Chapter 946
Taking the blame
The Ming Dynasty basically followed the Yuan Dynasty's household registration system, dividing the people into civilian households, military households, artisan households, and salt-producing households.
People like Pan Yun, who were scholars, farmers, and merchants, belonged to the commoner households, while artisan households, like military households, were hereditary, and their descendants had to inherit the artisan profession and were not allowed to change their profession without permission.
In other words, theoretically, if your father is a carpenter, then you must be a carpenter, and your descendants must also be carpenters.
As a craftsman, one had to serve a certain period of time, which was divided into shift craftsmen and stationary craftsmen.
The shift worker was someone who had to go to the capital at his own expense every three or five years to work for three months without pay, after which he would return to his hometown.
Not to mention the cost of three months of unpaid labor, the round-trip travel expenses alone can wipe out several years' worth of savings for many artisan families.
After three to five years of hard work saving money, just when you feel you can afford to buy a car or add a room, you have to spend money to go to the capital.
The "sitting craftsman" was required to serve in government-run workshops in the capital or local areas for a long period of time, serving ten days a month, and spending the rest of the time freely operating his own business to earn his own money.
Both service systems greatly restricted the movement of artisans, and at the same time, limited the development of craftsmanship.
A father's talent does not guarantee that his son will inherit the craft, which leads to the interruption of many technical skills. In addition, forced labor resulted in meager income, causing many craftsmen to lose their ancestral businesses and become tenant farmers and vagrants.
Becoming refugees and wandering from place to place ironically allowed technology to circulate among the people.
Pan Yun was certain that as long as these unregistered or evasive craftsmen in the private sector were given materials and wages, their skills would not be much worse than those in government-run workshops.
Moreover, she had shipbuilding blueprints and technology to give them.
These fishermen along the coast have been secretly going to sea for decades, building their own boats.
Sure enough, after Pan Jun took out a gold ingot, the people who had been waving their hands and saying they couldn't make it were wide-eyed. Then, a few young men gathered together and discussed it, and pulled over an old man with gray hair.
The old man glanced at the gold that Pan Yun had placed on the table before picking up the blueprints she had given him and examining them carefully.
He is literate and can read blueprints.
The literacy rate in the Ming Dynasty was quite high, especially among artisans, who could recognize some basic characters.
After observing for a long time, he finally said amidst the eager anticipation of the young people, "We can build it!"
Pan Jun smiled slightly and said, "Okay, how long will it take?"
The old craftsman said, "One year."
Pan Yun said, "The timber, and two damaged ships, will be delivered here within two months. I need you to build them within six months."
The old craftsman frowned: "Shipbuilding is a meticulous job; it can't be rushed."
Pan Yun took out two gold ingots from his sleeve and placed them on the table, next to the first ingot. They gleamed in the sunlight, plump and seemingly captivating.
Pan Jun said, "I know you can do it. I can provide you with blueprints and even more technical documents. If you have any technical questions, you can ask me. I will find them for you if I can, along with sufficient timber."
The young men stared at the gold on the table, their breathing quickening. They leaned closer and whispered, "Uncle!"
The old craftsman glared at them, then looked up at Pan Yun and asked, "The ships built by ordinary people are all small boats. Large ships like these that go out to sea are all built by government-run shipyards. Aren't you afraid that we'll run off with your money and goods if you come to us?"
Pan Jun shook his head: "You can run away, but you can't hide. Even if you move the whole village, I will still find you."
Miao Zhen, standing behind her, said coldly, "Don't even mention the Ming Dynasty; even if you escape to Japan, we can still find you."
Threatened, the old craftsman was not angry; on the contrary, he became even more energetic and excited. He looked Pan Yun up and down and asked again, "If you noble people are so capable, why don't you go to the government-run shipyards and instead come to people like us?"
Pan Yun said, "Because I dislike using power to oppress people, and even more so, I dislike using power for personal gain."
As the Imperial Advisor, it was as simple as asking her to cut in line to build a boat for Wang Cong or repair two broken boats.
She didn't even need to show up in person; she just needed to let it slip when she went to the Ministry of Works, and plenty of people would help her get things sorted out.
But that wouldn't be interesting; that's not the world she wanted.
What she wanted more was for power to be restrained, for artisans to have more opportunities to circulate, and for technology to be better developed.
The old craftsman seemed to be deep in thought, and pointed to the blueprints on the table, saying, "I'm just a farmer, I've farmed all my life and still don't understand how to farm properly. I don't know how big or powerful the ships the government shipyard can build now, but I have seen the warships of the naval authorities. The blueprints you gave me seem to have a draft even greater than those of warships. The data on these blueprints is more valuable than these three ingots of gold you gave me. Why..."
Pan Yun interrupted him, saying, "These blueprints can be given to you."
The old craftsman paused slightly, but still insisted on asking, "Why?"
