The Taoist master Zhang came from Mount Longhu, accompanied by thirty-six disciples from the Taoist temple.
A gigantic carriage stopped outside the palace gates. Zhang Yushuo boarded the carriage, and the little Daoist boy followed suit. The moment he entered the carriage, the curtains were lowered, and the little Daoist boy took off his Daoist crown. His fine black hair cascaded down like a waterfall, and his handsome face was instantly filled with a sense of gentleness.
The Taoist boy's eyes were as clear as autumn water, his eyebrows were long, and his long hair was loose. He was actually a girl.
She looked at her brother nervously and whispered, "Brother, there's something wrong with that Yang Ling. Looking at his face, he was a man who died young and had little luck. But now, not only is his fate precious, but his salary is also very high. Isn't it strange?"
Taoist master Zhang Yu-shuo laughed dryly and said, "How can there be such a thing? Maybe you've calculated wrongly, or maybe he did some good deeds. It's possible that his fate has changed. Bao Er, don't mention this again. "
"Oh?" Bao Er rolled her eyes, and her eyes were evil and proud. "Brother, are you saying that there's something wrong with the Taoist techniques passed down by father? Then the Taoist Taoism has been passed down for more than a thousand years. Is it all a lie? "
"Bao Er!" Zhang Yu-shuo suppressed his anger and glared at his sister. "Don't show off your Taoist techniques. The Great Dao is pure and empty, and spells are small tricks. Our spells are not enough to seek good fortune, avoid calamity, and protect ourselves. It's even more impossible to change the fate and identify the power of the country.
Look at that General Yang's eyes are clear, and he's not a crafty person. That's enough. If there's really someone who changed his fate and extended his life, do you think we can deal with that kind of Taoist techniques? Don't tell me you want to go to the palace with a peach wood sword to catch demons? "
The young Taoist master was young, but he was very steady. He lowered his voice and said, "I'm a wanderer in Jianghu. Why would I need your kindness? There's no way to get involved in the affairs of the royal family, and don't mention it. It's not something we can afford to provoke. "
The Zhu family had always been harsh and merciless. Zhu Yuanzhang relied on religion to build his empire, and was afraid that others would follow suit. Therefore, he was extremely wary of the monks and Taoists.
Celestial Master Zhang of Longhu Mountain and Sage Confucius of Qufu, no matter who took over the country, they were all very respectful to them. Zhu Yuanzhang did not dare to break the custom, but he restricted the development of the Buddhist and Daoist sects in the country's politics. Even the authority of Longhu Mountain to issue spies was taken back to the management of the Daoist Records Department in the capital, for fear that they would become too powerful.
What's more, the theory of ghosts and gods was really vague. As an emperor, he hoped that everyone would believe in ghosts and gods. Only then would it be beneficial for him to sit on the throne. However, he definitely did not wish for a person who really knew magic to appear in front of him. That was a power that even the imperial power could not control. He would definitely find a way to eliminate it. Celestial Master Zhang's lineage had long understood this, so they could pretend to pray for the royal family. They were not afraid of being seen through by the Emperor. Instead, they did not dare to let him see any of their true abilities.
Besides, they could see through a person's fortune, but not necessarily control it. There were more variables in the fate of a country, and it was not something that could be seen through by Taoist magic. Who knew if it was a blessing or a curse for a strange person like Yang Ling to appear in the court? It was better to avoid him.
They lived on Mount Longhu in Jiangxi. In the past few years, King Ning of Jiangxi had sent people to the mountain with his son's birth and eight characters, asking him to tell his son's fortune. King Ning was a hereditary prince, so his son was naturally King Ning. What else could he do? Although King Ning said that his son had been sick since childhood, and his father was too worried to ask the Taoist master to tell his fortune, his ambition could not be hidden from the young Taoist master.
If it were not for Yang Ling's righteous expression, Zhang Yu-shuo would have suspected that he was a spy sent to the capital by some vassal king. He was a Taoist master, but even a Taoist master did not know which cloud had rain. Didn't King Jing of Yan succeed? Who knew which sect Yang Ling belonged to now? It was better not to get involved in this kind of thing.
However, he doted on his sister very much. Seeing that his tone was too harsh, he quickly comforted her. Speaking of Zhang Fubao, although she was a woman, born of Taoist master Zhang's concubine, her position in Mount Longhu was very special.
