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

Chapter 337 Your Majesty, this is the power of the Ming Dynasty! Is this rebellious son courting death?

"His Majesty."

Zhang Yunxiu was startled.

The fat emperor has even said he wants to dismiss me. Should I grant his wish?

As expected, for the Wanli Emperor, silver was still the most important thing.

He composed himself and stepped forward to support the unsteady Wanli Emperor, stepping over the blood-stained floor tiles in the process.

With a sharp look in his eyes, Zhang Yunxiu lowered his voice and spoke.

"Your Majesty, tell me the truth, exactly how much silver we lost."

The Wanli Emperor looked like a child who had lost his beloved toy, his eyes even reddening.

Seeing Zhang Yunxiu was like grasping at a lifeline.

He grabbed Zhang Yunxiu's wrist with great force.

"Shiyuan, you've finally arrived! That eunuch Zhang Cheng has caused me a huge mess!"
I instructed him to manage the business properly, but he instead persecuted the common people. Now, the goods in the warehouse cannot be sold, and the compensation to the people will be a huge sum of money.

You have so many ideas, quickly help me think of a solution!

If the Wanli Emperor wanted to maintain his image of being wise and powerful among the people, then this matter needed to be handled properly.

Furthermore, in the current economic boom sparked by Zhang Yunxiu, even the emperor himself must adhere to rules and principles.

After all, you, the emperor, are the biggest merchants in the world. If you don't follow the rules and have integrity, and engage in shortchanging and forced buying and selling, how can you expect your decrees to be implemented?

The eyes of the world are on them!

It's absolutely impossible to cover this up.

In the bustling city, countless eyes were watching, especially since the one who had clashed with the Prince of Lu was no ordinary prince.

It is foreseeable that this matter will become the talk of the town within a day or two.

At that time, Wanli's situation would be extremely awkward.

The emperor, in his pursuit of wealth, actually allowed eunuchs to act with impunity.

Not only did they oppress the people, but the 100,000 taels of silver were also wasted.

After the festival, the imperial court will promote the opening of the sea. How can the Wanli Emperor win the people's approval with such actions?
This is the impact of "reputation" and "politics." For Emperor Wanli personally, this sum of 100,000 taels of silver was truly painful.

Zhang Yunxiu was speechless and felt no sympathy for the fat emperor. He recalled the boy's mysterious and smug appearance earlier, and he had no idea what was going on.

Now he understood: the fat emperor wanted to start afresh!
Although he was somewhat prepared for this, Zhang Yunxiu still looked extremely distressed. He took two steps back, his face filled with disappointment and grief.

"Your Majesty! How could you do this! That money is all the hard-earned money of the people! Even if Your Majesty suspects me, you should never do such an absurd thing!"
"Chen. Chen."

Zhang Yunxiu clutched his chest, as if he were a loyal minister who had been "heart and soul" and "wholeheartedly" thinking of the Ming Dynasty, only to be betrayed in the end.

Emperor Wanli was stunned. He had expected to receive comfort from the other party, but he did not expect Zhang Yunxiu to react in this way.

However, he felt guilty and even more ashamed after hearing Zhang Yunxiu's very "sincere" words.

This is something I've done wrong to my brother!

Now, he's the one cleaning up the mess!

Even though Wanli was an emperor, he still had his pride. The other person was someone who shared his interest in erotic art!

Emperor Wanli lowered his head, and was somewhat moved, wiping away non-existent tears from the corners of his eyes.

"Shiyuan, it is indeed my fault in this matter. But the Xishan sales fair was spending money like water, and I watched those good things being sold off cheaply. That's all money! My heart is bleeding!"

His pained expression as he clutched his chest seemed far more genuine than Zhang Yunxiu's.

The emperor really cares about his money!
With tears in his eyes, Zhang Yunxiu sighed repeatedly, displaying a deep brotherly affection.

"Your Majesty, why would you act so foolishly! Didn't I make myself perfectly clear in my report?"

"To report?"

Emperor Wanli couldn't help but break out in a sweat; clearly, he hadn't paid any attention to the Western Hills or that extremely complex business report.

He was even less confident now and hurriedly tried to defend himself.

