The cabinet chief assistant Liu Jian, the cabinet second assistant Li Dongyang, and the Minister of Revenue Liang Chu wanted to break their heads to get money.
Liu Jian and Li Dongyang complained incessantly. Although they were the chief assistants of the Ming Dynasty and had the talent to rule the world, it was still a headache for them to get millions of taels of silver in a short period of time.
With a wave of his brush, Tian Zi spent all the money in the national treasury. He spent eight million taels of silver without even batting an eye.
The Emperor was happy, but the Minister of Revenue, Liang Chu, and the Chief Assistant of the Cabinet, Liu Jian, were worried sick.
If he didn't think of a way to earn money, he wouldn't even be able to get his salary for the next year.
If the national treasury continued to be empty and the soldiers guarding the border could not be paid next year, it would probably cause a big mess.
A single word from the emperor could break a subject's legs.
Liu Jian, Li Dongyang, and the others were all important officials of the imperial court, but now, in order to make money, they had no choice but to take the unconventional path.
They knew that it wouldn't take long for them to bear a bad reputation…
However, there was no other way.
If they didn't bear this infamy, would they let Tian Zi bear it?
……
In Chuxiu Palace.
Bai Muxue was embroidering a handkerchief with two mandarin ducks on it.
The flowers and plants in the courtyard were fragrant.
Living in Chuxiu Palace was far better than living in the laundry bureau. In the laundry bureau, there were endless clothes to wash every day. In addition to the clothes of the Empress Dowager and the Emperor, there were also some eunuchs 'clothes that were handed to them.
Bai Muxue hummed a little tune from Hejian. She was flattered and delighted that His Majesty had come to visit Chuxiu Palace. She never dared to expect to see him often.
He was already satisfied to see her once in a while.
When Bai Muxue thought of this, she thought of the young emperor with red lips and white teeth.
The eunuchs and beautiful women of Chuxiu Palace were sent back after being questioned by the East Military Hall…
"Lady, you're in a good mood!"
Bai Muxue was embroidering a handkerchief when Ouyang Jing 'er appeared in Chuxiu Palace. Bai Muxue quickly stood up.""So it's Aunt Jing 'er…"
Ouyang Jing 'er waved her hand and said," I can't bear to be called aunt. If a lady doesn't mind, you and I can call each other sisters. I'm nineteen this year…"
"Sister Jing 'er…"
Ouyang Jing 'er sat down and said,""His Majesty wants you to go to Yangxin Hall tonight. Do you know what to do?”
"What is it? What do you mean?"
Bai Muxue looked at Ouyang Jing 'er in confusion. No one had told Bai Muxue how to serve the emperor because she was a palace maid and had never learned how to serve the emperor…
The Empress Dowager also did not hold a talent selection for Zhu Houzhao…
There are no beautiful women in the palace.
Ouyang Jing 'er smiled and said," His Majesty sent you to Yangxin Palace Hall because he must have a good impression of you. You should make His Majesty feel comfortable. If you can get His Majesty's favor, then you will no longer be a lady. At the very least, you will become a talent or a beauty!"”
When Bai Muxue heard Ouyang Jing 'er's words, her face instantly turned red. Although she had never experienced human affairs, after entering the palace, she knew a thing or two…
"Sister Jing 'er, how can I make His Majesty comfortable?"
Bai Muxue asked softly.
"Come close to my ear…" Ouyang Jing 'er smiled.
Bai Muxue leaned over obediently. Ouyang Jing 'er whispered a few words into Bai Muxue's ear, causing her to lower her head. Her hands gripped the handkerchief tightly. Her face was flushed red.
"Do you know what to do?" Ouyang Jing 'er asked with a smile.”
" I understand." Bai Muxue nodded." But I'm afraid that I can't do it."”
"Then it's up to you."
Ouyang Jing 'er stood up, her beautiful face glowing with a faint smile!
Ouyang Jing 'er walked out of Chuxiu Palace.
"Sister Muxue, there's no need to send me off. Prepare to serve me in bed…"
Inside Chuxiu Palace, Bai Muxue was bathing. The wooden basin was filled with rose petals, and the fragrance of the flowers filled the air.
……
Yangxin Palace Hall.
After Zhu Houzhao read through the memorials, he was certain that the ministers were whitewashing the peace in the court.
Only by praising Da Ming to the point that he had no shortcomings could they prove the Emperor's ability to govern the country.
