Chapter 74: If Your Sister-in-Law Is Drowning, You Must Save Her with Your Hand; In Urgent Matters, Follow Expedient Measures

The Great Ming envoys Zhang Cheng and Zhang Jin were responsible for going to Qiongzhou to announce the recall of Hai Rui to the capital. Zhang Cheng was the adopted son of the Qianqing Palace eunuch Zhang Hong, and Zhang Jin was the adopted son of the Director of Ceremonial Feng Bao. The imperial decree had already been sent to Qiongzhou by 800-li express. The two envoys left the capital with other missions.

The Emperor's Southern Treasury—Yuegang.

After receiving the imperial decree, Hai Rui returned to the Dianbai Port of Guangzhou Prefecture, took a ship to Haicheng County in Fujian, then to Yuegang, and then took a ship to stop at Songjiang Prefecture, and then went north all the way to Tianjin Wei to disembark and enter the capital to serve as an official.

Yuegang was the only legal starting port for private maritime trade in the Great Ming.

In the forty-third year of Jiajing, the Japanese pirate trouble gradually subsided. Tan Lun, in his *Memorial on Preparing for the Far to Plan for Peace*, stated that there were countless people living by the sea who didn't know how to survive, relying on the mountains to eat mountains and the sea to eat the sea. The policy of maritime prohibition caused the people to suffer. He requested the opening of the sea, which led to intense discussions in the court.

The resistance to opening the sea was enormous, but the Japanese pirate trouble also made the court exhausted. Finally, after repeated struggles, the "open sea faction" gradually gained the upper hand.

In the first year of Longqing, under the wind of "if the market is open, the pirates will turn into merchants; if the market is banned, the merchants will turn into pirates," Tu Zemin, the Viceroy of Fujian and Censor-in-Chief, requested the opening of the sea, and the Longqing Emperor immediately agreed.

Yuegang, a port that had been open to the outside world since the Sui and Tang Dynasties, was finally opened.

With the opening of the sea as the main program, a political collective with a certain scale, covering censors, military, and politics, was formed, using the anti-Japanese pirate operations of the Jiajing reign as its cohesive force.

Yuegang was shaped like a moon, hence the name. On the two-li-long riverbank of Haicheng County, there were eight pier docks, arranged side by side from west to east along the mouth of the Jiulong River. Standing on the pier and looking toward the tail of the moon, there were islands looming in the rising and falling tides.

Further away, the sea and sky were one color; the sea surface seemed to have merged with the sky. The sea breeze, carrying the scent of the ocean, stirred the surface, and layers of waves crashed against the reefs, splashing into sprays that shimmered with the golden light of the sunset. The sea breeze blew across the surface, creating waves, blowing past the masts of the merchant ships that shot straight into the clouds, blowing past the barges, and stirring the corners of Zhang Cheng, Zhang Jin, and Luo Gongchen's robes.

Zhang Cheng, Zhang Jin, and Luo Gongchen were exchanging pleasantries about how the sea was truly calm.

Zhang Cheng held his hands, stood in the wind, looked at Luo Gongchen, and asked, "Speak directly. After His Majesty learned of the auspicious signs from Luo Vice Prefect, he was delighted and opened a ten-mu plot of land in Jingshan of the Shanglin Garden. His Majesty personally engages in farming. I came here to ask Luo Vice Prefect one sentence: Can the auspicious signs you sent to the capital really produce twenty or thirty bushels per mu?"

"This matter is of great importance. I beg Luo Vice Prefect to answer truthfully."

Luo Gongchen was extremely sturdy, with a tiger's back and a bear's waist, thick eyebrows and big eyes, looking extraordinarily solid.

As the Vice Prefect of Coastal Defense for the Office of Military Provisions, because Luo Gongchen had climbed the ladder to the Senior Grand Secretary Zhang Juzheng by returning to the capital to report on his duties, the Office of Military Provisions was currently led by Luo Gongchen.

"Two envoys, please look here." Luo Gongchen pointed to a large patch of small white flowers by the beach and said, "These are all foreign seedlings. We just cut them and planted them, and now they are already lush and green."

"I naturally would not dare to deceive the sovereign. If these foreign seedlings are planted properly, they can yield over 1,500 catties of grain. Even if planted casually, they can still yield 600 to 700 catties."

