Chapter 75: The sister-in-law must lend a helping hand, and in emergencies, adopt expedient measures
The Great Tomorrow Angels Zhang Cheng and Zhang Jin are responsible for going to Qiongzhou to announce Hairui's return to Beijing. Zhang Cheng is the son of Zhang Hong, the eunuch of the Qing Palace. Zhang Jin is the adopted son of Feng Bao, the eunuch in charge of the ceremony. The imperial edict has been rushed to Qiongzhou for 800 miles. The two angels left the capital on other missions.
Emperor Nanku - Yuegang.
After receiving the imperial edict, Hai Rui returned to Dianbai Port in Guangzhou Prefecture and boarded a ship to Yuegang, Chenghai County, Fujian Province. Then he took a ship to dock in Songjiang Prefecture, and then went all the way north to Tianjin Wei to disembark and enter Beijing as an official.
Yuegang was the only legal departure port for private maritime trade in the Ming Dynasty.
In the 43rd year of Jiajing period, the Japanese invasion gradually subsided. In the "Bi Yuan Lue for Public Security" written by Tan Lun after the aftermath, he said that people who live by the sea do not know how many people there are. The policy of banning seas caused great hardship to the people, and started to request orders to open the sea. After that, the court launched a heated discussion on this.
The resistance to opening up the sea was extremely huge, but the Japanese invasion also exhausted the court. In the end, after repeated struggles, the opening up faction gradually gained the upper hand.
In the first year of Longqing, under the pressure (public opinion) in the DPRK that if the city was open, the bandits would turn to merchants, and if the city was prohibited, merchants would turn into bandits, Tu Zemin, the governor of Fujian, petitioned to open the sea. , Emperor Longqing immediately agreed.
Yegang, a port that has been open to the outside world since the Sui and Tang Dynasties, is finally open.
The DPRK and China took the opening of the sea as the main program, and took the war against Japan during the Jiajing period as the cohesion to form a political collective of a certain scale, covering the science, education, government, military, and politics.
Yuegang is shaped like a moon, hence its name. There are eight trestle piers on the river bank more than two miles long in Haicheng County. They are lined up from west to east along the estuary of the Jiulong River. Standing on the trestles, you can look towards the end of the moon. Going there, there are islands that are looming amid the ebb and flow of the tide.
Farther away is the same color as the sea and sky. The sea surface seems to merge with the sky. The sea breeze with the smell of sea blows the sea surface. Layers of waves hit the rocks, creating a picture of flowers. The waves glowed with the golden light of the sunset, and the sea breeze blew over the sea, blowing out waves, blowing past the masts of ships soaring into the sky, blowing past barges, and blowing the clothes of Zhang Cheng, Zhang Jin, and Luo Gongchen. .
Zhang Cheng, Zhang Jin and Luo Gongchen were polite and the sea was really calm.
Zhang Cheng held his hands, stood in the wind, looked at Luo Gongchen and asked: "Let me tell you straight to the point. After your Majesty learned about Luo Tongzhi's auspiciousness, he was so happy that he opened a new village in Jingshan in Shanglin Garden. We live on ten acres of land, and His Majesty is engaged in farming. Our family came here just to ask Luo Tongzhi, can the auspiciousness that Luo Tongzhi sent to the capital really produce twenty or thirty dan per mu?"
"This is the matter. I'm big, please give Luo Tongzhi the truth."
Luo Gongchen is extremely strong, with a strong back and thick eyebrows and big eyes. He looks particularly stocky. He was born in Juren, but he is a martial artist. He is very good at writing and writing. He's not good at it, but he's good at fighting.
As a co-president of coastal defense in the Capital Rating Office, because Luo Gongchen returned to Beijing to report on his duties, he became associated with Yuanfu Zhang Juzheng. The Rating Office is now headed by Luo Gongchen.
"Two angels, please look here." Luo Gongchen pointed to a large patch of white flowers on the edge of the beach and said: "These are banana seedlings. I cut them and planted them casually. They are now lush and lush. "
"Of course I dare not deceive the Lord. If these seedlings are planted properly, they can produce more than 1,500 kilograms of grain. If they are planted randomly, they can produce six to seven hundred kilograms. "< br>
Zhang Cheng felt a little relieved. Before leaving, Zhang Hong solemnly told Zhang Cheng that his adopted son must ask Luo Gongchen if he was lying. Since His Majesty is marrying Nongsang, there must be a result.
