"Your Majesty, just now Lord Wei said that he would start in Beijing first, and the minister thinks that it is best to try it only among the officials in Beijing, especially among the officials below the seventh grade, and it is best not to expand it to the people." Feng Quan said.

"Yes, you can discuss specific matters with Wei Aiqing." Zhu Youxiao said: "It's hard for me to come out for a walk, don't talk about business." ”

"Yes, Your Majesty." Feng Quan hurriedly said.

"Do you see the ship? I built it myself! Zhu Youxiao pointed to a painting boat in the Yuyuan Lake.

"Wonderful, it's really wonderful, no wonder Wei Chen just saw this painting boat and felt extraordinary, it turned out to be made by His Majesty, it was really wonderful, and it was amazing." Feng Quan hurriedly said.

Wei Zhongxian also nodded and said: "Whoever looks at this ship admires His Majesty's unique skill, such a unique skill, only His Majesty has it in the world." ”

Wei Bao smiled slightly, but he didn't speak, secretly thinking about you two sycophants.

It's not that Wei Bao doesn't want to pat himself, but he just thinks that in front of such an explicit sycophant as Wei Zhongxian and Feng Quan, no matter how he shoots, it is difficult to surpass.

Seeing that Wei Bao didn't speak, Zhu Youxiao smiled and said, "Wei Aiqing, what do you think?" This painting boat, as well as the pavilion over there, are all built by my own hands, I just want to hear my opinion, you are from the western part of Liaoning, are there any strange buildings outside the Saiwai? ”

"Back to Your Majesty, the minister also thinks that Your Majesty's craftsmanship is wonderful and wonderful. The outside of the plug is not as good as Jiangnan, and the building is basically sturdy and durable, to resist wind and cold, and there is no exquisite craftsmanship in Jiangnan. Wei Bao said.

Zhu Youxiao nodded when he heard this, "Yes, only rich places will pay attention to it, just like many poor families, they are glad to have a tile to cover the roof, so why pay attention to it?" ”

Wei Bao heard Zhu Youxiao say this, and secretly thought that the emperor was not completely confused, at least he knew in his heart that he was pretending to be a little common man, but it was a pity that you usually don't care about, and you don't even go to the court, even if you have a little bit of common people in your heart, what can you do?

"Your Majesty, listening to Lord Wei's tone, it seems that he is very familiar with the buildings everywhere, since Your Majesty wants to hear people's opinions on His Majesty's masterpieces, why don't you let Lord Wei talk about it, is there any deficiency in Your Majesty's buildings?" Feng Quan cunningly dug a pit for Wei Bao. It seems to be said casually, but it contains evil intentions.

"Yes, Wei Aiqing, you can talk about it." Zhu Youxiao suddenly fell into the pit, "You just say it, it doesn't matter." ”

Wei Bao said with a smile: "Weichen is only a shallow learner, where can he dare to comment on His Majesty's masterpiece at will?" Since Lord Feng said so, it must have been Lord Feng who saw that there was something wrong with His Majesty's masterpiece? Anyway, Weichen can't see it. ”

"Where did I say that?" Feng Quan hurriedly said.

"Okay, okay, it's not a child, so you can argue like this?" Zhu Youxiao asked Wei Bao with a smile: "Wei Aiqing, if you don't want to say it, don't say it." You don't know how to do carpentry either. I am also a pastime in my spare time. ”

Feng Quan hurriedly said yes.

Although everyone knows that the emperor likes carpentry work, these ministers of the Ming Dynasty really don't have the idea of pleasing the emperor by doing carpentry work.

On the one hand, there is no one who has the opportunity to get close to the emperor and stay with the emperor for a long time, on the other hand, carpenters can not be learned in a short time, they belong to manual work, and they are hard, and they have to work hard.

However, in order to please the emperor, many eunuchs in the palace secretly learned some carpenter's skills.

Even Wei Zhongxian is rough and furious, and he has nothing to do to help the emperor.

"Your Majesty, Wechen studied carpentry in the township for a while, and at the beginning, the family couldn't eat, and there was no silver for Wechen to study, Wechen just relied on helping people do some carpentry work to make a living, and when he was fine, he could go to the master's private school to rub some lessons without silver." Wei Bao Road.

Zhu Youxiao was really happy when he heard Wei Bao say this, "Oh? Wei Aiqing, did you still work as a carpenter in the township? ”

When Wei Zhongxian and Feng Quan heard this, they glanced at Wei Bao vigilantly, and both of them wondered if Wei Bao really knew how to work as a carpenter, or did he say so casually in order to please the emperor?

If you say this casually, it's really shameless, and any bull dares to brag about it.

