Gu Zhengchen took the document and looked at it carefully, his expression a little solemn.
The contents of the document are:
The imperial edict appoints Jinghai Marquis Wu Zhen as the chief military officer, and the governor Qian Shi Ding Xian as the deputy chief military officer to control the officers and soldiers of the guards in Beijing, Yingtian, Taicang, Hangzhou, Wenzhou, Taizhou, Fuzhou, Quanzhou, Chaozhou and other places. Go to sea to patrol the sea to hunt down pirates.
Although the Jurong Guard had just been established, after all, the sergeants came from various guard stations in Jinling and belonged to the realm of heaven and earth, so they were naturally subject to control. In other words, as long as Wu Zhen sends out a word, as many people as he wants from Jurong Guard will go to sea.
"Jinghaihou!"
Gu Zhengchen took a deep breath.
Wu Zhen is not an ordinary person. Although he is not as famous as Xu Da, Chang Yuchun, Li Wenzhong, and Lan Yu, he has what he is good at, and that is:
naval battle!
Wu Zhen is a rare genius-level naval general under Zhu Yuanzhang. Wu Zhen's most glorious water battle was the decisive battle with Fang Guozhen in the first year of Wu, that is, the year before the founding of the Ming Dynasty.
Fang Guozhen's navy was tyrannical and dominated one side.
But it happened that such a person was beaten by Wu Zhen and fled to the sea. He was caught up by Wu Zhen again, held down and beaten for three hours, and finally had to surrender.
After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Wu Zhen had been supervising shipping. He also has a hat on his head, that is, the commander-in-chief of the Japanese Suppression Army.
That's right, he is the commander-in-chief of the Japanese Suppression Army.
Gu Zhengchen sighed.
In the early Ming Dynasty, Japanese invasion was quite frequent, although in terms of scale and organization, it was not as big as that of Qi Jiguang.
This is related to the situation in Japan at this time. The Northern and Southern Dynasties were in confrontation, and the local protectors were fighting. Many people would rather squat on the wooden boards to rob the Ming Dynasty than be beaten to death on the island, under the fields and other places.
Because of the lack of organization, no leader, and some people are crazy about the road, they rob here and there, causing panic among the people and no peace at sea.
Gu Zhengchen was worried. Wu Zhen was successful in fighting the pirates this time, but the problem is that by this year's Double Ninth Festival, Zhu Yuanzhang will stop the shipping and lifting offices in Ningbo, Quanzhou, and Guangzhou. This also marks the peak of the maritime ban. , pieces of board are not allowed to go into the sea, will come from this.
The shipping department cannot be shut down!
The West is undergoing a Renaissance, technology is emerging, and pirates are preparing for voyages.
Whether the national destiny of the Ming Dynasty is glory or disgrace, prosperity or decline, will depend on the duel on the sea.
The sea is the battleground of the national destiny for five hundred years!
If the Ming Dynasty does not actively respond to the war, does not take the initiative to attack, and retreats on the mainland, then the national destiny of the Ming Dynasty and the fate of the Chinese nation will still not be changed!
"Send someone to order Zhao Hailou and Wang Liang to select two thousand sergeants who know water skills to enter battle training. General Wu will not requisition Jurong Guard sergeants. If he does, we must be prepared."
Gu Zhengchen gave instructions to Zhang Pei.
Zhang Pei responded and asked someone to send a message.
Gu Zhengchen looked at the messenger sergeant and asked, "What arrangements can be made at the guard station?"
The sergeant mounted his horse and pulled the reins: "Looking back at Zhenfu, a few days ago, His Majesty issued an order to mobilize a total of 7,500 sergeants from the Hangzhou Guard, Jinhua Guard, Quzhou Guard, and Shaoxing Guard, and move their families to the Neutral Mansion. , to defend the Central Capital. Other than that, there have been no moves recently."
"Thank you."
Gu Zhengchen took out some broken silver.
The sergeant took it, thanked him, turned his horse and galloped away.
Gu Zhengchen shook his head bitterly.
