Chapter 372: A Child Dances with a Sharp Blade, Hurting Oneself and the World

Zhou Zhou Dingzhi was completely stunned. She just wanted to find a wealthy family, even if it meant being a concubine. As long as this wealthy family could arrange a place for her daughter, she would be satisfied. Being a concubine, pleasing others with her beauty—she was even prepared to be sent out. These rotten scholars often sent their concubines to others as fellow travelers.

She never expected that today, when she showed her face to meet a noble young master, it would be the most noble person in the world: the Emperor.

Zhou Zhou Dingzhi suddenly came to her senses and wanted to kneel down to salute. After all, he was the Emperor. For thousands of years, the relationship between ruler and subject had long been deeply rooted in everyone's hearts. But in this current posture, it was really not easy to kneel. Mainly, it was a posture problem; she was completely clinging to His Majesty. If His Majesty didn't let go, she couldn't kneel, could she?

Feng Bao put down the mounting block. His Majesty and Zhou Zhou Dingzhi still needed to tidy up their appearance slightly in the carriage. The little intimacy in the carriage needed some time. Feng Bao, who was waiting in front of the carriage, admired Empress Wang very much.

The one who understood His Majesty best was Empress Wang.

Even when Feng Bao didn't know what style His Majesty liked, Empress Wang already knew very clearly, and she enjoyed exclusive favor. This wasn't Feng Bao's dereliction of duty, but as the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, he was truly very busy on weekdays. Besides, the Emperor wouldn't tell him, a eunuch, so clearly about such preferences.

Wang Wang Yaozhuo was the first to know what kind of woman the Emperor liked. That was in the fourth year of Emperor Wanli. At that time, Wang Wang Yaozhuo, in her prime, hadn't really thought about being able to become the Empress. After all, she came from a humble background. After the Emperor helped her avenge her grievances, she had always been thinking about how to repay the Emperor. At that time, as His Majesty's close attendant, the only thing she could offer was her body.

At first, His Majesty disliked her for being a "bean sprout."

After the wedding, Wang Wang Yaozhuo let the Emperor open his eyes to what "slender but fruitful" meant. At that time, Wang Wang Yaozhuo knew what the Emperor liked.

Zhou Zhou Dingzhi finally stabilized her mind and followed His Majesty off the carriage. The high palace walls and the golden and brilliant glazed roof in the sunset made Zhou Zhou Dingzhi realize that Young Master Huang and "Old Master Huang" were actually the Imperial Young Master and the Imperial Old Master.

Zhou Zhou Dingzhi passed through the barbican of the detached palace and saw the busy eunuchs tidying up the huge Imperial Study and the Dragon Pool. The autumn wind blew, the water rippled, and koi fish leaped from the water surface, shining with golden light, then crashed into the water, creating sparkling waves and scattering the sunset falling into the water.

"The Imperial Study, the place where I review memorials and discuss matters. This is called the Dragon Pool. The water is not deep, about up to my chest. I keep quite a few fish in it." Zhu Zhu Yijun pulled Zhou Zhou Dingzhi toward the inner palace.

The fish in the Dragon Pool, like the fish in the Taiye Pool, were very cautious—the targets for the Great Ming Emperor's practice with blunt arrows.

The Imperial Study and the Dragon Pool belonged to the front palace. The inner palace was on the north side of the Dragon Pool. There should have been a bridge over the Dragon Pool, but there wasn't. The Great Ming was of the Fire Virtue and was quite afraid of falling into the water.

Zhou Zhou Dingzhi had been in a state of being stunned the whole time. Zhu Zhu Yijun pulled her to see the two Empress Dowagers first. Now, the two Empress Dowagers lived together. It was called a "Buddhist Pagoda," but its scale was no smaller than the Cining Palace.

Empress Dowager Li and Empress Dowager Chen didn't like the Imperial Palace. The reason was actually very simple: that place was very dangerous.

Since Emperor Xianzong, Emperor Xiaozong, Emperor Wu Sect, Emperor Shizong, and Emperor Muzong all had a common characteristic: their offspring were not prosperous at all. Emperor Yingzong was captured by the Oirats and lived in the Southern Palace under house arrest after being brought back by Emperor Emperor Jingtai. During this period of house arrest, Emperor Yingzong still gave birth to several sons.

