My Portable Ming Dynasty

Chapter 201 All Land Belongs to the King
The ministers were in an uproar after hearing Su Ze's words.

Was it all funded by the emperor's private treasury?
Would the emperor agree?

Regardless of whether the emperor agreed or not, Zhang Shouzhi, the Vice Minister of Revenue, certainly did.

The reason why the court officials opposed Zheng He's voyages to the Western Ocean was that the voyages used the Ministry of Revenue's money, but the revenue from tribute went into the imperial treasury.

However, this contradiction was not prominent during Zhu Di's reign.

The reason is simple: Zhu Di's personal prestige was sufficient to sustain the project, and he did not use the money for pleasure, but rather for conquering the grasslands and expanding the territory.

At that time, the imperial treasury and the national treasury were not so clearly separated. When the outer court was short of money, Zhu Di would also use the imperial treasury to provide relief.

However, after Emperor Chengzu, the court officials gradually opposed the voyages to the Western Ocean.

Now that Su Ze has proposed using the emperor's private funds to organize a fleet to sail to the Western Ocean, the court officials have no reason to object.

However, the eyes of the senior officials were all on Feng Bao and Chen Hong, the two powerful figures in the Directorate of Ceremonial.

This time, Chen Hong couldn't hold back any longer.

Originally, they were only attending the meeting as representatives of the emperor, but Su Ze dragged the emperor into the matter of the imperial treasury.

As the chief eunuch in charge of the Imperial Warehouse, Chen Hong had no choice but to stand up and say:
"Scholar Su, during the reign of Emperor Chengzu, the Ministry of Revenue funded the voyages to the Western Ocean. Another voyage to the Western Ocean is also a matter of national importance. How can the imperial treasury be used to fund it?"

Chen Hong was very cautious. The Jiajing Emperor strictly forbade eunuchs from interfering in specific affairs, and the same was true during the Longqing reign.

This is probably because Jiajing himself was a master of power struggles. He didn't need to use eunuchs to fight against civil officials; he could simply divide and conquer the civil officials among themselves.

Emperor Longqing was also very skilled at employing people and did not need to use eunuchs to control the outer court.

Therefore, whether it's Li Fang, Feng Bao, or Chen Hong, they are all more like the emperor's chief steward.

The outer court respected them because they were the representatives of imperial power.

The Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs was also sensible, remaining silent on important issues and rarely opposing the opinions of the cabinet ministers in drafting proposals.

Therefore, everyone believed that this was a problem on behalf of the emperor, represented by Chen Hong.

His gaze returned to Su Ze, who said calmly:

"Paying tribute is of course a matter of state."

"Therefore, the outer court had to contribute to training sailors, building ships, and receiving tribute envoys."

“But since all tribute from foreign countries goes into the imperial treasury, the return gifts should naturally also be allocated from the imperial treasury.”

"In ordinary families, when a birthday banquet is held for one's parents, the money for the banquet is paid from the clan's public funds, and the money for the return gifts is also not paid from the clan's public funds, is it?"

Chen Hong was speechless.

Su Ze meant that the idea of ​​going on another voyage to the West was divided into two parts.

Organizing the fleet, receiving tribute envoys, and holding tribute ceremonies were all funded by the outer court.

However, the expenses for returning gifts to the tribute envoys and for the voyages were to be covered by the imperial treasury.

The plan sounds outrageous, but after hearing Su Ze's analogy, it doesn't seem so outrageous after all.

Indeed, a large portion of the tribute missions from foreign countries were aimed at the emperor.

For example, on the emperor's birthday, these vassal states of Korea would send envoys called "birthday congratulatory envoys," who would come to pay tribute under the guise of celebrating the emperor's birthday.

On the Empress Dowager's birthday, the new emperor's ascension to the throne, or the old emperor's death, vassal states would send envoys.

Just as Su Ze said, the tribute from foreign countries was indeed a matter within the royal family.

The cabinet ministers and high-ranking officials frowned upon hearing Su Ze's analogy.

