I'm really not doing business

Chapter 1024 Why should I explain my actions to others?
The emperor made a terrifying decision: the Wenhua Hall Council, which had been in place for twenty years, was abolished.

This means that if ministers do not go to Tonghe Palace on their own initiative, they can only see His Majesty at the grand court assembly on the third day of each month, but no matters are discussed at the grand court assembly.

The abolition of the Wenhua Hall court discussions caused a great uproar. The Ming Dynasty, both inside and outside the court, still highly valued the court discussions system.

This system effectively limited the emperor's erratic behavior, especially his neglect of state affairs.

The phenomenon of the Ming emperors neglecting their duties was extremely serious. From the time of Emperor Xianzong of Ming, it was extremely difficult for ministers such as Peng Shi and Shang Lu to even have an audience with the emperor.

In the seventh year of the Chenghua reign, Emperor Xianzong had only been on the throne for seven years when he began to neglect his duties. Peng Shi saw a shooting star streak across the sky and took the opportunity to meet the emperor briefly under the pretext of "the awe-inspiring changes in the heavens" to handle some government affairs. He never saw the emperor again after that.

Even Emperor Xiaozong of Ming, who was highly respected by the scholar-officials, gradually showed signs of neglecting his duties by the fifth year of the Hongzhi reign, which was only five years after his ascension to the throne. After that, he attended court later and later, delayed in replying to memorials and reports, kept many officials in the capital, rarely met with ministers, did not discuss state affairs, and lavishly conferred titles on officials.

Aside from filial piety, Emperor Xiaozong was not a wise ruler in any other respect.

In the eighth year of the Hongzhi reign, Grand Secretary Xu Pu and others finally could not bear it any longer and went to Zuoshun Gate to kneel before the palace gates, requesting Emperor Xiaozong to hold the morning court session again. Xu Pu submitted a very long memorial, and Emperor Xiaozong only summoned Grand Secretary Xu Pu and others a month later, but that was the only time.

Emperor Xiaozong had only one empress and no other concubines. What did Emperor Xiaozong do in the harem? He didn't see his ministers or attend to state affairs. The answer is that he practiced alchemy. A eunuch named Li Guang coaxed Emperor Xiaozong to cultivate immortality in the harem every day.

Therefore, the fact that ministers could see the emperor every day was a special case during the Wanli Reforms.

For the ministers, they were already used to speaking clearly in front of the emperor, and the court discussions in the Wenhua Hall made them the actual decision-makers of national policy.

Although the emperor explicitly stated that things would be restored in the future, the ministers lacked confidence in that.

Upon hearing this, the people of the capital cursed the ministers for their lack of respect, which had provoked the Emperor's fury. The people also approved of the system of court deliberations.

Because the decisions made in the Wenhua Hall caused a great uproar inside, the common people couldn't hear them. However, the benefits of implementing these decisions outside the hall—ensuring that they were not to be outwardly compliant but inwardly defiant or disruptive—were something the common people truly felt.

For ordinary people, what they fear most is the constant changes in government orders, with the government's policies being flipped like a pancake. The result of these frequent changes is that each government office acts according to its own will, and it is the people who suffer.

The suspension of court discussions is different from past instances of negligence in governance.

The ministers had learned some lessons about dealing with inaction in government. If there was any more inaction, they would send someone similar to Hai Rui to remonstrate with the emperor, even if he was carrying a coffin. If the emperor had any sense of shame, he would handle state affairs.

Your Majesty is not neglecting your duties this time, because the government is still operating very efficiently, and Your Majesty will not let memorials linger overnight. The machinery of the state is still running at high efficiency.

This suspension was the emperor's revocation of the power he had granted his ministers to participate in decision-making.

In this situation, the ministers quickly thought of inviting Zhang Juzheng back. Ling Yunyi, as the second-in-command, led the new Grand Secretary Shen Shixing and Grand Secretary Shen Li to the Marquis of Yicheng's residence to invite Zhang Juzheng back to the court.

October 23rd was the last time the emperor went to the Quan Chu Guild Hall for a free meal. The next day, Zhang Juzheng moved out of the Quan Chu Guild Hall completely, leaving it to Shen Shixing.

From now on, I'll be eating at the Marquis of Yicheng's residence, not the Quan Chu Guild Hall.

The three cabinet ministers, Ling Yunyi, Shen Shixing, and Shen Li, went to the residence of the Marquis of Yicheng. Zhang Juzheng refused to see them and refused to see them. Ling Yunyi sat down on the stone lion in front of the gate and said that he would not leave until he saw them today.

