Chapter 30 Opening up the Silk Road, the emperor sent a treasure map

Zhang Zhimu wrote a secret letter to Emperor Chongzhen, not only asking him to order land reform, but also saying that he was preparing to open up the Silk Road in the west, and asked the emperor to provide some maps and other information about the Silk Road.

Zhang Zhimu knew that Emperor Chongzhen's reply would not be too fast, because this matter was what Emperor Chongzhen wanted to do, and those ministers would oppose it for various reasons.

Zhang Zhimu couldn't wait, and held a cadre meeting specifically for the opening of the Silk Road.

In front of the conference room, there are several maps of the Silk Road that have been collected.

After everyone sat down, Zhang Zhimu said: "Today, I will not study anything else, but I will study the matter of opening up the Silk Road." I think that when we open up the Silk Road, we must first clarify what is our purpose? ”

Lu Chengxiang smiled and said: "Do you buy and sell to make money, does this still need to be said?" ”

Everyone laughed along.

Zhang Zhimu said: "As you know, the Silk Road has been interrupted for a long time. There are factors such as war, in fact, there is another very important reason, that is, maritime trade has replaced a lot of Silk Road trade. Maritime trade was much easier than taking the Silk Road, and the volume of freight was much larger. Therefore, in the future, we should also focus on maritime trade in the development of overseas trade. So, it will take a lot of manpower and material resources for us to open up the Silk Road, is it to play? Of course not. We are opening up contacts with the countries of the Western Regions, and we want to open our doors to exchanges with other countries. We must learn from the good things of each country. Only by strengthening communication and friendly relations with other countries can we have a peaceful and stable surrounding environment. Of course, Mr. Lu should not be disappointed, there is no doubt that opening up the Silk Road will also bring us a lot of silver. ”

Lu Chengxiang also laughed with everyone again.

"I think we also have a very important purpose, which is to investigate the situation in the Western Regions. Prepare us for the future of the western border. This is a frontier, which cannot be expanded indefinitely like Genghis Khan, but it is necessary to reserve a certain space for the future development of our children and grandchildren, and there must be a border condition that is easy to defend and easy to define. This is a very important thing. So General Li Kui wanted to personally lead the team out to open up the Silk Road, and I was hesitating. It stands to reason that we should not send a general of this level to take such a big risk, but we must send a general of a certain level who has the ability to operate in the desert to complete this mission. At this point, there is no general more suitable than Li Kui. ”

Yan Xing said: "Zhimu is right, Li Kui not only has the ability to survive in the desert, but also a person who looks thick and thin, and he is also a lucky general. He did it, and I thought it was appropriate. However, he must be equipped with a team, otherwise he can't let him do too delicate and annoying things. ”

"Haha!" Everyone laughed for a while. Ouyang He said: "Their team should be divided into several parts. One is the envoy group, which has to conduct ceremonial exchanges with the countries along the way; second, there should be a guard regiment to provide security guards for the caravan; Third, there should be a logistics regiment to provide logistical medical support for the caravan; the fourth is to have a merchant group to trade with the countries along the way; the fifth is to have a military investigation team to complete the military task that Mr. Zhang said; Sixth, there must be a general affairs group, and the language is not understood along the way, and it is not possible to do without communication; Then there is the management team of the caravan, they are not only responsible for coordinating and managing, but also recording the situation along the way with cameras and texts, which was too simple for Master Xuanzang and Zhang Qian to record in the past. ”

Chen Yufeng said: "I think I should let Shi Tao and them send people to follow and carefully measure the route along the way." ”

"I think there will be a camera team to arrange the situation all the way into a documentary." Li Yan suggested.

"That's right! Right! Li Yan's suggestion was approved by everyone.

"I think we're going to send some craftsmen too, and bring some more silver. If you need to build bridges when you encounter a river, we can hire local people and let our craftsmen command them to build some bridges. Open the way for future caravans. Lu Bingyi also suggested.

“…”

The meeting was very enthusiastic, and everyone put forward a lot of suggestions.

Zhao Jinli finally said: "Oh my God! According to you, we almost had too much to prepare. In the past, we thought that we were already thinking about things very much, and compared with the ideas at home, it was simply too bad. In that case, we will have a lot of troops. ”

Ouyang He said: "There is a very important matter, that is, I don't know if the emperor supports our matter of opening up the Western Regions? If we can get the Holy Decree and the customs clearance documents, then we will be even more famous! ”

Zhang Zhimu said: "The emperor hasn't replied yet, but this matter can't wait for him." Mr. Lu and Mr. Ouyang, you have to worry about this caravan. Think things through. Mr. Lu, let's see what kind of goods we can bring out to sell more silver? Also, those people from the Western Regions in our kiln gang have come from the Mongols, and if they are willing to go back directly with us, we can also take them with us. I think they will stumble over the price in the kiln, and they can also do general work. ”

"I've told the Quanzhou branch to find someone who can speak Persian at a high price. There are also many descendants of merchants from the Western Regions in Xi'an, and some of them are willing to do general work. Lu Chengxiang seems to have started preparing for these things a long time ago. This is what Lu Chengxiang is most satisfied with Zhang Zhimu, everything can think of the front.

