"Boom !!"

In mid-June, a dull explosion erupted in the southern mountains of Dongzhou (Andes).

This time, however, it was not the artillery that made such a noise, but the explosives......

When the smoke cleared, a basket of stones was brought to Zheng He, and the faintly visible silver light on the stones represented their identity.

"This is the silver mine in the south marked by His Highness?"

Zheng He took a closer look at the silver ore, and the Taixue Mining Master who was standing on the side nodded:

"It should be here, these silver mines are of good purity, on par with Iwami silver mines in Japan."

"The mine is so large that it is estimated that it can open up at least 2,000 pits, and there is a high probability that there are other associated deposits."

As a worker with a geological background, Zhu Gaoxu may not know much about other industries, and even needs the help of some craftsmen in the Ming Dynasty to improve the teaching materials, but he doesn't dare to say how much he understands in the geological industry, but he must know more than most people in this era.

His knowledge was disseminated to the people of his time through textbooks, and this bachelor of mining was one of them.

The mining of gold, silver and copper in Beizhou and Dongzhou was a decisive factor in the longevity of Dongzhou's trade in the future, so since Zheng He integrated the inner city-states of Nanguo in March of the beginning of the year, he began to survey the mines.

From the north to the east and the south, the hundreds of mining masters he brought to Dongzhou were all under the protection of the army, looking for minerals according to the drawings given by Zhu Gaoxu.

They took over most of the southern pits and discovered many new ones, such as the current southern silver mine.

"Two thousand pits, how many workers are needed for this, and how much silver ore can be produced?"

Sitting under the parasol, Zheng He asked the Tai Scholar in front of him, surrounded by hundreds of soldiers guarding him.

"At least 100,000 people, the amount of silver that can be produced every year will not be less than three million taels."

Bachelor Tai pushed his glasses and told Zheng He his inference.

Such news made everyone, including Zheng He, breathe heavily.

They have found a lot of gold and silver pits these days, but there is really no place where a mine like the Nanguo Silver Mine can produce three million taels of silver.

"How many city-states are there around this mine?"

Zheng He calmed his temper and looked up at Wang Ren, who was slightly surprised next to him.

Hearing this, Wang Ren hurriedly bowed down: "There are about fifty-four city-states, and the population will not be less than 300,000. ”

"Good!" Hearing Wang Ren's words, Zheng He continued to speak: "Recruit miners from their tribes, and also migrate the defeated prisoners of war. ”

"From here we must build a post road to the west coast, and send craftsmen to impart knowledge and culture to them, and we will not interfere in their internal struggles, but they cannot refuse to buy food without reason, and we will pay the workers who come to work here."

"Since there are silver mines and associated copper mines here, then build a mint here, and all the coinage dies on the ships will be moved here, and each miner will be paid ten cents."

"As for the supplies, don't worry, I will lead the fleet back next month, and at that time, a thousand soldiers and horses will be stationed here, plus two guards and horses from the Dongzhou Xuanwei Division, which is enough for you to guard the local area."

Zheng He explained to Wang Ren, and now Wang Ren has become a consolation envoy in Dongzhou.

With the south as a lesson from the past, the east naturally did not dare to make a mistake, after all, the east still needs the Ming Dynasty to help them improve water conservancy and agriculture.

"There are too few craftsmen, and with the current output of gunpowder, it is not enough to mine gold and silver ore in Dongzhou."

Tai Bachelor pushed his glasses, he naturally wanted to stay in Dongzhou, their term of office for this batch of Tai Bachelors was three years, and after three years, they would return to Daming from Dongzhou City by the Daming Ocean Channel.

"How many people and how many supplies are needed, you and Wang Ren make a list, and I will send the Oriental Fleet to deliver them when I return to the imperial court."

Zheng He explained that although the Daming Ocean Channel has been confirmed to be safe, in order to make better use of this channel, the coastal islands still need to arrange many supply points.

The laying of these supply points will take enough time, so for a while, Zheng He and they will not be able to bring a large amount of goods.

But even so, the goods he and Chen Xuan brought before were enough for the locals to consume for more than half a year, after all, the pricing power was in the hands of the Ming army.

Chen Xuan left 3,000 people in Dongzhou, while Zheng He prepared to leave 5,000 people and return with more than 2,000 people.

