My father is Jiajing

"Your Majesty, a great victory!"

Upon receiving the report of victory forwarded by the Ministry of War, Meng Chong ran excitedly toward Zhu Zaiji.

Moreover, while running, he kept shouting about the great victory, causing all the palace servants inside and outside the Wenhua Hall to turn their heads and wonder where the good news came from.

Zhu Zaiji was flipping through the "briefings" compiled by the Cabinet and the Directorate of Ceremonial, learning about their recent work.

When Zhu Zaiji heard Meng Chong shouting about the great victory outside, he couldn't help but look out of the palace and look at Meng Chong.

At this moment, Meng Chong finally excitedly entered the quiet pavilion of Wenhua Hall where Zhu Zaiji was.

This quiet pavilion was a newly renovated room after Zhu Zaiji ascended the throne. It is warm in winter and cool in summer, making it very suitable for quiet contemplation and rest.

Meng Chong excitedly arrived outside the Jingge Pavilion, holding the victory report forwarded by the Ministry of War in his hand, and exclaimed with delight, "Your Majesty, a great victory!"

Zhu Zaiji chuckled and put down the briefing in his hand, looking at Meng Chong and asking with a smile, "What great victory is it?"

Meng Chong hurriedly and respectfully presented the victory report to Zhu Zaiji, "It is a great victory achieved by Qi Jiguang and Yu Dayou in capturing the Stone City of the Dutch Red-haired Barbarians in the southern part of Taiwan."

Zhu Zaiji took the report of victory and read it carefully. Then he smiled and said, "Qi Jin and Yu Qiang are both brave and resourceful. They actually managed to blow up the gunpowder depot in the Stone City of these red-haired barbarians in a desperate situation. It is truly unexpected."

Meng Chong smiled and said, "Yes, these two young men are both bold and meticulous. Their great achievements are also thanks to the Emperor's protection."

Zhu Zaiji chuckled and said, "There's no need to flatter me. Their merits are their merits, and their abilities are their abilities. They deserve immense credit for this victory. Let the Ministry of War reward them."

"In addition, I will also inform the Ministry of Revenue that I will bestow a name upon the Stone City that Qi Jiguang and Yu Dayou have just conquered, as well as a name upon the military town and port that they have built in northern Taiwan."

"Then have the Ministry of Revenue issue a document announcing the new names of these two places to the world through the imperial gazette, so that the people of the world may know that there are also territories and cities of the Ming Dynasty on the vast ocean!"

Meng Chong immediately bowed and said, "Yes, this servant obeys."

Then Meng Chong asked, "What names does His Majesty intend to bestow upon these two cities?"

Zhu Zaiji, in high spirits, said, "Bring me paper and pen!"

Upon hearing Zhu Zaiji's instructions, Meng Chong quickly went to prepare the Four Treasures of the Study.

After he laid a fine sheet of Xuan paper on the desk in the quiet pavilion, he diligently helped Zhu Zaiji grind the ink.

After the ink was prepared, Meng Chong respectfully went to Zhu Zaiji and reported, "Your Majesty, the brush and ink are ready."

Zhu Zaiji hummed in agreement, stood up, and walked towards the desk where Xuan paper had been laid out.

Zhu Zaiji walked to the front and back of the desk, stood in front of the Xuan paper and thought for a while, and then came up with two names with extraordinary significance.

Zhu Zaiji raised his hand and wrote four large characters side by side on the Xuan paper with thick ink.

These four large characters represent two names.

One of them is called "Zhenhai"!
The second one is: "Fu Bo"!
Zhu Zaiji's naming of these two military towns and ports in Taiwan was not a spur-of-the-moment decision.

He gave these two names to the two places after careful consideration.

This naming method was unique to the Central Plains dynasties. Throughout thousands of years of Chinese history, place names containing words such as "镇" (zhen, to suppress), "抚" (fu, to pacify), "武" (wu, martial), and "威" (wei, might) have been important manifestations of the Central Plains dynasties' rule and management over the surrounding barbarian lands.

Therefore, Zhu Zaiji, now the emperor of the Ming Dynasty, naturally could not be an exception in these names.

He also wanted to follow this tradition and carve these symbols on the territory of the Ming Dynasty to tell future generations how hard-won this land was.

At the same time, we must warn future generations that they must govern and rule these new lands with the heart of a true king, so that they will understand that every piece of land has been earned by our ancestors through hard work and sacrifice.

It's not something you can easily obtain.

Therefore, Zhu Zaiji wanted to use names like "Zhenhai" and "Fubo" to tell the world that these two places were the core interests of the court, rightfully and legitimately, under unified rule!
It is land that cannot be abandoned at will.

After writing the two names, Zhu Zaiji bent down and blew on the still-wet ink.

Then he placed the brush in his hand on the brush holder next to him, picked up a towel to wipe his hands, and said to Meng Chong, "Go and send these two characters to the cabinet, and have the cabinet draft an official document to be given to the Ministry of Revenue."

