Chapter 308: If a minister is not secretive, he loses his body

Zhang Anshi took a closer look and his eyes lit up.

This is ……

Zhang Anshi’s heart thumped in his chest and he couldn’t help but purse his lips.

Might actually make a fortune.

Zhang Anshi s eyes straightened, Xu went up and said, “These …… were also brought from there?”

Deng Jian said, “Yes, at first, but whenever you see the local natives eat and use things, you will bring their seeds back together, other crops are okay, but only this thing ……”

Zhang Anshi walked closer, his eyes narrowed, and said, “This thing, how is it?”

Teng Jian frowned and said, “This thing, I let people taste it, but …… found that it is not edible.”

Zhang Anshi said, “Of course you can’t consume it. How much have you planted?”

“Planted quite a lot.” Deng Jian said, “This thing is good to feed, but in order to winter cultivation, so …… according to your method, used a warm room to cultivate, here is enough to have more than a hundred acres of land to plant this.”

Zhang Anshi nodded his head and said, “I’ll go in and have a good ha look around, yes, a little more people, pick for me.”

Ken Deng said suspiciously, “This stuff, it seems like it’s inedible.”

“I know naturally, pick it that is, pick all its leaves, and afterward do as I do.”

A few days later, Zhang Anshi had people build a roasting room in the middle of this farmhouse.

Inside, there are pipes for roasting, and the oven is located outside, one leaf at a time, placed in the roasting room until this leaf turns brown.

And then it is processed to have this leaf shredded.

Zhang Anshi had another person fetch a rolled paper and rolled this shredded leaf.

Deng Jian was on the side, looking at Zhang Anshi strangely.

Zhang Anshi smiled and said, “Fetch the fire.”

Jianying, who was also standing curiously on the side, then busied himself with fetching the kindling.

Zhang Anshi put one end of this roll of paper rolled up leaves in his mouth, one end to the fire, and inhaled, then he felt a sense of vertigo.

“Drunken smoke.” Zhang Anshi coughed desperately.

Teng Jian was startled and hurriedly gave Zhang Anshi a gentle pat on his fearful back, saying with concern, “What’s wrong, what’s wrong?”

Zhang Anshi was busy shaking his head, “No, nothing. Damn ……”

With that, Zhang Anshi exhaled a mouthful of smoke.

He’s got quite a reaction in this body, not having inhaled the stuff!

Zhang Anshi was very careful the second time, only carefully inhaled a mouthful, and did not rush into the throat, only a hint of inhaling, the familiar feeling of the previous life, only slightly.

With a hand rolled cigarette still in his hand, Zhang Anshi sighed, “This is not a good thing, it’s bad for your health.”

Ken Dunn: “……”

Zhang Anshi then took his seat and said to Jianying, “Fetch a pair of tea me.”

Jianying went off in a panic.

Ken Deng finally couldn’t help himself, “What’s this?”

“Smoke, that thing you planted, it’s tobacco.” Zhang Anshi did not hide it from Deng Jian.

Ken Deng said, “Poisonous?”

Zhang Anshi thought about it, but still truthfully said, “Sort of.”

Deng Jian color change: “Then you still ……”

Zhang Anshi smiled bitterly, this stuff was indeed harmful to health and could easily cause cancer.

But …… That said, is there cancer in this day and age?

Theoretically, in this day and age when life expectancy is only 30 or 40 years per capita, ninety-nine percent of the people who should be living should be dead before cancer shows up.

So …… in theory, this shouldn’t be considered harmful to your health.

So Zhang Anshi said, “Actually, it’s not so poisonous, it might shorten your life by a few years.”

Deng Jian’s face changed slightly again as he listened.

“Assuming you live long enough, of course. But then again, drinking can shorten your life too, it’s something similar to booze.”

Only then did Ken Deng’s face soften a little.

“In short, just harm me, don’t touch this.” Zhang Anshi said.

Teng Jian said bitterly, “Such a harmful thing, I should have known better than to bring it back.”

“This is not right either.” Zhang Anshi shook his head and said, “The words must not be said like this, I would rather everyone smoke this than drink wine. This thing …… is made from leaves and doesn’t take up much arable land, while that liquor, which is made from grain, takes up a tremendous amount of arable land.”