"I've been thinking, the goods at the Xishan sales fair are so cheap. Rather than letting those merchants profit from them, why don't I buy them all and sell them at a higher price? Wouldn't that make me a lot more money?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yunxiu sighed heavily, his brows furrowing into knots, his tone growing increasingly sorrowful: "What a fine example of waiting for the right price! Has Your Majesty forgotten the lessons of the Jiangnan gentry?"

With just a few words, Emperor Wanli was completely taken aback, not even noticing anything amiss in the other party's tone. He was terrified, and his hands were trembling.

"What...what's going on?"

Zhang Yunxiu paced back and forth in the hall, shaking his head repeatedly, before saying in a deep voice, "Your Majesty has not yet grasped the essence of 'small profits but quick turnover'! The so-called 'quick turnover' relies entirely on 'small profits' as its foundation."

Although the capital city is under the emperor's nose and there are many wealthy families, ordinary people still make up the majority of the population.

"While the artifacts of Xishan are exquisite, if one only focuses on the powerful and wealthy, then it is a minor path."

He paused, then emphasized his words.

"This is the essence of this promotional event. We are not making quick money in the short term, but making long-term plans to thoroughly penetrate the vast lower-tier markets of our Great Ming Dynasty! This is the true foundation of economic prosperity, Your Majesty!"

Quick money in the short term?

Long-term planning?

Lower-tier markets!

Some new and inexplicable feelings!

These terms, which were overused by later startups, seemed somewhat incomprehensible yet impressive to the Wanli Emperor!
If it were Emperor Wanli a year ago, he would certainly have thought Zhang Yunxiu was spreading heresy and misleading the public. But now, Zhang Yunxiu has completely proven himself right. Coupled with the influence of a series of economic theories, Emperor Wanli quickly came to appreciate the wonder of it.

"The lower-tier market? Shi Yuan's ideas are so inclusive!"

Emperor Wanli's voice trembled slightly, even sounding somewhat agitated, but he was still confused and didn't know what he was excited about.

"exactly!"

Zhang Yunxiu paced back and forth in the main hall, striking while the iron was hot, displaying the style of various business speakers of later generations.

"Although the nobles, officials and gentry of our Great Ming Dynasty are numerous, they are ultimately a minority; ordinary farmers, merchants, traders and laborers are the silent majority, which is what is called the 'lower-tier market'."

Xishan wants to develop its industries, and the imperial court wants to expand its sources of revenue. This lower-tier market is a foundation that cannot be ignored.

As Xunzi said, "Water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it." This ancient saying demonstrates the power of the lower-tier market.

In my opinion, if the Ming Dynasty wants to revive, it must rely on this force rooted in the cities and countryside.

This was the true power of the Ming Dynasty, supporting the nation and shaking the very foundations of the world!

When Zhang Yunxiu got emotional, he almost shouted "Applause, please!" but thankfully he held back.

This rambling speech truly stunned the Wanli Emperor. Before he could react, he stammered and asked.

"What does this have to do with my current financial losses?"

"It's of great importance." Zhang Yunxiu's tone became more sincere. "The Xishan promotion event adheres to the principle of low profit margins. It may seem like a short-term price reduction, but in reality, it is cultivating the market and revitalizing business channels."

By taking advantage of promotional events, people can get good products at low prices, which will make them recognize the Xishan brand, develop a consumption habit, and be willing to use Xishan's convenient products in the future.

Merchants used the sales fairs to clear out excess stockpiled goods and thus recoup their funds.

With faster goods turnover, merchants profit more, and people's consumption increases, the imperial court will have a stable source of tax revenue when collecting commercial taxes. This is the true virtuous cycle of the economy.

He changed the subject and looked directly at Wanli.

"The plan of Xishan was already perfect, but His Majesty insisted on intervening to buy up and hoard goods. If these 100,000 taels of silver worth of goods fell into the hands of the people, how many families could have bought a farm tool, a quilt, and have a peaceful New Year?"

Emperor Wanli, realizing his initial disrespect towards Zhang Yunxiu, fell into deep thought after hearing the analysis.

A moment later, he still had a sliver of hope.

