Chapter 665: I Will Avenge the Manila Massacre for You

All the members of the Huang family stood at the entrance to receive him.

Zhu Youxiao waved his hand, signalling for everyone to rise, then strode inside.

The atmosphere throughout the Huang household was somewhat sombre.

In recent years, although Huang Kezuan's reputation had suffered, no one dared to underestimate him.

Huang Kezuan had remained seated in the position of Minister of the Ministry of Justice, and was also a Grand Secretary of the Grand Secretariat — his standing was extremely secure. That in itself said a great deal.

And so at this time, there were also a great many people in the Huang household.

Before he had walked far, Zhu Youxiao spotted Han Kuang.

"Your servant Han Kuang pays his respects to Your Majesty." Seeing Zhu Youxiao, Han Kuang hurriedly bowed in salute, his tone reverent.

Zhu Youxiao glanced at Han Kuang, a hint of helplessness on his face. He sighed and said, "I know your heart is shaken to its core, but you must still take care of your health."

Han Kuang at this moment looked terribly aged, and the rims of his eyes were somewhat red.

After all, he and Huang Kezuan were roughly the same age, and over the years the two of them could be said to have formed an alliance in officialdom, with a very close relationship.

With Huang Kezuan suddenly gone, it was only natural that Han Kuang found it hard to accept. On the one hand, he had lost such an important ally; on the other, he could not help but think of himself.

Was not Huang Kezuan's today his own tomorrow?

Naturally, Han Kuang's heart was filled with grief. Hearing Zhu Youxiao's words, he hurriedly said, "Your servant thanks Your Majesty."

"How is he?" Zhu Youxiao nodded and said no more — after all, on this occasion Huang Kezuan was the one who mattered.

"To answer Your Majesty, not good." Han Kuang said hurriedly.

Turning to look at Wei Chao beside him, Zhu Youxiao asked directly, "Where is the imperial physician?"

"To answer Your Majesty, he is waiting outside." Wei Chao quickly replied.

"Then have him come in." Zhu Youxiao nodded and said.

Before long, the imperial physician walked in from outside.

He was a middle-aged man in his forties, thin of frame, with a square, upright face.

Upon seeing Zhu Youxiao, he hurriedly bowed and said, "Your servant Fang Changsheng pays his respects to Your Majesty."

This Fang Changsheng was a core figure of the great hospital, and in recent days had also presided over research into new medicines.

Fang Changsheng's health had been poor these past two years, so he no longer presided over new medicine research; on ordinary days he simply treated patients, and when he had time he would also keep an eye on the general direction of research.

This time, with Huang Kezuan fallen ill, Fang Changsheng's coming represented Zhu Youxiao's regard for Huang Kezuan.

"Enough, rise." Zhu Youxiao waved his hand and said.

At this moment he could not be bothered with pleasantries, and asked directly, "How is Minister Huang's health?"

"To answer Your Majesty, he can be saved." Fang Changsheng said directly.

Everyone in the room immediately showed delighted expressions, and the looks on their faces relaxed.

This was good news.

Zhu Youxiao included.

Even Han Kuang perked up somewhat.

"Good, good, good — then treat him well. Report whatever you need, and I will have it allocated to you." Zhu Youxiao said with a smile.

Fang Changsheng hesitated slightly, a look of embarrassment on his face. Steeling himself, he said with some helplessness, "Your Majesty, the man can be saved, but he will never recover to what he was before."

"What do you mean?" Zhu Youxiao's expression instantly turned serious as he stared at Fang Changsheng and asked.

"Minister Huang's illness is very severe. Although the rescue was timely, some things were already too late. That his life can be preserved is already the greatest fortune within misfortune. I fear he will never be able to handle affairs again — he can only spend his remaining years in retirement." Fang Changsheng said in a low voice.

So there were after-effects.

Zhu Youxiao sighed and asked, "What illness is it, exactly?"

"To answer Your Majesty, a cerebral thrombosis." Fang Changsheng did not conceal it, and said directly: "Even if cured, his movements will likely be impaired in the future, and he will need someone to care for him. As for handling official business, that will be essentially impossible. If he recovers well, he may still manage basic self-care; otherwise, I fear even that will be beyond him."

The atmosphere in the room sank once more.

Everyone understood what this meant — it meant Huang Kezuan could no longer serve as an official, and his position would have to be yielded.

The Huang family members wore expressions of both relief and helplessness.

It was good that the man could be saved. Setting everything else aside, as long as the old master of the house lived, it meant their network of connections remained.

But now that the old master was stepping down from his post, once the man left, the tea went cold — how things would fare from here on truly was hard to say.

Zhu Youxiao sighed and said with some helplessness, "Has Minister Huang woken up?"

"To answer Your Majesty, not yet." Fang Changsheng said.

