The statistics were not finished until midnight, and only a small portion of the treasures in the Hall of Supreme Harmony were found.
Among the merchant ships docked at Tianjin Port, there were piles of gold and silver jewelry.
For several days in a row, officials from the Ministry of Works and the Ministry of Revenue were unable to get a good night's sleep.
Busy every day, from excitement to numbness, everyone gradually became sleepy and tired.
The bright lights of Tianjin Port reflected the tired faces of the officials.
But no one dared to slack off in the slightest, as the treasures brought back from these voyages were related to the profits of many people.
Finally, on the morning of the tenth day, all the accounts were tallied.
On this morning, during the court session, the officials stood solemnly in the Qianqing Palace, and an indescribable sense of anticipation filled the air.
Zhu Shi, the Minister of Revenue, stepped forward slowly, holding a small booklet in his hands. His fingers trembled slightly, and his eyes could not hide his excitement.
He took a deep breath and said loudly, "Your Majesty, we have completed the statistics, and the gains from this voyage have far exceeded our expectations!"
The hall fell silent instantly, and all eyes were focused on Zhu Shi.
He opened the booklet and said in a loud voice: "The Western artifacts brought back this time, including clocks, glass mirrors, pocket watches, steam engine models, and more than a thousand other items, have all been registered."
In addition, there are the secret techniques of Indian cotton spinning, Siamese rice seeds, and fine Persian horses, all of which are priceless treasures.
He paused, then spoke with even greater fervor: "Besides that, the most abundant items brought back were gold and silver jewelry, which, when converted to silver, are equivalent to three years' worth of taxes for the Qing Dynasty—more than 51.3 million taels!"
These words caused an uproar in the hall.
The courtiers could no longer contain themselves and began whispering among themselves, their faces filled with shock and joy.
Three years of taxes! Good heavens!
Just a few years ago, the imperial court was dirt poor, but in these few short years, the tax revenue has almost caught up with that of Emperor Kangxi's most prosperous period.
Of course, 60% of this silver belongs to the merchants, since they provide the money and the goods. But if this continues, how can the Qing Dynasty not prosper!
The courtiers then knelt down and shouted, "Your Majesty is wise! Long live the Emperor!"
Emperor Yongzheng sat upright on the dragon throne, his gaze sweeping over the assembled officials, a slight smile playing on his lips.
He raised his hand to signal everyone to rise, then slowly said, "This voyage has been a great achievement for generations to come. I am very pleased."
His gaze turned to Yinzhi and Yintang, who were standing at the front, and his tone was full of praise: "Eighth brother, ninth brother, you have made great contributions to this voyage."
Yinzhi stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, I dare not take credit for this. It is all thanks to Your Majesty's wise decision and the concerted efforts of the soldiers."
Yuntang quickly echoed, "What my eighth brother says is true. It is my honor to serve the Qing Dynasty."
Emperor Yongzheng nodded slightly and then announced: "Those who have made contributions should be rewarded."
Effective immediately, the title of Prince Yunsi Lian is restored and shall be hereditary.
Yuntang was promoted to Prince Rui as a reward.
Once again, a chorus of praises erupted inside the hall.
Yunsi and Yuntang knelt down to express their gratitude.
Yinzhi almost burst into tears. The two voyages, if not life-threatening, were certainly thrilling.
God knows what he went through! Now that he's finally reaping the rewards, he cherishes everything he has now.
After all, he earned the emperor's respect through his own talent.
Yongzheng then looked at Lan Dingyuan: "Minister Lan, you have rendered meritorious service in protecting me on both voyages. You are hereby promoted to Commander-in-Chief of the Tianjin Navy, in charge of coastal defense."
Lan Dingyuan knelt on one knee and said loudly, "Your Majesty, I will do my utmost to live up to your expectations!"
Subsequently, Emperor Yongzheng rewarded the officials and soldiers who participated in the voyage, bestowing upon them gold, silver, and silk, and promoting them to higher ranks.
The courtiers were all overjoyed, and the atmosphere in the hall was exceptionally warm and enthusiastic.
After the court session, Yinzhi and Yintang walked out of the Qianqing Palace side by side.
Yuntang couldn't help but laugh and said, "Eighth Brother, now we can finally hold our heads high!"
Yunsi looked grateful: "I have to thank Ninth Brother for all of this, for speaking up for his brother back then."
Yuntang shook his head; "It's because Eighth Brother is capable. I just don't want Eighth Brother to become depressed and discouraged."
The past is too painful to recall; let everything that once was be carried by the sea breeze to the Indian Ocean.
The two brothers smiled at each other and walked out of the Forbidden City.
Officials from the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Works finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Zhu Shi rubbed his aching back and sighed to his colleague beside him, "These days have been exhausting, but seeing the results, it's all worth it."
His colleagues nodded in agreement: "Indeed, with this wealth and these skills, the rise of the Qing Dynasty is just around the corner."
The ministers walked out of the Qianqing Palace in twos and threes, discussing among themselves.
Zhang Tingyu walked side by side with Ortai, sighing softly, "This voyage has not only brought back mountains of gold and seas of silver, but has also opened up a new chapter for our Great Qing. His Majesty is truly wise!"
Ortai nodded in agreement: "Eighth Prince has made a great contribution this time, and the political landscape in the court is likely to change."
Zhang Tingyu nodded upon hearing this.
The Eighth Prince has made great contributions, and the Emperor is generous with his rewards. It is hoped that the Eighth Prince's old followers will not lose their heads and think that the Eighth Prince can make a comeback. The situation is completely different from ten years ago.
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After the court session, Yongzheng went to the Kunning Palace.
He handed the register compiled by the Ministry of Revenue to Lin Yun, his eyes filled with anticipation: "Yun'er, take a look at these Western items, are there any that we should emulate?"
Lin Yun took the booklet and carefully flipped through it. Her gaze suddenly stopped on the item "Thirty Italian Crystal Glass Mirrors".
She raised her head, a hint of a smile flashing in her eyes: "Your Majesty, it seems we can make this glass mirror ourselves, so why spend so much money to exchange for it?"
Upon hearing this, Yongzheng immediately perked up and leaned forward slightly: "Oh? What brilliant idea does Yun'er have?"
Lin Yun put down the booklet and said softly, "I once read in a miscellaneous book that glass is simply made of quartz sand, limestone and soda ash."
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