Zhengde and Yang Ling had already planned everything carefully. At this moment, he was like a dutiful actor. Even when someone proposed to lift the sea ban, lower their stance and take the initiative to trade with the barbarians, violating the ancestral system of 'tribute', and humiliating the flag of Ming Destiny, Zheng De, Yang Ling, Jiao Fang, Yan Song, and the others had already deliberated and prepared their lines in advance.
Yang Ling did not have Zhuge Liang's ingenuity to predict that they would definitely use this reason to obstruct the opening of the sea. However, he had seen many modern politicians' means, so it was not difficult to use some tricks to induce them.
Among the officials who followed behind Liu Daxia and roared loudly against lifting the sea ban, four of them were ministers whose families were involved in maritime smuggling and had no choice but to completely side with Yang Ling.
When others objected to the opening of the sea for various reasons, they kept mentioning the issues of 'tribute' and 'exploration'. Jiao Fang, Liu Yu, and the others were also very cooperative. They immediately refuted the other reasons, but this reason was the only one that they did not talk about, as if they did not have the confidence to violate the ancestral system.
How could politicians who were good at capturing their opponents' weaknesses not notice such a clever hint? Especially when they were caught unprepared by the enemy's sudden attack, and most of their prestigious figures had left the capital, so they could not organize a powerful counterattack. When they suddenly found such an impenetrable fortress, how could they not be overjoyed and treat it as their last reliance?
Liu Daxia's' yes' was sonorous, and Zhengde could not help but be overjoyed, "This old man, this is the first time he has spoken so pleasantly. Now it's finally my turn to take action."
Zheng De stood up with a radiant smile on his face; he said in a loud and clear voice, "My beloved ministers, although each of you has your own opinion, you are all thinking for the sake of our Great Ming Dynasty's rivers and mountains; I am very comforted.
In fact, what's the difference between the sea and the land? The land produces cattle, sheep, and crops, and is accessible to foreign countries. The sea produces fish, shrimp, and crabs, and is also accessible to the East and West. The only difference is that the sea is traveled by ship, and the land is traveled by car. My dear ministers, am I right? "
Li Dongyang and the others respectfully said, "Your Majesty is right!"
Liu Daxia and the others could hear from Zhengde's tone that he was obviously inclined to agree to open the sea; therefore, they only stood in silence. They were waiting for Zhengde to express his opinion, then they would immediately take out their ancestral weapons, the treasured weapons that the country's prestige could not be insulted.
Zhengde continued, "In the past, there was a reason for the ban on the seas. Our dynasty wanted to clear the seas and make it impossible for the Wokou pirates to survive. Now that a hundred years have passed, the Wokou pirates are still running amok on the seas. It can be seen that this method is similar to the Great Gun controlling the waters. Although the intention is good, it is not feasible. Banning the sea makes the people poor in taxes, and also makes the small foreign people who long for our heavenly kingdom sigh at the sight of the sea.
Moreover, Ming Destiny's seas are Ming Destiny's rivers and mountains. In the past, banning the sea was only a temporary measure to trap and exterminate the Wokou pirates. It's not that we are abandoning the great rivers and mountains. Let me ask you, if the Tartars are harassing Datong, can we just abandon Datong and not care about it from now on? "
Emperor Zhengde's sword-like eyebrows raised, his murderous aura surged as he shouted, "Little Wokou pirates, what ability do they have to make me, the great Ming Destiny, fear them so much that I will turn the boundless sea into a pirate's home? Erect the ten thousand miles of the sea as the Great Wall, and from now on, isolate yourself on the shore? "
This question suddenly exploded in the golden hall, causing layers of ripples in the hearts of the officials. The huge golden hall momentarily became solemn and silent.
Zhengde took a breath and said, "Therefore, sooner or later the Tartars of the Gobi will be driven away by my Ming Destiny's iron cavalry. The Wokou pirates of the East Sea are not strong enemies that can stop our heavenly kingdom. The sea, must be opened! The ban, must be lifted! "
"But …" he saw Liu Daxia and Ma Wensheng walk out of the crowd, and immediately changed his tone, "Beloved Official Liu's words also make sense. Ming Destiny cannot be afraid to open the sea because of the Wokou pirates, which will lower the prestige of Ming Destiny. We also cannot be greedy for small gains by opening the sea, which will tarnish the name of Ming Destiny. If the Wokou country of the East Sea does not present themselves to the Heaven's authority, the ban on the sea must not be lifted!"
