In the Qianqing Palace, Zhu Youjian was listening to two ministers from the Sixth Department reporting on the spring plowing situation in various places this year.
The two ministers were eloquent and eloquent. The corners of Zhu Youjian's mouth were slightly raised, revealing an imperceptible smile. For the two officials who lowered their heads to report, they could not see the emperor's expression. However, under the emperor's eyes, Wang Chengen, who has been around him long enough, knows that Zhu Youjian is extremely happy at this moment.
"That is to say, in the northern and southern Zhili provinces alone, the newly added fertile land in Ming Dynasty this year has increased by almost half compared to the fertile land registered by the Ministry of Household Affairs last year. This year, the weather is rare and the weather is good, and all spring plowing matters have exceeded the best predictions of the imperial court. What?"
"Back to Your Majesty, God protects our Ming Dynasty. God has finally favored the people of our Ming Dynasty this year. If this continues, even if it is the same as last year, there will be unpredictable natural disasters such as summer floods and locust plagues in some state capitals, but overall, He said that the imperial court is expected to have a good harvest this year and will not be as stretched as last year!"
"Man-made disasters are worse than natural disasters!" Zhu Youjian said sternly: "If God is blessing and there are still man-made disasters, I am not afraid of killing a few more officials who do nothing!"
"Yes, yes!" The two ministers were sitting on pins and needles. They had to report good news to the emperor. If they reported bad news, they would have to write a suicide note at home before entering the palace due to their official positions.
The power of God is unpredictable. In the past few years, countless officials have gone to court in the morning and spent the night in Jinyiwei's prison.
"Cheng Ruheng, how is the new crop promoted by your Ministry of Revenue this year going? I remember that I ordered you to take care of this matter personally!"
"Back to Your Majesty, the sweet potato harvest in Shaanxi last year was good. Several state capitals were filled with treasury due to this, and there was no fear of food shortage. In accordance with your Majesty's instructions, I will promote these crops in some state capitals in Shaanxi and Henan this year. The Ministry of Household Affairs The plan is to plant 300,000 acres in Shaanxi and Shaanxi, and 200,000 acres in Henan. With the strong promotion of the government, now these 800,000 acres of sweet potatoes have been sown in the state!"
"Yes, this is a prudent move. Food is the foundation of the imperial court. Although this crop is high-yielding and can relieve the people's hunger, if they are planted all rashly and the harvest fails, the consequences will be disastrous. The Ministry of Revenue implements this step by step, while keeping the original cultivated land from being destroyed. A lot of use, very good, I am very pleased, I finally saw the serious attitude of you ministers in doing things!"
"Your Majesty is wise!" The two ministers were full of flattery, and Zhu Youjian accepted it calmly.
At this time, someone walked in gently outside the palace gate. Zhu Youjian raised his head and glanced at the person, who nodded slightly.
Zhu Youjian dismissed the two courtiers, and the man came over in a hurry.
"whats the matter?"
"Your Majesty, Xu Caining is missing!" Xu Yingyuan said in a low voice.
"Where is Xu Yongzhen?" Zhu Youjian was slightly startled: "Is he still waiting for my summons in the palace?"
"Ding Guogong is still in the Wuying Palace at the moment!" Xu Yingyuan said softly: "He has been waiting there since he entered the palace. He has not gone anywhere. According to people outside, it was the carriages and horses returning from Liaodong that entered Ding. They then took Xu Caining back to Jiang Wan's house, and after all the accompanying Jin Yiwei were captured and tied up, Xu Caining and the others disappeared!"
Zhu Youjian looked outside the palace gate blankly, and suddenly there was no sound.
"The Jin Yiwei side is tracking down clues. After I learned about it, I immediately sent people to guard the nine gates. All carriages and horses leaving the city will be inspected, and young women with children will be detained!"
"Xu Yingyuan!"
"The slave is here!"
Zhu Youjian was stunned for a while, and then seemed to have recovered: "You did a good job on guarding the Jiumen side. In addition, you sent people from Dongchang to surround Nanhaizi. Everyone in Nanhaizi is only allowed to enter but not to leave! If Anyone who resists will be punished as treason!"
"My slave obeys the order!"
"Wang Chengen!" Zhu Youjian raised his head and looked at him: "Call the commanders of the three major battalions into the palace. From now on, the Royal Horse Prison will be under your control. All the guards in the palace who are related to Duke Ding will be replaced. Your Royal Horse Guard’s soldiers take over!”
"My slave understands! Let's do it now!"
"Also, ask Luo Yangxing to come see me. What clues can we look for at this time?" Zhu Youjian snorted.
The two people left in a hurry, and not long after, there was movement outside. It was the soldiers from the Royal Horse Guards taking over the guards in various places in the palace. After a while, the Shenji Battalion, the Three Thousand Battalion and the Five Great Battalions The commander-in-chief also hurried into the palace. He didn't stay in Qianqing Palace for a long time, and then hurried out of the palace.
"Did something happen?"
Xu Yongzhen, who had been waiting for the summons in the Wuying Palace, was extremely sensitive to the changes in the palace. When he saw the commanders of the three major battalions hurriedly entering and leaving the palace, and even jumping into the queue where he, the prince, was waiting to be summoned, he immediately realized Something must have happened.
At this time, he didn't feel that what happened had anything to do with him. After all, he had just returned to Beijing.
But when even the guards on duty outside the Wuying Hall were replaced by eunuchs from the Imperial Horse Guards, he stood up with a frown, wanting to walk out of the hall to ask.
"My lord, please go back to the main hall and wait patiently. Your Majesty will summon you at any time!"
The leading eunuch blocked his way in a nonchalant manner.
Xu Yongzhen glanced outside the palace and saw that the few escorts he had brought with him had disappeared. He knew very well that without his own orders, these generals who had been supported by other princes for generations would not dare to leave without reason.
"What happened? Are there any assassins?" He asked in a deep voice, but received no answer. However, he saw that the eunuchs in the Royal Horse Prison had their hands on the hilts of their swords, and they were vaguely on guard against him.
His scalp went numb all of a sudden - was this directed at himself?
"Please return to the main hall and wait patiently, Your Majesty. Your Majesty will summon you at any time!"
The leading eunuch spoke again, but this time, it was in a vague commanding tone.
Xu Yongzhen snorted, turned around gloomily, and returned to the main hall.
"Something happened, something big must have happened!" He was the person who once commanded the guards in the palace. Now the emperor actually uses the person from the Royal Horse Prison. Doesn't that mean that the guards are unreliable, and he has always been under the influence of the emperor? The prince whom the emperor trusted was actually being threatened with this knife by an unknown young eunuch.
If the emperor and he were not crazy, this would be the rhythm of someone making trouble in the palace!
Wang Chengen? No! If he considers himself second in terms of loyalty in the palace, no one would dare to say that he is first, and it will definitely not be him.
Xu Yingyuan? Absolutely not. At least, he can't command the eunuchs of the Royal Horse Supervisor. If he takes charge of the East Factory and dares to covet the Royal Horse Supervisor, then grass will grow on his grave long ago.
Harem? That’s even more impossible!
Xu Yongzhen thought about it, but he couldn't think of anyone inside and outside the palace today who could deserve the emperor's nervousness. The posture in front of him was even worse than when the emperor dealt with Wei Zhongxian on the first night he entered the palace.