In this way, Wang Ren will have 8,000 people in his hands, and these 8,000 people will be divided into 80 hundred households to guard the mineral deposits in various places.

Because the eastern kingdom was prone to famine, Zheng He deliberately explained that Wang Ren went north to open up the Beizhou Xuanwei Division, and that place already had a location, because Zhu Gaoxu had already marked it on the map.

As long as the Dongzhou Propaganda Division is opened in the local area according to the map, the ships that arrive in Beizhou from Mutsu in the future will have a supply point, and there is no need to go all the way south to the north and the east in embarrassment.

After explaining everything, Zheng He got up and continued to Wang Ren beside him: "I'll set off in a while, you will guard the imperial court well, someone will come back to replace you in three years, and I will also promote you to the governor's mansion in three years." ”

"The last general commands!" Hearing this, Wang Ren hurriedly responded, and Zheng He glanced at him, and left the place with dozens of cavalry in response.

After Zheng He left, Wang Ren set his eyes on the basket of silver mines, and his eyes showed a bit of greed.

He dared to fight and kill, in order to be rich, and now that he is expensive, he will naturally be rich.

In three years, he may be able to accumulate a lot of money, so that his family can completely get rid of the poor life they once had.

As for other ideas, he didn't have them, and he didn't dare to have them.

The battles he fought in Dongzhou were indeed beautiful, but if he was put in the Ming Dynasty, he knew very well what level he was.

He only wants to seek wealth and wealth, and he does not dare to have other ideas.

When his thoughts fell, Wang Ren also began to arrange the matter of recruiting men from the surrounding city-states.

In the thirteenth year of Yongle, this year is definitely a year worthy of being recorded in the history books, not only the Ming Dynasty panned for gold in Dongzhou, but even North Korea, Champong, Sulu and other countries also panned for gold in Kunlun.

In addition to the official gold panning, not to mention the private gold panning.

During the Hongwu period, a large number of muskets and Hongwu iron cannons were packaged and sold, and dozens of gold panning teams composed of thousands of people set out from the forest land and panned for gold along the river.

Since following Zheng He to Kunlunzhou last year, many teams have found a lot of gold.

Some of them transported the gold back to Daming by boat, and when they passed through the Manraka Strait, they came up with various ways to evade in the face of naval searches, but most of them were caught.

For the sake of profit, many people began to travel overland from Dagura into Yunnan, making a detour to Cochin, and finally returning home by boat.

However, the danger of this route is self-evident, and in just half a year, the Yunnan Metropolitan Division has received dozens of reports from the three propaganda and ten consolations.

The content of these reports is much the same, all of them are nothing more than stating that some Ming merchants came to the local area and died suddenly, and the Yunnan Dusi was very curious at first, until the sent servants found gold in the bodies of these people, and then they knew that this group of people had taken such a risk in order to avoid the customs duties of the Manchurian Strait.

In the Southeast Asian rainforest of this era, even the Ming army with enough cinchona bark did not dare to rush into it, and it can only be said that these merchants are fearless and ignorant.

Perhaps it was too difficult to transport money by land, so more and more taxes were recorded by the Manraka customs.

"It seems that they have found a lot of gold in Kunlun Continent."

At the end of June, Zhu Gaoxu in the Chunhe Hall looked at the document handed in by the Propaganda Department of the Old Port, and couldn't help but sigh a little.

"Seven hundred and sixty-seven two hundred and fifty cents and three cents ......"

Zhu Gaoxu muttered about this string of data, multiplied by ten, which is basically the income of those thousands of people panning for gold.

"This shouldn't be all, according to the news of the West Factory, this group of guys has captured tens of thousands of natives to pan for gold for them, and it is estimated that a lot of gold has been smuggled."

"Recently, has North Korea asked the imperial court to exchange copper coins, or use gold to buy goods?"

Zhu Gaoxu looked sideways and asked, and he also lost his head: "The transaction is probably less than 2,000 taels, basically all of them are exchanged for copper coins, and they have also bought a lot of copper ingots overseas, judging from the situation reported by the Manraka Customs, it should not be less than 20,000 catties." ”

"20,000 catties ......" Zhu Gaoxu touched his mustache: "It's not much, but they can get so much gold, it seems that they have enslaved the natives in Kunlun Continent." ”

Zhu Gaoxu chuckled, and Yizha also nodded and added: "According to the news of Xichang, North Korea enslaves the most natives, but it is too scattered and it is difficult to count, but at least it will not be less than 20,000 people. ”

"After this time, it is estimated that North Korea will send more soldiers and horses to Kunlun Continent, but this is also beneficial, their gold and silver will go to the imperial treasury."

