My Portable Ming Dynasty

Chapter 167 Tribute Envoys Enter the Capital

Feng Bao thought to himself, "Those civil officials in the outer court are going to be in trouble."

The return of the lost ships of the Maritime Trade Office, along with the arrival of foreign tribute envoys, was naturally great news.

Those civil officials who attacked the opening of the port of Dengzhou and Laizhou as a result will face the emperor's retaliation.

Feng Bao pondered how to pass this message on to Zhang Juzheng, while secretly marveling at Su Ze's incredible luck!
Just as he was submitting his petition, he received this wonderful news!

Feng Bao began to think again. If the opening of Zhigu Port was a foregone conclusion, then the selection of the eunuch of the Zhigu Maritime Trade Office should be decided as soon as possible.

Unlike Denglai, the location of Teko is much more crucial.

Although Dengzhou and Laizhou are not far from the capital, goods still need to be transported by land for a period of time before being unloaded onto the canal and delivered to the capital.

Therefore, since the opening of the port of Denglai, the cargo throughput has not actually been very large.

But direct selling is different.

During the Yuan Dynasty, due to the flooding of the Yellow River and the blockage of the Grand Canal, the Yuan Dynasty used seagoing ships to transport grain, which took the Zhigu Pass.

Zhigu and the capital were connected by a canal, and goods unloaded at the port could be directly transferred to cargo ships, making transportation less efficient and less costly than Dengzhou and Laizhou.

The opening of the port of Denglai has yielded such great results; one can only imagine the enormous benefits that would come once Zhigu is opened as a port.

Feng Bao glanced at Li Fang beside him again. Last time, he had beaten the eunuch of the Dengzhou-Laizhou Maritime Trade Office to the punch, and Li Fang would definitely not let this opportunity pass him by.

Even if they couldn't seize the position of chief eunuch, they would still try to place a few of their own people in it.

Feng Bao suddenly felt unwell again.

The chief eunuch of the Dengzhou-Laizhou Maritime Trade Office was his adopted son. He did a good job in Dengzhou and Laizhou, but he also wrote to him many times to complain about how difficult it was to run the Dengzhou-Laizhou Maritime Trade Office.

Unlike other overseas agencies, the Maritime Trade Office was highly specialized, requiring not only smooth interpersonal skills but also expertise in mathematics and trade.

If you don't understand these things, you can easily be sidelined by your subordinates.

Yes, if you can't even understand the account books, how can you manage the Maritime Trade Office?
There weren't many eunuchs in the palace who were good at reading, let alone skilled in calculating wealth.

By the way, should we find a few more people to study at the Chinese Academy of Architecture?
Not only Feng Bao thought so, but Li Fang and Chen Hong also thought so; they were all planning to put their own people into the Society for Research in Chinese Architecture.
-
Fang Xuemin's residence.

Standing opposite Fang Xuemin was a scribe with a mustache.

The author of this book is named Shen Jing, who is the same Shen Sixiao's advisor.

After being dismissed from his post, Shen Sixiao did not return to his hometown, but instead lingered near the capital.

Fang Xuemin knew Shen Sixiao's thoughts; he wanted to campaign in the capital to seek reinstatement.

At first, Fang Xuemin was angry that Shen Sixiao had implicated him and caused him to be punished, but he quickly reconciled with Shen Sixiao under the influence of money.

Shen Jingze traveled between the capital city and its surroundings, connecting Shen Sixiao and Fang Xuemin.

For example, in this impeachment case concerning the opening of the port of Denpai, Fang Xuemin was able to obtain so much information about Denpai, thanks to the information provided by Shen Sixiao.

"Imperial Censor Fang, you've certainly made a name for yourself in the capital with this impeachment of Li Guojiu!"

Fang Xuemin stroked his beard, a smug smile on his face.

However, a relative of the emperor who has not yet inherited the title is not worth his time as a senior censor. His target is Tu Zemin, the governor of Dengzhou and Laizhou, and even Su Ze behind him.

Shen Jing then said:
"I heard that Su Ze didn't dare to submit a memorial to support his cronies this time, he must be afraid of Imperial Censor Fang."

At this point, Fang Xuemin became even more smug.

However, Fang Xuemin was a seasoned bureaucrat who had been through many ups and downs in officialdom, so he composed himself and said:

"How's the investigation by the *Xin Yuefu Daily* going?"

The smile on Shen Jing's face disappeared when the "New Yuefu Daily" was mentioned.

"Dongweng searched for a long time outside the capital, but could not find the office of the Xinyuefu Daily."

Fang Xuemin also stroked his chin and said:

"That's really strange. The five city patrol censors have had the police search for a long time, but they still haven't found the office of the 'New Yuefu Daily'."

After Su Ze started running a newspaper, many people in the private sector also set their sights on running a newspaper.

People discovered that running a newspaper was not only a way to gain fame, but also a profitable business.

In the beginning, some tabloids pirated "Yuefu Xinbao" and were able to make a good profit.

However, as the sales of "Yuefu Xinbao" expanded, the inexpensive and high-quality official newspapers still took over the space of these pirated newspapers, and thus a second generation of tabloids emerged.