"Good! With the general information, it is convenient for us to communicate with people from all over the world. Zhang Zhimuyou looked at those maps and said, "The next question is, where are we going to send people out this time?" From our map, our ancestors have gone as far as the Mediterranean. But it's too far away. I don't think we have to go this far all at once. The Silk Road should be divided into three sections, east, middle and west, from east to west, and each section is divided into three sections: north, south, and middle. The eastern section is in our current territory, from Xi'an to Yumen Pass and Yangguan. Now it should be Yaogang to Yumen. The middle section is from the west of Yumen Pass and Yangguan to the Green Ridge (Pamir Plateau). The western section is from the Green Ridge to the west to the Mediterranean. In the middle section, we will start from Yumen, take the middle road along the northern edge of the Taklamakan Desert, pass through Lop Nur, Gaochang (Turpan), Yuli (Yanqi), Qiuzi (Kuqa), Gumo (Aksu), Shule (Kashgar) to Dawan (Ferghana Basin). In the western section, we also take the middle route to Dawan (Fergana Basin), Samarkand, Bukhara, Mashhad (Iran), Baghdad, Damascus and other places to the Mediterranean. However, we can only formulate a general route, and what changes will be made by that time will depend on the specific situation. ”

"On the imperial court's side, there must be a more detailed road map." Ouyang said, "If nothing else, the emperor should give us a favor, give us the picture that has not been used in the palace, or ask someone to copy a copy and give it to us." But it's never too late to set the route. During this time, Zhao Jinli was in the kiln, and we prepared the material personnel fully. ”

Although Zhang Zhimu knew that this time he sent a letter to Emperor Chongzhen, Emperor Chongzhen would not be as fast as the previous letter. I am still inevitably a little anxious in my heart, and now I want to carry out a pilot project of land reform, and it is best to have the tiger skin of the emperor as a signboard.

But what Zhang Zhimu didn't expect was that just after the fifteenth, Wang Gonggong came to Yaogang with a team of people and sent the holy decree in person.

After Zhang Zhimu received the holy decree, as soon as he entered the house, he and Wang Gonggong held their hands together. Wang Gonggong said: "Zhang Dongjia, I really miss you!" ”

"Net!" Zhang Zhimu said, "Do you want me to come to the kiln to see me?" ”

"I want to come! But is it coming? Wang Gonggong said, "I am only a character when I leave the Forbidden City, and I am not much stronger than a dog in the Forbidden City!" If you can think of it, you can come out. ”

"Alright! Anyway, it's good that you're here, everyone misses you! Zhang Zhimu said.

As he sat down, the prince said, "All right! Let's get down to business! The emperor said that they don't know what the benefits of the land reform you want to carry out, but the emperor agrees that you should try it first in the Qinshui area. If the situation is good, slowly promote it. If you wish, you may publish the decree in your newspapers. ”

Zhang Zhimu didn't expect that the emperor would support him so much, and asked: "Didn't those ministers in the court object?" ”

"Against? Hum! The prince snorted twice with his nose and said, "The emperor has the support of your Zhang Dongjia, asking for silver for silver, asking the army to send troops, and the emperor still takes them seriously?" If they don't want to do it, the emperor can let them go home. Now the emperor is not afraid of them! ”

Speaking of this, the prince leaned close to Zhang Zhimu's ear and said, "The emperor said something that scared me. Once he said that in this world, people like Zhang Zhimu have to worry about it! ”

"What are you afraid of, last time the emperor asked me if I wanted to be the emperor? I asked rhetorically, is it interesting to be the emperor? I don't want to be the emperor. Zhang Zhimu said.

The prince changed the subject, "The emperor also asked me to bring a lot of things. It's all about the Western Regions and the Silk Road. Also, the emperor said that you can go to the Western Regions as an envoy of the Ming Dynasty. If necessary, the court can also send officials to accompany you. ”

After listening to the words of the prince, Zhang Zhimu's tears almost didn't fall.

