Xiao Dezi was speechless and couldn't answer a word. He just kowtowed. Zhu Yijun looked as usual, came to the side of Queen Mother Li, and said softly: "Mother, there is no need to be angry. These slaves can be killed. You should pay attention to the phoenix body."
Seeing his calm expression, Empress Dowager Li felt moved and became more doubtful. Asked: "The emperor had expected this festival?"
Zhu Yijun said calmly: "Since ancient times, in order to understand the thoughts of those in power, these powerful ministers and ministers have bribed or coerced the servants around us to get a few words to suit the thoughts of the queen mother and me, so as to carry out their deception. This kind of thing is not surprising - a few days ago, I also found one in my palace, and I had an attack. Because my mother violated the agreement, I didn't come to report it."
As the saying goes: The emperor is common and the emperor is common. Everyone around the emperor, when they first served, believed that the emperor was a demigod, very different from ordinary people.
I was used to serving, but I found that the emperor also pooped, peed, and farted, just like me. Apart from having more words, there was nothing special about him. This sense of respect has also diminished, and the sense of awe is much less than that of foreign ministers. Therefore, it is not surprising that there are members of the inner prison who eavesdrop on the political affairs and selectively exchange benefits. It is just that they are afraid of the strict laws in the palace and do not dare to go too far. In the Ming Dynasty, in addition to the emperor being more careful when speaking and giving orders to shun those who served him, there were always people with sharp ears eavesdropping on the emperor's words, which led to the leakage of information from the inner palace, like a sieve.
Today, the Queen Mother screened away everyone before entering the palace. She thought that there was no one in the palace, so she started talking to the emperor about her personal administration. But he didn't expect that because the emperor had behaved strangely these days, he had already caused alarm inside and outside the palace. Those who urgently needed information about the Queen Mother and the Emperor stepped up their spying efforts. There are those people who are greedy for profit, who are lucky enough to prick up their ears or hide their bodies to eavesdrop on the master's conversation in order to invite favors and sell them.
Empress Dowager Li took a few deep breaths and asked Xiao Dezi solemnly: "Who asked you to spy on the palace? If you tell me, I will spare your life."
How could Xiao Dezi dare to speak out? If he spoke out, not only would he die, but his family members outside the palace would also die. He just kowtowed and returned crying: "I didn't eavesdrop on purpose, because I was cleaning the palace and saw the Queen Mother and the Emperor entering the palace, so... I hid behind the curtain. I don't dare to deceive you. Please spare me." !" After saying that, he kowtowed again, with blood splattering on his forehead.
This lie was not brilliant. Empress Dowager Li laughed angrily and shouted loudly, calling Cao De, the eunuch in charge of Qianqing Palace outside the palace, to enter the palace and ordered: "This slave is spying on the palace. You go down and cook, and be sure to find out the person who ordered it... ..." Seeing the emperor looking at him and shaking his head, he stopped talking and asked, "What does the emperor have to say?"
Zhu Yijun said: "Queen Mother, how much has this dog heard? It is not appropriate for people to know what Queen Mother told me just now. How about -" sighed, with a look of unbearable expression on his face, "stop your mouth and just Kill him with a stick outside this temple, and let others see what happens to this slave who betrays his master."
Xiao Dezi knew it and was so frightened that he peed all over the floor. Seeing that the Empress Dowager nodded in approval of the Emperor's decision, Manager Cao called a few strong internal guards, gagged Xiao Dezi, dragged him down, and asked others to come in and wipe the floor before he left. After a while, the sound of banging battles and suppressed cries could be heard outside the palace. Empress Dowager Li looked worried, twirling her beads and chanting Buddha's name.
