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

Chapter 387 Yuanfu has 100,000 kinds of fresh fish in Ningbo Prefecture! Has the Wanli Emperor become Yang Guifei?

Shen Shixing is usually calm and composed, but lately, with so many things to do, he has become increasingly irritable.

Upon hearing that it was Ningbo Prefecture, he waved his hand and said.

"Leave it there, you can step back now."

They seemed quite displeased with the official from the Ministry of Justice for barging in.

The official in charge of the Ministry of Justice felt somewhat aggrieved. Normally, he wouldn't dare to issue such a report, but today's urgent report was truly different.

He quickly explained.

"Please forgive me, Your Excellency. The news from Ningbo Prefecture today came from the Ocean Fleet. I was instructed by the Prime Minister that matters concerning the Ocean Fleet must be reported immediately, which is why I was in such a hurry."

Zhang Juzheng frowned and spoke to the head of the Office of Transmission.

"Bring up the urgent report."

The official, feeling as if he had been granted a pardon, quickly handed the sealed letter to Zhang Juzheng.

"Please take a look, Minister."

After the letter was placed on the table, the person in charge tactfully left on his own.

Zhang Xueyan, standing to the side, spoke with a strange expression.

"Why is the news about the ocean-going fleet being reported through the Ningbo Prefecture?"

The ocean-going navy was under the jurisdiction of the Five Military Commissions and naturally had its own communication channels, so it would not usually submit reports through Ningbo Prefecture.

Zhang Juzheng also frowned. He used a knife to cut open the seal on the letter and slowly opened the letter inside.

Zhang Juzheng had some expectations in mind.

This ocean-going fleet was located near Ningbo Prefecture, and all its funds and provisions were allocated with the assistance of Ningbo Prefecture.

Now that the navy is newly established, the investment is almost a bottomless pit, and the necessary supplies and funds will inevitably clash with Ningbo Prefecture.

This letter today is probably not from the Ningbo Prefecture, but rather a joint petition from both sides, requesting the court to make a decision.

Whatever it was, it was enough to give Zhang Juzheng a headache.

But upon closer inspection, he was stunned; the contents completely exceeded Zhang Juzheng's expectations.

He scrutinized the letter's cover closely, then picked up other letters to compare the stamp locations.

Ningbo Prefecture has harvested tens of thousands of catties of fresh fish? The city is filled with the aroma of fish? Grain prices in Ningbo Prefecture have plummeted, and the imperial court is requested to regulate and allocate grain.

Instead of requesting the imperial court to allocate grain, they allocated grain elsewhere.

Even Zhang Juzheng, who was used to seeing all sorts of outrageous memorials and official documents, couldn't help but lose control of his expression when he saw this one from Wu Wenzhong, the prefect of Ningbo.

If he hadn't confirmed the letter's authenticity, he would have really thought it was Zhang Yunxiu causing trouble.

Seeing Zhang Juzheng's expression, Zhang Xueyan couldn't help but feel uneasy. He asked curiously.

"What major event has occurred in Ningbo Prefecture?"

As the Minister of Revenue, his greatest fear was another famine. If something happened in Ningbo Prefecture, he would be truly dizzy and disoriented.

Zhang Juzheng, with a half-smile on his face, sighed and handed the memorial to Zhang Xueyan.

"It's not exactly a confidential matter. You can take a look. I imagine the Ministry of Revenue's plans will need to change in the future."

Zhang Xueyan was also stunned. After taking the memorial and reading it, he couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.

"Is this true? A deep-sea navy can actually catch tens of thousands of fish and seafood? It has managed to suppress grain prices in Ningbo Prefecture!"

Even the Minister of Revenue had never seen such an astonishing situation.

In previous years, the imperial court dealt with the rising grain prices during the spring famine by punishing some minor gentry and landlords and then allocating grain from the Ever-Normal Granary to stabilize grain prices.

Aside from these methods, all that's left is to leave it to fate.

But the ocean-going fleet is completely different, producing tens of thousands of kilograms of fresh fish.

Zhang Juzheng frowned and said, "Prefect Wu Wenzhong of Ningbo has always been a mature and prudent person. Over the years, he has governed Ningbo Prefecture well. He would never joke about the people of Ningbo or his official position."

To be honest, when Zhang Juzheng first saw the news, he really thought that the Ningbo prefect was in cahoots with that brat Zhang Yunxiu and was deliberately submitting a memorial to curry favor with Zhang Yunxiu.

But thinking about it from all angles, Wu Wenzhong was a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations), so it was impossible for him to do something so absurd.

