Chapter 252 – Zhang Anshi’s Treasure

After a while, the hundred officials had an audience.

Of course, the hundred officials here only included the government offices in the vicinity of the Imperial City.

As for other government offices, such as Yingtianfu, they were not summoned.

These ministers, close to the Imperial City, just at this time everyone was confused.

But so many strange things have happened lately that people have gotten used to it.

Hu Guang and Yang Rong, as well as that household minister Xia Yuanji, but this is quite curious.

The Duke of Cheng and the Duke of Qi also came, only the Duke of Wei, still stay in the Xiaoling Mausoleum, this sacrifice is not something that can be accomplished in a day or two.

Zhu Di sat in his old mind and smiled, “Secretary Zhang, how come your baby …… hasn t come yet?”

“Your Majesty, it has been sent for.”

After a while, they saw several people panting and carrying a huge box.

Zhu Di saw that the box was not exquisite, but seemed to be dug out of the ground.

So with a smile, he said, “What’s this?”

Zhang Anshi didn’t waste any time, and in full view of everyone, he then unveiled the box.

In a blink of an eye, a full twenty bottles were seen appearing in front of everyone.

This one bottle ……

Many people sucked in a breath of cold air.

It’s a crystal bottle!

Crystal bottles, extremely expensive. How expensive?

This stuff arguably costs more than gold.

This is a natural crystal, and also need to pick out the transparent material, before it can be fired out, later generations have been found in the tomb of the Warring States crystal cup, the value of a lot of money.

In Daming, people who can stand in this hall are by no means without insight, and as soon as they see this thing, they know that Zhang Anshi has put down blood money.

What about a full case of bottles, all made of crystal.

This bottle alone is worth at least ten thousand taels, someone muttered in their heart.

It was just that this crystal bottle seemed to be filled with the same crystal clear liquid as the crystal.

Zhu frowned, “Where did you fetch so many crystals?”

Zhang Anshi wanted to laugh in his heart, where is this crystal, but it is …… just glass.

Not to say that there is a good saying? When you can burn sherds at will, then you are not far from burning glass.

This was said by Zhang Anshi!

Zhang Anshi said, “This mere crystal is not worth mentioning. Your Majesty …… please see what is contained in this bottle?”

Zhu Di descended from the hall, walked around the box with interest, and said in puzzlement, “What is this?”

Zhang Anshi said, “Wine!”

Hu Guang looked strange, “This liquor, is it also so crystal clear?”

Zhang Anshi said directly, “Exactly.”

It is Zhu Di laughed: “This is just burnt wine, the Tartars also love to drink, is to use fire to burn the wine, distilled, nothing. This wine is very strong, but well …… in addition to strong, nothing! Not only after drinking, the next morning, dizziness, the entrance is only spicy, such a wine …… is only used by the Tartars to drink to warm themselves with.”

Zhu Di’s first half of his life was a life of chasing Tatars and pounding them on the ground, and he couldn’t have known better about this soju.

He wasn’t impressed with soju, though he did drink spirits on occasion, but it had no taste to speak of, and quite a few side effects.

Zhang Anshi in is smilingly said, “Your Majesty said the method of distillation, indeed, but the minister used, is another method, so that this wine wine aroma long and mellow taste, but also to maintain the intensity of the wine.”

Zhu Di looked at Zhang Anshi suspiciously and said, “Is that so? I do look at this crystal bottle of yours, but it’s worth much more than the wine inside.”

Zhang Anshi dryly laughed, this bottle, which is sand burned, can be said to be worthless.

Of course, he couldn’t say that.

“Your Majesty and all the princes, if any of them love wine, will know it when they try it.”

Zhu Di nodded, at this time also have a few interest, then said: “I do not advocate drinking, drinking is inevitably a mistake, can drink some wine to entertain themselves, but there is no harm, the so-called life is short, to wine when the song. Come, fetch me cups and lanterns.”

“I have already taken it out.” Said Zhang Anshi, but from this box, he took out a set of cups.

