The further away from the port, the deserted Huitong Street becomes. Although it is only around the time of Hai Zheng, there are no more people on the street. The street without lights is dark. Hu Wanli is walking silently in the darkness, thinking about his thoughts, Xue Liangfu He was also silent, thinking about the conversation just now, while Tang Jinbao and the other personal guards were like ghosts in the dark night, silently alerting the surroundings. The unhurried footsteps were very monotonous on Huitong Street, which was paved with carefully polished bluestone and was solid and flat. No one held a lantern for Hu Wanli to light the way in front. This was not only for safety reasons, but also a special hobby of Hu Wanli. He likes to walk in the dark. Hu Wanli knew very well that Xue Liangfu's words were very reasonable. Xiaoliuqiu was Xiaoliuqiu, and Da Ming was Da Ming. There was a big difference between the two. Xiaoliuqiu was just a piece of blank paper, and he could freely describe it as he wanted with his wealth, while Da Ming was not. It is a painting that has already been formed and does not leave much blank space. It would take a lot of effort to add or change even a little bit. Moreover, his wealth is only comparable to that of Xiaoliuqiu. For Daming, this wealth is I'm afraid it can only be wedged between the teeth. Perhaps it would be most correct to wait until reconstruction and turn the Ming Dynasty into a blank sheet of paper. Hu Wanli took a long, slow breath and quickly dismissed this thought, not to mention whether he had the ability. Even if it can be pushed, it is impossible for Ming Dynasty to become a blank slate like Xiao Liuqiu! The sound of water flowing was extremely clear on the dark and quiet street. Hu Wanli slowly stopped and saw a figure standing under the shadow of a tree not far from him, urinating in the street! He couldn't help but frown. Then he continued walking and ordered softly: "Pee on the ground. Beat him up." Hearing the screams from behind, Xue Liangfu smiled bitterly and said: "Master, this is an abuse of lynching. It won't sound good if it gets spread." "It's not that serious. "It's just a small punishment." Hu Wanli said in a low voice: "The people in Xiaoliuqiu have become more and more prosperous in recent years, but their quality has not improved at all. We need to improve in this regard. Guidance and restraint" A slight pause. He then continued: "I'm afraid that guidance and restraint are not very effective. We still need to enforce the code of conduct." Hearing this, Xue Liangfu couldn't help but secretly laugh. If something is good for the top, it must be bad for the bottom. Hu Wanli likes to be clean, so Xiaoliuqiu up and down Officials are proud of their cleanliness. Even cities and ports pursue cleanliness everywhere, but it is difficult for the people to develop the habit of cleanliness for a while. After thinking for a while, he said: "The poor suddenly become rich. Many habits cannot be corrected in a short time. It takes at least one or two "It does take several generations to form spontaneously." Hu Wanli said solemnly: "However, it can be forced. Whether it is the guards or the school, they are forcibly instilling codes of conduct and ethics, and the people are also forced to do so. You can force indoctrination, you can use fines and hard labor to restrain the people. I will go back and set up a system." "Is it necessary to be so serious? Xue Liangfu hesitated. He then said: "Master, is this a bit too much?" "Overkill?" Hu Wanli slowed down and said slowly: "This is not a trivial matter. You must pay enough attention to it. The city has a large population, densely populated areas, and medical care is very fast. No, if you don't pay attention to hygiene, once an epidemic breaks out, the consequences will be disastrous. The plague breaks out in Europe, and millions of people die at every turn. Sichuan and Fujian have always been military areas. Now the port city of Xiaoliuqiu is densely populated and highly mobile. There must be no negligence. " He knew very well that the last straw that broke the Ming Empire should be a great plague in Beijing. Otherwise, Li Zicheng would not have been able to easily capture Beijing, and Li Zicheng's hundreds of thousands of troops. He was also defeated by the plague. It would not be an exaggeration to say that Xiao Liuqiu's current situation was against the will of heaven. He did not want a plague to take away all his hard work over the past few years. Hearing that Hu Wanli had this consideration in mind, Xue Liangfu quickly straightened his face and said: "Young Master is far-sighted" Biochemical warfare or germ warfare, Hu Wanli did not listen to his flattery, but something suddenly popped up in his mind. This idea, the lethality of plagues in this era is far greater than that of wars. Plague, smallpox, dysentery, cholera, influenza, meningitis, no matter which one, can not be controlled and cured at this time. The invasion of new species will bring devastating disasters. Yes, Europeans have used this point a lot. The smallpox now prevalent