Chapter 593 Chaos in the Darong Court

"It's better not to celebrate the birthday, so as to avoid trouble for the children!" Yu Qingyi smiled.

Yang Zhengshan looked up at her, "You are so old-fashioned, we are still young!"

Yu Qingyi smiled when she heard it, "Yes, we are still young!"

"Does Mingcheng want to come to Xingyue Island?" Yang Zhengshan asked.

"Well, I guess so. He returned to Yangjia Village before the New Year and spent the New Year in Yangjia Village. Now he is back to Kyoto. I guess he can't stay in Kyoto anymore!" Yu Qingyi said.

"What's wrong? Something happened in Kyoto?" Yang Zhengshan asked.

"He didn't say it in the letter, but he said that Yang Zhengxiang's health is not very good!" Yu Qingyi said.

Yang Zhengshan nodded slightly.

After the New Year's Day, the court was in turmoil.

At the grand court meeting in early February, Emperor Yanping was very angry. He dismissed a cabinet minister and a minister, and imprisoned several ministers because of the disaster relief.

The first governor-general of disaster relief in the five provinces was dismissed and imprisoned after only three months in office. The second governor-general of disaster relief in the five provinces was Qi Maoyang, the right censor of the Metropolitan Procuratorate. He was impeached by many officials before he left the capital.

In short, the court is in great turmoil now.

It's just that Yang Zhengshan didn't know all this. It's not that he didn't pay attention to the affairs of the court. It's just that he was in Xingyue Island, and the transmission of information was extremely delayed. Generally, he had to wait for two months after the incident before he could get the news.

And he really didn't want to care about the affairs of the court now. Even if he received the news, he was too lazy to take it to heart.

"What's the health of the old patriarch?" Yang Zhengshan was still more concerned about Yang Zhengxiang's health.

Yu Qingyi said: "Mingcheng said that the old patriarch might not have much time left!"

Yang Zhengshan fell into silence while eating.

Yang Zhengxiang is already 76 years old this year, and even a warrior has reached the point of being old and frail.

In fact, with Yang Zhengxiang's previous physical condition, he could not live to such an old age. Yang Zhengshan sent him a lot of wine and tea over the years, so he was able to live to this age.

After dinner, Yang Zhengshan went to the study and wrote a letter to Yang Mingcheng, asking him to return to his hometown to express condolences on his behalf if Yang Zhengxiang passed away.

He himself did not plan to go back. Birth, aging, sickness and death are common human nature, and he has gotten used to it now.

Lu Songhe, Lu Erye, Liu Yuanfu, Xu Jin, etc., these acquaintances have passed away. It is only a matter of time before Yang Zhengxiang passes away. It doesn't matter whether he goes back or not.

In the afternoon, Yang Zhengshan ran into the Lingquan space again to get busy, but he didn't stay busy for too long. Lu Shou came to report: "Island Master, the third master of the Zhu family came to see you!"

"Zhu family? Which Zhu family?" Yang Zhengshan asked puzzledly.

Is there a Zhu family on Xingyue Island?

No!

Lu Shou replied: "The Zhu family of Dihuo Island!"

Yang Zhengshan suddenly realized that the Zhu family of Dihuo Island was the most important partner of Tenglongwei in the southeastern sea area, and was also the power that the Yang family was friendly with in Xingyue Island.

However, Luo Jinsong was in charge of these matters before, and Yang Zhengshan had never asked about them.

Yang Zhengshan originally wanted to wait until one day when he wanted to go out for fun, so he could visit the Zhu family by the way, but he didn't expect that the other party would come first.

When he came to the main hall, Yang Zhengshan greeted him warmly: "Brother Zhu, I am sorry for not welcoming you from afar, hahaha!!"

Zhu Changxing bowed his hands and saluted, "Brother Yang has taken over Xingyue Island. I come to congratulate Brother Yang on behalf of the Zhu family!"

