Late Ming Dynasty: Oops, I am surrounded by the Donglin Party

"Guess?" Emperor Chongzhen rolled his eyes at Zhang Shikang.

"You're just a kid, still guessing!" Zhang Shikang already knew the answer, but he thought it didn't matter.

All the rich men in the world have three wives and four concubines. Even your brother Chongzhen has nine concubines in your harem!

I, Zhang Shikang, have worked hard outside for a year. Can't I enjoy myself?

"Don't indulge in excessive sexual activities, which will harm your body," warned Emperor Chongzhen.

He was young once too, and he knew that when young people first taste the forbidden fruit, it would be easy for them to become addicted to that kind of thing.

There is really nothing much to say about this, but Emperor Chongzhen knows that there are still many things in the court that require Zhang Shikang's help. If this guy collapses from exhaustion in bed, who will help him handle government affairs?

"But even if you need a woman, you shouldn't look for a singer. It will damage your reputation." Emperor Chongzhen said again.

"Reputation? Do I have it? I don't need it, Your Majesty.

But Your Majesty, please listen to me. After the New Year, you will have time to go out for a stroll with me more often. The world outside is so interesting!

I just don't have time, otherwise I would definitely take a Shanghai ship to travel overseas and experience the customs and culture overseas.

I heard Zheng Zhilong say..."

"Why do you want to go overseas? Do you want to run away?" Emperor Chongzhen interrupted Zhang Shikang directly, with an extremely serious expression.

This was like touching the reverse scale of Emperor Chongzhen.

"Run? Why? I'm just going on a trip!

Your Majesty, life is not only about government affairs, but also about poetry and distant places.

You won't understand even if I tell His Majesty." Zhang Shikang ate his rice quickly, unable to hide his disdain for the boring life of Emperor Chongzhen.

Emperor Chongzhen was relieved when he saw that Zhang Shikang did not seem to be pretending.

He thought that Zhang Shikang had not been assigned any more tasks during this period, and even though the situation was so critical some time ago, Emperor Chongzhen had never agreed to the proposal of the court officials to negotiate with the Southern Army without authorization.

I have always granted this kid's requests, so there is no need for him to run away.

"As the Son of Heaven, I must wear the crown and bear its weight. There is no other way around it." Emperor Chongzhen said helplessly.

"Your Majesty, everything depends on human effort. You may not know that there is a guy called Shiquan Lao Ren who often goes to the south of the Yangtze River. He claims to be on a secret visit, but in fact he is just going to have sex with prostitutes. It is not seen that the old man has delayed the government affairs.

But it’s not possible now, there are still many things to be done. Wait a few more years, until the world is truly at peace, Your Majesty must go out for a walk with me, otherwise, this life will be wasted! Hiccup——"

Zhang Shikang finally finished his meal. He threw away his bowl and burped.

"What is the Ten Perfect Old Man? How come I have never heard of him? You are still the same, always talking nonsense."

"Oh! It's nothing. I don't think it will happen again.

By the way, Your Majesty, I ordered a batch of warships from the Zheng family in Quanzhou, bought a navy, and secretly ordered a batch of copper cannons and merchant ships from the French!

This is the future navy and trade team of the Ming Dynasty. I spent a lot of effort to get it. What do you think? "

Zhang Shikang looked like he was begging for praise, and to be honest he didn't expect things to go so smoothly.

Both the Zheng family and the French people did not refuse the order he placed for various reasons, which was really due to the circumstances.

But no matter what, this was an attempt to seek credit in front of the leadership. In line with the tradition of speaking about difficulties when there are difficulties and creating difficulties when there are none, Zhang Shikang still exaggerated and recounted his own difficulties.

"Hmph, even if you don't tell me about this, I will still ask you. That's more than 20 million taels of silver!

Do you know how much can be accomplished with that much silver?

People are still starving!

The Minister of Finance Hai Zhongqi, whom you recommended, has already filed eight memorials to impeach you because of this matter!"

Emperor Chongzhen said half angrily and half complainingly.

He didn't get any praise and was even complained by this old man. Zhang Shikang felt so wronged that he frowned and said:

"Damn it, this short-sighted middle-level seaman, I was really blind to recommend him!

But Your Majesty, this money is well spent. I will not keep so much silver seized from the house to rot in the national treasury.

The people are starving, but haven’t I been working hard to buy food?

We are almost buying up all the food from East Asia and Southeast Asia.

Your Majesty, the Zheng family will not return the goods, and I do not agree. If you force me, I will... I will go on strike." Zhang Shikang said in a timid tone.

These words made Emperor Chongzhen frown.

"You brat! You are really arrogant because of your favor! Say it again?" Emperor Chongzhen blushed. Zhang Shikang dared to touch his reverse scale in front of him.

Zhang Shikang immediately became soft.

"Hehe, it's just a joke, Your Majesty, why are you so angry? No, no." Zhang Shikang quickly stood up and poured tea for Brother Chongzhen, explaining:

"Your Majesty, please stop being brainwashed by the court officials. I have said that there is gold everywhere overseas. When have I ever lied to you?

The reason why Zheng Zhilong lived such a carefree life every day was because he monopolized the maritime trade on three routes?

But Your Majesty, that should all be the court’s money!

If you include the protection fees he collected and the income from maritime trade, it would be 20 to 30 million taels of silver a year.

Twenty or thirty million taels, Your Majesty, how much is the annual income of the Ming Dynasty?" Zhang Shikang said speechlessly.

Imposing a maritime ban was definitely the biggest mistake made by the Ming Dynasty. The court officials at the time joined forces to deceive the emperor. They said they were competing with the people for profit, but they just didn't want the court to compete with them for profit.

However, the imperial court not only lost decades of maritime trade income, but also the shipbuilding industry and navy.

If you want to do it again now, don’t even think about it without spending some money and effort.

"Alas, I know you won't lie to me, so I suppressed their impeachment.

If you, Shikang, really can't stand that Hai Zhongqi, I will remove him from his post.

But you must never threaten me with strike or escape again. Never."

Emperor Chongzhen looked at Zhang Shikang and said very seriously.

The Ming Dynasty could finally breathe a sigh of relief. Emperor Chongzhen was now obsessed with the revival of the country. As long as Zhang Shikang was here, he was always full of confidence and felt that all difficulties could be overcome.

Even if Zhang Shikang just stayed by his side, he seemed to have a backup, because the experience of the past two years told him that those things that seemed impossible to him could always be solved with this man around.

Emperor Chongzhen could not imagine how he would face the country in ruins without this guy by his side, or whether the country would continue to deteriorate and eventually return to its original state.

After all, he had long understood that if he was really a very capable monarch, the Ming Dynasty would not have gotten worse and worse in the more than ten years since he took the throne.

The most important thing for people is to have self-awareness.

"Your Majesty, you are too kind. I was just joking just now." Zhang Shikang gave an awkward but polite smile.

"Don't make this joke!" Emperor Chongzhen blushed again.

……