Ming Dynasty: Ask Zhu Yuanzhang to abdicate at the beginning

Chapter 458 Zheng He's meteoric rise to power, Zhu Yuanzhang's incognito visit!

Zheng He was originally a prisoner of war and suffered castration, becoming a eunuch.

When he first entered the residence of Prince Yan, Zhu Di, he was merely a lowly servant.

He was tall and strong, with extraordinary strength and a brave and martial appearance, which is why Zhu Di kept him by his side as a close attendant to serve him.

However, even after Zhu Yunwen took him from Zhu Di's residence, Zheng He remained an unknown servant, of low status and inconspicuous.

Zhu Yunwen did not look down on him because of his background. On the contrary, he recognized his talent and carefully cultivated him, guiding him step by step and entrusting him with important responsibilities, just like a discerning eye for a thoroughbred horse.

Before leading his fleet on voyages overseas, Zheng He's career was not particularly illustrious.

He had received systematic training at the military academy and accompanied Zhu Yunwen on a diplomatic mission to Japan. Through loyalty and diligence, he accumulated some modest achievements.

For someone born into servitude, such an opportunity is rare and can be described as a meteoric rise to power.

However, if placed in the imperial court, compared with those battle-hardened and meritorious generals, or those well-read and strategizing civil officials, his qualifications still seem too thin, making him unsuitable for important responsibilities.

Moreover, when Zheng He was dispatched to sea, Zhu Yunwen was already acting as regent and exercising imperial power, but had not yet ascended the throne.

To avoid criticism from court officials, Zhu Yunwen could not promote Zheng He too much, so he only appointed him as the chief envoy to explore the New World, but did not explicitly grant him an official rank.

Today, Zheng He has been promoted to the position of Grand Eunuch of the Inner Palace, a top-ranking position within the eunuch system.

According to the ancestral system established by Zhu Yuanzhang, the highest rank for eunuchs in the Ming Dynasty was the fourth rank.

Even those powerful eunuchs in history who held immense influence in the court and wielded the authority of the Eastern Depot, whose power surpassed that of the Grand Secretary and could command the deference of first-rank officials, still managed to remain at the fourth rank.

Zheng He's bestowal of these titles and rewards was a meteoric rise that inspired envy.

After the bestowal of honors concluded, Zhu Yunwen immediately ordered people to bring the newly presented sweet potatoes, which were then carefully washed, peeled, and cut into uniform small pieces, and bestowed upon the court officials in the palace to taste.

Each person received only a small piece, just enough to try something new.

Potatoes cannot be eaten raw, but sweet potatoes are different; they are sweet and delicious, melt in your mouth, and leave you with a lingering aftertaste.

This move was not only to allow court officials to experience the wonders of this product first, but also to use their words to promote the deliciousness and value of sweet potatoes, laying the foundation for future promotion of planting and encouraging people to cultivate them.

Sweet potatoes are naturally sweet and have a soft, glutinous texture, leaving a lingering fragrance in your mouth.

What's even more amazing is that when humans taste a food they've never eaten before for the first time, their taste buds are often deeply shocked by the novel flavor, leaving an indelible memory, like a feast for the senses.

As expected, after tasting it, all the ministers were pleasantly surprised and praised its unparalleled taste, which far surpassed that of ordinary fruits and vegetables.

An old minister stroked his beard and nodded, saying that it "tastes like honey and has an endless aftertaste."

Some young officials could not hide their excitement and whispered among themselves that if this plant were widely cultivated, it would surely alleviate the famine among the people.

Unfortunately, each person only received a small piece, which was eaten in just a moment, and the aftertaste was not yet fully enjoyed before it was all gone.

Before the aftertaste of the sweet potato had faded, Zheng He respectfully stepped forward and presented a stack of precious official documents with both hands.

These letters were delivered to the Ming Dynasty by monarchs of various countries during his arduous journeys and visits overseas. They symbolized their respect for the Ming Dynasty and their desire to establish connections with it.

Zhu Yunwen's original intention in sending Zheng He on his voyages was simply to have him explore new continents, verify the feasibility of sea routes, and bring back agricultural products such as sweet potatoes to meet the needs of the people.

As for visiting all the countries in the world and collecting their official documents, that was not his request.

Zheng He possessed only a simple, almost shabby, certificate of being a Ming Dynasty envoy; there were no diplomatic documents or official letters specifically issued to various countries.

However, with his exceptional wit and courage, Zheng He navigated the various countries with ease during his voyages overseas, winning their trust and respect and bringing these letters of credence back to the Ming Dynasty.

This unexpected joy impressed everyone in the court.

Zhu Yunwen took the letter of state, his eyes darting around as he carefully read through it for a moment, a look of joy appearing on his face.

