My father is Chongzhen? Then I have no choice but to rebel.

Chapter 431. Are you all hesitant because you're involved in the smuggling?
But then, Cabinet Minister Zhang Zhifa spoke up:

"This is absolutely unacceptable! Opening the seas will bring no benefit to the country or the people; on the contrary, it will compete with the people for profit. I urge you all to reconsider!"

He then continued:
"Opening the seas is extremely risky. What if we encounter pirates or Japanese pirates? Moreover, after the seas are opened, the domestic commercial order will be disrupted. People may abandon farming and turn to maritime trade, which will lead to land abandonment and reduced food production. The consequences will be unimaginable."

Wang Jiayan, the Minister of Rites, who was standing to the side, also spoke up:

"I also believe this is absolutely unacceptable. You two should know the gravity of the matter, so why don't you advise His Majesty?"

The others remained silent.

To be honest, the opening of the sea route wouldn't have a significant impact on them. Besides, since Ni Yuanlu and Xue Guoguan dared to bring it up, they must have already received the emperor's and crown prince's approval. Therefore, they didn't dare to speak rashly, lest they offend the emperor and crown prince.

Xue Guoguan glanced at everyone, then said calmly:

"Gentlemen, you are all not outsiders, but key ministers of the court, so there are some things I will not hide from you."

"Simply put, the opening of the sea route is a matter that has already been decided, and both the Crown Prince and His Majesty have agreed to it."

"Furthermore, the Da Ming Daily will also make a big fuss about today's events tomorrow, so that all the people in the capital and the surrounding areas will know that opening the sea is beneficial to the country and the people."

"Therefore, your objections are useless."

"Furthermore, His Majesty has already stated that any official who opposes opening the seas can immediately retire and return to their hometown, including all of you present here!"

Upon hearing that last sentence, the expressions of the others present instantly turned grim.

You should know that resigning from office was their last trump card against the emperor.

In the imperial court, resigning from office when one disagrees with the emperor is both a way of expressing protest and a means of protecting oneself.

Unexpectedly, the emperor himself used this trump card first, which was tantamount to telling them openly that he was determined to do it, regardless of whether they agreed or not.

Zhou Shipu, the Minister of Works, standing to the side, said with a hint of helplessness and resentment:
"Isn't there any room for maneuver? I don't oppose opening the seas, as long as it benefits the country and its people. But isn't Your Majesty's attitude a bit too harsh?"

"Furthermore, the fishing ban has been in effect for eighty years since the Longqing Emperor's reign. Previously, the maximum amount was only 30,000 taels of silver, and now it is only 5,000 taels of silver per year. It seems that opening the fishing ban has not been of much use. On the contrary, it will lead to the loss of domestic people and the land being left uncultivated."

"And he's even competing with the people for profit. What exactly is His Majesty trying to do?"

His voice carried a hint of complaint, as he felt the emperor's actions were somewhat ill-considered.

Ni Yuanlu and Xue Guoguan exchanged a glance, their eyes revealing an expression of "I knew it."

They knew someone would bring this up, and they had already come up with countermeasures.

The next second, Ni Yuanlu spoke:

"Does Minister Zhou know how many taels of silver were in customs duties in Fujian last year?"

Zhou Shipu shook his head, a hint of doubt on his face, clearly unaware of the number.

Ni Yuanlu said:
"Eight hundred thousand taels."

"Why are there so many?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Shipu was instantly filled with surprise.

You should know that in his memory, the customs duty in Fujian was still three thousand or five thousand taels. How did it suddenly jump to eight hundred thousand taels?

The difference was so great that he found it hard to accept.

The others also looked surprised; it was clear that this was something they hadn't expected either.

Ni Yuanlu continued:
"Minister Zhou must be very curious as to why the customs duties in Fujian suddenly increased from three thousand taels to eight hundred thousand taels. The answer is quite simple: all the maritime merchants in the Fujian area had been evading taxes, including Zheng Zhilong."

"It was only later that His Highness the Crown Prince married Zheng Zhilong's daughter that Zheng Zhilong was willing to pay the tax, so the customs duty became 800,000 taels."

His voice carried a hint of emotion, while also revealing his approval of the Crown Prince's methods.

Ni Yuanlu then continued:
"Do you all know how many taels of silver the Zheng family can earn from the sea in a year?"

Upon hearing this, everyone shook their heads in unison. They did know that the Zheng family was wealthy, but they didn't know how much.

Their eyes were filled with curiosity, and they all turned their gazes toward Ni Yuanlu.

Ni Yuanlu continued:
"Approximately ten million taels of silver."

what?
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone couldn't help but gasp.

Twelve million taels of silver—that's almost half a year's tax revenue for the imperial court in the past! The Zheng family was so rich!
Their faces showed shock, and they also began to realize the enormous potential of maritime trade.