Furthermore, the sheer number of hundreds of thousands of fish in Ningbo Prefecture is a good indicator of its abundance.

Zhang Xueyan's fingers trembled slightly as he said, "But I have searched through all the ancient books and historical records and cannot find any precedent of catching tens of thousands of catties in a single voyage. Is fishing at sea really that simple?"

There are countless fish in the sea that can be eaten, a fact known to everyone from ancient times to the present. So why doesn't anyone go out of their way to catch them?
It's because fishing at sea is an extremely difficult task. You might drift at sea for several days without catching anything, or you might encounter storms and never return.

Does a navy operating in remote, overseas waters have a different capability?
But then Zhang Xueyan remembered that the ocean-going navy was originally organized by Zhang Yunxiu, and the things that this kid had done were all shocking and unconventional.

That's not surprising.

Shen Shixing also took the memorial and read it aloud with a strange expression.

"The streets of Ningbo's old city reeked of fish; the residents, having eaten fish for several days in a row, were now terrified of even mentioning it."

These words sound like boasting.

Officials of all ranks in the capital were in a state of panic over the lack of grain, but the prefect of Ningbo was fine; they simply said, "They turn pale at the mention of fish."

So even the emperor couldn't eat yellow croaker freely, yet you in Ningbo Prefecture got tired of it?

For a moment, Shen Shixing didn't know what to say. He coughed twice and said seriously.

"The most urgent task is to verify whether this news is accurate. If Ningbo Prefecture can use this to stabilize grain prices, can other prefectures follow suit?"

Although there was some doubt in their words, the three people from Wenyuan Pavilion looked much more relaxed than before, clearly believing that the matter was almost certainly true.

After all, anything, no matter how outrageous, can happen when it comes to Zhang Yunxiu.

To understand the situation in a place, one must never rely solely on the reports submitted by local officials.

The Ming Dynasty established special Censorates in local areas, which regularly dispatched "Supervisory Censors" to inspect the localities, hence the title "Imperial Inspectors".

Through the imperial censors, the court was able to know the true situation in the localities, so as not to be misled by local officials.

Of course, even if the imperial inspector was bribed, nothing would happen, as the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the Eastern Depot, and the Western Depot would assist in the investigation.

Verifying the matter in Ningbo Prefecture is extremely simple; one only needs to compare it with the memorials submitted by the ocean-going navy and the secret reports from the local Jinyiwei (Imperial Guard) in Ningbo.

The memorial also mentioned Yin Zhengmao and Hai Rui, which is why Zhang Juzheng and others believed it.

After all, no matter how bad Jiangnan is, can Zhang Yunxiu really bribe all the officials to put on a show for him?
Shen Shixing immediately consulted with officials of the Ministry of Justice, and after verification from multiple sources, a result was quickly obtained.

"My lord, this matter is probably not a lie." Shen Shixing's face showed both joy and a strange expression. "News is coming from all over Ningbo Prefecture that there is indeed a large quantity of fresh fish for sale. The news is going crazy in the streets, everyone saying that Commander Zhang borrowed the grain from the Dragon King of the East Sea."

This reflects the simple beliefs of ordinary people in the Ming Dynasty: when they couldn't quite understand something, they attributed it to gods and ghosts.

Previously, Zhang Yunxiu had already been touted as a celestial being descended from heaven, and now, all sorts of events have further confirmed the people's suspicions.

Zhang Juzheng naturally ignored this irrelevant information. His gaze sharpened, and his expression grew increasingly serious as he spoke leisurely.

"That rebellious son actually managed to pull it off?"

Catching tens of thousands of catties of fish in a single trip is an unimaginable miracle, but in the hands of the ocean-going navy, it has become an important way to solve the food shortage in Jiangnan.

If tens of thousands can be caught in two or three days, wouldn't a million catties be caught in a month?

A single ocean-going naval garrison can feed tens of thousands of people. Keep in mind that this food appears out of thin air. While it may not be able to directly reverse the overall situation, it can certainly affect food prices.

Shen Shixing smiled and said, "Commander Zhang is truly ingenious. It is said that he used the method of 'beating the net' to catch the fish while training the troops. This will solve the problem of food supplies for the ocean-going navy, and the fish caught will benefit the people along the coast. It can be said to be a win-win situation."

Zhang Juzheng was happy inside, but he still spoke seriously on his face.

"This news must be released. I will go and report to His Majesty. You should immediately send someone to copy the official gazette and instruct the Ministry of Revenue not to delay and to keep a close eye on the developments in the futures market."

The market impact of this news is clearly more important than the actual effect of catching large yellow croakers.

