Da Ming: The system granted me immortality; I clock in every day.

Pei Yuan put down his teacup and reached out to flip through the account book.

"How was the price determined?"

"Your Excellency, as you have instructed, the large ships will yield 50,000 taels a year, and the small ships 10,000 taels a year. Regardless of the amount of cargo, only the flag will be recognized, not the person."

Lu Zheng replied.

Pei Yuan nodded slightly and pondered for a moment.

"You can't exhaust the resources of a pond to catch all the fish. If you want this business to last, you have to make a steady, continuous flow of income."

Pei Yuan tapped his fingers lightly on the table.

"Pass down the order to set up a separate Maritime Trade Commissioner's Office next to the Longjiang Shipyard. Although the signboard belongs to the imperial court, all the staff inside will be replaced by our own Jinyiwei (Imperial Guards)."

"Merchant ships that paid the escort fee were not only issued an escort flag, but also a bronze plaque specially made by the Embroidered Uniform Guard as proof."

A sly glint flashed in Pei Yuan's eyes.

"Furthermore, tell Wan Dafu that I have entrusted him with leading the flag-selling business in the Jiangnan region. He will receive a 10% cut of the profits from every merchant ship he brings in."

"With such benefits, we don't need to urge him. Wan Dafu will turn into the fiercest hunting dog and force those maritime merchants to obediently hand over their money."

Lu Zheng was stunned, his admiration for this person was like a surging river.

They turned accepting bribes and extortion into a well-organized and systematic business within the imperial court.

They even know how to "share profits" and give back.

Such methods of accumulating wealth are truly unprecedented and will likely remain so.

"Your Excellency is brilliant! In this way, the wealth of Jiangnan will flow into our pockets continuously, without having to expend a single soldier to collect it."

Lu Zheng sincerely praised.

Just then, a gatekeeper respectfully reported from outside the pavilion.

"Reporting to the Governor, Mr. Wan Dafu, a salt merchant from Lianghuai, requests an audience. He says he has an important joke to share with you for your amusement."

Pei Yuan raised an eyebrow and a smile appeared on his lips.

"Speak of the devil and he appears. Let him in."

Before long, Wan Dafu, wearing a straw raincoat, leaning on a cane, and with a ruddy face, walked into the open pavilion.

He has now completely seen the situation clearly and is now wholeheartedly clinging to Pei Yuan, this powerful patron.

Since taking on the task of purchasing supplies for the shipyard, although Pei Yuan bleeds him dry once, the privileges that follow make his status in the Jiangnan business world soar.

Anyone who wants to ship goods out to sea has to be mindful of Wan Dafu's attitude.

"This humble commoner, Wan Dafu, greets the Governor!"

Wan Dafu took off his raincoat and performed a proper salute.

"Rise. Please take a seat."

Pei Yuan raised his hand.

Wan Dafu sat down on the round stool, his round face filled with undisguised schadenfreude.

"Governor, I've come today to tell you a very interesting and delightful story. Do you still remember Lord Liu, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice in Nanjing?"

Pei Yuan thought for a moment, then said calmly, "That old scholar from the 'pure stream' who repeatedly submitted memorials in court, denouncing me as a usurper of the country?"

"It's him!"

Wan Dafu slapped his thigh, laughing so hard that the fat on his face jiggled.

"This Lord Liu, in his daily life, is full of talk about benevolence and morality, so aloof that he even disdains the visiting cards of commoners and merchants. Who would have thought that behind the scenes, he had his steward, under the guise of a distant relative, secretly acquire five ships for smuggling salt and silk in the East China Sea!"

Wan Dafu lowered his voice, his eyes full of mockery.

"A few days ago, our naval patrol officers were conducting a routine inspection outside the mouth of the Yangtze River. They happened to run into Lord Liu's five private boats."

"That steward is used to being arrogant and domineering. He even dared to put on airs and refused to pay the escort fee. He also didn't have the bronze plaque issued by the governor."

"Oh?"

Pei Yuan became interested and picked up his teacup.

"How are maritime patrols and guerrilla warfare dealt with?"

Wan Dafu laughed even harder.

"The patrolling general remembered the governor's orders: recognize flags, not people. Seeing they had no escort flag, he detained them and their ship without a word!"

"The cargo, along with the goods on board worth over ten thousand taels, was towed back to the naval camp."

"Now look what's happened. Lord Liu is as anxious as an ant on a hot pan in his mansion. If the charge of smuggling is proven, he will not only lose his official hat as Vice Minister of Justice, but he will also lose his head."

Wan Dafu took out a thick envelope from his sleeve and presented it with both hands.

"Just last night at midnight, Lord Liu's steward sneaked into my humble residence. He begged me, with tears streaming down his face, to act as a mediator."

"This is a silver note for fifty thousand taels of silver, said to be to make up for the escort fees of those five ships. I beg you to put in a good word for me with the governor, so that this matter can be treated as if it never happened."

Pei Yuan looked at the envelope full of silver notes and couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"Hahaha! What a hypocritical old scholar who spouts righteousness and morality! He can be so eloquent when he criticizes me, but behind my back he's trying to save even the money for this escort fee."

"In the end, they still have to obediently hand over the money to me!"

Pei Yuan did not take the envelope, but simply raised his chin at Lu Zheng.

Lu Zheng stepped forward, put away the envelope, and stepped aside.

"Boss Wan, you handled this well. Just take his money and release the boat. In business, we believe in making money amicably. As for his smuggling..."

A deep, calculating glint flashed in Pei Yuan's eyes.

"Have Lu Zheng keep a copy of the receipt and statement from the steward. If Lord Liu dares to bark in the court again, this will be the noose around his neck."

Wan Dafu understood immediately and nodded repeatedly.

"The Commander is brilliant! With this leverage, Lord Liu will be nothing more than a spineless dog in front of you!"

Pei Yuan waved his hand, dismissing Wan Dafu.

Listening to the pattering autumn rain outside the window, he felt that the officialdom of the Ming Dynasty was truly a farcical farce.

Those high-ranking civil officials, who considered themselves noble, were actually all scheming and chasing after fame and fortune.

Once you grasp their greed, you can easily manipulate them.

at the same time.

Thousands of miles away, in the capital city, the Forbidden City.

The autumn wind swept away the fallen leaves, making the square in front of Fengtian Gate look somewhat desolate.

The morning court session today was filled with an eerily quiet atmosphere.

Civil and military officials, each holding a tablet, stood on either side.

Many civil officials had flushed red faces and were filled with resentment, but none of them dared to speak first.

Emperor Chenghua, Zhu Jianji, sat upright on the dragon throne, wearing a gold-embroidered dragon robe, his face calm.

But the slight upturn of his lips betrayed his wonderful mood.

In the very center of the main hall.

The chief envoy of Champa was kneeling on the gold bricks, leading a dozen or so attendants.

Behind them were dozens of large mahogany chests with open lids, filled with fine sandalwood, tortoiseshell, ivory, and bags of uncut rubies.

"The envoy of the vassal state of Champa pays respects to His Majesty the Emperor of the Great Ming! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"

The envoy, speaking broken Chinese, loudly offered his congratulations.