Looking at Yue Yang, who was kneeling on one knee in front of him, Zhu Youzhen's face was very complicated, and there was a cloudy and uncertain taste in his eyes, at this moment he wanted to ask someone to drag this guy out and cut him down, but when the words came to his mouth, he swallowed back, because he couldn't afford the consequences of failure.

But Queen Zhou, who was standing next to him, was different, she had never directly felt this bastard, and she did feel that although the young marquis in front of her was a little worse than being elegant and handsome, at least he had good facial features, and his body also exuded an aura of perseverance and courage that ordinary people did not have. Besides, Queen Zhou was also from a poor family before entering the palace, and even set up a stall on the street in order to subsidize her family, she has her own set of standards for looking at people, and a man like Yue Yang is a stable and reliable person who can give women a sense of security in her opinion. Thinking of her husband's intention to marry his daughter to the person in front of her, when she looked at Yue Yang, she couldn't help but have the look of a mother-in-law looking at her son-in-law.

Looking at Yue Yang who was kneeling on one knee in front of him, Zhu Youzhen didn't give the order to let him be flattened, so Yue Yang couldn't stand up and could only kneel on the ground like this, but Yue Yang was not a patient person, just when he wanted to stand up regardless of it, Queen Zhou on the side relieved him of the siege, "This must be the loyal and brave marquis who has made monstrous contributions to the country, please get up quickly." ”

Yue Yang stood up very simply, ignoring Zhu Youzhen, who was facing a dead man on the side, and bowed to Queen Zhou and said, "Thank you, Queen Mother." ”

"You don't have to be polite, although this palace is in the deep palace, I have never heard that the loyal and brave marquis not only uses soldiers like gods, but also makes money, which can be described as a double whole, so that this palace has to admire!" Empress Zhou said with a pair of beautiful big eyes and looked at Yue Yang with some curiosity, "It's just that the palace didn't think that the loyal and brave marquis who killed the Tartars looked not quite the same as Benhou expected." ”

"Different?" Yue Yang shrugged his shoulders and said wittily: "What does the queen think Weichen should look like?" You don't think that Weichen is the kind of person who is two feet tall, holds two big axes like door panels in his hands, and his eyes are like copper bells. ”

Listening to what Yue Yang said was interesting, Queen Zhou couldn't help but smile, and Yue Yang then complimented: "Actually, if you want to say that the queen is different, it is different from what Weichen thinks." Wei Chen had never witnessed Niangniang's face before entering the palace, but now when he saw it, he knew that the words of the ancient saying that the fish and geese are shy and the flowers are closed are for people like Niangniang. ”

"Giggle...... Giggle......"

I think that the queen is so big that week, where have I heard others compliment herself so much, even after she married into the palace, Zhu Youzhen, who received royal education since she was a child, would not praise her with such sensual words, and now someone praised herself so much in front of her husband and many eunuchs and palace maids, which made her feel overjoyed, and leaned on Zhu Youzhen's side and couldn't help laughing. The palace maids and eunuchs on the side looked at Yue Yang with an expression like looking at the heavens, and slapped the queen's ass in front of the emperor Lao Tzu, this loyal and brave marquis was also the first person in the hundreds of years since the founding of the Ming Dynasty.

And Zhu Youzhen's dead face is so black that he can almost be as beautiful as Bao Gongji, this Yue Yang is really shameless. actually slapped the queen's ass in front of him so desperately, but he didn't see the emperor standing aside, is this a naked disregard? And what makes him even more speechless is that he can't get angry yet, can't you say that what he said is wrong? Or is his daughter-in-law not beautiful? Thinking of this, Zhu Youzhen felt that a mouthful of stuffy breath was blocked in his throat, and he couldn't spit it out or swallow it, which was really uncomfortable.

Seeing Zhu Youzhen's expression on the side, which seemed to be eating Xiang, Yue Yang was very happy in his heart, and asked you to stand in front of your buddies again. Even if I can't scold you, I have to be disgusting and disgusting to you.

