Chapter 73 The Terrifying Night
"Your Majesty, did you not practice today?"
The Taoists arrived at the agreed time for practice, but were stopped by Huang Jin.
"Your Majesty is not feeling well today, please go back, Taoist priests."
"As people of our generation, we should be vigorous and diligent in our cultivation. How can we slack off?"
"Hey!"
Inside the palace, the unwell Emperor Jiajing was venting his anger.
"I have been on the throne for twenty-seven years. I have worked diligently and never slacked off..."
The proud Emperor Jiajing ignored the fact that he was practicing in the Western Garden and left the government affairs to the prime minister.
"That kid actually implied that I was ignoring the crisis that the Ming Dynasty is facing!"
Emperor Jiajing turned around with his hands behind his back, "Huang Jin."
"His Majesty."
"Go to the Ministry of War and ask how many deserters there are."
"Yes."
Huang Jin went to the Ministry of War in person, and the Ministry of War was dumbfounded when they heard this request.
My Lord!
Why did you suddenly want to ask about this?
When the number was presented to Emperor Jiajing, he was stunned.
In many garrisons, as many as 30 to 40 percent of their soldiers deserted.
Moreover, it is increasing year by year.
"Go to the Ministry of Revenue and ask how many farmers have fled?"
Emperor Jiajing was like a boxer who refused to admit defeat, with a fierce look in his eyes.
……
Emperor Jiajing was only concerned about how to remotely control his subjects and control their fate. As for the rest, he only focused on the general direction.
After Jiang Qingzhi said those words, he couldn't help feeling scared after leaving Xiyuan.
Damn!
I just saw dragon scales!
After that, Hai Rui dared to criticize the emperor and survived because the Jiajing Emperor had entered his old age and had long lost his early temper.
He went to Zhu Xizhong specifically and asked the old playboy to send someone to inquire about the news.
"Your Majesty ordered Huang Jin to go to the Ministry of War."
"Your Majesty ordered Huang Jin to go to the Ministry of Revenue..."
it is good!
Jiang Qingzhi wondered what Emperor Jiajing would think when he learned the real situation.
The destiny of the country, ah, it is coming step by step!
Go home and have some ice cream to cool off.
"Where are you going, Qingzhi?" Zhu Xizhong said, "After we get off the government office, you and I should go have a drink together."
"No more drinking." Jiang Qingzhi said, "I have prepared some good things at home."
"What good stuff?"
"Make the ice into a puree, add cheese, dried fruits, and maltose..."
Jiang Qingzhi couldn't help it, "Let's go!"
"Damn it, you made me salivate with criticism, but you ran away."
Later, a servant from the Bo's mansion came with a small cotton jacket.
"Duke, the Earl asked me to bring some food."
"what?"
When the quilt was opened, there was a small porcelain jar with a seal inside.
When the seal was opened, a puff of white smoke floated out.
"Uncle said it was ice cream."
Zhu Xizhong took a small spoon and scooped a spoonful of food and put it into his mouth.
Just one bite.
Zhu Xizhong felt like he had become an immortal.
"Qingzhi, it turns out that the capable can do anything!"
……
"The number of people fleeing from place to place is increasing day by day. Local officials are complaining that if things continue like this, who will be the one to collect taxes from?"
Huang Jin was running in the hot summer and was sweating profusely, but he didn't dare to wipe it off.
Emperor Jiajing sat on the doorstep with a calm expression, as if he was practicing.
But Huang Jin felt a ball of fire.
Oh God, please don't burn us.
"Why didn't you report it in the past?" asked Emperor Jiajing.
Huang Jin lowered his head.
My Majesty, are those ministers afraid of angering you?
Unless the prime minister reports it voluntarily.
But Xia Yan is busy and thinks that I can handle these things myself. Your Majesty, you should continue to practice!
Yan Song had just come to power, so it was impossible for him to use these bad news to annoy his boss.