Shen Shixing immediately understood, and he cupped his hands in greeting, saying, "This student will take care of it immediately."

After Shen Shixing left in a hurry, Zhang Juzheng pondered for a while and then called You Qi over.

"What are your orders, sir?"

Zhang Juzheng said, "Go to the editorial office of the Wanli Xinbao and give my handwritten letter to Siyong, and tell him to make sure to publish this news tomorrow."

You Qi took the letter and was slightly stunned. Zhang Juzheng rarely interfered with the Wanli Xinbao, but he was used to keeping silent. He nodded and said.

"understood."

Zhang Juzheng was unable to find the Wanli Emperor in the Qianqing Palace. After learning that the emperor had gone to the Western Hills early that morning, he felt extremely helpless.

Once upon a time, he placed high hopes on the Wanli Emperor, not expecting him to be like Emperor Wen of Han or Emperor Taizong of Tang, but at least like Emperor Xuan of Han or Emperor Xianzong of Tang, a restorer of the dynasty.

If it were like that of Emperor Xiaozong and Emperor Hongzhi, then it would be acceptable.

Unfortunately, Emperor Wanli was just as unreliable as Emperor Zhengde.

Fortunately, Wanli Emperor was better than Wuzong Emperor in one respect: he was more honest and less willing to go out and cause trouble.

Aside from Xishan, I won't go to border towns or to the south of the Yangtze River.

The current situation between the ruler and his subjects seems to be the best balance.

After rushing to Xishan without stopping, and following the emperor's trail, they arrived at the Xishan Thousand-Household Garrison.

Just as he reached the door, he saw Zhang Jinghou outside. He had now replaced Zhang Cheng as the Wanli Emperor's personal eunuch, and wherever he was, the emperor was naturally there too.

Zhang Juzheng straightened his official robes and stepped forward to ask questions in a ceremonial manner.

"Eunuch Zhang, is His Majesty inside? Please inform him."

Zhang Jing immediately forced a smile. He dared to show disrespect to others, but he wouldn't dare to do so in front of Zhang Juzheng.

"Please wait a moment, Grand Secretary. His Majesty is having a meal inside with Commander Zhang."

"Ah."

Zhang Juzheng nodded slightly, but he sensed something amiss in the air.

Why does the courtyard smell so strongly of fish?

The ordinary taste wouldn't be surprising, but the rich fish flavor is special. Now that the weather in Beizhili has just warmed up, and in colder areas the river has just thawed, where can you find such fresh and fragrant fish?

There wasn't even the earthy smell of river fish in this aroma.

Zhang Jing's face beamed with a smile as he complimented her.

"Your Excellency is truly remarkable. Today, a batch of fresh fish was presented to us from the local area and was delivered to the capital by fast horse. To prevent the fish from losing its flavor, His Majesty and the Commander immediately cooked it."

Wow, this croaker is the best of all fish. It only takes half an incense stick to burn before the whole yard is filled with its aroma.

To be honest, sir, even I was a little drooling.

But the more Zhang Jing spoke, the worse Zhang Juzheng's expression became. In the end, he even felt embarrassed and said awkwardly.

"This servant will go and inform His Majesty first."

When Zhang Juzheng entered the main hall of the Thousand Household Office, Emperor Wanli and Zhang Yunzheng were enjoying a hearty meal, with a dazzling array of fresh fish on the table in front of them.

There are long, thin white rice grains of silver fish placed on a small plate, topped with shredded ginger and scallions, making it look absolutely delicious.

There was also a large bowl of purple crabs, not very big but steaming hot, which were the best of the best.

There are also deep-fried scallops, each one golden brown, making your mouth water just looking at them.

Most importantly, there was a large plate of fish soup in the center of the table, with plump croakers still bubbling inside. The dish serving the soup was specially made, like a large hot pot, and there were all sorts of vegetables and other dishes around it.

These two really know how to enjoy themselves!
As soon as Zhang Yunxiu saw his father come in, a smile appeared on his face.

"Father, you've come at the perfect time. I was worried we wouldn't be able to finish this huge table of food."

But Zhang Juzheng's face was very ugly. He bowed to the Wanli Emperor and said...

"Your humble servant Zhang Juzheng pays his respects to Your Majesty."

"No need to pay tribute."

The Wanli Emperor seemed to be in a good mood and waved his hand as he spoke.

"Minister, I was just looking for you! Look at the fish caught by the ocean-going fleet, they are absolutely delicious! I am used to eating delicacies from land and sea, but today I feel that the past ten years have been a waste!"