Just a look, actually also made of crystal, only …… this crystal cup, is too small, only thumb big.

Zhu Di said boldly, “What is the taste of drinking such a small cup!”

Zhang Anshi personally took a bottle of wine, peeled off the wooden cork, and said, “Your Majesty will know if you try it.”

Strangely enough, in this crystal bottle, there was also a ball stuffed, and when the wine was poured, the ball happened to block the mouth of the bottle, so that the wine did not gush out all at once, but dripped out little by little.

It was a good thing the cup was small, and after a drop came down, a few moments later the little cup was filled to the brim.

Zhang Anshi said, “It’s better to ask Eunuch Yiluoha to taste it first.”

Yiluoha would understand, knowing that he was being told to let His Majesty try it again after he had tried it.

Zhu Di, however, said, “Why go to such trouble, fetch it.”

His words, which could not be questioned, Yiluoha had to carry a small cup and send it to Zhu Di’s face.

Zhu Di played with the small cup in his hand, and then violently toward his mouth, this wine …… is indeed completely different from the unusual shochu.

Before he even entered his mouth, there was a strong aroma of wine, and when he entered his mouth, he felt a taste mixed with sweet, sour, bitter and spicy flavors stimulating his entire taste buds.

With a spicy taste in his throat, Zhu winced as this drink entered his stomach.

Just the remaining wine in the mouth, still still let Zhu Di can not help but for it a body heat.

He frowned, and then his brows stretched and he smiled, “Not bad, not bad, good wine, this wine is very good, it’s damn appetizing.”

When Zhu Di said that, he said to the ministers, “All the ministers come to taste it, Zhang Qing, use a small cup, no, just pour half a cup.”

Then Zhang Anshi began to busy himself, pouring the small cups that had been prepared long ago, one by one, with half of the liquor, and then stuffing them into the hands of the civil and military ministers.

Hu Guang and Yang Rong didn’t look a bit too good, obviously, they were quite resistant to drinking alcohol.

However, in this era, drinking wine and tea would have been the fashion, especially in the winter time, it is pleasant to have someone warm some yellow wine and drink with others.

Zhang Anshi’s drink, which completely avoided all the shortcomings of this era’s soju, but at the same time, retained its spiciness, would have been best suited to the tastes of wine drinkers.

Cheng Guo Gong Zhu Neng is the most monkey, when the first to drink, eyes also can not help but light up, praise.

Zhu Di was excited and said, “What do the ministers think.”

Zhu Neng said, “Good wine, great nephew Zhang Anshi, give me another cup.”

Zhang Anshi smiled and said, “Almost enough, don’t be greedy.”

Zhu Neng grunted, but also knew that the scene was not right at this time, so it was not good to continue to ask for more.

This Hu Guang does not like to drink wine, especially in the court, let the white officials drink wine in the court, would have felt that there is an obstacle, but still patient, will drink the wine. Thus, the whole person pungent tears flowed down, hated to stomp his feet.

It is not easy for this force to pass, but I feel that my lips and teeth are still fragrant, and there are still a few aftertastes in my mouth, and the spicy feeling of drinking wine just now, on the contrary, let his body be on fire, and he actually does not feel drowsy, and he only feels ……… as if the blood in his body is running wildly.

It is important to realize that the brewing method used by Zhang Anshi is completely different from the current distillation of shochu. What was used instead was the operation of spreading and drying, adding quartz, stacking, and entering the cellar, along with distillation.

This was originally brewed by Zhang Anshi, last year for fun, after all, the wine of this era, all have defects.

For example, at this time the direct distillation of shochu, in fact, is equivalent to the latter days of the alcohol blending method, many poor people, no wine to drink, they use this distillation method, the advantage is that it wastes less food, the alcohol content is also high, but only the taste and texture is poor.

As for yellow wine, yellow wine to eat up, on the one hand, a lot of wasted food, because the refined alcohol is not sufficient, plus because it contains a large number of impurities, so when you drink, it is not inevitable that you need to be warmed up first before removing a large number of impurities.