“In short, you continue to expand the seeds for me, as many as you can, and your plucked leaves, treat them all like this.”

Ken Deng then said, “Used for what?”

“Doing business.” Zhang Anshi did not hide from Deng Jian, then said, “Well, I’ll bring back a batch of tobacco leaves, you well continue to cultivate seedlings, when I have a big use.”

Ken Deng opened his mouth to say something, and finally nodded.

Nowadays, he had absolute trust in Zhang Anshi, not to mention, he had always had an instinctive coddling for this child he had brought up.

Zhang Anshi then, in a hurry, headed for the Forbidden City.

……

In the Forbidden City, Zhu Di sits tall.

Yang Rong, Hu Guang, Jin Youzi, Xia Yuanji, Jin Zhong, and Jin Chun, the Minister of Criminal Affairs, gathered here, but each face was extremely unattractive.

Zhu Di’s eyebrows sank, “Is this true?”

“Yes!” Xia Yuanji, the Minister of Household, smiled bitterly and said, “Since the fourth year of Yongle, Fujian has been suffering from a pandemic that has been difficult to eradicate. The Fujian Buzhengzhi Department has repeatedly reported it, but …… so far ……”

Yang Rong is a native of Fujian, and he knows the most about this matter. What broke out in Fujian was the bubonic plague.

He sighed towards Zhu Di and said, “Especially the Jianning and Yanping provinces are the most serious. So far the court has recorded that the people have died to the tune of three hundred and seventy thousand people.”

Zhu Di more and more anxious, these reports, in fact, he has read, but also has long been down again and again, so that the place to think of ways to eradicate this epidemic.

But the reality is not encouraging.

Especially when …… is even more unpromising.

Hu Guang said with a sad face: “Your Majesty, just yesterday, in Yingtianfu, someone found a family died a violent death, pallbearers went to check, its symptoms and the epidemic in Fujian general. Yingtianfu sent people to investigate, only to realize that this person …… had previously returned to the capital by boat from Fujian shortly ……”

Zhu Di frowned and said, “From Fujian to the capital, such a distance, I’m afraid that halfway to the violent death, why is it only now that there is a problem?”

Hu Guang said, “The biggest possibility is …… that there are dead rats in that boat, and it was dyed halfway.”

Zhu Di looked deeply at Hu Guang: “Then you mean …… this capital city …… is only afraid of a bubonic plague outbreak as well?”

On the Fujian side, plague occurred off and on though, especially during the early Ming period.

After all, Fujian is less densely populated, and it is mountainous, so it is not easy for the plague to spread.

But if it appeared in Nanjing City, it would be completely different, the entire South Zhili, but there are millions of military and civilian people.

Zhu Di gazed at Hu Guang and continued, “Is there a chance of a fluke?”

“I have asked Yingtianfu to keep a close eye on it.” Hu Guang said worriedly, “I just hope that nothing will go wrong.”

Zhu Di sank his eyebrows and said, “In this matter, don’t spread the word first ……”

Zhu Di paused and added: “If not, I’m afraid that I will have to teach the people and the army to be frightened. Once the people are frightened, something big will happen instead.”

“Yes.”

Several cabinet ministers and ministers nodded, uncharacteristically looking worried.

But right now, there is only one step to take.

But for the bubonic plague, they are aware of, this epidemic since the Southern Song Dynasty has been recorded, serious times, may cause nine out of ten rooms.

At the end of the Yuan and the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, because of years of war, so the plague is very rampant, the harm is also very great, just for a moment, it is difficult to have any eradication method.

But fortunately in this day and age, transportation is not easy, and the bubonic plague only nuisances one area, making it difficult to spread.

But if it is to Nanjing, it is not so good to say, after all, is the capital city, and is a densely populated area, once the accident, is not a joke.

And this bubonic plague, regardless of whether you are dignitaries, or ordinary people, once the outbreak, there will be no difference in death and injury.

It is important to realize that at this very time, on the other side of this continent, the bubonic plague was raging, directly causing 50 million casualties, which is the famous Black Death in later times.

