Chapter 90

Kong Minxing's face was filled with a look of dejection, the laughter and conversation from just a moment ago completely gone. The frustration and regret he displayed were his true nature. After passing the imperial examination, he had followed Xu Guangqi to Tianjin to study agriculture. He originally intended to achieve something significant and tangible. Scholars, despite their many flaws, always had a heart for serving the country, which was fundamentally different from pure merchants or nobles. As long as they were not the kind of scholars who were utterly useless, young scholars could certainly achieve something if they used their talents correctly.

Unfortunately, agronomy was not valued in the Ming Dynasty, and all the effort Kong Minxing had put in was wasted, like a small stone thrown into a surging river, causing only a ripple. That ripple was Xu Guangqi's "Complete Book of Agriculture," which was not taken seriously at the time. Only scholars interested in agronomy would study it. Centuries later, people realized its value, just like "The Exploitation of the Works of Nature," both being groundbreaking works. Unfortunately, all the effort was wasted.

Zhang Han stood up, poured a cup of wine for Kong Minxing, raised it to his eyebrows, and said solemnly, "This cup of wine is in honor of Xu Guangqi and his brother Zhi's benevolent heart for the country and its people."

Kong Minxing was deeply moved, drank the wine in one gulp, and smiled, "With these words from Wenlan, I feel that those years were not wasted."

Zhang Han continued, "I haven't seen 'The Complete Book of Agriculture' yet, but I will certainly buy it and study it. With your introduction, Brother Zhi, I believe this book will be very helpful to me... I am aggressively buying grain and encouraging the planting of sweet potatoes in the areas where I am buying grain. If Xu Guangqi's methods are effective, it will save hundreds of thousands of lives. You must know that Datong and the northwest have been suffering from disasters for years, and northern Shaanxi is already in severe famine. If sweet potatoes and corn can be widely planted, many more people will survive. This is a great benefit to the country and its people. For thousands of years, our civilization has continued because of people like Xu Guangqi. If there is an opportunity, I will certainly kneel and offer him a cup of wine in person."

Kong Minxing was somewhat surprised and said, "Wenlan, your words are too heavy."

Zhang Han was indeed somewhat moved. After being in this era for a long time, he inevitably developed feelings for the people and the times. His original mindset of being a game player had faded, and he even began to think about helping the Ming Dynasty and the Chinese people. The people and events he now encountered would mostly be destroyed in the great transformation of the Ming's fall and the Qing's rise. He didn't know how many people would die, how many beautiful things would be lost. Zhang Han had already accepted the clothing and hairstyles of this era, and many Ming customs. The thought of having to change his appearance in twenty years was somewhat uncomfortable.

Unfortunately, he was just a person of little influence, and after so long, the officials he had seen were either corrupt or incompetent, and the gentry mostly cared only about their own interests, ignoring everything else. Finally, he met a scholar of the Chinese people who was worth respecting. Although Kong Minxing was just Xu Guangqi's disciple, the things he revealed in his words were enough to make Zhang Han admire him.

Scholars like Xu Guangqi truly deserved the title of "scholar" and were the representatives of the class that the Chinese people respected. Unfortunately, such people were often marginalized in the Ming court, and their efforts and achievements were almost in vain. If the court had taken the lead in improving and promoting the planting of crops, the drought caused by the Little Ice Age could have been solved in twenty years, saving millions of lives, preventing millions from being displaced by peasant uprisings, and stabilizing the northern defenses, thus preventing the Jurchens from invading. The progress of Chinese civilization would not have been interrupted.

In fact, it was a small matter. As long as the emperor paid attention, the bureaucracy made a decision, and a strong figure pushed it forward, it could be done. Zhang Juzheng's implementation of the Single Whip Law and the re-establishment of the Yellow Register in the early Wanli period were very difficult, but they were still accomplished. However, Xu Guangqi's efforts in agronomy were almost ignored, and no one paid attention or put effort into it.

Whether it was the Chu Party, the Zhe Party, or the Donglin Party, what they focused on in the late Wanli period was the political struggles brought by the three major cases. The emperor was sulking, and the bureaucracy was lethargic, arguing over "great principles." The achievements and possibilities of solving practical problems represented by scholars like Xu Guangqi were ignored by everyone.

The failure to use talented people is the chronic illness of Chinese civilization and a significant reason why it is often disrupted by external enemies and internal consumption.

However, since they were not close, Zhang Han could not say everything. Some things he couldn't even say to his own mother, let alone Kong Minxing. He cleared his throat and said with a professional smile, "Brother Zhi, you can ask Brother Zunlu about the scale of my grain purchases. If the yield of coarse grains can increase, it will be a great benefit. I am not exaggerating."

