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

Zhu Jianji slightly raised his hand: "Rise. Your esteemed envoy has come from afar to present such generous tribute, which greatly pleases me."

The Champa envoy stood up and bowed his head respectfully.

His voice carried a hint of relief at surviving a disaster, as well as a deep-seated awe for the Ming Dynasty's navy.

"Your Majesty is wise! Our humble nation has come not only to pay tribute, but also to express our deepest gratitude to the Heavenly Dynasty's Grand General and Right Vice-General Pei Yuan for saving our lives!"

Upon hearing this, the civil officials in the court immediately perked up their ears.

Grand Secretary Lee Hsien frowned deeply.

He had received a secret report that Pei Yuan had plundered a tribute ship from Champa at sea.

Today, this envoy is in court, and he will surely accuse Pei Yuan of his tyranny.

As soon as the envoy opened his mouth, he would immediately lead all the officials to remonstrate to the death, determined to use this serious crime of causing disputes between vassal states to remove Pei Yuan, this malignant tumor!

To everyone's surprise, the Champa envoy's next words struck Li Xian and his companions like a thunderbolt.

"Your Majesty! Our fleet encountered fierce pirates from the South Seas in the East China Sea and was nearly wiped out. Fortunately, General Pei led the Celestial Empire's divine ships, arriving like gods!"

"With just a few thunderclaps, the bandit fleet was utterly destroyed! General Pei not only saved the lives of the lower kingdom's delegation, but also refused to accept a single tribute from them, sending warships to escort them all the way to the capital!"

When the envoy got to the point of being emotional, he knelt down again, tears welling up in his eyes.

"General Pei's majesty is truly that of a pillar of the Celestial Empire! Upon hearing this, the ruler of our humble state is filled with awe and reverence for the martial might of the Ming Dynasty."

"By special order, your humble servant shall double the original tribute by one hundred catties of rubies! To express our gratitude for the protection and grace of the Celestial Empire!"

silence.

Inside Fengtian Gate, there was a deathly silence.

Li Xian and the other civil officials stared wide-eyed at the Champa envoy, who was weeping uncontrollably, their minds reeling.

How is this possible?!

The secret report clearly stated that Pei Yuan was extorting money and extorting money.

How come in the mouth of this envoy, Pei Yuan has become a divine general of the Celestial Empire who did not take a single penny and did not harm a single hair?!

They even went so far as to offer double the amount of rubies?!

Little did they know that the envoy had personally witnessed Pei Yuan's ruthless methods and the dark muzzle of his cannons at sea.

Pei Yuan could crush even the pirates of the South Seas like ants.

How could a mere envoy from the small kingdom of Champa dare to speak ill of someone to the emperor?

If we anger that living Yama, and the Ming navy sails to the port of Champa, then it won't be a matter that can be resolved by doubling the tribute!

Zhu Jianji sat on the dragon throne, looking down at the dumbfounded, ashen-faced civil officials below, and was overjoyed.

He knew Pei Yuan's character all too well.

Not a single point taken? That's absolutely impossible.

The fact that this envoy could say such things must mean he was utterly terrified by Pei Yuan at sea.

But that's exactly what he wanted!

Without losing a single soldier, it not only enhanced the prestige of the Ming Dynasty but also prompted vassal states to double their tribute.

Where can you find such a loyal minister?

"Excellent! Governor Pei has brought glory to our Great Ming Dynasty overseas, demonstrating its national power—truly a great achievement!"

Zhu Jianji stood up, exclaimed loudly, and glanced at Li Xian and the others with a mocking look.

"My esteemed ministers, who was it that wept bitterly before me a few days ago, saying that Pei Yuan had recklessly provoked conflict at sea, plundering tribute ships from vassal states, and that this would bring about a diplomatic disaster?"

"Now that your esteemed envoy is right here, why are you all silent?"

Li Xian's face flushed red, and he stepped out of the queue with a stiff upper lip, bowing as he said:

"Your Majesty, this...this may be a misunderstanding. Although Pei Yuan rescued the envoy, he violated ancestral rules by going to sea without authorization..."

"That's enough!"

Zhu Jianji interrupted Li Xian's explanation with a cold shout.

"What ancestral system! Can ancestral systems make Champa willingly double its tribute? Can ancestral systems blast the bandits of Southeast Asia into dust?"

Zhu Jianji descended the imperial steps and came to the dozens of mahogany boxes filled with tribute.

