Chapter 258: Nine Heavens Open the Palace Gates, Ten Thousand Nations Pay Homage to the Crown

Zhu Yijun looked at Wang Chonggu, then at Zhang Hong, and then at Feng Bao. They had one thing in common: they didn't sow discord in front of the Emperor. The investigation into the Xishan assassination case was shrouded in fog and might even become one of the Great Ming's unsolved cases.

However, none of the three said who they suspected, and didn't even have this intention.

Such a good opportunity to splash dirty water, but the three of them held back and didn't slander in front of the Emperor.

As the Emperor's close ministers, those who are glib and sow discord are called slanderers. Clearly, none of the three ministers wanted to be slanderers, but they couldn't be called upright ministers who dared to argue and remonstrate either. Although they couldn't be upright ministers like Hai Rui in terms of character, they wouldn't be evil ministers either.

Constant instigation by those around the Emperor would cause great harm.

In the early Tang Dynasty, the Prince of Qin, Li Shimin, who was good at fighting, was so capable that Li Yuan could only title him the "General of Heavenly Strategy" and allow him to open his own office. At this time, the contradiction between the General of Heavenly Strategy and the Crown Prince Li Jiancheng had almost reached the point of incompatibility, but it was still a step away.

And Li Yuan, who wanted to play with balance, was like dancing on the tip of a knife, maintaining the balance between the Crown Prince and the Prince of Qin.

This extremely fragile balance was broken by the fourth son, Li Yuanji.

"Yuanji" for Tang. In clerical script, Yuanji can be written as Tang. Li Yuanji had ambition. After analyzing the political situation, he came to a conclusion: "Just remove the Prince of Qin, and taking the Eastern Palace will be as easy as turning over a hand."

Li Yuanji wanted to be Emperor, and the only obstacle was the Prince of Qin. The Crown Prince was not worth mentioning. He began to sow discord everywhere, poisoning, seizing military power, and making trouble in front of Li Yuan, eventually intensifying the contradiction to a white-hot state, and the Xuanwu Gate Incident broke out.

There were four Xuanwu Gate Incidents in the Tang Dynasty, causing endless harm.

In the end, Li Jiancheng's posthumous title was "Yinxi King." In the 16th year of the Zhenguan era, Li Shimin added the title of Crown Prince to his eldest brother again, and Li Jiancheng's posthumous title was finally determined as "Yin."

This counts as an admission that Li Jiancheng had once been the Crown Prince of the Great Tang. The 'Yin' in this posthumous title—'not revealing one's virtue to the state is called Yin; failing to rectify one's conduct is called Yin'—means that his virtue was unclear while he occupied the throne in vain, and he was incompetent in his position yet stubbornly usurped it.

This posthumous title is not a bad posthumous title, it is a middle posthumous title, neither good nor bad. At first, Li Jiancheng's posthumous title was determined as "Li," later it was said it should be changed to "Ling," and finally it was determined as "Yin."

"Li" and "Ling" are both bad posthumous titles. For example, the posthumous title given by Ming Yingzong Zhu Qizhen to his younger brother Zhu Qiyu was "Li." "Chengli King" was the only official title of Zhu Qiyu from the Tianshun era to the 11th year of the Chenghua era, until Ming Xianzong Zhu Jianshen rehabilitated his uncle, and Zhu Qiyu's emperor title was acknowledged.

What is interesting is that after the eighth year of the Tianshun era, before the rehabilitation, in various official records, Zhu Qiyu had already been called the Jingtai Emperor or Jing Emperor, which was clearly the acquiescence of Ming Xianzong Zhu Jianshen. Otherwise, such a major event of usurpation, how would the ministers dare to express their position so directly?

This younger brother Zhu Qiyu didn't do anything, he just wiped his brother's butt for eight years, repelled the Oirat invasion, stabilized the Fujian civil unrest, pacified the runaway people of Huguang, managed Danning and Hetao, and discussed reopening the Western Regions.

