I'm really not doing business

Chapter 1090 The fourth son of the Zhu family, there's a story behind it all.

As soon as Zhu Yijun arrived at Yanqing Palace, he deeply felt what it meant to be a huge entity like monopoly capital, lurking beneath the surface, ready to surface at any moment and deliver a fatal blow to the Ming Dynasty. It was the first time he had ever felt this way, as if he were sitting on pins and needles.

This demon was unleashed by Zhu Yijun himself. He insisted on opening up the seas, encouraging trade, and stimulating the prosperity of industry and commerce. When some powerful figures gained control of enough means of production, they effectively gained immense influence, which meant they possessed power.

While these powerful families feared the emperor's overwhelming military might, they also admired his fearless fighting spirit. These powerful families were essentially born into the ranks of the elite, and they had seen many such people. This was the first time they had ever seen a ruler like His Majesty, who was completely different from those born into the elite.

This state of both fear and respect made the powerful figures dare not disobey the emperor's orders, while also generating a degree of genuine agreement among them.

The Da Ming court has four fast processes: fast filing, fast mediation, fast review, and fast settlement. The performance evaluation is set within half a month. As long as there is a labor remuneration dispute, it must be resolved within half a month.

If the powerful man resists, the Salary and Wage Arbitration Office will transfer the case to the Tax Audit Institute for tax audit.

In order to avoid attracting the attention of the imperial court, to prevent the upright officials in the government offices from being too busy, and to avoid being targeted by the emperor's henchmen for tax collection, the powerful and wealthy had no choice but to pay their wages according to the contracts most of the time.

The Salary and Wage Adjustment Office and the Tax Audit Office were the means and tools used by the Ming Dynasty to restrict the enormous monopoly capital.

Zhu Yijun hoped that the powerful and influential people could expand their "loyalty to the emperor" mentality, which was characterized by both fear and respect, to a greater sense of loyalty to the emperor, thus revitalizing the nation and bringing some benefits to the laborers and producers.

Upon arriving at Yanqing Palace, the emperor rejected the proposal from Songjiang Prefecture to hold a welcoming ceremony. After resting for three days, the emperor summoned Hou Yuzhao, the Minister of Revenue and Junior Minister of Education.

Hou Yuzhao did not return to the capital with His Majesty, but stayed in Songjiang Prefecture. This actually set a precedent, and Songjiang Prefecture effectively had six ministries. Although Hou Yuzhao was stationed in Songjiang Prefecture, it was a dispatched position and not a permanent one. However, it was only a matter of time before Songjiang Prefecture was upgraded to a secondary capital.

Songjiang Prefecture had a thriving maritime trade and an unprecedented economic prosperity, which required a Ministry of Revenue.
Songjiang Prefecture has a naval force stationed there, so it needs a Ministry of War;
Similarly, the labor-management conflict in Songjiang Prefecture was the most intense in the entire Ming Dynasty, requiring a Ministry of Justice to adjust the laws.
To manage the Pan-Pacific Merchant Alliance and the various governor-general's offices, the Ming Dynasty needed the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of Rites.

In particular, the Ministry of Rites was indispensable. The Ming Dynasty needed to establish a new order, a new economy and new order under the leadership of the Ming Dynasty, based on Pacific trade, replacing the Western economy which was mainly based on missionary work and plunder, and transforming robbery into a new form of economy.

It may seem that only the Ministry of Works is not in such a hurry, but artisans are the core driving force and competitiveness of economic development, and the Ministry of Works is an important department for the redistribution of the means of production and the change of production relations.

With the opening of the sea to the Ming Dynasty, it was a foregone conclusion that Songjiang Prefecture would become a secondary capital.

For example, after Hou Yuzhao took office in Songjiang Prefecture, Yingtian Prefecture abolished the Ministry of Revenue accordingly. As the Six Ministries of Nanjing were transferred to Songjiang Prefecture, the Six Ministries of Nanjing would gradually become a thing of the past. It was already complicated for a court to have two sets of officials. If it had three sets of officials, it would be like Annam, with five rulers and seventy-two surnames, a complete mess.

