My Portable Ming Dynasty

Chapter 262 The Way of a Great Power
When Su Ze arrived at the cabinet, several important officials had not yet arrived. Liu Jun had already given Su Ze a heads-up before he arrived, and it turned out to be about the Ryukyu Islands.

Hearing that it was about Ryukyu, Su Ze felt relieved.

Judging by the timeline, the Ming Dynasty navy should have arrived in Ryukyu by now.

That must have been an urgent report from Ryukyu sent back after the navy arrived there.

When Su Ze saw that Grand Secretary Li Chunfang was also present, and that the other Grand Secretaries all had smiles on their faces, he knew that it must be good news.

As expected, after the remaining important officials arrived, the news was announced by Zhao Zhenji, the Grand Secretary in charge of the Ministry of War.

"Our Ming Dynasty navy has successfully arrived in Ryukyu. The Ryukyu king and his ministers are at the port to welcome the royal army."

After Zhao Zhenji finished speaking, all the officials visibly breathed a sigh of relief.

The vast sea was vast, and this expedition marked the first time in a century since Zheng He's voyages to the Western Ocean that the Ming Dynasty had organized an official fleet for a long voyage.

According to the information sent back by the Ryukyu Administration Office, the infiltrator in Ryukyu was actually just a local daimyo from Japan, and the Shimazu family did not have the courage to go to war with the Ming Dynasty.

Therefore, the most important thing for this voyage to Ryukyu was for the fleet to arrive safely in Ryukyu.

After all, the Ming Dynasty had been open to sea for two years, and the senior officials were aware of the dangers of sea voyages.

The fleet arrived in Okinawa unscathed; all that remained was good news.

As expected, Zhao Zhenji said with a smile:

"After Admiral Li arrived in Ryukyu, the Ryukyu king immediately expelled the Japanese merchants and arrested more than 30 Ryukyu vassals who were colluding with the Japanese."

"The Imperial Envoy read out His Majesty's decree to the King of Ryukyu. The King of Ryukyu wept and bowed to the superior nation, presenting the national treasure of Ryukyu as a gift."

The naval admiral for this voyage, Li Chao, was a former subordinate of Yu Dayou.

Li Chao was capable of both naval and land warfare, and he followed Yu Dayou in the fight against Japanese pirates, making outstanding contributions.

In the 44th year of the Jiajing reign, Li Chao led the Ming Dynasty navy against Wu Ping, a notorious pirate on Nan'ao Island. Li Chao led his troops into battle until they ran out of ammunition and food, finally defeating Wu Ping and eliminating the last major pirate force in the Ming Dynasty's coastal areas.

Later, Li Chao went to Shandong with Yu Dayou. On this voyage to Ryukyu, with the strong recommendation of Tu Zemin and Yu Dayou, Li Chao served as the naval admiral and led the fleet on the voyage.

However, Li Chao was not in charge of the fleet; Chen Hao, the envoy dispatched by the palace, was the one in charge of the fleet.

The three chief eunuchs of the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs vied for this crucial position, but in the end, Emperor Longqing did not appoint the person they recommended. Instead, he reinstated Chenhao, a eunuch from the previous emperor's reign, to serve as the envoy to the fleet.

This Imperial Concubine Chen was in charge of the Yeting during the reign of the late emperor; it was the institution responsible for punishing palace servants.

Chenhao wielded considerable influence in the palace, yet remained remarkably low-key. Even after the new emperor ascended the throne, he was not replaced and was still allowed to enforce palace rules.

Even high-ranking officials were unwilling to think of this sinister eunuch.

With just a few casual words, Zhao Zhenji actually orchestrated a massive power reshuffle within the Ryukyu court.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that it reshaped the political landscape of Ryukyu.

The high-ranking officials in the capital were clearly not concerned with the affairs of the Ryukyu court; what they were more concerned about was the successful arrival of the Ming navy on its first long voyage.

This also validated the achievements of Denglai Shipbuilding and laid a good foundation for future voyages to the Western Ocean.

However, Su Ze still didn't understand why a senior cabinet official had summoned him.

