Chapter 826: The Sands of the Qionghai Still Remain, Still Hearing the Venerable Qingtian Pat the Table on Patrol

Everything in the Wanli Renewal was proceeding in an orderly manner.

Liu Ji heard that the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Works had jointly reported on the improvement of cannons.

Great Ming's previous cannons were a bit weak. This weakness was relative to the current cannons. The five improvements to the cannons were all led by the Academy of Investigation of Things.

The improvement of cannons had been going on for fourteen years and would continue for the foreseeable future.

Metallurgy was poor; Great Ming's previous cannons were truly too heavy, often weighing over ten thousand catties. This ten-thousand-catty cannon was simply the life of field marching. Not only field marching, but also city defense deployment required transporting them to this city.

But in recent years, with the large-scale expansion of iron smelting plants, Great Ming's steelmaking technology had become stronger and stronger, making the weight of firearms lighter and lighter.

Second, the gunpowder ratio had no fixed number, leading to unstable trajectories and low hit rates, and also increased the weight of the cannons. The quality of gunpowder was uneven; high-quality gunpowder had great force, while low-quality gunpowder misfired. Without sufficient redundancy, it was very easy to have barrel explosions, forcing the cannons to increase in weight.

But now, the gunpowder ratio had been completely determined as one catty of saltpeter, two taels of sulfur, and three taels of charcoal, then adding water, wine, sugar, sweet potato starch, etc., for granulation. The granulation of black powder finally stabilized the gunpowder.

The original powder gunpowder was actually very inconvenient for transportation because saltpeter, sulfur, and charcoal would separate during transportation. Besides separation, the water absorption of powder gunpowder was truly too strong; in slightly humid places, the gunpowder had to be dried.

These problems had been overcome one by one in over a dozen years of research, making gunpowder a truly reliable weapon.

Besides metallurgy and gunpowder, there was research on the chamber pressure of cannons, allowing Great Ming's cannons to further reduce weight. The chamber pressure curve and the barrel curve were almost identical. The lightweight barrel made the cannon's mobility stronger.

Speaking of which, it was also fun. Chamber pressure was measured by drilling holes in the barrel, filling it with round rod arrows, wrapping the barrel with thick wood when the cannon was fired, and drawing curves based on the depth of wood penetration. After hundreds of tests, the chamber pressure curve was drawn: thicken where the chamber pressure was high, and reduce weight where the chamber pressure was low.

Great Ming soldiers were accustomed to calling the cannons made after the 9th year of Wanli "Big Belly Cannons."

Next was the progress in mathematics. Great Ming was studying the relationship between the cannonball's impact point and the stability of the cannonball. One way was to add rifling for rotation stability, and the other was to use a steel tail-fin method. This steel tail-fin method, which was born from bows and arrows, had not been eliminated because some special cannons needed it.

For example, the "Divine Fire Flying Crow," a wooden shell like a crow, filled with gunpowder and iron caltrops in its belly. The tail of the crow had a wooden delayed fuse, adjusted according to the range, and two "igniters" were hung at the bottom of the crow, which were thrusters providing power.

The latest model of the Divine Fire Flying Crow had a maximum range of 250 *zhang*. After landing,

the gunpowder in the belly exploded, but the precision was extremely poor. The Academy of Investigation of Things gave the suggestion to fly them in units of ten thousand to form saturation bombing, and then the ground troops would advance. This was an extremely extravagant approach.

But the Great Ming Emperor had always been generous in military affairs, preferring to starve himself to win. When the Great Ming army was fighting, the Great Ming Emperor would eat a "light cake" every day to show he was sharing weal and woe with the army.

This led people to misunderstand that the Emperor was tightening his belt to fight the war. The Great Ming court had not yet reached the point where the Emperor had to tighten his belt to fight a war.

The Great Ming Emperor approved one million silver to build wind tunnels and water tunnels. The improvement of gliders was full of difficulties, but the range of the Divine Fire Flying Crow was getting farther and farther, and its power was getting greater and greater.

Besides this, Great Ming began to consciously and purposefully train professional artillerymen and artillery battalions, thereby forming all-firearm combat of cavalry battalions, infantry battalions, and artillery battalions.

The training requirements for artillerymen required soldiers to have a basic foundation in mathematics.

