Zhu Yuanzhang Returns from Modern Times

Chapter 159 Auspicious smoke is rising from the ancestral graves! The emperor is actually so generous?! Is this still the stingy emperor?!
Think about it, Wang Dayuan is just an old man who hasn't accomplished anything in his life.

I didn't do anything productive when I was young; I spent a lot of time traveling around with the fleet.

He did make some money, but while it might be okay for ordinary people, it was nothing to the emperor.

And by this time, most of that money had already been spent.

There's nothing else to show for it.

Moreover, these so-called presentable items are far inferior to those of the emperor.

It's completely beneath us.

He lacked both academic talent and martial arts skills, and he certainly lacked the ability to govern a country.

As a result, this man, who had nothing, was suddenly found by the imperial court some time ago.

It was said that the emperor wanted to see him.

Wang Dayuan panicked at that moment, thinking that these people were swindlers.

A man like him has nothing, so why would the emperor send someone to look for him?

Has the emperor gone mad?

For the past few days, he has been unable to eat or sleep well.

When he was finally led into the palace, his head was spinning.

It just felt incredibly unreal.

Especially now, he actually met the emperor, and the emperor seemed to be treating him so politely.

This brought his panic and fear to their peak.

It's confirmed; my earlier assumptions were indeed correct.

I'm really going to die!
Not only will he himself be in grave danger, but his entire family will also be doomed.

In that brief moment, he even figured out where he would be buried.

Firstly, there are rumors that the current emperor has a bad temper and kills people like mowing grass.

On the other hand, the two sides were of vastly different social statuses, and he had nothing of his own.

How could one expect to receive such a courteous treatment from the emperor?

"Haha, Mr. Ooyuan, there's no need for such formalities."

I have long admired Mr. Oobuchi.

I've long heard of Mr. Oobuchi's name.

Upon seeing Wang Dayuan's appearance, Zhu Yuanzhang quickly spoke up to comfort him.

We must not allow Wang Dayuan to do that.

It would have been better if he hadn't said those words; the moment he did, Wang Dayuan kowtowed even harder.

"Your Majesty... Your Majesty, if I have done anything wrong, please... Please only punish me."

But... but this has nothing to do with my family.

Upon hearing what Wang Dayuan said, Zhu Yuanzhang was at a loss for words, both amused and exasperated.

"Mr. Da Yuan, you don't have to kowtow, and don't be afraid. I'm not here to kill you."

There's something I need Mr. Obuchi to do.

Think about it, if I really wanted to kill you, would I need to go through all this trouble?
With a single order, local officials could wipe out your entire family.

"Would it be necessary to go to such great lengths to find you, meet you in person, and then kill you?"

Wang Dayuan, who was filled with fear and thought he wouldn't survive, was suddenly stunned when he heard Zhu Yuanzhang's words.

I really think what the emperor said makes a lot of sense.

I was wrong before.

If the emperor really wanted to kill him, why go through all this trouble?
But soon new doubts arose in my mind.

If the emperor didn't want to kill me, then why did he go to all this trouble to find me?
What is there for an old man like myself to warrant the emperor's personal attention?
He really couldn't understand.

"We're looking for Mr. Oobuchi because we want to ask him about shipping and overseas trade."

Mr. Obuchi is well aware of this, isn't he?
I humbly request Mr. Oobuchi's guidance.

As Zhu Yuanzhang spoke, he had someone bring over a brocade stool for Wang Dayuan to sit on.

It turned out to be because of this!
Wang Dayuan felt somewhat relieved.

But many questions arose in my mind.

Is this all it takes for the emperor to come all the way to see me?
Such preferential treatment?
He sat with half his bottom on the brocade stool, looking somewhat awkward.

"In reply to Your Majesty, when I was young, I did not do any proper work and did spend a lot of time at sea."

I've also gained some understanding of overseas countries.

But I can't say I know much about it, let alone be willing to offer my advice.

Whatever you wish to ask, I will answer to the best of my knowledge.

"I would never dare to ask for your guidance."

Wang Dayuan spoke very politely.

In his view, what he said was the truth.

My little bit of unproductive experience is really not worth all this.

"Haha, that would be great."

"Mr. Ōbuchi, you must be aware that we've established a Maritime Trade Office and are starting to develop foreign trade, right?"

Wang Dayuan said, "Your Majesty, I have indeed heard some rumors."

