Moma Liangshan

Chapter 33: The Emperor and His Ministers Banquet in the Imperial Garden; Wang Hao's Secret Plo

A very brief duel left Chen Song completely convinced of his superiority. A few days later, Emperor Huizong sent an imperial edict inviting Wang Hao to a banquet in the Imperial Garden. Led by a eunuch, Wang Hao arrived at the banquet venue. When Wang Hao arrived, Cai Jing and Gao Qiu were already standing before the table. Wang Hao bowed and said, "Greetings, Grand Tutor Cai and Grand Commandant Gao!" The two men grinned slyly. Gao Qiu said, "Does Your Excellency Wang know why His Majesty has summoned us here today?" Wang Hao replied, "Please enlighten me, Your Excellencies!" Cai Jing pointed to a large rock not far away and said, "Does Your Excellency Wang recognize that artificial hill?" Wang Hao looked closely and realized that the highest point of the artificial hill was the very rock he had retrieved from the Yellow River. He said, "It looks familiar." Gao Qiu said, "Your Excellency Wang is truly forgetful. The finishing touch to the entire Imperial Garden is precisely the rock you brought. Of all the more than a hundred rock formations His Majesty has brought over the years, only this one has been bestowed the title 'Jade of Kunlun' by His Majesty!" Wang Hao was puzzled and asked, "This rock formation is indeed taken from Kunlun Mountain, yet it is not jade. How can it be called 'Jade of Kunlun'?" At this moment, Emperor Huizong strode over and said, "Although this stone was taken from Taihu Lake..." "But it wasn't born in Taihu Lake. This stone is a spiritual jade from Kunlun Mountain, which descended to Taihu Lake on a cloud. In a dream, I received guidance from an immortal, not only finding the trace of the immortal stone but also seeing through its origin." Seeing the bewildered expressions on everyone's faces, Emperor Huizong was quite pleased and said, "I spent eighteen years acquiring one hundred and eight Flower Stone Tributes, constructing a grand array connecting the three realms of Heaven, Earth, and Man according to the sequence of the Heavenly Gang and Earthly Fiends. The King is the Son of Heaven, acting on behalf of Heaven to patrol and govern all the people under Heaven. The King, with a mortal body, performs the duties of a Son of Heaven for several decades. If the King can accumulate enough merit within these decades, he can ascend to the celestial realm by chance; if he cannot accumulate enough merit and find the right opportunity within these decades, he can only turn into a handful of dust like a mortal. This Heavenly Gang and Earthly Fiends array is my opportunity, and the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun are the last merit I lack. Therefore, I am determined to form an alliance with the Jin Kingdom to attack the Liao Kingdom from both sides!"

Gao Qiu and Cai Jing exchanged a glance and said, "If the Great Song can recover the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun, the Shanhaiguan, Yanmenguan, and Yumenguan passes in the north will be reconnected. At that time, the northern border will be free from the threat of the Liao Kingdom, and the Western Xia will be isolated and helpless. It is not impossible for our Great Song to pacify the Western Xia and even restore control over the Western Regions." Emperor Huizong was overjoyed and said, "Grand Commandant Gao's vision is excellent and very much to my liking!" Unexpectedly, Gao Qiu changed the subject and continued, "But the national treasury is empty now, and I'm afraid we can't raise so much military expenditure in a short time. Moreover, once our dynasty shifts from defense to offense, we must build an elite cavalry." Cai Jing also chimed in, saying, "An army cannot move without supplies. Your Majesty must make plans early!" Emperor Huizong frowned and said, "You two, one in charge of political affairs and the other in charge of military affairs, now that the time and place are both in our hands, can we really let money, supplies, and troops hold us back?" The two nodded and agreed, unable to come up with a solution for the time being. Seeing this, Wang Hao said, "Your Majesty, I have a plan, but I don't know if I should speak of it." Emperor Huizong glanced at Cai Jing and Gao Qiu and said, "Minister Wang, if you have a good plan, please speak freely!" Wang Hao said, "Maritime transport is very profitable. Your Majesty, I suggest that Your Majesty reinstate the Maritime Trade Office in Banqiao Town, Jiaozhou." Emperor Huizong said, "Reinstating a Maritime Trade Office is not a problem, but if the Maritime Trade Office in Banqiao Town, Jiaozhou, hadn't been operating at a loss, why would the court have abolished it without cause?" Cai Jing then said, "The advantage of maritime transport for the Song Dynasty lies in the silk, tea, and porcelain from Jiangnan being transported to Southeast Asia to exchange for spices, pepper, coral, pearls, agate, and other rare treasures from overseas countries. Jiaozhou is far from the fertile lands of Jiangnan and has no such products..." Without a market, how can we attract trade from overseas countries? Even if foreign ships dock, they merely take away the tax revenue of the Mingzhou Maritime Trade Office. For the Song Dynasty, the total tax revenue does not increase; on the contrary, we have to bear the salary of another office. In my opinion, it is a losing proposition!” Emperor Huizong looked at Wang Hao, who replied, “The establishment of the Maritime Trade Office in Jiaozhou is not for the South Seas, but only for Liaodong, Goryeo, and Japan. Liaodong has horses, Goryeo has towering trees, and Japan has silver. Horses can strengthen the military and expand the cavalry; towering trees can be used to build bridges, houses, and ships; silver needs no further explanation. I believe that if managed properly, the Song Dynasty's tax revenue can be supplemented by another ‘Mingzhou Maritime Trade Office’!”