Lao Zhu still thinks about making Fengyang Zhongdu the capital of the country. In the past few years, he transferred the people and immigrated to fill Fengyang. Over the years, the rich households in eastern Zhejiang who came to Fengyang over the years have become so poor that they don’t even look at it. Now they still Transferring sergeants to Fengyang...
Zhu Biao, you should take the princess to Fengyang and take a good look at it. Don’t just go to your grandfather’s grave. Take a look at the people of Fengyang, the soldiers in Fengyang, and the place in Fengyang. , let your father stop the Zhongdu Project as soon as possible to get the business done.
“May I ask this little brother, where is the Jurong County government office going?”
A rich voice came.
Gu Zhengchen, who was kicking stones, looked up and saw an elegant middle-aged man holding a wooden stick, followed by two young men carrying baskets on their backs.
"Are you going to the Jurong County Government Office?"
Gu Zhengchen asked.
"Exactly."
Tao Chengdao replied solemnly.
Gu Zhengchen looked at the three of them and nodded slightly: "I happen to be on the way too, let's go together. Looking at the three travellers, are you coming to Jurong to visit relatives or friends?"
"Find someone."
Tao Chengdao replied simply.
Gu Zhengchen frowned: "I'm going to the county government office to look for someone. I'm quite familiar with the people in the county government office. Who do you want to find?"
Tao Chengdao smiled and said nothing.
Zhou Dinghai, on the other hand, wiped his sweat and said, "We are looking for the magistrate of Jurong County. He invited us here."
"Well?"
Gu Zhengchen stopped, looked at Tao Chengdao and the others, and couldn't help but smile: "How many of them are from Jinhua?"
"How do you know?"
Zhou Dinghai exclaimed.
Tao Chengdao and Lou Zhenyang were also a little shocked. They didn't know how the other party knew about their origins.
Gu Zhengchen breathed a sigh of relief, straightened his clothes, looked solemn, and saluted Tao Chengdao: "Gu Zhengchen, the magistrate of Jurong, has met thousands of households."
"Are you Gu Zhengchen?"
Tao Chengdao couldn't believe it.
Gu Zhengchen nodded seriously and said in a deep voice: "Feitian."
Tao Chengdao raised his hand: "Jinhua Tao Chengdao, I have met the man from Quanzhou County!"
Gu Zhengchen waved his hand: "What a man from Quanzhou County, it's better to be a county magistrate. It sounds comfortable. You are finally here. Let's go to Jurong Guard."
He waved to Zhang Pei who was following him and found the carriage.
Tao Chengdao looked at Gu Zhengchen carefully and sighed with emotion: "Gu Zhixian is really young and promising. He has already been awarded a title at such a young age. I think he must have something extraordinary, that way of flying..."
Gu Zhengchen smiled. The Tao Chengdao in front of him was really obsessed with flying people. Before he finished his pleasantries, he started talking about flying people.
"The method of flying does exist."
Gu Zhengchen stopped his smile and looked at Tao Cheng seriously: "It's just that with the current methods of the Ming Dynasty, it is difficult to achieve flying in the true sense. Therefore, I was ordered to summon a group of craftsmen to study and improve firearms."
Tao Chengdao stared: "Improved firearms? Your goal is not to fly?"
Gu Zhengchen leaned back and nodded calmly: "What I want is a more powerful firearm, and what you want is flying. There is no contradiction between the two. Without powerful firearms, it is impossible to fly to the sky. You help me build it Better firearms, and I'll give you the path to flight. This is a deal, you and I each get what we need."
Tao Chengdao understood and nodded solemnly: "Deal."
Gu Zhengchen introduced: "In Jurong Guards, a distant fire bureau has been set up, as well as a primer department, a smelting department, and a manufacturing department. Liu Ju, who came out of the Baoyuan Bureau, served as the ambassador of the far fire bureau, and he also has a name. For Chen Youcai, he served as the doctor of the Ministry of Fire..."
"Chen Youcai?"
Tao Chengdao raised his eyebrows and said with a smile, "This is an old friend."
Jurongwei.
When Liu Ju, Chen Youcai, Hua Xiaoshun and others heard that Tao Chengdao was coming, they all ran out to salute.
