My Portable Ming Dynasty

Chapter 359 The Emperor's Slave

In the palace.

The current Grand Eunuch in charge of the Imperial Treasury is Zhang Cheng.

This former eunuch who was in charge of the Dengzhou-Laizhou garrison had a close relationship with Su Ze before. He was transferred back to the palace by the emperor to take charge of the imperial treasury because of his contributions to the minting of coins and the opening of ports in Dengzhou and Laizhou.

In the past, Zhang Cheng would naturally have supported Su Ze's memorial.

However, this was only a report on the negotiations.

Zhang Cheng wasn't after the offerings from his subordinates. For a high-ranking eunuch like him, embezzlement was neither economical nor worthwhile; it would only dirty his own hands.

However, Zhang Cheng also had concerns.

To sit in this position, power comes from the loyalty of subordinates, and the most important thing is to win the hearts and minds of the people.

If you can't win people's hearts, then that power is just a castle in the air, power on paper.

Zhang Cheng had only been in charge of the Imperial Treasury for a short time; the person who had been in charge of the Imperial Treasury before him was Chen Hong, who is now the second-in-command of the Directorate of Ceremonial.

Zhang Cheng knew that Chen Hong was ruthless by nature, so he did not want to fight with Chen Hong. After he took office, he only replaced a small portion of the eunuchs in charge of the inner transport warehouse, and kept most of the people left by Chen Hong.

Therefore, when he first entered the Directorate of Ceremonial, he received a lot of care from Chen Hong.

The demand for silver tribute would infringe upon the interests of the Imperial Transport Treasury, which would naturally object.

After thinking for a long time, Zhang Cheng finally found an opportunity to go to the office of Feng Bao, the Grand Master of Ceremonial.

Although it held the prestigious position of Director of Ceremonial, the Directorate of Ceremonial was originally just a department that served the emperor with his documents, so the entire Directorate of Ceremonial's buildings were quite small.

The functions of the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs expanded, but since they were all in charge of confidential documents, they could not be moved at will.

Therefore, within the Directorate of Ceremonial, apart from the Grand Eunuch who was responsible for safeguarding the emperor's seal and thus had a separate office, the remaining eunuchs of the Directorate of Ceremonial all worked together in one place.

In fact, when Zhang Cheng entered the palace, his godfather was Feng Bao.

However, there was an unwritten rule among eunuchs: once someone became the Grand Secretary of the Directorate of Ceremonial, any previous godfather relationships were automatically nullified.

This can be seen as a reward for a high-ranking eunuch who has climbed up the ranks of his career, while also preventing complex conflicts of interest from arising within the Directorate of Ceremonial.

Moreover, becoming the chief scribe meant becoming a powerful figure in the area and gaining his own interests.

At this point, the bonds formed during their entry into the palace were no longer reliable.

This is how it was after Zhang Cheng became the Chief Secretary of the Directorate of Ceremonial.

Logically speaking, he was once Feng Bao's godson and should have been closer to Feng Bao.

However, he actually had a good relationship with Chen Hong.

But today is the time to seek advice from Feng Bao.

Upon entering the duty room, Zhang Cheng respectfully called out:

"Godfather."

Feng Bao didn't even look up, continuing to review the imperial edicts. However, he allowed Zhang Cheng to come closer, and Zhang Cheng, as always, ground ink for Feng Bao.

After Feng Bao had finished reviewing a pile of memorials, he finally looked at Zhang Cheng.

Zhang Cheng quickly said:

"I have something to ask my godfather."

Feng Bao said coldly:
"Since you've already called me 'Father,' I have no choice but to help. Tell me."

Zhang Cheng was actually pleased; although Feng Bao's attitude was indifferent, he was willing to help.

He quickly recounted the negotiations with the Ministry of Works, and also mentioned Su Ze's proposal for Jiangnan to pay tribute in silver, as well as the pressure on the Inner Transport Treasury.

After listening to Zhang Cheng's words, Feng Bao asked him a question in return:
"Do you know why, when people in the outer court and among the common people talk about us palace officials, they all portray us as ruthless, treacherous, and vindictive?"

Zhang Cheng shook his head. He had a good reputation in the outer court, so he didn't have such troubles.

Feng Bao said:

"Don't be fooled by your titles of 'Principal' and my title of 'Seal Master'; in reality, we eunuchs are just servants of the emperor."

"As a servant, how can you survive if you're not ruthless?"

"That's exactly the kind of ruthlessness the emperor uses! Otherwise, he could just delegate everything to civil officials in the outer court. Can you do a better job than those civil officials?"

Zhang Cheng quickly shook his head.

The cabinet ministers in the outer court are all incredibly capable and professional, and then there's Su Ze, this prodigy.

In fact, not to mention them, even Tu Zemin, the governor of Dengzhou and Laizhou who was Zhang Cheng's partner at the time, was a shrewd and capable official. Whenever the Maritime Trade Office encountered trouble, it was Tu Zemin who helped to solve it.

These ministers were all products of the brutal imperial examinations and the treacherous officialdom; how could they compare to these foreign officials?

