Guangzong Yaoming

Chapter 469: Founding a Nation and Destroying a Nation

These foreign companies chartered by the Ming Dynasty's imperial power had only been in existence for less than ten years, but Ming Dynasty adventurers had already begun to reap the sweetness.

The taste was so sweet that they couldn't stop.

And as the current emperor's fifth brother took control of Burma, all these Takumi-kun foreign companies smelled a greater opportunity.

They all want to become regular employees.

The Huizhou merchants who were summoned by the emperor incognito at the beginning have now become the core. Jiangnan is flourishing in culture and education. Although the Huizhou merchants mainly made their fortunes from the salt industry and other trades at that time, they are also strong in culture and education.

In the current situation, they have both seized the initiative and have a "deep understanding of the bigger picture", grasping the crux of the problem with extreme sensitivity.

Throughout the Ming Dynasty, the officials and gentry related to the major foreign companies were the most respectful during the implementation of the new currency law.

And with them as the context, the Ming Dynasty has a new network that is actively promoting another thing.

The head of the Wu family in She County is now the young master Wu Yangtao, while Wang Daofei is still there.

"Uncle." Wu Yangtao said to him expectantly, "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has already tried out preferential treatment and exemption in Teng County. I think you and your team should make some efforts in Jiangnan to build momentum for His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and the national policy! In addition, the vassal states in Nanjing are uneasy, so why not petition His Majesty to let each of our foreign companies obey one vassal state, and just let them follow us..."

"Take your time!" Wang Daofei shook his head. "Don't rush. Right now, Teng County in Yanzhou is just a trial, and it is under the control of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. We have to see results first, and then the court will respond when it really wants to make this national policy. The vassal states must also wait until the major events in Outer Yunnan and Japan are settled."

These Takumi Tuanlian foreign companies have already developed their own small territories in some places. The scale is not very large, and most of them cooperate with local chieftains, and the industries are also different.

Wang Daofei looked at them and said, "On the contrary, right now, each of us has at least two things to do."

"Please analyze it for me, uncle." Wu Yangtao said with a serious attitude.

He is now motivated. Although he has made a lot of money as a salt merchant, his status is low. In the past, he had to donate money to gain fame and status to protect himself.

But now the Takumi Tuanlian Trading Company is clearly engaged in expanding territory, but it is just in name only.

To gain this reputation, under the vassal system of the Ming Dynasty, a facade was necessary. These facades, of course, were the vassal kings currently supported by the emperor in Nanjing.

In order to live up to the title and become "founding heroes" of some new foreign vassal states in the future, they are willing to spend more money to "purchase" this foundation.

"The first is the new currency law. Only if this is done well can we gain the emperor's favor, and then everything else will be easier."

Wu Yangtao nodded repeatedly after hearing this: "What about the other thing?"

"Another thing is that all the vassal states have requested to change the system." Wang Daofei's eyes were sharp. "The Duke of Yansheng is going to be removed. If the royal family changes the system again, what else can the officials and gentry in the world say?"

Wu Yangtao was stunned: "How else can it be changed?"

The old properties such as the land granted by the various vassal states, the royal palaces, etc. were all managed by the Zongminghao and Changminghao, and the salaries of the royal family were also distributed uniformly by the Zongrenfu.

The best thing for the princes in recent years is that they are in the outer vassal states and have real power, just like the former Prince Lu and the current Prince Rui.

The second type are like the King of Shu and the King of Chu, who are free to move around in various border areas, have bought land, and are wealthy men who have made alliances with the powerful and wealthy in various tribes and opened up new borders. In the future, they may also be upgraded to become vassal states with real territory.

The worst were those who were kept in Nanjing, who could only receive salaries and share profits from Zongminghao and Changminghao. Some just lived a comfortable life and enjoyed themselves, while others participated in other businesses.

Among those who are currently involved in the business, three of them involved in the money shops and bank businesses have clearly been taken advantage of, bringing disaster to their families.

