My Portable Ming Dynasty

Chapter 278 Master Su, a fight has broken out!

The "Memorial on Rectifying Criminal Law of the Chu Feudal Regime" was passed, authorizing the legal authorities of Huguang to handle criminal cases involving members of the Chu feudal imperial family.

The local government in Wuchang began accepting cases concerning members of the Chu royal family, which uncovered over a hundred old cases involving more than sixty members of the Chu royal family.

The emperor was furious and ordered the entire case to be handed over to the legal authorities for sentencing and prosecution.

The dynasty's fate remains unchanged.

[Prestige +300.]

[Remaining Prestige: 2160.]

This Chu vassal state is indeed a malignant tumor; merely by allowing local authorities to handle cases in Wuchang, they uncovered so many cases.

It's important to know that the local judicial authorities would never dare to investigate the high-ranking members of the Chu Clan, which means that these sixty-odd people are still small fry.

Thinking of this, Su Ze became even more determined to abolish the Chu vassal state.

Of course, now is not the right time.

Indeed, this was the case; before Yin Shidan even returned to the capital, the fervor surrounding the Chu Zong case had already died down.

Since the newspapers appeared, it was difficult for the headlines in the capital to last more than three days, clearly indicating that the emperor and officials also believed that the matter of Chu Zong was over.

However, some people had already blacklisted Chu Zong in their hearts, waiting for the next opportunity to eliminate the vassal states.
-
In September, classes resumed at the Crown Prince's Palace.

After the Grand Master of Ceremonies, the Crown Prince, and the officials of the Grand Master of Ceremonies paid homage to the Great Sage Confucius, they announced the restoration of the Crown Prince's lectures on the classics.

After a summer vacation, Su Ze noticed that Xiao Pang Jun had gained some weight and grown taller.

After the opening ceremony was completed, Zhu Yijun couldn't wait to summon Su Ze.

Upon seeing Su Ze, Little Fatty Jun said:
"Master Su! The fighting has begun in Malacca!"

Su Ze then remembered that he and Xiao Pang Jun had discussed Malacca before summer vacation.

At that time, the Portuguese occupied Malacca, and the Spanish fleet had also arrived in Southeast Asia, eyeing Malacca covetously.

Little Fatty Jun was very interested in the affairs of Malacca and asked Li Wenquan, the son of the Earl of Wuqing who was colonizing Penghu, to gather information.

Little Fatty Jun asked:
"Master Su, guess who's fighting with whom?"

Su Ze thought for a moment and said:
"Is it the Ottomans and the Portuguese fighting?"

"Oh? How did Master Su know? Did your uncle write to you?"

Su Ze certainly wouldn't tell Xiao Pangjun that he obtained the information from the system simulation, knowing that the Ottoman fleet had also arrived in the South Seas and was also vying for control of the South Seas shipping routes.

"Nothing can be hidden from Master Su."

Little Fatty Jun was a little discouraged. He had wanted to give Su Ze a surprise, but he didn't expect Su Ze to give the answer so easily.

Su Ze smiled and said:

"Your Highness, I am merely guessing. I would appreciate it if Your Highness could enlighten me on the specific details of the battle."

Little Fatty Jun perked up again, realizing that Master Su needed him sometimes too.

Children at this age have emotions that come and go quickly, and it's also the time when they most need recognition from their elders.

Having gained recognition from Su Ze, Xiao Pangjun immediately began to vividly describe the situation in Southeast Asia.

Little Fatty Jun said with a smile:

"Master Su, the war between the Ottomans and the Portuguese actually has something to do with you."

"What does this have to do with me? Please enlighten me, Your Highness."

Zhu Yijun said:
"Master Su, you don't know, black tea has become the most popular commodity."

It turned out to be black tea.

That's true. Tea has always been a specialty of Chinese civilization, and the black tea processing method solved the problem of tea transportation.

Westerners also prefer black tea over green tea, which has a bitter taste.

Zhu Yijun said:
"The booming black tea trade aroused the covetousness of the Ottoman ruler, but because of the Strait of Malacca, Ottoman merchants had to pay taxes to the Portuguese, which displeased the Ottoman ruler."

"The Ottoman ruler then dispatched a fleet to attack the Portuguese in Malacca, intending to control Malacca."

Malacca City is located on the north bank of the Strait of Malacca, and its strategic location is extremely important. Merchant ships sailing from China must pass through the Strait of Malacca to enter the Indian Ocean.

Upon closer examination, it's reasonable to assume that the Portuguese and the Ottomans clashed first over the Strait of Malacca.

Unlike Spain, which colonized South America, the main interests of the Portuguese were in the East.

The Portuguese were among the first explorers of the Age of Exploration, and their main purpose in sailing was to find spices from the East.

So the Portuguese colonized the Goa region of India, and then they continued their voyages to Southeast Asia, where they established numerous spice plantations.

This created a conflict of interest with the Ottomans.

Before the Portuguese opened up sea routes, the spice trade between East and West was monopolized by the Ottomans.

