The seawater surged onto the beach and slowly receded, washing away a string of footprints.
Seagulls are chirping and coconut trees are rustling.
Zheng He stopped, looked at the sea, and said to Zheng Bo, the envoy of Srivijaya beside him: "Chen Zuyi is ambitious. Once he is given a chance, he is likely to rise again. Since King Srivijaya is willing to surrender to the Ming Dynasty, Our emperor has promised that the naval fleet will be ordered to go south. The preparations are now complete and the voyage will be within the next two days."
Uncle Zheng said solemnly: "Then I'll have you, Deputy Chief Soldier."
Zheng He shook his head slightly, pointed to the sea, and asked: "Did Ambassador Zheng meet any Muslim believers in Srivijaya?"
Zheng Bo knew that Zheng He believed in Muslims. He pointed his finger to the west and sighed: "I met some more than ten years ago and heard that they come from far away places. However, in recent years, the people there seem to have stopped coming to the east. "
"Tianfang!"
Zheng He clenched his fists.
That is a sacred place, a holy place in the heart of every Muslim! I don’t know when I will be able to go to the heavenly place, touch the holy stone, and express my heartfelt voice to Allah.
"Sir, I heard that it is a very long way."
Uncle Zheng reminded gently.
Zheng He looked at the sea and said calmly: "People with faith are never afraid of the long journey."
Uncle Zheng looked at Zheng He with respect. He was a resolute, wise and brave commander.
Zhang Yu looked behind him and shouted to Zheng He: "Deputy Commander-in-Chief, Duke Cao Guo is here."
Zheng He retracted his thoughts and turned towards Li Jinglong. Li Jinglong and Xu Zengshou walked over barefoot.
"Zheng He met General Li and Deputy General Xu."
"Haha, don't be too polite."
Li Jinglong smiled and said to Zheng He: "The imperial court allows merchants to sail to Nanyang. The news cannot be stopped. At present, Guangzhou merchants have approached me several times, hoping to allow the navy fleet to sail to Nanyang."
Zheng He shook his head slightly and refused: "The imperial court only allows the merchant caravans from the capital to enter Nanyang, and Guangzhou merchants are not included in the permission. Navy Kuang has to protect sixty merchant ships, which is already the limit. If we spread our strength further, the navy will not be able to take care of both. Once there is danger, they will lose their men and goods, and the navy will not be able to explain to their families, nor to the court."
Li Jinglong frowned and argued: "Having said that, it's okay to give them a little convenience, without the need for escort, and let them follow the fleet."
Zheng He looked at Li Jinglong and said seriously: "It's not that Zheng He doesn't give them convenience, it's that the emperor's order cannot be violated. General, the imperial court has not explicitly lifted the sea ban. The current sea policy is still not to go to the sea, even to the south." Merchant ships also use official names."
Li Jinglong knew this, but Guangzhou businessmen repeatedly gave gifts and each spent generously, which made Li Jinglong feel a little itchy. He originally wanted to arrange a few ships to go in through the relationship between Liao Wang Zhu Zhi, but Zhu Zhifei said that he was a businessman and did not have this power.
In desperation, Li Jinglong had no choice but to find Zheng He in person, but judging from Zheng He's attitude, he was not going to open the door of convenience.
"If that's the case, then reject them."
After Li Jinglong said a few words, he returned to the shore.
When Li Zengzhi saw his brother coming, he hurriedly greeted him and asked, "Brother, how are you? Has Zheng He agreed?"
Li Jinglong shook his head, his face gloomy.
After all, he was Cao Guogong, but Zheng He didn't even give him this face. Wasn't it just a matter of arranging a few ships that didn't require him to work hard? He could just close his eyes and pretend to see them, wasn't it?
Li Zengzhi gritted his teeth and said, "This Zheng He is really ignorant! Brother, we must think of a way."
"What are you thinking of? Zheng He is the deputy commander-in-chief of the navy fleet. According to the regulations of the imperial court, all navy commanders in the world must be at his disposal. All the ships in our Yangjiang Shipyard are under his control. If he says not to take them, your piece of wood will be useless. Don’t go out to the sea!”
Li Jinglong was so angry that he kicked over the wine table.
When Xu Zengshou saw this, he was also a little depressed.
