After listening to Wang Jiaping's words, Wang Xijue stopped talking and sneered.

At this time, the balance that was still evenly matched was instantly broken by this smile.

Wang Jiaping's face turned white and blue for a while, and he almost found a crack in the ground to crawl into.

At this time, Sun Xian came out of Ciqing Palace.

"Announcement of the cabinet, meeting with the Military Aircraft Department."

After Wang Xijue, Shen Shenxiao and others heard Sun Xian's call, the two parties could clearly stand apart.

The eight people walked on the steps in order and headed towards the main hall of Ciqing Palace.

"I will see you, Your Highness."

Eight people entered the hall and saluted. Zhu Changluo said: "Pingshen."

"Thank you, Your Highness."

Zhu Changluo looked at the eight people who had all arrived. Zhu Changluo said: "The reason why I summoned you and others to gather here today is because a big event happened outside the Western Regions! This matter may shake the foundation of our country, the Ming Dynasty. So. , I have to be cautious and discuss it with you."

After Wang Xijue and others heard Zhu Changluo's words, the attention of the eight people was instantly attracted by the Crown Prince's words.

In the past, although the crown prince would talk about some serious matters, these matters were almost always internal issues within the imperial court and rarely involved outside the Ming Dynasty.

Now, it not only involves outside the Ming Dynasty, but also outside the Western Regions. This is really too far, so for a while, Wang Xijue and others did not know how to answer the call.

After all, the Ming Dynasty has now shrunk its power to the vicinity of Ningxia Town, which is later known as Gansu, Ningxia and other places. Further west, the Ming Dynasty has almost given up on the old lands of the Western Regions.

In the more than 200 years since the founding of the People's Republic of China, the Ming Dynasty had never sent a single soldier there to declare the prestige of the new dynasty.

Therefore, the current Ming Dynasty is very unfamiliar with the Western Regions. Even if there are people who know this place, they only know it from old books of the Han and Tang Dynasties.

Since the Song Dynasty, for nearly seven hundred years, the Western Region has always been an outsider, and there is no communication with the Central Plains countries at all.

Now, the Crown Prince suddenly said that the crisis came from outside the Western Region. To the ministers in the palace, this seemed to be telling them that a world war had broken out on Mars and might spread to the Earth.

The Cabinet and the Military Aircraft Department simply cannot handle something like this.

Because they really couldn't figure out how a place so far away could affect the Ming Dynasty?

Zhu Changluo looked at their expressions and naturally understood what they were thinking.

Zhu Changluo didn't ask for a single word from him to make them express their attitude directly.

After all, the Western Regions are too far, let alone the outside of the Western Regions which is even further than the Western Regions.

Therefore, if you want to promote this matter, you still have to induce it with benefits and lead it with momentum. Only by following this can you reach a consensus on this matter in the court.

It was only after reaching a consensus on this matter that Zhu Changluo could develop the Western Regions with great fanfare. Otherwise, he would just scream about how important the Western Regions were, and no one would listen.

After all, the vast Western Regions are no longer the Western Regions during the Han and Tang Dynasties.

Nowadays, the Western Regions are really a lawless land where barren mountains and rivers breed unruly people. Rather than expending huge efforts to conquer and rule the Western Regions, it is more pragmatic to peacefully defend the Ming Dynasty's two capitals and thirteen provinces.

However, Zhu Changluo then said something more, Zhu Changluo said: "In the Arabian country outside the Western Regions, a drink that is comparable to, or even more refreshing and stomach-building than tea has appeared. Once this product is planted on a large scale, and It has eroded our tea market in the Western Regions, Plateau, and Mobei, and the consequences will be unimaginable!"

"At that time, the tribes in the Western Regions, the tribes on the grasslands, and the Lama and Buddha tribes on the plateau will get rid of my tea trade. At that time, my Ming Dynasty will not only be unable to replenish war horses, but will even have to face the competition from these three parties. pressure."

"Therefore, I would like to ask you to give me advice and see if there is any way to break the situation and nip this matter in the bud."

After Zhu Changluo said this, it was like a thunder blow that shook the hearts of Wang Xijue, Shen Shenxiao and others!

Wang Xijue and others looked up at Zhu Changluo blankly, and there seemed to be a need for confirmation in their eyes.

However, several people also knew that His Highness the Crown Prince's statement of this matter was certainly not without purpose.

This is almost true.

Therefore, when they thought of the emergence of a substance that could replace tea, Wang Xijue and others immediately realized the seriousness of the matter.

Wang Xijue bowed and said, "Your Highness, may I ask what this thing is?"

Zhu Changluo said: "This thing is called coffee! It was discovered by Marquis Yuanyang in Taixi. The current Lord of Taixi has borrowed the name of the Taixi gods to bless it. I believe that this thing will bloom everywhere in Taixi soon."

"In addition, in recent years, Thai and Western merchants have often traveled thousands of miles to travel around the world in ships. Sooner or later, this thing will be spread all over the world along with the Thai and Western merchant ships."

"If by that time, we have not come up with a countermeasure to solve this problem, the Ming Dynasty will be surrounded by enemies. The grassland tribes are barbaric and disrespectful and do not remember history. If so, let them get tea supplies from outside the Ming Dynasty. These people He will definitely become even more dissatisfied with Wang Hua, bring disaster to the nine borders, and make the northern territory of the Ming Dynasty never have peace!"

When Wang Xijue and others listened to these words, no one thought they were alarmist, because anyone with any brains could figure out the consequences of this matter.