Xiaozong had one, Wu Sect had no heirs, Shizong gave birth to eight and only one survived, and Emperor Muzong was immersed in wine and women, playing quite wildly. Just the named concubines he conferred numbered twenty-two. Considering that Emperor Emperor Longqing only lived for six years from his ascension to his death, this was no longer just "liking," but being addicted to women and unable to extricate himself.

But Emperor Muzong only had four sons, two of whom died young.

Empress Dowager Li didn't like the Imperial Palace. She had managed a few quite disgusting things for Emperor Muzong in the palace. Consort Wei was favored early on, but the Emperor's love came quickly and went quickly. Later, this Consort Wei did something foolish; she kept a eunuch in the palace overnight. This was called "trespassing in the palace quarters." The next day, this Consort Wei and that eunuch disappeared extremely cleanly.

Empress Dowager Li didn't know about later events. The "Red Pill Case" caused the Taichang Emperor, who had been on the throne for less than a month, to lose his life. When the Taichang Emperor, who took "power pills," left, only the two brothers Zhu Youxiao and Zhu Zhu Youjian were by his side. The Emperor Tianqi Emperor Zhu Youxiao died without heirs, and Zhu Zhu Youjian succeeded to the throne.

Therefore, the Emperor lived in the Western Garden and not in the Qianqing Palace. After Yu Yu Dayou passed away, the Emperor didn't even live in the Western Garden and ran to this detached palace behind the Lecture Hall. Empress Dowager Li was very supportive—the place was a bit small, but it was safe.

"Greetings, Mother, Mother." Zhu Zhu Yijun brought Zhou Zhou Dingzhi to see the two Empress Dowagers. The two Empress Dowagers frowned slightly. This girl was pretty, but there was a kind of bewitching charm between her brows. If the monarch didn't attend morning court in the future, wouldn't that be a disaster?

"Commoner pays respects to the Empress Dowager. May the Empress Dowager have a thousand years of peace and good fortune." Zhou Zhou Dingzhi knelt directly. She didn't have an identity yet, so she could only kowtow. She was a bit afraid; the two Empress Dowagers didn't like her, and their eyes carried scrutiny and doubt.

"Still knows some etiquette. Someone, come." Empress Dowager Li put on the airs of an Empress Dowager and waved her hand. Two old nannies walked out and took Zhou Zhou Dingzhi away.

Inspecting the goods.

At the age of twenty-four, not yet married—even if she was to be a concubine for the Emperor, she had to be inspected.

This inspection caused trouble. It wasn't that Zhou Zhou Dingzhi had lied to the matchmaker and wasn't a virgin—she was definitely a virgin—but the intimacy in the carriage had left traces. It was true that Zhou Zhou Dingzhi was "very lush." Zhou Zhou Dingzhi was also suffering in her heart; she was born like this, and it couldn't be blamed on her.

The old nannies were Empress Dowager Li's people, so they naturally reported the truth.

Empress Dowager Li and Empress Dowager Zhou waved their hands and had the two old nannies take Zhou Zhou Dingzhi to bathe and change clothes.

"Emperor, this is taking a concubine for you. As long as you like it, that's fine. But let's make it clear first: state affairs are paramount, and you cannot fool around. This Great Ming has already been around for more than two hundred years and is riddled with holes." Empress Dowager Li rubbed her brow and exhorted earnestly. Zhou Zhou Dingzhi's fox-like charm evoked some painful memories for Empress Dowager Li.

The late Emperor was addicted to beauty, loved beauty more than the country, and ignored state affairs. The already precarious world had a trend of falling apart. Empress Dowager Chen advised him once, and she never saw Emperor Muzong again.

Empress Dowager Li naturally wanted many children and many blessings, but this mess of the Great Ming—if the Emperor slacked off, that would truly be fatal.

A grown child is not controlled by the mother. Empress Dowager Li couldn't control the Emperor.

"Mother, rest assured." Zhu Zhu Yijun didn't say much. He was greedy by nature, which was known to all. He wanted beauty, and he also wanted the country.