Accompanying Zhu Gaoxu for too long, Yishu also knew the thoughts of his Royal Highness, in the eyes of his Royal Highness, the vassal country was undoubtedly the existence of going to Kunlun Continent to work for the Ming Dynasty.

No matter how much gold and silver they demanded from Kunlun, it would eventually flow into the treasury of the Ming Dynasty in the form of trade, and this was indeed the case.

"Your Highness!"

Suddenly, the eunuch on duty walked into the hall, and presented an urgent note with both hands: "Zhejiang Urgent Report ......"

Seeing that this was the news, Zhu Gaoxu also stretched out his hand to take it, and after opening it, he subconsciously frowned.

[On the day of Jimao, the epidemic in the three counties of Wucheng, Gui'an, and Deqing in Zhejiang, Hangzhou urgently sent doctors, and more than 3,580 people died, and the epidemic was controlled......]

"Let people find out what the source of the epidemic is, is it rising water, or is it sanitation?"

Zhu Gaoxu circled red with a red pen, and after leaving his own evaluation, he did not forget to explain to the eunuch on duty.

With the implementation of the new policy, especially the promotion of hospitals, the two Beijing and the fourteen political envoys each have at least one hospital, plus students from medical schools in Shenyang, Jilin, Beiping, Nanjing and other places, the medical progress of Daming has also advanced by leaps and bounds with biological research.

Wherever the New Deal is promoted, there will basically be no plague, and the plague in Zhejiang this time is obviously related to the high tide of the sea two months ago.

Zhu Gaoxu estimated that the group of officials in Zhejiang did not implement the post-disaster standards well, resulting in substandard hygiene, so the epidemic broke out.

If it weren't for the fact that there were enough students at Hangzhou Medical College, I'm afraid the number of deaths this time would have been even higher.

Of course, this period of time is the most serious time for the coastal waters of Nanzhili and Zhejiang, and if it is not handled properly, Zhejiang will suffer more epidemics.

"How is Jiangxi's new policy being implemented?"

Zhu Gaoxu raised his head and asked Yizha, who nodded and said: "It has come to an end, Jiangxi's "Yellow Book" has more than 12.46 million mouths, an increase of more than 2 million more than the 26th year of Hongwu, and the cultivated land has not increased much, but more than 2 million mu, but many paddy fields pretending to be sloping land have been found. ”

"After the new policy is introduced, Jiangxi Tianfu should be able to receive more than 6 million stones this year."

"Humph!" Hearing Yishiha's words, Zhu Gaoxu snorted lightly, before he asked Jiangxi to pay more than 3 million stone quota of land endowment, Xie Jin's group of people always pushed back, and now that the new policy is implemented, under the condition of reducing the burden of the people, it can collect more than 6 million stones.

Thinking of this, Zhu Gaoxu couldn't help but think of Xie Jin, who died in the snow, and only felt that it was too cheap for him to freeze him to death directly.

"The fatwa decrees the political envoys and capital departments of Zhejiang to carry out sanitation and cleaning in strict accordance with the "Post-disaster Standards", otherwise it is very likely that the epidemic will continue to break out."

"Slave and maid receive ......"

Zhu Gaoxu instructed, and he did so, and the cooperation between the master and servant was also very harmonious.

After discussing the affairs of Zhejiang, Zhu Gaoxu opened his mouth to talk about the affairs of Guangxi and Beijing.

"How is Guangxi's land reform and repatriation going, and what about Beijing's relocation of the capital?"

"The terrain of Datengxia is complex, and it has not been completely pacified, and other places have basically been pacified." Yishaha explained:

"The Guangxi Political Department is already measuring cultivated land and taking stock of the population, and it is estimated that the "Yellow Book" and "Fish Scale Atlas" will be handed in at the end of the year."

"As for Beijing, most of the nobles have moved north, but only the Duke of Wei has not."

"Another ......"

Yishaha hesitated for a moment, and then said: "There is news in Beijing this morning that the British Duke Zhang Yuxu has passed away at the age of eighty, and His Majesty has given him the name Zhongxian. ”

"Over there in Guangxi, Your Majesty considered that the war had basically been calmed down, so he summoned Zhang Fu to the north to guard filial piety."