And this bubonic plague, is also one of the reasons for the fall of the Ming Dynasty, the fall of the Ming, because of the Little Ice Age large-scale grain production reduction, the exiles in all directions, a large number of population movement, coupled with many people starved and starved to death, resulting in the bubonic plague ultimately transmitted to the capital, the whole capital of the situation is miserable.

Historically, the court has been at its wits’ end regarding this epidemic, and right now, once it reaches the capital, the situation may be even worse.

Zhu Di wrinkled eyebrows for a long time can not stretch, he seems to have made the worst intentions, said quietly: “Find a way from the north, more food allocation to Jiangsu, Zhejiang, the capital area, to prevent in advance, in addition to …… strengthening the defense of the capital inside and outside.

He said, but his brows were frowning deeper, at this moment, he was a little worried about Empress Xu, and his grandchildren’s safety.

“What was the name of that medical officer ……?”

The crowd looked at me, I looked at you, and looked at each other in disbelief.

Zhu Di was about to say, but at this moment, a eunuch hurried in and said, “Your Majesty, the Duke of Wei is seeking an audience.”

“Quick announcement.”

Zhang Anshi walked in with gusto, and he had a cigarette in his hand, quite a dejected look.

But at this time, as soon as he entered the hall, he immediately sensed that the situation was not right, so he immediately did not hesitate to hide the smoke with his sleeve, and turned to look respectfully, making a gesture to salute.

Zhu Di waved his hand and said, “Don’t be rude, Secretary Zhang, why is your sleeve still smoking?”

Zhang Anshi looked down, but saw curls of green smoke tumbling out from his sleeve, so he panicked and extinguished the smoke, saying, “I …… got a little gadget ……” He immediately moved away from the topic, saying: “Is Your Majesty …… discussing politics? Then the minister will be …… later.”

“No need, you are here.” Zhu Di gazed at Zhang Anshi and said, “Do you know about the plague in Fujian?”

Zhang Anshi couldn’t help but laugh bitterly, of course he knew about this, it had been going on for a few years.

But even for him, there really wasn’t much he could do.

Bubonic plague, by its very nature, is spread by fleas on rats.

It’s actually not impossible to combat it, such as trying to exterminate rats by any means possible, while maintaining neatness and hygiene, at least …… to alleviate some of the plague.

But in reality, this is simply impossible, in this era of per capita starvation, and sewage, the vast majority of people live in thatched huts, the so-called extermination of rats and fleas, is simply a joke.

It’s a good thing that this bubonic plague in Fujian has not spread because of transportation conditions.

Zhang Anshi said, “Your Majesty, I have heard a little about it.”

Zhu continued to stare at Zhang Anshi and said, “Now in the capital, there are also signs of bubonic plague.”

Hearing that the bubonic plague has reached the capital, Zhang Anshi can’t help but change color ……

It is clear …… that the bubonic plague, which historically spread only in Fujian, has deviated, and the reason for its spread to the capital …… is most likely the …… movement of merchants, which is more frequent than before, which may have exacerbated the spread of the bubonic plague.

Zhu Di looked at Zhang Anshi, his eyes clearly showed a few points of expectation, and then said, “Zhang Qing is good at treating diseases, can there be a solution?”

Zhang Anshi said in a difficult manner, “I am a fool, and there is nothing I can do for those infected with the bubonic plague.”

Zhu revealed a look of disappointment.

In fact, he also knows clearly that if it can be cured, Zhang Anshi would only have gone to cure it in a hurry, and why would he let the situation in Fujian happen?

After thinking about it, Zhang Anshi said, “But I …… have thought of a method that may be able to combat it.”

Zhu Di’s eyes widened slightly, surprised, “Why didn’t you say so earlier?”

“I can only do my best, in fact, I am not sure.” Zhang Anshi hesitantly said, “I hope that, in Jianningfu …… try to see.”

Now the monarchs and ministers are also at their wits’ end, at this time someone is willing to come out and make some attempts, not to mention that this person is Zhang Anshi, even if it is Zhang San Li Si, will certainly agree.

Zhu said, “Do you need manpower?”

Zhang Anshi shook his head, “I’ll just let the Jinyiwei take care of this.”

“Good.” Zhu Di said, “I give you all the convenience, if it is true that there is a miraculous effect, is to live a lot of people, is to help the building in the will be tilted, to save the billows in the imminent collapse.”