Wang Wang Yaozhuo supported her pregnant belly, a smile on her face, but this smile was a bit ugly. She was only seventeen and didn't have that much sophistication. She agreed, but when things were right in front of her, she was still a bit unwilling.

"Pay respects to the Empress Dowager, pay respects to the Empress." Zhou Zhou Dingzhi had been washed clean and returned to the Cining Palace of the detached palace to pay respects to the Empress Dowager and the Empress.

"Raise your head." Wang Wang Yaozhuo held the airs of an Empress and carefully examined Zhou Zhou Dingzhi, then revealed a smile. This woman was pretty, but not as pretty as her. Her figure was good, but not as good as hers. And she was old.

That was enough. When Zhou Zhou Dingzhi grew old and lost her looks, she, Wang Wang Yaozhuo, would still be in her prime.

"Not bad." Wang Wang Yaozhuo supported her pregnant belly and said with a smile, "Mother, it's getting late. I'll go rest first."

"Thank you, Empress, for your praise." Zhou Zhou Dingzhi was a bit terrified and bowed again.

Wang Wang Yaozhuo stood up and nodded, saying, "Call me 'Sister' from now on."

Zhou Zhou Dingzhi was older, but Wang Wang Yaozhuo came first. According to the rules in the palace, Zhou Zhou Dingzhi could only call her "Sister."

This was considered meeting the family. As for matters outside the palace, eunuchs would naturally handle them. Zhu Zhu Yijun held Zhou Zhou Dingzhi's hand and headed toward the sleeping palace.

"If you're afraid, it's not too late to regret it now." Zhu Zhu Yijun saw Zhou Zhou Dingzhi's panic and unease. He hadn't lied; his family had many rules. If she walked into the sleeping palace, Zhou Zhou Dingzhi would truly have no way back. Empress Dowager Li and Empress Dowager Chen didn't like her, and the Empress didn't like her. Before Zhou Zhou Dingzhi even entered the palace, her situation was already a bit difficult.

Zhou Zhou Dingzhi held the Emperor's hand, feeling the warmth transmitted by the Emperor, and suddenly smiled, shaking her head and saying, "It's too late. Knowing that the Young Master is the Imperial Old Master, can I still escape? Mother and Mother don't like me, and the main wife doesn't like me, as long as the Old Master likes me, that's enough."

Zhou Zhou Dingzhi wasn't stupid. Just from that posture, Empress Dowager Li and Empress Dowager Chen were almost about to kick her out, but in the end, they let her stay. Who was in charge of this family? Zhou Zhou Dingzhi could see it at a glance.

She, Zhou Zhou Dingzhi, was serving the Imperial Old Master. The Old Master's liking was more important than anything else.

"Old Master, this is also good. This slave is just the Old Master's person." Zhou Zhou Dingzhi didn't feel that she couldn't stand firm. Wang Wang Yaozhuo was the Empress Dowager's person, and she, Zhou Zhou Dingzhi, was just the Emperor's person. This was an advantage.

Zhou Zhou Dingzhi thought there would be wonderful palace fights in the future. Her mind had already made up more than a dozen tragic endings, but after a while, she knew—there was no Emperor in this harem! If you want to find the Emperor, I want to find the Emperor too!

Sisters worked together, using all their skills, first having to compete for favor with state affairs. The key was that they couldn't compete.

"Very smart." Zhu Zhu Yijun smiled and took Zhou Zhou Dingzhi into the sleeping palace.

Once in the sleeping palace, Zhou Zhou Dingzhi let go directly. The Emperor went to bathe, and Zhou Zhou Dingzhi stripped herself naked, drilled into the quilt, and put on a few more layers, half-covering her pipa and half-hiding her face, looking like she wanted to speak but stopped, both reserved and urgent, mainly "refusing while welcoming."

Half-hidden by a dangling hairpin and crimson gauze, she flutters in secret, a peach-blossom flush suffusing the red mist.

On the dragon bed under the heavy curtains, a slender jade hand suddenly stretched out, grabbing the window sill hard, as if wanting to escape, but was quickly pulled back in.

