When Shen Shixing saw Su Ze, the first thing he said was: "Su Rulin, you have screwed me up!"
Su Ze instead smiled and said, "Congratulations to Brother Rumo for being the top pick in high school!"
"I'm afraid I will become the first number one pick in the history of rebellion."
Su Ze was stunned for a moment, then immediately held Shen Shixing's hand and said, "Congratulations to Brother Rumo for leaving his name in Qingshi!"
But Shen Shixing did not speak immediately, but stared at Su Ze and said:
"Brother Rulin, why are you rebelling?"
"If you are forced to rebel, you have no choice but to rebel."
Shen Shixing shook his head and said, "I was thinking all the way here that you were not forced to rebel, but that you had planned it for a long time!"
"Now that I think about it, when we were fighting against the Japanese in Jiangnan, you already had objections, right?"
Su Ze looked at Shen Shixing. He was worthy of being the king of imperial examinations and the chief minister of the cabinet who would be in charge of the Wanli court for eight years. However, he still underestimated his friend.
Su Ze did not directly answer Shen Shixing's question. He said, "Then why did brother Rumo become a thief?"
Su Ze thought it was normal for He Xinyin to seek refuge with him, because these arrogant Confucians of the Taizhou School were very revolutionary in their thinking.
In Su Ze's historical timeline, arrogant Confucians such as He Xinyin and Li Zhi were eventually tolerated by mainstream official opinions and harmed by the government.
But Shen Shixing came to vote, which surprised Su Ze.
You must know that Shen Shixing, among the chief ministers of the Wanli Dynasty, also belongs to the kind of good man. As an official, he does not seek merit but seeks no faults.
Unlike Zhang Juzheng, a cabinet minister with a strong style, Shen Shixing emphasized a "good person as good as water" when he was in power. His main purpose was to mediate the conflicts between the emperor and ministers.
If Wanli hadn't caused some national disputes, Shen Shixing would not have resigned.
But now he actually wants to follow him in rebellion?
Ambition? Being the number one scholar at the age of twenty-seven, as long as he does not make political mistakes, he will be a suitable future cabinet minister.
Historically, Shen Shixing won the first prize in the forty-one year of Jiajing (1562), and participated in the cabinet in the sixth year of Wanli (1578). In other words, it took him 16 years to rise from an ordinary citizen to a high official. This is always very explosive.
Shen Shixing's adoptive father is a prefect and his biological father is a wealthy businessman. Such people are perfect protagonist templates in time travel.
He actually wants to become a thief?
Shen Shixing said: "This year I joined the Hanlin Academy and saw a lot of national policy memorials, and finally understood that what Brother Rulin said was right."
Su Ze was also a little confused, and he couldn't remember what he said.
Shen Shixing said: "The state only has the art of fooling and controlling the people, but it does not have the art of enriching and strengthening the people."
"When I arrived in the capital, the majestic imperial capital, the most beautiful capital in the world, was not as prosperous as Suzhou. There were half-clothed people begging along the streets, and the people in the city had to go outside the city to cut firewood and burn charcoal, otherwise there would be freeze to death."
"Many people have never eaten sugar, and they can't even afford salt."
Shen Shixing looked at Su Ze and said: "Brother Rulin printed "Tiangong Kaiwu", Jiangnan can be said to be changing three times a day, Suzhou Prefecture can be said to be prosperous, but the capital is like a pool of stagnant water, and all the ministers in the dynasty only want to work together to defeat differences. , to flatter your Majesty."
Shen Shixing looked at Su Ze and said: "Tiangong Kaiwu is also published in the north. Why is it one in the south and one in the north?"
Shen Shixing bowed to Su Ze and said, "Brother Rulin, please answer my last question."
Su Ze said seriously: "The reason is very simple, because some people don't want to become rich because of the people."
"Since Shang Yang Shen Bu Hua, the art of slaying dragons has been the art of the poor."
"For the imperial court, the common people are bound to the land for their whole lives. They work at sunrise and rest at sunset. All the output of a year's farming is handed over to the imperial court, leaving only their own rations. Such people are the best."
"Only when the people are poor can they be recruited at will, can they be exploited wantonly, can a person's life contract be bought off with a few taels of silver, and only then can a person be bought off with a little grain."
"The reason why people are poor is actually because they are afraid of the people."
Su Ze said: "So what if there are techniques like "Tiangong Kaiwu" to enrich the people? Have the people in the capital ever become rich?"
Shen Shixing shook his head.
Su Ze said: "You can exploit people just by lying down, so why should you stand up and open a workshop?"
"If you can be a master forever just by virtue of your bloodline, why do you want to do business?"
"You can make a lot of money through corruption, so why should you make the people under your rule rich?"
"Brother Rumo, please follow me around Fuzhou City."
Su Ze put on the ordinary coarse cloth shirt, took a few plainclothes guards with him, and got into the carriage with Shen Shixing.
