The Ming Dynasty: The most ruthless imperial grandson, Old Zhu begged me not to kill him.

Chapter 751 What tricks are these people trying to pull!
Fujiwara Chiyo was deeply worried when she learned that Zhu Xiong Ying was going to personally lead the army.

She knew that the Japanese pirates were ruthless and cunning, and that Zhu Xiong Ying's journey would be extremely dangerous.

"Your Majesty, please reconsider!" Fujiwara Chiyo knelt before Zhu Xiong Ying, pleading desperately.

Zhu Xiong Ying helped Fujiwara Chiyo up and said firmly, "As the Emperor of the Great Ming, how can I sit idly by and watch the Japanese pirates run rampant? I must drive them out of the Great Ming!"

He looked at Fujiwara Chiyo, his eyes filled with tenderness: "Chiyo, don't worry, I will definitely return safely."

After saying that, he turned and left, leaving Fujiwara Chiyo alone on the spot, silently shedding tears...

Fujiwara Chiyo's tears fell like pearls from a broken string. She knew Zhu Xiong Ying's character well; once he made a decision, he would never easily change it. The threat of the Japanese pirates had become a major concern for the Ming Dynasty, and as the emperor, Zhu Xiong Ying naturally had an inescapable responsibility.

Zhu Xiong Ying gently stroked Fujiwara Chiyo's soft hair and said tenderly, "I promise you, I will return safely. After I quell the Japanese pirates, I will stay with you forever and share this peaceful and prosperous world."

He knew full well the dangers of this journey, but he also understood that as emperor, he had to shoulder the responsibility of protecting the Ming Dynasty. Personal feelings had to be put aside for the time being.

The army assembled, banners fluttering in the wind. Zhu Xiong Ying, clad in military uniform, stood tall and imposing, like a war god descended to earth. He mounted his warhorse, glanced back at Fujiwara Chiyo, whose face was streaked with tears, and felt a surge of emotions.

"set off!"

At a single command, the massive army marched towards the southeastern coast.

Meanwhile, Fujiwara Chiyo, who remained in the capital, prayed for Zhu Xiong Ying every day, hoping for his safe return.

News of Zhu Xiong Ying's personal expedition spread throughout the Ming Dynasty, and the people were overjoyed. They believed that under the emperor's leadership, the threat of Japanese pirates would be completely eliminated.

Zhu Xiong Ying was not merely a military man; he knew that to completely solve the problem of Japanese pirates, force alone was insufficient. He needed to address the root cause: reform and opening up, economic development, and ensuring the people's well-being. Only in this way could the breeding ground for Japanese pirates be eradicated.

During the march, Zhu Xiong Ying summoned his generals to discuss strategies for pacifying the Japanese pirates.

"Generals, my personal expedition is not only to annihilate the Japanese pirates, but also to promote reform and opening up, so that the Ming Dynasty can become more prosperous and powerful!"

The generals were all taken aback upon hearing this. They had not expected that the emperor would have such lofty ambitions.

"Your Majesty, what is reform and opening up?" an old general asked, puzzled.

Zhu Xiong Ying smiled slightly and explained, "The so-called reform and opening up means breaking the old system, encouraging commerce, developing the economy, and making people rich. Only when the people are rich can the country be strong and able to resist foreign invasion."

Upon hearing this, the generals suddenly understood and unanimously expressed their agreement.

Zhu Xiong Ying continued, "I plan to establish trading ports in the coastal areas to encourage foreign merchants to come and trade. At the same time, I will also send envoys to visit various countries to learn their advanced technologies and cultures."

"Your Majesty is wise!" the generals exclaimed in unison.

Under Zhu Xiong Ying's leadership, the army advanced with unstoppable momentum and quickly defeated the Japanese pirates.

However, the real challenge has just begun.

Although the Japanese pirates were repelled, the economy of the coastal areas was severely damaged. People were displaced, fields lay fallow, and the people suffered greatly.

Zhu Xiong Ying was filled with grief as he looked at the devastated landscape. He knew that restoring the coastal economy would require tremendous effort. He ordered a three-year tax exemption for the coastal areas and allocated funds for disaster relief to help the people rebuild their homes.

He also encouraged businessmen to invest in coastal areas, establish factories, and develop trade.

In order to attract foreign merchants to trade, Zhu Xiong Ying ordered the establishment of free trade zones in coastal areas, offering preferential policies to foreign merchants.

He also dispatched envoys to visit various countries to learn their advanced technologies and cultures, and introduced these technologies and cultures to the Ming Dynasty.

Thanks to Zhu Xiong Ying's efforts, the economy of the coastal areas gradually recovered, and people's lives gradually improved.

The establishment of treaty ports attracted a large number of foreign merchants to trade. All sorts of novel goods flooded into the Ming Dynasty, enriching the lives of the people.

The arrival of foreign merchants also brought advanced technologies and culture. The artisans of the Ming Dynasty learned these advanced foreign techniques and produced even more exquisite goods.

The culture of the Ming Dynasty was also influenced by foreign cultures, resulting in new art forms and intellectual trends.

Under Zhu Xiong Ying's leadership, the Ming Dynasty is experiencing unprecedented vitality.

However, the reform and opening up was not without its challenges.

Some conservative officials strongly opposed Zhu Xiong Ying's reform and opening-up policies.

They believed that trading with foreign merchants would harm the interests of the Ming Dynasty.

They also believed that learning foreign cultures would pollute the traditional culture of the Ming Dynasty.

These conservative officials began spreading rumors in the government, attacking Zhu Xiong Ying's reform and opening-up policies.

They even contacted some local officials to obstruct the progress of reform and opening up.

He decided to crack down on these people.

He secretly gathered evidence of these conservative officials' crimes, then dismissed them one by one, confiscated their property, and executed them.

This move shocked the court and the public, and also made those with ulterior motives restrain themselves... One day, Zhu Xiong Ying went on a private visit and came to a bustling market, but unexpectedly found a familiar figure having a secret conversation with several people dressed as Japanese pirates...

That familiar figure was none other than Zhang Zishan, the Grand Secretary of the court. He was hunched over, his tone humble, yet he couldn't conceal the shrewd calculation in his bones. The men he was talking to, dressed as Japanese pirates, spoke broken Ming Dynasty Mandarin, their eyes darting around warily. Zhu Xiong Ying held his breath, silently approaching and hiding behind a stall, listening intently to their conversation.

"Lord Zhang, once this is accomplished, you will receive ten thousand taels of gold and a thousand acres of fertile land. I will never go back on my word," a Japanese pirate said in a low voice, his tone carrying a hint of threat.

Zhang Zishan rubbed his hands together, his face plastered with a fawning smile: "No problem, no problem. But… what about the Emperor…?"

“You don’t need to worry about the Emperor, we have our own arrangements.” Another Japanese pirate interrupted him impatiently, “You just need to ensure that the establishment of the trading ports is in our favor.”

"I understand, I understand." Zhang Zishan nodded repeatedly, a barely perceptible ruthlessness flashing in his eyes.

Zhu Xiong Ying sneered inwardly. So this old fox dared to collude with the Japanese pirates and betray national interests! He clenched his fists, his nails digging deep into his palms, barely suppressing his outburst. He wanted to see what tricks these people were up to!
In the following days, Zhu Xiong Ying continued his incognito visits, secretly observing Zhang Zi Shan's every move. He discovered that while Zhang Zi Shan outwardly supported the reform and opening-up policy, he secretly kept informing the Japanese pirates and even secretly revised trade treaties, handing over the interests of the Ming Dynasty.

(End of this chapter)