My Portable Ming Dynasty

Chapter 146 The Loyal and Martyred Wu Qingbo

“Ginseng!”

As the crown prince, Zhu Yijun had naturally seen all sorts of fine things, and he could tell at a glance that this ginseng was of very good quality.

Su Ze corrected him, saying:

"Your Highness, this is Korean ginseng."

Zhu Yijun said:
"Is this the item that Korea sent as tribute?"

Su Ze nodded repeatedly and said:

“Your Highness is wise. Joseon has been sending this item as tribute every year, and our dynasty has reciprocated with silk.”

Little Fatty Jun took the Korean ginseng, but quickly lost interest.

He was still young and didn't care much for medicinal herbs. He only knew that Korean ginseng was very popular in the capital. Many nobles and high-ranking officials would ask their father, the emperor, for ginseng when they fell ill. It was known as a "life-saving medicine".

Wealthy families in the capital would also try every means to store ginseng in case of an emergency to save their lives.

Su Ze continued:

"Does Your Highness know that this item is not precious? In Korea, a packet of Korean ginseng can only be exchanged for a piece of silk?"

"So cheap? I remember when my father returned the favor to the Korean envoys, he gave them ten times the price of silk!"

Su Ze said:

“There is an island on the Yalu River called Pi Island. Jurchen and Korean people from the Yalu River area would secretly row to this island to trade ginseng with the merchant ships that came and went.”

“This Korean ginseng of mine was brought to Laizhou Port by the Hongyi people who traded on Pi Island.”

Immediately afterwards, Su Ze pulled out another map.

This map was redrawn by Xu Wei based on the East Asian nautical charts of the Dutch captain Sir De Vries and Su Ze's own memory.

This was the first time Zhu Yijun had ever seen such an exquisite map. Su Ze first marked the location of Laizhou Port, and then marked Jinzhouwei (now Lushun), which was across the sea from Laizhou Port. When he saw that the two were so close to each other on the map, even Zhu Yijun exclaimed in surprise.

Su Ze then specified the location of Pi Island, which is situated at the mouth of the Yalu River and is very close to North Korean territory.

"Besides Pi Island, there are also Deer Island and Zhangzi Island nearby. As the names suggest, these two islands were where the local savages traded deer antlers and furs."

Su Ze then compared the two islands again, and Zhu Yijun asked in confusion:

"Why don't these savages and Koreans trade on the shore?"

Su Ze said:

"North Korea also followed our example and closed its country off, not allowing foreign ships to dock at its ports, so people went to the islands to trade."

Zhu Yijun nodded, "So that's the reasoning."

Su Ze continued:

"The Korean nobles have a great demand for our silk. In addition, the popular Chinese plays, dramas and poetry collections are also very popular in Korea and can be exchanged for a large amount of Korean ginseng."

“From Laizhou Port, Pi Island can be reached in just seven days and nights, and even by fast horse, it can be transported to the capital in just a few days.”

“A single Korean ginseng can fetch an astronomical price in the capital.”

Now, Little Fatty Jun's breathing became rapid.

The things Su Ze mentioned, whether silk or books, were commonplace in the capital.

These items, after being transshipped at sea, can be exchanged for valuable Korean ginseng, deer antlers, and mink fur!

But soon, Zhu Yijun lowered his head and said:
"But I can't go to trade myself."

Su Ze said:
“Your Highness, it is naturally inconvenient for the Crown Prince's Palace to send people directly to Pi Island for trade, but the Marquis of Wuqing's family are imperial merchants.”

Zhu Yijun then realized that after his mother was made a Noble Consort, his father had also given his maternal grandfather the title of Imperial Merchant.

As a royal merchant, it's normal for him to go overseas to do some business, right?

However, Zhu Yijun also said:

"Master Su, as you know, my maternal grandfather has been busy planting potatoes lately, how could he possibly go to Laizhou to do any maritime trade?"

Su Ze smiled and said:

"The old man of the Marquis of Wuqing is getting old, and it is not suitable for him to travel at sea. However, the heir of the Marquis of Wuqing is also your maternal uncle, Li Wenquan, a commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, who is also in the capital."

