Chapter 275: The people take food as heaven, and all things take the people as the head

Wang Chonggu's methods are brilliant. The most brilliant part is that he knows the Emperor's intention. Taking advantage of the time before the wedding to select those in the court who have no submissive heart, whether it is beaten to death or dismissed, Wang Chonggu will not set fire to himself; the second brilliant part is that Wang Chonggu found Hence Hai Rui, the leader of the speech officials, to explain the situation, and let Hence Hai Rui persuade them, further screening and purifying; the third brilliant part is that even if the speech officials know that Wang Chonggu colluded in the middle, he will not be backlashed.

Because the speech officials cannot impeach Wang Chonggu for this matter. If Wang Chonggu is convicted because of this, it is "convicted because of speech." The most favorite thing for the speech officials in the court is to be sluggish. If Wang Chonggu is convicted because of speech, the speech officials will also suffer in the future. The fact is that Wang Chonggu colluded with the speech officials to "Fuque," but did not go, and he did not commit any crime other than speaking.

And Zhang Juzheng's reason for pleading for the speech officials is very sufficient. Even if Zhang Juzheng is not in the court, he still protects these court officials.

"Your Majesty's holy virtue is broad and magnificent, covering the sky and carrying the earth. Since ascending the throne, you have respected ministers, treated groups of officials with courtesy, sympathized with the incompetent, and pardoned small mistakes. As for the speech officials discussing matters, they are often given tolerance, and have never been lightly punished. Your subject, upon hearing the change of 'Fuque,' is deeply worried. Your subject's foolishness, I humbly think that the Censorate is the ear and eye of the court, and its duty is to correct. It must cultivate its upright style on weekdays and broaden its punishment for touching, and then it will dare to speak when encountering things, without fear, so that the advantages and disadvantages of the four directions can be heard."

Our country has been around for a long time, and the officials' heart to serve the monarch has gradually become lazy. Only this blade, set up at the beginning of the Founding Emperor's reign, is the ancestral divine law that also had today's abuses at the beginning.

Zhang Juzheng's words are actually very obscure, but also very clear. Let the little Emperor think carefully about why Zhu Yuanzhang gave the speech officials with lower official positions such great power at the beginning. On one hand, it is naturally for the court's ears and eyes, to correct the four directions, and to correct the incorrectness of people. But it is not without considering the heart of today's officials serving the monarch, which has gradually become lazy, and then became a knife in the Emperor's hand to deal with officials.

Speech officials are sometimes a knife that kills the heart. Killing the heart means that although you haven't made a mistake, you intend to do so, so you can kill the heart of not being a subject.

Speech officials are an important way to realize the extension of imperial power. If you know how to use this force, you understand the means of being a monarch.

There must be the practice of the Great Way, and there must also be the actual ruling means of practicing it. Speech officials can also use their wind and public opinion to deal with some people who are not easy to deal with.

For example, Wang Chonggu.

"Grand Censor Hai, the Master said: 'The officials' heart to serve the monarch has gradually become lazy. Is there really such an abuse today?'" Zhu Yijun looked at Hence Hai Rui with the memorial in his hand, asking knowingly.

On the surface, Hence Hai Rui is the number one lazy official in the world. He scolded his own monarch, the Jiajing Emperor, but in fact, Hence Hai Rui knew how wise the Jiajing Emperor was in his early years, so he was so heartbroken about the Jiajing Emperor in his later years. Hence Hai Rui is blaming Chen Shan, he is a direct official, and he is a person who is sincere in serving the monarch.

Zhu Yijun asked this deliberately, actually wanting to hear Hence Hai Rui's view on the current situation, not just asking if this phenomenon really exists. 【275-1

Whether it exists or not, everyone is very clear. The national strength is gradually weakening, the cohesion is gradually declining, and the Emperor's majesty is being trampled upon again and again. This problem indeed exists.