Two eunuchs, Zhang Cheng and Zhang Jin, came to Yuegang to inspect the emperor's southern treasury.
The merchant ships going to the sea in Yuegang need to be guided, that is, passes. A total of 110 were issued in the first year of Wanli. There are about two hundred ships entering the Ming Dynasty shipping port every day. Six are drawn according to the hundred value. According to the tax law, the government pays 60,000 taels of gold and silver every month, and about 720,000 taels of silver enter Beijing as commercial taxes every year.
Zhang Juzheng's private residence, the Quan Chu Guild Hall, opened every three years to entertain Chu scholars who came to Beijing for examination, and spent an average of 1,200 taels of gold and silver per year.
Seven hundred and twenty thousand taels of silver can support Zhang Juzheng’s Chu Guild Hall for about 620 years, which is 2193 AD.
The amount of money traded can be hundreds of thousands a year, both public and private. This is an important reason why the imperial court reconsidered the maritime ban after the sea was opened. Naturally, there are many people who bark at the sea, but nothing The court had no money, the emperor had no money, and public opinion about banning the sea was still there, but the court had made up its mind to compete with the people for profit.
The Ming court was really poor, with no food or silver.
"Two eunuchs, I have something to ask." Luo Gongchen took out two salt envelopes and handed them out, but what made Luo Gongchen very embarrassed was that neither of the two eunuchs Didn't take this salt lead.
Salt citations are money, and a large salt citation is worth one or two and a half taels of silver. Luo Gongchen took out about ten salt citations, which exceeded fifty taels of silver.
The sea breeze blows Yan Yin, which is a little embarrassing.
Which eunuch is not greedy for money? The sun is rising in the west, so the eunuch won't accept bribes?
After Luo Gongchen thought for a moment, he realized that he had done something stupid. When these two big men came, they only had one copy of Yanyin. He looked a little distressed, and took out more than ten Yanyin sheets and stretched out his hands. Going out and sharing one share is the way to do things.
The salt pipe was blowing in the sea breeze, and the atmosphere was extremely embarrassing.
"Luo Tongzhi, please take it back. It's not too little, but it really can't be taken. Both the ancestors and the second ancestors have given death orders. Anyone who collects money outside is caught by the outsiders. Find someone by yourself." Jump into the well, and Luo Tongzhi can ask whatever he wants." Zhang Cheng broke the silence and embarrassment and explained the reason.
Along the way, Zhang Cheng and Zhang Jin had taken the trouble to explain many times that no matter where they went, the officials did not believe that the eunuchs did not accept money. This was outrageous.
The most fundamental reason is that the old ancestor Feng Bao will not let him take it, and the second ancestor will not let him take it. Although the old ancestor and the second ancestor are not fighting openly, they are also fighting secretly. If someone is outside, If something goes wrong, the palace's seating rankings can easily be rewritten.
His Majesty talked about Wang Zhen and also beat him. Feng Bao did not want to be Wang Zhen, and since he refused to accept payment, when he sat in the Wenhua Hall to discuss the court and cursed others, he was so confident. , the scolding was hearty.
When has the eunuch ever been so proud?
Feng Bao also gradually figured it out. If the bell is gone, it is really gone. If he has so much money in his hand, will he leave it to his adopted son? Might as well live happily.
Luo Gongchen put away the salt guide very puzzled and asked: "When I came to Beijing last year, I wanted to collect taxes on foreign ships. Can I still do this?"
"Take it!" Zhang Cheng said immediately: "We must take it!"
Zhang Jin also said with a solemn expression: "If you don't charge taxes on foreign ships, let them have cubs? Luo Tongzhi is calm, Chao Li is still grinding his teeth, but Mr. Yuan Fu still wants to push it."
The matter of collecting taxes on foreign ships is a matter of course, but there is still resistance in the DPRK. Lu Shusheng, the Minister of Rites, is the biggest resistance.
“We are encountering a difficult problem right now.” Luo Gongchen said with a solemn expression: “A four-masted sailboat from the Franji people is requesting to enter the port for trade. Is this a draw or not? ?"
Zhang Cheng asked doubtfully: "It's just entering the port according to the regulations. What is it that makes Luo Tongzhi so cautious?"
