My father is Chongzhen? Then I have no choice but to rebel.

Emperor Chongzhen gazed silently at the deep, all-seeing eyes of his ancestor in the portrait, his expression solemn and his gaze complex.

There is reverence, there is remembrance, and perhaps a trace of barely perceptible guilt and pressure.

After a long while, he straightened his sacrificial robes, took a half step back, clasped his hands in front of his chest, and bowed deeply and respectfully to the portrait of the founding emperor. His movements were slow and powerful, full of ritual.

Then, he straightened up, his gaze still fixed on the portrait, as if engaging in a dialogue across time with the long-deceased founding emperor. His voice, deep and clear, echoed in the empty hall:

"Under the Emperor Taizu, your unworthy descendant Zhu Youjian, together with Crown Prince Cilang, respectfully offer incense, flowers, and wine to comfort the spirits of our ancestors."

"Since ascending the throne, our descendants have worked tirelessly day and night, never forgetting the hardships our ancestors endured in establishing the dynasty and the difficulty in maintaining it. Fortunately, thanks to the blessings of our ancestors and the protection of the heavens, the Ming Dynasty has been able to improve its internal governance and defend against powerful foreign invaders in recent years. The bandits have been gradually quelled, Liaodong has been temporarily at peace, the country has shown some signs of improvement, and the nation has been fortunate to be stable."

"The descendants have not completely failed the late emperor's trust and the expectations of all the people under heaven."

His words were initially hesitant, but gradually became fluent, carrying a sense of relief as he poured out his heart.

"Today, our descendants have come here on our southern tour to offer sacrifices at Xiaoling Mausoleum. We pray that the spirit of our ancestor Taizu in heaven will bless our Great Ming Dynasty with longevity, favorable weather, and peace and prosperity. We also hope that our ancestors will protect us and help our royal army to sweep away the Jurchens as soon as possible, clear the world, and restore the unity of our Great Ming territory, so that we can once again enjoy the glorious prosperity of the Hongwu and Yongle eras!"

"Our descendants will certainly do their utmost to live up to the expectations of our nation!"

These words were spoken with sincerity and deep feeling, carrying the complex emotions unique to Chongzhen, a mixture of responsibility, pride, and pleading.

He attributed the slight improvement in the national situation in recent years, the temporary stability of the situation in Liaodong, and even many domestic and foreign policy measures to his own "early to rise and late to bed" and "divine blessing on the Ming Dynasty." In his words, he seemed to regard all of this as the result of his effective leadership.

Standing to the side, Zhu Cilang listened to his father's prayers to the ancestors, which were a way of "showing off his achievements." He felt a mixture of amusement and helplessness.

If it weren't for my own soul from the future, with its vision and skills beyond its time, turning the tide, reorganizing the army, increasing revenue and reducing expenditure, cracking down on powerful clans, and even personally planning the Liaodong campaign to divide the Jurchens, the Ming Dynasty would probably be teetering on the brink of collapse under the dual ravages of Li Zicheng and Zhang Xianzhong's wars and the Jurchen cavalry, and the capital might even have fallen. How could I have the composure to make this southern tour to pay homage to the imperial tombs today?
The credit for Chongzhen's claim that "the country has made some progress and the country has been fortunately stabilized" is probably mostly his own.

However, these words can only be thought in one's heart; they must never be spoken aloud.

Standing before the portrait of his own ancestor in such a solemn setting, he had to uphold his father's absolute authority and dignity as the Son of Heaven.

As the crown prince, he can secretly promote and scheme, but the credit and glory in public must be attributed to the emperor.

This is an ironclad rule under the imperial system, and also the duty of a son and a subject.

To undermine them now would not only be foolish, but also completely unnecessary.

So Zhu Cilang simply stood there quietly, his face solemn, as if he were completely immersed in remembrance and reverence for his ancestors.

After Chongzhen's emotions gradually calmed down as the prayer ended and his breathing became even, Zhu Cilang took a small half-step forward and, in a perfectly measured voice, respectfully broke the silence in the ancestral hall:
"Father, I have something to report to you, and I humbly request your permission."

Emperor Chongzhen snapped out of his silent prayers to his ancestors, turned to Zhu Cilang, and, still with the solemnity of the ceremony on his face, asked:
"What is it? Please speak freely."

Zhu Cilang bowed slightly and said in a steady tone:
"Your Majesty, my plan is to stay in Nanjing for a few days, and then set off for Fujian with Zheng Zhilong."

"Heading to Fujian?"

Upon hearing this, Emperor Chongzhen was slightly taken aback at first, but then a look of understanding appeared on his face.

Fujian is Zheng Zhilong's hometown and the core area where his maritime power was entrenched.

Now that Zheng Zhilong has betrothed his daughter, Zheng Shi, to the Crown Prince as a concubine, the two families are already related by marriage. The Crown Prince's trip to Fujian is ostensibly a "family visit" or "inspection," but in reality, it is probably a deeper plan with Zheng Zhilong, or he wants to personally inspect and integrate the Zheng family's power in the Fujian sea area to pave the way for future maritime strategies.

