After hearing what Zhu Di said, Guo An thought about it and didn't object.
“What His Highness said is absolutely true.
However, we don’t have that many taels of silver in our house, so we can only use treasure banknotes, copper coins, or gold, grain, sweaters, cotton cloth... these instead! "
"It doesn't matter."
Zhu Di asked again: "Is Guo Qing willing to take over this troublesome matter with the capital?"
Guo An shook his head repeatedly, "Your Highness, Zhu Changshi is familiar with this matter. Therefore, it is better to ask Zhu Changshi to hand over the matter!"
Zhu Di nodded, "If that's the case, then just follow what Guo Qing said!"
"Thank you, Your Highness!"
Talking about the fact that the river is frozen after winter.
Guo An then said again: "Your Highness, before the cold winter, Wei Chen thinks that the goods that our Prince Yan Mansion plans to sell to Goryeo can be gradually transported to Dagukou to prevent the river from being frozen and the ships unable to operate.
In addition, our Prince Yan's Mansion needs to build several huge warehouses again in Dagukou. "
"Can!"
Anyway, during this period of time, Prince Yan's Mansion has been expanding its warehouse.
Zhu Di added: "Anyway, I want to hand over 1.5 million silver to the capital.
Why not, for the next few cargo ships, we only need to transport the goods from our house to Peking City, and the remaining ships will be transported directly to the capital, which will be used to deduct the 1.5 million taels of silver! "
"Your Highness is wise!"
Zhu Di continued: "This time when we go back to the capital, our father changed the main courtyard of the Dazong into the Zongren Mansion. The second brother Zhu Feng became the Zongren Order, and we became the You Zongzheng!"
Guo An quickly congratulated: "Congratulations, Your Highness!"
Zhu Di raised the corner of his mouth slightly and said: "In addition, during this period of time, Mongols have appeared in Daning, Quaning and other places.
Father ordered us to be prepared to patrol Daning, Quaning and other places with our fine cavalry in the new year! "
"Congratulations, Your Highness!"
Guo An lost no time in complimenting him again and said, "Your Highness, do you want to send back those Mongolians from Goryeo?"
Zhu Di said: "Return two thousand Mongolians and replace them with four thousand elites!"
"Yes, Your Highness!"
…
It's more than half a month later.
The fleet returned to Beiping Mansion again.
This time, the fleet brought back news that made Zhu Di and Guo An angry.
In the Jeolla Province of Goryeo, another wave of nearly 10,000 Japanese pirates appeared.
These Japanese pirates are still very rampant, burning, killing, looting, and committing all kinds of evil.
"Your Highness, Goryeo has now become the property of Prince Yan's palace, and Japanese pirates will not be allowed to wreak havoc!"
Zhu Di ordered: "I order you, Chen Shou and others to send five thousand troops, and Goryeo to send 20,000 troops to destroy those Japanese pirates!"
"Yes, Your Highness!"
Chen Zhi, the fleet commander this time, responded quickly.
On the side, Guo An said again: "Your Highness, there are so many Japanese pirates, if possible, it is best to capture some and let them go mining and calcining cement.
As long as the Korean people are watching, these Japanese pirates will never be able to change the world. "
"Very good!"
Zhu Di nodded.
Chen Zhi also nodded repeatedly.
Zhu Di added: "Next time, except for some goods from our house, all the goods on the fleet will be transported to the capital."
"At that time, Zhu Changshi will go with you and others!"
"Yes, Your Highness!"
Then, Zhu Di explained it in detail, and once again sent two thousand soldiers to follow the fleet to Goryeo.
…
The weather is getting cooler.
Many brick kilns appeared in Beiping Prefecture.
At the same time, some gentry families also discovered that King Zhu Di of Yan, Chang Shi Zhu Fu, Guo An and others were not so malicious towards them gentry.
In fact, even oppression and extortion of property did not happen.