Li Jiancheng's posthumous title is "Yin," not "Li." This is the mercy given by Li Shimin as the winner. Plus, upgrading the Xi King to Crown Prince in the 16th year of the Zhenguan era might be Li Shimin acting like a cat crying for a mouse, or it might be to appease the remnants of the old party, or it might be that he really had some mercy.

But the posthumous title Li Shimin gave to his fourth brother Li Yuanji was "La," same as "Li," meaning "violent and unkind is La," which is a first-class bad posthumous title.

Giving such a posthumous title to his own younger brother, the person is dead, and he is not willing to say a good word, which shows Li Shimin's hatred for Li Yuanji.

Li Shimin took Li Yuanji's wife, Princess Qi Yang, into the palace, and even had a son with Yang. This son was later adopted under Li Yuanji's name. It is enough to see the hatred. He killed the person, slept with his wife, and then adopted the child. What kind of hatred is this?

Li Shimin had every reason to hate Li Yuanji for sowing discord.

Without Li Yuanji's discord, Li Shimin should have been able to prepare more adequately and end the struggle for the throne in a more decent way, instead of using the most cruel palace coup to kill his own brother and younger brother, and force his own father in the palace, burying the hidden danger of frequent palace coups in the Great Tang.

Li Yuanji's discord intensified the contradiction between Li Shimin and Crown Prince Li Jiancheng, accelerating the outbreak of the Xuanwu Gate Incident. By that time, it was already too late to stop, and the arrow had to be fired.

Zhu Yijun was very satisfied with Zhang Hong, Feng Bao, and Wang Chonggu. They couldn't be upright ministers, but they wouldn't fall into evil ministers. In Zhu Yijun's view, they could be called loyal to the monarch and the country.

"Assistant Grand Secretary, what do you think of the military equipment business?" Zhu Yijun changed the subject. Since Wang Chonggu didn't want to talk, he wouldn't talk. Just investigate slowly.

"This is a big deal." Wang Chonggu said very confidently: "Unlike what ordinary people think, military equipment is often not about how new or good it is. Military equipment is most particular about durability, reliability, and stability, because in the process of engaging with each other, military equipment is the life of the soldiers."

Wang Chonggu had fought with Andahan in the northwest for so many years, not knowing nothing about military affairs. Wang Chonggu, who could play with a big ring knife, actually knew military affairs very well. His point of view was exactly the same as Qi Jiguang's. The "Pingyi" musket had been invented for several years, but Qi Jiguang still used it as an auxiliary firearm. The more commonly used firearm was the matchlock musket, because the matchlock musket was more stable.

Similarly, after the Great Ming's five-masted ocean-crossing ship was designed, many defects were actually discovered. In subsequent production, those that could be modified on the original basis would be modified. If it couldn't be modified, there was no plan to start from scratch in the short term.

"Looking at the whole world, there is no military equipment more reliable than the Great Ming's military equipment, even if it is the military equipment phased out by the Great Ming." Wang Chonggu elaborated on the commodity advantages of the Great Ming's military equipment. Military equipment is also a commodity, and it is a product with extremely high profits, especially during wartime, when the price of military equipment will skyrocket to an unimaginable level.

For example, the cost of a matchlock musket is 700 silver coins, while the court's construction cost is 1.3 taels of silver. Selling it to the Mori clan of Japan is 2.4 taels of silver, while Xu Wei's direct quote to the Mori clan is 7.4 taels of silver. This is a profit of nearly seven times. As the war progresses and intensifies, this profit will only grow more violently.

"The imperial palace's big project has been completed. Assistant Grand Secretary, work hard and be specially responsible for these maritime trade military equipment." Zhu Yijun gave Wang Chonggu a task, imperial permission, selling contraband to Japan.

"Your subject obeys the edict." Wang Chonggu revealed a smile.

