In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 974 Controlling Maritime Trade and Opening Up Industry and Commerce
Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

One major event after another came to an end.

In the three alleys of Xi'an Gate where Lu's residence was located, hundreds of imperial guards were already slowly retreating, gradually leaving the streets.

As they left, an indescribable sense of relief began to permeate the air.
Even the powerful and wealthy who lived here could not withstand the oppressive feeling of the Imperial Guards guarding the gates all day long.

Inside the Lu residence, Lu Yunyi recovered extremely quickly.

The wounds have all scabbed over, and the person can stand up and walk around.

At this moment, he was sitting in his study.

He carefully examined the accounts of Yingtian Trading Company from the previous year.
If you didn't know he had been assassinated, you would never have guessed he was injured.

Just then, footsteps sounded.

Mu Jinghe walked in carrying a tray with a bowl of ginseng soup on it.

Seeing Lu Yunyi's focused expression, a hint of helplessness flashed in her eyes:
"My lord, didn't the imperial physician tell you to rest in bed? Why are you up again?"

Lu Yunyi raised his head and smiled:

"If you don't tell and I don't tell, how will the imperial physician know?"

Mu Jinghe's eyes showed even more helplessness, but she had no choice but to step forward and place the ginseng soup on the table:

"Sir, even if you don't stay in bed to rest, you should still drink the ginseng soup, right?"

"Leave it there, we'll drink it later."

Lu Yunyi didn't even look up, continuing to look at the document in his hand.

Mu Jinghe pouted.
After hearing that, there's a 99% chance they won't be drinking it.

Just as she was about to offer some advice, Lu Yunyi suddenly asked:
Are there any visiting cards that deserve attention recently?

Seeing that they were getting down to business, Mu Jinghe pondered for a moment and said softly:
"The officials from the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Revenue, and the Ministry of Personnel all sent visiting cards, but didn't mention any specific matters."

But Lord Liu said, "They seem to be eyeing the merchants' shares, probably because they're envious of the Yingtian Merchants' high profit sharing."

"Ah"

Lu Yunyi suddenly smiled and said calmly:
"Wealth moves people's hearts; there is no one in this world who doesn't like money."

"Adults don't like it."

"That's because I don't lack it. If I were also struggling to make ends meet every day, how could I not like money?"

Mu Jinghe smiled:
"With an adult's abilities, why would they have to struggle for three meals a day?"

Lu Yunyi raised his head, thought about it seriously, and then nodded emphatically:

"That's right."

"Then shall we drink this ginseng soup?"

"No hurry, let's talk later."

Mu Jinghe wanted to continue trying to dissuade him, but Basong, who was standing at the door, said in a voice:
"My lord, His Highness the Crown Prince has arrived!"

Lu Yunyi, who had just lowered his head, suddenly raised it, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. He quickly stood up, the throbbing pain from his wound causing him to frown slightly.

Upon seeing this, Mu Jinghe exclaimed in surprise:

"Oh, sir, be careful not to aggravate the wound!"

"It's alright, I'll go greet them."

Lu Yunyi quickly left the desk, grabbed the clothes beside him, and put them on with a flourish, without the slightest hesitation!
The main gate of the Lu residence was wide open!

Lu Yunyi hurried out and immediately saw the bright yellow carriage slowly approaching.

I also saw a small head peeking out from behind the curtains—it was Zhu Yunwen!

When Zhu Yunyi saw Lu Yunyi, his eyes lit up immediately, and he reached out and waved his hand repeatedly.
"Lord Lu!"

His voice was no longer childish; it had gained some strength and energy.

At thirteen, children from ordinary families would have already started working in the fields, and in some places, they would even be looking for marriage partners. As a prince in the palace, he would naturally be much more mature.

Lu Yunyi also waved and revealed a bright smile:
"Your Highness, it's been a long time!"

"long time no see!"

Zhu Yunwen smiled and pulled his head back, looking at his father beside him with a surprised tone:
"Father, Lord Lu is alright!"

Zhu Biao was also somewhat shocked by Lu Yunyi's energetic appearance.
Could the injury not be that serious?
But as soon as he stepped off the carriage, he immediately noticed the blood seeping from Lu Yunyi's chest.

His light blue robe had been dyed dark blue, and his expression instantly turned serious.

"Why are you up? Is your injury healed?"

"Your Highness, I am not yet healed, but I can bear this pain."

Lu Yunyi smiled, his gaze sweeping over Zhu Biao.
Compared to when we met last year,

The prince's skin had darkened and become somewhat dry and cracked; the most noticeable change was in his eyes.
His original deep and dignified demeanor transformed into bright and piercing eyes, as if he had rediscovered the spiritedness of youth.