Pan Yun: "I hope that you will be able to build more, better and more powerful ships in the future. These blueprints are just a pile of waste paper in my hands, but in your hands, they can become a ship."
The old craftsman murmured, "This favor is too heavy, how can I accept it..."
Pan Yun said, "If you feel bad about it, sir, please grant me one request."
The old craftsman perked up and stared intently at Pan Yun: "Please speak, sir."
"If we encounter someone with talent and trustworthy character in the future, we will pass on our craft to them so that they can carry it on and create even greater glories."
The old craftsman gave a wry smile: "This skill is rare, but learning it may not be a good thing. If you accidentally end up being classified as a craftsman, it will really bring disaster to your descendants."
Pan Yun: "Having more skills is never a bad thing; at least it's a skill to make a living."
The old craftsman then stopped arguing and nodded in agreement: "If the other party also wants to learn, I will teach them."
That's how it was settled. The two discussed the details carefully, finalized the contract, and signed it on the spot.
The three gold ingots were the deposit that Pan Yun gave them.
After leaving the fishing village, Miaohe asked, puzzled, "Junior Uncle, do you really trust them that much?"
Pan Yun nodded and said, "That's right, I believe them."
She tilted her head and said, "If they can get away even with this, then even if I'm just unlucky and God has been tormenting me for a while, it's like He's shielded me from disaster, right?"
Miaozhen: "Where are those two ships?"
Pan Jun perked up and said with a grin, "Let's go buy a boat."
According to the list provided by Chen Wen, a considerable portion of the pirate ships they captured were bought by the Pu family in Quanzhou.
After the last case of colluding with pirates to rob a silver ship, both the Chen and Pu families were affected.
The Chen family quickly fell into ruin. The patriarch and his two sons were imprisoned. The patriarch and his eldest son were executed along with Jiang Fangzheng of the Quanzhou Naval Office, while the second son was exiled.
The rest of the family members were either sold or exiled with the second son, and their property was confiscated.
To Pan Yun's surprise, the Pu family, despite being involved in the affair, still managed to spend money to acquire the captured pirate warships.
This shows that the Pu family has not only remained untouched financially, but also politically. Pan Yun was very curious, but unfortunately she didn't have time before. Now that Wang Cong will soon be returning to Quanzhou, she can go back to Quanzhou to wait and see the Pu family.
Given Pan Yun's current status, obtaining information is both quick and difficult.
The speed lies in the fact that people can answer your questions as soon as you ask them;
But what they say may not all be true.
So as soon as they entered the city, Miaozhen quietly separated from them.
Pan Yun went directly to the Maritime Trade Office to find his old friend Cao Jixiang.
Cao Jixiang was very busy: "Since the Imperial Astronomical Bureau predicted that a strong wind would make landfall from late June to late July, ships have been coming and going in and out of the port every day."
Cao Jixiang was so busy that he only had time to have tea and snacks served to Pan Yun and the other two before burying himself in documents. He also had to explain to Pan Yun, "These ships are either in a hurry to come in to avoid the wind or in a hurry to leave to avoid the wind. In any case, they can't be delayed. If they are delayed, those merchants will cause trouble."
Pan Yun, holding a cup of tea, smiled and said, "This is also because Lord Cao is dedicated to serving the people. Otherwise, even if you keep delaying, they would have no one to complain to."
Cao Jixiang smiled and was about to say a few words of modesty when he heard Pan Yun say thoughtfully, "This won't do. It's easy for corruption to grow. We should give them a channel to file complaints and keep the Maritime Trade Office in check."
Cao Jixiang's humble words stuck in his throat; he remained silent and lowered his head to work hard.
After Pan Yun finished speaking, she realized what she had said and looked at Cao Jixiang with a half-smile: "Is Lord Cao angry?"
After reviewing one of the books, Cao Jixiang thought for a moment and shook his head slightly: "No, on the contrary, I think the Grand Preceptor is right."
Soon, it won't just be Quanzhou that has a Maritime Trade Office; other places will have them too. We should tighten our grip on them.
Cao Jixiang loved fame more than money, but others did not.
He felt that they needed to be put in a shackle.
The more Cao Jixiang thought about it, the more excited he became. Finally, he put down his pen and said, "If the Imperial Advisor submits a memorial, I, Cao, am willing to agree."
Pan Yun raised an eyebrow and smiled, “I am just a Taoist priest. I do not interfere in politics unless His Majesty asks. Since Lord Cao has this intention, he can submit a memorial himself. I imagine that the civil and military officials in the court will be very surprised and admire your dedication to the people when they receive this memorial from Lord Cao.”
Cao Jixiang was very tempted. He was not afraid of being targeted because of this. He was a eunuch, and his very existence would be criticized.
He's not afraid of that at all.
He wanted to show the world through his actions that he, Cao Jixiang, was no less capable than those civil and military officials.
Whether it's loyalty and righteousness or integrity and public service, he surpasses them all!
