Gou was a member of the imperial family in the late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 1067: Zongli Yamen
What Zhu Shenzui has to do now is just to make some preliminary changes, to properly guide the Ming Dynasty's transition from the original feudal society to the capitalist society without affecting the stability of the state regime and the control of the imperial power.

Of course, in order to avoid previous party struggles and the possibility of the emerging capitalist class having overly inflated ambitions and intentions to seize power, some necessary measures and even restrictions are needed.

In addition, the current Ming Dynasty is different from the previous one. With the earliest foreign trade in the north and the subsequent diplomatic missions to Europe, the Ming Dynasty has taken steps towards the world. The Ming Dynasty will be more open in the future, completely changing the conservative attitude of the Ming Dynasty. And it can be proved from practice that it is not advisable to rely solely on agriculture and close the country. In addition to ensuring the agricultural foundation and guaranteeing the lives of the people of the Ming Dynasty with high-yield crops, the Ming Dynasty must open up to the outside world, vigorously develop trade, and obtain more financial resources and taxes, so as not to be limited to the previous situation.

For this purpose, Zhu Shencui planned to set up a new department, which would be responsible for many external affairs of the Ming Dynasty in the future. For example, Zhu Shencui planned to start appropriate commercial opening in coastal cities of the Ming Dynasty, select some cities as open ports to meet the needs of the Ming Dynasty's foreign trade, and also attract foreigners to come to the Ming Dynasty for trade and material exchanges.

These ports can be preliminarily identified as five cities (regions): Qingdao in the north, Shanghai (Songjiang Prefecture) in the south of the Yangtze River, Ningbo, Quanzhou in Fujian, and Guangzhou in Guangdong.

Unlike the Treaty of Nanjing signed by the Qing Dynasty in later times, which forced the Qing Dynasty to open five trading ports, these were five cities that the Ming Dynasty took the initiative to open to the outside world. After the opening of these five cities, the Ming Dynasty would vigorously develop foreign trade through these five cities, thus driving economic prosperity and social change in coastal areas.

Of course, all of this was under the guidance and restrictions of the imperial court, and under the management of the new department that Zhu Shenzhu was about to establish. In addition to being responsible for these five cities, this new department would also be responsible for the customs business of the Ming Dynasty.

Some people may think that the Ming Dynasty did not have a customs office, or even that the Ming Dynasty never had a government office similar to the customs office. But in fact, the Ming Dynasty customs office was established very early. As early as the 14th year of Hongwu, when the Ming Dynasty was founded, Zhu Yuanzhang set up a special customs agency. During the Yongle period, this customs agency developed rapidly. In the first year of Hongxi, the court ordered the establishment of a special Coastal Defense Department, Taxation Department, and Maritime Department, and promulgated a series of customs regulations.

During the Jiajing period, the customs was further improved and became a part of the normal taxation system of the Ming Dynasty. However, due to the increasing power of the civil service group and the collusion between officials and businessmen in the Jiangnan gentry due to the emergence of capitalism, the customs gradually became a decoration. Although the customs recovered to a certain extent during the Tianqi period, it completely became a commodity that was not loved by uncles and grandmothers after the Chongzhen period. The taxes collected by the customs in the Ming Dynasty were pitifully small in a year, and no one cared about this government office at all.

This situation was not changed until Zhu Shenzhui came to power. The approach Zhu Shenzhui adopted was to directly bypass the previous customs agencies and set up an agency responsible for foreign trade based on the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ming Royal Bank to collect taxes in the same way as customs functions.

Although this method can solve the problem temporarily and the effect is quite good, the problem is that this method is not the right way. After all, the Imperial Household Department does not belong to the outer court and is not a formal government office of the Ming Dynasty. It is not legitimate for the Imperial Household Department to replace the Customs. It can be a temporary replacement in a short period of time, but it will not work in the long run.

Moreover, the Imperial Household Department’s excessive power was not conducive to subsequent development. It was barely enough for just one place, but with the opening of the five major trading ports and the subsequent implementation of the Ming Dynasty’s policy of sealing off the royal family, we couldn’t always let the Imperial Household Department replace the customs, right?
Therefore, the re-establishment of the customs was very necessary, and Zhu Shenzhu was very clear about this. Therefore, the newly established department was not only responsible for the five major trading ports, but also for the reconstruction of the customs. In addition, the future customs was not only responsible for the collection of tariffs to ensure the stability of goods and taxes, but also for the anti-smuggling task along the coast of the Ming Dynasty to prevent local gentry, merchants and officials from colluding to smuggle through other channels.

Didn't Zheng Zhilong's navy monopolize the South China Sea and collect tolls before? With these means, Zheng Zhilong not only made enough money but also used it to support so many warships and soldiers. With the fall of Zheng Zhilong, the Zheng Group began to reorganize under the hands of Hong Chengchou. On the one hand, they were preparing to attack Xiaoliuqiu and expel the Dutch who occupied Xiaoliuqiu. On the other hand, under the instruction of Zhu Shenzhui, they continued the means by which Zheng Zhilong controlled the South China Sea and gained benefits from it.

But the latter is only a temporary measure, and such practices and authority will definitely be withdrawn in the future. The newly established department will assume this responsibility. Zhu Shenzhui intends to separate a part of the Zheng Group and directly hand over this part of the ships and troops to the newly established department for management, and on this basis, form an anti-smuggling fleet with combat effectiveness and strong strength to ensure customs and eliminate smuggling.