This is a good thing for both the country and the family.

At this point, Chongzhen had complete faith in Zhu Cilang's abilities and vision, and after a little thought, he felt that the matter was feasible.

He nodded, his tone gentle:

"I understand. You are going to the hometown of Minister Zheng, right? It is only right to visit him. It is a rare opportunity to come to the South and pay a visit to the family of your wife. Moreover, Minister Zheng has made great contributions to both the country and his family. When you go to Fujian, you can also inspect the coastal areas on my behalf and pacify the local people."

"As for Nanjing, with me in charge, there is nothing to worry about."

Zhu Cilang smiled appropriately and nodded, saying:

“Your Majesty is wise. Your son does indeed have this intention. Zheng Zhilong has been at sea for a long time and is particularly familiar with the situation in Fujian and Zhejiang, as well as coastal defense and maritime affairs. Your son can also learn a lot from him during this trip and make some preparations for the future management of the sea frontier.”

"Well, so good."

Emperor Chongzhen nodded in satisfaction, greatly admiring the Crown Prince's foresight.

However, Zhu Cilang changed the subject and continued:
"However, before I set off for Fujian, there is an important matter concerning the long-term plans of Nanjing and even the court, which needs to be discussed and decided with Father Emperor before it can be implemented."

Upon hearing this, Chongzhen's face flashed with a hint of doubt, but he quickly realized something, and a look of understanding appeared in his eyes. With a touch of probing, he asked:
"Are you referring to the 'road construction' matter that you mentioned to me on the ship some time ago?"

"This is indeed the matter, Your Majesty, you are wise to know."

Zhu Cilang answered affirmatively, his expression becoming serious.

In fact, during the journey of the southern inspection fleet along the Grand Canal and then by sea to the Yangtze River, Zhu Cilang had many opportunities to discuss the development plans of Nanjing and even the entire Jiangnan region with Emperor Chongzhen.

One of the key long-term strategies he proposed was the large-scale construction of roads.

This "road" encompasses two aspects: firstly, the renovation and widening of the road system within Nanjing city.

Secondly, there was an even grander project—the construction of a cement road connecting the two capitals, the north and south, which could be called the "Two Capitals Straight Road." Zhu Cilang had explained in detail to Chongzhen the many benefits of building the road: a smooth official road would greatly accelerate the transmission of government orders, troop movements, and the transportation of supplies, strengthening the central government's control over local areas; convenient transportation would promote commerce, boost the economy, and increase tax revenue; and a smooth and wide road itself would be a symbol of a strong dynasty and a stable livelihood, boosting morale and public spirit.

As an emperor, Chongzhen naturally understood the principle that "to get rich, build roads first." Moreover, he had already witnessed the benefits of this when roads were being built in the capital. Therefore, he longed for the future described by Zhu Cilang.

However, when Zhu Cilang roughly estimated the enormous cost that the project might require, Emperor Chongzhen was shocked and gasped.

Preliminary estimates suggest that the total cost of fully renovating and widening the main streets of Nanjing, dredging drainage systems, and adding bridges would be astronomical.

The cost of building a high-standard straight road from Nanjing to Beijing, spanning thousands of miles and involving numerous high-ranking officials, requiring the construction of roads through mountains and bridges over rivers, was unimaginable.

Based on the prices, labor, and material levels at the end of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Cilang roughly estimated that the entire project would require at least 35 to 40 million taels of silver! This is almost equivalent to, or even more than, the total national tax revenue during the Ming Dynasty's heyday!
For the imperial court, which had just experienced internal and external troubles and whose treasury, though improved after reorganization, was far from full, this was undoubtedly a heavy burden.

Even though the imperial court is very wealthy now, it cannot use that money for road construction.

Emperor Chongzhen's first reaction was hesitation or even retreat. He knew the benefits of road construction, but the huge investment made him apprehensive.

With his thoughts returning to the present, Chongzhen said to Zhu Cilang with deep concern:
"Lang'er, how could I not know the benefits of building roads, as you have said? However, although the treasury is somewhat abundant, we are about to wage war in Liaodong, and we need money for disaster relief, river works, and border supplies in various places. How can we possibly spend tens of millions of taels of silver to build roads? Wouldn't that be like draining the pond to catch all the fish?"

"Furthermore, the project is enormous and will take several years to complete. What if something unexpected happens during that time?"

Zhu Cilang had anticipated this; he was waiting for Chongzhen to raise the issue of funding. Therefore, he calmly presented his long-considered plan:
"Your Majesty's concerns are very valid. The project is indeed costly and this is the primary problem. However, I have a plan that may solve this urgent problem."

"Oh? Tell me quickly!"

Emperor Chongzhen asked anxiously.

"The imperial court does not need to bear all, or even most, of the expenses."

Zhu Cilang made a startling statement.

"The majority of the silver needed to build roads in Nanjing and the straight road between the two capitals can be borne by the 'voluntary donations' of officials, gentry, and merchants in Nanjing and the areas along the route that will benefit from the project. The imperial court only needs to contribute a symbolic portion to show its advocacy and support."

