I am a temporary worker in Jinyiwei, how did I become a powerful official?

Chapter 115 Li Shizhen and Zheng Ruozeng ( words)

Lin Shisan and Hu Boqi agreed to leave Hangzhou for Songjiang Huating tomorrow, and then sail to Zhoushan Islands from Huating.

After the discussion, Hu Boqi said, "My father has assigned me another mission. He asked me to receive a pirate named Mao. Brother Lin, I won't accompany you anymore."

Hu Boqi also had a hard time. Hu Zongxian made full use of his youngest son's strengths and handed over all the reception and entertainment matters of the government office to Hu Boqi.

Xiao Hu has endless guests to entertain, endless meals to eat, endless wine to drink, and too many women to sleep with every day.

After he left, Lin Shisan took out a sea chart and asked Chen Lin: "Captain Chen, is it dangerous for us to go to Zhoushan? Will we encounter Japanese pirates?"

Chen Lin spoke eloquently: "Hu Futai has allocated a small Fu ship for us. It can accommodate a hundred people. It carries ten cannons and twenty guns. If we fight alone, the Japanese pirates' eight-ship ship is no match for us."

Hearing Chen Lin's words, Lin Shisan's heart was beating fast: I can't defeat the Japanese pirates alone? What if the Japanese pirates have more than one ship?

At this moment, Hu Zongxian walked in with a thin man and a fat scholar.

Hu Zongxian said, "It's just right that you are all here. This is Mr. Li Shizhen. This is Mr. Zheng Ruozeng."

Lin Shisan was stunned. Who in the world doesn't know the name of the miraculous doctor Li Shizhen?
Li Shizhen was just 40 years old at the time and had worked in the Imperial Hospital. He resigned because he opposed Emperor Jiajing's use of elixirs. Since then, he has been wandering around the world, traveling around the world to practice medicine.

Lin Shisan hurriedly bowed and said, "Mr. Li, I have heard of your name for a long time. It is well-known to me."

Li Shizhen returned the greeting with a cupped hand, and said in a neither humble nor arrogant manner: "Lin Chuanfeng, I am honored."

Hu Zongxian introduced Lin Shisan: "This Mr. Zheng Ruozeng was born as a student of the Imperial Academy, and now he is working as a staff member under me. He is responsible for drawing the 'Coastal Mountains and Sands Map' in the 'Chou Hai Tu Bian'."

Zheng Ruozeng bowed to Lin Shisan and said, "Greetings, Lin Chuanfeng."

Hu Zongxian said, "They will go with you to Zhoushan this time. Mr. Li is writing a big book that includes all the ancient and modern medical classics. We need to go to Zhoushan to collect several special herbs."

"Mr. Zheng went to survey and map the detailed topography of the Zhoushan Islands."

Lin Shisan bowed and said, "I admire learned people the most. The two gentlemen went to Zhoushan, one to write a medical book and the other to draw a map of the sea. It is a great honor for me to be on the same ship with you two."

Hu Zongxian warned Lin Shisan: "When you go to Zhoushan this time, you must protect them both."

"More than 300 Jinshi are produced in three years. These two are talents that may not appear once in a hundred years."

Lin Shisan patted his chest and said, "Don't worry, Uncle Hu. Even if I risk my life, I will protect Mr. Li and Mr. Zheng and help them accomplish their great mission."

Hu Zongxian clapped his hands. His personal guard, Captain Xia Zheng, walked in with a wooden box in his hands.

Hu Zongxian said, "There is a ship's flag in the wooden box. When you go out to sea, hang it on the mast and it will guarantee you 90% safety. As for what flag it is, don't ask. If you ask, it might be taboo."

Lin Shisan knew very well that the wooden box should contain the flag of the "Five Peaks Ship Owner" mentioned by Hu Boqi. Wang Zhi had not yet surrendered, and flying this flag on the Fuzhou ships of the Ming Navy was equivalent to colluding with the Japanese.

Hu Zongxian said with a smile: "With Mr. Li on board, if you have a headache or fever, it will be very convenient to treat the disease. If you can't be a good prime minister, you can be a good doctor. Mr. Li is the best among good doctors."

