Chapter 21: Fighting theft with theft
Zhu Yuanzhang was shocked when he saw Zhan Ding and said, "Why are you like this?"
In Zhu Yuanzhang's impression, Zhan Ding was still a young celebrity, talking eloquently in the hall and writing good articles. Finally, he who originally wanted to kill Fang Guozhen agreed to Fang Guozhen's surrender after weighing the pros and cons. He can't talk about being a quarrel with other scholars, but he is also charming. But now Zhan Ding has white hair, which is sparse and seems to be falling out soon. My legs were no longer able to walk, so I could only kneel on a wooden board and be lifted up. His face was pale and there was no blood. It's like being dug out of a grave. Zhu Yuanzhang could hardly recognize Zhan Ding's original appearance.
Only those eyes still have the light of wisdom.
Zhan Ding said: "I have not seen your Majesty for more than ten years, so it is normal for me to end up like this."
While in prison, Zhan Ding also reflected on his life.
The biggest mistake he made in his life was to join the Fang Guozhen shogunate.
In fact, he was unwilling to defect to Fang Guozhen because he felt that Fang Guozhen could not accomplish anything big. It was just that after Fang Guozhen occupied Taizhou, he almost forced him to become an official with a sword. He had no choice but to be used by Fang Guozhen. However, Fang Guozhen himself is not highly educated, but he admires scholars. Although Zhan Ding's tactics are often not used, it is also very good for Zhan Ding.
After all, the human heart is made of flesh.
When Fang Guozhen's life and death were in danger, Zhan Ding resolutely entered Jinling and persuaded Zhu Yuanzhang to accept Fang Guozhen's surrender.
This is the highlight moment of Zhan Ding's life. It was also the beginning of a rough life.
To understand this, we must first understand who in the court wanted to kill Fang Guozhen. A faction in western Zhejiang.
We only need to talk about one person here, Liu Bowen. Before he defected to Zhu Yuanzhang, he was entangled with Minzhuang and fought fiercely with Fang Guozhen for many times. There was some blood feud between the two sides. This also shows that Fang Guozhen is not good. Although Liu Bowen was talented, his military talent was not high. But Fang Guozhen was helpless.
As a leader of the Western Zhejiang faction, Liu Bowen's experience is a typical example. Many people in Western Zhejiang regard Fang Guozhen as a pirate and bandit. Hate to the core.
Zhan Ding tried his best to persuade Zhu Yuanzhang to accept Fang Guozhen's surrender. It's good to offend the western Zhejiang platoon.
That's why Zhan Ding's official career was so unsatisfactory. He obviously claims to have the talents of a prime minister, but he can only sink in the local area. Official positions go up and down. He was not a high-ranking official at all.
Logically speaking, Zhan Ding was disliked by the Zhejiang sect, so he should not defect to the Huaixi sect. However, overall, the Huaixi faction has the upper hand over the Zhexi faction. Not to mention, Zhan Ding is an authentic Zhejiang native. After all, the Huaixi sect is region-centered.
Originally, people from Zhejiang should not go to Western Zhejiang. But he himself was not welcomed by the Western Zhejiang faction. The Huaixi sect won’t care either.
This situation is because of Fang Guozhen. Zhan Ding always has Fang Guozhen's label on him, and he can't wash it off. Just like now, when Zhu Yuanzhang thinks of Fang Guozhen's old ministry, the first thing that comes to mind is not Fang Guan, Fang Guozhen's son.
Yes, Fang Guan is Fang Guozhen's heir. He seems to be a good person, not a playboy. But in Zhu Yuanzhang's view, talent is just that. Zhan Ding, on the other hand, was sharp-tongued and had the talent of a prime minister. It left a deep impression on Zhu Yuanzhang.
When he was willing to go to Nanjing for Fang Guozhen's kindness, his life's situation was already determined.
It's just that he realized it later.
Zhu Yuanzhang naturally knew how Zhan Ding became like this. It’s just that Zhu Yuanzhang didn’t want to talk more. After all, it's not a glamorous thing. After Zhan Ding was severely tempered by reality, his vision was longer than when he was young.
He knew that no matter what he said today. There will be no results.
He didn't know why Zhu Yuanzhang wanted to see him. But he knew that Zhu Yuanzhang would not reverse the case just because of him.
In that case, say something useless. What's the point?
Zhu Yuanzhang said: "There is a question that I can't figure out. I want to ask you."
Zhan Ding said: "Your Majesty, please speak. I know everything I want to say."