If you really know how to work as a carpenter, in order to please the emperor, you have only recently learned, it is even more shameless!

Anyway, Feng Quan and Wei Zhongxian didn't believe that Wei Bao's carpenter work could be mixed with food and clothing, and it was estimated that Wei Bao was just to please the emperor.

"Back to Your Majesty, it's just a little bit of skin, compared with Your Majesty's magic work, it's like a child's trick." Wei Bao said modestly.

"Since Lord Wei has said so, there must be two times, Your Majesty, then we might as well let Lord Wei show his hand and make some kind of gadget, okay?" Feng Quan said with a smile: "Weichen thinks that people who are too young just love to brag, and they can't do things well without hair on their mouths." ”

"Who do you say has no hair on his mouth and can't do things well?" Wei Bao can't be scolded by others, especially not by people like Feng Quan, you Feng Quan has no foundation, what are you soft in front of me? If you are Wei Zhongxian, say a word or two about Lao Tzu, and if you say it, you will say it, what are you?

"Master Wei, just kidding, what are you doing so seriously? If you really have two hands, do you dare to show one hand on the spot? If the things you make can enter His Majesty's eyes, I will admit it, and if the things you make do not enter His Majesty's eyes, and His Majesty thinks that you are not a person who is rough with the living fur of a carpenter, then you will plant it. The person who loses is the one who loves to brag, okay? Feng Quan said.

"Okay, that's a good idea. I'm here to be the judge. Zhu Youxiao laughed.

Then he said to Wei Zhongxian: "Father-in-law Wei, let people bring the guy's business to the pavilion." ”

"Yes, Your Majesty." Wei Zhongxian hurriedly asked his subordinates to do it.

"Your Majesty, Weichen is just a little superficial, how dare he make a fool of himself in front of His Majesty?" Wei Bao hurriedly said modestly.

"Hey, Master Wei, Your Majesty and I don't embarrass you, you can do whatever you want, didn't you say that you are a little bit of a fur? A little bit of fur and not at all, these are two different things! You're welcome. Feng Quan was very happy to see Wei Bao shirk, and felt that he had grabbed Wei Bao's sore feet.

Wei Bao sighed in embarrassment.

"Your Majesty, Weichen decided, is this bet interesting to fill in a little lottery? If it's just a bragging name after losing, it seems too light. Feng Quan said to the emperor.

Zhu Youxiao nodded, "Well, does Feng Aiqing have any ideas?" Say, I said, I'll be the judge for you. ”

Feng Quan is not very old, he is just thirty years old, only a few years older than Zhu Youxiao, and Wei Bao is four years younger than the emperor, and the three of them are actually not very different in age.

The reason why Zhu Youxiao promoted Feng Quan was that Wei Zhongxian strongly recommended him, and on the other hand, Zhu Youxiao also wanted a younger minister by his side.

Now there are both Feng Quan and Wei Bao, which makes the emperor absolutely feel comfortable, he has not talked and played with people of the same age like this for a long time.

"Weichen looks, it's better to kowtow to the person who loses, and recognize a master." Feng Quan said.

"Well, I can see it, Wei Aiqing, what do you say?" Zhu Youxiao is not afraid of big things, but he is afraid that he will not be happy, and he said.

Wei Bao secretly wondered, what is the use of Lao Tzu asking you to be an apprentice of a eunuch? When you are unlucky, you will also be affected! "Master and apprentice are not good. Wechen has always disliked friends, and others still think that Wechen has a good friendship with Lord Feng. ”

When Feng Quan heard this, he immediately understood what Wei Bao meant, and snorted fiercely, secretly thinking that Lao Tzu is willing to accept you as an apprentice, because he can afford you, Lao Tzu is a minister, what kind of thing are you, a little five-grade official, and you are still playing music here with Lao Tzu? Could it be that you still don't look down on Lao Tzu?

"Well, then Wei Aiqing, what do you say you are gambling on?" Zhu Youxiao asked with great interest.

"Let's bet on the master-slave relationship! Whoever loses, who is a slave to the place! The slave family must not disobey the master's family, and the post is proof! In addition, add another 100,000 taels of gold! I believe that Lord Feng's family has been a gentry for generations, and he should be able to take out 100,000 taels of gold, right? Wei Baolang said.

"Good! It's even more interesting to bet like this. Zhu Youxiao was like a child, and slapped his face with joy.

Wei Bao sweated, just now I felt that Zhu Youxiao was more concerned about the government and politics, and there was a little bit of the people in his heart, but now this idea was all swept away, secretly thinking that this is a big child, he only knows how to play, and he retreats when he encounters a little problem, even if Zhu Youxiao cares a little about the government and the people, it is for his throne, not really for the subjects of the world.