Metallurgy, gunpowder, chamber pressure, mathematics, and artillery training—these were the five major improvements Great Ming made to cannons, making cannons truly the nemesis of mountain cities, camps, and fortresses.

The nine-catty cannon was finally reduced to two thousand catties, which could be moved by three horses, plus three horses to pull various gunpowder and cannonballs, greatly increasing mobility.

Before completing the above improvements, every missing item would increase the time Great Ming spent dismantling mountain cities by one fold, and also led to the Great Ming army relying entirely on cannons to dismantle mountain cities, dismantling them slower than others could repair them.

This is actually the reason why the Japanese pirates, despite knowing that the Great Ming's firearms were extremely powerful, still brazenly attacked Korea; they underestimated the power of the Great Ming's cannons.

Heavy infantry needed to be covered by cannons before they could enter the field. These heavy infantry were all "first to enter the line," and each one was very precious. Entering the field directly was a loss that the court and His Majesty could not accept at all.

If the Battle of Malacca had occurred in the 16th year of Wanli, Zhang Yuanxun would only have needed three months to dismantle the red-haired barbarians' castle completely, instead of spending two and a half years grinding away to finally conquer it.

Shen Yiguan sent good news from Shaanxi: Great Ming had rebuilt Hami City, a camp ten *li* in circumference, built official roads and post stations, swept away the horse bandits along the way, cleared all obstacles to the Western Regions, and finally found the legendary Salt Marsh (Lop Nur). But to develop refined salt, they still needed to continue westward for about 1,400 *li* to reach the Salt Marsh.

The reopening of the Western Regions was proceeding in an orderly manner. Great Ming's next target was the Turpan Khanate and Luntai City, which was the Luntai City of the Tang Dynasty poet Cen Shen's "Luntai Song Sending off General Feng on the Western Expedition" (today's Urumqi).

Shen Yiguan gave a promise: in three to five years, they would re-establish Luntai City and build camps and official roads to the Western Regions. This was what Shen Yiguan had been persistently doing in Gansu.

Great Ming reopened the Western Regions, and the barbarians of the Western Regions had no match. Mainly because the Great Ming army was equipped with a large number of firearms, a city stronghold only needed twenty people to be completely controlled, and traffic arteries only needed three hundred people to hold.

Compared to the Tang Dynasty's opening of the borders with the strength of the whole country, Great Ming's reopening of the Western Regions was much, much cheaper.

In the past, the "Long March Valiant Soldiers" specifically used for the development of the Western Regions by the Tang Dynasty required tens of thousands of people for one recruitment, and the total force exceeded 300,000. This also gave rebels like An Lushan and Shi Siming an opportunity. The Tang valiant soldiers were abroad, and the rebels took advantage of the emptiness of the Central Plains to sneak in.

Ling Yunyi's "civilizing" of Korea was very smooth. Recently, he recruited many Koreans to become archers of the Inspection Division, hunting tigers everywhere—biological tigers.

This was also Great Ming's first understanding of how rampant the tiger scourge in Korea was. Just during the time Ling Yunyi arrived in Korea, various places reported 27 cases of tiger scourge. There was even a tiger den in Gyeongbokgung Palace in Hancheng. At the end of the 15th year of Wanli, a tiger attack on a village led to 140 deaths.

Originally, Korea had tiger-hunting teams, served by the Korean Guard. But Li Yan's perverse acts led to a large number of bottom-level soldiers fleeing, and the suppressed tiger scourge ravaged again. Plus the Japanese pirate invasion, the tiger scourge worsened.

Ling Yunyi organized archers of the Inspection Division. Besides hunting tigers, they were also inspecting. Korea's security was greatly enhanced.

Korea was recovering rapidly from the haze of war, which greatly enhanced Korea's centripetal force. The Hancheng Shipyard had been completed, and it could start producing ships this summer; the planning for Busan Port had been passed by the Ministry of Works and the Ministry of Revenue and was accelerating its progress.

The official roads and post stations in Laos had been repaired.

Regarding this matter, the country of Annam, which was in internal strife, had no power to interfere at all. According to the Minister of Rites Shen Li, as Great Ming's goods continuously poured in and bilateral economic activities became active, Laos would use more and more Chinese characters, because only by learning Chinese characters could they have a way out. In a few years, they would be inseparable.

