Chapter 1130: The Affiliated Joint-Stock United States (Please Subscribe)

"Your Majesty, this memorial from Li Shaoyou was sent four months ago, and its contents are extremely important."

Wei Zaode, holding a stack of memorials, was trailing behind the Zhu Emperor. Inside the Hall of Imperial Supremacy, a crowd of eunuchs, palace maids, and imperial merchants were gathered, listening as the Zhu Emperor gestured and assigned tasks.

"Are the opera troupe and the song-and-dance performances all ready? Especially the song and dance — there must be no carelessness. The Retired Emperor likes that best of all! One slight misstep would spoil the joy of his fiftieth birthday! Baimen, you must pay special attention to that kabuki dance troupe from Japan. Japan has many male performers who dress as women. The Retired Emperor does not care for that sort of thing — they must all be women, and young and beautiful at that!"

"All tribute offerings from the various princedoms and dependencies must be registered in the books and appraised. Old Su Mi, this matter is entrusted to you. You must appraise them carefully and strive for precision. After the appraisal is complete, send Us the list of names of dependent princedoms and frontier commands whose tribute gifts exceed ten thousand taels of silver, along with their gift lists. We wish to examine them closely."

"Luo Dagong, you must send word once more to the various Western nations and chartered trading companies. Birthday gifts must not include clocks. It is one thing that the Retired Emperor likes them, but birthday gifts must not include clocks and watches — that is inauspicious. The Retired Emperor still wishes to live to a hundred!"

"What? The Ottoman Empire has sent a white slave girl of Russian stock? No, no. The Retired Emperor is advanced in years — how could he possibly manage that? This is sheer nonsense!"

"Send her back? That won't be necessary. They meant well, after all. Have her sent over for Us to take a look at. We'll just have a look."

"Yi Seok of Jeju Island has entered the court to offer birthday congratulations? Very well, arrange it. We will find time to receive him!"

"The Sultan of Sulu has arrived in Quanzhou with his retinue? Tell Zheng Sen to inform him that this time there will be no return gifts. The Celestial Court no longer practices 'slight tribute, generous return'!"

"King Narai of Siam has also come? Good, good. We have long wished to meet him!"

"By the way, what of the great lama of Tibet? Has he set out yet? The Retired Emperor still wishes to consult him on matters of reincarnation. Tell him to come quickly, or else We shall have to send troops to invite him!"

Only after the Zhu Emperor had finished playing the filial son did Wei Zaode finally hand over the memorials in his hands.

Wei Zaode, now serving as Chief Grand Secretary once more, had lately shown signs of "holding great power in his grasp," because Zhu Cilang had recently been somewhat "neglectful of government affairs." Ever since he returned to Old Mountain Palace, all sorts of troublesome matters had piled up.

First was arranging the fiftieth birthday celebration for the Chongzhen Retired Emperor. This was an excellent opportunity to present a false picture of peace and prosperity, so of course it had to be done up grandly, with all nations coming to offer congratulations, so that everyone would know that the Great Ming was now in an age of peace and prosperity!

What? Sichuan and Yunnan still have several hundred thousand rebels? Those are mere clowns leaping about, not worth mentioning.

Second was building the imperial mausoleum!

Beijing would not be returned to, so the mausoleum district at Tianshou Mountain could no longer be used, and another site had to be found for the imperial tombs. After the pacification of the lands beyond the passes, Zhu Cilang had issued an edict ordering the Palace Household Department to send men out in all directions to search for an auspicious site. In the end, a stretch of mountainous land was found in Chuzhou, near Old Mountain, suitable for burying the bones of the Zhu family's emperors and princes — and now Zhu Cilang had gathered most of the princes in Yingtian Prefecture, so in the future they would be buried right next door to their imperial father!

With so many people to bury, the project grew large, and since the Palace Household Department was footing the bill, the Zhu Emperor had to keep a close eye on it!

Third was advancing the "business" of the New Continent United States.

The New Continent United States was an extremely peculiar entity. This state was not a tributary kingdom established by the Ming court, but rather a joint-stock nation affiliated under the Great Ming's name, initiated by the Ming Emperor himself, who served as its largest shareholder. It was equivalent to Zhu Cilang, the Ming Emperor, stepping forward to gather a group of investors and establish a new country. Such a thing was rare not only in China but seemingly in the whole world as well.

