Chapter 92: This object is very good, send it to the Senior Grand Secretary for use

Zhu Zhu Yijun was called out by Hou Hou Yuzhao's "Memorial on the Favored Seeking Power and Acting Arbitrarily" and set the Grand Court Assembly for the third day of every month, with the first month being the twenty-third day.

After more than a hundred years of development, the Ming Dynasty's state affairs had formed a pattern where it could run smoothly without Grand Court Assemblies.

The Ming Grand Court Assembly had become something like a company year-end meeting or an all-school assembly in a school, where the chairman or principal read an incomprehensible manuscript on stage, and everyone below couldn't hear a word, all wandering in their minds.

Then everyone shouted "Long live the wise" three times, disbanded on the spot, went back to their homes, and found their mothers. It delayed things and was inefficient.

The Emperor didn't want to hold them, and the court officials didn't want to attend.

Zhu Zhu Yijun also didn't want to hold them, but because Zhang Zhang Juzheng had offended too many people with the Single Whip Law, everyone said Zhang Zhang Juzheng was leading the Cabinet, holding the court officials hostage, isolating the inner from the outer, and not letting the court officials see the Emperor. Zhang Zhang Juzheng therefore remonstrated with the Emperor to see the court officials every month, even if it was just for half an hour.

Zhu Zhu Yijun hard-heartedly turned this Grand Court Assembly into a disaster day for the censors.

"Is this Jia Jia Sanjin?" Zhu Zhu Yijun frowned as he looked at the lump below, asking with full disgust.

It was indeed a lump. When Jia Jia Sanjin was carried in by the commanders, he was dead drunk and hadn't woken up yet. The smell of alcohol was overwhelming. Even the young Emperor sitting on the third-level moon platform could smell the alcohol mixed with the scent of rouge and powder. The court officials covered their noses one after another; it was truly unpleasant.

Zhu Zhu Yijun looked at Zhang Zhang Juzheng and asked with displeasure, "Today's morning court, wasn't it announced by imperial decree before? Missing the court is one thing, but to drink like this?"

"There was indeed an imperial decree." Zhang Zhang Juzheng had to step out of the ranks and say.

There were over a thousand officials in the Ming capital, and everyone knew that on the third day of the eleventh month, the Ming Emperor, who had long been unseen, was going to hold a Grand Court Assembly. Everyone was willing to cooperate and come to see the rarity, to see the young Emperor, as the young Emperor was finally willing to come out to see everyone. Everyone wanted to see what the young Emperor looked like in his dragon robe.

And don't say, don't say, after half a year had passed since the young Emperor's last public appearance, the young Emperor, who was slightly fat, finally seemed to have a lot of composure. Sitting there, he actually had the majesty of an Emperor.

The Court of Imperial Sacrifices requested leave for twenty-seven people; some were old, some were sick. There were fewer than five people who missed the court. One was on his way to court, it was too dark, he didn't see the road clearly, and he fell into the moat. Fortunately, the moat was frozen in winter, otherwise, wearing court robes, he might have drowned in the moat.

A censor nearly sixty years old fell and was carried to the Imperial Hospital for treatment.

This Jia Jia Sanjin was one of the five who missed the court.

Zhu Zhu Yijun looked at Zhang Zhang Juzheng and said with slight panic, "Senior Grand Secretary, is it because they see that I am young that they dare to be so negligent toward me? I am young and inexperienced, and since I ascended the throne, I have been diligent and conscientious, fearing that I would bring shame to my ancestors. Why do the ministers treat me with such contempt? Is it because I have done something wrong?"

Weak, pitiful, and helpless. Senior Grand Secretary, they are bullying me!

Help me make the decision! Manage them!

Zhang Zhang Juzheng knew this young Emperor too well. Was the young Emperor panicked and afraid? The young Emperor didn't even fear him, the Senior Grand Secretary; would he fear these monsters and ghosts? This was simply a trick of retreating to advance. At such a young age, playing imperial power to such a perfect degree, it was truly seeing a ghost!

