Questioning the National Policy and Reprimanding His Majesty?!
There was a slight commotion in the imperial court.
The ministers looked at each other and shook their heads secretly.
Right now, Zhu Yuanzhang's sons were the most valued and most likely to inherit the country. Crown Prince Zhu Biao was the strongest party. Zhu Yuanzhang had long since established the position of Crown Prince. Zhu Biao was basically the most stable and strongest of all the Crown Princes. His team was also very luxurious.
However, ever since Crown Prince Zhu Biao became the Crown Prince, his health had never been good. His body had become increasingly bloated, and now it was even more exaggerated. He panted even when he walked. How could it be exaggerated? It was similar to Zhu Gaochi!
In the past few days, Zhu Xiong had even noticed that Zhu Biao's eyes were slightly swollen. He vaguely felt that something was wrong with the Crown Prince, but he had no evidence. In his impression, although Crown Prince Zhu Biao had not participated in many wars, he had followed Zhu Yuanzhang through bloody storms. His body should not be so weak.
And it was very strange. Nothing had happened before, but not long after he became the Crown Prince, his health gradually deteriorated.
However, the historical novels he read were more entertainment, so it was normal for there to be some discrepancies. Even if it was official history, it might not be all correct. Just like Zhu Yuanzhang, although he was not good-looking, he was definitely not ugly. The paintings and descriptions he had seen were exaggerated and more or less smeared.
On the other hand, the Fourth Prince Zhu Di was a talented person. He was capable of both literature and martial arts. He had countless meritorious deeds. He really had the demeanor of a virtuous ruler!
Therefore, many ministers supported Zhu Di. Of course, most of them were brothers who had gone through life and death with Zhu Di. The reason was obvious. It was to have a better future. After all, the important positions in the court were monopolized by officials who were inclined to the Crown Prince.
Although Zhu Di's party was not as strong as the Crown Prince's party, they could not be underestimated. At that moment, they had already become something.
In fact, Zhu Yuanzhang had long since decided on the position of Crown Prince, and Zhu Biao's position was difficult to shake. However, Zhu Biao was good in all aspects, except that he was too benevolent. This was naturally a virtue for ordinary people, but it might not be a good thing for an emperor to walk too smoothly.
Zhu Yuanzhang had experienced all kinds of things along the way to the throne. How many times had he been stabbed in the back?!
Therefore, in order to temper Zhu Biao, Zhu Yuanzhang had secretly ordered the Fourth Prince Zhu Di and the Earl of Sincerity Liu Ji.
"Among the brothers, only Fourth Brother can argue with your big brother. Why don't you be the Crown Prince's whetstone?”
Zhu Di's face fell." Father, don't joke around. I have a deep brotherly relationship with my brother. Even if my brother cuts off my head and kicks it like a ball, I will never compete with him for the position of Crown Prince."”
How could Zhu Di dare to compete with his eldest brother?
"If we say you can, then you can! "Uncle Sincerity has many ideas. You help Fourth Bro and give him more ideas.”
Thus, two factions began to appear in the court. One faction was the Crown Prince's faction, and the other was the Fourth Prince Zhu Di's faction. However, on the surface, the ones who were at loggerheads in the court were actually Liu Bowen and Li Shan Chang, the two leading big brothers.
In the end, Li Shan Zhang did not fall, and he even nurtured an even stronger Hu Weiyong! Under Hu Weiyong's means, Liu Bowen was demoted back home once. In fact, this was the effect that Zhu Yuanzhang wanted. Liu Bowen had contributed too much and his reputation was too high! He couldn't let him be the only one in power!
Letting Zhu Di be the whetstone was just to tie Liu Bowen to Zhu Di's chariot. Then, he would use Li Shan Chang's hands to take care of Liu Bowen!
Of course, Hu Weiyong's rise was unexpected.
Although Zhu Di was a whetstone, he could at least promote the generals under him. However, Zhu Rong had no sense of existence or influence in the imperial court! Even though he had several teachers, none of the ministers supported him.
For example, Liu Bowen, who always looked like he was drawing a clear line with her. Teacher, you probably don't know how many times you would have died if it weren't for me, right?!
At this moment, all the officials turned to look at the Seventh Prince. This Seventh Prince Zhu Rong was suddenly named by the Emperor, but not only was he not shocked, he even had a report to report and even said that he had a good plan for governing the country. Not only did he have it, but there were two of them?？
He had clearly come prepared!
What was he doing?
Was he planning to show off in front of His Majesty and compete with his brothers?!
This Fourth Brother was insensible, so why was Seventh Brother also insensible?
However, the officials did not know which officials were supporting the Seventh Prince, so they looked at each other, hoping to see some clues.
Liu Bowen, Li Shan Chang, Hu Weiyong, Xu Da, and the others shook their heads secretly, expressing that they were not interested in the Seventh Prince. They did not encourage him to mess around in the court!
Zhu Yuanzhang sat in a high position. He seemed to be undisciplined, but with the majesty of an emperor, he was imposing without being angry. He had a panoramic view of everything in the court and was also guessing if someone wanted to deliberately push Seventh Brother out.
The battle for the crown prince was related to the foundation of the country. It was inevitable in every dynasty.
However, Zhu Yuanzhang had long established the position of Crown Prince because he did not want to see his own children and grandchildren kill each other.