"In that case, let's wait until after the New Year to sell this batch of goods. Prices will have gone up by then, so we should be able to make some money, right?"

He had this idea all along, but he hated that Zhang Cheng was too eager for quick success and instant benefits, and was in a hurry to sell before the Lantern Festival was over.

Zhang Yunxiu smiled wryly upon hearing this: "Your Majesty has forgotten again that Xishan will be expanding its production after the New Year. How can prices rise significantly? At that time, we will have to pay for the storage of this batch of goods and may even have to sell them at a discount. If we want to transport them to other places for sale, we will have to bear the costs of transportation and losses. In the end, we may not be able to make a profit."

Emperor Wanli was momentarily speechless and subconsciously said...

"Could Xishan reduce its production?"

Zhang Yunxiu's eyes betrayed his helplessness: "Is Your Majesty willing to give up a future income of a million taels for goods worth only 100,000 taels?"

For an ancient person, how easy is it to completely change their mindset?
Emperor Wanli was not a fool, and Zhang Juzheng was a top talent of the Ming Dynasty. However, the two of them repeatedly made mistakes in front of Zhang Yunxiu, which was ultimately due to their ingrained prejudices.

The bewilderment on Emperor Wanli's chubby face gradually faded, replaced by anger upon realizing what was happening, and his large head turned a liverish color.

He slammed his hand on the table and roared angrily.

"Zhang Cheng, you castrated dog! Guards, drag Zhang Cheng back to me and beat him again!"

Zhang Yunxiu then reminded him, "Even if Your Majesty kills Zhang Cheng, there's no way to undo the damage."

"What should we do?" Emperor Wanli was getting anxious. He grabbed Zhang Yunxiu, his eyes bloodshot. "Shiyuan! You must have a solution! Quickly, help me think of something!"

Zhang Yunxiu helplessly spread his hands and said, "Your Majesty's current imperial treasury has more than a million taels of silver. Business is inherently a matter of profit and loss, and losses are eight or nine out of ten times. Your Majesty should calm down in order to seek greater profits again."

"Ten thousand taels of silver isn't a lot, but we can't just let it go to waste!"

The Wanli Emperor was losing his composure; his voice was filled with urgency and anger, even bordering on tears. "Shiyuan, you should understand me! This 100,000 taels of silver... he's different!"

Zhang Yunxiu was completely stunned. He knew that Wanli loved money, but he never expected it to have come to this.

Could it be the effect of my arrival?
After a long silence, he finally let out a sigh.

"Very well, if Your Majesty insists on making up for the losses, I do have a way."

Emperor Wanli's eyes lit up: "Speak freely!"

"However," Zhang Yunxiu changed the subject, a hint of embarrassment on his face, "I have another small request."

"Requirements?" Wanli frowned.

“Your Majesty surely understands,” Zhang Yunxiu blinked. “This humble subject has never asked anything of Your Majesty.”

Emperor Wanli squinted, looking thoughtful, and sized up Zhang Yunxiu.

If we're talking about wealth and luxury, Zhang Yunxiu already has plenty. He's the best money-maker in the world. As for power, he already commands the Embroidered Uniform Guard. What more could he ask for?

Suddenly, Wanli seemed to realize something, and he shuddered, bursting into a rage.

"Zhang Shiyuan! You've gone too far! For a mere 100,000 taels of silver, you want me to sell my own sister! Do you think I'm that kind of person? You already have a Japanese woman and you're still not satisfied!"

Zhang Yunxiu was furious when he heard that the Japanese woman was also angry. He put on a "dead pig is not afraid of boiling water" look and spread his hands.

"Your Majesty is always generous in rewarding the officials of the court, yet so stingy with me. If you do not grant my request, I am filled with anxiety and sorrow, and I fear my mind will go blank, and I will be unable to think of any solution."

After saying that, he deliberately put on a crazy and roguish demeanor.

"you!!!"

The Wanli Emperor was furious and pointed at Zhang Yunxiu, cursing him.

"Zhang Shiyuan, this is outrageous! How dare you threaten me! If I were to marry off my own sister for ten thousand taels of silver, what face would I have left?"

Zhang Yunxiu didn't respond, but squinted and pressed, "Your Majesty, just say whether you agree or not?"