These tabloids no longer simply copied the official newspapers; instead, they began to publish their own articles.

The *Xin Yuefu Bao* (New Yuefu Gazette) appeared around this time.

Soon, the New Yuefu Daily stood out among all the newspapers and became the newspaper with the second largest circulation after the official newspaper.

For example, the article criticizing the Four Books and Five Classics last time was very popular in the mid-to-late Ming Dynasty. The "New Yuefu Daily" became a bestseller.

Such an influential newspaper naturally attracted the attention of those who were interested.

However, the "New Yuefu Newspaper" was very mysterious. It accepted submissions in secret, but no one had ever seen the recipients.

Contributors must write down their address, and once an article is selected, a generous payment will be delivered to their door.

The Xinlefu Daily maintains a neutral stance and publishes all kinds of articles.

Whether it's an article criticizing the imperial court or an article praising it.

Some of the unorthodox remarks would make Confucian scholars curse after reading them, but some of the conservative content would even make pedantic scholars frown.

It seems that for this newspaper, the only criterion for publication is whether the writing is good or not.

But it is precisely this attitude that has enabled the Xinlefu Daily to become the second best-selling newspaper.

Fang Xuemin also followed Su Ze's example and used the method of publishing newspapers first in this court struggle.

He knew that his submission to the Yuefu Xinbao would be rejected, so he chose the Xin Yuefu Bao instead.

It worked really well.

Fang Xuemin had a new idea: if he could control the newspaper, wouldn't he be invincible in impeaching others in the future?

So he asked Shen Sixiao to search for news in the "New Yuefu Daily", but was greatly disappointed.

Shen Jing then said, "Imperial Censor Fang, don't be anxious. My master is also preparing to start a newspaper."

"Run a newspaper? Running a newspaper is great!"

Fang Xuemin immediately realized the value of running a newspaper, and he quickly said:
"Once Mr. Shen starts his newspaper, I will definitely invite my colleagues to contribute articles!"

After discussing the newspaper, Fang Xuemin continued:
"I urge Master Shen to contact the others and submit another memorial tomorrow. This time, let's not beat around the bush anymore. Let's directly impeach the opening of the port in Dengzhou and Laizhou. Su Ze, the initiator of the opening of the port in Dengzhou and Laizhou, should not be left out!"

Shen Jing gritted his teeth at the mention of Su Ze.

He was originally the county magistrate's advisor and a confidant of Marquis Baili, a prominent figure in the county.

However, Shen Sixiao was dismissed from his post, and his advisors also lost 80% of their stipends. Other advisors had already fled, but Shen Jing was a relative of Shen Sixiao and could not be separated from him, so he could only accompany Shen Sixiao back to the capital.

Therefore, he also harbors a deep-seated hatred for Su Ze.
-
At the residence of Gao Gong.

Su Ze sat in Gao Gong's study, and Gao Gong looked at him.

"Did you know about the Kuwu tribute mission beforehand, or was it just a coincidence?"

As a Grand Secretary, Gao Gong naturally had access to information channels within the palace.

Gao Gong felt relieved when he received the news.

The censors and officials changed their tactics, and even Gao Gong, a Grand Secretary, felt uncomfortable with it.

Upon closer reflection, Gao Gong realized that Fang Xuemin and his group of censors seemed to have "inherited" their tactics from Su Ze. Only then did he understand how formidable Su Ze's approach was!
Su Ze shook his head and said:

“Prime Minister, I have already prepared this memorial, and several colleagues who co-signed it can testify to it.”

Gao Gong nodded. Judging from the timing, this was just a coincidence.
Gao Gong could only sigh in admiration; Su Ze's luck was truly exceptional.

The envoy from Kuwu requested tribute, but the request came at a crucial moment.

Moreover, news from within the palace indicated that the emperor had ordered a news blackout, which shows that the emperor had long been fed up with these censors and officials and was preparing to use this tribute incident to purge them.

At this very moment, Su Ze "coincidentally" submitted a petition requesting the opening of the port for direct sales.

Gao Gong said, "His Majesty is determined to clean up the censorate this time. Keep a low profile these days and don't cause any more trouble."

Su Ze said respectfully:
"The disciple understands."
-
On April 27, Fang Xuemin, the supervising censor of Shandong Province, submitted another memorial, this time directly targeting Tu Zemin, the governor of Dengzhou and Laizhou, and Su Ze, who advocated opening ports in Dengzhou and Laizhou.

Meanwhile, on their way to the capital.

The convoy arranged by the Dengzhou-Laizhou Maritime Trade Office is escorting the Kuwu tribute envoy and several Nurgan chieftains, rushing to the capital.

Captain He Zhen, the captain of the lost merchant ship, was accompanying the chief of the Kuwu tribe. This huge caravan was loaded with carts full of sable furs and precious medicinal herbs offered as tribute by the chieftains of Nurgan.

Chief Kuwu was filled with excitement. Liu Changzhi, the teacher on the boat, carefully accompanied him, fearing that the old man might die on the way due to excessive excitement.