For a high-ranking official like Zhang Juzheng to act so shamelessly, Zhang Juzheng had no choice but to go out and greet him.

"Vice Minister Ling, it's not that I don't want to return to court, it's just that my body really can't take it anymore." Zhang Juzheng showed You Shouli some good tea before explaining the reason.

“Then the Duke of Wencheng is seventy-five years old and still in charge of affairs. The Grand Secretary is only sixty-eight years old. How come he can’t handle affairs? I am seventy-three years old this year. Although I am in poor health, I can still share the burden for His Majesty. The Grand Secretary is joking. If the Grand Secretary wants to return to court, can His Majesty stop him?” Ling Yunyi looked at himself. He was seventy-three years old, five years older than Zhang Juzheng. He felt that he was still very energetic.

Wang Chonggu died while still in office, and on his deathbed, he went to the official factory to handle some administrative affairs.

“I am different from the two of you,” Zhang Juzheng said, shaking his head. “I rarely leave the capital and never participate in military affairs. My physical strength is failing.”

Wang Chonggu fought Japanese pirates in Yangzhou and northern barbarians in Datong, wielding a seven-star ring-pommel sword with the skill of a military general; Ling Yunyi quelled Japanese pirates and Yao rebellions in Guangzhou, fought bandits in Shandong, killed powerful figures in Henan, and hunted down Japanese pirates and remnants of the deposed Korean king in Korea. He spent his entire life on the move.

Zhang Juzheng was a typical scholar-official, who spent long hours sitting and was in a state of chronic sub-health. He had long suffered from various ailments, including cervical spondylosis, frozen shoulder, and liver and kidney deficiency. He had been too busy with state affairs to take care of them before, but this time, he caught a cold, and all these minor ailments that he would not have paid attention to on a normal day suddenly flared up.

Although he was fortunate enough to recover, his health is not as good as before.

A person lives for their spirit, and Zhang Juzheng knew this well. Once that spirit dissipated, the Wanli Reform, which he valued most, could continue as long as His Majesty allowed it to continue. Naturally, he became somewhat lazy, and taking care of his health and enjoying his later years became what he was eager to do.

His Majesty ultimately allowed him to spend his later years in peace, which shows His Majesty's deep affection and true nature.

Ling Yunyi flicked his sleeves three times and said, "With the Grand Secretary not in court, His Majesty has suspended all court discussions."

“I know, His Majesty told me.” Zhang Juzheng said with a strange expression, “Isn’t this all because you deliberately rigged the votes, so that Shen Shixing could have easily entered the cabinet? Why did you have to put Shen Shixing on a pedestal? That’s not putting Shen Shixing on a pedestal, that’s putting His Majesty on a pedestal!”

"Now it's all settled, your wish has been fulfilled. His Majesty has defied public opinion and allowed Shen Shixing to enter the cabinet. The court meeting has been suspended. Vice Minister Ling, when you were rigging the votes, didn't you expect this to happen? Or did the ministers all think His Majesty was easy to fool and couldn't see that you were rigging the votes?"

Zhang Juzheng took half a month of sick leave, and these ministers actually dared to rig the vote! They were simply outrageous!

It seems like this puts pressure on Shen Shixing, but in reality, it forces the emperor to cast a crucial vote. If Shen Shixing makes any mistakes in the future, it will be attributed to the emperor's poor judgment in choosing officials, and will have nothing to do with the ministers. Once this premise is established, the emperor can make a big fuss about the government's decrees!

After all, the problems with the implementation of government orders were all Shen Shixing's fault, and His Majesty's poor judgment in choosing people.

Zhang Juzheng took a sip of tea, looked at Ling Yunyi, and said, "I know very well what the ministers are thinking. Aren't they just thinking that with Wen Zhang and Wu Qi gone, His Majesty is easy to bully?"

"His Majesty is easy to bully... Commander Qi knew His Majesty was not easy to bully ever since he returned in triumph from the Daning Guard in the fourth year of the Wanli reign. It is only His Majesty who bullies the ministers!"

When Qi Jiguang returned in triumph from Daningwei, Zhu Yijun feigned pitifulness, saying that the ministers had bullied the emperor. Qi Jiguang was furious, but upon reflection, he found it laughable.

Who can bully the emperor? The emperor has more ideas than Zhang Juzheng.

Qi Jiguang understood this principle sixteen years ago, but the ministers couldn't see it. They still thought that with Zhang Juzheng gone, the power of the ministers could take a step forward, completely unaware that it was Zhang Juzheng who was blocking the way, preventing the imperial power from taking that step forward.