" Luo Gongchen was quite sure. said.
"Didn't Luo Tongzhi say that? Most of the merchant ships arriving in Hong Kong have silver. Is there anything strange about the silver?" Zhang Jin asked slightly puzzled.
Luo Gongchen said with a very complicated expression: "This ship is all made of silver, about four million taels of silver, about 250,000 kilograms."
Zhang Chenghe Zhang Jin's calm expression turned slightly astonished. Zhang Cheng looked at Luo Gongchen and said, "How much did you say?"
Luo Gongchen said solemnly: "Four million taels, Two hundred and fifty thousand catties, in order to buy raw silk, brocade, cotton, tea, porcelain, etc. "
"One ship, more than four million taels of silver... Luo Tongzhi, how many soldiers and horses do we have in Yuegang?" Jin's eyes became strange. He didn't pay attention to more than ten pieces of salt, but he put more than four million silver in front of him.
Rob!
The imperial court is going crazy because of poverty, but here is a big ship filled with silver!
Four million taels of silver!
"Da Ju, you can only grab one boat, but when doing business, you can make a long flow of water." Luo Gongchen said in a low voice.
Luo Gongchen wanted to draw points. Four million taels of silver. Calculated by drawing 6 points according to the hundred value, that would be as much as 240,000 taels of silver. Yuegang only had 720,000 taels of silver a year. This ship alone exceeds 240,000 taels. If there is a target, this ship alone has completed the four-month target!
Zhang Jin seemed a little embarrassed and said nothing. There was no problem with the robbery, but for the sake of caution when interfering in local political affairs, Zhang Jin did not express his position.
Zhang Cheng, the son of Zhang Hongyi, the eunuch of the Qianqing Palace, gritted his teeth and said: "We make rituals according to the situation, and we make legislation when the situation arises. The Du Rating Hall is for the Du Rating. Let's draw points first and then talk about this matter. If the court blames it, our family will take the responsibility!”
Zhang Cheng is qualified to say this because he is the envoy in yellow. He is out and represents the emperor, so he has some decision-making power. , but few people will exercise this decision-making power and specialize in exclusive matters. Since he is here to wait for Hai Rui, he should not meddle in others' affairs.
But Zhang Cheng said that the tax collected from foreign ships should be collected first. There is really a punishment. That is also his lord, the second ancestor of the palace, Zhang Hong, to punish him. The outer court cannot control the palace. go.
Get the money first.
"Then draw." Luo Gongchen thought for a while and decided to do it. Even if no one took the lead, Luo Gongchen planned to draw points, let alone someone taking the lead now.
The Metropolitan Government is here to pay!
The Ming Dynasty Merchant Ship is about to be pumped! Fanyi merchant ships will also be smoked!
In order to pay this time, Luo Gongchen summoned about a hundred small boats, a dozen battleships, and nearly three thousand sergeants before sending people to communicate with the people on the large sailing ship to confirm Draw points and other item-by-item matters.
Tongshi rode a small boat between the Ming court and the sailing ship, and quickly communicated many matters regarding the barges being brought into the port.
The large sailing ship is very different from the Ming Dynasty's ship. It is slender, has a deeper draft, and the bow and sides are covered with black gun barrels. The main mast is hung with a large square sail, and the three sails at the back are gaffs. , this kind of oblique triangular sail is a schooner. When the schooner is traveling against the wind, it will first turn to one side, and then turn to the other side, meandering forward in a zigzag shape.
Fo Langji’s four-masted sailing ship was a behemoth. After repeated communication, the sailing ship began to slowly furl its gray or ocher-colored sails like goose feather fans, and gradually stopped on the sea, letting the ropes of the barge be tied around it. on board.
Francisco Sander, the governor of Luzon, and Antonio Morga, the captain, had a fierce quarrel on the ship.
“Captain, we promised the Ming people to put away our fangs, and they will rush up, kill us, and take away our silver! We should stuff gunpowder into the barrel, Remove the support from the bow and be ready to fight." Francisco didn't understand the captain's order and roared his doubts.
Captain Antonio came from Puerto Rican City in Mexico, crossed the endless Pacific Ocean, and then came to Luzon and Moon Harbor. How could he put away his bow and seal the cannon with wood? Where's the blockage?
If the Ming people rushed up, they would have no choice but to catch them.
