Chapter 201: with translation of chapter title

Wang Heng, bearing the Head of Family's authorization, returned to Dongying the next day, and an imperial edict from Kaifeng arrived in Yangzhou.

This time, what the imperial edict brought was neither an ennoblement nor a reprimand.

But rather a yang scheme, a yang scheme that left the Wang Family unable to refuse.

Zhao Kuangyin issued an edict, for 'promoting trade and benefiting workers, enriching the country and benefiting the people', specially establishing the 'Supervisorate of Maritime Trade' in Guangzhou, Quanzhou, Mingzhou (Ningbo), and Yangzhou.

The Supervisorate of Maritime Trade had full authority over overseas trade, levied commercial taxes, and inspected incoming and outgoing ships and cargo. All sea merchants had to register with the Supervisorate of Maritime Trade, obtain a 'ship permit', before they could go to sea.

The officials of the Supervisorate of Maritime Trade were personally appointed by the emperor from the capital.

At the end of the imperial edict, there was also a special 'gracious edict'—the supervisor of the Yangzhou Supervisorate of Maritime Trade would be held by a member of the Wang Family, but all key positions from the deputy supervisor downward would be filled by officials appointed by the court.

This imperial edict, like a knife, precisely pierced

the Wang Family's most vital lifeline—overseas trade.

All along, the Wang Family, relying on its absolute control over Dongying and its powerful oceangoing fleet, had almost monopolized East Asian maritime trade. Silver and copper from Dongying, spices and jewels from overseas, continuously flowed in, transforming into resources for the Wang Family's technological development.

And now, Zhao Kuangyin wants to put a lock belonging to the emperor on it.

He took away the customs rights, took away the management rights, equivalent to directly strangling the Wang Family's moneybag.

Even more vicious, he made a Wang Family member hold the position of supervisor, just to put the Wang Family over a fire. If taxes were heavy, the world's sea merchants would blame the Wang Family; if taxes were light, the emperor would hold them accountable.

In the council hall, 'Your Majesty, this move is truly both accurate and ruthless.' Wang Hao's fingers lightly tapped the tabletop, his brows furrowed, 'He knows we cannot defy the edict, nor can we defy it. This is a yang scheme, forcing us to go inside.'

A clan elder said with worry: 'Once the Supervisorate of Maritime Trade is established, our fleet's comings and goings, the types and quantities of cargo, will be known to the court in detail. Especially the refined copper and iron transported back from Dongying, once discovered…'

The consequences are unimaginable.

Everyone looked toward Wang Che.

This young head of the family, since receiving the imperial edict, has remained silent.

'Uncle Hao,' he suddenly spoke, 'what do you think Your Majesty fears most about us now?'

Wang Hao startled, then immediately understood: 'He fears that we, like the regional commanders of the previous dynasty, will hold our own troops, act independently, and carve out a fief.'

'Exactly.' Wang Che nodded, 'He fears our martial strength, our army, our warships.'

'So we will let him see something else.' A glint of light incomprehensible to others flashed in Wang Che's eyes, 'Let him see something that makes him think we are useful, not threatening.'

……

Era Name Deadline later, the Yangzhou Supervisorate of Maritime Trade was officially inaugurated.

The deputy supervisor sent by the court was named Han Wei, a middle-aged scholar in his forties, with a gaunt face and sharp eyes. He had once served as a junior minister of the Dali Temple, renowned for deciding cases like a god and perceiving the finest details. Sending him was clearly the result of Zhao Kuangyin's careful selection.

Wang Che hosted a welcoming banquet for Han Wei and his entourage.

At the banquet, Wang Che conducted himself humbly, always referring to 'the court' and 'Your Majesty'; toward Han Wei he showed extra respect, repeatedly calling him 'Lord Han', as if he were the supervisor who needed to rely on a deputy.

Han Wei inwardly sneered, taking this as a show of weakness by the Wang Family.

After three rounds of wine, Wang Che suddenly said with a smile, 'Lord Han, you have come far as a guest, and you have endured hardship along the way. I have prepared a modest gift, not meant as a sign of respect. However, this gift is somewhat special; please, sir, accompany me to view it.'

Han Wei, curious, followed Wang Che through layers of guards to the innermost area of the Wang Family's fortress—the Science Academy.

When that heavy Iron Control door was pushed open, a mixture of coal, steam, and scorching metal assailed the nostrils; even the well-traveled Han Wei could not help but frown.

The sight before him made his pupils contract sharply.

The enormous workshop, the roaring machines, the bare-chested artisans sweating profusely… everything here was utterly out of place with the misty rain of Jiangnan he knew.

This was not the backyard of a wealthy clan, but rather… a legendary Mozi giant's machined city.

Wang Che led him to face a steel monster as tall as three stories.

'Lord Han, this is the modest gift my Wang Family has prepared for you.' Wang Che pointed at the giant beast continuously exhaling white steam and smiled.

Han Wei looked at the monster composed of countless pipes and gears, instinctively gripping the hilt of his sword at his waist, and asked in a low voice, 'Wang Family head, what is this?'

This object is called a 'steam machine'; it is the Water-Fire Great Power Machine that our family's Science Academy, based on fragments of ancient texts, after twenty years of painstaking effort, investigating things to gain knowledge, finally developed.

Wang Che patted the machine's cold exterior.

'Lord Han, please look.'

He nodded to an artisan beside him.

That artisan immediately pulled down a huge valve.

'Boom—rumble—'

With a tremendous roar, the entire steam machine seemed to come alive. The thick pistons began moving up and down with terrifying force and frequency. Through a complex linkage device, power was transmitted to a distant location.

Following the direction of power transmission, Han Wei saw in the distance a huge pool ten zhang deep, where a thick Iron Control pipe connected to the steam machine shuddered violently.

The next moment, a scene unforgettable for life appeared.

A huge water column as thick as a water bucket, from the other end of that Iron Control pipe, was violently ejected, like a flood dragon leaping to the sea, shooting straight into the clouds, drawing a splendid rainbow in the sunlight, then with a 'splash' it precisely poured into a water tank atop a tower a hundred paces away!

Thousands of catties of water, in the midst of casual conversation, were lifted onto a ten-zhang-high tower!

This is already beyond the reach of human strength!

Several court officials behind Han Wei had already collapsed in terror on the ground, muttering to themselves, thinking they had witnessed a miracle.

Although Han Wei maintained his composure, his inner self had already been overturned by a towering wave!

He was no fool; he instantly understood what this thing represented—a terrifying power capable of overturning heaven and earth!

'This thing… this thing…' his voice, from excessive shock, became hoarse and dry.

Wang Che's smile remained gentle and pure.

'Lord Han, this object is called a 'steam water pump'. It is I, the subordinate, who specially developed it in response to Your Majesty's call to 'promote waterworks and bestow blessings upon the people.'

'Yangzhou lies low-lying and often suffers floods. Previously, draining required mobilizing thousands or tens of thousands of laborers, taking months. Now, with this device, a single machine needs only ten artisans, and in one day's work it can drain the water from ten thousand mu of fertile fields.'

'I thought that if I could present this to Your Majesty and promote it nationwide, whether it be southern floods or northern droughts, they could be readily resolved. Then our Great Song would surely enjoy favorable weather and peace; this also counts as my modest contribution to Your Majesty.'

He looked at the dumbstruck Han Wei, his smile becoming even more 'sincere'; of course he would not bring out the Wang Family's latest-generation steam machine—his current approach is like America selling off its obsolete weapons to other countries to reap greater profits.

'Lord Han, do you think Your Majesty will like this modest gift?'