Xiao Dezi was speechless and couldn't answer a word. He just kowtowed. Zhu Yijun looked as usual and came to the side of Empress Dowager Li. He said softly: "There is no need for the queen to be angry. These slaves will be killed. You should pay attention to Feng." body."
Seeing his calm expression, Empress Dowager Li felt moved and added doubts. She asked, "Has the emperor anticipated this event?"
Zhu Yijun said calmly: "Since ancient times, in order to understand the thoughts of those in power, these powerful ministers, eunuchs and others have bribed or coerced the servants around us to get a few words to suit the thoughts of the queen mother and me, so as to carry out their deception. This kind of thing is not surprising - a few days ago, I also found one in my palace, and I had an attack. Because my mother was disobeying the peace, I didn't come to report it."
As the saying goes: It is common to see an emperor. Everyone around this emperor, when he first served, believed that the emperor was a demigod, very different from ordinary people.
I was used to serving, but I found that the emperor also pooped, peed, and farted just like me. Apart from having more words, there was nothing special about him. The respect was reduced, and the awe was much less than that of the foreign ministers. Therefore, It is not surprising that some members of the internal prison eavesdropped on the political affairs and selectively exchanged benefits. It was just that they were afraid of the strict laws in the palace and did not dare to go too far. In the Ming Dynasty, in addition to the emperor being more careful when speaking, he explicitly ordered the people who served him to withdraw. In addition, there are always those with sharp ears who eavesdrop on the emperor's words, causing a lot of information in the inner palace to leak out, like a sieve.
Today, the Queen Mother walked away from everyone before entering the palace. She thought that there was no one in the palace, so she talked to the Emperor about her personal administration. However, she did not expect that because the Emperor had behaved differently these days, it had already alarmed people inside and outside the palace. Those who urgently needed to get the Queen Mother Those who have information about the emperor have intensified their efforts to spy on him. There are those who are greedy for profit, who are lucky enough to prick up their ears or hide their bodies to eavesdrop on the conversation of the master in order to invite favors and sell them.
Empress Dowager Li took a few deep breaths and asked Xiao Dezi solemnly: "Who asked you to spy on the palace? If you tell me, I will spare your life."
How could Xiao Dezi dare to speak out? If he spoke out, not only would he die, but all his family members outside the palace would also die. He just kowtowed and returned crying: "I didn't eavesdrop on purpose, because I was sweeping the palace and saw the Queen Mother and the Emperor." When I entered the palace, I... hid behind the curtain. I dare not deceive you. Please spare me!" After saying this, he kowtowed again, with blood splattering on his forehead.
This lie was not clever at all. Empress Dowager Li laughed angrily, shouted loudly, and called Cao De, the eunuch in charge of the Qianqing Palace outside the palace, to enter the palace and ordered: "This slave is spying on the palace. You go down and cook, and be sure to find out the person who ordered it... ..." Seeing the emperor looking at him and shaking his head, he stopped talking and asked, "What does the emperor have to say?"
Zhu Yijun said: "Queen Mother, I don't know how much this dog has heard? What the Queen Mother told me just now is not suitable for people to know. How about -" sighed, with a look of unbearable expression on his face, "stop your mouth and just Kill him with a stick outside this temple, and let others see what happens to this slave who betrays his master."
Xiao Dezi knew this and was so frightened that he peed all over the floor. Seeing that the Queen Mother nodded in approval of the emperor's decision, Manager Cao called a few strong internal eunuchs to come, gagged Xiao Dezi and dragged him down. , and asked someone to come in and wipe the floor, and then left. After a while, the sound of banging court battles and suppressed cries could be heard outside the hall. Queen Mother Li had a look of confusion, twisting her beads in her hands and praying to Buddha.
Zhu Yijun also felt uncomfortable. A few days ago, in order to shake up the palace, he also used his hair to serve as an internal prison, but he was beaten forty times and kicked out of the palace. Looking at the miserable situation, he would probably die if he left. Today, this little boy
But Dezi was the one who killed him with his words. It was the first time in his life that he killed someone. Even though he didn't kill him with his own hands, he felt strange in his heart. He turned around and thought again, he was in the most dangerous place in the world and he didn't have the decisive skills to kill.