The military equipment given to Japan could be simpler.

For example, the gun barrels that could have been durable would be covered with rust after a few years, and even the gun barrels would be eroded. Long and short weapons could all be like this. Simple military equipment could increase Japan's orders, and could also conduct all-round intelligence gathering and infiltration into Japan's military strength. Moreover, it could increase the influence on Japan's civil war. Today it can be sold to the Mori clan, tomorrow it is not impossible to sell to the Takeda and Hojo clans, and the day after tomorrow it is not impossible to do business with Oda Nobunaga.

It's just business.

Selling military equipment has never been just selling military equipment. The scale and how to infiltrate are not difficult for Wang Chonggu. The Emperor handed this matter to him, and Wang Chonggu can be said to be returning to his old profession, with rich experience.

"Your Majesty, the tribute from the Third Lady has already entered the court this year. The big project will be inspected the day after tomorrow. Should we call the envoys of various countries?" Wang Chonggu mentioned the tribute of the Third Lady to the capital.

The Third Lady was also a regular visitor, as were the envoys of the Northern Barbarians, Tuman Khan's son, Korea, Ryukyu, Annam, and Siam. Korea and Ryukyu naturally don't need to be said. As filial sons of the Great Ming, their envoys were in the capital all year round. Annam and Siam were re-tributary after Yin Zhengmao showed off his power in Luzon.

Although the scale could not be compared with the envoys of more than a dozen tributary countries coming to congratulate during the Yongle era, the quantity was not too embarrassing, and it could maintain the face of the Heavenly Dynasty.

The reason Wang Chonggu mentioned the Third Lady was that last time, the Emperor received the Third Lady on the foundation, and the Third Lady was extremely shocked. Receiving tributary envoys on the foundation was truly an eye-opener for the Third Lady.

Wang Chonggu was afraid that the Northern Barbarians would have a heart of contempt for China.

Was the Third Lady's arrival in the capital this time intentional or accidental? Clearly, it was intentional.

Three days later, before the sky was bright, Zhu Yijun had already changed into the Emperor's twelve-tassel crown and twelve-chapter robe.

The tassel crown and robe were the signs of the Great Ming distinguishing the closeness of tributary countries. For example, the crown and robe of the kings of Ryukyu and Korea were nine tassels and nine chapters, the jade was nine inches, gold hook leather belts, etc., while Annam and Japan were seven tassels, seven chapters, and seven inches. Further away, such as Malacca (Strait of Malacca), Ceylon (Sri Lanka), etc., were five chapters.

The "Shunyi King" Andahan's was a five-chapter robe.

Zhu Yijun got on the Great Imperial Carriage in front of the West Garden Gate, and then arrived in front of the Meridian Gate. After two and a half years, the central axis of the imperial palace that was burned down was finally rebuilt. The palace gate that had been closed for two and a half years slowly opened to the sound of drums and cannons when the Emperor's carriage arrived.

"Your subjects pay respects to Your Majesty. Long live, long live, long live Your Majesty." Following the opening of the palace gate were the civil and military officials kneeling on both sides to pay respects.

Zhu Yijun stood on the Great Imperial Carriage, stretched his hands forward and said: "Rise."

The little eunuchs passed the imperial words one by one, and Zhu Yijun walked down the Great Imperial Carriage step by step, looking up at the pavilion on the Meridian Gate. The glazed tiles shone in the morning sun, flashing with psychedelic light.

Zhu Yijun walked onto the five golden water bridges step by step and walked into the imperial palace.

After walking through the gate, it suddenly opened up. It was an open square. Zhu Yijun stamped his feet, looked at Wang Chonggu and said: "Is this ground also built with lime?"

"Reporting to Your Majesty, this is a specially burned square brick, wear-resistant and anti-folding, natural texture, non-slip and beautiful. It is not built with lime. The backfill is three-zhang deep rammed earth, and then paved with lime." Wang Chonggu hurriedly replied.

