Jiang Ning was not polite, and went directly to the topic: "Master Li, do you still remember what I said in front of Your Majesty when I entered the palace for the first time?" ”

Li Dongyang's eyes froze, and he said leisurely: "It seems that Master Jiang hasn't given up yet." ”

"This matter is buried in my heart, and I dare not forget it for a day."

The old man still remembers that Gong Xie said that it was worthless that day, so he almost didn't point at the adult's nose and scold.

Hehe, I miss it so much. ”

Li Dongyang looked down at his reflection on the tea in the cup, as if he remembered the years when he and Liu and Xie were the auxiliary government of the country together.

Jiang Ning seemed to see what was on his mind, and said bluntly:

"Lord Li, is you thinking of Liu and Xie?

Also, Li Gongmou, Liu Gongju, and Xie Gongyou are Kankan, which is really a good story in the court. ”

Li Dongyang shook his head:

"That's it, let's not talk about that.

It's just that the old man wants to tell Master Jiang that this matter is difficult, difficult to ascend to the sky, and it is not something that can be done if you want to.

The reasons for the sea ban are complex and complex, and it is not possible to sort out them at once. ”

"I know."

Jiang Ning took a deep breath:

"But my Daming coastline is vast, bordering the sea for thousands of miles, opening the sea ban, and foreign trade is the best and most convenient way to make the country strong and the people rich.

Now that the sea is forbidden, the merchants who want to trade at sea have no way out, so they have to go to the sea to become thieves, mixed with the Japanese bandits, and they are in cahoots, but the Japanese are rampant for a while.

My Daming Sailor is so corrupt that he can only defend himself, and he can't even take the initiative to attack and kill pirates.

I don't know how many coastal people have been poisoned by it, and the calamity is not less than that of northern Xinjiang Tatar.

If the sea is opened and a treaty port is added, it will not only turn Kou into a businessman, but also restore peace to the people.

It can also curb the smuggling trade of the gentry in Jiangnan and greatly open up tax channels.

Wouldn't it be the best of both worlds if it could benefit the people while strengthening the court? ”

After some sincere words, Li Dongyang's eyes changed when he looked at Jiang Ning.

At least not so hostile anymore.

Perhaps, in his heart, he recognizes and appreciates people who serve the country and the people.

Even though the two have different political views, they have even been hostile and have disagreements.

After a long time, Li Dongyang sighed and said: "Everyone understands the truth, but it is difficult to do." ”

Jiang Ning seemed to be a little relieved when he saw him, and hurriedly said:

"Shoufu rest assured, Jiang already has some plans in his heart, as long as Shoufu can agree, it will be fine."

"Hehe, it seems that Master Jiang has been planning for a long time."

Li Dongyang took a sip of tea and continued:

"It's just that Master Jiang has thought about it, the land in the south of the Yangtze River is fertile, and it is my granary of the Ming Dynasty, once the local people are eager to trade with the sea, and no one cultivates the land?

It's just normal times, but if you encounter natural disasters and man-made disasters, and there is not enough food relief, wouldn't it be starving everywhere? ”

Jiang Ning was stunned.

He had forgotten about it.

At this time, the productivity was still low, the north and the Central Plains had been reclaimed for thousands of years, and the land fertility had long since faded, and the whole country was pointing to the rice and grain in the south of the Yangtze River to sell in various places.

Suddenly, Jiang Ning had a flash of inspiration.

Didn't he discover sweet potatoes and corn before, as long as he worked hard to promote them, not to mention eating well, at least he wouldn't starve to death.

"Gong Li, if I can solve the food problem, can you support me?"

Li Dongyang was stunned, and nodded subconsciously:

"If Lord Jiang can solve this top priority, the old man will not allow it."

As he spoke, he changed his words:

"However, the old man is old, and he can't handle government affairs, although he has Jiao-sama Sasuke, he is still tired.

What's more, both of us are dying and decrepit, and there must always be a young and strong one in the cabinet. ”

Jiang Ning twitched the corner of his mouth:

"I knew that Master Yang, a scholar of Hanlin, was extremely talented, and I had a very good conversation with him at the beginning, so I recommended him to His Majesty to join the cabinet.

What does Li Gong think? ”

"Hehe, so, the old man thanks Master Jiang."

Li Dongyang smiled like an old fox.

After leaving the Li Mansion, Jiang Ning rode a sedan chair around the grain stores in the city.

Now that you have made up your mind to promote sweet potatoes and corn, it is not enough to rely on those at home as food.

So he hopes to find more, so that it is easier to promote.

And judging from the explanation of his little wife that day, Jiang Ning must have many people who know sweet potatoes at this time.

I just don't pay attention to it.

After all, they don't even have enough to eat, so how can they go to the trouble of researching and planting it as a new crop?

It's a rarity at best.