He casually grabbed a handful of unpolished ruby ​​roughs, his eyes filled with undisguised greed and ambition as he gazed at the red light shimmering in the sunlight.

"I tell you, the Ming Dynasty has been silent for far too long! From this day forward, I am determined to open up this sea!"

Zhu Jianji turned around and faced the assembled civil and military officials, his voice booming like a great bell.

"Champa envoys, listen to my decree! In view of your obedience, I hereby grant Champa merchant ships the right to freely travel to and from the ports of the Great Ming Dynasty in the future."

"All merchant ships flying the Ming Dynasty's naval escort flag will be guaranteed unimpeded passage in the East and South China Seas by the Ming Dynasty's navy!"

Upon hearing this, the envoy finally felt relieved and repeatedly kowtowed to express his gratitude.

Although the protection fee of 50,000 taels of silver was painful, it had now been personally acknowledged by the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty.

This deal is considered to have the official endorsement of the Celestial Empire, making it a sure thing!

After the court session ended.

Inside the Qianqing Palace.

Zhu Jianji changed out of his heavy court robes, sat on the heated kang, and looked at another secret memorial presented by Wang Zhi.

This was precisely the "private account" secretly delivered by Pei Yuan's men.

The above clearly records the details of how the Ming Dynasty Navy established the Maritime Trade Commissioner's Office in Jiangnan and collected escort fees from passing merchant ships.

"Your Majesty, this Lord Pei is truly a master at making money!"

Wang Zhi stood to the side, swallowing nervously, his voice trembling.

"This memorial states that in just the past half month, hundreds of merchant ships from Jiangnan and vassal states have come to purchase escort flags. The escort fees collected have already accumulated to no less than three million taels!"

"In his memorial, Lord Pei stated that, aside from setting aside a portion for the navy's daily training and cannon wear and tear, the remaining two million taels of silver have already been loaded onto ships."

"They are being secretly transported to the capital along the Grand Canal, and the entire sum is to be presented to His Majesty's private treasury!"

Two million taels?!

Zhu Jianji's hand holding the secret report trembled violently, and his eyes flashed with disbelief.

He originally thought that Pei Yuan's shipbuilding had already drained the Jiangnan region.

Unexpectedly, this kid turned this ocean into an inexhaustible gold mine!

Moreover, what pleased him most was that Pei Yuan did not hide anything; he sent the lion's share of the profits directly to the palace.

"Hahaha! Good! Good!"

"Those old fogies in the cabinet are always eyeing that little bit of dead money in the granary. They even take half a month to build a garden for me."

"Pei Yuan is quite something; he went out for a stroll and earned me a mountain of gold!"

Zhu Jianji carefully tucked the secret report into his bosom, looked at the falling snow outside the window, and a deep sense of determination flashed in his eyes.

"Send my secret decree to Pei Yuan. I approve all his actions in Jiangnan!"

"Give me free rein to run the escort business of the Maritime Trade Commission, make it bigger and stronger! As long as silver keeps flowing into the capital, I will allow Pei Yuan to roam freely throughout the four seas of the Ming Dynasty!"

Jiangnan, Jinling, Xichun Garden.

The night was deep, and the drizzle had not yet stopped.

Pei Yuan sat in the open pavilion, holding a warm cup of Shaoxing wine, listening to Lu Zheng read out the secret decree from the capital.

"His Majesty said that Governor Xu can do whatever he wants throughout the land."

Lu Zheng closed the secret decree, his expression filled with pride and awe.

Pei Yuan gently swirled the wine glass, watching the amber liquid ripple within.

The smile at the corner of his mouth revealed a calm ease that allowed him to manipulate everyone in the world.

"Walk sideways? In the Ming Dynasty, officials, whether upright or corrupt, were ultimately nothing more than puppets of the emperor's greed and power."

Pei Yuan tilted his head back and drank the warm wine in his cup in one gulp.

Having lived for a hundred years, he had long since seen through the true nature of this feudal dynasty.

As long as you can continuously satisfy the ambitions and selfish desires of those in power.

You are a loyal minister, a pillar of the nation.

Pei Yuan stood up and stretched.

Shipbuilding, bandit suppression, and establishing authority—the most mentally taxing first step has been completed.

Next, we can sit in this misty Jiangnan region, listening to folk songs and drinking fine wine.

He watched with satisfaction as the money flowed steadily into his pocket.

Then, they conveniently propelled the Ming Dynasty into the glorious Age of Exploration.