Zhu gleamed and said, “In this matter, you take care of yourself.”

Then he said to all the bachelors and Shangshu, “This matter …… must not be easily spread out, and must not be leaked.”

“Yes, sir.”

…………

Zhang Anshi was in a hurry at this time, His Majesty said that there were also signs of bubonic plague in the capital.

His family is all in the capital! Once they catch the plague, all their efforts will be in vain.

Once upon a time, he did not expect to be able to fight the plague in Fujian, but now …… he finally has a way.

So he hastened to have Chen Li summoned.

He looked deeply at Chen Li and said, “There is one thing that needs to go to Fujian, the matter is so important that it needs people who are willing to use their lives.”

Chen Li didn’t even think about it and immediately said, “Let my nephew go, this kid, he’s quite usable.”

His nephew, Chen Daowen, made a great achievement last time and is now a thousand household.

Zhang Anshi has an impression of Chen Daowen and still thinks that guy is doing a good job.

However, he was not an unscrupulous superior, so he said very matter-of-factly, “The situation over in Fujian, do you know? The bubonic plague has been contracted there. ”

Chen Li’s face changed slightly, but still said, “Daowen this kid, anyway, last year gave birth to a son already, humble and his today, is the public master you give, as long as the Chen family successor, there is nothing to worry about. If Your Excellency is not assured, humble and Chen Daowen go together.”

Seeing Chen Li like this, Zhang Anshi shook his head, “You’re old, don’t take risks so easily, just let Chen Daowen go, don’t worry, I have my own way.”

As usual, again called Chen Daowen to come, sit down to eat together, and then said clearly the situation.

Chen Daowen did not have much hesitation, and promised to do so, and according to Zhang Anshi’s instructions, he rested for the night, and on the following day, with a carriage carrying a load of goods, he set off with a dozen lieutenants who had been selected by point of view.

Zhang Anshi then ordered, began in Qixia and the three counties began to increase the cleaning of garbage, and find ways to let people fill the puddles, while repairing the letter to the South Zhili provinces, teaching them to also step up the process.

But just then.

A letter was sent to the Ningguo Mansion.

“En House ……”

Wu Huan hurriedly handed over a letter to Jian Yi.

Jian Yi looked up at Wu Huan and said, “What is it?”

“A letter came from the court.”

Jian Yi looked skeptical as Wu Huan looked cautious.

If it had been an ordinary epistle, it would not have been necessary.

Jian Yi nodded and took the epistle, only glancing at it, then he set it aside and gazed up at Wu Huan, “Something is going to happen in the capital.”

Wu Huan frowned worriedly, “Something happened?”

Jianyi said, “The bubonic plague is about to break out.”

Wu Huan sucked in a mouthful of cool air, and then said, “If so …… that is not good? Enfu, we have to plan ahead for a rainy day.”

Jianyi shook his head and said, “No plans can be made, His Majesty has strictly ordered that there shall be no leaks, and this one letter sent has already taken a great risk.”

Wu Huan subconsciously said, “But I don’t know who …… it is.”

The words suddenly broke off here, and he did not continue to ask, as if he thought it inappropriate to do so, and turned to say, “In that case, Enfu, what should be the plan now?”

Jian Yi narrowed his eyes, “Raise food so that you can be prepared. You think of a way to find the Squire again.”

Wu Huan could not help but say with difficulty: ”Some days ago, in order to resettle the stragglers. Just begged grandpa and grandma to get 30,000 stone grain, now …… really can not squeeze out. Everyone is complaining, saying that they can’t make it through the days.”

Jianyi some anger, angrily said: “Taipingfu only rely on taxes, got four or five times more than the former grain. Ningguo Fu under the seven counties, arable land is more than double that of Taipingfu, but how 30,000 stone grain, but also need to sue?”

Wu Huan said, “Zhang Anshi that is tyrannical levy, caused the wrath of heaven and people, but the Enfu, such a gentleman is not a disgrace, the Enfu if it is for, will be the people of the disgrace ah.”

Jian Yi instantly came to his senses, he reflected on his behavior, Wu Huan was right.

So take a deep breath before saying, “Hey …… just, think of a way, no matter what, teach the counties to raise some grain.”

