Take control of Wei Zhongxian at the start and confiscate 100 million from him!

Chapter 286 It seems that during my trip south, I still didn't kill enough people.
Nanjing is like a giant steamer forgotten by the Heavenly Emperor, with every inch of air filled with heavy, sticky, and humid heat.

The scorching heatwave baked the golden tiles and vermilion walls of the imperial city, even distorting the light and giving it an unreal, swaying appearance.

However, the Wenhua Hall is a completely different world.

At the four corners of the palace stood several enormous cloisonné ice chests, filled with top-quality winter ice taken from the ice cellar. Wisps of cool air wafted out, isolating the palace from the sweltering heat and noise outside.

On his throne, the emperor was looking down as he reviewed the mountain of memorials piled up on his desk.

Beneath the imperial desk, several senior officials, including Bi Ziyan and Wen Tiren, stood by his side, all dressed in neat and immaculate official robes.

Despite the ice-covered chambers cooling the room, fine beads of sweat still appeared on everyone's foreheads under the invisible imperial aura.

Zheng Zhilong was also granted special permission to attend the hearing today. He stood at the end of the group of officials, his tall figure standing out from the other civil officials. However, he dared not make the slightest move, keeping his eyes down and trying his best to look like a true official of the court.

At this moment, they were discussing a grand strategy strongly advocated by the emperor—to reshape the trade routes of the Ming Dynasty.

Its core purpose was not to completely abandon the canal transport system that had been in operation for a century, but to break its monopoly and implement a "three-way parallel" strategy.

That is, while continuing to utilize and regulate the canal transport system, we will vigorously support the development of two new trade routes, namely land and sea routes, to form a new pattern in which the three routes advance in parallel, complement each other, and check and balance each other.

"Your Majesty, I believe that the strategy of 'three parallel approaches' is far-sighted and truly a grand plan for strengthening the country and enriching the people."

Bi Ziyan stepped forward first, bowing, but as he changed the subject, the worry on his face not only did not lessen, but instead became even more solemn.

"However, I believe that this policy is an unprecedented reform since the founding of the nation, and its impact will be far-reaching. It involves the prefectures, garrisons, merchants, and people's livelihoods along the way, with countless complex and intertwined issues. Your Majesty is wise. The previous purge of Jiangnan and confiscation of traitorous property have indeed greatly enriched the national treasury. However, this huge sum of money is the lifeblood of the empire for decades to come. Rather than suddenly rolling it out across the board, it would be better to conduct a pilot survey first."

The former prime minister's voice was calm and earnest, and every word conveyed his careful consideration of managing the country's finances.

"For example, we could first select one or two sea routes with the greatest profits and the fewest risks, or a key land route with the most convenient transportation and the fewest passes, and have the imperial court invest in it on a small scale to understand the key points, costs, and actual benefits. Once the plan is mature and the advantages and disadvantages are clear, we can then steadily promote it throughout the country. This way, we may achieve twice the result with half the effort, and we can also avoid the waste of national funds and the risk of instability caused by improper implementation."

Bi Ziyan's words were not simply a cry of poverty and opposition, but rather a set of practical and feasible policies to be steadily implemented.

He acknowledged the emperor's wealth and approved of the grand goals of the new policies, but he advocated for pursuing the most secure success with minimal risk.

Zhu Youjian did not stop writing with his vermilion brush, but the tip of the brush paused on the paper, leaving a tiny ink dot.

He didn't immediately refute, but asked in an almost whispered voice, "Minister Bi, how long do you think the pilot survey will take? A year, or three to five years?"

Before Bi Ziyan could answer, Zhu Youjian put down his vermilion brush and slowly raised his head.

"Since my ascension to the throne, the palace's expenditures have been reduced again and again, and the imperial treasury is almost depleted. Now, squeezing some silver from those parasites of the state is not to let it continue to rust in the national treasury, nor is it to make you, my beloved ministers, spend three to five years figuring out the tricks of the trade!"

The emperor's voice became agitated.