Liu Daxia walked out of the ranks of the officials and strode forward. He had only taken two steps when he suddenly heard the Emperor's words. He was stunned at first, and then overjoyed. The steps that he had already taken could not be taken back. After a moment of hesitation, he had already bowed down and shouted, "Your Majesty is wise, this old official is in awe!"
The officials left the hall. Liu Daxia gave Ma Wensheng a look and hurried two steps forward. He tiptoed up to Yang Shousui and quietly whispered a few words. Outside the Meridian Gate, the civil officials entered the sedan and the military officials mounted their horses and left one after another. Liu Daxia and his personal guards deliberately slowed down their pace. Behind them, the sedan chairs of Ma Wensheng, Yang Shousui and the others also followed.
The yamens of the six ministries and three departments were actually not far from each other. They were basically all on the same street to facilitate the transmission of the Emperor's edict. The rankings of the six ministries were in the order of officials, households, rites, soldiers, punishments and works. The buildings of the yamens of each ministry were also arranged in this order. A few of the old officials bypassed their own yamens and directly followed Liu Daxia to the yamen of the Ministry of War.
The Ministry of War was in charge of matters such as the selection of military positions, punishment, military records, military equipment, confinement, and courier stations. From the Sui Dynasty until the Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, Ming Destiny's Ministry of War could be considered the one with the greatest power. However, compared to the other yamens, the carriage and horses in front of the door were still much more deserted.
Arriving at the door, Liu Daxia dismounted his horse and waited quietly for a moment. Ma Wensheng, Yang Shousui, Yang Fang, Wang Yan and the other old officials arrived. Liu Daxia cupped his hands and invited the old officials into the yamen. Passing through the central hall, he came to the courtyard at the back where he usually reviewed official documents and practiced martial arts.
The courtyard was not big. The walls were painted with green tiles and the floor was paved with green bricks. On the screen wall, the brick carvings of 'Fortune, Fortune and Longevity' were exquisite and orderly. Although the courtyard was small, it had all the essentials: the main room, the east and west wing rooms, and the north hall. The roof was low, simple and unadorned. Under the eaves, the weapons racks were polished and shiny.
These people were old friends of many years. Some of them were even scholars of the same subject. Liu Daxia did not exchange pleasantries with them. He only ordered the soldiers to 'serve tea' and opened the door curtain to enter the inner room. Ma Wensheng and the others were familiar with his temperament. They unconsciously looked at each other and smiled. They found their own seats and sat down.
Ma Wensheng sighed softly and said: "Today was so dangerous. Jiao Fang and the others obviously came prepared. Ay! When the old man saw the imperial bulletin two days ago, I only laughed it off. I did not expect such an important matter would involve a small Ministry of Revenue official. I did not expect even more that there were so many officials in the imperial court involved. "
The Assistant Minister of Revenue Zhuang Yin said, "When Yang Ling came back from his tour of Jiangnan, he talked to His Majesty about lifting the ban on trade. But at that time he only mentioned it casually and did not say anything else. None of us paid any attention to it. We did not expect him to be so young, yet so shrewd. All along he endured patiently and did not make a move. It was only now that his foundation is even deeper that he resorted to drastic measures to remove the firewood from the bottom of the cauldron. He transferred Han Daren and the others out of the capital. Only then did he suddenly make his move. If not for Yang Lao Daren's quick thinking and using the imperial court's ancestral system to suppress him, thus moving His Majesty, his treacherous scheme would have succeeded. "
Yang Shousui had a smug expression on his face. He twirled his beard and hurriedly exchanged pleasantries. Yang Fang pinched the lid of the teacup, gently stirring the tea leaves on the surface of the water. She coldly said, "I said earlier that this person has the ambition of a wolf. Do you see it now? That old man Jiao Fang was originally on Yang Ling's side. In front of him, he considered himself his disciple and always followed his lead. This is not considered strange. Now that his power is growing, Li Dongyang is courting the flame and following the power. Yang Tinghe pretends to be silent. A group of opportunists in the imperial court who only care about their own future are also following suit. "
"In the past, the imperial court had three paper-papered Cabinet Elders and six clay statues. Could it be that the same thing is going to happen again today? Will Yang Ling and his group of treacherous officials control the imperial court?" As the loud and clear voice fell, Liu Daxia lifted the curtain and walked out.
