Chapter 102: I want to learn a foreign language

Xu Jie was still secretly buying land and secretly annexing it. Shen Changming already knew this news and advised Xu Jie not to buy land.

Shen Changming continued: "Why are you still unwilling to give up? That Zhang Juzheng's ambition is higher than yours, his methods are more ruthless than yours, and his mind is more vicious than yours. You are the Grand Secretary in the court, yet you can't fight him. That Gao Gong fell, with thunderous momentum, and there were celestial phenomena—a guest star offending the Emperor's seat—yet Zhang Juzheng remained as stable as Mount Tai. Why are you trying to fight him? Isn't this just seeking your own death?"

"He is my student! His skills were all taught by me!" Xu Jie was still furious.

Shen Changming shook his head: "Are you sure? Have you not read his 'Theory of Contradictions'? Was that taught by you? Brother-in-law, forget it."

Before Shen Changming could finish his words, he saw the doorman rush in like the wind. The doorman was out of breath and said: "Commander Yu and the supervising eunuch Zhang Cheng and the Embroidered Uniform Guard Commander Inspector Luo Bingliang Bingliang are outside the door, submitting a visiting card, saying they want to see the Grand Tutor."

Speaking of Yu Dayou, Yu Dayou had arrived outside the door with the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Southern soldiers.

Shen Changming was terrified, and Xu Jie also stood up abruptly.

"Who?" Xu Jie's face changed several times.

"Commander Inspector Luo Bingliang Bingliang of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the one who just raided the Gu clan," the doorman said in a panic.

"Invite them in!" Xu Jie kept telling himself that his annexation was done very secretly and was held through brokers and buyers. Even if it were exposed, it would definitely not implicate him.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard doesn't know, the Embroidered Uniform Guard doesn't know! Xu Jie kept repeating to himself.

"Grand Tutor Xu." Yu Dayou, Zhang Cheng, and Inspector Luo Bingliang Bingliang walked in together. Seeing Xu Jie, they were still full of smiles.

Xu Jie also hurriedly returned the salute: "Commander Yu."

"I, Yu Dayou, am a rough person. Coming here today is mainly because the Commander has something to ask you." Yu Dayou went straight to the point, not even intending to drink a cup of water, skipping all the polite words.

Inspector Luo Bingliang Bingliang frowned and said: "Sun Keyi, Sun Wu, and others reported that Grand Tutor Xu is buying land again?"

The Embroidered Uniform Guard knows, the Embroidered Uniform Guard knows, and yet they can come to the door?

"No, absolutely not!" Xu Jie immediately waved his hands: "Since the land return, my family hasn't bought a single mu of land. The Imperial Court's grace is as heavy as a mountain. Commander, don't believe the words of villains. There is absolutely no annexation!"

"Who is the villain? Me?" Inspector Luo Bingliang Bingliang put his horse whip behind his back and said with a smile: "If there isn't, that's good. I also hope Grand Tutor Xu, as a member of the gentry, will settle the people and stabilize the region. The Imperial Court naturally won't wrong a good person, nor will it tolerate a bad person."

"Easy to say, easy to say." Xu Jie felt a layer of cold sweat on his back. The noses of these imperial court hawks are really too sharp! Just bought a few mu, and the Embroidered Uniform Guard immediately came to the door to ask about the reason.

As for Sun Keyi and Sun Wu, they are also wealthy households in Songjiang Prefecture. Sun Keyi's father, Sun Cheng'en, was the Minister of Rites during the Zhengde period, and the Songjiang Sun clan can be traced back to the Eastern Jin scholar Sun Kang.

The conflict between the Songjiang Sun clan and the Xu clan was mainly because they did business together in a cloth shop, and Xu Jie, relying on being the Grand Secretary, was demanding and encroaching. Sun Keyi's brother, Sun Kehong, gave heavy bribes to Xu Jie, seeking to be recommended for an official position, but Xu Jie took the money and didn't do the work, constantly demanding bribes. Since then, the Sun clan held a grudge.

"If there is, correct it; if not, encourage yourself." Inspector Luo Bingliang Bingliang was still full of smiles, but his tone turned serious: "Grand Tutor Xu, answer the next question carefully. If there is any error, I'm afraid it will be very difficult to explain. Don't make it difficult for me, and don't make it difficult for the Imperial Court."