Shen Shixing had never seen this carriage before in the capital. The dignitaries in the capital basically traveled in sedan chairs. Su Ze was right, a bankrupt tenant farmer was much cheaper than a horse.
The carriage was pulled by an ordinary Yunnan horse. I thought it would be very bumpy, but I didn't expect it to be unexpectedly comfortable.
Su Ze said: "I once wrote about the method of "lead bath quenching" in "Tiangong Kaiwu". This method can be used to create higher strength steel. I have only heard about this method from Westerners, how to lead. Yu, I have no idea how this steel needs to be made, but I didn’t expect that in three years, a blacksmith workshop would actually make it.”
Shen Shixing was still a little confused. He had read "Tiangong Kaiwu" completely several times, so he naturally remembered this chapter.
This is the steel-making part, but in order to make higher-strength steel, what does this have to do with the carriage?
Su Ze said: "This carriage is equipped with a shock-absorbing spring. With this spring, it can offset part of the shaking, making the carriage more comfortable."
The carriage headed out of the city. It was already approaching dusk, but there were still many people on the road.
“There’s no curfew in Fuzhou Prefecture?”
Su Ze said: "Why is there a curfew? Most of the workshops in Fuzhou are outside the city. This is the time when some workshops are off work. Fuzhou City is only lively at night."
Shen Shixing is still very curious about springs. What do springs look like? Why can it reduce shock?
In the capital, Shen Shixing also rode in a sedan chair. In fact, it was not comfortable at all, but it was slightly better than riding a horse.
The narrow interior space of the sedan is constantly rocking up and down with the strength of the bearer. No matter how luxurious the sedan is on the outside, it feels like sitting in a prison.
But the capital's carriage is not easy to ride on either. If you ride in the carriage on a bumpy road, half of your buttocks will be shaken off.
But Su Ze's new-style carriage that uses "springs" is much more comfortable to sit on. Technology really changes life.
Soon after arriving outside the city, Shen Shixing smelled the smell of burning, and the black smoke from various workshops was like a sky pillar, inserted into the sky.
"Brother Rumo, this is where springs are produced, this is what springs are."
The two walked into the workshop and saw many craftsmen in short shirts still busy. They heated a steel material curled into circles, and then put it into the molten lead, and finally turned it into a spring under the carriage. .
Shen Shixing was very surprised. It turned out that the carriage relied on this thing to absorb shock.
Shen Shixing said with emotion: "This thing is really beneficial to the people!"
Su Ze shook his head and said, "What we produce here are large shock-absorbing springs, which only benefit the people. Brother Rumo came with me to see the springs that benefit the country."
Shen Shixing followed Su Ze in confusion. The workshop in the back was separated from the workshop in front by a door, but there were soldiers guarding it near the door.
After strict inspection, Su Ze took Shen Shixing into the workshop behind.
I only saw that springs are produced here, but the springs produced here are very thin and are only as thick as a thumb when rolled up. Is this what Su Ze said is beneficial to the country? What is the use of such a small spring?
Su Ze continued walking with Shen Shixing and came to a shooting range.
Su Ze picked up a blunderbuss and asked, "Brother Rumo, what's the difference between this and an ordinary blunderbuss?"
Shen Shixing had been in charge of the logistics of the Shanghai Anti-Japanese General Corps before, so he naturally knew the gun. He quickly said: "This bird's gun does not have a match rope."
"Yes, but this gun can still shoot."
Su Ze skillfully cleaned the powder chamber, loaded the powder and bullets, then pulled the bolt and gently pulled the trigger.
There was only a bang as the lead shot flew out and hit the wooden target in front of him.
Shen Shixing said in surprise: "Can the powder fire be ignited without a match rope? Is it possible that the match rope is hidden in the gun?"
Su Ze handed the gun to Shen Shixing and said, "This gun uses springs."
"spring?"
"To pull the bolt is to apply force to the spring, and use the force of the spring's rebound to hit the flint. The sparks of the collision can ignite the gunpowder, and the gun can be fired without a match rope."
Shen Shixing opened the barrel of the gun and saw the structure of the spring and flint. He quickly understood the benefits of spring impact and ignition.
There is no need to prepare a match rope in advance, the gunpowder can be ignited in the sealed barrel, which means that the bird gun can be used in wind and rain!
The open flame ignited by the match rope will expose the target, and this bolt gun can better ambush.
The most important thing is that the step of lighting the match rope is omitted, which shortens the time to prepare for shooting. If you can fire one more time on the battlefield, the firepower will be increased several points!
Shen Shixing has already thought about how this kind of gun will change the battlefield!
Su Ze said: "This is not enough."
"not enough?"
"This blunderbuss also needs to be loaded with powder and pellets. I am developing something that can combine pellets and powder for loading. In this way, the loading and shooting speed can be more than doubled."
"It's just that this kind of gunpowder is not yet stable and too dangerous. It needs continued testing before it can be mass-produced."
