Zhu Houzhao was wearing a thin silk dress and sitting on the couch. On the table in front of him, there was a white ice cube with white steam coming out. Next to it were fresh fruits and a glass full of wine.
The glass cup is colorful under the light, and the wine in the glass is as red as blood.
"Your Majesty, this wine must be drunk chilled. It is very refreshing in this summer. In the past, ice cubes were not stored in the palace. These ice cubes were sent by Uncle Hui An to cool down the emperor. The slave is thinking that this winter Get up, build an ice cellar in the palace, store more ice cubes in winter, and keep them to cool down in summer." Liu Jin whispered while fanning Zhu Houzhao.
Zhu Houzhao nodded and said: "Good idea. That's right."
Zhu Houzhao picked up the glass cup and took a sip of wine. The cool and sweet wine made him feel comfortable all over. He couldn't help but sigh in his heart.
When my father was still alive, in order to save money in the palace, the lights and fuel in the palace were tightly controlled, not to mention spending manpower and financial resources to store ice cubes in the summer. It was extremely cold in winter and extremely hot in summer. I didn’t want to He would be like his father, who treated himself so badly in order to save a little money. As the emperor of the Ming Dynasty, didn't he have such rights to enjoy it? Then what did the emperor do?
"Your Majesty, the Qianqing Palace is very hot in summer. The coolest place in the palace is on Qionghua Island in the Taiye Pool. It is surrounded by lakes on all sides, the terrain is open, and the island is full of trees. It is very cool. Otherwise, build a leopard house on the island, and the emperor can live in the leopard house to cool off in the summer. It is far away from the inner palace, so he can do whatever he wants. Wouldn't it be comfortable?" Liu Jin bowed and said again.
Zhu Houzhao nodded and said: "It's a good idea again. The scenery on the island is pretty good. There are also some rare birds and animals. Let's get some tigers, leopards, bears and wolves and put them there tomorrow. Isn't it just like being in the mountains and forests? We can also hunt. .It’s a pity that the little tiger we caught last time was lost in a hurry.”
Liu Jin said with a smile: "Your Majesty, is that not easy? I'll just find a way to get some for you. As long as there are birds and animals in the world that the Emperor likes, I'll get them for you. Everything is available on the custody island. . All the slaves want to get some poisonous dragons to raise in the Taiye Pond, but it’s a pity that those things are too ferocious and they crawl around everywhere for fear of hurting people.”
Zhu Houzhao took a sip of wine and said with a smile: "That's not easy, just dig a pond and keep it. If you want to live on that island, you will have everything you need."
Liu Jin bowed and smiled and said: "Look at your pig brain, the emperor's method is better. Just dig a deep pond and raise it. I will do it when I get back."
Zhu Houzhao laughed and felt very comfortable. Suddenly he remembered something and frowned and asked: "Liu Jin, how are the ministers in the outer court doing now? Are any of them still making trouble?"
"If you report to the Emperor, there won't be any trouble. However, there are some people who have submitted their resignations. The Emperor does not need to worry about them. If they want to resign, just let them go. There are many people in the world who want to be officials. That's it. Like Liu Jian and Xie Qian, they threaten the emperor by resigning, so what? How can the emperor be blackmailed by them? It is really unreasonable. Fortunately, the emperor is wise this time, otherwise they will have to ride on the emperor's head in the future... that It's time to show off your power. Now the people in the outer court should be honest. Let's see who dares to go against the emperor in the future? The emperor is the master of the world, how can they dare to threaten the emperor?" Liu Jin whispered.
Zhu Houzhao frowned and held the wine cup in a daze. Liu Jin carefully glanced at Zhu Houzhao from the corner of his eyes and observed Zhu Houzhao's expression.
"I... feel a little uneasy. Liu Jin, I heard that you killed an official today? Did Nanjing cause trouble?" Zhu Houzhao turned to look at Liu Jin and said.
Liu Jin was startled and said hurriedly: "Who is so arrogant and wronged the slave? Dai Mian was killed by himself, what does it have to do with the slave? Dai Mian and the others slandered the emperor, moved their eyes for Liu Jian, and even insulted the slave. The slaves followed the emperor's order and gave them the punishment of the imperial rod. They were just beaten with the imperial rod, but Dai Mi was killed by a collision. Everyone witnessed this with their own eyes. The emperor must not listen to other people's gossip to frame the slaves. The slave has become a villain now, and has been plotted inside and out. The slave is really unjust and died. Otherwise, the emperor would have given the slave a death, which would have calmed the anger in the outer court and reassured some people with ulterior motives."
