The Ming Dynasty: The opening scene features Zhu Di angrily accusing him of illegitimate succession.

Chapter 90: The same old story applies; the Japanese pirates must be defeated.

Ma Zhen was so enraged by Lin Yue's impassioned rebuttal that he blushed and his lips moved for a long time, but he couldn't find a single word to refute her. He could only stand frozen in the hall.

Zhu Di sat on the dragon throne, observing all of this, and pondered to himself.

Lin Yue's words are sharp. If I let him continue, it might involve the root of the tributary issue, and in the end, it will inevitably fall on my head.

Those records of the imperial survey and the tribute payment system—which of these wasn't something I wanted to implement? Going on about this matter only adds to the trouble.

Emperor Yongle cleared his throat and said in a deep voice, "I am already aware of this matter."

It was merely an accidental conflict between foreign envoys and court officials in the marketplace; the details of the incident are too complex to determine at this time.

Before he could finish speaking, Lin Yue said urgently, "Your Majesty! This concerns a matter of great importance to the nation..."

2

"Enough talk." Zhu Di raised his hand to interrupt him. "The Court of State Ceremonial shall immediately go to the Imperial Guard prison and release all those people."

Since the Jurchen envoys came to pay tribute, the Court of State Ceremonial (Honglu Temple) properly housed them in the Huitong Hall according to regulations, where they were taught etiquette and their speech and behavior were disciplined.

He glanced at the officials in the hall and continued, "As for whether anyone violated the laws of the Great Ming Dynasty in this matter, whether it was the foreign envoy causing trouble or the court officials going too far, it should be handed over to the Yingtian Prefecture for impartial investigation and dealt with according to the law. There is no need to bring it up in the court for endless debate."

Ma Zhen, a censor, seemed somewhat dissatisfied with the outcome and wanted to speak, but when Zhu Di gave him a sharp look, he bowed and retreated.

Seeing this, Zhu Di no longer hesitated. With a wave of his hand, he said in a deep voice, "All matters are settled. Court is adjourned!"

The officials bowed in turn, watched Zhu Di leave, and then orderly withdrew from the hall.

Seeing this, Lin Yue was in no hurry to argue and followed the crowd out of Fengtian Hall.

The Jurchens in Liaodong are in a mess. Wait until he goes on a mission to Korea, then see if he goes to Liaodong to deal with you.

After leaving the palace, Lin Yue originally intended to head towards the shipyard.

Recently, there has been considerable progress in the improvement of hydraulic lathes, and he is eager to see the new cutting precision, which is much more interesting than the dogfights in the imperial court.

If the shipyard continues to develop at the same pace, he wouldn't even dare to imagine that the Ming Dynasty would reach such a level of technology.

Just as they reached the intersection of Chang'an Street, an elegant carriage with ebony shafts and a green felt roof suddenly stopped in front of them.

The carriage curtain was gently lifted by a servant, and Li Jinglong, dressed in a brocade robe with gold thread and a jade belt around his waist, poked his head out with a warm smile on his face.

"Scholar Lin, please wait! I have prepared some wine and would like to invite you for a drink and a chat. Would you do me the honor?"

Lin Yue's brows furrowed suddenly. Li Jinglong? What did this war god of the Ming Dynasty want with him?

Lin Yue was reluctant to go and immediately refused in a deep voice, "No need."

Li Jinglong seemed somewhat bewildered, as if he hadn't expected to be rejected so decisively.

He tried to speak and continue the invitation, but Lin Yue interrupted him directly and reprimanded him sternly.

"Li Jinglong, as the Duke of Cao of the Great Ming Dynasty, you are ranked first among the nobles. Do you not know the old system of the Taizu Emperor?"

The nobles are forbidden from forming private relationships with court officials!

The "Treachery and Corruption" section of the Great Ming Code clearly states that any official who forms cliques and disrupts the administration of the court shall be executed.

You openly intercepted court officials on Chang'an Avenue and invited them to a private banquet. Do you disregard the laws of the land?

"Scholar, please calm down." Li Jinglong quickly waved his hand. "This was personally ordered by His Majesty. He said it was related to the glass factory's business and also to select a few beautiful maids for Scholar Lin to take care of his daily life."

Was this arranged by Zhu Di? Were beautiful maids attending to her daily needs?

Upon hearing this, the fierce look on Lin Yue's face vanished instantly.