“Your Majesty, this wine …… is not bad.” Yang Rong drank it, hiccuped, but went up and said, “It is just that …… I don’t know …… what use this wine is to my Daming’s state and people’s livelihood?”

Zhang Anshi naturally understood the meaning of Yang Rong’s words, so he said, “Yang Gong don’t worry, I will not promote it, nor will I increase the burden of the people.”

“No promotion?” Yang Rong put on a look of disbelief.

After such a long period of time, he had sort of figured out Zhang Anshi’s nature, this guy had his own ideas for doing anything, and it was never that simple.

Zhu Di, on the other hand, smiled and said, “This gift, it’s quite something.”

He did not want to because of this matter, Zhang Anshi to get into trouble, so directly said, “This is Zhang Qing sent me the heart, I am thinking, a solo joy is not as good as a crowd of joy, so please Secretary to taste …… ”

He said and paused.

In fact, at this time, although there are Yang Rong and Hu Guang look unimpressed by this.

But in reality, many of these hundred officials were staring straight at the wine.

After all, there are a lot of people who love to drink, and this is a wine that, apparently, after this one time, you don’t know if you’ll be able to drink it in the future, or if you won’t be able to drink it.

Not to mention that this crystal bottle of wine, the price …… is more than likely only available to the court.

Zhu Di sitting on the temple, the temple happened, a clear view, the hundred officials have different attitudes, and thus laughed again: “Zhang Qing sent me some wine, this is his loyalty and filial piety, this loyalty and filial piety two words, how can you be harsh? Come on people, store this wine, all the ministers also rest assured that I have moderation, never crave for wine.”

Zhu Di is actually still some two monks, puzzled, Zhang Anshi this guy …… sent on this?

This wine, though good, is definitely considered good, and is importantly special compared to other imperial wines.

Only now, Zhu Di, however, in front of the group of ministers, also did not ask more questions, but continued, “This matter, even if it is revealed.”

As he was speaking, someone very sensibly came forward and said, “Your Majesty, I have a matter to present.”

Zhu Di took a look, but it was Zheng Chi, the Minister of Rites.

This Zheng Chi was originally the Minister of Justice, but because the Minister of Rites, Lu Zhen, was executed, so he replaced Lu Zhen and took charge of the Ministry of Rites.

Zheng Chi is a person who has always been timid, and he never expresses his opinions every time he goes to the court.

Daily blind wondering is, the emperor today is thinking what, tomorrow is thinking what.

However, he is a veteran minister of three dynasties, which is regarded as the Jianwen dynasty, when Zhu Di killed into Nanjing, the first to go to welcome the king’s chariot.

Zhu Di solicitude, then he handed over to him the Ministry of Penal Affairs, which he did not look at.

Waiting for the Ministry of Rites to become vacant, Zhu Di thought about it, the Ministry of Rites I do not care, so let Zheng Chi the prudent person to come.

Sure enough, Zheng Chi is very professional, he from the office so far, never give Zhu Di trouble, His Majesty said what he said, and very good at guessing the heart of the Holy Spirit, the emperor to see who is not good, not yet wait to do it, he took the lead in impeachment.

Mixing it up, he’s a pro!

But it’s such a professional that it’s actually going to work at this point in time.

Zhu Di said, “What is it?”

Zheng Chi, trembling, said, “Your Majesty, there is a letter from the Tartar Khan to …….”

“Letters?” Zhu frowned, “When will it be delivered?”

“Ex …… ex day ……”

Zhu Di is angry, tensed up his face and said, “The letter sent the day before yesterday, why come to play today?”

“This ……”

Zheng Chi is bitter, after receiving the letter, the first thing he thought was that the content of it might be sensitive.

The Ministry of Ceremonies, in addition to etiquette, there are also matters of diplomacy, if there is anything in this letter that offends the face of the dragon, in all likelihood, His Majesty will have to arrest him and scold him.

So he was very hesitant, and wished, instead, to play this epistle to Wen Yuan Ge, so that Wen Yuan Ge could present it.