Feng Bao said:

"The emperor uses our ruthlessness. If you always try to be kind and gentle, how can you be a good servant of the emperor?"

Zhang Cheng fell silent.

Feng Bao continued:

"If the master sees that all the stewards in his household are getting along well, what do you think the master will think?"

Zhang Cheng was startled; it seemed to make sense.

Feng Bao then said:
"After you became the chief scribe, how many of your relatives, friends, and even your adopted children and grandchildren were promoted?"

Zhang Cheng fell silent. In order not to leave the emperor with the bad impression of nepotism, he basically did not promote his old friends.

"Let me ask you again, are the managers of those internal transport warehouses more grateful to you or to Chen Hong who promoted them? What good will it do to treat them better?"

"If something goes wrong with the imperial treasury, will His Majesty hold you, the current ruler, or the former ruler, accountable?"

These questions made Zhang Cheng break out in a cold sweat.

Feng Bao sighed and said:

“It’s right that you’ve been promoted to the Directorate of Ceremonial and don’t get close to me, but you also can’t get close to Chen Hong.”

"You've become the Grand Secretary, and you're now a powerful figure within the Directorate of Ceremonial. Who else are you thinking of relying on?"

"We only have one sky above us, which is His Majesty. And the three of us are the only ones left in the inner court. You still need to rely on others? What will your subordinates think?"

Zhang Cheng's back was covered in cold sweat, and he quickly said:

"Godfather's words are right, I understand!"

"Zhang Cheng already knows what to do," Feng Bao said.

"Remember, this is the last time you call him godfather."

"If in the future, when Eunuch Zhang and I clash, if he still remembers the kindness we have today, he can let me, like Eunuch Li, leave the palace and live out my old age in peace."

Zhang Cheng was just about to say a few kind words, but Feng Bao had already lost interest in the conversation.

Zhang Cheng could only turn around and leave.

Only after Zhang Cheng left did Feng Bao finally smile.

Feng Bao was naturally aware that Chen Hong was trying to win over Zhang Cheng to oppose him.

However, Feng Bao had just taken over the position of chief official and hadn't had time to deal with them recently.

Today, they came to our doorstep on their own initiative, and Feng Bao broke up their alliance with just a few words.

However, what Feng Bao said today was indeed the truth. Although he was ruthless, he still had some sense of kinship.

As long as Zhang Cheng doesn't side with Chen Hong, I have plenty of ways to deal with Chen Hong.
-
"Brother Zilin, His Majesty has agreed to the proposal put forward by the Ministry of Works!"

Shen Yiguan came to the newspaper office and told Su Ze the good news.

Luo Wanhua asked, "They've agreed to the silver exchange for tribute from Jiangnan? Didn't they say the Imperial Treasury was making a huge fuss?" After the Ministry of Works' negotiation results were sent to the palace, the eunuch in charge of the Imperial Transport Treasury started making a scene.

These eunuchs controlled the emperor's treasury and had a close relationship with the emperor. Luo Wanhua originally thought that this matter would be dropped.

Shen Yiguan said:
"Zhang Bingbi has made his move!"

Shen Yiguan said:
"Zhang Bingbi, along with the eunuchs from the Society for Research in Chinese Architecture, seized the account books of the Imperial Treasury and investigated them back three years, catching several major corrupt officials!"

"The evidence was conclusive, His Majesty was furious, executed three eunuchs who had embezzled a great deal of money, and sent the rest to the Nanjing Clean Army. The entire Inner Transport Treasury was completely overhauled."

“Over the years, the internal transport warehouse has taken advantage of the opportunity of in-kind collection to embezzle a lot of money.”

"Among them, the shad from Zhenjiang Prefecture in Jiangnan was 40 fish per year. However, neither the late emperor nor Your Majesty liked to eat fish. These shad were painstakingly sent to the capital, but were resold at high prices by the eunuchs in charge, who made a considerable profit."

Hearing this, Su Ze clicked his tongue in amazement.

Shad is a freshwater delicacy from the Yangtze River, and Zhenjiang is an important fishing spot.

The emperor did not like to eat shad, but shad was still offered as tribute every year.

Delivering fifty live shad to the capital was slightly easier than sending lychees to Chang'an, but the losses along the way were still staggering.

It requires a lot of manpower and resources, and also careful care.

Even in Jiangnan, it's difficult to get a bite of fresh shad. Just imagine how precious a live shad sent to the capital was.

Su Ze's retainer, Xu Wei, wrote a poem:

"Among the fish, only the common fish are allowed as tribute; only the freshest pieces of ice-cold shad are taken."

Five horses dared to gather tea cakes, while a cartload of lychees remained unmoved, casting no dust.

That's how reform works.

Politics concerns everyone; seemingly grand political reforms ultimately come down to ordinary people.

Implementing the system of paying tribute in silver would free many people from the hardships of labor and transportation, and would prevent them from being ruined by the greed of tax officials. This was the original intention behind Su Ze's series of reforms.

Su Ze also saw the settlement report.

The "Wusong Railway Negotiation Record" has been adopted.

