That makes sense. Sometimes, when giving gifts, one has to consider the issue of saving face. Especially with people in high positions like Zhu Xiong Ying, the gifts they bestow often prompt others to speculate about their intentions.
Wang Chengen appeared with a bitter face and immediately knelt down, "Your Highness, the Princess has led her people out of the city."
Zhu Xiong Ying was speechless and asked, "Is anyone following us?"
“It’s good that someone is following her. She’s been locked up in the palace for too long, it’s time to let her out and cause some trouble.” Zhu Xiong Ying sighed and then said, “She’s about to get married, so this is only a year or two before she can go out and have some fun.”
Zhu Xiong Ying felt that he was a failure as an older brother. His younger brother had just been released from the palace and was already indulging in debauchery and keeping mistresses, and had become the biggest playboy in Yingtian Prefecture. His younger sister, now that she was in Beiping, was like a bird released from its cage, spending her time traveling, riding horses, and hunting, and was even more unruly than ordinary men.
Xu Miaoqing couldn't help but feel envious, because her father valued rules very much, as did her older brother. So, she really envied her older brother, Zhu Xi, who indulged their mischief.
However, Xu Miaoqing was sometimes worried that her two sisters-in-law might not be able to adapt after becoming nuns.
Zhu Xiong Ying didn't care about any of that; he still trusted his younger siblings. Although they didn't like studying, weren't good at needlework, and didn't seem particularly well-educated or virtuous, perhaps not meeting some of the expectations of that era, their good character was what made Zhu Xiong Ying happiest.
He also has the right to let his younger siblings be free and not be bound by so-called rules.
Zhu Shuang of Xi'an, Zhu Gang of Taiyuan, and Zhu Su, who had just been released back to Kaifeng, all three vassal kings received imperial edicts almost simultaneously. They all knew, of course, that the edicts were not issued by their fathers, but they chose to feign ignorance.
These princes, who supposedly commanded three guards and had a total force of nearly ten thousand men, or even more, were now envious and wished they could send all of them to Japan immediately.
The imperial edict promised that troops would be stationed in Goryeo and Japan, and that they would receive 100,000 taels of silver annually!
Zhu Xiong Ying was very generous, promising 300,000 taels of silver in one go. However, this was nothing for the Iwami Silver Mine. If the increase continued, the Iwami Silver Mine could mine more than 3 million taels of silver every year.
Moreover, these princes can only benefit now. In three to five years, once Japan and Korea are stable, their military power will be taken away. In other words, once these troops go to Korea and Japan, they will no longer be the princes' guards.
Each prince dispatched a guard post, and each prince dispatched a fully staffed guard post of 5,600 men.
Zhu Shuang and the others were well aware of Zhu Xiong Ying's thoughts. However, with a profit of at least 100,000 taels of silver annually, coupled with the unstoppable momentum, they decided to obey, even if it meant losing one more garrison.
After all, such matters reveal the closeness or distance between relatives, a treatment that other princes do not receive.
In Yingtian Prefecture, Zhu Yuanzhang also received a report from Japan. He laughed heartily, extremely pleased with himself. He had started the war under some pressure, relying entirely on the authority of the founding emperor to forcefully push forward the expedition.
But things are different now. The annual output of hundreds of thousands, even millions, of taels of silver will drive those civil and military officials into a frenzy. They will clamor to conquer Japan and thoroughly punish those who disobey. The 'Emperor' will be the culprit, and the past tolerance of Japanese pirates harassing the border will be the crime!
"Biao'er, the first batch of 50,000 taels of silver is almost ready to be sent back!" Old Zhu said to Da Zhu, who was reviewing memorials, in a good mood. "Feng Sheng said in the memorial that as long as we continue to send more people, we can get at least 100,000 taels of silver every month."
Da Zhu raised his head and said to Lao Zhu, "The craftsmen of our Great Ming are highly skilled, and at least they are reluctant to leave their homeland. Many people are still unwilling to go to Goryeo or Japan. Ying'er likes to use prisoners and captives, so let Feng Sheng capture some Japanese people to do some mining work."
Skilled craftsmen from the Ming Dynasty can handle the work, while dangerous manual labor like mining can be done by the local natives. The shortage of manpower is not a problem; we can just bring more people back.
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