prosperous age

"Master Zhang, what's your opinion?"

Hearing that the Ministry of War had no intention of pursuing the matter, Zhu Yijun secretly breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Zhang Juzheng to ask.

Previously, in the Qianqing Palace, the Wanli Emperor was genuinely angry.

He was the emperor; the court's money belonged to him, and the soldiers in the garrisons were also his troops.

Even when beating a dog, one should consider its owner. Zhu Yijun felt that his maternal grandfather did not respect him, perhaps because everyone only had eyes for his mother and not for him, the emperor.

Yes, despite being emperor for several years, Zhu Yijun never really felt like an emperor.

Look at what those emperors were like in history books, and what he was like.

Other emperors could do whatever they wanted, and no one would care. But if he did anything wrong, he might get a lesson in the Cining Palace.

In particular, he was terrified when his own mother said in front of him that she wanted to change the emperor.

It took him a long time to realize that even if she was his mother, what right did he have to change the emperor?

Without even consulting the Empress Dowager in Cining Palace, what right did my mother have to say such things?

It can only be said that he was a very incompetent emperor, unable to make any decisions and having to be subservient to others.

Punishing Li Wei was impossible; the Empress Dowager wouldn't agree. The Ministry of War's attitude was very good; they didn't make things difficult for him.

Zhu Yijun glanced at Wei Guangde unintentionally. This teacher was probably the one who respected his ideas the most. Although he would sometimes disagree with his decisions, he would give his reasons and let him choose.

Unlike his mother and Master Zhang, who would lecture him whenever things didn't go his way, even if they were right, Zhu Yijun would still find it tiresome.

Actually, many times it's not that he doesn't know he's wrong, but that he's tired of being lectured.

In front of Zhang Juzheng, he had recently issued a decree to rectify officialdom and crack down on corruption in the court.

In recent years, with the completion of land surveys in half of the provinces of the Ming Dynasty and the implementation of the Single Whip Law, the Ministry of Revenue has become much richer.

During Emperor Wanli's wedding, many officials secretly embezzled public funds.

Actually, it's not that those in higher positions are unaware of many things, but rather that they can't easily interfere.

Each of those people had their own superior. For example, the people in the inner court had eunuchs from various departments above them, and only Feng Bao was at the very end.

In the imperial court, the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Rites were the main entities involved in procurement, with Zhang Xueyan and Xu Xuemo in charge.

To punish them without their intervention would be tantamount to slapping them in the face.

Therefore, Zhang Juzheng often had to repeatedly reiterate his anti-corruption policies to remind his subordinates to pay attention.

Only by dealing severely with those who have been exposed can we make those below be careful, keep their hands to themselves, and not go too far.

Given the magnitude of the commotion caused by the Marquis of Wuqing this time, don't assume the Ministry of War will keep quiet.

Within two days, the entire officialdom of the capital would know about this.

To be honest, Zhang Juzheng felt that he was in a bit of a dilemma.

The Ministry of War's suggestion was actually very good, but it just so happened to come at this time.

"Your Majesty, let's wait and see what the Empress's attitude is first."

Zhang Juzheng has decided to compromise. Although he is now the most powerful person in the court, nominally second only to the emperor, he still has to consider the attitude of the palace when making decisions.

Although the Empress Dowager had no real power and could not control the affairs of the court, she could decide her own fate.

If someone really wants to change the prime minister, they already have someone in mind.

Even in private, Zhang Juzheng had considered how to clean up his mess. But when the land survey and the Single Whip Law were about to succeed, he felt somewhat resentful about leaving, and he was also worried about Wei Guangde, fearing that he would choose to compromise.

Wei Guangde was sensible, but even more cautious and timid, and dared not touch the interests of the powerful and wealthy too much.

In truth, Zhang Juzheng dared not do it, but he had no choice; otherwise, the Ming Dynasty would be doomed, and he, as the Grand Secretary, would miss the last chance to save the dynasty's fate and be etched on the pillar of shame.

Over the past three years, through the constant stream of intelligence sent back overseas by the Embroidered Uniform Guard, he has keenly sensed that this is an era of change.

If Wei Guangde hadn't ordered the Embroidered Uniform Guard to gather information from overseas, the Ming Dynasty might have missed a series of opportunities.

In particular, Zhang Juzheng thought the current imperial court's secret efforts to collect gold reserves were a stroke of genius.

Don't assume that the Ming Dynasty's encouragement of maritime trade will lead to an economic boom and benefit the people.

In fact, the Ming Dynasty's maritime trade, though seemingly thriving, harbored hidden dangers.

The Ming Dynasty's eventual collapse was not only due to court corruption, but also exacerbated by financial chaos.

The fall of the Ming Dynasty coincided with the outbreak of religious wars in Europe. At this time, Spain began to shrink its overseas trade, and the silver that had previously flowed into the Ming Dynasty stopped flowing out and even flowed back.

Yes, at the end of the Ming Dynasty, the price of gold and silver was soaring, and European merchants could take away large amounts of silver and goods produced in the Ming Dynasty with only a small amount of gold.

