Guangzong Yaoming

Chapter 386 Longwei
The dragon boats sailed south along the Cao River without disturbing the local people along the way.

The emperor never got off the imperial boat, but the local officials in northern Zhili, Henan and Shandong became even more nervous.

How do we know that the emperor is not hiding his true intentions and going on a secret tour to understand the people's sentiments?

After all, it was rare for the emperor to leave the capital, and it was really abnormal that he stayed on the imperial boat the whole time and did not even get off at the docks along the way.

Regarding the local welcome, the eunuch in charge of the Imperial Household Department on the imperial boat only said to the local officials: Just focus on your official duties. Civil affairs have already been appointed and you can report them according to the rules.

In addition, the other ministers who accompanied the emperor on the southern tour were not summoned during this period.

Therefore, the information we got from them made it seem even more unusual.

I'm afraid the emperor is no longer in the southern tour team. Where did he go?

Zhu Changluo was still on the imperial boat. After hearing Zou Yi's report, he put down the memorial in his hand and asked, "How could so many people think this way?"

"Your Majesty is prudent about the people's strength and does not want to disturb the locals. But you have not summoned your ministers in recent days, so there have been more discussions."

"...Then aren't you even less interested in your official duties now? You've sent people to keep an eye on every place and be on guard against suspicious people?"

“I’m afraid some local officials will do this.”

"..." Zhu Changluo raised the memorial in his hand, "Don't the supervisors in various post stations still send many memorials to me every day for my knowledge?"

Zou Yi smiled awkwardly: "If Your Majesty really wants to go on a secret tour, these things... must be done."

"You mean to put on a full show?" Zhu Changluo shook his head speechlessly. "I took advantage of this leisure time to compile my previous discussions at the Taichang Temple into a book, but I didn't expect it to make them suspicious. Really..."

What's the point of traveling incognito?
When encountering something that harms the people, come forward to fight back and uphold justice? Have a deep understanding of the current social conditions and people's sentiments in the Ming Dynasty?
The former will only highlight the rule of man and undermine the supervisory and inspection administrative order that Zhu Changluo is trying to establish. As for the latter... whether Zhu Changluo looks at it or not, doesn't he have any idea in his mind?
After working as a grassroots cadre for so many years, the social conditions and people's sentiments that were deeply imprinted in my mind, after subtracting the economic level by several times, are roughly the current situation. To understand the social conditions and people's sentiments, that is what the internal inspection office should do. If you just float on the surface, you must also deal with Zhu Changluo's sharp questions like an old official: what he said at the banquet before the New Year was not false, he knew the property and living conditions of ordinary people.

What kind of prosperous times? Poverty alleviation is something that will take hundreds of years and require a lot of effort to barely achieve a certain level.

He has always been very clear-headed. Now if he really goes to see it for himself, he will find that it is still a poor situation.

The capital of the Ming Dynasty today is no more prosperous or tidy than the capital he saw when he first left the Forbidden City.

"Then let's take a breath of fresh air. Set up some tables and chairs in front. After we dock, call He Shengrui, Fang Congzhe, and Xu Guangqi first."

"I obey your order." Zou Yi bowed and said with a smile, "Your Majesty, you have been concentrating on writing the words of sages for many days and have not even shown your face. It's time to take a break."

Zhu Changluo understood what he meant: He is really a homebody.

"... We have to wait until we reach Linqing." Zhu Changluo sighed, "I am very busy. Liu Ruoyu, the decree should have reached Shandong, right?"

"It should be here. People in Shandong will be very excited to hear that Your Majesty will come to the academy to give lectures in person. Maybe they will even ask Your Majesty to ascend Mount Tai to offer sacrifices to the gods."

"What's so good about Fengshan?" Zhu Changluo walked out of the cabin while stretching his arms. "Go downstairs and invite Concubine Li, Concubine Rong and the two boys to come up. If I didn't have to prepare for the lecture, I wouldn't have to work hard to organize the "History of Political Economy" these days."

In the past, he had placed more emphasis on natural philosophy in the minds of his ministers, but after talking with a group of Taichang scholars in the Taichang Temple, he wanted to combine the two.

Now, it is natural to re-explain some things from a more materialistic and objective perspective.

This was indeed a very important topic, so Zhu Changluo simply started to organize the outline while on the way, or at least prepared the lecture notes for his lectures at academies in various provinces along the way.

Xu Guangqi, who was promoted to Minister of Culture and Education, accompanied the emperor, and this incident was the reason.

While the fleet was moving, they naturally could not board the imperial boat immediately.

The emperor, his two concubines and two princes appeared on the third deck of the imperial boat. It is estimated that those who were paying attention on the canal bank could see them from afar.

The appearance of the imperial boat is a bit like a wooden sailing yacht. There are palace-style buildings on the front and back decks. The front half has three floors, while the back half has only two floors.

