The world of film and television begins with the God of Medicine.

Chapter 1552 The Great Ming Dynasty Taking a Turn

Glass is a wonderful invention, and glass windows are a wonderful application.

On a cold winter day, when the sun is high in the sky, sunlight shines through the glass, raising the indoor temperature and making those inside feel very comfortable.

Being in such a warm environment, bathed in sunlight, playing with cats and dogs, and drinking some hot tea would be a true pleasure.

However, young people generally lack the patience for such enjoyment. They always need to be active; their lives are too short, their energy is still abundant, urging them to take action.

Only when people reach a certain age do they want to slow down, enjoy the sunshine, enjoy the tranquility, and enjoy everything.

Jiajing then slowed down.

In the Yuxi Palace, Emperor Jiajing lay on a reclining chair, his eyes slightly closed in the sunlight. Whenever the chair swayed too little, Lü Fang, who was serving him, would add a little more force to make the reclining chair sway more.

Wang Yan stood respectfully not far behind Jiajing and explained the arrangements for Yu Dayou and Qi Jiguang.

Emperor Jiajing asked the same question: "Do you want to go to war with the Tartars?"

"Your Majesty, the current national strength of our Great Ming Dynasty is insufficient to support the expenses of the northern expedition. I am thinking..."

Upon hearing Wang Yan's proposal for economic sanctions, Jiajing immediately thought of the wealthy families in Hebei, Shandong, and Shanxi, and his eyes lit up.

"You really won't let me have any peace. Am I just supposed to stay in seclusion and never come out?"

Wang Yan sensed the irritation in his words, as well as a hint of expectation.

He understood perfectly and said, "Your Majesty, this matter cannot be accomplished overnight. We can first open a border market. This would facilitate trade between the two sides and provide convenience for large merchants, allowing for centralized transactions. In this way, both transportation and settlement would be much more convenient."

Once most of the major traders have arrived, the first transaction tax will be collected, starting with one-twentieth of the total. With annual trade amounting to several million taels of silver, that translates to hundreds of thousands of taels of silver in revenue.

To prevent them from trading privately, bypassing the border markets, and evading taxes, troops would be deployed to patrol and strictly investigate. Those caught trading privately would have their goods confiscated and be fined. If they failed to pay the fines, interest would be charged. If they still failed to pay, their land would be confiscated until the fines were paid. If, during the confiscation of land, evidence of their crimes was discovered nearby, even better, their homes would be confiscated and their entire families exiled.

This is why I asked Qi Jiguang to train troops and prepare for the border. Even if we cannot launch an attack, we can still defend the border, prevent these treacherous officials from colluding with foreign tribes, and also prevent internal rebellions.

Meanwhile, Qi Jiguang could also organize another caravan to buy up the Tartars' goods and transport them to the capital and other wealthy places to sell, thus making another profit.

Then we'll open a Royal Bank branch at the border market, gradually getting the Tartars used to the paper money, and then…”

From beginning to end, Wang Yan never mentioned any disadvantages, only the advantages. Because the biggest disadvantage was already clearly understood by Jiajing himself, to the point that he couldn't even articulate it.

What Wang Yan needed to do was to make Jiajing fully aware of the benefits. As long as Jiajing felt that the benefits outweighed the drawbacks, he would definitely support it.

Having known each other for quite some time, Wang Yan understood that Jiajing was a wise, practical, and shrewd person who also had an adventurous spirit, a strong rebellious spirit, and the ability to act. The three-year-long Great Rites Controversy fully demonstrated Jiajing's various qualities.

"Your Majesty, if we proceed slowly and methodically, we can subdue the enemy without a fight. At the same time, we can also deal with those treacherous officials and make them return all the land and silver they have swallowed. It is definitely a win-win situation."

Jiajing made no comment, simply lounging comfortably in his recliner.

Lu Fang chimed in, "Wang Zhizhong, in your opinion, who would be the most suitable person to govern Ji and Liao?"

"Let's go with Tan Lun. He's done a good job fighting in the south. He didn't hold us back, he's diligent in procuring military supplies, and he's decisive and daring in the face of adversity. He's also an old friend of Qi Jiguang. The two of them complement each other perfectly, so there's no need to worry about managing the Jiliao region."

Wang Yan made no attempt to hide anything; after all, Jiajing had already allowed him to start forming factions, so there was nothing he couldn't say.

"In two years, my term as the Prefect of Shuntian Prefecture will come to an end. I envision Shuntian Prefecture as a place where people do not pick up lost items on the road and do not lock their doors at night, where the people are prosperous and peaceful, and where the capital city is full of splendor. At that time, whoever governs Shuntian Prefecture will not be too bad, as long as they do not collude with the powerful and wealthy families in the capital."