In particular, Chang Shi Guo An not only did not ask for property, but also often sat with them and discussed the Tao with them.
The way of wealth, the way of development, the way of studying things to gain knowledge.
At first, they thought it was a bit ridiculous.
However, in view of Guo An's identity, they did not dare to make any mistakes and could only deal with it with a smile.
However, although these gentry have no fame, each of them still has thousands of books in their home, and now it should be tens of thousands!
In addition, when running a family, the knowledge and insight in their hearts are already different from others, and they can be regarded as the top elites in Beiping Mansion.
So, after listening to it several times, their expressions became more solemn each time.
Finally, he came to Yanwang Palace every two days.
Follow the methods of our ancestors and continue to exploit the people? Taking advantage of disaster years or wars to seize people's homes and fields?
Then, were they discovered by Lao Zhu, or were they found out by King Yan, who would directly confiscate their homes and exterminate their clans?
Of course, the most important thing is, according to the development of Beiping Prefecture, even in a disaster year, will those farmers continue to let them cheat and manipulate them just for a few bites of food?
Even, based on the prosperity of Beiping Mansion, will there be any disaster years in Beiping Mansion?
It's not that they don't want to think about these things, it's just that they have been blinding themselves. Facing the increasingly powerful Yan Palace, they are powerless!
In this way, only what Guo An said is the way to wealth, the way to development, and the way to learn from things.
As long as a good new object is invented, it is like digging up a mountain of gold. How profitable is it?
In the past two years, they have watched helplessly as Prince Yan's Mansion unearthed several mountains of gold!
But now, there are thousands of wealthy merchants in the Ming Dynasty, all of whom want to lie at the feet of King Yan and become King Yan's loyal dog.
These gentry are also envious of these things.
However, on the one hand, it is the ancestral law and the bastion of class status.
On the one hand, there is the naked temptation of money, and the pressure from Prince Yan's palace is getting stronger day by day.
The gentry throughout Beiping Prefecture gradually divided into two factions.
As long as they were not in Prince Yan's Mansion, they would gather together and quarrel endlessly.
Zhu Di asked curiously: "Guo Qing is not afraid. If those gentry continue to make such noise, what big trouble will they cause?"
Guo An smiled lightly and said: "Your Highness, Wei Chen just explained to them the transparent glass, the technology of growing vegetables in winter, the secret techniques of white sugar and cement, as well as the Zhangjiawan Wharf and the Korean fleet as examples of Prince Yan's Mansion. , it’s just the future development path of Prince Yan’s Mansion.
Among them, our Prince Yan Mansion is just making money and managing the Beiping Mansion.
Even if these gentry make trouble in the capital, the capital will only reward His Highness.
As for these gentlemen?
If they don't follow us, Prince Yan's Mansion, they will either move away from Beiping Mansion, or watch helplessly as all the farmers in Beiping Mansion become rich one by one.
Then, the heirs of those wealthy families entered academies, became literate, and became scribes in our Prince Yan's palace, or they took part in the imperial examinations, gained fame, and replaced these gentry. "
Hearing this, Zhu Di couldn't help but sigh subconsciously, "I, a student from Beiping Mansion, have always been weak. How easy is it to get fame?
Since the first imperial examination in the fourth year of Hongwu, all Jinshi have been taken by the southern provinces. But for me, a student from the north, it is as difficult as climbing to the sky! "
"Your Highness wants my student from Beiping Prefecture to ascend the throne?"
Guo An's eyes lit up.
Zhu Di looked at Guo An helplessly, "Is there any student in the world who has studied hard for ten years and not just to be named on the gold list?"
Guo An couldn't help but murmured to himself, "If I can really get a few more Jinshi students from my Beiping Prefecture, those old diehards won't be so arrogant!"
"What is Guo Qing talking about?"
Zhu Di felt that he had not heard clearly, so he couldn't help but subconsciously asked again.
The more Guo An thought about it, the more he felt that there was much to be done and the more excited he became.
