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Chapter 1547 Backer
After considering it for a moment, Yu Dayou still spoke up to remind him: "Too much coercion could lead to chaos."

Wang Yan chuckled and said, "General Yu's words are rather unambitious. An old steed in its stall may still aspire to gallop a thousand miles, and even an old general like Lian Po can still eat. So what if there is great chaos? Whoever causes trouble, kill them, and then it will be quelled. Our dynasty is currently stable, and to think of changing the imperial regalia is a fool's dream, a pipe dream. Chaos is temporary, but the people's peace and prosperity are lasting."

"If the government is in power, it will be the common people who will suffer. Even the Japanese pirates of today are actually people of our Great Ming Dynasty. They have become accustomed to burning, killing, and looting because they can make a living from maritime trade..."

Wang Yan waved his hand, interrupting Qi Jiguang: "Those are not commoners, they are beasts. There's no need to feel pity, just kill them. Of course, if we can capture them alive, I would prefer to do so. On the way to the capital, you two saw the situation in Shuntian Prefecture. There are construction sites everywhere, and these people are excellent laborers. They eat little, work a lot, and if they die, they die. Isn't that good?"

People always have to pay the price for their choices. They wreaked havoc on other people, committing rape, plunder, and all sorts of evil deeds. They plundered money, drank and ate meat, rejoiced and enjoyed themselves to the fullest. They can't just say they regret it when they die, that they were wrong before, and ask for a second chance. They didn't give those who suffered their misfortune a chance. It has to be fair, don't you two agree?"

Yu Dayou smiled and agreed, "Zhizhong sees things more clearly."

"General, there's no need to be so polite, it's too formal."

Wang Yan laughed and said, "You can find out if you ask around. Although I don't have a good reputation in the capital, and people call me vengeful, wicked, greedy, ruthless, and vicious, no one says I'm petty. So far, I've been attacked more than ten times, but I haven't chased after them relentlessly."

It was thanks to His Majesty's protection that the Imperial Guard was able to uncover this major case. I don't hold grudges against those who wanted to kill me; these two generals are still on our side, so it's best to speak more naturally. I'm not one of those petty people; they lack tolerance and are ruthless once they gain power…”

Wang Yan's words left Yu Dayou and Qi Jiguang speechless. They had, of course, already inquired about Wang Yan's past, and they hadn't seen him spare anyone. Even if he hadn't killed anyone, he had still made them pay a huge sum of money.

Of course, there are positive reviews as well. People acknowledge that Wang Yan is very generous and genuinely good to his own people. They also acknowledge that even though Wang Yan is greedy, he is actually someone who regards money as dirt.

After all, Wang Yan embezzled hundreds of thousands of taels of silver, yet his life wasn't particularly extravagant. It was just that he was known to eat well, and the rest of the silver was used to raise meat. Although it's distasteful, anyone with even a little knowledge of him should know that Wang Yan raising meat was a great deed, as it lowered meat prices and made meat more affordable for more people.

Putting aside other things, the prices of various meat dishes in restaurants in the capital have dropped significantly. At the same time, because Wang Yan enjoys eating them, many new mutton soup restaurants and hot pot restaurants have opened in the city…

Seeing that the two did not respond, Wang Yan said, "Let's get back to the main topic. The next step for the fleet is to expand its scale, increase manpower, and improve the navy's combat effectiveness. While ensuring our own safety, we should increase our transport capacity and bring back more goods from overseas to solve the problems of our Great Ming."

For example, grain. The grain grown on the land of my Great Ming is barely enough for the people to have a bite to eat. But due to various reasons, the people actually eat even less, and many people in Shuntian Prefecture even starved to death. This is right under the emperor's nose!

Over the past two years, the fleet has continuously transported grain, stabilizing grain prices throughout Shuntian Prefecture and ensuring that no one starved to death. This is the real achievement. I've had people set up brewing and noodle-making businesses, allowing for greater utilization of grain and a wider variety of products. Later, I'll send people south to sail with the ships and establish workshops in Southeast Asia; we should be able to earn even more this year.

Besides the points mentioned above, the supply of goods at the docks along the route is of paramount importance. Whether the waterway can be stably controlled by us depends on the docks along the route, on sufficient supplies, and on a stable rear.

The rest is up to Minister Hu; you two just need to cooperate with him to get things done.

Qi Jiguang nodded in response, while Yu Dayou felt somewhat uncomfortable upon hearing Hu Zongxian's name.

This is quite normal. Back when they were fighting the Japanese pirates, Yu Dayou and Qi Jiguang inflicted heavy losses on them. Because they had besieged the pirates for a year without success, Hu Zongxian decided it was unwise to continue the siege and let the pirates escape, only to pursue and kill them later. This incident led to Hu Zongxian's impeachment, and he shifted the blame to Yu Dayou, who was nearly killed.

Of course, it wasn't just this one incident, nor was it limited to Hu Zongxian. Whenever there was some conflict in the capital that involved military affairs, Yu Dayou would be used as a scapegoat, experiencing ups and downs repeatedly.

