I, Jiajing, successfully cultivated immortality

Chapter 208 The Powerful Emperor
Jiajing had a panoramic view of the expressions on everyone's faces, and then praised.

"However, you did a good job! I heard that those officials have all been rejected by you."

"Your Majesty has entrusted such an important matter to the ministers, so naturally we cannot live up to His Majesty's trust!"

Seeing the emperor's praise, everyone hurriedly said humbly.

"Well, yes, I hope you can maintain this momentum and get the Maritime Trade Department on the right track as soon as possible."

After Jiajing finished speaking, he followed up with a word of encouragement.

And when Jiajing mentioned that the Department of Maritime Trade should get on the right track as soon as possible, several people looked at each other, and finally decided that Gao Gong, the Minister of Maritime Trade, would speak.

"His Majesty, speaking of getting the Maritime Trade Department on the right track as soon as possible, I have some ideas here."

Gao Gong got up from his seat and said respectfully to Jiajing.

"Oh, but it doesn't matter."

Jiajing nodded, signaling Gao Gong not to have any scruples.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, I feel that it is time for the Maritime Trade Department to sell the first batch of certificates for going to sea!"

"The first batch of sea-going certificates will be auctioned, with a base price of 1 taels of silver and no upper limit! If the auctioned price is lower than 20 taels of silver, this auction will be void."

"In this way, not only can it immediately contribute at least 600 million taels of income to the imperial court, but it can also take this opportunity to greatly enhance the influence of the Maritime Trade Department. What do you think?"

After Gao Gong recounted the specific methods discussed by everyone before, he anxiously waited for the emperor's evaluation.

And Jiajing thought for a long time after hearing what Gao Gong wanted to do.

I saw him tapping the seat under him very regularly with his fingers, and it took a long time before he expressed his attitude.

"Well, this matter can also be used as a sharpening stone for the Department of Maritime Trade! I agree, you just let it go and do it."

"In addition, according to what I said earlier, as long as these fleets can afford the price, the imperial court can also send sailors to escort them."

After Jiajing finished speaking, he did not forget to add this sentence.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Seeing that the emperor agreed to this proposal, everyone breathed a sigh of relief, and the stone in their hearts fell to the ground.

After Jiajing mentioned the Navy, he asked Zhang Juzheng about the current construction progress of the Navy.

"Your Majesty, recently, the shipyard has been working day and night, and a total of five warships have been built!"

"And these five warships have all been built. In addition, the number of cannons on board is more than before!"

"Therefore, in terms of combat effectiveness, it is stronger than the previous warships."

When Zhang Juzheng saw Jiajing asking about the construction speed of the navy, he didn't dare to hide anything, and told him all about the current progress.

"Well, yes, keep up with the current progress! In addition, I plan to allocate part of the money to the Weapons Department to let them develop more powerful cannons with longer range."

"It's really not possible. I plan to wait until the sea trade is officially launched, buy cannons from the group of Hongyi people, and then hand them over to the Weapons Department for imitation!"

"How do you love me?"

After Jiajing finished speaking, he got up and poured himself a cup of hot tea, raised his eyebrows, and asked everyone for their opinions.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, I feel that my Daming does not have a too strong opponent at present! Therefore, there is no need to invest huge sums of money in research and development of new cannons for the time being."

As soon as Jiajing finished speaking, Yan Song stood up and expressed his attitude.

"Xu Jie, what about you? Do you have the same thoughts as Mr. Yan Ge?"

Jiajing was noncommittal about Yan Song's statement, and then turned his gaze to Xu Jie, who was aside, and asked.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, I feel that this... is actually not necessary at present."

After Xu Jie noticed the emperor's gaze on him, he also felt quite troublesome. Finally, as if he had made up his mind, he gritted his teeth and responded like this.

"So, your opinion is the same as Mr. Yan Ge's?"

After listening to Xu Jie's words, Jiajing showed a mocking expression.

"My humble minister is ignorant, please forgive me, Your Majesty!"

Xu Jie naturally heard the sarcasm in Jiajing's words, then knelt down on the ground tremblingly, and said.

"Gao Gong, what's your opinion?"

Jiajing didn't seem to give up, so he asked Gao Gong again.

"Your Majesty, this, I feel..."

Facing Jiajing's inquiry, Gao Gong faltered for a long time and did not express his thoughts.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, I feel that the corresponding funds should be invested in the development of new cannons!"

Just when Yan Shifan wanted to stand up to support the emperor's decision, he was preempted by Zhang Juzheng on the side, so Yan Shifan had to grit his teeth and hate secretly.

Seeing that everyone's eyes were focused on him, Zhang Juzheng looked normal, and said in a deep voice: "Your Majesty, ever since I became Minister of the Ministry of War, I have often felt that the current equipment of our Ming army is still a little behind."

"Not to mention anything else, let's just take the cannons on the warships as an example. Compared with the cannons on the Hongyi people's ships, the cannons currently installed by our Daming Navy are quite different in terms of range and power. many!"

"Therefore, once the two sides go to war, our Daming Navy will definitely be at a disadvantage when the number of warships is about the same, and the gap in the middle can only be filled with human lives!"

"Just ask, why should the soldiers of the imperial court take their lives to fill in the things that can be solved by spending more money? They are also real people! They also have families and children behind them, and they also have responsibilities on them."

Zhang Juzheng's words caused everyone present to fall into silence, and the entire cabinet was shrouded in deathly silence.

In the end, it was Jiajing who coughed twice, breaking the silence: "I think Zhang Aiqing's words are quite reasonable!"

"The national treasury is so abundant right now that it has even reached the point where it needs to be expanded! Why can't we use some of it to develop new weapons?"

"You must know that on the battlefield, once the gap between the weapons and equipment of the two sides is too large, then what awaits the weaker side will be a one-sided massacre!"

"If you fall behind, you will be beaten. This is an iron fact! Or, would you rather let my soldiers of the Ming Dynasty fill the gap with their lives?"

Seeing the emperor uttering such heart-breaking words, all the people present showed panic and knelt down on the ground with a 'plop'.

"Your Majesty, I have been wronged!"

But Jiajing didn't pay attention to everyone, but said to himself: "I have no intention of discussing this matter with you today! If you can't do it, I will find other people to handle this matter."

"I don't believe it. With so many officials in the Ming Dynasty, can't I find someone who can do this?"

"Do you think you can sit back and relax? Don't forget, there are many people coveting the position under your buttocks!"

"Now, answer me, can this matter be done?"

Jiajing's expression was cold, and he swept his gaze away from Yan Song and Xu Jie.

After noticing the emperor's gaze, the bodies of the two began to tremble uncontrollably, saying repeatedly.

"Report to Your Majesty, I am willing to supervise this matter!"

"My minister is willing, my minister is willing."

Seeing that neither Yan Song nor Xu Jie dared to raise any objections, Jiajing nodded with a smile on his face.

"Since that's the case, then this matter is settled. At that time, Zhang Juzheng will make a report and hand it over to the household department, and then the household department will transfer the money!"

"Did you hear what I said clearly?"

"Report to Your Majesty, I understand."

(End of this chapter)