However, Hu Guang and Yang Rong are not vegetarian, said that you can be presented, but you are the Minister of Rites, after all, is responsible for matters of diplomatic relations between countries, so you should go to the audience together.

At this instant, Zheng Chi began to back off.

He was as anxious as ants on a hot pan, and spent his days like years, and it was only at this time, when he happened to see His Majesty happy, and felt that it was a great opportunity, that he had to harden his heart and hasten to make a speech.

Zhu Di also seemed to know Zheng Chi’s nature and was very cognizant of his timidity.

It is rumored that in history, this Zheng Chi was scared to death!

Zheng Chi obediently presented the letters that had already been prepared.

Yishakha forwarded it to Zhu.

Zhu Di said, “At least is also the lord of a country, even repair letters to, heh ……”

He opened the letter and took a closer look at it, and then a look of anger did appear on his face.

Zheng Chi’s judgment was correct, there were definitely no good words in there.

But I don’t want to, Zhu Di said in a shocking way, “I want to march in person.”

The moment these words came out, all the ministers in the hall were shocked.

Jin Zhong, the Minister of War, immediately stood out and said, “Dare to ask Your Majesty ……”

Zhu Di knows what he wants to ask, so the letter raised, then said: “This letter is very disrespectful to me, of course, I have a large number of adults, naturally do not care about these. But this Tartar Khan, but claimed to gather 100,000 iron horsemen, attacking my border town …… is even threatened to take Liaodong first, and then into the Xifengkou, and I have a showdown.”

After this was said, many people in the court began to whisper.

The Duke of Qi and the Duke of Cheng looked like they were eager to try.

Only Jin Zhong was the most calm, and he said, “Your …… Majesty, if the Tatars want to attack, why do they have to make it clear to Your Majesty, and also come with a repair letter?”

Zhu said in annoyance, “This is provocation!”

Jin Zhong said, “Tartars fight, always like to preemptive attack …… most like is a surprise attack ……”

So reminded, Zhu Di pondered up, then said, “You mean …… there is a fraud in this?”

After a pause, but said, “Hehe, I am in the desert, there are also a large number of details, their every move, also watched in the eyes, if they are a surprise attack, I will not know?”

Jin Zhong said: ”Although this is the case, so they have been unable to surprise attack. But in another word, your majesty …… this Tartar Khan so express, obviously has long been ready for war. At this time they have begun to gather a large army, and now provocation, must want is to fight with your majesty, this point, I also so judge.”

But he paused, but then said: “The key to the problem also lies in this, my Ming into the Tartar, is bound to be well prepared. According to their own plans, each road and advance, so as to achieve the purpose of direct attack on the Dragon Court. But this provocation, but had to let my Ming, face hastily gather troops, north to fight with the Tartars. Your Majesty, so hasty, this is tantamount to, the Tartars to be prepared, hit my Ming unprepared, this first hand, let the Tartars occupy.”

This Jin Zhong is also considered to be a representative of doing one thing and loving another.

He was very professional in face reading. After defecting to Zhu Di, he was also very professional when he followed Yao Guangxiao to encourage Zhu Di to rebel.

Now that he is the Secretary of the Ministry of War, he is a daily researcher of horse politics and military affairs, and has also shown his military judgment.

Even Zhu Di, at this time, could not help but be moved by his words.

At this time, only to see him continue: “The army combat, if you want to do plowing and sweeping, must be in accordance with the steps of my Daming. His Majesty these years, early on the Tartars have had many preparations for war, and these preparations, varying, none of which is not to break the Tartars’ fundamental. From the selection of generals, to the gathering of troops and horses, to the widening of canals and the transit of grain and grass. Such a battle to destroy a country must be fought in the right place at the right time, and with the right people, without one or the other.”

“As for the opportunity of war, His Majesty’s plan is to choose the beginning of spring, because at this time, although the Tartars have survived the winter, the Tartars’ horses, however, after a winter, have lost their fat seriously, and the cavalry’s ability to fight has been greatly reduced. Soldiers are also very tired, and I Ming, the military, well prepared and ready. The route to the battle, also after repeated reconnaissance again and again, this …… is to ensure the basis of complete victory.”