"What is it?" Xu Jie was shocked. Is there anything bigger than encroachment that could bring them to the door?

Inspector Luo Bingliang Bingliang said solemnly: "In the 36th year of Jiajing, Hu Xiangmao pacified the Southeast and submitted a memorial requesting the water route documents of Zheng He's voyages to build ships and pacify the Japanese pirates."

"The Emperor of the World ordered a search for the old case files of the Ministry of War. The Minister of War, Nie Bao, searched everywhere in the Vehicle Department, whipped the officials, and ordered them to check for three days, but couldn't find the old case files. Later, the Ministry of Rites said that during the Chenghua period, the old case files were burned by the Vehicle Department Physician Liu Daxia."

"Liu Daxia said about the voyages to the Western Oceans: 'The three treasures went to the Western Oceans, costing hundreds of thousands of money and grain, and nearly ten thousand soldiers and civilians died. Even if they brought back strange treasures, what is the benefit to the country! This is just a bad policy that ministers should remonstrate against. Even if the old case files exist, they should be destroyed to pull out the roots.'"

"The old case files are gone."

"Nie Bao inspected the old files again and submitted a memorial stating that the old cases of the Southern Capital still exist. Only then did Hu Xiangmao obtain the old files to build warships to pacify the Japanese pirates and sweep away the bandits."

"Hu Xiangmao died in prison. Where are the old case files of Zheng He's voyages?"

At present, Songjiang needs to establish a Shipping Commissioner's Office and build shipyards, but to build shipyards, one must be able to build ships. The old case of Zheng He's maritime voyages has become important data for the Ming Dynasty's archaeological-style scientific shipbuilding. However, that old case was burned by Liu Daxia during the Chenghua era. But that was the copy stored in the Ministry of War in the Northern Capital; the copy in the Southern Capital remained perfectly preserved and was obtained by Hu Zongxian to build ships to pacify the Japanese pirates.

And now, the Imperial Court wants to build ships and open the sea. Those old case files finally circulated into Hu Zongxian's hands. Hu Zongxian died in Xu Jie's hands. Therefore, Inspector Luo Bingliang Bingliang came to Xu Jie to collect the debt.

Xu Jie looked troubled, seemingly unwilling to bring up this matter.

Inspector Luo Bingliang Bingliang frowned and said, putting his hand on his sword: "Grand Tutor Xu doesn't know?"

The Embroidered Uniform Guard looked at the Commander drawing his sword, and immediately prepared to draw their swords. There was a murderous atmosphere of killing if they didn't agree.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard knows, the Embroidered Uniform Guard doesn't know, and yet they can come to the door?

If you don't confess, you'll be raided.

As long as Xu Jie's answer is wrong, Inspector Luo Bingliang Bingliang will raid his home. The Imperial Court strictly prohibits encroachment. Xu Jie knowingly committed the crime. This charge is enough. Even if he is verbally attacked by the civil officials in the court, the old case files wanted by the Cabinet and the Emperor must be found!

But if Xu Jie can provide important clues and materials, then Xu Jie's knowing violation—as long as the land is returned, everyone will pretend nothing happened.

Atoning for crimes with merit.

Xu Jie, seeing the murderous expression of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, finally said: "Commander, the old case files of Zheng He's voyages are in Mao Kun's hands."

"Who is Mao Kun?" Inspector Luo Bingliang Bingliang frowned and asked.

Xu Jie replied: "Mao Kun is from Gui'an, Huzhou, Zhejiang. He was a successful candidate in the 17th year of Jiajing. In the 34th year of Jiajing, because he hated the Yan faction too much, he resigned and returned home. After Mao Kun returned home, the Japanese pirate troubles gradually arose. Mao Kun knew military affairs and, at the request of Hu Zongxian, became Hu Zongxian's staff member, helping Hu Zongxian pacify the Japanese pirates. The old case files of Zheng He's voyages were all in Mao Kun's hands."

"Yan Shifan was exiled, Hu Zongxian returned to his hometown, and Mao Kun was implicated and stripped of his official status again to return home."

