Li Qing was also looking at his godson.
After not seeing each other for nearly ten years, my godson has become more mature.
Li Hong is forty years old this year. He has been in command of the navy for many years and has been exposed to wind and sun all day long. He looks older than his actual age, but he is still full of energy.
He has a dark complexion, a tall and powerful figure, wears armor and carries a knife, and looks very powerful.
"Very good." Li Qing said softly, with a mixture of appreciation, relief, and...a little bit of bitterness.
"Be brave and meet the Commander-in-Chief..."
"Step back." Li Hong calmed down and interrupted: "Go and do your work. No permission is allowed. Don't come and disturb me."
"Yes." The soldier said yes, looked at Li Qing again, and then exited.
Li Qing smiled: "Let's go into the house and talk."
"Hey." Li Hong sniffed and stepped up to follow.
Arriving at the living room, Li Hong closed the door, turned around, lifted up the hem of his shirt, and said, "My dear, my godfather."
"Get up, get up quickly." Li Qing helped him up, "Sit down and talk."
"Um."
The father and son sat opposite each other. Li Hong took the pot and poured a cup of tea for his godfather, and then said: "Godfather, my son has missed you these years."
He is forty years old, but his eyes are red at the moment, and he still has no dignity at all as the commander-in-chief of the navy.
"You are so old, you are not ashamed." Li Qing joked, and then his eyes became wet. After nearly ten years of separation, how could he, a godfather, not want his son.
"Godfather, are you in a hurry to leave when you come back this time?" Li Hong asked.
Li Qing was silent for a moment and shook his head slightly: "I have to go to Jiaozhi again. Before I leave, I came to see you."
Li Hong was stunned for a moment, with a look of disappointment on his face, "How long will it take this time?"
"About two or three years." Li Qing also felt that he was indebted, and added: "I will probably stay for a long time after returning from Jiaozhi."
Hearing this, Li Hong felt much better.
"Godfather, you have done enough. Daming is good enough now, and there is no need to run around like this."
Li Qing smiled bitterly: Silly son, how did you know that behind this good enough thing, there is also a huge crisis!
This is not what Li Hong should worry about, and Li Qing doesn't want to cause him trouble, so he changes the topic:
"Tell me about the Japanese pirates."
Li Hong nodded lightly and said: "Since the emperor cracked down on the smuggling trade with Japan, Japanese pirates have begun to proliferate. However, many of them are Han bandits; however, many of them are Han bandits;
In the new stage, maritime business is becoming increasingly difficult to do, but trade with Japan is quite profitable..."
After briefly explaining the crux, Li Hong said: "However, under normal circumstances, the Japanese pirates do business secretly and do not dare to challenge the authority of the Ming Dynasty. In March, April, September and October, they take advantage of the monsoon to try their luck, but Every time, we were beaten back by our Ming navy..."
Having said this, he paused and frowned: "Jiangnan is a heavily taxed area, and the emperor attaches great importance to this place. Due to the great help of the navy, the Japanese pirates have never obtained benefits here. However, it is also they who This is not cheap, so..."
"They will fight elsewhere," Li Qing spoke up for him, "You mean... Fujian."
Li Hong was convinced: "My godfather is wise."
"Why don't you talk to the emperor?"
"This is just my child's inference and there is no evidence." Li Hong said, "Last year at this time, there were quite a lot of Japanese pirates, but this year there are obviously a lot less. This is just my child's idea."
After a pause, he said, "Dad, if you give the Emperor such a courtesy, will it give people the impression that you want to expand your power?"
Li Qing shook his head in amusement and said calmly: "You are my godson. Based on this, no one dares to trip you up, not even the emperor, nor will he suppress you. Just don't worry."
"Hey, that's good. I'll write a memorial when I get home." Li Hong was relieved and no longer worried.
"How is the navy's combat strength?" Li Qing asked again.
"Very strong, very strong," Li Hong said. "When faced head-on, the Japanese pirates are vulnerable, but..."
He smiled bitterly and said: "It's just difficult to eradicate. There is an endless stream of profit seekers. If we beat this wave, there will be another wave. Driven by super high interests, there are too many desperate people." ωＷω.ＧoＮЬ.οrＧ
"Then fight. If they come, fight." Li Qing said, "A powerful navy will always come in handy."
Li Hong nodded and asked, "When will my godfather leave?"
"Let's go now."
"Huh? So urgent?!"
"Go early and come back early."
"Okay." Li Hong sighed softly. He didn't want to see each other again, so he had to say goodbye again. "My godfather is alone, so he must take care of himself and come back early."
"Well, my godfather is such an adult, don't worry." Li Qing smiled, stood up and said, "Okay, you can go about your business. My godfather will come back to see you after he has finished his business."
"Oh... ok." Li Hong sighed, stood up and said, "I wish my godfather a safe journey."
"Um."
Li Qing nodded, turned around and walked out.
"Godfather."
"Um?"
"Come back early." Li Hong said.
"good."
Looking at his godfather's leaving figure, Li Hong suddenly felt like crying. He really wanted to persuade his godfather to be selfish...
~
It stands to reason that when you come to Haining, you should visit Yu Qian, but...the old friend has passed away, so what can you see.