Because it was so unique, there was no precedent to follow. Zhu Cilang could not simply be an absentee owner, so he had to handle matters personally, convening "shareholders' meetings" (the United States Deliberative Assembly) every few days to discuss investment and development matters, and he also personally issued various directives to the United States executive government, which was still in Yingtian Prefecture.

Over the past several years, the United States' share-raising had proceeded very smoothly, and the actual funds raised (paid-in capital) had already exceeded twenty million taels!

Managing such a vast sum of money well, and putting it to practical use, was no easy task!

And this time, after Zhu Cilang returned from Wuhan to Yingtian Prefecture, the peak period of investment in the United States had more or less begun. The scale of personnel and supplies being shipped to the Americas grew ever larger, and administrative units such as counties, cities, and settlements under the America Prefecture began appearing in great numbers, with more and more land available for distribution (to shareholders or immigrants). All the major interest allocations involved, all the enormous capital expenditures, all the far-reaching key decisions — all required Zhu Cilang's personal attention.

In addition, Zhu Cilang also had to personally preside over various audits targeting the United States' financial and management problems — corruption existed not only in bureaucratic offices but equally in corporatized or semi-corporatized institutions such as the Royal Trading Company and the United States.

In order to manage these two "companies" well, Zhu Cilang had even exercised the power of the Emperor and promulgated the Commercial Code, treating internal corruption in trading firms as equivalent to fraud and making it a criminal offense — this Zhu Emperor had never been the best of employers!

Fourth was the matter of recruiting samurai armies from Japan.

This matter likewise could not be entrusted to others — the recruitment, organization, training, rewards, and employment of Japanese samurai armies all required strict regulations, with not the slightest carelessness permitted.

A great pile of matters pressed down upon him, and the Zhu Emperor's energy was limited. He could not wear out the imperial person, so he had no choice but to let court affairs slide a little!

After all, court affairs were already on track. As long as the Zhu Emperor managed the personnel in a few key posts — the Chief Grand Secretary, the Minister of Revenue, the Minister of War, the Marshal's Office military counselor, the Embroidered Uniform Guard Commander, and the Left and Right Chief Censors — no major mishap could occur.

After the Zhu Emperor finished playing the filial son, he returned to the imperial throne and sat upright, reaching out to take the memorial from Wei Zaode's hands. He opened it and read, and after only a few glances, he snorted: "Those damned Dutch!"

Wei Zaode knew the reason for Zhu Cilang's anger, because Li Shaoyou had reported in his memorial his dealings with the Dutch regarding their impending opening of a Pacific shipping route, their "neutral" stance in the New Continent war, and the Dutch position in the Southern Seas.

Moreover, he had presented a rather shocking analytical conclusion — the Dutch had very likely provided Spain with an enormous loan to support Spain's war in the New Continent!

Wei Zaode knew that Li Shaoyou was well versed in Western affairs, so he believed that the analytical conclusion he had offered was most likely accurate.

This meant that the New Continent United States was about to face a life-or-death trial!

In addition, the Great Ming's forward progress in the Southern Seas would also have to slow somewhat.

"Your Majesty," Wei Zaode said, "the America Prefecture concerns the future rise and fall of the nation, and must be supported with full effort. Should the court not allocate a sum of military funds? Would thirty million taels be sufficient? The America Prefecture has too few troops in active service — a mere three thousand — and they must be increased as quickly as possible. Should the transport strategy be adjusted to ship more soldiers across the ocean?"

"Furthermore, the Dutch have dared to support Spain, making themselves enemies of our Celestial Court. Should they not be severely sanctioned? I beg Your Majesty to give clear instructions."

The current Prefect of the America Prefecture was Wei Zaode's son! How could he not be anxious? But Zhu Cilang still kept his composure. After his outburst, his expression had already softened.

"Shiling, the accounts of the New Continent United States and the accounts of the Great Ming Celestial Court must be kept separate. How can these thirty million taels come from the court? Once this precedent is set, what will the relationship between the New Continent United States and the Great Ming become? Should We send a king there, or should We send a Governor-General there?"

When Wei Zaode heard Zhu Cilang speak this way, although he did not quite understand, he did not dare question it, so he said: "Your Majesty, this subject knows that this United States is affiliated under the Great Ming, but our Great Ming's long-term peace and stability also depends on the United States. The matter is urgent — surely it can be handled as a special case?"

Zhu Cilang shook his head. "The time has not yet come. Shiling, go back and meet with Li Yan to discuss the budget for dispatching troops. Once you have reached an agreement, bring it before the United States Deliberative Assembly."

(End of Chapter)