Chapter 131 Controlling the Orientation of Public Opinion
Zhu Zhanzhen told Zhu Gaochi everything truthfully. Zhu Gaochi slammed the table in anger, and the eunuch beside him hurriedly helped the prince.
"Your Highness, you are in good health and cannot be angry."
"The crazy and rebellious people have harmed thousands of innocent people, cough cough." Zhu Gaochi was furious.
The eunuch advised: "Your Highness, the Japanese pirates suffered no less than a thousand casualties this time. Capturing Yamamoto Rokuji alive can be regarded as revenge for them."
"Why did the Xiangshan Guards conceal this treasonous act and not report it?"
"Father, don't be angry. I asked them to hide it, just to come back and discuss with you personally how to announce this matter."
"How to announce it?" Zhu Gaochi was stunned for a while.
"Father, if the emperor learns that thousands of households in Zhoushan have rebelled, he will definitely blame all the military households and angrily label them all as rebels, and even implicate their relatives who are not on Zhoushan Island."
Zhu Gaochi looked at his immature son in surprise: "Then what do you think we should do? Should we hide it from your grandpa Huang?"
"No, I'm not hiding it, but I'm telling Grandpa Huang that we can't blame all the Zhoushan military households. The fault lies with Chen Baiyue and a small number of rebel households. The rest of the military households and their female dependents who died because of resisting the pirates should be rewarded."
He wants to control the direction of public opinion.
Zhu Gaochi thought for a while, sat down and asked, "What are the advantages and disadvantages of this matter?"
"If they are all labeled as rebels, the border guards everywhere will definitely be in an uproar. I think these border guards will be more strictly controlled in the future. The Ming people's trust in border military households will also decrease. If people are not here
Trusting the military households, the guards have also lost the trust of the officials in the court, and their lives will be very difficult. If they are properly controlled, they may be fine. If a military household is not properly controlled, it is not impossible for the military households to mutiny."
"The situation at the Zhoushan Guard Station is special after all. If this situation affects other guard stations and the ministers in the court dare not speak for the guard station, what should they do next?"
"What about the other one?"
"Father, my son went to sea this time and saw corpses everywhere on Zhoushan Island. He saw the female relatives of the military households being brutally ripped open by Yamamoto Sixty-Two. He saw the female relatives' desperate resistance. Our army reduced the supplies of the military households in Zhoushan.
The policy of forcing them to return to the interior is understandable, but in the end it is one of the reasons why they took the wrong step. They have guarded the country's borders for generations, and their son does not want to tarnish their reputation for generations."
Zhu Gaochi put his hand on the table and tapped his fingers lightly. He was silent for a while and then said: "Do you really think so?" As a benevolent prince, he was quite pleased.
Zhu Zhanchen nodded.
"But these military households are guilty of treason and have no fathers and no kings. If they are not severely punished, they will not be able to eliminate the hatred in their hearts. Your Imperial Grandpa will not agree."
"Father……"
Zhu Gaochi shook his head and signaled to Zhu Zhanzhen not to say anything else: "Your grandpa Huang will never agree."
Based on his understanding of his father, Zhu Di must have been beaten to death with a stick.
"Chen Baiyue, a thousand households in Zhoushan, colluded with the pirates and Japanese pirates, and some military households in Zhoushan rebelled. The remaining military households and their female relatives died bravely resisting the Japanese pirates. Is this okay? This is the real story."
"According to your grandpa Huang's character, he must have the historian describe these people as shameless in order to relieve the resentment in his heart."
Zhu Zhanzhen understood that it was definitely not possible to say this now, so he put it another way: "Father, what should I do about Zhoushan Island? I really don't want it anymore. You have also seen that Japanese pirates and pirates have joined forces to stir up trouble. If another one of them comes close to me like this,
As North Korea's coastal islands develop and thrive, they will become more arrogant and the pressure on our coastal defenses will be even greater."
Zhu Gaochi fell into deep thought: "I killed so many pirates this time, and I probably won't do it again in a short time."
"No, father, they will definitely come back. In the future, our main enemies will not only be the barbarians in the north, but also the threats from the sea. There is the Great Wall in the north and is heavily guarded, but the defense on the sea is insufficient, and sea trade is restricted by pirates.
The flow will be controlled everywhere in the future."
"Zhan Ming, it has not yet been decided whether maritime trade will be carried out."
