Ge Nanniang was holding a mirror and helping Li Xiangjun dress up.
Looking at Li Xiangjun's peach petals, Ge Nanniang couldn't help but praise: "Sister Xiangjun, you are so beautiful. No wonder the Holy One only favors you so far."
"Silly sister." Li Xiangjun said with a smile, "How can the emperor favor only one person?"
"That's impossible to say." Ge Nenniang shook her head and said, "Emperor Xiaozong only had one queen, not even a concubine."
"There will never be another Emperor Xiaozong in the Ming Dynasty." Li Xiangjun smiled and said, "Sister, you are actually a rare beauty. Do you want me to tell the Holy One to accept you?"
"Sister, what are you talking about?" Ge Nenniang suddenly blushed with embarrassment and couldn't even raise her head.
Just when Li Xiangjun was about to tease Ge Nanniang a few more words, a huge cheer suddenly came from the opposite direction of the Imperial College.
"Sister, today seems to be the day when the results of the Imperial Examination are released." Ge Nenniang said as she stepped forward to open the window, "It is estimated that many scholars who failed the examination will come to the old courtyard to drink and get drunk."
While talking, Li Xiangjun had already finished dressing up and started to put on his armor and stomach.
After putting on their cotton armor with the help of Ge Nanniang, the two sisters just went downstairs and met an old acquaintance, who was also a famous prostitute in Qinhuai.
This old acquaintance is none other than Kou Baimen.
Kou Baimen was redeemed by Lord Bao Zhu Guobi three years ago and became a concubine. She was originally the best among the sisters, but not long ago, Lord Bao was implicated in a frame-up and his house was ransacked.
Kou Baimen was also sold by the Zhu family and lived in Qinhuai River again.
"Sister Baimen?" Li Xiangjun asked in surprise, "You are a rare guest."
Nowadays, Li Xiangjun is very popular among the sisters in the past. Even Liu Rushi, the former eldest sister, must be respectful when meeting her, but Kou Baimen is the only one who hardly interacts with her.
Li Xiangjun knew the reason. Although Kou Baimen was born into a prostitute, he was arrogant and arrogant. Unfortunately, he encountered unkind people and fell into the world of prostitution again.
"Sister Xiangjun." Kou Baimen whispered, "Can you lend me a moment to speak?"
"It's okay, my young sister is not an outsider either." Li Xiangjun smiled and waved his hand.
Kou Baimen nodded lightly and whispered: "Sister Xiangjun, someone wants to assassinate the Holy Emperor!"
"Ah?" Li Xiangjun's expression suddenly changed when he heard this. Someone wants to assassinate the Holy One? This is a big deal that will collapse the sky!
But now Li Xiangjun is no longer the Li Xiangjun before. After being surprised, he quickly calmed down and asked: "Sister Baimen, how did you learn about it?"
"I learned from a guest." Kou Baimen looked a little sad, "Because he drank a few glasses of wine last night, and ended up talking nonsense in his sleep, including words that were harmful to the Holy One.
.”
Li Xiangjun nodded gently and asked, "What is this person's name, who is he, and where is he staying?"
Kou Baimen said: "My surname is Luo Mingchang, and I live in the Shandong Guild Hall."
Li Xiangjun said: "My little sister would like to thank my elder sister here."
"You're welcome." Kou Baimen waved his hand hurriedly.
After sending Kou Baimen out, Li Xiangjun changed his itinerary.
Instead of going to the Xiaoling Guards Camp, he went straight to the Imperial College.
At this time, all the lists for the Imperial College Examination have been released, and a total of more than 10,000 candidates are on the list.
However, there are still more than 40,000 candidates who failed to pass the Chinese test. These candidates are inevitably dejected and unhappy, but even if they are unhappy, they dare not speak out.
Because this time there were more than 10,000 Chinese people.
So I really can’t blame others for not passing the exam.
The candidates who failed the exam lamented and sighed, while the high school candidates were overjoyed.
Just when all the candidates were praising each other and congratulating each other, Li Xiangjun and Ge Nanniang appeared outside Jixian Gate.
The valiant and heroic appearance of the two girls instantly attracted the attention of many candidates. Especially Li Xiangjun, who was wearing a cotton armor, showed a different kind of temptation: uniform temptation.
Even if there is a candidate who wants to come up and strike up a conversation.
But before he could take a step forward, he was stopped by his companions.
"You don't want your life." My companion warned in a low voice, "This is General Li Xiangjun and Li Shen."
"What's wrong with General Li?" the candidate asked disapprovingly, "General Li is also a woman, so she has to get married, right?"
"You stupid donkey, you really don't know how to write the word "death." The companion said with a dark face, "If you think you have a long life, just go up and strike up a conversation. I can guarantee that you will stumble and fall into the Qinhuai River tonight."
Another companion said silently: "The Holy One has forbidden you."