Zhu Yijun also felt uncomfortable. A few days ago, in order to shock the palace, he also used his hair to serve as an internal prison, but he was kicked out of the palace with forty blows. Looking at the miserable situation, he would probably die if he got out. Today, he was the one who killed this little virtuous man with words and sticks. It was the first time in his life that he killed someone. Although he didn't kill him with his own hands, he felt strange in his heart. I turned around and thought again, I am in the most dangerous place in the world, I don't have any decisive means to kill, but I am making fun of my own life. Don't you know what happened to Gong'e during the reign of King Sejong? An emperor was almost strangled to death by a palace maid in his sleep. If he hadn't been lucky, would he still have been emperor for more than forty years? After doing a lot of psychological construction, I felt better. Sighing, she said to Empress Dowager Li: "Mother, just now you asked Manager Cao to interrogate Xiao Dezi, but you may not have gotten the truth. Although there are fights among the big men in the palace, some things are hidden from the superiors as a rule. .”
Queen Mother Li was stunned after hearing this. Why did the little emperor know more about the forbidden palace than she, the person in charge of the harem? Asked: "What could the emperor hear? Why did he say this?"
Zhu Yijun sighed: "Mother, do you still remember the tribute tea thing I just said?" Seeing Empress Dowager Li nodding, he continued: "In recent days, I have read the ancestral records and household files of the past dynasties, and only this tribute tea thing , it is shocking - during the time of Taizu, tea was used in the palace, and five hundred teahouses were set up to exempt them from corvee work, and they were exclusively collected and supplied. The annual tribute was only a few thousand kilograms. By the time of the emperor's examination, the population in the palace was larger than that of Taizu's time. Several times over, the amount of tribute tea paid was only 14,000 jins. According to Liang Cai, the Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs during the reign of King Sejong, the amount of tribute tea at that time had exceeded 50,000 jins. In recent years, following the usual practice, the records of the Ministry of Household Affairs actually showed that It has reached more than 80,000 jins - except for the 14,000 jins paid as tribute, the rest are divided privately by people inside and outside the palace. This alone, the corruption exceeds 200,000 jins every year." After hearing this, Queen Mother Li said, He was shocked and looked at Zhu Yijun speechlessly.
Zhu Yijun smiled bitterly and said: "This tea tribute policy has another drawback. In addition to paying tribute to the 80,000 kilograms, the eunuchs and local officials who guarded the tea also collected more and more taxes. Under my banner, they collected more than 80,000 catties? Hundreds of thousands more. A local official named Han Bangqi during the reign of King Sejong said in his memorial that tea picking missed the farming season. In order to complete the harvest, the tea farmers had to do it themselves. Spending money to buy tea in the market to pay tribute - almost triggering a civil uprising. I have read the notes of my predecessors. The quality and taste of these overcharged tea are far better than the tribute tea. What we drink is always the same. Waiting. - It just hurts the common people and ruins the reputation of the Queen Mother and me."
Queen Mother Li turned pale after hearing this. She was also from a humble background. Although she did not sympathize with the suffering of the common people, she could also imagine the suffering of the tea farmers. After hearing the emperor's well-founded remarks, he couldn't help but hate those servants and officials who had ruined the reputation of himself and the emperor and played tricks on him. He said in a trembling voice: "This... what should I do? This Feng Bao, how can I Do you and I know about this?"
Zhu Yijun sneered and said: "How could he tell us two mothers this? This is all a rule in the palace, and even with the severity of Grandpa Shizong, it cannot be forbidden. These slaves, under our banner, are committing corruption and blasphemy with peace of mind. ——That's not all. The Queen Mother knows that it is better for these big men to pay tribute to tea and purchase various things. That time, the first-class ones stole the treasures in the palace and sold them out in the palace in exchange for money to buy a house and land. It was not Just one incident - a pearl shirt was lost in Concubine Ning's palace. It was reported to me because of the mother's disobedience. The day before yesterday, the eunuch of Neihan Hall told Zhang Cheng that there were only rare and rare books in the collection of Wenyuan Pavilion. , all have been stolen and sold in recent years, with less than 20% left - this is a treasure that our ancestors collected in many ways to increase the knowledge of my descendants!" After saying that, he made a sad expression and peeked at Empress Dowager Li's face. .
