Huangming

Chapter 164 Xiduo's Hook, Zichen Questions Xuan

Inside the military arsenal office of the Ministry of War.

Xu Guangqi was bent over his desk reviewing documents related to the military preparations of the Beijing garrison, and there were traces of ink on the cuffs of his scarlet official robe.

He would sometimes pick up his pen to sketch, and sometimes he would frown and ponder. He had already reviewed more than half of the files piled up on his desk.

As the sun dipped westward outside the window, it cast a long, slanted shadow on the antique display shelf inside the duty room.

Suddenly, a series of hurried footsteps came from outside the duty room.

Wang Zhong, a clerk in the armory, rushed in in a panic, forgetting to even knock.

His forehead was beaded with sweat, and his voice trembled: "Sir, the palace... the palace has arrived! The eunuch from the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs is already at the yamen gate!"

Xu Guangqi paused with his vermilion brush, and a drop of vermilion fell onto the document, spreading like blood.

He slowly raised his head, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes: "Did you say what?"

Wang Zhong shook his head vigorously: "The eunuch's face was gloomy. He only said that he was summoned by imperial decree and that his father-in-law should enter the palace to meet the emperor immediately."

Could it be that the Embroidered Uniform Guard discovered yesterday's secret meeting with the Jesuits?
Before he could think further, a shrill voice came from outside the duty room: "Is Physician Xu here?"

Xu Guangqi straightened his scarlet official robe and stepped out of the duty room, where he met Li Shi, a eunuch from the Directorate of Ceremonial.

The eunuch, dressed in a python robe, had a grim and iron-like face, and the gold thread on his flying fish robe gleamed coldly in the twilight.

"Doctor Xu".

Li Shi's voice was like a dull knife scraping against a bluestone, coldly saying, "His Majesty summons you for questioning."

Questioning?

Xu Guangqi was deeply shaken.

Since gaining favor by presenting cannons during the spring hunt, the emperor had never summoned him so abruptly.

He forced himself to remain calm and took out a dark red brocade pouch from his bosom—this was the 'lifesaving money' that all officials of the six ministries needed.

"Father-in-law, you've come from afar, it must have been tiring."

Xu Guangqi slipped the brocade pouch into the other man's sleeve, a smile on his face, and asked, "May I ask, Your Majesty, what brings you to my court?"

Li Shi weighed the brocade pouch in his hand and lowered his voice, saying, "This morning, Commander Luo entered the palace to meet the Emperor. As for what he said..."

He paused meaningfully, then chuckled and said, "I wouldn't dare ask."

Jinyiwei!
Xu Guangqi's pupils contracted sharply as the scene of his confession in the church yesterday flashed through his mind.

He stole a glance at Li Shi's expression and saw that the other man's face was filled with the words 'disaster is imminent'.

Xu Guangqi's expression changed slightly, and his fingers unconsciously clenched the hem of his official robe.

He took a deep breath, stepped forward again, and lowered his voice even further: "Your Excellency, I am foolish and hope you will enlighten me."

He wanted more detailed information.

The eunuch from the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs merely gave him a meaningful look, his shrill voice carrying a hint of warning: "Physician Xu, I've already made myself clear enough. Commander Luo entered the palace this morning to meet the Emperor, and as for what he said... surely you, a scholar who graduated from the Hanlin Academy, can't fathom the implications?"

Upon hearing this, Xu Guangqi broke out in a cold sweat.

He certainly understood the weight of those words—the fact that the Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard personally met with the Emperor, and that this was connected to his own summons, made the connection self-evident.

"Thank you for your guidance, Father-in-law." Xu Guangqi forced a smile and then slid a fine piece of mutton-fat jade pendant from his sleeve.

"This is just a small token of my appreciation."

The eunuch from the Directorate of Ceremonial glanced at the jade pendant but did not reach out to take it. He simply sneered, "Doctor Xu, I advise you to save your breath. The rules in this palace are that you get what you pay for. That bag of gold leaves was only worth a single word."

He turned and strode forward, saying calmly, "It's getting late. Come with me to the palace to meet the Emperor."

Xu Guangqi froze on the spot, only to find that the jade pendant in his hand suddenly became hot to the touch.

