Ming East India Company

Zhang Yu seized the opportunity to calculate Li Sancai's private account:

"The annual grain transport of the Ming Dynasty amounted to four million shi (a unit of dry measure) to the capital. However, the amount of grain lost through waste, embezzlement, deduction, and over-collection on the river transport was consistently over two and a half million shi."

"In previous years, all of these 2.5 million shi of grain were scattered among the people and ended up in the pockets of clerks at all levels. What you, sir, receive in a year is only 20,000 to 30,000 shi and tens of thousands of taels of silver."

"But once 30% of the grain transported by sea is diverted, the nearly one million shi of surplus grain transported each year will be completely cut off from the diversion channels. There will be no interception by gatekeepers, no theft by transport workers, no deduction by warehouse officials, and no extra charges by prefectures and counties. This huge profit of tens of millions of taels of silver will not need to be shared with anyone, will not need to be bribed by anyone, and will not need to be wary of anyone."

"All the saved grain, nominally for the public good, is actually managed and controlled by the officials. If you want to supplement the grain quota, you will receive praise from the court and the emperor's favor; if you want to pocket it, no one will know or check."

"In the past, you were the Grand Canal Transport Commissioner, protecting the interests of the corrupt officials who controlled the canal system; afterwards, you took advantage of the reform of the sea route to monopolize the enormous illicit profits of the entire Jiangnan canal transport. Tens of thousands of low-ranking officials could no longer get a single grain of rice or a single coin!"

These words completely shattered Li Sancai's last hesitation.

He finally figured out all the pros and cons.

The so-called risks, the so-called backlash from the masses, and the so-called criticism of ancestral rules are all insignificant in the face of this unparalleled and overwhelming private interest.

Li Sancai slowly closed his palm, his eyes still revealing the deep calculation and ruthlessness of a powerful minister, and finally he completely let go.

"Fine."

His voice was deep and resolute, carrying the decisiveness of someone accustomed to high office. "River transport has been corrupt for a century. To stick to the old ways is to work for mediocre people year after year, wasting our energy and bearing the blame. As for sea transport, I am well aware of its advantages and disadvantages. I will do as you say and divert 30% of the disaster-stricken grain from Jiangnan to be transported by sea."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yu felt a great weight lifted from his heart and bowed slightly: "Your Excellency's decision is wise and decisive. From now on, both public and private interests will benefit, and there will be no harm for generations to come."

But as soon as he finished speaking, the seriousness that had just faded from Li Sancai's brows slowly returned.

He was a man of great influence in the court and the country, well-versed in the laws and regulations of the Ming Dynasty and the ancestral system of coastal defense. After his initial elation, he instantly grasped the hidden dangers within.

All previous discussions only covered sailing out to sea via the Yangtze River, but never touched upon how to break the sea ban, how to enter the capital, or how to reach Taicang.

The Ming Dynasty's maritime ban was an ironclad rule upon which the nation was founded.

Once the grain ships sailed out of the Yangtze River estuary, crossed the Beiyang River, and arrived near the coast of Tianjin, they were guarded by garrison inspectors, coastal defense soldiers, and the Tongzhou Pass.

Without imperial edicts, Ministry of Revenue documents, or official permits for grain transport, transporting grain by sea would be considered smuggling and a violation of regulations.

At that time, not only would the grain not be stored and handed over, but the entire ship of grain would be seized and confiscated on the spot. As the Grand Canal Transport Commissioner who tacitly allowed the official grain to be sold by sea, he would be unable to defend himself and would be directly convicted of the heinous crime of unauthorized alteration of ancestral rules, collusion with foreign barbarians, and theft of official grain, which would lead to the extermination of his clan.

Li Sancai raised his eyes, his gaze sharp as an eagle's, staring directly at Zhang Yu, and slowly posed the most crucial question:

"Everything you've said is good. Reduced losses, personal gain, replenished grain transport quotas, and a stable career—everything is wonderful."

But there's one thing you don't seem to have considered.

I can use my authority to suppress the prefectures and counties in Jiangnan and allow grain to be transported by sea through Songjiang and the Yangtze River estuary. This matter is within my jurisdiction, and I can cover it up and operate it secretly.