"The military situation in Liaodong is getting more urgent every day; the number of refugees in the Northwest is increasing day by day! I don't have time to wait three to five years for a perfect solution! What I'm asking is not how to save money, but why the wealth of the world cannot be used for the benefit of the world immediately?"

The barrage of questions, like a sudden storm, seemed to freeze the air in the entire Wenhua Hall.

Bi Ziyan opened his mouth, but couldn't utter a single word; cold sweat poured down his forehead.

The emperor didn't want stability, he wanted speed! He wanted to break through this stagnant pool with overwhelming force!
Seeing the atmosphere thicken again, Wen Tiren quickly stepped forward, attempting to smooth things over: "Your Majesty, please calm down. What Grand Secretary Bi said was out of loyalty to the country, but Your Majesty's concerns are more about the urgent needs of the people. I believe that reforming the canal transport system and opening up new sea and land routes can be done in parallel, without delaying each other..."

Zhu Youjian had no desire to listen to these court intrigues anymore. He raised his eyes, his gaze passing over the two senior cabinet ministers, and landing directly on Zheng Zhilong at the end of the hall.

Suddenly, a young eunuch hurried into the hall and knelt on the ground:
"Your Majesty, Li Chaoqin, the chief of the Eastern Depot, requests an audience outside the palace. He says he has an urgent secret report that he must present to Your Majesty in person."

Zhu Youjian's gaze returned to the memorials on his desk, as if the conversation and the eunuch's report were nothing more than a passing breeze from outside the window.

Without even raising his head, he wrote the final comment on the memorial with his vermilion brush, then uttered a single word in a low voice:

"Xuan."

Li Chaoqin, dressed in a flying fish robe, walked from the blazing sun outside the palace into the cool shade inside, his steps steady as a mountain.

Without looking to the side, he walked straight to the imperial desk, lifted his robe, knelt down, and performed the grand ceremony of three kneelings and nine kowtows.

"Li Chaoqin, the Chief of the Eastern Depot, pays his respects to Your Majesty. Long live the Emperor!"

"Rise." Zhu Youjian's voice remained calm. He put down his vermilion brush but did not look at Li Chaoqin. Instead, he picked up a glass of chilled plum juice and stirred it gently with a silver spoon, making a series of crisp tinkling sounds.

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Li Chaoqin stood up, but his body remained slightly bowed.

He took out a memorial from his robes, raised it above his head with both hands, and said, “Your Majesty, I have been ordered by Your Majesty to thoroughly investigate the long-standing abuses in the Grand Canal transport system. For several months, I have been able to fulfill my mission. All the evidence is here. This matter concerns the foundation of the nation, and I dare not act on my own initiative. Therefore, I have come to request Your Majesty’s review.”

Zhu Youjian finally shifted his gaze from the cup to Li Chaoqin's face.

Li Chaoqin met that gaze calmly, his eyes clear and firm. Sweat streamed down his temples, but he remained unmoved.

Zhu Youjian slowly said, "Bring it here."

Two eunuchs immediately stepped forward, took the memorial and the heavy sealed boxes from Li Chaoqin's hands, and placed them directly on the side of the imperial desk.

"Open."

Following the emperor's brief command, Li Chaoqin stepped forward, took out the key, and opened the secret boxes one by one. Without saying a word, he simply took out the most important pieces of evidence and presented them to the emperor for his perusal—the regulations concerning the losses incurred in transporting grain, a public register recording the distribution of spoils, and a forged document detailing the imperial treasury's procurement.

After doing all this, Li Chaoqin took a step back, knelt down again, and remained silent, as if he had turned into a stone statue.

He knew that from this moment on, his mission was complete, and all that remained was to await the judgment of the ruler on the dragon throne.

The real storm will brew in the silence.

The hall was deathly silent. The noisy cicadas outside sounded like a prelude to an impending massacre.

Bi Ziyan and Wen Tiren exchanged a glance, both seeing surprise and doubt in each other's eyes.

