Chapter 745

Pan Yun denied: "I merely have no favoritism toward him—how can that count as provoking?"

She looked left and right, then asked: "How are they? Are they still obedient?"

Xue Shao grunted: "Those selected for the ships may not all be capable, but they know exactly what they're here for, and they're obedient."

Pan Yun: "Most of them are sailing for the first time—remember to assign two Physicians to each ship."

Xue Shao: "All arranged. Medicines are divided among three ships, and everyone has signed the life-or-death contract."

Pan Yun nodded, her gaze shifting to the cabin behind him—the Japanese men sent by Yitian Xintai to test the vessel.

Xue Shao turned back for a glance and whispered: "They caused trouble when we anchored on the island, but Chen Battalion Commander's men suppressed it—two died, now they look very docile."

Pan Yun: "I wrote a letter, and Wang Xiaojing will deliver it to Wang Cong—he'll demand an explanation from Yitian Xintai on my behalf."

She turned to Song Dalin: "These Japanese are cunning and patient—stay alert on the voyage. If they cause trouble, kill them and dump the bodies in the sea to feed the fish; keep just one alive to bring back."

Song Dalin agreed, glanced at Xue Shao, then looked again at the cabin, frowning: "Master Pan, you said you had three sea vessels—this one's being given to the Japanese, so now you only have two left?"

He had so many brothers, yet only two ships to manage—this was far too few.

Pan Yun glanced at him: "Don't worry—three means three. You just follow the ship; you're in charge of what happens aboard. Navigation and shore matters go to the Captain and Helmsman."

Pan Yun's Captain and Helmsman were borrowed from Chen Wen, and she paid them well for it.

Aside from A Xin and a few others, everyone else were new faces.

But even A Xin and the others weren't the same as before—during this time, they deliberately grew beards, neglected their hair, changed clothes, and now looked disheveled and rugged, like bandits at first glance.

Song Dalin felt A Xin looked even more like a rebel than he did, radiating bandit energy, so he fully trusted A Xin as Captain.

Wang Xiaojing, however, was the opposite—he adored Xue Shao. Xue Shao's demeanor felt familiar and comforting to him, so he constantly trailed after him.

Xue Shao gave him two books and a set of brush, ink, paper, and inkstone: "Read them when bored. Since you're joining Pan Yun's trading house, you must not only learn to read all the characters—you must also study arithmetic. When the ship returns, if you've finished these two books, I'll give you a booklet I compiled myself—my ledgers. Study them side by side; with your intelligence, you'll soon become an accountant."

Wang Xiaojing's eyes lit up, and he nodded vigorously.

Song Dalin stood nearby, arms crossed: "Master Pan, you're really not coming with us to Japan?"

Pan Yun: "You go ahead. I'll follow later."

She needed to wait and see how the imperial court would handle matters concerning Japan.

The court's actions have not been made public—neither the Maritime Command, Quanzhou Prefecture, nor Cao Jixiang have openly cooperated with her; this shows the court has not yet decided.

The various parties are still maneuvering, which is why my three ships can enter and leave Haigang Port.

But convenience gained through maneuvering is inherently unstable—far inferior to legitimacy and openness.

As long as I can operate openly and legally, I'm willing to pay heavy taxes.

Because taxes are visible costs—the hidden costs of turning a blind eye may not be lower.

For maritime trade to develop, and for the people along the southeast coast to live well, a complete and healthy ecosystem is needed.

Some people only want to trap the people on the land to farm, hoarding fields and people;

Others clearly remember Han's lessons, recall Zhang Jiao's words, "The Yellow Heaven shall rise," and Zhang Zai's "To establish life for the people," and thus strive to find better paths for the common folk.

Yu Qian, stationed in rebel-held territory, is currently writing a memorial to the Emperor, urging him to send envoys to pacify Deng Maoqi and Ye Zongliu.

He believes their rebellions are understandable, especially Deng Maoqi's group: "Due to exorbitant land rents in Fujian and landlords exploiting the people, a family of five works hard all year, yet their remaining grain barely lasts three months. Thus, during peak farming season, they dare not eat their fill; in off-season, they eat only one meal a day; come winter, their porridge contains only a few grains of rice."