The 46th generation Taoist master, Zhang Yuanji, was accused of causing trouble in the village, and was exiled by the emperor. After Zhang Yuanqing inherited his brother's position, he kept a low profile and obeyed the law. He did not dare to act recklessly, nor did he dare to boast about Taoist magic. He only did his duty as a Taoist master.
However, in the fourth year of Hongzhi, the emperor sent a eunuch to Mount Longhu to bestow seals and talismans. The eunuch, on a whim, sent an imperial edict to ask Taoist master Zhang to pray for the arrival of snow and cranes dancing in the sky as an auspicious sign. Taoist master Zhang had his own way to get a hundred cranes to soar, but it was a bit difficult for him to ask for snow.
Taoist master Zhang braced himself and chose a day. He chanted an incantation and drew a talisman to pray. He did not know whether it was because he knew meteorology or because he was lucky, but it was snowing heavily that day, and he really showed his face.
When he returned to Chaotian Palace, he found out that his fourth concubine, Lady Liu, had just given birth to a baby girl. Zhang Yuanqing thought that this baby girl brought him good fortune, so he doted on her very much. He named her Fu Bao and often brought her with him. Her status was very different from the other sons of concubines. She and this older brother grew up together, so they had a very good relationship.
But this time, Zhang Fubao saw that her brother's expression was unprecedentedly serious, and for the first time, he sternly reprimanded her for not knowing what's good for her. Zhang Fubao panicked and did not dare to speak any more nonsense.
Before the carriage arrived at Duke Cheng Province, someone had already rushed to report in advance. Zhang Yu-shuo was Duke Cheng's grandson. Although he was the State Preceptor, he was visiting as a relative, so there was no reason for the elders to come out and greet him. Therefore, his two cousins, Zhu Heyi and Zhu Heli, came out to greet him.
Duke Cheng was old but strong. His own children were also much older than him. The oldest son was already sixty, and the youngest son was only twenty-four. His youngest daughter, who was married to Taoist master Zhang, was only thirty-three this year. The two cousins welcomed the brother and sister into the mansion. Just as they turned around the screen wall, they saw a red-faced, drunken man being supported by someone and staggering out. He almost bumped into Zhang Yu-shuo.
Zhu Heyi frowned and said to the man in his thirties who was supporting the drunkard, "Brother Six, is Brother Xue drunk again?"
Brother Six sighed and said with a smile, "When is he not drunk? Don't worry, I'll send him back. " When he saw Zhang Yushuo and his sister in Daoist robes, he knew that his cousin had arrived. He couldn't help but smile warmly and said, "I'm sending this friend back to the mansion. Cousin, please go to the main hall. Grandfather is waiting to meet you."
Zhang Yu-shuo smiled and cupped his hands, watching the two leave. Zhang Fubao reached out to pluck a cup-sized flower from the flower pot next to the screen wall and sniffed it. He asked, "Cousin, Grandfather is a general. The people you associate with are also very forthright. Every time your friends come to the mansion, they get drunk?"
Zhu Heli laughed and said, "Brother Xue is not a general. In fact, he was the top scholar in the sixth year of Hongzhi. He is a great talent." Zhu Heli said and shook his head helplessly. He sighed and said, "But ever since I married Princess Ningqing and became the Prince Consort, sigh … let's not talk about this. Please come in."
Zhang Yu-shuo and his sister looked at each other in surprise and followed them in.
※ ※ ※
When Yang Ling arrived at the Eastern Warm Room, Gu Daeyong's eyes were sharp. He was the first to see him. He hurriedly greeted him with a smile and said, "Mr Yang is here. His Majesty is waiting for you. Come quickly."
The idea of the imperial banquet was his idea, and now that Yang Ling was able to subdue the crowd of civil officials, he was able to make Emperor Zhengde beam with joy, naturally he was in high spirits, he shared the glory.
When Zhengde saw Yang Ling, he was so excited that his face turned red. He said, "Yang, come, come. Give me a seat. Hahaha, I am really happy today. Seeing those old fellows who are usually like a bunch of flies in front of me can't say a word, I am dying of laughter. This time I want to promote you. I want to see who will dare to oppose."