Zhang Zhang Juzheng looked at Jia Jia Sanjin. This person was truly a bit excessive. To drink like this, and not even wake up when carried to the court by the commanders—if the commanders hadn't blocked Jia Jia Sanjin's mouth, he would have vomited in the court. Zhang Zhang Juzheng bowed his head and said, "Your Majesty, missing the court should be punished by half a year's salary and ten strokes of the cane, but I think it should be treated as unfilial. Unfilial is a serious crime. At the very least, he should be stripped of his official status; at the most, he should be beheaded to warn others."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Zhu Yijun seemed even more terrified and said, "But Jia Jia Sanjin is a censor. Last time, I couldn't stand the forming of cliques and excluding others, and punished three censors, and the poison has lasted until now. If I punish Jia Jia Sanjin, I fear the officials under heaven will say I am cold and ungrateful, say I hurt the bone-stiff spirit of the censors in the court. Oh my, when that time comes, they will run to the He Chengtian Gate to kowtow again. What should I do?"

"The leader last time was this Jia Jia Sanjin!"

"There is only one Hence Hai Rui under heaven. If we can't find a second one, we should recall him to court to calm the criticism. What should I do?"

"Senior Grand Secretary, perhaps, we shouldn't punish him."

The young Emperor had Jia Jia Sanjin's name written in his little notebook!

Every sentence is about not holding anyone accountable, yet every sentence is about holding them accountable. The Emperor stands behind the great shield of imperial power, seemingly retreating step by step, yet he is wielding the laws and rituals of sovereign and subject that have existed for a thousand years, scolding people while simultaneously escalating and intensifying the situation.

"Your Majesty, I have a memorial to report." Hence Hai Rui, as the Right Censor-in-Chief, stood out and bowed his head. "Your Majesty, if the bone-stiff spirit is all like this, where does our Ming Dynasty get the word 'righteousness'? Such rebellious ministers should be severely punished. Missing the court is one error, and having no respectful heart is two errors. It should be treated as unfilial. If a censor commits a crime, the punishment should be tripled. It is appropriate to investigate why he missed the court and exile him to the border."

"His state is a disgrace to the name of the pure stream. I am ashamed to be with him!"

The leader of the Ming Dynasty's remonstrating ministers, the bone-stiff spirit itself, the model of the pure stream, Hence Hai Rui, Hai Hai Gangfeng, personally identified that Jia Jia Sanjin had no bone-stiff spirit and could not serve as an eye and ear official. He should not only be stripped of his official status but also exiled!

If he were scolded by Zhang Zhang Juzheng, it could be called party strife. If he were scolded by Hence Hai Rui, it could basically be determined that this person really wasn't good.

"Then investigate why he missed the court, and then strip him of his official status and send him back to his hometown to live in leisure. This matter involves the path of remonstrance, and it is a matter of great importance." Zhu Zhu Yijun hesitated and chose a compromise: get out and go home.

Ge Ge Shouli looked at Jia Jia Sanjin with slight regret. This guy was Zhang Zhang Siwei's man. He originally had some promise, but he made such a mess today.

Jia Jia Sanjin originally planned to live in Ge Ge Shouli's All-Jin Guild Hall and let his children study at the family school of the All-Jin Guild Hall. Originally, his life had turned from a fork in the road to the right track, but in order to win over Jia Jia Sanjin, Zhang Zhang Siwei specially gave him a mansion, solving Jia Jia Sanjin's urgent need. Jia Jia Sanjin and Zhang Zhang Siwei became closer and closer.

Living in the All-Jin Guild Hall was, after all, living under someone else's roof.

As a result, at the Grand Court Assembly, he actually missed the court, and missed it while drunk like this. The Emperor wanted to talk to him about the memorial; what could he say?

Although Commander Zhu Zhu Xixiao didn't want to kick someone when they were down, Jia Jia Sanjin's missing the court was extremely simple. He bowed his head and said, "Reporting to Your Majesty, Jia Jia Sanjin was drinking with prostitutes at the Yanxing Tower yesterday and didn't return home until the fourth watch today, which is why he is in this state."

"Most of the people at the banquet were Jia Jia Sanjin's fellow townsmen."

"In that case, strip him of his official status and send him back to his hometown to live in leisure. He is not allowed to sign official documents. Beloved ministers, does anyone have any doubts?" Zhu Zhu Yijun sat up straight and asked.

