In the lobby, the two people had different thoughts.
Presenting beauty to the emperor was presided over by Wang He and operated by Feng Houdun, the governor of Shandong.
Whether it was occupying his house as a residence or making him an audience with the emperor, these basic tasks were all handled by Feng Houdun.
Only he, the governor of Shandong, has such great power.
The cause of the incident lies in the instigation of Wang He, the Minister of Internal Affairs.
The reason why Wang He wanted to show his beauty to the emperor was because of two words: solid favor.
He was the emperor's retainer. Like the eunuchs, promotion and demotion were all in the hands of the emperor. As long as the emperor was unhappy, he could be dismissed without reason.
In this case, it makes him feel insecure all the time.
Making money for the emperor comes second. The key is to keep simplicity in the heart of the emperor.
Besides, the Minister of Internal Affairs is in the fourth rank, and he can still be promoted at higher levels.
If you change from an internal minister to a foreign minister, wouldn't the future be very bright?
It is inevitable to do what you like.
"Your Majesty has been in the country for a long time. Although his ambition is still the same, he is inevitably a little lazy, so beauty is inevitable, just like Yang Yuhuan of Emperor Ming of the Tang Dynasty!"
Wang He drank the tea with an expressionless face and kept thinking: "In recent years, all the beauties, Mongolians, Uighurs, and Western Yi have tasted it, and there are even daughters from Korea, Japan, and Qin."
"But this is not the case for civilian women, especially married women, let alone chaste women?"
As a man, Wang He understood the emperor very well.
Emperor Shaowu never shied away from his lewd affairs and was extremely magnanimous. He had dozens of beauties in his harem, all rich and beautiful.
Naturally, a chaste woman, a widow, a commoner's daughter, a merchant's daughter, coupled with her extremely outstanding appearance, are enough to arouse the hearts of most men.
"If it's done well, I don't ask much, just serve as a local magistrate and be a people-friendly official."
Moreover, there are virtuous and honest ministers in the court, but there are very few flattering and sycophantic ministers.
Although the sycophant flatters the emperor, it does not prevent him from being a good official.
Thinking of this, the corners of his mouth curled up slightly.
Feng Houdun's thoughts were the same as others, all for pursuing an official career.
If lower-level officials only need to work hard and they will be promoted sooner or later, then as a local official and governor of a province, Feng Houdun's path to promotion is extremely narrow, no less than crossing a single-plank bridge.
At this time, although the cabinet's recommendation is very important, the emperor's impression is more important.
After all, the final decision still lies in the hands of the emperor.
His status as a judge has always made him feel inferior, and it is also the biggest hurdle for him in officialdom.
He didn't ask for any promises from the emperor when it came to presenting his beauty, he just asked for a high nod when he was recommended by Yan Yingyuan.
And if you are appreciated by him and get into the cabinet, it doesn't matter even if you are the elder of Chengzhi Pavilion?
After so many years in the Ming Dynasty, how many pavilion elders were there?
After thinking about it, Feng Houdun couldn't help but said: "Are you really sure about this?"
"Seven or eight out of ten!"
Wang He said casually: "The key thing is to keep it secret. No matter whether it is successful or not, we must keep it secret, otherwise our future will be ruined."
"Of course." Feng Houdun nodded, raised his cup and drank it down to relieve his tension.
At this time, he felt regret mixed with excitement, like spilled five-color condiments, sour, sweet, bitter, spicy and salty, and the taste was inexplicable.
At this time, outside the garden, there was also a family waiting anxiously.
That is the Qin family.
Qin's father and son.
As a father, Qin Xuemin is not willing to let his daughter remarry. After all, it is an insult to the family tradition.
Having good food and drink, having great power, being in control of the Qi family happily, and not having parents-in-law to take care of you, isn't this better than getting married?
But there was no way, the Ministry of Internal Affairs gave too much.
The eldest son, Qi Changfeng, was especially nervous. He was pacing left and right, his forehead was covered with fine sweat, and his lips kept moving, not knowing what he was saying.
The youngest son Qin Wanli was no exception, but he was much calmer. He drank four cups of tea and went to the toilet back and forth.
"Okay, what's the hurry!"
Qin Xuemin coughed and said with a worried expression.
"Dad, if this happens, our family will become an imperial merchant."
Qin Changfeng sat down, his lips trembling: "Even the lowest-level imperial businessman can earn tens of thousands of yuan a year by contracting an iron ore or coal mine. Who dares to do those officials with their chins upturned?" Are you being presumptuous again?”
"Our Qin family has been connected for generations!"
The youngest son Qin Wanli also moved over with a chair: "Yes, the key is to give him the official title!"
