Chapter 37: Something That Warms the Heart

Zhu Di pulled Li Jinglong to his feet. They were genuine relatives; the relationship between Zhu Di and Li Wenzhong was much like that between Xu Jingchang and Zhu Gaoxu. Li Jinglong, being a generation younger than Zhu Di, had grown up with him—they had played in the mud, competed in childish games, and shared every experience imaginable since childhood.

With the emotional barriers now removed, it felt as though they had returned to their spirited youth. Zhu Di was filled with sentiment.

"I have discussed this with the Grand Preceptor and the scholars of the Cabinet these past few days. My father, the Emperor, was a man of divine martial prowess who laid the foundations of the Great Ming. I must not bring shame upon his legacy; I must uphold both civil governance and military achievements. In terms of civil governance, we must compile the Veritable Records of the Founding Emperor, as well as a comprehensive encyclopedia. My father had once intended to compile a work collecting the theories of the classics, histories, and the various schools of thought, but unfortunately, it was never completed. I intend to carry on his legacy and finish this work."

Li Jinglong listened intently and smiled, "Your Majesty, just a moment ago, the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicature and Revision, Xu, told me that he would recommend me to assist in the compilation!"

Zhu Di was taken aback, then couldn't help but laugh: "He is a mere military man; can he also compile books?"

Xu Jingchang smiled and replied, "Your Majesty, during the four years of the Jingnan Campaign, relying solely on your side's records might lack a certain degree of accuracy. If the Duke of Cao could combine his own arrangements and deployments with your records, comparing and verifying them against each other, the resulting historical account would surely be the golden standard, beyond reproach."

Zhu Di laughed, "In that case, let the Duke of Cao join the compilation."

Having made a comeback and secured a position, Li Jinglong was overjoyed. He was a man who knew how to repay kindness, and there was no doubt that this current turn of events was entirely due to Xu Jingchang’s maneuvering. This young man, despite his age, possessed remarkable capabilities. From this day forward, he would surely follow his lead in everything.

The group drank heartily and chatted freely. Zhu Di had many ambitions—compiling books, waging wars—he wanted to do it all, and every endeavor required money.

"Gentlemen, you are all the elite of our time, possessing extraordinary wisdom. I have pondered this repeatedly. Low grain prices hurt the farmers, while high grain prices hurt the commoners. Looking across the Ming Empire, no matter what we do, it is impossible to rapidly accumulate wealth and reap large profits. Even if there were ways, I fear it would be detrimental to the people's livelihood. Only through foreign trade—leveraging the hearts of overseas barbarians who admire the splendor of our Celestial Empire to sell our goods and fill the national treasury—is the most reliable method. What are your thoughts on this?"

Developing overseas trade was something Xu Jingchang had already heard about from Empress Xu. Zhu Di’s understanding was already quite clear: within the borders of the Ming Empire, no matter what one speculated in, trying to amass huge wealth would inevitably harm some of the common people. After all, money does not fall from the sky. Seeking wealth abroad was the only truly stable path.

Xu Jingchang, naturally, fully agreed with Zhu Di's view. Just as he was about to speak, Xia Yuanji suddenly stepped forward.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, I recently set up tax stations with Vice Minister Xu at the Jubao Gate, and we have already collected tens of thousands in tax revenue... I was thinking, could we mandate that only merchants who pay a certain amount of tax are eligible to participate in overseas trade? After all, since they follow the rules and pay taxes, it naturally proves their credit is reliable and their loyalty is steadfast. It is only right that they should get rich alongside the Imperial Court."

This fellow Xia Yuanji was truly a "crystal fox"—incredibly cunning. He knew all too well how much tax collection was detested. To ensure he could enjoy his old age without being torn apart by the masses, he had to offer incentives... Anyone who paid enough taxes would have the opportunity to participate in overseas trade and reap massive profits.

In this way, tax collection was no longer just a painful extraction; it had become a stepping stone, a golden key to the path of wealth.

Xu Jingchang blinked. He had previously underestimated Xia Yuanji; this man’s mind was certainly not simple.

Zhu Di was immediately delighted. "Minister Xia’s suggestion is sound. You go ahead and arrange it. The Ministry of Revenue should draft a plan regarding how many commercial goods to procure for the voyage and from whom to procure them. I intend to have Zheng He lead the fleet. His family made several voyages during the Yuan Dynasty to places like the Middle East for pilgrimages; he is familiar with the sea routes and understands the customs of those lands. With him leading the fleet, there will be no risk of failure."

Xia Yuanji nodded quickly, "I obey the imperial decree."

In the midst of casual conversation, the framework for the voyages to the Western Oceans had taken shape.

