Strategy for the Revitalization of the Late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 389 Reuse
Zhu Cilang noticed Zheng Hongkui's thoughts, raised his head and looked at him deeply, with a hint of encouragement in his tone:

"Reform is never achieved overnight. Every step we take is intended to lay a solid foundation for the future. Even if there are setbacks along the way, do not waver in your faith. Remember, our goal is to seek the well-being of the people of the world, not just temporary reputation."

These words, like the morning bell and evening drum, struck the hearts of Zheng Hongkui and his ministers. He responded in a deep voice, "I will definitely do my utmost to assist Your Majesty in completing this reform!"

Zhu Cilang nodded slightly upon hearing this. He stared at Zheng Hongkui in front of him, his eyes thoughtful. He did not object to Li Xiaolin's two proposals. After all, these arrangements made sense.

But when he thought of the other party's plan to let the Li family control the Maritime Customs while handing over maritime trade to his confidants, he suddenly became more cautious. Therefore, the Zheng family's maritime power, represented by Zheng Hongkui, naturally became the other end of the balance of power.

"Li Xu's experience is still inexperienced. Maritime trade is crucial to the Ming Dynasty's military payroll, and there must be no mistakes in its management." Zhu Cilang's tone darkened as he spoke slowly, "The interests involved are too complex. Without oversight, problems will sooner or later become apparent. I have another suitable candidate to take over. You still need to find someone experienced to oversee the Maritime Customs Office, but you must maintain a tight rein and avoid any mistakes."

Zheng Hongkui was overjoyed when he heard this. He bowed and said, "I understand."

He lowered his head, hiding the glint of pride in his eyes. Now he could finally put the Zheng family at ease. After all, apart from his own family, who else in the Ming Dynasty could handle such an important position in maritime trade? Who could His Majesty really trust?
Although the Maritime Customs and the Money Shops had weakened the General Manager's power through the dual constraints of the administrative system and the flow of funds, it was still a piece of fat meat that countless people coveted and a vital resource. Zheng Hongkui could not calm down, and he was eager to know to whom Zhu Cilang would hand over this important task.

Zhu Cilang's eyes swept across the maritime trade plan on the table, and his tone became deeper as he said:

"The Department of Commerce and the Banks are merely independent departments from the old system, run by Ni Yuanlu and Zhang Mingzhen, who are more than capable of handling them. But the Maritime Customs Office is different; it's a brand new area, and one that involves far-reaching implications. I plan to pilot this in Tianjin, Songjiang, Zhangzhou, and Fuzhou. Those places are teeming with smugglers, and while they may have previously kept their distance from the imperial court, from today on, they are now our enemies."

Zhu Cilang paused, then spoke in a deep, forceful voice, "Although there are naval escorts, and ostensibly it's just about issuing licenses and inspecting cargo, the interests and risks involved are enormous. I absolutely cannot trust anyone else with this matter, so it has to be handled by you personally. As for the affairs of the Ministry of Revenue, you can hand them over to your subordinates."

Zheng Hongkui listened to these words, appearing calm, but a wave of emotion welled up within him. He couldn't help but admire Zhu Cilang's foresight, yet he secretly regretted that his scheme had been seen through. He knew that while the newly established institutions—the Maritime Customs Office, the Department of Industry and Commerce, and the Money Shops—had clearly defined divisions of labor on the surface, controlling them in tandem meant controlling the lifeblood of both maritime trade and the inland economy.

However, Zhu Cilang obviously would not allow this situation to happen, especially if it fell into the hands of his Zheng family. Therefore, the Li family was also very important.

Zhu Cilang didn't express his suspicions directly, but his stance was clear. He believed Zheng Hongkui was intent on gradually bringing the three major institutions under his control through a superficial decentralization arrangement, a situation he would never tolerate.

"Mr. Zheng," Zhu Cilang said with a hint of coldness in his tone, "I know you've always been efficient, but this time your actions are too obvious. The court's new policies have just been implemented, and the balance between internal and external affairs is not yet stable. You must understand that I trust you."

Li Xiaolin was startled, then quickly bowed and said, "Your humble servant would never dare to overstep the bounds. I am willing to share your worries and do my best."

"I hope so." Zhu Cilang sighed softly, his tone softening slightly. He looked out the window at the gradually darkening sky, as if lost in thought. Then he slowly said, "Although you will assist in the management of the Maritime Customs Office, I will assign trusted individuals to oversee the appointment and supervision of local officials. This is not only to prevent Li Qing from over-centralizing power, but also for the long-term stability of the Ming Dynasty."

Zheng Hongkui nodded in agreement, but a vague sense of unease welled up in his heart. He knew this wasn't a sign of Zhu Cilang's distrust of him, but rather a necessary consequence of the emperor's scheming. Zhu Cilang needed to ensure that all factions could check and balance each other, preventing any one from becoming too powerful.