If it's just about informing oneself, there's absolutely no need to summon all the important officials.

As expected, after Zhao Zhenji finished speaking, Yang Sizhong, the Commissioner of the Court of Judicial Review, stepped forward.

"The Ryukyu ruler has expelled the Japanese forces from the Ryukyu court, but Wu Shaozu, the chief of the Ryukyu Administration Bureau, sent back a letter from the Japanese chief, Shimazu Takahisa."

Li Yiyuan, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, immediately said:
"Wait, the Japanese chieftain Shimazu Takahisa? Isn't that the father of the Japanese pirate Shimazu Yoshihiro, who infiltrated the capital with the intention of assassinating His Majesty?"

As the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, Li Yiyuan had access to the detailed case files.

After Yoshihiro Shimazu was arrested and imprisoned, he confessed everything, including all the information about his family.

Li Yiyuan had an extraordinary memory; otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to compile the "Civil Law of the Ming Dynasty" so quickly. When he heard the name Shimazu Takahisa, he connected it with Shimazu Yoshihiro's dossier.

Upon hearing that he was the father of the notorious Japanese pirates, the high-ranking officials were in an uproar.

Minister of War Cao Bangfu said, "Wasn't it the Shimazu clan of Japan who infiltrated Ryukyu?"

Zhao Zhenji nodded.

Cao Bangfu immediately said menacingly:

"Such a traitor! How dare he write a letter? Shouldn't Wu Shaozu of the Office of Transmission execute this traitor?"

Just as the atmosphere was about to spiral out of control, Grand Secretary Li Chunfang coughed and said:
"Silence! This is a joint meeting of the cabinet; everyone should hear the rest of what is said!"

With a single sentence from Grand Secretary Li, the dissenting voices were quickly silenced.

Yang Sizhong immediately read the letter from the head of the Shimazu family.

I don't know if it was written by a Han Chinese, but this letter is written with great literary flair.

Su Ze stood to the side and listened to Shimazu Takahisa's letter.

The letter contained very little information.

Upon learning of his son's situation from Japanese merchants, Shimazu Takahisa immediately submitted a letter of apology to the Ming Dynasty court, requesting Wu Shaozu of the Ryukyu Administration Office to deliver it to the Ming Emperor.

Shimazu Takahisa argued that he had long since severed ties with his son and was unaware of the troubles he had committed in the Ming Dynasty.

Shimazu Takahisa proposed to apologize to the Ming emperor with his death, but requested to pay tribute to the Ming dynasty.

After Yang Sizhong finished reading, Li Chunfang looked at everyone and asked:

"What do you think?"

Minister of War Cao Bangfu immediately expressed his opinion:
"The Japanese are wolves in sheep's clothing. Shimazu Takahisa knew that his son was involved in a treason case, yet he still dared to submit a letter to the Office of Transmission. This is a provocation against our Great Ming Dynasty. I request that Grand Secretary Li petition His Majesty to dispatch the navy to annihilate the Shimazu clan!"

Li Chunfang glanced at Cao Bangfu, too lazy to talk to him.

There was no other way; the Ministry of War had suffered repeated losses in matters such as the Military Supervision Bureau, and now it had to adopt a tough stance towards foreign powers.

Cao Bangfu's remarks cannot be said to be his own thoughts, but rather the political stance of the Ministry of War under the current circumstances.

Cao Bangfu, who was in charge of the Ministry of War, was well aware that the Ming Dynasty's navy did not have the capability to launch a distant expedition against Japan, and this statement was nothing more than a political show.

If he were to actually send troops, the Ministry of War would probably be the first to object.

Ignoring Cao Bangfu's "performance," Li Chunfang looked away.

Zhang Shouzhi, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, said:
"Grand Secretary Li, the Shimazu clan is willing to atone with their lives, but all they ask for is to trade with our Great Ming. Our Great Ming has long had an edict for international trade, and we already have trade with the Japanese. It is fine to allow them to trade here."

Su Ze submitted a memorial entitled "Respectfully Presenting a Memorial on Clarifying Financial Use to Demonstrate the Emperor's Wise Governance," which separated tribute from trade, and that the Japanese were originally permitted to do business in the port.

