Chapter 207: Arresting the People from the Imperial Kitchen and Taichang Temple
The emperor's troubles may not be common to ordinary people, because ordinary people are either busy with their livelihood or not able to do much, so they will not worry about being obsessed with beauty. Even if the official, rich and noble have such troubles, they can simply indulge it. And death is just a short life.
But Zhu Houzhao was the emperor, and his life span determined the historical direction of the empire, especially in an empire with an autocratic and centralized monarchy like the Ming Dynasty.
Zhu Houzhao was diligent in martial arts and had a strong physique, but he could not bear to go out with people several times a day. He suspected that he was suffering from hunger and sex syndrome, especially after meals. Zhu Houzhao decided not to eat the lunch in the imperial dining room this time. After dinner, I went to Xuanwumen Street incognito, planning to find a restaurant to satisfy my hunger.
Xuanwumen Street is now the CBD (Central Business District) of Daming. Important institutions such as Royal Industrial Company, Royal Bank, Daming Shipping Company, Daming Agricultural Reclamation Bureau, and Daming Mining Bureau are all located here. In addition, it is also adjacent to Daming. The only teaching and research base is the Capital University and the Royal Industrial Experimental Base.
At the same time, after Zhu Houzhao abolished the craftsmanship system, some craftsmen with good skills also began to go to sea. They rented storefronts in the Dashi Yongfang and Xiaoyongfang areas of Xuanwumen Street, and began to rely on their ancestral skills to make some Handicraft products are sold, and coupled with the leadership of the Royal Industrial Company and the Royal Industrial Experimental Base, various imitated or improved new industrial products will appear here.
For example, the recent rise of clay stoves, four-wheeled carriages and various hardware tools.
Many businessmen from all over the country will come here to order products in bulk for sale across the country, which has also led to an increase in the flow of people here, especially when Zhu Houzhao relaxed the access restrictions at Xuanwumen. The flow of people here has even prompted a large number of people here to breed. Brothels, restaurants, and the entertainment industry also developed here.
But no one knows that the real financial backer in this area is Zhu Houzhao himself, because the properties in the Xuanwumen Street area were confiscated by Zhu Houzhao a few years ago and were transferred to his royal name. Now the emperor himself only relies on rent and money every year. The income is considerable.
Zhu Houzhao found a tavern and sat down to eat some food and wine. He refused the hotel owner's suggestion to go to the private room to relax, and then followed the crowd back to the palace.
But Zhu Houzhao found that this time he no longer had any thoughts about men and women, so that he had time to deal with government affairs for an afternoon.
Because Zhu Houzhao is different from Emperor Hongzhi. He now has several concubines. The queen is naturally not suitable to occupy the imperial palace all the time. She needs to live in Kunning Palace. However, Zhu Houzhao himself is often used to letting the queen sleep with him, so he It was decreed that the queen should continue to live in Qianqing Palace.
Zhu Houzhao basically had to visit the other concubines, who were basically summoned to Qianqing Palace. As for the queen, she was basically used to serving the emperor Zhu Houzhao with other concubines.
Zhu Houzhao did not summon other concubines today, so he returned to Qianqing Palace.
In the evening, Zhu Houzhao felt hungry, so he ordered people to pass on the meal.
Zhu Houzhao only ate a few bowls of porridge, but as soon as he finished eating, he felt as if he had been on stimulants, and his tiredness disappeared.
When Zhu Houzhao saw the queen in front of him again, he rushed towards her.
……
Early the next morning, Zhu Houzhao woke up feeling dizzy and his eyes were blurry.
Queen Xia also noticed that Zhu Houzhao's face turned dark at this time, so she asked with some worry: "Your Majesty, what's wrong with you?"
"It's okay. I'm just a little exhausted right now. Now, just follow my instructions. Remember not to summon anyone, just do it yourself!"
Zhu Houzhao ordered.
Queen Xia nodded: "I know!"
So, under Zhu Houzhao's instruction, Queen Xia took out the bag of rice that Zhu Houzhao bought at the market yesterday, put it into a pot and a porcelain bottle of water that Zhu Houzhao had prepared earlier, and cooked a bowl of porridge. Zhu Houzhao drank it. Only then did he regain some strength.
Zhu Houzhao now had to believe that there was something wrong with the food in his imperial dining room. He couldn't believe what would happen if he didn't pay attention and just thought lust was human nature and ignored it because of his youth and strength.
But Zhu Houzhao couldn't wait until he couldn't get out of bed to solve the matter.
Just at this time, Wei Bin, the eunuch on duty, walked in: "Your Majesty, the imperial kitchen is here to ask if you still go to Cining Palace to eat?"
"No, bring breakfast to the Cabinet and Supervisor of Ceremonies rooms!"
As he spoke, Zhu Houzhao came to the cabinet and the supervising room of the ceremonial supervisor, and directly ordered Liu Jin: "Bring all the people in the imperial dining room here!"
