My Daming New Empire

Page 601

Huang Yuan didn't dare to be sloppy, he stood up and straightened his clothes, then followed Meng Rishu around a row of public houses and came to the main hall of the guard.

After some procedures, the eunuch Kangli read out the imperial edict, and Huang Yuan knew that Zhu Di couldn't stay anymore, and he seemed to be out for a stroll in March.

He has already decided to start from the capital on the fifth day of March, and then go to Suzhou from the canal for some fun. When he is older, when all the supplies are shipped, he will start directly from Liujiagang.

Hearing that he didn't want to leave now, Huang Yuan's mood calmed down a bit.Because various preparations have been going on from the beginning, and in ten days, almost all these materials will be loaded.

It is definitely too late to leave now, but after half a month, there is still plenty of time.

And in Suzhou Mansion, because the emperor was coming, the whole city of Suzhou was boiling.

In the early Ming Dynasty, Suzhou was Zhang Shicheng's base camp, and the whole Suzhou supported Zhang Shicheng.

However, Zhang Shicheng failed in the hegemony with Zhu Yuanzhang, and Suzhou was also implicated.In the early Ming Dynasty, the tax revenue of Suzhou Prefecture accounted for one-tenth of the entire Ming Dynasty, which shows that there are multiple taxes.

In the past few years since Yongle, the tax in Suzhou Prefecture has dropped repeatedly, and now it can be regarded as a prosperous country and a peaceful country.Moreover, decades have passed, and most of the people who recognized Zhang Shicheng as the master at the beginning have died.

Zhu Di's willingness to go to Suzhou naturally means that he has forgiven the people of Suzhou.

In the 15 years since Yongle, Suzhou Mansion has followed Ying Tianfu's footsteps and installed many power waterwheels.The establishment of the waterwheel has greatly benefited the textile and silk industries. In recent years, the development of Suzhou has become more and more rapid.

Especially Liu Lin, the magistrate of Suzhou, because of his deliberate friendship with the Ma family, he also got an account with the grandson.In the past few years, he has used the relationship of the Ma family to cooperate with the Ministry of Industry and devote himself to the development of industry and commerce.

Today, the commercial tax in Suzhou exceeds 30 taels every year, ranking third in Ming Dynasty after Yingtian Mansion, second only to Ningbo and Quanzhou.

As for Ningbo and Quanzhou, it is entirely because they have the advantage of estuating from the sea.Otherwise, Suzhou Fu might not necessarily be strong.

The people in Suzhou greeted the emperor with joy, while in Yingtian Mansion, the people sent off the emperor with joy.

Zhu Di is a person who can't stay. He wants to run around as long as he has some excuses these years.

So much so that Zhu Zhanji has always suspected that in the original history, he had five northern expeditions, except for the first two which had some effect, and the latter few times did not achieve any effect. I am afraid that he was not for the northern expedition, but just to go out to let the wind go.

At the end of February, he wanted to run away, but a group of officials persuaded him, thinking that his going to Liujiagang would only hinder the efficiency of preparations.

Moreover, the transition of power between him and Zhu Zhanji was less than a month, and the officials also persuaded him to train His Highness for a while.

At the court meeting on the first day of March, Zhu Di simply didn't go to court, and let Zhu Zhanji go to court alone, and he just listened in.

Civil servants have their own rules for discussing matters, and Zhu Zhanji has his own sense of discretion in judging matters, all of which make him very satisfied.

Before the court was over, he announced that he would set off on the fifth day of March, leading the soldiers to Liujiagang first, and he would go to Suzhou to express his condolences.

Zhu Zhanji thought it was funny to himself, Zhu Di is a stubborn person now, he is a bit free-spirited, and he likes to fight against people.

However, it is better for him to leave sooner.With him gone, he can realize his ambition step by step, so that there is no one around to restrain him.

On the night of the fourth day of March, the entire palace was not at all peaceful.

Zhu Di's expedition is much more grand than Zhu Zhanji's.

Among other things, he brought more than 200 people just as the imperial chef, and he is good at all kinds of tastes and dishes.

He didn't bring many concubines, only four of them, including his favorite Korean concubine Han in recent years.

Boxes of luggage were loaded onto the ship by the eunuchs, and the top and bottom, inside and outside of the flagship were cleaned up again. It can be said that there was not even a mouse.