Zhu Changluo usually stayed on the top floor, the eunuchs, palace maids and other attendants stayed on the bottom floor, and the middle floor was the sleeping quarters for the imperial concubines and princes.

The bottom cabin is a storage area, and at the back are the Jinyiwei and imperial guards who are responsible for operating the boat. The mast and sails are also there.

In theory, the most stable place is the bottom cabin. But with concubines and princes, the emperor doesn't want to have someone on his head, so this arrangement is made.

Of course, the Caohe River is not like the ocean, and the imperial boat's sailing on the Caohe River is generally stable.

Erzhuzi and the third brother Zhu Youcai ran up first, followed by Concubine Li and Concubine Rong.

"Why go ashore now? There will be plenty of opportunities to go ashore later."

Facing Erzhuzi's complaints about feeling very bored on the boat, Zhu Changluo knocked on his head and said, "If you feel bored, go to the boat of Dean Wang later."

"Okay!" Zhu Youzhu was not at all attached to the comfort of the imperial boat.

My father stayed upstairs writing during the day, and did not get off the boat even when the boat docked at night. Besides reading books, he played with the third child. The third child was young, so Zhu Youzhu was not very happy to play with him.

Look at the two boys standing by the railing, sometimes running to this side and pointing at the other side, sometimes running to the other side and pointing at the other side. Zhu Changluo is lying on a chair and drinking tea.

"What is your majesty thinking about?" Seeing that he was silent, Concubine Rong picked up the fresh fruit on the table. Concubine Li quickly reached out to take the teacup from Zhu Changluo's hand.

"Think of Emperor Yang of Sui." Zhu Changluo smiled and picked an apricot from the plate. "Predecessors planted trees, and later generations enjoyed the shade. Now I can travel leisurely to the south of the Yangtze River, I have to thank him."

The two concubines did not comment further.

"I have ignored you." Zhu Changluo said while eating apricots, "You feel bored too?"

"How could that be? We are not children. It is a great honor to be able to accompany Your Majesty on his southern tour."

"For you who have lived in the harem for a long time, this is indeed the case." Zhu Changluo relaxed and waved his hand, "Come on, come on, you two boys, let me tell you a story."

Erzhuzi and Sancaizi came over immediately, cheering. So the emperor told them about the heroes of the Sui and Tang dynasties. There were already stories about this subject, but Li Fei and Rong Fei knew that the emperor could always come up with new stories.

The second and third brothers were not too involved in politics, so what Zhu Changluo said would not touch on anything profound - they couldn't understand it either.

It really is told like a storyteller, it's just a pure story.

This continued until the fleet docked. Zhu Changluo indeed ordered his men to send Zhu Youzhu to the ship where Wang Zheng, Galileo and others were, and the three summoned ministers boarded the imperial boat.

In the middle of the floor where the eunuchs and palace maids stayed was the "grand hall" where Zhu Changluo summoned foreign ministers on the imperial boat.

"I heard that many people suspect that I went on a secret visit. Let me borrow your mouths to stop them from thinking nonsense. Let's chat and have a meal together."

They thought it was some big deal, but it turned out to be just this.

The three did not ask the emperor why he had not left the cabin for several days. Zhu Changluo talked to them about Emperor Yang of Sui, whom he had been thinking about before.

"Is it okay for the fleet to pass through the Lingqu Canal?"

He Shengrui heard this and said, "Your Majesty, in the 29th year of Hongwu and the 24th year of Jiajing, the Lingqu Canal was specially dredged and repaired. In the past few years, various provinces have repaired water conservancy roads and bridges, and the Lingqu Canal was dredged again. The steep gates of the north and south canals have been widened and replaced with iron gates. Although the imperial boat is large, it has no problem passing through the steep gates if water is stored in advance."

Zhu Changluo nodded: "I have used the iron teeth for several years, how is the wear and tear?"

"Speaking of this, I want to ask for credit for the Changming. Every year when the fleet goes to and from Lingnan, they always bring a batch of iron teeth as a backup."

Zhu Changluo smiled and said, "They are willing to do so because it is profitable for them."

After saying this, he sighed: "There are many areas that can be improved. In the future, many industries will have to see if they can use the machinery well and produce more."

When the Ministry of Industry planned the water conservancy, roads and bridges of the country, the Lingqu Canal connecting the Yangtze River and the Pearl River was the top priority. After all, Zhu Changluo had long been interested in developing maritime trade. With Guangzhou as the starting point, the cost of land transportation to the north was naturally very high, and the sea route was risky after all. Repairing and improving the Lingqu Canal would naturally be another insurance.

At that time, the steep gate, which was less than two meters wide, was made wider. At the same time, large iron gears were used experimentally, drawing on the gear structure in clocks. The iron gate was used to block the water in the steep gate, and livestock pulled long levers on the stone pillars on both sides to turn the gears to drive the iron gate up and down.