"No more, no more!" Zhou Zhou Dingzhi exclaimed. Her judgment was correct; the field would truly be ruined by plowing.

Zhu Zhu Yijun heard this and chose to let her go. After all, it was her first time experiencing human affairs. No matter how good her talent was, it still needed to be developed. It had already been an hour. No matter how good her talent was, she still needed to rest.

After a while, Zhou Zhou Dingzhi suddenly moved. Under the moonlight, her charming eyes were like silk. She licked her lips and whispered, "Old Master, why don't you 'regulate the water' again?"

The next morning, the bright sunshine couldn't penetrate the heavy curtains of the sleeping palace. Zhu Zhu Yijun had already gotten up and dressed neatly. He was preparing to go to the Zhao Wenhua Hall to listen to politics. Zhou Zhou Dingzhi had already woken up, but she was still a bit sleepy.

"Old Master, come back early tonight." Zhou Zhou Dingzhi loved that iron waist. Being young and practicing martial arts—just these two things made Zhou Zhou Dingzhi reluctant to let His Majesty leave, but His Majesty had serious business to do, so she could only "crave" him.

Men talk about "Pan, Lu, Deng, Xiao, Zhang Xian." To attract women, one must have all five: Pan An's looks, a donkey's big goods, Deng Tong's wealth, the patience of a needle in cotton, and leisure time. His Majesty only lacked this leisure time.

"Vulnerable." Zhu Zhu Yijun tidied up his clothes and said with a smile.

Zhou Zhou Dingzhi clenched her small fists and muttered, "Another battle today! I'll let the Old Master know this slave's power! I'll definitely drown the Old Master!"

Newlyweds, dry wood and raging fire—in a private space, naturally, every sentence couldn't avoid these things that shouldn't be seen.

"Hmm, sleep a while longer." Zhu Zhu Yijun walked to the bed, kissed Zhou Zhou Dingzhi on the cheek, and left the sleeping palace. He truly wanted to stay a while longer. This woman was "fragrant, red, soft, tight, and drum-like." Zhou Zhou Dingzhi was perfect in every way. This upper and lower part was so lush—Zhu Zhu Yijun truly didn't want to leave. Opening the quilt was a beautiful landscape.

Zhu Zhu Yijun recited a few words about "state affairs being paramount" before leaving.

Today, there was a happy event in the detached palace. Feng Bao personally received a reward of one thousand silver, and every palace maid and eunuch received ten taels of silver. Feng Bao cut off the path for palace eunuchs to engage in corruption outside, but in terms of rewards, Zhu Zhu Yijun was exceptionally generous.

Feng Bao truly put his heart into it. What His Majesty wanted was truly not easy to find.

If Wang Wang Yaozhuo had grown up among the people, she wouldn't even have passed the preliminary selection. Living conditions were poor, so at most, her appearance would be decent, but facing the yellow earth and backing the sky, exposed to wind and sun, her skin wouldn't be good. Plus, nutrition couldn't keep up, so she would probably truly be a "bean sprout." Plus the exhaustion, the preliminary selection would be gone.

To be "fragrant, red, soft, tight, and drum-like," one could only find them in wealthy families. But in wealthy families, daughters all studied family learning. At sixteen or seventeen, their hearts were just beginning to stir, and coupled with the conservative culture of the Great Ming, who could burn so hot that they could melt people?

Feng Bao truly put his heart into searching.

Actually, Zhang Zhang Juzheng had already prepared for the morning court to be canceled today, or for the Emperor not to come to listen to politics. During the Emperor Jiajing and Emperor Longqing eras, the Emperor being a dragon that saw its head but not its tail was normal. His Majesty's diligence was rare. For the auxiliary ministers and court officials, the Great Ming Emperor being able to be seen every day was a rare thing.

Yesterday's matter of Zhou Zhou Dingzhi entering the palace had already been told to You Qi by Feng Bao's godson, Xu Jue. Zhang Zhang Juzheng had originally thought that the Emperor would take a day off, which was a matter of course, but the little eunuch informed him that the morning court would proceed as usual.

