Da Ming: Father, step aside, I'll be the prime minister!

Chapter 285 I Don't Like Silver

Emperor Wanli was confined to the palace from a young age, spending his days immersed in classical Chinese texts and the Four Books and Five Classics taught by Hanlin scholars, which he had long since grown tired of.

In addition, having witnessed the behavior of the upright gentry in recent days, he has become even more disgusted with the civil service system.

But Zhang Yunxiu was completely different. He was like a childhood playmate, often suggesting new and interesting things to me. These things seemed like fun, but they often had a real purpose.

For example, allowing Qi Jiguang to lead a portion of the navy to plunder overseas, turning the Ming army into pirates, was something that would have been unthinkable in the past.

Our great Ming Dynasty should prioritize benevolence and righteousness; how could it possibly plunder small countries?
But if you change the pretext, it's a different story. Instead of flying the Ming Dynasty flag, you rob the Japanese, whom you've always had a grudge against. Emperor Wanli felt no burden at all; on the contrary, he was very excited.

Robbery! And the thief was a Japanese man! He even managed to solve his problems after the robbery!

Upon hearing the question about whether it was to "promote the prestige of our Great Ming Dynasty," Zhang Yunxiu felt somewhat helpless and couldn't help but offer a reminder.

"Your Majesty, we are operating under the name of pirates. How can our acts of plunder be compared to those of the Ming Dynasty?"

"Hey!"

Emperor Wanli slapped his forehead and said.

"I almost forgot that this time I dispatched Junior Protector Qi to the South Seas to eliminate pirates. I wonder if this trip to the South Seas has yielded any results?"

When this was mentioned, the Wanli Emperor's face lit up with excitement, his eyes filled with anticipation.

Qi Jiguang has been at sea for more than half a month, and this first wave of news should have reached the capital by now.

Zhang Yunxiu sighed and said, "General Qi's involvement in maritime affairs was about ten years ago. How can we find the pirates in this vast ocean?"
These days, General Qi has gained nothing in Southeast Asia. This is not their fault; the enemy is simply too cunning.

News has come from Yuegang that the pirates along this route have become increasingly rampant recently. They are extremely brutal, having plundered over a dozen Japanese merchant ships in the past two days, causing heavy losses to the Japanese. The matter has been reported to the Yuegang Thousand-Household Office.

The Ming court was well aware that the Japanese were trading in Yuegang. Although there were no official trade documents, the Ming Dynasty would not let money slip by. They turned a blind eye to the Japanese using the name of the Portuguese, as everyone knew the truth.

The Wanli Emperor found it amusing; he raised his eyebrows and shook his head excitedly.

"This is really bad. Yuegang is an important window for our Great Ming's foreign trade. If Yuegang is in chaos, it will make our Great Ming appear to be lax in its education. Send out an urgent report so that Qi Yuanjing and others cannot be negligent and must do their best to maintain the stability of our Great Ming's maritime borders."

Zhang Yunxiu, on the other hand, seemed to want to say something in defense of Qi Jiguang.

"Your Majesty, General Qi did not come away empty-handed. He protected a group of merchants in the South Seas and earned nearly 300,000 taels of silver. The soldiers under his command should be rewarded. We from Xishan provided them with a lot of supplies and will receive about 100,000 taels of silver."

Upon hearing this, Emperor Wanli's eyes immediately lit up, but he still stood with his hands behind his back, looking heartbroken, and pointed at Zhang Yunxiu.

"Shiyuan, Shiyuan, how can I say anything to you? How can the things in this world be measured by money? Am I the kind of person who covets money?"

"I am the Emperor of the Great Ming Dynasty, and I do not like silver."

He paused, furrowed his thick, beady eyebrows, and said very seriously.

"Silver is secondary. Why would I care about a few hundred thousand taels of silver? Issue an edict to Qi Yuanjing, telling him that if the southern seas of the Ming Dynasty are not peaceful, he doesn't need to come back. He can settle down in Yuegang!"

Upon hearing the emperor's words, Zhang Yunxiu nearly lost his composure. He barely managed to suppress his laughter, but when he heard the emperor's next sentence, he was speechless.

Emperor Wanli must have seen how profitable piracy was and wanted Qi Jiguang to stay down there for a long time, Zhang Yunxiu couldn't help but remind him.

"Your Majesty, General Qi is the sharpest blade of our Great Ming, and has made great contributions to the Great Ming. The governance of the coastal borders cannot be rushed. It requires long-term governance, a gradual approach, and the participation of everyone in the governance."

"Could it be said that they governed together?" Emperor Wanli was somewhat puzzled.

Zhang Yunxiu said with a smile: "Since the Ming Dynasty imposed a maritime ban, the navy has not been our forte. Various places have neglected coastal defense. If it weren't for this, the Japanese pirates wouldn't be so rampant. In recent years, in order to deal with the Japanese pirates on the coast, the naval camp has become even more corrupt."

