Zhu Houzhao's tigers were not kept in the leopard room, but at the southern end of Xiyuan - there was a royal zoo outside Xihua Gate.
Locals sometimes offer auspicious gifts, and foreign waiters also offer rare animals. Small and medium-sized animals are kept outside Xihua Gate. There are other arrangements for large animals. For example, the elephant room dedicated to raising elephants is located outside Xuanwu Gate.
This has been the case since Zhu Di's time. I heard that he even raised giraffes. These were not done by Zhu Houzhao himself. Emperors of all dynasties would go to the zoo when they had leisure time.
As for the beasts in the leopard room, there is only one super ferocious leopard.
However, the treatment of this leopard is particularly good. There are 240 leopard keepers, with an annual salary of more than 2,800 dan. These leopard keepers are not only responsible for taking care of leopards, they are also responsible for playing with Zhu Houzhao, and many of them
Carefully selected warriors.
Zhu Houzhao took Wang Yuan to the Royal Zoo, pointed to a tiger in the cage and said, "Here, I raised that tiger with my own hands."
"It's really majestic." Wang Yuan flattered him.
There are a total of seven tigers in the zoo, including Siberian tigers and South China tigers. The one Zhu Houzhao raised personally was born in the zoo. He occasionally came over to throw a few pieces of meat.
Zhu Houzhao asked: "Can Wang Erlang fight a tiger?"
Wang Yuan was not mentally retarded, so he immediately shook his head: "No."
"It's a pity." Zhu Houzhao felt deeply regretful. He had always wanted to watch a scene in which humans and tigers fight each other, but so far he had not met anyone who volunteered.
The eunuchs brought a sheep, and Zhu Houzhao was very strong. He grabbed the leg of the sheep and threw it into the tiger cage. He sat and watched the tigers attacking the sheep. While watching, he commented on the characteristics of each tiger, and even thought about it in a whimsical way.
Organize an army of tigers and leopards.
In the middle of the morning, it was the emperor's breakfast time, and Wang Yuan also had a meal at the zoo.
While eating, Zhu Houzhao suddenly became serious and said to Wang Yuan: "Wang Erlang, I don't care about Liu Liu and Liu Qi. Do you know who I want to defeat the most?"
Although Wang Yuan had not read "History of the Ming Dynasty", he had heard about General Zhu's deeds and replied: "The little prince of Mongolia."
"Erlang is my close friend!"
Zhu Houzhao laughed loudly, waved his chopsticks and said: "One day, I, the general, will personally lead an army of 100,000 people to fight to the death with the little Mongolian prince at the border!"
Wang Yuan said: "I wish the general a great victory."
If it were any other civil servant, just hearing the words "leading the army personally" would definitely make him jump with excitement. The battle of Tumu Fort is still vivid in his mind.
However, Wang Yuan believed that the key to the tragedy of the Battle of Tumubao was not that the imperial commander personally fought, but that the emperor regarded war as a child's play, and anyone else who fought like that would definitely be doomed.
Zhu Houzhao was very satisfied with Wang Yuan's reaction. He said angrily: "The little Mongolian prince is very abominable. He offends our Ming border every year. I, the general, want to follow the story of Chengzu and completely wipe out the remnants of the Mongolian Yuan Dynasty!"
The Mongolian little prince is not a real little prince, but a collective name given to the Tatar leaders by Ming Dynasty officials.
Historically, the little prince who fought with Zhu Houzhao should be the leader of the Mongolian resurgence, the 15th grandson of Genghis Khan, and the Mongolian Khan Dayan Khan!
The records of that battle in the history books are very funny. People in later generations were so black that they died in shame and those who were blown to death. The true situation is no longer possible to test.
Anyway, after Dayan Khan fled, he died not long after returning to the grassland, and the little prince who succeeded him also died soon after. The Tatar tribes immediately fell into a state of separation, and they continued to conquer each other, and they had no time to come to the Ming Dynasty.
Cause trouble.
This is also the real reason why the little Mongolian prince no longer held back his clothes after Zhu Houzhao went on his own expedition.
Hearing Zhu Houzhao's heroic words, Wang Yuan couldn't help pouring cold water on him and said seriously: "Has your Majesty read "The Art of War" by Sun Tzu?"
Zhu Houzhao smiled and said: "Of course I have read it."
Wang Yuan asked again: "There are five elements in military affairs. The first is Tao, the second is Heaven, the third is Earth, the fourth is General, and the fifth is Law. What is Tao?"
Zhu Houzhao said: "The Taoist orders the people to do the same thing as above, so they can die with them and live with them without fear of danger. The Ming Dynasty has been suffering from border troubles for a long time, and the people all want to get rid of this trouble. I, the general, conquer the Mongolian prince Zheng."
It’s a righteous move!”
Sun Tzu said that when fighting a war, the whole country must be united and united, so that we can live and die together without fear of danger.
"Are they really in harmony with the Tao?" Wang Yuan asked, "The system of guard posts has been corrupted for a long time, military fields have been arbitrarily occupied, and many small soldiers have been reduced to tenants. It is difficult for them to live a normal life, so how can they be united with Your Majesty? And in several northern provinces
The common people, because of the horse administration and the food administration, have many bankruptcies. Not only do they not want to fight against the Mongols, but they kill officials and start a rebellion against the imperial court. Are the common people with your majesty again?"
