When people go to a new place, there is always something new.

It is better to move the capital, but the cold in the north, Zhu Di has been in the Yanwang Mansion for more than ten years, and he doesn't feel anything, but most of the ministers can cry bitterly, they would rather be in the gentle Nanjing, drinking wine and singing small songs.

Now he has to suffer from the cold wind in Shuntian, and he complains in private, even the prince said to Yang Shiqi in private: If Lone takes the throne, Lone will return to Nanjing.

Yang Shiqi was startled and hurriedly asked the Son of Heaven to speak carefully.

On the way home, I met the crown princess again.

The crown princess retreated left and right, and said to Yang Shiqi: "Lord Yang, what should I do now?" Although he entered the capital and His Majesty exempted the second uncle from prison, he did not summon the crown prince once, and I am really worried——"

Yang Shiqi smiled bitterly and shook his head: "The minister is ashamed." ”

"My lord, now the prince can only rely on you."

Yang Shiqi said bitterly: "The minister is ashamed, don't hide it from the princess, a few days ago, the king of Han and the Yue used the palace band, and the minister once secretly asked Chen Shan to deliberately make a trip, and then sued the king of Han, I never thought that His Majesty would watch the fire and remove Chen Shan from his position, and the minister was also frightened and did not dare to act." ”

When the crown princess heard this, her face was full of sorrow: "My lord, in the past, although His Majesty did not wait to see the prince, my son Zhanji often accompanied him, and now he can't see his imperial grandfather, my lord, according to you-"

Yang Shiqi lowered his head, although he was very reluctant to admit it, he said: "Niangniang, Rong Chen said a lot, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is not at fault, and there is no reason for His Majesty to abolish it, but according to the minister, His Majesty wants to change the crown prince in his heart, even if he does not change it, now that the King of Han has military power, even if the throne is on the prince, it will be difficult to be stable——"

"This-" The crown princess's face turned bitter, and more than 20 years of hard work have been in vain.

Yang Shiqi suddenly said: "The plan now depends on what he thinks." ”

"What?"

"When he moved north, he was the only one who could talk to His Majesty, and even almost always with His Majesty, and the minister privately heard that His Majesty compared him to Master Daoyan, this person may be able to influence His Majesty's thoughts."

The crown princess's delicate body trembled, and her beautiful eyes were shining: "You mean-"

"Yes, only Chen Yuan, the minister has to admit that this person does not want fame, does not want official position, and has a unique style. Although there is a righteous daughter as an in-law, but the minister is still worried, this is not reliable enough, after all, King Zhao is not thin with it, and King Zhao is not in agreement with the prince, if he can't contribute 100% to the prince, I am afraid that one day he will change the prince, but the minister has no idea, I don't know what this person thinks, the minister is ashamed! ”

The crown princess ignored his words and was dumbfounded, not knowing what to think.

Yang Shiqi bowed, then turned around and exited slightly.

As the saying goes, the dragon raises its head in February, and it is said that the dragon that has gone through hibernation will wake up to the rumbling spring thunder on this day, and then raise its head and only rush into the sky.

Therefore, this day is also known as the Spring Dragon Festival, also known as the Dragon Head Festival or the Green Dragon Festival. Whatever it is called, the festival of this day is associated with dragons.

In previous years, this day was very lively, the rich and noble families stepped on the spring to welcome the rich, and ordinary farmers picked vegetables and farmed, which is the plan of the year in the spring.

But for the officials in the capital, this February 2 of the nineteenth year of Yongle is very special, and the officials stumble and talk about grievances. From the gentle nest to the cold cave, they don't dare to say it openly, and they have to complain a few words in private.

Zhu Di has the eyes and ears of Jinyiwei, so he is naturally clear, but he didn't have another seizure, because Chen Yuan told him that when he arrived in a new place, everyone was still not used to it, and he complained, it was normal, and he didn't have to care.

He didn't know how many officials had been saved by these seemingly ordinary words.

But for the people, they are very excited, now it is at the feet of the Son of Heaven in the capital, they feel that their status has improved, they have hope for life, and they are walking on the road with their heads held high.