Moreover, a very obvious change is that, unlike before, the Six Ministries of Songjiang Prefecture and the Six Ministries of the capital are actually two separate entities with the same personnel and management. This change was made to reduce the harm caused by multiple authorities issuing orders, which needs no further explanation.

The changes made during the Wanli Reforms were actually entirely aimed at shedding historical burdens and clearing up historical problems. When Zhu Di moved the capital to the Northern Office, the Southern Office should have been abolished, along with its personnel. However, Zhu Di did not complete this task, and later generations dared not do so, which became a lingering poison of the Ming Dynasty.

"Your Majesty, I pay my respects. I was deeply saddened to hear from you in Songjiang Prefecture that you had caught a cold and were in critical condition. I was greatly alarmed, but by the grace of Heaven, Your Majesty has recovered. This is a blessing for the nation and for all its people." Hou Yu Zhao performed a full set of formalities, bowing and kowtowing five times.

Hou Yu Zhao likes to go against the grain, or rather, he gets turned against the grain as he goes along. Moreover, he prioritizes his own stance in his actions, which is actually very dangerous and does not meet the needs of stability in officialdom. Without a wise and virtuous ruler, a person like him will not be given important responsibilities.

"No need for formalities. I will spare you punishment because I see that you have made great contributions. I know that the governor of Songjiang, Li Le, and the prefect of Songjiang, Hu Junde, do not have the audacity to commit such a big case. Hu Junde's scheme of implicating others was approved by you." Zhu Yijun gestured for Hou Yuzhao to rise and dispense with formalities.

Hu Junde was implicated and implicated in the murder case involving a curse, intending to have all the powerful and influential people in Songjiang Prefecture die with His Majesty. However, Hu Junde did not do this; he was neither bold nor capable. He was the knife, and Hou Yuzhao was the executioner.

Hou Yuzhao was about to stand up, but he knelt down again and said obsequiously, "Your Majesty, I have served as an official in Jiangnan for several years. Jiangnan cannot collect taxes, and the powerful and wealthy in Jiangnan do not pay taxes. This is because the Nanjing government is still in place. After Wenzhong Gong Hai Rui split up Nanzhili, it can be said that these forces have been dismantled."

"But Yingtian Prefecture has lost its combined strength, while Songjiang Prefecture has gained it. The old forces have not been eliminated, and new forces have been generated. The situation in Jiangnan was already complicated, and now it is even more complicated."

"Your Majesty, since Emperor Wuzong fell into the water and died during the Zhengde era, some issues have been put on the table."

"In the eighteenth year of Jiajing's reign, Emperor Shizong made a southern tour. There were three major fires along the way. Not long after returning to the palace, the Qianqing Palace caught fire. If it weren't for the heroic rescue by Commander Lu Bing, the sky would have collapsed and the earth would have collapsed. Soon after, the Renyin Palace Incident occurred, with palace maids attempting to assassinate him."

"If we're talking about events from the reign of Emperor Shizong, in the first year of the Wanli reign, Wang Jinglong stormed into the Qianqing Palace as if walking on flat ground when he attempted to assassinate the emperor; in the second year of the Wanli reign, the Qianqing Palace caught fire; in the fifth year of the Wanli reign, Xishan and his followers rebelled, and His Majesty, clad in armor and wielding weapons, personally killed seven of the rebels; in the thirteenth year of the Wanli reign, His Majesty made a southern tour to Zhejiang, and the Renhe Palace caught fire and burned down the official residence."

"When the news of Your Majesty's serious illness came, I was in Songjiang Prefecture and did not know the details, so I naturally thought it was a recurrence of the past."

"This is all I can do. If Your Majesty is to meet with an accident, then I will have no choice but to have all the powerful figures in Jiangnan buried with you."

"Only in this way will they not dare to act recklessly."

Hou Yuzhao spoke very directly. He knelt on the ground and refused to get up, wanting to make his thoughts clear and understandable.