"The minister of the Ministry of Internal Affairs is the fourth grade, the imperial merchant is the third, sixth and ninth grade, and the lowest is the ninth grade!"
The Ministry of Internal Affairs has 12 imperial merchants with an annual income of one million, 36 with an annual income of more than 100,000, and 72 with an annual income of less than 100,000.
They are grade nine, grade eight, and title seven.
This is the only way to be awarded an official position without merit.
These royal merchants contracted minerals and monopolized trade. Under the care of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, there was no obstacle to their business. Even bandits and bullies did not dare to provoke them.
What businessman wouldn’t envy him?
"This is a ninth-grade official." Qin Wanli roared in a low voice: "A ninth-grade official who is almost hereditary."
In the Ming Dynasty, there was no such thing as selling an official position, so the descendants of Mengyin were all hereditary Jinyiwei, and this was also eliminated during the Jiajing period.
Therefore, fame is the only way for ordinary people to become officials.
This has also created a huge foundation for the civil service system, with constant talent.
"Yes, a hereditary official." Qin Xuemin murmured: "I just don't know Qiu'er can do it..."
"It must be possible." Qin Changfeng gritted his teeth: "My sister is unparalleled in beauty. If it weren't for my sister..."
Seeing the discolored faces of his father and brother, he immediately said, "I thought it was a fairy from heaven descending to earth!"
"No worse than that concubine, she still has the upper hand."
…
"Sir, the scholars, students, filial sons, filial friends, Xiaolian and others from Lu Province who serve as imperial ministers are already at the gate of the garden. Can the slaves requesting the emperor's order be passed on to them?"
Liu Afu said respectfully.
"many people?"
"Forty-three."
"Pass it on."
"yes."
Liu Afu turned around and went out. After a long delay, he led everyone into the hall to salute. After bowing, he bowed and waited for questions.
The so-called filial piety and filial piety are nothing more than preaching traditional ethics, thus achieving the effect of brainwashing the people.
That is pua.
The Confucian social structure is originally built at the grassroots level.
For the court, it is far more convenient and cost-effective to use moral restraint than legal restraint.
Because morality is unity, and law is enforced by the government.
The cost of implementing the rule of law in ancient times was too high, so choosing the rule of virtue was a must. This was also the key to Confucianism's victory over Legalism:
How can there be so many judges spread across the country?
Even in later generations, courts were overcrowded and judges had almost no days off.
Of course, things like foolishness and filial piety are not actually worth advocating. After all, walking with a big stick and receiving with a small stick all depend on the size of the place.
But it is impossible to reject the traditional moral system of benevolence and righteousness just because of a little foolishness and filial piety. This is unacceptable to the feudal dynasty.
You may not have noticed that the feudal order in the late Qing Dynasty collapsed due to the collapse of morality.
The orders of parents and the words of matchmakers have become free love, which means the collapse of patriarchy and the collapse of the filial piety system in feudal society.
When children rebel and run away from marriage, the monarchy ceases to exist.
People even dare to ignore their own biological parents, let alone you, the emperor, why are you the emperor, president, and prime minister?
The emperor looked down and said after a while:
"This time I came to Shandong, I saw a lot and thought a lot."
"Shandong has been the hometown of Confucius and Mencius since ancient times. Good ministers have emerged in large numbers, and there are also people like you who have a king and father in their hearts, raise and teach people, and spread all the subtleties in the saint's writings to all people! As the saying goes, if a peach or plum is silent, it will make its own mistakes. , that’s the truth.”
"My dynasty has established a country based on filial piety, starting with me and going down to the common people. Taking the filial piety passed down by the saints as the basis for establishing the country, guarding the family, and taking care of one's life, great governance can be expected!"
After explaining the general truth, Zhu Yixi had almost no ambiguity.
As a monarch, speech is also essential.
However, seeing all these people excited, he felt it was worth it.
Seeing that the emperor's mouth was dry, Liu Afu felt that time was almost up, so he called these people to retreat.
"Concubine, do you have some time to spare?"
"Your Majesty, the imperial concubine and some other ladies of honor are here to meet you!" Liu Afu said with a smile:
"I heard that there is a female hero among them. She has managed a huge family business. The whole Jinan Prefecture gave her a thumbs up, and all the men said she is not as good as her!"
"Oh? That's strange."
"Then go and have a look!"
Zhu Yixi nodded and came immediately: "Give those filial sons Xiaolian some candies, dates, and silks!"
"We can't meet in person, but just listen to what I say once, right? That wouldn't be interesting anymore."
"Your Majesty is kind and kind."
Zhu Yixi has some experience in listening to other people's speeches.
There is only sound in the ears, but no sound, and the hands are bare, which is quite boring.
Giving something as a reward not only praises the person, but also demonstrates the emperor's benevolence.