The eunuch's change in attitude was so obvious that it was clearly telling him that today's matter could no longer be settled with ordinary gold and silver.

Xu Guangqi followed the eunuchs of the Directorate of Ceremonial through the many palace gates.

He lowered his eyelids, but his gaze kept sweeping over the Imperial Guards standing on either side with halberds. The gold threads on their flying fish robes gleamed coldly in the twilight, like countless pairs of prying eyes.

"Please wait here for a moment, Physician Xu."

The high-pitched voice of the eunuch from the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs abruptly stopped in front of the Nine Ministers' office.

Xu Guangqi straightened his sweat-dampened sleeves and bowed deeply to the eunuch: "Thank you for your trouble, sir."

He deliberately bent his waist even lower so that the second bag of gold leaves hidden in his sleeve could easily slide into the other person's hand.

The eunuch lightly weighed his fingertips in his sleeve, and a hint of softening finally appeared on his gloomy face: "Lord Xu is a smart man."

He glanced meaningfully at the shadowy figures inside the duty room, "I'll put in a good word for you. When you meet the Emperor later, you'll know what to say."

After the eunuch left, Xu Guangqi bowed to the people in the Nine Ministers' Office. Except for one or two who returned the bow, the rest simply nodded in acknowledgment, clearly not wanting to have any deeper interaction with him.

Xu Guangqi was used to this and patiently waited.

Not long after, a eunuch dressed in a sunflower-patterned round-collar shirt hurried in, his shrill voice particularly jarring in the quiet duty room:
"Physician Xu, His Majesty summons you. Proceed to the East Warm Pavilion immediately to meet him!"

Upon hearing this, Xu Guangqi immediately stood up, his scarlet official robe rustling softly with each movement.

He subtly adjusted the jade belt around his waist and smoothed out the wrinkles on his cuffs from sitting for so long before following the eunuch out of the duty room.

Upon entering the Qianqing Palace, the threshold of the East Warm Pavilion was right in front of him. Xu Guangqi took a deep breath and knelt down the moment he stepped inside.

His forehead was pressed against the cool blue brick, his arms were crossed in front of him, and he even deliberately kept his breathing soft:
"Your humble servant, Xu Guangqi, Director of the Arsenal Department of the Ministry of War, respectfully wishes Your Majesty a long and peaceful life!"

The sound echoed slightly in the spacious, warm room.

Xu Guangqi could feel the sharp gaze directed from the direction of the throne, but he never dared to look up and peek at the emperor's face.

His back was ramrod straight beneath his official robes, and fine beads of sweat appeared on the back of his neck.
A moment later, the emperor's still-youthful voice came from the throne.

"Get up."

Xu Guangqi slowly straightened up. Taking advantage of the moment, he subtly surveyed the interior of the East Warm Pavilion: the gilded incense burner emitting wisps of smoke, the mountain of memorials piled on the imperial desk, and the Yongle sword casually placed beside the inkstone—all these indicated that today's audience was no ordinary affair.

When his gaze swept over the empty rosewood armchair beneath the throne, Xu Guangqi's heart tightened.

According to custom, officials of the fourth rank and above are entitled to a seat when they present their memorials, but now the emperor is even stingy with this most basic courtesy.

He lowered his eyes and stared at his reflection on the blue brick floor. Suddenly, he noticed that the front of his official robe had become wrinkled, just like his anxious mood at that moment.

At this moment, Zhu Youxiao was reviewing memorials on his throne.

After leaving Xu Guangqi out in the cold for a while and having finished reviewing the three memorials, Zhu Youxiao slowly said:
"There has been no rain in Beizhili for nearly a month. In early spring, crops need water to be planted. This is not a good omen. If drought continues for many years, the fields will fail to yield good harvests, which will surely make the situation of the displaced people even worse. Minister Xu is very knowledgeable. I wonder what your opinion is?"

"The drought won't last long. I think it will rain in a few days." The emperor suddenly asked, and Xu Guangqi hadn't had time to react, so he could only respond.

"Is it really true that the drought won't last long?"