Meng Chong quickly agreed, carefully put away the two new place names that Zhu Zaiji had written, and then took his leave from the Jingge Pavilion and went to the Inner Cabinet.

At this moment, the Grand Secretaries in the Cabinet were also diligently and meticulously handling the court affairs under their respective jurisdictions.

When they saw Meng Chong arrive, they all stopped their official duties, stood up, and bowed slightly to him.

After all, Meng Chong was no longer an ordinary eunuch. He was now the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, and in terms of power and influence, he was no less than the Grand Secretaries of the Cabinet.

Therefore, the face and respect that should be given should still be given.

Of course, Meng Chong didn't dare to be presumptuous. If he really received a bow from these Grand Secretaries of the Cabinet, he had to quickly return the bow, as this was in accordance with the rules of mutual respect.

Otherwise, if the Cabinet and the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs were to have a falling out over these minor issues of etiquette, things could get very bad.

After returning the greeting, Meng Chong smiled and said to Grand Secretary Li Chunfang, "Grand Secretary Li, I have brought an imperial decree with me to inform you all."

Upon hearing that there was an imperial decree, Li Chunfang, Gao Gong, Zhao Zhenji, Hu Zongxian, Guo Pu, and others immediately rose from behind their desks to receive the decree together.

But Meng Chong then laughed and said, "Gentlemen, there's no need for such formality. This decree is rather simple. It simply asks the cabinet to draft an official document and submit it to the Ministry of Revenue to announce to the world the names His Majesty has chosen for the two new sites in Taiwan."

Upon hearing this, Li Chunfang, Gao Gong, and the others exchanged glances.

This is simple.

The cabinet, following its usual practice, issued an official document to the Ministry of Revenue, and that was the end of it.

However, Li Chunfang and others were still curious about what names their Emperor would give to the two new places in Taiwan.

At this moment, Gao Gong, who was in charge of the Ministry of Revenue, took the initiative to ask, "Eunuch Meng, what names has His Majesty bestowed upon the two new sites in Taiwan?"

Meng Chong took out the rolled-up Xuan paper from his hand and unfolded it in front of Li Chunfang, Gao Gong and others, saying, "Please take a look, esteemed elders."

"His Majesty bestowed the names 'Zhenhai' and 'Fubo' upon two new sites in Taiwan, signifying that our Great Ming Dynasty will begin to re-emphasize the importance of the sea frontier from Taiwan, and subdue the waves for thousands of miles!"

Upon seeing these two names, Li Chunfang, Gao Gong, and others exclaimed in admiration, "Your Majesty is wise!"

After showing the two names, Gao Gong immediately began drafting official documents, which were then handed over to Li Chunfang for review and signature.

After all, procedurally speaking, although Gao Gong was the current head of the cabinet, Li Chunfang was the legitimate Grand Secretary. Therefore, any official documents issued from the cabinet to the Six Ministries or other government offices, or even local authorities, required Li Chunfang's signature.

Otherwise, the issued official documents may not have any enforcement power.

Of course, if the official document has the approval of the Directorate of Ceremonial, the signature of the Grand Secretary can be ignored.

However, this situation should be avoided at all costs.

Otherwise, the hierarchical relationship within the administrative system will become chaotic due to the abuse of bypassing levels and issuing official approvals.

This is not a good thing for the country or its people.

Because if this happens, it almost means that there is intense infighting within the cabinet and that the cabinet members are becoming disunited.

Therefore, as long as it's not a matter of principle, Li Chunfang would not arbitrarily abuse his power of signing documents to hinder the operation of the imperial court.

After completing these tasks, Meng Chong also left the cabinet.

At the same time, Meng Chong also reminded Hu Zongxian about the military reforms.

Meng Chong said, "Grand Secretary Hu, His Majesty has been waiting for your and the Ministry of War's plan. The construction of the Nanyang Fleet should also be put on the agenda immediately now that the Taiwanese barbarians have been pacified."

"Otherwise, relying solely on the Eastern Ocean Fleet to handle maritime affairs would be cumbersome and centralized, which is not in the long-term interests of the court."

Upon hearing Meng Chong's reminder, Hu Zongxian immediately told Meng Chong that the matter was being planned and a concrete plan would be implemented soon.

a few days later.

The bronze crane incense burner in the Wenhua Hall emitted wisps of blue smoke. Emperor Zhu Zaiji stood with his hands behind his back in front of a huge "Southern Ocean Chart," his gaze fixed intently on the distribution of island powers across this vast sea area.

"Your Majesty, Grand Secretary Hu has arrived."

Meng Chong reported in a low voice.

"Xuan."

Zhu Zaiji did not turn around, but his voice was filled with a rare excitement.

Hu Zongxian walked steadily into the hall, holding a thick scroll of memorials in his hands.

