"Have you heard?"
"What's so mysterious about it?"
"Zhang Qianhu, he was dismissed from his post and expelled from our Jinyiwei Yamen."
"What! This...is impossible. I know it. He is a close confidant of His Highness the Grand Sun."
"Hey, don't talk about it. I've heard about this too. It's really been removed from the yellow book. To say that we, the Governor of Song Town, are so courageous, we dare to touch even His Highness Taisun. I wonder if I drank fake wine.”
"Don't talk nonsense. Just think about it and you will know that His Highness Taisun must have been informed of this matter and dismissed from his post and investigated. This is probably what His Highness Taisun meant."
"That's not the case. It is said that Zhang Qianhu has been following His Highness for many years. I also know a little about the Lu family. It's not a big deal. To be dismissed and investigated like this, is it...?"
"Shut up, Your Highness Taisun is yours to discuss. Be careful not to save your life. However, Your Highness Taisun is really fair and sage. Even if you are wise, Zhang Qianhu's behavior is a violation of the rules."
"That's true. We can't compare to this Thousand Households, but His Highness Taisun is like this. In our yamen, we will see who dares to break this rule in the future."
Jinyiwei was originally a yamen specialized in intelligence, so news of Zhang San's situation spread quickly.
The Jin Yiwei who were originally a little resentful about this suddenly came to their senses.
Your Majesty is like this, how dare you disobey.
Even those who have been with him for many years cannot break the rule, which shows how important this rule is.
Everyone should keep this rule in mind from now on.
In the lobby of the Yamen, the first hundred households clasped their fists and bowed: "Boss, Zhang Qianhu is gone now, what should the subordinates do to the Lu family?"
Song Zhong nodded and said: "Naturally, we will do what we have to do. If Lu Hongzhi cooperates in identifying the senior members of the Beggar Clan, he will be considered guilty and meritorious."
"As for Lu Shuang..."
Song Zhong pondered for a while and then said: "Don't touch this woman Lu Shuang for the time being. We will wait until Lu Hongzhi interrogates her."
Baihu Chi asked: "If Lu Hongzhi denies this, can he be punished?"
Song Zhong smiled and said: "Don't worry, these Jiangnan people who started their business by relying on business methods have no integrity and morality. I'm afraid that the moment you catch him, everything will be explained clearly."
Baihu immediately said: "I understand."
.......
The palace of Prince Yan in the capital,
As Xu Yihua came over with the other two children, the originally deserted Prince Yan's Mansion suddenly felt much livelier.
Especially Zhu Gaoxu and Zhu Gaosui are the most naughty and often change their tricks to have fun.
When they were bored, Zhu Gaoxu and Zhu Gaosui set their sights on Zhu Gaochi.
"The eldest brother is always there. He is out of breath even after walking a few steps. Let's go and tease him." Zhu Gaoxu looked in the direction of the study and suggested.
Zhu Gaosui was Zhu Di's youngest son, and he was the most pampered. He had no fear of his eldest brother, so he happily agreed.
Afterwards, the two rushed into the study, one took away the brush from Zhu Gaochi's hand, the other took away the rice paper, and ran towards the courtyard.
"Brother, come after us."
The two shouted playfully.
Zhu Gaochi stood helplessly at the door of the study, with no intention of chasing him. Instead, he expressed concern loudly: "Second brother, third brother, be careful, don't fall."
When the two of them heard this, they immediately felt that it was meaningless.
At this time, it was Xu Yihua who heard the sound and came over. With just one glance, he understood the situation.
He frowned and scolded: "Xu'er, Sui'er, return the things to your eldest brother. When you get to the capital, you still act like this. It's just nonsense."
"You don't know the slightest bit of etiquette and dignity. If you dare to do this again, I will send you to the palace middle school and let your grandpa Huang discipline you."
When they heard the words "Grandpa Huang", the two of them immediately turned pale.
Zhu Gaosui shivered in fright, and the brush in his hand fell to the ground, and when he saw it, it had been broken into two pieces.
When Zhu Gaochi saw the brush break, a trace of distress flashed in his eyes.
The holder of this writing brush is made of bamboo, and it is not very delicate. It is not even qualified to be used in Prince Yan's palace. Even the writing brush used by servants is much better than this.
However, this writing brush was made by Zhu Gaochi and his mother together, and it was regarded as a treasure on weekdays.
Xu Yihua's sharp eyes recognized him immediately, frowned and shouted: "Why don't you apologize to your elder brother quickly?"