Emperor Huizong was delighted and said, "What Minister Wang says is very true!" Cai Jing continued, "Rebuilding the Jiaozhou Maritime Trade Office requires constructing a wharf capable of accommodating dozens of ships, along with a dock for ship repair, warehouses for storing goods, a market for trading goods, government offices, post stations, and official roads. All these expenses will be impossible to complete without an investment of two million strings of cash!" Emperor Huizong thought, "I spent three million strings of cash over eighteen years to build this imperial garden. A mere Jiaozhou Maritime Trade Office would require a one-time investment of two million strings of cash. The annual tax revenue of the Ming Dynasty Maritime Trade Office was only seven hundred thousand strings of cash. Therefore, even Wang Haoyun..." "Even if managed properly, it will be at least five years before the Jiaozhou Maritime Trade Office becomes profitable," Emperor Huizong said. "Two million strings of cash is indeed too much!" Wang Hao hesitated for a moment, then said, "Perhaps I can rebuild the Jiaozhou Maritime Trade Office without the Ministry of Revenue's allocation!" Emperor Huizong was incredulous and asked, "What conditions do you require, my dear minister?" Wang Hao pondered for a moment and said, "The Jiaozhou Maritime Trade Office will not be under the jurisdiction of the Three Departments and Six Ministries, but will be directly under the Emperor's command. After its completion, it will pay the Emperor 50,000 strings of cash annually for the first five years, and 100,000 strings of cash annually from the sixth to the tenth year. After ten years, it will be the same as the Mingzhou Maritime Trade Office." The 700,000 strings of cash in tax revenue from the Mingzhou Maritime Trade Office went to the Ministry of Revenue and did not enter Emperor Huizong's private treasury. Following Wang Hao's suggestion, Emperor Huizong would receive 75 strings of cash within ten years, regardless of whether the Jiaozhou Maritime Trade Office was profitable. After a moment's thought, he said, "Minister Wang's words are excellent, but there is one oversight." Wang Hao quickly replied, "Please correct me, Your Majesty!" Emperor Huizong said, "The Mingzhou Maritime Trade Office pays 700,000 strings of cash annually. If the Jiaozhou Maritime Trade Office were to become the same as the Mingzhou Maritime Trade Office in ten years, it would still have to pay at least several hundred thousand strings of cash in taxes. Minister Wang, by not accepting the court's funds and raising money to build the Jiaozhou Maritime Trade Office yourself, you will inevitably have to cooperate with wealthy merchants. If, after ten years, the profits begin to appear, you immediately require the Mingzhou Maritime Trade Office to pay taxes according to the law, it might seem that the court is too harsh and competes with the people for profit. In my opinion, from the eleventh to the twentieth year, Minister Wang should pay 150,000 strings of cash to the imperial court annually." Wang Hao smiled knowingly and said, "Your Majesty is wise! Your Majesty is benevolent! I thank you for your grace!"

