Chapter 143 Finally meeting Zhu Yuanzhang
In Nanjing, there were few things that could be hidden from Zhu Yuanzhang.
Even now.
In the days after Empress Ma died, Zhu Yuanzhang really collapsed a little. However, Zhu Yuanzhang was very sad, but his instinctive vigilance and rationality did not decrease, but increased.
I don’t know if this should be said to be Zhu Yuanzhang’s unique talent? This is still Zhu Yuanzhang's occupational disease for many years. During the war, he would sleep with one eye open. After so many years, it has become instinct to tighten his nerves anytime and anywhere.
It has nothing to do with Zhu Yuanzhang's emotions or mood.
However, Zhu Yuanzhang also hesitated now.
After the death of the prince, the situation in the Ming court was changing rapidly, and the complexity was several orders of magnitude higher than before.
To put it bluntly, the opposition caused by He Xi's previous reform was ultimately a debate on how to govern the country, but this issue did not actually involve the Ming Dynasty's largest powerful faction, that is, the nobles. Most of the nobles did not express their position on this, because Zhu Yuanzhang had repeatedly ordered that the nobles in the local area were not allowed to interfere in local politics. The nobles in the capital had no say unless Zhu Yuanzhang asked.
These people remained silent.
Because for them, how the court governs the country has nothing to do with them. What they want to keep is their power and status. As long as the Ming Dynasty is still there, their glory and wealth will be indispensable, so why worry about it.
Of course, as He Xi's reform deepens, these people will naturally be involved.
but not now.
But things are different now.
Who will be the next emperor is related to the future fate of these nobles. In particular, Zhu Yuanzhang did something. In order to win over the nobles, he originally let his sons marry generals. At that time, it was to stabilize the world, but now it has become an important hidden danger.
If the princes fight for the right to inherit the throne, these nobles will be involved.
Zhu Yuanzhang thinks that whenever he closes his eyes, it is very possible that there will be flames of war behind him?
Zhu Yuanzhang's first feeling was that of cleaning. All the veterans were purged.
To eliminate the threat to the Ming Dynasty.
However, when Zhu Yuanzhang thought of the killings in his history, he probably had the same idea. However, this is no longer possible.
Because once he uproots the entire noble group, the civil service system will be dominated by one family, and no reform will be possible. After all, the emperor may and the entire society can move forward. After all, the interests of the emperor and the interests of the country are in many places. are connected.
But many scholar-bureaucrats are different. Everything they have is under the original system. If they overthrow everything they have and get used to everything for the better development of Ming Dynasty, they will never be willing.
This can be seen in the rising opposition today.
Zhu Yuanzhang was not prepared to be ruthless, but he had not thought about where to start or where to be ruthless. However, there was one thing that Zhu Yuanzhang had to admit that the succession of the crown prince might not be a good choice. But it is a choice acceptable to both the government and the opposition.
And there is no second option.
Even now, Zhu Yuanzhang has not thought about who fits his choice? This is what Zhu Yuanzhang finds most difficult to handle.
Before Zhu Yuanzhang had a general understanding of this matter, he was not prepared to meet He Xi, and he didn't know what to say when he did. Zhu Yuanzhang had no idea about these matters, so it was difficult for him to arrange He Xi's next affairs.
Even Zhu Yuanzhang was not sure whether He Xi needed to live?
Does Zhu Yuanzhang's ruthless tactics need to be directed at He Xi?
Naturally, I cannot say these words to my daughter. There is no contradiction between Zhu Yuanzhang doting on his daughter and considering whether to kill his son-in-law.
Princess Anqing didn't know what Zhu Yuanzhang was thinking in her heart. Princess Anqing decided to speak to He Xi and said, "Father, even if we don't discuss national affairs, He Xi is still your son-in-law. It's good to have him come over and chat about home affairs."
Zhu Yuanzhang smiled and said: "Silly boy, my family's domestic affairs are state affairs." However, Zhu Yuanzhang also agreed to Princess Anqing and let He Xi come over. After all, He Xi's perspective is different from everyone else in the world, and may give Zhu Yuanzhang a different feeling.
In this way, He Xi came to Nanjing for more than two months before finally meeting Zhu Yuanzhang.
