In the eighteenth year of Hongzhi, it was the twenty-third day of the twelfth lunar month.
Both inside and outside the imperial court were preparing for the Yuan Dynasty celebrations. In seven days, the Ming Dynasty will officially change its reign name to Zhengde. The prosperous era of Hongzhi will be completely relegated to history.
The wheel of history is rolling forward. Not only the wheel of Ming Dynasty, but also the wheel of the world.
The eighteenth year of Hongzhi is 1505 in the Gregorian calendar.
In the past year. The Portuguese began to colonize Mozambique in Africa and Sri Lanka in Asia. Their colonial tentacles even extended to India, and Manuel I appointed Almeida as the first Governor-General of India. The barbarians, "with a sword in their right hand and a cross in their left hand", had invaded several places in the Mughal Empire.
This year, Magellan embarked on his first ocean voyage.
When someone sets out, someone returns.
This year, Columbus ended the last voyage of his life and returned to his homeland despite his illness.
This year, Grand Duke Ivan III of Moscow died. Basil III gained power through a coup. From the moment he ascends the throne of the Grand Duke, he will devote himself to the cause of unifying Russia. During his reign, he would annex the Principality of Pskov, recapture Smolinsk from the powerful Lithuania, annex the Principality of Ryazan, and complete the unification of the major principalities in Northeast Russia.
Changfu.
Chang Tian and Huang Yuan led their eight-year-old son Huang Chengen to set off firecrackers at the door.
Huang Chengen jumped up and down happily: "Mom, firecrackers are so fun!"
Chang Tian said, "What's so fun about this? Firecrackers blowing up cesspits, that's what fun is!"
Tangtang, the greedy little girl back then, is now a mother, but she still shows off her naughty nature from time to time.
Huang Yuan smiled and said: "My princess, you won't teach our son how to order. The son of the princess is blowing up a cesspit with firecrackers? What do you think?"
The study room in the house. Chang Feng is reading Chang Ponu’s letter.
Chang Ponu first sent his greetings to his father, mother and daughter in the letter.
Next, he reported to his father the results of his salt patrol trip for more than half a year.
During the past six months, he and Wang Miaoxin inspected five major salt fields and recovered 3.8 million taels of salt tax for the court.
This is only the salt tax recovered, and does not include the income from the investigation and confiscation of stolen officials’ property in the salt case.
The total amount of stolen money confiscated from the property of corrupt officials will only be more, not less, than the amount of salt tax recovered on the surface.
Chang Feng looked at this astonishing number and suddenly discovered that the corruption of officials caused by the prosperous period of Hongzhi had penetrated into the bones of the Ming Dynasty.
Emperor Zhengde just sent people to inspect the salt affairs, and the total amount of dirty silver and tax collected was about seven to eight million taels. What about the copper department, tea service, silk service, water transportation and a series of fat and oily yamen?
According to the official list of the Ministry of Personnel, there are a total of 2,995 civil servants of seventh grade and above in the Ming Dynasty. There are a total of 5,787 eighth- and ninth-grade civil servants. A total of 8,782 people.
Among these eight thousand civil servants, how can there be one thousand honest officials?
For a moment, Chang Feng suddenly felt confused.
Chang Feng has been in the officialdom for more than 20 years, but he still retains a trace of conscience. It's not much, but it's enough. In his view, being an official with integrity is the most basic ethics for an official.
He struggled in the Hongzhi Dynasty for eighteen years, starting from the time when he was saved in the last years of Chenghua. It can be said that he dedicated his whole life.
The result of half a lifetime of running around was that the level of official corruption in the late Hongzhi Dynasty was more than ten times that of the late Chenghua Dynasty.
Liu Xiaoyan shouted: "What are you doing standing still? We are going to celebrate the New Year as the New Year. Let's go to the dining room to eat dumplings!"
This shout interrupted Chang Feng's thoughts.
Chang Feng stood up: "I'm reading Po Nu's letter. Let's go eat dumplings."
Liu Xiaoyan said: "I have read this letter no less than ten times. Do you really miss our son that much?"
Chang Feng smiled and said, "You haven't read it more than ten times?"
While they were talking, the servant informed: "Eunuch Liu Jin and Liu Jin are here to wish me a happy birthday."
As soon as he finished speaking, Liu Jin had already walked into the study. He said to his servant: "I told you earlier, your master and I are the same family, there is no need to communicate."
Chang Feng deliberately bowed his hands and saluted seriously: "I have met Eunuch Liu."
Liu Jin's expression changed: "Uncle, if you do this, you don't regard me as one of your own!"
Chang Feng smiled and said: "Although Xiao Jing and Qian Neng are still in office, they are no longer in charge. You are now the de facto boss of the Supervisor of Ceremonies. I have to respect you."
