Chapter 88: The Shi Family of Old Harbor

Chapter Eighty-Eight: The Shi Family of Old Port

Jiang Gui left the capital in quite a hurry. The situation in the northwest was growing increasingly urgent, and intelligence was becoming clearer by the day. Adai Khan and his formidable commanders, as well as Dorji Batur, had breached the garrison at Xincheng, causing the situation to deteriorate rapidly. Jiang Gui could not afford to linger in Beijing; under the arrangement of Duke Zhang Fu, he took several thousand elite soldiers from the capital’s garrison and set out westward at once.

These thousands were naturally the finest troops, meant to serve as Jiang Gui’s core. The rest of the forces would have to be drawn from the northwest garrisons. As for the current state of those garrisons, even Zhang Fu dared not make any guarantees. Jiang Gui’s prospects depended entirely on his own abilities.

Meanwhile, Zhu Qizhen’s plans to leave the palace were once again hindered by other pressing matters, for envoys from various nations had arrived—especially those from the Southern Seas.

At this time, the prestige of Great Ming still lingered for the countries of the Southern Seas. The last Ming expedition to the west had taken place only a few years prior, and none of those nations had forgotten. For many, journeying to China was an arduous undertaking, often requiring a year or more. Take Champa, for instance: in Ming history, Champa had made several attempts, but its poor relations with Annam prevented it from taking the northern route through Annam. Sailing by sea meant facing several storms, with disaster narrowly avoided on more than one occasion. There were also officials sent to escort them back.

Thus, though Zhu Qizhen had been enthroned for a year, the responses from the Southern Seas nations—aside from Annam—had been rather slow.

But Zhu Qizhen cared little for most of the Southern Seas nations. What caught his attention this time was the arrival of the Shi family’s representatives from the Old Port Pacification Office.

Through the Eastern Depot, Zhu Qizhen learned that what appeared to be a routine tribute from the Shi family was, in fact, the result of Wang Jinghong’s efforts behind the scenes. Wang Jinghong had sent people to contact the Shi family, whose position in Old Port was far from secure. Externally, they faced the relentless pressure of Majapahit from Java; internally, they were beset by the watchful eyes of the old nobility of Srivijaya, who resented the Han people’s dominance.

Given their abilities, offering tribute to Beijing was beyond the Shi family’s reach. Indeed, they might not even have intended to come to Beijing. This, Wang Jinghong reported, was how Zhu Qizhen learned of the internal strife within the Shi family.

The founder, Shi Jinqing, was a hero of his era. He keenly sensed two things: first, that the court’s actions in the Southern Seas might not be sustainable; second, that even if they were, his son Shi Jisun was not fit to inherit the position of authority.

Thus, he left instructions for the family to be passed on to his daughter, Shi Erjie.

This was certainly because Shi Erjie’s abilities surpassed those of her brother, but perhaps also because she had married a local man, which helped bridge the divide between the two sides.

Now, the Shi family’s attitude—or rather, Shi Erjie’s attitude—posed a significant problem. Zhu Qizhen regarded the Shi family as loyal vassals of the South Sea, but the Shi family might not wish to bear that title.

Shi Jisun himself had long been dissatisfied with the situation. Even at the time, this caused considerable turmoil. The Old Port Pacification Office was originally bestowed upon Shi Jisun by the Taizong Emperor. When Zheng He delivered the imperial decree, however, he discovered Shi Jinqing’s testament, which passed the title to his daughter and son-in-law.

After weighing the pros and cons, Zheng He decided to appoint Shi Erjie as Pacification Commissioner.

One can surmise what Zheng He was thinking. As Wang Zhen had analyzed, although Zhang Zhong spoke with certainty, the Taizong Emperor’s resolve to develop the Southern Seas was not particularly strong.

Zheng He understood this as well and naturally did not wish to cause further trouble in the Southern Seas. If we delve deeper, Zheng He was a Hui, and so was Shi Erjie’s husband.

This may not have been the reason Zheng He avoided using force. Otherwise, how could a place populated by Chinese tolerate passing inheritance from father to daughter, rather than to son?

After all, in a foreign land, Han people were a minority and had largely assimilated with the locals.

Once Ming withdrew from the Southern Seas, the strategic vacuum was quickly filled by another nation—Majapahit, which happened to be Hui and was a vanguard of missionary activity.

Wang Jinghong even stated clearly that Shi Erjie could not be relied upon.