Emperor Wanli was speechless.

The first image that flashed through my mind was of a room filled with the brilliance of 100,000 taels of silver.

Then, the image of Princess Yongning's usual arrogant and domineering demeanor resurfaced.

Upon further reflection, considering Zhang Yunxiu's substantial wealth, an inexplicable thought arose in his mind.

"that."

Emperor Wanli's face instantly broke into a smile, and he coughed twice to cover up his embarrassment.

"Well, Shiyuan, this matter is not unnecessarily negotiable, but it mainly depends on the Empress Dowager's opinion. Rest assured, I will certainly put in a good word for you!"

He then let out a dry laugh.

"Tell me your plan first, and I will certainly help you."

Zhang Yunxiu only mentioned it briefly and didn't really intend to force the emperor. He had his own scale in mind, balancing the dual relationship between "childhood friend" and "subject".

He immediately cupped his hands and said, "Then this humble subject will thank Your Majesty in advance."

The Wanli Emperor, somewhat impatient, lowered his voice and said, "Tell me your plan on how to recover those 100,000 taels of silver."

Zhang Yunxiu smiled slightly and asked in return, "Has Your Majesty forgotten? Every year when vassal states come to pay tribute, our Great Ming Dynasty is obligated to bestow rewards upon them."

He shook his head and sighed.

Emperor Taizu Gao once made a decision: the gifts bestowed upon the chieftains of the various barbarian tribes who come to court should be generous, so as to show the court's intention to appease them.
It's likely that this reward alone costs the imperial court a considerable amount of silver each year.

When this matter was mentioned, the Wanli Emperor gritted his teeth in anger.

"Those poor and insignificant vassal states, when asked to offer some goods, they all do a perfunctory job, yet I'm the one who has to pay out of my own pocket. What kind of logic is this!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he felt that he might be criticizing his ancestors, so he quickly changed the subject.

"What does this have to do with my goods?"

"Your Majesty still doesn't understand?" Zhang Yunxiu raised an eyebrow.

Emperor Wanli's eyes widened suddenly, and then he slapped his thigh, as if suddenly enlightened.

"How could I not have thought of bestowing these goods upon those envoys from vassal states!"

But then he thought about it again and realized that wasn't right.

"No! In previous years, the silver for these rewards was all paid by the Ministry of Revenue. This time, it's coming from the Imperial Treasury. We can't set this precedent!"

The emperor felt a pang of regret at the thought of having to use his own private funds.

The Wanli Emperor then added, "Besides, those goods are all small items. Wouldn't it make our Ming Dynasty look stingy to send them away?"

Zhang Yunxiu patiently explained, "This silver should have come from the Ministry of Revenue. Why doesn't His Majesty issue an edict ordering the Ministry of Revenue to purchase goods worth 100,000 taels of silver?"

The corners of his mouth turned up slightly.

"As for the value of these goods, some of the cloth and silk are needed by the vassal state, and most of the other daily necessities come from Xishan. Their value is not up to us to decide."
According to my humble opinion, those envoys who received the kerosene lamps, soap, briquettes, and glass mirrors were actually thanking us!

Zhang Yunxiu was absolutely right. These light industrial products of the Ming Dynasty are now a true game-changer overseas.

The Wanli Emperor was still somewhat worried: "Those are all the most precious treasures of our Great Ming Dynasty. What if others learn them?"

Zhang Yunxiu said helplessly, "Doesn't Your Majesty understand? Kerosene lamps, soap, and briquettes are consumables. Foreign lands do not have the productivity and technology of Xishan, so how can they imitate them?"

I'm afraid that once they experience the fine things of the Ming Dynasty, just like porcelain and silk, they'll be begging to buy them from us!
His Majesty has made up for the losses, the court has resolved the issue of rewards, and the foreign lands have enjoyed the goods of the Ming Dynasty—this is a win-win-win situation!

Emperor Wanli was stunned for a moment, then his face lit up with joy, his eyes practically shining. He patted Zhang Yunxiu's shoulder, his affectionate manner making it seem as if he wanted to hug and kiss Zhang Yunxiu.

"Shiyuan! You're a fucking genius at scheming and plotting!"