Liu Jin said: "Even if one day I become the Master of Ceremonies, you will still be my little uncle. The kindness of knowing and saving my life will never be repaid. Without you, I am afraid I would still be a humble fireman."
Liu Xiaoyan said from the side: "It's better to come early than to come late. Let's go eat dumplings."
Liu Jin said, "I want to eat the dumplings. But I have to tell my uncle and aunt the great news first!"
"The emperor has instructed Ma Wensheng, the Minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, to promote Ponu to the rank of doctor in the Qing Dynasty, Beizhili, Hubu, with a full rank of fifth rank! He has been promoted four levels in a row! The emperor asked him to return to the capital immediately to take up his post."
He is worthy of being the emperor's companion when he was young. For an ordinary new scholar, it may take ten or eight years to go from the seventh rank to the fifth rank.
Chang Feng heard a strong political signal from this good news: "So, the emperor is going to suspend the investigation of the salt case?"
Liu Jin nodded slightly.
When talking about government affairs, Liu Xiaoyan left wisely.
Liu Jin continued: "Wang Miaoxin has also been transferred back to Beijing. The reason is that the Tatar Ministry has been harassing people at the border recently. Wang Miaoxin was transferred back to Beijing to take charge of military affairs against the Tatars."
Chang Feng said: "The emperor may have done this to stabilize the civil servant group before making big moves against them."
"Po Nu and Miaoxin have already inspected the Lianghuai Salt Fields and are about to go to Hangzhou to inspect the Liangzhe Salt Fields. They will uncover a lot of civil servants involved in the case."
"Your Majesty, your sage. If you cut the grass before hitting the snake, it will scare the snake."
"It's right to let them return to the capital. We must first pretend to give up when things go well and stop all activities to paralyze the civil servants."
Liu Jin raised his thumb: "Uncle, you and the late emperor are kings and ministers who know each other. You and I are also kings and ministers! That's what the emperor thinks!"
"Although Po Nu has not inspected all the salt fields this time, he has recovered 3.8 million taels from the national treasury and replenished the internal transportation warehouse with more than 3 million taels."
"This is a great achievement. He is well-deserved for being promoted to four levels in a row. Po Nu is only twenty years old after the New Year, and he has already been promoted to the fifth level. In my opinion, in less than ten years, he will become the founder of the Ming Dynasty. The youngest minister ever!"
Chang Feng smiled and said: "Then let me borrow Eunuch Liu's good words. Let's go and eat dumplings."
Liu Jin said, "Wait a minute. We haven't finished talking about business yet. It's His Majesty's decree. Tonight he wants to privately meet with Fei Laishi who lives in the Siyi Hall of the Ministry of Rites. He ordered you to handle this matter."
It has been a month since Pillais arrived in Beijing. However, Emperor Zhengde never met the superiors - the cabinet objected.
The cabinet's reasons are very good: Franji is not a vassal state of the Ming Dynasty. His envoys are not official envoys of the vassal vassal. Not worthy of meeting the noble Son of Heaven.
Emperor Zhengde had no choice but to surrender first. Everything he does now is in service of the court cleansing plan that will start next year. He needed to hold back for a while before launching a fatal blow to the auxiliaries.
But his strong curiosity drove him to be eager to see the Western envoys.
So he simply handed the matter over to Chang Feng.
In the eyes of the young emperor, the old fox Chang Feng was a capable man who could do anything. Little things like this can definitely be done.
Chang Feng said: "I can handle such a small matter in two hours. You go to the dining room to eat dumplings first. After that, chat with Tangtang, Huang Yuan and the others. I will be back in the afternoon."
An hour and a half later. The chief guest of the Ministry of Rites, the doctor, was at Anmin's home.
Yu Anmin is forty years old this year. He is a standard civil servant and bureaucrat who is full of benevolence, justice and morality.
The Ministry of Rites of the Ming Dynasty was equivalent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs + Ministry of Education + Ministry of Propaganda + Ministry of Culture + Bureau of Religion in later generations. The host and guest department is responsible for diplomacy.
Yu Anmin is equivalent to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Ming Dynasty.
Yu Anmin was in the hall, listening to his four sons reciting Wen Tianxiang's "Song of Righteousness" in unison.
This is a regular program for the Yu family during the Lunar New Year. In Lao Yu's words, this is the Yu family's family tradition.
"The heaven and earth have righteousness, and are mixed and endowed with manifolds."
Yu Anmin closed his eyes and listened to the recitation of his four sons.
After reciting it, he taught his four sons: "As a human being, you should follow Wen Tianxiang's example. You should be upright and have no fear of evil, life or death."
At this moment, an uninvited guest came to the house - Chang Feng.
Chang Feng clapped his hands: "Well said, well said. Yu Langzhong, what a wonderful young year."