He abruptly stopped talking, his brows relaxed, and his face instantly filled with a warm smile, as if his stern reprimand from just moments before had never happened.

Lin Yue quickly stepped forward and turned around to criticize Li Jinglong.

"So it was His Majesty's decree! Why didn't you say so sooner, Duke Cao? I had misunderstood!"

Since His Majesty has given the order, it is an official matter, not a personal one, so we should naturally obey.

I apologize for any offense I may have caused, and hope that Duke Cao will not take offense.

Li Jinglong was somewhat helpless at this 180-degree change in attitude. It took him a while to come to his senses, and he shook his head and smiled bitterly.

"Scholar Lin speaks frankly and directly. It was I who failed to explain the reason clearly, which led to the misunderstanding."

He stepped aside to make way for the carriage door and invited Lin to get in.

"Sir, please get in the car. We'll talk on the way."

Lin Yue didn't refuse, and laughed heartily, "Alright! I'll trouble Duke Cao to lead the way!"

The carriage traveled for a short while before arriving at Zuixianlou, Nanjing's most famous restaurant.

This building is the first of the sixteen buildings, with a high base and double eaves, carved beams and painted rafters. It is frequented by high-ranking officials and nobles and is extremely prosperous.

The two ascended the steps and were led to a private room on the top floor. Li Jinglong clapped his hands, and immediately four glamorous women entered in single file, each carrying a musical instrument, and bowed respectfully.

Lin Yue raised his eyes and swept them over the maids, scrutinizing them from head to toe with a sharp gaze.

Although the women had regular features and were considered fairly good-looking, they were all slender and weak, with waists that seemed to break at the slightest touch and shoulders that were thin and frail. They walked with a graceful and unsteady gait.

Such a frail and thin physique might be liked by some, but it's definitely not Lin Yue's type.

He couldn't help but shake his head. These people were all heavily made up and pretentious. How could they compare to Kuai Siyao's refined elegance, competence, and upright character?

"Alright, let all of you leave." Lin Yue waved his hand. "There's no need for you to serve me. I have important matters to discuss with the Duke of Cao."

Upon hearing this, the maids looked at Li Jinglong. Seeing him nod, they curtsied and quietly withdrew.

Lin Yue turned to Li Jinglong and asked bluntly, "Duke Cao, His Majesty sent you to see me, presumably regarding the shares in the glass factory?"

Upon hearing this, Li Jinglong nodded repeatedly.

"Scholar Lin is indeed wise. This glass factory is now famous. Its glassware is crystal clear and even the palace praises it highly. It is indeed a very profitable business."

His Majesty has instructed me to fully cooperate with you, but I don't know how to proceed.

"This is not difficult." Lin Yue picked up his teacup and took a small sip.

"Duke Cao has cultivated his influence in the court for many years and has extensive connections. From dukes and nobles to wealthy merchants, who does not know the Duke's name?"

"All you need to do is mention the glass factory to everyone you meet, saying that orders are pouring in, with wealthy businessmen scrambling to buy it, and that it will be of great use in the future. Ask them if they are interested in investing in the factory to expand operations and share the profits."

Upon hearing this, Li Jinglong nodded and said, "It's a small matter! I just wonder, how do you plan to sell the shares of this glass factory?"

Lin Yue pondered for a moment and said, "Let's tentatively set the price at one thousand shares, with each share priced at one thousand taels of silver."

"What?" Li Jinglong was greatly surprised. "One thousand taels per share? Isn't that too expensive?"

"One thousand taels per share, and one thousand shares in total, that's a million taels of silver. I'm afraid few people will be interested, right?"

Lin Yue smiled gently: "Duke Cao is unaware of this."

His Majesty has recently decided to renovate the Nanjing Imperial Palace, replacing all the windows of the palaces with transparent glass from a glass factory, creating a magnificent palace of glass.

Once this glass became exclusively supplied to the royal family, its value naturally changed.

Furthermore, the production and sales of telescopes and microscopes will all fall under the glass factory's control in the future, promising unlimited profits. At a price of one thousand taels per share, it is truly excellent value for money.

Li Jinglong suddenly realized that it was a tribute to the emperor, which made sense.

He nodded hastily, "That makes sense! That makes sense! Your Majesty is wise, and Scholar Lin's insight is brilliant!"

Regardless of whether it's reasonable or not, as long as His Majesty is selling shares, even at ten thousand taels per share, there will be plenty of people eager to buy them. I just need to do as he says, why bother thinking about it?

