Ming Dynasty: I risked my life to teach the prince, the emperor begged me not to die

Chapter 480: Selection of Personnel for the Western Expedition

After today's court meeting, Liu Daxia was taken to the Ministry of Justice for investigation. Chen Ce didn't care much about these things. The court would make the final decision on how Liu Daxia would be sentenced and what crime he would be charged with.

Chen Ce was more concerned about the candidates for this voyage to the West.

After returning to the mansion, Chen Ce sat in the study, carefully looking at the route map and maritime historical materials of the eunuch Zheng He's voyage to the West.

The process of eunuch Sanbao's voyage to the West was not simple. The first time he sailed was in the Kingdom of Manobashi where he experienced the War between the Two Kings of the East and the West. Zheng He's fleet was mistakenly attacked, but fortunately Zheng He defeated them. Not only that, during the voyage, he also encountered the pirate Chen Zuyi, whom Zheng He also captured alive.

The second trip to the Indian Ocean, passing through Champa, Siam, Java and northern Sumatra, and then sailing to the Indian Ocean again, with Cochin and Calicut as destinations. This voyage was relatively safe and did not encounter too many dangers.

The third voyage was even larger, with a fleet of more than 27,000 people and 48 warships. It passed through Champa, Binh Thong, Chenla, Siam, Kalimantan, Jiaolan, Java, East and West India, Longya Kama, Tanyang, Sumatra, Huamian, Ambergris Island, Zhubu, Mugudusu, and Sulu. When passing through Mount Ceylon, the fleet was ambushed by King Arikunayar of Mount Ceylon, and Zheng He won a great victory.

Every voyage to the West was not smooth sailing. A team of 20,000 to 30,000 people and 40 to 50 warships was enough to destroy one of the many island countries. Every voyage to the West was a deterrent to the coastal island countries, making them truly feel the power of the Ming Dynasty.

No wonder during the Ming Dynasty, the Western barbarians were so afraid of the Ming Dynasty. Such a fleet passed by their doorstep. At that time, they even had difficulty organizing a decent warship. Seeing the Ming Dynasty's huge buildings, ships, and technological weapons, how could they not be intimidated?
Looking at these historical materials and route maps, Chen Ce couldn't help but start to wonder whether he could bring back something unique after this voyage to the West.

For example, some overseas crops and so on.

Of course, these are just incidental matters. As for the candidates for this voyage to the West, Chen Ce also needs to consider it carefully.

He planned to let Hong Zhong take the lead in going to sea. Hong Zhong had certain military combat experience and was a senior official in the Censorate, so he had prestige.

The most important thing is that now that Liu Daxia was detained, those people in the court would inevitably think that Chen Ce was trying to push Hong Zhong to the top. In this case, if Hong Zhong was promoted from Right Deputy Censor-in-Chief to Right Censor-in-Chief, he would inevitably be unstable in this position.

But if he made meritorious service in sailing and was promoted, he could sit securely in the high position of Youdu Yushi.

In addition to Hong Zhong, Chen Ce also needs to arrange his own people to go to sea to search for some agricultural crops overseas and collect them back for planting in Ming Dynasty.

The Ming Dynasty now has a single source of food. Although the Japanese islands are also planting crops to supply the mainland's occasional needs, if there is a natural disaster or man-made disaster causing food shortages, other crops can be brought into the Ming Dynasty for cultivation, which will be more secure.

Yang Yuzhen!
Chen Ce suddenly thought of this guy. He failed the provincial examination again this year. He took the imperial examination twice in a row but failed both times. He still started as a scholar and his future was bleak.

Out of consideration for the father-son relationship, Chen Ce decided to give him a push and provide security for his future.

"Someone, go and call Yang Yuzhen over."

After Chen Ce gave the instructions, he continued to sit in the study and think alone.

At the end of October, Peking was bleak, the weather was cold, and light snow was falling. Yang Yuzhen came to Chen Ce's house wrapped in snowflakes. After stepping into the study, he patted the snowflakes on his body and asked Chen Ce: "Foster father, why did you call me here? You don't want me to pretend to be you again, do you?"

Chen Ce shook his head and said, "No, I'll let you go into the sea."

Did I lose it?

Yang Yuzhen said in horror: "Go to the sea, what are you going to do? Where is the sea in the capital?"

Chen Ce said, "Let's go to the Western Ocean with the Ming fleet." Yang Yuzhen laughed and said, "Am I crazy? Why would I go to the Western Ocean if I don't want to stay in the capital?"

"Besides, I am helping you run the welfare home now. What will happen to the welfare home if I leave?"

Chen Ce shook his head and said, "Someone at the welfare home will take over for you, you don't have to worry about this."

Yang Yuzhen said with a sad face: "Father, you can't harm me. I am loyal to you. If you ask me to go to the West, isn't that seeking death?"

"Who knows what dangers there are at sea, so I won't go."

Chen Ce thought for a moment, and said to Yang Yuzhen: "Yuzhen, I can't protect you for too long. You have an outspoken personality. If I am gone in the future, what will you do in the future? When I come back from the West, I can have a merit to guarantee your safe future."

"Do you really think that letting you go to the West is harming you? No, many people who want to go may not have the opportunity."

"Okay, you think about it yourself. If you don't want to go, I won't force you. I'll find someone else."

"Let's go back."

Yang Yuzhen said, "Okay."

……

On the way back, Yang Yuzhen kept thinking about Chen Ce's words. He knew that Chen Ce would not harm him.

It’s just like when Chen Ce suggested to Tang Yin and others to go to the southwest, Wen Zhengming and Xu Zhenqing actually had the opportunity at that time, and Chen Ce recommended them to go.

But they refused, what happened next?

Wen Zhengming and Xu Zhenqing no longer had the chance to go to the southwest.

And Chen Ce was not wrong. Yang Yuzhen seemed to be living a good life now because he had always lived under Chen Ce's protection. Once Chen Ce was no longer alive, who would still recognize him, Yang Yuzhen?
Unlike Tang Yin and his friends, they are all Chen Ce's students, and they are also very competitive and promising, so others dare not mess with them.

But what about him? Under Chen Ce's protection, he can live a comfortable life, but without Chen Ce, who knows him? If others really want to deal with him, wouldn't it be easy?
This is an opportunity. Once he returns from the West, it will undoubtedly bring honor to his family. Moreover, Chen Ce must have a purpose in letting him go to the West. He would never let him go there as an idle person.

What if, what if he comes back with meritorious service?

Yang Yuzhen had wild thoughts and when he returned home, he gritted his teeth and discussed the matter with his parents. As the only son of the Yang family, the two elders strongly opposed it when they heard that Yang Yuzhen was going to the West.

They were all businessmen who knew the dangers of going out to sea. They also believed that Yang Yuzhen would be able to live safely if he honestly took over their business in the future. If he took the risk now, what would they do if something went wrong?
Yang Yuzhen sighed and said, "Dad, Mom! Our family has never achieved much for several generations. It's not that doing business is bad. Before I met Master Chen, you all knew how badly we were bullied in business. Why is no one bullying us now?"

"It's not because my son is successful, it's because my son's friend is very capable, but he is not in good health. What if he dies in the future?"

"This trip to the West was to find a way out for his son."

(End of this chapter)