newbobooks Chapter 713
Chapter 713
Honshu Island now boasts one of the world's largest silver mines and steel mills. If Wang Zhi were to have other ideas, he could easily use this silver to quickly recruit soldiers and then use the steel mills to forge weapons and armor.
Therefore, both Jiajing and Zhou Chu had to ensure Wang Zhi's loyalty to the Ming Dynasty and the court. Even knowing that Wang Zhi was loyal, they still had to do a lot of things and take multiple layers of insurance.
Emperor Jiajing always knew that if Wang Zhi had any other ideas, he must be dealt with swiftly and decisively. Otherwise, if Wang Zhi were allowed to develop his power, he would become an uncontrollable force for the Ming Dynasty.
Therefore, Jiajing went to great lengths to bring Wang Zhi back to his hometown, so that Wang Zhi could experience the benefits of holding a high position in the Ming Dynasty, something he could not experience while ruling as a king in Japan.
Jiajing even wanted Wang Zhi to take advantage of this trip back to the Ming Dynasty to get married and have children. Once he had a family, Wang Zhi would have even more concerns.
As an emperor, Jiajing never gambles. He would never bet that Wang Zhi would not betray him. Giving the initiative to others would be a foolish thing to do. Therefore, Jiajing would use a series of means to keep the initiative in his own hands.
Lin Zhi and Qi Liang were among them.
Lin Zhi and Qi Liang had been deeply involved in Japan for many years and were not just interested in eating, drinking and having fun. They had a clear understanding of every move on Honshu Island. As soon as Wang Zhi made any move, they would report to the court immediately so that the court could respond as quickly as possible.
Wang Zhi was entertained by the prefect of Huizhou and other officials, and they drank and chatted happily. However, having had the experience of drinking at the Zhou residence before, Wang Zhi roughly knew his alcohol tolerance and would not drink too much. Years of leading troops in battle had made Wang Zhi very wary, and he was not foolish enough to think that the officials in front of him had no ulterior motives.
"Thank you for your hospitality, sirs. I am deeply grateful. The main reason I have returned to my hometown is to allow my late father to rest in peace. He died far from home, and I am ashamed to say that I was too young to find his remains. I have come back to build a cenotaph for him. Please wait a moment, sirs. I will take my leave now."
After they had eaten and drunk their fill, Wang Zhi bowed and said...
"Lord Wang's filial piety is truly moving. In that case, we will not keep you any longer."
Seeing that Wang Zhi had already said so, the prefect of Huizhou naturally couldn't insist on keeping him, and returned the greeting.
After exchanging greetings and introductions with everyone, Wang Zhi departed. Once outside the official post station, he mounted his horse and, leading the Imperial Guards and his entourage, set off in a grand procession towards his hometown.
Wang Zhi's hometown was not far from the official post station and the Shexian County government office. After all, the Wang family was quite well-known in Shexian. In a small place like Shexian, any wealthy family with a little money would be very conspicuous.
As Wang Zhi traveled in a grand procession, the surrounding people naturally learned that a great figure had emerged from the once-declining Wang family. In no time, the news spread like wildfire throughout the surrounding area.
The girl who was betrothed to Wang Zhi in childhood was Wei Shu'er, the daughter of the Wei family. The Wei family also ran a small business. In order to curry favor with the Wang family, which was still in decline, the Wei family arranged a betrothal with the Wang family. After this marriage, the Wei family's business improved a lot, and they gradually made some money.
In a small place like Shexian, doing business is all about connections. The smaller the place, the more complicated the interpersonal relationships are. People are all connected, and it's incredibly difficult for others to get involved.
Although the Wang family was not particularly wealthy, they had a strong network of connections in Shexian County. After using these connections to pave the way for the Wei family, the Wei family's business gradually improved, and they made a lot of money.
When the Wang family fell into decline, the Wei family turned their backs on them and immediately went to force Wang Zhi and his son to break off the engagement. After that, they quickly arranged a marriage with another prominent family in Shexian County. After all, the Wang family had no further use to the Wei family, and if the Wei family wanted to advance further, they naturally had to find another family to rely on.