in the Americas was probably spread intentionally by the Spaniards. In addition, the country has also used bacterial wars in history. If he can use his way to treat his body, Hu Wanli doesn't mind at all, but he doesn't know what kind of epidemic is a new species for the country? This requires detailed investigation! In early July, the weather was still very hot. Although there was wind, it was not cool. In the study room of the General Military Mansion, Hu Wanli shook his folding fan. He slowly got up and walked to the window. He looked at the lush osmanthus trees outside the window and said in a deep voice after a while. : "It is not easy to be an official in Xiaoliuqiu. Although the salary is high, it is not as good as sea trade and running workshops. I know this. Xiaoliuqiu is newly built, and officials have many administrative affairs and errands."I know it's not easy, but officials have their own dignity and honor, and you don't have to say good things for them. Once the system is formulated, it must be implemented. Since the magistrates of Dong Dan and Quy Nhon counties are not popular among the people, they must be replaced. It is related to the reputation of Dong Hing Port and cannot be favoritism. If they are willing to stay, they will be demoted. If they are not willing to stay, they will be recruited through open recruitment. This matter does not need to be discussed again. " Hearing this, Xue Liangfu couldn't help but feel speechless for a while. He hesitated for a moment, but still argued: "Master, the three-year performance evaluation of the two magistrates of Dong Dan and Quy Nhon counties was normal in the first two years. This year alone, it is not good. It cannot be done. It doesn't erase the achievements of the previous two years. " "There is nothing to say about the unsatisfactory replacement. Hu Wanli turned around, glanced at him, and said, "I know you are in trouble, but you will grit your teeth no matter how hard it is. You can't let the people laugh at you." " As soon as he finished speaking, Li Fenglie bowed outside the door and reported: "Wu Zishun, Liu Siwu, and Li Jian are outside asking for a meeting. " "Let them in." Hu Wanli said as he slowly walked back to the main seat and sat down. Then he softened his tone and said, "Officials must be able to move up and down before they know what they are doing. When they are replaced, they will slowly hone their skills. Those who are in high positions must persist in everything." For public purposes, on the other hand, open recruitment and selection of officials will also help win over the gentry, merchants and common people. There is no need to make this matter difficult. " Wu Zishun and three others came in. They saluted and said, "I've seen the young master. " "sit. "Hu Wanli pointed to the seat with a folding fan. After the three of them sat down, Wu Zishun glanced at Xue Liangfu. Then he said directly: "Report to the young master, Ashikaga Yoshimi replied and declined to join forces to attack Ouchi Yoshitaka. " He declined! Hu Wanli really didn't expect that Ashikaga Yoshimi, who had been supporting him with one hand, would have the courage to refuse his request. He couldn't help but be stunned. Seeing that he remained silent, Liu Siwu mused: "Young Master, Ashikaga Yoshimi has become such a popular person now. Completely controlled the vicinity of Kyoto and most of Shikoku. We have formed a tripartite confrontation with Ouchi and Hojo. He does not dare to join forces with us to attack Ouchi. It is not because he lacks courage, but because he is worried that we will annex the Japanese country after we gain a foothold in the country. After taking care of Ouchi Yoshitaka, the next target is he. " Hearing this, Xue Liangsuke said in disbelief: "Ashikaga Yoshivi is so ungrateful. Aren't you afraid of retaliation from Dongxing Port? " "Don't be afraid! "Liu Siwu said in a deep voice: "The Japanese country rarely encounters foreign invasions. Only Yuanmeng has defeated the Japanese country. Now we only have 60,000 troops. He estimates that we dare not attack the Japanese country. Besides, Ashikaga Yoshivi is in Kyoto. It is the center of Japan. If we attack it, Ouchi and Hojo will definitely share the same hatred and will not stand idly by. He predicted that even if we want to attack the Japanese country. We will only start with Ouchi and Hojo. Xue Liangsuke then asked: "Ashikaga Yoshimi is not worried that we will turn to vigorously support the Ouchi family?" " "The three families must have a secret agreement. "Hu Wanli said in a deep voice. The study was suddenly quiet. After a while, Hu Wanli said: "What do you think? " "The Japanese country is mostly mountainous. If we conquer the Japanese country, it will be difficult to annihilate them all in a short time. "Li Jian said: "Furthermore, once the war breaks out, the sea trade of Japan will be greatly affected. The delay caused by the Ming Dynasty will also cut off the trade between the Ming Dynasty and Japan. Xiaoliuqiu is afraid that it will be unbearable. My subordinates secretly thought that the Ming Dynasty