It is extremely difficult for a wise and virtuous ruler to emerge, not only in the Ming Dynasty, but throughout history, it takes several hundred years for one such ruler to appear.

He had been in Jiangnan for many years, where tax evasion was rampant. It was because Nanjing existed, and this specific government office existed, that there was a united force to resist the imperial decrees and tax collection. Before Nanjing was completely demolished, Songjiang Prefecture rose up from the ground. Under such a complex situation, Hou Yu Zhao had no choice but to kill.

Moreover, he told the emperor very directly that he did not intend to kill the powerful figures in Songjiang Prefecture, but rather the powerful figures throughout Jiangnan. The case of the soul-calling curse killing was not limited to Songjiang Prefecture; similar actions had been taken in Yingtian, Hangzhou, and other places.

Hou Yu Zhao wanted to kill so many people that heads rolled and blood flowed like rivers.

"Get up and speak." Zhu Yijun was so angry he laughed. This Hou Yuzhao was as stubborn as a mule. He had already said he wouldn't blame him, but Hou Yuzhao still argued with him, kneeling on the ground and refusing to get up.

Hou Yu Zhao continued, "I have been in Liaodong for many years. Marquis Ningyuan, Li Chengliang, taught me a principle: when dealing with barbarians, you need to have the ability to kill their entire family so that they will not dare to provoke you or raid the border. I am not wise enough to understand so many principles, but I remember what Marquis Ningyuan said."

"Your Majesty, now they are determined not to assassinate the king again."

Hou Yu Zhao's style of doing things was to deal with powerful people using the same methods used against barbarians; intimidation was the best approach.

This guy is hated not because the powerful and influential are petty, but because they are still people of the Ming Dynasty and subjects of His Majesty. They are also actively cooperating with the court's orders. How could Hou Yu Zhao handle things in such an indiscriminate way?
"Get up and speak." Zhu Yijun gestured with his hand and said, "I'm not blaming you, but this matter has escalated so much that I have to get involved. Am I not even allowed to ask?"

Hou Yu Zhao quickly stood up and said, "Your Majesty, please forgive me. Of course Your Majesty can ask. I am just stating the reasons for doing this. Only when there is a knife hanging over their heads will powerful people be willing to be loyal to the emperor."

It wasn't that he didn't want the emperor to ask; he also knew how unorthodox and unconventional what he was doing was.

But at that time, he only had this one choice. After this incident, no powerful figure dared to act rebelliously again. After all, if His Majesty had an accident and had to be buried with him, then he would rather wish His Majesty a long life.

"How is the implementation of the Single Whip Law in the Six Ministries progressing?" Zhu Yijun inquired about the task he had left for Hou Yuzhao before his departure.

Hou Yuzhao said with a complicated expression, "Everything went smoothly."

"How could it not go smoothly? You even had people buried with me, who would dare to disobey you? I never expected that you, Old Zhao, with your gentle exterior, would actually be such an authoritarian figure at heart." Zhu Yijun was quite moved. Compared to being buried alive with the emperor, this single whip punishment was indeed a minor matter.

Yin Zhengmao dismantled the door, Ling Yunyi committed murder, Wang Jiaping pretended to be confused, Wang Yie erected a monument, and Hou Yuzhao did something even more outrageous: Hou Yuzhao arranged for people to be buried alive with him!

The officials of the Ming Dynasty really had their own methods; they were all geniuses! If someone disobeyed the imperial edict, Hou Yu Zhao would really put their entire family on the list of those to be buried alive with them. Who wouldn't be afraid of that?
“Don’t listen to old Li’s nonsense. Even in Liaodong, he doesn’t kill just anyone. He also maintains a system of checks and balances,” Zhu Yijun said, referring to Marquis Ningyuan, Li Chengliang.

When the emperor fell seriously ill, Li Chengliang was summoned back to the capital. After receiving the edict, Li Chengliang led three thousand guest soldiers and planned to abandon all his business in the Western Regions and return to the capital to serve the emperor.

