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

Chapter 386 Is Ningbo Prefecture Saved? Urgent Message from Jiangnan!
Even if the news is outrageous, such a low price is still tempting.

Curious people went out in twos and threes to explore the market.

Good heavens, just as the night watchman said, the price is one or two coins per pound, and some of the sea fish are even fresh.

The common people had never seen anything like this before.

You know, rice prices have skyrocketed these days, and a pound of rice costs ten coins. Yet your Yuanyang Garrison only sells ten pounds of fresh fish for ten coins.

Although there was no famine in Ningbo Prefecture, the people were not well-off.

At first, I had some concerns. Could this be another tactic by the imperial court to exploit the people?
This fish is completely inedible.
Some people tentatively bought a pound or two to try.

But after cooking it, I was surprised to find that the yellow croaker was incredibly delicious.

Once the news was confirmed, it spread by word of mouth, and people flocked to the nearest market to buy large yellow croakers!
There are approximately 100,000 people in Ningbo city, and these 80,000 catties of yellow croaker would be enough to give almost everyone one catty.

That night, a steady stream of yellow croakers was transported in from outside the city, and everyone, from the soldiers guarding the city to the common people and merchants, stayed up all night.

Eighty thousand catties of yellow croaker exploded like dazzling fireworks in Ningbo city. By late at night, almost every household had lit their stoves in advance.

The streets of the entire prefectural city were filled with either the smell of fish or the aroma of fish.

Before dawn, all the remaining yellow croakers at the Yuanyangwei garrison were sold out, and even the remaining fish entrails and offal were snapped up.

"Thank you, Hai Qingtian! Thank you, Hai Qingtian!"

The family knelt and bowed to Hai Rui, offering him two fresh fish and a pound of dried fish in gratitude.

This is a poor family; a few pounds of meat are enough to sustain them for half a month.

Hai Rui's smile was stern as he offered this reminder.

"Take it home and eat it. Remember to come back and buy more fish when you catch them again."

The family left, expressing their deepest gratitude.

Zhao Rui helped Ningbo Prefecture with the accounting, and he was so busy all night that his feet were constantly on the ground.

When he saw the empty fish baskets in the market, a genuine smile appeared on his face.

"This time, the people of Ningbo Prefecture can finally enjoy a good meal."

As he spoke, he almost drooled.

"The ocean-going fleet has caught fresh large yellow croakers this time, which are the best of the fish. Every year, Wenzhou Prefecture and Ningbo Prefecture would send a batch of them as tribute."

Even ordinary people in the Jiangnan region rarely had the opportunity to eat fresh large yellow croaker, but now almost everyone can.

Zhao Rui smacked his lips again, clearly his mouth watering.

"The ocean-going fleet catches not only large yellow croaker, but also all kinds of seafood, such as jellyfish, which are pickled with alum and salt, giving them a unique flavor!"

It can be said that "the swallows that once graced the mansions of the wealthy and powerful now fly into the homes of ordinary people."

He shook his head, looking quite emotional.

At this moment, as dawn was breaking, everyone in the Ningbo government office looked exhausted.

The smile on Ningbo Prefect Wu Wenzhong's face was almost overflowing; the day's fish catch was like a windfall.

This move, which benefits the people, can be considered a political achievement for Ningbo Prefecture.

He cupped his hands in greeting to Hai Rui.

"Everyone has worked hard tonight, so I have prepared a table of food and wine. It is not extravagant, but consists of some fresh fish sent by the ocean-going navy. We are just sharing the joy with the people, aren't we?"

Knowing that Hai Rui was incorruptible, Wu Wenzhong naturally dared not be extravagant, so he specially ate seafood.

Seafood used to be considered a luxury, but now it's sold for the price of cabbage, and ordinary people can afford it. Why can't they eat it?
Wu Wenzhong thought he had been very careful, but Hai Rui remained expressionless and showed no reaction.

He suddenly felt uncertain and couldn't help but feel flustered.

Did I inadvertently offend Hai Rui? Could this notoriously strict censor be using this as an excuse to investigate me?
Just as Wu Wenzhong was feeling uneasy, he heard Hai Rui say calmly.

