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

West Garden, by Taiye Pond.

Weeping willows sway gently, and the blue waves ripple.

Emperor Chenghua, Zhu Jianji, did not stay in the somber Qianqing Palace. Instead, he changed into a light and casual evening dress and sat on an exquisitely carved dragon boat.

The dragon boat was moored by Taiye Pond, and Zhu Jianji was leaning on the railing, gazing into the distance, holding a sketch in his hand.

His brows furrowed at times and relaxed at others.

Pei Yuan boarded the dragon boat under the guidance of the eunuch, strode up behind Zhu Jianji, and paid his respects with great ceremony.

"Your humble servant Pei Yuan greets Your Majesty."

"Minister Pei has arrived. Please dispense with the formalities and have a seat."

Upon hearing Pei Yuan's voice, Zhu Jianji immediately turned around, his face beaming with joy.

After Pei Yuan was seated, Zhu Jianji handed him the sketch in his hand.

"My dear minister, come and see how my drawing is done?"

Pei Yuan took the sketch with both hands and glanced at it.

It was a sketch of an extremely grand palace complex.

The pavilions, terraces, towers, waterside pavilions, and long corridors are so large that they are comparable to half of the Forbidden City.

Judging from the terrain marked on the map, it seems that the plan is to build it along the mountains and by the water.

Pei Yuan understood this perfectly.

The Chenghua Emperor could no longer restrain himself.

Throughout history, once emperors had more money than they could spend, their first priority was to undertake large-scale construction projects, building palaces and gardens for their own enjoyment.

Moreover, this money was continuously sent into the imperial treasury by Pei Yuan.

If it were a loyal minister like Li Xian, he would surely be weeping bitterly at this moment.

He cried out that large-scale construction projects were a sign of national ruin and died trying to persuade the emperor to rescind the order.

But Pei Yuan was a treacherous minister.

"Your Majesty's sketch is truly magnificent, possessing a grand and awe-inspiring style!"

Pei Yuan held the sketch in his hands, feigning amazement, and praised it repeatedly.

"Only such magnificent palaces can demonstrate the majesty of our Great Ming Dynasty and are worthy of the status of Your Majesty as a wise and benevolent ruler throughout the ages."

"Your Majesty may venture a guess, but perhaps you intend to find an auspicious location in the outskirts of the capital to build a summer palace?"

Zhu Jianji felt incredibly pleased to see that Pei Yuan not only did not try to dissuade him, but also praised him highly.

Of all the officials in the court, only Pei Yuan truly understands my thoughts.

"My dear minister, you understand my intentions perfectly."

Zhu Jianji sighed and looked towards the distant horizon.

"Although the Forbidden City is vast, its rules are strict, and its red walls are high; living there for a long time can be stifling. I originally intended to build a temporary palace in the Western Hills area. However..."

A hint of displeasure flashed in Zhu Jianji's eyes.

"But those old fogies in the cabinet heard some rumors and knelt outside the Imperial Study every day to remonstrate, saying that the Northwest army was short of funds and the Yellow River floods had not yet subsided, so it was not appropriate to use the people's labor."

"Hmph, I'm using my own private treasury's money, and it's the money that Minister Pei earned for me. They're meddling in my affairs!"

Upon hearing this, Pei Yuan's lips curled into a faint smile.

He placed the sketch on the table, leaned forward slightly, and spoke with a fawning tone, as if he were sharing his master's burdens.

"Your Majesty, please calm your anger. The ministers in the cabinet are short-sighted, only knowing how to rigidly adhere to those outdated rules and regulations. They have no idea about Your Majesty's grand vision. Building a temporary palace is a magnificent undertaking to enhance the prestige of our nation."

"In my humble opinion, Your Majesty should not only rebuild it, but rebuild it to be even more magnificent than the sketch!"

Zhu Jianji's eyes lit up, and he involuntarily leaned forward.

"Oh? What brilliant idea do you have, my esteemed minister?"

Pei Yuan stood up, walked to the side of the ship, and pointed eastward.

"Your Majesty, while the Western Hills are beautiful, they are ultimately just wild scenery, and after a while they become monotonous. I dare to suggest that Your Majesty build this imperial palace in Tianjin?"