"Your Highness, this year happens to be the Provincial Examination, and next year will be the Spring Festival. If there is a way for me to help those candidates in the Beiping Prefecture, they will be named on the gold list in the next spring. Will the gentry in the Beiping Prefecture no longer have to use it? Is Wei Chen going to discuss the truth with sincerity?"
Zhu Di stared at Guo An blankly for a long time, then said with a speechless face: "Is Guo Qing suffering from hysteria?
My father attaches great importance to the matter of Chunwei and does not allow any fraud.
Even if we are the King of Yan, the officials responsible for Chunwei will not dare to accept our bribes. "
Guo An said: "Your Highness, don't worry, I have my own way!"
"What method?"
Seeing how serious Guo An was, Zhu Di couldn't help but be startled, and hurriedly persuaded him: "Guo Qing, the scientific examination depends entirely on the knowledge of the candidates. There can be no shortcuts. Guo Qing must not think about those things." Crooked way!
Otherwise, if Father takes the blame, neither I nor my eldest brother can protect you! "
Guo An smiled confidently, "Don't worry, Your Highness, Wei Chen just feels that our Prince Yan's Palace has built such a large academy, and there are so many great Confucian scholars and classics. It is really inappropriate for those students not to be admitted to a few Jinshi."
"It's a bit inappropriate!" Zhu Di nodded subconsciously.
"Your Highness, Wei Chen has decided to go to the academy to visit Mr. Du!"
Guo An wanted to resign.
Zhu Di asked: "But for the imperial examination?"
"Your Highness is wise!"
"We'll go with you!"
"This...your highness please!"
…
Half an hour later.
Zhu Di and Guo An came to the academy.
Du Qiu and the monk Siye Daoyan respectfully invited Zhu Di and Guo An into a study room.
"I wonder if your highness is visiting the academy today, but what is the important matter?"
After some pleasantries, Du Jie asked directly.
Zhu Di said: "We are here with Guo Qing this time."
As soon as these words came out, Du Qi and Monk Dao Yan couldn't help being shocked, and then looked at Guo An aside with curiosity.
Guo An quickly bowed his hands towards Du Qi and saluted, "Mr. Du, Guo An has something to ask for today."
Du Qi said quickly: "Guo Changshi is so polite. Guo Changshi has contributed a lot to the academy being like this. If I know about it, I will tell you everything!"
"Thank you, Mr. Du."
Guo An did not continue to beat around the bush and said directly: "Du Wei has taught countless things in his life, and he must be very familiar with the Four Books and Five Classics!"
"This is natural!" Du Xin nodded slightly.
Guo An added, "Now that His Majesty is recommending candidates, he is also launching an imperial examination.
But my students from the north suffered from the persecution of the old Yuan Dynasty and have not recovered yet. Every spring, they are far weaker than the students from the south.
If things go on like this, most of the officials in the Ming Dynasty are southern scholars.
And our northern Shilin will become increasingly weak.
Mr. Du passed the examination in the late Yuan Dynasty and taught countless students.
Guo An asked Mr. Du to teach me, the examiners in Beiping Prefecture, the meaning of the Song Dynasty, and explain to them the taboos on using words in the imperial examination! "
Du Xun was stunned for a moment, and couldn't help but asked with a surprised look on his face: "Guo Changshi wants those few candidates from Beiping Prefecture to be named on the gold list in the spring of next year?"
Hearing this, Dao Yan also looked at Guo An with surprise.
Guo An nodded slightly.
Du Xin couldn't help but sigh: "This matter is not a disappointment to me. It is actually a matter of imperial examination. It all depends on the talents of those scholars. It is difficult for outsiders to help."
Guo An was not discouraged, but continued: "May I ask Mr. Du, have you studied the test questions of previous years' imperial examinations?"
Du Qi nodded: "I have studied it!"
Guo An asked again: "Has Mr. Du discovered any similar patterns?"
…
(End of chapter)