"Brother Rumo, think about it. It only takes one breath to detonate a blunderbuss. Whether it is Mongolians, Japanese pirates or Jurchens, what do you have to fear?"
Shen Shixing has completely fallen into the scene described by Su Ze. If it is true that Su Ze can launch a projectile with just one breath as Su Ze said, then what about the Mongolian elite cavalry that comes and goes like the wind, or the Japanese pirate warriors who are good at assault? , at this kind of shooting frequency it is delivered.
The situation on the border will be completely reversed, and there will even be no such word as border trouble in the future.
But why are there still Jurchens? Now aren't the Jurchens the dogs of the Ming Dynasty, loyally helping the Ming Dynasty guard the northern border?
Is this how technology changes the world?
It can even make the Han civilization break out of the strange cycle of Han and Hu barbaric civilization that has existed for thousands of years! ? Get rid of the northern curse that has been reincarnated for thousands of years!
Su Ze said: "Brother Rumo, I have translated a few Western books. You can read them when you have time."
"If you ask me why I want to rebel, you can look at Western ships, artillery, and this blunderbuss, which are also Western products."
"When the Ming Dynasty was first established, the Western countries were still in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, and small countries were constantly attacking."
"But in just over a hundred years, Westerners have been able to cross the ocean and sail to the waters of the Ming Dynasty."
"If this method of controlling and fooling the people is used for another hundred years, it will not be Japanese pirates but Westerners who will plunder the southeast."
Shen Shixing was startled, and he suddenly discovered that Su Ze's worries were right.
In the Battle of Tuen Mun, if it weren't for the fact that Folangji had a small number of men and was fighting in unfamiliar sea areas, Folangji's men would have surrendered after running out of ammunition and food.
The Ming Dynasty also realized the benefits of blunderbuss, but the blunderbuss made by the imperial court were not easy to use.
A mere Japanese rebellion troubled the Ming Dynasty for decades. What if the Westerners had developed the percussion gun Su Ze mentioned earlier?
Shen Shixing no longer dared to think about it.
"Thousands of years ago, when the Tang Dynasty was at its peak, all nations came to dynasty. The Tang Dynasty was the greatest empire in the world."
"But now, times have changed."
"If we remain stagnant and the ignorant people ban the sea, is it possible that there will be another Mongolian invasion?"
"I'm afraid I won't even be able to make a two-legged sheep at that time."
Shen Shixing said to Su Ze, "Brother Rulin, I am willing to serve as an official in the Governor's Mansion."
Su Ze took Shen Shixing's hand and said:
"Brother Rumo, you have the ambition to manage the world and benefit the people. Staying with me is a waste of talent."
"But even talents need experience. I will entrust Hangzhou Mansion to Brother Rumo."
Shen Shixing didn't expect that Su Ze would hand over Zhejiang's best mansion to him.
I only heard Su Ze say:
"But there's one more thing. As a brother, don't be stingy with your words."
"Please supervise me."
"Hangzhou changed its rice culture to mulberry. Once it has been changed, it has been changed. Don't change it back again."
"There is nothing wrong with converting rice into mulberry. What is wrong is corrupt officials. The powerful and powerful plunder people's land by converting rice into mulberry."
"Brother Rumo goes to Hangzhou, land is the key."
"Clear the fields, divide the land, and we must resolutely attack those evil gentry who occupy the land and exploit the people."
Shen Shixing nodded quickly.
Su Ze added: "Those progressive businessmen who are willing to open workshops and do trade can be supported by the prefecture's yamen. There are many people who cannot survive the disaster in Hangzhou. Workshops, like fields, are also places where people can survive. We must not ignore them. Suppress.”
"Don't worry, Commander-in-Chief, Shi Xing understands."
Before Shen Shixing could sit on the bench in Fuzhou, he immediately went to Hangzhou to take up his post.
In early August, the Ming court's edict on the front line was finally sent to Nanjing.
Zhang Juzheng was promoted to Minister of War in Nanjing for his contribution in the Battle of Zhenjiang.
Li Sui, the Minister of the Ministry of War in Nanjing, mishandled the rebels' rebellion, lost control of their advance and retreat, and even lost the Su and Song Dynasties. He was dismissed from his post as Minister of the Ministry of War and ordered to become an official.
It was equivalent to the emperor handing over the military power of Nanjing to Zhang Juzheng.
The emperor's secret edict required Zhang Juzheng to stay until next spring.
In a secret edict to Zhao Zhenji, the household minister in Nanjing, the emperor made stern demands, allowing Zhao Zhenji to use all means to use people's power to ensure that Huguang's grain was delivered to the capital.
Zhang Juzheng, who was promoted, felt vaguely uneasy. Lin Mojun's fleet did not continue to attack Zhenjiang, and the army did not even land. It only continued to patrol the Yangtze River estuary.
This is so abnormal.
Zhang Juzheng unfolded the map again.
(End of chapter)
