"Long live my emperor, long live long live...!" All the ministers bowed in unison.
Zhu Jianshen waved his sleeves and said with full force, "Everyone is equal."
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
The ministers stood up, flapped their sleeves, and stirred up a burst of dust.
Zhu Jian wrinkled his nose deeply and took two steps back. Then, with a warm smile on his lips, he began to deliver his year-end speech.
This year, he has been particularly restrained. He has been emperor for two and a half years, and the initial 'rush' has dissipated. He is no longer passionate, but he has still made great achievements.
The ministers have been dominated by Big Pie for so many years and are almost immune, but they pretend to be taking advantage of it.
The two parties are like a couple who have lost their passion for a long time. Although they are not interested in each other, they are trying to cooperate with each other to maintain the already limited relationship between husband and wife and no longer dilute it.
It's just that... no one feels happy.
~
After Zhu Jianshen finished speaking, the officials began to pay New Year's greetings. Because there were too many people, they all came together in groups to pay New Year's greetings.
The six ministries came first, then the cabinet, then the Metropolitan Procuratorate... Finally, the generals copied the cabinet work as usual.
The honorable nobles who were waiting to die were at the end every time, repeating the congratulatory messages from the generals.
After a while, it was time for everyone to be happy again, giving out red envelopes...
This year, Zhu Jianshen, who has always been stingy, was particularly generous, throwing away money in large quantities.
It’s not that he was being generous, but that he had already let out his words. If he broke his words and got rich, how would he be able to lead the team in the future?
I'm afraid that even if there are people who want to follow him, they have to think about it.
The money that should be spent must not be saved.
200 taels for the minister, 150 taels for the minister, 150 taels for the cabinet scholar, 150 taels for the imperial censors, 150 taels for the duke, 150 taels for the marquis...
Everyone's red envelopes were extremely generous, and the gap has narrowed a lot. Everyone in the seventh grade received 40 taels, which is almost as much as a year's salary.
Especially for the censors with six subjects and thirteen subjects, the red envelopes are even more exaggerated, almost a hundred taels per capita.
By doing so, Zhu Jianshen won the favor of middle- and lower-level officials to a large extent, but he also inevitably offended high-level officials.
They care more about detachment than money.
They were given 50 taels, and the subordinates were given 5 taels, and they wouldn't say anything. But when they were given 200 taels, and the subordinates were given tens or hundreds of taels, they were not happy.
The feeling of superiority is gone and it is difficult for them to accept it.
It's uncomfortable, but no one will make a fuss about it. These high-level officials also need the people below them to do things, and they won't do anything that offends others.
Zhu Jianshen didn't care even more. These court bosses didn't make it easy for him. Even if they maintained their aloof status, the situation wouldn't get much better. It was better to win over the lower-level officials.
If nothing else, at least he would be scolded less.
Zhu Jianshen did not break his promise. He gave out nearly 100,000 taels in red envelopes from Beijing officials alone, and the remaining 300,000 taels were distributed to local officials through his subordinates.
Of course, the money is in the account account!
Such an operation would inevitably offend many ministers and ministers, and even the cabinet had some complaints, but Zhu Jianshen turned a deaf ear to it.
Anyway, you don’t dare to say it on the table. As long as I don’t hear it, then I won’t be scolded.
…
Small courtyard.
In the East Kitchen, Li Hong wears an apron and is busy without touching the floor, making fried meatballs, making buns, steaming steamed buns, and frying Chinese quince...
Under the eaves, Li Qing was leaning on a recliner, flipping through a storybook with illustrations, leisurely.
Snowflakes are falling, the north wind is blowing...
The goose feathers and snow that danced wildly with demons enhanced the flavor of the new year, but... after all, there was no trace of 'fireworks'.
Li Qing couldn't help but stare at the heavy snow in a daze...
At lunch, his godson had a few drinks with him, and his stomach felt much warmer.
~
The heavy snow continued to fall, and as soon as Li Qing took a nap, there was a thick layer of white snow on the ground.
On the ground, on the walls of the courtyard, on the eaves, on the fruit trees... everything is white, everything is desolate and covered in silver.
Li Qing let out a breath, and the heat quickly disappeared, turning into white frost and melting into the air. He deliberately stopped the zhenqi, which had already formed an inertia and was running through his meridians all the time, and felt the winter from the perspective of an ordinary person.
Not long after, my fingers felt stiff and slightly painful, as if they were bitten by a cat.
"It's so cold..." Li Qing shivered and frowned slightly...
Li Hong couldn't help but said: "Daddy, you are wearing such thin clothes, how can you not be cold?"
If he wasn't facing his elders and his godfather had a bad temper, he would have complained about the slut.
On a very cold day, he only wears a small coat, a robe, and no cotton at all. Even a young man like him cannot bear it.
"Dad, please wear more cotton-padded clothes." Li Hong advised, fearing that he would catch the cold.
Li Qing waved his hand slightly, "No need, I don't like feeling bloated. Don't worry, my body is not that bad."
Looking at the ice and snow again, Li Qing smiled and said, "Go and put on some clothes and go for a walk with your godfather. It would be a waste not to appreciate the beautiful snow scenery."
"Okay." Li Hong quickly agreed, "Daddy, wait a moment, I'll be right back."