However, the Ming Dynasty had a strict maritime ban, and the coastal defenses along the Tianjin, Bohai, and Tongzhou lines were heavily fortified. How could your Ryukyu ships, carrying hundreds of thousands of shi of official grain, break through the maritime ban? How could they approach the vital capital region? How could they pass through customs and be inspected? How could they deliver the grain to the capital's granary in a dignified manner?

Beyond Jiangnan lies the imperial coastal defense territory. If we are discovered by the coastal garrisons, we are both doomed. If this matter remains unresolved, all our previous plans will be castles in the air, leading to our self-destruction!

Zhang Yu laughed heartily after hearing this, took a half-step forward, and spoke with a confident and composed tone:

"As expected of a seasoned official, you are well aware of even the smallest details."

It seems that you, sir, have lived in the Jiangnan region for a long time and are unaware of the situation regarding coastal defense in the north!

Do you, sir, believe that the coastal defenses of Tianjin and its surrounding areas are formidable and impregnable? The truth is quite different. The northern coastal defenses of the Ming Dynasty are now a rotten shell, utterly ineffective.

Li Sancai raised an eyebrow slightly: "Oh? The capital region, the emperor's residence, how could it be decaying?"

Zhang Yu remained calm and methodical, breaking the process down layer by layer:

"For decades, Your Majesty has neglected your duties, focusing on the nine border regions in the north while neglecting coastal defense. The imperial court's annual grain and silver revenues have been entirely used to defend Liaodong, Xuanda, and Yansui against the barbarians, while the northern coastal defenses have not seen an increase in ships, soldiers, or fortifications for more than twenty years."

The Tianjin, Dengzhou, and Laizhou garrisons, though nominally numbering over ten thousand, actually had four or five out of ten soldiers who were merely drawing salaries without working. The majority of the registered soldiers were old, weak, and exhausted; their weapons were rusted, and their warships were rotten and unfit for water. They routinely guarded the city walls, checked their pay, and never practiced naval warfare.

Coastal beacon towers are abandoned, sentry posts are lax, and near-shore patrols are perfunctory year-round, with no reports during flood season and no inspections of ships. During the calm sea breezes of spring and summer, even routine sea patrols are completely omitted.

Such coastal defenses, seemingly protecting the capital, were in reality a facade—defense without troops, troops without ships, and defense without inspection; merely an empty shell for the court to see.

Li Sancai had spent years focusing on inland waterway transport and rarely touched coastal defenses. Upon hearing this, he was secretly alarmed. He knew that the court was corrupt, but he was unaware that the coastal defenses of the capital region had deteriorated to this extent.

Zhang Yu continued:

"More importantly, the highest-ranking military officer in charge of the coastal defense of the entire Tianjin area, controlling the navy at Dagukou, and overseeing the entrances and exits of the Haihe River was Ni Shangzhong, the garrison commander of Baoding and Tianjin."

Upon hearing this name, Li Sancai's eyes flickered.

Ni Shangzhong, the General of Baoding, held the highest military power in the coastal area near Beijing, and controlled all Zhili patrol boats, coastal defense troops, and port gates. He was the true top leader of the northern coastal defense.

Zhang Yu smiled slightly:

"Sir, are you worried that Ni Shangzhong is strictly enforcing the sea ban and is too strict in his inspections? There is no need for that. Ni Shangzhong and Eunuch Luo are old friends who have known each other for many years."

Back when Eunuch Luo was in charge of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and oversaw the investigations in the capital region, Ni Shangzhong was still serving in the Beijing Garrison. He was able to rise through the ranks and secure his current position as General thanks to Eunuch Luo's repeated favors, protection, and recommendations.

Moreover, unlike the Jiangnan region, the northern towns don't offer as much opportunity for personal gain. These generals can only make a little profit from the soldiers' blood and report a few empty quotas.

But when it comes to things like grain transport, they'd probably be desperate to get involved. If we could conspire with them, they'd be more than grateful; why would they try to stop us?

Li Sancai's eyes suddenly lit up, and the last barrier in his heart crumbled.

Taking advantage of the momentum, Zhang Yu revealed the entire operation of smuggling people across the Beiyang River, mixing navigation on the sea and the river, and connecting the north and south.

"My lord and Lord Luo have already planned the whole strategy."