"Summon Minister Huang's son!" Zhu Youxiao sighed and said.

"Yes, Your Majesty." Wei Chao acknowledged, and hurriedly turned to go fetch him.

Before long, a middle-aged man walked in from outside.

Calling him a middle-aged man was only because he was well-preserved; his actual age was probably around fifty. Judging by his appearance, there was some resemblance to Huang Kezuan around the eyes and brows.

"Your servant Huang Changsheng pays his respects to Your Majesty." Upon seeing Zhu Youxiao, the middle-aged man bowed and said.

"Rise." Zhu Youxiao nodded and said, "Which office do you serve in?"

"To report to Your Majesty, your servant serves in the Hundred Crafts Institute." Huang Changsheng said hurriedly.

Zhu Youxiao was somewhat surprised — he had not expected Huang Kezuan to have arranged for his son to be placed in the Hundred Crafts Institute.

Zhu Youxiao thought for a moment, then asked, "What do you manage?"

"To answer Your Majesty, I manage cannon-making." Huang Changsheng said hurriedly.

"Your father has served me diligently all these years, and many throughout the court have benefited from his kindness. I too hold his character and learning in high regard, so I wanted to ask — would you like me to transfer you to another office?"

"Rest assured, this is my way of rewarding your father's contributions — nothing else is involved."

"To answer Your Majesty, your servant does not wish to change offices. Making cannons is the lifelong dream of your servant. Watching cannon after cannon come into being from my hands fills my heart with joy. For the rest of my life, I wish to build cannons for Your Majesty." Huang Changsheng bowed and said.

"Why is that?" Zhu Youxiao looked at him with some puzzlement and asked.

You have to understand, as Huang Kezuan's son, he could surely pick an excellent position if he chose to become an official.

Taking up cannon-making was already somewhat strange, but who would have thought he'd actually made it his life's aspiration?

"Your servant dares not speak." Huang Changsheng said hesitantly.

"Speak." Zhu Youxiao said: "At this moment, I will not hold anything against you. Say whatever is on your mind. You've been at the Hundred Crafts Institute, so you should know how I look after people like you."

"Your servant thanks Your Majesty." Huang Changsheng acknowledged and then said directly: "Your servant was born in southern Fujian. In my youth I studied books and pursued learning, full of fervent passion, thinking only of loyalty to the sovereign and service to the state."

"But some years ago something happened. Many people from southern Fujian made their living in the South Seas. After maritime trade was opened, merchants from southern Fujian also sailed overseas to do business in the South Seas."

"In the thirty-first year of Wanli, during the 'Luzon Massacre,' after the Spanish occupied Manila, they used cannons to slaughter forty thousand people from southern Fujian in Manila. When your servant first heard of these things, I was utterly shocked."

Everyone who heard Huang Changsheng's words wore grave expressions, and they also understood why he had not dared to say these things.

Because they were connected to many of the Great Ming Dynasty's policies.

Although the seas had been opened back then, the court did not permit merchants to go out and trade. Many times, these people bypassed the Maritime Trade Supervisorate entirely and went straight out to engage in smuggling.

And when Ming commoners were killed abroad — slaughtered on such a massive scale — it was a loss of face for the Emperor.

Perhaps for another emperor, this would have been nothing. These people went out on their own; if they were killed, they had only themselves to blame.

But His Majesty today was different — everyone knew His Majesty's manner of doing things. This matter was unquestionably a slap to His Majesty's face. For Huang Changsheng to bring these things up, it would be hard to make His Majesty pleased.

Sure enough, Zhu Youxiao's face darkened. Looking at Huang Changsheng before him, he said: "So this is the reason you wanted to learn cannon-making?"

"To answer Your Majesty, it was not only your servant who was researching this — people from southern Fujian were researching it too. We not only learned the Spanish process for casting artillery, but also researched and invented ways to fuse the Great Ming's advanced iron-smelting techniques with Western bronze-casting technology, ingeniously casting new-style red barbarian cannons with bronze-and-iron barrels weighing several thousand jin."

"Not only that, we also used the test-firing opportunities after casting to secretly learn the Spanish techniques for using artillery — from ranging, aiming, adjusting elevation, loading gunpowder, all the way to the final essentials of firing. We did all of these things, originally intending to present them to the court, but it never came to pass."

"Later, when Your Majesty established the Hundred Crafts Institute, your servant entreated my father, who was then an official at court, to have us sent into the institute. That was probably the only time in my father's entire life that he abused his power for personal gain."

Speaking of this, Huang Changsheng's face turned pale, and the rims of his eyes grew redder.

Zhu Youxiao let out a sigh.

In truth, on this land, in any era there were people with such keen vision. Whether it was Xu Guangqi and his cohort, or Huang Changsheng before him now, all were the same.