After hearing this, Queen Mother Li felt as if her heart was filled with cotton. She was so angry and ashamed that she almost shed tears. Little did she know that Zhu Yijun had read most of these things in later history books. It was only because of his careful mind that he could uncover so many shortcomings. She said in a trembling voice: "The queen mother is in charge of the harem, but no emperor understands it so well. According to you, these slaves deceived the superiors and concealed the secrets from the subordinates. These love affairs were only hidden from the two of us?" Seeing the emperor nodding in agreement, he shook his body and blushed. The blood will drip out.
Zhu Yijun was shocked. In his previous life, he had been the director of the department more than ten years after graduation. His ability to complain was first-rate. Every sentence he said targeted the character of Empress Dowager Li, stabbing the Queen Mother Li in the heart without thinking about it. To the Empress Dowager Li's ability to bear. His revelation was not only to destroy Empress Dowager Li's political confidence, but also to demonstrate his ability. He did not want to use too much force and almost fainted Empress Dowager Li. After seeing the fire, he hurriedly comforted him: "Don't worry, mother. It has been like this for many years. It needs to be rectified but it won't be around for a while. Please forgive me."
Empress Dowager Li composed herself and said bitterly: "I really can't spare these slaves who deceive the superiors and conceal the truth from the inferiors!" She was going to call in people and seal the palace for an investigation. Zhu Yijun hurriedly stopped: "The queen mother is the most sage, why is she so angry today? This palace door is open, but there is shock and doubt inside and outside." At least he was persuaded.
Queen Mother Li calmed down and stared at him blankly for a long time, which made Zhu Yijun's heart tremble. Empress Dowager Li was in a daze for a while, and suddenly said softly: "Have you been hiding these words in your heart for a few days? Just now I asked you to take charge of the government -" She said nothing and waited for Zhu Yijun to answer.
Zhu Yijun has been thinking about how to answer the Queen Mother's question these days. Hearing that the Queen Mother started talking again, she hurriedly replied: "Queen Mother, I really have the intention to launch a big plan, but I am still young. Once I govern, I may be ridiculous, so I thought it would be better to share my ideas with the Queen Mother and Mr. Zhang." Tell me, if you think my idea is feasible - Mr. Zhang and other foreign ministers can implement it. If it is not feasible, can the queen mother and Mr. Zhang watch me make mistakes? "
After hearing this, Queen Mother Li smiled and said: "So, you are not in a hurry to take charge?"
Zhu Yijun said: "You don't have to be in charge, you just want to try some of my ideas first. Besides, the emperor has to study more and grow up, so how can he have time to read a lot of news? This state affairs is still handled by Mr. Zhang and others, and the queen mother is in charge of the general affairs." That's good." He smiled and said, "Your Majesty, you have to sleep more and grow taller. When you grow up, you marry a daughter-in-law, and you have to give birth to a grandson for your mother!"
After hearing this, Queen Mother Li sighed and was noncommittal. Seeing the doubt on Zhu Yijun's face, he said, "Your father Huang Bintian has put this huge burden on my shoulders." Upon hearing this, Zhu Yijun knelt down and listened solemnly.
