Di Ming

Chapter 120 Going to University

"A secret that would interest the people of the Ming Dynasty?" Zhu Yin was surprised that this Indian would say such a thing.

"Tell me what you think," Zhu Yin said.

Kama bargained: "First, swear to your gods that you'll forgive me if you hear my secret. Hmm, swear a solemn oath to your ancestral spirits; I know you believe most in your ancestors..."

Zhu Yin nodded, his face tense, and said, "I swear to my ancestor, Emperor Yongle, that if I listen to your valuable secret and do not forgive you, I will make the graves of Emperor Yongle's descendants be dug up."

Seeing his serious expression, Kama had no choice but to believe him.

He knew that Zhu Yin's surname was Zhu. In his view, Zhu was the imperial surname of the Ming Dynasty, so it was correct that Zhu Yin was a descendant of Zhu Di.

He believed that all the people in the Ming Dynasty with the surname Zhu were descendants of the Yongle Emperor, whom even the Indians knew.

Of course, Emperor Yongle had countless descendants, and he did not consider Zhu Yin to be particularly noble.

He finally said, "Isberia (Spain) wants to conquer your Ming Dynasty and is forming an expeditionary force, which may be dispatched next year. They are preparing to join forces with Japan to partition the Ming Dynasty."

"This is a closely guarded secret! Your arrogant emperor and officials are completely in the dark. If you inform on it, you'll surely be rewarded, and your emperor will bestow honors upon you..."

So that was the secret. Zhu Yin was immediately somewhat disappointed.

This secret is indeed very important, but the problem is, it's a secret known only to the time traveler, so it's useless to him.

"What's this?" Zhu Yin shook his head calmly. "The Ming court and officials have long known this, but they're just pretending not to know. They're just waiting for their expeditionary force to come and die."

What? He knew all along? Kama couldn't believe it, but he saw that Zhu Yin's expression showed no surprise, and even some disappointment.

That expression was definitely not faked.

This means Zhu Yin knew this secret. Therefore, it also means that many people in the Ming Dynasty actually knew, but pretended not to know to mislead Isisbaria!
My God, the Ming people are so treacherous and cunning.

They must be secretly preparing for war!

When the Isisbarian expeditionary force arrived, believing themselves to be well-prepared, a devastating disaster awaited them.

Zhu Yin sneered, "You think you can exchange a secret I already know for your life? And how did you find out?"

Kama replied, “I spent a few months at the Governor’s Palace in Luzon, and it was the Governor’s wife who told me this in bed.”

"Besides preparing for war domestically, Isisbaria was also building warships, stockpiling supplies, and constructing fortifications on the island of Itt, north of Luzon..."

Ita Island in the Batanes? Zhu Yin recalled the map and immediately understood.

Itte Island guards the Bashi Channel, is less than 100 nautical miles from Taiwan, and is very close to Guangdong and Fujian provinces of the Ming Dynasty. It was also the closest military outpost of the Spanish colony to China.

This island is the northernmost island farthest from Luzon. Although it later belonged to the Philippines, it was actually closer to China.

Spain built warships on this island with a very simple intention.

This was a front-line base for the campaign against the Ming Dynasty.

This base can be used to replenish supplies, repair warships, and station reserves. It can be used as a springboard to attack southern China or to block the Ming army's counterattack on Luzon.

Moreover, the island is not small, about three times the size of Macau, and has a natural harbor, making it very suitable as an overseas military base and trade transit point.

By developing Ithaca into a military base, it would be 500 nautical miles closer to Manila in the event of an attack on the Ming Dynasty, saving three days of sea travel, making the round trip six days in total.

A six-day time difference is enough to change the course of the battlefield.

Moreover, the Ming Dynasty could not have known that a military base was being built in this area.

The Spanish weren't stupid; they chose a great location. No island in the Luzon archipelago was more suitable as a frontline base for the campaign against the Ming than Ithaca.

Historically, Spain used the island as a foothold when it invaded Taiwan and competed with the Dutch for control of the island.

Next year, the Anglo-Spanish War will break out, the invincible Spanish Armada will be destroyed, Spain will be forced to abandon its strategic plan to invade the Ming Dynasty, and Itte Island will be abandoned.

But right now, warships are still being built on Itt Island.

