Chapter 415: The Natives Are Just a Kind of Ape

After witnessing the terrifying power—or rather, the ruling force—of the Great Ming Emperor, Philip II of the West began his own imperial path, purging his opponents with cruel and bloody methods, executing the nobles who opposed him during the grand Festival of the Sheep.

The cruel and bloody methods even shocked Xu Pan; soon, Xu Pan became resigned, for in the previous Spanish-Portuguese war, Spain had failed to achieve its war aims—capturing Lisbon and annexing Portugal—so the defeated Philip either had to make concessions to silence his opponents or silence them physically.

Philip chose the latter, seeking to model his rule on Great Ming's political system and surpass the limits of Western feudal authority.

But Xu Pan knew clearly that Philip's imperial path would inevitably fail; becoming an emperor was never as simple as killing people.

Whether Philip could achieve his goal was of no concern to Xu Pan; he warmly hosted General Alvaro. The Lisbon peace talks yielded no results—Philip would not abandon his designs on Portugal, and Antonio would not relinquish the Portuguese throne; this was a fundamental contradiction, and the war would continue, depending on how much Philip was willing to pay.

Fortunately for Antonio and Xu Pan and others, Philip II's gaze was focused within Spain and would not turn toward Portugal for now.

Meanwhile, the Great Ming's exploration fleet sailed toward France and England, tasked with opening sea routes.

On the twenty-fourth day of the twelfth month of the eighth year of Emperor Wanli, the Great Ming court began its holiday; daily court deliberations grew shorter, and the empire prepared for the New Year, while the busy Emperor Zhu Zhu Yijun summoned nearly a thousand commoners, local gentry, and prominent clans to the Huangji Gate to learn their most pressing concerns, visited major official factories to inspect artisans, and went to Nanhaizi in Daxing County to see the families of the distant watchtower guards.

In December, Zhu Zhu Yijun also traveled to Juyong Pass to inspect the construction of the Jing-Xuan expressway and then to Jimen to review the progress of the Wang Chonggu Expressway.

The Wang Chonggu Expressway was progressing faster—it was extremely wide, with Wang Wang Chonggu investing heavily and personally overseeing it, already reaching Jizhou, while the other end began construction from Jia Shanhai Pass.

Some rejoiced, others grieved; some disliked the active emperor, while others welcomed him—such as the Great Ming's soldiers, who finally received their full pay when the emperor was active, and the common people, who now had lively topics for tea and mealtime chatter—whether it was San San Niangzi, Empress Dowager Zhou, or Liu Liu Qiniang stationed at the Yongsheng Wool Factory, countless anecdotes could be spun from them.

The missionary Yaser's state was contradictory: on one hand, he desperately confessed in his maritime journal, begging his Lord for forgiveness; on the other, Yaser actively participated, relished the slaughter, even treating the hunting of natives as entertainment.

The island had approximately 3,600 natives; before the Westerners intruded, they lived in isolation, using stone tools, fishing, bone needles—these natives liked to smear mud on their bodies, let it dry on the shore, then leap into the sea to wash it off.

This was something Zhu Zhu Yijun did every year, and this year was no exception; the emperor's presence was everywhere in the capital, and the officials and commoners of Great Ming gradually grew accustomed to such an active emperor—compared to Emperor Jiajing's twenty-five-year seclusion in the Western Garden and Emperor Longqing's silence, His Majesty was overly active.

Zhu Zhu Yijun obtained a maritime journal written by a missionary named Yaser, found by Sun Sun Kehong's oceanic trading fleet in the Yuanxu Islands.

Yaser himself listed his sins: breaking people's legs to force them to crawl; smashing skulls to test their strength; throwing infants into firepots to see if they would burn; stabbing trembling hearts with bayonets to watch blood spurt; watching natives gather around campfires as their loved ones were slaughtered like livestock—Yaser's greatest pleasure was bathing in their terrified gazes.