After this conversation, Zhu Cilang's vision became even more resolute. He knew that every step of reform was accompanied by risks, but it was precisely these steady steps that would build a powerful Ming Dynasty.

He did not place his faith in the loyalty or ability of any one individual, but rather in the power of institutions. Whether it was the Maritime Customs Office or the Maritime Trade Office, these seemingly new institutions of power would be brought under his control and become the cornerstone of his new policies.

"Good!" Zhu Cilang slammed the table and stood up, his eyes piercing as he spoke, "The pilot program will be implemented accordingly. I want to fundamentally resolve the Ming Dynasty's military pay problem, and I also want to make those foreign powers understand that our Ming Dynasty not only possesses sharp weapons, but also possesses intangible financial resources!"

"Yes, I understand." Zheng Hongkui spoke respectfully, a thin layer of sweat on his forehead. He secretly breathed a sigh of relief, but did not completely let down his guard. After a brief pause, he continued:

"However, do the original heads of maritime trade need to be transferred out in advance? I can arrange a handover as soon as possible to avoid any impact on maritime trade due to insufficient preparation, which would ultimately delay Your Majesty's expenses."

Zhu Cilang nodded slightly upon hearing this, then thought for a moment and said, "Transfer them out. The Maritime Customs Office, the Department of Commerce, and the Bank are all newly established institutions, and they have a lot of room for manpower. Since these people are your old Zheng family members, you must arrange for their transfer as soon as possible. Be sure to follow the regulations and report each one to the government office to ensure that nothing goes wrong."

Zheng Hongkui's heart shuddered, a chill running down his spine. He sensed a subtle warning in Zhu Cilang's tone. Though it wasn't stated explicitly, he understood that His Majesty would never allow either the Zheng or Li families to monopolize the Ming Dynasty's financial power.

Although he is currently being valued, he is only acting under the high-pressure control of His Majesty. If he is not careful, disaster may occur.

Zheng Hongkui reacted quickly: whether it was maritime trade, the Maritime Customs Office, the Industry and Commerce Office, or money shops, the treatment the Zheng family could get from these three was already generous enough, and there was no reason to be greedy for more.

Thinking of this, he took a deep breath, gathered his complicated thoughts, and said with a folded hand, "I obey your command and will act in accordance with your majesty's will."

Zhu Cilang stared at him, his eyes sharp, his tone calm, "You must remember to use the authority I grant you for the needs of the court, not for your own selfish ends. Don't forget, this heavy responsibility carries the fate of the Ming Dynasty." Zheng Hongkui quickly nodded in agreement, but a sense of oppression loomed within him. He dared not say any more, and after a brief pause, he changed the subject, "Your Majesty, I have another matter to report, which may require your coordination to resolve."

"Oh? What's the matter?" Zhu Cilang narrowed his eyes slightly, with a scrutinizing look in his eyes.

"In the Chongming and Zhoushan areas, the navy has recently launched frequent attacks to suppress pirates. While this has been effective and has effectively maintained local peace, it has also affected local trade to a certain extent."

Zheng Hongkui paused, observing Zhu Cilang's expression before continuing, "Furthermore, our current efforts to suppress bandits are insufficient. I believe we should readjust our deployment and plan new sea routes to ensure smooth trade. General Li is familiar with this area, so he can be responsible for the specific arrangements. I'm concerned that others might mishandle the matter and jeopardize Your Majesty's important mission."

Zhu Cilang pondered for a moment, then nodded, "This matter is indeed of great importance. Maritime trade is not only a vital source of tax revenue for the imperial court, but also a crucial means of demonstrating national prestige overseas. Trade with Japan and Southeast Asia must be maintained. I believe that as the Ming Dynasty expands its military overseas and accumulates victories, its political interests will also rise. This is not only the lifeblood of the economy, but also a crucial part of the political landscape."

Zheng Hongkui repeatedly said, "Your Majesty is wise and wise. I will make proper arrangements to ensure that maritime trade is carried out in an orderly manner."

Zhu Cilang continued, "Furthermore, during this southern expedition to Fujian, our army has captured a considerable amount of plunder. I have ordered Zhang Huangyan to deliver over 500,000 taels of silver to Nanjing. You will be responsible for setting aside 200,000 taels of silver for the establishment of the Maritime Customs Office and the Bureau of Industry and Commerce. Ni Yuanlu is already handling the relevant matters, so you only need to cooperate. Any surplus will be transferred to the daily operating expenses of the two departments to avoid financial constraints during operation."