Yang Ling smiled and greeted the Emperor. He replied, "Thanks to Your Majesty's blessing, this subject was lucky. Your Majesty cares for this subject, this subject is deeply grateful. But this subject is young and inexperienced. If I were to be promoted to an official of the six ministries, it would be like child's play. Just based on a lecture, the officials will not be convinced. Even this subject does not dare to take on this responsibility. "
When he said this, not only Zhengde, but also the people next to Emperor Zhengde, Gu Daeyong, Ma Yongcheng and Liu Jin, were stunned. Liu Jin was well-educated. He quickly advised, "If Gan Luo Shi can worship an official, why can't Mr Yang be the Minister of the Ministry of Punishments? With His Majesty protecting you, what is there to be afraid of just a few civil officials? "
Yang Ling crammed for a night. His knowledge of history had improved a lot. He knew the story of Gan Luo Shi paying respects to the prime minister. He thought, "Gan Luo Shi paying respects to an official? He was beheaded when he was only twelve. Look at this example of yours, it's really awkward. "
Yang Ling originally had some misgivings about being promoted to an official. Today, he saw the attitude of the civil and military officials in court, which strengthened his determination.
In terms of reputation, Yang Ling was like the sun in the sky. Furthermore, he had the Emperor in the Forbidden City and the Embroidered Uniform Guards outside the palace to back him up. Now that he had gained the trust of a group of military generals, Yang Ling believed that even if he died, with the help of these interpersonal relationships and the salary of the Weiwu Earl, it would be enough for his young mother … and Xue 'er and Yu' er, who had been ordered to marry into the family, to not have to worry about food and clothing.
But if he really became a Minister, he would have to fall into the intrigue of the civil officials. In a year's time, the hatred would be formed and he would die. What would happen to Young-niang? Those writers were not all good people. If someone came to stir up trouble, would the Emperor's favor still be the same?
With this thought, Yang Ling decided that no matter what happened in the debate today, he would not accept the position of Minister of the Ministry of Punishments. Ever since the Emperor ascended to the throne, Liu Jin and the others' popularity and power were much greater than before. These fellows, who had no ambition, were quite content.
But above them was Old Wang Yue. Seeing that they coaxed the Emperor so badly, he would sometimes call them over to scold them, making them very uncomfortable. They thought that if Yang Ling, who had a close relationship with the Emperor, became an official, they would have people outside the Palace and their lives would be better. At this time, when they heard that Yang Ling did not want to be an official, it was really like the old saying, "The Emperor is not anxious, the eunuch will die if he is anxious." They immediately tried to persuade him.
It was not good for Yang Ling to say his plan, so he could only say to Zhengde confidently, "Your Majesty, you have just ascended to the throne. At this time, you should think of ways to gain the support of the officials. A few days ago, you demoted three Ministers for this humble subject. The advantage is that the Emperor established his power, but the disadvantage is that the Emperor has just ascended to the position of the Emperor and demoted the officials. It is inevitable that the officials will not be satisfied. At this time, if this humble subject makes an exception and promotes me, what will the officials think? Perhaps they will be worried that the Emperor will replace all the old officials, which will not be good for the court. "
Hearing Yang Ling's reasonable words, Zhengde was very moved: "Fuhuang's eyes are indeed like a torch, this Yang does not have the least bit of ambition. Such a big official position is given to him, but he does not want it. He only thinks about zhen."
With a child's temperament, whoever is good to him, of course he would want to give all the benefits to that person. Hearing what Yang Ling said, he felt even more that if he did not confer him a big official position, it would be unfair to his loyal officials. But what Yang Ling said was also reasonable, so what kind of official position would be suitable for him?
Zhengde furrowed his brows and was thinking about it when a delicate and pretty little girl in emerald green robes angrily rushed in. She did not even look at the people beside her and said to Zhengde: "Imperial Older Brother, Princess Ningqing is actually being bullied by a family servant to the point of crying. This is really preposterous, Imperial Older Brother cannot ignore this matter."
When Yang Ling saw that the girl in emerald green robes who had rushed in was Princess Yongchun, he quickly went forward to greet her. Liu Jin and the others also knelt on the ground. Princess Yongchun, whose face was red with anger, did not pay any attention to them. Her big round eyes were covered with a layer of grievance as she stared unwaveringly at Zhengde.