"First, Luo Gonghui personally wrote a letter to Ni Shangzhong, laying the groundwork for their past relationship and clearly explaining the advantages and disadvantages."

Currently, the soldiers in the north have been owed wages for half a year, the soldiers in Tianjin are exhausted and lack military equipment, and Ni Shangzhong has been suffering from insufficient military funds and food shortages for many years. Our East China Sea fleet can secretly supplement his military funds every year with ironware and silver.

There's no need for him to blatantly violate regulations by opening the sea; he only needs to restrain his officers, soldiers, sentry boats, and beacon towers, turning a blind eye to the passage of large sea vessels, relaxing access restrictions, and making patrols a mere formality.

Anyway, the Tianjin garrison soldiers rarely conduct routine checks, and with his protection, there's no doubt that everything will be safe.

Li Sancai nodded slightly. The plan was indeed feasible. If someone reported him, Ni Shangzhong would at most be guilty of negligence.

"The second step is to mix sea vessels with river vessels, switching from sea routes to sea routes and river routes."

"Our large Ryukyu ships will not rashly enter inland waterways. Every time they set sail to transport grain by sea, they will tow dozens of small river barges behind them."

The grain was then unloaded in batches and transferred to small and medium-sized flat-bottomed, shallow-hulled barges. The shape, style, mast, and planks of these boats were almost identical to those of the inland waterway transport boats of the Ming Dynasty, making them indistinguishable to ordinary soldiers.

During the peak summer and autumn season for northbound river transport, thousands of river transport boats lined up one after another, filling the entire Haihe River waterway from Tianjin to Tongzhou.

With sails like clouds and boats everywhere, the officers and soldiers were already exhausted from patrolling and would never bother to thoroughly inspect the ordinary barges mixed in with them.

Our grain transport ships were all mingled with the northbound canal fleet, slowly sailing with the current into the Haihe River, directly reaching Tongzhou. They thus slipped through the checkpoint undetected.

Upon hearing this, Li Sancai was deeply shaken.

This method is simply flawless.

With thousands of boats sailing together and tens of thousands of vessels traveling side by side, a chaotic mix of good and bad, who could distinguish which was an official river transport vessel and which was a private sea transport vessel?

Finally, it's time for the return journey.

Officials in the Ministry of Revenue have always been opportunistic, willing to follow whoever offers them the most benefits.

They don't care where the boats come from; as long as they pass through their hands, they are all considered legitimate official boats and issued travel permits and tickets.

After the grain ships arrive in Beijing, are delivered and stored, and the grain quota is verified, our empty ships do not need to risk turning back by sea.

They sailed south along the canal with empty cargo ships, passing through Shandong and Jiangnan, and finally reaching the ports of Songjiang and Jiangkou.

The entire journey took place along the official inland waterways, protected by the canal transport system. Along the way, gatekeepers, inspectors, and river soldiers only recognized the flags of the canal boats, allowing them to pass without hindrance.

Back and forth, northwards via the Haihe River, southwards via the Grand Canal. Sea transport avoided the enormous costs of river transport, while river transport on its return journey avoided the strict sea bans and inspections. The cycle repeated itself, year after year, ensuring smooth passage.

Li Sancai slowly raised his eyes, his eyes filled with the deep smile and resolute determination of a powerful minister.

"Wonderful! Truly, there's always a way out!"

The northern coastal defenses are dilapidated, border generals are short of pay, and riverboats are a mixed bag—all long-standing problems of the Ming Dynasty. Today, we can use them all for our own benefit.

"Once Luo Gong's letter arrives, things will surely work out with Ni Shangzhong."

He stood up, hands clasped behind his back in the candlelight, his voice firm and resolute, without the slightest hesitation:

"From this day forward, I will control the flow of grain from Jiangnan to the sea, you will control the grain transport route from the East China Sea, and Ni Shangzhong will control the Tianjin gate. The three parties will work together to open up the lifeline of the Ming Dynasty's rivers and seas. River transport will protect my official reputation, and sea transport will fill my private coffers. The century-old abuses of the grain transport system will be put to my use in one day."

Having made up his mind, Li Sancai stopped talking and immediately composed himself, facing Zhang Yu in front of him, to finalize all the specific details of the handover.

