Chapter 2 Preparing for a circumnavigation of the world
He Xi said: "Uncle Tang, if you want to know something, just ask. My nephew knows everything and can tell you everything."
Tang He said: "Let me talk about it first. I am going to the southeast to protect you. Fighting the Japanese is one of the reasons. But it is only one of the reasons. The Japanese pirates invaded Shandong and killed hundreds of people. This Although the matter is not small, it is not enough for the imperial court to go to war and make such major adjustments."
"You understand."
He Xi said: "My nephew understands."
Today, the level of Japanese pirates in the Ming Dynasty is not that big. At least it was not serious enough to require an important minister like Tang He to abandon military affairs in the northwest and come to guard the southeast. In history, it was several years before Japanese pirates started to cause trouble.
Whether it is the war in the north or the war in Yunnan, its importance lies on the southeast coast.
Even if the imperial court weighs the priorities of major events, it is not the southeast coast's turn.
Tang He said: "What do you want to do? You have to leave it to me so that I can be prepared?"
This question made He Xi a little embarrassed.
He Xi basically has to do the following things on the southeast coast. First, promote the establishment of a textile industry revolution. Second, strengthen shipping capabilities and establish a strong shipping system to prepare for the future Northeast War. Third, send King Jingjiang to Taiwan to join the vassal state. Fourth, observe the overseas situation and formulate an overseas strategy that is consistent with Ming Dynasty. etc.
But without investigation, there is no right to speak.
He Xi hasn't gone to the southeast yet, so I don't know what it's like there.
He learned Zhu Yuanzhang's lesson and no longer dared to take it for granted. We dare not easily equate the historical impression with the situation in reality.
Therefore, before that, He Xi didn't know what she needed Tang He's help for.
He Xi thought for a while and said: "Uncle Tang, in fact, there are thousands of words, but there is only one request. Can the Ming Dynasty Southeast Navy fight?"
After hearing this, Tang He laughed and said: "Back then, I attacked Fujian from the sea route and defeated Chen Youding in one battle. Do you think we can fight?"
He Xi said: "Uncle Tang, you may have misunderstood. I'm not talking about the coast."
Tang He narrowed his eyes, and the fat on his chubby face squeezed out. His eyes were almost buried in the fat, leaving only a peripheral vision. But He Xi was stunned. There is a real sense of oppression.
Tang He said: "You want to fight in the open sea? With whom? Does your Majesty agree?"
He Xi said: "Uncle Tang, please don't worry, I won't do anything. It's just a matter of King Jingjiang. Uncle Tang also knows that in the future, if the Ming vassal king is not sealed at home, there will be a lot of potential overseas."
Tang He said: "You are a little bit confusing for me. To be honest, I haven't been to Southeast for more than ten years. I really can't guarantee what the brats under my command are doing now. I can't say for sure. I can only guarantee that if a battle were to be fought along the coast, there would be no one in the world who could defeat the Ming Dynasty Navy. The reason why the Japanese pirates caused so much trouble was actually that the coastline was too long. Even if millions of soldiers were deployed, there would be no holes in such a long coastline. nothing."
"It cannot be said that the Ming Navy cannot fight."
"If it were placed outside the sea, it would be difficult to say. This is not only a question of combat effectiveness, but also who is the enemy? Where is it? These are all questions."
He Xi said: "Uncle Tang, I understand what you mean. However, as long as Your Majesty makes up his mind, many things cannot be changed."
Tang He nodded and said: "I understand, thank you very much. It's not you who reminded me. I really don't understand what happened today. I originally thought that when I arrived in the southeast, I would repair the various defense posts, add more cities, and protect the sea. Now it seems that we need to build a large fleet."
He Xi said: "That's right. My nephew, many things require a navy that can sail across the ocean and win in battle."
Tang He said: "Understood. After I take office, I will feel it out. See what can be done below. I'll give you a letter."
He Xi said; "Thank you Uncle Tang."
Tang He said, "I shouldn't take care of you." At this point, Tang He's eyes suddenly became a little sad.