Zhu Zhu Yijun looked around and waited for a few breaths. Still, no one spoke for Jia Jia Sanjin, so he said, "That is all. Issue a decree to the Ministry of Personnel."

"If you have matters, step out and report early; if not, roll up the curtains and retire from court." Feng Bao flicked his horsetail whisk and announced in a high-pitched voice.

No one stepped out to report again. Zhu Zhu Yijun waved his small hand and said, "Court officials, enter the Zhao Wenhua Hall for court discussion. Dismissed."

Zhu Zhu Yijun stood up and headed toward the Zhao Wenhua Hall. After this court assembly was the court discussion, and after the court discussion was the lecture. It wasn't that holding a Grand Court Assembly meant no court discussion or no reading.

Sleeping in and not getting up, missing the court is a penalty of half a year's salary; having no respectful heart and drinking until he was unconscious like Jia Jia Sanjin, and being caught by the Emperor and made an example of—this kind of missing the court is unfilial, a serious crime, and must be severely punished.

Stripped of official status and sent back to his hometown to live in leisure, not allowed to sign official documents, basically no possibility of rising again. Jia Jia Sanjin's struggle for this lifetime was all in vain.

Zhu Zhu Yijun arrived at the Zhao Wenhua Hall. The dragon chair in the Zhao Wenhua Hall was softer than the one in the Huangji Hall.

During the court discussion, they discussed Jia Jia Sanjin's crimes. Ge Ge Shouli wanted to speak but stopped, and in the end, did not speak for Jia Jia Sanjin. He couldn't manage this matter either.

After the court discussion, lecture, lunch, and martial arts practice, Zhu Zhu Yijun went to the Baoqi Division in the Western Garden to check on Xu Xu Zhenming's work. Xu Xu Zhenming was annotating agricultural books. After annotating them, he translated them into common language and characters, making it convenient for the Emperor to read and for the officials of the world to encourage agriculture and sericulture.

Xu Xu Zhenming wanted to write a tool book to encourage agriculture and sericulture.

Zhu Zhu Yijun didn't return directly to the Baoqi Division after returning to the palace, but went to the side hall of the Zhao Wenhua Hall. The dark room's screen was pulled open, and it wasn't too dark.

Chen Chen Shigong stated that there was a good object and requested the Emperor to appreciate it.

"Is this the good object that Physician Chen mentioned?" Zhu Zhu Yijun looked at the spine bone that looked like a centipede in front of him and asked with full confusion.

A spine bone spliced together from 26 vertebrae appeared in front of Zhu Zhu Yijun. This was not a human bone, but carved from wood.

Chen Chen Shigong held a small wooden stick and pointed at the spine model, saying from top to bottom, "Your Majesty, please look. There are 26 vertebrae, with four curves. Seen from the side, it is wavy, namely the cervical lordosis, thoracic kyphosis, lumbar lordosis, and sacral kyphosis."

"The cervical lordosis is to support the skull; the thoracic kyphosis is to wrap the organs in the chest cavity; the lumbar lordosis is to reduce vibration; and the sacral kyphosis is to wrap the pelvic and abdominal organs."

Chen Chen Shigong stepped forward, shook the spine, straightened it from a wavy curve, and said, "If the cervical spine is flat, it cannot support the skull, and it will... hurt the neck. If the thoracic spine is flat, it will compress the heart and lungs. If the lumbar spine is flat, walking will cause pain all over the body. If the sacral spine is flat, one cannot stand straight."

"Sitting for a long time to read, after a long time, the four sides will bend and ache. For this reason, I have specially made a chair that supports the neck, relaxes the thoracic spine, supports the lumbar spine, and relaxes the sacral spine, so that sitting for a long time is not tiring."

Chen Chen Shigong let his apprentice push over a chair and said, "This is my heart of respect."

An ergonomic chair, a chair that conforms to the concave and convex curves of the human spine, a specially customized version for the ten-year-old ruler, appeared in front of the young Emperor.

"Why did Physician Chen have the idea to make such a chair?" Zhu Zhu Yijun asked with some curiosity.