Now they're all behaving themselves.

That's just how people are; they don't learn from their mistakes or grow up with their experiences.

It's actually normal. Qi Jiguang and Zhang Juzheng could see this clearly because they were the emperor's true confidants. The emperor would never hide anything from them, but in the eyes of the ministers, it was as if the emperor relied on the two ministers to implement his policies.

Zhang Juzheng sighed and said, "Take the Civil Service Examination Law as an example. Do you think it was my idea? It was His Majesty's idea. I was just carrying it out on his behalf."

"Try it, go ahead and try it. Do you really think His Majesty has a good temper?"

The Civil Service Examination System, which included the reassignment of artisans from government factories, was a policy comparable to the Performance Evaluation System. It was not Zhang Juzheng's own idea, but rather an order from His Majesty.

But in the eyes of the ministers, this showed that Zhang Juzheng was capable and talented.

That's why the ministers decided to test the emperor with a false vote, and that test led to trouble.

"So what should we do now?" Ling Yunyi spread his hands, asking Zhang Juzheng what to do.

Zhang Juzheng said with a gloating expression, "What are you going to do? Only heaven knows."

"Haha, so you all secretly cursed me every day, calling me arrogant, domineering, and a threat to the emperor, saying I brought disaster upon myself and achieved success through favor and profit! Now you know how painful it is?"

Although Zhang Juzheng did not retire and still held the position of Grand Secretary, he was effectively retired, so he could speak and think from the perspective of an outsider.

During his twenty years in power, although the officials of the Ming Dynasty dared not openly criticize him, quite a few of them talked nonsense in private.

Now, after His Majesty the Emperor launched a major coercion, they all became obedient.

“Sigh.” Ling Yunyi said helplessly, “Actually, when I raised my hand, I felt something was wrong. I don’t approve of Shen Shixing entering the cabinet at this time. If he enters the cabinet, how will the Grand Secretary return to court? But when I saw that there weren’t enough people, I hurriedly raised my hand, but it was too late.”

Ling Yunyi initially disagreed, but there weren't enough votes, so he quickly raised his hand. It was too late. He wasn't one of the organizers of this vote-rigging, or rather, the lack of organizers in this vote-rigging was a tacit understanding that no one wanted to emerge in the court as the one who had the final say.

“There’s no need to worry too much. Once I’m gone, His Majesty will naturally reopen the Wenhua Hall for court discussions.” Zhang Juzheng said with a touch of emotion, “His Majesty doesn’t need to invest so much in an old man like me. As for the teacher-student relationship, as long as the government doesn’t collapse after my death, that’s enough.”

"Huh?" Ling Yunyi slapped the armrest in realization, and said in surprise, "Does the Grand Secretary mean that even without this vote-rigging, His Majesty still wants to suspend the court discussion?!"

"Yes." Zhang Juzheng nodded.

The matter of vote-rigging actually falls within the scope of the power struggles between the emperor and his officials. His Majesty is no longer a ten-year-old child; he had anticipated this and would not be so furious. Reprimanding the officials was just a side effect; the real purpose was to protect Zhang Juzheng's posthumous reputation.

Zhang Juzheng and Wang Chonggu were different. Zhang Juzheng was the initiator of the Wanli Reforms, while Wang Chonggu's official factory system was part of the Wanli Reforms. This is the difference.

The reason why the name of the Prince of Bao was simple was because he had a very specific target of struggle: the official factories. His mobilization of artisans to come down from the mountains was a warning from His Majesty.

But protecting Zhang Juzheng's posthumous reputation is much more complicated.

Seeing Shen Shixing's slightly confused expression and Shen Li's thoughtful look, Zhang Juzheng said, "Where should we begin? Let's start with the 'Strategies of the Warring States,' specifically the 'Strategies of the Warring States, Qin I': 'Duke Xiao implemented this for eight years, but fell ill and could not recover. He wanted to pass the throne to Shang Yang, but Shang Yang declined.'"

Eight years after Shang Yang's reforms, Duke Xiao of Qin fell seriously ill and was bedridden. He summoned Shang Yang, intending to pass the throne to him, but Shang Yang declined, daring not to accept.

After Duke Xiao of Qin died, King Huiwen of Qin succeeded to the throne. This matter became a source of anxiety between the king and his ministers. Soon, Shang Yang used old age as an excuse to bid farewell to the king and return to his fiefdom, which led to the later execution by dismemberment by five horses.

