Chapter 38: Might as Well Run a Pilot

At this moment, Zhu Zaiji wore a gentle smile, his expression appearing pure and kind. Every word and action of his was entirely proper, marked by impeccable courtesy. If one were to judge solely by his conduct, he would undoubtedly fit the image of a wise and virtuous crown prince.

However, in the wake of the day’s deliberations before the throne, this current demeanor of his, when viewed by Lu Ben and the others, carried an eerie sense of detachment. It was as if... as if they were looking at a wolf cub draped in sheep’s clothing! Or perhaps a mountain tiger claiming it had turned to a diet of grass!

Regardless, the protocol between sovereign and subject could not be breached. No matter what they thought internally, since the Crown Prince had spoken, they had to bow their heads and listen to the teachings of the Eastern Palace.

Meanwhile, the Jiajing Emperor, seated upon the throne, appeared increasingly relaxed and composed. While it was not necessarily ideal for the Crown Prince to reveal his stance on certain matters so early, it was not entirely a bad thing. As for the dissatisfaction of the officials from the southeastern regions of Zhejiang, Fujian, and Guangdong? The Great Ming would not collapse just because it left those regions behind!

Zhu Zaiji adjusted his posture slightly and said with a smile, "The reason you esteemed pillars of the court remain at such an impasse is merely a disagreement over whether it is appropriate to open the seas. Your thoughts and concerns are, in truth, all for the sake of the people living along our coastal regions. Am I not correct in saying so?"

The officials shook their heads in succession. After all, were they not acting for the sake of the Great Ming’s imperial foundation and the common people under heaven? Whether it was the faction led by Yan Song, the clique of Lu Ben, or neutrals like Tu Qiao, all held this belief.

Zhu Zaiji continued, "Since that is the case, let us temporarily refrain from opening the seas in Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong, and even Guizhou and Guangxi. After all, the capital is three or four thousand miles away from the southeast; should any crisis arise, the central government’s reach would be too short, and information would travel too slowly. I believe it would be better to find a place with a port near the capital, perhaps in Tianjin or Shandong, to trial the opening of the seas. The imperial court could issue the 'sea flags' mentioned by Zhang Juzheng to authorize maritime trade. In this way, few would be granted flags to sail, and our current naval forces would have the strength to protect those ships from pirate harassment."

Opening the seas was an inevitability. But before the "Examination of Merit" system was fully implemented, Zhu Zaiji had no intention of opening the seas in Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong, or Guangxi. To open the seas in those regions? That would simply mean handing all the benefits over to those people. Since that was the case, it was better to bypass them entirely and leave them out of the venture for now. He did not even consider the Southern Metropolitan Region. Let those southeastern interests look out at the ocean and sigh in regret!

Zhu Zaiji, having firmly decided to start anew, scanned the gathered crowd. Some, like Yan Song and Zhang Zhi, had eyes that lit up. Others, such as Lu Ben, Wen Yuan, and Xu Jie, had expressions that darkened. The Crown Prince intended to choose a site for a maritime trial, and not in the southeastern provinces, but at a fine port in Tianjin or Shandong? This was a direct move to bypass the southeast!

Even Zhang Juzheng, who had been unyielding in the Wuyi Hall earlier that day, was stunned, a sense of boundless admiration rising in his heart. This strategy of skipping over the southeast to conduct a trial elsewhere was truly brilliant!

Zhu Zaiji glanced sideways at the Jiajing Emperor, flashed a smile, and continued, "I have heard that within the territory of Laizhou Prefecture in Shandong, between Lingshan Guard and Fushan Front Post, there is a large inland bay adjacent to Jiaozhou City. Could the central government issue a directive to the Shandong Administration Commission, ordering Laizhou Prefecture to excavate and construct a port, with the Ministry of Works overseeing the building of shipyards?"

He was referring to the future Qingdao and the Qingdao Port, which would remain among the top in the world for a long time.

The gathered officials were shaken. Those who could reach the rank of Minister of the Six Ministries naturally had a thorough grasp of the geography of the empire. As soon as Zhu Zaiji mentioned Laizhou Prefecture in Shandong, the topography of the region instantly appeared in their minds.