Chen Chen Shigong said with a painful face, "The illness of Minister Tan has a relationship with this. Minister Tan's thoracic spine no longer has kyphosis, compressing the heart and lungs, and blood flow is not smooth, thus causing obstruction. Therefore, I specially made this chair to treat Minister Tan's illness."

"Minister Tan has spent half his life in the military and likes to sleep on hard beds, so his lumbar spine is flat, and his five viscera are all shaken. I specially made this bed and chair to correct his spine."

Treating Minister Tan, Chen Chen Shigong really put in a lot of effort.

Zhu Zhu Yijun asked with great concern, "Can the Tan Sima's illness still be treated?"

Chen Chen Shigong chose to tell the truth, "He can no longer go to the battlefield to kill the enemy. If he fights again, I fear even the gods would find it hard to cure him."

"I see." Zhu Zhu Yijun looked at the chair in front of him and asked, "Does this object have a name?"

"I ask Your Majesty to name it." Chen Chen Shigong didn't name it. Such things were better named by the Emperor. Since it was flattery, the naming right naturally belonged to His Majesty.

"Let's call it the Grand Master Chair." Zhu Zhu Yijun waved his hand and said, "Feng Bao, this object is very good. Send it to the All-Jin Guild Hall for the Senior Grand Secretary to use."

"I obey the decree." Feng Bao went to carry out the order. The Imperial Hospital made this chair, specially customized for the ten-year-old ruler. There were also adult versions. The Grand Master Chair sent to the All-Jin Guild Hall was naturally an adult version.

After Feng Bao left, Zhu Zhu Yijun smiled at Zhang Hong and said, "Make a few more. If anyone asks, sell them for twenty taels each. Sell them at the Imperial Manor, don't be flashy."

The Imperial Manor was the property of the Imperial Palace, focusing on not cheating the poor. The things were not good and expensive, so business was very cold. Putting this Grand Master Chair in the Imperial Manor for sale, and then labeling it as the same Grand Master Chair as the Ming Senior Grand Secretary, for twenty taels, there would be plenty of people buying it.

"Isn't twenty taels each too expensive? A chair or a circle chair only costs two taels of silver, and we sell them for twenty taels each?" Zhang Hong asked with some confusion. Originally, the things in the Imperial Manor were ridiculously expensive, and no one bought them. This young Emperor directly increased the price by more than ten times.

Zhu Zhu Yijun smiled and said, "Not only twenty taels each, but increase the price by one tael every month, and limit it to one hundred per month. Just do as I say."

Making money, it's not shameful. The inner court was already begging for food from the outer court. If they didn't think of ways to make money, wouldn't the outer court laugh at them every day?

Feng Bao brought a group of eunuchs to the All-Jin Guild Hall and saw Zhang Zhang Juzheng, who had been waiting for a long time. He smiled and said, "Senior Grand Secretary, receive the decree. The Emperor's oral instruction: This object is very good, send it to the All-Jin Guild Hall for the Senior Grand Secretary to use. Respect this."

"I thank Your Majesty for your great grace." Zhang Zhang Juzheng looked at the object covered by the red silk cloth and felt a bit strange. What kind of treasure did the young Emperor find?

Feng Bao pulled the red silk cloth covering the pear wood chair and said, "Grand Master Chair."

This chair was made of pear wood, and the chair ring was carved with cloud patterns, which were patterns that could only be used for imperial gifts. At the top of the chair back, there was a forward-extending neck support. Behind the chair back, there were relief-carved gilded ornaments. The gilded ornaments on the left were cranes and on the right were unicorns. In the middle, there was a waist support, which could be adjusted forward and backward. In front of the chair, there was a footrest, which had its own special name, called the "Step-by-Step Promotion Footrest."

Once this chair was placed there, it had the momentum of overlooking the four seats and was quite majestic. After all, it was a strange and ingenious object specially made by the palace to please the young Emperor.

This time, the same model sold in the Imperial Manor only had the same style, without cloud patterns, and even less relief-carved gilded ornaments.

"How is the palace handling the matter of the Earl of Wuqing requesting to repair his mansion?" Zhang Zhang Juzheng asked Feng Bao about a matter while signaling the servants in his house to move the Grand Master Chair to the study in the Zhao Wenchang Pavilion.

