Chongzhen revived the Ming Dynasty

Wang Tiqian and Tian Ergeng did everything in their power to gain the emperor's trust.

They were determined to capture the grandson of the Tang emperor and achieve this feat.

The elite troops under Viscount Wang Tiqian's command and the elites of the Embroidered Uniform Guard's Nanyang Garrison were all summoned and prepared to go to Sumatra.

Upon learning of this, Guo Shangyou dispatched his troops to accompany the expedition. He also sent several new-style artillery warships to intimidate the Tang army.

Shang Kexi's flagship was undoubtedly chosen, and Wang Tiqian and others boarded this ship.

Upon seeing the numerous cannons on this giant ship, Wang Tiqian and the others nodded in approval and exclaimed in admiration:

"As expected of a standard armed merchant ship recommended by the Navy Department."

"We should buy a few ships soon, so we can use them to transport goods in peacetime and fight in wartime."

They believed that such large sailing ships were very practical and especially suitable for them.

Shang Kexi, knowing Wang Tiqian's former status, smiled obsequiously:
“Father-in-law is absolutely right; this kind of boat is much more practical.”

"It can handle both fighting and transporting goods."

"When I set sail last year, the imperial court had already built several large sailing ships."

"I don't know how things are this year, but they've built a few more."

"How many?" Wang Tiqian chuckled and said:

"A few ships are far from enough!"

"Now, who knows how many people are going to sea? New shipyards are being built in Tianjin, Suzhou and Songjiang."

"The Navy also set a shipbuilding plan, which includes building 250 armed merchant ships and fast ships in addition to 50 warships."

"Grand Secretary Han is also counting on the shipbuilding industrial parks in Tianjin and other places to increase industrial and commercial output, and for this reason he has even been tempted to conquer Myanmar."

"These merchant ships will definitely increase in number in the future, and they will be essential for the navy of the imperial court and its vassal states."

Several seemingly unrelated events were connected by Wang Tiqian.

Having just returned to the Ming Dynasty and being completely unaware of the situation, Shang Kexi was utterly bewildered by what he heard.

He didn't hesitate to show his ignorance and asked for guidance:
"I'm sorry I don't understand what you're saying, sir."

"Why is Prime Minister Han so concerned about naval shipbuilding, even going so far as to wage war against Burma for it?"

Wang Tiqian was very pleased with his good information network and quite satisfied with Shang Kexi's ignorance.

To make these soldiers more obedient, he said somewhat boastfully:
"The most important power of Prime Minister Han in the cabinet is to head the Planning and Development Commission."

"The Navy's shipbuilding plan is a long-term plan that involves many government departments, and it is naturally approved by the Planning and Development Commission."

"After being re-elected as Grand Secretary, he was ordered by His Majesty to ensure that industrial and commercial output must increase by seven percent over the next three years."

"This is no small number. Based on an estimated industrial and commercial output value of 30 million, 7% would be 2.1 million."

"Therefore, Prime Minister Han plans to establish industrial parks in Tianjin and other places, modeled after the Suzhou-Songjiang New Area."

"Shipbuilding is of paramount importance; the ships we build now have no trouble selling."

Whether the imperial court encouraged the opening of fiefdoms or organized immigration, a large number of ships were needed.

Ordinary ships are inexpensive to build, but warships and armed merchant ships all require cannons. The more cannons installed, the more expensive they become.

After learning about the funds that the feudal nobles had prepared for purchasing ships, Han Kuang quickly included this industry in his list of key development areas.

He included the shipbuilding industrial park in Tianjin and the steel and artillery industrial park in Caofeidian in his plans, making them key projects for the next few years.

The steel industrial park is relatively easy to manage, as the ore and fuel issues have been largely resolved, and the technology for casting artillery is also not a problem.

However, besides the limitation of the number of workers, the biggest challenge in shipbuilding lies in the availability of timber.

Warships and armed merchant ships require high-quality teak, so Myanmar, a major teak producer, came into Han Kuang's sights.

In addition, his disciple Yuan Chonghuan was transferred by the emperor to be the military governor of Burma because of his poor performance in the Annam War.

Encouraged by Yuan Chonghuan, Han Kuang has already planned to launch a campaign to conquer Burma.

Upon hearing these inside stories, Shang Kexi felt a surge of joy:
If the Prime Minister attaches such importance to shipbuilding, he will surely vigorously develop navigation.

Someone as skilled in navigation as him will surely be put to great use in the future.

Thinking of his colleagues who were granted titles for their merits in last year's Liaodong campaign, Shang Kexi was filled with excitement and vowed to achieve the same feat.

"With the Grand Secretary actively waging war, it will surely be time for military men to step up and fight."

"I want to seize this opportunity and make a fortune for generations to come."

Not satisfied with his current position, Shang Kexi hopes to achieve more merits and obtain a higher title.

The escorting angels presents a golden opportunity to earn merit, especially since both angels are close advisors to the emperor, allowing him to demonstrate his loyalty to the emperor.

Shang Kexi decided to perform well and impress them.