He then handed the official letter to Yao Guangxiao beside him and instructed, "Instruct the Ministry of State Affairs to work with the Ministry of Rites to quickly select capable envoys, prepare for their mission, and go to these countries to establish diplomatic relations with them as soon as possible."

"The Great Ming should work with overseas countries to seek peace and development, and exchange goods and resources. Only in this way can we demonstrate the demeanor of our Celestial Empire."

The Ministry of Rites was in charge of foreign affairs, while Yao Guangxiao held the reins of the Ming Dynasty's intelligence bureau, which specialized in gathering intelligence on foreign countries.

In order to gather intelligence, the Ming Dynasty's intelligence bureau naturally recruited many talented individuals who were familiar with overseas situations and fluent in various languages.

Diplomatic work is usually carried out in conjunction with intelligence work.

Diplomatic personnel sent to a country are usually also tasked with gathering intelligence on that country.

After all, intelligence obtained through secret infiltration only accounts for a small portion.

Most of the intelligence is actually collected from publicly available information.

For example, when diplomats arrive in a country, they interact with the country's officials and learn about the country's military, politics, court situation, people's lives, culture, customs, and so on. All of this is "intelligence"!
Going overseas was a major policy decided by the imperial court long ago, and the work of sending diplomatic envoys should naturally begin as soon as possible.

After everything was arranged, Zhu Yunwen was about to announce the end of the court session when he suddenly saw the old Zhu slowly rise, his dragon robe fluttering slightly, his demeanor dignified.

The Emperor Taizu's majestic gaze swept across the hall as he slowly spoke, his voice loud and solemn: "There cannot be two suns in the sky, two rulers among the people, two monarchs in the country, or two respected figures in the family."

Upon hearing this, the entire hall fell silent, and the assembled officials listened with bated breath.

Old Zhu's gaze softened as he looked at Zhu Yunwen and continued, "Yunwen has inherited the throne and ascended to the throne. He governs the country in an orderly manner, the people are prosperous, and the country is growing stronger every day. We are very pleased and overjoyed."

"Having spent several years in the heavenly realm, though I have returned to the mortal world, it is no longer appropriate for me to be involved in politics."

"From now on, no one may request an audience with any member of the imperial family, nobles, civil or military officials, or officials of any rank."

"I will not accept any memorials sent to me, and I will not receive anyone, even during festivals or birthday banquets."

His tone was firm, with an undeniable resolve: "No matter what it is, we will not interfere. You must not come to disturb our peace and cause us any trouble."

"Now that we have transcended the mortal world, we find solace in nature and wish to be carefree wanderers, like immortals who do not partake in worldly affairs."

These words resonated deeply, shaking all the officials in the hall. They all bowed their heads and knelt down, calling out "Supreme Emperor," their voices choked with sobs, tears streaming down their faces.

Zhu Yunwen was startled and hurriedly said, "Grandfather, why did you have to go to this?"

"You were so fortunate to be born, how could your grandson dare to let you suffer a lonely old age?"

Zhu Yuanzhang gazed at him, his eyes filled with affection and satisfaction. He smiled slightly and said slowly, "Tong'er, you alone are capable of shouldering the great responsibilities of the nation. If we interfere in politics again, it will only add to the chaos. What good will that do you? Only you can hold up the sky of the Ming Dynasty."

After saying this, he led Zhu Yunwen slowly toward the dragon throne, away from the assembled officials, and said in a low voice, "I have heard that the Ming Dynasty under your rule has been completely renewed."

"The people live in peace and contentment, with plenty of food and clothing, a situation that is incomparable to the past."

"The newly built cement roads in various places are flat and wide, allowing vehicles and horses to pass through without obstruction, and merchants and travelers to come and go in an endless stream."

"Having lived in the inner palace for so long, I am restless and yearn to travel quietly to visit various places and witness this prosperous era with my own eyes."

"It can also help you find out the real situation among the people."

"This matter must be kept secret and not made public, so as not to alarm the court officials."

"That's why I said those things to them earlier." "We're not seeing anyone to keep our trip a secret."

After hearing what Old Zhu said, Zhu Yunwen stopped trying to dissuade him.

Old Zhu's mentality was roughly the same as that of the elderly people in later generations who traveled everywhere after retirement.

They all longed to fully appreciate the magnificence of the great rivers and mountains in the twilight of their lives.

In the past, due to inconvenient transportation, long journeys were often extremely arduous.

Even the most powerful emperor could not escape the hardships of long journeys.

Don't assume that riding in a sedan chair is luxurious and comfortable because someone is carrying you.

In reality, a short ride might be considered enjoyable, but if it's a long ride, day after day, being jostled and swayed in the sedan chair, the feeling is enough to make one dizzy and exhausted.

Even if Old Zhu wanted to go out for a walk, he would first have to consider whether his old bones could still handle it.

