MLMD -Chapter 304 Thrown Into Confusion

January 18, 1637 – Chongzhen 10th Year, Marquis of Loyalty and Courage’s Estate, Archives Room

Yue Yang sat at the head of a long table, listening to the reports from Hai Lou, the newly appointed prefect, and Wu Qing, the new Director of Civil Affairs. Seated below him were Chen Zhi, Mao Xiang, Fang Yizhi, Chen Zhenhui, and a few other scholars who had only recently pledged allegiance to Yue Yang. These were the few competent literati currently under his command.

Hai Lou reported, “My Lord, our silver coins are circulating very well in the northern provinces. The people are eager to subscribe to them, which has also saved the government considerable trouble.”

Wu Qing added, “Yes, My Lord. These silver coins we mint are very popular, even merchants from other regions like them. Just yesterday, some merchants from Jinling wanted to exchange them at our bank, but we had to turn them away, citing the limited quantity of coins available!”

Mao Xiang excitedly said, “I initially thought issuing these coins would require a lot of persuasion, but it’s gone so smoothly—it truly exceeds my expectations!”

Yue Yang’s gaze swept over Mao Xiang, Fang Yizhi, and Chen Zhenhui, and he asked with a smile, “Have you considered why our silver coins are so popular among merchants?”

Mao Xiang answered without hesitation, “That’s obvious! It must be because our Marquisate has a good reputation.”

Chen Zhenhui replied, “My Lord is like a parent to the northern provinces. I suppose the people trust your credibility.”

Hearing these two answers, Yue Yang smiled faintly and turned to Fang Yizhi. “Yizhi, do you think the same?”

Compared with Mao Xiang and Chen Zhenhui, who excelled only in poetry and literature, Fang Yizhi’s thinking was more practical. After some consideration, he cautiously answered, “I think the reason our silver coins are so widely sought after is very simple: they are pure in content and finely made. There’s no other reason.”

“Ha ha ha…”

Yue Yang finally laughed out loud, while Hai Lou, Wu Qing, and Chen Zhi smiled quietly on the side.

After a long moment, Yue Yang stopped laughing, pointed at Fang Yizhi, and said, “Yizhi, I originally thought you’d be like Dingsheng and Bijiang, claiming it was all because of the Marquisate’s good reputation and the people’s trust. I didn’t expect you to see it this way—it’s impressive.”

Seeing Yue Yang laughing so heartily, Fang Yizhi nervously asked, “My Lord, did I say something wrong?”

“You didn’t say anything wrong!” Yue Yang waved his hand and casually said to Hai Lou, “Prefect Hai, why don’t you explain it to them?”

Hai Lou knew Yue Yang was intentionally training these newcomers. Clearing his throat, he said, “As Yizhi has already explained clearly, the reason our coins circulate freely in the northern provinces, even in Shanxi, is simple: our coins are well-made and of high purity. You are all people my Lord values and will govern regions in the future, so you must remember this: the common people are practical. They don’t care about who you are or your reputation—they only trust what they can see. No matter how eloquently you speak, nothing is as convincing as the benefits they witness themselves.”

Chen Zhenhui couldn’t help but object: “Prefect Hai, I cannot agree. The sages say: the petty speak of profit, the noble speak of righteousness. As scholars, we should teach the people morality, let them understand rites and virtue. Otherwise, what use is our learning?”

Mao Xiang nodded in agreement: “Yes, Prefect Hai. As scholars, we should educate the people with the sages’ teachings, not talk about profit. That is the way of the sages. Speaking of profit constantly would go against their teachings.”

Fang Yizhi, however, didn’t respond to his friends but remained deep in thought, as if contemplating a difficult problem.

Seeing Chen Zhenhui and Mao Xiang so righteously indignant, Hai Lou, Wu Qing, and Chen Zhi exchanged awkward glances. It seemed these scholars had let their learning cloud their judgment.

Finally, all eyes turned to Yue Yang, waiting for their lord’s words.

Yue Yang sighed, picked up a teacup, and took a sip. Shaking his head at Chen Zhenhui and Mao Xiang, he said, “I thought after all this time here, your experiences would have given you some insight. I didn’t expect you to remain so rigidly attached to old ideals. If you were in charge of a region, you’d likely create chaos everywhere.”

Hearing Yue Yang’s critique, Chen Zhenhui bristled, puffing out his chest. “My Lord, why would things become chaotic if we governed a region?”