Zheng Hongkui was startled, secretly thinking that His Majesty had indeed left every ounce of wiggle room. Two hundred thousand taels of silver was a considerable sum, but when spread across multiple projects within the Maritime Customs Office and the Bureau of Industry and Commerce, the actual surplus left was extremely limited. This way, the imperial court had complete control over the flow of funds, leaving no room for the Li family to interfere in either planning or execution.

He quickly replied respectfully, "I understand, and I will definitely live up to your Majesty's trust."

Zhu Cilang nodded, a look of deep thought flashing in his eyes. "I hope you all understand that while the implementation of these new policies depends on your talents, what's more important is ensuring that these systems can function long-term in the future. Therefore, we must not confuse priorities."

"I understand. Your Majesty's foresight is something I deeply admire." Zheng Hongkui nodded repeatedly, but a fine layer of cold sweat had already seeped down his forehead. He knew that every word Zhu Cilang said was a reminder not to overstep his bounds.

Zheng Hongkui lowered his head. He had thought that this was just a routine court matter, but he did not expect Zhu Cilang's gaze to become more profound. He then waved his hand and said in a meaningful tone:

"These matters, after all, are merely official business. Previously, you were mostly involved in the Zheng family's affairs, but things will be different from now on. The Ministry of Commerce, the Bank, and the Maritime Customs are all court agencies. They are state affairs, not family matters. The line between official and family matters must be clearly defined. There are certain rules that must never be crossed."

"Your Majesty, you are absolutely right. I will keep this in mind!" Zheng Hongkui's heart tightened. Although he maintained a humble expression, a wave of emotion surged within him. He understood the deeper meaning behind Zhu Cilang's words. It was clearly pointing out some of his previously ambiguous behaviors, which were now completely exposed.

Zhu Cilang slowly stood up, walked to the table with his hands behind his back, and said with a hint of sternness in his tone:

"Now, the situation is different. After the military expansion, the number of soldiers and horses alone will reach 300,000 to 400,000, and the number of officials and clerks in various places will be countless. I, you, and everyone in the court must put aside old habits and set up a new state for the affairs of state.

Therefore, my private treasury must be separated from the national treasury, and the Zheng family's maritime trade can no longer be mixed up with the Ming Dynasty's maritime trade. Otherwise, many things will not be handled in an 'official and impartial manner,' let alone be fair."

Zhu Cilang's gaze was like a knife, and every word he spoke was sonorous and powerful. The meaning of his words was no longer implicit, and it was clearly pointing directly to the benefits that the Zheng family had once gained by relying on their privileges.

Zheng Hongkui's heart trembled. Though he forced himself to remain calm, he couldn't help but clench his fists in his sleeves. He knew this wasn't just directed at him personally, but rather a warning from Zhu Cilang to the major aristocratic families in the court and the military. Those days when they had easily profited by relying on their aristocratic backgrounds would soon become history. He hadn't anticipated this day arriving so soon.

However, Zheng Hongkui could not help but feel fortunate for having restrained himself early on. After being secretly warned by Zhu Cilang, he set about cleaning up his family's excessive behavior in various places. It now appears that this move has clearly restored the emperor's trust, allowing him to continue to shoulder important responsibilities during the storm of reform.

But he still had doubts in his heart. What was the deep meaning of Zhu Cilang's reform? Just as Zheng Hongkui was secretly speculating, Zhu Cilang had already withdrawn his cold gaze, and his tone softened slightly, and continued:
"My reforms are by no means merely aimed at reclaiming power from the localities. While local financial and human resources must certainly be brought under central control, this is only the first step. What I truly want to do is leverage this reform to propel the Ming system into a whole new realm, allowing the court to reach new heights in national strength and prestige."

Zhu Cilang's eyes flashed with determination. He slowly raised his hand and pointed at the map, as if pointing to a blueprint for the future. "The future of the Ming Dynasty cannot be the private property of a single family, nor can a few families meddle with the fate of the nation. Only by establishing a clear and reasonable system can we truly pool every bit of power in the court, bind local resources, and work towards a common goal."

Zheng Hongkui's heart trembled upon hearing this. He vaguely understood Zhu Cilang's deeper meaning. The emperor was not only weakening the power of local aristocratic families, but also, through institutional design, building a solid foundation for the nascent national regime.

This is an unprecedented redistribution of power!

Zhu Cilang turned and looked at Zheng Hongkui, his eyes piercing as if he could see through his heart. He said, "Zheng Hongkui, I chose you to lead this reform not because you are a member of the Zheng family, but because you are talented. I don't trust any family, I only trust talent. You must understand that this is both a heavy trust and a test."

"I will live up to your Majesty's trust!" Zheng Hongkui took a deep breath and bowed respectfully, clasping his fists. At this moment, he understood that this was not just an ordinary division of power, but a profound transformation that would affect the future of the entire empire.

(End of this chapter)