Now, things are different.

The wide, flat cement roads extend in all directions, the newly made carriages cleverly incorporate sophisticated shock absorption designs, and there are also newly put into use rubber tires that are flexible and wear-resistant.

Riding in such a carriage on a wide road, you feel almost no bumps, so comfortable that it's like being on a cloud.

"If Your Majesty insists on traveling far away, your grandson dares not force you to stay."

Despite saying this, Zhu Yunwen's eyes revealed deep affection. He then said, "I only ask that you allow me to make some arrangements to ensure that Your Majesty travels safely."

"Grandfather, why don't you take a tour of Yingtian Prefecture first? Once I have made all the preparations for your journey, then we can set off for distant lands and see all the mountains and rivers."

Zhu Yunwen did not object to his suggestion.

When he returned from Shanghai last time, he saw that Nanjing had a completely new look, and was even more prosperous than before.

Now, nearly two years have passed in the blink of an eye, and the changes are expected to be even more dramatic.

Over the next few days, Old Zhu leisurely strolled through Nanjing in his newly built carriage with rubber tires.

The carriage was light and smooth, with elegant interior decorations. Silk cushions gently supported his body, and the street scene outside the window unfolded slowly like a painting.

Old Zhu first visited the Jinling Stock Exchange, which is currently the most bustling place.

The sight there deeply impressed him.

The trading hall was bustling with people, and the air was filled with an almost frenzied passion.

The stock market had only been open for a few months and was in the midst of a rapidly expanding bubble. The public's enthusiasm was soaring, and they were all vying to jump into this wealth frenzy.

Although Zhu Yunwen had long lived in the inner palace, he had already heard of the securities market and knew that it was the key to Zhu Yunwen's painstaking efforts in implementing new policies.

Landlords and gentry, in pursuit of the lucrative profits from the stock market, willingly gave up their generations-old land, enabling the new policies to be implemented smoothly.

Zhu Yunwen once explained the secrets of the matter to Zhu Yuanzhang in a secret letter.

Landlords and gentry occupying land essentially control a means of production that can last for generations.

Therefore, when another means of production appears and can replace the original means of production, the status of the land becomes no longer important.

By establishing a stock market and opening a securities exchange, landlords and gentry could buy company shares and become shareholders, thus acquiring new means of production and transforming themselves from feudal locals into capitalists.

The land was naturally handed over.

When Zhu was in Shanghai, he had already studied economics quite well and discussed many things with Zhu Yunwen through letters, which broadened his knowledge.

In addition, he was exceptionally intelligent and, after a little thought, he understood this principle.

However, when he actually stood in the Jinling Stock Exchange and witnessed the bustling crowds and the boiling enthusiasm, Old Zhu was still deeply shocked.

Inside the trading hall, the noise rose and fell, seemingly about to burst through the dome. Speculators' eyes gleamed with a thirst for wealth, and an invisible frenzy permeated the air.

At the front of the hall, there are several huge blackboards.

Traders are constantly receiving quotes from both buyers and sellers below, and then writing the latest transaction price on the blackboard with chalk.

Here, money seems to cease to be money.

A single stock transaction costs tens or even hundreds of taels of silver, while hundreds or even thousands of shares are traded every minute in the hall.

In a single day, the transaction volume would amount to at least several million taels of silver.

Even Zhu Yuanzhang, the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty, was dumbfounded and incredulous.

After all, in the past, the national treasury, which held the wealth of the entire Ming Dynasty, didn't have this much silver.

Millions of taels of silver were invested in wars, disaster relief, the construction of palaces or city walls, and the repair of river embankments. Officials in the court would argue about these things for months.

Back then, the annual tax revenue of the entire Ming Dynasty was only twenty to thirty million taels of silver.

This income only came after all the grain, cloth, and other goods had been converted into silver.

In terms of pure silver, it only amounts to a few million taels a year.

Moreover, how to spend this money was often decided long before it even entered the national treasury.

Expenses such as officials' salaries are always fixed.

After deducting fixed annual expenses, how much money is truly available for personal use and can be used to deal with emergencies?

No wonder the officials argued so heatedly about it.

But when he saw the money being traded on the stock exchange, Zhu Yunwen finally understood what Zhu Yunwen had written in his previous letters to him.

Once the capital market is activated, money and wealth will gush out like a spring being unearthed.

Back then, Old Zhu only vaguely understood, but now he finally understands completely.

"These people are really rich. If it were us in the past, we would have taken all the money from them!"

The thought flashed through Lao Zhu's mind.

When they rebelled and fought for power, the rebel army often plundered wealthy households.

Otherwise, how would they raise military funds?

So much so that now, when Lao Zhu sees a wealthy "big shot," his subconscious reaction is to think of a way to "confiscate" their money.

……

(End of this chapter)