He changed out of his official robe and wore a green cotton shirt. His silver-white hair was tied up high into a bun at the back of his head. On his feet, he wore a pair of cloth boots with a thousand layers of soles. Liu Daxia walked to the table and picked up a cup of water to drink. His silkworm-like eyebrows were raised and his eyes were bright. He said, "This old man has been observing coldly from the side. Yang Ling's actions have always been difficult to distinguish between good and evil. Until today, when his true intentions are revealed, he can be considered to have given the game away!"
"In the past, Zheng He went to the Western Ocean seven times. The fleet that accompanied him numbered in the tens of thousands. The sails were unfurled and the ships were raised. It was just like a country on the sea. The power of the eunuchs almost completely controlled the imperial court. The eunuchs were crippled and their limbs were missing. They were vicious and greedy. Fortunately, Emperor Yongle was wise and powerful. In the end, although the eunuchs were powerful, they did not dare to do evil.
Now that Yang Ling and his group are advocating the lifting of the ban, they have ulterior motives. At that time, who will be controlling the shipping department? Who will be controlling the shipping? Who will be controlling the navy? "
Liu Daxia said with a serious expression, "Everyone, please think about it. At that time, the army, wealth, and law will all be in the hands of Yang Ling and a group of eunuchs. If he has ambitions … what will happen?"
Hearing this, Ma Wensheng and the others felt a chill rise in their hearts.
Wang Yan had a good impression of Yang Ling. In a letter that his student Tang Bohu sent from Suzhou during the New Year's Day, he had also praised Yang Ling greatly. Wang Yan still believed in this number one scholar of Jiangnan's ability to read people. Therefore, he said hesitantly, "Sir Liu, this person has always been humble and courteous. Other than recently when he was promoted to nobility, he was usually not extravagant or arrogant. Looking at his words and actions, I don't think he has such ambitions?"
Yang Shousui slowly said, "When the Duke of Zhou fears rumors, Wang Mang is humble and respectful. Looking at his methods today, his actions are shrewd and ruthless, and he is extremely shrewd. How can he be an ignorant and incompetent sycophant?"
Yang Fang also said, "Yang Ling is in charge of the internal affairs, and the wealth in his hands is rolling in. With his current position and wealth, he has always lived in a criminal's mansion given to him by His Majesty. As a Marquis, he hasn't even bought a courtyard. He doesn't just eat his salary from the court. Isn't it strange that he is so thrifty?"
"Furthermore, this person is at the age where he admires women. As a Marquis, a general, and the supervisor of the internal affairs, he only has one wife and two concubines. Those two concubines were given to him by His Majesty. Other than that, he has no other concubines. A young powerful official who holds the wealth and troops of the world in his hands doesn't like wine and beauties, doesn't like gold and jewels. Then what are his ambitions?
To establish a career and leave his name in history, or to rule the world and covet the divine weapons? His Majesty is young and preposterous. Not only did he not dissuade him, but he allowed him to play. No matter how I look at it, he doesn't look like a loyal and devoted son! "
Ma Wensheng frowned and said, "There is no need to comment on these things. The most important thing now is to lift the ban on the sea. It is very clear that people like Yang Ling and Liu Jin want to lift the ban on the sea in a grandiose manner. They want to use this to gain more power and thus control the court. Although the ancestral system was brought up today to suppress their arrogance, it is difficult to guarantee that they won't accumulate enough power to make a comeback. Should we immediately send a letter to all the daren who have left the capital and ask them to immediately return to the capital to discuss countermeasures? "
Liu Daxia nodded and said, "I have invited all of you here precisely to discuss this matter. Please immediately send a letter to all the daren who have been transferred out of the capital to quickly return to the capital. Ma daren has an outstanding reputation in court. As a member of the Ministry of Appointments, you have personally promoted and supported many officials. You should immediately contact all the officials to bitterly remonstrate and make sure that the Emperor completely dispels this preposterous idea. "
"As for this old man …" Liu Daxia smiled faintly, his eyes flashing as he said, "This old man will keep an eye on that Yang Ling. I want to see what kind of tricks this little brat can play in front of this old man!"
