Zhu Yunying was puzzled and confused. "What's there to be reluctant about? After all, I am Zhu, and blood is thicker than water! Besides, I have taken away the right of my uncles to go to their fiefdoms, so I should give them some compensation."
This displeased Emperor Zhu. He could complain about his grandson, the emperor, and sometimes even make fun of himself. But others couldn't say anything, and Emperor Zhu wasn't always happy about his grandson's self-deprecating humor.
"You've been scheming about lifting the sea ban since you were a kid," Old Zhu started to calculate, trying to refute Young Zhu's statement. "We didn't like those things to begin with, but if you hadn't lifted the sea ban and built the navy, how could we have brought in so many spices and gems from Southeast Asia? Our Great Ming Dynasty is getting richer and richer now, isn't it because you found mountains of silver in Japan?!"
Zhu Yunying chuckled and said shamelessly, "That makes sense, but it was also because the army risked their lives, and because my grandfather and father trusted me. If it weren't for the solid foundation laid by my grandfather, what I did might have been seen as warmongering and a desire for grand achievements."
Ignoring all that, Old Zhu continued, "Maritime trade is profitable now, and most of the profits go into the national treasury. But we're thinking that some of it should go to the imperial treasury as well; we can't let it all go to the imperial family. We already give them salaries; are we going to let them get those benefits too?"
Zhu Yunying then said, “Grandfather, this is what I think. Currently, most of the maritime trade is done by our court, but some aristocratic families or officials are also doing it privately. We should gradually lift some of the maritime restrictions, go abroad to earn more money, and bring back good things to enrich the Ming Dynasty. Our silk, cloth, and even iron pots can be sold at high prices.”
This amused Old Zhu, who said, "We can't bear to sell our iron pots; the Tartars will have to trade cattle and sheep for them."
The iron pots of the Ming Dynasty were indeed 'strategic materials,' which was also a way of maintaining a policy of continuous weakness towards nomadic peoples.
“We’ll talk about that later. We’ll make a list slowly, some of which can be sold and some cannot,” Zhu Yunying continued, smiling. “The spices we bring back can fetch a good price in the Ming Dynasty, and we can make quite a bit of money on a round trip. Besides, the people of our Ming Dynasty will also live a more comfortable life.”
Old Zhu nodded, quite embarrassed. "We don't really care about gold or silver, and we can't eat those gems either. But without those things, we can't afford the salaries of our civil and military officials, or the wages of our soldiers. All of that costs money."
"Yes, so I plan to gradually lift some of the maritime restrictions, and I expect more capable people will go out to sea," Zhu Yunying said. "Our court is in charge of the overall situation, so it's time to collect some taxes, and the commercial taxes should be higher!"
Old Zhu was a little embarrassed, as he had already set the commercial tax very low. What embarrassed him even more was that maritime trade was incredibly profitable, a fact he now keenly felt.
"Grandson is planning to reorganize the maritime trade. Going to sea privately is definitely not an option, but if the fleets of powerful families and members of the imperial clan go to sea, we will provide them with some convenience and just have them pay our taxes," Zhu Yunying said with a smile. "If we can earn back all the gold, silver, jewels, grain, and spices from the surrounding foreign barbarians, we will be happy."
Old Zhu looked at Zhu Yunying and then said, "If we stuff a bunch of spies into the caravan, we'll need to use troops later, right?"
"Your grandson's thoughts can't be hidden from your imperial grandfather!" Zhu Yunying said without any embarrassment, "The profits from maritime trade are too great, so the court should take the lion's share. Some powerful families can also be allowed to do it, and members of the imperial clan can also do it if they have nothing else to do."
Old Zhu thought for a moment and said, "Alright, let's discuss this matter slowly, there's no rush."
Old Zhu was naturally happy to ensure a better life for his descendants. Although he couldn't hold power, he was certainly pleased if his descendants could all eat and drink their fill and live like wealthy and powerful people.
The Imperial Ancestral Instructions of the Ming Dynasty seemed to set forth numerous rules for future emperors, but it now appears that many of these rules could be modified. Zhu Yunying understood this clearly; he did not believe in a plan that would last forever.
However, Zhu Yunying was also well aware that many things in the imperial ancestral precepts of the Ming Dynasty needed to be upheld and could not be completely overturned.
We continued to discuss with Old Zhu, deciding to modify what needed to be changed. What didn't need to be changed, of course, would be made into ancestral precepts, which future generations were forbidden to alter!
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