Yu Anmin was startled when he saw Chang Feng, and subconsciously shrank his neck: "Chang Tu. Oh no, Governor Chang, why are you here in the humble house?"
Chang Feng sat down on the chair unceremoniously: "Come to wish you a happy life, Mr. Yu. I'm not the King of Hell who seeks life. Didn't you just teach the children not to be afraid of evil, life and death? Why did you meet me? My face turned pale?"
Yu Anmin told his four sons: "You go out first."
After the four sons left, Yu Anmin walked up to Chang Feng and said, "Captain Chang, I don't seem to have offended you."
Chang Feng said: "But you have violated the national law. The Jinyi Guards have the duty to detect the illegal behavior of all officials."
Yu Anmin said tremblingly: "How can Governor Chang taint someone's innocence out of thin air?"
Chang Feng took out a pamphlet from his arms, opened one page, and read: "On the twelfth night of July, the eighteenth year of Hongzhi, Lin Yan, the head of the Host and Guest Department of the Ministry of Rites, wanted to promote Yuanwailang. He bribed Yu Anmin, the doctor directly under him. Five hundred taels. Yu Anmin strongly recommended him in front of the officials of the headquarters, and Lin Yan got what he wanted. It was a case of accepting bribes and selling out his official position."
After hearing this, Yu Anmin's face turned even more pale.
Chang Feng said: "I know that if the head of the Sixth Department wants to be promoted to a foreign minister, he has to give money to the doctor directly under him and ask for recommendation. This has become an unwritten rule in the officialdom. But this rule is against the king's law."
"I can now put you in jail for taking bribes and selling out your position. You will have to spend this year in jail."
Yu Anmin knelt down to Chang Feng.
Literary men often have flexible moral values. When drinking with fellow civil servants on weekdays, Yu Anmin would always say something like: "I and the eunuch factory guards have no relationship with each other."
When he really fell into the hands of the factory guards, he knelt down faster than anyone else.
As a digression, the Qing army marched southward after entering the customs. In every city he passed, there were a bunch of local civil servants with "awe-inspiring righteousness" kneeling down to greet him. Shaving off the money rat's tail, these moral gentlemen are more proactive than anyone else. I have long forgotten about "parents who care about body, hair and skin".
Back to business.
Yu Anmin was scared and anxious. Beads of sweat broke out on his forehead: "Captain Chang, you know the six departments! Among the six departments, the Rites Department is the poorest."
"As an officer in the Ministry of Rites, I can only get a few coins for recommending people. Of the other five ministers, which family doesn't have ten thousand taels of silver? The five hundred taels I charge are not enough for them to buy a high-quality Yangzhou." Where’s the skinny one!”
"Why are you staring at me?"
Chang Feng said: "That's all, I'm too lazy to take off my pants and fart with you. I told you Ming that I will ask you to do something today. If you do it, I will naturally not hold you accountable. If not, then we have to press five Pai Shi said it well."
Yu Anmin said: "If you have anything to do, Governor Chang, just ask me. I will definitely do my best."
Chang Feng said: "This matter is very simple. The Siyi Pavilion is under the jurisdiction of the host and guest department, right?"
Yu Anmin replied: "Exactly."
Chang Feng said again: "The group of Westerners that Jinyiwei brought from the south live in the Host and Guest Department, right?"
Yu Anmin replied: "Exactly."
Chang Feng said: "My request is very simple. Today is the Little New Year. The host and guest should let these foreign envoys have fun and feel the atmosphere of the Ming Dynasty celebrating the Little New Year."
"Tonight, you take them to the Jiaofangsi to enjoy singing and dancing."
Yu Anmin was stunned: "That's it?"
Chang Feng nodded: "That's it. You can do it with just your mouth."
Yu Anmin raised his eyebrows with joy: "It's done, it's done. I will definitely finish the errands assigned by the Governor Chang."
Chang Feng stood up: "Just now you taught your four sons to imitate Wen Tianxiang. Wen Tianxiang's knees are not as weak as yours. Come on, get up."
That night, Yu Anmin led a dozen Francois to the Jiaofang Division.
Jiaofangsi's singing and dancing are unparalleled in the world. The Francois were stunned. It made Piles even shed tears.
Pillais was not lusting after the bodies of those dancing girls. But the silk clothes worn by the dancers.
Before coming to Jiaofangsi, Yu Anmin did some popular science for them. Most of the dancers in Jiaofangsi are the female relatives of criminal officials.
Their status is humble, they are slaves.
Pillais came to Ming Dynasty with an interpreter. The interpreter told Piles that the slaves were similar to the female slaves in Europe.
Pillais looked at the silks on the dancers and thought to himself: The clothes on these slave girls should be shipped to Lisbon. I'm afraid the ladies of the palace will have to pay a high price to get it.