The Ottomans' monopoly on the spice trade brought them enormous profits.

However, during this period, the Ottomans' navigation technology had fallen behind that of the West, and the Suez Canal did not yet exist. Therefore, the Ottomans' spice route required a portion of land transport to cross the Red Sea.

This also made the cost of transporting Ottoman spices higher than that of the Portuguese, who relied entirely on sea transport.

The cost was higher than that of the Portuguese, so the Ottomans began the Spice Wars.

Simply put, the Ottomans built the Indian Ocean fleet and simultaneously incited pirates in the Indian Ocean to plunder Portuguese merchant ships.

Although not every raid yields a reward, the Portuguese had to dispatch a fleet for escort to ensure safe transport, which increased transportation costs.

This increased the costs for competitors and also enhanced our own competitiveness.

In this sense, the competition between the Ottomans and the Portuguese over spices can be considered the earliest trade war in human history.

Ironically, the competition between the Ottomans and the Portuguese greatly increased the production of spices, causing prices to plummet.

During this period in Europe, only the nobility could afford spices.

Even if the aristocracy has strong purchasing power, the market is still limited.

The Portuguese established numerous spice plantations in India and Southeast Asia, greatly increasing the supply of spices.

Competition between the two sides has also improved transportation efficiency.

As a result, more and more spices were imported into Europe, causing spice prices to collapse and spices to lose their status as luxury goods; even nobles stopped buying them.

The Portuguese had staked almost their entire national fortune on the spice trade, and as the spice trade declined, serious problems arose within the Portuguese state.

This is also why the Portuguese, who were among the first to enter the Age of Exploration, quickly faded into obscurity after a brief period of glory, becoming a small, historically insignificant nation.

However, to Su Ze's surprise, due to his influence, the Ming Dynasty developed a new best-selling product decades ahead of schedule—black tea.

Once black tea was shipped to European ports, this magical oriental beverage quickly became popular throughout Europe.

Keep in mind that this was still the 16th century, before coffee had even been introduced to Europe, and tea was the only "energizing drink"!
The popularity of black tea in Europe also gave the Portuguese, who were mired in a domestic crisis, new hope.

This is also why the Portuguese obediently returned Langbai'ao and left Macau, yet still wanted to do business with the Ming Dynasty; they desperately needed the black tea trade.

In order to prioritize the tea trade, the Portuguese moved their Far East governorship from Goa to Malacca and built a shipyard there to manufacture ships locally. At this time, the Ottomans also set their sights on the tea trade.

When they encountered their old rivals, the Portuguese were naturally not going to be polite. However, this time they did not intend to monopolize the tea trade. Instead, they set up a tax checkpoint in Malacca and demanded that Ottoman merchant ships pay additional taxes.

In fact, this is something the Portuguese learned from the Ming Dynasty.

After being taxed on their own ships, the Portuguese adopted this method of taxation and began collecting taxes at the port of Malacca.

The goal of trade is to make money, so wouldn't it be better to just collect money directly?
Realizing this, the Portuguese further fortified the castle and port fortifications of Malacca.

Meanwhile, the Ottomans quietly assembled their fleet and attacked Malacca.

Zhu Yijun received news that the Battle of the Strait of Malacca had begun, and the entire Southeast Asia was in chaos.

After recounting the situation in Southeast Asia, Little Fatty Jun excitedly said:

“Master Su, Malacca was originally the capital of Malacca, a vassal state of the Ming Dynasty that paid tribute to the Ming Dynasty, but it was seized by the Portuguese.”

"Should I petition my father to send the Ming Dynasty navy stationed in Penghu south?"

Su Ze frowned and said:
"Now is indeed the best time to intervene in the Malacca conflict, but the ministers will not agree."

This time, Su Ze agreed with Xiao Pang Jun's idea.

Malacca is the gateway to Southeast Asia, and the Ming Dynasty will eventually take it under its control.

Now that the Portuguese and the Ottomans are at war, if the Ming Dynasty were to step in as a mediator, it might actually be able to reclaim Malacca.

The reason is simple: both the Portuguese and the Ottomans needed to do business with the Ming Dynasty, but the Ming Dynasty did not need to beg them for trade.

Therefore, the current situation is that neither the Ottomans nor the Portuguese dare to attack the Ming Dynasty's fleet.

As a mediator, if the Ming Dynasty's fleet appeared in Malacca, it would naturally be able to gain control of Malacca.

Even if we can't completely control Malacca, as long as we can send influence into Malacca, controlling Malacca is only a matter of time.

It should be noted that Malacca itself was a member of the Ming Dynasty's tributary system, and there was a large Chinese population there. It was much easier for the Ming Dynasty to gain support there than for the Portuguese.

The problem was how to persuade the emperor and his officials to send the Ming fleet to Malacca.

Su Ze thought for a moment and said:
"Your Highness, please calm down. I will think of a solution."