Early in the morning, scatter ashes to attract dragons, smoke insects to avoid scorpions, burn perfume, and worship the dragon god.

Outside the gate of the imperial city, there was a surge of people, and it was very lively. It just so happened that this day was a sunny day, and the spring was melting, shining on people, warm, and making people feel the festive atmosphere.

In the Fengtian Temple, the envoys of the sixteen countries, including Hurumus, Adan, Zufar, Raqi, Burawa, Mugudushu, Guli, Kezhi, Gayil, Ceylon Mountain, Lushan, Lambali, Sumatra, Aru, Manraka, and Gambari, officially brought famous horses and things to pay tribute, and Zhu Di was overjoyed, met them one by one, and appeased.

As for Chen Yuan, he has nothing to do in winter, and his wife is not there. Just let the kitchen make some breakfast, breakfast is relatively simple, gruel, salted duck eggs.

was eating slowly, suddenly the official Liang Fu reported, saying that there was news from the palace, and asked Chen Yuan to go to the palace to see the driver, Chen Yuan has no permanent position in the court, and he doesn't need to go to the court, and he didn't know what the emperor meant by calling him, so he hurriedly wanted to call the little eunuch to come in and ask for clarification, but Liang Fu said that the messenger had already returned.

It seems that Zhu Di has made a big decision again, Chen Yuan didn't dare to delay, hurriedly finished breakfast, immediately washed his face, dressed his boots, tied his waist with a leather belt, combed his hair and trimmed his crown, and after everything was ready, he hurried out of the door, rode a horse and went straight to the palace.

Chen Yuan rushed to the front of the Fengtian Palace, and saw two little eunuchs standing at the entrance of the hall, so he said: "Chen Yuan is ordered to see the driver, and he is tired!" ”

Seeing that Chen Yuan had arrived, the little chamberlain didn't dare to slack off, so he hurriedly bowed his head and said, "Your Excellency, please go in, Your Majesty has ordered, your lord is coming, you don't need to report, go in directly." ”

Chen Yuan was busy dressed and stepped into the hall.

On the top of the main hall, hundreds of civil and military officials gathered together, Chen Yuan saluted the emperor, and then stood in the class.

Only then did he discover that the envoys of the sixteen countries met the Son of Heaven one by one and proceeded in an orderly manner.

Then, I heard the messenger say that he asked Zhu Di to send someone to escort them back to China, and he must be grateful.

I don't know if these are Zhu Di's secret operations or their sincerity, in short, the request is put forward.

Strange, summon the messenger, what do you do with me? Chen Yuan thought about it for a long time, and when he heard this, he suddenly woke up, yes, Zhu Di was going to give an order to go to the West.

Since Suncheon has been designated as the national capital, more and more officials have moved to Suncheon one after another, and there is always a reason to go to the West.

Although Chen Yuan had already persuaded the prince through public opinion in Nanjing, many officials maliciously slandered the West because of the different camps of the prince and their dissatisfaction with Zhu Di's relocation of the capital.

Yu Huan, the left waiter of the household department, interrupted his speech because Chen Yuan went to the palace to see him, and when Chen Yuan stood back in the class, he picked up the topic again, and said angrily: "I went to the West five times before, if it is said that it is to appease the countries, it has achieved the goal, and now it is only two years apart, why do you need to go to the West again?" What benefit does a trip to the West do to the country if it costs millions of dollars and food, the people are overwhelmed, the taxes are excessive, and tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians are killed and injured due to illness and wind, waves and tsunamis. I ask Your Majesty to stop the trip to the West for the sake of the people's livelihood. ”

He looked upright, and Chen Yuan almost believed that this product was worried about the country and the people.

Chen Yuan knew that this was the purpose of Zhu Di calling him here, and refuted: "Lord Yu, is my Ming fleet just used to purchase some rare treasures?" No, as everyone knows, how many rare materials can they transport to enrich the products of my Ming Dynasty, don't you know how many people are fed with sweet potatoes at the moment, which are brought from the West. According to incomplete statistics, many times to the West, Lord Zheng purchased a total of nearly 200 kinds of goods, spices, medicinal materials, hardware, cloth and countless silks, my lord, what you usually use and wear, is not to benefit from the West, the same is true of the people, how to talk about misleading the country and the people? ”

Yu Huan was dumbfounded.