From having a palace, granted land, and officials to what they are now, they are already much worse than before. How else can they change?
"Your Majesty has granted royal family members below the rank of Duke to take the imperial examinations and work in various fields, but it has not been very effective over the years," Wang Daofei said. "Since royal family salaries can now be fully paid, many royal family members, except for a few who are willing to make progress, still rely on their royal family origins to gain some face in local areas. Some people with some talent, who are favored by local governments and become students, have become very popular, and in the past, local governments have turned a blind eye. What about now?"

Wu Yangtao seemed to be thinking about something.

"Just wait and see. The way you are doing now, sooner or later you will bring some royal family members to justice." Wang Daofei said meaningfully, "Yangzhou has already reviewed and requested a royal judgment. These three feudatories have been eliminated."

"My uncle, are you saying that this will frighten the other vassals into asking for changes to the royal family system? Are you saying that you want to cut their salaries?"

"Cut the salary?" Wang Daofei chuckled. "It's just a cut in salary, what's the point of talking about a new system?"

Wu Yangtao felt that Wang Daofei was very bold: "Uncle, the princes will come..."

"Don't you understand, nephew?" Wang Daofei looked at him, "Think about Changming, Zongming, and our foreign companies. Think about the second prince..."

Wu Yangtao concentrated on thinking.

After all, he was born in a big merchant family. When Wang Daofei said this, he was surprised and said, "Uncle is saying that... in the future, the princes will not give salaries, but... shares?"

"I'm afraid Your Majesty has had this idea for a long time, otherwise why did you go to great lengths to set up Changming first and then Zongming?" Wang Daofei nodded, "First, the Shu vassal and others tasted the sweetness of Changming, and later Zongming was successful. Over the years, the two accounts have shared a lot of profits. Otherwise, the ancestral property of each prince's palace was confiscated. Although Your Majesty has unparalleled prestige and all the vassal states are respectful, it was also for the profit sharing of silver and money. Compared with this, the princes' clan salaries are not worth mentioning."

"But apart from the princes and dukes, many other members of the royal family still rely on this royal salary."

"Isn't there a Tuohai Tuanlian Company?" Wang Daofei said meaningfully and fearfully, "Your Majesty has granted us special permission, but how can we have other ideas in the future? Some shopkeepers have begun to act arrogantly. For the long term, I'm afraid we will have to find some new partners."

"... various feudal domains..."

Wu Yangtao understood.

What these foreign companies did overseas was actually equivalent to creating new vassal states.

Although there are some nobles and even clan members in Donghuo now, since it is like establishing a country, there will naturally be more clear rules in the future.

Combining this incident with what Wang Daofei said about the various vassal states voluntarily requesting reforms, Wu Yangtao had a rough idea.

Wang Daofei said carefully: "To be honest, each of our Tuohai Tuanlian foreign companies should be divided up, and each has its own business. There are still so many vassal families now, and the number of clan members in each family is different. The prince is the boss, and the county princes and below have their own positions. It is best for each family to support them. Support them on behalf of Your Majesty, educate them to be outstanding talents, and the clan government will no longer have to bear the salary. The shares of the vassal states in Zongminghao will be exchanged for shares of the foreign company. Once this is done, we can accomplish things in the future and obey the orders of the vassal state!"

"I heard that His Majesty has already done this. There was news before that the nobles were buying up the land and official positions of the future foreign vassal."

"It proves that this road is smooth!" Wang Daofei nodded, "But how can the newly appointed ruler of an overseas vassal be like Prince Rui? Prince Rui married Prince Mian'an in the past, and it took several years of planning to get to where he is now. If the vassal states want to take this road again, they must ask for the emperor's grace, and we must help. This matter can be discussed clearly with the honorary relatives who have no intention of serving in the army. Under the new currency law, the court lacks silver and copper. We don't lack these, but what we lack is the license and future trade. We already have a silver bank, so why do we need cash? We can do it with a bill of exchange!"