The two then discussed the details of the share sale, with Lin explaining the points to note one by one.

Seeing that it was getting late, Lin Yuewen stood up and said, "Duke Cao, I'll trouble you to take care of the shareholding matter."

"I have some minor matters to report to Your Majesty, so I must take my leave now."

Li Jinglong quickly rose to see him off, saying, "Please take care, Scholar. I will handle everything. I will certainly not fail His Majesty and you, Scholar, in your trust!"

Lin Yue nodded in acknowledgment, turned around and strode out of Zuixianlou, heading straight towards the palace.

It's true that the women in the restaurant are common and vulgar, but they've certainly piqued his interest. Today, he needs to find a way to deliver the microscope to the pharmacist.

Upon arriving outside the Wenhua Hall, the eunuchs had already given the order, and Zhu Di's voice came from inside the hall: "Lin Yue, come in."

"9

Lin Yue straightened his court robes, climbed the steps, and stepped into the hall.

"Your subject, Lin Yue, has an audience with Your Majesty."

Zhu Di was sitting behind his desk, holding a vermilion brush and reviewing memorials. A thick stack of documents was piled on the desk.

"Rise," Zhu Di said without raising his head, his brush still moving. "Take a seat."

The eunuch brought over a chair, and Lin Yue sat down without any hesitation.

He cleared his throat and began to report on his work progress.

"Your Majesty, I have come today to report good news: I have helped Your Majesty earn one million taels of silver!"

Zhu Di paused slightly as he dipped his hand in ink, glanced at him, and then lowered his head to review the document.

This kid is exaggerating again. Lin Yue is always one to boast, exaggerating a small danger into a hundred, and it's perfectly reasonable for him to brag about his achievements.

Emperor Yongle asked, "Oh? How did you earn a million taels of silver? Tell me about it."

"9

Lin Yue didn't care whether Zhu Di looked up or not, and spoke in a loud voice.

"Your Majesty, Liulichang plans to issue 1,000 shares, each priced at 1,000 taels, for a total of 1 million taels."

Now, thanks to Li Jinglong's efforts, nobles and dignitaries in the capital are vying to inquire about it, and within ten days, this million taels of silver will be deposited into the imperial treasury.

Zhu Di neither agreed nor disagreed, but simply nodded.

"I am already aware of this matter. I trust you to handle it."

Emperor Yongle pressed further, "You came to the palace today not just to discuss this matter, but also for other things. Please tell me everything."

Lin Yue's expression turned serious: "Your Majesty is wise! I have another matter to discuss, which concerns the eternal stability of the Ming Dynasty."

Japanese pirates raided the coastal areas of Jiangnan, burning, killing, and looting, causing widespread suffering. Barbarians from Liaodong also frequently invaded the border, plundering people and livestock.

If these two traitors are not eliminated, the Ming Dynasty will not be at peace!

Your Majesty should immediately issue an edict to launch an expedition to Japan and wipe out the stronghold of the Japanese pirates!

"Send troops to Liaodong again, wipe them out, and secure Liaodong!"

Zhu Di finally stopped writing with his vermilion brush and looked at Lin Yue.

He wasn't sure if it was just his imagination, but he always felt that Lin Yue seemed to have a strong hostility towards the Japanese pirates and the Jurchens of Liaodong.

However, Zhu Di did not delve into the matter further, and slowly leaned back in his chair, saying...

"How could I not know of the threat posed by the Japanese pirates? Along the coast of eastern Zhejiang, fields and houses have been destroyed, children and sons have been abducted, and the people are suffering terribly. I am worried about this day and night."

He paused, then said, "However, in the past, Emperor Yuan Shizu twice invaded Japan, and both times his army was overthrown by divine winds, with 100,000 soldiers perishing in the belly of fish. This is a lesson from the past, and we must give it more consideration."

Upon hearing this, Lin Yue immediately stood up, cupped his hands, and said loudly, "Your Majesty! The defeat of the former Yuan Dynasty was by no means the fault of Shenfeng."

"It's simply because they're unfamiliar with hydrology and lack education; they chose the wrong time to set out!"

Lin Yue was not reserved at all. He strode directly to the imperial desk, picked up the vermilion brush on the desk, and quickly drew a simple diagram.