Great Ming's expansion was not entirely military expansion. Just like Deng Ziyong was willing to trade his imperial-bestowed saber to the Kulin people, but the Kulin people eventually failed this kindness.

Shen Li had a famous saying about expansion: "If the Han people do not multiply, even if you get a vast territory of a thousand *jiang*, it is still the wilderness of a fence."

Shen Li had a famous saying regarding expansion: "If the Han people do not multiply, even if one gains a vast territory of a thousand leagues, it remains but a wild frontier."

After the court meeting ended, Liu Ji stood in front of the Chengtian Gate of the Imperial Palace, filled with emotion.

In the 16th year of Wanli, everything in Great Ming was so flourishing.

At this court meeting, Liu Ji felt that His Majesty had said one thing inaccurately. His Majesty said: "Others are not up to me; it is also persistent in vain."

But Liu Ji knew very clearly that His Majesty's words really had over 300,000 people willing to fight for His Majesty. His Majesty felt that he could only do his own job well, but in fact, the people who did specific things below, such as Liu Ji, knew very clearly that a monarch like His Majesty was actually very rare.

His Majesty handled things personally. The Four Great Cases were all bloody major cases, all with countless infamy, but His Majesty did them; the Korean royal family, including King Li Yan, was not easy to deal with, but His Majesty didn't let him fall into the water, but directly ordered Li Shunchen to kill him. Li Shunchen was acting on orders;

The Navy, Capital Battalion, and official factories, besides stable jobs that could be inherited if one didn't make mistakes, also had opening silver, profit silver, reward silver, etc., every year;

Working in the Navy, Capital Battalion, and official factories was very respectable. The social status of soldiers and craftsmen was greatly improved in His Majesty's hands. Even students from the Academy of Science and Engineering, who were of craftsman origin, could obtain fame and could be on par with the students of the Imperial Academy.

Even for those who had difficulty getting married, His Majesty would try every means to send them wives.

Liu Ji firmly believed: The narrative of grace that Zhang Juzheng had been striving to build was established.

Liu Ji would not sympathize with any barbarians, nor would Liu Ji stop the extraction of overseas interests because of sympathy, and even less would he show mercy to the barbarians. He was just a captain working for His Majesty.

Did he not know where the silver, gold, granulated sugar, and other goods on his ship came from? He wouldn't think about these; he would only bring endless wealth back to Great Ming.

This was the new narrative gradually formed during the Wanli era: Grace and Loyalty!

Liu Ji believed that His Majesty had completely underestimated his terrifying influence on him.

In Liu Ji's view, the loss of imperial power in Great Ming was because the Great Ming court and the Emperor, in the political collective, did not have the power to compete with the scholar-official class, leading to the court's control over the localities becoming weaker and weaker, and even basic tax collection could not be completed.

And now, the three-tiered forces of agriculture, industry, and military had made up for this, which was one of the reasons why the Wanli Renewal could succeed.

After Liu Ji hurried back to the capital to meet the Emperor, he had to rush to Songjiang Prefecture, waiting for the ships to be overhauled, goods to be loaded and unloaded, and soldiers to be rotated before setting sail again.

Great Ming Emperor Zhu Yijun, after reviewing the troops at Wu Ying Tower, returned to the Tonghe Palace Imperial Study to process the memorials.

A memorial from Songjiang Prefecture.

Shen Shixing reported to His Majesty that all the duties of the Zhejiang Provincial Governor had been transferred to Hou Yuzhao. Hou Yuzhao had just arrived in Hangzhou Prefecture when something happened. Hou Yuzhao, who had ridden horses in Liaodong for fifteen years without ever having an accident, fell off his horse!

The fall wasn't heavy; he just tumbled. Hou Yuzhao fell off the horse, did a smooth donkey roll to unload the force, and was not injured. The Embroidered Uniform Guard who followed Hou Yuzhao to Hangzhou Prefecture didn't believe in evil and investigated for a long time, and it really was just an accident.

It wasn't that someone wanted to give Hou Yuzhao a "downward horse" (a show of force) by messing with the horseshoes, food, or roads; it was simply because of a spring rain that made the road slippery.

