[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-i-really-am-not-neglecting-my-duties":3,"chapter-i-really-am-not-neglecting-my-duties-i-really-am-not-neglecting-my-duties-chapter-966":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","I Really Am Not Neglecting My Duties",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2364235,4622,"Chapter 966: Learn Victory and Spoils, Learn Defeat and Rear Guard","i-really-am-not-neglecting-my-duties-chapter-966",966,"\u003Cp>When things reach their extreme, they reverse; when prosperity peaks, it declines.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, the Jile Church in Japan is at its zenith, its fury raging like a torrent; its followers can act with impunity across Japan, no one can restrain them, and their crimes will face no judgment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This raging tide of violence cannot last forever; the Jile Church’s extreme practice of infant hunting has already sparked dissent within its own ranks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Extreme sects destroy themselves through ever-deepening extremism.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Juzheng’s judgment that the Jile followers will soon weaken is simple: Japan’s rapidly shrinking pool of able-bodied labor can no longer sustain the Jile Church’s reckless, chaotic expansion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Jile Church’s doctrine of hedonism easily resonates with young men, but Japan’s population is plummeting alongside the small triangle trade, with nearly seventy thousand Japanese slaves sailing to the South Seas each year, draining the very foundation of the Jile Church’s excesses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun went to the Quandou Society’s hall to eat, and spent a long time chatting with Zhang Juzheng in the Wenchang Pavilion, discussing the new policies, expansion, and opening the seas.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Majesty, the most urgent task now is to perfect the HuanTai Trade Alliance; the primary goal is to rapidly expand trade volume.” Zhang Juzheng spoke of the first major matter after the HuanTai Trade Alliance’s founding: the trade volume of the Great Ming, the East Tai Governorate, and the South Seas must surpass that of the small triangle trade between Great Ming, Japan, and the South Seas.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Great Ming’s eyes, the East Tai Governorate and Japan hold nearly identical status in trade: silver, markets, labor—only East Tai’s scale is larger and profits higher.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Naturally. Without scale, no regulation, no matter how good, can be enforced.” Zhu Yijun nodded solemnly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The preliminary draft agreement signed by Gao Qi and the East Tai Governorates is titled the “HuanTai Trade Alliance Commercial Charter.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It details each party’s rights and duties, permitted anchorage zones, contraband goods, tax rates, and more; this charter has been revised multiple times and has achieved full consensus, with envoys having signed it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The envoys’ signatures mean the charter has begun enforcement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For example, the Charter stipulates: establish a HuanTai Trade Alliance Council Office in Shuri, Ryukyu, where all signatories may appoint two councilors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The most vital duty of this council office is to resolve trade disputes among members and jointly deliberate amendments to the Charter—somewhat like Felipe’s current State Council.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It merely provides a place to argue, preventing war over a few plundered ships; trade dispute rulings shall follow Great Ming law.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Charter also sets clear rules for membership expansion; Gao Qi was extremely authoritarian, building the HuanTai Trade Alliance on the logic of “Great Ming tributary trade,” and no new members may be added without Great Ming’s approval.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reliance on Great Ming law for trade disputes stems from this very reason.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Charter also specifies which governorates must open ports and guarantee the safety of Ming offices.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Charter is well-crafted, but all of this rests on a massive trade scale; without scale, the Charter will gain little respect or support.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With sufficient scale, even without a Charter, Great Ming’s demands will still be met—this is a form of economic colonization.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After careful thought, Zhang Juzheng spoke: “Your Majesty, the foremost duty is to clear the sea pirates; after the Lu Prince assumes his fief, we must comprehensively eradicate pirates along the route and conduct regular joint patrols to secure maritime safety.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The prosperity of the small triangle trade stems fundamentally from the Great Ming Navy’s regular armed patrols, projecting power overseas and curbing piracy; only with a stable maritime trade environment can business thrive.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Kingdom of Jin must shoulder this responsibility.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Lu Prince’s burden grew heavier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sea pirates are the primary threat to maritime trade; without secure coastlines, large-scale maritime trade is impossible. Since England issued letters of marque, oceanic trade across the West has uniformly declined.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was equally evident in Great Ming: when Japanese piracy surged, maritime trade immediately collapsed; the merchants’ own servants turned against them—this was precisely why Longqing reopened the ports.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wanli’s opening of the seas was initially widely opposed, but as the Navy eradicated pirates and sea routes became safe, support for opening the seas grew broader.