"No way?" The examinee still didn't believe it, "This is just a rumor."
"Zhang, we don't recognize you from now on." The two companions stepped aside.
Although the candidate was a little reluctant, he thought twice and moved to the sides, and then watched Li Xiangjun and Ge Nanniang from close range as they walked over. Just smelling the fragrance made people intoxicated.
…
In the Yilun Hall, a group of Qinwang scholars were joking.
Huang Zongxi said to Xu Yingwei: "Youzhen, please tell me honestly. Did you reveal the topic in advance?"
Xu Yingwei laughed loudly and said: "The Chen family in Yuhu has an ancestral motto that the barren land is planted with pines and cypresses, and the poor children of the family study. However, the poverty of Putian is especially not as poor as our Xinchang. Our Xinchang County has seven mountains, two rivers and one farmland, so it is truly barren."
, so we Xinchang scholars study extra hard, and we have all the high schools for this subject!"
Good guy, I dare to say that all the more than 50 talented people from Xinchang County passed the exam.
Now one of Xinchang County Magistrate's top officials is definitely gone and is expected to be promoted soon.
While they were talking, the Dukes of Fujian Zheng Zhilong and Fu Shan walked in and asked, "Has the list of imperial examination results been released? Has the list of Gongsheng students been released?"
"See the Duke of Fujian."
A group of diligent princes and noble men stood tall and bowed.
Chongzhen behind the crowd also smiled and said: "Zheng Qing, are you here?"
"Your Majesty, Zheng Zhilong, please bow before Your Majesty." After paying homage, Zheng Zhilong stood up again and asked, "Your Majesty, my Naval Academy is ready and waiting for the students to move in."
"There is also Chen's medical school." Fu Shan said anxiously.
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! "You two gentlemen, don't worry." Chongzhen said with a smile, "I have admitted 10,000 tribute students for this subject, so you don't have to worry at all.
Without students, I am worried that the number you want is too small."
"Ah? Ten thousand tribute students?" Zheng Zhilong and Fu Shan also looked at each other.
They walked in a hurry when they came in just now. They really didn't know that such a big thing had happened.
"I will give you two thousand people." Chongzhen asked, "How about it? Is it enough?"
"Ah? Two thousand people?" Zheng Zhilong was happy and a little embarrassed after hearing this, "But my naval academy has only prepared bunks for 500 people. I'm afraid it won't be able to accommodate 2,000 people."
Fu Shan also said tangledly: "The medical school can only accommodate 500 students."
"Then add more bunks." Chongzhen waved his hand and said, "If there are not enough teachers, you will find a way on your own. You two have to figure out how to teach these students. I will not care about it, but the three of you have to figure it out.
When the year is up, I will ask you two for results. If you can't get results, I won't be able to spare you."
Zheng Zhilong and Fu Shan looked at each other and whispered: "Your Majesty, if we build more dormitories and add more bunks, and hire so many gentlemen and naval generals to teach, it will cost a lot of money."
Fu Shan also said: "The same goes for the medical school. The funding will need to be doubled."
"Don't ask me for money." Chongzhen waved his hand and said, "You go to Ma Mingluan."
"Deputy Chief Ma." Zheng Zhilong and Fu Shan immediately turned their attention to Ma Mingluan next to them.
Ma Mingluan's donkey face instantly turned into a pig kidney face, and he said with a dark face: "Mr. Fujian, more than half a million taels of silver have been spent on preparing the naval academy. Do you still want more money?"
"There is no way." Zheng Zhilong said with some helplessness, "Building a naval academy is not as good as building an academy. To build an academy, you only need to build dozens of houses and hire a dozen teachers to teach. But the naval academy cannot do that.
, the naval academy must teach students how to fight in the water. Fighting costs money. Your Majesty knows best. Every cannonball counts as taels of silver. If you are unlucky and the cannon explodes during training, you will lose hundreds of taels of silver.
Yes, so let’s talk about this…”
"Yes, yes, sir, please don't complain about your poverty to me, just tell me the number, how much do you want?"
"No more, no more." Zheng Zhilong smiled and continued, "Another one million taels will be enough."
"Okay, sir, I will send someone to the Ministry of Internal Affairs to collect the money later." Ma Mingluan sighed and asked Fu Shandao, "Where are you, Fu Yuanzheng, how much money do you want?"
Fu Shan whispered: "You don't need that much for a lower official position. Another two hundred thousand taels will be enough."
Seeing Ma Mingluan spend more than 1.2 million taels of silver in such a short time, Chongzhen did not feel the slightest heartache, because these two sums of money were well spent, and the future navy officer of the Ming Dynasty, and the future barefoot doctor of the Ming Dynasty
, it was cultivated with these two sums of money. In less than ten years, Ming Dynasty will be completely transformed.
After sending Zheng Zhilong and Fu Shan away, Ma Mingluan said bitterly to Chongzhen: "Your Majesty, this won't work."