Zhengde's brotherly feelings towards this mischievous and lively imperial sister were quite heavy. Seeing that she was so angry that she was panting, he quickly stood up and chuckled: "Princess Ningqing? What happened? Look at how angry you are. Come, come, Imperial Older Brother has some candied dates from Cangzhou that were just brought in. Come and have a taste, we can talk slowly. "
Emperor Zhengde did not have the bearing of an Emperor. Little Princess Yongchun also lacked the awareness of an official towards her imperial older brother who had just ascended to the throne. She pouted and angrily walked over to sit on Zhengde's seat. She slammed the table and said: "Aunt Ningqing has doted on us since we were young. Now that Imperial Older Brother has become the Emperor, you have to support her.
Today, Consort Xue went to the palace to see Imperial Aunt but was actually chased out by the female officials of the Princess' residence. Aunt was so angry that she cried. When she went to the Empress Dowager to complain, the Empress Dowager reprimanded her for being rude. It really angered me to death. "
After Princess Yongchun finished speaking, she took out a candied date from the box and threw it into her mouth as she bitterly chewed it. Ma Yongcheng was now the Head Steward of the Imperial Palace. When he heard Princess Yongchun complain like this, he couldn't help but become a bit flustered.
His eyes turned and he moved closer to Zhengde's ear to quietly whisper a few words. When Zhengde heard this, he disapprovingly said to Princess Yongchun: "Oh … so it's like this. The palace has its own rules. Even the Prince Consort can't break the rules. Otherwise, would the Empress Dowager reprimand Imperial Aunt? Truly making a mountain out of a molehill. "
Princess Yongchun suddenly stood up and pointed at Zhengde: "You … … You … …" After a long time, she couldn't speak due to her tears. At the side, Ma Yongcheng coughed and darkly said: "Your Highness, His Imperial Majesty is your Imperial Older Brother and also your ruler. Please pay attention to the etiquette of an official."
Princess Yongchun suddenly picked up the box of candied plums and threw it at Ma Yongcheng's face. She stomped her bow shoes and angrily said: "Fine, fine, fine. You're His Imperial Majesty. Just kill me and be done with it!" As she said this, she lifted her skirt and was about to rush out.
Zhengde saw that Ma Yongcheng had a piece of candied plum stuck to his face and there were a few pieces on his head. His eyebrows couldn't help but twitch and he forced himself not to laugh out loud. He saw that the little Imperial Sister was so angry that her delicate body was trembling and hurriedly became the mediator: "Forget it, forget it. Imperial Older Brother will help you, alright?"
He turned his head and saw Yang Ling. He couldn't help but happily say: "Yang, go with the Imperial Sister and see what's going on. It's fine as long as you can coax the Imperial Sister and make her happy. That way, she won't come and randomly throw my things again."
Yang Ling jumped in fright and hurriedly said: "Your Imperial Majesty, this official is a foreign official. Isn't this the responsibility of the Ministry of Internal Affairs?"
Zhengde impatiently said: "It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter. In any case, I've already reported to the Empress Dowager. Zhen's wedding will be handled by the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The candidates for this angel will be the Honglu Official of the Ministry of Rites, Wen Zean, and you. During this period of time, you'll have to frequently go in and out of the Imperial Palace."
As he spoke, Zhengde seemed to have thought of something. He took off his round dragon jade pendant from his waist and handed it to him, saying: "The Inner Palace is not like the Outer Palace. Ordinary tokens are not allowed to enter. Zhen's jade pendant, take it with you first."
Princess Yongchun's tears had not yet dried. Her fluffy, watery eyes blinked as she looked at Yang Ling for a long time. She suddenly shouted: "I recognize you. Why are you wearing armor to enter the Palace of Heavenly Purity?"
An eleven or twelve year old girl's tears came and went quickly. When she said this, she couldn't help but laugh: "Are you afraid of getting flogged again? Wearing armor will be able to withstand it for a while?"
Little Princess Yongchun's height had just reached Yang Ling's chest. It was unknown whether it was because she was young and didn't understand the difference between men and women, or because she had been spoiled by her good-tempered father, but she actually moved in front of Yang Ling and stroked the scales on his chest armor. She clicked her tongue and praised: "I couldn't tell, but it's very sturdy. It won't matter if you get hit twenty times."
As the little girl moved closer, a fragrant wind blew over. Yang Ling couldn't help but awkwardly take a step back. Gu Daeyong opened his mouth and wanted to remind Her Royal Highness Yongchun to pay attention to the Princess's demeanor. But when he saw that there were still a few pieces of candied plums stuck to the top of Ma Yongcheng's forehead, and that stupid Emperor brother of hers was standing there as if nothing had happened, he wisely kept quiet.