Zhang Cheng felt somewhat relieved. Before leaving, Zhang Hong had told his foster son, Zhang Cheng, quite solemnly that he must ask Luo Gongchen if he was lying. Since His Majesty was personally concerned with agriculture, there had to be a result.

The two eunuchs, Zhang Cheng and Zhang Jin, had come to Yuegang for the purpose of inspecting the Son of Heaven's Southern Treasury.

Merchant ships leaving Yuegang needed to obtain a permit (a permit), which was a pass. In the first year of Wanli, a total of 110 were issued, while there were over 200 merchant ships entering the Great Ming ports daily. According to the tax law of taking 6% of the value, the Office of Military Provisions collected 60,000 taels of gold-flower silver every month, with about 720,000 taels of silver entering the capital as commercial tax annually.

Zhang Juzheng's private residence, the All-Chu Guild Hall, including the triennial hosting of scholars from the Chu region who came to the capital for the metropolitan examination, cost an average of 1,200 taels of gold-flower silver per year.

720,000 taels of silver could support Zhang Juzheng's All-Chu Guild Hall for about 620 years, that is, until the year 2193 AD.

The money traded annually amounted to hundreds of thousands, with both public and private sectors relying on it. This was an important reason for the court to reconsider the maritime ban after opening the seas. Naturally, there was no lack of people barking wildly against the opening of the seas, but the court had no money, and the Emperor had no money. Although the public opinion for banning the seas remained, the court had already made up its mind to compete with the people for profit.

The Great Ming court was truly poor, with neither grain nor silver.

"Two great eunuchs, I have a matter I would like to inquire about." Luo Gongchen took out two salt permits and handed them over, but to Luo Gongchen's great embarrassment, neither of the two eunuchs accepted the salt permits.

Salt permits were money; one large salt permit was worth 1.5 taels of silver. Luo Gongchen had taken out more than ten salt permits, exceeding 50 taels of silver.

The sea breeze blew the salt permits, creating an awkward scene.

Which eunuch did not covet money? Had the sun risen in the west? Eunuchs not accepting bribes?

Luo Gongchen thought for a moment and realized he had done something stupid. The two great eunuchs had come, but there was only one set of salt permits. His face showed a bit of heartache as he took out another ten or so salt permits and extended both hands. One for each—that was the way to do things.

The salt permits rustled in the sea breeze, and the atmosphere was extremely awkward.

"Vice Prefect Luo, take them back. It's not that it's too little; it's truly that we cannot take them. The Old Ancestor and the Second Ancestor have both issued strict orders: whoever accepts money outside and is caught by the outer court officials, let them find a well and jump in themselves. Vice Prefect Luo, just ask whatever you want to ask." Zhang Cheng broke the silence and awkwardness, explaining the reason.

Along the way, Zhang Cheng and Zhang Jin had already explained this tirelessly many times. Wherever they went, officials did not believe that eunuchs would not accept money. This matter was very bizarre.

The fundamental reason was that Feng Bao, the Old Ancestor, did not allow it, and the Second Ancestor did not allow it either. Although the Old Ancestor and the Second Ancestor were not openly fighting now, there was secret strife. If anyone's people ran into trouble outside, the ranking in the palace could easily be rewritten.

His Majesty had spoken of Wang Zhen and had also given a warning. Feng Bao did not want to be Wang Zhen, and ever since he stopped accepting money, when he sat in the Zhao Wenhua Hall for court discussions and scolded people, he did so with righteous indignation and great satisfaction.

When had the Eunuch Faction ever been so triumphant?

Feng Bao had also gradually realized that since the bells were gone, they were truly gone. Why hoard so much money to leave to foster sons? It was better to live happily.

Luo Gongchen put away the salt permits, feeling very puzzled, and asked, "When I went to the capital last year, I wanted to collect taxes on foreign ships. Can this matter still be done?"

"Collect!" Zhang Cheng said immediately, "It must be collected!"

Zhang Jin also said with a solemn face, "If we don't collect taxes on foreign ships, are we keeping them to breed? Vice Prefect Luo, please be patient. The court is still grinding its teeth, but the Senior Grand Secretary still wants to push for it."

Regarding the collection of taxes on foreign ships, the matter itself was a matter of course, but there was still resistance in the court. Lu Shusheng, the Minister of Rites, was the greatest resistance.

"A difficult matter has just arisen." Luo Gongchen said with a solemn face, "A four-masted sailing ship of the Franks has requested to enter the port for trade. Should we collect the tax or not?"