"Alas! In this world, it is the emperor who really understands me! Zhang Zhimu said, "After you go back, tell the emperor that if you can ask the emperor to send court officials to accompany us to the Western Regions." We will treat the envoy of the court with courtesy, satisfy all the envoys' needs, and ensure his safety. ”

"That's it! I'll do it when I get back. The prince said, "Many of the things the emperor gave you this time are unique books from the imperial court, and some of them were transcribed overnight. But there's a treasure here, and you're going to put it away. That "Mongolian Landscape Map" is a national treasure in the court! ”

"What? You brought "Mongolian Landscape Map" with you! Zhang Zhimu was really shocked. He knew that this was not an ordinary treasure, and the auction price in his previous life was nearly 100 million.

This "Mongolian Landscape Map" is a handscroll of about 30 meters long and a green landscape map on silk from the Ming Dynasty. It is a silk map drawn by the court in the middle of the Ming Dynasty for the emperor, which depicts the main cities and mountains and landforms on the route from Jiayuguan, a border pass of the Ming Dynasty, to Tianfang (Mecca, Saudi Arabia) for thousands of kilometers. In the thirties of the twentieth century, it was collected by the Fujii Arilin Museum, a famous private museum in Kyoto, Japan.

Looking at Zhang Zhimu, the prince asked, "How is it?" Is the emperor really willing to you? ”

Zhang Zhimu nodded and said, "I really didn't expect that the emperor would be able to send the treasure of Zhenguo to Yaogang." The prince went back and told the emperor, please rest assured, we will definitely keep the national treasure. Our museum is now in very good condition, and the temperature and humidity inside are controlled. Later, the "Mongolian Landscape Map" was placed in the museum. "The heart said that this treasure must not be taken by the Japanese again.

"There is one more thing, the emperor asked me to bring you a message." The prince whispered, "When the new channel of the Yellow River is opened to water this year, the emperor wants to go to the Yellow River to see it in person." If you have time, the emperor wants to invite you to come too. The emperor hasn't seen you for a long time, and he has a lot to say. ”

Zhang Zhimu's heart moved, and he hurriedly said, "I will definitely go." You go back and bring something to the emperor, if it is convenient for the emperor, I also want to invite the emperor to come to the kiln to have a look. ”

"Huh! Good! I also want to ask the emperor to come up to the kiln to have a look, I haven't been here for a few years, and the kiln has become unknown to me. The emperor listens to your radio and reads your newspapers every day, and the emperor really cares about you! ”

After the big thing was over, Zhang Zhimu said with a smile: "This time you are here, let you have a long experience, please stay in the Yaogang Hotel." In the evening, we get drunk and rest! ”

"Haha!" Wang Gonggong laughed and said, "I have heard of the Yaogang Hotel for a long time, and some of them have stayed in the Yaogang Hotel, and the jokes told in the past have spread all over half of Beijing!" I heard that the is all in my house, and I have to wash it with water. ”

"Gotta it! Yaogang Hotel is a waste for you to live! Zhang Zhimu smiled and asked the prince to send him to the Yaogang Hotel. Those who came with the prince also carried out a detailed registration and handover of the items brought with Yang Qinglian.

After the prince and the princess left, Zhang Zhimu couldn't wait to let the "Mongolian Landscape Map" hang in the large conference room, and then turned on all the lights to carefully admire this treasure. At the same time, Yang Qinglian called and invited other leaders of the kiln gang to come over.

Everyone didn't expect that the emperor would be so generous and send this national treasure to Yaogang.

After reading this map, Zhao Jinli said: "With it, we have a good idea of where we are going." I counted more than 200 locations from Jiayuguan to Tianfang marked on this map. It's even more detailed than the previous maps. ”

Ouyang He said: "Immediately inform Liu Yun and ask him to arrange for the staff officers to depict this map in sections." Draw a few more copies, and when they go west, they can take out the map and look at it in sections. ”

Zhang Zhimu said: "I think it is better to put this one in the museum and let the staff officers go to the museum to draw a map." ”

After reading the map, Zhang Zhimu told the emperor that the land reform experiment could be carried out, and said that the emperor also said that if he was willing, he could publish the holy decree in our newspaper.

Ouyang He smiled and said, "Mr. Zhang, do you feel that the emperor has now seen his current situation clearly?" ”

Zhang Zhimu nodded and said: "Wang Gonggong also said that when the new channel of the Yellow River is opened, he wants to go to the Yellow River to have a look, and he also invites me over." ”

Yan Boju said, "Zhimu, you can't go. This emperor has no other way to deal with us, he wants to think of evil ideas on you. He is so generous this time, he just wants to paralyze you! ”

Chen Yufeng said: "Old thing, don't say it so badly!" The emperor has two possibilities, one is to use this opportunity to get rid of you, and the other is to talk about his own way out. I don't think the emperor would dare to do anything to you if he wasn't crazy. He knows that he may not succeed in you, but even if he does, the kiln people will not spare him. ”

"It's too early for that! I said yes first. Ouyang He said, "However, our opening of the Silk Road to the west this time is a major event that everyone in the world knows." We have such good conditions, we really need to plan well. ”

Chen Yufeng said: "Planning should be done slowly, but tonight's wine, the prince is not easy to deal with." We have to be careful with him! ”

"Haha!" Everyone knows that the prince is really massive.