Last time, Yang Ling was used by this little girl to become Princess Yongfu's scapegoat and was beaten by the angry Hongzhi Emperor. Now that the old Emperor had been replaced by a young Emperor, this little princess was even more unscrupulous. When he saw this silly little girl, he was really a little afraid.
Princess Yongchun stretched out a finger and pointed at his chest. She said with satisfaction, "Very good. You will wear this outfit and follow me to the Tenth Wangfu to teach that group of arrogant servants a lesson."
Emperor Zhengde covered his mouth with a small golden fan and coughed twice. He winked at him, hinting for him to quickly coax this little evil star away. But his mouth said vaguely, "This concerns the dignity of the Royal Family. Go and see what happened. I will take care of everything."
What actually happened in this Princess Ningqing Mansion?
It turned out that after the Ming Dynasty's Princesses married, they did not live with their husbands. Instead, they moved to the Tenth Wangfu within the palace and lived in a hall. The Emperor appointed a female official to be responsible for the Princesses' sleeping, eating, drinking, and living. Even if the Princesses wanted to see the Prince Consort, they had to get the approval of this female official. Otherwise, the Prince Consort would not even be able to enter the palace.
Because this female official was sent by the Emperor, she was equivalent to an imperial envoy. Even the Princesses did not dare to offend her. It was even more difficult for the Princesses to tell the Emperor that they wanted to see their husband. Thus, the unmarried Princesses were like phoenixes on the branches. Once they had a Prince Consort, most of them lived a very useless life. In order to be able to see each other, many Princesses and Prince Consorts would often bribe the female official with large amounts of money. As a result, the female official became more and more arrogant.
No matter how knowledgeable the Prince Consort of the Ming Dynasty was, once the Princesses became the Prince Consort, they would have to resign from their official positions and live alone in the Prince Consort's Mansion. Some could even get a job in the Imperial Clan Court. Most of them only received a salary and did not have an official position. They could not take concubines and did not dare to enter the brothels.
Thus, they became widowers. Furthermore, once the Princesses passed away, all of the manors and property given to them by the Imperial Family would have to be taken back. The power of the Prince Consort could not compare to that of a minor official in the Imperial Court. Most of those female officials often gave money to the powerful eunuchs in the Palace and had people supporting them. Thus, the Prince Consort could not do anything to them.
Ma Yongcheng accepted money from the female official in the Princess Ningqing Mansion. He knew that it was because the female official in the Princess Ningqing Mansion disliked the amount of money she took and purposely prevented the husband and wife from meeting. Thus, when he heard that Princess Yongchun wanted to cause trouble for the female official, he whispered a few words to Zhengde. He pointed out that Prince Consort Xue often entered and left the Imperial Palace without permission and damaged the face of the Imperial Family. The female official was only acting according to the law and told the Emperor not to interfere with the affairs of the women in the Inner Palace.
Yongchun was a mischievous person. How could she not understand the meaning behind her brother's words? She wrinkled her nose and did not refute. She secretly made up her mind and snorted coldly. "Let's go, follow me to the Tenth Wang Mansion."
Yang Ling had no other choice and could only follow behind her to deal with the Emperor's family matters. Princess Yongchun walked out of the Palace of Heavenly Purity and lightly walked along the winding corridor to a secluded area without people. Looking around, she suddenly stopped and turned around. With a faint smile, she gazed at Yang Ling and said, "I heard … a few days ago, you were almost beheaded by my brother?"
Yang Ling saw her expression and couldn't help but cautiously take a step back. He carefully said, "Yes, this official was framed and was unable to defend himself. Fortunately, Your Majesty is wise and this official was able to escape prison."
Princess Yongchun held her hands behind her back and nodded her head in an old-fashioned manner. She said, "En, since ancient times, there is a saying that accompanying the monarch is like accompanying a tiger. Presumably, Sir Yang now has a deep understanding of this."
Yang Ling felt that this Princess Yongchun's demeanor was a bit strange. His heart felt a sense of danger. This kind of girl who had been spoiled since she was young was not easy to serve. She just had to be a princess. Yang Ling really had a headache dealing with this kind of little girl.