Before they could even set off, news of the emperor's safety reached the Western Regions. Li Chengliang did not abandon the Western Regions, but he still wrote a memorial to the court. His statement was almost identical to Hou Yuzhao's, with the core idea being to treat powerful figures like barbarians.

Not holding a knife to someone's neck puts yourself in danger.

Believe it or not, it's simple and crude, but it is indeed a solution that can reduce the extreme political event of assassinating the Ming emperor.

"In the past, it was necessary to establish checks and balances, support lackeys, and punish disobedient subjects. But since Zhenwu in the first year of Wanli's reign, after His Majesty cleared up the backlog of rewards and military pay owed to Liaodong, Marquis Ningyuan changed his approach. He supported lackeys, but in reality, he intended to nurture bandits to enhance his own power. Later, he no longer needed to do this." Hou Yuzhao was in Liaodong, and he was very clear about what happened back then.

Li Chengliang wasn't trying to establish a balance of power at all; he was simply cultivating a band of enemies to enhance his own power and prevent himself from being harassed.

In the early years of the Wanli Emperor's reign, how to prevent Liaodong from sliding into warlordism was a major issue for the court in terms of military administration. In a world where one could not survive without nurturing bandits to maintain their own power, Li Chengliang's approach was certainly wrong. However, no action can be discussed without considering the context of the times.

Zhu Yijun glanced in the direction of the Imperial Secretary and found that the Imperial Secretary had gone to the toilet again. The two Imperial Secretarys, seeing Hou Yuzhao kneeling on the ground and refusing to get up, knew that they could not listen to or remember what was about to be said, so they immediately slipped away.

"Young Minister, prepare for your entry into the cabinet this September. The Grand Minister is getting old and is preparing to retire." Zhu Yijun informed Hou Yuzhao in advance about his entry into the cabinet. In fact, since the New Year, Zhang Xueyan had submitted three memorials to retire.

The case of the soul-calling curse murder will not affect Hou Yuzhao's entry into the cabinet. Zhu Yijun said that he did not intend to blame Hou Yuzhao. On the contrary, it was the only option. Since the emperor has recovered, there is no need to continue the process. Those who should be killed should be killed, and those who should be released should be released.

The sixth major case of the Wanli era did not result in a large number of executions, but its deterrent effect was no less than that of the previous five major cases.

"Shouldn't it be the Junior Minister of the Imperial Clan who enters the cabinet?" Hou Yu Zhao was taken aback. He thought he would have to wait another two years, and it was Gao Qi Yu's turn.

"Gao Qiyu gave up on his own. I paved the way for him, but after much hesitation, he still chose to only serve as a staff member in the Western Study." Zhu Yijun sighed. Even Zhang Juzheng chose to let him go, but he himself wouldn't let himself go.

Zhu Yijun explained the situation inside in detail, and Hou Yuzhao nodded repeatedly after listening, saying, "Young Master Zongbo, you are remarkable."

Gao Qiyu, who had the greatest ambition for officialdom in the Ming Dynasty, actually managed to suppress his desire for power. This means that Gao Qiyu has officially overcome his inner demons. Even if he does not join the cabinet, he is still a key minister of the emperor, and almost no one can shake his position.

Hou Yuzhao began to give a detailed report on the progress of the Single Whip Law. After October of last year, almost all the resistance disappeared, and the implementation was very smooth. All six prefectures had the basic condition for implementing the Single Whip Law, which was that they had enough silver.

The Single Whip Law allowed the use of paper money for taxation. After the imperial court reclaimed the paper money, it returned it to the emperor, who in turn returned the IOU written by the imperial court. This was considered the settlement of debts and the basis of the gold and paper money system, backed by the credit of the imperial court and the emperor.

The fact that this one provision allowed the use of paper money for taxation meant that the whipping law was definitely not some evil policy of accumulating wealth and promoting profit.

Zhang Juzheng reflected on his hasty implementation of the Single Whip Law four times. The Single Whip Law required three prerequisites for its implementation: sufficient silver, the completion of returning land to the fields to release productivity, and the construction of gold and paper money. None of these three could be lacking; if any one of them was missing, the Single Whip Law would fail completely.