Immediately, Zhu Houzhao ordered Gu Dayong of Xichang: "All officials from Taichang Temple are also escorted here!"...
"I heard from Shou Kui that your Majesty's health has not been as good as before recently, and he is not as diligent as before, which may not be a blessing to the country!"
Ye Zhi, the Shaocheng of Taichang Temple, was pruning potted plants. A censor official beside him said something with a worried look on his face.
After hearing this, Ye Zhi, the Shaocheng of Taichang Temple, only smiled secretly, thinking that the medicine had indeed worked. He was very proud and said: "It is human nature for emperors to be lustful. You and I are all his ministers. Although we can advise you, you can't do it." Can’t stop it, alas!”
The imperial censor also sighed. Suddenly, someone from Xichang broke in and pointed at Ye Zhi: "Take him away!"
Ye Zhi, the Shaocheng of Taichang Temple, was shocked when he saw this and asked: "What are you doing? What crime have I committed!"
"Master Ye, go and ask the emperor yourself!" The man from Xichang said and took Ye Zhi away.
……
Zhu Houzhao looked at the officials from the imperial kitchen and Taichang Temple system who were standing all over the Qianqing Palace Square. He couldn't help but smile coldly and asked: "You should have guessed why I brought you all here."
In fact, the officials present really didn't know why they were summoned here by His Majesty the Emperor. They were all wondering whether it was because of their own corruption or something else.
Except of course Ye Zhi.
Ye Zhi had a hunch that His Majesty the Emperor might have realized that he had added a drug to enhance happiness in the food he supplied to the royal family. This drug was non-poisonous and naturally could not be detected by a silver needle, nor could the eunuchs who tasted the food. Yes, because eunuchs don't have that function, medicine naturally has no effect on eunuchs.
However, Ye Zhi also knew that if he did this, he might face a situation where His Majesty discovered the clues, so he was prepared. So when Zhu Houzhao escorted the officials from the Imperial Kitchen and Taichang Temple here, He also concealed his inner panic very well.
Ye Zhi believed that even if His Majesty wanted to ask questions in detail, he would only question Liu Jie, the minister of Taichang Temple. However, Liu Jie, the minister of Taichang Temple, did not know that he was doing something small, so he knew that Liu Jie would not confess. Come out on your own.
As for the eunuchs in the imperial dining room, I don't even know.
"Qu Yang, the young eunuch of the imperial kitchen, and Liu Jie, the minister of Taichang Temple!"
At this time, Zhu Houzhao did as Ye Zhi expected. He only called the two people in charge of the Imperial Kitchen and Taichang Temple in front of him.
Qu Yang and Liu Jie both came to Zhu Houzhao tremblingly and bowed hurriedly.
"You, Qu Yang, belong to Luo Xiang. You earn no less than 50,000 taels a year from managing the imperial kitchen. I don't understand why you want to put me to death! Aren't you afraid that once I die, your backers will also fall? If you lose it, will you lose fifty thousand taels every year?”
Zhu Houzhao first questioned Qu Yang, the imperial eunuch's young eunuch.
Qu Yang, the young eunuch of the Royal Horse Guards, was surprised. He was surprised that His Majesty actually knew the amount of ink he committed while managing the Imperial Kitchen every year, but he was also a little scared because he could hear that His Majesty was saying that he was deliberately trying to harm him.
Qu Yang, the young eunuch of the Royal Horse Guards, felt very unjust about this, because from his own interests, he would try his best to make money in the management of the Imperial Kitchen, but also because he knew that managing the Imperial Kitchen was rich in oil and water. Dare to make His Majesty dissatisfied at all, not to mention harming the Emperor. He is even afraid that if the things in the imperial kitchen dissatisfy the Emperor in the slightest, he will be demoted.
Therefore, when Zhu Houzhao asked this question, Qu Yang immediately shouted that he was wronged: "Your Majesty, the minister is wronged! The minister definitely dare not have such a intention!"
Zhu Houzhao just smiled faintly. He naturally knew that Qu Yang did not have the courage, but he did not express his opinion clearly. He only turned to look at Liu Jie and continued to ask: "Liu Jie, what do you collect every year when you are in charge of Taichang Temple?" There are also many benefits, according to Dongchang survey I found out that none of the rice you gave to the royal family was really high-quality tribute rice. You sold all the high-quality tribute rice! You are doing a good job, Lord Taichang Temple. Why are you trying to get in trouble with me and want to turn me into a person? The debauched fool? ”
Liu Jie, the minister of Taichang Temple, was not stupid. He could hear the implication of Zhu Houzhao's words and said hurriedly: "Your Majesty, this is unfair! I dare not harm your Majesty! All the palace grains, oils, vegetables, meat, etc. purchased by Taichang Temple, Taichang The temples all have detailed information. If your majesty doesn’t believe it, please check it carefully.”
The author is not on holiday and will still update on New Year's Eve. I wish everyone a happy New Year. If you are still following it on New Year's Eve, please leave a message. Such readers will definitely make a fortune this year!
(End of chapter)