Yang Xuan kept some of the seeds Zheng He brought back and planted them in his yard.
The rest was to open an experimental field in Zhuangzi outside the city and mobilized some researchers to study grain seeds.
In this way, the shelf is put up.
After explaining the matter, Yang Xuan basically let go and only focused on the general direction.
After all, after the seeds are planted, it takes time to grow.
Ten days later, the Ministry of Rites asked Zhu Di when to summon envoys from various countries.
Zhu Di ordered to receive him at the beginning of next month, and the event was hosted by the Ministry of Rites.
It is required to show the grandeur and majesty of the heavenly kingdom.
The Minister of Rites took the order.
Later, Xia Yuanji, the Minister of Household Affairs, reported that the gold and silver and other items that Zheng He brought back from overseas had arrived in the capital, but spices, jade and other items were still being sold.
Zhu Di felt that half a month had passed and the work was still not finished. The efficiency was too low.
So Xia Yuanji was urged to speed up.
After all, he has already planned where the money will go, and now he is waiting for the money to arrive.
As for the gold and silver that had been shipped back, Zhu Di only left a fraction of it with the Ministry of Household Affairs, and the rest was put into internal funds.
This caused public outrage.
After all, departments are also eyeing the money.
You know, the money for Zheng He's voyages came from the national treasury.
Now I finally got the money back, but nothing happened to them.
Who can bear this?
Zhu Di's character is very similar to that of Lao Zhu. In his opinion, whether it is the treasury or internal funds, it is his own money.
But if you want to control the money from the treasury, you have to argue with the civil servants.
Compared with this, if you want to use the money from internal funds, you won't have so many worries.
Zhu Di simply refused to listen to the objections of the courtiers.
After forcefully collecting the money into his internal funds, he immediately withdrew from the government.
This almost rogue approach resulted in the resignation of officials.
Fortunately, the prince Zhu Gaochi calmed down all the officials in time, so that it did not affect the government affairs.
However, the opinions of the officials towards Zhu Di have not diminished, and now they are just hidden in their hearts.
Zhu Di also noticed this situation and summoned Yang Xuan into the palace to discuss countermeasures.
"These bastards keep an eye on my money every day."
“It’s not considered treasury or internal money, what’s the difference?”
"You're still threatening me with your resignation?"
"Who gave them the courage?"
"I think the prince is too kind to these civil servants."
"I have been very good to them these past two years."
In the imperial study, Zhu Di put his hands on his hips, pacing in place, cursing.
Yang Xuan didn't say anything. He waited until Zhu Di was done venting before he spoke.
"The main responsibility for this matter still lies with you."
"What?"
"The responsibility is mine?"
"What's my responsibility?"
"My responsibility is to be too indulgent to civil servants."
Zhu Di's attitude was very firm and his expression was not good-looking.
"It is wrong for you to treat the treasury as private."
"Money from the treasury belongs to the country."
"The money from the internal funds is yours."
"The two cannot be confused."
Yang Xuan corrected.
"You also think I was wrong?" Zhu Di looked at Yang Xuan.
"The cost of going to sea is money from the national treasury. Now that I have seen the money back, if you want to transfer it all to internal funds, how can the officials agree?"
Yang Xuan said.
"This is not their money, why should I get their consent."
Zhu Di refused to accept it.
"This is the country's money, not anyone's money."
Yang Xuan shook his head slightly and corrected again.
"If you keep doing this, you will only alienate the emperor and his ministers."
Zhu Di was silent.
In fact, he knows everything in his heart, it's just his personality.
He doesn't like civil servants and doesn't have much trust in them.
If financial power falls into the hands of civilian officials, this will be a huge constraint for him.
"Then what do you think we should do?"
"But I have to tell you in advance that it is impossible for me to transfer the money I earn from going overseas to the national treasury."
Zhu Di said.
"First transfer the more than one million taels spent on the sea trip to the national treasury. This should be no problem!"
"This can be considered." Zhu Di nodded.
He still knew that he couldn't get too serious with the civil servants.
"Besides, if the voyages to the West are so profitable, we can't leave the national treasury with no income at all."
"And although the fleet led by Zheng He was large, it was ultimately unable to meet overseas demand."
"We can relax restrictions and reopen shipping companies so that private maritime merchants can also trade at sea."
"In this way, customs duties can be collected and the national treasury can be replenished."
"I believe most officials will not object."
"If you still oppose it, you may be colluding with smuggling merchants."
Yang Xuan said slowly.
"Will this affect the fleet's income?" Zhu Di asked.
He is quite concerned about this issue.
He feels that it is easier to do monopoly business.
"Not at first."
"The overseas market is huge and cannot be satisfied in a short time."
"Even if it has an impact, I'm afraid it will be more than ten years or even decades later."
Yang Xuan explained.
"That's good." Zhu Di nodded slightly.
But then there's another problem.
That was the sea ban policy implemented by Lao Zhu during the Hongwu Dynasty.
After Zhu Di ascended the throne, he abolished the policies of the Jianwen Dynasty and restored the policies of the Hongwu Dynasty.
If the shipping department is reopened, it will violate the maritime ban policy set by Lao Zhu.
It goes against the ancestral system!
Similarly, officials will use other reasons to object.
After all, many people use smuggling to accept bribes. Once the shipping department reopens, their income will drop sharply.
Zhu Di expressed his concerns.
In response, Yang Xuan just sneered.
"ancestral system?"
"Taizu made a rule to embezzle sixty-two pieces of day lilies and peel them."
"How many civil and military officials in this dynasty are innocent?"
"If anyone talks about ancestral system, investigate him."
"The ancestral system does not only work for the emperor."
The world is not only black and white, but also has a third color, gray.
Everyone knows this, including Zhu Di.
As long as it doesn't go too far, he will turn a blind eye.
After all, the salary given by their old Zhu family is indeed not high.
Although the Hongwu Dynasty went through several salary adjustments, it was barely enough for low-level officials.
It is impossible to eat well, drink well, and have meat every meal.
"You are right, whoever talks about ancestral system will be attacked."
Zhu Di smiled.
"But then again, how many places will the Shibo Division be opened? Where will it be opened?"
"How much are the tariffs?" Zhu Di asked several key questions.
"Well... one can be opened in Fujian, and one can be opened in Jiangsu and Zhejiang."
"Two places are enough for the time being."
"After all, after the Shipping Department was abolished in the late Hongwu Dynasty, many officials were either fired by Taizu or transferred to other places."
"There aren't that many manpower at the moment."
"It needs to develop slowly."
Yang Xuan thought for a while and said.
"As for tariffs, they can be set higher at the beginning."
"Nowadays, Ming Dynasty's goods are very popular overseas. Things worth one tael of silver can be sold for more than 10 taels of silver overseas. If the commercial tax is 30 taels per tael, how much can it be?"
Yang Xuan said again.
"How much do you want to order?"
…