Hence Hai Rui was the first person in the Wenhua Hall to speak of the tragic state where, by the late years of the Jiajing Emperor, only one of his eight sons remained. This was a layer of window paper; Hence Hai Rui poked it through. Moreover, he placed the tragic reality before the young Emperor. While denying Xu Jie's merit in toppling Yan and his merit as a founding minister, he was also loudly reminding the young Emperor to be wary of the disloyal hearts of his ministers.

At that time, the person Hence Hai Rui wanted to remind His Majesty had a disloyal heart was Zhang Juzheng.

"Distance tests a horse's strength, time reveals a person's heart." After Hence Hai Rui returned, he discovered that this Ming Grand Secretary Zhang Juzheng was completely different in style from the powerful ministers of past dynasties. What Zhang Juzheng sought was not power, but the resurgence of the Ming.

"Skilled at planning for the state, clumsy at planning for himself" is Hence Hai Rui's evaluation of Zhang Juzheng.

The Jiajing Emperor died, yet Hence Hai Rui began to protect the Jiajing Emperor's reputation, even pinning part of the responsibility for the Jiajing Emperor's slackness in his later years on the ministers.

"Your Majesty, Sima Zhao murdered his sovereign." Hence Hai Rui was silent for a moment before bringing up an old affair.

After Sima Zhao killed the Wei Emperor Cao Mao, even though the Sima clan took the world, they were plagued by infamy. By the time of the Tang Taizong, because of the Tang Taizong's imperial decree, when the official *Book of Jin* was compiled, the section on Sima Zhao murdering his sovereign even lost the imperial title, becoming "Wei Minister Sima Zhao murdered his sovereign Mao." Sima Zhao's murder of his sovereign can be said to be extremely foul.

When the Wei state obtained the imperial throne, it at least went through the process of abdication. Sima Zhao's brazen act was truly shameless; he stabbed the Emperor to death on the street with a single blade, the blade protruding from the Emperor's back, blood splashing three feet away.

Civil officials did not like Sima Zhao's cruel methods, and military generals did not like them either. After all, Sima Yi raised death-sworn retainers even at such an advanced age. Since then, any military general with some age has hated Sima Yi to the bone. For example, when Tang Taizong was campaigning against Goguryeo and Li Jing was too ill to go, Tang Taizong said that Sima Yi had said the same thing back then. Li Jing jumped up immediately and followed Tang Taizong on the campaign.

Hence Hai Rui saying Sima Zhao murdered his sovereign was actually saying that even when ministers had such rebellious acts during times of strong national power, let alone now. Hence Hai Rui not only answered the Emperor's question directly but also elevated the issue to the level of murdering a sovereign.

"Your Majesty, Zhang Siwei assassinated the Emperor in the first year of Wanli, and in the third year of Wanli, a great fire burned the palace. This is a minister of great rebellion and should be sliced to death. Your Majesty is broad-minded and kind, sending him to the Dissection Institute for recuperation. I also witnessed the strange phenomenon of lightning avoidance in the palace with my own eyes. Your Majesty, I believe that a minister serving his sovereign is no longer just disrespectful, but disloyal." Hence Hai Rui explained the meaning of his words in detail again. Speaking clearly and plainly has always been Hence Hai Rui's style—one is one, and two is two. This style is not well-liked in officialdom.

"The Dissection Institute is for dissection, not recuperation." Zhu Yijun coughed lightly. That place is not as painless as being sliced to death by a thousand cuts; after all, it is a sustainable slicing. Hence Hai Rui still does not know too much about the Dissection Institute; everyone basically has a tacit understanding not to discuss that place much.

Hence Hai Rui is still that same Hence Hai Rui, speaking straight and direct. Even if he knew he was being used by Wang Chonggu, it was his own willingness. And Wang Chonggu clearly knew Hence Hai Rui's temperament, which is why he felt at ease handing over life-and-death matters to Hence Hai Rui.

"Does the Chief Censor Hai think that since the Master left the court, there is anything inappropriate in my actions and words?" Zhu Yijun's inquiry was also direct. He asked Hence Hai Rui how he evaluated the Emperor's New Policies. Now that Zhang Juzheng has left the court, the Emperor is presiding over the New Policies. If Zhu Yijun wants to hear some truth, he can only ask Hence Hai Rui.