Zhu Yuanzhang said: "Today, there are always pirates on the southeast coast. Some people have suggested that I can eliminate pirates by opening up the coastal defense and allowing people to go to sea. Otherwise, we can only restrict people from going to sea for a day. This pirate relies on ocean trade and will not be cut off for a day. .It will even become more and more prosperous. It will be difficult to eradicate.”
"You are from eastern Zhejiang. You have followed Fang Guozhen for many years and are familiar with sea trade. Do you think it makes sense?"
After hearing this, Zhan Ding was slightly stunned and said, "I don't know who it is to give advice to Your Majesty. I can only say that this person is right or wrong."
"He is right. If maritime trade is not smooth, pirates and Japanese pirates will continue. But maritime trade is prosperous. Doesn't it mean that there will be no pirates? It is almost impossible for Your Majesty to wish for a world without pirates. Because of the vastness of the sea, Several times that of land, with islands dotted throughout. I don’t know how many there are. A ship with dozens of people hiding in the sea is no easier than finding a needle in a haystack. Unless one day, we can clearly feel the sea , and have clairvoyance and the ability to listen to the wind. Otherwise, there would be no pirates on the sea."
"It has little to do with maritime trade."
"Your Majesty, what you want to do is not to eliminate pirates. What you want to do is to prevent pirates from affecting the lives of coastal people. The most appropriate way is to fight theft with robbery."
Zhu Yuanzhang said: "Use theft to fight theft?"
Zhan Ding said: "Exactly, the imperial court supports a group of pirates. Let him be the overlord of the sea. The imperial court can control his life and death, and let him restrain the small pirates so that they will not cause chaos along the coast. Once they do, they will be destroyed. The government and the people cannot work together. error."
Zhu Yuanzhang sneered. Not much was said.
But his opinion was clear.
With Zhu Yuanzhang's desire for control, this approach was simply insulting to the Ming Dynasty and the Ming Dynasty, cooperating with pirates. So shameful.
However, Zhu Yuanzhang also saw it. The reason why pirates cannot be eradicated. It was the Ming court's lack of control over the sea. And for a long time in the future, it will be impossible to cover the sea with the Ming Dynasty's legal network.
After all, when you go to sea these days, the world is vast and becomes a world of its own.
What is the imperial court? How can I control them?
Even on the high seas in later generations, there will be many evil deeds.
This is also the reason why Zhu Yuanzhang hates the ocean.
On the ocean, due to various natural conditions, Zhu Yuanzhang's control over the ocean could never be as good as the Ming Dynasty's control over the land. For Zhu Yuanzhang, who has a particularly strong desire for control. It was like a fish bone stuck in the throat. Not comfortable at all.
I'd rather leave it alone. I don't want to be stuck up and down, which is extremely uncomfortable.
If not, He Xi told Zhu Yuanzhang about the future. Zhu Yuanzhang knew the importance of the ocean. Zhu Yuanzhang does not know how to work hard on the ocean. This is an obvious temperament. Zhu Yuanzhang's thoughts are completely agricultural thoughts. In essence, he is a farmer.
Likes fixed expectations and likes to be in control. Hate uncertainty,
This is the temper of farmers, because farming is very demanding on time and climate. What farmers like most is good weather. Don't like surprises, don't like things happening outside of your control. Because once it happens, it means production reduction.
And agriculture requires cooperation from farmers. The oldest agricultural cooperation is actually composed of armies. So Zhu Yuanzhang liked to give orders and prohibitions, and control everything. Confucian life relationship. This coincides with Zhu Yuanzhang’s thoughts. Because Confucianism is essentially the product of agricultural civilization.
Everything on the ocean is adventurous and unknown. Uncontrollable. The income is also unpredictable, ranging from great wealth to ruin. Maybe at a turn.
How do you make Zhu Yuanzhang like these?
To combat theft with theft is to add another layer of filter. Filter the uncertainty with some interest to the next layer. The court only needs to control the certainty behind it. But Zhu Yuanzhang didn't like it.
Zhu Yuanzhang thought to himself: "Forget it. Let He Xi deal with the matters at sea."
Zhu Yuanzhang said: "Zhan Ding, I have something for you to do."
Zhan Ding said: "Your Majesty, please speak."
Zhu Yuanzhang said: "Go and summon Fang Guozhen's old troops and go to Ningbo Anqing to serve under the prince's consort." Zhu Yuanzhang paused slightly, seeming to remember Zhan Ding's fate, and said in a gentle tone: "This is an opportunity I give you, and it can be regarded as an opportunity. This is an opportunity given to Fang Guozhen, and I hope you can seize it."