"Since the pathways are clear and all the joints are in place, there is no need to delay."

Li Sancai's voice was calm and authoritative, carrying the decisive power of a high-ranking official.

"Immediately finalize the delivery regulations, specify the location, personnel, vessels, and procedures, and follow these regulations every year without any errors."

Zhang Yu bowed respectfully and stood still: "I will follow your instructions, sir."

Li Sancai, with sharp eyes and clear logic, slowly explained the entire handover plan:

"The delivery port will be Songjiangkou."

"Songjiang connects to the Yangtze River and the sea. It is the main hub for grain transport from Suzhou and Songjiang. The river is vast, with numerous harbors, sandbars, and a variety of boats."

During the day, fishing boats line the streets, and at night countless vessels are moored, creating a chaotic scene that makes it easy to conceal one's movements.

This place is not near official post stations or patrol stations, and lacks the eyes and ears of the imperial court and the spies of censors. It is the most secure and secluded port where the rivers and seas meet in Jiangnan.

From now on, all grain shipments diverted by sea shall be settled here, without changing the location or dispersing them to avoid confusion and leakage of information.

Finalizing the location was the most crucial step in arranging transportation capacity and manpower, and it was also the core strategy for Li Sancai to control the overall situation and eliminate potential risks.

He continued in a deep voice:

"The official transport fleet is not to be used. The official ships on the canal and the transport ships of the garrison are all registered, and their every move can be traced. Once there is any abnormality, the officials along the river and the clerks in the granaries will all know about it, and it will be very easy to expose the flaws."

Therefore, all the grain transported by sea from the prefectures and counties was carried out of the river by my private fleet.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yu understood.

Li Sancai had been in charge of the canal transport for more than ten years and had a large fortune. He secretly maintained a sizable private merchant fleet.

Ostensibly engaged in trade with Jiangnan and transported general merchandise, they actually transported his private goods and handled illicit funds for many years. The crew members were all loyal followers whom he had personally trained.

This private fleet of ships was the biggest source of Li Sancai's confidence to arbitrarily alter the canal transport system and secretly connect with overseas countries.

Li Sancai continued to arrange things meticulously, with utmost thoroughness:

"I immediately issued a secret order to all counties under the jurisdiction of Suzhou and Songjiang Prefecture: This year, due to the disaster, some of the rice consumed in river transport will be exempted. The 300,000 shi of grain that was approved to be transported by sea will be collected and stored separately. It will not be included in the official granary general account, but will only be recorded in a secret private register, and will be guarded by my trusted grain officials."

Once the grain from each county has been collected, it will be handed over in batches to my private fleet of ships. Under the pretext of "transporting disaster relief grain and adjusting the grain market in Jiangnan," the ships will sail down the river to Songjiangkou. The entire journey will avoid the main canal, bypass the sluice gates and river management offices, and instead take the tributaries of Jiangnan, arriving at the handover port silently.

My private boat has arrived at the anchorage outside the Songjiang Estuary, remaining offshore the entire time, awaiting your Ryukyu seagoing vessel to pick it up.

After explaining the entire process, Li Sancai looked up at Zhang Yu, his gaze cautious:

"Your Ryukyu ships must strictly abide by the rules. Upon arrival at the mouth of the Songjiang River, you must not fly foreign flags, approach the riverbank, or enter inland waterways. You must anchor in the deep-water anchorage in the open sea and await transfer. Once the grain is loaded, you must immediately set sail north and never linger on the southern waters, and you must refrain from any criticism."

Zhang Yu solemnly cupped his hands in greeting:

"My lord has given strict orders to act in secrecy, to maintain proper boundaries, and to never overstep the mark. All Ryukyu ships will be registered under the banner of the Jiangnan merchant guild, and will be simple in design, blending into the merchant fleet so that no one can distinguish them from the real thing. They will certainly live up to your trust."

Li Sancai nodded:

"Furthermore, I will account for the losses along the way for this batch of grain. My requirements are not high; you only need to deliver 200,000 shi of grain to the capital. I will not inquire about the rest. Once this batch of grain arrives, the amount will only increase."

You shall immediately reply to Eunuch Luo and Master Bai that the first batch of grain will be delivered at Songjiangkou in thirty days, awaiting the arrival of the Ryukyu fleet.