“But now, the Tartar Khan a provocation, obviously they have long been ready, and I Ming? This kind of rush to war, a large number of personnel and horses, as well as equipment are not prepared, military generals have not yet begun to familiarize themselves with the battle plan, and can even say, because it is a rush to war, there is no such thing as a plan, but it is just to see the move. Your Majesty …… even if at this time, I Ming pouring out the country, that the war results of the largest, but only to repel the Tartars, can pay the price, but is not small. The various armies, there will be many mistakes. Army combat, mistakes accumulate into more after, is to go wrong.”

After a pause, he went on to say: “In my humble opinion, my Ming can not immediately deploy troops and horses, and can not hastily respond to the war, but selected the next year in the spring, the army and horses, so that the war horses, equipment all ready, food and grass have been transferred enough, ready to conquer the generals to take the lead to enter the camp, drilling deep into the desert marching and fighting against the Tartar cavalry of the battlefield. When the coming year begins in the spring, then all roads will advance side by side, and, taking advantage of their weakness, they will attack the Dragon Court, and in one fell swoop they will be completely destroyed.”

Zhu Di also began to come back to his senses, and could not help but say, “Is this what the Tartar Khan is playing? Heh …… this Tartar, but also tricky.”

Jin Zhong then said: “In addition, this year, in addition to preparing for war, there are many things to prepare, such as taking this opportunity, that is, to wipe out the Tartars in one fell swoop, so the Uliangha people two ends of the rat, whether to stabilize them, so that they can be peaceful for the time being? At least, do not push them to the side of the Tartars. There is also Korea, as well as the Liaodong tribes, at least conscript their manpower, in order to achieve the purpose of the barbarians against the barbarians. There are also the Valar people, although the Valar people are also wolfish, but once the Tartars have become the primary enemy of the Ming, then it is still possible to send people to them, to enlist them, and to agree to let the Valar people outflank their backroads.”

“soldiers, is a national event, never because of the other side of the provocation, will be their own disruption of their own deployment, Tartary is my Daming heart trouble, then my Daming do not fight then, but once the army out, it is imperative to do to attack it, the war will be victorious, prudent treatment of Tartar, more not to let the other side of a provocative epistle, holding my Daming’s nose to go. ”

“On my side, this year began …… the Ministry of War and the Five Military Governor’s Office, still need to prepare for a year, the next year in the spring, my Daming elite hundreds of thousands of soldiers, can be concentrated in the line of Beiping, since the Shanhaiguan, Xifengkou out. Jin Yiwei side, now on the Tartars quite effective, but for the Tartar situation, some places still do not feel through. I thought, should be more detailed investigation, know your enemy and know yourself a hundred battles a hundred victories. With a year’s preparation, by then even if your majesty doesn’t personally go on the expedition, it will be enough to teach the Tartars to never turn back.”

After Jin Zhong’s words, Zhu Di finally calmed down.

As the commander-in-chief, he knew very well that Jin Zhong’s words were correct.

Now hastily send troops, indeed too passive, the initiative of the war, equal to all in the hands of the Tartars, where they attack, the Ming had to run tiredly rescue where.

Such a method of fighting, even if victorious, will not be able to achieve total annihilation of the enemy, and may result in a large number of losses.

Zhu Di murmured: “Just …… what to do this year? This Tartar Khan has assembled a large army, I am afraid that another two or three months, may attack Liaodong and the border towns, the road border towns and Liaodong’s guard …… once lax, so that they drilled a hole, I’m afraid ……”

Jin Zhong did not hesitate to say: ”Order the troops and horses on the front line of Beiping and Liaodong, resolutely defend, all passes, strengthen the defense. And then transfer a big general, personally to Liaodong and Beiping town, take this opportunity, strive to use the strong city, consume the thieves army, wall clearing the field. Military and civilian people, early into the city or move into the GuanNei to …… now give the decree, it is not too late.”