Inspector Luo Bingliang Bingliang nodded in understanding, put away his sword, and said with a smile: "So that's it."

The murderous atmosphere on the Embroidered Uniform Guard dissipated. Since Xu Jie was willing to cooperate and willing to tell the problem, as long as he didn't continue to encroach, there was no need to pursue him too much. At present, the land return matter in the Southern Yamen was going very well. It was not worth destroying the overall situation for the sake of a Xu Jie.

"Grand Tutor Xu, I have a personal question. Why did you pursue Hu Xiangmao so hard back then?" Inspector Luo Bingliang Bingliang said with suspicion: "Hu Xiangmao was dismissed and stripped of his official status back then, and he was not allowed to sign official documents. The Yan faction had already collapsed, and the tree had fallen and the monkeys had scattered. Hu Xiangmao was already harmless."

"Why pursue him so hard?"

Inspector Luo Bingliang Bingliang didn't understand. Why did Xu Jie bother Hu Zongxian? Hu Zongxian was already politically dead. He couldn't sign official documents, and no one recommended him. It was impossible for Hu Zongxian to rise again.

"Isn't Hence Hai Rui in the court now?" Xu Jie didn't answer the question directly but used Hence Hai Rui as an example. The little emperor of Wanli remembered Hence Hai Rui. Using Hence Hai Rui's return to the capital pacified the criticism of the censors. Hence Hai Rui resigned and couldn't sign official documents, but didn't he go back?

People who should come back will eventually come back.

Hu Zongxian pacified the Japanese pirates in the Southeast and had great merit. As long as someone mentioned it, there was a possibility of being reused.

Inspector Luo Bingliang Bingliang said with a cold smile: "I know. It's because the Grand Tutor is afraid. If you are upright, why be afraid?"

"Commander Yu, I will go to Huzhou immediately, so I won't delay any longer." Inspector Luo Bingliang Bingliang mocked Xu Jie and headed to Huzhou with the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Yu Dayou was here to help, or rather, to watch the fun. If the Embroidered Uniform Guard and Xu's servants clashed, the Embroidered Uniform Guard had fifty people, but the Southern soldiers had three thousand. Yu Dayou wanted to see if these local snakes dared to rebel openly and clash with his Southern soldiers.

Those who dare to scratch the public law and hurt the officials who handle affairs—the national code exists, and they will definitely not be forgiven.

Xu Jie didn't have the guts to rebel. When Inspector Luo Bingliang Bingliang asked, Xu Jie answered honestly. Yu Dayou was very disappointed that he couldn't see the fun.

The big stone Shen Changming was right in front of him. If Xu Jie rebelled, Shen's family and Xu Jie were relatives by marriage, and they wouldn't be able to escape. When the time came, raid their homes and have land to raise an army, wouldn't that be good?

Yu Dayou, who didn't see the fun, didn't stay long and left the old Xu family residence with the supervising eunuch Zhang Cheng.

"Grand Tutor Xu! Brother-in-law! Look at them, look at them. I don't know how many pairs of eyes are staring at you. If you move, they will want your life. Why bother?" Shen Changming said goodbye after Yu Dayou left and advised him one last time before leaving.

Xu Jie was still unwilling. It was the unwillingness of not wanting to be compared by his own student.

And at this time, Inspector Luo Bingliang Bingliang was galloping towards Huzhou.

The Mao family of Gui'an was a family of poetry, books, ritual, and music. Everyone was a family of poetry, books, ritual, and music. Mao Kun had a great gap with the Yan faction. Mao Kun was dismissed because he hated the Yan faction too much. When the Japanese pirate troubles arose, Mao Kun, in order to support the army, sold all his family property and destroyed his home to support Hu Zongxian's pacification of the Japanese pirates. After Hu Zongxian died in prison, the Mao family had no surplus wealth, so naturally, no one pursued Mao Kun.

A lonely lamp in the tree, a wild goose in the wind in autumn.

The Mao family residence was in Maojia Lane, Gui'an County. On the left of Maojia Lane was Maojia Mountain, and a small river flowed from north to south, murmuring. Only in the western section of the lane were there a few decent white-walled and black-tiled houses in the Huizhou architectural style.