"Haha, Brother Zhu is polite, please sit down, please sit down!" Yang Zhengshan invited Zhu Changxing to sit down and drink tea.

Yang Zhengshan still has a clear understanding of Dihuo Island and the Zhu family.

Because both Lv Xinghe and Luo Jinsong know them very well.

Dihuo Island is located 300 miles south of Xingyue Island. It is an island several times larger than Xingyue Island. It is called Dihuo Island because there is an active volcano on the island.

The lava in the volcano is boiling all year round, and the Zhu family uses the boiling earth fire to forge weapons.

The Zhu family is a famous forging family in the southeastern sea area. The weapons they forge are very popular among martial arts masters, so the Zhu family has become a manufacturer of high-end weapons in the southeastern sea area.

Moreover, Dihuo Island is rich in various precious minerals. In addition, the earth fire steel forged by the Zhu family is also a very unique specialty.

Weapons forged with earth fire steel are extremely hard and are superior forging materials.

Yang Zhengshan estimated that this kind of earth fire steel should be because the lava in the volcano contains special ingredients, which makes the steel forged by the Zhu family have super high hardness.

Thinking of earth fire steel, Yang Zhengshan couldn't help but think about it.

After the two finished their pleasantries, he asked, "I heard that the Earth Fire Island is rich in Earth Fire Steel. I wonder if Brother Zhu can sell us a batch of weapons forged with Earth Fire Steel!"

Weapons forged with Earth Fire Steel are suitable for martial arts masters, such as those at the ninth level of the acquired realm and half-step innate realm. Even innate warriors can use weapons forged with Earth Fire Steel.

Earth Fire Steel is hard and heavy. Ordinary warriors may find it heavy, but martial arts masters will find it very handy.

"Of course! I wonder how much Brother Yang needs?" Zhu Changxing agreed without thinking.

"How about 300 spears, long knives, and long swords each?" Yang Zhengshan said.

How can a martial arts force not reserve a batch of good weapons?

Zhu Changxing looked at Yang Zhengshan in astonishment, "This, Brother Yang, it's not that I refuse, it's just too much!"

"A lot? Sorry, I just came to the Southeast Sea not long ago, and I don't know much about the situation in the Southeast Sea!" Yang Zhengshan said.

He was just lying with his eyes open. He didn't know the situation in the southeastern sea before, but now he knows a lot about the forces in the southeastern sea.

This is why he found Deng Yuehe and brought Lv Xinghe to Xingyue Island.

Although the Zhu family is rich in earth fire steel, its output is not much. The Zhu family sells only more than a hundred weapons forged with earth fire steel every year. Yang Zhengshan asked for 300 pieces each. It is estimated that the Zhu family will have to work for seven or eight years to get this order.

Zhu Changxing smiled and said, "I can only give Brother Yang 30 pieces, each weapon is priced at 50,000 taels!"

Yang Zhengshan smacked his lips, 50,000 taels each, meow, so expensive!

It seems that he made a fool of himself just now.

50,000 taels for one piece, wouldn't 900 pieces cost 45 million taels of silver?

Xingyue Island is rich, but not so rich.

"Then let's start with thirty pieces, twenty long spears, five long knives, and five long swords! As for the silver, Brother Zhu can take it away now!" Yang Zhengshan said generously.

The weapons of the Zhu family are good things. If they are sold in Darong, the difference in price can make Yang Zhengshan a lot of money.

However, the Zhu family is really powerful, much more powerful than the Shen family in Darong Xiangyuan Mansion. For weapons of the same quality, the Shen family can only forge a dozen pieces a year, while the Zhu family can forge hundreds of pieces.

Moreover, the weapons forged by the Zhu family are not only weapons forged with earth fire steel.

"Don't worry, don't worry, twenty long spears will probably take two or three months to complete!" Zhu Changxing said.

The Zhu family has some inventory, but not much, especially since Yang Zhengshan wants twenty long spears, the Zhu family has to forge them slowly.