This veteran official, who had experienced many ups and downs in his career, specially changed into a brand-new scarlet official robe today, looking quite energetic.

"Your subject Hu Zongxian pays his respects to Your Majesty."

"Minister Hu, please rise."

Upon hearing Hu Zongxian's voice, Zhu Zaiji turned around, his young face filled with undisguised anticipation. "I heard that your plan has been drafted?"

Hu Zongxian presented the memorial with both hands and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, I have discussed this matter with the Ministry of War repeatedly and have drafted the 'Memorial on Dismantling the Eastern Ocean Fleet and Establishing the Southern Ocean Fleet,' which I request Your Majesty to review."

Zhu Zaiji took the memorial but did not open it immediately. Instead, he said meaningfully, "Minister Hu, do you know why I want to split up the already stable and powerful Eastern Ocean Fleet and create a Southern Ocean Fleet?"

Hu Zongxian pondered for a moment before replying, "Is Your Majesty doing this to strengthen coastal defenses and deter those Western barbarians, such as the red-haired barbarians, who have come from afar?"

"It's more than that."

Zhu Zaiji smiled slightly, walked to the window again, pointed to the distant sky, and continued: "Since the reign of Emperor Chengzu, the Ming Dynasty ships have never sailed far away again."

"But today, the Western barbarians' fleets have traversed tens of thousands of miles of sea and occupied strategic locations in all directions. I often think about this and cannot sleep at night."

"With such a vast sea territory and so many islands and lands, if our Great Ming ignores them and lets them take them for free, these barbarians will rely on the wealth and resources they have obtained from these islands and lands to become enemies of our Great Ming."

"I dare not imagine the consequences. Therefore, I cannot stand by and watch the ocean slip through the fingers of the Ming Dynasty. Thus, the construction of the Nanyang Fleet is imperative!"

A hint of surprise flashed in Hu Zongxian's eyes. He had originally thought that the emperor was only concerned with strengthening coastal defenses, but he never expected that the emperor's vision was so far-reaching, which truly made him feel inferior.

Hu Zongxian immediately bowed and said, "Your Majesty is wise!"

Zhu Zaiji continued, "Suppressing the Taiwanese barbarians is only the first step. What I want is for the Ming Dynasty's dragon flag to fly across the four seas! This dismantling of the navy is truly the beginning of building a distant-sea fleet."

"Therefore, this matter is of utmost importance and cannot be treated carelessly or with any侥幸 (jiao xing, a sense of luck or chance). We must go all out to make this a success!"

Upon hearing Zhu Zaiji's words, Hu Zongxian bowed deeply and said, "Your Majesty is a man of great talent and strategy, while I am foolish and dull, and have failed to grasp even a fraction of Your Majesty's intentions. I will go back and revise the plan now."

"No need."

Zhu Zaiji waved his hand to interrupt.

He then said, "Tell me your current plan, and I will see if it aligns with my wishes."

Hu Zongxian immediately agreed, cleared his throat, and began to elaborate on the plans he and the Ministry of War had developed over the years.

"Your Majesty's previous intentions are understood. It is proposed to divide the existing Dongyang Fleet into two. The Dongyang Fleet will remain stationed at Shuangyuwei, specializing in patrolling the East China Sea; a new Nanyang Fleet will be established and stationed at Taiwan, responsible for the South China Sea and the waters further south."

As he spoke, Hu Zongxian walked to the "Southern Ocean Chart" where Zhu Zaiji had stood earlier. Hu Zongxian pointed to a spot on the map and continued, "Each of the two naval forces has three guards, with sixty main warships and over a hundred auxiliary ships. The Eastern Ocean is mainly for defense, while the Southern Ocean can be expanded outwards."

Zhu Zaiji gave a noncommittal "hmm," then asked, "And then? How do we expand on it?"

Hu Zongxian immediately said: "First, rebuild the Malacca stronghold to control the gateway to Southeast Asia. Second, conduct regular patrols of Luzon, Sulu and other places to demonstrate the suzerainty of the Ming Dynasty. Third, rely on the Maritime Trade Office under the Customs Administration to conduct trade with various foreign countries, with the court as the main body to control the import and export of trade."

Hu Zongxian spoke more and more fluently, clearly having given this matter considerable thought; it was no longer just empty talk, but rather contained some genuine insights.

"it is good!"

Zhu Zaiji slapped the table in praise.

Then he continued, "Minister Hu's words are exactly what I think! However, the Eastern Ocean Fleet cannot be idle. We cannot blindly formulate a defensive strategy just because the east is all boundless land with few islands."

"I have heard that on the far other side of the ocean, there is a land several times the size of the Ming Dynasty, which is rich in gold and silver, as well as high-yield crops."

"I cannot allow such a precious land to fall into the hands of barbarians. I also want the Ming Dynasty to participate in it. Even if we cannot control it completely, we must occupy a key location to prepare for future struggles and dominance."

------

Please vote with monthly tickets! (End of this chapter)