The captain Antonio Morga shook his head and said: "Governor, your letter has been rejected by the king. You said in the letter: To conquer the Ming Dynasty, only two thousand to four thousand soldiers are needed. I have now seen the Ming Dynasty’s coastal defenses. Tell me, from two thousand soldiers to four thousand soldiers, how to conquer them?”
Francisco said quite accurately: “As long as there is a chance, every Ming Dynasty person will change. They become pirates, no one is loyal to their emperor! We can first send missionaries to infiltrate to collect information about the enemy and instigate internal rebellion, and then start civil strife. Taking advantage of the civil strife in China, we send troops to occupy the territory under the pretext of "escorting the Ming people back home". , occupying it step by step."
"I wrote a plan to conquer China in September of last year, but no one responded."
Antonio said with a smile: "Because the king is not. "Idiot." "Have you seen those warships? They have dozens of ships, and we only have one armed merchant ship. Do you mean that we want to use one merchant ship to fight against warships that can't see the border at a glance?"
“We are here for business, not for war, we spread our spikes like hedgehogs, the result is that we will die and they will get our silver, here It is the territory of the Ming Dynasty. On the territory of the Ming Dynasty, bows and arrows and artillery are deployed. This is not a wise decision."
"They only charge 6% tax. Damn the governors and tax officials everywhere in the empire. We will be charged 30% tax at one time!”
Antonio said the last sentence through gritted teeth.
Sea trade is a coexistence of risks and opportunities. The risks are wind, waves, reefs, and ferocious natives. Even after experiencing these, they still have to be made things difficult by the governors of various places. The governors of Mexico and Peru have scratched Antonio's body. tax of more than 30%.
If Antonio hadn't bribed the tax official, the declaration of cargo would have been much shorter. After this trip, he had taken such a big risk and still had to lose money.
The principle of silence means that tax officials from various places will remain silent and will not board the ship for inspection. Of course, in order for tax officials to remain silent, they must give There are certain benefits for tax officials everywhere.
Take Antonio's Pelican as an example. His declared cargo value was 520,000 silver coins, eight real silver coins.
When he set off, his ship indeed only had 520,000 silver coins in cargo, but after leaving the port, there would be a lot of small ships to replenish its cargo holds. Antonio bribed everyone in Peru, Mexico, and Luzon. He persuaded the tax collectors to keep silent about the quantity of goods on board.
This time in Yuegang, Antonio chose to declare truthfully. The tax rate of the Ming Dynasty was only 6%, which shocked Antonio. Moreover, Antonio did not know the Ming tax official.
"Okay, don't worry too much. They are not ferocious natives. As far as I can see, the Ming people seem to be more civilized than us. Let's get off the boat." Antonio reassured Francisco and started to get off the boat, followed by Several servants in linen shirts.
Antonio is a businessman, he is willing to take certain risks in order to develop financial opportunities.
“I am very happy to be able to come to the mysterious Eastern country. I have heard the legends here when I was very young. Today I finally set foot on this mysterious map. This is what I bring to you. A gift." Antonio did not kneel down, but bowed in a nondescript manner.
A few servants in linen shirts opened several wooden boxes, which contained eight real silver coins arranged neatly and densely.
Luo Gongchen, Zhang Cheng, and Zhang Jin looked at the strangely dressed man in front of them.
Antonio and Francisco both wore a slanted black hat with a feather pinned to the hat, a large velvet coat lined with cotton, and a bunch of hanging ornaments hanging on their chests, mainly in the shape of a cross.
Antonio is less than six feet long, with a high nose and deep eyes, cat-like eyes and beak, a bronze face, wavy hair and beard all brown, while Francisco is much shorter than Antonio, only five feet ( 1.6 meters) or so.
Luo Gongchen and other Ming officials looked at Hong Mao Fan, and Hong Mao Fan was also looking at Ming officials. The first intuitive feeling was that Ming officials were very hierarchical, and they had a lot of talent on their chests. The pattern on the top represents their status.
Luo Gongchen took a few steps forward and took out a silver coin. On the front of the silver coin was the portrait of a king, and on the back was engraved a crown and a coat of arms representing the Franji royal family. On the coat of arms, On both sides, there are two Pillars of Hercules, with paper wrapped around them, which look very similar: $.