Zhu Houzhao scolded: "I'm just asking, what do you mean by these things? I say one sentence, and you say ten. Can't I ask any more questions?"
Liu Jin said: "Isn't this slave aggrieved? Doesn't the emperor know what kind of person I am? Everything I do is for the emperor. With just one word from the emperor, I can go through fire and water."
Zhu Houzhao nodded and said: "I know you are loyal. I just feel a little uneasy in my heart. Liu Jian thanked them for resigning. After all, he is an important minister in the court. They threatened me with resignation, and I agreed to them in a fit of anger. But now think about it. , something seems wrong.”
Liu Jin said: "What's wrong with this? They seek benevolence and they get benevolence, and the emperor fulfills their wishes. What's wrong with that? As long as they have loyalty to the emperor, they shouldn't make such a fuss, and shouldn't think about forcing the emperor to follow their ideas. act.”
Zhu Houzhao sighed and said: "Having said that, without them, who will handle the affairs of the outer court? There are so many things in the court affairs, and I don't want to do everything myself. There are so many complicated things in the Ming Dynasty that need people to do them. .After offending them all, who will handle government affairs? Could it be you? Do you have the ability?"
Liu Jin hurriedly waved his hands and said: "I don't have that ability. However, our Ming Dynasty is full of talents. Without Liu Jian and the others, wouldn't there be no talents? The emperor does not have to worry about this. The affairs of the court may be chaotic for a while, but with the emperor Compared with the majesty of the emperor, what are they? If these civil servants do not treat the emperor, and they have no respect for the emperor, then what else do they have to do? Raise these ministers, go against the emperor every day, and make the emperor angry? Why don't you just drink? It’s not allowed to listen to a piece of music, it’s not allowed to leave the capital, it’s not allowed to do this, it’s not allowed to do that, it’s not allowed to make mistakes at every turn. What do they take the emperor for?”
Zhu Houzhao frowned and nodded: "You are right, they are too shameless. They really don't take me seriously. If they don't punish me, I, the emperor, don't need to take it seriously."
Liu Jin smiled and said: "That's it. Your Majesty, you don't need to think too much. Your Majesty, please have another drink."
Liu Jin poured wine for Zhu Houzhao again, and Zhu Houzhao raised the wine glass to his mouth and was about to drink when he saw Zhang Yong walking in quickly to report: "Your Majesty, Marquis Jianchang is here."
Zhu Houzhao put down the wine cup and said happily: "Uncle is here, please come in. I have been waiting for him for a long time."
Zhang Yong bowed in agreement and turned around to go out. Soon after, Zhang Yanling walked in quickly and stepped forward to salute.
"Your Majesty, Zhang Yanling, goes to see the Emperor!"
"Uncle, there is no need to be polite. Get up quickly. Liu Jin, bring a stool to the Marquis." Zhu Houzhao ordered.
Liu Jin rolled his eyes, moved a stool over and said with a smile: "Master Marquis, please take a seat."
Zhang Yanling smiled and said: "Thank you so much, Eunuch Liu, how dare you work for me?"
Liu Jin smiled and said: "Master Hou, you are too polite."
Zhang Yanling sat down with a smile, Liu Jin stepped back, and Zhu Houzhao said again: "Liu Jin, pour a glass of iced wine for uncle and let him taste it."
Zhang Yanling laughed again and said: "How dare you work for Eunuch Liu?"
Liu Jin held back her anger and said with a smile: "That's right." She came forward and poured a glass of wine for Zhang Yanling.
Zhu Houzhao looked at Zhang Yanling with a smile and said: "Uncle, try it. This is the wine Liu Jin got from outside. It is very refreshing after being chilled."
Zhang Yanling said with a smile: "Thank you, Your Majesty. I will try to take a sip."
Zhang Yanling took a sip and praised: "It's really refreshing and sweet."
Zhu Houzhao smiled and said: "If uncle likes it, ask Liu Jin to send a few pots to uncle later."
Zhang Yanling said: "How dare you, how dare you."