Driven by this mentality, Shang Kexi fired warning shots at the ships that the Tang vassal state was "welcoming" him.

The deafening cannon fire startled the Tang navy, throwing them into disarray.

At this time, most of the ships of the Tang Dynasty were small boats made from locally sourced materials, suitable for sailing in the Strait of Malacca.

Faced with such a giant ship, they really had little chance of fighting back.

We had no choice but to fight the enemy with courage, regardless of casualties.

Now that they have not received orders to start a war, they are naturally unwilling to die and wholeheartedly welcome the arrival of the Ming navy.

Upon learning that there were angels on board, he dispatched a fast ship to inform the grandson of the Tang emperor, inviting him to the port to welcome them.
-
Zhu Yujian was so surprised and sighed when he learned that the angel had arrived so quickly.

If given time to reorganize his troops and win over the hearts of the people, he might very well be able to fight against the imperial army.

However, with the imperial envoy arriving so quickly, he had no chance to reorganize the internal affairs.

At this point, he was faced with two choices: welcome the angel or refuse to see him.

Zhao Sheng suggested to him:
"Your Highness, Wang Tiqian and Tian Ergeng, who were sent by the court, are both members of the eunuch faction."

“They have a grudge against the Donglin Party, but they are protected by His Majesty and are the emperor’s confidants.”

"I believe Your Highness should go out to greet him immediately, and it would be best if you could apologize with a bundle of thorns on your back."

"Only when they pass it on to His Majesty will His Majesty be at ease."

It is advised that Zhu Yujian surrender now and not do anything unnecessary that would arouse the emperor's suspicion.

Zhu Yujian was decisive; he had already made his decision, and now he mustered the courage to act.

He looked at Zhao Sheng and his subordinates and said:

"Bring me some brambles!"

"I will go there now."

He took off his shirt, baring his chest and carrying thorns, and walked step by step to the dock.

The soldiers and civilians of the Tang vassal state, upon witnessing this, felt both moved and somewhat humiliated.

Regardless of the circumstances, Zhu Yujian was their lord.

The saying goes, "A subject dies when his lord is humiliated." They too would feel uncomfortable if their own lord were so disgraced.

In a short time, many soldiers and civilians volunteered to take responsibility for their crimes, and like Zhu Yujian, they carried thorns on their backs to plead guilty.

This is the scene that Wang Tiqian and Tian Ergeng witnessed when they disembarked.

Seeing a group of people on the dock carrying thorns to apologize, led by Zhu Yujian, a descendant of the Tang emperor.

They were both surprised and delighted, never expecting to encounter such a situation.

Overjoyed, Wang Tiqian lowered his voice and said:
"Zhu Yujian has taken the initiative to plead guilty, so it seems that arresting him will not be difficult."

"But the Emperor has no intention of severely punishing him, so we must preserve his dignity."

"Moreover, we must pay attention to people's hearts and minds, and not let the people of Tang vassalage become estranged from the court."

After discussing it with Tian Ergeng, the two disembarked and immediately helped Zhu Yujian on either side, asking, "What is the Crown Prince doing?"

"Get up quickly, our family can't afford to be like this."

"His Majesty has not yet determined your guilt; the Crown Prince is still a meritorious member of the imperial family."

In front of everyone, he recited the emperor's praise of Zhu Yujian.

This shows that the court remembered their achievements and would never punish the Tang vassals without cause.

Zhu Yujian felt a little relieved after hearing these words.

He addressed the soldiers and civilians on the dock:
"Thanks to your help, I have been able to accomplish some merits."

"This time, I have made a mistake and must return to the capital to be tried."

"I hope you will cooperate with the court and avoid causing any misunderstandings."

I thanked them repeatedly and then asked them to disperse.

The soldiers and civilians around him greatly admired Zhu Yujian. They had benefited immensely from the establishment of the Tang Dynasty and were determined to follow this capable ruler.

They kept asking the imperial envoy how the matter would be handled and when Zhu Yujian would be released.

Wang Tiqian didn't know the outcome either, so how could he answer their questions?
He could only laugh it off and didn't say a single useful word.

The onlookers were immediately enraged, and someone shouted:
"Since the angel is not giving a definite answer, do you think the court will refuse to let Your Highness return?"

“Then we do not agree to Your Highness going to the imperial court. If you want to conduct the trial, do it here.”

This garnered support from many, who wanted the imperial court to try the Tang vassal state.

Seeing the crowd's outrage, Wang Tiqian was so anxious he was practically scratching his head in frustration.

Seeing that people were still crowding around him, he panicked and wanted the guards to drive them away.

Just then, a martial artist disembarked from the boat. He pulled a thorny branch from Zhu Yujian's back and stabbed him a few times, driving back the people who rushed at him.

Then he shouted loudly:

What are you doing?

"Are you trying to frame His Highness in an unjust way?"

"His Highness is pleading guilty with a bundle of thorns on his back, and you're turning this into a coup?"

These words immediately dampened the indignant spirits of the soldiers and civilians around them.