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded: "That's good. Tell Mr. Dayuan the truth."

We can't say we're completely clueless about how to establish this Maritime Trade Office and develop overseas trade.

However, we don't know much about the situation overseas, and we lack the necessary talent.

The waters of overseas trade run deep.

Especially when sailing overseas, all aspects of navigation are very important.

Mr. Obuchi had spent many years traveling at sea and was well aware of this.

Mr. Dayuan is precisely the kind of talent that our Great Ming Dynasty desperately needs right now.

Therefore, I intend to hire Mr. Ooyuki as the maritime advisor to the Maritime Trade Office of my Great Ming Dynasty.

He was a sixth-rank official.

How about letting Mr. Oobu do his part for our Great Ming Dynasty?

Upon hearing Zhu Yuanzhang's words, Wang Dayuan was stunned once again.

It became increasingly unbelievable.

A sixth-rank official?
This... this is the rank of a sixth-grade official.

"Yes! This humble citizen is willing!"

After the initial shock, he immediately knelt on the ground, filled with excitement, and kowtowed to Zhu Yuanzhang.

Wang Dayuan has lived most of his life and has seen a lot of things.

I've long since come to realize a truth.

Whether it's a wealthy businessman or anything else in this world, it all boils down to nothing.

Only official positions are truly reliable.

No matter how wealthy a merchant is or how much money he can make, he will be helpless when he encounters the government.

Especially after committing certain crimes, they become like pigs waiting to be slaughtered.

He had long wanted to become an official.

But becoming an official isn't easy; there's simply no way to do it.

They also lack the corresponding talent.

In this lifetime, I've always felt that there's no hope of ever becoming an official.

Who would have thought that such a great thing would suddenly fall into his lap today?

He's a sixth-rank official!
This is even higher than the rank of a county magistrate!

The reason why the emperor valued him so much and personally bestowed an official title upon him was because of this.

It was actually me. I had spent my early years at sea and knew a lot about things overseas.

This action, which his father considered a waste of time in his early years, actually brought him such great good fortune.
"This humble subject kowtows to express his gratitude for Your Majesty's grace. It's just that... it's just that this humble subject is afraid that he has not done well and has failed Your Majesty's expectations."

Looking at Wang Dayuan, who was kneeling and kowtowing excitedly, Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly remembered what some people in modern times had said: that even officials in the Hongwu era wouldn't do the job of a dog.

Some people say this as a joke, but some people actually take it seriously.

How could even a dog not do it?

Countless people yearn for and vie to become officials in the Hongwu era!

He thought he had killed officials like mowing grass in his past life, cracking down on one major case after another and beheading so many officials.

Yet, there has never been a shortage of officials.

People who want to become officials are still scrambling to get the positions.

"Get up, Mr. Oobuchi."

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Wang Dayuan and said with a smile.

"Not only this sixth-rank maritime advisor, Mr. Wakaobuchi did a good job."

When a maritime academy is established in the future, Mr. Obuchi can be invited to teach there.

Go and give those people a proper lesson, and share your experience.

"To contribute to the maritime development of our Great Ming Dynasty."

Wang Dayuan, who had just straightened up, knelt down on the ground again after hearing Zhu Yuanzhang's words.

I was as excited as I could be.

How could... how could they actually let me be their teacher?
Being a teacher is a very prestigious and respected profession.

Very high status.

Wherever you go, people will treat you with great courtesy.

As for Wang Dayuan, he could only admire school teachers in the past.

Not only was he envious, but his father was also envious back then.

Back then, my father wanted me to become a schoolteacher.

Unfortunately, I don't have that talent.

As a result, he is now not only able to serve as a sixth-rank official, but also as a teacher, sharing his experience at sea with others.

This feels so good!

Especially considering the great favor His Majesty has shown him, it's all because of this—his interest in venturing out to sea, which his father disliked.

If only my father were still alive.

I'm sure I'll be happy for myself.

And when facing his father, he could finally hold his head high.

He immediately decided to wait until things were somewhat settled.

He would take some time to visit his father's grave.

Tell your father all about these things.

Tell him that his son has finally achieved something!

Doing trade overseas is not as unproductive as he claims.

Instead, there is great potential!