They knew the Eastern Depot was investigating a case under a secret imperial edict, but they hadn't expected such a large-scale operation.

Zheng Zhilong dared not utter a sound. Although he was unfamiliar with the rules of the imperial court, he was well aware of the dangers of the martial world.

A case that the Eastern Depot described as "concerning the foundation of the nation" would, once ignited, be no less powerful than the most violent storm he had ever seen at sea.

Zhu Youjian finally put down the plum juice in his hand.

He reached out and picked up the book, "Regulations on the Deduction of Costs in the Transportation of Grain".

The emperor turned the pages of the book and read very quickly, almost ten lines at a glance.

The only sound the officials in the hall could hear was the rustling of pages turning; there was no other noise. The emperor's face was expressionless, as calm as a block of ice placed in the corner of the hall.

Only his left fingertips, resting on the imperial desk, rhythmically tapped lightly on the sandalwood tabletop.

When Zhu Youjian turned to the attachment of the file and saw the memorial submitted by the local Jinyiwei commander, requesting the court to "appropriately increase" the quota for waste, his fingers tapping the table suddenly paused.

It was only a pause of half a breath.

Zhu Youjian casually put the file aside and picked up the second one, the gold-embossed "Public Middle School" roster.

This is a list of the dead.

From the Grand Canal Transport Commissioner to the commanders of the garrisons, prefects, and magistrates along the route, and even the commanders of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the heads of the Eastern Depot who were supposed to be the eyes and ears of the imperial court... one familiar or unfamiliar name after another, one shocking sum of silver after another, all together form a vast web of crimes covering the entire Grand Canal.

Zheng Zhilong's back was completely soaked with cold sweat.

He was all too aware of the intricate relationship between the Grand Canal and the sea transport. After smuggled goods were shipped ashore, they could only be distributed to the inland areas through the Grand Canal, this vital artery.

He muttered to himself, "It's over." Once this fire starts in the canal transport, it will inevitably spread to the sea.

Canal gangs, salt smugglers, river bandits... which of his so-called old friends wasn't involved in the canal transport?
The Zheng family had just gotten ashore and hadn't even settled down yet, and now they were already in deep trouble... they probably couldn't avoid it!
Zhu You's gaze remained unwavering as he flipped through the register, as if he were looking at an ordinary official's resume from the Ministry of Personnel.

Those names that would terrify any subject seemed to him to be nothing more than a string of cold symbols.

Finally, he picked up the forged official document that claimed to be "procurement for the imperial treasury by imperial decree".

This was the most blatant provocation and desecration against him personally and against imperial power.

He held the document up to his eyes, and, facing the bright, glaring sunlight streaming through the window, carefully examined the forged vermilion seal on it.

After a moment, he gently put the document down.

At this point, all three case files had been reviewed.

A suffocating silence fell over the Wenhua Hall.

Everyone held their breath, completely unable to fathom the turbulent undercurrents hidden beneath that calm and composed imperial countenance.

This young emperor's heart was more unfathomable than the Yangtze River outside Nanjing.

a long time.

Zhu Youjian slowly opened his mouth. His voice carried a hint of the languor of a summer afternoon, yet it was like a cold current that instantly pierced through the entire hall and clearly reached everyone's ears.

"interesting."

He picked up the "Regulations on Expenses and Losses," then pointed to the "Public Institutions" register, and finally his gaze fell on the forged official document.

"Using my methods to undermine my staff. You've learned them quite quickly."

There was no shock, no anger, and no heartache. This comment was like evaluating an opponent whose chess skills were decent but whose moves had been figured out.

Zhu Youjian turned his head and looked at the bright, somewhat dazzling sunlight outside the palace. His gaze was distant, as if he had pierced through time and space and seen mountains of corpses and seas of blood.

He seemed to be talking to himself, yet also as if addressing everyone in the hall:
"It seems that I didn't kill enough people on this trip south."

There are always some people who remember the good times but not the bad ones.

(End of this chapter)