Now, it was enough to have Zhu Di to check and balance the Crown Prince. He wanted to see which blind person would dare to use his other sons as chess pieces and push them to the cusp of the battle for the Crown Prince!
Zhu Yuanzhang's gaze swept across the ministers and finally landed on Zhu Rong.
"Then tell me, do you have any good ideas?”
"The main reason for the current predicament is the ban on the sea!
Since ancient times, we have relied on the mountain to eat the mountain, the sea to eat the sea, but our dynasty has strictly ordered that 'no one is allowed to go into the sea', which is equivalent to cutting off the foundation of many people.
Father had cut off the people's source of income. Wasn't this forcing them to become pirates?”
As soon as he said this, the court was in an uproar.
The Seventh Prince actually questioned the national policy and the meaning of his words. He even reprimanded the current Emperor for forcing the commoners to become pirates?!
Whether it was the civil official Liu Bowen or the military general Xu Da, they were all shocked. They gave the Seventh Prince a look, telling him to shut up and stop talking.
Zhu Biao's eyes widened as he looked at his seventh brother, as if it was the first day he had met him.
The Fourth Prince Zhu Di was also dumbfounded. Who the hell was this bastard who gave my seventh brother such an idea? To make him advise my father like this, isn't this sending my seventh brother to his death?
Zhu Yuanzhang, who was originally sitting on the dragon throne casually, had unknowingly straightened his body. His face had unknowingly turned the color of pig liver, and his body was trembling with anger!
The sea ban was a national policy set in the early years of Hongwu. The first goal was to deal with the Japanese pirates and prevent them from invading.
Second, at the beginning of the dynasty, Zhang Shicheng, Fang Guozhen, Chen Youliang, and other remnant forces fled to the southeast coastal area. Although they were remnants, they were still quite powerful. They often harassed Zhejiang, Huaiyang, and other places here. They also joined forces with the Japanese pirates to burn, kill, and rob at sea, disrupting the border.
Zhu Yuanzhang had sent troops to wipe them out, but they were still not completely eradicated. In the sixth year of Hongwu, Zhang Ruhou, Lin Fu, and others self-proclaimed marshals and gathered a crowd to rebel against the Ming Dynasty! This coastal area had never stopped!
In addition, in the early Ming Dynasty, domestic goods were not developed, and there was no need for shipping. And the foreign policy of 'giving in to the rich but giving in to the poor' resulted in not much silver entering the Ming Dynasty, but several times the amount flowing out, bringing a lot of pressure to the economy.
It was under these circumstances that the national policy of the sea ban was formulated, allowing only the surrounding countries to pay tribute and trade.
Until now, the remnants of the rebel army and the Japanese pirates still often joined forces to make trouble, which annoyed Zhu Yuanzhang, but could not be eradicated.
Zhu Yuanzhang had already made it clear that this national policy was unshakable. Anyone who dared to oppose it would be killed without mercy!
Well, no one mentioned it among the ministers, but he pushed his son out to be the first bird to stand out!!
Zhu Yuanzhang and the ministers did not think that the Seventh Prince would have such an opinion. In their hearts, they were all suspecting that there was a minister secretly causing trouble and deliberately pushing the Seventh Prince out to test the Emperor's tone and attitude!
It would be strange if Zhu Yuanzhang was not angry.
This was his own son. Could he really kill him without mercy?!
Zhu Rong stole a glance at Zhu Yuanzhang. He seemed a little angry, but he didn't have much of a reaction.
The medicinal strength wasn't enough!
Zhu Rong cleared his throat and continued,""Secondly…"
Zhu Rong did not seem to notice Zhu Yuanzhang's strange behavior and continued to talk about his good strategy for governing the country.
The ministers broke out in cold sweat!
There was still another reason!
Seventh Prince, are you really not afraid of death?？!!
Zhu Xi's voice echoed in the court.
"Your son believes that we should pay attention to merchants and raise their status so that they can enter the court as officials! Once the trade is smooth, the money and goods will flow faster, allowing our Great Ming to quickly recover its national strength!”
Hmph, let alone in ancient times, even in the later generations, when merchants became officials, it would cause huge and unpredictable turmoil. Once power and wealth were linked together, wouldn't the foundation of the Ming Dynasty be shaken in this current system?!
One was to lift the ban on the sea, and the other was to let merchants become officials. After two strong doses of medicine, it should be enough, right?!
Zhu Rong secretly glanced at Zhu Yuanzhang. As expected, Zhu Yuanzhang was already so angry that he was blowing his beard and glaring!
The imperial court was in an uproar!
This Seventh Prince was really going to die if he didn't shock everyone with his words!
Not only did he open the sea ban, but he also had to pay attention to merchants and even let them become officials in the court?!
Putting emphasis on agriculture and suppressing commerce was an unshakable national policy for all dynasties, let alone the Ming Dynasty!
Did the Seventh Prince not know about Lu Buwei's rebellion?!
Zhu Yuanzhang had already stood up, his entire body trembling with anger.
What kind of good policy is this? This is shaking my foundation!!!
How did I give birth to such a prodigal?!
If this Great Ming is handed over to you, in less than a year, won't the country be subjugated!!
Zhu Yuanzhang was originally a farmer and looked down on merchants from the bottom of his heart. Zhu Xiong actually proposed to pay attention to merchants and even allow merchants to enter the court as officials. Zhu Yuanzhang was so angry that his beard stood up!
This book comes from：m.funovel.com。