So, could we take advantage of this rare opportunity to seize the new ship and craftsmen on Itt Island?

Zhu Yin didn't believe that there could be many Spanish soldiers on Itte Island, which was far from the Luzon mainland.

It's estimated that stationing a hundred soldiers as oversight personnel would be the maximum.

As the first empire on which the sun never sets, the Spanish Empire had won victory after victory over the past century, with colonies spread across continents, and had long since developed an arrogant and overbearing character.

They cannot station too many troops on a desolate island.

Seeing Zhu Yin's expression, Ning Caiwei knew that he wanted to rob the ship at the Spanish outpost.

With these thoughts swirling in his mind, Zhu Yin asked, "How many new ships are under construction on It Island? How many Isibarians? How many craftsmen? How many slaves?"

Kama, this Indian, didn't actually know these details, but he liked to lie, and in order to save his life, he tricked Zhu Yindao:

"The governor's wife told me that there were over a thousand Isibara soldiers stationed there, along with several thousand artisans and slaves, and at least several dozen large sailing ships had been built..."

"You're lying!" Zhu Yin sneered. "You Indians not only like to be rapists, but you also like to lie through your teeth. You can't live like this."

Kama's expression changed drastically. He never expected that this Ming boy would discover his lie so easily.

Is he really a demon child born of a Rakshasa woman? Damn it!

Zhu Yin's face was filled with murderous intent; he had never intended to spare Kama.

This Indian barbarian has harmed countless Chinese women; his crimes are heinous and he deserves to die.

Moreover, killing Kama was also part of a cooperation agreement with Gongji.

Even without agreeing to Gong Ji's request, this scoundrel would surely die if he tried to harm Ning Caiwei.

"Lancha, kill him and bury him."

"Yes, sir!" Lancha grabbed Kamo with a murderous look on his face.

Kama was terrified. "You swore a solemn oath... I can tell you the prescription, the formula for preparing the divine medicine. It's a secret of our temple!"

Zhu Yin immediately stopped Lan Cha from making a move, and laughed, "Your secret is useless, I know it all, and you even lied, aren't you just asking for death?"

“Remember this, I know more than you do. If you lie again, you’re really asking for trouble.”

Kama was covered in cold sweat and dared not lie any longer. He said, "I can concoct two kinds of divine medicines, which are secret recipes known only to Brahmin elders."

"Our Ayurveda, the religion of India, is the best medicine in the world, bestowed upon us by Brahma. The Ayurvedic healers come from our ancient temples and possess the most miraculous medicines..."

He was about to continue boasting when he noticed the displeasure on Zhu Yin's face, so he stopped abruptly and got straight to the point:
"I can concoct two of the most potent Yin-Yang medicines, the most miraculous aphrodisiac in the world..."

Zhu Yin listened to him recount the recipe, but his expression remained calm.

After Kama finished explaining the secret formula and the method of preparation, he continued:
"If you don't believe me, you can try to concoct the medicine according to the method. I guarantee that men who take it will be incredibly virile, as if divinely aided, and women who take it will be unable to resist and will be completely willing..."

"I currently have both of these medicines on me, and they are extremely precious..."

When this was mentioned, Kama spoke with great enthusiasm and confidence, as if he had forgotten his own predicament.

Zhu Yin was familiar with Ayurvedic medicine. This traditional Indian medicine is very ancient, and like traditional Chinese medicine, it has its own system and a long history.

From a medical perspective, Ayurveda, as an Eastern medical system, should not be underestimated.

Later generations discovered a strong complementarity between Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine. If these two medical systems were to be integrated and combined, a truly great life-medicine might very well emerge.

There is a hypothesis in medical history that if traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurveda were to merge, the mainstream of world medicine might change.

Kama took out two small porcelain bottles, interrupting Zhu Yin's thoughts, "Look, this is the most popular medicine among the important figures of the Ming Dynasty. You can try it..."

Zhu Yin's face turned green.

I'm only nine years old, you idiot.

Even when I grow up, I won't try it!

However… as a special agent, Zhu Yin was well aware of the uses of these two drugs.

It can certainly be used as a tool for espionage. But when dealing with the enemy, there's no need to be so particular.

Zhu Yin sneered, "I'll give you one last chance. Say the recipe again."

