Kunning Palace.
Ma Enhui looked at Zhu Yunwen who was holding a paint brush in his hand. There was a lot of paint on the skirt of his clothes, and he couldn't help but frowned. This was not easy to clean.
"Queen, how about coming and taking a look at my sand table?"
Zhu Yunwen looked at the miniature sand table in front of him with a smile on his face.
Ma Enhui came over and took a closer look. The sand table showed not the entire Ming Dynasty, but only the southern Zhili area, including Yingtian Prefecture, Suzhou Prefecture, Fengyang Prefecture, Yangzhou Prefecture, Songjiang Prefecture, Huizhou Prefecture and other fourteen prefectures. .
The entire sand table, except for the yellow clay background, has only two colors, one is a large area of yellow, and the other is a small area of black.
Yellow continuous blocks, relatively concentrated.
The black spots are quite scattered.
"Your Majesty, what is this for?"
Ma Enhui couldn't understand.
Zhu Yunwen put the paint brush back into the paint bucket and said with a smile: "Isn't the court discussing the dispute over the land? This is to stop those people's mouths."
Ma Enhui shook her head slightly and said with a smile: "I don't understand, but it is always good for the emperor to have a way. After all, it is not a good thing for hundreds of officials to be at odds."
Zhu Yunwen admired his masterpiece and said: "The opposition between the officials is not good and hinders the implementation of policies. But if the officials have no arguments and just follow orders, then I should be afraid."
Tacitly allowing courtiers to fight appropriately and allowing different opinions to exist was Zhu Yunwen's way of serving.
Although Zhu Yunwen disliked Hou Tai and the people from the Metropolitan Procuratorate, they were the mirror of the gentry class after all.
People always have to look in the mirror.
Without these mirrors, how can we see the truth about the Ming Empire?
Ma Enhui brought a set of clothes over, and while helping Zhu Yunwen change clothes, she said, "I don't want to talk about these important things. I only care about whether our medical gauze and alcohol can be sold."
Zhu Yunwen looked at Ma Enhui, who was obsessed with money, reached out and touched her eyebrows, and said with a smile: "Don't worry, with Jie Jin here, Ru Jin will understand what I mean. If nothing else, the courtiers will make a deal after impeaching the two kings." ”
"Wouldn't that comply with the emperor's wishes?"
Ma Enhui smiled.
Zhu Yunwen put on his clothes, took Ma Enhui's hand, looked into Ma Enhui's beautiful eyes, and said tenderly: "I like your intelligence, but I have wronged the second king."
"It is their blessing to share the worries of the Emperor and the Ming Dynasty."
Ma Enhui lowered her head, her cheeks slightly red.
"Your Majesty, the Security Bureau has an urgent report."
Shuangxi hurriedly walked in, bowed and handed over a report.
Zhu Yunwen stood up and walked towards Shuangxi, took the report, a smile appeared on the corner of his mouth, and asked: "Where are the two kings?"
"Back to the emperor, he is still in the military camp."
Shuangxi replied.
Zhu Yunwen nodded with satisfaction. Although these two people were from the royal family, they were not incapable of hardship. Since they were in trouble, let's give them reassurance.
"I remember that I still have some ambergris in my inner treasury, so take half of it and give it to the two kings."
Zhu Yunwen ordered.
Shuangxi agreed and retreated.
Ma Enhui came over and complained: "Your Majesty, that is ambergris. It is made from the breath of a dragon. It is rare in the world. Even in the capital, it only has more than five taels. You are really willing to give it up."
"Shenlong?"
Zhu Yunwen blinked with doubt on his face.
Ma Enhui said with heartache: "Have you never heard of it, Your Majesty? That ambergris is produced from Ambergris Island. This island floats in the sea and the waves stir up the clouds. Only every spring, hundreds of dragons gather together to play. And by leaving the saliva, you can get the dragon's saliva. How can such a legendary divine object be given away so easily."
"Uh, the queen has been to Longxiu Island?"
Zhu Yunwen was depressed. The imagination of ancient people was too rich.