"Tianjin?"

Zhu Jianji was stunned.

Although that place is by the sea, it is mostly mudflats and saline-alkali land, nowhere near as scenic as Xishan.

Pei Yuan turned around, his eyes flashing with a sharp, insightful light.

Every move he makes, this immortal being, is imbued with profound meaning.

He intended to exploit the emperor's greed in building a temporary palace to secretly lay out a grand plan to strengthen the Ming Dynasty's coastal defenses.

"Your Majesty is wise. Tianjin is located on the coast of the Bohai Sea and is the gateway to the capital. Your Majesty's construction of a temporary palace here has three merits."

Pei Yuan raised a finger and began to speak eloquently.

"Firstly, Tianjin is located by the sea, and the sea breeze is refreshing, making it a much better place to escape the summer heat than the Western Hills. Moreover, the emperor could watch the sunrise over the sea from his palace window, which would surely broaden his mind."

He raised his second finger, his voice rising a few decibels.

"Secondly, the Ming Dynasty's navy has now been established in Jiangnan. I was just about to submit a memorial requesting the dispatch of a fleet of one hundred warships to garrison the north. If Your Majesty's palace were built in Tianjin, Your Majesty could personally board the treasure ship and inspect the Ming Dynasty's navy in your leisure time!"

"Let all the warships of the four seas sail and break through the waves under the Emperor's might! How could one who lives in the deep palace ever experience such exhilaration?"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Jianji's breathing became rapid, and his eyes flashed with fanatical light.

He personally boarded the magnificent treasure ship and inspected the invincible fleet that had come from all nations to pay tribute!

This glorious scene, reminiscent of a great emperor throughout history, deeply pierced the heart of Zhu Jianji, a ruler filled with ambition.

Pei Yuan looked at the emperor, who was completely seduced, and raised his third finger.

"Thirdly. Didn't the cabinet obstruct the emperor from building the palace? So the emperor issued a decree stating that this temporary palace was nominally a fortified sea fort built to oversee the construction of the northern naval camp and to defend against maritime threats."

"In reality, it's about building palaces inside and fortified cities outside. This is a perfectly legitimate national defense plan; who in the cabinet would dare utter a single word of dissent?"

"As for the money for building the imperial palace and the naval camp..."

Pei Yuan smiled proudly and patted his chest.

"Your Majesty, I am making a fortune in the Maritime Trade Office in Jiangnan. The expenses for building this temporary palace will not require a single penny from the Imperial Treasury; I will cover them all! Your Majesty only needs to sit comfortably on the dragon throne and wait for the palace to be completed."

Zhu Jianji was so excited that he suddenly stood up, grabbed Pei Yuan's arm, and cheered repeatedly.

"Excellent! What a magnificent Zhenhai Fortress!"

Zhu Jianji laughed heartily, all the pent-up frustration in his heart vanished.

"They built palaces and fortified cities. They used my own money to run state affairs, allowing me to enjoy a life of leisure while silencing those pedantic scholars!"

"Your plan, my dear minister, is truly to my liking; it is ingenious beyond words!"

Zhu Jianji immediately made the decision.

"As you say, my dear minister! I entrust you with full authority to oversee the construction of the Tianjin Imperial Palace. Go ahead and build it; make it as magnificent as you desire!"

"I want to mount the most powerful cannons and fill the palace walls with the strongest imperial wine!"

"Your Majesty, I obey your command and will certainly live up to your expectations."

Pei Yuan bowed deeply, concealing the deep glint of triumph in his eyes.

Everyone in the world thought that Pei Yuan was a treacherous villain who only knew how to flatter and exploit the people.

Those civil officials would surely curse him behind his back, inciting the emperor to embark on massive construction projects.

Unbeknownst to anyone, under the guise of building this extravagant palace, he was actually trying to forge an impregnable coastal fortress in Tianjin, the gateway to the capital.

And it was only natural to transfer the invincible naval fleet to the Bohai Sea.

Such a blatant scheme—how could those scholar-officials who only knew how to memorize the Four Books and Five Classics possibly see through the subtle and manipulative tactics involved?