"There is a balance of tension and relaxation, and it goes even further than that." Hence Hai Rui said with a complex expression: "The balance of tension and relaxation is that Your Majesty has not yet conducted a land survey of the world. This is the reality of putting things into practice. People cannot live in unrealistic imaginations; otherwise, they will not be able to see the crisis under their feet. Such unrealistic people ruling the country are a great harm to the state. If a gentleman does evil, it is a great evil for the world."

"It goes even further than that. I dare to speak bluntly: Your Majesty's New Policies are far more intense than the Earl of Yicheng's. I fear it will cause a great disaster."

"What can I do? The Master just walked away and ran to Xishan to hide and be idle. I am still just a child; I can only do this. I have no other choice." Zhu Yijun finally heard a truth. Hence Hai Rui is still that same Hence Hai Rui; he feels the Emperor's New Policies are too radical, and the methods are much more ruthless than Zhang Juzheng's. Zhang Juzheng was unwilling to see people die, but His Majesty seems to be deeply influenced by Tan Lun and likes to resort to force at every turn.

Zhu Yijun defended himself; he had no choice, he could only do this.

Hence Hai Rui also said with a face full of helplessness: "Indeed, either be more radical than the Earl of Yicheng, or only be able to directly negate the New Policies. Since the New Policies cannot be negated, one can only be more radical. That is why I did not submit a memorial to criticize Chen Shan."

After Zhang Juzheng left the court, the Emperor had two choices: retreat to before Zhang Juzheng ruled the country, or take a step forward. If he retreated a step, the Emperor would have a vast sky, but the Ming would plummet. The Emperor refused to retreat and made his choice, so he could only be more radical. Hence Hai Rui knew the helplessness of this path choice, which is why he did not submit a memorial to lecture the Emperor on what was wrong here and what was wrong there.

During the Longqing era, Hence Hai Rui often criticized the Longqing Emperor for being too extravagant, but during the Wanli era, Hence Hai Rui had not submitted a single memorial of criticism.

At this age, His Majesty is a bit too mature.

Zhu Yijun ended the discussion with Hence Hai Rui, took out Zhang Juzheng's memorial, and continued reading. Zhang Juzheng requested the Emperor to show leniency to the censors.

The second reason is that the censors protested at the palace gate because of Wang Chonggu's conspiracy, and the Emperor took the opportunity to punish the censors. On one hand, the censors will warn each other, treating speech as a great taboo. Even if there are loyal words and honest advice, who would be willing to speak for the imperial court? On the other hand, it will embolden Wang Chonggu's power. Wang Chonggu might intimidate the sovereign. One must know that the first punch Zhang Juzheng used to deal with Wang Chonggu was the crime of overstepping his bounds.

Wang Chonggu's power is overwhelming; he might deceive the heavens just like Yan Song and Yan Shifan. Yan Shifan even ran to the Prince of Yu's mansion to solicit bribes—that was the Jiajing Emperor's only son!

Of course, one must not doubt those one employs, but one cannot be without restraint in methods. This is not employing people, but killing them.

For example, when Zhang Juzheng ruled the country, Ge Shouli carried the banner of "obeying the sovereign's power of majesty and fortune" all day long. Whenever Zhang Juzheng showed any tendency to intimidate the sovereign, Ge Shouli would impeach him. There must be restraint to employ people; this is extremely important for a monarch, and it is also very important for a minister.

Those with great power are destroyed, and those with great merit are ruined. If the Emperor gives too much imperial favor, the minister will be blinded by power, ultimately leading to a result where neither the monarch nor the minister has a good outcome.

Zhang Juzheng appears to be asking the Emperor to show leniency to the censors, but it is also a careful reminder to the Emperor who has just begun to rule personally on how to be a monarch.