They originally thought Su Ze wanted the emperor to bear all the expenses, but this meant that the outer court would have to bear a significant portion as well.
However, Su Ze's analogy is not wrong. The emperor is the sovereign and father, so it seems reasonable for his subjects to hold a birthday banquet for him.

Only Li Chunfang of the cabinet fully understood Su Ze's meaning.

Isn't this just like the Lantern Festival?

The outer court was responsible for organizing the lantern festival, but the emperor himself was responsible for the actual funding.

If the imperial treasury provides the funds, the emperor will calculate the costs.

The lantern festival thus became a celebration funded by the emperor and shared by the people.

If tribute was also conducted in this way, then the emperor would not be so extravagant when giving gifts in return.

Li Chunfang also believed that it was not unreasonable for the outer court to bear the other expenses.

As maritime trade flourished, senior cabinet ministers also recognized the importance of the ocean.

Li Chunfang viewed his plan to sail to the Western Ocean again, redraw nautical charts, and reconnect with former vassal states as a form of territorial expansion.

The lesson learned from the Japanese invasions is that if defense is only carried out on land, these economically prosperous regions in the southeast simply cannot withstand such turmoil.

Pushing the coastal defense front overseas, at least to understand the situation around the Ming Dynasty and establish an early warning network in the surrounding area, has become a consensus among the cabinet ministers.

The "second voyage to the Western Ocean" was also a matter for the outer court, so it was only right that they took on some of the responsibility.

When Chen Hong saw that the nine ministers and high-ranking officials of the cabinet had all fallen silent, he knew that the outer court had reached a consensus.

However, Chen Hong had to find out the details before he could return to report to the emperor, ensuring that the tribute mission did not become a losing proposition.

So he braced himself and asked again:
"Hanlin Su, the return gift concerns His Majesty and the court. If the imperial treasury cannot afford it, wouldn't we lose face in front of the world?"

After Chen Hong finished speaking, the senior officials all cast disapproving glances at him.

But he had no choice; if he didn't find out the truth, he wouldn't be able to go back and report to the emperor.

Su Ze had indeed come up with a plan. He said:
"In his memorial, Su said that the vassal states should be redefined according to kinship."

He held up his finger and said:

"The first-class vassal states, including Korea, Ryukyu, and Kuwu, regard our Great Ming as their sovereign and father, and constantly pay tribute and offer congratulations. In return, Your Majesty will grant them the privilege of free trade. Their maritime tax will be equivalent to that of our Great Ming's merchant ships. The vassal states' citizens, holding port certificates, can travel freely through the Great Ming."

"Second-class vassal states, showing respect to our Great Ming, are granted the benefits of trade by His Majesty, but a maritime tax will be levied on them. Except for tributary envoys, they shall not leave the port without authorization."

"Third-class vassal states are hesitant and indecisive. Although they respect the Great Ming, they harbor ulterior motives. Countries like Japan and the Portuguese will be subject to double the maritime tax. They must leave as soon as their ships dock and are not allowed to linger."

After Su Ze finished speaking, Zhang Shouzhi, the Vice Minister of Revenue, realized that Su Ze had once again combined the tribute system with the maritime trade tax.

Three types of vassal states, three types of treatment.

The closer one is to the Ming Dynasty, the better the treatment one receives.

Zhang Shouzhi further discovered that Su Ze actually separated tribute and trade.

Tribute was the act of presenting gifts to the emperor for personal gain. This was a matter for the royal family; what gifts to receive and what gifts to give in return were entirely up to the emperor.

Trade was a matter for the Ming Dynasty court, and trade treatment was determined through the tributary system.

The maritime trade tax was collected by the emperor's private treasury, which then funded the fleet's voyages, leaving the imperial court with no objections.

As expected, after Su Ze finished explaining the entire plan, Chen Hong had nothing more to say.

Chen Hong also secretly realized how terrifying Su Ze was. From proposing to levy commercial taxes at the Lingji Palace conference to submitting a letter a few days ago requesting clarification of the imperial treasury and the national treasury, Su Ze seemed to have been laying the groundwork for revising the tributary system for a long time.