Zhang Zhi, his face wreathed in smiles, spoke up loudly, "His Highness the Crown Prince possesses an innate grasp of geography; the topography of the world is etched in his heart. It is true that southeast of Jiaozhou City in Laizhou Prefecture, there is a large, embedded bay. The waters are calm, unlike the rough waves of the open sea, and the depth is sufficient. If this site is chosen for the trial, and the Ministry of Works is ordered to mobilize labor, a port could be constructed within a few months."

Seeing this "Zhang Longhu" speaking nothing but praise, Lu Ben and his ilk could not help but feel disdain.

Zhu Zaiji smiled and continued, "I believe that Shandong is close to the capital; should anything happen, reports can reach us within days. Furthermore, Laizhou Prefecture is not far from the Grand Canal. Goods from the north and south need only be unloaded in Yanzhou and transported to Laizhou to be loaded onto ships for the sea. Even if an incident occurs, it is merely the suspension of a single trial port. If it proves successful, we can then establish new ports in places adjacent to the capital like Tianjin or Dengzhou, and proceed gradually. In this way, the situation in the southeast will remain unchanged for the time being, and the court can verify whether opening the seas is truly feasible."

As Zhu Zaiji mentioned Tianjin and Dengzhou, waves of anxiety surged within Lu Ben and his associates. This was a clear intention to exclude the southeastern provinces entirely! Yet, they found themselves unable to refuse; they had just argued themselves that those provinces were not suitable for opening the seas. They were effectively lifting a rock only to drop it on their own feet.

If the Emperor, swayed by the support of Yan Song and Zhang Zhi, truly agreed to trial the opening of the seas in Laizhou, what then? Lu Ben and the others exchanged glances, a silent yet tacit sense of ruthlessness forming among them. If it were truly to be trialed in Laizhou, they would ensure the project failed!

The Jiajing Emperor had grasped the situation and cast a look at his son. He felt a tinge of annoyance that the boy had clearly planned this all along without telling him in advance, but he felt far more gratification at this method of bypassing the southeast. He immediately turned to Yan Song: "Grand Secretary Yan, the Crown Prince is young and has only recently begun his studies in the palace, let alone observed state affairs for any length of time. What do you think of these childish words of his?"

Yan Song, who had already signaled his support for opening the seas in opposition to Lu Ben’s faction, spoke immediately. "Your Majesty, although the Crown Prince is young and has only just begun his studies and observations, his proposal to trial the opening of the seas in Laizhou Prefecture is a prudent one."

"The guards of the Shandong Regional Military Commission are well-trained due to their proximity to the capital and possess significant fighting strength. Moreover, with the shipyards in Qingjiangpu and Longjiang in the Southern Metropolitan Region, we can begin building oceangoing vessels before the Laizhou shipyard is even completed."

"As for the navy, they can be stationed in Laizhou first. I recall the Crown Prince mentioning that outside that inland bay lie the Qing, Huang, Xue, Zhucha, and Lingshan islands, which can accommodate troops and warships to defend the bay."

"Although this is a trial for maritime trade, it is limited to one location. As the Crown Prince said, if it succeeds, we can expand it; if it fails, no harm is done. A single site requires little cargo; transport via the Grand Canal to Yanzhou and then to Laizhou is more than sufficient."

After finishing, Yan Song looked up at Zhu Zaiji. This was what one called professionalism! Analyzing the feasibility of a project from every conceivable angle.

Subsequently, Xia Bangmo, as was his habit, stepped forward. "Your Majesty, if we are to trial the opening of the seas in Laizhou, build ports, and construct shipyards, I believe we must not only mobilize the navy but also recruit and draft additional naval personnel, as well as soldiers from the guards specialized in maritime defense. This will ensure that the task is handled with singular focus and not delayed by other matters."

Upon hearing this, even Zhu Zaiji felt a sense of admiration. Though Xia Bangmo’s reputation was poor, he clearly possessed genuine ability. If Laizhou were to trial the opening of the seas, a dedicated force would indeed be necessary. He had not even had the chance to propose it before the official brought it up himself.

Above, the Jiajing Emperor nodded with a smile, his gaze sweeping across the assembly: "Grand Secretary Yan, Grand Secretary Zhang, and the Ministry of Revenue have all explained the pros and cons in great detail. Do you, my ministers, all agree?"