In the third month, Li Wei, the Earl of Wuqing, submitted a memorial requesting silver for the labor costs of repairing his house. The palace issued a decree to the Ministry of Works to calculate it. The Ministry of Works delayed in every possible way and refused to give it. Zhu Heng, the Minister of Works, reported that the relatives of the Emperor were not recorded in the statutes, and they were given by special favor in successive dynasties, with no precedent for repairs. In short, he wouldn't give the money.

This Earl of Wuqing was a relative of the Emperor, the biological father of the Empress Dowager Li, the Empress Dowager of the young Emperor. To be more precise, Li Wei, the Earl of Wuqing, was the young Emperor's biological maternal grandfather.

The young Emperor's biological maternal grandfather, the Earl of Wuqing, submitted a memorial in the third month asking for money to repair his house, and it had been discussed until the eleventh month, and there was still no end to it.

The reason the Ministry of Works refused to give this money was that there was no such provision in the ancestral laws. Once this precedent was set, various meritorious relatives would use various names to ask the Ministry of Works for money, and the Ministry of Works was also poor, so they refused.

After Zhu Heng reported this, the Directorate of Ceremonial meant to give four thousand taels, not as a precedent, and not to give to others. Not giving four thousand taels to the Emperor's biological maternal grandfather, the Empress Dowager's biological father, was truly not in accordance with filial piety.

In the tenth month, the Ministry of Works received the approval but still refused to give it. Zhu Zhu Nanyong, the Censor of the Ministry of Works, also remonstrated to advise against this matter.

This matter had dragged on until the eleventh month, and there was still no specific way to handle it. Zhang Zhang Juzheng didn't care much at first. The Empress Dowager's father wanted money to repair his house; the Ministry of Works should just calculate the labor costs and pay it. But it had reached this point, which was beyond Zhang Zhang Juzheng's expectations. He didn't expect the Ministry of Works to be so poor.

The Ministry of Works was really too poor. There was no money.

Successive dynasties had governed the world with filial piety. The request of the Emperor's maternal grandfather and the Empress Dowager's father should, by reason, be a model of the five constants, the friendship of relatives, and filial piety.

But when the knowledge of metaphysics and the practice of physics conflicted, they often compromised with the reality of physics. There was no money, so there was no money. It was just like a math problem: if you can't do it, you can't do it.

Imperial relatives asking for money to repair their mansions—if this was successful, once this precedent was set, the Ministry of Works would be disbanded on the spot.

Four thousand taels of silver caused a storm in the city and was talked about everywhere. The censors had submitted several memorials recently to advocate for the frugality of the imperial family, saying that the state's finances were in great deficit, so where would there be money to repair houses for the meritorious relatives? The censors thought it was the meritorious relatives weaving names to ask for money. This time it was repairing a mansion, next time it would be digging a well, and next time it would be repairing a garden.

This matter was not very reasonable in the palace, because Li Wei, the Earl of Wuqing's house, shouldn't have been repaired yet. It wasn't time. Li Wei's house was specially granted by the Emperor Longqing Emperor in the first year of Emperor Longqing, and it was built in a year, completed in the second year of Emperor Longqing. It had only been a few years, and it needed major repairs, and he asked for four thousand taels of silver in one breath.

Four thousand taels of silver was a huge sum of money. The All-Jin Guild Hall supported so many people, and the annual expenses were only a thousand taels.

Zhang Zhang Juzheng posted a draft vote again, saying to change the name to a reward, not a repair, but the account for the reward would come from the inner treasury, but the money would come from the state treasury. In this way, inside and outside the palace, inside and outside the court, everyone would take a step back.

But Empress Dowager Li felt that the ministers outside the palace had no respectful heart. This matter had escalated from a simple house repair to a matter of imperial authority not being manifested, a conflict between imperial power and ministerial power. It was no longer just a matter of four thousand taels of silver.

Zhang Zhang Juzheng asked Feng Bao about the intentions of the Emperor and the Empress Dowager, wondering how this matter should be handled.

When Feng Bao heard about this, his head was also very big. He said in a low voice, "The Emperor and the Empress Dowager have discussed it twice. The Emperor feels that this money should not be given, and he opposed it very clearly both times. Empress Dowager Li is a bit angry."

