Zhu Di: My fourth son is a great emperor of all time?

Chapter 108 Pearls Exchanged for Military Funds, Gold and Silver Flow into Xunzhou City

On the backdrop, there is an exquisite double-pronged hairpin made of lacquered red sandalwood, with a string of pearls of different sizes hanging from the top.

The exquisite and luxurious craftsmanship is captivating.

Even a woman like Zhang Xiuping, who lived a simple life and did not pursue luxury jewelry, would be tempted by it.

She was secretly amazed; she had actually designed such an exquisite item herself.
In the past, pearls were small and rare. Princess Qi believed that Xunzhou, being located by the sea, should take advantage of the seawater to cultivate pearls artificially.

After years of experimentation, spending countless hours by the pearl farm, she finally discovered a method for artificial pearl cultivation.

By implanting and controlling the shape of the pearl nucleus, Xunzhou can not only consistently produce perfectly round pearls the size of goose eggs, but also pearls of various shapes, such as the sun, moon, and stars.

These pearl products gradually spread beyond the Ming Dynasty and began to enter the world. Xunzhou had long since become a renowned cultural landmark both at home and abroad.

"Can these things really be exchanged for military funds?"

This is what excited Zhang Xiuping.

Zhu Gaoshuo smiled wryly, befitting the daughter of a military family: "Yes."

“Xunzhou is poor, and the soil is severely salinized. It would be a real hardship for the people to raise military funds by relying on local taxes, and it would be very difficult to raise enough.”

Zhang Xiuping understood everything Zhu Gaoshuo said.

She suddenly seemed to have a flash of insight, and said excitedly, "So, we need commerce, we need trade."

Zhu Gaoshuo nodded.

This girl is very smart.

No wonder he'll be able to accomplish so many impressive things in Xunzhou in the future.

"What are you cutting and refining? If you can do this to stone, can you also do it to iron armor and helmets?"

Zhu Gaoshuo nodded.

"Then wouldn't we be able to create lighter and stronger armor!"

"Is there another way to break through someone else's armor?"

"Or perhaps there are even more powerful muskets?"

"If we exchange the gold and silver we get for foreign guns, wouldn't we be able to directly recover the lost territories of China!"

Seeing her excited expression, Zhu Gaoshuo felt helpless.

His original intention was simply to develop; all of this was an essential step in his path to building an industrial empire.

Who would have thought that her betrothed princess, like her father and brothers, was almost a war fanatic.

Reclaiming lost territory is something that must be done.

However, Zhu Gaoshuo did not want to mention this matter.

This is because Zhang Fu is indeed going to reclaim Annam in the future.

However, the journey was fraught with difficulties, and the battlefield was ruthless. With no clear future in sight, Zhu Gaoshuo didn't want to reveal too much information.

The historical landscape has now changed dramatically, and Zhu Di has learned about the Heavenly Curtain.

Zhu Gaoshuo felt it was time to make some adjustments to his strategy.

"Yes, all of them are possible. But you also have to think about it: if the people can't make a living after years of war, then what is the purpose of this war, and for whom?"

These words finally calmed Zhang Xiuping down a bit.

"Your Highness Prince Qi is right. The best strategy is to stop the fighting with war."

Zhu Gaoshuo shook his head: "The best strategy is to subdue the enemy without fighting."

He paused. "Do you know what a military threat is?"

Zhang Xiuping first shook her head, then seemed to understand: "My strength makes the surrounding small countries dare not act rashly. Without firing a single shot, I let others know that they cannot act recklessly."

Yes, she seems to be a smart girl.

Zhu Gaoshuo nodded and said, "Just look at that strongest guy in the village, and you know we shouldn't mess with him. We're in Xunzhou, that place is so remote, so poor, the people are so miserable and thin. If we don't develop into a stronger nation, how can we protect the gates of the Ming Dynasty?" Meanwhile, Zhu Gaoshuo and Zhang Xiuping were having a pleasant conversation in Jingtai Temple.

The two hit it off as they talked and discovered that the other was actually very similar to them in spirit.

Meanwhile, in the palace, Zhu Di, Zhu Gaochi, and Zhu Gaoxu were not so happy.

"See that? A mere woman! She actually managed to turn that insignificant thing into military and political wealth!"

Zhu Di was angry.

How could so many treasures of the Ming Dynasty be taken away by Xunzhou?

"Boss, tell me, which of our craftsmen is inferior to this one from Xunzhou, this jewelry designer!"

Zhu Gaochi chuckled and said, "It's just too amazing. No other family would dare to buy it."

"That's right. We sent Zheng He on his voyages to the Western Ocean, carrying gifts to show our great Ming Dynasty to all our neighbors."

Zhu Gaoxu dismissed it with disdain.

He was indeed tempted; how wonderful it would be if he could have those military funds and that steel in his hands.

But he truly disliked women's ornaments. Gold and silver were merely tools for warfare!

"Second brother, you look down on that money-grubbing stuff." Zhu Gaochi's smile remained unchanged.

But his heart had already grown cold.

This is simply because the second son always talks about how military and political affairs are better than finance.

But it was Zhu Gaochi who managed the national treasury, squeezing out money bit by bit to fight wars, and extracting gold and silver to build ships for Zheng He.

"I don't even want it!" Zhu Gaochi waved his hand. "How did our Great Ming Dynasty conquer the world? With our own hands and our own swords!"

"Alright, stop arguing."

Zhu Di was now having a headache just looking at his two sons.

Military spending, state affairs, neighboring countries—national matters were all jumbled up in his mind.

He longed to be like Tianmu, hand in hand with his wife, examining the jewelry of a young girl, or perhaps going to the harbor together to see the day's catch.

In Xunzhou, it seems one can live like a king or a commoner, living a simple and happy life.

This kind of day doesn't exist in heaven.

Her two sons had already gotten used to life in the imperial family.

If they could still remember the love and hardship their father Zhu Yuanzhang and Empress Ma endured during the conquest of the empire, their grandson Zhu Zhanji was already a child raised entirely in the palace.

Can a child like this still cause trouble like the fourth son and his wife, just to give the people a better life?
Zhu Di shook his head.

He banished such thoughts from his mind.

Prince Qi's fiefdom was ultimately limited to Xunzhou. Zhu Zhanji, on the other hand, would inherit the entire Ming Dynasty. Naturally, he had many more things to consider.

However... Zhu Di still harbored resentment when he thought about what Zhu Zhanji would do after his death.

Therefore, he only summoned his two sons today, instructing Zhu Zhanji to attend to the daily affairs of the study and not to come.

The third brother had also invited him, but he declined, saying he wasn't feeling well and couldn't come.

Zhu Di didn't force him. He knew that the third son didn't want to see his two older brothers arguing in front of their father.

"Let's keep watching. This Xunzhou, even the fourth son's wife can come up with all sorts of tricks. It seems to be quite a blessed place indeed."

Zhu Di sneered, "Zhang Fu has certainly raised a fine girl."

“Father, Zhang Fu has other sisters. Zhang Xiuping is his youngest.” Zhu Gaoxu grinned, showing his big teeth, and said, “Why don’t you consider it?”

Zhu Di sighed: "Is that all the ambition you've got?"

(End of this chapter)