At that time, I will be heading to Jiliao to first occupy the Jurchen territory. If a good opportunity arises, I will launch a large-scale attack and annihilate the Tartars. In addition, these two years will be a good time to manage the border markets. When I arrive, the competition will likely be at its fiercest. However, with Your Majesty's support, and with my unwavering resolve, I will certainly withstand the pressure as I did in governing Shuntian Prefecture. Thus, the eternal peace of our Great Ming Dynasty will begin.”

"You've arranged things very well."

Jiajing chuckled softly, "Then let's do it your way. I want to see what you can accomplish in the north. Lü Fang, go through the procedures with the cabinet later."

"Yes, Master. Wang Zhizhong is reliable, this matter will surely succeed. Once the wealthy families in Shandong, Shanxi, and Hebei are dispersed, Master will have nothing to worry about in the future."

Wang Yan then expressed his loyalty, saying, "Your Majesty, Hu Zongxian has entrusted me to inquire whether Your Majesty has any other plans for him."

"You've been using him quite well, haven't you? Tell me, what role do you play him in?"

"Your Majesty is scolding me. I have done my best for the affairs of our Great Ming. Tan Lun, Yu Dayou, Qi Jiguang and others have just made great contributions, and it is timely for them to continue to be used in places where they are needed more. They have all done very well, and I have a clear conscience."

Hu Zongxian and I are quite close. After the Battle of Taizhou, he made a special trip to Chun'an to see Hai Rui and me on his way back home. His appointment is entirely up to His Majesty; His Majesty can arrange things however His Majesty wishes. However, he asked me to inquire about it, and I couldn't very well refuse.”

"You actually asked me to ask?" Lü Fang was exasperated.

“We have to do it properly.” Wang Yan said sincerely, “Back then, when I sent him to manage the fleet and train the navy, he was thinking that after the Yan Song incident was over and Xu Jie stepped down, he would still have a chance to be reinstated since he was only in his fifties. I also promised him that if he wasn’t killed, I would put in a good word for him.”

Now that the southeast has won a great victory, the powerful states there are under immense pressure and their fleets at sea have decreased by several times. Hu Zongxian has indeed played a crucial role in this. His eagerness to regain his former glory is, in my opinion, understandable.

"It's mainly because Your Majesty values ​​friendship that I dared to ask. Otherwise... I would have had to think of a roundabout way, or ask Eunuch Lü, and have him mention it when Your Majesty is in a good mood, so I could have an explanation for Hu Zongxian..." "You are indeed honest." Jiajing chuckled.

"Your Majesty, I have always been loyal and devoted, and I have never uttered a single falsehood. Unlike those treacherous officials who only think of deceiving Your Majesty, ruining Your Majesty's reputation, and damaging Your Majesty's majestic image in the hearts of the people."

"Alright. Let him work with Yu Dayou to manage the fleet well and train the navy, and first stabilize the situation in the southeast. With his position, I will naturally think of him."

It was rare for Jiajing to speak so directly, which shows that he was quite satisfied with Wang Yan's statement.

He's always like this, acting one way and the other the next, always saying something to intimidate people and show off his power.

However, on the other hand, since becoming a recluse, he has rarely seen Jiajing. The fact that Jiajing is so concerned about him shows how important Wang Yan is to Jiajing.

After discussing Hu Zongxian's matter, Jiajing made no further comment, so Wang Yan tactfully left Yuxi Palace and headed out of the palace.

However, the person who gave him the gift today surprised him quite a bit.

"Eunuch Chen, how can I trouble you to see me off?"

Chen Hong laughed: "What are you saying, Wang Zhizhong? We're all just doing our job for His Majesty. There's nothing good or bad about it."

Having served as an official in the capital for nearly four years, Wang Yan had naturally met Chen Hong before. In fact, Chen Hong was in charge of the Imperial Garden Bureau, and the cooperation with the Imperial Garden Supervisor, as well as the various green vegetables bestowed by the Jiajing Emperor, all went through Chen Hong's channels. Since Wang Yan loved to eat, and Chen Hong was in charge of the Imperial Kitchen, they had some exchanges in these areas. Therefore, the two were not strangers.

So after leaving the area of ​​Yuxi Palace, with only the two of them walking ahead and the servant eunuchs far behind, Wang Yan simply asked the question directly.

"Eunuch Chen, there's no one around. Please speak frankly if you have something to say."

"Oh, it's really nothing," Chen Hong said. "Over the years, our family has never had a chance to get close to Wang Zhizhong. Today, it just so happens that we ran into Zhizhong on his way out, so we decided to see him off and chat with him for a bit."