No one dares to do so without the permission of the court
Let the merchants enter the sea privately, otherwise once the news reaches the court, everyone will be in trouble. Even though they started from scratch here and built the Yangjiang Shipyard to protect the South China Sea border!
"Return the things to the merchant."
Li Jinglong said reluctantly.
Li Zengzhi was a little embarrassed. He looked at Li Jinglong uneasily and said, "Brother, you can return the money, but, I, I..."
"What are you?"
Li Jinglong looked at Li Zengzhi coldly.
Li Zengzhi lowered his head and whispered: "The day before yesterday, a businessman sent a pearl diver, and I have promised to take her back to the capital..."
"you……"
Li Jinglong didn't expect that his younger brother would be so bold, and he stepped forward to fight him.
Li Zengzhi knelt down quickly and shouted with full of grievance: "Brother, this is Yangjiang. We brothers are here to build boats for the court and fight pirates. We come in wind and rain, but in the end there is not even a woman around us!" "
"Nowadays, merchants are just entrusting us to do some small things, and Zheng He doesn't need to spend half a cent. Why should he not agree? Brother, Zheng He is just a eunuch, and commanding an army is against the ancestral system, and you are the Duke of the Ming Dynasty. My personal request was rejected, when did the eunuchs have the final say in the Ming Dynasty?"
Li Jinglong knew that his younger brother was lecherous and even dared to go to Jiaofangsi during Taizu's period of filial piety. He originally thought that the sea would make him a man, but now it seems that he can only say:
It’s hard to change your nature!
A pearl diver made him fall.
"Sir, maybe there is a chance for this matter to turn around."
Xu Zengshou said suddenly.
Li Jinglong kicked Li Zengzhi away and said to Xu Zengshou: "Where did the opportunity come from? Zheng He didn't agree, and the Guangzhou merchants wanted to go to sea. That was just wishful thinking. If we violate the emperor's order and the news reaches the emperor's ears, we will never return to the capital. .”
Xu Zengshou shook his head slightly and said with a smile: "I have a plan, which is to let Guangzhou merchants go to Nanyang and leave Zheng He speechless. Even if the emperor knows about it, he will not implicate us."
Li Jinglong's eyes lit up. Xu Da's descendants were smart and asked, "Is there such a good way?"
Xu Zengshou held the pearl of wisdom in his hand and said: "Of course."
Shen Yiyuan stood on the dock, watching the waiter replenish food, fresh water, fruits and other supplies, and advised Run Niang beside him: "You should stay and go to Guangzhou Mansion to wait for my return."
"I must follow you to Nanyang. I also want to do business."
Runniang said persistently.
"You are a rich lady, how can you endure such hardship? Besides, I can't bear it..."
Shen Yiyuan was a little helpless, there was nothing he could do against Run Niang.
Runniang stepped on the stone, looked at the sea, opened her arms to face the sea breeze, and said: "In the past, I always thought that money was easy to come by, but I didn't know that my husband was tired. Now that I have come here, I realize that it is so difficult for merchants to sell goods. "
"I know it's difficult, but I still go with it."
Shen Yiyuan still wanted to blame, but he heard some movement behind him and couldn't help but turn around and look.
Huang Facai, Wang Zhongfu, and Qin Heng arrived together, their expressions a little gloomy.
After Shen Yiyuan said hello, he couldn't help but ask: "Brothers, didn't you just go ashore for a walk and buy some goods? The sky was clear when you went there, but now there are dark clouds?"
Huang Facai opened his mouth and sighed.
Qin Heng's face was a little ugly, and he said to Shen Yiyuan: "I'm going to Nanyang, which costs a lot of money and has been prepared for a long time. I originally wanted to seize this first advantage and become rich, but now Guangzhou businessmen are also involved. We want to go to Nanyang." It may be difficult to seek great profits again.”
"Guangzhou merchants? It's impossible. Without the imperial court's will, who dares to let Guangzhou merchants go to sea?"
Shen Yiyuan was a little stunned. The news came too suddenly.
Wang Zhongfu kicked a stone away and gritted his teeth and said: "There is no imperial decree, but some people have many tricks. Deputy General Zheng did not allow Guangzhou merchants to go to Nanyang, so they found the Srivijaya envoy Zheng Bo, and Xu Yi Good thing, now Guangzhou businessmen are organizing
Weaving a fleet of ships and going to sea in the name of Srivijaya envoys purchasing ships! "
"Isn't this nonsense?!"