"Father, do you know that smuggling in coastal trade is serious now. Although the sea is prohibited, some people will take risks when there is profit."
"Those who do not respect the law of the country can be arrested and thrown into prison."
Zhu Zhanzhen took out Chen Youshan's maritime policy and handed it to Zhu Gaochi: "Father, this is written by the magistrate of Xiangshan County. You can take a look. He knows best along the coast. It is almost impossible to catch smuggling, and it is like this."
, the amount caught is already very huge, and those who have not been caught are the majority. Moreover, Chen Youshan's words imply that some prominent coastal families and a small county magistrate would not dare to touch them. It is estimated that the number behind them will be even greater.
"
Zhu Gaochi rubbed his head: "Do you have to open the sea ban just to catch smuggling?"
"No, father, have you ever thought that in order for these smugglers to trade smoothly on this sea, apart from watching the wind and waves, they will either be robbed by pirates or pay protection fees in advance to seek the pirate's protection.
In this way, pirates will have a steady stream of financial support, and it won’t be long before a pirate team like this one appears again.”
"In Chen Youshan's policy statement, it is said that this matter should not be blocked if it is left unattended, and my son fully agrees with it."
The economic situation of the Ming Dynasty is getting better and better, and the tea, silk, and ceramics of the Ming Dynasty are expensive overseas. As long as there are enough profits, some people will always take risks.
In order for their goods to flow unimpeded, aristocratic families will definitely collude with pirates, and even powerful people will form their own maritime forces.
"It's better to sparse than to block." Zhu Gaochi murmured.
Looking at the worried Zhu Gaochi, Zhu Zhanzhen said: "Father, let's reorganize the garrison on Zhoushan Island first. It will be treated the same as the inland garrison and equipped with warships."
"Warships are expensive, and the equipment would cost too much."
"The Zhoushan Guards must be rebuilt. The warships do not need to be equipped for now. After this battle, the steamships will far surpass other warships. Next, Zhang San and others will improve the paddle wheels and improve the hulls. The Ming Dynasty Navy will definitely far surpass
The armies of other countries are sufficient to defend our maritime trade."
"Zhan Zhen, you are too hasty."
Zhu Gaochi was quite helpless. Since returning from this naval battle, Zhu Zhanzhen has become a bit like Zhu Zhanchen. He is more anxious about doing things and seems to have an obsession with maritime trade.
"Father, I must be too impatient. It's really hard for me to accept that the people of our country are being bullied by Japanese pirates in our waters. Do we, the Ming Dynasty, still have to be bullied by Japanese pirates?"
"But for the same health center, the cost of an island like Zhoushan is much higher than that of a land health center."
"With the open market, Zhoushan Island Guard Station can be self-sufficient and even raise warships."
"Hey, I told you that there is no need to rush the matter of maritime trade." Zhu Gaochi persuaded him earnestly. He was obviously much more patient with Zhu Zhanyi than Zhu Zhancheng.
"Father, my son understands your concerns. You can also think more about your son's opinions. You can see if you want to guide public opinion regarding the war situation at Zhoushan Guard Station."
The decision was not that easy to make. Zhu Gaochi had his worries and worries. At this time, he felt that Zhu Zhanzhen and Zhu Di had some similarities.
Both my grandfather and my grandson are people who look forward, but when looking forward, we must also take into account the current situation.
"You should go back first. I need to think about this matter carefully. I won't give you an answer so quickly. I will send the report to Yingtian and see what your grandpa Huang decides."
"My son resigned."
"Go back and apply some medicine. Don't have to cover your butt during the New Year's dinner."
"My son understands."
…
In Zhu Zhancheng's small courtyard, Chu'er looked at Zhu Zhancheng whose buttocks were red and even split, and said distressedly: "Hu Shanggong was too harsh."
"Ouch, it hurts, Chu'er, please be gentle."
At this time Hu Shanggong walked to the door: "Your Highness."
"Hu Shanggong, why are you here?"
"The Crown Princess ordered me to come and see Your Highness. I brought a special ointment and I will be fine after applying it for a few days."
Chu'er looked unhappy, but Hu Shanggong ignored her: "Your Highness, let me give you medicine."
"Okay, Chu'er, everyone, please go out first."
"Your Highness, I will stay with you." Chu'er said.
"Everyone, please go out first. I have something to say with Hu Shanggong."
The two of them exited the room. Hu Shanwei dipped his delicate hands into some milky white ointment and lightly scratched them.