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The more rampant the pirates, the smaller the trade volume; the Lu Prince’s first duty upon assuming his fief is to be Great Ming’s hand in the East Seas, eradicating these pirates so they dare not touch merchant ships.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master is right. This critical task cannot be entrusted to barbarians. In the East Pacific, Great Ming’s reach is limited; these governorates either tacitly permit or openly encourage pirates to plunder Ming merchant ships.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Jin Navy must shoulder this duty. I will communicate clearly with the Lu Prince.” Zhu Yijun pondered deeply and agreed with Zhang Juzheng.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to the Charter, no member may provide pirates with any port services, supplies, repairs to sails, water and food, or sale of goods.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, intelligence gathered from sailors reveals that the East Tai governorates maintain numerous unspoken small ports offering pirates all manner of services.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ming merchant ships face great danger; eliminating these threats is the Court’s duty—unavoidable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“All Ming vessels departing from Naha Port in Shuri may obtain weapons and arm their ships at Naha to prevent piracy.” Zhang Juzheng addressed the issue of armed merchant ships: vessels bound for the East Tai Governorates must be armed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Armed merchant ships are common in Western trade beyond Malacca; Ming ships may replenish swords, spears, bows, crossbows, muskets, cannons, and gunpowder in Malacca City and Davao on Mindanao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beyond order, only one’s own strength can be trusted—this is one reason Ming merchants hesitate to leave Malacca City.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Great Ming never fears merchant ships wielding firepower, for even the strongest merchant ship’s armament cannot match the Navy’s.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Juzheng and the Emperor’s maritime trade policy broadly follows the strategy of “Sword in Hand, Merchant’s Way” proposed by Wan Shihé; when rules are incomplete, on the boundless ocean, violence remains the sole means of self-protection.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Emperor and Zhang Juzheng spoke at length; all these matters are deeply tied to the HuanTai Trade Alliance, yet these policy adjustments concern only Great Ming’s self-reform to adapt to new maritime trade forms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What is your view on the Longjiang and Qingjiang shipyards building tugboats?” Zhu Yijun raised the issue debated in court; Zhang Juzheng had not yet stated his position.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Majesty, please wait.” Zhang Juzheng rose and searched through the bookshelf.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun watched Zhang Juzheng’s figure with a pang of sorrow; this Imperial Tutor, who became Chief Minister at forty-eight, was now old—his temples were streaked with white, his beard mottled, and his posture no longer as upright as in his youth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Juzheng pulled out a copy of “Supplement to the Longjiang Shipyard Annals,” flipped through it, found his bookmark, and handed it to the Emperor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Great Ming had fully excavated the Longjiang Shipyard outside Nanjing, compiled all possible historical records, and ultimately, the Ministry of Rites revised an annal documenting the shipyard’s rise and fall—a tale filled with poignant regret.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun saw the bookmarked page; it contained many annotations in Zhang Juzheng’s own hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I understand. The decline of the Longjiang Shipyard was the Court’s responsibility—indeed, its primary responsibility.” Zhu Yijun flipped through the annals, acknowledging this basic fact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The decline of the Longjiang Shipyard was not sudden, but continuous.” Zhang Juzheng’s expression was complex: “During Yongle’s reign, maritime trade flourished; Longjiang Shipyard alone built 768 ocean and river vessels annually—all over five hundred liao in size—with over seventy-three thousand shipwrights.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“By Xuande’s reign, the shipyard could produce only 187 ships a year, mostly small ones; shipwrights fled or quit; by Xuande Ninth Year, only 2,200 remained—all idle, corrupt, doing nothing despite payment.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In merely nine years, Longjiang and Qingjiang—the two largest shipyards—had lost all their former capacity.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When fortune favors, heaven and earth unite; when fortune departs, even heroes are powerless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Court’s policy shifted, the maritime ban tightened, ship orders plummeted; unable to sustain so many shipwrights, the shipyard collapsed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slowly, only idle, corrupt men remained; even they stopped roll call, hiring vagrants to hammer and bang aimlessly, pretending to work.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the Zhengtong era, Longjiang Shipyard had lost all shipbuilding capability.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The shipyard’s loss of shipbuilding capacity was primarily the Court’s fault.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Longjiang Shipyard was originally a purely imperial yard; most vessels built and repaired were imperial ships. When imperial ships ceased to be built or repaired, shipwrights lost livelihoods—decline became inevitable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The impact of industrial decay ran deeper than Zhu Yijun imagined, signaling the collapse of the entire supply chain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The clearest result: in the twelfth year of Zhengtong, the Zhongshan Tongyuan grove burned to ashes, left utterly neglected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Juzheng supported building tugboats; Longjiang Shipyard had submitted its third petition. Past small vessels yielded meager profits; Longjiang and Qingjiang, focused on riverboats, could not build thirty-zhang ocean vessels like Songjiang, Fujian, or Guangzhou shipyards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With shipwrights idle, if this continues, the shipyard will vanish, and the shipbuilding supply chain will slowly wither—this is merely repeating the old story.