In addition to these, this new department will also undertake the communication between the Ming Dynasty and foreign vassals and even some diplomatic tasks in the future. From these circumstances, this new department is equivalent to the future Development and Reform Commission plus customs plus fisheries plus a position similar to the British Empire's Colonial Secretary. From this point of view, the importance of this department can be seen, and the future power and scope of this department should not be underestimated. Of course, at present, it is far from reaching this level. It will take at least decades or even nearly a hundred years to achieve such a pattern. By that time, I am afraid that this department will be directly split into two or even three due to actual conditions.

When Zhang Xijun left the Qianqing Palace, Zhu Shenzhu's words kept echoing in his mind. When he returned to Beijing, he thought he would become a minister and then wait for the cabinet step by step. But he didn't expect that after a conversation with the emperor today, the emperor suddenly decided to establish a new government office, and this government office had a strange name, which was called "The General Office of the Ming Dynasty Customs and Border Affairs and Overseas Affairs", abbreviated as the General Office.

The Zongli Yamen was equivalent to the six ministries in rank, with one prime minister (Shangshu), Zhang Xijun, as his deputy, and seven departments: the Customs Department, the Taxation Department, the Defense Department, the Maritime Customs Department, the Lifan Department, the Trade Department, and the General Affairs Department.

Among these seven departments, the Customs Department is mainly responsible for the specific work of import and export customs of Ming Dynasty's foreign trade, and the Taxation Department is responsible for the declaration, verification, taxation and release of goods. The Defense Department is responsible for anti-smuggling, patrolling, and military deterrence. The Maritime Customs Department is responsible for the daily management of the five trading port cities, and has dual jurisdiction with the local prefects (county magistrates). The Lifansi Department is responsible for external communication, resolving disputes, and handling according to the law, including liaison with foreign vassal kings and other affairs. As for the Trade Department, it is responsible for the specific work of trade and coordinates with the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Royal Bank to ensure the implementation of the work of other departments. As for the General Affairs Department, it is easier to understand, that is, all the things that other departments cannot take care of or some things that are not covered by the authority are all the responsibility of the General Affairs Department. In addition, it is also necessary to complicate some affairs within the Zongli Yamen, etc.

The establishment of the Zongli Yamen was proposed temporarily by Zhu Shenzhui today, and the proposed structure of seven departments was only a preliminary idea. A series of improvements and adjustments would be made later. Zhu Shenzhui handed this matter over to Zhang Xijun. Who made Zhang Xijun the first prime minister of this yamen?
The establishment of this yamen was really beyond Zhang Xijun's expectations, but he agreed without any hesitation.

Zhang Xijun knew Zhu Shenzhui too well. Although Zhu Shenzhui had acted on impulse today, in Zhang Xijun's opinion, Zhu Shenzhui had probably thought about this matter a long time ago, otherwise he would not have decided to set up the Zongli Yamen in such a short time.

Moreover, Zhang Xijun also learned from Zhu Shenzhui's narration the importance of the Zongli Yamen. Once the yamen was established, its importance to the Ming Dynasty was self-evident. Moreover, the power of the yamen in the future would be extremely great. Although it was not like the six ministries, as a permanent institution of the central government, who could guarantee that the Zongli Yamen would not be the same in the future? As long as foreign trade continued to develop, coupled with the adjustment of Ming Dynasty policies and institutional reforms, the Zongli Yamen would not only have people and money, but also play a decisive role in influencing the finances of the Ming Dynasty.

In addition, the Zongli Yamen was also responsible for some of the work of the foreign vassal states, and even replaced the Ministry of Rites and the Honglu Temple in foreign negotiations, which was very difficult. If Zhang Xijun could make achievements in this position of Prime Minister, he would not only leave a great mark in history books, but also have a greater chance of becoming a cabinet elder or even the chief minister in the future. Zhang Xijun was an extremely smart man, so how could he give up this good opportunity?

In this way, Zhang Xijun agreed without hesitation and decided to become the Prime Minister of the Zongli Yamen. In the following days, Zhang Xijun stayed in his own mansion, busy compiling the details of the establishment of the future Zongli Yamen, including the scope of authority and division of authority of each department.

More than half a month later, Zhang Xijun, who had lost almost a circle of weight, finally came up with a perfect plan. Zhu Shenzhui was very satisfied after reading Zhang Xijun's plan. Zhang Xijun understood his ideas and intentions very well, which were reflected in this plan. Moreover, Zhang Xijun also adjusted some details to make the organization and structure of the yamen more perfect. For this, Zhu Shenzhui was very happy and praised him highly.

Afterwards, Zhu Shenzhu convened a cabinet meeting and easily passed the proposal to establish the Zongli Yamen. After being approved by the cabinet, and given that the Ming Dynasty already had customs and other yamen at all levels, according to Zhang Xijun's suggestion, the Zongli Yamen was just a merger and integration of the previous yamen, which was easy to explain and pass. Subsequent developments also proved the convenience of Zhang Xijun's suggestion. The matter was passed at the court meeting without any obstacles. The Zongli Yamen was officially established, and the Ming Dynasty also had a new department in addition to the six ministries. Zhang Xijun also officially became the first Prime Minister of the Zongli Yamen of the Ming Dynasty.

(End of this chapter)