It made Zhang Zhang Juzheng scratch his head. Had he been too strict in his requirements before?

At 8:15 AM, the Great Ming Emperor's figure appeared in the Zhao Wenhua Hall. Today's court discussion began, a quarter of an hour later than usual. Zhou Zhou Dingzhi was a bit greedy, and Zhu Zhu Yijun got up a bit late.

Zhang Zhang Juzheng led the group of officials to pay respects. He now understood a bit. His Majesty's diligence was not because of his strict requirements; it was His Majesty's own requirement for himself. It could only be said that Zhang Zhang Siwei didn't die unjustly. Assassinating the King, burning the palace—His Majesty truly wanted to be an Emperor who acted like an Emperor.

"Yesterday, His Majesty issued an edict to the Cabinet, conferring the title of 'De Concubine' upon the Zhou woman. The Zhou woman, maiden name Zhou Dingzhi, ancestral home Jishui, Jiangxi. Father Zhou Yan, Zhou Jiansu. Zhou Yan was a Ming Jinshi in the twelfth year of Emperor Jiajing, served as an official with high standards, and was upright and dedicated to public service. In the forty-second year of Emperor Jiajing, he became the Left Censor-in-Chief, and later retired due to illness. In the fifth year of Emperor Longqing, he was re-employed but was too old and ill to take office. De Concubine's brother, Zhou Shiyun, abandoned Confucianism for commerce." Zhang Zhang Juzheng first briefly introduced Zhou Zhou Dingzhi's family background.

Zhou Yan was an honest official. During the Jia and Long eras, politics were corrupted by bribery, but Zhou Yan had never been tainted. His private morality was much better than Zhang Zhang Juzheng's. Zhang Zhang Juzheng was an honest official who took silver.

If Zhou Yan hadn't died, Zhou Zhou Dingzhi would definitely not have been able to enter the palace. The descendants of civil officials—the Great Ming Dynasty had ancestral rules that they absolutely could not enter the palace. Zhou Yan died, so naturally, there was no obstacle.

"In terms of age, is there a problem?" Ma Ma Ziqiang, as the Minister of Rites, first raised a question. This was his duty. Twenty-four years old—the age was too old. The ancestral rules didn't have strict regulations, but this taking of a concubine, taking one seven years older than His Majesty, was somewhat contrary to etiquette.

Among the people, only those who were so poor they had no other way would take a woman older than themselves into the house. "A woman three years older holds gold bricks" was just a form of self-consolation. This was already two and a half gold bricks.

"It's only seven years older." Wan Wan Shihe said quite calmly, "Consort Wan was seventeen years older than Emperor Xianzong. What's the big deal? Should we find an even older one? Or should we find a few more?"

Wan Wan Shihe awakened the painful memories of the group of officials. In the years when the late Emperor didn't manage affairs, demons danced wildly.

Ancestral rules were as numerous as ox hair. Wan Wan Shihe, as the Great Ming's authority on etiquette, could grasp ancestral rules at will. No matter how much people scolded Wan Zhen'er, Consort Wan, as a demoness, she was Emperor Xianzong's most beloved person. Not long after Wan Zhen'er died, Emperor Xianzong died of grief.

"Life and death, separation and reunion, we made a pact with each other." This was the most beautiful fantasy of love. The reality was "husband and wife are birds of the same forest, but when disaster strikes, they fly separately." From ancient times to the present, Emperor Xianzong was the most affectionate of all Emperors.

In the story of "Old Sword Deep Affection," Emperor Xuan of Han didn't follow his wife to leave, but instead valued Huo Guang highly.

Hence Hai Rui immediately reached out and said, "Grand Minister, age is not a problem, not a problem!"

Hence Hai Rui thought of a person: San San Niangzi, who happened to be seventeen years older than His Majesty! This topic should be skipped quickly. Seven years older was not a big deal. Play! Play as much as you want!

"There's also a daughter, even if she's adopted." After Ma Ma Ziqiang finished speaking, the Zhao Wenhua Hall was extremely quiet.

Why didn't Empress Dowager Li and Empress Dowager Chen like Zhou Zhou Dingzhi? Old age, fox-like charm, and a drag-along. This drag-along was a problem that the Great Ming Dynasty absolutely could not ignore.