As for whether the empire was short of money or whether a certain county had suffered a disaster, it was fine as long as the ministers knew. The emperor did not need to know.
Even a wise emperor would inevitably lose himself in this kind of praise.
Fortunately, Zhu Houzhao was not an ordinary emperor. He knew the crux of the Ming Empire. He also knew that if he did not save the country now, the Ming Empire would no longer exist in a hundred years!
Zhu Houzhao walked out of Yangxin Palace Hall. The sun was warm and he walked to the Imperial Garden. There was a lake on one side of the Imperial Garden, and there was an arch bridge on the lake. The Empress Dowager often fed the bounty fish on the arch bridge.
When Zhu Houzhao appeared in the imperial garden, he saw a beautiful figure running across the imperial garden and onto the stone arch bridge.
"Sister, come quickly."
"Cousin, run slower!"
Commandery Princess Yun Luo chased after them. The two figures ran to the stone arch bridge. The girl who was the first to get on the bridge threw a handful of fish food into the lake, and many goldfish fought over it...
Gold, red, gray…
From afar, Zhu Houzhao looked at Princess Yun Luo and the tall girl.
Cousin Zhang Xuan!
The daughter of the Marquis of Shouning, Zhang Heling…
The Empress Dowager's niece.
Why did she enter the palace?
Zhang Xuan stood on the stone arch bridge and scattered fish food. She pointed at the goldfish in the water and held the hand of Commandery Princess Yun Luo. She was extremely happy...
Zhu Houzhao did not disturb them. He walked to the other side of the imperial garden and admired the peonies…
Zhang Xuan and Commandery Princess Yun Luo stood on the arch bridge.
"Cousin, you haven't entered the palace for a long time." Zhu Xiuning, the princess of Yunluo, said with a smile.”
"How long has it been? Less than a year."
"Do you know that if you don't enter the palace, I'll be bored to death…"
" Do you think I'm like you, living in the palace…Also, my father arranged a marriage for me. It's so troublesome…" Zhang Xuan felt frustrated when she mentioned this.
She had already reached the age of marriage, and Zhang Heling was looking for a husband for her.
"Sis, you're already sixteen years old. It's time for you to get married.”
"Leave what pavilion? It's as if they're sending me out for a deal…I don't like this kind of marriage where my parents control me.”
"Then what do you want to do?"
"I want to find a husband myself. I will only marry if I find a husband I like. If it's not someone I like, I would rather not marry for the rest of my life!”
Zhu Xiuning heard her cousin's words and smiled.""Then why don't you become a nun? You won't be able to find the person you like!”
"Are you looking for a beating!"
Zhang Xuan saw that Princess Yun Luo was cursing her to not be able to get married and chased after her cousin. The eunuchs and palace maids followed behind Princess Yun Luo and Princess Zhang Xuan.
A peony garden.
Zhu Houzhao stood with his hands behind his back, staring at the blooming peony flowers and thinking about what had happened in the court. According to Cao Zhengchun, there was another force in the court besides the cabinet and the East and West Factories.
The Empress Dowager's power?
Or was it a force left behind by the previous emperor?
After Princess Yun Luo and Zhang Xuan ran into the imperial garden, Zhang Xuan looked up and saw her cousin standing in the imperial garden. She smiled and ran behind her cousin.
Without waiting for Zhu Houzhao to turn around, Zhang Xuan had already wrapped her arms around Zhu Houzhao's shoulders and placed her entire body on Zhu Houzhao's body.
"Cousin! You don't miss me either! We haven't seen each other for months!”
"You're even admiring peonies! Tsk tsk, what a good mood!"
"Cousin, let me tell you a poem. Peony flowers are the best among all flowers, and there is even a king during this period. The four colors changed into Baise, and all kinds of colors were fragrant.”
Princess Yun Luo stood behind him and pouted.""Cousin, how can you be like this? You've completely forgotten about your cousin when you see him!”
Zhang Xuan turned her head and saw Princess Yun Luo's sour expression. She made a funny face and stuck out her tongue.
It was interesting to play with his cousin, but it was not interesting to play with a little girl!
"Cousin, give me your evaluation. How is this poem of mine?”
Zhang Xuan was practically hanging on Zhu Houzhao's neck, causing the eunuchs and serving girls around to turn their heads away.
Only Princess Zhang Xuan could be so intimate with His Majesty…
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