would be more important " Want to compete with the Ming Dynasty? Although Xue Liangfu had already guessed it, he was still a little shocked when he heard this from Li Jian. This is really a snake swallowing the elephant! Although Dongxing Port is developing rapidly, its military strength is still Limited, Hu Wanli is too courageous! Liu Siwu also continued: "The development potential of the Ming Dynasty is much greater than that of the Japanese country, and my subordinates also tend to attack the Ming Dynasty first. " Hu Wanli shook his head slightly. What would happen if he attacked the Ming Dynasty first? The Japanese country was absolutely terrified. They must have known that Dongxing Port would attack the Ming Dynasty and deal with them when they came back. They would definitely find ways to form an alliance with the Ming Dynasty, and trade would be the same. If he wants to fight Japan first, Ming Dynasty may not pay attention to Japan's request for help! Seeing him shaking his head, Liu Siwu immediately said: "Master, do you mean to conquer Japan first?" " Hu Wanli nodded and said: "Yes, we will conquer Japan first. Our troops are limited and we must avoid a two-front battle. After a slight pause, he continued: "Ashikaga Yoshiki was so naive. He expected that we would not attack Kyoto first, so we just attacked Kyoto first. What's the use of keeping a disobedient dog?" Only kill and eat meat! "Young master, attack the Japanese country Kyoto first, and don't worry about Ouchi and Hojo attacking from both sides?" "Liu Siwu said in a deep voice. "If these two families dare to come, we can save a lot of energy. Hu Wanli said nonchalantly: "Please discuss in detail whether you should encircle the area and mobilize reinforcements, or capture Kyoto with lightning speed?" " "yes! Liu Siwu said excitedly. Xue Liangfu was also the most in favor of fighting the Japanese country. He immediately said: "Young master, as the saying goes, teachers are famous. To prevent criticism, can you find an excuse?" ¡± "I'm looking for an excuse." Hu Wanli said with a smile: "Let's just say that three of our sailors from the Japanese sea trade were lost in Sakai Port." What excuse is this? The four of them couldn't help but look at each other. After a long while, Xue Liangfu smiled and said: "Master, is this excuse a bit" Using the missing soldiers as an excuse to launch a war is a common trick of the Japanese country. Hu Wanli now uses the crew as a The disappearance of the sailor was used as an excuse to launch a war. Naturally, he wanted revenge, but this reason could not be explained to the four people. He smiled slightly and said: "This is not a child's play. We want to tell all maritime merchants about it. Dongxing Port is very protective of its shortcomings, and Dongxing Port will not hesitate to go to war to ensure the safety of Dongxing Hong Kong people overseas. "There is no other way to attract people's hearts than this. Xue Liangfu was overjoyed when he heard this, and said quickly: "My subordinates understand, and they will definitely publicize it vigorously. "Don't publicize it for now. It won't be too late to do it when we send out troops. In addition, we can let the Jinling Newspaper do the same," Hu Wanli said casually. In the past few years, Dongxing Port has been making small fuss in Nanyang. Although the war continues, there is no tension in Xiaoliuqiu. But this time, Liu Siwu and Li Jian did not dare to ignore the invasion of Japan. Immediately, the news spread, and the officers and soldiers of Xiaoliuqiu's major battalions canceled their vacations and stepped up combat readiness and live-fire training. The Nanyang Fleet, the garrisons in Manila and Champa, and a large number of merchant fleets all returned to Xiaoliuqiu. The armaments workshops in Dongxing and Hanwu were also operating at full capacity, and the craftsmen began to work overtime. All kinds of military supplies are also constantly gathering, and there is a scene of a storm approaching. Even the common people with a dull sense of smell realize that a large-scale war is about to start in Dongxing Port! The Jinyiwei spies lurking in Xiaoliuqiu had naturally smelled the smell of war long ago, and sent news to the Ming Dynasty through various channels. For a time, officials of all sizes along the coast of Guangdong, Fujian, Zhejiang, and South Zhili were all Ming Dynasty officials. For nervousness, pray to God. Those who worshiped Buddha prayed that Dongxing Port would not invade their territory. In Nanjing, Wang Tingxiang looked at the news with great confusion. The Ming Dynasty had not provoked Dongxing Port during this period. What did Hu Wanli want to do? Do you feel that your wings are full? impossible! The strength of Dongxing Port is the focus of Jinyiwei's spying. It only has about 60,000 troops. How could Hu Wanli feel that his wings were full? It is now late July, is it targeting Annan? After thinking for a moment, he ordered the sedan to be prepared and hurried to the Charity Federation of Ming Dynasty. He was dressed in casual clothes and did not wait for notification. He