"I came to see you today because I feared you were bedridden and unable to rise."

"If I had known you were so energetic, I would have been waiting for you at my doorstep."

Zhu Biao shook his head, not bothering to stand on ceremony, and walked straight into the mansion.

"Your Highness, it is because the imperial physician is not here and no one in the household dares to supervise me that I dare to wander around recklessly."

Zhu Biao chuckled softly.
"It's good for him to move around more. When my father-in-law was recovering from his injury, he always liked to scold and beat the doctor, complaining that the doctor wouldn't let him move around too much."

If the Emperor is not around, no one in the army dares to discipline him.

I was still young then, and I often saw my father-in-law with burlap sacks all over his body walking around the military camp.

I tried to advise him against it, but he said that walking around would help him recover faster and even squeeze out the bad blood, which was utter nonsense.

As Zhu Biao walked, he looked around the courtyard, a look of emotion on his face.
He knew this house very well; it was he who had bestowed it upon Lan Yu.

Revisiting today, I saw that most of the decorations in the courtyard hadn't changed, and my thoughts gradually drifted away.

Lu Yunyi stood to the side without saying a word.

I only felt a bit more admiration for General Chang Yuchun's fierceness.

Before long, the group arrived at the main hall.

Crown Prince Zhu Biao, without hesitation, took the seat of honor.
The Second Prince Zhu Yunwen sat beside him, while Lu Yunyi sat to his left.

Two eunuchs took out their own tea leaves and teaware, and slowly brewed the tea.
Although it looks slow, the movements are efficient, and two cups of hot tea are served in no time.

Seeing Zhu Yunyi standing upright and looking around, Lu Yunyi smiled and said:

"What would Your Highness like to drink?"

Zhu Yunwen's eyes lit up, but he glanced cautiously at his father and answered seriously:

"No need, Lord Lu, I'm not thirsty."

Seeing this, Lu Yunyi smiled and instructed the attendant beside him:
"Go and get a pot of iced tea for the Second Prince."

Zhu Yunwen's feigned mature demeanor instantly blossomed into a smile, his eyes curving into two crescent moons.
Before the crown prince could speak, he said solicitously:

"Thank you very much, Lord Lu!"

Crown Prince Zhu Biao shook his head helplessly and instructed the eunuch:

"Take Yunhu to the mansion for a stroll and see if there are any new or interesting items."

"Yes, Your Highness."

After the eunuch led Zhu Yunwen away,

The Crown Prince then turned his gaze to Lu Yunyi, his expression turning serious:

"I have heard about the land prices in the capital. It is thanks to the Market and Exchange Bureau that the situation was averted, otherwise the capital would have been in chaos."

"Your Highness flatters me. The Market and Exchange Bureau is an official government office."
Maintaining stable commerce and local security is my duty, and I dare not claim credit for it.

The Crown Prince waved his hand:

"This time is different. If someone else were to take charge of the Market and Exchange Bureau..."

Even if they had the ability to turn the tide, they could only restore land prices to their original levels.
I wouldn't go to such lengths, tearing off all pretenses and engaging in a real fight like you. I admire your courage.

Lu Yunyi smiled calmly:
"Your Highness, many people forget the lessons learned."

If there are no consequences for wrongdoing, then we must teach them a lesson they won't forget.
If another disturbance arises, they will stir up trouble again, and the court will have to devote its energy to dealing with them.

Rather than being targeted by thieves, it's better to take advantage of the chaos and kill them all.

After this, they suffered heavy losses and would certainly dare not disobey the imperial court again.

Crown Prince Zhu Biao's eyes flashed with agreement; he shared the same thought.

Many things should either be done undone or done decisively; hesitation will only reveal weakness to the enemy.

Thinking of this, Zhu Biao took a sip of tea to moisten his throat and said softly:
"I have come to see you today to discuss the matter of moving the capital."

Lu Yunyi's expression turned serious, and he straightened his back:

"Your Highness, please speak."

"Let me ask you first, do you support moving the capital?"

"Your Highness, I have been supporting the relocation of the capital for the past two years."

However, he wasn't in the capital at the time and couldn't argue with the court officials, so he didn't gain much attention.

"Um"

Zhu Biao nodded and said in a deep voice:

"What do you think of Xi'an compared to Beijing?"

Lu Yunyi's expression was solemn and his face showed seriousness. After a long silence, he slowly spoke:
"Your Highness, I dare to speak frankly, but now that sweet potatoes have been widely promoted, Xi'an is far inferior to Beijing."

"The reason." "Your Highness, Beiping is the former capital of the Yuan Dynasty."

"Alright, tell me something I don't know."

Zhu Biao raised his hand to interrupt and continued:

"I have read the documents from the Left Army Commander's Office."