He Xi didn't know what was going on. He didn't know that Tang He's eldest son died in the Battle of Yunnan. He didn't die in battle, but died of illness. This is also a big blow to Tanghe. Perhaps, Tang He was indifferent in his heart and had no ambition. One of the reasons why some people even have no desires or desires is because of the death of their eldest son.
Tang He's heirs are not going well, but this is actually the beginning.
Historically, Tang He's duchy of Xinguo was not passed down. It was not because Tang He was involved in the political disputes during the Hongwu period, nor because the Tang family opposed Chengzu during the Jingnan War. It was Tang He's direct lineage, and each generation died early, almost extinct. Before he could inherit the title, the successor was gone, for several generations. In the end, the title of Duke Xin was replaced by Marquis Lingbi. But it's the same as Ming.
He Xi suddenly remembered something in his mind. Said: "Uncle Tang, I'm afraid I need your help with something."
Tang He said: "Tell me and listen."
He Xi said: "I need a fleet, no, several fleets. The number of people and ships does not need to be too many. But it must be loaded with food for several years and let them sail across the ocean."
Tang He said: "Ocean sailing? Where to go?"
He Xi said: "Uncle Tang, do you know what Xuan Ye said?"
Tang He said: "Xuan Ye said?"
He Xi said: "Xuanye said that the earth and the chicken are suspended in the void. In other words, the earth is round. If you keep sailing in one direction, you can return to the original place."
Tang He was stunned and said: "This------"
Tang Heben said it was nonsense. But although he had never heard Xuan Ye say it. But it’s not like I don’t know anything about astronomy. After all, marching and fighting are indispensable for people who know astronomy. He had also heard from others that the earth was round.
After all, Zhu Xi also adhered to this statement.
Perhaps ordinary people still think that the sky is round and the earth is round. But Tang He, a hero of the times, would not be so shallow in his knowledge. But the thing is, the earth is round. The soup was acceptable. But if you keep walking in one direction on the earth, you will eventually return to the same place. This conclusion is completely unacceptable to Tang He.
I think it's too counter-intuitive.
He Xi said: "I want to try. Prove all this. Or prove it wrong."
Tang He shook his head and said: "According to your statement, such a fleet, with at least four or five large ships, plus a few small boats, cannot hold back more than a thousand people. The ships can only be returned, but the people of a thousand households." And you also want several fleets. To throw a guard’s troops into such a meaningless operation, unless His Majesty agrees to you, I will definitely not allow it.”
The Ming Dynasty did things more grandly than Westerners.
Many navigators in the West traveled around the world with only two or three ships. But in Tang He's opinion, such an action would cost at least a thousand people. Tang He has also taken a boat ride. Although it is only offshore sailing, I also know what the sea is like.
Navigating in unknown waters will encounter too many problems. One or two hundred people is too few. Many things are impossible to deal with, but more than a thousand people are different. There are thousands of households in Ming Dynasty. Even if there are any problems, some small countries cannot solve them in one go.
He Xi said: "Uncle Tang is enough."
He Xi didn't think Zhu Yuanzhang would allow it. Zhu Yuanzhang could covet the high-yielding crops in America. Zhu Yuanzhang absolutely supports circumnavigating the world.
He Xi secretly thought: "Why didn't I think of it before? This is actually the first thing?"
Many people think that high-yielding crops can be used directly once they arrive in China. actually not. Various high-yielding crops were introduced in the Ming Dynasty and became mainstream in the Qing Dynasty. This was certainly because they were not specially cultivated in the Ming Dynasty, but it also took time to localize high-yielding crops.
Especially in agriculture, we often make friends with time. It's not fast at all.
It would be quick to bring over high-yielding crops and cultivate them carefully in China. In a few decades, they can bloom everywhere in China.
When He Xi thought of this, he became more and more anxious. He stood up and saluted Tang He. Got to work in a hurry.
Tang He saw He Xi leaving. Somewhat strangely, he said: "I haven't agreed yet. This child."