Xu Jingchang rolled his eyes and suddenly said, "Reporting to Your Majesty, I have been calculating that to launch a large-scale maritime expedition, we must build a massive fleet and recruit a vast number of sailors. If we can set sail in a year or two, that would already be very fast. I propose that we could dispatch a small fleet in advance to Korea, Ryukyu, Japan, Annam, and other regions. Consider it a way to greet them and conduct preliminary trade, to understand which goods are highly profitable and what we should prepare. For the sake of making money, a little hard work is nothing to be ashamed of."

Zhu Di laughed heartily. "Good, you are meticulous. Let it be done that way."

After a pause, Zhu Di added, "Let's do this: leave the merchant affairs to the Ministry of Revenue, with Minister Xia in charge. As for the initial trade, let Xu Jingchang be responsible. Any of you nobles who wish to profit from this business, talk to him. This kid has no shortage of clever ideas; following him, you won't lose money."

With these few lighthearted words, Xu Jingchang became one of the two key officials overseeing the grand undertaking of the voyages to the Western Oceans. His power and influence soared instantly. As it turned out, flattering the Emperor really did have its benefits—it had paid off!

After the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet, Xu Jingchang’s residence became a hive of activity. Zhu Gaoxu arrived early, followed by the Duke of Cheng, Zhu Neng, and the Duke of Cao, Li Jinglong. Even the old monk, Yao Guangxiao, showed up.

"Grand Preceptor, you are a man of the cloth who shouldn't speak of money. Why meddle in our worldly affairs?"

Yao Guangxiao chuckled, "A monk may not love wealth, but the more the better."

Xu Jingchang rolled his eyes. "Grand Preceptor, you had better leave quickly. I’m afraid I might tarnish your holy image. If you can’t reach the Western Paradise later, don’t blame me."

Yao Guangxiao’s face darkened, and he sneered, "There is no merchant who is not deceitful; I am well aware of that. I simply don't believe there is anything you can't pull off!"

As they were talking, Wu Shan entered from outside, followed by two shifty-eyed individuals.

"My Lord, I have found these two. Please question them."

Xu Jingchang looked at them and smiled, "Well, is your craftsmanship decent?"

The leader, a man with a sallow complexion, bowed in a hurry. "My family has repaired gold, stone, and bronze wares for five generations. We repair antiques to look like antiques; no one can tell the difference."

Xu Jingchang nodded repeatedly. "Since you can repair them, can you also forge them?"

"I can!" the man nodded. "Indeed, it is possible. Some people like to appear refined but lack the money, so they buy imitations to display at home to fool the laymen."

Xu Jingchang smiled again, "Since you can forge them, then 'aging' them is also within your capabilities, right?"

"Yes, there are many ways to age items. For paintings and calligraphy, we put them in a rice jar with grain insects; the insects will eat and bite them, and in less than half a month, they can pass for ancient paintings. For jade, we steam it in a pot, then rub it with iron rust and bury it underground. As for bronze, we bury it in a latrine and let it soak in urine and excrement; that produces a perfectly rusted, ancient appearance."

Xu Jingchang nodded repeatedly, "Excellent, excellent. By the way, can you fire porcelain? Specifically, the official kiln porcelain from the Yuan Dynasty—the celadon. Can you fire that?"

The two shook their heads. "Answering your Lordship, we cannot fire them ourselves, but we know there are skilled artisans in Jingdezhen who can. Not only from the Yuan Dynasty, but even those from the Tang and Song Dynasties are no problem."

Xu Jingchang was overjoyed: "Wonderful! We cannot let such professional talents slip away—find them all for me!"

He turned to the people present. "I have already had people look into it. In Korea, they consider themselves the 'Little Middle Kingdom' and have always admired the goods of the Celestial Empire. Now that the world is at peace, it is the perfect time for antiques. Let's not make them go to the trouble of buying a pile of fakes elsewhere; we will decisively take action to solve their worries by delivering the goods right to their doorstep. I am a kind-hearted person; I simply cannot bear to see them being deceived by others."

Delivering to the door—how heartwarming.

Only then did the others realize that Xu Jingchang was planning to make a fortune this way.

Yao Guangxiao’s eyes widened in anger. "Xu Jingchang, you will truly go to hell for this."

Xu Jingchang replied, "Grand Preceptor, you are far too noble, so you should stay out of this."

"Impossible!" Yao Guangxiao stated flatly. "Amitabha! Even in hell, there is a big difference between the rich and the poor."

This time, everyone was left speechless; the old scoundrel was no saint either.

With matters decided, Xu Jingchang put his hands on his hips and ordered: "That row by the corner is for burying the bronzes. From the Prince of Han downwards, whenever you have a moment, come over for tea and hold your bladders. Whoever contributes the most, gets a larger share of the profits."