Wan Wan Shihe's blue veins on his forehead twitched a few times. Mother and daughter serving the same person at the same time—Wan Wan Shihe truly couldn't "wash" this. The Great Ming Dynasty had no precedent for this. The one that could touch the edge was Emperor Gaozong of Tang, Li Zhi. The Ming followed the Tang system.

As the husband of Wu Wu Zetian, the only female Emperor in Central Plains history, Li Zhi favored a pair of "favored pets": the Lady of Korea, Wu Shun, and the Lady of Wei, He Lan.

This Lady of Korea, Wu Shun, had married before entering the palace and even gave birth to a son, He Lan Minzhi, and a daughter, He Lan. This daughter was the Lady of Wei.

In other words, Wu Wu Zetian, Wu Wu Zetian's sister Wu Shun, and Wu Shun's own daughter He Lan—the three of them served one Emperor Gaozong of Tang, Li Zhi. Biological sisters, biological mother and daughter—could this blessing be small?

This was a typical negative case. Wu Zhou was established, and the Tang Dynasty almost disappeared. This was a historical lesson: lust confusing the heart and losing the country.

It could be washed, but only a little bit.

"Speaking of this, I have to mention..." Wan Wan Shihe braced himself, preparing to start "washing." The Emperor wanted to fool around, and Zhang Zhang Juzheng didn't stop him. He, a member of the "Investment Faction," was ready to bring up the old affairs of Li Zhi. If the sky fell, there would be someone tall to hold it up. The one who would be scolded would be Zhang Zhang Juzheng.

Zhu Zhu Yijun suddenly opened his mouth to interrupt Wan Wan Shihe's spell-casting and said, "The daughter of the commoner De Concubine, confer the title of Princess upon her. It just so happens that the private market in Lu Song was handled properly. Yin Ling Bu Tang has a young son who is of marriageable age. It just so happens that he can marry the Princess, which is 'relatives on top of relatives.' It counts as a double bond."

Zhu Zhu Yijun didn't really like sixteen or seventeen-year-old little girls; they were too "clear soup and light water" and couldn't let go. Too plain. Besides, the drag-along's father died for the Great Ming. How despicable would Zhu Zhu Yijun have to be to let this descendant of a loyal martyr, whose fate was full of hardships, follow the mother who had raised her for seven years to serve him?

When the Great Ming soldiers heard about this, what would the image of this Emperor Zhu Zhu Yijun become?

The drag-along's father died for the old Zhu family. Li Zhi's messy affairs had already passed a thousand years. Society was developing, social consensus was changing, and customs were changing. The Great Ming was an extremely conservative court—extremely conservative meant even more conservative than conservative.

Wan Wan Shihe grasped the key point keenly. Adopted daughter—this had a precedent!

The Qian State Duke's mansion had been in Yunnan for a long time. Mu Ying, back then, was Zhu Zhu Yuanzhang's adopted son.

Changing to an adopted daughter, then conferring the title of Princess, and then marrying her off to the Lu Song Governor's Mansion—this was indeed adding a double bond on the basis of the national surname, and it could be considered as filling a shortcoming of the Lu Song Governor's Mansion. This was a status.

It could be washed, absolutely could be washed!

Zhang Zhang Juzheng pondered for a moment and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty is wise."

The group of officials all bowed and said, "Your Majesty is wise."

"The teacher has had very few constraints recently. I always feel something is strange." Zhu Zhu Yijun looked at Zhang Zhang Juzheng, his fingers tapping lightly on the table. This represented the Emperor thinking. He stopped his tapping fingers and said with a full smile, "I know now. The teacher is telling me what kind of power I truly possess."

Zhang Zhang Juzheng's recent actions were not constraints at all; they were even indulging the Emperor in using the power in his hands. That pair of sisters, this pair of mother and daughter Zhou Zhou Dingzhi, plus the portrait of the bewitching woman Zhang Zhang Juzheng personally sent—

If something is abnormal, there must be a demon.