Wu Huan could only say, “Yes, the student will go and mediate for a moment or two.”

……

Zhu Di strictly ordered to keep it a secret, but in less than a day’s work, news spread in the capital that the bubonic plague had appeared.

There was a moment of panic.

Then rumors began to spread, and the first to start, some of the rich families fled.

Zhang Anshi was called to the palace again early in the morning.

Zhu Di was, at this time, furious.

When Zhang Anshi entered the hall, Zhu Di cursed: “What did I say? This is top secret, is to prevent people’s hearts fluctuate! But how long has it been? The whole capital knows about it.”

When Zhang Anshi looked around, he saw that in this hall, it was the same ministers as yesterday.

Just see Zhu Di said: “Who is the leakage of information, ignoring the countryside and the countryside? Nowadays, not to mention the bubonic plague is going to harm people’s lives, only the people’s hearts are on edge, I don’t know how many people will be killed.”

Zhu Di was obviously furious.

After all, it was a personal matter, but in the blink of an eye, the news was out and there was a nose for it.

Zhu swept over each person, mentally pondering the person who might have passed on the news.

He laughed coldly and said, “Investigate, investigate thoroughly, if I don’t find out today, I will never be lenient.”

Yang Rong was calmer at this time, and said clearly, “Your Majesty, things have come to this point, we should find a way to stabilize the people. Moreover, if the people are fleeing around, if they are also carrying the bubonic plague, then all the neighboring prefectures may also suffer.”

Zhu Di took a deep breath and tried to suppress the anger in his heart for a few moments before he said in a deep voice: ”What’s the use of pacifying the people now? The people who have left the city are already in an endless stream. But this kind of pandemic, and can escape to where? Just I never expected, the news is so fast to leak. I repeatedly told, but still leaked out. Aren’t you all saints? Have you not heard of the saying that if a ruler does not keep secrets from his ministers, if a minister does not keep secrets from his body, and if a few things are not kept secret, then they will become harmful?”

“Your Majesty, I will die.”

Zhu Di’s little bit of fire, which had been suppressed with great difficulty, burned up again with vigor.

He was already jumping up and down in a hurry, his judgmental eyes skimming over each of them.

“If we don’t find out today, no one will be able to leave the hall.” He bellowed before taking his seat again, his eyes looking toward Zhang Anshi, who had just come in, and said, “Secretary Zhang, you’ll investigate.”

“Yes.” Zhang Anshi settled down.

He took a deep breath and looked around, he knew very well that every minister here, almost all of them were important ministers in the court, and that his majesty was anxious to know the result today, if he was careless and wrongly accused someone, it would be bad.

So he said, “Your Majesty, I wish …… to retrieve some messages from outside gossip.”

Zhu Di said, “Do not have to you to transfer, also lost ha, you take it to him.”

Yiluoha nodded, then took a sangha and sent it to Zhang Anshi.

He smiled at Zhang Anshi and said, “This is some of the messages that the East Factory has picked up from the outside, although it is disorganized and says that there is everything, but the slave girl …… has also carefully looked at it, and she really can t see what the name is.”

Zhang Anshi nodded and looked down at the sangha, followed by a frown.

The information in it is really mixed, and there are true and false news, some of which are nose to nose, some of which are deliberately exaggerated, and some of which …… are more accurate.

Zhang Anshi carefully flipped through the pages several times before raising his head and saying, “Your Majesty, I dare to assert that this news …… started to spread from Ningguofu.”

Zhu froze.

Yang Rong and the others, too, all looked at Zhang Anshi suspiciously.

Hu Guang couldn’t help but say, “Duke Wei, you have to check carefully.”

That the Ministry of Justice Secretary Jin Chun face slightly changed: “Yes, this matter is of great importance, can not only through only words, so asserted, if wrong, is to be a big trouble.”

Zhang Anshi nonchalantly glanced at Jin Chun, then said, “I naturally have my reasons for saying this, so Minister Jin doesn’t need to be kindly reminded.”

Zhu Di actually thought that this matter may not be able to find out, the reason why the storm to immediately find out, in fact, is also extremely angry under the mouth just.

But where do you think, Zhang Anshi this guy, actually a moment of effort, seems to have an idea.