Princess Yongchun rolled her eyes and slowly narrowed her big eyes. Her childish face was full of an expression of "I want to frame you". She said with a sneer, "It's terrible to be framed, right? Does it feel good to be dragged to the market? "
Yongchun smiled slyly and said, "Do you think I didn't hear the meaning of my brother's words just now? I'm telling you, Sir Yang, if you don't help my aunt vent her anger, there's no need to send you to the market. This princess will directly call the Imperial Bodyguard to take you down and behead you! "
Yang Ling laughed dryly and said, "Your Highness, you have to let this official understand the cause and effect before I can make a decision, right? This official's death is not to be regretted, but killing an official without permission is a stain on the Princess's reputation. "
Although Yang Ling said this, he couldn't help but secretly complain in his heart. This is really siblings from the same mother. Her older brother carried a sword and chased Marquis Of Shouning all over the palace. Now, this little princess also wants to kill me, General Yang?
Princess Yongchun suddenly laughed, like a blooming spring flower. She was young, but when she laughed proudly, she actually looked elegant and beautiful. Her actions were also extremely flirtatious. She said with a smile, "What hindrance? If I say that you're extremely daring and molested this princess, do you think it's enough for you to be beheaded? "
When Yang Ling heard this, he flew into a rage. Princess Yongchun suddenly saw Yang Ling's eyebrows tremble. That burst of anger actually scared the little princess to the point of taking a step back. She knew that Yang Ling had a good relationship with these internal officials, so she used empty words to intimidate him, afraid that he would act on his private matters. Who knew that with these words, Yang Ling already saw her as a poisonous beauty who disregarded human life as grass.
Yang Ling suppressed his anger and lowered his eyes. He lightly said, "Your Highness is a golden branch and jade leaves, the son of a phoenix and the grandson of a dragon. What does this official count as? Since the Emperor has sent this mission, this official will naturally handle it impartially. If the reason is not on Your Highness's side, I only hope that Your Highness can understand this official. "
Seeing that Yang Ling had such an indifferent expression, Princess Yongchun couldn't help but be a little embarrassed and said, "I … I'm not an unreasonable person. Of course, it's because it's reasonable that I want you to help me vent my anger …"
She saw that although Yang Ling was standing there respectfully, his eyes were staring at his feet. He didn't even bother to look at her. She couldn't help but be angry. She only thought, I am the dignified Princess Ming Destiny. Why should I explain to you in such a low voice?
She flicked her green sleeves and said with a straight face, "Remember what you said, handle it impartially! Otherwise, I won't let you go. Humph! "After saying that, she turned and angrily left.
※ ※ ※
In the Palace of Heavenly Purity, the Supervisor of Rites, Dai Yi, who was in charge of the Tai Mausoleum project, had just rushed back. Liu Jin, Gu Daeyong and the others had low status. Originally, they could only nod and bow in front of him. But ever since Dai Yi had a grudge against Wang Yue, he also knew that in terms of connections and status, he was far inferior to Wang Yue. And although Liu Jin and the others had power and no power now, they were the current Emperor's most trusted eunuchs. The Emperor had the heart to make friends with them. So when they met, they were very amiable. It was very different from the disdainful expression they had in the past. This made Liu Jin and the others extremely happy.
When Zhengde saw Dai Yi, he hurriedly said, "Dai Yi, I have something to discuss with you. That's why I hurriedly called you back."
Dai Yi was flattered and said, "Your Majesty, please instruct me. How can I not agree?"
Zhengde muttered to himself, "How are the expenses for the Tailing Mausoleum project? Are you still lacking in silver? "
Ever since the seepage case of the Emperor's mausoleum, the Tailing Mausoleum had more or less attracted the attention of the court officials. Dai Yi no longer dared to take large amounts of silver from inside. Instead, he worked very hard, treating it as a political achievement project. As a result, the amount of silver allocated by the court was more than enough. Hearing Zhengde's question, Dai Yi hurriedly said, "Replying to Your Majesty, the silver for the Tailing Mausoleum project is already sufficient."
Zhengde nodded and said, "Hmm, that's good. I am about to get married. The wedding and the rewards will require 1,800,000 taels of silver. I asked the Ministry of Revenue for silver, but Hangul wanted me to pay from the palace treasury. However, Ma Yongcheng is in charge of the palace treasury. After some investigation, the palace treasury is not rich. At most, they can take out 1,000,000 taels of silver. There are still 800,000 taels of silver that I have not found.