Your Majesty, if our Great Ming Dynasty wants to open up the seas, a powerful navy is essential, but training a navy will inevitably require money.

Does our Great Ming Dynasty currently have sufficient funds to develop its navy?

"Naval forces."

Emperor Wanli frowned. Although he was unwilling to deal with state affairs and seemed confused, he was actually quite clear-headed and always had a general understanding of the country under his rule.

As Zhang Yunxiu said, the Ming Dynasty was short of silver, and the only measures it took were to "increase revenue and reduce expenditure".

The Wanli New Deal was about "cutting expenses".

Xishan promoted various inventions, produced briquettes, manufactured glass, and improved productivity with textile machines; this was "open source".

Lifting the maritime ban and engaging in foreign trade is also a way to "open up new sources of revenue".

But if the sea ban is to be lifted, a powerful navy is necessary, and a powerful navy requires money.

However, the imperial court implemented the "increase revenue and reduce expenditure" policy precisely because it lacked funds, thus creating a closed loop.

"This is indeed a difficult problem to solve." The Wanli Emperor nodded. "Then what is the meaning of your governance in this matter?"

Zhang Yunxiu then explained, "Just like General Qi, His Majesty can use the name of Xishan to establish another Xishan Maritime Affairs Bureau, allowing some people to go out to sea for trade. The court will not participate in it, but can provide certain protection. The court will take a portion of the profits from the ships that go out to sea."

By mobilizing the power of the common people, some gentry and powerful families were also able to develop their own maritime forces, filling the gap in the development of the Ming Dynasty's navy.

Upon hearing this, Emperor Wanli's eyes lit up, but he still had some reservations.

"If we allow local powerful families to develop maritime affairs, what if they grow too powerful and then turn against the imperial court?"

"Your Majesty is worrying too much."

Zhang Yunxiu smiled and shook his head as he spoke.

"Now, the Great Ming Mechanical Academy has improved the gunpowder formula, and a steel mill has been established in Xishan. I guarantee that within two years, the power of the Great Ming's firearms will be greatly enhanced."

The imperial court controls firearms and cannons, while these civilian forces merely develop some ships and sailors; how could they possibly contend with the imperial court?

He raised an eyebrow and said.

"Even if Your Majesty doesn't implement this policy, will these people stop developing maritime affairs? Many of the former Japanese pirates came from prominent families in Jiangnan. Which of the many pirates at sea didn't receive funding from prominent families?"

Now, by simply making things more transparent, we are actually able to control them.

Zheng Zhilong, an important maritime hegemon in the late Ming Dynasty, was not yet born, but Zhang Yunxiu knew that he made his fortune in the Yuegang area of ​​Zhangzhou.

It can be said that even if the Ming Dynasty had not implemented such a decree, countless gentry and commoners from Fujian, Guangdong, and Zhejiang would still have thrown themselves into the sea.

Therefore, implementing such policies could, to some extent, control maritime power and revitalize the Ming Dynasty's maritime trade.

"But..." Emperor Wanli clearly still had deep concerns about this matter.

As a feudal monarch, he always placed imperial power above all else. Opening up the seas would undoubtedly be a way of relinquishing some of that power to the people. The difficulty for the court to control ships at sea was likely one of the reasons why Zhu Yuanzhang previously implemented the maritime ban.

Zhang Yunxiu then reminded him, "Your Majesty, the sea is vast and difficult for our Great Ming to control. Just like managing floods, it is better to dredge than to block."

He smiled a little.

"If Your Majesty still has concerns, then we can proceed with a pilot program."

Pilot programs are a good approach, but whether they are effective cannot be determined theoretically; we can only know by seeing the results.

After some deliberation, the Wanli Emperor nodded and said...

"Let's do as Shiyuan says."

Deep down, he was certainly unwilling to relinquish control of imperial power, but the profits from maritime trade were simply too substantial.

Where in the world doesn't money come from?

Even the emperor had to provide salaries and rewards to his officials and soldiers before things would be settled.

What was the purpose of the vigorous Wanli New Deal implemented over the years? Wasn't it all for money?
If it weren't for the opportunity to earn money, Emperor Wanli wouldn't have been determined to "go to war" with the Jiangnan gentry, nor would he have listened to Zhang Yunxiu's advice, or even sent Qi Jiguang out to sea.

Now, as long as maritime trade can be promoted, the Jiangnan gentry will collapse like clay chickens and earthenware dogs, and the court's many problems will be easily solved.

All that was needed was for Emperor Wanli to give in.

He didn't even need to consider the opinions of the court officials, because the Xishan Workshop cleverly bypassed the court's constraints and promoted the implementation of various policies in a semi-public, semi-private manner.

Do your court officials have objections? What does that have to do with the court? Xishan is the private property of the imperial family. Does the emperor need your interference in his business dealings?

If something really happens, Emperor Wanli can simply shrug and say that the Xishan workshops are poorly managed and shut them down immediately. This would be much more flexible than the court having to painstakingly implement government orders.