For the first time, He Xi deeply realized what the power of God is unpredictable.
After He Xi arrived in the Ming Dynasty, He Xi had never been so sad to ask to see Zhu Yuanzhang. He Xi even regarded meeting Zhu Yuanzhang as a trivial matter. Facts have proved that this is not a trivial matter. After He Xi's repeated requests to see Zhu Yuanzhang were rejected, many people's attitudes towards He Xi immediately changed.
Only then did He Xi realize how important the label of emperor's favorite was to He Xi herself.
How to salute He Xi is not mentioned.
Zhu Yuanzhang asked He Xi to sit down, and Zhu Yuanzhang asked: "How is Beijing's recent development? You are in Nanjing, haven't you delayed things in Beijing?"
He Xi said: "No, everything in Beijing has been planned. Today, the Beijing Imperial Palace is being built. But there is one thing to inform Your Majesty. The Imperial Palace in Beijing is made of reinforced concrete structure, especially all the beams and columns. It is made of wood. It is larger in size than the Fengtian Palace in Nanjing, and the cost is lower. However, the Beijing Palace is the largest concrete building built in recent years. Due to problems with cement and steel bars, it is estimated that it will need to be rebuilt in a few decades."
Zhu Yuanzhang said: "It doesn't matter, Anqing, you ask the secretary to draft the imperial edict. From now on, the imperial palaces and local governments will use reinforced concrete wherever they can use it. Rare and huge trees are not allowed, and offenders will be killed."
He Xi immediately said: "Your Majesty is wise."
In He Xi's opinion, the technology of reinforced concrete is not yet perfect. It is somewhat risky to use it in the palace. After all, the palace is nothing like anything else. The span of the palace is very large. This is not just reinforced concrete. There are also some innovations in engineering technology.
The reason why He Xi wants to use it here is that such a large building is rare. The place where He Xi most hopes to use reinforced concrete is bridges.
After all, there are too many rivers.
Even in the northern plains.
Many times, a river that is not wide needs a ferry to cross. Of course, the Han people have been building bridges and paving roads since ancient times. There are even many famous bridges that have been passed down to the world, such as Zhaozhou Bridge in the north, Marco Polo Bridge in the south, and Chaozhou Bridge in the south. Bridge, Luoyang Bridge and so on.
But generally speaking, for the number of rivers in the world, there are always few bridges.
Therefore, if reinforced concrete technology is perfected, He Xi wants to promote bridge construction in the north. Even if some large rivers cannot be built, some small rivers and ditches can be easily built. With improved transportation, many things become more convenient.
Otherwise, you have to go around for dozens or hundreds of miles to find a bridge, or you have to take a boat to cross the river, which is very troublesome.
And this incident was just a remark made by He Xi. But he didn't expect Zhu Yuanzhang to immediately agree and vigorously promote reinforced concrete.
Although today's reinforced concrete is still very expensive.
Although the price of steel has been driven down by He Xi, the price that has been driven down is compared with water. Compared with before, the price of iron is lower, even more than ten times lower. But what will the price of steel be in the future? A bottle of water is even more expensive than the same weight of iron.
Can the price of iron obtained by He Xi be compared with this price? Not to mention the price of cement is also very high.
With Zhu Yuanzhang's order, the market for cement and steel expanded a lot. It seemed like news to He Xi.
Zhu Yuanzhang sighed and said: "There is nothing wise or unwise. I think of seeing future generations cutting down mountains and clearing roads for just a few pieces of wood, resulting in countless casualties, hundreds of millions, hundreds of thousands of taels, and just a few broken houses. With my order here, how can they still behave so recklessly?"
I don’t know who made the rule that the beams and columns of the palace must be made of golden nanmu. Anyway, Zhu Yuanzhang did not remember that he had such an order. However, there is too much history of blood and tears surrounding the golden nanmu in later generations. In order to supply golden nanmu to the palace, it cost not only money, but also human lives.
This was something Zhu Yuanzhang couldn't bear, so he simply set rules. Anyway, he also knew that industrial products would become cheaper and cheaper in the future. But golden nanmu will not.
Some people died, but not completely...