After this trip, will the emperor's reputation in Shandong be worse?
Spend a little money to do big things.
At this time, Miaoxian met the girls one by one. Since Qi Qin was among them, she couldn't help but speed up:
"That's it for now, everyone has worked hard, so we're leaving..."
"Your Majesty has arrived——"
The concubines knelt on the ground: "I come to see Your Majesty!"
Hearing the title from the imperial concubine's mouth, Qi Qin and others did not dare to be negligent, and then stood up and knelt down, shouting unevenly, "Women of the common people kowtow to the emperor, long live long live, long live long live!"
The emperor stepped into the palace, looked at each of them with bright eyes and white teeth, and suddenly felt regretful.
The imperial concubine is summoning the chaste women and virgins in the province who have been honored by the imperial court. Although she is the master of the house, it is not a graceful thing to meet them rashly. If word spreads, people will think that she has a good nature and is here to look for beauty. !
It’s hard to tell when plums have fallen in the melon fields.
I went south to observe the sentiments of the people and to relax and unwind.
But if he turned around and left at this time, it would be even more embarrassing and make him feel guilty.
He smiled unnaturally and waved his hand:
"I was being reckless, everyone, please get up..."
All the women in the hall stood up one after another, and a man appeared out of thin air. He was the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty. They did not dare to look at him and lowered their pink necks, letting him look at them.
The emperor's eyes swept left and right and landed on Qi Qin's face. Among the girls, her appearance and temperament were the most outstanding.
She is not the kind of woman who is immediately thought to be stunningly beautiful upon first sight, but she is very tasteful.
He has an oval face shape, which is the kind that the emperor likes most. His complexion is white and rosy, and the sudden rise of the mountains is particularly conspicuous.
Slender waist, long legs, big breasts, and excellent temperament.
In the harem, he is also a first-class existence.
Miao Xian watched with cold eyes, and when she saw her husband staring at the woman in the crowd without blinking, a trace of sourness filled her heart: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty?"
It's also hard for her. With such a calm mind, this matter is not calm anymore.
"Oh, I'm a little distracted!"
The emperor smiled to himself and sat down, "You... all sit down too. Sit down and talk."
Everyone sat down again, Miaoxian glanced at the emperor, and then chuckled:
"I was talking to someone when your Majesty came.
You probably don’t know yet, right? These are the chaste women in this province who have been honored by the emperor in the past ten years. This time, the concubines summoned them to me. Firstly, they wanted to share their labors with the emperor. Secondly, they also wanted to talk to the women of the people. "
"Oh, I know about this!"
"Not to mention you, I was just in front and summoned Xiaolian, who is honored by the imperial court in the province."
The emperor seemed to have no intention of staying any longer. After saying a few words, he stood up and looked back at the chiming clock in the pavilion. It was already twelve o'clock.
"It's almost lunch time. They all came from a long way. At noon... let's leave them to eat."
As he said that, he turned to Liu Afu and said in a superfluous manner: "Those filial sons and filial sons should also stay and let them eat too."
Although it was just a word to save food, it was a reward when it came from Yu's mouth. The girls did not dare to neglect, and stood up and knelt down again, touching their heads.
Returning to his palace, although the food was on the table, the emperor's eyes were still filled with the beautiful face just now, which was completely different from all the concubines in his palace.
For a moment, he actually felt that these Shandong dishes were boring.
Liu Afu had served him for more than ten years, and his whole mind was focused on the emperor, and he didn't know what he was thinking.
At this time, he whispered: "Sir, the woman's name was Qi Qin who was found out by the slave. She was twenty-four this year. Her husband had died of illness before she passed away. Now she is staying at home alone to raise a sister-in-law. .”
"The family's business has not declined, but has gained a reputation..."
"Why are you telling me this?"
Zhu Yixi said angrily: "I am such a chaste woman, why are you asking around?"
"If this spreads out, will it be okay?"
"This slave deserves to be slapped!"
As he said that, Liu Afu knelt down and clapped his mouth to himself, but it was not light or heavy, and there was a crisp sound, but nothing happened at all.
Zhu Yixi actually smiled: "Keep your mouth shut from now on!"
After that, Zhu Yixi ate hastily, feeling anxious.
Widow, virgin, chaste woman, businesswoman, good guy, this is a stack of buffs.
But let alone, this layer upon layer of layers made him interested.
If I do it myself, I'm afraid it will have a bad impact, right? After all, she is a woman from a good family who has served the court well.
Suddenly, he thought about it, why should he worry so much? I am the Son of Heaven, the supreme being among all peoples in the Ming Dynasty. If I enjoy a woman, my twenty million people will have no other objections.
(End of chapter)
