Chapter 1169: Even Pigs Are Flying Now!

Laoshan Palace, the Hall of Imperial Supremacy.

"Your Majesty, the Commandery Prince of Chongqing had no choice but to seek the establishment of a vassal state. His Highness the Commandery Prince is already deep in debt, with nearly four thousand warriors to support and a fief that is barren and poor. Only by founding a vassal state and selling off a few hundred baronial titles can he raise a little silver to get by, and at the same time repay the pension money he owes the Retired Emperor. His Highness the Commandery Prince's action both guards the frontier for the realm and provides for the Retired Emperor's old age — truly he is both loyal and filial!"

The one spouting this nonsense was none other than that profiteer Yao Daqiao!

This profiteer was quite a character — he did not panic even in the imperial presence, spoke with such fluency, and even blew up that fool of a prince Zhu Cihuan into a paragon of loyalty and filial piety.

Zhu Cilang shot a glance at the Director of the Imperial Clan Court, the Prince of Lu, Zhu Yihai, who was seated to one side, and said expressionlessly, "Prince of Lu, you are the Director of the Imperial Clan Court. What is your view?"

Zhu Yihai was a "Hardship Prince" whose title passed undiminished from generation to generation, and a Prince of the first rank besides. He had also once commanded troops in Shandong, and his family fortune far exceeded that of an ordinary Prince — let alone a "five-thousand-mu Commandery Prince." But his estate was large and his household numerous; not only did he have a host of brothers, sons, and nephews to look after, he also had to support a crowd of distant clansmen who had already lost their imperial clan registration. So his purse strings were tight too. Just now, hearing Yao Daqiao explain Zhu Cihuan's scheme for raising money, he had actually felt a stirring of interest. Now, asked by Zhu Cilang, he blurted out, "I truly never expected the Commandery Prince of Chongqing to find such a source of revenue."

Zhu Cilang glanced at him and thought: Are you envious of him? Why not gather up some of your old subordinates and go cobble together a vassal state of your own?

Zhu Yihai, caught by Zhu Cilang's glare, realized he had misspoken and hastily corrected himself: "I only fear that others will want to imitate him! The Commandery Prince of Chongqing has neither ability nor capital, and there are far too many in the imperial clan stronger than he is. If even he can use the prestige of the Celestial Dynasty to raise a force and seize territory, then surely others could do the same?"

Yes, you could do it! Zhu Cilang thought: You were a warlord after all, and you have no shortage of old subordinates. Your son Zhu Honghuan has some promise too — he even passed the examination for the Army Staff College, has now graduated, and serves as a staff officer in the Grand Marshal's Office. He is far more capable than Old Five.

Zhu Yihai then continued, "In truth, this matter has both good and bad sides. On the good side, it opens up new territory and lightens the court's burden — truly killing two birds with one stone! The Retired Emperor now has so many sons, and they are still being born one after another. Whether the number will break two hundred is uncertain, but one hundred fifty is unavoidable. These are all Commandery Princes — five thousand mu of land per prince, and for one hundred fifty princes that is seven hundred fifty thousand mu!"

"Your Majesty will surely also have a hundred sons and a thousand grandsons in the future. How much land must be given to these dragon sons and dragon grandsons? Ten thousand mu of land — how much rent can it yield? Can it support the dignity of a princely establishment?"

Even if ten thousand mu were paddy fields, rented out they would bring in only five or six thousand taels of silver a year in net income. Not a small sum, but by no means generous. A princely establishment is not an ordinary wealthy household, after all — the various social obligations and expenditures for appearances cannot be cut. Otherwise the "Deadbeat Prince" Zhu Cihuan would not be so hard up.

"Moreover, every princely house will sooner or later be full of children and grandchildren. Nowadays, all princely titles except the Hardship Princes must be demoted each generation, and only one son may inherit the title." Zhu Yihai frowned and said, "All these children and grandchildren will need to find their own paths! If it were still as in the past, when the descendants of princes all had inherited wealth and rank, who would be willing to cross the ocean and go to the trouble of founding a vassal state?"

So being raised like a pig was actually quite happy! Glory, wealth, and rank for the taking — lie still and everything comes to you. Not like now, with the Chongzhen Retired Emperor's descendants: they start out with five thousand mu and a house, the five thousand mu all northern dry fields, and the houses in ever more remote locations. If they want a comfortable life, they have to work hard!

"Not everyone can have the Commandery Prince of Chongqing's luck!" Zhu Cilang thought for a moment, then added, "The Commandery Prince of Chongqing hit a wind gap. Hit a wind gap, and even pigs can fly!"

To borrow a phrase from later ages, Zhu Cihuan had hit the wind gap of the Celestial Dynasty's colonial expansion, taken "human-life venture capital" from the Japanese devils, hitched himself to the United States of Xinzhou, and then burned human lives until he burned out a vassal state!