"Haha, how can I not believe in the reputation of the Zhu family of Dihuo Island? Take the silver first, and send as many weapons as you have now, and the rest can be sent in three months!" Yang Zhengshan said proudly.

Honesty is very important to a force, especially for a force like the Zhu family that runs various businesses. Honesty is the foundation of their existence in the Southeast Sea.

"Well, I won't be shy. When I go back, I will send someone to send ten weapons first!" Zhu Changxing said with a smile.

The price he gave Yang Zhengshan was really a preferential price. Their Zhu family's Dihuo steel weapons usually sell for 70,000 or 80,000 yuan each, and giving Yang Zhengshan 50,000 yuan each is equivalent to a 30% discount.

And the reason why he was willing to give Yang Zhengshan a discount was because their Zhu family wanted to make friends with Yang Zhengshan.

The Zhu family has a lot of power in the Southeast Sea, but they are just a family-style power after all, and they need the care of many forces in many things.

Although the Yang family represented by Yang Zhengshan is only a new force in the Southeast Sea, don't forget that the Darong Dynasty is behind the Yang family.

This is actually a misunderstanding. The Zhu family and many forces in the southeastern sea area thought that Yang Zhengshan was the spokesperson of the Darong Dynasty in the southeastern sea area, but in fact, Yang Zhengshan could not represent the Darong Dynasty at all.

No mistakes, just read it in the book bar of 6-9!

The reason why Zhu Changxing came to visit Yang Zhengshan was, first, because of the Darong Dynasty behind Yang Zhengshan, and second, because Yang Zhengshan and Tenglongwei were like one body.

Now their Zhu family has to rely on Tenglongwei in many places.

The Zhu family is an important partner of Tenglongwei in the southeastern sea area, and Tenglongwei is also an important partner of the Zhu family in Darong.

This is about the trade needs of both parties. Tenglongwei needs the help of the Zhu family to open up the trade market in the southeastern sea area, and the Zhu family needs Tenglongwei to open up the trade market in the northeastern part of Darong, and also needs Tenglongwei to provide various scarce ores.

As a force mainly engaged in forging industry, the Zhu family has a great demand for various ores, and Tenglongwei now has a lot of ores in its trade goods.

Gold and silver mines of the Desheng Dynasty, copper and iron mines of the Lisheng Dynasty, black metals of Liaodong, rare metals of Liaoxi, etc., a large amount of ores were transported to the southeastern sea area through the merchant ships of Tenglongwei.

In the past, the Zhu family had to spend a lot of money to obtain so many kinds of ores, and the supply was extremely unstable and often out of stock. However, since cooperating with Tenglongwei, the Zhu family has obtained a stable supply of metals, so the Zhu family attaches great importance to cooperation with Tenglongwei.

After learning that Yang Zhengshan lived in Xingyue Island, several elders of the Zhu family discussed it and asked Zhu Changxing to visit to show goodwill.

Yang Zhengshan did feel the goodwill of the Zhu family. He had a good conversation with Zhu Changxing. The two not only made a deal, but also talked a lot about the southeastern sea area, and also exchanged some cultivation experience.

Zhu Changxing stayed on Xingyue Island for seven days before leaving on his own initiative. When he left, he said, "Brother Yang is ahead of me in the way of cultivation. If it weren't for the things I had to deal with at home, I really wanted to stay on Xingyue Island to learn from him for a year or so."

In the seven days, he communicated a lot with Yang Zhengshan, especially in martial arts cultivation. At first, he thought Yang Zhengshan was not as good as himself, and wanted to give Yang Zhengshan some pointers, but he never expected that Yang Zhengshan would give him some pointers after just a few words.

At this time, he was not flattering Yang Zhengshan, but really wanted to learn more from Yang Zhengshan.

Especially in terms of Taoism, he felt that there was a world of difference between him and Yang Zhengshan.