Inspector Luo Bingliang Bingliang reined in his horse and stayed. The sound of reading books came continuously from the 'Yuzhi Mountain House'.

"'Doing good brings a hundred blessings; doing evil brings a hundred disasters. Do not fail to do good because it is small; do not do evil because it is small.' These four sentences should be worn for a lifetime."

"'The two words for passing down the family are farming and reading; the two words for prospering the family are frugality and diligence; the two words for settling the family are yielding and patience; the two words for guarding the family are theft and treachery.'"

Inspector Luo Bingliang Bingliang dismounted, took out his waist tag and visiting card, stepped forward, and handed over the visiting card, waiting for the doorman to pass the news of his visit inside.

"Put away the sword, what if you scare the children!" Inspector Luo Bingliang Bingliang scolded the company commander. This company commander dismounted and took out his sword. This posture was a bit scary.

"Aren't we here to raid the house?" the company commander asked suspiciously.

"Are we?"

The company commander asked again: "Aren't we?"

When the Embroidered Uniform Guard visits the gentry, it's either raiding the house or questioning the case, so naturally, they have to be fierce. The company commander relied on path dependency and showed a fierce expression as soon as he arrived, with the face of an imperial court hawk.

Inspector Luo Bingliang Bingliang shook his head and said: "No. What's there to raid in this Mao family? Looking at it, it's just a three-entry courtyard with one pavilion."

Mao Kun heard that the Embroidered Uniform Guard was visiting, his face was solemn, and he sighed: "My life is over."

"Father." Mao Guojin also supported his father with a sad face.

What should come will eventually come. Over the years, the Mao family had been deaf to things outside the window and focused on reading the sages' books, but they still couldn't escape the pursuit.

Mao Kun couldn't sign official documents, so he didn't know about the wind in the court. Their family didn't have much land, so the land return storm didn't spread to his home

Therefore, when Mao Kun heard that the Embroidered Uniform Guard had come to visit, he assumed they had come to pursue the Yan Dang, and naturally assumed they had come to kill him.

Zhang Juzheng was Xu Jie's student, and Zhang Juzheng followed the same path as Xu Jie. Pursuing the Yan Dang and attacking political opponents—wasn't that a very normal thing?

Mao Kun brought his son, Mao Guojin, to the door to welcome the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

"This commoner pays respects to the Heavenly Envoy." Mao Kun and Mao Guojin knelt on the ground and kowtowed to the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

"Master Lumen, please rise quickly." Inspector Luo Bingliang Bingliang hurriedly stepped forward to help Mao Kun up and said with a smile, "Old gentleman, you are too polite."

The Embroidered Uniform Guard were soon invited into the Mao family residence. After Mao Kun was stripped of his official status and returned home, although he had no surplus wealth, he was a legitimate Jinshi degree holder and had opened a private school. In this Huzhou area, there were quite a few people who sent their children to him, and the tuition was enough for Mao Kun and the Mao family to get by.

The name "Master Lumen" was acquired on the day Mao Kun opened his private school, when a deer walked past the door, and he took the name from that.

"Hu Zongxian's unjust case of dying in prison has already been redressed by the court. This visit is not for pursuit; the old gentleman is overthinking it." Inspector Luo Bingliang Bingliang saw Mao Kun's nervousness and unease and explained with a smile.

"The injustice has been redressed?" Mao Kun, who had originally taken a step forward, widened his eyes upon hearing this and asked in shock.

Inspector Luo Bingliang Bingliang nodded and said, "The court has bestowed the posthumous title 'Xiangmao'."

"Heaven has eyes! Heaven has eyes! Master Hu's spirit in heaven can finally rest in peace." Upon hearing this, Mao Kun's face showed shock, followed by overwhelming joy. Then, his expression turned sorrowful, his legs went weak, and he collapsed to the ground, trembling as he spoke to himself.

Hu Zongxian had been exonerated. The sword that had been hanging over the Mao family could finally be removed. His children could go to take the imperial examinations, and the noose around his neck could finally be loosened. This was the greatest news.

"His Majesty is wise! His Majesty is wise!" Mao Kun knelt on the ground, kowtowing incessantly toward the north and shouting continuously.