Upon hearing this, Zhu Gaosui quickly bowed and said, "Brother, I'm sorry."
Seeing this, Xu Yihua looked at Zhu Gaoxu and said, "What about you, why don't you apologize to your elder brother."
Although Zhu Gaoxu was very afraid of Grandpa Huang, he still said sternly: "I was just playing with my eldest brother. Besides, mother, look, this rice paper is very good and not damaged, so I don't need to apologize."
Xu Yihua said: "Since ancient times, the elder brother has been treated like a father. It is against the rules and regulations for you to tease the elder brother. It is unfilial. It is unethical to know that you have done something wrong and not repent."
"How can you be a son of man if you are so devoid of virtue and filial piety?"
Zhu Gaoxu never expected that his usually kind mother would scold him like this about his eldest brother.
In this case, for a child over ten years old, it is quite serious.
But Zhu Gaoxu was different. Faced with this reprimand, he not only showed no shame or regret, but held his neck high and said, "Mother, you are partial. You are favoring the eldest brother. I am just playing around with the eldest brother. It's just a joke."
Xu Yihua said: "Knowing that your eldest brother's actions have not changed, why do you still do this? Sui'er, tell me, was it you who brought up the matter of teasing your eldest brother?"
Zhu Gaosui quickly waved his hands and said, "It's not me, it's not me, it's the second brother who said it."
Zhu Gaoxu was so angry that his third brother betrayed him in the blink of an eye.
"Mom, please stop blaming the second and third brothers. We are just joking. The second and third brothers definitely don't mean this."
When Zhu Gaochi saw his mother scolding him, he quickly came over to explain.
Seeing this, Xu Yihua frowned and said, "It is not the way to be a brother to indulge your second and third brothers in this way."
Zhu Gaochi heard this and did not reply. He just bowed deeply and asked for his mother's forgiveness.
Xu Yihua sighed softly, glanced at Zhu Gaosui who was a little scared, and Zhu Gaoxu who looked smug, shook his head slightly, and turned around to leave.
After his mother's figure disappeared, Zhu Gaoxu said coldly: "Eldest brother is putting on a good face."
After saying that, the leader turned and left without looking back.
Zhu Gaosui was a little at a loss. He looked at the back of his second brother as he left. Perhaps because he was afraid that his mother would send him to Gongzhong Academy, by some strange combination of circumstances, he bowed to Zhu Gaochi and saluted before leaving.
Is Zhu Gaochi a deep city?
Not really.
But he had a big heart and a fat body. When faced with his third brother's bow, he bowed in return.
After the two of them left, it was with great pain and difficulty that I picked up the broken bamboo pen and rice paper on the ground.
In his eyes, he only felt pity for the bamboo pen. After all, he and his mother had made it together, but he didn't have the slightest resentment towards his two younger brothers.
It is hard to imagine that in this world, and the eldest son of King Yan, he really has such a big heart.
Perhaps this is why Zhu Ying truly became a friend when she first came into contact with Zhu Gaochi.
He really has a kind heart in his fat body.
The reason Xu Yihua didn't stay too long was because Zhu Di was back.
In the main hall of the palace, Xu Yihua sat next to Zhu Di.
"Yihua, why don't you look right? But there is something troubling you."
Zhu Di asked with concern.
When it comes to their wives, Zhu Di and Zhu Yuanzhang are the same, respecting and loving each other very much.
Since ancient times, the royal family has emphasized having many children and grandchildren, but in Zhu Di's case, he only had Xu Yihua as his wife, not even a concubine. Zhu Di himself had never thought about having a concubine.
The two have known each other since childhood in the palace, and they can be said to be childhood sweethearts.
Xu Yihua said softly: "Your Highness, Chi'er is your eldest son. Even Your Majesty, you value Chi'er very much."
"It's true that I'm a little fatter, but it's not Chi'er's fault,"
"In the eleventh year of Hongwu, when we were in Fengyang, it was my fault. It was my fault."
Initially, Zhu Di's face didn't look very good when he heard his wife talking about his eldest son, but when he heard that Hongwu was in his eleventh year, Zhu Di's face warmed up.
In the ninth year of Hongwu, when Zhu Di was seventeen years old, Zhu Yuanzhang took Zhu Di and other brothers back to his hometown in Fengyang, which was Zhongdu.
Although Fengyang is called the Central Capital, it is located in a deserted area. Zhu Yuanzhang's original intention was to let these sons experience the suffering of the common people.