After searching for a long time, Jiang Ning has not gained anything, but fortunately, someone pointed out that he might sell it in a grain store.

Jiang Ning showed joy and hurriedly looked for it.

As soon as he got off the sedan chair, he saw that the shopkeeper was driving away two people in tattered clothes.

It should be a beggar.

But on the contrary, these two beggars are both blonde and blue-eyed, with curly hair, and they are obviously not Ming people.

Jiang Ning became interested, and immediately walked over: "Can you speak Da Ming?" ”

When the two Westerners saw him dressed luxuriously, they hurriedly stumbled and said, "This, this son, will, we." ”

Although he is not very skilled and lame, he can at least communicate.

Jiang Ning immediately asked a few questions, and then he realized that they were missionaries, one named Nestor and the other Xavier.

Their ship was wrecked at sea.

Then inexplicably I went to Tianjin Wei, and finally came to the capital.

It's just that they don't have any money, and no one wants to listen to them if they want to preach, so they have to beg for their lives.

After Jiang Ning expressed sympathy for their plight, he looked at the grain store shopkeeper.

The shopkeeper had long seen him hugging him before and after, he must be either rich or expensive, and hurriedly said with a smile:

"What do you command?"

"Do you have that kind of thing here, which grows in the ground and then has a lumpy shape, red skin, white skin, or anything like that? Call it sweet potato, sweet potato, anything.

And the rod-shaped ones, which are golden-yellow particles on them. ”

Jiang Ning gestured for a while.

The shopkeeper was stunned for a while and said, "There should be, but there are very few." ”

"Bring it to me."

Jiang Ning couldn't wait.

The shopkeeper answered, hurriedly returned to the store, and immediately came out with a bag in his hand.

"Childe, look at it, see if it's true."

Jiang Ning glanced at it, and immediately said with great joy: "That's right, that's it, that's them!" ”

I saw that there were not only a dozen sweet potatoes in it, but also seven or eight corn cobs.

"How much?"

The shopkeeper hesitated: "Don't hide it from the child, these are rare things, no one buys them, why don't you pay a pound of silver?" ”

Jiang Ning was a little funny, and asked people to hand over ten taels of silver.

The shopkeeper was surprised, and hurriedly took it carefully, and then heard Jiang Ning ask: "Shopkeeper, I don't know where these came from." ”

"If you go back to your son, I got it from my owner."

"Where's your owner?"

At this moment, a voice came from the shop: "Which one is calling me?" ”

I saw a figure nearly half a hundred years old walk out.

The two of them looked at each other and exclaimed.

"Mr. Zhu?"

"Master Jiang?"

This person is Zhu Yunming, one of the four great talents in Wuzhong, which is often referred to as Zhu Zhishan.

"Oh, it turned out to be Lord Jiang in person, since the last time I said goodbye to Suzhou, I don't want to see each other today."

Jiang Ning couldn't be polite, and said eagerly: "This shop is yours?" Where did you get these things? ”

Zhu Yunming explained:

"This is what I grow in my garden, called sweet wheat and sweet potato, which are very rare.

When I came to the capital, I brought some with me, and I lived in this shop, so I hung them up in the store and sold them. ”

When Jiang Ning heard that he had planted it himself, his heart suddenly burst into joy, and he said:

"Why don't you go to the restaurant with me for a drink and a light meal?"

Zhu Yunming nodded in response.

Eating with Jiang Ning is not an opportunity for everyone.

At this time, the two missionaries were still looking at Jiang Ning.

He was the only one who took the initiative to talk to them.

It would be foolish not to know how to seize the opportunity.

Jiang Ning was amused in his heart, so he simply called them too.

The two of them thanked each other in a strange way.

Arrived at the private room of the restaurant.

After the wine and food went upstairs, regardless of the two missionaries gobbling up, Jiang Ning said to Zhu Yunming:

"I don't know sir, where did you get these things?"

"After the grass people failed to pass the imperial examination, they started a grain business.

When my father was alive, he accepted a family of Han Chinese who had returned from Nanyang.

Their ancestors went to sea during the war at the end of the Yuan Dynasty.

After accepting them, my father left them to grow some crops in the garden at home, all of which were novelties brought back from the South Seas.

It's this wheat and sweet potato.

These things are relatively rare, so the grass people will transport them to various grain stores under their name to sell.

It's just that not many people have seen it, and it rarely sells. ”

Jiang Ning suddenly, stroked his palms and laughed:

"Okay, well, these are the treasures I can't find, and I want as much as I have sir."

Zhu Yunming hurriedly said: "Since the adults like these things so much, the grass people will give them to the adults." ”

Jiang Ning thanked him again and again, and mentioned the meaning of these crops and his own intentions.

Zhu Yunming said with emotion: "My lord has such a heart for the benefit of the country and the people, and the grass people admire it, so he should be a big white!" ”