The backfill was absolutely not construction waste, but a three-zhang thick rammed earth layer. Wang Chonggu used his life as a guarantee to ensure quality and quantity.

Wang Chonggu didn't explain the craftsmanship of this square brick, but its quality was by no means inferior to the gold bricks used before, but the price was less than one-tenth of the gold bricks.

Imperial kiln gold bricks were from the Lumu brick kiln of the Xiangshan Gang in Suzhou. Because they participated in the building of the imperial palace in the capital, they were bestowed the name "Imperial Kiln." Before, the bricks of the Great Ming had to be supplied in Changzhou and had to go through the canal's tribute transport, which led to their high price, expensive in transportation costs.

Imperial kiln gold bricks, one piece cost eight silver coins. The distance from the Meridian Gate to the Imperial Pole Gate (formerly Chengtian Gate) required more than 4,000 pieces.

And this time, Wang Chonggu used this kind of square brick. In terms of color, it was the same as the gold bricks, but the quality was more superior, and one piece only cost 70 wen.

The reason why Wang Chonggu dared to use the nine clans as a guarantee that the quality was better than gold bricks was entirely because of the use of brand-new technology, high-temperature sintering.

A brick had to go through thirty-one processes, which were extremely cumbersome. For example, there was magnetic separation and screening of iron, which was to screen out iron materials after ball milling to prevent the glaze from turning green, and the high-temperature used was slow burning, while ball milling used balls for grinding, ensuring the fineness of the fine materials.

Wang Chonggu dared to guarantee that the entire square would be durable. To put it bluntly, even if the Great Ming perished, these bricks would still be solid.

Zhu Yijun stepped on it and was very satisfied. Inside the Meridian Gate was the Inner Golden Water River. On both sides of the Inner Golden Water River were the Left Left Shunmen and the Right Left Shunmen. The Right Left Shunmen led to the Wu Ying Hall, and the Left Left Shunmen led to the Wenhua Hall and the Cabinet. The water was rippling, and in front of the Inner Jin Shuiqiao was the Imperial Pole Gate.

The Imperial Pole Gate, magnificent and golden.

Zhu Yijun walked past the Imperial Pole Gate, patted the gate hole, and walked in. This thing was extremely thick. It was originally a brick-wrapped city wall, but now it had become a steel-concrete wrapped rammed earth city wall. Its quality was about the same as if a nine-jin gunpowder cannon was pulled over to bomb it, it could only leave a pit.

Very resistant to construction, the design redundancy was seriously exceeded.

Walking into the Imperial Pole Gate, along the central axis, looking at it, it was the huge Three Great Halls square. On the left was the Wucheng Pavilion, on the right was the Wenzhao Pavilion, and directly in front was the largest Imperial Pole Hall of the Three Great Halls. Zhu Yijun stood in front of the gate hole of the Imperial Pole Gate, looking at the Imperial Pole Hall in the distance, his mouth twitched and said: "Glass windows?"

"Reporting to Your Majesty, it is indeed glass windows." Wang Chonggu puffed out his chest sincerely. This was a masterpiece he was proud of. After everyone saw it, they would only think they had come to the Heavenly Palace.

Wang Chonggu didn't make any changes to the layout or even the color of the Great Ming imperial palace, except for these glass windows, which were the shape Wang Chonggu changed.

Both lighting and warmth were taken into account. Looking at it, it was golden and shiny, which was very good-looking.

"It's not burned with crystal, right?" Zhu Yijun looked at those glass windows and asked subconsciously. How expensive crystal was, using it to burn glass was a waste. But from the reflection, there was no green color.

Wang Chonggu hurriedly said: "No, if it were burned with crystal, this building wouldn't be 1.4 million taels, 14 million taels would only be enough to burn a glass. It's after two magnetic separation and screening of iron, it still has a little green, but it's not very obvious."