Seeing Chen Zhenhui remain defiant, Yue Yang knew these two still thought that simply reading a few years of books made them capable of handling anything. Taking a deep breath, he said, “Alright, if you believe teaching the people the sages’ principles is enough, let me ask you this: our empire is plagued with tens of thousands of bandits roaming Henan, Shaanxi, and Hubei. Can you persuade them to lay down their weapons and submit to the court, without a single soldier being dispatched? If you succeed, you would gain great merit and a high reward. Go ahead, try it!”

“I… that’s impossible…”

Chen Zhenhui was speechless. He knew perfectly well the scale of the bandit problem—no mere words could convince them, not even if Confucius himself were reborn.

“Impossible?” Yue Yang fixed him with a stare. “Weren’t you just saying the sages’ teachings are supreme, that gentlemen speak of righteousness and not profit? Go tell the people, make them read! If they read, they won’t go hungry. If they read, they’ll have clothes. If they read, they’ll understand reason, and then they won’t rebel! Dingsheng, Bijiang, why don’t you try it?”

Chen Zhenhui and Mao Xiang were dumbfounded. Even the simplest logic told them: if people are starving and have no clothes, no teaching or moral principle will fill their stomachs or protect them. Reasoning alone cannot replace food. If bandits were so easy to pacify, the court would not have spent so much grain and sacrificed countless soldiers.

“Why so quiet? Weren’t you so confident earlier about the sages’ teachings? Why not speak now?” Yue Yang asked lightly.

The two were utterly confused, unable to answer. After a long pause, Mao Xiang muttered, “My Lord… I’m a bit puzzled. Could it be that all the books we studied were wrong?”

Hearing this, Yue Yang and the others quietly breathed a sigh of relief. If these two were still stubbornly attached to impractical ideals, he would have given up on them. But since they could reflect, they were not beyond saving.

Yue Yang spoke earnestly: “Bijiang, the sages’ teachings are correct, of course. But we cannot view problems so simplistically. Let me give you an example: if you were always hungry, could you focus on studying the classics? Could you understand the principles within? The common people are the same. If they cannot even fill their stomachs, telling them about virtue or loyalty to the court is like playing music to a cow. As the sages said: ‘When clothing and food are sufficient, people know honor and shame.’ All the people want is to eat and stay warm. If everyone has enough, who would rebel?”

Yue Yang, educated in the modern era, knew that the most basic need of the people was physiological. If a government cannot satisfy this, society descends into chaos.

Watching Yue Yang patiently explain this to Mao Xiang and Chen Zhenhui, Hai Lou and the others could not help but admire the three newcomers’ fortune. Yue Yang clearly intended to nurture them; otherwise, he wouldn’t bother explaining such things. If it had been someone else, they would likely have been abandoned to a corner long ago.

Just as Yue Yang was discussing social needs, Chen Dazhi strode in: “My Lord, someone outside requests an audience!”

“Who?” Yue Yang frowned slightly, a trace of reproach in his eyes. Chen Dazhi—surely he wasn’t so careless as to report everyone who came calling?

Sensing Yue Yang’s glare, Chen Dazhi smiled wryly: “My Lord, it’s not that I’m bold… but this person handed me this.” He then presented a red business card with both hands.

Yue Yang took it casually. In the lower left corner of the name was written solemnly: From the House of the Duke of Wei, Ming Dynasty.

“Eh!” Yue Yang exclaimed, surprise flashing across his face. He turned to Mao Xiang: “Bijiang, you’ve lived in Jinling a long time. Do you know the Duke of Wei’s household?”

Without hesitation, Mao Xiang replied, “Of course. The Duke of Wei is one of the six founding dukes of our dynasty, now in its eleventh generation. The current Duke is Xu Wenjue.”

Mao Xiang was puzzled. Jinling was far from Shanxi. People like Yue Yang and the Duke’s household would normally never interact. So why was Yue Yang asking this now?

Yue Yang handed the card to Mao Xiang. Mao Xiang examined it and exclaimed, “It really is the Duke of Wei’s household! Why have they sent someone?”

Yue Yang shook his head: “How should I know? This fellow suddenly appeared. Well, let him in.”

Soon, Chen Dazhi led in a short, stout middle-aged man. Upon entering, he glanced around, then fixed his eyes on Yue Yang, who was wearing a dragon robe. He strode forward, kneeled on one knee, and said loudly: “I am Wei Chao, steward of the Duke of Wei’s household, paying respects to My Lord. May you enjoy good health and fortune!”

“Rise.” Yue Yang waved, signaling him to stand.

