The atmosphere in Qianqing Palace was a bit solemn.
Zhu Gaochi, Zhang Zhen, Bao Zhao, Yan Zhenzhi, Yang Jing and others sat in silence.
Zhu Yunxi, on the other hand, was sitting cross-legged on the Luoshan bed, looking at the dishes in front of him.
Four dishes, stir-fried turtle dove, fried minced meat and lotus root, braised fish maw with tendons, and braised large yellow croaker with green onion.
Just pigeon soup, the staple food is rice, milk skin pastry, silver flower rolls, and glutinous rice cakes.
"Your Majesty, the dishes are ready!" Bashi said in a low voice while holding the dinner plate.
It seemed to him that the emperor's anger was on the verge of exploding, and he was timid and couldn't help but take a few steps back.
"I have just issued an edict to sin against myself. It is also a year of great disaster. Is it appropriate to spend so much money on food?" Zhu Yunxi glanced at the bastard, "Besides, my food has been customized for a long time. I usually focus on frugality. Today Why are you serving these dishes suddenly?"
"Long live the Lord!" The bastard knelt down with a shameful pop, "It was sent directly from the imperial kitchen. They said that the tendon, fish belly and yellow croaker are tributes sent from all over the world. Long live the Lord, you can try it today..."
"Call Pu Wuyong over!" Zhu Yunxi said angrily.
Bastard Shame is his confidant, but the emperor's inner circle cannot monopolize power. Bastard Shame and Pu Wuyong, one serves as a waiter in front of him, and the other is responsible for the logistics of the palace. They are also constraints on each other.
Not long after, Pu Wuyong came in from the outside tremblingly and kowtowed, "Long live the Lord, your name is slave?"
"Did you ask me to make this imperial meal?" Zhu Yunxi used his chopsticks to tap on the fish maw stewed with tendons.
This is a dish with complicated processes and expensive raw materials. In addition to beef tendon and dried fish maw, there are more than ten kinds of side dishes.
Pu Wuyong quickly glanced at Yu Shan and said in a trembling voice, "Yes!"
"Do you know that there is a disaster outside? On weekdays, I only have three dishes and one soup, which is enough to eat. What are you doing with all this trouble today?" As he said this, Zhu Yunxi was furious and threw his chopsticks over, "The people outside are eating If you don’t have enough clothes to cover your body, who will give you the courage to eat these delicacies from mountains and seas for me?”
Pu Wuyong was sweating like rain and kept kowtowing.
The ministers next to him lowered their heads and did not dare to speak.
The emperor had a sudden attack on the eunuch in the palace, so they knew why he came. It was because the emperor was angry and had nowhere to vent his anger.
Because just now bad news came from Huaibei. The heavy rain in Huaibei was still falling. The people were displaced. At the same time, due to the improper handling of the local officials, victims of the disaster had attacked the official warehouse of Hong County. Moreover, victims were found soaked in water on the river. The body of the floating bag.
"Slave...Slave..." Pu Wuyong had spoken and was horrified.
"Pull him down!" Zhu Yunxi said angrily, "Fifty pieces will give him a long memory!"
The shameless bastard immediately stood up and waved outside. Several guards came in with rustling leaves and pursed lips to drag people away.
"Long live the Lord, long live the Lord!" Pu Wuyong suddenly shouted, "Today is the Queen's birthday..."
"Yeah!" Zhu Yunxi paused, "Let him go and talk!"
"Today is the queen's birthday. Because there was a disaster outside, the empress ordered the slaves not to do anything. But Concubine Hui said that there must be a happy occasion, so she asked the slaves to prepare some delicious dishes!" Pu Wuyong burst into tears, "This Several dishes are for Kunning Palace, and the slaves have sent them. The empress said, "Long live my Lord, you haven't eaten well for several days, so I asked the slaves to bring them back to you!"
As he spoke, he burst into tears, "I made a total of six dishes, four for you. I left a dish of sea cucumber and grilled straw mushrooms, and a dish of cold cauliflower..."
"Ning'er's birthday?"
Zhu Yunxi finally understood and looked at Pu Wuyong, "Then why didn't you tell me earlier?"
"It's the queen who doesn't let the servants talk!" Pu Wuyong cried, "The queen said, don't let these things bother your heart! Moreover, the queen has already issued a silence order to the inner court, and Guanglu Temple has also issued one.
Order, don’t make it public!”
Suddenly, a trace of guilt arose in Zhu Yunxi's heart. But the guilt was not for Pu Wuyong, but for Zhao Ning'er. According to the etiquette, the queen's birthday was a big day, just like his and the emperor's birthday.
The foreign officials were supposed to come in to congratulate her and the clan was having a banquet. But because she had been unhappy these past few days, Zhao Ning'er had already greeted her privately and not allowed anyone to announce it.
