Chapter 775: Lifting the Maritime Ban

After pondering it, everyone could not help but marvel at the designer's ingenious idea: "With this, the loss during silver transport is greatly reduced."

The Embroidered Uniform Guard chimed in: "This was designed by Pan Yun."

When he saw the large characters "Jun En" carved on the front of the silver ingot, Wang Zhen could not help but admire Pan Yun inwardly.

Sigh, why is she Pan Hong's daughter?

Someone like her should be a friend.

He had no desire at all to become her enemy.

The Emperor, upon seeing the words "Jun En," could not help but smile slightly.

Wang Zhen immediately bowed and flattered the Emperor: "The Emperor's grace extends to all corners; even foreign lands feel Your Majesty's benevolence."

Chen Xun noticed that there were also characters carved on the side of the ingot: "There seem to be characters on the side too."

The Emperor turned it over and saw the words "Min Sheng" carved on the side.

Chen Xun immediately knelt and said: "'Jun En' and 'Min Sheng'—the Daisen Village silver mine is truly a gift from Heaven to Your Majesty. Heaven itself wishes Your Majesty to look beyond the seas, so that Great Ming's might may subdue the four seas. Congratulations, Your Majesty!"

The ministers followed suit, kneeling to congratulate the Emperor, showering him with lavish praise.

The young, spirited Emperor laughed heartily, waved his hand generously, and immediately ordered: "As the ministers suggest, lift the maritime ban widely. Order the Imperial Household and the Ministry of Works to jointly mine the silver deposits."

The ministers chorused their assent; the long-standing dispute over where to open the maritime ban and how to allocate silver quotas was resolved, both sides conceding a step—the Emperor agreed to lift the ban at six locations including Guangzhou and Quanzhou, and to establish Maritime Trade Offices.

As for other coastal regions, due to concerns over defense security and other issues, they would remain closed for now.

Pan Hong, who had been imprisoned for roaring in the palace and violating court etiquette, was released, restored to his former post, and then dispatched to entertain the Ryukyu envoy.

The Emperor had confirmed: Pan Hong was truly stubborn and insufferable—even more annoying than Pan Yun—so he did not wish to see him.

"After he finishes entertaining the Ryukyu envoy, find some distant post to exile him to. I get a headache just seeing him."

Wang Zhen smiled in agreement and suggested several places: "The Jiangnan region is wealthy, yet several areas there are depopulated due to wind and flood disasters and the flight of Fujian rebels. Would Your Majesty consider assigning him somewhere in Jiangnan?"

The Emperor frowned: "He is from Changzhou Prefecture—how can he be sent back to Jiangnan?"

"Avoid Changzhou Prefecture entirely—Zhejiang and Fujian are fine too. The maritime ban has just been lifted, and Pan Yun's contribution was immense; she has lately been residing often in Zhejiang and Fujian. Why not assign Lord Pan to Zhejiang-Fujian? That way, father and daughter may reunite."

The Emperor thought of his father, and his heart softened: "Was Pan Yun not the same age as I was when I lost my father?"

Wang Zhen: … He wanted to send Pan Hong to Jiangnan, but not to make the Emperor feel pity for the Pan family!

Yet the Emperor was already lost in his own emotional reverie, recalling the hardships since his ascension—if his father were still alive, the ministers would never dare to neglect or deceive him…

His heart softened further, and he nodded: "Pan Yun frequently travels between Quanzhou and Fuzhou, doesn't she? After spring begins, appoint Pan Hong as Prefect near one of those two cities."

Wang Zhen: "... Your Majesty, Pan Hong is currently only Right Vice Director of the Bureau of Protocol. Appointing him directly as Prefect—isn't that too rapid a promotion?"

"Too rapid?" The Emperor waved his hand: "Pan Yun has earned merit. I do not wish to see her, so I must reward her father and brother."

Wang Zhen pulled at his lip: "But Pan Hong has never held a local post. Suddenly appointing him as Prefect may do no good for civil administration."