Zhu Yijun's eyes lit up again!
Li Wenquan was his maternal uncle. The Ming Dynasty imperial family would bestow the title of Imperial Guard upon relatives of the empress, but in reality, it was a sinecure where one could receive a salary without actually working. Li Wenquan did not need to go to work at the Imperial Guard at all.

Actually, as relatives of the emperor, the Li family of Marquis Wuqing was already quite well-off.

The Li family members are low-key, and Li Wei has no other bad reputation except for being greedy and stingy.

Li Wenquan was a nobody in the capital and dared not cause trouble for his sister in the palace.

The Li family were originally imperial merchants, so doing business was a legitimate business for them.

Now that the port of Dengzhou and Laiyang has been opened, and overseas trade is no longer illegal.

Upon thinking of this, Zhu Yijun immediately said excitedly:

"Master Su, I will immediately invite my maternal uncle to the Eastern Palace!"
-
When Su Ze came out of the East Palace, he knew that the matter was probably settled.

I only made a chart game, and it made Little Fatty Jun so happy. Wouldn't this game of maritime trade make Little Fatty Jun addicted?

Su Ze thought of the maritime trade game he used to play, which he would play all night long. The real-life version of the game allowed him to see piles of silver. Not to mention Zhu Yijun, even adults would find it hard to resist.

Su Ze's introduction of the Pi Island trade to Zhu Yijun was not solely for the sake of this small amount of money.

Pi Island's strategic location is extremely important. Historically, during the late Ming Dynasty, the Ming Dynasty relied on Pi Island to hold on for another three years amidst the complete collapse of the Liaodong war situation.

Pi Island is both offensive and defensive, serving as a bridgehead for the Liaodong campaign and a logistical base for the Liaodong seas.

In Su Ze's vision, Pi Island could be used to station a naval fleet, which could then sail south to patrol the Bohai Sea estuary and strike pirates in the Bohai Sea region.

Heading north, they could swim upstream into the Yalu River and suppress North Korea and the Liaodong region.

Pi Island can also serve as the starting point for the northern continental shipping route, from which one can depart, circle around the Korean Peninsula, and head to Japan.

In any case, the island is currently unclaimed. Once Zhu Yijun develops the island and the court sees its value, it will naturally acquire it.

In this way, the loss of the Liaodong Peninsula by sea was already a foregone conclusion.

After dealing with Zhu Yijun, Su Ze walked towards the residence of Wang Zhihuan, the Vice Minister of Works.
-
Wang Zhihuan, the Vice Minister of Works, sensed something was wrong after reading the newspaper at the Ministry of Works. He excused himself from work at noon and returned home, where he happened to meet Fan Kuan, a hermit who had come to visit him.

"Minister Wang, we must act immediately and find someone to impeach Pan Jixun!"

As a hermit, Fan Kuan's first approach was to "deal with the person who raised the question."

Wang Zhihuan sighed and said:
“In the past, I could have asked the censors to impeach Pan Jixun for spreading rumors and misleading the public. But now, neither the Six Ministries nor the Censorate are willing to report on such matters. Pan Jixun is in mourning at home, and no censor is willing to submit a memorial.”

Fan Kuan became even more anxious after hearing this, and continued:

"In that case, the imperial court will really have to restart the campaign against Liaodong and Haiyang!"

Wang Zhihuan remained silent, but his strong advocacy for the construction of the Liaodong Grand Canal was his greatest political asset as the Vice Minister of Works.

Around this project, there were officials from top to bottom who hoped to be promoted based on their achievements in repairing the canal, and there were merchants who made money through canal trade.

If the imperial court really abandons the Liaodong Canal project, it will not only affect Wang Zhihuan's future, but also the careers of a large number of people.

This is also why political struggles often become life-or-death battles.