I thought that the Ministry of Revenue would agree to 800,000 taels of silver, but Hangul was only willing to give me 300,000 taels of silver. He wanted me to use banknotes to replace the silver.
Hmph! I was muddle-headed and almost agreed. It was Liu Jin's reminder that made me understand. I have ascended to the throne and my wedding will be held in a year. With such double happiness, if you want me to give silver to the officials and the soldiers guarding the borders, isn't that humiliating me? So … "
Zhengde glanced at Dai Yi and felt a little hesitant. To let Dai Yi use the excuse that the Tailing Mausoleum project is not enough to ask for silver from the court, isn't this too disrespectful to Father?
Dai Yi saw Zhengde's hesitant expression and thought that the Emperor wanted to squeeze silver out of the Tailing Mausoleum project. Right now, he was anxious to please Zhengde. He quickly calculated in his mind. If he was stricter with all the supervisors not allowed to take money, and if he was more frugal when buying materials, he should be able to gather 400,000 to 500,000 taels of silver.
Dai Yi made up his mind and quickly knelt and said, "Rest assured, Your Majesty. The Tailing Mausoleum project was originally estimated to cost 3,800,000 taels of silver. Your servant and the other officials are working for Your Majesty and did not dare to be negligent. The progress of the project is also fast. It is estimated that 3,300,000 taels of silver will be enough. The remaining 500,000 taels of silver will be used for the mausoleum."
When Zhengde heard this, he was overjoyed and couldn't help but stand up. "What? The mausoleum project can squeeze out 500,000 taels of silver? " He thought for a moment and his face darkened. He asked suspiciously, "Could it be that you are trying to curry favor with me by cutting corners on the construction of the late Emperor's mausoleum?"
When Dai Yi heard this, he hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, how would this servant dare? It was just that my original estimate was a bit too much. Now that the project is halfway completed, your servant has carefully calculated that the construction of the mausoleum will save several hundred thousand taels of silver. Your servant doesn't dare to hide anything. I originally wanted to report this to Your Majesty. It just so happens that Your Majesty needs silver. Your servant dares not to share Your Majesty's worries?"
Only then did Zhengde's anger turn to joy. He said, "That's good, that's good. As long as it doesn't delay Father's mausoleum, it's fine. We have been worried about this for a long time. The vast inner court is under Wang Yue's control. We went to ask him for advice, but he couldn't do anything. I didn't expect you to have the ability to help solve my worries."
"Wang Yue?" Dai Yi had a vengeful temperament. He was originally loyal and devoted to Wang Yue, but when he was in prison waiting to die, Wang Yue actually watched with folded arms. Now, Dai Yi hated Wang Yue to the bone. He stole a glance and saw that there were only Liu Jin, Gu Daeyong, and Ma Yongcheng in front of him. They were all eunuchs that Wang Yue didn't like. Dai Yi gathered his courage and smiled apologetically. "That's right, that's right. Even if there was a way, I'm afraid Eunuch Wang wouldn't be willing to take it out."
"En?" Zhengde heard that there was a hidden meaning in his words. He couldn't help but look at him with confusion. "What do you mean? Tell Zhen honestly. "
Dai Yi hastily kowtowed and said, "Your servant doesn't dare, your servant doesn't dare. Eunuch Wang is in charge of Dongchang and the West Factory. If your servant makes the Senior unhappy, if he wants your servant to die, it'll be as easy as crushing an ant. Your servant doesn't dare to say it."
As soon as Zhengde heard this, his anger flared up. 'Pa!' he slapped the table and angrily said, "Could it be that Wang Yue is more formidable than Zhen? Are you afraid that Wang Yue won't dare to speak frankly to Zhen? "
Liu Jin heard the hidden meaning in Dai Yi's words; he couldn't help smiling sinisterly and saying, "Eunuch Dai, in this room, other than His Majesty, there are only our three servants. We are all on His Majesty's side. If you have something to say, please say it to His Majesty. Whether it's right or wrong, it's enough that His Majesty knows about it. Other than the few of us in the Hall, we won't let anyone else know about it."
Dai Yi was secretly delighted; he busily said, "Yes, yes, yes, it's your servant who is muddle-headed. Your servant doesn't dare to say it, not because I'm not afraid of Your Majesty, but because it's groundless, without any evidence, I'm afraid to provoke Your Majesty's anger."