Ming Dynasty was really too wealthy. Even the clothes worn by the slave girl were worth at least thirty gold escudo coins.
If I can establish trade with the Ming Dynasty, I will be equivalent to bringing a golden mountain to King Manuel! His Majesty the King cannot make me a Duke?
At this moment, Chang Feng came in front of everyone.
Chang Feng asked Yu Anmin: "Who is the Western envoy?"
Yu Anmin pointed at Pillais: "He is the envoy of the Franco Kingdom."
Chang Feng frowned: "Why did you choose such a fancy name? Can he speak Chinese?"
Yu Anmin shook his head: "He doesn't know how. Interpretation meeting."
After speaking, Yu Anmin pointed to one of them: "This man's name is Ya San, which is the general translation."
Ya San, full name Hawk Ya San. He is from Malacca (Malacca).
As early as the Taizong period when Zheng He went to the Western Seas, Manlajia was considered a bathing king. There are many people in the country who can read Chinese characters and speak Chinese.
When the Piles fleet passed through Managa, they hired a local, Hawke Asan, as an interpreter to come to the Ming Dynasty with them.
Chang Feng said: "Let Pei Lai Shi and Ya San come with me to meet someone."
Ya San translated Chang Feng’s words to Pi Leisi.
Pillais asked Yu Anmin: "Who is this?"
Pi Leisi said something, and Ya San translated it.
Yu Anmin said: "This is the Commander-in-Chief of the Ming Dynasty, Chang Feng Chang Shuai, who is in charge of the royal guards."
Ya San's translation of the official position "Dudu Qianshi, in charge of Jinyi Weishi" is quite reliable. He told Pillais that the man in front of him was equivalent to the Portuguese deputy commander of the army and commander of the Royal Guards.
Pillais and Ya San followed Chang Feng to a quiet room in the Jiaofang Division.
Pillais saw a handsome young man sitting on a chair.
The handsome young man is none other than Emperor Zhengde, the emperor of tomorrow.
Emperor Zhengde went on tour incognito this time. Dressed like a dandy in the capital.
Chang Feng said: "The person in front of you is His Majesty the Great Emperor Zhengde of the Ming Dynasty. Why don't you quickly kneel down and salute?"
After Ya San translated, Pi Lais knelt down and kowtowed to Emperor Zhengde smoothly, with smooth movements.
Some TV dramas from later generations always mention that Magurni came to the Qing Dynasty to meet the cowardly emperor Qianlong and refused to kneel down, which is actually nonsense.
White Europeans, like Han civil servants, have flexible moral values. As long as you can achieve trade and make a lot of money, let alone kowtow. If you ask him to eat shit, he will turn into the old man from the island city and shout, "Fuck you, Ollie, um, it smells so good!"
While Pillais was still floating on the sea, Ya San had already roughly given him some Ming etiquette.
Emperor Zhengde looked at Pillais and said, "Although your name is inelegant, you still know how to be polite. You should be flat."
After Ya San translated, Pillais stood up.
Emperor Zhengde asked: "What is the population of your country of Franco? Where is it?"
Piles is an old navigator. He didn't bring a map, but it wasn't a problem for him. He pointed to the pen in front of Emperor Zhengde's case: "Can I draw it with a pen?"
After Ya San translated, Emperor Zhengde happily agreed.
Chang Feng walked to the case, took out a pen and paper, and handed it to Pillais.
Pires drew a simplified version of the world map, pointed with his finger and said: "This is my homeland Portugal. This is the Ming Dynasty."
"My country has a population of 1.5 million."
He said something and Ya San translated it.
Emperor Zhengde smiled and said: "Only 1.5 million people? Our Ming Dynasty has 60 million people. So, your king has more power than the prefect of Ming Dynasty, but less power than the governor of southern Gansu."
Then Emperor Zhengde walked up to Pillais and looked at the map: "This is your country. It's not far away from the map."
Pillais replied: "It's not far on the map, but it's a 40,000-mile voyage to your country."
Emperor Zhengde was surprised: "You said you have drifted on the sea for 40,000 miles? It is twice as long as Zheng He's voyage to the West!"
"We in the Ming Dynasty have a saying that it is a joy to have friends from far away. You have traveled 40,000 miles across the ocean to come to the Ming Dynasty. This alone shows your sincerity."
Pillais said: "The Kingdom of Portugal has enough sincerity to become your country's trading partner."
Emperor Zhengde said: "I have to admit that although your country is small, the firearms it produces are really powerful. Many of the blunderbuss and cannons in the Manufacturing Office of the Ministry of War of the Ming Dynasty are imitations of your Franconian firearms."