Wei Zhongxian and Feng Quan stared at Wei Bao, Wei Bao made such a hard bet, they all wondered, did Wei Bao really know how to carpenter?

Wei Bao naturally knows carpentry work, as early as when he was in Weijiazhuang, he studied carpentry work for several months, Wei Bao's carpentry work is definitely much higher than the level of his poetry and scriptures.

Wei Bao not only participated in the manufacture of steam engines, participated in the manufacture of sea ships, but also participated in the construction of bridges, the construction of roads, the construction of river embankments and seawalls, the construction of reservoirs, and large buildings of more than five floors.

Wei Bao's scientific examination is at the level of a child, but Wei Bao's carpenter work is definitely at the level of talent.

Although the time period has been, Wei Bao has participated in the construction of so many major engineering bureaus, and it can be said that Wei Bao's experience is richer than that of Zhu Youxiao, an immersed carpenter who has lived for more than ten years.

"Feng Aiqing, Wei Aiqing has already agreed, are you okay?" Zhu Youxiao asked Feng Quan on the side.

Feng Quan is bitter now, he can't speak, this bet was put forward by himself, and he can't admit it in front of the emperor now, and seeing that the emperor is so happy, once he doesn't admit it, I'm afraid that he will be unlucky at that time.

But as soon as Wei Bao opened his mouth, it was 100,000 taels of gold, which was equivalent to four or five hundred taels of silver! Moreover, four or five million taels of silver can be obtained, but one hundred thousand taels of gold is very difficult to get, and gold is very scarce in this era!

"Feng Aiqing? Waiting for you to speak. Zhu Youxiao frowned unhappily.

Feng Quan was sweating profusely, so he could only stubbornly say, "The minister obeys the order." ”

"Then make a post and a note! My brother will settle the accounts, and when His Majesty has appraised the things made by Weichen, the post and the note will take effect! If I lose, my Wei Bao's mansion, Lord Feng can go to it casually, and my family servants are also Lord Feng's servants. Similarly, if Lord Feng loses, all of Lord Feng's property is mine, and he must give me 100,000 taels of gold within ten days, otherwise it will be a crime of deception! Wei Bao said coldly.

"Hmmm! Come on, make a post and make a note! Zhu Youxiao waved his hand and sat in the pavilion.

Wei Zhongxian hurriedly asked people to bring pen, ink, paper, and inkstone.

The entourage around the emperor was well prepared, especially the stationery such as pen, ink, paper, and inkstone.

After Wei Bao and Feng Quan signed and drawn, the note and post took effect!

The eunuchs also brought a set of things that the emperor usually did as a carpenter.

Of course, the carpenter emperor Zhu Youxiao has more than one set of things, and Zhu Youxiao's tools are complete, which is not much better than making a big carpenter shop.

Now it's up to Wei Bao to play.

Carpentry is an ancient trade.

Carpenters use wood as a material, stretch the rope and ink, draw lines with a pen, plane them with a planer, and measure them with measuring tools to make a variety of furniture and crafts.

Carpenters are engaged in a wide range of industries, they can not only make all kinds of furniture, but also in the construction industry, decoration industry, etc.

For example, in the construction industry, it is necessary to use carpenters to make indispensable doors and windows.

Carpenter tools have axes.

It is used to split wood and cut straight wood.

Planer, a more delicate planing to decorate the surface of the wood.

Chisels, which are used to gouge holes and grooves.

Saws, which are used to cut and cut wood.

Ink fountain, used to play lines and straighter house pillars, etc.

Luban ruler, measurement and correction angle, etc.

Because Zhu Youxiao has a strong interest in carpenter's work, he deals with axes, saws, and planers all day long, making woodware, building small palaces, and leaving national affairs behind, and is a veritable "carpenter emperor".

Zhu Youxiao not only has a good carpentry job, but also has a "level".

Zhu Youxiao has had a carpenter talent since he was a child, he is not only often addicted to the carpenter work of knives, saws, axes and paints, but also is skilled, and ordinary skilled craftsmen can only reach the dust.

It is said that all the wooden utensils, pavilions and pavilions that Zhu Youxiao has seen can be made.

All carpentry work such as knives, saws, axes, chisels, and danqing lacquer kneading, he has to operate them himself, and he never gets tired of it, and even forgets to sleep and eat.