Europe has plenty of money?

Of course not. Spain at that time needed a lot of silver coins to recruit mercenaries to help them fight against the Protestants.

Spain spent enormous sums of money to sustain this war, which lasted for thirty years.

The war lasted from 1618 to 1648, and finally ended with the defeat of the Habsburg dynasty and the signing of the Peace of Westphalia.

In the late Middle Ages, the Holy Roman Empire gradually declined, with numerous feudal lords vying for power and constantly fighting among themselves. Following the Reformation, a sharp conflict developed between Catholicism and Protestantism. Coupled with the rise of neighboring countries, this ultimately led to this protracted war.

This large-scale war among European countries was also the first all-European war in history.

The war was basically fought between the German Protestant princes and Sweden, Denmark, and France, with the support of the Netherlands, Britain, and Russia, and the Holy Roman Emperor, the German Catholic princes, and Spain, with the support of the Pope and Poland.

Spain also fell from its pedestal because of this war, and the British Empire began its path to collapse. It was surpassed by the Netherlands and Britain one after another, and never regained its former glory.

The siphon effect triggered by this war also caused the silver reserves of the Great Ming Dynasty, thousands of miles away, to dry up, ultimately leading to the dynasty's demise.

Zhang Juzheng and Wei Guangde were of course unaware of these matters, but they could indeed detect changes in the prices of gold and silver.

Wei Guangde only needed to use simple reasoning to make Zhang Juzheng understand the horror of this financial war.

First, they'll exchange five taels of silver for one tael of gold. Then, once the price of gold rises, they'll exchange one tael of gold for ten taels of silver. That's worse than robbery!

A single robbery might only amount to a few thousand or tens of thousands of taels of silver, but through trade, one could secretly smuggle hundreds of thousands or even millions of taels of silver from the Ming Dynasty every year.

In the early 17th century in real history, the Ming Dynasty experienced severe deflation, while Europe experienced dramatic inflation, triggering a major price revolution in Europe.

At this time, both the Ming Dynasty and Europe were experiencing inflation due to the influx of large amounts of gold and silver, and prices in the general public were rising to varying degrees.

However, due to the Ming Dynasty's trade surplus, there was no major fluctuation in the lives of ordinary people; on the contrary, all industries were thriving.

Ordinary people not only had copper coins, but also small-denomination silver coins, which was rare in the past.

With money in their hands, city dwellers naturally disdained buying inferior goods and began to pursue better products. The inferior fabrics that Wu Qingbo brought out could be described as garbage that couldn't be sold even at a reduced price on the market.

This was actually the best era for the market environment in the Ming Dynasty, even more prosperous than in the early Ming period. If the Ming Dynasty had been able to control the flow of silver among the people during this time, especially the outflow of silver after the outbreak of the European war, and maintain market vitality, the series of upheavals at the end of the Ming Dynasty could potentially have been avoided.

The rise of the Manchu Qing dynasty in Liaodong during the late Wanli period was actually a consequence of the collapse of the domestic economy and the lack of funds for the court to quell the rebellion in Liaodong.

Wei Guangde had little interest in political reform because he believed that a leopard can't change its spots, and even if Zhang Juzheng could suppress the imperial family and nobles for a time, he couldn't suppress them forever.

Instead of doing futile work like surveying land, it would be more urgent to develop commerce, so that people's focus on making money is no longer on the land, and to break the idea that "land equals wealth".

If China had developed and regulated commerce, and if the commercial environment hadn't been out of control like in the Ming Dynasty, it could have developed very well.

The Ming Dynasty's policies toward commerce were actually quite friendly to merchants. Although they had low political status and were inevitably exploited by officials, they faced very few other restrictions.

As long as the taxation of merchants is properly controlled, the Ming Dynasty's economic development speed can surpass that of Europe, not to mention the Industrial Revolution.

The Song Dynasty levied excessive taxes on commerce, while the Ming Dynasty went too far in correcting this, levying taxes too lightly.

After they entered Cining Palace, the inferior cotton-padded clothes were right in front of them. No one knew what Empress Dowager Li was thinking, but her attitude was not unexpected.

"Grand Secretary and Second Grand Secretary, this matter concerns the court and is not suitable for me to interfere with."

But since someone has committed such a horrific act, it should be thoroughly investigated and dealt with according to the law.

Regardless of who is involved, the matter will be decided by the imperial court.

Inside the Cining Palace, two inferior cotton-padded coats were thrown on the ground, and Empress Dowager Cisheng angrily gave orders.

The words sounded nice, leaving it to the court to handle, but both Zhang Juzheng and Wei Guangde knew that this matter couldn't be taken too seriously. All they wanted was for the Marquis of Wuqing to throw out a scapegoat and return the money.

If you try to elevate this to the level of the Marquis of Wuqing, you won't be able to get past Empress Dowager Li.

She might not react on the spot, but she'll definitely write it down in her little notebook.