This was also the experience and lesson the court had learned after more than sixty years of failure with the Single Whip Law, each lesson learned through blood and tears. "Your subject has a memorial to present." Hou Yu Zhao took out a memorial from his sleeve and presented it to His Majesty.

Zhu Yijun opened the memorial and read it for a long time before closing it and saying, "Old Zhao, what do you think about forwarding this memorial to the official gazette?"

"Your Majesty, I thank you for your great favor." Upon hearing this, Hou Yu Zhao hurriedly expressed his gratitude. The fact that his memorial was forwarded to the official gazette at this crucial moment was intended to create momentum for his entry into the cabinet, reduce opposition, and build consensus. Of course, his memorial was indeed worthy of being featured on the front page of the official gazette.

Hou Yuzhao's memorial was not a specific government decree, but rather a discussion of a phenomenon: class mobility.

His scholarship included theories of public and private interests, contradictions, and class. He discovered that many people attributed their class advancement entirely to personal effort, but is that really the case?

Hou Yuzhao saw something completely different: he discovered that the leap across social classes was actually a leap across the times.

Everyone is trapped in the course of time and history; this is the general trend.

Hou Yu Zhao used the analogy of monkeys climbing a tree to describe how the monkeys at the top make room for the monkeys at the bottom to climb up.

This metaphor is very apt.

He cited the Ming Dynasty's officialdom as an example. There were 20,000 officials (not clerks) in the Ming Dynasty. Every three years, about 4500 people passed the provincial examination, while only 400 people passed the imperial examination every three years. This number exceeded the number of officials that needed to be added. Every year, about 1300 officials were added.

Therefore, some Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) settled for the position of Juren (successful candidates in the provincial imperial examinations). Since there were already many Juren, these Juren had to compete for the position of Xiucai (successful candidates in the county-level imperial examinations). Many Juren who failed to obtain an official position ended up as advisors or secretaries.

However, since the Wanli Reforms, the Ming Dynasty has undergone rapid changes, and the demand for officials has increased significantly, which has led to an increase in the number of Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) and Juren (successful candidates in the provincial imperial examinations) gradually having more opportunities.

The quota for Jinshi degree holders under the special imperial examination system was established specifically to address the shortage of Jinshi degree holders.

Therefore, the total number of officials and clerks and the annual shortage were influenced by various factors, including the complexity of Ming Dynasty society, productivity, the number of people supported by land, grassroots management, and the popularization of education.

This talent shortage affects the ease or difficulty of upward social mobility.

The faster society develops, the larger the gap becomes. Similarly, if social development basically stops, no gap will be created, and everyone will live in fear, anxiety, and endless competition.

This phenomenon is not limited to officialdom; it is widespread throughout society.

For example, the sailors at the Songjiang Prefecture Maritime Academy were strongly opposed when the imperial court expanded the maritime academy, with five maritime trade offices building academies to train sailors. They felt that once the court expanded the scale, they would lose their jobs.

However, the naval commanders greatly underestimated the speed of the development of maritime trade in the Ming Dynasty. The current maritime trade has a huge demand for naval commanders, so much so that there is still a large shortage of naval commanders.

The leap in social class has always been a manifestation of the leap forward in the times.

The imperial court needs to focus on both the overall quantity and the selection of talent. Only by taking a two-pronged approach can the orderly development of the Ming Dynasty be guaranteed. This is why Shen Shixing kept tinkering with the academy and trying to make graduation stricter.

Universities are places for cultivating talent. If, after several years of training, the students are no longer even human, that would be a bad thing. Some university students even glorify the actions of the Japanese pirates who invaded the country.

After meeting with Hou Yuzhao, Zhu Yijun began another important task at the Southern Court: receiving prisoners of war from the campaign against Annam.

The war to conquer Annam has now entered its second phase, which is a state of consolidation, assimilation, and stalemate. Based on the Mingxiang Society, military garrisons and guard posts have been established in Jiaozhi. Furthermore, based on these military garrisons and guard posts, three offices have been established to manage the counties and prefectures.