"Got it." Hearing that Zhang Yu was gone, Zhu Gaoxu no longer felt any discomfort except for sighing.

In the final analysis, if it weren't for his success in going south, Zhang Yu estimated that he would have died twelve years ago, where could he enjoy so many more years.

Now Zhu Gaoxu is very open-minded, and the exit of the Yanfu faction is also a good thing for him.

"What's going on with Hami?"

Zhu Gaoxu got up and looked at the map behind him, and set his eyes on Hami.

"There are 1,000 garrisons and 2,000 people, and they are safely stationed here, and more than 5,000 acres of cultivated land have been reclaimed with karez irrigation."

"Your Highness, although this place is important, it is really too barren, although the rations can be self-sufficient, but there is no food at all, it is difficult to succeed in relying on this place to enter the Western Regions."

Yisha persuaded Zhu Gaoxu, but Zhu Gaoxu raised his hand to interrupt:

"No problem, when the thermal efficiency of the steam engine is improved, more than a dozen pumping machines can be transported to the local area, and the local groundwater resources are quite abundant, and it is not a problem to irrigate more than 100,000 acres of cultivated land."

Seeing Zhu Gaoxu say this, he no longer had anything to say.

The two of them bowed their heads to deal with the music, and after about two hours, they heard the familiar footsteps.

Looking up, it was Zhu Zhan who was returning to the palace after school.

"How's the result?"

Today is June 30, so Zhu Gaoxu asked Zhu Zhanyan about his results, and Zhu Zhanyan could only shrug helplessly when he heard this: "I didn't do well in the exam this time, and I fell out of the top 100." ”

"It's okay, just work hard next semester." Zhu Gaoxu doesn't care much about Zhu Zhanyan's achievements, he cares more about life and means.

At the moment, Zhu Zhanyan is still too naïve, and I hope that after he is sent down in the future, he will be more mature.

However, when Zhu Gaoxu came back to his senses, he couldn't help but smile bitterly that he was too demanding of Zhu Zhanyan, after all, Zhu Zhanyan was only thirteen years old.

He can't use the thirteen-year-old of his life to ask Zhu Zhanyan, as far as the moment is concerned, he has done a very good job.

"The group of first-grade juniors have produced twelve nine-class first-class students this year, which is really ......"

Zhu Zhanyan put down his schoolbag and sighed a few times, which made Zhu Gaoxu interested: "Oh, it's better than your classmate Jianghuai?" ”

Zhu Gaoxu knew more or less about Zhu Zhanyan and Jiang Huai and Guo Shao, and he had also deliberately read Jiang Huai's information.

To tell the truth, it is really surprising that two people from serfs can cultivate such children, and what is even more surprising is that Jianghuai's moral character is very high, and leaving such a person by Zhu Zhanyan's side also makes Zhu Gaoxu feel a little relieved.

"Amazing, the first place in the first grade this time is Lu Yu from Luzon, I heard that he is still a lifter, and it is estimated that he is the first lifter student in Jiangning Middle School."

Zhu Zhanyan took a sip of ice drink, and said happily the ownership of the first place in the first grade this time.

"Raise people to middle school, or are you from Luzon?"

Don't talk about Zhu Zhanyan, even Zhu Gaoxu felt a little surprised.

Although Luzon was developed because of gold and silver mines, it was far away from the Central Plains after all, and its population was only about 200,000.

It is already remarkable that such a population ratio can produce a lifter, not to mention that this lifter is willing to continue to study in middle school.

"I think this person has a lot of ambition, and it is estimated that he is preparing to participate in the imperial examination after graduating from middle school and win the Jinshi."

Zhu Zhanyan commented on Lu Yu's student, and at the same time sighed: "Dad, do you think he will be too confident?" ”

In response to Zhu Zhanyan's inquiry, Zhu Gaoxu put down the Zhu pen and crossed his thumbs:

"If you can lift people in the exam, and you can also suppress your heart to learn middle school knowledge, such a person doesn't have a little self-confidence, do you believe it?"

"That's ...... too" Zhu Zhanyan nodded, and then said, "Dad, when are we going to Beijing?" ”

"When you graduate, we will be ready to go to Beijing, and then you and your younger brothers will continue to study in Nanjing, and you will study in a military school."