That's why they say he was terrified of being tormented; he really suffered terribly. That's why Qi Jiguang was so shrewd and worldly-wise; with Yu Dayou as his role model, he had no choice but to follow suit. He had to be extremely careful in everything he did; it was truly like walking on thin ice.

Wang Yan said, "The past is like smoke, old general. Now that Hu Zongxian has been dismissed, it will be extremely difficult for him to be reinstated. It's already good enough that he's kept his life. If I hadn't found him this job, he would probably be back in prison by now, and might even have committed suicide."

We've helped each other out, and there's no question of who's the one backing whom. We're all working for the Ming Dynasty, for His Majesty, and for the prosperity of our Ming. I don't have the habit of shifting blame onto others.

As you all know, this fleet, in truth, belongs to me. If there are any problems or trouble, it's my head that will be lost. As for those treasonous words, I live off His Majesty's favor; the moment His Majesty turns his back on me, the things I've done will all be brought to light.

"But you two needn't worry too much. It's just a matter of eating melon seeds and getting a scolding. After all, everyone knows who we're really working for. Besides, trouble won't come to the fleet; I'd rather die a hundred times over for other crimes."

After listening to Wang Yan's heartfelt words, Yu Dayou sighed deeply and said something from the bottom of his heart: "Governing the capital is not easy either."

"The old general is wrong. Actually, it's quite easy for me."

Wang Yan ate his meat, raised his cup to the two men, took a sip of wine, and then continued, "What does His Majesty need? It's silver. From the fortieth year of the Jiajing reign until now, a full three years, I have given His Majesty eight million taels of silver. Even when that old dog Yan Song was in power, he didn't give His Majesty as much as I have."

Besides, I'm a down-to-earth person who gets things done. If you have nothing to do these next few days, you can go and take a look at Dongcheng, or even outside Dongcheng in Daxing. All of that was done by me. As long as I can still make money, as long as I can still get things done and solve problems, and as long as I don't rebel, then I'll be fine.

Go ahead and do it with confidence. As things stand, there's nothing I can't handle. Fight the Japanese pirates well, manage the fleet effectively, and as long as you don't rebel, I guarantee you'll be fine.

"You doubt me? Let me put it this way, you could point your finger at Xu Jie and curse him to his face and it wouldn't matter. The Grand Secretariat, the Six Ministries, the Nine Ministers, the Censorate—I'm not afraid of anyone. If anyone targets you, just tell me, and I'll make sure they get what's coming to them. Whatever they do to you, I'll do to them even worse."

The two men exchanged a glance, cupped their hands in greeting, and said in unison, "Then thank you very much, Zhizhong."

Wang Yan knew that Yu Dayou and Qi Jiguang still didn't believe it, but he couldn't blame them.

After all, he had only been an official for four years. While he did have the favor of Emperor Jiajing, it did not prevent him from being attacked and killed more than a dozen times. Even when armored soldiers, crossbows, and muskets appeared, it did not prevent him from being attacked by the entire court. He had no political allies and his position was very awkward.

Otherwise, how come Wang Yan, at his current age and with such a high official position, still hasn't properly married and only has a few concubines at home?

I heard that Emperor Jiajing is looking for a suitable woman among the imperial relatives to be Wang Yan's principal wife...

They simply couldn't understand why Wang Yan's intimidation didn't stem from political alliances or a united group of interests. It came from the fact that outside the rules, no one could destroy him; and within the rules, no one could defeat him even using the rules themselves. These two factors made him invincible in his attacks and retaliations.

When it really came down to it, corruption and bribery certainly wouldn't kill him. When people impeached him, they didn't use those fatal accusations, not because they could kill him, but because these crucial issues were now out in the open, and Jiajing would definitely have to give a result. Wang Yan certainly couldn't be executed, so all these problems were glossed over. But the one who exposed these matters might not necessarily survive.

As for Wang Yan's methods of retaliating against others, they were quite simple. After all, he was in charge of Shuntian Prefecture. Anyone who could cause him trouble could be found to have problems in the capital and surrounding areas. He could simply frame them and escalate the situation; no one could withstand that. However, Wang Yan didn't offer much explanation. Words didn't count; actions spoke louder than words. After those two were dealt with, he, acting as their protector, learned the true power of his methods.

To be honest, Yu Dayou and Qi Jiguang are now essentially following Prince Yu. Previously, they were acting on the orders of Tan Lun, who was Prince Yu's man, so they were naturally considered his followers as well…

The three of them ate and drank happily for a while, talking about the war against the Japanese pirates over the years, as well as the border affairs in the north. Wang Yan naturally showed some military genius, and even played a game of war with the two of them, in which he was defeated by them.

After seeing off the two who had come to pay their respects, Wang Yan followed the court's arrangements, participating in activities that Jiajing did not attend, and chatting with a group of people who looked down on him.