"Prefect Wu".

"The subordinate is here."

Wu Wenzhong hurriedly stepped forward and bowed. He slightly raised his eyes and saw Hai Rui facing the rising sun, his eyes seemingly sparkling. He was even more puzzled.

Hai Rui said, "To my recollection, there seems to have been no disasters or famines in Ningbo Prefecture from last year to this year?"

After the suppression of the Japanese pirates, and with the reforms of Zhang Juzheng, Ningbo Prefecture was able to catch its breath and develop.

Apart from the rainy season floods, there are almost no other disasters affecting Ningbo each year. Even last year when there were floods in Jiangnan, the impact on Ningbo Prefecture was limited.

Wu Wenzhong quickly replied, "Your Excellency, Ningbo Prefecture has enjoyed favorable weather and abundant harvests in recent years. Although it cannot be considered wealthy, the lives of the people are relatively stable."

Especially after the imperial court lifted the sea ban, all the ports in Ningbo Prefecture were bustling with activity. The goods and supplies brought in by this trade have revitalized the prefecture's commerce, and it is expected that it will surely flourish in the future.

Hai Rui's gaze sharpened: "What are the grain prices in Ningbo Prefecture?"

"This"

Sweat beaded on Wu Wenzhong's forehead, and he could only answer truthfully.

"As Your Excellency is aware, there has been a famine in the spring recently, and all the prefectures in Jiangnan are short of food. It is inevitable that the price of grain will rise. However, compared with previous years, it is already much better."

This is truly my honest opinion. In this day and age, grain prices have been rising every year, not just for a year or two.

Moreover, this year's grain price increase is a phenomenon that has occurred in both northern and southern Zhili provinces, so it really can't be blamed on Wu Wenzhong.

Even so, he was still unsure of himself, watching Hai Rui's reaction with the same caution he would show on the execution ground.

Hai Rui suddenly asked.

"What now?"

Wu Wenzhong suddenly understood what it meant, and his face immediately lit up with joy.

"Your humble servant has been confused, your humble servant has been confused! Now that the ocean-going navy has caught seafood, the price of grain in Ningbo Prefecture will naturally drop, and drop drastically at that! The people of Ningbo Prefecture are truly blessed!"

In ordinary times, people eat fish to live a good life, and eat grain to sustain their lives.

But now it's the other way around. People eat fish to survive, while grain is a luxury. So how many people will still buy grain?

With less demand for grain, prices naturally cannot remain high. People have choices and will not be swayed by unscrupulous merchants and gentry.

At this moment, Hai Rui also smiled and encouraged him.

"You did well today. You should continue to work hard in the future. The livelihood of the people of Ningbo Prefecture depends on you. With the support of the ocean-going navy, it will be difficult for the grain price in Ningbo Prefecture to rise."

In reality, a small prefecture like Ningbo could not possibly consume such a large catch. A single voyage by the ocean-going fleet could carry over 100,000 catties of fish in just two or three days.

These fish catches might even be the key to solving the food shortage in the entire Jiangnan region!

Wu Wenzhong was extremely excited and quickly bowed.

"This humble official will certainly not fail in the trust placed in him by Your Excellency!"

Even today, the legend of Hai Rui still circulates in the officialdom of the Ming Dynasty. The saying goes, "Never provoke this great Buddha, or you will either become an immortal or a ghost."

The so-called "becoming an immortal" means being appreciated by Hai Rui.

Although Hai Rui was outside the mainstream official circles, he had a strong reputation and influence, and was a role model in the eyes of the literati.

If you were an official in the Ming Dynasty and your superiors appreciated you, people might suspect that you were currying favor or had bribed them.

But if Hai Rui appreciates you, that's like having a golden reputation attached to you. With that reputation, how could you not have a bright future?

Conversely, if Hai Rui had his eye on you and caught you of any corruption, no matter how powerful or influential you were, he would relentlessly pursue you. Given Hai Rui's reputation, being dismissed from office would be the least of your worries.