The idea of ​​building trade routes with Beiping as the core is excellent.

Moreover, Beiping's unique geographical location is highly advantageous for connecting the north and northeast, giving it a greater advantage than Xi'an.

But that's not enough.

For the court to be stable, for the people to recognize the Ming Dynasty, and most importantly, for them to have enough to eat.

By establishing the capital in Xi'an, they were able to firmly control the Guanzhong Plain and suppress all landlords and gentry.

If sweet potatoes are planted in the future, the people of the Ming Dynasty will never go hungry again.

But if the imperial court is not in Xi'an, this vast and fertile land of Guanzhong will sooner or later be divided up by powerful families.

Lu Yunyi greatly admired the Crown Prince's forward-thinking ideas.

Indeed, this is true; when the central government weakens, local powers rise.
With rampant collusion between officials and businessmen, it only takes a few decades for them to seize control of this vast and fertile land.

He paused, then said in a deep voice:

"Your Highness, the imperial court is currently making good progress in drawing up the Yellow Register of Fish Scales."

Even if the imperial court is not in Xi'an, I believe that the Guanzhong Plain will inevitably come under the control of the imperial court in the future.

Seeing his resounding voice, Zhu Biao suddenly smiled.
The smile held a hint of sincerity, but the tone was somewhat hollow:

"The First Emperor established the Qin Law, hoping that the Qin Dynasty would last for ten thousand generations, but the Qin Dynasty still perished after only two generations."

While he was alive, everything was fine; no one dared to utter a single word of criticism.

However, after his death, his policies were not continued, and even treacherous officials usurped power and controlled the government.

The current fish-scale yellow register is a good thing that benefits the country and the people.

Even if the entire painting is completed, what can the imperial court do even if it knows how much land, how many rivers, and how many people the Ming Dynasty has?
A century later, government policies will naturally weaken.

If the imperial court is not in Guanzhong, local powerful families and gentry will inevitably make a comeback sooner or later.
By then, the imperial court will be too busy taking care of itself to do anything about them.

Lu Yunyi fell silent, his hand gripping the teacup tightly, without uttering a word.

Zhu Biao chuckled, a hint of self-deprecation in his voice, and continued:

"In Guanzhong, the creation of the Fish Scale Yellow Register went relatively smoothly."

Even so, some local powerful families still colluded with officials and clerks.

To shrink the area and change its appearance.

Even though I'm in Xi'an, they dare to openly seize farmland outside the city.

"If I weren't here, and the Qin Prince's mansion wasn't here either, who knows what chaos they would have descended into."

Lu Yunyi fell silent again.
The death of a ruler and the cessation of his administration have always been a source of worry for emperors throughout history.

Even with extensive preparation and planning beforehand,

The final result is often not satisfactory.

The main hall was unusually quiet, without a single sound.

Lu Yunyi frowned, the pain in his chest completely forgotten.

After an unknown amount of time, Zhu Yunyi's cheerful laughter came from outside, and Lu Yunyi finally spoke softly:
"Your Highness, dynasties throughout history have prioritized agriculture."
However, I believe that commerce and industry are also the cornerstone of the world.
If the imperial court relies solely on farming in the future, even if everyone can have enough to eat...
If other developments fail to keep pace with people's desires, unrest will continue to occur everywhere.

When people are well-fed and clothed, they start to crave more.

This is already evident in the Northern Pacification Commandery.

Many craftsmen earned money on the front lines of road construction.

The first thing to do is to enjoy things that you only dared to look at before, or even never had the chance to try in your life, such as going to a brothel.

We ate and drank well, and enjoyed ourselves to the fullest.
Feeling dissatisfied with their old tile-roofed house, they worked hard to buy a new one.

Nearly a thousand new houses were built in Daning City last year, and they were all sold out.

Without sweet potatoes, the people would go hungry one day and have food the next. There would be unrest, but it would be easy to resolve. Either suppress it or make sure they had enough to eat, and then things would naturally be stable.

On the contrary, unrest tends to be more frequent after people have eaten and drunk their fill.
This turmoil is not about them rising up in rebellion, but rather about their minds being in turmoil, which makes it difficult to resolve.

Therefore, I believe that
Establishing the capital in Guanzhong could certainly alleviate the immediate crisis.
However, ideological trends often change dramatically within a few years.

By then, the imperial court would no longer be able to satisfy the people's ever-growing desire for food simply by ensuring they were well-fed.

Zhu Biao did not speak immediately, but lowered his head and pondered.

If someone else had said that,

He would simply dismiss it as nonsense, or even suspect the other party of having ulterior motives.