Liu Jin said angrily: "Your Majesty, the Marquis likes to drink strong wine. This kind of wine may not be to his taste. It took a lot of effort for this slave to get a few jugs of this wine. These are wines from the Western Regions. Yun
It takes half a year to come here. Not everyone can drink it if they want. Except for the Emperor who is blessed with this, no one else is blessed to enjoy it."
Zhang Yanling chuckled and said: "Yes, I am not so lucky. I do like to drink strong liquor."
Zhu Houzhao smiled and said, "That's all."
When the emperor and his ministers sat down, Zhang Yanling asked, "What is the purpose of the emperor summoning his ministers to the palace?"
Zhu Houzhao said in a deep voice: "Uncle, I summoned you to discuss the follow-up matters. This time Liu Jian and the others made such a fuss, which really made me feel a little worried. Just now I told Liu Jin that I felt a little uneasy.
"
Zhang Yanling smiled and said: "Is the Emperor worried that after this incident, there will be some subsequent adverse effects?"
Zhu Houzhao nodded and said: "Uncle still knows what I am thinking. But they are indeed hateful. They want to ride on my head. How can I allow them to do this? However, Liu Jian Xie Qian and the others are important ministers in the court. Not long after I came to the throne, they still
We need their help. If all the officials in the outer court become disheartened, what will happen to the affairs of the court? Many people have resigned today."
Zhang Yanling said: "Liu Jian, Xie Qian and others have a high reputation. Their resignation will indeed cause shock to the government and the public. The mood of officials will inevitably be affected. This matter does need to be taken seriously. We have a huge country in the Ming Dynasty and thousands of state capitals."
County, military and political affairs are numerous, and the management of hundreds of millions of people requires officials at all levels to perform their duties. Otherwise, the entire Ming Dynasty will be in chaos."
Zhu Houzhao said: "I think so too. But do I want to invite Liu Jian Xie Qian back?"
Liu Jin shouted: "Your Majesty, how can you invite them back? Wouldn't it be a waste of work? If they are invited back by the Emperor again, wouldn't they be arrogant and have their noses raised to the sky? From now on, they will not take the Emperor seriously."
Zhang Yanling smiled and said: "Your Majesty, the matter has reached this point. It is impossible to ask them to come back. That would be even worse. But the outer court needs some comfort at the moment. The Emperor can issue an order to appease them. Doesn't there still be Li Dongyang in the cabinet? The Emperor can
Summon Li Dongyang and ask him to come forward to appease the officials in the outer court. Li Dongyang has a high reputation. As long as he is here, the situation can be stabilized."
Liu Jin said: "Master Marquis, don't forget that Li Dongyang is also the one who jointly impeached him. How can we keep him in the court? Your Majesty, I am afraid that Li Dongyang will have to be deposed by decree. His high reputation is not a good thing. He may not be able to do it in the future.
We’re going to do what we did today again.”
Zhu Houzhao frowned and thought.
Zhang Yanling smiled and said: "Your Majesty, I don't suggest deposing Li Dongyang, as that would make things worse. Although Li Dongyang was involved in the matter, he remained calm and never showed up again. This shows that he has regrets. I don't think so.
I will hold a grudge because he impeached me. It is better to put the overall situation first. Letting Li Dongyang come out to clean up the situation is the best choice now."
Liu Jin said: "Master Hou, can you guarantee that Li Dongyang will not lead the civil servants to cause trouble again?"
Zhang Yanling said with a smile: "How can I guarantee it? I'm just saying what's in my heart. Apart from Li Dongyang, I can't think of anyone else who can clean up the situation. In the end, you can't act based on your will, and the Ming Dynasty and the country should be the most important thing.
No one wants the Ming Dynasty to be unstable. Eunuch Liu, are you right?"
Liu Jin frowned and said: "Of course. Does our family want the court to be in turmoil? It's just... if some people are not punished, it is not condoning them."
Zhu Houzhao waved his hand and said: "Forget it, let's put this matter aside for now. I will think about it carefully tonight. Uncle, after we came back from patrolling the border last time, I have been thinking about issuing a decree to praise uncle, but I encountered these things again. Now.
I have also arranged official positions for Liu Jin and the others, and it’s time to give my uncle a reward. What official position does my uncle want? Just tell me."