Zhu Yijun walked closer and saw that the glass did have a little green, which couldn't be distinguished at all if you didn't look carefully.

A brand-new construction method, while ensuring lighting, ensured warmth.

Zhu Yijun walked into the Imperial Pole Hall. Four little eunuchs carried the dragon chair onto the moon platform. Zhu Yijun walked over and became more satisfied the more he looked. It was exactly the same as the original, but the building materials inside had been completely replaced. Steel-concrete structure, except for furniture, there was no other wood. Even the windows were iron frames. To prevent fire, a lot of isolation treatment was even done.

"Proclaim the court officials to enter the hall." After Zhu Yijun sat down firmly, the first court meeting after the building of the Great Ming imperial palace began. With the whipping of the Commander Zhao Mengyou, the Great Ming court officials began to enter one after another.

Because the Wenhua Hall inside the Left Left Shunmen had the Cabinet's functional offices such as the Wenyuan Pavilion, the Document Room, and the Edict Room, it was actually very small. Holding a regular court meeting in the Wenhua Hall, the court officials even had to line up to the Donghuamen, which was the Donghuamen where the list of new imperial scholars was posted every time.

The Imperial Pole Hall was much larger, and the court meeting could finally be held normally as scheduled.

After the group of officials paid respects, the first one to be proclaimed was the Third Lady. After all, the Emperor received the Third Lady on the foundation last time, which damaged the majesty of the court. Now that the imperial palace building was completed, it was natural to summon her again to avoid the Northern Barbarians having a heart of contempt.

Nine heavens open the palace gates, ten thousand nations pay homage to the crown.

The Third Lady walked through the solemn Imperial Pole Gate square step by step, with civil and military officials and red-helmeted generals standing on both sides, banners fluttering, drums and horns sounding together. Standing in front of the Imperial Pole Hall, her expression was a bit blurred. Is this place really for people to live in? It's really luxurious. No wonder everyone wants to be an Emperor.

The eunuchs didn't urge her, waiting for the Third Lady to come back to her senses. The old gentlemen of the Ministry of Rites racked their brains to arrange it this way, wasn't it just for this effect?

The Third Lady suddenly came back to her senses, realizing that she was on the way to pay respects, she stepped up the stairs and entered the Imperial Pole Hall.

"Pay respects to Your Majesty. Long live, long live, long live Your Majesty." The Third Lady performed the great ceremony of five bows and three kowtows to face the Emperor, bowing her head and being extremely submissive.

The Third Lady didn't feel that receiving her on the foundation damaged the Emperor's majesty. As long as Qi Jiguang's 120,000 Beijing troops were still there, even if they faced the Emperor in a thatched hut, the Emperor would still have majesty. If the capital was repeatedly invaded, no matter how magnificent it was, there would be no majesty.

The Ministry of Rites arranged for her to come to the capital to pay respects at this time, naturally having their own thoughts, whether it was deterrence or showing off, she didn't turn a blind eye, but chose to cooperate.

The Third Lady's arrival in the capital this time was with a mission.

The Great Ming was becoming more and more tyrannical. The Third Lady didn't want the Great Ming and Andahan to continue to conflict. Andahan was old, and even intended to abandon the Eternal Heaven and switch to Buddhism. He had lost the bravery and the pride of the sea-dong-qing of his youth, becoming more and more stubborn and more and more willful.

The Third Lady's arrival in the capital was mainly to express the submissiveness of the Western Tatars, secondly to determine the quota of the wool trade this year, and then to offer a congratulatory table on behalf of Andahan to congratulate the Great Ming Emperor on his upcoming wedding.

"Loyal and Obedient Lady, I heard that Tuman Khan asked Andahan for help, and Andahan received Tuman Khan's envoy with great hospitality and intended to form an alliance in Song Yingchang. Is there such a thing?" Zhu Yijun didn't let the Third Lady rise, but asked about a major event.