Who would have thought that, when he was practically buried in the earth, his luck would suddenly turn around!
A promotion and a fortune have arrived!
"Your Majesty's kindness is beyond my ability to repay. I can only do my utmost to repay Your Majesty's favor!"

After bowing solemnly to Zhu Yuanzhang once more, Wang Dayuan stood up.

The old man's face turned red, and his body was trembling.

Zhu Yuanzhang could understand Wang Dayuan's feelings at this time; the allure of an official position during his Hongwu reign was still very strong.

"Mr. Oobuchi, you are wrong."

Upon hearing Zhu Yuanzhang's words, Wang Dayuan instantly became terrified.

His knees buckled and he was about to kneel down and confess his sins.

Although he didn't know where he had gone wrong.

This displeased the emperor. But since the emperor had said so, it was best to admit guilt first.

"The way you address Mr. Oobuchi needs to be changed."

They are not commoners, but should submit to the emperor.

Upon hearing Zhu Yuanzhang's words, the fear on Wang Dayuan's face vanished instantly.

He became increasingly excited and agitated.

His face turned bright red.

"Yes, yes, Your Majesty... no, Your Majesty understands, Your Majesty remembers."

The moment Wang Dayuan uttered the word "臣" (chen, meaning subject/minister), it felt as if he had drunk fine wine, making him feel light and airy, as if he had lost more than two ounces of weight.

That's called a good mood.

I never imagined that one day I would be a subject of the emperor.

Moreover, he addressed the emperor as "subject" in his presence.

This feels so new and wonderful!
Seeing the old man's reaction, Zhu Yuanzhang knew that he had delivered something that pleased Wang Dayuan.

nice! You love it!

Only if you like it can you be loyal to your work and do your job well.

"Your Majesty, this foreign trade is different from ordinary trade."

It has very high requirements for navigation routes.

At sea, everything looks like water, nothing different.

But there are many intricacies involved.

Some places are suitable for navigation, while others are not.

There are hidden reefs beneath the sea; if you're not careful, you could run aground, or even lose your ship and your life.

On the vast ocean, there are some tips and tricks for determining direction and avoiding storms.

When I was young, I was very interested in navigation.

He traveled to Southeast Asia and the Western Ocean quite often.

There are nautical charts, and all the sea routes that I know are marked out.

Where can boats dock, and which islands have drinking water?

Everything is recorded, including what goods are available in what locations.

Upon hearing Wang Dayuan's words, Zhu Yuanzhang's smile widened.

This is exactly what he needs.

"Where is this nautical chart? Did Mr. Oobuchi bring it with him?"

Wang Dayuan replied, "Your Majesty, I did not bring it."

"Could you please bring it here?"

Wang Dayuan shook his head.

Zhu Yuanzhang's smile remained unchanged, but he was slightly taken aback and had a bad feeling.

Could it be that Wang Dayuan wants more?
"Your Majesty, I have the nautical chart memorized."

"I can draw up another nautical chart at any time."

"Ha ha."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang laughed and said, "Very good, we have not made a mistake in choosing Mr. Dayuan."

What our Great Ming Dynasty lacks right now is a professional talent like Mr. Dayuan.

"Your Majesty, I am not afraid of these aspects when doing trade overseas."

However, there is one thing that is not easy to handle.

This is beyond my ability to resolve; only Your Majesty can overcome this difficulty.

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang said, "Please speak, Mr. Dayuan."

Wang Dayuan said, "Those are pirates."

When I was young, I did trade at sea. Although there were pirates at sea, there were not as many or as powerful as this.

In recent years, I've heard that pirates at sea have become increasingly rampant.

In particular, the pirate groups led by Chen and Fang were extremely powerful.

They were far beyond the reach of ordinary pirates.

Ordinary merchant ships traveling overseas could not escape their pursuit and interception.

Many people go to sea and never come back.

If you want to do business at sea, you have to pay them kickbacks.

Or send more guards.

Your Majesty desires to develop the Maritime Trade Office, and these pirates must be eradicated.

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded upon hearing this; Wang Dayuan was telling the truth.

Wang Dayuan didn't hide anything about this.

It's clear that they put their heart into it and wanted to get things done.

"Your Majesty, these pirates at sea should not be underestimated."

As far as I know, Chen Fang's two groups of pirates together possess more than thirty large ships with a combined capacity of two thousand liang.

In addition, there are many large ocean-going ships with a capacity of thousands of tons.

