After the arrangement, Zhang Mu was taken to the post station by Han Fangshan, and then took a hot bath comfortably, did not eat, and fell asleep.

I don't know how long I slept, but I heard Han Fangshan's voice in a daze: "My lord, my lord, Deputy General Li has arrived, and he is waiting outside the door now." ”

Zhang Mu rubbed his sleepy eyes, and heard the sound of rain hitting plantains outside, thinking in his heart, he was so tired in the past two days of the hospital examination that he didn't even hear when it rained last night.

"Come in, please." Zhang Mu hurriedly turned over and went to the ground, washed and changed.

At this time, Li Yunchang pushed the door in, and Zhang Mu couldn't help but be stunned when he saw him.

Li Yunchang was wearing a gray straight jacket, his face was full of tiredness, and there was a white flower salt stain on the front of his shirt, chest and back, and he hurriedly bowed his waist and said, "Lord Li has worked hard. ”

Zhang Mu knew that although there were only five or six hundred miles from Hangzhou to Taizhou, the road of the Ming Dynasty was not easy to walk.

"Lord Zhang is polite, sharing worries for Your Majesty is a matter within the scope of this official." Li Yunchang hurriedly smiled.

"Han Baihu, hurry up and prepare some food. I'm hungry too. Zhang Mu said with a smile, then glanced at Li Yunchang and asked, "Is there a nuisance of Japanese robbers in Taizhou?" ”

Li Yunchang was taken aback, and then smiled: "How do you know?" ”

"It's been a few days since Yan Yan came back, and you only arrived today, presumably because of the invasion of the Japanese invaders, and you were dragged back. Otherwise, you should have arrived a long time ago. And I guess the war is not over yet, and you know that I will finish the college examination soon, so I hurried all night to meet me. Zhang Mu said with a smile.

Li Yunchang said with a smile: "You are really a seven-trick exquisite heart, and I can't hide anything from you." You guessed right, five or six days ago, a large group of pirates suddenly landed fifty miles from Wenling Songmen, burning and looting all the way, with more than 3,000 people.

When I got the news, I hurriedly organized troops and horses to suppress the bandits, and only yesterday I forced them back, beheaded 400 people, and captured dozens of people. But it's a pity that they let them run away, and they fell short. I heard that these robbers are so brave and ruthless that they will be retribution, and I am worried that they will suddenly come back, and I can't rest assured that you are here, so I came here overnight. ”

When Zhang Mu heard this, he frowned, Li Yunchang came overnight, obviously realizing something, otherwise he wouldn't have to be so anxious, so he asked in a deep voice, "Let them run away?" Does Master Li think that there is also a cat in this? ”

Li Yunchang sneered: "You kid, don't buy guanzi with me." A few years ago, I have been defending in western Zhejiang, and all the guards under my jurisdiction are Tuntian, although I know a little about the front-line war, but I didn't expect it to be so serious.

It took me a lot of effort to block them near Hengshan, and then I ordered Chumen to outflank their back road, and I led a large group of men and horses to encircle them in two ways, forming an encirclement on three sides, ready to wipe them out.

Unexpectedly, our encirclement had not yet been formed, and as if they had received the news in advance, they disappeared without a trace right under my nose. When I found them again, they had already crossed the back line of Truman's post and fled directly to the sea.

They are well versed in the defense of Taizhou, and they are also very familiar with the terrain here, so I suspect that some traitors have reported to them and even led them the way. How else could it disappear right under my nose? That's why I'm here in a hurry to see what you've found here. ”

Zhang Mu sighed lightly and said: "These pirates and the profiteers on the shore collude with each other and act in cahoots. Through profiteers, they have also co-opted the officers and soldiers of the coastal defense station, and it has become a climate. Speaking of this, Zhang Mu took out the letter from Panshiwei Zhao Qianhu and gave it to Li Yunchang.

Li Yunchang took a look, and immediately slapped the table and said angrily: "This group of bastards is simply a loss of conscience!" ”

"Lord Li, please calm your anger, things are far more troublesome than you and I thought. I got through the relationship with the Wen family, and only then did I know that there was a lot of article behind this, which involved not only profiteers, corrupt officers and soldiers, but even some Houmen of Yingtianfu who were involved, and it was far more than that. Zhang Mu said with something in his words.

When Li Yunchang heard this, he couldn't help but be shocked, and looked at Zhang Mu in amazement: "You mean ......." ”

Zhang Mu nodded slowly, and Li Yunchang couldn't help but sigh and said: "It's difficult to start a business, and it's even more difficult to keep a business." ”

"Your Excellency doesn't have to despair, although I look at the dark clouds covering the sky, but fortunately, the top and bottom are not rotten, Your Majesty is wise and martial, and he has long seen the catty here, so he will order me to investigate this matter thoroughly. With His Majesty's support, I don't have to worry about killing them. It's just that we're going to be cautious. Zhang Mu said.

At this time, Han Fangshan came up with a steaming breakfast, and Zhang Mu said, "Master Li, eat something first." Let's just eat and talk. ”

Li Yunchang ran around all night, and he was already hungry, so he smiled awkwardly: "Then I won't be polite to you." Saying this, he grabbed a bun, ate it with white porridge, looked up and asked, "What are you going to do?" ”

"I have already mixed into their circle through the Wen family, and the next step is to thoroughly find out their details. You don't have to worry about this, the only thing you have to do is to wait for me to close the net, send troops to help, and we will use the power of thunder to clear the loopholes in coastal defense. In order to keep the sea and the border safe. However, this can only be saved for a while, not a long-term solution. Zhang Mu said with a smile.

Li Yunchang took a sip of white porridge and said, "Well, I'll go back and think about this matter." The hardest thing right now is that you need a loyal man. I've got to pick carefully. But don't worry, Your Majesty's will is very clear, and I will naturally do my best. Then he asked curiously, "Then what is the long-term solution?" ”

"Lord Li, to tell you the truth, since the Tang and Song dynasties, the sea has never been closed. Even when Meng Yuan was there, there was a huge port like Quanzhou. Before the closure of the sea, there were only pirates on the sea, but few people heard of the pirates. Does Master Lee know why? Zhang Mu asked.

Li Yunchang asked tentatively: "Are you saying that the appearance of the Japanese Kou is related to His Majesty's will to seal the sea and ban the sea?" ”

Zhang Mu nodded slightly and said: "The coastal people take the sea as their field and fishing as their business, and secondly, the maritime trade has been more than 1,000 years, and the so-called bustling world is all for profit. The south is rich, firstly because it is indeed a warehouse of fish and rice, but more importantly, it is the wealth brought by maritime trade.

Although my Ming Dynasty is rich in products and can be self-sufficient, but in the face of such huge interests, blocking is definitely not a solution. After killing one Wen family, more Wen families will emerge. In order to completely solve the problem of the Japanese pirates, the only way to do this is to abolish the national policy of sealing off the sea and forbidding the sea. Opening the treaty ports and dredging the trade routes can not only increase the income of the imperial court, but also completely solve the problem of the Japanese invaders, which will benefit and do no harm.

Therefore, I would like to join hands with Master Li to explain the benefits and disadvantages to Your Majesty. Completely turn the current situation around. Zhang Mu said.