"Heartbroken about the money?" Chongzhen said with a smile, "The Ministry of Internal Affairs issued bonds to borrow money from the Jin gentry merchants, isn't it just for spending it? Now that the money has been spent, you should be happy."
"Having said that, it was spent too fast." Ma Mingluan struggled, "It's like spending money like water. In less than two months, nearly 40 million has been spent!"
"Such a lot of money?" Chongzhen was shocked when he heard this, "Nearly 40 million!"
Next to them, Huang Zongxi, Xu Yingwei, Yan Yingyuan and other Qin Wang scholars were also shocked. They spent so much money in two months?
"Your Majesty, you don't believe me?" Ma Mingluan said, twirling his fingers, "Let me calculate it for you. I will reissue the Qin Wang Shizi's annual salary of more than 1.2 million yuan, buy 300,000 flintlock guns, and purchase a total of 700,000 yuan in silver. I will also buy a 4-inch red barbarian cannon with 500 yuan."
A total of 300,000 yuan was paid to the door, a total of 1.5 million yuan was paid twice before and after the establishment of the Naval Academy, and a total of 300,000 yuan was paid twice before and after the establishment of the medical school. In addition, rations and cattle were allocated to Xuzhou, Guide, and Kaifeng.
Agricultural tools and seeds were exchanged for 3 million yuan in silver, and the first and second one-year bonds have matured, with a total payment of principal and interest of more than 12 million yuan. This is not the largest expenditure, and there is also the purchase of houses in the inner and outer cities for 20,000 yuan.
There are more than 100,000 houses, homesteads and gardens in total, and a total payment of more than 18 million taels..."
Only then did Chongzhen remember that he had asked Ma Mingluan to buy houses and land in the city.
"You said this, it's nothing." Chongzhen said with a smile, "How much money is there in the account now?"
Ma Mingluan said: "Not counting the 30 million taels confiscated from the Duke of Wei's Palace, Duke Bao's Palace, etc., there are still more than 46 million taels in the accounts of the Ministry of Internal Affairs."
"Look, the money has increased, hasn't it?"
Chongzhen smiled and said: "The more money you spend, the more money you spend, so what do you have to worry about?"
After a pause, Chongzhen said again: "Wait until next year, the investment in the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China will start to make a profit, and the deposits in the accounts of the Ministry of Internal Affairs will only become more and more. Then you will really have a headache, and how to spend the money if you have a headache.
"
Ma Mingluan smiled and said: "If this is really the case, I would be willing to die from a headache."
"That won't work. If you die, who will be my housekeeper?" Chongzhen laughed loudly after hearing this.
Prince Qin who was present also laughed. There were more and more deposits in the accounts of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and their assets were also growing. This meant that their annual salary would also increase next year. How could they not be happy?
Chongzhen liked this kind of atmosphere very much. He could talk and laugh with his ministers at ordinary times.
But once you lower your face, you can quietly force a cabinet minister to commit suicide.
Thunder, rain, and dew are all the kindness of the emperor. This is how an emperor should be. He should not make his ministers fear him like a tiger, but he should also not make his ministers lose their distance.
At this moment, the laughter in the lobby suddenly stopped.
Immediately, the princes of Qin on the periphery moved to both sides.
Chongzhen looked up in surprise and saw Li Xiangjun walking in handsomely.
"General Li?" Chongzhen said, "Looking at the expression on your face, it seems there is something big going on?"
"Back to Your Majesty." Li Xiangjun bowed his head, stood up and said, "I accidentally learned of important news that someone or a group of people is secretly planning an assassination."
"Is someone assassinating you?" All the princes and scholars present changed their expressions.
Chongzhen was not surprised. Ever since he traveled to the Ming Dynasty, the things he had done had attracted a large number of people, such as the diligent princes and scholars in front of him, who were his die-hard fans. But correspondingly, he had also offended a large number of people.
For example, Duke Wei, Duke Bao and other ten distinguished nobles and their families have enough reasons to assassinate the king.
"What's going on?" Chongzhen asked, "Where did you get the news?"
Li Xiangjun told the story about Kou Baimen's visit, and said: "Your Majesty, although Kou Baimen is just a singing prostitute, he is quite chivalrous, so I think this matter is credible."
Gao Qiqian said: "Whether this matter is credible or not will be known by arresting Luo Hechang and interrogating him."
"Don't worry yet." After hearing this, Chongzhen's heart moved, thinking that this was a better opportunity, a good opportunity for Li Ruolian to break into Jiannu without any flaws.
But there is no need for too many people to know about this kind of thing.
At that moment, Chongzhen waved his hand and said, "Okay, you go back first."
After sending away all the diligent scholars, Chongzhen said to Gao Qiqian: "Gao Banban, I'll help you in these few days and ride in my carriage in and out of Wuyi Alley."