When he was drinking at night, Zhang Zhimu saw that Gonggong Li didn't come over in the distance, so he waved his hand and asked him to come over, but Gonggong Li didn't come over. It was the prince who beckoned, and Grandpa Li came over. It seems that among the eunuchs, the status of Gonggong Li is too much according to the tolerance of the prince.

After Gonggong Li came over, Gonggong Wang said to Zhang Zhimu: "Dongjia Zhang, I heard that you and Gonggong Li have some unpleasant things. Don't mind. Gonggong Li has been in the palace since he was a child and grew up in the palace. is absolutely loyal to the emperor, but sometimes, his brain is a little stupid. But he listened to me. ”

"We have nothing to do with Gonggong Li," Zhang Zhimu said, "Gonggong Li's loyalty to the emperor is still respectful." ”

What Gonggong Li said to Zhang Zhimu and Wang Gonggong, there was no reaction at all, Wang Gonggong said to let him sit down, and Gonggong Li was not polite. sat down and drank with the prince. Wang Gonggong and these people in Yaogang have all fought together on the battlefield, and the relationship is very good, plus the mood is very good, and they are really drunk.

However, Zhang Zhimu really admires Wang Gonggong, he drank so much wine yesterday, and as soon as the morning dawned, he rushed to Zhang Zhimu's office and said that he would go back early.

Zhang Zhimu said: "You are here!" It's hard to come to Yaogang once, not much shopping? ”

"No! I knew in my heart that from the moment I left Bauhinia City, the emperor was looking forward to my return. Do you think I dare to stay longer? Wang Gonggong said.

"If you're in a hurry, let's leave tomorrow!" Zhang Zhimu said, "The silver for the emperor, you bring it this time." We didn't bring him silver, but directly brought kiln coins, in fact, they all cost the same. ”

"Hey! To tell the truth, I was in a hurry to go back, just because the emperor's hand was empty, and every day he came everywhere to ask for silver. "The prince told the truth.

"This time, I brought back an extra 500,000 silver to the emperor, that is, I brought an extra 5 million kiln coins and took away 15 million kiln coins. It's much easier than carrying silver. Zhang Zhimu said, "And I prepared two million kiln coins for the emperor himself." I know that the emperor's hands are also very tight! ”

"Oops! That's great. Wang Gonggong said.

"Also, I see that there are a few little eunuchs who came with you, can you keep two." Zhang Zhimu said, "We are going to train them in receiving and receiving telegrams." In the future, we will equip the emperor with a telegraph, and we can contact him directly if there is a problem. ”

"Oops! That's great. Wang Gonggong said, "Didn't you say last time that there was no line to the capital, no?" ”

"What time was that?" Zhang Zhimu said, "If the emperor can hear the radio in the capital, we can get the emperor's information." Now we will send you a telegram. And your wine and that gift, I asked Mr. Lu to prepare them for you! ”

"Zhang Dongjia, we don't need these things between us." Wang Gonggong said.

"It's not like you don't eat the fireworks of the world. We have this and that, I don't want to think about you, is that a friend? Zhang Zhimu said.

"Alright! I'm not going to be polite to you. Wang Gonggong said.

"This time, I will bring some new gifts to the emperor, not to mention anything else. It's the kind of radio that you can hold in your hand and listen to while strolling, and the emperor will definitely like it! Zhang Zhimu said.

The princess and the princess erected the mother and son and said, "You really know the emperor!" The emperor can go a day without eating, but he can't go a day without listening to the radio. But, you're going to have to get me one quietly. When I'm fine, listen to what you're doing. ”

"Don't worry! Mr. Lu can think about these things. Zhang Zhimu said.

When I saw off my father-in-law, Gonggong Li saw that I had just left two little eunuchs and didn't leave, so he came over and asked the two little eunuchs, "I said, what are you staying for?" ”

The two little eunuchs were dissatisfied with Gonggong Li, and glared: "The emperor's business, should you ask?" ”

Father-in-law Li was bored, and many people in Yaogang looked at him, although he felt uncomfortable, but there was no way. He didn't know where the two little eunuchs came from, so he didn't dare to say more and left stupidly.

After sending off the princes and princesses, Li Mao, Fan Chengkun, and Fan Song all returned to Yaogang. The leaders of the kiln gang that had just been a little clean were busy again.

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Mt. Fuji erupted, Japan was earthquaked. --Progress of "Memories of the Southern Song Dynasty".