Mao Guojin hurriedly stepped forward and said, "Father, Father, the Heavenly Envoy is still here."

Only then did Mao Kun stand up and hurriedly say, "Oh, oh. Hearing this news for the first time, tears have soaked my clothes. I have let the Heavenly Envoy see a laughingstock. Please forgive me."

For the people of Zhejiang, Hu Zongxian, who pacified the Japanese pirates, was their heaven. For Mao Kun, he didn't care whether Hu Zongxian was part of the Yan Dang; as long as he could kill the Japanese pirates and bring peace to the region, he was a prominent official.

In the eyes of many Zhejiang people, Hu Zongxian's death in prison was because he refused to harbor pirates to increase his own importance. Hu Zongxian really led Tan Lun, Qi Jiguang, Yu Dayou, and others to completely pacify the Japanese pirate threat, which was why Hu Zongxian died in prison.

If the Japanese pirate threat in the southeast had not been pacified, would the court—or rather, Xu Jie—have dared to move against Hu Zongxian?

Fortunately, Hu Zongxian's unjust case had finally been redressed.

"Son, go to the village and buy a pig. Today, we must treat the Embroidered Uniform Guard well." The smile on Mao Kun's face spread, as if the spring light of Maojia Lane filled the courtyard.

Inspector Luo Bingliang Bingliang shook his head and said, "No need to trouble yourself. We are on official business. This visit is for the old case of Zheng He's maritime voyages."

Inspector Luo Bingliang Bingliang explained his purpose. The court now needed these old cases for opening the seas. Even if they were things from nearly two hundred years ago, for the current Ming Dynasty, they were precious data and experience that had to be found.

"Easy to say, easy to say. Everyone, please follow me." Upon hearing this, Mao Kun led the Embroidered Uniform Guard to the Baihua Tower, which was the Mao family's library.

"So many books?" Inspector Luo Bingliang Bingliang looked at the Baihua Tower in extreme surprise. This Mao family residence was filled with books, as far as the eye could see; there were at least a dozen rooms full of them.

Had the Mao family fallen into decline? These books seemed to be proof of that.

Mao Kun picked up the *Baihua Tower Book Catalog*, flipping through it to find where the old case files were stored. Hearing Inspector Luo Bingliang Bingliang's exclamation, he smiled and said, "Back then, the Japanese pirate threat arose everywhere, and smoke of war filled the southeast for a thousand miles. Master Hu sent someone to ask me to be his advisor. To assist the army, I sold everything in the house that could be sold. In these chaotic times, books are the least valuable things; no one bought them, so they were left behind."

"I have let the Embroidered Uniform Guard see a laughingstock. These are all family-inherited collections, mainly focusing on Tang and Song literary transcripts."

Mao Kun appeared poor, but if he were after wealth, he could have pulled out a few of these ancient books to sell, and this residence could have been expanded by at least dozens of acres.

In chaotic times, books are worthless; with the Japanese pirate threat pacified and culture flourishing again, these books were now extremely valuable.

"Found it. Nine Studies, Ten Departments, Two Histories, Mo Xiang Pavilion. Everyone, please follow me." Mao Kun walked past the dazzling array of books, arrived at the Mo Xiang Pavilion, bent down, dragged out several book chests, and said with a smile, "They are all here."

*Charts of the Treasure Fleet Sailing from Longjiang Pass Directly to Foreign Countries*.

Inspector Luo Bingliang Bingliang opened the book chest and began to inspect them: twenty pages of sea charts, one hundred and nine navigation routes, four pages of star-sighting charts for crossing the ocean, seventeen volumes of the *Longjiang Shipyard Records*, *Yingya Shenglan*, *Xingcha Shenglan*, *Xiyang Fanguozhi*, and several other books, all neatly arranged in several chests.

"Thank you, old gentleman, for preserving them so perfectly. I will certainly report to His Majesty and request a reward for you." Inspector Luo Bingliang Bingliang packed up the books and expressed his gratitude to Mao Kun.

Mao Kun smiled and said, "These are all things belonging to the court and should be returned. It was just that the court situation was chaotic at the time. Now they are returned to their rightful owner."