"Master, you still care about me. As long as there is any disturbance in the capital, the Master is still willing to speak." Zhu Yijun handed the annotated memorial to Feng Bao, telling Feng Bao to send someone to the Earl of Yicheng's mansion in Xishan, and by the way, bring some imperial rewards. Xishan is not lively enough, and Zhang Juzheng is also in mourning, so it is not appropriate to be too lively. He simply brought some food over.

As for Wang Chonggu?

Zhu Yijun has never trusted Wang Chonggu as he trusted Zhang Juzheng and Qi Jiguang, and he has never let down his guard against Wang Chonggu. It is just that if Wang Chonggu is useful, he is used; if he is not useful, he is dismissed; if he commits an unforgivable mistake, he is killed.

Zhu Yijun held the memorial of the Minister of Revenue, Zhang Xueyan. This Minister of Revenue, who is skilled at auditing, is indeed worthy of the recommendations of Wang Guoguang and Zhang Juzheng. After taking over the Ministry of Revenue, he handled things in an orderly manner. Of course, this has a great deal to do with the fact that the national treasury has money now. If the national treasury had no money, no matter how capable Zhang Xueyan was, he would be a clever housewife unable to cook without rice.

Zhang Xueyan's memorial discussed why the localities support the land survey.

The imperial court is poor, and the localities are actually very poor, even poorer than the imperial court. In the past, places that should have been paid were all owed first, letting them work first. Encouraging agriculture requires money, repairing bridges and roads requires money, and rectifying banditry in the jurisdiction—the lowest cost is to hand it over to the bowmen of the local police inspectorates. This is a major expenditure. Local government offices are also so poor they are pawning their pants; even the salaries of officials are being paid by tearing down the east wall to repair the west wall, living one day at a time.

These expenditures can only be left to the people doing the work to carry on first. Carrying on first is no problem, but when can this money be paid? The government's word is like a fart; today they push it to tomorrow, tomorrow to the day after. Where do the money and grain for government office purchases, rewards for police inspectorates, bridge and road repairs, and rewards for the Education Commission to promote literature come from?

The method used by the localities before was printing money—casting various iron coins and flying money that could not be used as money to fill the holes. The government's credibility had long since been lost. Private casting was not only done by powerful and wealthy families, but also by local government offices that could not turn over their capital.

Now that the imperial court's finances have balanced their income and expenditures and there is a large surplus, and the localities can also balance their income and expenditures, the imperial court's credibility has begun to recover. Localities are no longer clamoring to abolish the police inspectorates, and even beg the imperial court to set up more. After all, rectifying banditry in the jurisdiction is also part of the performance evaluation system; one can borrow the heads of bandits to use, and rise in the world.

And local government offices no longer have to look at the faces of the powerful and wealthy families to do things. At the right time, these powerful and wealthy gentry can be equated with the bandits. Today you are a powerful and wealthy gentry, tomorrow you are an evil gentry secretly colluding with bandits.

The credibility of local government offices is recovering, and the imperial court's credibility is also gradually recovering. The benefits of this to the state are far greater than those gold and silver things.

For example, recently in Haiyan, Zhejiang, the construction of the sea wall was completed, totaling eighteen *li* of sea wall, costing a total of 120,000 taels of silver. The sea wall construction workers were prepared to not receive a single cent, considering it all as sharing the worries and solving difficulties for the imperial court. When the sea wall construction workers received the final payment for the completion, they ran to tell each other, and even specially had someone submit a congratulatory memorial, congratulating the completion of the sea wall, and naming and praising the "clear sky" lords of Zhejiang one by one.

Zhang Xueyan still wants the Ming to conduct a full land survey. Zhu Yijun thought for a long time and still did not approve the memorial, still telling Zhang Xueyan not to be anxious; land matters cannot be rushed.

Consolidate the current achievements and plan slowly. Regarding land matters, Zhu Yijun will absolutely not be eager for quick success and instant benefits. He reviewed a memorial, rubbed the part of his left shoulder, and shook his head.

"Is it hurting again?" Feng Bao saw the Emperor's movement, and sweat came out, but he recalled carefully that last year the Emperor injured his right arm.

