Ming Dynasty: Tanks blocked the door and you said to me, "Long live Ming Dynasty"

Zhu Youxiao's voice sounded again.

Luo Shangzhong and others prostrated themselves on the ground, trembling.

"I dare not...I dare not..."

"Humph! Is there anything in this world that you dare not do?"

"People like you cannot tell right from wrong, and do not know what is important. You keep saying that you are thinking about the country and the saints!"

"But where do you put me and the saints with your actions today?"

"Come here! Drag them away, strip them of their official robes, beat them with fifty sticks, demote them to civilians, and never employ them again!"

........

Chapter 480: Requesting the Court to Lift the Maritime Ban to Benefit the People

Soon, Luo Shangzhong and several others were dragged away crying and shouting, and the Huangji Palace was filled with silence for a moment.

Those Confucius officials who did not jump out were both relieved and terrified, and they would steal a glance at Sun Chengzong from time to time.

They really couldn't understand why the leader of Donglin, who was once highly respected, did not protect Confucius at this time.

Sun Chengzong placed the tablet on his left arm, looking calm and composed.

After listening to Zhu Youxiao's criticism of Confucius' officials, Youtong was overwhelmed with emotion.

Without caring whether others would have any objections, he took out the "Quotations of Apocalypse" from his arms and quickly wrote it down.

Zhu Youxiao, who was sitting on the dragon throne, saw his action and couldn't help but smile slightly, then he winked at Wei Zhongxian.

Wei Zhongxian understood and immediately stepped forward and shouted.

"Do you have anything else to say, ministers?"

There was only silence in response to him.

Guo Yunhou still felt a lingering fear when he thought of the unlucky guy who was dismissed from office and beaten with a stick.

He pinched the memorial in his hand and hesitated for a long time before he mustered up the courage to stand up.

There is no way, things still have to be done.

When Your Majesty was purging Wei Dugong's followers, people like myself and Wu Chunfu escaped because we were able and willing to get things done.

If I don't dare to speak up now because of what happened before and delay important matters, I will be abandoned soon.

After such a long period of getting along, His Majesty's current style of doing things is clearly about the matter rather than the person, so there is no need to worry.

"Your Majesty, I have this report!"

When the officials saw that he dared to stand up at this time, the same word emerged in their minds - brave!

When Zhu Youxiao saw that it was Lao Guo who came out of the class, he couldn't help but smile.

"I wonder what Lord Guo has to report?"

"Your Majesty, I have received a memorial from the Ministry of Revenue in Nanjing."

"Eight hundred scholars and four thousand merchants from Fujian and Zhejiang jointly wrote a petition, begging the court to lift the maritime ban to benefit the people's livelihood."

Zhu Youxiao was secretly delighted when he heard this.

These guys from Fujian and Zhejiang finally couldn't wait any longer.

He couldn't help but stand up and laugh out loud.

"Ha ha ha ha....."

But just when the ministers in the court thought that he was going to approve the proposal, his smile gradually stopped.

Then, there were angry scoldings.

"presumptuous!"

"When I was in Nanjing, officials from the six ministries in Nanjing urged me to strengthen the ban on sea fishing. Some students even said that I encouraged the people along the coast of Fujian to go out to sea to fish, which was suspected of going back on my word."

"Have they now gone back on their word?"

"Prince Xin, Elder Wen, what do you think?"

Upon hearing this, Wen Tiren immediately jumped up and cursed: "How can this be absurd? How dare these corrupt officials and people question your majesty's wise decision? They should be punished!"

As soon as Prince Xin returned to the court, he immediately got into work mode.

Hearing this, he asked, "Master Guo, what does the memorial say?"

Guo Yunhou immediately replied: "The officials of the six ministries said that they could not understand your majesty's good intentions at that time, but now they have come to their senses and ask your majesty to punish them."

Prince Xin scratched his chin with his fingers and pondered for a moment.

"I have heard my brother talk about this before."

"At that time, they seemed to want my brother to disband the South China Sea Navy. What do you have to say now?"

"Nanjing Minister of War Liu Tingyuan wrote to the emperor, saying that Your Majesty is far-sighted and that the South China Sea Navy can escort our Great Ming's trade with overseas countries, and protect our coastal people from being disturbed by Japanese pirates. This is really a way to kill two birds with one stone!"

Zhu Youxiao couldn't help but sneer: "Haha, you said nothing good back then, and now you come to flatter and brag again. I can't stand it anymore."

Prince Xin continued to ask: "They were so strongly opposed to opening the sea at the beginning, why did they suddenly come to their senses now?"

Zhu Youxiao laughed secretly when he heard this.

Now, of course, I understand that their smuggling ships have been listed as key targets for crackdown by me.

They lose all their money every time they go out to sea. If they don't figure it out, they will never make any money on the sea.

But Guo Yunhou said: "Nanjing's Minister of Revenue Zhang Pu said in his memorial that he heard that Your Majesty bought a lot of dried fish from Korea overseas and sent them to Shanxi and Shaanxi for disaster relief. This is a great idea!"

"If the Ming Dynasty opens the sea, the thousands of miles of sea in the southeast will certainly yield much more fish than the small country of Korea. If the imperial court wants to use the fish to relieve disasters, there is no need to go far away!"

