"General Zu, you should have slept more after working hard all the way, why did you get up so early?" Li Muxian and Ji Jike entered the kitchen and said hello,
"I can't bear the name of general." Although Zu Dabi was crazy, he also knew that the Taoist priest in front of him was a popular person around the eunuch, so he didn't dare to show off, so he stood up and returned the gift, and also gave it to Ji Jike by the way. After all, According to his military position, he is not as high as Jiji.
"I drank too much yesterday, so I slept deeply and soundly," Zu Dabi said and sighed, "I'm getting older, so I don't want to stay in bed. What's more, the war is about to break out, so it's not the time to stay in bed."
"The general cares about national affairs and should be a role model for our generation." Ji Jike flattered. Zu Dashou curled his lips and snorted. Don't put a high hat on me. National affairs are such a big matter and it is not the turn of a small person like me to worry about it. That's It's your master's business.
Ji Jike felt bored and went to get a bowl of soup to eat. Li Muxian had nothing to say and said, "General, does he want to go out for a walk today?"
Zu Dabi glanced at him: "Do I have to tell the Taoist priest where I am going?"
"That's not true." The poor man just asked casually. Li Muchian smiled apologetically, cursing in his mind why his hair-licking behavior was so annoying. He didn't say anything anymore and sat quietly drinking soup. He glanced at a person in the corner and saw He dressed up as if he were a personal soldier of Zu Dabi. He thought about what he heard last night and walked over with a bowl in his hand: "Young Master?"
"Do you know me, the Taoist leader?" The soldier was indeed Gongzijun. Hearing this, Li Muchian looked at him carefully and nodded slightly: "Gongzijun has such a big name in the world, and the poor Taoist is like thunder when he travels in the world." .
Mr. Gongzijun smiled and said, "The Taoist priest praises me too much. I am just an unknown person in the world."
"Really? Ten years ago, the murder case of eleven members of the Zhang family in Xuzhou Prefecture caused a sensation. How can it be unknown?" Li Muchian smiled half-heartedly. Gongzijun narrowed his eyes, with the same half-smile half-smile on his face: "I have heard of it, it is said. The truth of the Jianghu vendetta is still unknown. Why, is there a connection between the Taoist priest and the Zhang family?"
"How can a poor and idle man join the thieves? It's just that the child doesn't deserve to die." Li Muxian chuckled, then came over and whispered: "A good bird chooses a tree to live in, a good minister chooses his master to work, you and Wuzhong It’s an old friend again…”
Hey, Gongzijun raised his hand to interrupt Li Muchian, with a smile on his lips: "I am neither a bird nor a minister, not to mention I am neither a good person nor a good minister, Taoist priest, don't bother."
Li Muxian looked a little embarrassed and laughed: "Everyone has his or her own ambitions. It's just that I don't know what to do."
As soon as Chang Yu got up, he heard the news that Zu Dabi had left the city with more than 20 soldiers.
Walking to the door, he looked up at the gloomy and oppressive sky, with scattered fluffy snow drifting in the cold wind. He murmured: "It's time for Dorgon to move too." He turned around and glanced at Li Muchian, who was also looking at the sky: "Taoist Master, this snow Can it be bigger?"
Li Muxian was silent for a while and said: "It will still go down, but whether it goes down big or small, I don't know."
"The Taoist Priest hasn't mastered the art of peering into the sky yet," Chang Yu joked casually, and Li Muchian smiled: "This poor Taoist is just taking a first look at the door. Does the Governor want to be a big or small person?"
Chang Yu took a long breath: "At this time, size is no longer important."
"It's really not important anymore." Li Muxian was startled and nodded slightly. Chang Yu suddenly asked again: "Is it snowing in Beijing?"
Li Muchian shook his head: "I can only look at the sky above my head."
Snow has also fallen in Beijing. This is the first snow in Beijing this year. It is not too big or too small. People who get up early are standing in their yards or shouting at the door. When it snows, there will always be neighbors nearby to respond. It's snowing.
Snowing is neither a good thing nor a bad thing for the people, but it is a happy thing that makes people feel happy. At least the children are happy. Three or five of them are in the alley, spreading their arms and moaning, shouting that it is snowing. It's snowing.
Occasionally someone will frown. The snow came earlier this year. Today’s winter will be as cold as in previous years. Will there be enough firewood and coal for heating at home? Will there be a food shortage this year? Will food prices rise? The price has gone up ridiculously or you can’t buy rice even if you have money.
The Forbidden City was much quieter. The palace maids and eunuchs looked at the flying snow all over the sky, or murmured quietly, or looked at the sky quietly in a daze. Also in a daze like them was Emperor Chongzhen, who had just returned to the Qianqing Palace to rest after the morning. He learned that there was snow outside. Snow, then walked to the steps in front of the palace, looked up at the sky, stretched out his hand, and snowflakes fell on his palm, and then melted into water.
Several serving eunuchs stood behind him, looking at the dazed Emperor Chongzhen, not daring to say anything or even make the slightest sound.