King Huiwen of Qin used Shang Yang's death to give an explanation to the old nobles, but he did not abolish Shang Yang's new laws.

Saying he would pass the throne to a minister seems absurd, but Liu Bei did do it before. When entrusting his son to Zhuge Liang at Baidi City, Liu Bei told Zhuge Liang that if Liu Shan was not capable, he should take his place. However, Liu Shan and Zhuge Liang never went to that point.

But this wasn't the real reason Shang Yang was torn apart by five horses. The *Strategies of the Warring States* clearly states the reason: "Now, even the women and children of Qin speak of Shang Yang's laws, but not of Your Majesty's. Thus, Shang Yang has become the master, and Your Majesty has become the subject." The women and children of Qin were discussing Shang Yang's laws, but no one spoke of the king's laws. Shang Yang, the subject, had become the ruler, and the king had become the subject. The entire state of Qin only knew Shang Yang, not the king.

Therefore, King Huiwen of Qin wanted to treat Shang Yang in this way, and to transform Shang Yang's laws into the laws of the king.

Zhang Juzheng's current situation is somewhat similar to that of Shang Yang in the past. The officials in the court are all discussing Zhang Juzheng's performance evaluation system and the official selection system. They only know Zhang Juzheng and not His Majesty. However, this is only similar and cannot be generalized.

After all, His Majesty has implemented many new policies, such as emphasizing agriculture and sericulture, opening up the sea, promoting military strength, establishing the Dinghai school system, and building imperial highways. All of these are His Majesty's laws and regulations, and it has not reached the point where "the people only know Jiangling and do not know the holy ruler."

If His Majesty the Emperor was merely a sycophant hiding under Zhang Juzheng's wing, then perhaps King Huiwen of Qin's choice was the Emperor's only option.

But Your Majesty is wise and powerful, and now has more options. He can reclaim the decision-making power issued by the court, establish a single autocracy, and use strong imperial power to maintain Zhang Juzheng's posthumous reputation.

However, from a purely utilitarian perspective, it is not worthwhile because the investment is too large and the return is small.

Even now, Zhang Juzheng's concern is that his policies continue even after his death, not his personal honor or disgrace.

Your Majesty should cook this lackey alive to give the people an explanation, appease the hearts of the former nobles, partially negate Zhang Juzheng's policies, and make them more moderate and suitable for the current Ming Dynasty.

Not only Zhang Juzheng thought this way, but Ling Yunyi and Shen Shixing also thought this way, and all the officials in the country thought this way, because this has been the way it has been for thousands of years.

On the 23rd, when the emperor ate at a restaurant, Zhang Juzheng spoke frankly, suggesting a more reliable and cost-effective option.

His Majesty asked: Is it right just because it has always been this way?

Zhang Juzheng felt this was a bad choice. He thought it was impulsive and irrational, and it shouldn't have been made by a monarch. It wasted too much imperial prestige and yielded little result.

The emperor said: Why should I give them an explanation! I do not need to explain my actions to others!
Zhang Juzheng then realized that His Majesty was still the same His Majesty, and His Majesty was very domineering. When Chen Youren slandered Qi Jiguang for suppressing the Japanese pirates, His Majesty killed him in the street.

Your Majesty is qualified to say such a thing; almost all the improvements made during the Wanli Reforms came from Your Majesty yourself.

Overseas plantations, overseas silver mines, wars against Japanese pirates, the Pan-Pacific trade alliance, the enfeoffment of the Prince of Lu, and centralized production in government factories—almost all the growth during the Wanli Reforms came from Your Majesty. Therefore, Your Majesty is naturally qualified to say such things.

This doesn't even include the violence of 100,000 elite soldiers from the Beijing Garrison and 160,000 naval troops.

His Majesty not only said it, but also did it. The Emperor suspended the court discussion and solemnly reiterated the promise made in the fifth year of the Wanli reign: anyone who speaks ill of the gentleman will be executed.

Shen Shixing, well-versed in history, said with great emotion after hearing Zhang Juzheng talk about the Strategies of the Warring States: "So that's how it is, I understand now."

“So, I have no choice. If I were in my prime, I would have come out of seclusion without your invitation in the fifth year of the Wanli reign. But the fifth year of the Wanli reign was fifteen years ago. If you come again now, it will only be a futile effort.” Zhang Juzheng stood up and saw the three cabinet ministers off.

It wasn't that Zhang Juzheng was unwilling to help, but rather that he truly lacked the energy and spirit.

