Zheng Zhilong was also quite shocked when he heard the emperor's grand plan. Although he had expected that the emperor had great determination to expand sea trade, he did not expect that the emperor's determination to expand sea trade was so great.

As one of the largest maritime merchants and pirates in the Ming Dynasty, Zheng Zhilong was quite familiar with the Ming Dynasty's maritime trade policy. During the Longqing Dynasty, Emperor Longqing boldly innovated under the obstruction of many conservative forces, lifted the maritime ban, adjusted overseas trade policies, and allowed private private people to trade east-west and west, which was known in history as the "Longqing Switch".

As a result, private overseas trade gained legal status, private overseas trade in various parts of the southeast coast entered a new era, and a relatively comprehensive opening-up situation appeared in the Ming Dynasty, which also laid a relatively good foundation for the future Longwan Prosperity.

However, the Longqing switch was just a hesitant reform, and maritime trade only opened a small gap. Only Yuegang in Haicheng, Fujian is regarded as the only open "special zone".

All merchant ships with foreign trade along the coast must go to Yuegang to go through cumbersome procedures, load and depart from Yuegang, and enter and inspect the goods. All ships must apply for ship registration certificate and business license, so that they can go to sea.

Later, this system even implemented a total control over the construction and operation of ships to sea. "The East and West and West each limited 44 ships" and strictly prohibited cross-border trafficking between them. Those who did not return after going to sea after going to sea, even if the documents were complete, "still be punished by the Japanese crime."

To this day, so many restrictions on maritime trade have made the Ming Dynasty’s policy of opening up the sea in vain. Coastal maritime merchants would rather go to Yuegang to conduct maritime trade.

The annual revenue of Yuegang Maritime Manufacturing Department is only a few hundred thousand taels, and its profit is not as high as that of a Southeastern family engaged in maritime trade smuggling.

But now the emperor said that as long as he pays a deposit of 3,000 taels of silver every year and pays 20% of the tariffs to the Maritime Trade Bureau, he can engage in maritime trade. This is undoubtedly a relaxation of maritime trade policies. The overseas trade of the Ming Dynasty is likely to usher in a great revival.

However, paying a deposit of 3,000 taels of silver every year still made Zheng Zhilong quite suspicious. He said with concern: "If the Ming Dynasty's maritime trade prospers will prosper, it will not be a loss for maritime merchants to pay 20% of the tariffs to the Maritime Mansion. But they have to pay 3,000 taels of deposit to the court every year. Maritime merchants may rather smuggle than pay."

Zhu Youjian said: "Zheng Qing misunderstood that the so-called deposit for going to sea by 3,000 taels is not paid to the court once a year.

The deposit is actually a deposit. As long as the maritime merchants abide by the Ming Dynasty's maritime trade policies and pay tariffs to the Maritime Mansion Bureau in accordance with the law, the three thousand taels of deposit will not be moved and will be returned to the maritime merchants.

If the maritime merchants continue to carry out maritime trade next year, the three thousand taels of deposit will still be kept in the court warehouse, just as the maritime merchants have paid the deposit for this year."

"So that's it, Your Majesty is wise!"

Zheng Zhilong understood that if the maritime merchants had been engaged in maritime trade, the deposit of 3,000 taels would be a one-time deposit, and there was no need to pay it to the court every year.

If the maritime merchants go ashore and don’t want to engage in maritime trade anymore, the 3,000 taels of deposit will eventually be returned to the maritime merchants. This is the same as the principle of paying a deposit for renting a house in the future.

If the maritime merchants have to pay a deposit of 3,000 taels to the court every year, it will still be quite painful for the maritime merchants. But if they only need to pay a deposit of 3,000 taels in one go to sea trade, it is just a drop in the bucket for the maritime merchants, and it is just the cost of building an extra sea ship.

However, Zheng Zhilong has seen the deadly state since childhood and knows the truth that human nature is greedy. He still raised his own concerns, "Your Majesty's policy of opening a sea is not unscrupulous, but I know that human nature is greedy. For some maritime merchants who are already accustomed to smuggling, they may not even be willing to pay 20% of the tariffs, so they would rather engage in smuggling trade."

Zhu Youjian stared at Zheng Zhilong, and said with expectation in his eyes: "It depends on whether Zheng Qing is willing to share my worries. Zheng Qing has more than 200 ships and nearly 10,000 sailors. As long as he joins forces with Yang Tiansheng, Li Kuiqi and others, it is probably not difficult to block the coast of Ming Dynasty, right?"

Zheng Zhilong felt a sudden slap in his heart when he heard this. Damn it! Chongzhen, you are so poisonous. If I really believe in your evil spirit and lead the navy to block the coast, then I will become the target of the southeastern family of the Ming Dynasty. Will there be a good ending?

"Your Majesty, the Ming Dynasty's seashore is so vast that I may not be able to completely block the coastal areas." Zheng Zhilong said with some resistance.

As a time traveler, Zhu Youjian certainly understood that if a horse wants to run, he had to let the horse eat grass first. He began to use a strong medicine, "My determination to open the sea is unquestionable. In order to ensure the smooth implementation of the opening sea policy, I also plan to set up a Navy headquarters.

The Navy Head Office imitated the Governor's Office of the Five Armies. The head of the yamen was the Navy General, and the rank was the first-rank. It was temporarily appointed by Sun Chengzong, a Grand Secretary of the Wuying Palace.

Under the Navy, there were East China Sea Inspection Envoy, South China Sea Inspection Envoy, West China Sea Inspection Envoy, and North China Sea Inspection Envoy, with the second rank.

As the name suggests, the Four Seas Inspection Envoy is fully responsible for all matters in the sea area under his jurisdiction. If a smuggled merchant ship was found in the water area under his jurisdiction, the Four Seas Inspection Envoy has the right to take it down and confiscate the goods on the ship without submitting it to the court, and can be used as a patrol for the navy."

"call……"

Hearing the conditions offered by the emperor, Zheng Zhilong's breathing became heavier. The so-called inspector of the Four Seas was a high-ranking official of the second-rank official, two levels higher than the navy general he served as.

Moreover, Sun Chengzong is old and in a state of strength, and it is not a long time for him to serve as a general of the Navy. Once he retires, he can compete for his position as a general of the Navy!

After all, looking at the talents familiar with marine affairs in the Ming Dynasty, Zheng Zhilong could say loudly: Everyone here is rubbish!

In addition to power, there are also practical interests. As long as the navy under his jurisdiction seizes a smuggled merchant ship, all the goods on the ship belong to him. With the rampant smuggling of the Ming Dynasty's maritime trade, this is also a huge investment!

As for the consequences of offending the Southeastern family?

If you offend me, you will offend me. As long as the benefits are huge enough, you will have soldiers, ships, guns, and cannons, and the emperor's support, are you afraid of a bird?!

After considering the gains and losses of interests, Zheng Zhilong had no doubts anymore, pushed the golden mountain and turned the jade pillar, and bowed to him with great tribute: "I am willing to die for Your Majesty. Whoever opposes Your Majesty's policy of opening the sea will be my irreconcilable enemy, and I will kill you for Your Majesty!"

"Okay, okay!" Zhu Youjian walked down from the imperial throne excitedly, helped Zheng Zhilong up, and said, "I got an official position, which was as good as Chengzu's acquisition of Zheng He. The Ming Navy was in full swing across the seven seas and was just around the corner."
Chapter completed!