No matter how powerful you are, can you be more powerful than the Jiajing Emperor? Even the Jiajing Emperor couldn't touch Hai Rui, so how many people could?

After receiving a few words of praise from Hai Rui, Wu Wenzhong felt completely dizzy.

He has served as the prefect of Ningbo since the fifth year of the Wanli reign, and five years have passed since then. During this time, he has worked diligently and made some achievements, but he has always been unable to get promoted. Now, it seems that this opportunity has finally arrived.

The only pity was that Hai Rui and Yin Zhengmao did not linger in Ningbo Prefecture after finishing their business. They rushed back to Yingtian Prefecture before dawn, so Wu Wenzhong's preparation of the feast was not put to use.

Wu Wenzhong, however, did not feel disappointed. He hummed a little tune as he returned to the government office. Today, he had specially asked the ocean-going navy to reserve a few swimming crabs. These large and plump swimming crabs were usually sent to the capital as tribute in previous years. Even if he wanted to eat fresh ones, it was not easy.

Today was a good day; Hai Rui and Yin Zhengmao weren't eating, so he enjoyed it along with some yellow wine.

But as soon as he entered the government office, he saw an old gentleman dressed in silk. As soon as he saw Wu Wenzhong, he immediately stood up and bowed.

"Greetings, Prefect Wu."

Wu Wenzhong frowned and said, "Master Wang, what brings you here so early in the morning? I've been busy all night and was just about to rest."

This Mr. Wang was somewhat bewildered. In the past, this prefect was always exceptionally gentle and polite in his speech, after all, his family had produced Jinshi and Juren scholars, and he had extensive connections in the officialdom.

But why has your attitude changed today?

He didn't have time to investigate the reason; he was already impatient and quickly said...

"Prefect Wu, please forgive my intrusion, but the situation is truly urgent!"

"Is the situation urgent?"

Wu Wenzhong sat down and leisurely sipped his tea.

"But are grain prices going up again?"

Through generations of hard work, the Wang family owned countless fields in Ningbo Prefecture and operated more than a dozen grain shops. It can be said that the price of grain in Ningbo Prefecture was closely related to their family.

Master Wang covered his face, as if he was about to cry.

"Why is Prefect Wu pretending to be deaf and dumb? The Yuanyangwei garrison is selling fish everywhere, and they are selling croaker for one coin per catty. Everyone knows about this absurd thing!"
The Yuanyang Guard is undermining the very foundation of Ningbo Prefecture and is trying to completely destroy it!

The imperial navy, a force to be reckoned with, has actually engaged in activities that compete with the people for profit; it's utterly lawless!

After hearing this, Master Wang seemed to have suffered a great injustice.

Wu Wenzhong's face stiffened as he put down his teacup and said without changing his expression.

"Then what does Master Wang think should be done?"

"Impeach!"

The way Master Wang gritted his teeth.

"That ocean-going navy is too lawless. I heard that Zhang Shiyuan is behind it. Last year, he caused chaos in the entire Jiangnan region, and now he wants to come to Ningbo to take advantage of us."

For the sake of our fellow citizens in Ningbo, how can we sit idly by?
I urge Your Excellency to draft a memorial and send it to the capital so that the officials of the court may know of the despicable actions of the Ocean Guard!

We, the local gentry, will certainly lend our full support to Prefect Wu!

The prominent families of Jiangnan have held high office for generations. Even after the downfall of figures like Xu Jie, the strength of Jiangnan in the imperial examinations meant that there was no shortage of Jiangnan natives in various parts of the court.

With Wu Wenzhong, a local official, as a witness, a lawsuit filed in the imperial court would surely become a powerful force.

This was absolutely feasible in the past, and it was also the reason why local officials wanted to maintain good relations with the gentry.

But now, things are very different.

Wu Wenzhong laughed in anger. He slammed his hand on the table and shouted angrily.

"Wang Huaiting, how dare you! The Ocean Guard was established by the Five Armies Commandery of the Imperial Court and was personally appointed by His Majesty. The ocean naval expeditions are a national policy!"
"You are but a lowly country bumpkin, how dare you presume to discuss national policy!"