Zhu is a little hesitant, this is actually the turtle flow.

Since the time of Emperor Taizu, which time did the Ming not take the initiative and press the Tatars?

But now it’s good, and it’s a bit uncharacteristic to have to put up with it.

Moreover, the border is really too long, once the Tatars break through a place, a large number of military and civilian people suffered, this loss …… is also very heavy.

At this time, someone suddenly said, “Your Majesty, if …… the Tatars can not launch an attack this year?”

The crowd snapped their eyes up to see who it was if it wasn’t Zhang Anshi.

Zhu Di immediately glared at him and said: ”You know a bird, he dared to give this provocation, is counting on this year and I will hunt! It can be seen that they are fully prepared. Tatars to horse herding for a living, gather troops and horses than my Ming much faster, I personally conquered not personally conquered, this Tatar Khan, I’m afraid to come to this time. I am too aware of these Tartars, they have always been restless.”

“Not to mention ……”

Zhu Di looks worried: “If I do not be countermeasures, this year this Tartars if all around the attack, and I Ming did not act, this in the Daning of the Wu Liangha Department, early rebel heart, may not take the opportunity to merge with the Tartars.”

“This Wu Liang Ha people, fearing the power but not the virtue, I really have a few worries.”

Zhang Anshi, however, said, “Your Majesty, what I mean is …… if there is confusion within the Tartar ministry to the extent that …… it is impossible to strike …… ”

“Chaos?” Zhu Di lost his smile and said, “What, you people from the Inner Thousand Households still have the ability to create civil unrest for the Tartar Ministry?”

“The Inner Thousand Households should not be allowed.” Zhang Anshi laughed bitterly.

Joking, the Tatars are not fools, you can spend money to buy their leaders, but people also know the importance of. Silver to collect, but how can not even their own food guys also smashed.

After all, they are still Tatars and not so stupid.

Unless of course …… the …… Tatars themselves mess up first.

So Zhang Anshi said, “I have a way, not out of March, will teach this Tartar group of dragons without a head, kill each other, not …… I see …… March is still a little short, for insurance purposes, or five months. ”

Zhu Di then looked at Zhang Anshi strangely, “What does Minister Zhang have in mind?”

Zhang Anshi, however, looked warily at the hundred officials around him.

Although the vast majority of this hundred officials can not see this obscene expression of Zhang Anshi, but the hesitation he showed, we can feel.

In his heart, he said, “Damn you, you Zhang Anshi, you’re defending us like thieves?

Zhu Di, on the other hand, said: “Tartar internal disorder? This …… is really unimaginable, what I expected is …… this Tartar Khan has already sharpened his sword, which means that he and his close confidants and beloved people, has completely stabilized the Tartar ministries! Otherwise, will never be desperate, I am afraid that what Zhang Qing said …… may not be able to do as expected.

Where in the world is such a good thing?”

It would be a real pick-me-up to really have civil unrest.

Zhu Di is not reckless, and does not like to be hard, after all, hard means loss, loss is money, countless money, hit the water.

Zhang Anshi did not say much, just smiled and said, “Your Majesty might as well leave it to me just …… just …… can I temporarily regulate the Ministry of Rites?”

“Ministry of Rites?” Zhu Di frowned before his gaze fell on Zheng Chi, the Minister of Rites.

Zheng Chi shivered and immediately revealed a look of displeasure.

How does it feel …… like someone is on to him?

No way, no way, this Zhang Anshi is going to take my Zheng Zhi’s place?

He began to worry inwardly, followed by entanglement, only at this time, His Majesty’s gaze fell on his body, but still hardened his head and said, “Minister …… minister …… If Marquis Annan … … really has any brilliant ideas, I am willing to give way.”

“Nor did I ask you to give way.” Zhu Di heard the unwillingness in Zheng Chi’s voice and said angrily, “But teaching you to listen to him for the time being, what are you fucking loaded with in your head?”

Zheng Chi was scolded so much that he couldn’t lift his head up, and said in a resigned manner, “I will die by all means.”