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Majesty, these six hundred thousand haulers—if they had any other option, they would never become haulers; this livelihood is too bitter, too bitter. Tugboats’ increased carrying capacity will require more dock laborers and more artisans across various workshops.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Doing anything is better than being a hauler.” Zhang Juzheng voiced his opinion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Geng Dingxiang, a Doctor of the Ge Wu Institute, has deeply studied haulers: this trade begins at thirteen, ends by twenty-five.” Zhang Juzheng handed the Emperor another miscellany he had found.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Geng Dingxiang, formerly the Director of the Southern Imperial Academy, later joined the Ge Wu Institute with his disciple Jiao Hong as a Social Science Doctor, specializing in social surveys; unlike Lin Fu, he focused on understanding the lives of Great Ming’s common people, writing countless miscellanies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Records of Reclamation in Liaodong” was written by Geng Dingxiang and others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the miscellany, Geng Dingxiang, as an observer, described a hauler’s entire life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Haulers do not use hemp ropes, but a rope called “xianteng.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From age three or five, haulers follow fathers and elders into the mountains to cut bamboo; at six, they wield bamboo knives to split bamboo into strips, weave them into ropes, boil them for two days, then dry them under the sun to become xianteng.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At thirteen, haulers begin pulling ropes; until sixteen, they earn nothing, eating only bran rice—crushed straw, wheat chaff, and salted fish scraps for daily rations; they must work diligently, or face beatings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sometimes, a kind master gives black bread or a bowl of noodles, but mostly, it’s only one bran cake and two bowls of water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From thirteen to sixteen, haulers are burdens to the team; only at sixteen do they eat a proper meal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Downstream riverboats need no haulers; only upstream vessels require them, needing three to forty haulers depending on size, and even a thousand for imperial ships.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Haulers must drag boats sixty to seventy li daily, across beaches, boulders, and cliffs; many go barefoot, for shoes break easily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One glance reveals a hauler: years of labor have driven the xianteng into their flesh; each pull embeds the bamboo’s barbs, leaving bloody wounds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Haulers have tried padding, but nothing blocks the barbs—only years of calluses endure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Where haulers are needed are always treacherous rapids; only their strength can move ships through these complex waters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Human struggle against nature is not always won by humans; often, humans lose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sometimes currents are so violent they snap the ropes; falling over is lucky—falling into cliffs or rivers means no trace remains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Haulers sacrifice to these “water ghosts” on Duanwu Festival, hoping the ghosts won’t haunt them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To haulers, those who drown in rivers become vengeful ghosts after death; the rapids are these water ghosts’ tools for claiming lives; sacrifices appease their wrath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If there were any alternative, no one would become a hauler; even owning a single mu of land would be preferable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For centuries, countless such people have lived along Great Ming’s great rivers; the Beijing-Hangzhou Canal alone has over six hundred thousand haulers. Calling them human is misleading—they are no better than mules or oxen; they cling to life for nothing more than a mouthful of food.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Juzheng did not know how the Emperor viewed this, but to him, the iron-hauled tugboat was profoundly important, and timely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Juzheng gazed at the Emperor, a towering figure before him; he did not know if the Emperor’s five large tile houses would ever be built, nor did he expect to live to see them completed—but he sincerely hoped they would be.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On that day, those who have struggled in suffering for millennia will finally live as human beings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master?” Zhu Yijun noticed Zhang Juzheng’s distraction, puzzled; Zhang Juzheng was a focused man, rarely lost in thought during audience, his gentlemanly cultivation ensuring dignity at all times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Juzheng rarely lost focus; Zhu Yijun did not know what he was thinking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your servant is here.” Zhang Juzheng snapped back, confused: “Will Your Majesty’s five tile houses be built?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They will. No matter how long it takes—Master once said, ‘As long as breath remains, this resolve endures.’ I am your most accomplished student!” Zhu Yijun closed the miscellany firmly: “If I cannot do it, as long as this great vow remains, someday it will be done.