Wu Yangtao suddenly understood.

It turns out that these things are all connected.

At present, in addition to the officials and wealthy families in the society, there is naturally a group of the richest people in the Ming Dynasty, and that is the families of the royal family, vassal states, and noble relatives.

If all the money in their hands could be returned to the court, the chances of the new currency system being implemented would be 10% higher. And they just need some daily expenses. With the strength of Zongminghao, Changminghao and these Takumi Tuanlian foreign companies, how difficult would it be to meet their daily expenses during the process of shareholding reform?
As long as each family clearly divides the future interest structure: which feudal domain, with which nobles and which Takumi-danlian foreign company will go to where to establish a country.

At the same time, all the foreign companies need is manpower, military and material support. Cooperating with the royal family and nobles, relying on their ties, can mobilize a lot of manpower to participate. If they can help the court implement the new policy in the process, the future franchise will be a piece of cake.

As for the price that needs to be paid now, it is all for the sake of having the title of ruler of a country in the future.

As long as they can achieve that, the price they pay now for helping the court can be used to pay for future trade agreements and bills of exchange.

The imperial court is short of silver and copper. As long as we can help the imperial court to exchange the current silver, minted coins and private coins in the market for new silver dollars and minted coins, it will be a great contribution. In the future, when we can establish a country, won’t trade still be about selling and buying goods? It would be good if we can settle both sides.

This was a deal that would lay the foundation for eternity, and it was a deal that made their merchant family truly prosperous and powerful both in the Ming Dynasty and in the outer vassal states.

The foreign companies have made a lot of money over the years!
If this concession is to last, and we don't share the emperor's worries now, when will we share them?

At a time when many old gentry in the Ming Dynasty were in a state of panic, these new classes who enjoyed the dividends of the emperor's new strategy - from the Shanxi merchants in the past to the Huizhou merchants today - began to take the initiative to plan to continue to push the gears of history.

These people have the keenest sense of the future of the Ming Dynasty's new currency system.

If the new currency system could be fully implemented, those who engage in industry and commerce as their main occupations would definitely have the opportunity to accumulate wealth at a faster rate than the old gentry.

Because their turnover efficiency is higher, it is not the output of one or two seasons a year, but a trade that can be turned over from the Ming Dynasty to the outer vassal states and at many ports along the way.

Now, no matter what we do on the South Sea islands, there is much more room for improvement in efficiency than in the Ming Dynasty.

They also knew that Westerners seemed to have endless gold and silver from the vast land on the other side. Whether it was to trade with them to make money, or to set foot there one day to compete with them for profits, wouldn't it be easier than welcoming and seeing off guests in the Ming Dynasty and trying to evade taxes to accumulate wealth?

As time went by, cases were being investigated. Central government writers like Yang Lian had been writing articles in court newspapers to discredit some typical cases. The emperor executed three princes who were suspected of participating in the assassination of the crown prince, and the interest group of Takumi Tuanlian Foreign Company was taking action.

Prince Shwe's journey back was much slower, as Myanmar seemed no longer in a hurry to completely eradicate the remnants of the Toungoo faction.

The waves that had suddenly risen since the 18th year of Taichang were not turbulent at this moment. The new government offices formed by the emperor's establishment of one house and seven courtyards and the appointment of various ministers burst into vitality, and the officials who were valued in these systems had their own new official career paths to climb.

This time, they are willing to help the emperor raise the knife and chop down those colleagues who are blocking his progress - are they returning to an era without the power of prime ministers?

Everything is done in the name of serving the public and the country and benefiting the people.

The imperial examinations, the imperial examinations, the national examinations... Over the past years, the central and local governments have added many official positions. Even though many officials and clerks were implicated and convicted during the examinations, the government seemed to be able to hold on, as if the "redundant officials and redundant staff" of the past decade or so were just to cope with the emergency situation at the moment.

