In the capital, Zhang Juzheng's mansion.

The wide table was not enough to fit the entire Chen family chart. The four servants pulled the scroll and painted the outline from Japan to America was displayed in front of the Imperial Sutra.

The Indian Ocean is a dividing line. The fineness of the coastal islands on the east is different, while the fineness of the west is relatively coarse, but some distant places are also very fine.

Zhao Shizhen presented a pair of exquisitely crafted magnifying glasses to Zhang Juzheng, and said, "Ge Lao, Chen Shuai said that this southern expedition is all in this picture."

"Um."

Zhang Juzheng took the magnifying glass and nodded and responded, looking at the chart.

The servant holding the chart was very good at observing his expression and expression. Following Zhang Juzheng's eyes, the four of them lifted the scroll slightly up to his chest so that the master could see clearly without having to bow.

Zhang Juzheng had seen the chart. The imperial court's control over the sea was decreasing year by year, but hundreds of years ago the fleet of the Ming Empire ran as far as Africa on the sea. As the Grand Secretary of the Palace, the archives in the Wenhua Palace can be read at will. This chart is not surprising to Mr. Zhang.

It only relatively completes his outline of unknown regions in the West.

"Portuguese is here, Lisbon."

Zhang Juzheng frowned when he saw this chart. People with absolute power cannot tolerate any unknown. Unknown means risks and threats. The entire chart is full of unknowns. Even the cunning man, he inadvertently showed annoyance, pointed to the place where Lisbon was written on the chart and asked: "How far is it from Guangdong to this?"

Zhao Shizhen knew it in his heart. Before coming, Chen Mu said that Zhang Juzheng would definitely ask this question. He bowed and replied respectfully: "From Guangdong to Lisbon, from Guangdong to Lisbon, it is 80,000 to 90,000 miles east to the sea, and from west to the west, it is 70,000 to 80,000 miles away."

“Eh?”

Zhang Juzheng was a little confused, sighed, looked carefully at both ends of the Haiyu Map and then asked with relief: "You mean that you can really go back to the Ming Dynasty when you walk around?"

"It's like this, our enemy is against the Western Barbarians, and their fleets set sail again in Luzon, all heading eastward, crossing Japan, crossing Yaniang Gorge, reaching North Asia Melica, southwardly around South Asia Melica, to Europa Franc and Espania."

Yaniang Gorge was later the Bering Strait, and Yamelica was a transliteration of the Americas, and it also had Spain in Spain. As for Europa, it was because the Westerners called themselves descendants of Europa.

Zhao Shizhen looked at Zhang Juzheng. He was very excited to see shock from the faces of such a high-ranking person and said, "This route was obtained from the translation and sorting of the book of war when Chen Shuai defeated the giant ship of the Western Yi."

Zhang Juzheng's cold expression disappointed Zhao Shizhen. He just nodded calmly, and then asked another question very accurately: "The Portuguese ship can sail 70,000 miles, the Western ship can sail 80,000 miles, and the Chen Shuai's ship can sail 70,000 to 80,000 miles?"

Zhao Shizhen was asked, thinking about the pros and cons of the truth and lies in his mind for a short time, and finally sighed and bowed to Zhang Juzheng: "Don't blame me, Chen Shuai's ship cannot travel tens of thousands of miles away. Now the bottom of the gunboats built in the early years are all edible by maggots, and they are being sent to Nanyang Port to repair it."

"Luzon is hotter, there are more maggots in the sea, and the ship is even more durable. The captured giant ships of Western Yi were covered with copper skin, and after rust, it seems to kill shipworms; or mix lime and sulfur with ship materials to paint the bottom of the ship to prevent damage. This is not a big deal, it just delays the sailing."

"The key is that there is no port supply along the way, so it is difficult for our Ming fleet to bypass Malacca, let alone travel thousands of miles."

Zhang Juzhengcai didn't care how to repair the bottom of the ship after corrosion. No matter whether it was copper, iron or gold or silver, Chen Mu had his own way to solve it.

Although the court lacked copper, iron, gold, and silver, this lack was a "relative" deficiency. If others wanted to allocate gold, silver, copper and iron, it would definitely be a lack. But if Chen Mu needed gold, silver, copper and iron, it would not only be short, but also very rich.

"What do you need to transfer to Luzon? Chen Shuai can just write a letter to the Ministry of Revenue, and you can transport all your food except food."

Zhang Juzheng made the final decision, and Zhao Shizhen waved his hand quickly. He didn't want Zhang Ge Lao to misunderstand his meaning, and said: "No need, no need, no need, Luzon is not short of gold and copper. Chen Shuai has transferred southwest craftsmen to search for labor, and blessings will come soon."

"Yes." Mr. Zhang nodded with satisfaction and said, "The maritime court has fully entrusted Chen Shuai. He just needs to do his best to do it and ignore the rumors in the court and the public. He is the white jade pillar of the state dynasty who is in the foreign countries and does not need to be influenced by him."

"Chen Shuai is really working hard overseas. I have ordered someone to prepare some gifts for Chen Shuai. Zhao Sheng will bring them with me when he goes back. In addition, I have something to ask Chen Shuai and wait for me to write a letter."

Zhao Shizhen said he didn't dare, so he waited for Zhang Juzheng to finish the seal of the letter without looking sideways. Then he bowed a few times and withdrew with the etiquette of his juniors.

He did not have the right to open a letter, but he was very curious in his letter. Logically speaking, Zhang Juzhengruo had something to do, so why did he write it until now?

When he walked out of the study, Long Junxiong and You Qixiang had a great chat in the outer hall. The gifts were ready to be put aside. They were neither novel nor expensive, but they were all very precious, such as plaques written by Zhang Juzheng, several pieces of medicines for treating difficult and complicated diseases, and other fragments.

A private gift.

Long Junxiong used to follow Chen Mu to ascend the doors of important officials in the capital. When Chen Mu entered the inner hall of the study, he always had a marquis outside with the trusted butler of the master's family.

With his deliberate friendship and the wealthy support from Chen Mu, he was not familiar with any household in the two streets outside Donghuamen and Xihuamen.

With this relationship, to be honest, following Chen Mu in a war was delayed. If he stayed in Beijing, he would easily become a third-rank official. Even if he didn't run for himself, it would not be difficult to earn him at least 70,000 or 80,000 taels a year as a donor.

Seeing Zhao Shizhen come out, Long Junxiong smiled and said goodbye to Master You Qiyou.

Zhao Shizhen was a little absent-minded in his letters. He couldn't figure out why Zhang Juzheng wanted to write in front of him. Long Junxiong also had a little secret in his mind, and You Qi told him that Zhang Juzheng and Chen Mu would have a secret code to communicate with each other in the future.

He could not tell anyone about this code, but could only tell him after meeting Chen Mu. He could not understand it even though he couldn't understand it - why didn't Zhang Juzheng tell Zhao Shizhen directly?

Actually, there is nothing to ponder.

After Zhao Shizhen left, Zhang Juzheng breathed a lot of relief. This little thing made a lot of things from Nanyang that he couldn't understand, making Mr. Zhang, who grew from a child prodigy to a god-year-old man a little unbearable.

There is no other meaning in writing a letter. It’s just because of this. Don’t let Chen Mu or Zhao Shizhen explain it. Shen Zhongnian felt a little uncomfortable, so he simply made an excuse... There is a change in the world, and the prince must know everything overseas. Chen Shuai compiled the "Dushi Manual", "Breaking the Cannon", and "New Book of Naval Battles" and all of which are very effective. He might as well ask him to compile a set of foreign textbooks and teach the prince in the future.
Chapter completed!