On November 19 of the first year of the year, the Empress Dowager Cisheng's birthday, hundreds of officials came to congratulate her. Because the Empress Dowager worshiped Buddhism, the Emperor had previously ordered the Supervisor of Ceremonies to speed up the repairs and restart the Sutra Factory that had not been completed during Mu Zong's reign. He spent tens of thousands of taels of silver to print tens of thousands of various Buddhist scriptures with fine engravings for Empress Dowager Li. Give scriptures and spread blessings.
The Queen Mother was very happy when she saw the printed scriptures with clear lines, clean paper and elegant binding. She praised Zhu Yijun heavily.
Seeing that the Queen Mother had been in a good mood for several days, Zhu Yijun took a chance and said: "There are many people working in the factory, among which the printers and factory warehouse people have not had much to do in recent years. They are all scattered. It is better to take charge of them and ask them to print books." In addition, there are too many supervisors and ministers in the inner court that have nothing to do with political affairs, and the personnel are redundant, so my son plans to sort them out."
Because the emperor wanted to straighten out the affairs of the palace, he said this more than once. Empress Dowager Li took it seriously and had a deep talk with Zhu Yijun. After hearing the emperor's plan, he hesitated and said: "The establishment of the twenty-four yamen is governed by the ancestors. Does the emperor's behavior violate the ancestral system?"
Zhu Yijun looked at Empress Dowager Li and said: "There are still these supervisors, there is no increase or decrease. It's just that the method of allocating silver has changed, and my son feels that it does not violate the ancestral system."
Seeing that the emperor was serious about the matter, Queen Mother Li thought about what Zhu Yijun said, and finally turned around and nodded: "Your Majesty, you can handle it yourself."
Zhu Yijun received the Empress Dowager's approval and called the eunuch Zhang Cheng over and said: "You have been with me for several years and you have read a book. I will give you something to do."
After Zhang Cheng heard this, he initially thought that the emperor was going to promote him to be a supervisor. When he heard that the emperor wanted him to take charge of the economics factory, he grimaced and said, "Your Majesty, you don't like having slaves around anymore?"
Zhu Yijun said: "I have a big job to do in this economics factory. If you do it carefully and make great contributions, I will promote you to the position of chief eunuch."
Zhang Cheng was only an eighth-grade eunuch at this time, and the leader eunuch was a seventh-grade eunuch. He was suddenly promoted to the third level. The emperor's cake was so big that he almost fainted with joy.
Zhu Yijun spent more than half a month of his free time working for the general bureau, the salary department, the clothing supervisor, the internal official supervisor, the Siyuan bureau, the treasure banknote department, the internal weaving and dyeing bureau, the needlework bureau and other departments, supervisors and bureaus. A group of eunuchs took the lead in training. Finally, I told you: "I will give you one year. In addition to taking on various tasks within the original palace, each department, supervisor, and bureau must be responsible for its own profits and losses and compare with each other. If you do well, I will not hesitate to reward you."
The eunuchs in charge do not have the pedantic ideas of "not competing with the people for profit" like the civil servants. Even if there is a half-reading fool, how can they dare to get into trouble when the emperor is so prosperous? They all said confidently: "Your Majesty, don't worry. If you can't do it, I'll cut off the slave's head."
Zhu Yijun smiled and said: "I have arranged for eunuchs to guard the place and set up shops to sell the things made in the imperial factory. There are markets and channels. It's up to you."
Everyone was gearing up and expressed their intention to do something big.
Zhu Yijun turned his face again and said solemnly: "I have arranged for the Director of Ceremonies to arrest the general manager in all affairs of the Imperial Factory, and will set up statistical inspection bureaus in Dongchang and Jinyiwei to specialize in checking accounts and investigating corruption. If you When there are things like forced buying and selling, bullying and domination, harming the public and enriching private interests, don't blame me for being ruthless." After hearing this, everyone accepted the decree with awe.
Everything was arranged, and Zhu Yijun felt happy. It took him more than half a year to become familiar with the affairs of the inner palace, and then he took a major step to divest the bloated inner palace by establishing an imperial factory.
Although Queen Mother Li was fooled, over time, Queen Mother Li must have noticed something was wrong. But by then, the millions of taels of silver saved every year, plus the profits from sales revenue, would be so large that the Queen Mother would not dare to change them at will.
Although this divestment will bring financial gainers to the market, "public institutions will become state-owned enterprises". Zhu Yijun guessed that over time, a large number of "state-owned enterprise diseases" will inevitably arise in them.
But - this is an imperial society, and those who can't do well will be sent directly to the Clothing Bureau to wash their clothes! If you are too greedy, the royal slave does not have to go through judicial procedures, and the emperor can kill him if he wants! Zhu Yijun wants to see who dares to get sick?
.......
Just as he was enjoying himself, Zhang Hong, the chief official of the Supervisor of Ceremonies, entered the palace and said, "Your Majesty, Duke Cheng Guo is dying. I heard from the imperial doctor that it will happen in the next few days."
Zhu Yijun was surprised when he heard this. Asked: "The last time he gave a lecture, he was still working as a banquet official. How many days had he been there?"
Zhang Hongzou said: "Gong Chengguo contracted wind and cold in autumn. Because he said that he would conduct a review in the capital camp this winter, he forced the sick body to teach him while he was sick, but he couldn't afford it."