However, the Japanese belonged to the lowest rank in the tributary system. They could only dock at ports, and the crew could not leave the ship. They had to set sail after loading and unloading the cargo.

Zhang Shouzhi actually deliberately confused the story; Shimazu Takahisa sought to pay tribute to the Ming Dynasty, but he described it as engaging in trade with the Ming Dynasty.

This little trick naturally couldn't fool Li Chunfang.

The Grand Secretary Li snorted coldly; he understood the Ministry of Revenue's calculations. Since the opening of trade, large amounts of silver from Japan had flowed into the Ming Dynasty. Not only did the imperial treasury profit from the maritime trade tax, but the Ministry of Revenue also collected substantial seigniorage from the minting of coins in Dengzhou and Laizhou.

These silver dollars were not just a simple form of seigniorage. The influx of silver solved many local monetary problems in the Ming Dynasty. As long as silver and Japanese lead continued to flow in, the Ming Dynasty could continue to mint coins.

This was a very important matter for Zhang Juzheng, who wanted to promote comprehensive fiscal reform.

Zhang Shouzhi's statement was essentially the Ministry of Revenue's stance.

Of course, Zhang Shouzhi's ambiguous remarks were quickly exposed by other important officials, and Zhang Shouzhi was immediately surrounded and attacked.

Su Ze glanced at Zhang Juzheng, guessing that Zhang Shouzhi's remarks were also at Zhang Juzheng's behest.

But now it seems that even Zhang Juzheng doesn't dare to speak at this juncture.

Li Chunfang coughed again to maintain order at the scene.

His gaze swept over the assembled officials, finally settling on Su Ze's face.

"Su Zilin, what do you think?"

All eyes fell on Su Ze, and Zhang Juzheng also cast a hopeful glance at him.

Su Ze has always been a "rationalist" in the court. He always thinks about issues from the perspective of the interests of the Ming Dynasty, rather than being swayed or influenced by the atmosphere of the court.

Facing the gazes of all the ministers, Su Ze said:
"Grand Secretary Li, esteemed Grand Secretaries, and gentlemen, in my humble opinion, the Japanese chieftain Shimazu is guilty of plotting to assassinate Your Majesty and deserves to be executed. How can our Great Ming Dynasty allow such traitors to pay tribute? Wouldn't that chill the hearts of our vassal states?"

"Diplomacy is no small matter. One must not forget righteousness for the sake of profit, especially when dealing with vassal states. One must not lose sight of the big picture for the sake of small gains."

Hearing Su Ze say that, Zhang Shouzhi also lowered his head.

Li Chunfang also said, "I have already heard your opinions. Military affairs rely on force, while the Ministry of Revenue speaks of profit; there are two ways to do this."

"Therefore, governing a country is like controlling water; one should follow the proper way and govern its root by doing nothing."

"When establishing policies and measures, the most important thing is to be 'righteous'! We are the key ministers of the Celestial Empire, in charge of the order of the world. If we forget righteousness for profit and reverse priorities, we may lose the hearts of those who come to submit to us."

"This 'correctness' refers to the correctness of righteousness, the correctness of laws and regulations, and the correctness of the Way of Heaven. Only by abiding in this 'correctness' can one govern all things without taking action."

Su Ze almost applauded after listening to Li Chunfang's speech.

As expected, Grand Secretary Li was able to establish the fundamental principles of governance with just one move.

These words were actually what Su Ze was thinking.

Diplomacy of a major power is all about justice.

Small countries can prioritize profit over morality and waver between different sides because they rely on the whims of larger countries. Whether they express their opinion or not has little impact on many issues.

Outstanding politicians from small countries are those who can navigate the delicate balance of power, using skillful diplomacy to extract even a small amount of benefit from larger nations, enough to ensure a comfortable life for their citizens.

But this doesn't apply to large countries.

The most important aspect of a major power's foreign policy is continuity.

Any large country will arouse vigilance and fear in the surrounding smaller countries, and such suspicion is almost impossible to resolve.