So the singing and dancing continued.
It seems like a golden age has arrived.
"Many people have told me that the Ming Dynasty is now prosperous. But it was not until today that someone told me that I was deceived!"
……
Emperor Jiajing did not sleep all night.
On the second day, he summoned the prime ministers with dark circles under his eyes and scolded Yan Song on the spot. Yan Song was so confused that he was sweating profusely and took off his hat to apologize.
"roll!"
The furious Emperor Jiajing drove out the prime ministers.
Then, he fell into deep thought.
"Map!"
Huang Jin took the map and hung it up.
Emperor Jiajing stood in front of the map and looked at it carefully.
"The Japanese pirates are on the southeast coast... To the east, Korea has always been respectful. If they dare to make trouble, I will send a large army to destroy them in a short time."
"The Japanese pirates are rampant. Qingzhi said that the Japanese pirates are a gang of thieves formed by frustrated people in Japan. So, what if Japan puts all its efforts into it? The southeast coast of Ming Dynasty..."
There was a more solemn look in Emperor Jiajing's eyes.
That was an important financial center of the Ming Dynasty.
But then he changed his mind and cursed, "A bunch of idiots who don't pay taxes. Whenever I mention collecting taxes, the monkeys in the court always say that I am competing with the people for profits. If it weren't for Qingzhi, I wouldn't have known that the so-called people were actually their own people." Huang Jin said cautiously, "Your Majesty, how about collecting taxes?"
The arrogant Emperor Jiajing showed caution for the first time. "I fought with my ministers and scholars. It seems that I won, but in fact, I did not touch their roots. If I had touched them..."
What is the fundamental nature of the scholar-officials?
Huang Jin knew.
It is all kinds of privileges, such as not paying taxes, not doing labor service, and having light punishments for crimes...
If commercial taxes are levied, it will affect their fundamental interests. What will they do?
Emperor Jiajing said in a gloomy voice: "Back then, a few palace maids dared to strangle me with ropes. Do you think they did it on their own initiative?"
No?
This was the first time that Emperor Jiajing discussed this matter in private. Huang Jin was stunned and then knelt down.
"Slave, I dare not speak nonsense."
If not, then who was behind them driving them to kill the king?
"The Great Etiquette Dispute may seem like a dispute between the emperor and his subjects for the title of the previous emperor, but in reality, it is a dispute over power. After all, I am the emperor. Whenever I am defeated, I can always find other ways to deal with it. They have no way to deal with it. Unless..."
Emperor Jiajing's eyes were cold, "Regicide!"
Huang Jin trembled all over, "Your Majesty..."
"Yang Tinghe and that woman wanted me to bow my head, but I stood up straight and failed to lie down as they wished. I disappointed them."
Emperor Jiajing smiled, as if he was discussing someone else's life or death. "I am an emperor after all. They can't give me a fatal blow from the front, just like the previous emperor."
"Your Majesty." Huang Jin felt that he was not far from death.
"The late emperor fell into the water and died of illness. The late emperor was much healthier than me, but he died of illness, hehe!"
The cold laughter is frightening.
"Do you know why I moved to Xiyuan?"
Emperor Jiajing said, "One of the reasons is that the woman has dominated the harem for many years and has countless confidants. If I continue to stay in the palace, I will be murdered sooner or later. I can escape once, but what about five or ten times?"
The woman refers to Empress Dowager Zhang.
Huang Jin then understood why Emperor Jiajing was determined to kill Empress Dowager Zhang's two brothers.
After all, he was the successor chosen by Empress Dowager Zhang, and from a moral perspective, Empress Dowager Zhang had done him a favor. If he took action, people would say he was repaying kindness with enmity.
The emperor values reputation above all else.
Justified!
Therefore, Emperor Jiajing endured it but took ruthless action against the Zhang brothers.
"Do you know how to judge who is loyal to me?"
