Chapter 419: Zhu Ping’an’s Bold Words

Flatterers really do rise through the ranks more easily!

Within Li Mo’s faction, quite a few people shook their heads and let out quiet sighs of emotion, their expressions a mix of envy, disdain, and helpless resignation.

An Attendant Reader of the Hanlin Academy was a full sixth-rank official. Zhu Ping’an’s original post—Hanlin Academy Compiler—had only been a concurrent sixth-rank position.

From concurrent sixth rank to full sixth rank—this was a genuine promotion, an unmistakable step upward.

And do not underestimate this single step. In the capital, promotions were never easy. Countless officials had wasted ten or even twenty years of their lives, still shackled to that one humiliating word—“concurrent.” They had exhausted every scheme, spent unimaginable sums of silver, and still failed to cross that narrow threshold into “full” rank. If one tried to rely on connections alone, the money required would be enough to drown a man.

Yet Zhu Ping’an had nearly set a record in the Great Ming.

He had become the fastest-promoted newly appointed jinshi since the founding of the dynasty itself.

From the moment Zhu Ping’an passed the imperial examinations, received his appointment, and was assigned to the Hanlin Academy—until now—only three to five days had passed. Just a few short days, and he had already been promoted. By any measure, this was unprecedented. One could say without exaggeration that he was the number-one promotion marvel of the Great Ming.

Even Zhu Ping’an himself had never expected it to happen so quickly.

In his mind, the Jiajing Emperor had merely summoned him to the palace to offer a few words of praise, perhaps reward him with some gifts. Never had he imagined that the emperor would directly promote him. The rise came too fast, so fast that it completely exceeded his expectations—so much so that Zhu Ping’an stood frozen for two full seconds before his mind caught up.

“Your servant… thanks Your Majesty for this boundless grace,” Zhu Ping’an finally said, jolted back to reality by the quiet reminder of the young eunuch at his side. He immediately bowed deeply once more. “I shall redouble my efforts, devote myself fully, and serve Your Majesty with all my strength.”

Seeing this, the Jiajing Emperor nodded in satisfaction, his expression relaxed and approving.

After rewarding Zhu Ping’an, the emperor did not dismiss him. Instead, he instructed him to remain and listen as the ministers resumed their debate over the maritime prohibition.

By now, the officials had rested enough. The grand hall once again filled with animated voices, arguments rising and falling like waves. Yet after arguing for quite some time, they still failed to reach any meaningful conclusion.

The Jiajing Emperor listened for a while, growing increasingly bored. With a casual wave of his hand, he signaled them to stop. Almost instantly, the ministers fell silent.

“Minister Zhu,” the emperor said, turning his gaze toward Zhu Ping’an, “after hearing all this, what are your thoughts? In your opinion, should the maritime prohibition be strictly enforced, or relaxed?”

So it came—just as expected.

Fortunately, Zhu Ping’an had prepared for this long before entering the palace.

In truth, this question was simple. Strict prohibition or relaxed prohibition? Both were already behind the times. The true tide of history lay elsewhere—in the age of great maritime exploration. As for maritime bans and closed seas, they belonged on the scrap heap of history. Fail to seize the benefits of oceanic expansion now, and one day the country would be cast aside by the era itself, left only to face foreign warships blasting open its gates with cannon fire.

Zhu Ping’an knew all this. He knew that the maritime prohibition would later become one of the roots of China’s lag behind the West. He knew the immense harm of isolation and closed borders.

But standing before the Jiajing Emperor, he could not say any of it outright.

“Your Majesty,” Zhu Ping’an replied with a respectful bow, “this humble servant has just listened to the arguments of Lord Yan, Lord Li, and the others, and has benefited greatly. In my humble view, whether one enforces strict prohibition or chooses relaxation, each position has its own reasoning.”

Both have their reasoning? That’s just muddying the waters, isn’t it?