While speaking, he cautiously raised his head and said, "Your Majesty, Dongchang is in charge of hundreds of officials and the Imperial Bodyguard, their power is monstrous to the heavens. Usually, I don't know how much money they receive just from showing their filial piety. As for the West Factory, they are in charge of Dongchang. Their profits are even more incredible. If they casually squeeze out some money, Your Majesty won't be so worried.
Besides, who is in charge of Dongchang's West Factory? Director of Rites Eunuch Wang, our Ming Destiny's Tax Commissioner, Mining Commissioner, Salt Commissioner, and Pearl Commissioner are all sent out by Director of Rites Eunuch Wang. These internal court supervisors set up their own yamen to collect taxes. The people say, 'The Ministry of Revenue has thirty percent of the authority to collect taxes, and the Director of Rites has seventy percent.' If the Director of Rites can't gather this bit of silver, then that would be strange. "
It was true that it was better to offend a gentleman than to offend a villain. It was true that Wang Yue was in charge of the Director of Rites, and Ming Destiny's internal court supervisors, who were nicknamed the "Skinner," had many people in previous dynasties. However, Hongzhi's dynasty had always been rather law-abiding. Although Wang Yue could not stop the layers of exploitation below and could not have such well-informed eyes and ears, most of the silver handed over to the Ministry of Revenue and the palace treasury in the capital had been handed over in proportion, so he did not have much left.
But now, Dai Yi's words were full of possibilities, probabilities, and estimations. If they really investigated, there would be no responsibility, but it had already raised Zhengde's suspicions. Hearing this, Zhengde was both shocked and angry. He said, "Wang Yue dares to deceive me like this? Is what you say true? "
Dai Yi hurriedly bowed his head and said, "If Your Majesty asks, I am only discussing the matter as it stands and guessing based on common sense. I have no proof."
Liu Jin had long been dissatisfied with Wang Yue, but Wang Yue had been a senior figure in four dynasties and had many eyes and ears in the Palace. He did not dare to speak carelessly without confidence. Today's opportunity could be considered a rare one. Liu Jin took the opportunity to say, "If someone really had selfish motives in these matters, how could Eunuch Dai know? The only one who could inquire is the Dongchang West Factory, but the two factories are both under Eunuch Wang. Who would dare to speak nonsense? "
As soon as Zhengde heard this, the cloud of suspicion in his heart grew heavier. He could not help but angrily said, "The late Emperor doted on Wang Yue and entrusted the Dongchang West Factory to him. Since Zhen ruled the country, I have never asked about it. Wang Yue has controlled the two factories for many years. I am afraid the people who are deeply entangled with each other are his trusted aides. Of course there would be no news for Zhen to know. Humph! It seems that Zhen should investigate them carefully. "
Dai Yi's eyebrows raised in delight, but he pretended to be deeply worried. He frowned and said, "The Dongchang West Factory is under Eunuch Wang's control. The Imperial Bodyguard has always been under Dongchang's control. If Your Majesty wants to investigate, I am afraid you won't be able to find anything."
'Pa!' Zhengde slapped the table. Unconvinced, he said, "Wasn't it the Emperor who allowed him to build the Dongchang West Factory? The Dongchang West Factory is all his people? Hey! Could it be that Zhen can't build another factory? … That's right! Zhen will build another Inner Factory. I will personally manage it. Dongchang, the West Factory, the Imperial Bodyguard, and the civil and military officials will all be under the supervision of my Inner Factory. Let's see who dares to hide from Zhen! "
When Dai Yi, Liu Jin, Ma Yongcheng, and Gu Daeyong heard this, their hearts jumped to their throats. The Emperor will personally manage the Inner Factory? It sounds nice, but how can the Emperor have the time to manage the Factory Guards? Isn't it just a figurehead?
This is a big pie! Maybe it will fall into the hands of the four of them. The Governor of Dongchang, the West Factory, the Imperial Bodyguard, and the civil and military officials …
Just when the four of them were holding their breath and their ears were ringing from the lack of oxygen, the Emperor of Zhengde slapped the table and said something fantastic. "Go and call Yang Ling back. Tell him to build the Inner Factory for Zhen!"
"Ah?" When Liu Jin and the others heard this, they were all dumbfounded. The Editing Factory had always been managed by eunuchs. They had never used foreign officials. Could it be that the Emperor of Zhengde wanted Little Ling to enter the palace?
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