After Zhu Yijun's arm was injured last year, he still insisted on personally engaging in agriculture. He could not use his right shoulder to carry grain, so he could only use his left shoulder. His left shoulder was worn into bruises. The great physicians of the Dissection Institute, Chen Shigong and Li Shizhen, were scared silly. The right arm had an arrow wound, and it takes a hundred days to heal a bone injury. The Emperor actually still wanted to personally engage in agriculture while injured. The great physicians warned the Emperor that if he was stubborn again, the right arm might be permanently damaged. Only then did the Emperor follow the advice and no longer carry grain, but he still had to personally look at it every day to feel at ease.

"That's not it." Zhu Yijun shook his head and said: "The people are suffering. So many people are serving me in farming, and I have left scars just by carrying a little grain. Those farmers work so hard all day long, yet even having enough to eat is a luxury."

Zhu Yijun's personal engagement in agriculture was not just clearing a piece of land in the Baoqi Office to put on a show. Personally carrying manure to plant experimental fields still didn't count as personal engagement in agriculture. Last summer, he personally went to the fields to harvest wheat, and then carried the wheat down from the hills—that counted as true personal engagement in agriculture.

"The people also have to plant on the rocky, barren hills." Zhu Yijun said to Feng Bao: "Rocky, barren hills are like deserts on the hills. The hills are covered with stones everywhere and are very desolate. The land has no fertility to speak of, but the people still managed to grow crops. The harvest is not even half of regular fields, but the people still have to plant them because the rent for rocky, barren land is cheap, and planting it can feed the children two more mouthfuls."

"Yes, the people of our Ming are indeed hardworking." Feng Bao replied with a complex expression.

His Majesty went to harvest wheat, and he followed. His Majesty, who put aside state affairs and did not handle them, was somewhat neglecting his proper duties, but when he arrived at the fields, Feng Bao's view of His Majesty neglecting his proper duties made him want to slap himself twice.

What is the state?

The state is the common people, those who face the yellow earth and have their backs to the sky, working diligently.

On that day working in the fields, Feng Bao gained a lot. He learned several terms he had never heard of, such as "ghost kudzu needles," "prickly holly," and "sour jujube."

The fields were not the experimental fields in the palace. There were many weeds in the wheat fields, and sour jujube trees were planted on the edges of the fields. This was the field edge. His Majesty went to work in the fields without making a big fuss by having the Embroidered Uniform Guard clear the streets, but just found a piece of land and went down to work.

His Majesty, dressed in a short jacket and trousers, did not look much like a farmer. After all, his face was fair, not dark, there was no yellow earth under his fingernails, he even had long hair, and there was some fat on his belly. He was dressed the same as the farmers and commoners, but the commoners could tell at a glance that this was a noble, not a poor laborer.

The people of the Ming even reclaim the barren deserts on the hills to plant, and water is carried up the hill bucket by bucket, and then carefully watered. This is indeed hardworking.

The people encountered a problem: if they didn't cut down these sour jujube trees, the crops wouldn't grow well because the sour jujube trees would block the sunlight and compete with the crops for land fertility. But they couldn't cut down the sour jujube trees because sour jujubes are priced at ten *wen* per *jin*, which can offset the land rent. This is a dilemma.

Zhu Yijun did not provide any clever solution to the dilemma. No matter what choice was made, the cost was borne by the people, and the people had no assets to bear risks and could not resist risks at all.

After finishing the wheat harvest, Zhu Yijun inquired about the price of sour jujubes, and his stereotype of powerful and wealthy families, gentry, and rich merchants became even more malicious!

In their hands, dried sour jujubes are sold as medicine for three taels of silver per *jin*, while the purchase price they give for sour jujubes is ten *wen* per *jin*, and if used to offset land rent, it is only five *wen*!