"I'm rude." After Antonio saw Luo Gongchen put the silver coins back, he motioned to the linen-shirted servant to close the box.
With so many people, openly offering bribes may violate local laws. It is more appropriate to do this quietly.
Luo Gongchen is very interested in silver coins. A silver coin weighs about six cents and seven cents. The silver coins brought by Fo Langji are not many, but more silver ingots.
The drawing of points began. There were five coastal defense magistrates from the Metropolitan Government, and there were four eunuchs present. The governor of Fujian, the censor, and the magistrate of Fuzhou all stared at the people who were drawn and weighed. thing.
Luo Gongchen estimated that it was about the same. This large sailing ship brought a total of 4,020,000 taels of silver, and 241,200 taels were allocated according to the system. This tax will be escorted When it comes to the capital, the national funds and internal funds are divided equally.
The money traded can be hundreds of thousands per year, both public and private.
Antonio was very confused.
According to his estimation, after collecting the tax, there should be all kinds of difficulties. He had prepared some silver coins to pay for the joints, but after drawing points, they got a Once you have paid your bills, you can start purchasing goods.
"Is this the end? It seems to be inconsistent with what the governor said." Antonio said to Francisco, quite puzzled: "Sisco, you have been in the East for a long time, and the Ming Dynasty bureaucrats are doing things. Are they all so fast and concise?"
Francisco said even more confused: "On the contrary, there should be tax officials, city defense officers and other officials making things difficult, because the goods were shipped from Luzon to Daming before. , encountered many difficulties."
"The two men without beards on their faces should be the eunuch envoys sent by the Ming Emperor, so no one dared to do it when the envoys were there. Sometimes, make things difficult for us.”
Franciscos guessed that the two men without beards on their faces should be the legendary eunuchs.
Antonio then understood and said: "Look, you tell me: every Ming man will become a pirate, and no one will be loyal to their emperor."
"But the emperor The envoys are in Moon Harbor, and these officials don’t even dare to do anything to make things difficult for us. If this is not loyalty, what is loyalty?”
“Okay, I admit, I am obsessed with this mystery. I don’t know enough about this land.” Francis sighed a little, this rich land does not seem to be so easy to conquer.
The emperor, who is sitting thousands of miles away, only needs to send two eunuchs who don't look so strong to make local officials put away their usual ugly faces.
It is indeed a strange and mysterious Eastern world.
"We brought six million silver coins. Can this small port satisfy us?" Antonio said slightly worried.
Francisco was the governor of Luzon appointed by Spain. He smiled and said: "You just bring 60 million silver coins, even if it is more, Yuegang can satisfy you. Of course, if you bring 60 million silver coins, Billions of silver coins, that won’t work.”
Francisco was in Luzon. He knew the richness of this land very well. The output here was everything, like a monster who could never have enough to eat. Likewise, no matter how many silver coins were thrown into Ming Dynasty, they could not satisfy the greedy appetite of this monster.
Zhang Cheng was very uneasy. He was a eunuch in the palace and received Xuan Hairui's mission to return to the court. When Hai Rui arrived at Yuegang by boat from Guangzhou Shipping Department, Zhang Cheng made the decision and assigned points to foreign ships. This was not within the scope of his authority and was even a bit overstepping his authority.
"Are you panicking now?" Zhang Jin sat calmly, smiling when he saw Zhang Cheng's anxious look. When he was out of the palace on errands, he always said as little as possible. Do less and make money when you can. This is the eunuch's job when he leaves the palace. This supports the local officials to collect taxes on foreign ships. After returning to Beijing, he is determined to face the impeachment of the officials.
"When we get back to the capital, Your Majesty and the Queen Mother can beat, scold, kill or sink the well, it doesn't matter. Anyway, I brought the money back. Isn't this Yuegang the emperor's Nanku?" Zhang Cheng Comfort yourself.
Bringing the money back to the court, he felt that he had done the right thing, but the court officials were fierce, and he was afraid that he would use this matter to impeach the internal officials for interfering in politics.
In June, Hai Rui set off after receiving the imperial edict. He boarded the ship from Dianbai Port in Guangzhou Prefecture, arrived at Yuegang, anchored for a day, then started heading north, anchored in Ningbo for a day, and set off again.
In early August, Hai Rui disembarked at Tianjin Wei, accompanied by his wife Wang, his youngest daughter, two eunuchs Zhang Cheng and Zhang Jin, and 241,200 taels. Draw points of silver.