Chen Yuan said again: "There is also pepper, the difference between the purchase price in a foreign country and the price in my Ming Dynasty is more than ten times, but the nobles and the common people like it, why don't you see the tea and horse trade in my dynasty?" It's just to use tea and horses to restrict other countries, and I don't know if other countries will use pepper or other items to control the items Daming? ”

These words were alarmist, and the other officials looked at each other, and the scholar Liu Guan said: "Ridiculous, I am a dignified country, how can I be owed by a small barbarian country." ”

Chen Yuan scoffed: "Scholar Liu, Buddhism says, all living beings are equal, you are full of poetry and books, can you know Confucius's idea that the world is harmonious and everyone is for the public, you are a barbarian, you have more noses, eyes or mouths than them?" All brothers in the four seas, the whole family contract is a family, like brothers, you look down on them, is it to split my Ming, what is the intention? Your Majesty followed the example of the Heavenly Khan and treated all ethnic groups well, and they offered to escort them home, why didn't you agree, and wanted Your Majesty to be scolded by future generations for being small-minded? ”

"You, you-" Liu Guan almost spurted out a mouthful of old blood, this kid was sharp-toothed, and put the charges of splitting the country and his majesty on his head.

Chen Yuan faced the hundred officials and said: "Besides, when our treasure ship goes to sea, it also carries a large number of goods, taking tea as an example, the purchase price is only a few tens or hundreds of Wen, but what about the price?" In a foreign land, tea is sold for thousands of texts, or even tens of thousands, everyone, how can this be a waste of money and labor? ”

"This ......" some people still have doubts.

Chen Yuan smiled slightly and said: "I think that the pros and cons of going to the West, if you only care about the gains and losses of this transaction, then you will be inferior, it depends on whether it is beneficial or unprofitable, and it will take a long-term view!" ”

This is Chen Yuan in the court is to say the benefits of going to the West, Zhengse said: "Go to the West, in addition to making my Ming prestige spread far and wide, the four seas of the guest service, my Ming goods are popular in all countries, the four seas are honored to use my Ming things, but also to make their hearts to my court." In addition, the ruler is short, the inch is long, this truth will not be understood, we can only learn the strengths of other countries, avoid our own shortcomings, we can always maintain the lead, otherwise, we are blind and arrogant, will be woken up by others with strength. ”

"Is Meng Yuan strong? It is very powerful, but why they perished so quickly is because they can only plunder, only destroy, not build, if they do not learn advanced knowledge, they will fall behind, and if they fall behind, they will be beaten! ”

Chen Yuan's words echoed in the Fengtian Palace, and the ministers were silent, unable to refute for a long time.

Zhu Di waved his hand: "It's decided." ”

Therefore, the official edict was issued, and after the envoys were finished, they sent people to escort the envoys of the sixteen countries to Nanjing, and ordered Zheng He to lead Wang Jinghong, Kong Hebuhua, Tang Guanbao, Yang Qing, Hong Bao, Li Kai, Yang Min, Zhou Man and others to send the envoys of the sixteen countries back to China, and bring the edict of the Yongle Emperor and the Jinqi sara silk and other things that were rewarded to the kings.

But Zheng He encountered another problem, the envoys of the sixteen countries did not go to Nanjing together, but went separately, and when the time came, only the envoys of the eleven countries arrived, and if they were delayed any longer, they would not be able to set sail. In order to catch up with the northeast monsoon and reduce the loss of the fleet, Zheng He made a quick decision, leaving Hong Bao and Li Kai to set off first, and Hong Bao and them waited for the monsoon this winter.

In the nineteenth year of Yongle, Zheng He took Wang Jinghong and others, with the festival, wearing brocade robes, and happily stepped on the treasure ship, like the first voyage.

Wang Jinghong suddenly looked back at the north, the corners of his mouth drew an arc, and silently recited: Zhu Zhanji, don't be happy too early, Chen Yuan, sooner or later, I will give you an unexpected gift.