walked straight into the study of President Zhou Zhiwei. Zhou Zhiwei seemed to have expected him to come. He stood up, bowed slightly, and said with a smile: "Mr. Junchuan came so quickly." Wang Tingxiang did not talk to him, and asked directly: "Where does the military front point refer to?" "I don't know, but it should not be the Ming Dynasty." Zhou Zhiwei He said with a smile that there is a reason why he said this. Others don't know it, but he, the president of the Charity Association, knows best. Dongxing Port is widely spread in the Ming Dynasty. It is not the Charity Association that really connects the world, but Dongxing Port. If Hu Wanli really takes action against Daming, he will definitely say hello to him, and there will definitely be a large amount of money flowing in various provincial bank accounts. Everything is normal now, and it is obviously not targeting Daming. "Are you sure?" Wang Tingxiang said solemnly. "How can I be so sure about such a major military and national matter?" Zhou Zhiwei still had a faint smile on his face, "Soldiers are also tricky. Hu Changqing's actions have always been unpredictable. In recent years, the Charity Association has had no contact with Dongxing Port. Besides, how could Dongxing Port leak the news about such a big event? ""It should be aimed at the Ming Dynasty," Wang Tingxiang said solemnly: "The troops from Manila, Champa, and Mancijia have been transferred back to Xiaoliuqiu, and Dongxing Port is not targeting the Ming Dynasty. It could be Annan, and it couldn't be Xiyang or Nanyang." Zhou Zhiwei didn't call him a boy and poured him a cup of herbal tea. Then he said, "Did Duke Junchuan forget that there was a Japanese country?" "Wang Tingxiang? He said in surprise: "The trade between Dongxing Port and the Japanese country has never been interrupted. What benefit will the conquest of the Japanese country bring to Dongxing Port? Besides, even if the Japanese country is conquered, it will not require such a large battle." After drinking half a cup of herbal tea, he said: "No. , I have to go to Xiaoliuqiu personally, and I can¡¯t let Hu Changqing come here.¡± The changes in Dongxing Port were quickly reported to the capital at a speed of 500 miles. He died of illness, and Gu Dingchen also passed away last year. The first assistant now is naturally Yan Song, and the second assistant is Zhai Luan, who has returned from Ding You. After reading the urgent note sent by Mao Bowen, Minister of the Ministry of War, Yan Song silently handed the note to Zhai Luan without saying a word for a long time. In the past few years, the Tatars have not calmed down. On the contrary, they have become more and more violent. Dongxing Port is really going to be in the southeast. There is really no way to get through this day with a big fight. Fighting on two fronts, we must drag Ming Dynasty to death. Zhai Luan closed the folder and was silent for a long time before he said, "What do you think of Ru Li?" Mao Bowen pondered for a moment and then said: "Even if Dongxing Port conceals something, its strength cannot exceed one hundred thousand at most, and the possibility of a large-scale attack is very small. I secretly thought that Dongxing Port should be coming for the two naval fleets of the North and South Zhili. "How to deal with it?" "Avoid war!" Mao Bowen said solemnly: "The two naval fleets are difficult to compare with the Dongxing Port fleet in terms of size and actual combat experience. They should avoid war to preserve their strength and not let Dongxing Port get what they want. " Yan Song glanced at the two of them calmly. This matter was too big for the cabinet to decide. After a moment of silence, he said: "Let's go to the palace to see the emperor and pray for the emperor's decision. " " In the Qing Palace, the thirty-four-year-old Emperor Jiajing was walking slowly on the golden bricks in the palace in Taoist attire. From a distance, he did have a certain air of immortality, but up close, you can notice that the expression on his face was a bit solemn. He has already known about the changes in Dongxing Port. The information sent by the Nanjing Zhenfu Division today once again confirmed that the three private ports of Macau, Xiamen, and Shuangyu did not increase the deployment of troops and artillery, but instead dispatched a large number of ships to Xiaoliuqiu. . In this way, Dongxing Port's mobilization of troops this time was not aimed at the Ming Dynasty. Jiajing walked slowly while thinking deeply. If it was really aimed at the Ming Dynasty, the three private ports of Dongxing Port would not be strictly guarded. If it was not aimed at the Ming Dynasty, what would happen? where is it? Japanese country? Why did Dongxing Port conquer the Japanese country? And it¡¯s still so mobilizing? Over the years, Dongxing Port has been continuously conquered, but it has rarely launched a war. Why is Dudu different from the Japanese? Huang Jin tiptoed forward and said softly: "Your Majesty, Mr. Yan Ge, Mr. Zhai Ge, and Mao Bowen are outside asking for an audience." Jiajing stopped and said, "Let them in."