Zhang Cheng asked suspiciously, "Just let it enter the port according to the regulations. What is it carrying that makes Vice Prefect Luo so cautious?"

"Bai Yin," Luo Gongchen said quite affirmatively.

"Didn't Vice Prefect Luo say? Merchant ships arriving at the port generally have silver. Is there anything strange about having silver?" Zhang Jin asked, feeling somewhat puzzled.

Luo Gongchen said with an extremely complex expression, "This ship is full of silver, about 4 million taels of silver, about 250,000 catties."

Zhang Cheng and Zhang Jin's originally calm expressions became somewhat startled. Zhang Cheng looked at Luo Gongchen and said, "You said how much?"

Luo Gongchen said solemnly, "4 million taels, 250,000 catties, to purchase raw silk, brocade, cotton cloth, tea, porcelain, etc."

"One ship, over 4 million taels of silver... Vice Prefect Luo, how many troops do we have in Yuegang?" Zhang Jin's eyes became strange. He didn't care about the dozen or so salt permits, but 4 million taels of silver were right before his eyes.

Rob it!

The court was going crazy from poverty, yet here was a big ship filled with silver!

4 million taels of silver!

"Great Eunuch, robbing can only get one ship, but doing business can be a long-term endeavor," Luo Gongchen said in a low voice.

Luo Gongchen wanted to collect the tax. On 4 million taels of silver, calculated at 6% of the value, that would be 240,000 taels of silver. Yuegang only collected 720,000 taels of silver a year. This one ship exceeded 240,000 taels. If there were targets, this one ship would have completed four months of targets!

Zhang Jin was somewhat embarrassed and said nothing. Robbing was no problem, but interfering in local political affairs required caution, so Zhang Jin did not express his stance.

Zhang Cheng, the foster son of the Qianqing Palace eunuch Zhang Hong, gritted his teeth and said, "Establish rituals according to the situation, and legislate according to the circumstances. The Office of Military Provisions exists to collect military provisions. Collect the tax first, and we'll talk. If the court blames us for this, I will take the responsibility!"

Zhang Cheng had the qualifications to say this because he was an Imperial Envoy in Yellow Robes. When he was away, he represented the Son of Heaven, so he had some decision-making power. However, very few people would exercise this decision-making power. He was specialized and had authority. Since he was here to wait for Hai Rui, he shouldn't be meddling in other people's business.

But Zhang Cheng indicated that this tax on foreign ships should be collected first. If there really was punishment, it would be his patron, the Second Ancestor in the palace, Zhang Hong, who would punish him. The outer court could not reach into the palace.

Get the money in hand first.

"Then collect it." Luo Gongchen thought about it and decided to do it. If no one was willing to take the lead, Luo Gongchen would have intended to collect the tax anyway, let alone now that someone was taking the lead.

The Office of Military Provisions exists to collect military provisions!

Merchant ships of the Great Ming must be taxed! Merchant ships of the barbarians must also be taxed!

For this collection of military provisions, Luo Gongchen gathered about 100 small boats, a dozen warships, and nearly 3,000 soldiers before sending people to communicate with those on the large sailing ship to confirm the tax collection and other matters.

The interpreter took a small boat back and forth between the Great Ming court and the large sailing ship, and soon communicated the various matters of docking and entering the port.

The large sailing ship was very different from the Great Ming ships. It was more slender, had a deeper draft, and its bow and sides were covered with dark cannon barrels. The main mast hung a large square sail, and the three sails behind were oblique triangular sails. This kind of oblique triangular sail was a longitudinal sail. When a longitudinal sailing ship sailed against the wind, it turned to one side and then to the other, winding forward in a "Z" shape.

The Frankish four-masted sailing ship was a behemoth. After repeated communication, the large sailing ship began to slowly fold its sails, which looked like goose-feather fans, whether gray-white or ochre, and gradually stopped on the sea, letting the ropes of the barges be looped onto the ship.

The Governor of Luzon, Francisco Sande, and the captain, Antonio Morga, had a fierce argument on the ship.

"Captain, we promised the Great Ming people to put away our fangs, and they will rush up, kill us, and rob our silver! We should put gunpowder into the cannon barrels, take off the supports on the bows, and be ready to fight at any time!" Francisco did not understand the captain's order and roared his doubts loudly.