Kama repeated it again, exactly the same as before, without any difference.

Zhu Yin observed the expressions and demeanor and judged that the formula should be genuine.

Then, this unforgivable charlatan can die.

Kama breathed a sigh of relief, but gritted his teeth inwardly. He swore to Brahma and Shiva that if he escaped this calamity, he would exact his revenge.

He wanted to make those two children wish they were dead.

His recipe isn't easy to get.

Zhu Yin suddenly roared, "He's lying even when he's about to die! He's hopeless! Lancha, kill him!"

"Yes, sir!" Lancha accepted the order and clenched his iron fist.

With a snap, Kama's neck was broken by Lancha.

"Uh..." Kama's expression was a mixture of shock and anger. His eyes bulged out and blood flowed from his seven orifices as he died.

His eyes, wide open until his death, were filled with resentment and unwillingness.

"You should thank me." Zhu Yin looked at his corpse indifferently. "I still gave you a quick death, and you're still glaring at me?"

Zhu Yin did not slowly manipulate the other party, not because he wanted to be a pushover.

It was because villagers and woodcutters often appeared in Dongshan, making it easy to be spotted.

It would be best to kill him directly, to avoid him being witnessed and the matter being exposed over time.

Zhu Yin took two small porcelain bottles, opened them, and found that one contained red pills and the other contained black medicine.

It was true.

In ancient times, the Indians were the most skilled at refining this medicine.

Zhang Juzheng likely died from this drug. Ximen Qing in *Mei Ping Jin* also died from it. The list of lecherous men who died from this drug could be quite long.

The formulas for the medicines prepared by the Hu monks have always been extremely mysterious, a secret in the history of world medicine. Even in India, only a very small elite group of people possessed this knowledge.

Without exception, all the Indians who came to China were elites.

However, although India has the secret formula for this medicine, like the Tantric tradition, it has never been produced on a large scale.

The recipe for the foreign monk's medicine was later lost. By the 18th century, even in India itself, the foreign monk's medicine was no longer available.

Besides the fact that the formula is not made public, another reason is that the medicinal materials used are not easy to gather.

In addition to materials such as cinnabar, lead oxide, and sulfur, there are also more than a dozen kinds of medicines, including blister beetles, musk deer, gecko, sheep testicles, swallow's nest, yangqi (a type of medicinal herb), and bee honeycomb, all of which are not easy to obtain.

As for the Hu monk's medicine for women, it was actually a potent hallucinogen, made from ingredients such as nutmeg, datura, fly agaric, sesame, wormwood, henbane, dragon fruit, and magic mushrooms…

Essentially, the "Hu monk medicine" used by women was a type of drug.

Ning Caiwei said, "Previously, he ordered two disciples to prepare to feed us black pills."

Zhu Yin understood and nodded, saying, "So, these black pills really are the so-called yin medicine."

Ning Caiwei immediately reached out her small hand, "Keep it safe for me."

Zhu Yin said, "That won't do. I have a use for these medicines, and they are also powerful methods."

Ning Caiwei didn't insist; the recipe was swirling in her mind.

If it were any other woman, she would have kept her distance and looked down on her.

For example, Ding Hongying and Galo both looked disgusted and uncomfortable at this moment.

Just hearing about or thinking about such potent and dangerous medicine is enough to disgust the ears.

But Ning Caiwei was different.

Instead, she treated it like a treasure, her mind filled with nothing but business.

What if we could simplify the formulation and reduce costs through modern pharmacological analysis?
What if that drug could be mass-produced and sold to Japan, Southeast Asian countries, Western countries, West Asian countries, or even resold to India?

That means wealth will flow in from all directions!

The profits from these special drugs are then used to fund the research and development of regular drugs, thus maintaining the operation of the pharmaceutical factory.

Ning Caiwei was worried that this kind of return dart might be sent back to the Ming Dynasty.

...

Just as the three bodies were buried, several woodcutters appeared nearby.

Fortunately, they did not discover the murder and burial.

“Oh really, this knife is excellent…” Meh said, holding the remaining gorilla. “It’s incredibly sharp.”

"Keep it if you like," Zhu Yin nodded. "But don't take it out for now, so as not to arouse suspicion or let the villagers find out."

"Yes, sir!" Meh happily sheathed his scimitar.