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the small study of Wenchang Pavilion, there were four people: the Emperor, Feng Bao, Zhu Changzhi, and Zhang Juzheng.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Changzhi had remained silent, listening quietly to his father and Chief Minister’s conversation; he felt himself growing, and with each passing day, understood more clearly what it meant to bear the sun and moon, to carry the empire—he was beginning to grasp what responsibility truly meant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“As long as breath remains, this resolve endures”—this was a responsibility heavier than Mount Tai.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The people of the capital gradually noticed something: the demon-king Zhu Yilou, the Lu Prince’s dark mirror, had stopped his outrageous acts; even rumors of the Ten Thousand Beauties had vanished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For these past months, Zhu Yilou had been stationed at the North Camp, studying military tactics under Qi Jiguang; after serving as regent in Wanli Thirteenth Year, he entered the Jiangwu Academy; in Wanli Seventeenth Year, he graduated at the top of his class.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The intensive study from Wanli Eighteenth to Nineteenth Year was not to make Zhu Yilou a famed general, but to ensure he would not be deceived by battle reports.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“General Qi is mighty!” Zhu Yilou had just heard Qi Jiguang’s detailed account of the Tsushima Sea Battle; unlike the battle reports’ casual tone, the Japanese pirates had at least six chances to turn the tide.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the pirates failed to seize those six opportunities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Actually, the Tsushima Sea Battle was somewhat rash; we could have waited a year for better hydrographic data—but opportunity is fleeting.” Qi Jiguang gazed at the map and said sincerely: “It was merely that the pirates were too weak to seize the chance.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Could it be that General Qi is simply too strong?” Zhu Yilou did not believe it was the pirates’ fault; they had crushed Korea in a month, their strength formidable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The six turning points Qi Jiguang identified were post-battle analyses; on the battlefield, who could instantly recognize such opportunities—or even determine if these were not deliberately set traps by Qi Jiguang himself?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether it’s an opportunity rests in Qi Jiguang’s hands—that is mastery of the battlefield.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Perhaps.” Qi Jiguang pondered: if he were the Japanese commander, facing today’s Great Ming army, he could not win—the weapons, equipment, and military system had a generational gap; victory was truly impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Japanese pirates cannot win their war of aggression against Korea. As long as the Great Ming intervenes, they will surely lose, because from start to finish, the Japanese pirates never understood one thing: why they fight.\" Qi Jiguang added another reason for Japan's inevitable defeat, spending a full quarter-hour explaining to Zhu Yilong the importance of \"why they fight.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why they fight” is vital—it is the cornerstone of Qi Jiguang’s theory of war.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not knowing why they fight is the root reason the Japanese pirates can only win when things go smoothly; once defeat strikes, all manner of problems surface. The crisis of defeat most tests an army's combat effectiveness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi Jiguang spoke with solemn gravity: “Throughout history and across nations, every army must confront one question—even the Capital Garrison: who will hold the rear?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“On the battlefield, when a rearguard action becomes necessary, that act itself means nine deaths and one chance of survival.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why should they live while I go to die?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When an army does not know why it fights, even a seemingly powerful force will suddenly, without warning, collapse entirely, each man fleeing for his life.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of the Nine Victories in the Eastern Campaign, the most grueling battle was naturally the Battle of Incheon and Hanseong. The Great Ming launched several offensives, all of which ended in failure—and during this process, the rearguard problem emerged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But through the effective organization of commanders Qi Jiguang, Li Rusong, Ma Lin, and Zu Chengxun, every retreat had someone holding the rear, keeping the battle firmly under Great Ming control.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Retreat is the most difficult military maneuver—without exception.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Victory and defeat are common in warfare; only one who truly understands this saying can be called a commander.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then I understand,” Zhu Yilong sat upright, solemnly saying: “To fight for the Great Ming, to fight for His Majesty—that is the only solution!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yilong had now completed all his special training sessions; this final lesson was the rearguard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi Jiguang’s lesson was not complex: to persuade soldiers to “go to their deaths,” you must give them sufficient reason—to make them believe their sacrifice is worthy and not in vain, and this reason must never be deception.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Great Ming is an abstract reason; His Majesty is a concrete one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi Jiguang’s first training lesson was learning victory—that is, dividing the spoils: after victory, control the army’s orderly advance, distribute gains fairly, and use those gains to maintain discipline.