Zhu Zhu Yijun saw Zhou Zhou Dingzhi at the Yanxing Pavilion. Feng Bao's power in the outer court was extremely weak. As the Regent Senior Grand Secretary, could Zhang Zhang Juzheng not know that His Majesty was at the Yanxing Pavilion? Therefore, everything happened under Zhang Zhang Juzheng's nose, but there was no intention to stop it, and he was even adding fuel to the fire.

Zhang Zhang Juzheng was telling the Emperor that the power in the Emperor's hands was greater than feudal etiquette. This was Zhang Zhang Juzheng's fundamental purpose: to cultivate an excellent Emperor and revitalize the Great Ming.

Only by knowing how great one's power was could one use the power in one's hands well. Of course, it was also possible to get lost in supreme power, like the wealthy households who forgot that they had the responsibility of "settling the land and herding the people," forgetting their responsibility as an Emperor.

Zhang Zhang Juzheng hoped that the Emperor could adapt to his power, control his power, and correctly exercise the power in his hands. He couldn't be like a child dancing with a sharp blade, hurting himself and also hurting the world.

"The teacher truly has painstaking efforts." Zhu Zhu Yijun came to his senses. He had always felt that Zhang Zhang Juzheng was a bit strange recently. It turned out the strangeness was here. Zhang Zhang Juzheng's actions had a very strong sense of purpose.

The Emperor looked at Zhang Zhang Juzheng and pondered for a moment. He said to Feng Bao, "I don't have anything good to reward him with. It just so happens that this year's python-pattern crane cloak is ready. Feng Feng Dabao, take it and bestow it upon the teacher, and additionally bestow one hundred silver, fifty taels of gold cakes, and nine bottles of National Cellar."

Zhang Zhang Juzheng had seven python-pattern crane cloaks. He didn't lack other gold and silver, and his wine cellar was piled high with National Cellar.

Zhu Zhu Yijun had nothing good to reward him with. "Entering the court without hurrying, praising without naming, sword and shoes on the hall"—Zhu Zhu Yijun was willing to give, but Zhang Zhang Juzheng didn't want it, so he could only choose to reward him materially.

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for the grace of the reward." Zhang Zhang Juzheng accepted it calmly. This was his idea, but it was seen through by His Majesty. His Majesty had a clear understanding of the greatness of his power and would not abuse it. This made Zhang Zhang Juzheng extremely gratified. Even if he retired to pension at this time, Zhang Zhang Juzheng could rest assured.

"Bestow a shipping ticket for a five-masted ocean-crossing ship." Zhu Zhu Yijun pondered for a moment and added some more. A shipping ticket for a five-masted ocean-crossing ship—just the dividends from one year were thirty thousand silver.

"Your Majesty, shipping tickets are scarce in the market. This subject dare not accept." Zhang Zhang Juzheng chose to decline. His Majesty was giving too much! Based on the current price of one thousand five-masted shipping tickets, this was a reward of seventy thousand taels of silver! It would pay for itself in two and a half years, and the rest would be pure profit.

"That's true. Bestow one upon General Qi as well. That's settled." Zhu Zhu Yijun pondered. Giving only to Zhang Zhang Juzheng wasn't enough. Civil Zhang and Martial Qi naturally had to be rewarded together; only then would rewards and punishments be clear.

"Ah?" Qi Qi Jiguang was extremely confused. Zhang Zhang Juzheng, as the Imperial Teacher, had merit in education, so he naturally should be rewarded. But he, for no reason, got a ship? He was now a shipowner?!

Zhu Zhu Yijun looked at Qi Qi Jiguang and said very firmly, "General Qi must accept it."

"Since Your Majesty says I must accept it, then I naturally must accept it. But why must I accept it?" Qi Qi Jiguang was slightly confused.

He was a Grand General. If His Majesty bestowed gold and silver, he absolutely couldn't decline. You, a Grand General who controlled the Capital Battalion, were not interested in gold and silver—what were you interested in?

"General Qi has worked hard, so naturally, he should be rewarded." Zhu Zhu Yijun was using the name of Qi Qi Jiguang's family, the Penglai Huang clan, to move around everywhere.