In fact, the gap between the two was really big. Although Yang Zhengshan was much younger than Zhu Changxing, and was not as good as Zhu Changxing in terms of mystery and subtlety, Yang Zhengshan was far superior to Zhu Changxing in terms of cultivation experience.

The reason is very simple. There are countless cultivation experiences of predecessors in Darong Zanggong Pavilion. Yang Zhengshan is standing on the shoulders of his predecessors to communicate with Zhu Changxing.

Those cultivation experiences seem unimportant. In Darong, any innate warrior can check them at will, but in fact, for innate warriors, those cultivation experiences are very important foundation.

The experience summarized by the predecessors may not help Yang Zhengshan improve his cultivation, but it has increased Yang Zhengshan's knowledge and understanding of the innate realm.

In terms of cultivation experience, the Zhu family is far inferior to Darong.

The foundation of a dynasty is definitely not comparable to that of a family or a surname.

"Haha, if Brother Zhu has time to come to Xingyue Island again, I will definitely welcome you!" Yang Zhengshan said with a smile.

Although the Zhu family's foundation is not as good as Darong, it is also good for Yang Zhengshan to communicate with other fellows. Every innate warrior has a different understanding of cultivation. Mutual verification and mutual guidance are conducive to Yang Zhengshan's better understanding of the Tao.

In these seven days, Yang Zhengshan has gained a lot, so he is also very welcome to Zhu Changxing.

"Haha, well, I'll come visit Brother Yang when I'm free!"

Zhu Changxing said goodbye and left Xingyue Island. Yang Zhengshan saw him off for more than ten miles. Then he took the opportunity to go out to sea and stroll around the four islands in the southeast, northwest and northeast of Xingyue Island.

Luo Jinsong had already relocated 20,000 refugees to the four islands, and the government also set up offices on the four islands.

Yang Zhengshan happened to leave some spiritual spring water on the four islands.

Including the more than 10,000 people on Xingyue Island, the people under Yang Zhengshan's rule at this time have exceeded more than 35,000 people.

The population is not large, but it is enough for Yang Zhengshan.

In the following days, Yang Zhengshan practiced in seclusion on Xingyue Island while guiding the young people to practice. His life was simple and fulfilling.

Xingyue Island was peaceful, but the Darong Dynasty was in dire straits.

The first year of Xingyue, that is, the summer of the eighth year of Yanping.

Heavy rains fell for seven consecutive days in several prefectures in Longnan. A large amount of rainwater gathered in the Ru River, causing the Ru River in Shanhe Province to burst its banks in many places. The floods flooded hundreds of miles and countless people were drowned.

The famine in the five southern provinces had not yet been alleviated, and floods occurred again in the north, which made the civil and military officials of the Darong court anxious.

In the Taiji Hall of the Imperial City of Kyoto.

Emperor Yanping looked at the ministers in the hall with a gloomy face.

At this time, Emperor Yanping was really angry. The Ru River burst its banks and the flood almost flooded Shuntian Prefecture. However, the Ru River embankment in Shanhe Province was just reinforced two years ago.

The court spent three million taels of silver to reinforce the river embankment, but what was the result?

In just two years, there were many river embankments that burst. It would be better not to reinforce them!

"Does the Ministry of Works have a regulation for repairing the river embankment?" Emperor Yanping asked.

Yang Ziheng, the Minister of Works, had sweat all over his forehead. He stepped out and said, "Your Majesty, the Ministry of Works has formulated a plan for rebuilding the Ruhe River, but~~"

"But what?" Emperor Yanping asked angrily.

Yang Ziheng glanced at Li Zhijie, the Minister of Revenue, and said, "But we need to recruit 100,000 civilians, 4 million taels of silver, and 150,000 shi of grain!"

Emperor Yanping looked at Yang Ziheng with a sinister look, "Your plan is to ask for people and money?"

"Your Majesty!" Yang Ziheng knelt on the ground, "I am incompetent, please punish me, Your Majesty!"

Yang Ziheng felt wronged.