Li Shenming nodded a few times, and Kong Minxing then realized that the scale of Zhang Han's grain purchases was indeed enormous, with a target of several million shi per year. This would not only affect Datong but also the entire northern Shanxi and the Xuanfu to Jizhen areas. Even southern Shanxi and Henan might be future grain purchase areas. If farmers' income increased, Zhang Han would naturally buy more grain, and his income would also increase significantly. From this perspective, Zhang Han's excitement was understandable.

As for Zhang Han's plan to trade with the northern barbarians, it was not a taboo for Kong Minxing. Many scholars in the current dynasty, who were full of righteousness, privately lent money at high interest rates, and several high-ranking officials had traded with the Mongols and even smuggled grain. It was unrealistic to expect a merchant to ban trade with the northern barbarians.

Even Kong Minxing himself did not think that trade was a big issue.

A nationwide war, a matter of national survival, a total war, a trade war, and an economic blockade were concepts that did not exist in the Ming Dynasty. No one would think about their significance, and no one would pay much attention to them. For the Ming Dynasty, banning trade with the Mongols was just to prevent "aiding the enemy," and no one would think about the deeper implications.

Since he was not opposed, Kong Minxing was very sensitive to some things. He thought for a moment and said to Zhang Han, "There is something I cannot say to everyone. What I say to you two, do not tell a third person."

Zhang Han and Li Shenming naturally nodded, and Kong Minxing continued, "The situation in Liaodong is very bad. The court has appointed Yang Jingfu as the supervisor to go to Liaodong to oversee the war. However, soon after Yang's arrival, the Jurchens invaded Qinghe from the Yuhuguan Pass, and more than ten thousand border troops of the Ming were killed, including the deputy general Zou Chuxian. The emperor has given Yang Jingfu a sword of authority to reorganize the Liaodong troops and to urge the various reinforcements to quickly go to Liaodong to prepare for a decisive battle to destroy the Jurchens. The Liaodong governor and the original Jizhen governor do not meet the emperor's expectations and may be replaced. Recently, Wen Gong received news that the court may appoint him to take over the Jizhen governor."

Wen Gong was the current Datong governor, Wen Qiu, an experienced border governor. Recently, with the failure in Liaodong, Emperor Wanli was very dissatisfied with the current Jizhen governor, Wang Keshou, and his dismissal was inevitable. Wen Qiu, as the Datong governor, had the qualifications and experience to take over the governorship, which was not surprising.

Zhang Han was very quick-witted and said, "If the trade route is extended to the northern barbarians in Liaodong and Liaoxi, I will certainly need to ask Wen Gong for his support."

"I think the military commander will agree," Kong Minxing said. "The specific distribution can be handled by Zunlu."

"Thank you very much." Li Shenming raised his cup and smiled, "I can run the trade routes in Datong and Xuanfu, but Jizhen and Liaozhen are more difficult. With Wen Gong's help, things will be much easier."

The current Xuanfu governor and general, Li Shenming, had connections, but Jizhen and Baoding, along with Liaozhen, were too far away, and it was difficult to establish connections. Li Shenming had recently traveled around, but only managed to establish and strengthen connections in Xuanfu, which was still far from Jizhen. If Wen Qiu, the Datong governor, was appointed as the Jizhen governor, things would be much easier.

"Why did they choose Yang Jingfu as the supervisor?"

Yang Jingfu's appointment as the supervisor led to the great defeat at Sarhū, a well-known historical fact. Zhang Han, who had read about it, was puzzled. Now, as a semi-insider, he couldn't help but mutter.

"Yang Jingfu is considered knowledgeable about military affairs among the current governors and court officials," Kong Minxing was surprised and asked, "Yang Jingfu was diligent in his role as a censor, with significant achievements in land reclamation. Later, he and the Jizhen general Dong Yiyuan launched a successful surprise attack on Chao Hua. Although there were some setbacks in Korea, he had many achievements. As a governor, he personally led troops into battle multiple times with Li Rumei and others. Most scholar-officials who command troops do not know military affairs, but Yang Jingfu dared to lead troops in person, showing great courage. Moreover, he has extensive experience as a military governor and Liaodong governor, familiar with Liaodong generals and troops. At such a critical moment, who else would be more suitable than him?"

Zhang Han nodded silently. The appointment of Yang Jingfu, from the recommendation of court officials to the approval of Emperor Shenzong, went smoothly. It seems that the bad reputation of Yang Jingfu in later generations was due to his defeat at Sarhū, which was a critical battle. At this time, Yang Jingfu was seen as having rich military experience and qualifications, and being from Liaodong, he was the most suitable person to lead the Liaodong troops against the Jurchens.

As for Xiong Tingbi, whom Zhang Han admired, he was indeed weaker in achievements and qualifications compared to Yang Jingfu. It's no wonder Emperor Shenzong favored Yang Jingfu and trusted him completely.

However, after Yang Jingfu's failure, Emperor Shenzong quickly adjusted and appointed Xiong Tingbi, which helped stabilize the situation in Liaodong. If Emperor Shenzong had lived a few more years, it might have been Nurhaci who died.