Feng Bao beautified the process of this discussion. In fact, Empress Dowager Li asked, the young Emperor believed that the Senior Grand Secretary's handling was appropriate, so he used the name of a reward. Empress Dowager Li reprimanded him, but the young Emperor didn't surrender; instead, he took a detour to persuade Empress Dowager Li. Empress Dowager Li became even angrier, and the young Emperor stopped persuading her. If he persuaded her further, this matter would likely rise to the height of filial piety.

This matter was stuck here.

"What does the Great Eunuch Feng think?" Zhang Zhang Juzheng asked for Feng Bao's opinion.

Feng Bao looked left and right and said in a low voice, "I actually feel that the Emperor is right."

In the eyes of a servant like Feng Bao, Empress Dowager Li was a bit petty.

Now was the time when the ruler was young and the country was suspicious. The Emperor needed the recognition of the court officials. To make such a fuss over a house that shouldn't have been repaired, imperial power should have been high above. To rub it on the ground and conflict over four thousand taels of silver, it was somewhat damaging to the Emperor's majesty and lacked vision.

The palace's expenses were huge, and they were also stretched thin. Although four thousand taels of silver was a lot, the palace could still afford it. Even if it came from the inner treasury account, repairing a mansion for the Empress Dowager's father was not a big deal. It was strange that it didn't cause a stir by forcing it to come from the outer court account.

"Sigh." Zhang Zhang Juzheng and Feng Bao looked at each other and sighed, and the two said no more.

This matter had reached this point, and it had actually entered a dead end. Imperial power could not retreat; if imperial power retreated, ministerial power would advance three steps. But not retreating and forcing the state treasury to pay this money also damaged the majesty of imperial power. Ministerial power could not retreat; if ministerial power retreated one step, it wouldn't just be four thousand taels of silver that could fill this hole; it would require real gold and silver.

Zhang Zhang Juzheng returned to the study in the Zhao Wenchang Pavilion of the All-Jin Guild Hall and sat on the Grand Master Chair bestowed by the Emperor. Once he sat down, he immediately felt something different. This object was designed extremely ingeniously and was indeed very comfortable.

Empress Dowager Li insisting on taking silver from the outer court to repair a garden for her father was an unnecessary dispute caused by the unclear definition of public and private.

By his window was a telescope, which was also a good object bestowed by the Emperor. It could see far and clearly. Once, Zhang Zhang Juzheng took a look at the moon with this telescope. The moon was slightly reddish, and there was no Moon Palace on it. Since then, this telescope had the function of looking up at the starry sky.

The thing that had given Zhang Zhang Juzheng the biggest headache recently was the Earl of Wuqing, Li Wei, wanting money to repair his mansion.

Early the next morning, there was a court discussion about the Earl of Wuqing repairing his house.

Zhu Heng, the Minister of Works, expressed strong opposition and took out a memorial for his resignation, expressing that his ability was not enough, the Ministry of Works didn't have this money, he couldn't give it, and whoever could give it should come and sit in the position of Minister of Works.

"The situation in our Ministry of Works, Senior Grand Secretary, you know. We have no income, and we mainly beg from the Ministry of Revenue. The Ministry of Works really can't take out this money." Zhu Heng really felt like crying. The Emperor Longqing Emperor had passed away, and the money for repairing the mausoleum was still a muddled account. The Ministry of Works had been delaying it, and when they couldn't delay it anymore, they just resigned.

Last year, taking advantage of the fight between Gao Gong and Zhang Zhang Juzheng, the previous Minister of Works simply slipped away. It wasn't corruption; it was really that there was no money. The Ministry of Works was a place where even a mouse would cry when it came in.

Zhu Heng didn't want to offend the palace either. The Empress Dowager, the Emperor, the big eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, and the Senior Grand Secretary of the Cabinet—Zhu Heng couldn't afford to offend any of them. It wasn't that he didn't want to give it, but he didn't have the ability.

The Ministry of Works was the last of the six ministries. Although it was a public servant, its right to speak in the court was extremely slight, and no one sent him silver to organize things. His attitude didn't matter; he was the most transparent person among the six ministries.

Zhang Zhang Juzheng, when talking about this matter, also felt his scalp go numb. He wrote a draft vote and said, "Wait until I report to the Emperor before making a reply. Minister Zhu is diligent, so don't talk about resignation."