Queen Mother Li saw the emperor kneeling down and asked him to get up. Seeing that he couldn't hold on, he sighed and continued: "How can I, a Taoist woman, have any knowledge to manage the national affairs of these nine states? I have the courage to leave it to Mr. Zhang, Feng Bao and others. But after all, their surname is not Zhu. , how can the Queen Mother believe in it? It’s just that there is nothing I can do.” After saying that, thinking of the late Emperor, I wanted to cry again. Seeing Zhu Yijun looking up at her with a look of regret and concern on his face, he felt warm in his heart and said with a smile on his face:
"Fortunately, your father in heaven saw our orphans and widowed mothers pitiful, and gave you a dream. He also found a master for you and opened the heavenly orifice. Seeing the emperor these days seems like a different person, and the queen is really relieved. Originally, the emperor was a different person. You are young and have an unstable temperament. The queen mother thought that she would wait until you became a man and gave birth to a child before handing over the affairs of the country to you. But in recent days, I have seen you talking and doing things in a clear and logical manner, and you have clever ideas. The queen mother is afraid of delays. about you……"
Zhu Yijun saw Empress Dowager Li breaking her heart and told him all the entanglements and anguish in her heart. With a sore nose, she cried: "Mother, please don't get entangled, otherwise your son will feel ashamed! This political matter should still be governed by my son's method. There is no need to make any big changes. I just want my son to be familiar with it and come up with more ideas!" When finished, he bowed to the ground.
Seeing the sincerity of the emperor's words, Empress Dowager Li believed in her heart that he really had no intention of pro-government, but was just a little eager to give it a try because he was young. She was originally an unambitious person, but once she tasted the taste of government, she found it hard to let go of her when compared with other women in the harem. Now that I have experienced the emperor's blood-piercing and copying scriptures, some unspeakable feelings about the emperor in my subconscious have been eliminated, and I feel that these things are very boring. She thought for a while and said: "Since the emperor has the intention to participate in politics, from today on, you can stay with Mr. Zhang in the Huangji Palace in the morning and after the court!"
The emperor's retention of ministers was a major event that was to be recorded in the history books. Generally speaking, when the emperor takes the initiative to retain a certain minister, he wants to listen to the minister's opinion on some important national affairs that are not discussed by the public. Therefore, it is a rare honor for the minister. When a minister asks himself to be correct, he usually has to report against his colleagues. He will be despised, and some censors will even impeach him for this matter. Empress Dowager Li asked the emperor to stay with Zhang Juzheng every day, which showed the royal family's trust in him in state affairs. It not only established Zhang Juzheng's authority, but also signaled to the outside world that the emperor was about to take charge. It was a smart governance move.
But in the eyes of Zhu Yijun, who was already cheating, the Queen Mother's two moments were not enough. Seeing that the Queen Mother had finished her instructions, he stood up and said: "Empress Mother, I thought it would be too hard to keep Mr. Zhang in the early morning. After all, I have to talk to him every day, and it will also delay Mr. Zhang's management of politics. It's not as good as this. I think it's better to choose someone." How about I summon Mr. Zhang on the platform on an auspicious day?"
After hearing this, Queen Mother Li was overjoyed and said: "Great kindness!" What is "platform call for right"? The Jianji Hall is in the middle and toward the back, high above the Sanlin white jade railing, opposite the Qianqing Gate, which is the left and right gates of Yuntai, also known as the "Platform". The platform call in the Ming Dynasty was equivalent to a state-of-the-nation consultation. The emperor could summon ministers or one person. If the ministers are summoned, they stand in awe, and the emperor is sitting there. When he encounters a question, he calls on the officials by name. The officials come forward and kneel there to answer. When the emperor gives permission, they can stand there and speak. But summoning someone is a heart-to-heart talk. You can sit down or give tea. The atmosphere is like a family affair, which is a rare honor for a minister. The platform has a strong political atmosphere and a special etiquette system. On the one hand, it shows the emperor's trust in a certain minister, and on the other hand, it shows the emperor's diligence and broad-mindedness. Therefore, once a minister is summoned alone, he will immediately become famous all over the world. And the emperor's reputation for diligence will spread all over the world. Zhu Yijun's method is not only free in form - he can summon the right person at any time, but also a grand event for the country. It can receive five-star praise, so it is a little higher than the method of retaining the right person by Empress Dowager Li.
The two of them settled on a plan, and each of them let go of their worries. Zhu Yijun saw that the Queen Mother was still a little unhappy, so he changed some of the jokes from later generations to make the Queen Mother laugh, and then gave up.