Xu Pan was right: the scholars of Jiangnan were excessively greedy, attempting to control official appointments within their own ranks to achieve class mobility—from prominent clans to hereditary aristocracy.

In the eighth year of Emperor Wanli, when Great Ming began exploring the Yuanxu Islands, these dozens of islands held only forty-two natives left.

After reading this original, Zhu Zhu Yijun found it utterly abstract.

"Your Majesty, the Master has never studied Latin and cannot read it," Feng Bao cautiously reminded the emperor—the Master was not omnipotent; he was too busy to learn Latin, and even if sent to him, he would not understand its madness and abstraction, nor would it disgust him.

The war was one-sided from start to finish; the natives had no bows or arrows, while the colonists' firearms, crossbows, and armor were utterly beyond their capacity to resist—even in the natives' eyes, they seemed like magic and divine miracles.

Some noble families who had profited greatly from the new policies were also gradually becoming the emperor's supporters; the feeling of earning money while lying down was simply too wonderful.

Missionary Yaser felt this could not continue—if things went on, the natives would be wiped out; the accumulated sins were too great, and he might not reach heaven, so he began ordering live captures: five silver coins for each adult native, two for each child.

Missionary Yaser poured mercury through separated skin, attempting to prove God truly existed—if the native survived, it was divine grace; he poked with needles to stimulate mercury absorption beneath the skin.

Great Ming was already over two hundred years old; by now, from top to bottom, it disliked such an active emperor—promoting literature and suppressing martial power had weakened the authority of hereditary officials, including the emperor, and as institutions evolved, the Grand Secretariat, Six Ministries, and censorial officials had already formed a multi-headed regime.

Only four determined individuals—one man and three women—survived; they had been captured for only half a year.

Thus, after Yaser's death, he could ascend to heaven—he had hunted only apes, not humans.

The Office of Eunuch Supervisors had compiled the most pressing concerns of over a thousand people this year; in the second half of the year, the Southern Office's greatest focus was the Yuanxu Islands.

The natives' numbers plummeted; the power of firearms was simply too great—some natives preferred to jump into the sea rather than fight.

The harmonious, amicable period did not last long; in the winter of Emperor Jiajing thirty-two, the slaughter began.

The Great Ming's Songjiang Oceanic Trading Company breached the missionary's fortress but failed to rescue these natives—they had all contracted pneumonia, including Missionary Yaser; ultimately, only eleven natives survived.

The sea and sky of Ggetia Island were as clear as sapphires; atop its central mountain range, white clouds floated year-round; halfway up the slopes lay orderly terraced fields; at the foot of the mountain, where the island met the sea, stretched a shallow, ribbon-like tidal flat, and a small river on the island provided fresh water.

Recall that in Emperor Jiajing thirty-two, Ggetia Island alone had over 3,600 natives; by Emperor Jiajing forty-two, under Missionary Yaser's control, the dozens of islands held only forty-two natives.

"This thing makes me dizzy just looking at it—take it, take it, send it to the Master; I won't be the only one nauseated," Zhu Zhu Yijun tossed the journal aside.

The natives began fighting for revenge, while the colonists indiscriminately shot them—old, weak, women, and children were all spared none.

At this moment, the great emperor felt a touch of regret—he regretted learning Latin; had he not learned it, he could not have read the journal, and the Ministry of Rites officials would have kindly excised those mad passages, sparing the emperor from witnessing such crimes.

After each slaughter of natives, Yaser led the colonists in prayer, confessing his sins and thanking the Lord for His blessings—whether food or women, all were gifts.

Zhu Zhu Yijun gradually replaced Zhang Zhang Juzheng as the focus of Great Ming—even in gossip.

In Emperor Jiajing forty-two, Missionary Yaser began expanding his territory, extending his domain from one island to dozens; the same capture orders remained in effect.

This was common; in this age, those who went to sea were never good people—both Great Ming and the West were the same; many were fugitives, already deeply wicked, and ships rarely carried women; the long voyages drove these colonists mad at the sight of a ewe, let alone a beautiful woman.