In addition, he also had to act as the Prefect of Shuntian Prefecture, and there were many activities to be carried out during important festivals such as the New Year, as well as his own work reports, summaries of various data of the entire Shuntian Prefecture, and so on.

After the Lantern Festival, Wang Yan finally had some free time and had the rare opportunity to drink with Hai Rui and Wang Yongji.

Wang Yan looked at Hai Rui with a smile: "Well, sir, has anyone asked you to ask me for money?"

"Zhao Zhenji," Hai Rui snorted, "just like you said before, all you talk about is national righteousness."

Wang Yongji added, "Ruxian told Zhao Zhenji exactly what you said, and I heard that Zhao Zhenji's face turned extremely ugly at the time."

Wang Yan expressed his understanding: "If someone under me opposes me like that and I can't do anything about it, I'll feel bad too."

"Do you have anyone under you who dares to stand up to you?" Hai Rui glanced at him.

"You, Master Hai, dared to talk back to me in Chun'an. You wouldn't do anything until I gave you a clear explanation. It's only because I have a good temper that you're not in trouble. Anyone else would have suffered."

“Listen to this,” Hai Rui said, looking at Wang Yongji. “I am the county magistrate, and he is the registrar. I have become his subordinate.”

"That's true. As you said, Chun'an still obeys Ziyan's orders. How things develop there is still up to Ziyan. What can you do even if you're the county magistrate?"

“That’s fair,” Wang Yan nodded with a grin.

Hai Rui was speechless, but he couldn't refute it, after all, it was the truth.

Moreover, he had to admit that even if he had become the county magistrate first, and Wang Yan had become the registrar later, without the advantage of being in the first place, he would still have been sidelined by Wang Yan. He had also witnessed how Wang Yan won over and divided others, and how he rallied the people's hearts.

How terrifying was it? So terrifying that if Wang Yan were walking down the street in Chun'an and saw a few children playing together, one of whom was naked, Wang Yan could take the kid to his house, scold his parents, have them beat him, and then even get a meal out of him...

Even now that he's in the capital, even now that he's in charge of the entire Shuntian Prefecture, Wang Yan can still recognize people on the street, or if someone approaches him, he can immediately recall their name.

This is common knowledge, because it is evidence used by other officials to impeach Wang Yan, accusing him of trying to win people's hearts and harboring ulterior motives...

Put yourself in Wang Yan's shoes. Imagine Hai Rui is a commoner recognized by Wang Yan, who also treats his illness. The bully who used to torment him has died from overwork on the construction site, and the powerful figures who bullied him have been dealt with. Hai Rui even receives a large sum of money as compensation. He would be fiercely loyal to Wang Yan.

In this vast Shuntian Prefecture, with a population of nearly two million, there were far more than just one or two such people. Not to mention that everyone in the government offices, from top to bottom, openly received generous sums of money and enjoyed good treatment.

With such appeal and influence, no one can challenge Wang Yan for power...

This is the ultimate succubus.

Wang Yan was also very pleased with Hai Rui.

Before they arrived, we had to reinterpret Liubiju. After all, under Wang Yan's influence, the people of the capital were busy making money. So much time has passed, where are the rumors?

On the contrary, having learned about the various stories of Liubiju, the common people had more spare money and were willing to spend money to buy pickled vegetables instead of making them themselves. Naturally, they wanted to try what Liubiju was all about. They wanted to taste the pickled vegetables that the emperor ate, the pickled vegetables that Yan Song ate, and see what was so different about them.

In this situation, even if each person buys just one pound, Liubiju would still make a fortune.

As for Daxing and Wanping, which were subjected to heavy taxes and suffered from snow disasters, let's not even mention that. Wang Yan came here to improve the living standards of the people, and he provided funds for all the projects, including many projects initiated by Jiajing. These funds were more than enough for them to reinforce their houses, purchase coal, and so on.

Even if the houses were still crushed by the heavy snow, they would certainly not be left homeless and helpless. Wang Yan issued a strict order: local wealthy families had a responsibility to provide relief; whoever watched as people starved or froze to death would have their entire family work until they died.

Furthermore, the issue of salaries not being paid to officials in the capital is no longer present. Not only are they being paid, but all outstanding salaries from previous years have also been paid in full.

After all, the promotion of the new banknotes was all done by printing them for free, which saved a lot of trouble.

As for Jiajing's large-scale construction projects, the money was sent to the palace by Wang Yan. Hai Rui also listened to Wang Yan's advice on the flow of wealth. Jiajing even gave money to the people to hire laborers and exempted them from corvée labor. Hai Rui had no objections to any of this.

Hai Rui isn't too angry now.

Even the kinds of things he used to disapprove of rarely happened in the capital. After all, Wang Yan only took the opportunity to impose fines, and even the wealthiest families didn't have that much money to pay them.

In just six months, the entire Shuntian Prefecture was almost unified; the results were immediate and remarkable.

　I want to express my sincere gratitude to all the kind readers who have given me generous support through tips, monthly tickets, recommendation tickets, and those who have been reading quietly!

　　(End of this chapter)