Which of the small countries surrounding the Ming Dynasty wasn't terrified that the Ming Dynasty would pull out its "since ancient times" and swallow them whole?
Of course, some were willing to be dogs of the Ming Dynasty, but many others were unwilling.

When facing a powerful adversary, the stability of a major power's policies is a principle, a rein, and the foundation for maintaining order.

A capricious and unpredictable great power can make its vassal states feel uneasy, which is actually very detrimental to the stability of the tributary system.

For small countries, what gives them the most peace of mind is the certainty that their suzerain state will abide by the order it promotes.

No matter how you look at it, the order of the Ming Dynasty, the suzerain state, was based on the Confucian system.

This is "righteousness," which is what Li Chunfang called "the right path."

The Ming Dynasty would punish vassal states that violated its moral system, and reward those that conformed to it.

A great power should act like a great power and should not be swayed by immediate interests.

If all vassal states understand this standard, the cost of maintaining the tributary system will be greatly reduced, and the vassal states will abide by the "rules of the game" set by the Ming Dynasty.

After Li Chunfang finished speaking, she looked at Su Ze and said:
"Then what do you think Mr. Shimazu should do?"

Su Ze said:

"The Shimazu clan plotted to assassinate Your Majesty, and their crime deserves to be punished. The Offices of the Ministry of Justice in each port, as well as the Offices of the Ministry of Justice in Korea, Ryukyu, and Southeast Asia, should publicize the crimes of the Shimazu clan in the ports and bring them to justice."

"Japan is not a monolithic entity now. The Shimazu clan has just secured their position as the leader of Satsuma, but there are still challengers. The imperial court can offer a bounty on the head of the Shimazu clan."

"The Japanese, who are able to benefit from the rule of the Ming Dynasty, are not stingy with trade. We can also send merchant ships to Japanese ports to investigate the situation inside Japan and divide and conquer them."

After hearing Su Ze's suggestion, Zhang Shouzhi nodded repeatedly.

As expected of Su Zilin, his suggestions are always prudent.

What the Ministry of Revenue was most worried about was that the imperial court would once again cut off trade with Japan in a fit of anger.

In just a few words, Su Ze only proposed to punish the ringleader, the Shimazu clan, and even suggested sending ships to Japan to learn about the situation there, which also met the Ministry of Revenue's need to expand trade with Japan.

Minister of War Cao Bangfu breathed a sigh of relief after hearing this.

His tough stance does not mean he actually wants to send troops to attack Japan.

Although Su Ze's statement was strong, it was actually nothing more than offering a bounty on the Shimazu clan at the port of Daming, which could be considered a verbal condemnation at most.

Su Ze also separated the Shimazu clan from other Japanese people, which was a political isolation of the Shimazu clan, thus preventing a greater conflict between the Ming Dynasty and Japan.

If it were just a matter of dealing with a mere local daimyo in Wa (Japan) like the Shimazu clan, Hyobu would naturally have no fear.

Li Chunfang nodded and said:
"Write a memorial and submit it for His Majesty's decision."

Su Ze obediently complied, and the ministers slowly dispersed.

Just as Su Ze was about to slip away, Li Chunfang called him back.

Su Ze had a bad feeling. Sure enough, the meeting was just an appetizer. There were probably other troublesome things waiting for him in the cabinet.

As expected, after the other important ministers left the cabinet, only five cabinet elders remained.

The atmosphere suddenly became heavy, and finally Zhang Juzheng broke the silence, saying:
"Su Hanlin, you know about Hai Rui, the governor of Yingtian, who was pursuing outstanding debts in Southern Zhili, right?"

Su Ze nodded and said:

"Since Governor Hai took office, he has recovered 30% of the arrears, making him the best-performing governor of Yingtian in history. I saw the imperial commendation last month."

Zhang Juzheng added:

"Did you know that the governors of Jiaxing and Huzhou have submitted a memorial and recovered the arrears owed by the two prefectures over the years, and His Majesty has personally issued an edict to commend them?"

Su Ze exclaimed in surprise:

"This is impossible!"

(End of this chapter)