The public security system, as well as the primary, secondary and university school systems, began to recruit more people from the garrisons and the public to give them iron rice bowls, while at the same time replenishing more new blood for local stability and local officials.

It was not until the end of the 19th year of Taichang, after the Daming Silver Bank had undergone two years of trial operation at the provincial and government levels, that an imperial decree was announced to the world: starting from the 20th year of Taichang, the Daming Silver Bank would set up five more factories in Dongdu, Nandu, Wuchang, Xi'an and Kunming to mint new coins, and each county and state under the jurisdiction of the prefecture would open a branch bank, and kind-hearted families would be allowed to invest and be granted licenses to operate counters.

This is certainly a measure to reduce the interests of local resistance, but as long as the Ming Dynasty has established this system, it may be possible to punish a group of counter store shareholders at an appropriate time in the future and reorganize it into a commercial banking system under central control.

Zhu Changluo would not turn forty in two years, so he could wait. Zhu Youjian was also starting to exercise.

After a year of stagnation, Myanmar's subsequent offensive will have to wait until the beginning of the dry season next year.

The mining machinery produced by the machinery factory began to prepare for shipment of the first batch to Myanmar - for many years to come, Myanmar's copper mines will be an important part of the guarantee of the Ming Dynasty's new currency system.

On the other side in Japan, Dango, who was nearly 80 years old, was in declining health, but his mental will still kept him going.

Especially after hearing that the prince was trying out the policy of eliminating all privileges and exempting all prisoners in Teng County, Shandong.

"Marquis Fubo...how are the preparations going over there?" The winter sea breeze was very cold. He stayed in the warm room all the time, just looking far away towards the southwest.

He was afraid that he didn't have much time.

He really wanted to convey the good news to the emperor: Japan had been conquered, and a new piece of land had been seized for the Ming Dynasty to distribute benefits, so that the twelve words that had excited the monarch and his subjects in the past would truly be implemented throughout the Ming Dynasty.

"My dear, it should be ready next year."

Tian Le nodded when he heard this: "Next year...it should be done."

After a moment's silence, he spoke again: "Tell Li Dan and Mao Li Terumoto that I promised them. But the Shimazu family will invade Ryukyu, and the Ming Dynasty will decide for Ryukyu. The Ming Dynasty will not keep him."

"Then...killing someone with a borrowed knife?"

Tianle smiled slightly and said, "Let Maori Terumoto figure it out himself."

Far in the southwest, on the shore of Taiyuan Island, Shen Yourong had no time to rest.

"The latest time will be the autumn of next year, when the wind and waves will not be so strong!" He looked at the huge ship that took two years to build with a burning gaze, "After a few more months of sea trials, as long as there are no problems, the Eastern Fleet will set out!"

The dull whistle sounded like the roar of a sea monster, and thick smoke billowed. This was the second sea trial of the Zhiyuan ship. This time, it sailed from the waters near the shipyard to the Taiyuan military port.

It was a test ship for the Ryuou-class steam battleship, not the flagship of the Oriental Fleet.

The Eastern Expedition did not rely entirely on this huge steamship. The Ming shipyard, which had mature technology, mainly built Zhenyang-class and Weiyuan-class ships for the Eastern Fleet.

Shen Yourong watched from the Jiguang as the Zhiyuan slowed down amid the roar and prepared to enter the port for maintenance and prepare for the next sea trial.

He also didn't know why His Majesty named it Zhiyuan, but the journey it was about to take was indeed very long.

The ambitions of the Ming Dynasty Dragon King-class steam battleship are equally vast and far-reaching.

Shen Yourong couldn't wait to take it to Japan and dominate Edo Bay.

He had been waiting in the southeast for another three years, from the age of sixty to sixty-three.

He is a veteran.

Good fortune and disaster on the battlefield are unpredictable. How many years can he wait?

It is unknown which of Toungoo and Dongying will be the first to attack the enemy's capital and achieve the first solid achievement of destroying a country in the Taichang Dynasty!

(End of this chapter)