Captain Antonio had come from the city of Potosi at Rico Peak in Mexico, crossed the boundless Pacific Ocean, arrived in Luzon, and then arrived in Yuegang. How could he put away the bows and block the cannons with wood?

If the Great Ming people rushed up, they would only be able to surrender.

Captain Antonio Morga shook his head and said, "Governor, that letter of yours has already been rejected by the King. In the letter, you said: 'To conquer the Great Ming, you only need 2,000 to 4,000 soldiers.' I have now seen the coastal defense of the Great Ming. Tell me, how can 2,000 to 4,000 soldiers conquer them?"

Francisco said quite definitely, "Given the chance, every Great Ming person will become a pirate; no one is loyal to their Emperor! We can first send missionaries to infiltrate, gather enemy intelligence, and incite internal traitors, then stir up internal chaos. Taking advantage of the chaos in China, we can send troops under the pretext of 'escorting Great Ming people home,' occupy territory, and occupy it step by step."

"I wrote the conquest plan for China in September the year before last, but no one responded."

Antonio smiled and said, "Because the King is not a fool."

"Have you seen those warships? They have dozens of ships, and we only have one armed merchant ship. Do you mean to say that we should use one merchant ship to fight against warships that stretch beyond the horizon?"

"We are here to do business, not to fight. If we open our spikes like a hedgehog, the result will be that we will die, and they will get our silver. This is the Great Ming's territory. In the Great Ming's territory, opening bows and cannons is not a wise decision."

"They only collect 6% tax, while the damn governors and tax officials of the Empire collect 30% tax at once!"

Antonio said the last sentence through gritted teeth.

Maritime trade is a combination of risk and opportunity. The risks are wind, waves, reefs, and fierce natives. Even after experiencing these, one still has to be harassed by governors everywhere. The governors of Mexico and Peru scraped off more than 30% of the tax from Antonio.

If Antonio hadn't bribed the tax officials, declaring fewer goods, he would have lost money after taking such a big risk on this trip.

The principle of silence is that the amount of goods declared on the cargo manifest is the amount of goods. The tax officials everywhere keep silent and no longer board the ship for inspection. Of course, to keep the tax officials silent, one must give the tax officials everywhere certain benefits.

Taking Antonio's *Pelican* as an example, the goods he declared were worth 520,000 silver coins, eight-real silver coins.

At the time of departure, there were indeed only 520,000 silver coins' worth of goods on his ship, but after leaving the port, a large number of small boats would replenish his cargo hold. Antonio bribed tax officials in Peru, Mexico, and Luzon, letting them keep silent about the quantity of goods on the ship.

This time in Yuegang, Antonio chose to declare truthfully. The Great Ming court's tax rate was only a mere 6%, which shocked Antonio, and Antonio did not know the Great Ming tax officials.

"Alright, don't worry too much. They are not cruel natives. As far as I can see, the Great Ming people seem to be more civilized than us. Let's go ashore." Antonio comforted Francisco and began to go ashore, followed by several servants in linen shirts.

Antonio was a businessman, and he was willing to take certain risks to open up financial paths.

"I am very happy to be able to come to the mysterious great Eastern country. I have heard legends about this place since I was very young, and today I have finally stepped onto this mysterious map. This is a gift I brought for everyone." Antonio did not kneel but performed a bowing gesture that was neither here nor there.

Several servants in linen shirts opened several wooden boxes, which contained eight-real silver coins arranged neatly and densely.

Luo Gongchen, Zhang Cheng, and Zhang Jin sized up the strangely dressed man in front of them.

Antonio and Francisco both wore slanted black hats with a feather on them, wide velvet coats with cotton linings, and a pile of ornaments hanging on their chests, the shape of which was mainly that of a cross.

Antonio was less than six feet tall, with a high nose and deep eyes, cat-like eyes and an eagle-like beak, a copper-red face, and brown-red curly hair and beard. Francisco was much shorter than Antonio, only about five feet tall.

Luo Gongchen and the other Great Ming officials sized up the red-haired barbarians, and the red-haired barbarians also sized up the Great Ming officials. The first intuitive feeling was that the Great Ming officials had a strict hierarchy, and the patterns on the badges on their chests represented their status.

Luo Gongchen walked forward a few steps, took out a silver coin. On the front of the silver coin was the head of the King, and on the back was engraved a crown and the shield emblem representing the Frankish royal family. On both sides of the shield emblem were two pillars of Hercules, with paper scrolls wrapped around the pillars, looking very much like: $.