Zhu Yijun groaned for a long time and then said: "The country has lost its Qiancheng! According to the usual rules, how do I treat the minister's illness?"
Zhang Hong was stunned when he heard this. He thought for a while and then said: "The emperor of this dynasty rarely leaves the palace to check on the illness of ministers. Only Taizu and Chengzu did this. At that time, there was no fixed rule."
After hearing this, Zhu Yijun felt something in his heart and said with an expression of pity: "This minister has made great contributions to the country and served as a protector for the imperial examination and my teacher. I would like to visit his home, how about it?"
Zhang Hong was generous and upright, but lacked quick wit and his level was much worse than Feng Bao. After listening to the emperor's words, he was stuck. After a long while, he said: "How...how can this be done?" After a pause. He added: "I have sent doctors and medicines as usual before. Your Majesty does not need to give his family such grace."
When Zhu Yijun heard what he said, his good mood disappeared. He lowered his face and said, "Then you go ahead and I'll go ask the Queen Mother."
Zhang Hong resigned. Zhu Yijun regained his composure and went to see Empress Dowager Li and said, "Mr. Cheng is dying. The doctor said he will be here in the next two days."
Empress Dowager Li was also surprised and said, "Mr. Chen, I saw you last month and said that Duke Cheng was training in the capital camp. Why is this so?"
Zhu Yijun whispered: "Mother, my son wants to go to Chengguo Duke's Mansion to have his disease diagnosed." Empress Dowager Li nodded, but then she thought sadly: "It is no small matter for the emperor to leave the palace. How can we prepare everything at once for the emperor's departure from the palace?"
He looked at Zhu Yijun doubtfully and said, "Do you want to live in a simple life? Or even leave the palace incognito?"
Zhu Yijun originally wanted to dress incognito, but when Empress Dowager Li saw through it, he didn't dare to say that, so he rounded up and said, "I don't dare to wear a white dragon fish dress. How about a simple carriage?"
Empress Dowager Li made a decision, thought for a while and said: "Gong Chengguo has made great contributions to the country. When your emperor was here, you also said that he was loyal and talented. It would be good for the emperor to go and see him."
At this time, Zhu Yijun saw the benefits of expelling Feng Bao. Because Feng Bao was not with Queen Mother Li, no one spoke directly to Queen Mother Li about royal etiquette matters, so she acted according to her heart more often. He didn't even ask the people around him how his ancestors did such a thing, and just agreed.
Zhu Yijun was overjoyed. But after all, Empress Dowager Li had experienced great political affairs and had some political acumen. She said: "It is not appropriate for the emperor to go by himself. Please arrange for someone to ask Mr. Zhang and ask him to accompany you."
Zhu Yijun's heart moved, and he asked with a smile: "Do you want Mr. Zhang to take advantage of you?" Empress Dowager Li nodded, looked at Zhu Yijun solemnly, and said, "Exactly." There was deep meaning in her eyes.
Zhu Yijun smiled calmly and said: "Don't worry, mother, my son has already made an agreement with the mother, and I will leave everything to him." He paused and said, "It's good to make another statement at this time."
Zhang Juzheng received the order and immediately started preparations. The cabinet, the Ministry of Rites and other departments were busy from the afternoon of that day to the next day, and the etiquette of "light carriages and simple obedience" was in place.
Zhu Xixiao, the boss of Jinyiwei, is the younger brother of Duke Chengguo, so he does not need to accompany him because of the emperor's special decree. Chen Ju and others mobilized experts from Dongchang and arranged personal guards. Li Santai, the commander of the Jinyi Guards, blocked all the roads from the palace to the Chengguo Palace. The Jinyi Guards stood guard all over the street.
Zhu Yijun rode in the chariot and Zhang Juzheng rode in the chariot. They were cheered from the front and supported by the back, and went to Chengguo Duke's Mansion.
Because the carriage was light and simple, the Ministry of Rites arranged for Zhu Yijun to ride in a "small" chariot drawn by eight horses. It was one foot and nine feet long, with a pavilion cover, two lattice doors on the front and left, a screen at the back, and a red carpet and seats in the middle. Other flat plates, beaded plates, wheel spokes and other structures are all shapes that can only be used by the emperor. They are carved with dragons, paintings and phoenixes, and various decorations, highlighting the meaning of the supreme. The only drawback is the wind coming from all directions.
The cold wind of the twelfth lunar month froze Zhu Yijun until his face turned blue, and he could not keep warm even if he was wrapped in a fur cloak. He thought to himself: "If this unfortunate carriage is not scrapped in the future, it will be a shame to the travelers!"
Poor Zhu Yijun has spent more than ten months in the palm-sized space from the Huangji Palace to the Harem since he time traveled. He was suffocated to death. Thanks to Duke Cheng, who was dying, he only got a chance to leave the palace. However, the road was blocked by the door lattice on the chariot, and only a bunch of Jin Yiwei officers and soldiers could be seen through the crack in the door. None of the Beijing citizens could be seen.
Duke Cheng's Mansion is close to the imperial city. When he arrived at Duke Cheng's Mansion, Zhu Yijun almost froze. Seeing Zhang Juzheng, who was riding high, also turned blue, and the two of them were relatively speechless.
Zhu Yijun thought to himself: "In the past, when Huo Guang was riding, Emperor Xuan was like a ray of light on his back. Today, when Zhang Juzheng is riding, I feel nothing but cold."