"No, is this Yan Shixuan so evil? If you talk about slippery roads, Hou Yuzhao followed the Marquis of Ningyuan to Chagan Pao back then, and it was icy and snowy all the way, but he didn't fall like this." Zhu Yijun looked at this memorial and had a further understanding of Yan Shixuan's "clashing with superiors."

Yan Shixuan was a bit evil.

Shen Shixing was unlucky, Wu Shanyan lost his life, Shen Shixing was unlucky again, and now it was Hou Yuzhao's turn to be unlucky.

Hou Yuzhao's horsemanship was taught by Li Chengliang. The two of them took nearly a thousand people to Chagan Lake without falling once. They had just arrived in Hangzhou, and he fell.

"It feels like a simple accident. After all, the slipperiness of Liaodong and the slipperiness of Jiangnan are quite different." Feng Bao said with some uncertainty: "We can wait and see."

Hou Yuzhao's work of returning fields in Zhejiang was proceeding smoothly. Currently, four prefectures—Hangzhou, Shaoxing, Ningbo, and Taizhou—had completely completed the return of fields. The luxurious households with more than 100 *qing* of land had handed over their land deeds to the government office, and the government office had already distributed the land according to the fish-scale registers and yellow registers.

Besides these four prefectures, Zhejiang still had eight prefectures that needed to return fields. Hou Yuzhao would need about three to five years to push forward the return of fields in these eight prefectures.

"Suzhou Prefecture also intends to return fields." Feng Bao sent the memorial of the Suzhou Prefect to the Emperor. As the capital of Jiang You, Suzhou Prefecture intended to take the lead in handling the matter of returning fields.

For the localities, sticking out one's head is a knife, and shrinking one's head is also a knife. Everyone knew the character of this master, the Emperor. He was extremely firm, cared for the world, and persisted. If he was wrong, he would correct it, and after correcting it, he would continue to push it forward. He never refused to bow his head and admit his mistakes for the sake of the Emperor's face, which would only make things more troublesome.

Suzhou Prefecture evaluated Suzhou's economic situation and decided to return fields.

Feng Bao said happily: "The Suzhou Prefect said it very clearly. Su and Hang, Su and Hang. Hangzhou Prefecture has completed the return of fields, and agricultural production will have a relatively large increase, meaning Hangzhou can raise more craftsmen. You can't see it in one or two years, but in three or five years, all the merchants in Suzhou will have to run to Hangzhou to build workshops. After all, Hangzhou has more craftsmen. Delay will lead to changes."

The pie under heaven is only so big. If Hangzhou eats one more piece, Suzhou, its direct competitor, might eat half a piece less.

All the talents and beauties of Suzhou Prefecture ran to Hangzhou Prefecture. What did he have in Suzhou to develop? What did he, the Suzhou Prefect, have to get promoted? A "lower-lower" rating in the *Kaocheng* Law would ruin his official career for the rest of his life, and he would be ridiculed as incompetent.

Zhu Yijun thought about it over and over, approved this memorial, and said: "Then let Suzhou Prefecture try. If it doesn't work, let the Yingtian Provincial Governor Li Le and the Songjiang Provincial Governor Shen Shixing help. Manpower, material resources, and financial resources are all fine."

"Returning fields—how can it be so easy to do?"

After Zhu Yijun approved a memorial, he looked at Feng Bao and said with a smile: "You should also find a chair to sit next to me."

"Your subject is not tired and can still serve Your Majesty." Feng Bao shuddered and answered hurriedly. If it weren't for the fact that His Majesty didn't like kneeling, he would have knelt by now. His Majesty's words, understood from the front, were concern for his hard work in serving before the Emperor; understood from the side, it was clearly that he felt he no longer had the energy to continue being the Chief Eunuch before the Emperor.

In this short moment, Feng Bao thought of everything he could think of, and was sure he hadn't made any mistakes.

"Look at you, overthinking. I'm just seeing that you're working hard." Zhu Yijun said helplessly. As soon as he saw Feng Bao's expression, he knew he was overthinking.

"This, this is fine." Feng Bao thought left and right, moved a square stool over, sat beside His Majesty, and organized the memorials that the Emperor had approved and those that needed to be approved. Zhu Yijun originally wanted to let him change to a chair; the square stool was uncomfortable to sit on, but in the end, he didn't say it out loud.