The people who will travel to Zhoushan Islands with Lin Shisan have basically been confirmed.

Forty comrades from the Northern Pacification Office, sixty comrades from the Zhejiang Navy, the fat apprentice Sun Yue, the navy captain Chen Lin, the famous doctor Li Shizhen; and the famous scholar Zheng Ruozeng.

Lin Shisan planned to spend seven days in Zhoushan Islands after going out to sea. After seven days, he would return to Hangzhou and report to the emperor that he had witnessed the auspicious birth of a white deer.

With the pretext of the white deer's descent, Hu Zongxian's task became easier.

Of course, this is based on the premise that everything goes well.

The next morning, everyone set out from Hangzhou and headed to Huating County, Songjiang Prefecture.

The distance from Hangzhou to Huating along the coast was 360 li. After five days of traveling, they arrived in Songjiang.

Lin Shisan saw what a real landlord was.

As soon as he entered Songjiang, he saw a stone tablet standing next to a paddy field on the side of the road, with four big characters "Songjiang Xu Family" written on it.

Every three miles you walk forward, you will see a Xu family stone tablet.

After walking for a day and a night, all the paddy fields they saw along the way belonged to the Xu family.

Lin Shisan was riding on his horse and said in surprise: "There is a rumor in Beijing that Lord Xu has 170,000 acres of land in Songjiang. I didn't believe it at the time. Now it seems to be true."

Zheng Ruo Zeng was from the Kunshan Zheng family, and was also born into a prominent family. Zheng Ruo Zeng said: "Of the 170,000 acres, about 100,000 acres should belong to Lord Xu himself. The other 70,000 acres were donated by the people."

The wealthy and powerful families in the Ming Dynasty had the privilege of tax reduction or even tax exemption. In order to pay less tax, the common people who owned land voluntarily registered their land under the name of the wealthy and powerful families and gave them a certain amount of compensation. This was called "investment".

Zheng Ruozeng added: "Xu's nephews are famous for doing business within the scope of Lord Xu's authority. The number of 170,000 acres is still increasing year by year."

Lin Shisan said: "The land in Songjiang has become the Xu family. What about the people? What do they eat?"

Zheng Ruozeng replied: "Of course I work as a hired farmhand for the Xu family."

It was midsummer, and Lin Shisan looked at a paddy field nearby. He saw three generations of grandparents and grandchildren pulling a triangular iron plow to till the field - all three generations were naked, without clothes.

Lin Shisan asked, "This family is cultivating the Xu family's land, right? Why are they all naked?"

Sun Yue interrupted: "Don't the Xu family care about the lives of their hired farmers?"

"Pfft." Zheng Ruozeng laughed out loud: "This fat officer, do you care about your cattle and horses being naked?"

"In the eyes of the Xu family, these hired farmers are nothing more than cattle and horses."

Although Zheng Ruozeng's words are harsh, they are true.

The great families in Jiangnan looked down on each other. Zheng Ruoceng, who came from the Kunshan Zheng family, disapproved of the Huating Xu family, so he told the Jinyi Tiqi the truth.

Lin Shisan said, "With 170,000 mu of land, how much rent does the Xu family collect in a year?"

Zheng Ruozeng smiled and said, "The Xu family has more than just land rent as an income. Songjiang cotton cloth is famous all over the world. Xu Jie's eldest son Xu Fan opened 18 cotton cloth workshops and employed 20,000 skilled weavers."

"Nearly 200,000 bolts of Songjiang cotton cloth are woven every year."

Lin Shisan asked, "Who did you sell all that silk to? Did the buyers pay the cloth tax to the Hangzhou Weaving Bureau?"

Zheng Ruozeng laughed and said, "Who knows which bastards on the sea they sold it to. Even if the Hangzhou Weaving Bureau collects taxes, it can't collect them from the Japanese pirates. Humph!"

Lin Shisan understood in his heart: No wonder Xu Jie and his group of "clean stream" kept saying that the ancestral system cannot be abolished and the maritime ban cannot be lifted.