"A wind gap? Pigs can fly..." Zhu Yihai truly did not understand what this meant, so after savoring it a while, he continued along his own line of thought: "Your Majesty, it does not matter if other imperial clansmen lack the Commandery Prince of Chongqing's fortune. They can pool their shares together. One prince is not enough — what about ten princes? Princes have relatively broad connections, and most have some savings. If everyone pools money and seeks opportunities together, would not their chances be greater? In fact, there is no need to make a state fifteen thousand li square. A state five thousand li square would be enough to divide up."

Well now, this is crowdfunding a country! Zhu Cilang thought: Prince of Lu, are you going to go out and start collecting shares the moment you leave the palace?

Zhu Cilang nodded. "Prince of Lu, you have thought it through well. Crowdfunding is good — everyone pools money, risks are shared, and it can also reduce infighting."

Zhu Yihai smiled. "Your Majesty, then is the Commandery Prince of Chongqing's request to be granted or not?"

"Granted!" Zhu Cilang nodded and smiled. "We have so many younger brothers all wanting to open vassal states as joint-stock ventures — how could We not grant it? Prince of Lu, let the two of us go together to report this happy news to the Retired Emperor! And while we are at it, ask His Venerable Self to bestow a name upon the Commandery Prince of Chongqing's vassal state."

As he spoke, he glanced again at Yao Daqiao. "Yao Daqiao, you come along too. How does this Commandery Prince of Chongqing plan to repay the 250,000 taels of pension money he owes the Retired Emperor? His Venerable Self has been thinking about it all along!"

Yao Daqiao answered, "Your Majesty, as long as the Commandery Prince of Chongqing's vassal state can be opened and the titles can be sold, there will be silver to repay the Retired Emperor."

"And how long will that take?" Zhu Cilang smiled. "No need for such trouble. Just give the Retired Emperor twenty-five baronies, each with a fief of ten li. The Retired Emperor has so many sons by concubines — perhaps some of them would like to go to the New World and keep the Commandery Prince of Chongqing company!"

"Imperial Father, your son brings you good tidings. Fifth Brother has sent men back from the New World to repay his debt!"

Inside the Palace of Benevolent Longevity, the Chongzhen Retired Emperor finally heard the good news he had long been waiting for!

"Truly? Cihuan really sent men to repay Our pension money?" The Retired Emperor, seated on the imperial throne, was grinning so wide his mouth nearly went crooked. "We always knew he was a filial son, that he carried Us in his heart!"

"Imperial Father," Zhu Cilang said with a smile, "Your Venerable Self has misheard. Your son said he came to repay his debt, not to repay money."

Chongzhen was taken aback. "Is that not the same thing?"

"Of course it is different!" Zhu Cilang said. "Repaying money means paying cash. Repaying a debt... does not necessarily involve cash."

Chongzhen was somewhat disappointed. "No cash? Paying with goods instead?"

"Paying the debt with titles and land," Zhu Cilang said. "Old Five has finally shown some promise this time. He has taken a territory fifteen thousand li square in the New World and wishes to petition for a vassal state so he can sell titles."

"What?" Chongzhen was stunned. "Is that not the United States' way of doing things?"

Zhu Cilang smiled. "More or less!"

"So Old Five intends to sell the titles first and then repay Our silver?"

"Of course not," Zhu Cilang said with a smile. "Fifth Brother knows that Imperial Father has too many sons and worries day and night about their futures, so he wishes to share some of that burden. He plans to give you twenty-five baronial slots, each with a fief of ten li. Each such slot is worth ten thousand taels, and twenty-five of them make two hundred fifty thousand taels."

The smile on Chongzhen's face vanished at once.

What is all this! Since when have We worried about having too many sons? Chongzhen looked at Zhu Cilang and thought: That is your worry!

"Can a baron with a ten-li fief be held by one of Our sons?" Chongzhen asked in a deep voice.

Zhu Cilang answered with a smile: "The titles Old Five is selling can be merged. Five baronies combine into one viscountcy, five viscountcies into one countship. A count has a fief two hundred fifty li square — that is one hundred thousand mu of land, with great prospects! Imperial Father, Old Seven is no longer young; it is time he was enfeoffed. Why not enfeoff him under Old Five as a count?"

Enfeoffed to the New World? Chongzhen thought: So you save yourself five thousand mu of land and a house, is that it?

Zhu Cilang looked at Chongzhen and added, "Imperial Father, Old Five is alone and weak over there, surrounded by warriors who came out of Japan. Without kinsmen to rely on, sooner or later he will be hollowed out by the Japanese. That is why your son wishes to send Old Seven over. Of course, Old Seven cannot go alone — We will find him a good marriage. And if Imperial Father gives him a few tens of thousands of taels for travel expenses, then all will be secure."

(End of Chapter)