Zhang Yunxiu, on the other hand, looked indignant.

"How can Your Majesty slander someone's innocence so easily! I, Zhang Yunxiu, am the most upright and righteous gentleman!"

Within half a day, Wenyuan Pavilion received news from Qianqing Palace.

Zhang Juzheng finished reading the note in his hand with a livid expression, then casually tossed it into the charcoal stove. The paper curled up in the red-hot coals and turned to ashes.

He slowly rose, his gaze falling once more on the imperial edict delivered by the Directorate of Ceremonial, his expression growing increasingly complex.

Shen Shixing, standing to the side, looked worried and sighed.

"What should we do now? His Majesty's willfulness has caused trouble, not only making the people suffer oppression for no reason, but now that batch of goods is piling up and unsold, and the loss alone is at least fifty or sixty thousand taels of silver."

"If word gets out of this chaotic situation, I'm afraid we won't be able to stop the anger and resentment of the people!"

Needless to say, the Lantern Festival was just a few days away, and then there was the matter of opening up the seas the following year. Wanli's decision to make such a mistake at this time undoubtedly handed over a knife to those restless opponents to attack him.

But Zhang Juzheng gently shook his head and said, "This matter has already been resolved."

"Resolved?" Shen Shixing asked, his face full of surprise.

Zhang Juzheng then briefly and concisely recounted Zhang Yunxiu's plan.

Shen Shixing was first stunned, his eyes showing surprise, then joy, and finally exclaiming in admiration.

"This is truly a brilliant idea! Zhang, the head of the guards, is indeed well-versed in the ways of court politics."

His voice trembled slightly as he began his analysis.

"The Ministry of Revenue only needs to claim that His Majesty's shipment of goods was originally intended as a reward by the court, and then shift all the blame onto Zhang Cheng and his eunuch faction, severely punishing Zhang Cheng and the others. This will minimize the impact of the matter!"

As he spoke, he felt a renewed sense of admiration for Zhang Yunxiu, realizing that even if he and Zhang Juzheng considered it, they might not be able to achieve the same result.

The main problem is that their ideas weren't as shameless as Zhang Yunxiu's.
Zhang Juzheng frowned slightly and looked out the window: "His Majesty..."

The words were on the tip of his tongue, but he swallowed them back.

Even Zhang Juzheng had to clean up the mess left by the emperor's capriciousness, unless he could really decide to depose and install a monarch, but everyone knew that this was almost impossible in the Ming Dynasty.

Seeing this, Shen Shixing sighed: "As long as we can quell the trouble, that's good. It's the New Year season right now, so it's best to keep things peaceful and avoid any trouble. That way, we can both go home and celebrate the festival together sooner."

In the early years of the Ming Dynasty, holidays were scarce, and they only became slightly more relaxed during the Wanli era.

Especially during the period from Lunar New Year's Eve and New Year's Day to the Lantern Festival, there have been precedents of holidays lasting nearly a month.

In fact, as early as the 24th day of the twelfth lunar month, some unimportant departments of the imperial court had already taken a break.

However, Zhang Juzheng and Shen Shixing, these two Grand Secretaries of the Cabinet, were clearly not entitled to enjoy this leisure.

"The Lantern Festival arrangements have all been made, and I could have finally breathed a sigh of relief and gone home to reunite with my family," Zhang Juzheng said leisurely. "But that brat Zhang Yunxiu has stirred up another mess for me!"

Although the words were spoken calmly, Shen Shixing could clearly hear the suppressed anger beneath the calm.

Shen Shixing grew increasingly puzzled: "What is this all about, Master En?"

In his view, Zhang Yunxiu not only had no faults this time, but had also made a great contribution. He had such a wonderful way to solve the problem, and even if it was not perfect, he should still be praised.

It seems that the man from the En family is being a bit too harsh.

Shen Shixing was thinking of saying a few words of justice for Zhang Yunxiu.

But then Zhang Juzheng clenched his fist and gritted his teeth as he uttered a sentence.

"This kid has gone mad himself, yet he wants to drag his whole family down with him. He actually dares to ask His Majesty to grant him a marriage to Princess Yongning!"

(End of this chapter)