At the same time, because Zhu Yuanzhang's parents were also buried there, they paid tribute by the way.
This life lasted for three years.
Originally, Xu Yihua did not follow him. It was only after pleading that he got Zhu Yuanzhang's consent.
In the second year, the two became pregnant with Zhu Gaochi.
However, because the conditions were so harsh, Zhu Gaochi was not careful about delivering the baby, which resulted in Zhu Gaochi's difficult delivery.
In the end, mother and child were naturally safe, but it also left hidden dangers for Zhu Gaochi.
The specific symptoms are not yet known. Zhu Gaochi was often frail and sickly as a child, and later became extremely prone to obesity.
Zhu Di often talked about this experience with others. He felt that he was able to achieve great victory and was not afraid of the wind and cold outside the Great Wall because of this experience.
It's just that Xu Yihua almost died because of this.
Seeing that Zhu Di's expression was touched, Xu Yihua continued: "When His Highness Taisun was in Peiping, I also knew about it. He and Chi'er have a very good relationship."
"After the Ming Dynasty, His Highness Taisun ascended the throne. With this relationship, our Prince Yan's Palace will not be far behind in the future."
Zhu Di, who had already calmed down, snorted coldly when he heard this:
"My nephew, my eldest nephew, is not a simple person. Nowadays, there are overseas feudal states, and there are no longer vassal territories in the Ming Dynasty. If you want the territory, you have to fight for it yourself."
"I see, he doesn't care about so much family affection."
Xu Yihua naturally knew about this and said: "Isn't this exactly what you want? How come I don't know that your Highness has wanted to be like His Majesty since he was a child and build his own kingdom."
"When I was in Peiping, I was also diligent in military affairs. I never thought about making contributions and winning the respect of His Majesty."
"Although the Japanese country is far away, I learned from books that it is not poor and backward. At least it is not any worse than Peking."
"At that time, Jianguo became the king, and with the help of the Ming Dynasty, His Highness was in charge of the business and management, and there were no constraints. He should be able to achieve great achievements for a long time."
It’s not that Xu Yihua doesn’t understand everything.
He has been with Queen Ma since he was a child. Under the influence of Queen Ma, he also has his own opinions on political affairs.
As the eldest daughter of Xu Da, if she were not a daughter, she would definitely be a well-known general.
Zhu Di left Peiping without any worries about the vassal territory, just because his wife Xu Yihua was guarding him.
After hearing what his wife said, Zhu Di thought for a while and told what he had told his father this morning.
Then he sighed: "I don't know that the black soil is so fertile. Even if I have seen it before, I didn't take it seriously. If I had known it earlier, then..."
After hearing this, Xu Yihua was also a little surprised.
Peiping is very close to Liaodong, and she has seen black soil.
After coming back to his senses, Xu Yihua frowned and asked:
"What do you mean, Your Highness?"
Zhu Di said with a firm face: "Yihua, help me, I know you can do it. My father loves you the most, especially my mother."
"As long as you open your mouth, my father will definitely agree to let me stay in Peiping or guard Liaodong."
"In terms of merit and strength, no one in this glorious Ming Dynasty can compare with me. I am familiar with Liaodong. Those Mongols and Jurchens can be treated docilely."
"The only problem now is Zhu Ying."
"Zhu Ying just wants me to go out, leave Daming, go overseas, and go to Japan. But you know, I won't argue with him."
"Help me, Yihua."
Hearing this, Xu Yihua was a little moved. In so many years, Zhu Di had never asked him. This was the first time.
Zhu Di has indeed changed a lot now. The main reason for this is Zhu Ying.
Zhu Ying was too familiar with him, especially in Beiping. After contacting Dao Yan, he knew Zhu Di's background very clearly.
This also resulted in Zhu Di being blinded with one simple operation, leaving no one to help him.
"You and I are one husband and wife. If you make a decision, I will give you my full support."
Xu Yihua expressed his position.
Zhu Di was so moved when he heard his wife's statement that he couldn't help but step forward and hold his wife's hands tightly.
"What are you doing in broad daylight?"
"We are already an old married couple, so there is no need to worry about these things."
"You are old."
"It's my fault that I'm old, I'm old, hahaha."
........
Hongwu twenty-five years, November 28th.
Heavy snow fell from the sky.
The entire capital was completely white, and there were almost no vendors on the streets.
Pedestrians are also rare.
This kind of weather can really freeze someone to death.
It was very warm in Fengtian Hall, with more than a dozen bonfires set up here.