Chen Hong couldn't think of any objections, so he could only write down Su Ze's speech and wait for the emperor's judgment.

The important matters have been discussed, and the atmosphere on site has become much more relaxed.

At this moment, Zhang Juzheng, who had been silent all along, suddenly asked:
"What if we discover unclaimed land overseas?"

Zhang Juzheng looked at Su Ze and asked a question that the other ministers had not expected.

Su Ze looked at Zhang Juzheng in surprise, not expecting him to be so perceptive as to notice a problem that he hadn't elaborated on.

The overseas territories are vast, and through Su Ze's teachings in the "Yuefu Xinbao" over the past six months, officials and common people of the Ming Dynasty have come to realize this.

There are many uninhabited lands overseas, and Penghu, which is very close by, is a huge uninhabited island.

Su Ze said seriously:

"Under the vast heaven, all land belongs to the king; on the shores of the earth, all people are subjects of the king."

“If it is unclaimed land discovered during a long voyage, then it is naturally part of the Ming Dynasty’s territory.” Zhang Juzheng nodded, indicating that he did not delve into the matter further.

Zhang Juzheng had already developed an interest in overseas territories.

That's right. The conflict between people and land within the Ming Dynasty had become so intense that Zhang Juzheng, as the Grand Secretary in charge of the Ministry of Revenue, could naturally see it.

Zhang Juzheng had also heard about the fact that Li Wenquan, the emperor's brother-in-law, was leading a group of nobles to build sugarcane plantations in Penghu.

If these nobles and powerful families were to seize land overseas, wouldn't that alleviate the conflict between people and land?
Zhang Juzheng certainly knew that these things alone would not suffice.

But at least it gives you another option.

If overseas colonization yields substantial profits in the future, could we also enfeoff vassal kings overseas?
Su Ze was unaware of Zhang Juzheng's thoughts; if he had known, he would have strongly supported Grand Secretary Zhang.

The basic framework has been set; now it's just time to relax.

Li Yiyuan, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, inquired about crimes committed by tributary missions from vassal states and crimes committed by seafarers overseas.

Su Ze's proposed solution is a combination of territorial and personal jurisdiction.

When vassal envoys committed crimes on Ming territory, the Ming Code was applied to their judgments. When Ming citizens committed crimes on the territory of vassal states, the Ming Code was also applied.

The Censorate and the Ministry of Justice could send officials aboard ships to enforce the Ming laws at sea. If they encountered major cases, they could also escort the officials back to the Ming Dynasty for retrial.

Li Yiyuan was also very satisfied with this answer.

At the end of the Nine Ministers' Court Recommendation, Li Chunfang said:
"Su Zilin, write down what you said today in a memorial and submit it."

Su Ze had already prepared for this, and since Chief Minister Li offered him a way out, he naturally agreed without hesitation.

Feng Bao and Chen Hong hurriedly took the meeting minutes and returned to the palace to report to the emperor.

The senior cabinet ministers all had official business to attend to and left the Ministry of War first.

After most of the people had left, Su Ze walked towards Wang Shizhen and Cao Bangfu, bowed deeply to them, and said:

"Thank you both for your help."

Cao Bangfu said with a smile:

"Zilin, you are so knowledgeable and eloquent. We didn't help you at all."

Su Ze said sincerely:
"If the Junior Commander hadn't immediately asked about specific military matters, I, Su, might not have been able to answer fluently."

Cao Bangfu laughed. His question, like Wang Shizhen's, was prepared in advance by Su Ze and asked Cao Bangfu to ask.

The most important aspect of court debates is the setting of the agenda.

If Cao Bangfu hadn't focused on the specific issues from the outset, Su Ze's court debate wouldn't have gone so smoothly.

It should be noted that these high-ranking officials and ministers are all masters of political struggle and adept at setting up problems.

"Wouldn't it be a waste of manpower and resources to send troops to Southeast Asia again?"