The implementation of converting tribute taxes in Jiangnan into silver greatly reduced the burden on the people of Jiangnan and unleashed economic vitality.

Ultimately, the gentry of Jiangnan accepted your suggestion, and the Zhigu Railway and Wusong Railway were merged into the Zhiwu Railway Company, which jointly raised shares in the capital's bulk commodity trading market.

The completion of the Zhigu Railway and the Wusong Railway, two important lines, highlighted the crucial role of railways and sparked a surge in railway construction.

The practice of converting tribute taxes into silver became the origin of the later implementation of comprehensive silver-based tax payment.

Following the IPO of Zhili-Wuhan Railway Company on the Beijing Commodity Exchange, it has become standard practice for large-scale projects to raise funds through the Beijing Commodity Exchange.

In the capital's major trading market, stock trading also began to appear, making it the first stock exchange in the modern sense.

[National fortune +2.]

[Prestige Value +500]

[Remaining Prestige: 1260]

Su Ze closed the system. These two things were minor matters, but by exploring the system's new functions, he could use this consultation meeting to promote larger-scale reforms in the future.

In addition, he could consider getting a promotion. If he could independently manage a department, he could do more things.
-
"Another IPO?"

Upon hearing the news of Fan Kuan, Fan Baoxian felt bitter.

Fan Kuan shared the same helplessness.

The Japanese silver company's share offering had just ended, and their pockets were almost empty.

As businessmen who had traveled all over the country, both of them could see the value of the Zhigu Railway and the Wusong Railway.

This is absolutely a sure-fire way to make money!
Once the Zhigu Railway was completed, ships docked at Zhigu could unload their cargo and then be directly transported to the capital by horse-drawn railcars.

Products from the vicinity of the capital could also be loaded directly onto horse-drawn carriages and then transported to the port for loading onto ships.

The Wusong Railway was even more important.

Songjiang, Suzhou, and Changzhou are the main production areas of silk and cotton cloth. After the completion of the Wusong Railway, cotton cloth from Songjiang could be delivered to the port more quickly.

Fan Baoxian then said:

"Moreover, this fundraising is scheduled for two months from now, which clearly indicates that the gentry and merchants of the south are also going to participate."

Fan Kuan comforted him, saying:

“Clan chief, money can never be earned enough. This time, the Zhiwu Railway will definitely balance the north and south, but we have the experience of building and operating the Fangshan Railway. There is no way we can leave the clan chief out.”

Fan Baoxian nodded smugly.

Fangshan Railway was the first railway built, and Fan Baoxian participated in the entire process of its construction, from land acquisition and construction to its current operation and maintenance.

Everything is new!
Negotiate land acquisition, lay railways, and resolve problems encountered during the project.

Now Fan Baoxian is also in charge of the operation of the entire Fangshan Railway. It can be said that in the Ming Dynasty, apart from Su Ze, who proposed the railway concept, no one understands railways better than Fan Baoxian!
Fan Baoxian also understood that this experience was more valuable than the shares in Fangshan Railway Company.

After the Zhiwu Railway completed its fundraising, everyone wanted to follow the blueprint he had created, whether it was for construction or future operation, and even hire him to provide guidance.

"Chieftain, I actually have an idea."

“Brother Zhongli (Fan Kuan's courtesy name), please speak.”

Fan Kuan said:

"Chief, I suggest that a railway school be built in Zhigu."

"Railway school?"

Fan Kuan said:

"Railway operation management and scheduling, and driver training all require professional personnel."

"This school does not require long-term study like the schools for scholars. It is modeled after the civil service examination, with a duration of three to six months, and is specifically designed to train such specialized talents."

“Nowadays, there are quite a few privately-run maritime schools in Zhigu and Laizhou, and many of them have already made a name for themselves. Ship owners are more willing to recruit crew members who have graduated from these schools.”

Fan Baoxian's eyes lit up after hearing Fan Kuan's words.

As Fan Kuan said, the construction of the Zhigu and Wusong railways would inevitably require more railway personnel.

If the railway school can be established, then the two railways will naturally recruit people from the school in the future.

This means that Fan was able to extend his influence to both railways.

Just as Fan Kuan said, money was actually just a number to the Fan family.

What Fan needed was influence. If he ran a school, even if he couldn't become a director of the railway company, he could still influence the Zhiwu Railway Company.

Fan Baoxian nodded repeatedly and said:
Is the cost of running this school high?

Fan Kuan shook his head and said:

"Chief, it depends on what kind of school we want to run. A railway school would be fine with a few teachers and a few rooms."

"Another advantage of our school is that it allows students to get hands-on experience on the Fangshan Railway."

"Once Zhiwu Company is established, the clan leader can negotiate with their board of directors, and even the training costs can be covered by them."

Fan Baoxian nodded repeatedly.

Fan Kuan then said:
“Establishing schools is also something advocated by the imperial court. We can publicize it in the newspapers so that the court will know about the clan chief’s contributions.”

Now that Fan Baoxian had made up his mind, he said to Fan Kuan:

"Brother Zhongli, go back to the bank and withdraw five thousand silver dollars. I'll leave the school-running business to you!"

(End of this chapter)