Song Xiance was making tea and drinking alone under the eaves of the corridor, looking at the white clouds in the sky with a calm face. He had been under house arrest here for several days, and by calculation, it should have exceeded Chang Yu's previous limit of three days.
However, although he was banned, he was not prohibited from contacting the outside world. On the day he was detained, people from Dongchang went to the military camp outside the city to notify Liu Xiyao. Therefore, Song Xiance and Liu Xiyao could exchange news in the past few days, but they were all Some useless news. After all, Liu Xiyao's military camp is also under strict control, and even the messenger is under surveillance. What news can the two banned people have?
But Song Xiance pressed firmly. During the lockdown period, he should eat and drink and let the chaos outside cause him to remain calm. Although he didn't get any useful news, it was a kind of news: Li Chuang hadn't caught him yet, otherwise the current He wasn't so comfortable anymore.
Hearing footsteps outside, Song Xiance put down his tea cup and stood up, walked to the door of the courtyard and opened the door. He saw Chang Yu with a surprised look on his face: "Does the military advisor know that our family is coming?"
Song Xiance smiled slightly: "I knew a visitor was coming, but I didn't know he was an honored guest."
Chang Yu please shook his head and gave him a thumbs up, awesome.
"I have nothing to do, let's talk to the military advisor for a few words." He walked towards the yard and looked around: "I'm used to living here."
"It's very good, but the price is a bit expensive," Song Xiance joked, and Chang Yu laughed: "You get what you pay for. It's expensive, so it's worth the price, right?"
Song Xiance smiled and nodded: "Does the Governor come to talk to me about personal matters or official business?"
"Let's talk about whatever the military advisor likes to talk about." Chang Yu walked to the eaves and sat down, poured himself a cup of tea and drank it in one gulp. He sighed that the tea was good. Song Xiance walked over and sat opposite him with a chuckle: "When did the Governor become interested in official duties?"
"I'm not interested, but the military advisor would like to have a chat." Chang Yu raised the corner of his mouth and said, "Since Li Chuang is in the capital, the conditions proposed by the court must have come to an end. You might as well tell us first so that we can help." You can think about it carefully." Song Xiance laughed when he heard this and said, "Isn't the Governor's move a collaboration with the enemy?"
Chang Yu also laughed: "Collaborating with the enemy? Maybe he is luring the enemy."
The smile on Song Xiance's face instantly froze, and he coughed lightly: "The people who were sent to the west to inform the people a few days ago have not come back yet. I think King Chuang is still thinking about it. I apologize that I am too humble to make the decision on this matter. Please also ask the Governor. Help me give the court a few nice words and give me a few days of grace."
Chang Yu stared at Song Xiance and sneered, silent for a while, while Song Xiance lowered his eyebrows and made tea without saying a word.
"That's all, it seems that the Grand Military Advisor doesn't want to chat with this governor anymore about private and official matters." Chang Yu sighed for a long time. He knew that Song Xiance, an old fox, was too cunning. If he didn't want to talk, don't try to get any useful information out of him. "However, out of personal reasons, I would like to remind the military advisor that procrastinating for a long time is not a good idea, and it may end up in your hands."
Song Xiance smiled slightly and cupped his hands and said, "Thank you, Lord Governor, for reminding me, but today is not the time for us to chat. How about changing it to another day?"
Chang Yu was startled: "Why did you say this?"
"Today, the Governor is expecting a distinguished guest." As soon as Song Xiance finished speaking, he heard hurried footsteps outside. Then the policeman came in and reported closely: Zheng Zhilong is here!
Cao! This guy is so amazing! Chang Yu looked at Song Xiance, who had a faint smile on his face, and was surprised. He cupped his hands and said, "Then we'll leave for another day." Then he turned and left. When he walked to the door, he turned back and said, "The military advisor wants to go out of town." Get out".
"There's nothing to eat or drink outside, but I'm still at home here," Song Xiance said with a smile.
"Then do what you want." Chang Yu left. Song Xiance stood at the door and watched his figure disappear, then looked up at the sky and looked at the white clouds.
Zheng Zhilong, Zheng Chenggong's father, was much more famous as a son than as a father in later generations, but now Zheng Chenggong is just a student at Peking University, while his father Zheng Zhilong and his uncles are the actual leaders of the Ming Dynasty Navy, and they want power and power. You need power, you need people, you need money, you need money, you need ships, you need fighting power. A real boss is much more powerful than those vassals who only have wealth and wealth. He can compete with Zuo Liangyu. They are comparable to other great warlords, and are far more powerful than them.
Such a big boss is naturally the target of various forces to win over. Even a confident and proud person like Chang Yu has no choice but to devote himself to making friends with him. As early as when he first debuted, he sent people to Fujian to establish a relationship with him.
It was just that at that time, he was just starting out and was not in the limelight. The only thing he could show for himself was the title of Governor of the East Factory. This actually did not bring much pressure to Zheng Zhilong, and he did not have much desire to make friends. He was just trying to make peace with him. That’s all.
It was not until the Taiyuan Defense Battle, the Ningyuan Defense Battle, and the Baoding Prefecture Battle, and then the Tatars chased and captured the Prince of Qing for thousands of miles, and beat Dorgon to a pulp, and the eunuch of Dongchang became famous all over the world with his strength, that Zheng Zhilong reconsidered. This person is finally qualified to make a friendship with me, and a deep friendship!