Zhang Juzheng looked left and right, and with a sneaky air, took out a novel from the drawer. As the Grand Secretary and the Imperial Tutor, he never read novels, which is why he was so sneaky. If others saw him reading such a miscellaneous book, wouldn't they laugh their heads off?

This can be considered a small hobby for enjoying his retirement years; the storms outside are no longer his concern.

"That's utter nonsense! When I went to the capital for the imperial examinations, I never had such a good thing!" Zhang Juzheng said, looking at the novel with some dissatisfaction. In those days, novels in the Ming Dynasty were all about talented men and beautiful women.

The beautiful woman stayed overnight for a student who was on his way to the capital for the imperial examinations, which led to a love story. Zhang Juzheng said that this was all made up!

Because scholar-officials were usually married when they were still scholars, they would not be willing to become concubines if they had a beautiful woman.

When candidates from the Ming Dynasty went to the capital for the imperial examinations, the court would provide transportation for them the first time. However, for the second and third times, they would have to pay for it themselves. If they wanted to stay in the capital to study under a master, it would be even more expensive. There really was no such thing as a free lunch.

Zhang Juzheng, however, watched with great interest. After so many years of being busy, he finally had a moment of leisure and could do what he wanted to do.

Without the court deliberations, things became even more efficient than before. His Majesty remained as diligent as ever, and his decisions were more radical and decisive compared to those made in the court deliberations.

For example, the idea that preaching in universities and normal schools would result in execution, spreading evil spirits and bringing disaster to one's family, and protecting those who were guilty of the same crime, was extremely radical and left no room for compromise. Yet, the ministers could not voice any objections.

In September of the 20th year of the Wanli reign, a case occurred at Songjiang University: a physician in the medical school was spreading the Pleasure Sect on campus, causing extremely negative consequences.

A medical student stabbed and killed two children and injured three six-year-olds. This incident shocked the entire court and the public, and even alarmed the emperor, which is why such a severe law was enacted.

The medical student's motive for killing was simply to prove his faith in bliss.

The Blissful Church's infant hunt is a ritual for fanatics to prove themselves; it is truly the epitome of madness.

The Dinghai education system had only been implemented for five years. According to the education system plan, it would take at least thirty to fifty years to see initial results. This happened just as the first step was taken. It is entirely justified for the emperor to punish the students so severely.

The improvement of systems always progresses through stumbles and falls. This case served as a wake-up call for the Ming Dynasty. As the bridgehead for opening up the sea, Songjiang Prefecture conducted another comprehensive investigation, which can be considered a belated attempt to mend the fence after the sheep were lost.

In November of the 20th year of the Wanli reign, Luzon Governor-General Yin Zhengmao suddenly summoned his son, Yin Zongxin, who was stationed at Red Army Mountain Port, back to Manila. Yin Zongxin and Princess Yingjia rushed back to the Governor-General's Palace in Manila in December.

Yin Zhengmao lay on a recliner, and four sedan chair bearers carried him to the small courtyard of the governor's mansion.

"My time is almost up." Yin Zhengmao pulled the blanket tighter around himself. Manila was very warm in winter, but he still felt cold. He hadn't been able to eat properly for half a month.

"Father, things will get better." Yin Zongxin's eyes were red as he sat next to his father, holding his hand and speaking softly.

“My son, I am eighty years old this year. I am free from illness, disaster and pain. It is a happy death.” Yin Zhengmao tried to sit up straight, but he was no longer the strong man who was always ready to fight in Dianbai Port. He could not support his body.

Looking at the bright sky, Yin Zhengmao smiled at his son and said, "After I die, cremate me and put my ashes in a coffin. You will escort the coffin back to the capital. I want to be buried in the Western Hills Mausoleum. His Majesty promised me that, as a meritorious official who promoted reform and authority, I would be honored with a place in the imperial mausoleum."

"I understand." Yin Zongxin hesitated, not wanting his father to be cremated. He figured that if they piled up some ice, they could at least return to the capital.

Yin Zhengmao glanced at Yin Zongxin and knew what he was thinking. He shook his head and said, "Stupid, just do whatever I tell you to do."

"The soldiers of the Ming Dynasty who are fighting abroad can only be cremated and their ashes placed in the coffin because the water journey is too far. Although they return to their roots, their bodies are not preserved. I asked you to do this so that His Majesty will remember that I was born a citizen of the Ming Dynasty and will die a soul of the Ming Dynasty. I fought for the Ming Dynasty, and this is my blood oath."