Zhang Juzheng looked at the mountain of seafood piled on the table.

Silverfish, purple crabs, and slender bream are all available, especially the large yellow croaker, which looks fresh as if it has just left the sea.

His face was devoid of any smile, and his fingertips were even slightly cold.

The images of the arduous journey flashed through my mind instantly.

From the fishing port of Ningbo Prefecture, ice chests were carefully filled with ice and fresh fish.

On the official road, one post horse after another was changed, and the shouts of the postmen carried on the wind.

The post station, which was supposed to deliver urgent reports to the army, was now rushing to deliver this seafood. The ice in the ice chest was melted and replenished again, just so that the emperor and commander in the capital city could have a taste of this delicacy!
How is this different from the story of Yang Guifei, who famously wrote, "A rider gallops through the dust, bringing smiles to the imperial concubine's face, but no one knows it's lychees that have arrived"?
Emperor Xuanzong did it to please Yang Guifei, while Emperor Wanli did it to satisfy his appetite.

There is no essential difference between the two; both were the actions of a foolish ruler!
Then look at Zhang Yunxiu. As a close minister of the emperor, he not only failed to serve as a mirror for the emperor, but also encouraged the emperor to neglect his duties all day long.

Zhang Juzheng was able to tolerate Zhang Yunxiu in the past, after all, Zhang Yunxiu had some absurdities, but he did things that benefited the country and the people!
But now, the Ming Dynasty is suffering from a spring famine, and many people are tightening their belts and are on the verge of fleeing. Instead of being diligent and thrifty, he still wants to indulge in extravagance and pleasure with the emperor. Is this the behavior of a subject?

Ningbo Prefecture had finally received good news: the catch of fish from the sea would finally alleviate the spring famine. But seeing these two men behaving like this, how could Zhang Juzheng not be furious?
He gritted his teeth, forcibly suppressing the anger in his heart, and turned to look at Zhang Yunxiu.

"Zhang Shiyuan! Do you know your crime?!"

For a subject to rebuke his ruler is a grave offense of disrespect.

But it is perfectly natural for a father to discipline his son!

Zhang Yunxiu was still gnawing on a crab leg when he heard this and was stunned. Even the crab meat in his mouth didn't taste good anymore.

Zhang Juzheng took two steps forward and pressed his youngest son relentlessly, finding an outlet for his emotions.

It appears to be a reprimand of Zhang Yunxiu, but in reality, it's a pretext to remind the emperor.

"Your father has always taught you the principles of 'frugality and love for the people, and employing them at the right time.' Have you kept them in mind?"

"Today, you are so extravagant and unrestrained. As a close advisor, you not only fail to remonstrate with me, but you also act like a sycophantic minister!"
Do you know the saying, "The people are the foundation of the state; when the foundation is firm, the state is at peace"?
The post stations were originally places for delivering military intelligence and relief documents, but now they are wasting resources and manpower on a meager meal of fresh food. Postmen are running themselves ragged, horses are dying of exhaustion, and the people's taxes are being squandered on this extravagance. If this continues, how can the foundation of the nation survive?

He seemed to want to vent all the anger he had been holding in for days.

“The Great Learning says, ‘When wealth is gathered, the people are scattered.’ If we squander it like this, one day the people’s strength will be exhausted and the world will resent us. Then you and I, father and son, will be sinners for all time. What use will it be to regret it then?”

Zhang Juzheng's words came from the bottom of his heart, and would have been a wake-up call to any ordinary person.

If Zhang Jianxiu came, he would immediately kneel down before his father.

But Zhang Yunxiu found it inexplicable; even Emperor Wanli, who was drinking fish soup beside him, no longer found it delicious.

Zhang Yunxiu said with a twitching at the corner of his mouth, "What Father says makes no sense. How can eating seafood be considered extravagant?"

Zhang Juzheng was trembling with anger. This kid was becoming more and more lawless. He dared to question things after doing something wrong. If the emperor hadn't been there, he would have attacked him.

However, considering that Zhang Yunxiu had ultimately rendered meritorious service to the country, Zhang Juzheng took two deep breaths, pointed at Zhang Yunxiu with trembling fingers, and asked in return.

"Ningbo Prefecture is a thousand miles away from the capital. You sent people to deliver it to the capital without stopping. Isn't that extravagant?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yunxiu was even more puzzled, and he said with a strange expression.

"Dad, who told you this is seafood from Ningbo?"

As he spoke, Zhang Yunxiu picked up a purple crab with his fingers.

"Father doesn't know much about fishing. When did purple crabs appear in Ningbo Prefecture?"

(End of this chapter)