Master Wang was startled; he had never seen such a display of force before, and he couldn't help but feel annoyed.

“Prefect Wu, I have not provoked you. This Ocean Guard is an act by Zhang Shiyuan to bewitch the Emperor. How can it be considered a national policy? Don’t try to scare me.”

Wu Wenzhong said with a sneer, "Zhang Shiyuan? Wang Huaiting, you still don't understand who Xishan and the ocean-going navy are relying on?"
Even if Zhang Shiyuan and the Grand Secretary could not start such a huge undertaking, there was only one person in the world who could.

"If you want to impeach the ocean-going fleet, aren't you impeaching His Majesty?"

Wu Wenzhong wasn't stupid. Putting aside why the emperor wanted to establish this ocean-going navy, even if the emperor was truly misled...

But can you really fight against the Zhang family father and son?
Xu Jie wanted to fight, but now his remains have been buried in his ancestral graveyard in his hometown.

Wang Shizhen wants to fight, and is now on a ship bound for Japan.

This Master Wang spends all his time in Ningbo Prefecture, and his perspective has long since changed. He no longer has a clear understanding of the political situation in the court, yet he still adheres to the same old ways.

Realizing the danger, Wu Wenzhong immediately waved his sleeve and said.

"Lord Wang, considering your past contributions to Ningbo Prefecture, including your efforts in repairing bridges and paving roads, I will treat today's matter as a joke."

I am feeling rather tired, so I will not see you off.

"You!" Master Wang was furious, but he didn't dare to directly confront the other party. "We'll see!"

He stormed off, but was suddenly stopped by Wu Wenzhong.

"and many more."

Wu Wenzhong pointed to a painting or calligraphy on the wall in the hall and said.

"This is a genuine work by Tang Bohu. Last time, Master Wang said he would lend it to me for appraisal. Now that I have finished appraising it, Master Wang, please take it back."

Seeing that Master Wang's face was ashen, he added another sentence.

"If Master Wang doesn't take it with him, I will have someone deliver it to his residence."

Beijing.

Inside the Wenyuan Pavilion, Zhang Xueyan, the Minister of Revenue, had not returned home for several days in a row, so he simply stayed in the Wenyuan Pavilion.

"Food! Food!"

Zhang Xueyan, with dark circles under her eyes, looked completely disoriented.

"Qingyang is short of food, Pingliang is short of food, Lintao is short of food, and Gongchang is also short of food! In Fuping, Shaanxi, starving people are even looting grain!"

Where will the imperial court find so much grain? If grain prices don't come down, there will definitely be chaos.

These past few days, the most important topic of conversation in the imperial court has been the word "food shortage".

Shen Shixing sat to the side; he too had been busy for several days.

“In previous years there have been food shortages, but this year the shortages have come even more quickly and urgently. If we want to solve this problem, we may have to intervene in the futures market with overwhelming force.”

In fact, many people know that the rapid rise in grain prices is also related to the futures market. This thing is a double-edged sword; it can make the market more transparent, but it can also make prices rise and fall more rapidly.

"Do not interfere lightly."

Zhang Xueyan reminded him.

"The futures market has finally established a foothold, and the imperial court can control market trends by relying on this method. If it rashly intervenes, it will inevitably affect confidence."

This is a self-destructive method, like drinking poison to quench thirst; it should never be used unless absolutely necessary!

“If this continues, problems are bound to arise,” Shen Shixing said, his tone becoming more serious as he persisted.

"Let's wait and see how things go!" Zhang Xueyan sighed heavily, her tone full of helplessness.

He clearly still believed in Zhang Yunxiu.

The two argued endlessly, each sticking to their own version of events, until finally they both turned their gaze to Zhang Juzheng, who was sitting upright in the center.

Zhang Juzheng frowned slightly, pondered for a moment, and was about to speak to make a decision.

Suddenly, the urgent announcement from an official of the Court of State Affairs broke the silence inside the hall.

"A urgent report has been sent from Ningbo Prefecture! Please review it immediately, Your Excellencies!"

(End of this chapter)