The red-haired barbarians discovered a small island in the Yuanxu Islands during the Emperor Jiajing era; Missionary Yaser named it Ggetia Island.

The Westerners established a settlement there, with about 127 Westerners settling down; initially, there was a period of pleasant coexistence between colonists and natives—Missionary Yaser tried to preach to the natives, but sadly failed due to language barriers; the natives were also bold, lifting the colonists' clothes to see if their skin was white too.

This maritime journal was filled with pages of confession, yet its contents were brutally cruel.

The war began.

In Emperor Jiajing thirty-two, Missionary Yaser's fleet discovered this place.

In the eighth year of Emperor Wanli, of these eleven natives, only four survived; prolonged imprisonment had driven them utterly mad—the moment their leg irons were unlocked, four rushed toward walls to smash their skulls, three bit themselves until covered in blood; ultimately, Great Ming's desperate men could only end the natives' lives, ending their miserable existences—for them, death was liberation.

In the journal, a strange yet logical reasoning: Missionary Yaser believed live capture reduced killing, washed away sin, and redeemed both himself and the natives—but in truth, it was for slaves.

Missionary Yaser ultimately reached a conclusion: the natives were merely a kind of ape; otherwise, why did they firmly believe in the Lord yet receive no response? Why did the Lord refuse to favor these natives?

Thus, the natives were merely a kind of ape.

The emperor's activity meant strengthened imperial authority and a corresponding drastic weakening of ministerial power.

These forty-two natives were kept by Missionary Yaser, each given a name—Sal, Suk, Betty, Zugh, etc. —he raised them, taught them to read and write, aiming to make them believe in religion and fulfill his original purpose: missionary work.

First, a strikingly beautiful female native handed a pearl she found on the tidal flat to a colonist, hoping he would tell stories of the outside world; but the colonist raped her thoroughly, then invited other colonists to join.

Zhu Zhu Yijun shook his head and said: "Li Li Yashi, a missionary who loves worldly pleasures, favors plump women, and dislikes children, is clearly an oddity even in the West."

After the woman left, Li Li Yashi's residence gained several red-haired and golden-haired barbarians—all of the gourd-shaped, plump type; this aesthetic closely resembled the emperor's.

"Envoy Li says Yaser is merely a lost lamb," Feng Bao said with slight exasperation; after reading the journal, Li Li Yashi's face had twisted in disgust; as one of the five-star critics, Li Li Yashi could only, after long silence, offer a vague evaluation.

Feng Bao continued: "Envoy Li also said: he has consistently emphasized Great Ming's moral superiority—not nonsense. Though many curse him, even a believer like Yaser is this deranged; what of the sailors, who are no better than fugitives, steeped in sin? Can a single indulgence truly redeem such sin? Compared to that, is it truly worth getting angry over burying a dog?"

Feng Bao was not lying—he handed the emperor Li Li Yashi's latest travelogue for review; this was truly Li Li Yashi's evaluation, even bordering on unflattering.

Zhu Zhu Yijun's most outrageous act was not personally killing Xu Xu Jie, but ordering the dog-execution of Kong Kong Yinlin; Chen Chen Dazhuang killed a dog from the Zhang family, and the Zhangs forced Chen Chen Dazhuang's father to bury the dog; after Ling Yunying returned to Shandong, Chen Chen Dazhuang escorted Kong Kong Yinlin to the capital, trusting the emperor, who ordered Kong Kong Yinlin executed by dogs.

This was Zhu Zhu Yijun's most reckless act.

But burying a dog, compared to Missionary Yaser's mad journal, seemed trivial—both were human evils and cruelties; the colonists' crimes were so heinous, even Satan would find them deeply headache-inducing.

"That old devil Li Li Yashi, always spouting nonsense, dares to mock me—don't let me find an opportunity, or I'll knock out his front teeth," Zhu Zhu Yijun said with a smile after reading Li Li Yashi's travelogue.