But he was making fun of his own life. Didn't you hear about the changes in the palace maids during the reign of King Sejong? An emperor was almost strangled to death by a palace maid in his sleep. If he hadn't been lucky, he could still have been emperor for more than 40 years? After a lot of psychological construction, he was able to
Feeling better. She sighed and said to Empress Dowager Li: "Mother, just now you asked Manager Cao to interrogate Xiao Dezi, but you may not get the truth. Although there are fights among the big men in the palace, some things are customary.
Concealed."
Queen Mother Li was stunned after hearing this. Why did the little emperor know more about the forbidden palace than she, the person in charge of the harem? She asked, "What did the emperor hear? Why did he say that?"
Zhu Yijun sighed: "Mother, do you still remember the tribute tea thing I just said?" Seeing Empress Dowager Li nodding, he continued: "In recent days, I have looked through the ancestral records and household files of the past dynasties, and only this tribute tea thing
, it is shocking - during the reign of Emperor Taizu, tea was used in the palace, and five hundred teahouses were set up to exempt them from corvee work, and they were exclusively collected and supplied. The annual tribute was only a few thousand kilograms. By the time of the imperial examination, the population in the palace was larger than that of Emperor Taizu.
The amount of tribute tea was several times higher, and the tribute was only 14,000 jins. According to Liang Cai, the Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs during the reign of King Sejong, the amount of tribute tea at that time had exceeded 50,000 jins. In recent years, following the usual practice, the records of the Ministry of Household Affairs actually showed that
It has reached more than 80,000 jins - except for the 14,000 jins paid as tribute, the rest are divided privately by people inside and outside the palace. This alone, the corruption exceeds 200,000 taels every year." After hearing this, Empress Dowager Li said,
He was shocked and looked at Zhu Yijun speechlessly.
Zhu Yijun smiled bitterly and said: "This tea tribute policy has another drawback. In addition to paying tribute to the 80,000 kilograms, the eunuchs and local officials who guarded the tea also collected more taxes and more, all in the name of ancestors, mothers and queens of the past dynasties.
Under my banner, they overcollected more than 80,000 jins? Or even hundreds of thousands jins. A local official named Han Bangqi during the reign of King Sejong said in a memorial that the tea picking missed the farming season. In order to complete the collection, the tea farmers had to do it themselves.
Spending money to buy tea in the market to pay tribute - almost triggering a civil uprising. I have read the notes of my predecessors and found that the quality and taste of these overcharged tea are far superior to the tribute tea. What I gave to my mother and daughter to drink was the same.
Wait. - It just hurts the common people and ruins the reputation of the queen mother and me."
When Queen Mother Li heard this, her face turned pale. She was also from a commoner background. Although she did not sympathize with the sufferings of the common people, she could also imagine the sufferings of the tea farmers. After hearing the emperor's well-founded remarks, she dismissed those who had ruined the reputation of herself and the emperor.
His servants and officials couldn't help but hate him to the core, and said in a trembling voice: "This... what should I do? Why don't you tell me about this Feng Bao?"
Zhu Yijun sneered and said: "How could he tell us two mothers this? This is all a rule in the palace, and even with the severity of Grandpa Shizong, it cannot be forbidden. These slaves, under our banner, are committing corruption and corruption with peace of mind.
——That's not all. The queen knows that these big crotch people have tribute tea, and it is better to get money for purchasing various items. That time, the first-class ones stole the treasures in the palace and sold them out in the palace in exchange for money to buy a house and land.
Just one thing - a pearl shirt was lost in Concubine Ning's palace. It was reported to me because of the mother's disobedience. The day before yesterday, the eunuch of Neihan Hall told Zhang Cheng that there were only rare books in the collection of Wenyuan Pavilion.