“Dead is dead. The remains are not important. What is important is that the Marquis of Sishui’s mansion can continue.”

“Luzon is a piece of fat meat now, and everyone wants a bite.”

Yin Zhengmao felt that his son, who had been fighting on the front lines for the past few years, was becoming more and more like a reckless brute than a strategist, and that he had to point out this to him.

If anyone covets Luzon in the future, Yin Zongxin can use this matter to seek His Majesty's favor.

"Do you think your father schemed his whole life, and even in his dying moments he schemed against himself?" Yin Zhengmao was a little angry, but he quickly calmed down and shook his head, saying, "Yes, you're right to think that way. I schemed my whole life, but I overlooked one thing."

"What is it?" Yin Zongxin asked, frowning.

Yin Zhengmao said with concern, "Luzon has almost followed the old practice of the Duke of Qian's family in governing Yunnan. His Majesty even married Princess Yingjia to Luzon. His Majesty and I both feel that this is enough."

"But neither His Majesty nor I expected that Luzon is richer than Yunnan. Now, the taxes, population, and so on of Luzon are almost equivalent to those of Yunnan."

If this piece of meat were a little leaner, Yin Zhengmao wouldn't have had to scheme to this extent, but he discovered that Luzon had developed to the point where it was richer than Yunnan.

There are many reasons why Luzon is rich.

First, after the Ming Dynasty opened up the seas, maritime trade flourished like never before. Luzon was the most important link in the small triangle trade. A large number of Japanese pirates provided a powerful impetus for Luzon's development. Now that the East Pacific Trade Alliance has been established, Luzon's development speed will only be faster.

The second factor was the booming development of the plantation economy. As one of the most important raw material producing areas in the Ming Dynasty, Luzon was an important source of raw materials, including copper and abaca. Luzon was the earliest developed and had the most and most mature plantations.

Thirdly, Luzon has better natural endowments and can support a larger population. After development, Luzon can support a population that is almost two to three times that of Yunnan. This is not because Yunnan is uninhabitable, but because Yunnan has many mountains and little arable land, while Luzon has more arable land.

These three main reasons determined that Luzon was richer than Yunnan, which also meant that the Marquis of Sishui's mansion was more dangerous and had more people who coveted it than the Duke of Qian's mansion was back then.

Yin Zhengmao had another reason for this calculation: Luzon was overseas and did not have a direct land border with the Ming Dynasty.

If the Ming Dynasty were to launch a campaign, the ocean would be an obstacle. Deploying a large number of troops across the sea would still be a huge test for the Ming Dynasty, even with fast sailing ships at the moment.

Overseas governor-general's offices were more easily abandoned. It was abandonment, not the governor-general's office seeking independence. As outsiders, the governor-general's office had no possibility of independence within the next two hundred years.

During the Yongle era, the Ming Dynasty had a governor-general in Luzon, but this position was later abandoned due to the prevailing trend of meticulous planning.

The Ming Dynasty rarely took the initiative to subjugate Luzon. Even the land tax was collected by the Luzon Governor-General's Office on its own initiative, rather than by the court.

The Ming Dynasty court was structured in a hierarchical manner, with the Six Ministries extending from the central government to local levels. These localities formed separate units, which constituted the basic structure of the Ming Dynasty's officialdom. However, the relationship between the central government and Luzon was not hierarchical, but rather a collection of separate units.

Although the military, political, economic, and cultural influences deepened, they remained largely indirect, with the imperial court rarely interfering directly in the governor-general's decisions.

One reason for this is that Yin Zhengmao, a meritorious official who pioneered the region, was still alive. After all, excessive interference might have aroused the dissatisfaction of the Governor-General's Office. As a meritorious official, Yin Zhengmao was given more autonomy by the court to maintain a sufficiently good relationship.

“Third brother, if you can’t hold on any longer, go back to the Ming Dynasty. His Majesty treats meritorious officials well, so it’s not bad to live a comfortable life as a wealthy man.” Yin Zhengmao glanced at Yin Zongxin, took out a memorial and handed it to Yin Zongxin, saying, “When you return to the capital, please submit this memorial on my behalf.”

"Wealth is a powerful motivator. Throughout history, countless sages and saints have amassed their fortunes, but who can truly control what happens after they die?"

Yin Zhengmao looked up at the starry sky and smiled. His time was coming to an end. Looking at the stars, he seemed to see his younger self. He reviewed his life and could tell himself that he had a clear conscience. He had not lived a mediocre life and had no regrets about his younger self.

(End of this chapter)