Piles heard from Ya San that the Ming Emperor was interested in Portuguese guns. God immediately came to him: "We can use the world's most advanced arms in exchange for your country's silk, tea, and porcelain."
In fact, there are many obvious things in Portugal. But when these open goods flow to Portugal, without exception, middlemen earn more than ten times or even dozens of times the price difference.
The middlemen are Japanese pirates.
If we can get rid of the middlemen and establish direct trade relations with Ming Dynasty. That trip to Pillai was truly worthwhile.
Zhu Houzhao smiled and said: "Business? Yes! It will also save the gentry in the south from making a lot of money from smuggling trade. However, this matter goes against the ancestral system, and I need to consider it in the long run."
After Ya San translated, Piles was overjoyed: "Oh, my great and generous Emperor. Your wisdom is enough to illuminate the whole of Asia, oh no, the whole world!"
Zhu Houzhao said: "But the Ming Dynasty has tens of thousands of goods. How much can you buy every year? You can't exchange much just for those guns and cannons."
Chang Feng answered: "That's what the emperor said. I have investigated the smuggling cases of the Sihaihui and Shuangmuhui before. If the smuggling trade becomes official trade, Westerners will have to spend at least tens of millions of taels of silver every year to buy Ming products. How can a small country with a population of 1.5 million get so much money?"
After Ya San translated, Pillais said: "Absolutely no problem! Our Kingdom of Portugal has just discovered two large silver mines in Latin America. The annual output of two silver mines, converted into the Ming Dynasty's monetary unit of 'liang', is about About fifteen million taels!”
Zhu Houzhao had already been interested in doing business with Westerners.
At the age of fifteen, he was in his rebellious phase. He opposed whatever the civil servants approved of. Whatever the civil servants objected to, he approved of it.
What's more, he had long heard Chang Feng talk about the tricks of civil servants in the southeast. It is false to maintain the ancestral system of sealing off customs and seas, but it is true to make a fortune through smuggling trade.
If the switch opens to the sea, the smuggling trade will lose huge profits. That was more painful than having the flesh of civil servants cut out.
But I heard from Piles that Franco discovered two large silver mines in the Americas, producing fifteen million taels of silver every year. Zhu Houzhao murmured in his heart again.
Zhu Houzhao murmured to himself: "The silver mine can produce fifteen million taels of silver every year? Is that silver still silver? Isn't it dumb iron? You are equivalent to exchanging worthless dumb iron for Ming Dynasty's real goods."
"There will be more and more silver in the Ming Dynasty. In the end, it will become less and less valuable like treasure banknotes."
Although Zhu Houzhao did not understand the economics of later generations, he did not understand inflation and deflation.
But he understands the simplest truth: rare things are valuable.
Silver is also a "thing", and if you have more of it, it becomes less valuable.
It is not easy for a fifteen-year-old boy born at the end of the fifteenth century to think of this level.
Zhu Houzhao is a sensible person!
A poet who was good at war in later generations said: "Except for the two emperors Taizu and Chengzu of the Ming Dynasty who did better, and Wuzong and Yingzong of the Ming Dynasty who were slightly better, the rest of the emperors in the Ming Dynasty were not good."
Yes, that "poet who is good at fighting" is the person you think of.
He had such a high opinion of Zhu Houzhao. It can be seen that Zhu Houzhao is not as bad as in "History of Ming Dynasty".
Zhu Houzhao said: "That's bullshit. I have to think about the trade issue again. You go back to your home country first. The interpreter Asan has to stay with me. I want to learn Western from him."
Zhu Houzhao was the first Han emperor to learn a foreign language as recorded in history books.
After hearing this, Pillais was surprised and said: "The great emperor asked me to return to the country? Is he no longer interested in trade?"
Zhu Houzhao smiled and said: "Don't worry. You have traveled thousands of miles, no, forty thousand miles to come to Ming Dynasty. I will not let you return empty-handed. Chang Feng, say hello to the host and guest. I will reward you with two thousand pieces of fine silk." This batch of silk will be shipped from our internal shipping warehouse."
Chang Feng said: "No shit, did you hear that, the emperor is using his own money to reward you! Two thousand pieces of silk!"
After Ya San translated, Pillais was stunned.
Two thousand bolts of silk? If I successfully bring it back to Europa, I'm afraid it can be sold for 100,000 escudo gold coins! I will be the richest man in all of Portugal!
Pillais kowtowed as if he was pounding garlic: "Great Emperor, your generosity is enough to illuminate the whole world!"
Zhu Houzhao added: "Asan stayed in the Ming Dynasty and taught me how to speak Western languages. I will not treat him badly and give him a salary of three hundred taels of silver per month."
As soon as Ya San heard this, he kowtowed hurriedly: "Long live the great emperor!"
Zhu Houzhao told Chang Feng: "Return these two people to Liu Anmin first."
