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

After discussing the management methods of the paper money for a long time, Zhu Di had calmed down, while Lin Yue continued to spout off, somewhat losing his temper.

Lin Yue stared at Zhu Di and sneered: "Didn't Your Majesty say that there wasn't enough silver?"

"The Iwami Ginzan of Japan, so close yet so far, is invisible to His Majesty. Who can he blame but himself?"

Lin Yue exclaimed loudly, "The wealth of gold and silver in Japan is unparalleled in the world!"

They now refine silver using crude methods, and their annual tribute is only a few hundred strings of cash, barely enough to fund swords and other weapons.

If silver ore were refined using the lead-based method, the profit would be more than tenfold. A single mountain of mines could potentially yield 13,000 catties annually, benefiting the entire world!

Zhu Di frowned, clearly not believing it: "Waa, such a small island nation, where did so much silver come from? Is there any record of it?"

Lin Yue chuckled and spoke quickly: "In the fourth year of Hongwu, the King of Japan, Ryōkai, sent the monk Zu to pay tribute, including one hundred taels of gold dust and one thousand catties of sulfur."

According to Wang Dayuan's "A Brief Account of the Island Barbarians" from the Yuan Dynasty, Japan produces gold dust, and the mountains of Sado and Kai produce more than 10,000 taels of pure gold annually. Coastal merchants often exchanged silk and porcelain for this gold.

Furthermore, during the Hongwu era, smuggling merchants in Ningbo and Quanzhou brought back thousands of taels of gold dust and coarse silver from Japan every year.

"Japanese artisans have declined in skill and their techniques are inferior. Without large mineral deposits, how could they continue to export such large quantities of gold and silver?"

Zhu Di's brow twitched as he listened, still somewhat skeptical of Lin Yue's claim about the large silver mine in Japan.

There's been a lot of talk today, and Emperor Yongle lost interest after Lin Yue's repeated rants, so he waved his hand to interrupt him.

"Alright, I will verify what you have said."

He turned to Ji Gang and said in a deep voice.

"Take him back to his cell and keep him under strict guard. Don't let him cause any more trouble."

Lin Yue wanted to rant again, but was dragged inside by the Imperial Guards, and could only shout in frustration.

"Your Majesty, trust me. Japan's silver mountains are real. Even if we don't reform the currency system, we can still rob them."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Di rubbed his temples, sneered at his retreating figure, turned and left the prison, heading straight for Tianjie Temple.

......

The room was filled with the smoke of incense. Yao Guangxiao was sitting cross-legged in meditation. When he saw Emperor Yongle enter, he stood up and put his palms together in greeting.

"Greetings, Your Majesty."

Yao Guangxiao, whose Buddhist name was Daoyan, was a key planner of the Jingnan Campaign. He assisted Zhu Di in ascending the throne, was appointed Junior Tutor to the Crown Prince, and continued to uphold the monastic system. He supervised the compilation of the Yongle Encyclopedia and the Veritable Records of Emperor Taizu of Ming, and was an important minister in the Yongle reign.

"Daoyan, I have met a remarkable person today." Zhu Di sat down, shaking his head and chuckling.

"You've probably heard of Lin Yue, the Censor-in-Chief. He's the one who denounced me for three major crimes last time and then cursed the Taizu Emperor's Treasured Paper Law for harming the people."

Yao Guangxiao's eyes were calm, and his expression was indifferent: "I have heard a little about him. I have heard that this person acts eccentrically, yet he dares to speak frankly."

"He not only dared to speak frankly, he was practically a mad dog biting indiscriminately." Zhu Di chuckled self-deprecatingly. "However, despite his insults, his various suggestions were not entirely without merit."

For example, his proposed method of issuing paper money had merit, including setting up a guarantee deposit, establishing a special department to manage it, and recycling and replacing old paper money. He also said that he would open up the silver route to Japan to solve the problem of silver shortage...

Emperor Yongle succinctly relayed all of Lin Yue's advice to Yao Guangxiao.

Zhu Di paused, then asked, "Do you think the policy of establishing vassal states overseas is feasible? Does Japan really have as many gold and silver mines as he claims?"

Yao Guangxiao pondered for a while, but instead of answering directly, he first praised Lin Yue.

