Jiajing Chengming

Chapter 261: To fight against smuggling, we must destroy it before we can build it!
"Your Majesty said so!"

"It is precisely because it takes extraordinary merchants to undertake the canal transport that Your Majesty is given the opportunity to show favor and this also provides a foundation for this reform."

"Zhang Fujing's imposition of currency tariffs was not a rash move, but an attempt to throw a stone first and create ripples."

"The transport ship capsized, and the transport troops suffered heavy losses. The technique of smuggling subsidies has completely lost its value!"

"As the saying goes, there is no construction without destruction. This is the right time to change from an official career to a business career."

"Because the transport troops will face the situation of either being hired by someone trusted by Your Majesty to transport grain and do business together, or being punished for poor grain transport performance."

"The former can keep an income, but the latter will lose both money and life."

Wang Qiong replied.

then.

Wang Qiong then said, "Your Majesty, the cabinet also thinks that we can take this opportunity to implement the policy in Nanzhi, allowing the payment of taxes and labor service in silver dollars, and use the collected silver dollars as money to buy grain."

"If we implement the One Whip policy in Nanzhi, will there be enough silver dollars in circulation?"

Zhu Houcong asked.

Fei Hong replied on behalf of Wang Qiong: "It's enough. Nanzhi is rich, and there are many workers and businessmen. A large amount of silver dollars flow into the local area. It is more convenient to let them pay in silver dollars than to let them pay in kind!"

"Then we will limit the implementation to Nanzhi only, and the rest of the places will still be allowed to pay in kind."

"Although I also want silver dollars and copper coins to become the only means of collecting taxes and labor service as soon as possible, in many places, it is more convenient for the people to collect taxes in kind. Therefore, for other places, let the governors and governors decide based on the actual situation of each place."

Zhu Houcong said.

Fei Hong replied: "Your Majesty is right!"

He had to admit that the emperor was still cautious and really took the interests of the people very seriously, not just caring about national interests.

Zhu Houcong continued, "I think that after the problem of smuggling is solved, the problem of striking the market to resist the increase in currency and tariffs may not be solved."

"Your Majesty is right. It has never been easy to make the rich pay back their profits."

"Fortunately, your majesty is wise and has allowed the uncles of the two countries to open money houses in the south to lend money. In this way, although the wealthy families are unwilling to give up their profits and continue to strike, ordinary merchants will probably be willing to take advantage of the increase in low-interest loans and profit from the transportation of goods from north to south."

"It's just that the court has to ensure peace in the area and smooth trade routes."

Wang Qiong continued at this time.

Zhu Houcong nodded after hearing this: "It is the responsibility of the court to ensure local peace and smooth trade routes; in addition, it is also the responsibility of the court to stabilize prices!"

"So, I think that if the strike continues, and the wealthy families would rather not make the profits from the business coming from the south and the north, then the officials and merchants of the court will take over!"

Fei Hong, Wang Qiong and Wang Yangming couldn't help but look up at Zhu Houcong.

Zhu Houcong also glanced at them and continued, "The court still collects a lot of in-kind taxes, such as grain, cloth, pepper and sumac, so it still has the ability to stabilize prices. It just needs to set up a special place to sell these goods."

"Then set up a government-run store! It will sell all kinds of goods stored in warehouses approved by me, so as to achieve the goal of stabilizing prices."

"This store is called the Supply and Marketing Store. The main store is still directly managed by the cabinet. It purchases from various departments and warehouses of the court according to the situation of each store, and can also purchase from the private sector."

After Zhu Houcong said this, Fei Hong hurriedly said: "Your Majesty, once these government-run shops appear, I am afraid that they will breed more corrupt people, such as selling inferior goods as good ones and causing serious losses. This will not only damage the business ethics, but also seriously embezzle the national treasury!"

"Your Majesty, please think twice!"

As Fei Hong spoke, he bowed his hands to show that the disadvantages he mentioned should not be taken lightly.

"I know!"

"But now, whether the government will advance and the people will retreat, or the people will advance and the government will retreat, the decision is not in my hands, but in the hands of the powerful officials and gentry."

"If they can accept the new currency tariff and do not strike, then this supply and marketing shop will be useless. I will let them participate in the competition and not let them monopolize the market."

"But if they refuse to accept the currency tariff and insist on closing the market to force the court to compromise, then the only option is for the government-run shops to take the lead! Then they can sell goods and grain to the people, play the role of commerce, and let the silver dollars circulate among the various government offices first."

"As for the worsening of corruption after doing this, we can only learn from Taizu and crack down on corruption severely!"

"In short, whether to rule strictly or leniently is not what I want. It depends on whether the powerful and wealthy people in the world have any consideration for the court and the people of the world."

When Zhu Houcong said this, he looked at Fei Hong and other ministers:
"Do you think I am willing to rule alone? Am I willing to take charge of all the affairs of the world? Are you afraid of giving up power to the local authorities?"

"If only the powerful and wealthy could manage their own little piece of land well and not let the land be starved to death and refugees everywhere, I would not want to worry so much and tire myself to death!"

"Governing by doing nothing, the way of Huang Lao, I also want to emulate it!"

"But the fact is that in places where the imperial power cannot reach, internal strife is even more serious. Even in one township, several villages may fight over water, resulting in thousands of deaths!"

Zhu Houcong then looked at the three ministers and said, "Is that right?"

"Your Majesty, I understand what you are saying very well. During my time in Nangan, I discovered that the indiscriminate use of force to distinguish between civilians and bandits was very serious!"

"It is very common for many people to be civilians in their own villages and become bandits in other villages. Therefore, I request that the Baojia system be implemented so that the government can manage the village and below, so that the bandits can kill the people and increase their numbers."