"Charitable donation?"

Emperor Chongzhen was first taken aback, then frowned.

"Those nobles and officials in Nanjing have just had their debts recovered, and they are probably still resentful. How could they possibly be willing to spend huge sums of money to repair the road? Isn't this like asking a tiger for its skin?"

Zhu Cilang smiled slightly and patiently explained:
“Father, times have changed. Collecting back debts is settling old scores. Although they feel the pain, they are in the wrong and have no choice but to comply. But building roads is a good policy and a wonderful thing that will benefit the local area and future generations.”

“My intention is not to impose a forced contribution, but to combine ‘persuasion to donate’ with ‘exchange of benefits’.”

He went on to analyze it further.

"Father, please consider this: although Nanjing is nominally the secondary capital of our Ming Dynasty, in the more than one hundred years since Yongle moved the capital north, has our imperial family ever resided here permanently? Have we ever invested heavily in repairing the city walls and streets?"

"No! Who is truly living, running businesses, and enjoying the prosperity of this generation?"

"They are the Duke of Wei, the Earl of Chengyi, and other nobles who stayed behind; the officials and clerks of the Six Ministries in Nanjing; and the wealthy merchants from Jiangnan who made their fortunes through the Grand Canal, the salt industry, and the silk trade! Whether the roads in Nanjing are muddy or smooth, whether the city is prosperous or desolate, directly affects their travel convenience, the profits and losses of their businesses, and their reputation!"

"Isn't it only natural that they should pay for the roads they walk on every day and improve the cities they live in?"

Emperor Chongzhen listened thoughtfully.

Zhu Cilang continued:

"Furthermore, the construction of the straight road between the two capitals may seem like a massive project with countless costs, but once this road is completed, the land of fish and rice, the source of silk and tea, and the abundance of goods in the Jiangnan region can be directly connected to the capital. All the prefectures along the way will benefit. If the canal transport is obstructed, this land route can supplement it, making it much more convenient for merchants and travelers. News can be transmitted from morning to evening."

"The business opportunities and profits contained therein are enormous. How could those astute merchants not see the benefits? The court only needs to make it clear that those who invest in road construction can enjoy preferential treatment such as tax reductions at checkpoints along the route for a certain number of years, priority in leasing government land along the route to set up warehouses, and even the right to have their businesses named 'Imperial Merchants', depending on the amount of their investment."

"Your subject believes that when there is great profit, there will be brave men. How could those salt merchants, Huizhou merchants, Shanxi merchants, and maritime merchants with huge wealth and riches comparable to a country not be tempted?"

He paused, giving Chongzhen time to process the information, before throwing out the most crucial point:
"Moreover, although the amount of money that the officials and gentry in Nanjing and Jiangnan have 'repaid' for the court this time is huge, it is only half or even less of their accumulated wealth over the past century. They still have a lot of wealth in their hands. Asking them to spend money to repair roads is to 'buy peace,' 'buy fame,' and even more so, 'buy the future.'"

"With the road repaired, their travel will be more convenient, goods will flow more freely, and they will earn more money. The names of the investors can be engraved on the monument of merit, making them famous for generations and earning them the reputation of 'public-spiritedness and righteousness'. More importantly, this action can show the court and the emperor their loyalty to 'repenting and sharing the fate of the country,' completely washing away the stain of their previous involvement in smuggling and resistance against the court, and ensuring the family's wealth and prosperity for a long time."

"They know how to calculate this."

After listening to Zhu Cilang's insightful and progressive analysis, Chongzhen suddenly understood. Most of his doubts and worries vanished, replaced by a sense of exhilaration and enlightenment.

Yes, let those nobles and wealthy merchants who enjoy the prosperity of Nanjing pay for the construction of their own roads and use their money to do things that benefit the country and the people. The court only needs to coordinate and provide preferential policies. This is simply a brilliant plan to get something for nothing and make huge profits!

It not only accomplished practical tasks but also saved the imperial court a lot of money, while further binding the interests of these local forces and bringing them more closely connected with the imperial court.

Moreover, as Zhu Cilang said, the "family property" that Nanjing "voluntarily" handed over this time amounted to nearly 90 million taels of silver. Asking them to take out several million or tens of millions more to repair the road would be painful, but it was by no means impossible.

Having understood this, Chongzhen couldn't help but smile, clapping his hands and saying:
"Brilliant! Brilliant indeed! Lang'er's plan has grasped the essence of 'adapting to circumstances' and 'using work as relief'! Let the 'landlords' of Nanjing pay for the repair of their own 'field ridges,' and the court will reap the benefits without spending a penny! Very well, let's proceed as you say! You will be in full charge of this matter, and I will support you from behind!"

Having received Chongzhen's approval and authorization, Zhu Cilang felt much more at ease.

After returning to the Nanjing Imperial Palace from the Xiaoling Mausoleum, he began to secretly make plans. (End of Chapter)