No wonder Zhao Zhenji, who was in Yingtian Prefecture and “did not touch three things”, refused to release the military pay for Hu Zongxian’s anti-Japanese war and made trouble for him both openly and secretly.

After all this fuss, it turns out they are colluding with the Japanese!

What a bunch of cowards! The Yan Party was openly greedy, but at least it did not shake the foundation of the Ming Dynasty.

Those noble people from the Jiangnan clan secretly did business with the Japanese pirates and fattened them. In the end, the people in the southeast coastal areas suffered, and the foundation of the country was shaken!

Lin Shisan said: "Some people always say that the people are the most important, the country is second, and the emperor is the least important. But I have never seen them really care about the people."

"It can be seen that hypocrites are more hateful than true villains." Li Shizhen interjected: "Mencius said that the people are the most important, the country is second, and the king is the least important. Mencius was born in the Warring States Period."

"During the Warring States Period, people were divided into domestics and barbarians."

"The countrymen lived in the city, had land and were literate. They were today's gentry. The barbarians lived in the countryside, were illiterate and had no land. They were today's common people."

"The barbarians are not the people, the countrymen are the people."

"Mencius said that the people are the most important, but in fact he meant that the gentry are the most important."

"After founding the country, why did Taizu suppress the Zhejiang gentry headed by Liu Bowen? It was because the Zhejiang gentry used Mencius' words as a cover to protect the interests of the gentry and suppress the power of the emperor."

"This is also the reason why Taizu moved Mencius' tablet out of the Confucius Temple."

Lin Shisan was greatly surprised when he heard this: "So that's how it is."

Li Shizhen added: "However, I believe that a harmonious world where everyone who tills the land has his own land will definitely emerge, even if it takes ten thousand years."

In the words of later generations, Li Shizhen was an idealist.

Zheng Ruozeng was a realist: "As long as there are great families and gentry, the world of great harmony will never come. Unless there is another Huang Chao, the inner treasury will be burned to ashes, and the streets will be trampled with the bones of the nobles!"

The conversation between the two became more and more out of the circle.

Lin Shisan coughed awkwardly and said, "Gentlemen, you really don't take me seriously as the Northern Pacification Sitiqi. You've even brought up the topic of rebellion."

As a messenger, Lin Shisan had the right to make secret reports. He had already decided to write the six words "Xu Jiatian, all over Songjiang" in his secret report.

Li Shizhen sighed: "The best doctors treat the country, the middle doctors treat people, and the lowest doctors treat diseases. In my life, at best I can only be a traditional Chinese medicine doctor."

It can be heard that Li Shizhen is actually a man with ideals and ambitions.

Lin Shisan quickly changed the subject: "Mr. Li, what kinds of herbs are you looking for in Zhoushan?"

When it comes to herbs, Li Shizhen started talking: "First, look for golden ear grass. Second, look for fine-leaved ferns. Third, look for purple golden ginseng. Fourth, look for Zhejiang Fritillary."

"Golden ear grass can clear away heat and detoxify, and can treat snake venom; fine-leaved ferns can treat burns; purple ginseng can invigorate blood circulation and replenish blood, and has a miraculous effect of reducing swelling and stopping bleeding; Zhejiang Fritillary Bulb can clear away heat and resolve phlegm, and can relieve cough."

Lin Shisan asked curiously, "Hu Futai said that you are compiling a medical book. How many kinds of medicine are there in it?"

Li Shizhen replied: "There should be about 2,000 species. I have to collect each one myself and test its efficacy before it can be included in the classics. I have collected 200 species in the past three years."

Lin Shisan was surprised: "Wouldn't it take you thirty years to compile this pharmacopoeia?"

Li Shizhen said: "If I can write this pharmacopoeia and benefit future generations, what does it matter if I have spent my entire life on it? My life will be well spent!"

After Li Shizhen said this, Lin Shisan's admiration for him increased by another point.

After seven days of traveling, they finally arrived at the seaport of Huating County.