"I went to work in the fields, and these Hanlin scholars and Imperial Academy students do not do human things all day long in their bright and clean row houses. No, I must arrange for them to engage in farming. Feng, my old friend, you go and clear another twenty *mu* of land on the back hill, let the Hanlin scholars and students go to plant voluntarily, and write down all their names." Zhu Yijun instructed Feng Bao. This time he did not make things difficult for these Hanlin scholars and students; everything was voluntary.

Those who are unwilling to go voluntarily are not necessarily "cheap scholars," but those who are willing to go down to the fields personally are definitely not "cheap scholars."

Zhu Yijun also has to think about the issue of talent reserves, and the tools at hand must be utilized. As for whether Feng Bao will form cliques for personal gain in this process, Zhu Yijun does not care. He is an Emperor who personally engages in agriculture; he can tell whether he is being fooled, and he will not be deceived by Feng Bao.

"I obey the imperial decree." As soon as Feng Bao heard this, he felt this method was excellent. This list has no bonus in the system, but it can tell whether these young people who have not yet entered officialdom have a heart of obedience and a spirit of invigorating the country.

"Food is the heaven of the people, and the people are the head of all affairs." Zhu Yijun wrote down a sentence and continued to handle state affairs.

In the sixth year of Wanli, the Emperor turned sixteen. The Ming Emperor's wedding date was set for the third month. The congratulatory memorials from officials in various places had already begun to arrive in the capital, and the list for the inner palace was officially announced. Wang Yaozhuo is the master of the central palace, that is, the Empress. As for the remaining two side consorts, one comes from the family of a company commander in the capital battalion, and the other comes from the family of a battalion commander in the Southern Yamen navy.

Wang Yaozhuo's background is clean; after all, she has no relatives left, and the other two side consorts come from military households.

Zhu Yijun is very satisfied with this list, just worried about his own kidneys. After all, the Empress Dowager made the decision. Originally, the thirty-six beauties selected to enter the palace were not a single one missing, all staying in the palace, waiting for the Emperor's favor to seek a promotion.

In order to change from a palace maid serving others to a master, these beauties will definitely try every means to hollow out the Emperor's body. Once they have the dragon seed, they will have climbed the long stairs to godhood!

Wang Yaozhuo has her own plans. She wants to compete for favor, but not with other consorts. She must first compete for favor with state affairs; otherwise, she can only say to the consorts as the master of the central palace: "Where is the Emperor in the palace now? You want to see the Emperor, I want to see him too!"

Preparations for the grand wedding also began in full swing.

"Remove this from the Ministry of Rites. What gold utensils? Wasn't it already agreed to use silver utensils?" Zhu Yijun said with great dissatisfaction.

Feng Bao wiped the sweat from his forehead and said: "This homophone is not good."

Zhu Yijun deeply agreed with Feng Bao's statement. The Emperor's grand wedding is a big event, and the homophone issue must indeed be paid attention to. He thought for a while and said: "Then use copper utensils. It just so happens that it can save some money. Didn't people call brass 'gold' before?"

"Your Majesty, our inner treasury has money! The lamps and wine vessels for the Emperor's grand wedding can be made of gold; that is also possible!" Feng Bao looked left and right and whispered: "Your Majesty, if those court officials in the outer court see that the Emperor's grand wedding also uses copper utensils, I fear they will look down on Your Majesty."

"Alright, then use gold utensils. What you said makes sense." Zhu Yijun said reluctantly.

"This national cellar actually prepared 12,000 bottles. This is the 'Wine Warning' chapter that the Master clearly lectured me on during the lecture. The Master said: 'In the past, many officials often hindered state affairs due to banquets and drinking. After Guo Zizhi and others, all officials, big and small, were cautious and diligent, not only daring not to, but also having no time for performance evaluation.' Remove 11,800 bottles and send them to the front-line capital battalion to reward the soldiers." Zhu Yijun said very firmly: "Giving them to the soldiers to drink is better than giving them to these court officials to drink. They are not lacking this mouthful of wine from me."

"The Master said that court officials drinking wine causes trouble, so don't let them drink so much."