If things escalate, even if they don't intend to rebel, it will be seen as a rebellion by the imperial court.

Even Zhu Yujian was startled and broke out in a cold sweat, shouting:
"Your Majesty is wise and sagacious; I will surely have no trouble on my journey."

"Gentlemen, please be patient and let us cultivate the Tang territory well."

He instructed Zhao Sheng, Bai Wang, and others to come up and disperse the soldiers and civilians.

They were all respected by the military and civilians, even among the crowds who were shirtless and carrying thorns.

After they intervened, the people finally obeyed the order and dispersed.

With the concerted efforts of the Tang emperor and his ministers, a potential upheaval was finally quelled.

Only then did Wang Tiqian finally breathe a sigh of relief. Wiping the sweat from his brow, he admired the brave warrior who had jumped out:

"Who are you?"

What is your current position?

“I will certainly inform His Majesty of this matter and reward you for your merit.”

Tian Ergeng also said:

"Good skills, suitable for joining the Embroidered Uniform Guard."

"The newly established Nanyang Garrison Command needs people like you."

"Well? Are you willing to come to the Nanyang Garrison Command? I will hand over the Tang Dynasty's Imperial Guard Office to you."

The plan was to have this person guard the Tang territory to prevent any unrest.

The person who disembarked from the boat was Chen Shouzhen. Seeing the chaos in the crowd, he immediately used his swordsmanship to stab back the leader.

Hearing their questions, he bowed and said:
"Thank you for your kindness, Father-in-law and Commander."

“I am a Chinese from Mexico. I have come back with General Shang to pay homage to the Emperor.”

"Awards and appointments should be granted in accordance with the Emperor's orders; a lowly person would not dare to accept them privately."

He revealed his identity, revealing that he was a Chinese who had returned from abroad.

Wang Tiqian and Tian Ergeng both knew that the emperor valued foreign countries and even sent delegations to various countries.

With such a person returning, the emperor would surely make great use of him, so the two could only sigh and abandon their hopes of recruiting him.

Having spent several years in Southeast Asia, both men have come to realize that in order to make progress, they must recruit talent.

Unfortunately, they were not attractive enough to talented people; most preferred to join the imperial court or go to vassal states.

Wang Tiqian's viscountry and Tian Ergeng's Imperial Guard were not very attractive to truly talented people.
-
Putting aside the recruitment matter, Wang Tiqian discussed with Tian Ergeng how to take Zhu Yujian away.

The events that occurred at the dock today demonstrate how much Zhu Yujian was supported by the Tang army and people.

Their original plan to appoint a member of the imperial family to temporarily take charge of the Tang vassal states also proved to be nonsense.

Given the current situation, even if they were to assign tasks, no one would listen to them.

It might even lead to conflict and cause chaos in the Tang Dynasty.

Wang Tiqian and Tian Ergeng dared not act recklessly in this matter. Even if the Tang imperial family offered bribes, they would not dare to appoint anyone.

However, they still had the guts to accept money; they couldn't turn away money that was offered to them.

After careful consideration, Wang Tiqian thought of the parliamentary politics of the Malacca Free Trade Zone and decided:

"Apart from Zhu Yujian, the other members of the Tang imperial family do not have much prestige. The only option is to have these members of the imperial family and nobles establish a noble council first."

"For the time being, it will be governed by the parliament, just like a free trade zone, and a few officials will be appointed to maintain order."

"Wait until the son of Privy Councilor Yuan arrives to receive this fiefdom."

"With Lord Yuan's prestige, he is more than capable of suppressing the Tang vassal state."

This was Wang Tiqian's idea. He decided to emulate the Malacca Free Trade Zone and have the Tang nobles establish a parliament to jointly govern it.

These people were nominally the masters of the Tang vassal state, but the specific affairs were handled by Tang vassal state officials.

However, these officials were not appointed by the parliament, but rather on the advice of the Tang emperor's grandson.

This was to show the Tang emperor's grandson that the court had no intention of severely punishing him, and that his subordinates could wait for his return with peace of mind.

Zhu Yujian breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing that his subordinates could still be given important responsibilities.

The attitude of the imperial envoy indicates that there is no real intention to harm him.

As long as his men are still around, he is confident that he can rebuild the Tang Dynasty.

However, what he didn't know was that Zhu Youjian no longer intended to let him return to the Tang Dynasty.

Not only is the Tang vassal's fiefdom on Sumatra currently under Zhu Yujian's control, but the Tang vassal state will also not belong to Zhu Yujian in the future.

The behavior of the Tang soldiers and civilians at the dock made Zhu Youjian realize that Zhu Yujian was deeply popular.

This was precisely his weakness as emperor; his inability to connect with the people made it difficult for him to win over the populace like Zhu Yujian had.

Therefore, Zhu Youjian decided that such people must be restricted and not allowed to grow stronger without any obstacles.

Zhu Yujian's performance in this incident, in particular, can be described as resolute, decisive, and flexible.

This already demonstrated the qualities of an emperor, and Zhu Youjian was naturally very vigilant. (End of Chapter)