"Your Majesty, please look. From April to July each year, the southeast monsoon prevails in the waters between our Great Ming and the Japanese pirates, and the ocean currents are calm. After August, typhoons occur frequently, and huge waves rise high."

The Yuan army launched two campaigns, both in August and September; how could they not be defeated?

Lin Yue continued, “Your Majesty, since its construction began, the Great Ming Shipyard has become a massive structure covering thousands of acres with thirteen dikes. Thirty thousand craftsmen are working day and night, and their skill in segmented shipbuilding is extremely advanced.”

The hull is disassembled into hundreds of standard components, which are then built by specialized shipbuilding teams and joined together using mortise and tenon joints, resulting in extremely high efficiency.

Take that treasure ship, for example. Its rudder alone is over ten zhang long, and the ship itself is forty or fifty zhang long. How could those small boats and vessels of the former Yuan Dynasty possibly match its size?

"And the firearms of our Great Ming Dynasty are even more unstoppable!"

During the Hongwu era, it was stipulated that each seagoing ship should be equipped with four bowl-shaped cannons and twenty firearms. Now, with the construction of ships at the Baoshang Shipyard, even more hand-held cannons and divine arrows have been added. The bronze-cast cannons are resistant to high pressure, and when loaded with gunpowder, they are extremely powerful, far surpassing the former Yuan navy!

The Japanese pirates' navy consisted mostly of small, coastal sampans with flimsy ships and inferior weaponry. When our great Ming ships arrived, they would fire cannons and ram the ships with their hulls. How could they possibly withstand that?

The defeat of the previous Yuan dynasty was partly due to the typhoon, but the real reason was that the boat was small, the boat was not skilled, and the crew was unfamiliar with the sea conditions!

The wreckage of the ships had keel rivets that were too densely packed, and even if riverboats were forced to go to sea, they would not last long without a strong wind!

"Our Great Ming Dynasty possesses such massive ships, ingenious techniques, and powerful weapons; now is the perfect time to quell the Japanese pirates and intimidate Liaodong!"

Lin Yue became more and more passionate as he spoke, spreading his arms wide and gesturing wildly.

"Your Majesty has made great efforts to quell the floods in Jiangnan. The people of Jiangnan have already built a shrine in Your Majesty's honor and offer sacrifices to you in all four seasons. If Your Majesty were to lead your troops eastward now, you could defeat the Japanese pirates in one battle and pacify Japan."

This is a great achievement; when the time comes, which of the people of Jiangnan will dare to forget His Majesty's great kindness?

If Your Majesty achieves such merit, Your Majesty will surely rule with the grandeur of the Tang and Song dynasties, surpassing even the Han and Tang dynasties, becoming a great emperor for all time, and your name will be etched in history!

After discussing martial arts at length, Lin Yue paused and then mentioned some economic benefits.

"Moreover, I have heard that Japan has many gold mines, and the barbarian lands of Liaodong are rich in fine horses."

If we can seize all of it, the Ming Dynasty's treasury will be overflowing, and there will be no need to worry about border defense or construction projects.

Zhu Di stroked his beard, and a look of emotion gradually appeared in his eyes.

Emperor Yongle's greatest wish in life was to establish merits that were beyond reproach.

Lin Yue's words struck a chord with him.

Seeing that Zhu Di was interested, Lin Yue seized the opportunity and planned to encourage him from multiple directions and angles.

As long as he could find a way to fight Liaodong and the Japanese pirates, Zhu Di would do whatever he asked.

"Your Majesty, now that the Liulichang stock issue is settled, I have another suggestion: the Great Ming Treasure Notes."

Zhu Di raised his eyes: "Oh? There's also the matter of paper money?"

Lin Yue said, "Nowadays, people mostly use silver and copper coins for transactions, which makes large transactions extremely inconvenient."

Your Majesty, I believe that we should take advantage of the opportunity presented by the share offering in Liulichang to issue large-denomination silver notes, which will circulate alongside copper coins and silver.

He further explained: "The face value of the banknotes can be set at fifty taels, one hundred taels, or five hundred taels, and merchants can use them for holding shares and transactions."

It was convenient to carry and could also collect silver from the people to enrich the national treasury.

As a place exclusively supplied to the royal family, Liulichang used silver notes for stock transactions, which further demonstrated the authority of the silver notes and gained the trust of the people.

"To be frank, the credibility and system of paper money are already beyond repair. It would be better to start with banknotes and reorganize the Ming Dynasty's paper money system from scratch."

]>