Chang Feng led the two of them away. After a while he left and returned.
Zhu Houzhao asked: "Chang Qing, what do you think of the trade issue?"
Chang Feng said: "More than ten years ago, I discussed with Yang Tinghe, who was the head of the Ministry of Rites at the time, about letting Japan pay direct tribute of silver."
"Yang Tinghe said that if the Japanese country directly tributes silver, there will be a big disadvantage."
"Silver is produced in Japan. Japan has several large silver mines such as Iwami and Ikuno. They produce huge amounts of silver every year. Although silver in their country cannot be said to be the same as iron, its value is indeed not high."
"If the Japanese country used a large amount of silver to buy our silk, tea and other products, a large amount of silver would flow into the Ming Dynasty, and the silver in the Ming Dynasty would be worthless."
"After paying a very low price, the Japanese people will buy the items that our silk workers and tea farmers have worked hard to produce back to Japan, making it cheaper for them to enjoy."
"Yang Tinghe's point of view is very insightful. The tribute paid between Japan and the Ming Dynasty is, to put it bluntly, trade."
"The Western world now looks very much like the Japanese country. It has several large silver mines in its hands, producing massive amounts of silver every year."
Emperor Zhengde said: "Yes! This is what I am worried about. Although there is smuggling trade in the south, the scale is never as large as the official trade with great fanfare. The amount of silver flowing into the Ming Dynasty is limited."
"Once I clear the customs and open the sea, the silver flowing into Ming Dynasty will probably not be the number it is now."
"I think, let's just leave it like this. Let's forget about clearing the customs and opening up the sea. Just leave Ya San and let Ya San teach me about Western languages and tell me what the West is like."
Recorded in history books. At the beginning of the 16th century, King Manuel I of Portugal sent an envoy, Piles, to the Ming Dynasty to seek trade, but was rejected by Emperor Zhengde.
Emperor Zhengde left behind an interpreter, Ya San. Ya San became the medium through which Emperor Zhengde learned about Europa. Ya San often played with Emperor Zhengde and chatted with each other in Portuguese for fun.
However, Yasan is proud of his favor. Secretly befriending his favorite minister Jiang Bin. After the death of Emperor Zhengde, Yasan was involved in Jiang Bin's rebellion and was killed.
Chang Feng protected Emperor Zhengde, who was on patrol incognito, back to the palace, and then returned to the mansion to celebrate the New Year with his family.
Liu Jin asked: "Is the matter finished? The emperor has returned to the palace?"
Chang Feng nodded slightly: "It's done."
Chang Tian said: "Your Majesty, you really have to do errands for me during the Spring Festival."
Liu Jin smiled and said: "Little Tangtang, this just shows that my little uncle is favored! My little uncle is really a great favorite of the Zhu Ming royal family. The late emperor valued him, and he is also favored by the emperor today. He is the first to think of anything that happens. That’s little uncle.”
Chang Tian smiled and said: "You still call me Little Tangtang. My son will be nine years old after the Chinese New Year!"
Chang Feng interjected: "Even if you are eighty years old, you are still a little Tangtang in the eyes of me and Liu Jin."
Liu Xiaoyan and Madam Ninth led the maids to bring the dumplings. The whole family had a great meal with Liu Jin.
Liu Xiaoyan said: "Eunuch Liu, I have something to ask you."
Liu Jin asked: "What's the matter? Just follow my instructions, no matter what I ask."
Liu Xiaoyan said: "This is a matter of accumulating virtue and doing good deeds. There is a servant named Lu in the Zhang family of Marquis Chengyang, who is very good at making pickled sparrows. He has a son who is eight years old this year. He is very naughty and his name is Lu Fang."
"While playing in the stable, little Lu Fang accidentally knocked her foot on the guillotine used to cut horse feed, breaking her penis."
Liu Jin sighed after hearing this: "What a miserable child!"
Liu Xiaoyan said: "Who says it's not the case? Originally, his father worked as a servant in the Marquis Chengyang family and earned five or six taels of silver per month. He is considered a well-fed family in the capital."
"Who would have thought that after such a disaster, this child would have his manhood cut off and become a middle-aged man from now on. Can Eunuch Liu do a good deed and bring him into the palace as a eunuch?"
Liu Jin is very good at talking: "It's a trivial matter! Auntie, this is giving me an opportunity to do good deeds!"
"It just so happened that after he ascended the throne, the emperor repeatedly showed his favor to the feudal kings. He gave many maids and eunuchs to the feudal kings."
"No, the emperor issued another decree yesterday. It is the third time this year that he has rewarded vassal kings from various places. I think I will let him go to Prince Xing's Mansion in Huguang as an errand."
"Tomorrow let the little boy and his parents go to my outer house. I will take him to the inner prison to put a sign on him."
