The Age of Discovery: Chinese cuisine swept across Europe

Although Wanli was depressed about Min Xi and Yun Ji's decision to go to sea, he was still quite satisfied with the hot pot he had at noon on the farm: "Why do I feel that the vegetables grown in your greenhouse are more tender than those in the palace?"

Min Xi smiled and said, "Is it because the planting methods and growth cycles are different, so the taste of the vegetables is different? Why not let the palace renovate the greenhouse like we did next year? Maybe the vegetables grown there will taste better."

Wanli nodded: "Okay, I'll ask someone from the palace to teach you how to build a greenhouse."

There was one person who was not very happy during this meal, and that was Yunlin. He was very anxious because he was thinking about his brothers going out to sea.

After returning from the farm, Yunlin couldn't wait to say to his two brothers: "Big brother, second brother, if you want to go out to sea, you must take me with you, okay? I won't hold you back."

Min Xi could only look to Yun Ji for help, he could not make the decision for Yun Ji. Yun Lin was only in his teens, had been raised with care and had never suffered any hardship. Although he was much healthier now, he was not really suitable to go out to sea with them, it was too risky.

Yun Ji was silent for a moment before he said, "It's too early to talk about this now. Going to sea is just a preliminary plan for now. Your second brother and I haven't discussed it in detail yet, so I can't give you an answer."

Min Xi said hurriedly: "Yes, Yunlin, we don't know when we will set off yet."

"But no matter when you leave, you must go. Take me with you. I don't want to wait for you to come back at home. I want to go with you. I also want to read thousands of books and travel thousands of miles like you." Yun Lin looked at Min Xi eagerly. He knew that the breakthrough lay in Min Xi.

Min Xi said with some embarrassment: "But you are too young. It is too risky for you to go sailing."

"I can endure the same hardships that my brothers can endure!" Yun Lin vowed.

Yun Ji raised his hand and gently stroked his head: "It's not as simple as you think. Your second brother and I encountered a storm at sea. We didn't eat or drink for several days before we were rescued. That's because we are all adults and our bodies can hold on until rescue. But you are still young. If you encounter the same thing, you will not be able to hold on until rescue. Do you want your second brother and I to watch you starve to death, or do you want us to cut our own flesh to save you?"

Yunlin was quite persistent at first, thinking that he could face any hardship, but when he heard that his brothers had to cut their own flesh to feed him, he could not help but lower his head. After a long time, he said, "But I don't want to be separated from you. I'm scared!"

Min Xi comforted him: "Don't be afraid, we will definitely come back. We don't have to worry about anything when you are at home. If you go with us, we will be even more worried."

Yun Lin already knew that his chances of going out to sea were slim, so he couldn't stop feeling sad. He turned around silently and prepared to go back to his room. After taking a few steps, he stopped again and said, "Big brother, second brother, when are you leaving?"

Min Xi said: "It's still early. Don't worry, we will definitely tell you in advance when we leave. We won't leave without saying goodbye."

"Tell me in advance!" Yun Lin emphasized.

"it is good!"

After Yun Lin disappeared outside the door, Yun Ji asked Min Xi, "Why didn't you discuss it with me, but told His Majesty about going to sea directly?"

Min Xi said: "I didn't intend to say it so early, I just said it because the atmosphere was right."

"Then when do you plan to leave?"

"It's hard to say. If it's fast, it may be possible next year. If it's slow, it may take two or three years. But I want to hurry up while Mr. Zhang is still alive."

Yun Ji roughly guessed what he said after hearing him say this: "Are you worried that if Lord Zhang is gone, something will happen in the court?"

"Yes, it would be fine if we were with His Majesty. If we are not here, there is no guarantee that someone will not take advantage of this opportunity to sow discord and slander Zhang Gelao." This is Min Xi's biggest worry. "In fact, I think you should just not go. In case something unexpected happens, you can adapt to the current situation in the court. I am worried that His Majesty is too young and cannot withstand the provocation and instigation of those with ulterior motives."

Yun Ji stared at Min Xi and said, "How can I let you go to sea alone? Since you are worried about these things, why not wait a few years before going to sea, and wait until the situation in the court is stable."

Min Xi couldn't help but sigh: "What you said does make sense, let's see first."

The main reason was that Zhang Juzheng had offended too many forces during his years in power. There were countless people in the court who hoped for his death, and those conservatives wanted to eat his flesh and drink his blood. As long as Zhang Juzheng died, those who were suppressed would definitely counterattack frantically. If the two of them were not there, they would definitely be taken advantage of. So what Yun Ji said made sense. It was best to wait until the court was stable before going.

But Min Xi thought that Zhang Juzheng could still live for a few more years, so it would be best to wait until they returned from overseas before leaving, when everything would be settled. The safest way was for Min Xi and Yun Ji to act alone, leaving Yun Ji in the capital to stabilize the situation. But Yun Ji couldn't rest assured that Min Xi would go to sea alone. Min Xi himself was used to Yun Ji's company. Without him by his side, he really didn't have the confidence to go to sea.

But going out to sea is not something that can be done right away, and a lot of preparation is needed. Now they have two galleons that can sail the ocean, but the fleet size of two ships is not enough, so Min Xi told Wanli that he wanted to go to sea, hoping that the court would send a ship to go with him, just like Zheng He's voyage to the West, to go to sea in the name of the official. Once a new land is discovered, it can be occupied in the name of the court, or in the name of the court, it can cooperate with the local indigenous people to develop the new continent together.

Although he had obtained Wanli's verbal consent, Min Xi still decided to write a memorial requesting the court to send a fleet out to sea to open up new shipping routes.

Requesting the court to form an ocean-going fleet to go to sea was a big deal, so the memorial naturally reached Zhang Juzheng. After reading it, Zhang Juzheng thought of Zheng He's voyages during the Yongle period. It was so inappropriate that officials still mentioned such things. He wanted to throw it away, but subconsciously glanced at the name of the official who wrote the memorial and found that it was Min Xi.

This surprised him. Min Xi had always been cautious in his work, so how could he think of rebuilding the ocean-going fleet? He put the memorial back on the waiting list and prepared to ask Min Xi to ask him what he was thinking.

So not long after, Min Xi was called over by Zhang Juzheng.