After a long time, a eunuch slowly came over and asked for an audience with the emperor.
The Prince Consort is Gong Yonggu, the brother-in-law of Emperor Chongzhen, and the closest and most trusted person among the emperor's relatives. Generally, when receiving important ministers or relatives of the emperor, they would be in the outer palace or at the Qianqing Gate. Gong Yong could enter the Qianqing Palace. It's definitely the only one.
The state affairs have been busy recently, and Emperor Chongzhen has not seen Gong Yonggu for some days. When he heard that he asked for an audience, he quickly asked the eunuch to bring him in. He happened to be worried about many things and wanted to complain to his close relative. Although his relatives were not allowed to participate in politics, Because the two were so close, Emperor Chongzhen couldn't help but talk to him about state affairs and household matters many times. Fortunately, Gong Yonggu was very good at positioning himself, and some words he just pretended he had never heard before. He also knows what to say and what not to say.
After entering the Palace of Qianqing and having tea, Emperor Chongzhen began to talk about his grievances. First, he talked about household matters. The prince's selection of concubines was in full swing. Whose daughter did what she wanted? This was the responsibility of Empress Zhou and the Ministry of Etiquette. After all, After all, the housework was about finding a daughter-in-law. Emperor Chongzhen couldn't really ignore it. He also said that Princess Kunxing should find a wife, but this girl was very stubborn and refused. Some ministers also mentioned this in a memorial. , but Princess Kunxing was desperate and said she would stay filial for a few more years... Emperor Chongzhen and his wife loved Princess Kunxing very much and were reluctant to force her, but they couldn't help complaining, saying that there was someone in the court now. There are objections to Kunxing's establishment of the royal brand and business operations, saying that it is disrespectful to the royal family and taking advantage of the people. He also said that the items sold are royally made, and if civilians use them, it is trespassing and inconsistent with etiquette and law...
Complaining about household affairs and involving state affairs is what makes Emperor Chongzhen dizzy every day. As a king of a country, especially a king with such a large territory, there are hundreds and thousands of people, big and small, every day. State affairs need to be dealt with.
Of course, ordinary natural disasters and man-made disasters would not make him so anxious. Although Ming Dynasty is not as good as it was in the past, it is much better than when it was crumbling and seriously ill in the past few years. However, although the condition has improved, the symptoms are still there. This is That's what worries him.
Although Li Chuang is friendly, he is a time bomb that may explode at any time. Although Chang Yu has a hidden bomb inside the bomb, it will obviously cause it to self-destruct, but the self-destruction may also affect the court and even cause unexpected consequences.
Zhang Xianzhong's cancer in the southwest is still there. Although Chang Yu made arrangements early and mobilized Wuchang troops to bluff, it only allowed the cancer to delay its spread, but it did not cause any damage to the root of the cancer. And once too much time passes, The spread of cancer is uncontrollable.
In addition to these two worries, there are also various state affairs that make him anxious. Although the banditry problem in various places is gradually declining, it has not been fundamentally eradicated. In order to fundamentally eliminate the banditry problem, he must start from the people's livelihood At the top of the list, people's livelihood is the top priority, but people's livelihood is a serious illness that requires long-term medical treatment, and the results cannot be achieved in a short time.
Last year there was a great famine in the Gyeonggi Province. The imperial government transferred grain from the south, which led to food shortages and rising prices in the south. As the hardest-hit area, the Gyeonggi area is still not optimistic about the situation this year. After all, after the war and natural disasters, it was hard to breathe for three to five years. of.
In order to cope with the possible famine this year, the imperial court is also working hard. In addition to planting potatoes and sweet potatoes on a large scale to save itself, it also needs to mobilize food from the south to prepare for emergencies. However, food is also tight in the south now. Imagine what happened last year. General purchasing, borrowing, and coaxing are impossible.
What to do?
Of course it can't be served cold.
Fortunately, Chang Yu had already prepared for the rainy day and asked the Zheng family to go to Annan for shopping. But as he watched several months pass, why was there no news from there? Could it be that Zheng Zhilong was not doing things well, or was it because he couldn't talk about it?
This made Emperor Chongzhen feel a little anxious.
Today's court has no money, no food, and the only thing left is a face. This embarrassing face has few people to give it to, or there is someone who can handle things. Emperor Chongzhen really doesn't know how to clean up this mess. A mess.
It would be great if Chang Yu was by his side. Emperor Chongzhen kept lamenting that with Chang Yu by his side, almost everything could be done properly without him having to put much thought into it, whether it was household affairs or state affairs. Everything is in order.
With Chang Yu, his back was straight when he went to court. Without Chang Yu, he could still hold on for three to five days. As time went by, he couldn't stand up to the various comments from the courtiers, and his back became more and more bent. , becoming more and more unconfident.
"Your Majesty, I heard that there is going to be a war in the north?" After complaining for a long time, Gong Yonggu finally intervened after drinking three pots of tea. Emperor Chongzhen immediately frowned again after asking in one sentence.