In the end, it was Empress Zhou who noticed that her husband's expression was wrong, she took the lead in stopping her laughter and nodded to Yue Yang, holding back a smile and said: "Marquis Zhongyong, the reason why the emperor and the palace jointly met you today has something to discuss with you." As for what it is, let the emperor tell you. ”

"Something to discuss with me?" Yue Yang couldn't help but be stunned, didn't your husband and I just meet in the early court, what can't you say in the early court, why did you call me to the harem. The two mother-in-law came to see me together, could it be that there is a private matter to find me?

Yue Yang's unintentional words really made him guess, and his next words surprised him even more. I saw Queen Zhou gently touch her husband with her elbow. Only then did Zhu Youzhen take a deep breath and said in a very reluctant tone: "Yue Aiqing, I have summoned you to the palace this time because I have something important to discuss with you, but if it is noon today, Aiqing will accompany me to eat first." ”

The most courtier, it is a great honor to be able to accompany the emperor Lao Tzu to eat, not to mention that today's meal is accompanied by the queen is already called a family banquet, if ordinary people hear the news, they will probably cry out with excitement, but for Yue Yang, it is like that. He just said calmly to Zhu Youzhen: "The minister obeys the order." ”

I don't know why seeing Yue Yang's sad and unhappy appearance, Zhu Youzhen's heart was irritable, obviously he wanted to drag this hateful bastard out and cut it down, but he couldn't do it, the tens of thousands of people's troops were still staying at the city gate, once he did this, it was likely that the good life of the old Zhu family for hundreds of years would come to an end.

Following Zhu Youzhen and Empress Zhou, Yue Yang entered Kunning Palace, because Zhu Youzhen was walking quite fast, Yue Yang didn't have time to look at the surrounding scenery, so he followed up in the palace. Different from the magnificence of carved dragons and phoenixes imagined by ordinary people, although Kunning Palace looks very solemn on the outside, the decoration inside is not too luxurious. But despite this, an antique charm can't help but come to the face.

The three of them came to a small side hall and did it, Zhu Youzhen and his wife were in the main seat, Yue Yang naturally sat down, three people and three tables. Soon, a palace maid came over with several food boxes and placed them in front of the three of them. The meal is very simple, the dish is a plate of salted robeans, a plate of fried broad beans and bamboo shoots, a plate of tofu, a plate of fried pork and a bowl of soup, and the rice is a bowl of rice.

Yue Yang looked at the food in front of him and then at the food in front of Zhu Youzhen and his wife, everyone's meals were the same standard of four dishes and one soup. Is this what the supreme leader of an empire eats? In the future, even the food of migrant workers on the construction site will be better than this, right? If Yue Yang hadn't learned from the history books or the usual information that Zhu Youzhen had always been thrifty, he would have suspected that Comrade Xiao Zhu was putting on a show in front of him.

Zhu Youzhen was already very accustomed to this, he picked up his chopsticks and signaled to Yue Yang, picked up his rice bowl and ate it, and it seemed that he was eating very fragrant.

Seeing Yue Yang's surprised look, Empress Zhou, as one of the masters, seemed to feel a little embarrassed, and said to Yue Yang very apologetically, "Lord Yue." The emperor recently ordered the palace to reduce the amount of money and exchange it for silver as a salary to support the army of bandits in the Guannai, which is naturally a little cold in terms of use, Lord Yue, don't mind. ”

Even if Yue Yang no longer has a good impression of Zhu Youzhen, at this moment he has to admit that although the last emperor of the late Ming Dynasty has shortcomings of one or another, he is indeed doing his best to save this empire that is about to fall, and this alone is much stronger than those officials and gentry who will only absorb nutrients in this country.