As an Emperor, his authority was becoming heavier and heavier. A single sentence made people's imaginations run wild. He really didn't have that many deep meanings.

Zhu Yijun picked up a memorial and said with a smile: "Suiyuan also has good news. Agricultural Doctor Ke Yanchang has successfully cultivated the purple root grass sent by the envoy of the Ross country last year. A good thing."

Purple root grass is cold-resistant, has strong resistance, has low requirements for soil, and can live with a little water. The Ross country's tribute was a type of high-quality forage grass.

Agricultural Doctor Ke Yanchang was a top agricultural doctor for forage grass in Great Ming, considered a fellow apprentice of the Great Ming Emperor, studying under the Grand Minister of Agriculture Xu Zhenming. Ke Yanchang led people to turn the Yulin desert green, making Yulin lush with green grass.

It could be said that without Ke Yanchang, the forage grass found by Great Ming would be very difficult to form large-scale planting; without Ke Yanchang, there would be no current fixed grazing and animal husbandry. Ke Yanchang was also a veterinarian, deeply loved by the local herdsmen.

The success of the Wanli Renewal was not the strength of Zhu Yijun alone, but the unity of Great Ming from top to bottom, ten thousand people with one strength, that led to this step today.

"Your Majesty, Grand Censor Hai is about to retire." Feng Bao placed a memorial in front of the Emperor.

Great Ming's backbone, Hence Hai Rui, Hai Gangfeng, was old, his heart and strength were exhausted, and his muscles and bones were already weak. 74-year-old Hence Hai Rui was already unable to continue presiding over the affairs of the Censorate.

Li Youzi retired in the 15th year of Wanli. If it weren't for the fact that they had been looking for a suitable candidate, Hence Hai Rui should have retired and lived in seclusion last year.

"Add the title of Junior Preceptor, bestow the python-pattern crown and belt, add 500 taels of silver, 10 tables of *zhusi* (silk), 30,000 *guan* of paper money, and 30 jars of national cellar wine. Bestow the Qingqin Garden built by the Northern Camp to Grand Censor Hai." Zhu Yijun gave Hence Hai Rui a reward and said with a complex expression and some hesitation: "Also, bestow the title of Junior Minister of the Court of Imperial Treasury to Hence Hai Rui's adopted son, Hai Zhongshi."

Hence Hai Rui had three sons who died one after another. He had an adopted son, Hai Zhongshi. This adopted son did not study well, but he could be considered someone who inherited Hence Hai Rui's glory.

The Emperor hesitated because the relationship between Hence Hai Rui and this son was not good. Hence Hai Rui was extremely clean all his life, but this Hai Zhongshi, on the contrary, drilled into the eyes of money, relying on Hence Hai Rui's reputation to swagger everywhere. Being an adopted son, the father-son relationship became very stiff.

Zhu Yijun picked up his pen, thought about it over and over, and wrote: "The iron-faced dragon map is a cloth body, Qiongya's pine and cypress cast spirit; the stele forest casts three thousand words of evil, plain clothes pursue the return of a million *jun* (weight). Three parts of the Southern Yamen clear the tripod, the lonely banner points north to sweep away greedy scales."

"To this day, the sands of the Qionghai still remain, still hearing the blue sky pat the table on patrol."

"Iron-faced dragon map" refers to Bao Zheng; they are all parents and officials of the people. "Stele forest" refers to the "Happy Stele Forest" established by Hence Hai Rui outside the Zhaoyang Gate. "Plain clothes" refers to the "Plain-Clothed Censors" established by Hence Hai Rui. "Three parts of the Southern Yamen" refers to Hence Hai Rui's achievements when he followed the Emperor south in the 13th year of Wanli. "Sweeping away greedy scales" refers to Hence Hai Rui as Great Ming's divine sword against corruption and greed.

Zhu Yijun gave Hence Hai Rui a poem, telling Hence Hai Rui that Great Ming would not forget his achievements.

"The Happy Stele Forest, change its name to the Awakening World Forest." Zhu Yijun changed the name of the "Happy Stele Forest" established by Hence Hai Rui to a new name. It was not a superfluous move, but Hence Hai Rui was about to leave the court, and he hoped that after Hence Hai Rui left the court, this stele forest could still awaken the world.

