When the first ray of sunshine in the morning shone into the Forbidden City, Jiajing put on his robe under the clothes of a personal eunuch. Today was the day for the cabinet meeting.
"Your Majesty, tomorrow is the day for the sacrifice. Here is the general process submitted by the Ministry of Rites!"
Lu Fang appeared beside Jiajing at some unknown time and respectfully handed the memorial in his hand to Jiajing.
"Well, put it there, I don't want to look at this now." Jiajing pointed to the bookcase beside him and said calmly.
"Yes, Your Majesty." After Lu Fang finished speaking, he put the memorial in his hand on the desk, then came to Jiajing's side and stood respectfully.
"Lu Fang, do you think Hu Zongxian can capture Wang Zhi?"
"Your Majesty, I think Governor Hu will definitely be able to capture Wang Zhi!"
"Oh, how come you see it?"
Jiajing saw the confident look on Lu Fang's face and couldn't help asking.
"Your Majesty, before this battle, the imperial court had already made complete preparations! The ordnance, food and grass, wages, etc. needed by the soldiers in front were all transported secretly. Few people knew the true purpose of this operation, so they excluded avoid the possibility of leaks."
"In addition, the soldiers participating in this battle are all carefully selected warriors who have fought a hundred battles. They can easily deal with a group of unscrupulous Japanese pirates. Coupled with the thirty-six warships sent by the Ministry of War to assist, our army's strength is far greater. Far stronger than the Japanese pirates."
"But our army is calculated with heart and mind without intention, and uses the right divisions to defeat the unscrupulous ones. This battle will be won! Your Majesty only needs to calmly wait for the good news from Governor Hu."
After Lu Fang finished speaking, he came to Jiajing's side and stood respectfully as before.
"Haha, not bad, you understand me better!"
After listening to Lu Fang's analysis, Jiajing couldn't help but feel good and sighed.
"Your Majesty, this slave has one more thing to report to Your Majesty."
Lu Fang secretly observed the expression on Jiajing's face and said cautiously.
"Oh, what's the matter? But it doesn't matter."
Jiajing glanced at Lu Fang and said calmly.
"Eunuch Shi, the Eunuch Bingbi who is the Supervisor of Ceremonies, has been feeling unwell recently, so he wants to leave the palace two months early and go back to take care of himself. Please allow your Majesty's permission."
After Lu Fang finished speaking, he knelt on the ground with great respect and said in a deep voice.
After hearing Lu Fang's request, Jiajing looked at Lu Fang who was kneeling on the ground and said with a half-smile: "Lu Fang, don't you want to make room for your godson Feng Bao in advance?"
After hearing what Jiajing said, Lu Fang's face turned pale with fear, her whole body was shrouded in endless panic, and her body began to tremble uncontrollably.
"Your Majesty, this is unfair. This slave has absolutely no such idea!"
After Lu Fang finished speaking, he bowed again.
"Get up. I don't mean to blame you. Eunuch Shi is old and in poor health. This is understandable. I should let him go out of the palace to take care of himself!"
"Lu Fang, what you just said is correct."
Jiajing saw Lu Fang's behavior, and then personally helped Lu Fang up from the ground and said loudly.
"This servant will thank Your Majesty for your grace on behalf of Eunuch Shi!"
After Lu Fang finished speaking, when she was about to kneel down, she was stopped by Jiajing.
Jiajing's expression remained unchanged and he said, "Okay, no need to thank me! It's no time now. Please accompany me to the cabinet."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
After Lu Fang finished speaking, he followed Jiajing step by step. He lowered his head all the way, wondering what he was thinking.
…
"Your Majesty is here!"
Outside the cabinet, a high-pitched voice sounded.
All the ministers were kneeling on the ground, waiting for the emperor's arrival.
After a while, Jiajing walked into the cabinet followed by Lu Fang.
After Jiajing sat down in his seat, all the ministers bowed again and said in unison: "I see your Majesty, long live my emperor!"
"Get up." Jiajing waved his hand, signaling everyone to get up.
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Then the ministers stood up and sat down in their respective positions.
"Your Majesty, I have this memorial." Yan Song took the lead and raised the memorial in his hand high above his head.
"Tell me." Jiajing glanced at Yan Song and said calmly.
"Here is the list handed over by Zheng Michang, the official who was previously assigned by Wei Chen, the Zhejiang Chief Envoy! It contains detailed records of the proceeds from this house raid. In addition, these properties are already on the way and will be transported to the capital in the near future."