Sighing lightly, Yue Yang turned his head and said to Chongzhen in a serious tone for the first time: "Why does the emperor treat himself so harshly? You want to revitalize the heart of the Ming Dynasty is known to everyone in the world, but the revitalization of the Ming Dynasty cannot be reversed by one person or a few people. You are shrinking your clothes and dieting in the palace, but the ministers outside who are full of self-righteousness and morality are still drunk and dreaming of death, is it useful for you to do this? ”

Zhu Youzhen, who was eating, stopped, he thought for a while and said lightly: "I don't care what those ministers outside, but since the first emperor handed over the ancestor's country to me, I must work hard to maintain it, otherwise I will not be speechless to face my ancestor even if I go to Jiuquan in the future." ”

Although Zhu Youzhen's tone was very flat, Yue Yang could feel the firm determination in his light words.

Yue Yang, who didn't know what to say, picked up the rice and sandwiched a piece of bamboo shoot with the rice and ate it slowly, although he didn't eat it quickly. But he didn't stop until he ate half of the bowl of rice and put down the chopsticks, and then he said to Chongzhen seriously: "Your Majesty, the ancient saying has a country of clouds and ten thousand times." Practicing benevolent government, the people are pleased, and it is still unanswered. Those whose stories are half ancient will do twice as much. Today, however, the court is doing the opposite. Although the emperor has the heart to save the country, but the ministers look at me and the Ming Dynasty, the civil and military officials are drunk and dreaming of death, and the silver saved by the emperor's shrinkage and diet can reach the hands of the people and soldiers at most two or three out of ten. There is no reason to do so. ”

Hearing this, Chongzhen's face immediately sank, and he put the dishes and chopsticks in his hand heavily on the table with a crisp snap and said in a deep voice: "Enough!" ”

As if he hadn't heard Chongzhen's words, Yue Yang continued: "The Ming Dynasty is now like a building about to fall, with the power of the emperor alone, even if you are covered in iron, how many nails can you hit?" According to Wei Chen's opinion, there are only ......"

"Enough ......"

A loud shout sounded in the side hall, and Yue Yang's words were covered in an instant, and then only a crisp sound of "ping pong" was heard, Zhu Youzhen slammed the bowl and chopsticks in his hand to the ground, and the fine Jingdezhen porcelain bowl and some leftover rice were scattered to the ground in an instant.

Seeing Chongzhen's anger, Queen Zhou was so frightened that she stood aside and didn't dare to speak, and the eunuch palace maid who was waiting on the side had already knelt on the ground in fright.

At this time, if it was an ordinary minister, he would have been so frightened that he knelt on the ground and trembled and pleaded guilty, but Yue Yang was not one of those people who grew up in the mind of Zhongjun since he was a child, and when he saw Chongzhen angry, he just sighed lightly and said softly: "Well, since the emperor doesn't want to hear the minister say this heartfelt word, then the minister has never said it." The emperor takes care, the minister has retired! ”

After speaking, Yue Yang stood up, saluted Chongzhen and Empress Zhou respectively, and walked outside. He sighed while walking, this time he came to the capital to see the Chongzhen Emperor who left his name in the annals of history and the virtuous Empress Zhou praised by his descendants at the same time, if nothing else, this is the first and last time he saw them, this time after returning to Shanxi, Yueyang does not plan to come to the capital again in the short term, the safety can not be guaranteed, but also the place from everywhere open guns and arrows, he can't always bring tens of thousands of troops to protect himself every time.

Sometimes Yue Yang didn't think that he would simply gather a large army to enter the Forbidden City now, kill all the civil and military forces of the Manchu Dynasty, and then sit on that chair himself. But this thought just shook in his mind for a moment and was driven away by him, it was easy to kill, but the mess behind it was difficult to clean up. Once Zhu Youzhen is gone, then this huge Ming Empire will immediately fall apart, although he is also a little famous in the Ming Dynasty, but Yue Yang is not arrogant enough to think that as long as he ascends to the height, the people of the whole world will immediately kneel down and bow down, the old Zhu family can have today's prestige It has taken more than two hundred years to accumulate bit by bit, in this regard, he and Comrade Xiao Zhu are not comparable at all, and people are the orthodoxy in the hearts of the people of the whole world.