Zhu Youxiao's hand-made lacquerware, beds, comb boxes, etc., are all decorated with colorful and exquisite and unexpected. According to the "First Dial Chronicle": "The genus of the axe catty is all self-controlled." Although skillful, you can't be overdone. ”

The literature contains its "day and night creation", "every time you create a sense of pride, that is, the meal and drink can be forgotten, and the cold and summer are not awake".

Therefore, it is impossible for Wei Bao to convince the emperor from the degree of craftsmanship, Wei Bao can only convince the emperor from what the emperor has not seen.

Wei Bao pondered for a minute or two, and immediately took a thick piece of wood and began to make it.

Under the hands are shavings.

Wei Bao was shaving, and Kebaba came over.

In fact, Kebaba has been not far away, and he is clear about the movement here.

It's just that Feng Quan and Wei Bao are both ministers, and she is a woman, so it's inconvenient to see each other.

But this is the imperial garden, not the court, she relied on the emperor's favor, she really couldn't help it, so she still came over.

Zhu Youxiao, Feng Quan, Wei Zhongxian, and Kebaba saw Wei Bao's skillful and neat movements, and they all knew that Wei Bao would definitely do it.

Feng Quan has the heart to die, and secretly thinks, eighty percent is going to lose today, right?

"Your Majesty, just now Lord Wei said that he has a little bit of fur, and he has done carpentry work for at least three or five years, so he must be able to carve a complex wood carving handicraft to count!" Feng Quan said so.

Because carving is the most testing skill in carpentry, it can't be done in a few years.

Later generations of carpenters, especially those from the twenty-first century onwards, have mastered the art of carpenter carving. If you want to carve, it can only be a CNC machine.

Zhu Youxiao didn't say anything.

Ke Baba said: "A little bit of fur, as long as Master Wei can make something like a wooden barrel, even if he is a little bit of fur, if he doesn't know how to carpenter, let alone a wooden barrel, he can't even take a planer." ”

Feng Quan listened to Kebaba speak for Wei Bao, and his heart was even more worried!

Feng Quan knew that Kebaba had even more influence on the emperor than Wei Zhongxian.

Although he doesn't often show his head openly, Ke Baba's influence on the Ming Dynasty politics is no less than that of Wei Zhongxian.

Now there is a guest Baba who supports Wei Bao, is this still necessary?

"Barrels or something, it's too simple, isn't it? Even an old slave can make it. The carving is too complicated, and it's a little difficult to explore the flowers, so it's better to be a Maitreya Buddha or something, right? Wei Zhongxian said.

Wei Zhongxian's words, the two are not helping each other, but in fact, they are secretly speaking for Feng Quan!

Kebaba doesn't like Feng Quan, because Feng Quan is too delicate, like a woman, and she speaks femininely, and Wei Bao, who is not yet fifteen years old, has masculinity.

And Kebaba also knew that Feng Quan had relationships with many men, which was disgusting.

Wei Bao is different, he is only fifteen years old, but he is handsome, and he will definitely be even more handsome in a few years!

Also, Wei Bao not only talks elegantly, but also has a masculine spirit and a calm bearing.

The most important thing is that Wei Bao has a commanding temperament at a young age, which is what Kebaba values the most.

Wei Zhongxian's eyes on people are not as accurate as Kebaba many times, and many ministers and eunuchs around Wei Zhongxian are used by Kebaba in the end.

Kebaba has always admired Wei Bao.

Emperor Zhu Youxiao was not stupid, and he could hear the underlying meaning behind Feng Quan's words, Wei Zhongxian's words, and Hak's words.

"Actually, even if Wei Aiqing is so skilled with a planer, Wei Aiqing has proven that he can indeed work as a carpenter, at least as a beginner, and never as someone who can't do it. It's too much work to be a Maitreya Buddha, and it's all you can do to make a wooden barrel, a wooden basin or something. "The Emperor is on the side of Kebaba and Wei Bao.

When Wei Zhongxian heard this, his face immediately covered with frost.

On the one hand, because the emperor favored Wei Bao, the obvious emperor had already taken a fancy to Wei Bao.

What's more, because Kebaba also helped Wei Bao, which made Wei Zhongxian very unhappy.

Feng Quan almost fainted out of breath!

He had long seen that the emperor was good to Wei Bao, and now Kebaba was helping Wei Bao again, listening to the meaning of the emperor's words, Wei Bao had already won no matter what, what is this better than?

Thinking of 100,000 taels of gold, thinking of being a slave to Wei Bao from now on, Feng Quan even had the intention of committing suicide.

Wei Bao listened to a few people while doing things, and smiled politely at Kebaba to express his gratitude.