"Minister Zhu is in difficulty, the imperial court is in difficulty, and the palace is in difficulty. Everyone, just do your best."

And the memorial brought out by Ge Ge Shouli was very interesting.

The censors requested to stop the regular court held on the third day of every month, the reason being that the Emperor was young, so it was better not to stir things up.

Zhang Zhang Juzheng laughed when he heard this and said, "It was they who requested to hold the regular court to see the Emperor, and it was they who said I, Zhang Zhang Juzheng, was isolating the inner from the outer. Now it is they who request to stop the regular court. Do they think the laws of the imperial court are for fun?"

Ge Ge Shouli took out this memorial, not because he agreed with it, but said quite definitely, "I don't quite agree. The regular court is the proper thing to do. The sovereign should see the court officials, and the court officials should see the Emperor. This is a major matter of respecting the sovereign's majesty and power. We court officials and Cabinet ministers have no right to restrict this."

"It is better to hold it every month."

Before, Ge Ge Shouli was scolded by Feng Bao every day, then Lu Lu Shusheng was scolded by Feng Bao every day, then Wan Wan Shihe was scolded by Feng Bao and the Emperor, and now the court officials were being scolded by the Emperor. Everyone had been rained on, so why should they hold an umbrella for the court officials?

Let them feel the young Emperor's intelligence, ingenuity, and sharp tongue!

"What do you think, beloved ministers?" Zhang Zhang Juzheng looked around and saw that none of the ministers had any objections. He wrote his draft vote, and the system of the regular court was decided just like that.

Those who were scolded and couldn't talk back were not just the court officials. Everyone likes to watch the fun, and it also saves the people below from not knowing the importance, talking nonsense, and causing the court officials to lose face together.

After the court discussion, Zhang Zhang Juzheng didn't let the expositors and lecturers come in to prepare for the lecture, but said with a difficult face, "Your Majesty, the Ministry of Works really doesn't have it. Let's change it to the name of a reward and have the state treasury pay it."

The money for repairing city walls and border defenses in the border regions went directly from the Ministry of Revenue to the local areas and had nothing to do with the Ministry of Works. The capital only did repairs every year, and the biggest task was repairing the imperial mausoleum. Moreover, in the past few years, the imperial mausoleum was supervised by meritorious relatives, and the Ministry of Works was just doing chores.

The state treasury and the inner treasury gave the money for repairing the imperial mausoleum to the meritorious relatives. The meritorious relatives were in charge of this matter, and the Ministry of Works owed a debt. When they asked the meritorious relatives for the debt, the meritorious relatives wouldn't give it. This account became more and more owed, and the Ministry of Works became so poor they had to pawn their pants.

"I have this intention too." Zhu Zhu Yijun strongly supported Zhang Zhang Juzheng's decision. Zhang Cheng returned from the Yuegang of the Southern Treasury and brought back 240,000 taels of silver. The state treasury and the inner treasury split it in half, and the state treasury suddenly had an extra 120,000 taels of silver.

The Ming Dynasty's annual revenue and expenditure had both income and expenses, and there was a deficit every year, making things stretched thin.

The Ministry of Revenue was also willing to take out 4,000 taels of silver to settle the matter and not make things awkward for everyone over 4,000 taels.

Before the definition of public and private was clear, this account was a muddled account and couldn't be calculated clearly. Now it was a chaotic but certain phenomenon. When it couldn't be distinguished, let the bullets fly for a while and let the matter continue to develop.

After the lecture, Zhu Zhu Yijun and Empress Dowager Li didn't mention this matter, because Zhang Zhang Juzheng had posted a draft vote, which was considered to have agreed to Empress Dowager Li's request.

The Ministry of Revenue gave the 4,000 taels of silver to the Ministry of Works, and the Ministry of Works sent it to the mansion of the Earl of Wuqing according to the imperial decree of the palace. This matter was considered to have come to an end.

Then something happened immediately.

It was almost the end of the year, and the meritorious relatives were all having deficits in their families. Seeing that the Earl of Wuqing had obtained money from the state treasury under the name of repairing his house, they all rushed up, crying poor in a similar way. Even repairing a toilet became a reason. A pile of memorials was pressed onto the Cabinet and flowed to Empress Dowager Li's desk.