The random things he told were all brilliantly told, with places, animals, stories, and consequences. Even the queen of a country was deceived.
Ma Enhui shook her head and sighed: "The Ambergris Island is far away overseas and elusive. How can I see it? Ambergris, ambergris, is the saliva of the dragon. It is really a pity to give it to the two kings."
Zhu Yunwen laughed loudly and said: "Queen, ambergris is not the saliva of a dragon, but produced by sperm whales. Isn't it just ambergris? When Zheng He goes to sea, ask him to send you a few kilograms to compensate you. That’s it.”
Ma Enhui couldn't believe how the sperm whale could deserve the name of such a tall mountain as Ambergris. The emperor must have comforted him.
Thinking about the smell of ambergris, Ma Enhui became fascinated.
The aroma of ambergris is as beautiful as musk, slightly earthy, delicate and soft. The fragrance can last for several months, and the palace is reluctant to use it on weekdays.
If it was as Zhu Yunwen expected, the Ministry of War was going to buy medical gauze and alcohol in a merchant's way, and reported it to the Ministry of Household Affairs, asking for 200,000 taels.
Huang Zicheng, the Minister of Household Affairs, and Yan Qiliang, the Zuo Shilang, did not dare to neglect. After careful study, they found that this thing actually belonged to King Liao and King Min. Huang Zicheng was not happy. The royal family was forbidden from doing business. This was the ancestral system of Taizu.
It’s been less than a year since Lao Zhu’s death, and you’ve turned a deaf ear to his words?
The dignified prince actually despises merchants, how can this be achieved?
Must be impeached!
Not only that, they should also be asked to hand over medical gauze and alcohol manufacturing methods. How could such a powerful military weapon be in the hands of the two kings!
The household department was just a broken window. Huang Zicheng was still grinding and preparing to write the opening remarks. Jingqing, the censor of Zuodu of the Metropolitan Procuratorate, received the news. Jingqing clapped his hands and was overjoyed.
Jingqing has been having a hard time these past few days. Although the dispute over the land has not yet been decided, he is already at the forefront of the storm. In addition to copying memorials every day, he is also making comments and thinking about what words to use in order to greet Huang Zicheng and other three generations of his family in an elegant way. .
But always greeting others is not an option. After all, Huang Zicheng is also very polite and knows how to reciprocate. Every time he greets someone, he will greet him back.
Now it’s okay. There will be no fighting for land tomorrow. Let’s take a day off. First, we will impeach the two kings for not obeying the ancestral system, for being respectful and humble, practicing the way of merchants, and having no feelings for the family and the country. Then we will impeach them for controlling the country’s weapons and fulfilling their personal desires. His selfish desires endanger the country and the army.
When Jing Qing spoke, his colleagues in the Metropolitan Procuratorate naturally wanted to listen.
Lian Zining, the censor of Youdu, looked at the majestic Jing Qing and silently read Hu Jun's "Pleading for Life for the People of Jiangsu and Zhejiang". After copying it dozens of times, Lian Zining finally changed his original opinion.
Although Hu Jun's words may sound alarmist, they are not groundless.
Looking back on the past ten or twenty years, and looking at the present, changes have been obvious. If another thirty years pass, the farmers may not be able to save more than one or two out of ten. However, if the court wants to obtain tax revenue, it can only extract from these farmers. A small number of people bear the heaviest taxes, while a large number of people bear no or a very small part of the taxes.
If this continues, Lian Zining doesn't know whether the people at the bottom can survive or whether they will rebel, but he knows one thing. By then, the Ming court may have no money to use.
How can we support the situation when we have so much potential and disadvantages?
Not to mention his own salary, even if there was some natural disaster, the court would not even be able to provide money or food for disaster relief. If war breaks out again, due to internal and external troubles, the overthrow will only happen in a matter of seconds!
Lian Zining put down the memorial, with a bit of sadness in his eyes. He picked up his pen and began to silently write "Please for the People of Jiangsu and Zhejiang". He murmured: "The country, the country, the country, the family cannot be broken."