"Your Majesty, Weichen does something complex enough, much more complicated than Maitreya Buddha! However, it takes some work. Wei Bao smiled at Zhu Youxiao and said, "Moreover, Weichen guarantees that His Majesty has never seen such a thing." ”

"Oh?" Zhu Youxiao was very happy when he heard this, "Then Wei Aiqing will win above board!" Lest it be said that he took advantage of Feng Aiqing. What is Wei Aiqing going to do, if it's too complicated, just make a rough appearance, work slowly and carefully, and come to the palace tomorrow to do it. ”

"Your Majesty, Weichen wants to build a model ironclad ship!" Wei Bao laughed.

"Ironclad?" Zhu Youxiao really hadn't heard of it, and was very interested, "Okay, okay, Wei Aiqing, don't worry, do it slowly, I'm optimistic about you!" ”

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Wei Bao said, concentrating on his work.

In fact, when Wei Bao wanted to build something just now, the first thing he thought of was shipbuilding!

Because the emperor was also a shipbuilder, and asked him to evaluate ships.

Therefore, he built a ship, which was exactly in line with the emperor's work.

In addition, Wei Bao shipbuilding is to guide the emperor's thoughts to the sea!

Wei Bao wanted to make Zhu Youxiao interested in building large ships and interested in maritime trade.

At the end of the Yuan Dynasty and the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, the feudal princes of Japan were divided. Attack each other.

The feudal lords, who had lost the war, organized samurai, merchants, and ronins to carry out armed smuggling, looting and harassment in China's coastal areas.

In this regard, during the Hongwu period, Zhu Yuanzhang ordered the implementation of the maritime ban policy that began in the Ming Dynasty in order to prevent the coastal warlords from being harassed by the remnants of the party and pirates.

In the early days, the main object of the sea ban was commerce, and the commercial ban prohibited Chinese from doing business overseas, and also restricted foreign merchants from trading in China, except for tribute.

During the Yongle period of the Ming Dynasty, although Zheng He had the feat of going to the West, only tributary trade was released, and private people were still not allowed to go to sea. Later, with the plague of the Japanese invaders, the maritime ban policy became more and more stringent, which played a role in self-protection, but greatly hindered the development of Sino-foreign exchanges.

During the Longqing period, the Ming government adjusted its policy and allowed the private sector to go overseas for trade, which was known as the Longqing switch in history. The lifting of the maritime ban has opened up a completely new situation for trade and exchanges between China and foreign countries.

The Ming Dynasty's maritime ban policy has undergone a changeable process from the beginning of the Hongwu period to the abolition of the maritime ban at the end of the Ming Dynasty. From the strict sea ban policy in the early Ming Dynasty, the relaxation of the sea ban in the Yongle period, after Yongle, the re-strengthening of the sea ban policy from Hongxi to the Hongzhi period, the high strengthening of the sea ban policy in the Jiajing period, the rapid development of Longqing's opening up and overseas trade, and the abolition of the sea ban in the late Ming Dynasty.

These policies had a profound impact on the historical development of the Ming Dynasty.

There were two main forms of overseas trade in traditional China: tributary trade, which was run by the dynastic government, and private overseas trade, which was run by private people.

Tributary trade refers to the fact that overseas countries send missions to China to meet the emperor of the dynasty to "pay tribute", and the Chinese dynasty gives official reception and gives back the tributary country as a "reward" according to the principles of "Huairou and desolate" and "thin and generous".

The total value of "reward" items is several times or even dozens of times the total value of "tribute" items, and there is an exchange relationship between "tribute" and "reward", which reflects the economic relations between countries, but also reflects the political relations between countries, and economic relations serve political relations.

The Chinese dynastic states were able to actively manage the tributary trade, establish clear policies, formulate perfect systems, and set up specific economic and management departments. The management and operation of the government is the most significant feature of tributary trade, which has obvious political attributes and is not a normal form of foreign trade.

Because the ancient Chinese dynastic state established the basic national policy of suppressing commerce very early, the private overseas trade was suppressed, hindered, strictly managed and even banned by the dynastic government for a long time, and the period of encouragement and support from the dynastic government was very limited.

During the period of the Chinese dynastic state, the private overseas trade of the people lacked independence and good conditions for development, and its rise and fall was premised on the private overseas trade policy and management of the dynastic state, which was its most significant feature.

From the Yuan Dynasty onwards, Japanese folk smuggling developed into pirates supported by local separatist forces, and Chinese history books began to appear in the records of Japanese pirates. Perhaps relying on the victory over Kublai Khan's army, Japanese merchants even came to China in armed ships to demand that the Yuan government open up trade. The government of the Yuan Dynasty learned the lesson of the defeat and did not want to go to war with the Japanese again, so it adopted measures to ban the sea.