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

"Your Majesty is wise and mighty! This move will surely fill the Ming Dynasty's treasury and bring tribute from all nations!"

Pei Yuan offered a respectful compliment.

Then, he changed the subject and put forward a more long-term plan.

"However, Your Majesty, once the sea ban is lifted, merchant ships will flock to the sea like a swarm of locusts. If we only issue licenses and collect escort fees, although we will be very profitable, we will only be earning hard-earned money."

"Oh?"

Zhu Jianji raised an eyebrow.

"What are your methods for making money, my dear minister?"

Pei Yuan leaned forward slightly, his eyes gleaming.

"The countries of Southeast Asia are rich in spices and gems, but they lack ironware, silk, and especially fine porcelain. Why doesn't Your Majesty establish a Royal Trading Company?"

"Led by the Imperial Household Department, we will directly monopolize the best silk and imperial porcelain of the Ming Dynasty, load them onto our armed Fujian ships, and transport them directly to Southeast Asia!"

Pei Yuan's voice was seductive.

"We won't just collect protection money from merchants; we'll also trade ourselves! We'll use Ming Dynasty porcelain to exchange for real gold and silver from Southeast Asia! With such an invincible fleet, which foreign king would dare not buy our goods at the highest price?"

"This kind of incredibly profitable business—that's what you call truly making someone richer than a country!"

Zhu Jianji's breathing quickened, and a greedy green light even gleamed in his eyes.

He'll get involved in the business himself!

If Li Xian heard these words, he would be so angry that he would vomit blood on the spot.

How could the mighty Emperor of the Ming Dynasty contend with the people for profit?

But Zhu Jianji was an emperor who only cared about money and power.

The golden mountain described by Pei Yuan completely shattered the last shred of imperial pride in his heart.

"Wonderful! Absolutely wonderful!"

Zhu Jianji punched his palm and paced back and forth excitedly.

"Royal Trading Company...a fine name! I wouldn't trust anyone else with this task. Minister Pei, you will concurrently serve as the head of the Royal Trading Company!"

"Admiral of the Navy, also in charge of overseas trade. I entrust the entire maritime financial route of the Ming Dynasty to you!"

Pei Yuan knelt on one knee and bowed deeply.

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

The cold wind on the city wall ruffled Pei Yuan's long hair.

A deep, unfathomable glint flashed in his slightly lowered eyes.

The Royal Trading Company has lifted the maritime ban.

This Ming Dynasty was finally propelled onto the magnificent seafaring path by this immortal traveler.

As for the turbulent waves that are about to rise in the imperial court, and the memorials that the officials and censors are fighting to the death to resist.

To him, it was nothing more than a comical embellishment in this grand drama.

……

The snow in the Bohai Bay gradually stopped in the latter half of the night.

The morning light pierced through the thick clouds and shone on the dark iron walls of Zhenhai Fort, reflecting a cold, hard luster.

The sea breeze was still biting, cutting like a knife against one's face.

In a secluded, warm pavilion in the backyard of the imperial palace, the underfloor heating was burning just right.

Pei Yuan awoke on the large, carved rosewood canopy bed.

He lifted the soft, light silk quilt from the Jiangnan region, revealing that he was only wearing a moon-white silk undergarment.

Barefoot on the warm Persian velvet carpet, I lazily stretched my limbs.

"My lord, you're awake."

The curtain was lifted, and Lu Zheng walked in carrying a basin of steaming hot water for washing his face, a mischievous smile on his face that he couldn't hide.

Pei Yuan walked to the copper basin, placed the warm towel on his face, exhaled a long breath, and then slowly began to speak.

"Why are you laughing so strangely so early in the morning? Did you manage to finish that 'bargaining' job last night?"

Lu Zheng helped Pei Yuan put on a dark blue casual robe, nodding repeatedly.

He pulled a thick stack of papers from his sleeve and presented them with both hands.