Shen Yiyuan couldn't believe it.
Huang Facai snorted coldly and said: "What can I do? The person standing behind the Guangzhou businessman is Cao Guogong. Not to mention Deputy General Zheng, even the Chief Envoy and Dusi of Guangzhou need to look at his face and let him give in. !”
"We're going to lose a lot of money this time!"
Wang Zhongfu gritted his teeth.
How much goods are there, how much they are worth, and how much profits there are are all there.
Although businessmen have never studied marketing, they also know that rare things are more valuable. If there are too many goods, the price will fall and the profit will be less.
"Brother Shen, you always have a lot of ideas. Think of a way to compete with Guangzhou businessmen?"
Qin Heng asked.
"Yes, we can't let them take advantage of us. We let them interfere with this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. We really can't stand it. Once the imperial court lifts the sea ban, such an opportunity will never appear again."
Huang Facai shouted with a gloomy face.
Shen Yiyuan thought for a moment, then shook his head and said: "In my opinion, this is actually not a big deal."
"how to say?"
Wang Zhongfu couldn't help but ask.
Shen Yiyuan pointed to the sea and said: "The sea is very big and can accommodate many ships. The Ming Dynasty is very large and can also accommodate more merchants. What we are worried about is nothing more than the freight transportation to the capital after Guangzhou merchants pick up goods from Nanyang." . But I think what they want is nothing more than the land of Guangdong and Guangxi. Whether it’s the capital, South Zhili or North Zhili, it’s still ours.”
"In that case..."
Huang Facai's face looked a little better. As long as it didn't affect his own interests, it wouldn't be a problem.
However, the original plan to sell goods in Guangzhou could only be transferred to Fujian, Jiangsu, Zhejiang and other places to sell them first, and then return to the capital for sale.
Shen Yiyuan smiled and reassured several people: "There are too many places in the Ming Dynasty that need food. How many ships can Guangzhou merchants raise? Uncle Zheng is an envoy. If he goes too far, the Ming navy will be unhappy. So. , you can rest assured.”
woo woo woo woo!
A dull sound echoed from the sea. Shen Yiyuan and others squinted and saw a few small boats floating on the sea, with ships from the Ming Navy guarding them on both sides.
"Where is this businessman from?"
Qin Heng asked as he put up an awning with his hands.
Shen Yiyuan shook his head, his face became serious, and he said: "He is a foreign envoy. It is still early before the New Year. It may not be a good thing for an envoy to come at this time."
Zheng He led Zhu Neng, Zhang Yu and others to stand on the pier, looking at the envoys from the Champa Kingdom with disgust in their eyes.
"Your Majesty, Monk Yegya, has been commissioned by the King of Champa, Luo Aai, to come to the capital and pay homage to the King of Heaven."
Yejia monk looked at the people of Daming from a distance and almost cried. It was not easy to run to Daming.
Zheng He didn't like Ye Jia Sengyuan, and he didn't like the king of Champa even more.
In the 22nd year of Hongwu, King Adaa of Champa was killed in a battle with the Chen Dynasty of Annan. As a general, Luo Aai took advantage of the chaos and seized the position of king of Champa. Adaa's son became the king of Champa. Manunan and Zhishanna fled for fear of being killed.
In the 24th year of Hongwu's reign, Luo Ai sent envoys to pay tribute to the Ming Dynasty. Zhu Yuanzhang believed that Luo Ai had killed Ata'a. He despised him as a subordinate and refused to pay tribute to the envoys who occupied the city. It was not until the 30th year of Hongwu that the city was occupied again. Gong Daming.
The king of Champa had an improper identity, and the Ming Dynasty sergeants did not have much favorable impressions of him.
"It's a long time since the New Year, so it's not the right time to come to the capital to celebrate the New Year, right? Is there anything urgent for the envoy to come to Ming Dynasty?"
Zheng He asked with a straight face.
"Please ask the Ming Dynasty to send troops to save the city from water and fire."
Ye Jia Seng Yuan was mentally exhausted and shouted with a vicissitudes of life on his face.
——
PS:
Mecca, the birthplace of Islam, was not called Mecca in ancient China, but Tianfang.
Please give me monthly votes, recommendation votes and reminders for updates. Thank you Jingxue.