As a time traveler, Zhu Youxiao was well aware that starting this year, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Henan, Shandong, and Beizhili would experience consecutive years of severe drought.
In the first year of the Tianqi reign, Shaanxi and Shanxi suffered a severe drought, leaving vast stretches of barren land, causing starving people to flee and bandits to rise up everywhere.
In the second year of the Tianqi reign (1622), Shandong and Henan provinces were struck by both drought and locusts, leading to soaring grain prices and even cannibalism.
In the fourth year of the Tianqi reign, northern Zhili and Shaanxi suffered from a prolonged drought.

In the sixth year of the Tianqi reign, famine-stricken people in Shanxi and Shaanxi provinces revolted after three years of severe drought.

In the seventh year of the Tianqi reign (1627), starving peasants in Chengcheng, Shaanxi, killed officials and rebelled, marking the outbreak of the peasant war at the end of the Ming Dynasty.

The frequent peasant uprisings at the end of the Ming Dynasty were not only caused by local official corruption, huge losses from the war in Liaodong, and the oppression of the people by heavy taxes, but also closely related to the extreme climate disasters caused by the Little Ice Age.

Faced with the impending severe drought, only by taking precautions and making early plans can we effectively respond when the disaster first appears.

If we wait until the drought fully erupts before taking remedial measures, it will be too late.

In other words, it's not too late to prepare for drought relief!
"If for several years, or even decades, there is little or no rain, what should we do? I have read in the Complete Treatise on Agriculture that Western water management methods are recorded. You are well-versed in Western learning and also knowledgeable in agriculture. You should have a good plan to solve this drought problem?"

No rain for years or even decades?
That's no small matter. If that were to happen, even a dynasty could collapse.

Xu Guangqi pondered for a moment, then bowed and replied, "Your Majesty, if we encounter consecutive years of drought, I believe we should take 'increasing revenue and reducing expenditure' as the guiding principle."

Firstly, we can emulate Western water management methods and promote the drilling of deep wells and the construction of spiral water pumps in Beizhili to draw groundwater for irrigation.

Secondly, we switched to drought-resistant crops such as sweet potatoes and corn. These two crops were introduced from Fujian and tested, and they can guarantee a harvest even in drought years.

Thirdly, imitating the Song Dynasty's "field zoning method," deep plowing was used to conserve soil moisture, and the soil was covered with sand and gravel to reduce evaporation.

He glanced at the emperor's expression and added, "I have discussed with Jesuits that when dealing with droughts, their country, in addition to water conservancy, places great emphasis on 'pre-emptive grain storage.' I request Your Majesty to order the establishment of granaries in prefectures and counties to store grain for famine relief during years of plenty, and to strictly investigate corruption among officials, so as to ensure that there is no chaos during years of disaster."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Youxiao put down his vermilion brush, his eyes gradually brightening.

These measures were in line with later scientific methods of drought relief. What's even more remarkable is that Xu Guangqi did not panic when the eunuchs of the Directorate of Ceremonial mentioned the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Instead, he calmly offered his advice on the topic of Western learning.

Zhu Youxiao's gaze flickered slightly, and he pressed on, "The sweet potatoes and corn you mentioned, are they now grown in the capital region? Where did these crops originate? Are there any records of their introduction?"

Xu Guangqi bowed and replied, "Your Majesty, sweet potatoes originated in Luzon (the Philippines). In the 21st year of the Wanli reign, a Fujian merchant named Chen Zhenlong risked his life to smuggle the vines to Fuzhou by hiding them in ropes."

His son, Chen Jinglun, presented the plant to Jin Xuezeng, the governor of Fujian, and successfully cultivated it in Fujian to combat drought.

When I was in Shanghai during the mourning period of the thirty-sixth year of the Wanli reign (1587), I commissioned a merchant ship to purchase sweet potato vines from Fujian. I then cultivated them in a mulberry orchard in Xujiahui for three years, and it was confirmed that they yielded "dozens of bushels per mu, twenty times more than grain," and were unaffected by droughts, floods, or locust plagues.

After a brief pause, he continued, "As for corn, it was introduced by Portuguese people through Guangzhou during the Jiajing era and was initially called 'foreign wheat'. The Wanli-era 'Liuqing Rizha' records that 'the stalk is as tall as sugarcane, and the grain is like water chestnut.'"

