Chapter 190: Granary 2

"Biao, what do you think?" Zhu Yuanzhang asked.

Zhu Biao put down his chopsticks.

"Your servant thinks that second brother's idea is a long-term plan," Zhu Biao said.

"This year's disaster has emptied the Ministry of Revenue's granaries; if it weren't for second brother having brought back that silver from Wa Country, Goryeo, and the Western Regions, the relief gap could not have been sealed."

"But silver can't be eaten as rice; the court cannot wage war every year and wait for second brother to bring back silver each year. The rice from the South Sea is cheap; that is a fact."

In Hongwu Year Four, the Maritime Trade Office's accounts recorded a tribute of 300 shi of rice from Annam, at a landing price of two qian and seven fen per shi.

"This price is twenty percent lower than the rice price in Great Ming's grain-producing region," he said, looking at Zhu Yuanzhang.

"Imperial Father, your servant thinks the South Sea matter is feasible."

Zhu Yuanzhang said nothing.

He leaned back in his chair, looking at the two sons before him.

The elder son, gentle and refined, laid out the accounts, prices, and feasibility analysis with crystal clarity.

The younger son, simple and straightforward, proposed turning the South Sea into Great Ming's granary.

One civil, one martial.

One soft, one hard.

He suddenly felt a bit dazed.

Twenty years ago, he and his sister lost that infant in the chaos, believing

that they would never find the child again in this lifetime.

"Yong Er," he said.

"Mm."

"Do you know how far the South Sea is?"

Zhu Yong thought for a moment.

"I don't know, but I can go."

"Do you know how many countries are over there, how many troops? Do you know what the land and water are like, what rice grows best there?"

Zhu Yuanzhang asked him question by question, looking at him.

"Dad, we can go investigate; once the investigation is done, if it's feasible, we can just launch an attack," Zhu Yong replied.

Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly smiled.

"Good," he said.

"We'll wait for the day you go straight to attack."

He paused, then said, "But not now."

He looked at Zhu Yong.

"This year's disaster has the entire court busy with relief, leaving no capacity to deal with the South Sea."

"Next year, the year after, once the court recovers and the Ministry of Revenue's treasury is fuller, we'll send the Maritime Trade Office's men out to sea to the South Sea."

"Chart the routes clearly and gather clear intelligence on each country."

"When that time comes..."

He did not finish.

Zhu Biao continued, "By then, second brother's steamship should also have been built."

Zhu Yuanzhang gave him a glance.

"Steamship?"

Zhu Biao nodded.

"The Ministry of Works received second brother's steam engine blueprint last year; production trials began early this year. Though not yet successful, the direction is correct."

"If steam can power ships without sails, sea voyages could be greatly shortened and cargo capacity doubled."

Zhu Yuanzhang was silent for a moment.

"Can that thing really succeed?"

"It will work; this thing can change the world," Zhu Yong said.

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at his son; he knew this son held some secrets, but that was unimportant.

What mattered was that he was his son.

He had been lost for fourteen years, and Heaven had returned his son.

"Alright, it's getting late; let's all go back and rest," Zhu Yuanzhang stood up.

"Yong Er, you just returned from Wenzhou; you don't need to attend court these days, rest well for a few days."

"Yes, Father."

Zhu Yong also stood up.

Guanyin Nu emerged from the side hall, cradling the sleeping Zhu Huanhuan.

The three of them took their leave.

Zhu Biao also rose and took his leave.

In the Qianqing Palace, only Zhu Yuanzhang and Empress Ma remained.

Empress Ma walked over and gently pressed his temples.

"Zhong Ba, what were you just thinking?" Zhu Yuanzhang held her hand.

"Sister," he whispered.

"Mm."

"We're thinking, the most worthwhile thing in our life isn't conquering a kingdom."

Empress Ma looked at him.

"There are indeed two sons, Biao Er and Yong Er," Zhu Yuanzhang paused.