They labor tirelessly yet remain hungry and cold, suffering famine year after year—how could the people not despair? Hence, Deng Maoqi's call drew a hundred responses."

Yu Qian believes their rebellions are understandable and can be pacified.

But before Yu Qian's memorial reached the court, news arrived that the Emperor was dispatching more troops.

Because Liu Ju and others had failed to quell the rebellion, and Deng Maoqi's rebels had captured several cities, possibly threatening Quanzhou and Nanjing.

Quanzhou is now a place the Emperor highly values—it hosts one of the largest seaports on the southeast coast, with easy access; currently, Japanese silver reaches Quanzhou most conveniently.

Therefore, the Emperor absolutely cannot allow Quanzhou to fall.

Not to mention Nanjing—the former capital, which still has a complete imperial bureaucracy.

Thus, the Emperor sent Ningyang Marquis Chen Mao with a hundred thousand troops southward, ordering him to suppress the Fujian rebellion as swiftly as possible.

Yu Qian, hidden in rebel-held territory, received the news late; Xue Shao in Quanzhou learned of it sooner.

Upon hearing it, he grew heavy-hearted and couldn't help saying to Cao Jixiang: "My Lord Cao, Deng Maoqi has a sense of chivalry—he can be negotiated with. The court has already sent fifty thousand troops—why send another hundred thousand? Why not send envoys to pacify them?"

Cao Jixiang: "We cannot set such a precedent—if anyone wanting an official post or title simply raises a band of bandits to rebel, after a few such cases, won't the court be filled with bandit chieftains?"

"But didn't Master Yu just pacify the rebels in Yushan County?"

Cao Jixiang: "That's different. The Yushan rebels numbered only two thousand—they raided the county office once, committed no great crimes, and Master Yu didn't grant the bandit chieftain any official position."

Xue Shao quickly said: "If the court officials are concerned about this, I, Xue Mou, am willing to act as envoy—without offering any official rank, I will persuade Deng Maoqi to surrender."

Cao Jixiang chuckled: "Xue Young Master, you're too naive. Deng Maoqi has already captured ten cities—even if he doesn't want an official post, don't you think his men do? To pacify them without granting a single title or position? That's harder than climbing to heaven."

Xue Shao: "How can you know without trying? If the court promises to treat the common people well, reduce land rents, and guarantee their livelihood, I believe Deng Maoqi will consider surrendering."

Cao Jixiang's face turned cold: "What do you mean, Xue Young Master? Do you, like those rebels, believe these unruly peasants' rebellion is understandable?"

"It truly is understandable," Xue Shao replied honestly: "If they could merely survive, if they weren't pushed to the brink, why would they rebel?"

"Audacious!" Cao Jixiang leapt to his feet, yet lowered his voice: "Lord Xue, thank heaven this is Quanzhou—if this were Jingcheng, you'd already be in the Imperial Prison." Pan Yun immediately dropped her bun, wiped her greasy hands on their sleeves: "Don't get angry, don't get angry—it's just a chat, you speak, I reply."

Cao Jixiang saw her greasy hands, his temple twitched, yanked his sleeve back, and sat down: "Such words cannot be spoken."

Pan Yun stared at Cao Jixiang, shook her head and sighed, then shook her head and sighed again.

Cao Jixiang's forehead was lined with black veins: "Master Pan, what are you implying?"

"It seems Wang Zhen's return to power has greatly affected you, My Lord Cao," Pan Yun sighed: "I still remember your integrity in Jingcheng—how short a time has passed, and you've already learned to cover your ears while stealing a bell."

Cao Jixiang froze, silent.

Pan Yun sighed: "Problems don't vanish just because we refuse to speak of them—they're merely deception from top to bottom."

Cao Jixiang slumped, his spirit half drained.

At the beginning of the year, when Wang Zhen was imprisoned, Cao Jixiang temporarily replaced him and reached the peak of his power in the palace.

But since Wang Zhen's return, in less than a month, Cao Jixiang lost most of his power; though he still follows the Emperor, his duty hours grow shorter, his chances to see the Emperor grow rarer, and before leaving the palace, he had already been exiled to the margins.

Oh, from the moment he was pushed out to take up the post of Quanzhou Maritime Trade Commissioner—a thankless, grueling job—it was clear how thoroughly he had been exiled.