"When I was cultivating land in Tianjin, I discovered that although this crop is slightly less drought-resistant than sweet potatoes, its short growing season allows it to be intercropped with beans. Currently, farmers in Shuntian Prefecture occasionally cultivate it, mostly as livestock feed, which is a complete waste of its resources."

Your Majesty, I have already compiled agricultural books such as "Treatise on Sweet Potatoes" and "Treatise on Turnips," detailing the essential cultivation techniques. If Your Majesty approves, the Fujian Provincial Administration Commission may be ordered to transport sweet potato seeds, which will then be first promoted by the military households stationed along the nine border regions.

Sweet potatoes did not originate in Luzon; they should be from South America. They were probably brought to Luzon by people.

However, the fact that Xu Guangqi knew about sweet potatoes and corn shows that he was indeed quite capable.

He still had a strong desire to save the country and its people.

Zhu Youxiao now lacks this kind of talent who can save the country!
If sweet potatoes and corn could be promoted in suitable arable areas across the country, the impact of the severe drought at the end of the Ming Dynasty would be greatly reduced.

Zhu Youxiao tapped his fingertips lightly on the imperial desk and said in a deep voice, "Minister Xu's plan is excellent. However, if I wish to widely cultivate sweet potatoes and corn throughout the land, what obstacles will there be?"

Upon hearing this, Xu Guangqi was both surprised and delighted.

If the emperor promotes the use of sweet potatoes and corn, he will be given an important position and his talents will be put to good use.

His name will be remembered for eternity, or perhaps it is not far off!

Xu Guangqi's fingers trembled slightly in his sleeve as he bowed his head and replied, "Your subject dares to point out the shortcomings, which number about five."

He stretched out his calloused hands and counted them one by one: "First, potato seeds are sensitive to cold, and when transported north, they need to be wrapped in fertile soil to keep them warm, resulting in a 30% loss during the long journey; second, the old farmers in Fujian are skilled in the technique of 'fire-scalding to promote sprouting,' but northerners are not familiar with this method, which may lead to 'they not rotting in the soil, but withering as soon as they sprout'; third..."

At this point, Xu Guangqi hesitated for a moment and then suddenly stopped.

"Speak freely." Zhu Youxiao slammed the teacup down.

"Thirdly, local officials are accustomed to using the Green Sprouts Act to collect money. If they switch to planting new grains, there will inevitably be chaos when measuring and collecting taxes."

Xu Guangqi's forehead was beaded with sweat, but he still forced himself to continue.

"Fourth, many military officers in Shaanxi and other places privately occupied farmland to grow millet for profit, and were absolutely unwilling to switch to growing cheap coarse grains."

In fact, it wasn't just military officers who illegally occupied farmland for profit; many farmers considered sweet potatoes to be "cheap food" and would rather starve than switch to growing them.

Xu Guangqi lowered his voice and said, "The most important thing is that the officials in the court regard Western learning as frivolous and cunning. If they knew that this thing came from the West, I'm afraid that some censors and ministers would 'use barbarians to change Chinese culture'."

Inside the warm pavilion, a Western-style clock ticked away. Zhu Youxiao did not respond to Xu Guangqi's words, but instead changed the subject, saying, "I remember that in the thirty-eighth year of the Wanli reign, Zhou Yongchun, the prefect of Shuntian Prefecture, once reported that 'foreign wheat brewing wine has caused the people to be lazy in farming'?"

"Your Majesty clearly shows you!"

Xu Guangqi suddenly looked up and said, "This is actually a fabrication by Shanxi merchants who are unwilling to lower the price of yeast. When I was experimenting with planting yeast in Tianjin, the poor survived the famine by mixing corn with chaff. How could there be any extravagance in brewing yeast?"

"What Minister Xu said about Western learning certainly has its merits. I ask you again, what things among the Western countries are superior to those of our Celestial Empire?"

Seeing that the emperor had already recognized the value of Western learning, Xu Guangqi pondered for a moment and cautiously replied, "Your Majesty, I believe that there are indeed three things that Western countries can learn from."

"Firstly, firearms."

He looked up and stared directly at the emperor, his tone solemn.

"The Portuguese cannons and the Hongyi cannons have a long range and great power, and their casting methods are excellent, far surpassing our country's old-style firearms. I have discussed with Jesuit missionaries Matteo Ricci and Xiong Sanba that their firearms system has developed methods of measurement such as 'gun gauges' and 'gun rulers', which can accurately adjust the firing angle, unlike our country's craftsmen who rely solely on experience."