After doing all this, Zhu Yin and the others left the valley as if nothing had happened, crossed the bridge, and returned to the Zhou family's villa.

"Good sister, take a look at these two prescriptions." Ning Caiwei wrote down the two prescriptions and handed them to Ning Qingchen.

Then, he kissed her and said, "Use your professional skills. I need your pharmacological reasoning to see if you can find cheaper alternative raw materials."

"Hmph!" Ning Qingchen snorted arrogantly, "Nothing's wrong, little demon doctor; if something's wrong, good sister!"

She looked at the prescription and immediately showed a focused and serious expression that was unparalleled in a baby.

Zhu Yin smiled and said, "Indeed, focused children are the cutest."

Ning Caiwei said, "You don't know, she has loved reading medical books since she was very young, and she has a great research spirit when it comes to medicine."

Ning Qingchen raised her little head, rolled her eyes at the two of them, and said in a childish voice:
"Do you think I'm a three-year-old? Do you think I'm easy to fool? Don't bother me."

She rested her chin on her little hands, pondering as she scribbled and drew on the paper.

It took her a while to put down the quill pen.

"You are not good people."

The first thing Doctor Ning said was a personal attack.

She raised her small, pink face, and surprisingly, her expression turned serious.

At this moment, she is simply a doctor.

"Of these two drugs, one is a male enhancement drug with significant side effects, while the other is acceptable, since it does have a noticeable effect on improving function in clinical practice. If it is not used frequently, the benefits can be considered to outweigh the risks."

"However, another prescription, after pharmacological analysis, is actually a drug with strong hallucinogenic properties. It can excite people's emotions, cause many hallucinations, and produce a great sense of pleasure, comfort, joy, and satisfaction."

"This powerful hallucinogen is addictive and causes significant, irreversible damage to the central nervous system. If used in excess or in large quantities, it can lead to mental breakdown."

"Ning Caiwei, Zhu Yin, I would like to ask you both, what exactly are you trying to do? Don't tell me you want to make money off this drug!"

“I will not help you with something that violates professional ethics.”

“Ning Caiwei, I must remind you that there are bottom lines to doing business. There are some bottom lines you cannot cross. I know you are ruthless in the business world, but you cannot manufacture drugs that harm the human body as commodities.”

"Is it really drugs?" Ning Caiwei frowned. "Then forget it. We won't consider this one. What about the first drug?"

Ning Qingchen said, "The first type of medicine has obvious side effects and can actually be considered a poison. Overuse can harm the body and deplete one's health. However, because it does not have psychological dependence and is not addictive, it is not a drug. It has a strong effect on improving certain abilities of patients, so it can be considered a medicine."

"I can help you research inexpensive alternative raw materials so that you can manufacture on a large scale, but I have one condition."

“I know your requirements,” Ning Caiwei said with a smile. “Export only, not for domestic sale.”

Ning Qingchen said in a childish voice, "You said it yourself. Sell more to Japan."

"About three months. By the time you return from Guangxi, I should be able to develop a low-cost alternative."

"Good sister." Ning Caiwei quickly picked up her sister. "You are truly a good doctor who serves the country and its people."

"Hmph!" Ning Qingchen scoffed. "How fake."

Even so, she was still very happy.

Zhu Yin suddenly said, "On your way to Guangxi, you will pass by Daishan Island. Please take a letter to your godfather and Ding Liyang."

Ning Caiwei put her sister down and said, "You want to take action against It Island? I suggest you don't rush into it. It's best to wait a few months. It's best if you personally lead your men to seize the ship instead of having me deliver a message to them to do it."

Zhu Yin understood. "You want the Spanish to build a few more months and a few more ships? To give the Daishan Army a few more months to train? You're right, I was too hasty."

He thought for a moment and said, "How about this? Isn't my godfather coming to Nanjing before the Lunar New Year? You're coming back before the Lunar New Year too. So let's meet up on Daishan Island around the tenth day of the twelfth lunar month. Then we can go to fight on Yite Island together."

Ning Caiwei nodded and said, "Okay. Then let's meet on Daishan Island around the tenth day of the twelfth lunar month. With this arrangement, the new recruits of the Daishan Army can train for a few more months."