"As Your Majesty has said, these are all excellent solutions to save the world! The memorial on precious paper money is the key to solving the deep-seated problems of precious paper money. Lin Yue is truly a genius."

After a moment of contemplation, Yao Guangxiao slowly said, "But I think it is inappropriate to establish fiefdoms overseas."

Our dynasty has just been established, and the people need to recuperate and rebuild. The cost of establishing vassal states overseas is enormous, and being far away across oceans, it is difficult to control and may cause disaster.

I believe we should proceed with caution.

"As for Japan," Yao Guangxiao added, "there are records of its gold production as early as the Yuan Dynasty, and it often paid tribute with gold during the Hongwu period, so its mineral resources are probably real."

The Japanese pirates appear from time to time, but they are nothing more than a minor ailment. I believe that Japan is a country that can be guarded against but not attacked.

If Your Majesty rashly raises an army for gold and silver, or forcibly establishes fiefdoms, you risk bringing trouble upon yourself. It would be far more prudent to send officials to trade for silver.

Zhu Di nodded: "That's fine too. It'll be a good opportunity to test whether Japan has any gold or silver."

According to Daoyan, how should the reform of the paper money be handled?

"The reform of the paper money is imperative." Yao Guangxiao's eyes flashed with a sharp light. "Although Lin Yue, such a genius, has a bad temper and acts rashly, his outstanding talent is his advantage."

Such a person should be treated with leniency by Your Majesty and given an important position. If he can be properly trained, he will surely become a pillar of society.

It would be better to transfer him to the position of Supervising Secretary in the Ministry of Revenue, specifically to handle matters related to paper money regulations.

Upon hearing this, Zhu Di put down his teacup, thought for a moment, and said, "But I have already appointed him to assist in the construction of the treasure shipyard and to be in charge of the construction of seagoing vessels."

He gazed out the window, his tone thoughtful.

"This madman is highly skilled but prickly, and his temper is absolutely foul. How to use him effectively is a real problem."

Yao Guangxiao smiled slightly: "Talented people often have eccentricities. Since Your Majesty appreciates his talent, you can tolerate his eccentricities. It's just a matter of bestowing more gifts and rewards upon him."

Your Majesty believes that the shipyard and the currency reform complement each other. Why not let Lin, the Censor, first manage the shipyard? If he can open up overseas trade routes, the exchange of silver will be much more reliable. Then, you can let him also take charge of the currency reform. Wouldn't that be the best of both worlds?

Zhu Di remained noncommittal, but the image of Lin Yue, who was fearless in the face of death and speaking with great enthusiasm, flashed through his mind again.

He was filled with anger and resentment. Such a talented man, yet he wasn't blindly loyal to Jianwen. Why couldn't he just be normal?

......

Soon, Lin Yue was released from the imperial prison and was even rewarded with the official robes of a third-rank official.

Lin Yue, carrying a third-rank peacock insignia, looked lost on the street.

What does this mean? I thought I was going to be beheaded, but I've been released.

Once again, Lin Yue wandered aimlessly through the streets of Nanjing, past cobblestone streets, pedestrians, silk shops, and dazzling lights.

This time, Lin Yue looked around more carefully, venturing deep into the streets and surveying everything.

He saw the flower shop, which was owned by a female boss. Women would come up to inquire about prices from time to time, chatting and laughing.

I saw a shop with a sign that read "Crystal Eyeglasses," and the shopkeeper was adjusting the lenses for an elderly man.

In fact, eyeglasses were already called eyeglasses in the early Ming Dynasty, and professional eyeglass shops appeared in Suzhou and Guangzhou.

Lin Yue even saw a fishing tackle shop with fishing rods and baskets hanging at the entrance, and several fishing rods with pulleys on display. The style was exquisite and quite different from ordinary bamboo rods.

Lin Yue was greatly shocked. Did the Ming Dynasty really have such advanced fishing equipment? He immediately became interested, stepped inside, and spent a lot of money to buy a fishing rod with a pulley system.

It's impossible to work at the shipyard. If I have nothing to do, I might as well go fishing. Fish in the Ming Dynasty shouldn't be as hard to catch as they are in later generations.

On the lakeside, Lin Yue chose a secluded spot to cast his line.