Liu Daxia's dread of Yang Ling was growing day by day. He was afraid that Yang Ling would be too ambitious. Once he held a large number of troops and had the ambition to sweep the world, it would cause endless bloodshed.
He had been in the Ministry of War for many years. In the army, there were many personal soldiers and assistant generals that he had personally trained in the past. Now, they were all generals of an area. The Emperor wanted to transfer the troops of the four towns to the capital and hand them over to Yang Ling to command. Minister Liu had already made up his mind to insert a few people into the army. When the time came, something that was neither big nor small would happen. As the Minister of War, he would have the qualifications and the excuse to lead the generals to submit a petition to the Emperor to take back the military power.
Even though they had been good friends for many years, it was not convenient for him to tell these plans. Naturally, he had to be vague about it.
Wang Yan was also against lifting the ban. In his view, lifting the ban on trade would easily breed corruption among the officials, which would be detrimental to the clean governance of the government. It would easily cause the rich and large families to pursue strange things from the foreign lands, which would create a more extravagant style. Also, banning the sea and refusing trade would not cause any loss to Ming Destiny. The Celestial Empire was rich in products and people. Why would it need foreign countries?
However, his attitude was not as warm as his old friends. In particular, seeing them treat a little brat as if they were facing a great enemy, he did not think much of it. He perfunctorily discussed it with the officials for a while and then got up to leave.
Wang Yan left the Ministry of War and got into her sedan chair. She closed her eyes and was deep in thought. She always felt that the biggest fear of the Ministers and the internal court, led by Yang Ling, was that the power of the eunuchs would expand out of control because of this.
In Wang Yan's heart, she did not have any good feelings toward the eunuchs. But thinking that if the two sides used the ban as a weapon and fought with each other, it would be hard to avoid another bloody storm in the court, she couldn't help but sigh secretly.
He lifted the curtain of the sedan chair and found that he was already in front of the Ministry of Rites. He couldn't help but feel moved. He quickly kicked the pedal and said, "Stop the sedan chair, stop the sedan chair!"
Wang Yan thought of how Minister Wang Hua had also stood on Jiao Fang's side and supported the lifting of the ban on the sea. He admired Wang Hua's character and talent very much. Wang Yan still could not understand why Li Dongyang and Wang Hua, who were highly respected and had excellent conduct in the court, would be forced by the situation and yield to Yang Ling's pressure.
He had a good personal relationship with Wang Hua, so he wanted to talk to Scholar Wang Hua openly and understand his real thoughts.
The gatekeeper reported. When Official Wang heard the news, he hurriedly came out to greet Wang Yan personally and led him into his mansion. He had someone serve tea and said with a smile, "Mr. Zhenji has not visited for a long time. Are you here today to discuss the lifting of the ban on the sea?"
Wang Yan chuckled and said, "Minister, I won't hide it from you. I am here precisely for this matter. Lifting the ban on trade has its pros and cons. There are benefits to opening it, but there are benefits to not opening it. I am not going too far. It is just that Scholar Jiao and the others clearly came prepared for today's court meeting. Official Wang is obviously someone who knows about it. You and I are good friends, so I hope you can point me in the right direction. "
Wang Hua smiled and was about to reply when Wen Zean, the official of the Ministry of Rites, hurriedly walked in. When he saw Wang Hua, he immediately bowed and said, "Minister, I have just received news that the Japanese King Mongui's envoy has arrived in Cangzhou. He has entered the capital to represent the Japanese King to pay a visit to the Emperor. The Japanese envoy has not been in contact with our court for many years. How should we treat them? Minister, please advise us!"
When Wang Yan heard this, he suddenly stood up. He rolled up the teacup with his sleeve and smashed it into pieces.
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