Cai Jing and Gao Qiu couldn't see through Wang Hao's scheme, but both felt a sense of foreboding. Cai Jing said, "I wonder what capacity you intend to assume to establish the Jiaozhou Maritime Trade Office, Minister Wang?" Wang Hao looked at Emperor Huizong and said, "I will obey Your Majesty's orders!" Emperor Huizong said, "The head of the Mingzhou Maritime Trade Office is concurrently held by the Prefect of Mingzhou, and the head of the Jiaozhou Maritime Trade Office is none other than Minister Wang. However, holding the position concurrently as a Palace Attendant might be inappropriate!" Wang Hao pondered for a moment and said, "Jiaozhou's capital is Jimo, and south of Jimo lies a vast tract of land, including the Taoist holy site of Laoshan. Could we designate the land surrounding Laoshan and the coastal people as a single settlement, and I, as the Prefect of Laoshan, oversee the construction of the Jiaozhou Maritime Trade Office?" Emperor Huizong shook his head and said, "Prefect of Laoshan is a ninth-rank official, too lowly, inappropriate! Establish a county in Laoshan, and you, Minister Wang, will serve as the Magistrate of Laoshan County." After the completion of the project, I hereby appoint you as the Founding Viscount of Laoshan County. What do you think, Minister Cai and Minister Gao? Cai Jing said, “Establishing a county in Laoshan may not be conducive to the stability of Jimo. I urge Your Majesty to reconsider!” Emperor Huizong said, “This is a coastal area with barren soil and a sparse population. As long as Minister Wang is not stingy with money and properly settles the people, how can there be any talk of instability?” He then looked at Wang Hao and asked, “Minister Wang will not do anything that would lead to a rebellion by oppressing the people, will he?” Wang Hao cupped his hands and said, “I swear to Heaven that I have no shame before Your Majesty or the people. If I have made this vow, may I be struck by lightning!” Emperor Huizong said, “Very good! Minister Wang’s determination puts my mind at ease!” The emperor and his ministers discussed for half an hour, and then the banquet officially began.

Three days later, Wang Hao received the imperial decree and traveled to Jiaozhou with the imperial envoy to plan the land use of Laoshan County. Halfway there, they rested at a post station. Wang Hao took a rosewood box and went to the envoy's room, saying, "My lord, you have had a long journey. This is a good remedy from Penglai to relieve fatigue. Please accept it." The envoy took the box, surprised by its weight, and immediately understood Wang Hao's intention, saying, "Lord Wang is a favorite of the Emperor. It is my honor to work with you today!" Wang Hao smiled slightly and said, "We are both serving the Emperor; we should work together and not fail His Majesty's grace!" The envoy nodded and said, "Lord Wang, rest assured, I am not ignorant of the rules!" Wang Hao glanced at the box and said, "In that case, I will not disturb your rest any longer, Your Majesty!" The envoy stood up and said, "Lord Wang, please rest first. After arriving in Jimo, any ambiguous matters will be handled according to your wishes." He then saw Wang Hao out. After Wang Hao left, the imperial envoy eagerly opened the wooden box, which contained twenty ingots of official silver worth fifty taels each. The envoy beamed and slept with the box in his arms all night.

Two days later, just as Wang Hao arrived in Jimo, a letter arrived from Liangshan Marsh. Liang Zhongshu had dispatched ten palanquins from Daming Prefecture three days prior, escorted by ten imperial guards. Each palanquin carried a yellow flag bearing the inscription "Presenting the Grand Tutor's Birthday Gifts," and each was accompanied by a soldier. According to the schedule, they would soon arrive at Erlong Mountain. After reading the letter, Wang Hao immediately burned it and told the messenger, "Tell the chieftain to proceed according to plan, but after the success, remain hidden at Liangshan and do not let a word out. Once I have finished my business at Laoshan, I will immediately return to provide support." The messenger obeyed and hurriedly returned to Liangshan. Lu Zhishen and the three Ruan brothers were about to make their move at Erlong Mountain, but Wang Hao was stuck at Laoshan, unable to leave despite all the arrangements being made, and still feeling anxious.