Hai Rui returned to the imperial court as the second rank of the right imperial censor of the Metropolitan Procuratorate. After he settled in, he first reported to the Ministry of Personnel to receive his seal ribbon, chatted with Yang Bo for a few words, and then reported to the Metropolitan Procuratorate. After chatting with Ge Shouli for a while, he returned home.
In the early morning of the next day, Hai Rui, wearing a second-grade embroidered golden pheasant patch, stood in front of the Wenhua Hall, waiting for the court meeting.
Youdu Yushi was one of the court officials. Hai Rui's clothes were a bit too big. The officials did not expect that Hai Rui would be so thin, so the court clothes he made were a bit too big.
After the cleansing whip was sounded three times, the ministers entered the palace.
"I will pay my respects to Your Majesty. Is Your Majesty's bow okay?" The ministers greeted each other.
Zhu Yijun stretched out his little hand and said: "Excuse me, I heard yesterday that Mr. Hai returned to the court. Where is Mr. Hai?"
"I have met your Majesty." Hai Rui stepped out, He bowed his head and said.
Zhu Yijun looked at Hai Rui. He stood upright, slightly thin, with bright eyes and a bookish air all over his body. He was worthy of the nickname Shanbijia.
"Okay, okay, all ministers, please sit down and continue the discussion." Zhu Yijun waved his hand and motioned for the ministers to sit down and discuss.
Ge Shouli took the lead in attacking and said: "The governor of Fujian Province, the imperial censor of Fujian Province, the governor of Fujian Province, and others impeached Zhang Cheng, an internal official, for interfering in government affairs, privately opening coastal defenses to connect foreign ships, Set up cards to draw points and collect taxes.”
Zhang Jin stayed out of the matter and was not on the impeachment list because Zhang Jin did not express his position.
When Wang Guoguang heard this, a smile appeared on his face. Yesterday, after the money was divided into internal funds, it had gone into the national funds. The government had suffered a huge loss, and the national funds were in a tight financial situation. This amount of money can actually meet emergencies.
Feng Bao was observing the situation and planned to teach Ge Shouli a lesson. Although Zhang Cheng was Zhang Hong's adopted son, the money went into internal funds, and the eunuch of the internal transport warehouse had wrinkles on his face. The court There is no money, and there is actually no money in the internal funds.
A penny stumps a heroic man.
Telling so many bullshit principles is of no use. If you don’t have rice in your hand, you will be called a chicken, and the chicken will not deserve it!
Before Feng Bao spoke, Hai Rui stood up and bowed his head and said: "Your Majesty, our Ming Dynasty has ancestral precepts. Internal officials are involved in politics, and the government has no fixed policy to collect taxes. , then he talks cleverly, flatters the master, steals the power of the country, and abuses the people. He uses small faith to show favor, and then dares to be a big traitor and a big evil to disrupt the government."
Zhu Yijun looked at Hai Rui and waited. After Hai Rui finished speaking, Zhu Yijun understood what he was saying. Once he had gained the emperor's trust and grace, he would dare to commit great treachery and commit great evil to disrupt the government and harm the country and the people.
Hai Rui continued: "But looking at this matter, I think that what Zhang Cheng did was not inappropriate. My sister-in-law needs help, and we must adopt expedient measures when it comes to emergencies. The big sailing ship is on the sea. , if points are not drawn, no points will be drawn when large ships arrive at the port in the future. Will there be any need to set up a rate office at that time? "
"I sincerely ask your Majesty to take this into consideration."
The first time a large sailing ship arrives at Yuegang, if the imperial court does not draw points for the first time, it will not be able to draw points in the future, and conflicts will easily arise. Once this is opened, the city's rate office will not be able to operate it, and it will not be paid. What kind of rates are there?
Zhu Yijun laughed after hearing this. What Hai Rui said was very strange.
To sum up what Hai Rui said, Zhang Cheng was wrong, but it was also right.
The sky is constantly changing, the earth is constantly changing, and people are constantly changing. Hai Rui asked Xu Jie to return the land, but was impeached and returned to his hometown to live idle. Hai Rui is also changing. He is still the same person, just a different person. Law.
Please give me a monthly ticket when I put it on the shelves, wow! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
(End of this chapter)