Fan Kuan then said:
“Minister Wang, since we can’t deal with Pan Jixun, let’s deal with Tu Zemin. I can contact several censors in Shandong Province to gather evidence of Tu Zemin’s illegal crimes. Once we remove him from his post as governor of Dengzhou and Laizhou, no one will advocate for Dengzhou, Liaodong and Haizhou to lose.”

Wang Zhihuan hesitated for a moment, just then a doorman came to deliver a message, saying that Su Ze had come to request an audience and had brought a visiting card. Su Ze?

Wang Zhihuan immediately stood up and said:

"Please invite Su Hanlin in."

Fan Kuan quickly said:

"Minister Wang, this Su Ze has ill intentions; you must not see him!"

Wang Zhihuan said with some annoyance:

"Since Hanlin Su is coming to visit, you should listen to what he has to say. You should avoid him for now."

Upon hearing this, Fan Kuan's heart skipped a beat; his own status was indeed no match for Su Ze's.

Su Ze is a man of great status, a promising scholar and a guest of the cabinet ministers.

Even setting aside political status, Su Ze was the editor-in-chief of the Yuefu Xinbao and a trendsetter in the capital. His status in the literary world was also extraordinary, and many people dreamed of publishing articles in the Yuefu Xinbao to gain fame.

Even though Wang Zhihuan and Su Ze disagreed on political views, they still had to meet.

Fan Kuan could only slink away to a side hall.

Su Ze had only come to Wang Zhihuan's residence to leave a visiting card, intending to talk to him when they had time, but he didn't expect Wang Zhihuan to be home.

Wang Zhihuan met Su Ze in the reception hall.

This Vice Minister of Works was probably in his forties, with some graying temples and a long, thin beard.

Compared to Lei Li, the Minister of Works who resembled an old carpenter, Wang Zhihuan, the Vice Minister of Works, had the air of a high-ranking official.

Su Ze came to visit Wang Zhihuan, actually hoping to win him over.

Politics is about minimizing enemies and maximizing friends.

The conflict between Su Ze and Wang Zhihuan was a political disagreement, not a life-or-death feud.

Historically, Wang Zhihuan oversaw the construction of the Liaodong Canal for grain transport. This canal was used until the end of the Ming Dynasty, and its eventual closure was a result of the Ming Dynasty's military defeat in Liaodong. This canal project was quite durable.

When the Grand Canal was being built, Wang Zhihuan had no idea that the Manchu Qing dynasty would rise to power.

The fact that Wang Zhihuan was able to complete the Liaohe River project on schedule and with high quality in the harsh and cold Liaodong region is enough to show that he was a capable official.

Moreover, the Liaohe Canal is not abandoned.

Su Ze's vision for managing Liaodong was to completely develop Liaodong and incorporate it into the official territory of the Ming Dynasty.

When that time comes, the water conservancy projects in Liaodong will definitely still need to be repaired.

In the history before Su Ze's time travel, it was only after the founding of the People's Republic of China that the Northeast underwent several large-scale water conservancy projects, which truly transformed the black soil into a granary.

Su Ze greeted Wang Zhihuan and then said:

"Today, I, Su, have come to your door to request an essay from Vice Minister Wang."

"Requesting an article?"

This has left Vice Minister Wang completely bewildered.

Su Ze continued, "You read Master Pan's article in the last issue, right?"

Wang Zhihuan nodded.

Su Ze said:

“Pan Gong has his reasons, and you have yours. As the Master once said, ‘Truth becomes clearer through debate.’ We can’t just publish Pan Gong’s opinion in the newspaper, can we?”

"I have heard that Vice Minister Wang is an official of the Ministry of Works who strongly advocated the construction of the Liaodong Canal for water transport and is also an authority on river management and repair. Therefore, I would like to ask you to write an article to describe the benefits of the Liaodong Canal."

Wang Zhihuan was dumbfounded, and Fan Kuan, who was hiding in the side hall, was also dumbfounded.

Su Ze really did come to my door asking for an article!
Wang Zhihuan was conflicted.

Pan Jixun had more experience than him, and the questions he raised were indeed valid.

If we were to actually debate on the articles, I might not be able to refute Pan Jixun's work.