Li Li Yashi's travelogue recorded many fragments of Great Ming life, offering a fresh perspective by viewing Great Ming society through Western eyes.

"Your Majesty, the Regional Commander of Sichuan, Marquis Liu Zhang Xian, has arrived in the capital; the Ministry of War asks whether Your Majesty wishes to receive him," Feng Bao presented a memorial, signed by Minister Tan Lun, Grand General Qi Qi Jiguang, and Assistant Regional Commander Ma Fang.

Marquis Liu Zhang Xian returned to the capital; after staying three days at the Huitong Pavilion, he moved into the Marquis Liu Zhang Xian Mansion, not far from Grand General Qi Qi Jiguang's residence.

The Marquis Liu Zhang Xian Mansion was specially built by Zhu Zhu Yijun—a grand, highly livable estate; in rewarding military merit, Zhu Zhu Yijun never stinted.

"Have the Imperial Physicians examined him?" Zhu Zhu Yijun asked gravely.

Liu Zhang Xian, having fought for years, was in declining health; Zhu Zhu Yijun summoned him from Sichuan to the capital to spend his final years in peace.

Warfare is exhausting—soldiers tire, generals tire too; they must remain alert constantly, sometimes going days or even weeks without sleep—not because they want to, but because they cannot; they can only snatch brief naps between battles, especially during prolonged campaigns, when the battlefield shifts by the minute—you never know if the enemy will break through to your command tent next moment; you must remain perpetually tense, thinking how to command, how to deploy troops, how to relocate positions, how to inspect or even flee.

Generals Qi Qi Jiguang, Ma Fang, Li Li Chengliang, Liu Zhang Xian—they were human, not iron men; years of military life, years of overwork, had drained their vitality almost completely.

Liu Zhang Xian, a Great Ming general, had fought throughout the entire campaign against the Japanese pirates after leaving Sichuan, then returned to command tens of thousands to suppress the Jiusi (Duzhang Man) rebellion; his entire life was spent in battle, his body long since worn beyond endurance.

A jar cannot escape breaking at the well's edge; a general cannot avoid dying on the battlefield.

Peace is secured by generals, yet generals are forbidden to see peace.

"The Imperial Physicians have examined him; the prognosis is poor—likely only one or two years left," Feng Bao whispered.

He knew what answer the emperor wanted, but he could not deceive him; the Imperial Physicians had examined Liu Zhang Xian thoroughly—his appetite now matched that of Zhu Ma Yilong.

Liu Zhang Xian was a general; Zhu Ma Yilong was a child.

Liu Zhang Xian suffered from stomach illness—a chronic condition; during war, meals were irregular, rarely hot; he adored alcohol; this illness was especially tormenting—pain was one thing, but during flare-ups, he could not eat or drink properly, further burdening his body.

Zhang Hong added: "The Imperial Physician Li Li Shizhen prepared a medicine that proved quite effective, but General Liu refuses to take it."

"Summon the Imperial Physicians and Marquis Jiang'an tomorrow," Zhu Zhu Yijun said immediately; the Imperial Physicians of the Dissection Institute always concocted strange medicines; Liu Zhang Xian was old and had spent his life on battlefields, viewing death lightly; ignoring medical advice was something Tan Lun had also once rebelled against.

Zhu Zhu Yijun frowned and asked: "What's this medicine?"

"It's made from giant cockroaches—dried, then soaked in wine. Marquis Jiang'an was initially cooperative, but upon hearing he had to drink cockroach juice, he immediately refused, stubbornly rejecting it," Zhang Hong hurried to explain: "These giant cockroaches are raised on grain, washed clean, dried, then soaked in strong liquor."

"They're raised by humans—truly not dirty."

Zhang Hong mentioned this not without reason; these giant cockroaches were not native to Great Ming—they came from the New World aboard ships, the largest cockroaches known in the world; the Dissection Institute had even built cricket cages to raise them, feeding them cleanly, washing them, drying them, then soaking them in strong liquor.