Zhu Zhanji still followed his own pace of life, and fell asleep at midnight, and slept for an hour and a half before getting up to worship the ancestors and heaven with Zhu Di.

At dawn, Zhu Di took Zhu Zhanji on the tower of Chengtian Gate in the imperial city, and issued the expedition letter, and then got down and boarded the dragon chariot heading to Yuejianglou Wharf.

Along the way, civil and military officials followed closely behind the dragon chariot, and the people of Yingtianfu all stopped to see them off.

When he arrived at Sizheng, Zhu Di boarded the flagship amidst the farewell of all civil and military officials, and then he stood on the side of the ship, looking at the people on the shore.

Zhu Zhanji was by his side, waiting for other soldiers to board the ship one by one.

After all the ships raised their sailing flags, he turned his head and said to Zhu Zhanji, "Zhanji, I entrust this Great Ming Dynasty to you!"

Zhu Zhanji knelt down on both knees, and the servants who followed him also knelt down one after another.Zhu Zhanji kowtowed three times to him respectfully, and said firmly: "I wish the grandpa the emperor a victory, and come back with a big victory. My grandson will pray for you in Yingtianfu."

Zhu Di laughed and said, "If I can flatten the Timur Kingdom in one fell swoop, I will have no regrets in this life. I only hope that Zhanji can take his time and plant my Sun and Moon Flag of Ming Dynasty all over the world!"

"Grandson will definitely go all out."

He turned to the thirteen Gu Ming ministers and said: "You have carefully assisted the grandson, and when I am triumphant, I will reward you for your merits."

Everyone knelt down and kowtowed. "The minister obeys the order."

Zhu Di twisted his body, raised his hand and said, "Okay, you guys go too! Raise the marching flag."

Following Zhu Di's order, a green marching flag was raised above the flagship, and then an unloaded cannon on the side of the ship was ignited.

With a loud noise, the ship was shocked, and many unaccustomed ministers couldn't help but staggered.Zhu Di laughed and said, "Let's all go! I'm going to conquer the Timur Kingdom, and when I return to Beijing, I'll drink the victory wine with you all."

Zhu Zhanji took thirteen ministers of Gu Ming and a group of servants to the trestle along the gangway, and the flagship slowly hoisted two anchors weighing three thousand catties.

A row of 11-meter-long boat poles protruded from the round hole behind the boat, reached the water surface, and then shook quickly.

The boat started slowly, and then began to slide slowly down the current.

Even standing on the pier, you can hear the sailors start to test the wind speed and water speed. According to these data, the sails start to adjust the direction and then rise.

However, until the flagship left everyone's sight, the debugging work was still not completed.

Zhu Zhanji asked Song Li: "Shangshu Song, is the test of installing the steam engine on the ship in Shanghai over?"

"His Royal Highness, unlike river ships, sea ships have a flat bottom, and there are still many problems in the transmission part that are difficult to solve..."

Zhu Zhanji understood what he meant, and said: "It's okay. Today, on the fifth day of the lunar new year, I will arrange my itinerary. Around the fifteenth, I will go to Jiajiang Industrial Zone to inspect. Dear friends, let's go back together."

Although it was just a simple sentence, it was interpreted differently in the hearts of many ministers.

Now it seems that His Highness's emphasis on the Ministry of Industry has not changed in any way. He does not pay special attention to the Ministry of Officials and the Ministry of Households!

But it can be understood after thinking about it. The Ministry of Officials is the department that Zhu Di requires to maintain stability.

As for the Ministry of Rites, it is the foundation of the country. Zhu Zhanji will definitely not interfere in the country's etiquette, sacrifices, and education before he is formally enthroned.

For the remaining few departments, the Ministry of War is now shifting its focus to the Western Expedition, and it cannot be moved casually here.

Only the Ministry of Household Affairs, the Ministry of Punishment, and the Ministry of Industry can be used by Zhu Zhanji.

Because the Ministry of Households has two banks, and the budgets of various ministries are distributed directly, the role has been greatly reduced.

Moreover, when Zhu Zhanji was not fully familiar with the operation of the household department, he would not move easily.

The Ministry of Punishment has its own rules and regulations, and everything must be done in accordance with the rules.