Once Wei Chao straightened up, Yue Yang curiously asked, “Steward Wei, what brings you here?”

Respectfully, Wei Chao said, “My Lord, I come by my Duke’s order to seek your assistance. Here is a letter personally written by my Duke for your perusal.” He took a letter from his chest and held it above his head with both hands.

Chen Dazhi tore the seal and handed the letter to Yue Yang, who quickly read it. His expression soon shifted to a mix of shock and amusement. After a while, he chuckled: “Steward Wei, your Duke holds me in high regard. Sending so many things to Jinling within a month—he must have quite the imagination!”

Wei Chao respectfully replied, “My Lord, the Duke said that if you can assist him, and if you wish to develop in Jinling, you will have his full support.”

“Heh, your Duke sure knows how to sweet-talk!” Yue Yang commented lightly, then fell silent. Wei Chao waited patiently for a response.

After some thought, Yue Yang said, “This is serious. Let me think on it and give you an answer tomorrow. For now, you may rest.”

“Yes!” Wei Chao had more to say but seeing Yue Yang’s impatient expression, he left with Chen Dazhi.

After he left, Yue Yang handed the letter to Hai Lou: “Everyone, take a look. The situation in our Ming Dynasty has deteriorated so badly that even the Duke of Wei is asking for help!”

“What? How could it be like this?”

Hai Lou and the others were shocked. They took the letter and passed it around. After reading, all wore grave expressions.

The letter was from the current Duke of Wei, Xu Wenjue, to Yue Yang. Recently, a group of Japanese pirates had appeared along the Jiangsu-Zhejiang coast, raiding towns. Local troops sent to suppress them were quickly defeated. The pirates then boldly moved west along Zhenjiang and Taizhou, threatening Jinling. The city went into panic, walls shut tight, and no local forces dared to confront the pirates. The Duke of Wei, in charge of Jinling’s defense, could only enforce a city-wide lockdown, hoping to use artillery to scare them off.

But the Duke discovered that, after two centuries of peace, Jinling’s artillery was mostly ruined. The entire city had fewer than ten usable cannons, all small-caliber.

The Duke was desperate. If pirates camped outside the city long-term, Jinling would be paralyzed, and the court would blame him. In his anxiety, he had heard of Yue Yang’s reputation for artillery expertise and sent his steward for help. The Duke wanted to purchase forty cannons and requested Yue Yang send gunners to assist.

Reading this, Yue Yang couldn’t help but wonder if the Duke had lost his mind. Did he not realize the distance between Shanxi and Jinling? Thousands of miles, through multiple provinces infested with bandits, and he expected Yue Yang to deliver cannons within a month? Yue Yang could only laugh at the absurdity. With Ming roads and conditions, even two months to transport the cannons would be impressive.

He tossed the letter aside and said to Chen Dazhi: “Dazhi, no need to wait till tomorrow. Send that Duke of Wei’s steward away. Tell him I have no time for him. Delivering cannons to Jinling in one month? Does he think I have wings? Make him leave!”

“Wait…”

“My Lord, please—”

Just as Chen Dazhi was about to leave, Mao Xiang and Fang Yizhi blocked him.

Mao Xiang asked in surprise, “My Lord, don’t you intend to help the Duke of Wei?”

“How help?” Yue Yang picked up the letter, pointing at it impatiently. “Look at this! He wants forty cannons delivered in a month. Impossible! Shanxi to Jinling is thousands of miles, across several provinces. How should I deliver them? If I send troops, would the court approve? If too few, what if bandits attack? Absurd! Why are you all staring at me like that?”

Mao Xiang and the others remained silent. Yue Yang noticed the strange and expectant looks in their eyes. After a long pause, Mao Xiang spoke: “My Lord, we don’t have to take land routes. We can use waterways!”

“Waterways? Which ones?”

Mao Xiang explained seriously, “We can go to Tianjin first, then take a ship. If fast, we can reach Jinling in just over twenty days.”

“You mean that?”

“Of course. That’s why we came to Shanxi via land and sea,” Mao Xiang said naturally.

Yue Yang was dumbfounded. Didn’t the Ming Dynasty ban maritime travel? How could shipping be so convenient now?

“If My Lord doesn’t believe me, you can call the Duke’s steward to ask,” Mao Xiang added.

Yue Yang’s mind raced. The Duke’s sudden request to buy cannons—could it be a trap? If he sold them, what trouble might arise? What benefit could he gain?

Thinking about this, Yue Yang’s mind became completely thrown into confusion…