The moment Zhu Ping’an finished speaking, several mocking chuckles rose within the hall. The ministers openly laughed at his answer. To them, his words were nothing more than a universal salve—perfectly smooth, perfectly useless. It was as if he had said nothing at all.

“Minister, you’re being slippery,” the Jiajing Emperor said with a laugh and a scolding tone. “If they both make sense, then why would I ask you at all?”

Well said!

Li Mo listened to the emperor’s mock rebuke, delight flooding his heart. To him, Zhu Ping’an was exactly the sort of person who deserved—

“This servant deserves death,” Zhu Ping’an said quickly, bowing again. “Before coming here, I did consult relevant materials in the Hanlin Academy. However, my knowledge is shallow. Regarding whether the maritime prohibition should be strict or relaxed, even after reviewing those records, I have yet to reach a conclusion.”

“No conclusion?” the emperor laughed again. “Then what use is it to speak at all?”

“Your Majesty,” Zhu Ping’an replied respectfully, “although this servant has not yet determined whether the maritime prohibition should be strict or relaxed, while researching related materials, I happened upon a method by which the people need not be burdened with additional taxes—yet the state treasury could be doubled. That said, this servant has only made a preliminary review and cannot yet be certain whether the method is truly feasible.”

The people not taxed… yet the treasury doubled?!

Zhu Ping’an’s voice was not loud. But at that instant, it struck the hall like a thunderclap, stunning everyone present into silence.

Then came an explosive wave of discussion.

Grand Secretaries and ministers alike pointed at Zhu Ping’an, whispering fiercely, shaking their heads again and again.

In that moment, the strict-prohibition faction and the relaxation faction reached a rare consensus.

Seeking attention!
Utter nonsense!

Almost no one believed a single word he said.

No extra taxes, yet the treasury doubled—doubled, mind you! And he dared to use the word “doubled”! Who did he think he was—Wang Anshi of the Song dynasty? And even Wang Anshi, a towering historical figure, had only spoken of “the people not being further taxed, and the state becoming prosperous.” Prosperous! That merely meant the treasury would have enough funds to function smoothly.

But Zhu Ping’an? He dared to say doubled. As if the treasury’s silver would suddenly multiply twofold!

Outrageously arrogant!

Sheer fantasy. If the people are not taxed, how could the treasury possibly double?

Like a newborn calf unafraid of the tiger—this brat would do anything just to draw attention!

Minister of Personnel Li Mo looked at Zhu Ping’an with undisguised disgust. In his eyes, merely standing in the same hall as Zhu Ping’an was a humiliation. This man was not only a shameless flatterer, but also a wildly arrogant braggart who spewed lies without restraint. Such a person was beyond saving.

“Minister,” the Jiajing Emperor asked, studying Zhu Ping’an with clear interest, though doubt lingered between his brows, “do you understand what you are saying?”

“Your Majesty,” Zhu Ping’an answered solemnly, “this servant understands. The idea only came to me today. Because Your Majesty ordered the collection of materials related to maritime prohibition, this servant paid particular attention to them and searched through a batch of records in the Imperial Library, hoping to find arguments for or against relaxing the ban. However, my learning is shallow, and I failed to reach a definitive conclusion.”

“Fortunately,” he continued, “within those materials, this servant discovered an intriguing piece of information. Driven by curiosity, I examined it more closely and—by chance—derived a method by which the people need not be further taxed, yet the treasury could be doubled. After some preliminary private reasoning, it appears roughly feasible. Of course, it is also possible that my limited understanding has led me astray. Still, at present, it seems roughly workable.”

Arrogant!
He still dares to say it seems workable!

The looks directed at Zhu Ping’an grew even more hostile. He claimed that while researching maritime prohibition, he had uncovered a method to double the treasury without taxing the people—pure fabrication! They had studied maritime policy for decades and never found any such method. And this young man dared to proclaim it openly!

Young people boasting without regard for time or place—truly courting disaster.

Just wait, they thought coldly. You’ll pay for this soon enough.