Seeing that Emperor Jiajing avoided the terrifying topic, Huang Jinru was pardoned, "I don't know."
Emperor Jiajing said: "Whoever reports good news but not bad news is a treacherous minister."
"Whoever persists in reporting bad news but not good news... will be loyal to me."
Long Wilbur?
Huang Jin was still pondering when Emperor Jiajing asked, "What has Qingzhi been doing at home recently?"
The Imperial Guards reported this to Huang Jin, who remembered that "in addition to teaching the two princes, Chang Wei Bo likes to cook some delicious food at home."
Thinking of this, Huang Jin couldn't help swallowing.
Long Weber's cooking skills are unique. The last time Emperor Jiajing had a meal at the Jiang family, he was so amazed that he sent the cook to learn his skills.
"You are too young to learn well."
Emperor Jiajing snorted coldly, "By the way, you went to the Ministry of War, how do you feel?"
Huang Jin did not dare to neglect it and recalled it carefully, "It seems that I am a little slack."
"The guards of the capital are the foundation of the Ming Dynasty. How come I heard that they have become watchdogs? My Tiger Guards have become dogs?"
Emperor Jiajing looked a little annoyed.
"But, let's give him a few days. By the way, who said last time that those idle women with nothing to do were going to hold a literary gathering?"
"Father!"
A soft and sticky voice came from outside the hall.
Emperor Jiajing's brows relaxed and he turned around, "Shou'er?"
A girl of about twelve or thirteen stood outside the palace, wearing a light green dress and with beautiful features, but her face looked a little pale.
The girl was Emperor Jiajing's eldest daughter Zhu Shou'an. Her biological mother was Concubine Cao Duan. During the palace coup in the 21st year of Jiajing's reign, Empress Fang believed that she was one of the masterminds of the regicide and ordered her to be executed.
"But is there something wrong?" Emperor Jiajing's voice became much softer.
Emperor Jiajing was frightened that night. When he came to his senses and re-examined the matter, he found that Concubine Cao Duan was wrongly accused.
But Queen Fang said that when the time comes, she would rather kill the wrong person...
Now that the person is gone, do we have to kill Queen Fang, who was in charge of the situation that night?
At that time, Zhu Shou'an was only seven years old and lost her mother.
After that, she was quite lonely in the palace.
Emperor Jiajing was a loving father, but he spent more time on spiritual practice and state affairs and was unable to take care of his children.
Zhu Shou'an bowed, "Father, I asked for your permission the day before yesterday. There will be a literary gathering in the capital tomorrow. My third and fourth brothers both said they want to go. I..."
The girl raised her head and looked at Emperor Jiajing timidly, "I want to go too."
There is no freedom in the deep palace, and a girl without a mother is like duckweed.
There was more pity in Emperor Jiajing's eyes.
"Alright."
"Thank you, father." The girl was delighted, but then she realized something was wrong and quickly put away her smile.
Who taught it?
There was more anger in Emperor Jiajing's eyes.
But seeing his daughter's thinness, the old father couldn't help but feel guilty, "Go!"
After Zhu Shou'an left, Emperor Jiajing said in a deep voice: "Tell the third and fourth brothers that if Shou'an is wronged tomorrow, I will punish them! That's all."
Emperor Jiajing thought for a moment and said, "I think there will be many bored monkeys tomorrow, so let Qingzhi go."
This is... asking Long Wilbur to go on a blind date?
Huang Jin heard the hint and said, "Your Majesty, would you like me to go and take a look?"
"You?"
Emperor Jiajing looked at Huang Jin.
Huang Jin said confidently: "I am very good at judging people. If it is a woman who is suitable for a family, I can definitely find her in the crowd at a glance."
Emperor Jiajing said: "You have learned a lot from following me."
In this way, we can go out of the palace tomorrow and have some exchanges with those dignitaries.
Huang Jin was happy.
"However, I will come here personally for this matter."
(End of this chapter)