Seeing that the Embroidered Uniform Guard were about to leave, Mao Guojin hurriedly said, "Heavenly Envoys, since you have come, why not eat before leaving?"

"No need. Everyone, please stay. We are in a hurry to return and report. The court needs these urgently, so we won't stay any longer." Inspector Luo Bingliang Bingliang did not linger. After obtaining the items, he headed straight for Songjiang Prefecture. Once there, he had to hurry to copy them and then send the originals back to the capital.

The special envoy of the Great Fulangji (Spain), Li Yashi, entered the capital almost at the same time as this batch of old case files. Along the way, Li Yashi truly felt like "Granny Liu entering the Grand View Garden," having his eyes opened.

Throughout his journey, he felt more and more that the Governor of the Philippines, Francisco, was dreaming. Without any generational gap in military equipment, relying on a few thousand or tens of thousands of men to incorporate China into their territory was simply impossible.

Look at those armies, look at those bureaucrats. In such a vast country, with just a few thousand or tens of thousands of men, they wanted to conquer it?

After Li Yashi entered the capital, the Ministry of Rites and the Court of Ceremonial began to teach him the etiquette and laws of the Ming Dynasty. The etiquette of kneeling and kowtowing five times and bowing three times to the Emperor took Li Yashi five full days to learn before he looked the part.

The Ming court conference had already ended when the sun was high. Zhang Juzheng, who was responsible for the lecture sessions, did not immediately let the readers and lecturers begin their studies.

"Wang Daokun actually didn't write to Mao Kun to tell him about Hu Zongxian's exoneration?" Zhu Yijun held various memorials from the eunuch Zhang Cheng, the Embroidered Uniform Guard Inspector Luo Bingliang Bingliang, the Governor Wang Daokun, and the Regional Commander Yu Dayou. Looking at the memorials together, he could basically sort out what had happened in Songjiang Prefecture recently.

Zhang Juzheng held his hands and said with a smile, "Mao Kun did not sign official documents. The old case has been retrieved. Your servant congratulates Your Majesty, and congratulates the Great Ming."

The shipbuilding project for the Songjiang Shipping Commissioner's Office finally had a good start. So what if it was archaeological-style shipbuilding? At least there was something to research. If the Ming Dynasty wanted to rebuild its ships and start over, once these old cases were understood and clarified, the shipbuilding project could begin.

This made Zhang Juzheng breathe a sigh of relief. These old cases could accelerate the Ming Dynasty's recovery of its maritime glory.

The water at Yue Port was shallow, and they were all two-masted merchant ships, which was why they called the Great Fulangji's large ships "galleons."

Zhang Juzheng bowed and said, "Your servant requests to restore Mao Kun's official status and grant his son, Mao Guojin, the status of a student at the Imperial Academy, to commend his merit in offering the old case files."

Zhu Yijun put down the memorial and said with deep emotion, "Approved! Also, give Master Mao a plaque for 'ruining his family to save the country' to honor his merit in stabilizing the southeast. I am young and my calligraphy is not yet strong, so I will have the Grand Secretary write it on my behalf."

"Your servant's calligraphy is also not very good." Zhang Juzheng, however, pushed the matter away.

Write on his behalf?

When the Emperor bestows a plaque, for him, a minister, to write it on his behalf would be ironclad proof of usurping imperial power. Was the little Emperor finding him not enough trouble, and looking for things to do?

Seeing that Zhang Juzheng wouldn't take the bait, Zhu Yijun said with slight regret, "Alright, then I will write it myself."

"Back to business. What does the Grand Secretary think about the audience with the Great Fulangji envoy, Li Yashi?" Zhu Yijun returned to business. Regarding the diplomatic relations between the Ming Dynasty and Spain, the Emperor and the Grand Secretary were testing the waters in advance.

Zhang Juzheng pondered and deliberated repeatedly, then bowed and said, "Foreign envoys from afar have never seen the etiquette of the court. If we do not show them the rituals first and have them practice, I fear that once they are terrified by the imperial majesty, they will be flustered and make mistakes, which would not reflect the brilliance of the court's virtue. I humbly request that Your Majesty set the date for the ceremony and order the Ministry of Rites to imitate it slightly, which would be appropriate."

