Chapter 773
Making a decision
Chapter 773 Making a decision
Li Shimian grew increasingly angry as he spoke, and shouted, "The Japanese are even more shameless! Last time, when their two delegations entered the port, they vied to prove that the tally in their hands was genuine, and they directly fought in my Quanzhou Prefecture, plundering my Quanzhou people, which resulted in the deaths of two of my Ming generals! If the provisions of the tally were valid, the Maritime Trade Office would not be in its current state!"
"Then what do you suggest we do? What do you suggest we do?" Chen Xun pounded his chest and stamped his feet, tears streaming down his face. "The Emperor Taizu decreed that not even a single plank of wood could go to sea. The fishermen along the coast have reached the third generation, but even after they migrate, they still can't survive. They still can't survive!"
Everyone was silent.
Yang Pu sighed and called to Cao Nai, Chen Xun, and Li Shimian, "Come to the cabinet."
Several people followed Yang Pu into the cabinet, while the other officials lingered outside the door, discussing and arguing in hushed tones.
Yang Pu took out a letter and asked, "Chen Xun, is the Jiangnan Inspector you just mentioned Xue Shao?"
After a moment of silence, Chen Xun said, "Yes."
Yang Pu handed him the letter and said, "This is a letter that Xue Xuan sent today. I think his suggestion is quite good."
Chen Xun took it, opened it, and Cao Nai unceremoniously leaned in to look.
Xue Shao had an idea, which wasn't very good, and was rather unethical.
He suggested that five levels of return gifts could be established based on the return gifts during the reign of Emperor Taizu.
The types and quantities of state gifts are fixed, and appropriate state gifts can be selected and returned based on the performance and tribute of each vassal state.
Regardless of the number of people brought by each country's delegation, the etiquette of rank stipulated the corresponding number of delegation members, and the imperial court was only responsible for the corresponding number of people. Others who wanted to enter the pass could only apply for entry like ordinary people.
Cao Nai looked at it and immediately praised, "That's a great idea."
Chen Xun looked conflicted: "I'm afraid it would damage the prestige of our Great Ming Dynasty and make us seem petty."
Cao Nai glared: "Where is the stinginess? Even during the reign of Emperor Taizu, we were treated with great courtesy. What we give now is of even better quality than the same kind of goods. I think it's excellent. Setting strict rules will prevent them from taking advantage of us."
Chen Xun: "If this damages the royal family's reputation, His Majesty will probably not agree."
Cao Nai muttered, "Trying to save face."
Yang Pu couldn't help but glare at him.
Cao Nai was the successor he chose, but he was always so stubborn and had a quick temper, which always worried Yang Pu.
Chen Xun's temper flared up a bit, so he decided to throw caution to the wind and shoved the letter into his hand: "I also think this is a good idea. Go and persuade His Majesty."
He scoffed, "Do you think I want to talk back to you? I'm just giving you time to think. I'm asking you now, but when we get to the court assembly, it will be His Majesty and the others asking you. They won't ask you like I'm doing."
Yang Pu seized the opportunity to say, "We all agree on lifting the sea ban. We should reach a consensus. I don't think that Minister Wang proposed this on a whim. You shouldn't decide to oppose it one minute and support it the next."
Chen Xun stared intently at Cao Nai.
Cao Nai felt that these words were directed at him. He frowned and thought about it seriously, and he also felt that what the chief minister said was right.
The emperor clearly agreed with Wang Zhen's suggestion, and this matter might very well have been the emperor's intention.
Wang Zhen, Dao Er.
It's a double-edged sword; Your Majesty could easily hurt yourself if you use it.
Cao Nai sighed and asked, "Chief Minister Yang, what do you think the chances are that His Majesty will agree to this?"
“His Majesty also deeply detests the rogue behavior of the Oirat and the Japanese, and he will agree,” Yang Pu paused and then said, “We must be careful of Wang Zhen. He is too close to the Oirat. Last time, when the Oirat delegation committed a crime, it was Wang Zhen who helped plead for them.”