Wang Yangming then talked about his own practical experience.

Zhu Houcong nodded and looked at Wang Yangming: "Since the Grand Chancellor has personally been there, do you know why it is like this?"

"In my humble opinion, it is because the people are not rich."

"For example, Your Majesty said that people fought over water because if they didn't fight, the whole village would starve." "If the people are rich, they will know etiquette and love benevolence! But it is more difficult to make the people rich than to make the country rich. The current increase in currency tariffs and exemption of bamboo and wood taxes is to reduce the burden on the people and ensure that the country has enough money, which leads to such difficulties."

Wang Yangming replied.

Zhu Houcong knew what Wang Yangming meant: the Ming people had too few resources per capita, which was the root cause of the mutual harm and fighting among the lower classes, and even serious infighting among the ruling class.

But the per capita resources are too few...

First, there are problems with allocation;
Second, productivity has not made significant progress for a long time;

Third, Chinese civilization no longer has the motivation to develop new resources abroad.

In Zhu Houcong's view, it was very good that Wang Yangming, as a scholar-official of that era, could realize that the lack of wealth among the people led to the lack of a realistic basis for decentralization.

even……

It’s even better that Wang Yangming is willing to admit it!

Because many scholars and officials of this era often choose to play blind and act like ostriches out of selfish motives.

Therefore, Zhu Houcong smiled happily after Wang Yangming said this and said, "The Grand Chancellor is right. As the Son of Heaven, I do not seek other great achievements, but only three things: enriching the people, enriching the people, and enriching the people! As long as it can enrich the people, any means can be used!"

As soon as Zhu Houcong said this, Fei Hong's face changed suddenly.

Zhu Houcong noticed Fei Hong's expression and asked, "Does the Prime Minister have anything to say?"

"Since Your Majesty says so, I ask you to open the sea. Only in this way can the people be enriched!"

Fei Hong bowed and said.

Wang Qiong glanced at Fei Hong with an unhappy look, and then said:

"Your Majesty, I also believe that opening the sea can enrich the people, but before opening the sea, we need to strengthen the ban on the sea first!"

"How?"

Zhu Houcong asked with a smile.

Wang Qiong said: "Because the demands of the rich and powerful and the common people are different, the common people hope to open the sea like they hope for rain, while the rich and powerful mostly advocate closing the sea. Even the rich and powerful along the coast want to close the sea and monopolize maritime trade!"

"So, if we want to successfully open the sea, we need the wealthy and powerful to support it. Only in this way can we achieve unity between the upper and lower classes and make opening the sea a common call from both sides!"

"And if we want the wealthy and powerful to support opening the sea, we naturally have to let them know that closing the sea is not good for them either."

Zhu Houcong looked at Wang Yangming and said, "Wang Yangming, you are from a prominent family in Zhejiang. Tell me, is what Lord Wang said reasonable?"

"Your Majesty, just as Lord Wang said, the small families in my hometown hope that the imperial government will open the sea, so that they don't have to worry about the government treating them as bandits and exploiting them wantonly after they go out to sea!"

"And the wealthy families naturally hope that the imperial court will ban the sea, so that the people who want to go to sea can only rely on their protection, so that the wealthy families can sit back and reap the benefits."

"So, if the imperial court wants to successfully open the sea, it really needs to first crack down on smuggling in the name of strengthening the sea ban, so that the Fujian and Zhejiang tycoons will find that the sea ban is not good for them, so that they will have to call on the imperial court to open the sea."

"Fortunately, your majesty is wise and has built many warships in the name of dealing with the threat from the Portuguese. This has created the conditions to severely crack down on smuggling in the name of a sea ban!"

Wang Yangming thought about it and replied.

Zhu Houcong stood up and asked, "I have done some statistics, and officials from Nanzhi, Huguang and other places all requested to strengthen the maritime ban, right?"

"Back to Your Majesty, yes!"

Fei Hong replied at this time.

Zhu Houcong said: "In that case, let's follow their wishes. When they come to us to ask for strengthening the maritime ban, we should praise them and accept their proposals! We should select more officials who advocate strengthening the maritime ban to serve in coastal areas."

Fei Hong and Wang Yangming nodded in agreement.

then.

Zhu Houcong looked at Wang Yangming again and said, "The Grand Chancellor has recently submitted a petition to ask for leave to take care of his sick father, right?"

"That is what I meant."

"I beg Your Majesty to grant me the grace to return home and fulfill my filial duties."

Wang Yangming bowed his head to the ground.

Zhu Houcong waved his hand and said, "Then I approve it!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Even though this was a tacit understanding reached long ago between Wang Yangming and Zhu Houcong, Wang Yangming still couldn't help but shed tears at this moment.

"I also know that you still want to give lectures. It just so happens that after you return home, you can take advantage of the period when the court is strengthening the maritime ban and use the opportunity of giving lectures to advocate for opening the sea. In addition, you can recommend one of your followers to be the envoy for observing customs and rectifying social practices in Zhejiang, and have him help you fight against the officials in Zhejiang who are ordered to strengthen the maritime ban!"

Zhu Houcong continued to give instructions.

"The minister obeys the order!"

Zhu Houcong couldn't help laughing when he thought about having to support the maritime ban while instigating the open-sea faction to cause trouble, leading a complicated drama of true and false things.

But this is also a last resort. China is too big and people's hearts are different. Those who hold the highest power sometimes have to manipulate people's hearts. They have to be like a scumbag, using and abandoning the ban-the-sea faction and the open-the-sea faction from time to time, in order to bring about the real situation they want to see.

(End of this chapter)