It should be noted that prior to this, the emperor also had the idea of ​​implementing a mining tax, ordering local mining commissioners and tax supervisors to mine in the name of the royal family and earn royal funds.

Compared to the mining tax, the various activities promoted by the Xishan Workshop were much more moderate.

After some consideration, Emperor Wanli was quite satisfied with Zhang Yunxiu's suggestion, and he smiled as he spoke.

"I agree here. As for you, Yuanfu, you should go and discuss this thoroughly with him, Shiyuan, and strive to ensure that my intentions are implemented effectively. You and your son should work hard, and I will certainly not treat you unfairly."

Lately, Emperor Wanli has gotten used to not taking the initiative to consult with Zhang Juzheng, since Zhang Juzheng's stubborn temper would only lead to a lecture.

Instead, it would be a better choice to have Zhang Yunxiu speak to Zhang Juzheng.

Zhang Yunxiu was sharp-tongued and could always leave his father speechless.

Emperor Wanli could achieve his goal while avoiding the trouble of being reprimanded. Why wouldn't he do it?

"Your Majesty, you are making things difficult for this humble subject!"

Zhang Yunxiu said with a bitter face.

"Your Excellency is my father, and as the saying goes, a son should not speak ill of his father. Your Majesty is forcing me to be a rebellious son!"

Emperor Wanli was grinning from ear to ear. He patted Zhang Yunxiu on the shoulder and said with great pride.

"Shiyuan, do not disappoint my expectations. You are not fighting alone; you are fighting for me, and for the millions of ordinary people of the Ming Dynasty!"

After spending a long time with Zhang Yunxiu, Emperor Wanli's way of speaking changed.

What he didn't realize was that, unwittingly, he had also handed over the power to make decisions on important state affairs to Zhang Juzheng and his son Zhang Yunxiu, and he, the emperor, had become a participant in the discussions.

Of course, at this moment, Emperor Wanli was unaware that he had sown the seeds of a fatal disaster.

"News from the sea indicates that the Penghu Patrol Office of our Great Ming Dynasty has now become an isolated island hanging overseas. Since the court has eliminated the Japanese pirates, it has paid less and less attention to the sea frontier. The salaries of the Penghu Patrol Office personnel have even been cut off."

Zhang Yunxiu specifically mentioned the Penghu Patrol Inspectorate, stating that he immediately recognized its importance upon learning of it.

Penghu Patrol Office was a necessary route to Southeast Asia. Historically, the Dutch East India Company had repeatedly dabbled in this area, hoping to use Penghu as a springboard to open trade routes to the Ming Dynasty.

In the 32nd year of the Wanli reign, the Dutch occupied the area but were forced to retreat by Commander Shen Yourong. Later, in the 2nd year of the Tianqi reign, the Dutch established a stronghold there but were repelled by the Ming army.

Historically, the Ming Dynasty did not pay much attention to Penghu, mainly because it could not bring significant benefits, which is why the Dutch repeatedly took advantage of the situation.

But now, whether for the purpose of defending the sea frontier or developing maritime trade, this place is an indispensable and important fulcrum for the Ming Dynasty.

After hearing Zhang Yunxiu's description, Emperor Wanli frowned deeply, clearly showing his anger.

How could an emperor not be angry to hear that his territory had deteriorated to such an extent?
"What a dog!"

The Wanli Emperor said angrily.

"If it weren't for those upright officials who dared to speak out, and if it weren't for those gentry families from Jiangnan, how could the coastal borders of my Great Ming have deteriorated to this extent?"

They kept saying that once the sea ban was lifted, Japanese pirates and sea bandits would collude, and Portuguese would be eyeing the sea with covetous eyes. But in the end, it was they who were the ones guarding the sea and stealing from the sea!
They keep saying that the Maritime Trade Association has made people "pursue profits", but they themselves have earned the most money!

They even said that maritime trade couldn't earn money, but in the coastal areas of Jiangnan, those gentry and wealthy families were richer than a country!

"All those words were said to them, so it's become my fault?"

The extreme double standards of the civil service group had long been intolerable to the Wanli Emperor.

As the ancients said, one should be strict with oneself and lenient with others.

These people, on the other hand, are lenient with themselves but strict with others.

There's no such logic in the world.

Emperor Wanli was kept in the dark and actually thought it was his fault. Later, he discovered that the biggest parasite of the Ming Dynasty was not him, the emperor, but the group of corrupt and incompetent aristocratic families below him!
"His Majesty."

Zhang Yunxiu cupped his hands in greeting and said.

"While the gentry of Jiangnan are certainly despicable, the most important thing right now is to send troops to guard the peace of this region. This place is particularly dangerous, and it is absolutely impossible to defend it with just a few hundred men under General Qi's command. It requires long-term maintenance and continuous investment."

Emperor Wanli narrowed his eyes and clenched his fist as he spoke.

"This Penghu region is an inherent part of the territory of our Great Ming Dynasty, and no one may lay a finger on it!"

(End of this chapter)