Chang Feng answered: "I know Prince Xing's Mansion well. My subordinate Lu Song is at Prince Xing's Mansion. I wrote a letter to him and asked him to take care of this poor baby."
Liu Jin said: "It's done."
In the past year, Liu Jin was entrusted by someone to send two young eunuchs to Prince Xing's Mansion in Huguang.
One is Huang Jin who was sent to Prince Xing's Mansion by Qian Neng.
One was Lu Fang who was entrusted by Liu Xiaoyan and sent to Prince Xing's Mansion.
The family finished the New Year's Eve dinner happily.
Liu Jin said: "Little uncle, can we talk to you in the study?"
Chang Feng nodded and followed Liu Jin to the study.
Liu Jin said: "There are some words that the emperor cannot tell you directly. I can only relay them."
"In the spring of next year, the emperor will take action against the civil servants in the court. Then you will be the emperor's dagger. But the emperor does not intend to kill people, he only intends to let them pack up and get out."
"The emperor said, 'After all, the relationship between king and subject, master and disciple, let others live.'"
Chang Feng said: "The emperor is truly a kind king."
Liu Jin changed the topic: "However, before taking action, the emperor needs to complete an important thing."
Chang Feng blurted out: "You mean the wedding?"
Liu Jin nodded: "That's right. According to the rules of our Han Dynasty, the young emperor can only formally rule after his wedding."
"Today, Liu Jian, Li Dongyang, and Xie Qian are still assistant ministers. The emperor has no say in government affairs. Therefore, the top priority after the New Year is to choose a virtuous queen for the emperor."
"If this matter is left to the Ministry of Rites, Liu Jian and Xie Qian will hinder it."
"I think it was you, my uncle, who was in charge of the Queen Mother's entry into the palace. Now, the Emperor has discussed with the Queen Mother and left it to you to handle the selection of the Queen."
Chang Feng frowned: "What does the emperor mean by letting Jin Yiwei be responsible for the election? Isn't this against etiquette? The Ministry of Rites has always been responsible for this matter."
Liu Jin said with a smile: "It's up to you, little uncle, to find a way to make the unethical things legal."
Emperor Zhengde seemed to have given Chang Feng an impossible task.
Once word got out that Jin Yiwei was in charge of the post-election campaign, would the civil servants go crazy?
Besides, how can it be possible for Jin Yiwei to be in a legal manner after being selected?
Chang Feng looked sad: "This is not easy to handle."
Liu Jin put a high hat on Chang Feng at the right time: "The emperor said, 'My uncle is best at making difficult things easy to handle'."
"The wedding is a key step for the emperor to regain power from the civil servants. Don't shirk it, little uncle."
Chang Feng could only say: "Okay, let me think of a way."
Seven days later, the sound of firecrackers is heard, and the spring breeze brings warmth to Tusu.
The Spring Festival of the first year of Zhengde came quietly.
Changing the Yuan is a big deal. It was naturally inevitable for Emperor Zhengde to participate in tedious rituals such as sacrifices.
Naturally, Chang Feng took care of all the accompanying security matters.
On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, Chang Feng finally breathed a sigh of relief. Most of the sacrifices and ceremonies are finally over. Everything went smoothly.
On the day when Emperor Zhengde offered sacrifices to the ancestral temple, colorful auspicious clouds appeared over the capital, a sign of good fortune. There was joy both inside and outside the court.
On this day, Emperor Zhengde summoned Chang Feng in Qianqing Palace.
This half month has exhausted the little emperor. Emperor Zhengde was almost half-lying on the dragon chair, giving instructions to Chang Feng.
If Liu Jian, Xie Qian, and Li Dongyang were present, they would definitely reprimand Emperor Zhengde for not paying attention to his dignity.
Emperor Zhengde smiled and said: "Two things. That Ya San is really interesting. I plan to let him join your Jinyi Guards and become a Han general. In this way, he can always be by my side."
Chang Feng said: "I will enroll Yasan in Jinyiwei tomorrow and give him a waist badge."
Emperor Zhengde seemed to want to show off in front of Chang Feng: "In the past few nights, I have been learning from Ya San in Franji. Chang Qing, do you know how to say 'money' in Franji? How much do you pay?" Say? How do you say 'I want to do business with you', how do you say 'Nice to meet you'?"
Chang Feng couldn't laugh or cry: "My knowledge is shallow and I don't know anything."
Emperor Zhengde told Chang Feng what Franji said: "'Money' means 'delivering beans'."
"'How much money do you have to pay' is like a piece of shit."
"'I want to do business with you' means 'the earth comes to cut and sell thunder, and the shit to drip is seen'."
(The fat author has passed the Portuguese C2 test, and this is the pronunciation, so authentic!)