The Emperor's approved imperial decree was sent to the Cabinet, and then Xu Jue brought the Emperor's imperial decree and rushed to Hence Hai Rui's residence. Xu Jue had been here several times. Hence Hai Rui was a true "pure stream," and there were no luxurious items in his home.

Xu Jue waited in the main hall, only waiting for Hence Hai Rui to receive the decree alone. Hence Hai Rui's wife, successor wife, and concubines had all passed away due to illness, and his three daughters had already married. His adopted son, Hai Zhongshi, did not seem to be at home.

"Censorate Grand Censor Hence Hai Rui, receive the decree." Xu Jue flicked his whisk, and two young eunuchs opened the imperial decree. Xu Jue shouted loudly: "By the grace of heaven, the Emperor decrees:"

"I have inherited the great cause, cautious day and night, relying on upright ministers to be the pillar in the middle of the stream. Reading your bloody memorial, my heart is pained."

The imperial decree with the Emperor's vermilion mark was delivered to the Grand Secretariat. Afterward, Xu Jue took the Emperor's decree and rushed to Hence Hai Rui's residence. The house Hence Hai Rui currently lived in was also a residence bestowed by the Emperor. Xu Jue had been there several times; Hence Hai Rui was a truly upright official, and there were no luxury items in his home.

"In the past, Bao Zheng knew Kaifeng and hung the blue sky; now I let you return to seclusion and leave the sword's edge. Ji An lay in office and still wore the silver seal; I let you rely on relatives and add the red ribbon."

"Under the nine-fold palace, there is less iron face; in the history of a thousand autumns, there are many monuments. I order the Inner Secretariat to make a 'Wind and Constitution Merit' plaque to bestow upon you, to be hung in the Qingqin Garden."

"The established constitution of the successive dynasties, spreading virtue and grace, announcing to the world, so that all may hear."

"Respect this."

"Your subject kowtows to thank His Majesty for his great grace." Hence Hai Rui bowed again and received the decree.

After Xu Jue handed the decree to Hence Hai Rui, he took out a handwritten imperial book from his sleeve, handed it to Hence Hai Rui, and said with a smile: "Besides the imperial decree, His Majesty wrote an extra poem to bestow upon the Grand Censor. The Inner Secretariat will carve it on stone and send it to the Qingqin Garden."

"Is your son not at home?" Xu Jue asked about Hai Zhongshi. Hence Hai Rui had phlegm disease and could not stand for long. His condition had worsened for more than a year. Even His Majesty often sent imperial physicians to diagnose and treat him. It stands to reason that this adopted son, Hai Zhongshi, should be at home taking care of Hence Hai Rui.

But Xu Jue came to announce the decree and didn't even see Hai Zhongshi.

"Alas, don't mention it, don't mention it." Hence Hai Rui waved his hand repeatedly: "He has been walking very close to the Fujian merchants recently, wanting to be a traveling merchant. I didn't let him do it, so he got angry and had a big argument with me before going out."

"This servant understands and will naturally report truthfully to His Majesty." Xu Jue only announced half of the decree. He didn't get to announce the reward of the fifth-rank Junior Minister of the Court of Imperial Treasury, and looking at this posture, he was afraid he wouldn't be able to give it out.

In Hence Hai Rui's situation, an adopted son is like a biological son. The father is seriously ill, but the son is not in front of the sickbed. This is unfilial. The court would never give the hereditary official position to Hai Zhongshi. Even if Hai Zhongshi were biological, the conservative faction in the Ministry of Rites would not agree. Unfilial is a crime.

According to Great Ming's ancestral system, this hereditary fifth-rank Junior Minister of the Court of Imperial Treasury could be inherited for three generations. Without serving, His Majesty also bestowed a large mansion. If the Qingqin Garden were given to Hai Zhongshi, it would be a waste.

Hence Hai Rui had been an official all his life. If he had the intention to give it to Hai Zhongshi, he wouldn't have said it in such detail. Clearly, Hence Hai Rui didn't want to acknowledge this son anymore.

"His Majesty asked the Grand Censor if the Grand Censor has any recommended candidates for the position of Grand Censor." Xu Jue inquired about the candidate for the Grand Censor of the Censorate. Hence Hai Rui did not recommend anyone in his retirement memorial.