"But even if the new recruits are usable, the Daishan Army only has a little over a thousand men. A few hundred men can defend the base, so at most a thousand can be deployed. Can a thousand men take down Itte Island?"

Zhu Yin said, "A thousand men are definitely enough if the tactics are right and the surprise attack is effective. The difficulty is not in fighting, but in the cleanup."

"Spain is an international power. Portugal has now been annexed by Spain and become part of Spain. Macau is also a Spanish colony."

"The governor of Luzon alone had more than a thousand Spanish soldiers, at least three or four thousand indigenous soldiers from Southeast Asia, and a number of Japanese mercenaries. Not to mention the Portuguese garrison in Macau."

"The Spanish governor-general of Luzon can muster at least six or seven thousand troops, and they have a significant advantage in warships and weapons. It would not be difficult for them to destroy Daishan Island."

Ning Caiwei understood. "So we can't let the Spanish know it was us. We need to find a scapegoat. But Portugal has already been annexed by Spain, and Japan is far to the north. Who can take the blame?"

"Who else could it be?" Zhu Yin sneered. "Of course it's the Trinh Turk of Vietnam. The Trinh Turk has a navy, but it just so happens that his navy is mostly composed of pirates, and they're not very obedient."

"More importantly, the Trinh lords already had friction with Spain and Portugal because Spain supported the Nguyen lords. Moreover, the Trinh lords' territory was not far from Itt Island."

“By deliberately leaving some clues and releasing some smokescreens, we can confuse Manila and make these Western colonists settle accounts with Zheng Zhu’s navy.”

Ning Caiwei frowned. "This will work? But once the matter is investigated, it can't be kept secret for long. The new warship is so big, how can Daishan Island hide it? The Spanish have the help of the Portuguese in Macau, they will find out about the Zhoushan Islands sooner or later."

Zhu Yin laughed: "You only know business, but you don't understand matters of state. We just need to stall for a year or two."

"Even if the Spanish find out it was the Daishan Army that did it, it will be at least six months later. In that time, the Daishan Army will be familiar with the new warships, have more troops, and be much stronger. Plus, it's a defensive operation on the main island, so they should be able to put up a fight."

"Speaking of that time, when news of Spain's defeat by England arrived, Ithaca was no longer important. Could Spain still fight us to the death?"

"At the end of the year, we will go to Daishan Island and begin teaching them to forge more advanced firearms and cannons to strengthen the Daishan Army. Our overseas expedition will begin from Yite Island."

"This is a good opportunity. Otherwise, by the time news of the European naval battle arrives next year, the new ships from Ithaca will have been moved to Manila."

Hearing this, Ning Qingchen said in her childish voice, "I'll go too! You can't leave me behind!"

Ning Caiwei laughed and said, "Okay, I'll take you. People go to war like father and son, we go to war like sisters."

……

Early on the third day, Zhu Yin and Ning Caiwei entered the city again.

But the purposes are different.

Ning Caiwei took Ding Hongying to the brokerage firm to hire construction workers and purchase bricks, tiles, and timber in preparation for building the factory ahead of schedule.

Zhu Yin, however, was dressed in a small blue robe and had his hair styled in two small horn-shaped buns when he went to the Imperial Academy to register for enrollment.

The two parted ways on Huashi Street, and Zhu Yin continued north, entering Chengxian Street from Taiping Street, where he first saw the small training ground at the foot of Fuzhou Mountain.

After passing Xiaojiaochang and heading west along Chengxian Street, you will see a vast, ancient, and solemn academy located at the foot of the verdant Jiming Mountain.

Stretching for several miles from Xiaojiaochang in the east to Yinglingfang in the west, from Jimingshan in the north to Pearl Bridge in the south, it is a magnificent sight.

After crossing the serene Pearl Bridge and passing through the wide Chengxian Street, Zhu Yin arrived at the grand square in front of the south gate of the Imperial College and couldn't help but feel a sense of overwhelming grandeur.

The square has four archways facing each other from east to west, and all the pillars are traditionally black.

Above the main gate behind the archway are three large characters in clerical script: Guozixue (Imperial Academy).

We've arrived at the Imperial College!
P.S.: Little Tiger is finally going to attend the most prestigious university! Thank you everyone for your subscriptions, monthly tickets, and donations. Goodnight!
(End of this chapter)