"My greatest amusement is being attacked and killed all the time. And those who kill me say that I did all sorts of bad things and deserved to die a horrible death. Isn't that hilarious, Eunuch Chen?"

Chen Hong laughed heartily: "They're all a bunch of traitors and rebels, utterly lawless. If you ask me, letting Huang Jin lead the Imperial Guard is a real waste."

“Eunuch Huang hasn’t wronged me,” Wang Yan said with a smile, then continued, “Eunuch Chen is in charge of the Imperial Garden Bureau, and I’ve recently been thinking of gathering some people to specialize in agricultural affairs. We’re researching how to cultivate crops for high yields, developing high-yield seeds, preventing various pests and diseases, and increasing yields per acre. I wonder if Eunuch Chen would be interested?”

"Of course I'm interested. If we actually achieve something, it will be a great thing for the country and the people. Our family will also benefit from your success, Wang Zhizhong. I'll send someone to find Zhizhong right away. We definitely won't see any results in the short term, so let's not delay and start as soon as possible."

“What Eunuch Chen says is absolutely right, then it’s settled then. I’ll go back and come up with a plan. The money will all be provided by Shuntian Prefecture, and you just need to assign suitable personnel. It’s really not easy to find people who are good at farming and also good at studying.”

Chen Hong said, "No need to worry. Our Great Ming has a large population. Finding some people who know how to farm and love to study farming is not a big deal. It's settled then. You can get started as soon as possible."

"Please don't be impatient, Eunuch Chen. These are all things that take time to accomplish. If you want to achieve anything, it will be spring at the earliest. If you want to see results, you certainly won't see anything in a year. It will take at least two years."

"If you do all the preparations first, you'll be more at ease when you actually start working."

“Eunuch Chen is a wise man. Rest assured, I will send men to take action as soon as I get back.”

And so the two strolled along, chatting idly, until Chen Hong saw Wang Yan off at the West Garden. Only then did he stop and warmly bid farewell to Wang Yan. They didn't say anything else; it was truly just casual conversation.

Wang Yan believed Chen Hong's casual conversation, as Chen Hong hadn't had many opportunities to communicate with Wang Yan before. Lü Fang was the primary communicator, followed by Huang Jin, whom Lü Fang was even more favored. Furthermore, Huang Jin, leading the Imperial Guards, had significantly more collaborations with Wang Yan.

In comparison, Chen Hong was far inferior. Even though Wang Yan had connections with departments like the Bureau of Imperial Gardens and the Imperial Garden, it wasn't that Wang Yan directly liaised with Chen Hong.

Such a direct encounter is rare, occurring only a few times over the years. And the only time Chen Hong could spare the time to personally escort Wang Yan was today.

After leaving the palace, Wang Yan sent a message to Yu Dayou and Qi Jiguang, informing them that the arrangements had been finalized and putting their minds at ease. Wang Yan was still considerate of their feelings.

Being a military commander is really tough, especially being a quiet, unassuming one. You're constantly being tormented. Honestly, stirring things up can actually bring some peace, since you're a general leading troops, stationed in remote areas with complex local power structures, and you have considerable bargaining power…

Upon returning to the Shuntian Prefecture government office, Wang Yan immediately assigned the task of conducting grain research.

He had been working on it before, but it was all fragmented and ineffective. Now, by joining forces with the palace, he aims to speed things up.

By this time, corn, potatoes, and sweet potatoes had spread to the Ming Dynasty, and in the past two years, Wang Yan had also found the seeds. The next thing to do was what he had been doing repeatedly: to cultivate these grain seeds and gradually improve them to achieve high yields.

We don't need to reach modern levels; as long as we can achieve a higher yield per acre than we do now, that would be a huge success. Besides, this minimum requirement isn't that difficult to meet.

With the problems in the southeast resolved, and aside from Anda's occasional harassment, the entire Ming Dynasty enjoyed a rare period of peace. Of course, various natural and man-made disasters were still inevitable, but none had a significant impact.

The damned Jiajing Emperor didn't die, and the other problems were nothing. The Ming Dynasty, which had been revitalized by the Emperor's words, continued to move forward steadily.

Wang Yan also settled down for once, no longer suffering any more attacks. He focused on construction in Shuntian Prefecture, paid attention to the promotion of paper money throughout the country, and remotely managed the border markets in Ji and Liao. Everything went smoothly.

Besides handling these matters, Wang Yan finally got married to a girl from a declining royal family who was about to be beyond the fifth degree of kinship. She was very beautiful and sensible.

The Emperor Jiajing personally selected him and even bestowed upon him an imperial title, clearly demonstrating the great favor he bestowed upon Wang Yan…

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