Hence Hai Rui said with a solemn expression: "There is no reliable candidate. If there is one, it is Wang Qian, the only son of the Junior Grand Secretary."

"This servant will report truthfully to His Majesty after returning to the palace." Xu Jue bowed and left Hence Hai Rui's home.

Hence Hai Rui knew it was inappropriate, which is why he didn't write it in the memorial.

Wang Qian's status as a *juren* was problematic. Wang Chonggu cheated in the provincial examination and got Wang Qian a *juren* status. The Grand Censor of the Censorate was extremely noble. This stain meant that even if he were forcibly appointed, he would not be recognized by his colleagues in the Censorate.

Xu Jue returned to the palace, did not go directly to the Tonghe Palace, but went to the Eastern Depot, and sent some spies to investigate Hai Zhongshi's situation carefully before heading to the Tonghe Palace, reporting everything he saw and heard at Hence Hai Rui's home to His Majesty.

"Wang Qian is actually quite suitable. Discuss it in the Wenyuan Pavilion next chapter. If it doesn't work, then recommend it at court." Zhu Yijun also knew that Wang Qian's ability to lead the Censorate as one of the "Plain-Clothed Censors" was not a problem. This was all a pit dug by Wang Chonggu for his son, and it was also the reason for the "father-kind and son-filial" relationship in their family.

"What is the situation with this Hai Zhongshi?" Zhu Yijun's expression became cold and stern. He was already not very satisfied with Hai Zhongshi. The father was seriously ill, but Hai Zhongshi was actually not before the sickbed!

Xu Jue took out a piece of paper, handed it to His Majesty, and bowed: "Reporting to Your Majesty, those Fujian merchants who are walking very close to Hai Zhongshi used to be smugglers of 'white goods'."

"White goods" mainly refer to cotton and cotton cloth, and later gradually extended to bulk commodities. Cotton, tea, iron, and other bulk commodities. Great Ming adjusted the customs declaration process and established customs offices in all maritime trade offices, doing one-stop customs declaration, which alleviated the rampant smuggling of white goods.

"This idiot Hai Zhongshi! Extremely stupid! These Fujian merchants don't value him as a person. What ability does he have to be valued? What the Fujian merchants value is Grand Censor Hai's clean name!" Zhu Yijun's mouth twitched. He didn't care. Hence Hai Rui's clean name of a lifetime was feared to be ruined by this adopted son.

Xu Jue said in a low voice: "Your Majesty, I'm afraid Hai Zhongshi might not be unaware. This servant feels that Hai Zhongshi knows very clearly what the Fujian merchants are looking for him to do. He often uses Grand Censor Hai's name to swagger everywhere."

Xu Jue's words were already very polite. The situation the spies heard was even worse. This Hai Zhongshi once said after drinking: "A clean name is useless; it's better to exchange it for money."

Zhu Yijun thought for a while and said: "Let the Hai family of Qiongzhou select another person with both virtue and talent to come to the capital and adopt him under Grand Censor Hai's name." ===== CHAPTER 827 =====

"White goods" mainly refers to cotton and cotton cloth, but it gradually extended to bulk commodities such as cotton, tea, and iron. The Great Ming adjusted the customs declaration

process, establishing customs offices at all maritime trade supervisorates to provide one-stop customs clearance, which alleviated the rampant smuggling of white goods.

"Hai Zhongshi, that fool! Utterly stupid! These Fujian merchants don't value him as a person; what talent does he have to be valued? The Fujian merchants value Grand Coordinator Hai's clean reputation!" Zhu Yijun's mouth twitched. He didn't care; he feared Hence Hai Rui's lifelong clean reputation would be ruined by this adopted son.

Xu Jue said in a low voice, "Your Majesty, I fear this Hai Zhongshi is not unaware. I believe Hai Zhongshi is very clear about what the Fujian merchants are looking for him to do. He often uses Grand Coordinator Hai's name to swagger about everywhere."

Xu Jue's words were already very polite; the situation the agents had uncovered was even worse. This Hai Zhongshi had once boasted after drinking, "A clean reputation is useless; it's better to exchange it for money."

Zhu Yijun thought for a moment and said, "Let the Hai family in Qiongzhou select another person of both virtue and talent to enter the capital and be adopted under Grand Coordinator Hai's name."