"Biao Er is benevolent, the master of maintaining the established order; Yong Er is valiant, the general of pioneering. With the two together, our realm can be passed down for a few more hundred years."

Empress Ma said nothing.

She merely gently squeezed her husband's hand.

…

Wenhua Hall.

Zhu Biao did not return to the Eastern Palace, but went straight here.

The lamp in the duty room was still lit.

Xie Jin was sorting today's Memorandum under the lamp.

Seeing the Crown Prince enter, he hurriedly stood up.

"Prince." Zhu Biao nodded and sat at the desk.

Xie Jin presented tea, standing with his hands lowered at the side.

Zhu Biao did not drink the tea.

He picked up a Memorandum and opened it.

It was from the Ministry of Revenue.

The Minister of Revenue submitted a petition to trial the "Official Grain Purchase Law" in Jiangnan next year, buying surplus grain in bumper years and selling grain at fair price in lean years, to stabilize grain prices.

Zhu Biao read it once and marked it "Approved".

Then he took the second one.

It was from the Ministry of Works.

The Ministry of Works reported that the fourth trial of the steam engine failed, the cylinder sealing issue remaining unresolved.

Zhu Biao wrote, "Retry, with no deadline, no accountability, funds to be drawn from the internal treasury."

The third one.

It was from the Maritime Trade Office.

The Maritime Trade Office reported the 8th year of Hongwu's tribute‑ship statistics from the South Sea nations: one from Annam, two from Champa, none from Siam.

Zhu Biao stared at the report, silent for a long while.

He did not annotate it.

He merely pulled this Memorandum out separately and set it aside.

"Prince," Xie Jin said softly.

"Hmm."

"May I dare ask, Prince, are you worrying about the South Sea issue?" Zhu Biao looked up at him.

Xie Jin lowered his head and said, "I heard today in the duty room that Prince Wu has a proposal to expand into the South Sea; you seem to be pondering it, Prince."

Zhu Biao did not deny it.

"What do you think, can the South Sea be expanded into?"

Xie Jin thought for a moment and said, "I believe the South Sea issue is not about whether it can be expanded, but about when to expand and how to expand."

"Continue," Zhu Biao said, suddenly interested.

"The South Sea nations have vast lands, sparse populations, abundant rice; if we can use it, it will surely alleviate Great Ming's grain shortage," Xie Jin said.

"However, the sea routes to the South Sea are distant, the winds and tides unpredictable; though the nations are weak, they are not terra nullius. If we rashly raise troops, the army will have no name; even if we conquer, holding the land will be difficult."

He paused.

"I dare say, Prince, your intention is not attack but pacification."

Zhu Biao looked at him.

"How to pacify?"

"Through maritime trade," Xie Jin replied.

"Great Ming has silk, porcelain, tea; the South Sea nations need them. The South Sea has rice, spices, rarities; Great Ming also needs those,"

"We use trade routes as bonds, tribute as legitimacy, lure with profit, deter with force."

"In a few years, South Sea merchant ships will gather at Yingtian, the Maritime Trade Office's customs revenue will double, Great Ming's granaries will gradually fill, the court will have surplus strength, and the Prince will have spare time…"

He paused.

"By then, whatever the Prince wishes to do will be easier than today."

Zhu Biao said nothing.

He looked at Xie Jin, this twenty‑something young scholar‑official whose speech still carried a hint of Jiangxi accent.

"Have you said these words to anyone else?" Zhu Biao asked.

"No," Xie Jin replied.

"Why?"

Xie Jin was silent for a moment.

"I am afraid," he said honestly.

"Afraid of what?"

"Afraid people will say I am misleading the Crown Prince, squandering troops, provoking border conflicts, and starting a war," Xie Jin said.

Zhu Biao looked at him.

"Then why tell me this today?"

Xie Jin lifted his head.

"Because I have seen it, the Prince's worry is not in opening the borders, but in the common folk."

He paused briefly then continued: "The Prince is thinking of grain, not land."

Zhu Biao remained silent for a long while.