"Good!" Hearing the military academy, Zhu Zhanyu's eyes lit up, and Zhu Gaoxu also promised:

"When you enlist in the military academy to study, your grandfather may have to go north, and then you can follow your grandfather to the north."

"That's better!" Hearing that he could go north with his grandfather, Zhu Zhanyan smiled happily.

Zhu Gaoxu looked at his schoolbag and said, "Go and have a good rest, so that your mother doesn't have to wait for me to eat." ”

"Good!" Zhu Zhanyan got up and picked up his schoolbag and walked out of the Chunhe Palace, and soon after he left, he asked:

"Your Highness, what do you mean, you will send troops to Mobei in seven years?"

Zhu Zhanyan is now in the second year of middle school, and he will graduate in three years, and he will study in the military academy for four years, and he will only enlist in the army for the assessment in the fifth year, which is seven years later.

Seven years later, it was the twentieth year of Yongle, but Yishaha estimated that His Royal Highness would not wait until that time to ascend the throne, and it was estimated that after solving the affairs of Jiangnan, it would be time to ascend the throne.

"Almost, recently, Wang Rong said that the population of the Tatar and Warat tribes is recovering very quickly, and it is estimated that in seven years, Mahamu will be able to pull out another 40,000 or 50,000 people, and at least 40,000 on Alitai's side."

"It is necessary to let both of them consume and consume, or see if the nobles of the Tatar tribe can still fight, and if they can't fight, it is also a good thing to move them inward."

Zhu Gaoxu commented on the two departments of Tatar and Warat in Mobei, and now Tatar is the commander of the Ming Yanran, although he obeys the dispatch, but it will inevitably rebel against the Ming Dynasty with the expansion of strength.

Daming has absolute strength, but if he can not fight, Zhu Gaoxu is still unwilling to fight.

Before the advent of the railway, there was only expenditure to fight the war in Mobei, no income, and every time it was fought at a loss, it was definitely not a good thing for the Ming Dynasty to continue such a war situation.

However, if there is a railway, then the mineral resources of Mobei can be developed, and it will be much easier for the Ming army to be stationed there.

Zhu Gaoxu rubbed his brows: "There are too many things now, and my father is gradually taking care of things, and the burden is on me." ”

It seems that in order to reassure himself, the old man basically does not interfere in the affairs of the six ministries now, except for occasionally accepting tributes from various countries, he is studying his palace at other times, and the location of his palace is very interesting, in the area of the Summer Palace and the Old Summer Palace in later generations.

The old man was going to invest 2 million guan to build the palace, but considering the emptiness of the treasury, he divided the construction into two years, and invested 1 million guan every year.

There were also courtiers who impeached him, but Zhu Gaoxu suppressed his voice.

Although he didn't know how long it would take Zheng He to deal with the affairs of the Inca Empire, he thought that Spain did not spend much effort to eliminate the Inca Empire in history, and Zheng He's appeal was not to pursue the elimination of the Inca Empire, so it should be dealt with quickly.

As long as things are done well on Zheng He's side, there will be no shortage of money in Daming.

Of course, if you meet an emperor who is so happy, then don't talk about it.

Thinking like this, Zhu Gaoxu opened a notebook, and the content of the notebook made Zhu Gaoxu smile.

This is a note written by Wang Xuan, and the content is the completion of the Xijiang Town to the Manmo Post Road.

The completion of this road means that in the future, the Ming army can rely on the Greater Jinsha River (Irrawaddy River) to control the plains of Burma, and the value is self-evident.

"Missionary order, the governor of Wang Xuan, the governor of the left capital, and the uncle of Longchuan!"

"Yes!" Hearing that Wang Xuan had finally received the earl's reward, not only Zhu Gaoxu was happy, but even Yishaha on the side was also very happy.

Wang Xuan's role in Jingnan cannot be announced, but he is very important to the entire Jingnan process, if it were not for their father and son and Fu Zhong to contain Mu Chun, then the Southwest Corps would definitely appear on the Jingnan battlefield in advance, and it is very likely that they will block the Bohai Navy in the Huai River.

After thirteen years, Zhu Gaoxu finally had the opportunity to knight Wang Xuan, and the earl was only the beginning of his reward for this good brother......

(End of chapter)