The ship was also equipped with a large number of trebuchets.

Very difficult to deal with.

In recent years, Chen and Fang's pirate gangs have become increasingly powerful at sea.

Through numerous maritime merchants, they amassed a great deal of wealth.

Most of this money was used to purchase new warships and to hire more men.

They subdued many small groups of pirates at sea.

The composition of the personnel inside is very complex.

Besides Chen Youding and Fang Guozhen's former subordinates, there were also some people who had fled from our Great Ming Dynasty to join us at sea.

Some were captured maritime merchants, along with their corresponding guards.

There were also Japanese pirates, and people from other small, uncivilized countries.

The total number is definitely no less than 50,000.

Moreover, these people spend most of their time at sea.

They have a very clear understanding of the sea surface.

They are also very skilled in naval warfare.

That's their specialty..."

For professional matters, consult professionals.

When Wang Dayuan was asked this question, many things suddenly became clear.

You can tell how knowledgeable Wang Dayuan is about maritime affairs just by listening to him speak.

You can tell he's a professional.

"Alright, I've got it. We must wipe out the pirates."

The pirates must indeed be eradicated.

Regardless of whether these people were remnants of Chen Youding and Fang Guozhen's forces.

They have old grudges against us.

Simply robbing maritime merchants would seriously threaten and undermine the practice of doing business overseas.

This meant that their side was destined to wipe them all out.

Moreover, as far as he knows.

The relationship between pirates and merchants was close, and they had some cooperative relationships at sea.

It's obvious without even asking that there will inevitably be a battle between the Ming Dynasty and these pirates in the future.

Fortunately, I had anticipated this and had prepared for it long ago.

On Tao Chengdao's side, with the help of some creative ideas he provided and strong financial support, things were going well.

Hundreds of cannons have now been produced.

These are cannons far more powerful than the cannons that originally existed in the Ming Dynasty.

It was even more powerful than the red-coated cannons of the late Ming Dynasty.

These cannons would have an overwhelming advantage in this era.

No matter how big these pirate ships were, or how many trebuchets they carried, they were no match for the numerous cannon-equipped ships on their side.

They were just as vulnerable.

We can blast them to pieces before they even get close.

The current artillery is still insufficient; Zhu Yuanzhang felt it was still lacking.

We should at least forge another one or two hundred more.

Zhu Yuanzhang also had a bit of a fear of insufficient firepower.

Get three hundred cannons, load them all onto the ships, and hide the news.

From now on, we can give these pirates a big surprise!
These pirates must be shocked by the huge surprise they've given them.

At this time, the cannons that had been cast first had already been secretly installed on the ship.

Currently, Yu Tongyuan and his team are secretly leading training sessions.

He also gave them some naval warfare techniques he had learned from later generations.

This time, the fourth brother's house was ransacked and so many things were confiscated.

Although most of it was used to establish state-owned enterprises.

But he still had his fourth brother bring back a lot of bronze utensils from there.

They secretly delivered it to the firearms camp.

Nowadays, the artillery battalion is casting cannons at a faster and more skilled pace.

With so many raw materials and a large amount of funding to support it.

At this rate, we can produce another two hundred cannons in two months at most.

By that time, the Maritime Trade Office had been basically established.

The state-owned enterprises in the Jiangnan region have been mostly established.

It can now officially begin operations.

Those pirates at sea must have been itching to act for a long time.

They're thinking of doing something drastic to themselves.

When that time comes, we'll see who wins and who wipes out the pirates!

With the pirates eliminated, the Ming Dynasty's navy could be formally established.

"If we can wipe out the pirates, things will be much easier."

Wang Dayuan said this, but he couldn't help but worry about it in his heart.

He knew that these pirates at sea were no ordinary people and were extremely powerful.

Even if the imperial court wanted to take action and eliminate them, it wouldn't be that easy.

But since the emperor had already spoken and agreed to it,

He could only touch on the subject briefly and couldn't say anything more.

We can only believe that the emperor can solve the problem of the pirates...

……

Meanwhile, at the Eastern Palace, Granny Cui was conducting a routine medical examination on the Crown Prince's principal wife, Lady Chang.

It was quite necessary for Granny Cui to come and check on Madam Chang every month since she was pregnant.

Lady Lü stood guard to the side, her heart pounding with anxiety...

(End of this chapter)