Although Chang Feng heard a question mark, he still praised: "The emperor is truly the most knowledgeable monarch in history!"
After talking about Ya San, Emperor Zhengde said again: "The second thing is that Jin Yiwei has been in charge of the election for more than half a month. Have you figured out a way to make this matter legal?"
Chang Feng cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, I just thought of a way."
Emperor Zhengde said: "You don't need many methods. Just what works. Tell me quickly."
Chang Feng said: "After the election, you must comply with etiquette and law, and you cannot avoid the Ministry of Etiquette."
Emperor Zhengde frowned: "Let the Ministry of Rites handle this matter. Liu Jian and Xie Qian can delay it for three to five years! As long as I don't have a wedding, I can't be in charge. They will still be auxiliary to the government. I have no say in the affairs of the court. !”
Chang Feng said: "Your Majesty, Rong Chen, has finished speaking. Po Nu will return to Beijing in a few days. You have just promoted him to the rank of doctor in the Northern Zhili Qing Li Division of the Ministry of Household Affairs. Why not transfer him to the Ministry of Rites."
"I went to the Ministry of Personnel to inquire about Ma Lao's office. The doctor in the Ceremony Department of the Ministry of Etiquette is vacant."
"If Po Nu becomes the director of the Ministry of Rites, you can issue an order and Po Nu will be fully responsible for post-election matters."
"If Po Nu is responsible, doesn't it mean that I am responsible behind the scenes? If I am responsible, then Jin Yiwei is responsible."
Emperor Zhengde blurted out: "Uncle, you are so good!"
Chang Feng said: "The emperor has given you too much praise."
Emperor Zhengde praised: "In terms of court skills, my uncle has reached the state of enlightenment and is extremely proficient!"
Chang Feng smiled awkwardly: "It's not worth mentioning."
Emperor Zhengde said: "Just as you said. As soon as Ponu returns to the capital, I will say hello to Ma Wensheng from the Ministry of Personnel and ask Ponu to be transferred to the Ministry of Rites."
Don't look at Liu Jian and Xie Qian's fierce momentum in the court, with a posture that covers the sky with one hand. But the personnel power of the imperial court is not in their hands.
Because the person in charge of the official department is Ma Wensheng, a ruthless man.
Lao Ma has seniority and a good reputation. He was one of the first three gentlemen of Hongzhi. This old guy is just like Wang Shu. He is a civil servant who has slashed people with a knife. He is not afraid of anyone when he is cruel. Liu Jian and Xie Qian didn't dare to mess with him.
Lao Ma's attitude towards Liu Jian and Xie Qian is "the water in the well does not interfere with the water in the river". You can recommend people for promotion normally, but our staff department will investigate.
If you are really capable and have good conduct, the officials will agree. Otherwise, no need to discuss!
Of course, Liu Jian and Xie Qian are also two of the "last three gentlemen". Although there is some nepotism in recommending people, I will never recommend mediocre idiots.
It doesn't matter whether Chang Ponu is promoted to the fifth rank, or transferred to the Ministry of Rites. Liu and Xie objected to no avail.
As long as Lao Ma agrees, things will fall into place.
Isn't it a coincidence? Chang Feng and Lao Ma are serious friends. Chang Ponu grew up watching Lao Ma. Lao Ma clearly knows his abilities and conduct.
Chang Feng asked: "By the way, Your Majesty. Rong Chen dares to ask a question. This may be considered disrespectful."
Emperor Zhengde said: "There are only two of us, the monarch and his ministers. That's all."
Chang Feng said: "Your Majesty, what kind of woman do you like?"
Emperor Zhengde was stunned at first, and then gave a simple and rude answer: "I like good-looking women."
Chang Feng said quickly: "Ah, the ancient sages all had a love for beauty. Your Majesty is truly a virtuous king who strives to surpass the sages!"
Emperor Zhengde added: "It's not enough to be good-looking. It's best if there are no brothers in the family. I don't want to have Shouning Marquis and Jianchang Marquis in the court."
Emperor Zhengde's criteria for selection were somewhat similar to the criteria for dating in later generations: good-looking, only child.
He was frightened by his two uncles, Zhang Heling and Zhang Yanling.
These two uncles even dared to embezzle money from the late emperor's coffin. Emperor Zhengde should not deal with them, he couldn't bear to swallow this breath. Deal with them, Queen Mother Zhang is here again
Chang Feng said: "I remember. I will only choose good-looking women who have no brothers in the family."
Emperor Zhengde said half-jokingly: "I will leave all my life-long affairs to my uncle!"
(Thanks to Nanjing Yiba for the reward of 6,500 yuan today, thank you to book friend 20230420212037592 for the reward of 5,000 yuan today, and thousands more updates today.)
(End of chapter)