Pan Yun leaned close to him and whispered, "My lord Cao, are you trying to emulate Wang Zhen?"

Cao Jixiang stared blankly, wondering: So this is what I'm doing—emulating Wang Zhen?

Seeing him frozen, Pan Yun sighed: "My lord Cao, you are not that kind of man. No matter how hard you try, you cannot become Wang Zhen. Why ruin your own character and integrity?"

Pan Yun said: "When I was imprisoned with Wang Zhen, he said many things I disagreed with—but one thing I wholeheartedly agreed with: no one could replace his place in the Emperor's heart, or his power in court."

Cao Jixiang: …

Pan Yun asked him: "My lord Cao, when did you enter the palace?"

Cao Jixiang did not understand why her topic had suddenly shifted to this: "I was seven. My family was poor; my father needed money to marry off my elder brother, so he sold me into the palace. Thus, I severed all family ties—unlike Wang Zhen, who entered the palace but kept his roots intact, constantly leveraging his relatives for personal gain."

In the Ming dynasty, eunuchs were allowed to study and learn characters inside the palace.

This is one thing that must be credited to the Zhu family's virtue.

Perhaps because he grew up in poverty and lacked education, Zhu Yuanzhang held an intense obsession with reading.

After becoming Emperor, he placed great importance on education.

First, all children of school age in the countryside were required to attend school, so he established countless schools throughout the land.

Although the literacy rate fell far short of what we achieved after our founding, the illiteracy rate in Ming China did drop dramatically.

The law mandated that parents of school-age children who did not send them to school would be punished—much like nine-year compulsory education, though enforcement was difficult.

Later, his son, grandson, and great-grandson followed suit, extending this policy into the palace.

Eunuchs needed to assist the Emperor in handling state affairs; palace maids needed to help the Empress manage palace duties—so everyone in the palace, without exception, had to learn to read and write.

Thus, the palace had the highest literacy rate.

Cao Jixiang acquired his education after his castration; he was not only skilled in literature but also in warfare.

He once accompanied the late Emperor on campaign against the Uliyash, commanded the capital garrison, and earned real military merit—a true soldier-eunuch, far superior to the hollow, showy Wang Zhen.

Yet, the Emperor disliked him.

This was not only Cao Jixiang's regret; Pan Yun also deeply lamented it.

Had the young Emperor favored any other eunuch, she might not have opposed him so fiercely—even if she did not support him.

There were still many capable eunuchs in the palace, but they revered the Emperor too much; to please him, they were forced to cling to Wang Zhen.

"My lord Cao, put yourself in his place: if you had grown up wealthy, loved by your parents, with a wife and children, educated, and passed the Licentiate exam—would you still have entered the palace?"

Cao Jixiang fell silent—and silence was the answer.

Pan Yun: "You see, you lack Wang Zhen's boldness and ambition."

"Ask yourself: could you have knelt in the courtyard, exposed to the scorching sun for an entire day, ignoring the Emperor's cries, simply to make him glance at a memorial when he was nine?"

Cao Jixiang said nothing.

Pan Yun: "You see, though upright, you lack Wang Zhen's patience. He could endure—otherwise, why did the court's civil and military ministers, including the Three Elders, believe he was a good man, another Grand Eunuch Sanbao, and entrust the Emperor's education to him?"

Wang Zhen's early reputation was excellent: in the palace, he daily urged the Emperor to seek virtuous men and read more books; at night, he comforted the Emperor's fragile heart, lamenting how young he was to bear such heavy state affairs…

Pan Yun: "He grieved over a single drop of mud splashed on the Emperor's robe—while you, when the Emperor stepped into muddy water, thought it no big deal."

Cao Jixiang knew what she meant and defended himself: "You mean when the Emperor went out to find you? You deliberately led him into that filthy alley, where the ground was covered in mud—how could you avoid it?"

Pan Yun: "If Wang Zhen had been there, he would have found a way to keep the Emperor from stepping in it."

Cao Jixiang frowned.

Pan Yun quickly added: "My lord Cao, I'm not asking you to emulate Wang Zhen. I mean—you are not a hypocritical man. There's no need to copy him. Your straightforwardness is fine as it is."

That is your strength. When the Emperor someday needs someone like you, he will think of you alone."

Cao Jixiang: … (End of Chapter)