Chapter 195

Only on this day.

When the memorial was delivered into the court hall.

Jiajing, holding the memorial with a slight trace of anger, came up to the court hall.

This was also the first time Jiajing had attended court since arriving in the Zhengde era.

Under the gaze of the hundred officials.

Gu Dayong read this memorial aloud in a loud voice.

And the content of the memorial.

Was precisely to clarify that the southeastern provinces were short on funds, and to petition for opening the seas to support public expenses.

After Gu Dayong finished reading.

The entire court of civil and military officials changed countenance.

Especially the officials hailing from the southeast.

Open the seas?

If you open the seas, what will become of the small trades of our fellow villagers?

Would it not be giving a huge chunk to the court for nothing?!

Liu Daxia among the court officials sensed something was amiss.

He immediately rose to step forward and speak.

But he saw that today's "Zhu Houzhao," contrary to his usual manner, looked at the hundred officials before him and shouted loudly,

"Have you all seen it?! Your loyal subjects, have you all heard it?!"

Jiajing suddenly raised his voice volume.

But that was all.

Everything came to an abrupt halt.

Hearing Jiajing's voice, which carried a hint of "anger,"

Liu Daxia could not help but feel a surge of joy in his heart.

"Your Majesty is wise! Our Great Ming has ancestral precedents in place; not a single plank of wood is allowed to go to sea. This is the ancestral precedent established by the Great Founder Emperor. How can it be lightly abolished?!"

"I petition Your Majesty to severely punish this person, demoting him three ranks but retaining his position!"

"I second the motion!"

"I second the motion!"

"..."

After a short while.

More than half the officials in the court hall, relying on the pretext of "Ancestral laws," knelt down before Jiajing.

Zhu Yuanzhang in the chat group saw this scene before his eyes.

His face immediately turned iron-green.

"How did I lose my wits? I never expected this bunch of scoundrels with no loyalty to their ruler and no filial piety to their parents would use ancestral precedents as a shield?!"

Zhu Youjian also nodded repeatedly beside him and said,

"Great-Grandfather, it is not just that! By the time of my reign, it was even worse!"

"What kind of days did I have to endure every day!"

Zhu Yuanzhang's expression grew gloomy.

He still did not understand what Jiajing actually wanted to do.

Under the gaze of the assembled emperors.

Jiajing's gaze slowly fell upon Liu Daxia, and he asked with some confusion,

"Minister Liu, this is our Great Ming's ancestral precedent. To make such a statement and only receive a demotion of three ranks while retaining his position, I fear that is too light, is it not?"

Upon hearing this, Liu Daxia was stunned.

Then he spoke in a low voice,

"Your Majesty, although this official is unfamiliar with the ancestral precedents, at least his heart is good. Punishing him with a few months' salary, ordering him to be demoted three ranks while retaining his position, so that he may learn a lesson, should be sufficient."

He simply did not want to open the seas.

He did not want to be scolded.

Liu Daxia had to consider his posthumous reputation!

But Jiajing did not take the bait at all.

Sitting on the dragon throne, he shook his head and sighed with deep gravity,

"I know, I know..."

"How could I not know my own subjects?"

"I can place these words right here: among the subjects of the Great Ming Dynasty, there is not one who does not think of the common people of the world!"

Upon Jiajing speaking these words.

The entire court of civil and military officials immediately felt overwhelmed with gratitude and tears.

"Your Majesty is wise!"

"With Your Majesty like this, even if we were to spill our brains and blood, to be shattered to pieces, we would have no regrets!"

"..."

Looking at the hundred officials before him.

A cold sneer could not help but appear on the corner of Jiajing's mouth.

Then he stood up and said.

"What I mean is,"

"How does this petty seventh-rank County Magistrate know that opening the seas can make up for public expenses?"

The moment the words fell.

The entire court instantly fell into a dead silence.

Jiajing surveyed the ministers before him and spoke in a low voice,

"Daring to commit the greatest crime in the world, to advise the court to undertake such a matter!"

"This person must surely know the profits of maritime transport!"

"Only then would he have the courage and the motive to submit this Memorial to the throne!"

The ministers looked at one another.

Even a fool would have sensed something was wrong by now!

"Bang!"

Jiajing slapped his palm onto the imperial desk.

And roared at the top of his voice in the great hall,

"In the Southeast, someone disregards the ancestral precepts!"

"Someone is secretly going to sea!"

"Someone is colluding with the Japanese!"

"Someone has cast the court's laws and regulations into the back of their mind!"

Those censors and scholars who had just moments ago stood upright with righteousness, ready to die for their principles, were now all speechless.

Indeed.

In the Southeast, someone is indeed disregarding the court's laws.

"Where have they put the laws of our Great Ming Dynasty?!"

"You rascals!"

"Crash!"

Jiajing flung the inkstone from the imperial desk.

"Clatter!" It smashed hard against the floor of the great hall.

"How is it so difficult to make them obey the Taizu's ancestral precepts?!"

"I told you so! How could the Japanese disturbances in the Southeast have raged for hundreds of years and still refuse to cease?!"

"Until today, I have finally understood completely."

"So it turns out someone has been colluding with the Japanese all along?!"

Jiajing sat on the Dragon Throne, took a deep breath, and suddenly spoke loudly,