Secondly, warships.

Xu Guangqi continued, “Western warships are mostly equipped with three decks, carrying dozens of cannons. Their hulls are sturdy and can travel across the ocean. Their ‘gallon’ ships are ingeniously designed and can sail against the wind. Although our Fujian ships are stable, they are difficult to compete with in the open sea.”

Thirdly, the calendar.

He paused for a moment, then continued, “Western calendars are accurate in their calculations of solar and lunar eclipses. During the Wanli era, the Imperial Astronomical Bureau’s calculations of solar eclipses were often inaccurate, while Westerners’ predictions were precise. I am currently translating the Western Calendar with Johann Adam Schall von Bell, and its method, which uses the ecliptic to divide the year, is more precise than our dynasty’s Datong Calendar.”

Zhu Youxiao's gaze was deep as he slowly said, "So, it is said that the Western countries are all skilled in weaponry, maritime affairs, and astronomy?"

Xu Guangqi bowed and said, “Your Majesty is wise. Although their artifacts are exquisite, our Celestial Empire’s rites, music, education, and institutions are still far superior to those of barbarians. I believe that we should ‘take their essence and discard their dross,’ learn from their strengths, and make up for our weaknesses.”

That's a beautifully said statement.

But is that what you did?

Zhu Youxiao pondered for a moment, then suddenly changed the subject: "I heard that Minister Xu met with members of the Jesuit order last night?"

Upon hearing this, Xu Guangqi's back, hidden beneath his official robes, suddenly tensed.

He forced himself to remain calm and bowed, replying, "Your Majesty, this is indeed the case."

"Why?"

Xu Guangqi took a deep breath, covered his face with his sleeve, and knelt on the ground:
“Father Long Huamin of the Jesuits brought the exam questions for this year’s provincial examination last night.”

Xu Guangqi's Adam's apple bobbed, his voice hoarse and trembling as he said, "He claims to have bought it for three thousand taels of silver, intending to use me to cultivate his cronies."

"boom!"

Zhu Youxiao slammed his hand on the table, making the teacups clatter loudly.

He stared at Xu Guangqi's official hat, recalling the record in the secret report that 'Xu Guangqi sternly refused,' and asked in a chilling tone: "Do you know what crime it is to conceal something?"

"Your subject deserves ten thousand deaths!"

Xu Guangqi kowtowed deeply, and sweat immediately seeped onto the gold brick.

"Your Majesty immediately refused and intended to submit a memorial to Your Majesty today, but Your Majesty's wisdom is beyond comprehension, and you immediately summoned your guilty subject."

Zhu Youxiao asked again, "Besides these things, what else have you done in the mansion?"

Xu Guangqi knelt on the ground, his throat bobbing several times, but he was unable to utter a single word.

"Snapped!"

Suddenly, a loud bang echoed from the gilded imperial desk. Zhu Youxiao slammed the secret report heavily on the desk and said sternly, "If you won't speak, I will! How dare you! You dare to perform illicit worship of the God of Heaven right under my nose! And you even dare to try to bewitch me into converting to a foreign religion?"

Xu Guangqi suddenly looked up and saw the emperor throw the secret report down the steps.

As the papers fluttered, words like confession, sanctuary, and conversion caught my eye—a detailed record of my secret conversation with Long Huamin last night.

His face turned ashen, and he was shocked: the Embroidered Uniform Guard had even recorded confessions in Shanghai dialect!
"Your Majesty."

Upon hearing this, Xu Guangqi's body trembled slightly, and he swallowed hard as his Adam's apple bobbed. He still forced himself to remain calm and argued:
"Although I have been baptized and converted to Christianity, my heart is as clear as the sun and moon, and I have absolutely no intention of blaspheming the court. Western learning of firearms, calendar systems, and other techniques does indeed have practical applications, and I, a devout believer in God, truly seek to use their knowledge of the investigation of things to serve the nation."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Youxiao gave a mocking sneer and asked, "Does Minister Xu really believe that those missionaries who traveled across the ocean came to our Great Ming with the intention of saving the world?"

(End of this chapter)