The Age of Discovery: Chinese cuisine swept across Europe

Zhang Juzheng listened with his eyes closed, interrupting to ask questions when he had questions. Min Xi answered them patiently, and after a long time, he finally finished reading the plan.

"Sir, I have finished reading. Please give me your guidance." Min Xi said respectfully.

Zhang Juzheng opened his eyes and said, "Every detail of opening a gold mine in the South Sea continent has been carefully considered. However, the person in charge of the gold mine and the person in charge of the ship are particularly important. They need to be clearly rewarded and punished. The rewards should be high and the punishments should be heavy. Otherwise, they will steal from the company."

"That's what the elder said."

Zhang Juzheng added: "All taxes collected from the Nanyang Continent must go into the national treasury, and must not go into your Majesty's private treasury."

"Yes."

Zhang Juzheng suddenly changed the subject: "Your two Liulichangs have a high annual income, right?"

"Yes, the annual income is nearly one million taels." Min Xi answered honestly. Zhang Juzheng could not hide this.

Zhang Juzheng sighed, "This money has all gone into your Majesty's private treasury, which is a bit too much. Find an opportunity and ask your Majesty to allocate some of it to the national treasury."

Upon hearing this, Min Xi felt a little embarrassed: "This may be difficult." After all, Wanli agreed to provide the mine only because it was agreed that money should be made for the emperor. Now that it has gone into the emperor's pocket, how can he spit it out?

Zhang Juzheng smiled at Min Xi and said, "Of course it's not easy, otherwise I wouldn't ask you to do it."

Emperor Wanli had experienced the embarrassing situation of the national treasury being so empty that horses could run, and his own private treasury was also stretched to the limit, so he attached great importance to money, especially to filling his own private treasury. The reason why Wanli trusted Min Xi so much was that Min Xi could help him make a lot of money. If he took money from him, would Wanli be happy?

Min Xi hesitated for a moment and said, "I will try my best to persuade Your Majesty. By the way, is it your intention to let me enter the Censorate?"

Zhang Juzheng lowered his eyes and looked at him, nodding slightly: "It was my idea. Your Majesty is young and energetic, and extremely smart, which makes him a little stubborn. There are not many people in the court that he trusts, and you are one of them. That's why I arranged for you to join the Metropolitan Censorate. Fortunately, you can advise His Majesty in time when something happens."

Min Xi thought, is this a brake for me? What can he say? He can only say, "Thanks to the trust of the Lord, I will do my best."

A smile flashed in Zhang Juzheng's eyes. "Just go ahead and do what's happening on the Nanyang Continent. My friend and your brother are both capable of handling the important tasks. I am very pleased and can finally leave with peace of mind."

The affirmation from the boss made Min Xi's scalp tingle: "I will work harder and not let you down."

Zhang Juzheng asked about the court again, and Min Xi remembered something: "Have the Jurchens made any moves in the past two years?" He had talked with Zhang Juzheng about the future of the Ming Dynasty, and he wanted Zhang Juzheng to find a way to deal with the Jurchen tribes. After all, the boss's ability is not to be underestimated. If he doesn't destroy the Jurchen tribes, he can at least weaken them. He asked about the Jurchens' movements, in fact, he wanted to ask if the court had taken any measures against the Jurchens.

Zhang Juzheng sighed: "Liaodong is bitterly cold and the journey is difficult. It is extremely difficult to pacify the Jurchen tribes. Therefore, the only way to do now is to divide the Jurchen tribes and alienate their relations so that they cannot live in harmony."

Min Xi nodded: "Then wait and see the effect."

He quickly calculated in his mind that the Jurchen tribes were only a potential threat to the Ming Dynasty, and the court had no time to deal with them. Now that the Ming Dynasty was still powerful and could still intimidate the surrounding countries, the most urgent task was to solve the internal problems, so that there would be spare energy to consider other problems. At least Zhang Juzheng still took the topic he mentioned to heart and sent people to do something.

Min Xi mentioned to Zhang Juzheng the method he and Yun Ji had discussed about how to deal with the Jurchens and Japan. Zhang Juzheng listened to his wild ideas and did not think he was out of tune: "It sounds unfeasible, but in fact, it is not completely unfeasible. Unfortunately, I am too old to make any plans, so you can only rely on yourselves."

Min Xi chatted with Zhang Juzheng for a long time. It was not until someone from the Zhang family came to urge Zhang Juzheng to eat that Min Xi realized how long he had been chatting with him. The two of them were so engrossed in the chat that they forgot the time.

"My friend, please have dinner with me." Zhang Juzheng invited him to stay for dinner.

"Then I'd better obey your command!" Min Xi said with a smile.

Zhang Juzheng's meals were very simple, just plain food, because they were too greasy and meaty for his stomach to handle. Min Xi's meals were very rich, with chicken, duck, fish and meat.

The two of them ate slowly without interfering with each other, continuing with the previous topic and having a very pleasant conversation.

Three days later, Min Xi received the news that Zhang Juzheng had passed away. The cheerful conversation and laughter on that spring afternoon turned out to be their farewell.