After the second phase, the third phase, the final offensive, will completely sweep away and eliminate the resistance forces and will to resist in Annam, turning Annam back into Jiaozhi.

In the first phase of the war, the Ming army captured Zheng Song, the ruler of Zheng, and began escorting him back to the Ming Dynasty after the spring.

“Sir, people are indeed easily corrupted by power.” Zhu Yijun stood in the Guanchao Pavilion, watching the ships enter the harbor, and sincerely said to Zhang Juzheng beside him.

Zhang Juzheng arrived about fifteen days later than the emperor. He took his time, sightseeing and enjoying the scenery instead of rushing around. He also visited Mount Tai. He originally wanted to climb it and watch the sunrise, but his physical strength did not allow him to do so. In the end, he did not climb Mount Tai. It was possible to carry him up, but the chief physician would not allow it.

“If we only look at the reports of victory and defeat, over time we will see the fallen soldiers as just cold, hard numbers. But for each soldier, every battle means life and death.” Zhu Yijun said solemnly, “I do not want to be corrupted by power, so no matter how busy I am, I will bring them home.”

Zhu Yijun refused to be corrupted by power. He only reviewed the troops once a day, but he would go to the Beijing garrison every day. In Songjiang Prefecture, he would go to the Songjiang naval camp.

He needs to see, to see these living faces, to see these living soldiers. Only by seeing them will he not become a warmonger, and not think that national affairs are a coloring game or an exchange of casualties.

Zhu Yijun came to Guanchao Pavilion and the port not to pick up prisoners or to show off his power, but to bring the fallen heroes home and give them a proper and dignified burial in the Martyrs' Shrine. He wanted to live up to the expectations of the people.

"Your Majesty is wise and sagacious. The Ming Dynasty is fortunate to have such a wise and virtuous ruler." Upon hearing the emperor's words, Zhang Juzheng finally understood the emperor's true intentions.

As the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty, Your Majesty's power is limitless. Yet, under these circumstances, Your Majesty remains steadfast in your original aspirations.

Qi Jiguang glanced at His Majesty. His Majesty was still the same His Majesty from the first year of the Wanli Emperor's reign, the one who hoped that the Ming army would display its might and power.

It is said that the healthy military administration of the Ming Dynasty was due to the great general Qi Jiguang. Qi Jiguang fought a lifetime of battles. He was able to defeat Japanese pirates and northern barbarians, but he had to redeem himself by performing meritorious service on many occasions after winning.

In fact, the fundamental reason why the Ming army's military might was so impressive, and the reason why the army's spirit of reporting to the emperor and saving the common people could be established, was still because of His Majesty.

As the large ship slowly docked, the dragon flag of the Ming emperor was raised high, and the sounds of drums and horns began to ring out. Squads of soldiers in iron armor, holding twelve-foot hook-and-sickle spears, stood straight with solemn eyes. Zhu Yijun walked out of the Guanchao Pavilion and stood by the pier, waiting quietly in the sea breeze.

Three hundred and twenty imperial guards raised their flintlock muskets, aimed them at the sky, fired three shots, and then walked toward the large ship. They carried the coffins, each with a bronze nameplate, in their arms, walked down the pier, and came before the emperor.

Zhu Yijun took a dragon flag from Zhang Hong and covered the coffin with it, saying in a low voice, "We're home, we're home."

In the first phase of the campaign against Annam, which lasted three months, the Ming Dynasty lost a total of 273 soldiers. These included soldiers who died due to logistical issues and operational errors that caused their weapons to explode. Anyone who died on the battlefield was considered a hero. However, there were 280 coffins in total, including seven Han Chinese from the Mingxiang Society. They were not soldiers of the Ming Dynasty, but they were treated as heroes.

Five of these men surrendered to the Ming army after its conquest and actively worked within Thang Long City to gather intelligence for the Ming army. They were discovered and captured by the Zheng ruler. After the Ming army breached Thang Long City, they found the five men in the royal palace. Judging from the traces on their remains, these five men had suffered inhuman torture.