There was a small boat moored in the harbor.

When Chen Lin, a captain of the navy, saw the small Fu ship, it was like a dung beetle seeing a dung ball.

He excitedly introduced the small Fuzhou boat to Lin Shisan and the others: "Fuzhou boats have pointed bows and wide tails, pointed bottoms and wide tops. They are made of Fujian pine wood. There are six grades in total. The one in front of us is the fourth grade small Fuzhou boat."

"Although it is a fourth-class ship, it can accommodate a hundred people. The draft is 12 feet. There is a red cannon on the bow. Three thousand-jin Portuguese rapid-fire cannons are installed in the gun cabins on both sides. There are also four bowl-sized cannons, sixteen Rumi cannons, and ten enemy-killing crossbows."

Lin Shisan said: "I only care about whether we can win if we encounter the Japanese pirates."

Chen Lin replied: "The pirates' warships are called Baban ships. Give me command of this fourth-class Fu ship. One ship can defeat three Baban ships!"

Everyone boarded the ship. The navy soldiers on board had already prepared fresh water and food.

It is about 500 li from Huating to Zhoushan Island. With favorable wind and full speed, the Fuzhou ship can reach the destination in 20 hours.

The Fuzhou ship set sail. Lin Shisan stood on the deck at the bow, holding the red cannon. He said to Chen Lin beside him: "This is my first sea voyage in my life."

Chen Lin smiled and said, "The ocean is so vast, I don't know how many tens of thousands of miles it is. I have to thank Lin Chuanfeng. If you hadn't gone out to sea to look for the white deer, I wouldn't have had the opportunity to command a fourth-class Fu ship."

Sun Yue, who was standing next to him, held onto the wooden railing of the deck and vomited all the food he had just eaten into the sea.

After vomiting, Sun Yue cursed: "Damn it, I didn't get seasick when I was on the canal boat. But I got seasick on the sea."

Chen Lin smiled and said, "Compared to the ocean, the canal is just a small ditch."

Li Shizhen took out a small paper bag from his sleeve and handed it to Sun Yue: "Dissolve it in water and drink it. You will not feel dizzy in a moment."

Lin Shisan asked: "What is this medicine?"

Li Shizhen made a surprising statement: "It is Datura pollen."

Lin Shisan was surprised: "Isn't that a knockout drug?"

Li Shizhen nodded: "That's right. The knockout drug is an evil drug that can kill people and steal money on land. But on a ship, it is a magical drug that cures seasickness."

"People who are seasick will not fall asleep after drinking it. Instead, they will feel more energetic. It can stop vomiting and cure headaches."

Sun Yue quickly soaked the datura pollen in a copper kettle and said, "I'll drink it. I'll drink it. As long as it can cure seasickness, I'll drink any Crane's Crown you give me."

Suddenly, the soldier on the mast lookout shouted: "Eighth ship! Japanese pirates! It's Japanese pirates!"

"Ding, ding, ding," he rang the warning bell.

Chen Lin frowned: "What a narrow road for enemies. We encountered Japanese pirates just after we set out to sea. Gunners, take your positions! Reload the cannons and guns immediately!"

Lin Shisan was as steady as a rock: "No hurry. Don't fire rashly! Hang up the flag that Futai Hu gave us."

A soldier opened the wooden box given by Hu Zongxian, took out a flag from it, and raised it on the mast.

There are five colors on this flag: white, green, black, red and yellow, representing gold, wood, water, fire, earth, east, south, west, north and center respectively.

This is called the "Five-Direction Flag" and is the flag of the Wufeng ship owner Wang Zhi.

If a Ming Dynasty smuggler wanted the flag of a Wufeng ship owner, he would have to spend three thousand taels of silver.

Lin Shisan stood on the deck and looked out, and saw eight Class 8 ships in front of him.

Just now Chen Lin said that their Fujian ship could fight against three of the Eighth Army ships at once.

But now he is fighting one against eight.

Lin Shisan could only pray that the flag of the Wufeng ship owner could indeed have the miraculous effect of ensuring safety.

(End of this chapter)