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The final lesson was learning defeat—that is, holding the rearguard: under unfavorable circumstances, execute an effective rearguard to minimize losses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I have nothing more to teach Your Highness,” Qi Jiguang said with a smile, seeing that Zhu Yilong had understood his meaning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you, Commander Qi,” Zhu Yilong rose and bowed deeply, offering the salute of a disciple. A battle-hardened veteran imparting battlefield experience—this knowledge was invaluable, and it extended beyond the battlefield; it could even be used in court intrigues.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Commander Qi, is His Majesty’s health alright?” Zhu Yilong said with concern: “His Majesty’s martial strength now far exceeds that of ordinary men.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yilong had no idea what had happened to his brother, but he feared his body might be overtaxed, on the verge of sudden collapse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No issue,” Qi Jiguang replied with a smile: “Heaven rewards diligence; small accumulations become great.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi Jiguang had spoken in detail with Chief Physicians Chen Shigong, Pang Xian, and Zhang Jingyue—the Emperor’s body was not worn down by overexertion, but strengthened by steady, cumulative effort, with no hidden injuries.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good, good,” Zhu Yilong relaxed. He had already decided: lean on the big tree, enjoy its shade—if you can’t win, go home and call for help! Brother, someone’s bullying your little brother!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was Zhu Yilong’s ultimate tactic as a vassal prince of Jinshan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun returned to the Tonghemen Imperial Study. Chen Shigong and others waited in the Western Flower Hall. As soon as His Majesty arrived, the three Chief Physicians examined him thoroughly—pulse, sight, hearing, and inquiry—and only after confirming his condition did they depart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every seven days, the Chief Physicians conduct a joint diagnosis—that was the rule established by Empress Dowager Li in the first year of Wanli; she would not risk the Emperor’s health through martial training.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Top grind,” Zhu Yijun sat in the master’s chair, stretched, and began processing today’s memorials.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun approved the request of six envoys from the Eastern Viceroyalty to be received, but the Ministry of Rites was reluctant—they feared a repeat of the Lu Yi de incident, where an envoy had assaulted His Majesty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The more the Ministry of Rites resisted, the more Zhu Yijun wanted to see what was going on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Meng personally visited the Four Barbarians Pavilion, accompanied by interpreters personally trained by the Northern Town Surveillance Bureau, and clarified the situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So these envoys plan to petition His Majesty directly to accuse the Ministry of Rites?” Zhu Yijun asked in surprise. He had assumed the envoys merely hoped to meet the Emperor and receive his personal assurance—after all, officials are officials, but the Emperor is the Emperor; only the Emperor’s word counts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Shao Zongbo is being overly tyrannical,” Zhao Meng had chosen his words carefully, but after hearing the envoys’ tearful pleas, he too felt Gao Qi was truly tyrannical—without the Emperor’s intervention, Gao Qi forced the envoys to accept outrageous demands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Qi believed that without hostages, a tributary state was no true tributary state—he demanded hostages, not just from the Viceroy, but from every official within the Viceroyalty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Qi applied the eight words “intimidation and enticement, fanning discord” to their utmost extreme.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun paused, then said: “Issue a decree to the Ministry of Rites. Tomorrow, receive these envoys.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next day, the Emperor received the envoys in the Cultural Hall. Court ministers heard the envoys’ tearful complaints—Gao Qi’s negotiations showed not a trace of great-nation dignity!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He cursed them without uttering a single vulgar word—yet he shattered them completely, calling them “barbarians” again and again, each phrase a needle piercing their hearts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only after much effort did Zhu Yijun calm them, then arrange for them to proceed to Songjiang Prefecture to return to the Viceroyalty with their report.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I never knew Shao Zongbo could curse so effectively,” Zhu Yijun said sincerely after the envoys left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Qi immediately bowed low: “Your servant did not curse. I spoke only facts. If they have committed crimes that anger heaven and offend men, so numerous they cannot be recorded on bamboo slips, they should not fear my words.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good,” Zhu Yijun would never blame Gao Qi—he labored for the Great Ming, and as Gao Qi said, he spoke only truths; any few examples from their colonial atrocities would suffice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Qi’s cursing was not without purpose—he demanded that each Viceroyalty open its lands to Great Ming merchants to establish plantations; in jest and fury, he achieved his goal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Majesty, the regulations for restructuring the Western Mountain Coal Bureau’s shareholding system.” Gao Qi presented a memorial before the throne.\u003C\u002Fp>",3793,"2026-06-21T07:56:02.219Z",1,"Qwen3.5 397B","2363d5d7f9cdbdcbde19891099351f9c009696eea330eadfa27deaa51c2b45e4","i-really-am-not-neglecting-my-duties-chapter-967","i-really-am-not-neglecting-my-duties-chapter-965",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fi-really-am-not-neglecting-my-duties-cover.jpg"]