When that time comes, the political climate will inevitably change, and the Grand Canal faction will inevitably fall.

Publishing articles in the Yuefu Xinbao newspaper, showcasing one's professionalism, could be extremely beneficial for one's future.

Nowadays, everyone, from the emperor to the common people, reads the "New Yuefu Gazette." If you can leave an impression of being a capable official on the emperor and the Grand Secretaries, you're more likely to be given an important position in the future.

After hesitating for a long time, Wang Zhihuan finally said, "Since Hanlin Su has asked for a manuscript, then I, Wang, will make a fool of myself and deliver the manuscript to your residence within two days."

Su Ze pretended to be overjoyed and said:
"Thank you very much, Vice Minister Wang, for the ink!"

Wang Zhihuan felt a warmth in his heart. No wonder the Grand Secretary could chat with Su Ze for so long! It was so pleasant to talk to him!
Su Ze, a dignified scholar, was regarded by the Grand Secretary as a future advisor, yet he was so respectful to him!
When Wang Zhihuan thought of those hermits like Fan Kuan, he immediately lost interest.

Even after obtaining the manuscript, Su Ze showed no sign of leaving.

Wang Zhihuan looked at Su Ze with suspicion, only to hear Su Ze say again:
"In fact, when he was drafting the document for Pan Gong, Pan Gong also mentioned Vice Minister Wang. He also praised you as the number one person in the Ministry of Works in river management."

Wang Zhihuan was even happier. As a technocrat, the recognition from top peers was the best form of flattery.

Su Ze continued:

"Master Pan and I discussed a topic that I, Su, am not knowledgeable enough to discuss with Master Pan. Therefore, I would like to ask Vice Minister Wang for advice."

Wang Zhihuan was overjoyed and immediately ordered his attendants to bring up the finest tea. Then he said to Su Ze:

"Please speak freely, Hanlin Su. As long as it is something I, Wang, know, I will tell you everything without reservation and resolve your doubts!"

Su Ze didn't stand on ceremony and, after drinking the tea, said:
"Pan Gong once managed the Yellow River. Back then, his disagreement with Minister Zhu was about how to manage the Yellow River."

"Minister Zhu's idea was to follow the old course, that is, to rebuild the old course of the Yellow River, but Minister Pan advocated digging a new course, and in the end the court adopted Minister Zhu's plan."

Wang Zhihuan nodded. He was a firsthand witness to the disagreements over the management of the Yellow River at the end of the Jiajing era, so he naturally knew more than Su Ze.

Su Ze continued:

"I am not clear about the specifics of the Yellow River."

"In his letter, Pan Gong mainly talked about the section of the Yellow River in Xuzhou."

"After Jia Lu managed the river in the Yuan Dynasty, the Yellow River flowed through Xuzhou alone. The Xuzhou section of the Grand Canal relied entirely on the Yellow River for transportation, and Xuzhou thus became an important hub for grain transport."

"But Master Pan said that the Yellow River has hidden dangers. What is the reason for this?"

Wang Zhihuan, true to his reputation as a professional hydrological bureaucrat, immediately said:

"That's simple. Xuzhou City was built along the Yellow River. After the Yellow River was tamed during the Yuan Dynasty, the Yellow River and the Grand Canal merged in the Xuzhou section. However, silt also accumulated here, and the river embankment became higher and higher. The last time Minister Zhu built the Yellow Embankment in Xuzhou, it had already exceeded the height of the Xuzhou city wall."

"If the Yellow River floods, Xuzhou will suffer. Moreover, after the transport of goods via the Yellow River, the Xuzhou section of the canal will be difficult to navigate due to siltation."

Su Ze pretended to suddenly realize something and said, "I see!"

He sighed:

"It seems I've come to the right person. In this world, the only one who can discuss river administration with Master Pan is Vice Minister Wang!"

Su Ze then asked:

"If the Yellow River were to be diverted and a new canal were dug to the north, does Vice Minister Wang think it would be feasible?"

(End of this chapter)