Tao Chengdao felt a little uncomfortable being surrounded by such enthusiasm. Gu Zhengchen ordered people to settle Tao Chengdao and others, and then said to everyone: "Tao Chengdao will be in charge of Yuanhuo Bureau and coordinate all technical issues of the three departments."
Gu Zhengchen did not stay in Jurong Guard for long. After all, the facilities of the entire Yuanhuo Bureau were not in place yet, and he would not be able to study the improvements in depth for a while. It would be better to let these craftsmen get familiar with them first.
In the next few days, Gu Zhengchen was almost exhausted. It was not because of any case, but because of the sacrifice. The sacrificial ceremony at the beginning of the year is torturously long. City gods, mountains and rivers, wind, clouds, thunder and lightning, etc. all need to be greeted one by one.
When greeting these gods, you must be pious, recite the words, and have fun.
Of course, Gu Zhengchen was not the only one who was exhausted. Within the Ming Dynasty, no matter they were capital officials or local officials, mainly the seal officials, they had to go to sacrifices these days, and no one could slack off.
After the sacrifice, the people of Jurong also started to get busy. The number of people in the three courtyards of Jurong dropped sharply, especially in the craftsman courtyard. Nearly 90% of the people went back to prepare for farming.
Fortunately, only 30% to 40% of the textile compound and tailoring compound were occupied. The reason is simple: women earn more than silkworms. Instead of wasting time to go back and make arrangements, it is better to continue working, but it will be harder for the family.
Everything is on track.
Jurong College opened, and 560 students entered the college, becoming the first batch of children to receive new education.
Farmers are plowing the land, women are weaving.
The craftsmen of the Far Fire Bureau began to brainstorm ways to improve firearms.
Jurong sergeants promoted the construction in an orderly manner. A group of sergeants stood by the river and jumped into the river every day to practice water skills and be ready to participate in naval battles at any time.
Gu Zhengchen walked among the county government, Jurong College, and Jurong Guards, and occasionally listened to Gu Cheng and Hu Hengcai's interesting stories about Jinling.
Hu Hengcai knew that Gu Zhengchen liked to hear news about Jinling, so he would listen carefully every time he went to Jinling to sell goods.
"Is there any news about Jinghaihou Wu Zhen?"
Gu Zhengchen asked.
Hu Hengcai shook his head slightly: "Jinghai Marquis has just gone to sea, and the news has not spread to Jinling so quickly. However, there is one thing that many people in Jinling are spreading."
"What's up?"
Gu Zhengchen became interested.
Hu Hengcai became more energetic: "There was a county magistrate in Cheng'an County, Guangping Prefecture. He was arrested and imprisoned for three months for making a mistake. The county magistrate hated the county magistrate and found various reasons to imprison him for two years. Not long ago The county magistrate wrote a letter in blood in prison and asked someone to send it to Jinling. The emperor was furious and ordered the magistrate of Cheng'an to be drowned..."
Gu Zhengchen looked at Hu Hengcai: "This must be more than just a story, right?"
When Hu Hengcai saw that there was no one else but Gu Cheng, he whispered to Gu Zhengchen: "Master Zhang asked me to send a message, saying that His Majesty has an unstable temperament and is getting into trouble more and more without justice. He must be diligent and honest in his duties. You should not stir up trouble, and you should not be imprisoned unjustly."
Gu Zhengchen heard what Zhang He meant and nodded helplessly.
Indeed, Lao Zhu's temperament is not stable. When he is happy, he has a sense of rule of law. When he is unhappy, he speaks the law and can kill anyone with just one sentence.
Gu Zhengchen stood up and said, "Next time I go to Jinling, tell my father-in-law and tell him not to worry."
Night thunderstorm.
Gu Zhengchen was sitting at the desk writing paperwork, while Zhang Xiwan was sewing new clothes.
Suddenly.
Gu Zhengchen raised his head and looked out the window with squinted eyes.
Zhang Xiwan also felt the movement. Soon, Yao Zhen walked to the window and whispered: "Master, the city guard sergeant is reporting urgently. There is a cavalry group outside the east city. There are about a hundred cavalry. They want the master to come out of the city and talk to them."