Zhu Houzhao was silent.
Wang Yuan asked again: "Does your Majesty know Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty?"
Zhu Houzhao said: "I know."
Wang Yuan put down his chopsticks, stood up and clasped his fists, saying:
"Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty had the national power accumulated in the Wen and Jing dynasties, but he did not dare to go to war with the Xiongnu directly. Instead, he first deposed hundreds of schools of thought, respected Confucianism, promoted the Gongyang School's concept of unification, great revenge, and unified the military and civilians in terms of culture and governance.
Then we issued three baht coins and half a tael coins to reform the currency system and accumulate the financial resources of the imperial court."
"Then he issued a favor order to solve the internal troubles of the kings' separate regimes. During this period, he also reformed the horse administration, bought and raised horses, and accumulated cavalry. As Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, he only dared to conquer the Xiongnu after eighteen years after he took the throne. Your Majesty, it is your duty
He is wise and powerful, but how does he compare with Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty?"
Zhu Houzhao suddenly felt that the food was unappetizing, so he threw away his chopsticks and said, "I'm afraid Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty was stronger."
Wang Yuan asked again: "Nowadays, there are rebels and rebels in Ming Dynasty, Zhili, Hebei, Henan, Shandong, Sichuan, Jiangxi, Guizhou, and Huguang, and the national treasury is becoming increasingly empty. How does it compare with the national power of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty?"
"What's the matter," Zhu Houzhao said angrily, "I know that the national treasury is empty. If we start a war with the little Mongolian prince now, we won't even be able to provide food and pay for the imperial army."
Wang Yuan asked: "So, Your Majesty wants to have a decisive battle with the little Mongolian prince, just for fun?"
Zhu Houzhao said harshly: "Who wants to make fun? I want to cheer up, but the princes in the court refuse to forge ahead!"
Wang Yuan asked with a smile: "When Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty came to the throne, were the ministers willing to forge ahead? Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty could not even suppress his brothers, and Empress Dowager Dou often interfered in politics arbitrarily. However, His Majesty has monopolized power, and the power of the Ming Dynasty was far greater than that of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty.
For example, if we take chess as an example, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty only had two chariots, while His Majesty had all the chariots and horses."
Zhu Houzhao was still shirking responsibility: "I also read your imperial examination article, how to correct the shortcomings of the government? I dare to say half a word, and the big headscarfs will spit!"
Wang Yuan asked back: "Isn't there anyone who spits on Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty?"
Zhu Houzhao became upset and agitated, pushed the dishes to the ground and smashed them into pieces, and said angrily: "I don't want to talk to you, just go away!"
The eunuch accompanying Zhu Houzhao left with Zhu Houzhao. The eunuch responsible for guiding the visit to the zoo said to Wang Yuan: "Master Zhuangyuan, please."
Wang Yuan cupped his hands to say goodbye and asked casually: "Do you know the official's surname?"
The eunuch didn't expect the number one scholar to be so polite to him, so he smiled and said, "Prince Royal Horseman Li Neng."
Wang Yuan clasped his fists again before being led away by a guard.
The Chief of Ceremony is connected to the cabinet and handles government affairs on behalf of the emperor; the Royal Horse Supervisor is connected to the Ministry of War and handles military affairs on behalf of the emperor.
In addition, the Royal Horse Supervisor also manages the ranch and the Imperial Village, is responsible for operating the Imperial Shop, handles finances with the household department, and directs the West Factory. The zoo and elephant room are also under the Royal Horse Supervisor's management.
The conflict between Zhang Yong and Liu Jin is the conflict between the Royal Horse Supervisor and the Si Li Supervisor, as well as the conflict between the West Factory and the East Factory.
Not only was Liu Jin killed by a civil servant, but he was also killed by his competitor, the Royal Horse Supervisor, because Eunuch Liu stretched his hands too far and got involved in the Royal Horse Supervisor's affairs many times.
The eunuchs guarding various places are mostly the imperial eunuchs and eunuchs. If the eunuchs cause trouble, the ceremonial eunuchs will persecute the civil servants, and the imperial eunuchs will persecute the common people!
Li Neng put his hands in his sleeves and watched Wang Yuan leave with a smile.
Suddenly, a guard rushed back on horseback and handed Wang Yuan a sign: "Ms. Wang, this is given to you by the emperor, be sure to keep it."
Wang Yuan took the bronze medal in confusion and saw a floating image of a leopard on the front, with "Leopard No. 480" engraved across the front, and on the back engraved with "The warriors who raise leopards along with the officers and soldiers wear this medal. Those who do not have the medal will be punished according to the law.
The words “borrower and borrower are equally guilty”.
Li Neng originally didn't want to make friends with Wang Yuan, but when he saw this card, he immediately ran over and said with a smile on his face: "Congratulations, Mr. Wang."
Wang Yuan asked: "Why are you so happy?"
Li Neng explained: "The foreign official who carries this card can enter and leave the Leopard Room at will."