Only a few thousand people remain on Zhoushan Island.

Even on this main island where Ming troops were stationed, there were pirate dens in many places, and they were fearless.

The Ming troops stationed on the island did not attack or suppress them, but pretended not to see anything. The "cat and mouse" coexisted peacefully, and in reality, they "jointly managed" the island.

As for the other dozen or so islands besides the main island, the Ming army had no soldiers left and surrendered them all.

The entire archipelago was home to more than a dozen factions: Japanese pirates, Chinese pirates, Korean pirates, sea bandits (Southeast Asian pirates), and red-haired devils (Western colonists).

Shuangyu Island, a natural deep-water harbor, was previously occupied by the Portuguese and is now occupied by the Japanese pirates of the Hirado Domain.

At this time, a large water fortress was built in Shuangyu Port, which was constructed by the Portuguese, and several Japanese shuin ships were moored there.

The flags and horse emblems on the red-inked ship were clearly the three-star crest of the Matsuura family.

This place has been occupied by Japanese pirates from the Hirado Domain for four years. The ship owner is Matsuura Tadanobu, the illegitimate son of the domain lord.

Although this Lord Zhongxin only has three hundred Japanese pirates and two hundred Chinese pirates, totaling just over five hundred, he is a powerful figure in the Zhoushan Islands, with one of the strongest forces.

The Ming army pretended not to see it.

Today, the water village has gathered more than 400 abducted women and children from the Ming Dynasty, who are being prepared to be transported to Japan.

at this time.

At the entrance to the pavilion, the naked corpse of a young girl was dragged out by two Japanese pirates, who were holding her by the hair.

The bloodstains trailed all the way.

This is a tragically deceased Han Chinese girl, no more than fifteen years old.

With a "plop," the naked corpse was thrown into the sea.

Inside the cabinet, Matsuura Tadanobu put on his clothes, wiped the blood-stained Japanese sword, and then sat upright to read a piece of domestic intelligence that had just been delivered.

"The Shimazu clan has been completely subdued, and Lord Hideyoshi's great conquest of Kyushu has come to a successful conclusion. Shimazu Iehisa was poisoned to death by Lord Hideyoshi!"

(End of this chapter)