After being silent for a long time, Liu Daxia finally said: "Why does Your Highness want to find Eunuch Sanbao's old partner?"

Although Zhu Houzhao said before that he wanted to learn about Nanyang, Liu Daxia did not believe it. For the Ming Dynasty, Nanyang was a barren land, and the threat came from the north, not from the south. There may also be harassment in southern Xinjiang, but that's nothing.

It's just disgusting and disgusting. It's not really a big threat, it's out of the question.

Zhu Houzhao took a deep look at Liu Daxia. Of course he knew what Liu Daxia meant, and the expression on his face became serious.

"This time I went to Yangzhou and discovered something!" Zhu Houzhao also became serious this time: "So I want to know about it!"

Liu Daxia was originally waiting for Zhu Houzhao to continue speaking, but he did not expect that Zhu Houzhao had no intention to continue. Liu Daxia could not continue to ask, but Liu Daxia also paid attention. Liu Daxia is from Huguang, and he does not know much about the coast, but His Highness understands

Zheng He was naturally related to the maritime ban.

After thinking for a moment, Liu Daxia thought of a possibility. He didn't hold it back and said directly to Zhu Houzhao: "Your Highness, could it be related to the sea ban?"

The maritime ban of the Ming Dynasty has been around for a long time. At the end of the Yuan Dynasty and the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, the Japanese princes separated themselves.

Attack each other. The feudal lords who failed in the war organized warriors, businessmen, and ronin (i.e., Japanese pirates) to carry out armed smuggling, robbery and harassment in the coastal areas of the Ming Dynasty. In this regard, during the Hongwu period, Zhu Yuanzhang tried to prevent the remnants of coastal warlords and pirates from nuisance

, ordered the implementation of the maritime ban policy that began in the Ming Dynasty.

The main object of the early maritime embargo was commerce (commercial embargo), which prohibited Chinese people from doing business overseas and restricted foreign merchants from conducting trade in China (except for tribute).

During the Yongle period, despite Zheng He's heroic voyage to the West, only tribute trade was liberalized, and private individuals were still not allowed to go to sea.

To this day, the Ming Dynasty's maritime ban still exists and is very strict, but Zhu Houzhao also knows that this kind of maritime ban can only lead to smuggling. Capital is full of blood, and at the same time, they dare to take risks. They dare to do anything. Zheng He exits

Why the West was opposed was because it brought tribute trade.

The imperial court earns a lot of money through tribute trade every year, but it does not allow private business, so that's it. At the same time, the smuggling business is also hit hard.

In front of the powerful fleet led by Zheng He, smuggling is seeking death. This is not the way to seek death. Anyway, there are official trade channels. There is no need to risk your life for smuggling. Then just trade with the official, and you may make less money.

A little, but the advantage is stability and profits can be guaranteed, so why not?

Whose interests does this harm? Of course it is the large merchants on the coast. Although they cannot go to sea for trade, they are very good at smuggling.

Wang Zhi, the captain of the Wufeng ship during the Jiajing period, was so powerful. Where did they get the money to hire people and build ships? They were all smuggled. They converted rice into mulberry in Jiangsu and Zhejiang. Why, didn't these smugglers need a lot of money?

Silk smuggling is a highly profitable activity. When alcohol was prohibited in the United States, underworld smuggled alcohol directly into Chicago typewriters.

Zheng He's voyages to the West were counterattacked. Later, the Ming Dynasty tried to open the sea several times, but was killed by those who were engaged in smuggling.

Zhu Houzhao didn't expect that he just came to check Zheng He's old files. Liu Daxia thought of the sea ban and smiled softly. Zhu Houzhao said, "What do you think, sir?"

Although Zhu Houzhao did not answer directly, Liu Daxia still felt that His Highness the Crown Prince had acquiesced, and Liu Daxia suddenly felt a thump in his heart. Could it be that His Highness the Crown Prince wanted to return to the old view of Emperor Taizong? Want to start a new voyage to Nanyang? Liu Daxia did not expect to impose a sea ban.

, because it’s too big.

This was a matter, and once word got out, it would definitely cause an uproar, and Liu Daxia immediately fell silent.

Why didn't Zhu Houzhao secretly read Zheng He's old archives? Because this was no small matter, and he couldn't hide it at all. After pondering for a moment, Zhu Houzhao sighed softly and said: "Sir, this time I went to Jianghuai and discovered that Jiangsu and Zhejiang

Many places are already converting rice into mulberry, and some people are ignoring the Ming Dynasty's maritime ban and selling silk overseas."

Hearing Zhu Houzhao's words, Liu Daxia suddenly raised his head, the expression on his face was full of shock: "Is there such a thing?"

Zhu Houzhao nodded: "Yes! These people make money regardless of it, but the court cannot ignore it!"

Although Liu Daxia was the Minister of the Ministry of War, he had been in the officialdom for a long time. How could he not understand what this meant? Changing rice to mulberry means not planting rice anymore, but planting mulberry trees and raising silkworms with mulberry leaves. Normally, you can't see anything.

, but once there is any disaster, it will be a big deal because there is no food.

What the imperial court relied on to maintain stability was food. Whether it was northern Xinjiang or northwest Xinjiang, they all relied on Huguang, Jiangsu and Zhejiang to provide food. Even the capital was the same. This was how food came from.

Once the rice is replaced by mulberry, the increase in food prices is a small matter. However, once there is a war or disaster, the court will naturally be stretched thin. If you are not careful, there will be chaos. This is a big deal!

"Has Your Highness ever mentioned this matter to His Majesty?" Liu Daxia looked at Zhu Houzhao and asked quickly.

Zhu Houzhao shook his head: "Not yet, I can see that this is a bigger case than the Yangzhou salt smuggling case. Once the court moves, there will definitely be chaos in the southeast. Not only can't it be moved now, but the news can't even be leaked. Those

People collude with the outside world, even Japanese pirates, and if they are not careful, they will cause trouble in the southeast, so we need to take a long-term approach."

"I came to see Zheng He's old associates just to find some solutions. If that doesn't work, I'll see if I can build a navy."

"I'm afraid the navy in the southeast will be useless. It's hard to say how many officials are involved in this matter. I hope that you, sir, will not leak the news."

Zhu Houzhao looked at Liu Daxia seriously as he spoke: "Originally, I didn't intend to say it, Mr. Naihe, alas!" At this point, Zhu Houzhao sighed, and then continued: "I was wondering if it was possible, if it could be done

We must wipe out the Japanese pirates and merchants overseas, otherwise we may not be able to stop them from exporting goods."

After hearing Zhu Houzhao's words, Liu Daxia wished he could slap himself in the mouth, let you ask, let you ask, now he has put himself in it, right?

Standing up from the chair, Liu Daxia quickly bowed to Zhu Houzhao and said: "Your Highness, don't worry, I will never leak the news. When His Highness transfers his old position, I will also strictly order the people in the Ministry of War not to spread the news. But I thought

, this matter still needs to be discussed with His Majesty, right?"
Chapter completed!