"Would the arrival of foreign envoys in the capital damage the dignity of the Ming Dynasty?"

Once caught up in these kinds of debates, even ten Su Zes couldn't out-argue these high-ranking officials.

So Cao Bangfu, who seemed aggressive by posing a complex question to Su Ze, actually helped Su Ze by setting the tone for the debate: this debate would focus on specific technical issues.

This naturally falls into Su Ze's area of ​​expertise.

Wang Shizhen said to Su Ze:

"The Junior Commander was also interested in your proposal, which is why he was willing to lend a hand."

Su Ze still expressed his gratitude to Cao Bangfu.

After Su Ze left the Ministry of War, he went straight home, wrote down the recent discussions in a memorial, and then put it into the "Portable Ming Dynasty Court" app.

——[Simulation Start]——

The memorial entitled "Proposal to Go to Southeast Asia Again" was sent to the Cabinet, and all four cabinet ministers voted to approve it. The memorial was then sent to the palace.

After listening to the reports from Feng Bao and Chen Hong, the Longqing Emperor worried that the imperial treasury could not afford to send another voyage to the Western Ocean.

The outer court also advised the emperor that the ancestral laws could not be changed, thus obstructing your memorial.

The emperor ultimately shelved your memorial.

——[Simulation End]——

[Should we use 150 prestige points to ensure the memorial is fully executed?]

[Remaining Prestige: 172 points.]

As expected, after the debate among the Nine Ministers, Su Ze had persuaded most of the key officials.

Those who opposed the memorial were mostly conservative officials.

But Your Majesty, aren't you being far too indecisive?

Although it only costs 150 points, Su Ze has been submitting petitions intensively for the past few months, and his prestige points are running out every month.

"implement."

[Prestige points deducted, remaining prestige: 22 points.]

Su Ze picked up the memorial and, before the Office of Transmission closed its doors, handed it to Yang Sizheng, the Vice Commissioner of Transmission.

However, Yang Sizheng said with a smile:

"Scholar Su, I also have something to ask you."

Su Ze said quickly:

"You flatter me, Mr. Su. Please ask your questions."

Yang Sizheng said:

"If we follow Su Hanlin's suggestion and the imperial court really goes to Southeast Asia again, how can we ensure the smooth flow of documents?"

Su Ze remembered that ensuring the circulation of documents was also the responsibility of the Office of Transmission, and the post stations were under the management of the Office of Transmission.

Su Ze thought for a moment and said, "We can set up sea relay stations to deliver documents, just like on land."

Yang Sizhong then asked:
"How can we send a message across the vast ocean?"

this?

Su Ze thought for a moment, and he remembered a kind of speedboat with a wooden structure, which seemed to be called a clipper boat.

Su Ze prepared to go back and use the [Memory Palace Sachet] to carefully recall the structure, so he said:

"I've heard of a fast ship; I'll ask the Ministry of Works to build one later."

Yang Sizhong nodded in satisfaction and accepted Su Ze's memorial.

"Can official documents from Guangdong and Fujian be delivered by fast ship?"

Su Ze was surprised that Yang Sizhong had thought of this, and he nodded in reply, "Of course."

After Su Ze left, Yang Sizhong summoned his men.

"In the following days, all memorials opposing Su Zilin were withheld."

The subordinate looked at Yang Sizhong in confusion and hurriedly said, "Grand Master, this is against the rules and will be impeached by the censors."

Yang Sizhong, however, said:
"After I finish sending Su Zilin's memorial, I will ask His Majesty for leave to recuperate. After the official seal is sealed, you can use the excuse that you cannot stamp it to delay their memorials."

The Ming Dynasty had strict regulations for handling official documents. Memorials that passed through the Office of Transmission had to be stamped with the seal of the Office of Transmission before they could be delivered.

Officials do indeed need to seal their official seal at the government office when requesting leave.

His subordinates were also surprised that Yang Sizhong would do such a thing. How could the good Deputy Envoy Yang have learned bad things from Su Ze?

(End of this chapter)