"May our ancestors bless us and allow us to set foot on the land of the Celestial Empire once again."

Since landing at Laizhou Port, Chief Kuwu has been praying every day.

Liu Changzhi was very interested in the animistic beliefs of the Kuwu tribe, and he would chat with the Kuwu chief about it every day.

He Zhen did not believe in any ancestral spirits. Even if they were the ancestral spirits of the Kuwu tribe, they could not protect the land of the Ming Dynasty.

But this time, He Zhen believed that the safe return was due to the power of the goddess.

In truth, this return voyage was fraught with twists and turns.

After repairing the boat on Kuwu Island, Hezhen embarked on his journey home.

However, after sailing for most of the journey, He Zhen's ship encountered another storm.

The storm was extremely fierce. Even though He Zhen personally took the helm and sails, he was still blown off course and lost his way on the vast ocean.

The ship drifted at sea for three days. The chief of the Kuwu tribe led his people to pray to the ancestral spirits, while Hezhen prayed to the Heavenly Queen day and night on the ship.

On the night of the fourth day, He Zhen suddenly saw a light in the distance while he was praying.

He Zhen quickly woke up the crew and sailed toward the light.

As dawn approached, He Zhen saw land. The crew wept with joy, and He Zhen's heart was filled with devotion to the Goddess of the Sea.

Once ashore, He Zhen learned that the light he had seen was from a newly built lighthouse in Laizhou Port. Every night, the lighthouse would ignite whale brain oil extracted from whale brains, making the light as bright as day and helping ships return home.

He Zhen felt even more strongly that his safe return was due to the blessing of the Goddess of the Sea, and he donated his family fortune to build a temple to the Goddess of the Sea in Laizhou Port.

For the Dengzhou-Laizhou Maritime Trade Office, He Zhen's return voyage not only recovered the office's losses.

The additional tribute from the Kuwu tribe and others was an immense contribution!

Moreover, the tribute brought by the chieftains of Kuwu and Nurgan this time far exceeded historical records. These sable furs alone were of the highest quality, and the Dengzhou-Laizhou Maritime Trade Office had completed its task for several years.

The Maritime Trade Office provided the highest level of treatment to escort this group of people into the capital.
-
By May, with more and more virtuous and learned scholars gathering in the capital, public opinion was increasingly tilting in Fang Xuemin's favor.

The opening of the port of Denpa and Lai was thrust into the spotlight, and Su Ze, who first proposed the opening, was denounced as a treacherous official.

When the outer court learned that Su Ze had not only failed to submit a letter of apology, but had even submitted another letter requesting the opening of a port and direct sales, public opinion was in uproar.

Seeing that the time was ripe, Fang Xuemin submitted another memorial, this time directly impeaching Su Ze and listing Su Ze's "ten major crimes".

The cabinet remained remarkably calm during this crisis.

The palace strictly controlled the news, and the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs arrested several eunuchs and maids from the Yikun Palace and the East Palace who were passing messages to the outer court.

What's even stranger is Su Ze's attitude. He neither submitted a memorial to defend himself nor refuted the officials. He simply stayed silently in the history museum.

Seeing that Su Ze did not retaliate, Fang Xuemin felt that he had the upper hand.

Memorials to the emperor were sent to the Office of Transmission like snowflakes, piling up on the desk of Li Yiyuan, the Commissioner of Transmission.

With various factions gathering in the capital, news spread even faster, and Shen Sixiao became even more excited, believing that this time they would definitely put pressure on the court and the public, making Su Ze suffer.

However, Shen Sixiao was sentenced to be dismissed from his post and sent back to his hometown. He did not dare to enter the city on his own. So Shen Sixiao sent his advisor, Shen Jing, into the city every day to gather information.

Shen Jing set off early this morning and lined up to enter the city.

While Shen Jing was queuing, he suddenly heard a commotion coming from behind the crowd.

He looked back and saw a huge convoy heading towards the city gate.

Shen Jing's eyelids twitched violently, and an ominous premonition welled up in his heart.

The soldiers guarding the city were also a little nervous. A captain from the patrol battalion stepped forward to check the identity of the group.

A eunuch stepped out from the line and said in a high-pitched voice:

"We are from the Dengzhou-Laizhou Maritime Trade Office, escorting the Kuwu tribute envoys to the capital!"

After the eunuch finished speaking, he showed the relevant documents, and the captain of the patrol battalion immediately ordered the soldiers to open the city gate.

The eunuch returned to the ranks and instructed He Zhen:

"Feng Bingbi has instructed that upon entering the city, you all should shout in unison, understand?"

He Zhen and the others nodded in unison.

As soon as the city gates opened, the troop roared into the capital.

Meanwhile, He Zhen and the others rode on their horses and shouted loudly.

Shen Jing, who was outside the city, heard their shouts:
"Kuwunuergan Sidenglai landed and paid tribute to the Celestial Empire again!"

Looking at the several carts full of tribute and the crowds celebrating at the city gate, Shen Jing felt his hands and feet turn cold.

He hurriedly left the group and ran towards Shen Sixiao's residence outside the city!
(End of this chapter)