Thus, this time, the Shi family’s representative was not from Shi Erjie’s faction, but Shi Jisun’s eldest son, Shi Changhen.

For the sake of the Pacification Commissioner position, Shi Jisun had completely fallen out with Shi Erjie, and so he gave his son such a name.

It was Wang Jinghong who deployed his people to find this key figure.

If Old Port was to become Ming’s foothold in the Southern Seas, it needed a thorough change of leadership.

Shi Erjie’s policy of assimilation was not wrong—at the very least, it offered the Shi family and their Han followers a promising future. Not placing hope in domestic support but merging with the native population, within a few generations they would become the local elite. Whether they remembered being Han was unimportant.

But to make the Shi family Ming’s anchor in the Southern Seas—well, just as history had shown, when the expeditions ceased, what would become of the Shi family? What of the tens of thousands of Han Chinese who followed them? Even now, with Zhu Qizhen intent on reopening the Southern Seas, it might not bode well for Old Port.

As Ming’s enclave in the Southern Seas, it would inevitably become the focal point.

Even if, in the future, Ming did manage to incorporate the Southern Seas into its territory, who knows how many wars it would take? Whether the Shi family would survive remained uncertain.

Upon receiving this news, Zhu Qizhen took some time to compose himself. Naturally, he wanted to meet Shi Changhen and assess his suitability.

If he proved completely unsuitable and the situation in Old Port could not be salvaged, the only option would be to abandon it and revisit the matter in the future.

Though that “future” might very well be decades away.

Meetings with foreign envoys were handled by the Ministry of Rites, but as soon as Shi Changhen was settled by the ministry, he was brought into the palace by the Embroidered Uniform Guard that very day.

Zhu Qizhen quickly saw Shi Changhen.

He had expected Shi Changhen, born into the Shi family—the local rulers of Old Port—to be someone of privileged upbringing, perhaps even pampered.

But what he saw was quite different.

Shi Changhen was a stocky, short man. Though dressed in fine robes, he displayed none of the airs of wealth, but rather exuded a rugged, outlaw aura. A scar traced the corner of his eye.

When Shi Changhen entered the hall, Zhu Qizhen sensed a slight movement from Li Dachuan beside him, a sign of tension.

He immediately realized that Shi Changhen was likely not someone to be trifled with—at least, a man whose hands had seen blood.

Zhu Qizhen said, “Sir Shi, it seems you haven’t been at Old Port for long.”

Shi Changhen’s voice carried a hint of Fujian accent, though his Mandarin was quite adequate, only slightly tinged. He replied, “My father was alive when my second aunt became Pacification Commissioner of Old Port, but he died in sorrow. I spent little time at Old Port, was bullied by the people of Srivijaya, killed men and seized ships, and led three hundred of my father’s old followers across the sea, conducting ventures with nothing to lose.”

At these words, not only did Li Dachuan tense further, but Wang Zhen also silently cursed Wang Jinghong for arranging for a pirate to meet the Emperor.

Yet Zhu Qizhen secretly applauded; Wang Jinghong understood his intentions perfectly.

To occupy Old Port, sending a scholar—even a top graduate—would not suffice. But a man like Shi Changhen, forged among pirates, perhaps lacked loyalty, but possessed the skills to survive and thrive in the Southern Seas.

Zhu Qizhen smiled, “You are quite frank.”

Shi Changhen replied, “Eunuch Wang sent people to tell me that if I wished to spend my life at sea, nothing more need be said. But if I wanted to reclaim the family estate of Old Port, I must come see Your Majesty.”

“Your Majesty’s wisdom leaves nothing to be desired, so I dare not conceal anything.”

Zhu Qizhen asked, “Are you familiar with Old Port?”

Shi Changhen replied, “I grew up in Old Port, and still have many friends and relatives there.”

Zhu Qizhen asked, “How are things at Old Port?”

When it came to other matters, Shi Changhen might not know, but regarding Old Port, he understood better than anyone. He said, “Old Port is good, but unless the court sends another expedition to the Southern Seas, in four or five years, it will no longer belong to the court.”

Zhu Qizhen was aware of this, but pressed further, “Why do you say so?” He had expected Shi Changhen to speak ill of Shi Erjie, but, to his surprise, Shi Changhen delivered a detailed account, pinpointing the root cause of Old Port’s predicament—something that caught Zhu Qizhen’s attention and had not been mentioned in Wang Jinghong’s memorials.