Little Fatty Jun nodded repeatedly. In his memory, as long as Su Ze took action, everything would be fine. There was nothing that Master Su couldn't solve.
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To persuade the emperor and his officials, detailed intelligence from Southeast Asia was still needed.

Su Ze turned around and went to the Office of General Affairs and Postal Service.

After requesting an audience with Yang Sizhong of Da Yintai, Wu Wenbin, the official in charge of the Office of Transmission, led Su Ze into the Office of Transmission and then asked Su Ze to wait in a side hall.

Su Ze also felt that this official was somewhat dull and not as quick-witted as the previous ones.

Su Ze could only sigh, "This Da Yintai is truly a kind person who loves talent!"

In modern times, diplomacy has often been a nation's most important foreign affairs.

The foreign minister is usually one of the top figures in the government, and in a country like the United States, the secretary of state, who is in charge of foreign affairs, is the number one figure in the government.

In Su Ze's view, the position of the Office of General Affairs and Postal Service was far more than that, and officials with overseas posting experience would inevitably be able to take a shortcut to promotion.

Yang Sizhong sent his well-trained officials to distant places, sacrificing himself for the development of his subordinates!

Su Ze felt he couldn't reach Yang Sizhong's level, so he reluctantly sent the person he valued far away.

Just as Su Ze was pondering this, the "selfless" Da Yintai, whom Su Ze considered to be, stepped into the side hall.

Su Ze stood up to greet him, and then said:

"I'll trouble Da Yintai to help with Chu Zong's matter."

Yang Sizhong shook his head and said:
"The decision regarding the Chu clan was made by His Majesty himself; it has nothing to do with me."

Su Ze smiled obsequiously. Yang Sizhong had spoken to the emperor, helping Su Ze pass the "Memorial on the Rectification of Criminal Law in Chu Province." Su Ze had already received the news from the palace.

Although this was also thanks to the system, Su Ze still wanted to express his gratitude to Yang Sizhong.

In officialdom, it's not a problem to owe favors, as long as they are repaid.

Su Ze then explained his purpose for coming.

"Information from the Nanyang Administration Bureau?"

Zhang Xuan has been in office at the Nanyang Administration Office for several months now, and several reports have already been sent out.

Su Ze said:

"His Highness the Crown Prince is interested in the situation in Southeast Asia, so I have come to review the documents from the Office of Transmission and to give a lecture to the Crown Prince."

Su Ze invoked the name of the Crown Prince, and Yang Sizhong believed him.

Everyone in the capital knew that the Crown Prince's maternal uncle, the heir of the Earl of Wuqing, was colonizing Penghu and frequently did business with merchants from Southeast Asia.

The Prince's shop also carries many goods from Southeast Asia.

Zhang Xuan's report didn't contain any confidential information, so Yang Sizhong readily did Su Ze a favor.

However, Yang Sizhong said:

"The Office of General Affairs and Postal Service has ordered that the records of the Bureau of General Affairs and Postal Service shall not leave the Office of General Affairs and Postal Service, so please have Hanlin Su review them within the Office."

Su Ze said quickly:

"Of course, thank you very much, Grand Secretary. By the way, may I have access to the information about the Penghu Bureau of Investigation and Statistics?"

Yang Sizhong naturally agreed, and then had Huang Wenbin lead Su Ze to the cabinet storehouse of the Ministry of Justice.

After leaving Yang Sizhong's official residence, Huang Wenbin, an officer who didn't seem very bright, managed to obtain reports from the Nanyang Administration and the Penghu Office without any trouble.

Moreover, when Su Ze asked, Huang Wenbin was very knowledgeable about the situation in Southeast Asia.

During their conversation, Su Ze learned that Huang Wenbin was originally from Fujian, and that many members of his family were engaged in maritime trade. His family even had branches in Luzon.

It seems that Huang Wenbin is just introverted, but he is quite capable at work, which explains why Yang Sizhong kept him by his side.

He is a capable person, though.

Su Ze's thoughts wandered. If he could really lead the fleet to Malacca and restore the Ming Dynasty's influence over Malacca, he would indeed need to set up an administrative office in Malacca.

I wonder if Yang Sizhong, the big silversmith, will be willing to part with the people around him.

Huang Wenbin was unaware that he had been targeted by Su Ze, the "black hand" behind the scenes. If he had known, he probably wouldn't have said a word.

Su Ze first opened the report from the Nanyang Administration Bureau.

This report is truly excellent; Zhang Xuan is indeed Yang Sizhong's capable subordinate.

According to the report, after arriving in Luzon, Zhang Xuan chose to establish the Office of Communications in Manila, a commercial city in Luzon.

It must be said that Zhang Xuan did have a talent for diplomacy. Manila is the most important port city in Luzon and the place with the best information in the whole of Luzon. Establishing the Office of Communications here was the best choice.

The news of the Ming Dynasty's return to Luzon spread rapidly across the island, and various forces quickly contacted the Office of Transmission. Zhang Xuan soon understood the situation in Luzon.

(End of this chapter)