"Your Excellency is truly brilliant. Last night, despite the wind and snow, our Chief Minister Li and several other ministers were enjoying themselves in the warm pavilion of the east wing as if they were sitting in a spring breeze."

"This morning, when I took some men to collect rent, the faces of those officials were even darker than the iron plating on the city wall."

"Look, here are twelve IOUs, each worth five hundred taels, all stamped with the adults' private seals."

Pei Yuan took the stack of IOUs and casually flipped through them.

Looking at the names above, each one a figure of great renown in the imperial court, a faint smile appeared on his lips.

"Keep this safe. After returning to the capital, go to their residences to collect the debts on the appointed days. If anyone dares to default on their debts, take the IOU to the Shuntian Prefecture and beat the drum to appeal for justice."

"I'd like to see how many stories this unprecedented tale of the Grand Secretary refusing to pay his debts will be told throughout the capital."

Lu Zheng was secretly astonished upon hearing this.

The way our master acted was truly a blatant disregard for the dignity of these civil officials.

However, serving under such a master who has no taboos is truly a pleasure.

"What about the imperial censors who live in the military camps?"

Pei Yuan sat down at the table and picked up the hot tea that the maid had just brought.

"Your Excellency, those dozens of censors spent the entire night on a drafty, shared bed. When I went to check on them this morning, they were all ashen-faced and sneezing constantly."

"Several of them didn't even have the strength to get up, and they were calling for their servants to make ginger soup."

Lu Zheng replied with schadenfreude.

"You brought this on yourself."

Pei Yuan gave a brief comment and put down his teacup.

"Let's go to Haiyan Hall. The Emperor was in such high spirits yesterday, there must be something big going on at this morning's court session. We should go and show our support."

It is exactly 7:00 AM.

A temporary court assembly was held in the main hall of Zhenhai Fort, Haiyan Hall.

Emperor Chenghua, Zhu Jianji, sat high on the dragon throne, his face glowing and his spirits high.

In contrast, the civil and military officials below the steps presented a completely different and tragic scene.

The high-ranking officials living in the warm pavilions were not affected by the cold.

But because they had signed that humiliating IOU, their faces were ashen and their hearts were bleeding.

Meanwhile, the imperial censors living in the barracks kept covering their mouths and noses with their sleeves to suppress their coughs.

They all hunched their necks, looking listless.

The various characters in the imperial court, as seen by Pei Yuan, seemed even more vivid than the farcical performances in the theaters.

"My beloved ministers."

Zhu Jianji cleared his throat, and his loud voice echoed throughout the hall.

"Yesterday, I inspected Zhenhai Fort and reviewed the navy of my Great Ming Dynasty. Such military might is unprecedented. Pei Yuan's supervision of the construction was meritorious and deserves a reward!"

Zhu Jianji stared intently at Pei Yuan, who was standing at the very front.

"By imperial decree! Right Commander-in-Chief Pei Yuan is hereby granted double salary, three sets of flying fish robes, and two imperial horses. From this day forward, Tianjin Wei Zhenhai Fortress is officially designated as the main port of the Ming Dynasty's northern navy!"

Pei Yuan calmly stepped out of the queue, lifted the corner of his robe, and respectfully kowtowed.

"Your humble servant kowtows in gratitude for Your Majesty's grace! Your Majesty is wise and sagacious, and your power commands respect throughout the land. Your humble servant has merely relied on Your Majesty's abundant blessings to carry out your duties."

Such a paltry reward was too insignificant for the officials to bother arguing about.

After all, the fact that they built an invincible fleet is a genuine achievement.

However, Zhu Jianji's next words struck the hearts of all the civil officials like a heavy hammer.

"Now that the navy is established, it's time to change the rules at sea."

Zhu Jianji stood up, his sharp gaze sweeping over the crowd below.

"The founding emperor established the maritime ban to prevent the invasion of Japanese pirates. Now that the pirates have been quelled and our Ming Dynasty navy dominates the four seas, how can we remain complacent and closed off?"

"I have decided that, from this day forward, the sea ban will be lifted completely!"