Yet the Emperor saw no issue: "Pan Hong is upright and honest. As Prefect, he will simply follow regulations—how could he go wrong?"

The Emperor had decided.

Wang Zhen never openly defied the Emperor; he raised objections only once. If the Emperor insisted, he immediately acquiesced.

Behind the scenes, he had other ways to achieve his goals.

For instance, there were no Prefect vacancies near Quanzhou or Fuzhou. When one opened, he would immediately place his man in it—then a Department Magistrate post would become vacant, and the Emperor himself would settle for less.

After all, this transfer was merely a private conversation between sovereign and minister. Unless the Emperor issued an order, he would not leak the news. So the Prefect vacancies were quickly filled—this was the decision of the Ministry of Personnel and the Grand Secretariat; what did it have to do with him?

Wang Zhen's lips curled slightly. Seeing the room had grown dim, he ordered the lamps lit, then gently urged: "Your Majesty, the Marquis of Huichang celebrated his birthday today—he just paid his respects to the Empress Dowager and left the palace…"

The Emperor immediately rose: "I shall go see Mother. Have the Imperial Kitchen prepare some longevity peaches and send them to the Marquis of Huichang's residence."

Wang Zhen smiled: "I knew Your Majesty would bestow gifts upon the Marquis—I had the kitchen prepare them in advance. I'll send them at once."

The Empress Dowager's face bore a look of concern.

The Emperor, ever filial, asked: "Is there trouble with your brother?"

The Empress Dowager glanced around.

The Emperor dismissed everyone, leaving only Wang Zhen beside him.

The Empress Dowager sighed: "I heard someone impeached the Marquis of Huichang for maritime smuggling and sheltering pirates?"

The Emperor replied coolly: "Merely censors reporting hearsay. Others have even accused Wang Ji of colluding with pirates and ambushing embassies—all groundless rumors. Mother need not worry."

The Empress Dowager fell silent. Whether these were groundless rumors, she had her own judgment.

Not long after the Luchuan campaign began two years ago, a censor died in remonstrance. The ministers cried that the treasury was empty. Then the Marquis of Huichang visited the palace—and the Emperor immediately allocated 100,000 taels from the Imperial Household to the treasury, calming the storm of remonstrance.

With the army stationed abroad, the Ministry of Revenue had no choice but to raise grain and send it to the southwest.

The Marquis of Huichang had given the Emperor money more than once—on two occasions, the money passed through her hands.

The Sun family's circumstances were modest. Before she entered the palace, her father was merely a Registrar.

Even after becoming Noble Consort, then Empress, then Empress Dowager, the Sun family still could not match the old noble houses or wealthy merchant clans.

They simply lacked the talent for business management.

With only salaries, land rents, and income from a few shops, where could they possibly get so much money?

The Empress Dowager had always known: most of the Sun family's wealth came from bribes offered by wealthy local merchants.

As a woman of common origin, she understood how hard merchants worked—expanding a business required powerful patrons; otherwise, their trade could easily be seized.

Her advice to her family had always been: do not engage in oppressive or wasteful acts. Protect wealthy merchants from persecution by other nobles—this, to her, was legitimate income.

But she had never imagined these merchants might be smugglers, or even allied with pirates.

The Empress Dowager fixed her gaze on the Emperor: Did he know about this?

She stared at him, hesitated, then did not ask. Instead, she asked: "Has the embassy to Japan returned safely?"

The Emperor smiled: "They will return to Jingcheng in two days. If you are interested in Japanese customs, you may summon them to the palace to speak."

The Empress Dowager exhaled in relief and nodded: "Good."

After a pause, she asked: "About the censor's impeachment of the Marquis of Huichang…"

"I will have someone investigate this thoroughly and give Duke Huichang justice," the Emperor said, taking her hand with a smile. "Mother, today Cao Jixiang sent back two hundred thousand taels of silver, all refined from the silver mines of the Wa Kingdom. You really should come with your son to see it — the silver is snow-white. Pan Yun had people cast it into silver bricks, each one weighing a full thirty jin, so heavy you can barely hold it."

(End of chapter)