Just then, Xue Guoguan, who had been standing around for a while, finally spoke up.

"The Zheng family alone can amass such wealth from the sea every year. If the Ming Dynasty were to personally intervene, the wealth they would acquire would probably be more than two or even three times that amount, right?"

"Besides, the talk of population loss is nonsense. The Ming Dynasty can establish ports and strictly control the number of people going to sea. In addition, with the household registration system, population loss will not occur."

"Secondly, it is impossible for the court to compete with the people for profit, because even if the court were to do business, it would be business that ordinary people cannot do, such as salt, iron, tea, and saltpeter, which have always been monopolies of the court."

"If anyone dares to get involved in this business, it only means that he has violated the laws of our Great Ming Dynasty and should be severely punished."

"Furthermore, opening up the seas will inevitably lead to a vigorous development of the navy, so there's no need to talk about pirates and Japanese pirates anymore. No matter how powerful they are, how could they be a match for the navy of our Great Ming?"

After these words were spoken, the room fell silent instantly.

Everyone felt a mix of emotions, both shocked by the enormous profits of maritime trade and worried about the potential risks that might come with opening the seas.

But in any case, it seems that opening the seas is inevitable; the emperor's attitude is very clear, and they cannot change it.

Although some people do disagree with this matter and have some connections with certain forces in the south, they are still unwilling to give up everything they have!
After all, it wasn't easy to climb to this position step by step, and it's really not worth losing my official post for one thing.

Besides, they all know how that prince is. Although he openly tells them that they can resign if they disagree, it's not that simple to actually leave.
You might resign from your post and the very next day, the Embroidered Uniform Guard might send you damaging information about yourself or your family to your residence.

After all, who among those in high positions of power doesn't have some shameful secrets that can't be brought to light?

Moreover, the Crown Prince had done this many times before.
Just thinking about it sends chills down my spine.

As night deepened, the lights in the courtyard grew dimmer, and everyone fell silent, each with their own plans.

Xue Guoguan's face was cold and stern, his eyes sweeping over every minister present like those of a hawk.

He knew in his heart that today's discussion about opening the seas was no ordinary debate, but a crucial decision concerning the fate of the Ming Dynasty. Moreover, he also knew that at this moment, there might be Jinyiwei (Imperial Guards) lurking in the shadows like ghosts, transmitting their every move and word to Zhu Cilang without missing a single detail.

Therefore, he really didn't want to wait any longer.

The next second, Xue Guoguan slammed his hand on the table. The crisp sound echoed in the silent hall, like a thunderclap, breaking the stalemate.

Then he stood up and said:
"Gentlemen, I have just explained in detail all the benefits of opening the seas. You are all pillars of the court, and you naturally understand that opening the seas is a move that benefits the country and the people."

"As for the drawbacks you are worried about, I have already proposed practical solutions, so what are you still hesitating about?"

"Is it because you were involved in this smuggling operation to some extent that you have reservations and dare not agree readily?"

Upon hearing this, the faces of the ministers present instantly turned extremely ugly, as if their hidden wounds had been exposed in public, their embarrassment and awkwardness palpable.

Because among these high-ranking officials, some were indeed secretly involved in maritime smuggling.

However, they still had to consider their reputation and image, so they didn't get too deeply involved. They just took a share of the profits from smuggling each year and received some kickbacks.

This was originally a secret matter, and if no one mentioned it, it might have been kept hidden forever. But now Xue Guoguan has ruthlessly torn off this fig leaf, putting them in an extremely awkward situation.

Upon seeing this, Ni Yuanlu inwardly felt a sense of foreboding, knowing that Xue Guoguan's words were too blunt and could easily escalate the conflict.

He quickly stood up, his face beaming with smiles, trying to smooth things over.

"Your words, Grand Secretary Xue, are a bit too harsh. All of you here are pillars of the court, shouldering the heavy responsibility of governing the country. How could you possibly engage in such shady smuggling activities for such petty gains?"

"I absolutely do not believe this, and I'm sure His Highness the Crown Prince and His Majesty would not believe it either."

Ni Yuanlu's words were extremely clever, both saving face for the other ministers present and subtly reminding them:

Even if you were indeed involved in these matters before, as long as you can completely distance yourself from smuggling now and fully support the opening of the sea, His Majesty and His Highness the Crown Prince will not pursue past offenses too much, and everything can be forgiven.

Now that things have come to this point, everyone naturally understands the stakes involved, so there's no reason for them to refuse.
If we don't support opening the sea at this time, then we would truly be lacking in common sense.

Does this mean I really have to resign and return to my hometown, leaving the imperial court behind forever?
Even if one resigns from office, one may not be able to live a peaceful life. One might even be invited for "tea" by the Embroidered Uniform Guard, which would truly be a loss.