Because of the Great Ming's step-by-step encroachment in Liaodong, Tuman Khan used all his skills but couldn't stop the pace of the Great Ming army. So Tuman Khan, the suzerain Great Khan, asked Andahan for help, and Andahan readily agreed and intended to form an alliance in Song Yingchang.

Song Yingchang was where the Hu Yuan Lu Wang Mansion was located, and it was the place where the last emperor of the unified Hu Yuan regime passed away. This place was at the mountain pass of the Great Xianbei Mountain, which was the strategic target of Qi Jiguang's strategy this time.

And now, the Eastern and Western Tatars intended to form an alliance in Song Yingchang.

"It is indeed true." The Third Lady secretly thought it was not good. The court really knew about Tuman Khan sending envoys, and also knew that Andahan had agreed to the conditions.

The "Night Scouts" active on the grassland, probing deep into the barbarian camp, were becoming more and more strict about the movements of the grassland. An intelligence network laid by the "Night Scouts" was sprinkled on the grassland.

"Then it seems that the tribute and contribution matter ends today. From the beginning of the fifth year of the Longqing era to the fifth year of the Wanli era, I have failed the entrustment of the ancestors to the country." Zhu Yijun nodded and said indifferently.

Since Andahan wanted to maintain their common interests of the same origin, the Great Ming's tribute and wool business would stop here.

The Great Ming could bear this loss, but I don't know if Andahan could bear it.

Wang Chonggu's expression remained unmoved. He had already communicated deeply with His Majesty about several matters of the Third Lady's arrival in the capital the day before yesterday. His Majesty was like an old fox, pretending to be confused, deliberately putting pressure on the Third Lady.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, the Prince of Shunyi agreed to the request of Khan Tuman in the sixth month, but five months have already passed, and the Prince of Shunyi has not moved a single soldier or horse. I beg Your Majesty to investigate clearly. The Prince of Shunyi had no choice but to comply with the request of the suzerain Khan; he did indeed agree, but he did not specify a concrete time. Even though Khan Tuman urged him repeatedly, the Prince of Shunyi still had misgivings, and thus sent his wife to the court to report the details," San Niangzi replied to His Majesty's question with submissiveness.

Andahan provided everything except support.

Andahan was also watching. The Great Ming army was fierce, invading like fire, and breaking through like bamboo. Andahan used the excuse of having to follow the suzerain Great Khan's request to report to the court; the Great Ming army was flashy but weak, and was defeated and retreated, then Andahan would naturally participate in it at the right time and take the opportunity to fish in troubled waters.

The Great Ming army had been at Danning Guard for two months. During this time, Tuman Khan had neither lost nor won, because he hadn't engaged with the Great Ming army. Only the Great Ming army was building camps and eating Tuman Khan bit by bit. Facing this horizontal crush and hard grinding strategy, Tuman Khan didn't even have a chance to fight a battle to the death.

What kind of despair was this?

This kind of war situation made Andahan dare not act rashly.

In war, offending both sides means offending both sides. The Third Lady's arrival in the court to report showed that Andahan finally figured out how to stand in line. If he didn't stand in line again, there would be no team to stand in.

Zhu Yijun heard this and revealed a smile: "Rise. Does the Loyal and Obedient Lady mean that Andahan is asking the court for benefits, so he refuses to send troops to help, taking advantage of the fire?" Taking advantage of the fire, the court not letting Andahan help Tuman Khan required a price. As for the amount of the price, it mainly depended on the situation on the battlefield.

Zhu Yijun was willing to be taken advantage of by Andahan, which was to provide help for Qi Jiguang's expedition in Liaodong, exclude possible reinforcements, and make the Great Ming army's military actions go smoothly.

As the supreme Emperor, being ridden on the neck and defecating, this feeling was naturally unpleasant, but for the sake of strategy, Zhu Yijun could simply make concessions.