'Come back and visit him next time...'
Li Qing sighed secretly, he was actually a little timid about these things.
…
~
In the twentieth year of Chenghua, at the end of winter.
Li Qing came to Jiaozhi.
Fortunately, after he left last time, Hanhan adopted his strategy and opened many schools here to promote Chinese culture. Li Qing found someone who could speak Chinese without much effort.
Decades later, he could no longer remember where the 'Han Palace' was. Under the guidance of a guide, he finally arrived at his destination after spending more than ten days.
After more than two months of wandering, I finally met the person in charge of Jiaozhi.
——Zhu Qijin.
He is not young anymore. He is almost forty years old, with a beard all over his face. He looks no younger than Li Hong.
"Are you...an envoy from the imperial court?" Zhu Qijin felt that Li Qing looked a little familiar, but he couldn't remember it.
It's no wonder that more than twenty years have passed, and Li Qing's face had been slightly adjusted at that time, and he couldn't recognize it as normal.
"To be precise, I am replacing the Ming Dynasty court in my own name." Li Qingdao.
"In my own name..." Zhu Qijin was startled for a moment, then sneered: "Is it because of the autumn wind that I dare to love you?"
He was a little puzzled, "Thousands of miles away, are you okay?"
Li Qing touched his nose and said, "Don't you think I look familiar? Let them leave. I have something to say to you alone."
Zhu Qijin took a deep look at Li Qing and nodded slowly: "Everyone, please step back. No one is allowed to come in without permission."
"Your Majesty, don't listen to his words."
"Oh, how could a weak scholar hurt me?" Zhu Qijin said calmly, "Back off!"
"yes."
The guard commander reluctantly agreed and waved his hand, "Everyone, step back."
Zhu Qijin said: "Can we talk now?"
"My name is Li Qing, Marquis Yongqing of the Ming Dynasty." Li Qing said.
"Marquis Yongqing of the Ming Dynasty..." Zhu Qijin was stunned, and then his eyes widened, "You, you are the one... No, how is this possible?"
Zhu Qijin didn't believe it and couldn't believe it.
It is true that the two of them are very similar, but how can someone not age, or even... get younger as they live?
Faced with doubts, Li Qing took his time and told what happened that year...
At the end, he added: "Your grandfather built an ancestral hall before returning to Ming Dynasty, right?"
"Ang." Zhu Qijin nodded reluctantly. He already believed it, "You also know this?"
"You go to the ancestral hall, the secret is hidden behind your grandfather's portrait." Li Qing said, "The things inside will prove my identity."
Zhu Qijin's eyes flickered and he said suspiciously, "Isn't that right? When my grandfather and I went to Daming, you were not here."
"I have been here before. Your parents know it. If you don't believe me, you can ask him." Li Qing explained, "This is what we agreed at the time. However, you are not allowed to tell anyone about my secret."
"What's the agreement?" Zhu Qijin frowned, "If it's not allowed to be told, why tell me? What exactly do you want to do?"
Li Qing said calmly: "The agreement is to let his successor know my secret; I tell you to make you listen to me. As for what to do... I want Jiaozhi to serve the Ming Dynasty."
After a pause, "Of course, I will also reward you."
"what can you give me?"
"Let you live longer," Li Sin said.
Zhu Qijin's eyes were focused, and his heart was pounding, but he was not in a hurry to express his position.
Li Qing was not in a hurry, and just said: "You might as well go and verify it first. As for how to make a decision...it's up to you."
Zhu Qijin was silent for a while, then stood up and said, "You wait here first."
"Easy to say." Li Qing nodded with a smile, he was not in a hurry.
For people like Zhu Qijin, money, beauty, etc. have no effect on him, because he has no shortage of them.
However...he couldn't resist the temptation of living a long life.
As expected by Li Qing, Zhu Qijin returned quickly and said directly: "What exactly do you want me to do, and how long can I live longer?"
"Build a supply industry chain to serve the merchant ships of the Ming Dynasty. It needs to be big! Super big!" Li Qingdao paused and said: "Be conservative and let you live to seventy. If you are willing to obey, you can live a long life."
Li Qing smiled and asked: "How?"
Zhu Qijin pondered: "Can't I be like you?"
"Sorry, I really can't do this." Li Qing shook his head, "Don't be too greedy. Don't forget that the blood of the Zhu family is flowing in you.
Your grandfather passed down the throne to you, why? Isn’t it just for the Ming Dynasty?
You don’t have to listen to me, but you don’t even want to listen to him? Li Qing snorted, "If you are that kind of person, then he is blind." "
There is another thing Li Qing didn't say: If you really are that kind of person, I will kill you!
"You..." Zhu Qijin remembered his grandfather's teachings before his death and suppressed his anger, "Then I want to live a hundred years old."
"The premise is that you have to listen to me."
"Okay!" Zhu Qijin said, "How to do it specifically?"
"Quit being a womanizer first."
"...I want to live ninety."
"Quit being a womanizer."
"Eighty, this is the bottom line." Zhu Qijin gritted his teeth and said, "Also, how do you prove that you have that ability?"
"If you're eighty, it's not that difficult to give up on women." Li Qing nodded slowly, then smiled: "Come on, give me your hand."