Then he ordered his son Fusong (Zheng Chenggong was still called Zheng Fusong at this time) who was studying at Nanjing University (Nanjing Imperial College). Zheng Sen was given by Qian Qianyi when he was studying in Nanjing, and Chenggong was given by Emperor Longwu Zhu Yujian. But at this time, The Ming Dynasty had not yet perished, and there was no Nanming either. The down-and-out vassal king Zhu Yujian was supposed to be executed but was saved by Chang Yu. At this time, he was hiding incognito in Dongchang Wei) and went to Beijing to see Chang Yu. They were considered to have a formal friendship, and he brought potatoes and sweet potatoes to help in times of need. Chang Yu also reciprocated the courtesy and transferred Fu Song from Nanda to Peking University (Beijing Imperial College) and hired him a new teacher, Gu Yanwu, who was also at the Imperial College, because Chang Yu hated Qian Qianyi.
My son set up the line, and I worked hard. At the end of the year, there was a great famine in the capital, but it gave Zheng Zhilong a chance to show off. He bought grains in Fujian area, of any variety, as long as they were edible, and used sailors to transport them to the capital by sea. It can be said that the imperial court effectively responded to the Great Famine in the Gyeonggi Province, and most of the credit should go to Zheng Zhilong. Of course, the imperial court also owed Zheng Zhilong a large amount of money.
As for how much he owes, it is said to be a sky-high price, and this is the price after Zheng Zhilong's discounts and discounts plus the loan and gift. Otherwise, the figure would not be an ordinary sky-high price.
The court would not be able to pay back the money for a while, and even didn't want to pay it back, but they didn't have the shame to give it back, so they pushed it directly to Chang Yu. The reason is very simple. All this is Chang Yu and Zheng Zhilong's personal matter. , after all, the imperial court never issued an order for Zheng Zhilong to come to provide disaster relief, nor did it lend you money to lend you food. That was all between you and Dongchang Changyu, so you two can settle the matter. When How to repay it, you can decide among yourselves.
It seems like a shameless person, but in fact it is helpless. The imperial court is really too poor at this time and needs money everywhere. Although Chang Yu is trying to get money everywhere, he can never spend it fast. There are too many places where money is needed!
Of course, being poor is not a reason for you to default on your debts, but Emperor Chongzhen got the advantage. After some operations, most of the money and grain that Chang Yu borrowed in the name of the court were donated, and he only had to repay a small part. That’s it, like King Dai’s side and King De’s side.
So naturally he also wanted to pursue Zheng Zhilong's idea.
After all, there are very few people who are richer than Zheng Zhilong these days, and ordinary princes don't think enough of him. Although the debt is sky-high, it is actually nothing to him.
Of course Zheng Zhilong didn't come to Beijing to collect debts. Although the sky-high sum owed by the court was not really insignificant to him, he really didn't take it to heart. Based on his understanding of Chang Yu, this person would not default on the debt. No need to default on your debt.
He came to the capital on an order. After all, he was no longer the big pirate he was back then. He could go wherever he wanted. Now he was also a court official in his constitution, and his status was sensitive. He was also not allowed to enter the capital without being summoned.
As for why the emperor summoned him to the capital, it's quite nonsense. He was just here to praise you.
The court has no money to repay him now, but after all, he has put in a lot of effort, so he must be called over to commend him. Officials in this era are particularly fond of this, because it is a lifelong honor to be admitted to Beijing to meet the saint. Well, it seems The same will be true for future generations, and future generations of presidents and presidents will go to local areas for research, and ordinary officials will have the opportunity to meet them. These days, the emperor sometimes never leaves the capital or even the palace for the rest of his life. It is harder to meet him than to meet a god. What's more, it wasn't the research that made you see it, but the decree that made you come and see it. The glory is even greater than that you can experience it yourself.
Zheng Zhilong was naturally very happy when he was ordered to go to Beijing to face the saints. You must know that he was recruited to surrender to the imperial court, and later the Battle of Kinmen violently destroyed the Dutch East India Company fleet. How could he not be happy with the honor? Of course, he also knew that the operation of pen pal Chang Yu was indispensable.
It was indeed Chang Yu who tried his best. After all, Emperor Chongzhen didn't have a good impression of those who were thieves. It was harder for him to praise these people than to eat shit. But Chang Yu said, this Zheng Zhilong is different. He has ships and people. If he has money, he will be of great use in the future. He will be needed to fight against pirates, attack Japan, defend Taiwan, and develop maritime trade. We will all win over him.
Chang Yu was good at painting cakes. He would paint for his subordinates during wars, for his opponents when they wanted to surrender, and of course for the emperor. Any emperor who was a little bit ambitious would eat his big cake of expanding the territory, and Zheng Zhilong this time If you really put in the effort and money, let’s meet.
So Zheng Zhilong came, taking the sea route, and of course he did not come empty-handed. He transported the baggage of more than a dozen large ships and docked in Tianjin. However, because the canal was frozen, he could only go by land, so even though he had arrived, he had not yet entered Beijing. , still on the way from Tianjin to Beijing.