Once the grassland tribes broke away from the Ming Dynasty's tea and horse trade, not only would the Ming Dynasty lose a large number of horses, cattle and sheep, but they would also create an arrogant enemy for themselves.

Thinking back to the late Tang Dynasty to the present, when did the northern grasslands disappear?

During the Five Dynasties and the Song Dynasty, the northern grasslands established the Liao and Jin kingdoms that could compete with the Central Plains.

At the end of the Southern Song Dynasty, the rising Meng Yuan Dynasty even stole artifacts and lived in Kyushu for a hundred years!

After arriving at Longxing in the Ming Dynasty, Emperor Taizu and Emperor Chengzu spent fifty years successively conquesting Mobei, in exchange for stability in the northern territory of the Ming Dynasty.

As a result, in the battle of the Ministry of Civil Engineering, all the elites of the Ming Dynasty were lost, and they almost suffered the same shame as the emperor of the Zhao family, surrendering half of the country.

Although, later Jingtai, Yu Qian and others turned the tide, repelled Ye Xian and defended the capital.

But since then, the Ming Dynasty has no power to go north and can only barely manage the nine-border town.

And this is not the best solution. Since the Hongzhi Dynasty, the court has lost the Hetao area, and in the following decades there have been countless battles, but the Hetao is still in the hands of the Tatars, and the court has not been able to take it back. The Loop was recovered.

If even tea, a strategic weapon, loses its ability to contain the grassland tribes, the consequences will be unimaginable.

Xing Jie, who was standing in the second row, stood up and bowed: "I think we should immediately prepare for the war in the Western Regions, take precautions and nip threats outside the Western Regions in the bud."

Zhu Changluo looked at Xing Jie but did not reply immediately. Zhu Changluo still had to wait for replies from Wang Xijue, Shen Shenxiao and others.

After Wang Xijue heard Xing Jie's words, he took a deep breath and said: "Xing Shangshu should not start a war lightly. The situation in the Western Regions is complicated. Since the Song Dynasty, for seven hundred years, our country in the Central Plains has never actually set foot in the Western Regions. Now , we all hear what the Western Region is like. If we really want to go to war, let alone the enemy's situation, we will not be able to solve the problem of army supply."

Wang Xijue is very aware of the imperial family's financial situation. Although the situation of the household department is much better than before and he can barely make a surplus, but if we really want to fight a national war, even if he sells the household department, it will not be enough to fill the gap between his teeth. of.

After Zhu Changluo listened to Wang Xijue's words, he turned his attention to Shen Shenxiao. Shen Shenxiao didn't know how to reply.

So, Shen Shenxiao asked another question that Wang Xijue had just asked.

Contemplating Filial Piety: "Your Highness, is the coffee you mentioned really so magical?"

Shen Shenxiao's words immediately attracted everyone's attention, and they all couldn't help but look forward to it again, looking forward to Zhu Changluo also saying an uncertain result.

As long as it is uncertain, there is room for maneuver in everything.

Zhu Changluo naturally understood their luck mentality.

Zhu Changluo sighed: "Gu Ye thought this was a lie, but unfortunately, it is not a lie. Gu Ye has personally tasted the taste of coffee. Although it is bitter, it also has a sweet aroma and a refreshing effect. After having a drink at Xishan Palace this morning, I still haven’t felt tired at all.”

"This shows that the miraculous effect of this product is still not inferior to that of our Daming tea, and it is even better in some aspects. This is a fact that I have to admit."

After listening to Zhu Changluo's words, everyone present fell silent.

After all, this matter is really too big.

No one dared to speak randomly.

At this time, Zhu Changluo said again: "Today I specially ordered Marquis Yuanyang to brew coffee in Ciqing Palace for you to taste. After a while, I ordered someone to serve it. You can take a small peck and taste this coffee." Taste it and feel its effect."

When they heard Zhu Changluo say that coffee was being brewed nearby, everyone couldn't help but look forward to it.

They really wanted to taste it immediately, and then actually feel whether this product had the miraculous effects the Crown Prince mentioned.

After all, what you hear is what you see.

You still need to actually try it out to determine the threat this thing poses.

Chen Zhenlong is making coffee in the side hall next to Ciqing Palace.

He never dreamed that one day after making coffee for the emperor, he would also make coffee for the ministers of the imperial court.

Although, he has now become famous and holds the title of Marquis.

However, it is also a great honor for Chen Zhenlong to be able to serve these people once.

Chen Zhenlong carefully used the coffee grinding tools to make a pot of hot coffee.

Chen Zhenlong liked the fragrance of this original coffee very much.

This is a habit he developed during his one year in Thailand.

Although tea is also very good, when you can have a different kind of enjoyment, you still can't help but want to try it.

Especially now, Chen Zhenlong is thinking of formulating a set of professional standards for coffee production.

If this can be done, I might as well start the business of tea sage Lu Yu.

After all, the literati of the Ming Dynasty were all elegant people who loved to enjoy themselves. The bitter taste and mellow aroma of coffee were just in line with the scholar-bureaucrats' pursuit of "enjoyment in hardship" in life.

Therefore, coffee will definitely have a place in Ming Dynasty, and it is comparable to traditional tea.

After all, the more complex the form, the easier it is to attract the common sense of scholar-bureaucrats.

The making of coffee just echoes this complex form.

If this complex form is standardized into a ritual form, it will be difficult for the coffee to be popular.

After all, it’s human nature to load up.

Whether it is ancient people or modern people.
To be continued...