Zhang Zhang Juzheng posted blank draft votes on all such memorials. This matter had reached this point, and even if he, Zhang Zhang Juzheng, had great ability, he couldn't manage it.

Empress Dowager Li looked at the pile of memorials in front of her and also felt a headache.

The Grand Princess Ning'an, the Emperor's aunt, the only daughter of the Shizong Emperor Jiajing Emperor still alive, submitted a memorial with her husband, the Imperial Son-in-Law Li He, wanting to repair a pond in their house, asking for 14,000 taels of silver.

Give it or not?

If the Emperor's maternal grandfather could be given 4,000 taels, could the Emperor's aunt not be given these 14,000 taels? If not given, it would hurt the friendship of relatives even more.

"The Empress Dowager has arrived!" A palace maid shouted. Zhu Zhu Yijun, who was immersed in reading agricultural books, came back to his senses, stood up, and paid homage respectfully.

"Mother, it's so late, why are you here?" Zhu Zhu Yijun asked knowingly. He knew what it was about.

Empress Dowager Li held several memorials in her hand and said, "They are all memorials asking for money. They all say that relatives are for helping, but I haven't seen how they help. When asking for silver, they are more active than anyone else."

Zhu Zhu Yijun opened the memorials and looked at them. There were many memorials, submitted by dukes, marquises, imperial sons-in-law, and earls. He closed the memorials, shook his head, and said, "What does Mother think should be done? Don't worry about scarcity, worry about inequality. If the Earl of Wuqing is given, then the Grand Princess Ning'an cannot not be given. If not given, it will hurt the friendship of relatives even more."

"However, just these few memorials, all in all, add up to more than 200,000 taels of silver."

"If we give it, the imperial court doesn't have it, and the palace doesn't have it either. For the sake of 70,000 taels of silver, Feng Bao, Yin Ping, and others were tearing at each other with people from the outer court. In the end, the Senior Grand Secretary added taxes to the small Portuguese, which filled this hole."

Empress Dowager Li sighed heavily, looked at the agricultural books annotated by the young Emperor, and shook her head with slight helplessness, "What does the Emperor think should be done?"

Zhu Zhu Yijun tentatively said, "Take back the money given to my maternal grandfather, and treat it as if nothing happened. If this continues, the ministers will laugh at us."

"This..." Empress Dowager Li was silent for a moment and said, "Let's do as the Emperor says."

Zhu Zhu Yijun saw Empress Dowager Li agree to take back the reward for repairing the house, so he said, "My child heard that my maternal grandfather's family has a new baby. Let's reward my maternal grandfather with this silver again. Others asking for rewards can be directly refused. Rewards are the rewards of Mother and child. Whether to give them or not is up to the palace."

After going around in a circle, he still took Zhang Zhang Juzheng's path. The Empress Dowager's reward, the account went through the inner treasury, but the money came from the state treasury. This would not damage the majesty of the imperial family, nor would it open such a precedent, which would be endlessly harmful.

Everyone muddled through and handled this matter. The Ministry of Revenue had an extra deficit that everyone knew about. Last time Zhang Cheng returned, he split the account with the Ministry of Revenue, but he split 120,000 taels of silver.

Sometimes, many things seem troublesome when going around in a circle, but after changing the name, there is much more room for maneuver.

If Empress Dowager Li refused to take back the reward given to the Earl of Wuqing, Zhu Zhu Yijun wouldn't have said the compromise method behind it. He would have left these memorials asking for money for Empress Dowager Li to have a headache. Since Empress Dowager Li was willing to take it back, there was a compromise method. Although it was not perfect, at least it wouldn't make things worse.

Empress Dowager Li nodded and said, "Let's do as the Emperor says. These relatives, it seems they can't be relied upon."

Empress Dowager Li asking for these 4,000 taels of silver for her biological father caused a stir for a whole year, and in the end, the silver was still paid by the Ministry of Revenue. It was a very interesting phenomenon of public and private confusion, chaos, and certainty. Seeking monthly tickets, awoo!!! ===== CHAPTER 93 =====