His godfather is always depressed these days, and he finally gets interested. Of course he has to obey his godfather.
Li Hong quickly left and came back again. He was more bloated and brought a mink fur cloak to Li Qing.
"Daddy, put this on before we go out. Your health is important."
"Well..." Li Qing stopped refusing, even though he didn't need to.
Even Jiatun'er is not big, but it is not small either. After all, under the emperor's feet, a lot of people live here, and people continue to buy land, build houses and settle here.
Needless to say, the people in the capital are relatively happy.
After all, under the emperor's nose, the people's life was not good. He could see it at a glance, and he would naturally give priority to them.
Any policies the imperial court had to benefit the people would be promoted first in the capital, and under the emperor's feet, it basically prevented the scriptures from being read incorrectly.
Li Qing walked and watched...
The air is filled with the aroma of meat and the unique smell of fried food. In the streets, children are playing and noisy. They are smiling happily and wearing warm clothes...
Li Qing was pleased. He knew that this did not represent all the people, but... this scene was always good. At least, a considerable number of the people were living a good life.
When his feet stepped on the snow, they made a soft "creak" sound, like a light note, which was very soothing. Li Qing's soles were warm and his heart was warm.
"Hong'er, do you still remember what happened when you were a child?"
"Remember," Li Hong nodded lightly and said with a smile, "Did you forget, godfather? My child has been to the capital when he was a child."
"Well, after so many years, have you noticed any changes in Lianjiatun'er?"
"Has it changed..." Li Hong scratched his head and said, "Changes have indeed taken place. Lianjia Tun'er was not so big at that time. Over the years, Lianjia Tun'er has grown by at least one-third."
Li Qing smiled bitterly, not hearing the answer he wanted to hear.
It's no wonder that Li Hong has lived a life of luxury since he was a child. He has never experienced suffering and has difficulty empathizing with ordinary people.
"Not only have they grown older, but their lives have also become better." Li Qing sniffed, "Smell it, does it smell good?"
Li Hong sniffed, nodded and said, "It's quite delicious. It's the Chinese New Year, and who doesn't want to eat something good?"
He didn't understand it and thought it was a normal thing, and it was the same for the people of Jinling during the Chinese New Year.
Li Qing said: "People did not have such a good life in the past. If the timeline is pushed to before the Ming Dynasty, people would have problems eating.
What you think of as a normal life is a dream that is out of reach for many people. The life you live is what your ancestors fought for you, and it does not represent everyone. "
Li Hong nodded slowly: "I also know that the people are suffering, but now the Ming Dynasty is prosperous, and I believe it will get better and better in the future. At least now the people have basically got rid of hunger, and the future will only be better."
"It's not as optimistic as you think." Li Qing shook his head slightly, "You only saw the results, but not the process. The Ming Dynasty has such a situation, and the process is not smooth."
Li Qing sighed softly: "Such a scene is the result of the hard work of the people, the exhaustive consideration of the emperors of all dynasties, and the efforts of a few wise ministers..."
After a pause, he said in an arrogant tone: "My godfather worked tirelessly and built it little by little..."
Li Hong said with a smile: "That's right, who doesn't know that my godfather has been an important minister in two dynasties and has worked hard for decades..."
Li Hongbala said obediently.
"Haha..." Li Qing smiled and sighed: "So, we still can't be too optimistic. This kind of scene is hard-won. Letting nature take its course will not make it better, but may make it worse;
There are always people who go against the current. If you want to take this path, you must be prepared to fight against officials who follow the trend and go along with the trend. "
Li Hong seemed to understand, nodded and said: "I remember it, kid."
He had never experienced it before, so he didn't understand his godfather's words deeply, but he could tell that his godfather was really tired.
He tentatively said: "Godfather... why don't you stop joining the cabinet and simply withdraw."
"How to say?"
Li Hong said: "My godfather has been busy for so long, it's time to take a rest. There are so many officials in the Ming Dynasty, but... you are not the only one missing."
"Although there are many officials, there are not many who can reassure godfather." Li Qing smiled bitterly, "The emperor has not yet consolidated his imperial power, the situation in the Mobei grassland is unclear, and the Hetao area has not been developed properly... There is still a lot to do. ;
Not to mention whether you can enter the cabinet or not, you cannot retreat. "
"Why?"
"Because I don't trust many people." Li Qing said.
Li Hong smiled and said: "Godfather, when you say this, it seems like all the dynasty are traitors?"
"It's not that outrageous. There are still many people who want to do practical things, but some are incompetent, and some have character problems..." Li Qing said quietly, "If one of the two is missing, it will be difficult to do things well;
There are even many good national policies that will develop in the opposite direction under the influence of personal selfishness. Officialdom... is far more complicated than you think. "
Li Hong muttered: "Is it such an exaggeration?"
"Most people have selfish motives, and most people are dissatisfied, but resources are limited after all..." Li Qing sighed: "When you really step into this circle, you will understand whether your godfather is exaggerating."
Li Hong didn't quite believe it and said, "Godfather, I think... you are too pessimistic."
Li Qing did not refute: "You are right, I am indeed pessimistic."
He laughed at himself: "After too much experience, it is inevitable that this will happen..."