Cao Jixiang became determined.
Seeing that he was in a good mood, Pan Yun casually asked, "By the way, Lord Cao, is the Ping An Inn still run by the Pu family?"
Cao Jixiang's eyes flickered slightly, and after a moment's pause, he hummed in agreement.
Pan Yun asked curiously, "Wasn't the Pu family involved in the case of the silver ship robbery? They colluded with pirates, and the Chen family was wiped out. How come the Pu family is still completely unscathed?"
Cao Jixiang said, "That's just a rumor. The censors who came down to investigate the case did not find any evidence that the Pu family was involved."
Pan Yun rested her chin on her hand and looked at him with a half-smile: "Lord Cao, shouldn't you think before you say that? Half of the evidence in this case came from my hands. I know better than anyone whether the Pu family is involved."
Cao Jixiang's smile faded, and after a long silence, he said, "This is His Majesty's decree."
Pan Yun frowned: "Your Majesty?"
Cao Jixiang quickly added, "It was the late emperor."
Pan Yun: ...
She understood almost instantly: "For money?"
Cao Jixiang paused for a moment before nodding and saying, "The Pu family is willing to be loyal to the emperor. Although the Ping An Inn is currently run by the Pu family, in reality, the vast majority of the profits go to the Imperial Household Department."
He said in a low voice, "The Pu family is very good at making money, and what Your Majesty... the late Emperor lacked most were people who could make money and knew how to make money."
Pan Yun straightened up and said, "His Majesty does not lack anything."
Cao Jixiang laughed and said, "Of course, we have the National Preceptor now. His ability to make money is obvious to all. In just a short time, not to mention the silver that Japan keeps bringing back, the revenue of Quanzhou Port in just half a year has exceeded the tax revenue of a prefecture. In the future, the profits from maritime trade will only be more."
"It is His Majesty's good fortune to have the Imperial Preceptor, and also the good fortune of the Ming Dynasty."
Pan Yun twitched the corner of her mouth: "Lord Cao's emotional intelligence is getting higher and higher."
Although Cao Jixiang had never heard of the term "emotional intelligence," he instantly grasped its meaning. He smiled and asked, "Is the Imperial Preceptor so concerned about the Pu family because the Pu family offended him before?"
Pan Yun: "My fellow disciples and I were on that fleet, being bombarded by cannons and slashed with swords. Do you think they offended me?"
Cao Jixiang gave an awkward smile and advised, "It's better to resolve conflicts than to perpetuate them. The Pu family is just a small link in the chain, and they had no choice but to do so. Why doesn't the Grand Preceptor take a step back and see the bigger picture?"
"Moreover, this matter was decided by the late emperor. The people and events of that year have been sealed away and considered closed. The current emperor respects and cherishes his elder brother and will certainly not bring up this case again, so as not to subject the late emperor to further criticism."
Emperor Yingzong had a bad reputation, and he died at a very opportune time, precisely when Zhu Qiyu loved and pitied him the most, so the relationship between the two brothers remained untainted.
Zhu Qiyu naturally wouldn't reopen this case and tarnish Emperor Yingzong's reputation.
Not only him, but also Empress Dowager Sun's faction would try to stop him, and even the upright officials in the court would not support Pan Yun's reversal of the verdict.
After a moment's thought, Pan Yun nodded and said, "I understand."
Seeing that she had a calm expression and didn't seem like someone who would hold a grudge, Cao Jixiang breathed a sigh of relief.
Miaozhen didn't return until evening. She had gathered a lot of information through the following channels: "After the incident, Pu Min surrendered himself to the yamen and took the blame for Pu Si. Later, the censor came down to investigate the case and said that Pu Min had been misled and mistook the delegation and the silver fleet for pirates, which was considered a mistake. Therefore, the Pu family was not raided, Pu Si was safe and sound, and Pu Min was exiled to a mine in Ganzhou Prefecture, Jiangxi Province to work in the mines."
Pan Yun coughed violently: "Wait a minute, where did you say Pu Min was exiled to?"
“Jiangxi, that’s right, that’s my hometown.”
Pan Yun clicked her tongue twice and asked, "Really mining?"
“Really mining,” Miaozhen said, “Pu Min has an elderly mother and a younger sister. The year before last, his mother became seriously ill, and his younger sister had a congenital illness. Originally, his family was well-off and could afford the medicine, but at the beginning of last year, the doctor changed their prescription, and the price of one dose of medicine tripled. It became difficult for the family to support two patients at the same time.”
"After Pu Min took the blame, his mother and younger sister were taken to Pu Si's house and properly settled, and they were given the best medicine every day."
Pan Yun's gaze sharpened slightly as she asked, "How are they, the mother and daughter, doing?"
Miao Zhen said, "I went to the entrance and looked around. No one has seen them in the past two weeks. The mother and daughter usually go out shopping every two days." (End of Chapter)