Qi Qi Jiguang immediately thought of someone using the name of the Grand General's mansion to bully others in the Yanxing Pavilion yesterday. They were indeed his own disciples. He bowed and said, "That's true. This subject kowtows to thank His Majesty for the imperial grace."

"This subject kowtows to thank His Majesty for the imperial grace." Zhang Zhang Juzheng bowed to accept the reward. His situation was the same as Qi Qi Jiguang's. Not being interested in gold and silver, but being interested in other things, was the trouble.

Knowing that His Majesty liked to wear the vest of the Penglai Huang clan to watch the fun, naturally, he knew what was being said. Those who didn't know were all confused. The "information cocoon" still existed in the Zhao Wenhua Hall.

Wang Wang Chonggu saw that the matter of the Emperor taking a concubine had come to an end and immediately said, "This subject heard that the wealthy households intend to build a shipyard. If they truly intend to build a shipyard, this subject is naturally a hundred percent in favor. Not only in favor, but I will also strongly support it. They want factory records? Give them factory records. They want raw materials? Give them raw materials. Even security matters can be helped with. But if they use the name of building a shipyard to privately issue shipping tickets, this subject believes they should be punished for treason!"

Wang Wang Chonggu's anger was great. These words carried anger. Yesterday, Wang Qian finished telling the fun, and Wang Wang Chonggu just enjoyed it. Opportunities to watch the Emperor's fun were rare.

When Wang Qian mentioned that the Xitucheng wealthy households and the Hanlin scholars were stirring up trouble together to build a shipyard, Wang Wang Chonggu's anger immediately flared up. They were all thousand-year-old foxes—who didn't know who? That bunch of idiots in Xitucheng were not aiming at shipbuilding at all! Making money by shipbuilding—how could it be as fast as printing shipping tickets?!

This was destroying His Majesty's new policy of opening the seas and naturally had to be treated as a major crime of treason. Opening the seas was a matter of great importance. Every step had to be taken without ambiguity. In order to make Lu Song and the Great Ming closely connected, His Majesty had done everything he could, even recognizing a daughter and marrying her off. If the wealthy households wanted to build a shipyard together, that was fine, but using the purpose of shipbuilding to gather wealth—then he couldn't blame Wang Wang Chonggu, the Minister of Justice, for not being polite.

"Reasonable! It should be written into the 'Great Ming Collected Statutes'." Wan Wan Shihe immediately expressed his agreement. Destroying the new policy of opening the seas—the one whose reputation was damaged was His Majesty, and the ones making money were the wealthy households. How could there be such a good thing?

"Agree!" Wang Wang Guoguang was the second to express his stance, without any hesitation at all. The Ministry of Revenue, which had no silver, could be stepped on by anyone. Even the officials of the Shuntian Prefecture Southern Yamen could spit twice before leaving when they couldn't get their salaries. But the Ministry of Revenue, which was full of treasury, was the "foster father" of everyone! Wherever they went, they had to call him "Great Minister of Revenue."

Opening the seas was the biggest of the big heads in gathering wealth and seeking profit. His Majesty never ate alone. The Ministry of Revenue just had to follow His Majesty to stand and do their official work!

Tan Lun immediately nodded and said, "What the Great Minister of Justice said is very true. Treason should be beheaded, family members exiled to the brothel, and the house confiscated!!"

Two million four hundred thousand soldiers of the Great Ming were waiting for the Ministry of Revenue to issue salaries. It had only been seven years since the Great Ming issued full salaries in kind, and it had only been two years since it was fully implemented. They had truly just eaten their fill. They really couldn't owe salaries anymore. If they owed them again, I'm afraid a great disaster would occur.

The Minister of Works, Guo Guo Chaobin, didn't like to express his stance. The Ministry of Justice proposed, and the Ministry of Personnel, Ministry of Revenue, and Ministry of War agreed. This court discussion was considered passed.

Interests converged. To be more precise, the officials who walked through the Emperor Jiajing and Emperor Longqing eras were truly scared of being poor.

Interests converge; to be more precise, the ministers who have come through the Emperor Jiajing and Emperor Longqing eras are truly terrified of poverty.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 373 =====

(End of chapter)