When Zhu Youxiao heard this, he exclaimed, “Oh my god!”

This group of people will find any excuse to open up the sea!

"It's not that close to transport from the southeast coast to Shanxi and Shaanxi..."

Prince Xin then bowed and said, "Brother, I think the benefits of opening the sea outweigh the disadvantages! We should open it!"

Zhu Youxiao looked at him with interest.

"Oh! Then, my dear brother, how do you think we should open the sea?"

"I think it is imperative to open the sea, but it cannot be done casually."

"The imperial court maintains tens of thousands of South China Sea naval forces, which costs a lot of money every year."

"Since merchant ships and fishermen have enjoyed the protection of the South China Sea Navy, it is only natural that they should pay some fees for their support."

"Your Highness is right!" Wen Tiren said, "The wealthy merchants along the coast make huge profits from trading with overseas merchants, so they should pay more fees."

"The profits of coastal fishermen are slim and their earnings are hard-earned, so they can charge less."

"Master Wen, what you said is exactly what I meant."

Zhu Youxiao felt gratified when he saw the old and the young singing in unison.

OK! That's good. It saves me from having to think about it.

Prince Xin said seriously: "Then please give this fee a name."

Zhu Youxiao thought for a moment and said, "Well, it's better to be direct. Let's call it... Vehicle and Vessel Tax!"

Wen Tiren immediately agreed: "Vehicle and vessel tax! Yes, that's quite clear and straightforward. Your Majesty is wise!"

Seeing this, Guo Yunhou hurriedly asked, "Your Majesty, then the vehicle and vessel tax should be collected by the Ministry of Revenue, right?"

Zhu Youxiao wanted to laugh when he saw his anxious look: "My dear Guo, did you not listen to the king's words seriously just now?"

"This vehicle and vessel tax is a special fund used to support the South China Sea Navy. What do you want to do with it? Swallow it?"

When Guo Yunhou heard this, his face turned as bitter as a gourd.

"After all this time, it seems like I have worked in vain..."

Wen Tiren winked at him when he saw this.

"Hey, Mr. Guo, no one stipulates that a group of people can only receive one payment. How come you forgot what your Ministry of Revenue does?"

Guo Yunhou understood immediately after hearing this: "Thank you very much, Mr. Wen, for your advice!"

Wen Tiren's words were very clear, he was just short of pointing at his nose and asking him to collect commercial taxes.

If he fails to react in time, he will probably lose all his money even if he is dismissed from office and goes home to sell sweet potatoes!

Hehehehe.......

Take it to death!

I’m not afraid of those sea merchants making a lot of money, as long as my knife for cutting leeks is sharp enough!

Zhu Youxiao was delighted to see that his important ministers were in such harmony.

"Okay, let the Ministry of Revenue and the Cabinet work out the details of opening the sea."

"I will obey your orders!"

After discussing several government matters, the court was adjourned.

Two days later, the detailed proposal on opening the sea was submitted.

Zhu Youxiao took a look.

When fishermen go out to sea to fish, they are only charged a symbolic vehicle and vessel tax of several dozen wen, depending on the size of their fishing boats, with a maximum of two hundred wen.

The vehicle and vessel tax for overseas trade was fixed at 300 taels per vessel per year, and the commercial tax was 30%.

He approved it directly.

At this time, Youtong came trotting over with a smile on his face.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, a new telegraph machine sent by Shanhe Academy has arrived in Beijing."

Chapter 481 Why Do You Want Me to Pay Again?

When Zhu Youxiao heard the telegraph coming, he was very happy and threw Kaihai's memorial aside.

"Let's go, let's call Prince Xin, Elder Wen, Elder Sun, Guo Yunhou, Xu Guangqi and Wang Zheng to go to Wansui Mountain."

"Let's go over there and try out the new telegraph machine!"

"Okay, I will arrange to summon them to the palace right away."

After saying this, Youtong ran away, feeling very excited.

It’s good to follow the emperor. From time to time, we can see these new things, which really opens our eyes.

The Emperor must be a saint sent by God to our Ming Dynasty!

He can make any kind of baby stuff, I’m impressed!

After watching this guy run away happily, Zhu Youxiao went to Wansui Mountain accompanied by Wei Zhongxian.

Wansui Mountain is a royal garden, and it is also the Coal Hill where Chongzhen was later hanged.

Sun Kangwang was accompanied by a hundred Jinyiwei for protection.

The group arrived at Wansui Mountain not far from Xuanwu Gate to the north.

At this time, the carriage equipped with the radio had already arrived at the foot of the mountain.

Zhu Youxiao ordered people to take the telegraph machine down.

After a closer look, it was indeed new.

Wei Jinyu is really efficient in his work.

In just a few days, the entire size of the telegraph machine had been integrated into a box that was 80 cm long, 50 cm wide and 30 cm high.

Zhu Youxiao ordered people to separate the two sets of telegraph machines, one at the foot of the mountain and the other in the hall in front of the mountain on the mountainside, and tall antennas were erected on both sides.

Today is not the day for court attendance, and everyone else is working in their respective departments, so it is still a bit far to get to Wansui Mountain.

Zhu Youxiao is now in front of the temple in front of the mountain, looking at the scenery.