The rise of the poor

"Thank you, Your Majesty. Thank you so much for saving my life. Your Majesty is wise and discerning." Luo Longwen knelt on the ground, sticking out his buttocks, and kowtowed to express his gratitude.

Wang Zhi waved his hand and said calmly, "Alright, enough nonsense. Tell me, and if you can't give me a clear answer, you know what the consequences will be."

"Your Majesty, although the Ming Dynasty has ancestral rules that no one other than the Zhu family may be granted the title of king, and no one of a different family may be granted the title of king, Your Majesty, is there really no king under heaven other than the Zhu family?" Luo Longwen asked Wang Zhi and the group of Japanese pirates, clasping his hands in a fist salute.

"What other kings are there?" The Japanese pirate scratched his head.

“Our Great Ming Dynasty has conferred titles upon the King of Korea, the King of Ryukyu, and the King of Luzon, among others. Your Majesty, you certainly know more about the situation overseas than I do. Aren’t these people also called themselves kings?” Luo Longwen said, counting on his fingers.

"This is a king? Are you kidding us?!" Mao Haifeng scoffed at the so-called King of Ryukyu and King of Luzon.

Wang Zhi was visibly disappointed. This was a vassal king, not a king of the Ming Dynasty at all. In everyone's eyes, he was just a barbarian king.

Can weeds really compare to peonies?!

Furthermore, the Ming Dynasty did not casually bestow titles upon vassal states. The titles were bestowed upon barbarian states that had submitted to the Ming Dynasty. These barbarian states were originally existing countries around the Ming Dynasty, and they were granted titles after submitting to the Ming Dynasty.

The Ming Dynasty court could not casually appoint someone as the king of a certain country.

"This barbarian king is not as prestigious as my king, who proclaimed himself King Hui."

"Take him out and cook him."

Some Japanese pirates started making a fuss.

Seeing that the Japanese pirates were about to boil him alive again, Luo Longwen hurriedly waved his hand and explained, "Wait, wait, Your Majesty, although your surname is Wang, not Zhu, so you cannot be granted the title of king, you can be granted the surname Zhu. Wouldn't that not violate the ancestral rules of the Ming Dynasty, and wouldn't that allow you to be granted the title of king?"

"What? My king is willing to abandon his surname and disown his ancestors just to be made a king? Is my king the kind of person who sells his surname to be a king?!" The group of Japanese pirates glared angrily and were about to attack again.

"Wait, wait, there's another way!" Luo Longwen shook his hands vigorously again.

"What method?" The Japanese pirates pressed closer.

"We cannot enfeoff princes of different surnames now, but that doesn't mean we can't enfeoff princes of different surnames in the future. Back then, Emperor Hongwu left behind ancestral instructions that eunuchs were not allowed to read and write, and that eunuchs were not allowed to interfere in politics. Even now, there are still inner schools in the palace to teach eunuchs to read and write. There are also the Eastern Depot and Western Depot, which arbitrarily arrest officials and commoners. That's how far they've gone in interfering in politics. So, the fact that we can't enfeoff princes of different surnames now doesn't mean we can't enfeoff princes of different surnames in the future."

As Luo Longwen spoke, he lowered his voice and whispered, "The current emperor is old and only has two princes, Prince Yu and Prince Jing. The emperor favors Prince Jing and disregards Prince Yu. My master has already bet on Prince Jing. With my master's support, it will be as easy as taking candy from a baby for Prince Jing to ascend the throne. When the new emperor ascends the throne, it will only be a matter of my master drafting a memorial to enfeoff a prince of a different surname who has made great contributions."

Although Luo Longwen's voice was soft, he spoke with absolute certainty.

"It's always the old emperor passing away, and then Prince Jing ascending the throne again. What if Prince Yu were to ascend the throne after the old emperor dies? What about the old emperor's two sons? Either of them could become emperor! Are you kidding us?"

"You're dragging this out until after the emperor's death! You're really good at stalling! Are all officials in the court like you?"

The Japanese pirates scoffed and didn't believe Luo Longwen's words at all.

"I've met an official before, and he wasn't like that at all. That coward is like a toad in a mud pit, while that man is like a proud pine tree in the snow." Mao Haifeng thought of someone, then looked at Luo Longwen and couldn't help but spit.

"It's true, I'm not lying to you. His Majesty often asks my master about choosing an heir. Whoever my master supports will sit on the dragon throne in the future." Luo Longwen straightened his neck and said to the group of Japanese pirates with a serious expression.

As soon as Luo Longwen finished speaking, some Japanese pirates started to clamor, "Hahaha, how about we have your master support our king? When our king sits on the dragon throne in the future, we'll make your master and you kings, how about that?"

Luo Longwen was speechless.

"You've been lying, you bastard! Not a single word of truth comes out of your mouth! Drag him out and cook him alive, Your Majesty!"

Cook him!

The Japanese pirates started to clamor, and several thousand of them grabbed Luo Longwen and dragged him outside.

Luo Longwen was so frightened that he wet himself, his legs trembling, and he begged loudly for mercy, "General, spare my life! Your Majesty, spare my life!"

“My master said that as long as Your Majesty cooperates with us, we can bestow upon Your Majesty a title of Prince Hui, though it may be bestowed overseas. If Your Majesty is not satisfied, and we cannot bestow upon Your Majesty a title of Prince Hui within the court for the time being, we can at least bestow upon Your Majesty a title of regional governor within the country.”

"I swear on my life, what I said is true."

Luo Longwen struggled to raise his hand, shaking it vigorously, tears streaming down his face as he swore an oath.

Just as Luo Longwen was about to be dragged out the door, Wang Zhi waved his hand and said, "Put him down."

"Thank you, Your Majesty, thank you, Your Majesty." Luo Longwen was thrown to the ground, quickly scrambled to his feet, and knelt down to thank Wang Zhi for saving his life.

"What your master said, if I am not satisfied with being enfeoffed as the Prince of Hui overseas, can he appoint a high-ranking official in the country?" Wang Zhi asked.

"Yes, I swear on my life, it's absolutely true." Luo Longwen solemnly swore.

"What proof do you have?" Mao Haifeng stepped forward and asked.

"A certificate?" Luo Longwen was taken aback. He didn't have any certificate. What certificate could he possibly have? Yan Shifan hadn't given him any certificate.

“You’re just making empty promises. You’re not providing any proof. What if you go back on your word later? How are we supposed to hold your master accountable?!” Mao Haifeng grabbed Luo Longwen by the collar and spat in his face.

“General, Your Majesty, everyone knows that I am my master’s right-hand man. I can sign a written agreement on behalf of my master at that time.”

Luo Longwen raised his head and hurriedly said.

"What's the point of leaving a written agreement? Who do you think you are!" Mao Haifeng patted Luo Longwen's face and scoffed.

“I remember now. Before I came here, my master gave me a letter authorizing me to mobilize my cronies in Jiangnan and to act as I see fit. The cronies in Jiangnan are to do their best to help me after seeing the letter. Can I add this?” Luo Longwen remembered the letter Yan Shifan had given him and quickly said.

"Where is your master's handwritten letter?" Mao Haifeng asked.

"I carry it with me, close to my body."

Luo Longwen quickly rummaged through his pocket and took out a brocade pouch. He opened the pouch, took out a handwritten letter, and handed it to Mao Haifeng with both hands.

Mao Haifeng unfolded it, looked it over, confirmed it was correct, and then handed it to Wang Zhi.

Wang Zhi glanced at it and nodded slightly. (End of Chapter)