After witnessing the power of the Spanish cannons, they began to endure hardship in silence, began learning to build cannons, and at the same time believed they could do it better.

And in fact, they truly did do it better. It was just that under a decaying dynasty, there was truly no room for them to display their talents.

"These years, the Hundred Crafts Institute has developed very quickly. Your Majesty has never skimped on money for the institute. Now the Great Ming's cannons are very formidable — more formidable than the Spanish ones. The Great Ming's Imperial Navy is also very formidable — more formidable than the Spanish one. Your servant's heart is at ease. If Your Majesty permits, your servant wishes to make cannons for Your Majesty for the rest of his life."

"But now my father is gravely ill, and loyalty and filial piety cannot both be fulfilled. Your servant begs Your Majesty to permit me to stay home and attend to my father." After finishing, Huang Changsheng lifted his robes and knelt directly to the ground.

Zhu Youxiao stood up immediately, walked to Huang Changsheng, reached out and helped him up, saying: "I am certainly not the kind of emperor who is unreasonable. If you want to stay home and attend to your father, then stay home and attend to your father. I will keep your official post for you. Whenever your father recovers from his illness, come back and make cannons for me."

"Your servant thanks Your Majesty!" Huang Changsheng said hurriedly.

"There is one more thing you can rest assured about — I will not let that matter go." Zhu Youxiao looked at Huang Changsheng and said with a smile: "You can go back and tell those people — the grievances of those merchants from southern Fujian, I will avenge them."

"You made cannons for me, you built ships for me. Your grievances, I accept them."

"Slaughtering the common people of my Great Ming — this matter will not end like this. Once I have dealt with the Japanese, the Imperial Navy will set sail immediately. In addition, you must speed up your work and forge another fleet."

"Your Majesty is wise and brilliant! Long live the Emperor, ten thousand years, ten thousand times ten thousand years!" Huang Changsheng knelt on the ground again and shouted loudly.

The people around him also knelt down and shouted along with him.

In truth, some people felt His Majesty was acting on impulse, but at this moment no one dared to offer counsel.

His Majesty's prestige was already at its zenith, and he conducted himself with great forcefulness. Besides, on such an occasion, whoever tried to dissuade him would be showing disrespect to His Majesty.

"Take good care of your father. Once your father wakes up, immediately send word into the palace, and I will come again." Having said this, Zhu Youxiao helped Huang Changsheng up, reached out and patted his shoulder, then turned and walked out.

"Your servant respectfully sees off Your Majesty!" Huang Changsheng hurriedly performed the ritual.

After leaving the Huang residence, Zhu Youxiao went directly back to the imperial palace.

Even though his mood had calmed, he still felt ill at ease inside.

The Manila Massacre — Zhu Youxiao felt somewhat helpless, and even more pained.

Thinking of all the things this land had experienced, he felt even more pained.

Turning his head to glance at Wei Chao, Zhu Youxiao said: "Gather everyone from the staff office. I have matters to discuss with them."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Wei Chao hurriedly acknowledged.

After the imperial decree reached the staff office, everyone was still somewhat puzzled.

Wasn't His Majesty going to see Grand Secretary Huang? Why had he suddenly summoned everyone?

Soon, word spread over, and the expressions on everyone's faces grew grave.

Clearly, the Huang family matter had put His Majesty in a bad mood. If any of them said the wrong thing or did the wrong thing, they would very likely incur His Majesty's wrath.

So everyone became extremely cautious. As for the Emperor's talk of avenging those people, no one dared to say anything.

His Majesty had already spoken the words out loud. Did you want His Majesty to break his word and lose the trust of the people? How would you have the Emperor go about this matter?

After they arrived at the palace, they were led directly to the Qianqing Palace.

Looking at the several bigwigs walking in, Zhu Youxiao said directly: "All of you, sit down. I called you here today because there is a matter I need to discuss with you."

The several men sat down with solemn expressions, waiting for Zhu Youxiao to speak.

"In these past few years, our Great Ming's military has developed rapidly. The Imperial Guard Corps has been equipping new equipment all along. The Hundred Crafts Institute has also been doing its utmost to cast, but it has always fallen short."

"The local regions don't have good weapons either. In the past, some people submitted memorials to me asking that some of these weapons be allocated; the northwest and the southern frontiers also need these good weapons, and even the garrison troops in various places need some. It's just that the court has never been able to get around to it, so nothing was done."

The several men exchanged glances — could His Majesty be planning to equip the local troops with weapons?

This would be excellent news!

No one spoke, so Zhu Youxiao continued: "The Imperial Guard Corps is now more or less fully equipped, and there won't be large-scale equipment replacement in the short term. As for the equipment produced by the Hundred Crafts Institute, I was thinking of equipping the frontier and local forces with it. I wonder what all of you, my ministers, have to say on this matter?"