"Does the Grand Secretary mean that he can be seen?" Zhu Yijun's eyes lit up, and he asked with a smile.

The Minister of Rites, Wan Shihe, was firmly opposed to the little Emperor seeing foreign envoys, on the grounds that the Emperor was too young to intimidate them. Once these red-haired barbarians saw a young ruler and a suspicious state, they would develop a sense of neglect, which might lead to border troubles. Therefore, Wan Shihe's meaning was that the Ministry of Rites and the Court of Ceremonial should just communicate with Li Yashi.

The year before last, after the Longqing Emperor passed away, Altan Khan gathered his troops, intending to go south to bully the orphans and widows. Wang Chonggu, Wu Dui, and others wrote to San Niangzi, telling her not to act rashly. Qi Jiguang led one hundred thousand troops, just waiting for Altan Khan to lead his troops into the trap. If war were lightly started, the consequences would be borne by themselves.

San Niangzi persuaded Altan Khan, and the barbarians did not go south.

The reason Dong Huli dared to knock on the gates to demand rewards was also because he thought the Emperor was young and easy to bully, but he ended up being completely wiped out by Qi Jiguang.

In the first year of Wanli, under feudal etiquette, the Emperor was heaven. The Emperor's passing was a matter of heaven collapsing and earth shattering.

The Han Dynasty was unfortunate, and the imperial lineage lost its control.

Wan Shihe went from one extreme to another. Originally, Wan Shihe had been clamoring to "treat the distant people gently," but later, after seeing the notes of the red-haired barbarians captured at Tunmen, he changed from the extreme of "gentleness" to the extreme of "wolf-faced and beast-hearted."

Wan Shihe's studies were progressing daily, just like the little Emperor's, but running from one extreme to another was too extreme.

Zhang Juzheng's meaning was that the barbarians did not know etiquette, so they should first teach the Spanish envoy Li Yashi the rituals and laws, and then have him practice. Otherwise, if the envoy were terrified by the imperial majesty and became flustered, causing an incident of improper conduct, it would not be in line with the dignity of the court.

"The Grand Secretary is also joking. My virtue is cool and I am young; how could I make Li Yashi terrified by the imperial majesty? The Grand Secretary should just arrange it." Hearing Zhang Juzheng's rhetoric, Zhu Yijun also smiled. The red-haired barbarians were different from the Han people; Zhang Juzheng was afraid that Li Yashi looked too ugly and would scare the little Emperor.

The little Emperor actually wanted to say that the red-haired barbarians couldn't scare him; he had even studied Western action movies.

Zhang Juzheng said very solemnly, "Your Majesty, your servant believes that we should send envoys to the West to collect information on the ugliness and beauty of the people of various countries, the differences in customs, the differences in local products, the systems of territory, and compile them into volumes. Heaven is always changing, and people are also changing. Some time ago, Your Majesty asked your servant where the Great and Small Fulangji actually were, and why they both came from the West, and why one could reach our Great Ming from both the East and the West."

"Your servant is ashamed. I wasted several months, and only managed to figure out that the Great Fulangji seem to be intending to annex the Small Fulangji recently. That captain, Antonio, is currently the first in line and the only heir after the death of the King of the Small Fulangji, Henrique."

Antonio had a nickname on the ship called "King." According to the descriptions of the sailors on the galleons, the old King of the Small Fulangji, Henrique, was in poor health, and Antonio was the first in line and the only heir. The other female heir, the Duchess of Braganza, Catarina, had voluntarily withdrawn.

The old King Henrique did not like Antonio, so, using the excuse of "for the happiness and tranquility of my kingdom and subjects," he forced Antonio to leave the Small Fulangji.

And the Great Fulangji were eyeing the Small Fulangji covetously, seemingly waiting for the old King to die to annex the territory of the Small Fulangji.

Zhu Yijun thought for a moment and asked, "Who does the Grand Secretary think is suitable to go to the West?"

"Gao Qiyu." Zhang Juzheng said a name.

The matter Gao Qiyu handled was too taboo. His Majesty only let Gao Qiyu go to Suzhou to investigate the return of farmland. This little merit was simply not enough for the Emperor to forgive him. Only by going to the West through life and death, visiting the local customs, and bringing the news back could it be considered a meritorious service.