The Third Lady finally revealed a difficult expression. In this regard, the Third Lady and Andahan had differences, and the differences were huge.

Andahan himself had very excessive demands, asking the Great Ming court for pass documents and governor's gold seals, allowing him to go from the Hexi Corridor to Xining. Secondly, he asked the Great Ming to acknowledge the sphere of influence of the Great Ming Jin Kingdom, especially the Hetao problem. These two conditions, one was clearly rejected by the Emperor, and the other was what the Great Ming court was thinking about.

The Third Lady didn't think the Great Ming court would agree. Even if they agreed, it would just be a piece of empty paper, and it would be worthless when they tore their faces.

The Third Lady was more inclined to expand the wool trade, especially the price concessions for some goods such as salt and iron pots. These were real benefits. The Third Lady had seen Zhu Yijun and knew what kind of person this Emperor was.

The supreme Emperor of the Great Ming received foreign envoys on the foundation, which fully explained that this Emperor's heart was smaller than a needle, and he was very vengeful!

This time the Great Ming was attacking Tuman Khan, and Andahan was pushing his luck, which would definitely be recorded, and the list would be settled together in the future.

At that time, Andahan would be smashed to pieces. The Third Lady didn't have the treatment of Princess Qi Yang, and could still serve the winner. The Third Lady would only be killed. The Great Ming Emperor didn't lack her.

When the time comes for Altan Khan to have his bones ground to dust and his ashes scattered, San Niangzi will not receive the same treatment as Lady Yang, the Princess of Qi, who could still serve the victor; San Niangzi will only be killed, and the Emperor of Great Ming is not short of one person like her.

She still chose her own conditions, not Andahan's set of rhetoric, to profit from trade, rather than pressing the Emperor's head to make the Emperor bow his head.

This time the Emperor bowed his head, and in the future, when the Emperor went crazy, Andahan would die, and the huge Jin Kingdom tribes, how would they handle themselves? Could they learn from their ancestors and go west?

"No other requests?" Zhu Yijun asked playfully.

He found that this Third Lady staying on the grassland was truly a waste of talent. The Third Lady possessed the qualities necessary for a politician, shamelessness.

"Your Majesty, please forgive me. The grassland was dry this spring, and autumn and winter came earlier this year than in previous years. Countless cattle and sheep on the grassland froze and starved to death under the anger of the Eternal Heaven. I implore Your Majesty to have mercy. The grassland urgently needs salt and iron pots to survive the bitter winter. I implore Your Majesty to have mercy." The Third Lady requested a reward pitifully.

A smooth little combination move turned taking advantage of the fire into the Emperor practicing benevolent government and soothing the distant people. Such a change turned the Northern Barbarians asking for rewards into begging the Emperor for mercy. In this way, the Emperor got face, the Northern Barbarians got benefits and substance, and everyone had an explanation.

"I have heard about the drought on the grassland, and I have also heard about the early cold air this year. Since this is the case, then the matter of salt and iron pots will be discussed with the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Revenue. I will trouble the Grand Minister." Zhu Yijun looked at Ma Ziqiang.

"Thank Your Majesty for your grace. I will definitely spread the Emperor's benevolence on the grassland." The Third Lady breathed a long sigh of relief. The Emperor made the decision and set the tone, so the people below could do things. If the Emperor didn't loosen his mouth, talking to the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Revenue for ten thousand years would be in vain.

Zhu Yijun was willing to make concessions, still not wanting to increase the burden on Qi Jiguang's expedition in Liaodong. If the diplomatic handling here was unfavorable, leading to an unfavorable war, that would be the court's incompetence.

Andahan was extremely lucky to have such a virtuous wife.

Military sales during wartime are very profitable. For example, in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the same model of drone used by both sides sold for as high as 190,000 US dollars, but the cost was actually no more than 10,000 US dollars. Please vote for the monthly ticket, Awooooo!!!!

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 259 =====

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