After Jiajing listened, he nodded slightly to Lu Fang who was standing aside. Lu Fang also came to Yan Song, took the list, and handed it to Jiajing.
Jiajing opened the list and found that the amount recorded on it was almost the same as the specific amount he saw at Jinyiwei last night, and he immediately lost interest.
"Well, Mr. Yan Ge, you did a good job on this matter."
Jiajing closed the list in his hand, nodded to Yan Song, and encouraged him.
"All of this depends on His Majesty's wise guidance!"
After Yan Song finished speaking, he returned to his seat and sat down tremblingly.
Xu Jie on the side looked gloomy: "Humph, I guessed it right! I asked him how could Yan Song take such a big risk to facilitate this matter. It turns out that everything behind it was ordered by His Majesty."
After Yan Song passed by, Yan Shifan also stood up and said in a deep voice: "Your Majesty, I also have my own memorial!"
"Are the questions for the imperial examination finished?"
Jiajing looked at the expression on Yan Shifan's face, raised his eyebrows, and asked.
"Your Majesty is wise, this is exactly what Wei Chen wants to say!"
"Bring it here."
As soon as Jiajing finished speaking, Lu Fang came to Yan Shifan and took the envelope containing the imperial examination questions from his hand.
"His Majesty!"
After Lu Fang brought the envelope in front of Jiajing, he continued to stand by him.
Jiajing opened the envelope and saw what was written on it: "Dangdanghu, the people have no name, Weiweihu, they have success, Huanhuo, they have articles..."
Jiajing only glanced at it twice and then looked away, which reminded him of the pain he felt when writing ancient Chinese translations in his previous life.
"Well, you did a good job. As the examiner of the imperial examination, you must not cause any problems for me. Do you understand?"
Jiajing then turned his gaze to Yan Shifan and said softly.
"I will live up to your majesty's great trust!"
"Okay, I hope that all of you will not betray my trust in you!"
Jiajing seemed to feel something, and his eyes swept over the five people one by one.
"I will definitely kill you for His Majesty's sake, and I will not hesitate to die!"
Sensing the emperor's gaze, the five people knelt on the ground and cried.
"Get up, get up, all get up! You are all my ministers of the Ming Dynasty, and I still believe in you."
Xu Jie and Yan Song looked at each other, and then said in unison: "Your Majesty is wise!"
"Zhang Juzheng, I asked you to be responsible for building the second navy of Ming Dynasty. How is the current situation?"
Jiajing turned his gaze to Zhang Juzheng, who was kneeling on the ground, and asked in a deep voice.
"Your Majesty, since the money has been allocated by the Ministry of Revenue, the work of building warships is being carried out in an orderly manner, and the progress is going very smoothly!"
Seeing that the emperor asked him about this matter again, it showed that he attached great importance to the matter, so Zhang Juzheng cheered up and answered respectfully.
"Well, that's right. There is no room for error in building the imperial court's second navy! You have to keep an eye on me in this regard. If you have anything, just report it to me."
After Jiajing finished speaking, he picked up the teacup on the side and took a sip.
"Your Majesty, don't worry, I will definitely handle this matter for your Majesty!"
After Zhang Juzheng finished speaking, he paid his respects again.
"By the way, tomorrow is the sacrificial ceremony. You should prepare in advance and familiarize yourself with the process."
Jiajing glanced at the ministers and gave instructions.
…
Late at night, Supervisor of Ceremonies.
"Daddy, it's so late, what do you want from me?"
As before, Feng Bao served Lu Fang respectfully, holding a bowl of hot tea in his hand.
"Your matter is settled."
After Lu Fang finished speaking, she took the teacup from Feng Bao's hand and took a sip.
"What does godfather mean..." Feng Bao suppressed his inner excitement and asked softly.
"Don't pretend to be confused with your godfather. It's naturally about Eunuch Shi."
Lu Fang glanced at Feng Bao and said calmly.
"I went to beg Your Majesty early in the morning to let Eunuch Shi leave the palace two months early. Your godfather and I have worked very hard on this matter!"
As soon as Lu Fang finished speaking, Feng Bao took the tea cup from Lu Fang's hand and placed it on the table nearby.
Then he gently squeezed Lu Fang's shoulders and said flatteringly: "I, Feng Baoke, remember all the things my godfather did for me!"
"You are my biological father. I don't have to call you godfather from now on. How about I just call you biological father?"
"father!"
"Eh."
Lu Fang responded, then narrowed her eyes slightly, as if she was enjoying something.
(End of chapter)