"Although this matter is related to the Earl of Wuqing, it is likely caused by the misbehavior of his servants. I agree with the Ministry of War's opinion that the most urgent task is to complete the military uniforms as soon as possible."

As for those involved, they can be handed over to the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review for trial.

When the cabinet ministers were mentioned, Zhang Juzheng could not back down even if he wanted to, so he stepped forward half a step and answered.

Upon hearing Zhang Juzheng's statement, Empress Dowager Li's expression did not change much, but her gaze fell on Wei Guangde.

"I agree with the Grand Secretary's words. This matter was most likely done by servants of the Marquis of Wuqing's household. They took advantage of the Marquis to secure business and, blinded by greed, did such a thing."

It seems that the Earl's original intention was to share the burden of the court, and thus he took the initiative to undertake the production of this military uniform.

It's important to understand that producing over 300,000 cotton-padded coats in five months is no easy task, and the Ministry of War was initially worried that no one would dare to take on this heavy responsibility.

"The Earl's management of his subordinates is lax; a simple reprimand from the palace will suffice."

Empress Dowager Li's expression softened after hearing the opinions of the Grand Secretary and the Second Grand Secretary. "Alas, there's no need to report this matter to the palace. Let the court discuss and handle it."

Your Majesty, you can send someone to handle things with the Marquis of Wuqing.

"I am tired, you may all leave."

The Wanli Emperor, accompanied by Zhang Juzheng and Wei Guangde, took his leave, still feeling somewhat surreal.

The Empress Dowager entrusted him with the responsibility of dealing with his maternal grandfather, leaving it to him to handle.

"Master Zhang, Master Wei, what do you think we should do next?"

On the way back, Zhu Yijun did not board the imperial carriage, but walked back with them.

"The next step for the court is to arrest the steward in charge of procurement for the Marquis of Wuqing's residence and get back the money and materials. As for the Marquis of Wuqing, just say a few words."

Zhang Juzheng began to speak.

"The key point is that you must be stricter with your subordinates in the future, and make sure there are no more mistakes."

Wei Guangde also offered a reminder.

In their mouths, the imperial edict to Marquis Wuqing quickly became a reminder to Marquis Wuqing not to be too "lenient" with his subordinates, making Marquis Wuqing, Li Wei, sound like a benevolent person.

However, Zhu Yijun understood from Wei Guangde's words that the previous dynasty focused on the issue rather than the person, while the palace focused on the person rather than the issue.

"I understand. Both masters have learned their lesson."

Emperor Wanli gave Wei Guangde a deep look and said to them.

On the way back to the cabinet from the inner palace, Zhang Juzheng said, "The family of the Marquis of Wuqing should be severely punished this time. What does Shan Dai think?"

"If his mouth is sealed shut, he'll be sent to the army; if it's not sealed shut, don't let him open his mouth."

Wei Guangde understood Zhang Juzheng's meaning, and he also thought of the decree Zhang Juzheng had issued a month ago.

If Wu Qingbo cannot be punished, then making an example of his servants to scare others is not out of the question.

However, we can't involve Marquis Wuqing in this matter, lest it make things look bad for his reputation.

"You're in charge of the Ministry of Justice. If that person doesn't obey, do what needs to be done."

Zhang Juzheng gave the instructions.

"it is good."

Wei Guangde readily nodded and accepted the offer.

It's just a matter of sealing things off; it's not difficult to do, and it would be very easy for the Ministry of Justice to make a move.

The Marquis of Wuqing may have influence in the palace, but he is nothing to the imperial court.

This matter was so sensitive that it had to be handled by the cabinet minister.

Even if Duke Dingguo Xu Wenbi intervened for ordinary matters, he would never ask Zhang Juzheng, Zhang Siwei, or others for help, because Xu Wenbi had no influence in their eyes.

Even a duke might turn a blind eye to minor matters, but if it's something like this, then he'll lose face.

"Shan Dai, I recently saw a briefing from the Ministry of Revenue. They are now buying up gold, and the price of gold is approaching eight taels."

"Do you think we should slow things down and hold off for a bit?"

What Zhang Juzheng was referring to was that the Ministry of Revenue's continuous purchase and exchange of gold had led to a surge in the price of gold in the Ming Dynasty.

Well, it's still not as "terrifying" as the ten to twelve taels of silver in Europe, but it's not low either.

Wei Guangde knew the current gold price in Japan, but he was not very familiar with the current gold price in Europe.

However, considering that envoys from the three European countries took away large quantities of silk and porcelain from the Ming Dynasty, and that gold ornaments were also an important purchase, the price of gold in the Ming Dynasty must have been much lower than in Europe.

Wei Guangde knew that the gold-silver price ratio in later generations was a terrifying double digit, and even triple digits at times. What did a single-digit price mean now?

Although later generations say that gold is useless, is it possible that paper money is "valuable"?
Nevertheless, Wei Guangde said with a smile, "We can slow down a bit, but anything under ten is not considered high." (End of Chapter)