But Lu Yunyi, this young man, has already surpassed all other provinces in what he has done in the Northern Pacification Command.
Even in Southern Zhili, it was impossible to ensure everyone had enough to eat, but the Northern Pacification Commandery managed to do so.

Many people even live a life where they can eat, dress, live, and travel as they please.

This can be seen from the items that Daning City purchased in Beiping.

The people there are becoming increasingly discerning, buying better and better things, which shows that they are also accumulating more and more money.

After thinking for a long time, Zhu Biao said in a deep voice:

"So, you think we should establish the capital in Beiping and rely on commerce to make a living?"

Lu Yunyi nodded slightly, his expression complex.

"I guess so. The imperial court's establishment of workshops will allow more people to have enough to eat and money to spend."

The more people spend money, the richer the imperial court becomes, and the more workshops it can open—it's a positive cycle.

Moreover, Your Highness, Beiping has a significant advantage over Xi'an.

"what?"

"Close to the sea."

Lu Yunyi spoke softly, but his words pierced Zhu Biao's heart.

This is exactly what he has been worried about.

If you want to cultivate the land, you have to go to Guanzhong.
If you want to seize maritime trade, you have to stay in Yingtian; it's almost impossible to have both.

The Ming Dynasty has been carrying out massive demolition and construction for twenty years, and a large portion of the money spent came from its monopoly on maritime trade.

This is the most profitable business in the world, and it's also the business that countless people are eyeing.

A porcelain plate could be exchanged for ten catties of gold in the islands of Southeast Asia, but in the Ming Dynasty, it was only worth three coins.

In the eyes of ordinary people in the Ming Dynasty, porcelain was just made of clay and worthless.

But in the eyes of people overseas, it is priceless.

A single dose of medicine for a cold could bankrupt a tribe in Southeast Asia, potentially draining them of half their wealth.
Not only did no one condemn it, but it was also regarded as a panacea.
It would be foolish not to make this kind of money.

Taking a deep breath, Zhu Biao showed a conflicted expression for the first time regarding the relocation of the capital.
Once the capital is moved to the north, maritime trade in the southeast will inevitably descend into chaos.
Smuggling and piracy will become increasingly rampant.

With the mountains high and the emperor far away, countless people want a piece of the pie.

It would be much more difficult for the imperial court to profit from this.

Seeing his expression, Lu Yunyi said in a deep voice:

"Your Highness, even though Beiping is five thousand miles from the southeast..."

But Beiping, Daning, and even Goryeo are all located by the sea.
Doing maritime trade is much better than Xi'an being surrounded by mountains on three sides and suffering from drought all year round.

Moreover, the Grand Canal connects Beijing and Hangzhou, making transportation convenient and an ideal place for business.

Crown Prince Zhu Biao's expression was somber as he carefully weighed the pros and cons.
He knew that the matter of moving the capital could not be judged solely by its advantages and disadvantages, because there is no perfect plan in the world.

Zhu Biao spoke in a deep voice:
"I've heard too many rumors from my court officials about the future resurgence of the grasslands and the enemy besieging the city."
The resistance to moving the capital to Beiping (Beijing) would be far greater than that to moving it to Xi'an.

Lu Yunyi also became serious. Faced with a unified dynasty,
External enemies are never a big problem; we can wear them down even if we have to.

But what the court officials were worried about was not the revival of the grasslands, but the decline of the dynasty.

Only when internal problems are large enough can the grasslands seize an opportunity.

If martial arts skills remain at this level for the next few hundred years, there's no need to worry about the revival of the grasslands.
It's unrealistic to expect that a single blow could subdue a sliver of hope.

"Your Highness, moving the capital is absolutely necessary."

In Southern Zhili, surrounded by wolves, the imperial court's control over the local areas and even the capital region will become increasingly weak.

Only by going to places that have been ravaged by war and are free from powerful clans can the imperial court truly exert its influence.

"I know, but to do it is too difficult."

After careful consideration, Lu Yunyi stood up and bowed deeply to Zhu Biao:
"Your Highness, I dare to speak recklessly."

"explain."

"I have just survived an assassination attempt; the moment I was struck by a flintlock pistol..."
I felt no fear, only deep regret.
Your subject still has many things to finish.
If I were to die like this, all my ambitions would be in vain.

These past few days I've come to understand that as long as one is alive, there's a possibility of success, no matter how difficult the task.

But once you're dead, you have nothing left.

Lu Yunyi's expression was grave as he stared intently at Crown Prince Zhu Biao.

Even as the other person's expression grew increasingly unpleasant, he continued talking:
"Your Highness, I implore you to be vigilant against any acts of disrespect committed by the rebels, and to ensure your own safety!"

Zhu Biao frowned and slammed his hand on the table:
"presumptuous!!"

(End of this chapter)