Hongli took the book, which was several times larger than the ordinary book. After he opened it, his eyes suddenly showed a bit of surprise, which soon turned into joy. What was bound was not a piece of writing, but a piece of paper.
These portraits were all painted by him and Xia Yue and Yong Cang during these years.
The background of the portrait includes the hazy beauty of Jiangnan, the vast and distant Mulan Paddock, and of course the gorgeous and majestic Forbidden City. In these different backgrounds, Yongxing grew up slowly, from an ignorant baby to a
He has grown into a jumping kid, and even into a handsome young man who rides a horse and shoots arrows.
Hongli turned to the last page and then stopped what he was doing and said, "When did you bind them into a book?"
Xianyue caressed the figures in the album and said with a smile: "When I was packing my things a few days ago, I found that some of the portraits were missing. I searched all over Kunning Palace and found them in the box that originally contained the album.
It must have been accidentally pulled down by the palace attendant when changing it before. Fortunately, it was found back, otherwise there would be no way to repair it.
There was room to make up for it; I was afraid that they would be lost again in the future, so I bound them so that it would be convenient to look through them." At this point, she said with emotion: "It's so fast, it's eleven in the blink of an eye.
Years have passed, Yong Cang has grown up, and I have grown old. When I combed my hair yesterday, I found that even my hair was gray."
Hongli shook her hand and said with a smile: "There is no such thing as immortality in this world. I started to have gray hair several years ago. Besides, I will accompany you to grow old together and look at the eternity together."
Isn’t it great that Xing is slowly growing up?”
His words were plain but made Xianyue's heart warm. She looked down at the hands intertwined with each other and was about to speak when Hongli took the lead and joked: "Or do you think I'm getting older faster than you?"
Xianyue chuckled and said, "I don't dare, otherwise, if the emperor blames me, my life will be at risk?!"
"You!" Hongli raised his hand and gently scratched Xianyue's cheek, and said dotingly: "Anyway, don't think too much. No matter how old or ugly you are, I will always be with you!"
"Okay!" Xianyue nodded excitedly, and then she and Hongli looked through the picture album together, recalling the time when Yong Cang grew up. Afterwards, Hongli chuckled and said: "It's a small picture album, but it contains all of you."
The three of us have spent eleven years together, and in another eleven years we will be able to compile it into one book."
As he spoke, he flipped through the picture album. When he turned to one of the pages, he suddenly frowned. Xianyue asked in confusion: "What's wrong with the emperor?"
Hongli said solemnly: "This was painted when we passed through Yancheng, Jiangsu during our southern tour. Although Yancheng is not as famous as Jiangning and Hangzhou, it is also a land of rich products and is known as the land of plenty."
Xianyue echoed, "I remember that at that time, the prefect of Yancheng invited the emperor to eat hundreds of rice and taste hundreds of dishes."
Hongli sighed and said: "A few days ago, Yancheng sent an urgent report. After the winter this year, the temperature in the south of the Yangtze River was much lower than in previous years, and it snowed heavily. Among them, Yancheng was the most severe, and all the winter crops were destroyed.
Not only are people freezing to death, but the situation is getting worse."
Hearing this, Xianyue frowned and said: "It's not the New Year yet, and the weather will definitely be cold for a while. Your Majesty has to ask the Yancheng prefect to arrange manpower for disaster relief to avoid worsening the disaster. Also, the crops in the fields have been frozen to death, so we will definitely owe money next year."
Collect, this situation probably exists in other places in the south of the Yangtze River besides Yancheng, but the situation is relatively less serious. Your Majesty must take precautions against this matter in advance."
"I have issued a decree to allocate funds and funds for disaster relief to ensure that the people in Jiangnan can survive this winter safely. After a while, I will reduce or reduce taxes according to the situation." At this point, he sighed again, "Yesterday I discussed with Uncle Seventeen and the others.
For a moment
, Yancheng's disaster relief needs at least 500,000 taels, but the Old Summer Palace has just been renovated recently, and the Ministry of Revenue cannot allocate much money at the moment, so it can only allocate 200,000 taels first, and then the money will be loosened a little.
Then transfer the money."
Xianyue's heart moved and she said: "Your Majesty, the household department is short of silver. Why don't we first allocate the remaining three hundred thousand taels from the inner treasury. As far as I know, the inner treasury should be able to allocate this amount of money."
"Originally it was possible, but I have just allocated more than 200,000 taels to expand Ziyun Temple and Wanshou Temple. It is really difficult to allocate another 300,000 taels."
"More than two hundred thousand taels?" Xianyue said in surprise: "The previous expansion of the temple only cost one hundred thousand taels of silver. Why is it so much this time?"
"One hundred thousand taels is just to expand one of the places. Now that two places are built together, the money will naturally cost more." Listening to this, Xianyue thought about it several times and finally said: "Your Majesty, it is better to take back the money for the expansion first.
It will be used for disaster relief and to help the people. After the disaster in Yancheng is over, the temple will be expanded."
Hongli frowned and said, "But I have already allocated the money, so there is no reason to take it back."
Xianyue said warmly: "Things have their own priorities. The emperor has taken back the money to help the victims. I believe that both Master Yun Zhongzi and Master Kongjing will understand the emperor."
"But even so, it still..." Hongli thought about it, shook his head and said: "There is always something wrong with this matter. Let's deal with it the way it was before. We will allocate 200,000 taels and we will talk about the rest later."
Seeing that Hongli refused to listen, Xianyue said eagerly: "If the money cannot be renewed, the people of Yancheng will suffer from hunger and cold. Moreover, if they know, the emperor put them in hunger and cold in order to expand the temple."
, I’m afraid they will be resentful of the emperor, and I hope the emperor will think twice.”
Hongli's face darkened slightly and he said: "The expansion of Ziyun Temple and Wanshou Temple has been decided by me a long time ago, and it is not appropriate to change it. As for Yancheng... I believe there will be no big problem."
"Your Majesty..." Before Xianyue could say anything more, Hongli had already said: "Okay, I have made my decision, and the Queen does not need to say anything more." After a moment of pause, he added: "I still have something to do, and I will see the Queen another day."
After saying this, Hongli stood up and left. Looking at the figure isolated by the palace door, Xianyue sighed helplessly.
Qi Kuan whispered: "Master, it's not like you don't know that the emperor believes in Buddhism and Taoism. Why should you argue with the emperor on this matter?"
Xianyue withdrew her gaze and said with some disappointment: "I knew it, but I didn't expect that in the emperor's heart, expanding the temple and conservatory is more important than rescuing the people. This was absolutely impossible before."
Jin Ping said: "Actually, what the emperor said is not wrong. Hundreds of thousands of taels of silver can be turned over as long as the household department is given some time. It does not necessarily have to use the internal treasury."
Qi Kuan shook his head and said: "Don't you understand yet? The master is not worried that the Ministry of Revenue will not be able to come up with the subsequent hundreds of thousands of taels of silver, but is worried about the emperor's attitude. He is afraid that the emperor will be wasted because he believes in Buddhism and Taoism and pursues the path to immortality.
The affairs of the court make the people suffer."
Qiaoyu hesitated and said: "This... the emperor probably doesn't know how to do that, right?"