There are more than 30 steep gates along the Lingqu Canal, and this project consumed a lot of iron. Fortunately, Guangdong is also relatively prosperous in iron casting, and the iron gates were cast one by one according to the requirements of Beijing, and then transported to the Lingqu Canal for assembly. The large and small gears and the main structural parts were cast in Beijing and then transported over long distances.

The project was not completely completed until the end of the seventh year of Taichang.

But it is now an indisputable fact that navigation conditions have greatly improved.

"The State-owned Property Office and the Ministry of Industry and Commerce will then set up a number of business firms that specialize in large-scale projects." Zhu Changluo talked about Emperor Yang of Sui simply because of this issue. "The canal construction has made great contributions to future generations. As long as water conservancy projects and roads and bridges are not rushed, well planned, and slowly built, they will be good things in the long run. The people will not suffer more from corvée labor, but will have other ways to make a living. This is good governance. The court's money is spent, and the construction is undertaken by state-owned business firms. First, taxes can be paid, and second, the cost will be less under budget and audit. If this is continued for ten or twenty years, the north-south and east-west transportation will be greatly improved."

He Shengrui repeatedly praised it.

"There are criticisms from the government and the public now, saying that large-scale construction projects will waste people's money and labor, but that's because they haven't figured it out yet." Zhu Changluo said, "Your mission along the way is not easy. I'm afraid that the families in Jiangnan are all panicking right now. If you have some quick minds, you might as well let them change their minds first and stop focusing on the small amount of land tax and labor service silver. I have a different perspective. Tax revenue must be spent, and businessmen all know that turnover can generate profits."

Great expeditions, great projects... With the fall of the Qin and Sui dynasties in the past, Zhu Changluo is now looking at the long term, and many of the things he is preparing to start will naturally be discussed.

After being appointed as prime minister, the emperor and other prime ministers discussed and announced it in the "Xueyong" newspaper, and a five-year plan was formulated from the tenth to the fifteenth year of Taichang.

Needless to say, the border defense system including roads, bridges, forts, etc. on the new northern border is under construction, while the domestic water conservancy roads and bridges are being further planned and constructed. At the same time, the most noticeable action is the Ministry of Industry and Commerce and the Ministry of Government Industry under the Executive Yuan.

Just as the Jingju under the Zhanshifu initially implemented book number approval for printed books, both traveling merchants and shop owners would have to go through license approval from now on.

The first phase of the new policy actually started with industry and commerce, and did not touch the old tax system such as land tax and corvee.

Zhu Changluo was very patient and took things step by step.

At present, the silver reserves are insufficient, and the conditions for a unified treasury are not yet met, so currency reform still needs to be slowly brewed. However, after the central government reform, national fiscal expenditures will be used as an important means to promote industrial and commercial progress and change the structure of the court's fiscal revenue.

Anyone with foresight should be able to see how big a piece of cake this is.

Before the central government offices become familiar with this new system, it will be difficult to implement it locally.

Zhu Changluo's southern tour at this time was not to suppress the gentry in Jiangnan - there was no need for that, and they had no choice but to behave themselves now.

The more important purpose is to give lectures and go to Guangzhou to formally sort out the maritime trade issue.

The Ming Dynasty is now neither short of money nor short of money.

The amount of silver imported by sea trade was already huge, but most of it was hidden among the people. Industry and commerce were not developed enough, and the proportion of pure silver tax collected from industry and commerce was not high. The court could not reserve enough silver to cope with the turmoil during future currency reforms.

In the next five years, Zhu Changluo's core goal was indeed to make money.

Of course, in the next five years of strict supervision and justice, if some officials and gentry do have serious problems, they will be fined or even confiscated.

The emperor appeared, and the important ministers accompanying him further unified their thoughts and strategies with the emperor. At this moment, Shandong and Jiangnan were indeed making intensive preparations.

For example, the "Iron-Blooded" Duke Yansheng.

The decree had arrived, and the emperor would give lectures at the Shandong Academy, and then go to the Tainan Academy. After getting off the boat in Linqing, he would pass through Jinan and Yanzhou, and then get back on the imperial boat in Jining.

"Your Majesty will come to Qufu in person!" Kong Shangxian said coldly to the "surviving" senior members of the clan, "Does anyone else think I'm making a fuss out of nothing?"

"..." The remaining people were silent and fidgety.

Kong Shangxian sighed, "Don't stop us from measuring the sacrificial fields and farmland, and don't cause any trouble! If something happens when the emperor comes in person, your majesty might be furious and use this as an excuse! I've said it before, if things go wrong, it could lead to the extermination of the entire family! Now the emperor has ordered that your majesty go to Shandong only to give lectures, do you understand what to do?"

"... Gong Weng made it clear."

Kong Shangxian gritted his teeth and said, "The whole family invites me to meet you. I will lower my status to be called the Master! Your Majesty is very knowledgeable and innovative. How can the Master be called the Great Sage in front of the Holy Emperor?"

(End of this chapter)