Cao Nai suddenly remembered something and quickly asked, "Didn't the imperial inspector from Datong submit a memorial last time, saying that someone in the border army was colluding with the Oirats to sell weapons? How is the investigation going?" Everyone fell silent.
Cao Nai: "...Why are you all looking at me like that? Isn't this a memorial to be submitted to the cabinet?"
Zhang Yi: "Wang Zhangyin took it and handed it over to the Censorate."
Cao Nai pressed further, "Have you investigated?"
Li Shimian, the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy, said irritably, "What are you investigating? Wang Zhen has already taken the memorial, and the matter in the memorial has been dropped."
Cao Nai narrowed his eyes: "Wang Zhen's influence has already reached the border town. Isn't this case the biggest breakthrough? Why not use it?"
Chen Xun sighed: "It is possible to mention it to force Wang Zhen to make concessions, but it will take at least a year and a half to investigate this case thoroughly. The policy of prohibiting maritime trade cannot wait."
Li Shimian was more direct than Chen Xun, saying bluntly: "Don't even mention a year or two, it might take three to five years to find out the truth. Even if it is found out, it will be forgotten. The Xue-Pan case was only found out after three years, but what good did it do? It only cleared the names of Xue Xuan and Pan Hong and exonerated the Yue family. But only two people were punished as the culprits. Wang Zhen didn't even lose a hair."
Yang Pu: "Fortunately, Chen Fulin and Wang Shan were executed, which can be considered a consolation to their souls."
Li Shimian and Cao Nai both snorted coldly. Cao Nai realized what was happening and frowned: "The Imperial Inspector of Datong is Pan Hong?"
Yang Pu nodded: "He has been transferred back to the capital and is now the Right Vice Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial."
Cao Nai frowned deeply: "Then this matter..."
“Pan Hong is an upright man. If we can get his memorials out, I think he will be willing to present the case in court.”
Chen Xun lowered his head and pondered for a moment before saying, "The end of the year is approaching, and the border troops' pay and cotton-padded clothes have already been distributed. I can offer a suggestion."
Yang Pu glanced around, finally settling on Li Shimian: "Pan Hong's eldest son, Pan Yue, is studying at the Imperial Academy..."
Li Shimian: "You guys know how to pick a target. Pan Hong has already offended Wang Zhen, and he's no longer an imperial censor. If we let him impeach Wang Zhen again, I'm afraid..."
Yang Pu: "Pan Hong was Pan Yun's father."
Li Shimian immediately changed his mind: "It's worth a try."
Pan Yun has made quite a contribution; he not only donated a mountain of silver, well, although the silver mountain is located abroad.
They also offered up a port, although the port was in a foreign country and they needed to send people to manage it themselves.
More importantly, she also mined silver with the Ministry of Works and brought back 200,000 taels of silver.
His Majesty has always been soft-hearted and concerned about his reputation. Even for Pan Yun's sake, he wouldn't do anything to Pan Hong.
If we don't do more now, when will we?
The group discussed other matters in the cabinet and finally decided on a policy: if His Majesty agreed to establish a tiered system for state gifts, they could back down and allow the Imperial Household Department to participate in the mining of silver mines, but at the same time, the sea ban would be completely lifted.
The Maritime Trade Offices were established in Guangzhou, Quanzhou, Fuzhou, Ningbo, Suzhou, and Tianjin, allowing civilian ships to go to sea and stipulating annual fishing moratoriums for various sea areas. Outside of the fishing moratorium, fishermen were allowed to go to sea to fish.
The court will not force fishermen who have already moved inland to return to the coast, nor will it force them to abandon their homes and go to sea. The court will only collect a head tax from the fishermen each year and will not impose additional taxes for the time being.
Cao Nai added: "It is stipulated that a certain proportion of the Japanese silver transported back each time should be deposited into the Imperial Treasury and the National Treasury, with the National Treasury accounting for at least 70%!"
Seeing everyone watching him silently, Cao Nai gritted his teeth and changed his words, saying, "The bottom line is 50%."
Everyone then looked away.
(End of this chapter)