This only shows that fishing equipment in the Ming Dynasty was far inferior to that of modern equipment. The pulley system and fishing rod looked fancy, but they were not very easy to use. After struggling for an hour, the float did not budge and not a single fish was caught.

Several local anglers nearby chuckled. One old man joked, "Young man, your rod looks expensive, but it's probably just a cheap, useless piece of junk!"

Those around him laughed when they heard this, and Lin Yue's face darkened, but he had no way to refute it.

In fishing groups, "air force" members have no status.

Just as he was feeling annoyed, a gentle voice called out from behind him: "Your humble servant Yang Shiqi greets Censor Lin."

Lin Yue turned around and saw a middle-aged man in a blue robe with a refined appearance. It was Yang Shiqi, a compiler at the Hanlin Academy.

Yang Shiqi had a good relationship with Xie Jin, and was later recommended by Xie Jin to Zhu Gaochi as a tutor to the crown prince, eventually rising to the position of Grand Secretary.

Yang Shiqi stepped forward and bowed: "This humble official has come to invite you on the orders of the Crown Prince."

The Crown Prince, having heard that Your Excellency has just received His Majesty's favor, wishes to prepare a small banquet at his residence to welcome you back.

Lin Yue looked puzzled upon hearing this.

Who is the heir apparent? Is there still an heir apparent in Nanjing? Oh, he is referring to Zhu Gaochi, the eldest son of Zhu Di.

Zhu Gaochi wasn't anything special. He criticized Zhu Gaoxu, so why couldn't he criticize the future crown prince of the Ming Dynasty? Let's criticize them all at once.

To save him from having anyone plead for him, the fact that he's survived so many times suggests that someone is pulling strings behind the scenes.

Lin Yue said coldly, "Is Prince Yan trying to break the rules of the Ming Dynasty?"

Yang Shiqi was taken aback: "What does Lin Gejian mean by this? The young master merely admires Boyan's character and wishes to befriend him."

"What do you mean by making friends?" Lin Yue snorted coldly, his voice suddenly rising, attracting the attention of the surrounding anglers.

I don't know if it's just my imagination, but that lousy fisherman from the Air Force suddenly seems to have the air of a staunch and upright official.

"I am a seventh-rank official in the imperial court, receiving His Majesty's salary. I should abide by my duties and not have any private dealings with the princes and their sons!"

The Hongwu ancestral system clearly stipulated that princes were not allowed to have private dealings with court officials, in order to prevent them from forming cliques, engaging in private activities, and disrupting the court!

Zhu Gaochi, as the heir apparent of Yan, knowingly violated the law by privately inviting court officials, showing utter disregard for ancestral rules. Was he plotting a rebellion?

Yang Shiqi's expression changed slightly, and he explained, "Lin Gejian has misunderstood. The Crown Prince is now His Majesty... In short, the Crown Prince has no such intention; he simply admires Boyan's character."

"Now that you know my character, you should know who I am!"

Lin Yue interrupted him and continued her tirade without any restraint.

"Now that Your Majesty has just ascended the throne, and the world is not yet at peace, it is the time for the court to rectify its discipline."

The Crown Prince of Yan, instead of fulfilling his duties, privately invited court officials. If this trend continues, other vassal kings will follow suit, court officials will curry favor with the imperial family, and the imperial family will interfere in politics. How can the Ming Dynasty maintain its stability?

He raised his hand and pointed directly at Yang Shiqi, angrily shouting, "Go back and tell Prince Yan that I have already noted down your private dealings with court officials."

"At the morning court tomorrow, I will certainly submit a memorial to Your Majesty, vehemently condemning the evils of this practice, and earnestly requesting Your Majesty to strictly enforce ancestral regulations and prohibit princes from having private dealings with court officials, so as to rectify the court and secure the nation!"

Yang Shiqi was speechless after being rebuked. Looking at Lin Yue's righteous expression, he felt somewhat helpless and could only bow and take his leave.

This Lin, the remonstrator, is indeed as crazy and fierce as rumored. Now that the Prince of Yan is the emperor, he still calls him the Crown Prince of Yan. It's really hard to judge him.

It seems that another storm is brewing in the court tomorrow. I hope His Highness will not blame him.

Lin Yue glanced at Yang Shiqi's back and went back to fishing.

Then he didn't catch a single fish and went home empty-handed.