, all have been stolen and sold in recent years, with less than 20% left - this is a treasure that our ancestors collected in many ways to increase the knowledge of my descendants!" After saying that, he made a sad expression and peeked at Queen Mother Li's face.
.
After hearing this, Empress Dowager Li felt as if there was a ball of cotton stuck in her heart. She was so angry and ashamed that she almost shed tears. Little did she know that Zhu Yijun had read most of these things in the history books of later generations. It was only because of his careful mind that he could
After peeling off the cocoon, he discovered so many drawbacks. He said in a trembling voice: "The queen mother controls the harem, but no emperor understands it so well. According to you, these slaves deceived the superiors and concealed the secrets. These sexual abuses were only hidden from the two of us?" Seeing the emperor nod.
He said yes, his body shook, and his face was so red that he was about to bleed.
Zhu Yijun was shocked. In his previous life, he had been working as a division director more than ten years after graduation. His ability to complain was first-rate. Every sentence he said targeted the character of Empress Dowager Li, stabbing the Queen Mother Li in the heart without thinking about it.
Empress Dowager Li's ability to withstand it. His revelation was not only to destroy Empress Dowager Li's political confidence, but also to demonstrate his ability. He did not want to use too much force and almost fainted Empress Dowager Li. Having seen the fire, he was busy
He comforted her and said, "Don't worry, mother. It has been like this for many years. It needs to be rectified but it won't happen for a while. Please forgive me."
Empress Dowager Li composed herself and said bitterly: "I really can't spare these slaves and maids who deceive the superiors and conceal the inferiors!" She was about to call in people and seal the palace for an investigation. Zhu Yijun hurriedly stopped: "The empress is the most sage.
, why are you so angry today? This palace door is open, but there is confusion inside and outside." At least he was persuaded.
Queen Mother Li calmed down and stared at him for a long time, which made Zhu Yijun's heart tremble. Queen Mother Li was in a daze for a while, and suddenly said softly: "You have been hiding these words in your heart for a few days, right? Just now
The Ai family said that they want you to take charge of the government——" He said nothing and waited for Zhu Yijun to answer.
Zhu Yijun had been thinking about how to answer the Queen Mother's question these days. Hearing the Queen Mother bring up the topic again, he hurriedly replied: "Mother, I really have the intention to develop big plans, but I am still young. Once I govern, I may be ridiculous.
I thought it would be better to share my ideas with my mother, Mr. Zhang. If I think my idea is feasible, Mr. Zhang and other ministers can implement it. If it is not feasible, my mother, Mr. Zhang, can still look after me.
Is it okay to make a mistake?”
After hearing this, Queen Mother Li smiled and said: "So, you are not in a hurry to take charge?"
Zhu Yijun said: "You don't have to be in charge, you just want to try some of my ideas first. Besides, the emperor has to study more and grow up, so how can he have time to read a lot of news? This state affairs is still handled by Mr. Zhang and others, and the queen mother is in charge of the general affairs.
That's good." He smiled and said: "Your Majesty, you have to sleep more and grow taller. When you grow up, you marry a daughter-in-law, and you have to give birth to grandchildren for your mother!"
After hearing this, Empress Dowager Li sighed and did not comment. Seeing a look of doubt on Zhu Yijun's face, she said, "Your father, Huang Bintian, placed this huge burden on the shoulders of the empress mother." After hearing this, Zhu Yijun knelt down hurriedly.
Come down and listen quietly.
Seeing the emperor kneeling down, Queen Mother Li asked him to get up. Seeing that he could not hold on any longer, she sighed and continued: "As a woman from the Ai family, how can I have any insight into managing the affairs of the nine states and nations? I have the courage to leave it to Mr. Zhang.
, Feng Bao and others. But after all, their surname is not Zhu, how can the mother trust them? There is just no way." After saying that, thinking of the late emperor, I wanted to cry again. Seeing Zhu Yijun looking up at her, with a look of regret and worry on his face,
Feeling warm in my heart, I showed my face and said:
"Fortunately, your father saw our orphans and widowed mothers in heaven and felt sorry for us. He fell into a dream and gave you a master. He also found a master for you and opened the heavenly acupoints. Seeing the emperor these days seems like a different person. The Ai family is really relieved.