"Your Majesty!" At this time, Zhu Gaochi said, "In that case, please forgive Mr. Park this time!" He said with a smile, "He also did something wrong with good intentions!"
Then he whispered, "For the sake of the Queen's birthday today!"
He gave Zhu Yunxi a step up.
Zhu Yunxi sighed and looked at Pu Wuyong, "I understand, you can go down!"
"My slave, thank you for your kindness!" Pu Wuyong stood up. When he passed by the bastard, a different look flashed across his eyes.
The shameless bastard was secretly resentful in his heart, "Why did you forget today? What a mistake!"
"His emperor is so tired of being fooled!"
Zhu Yunxi was in the middle of this place and couldn't see clearly for the moment. But Zhu Gaochi, as a bystander, could get a glimpse of it.
The civil and military officials throughout the dynasty all had their own agendas and interests. Even in the Forbidden City, these slaves and slaves were evil-minded. They were always trying to stumbling upon people and digging holes to trap them.
"They all say that the emperor has a high self-esteem. What the hell, everyone in the world is trying to fool him." Zhu Gaochi said to himself, "Hey, it's a good thing that dad has stopped thinking. Otherwise, even if we succeed one day, in the future we will
My second brother, my second son, my third son, and I have to be beaten into dog brains. It’s so damn tiring!”
~
"Talk about disaster relief!" After this episode, Zhu Yunxi didn't have the heart to eat. He simply sat on the throne and looked at the ministers in front of him.
"We have already given out discounts to appease the victims!" Zhang Yan said first, "First let the state capitals along the lower reaches of Sizhou open their official warehouses and set up porridge sheds!" After saying that, he paused and said, "The standard must be chopsticks.
It won't fall down if it's inserted in. The rice and grain involved are first shipped from the state capitals in various places, and then supplied to them by the warehouses in Huai'an and Yangzhou!"
After he finished speaking, Baozhao said, "There is something involved here! Governments in various places have opened tents to provide disaster relief, and the amount of rice and food on the books may not be complete. I am afraid that someone may overreport it.
Claim it falsely and then make up for their own shortfall!"
"I don't care about that at this time!" Zhu Yunxi waved his hand lightly.
This kind of thing has been expected for a long time. Once the government along the way opens warehouses to provide relief, the amount of rice and grain reported to the court in the future will probably double. If the victims eat one stone, they will have to say ten stone. As for the extra grain, that is naturally
Put it in your pocket and distribute it up and down.
"The top priority is to feed the people. As long as it is not excessive, we can worry about these things later!" Zhu Yunxi said.
This is human nature, and it is not a shortcoming that can be solved with a general system or laws. This kind of thing is not an official's individual behavior, but a collective behavior of the region.
Sometimes, no matter how hard you hold your breath, the central nervous system has to hold your nose and admit it.
"There have been deaths in places where disaster victims gather!" Yan Zhen said straight away, "If it is not handled properly, it is easy to breed diseases. Therefore, medicine is a top priority!" As he said, he pondered for a moment, "But medicine is not
Grain can only be purchased from various places. The Ministry of Industry has summoned drug dealers to start procurement tomorrow morning!"
"This needs to be done quickly!" Zhu Yunxi said, "After the heavy rain, there is a violent heat, and it is impossible for the victims to evacuate immediately. People gather together to get sick even if they are not sick. The porridge sheds and medicine sheds along the way are the top priority!
"As he spoke, he sighed, "Let's get these things done, and it's easier for Xin Yande to be in front!"
"The Emperor's Holy Ming!"
Zhu Yunxi's eyes swept over and landed on Zhu Gaochi, "What does Hong Xi have to say?"
Zhu Gaochi stood up slightly and said, "Your Majesty, this year's flood disaster is greater than imagined. After Sizhou was completely flooded, the water level in Huai'an became critical. In addition to the garrison and civilians in Huai'an Prefecture, salt farmers were also transferred to the dam."
Zhu Yunxi understood what he meant.
Huai'an Salt Farm has tens of thousands of salt farmers who specialize in cooking salt.
As the largest salt farm in Huaibei, the annual salt tax paid to the court is as high as one million. Once the work is stopped, it will also affect the price of salt in the entire south.
In addition, there is another hidden worry. Just as various places may overreport the amount of money and grain when opening warehouses for disaster relief, the saltworks will also use the name of the disaster year to make their accounts unclear. There is even a possibility that they may take advantage of the disaster year.
, official salt and may become private salt.
And these private salts will eventually be sold everywhere at official salt prices.
Disasters are not terrible, but people are terrible!
(During the Chongzhen period, Huaibei was flooded thousands of miles across the country, and countless people died. In order to save the Huai'an Salt Fields, Chongzhen, who was so anxious at the time, had no choice but to abandon the people. Speaking of which, he was also a poor man. The huge Ming Empire only had taxes from the salt fields.
, can be used as the only financial source at his disposal as an emperor, as military expenses.)