There are also two cenotaphs. These two men were also members of the Ming Xiang Society who defected to the Han Chinese. They infiltrated the thang Long Castle military depot and set fire to the last 70,000 catties of gunpowder in thang Long Castle, perishing in the flames.

Indeed, these seven people were after revenge.

The Mingxiang Society was a special office established by the Zheng ruler to manage the Han people. Its methods were by no means gentle. The wives, children and elderly of these seven men had all been bullied to death. Their purpose was revenge. They were even prepared to perish together before taking action.

The result was a significant reduction in casualties for the Ming army during the siege. Had that 70,000 jin of gunpowder hit the Ming army, who knows how many more deaths and injuries would have occurred.

Luo Shangzhi requested to be buried with the honors due to a martyr, a request that was not excessive at all. Zhu Yijun granted his request, as they had all died for the Ming Dynasty and deserved the utmost honor.

Zhu Yijun walked past each of the coffins, draping a dragon flag over them and handing out plaques representing their merits to their families. Only after passing each coffin did Zhu Yijun stop and say to Zhang Hong, "Let's lift the coffin."

"The heroes have returned home!" Zhang Hong took three steps forward and shouted loudly.

The Crown Prince was in the Northern Palace, and the one carrying the coffin was the fourth prince, Zhu Changhong, who was only eleven years old. He was the second son of the Empress and the second son of the Empress. He had started to travel south with the second prince, Zhu Changchao, this year.

Zhu Changchao had absolutely no interest in politics; he was more interested in the world through the microscope. When he arrived in Songjiang Prefecture, he spent all his time at the Songjiang Medical College.

Zhu Changchao's medical teacher was Fan Wuqi, the same Fan Yingqi who sentenced himself to life imprisonment in the morgue.

Zhang Juzheng and Qi Jiguang looked at the tall and strong fourth prince, their eyes filled with worry.

The fourth son, Zhu Changhong, was exceptionally intelligent from a young age. By the age of eleven, he had already finished reading the Four Books and Five Classics and excelled in mathematics exams. Similarly, his talent in martial arts began to gradually emerge.

Zhu Changhong was taller than the Crown Prince, who was four years older, and his arms were also thicker. In a wrestling match, Zhu Changzhi was no match for Zhu Changhong.

Zhu Changhong was very interested in Production Diagrams, Public-Private Theory, Production Diagrams, and Class Theory; he had already finished reading Production Diagrams.

The fourth brother also frequently visited the Xishan Coal Bureau and even apprenticed under the master craftsman Wei Youshan. He had his own insights into improving productivity, and when he arrived in Songjiang Prefecture, he liked to go to the shipyard.

The fourth brother often said that whoever controls productivity controls power.

If that were all, it would be fine. Zhu Changhong was born to love people, and for someone born into a noble family, this quality of being born to love people is extremely precious.

Zhu Changhong had a really good personality. He never made things difficult for his servants. Zhu Changzhi was not like that when he was a child. He was even beaten by Empress Wang for making things difficult for his servants. Zhu Changhong, on the other hand, never had such an experience.

There's a story behind the fourth son of the Zhu family.

It would be a waste of talent to not let someone like that strive for the throne.

"Hong'er, this is your first time carrying a martyr's coffin. Be careful and listen to Zhang Daban's advice," Zhu Yijun instructed Zhu Changhong, signaling him not to make any mistakes at the funeral.

“Father, I will be careful and thorough. The heroes died for the Ming Dynasty and its people. I will be cautious and will not disrespect them.” Zhu Changhong bowed deeply and accepted the order before following Zhang Hong to begin the funeral arrangements.

When he encountered something he didn't understand, he would ask the officials of the Ministry of Rites and Zhang Hong. He never overstepped his bounds or exceeded the prescribed limits, and the funeral proceeded smoothly without any mishaps.

This was Zhu Changhong's first public appearance, and the officials and naval soldiers of the Ming Dynasty had a very good impression of him.

(End of this chapter)