Originally, you were young and had an unstable temperament. The queen mother thought that she would wait until you became a man and gave birth to a child before handing over the affairs of the country to you. But in recent days, I have seen you speak and act in an orderly manner.
You are clear and ingenious, and the queen mother is afraid of delaying you..."
When Zhu Yijun saw Empress Dowager Li breaking her heart, she told him all the entanglements and anguish in her heart. Her nose became sore and she cried: "Mother, please don't get entangled, otherwise your son will be ashamed and shameless! This matter of governance should be governed by the son's rules.
The method doesn’t need to be drastic, it’s just to let me get more familiar with it and come up with more ideas!” After saying that, he bowed to the ground.
Seeing the sincerity of the emperor's words, Empress Dowager Li believed in her heart that he really had no intention of pro-government. She was just a little eager to give it a try because she was young. She was not an ambitious person, but once she tasted the taste of government, she would not be able to interact with other people in the harem.
Comparing women, it was difficult to let go for a while. Now that she had experienced the emperor's blood-piercing and copying scriptures, some unspeakable feelings about the emperor in her subconscious were eliminated, and she felt that these things were very boring. She thought about it and said
: "Since the emperor has the intention to participate in politics, from today onwards, you can stay with Mr. Zhang in the Huangji Palace in the morning and after court!"
The emperor retaining the right minister was a major event that was to be recorded in the history books. Generally speaking, when the emperor took the initiative to retain a certain minister, he wanted to listen to the minister's opinion on some major national affairs that were not open to public discussion. Therefore, for the minister
It is a rare honor. When a minister asks to stay in touch with himself, he usually has to report against his colleagues. He will be despised, and some censors will even impeach him for this matter. Empress Dowager Li asked the emperor to keep in touch with Zhang Juzheng every day, which showed that
The royal family fully trusted Zhang Juzheng in state affairs, which not only established Zhang Juzheng's authority, but also signaled to the outside world that the emperor was about to take charge. It was a smart move in governance.
But in the eyes of Zhu Yijun, who was already cheating, the Queen Mother's two moments were not enough. Seeing that the Queen Mother had finished her instructions, he stood up and said: "Mother, I thought it would be too hard to stay with Mr. Zhang in the early days. After all, I still have to live in the future."
If you talk about it, it will also delay Mr. Zhang's political management - instead of this, I think it's better to choose an auspicious day and call Mr. Zhang on the platform?"
After hearing this, Empress Dowager Li was overjoyed and said: "Great kindness!" What is "Platform Calling Right"? The Jianji Hall is in the middle and towards the back, high above the Sanlin white jade railing opposite to the Qianqing Gate, which is the left and right gates of Yuntai.
It is called "platform". The platform call in the Ming Dynasty was equivalent to the state of the nation consultation. The emperor could summon all the ministers or one person. If he summoned the ministers, they would stand in silence and the emperor would sit there. When he encountered a problem, he would call on the official by name.
, the official came forward and knelt there to answer. If the emperor gave permission, he could stand there and speak. But when summoning someone, it was a heart-to-heart talk. He could be given a seat or tea. The atmosphere was like a family affair, which was good for ministers.
It is a rare honor. There is a strong political atmosphere and special etiquette system for the platform summons. On the one hand, it shows the emperor's trust in a certain minister, and on the other hand, it shows the emperor's diligence and broad-mindedness. Therefore, once a minister is summoned alone,
Immediately he will become famous all over the world. And the emperor's reputation for diligence will spread all over the world. Zhu Yijun's method is not only free in form - he can call on the right at any time, but also is a major event for the country and can receive five-star praise, so he is better than the Empress Dowager Li.
The method is a little bit higher.
The two of them agreed on the plan, and each of them let go of their worries. Seeing that the Queen Mother was still a little unhappy, Zhu Yijun changed some jokes about future generations and told a few jokes, which made the Queen Mother laugh, and then he gave up.