"Your Majesty, General Qi has strictly ordered that drinking is not allowed during marches and battles; those who drink will be beheaded." Feng Bao still wanted to resist a little.

"Then keep it until the triumphant return to reward them." Zhu Yijun still decided to keep it. The 12,000 bottles of national cellar were directly cut to 200 bottles. Only those of the fourth rank and above have wine to drink; as for the others, drinking water is enough!

"I obey the imperial decree." Feng Bao thought about it and could only accept the order.

The national cellar is good stuff. After distillation and purification, the high-proof liquor must be mixed with rice wine or water to be swallowed. This stuff is life-saving on the battlefield.

The Ming army prohibits drinking, partly because they are afraid of causing trouble, and partly because they are afraid that the soldiers will drink this national cellar raw, which will really cost lives.

The great physicians of the Dissection Institute used Wang Zhanglong to test. Wang Zhanglong, who had been sliced for five years without dying, finally did not hold on and passed away. Wang Zhanglong was decomposed into thousands of parts and sealed with pine resin to serve as a teaching tool, continuing to be active in front of the dissection table of the Dissection Institute. The great physicians use "it" to teach apprentices.

The Ming navy does not prohibit drinking because they mix high-proof liquor with water when they go to sea; otherwise, they will get sick. The only ones on land who are not prohibited from drinking are the night scouts of the beacon towers. These night scouts of the beacon towers sleep in the open and need high-proof liquor to resist the cold.

The nights on the grasslands are very, very cold—the kind of cold that freezes people to death.

Zhu Yijun was reviewing the expenditures for the grand wedding rituals one by one. He cut everything that could be cut without exception. For example, the "double happiness" characters in the palace were to be made with gold powder, which Zhu Yijun changed to copper powder. For example, the banquet for the betrothal ceremony was directly cut entirely. The betrothal ceremony is the Emperor taking out his own betrothal gifts and sending them to the Empress-to-be. After the father of the Empress accepts them, the Emperor holds a grand banquet to bestow a feast to show celebration.

The betrothal gifts accepted by Wang Yaozhuo have already been handed over to Zhu Yijun for financial management, so there is no need to go through such a laborious process.

It is really not that Zhu Yijun is stingy; it is just that opening the seas in the Southern Yamen requires silver, a large amount of silver. His investment details have already begun to be promoted by the inner treasury. Opening the seas is a major event that requires silver, so these many useless things for the grand wedding are all to be saved if possible.

"This phoenix crown and ceremonial robe—forget it, this cannot be reduced. It's expensive, so be it." Zhu Yijun's hand ultimately did not fall. Wang Yaozhuo's phoenix crown and ceremonial robe are worth 91,200 taels of silver. As the Empress, Wang Yaozhuo can only wear this phoenix crown and ceremonial robe once in her life.

Feng Bao and Zhang Hong looked at each other, both lucky that one of their feet had been pulled back from the gates of hell. Other reductions were reductions; at most, the court officials would scold them for being stingy. Wang Yaozhuo is already the designated master in the palace. If they had made a cut on this matter, it would be equivalent to scratching the heart of the master in the future. Wang Yaozhuo would not have complaints against the Emperor, but Feng Bao and Zhang Hong would both suffer greatly.

"What is this Imperial Uncle Zhu Zaiyu doing?" Zhu Yijun asked with some confusion while looking at the memorial.

"This Prince feels that the ritual music of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices is too dull, so he composed a piece himself. The Ministry of Rites thinks it is excellent, so they submitted it." Feng Bao explained the Emperor's confusion.

The great inventor, great mathematician, great scientist, and inventor of the steam turbine, Zhu Zaiyu, is still working hard for the Emperor's artistic cells; he has not given up yet.

Updated late today because I went to work in the fields during the day. I really went to personally engage in agriculture. It was an activity organized by the unit—either go traveling together or go to help with farming. My right shoulder is full of bruises from carrying corn down the hilly fields. The work I did wasn't even worth as much as the chicken the villagers killed. Begging for monthly votes, Awoo!!!!!!!!

(End of chapter)