"I am rude." Antonio saw Luo Gongchen put the silver coin back and signaled the servant in the linen shirt to close the box.

Publicly bribing so many people might violate local laws. It was more appropriate to do this kind of thing quietly.

Luo Gongchen was very interested in the silver coins. A silver coin weighed about 0.67 taels. The Franks did not bring many silver coins, but more silver ingots.

The tax collection began. There were five Vice Prefects of Coastal Defense in the Office of Military Provisions, four eunuchs present, and a group of people including the Fujian Provincial Governor, the Surveillance Censor, and the Prefect of Fuzhou watching the weighing and tax collection.

Luo Gongchen estimated that it was about right. The large sailing ship brought a total of 4.02 million taels of silver. According to the regulations, 241,200 taels were collected as tax. This tax money would be escorted to the capital, and the state treasury and the inner treasury would split it equally.

The money traded annually amounted to hundreds of thousands, with both public and private sectors relying on it.

Antonio was very puzzled.

According to his estimation, there should have been all kinds of harassment after collecting the tax. He had prepared silver coins to bribe the officials, but after the tax collection, they received the tax payment slip issued by the Maritime Trade Office and could start purchasing goods.

"Is it over already? It seems inconsistent with what the Governor said." Antonio said to Francisco, feeling very puzzled: "Francisco, you have been in the East for a long time. Do Great Ming bureaucrats always work so quickly and concisely?"

Francisco said even more confusedly: "On the contrary, there should have been all kinds of officials like tax officials and city defense officials harassing us, because we had encountered many harassments when shipping goods from Luzon to the Great Ming before."

"The two people we saw without beards on their faces should be eunuch envoys sent by the Great Ming Emperor, so no one dared to harass us when the envoys were present."

Francisco guessed that the two people without beards on their faces should be the legendary eunuchs.

Antonio then understood and said: "Look, you told me: 'Every Great Ming person will become a pirate; no one is loyal to their Emperor.'"

"But the Emperor's envoy is in Yuegang, and these officials don't even dare to harass us. If this is not loyalty, then what is loyalty?"

"Alright, I admit, I don't know enough about this mysterious land." Francisco felt a little emotional. This rich land did not seem so easy to conquer.

The Son of Heaven, sitting thousands of miles away, only needed to send two eunuchs who did not look very sturdy to make the local officials put away their usual ugly faces.

It was indeed a strange and mysterious Eastern world.

"We brought 6 million silver coins. Can this small port satisfy us?" Antonio said with some worry.

Francisco, the Governor of Luzon appointed by Spain, smiled and said: "Even if you brought 60 million silver coins, or even more, Yuegang could satisfy you. Of course, if you brought 600 million silver coins, that wouldn't work."

Francisco had been in Luzon for a long time, and he knew the richness of this land too well. The output here had everything, just like a monster that could never be full. No matter how many silver coins were thrown into the Great Ming, it could not fill the greedy appetite of this monster.

Zhang Cheng was very uneasy. He was a eunuch in the palace and had received the task of recalling Hai Rui to the court. While waiting for Hai Rui to arrive in Yuegang by boat from the Guangzhou Maritime Trade Office, Zhang Cheng took the initiative to collect taxes on the foreign ship. This was not within his scope of authority, and it was even somewhat presumptuous.

"Do you know you're panicked now?" Zhang Jin sat steadily, looking at Zhang Cheng's uneasy appearance, full of smiles. When going out of the palace to handle errands, one should speak as little as possible, do as little as possible, and make as much money as possible. This was the eunuch's primary job when going out of the palace. Supporting the local officials to collect taxes on foreign ships would definitely lead to impeachment by the remonstrating officials upon returning to the capital.

"After returning to the capital, whether the Emperor or the Empress Dowager beats me, scolds me, kills me, or drowns me in a well, it's all fine. Anyway, I brought the silver back. Isn't this Yuegang the Son of Heaven's Southern Treasury?" Zhang Cheng comforted himself.

Bringing the money back to the court, he felt he had done nothing wrong, but the remonstrating officials in the court were fierce, and he was afraid they would seize this matter to impeach the inner officials for interfering in politics.

In June, Hai Rui received the imperial decree and began his journey. He boarded a ship at Dianbai Port in Guangzhou Prefecture, arrived in Yuegang, stayed for one day, then headed south, stopped in Ningbo for one day, and set off again.