"For external wounds, abscesses, ulcers, gastric bleeding, intestinal bleeding, it's an unparalleled remedy—truly effective. The Dissection Institute has tested it many times, with controls; aside from using giant cockroaches, there's nothing wrong with it," Feng Bao paid close attention to this medicine; Great Ming's capital troops and navy all suffered from stomach ailments, so caution was paramount.

Zhu Zhu Yijun received the medical report; the journal was over thirty pages, containing not only preparation methods but over a hundred case studies; from data and double-blind trials, it was indeed effective.

Zhu Zhu Yijun's eyes darted and he said: "Then deceive the old general—say it's a decoction of rare herbal medicines, extremely precious, costing over ten taels per dose, Li Li Shizhen's family secret formula—make it sound as precious as possible, just don't let the general find out; treat him first, then tell him what it really is once it works."

"In urgent circumstances, healing comes first; the old general will understand my good intentions."

Great Ming was preparing for the New Year; government offices had begun rotating holidays; this year, there weren't enough firemen in the capital—the city's firemen were fine, but more and more civilian homes had sprung up beyond the city walls, lacking sufficient firemen.

There were too many fireworks and firecrackers for the New Year, so the capital troops were assigned temporary duty as firemen.

This job came with extra pay—only one tael and five qian—but many volunteered; on one hand, it fulfilled the promise of serving the emperor and saving the common people; on the other, the emperor paid generously—half a month's duty earned one tael and five qian, roughly triple their regular pay.

If you pay enough, what task can't be done? Your Majesty, if you said to rebel tomorrow, we'd do it.

The court ministers thought it best to outright ban fireworks—prohibit them both inside and outside the city; in an age dominated by wooden structures, setting off fireworks was like arson, especially as the capital's population and suburban residents had grown in recent years; yet others argued: without fireworks and firecrackers, how could it be the New Year?

The debate remained unresolved, but one point was clear: fireworks and firecrackers were completely banned in the Great Ming palace, Tonghe Palace, and the Eastern and Western Cities—primarily for safety; any accident in these places could trigger a storm in the court.

Liu Zhang Xian arrived at Tonghe Palace, standing before its gate, reading the couplets: Upper line: "The Emperor's Mandate is established over the Nine Regions; this is perilous—how can one not revere it?" Lower line: "Heaven's Will favors one virtue; forever protect it, seek its peace"; the horizontal inscription: "Establish the Ultimate, Pacify the Way."

"Establish the Ultimate, Pacify the Way" came from the Book of Documents, Hong Fan: the Son of Heaven bears the duty to uphold Heaven's rules above and govern the people in accordance with the Dao.

On the screen wall inside the palace gate was written: "The Way is practiced in one thing: sincerity alone," signed Zhu Wu Zhongxing.

Liu Zhang Xian found it amusing; he had not yet met the emperor, yet already understood much about him; he entered the Dragon Pond, walked to the Imperial Study, passed the long corridor, and entered the Imperial Study.

"Your servant bows before Your Majesty; Your Majesty, may you live ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand ten thousand years," Liu Zhang Xian swept his sleeves and performed the full kowtow.

Zhu Zhu Yijun stood before his desk, waiting until Liu Zhang Xian finished his bow, then helped him up and said: "Rise. No need for such formalities henceforth—I grant you the privilege of standing before me."

"Thank Your Majesty for this great grace," Liu Zhang Xian said; he had inquired of Qi Qi Jiguang about the emperor's customs—among trusted ministers, being allowed to stand during private audiences was an important tool for the emperor to win loyalty; when the sovereign was young and the state uncertain, ministers might not be loyal; special favors were only proper.

Liu Zhang Xian was old, thin, his cheeks sunken, his beard white, yet his spirit was bright, his eyes sharp.

Zhu Zhu Yijun discussed the situation in Sichuan with Liu Zhang Xian, especially regarding the weight-scale case and concerns over Yang Shi's rebellion in Bozhou. Liu Zhang Xian answered each point in turn.