At that moment, Cabinet Minister Fan Jingwen broke the silence.

Just listen to him say:
"Since we've come this far, let me state my position first: I fully support the opening of the seas!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than Cabinet Minister Jiang Dejing, who was standing beside him, also spoke up without hesitation:

"In that case, I, the Grand Secretary, am willing to support this matter."

Following this, several influential figures spoke up, all expressing their willingness to support the opening of the sea.

Overall, things progressed much more smoothly than Xue Guoguan and Ni Yuanlu had anticipated.

They had assumed that at least one or two ministers would choose to resign and return to their hometowns due to various concerns, in order to show their opposition to opening the sea route.

Unexpectedly, everyone agreed in the end, which was undoubtedly a good thing, giving the opening of the sea a more solid foundation of support.

However, even so, the matter is far from over.

The next second, Xue Guoguan slightly raised his hand and gently waved to the attendant beside him.

The attendant reacted extremely quickly, hurriedly walking over with a document that resembled a memorial in his hands.

Xue Guoguan took the memorial, gently placed it on the table, and then slowly said, his gaze sweeping over everyone:
"My lords, please take a look. This is a memorial that I co-wrote with Minister Ni, which we intend to present to His Majesty at the morning court tomorrow."

"If there are no problems, please sign your names as well. We will jointly submit a memorial to His Majesty to promote the opening of the sea."

Upon hearing this, the high-ranking officials dared not be negligent in the slightest. They quickly stood up, gathered around the table, and carefully opened the memorial.

In the dim candlelight, several striking characters instantly came into view:
"Memorial Requesting the Lifting of the Sea Ban and the Reorganization of the Navy".

Everyone's hearts tightened, and they quickly began to examine the area carefully.

"I have heard that the sea is the bulwark of the nation and the source of benefit for the people. Our dynasty has a vast maritime territory spanning thousands of miles. However, the long-standing maritime ban has led to blocked trade routes, unemployment for fishermen and woodcutters, and the lack of imported rice, making people's livelihood increasingly difficult."

The proposed lifting of the maritime ban and the reorganization of the navy would have four advantages.

Firstly, stabilize grain prices through trade.

In Southeast Asia, such as Siam and Luzon, rice and wheat were plentiful and rice prices were low. In the past, when the maritime ban was not strictly enforced, merchant ships transported hundreds of thousands of shi (a unit of dry measure) of foreign rice every year. Rice prices in the capital and other places remained stable, and the people were able to have enough to eat.

However, the current policy of banning the sea has caused rice prices to soar during years of floods and droughts, making life unbearable for the people, with many suffering from hunger.

If the ban is lifted, foreign rice will arrive, granaries will be full, grain prices will be lowered, and all people will have food. This is the primary policy to benefit the people.

Secondly, it promotes trade and increases employment.

Maritime trade involves many aspects, requiring workers in shipbuilding, sail weaving, iron forging, and transportation.

In the Fujian and Zhejiang regions, there were many displaced people who were unemployed in the past, and some resorted to theft or filling ditches, causing social unrest.

With the current flourishing of trade, the construction of a ship requires dozens of workers, and a commercial transport requires hundreds of laborers. Fishermen and weavers can each have a stable livelihood, bandits will naturally cease, and social order can be stabilized. This is yet another measure that benefits the people.

Third, expand the maritime trade to enrich the national treasury.

Foreign lands possess rare and precious treasures such as pearls and spices, while our dynasty possesses exquisite items such as silk and porcelain.

During the period of maritime prohibition, foreign goods were expensive and hard to find, porcelain kilns went bankrupt, and artisans suffered from poverty. However, with the opening of trade, silk was sold overseas, weaving households expanded their production, and spices entered the market at affordable prices.

The Maritime Trade Office collects customs duties, and the annual revenue can offset the taxes of several provinces, resulting in a full national treasury. This is a crucial policy that benefits the country.

Fourth, strengthen the navy and secure the sea frontier.

When maritime trade flourishes, merchant ships need protection. However, nowadays, the navy is in disarray, and foreign enemies such as Japanese pirates and barbarians are eyeing the area, causing frequent disturbances to the coastal regions.

Expanding the navy, building strong ships, and casting powerful cannons can protect merchants, repel foreign invaders, and ensure the safety of border residents, making our dynasty's maritime borders as solid as a rock. This is a long-term strategy for securing the country.

Wise rulers of old profited from the sea; the Han dynasty's opening of the Western Regions and the Tang dynasty's opening of Guangzhou both led to wealth and power. We beseech Your Majesty to lift the maritime ban, establish maritime trade, and expand the navy, so that grain supplies may be plentiful, the people secure, the granaries full, and the borders strong—a great blessing for the world!

After reading this, some people's faces immediately turned green.

(End of this chapter)