"The weather has been very cold recently and the roads have been icy and slippery. Taisun Jin said that in order to avoid accidents and the collapse of Ming Dynasty pillars, it is specially recommended to cancel the morning service in the near future."
"From now on until the beginning of spring, the morning dynasty will be changed to the afternoon dynasty."
In the Fengtian Palace, Zhu Yuanzhang announced the news loudly.
This can be said to be the most important change for the minister so far.
The ministers kowtowed and the mountains shouted long live.
Many civil servants and military officers looked at His Royal Highness with gratitude in their eyes.
The civil servants of the Ming Dynasty, or the entire literati of the past three hundred years before and after the Ming Dynasty, have a very bad reputation in history.
But among them, especially in the early Ming Dynasty, there were many ministers who really did practical things.
How many people are loyal to their principles, have a breeze in their sleeves, and do practical things for the people.
High salary cannot support integrity. Corrupt officials will still be corrupt and will only gain more.
But blindly oppressing ministers is not an option.
These ministers who hold real power cannot even compare with the life of an ordinary businessman, or even their own food and clothing are problems.
Then the problem of corruption will only expand.
It feels like if you are not greedy, you may starve to death.
In the Ming Dynasty, where there is no retirement salary, many officials, especially local officials, just want to make money when they take office.
The reason why I have this idea is to protect my life in my later years.
Big greed is often the beginning of small greed.
Often we start to be greedy just a little bit, maybe just a few taels of silver, but these few taels of silver improve our lives this month.
Then I thought, it would be great if this could happen in the future.
That's it, it's out of control.
It is unrealistic to completely eliminate the existence of corrupt officials. The only thing that can be done is to continuously crack down on corrupt officials.
However, truly honest officials must also be given certain protection in life.
At least when you are working for the Ming Dynasty and the country, you don't have to worry about how to provide tomorrow's meals.
People, after getting used to being oppressed, often find the slightest bit of sweetness sweet to their hearts.
In the nearly twenty-six years of the Ming Dynasty, the officials in the court finally felt the care and love from their superiors.
Not to mention how excited it was.
In fact, Zhu Ying had this suggestion only as a last resort.
Through inquiries, Zhu Ying discovered one thing: every winter, the death and illness rate of officials is very high.
There are even a few officials who freeze to death due to typhoid fever every year.
Some people who don't have much money may freeze to death on the roadside while walking on the street.
This is a minister who can enter the Fengtian Palace. In the entire Ming Dynasty, he can say a few words at the top of power.
How many years of study, or how many achievements have been made, can one be able to enter the Fengtian Palace and discuss state affairs with the Holy One?
This situation is getting worse every year.
Today's officials are tenured for life, which also means that the earliest batch of courtiers are not very different in age from Zhu Yuanzhang.
Most young officials, without qualifications, are still in the queue.
In Fengtian Temple, aging is the norm.
The old man is the most unable to withstand the severe cold. Due to the lack of physical function, the dawn is already late in winter. He walks on the frozen road in the dark snow. No one knows if he falls, and he loses his life all of a sudden.
"Grandson, now your heroic feats have earned you a great reputation among the officials."
"These civil servants are the leaders of scholars. I'm afraid it won't be long before the spring begins, and your reputation as a wise grandson will be spread throughout the entire Ming Dynasty."
Zhu Yuanzhang said with a smile.
In fact, when he first heard Da Sun's suggestion, Zhu Yuanzhang subconsciously opposed it.
But then I thought about it, maybe this would be very helpful to Da Sun's reputation. After thinking about it carefully, I felt that it made some sense.
The grounds of the palace were cleaned by eunuchs every day, and the roads were slippery, let alone inside the capital city.
So he agreed to Da Sun's suggestion.
"Grandpa, thank you. My grandson just feels that it would be a bit too uncomfortable if our Ming Dynasty talents suffered unnecessary losses due to weather factors."
"As far as my grandson knows, the ministers who are able to go to the Fengtian Palace must have studied hard for many years in Hanchuang, or they have a very good reputation in the local area, so they have this opportunity."
"Every one of them is indispensable to our Ming Dynasty."
Zhu Ying replied humbly.
Zhu Yuanzhang nodded, and then asked: "I heard from the Army and Horse Department that you have recently started selling the coal used by the Gunpowder Department at a low price?"
Coal is not a cheap commodity in today's Ming Dynasty. The cost of collecting coal is extremely high.
That is to say, only wealthy households can afford to use coal for heating, and firewood is generally the main source.