"Your Majesty, when I arrived at the Northern Camp, I saw our Ming soldiers in impeccable order. I heard the capital troops' pay and supplies this year amount to ten million taels of silver?" Liu Zhang Xian asked with a grave expression; the formalities were over, and he had his own views on state affairs.

"Indeed. In the eighth year of Emperor Wanli, expenditures on land and sea campaigns exceeded eleven million two hundred thousand taels." Zhu Zhu Yijun gave no details—only the total: 11.2 million, the full military expenditure of last year, already audited by the Ministry of Revenue.

"Isn't that too much? Didn't the court ministers object?" Liu Zhang Xian frowned; the military spending was far greater than he had imagined.

Zhu Zhu Yijun smiled and said, "Of course they did. Grand Secretary Wang Wang Guoguang and Vice Minister Zhang Zhang Xueyan slammed their tables often enough—both for the sake of Great Ming. To strengthen our martial power, we must strengthen our silver."

"I told Grand Secretary: during the final years of Emperor Jiajing and the Emperor Longqing era, annual actual spending was five to six million taels, while annual revenue barely reached seven million. Military expenditure then consumed nearly ninety percent. Last year, military spending was 11.2 million taels, but revenue reached 23.78 million—just fifty percent. That's not excessive."

One must not judge only by absolute numbers, but by proportion. As a feudal imperial state, Great Ming's military expenditure ratio is truly not high.

During the Tang Shunzhi reign of the Qing, military spending exceeded 100% of revenue—they had to rob their own people just to keep the army running. During the During Kangxi, Yongzheng, and Emperor Qianlong eras, campaigns against the Dzungars cost over 18 million taels annually, yet Qing's total annual revenue never reached 30 million taels.

In comparison, Great Ming's military expenditure ratio is truly not excessive among feudal imperial states.

"Jiangling Gong was truly capable." Liu Zhang Xian immediately smiled. He had feared Great Ming was falling into militaristic excess, but now he learned the proportion had actually declined—this eased his worries somewhat. His concern stemmed from preparations in Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan, and Guizhou, awaiting the death of the Dongyu King Mang Yang Yinglong to guard against unrest in the southwest.

A healthy imperial treasury means Great Ming can finally act decisively—to resolve the southwest problem once and for all.

"This mess of Great Ming has surely taxed your efforts, Master. Land taxes still lag behind the During Chenghua era, slightly diminished. Only the profits from opening the seas have given the court a much-needed breath." Zhu Zhu Yijun handed Liu Zhang Xian a newly audited Ministry of Revenue report. In short: Old General, Great Ming is now rich!

In the northwest, we fought Altan Khan; in the southeast, we crushed the Japanese pirates. The silver used by Liu Zhang Xian, Qi Qi Jiguang, and Yu Yu Dayou to suppress the pirates largely came from unknown sources—the court had no money. But the Japanese pirates had to be crushed; the people had already suffered their raids. If we robbed them further, they'd turn to the pirates. To secure silver, Qi Qi Jiguang, Liu Zhang Xian, and Yu Yu Dayou raided the Japanese pirates themselves.

For instance, in the thirty-fifth year of Emperor Jiajing, Qi Qi Jiguang had three flagship fuchuan, one haicang ship, twelve chong ships, over fifty caopie patrol boats, and several kailang wuchuan, yingchuan, and wangsuochuan. As his force expanded, the court had no silver. Mercenaries had to find their own funds. The people couldn't be robbed—so they robbed the Japanese pirates instead.

Liu Zhang Xian had been poor for too long. Great Ming must pay frontier troops, maintain the capital garrison, sustain the navy, and prepare for Dongyu—how could its finances possibly hold up? That's why he raised this issue with the Emperor.

Looking at the Emperor in his blue robe, Liu Zhang Xian fell momentarily silent. The Emperor spoke well—only good news, no bad. If the treasury were truly as healthy as he claimed, why was the Emperor still wearing a blue robe?

(End of Chapter)