"Gao Qiyu does not understand the language of the barbarians, nor does he understand maritime affairs. Send him?" Zhu Yijun hesitated, still feeling that Gao Qiyu was not a suitable candidate. He didn't know foreign languages, couldn't swim, and if he went out to sea to ride the wind and waves, he feared he would die on the road before he even arrived.

Zhang Juzheng bowed and said, "He can learn."

"Then let it be him. When the large ships arrive at port next year, let him go." Zhu Yijun still gave some time for Gao Qiyu to prepare before setting off.

"Your servant obeys the decree."

Zhang Juzheng was ruthless. As his subordinate, Gao Qiyu had done something Zhang Juzheng had not permitted. Zhang Juzheng had submitted several memorials requesting heavy punishment.

"Grand Secretary, when the envoy enters the capital, the interpreters in the middle will always have errors, omissions, or deceptions. I intend to learn foreign languages." Zhu Yijun said.

Hearing this, Zhang Juzheng also frowned, but after pondering repeatedly, he finally said, "This... your servant thinks it is not impossible."

The little Emperor's neglect of his proper duties had been going on for a long time. For a Ming Emperor to learn foreign languages was not a rare thing. The Ming Wuzong Emperor, Zhu Houzhao, was proficient in the language of the Small Fulangji, so learning foreign languages was not considered too rebellious.

"Then I will trouble the Grand Secretary. Let us begin the lecture." Hearing that Zhang Juzheng did not oppose his little hobby, Zhu Yijun began his daily studies full of smiles.

In the sunny afternoon, Zhu Yijun came to the Martial Arts Room and saw a suit of armor. This was a plate armor from the West brought by Li Yashi as a congratulatory gift. It was baked blue all over, with gold-inlaid patterns, and the armor shone brilliantly in the sunlight.

It was a Greenwich-style plate armor, exceptionally bulky and massive.

"Summon General Qi for an audience." Zhu Yijun was like a curious baby, looking left and right, feeling quite curious about this thing.

Professional matters should naturally be left to professionals. Whether this thing was good or not, he had to let General Qi evaluate it.

Qi Jiguang soon arrived at the Martial Arts Room. Hearing the Emperor's command, he stepped forward to examine it, touching it here and looking at it there, nodding continuously, occasionally measuring it, and finally returned to the little Emperor and said, "Your Majesty, your servant has finished examining it."

"How is this armor?" Zhu Yijun asked with a smile, "Can our Great Ming forge it?"

Qi Jiguang thought for a moment and said, "We can forge it. The armor is very good. The curved surface can effectively deflect arrows and dissipate force. The steel plate is thick, more than twice as thick as our Ming cloth-covered armor. Being thick means it is heavy—over fifty catties—but its defensive capability is extremely strong."

"It only has one shortcoming."

"What is it?" Zhu Yijun asked curiously.

Qi Jiguang said with regret, "Although the waist and abdomen are connected by soft steel, which is a weak point, hitting it is a difficult matter. Its biggest shortcoming is that it is expensive. Not counting this decorative pattern, forging one such plate armor could make five pieces of cloth-covered armor."

Being expensive has many advantages; its only shortcoming is that it is expensive.

The Ming court was extremely poor. This armor was good, but it could not be equipped on a large scale. For Qi Jiguang, armor that could not be equipped was not a good item.

Qi Jiguang had always advocated loving his soldiers like his own children, treating the soldiers as his own close friends and confidants so that the soldiers would treat their generals as their own close friends and confidants. This armor was good in every way, but it was expensive.

The Ming Dynasty's cloth-covered armor had three layers: an outer layer of compressed cotton, a middle layer of steel plates, and an inner layer of cotton, riveted with copper nails. The defensive power of this composite armor was also very strong, but it was cheap—about one-fifth of the price for two-thirds of the protection.

"Can General Qi shoot through it?" Zhu Yijun asked with some curiosity.

Qi Jiguang smiled and said, "I can."

Updating sixteen thousand words every day is really a lot. There will be typos; if you all point them out, I will correct them. I hope everyone will be understanding. Please vote for monthly tickets, Awoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(End of chapter)