In early August, Hai Rui disembarked in Tianjin Wei, accompanied by his wife, Lady Wang, his young daughter, the two eunuchs Zhang Cheng and Zhang Jin, and the 241,200 taels of tax silver.

Hai Rui was recalled to the court as the Right Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, a second-rank official. After settling down, he first went to the Ministry of Personnel to report and receive his seal, chatted with Yang Bo for a few words, then went to the Censorate to report, chatted with Ge Shouli, and then returned home.

The next morning, Hai Rui, wearing the second-rank embroidered golden chicken badge, stood in front of the Zhao Wenhua Hall, waiting for the court discussion.

The Right Censor-in-Chief was one of the court officials. Hai Rui's clothes were a bit loose; the Ministry of Personnel did not expect Hai Rui to be so thin, so the court dress made was a bit large.

After the three sounds of the whip, the officials entered the hall.

"We officials pay our respects to Your Majesty. Is Your Majesty's holy body well?" The officials paid their respects.

Zhu Yijun stretched out his small hand and said, "No need for formalities. I heard yesterday that Chief Censor Hai has returned to the court. Where is Chief Censor Hai?"

"I pay my respects to Your Majesty." Hai Rui stepped out and bowed.

Zhu Yijun sized up Hai Rui. He stood straight, slightly thin, his eyes bright and spirited, his whole body full of scholarly air, worthy of the nickname "Mountain Pen Rack."

"Good, good, good. All ministers, please sit down and continue the court discussion." Zhu Yijun waved his hand, signaling the officials to sit and discuss.

Ge Shouli took the lead and said: "The Fujian Provincial Governor, the Surveillance Censor, the Fujian Left Administration Commissioner, and others have impeached the inner official Zhang Cheng for interfering in state affairs, privately opening coastal defense to receive foreign ships, and setting up checkpoints to collect taxes."

Zhang Jin stayed out of it and was not on the impeachment list because Zhang Jin had not expressed his stance.

When Wang Guoguang heard this, a smile appeared on his face. Yesterday, after this money was split with the inner treasury, it had already entered the state treasury. The state treasury was in financial distress, and this silver could be used for emergencies.

Feng Bao was observing the situation, intending to teach Ge Shouli a lesson. Although Zhang Cheng was Zhang Hong's foster son, this silver had entered the inner treasury, and the eunuch of the Inner Treasury was smiling from ear to ear. The court had no money, and the inner treasury actually had no money either.

A penny can stump a hero.

Talking about big principles is useless. If you don't have rice in your hand, even if you call the chicken, the chicken won't respond!

Before Feng Bao could speak, Hai Rui stood up and bowed: "Your Majesty, our Great Ming has ancestral instructions: inner officials interfering in politics, the court having no fixed policy for receiving and collecting taxes. Those who are inferior use clever words and flattering expressions to please the sovereign, steal state power, and poison the people. They use small favors to gain grace, and then dare to commit great treachery and evil to disrupt politics."

Zhu Yijun looked at Hai Rui, waiting for Hai Rui to finish speaking. Zhu Yijun could understand this. If one gains the Emperor's trust and grace, one dares to commit great treachery, and if one commits evil, one dares to disrupt politics, harming the country and the people.

Hai Rui continued: "However, looking at this matter, I think Zhang Cheng's actions were not inappropriate. If a sister-in-law is drowning, one must reach out a hand to save her. In urgent matters, one must follow the expedient plan. The large sailing ship was on the sea. If we didn't collect the tax, then in the future, large sailing ships arriving at the port could not be taxed. At that time, what would be the necessity of establishing the Maritime Trade Office?"

"I humbly request Your Majesty to exercise your wise judgment."

If the court didn't collect the tax the first time a large sailing ship arrived at Yuegang, it would be impossible to collect it in the future, and it would be easy to cause conflicts. Once this precedent was opened, the Maritime Trade Office might as well be closed. If no provisions were collected, why establish the Maritime Trade Office?

Zhu Yijun laughed after listening. Hai Rui's words were very strange.

To summarize Hai Rui's words, Zhang Cheng's handling of this matter was wrong, but it was also not wrong.

Heaven, earth, and man are constantly changing. Hai Rui asked Xu Jie to return the land, but he was impeached and sent home. Hai Rui was also changing. He was still him, just changing his tactics.

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