"Stop!"

Just as Yue Yang was about to walk out of the side hall, Zhu Youzhen's voice sounded behind him.

"Did I let you go?"

Yue Yang turned around. I just saw Zhu Youzhen glaring at him with anger on his face.

Yue Yang reluctantly walked back to him and saluted: "Your Majesty, you can give food to Weichen this time, Weichen is grateful, I don't know what else the emperor commands?" ”

Zhu Youzhen slammed this guy's chest together, this guy can be said to be the most daring person he has ever seen, he just got angry once, he actually got up and left, what did he think of here? 's own yard, just leave, and do you still have yourself as the emperor in your eyes?

Empress Zhou on the side saw that Chongzhen showed signs of anger again. Hurriedly stood up and played a round game: "Your Majesty, Marquis Zhongyong also saw that you were angry, for fear that you would be guilty, so he wanted to retire first, Marquis Zhongyong, did you say yes." ”

Empress Zhou has given herself the steps, Yue Yang naturally can't help but continue, he smiled bitterly and said to the emperor: "Your Majesty, Weichen is a straight person who has something to say, but Weichen can swear to the sky, these words are absolutely heartfelt." There is no intention to deceive the emperor. ”

"It's just that...... Your Majesty, the concubines are also kind to see the Zhongyong Marquis, but they are too strong compared to the rotten Confucians in the court who open their mouths and close their mouths and say Shiyun. "Queen Zhou on the side doesn't know what's wrong, she has been very pleasing to the eye since she saw Yue Yang. Didn't speak for him. Of course, Yue Yang would not be arrogant to think that this recognized virtuous and virtuous queen had taken a fancy to him, but he still hadn't figured out what was going on.

Perhaps it was Yue Yang's sincere attitude that infected Zhu Youzhen, which gradually eased his original anger. He glared at Yue Yang before he sighed: "That's it, I don't blame you for the first time when you enter the palace and don't know the rules in the palace, but this is the only time I don't take it as an example." Sit down. I have something to tell you. ”

"Yes!"

This time, Yue Yang didn't talk back, sat down very honestly, and then looked at Zhu Youzhen.

Seeing Yue Yang looking at the emperor so calmly, the eunuch and palace maid who secretly looked at it on the side were startled, which minister in the past did not tremble and bow his head when he saw the emperor and wait for orders, except for the queen and several princes and princesses, there is no one like this courtier who looks at the emperor with his head held high.

Seeing that Yue Yang turned white at such an age and looked at him on an equal footing, Zhu Youzhen was also very helpless, so he ...... No matter how this guy tosses, if you get angry with him every time, you will have to be angry with him sooner or later.

After thinking about it, Zhu Youzhen asked: "Yue Aiqing, I heard that the people of Shanxi live and work in peace and contentment under Aiqing's governance, which is comparable to that of Jiangnan, and there is quite an ancient style of leaving no stone unturned, is this true?" ”

Yue Yang shook his head: "Back to the emperor, the emperor is really overrated." Shanxi has been a bitter cold place since ancient times, and now only the north road is slightly better, and the rest of the people are living quite difficult except for Taiyuan and Datong. ”

Oh...... Is it.

Chongzhen didn't believe much in this, after all, Yueyang's annual handover of one million quintals of grain and one million trucks of silver were real things, but there was a saying that he was right, no matter how much Shanxi developed, it only developed for a few years, and it was naturally not the same as the development of Jiangnan for hundreds of years.

And Empress Zhou on the side interjected with some curiosity: "Your Majesty, since Jiangnan is so rich, why is the annual tax of several provinces in Jiangnan only three million taels of silver, while Shanxi, which is known as a bitter cold land, can pay as much as 20% of my Ming Dynasty's taxes every year?" ”

"This ......"

When this question was mentioned, Zhu Youzhen was dumb. Of course, he knew this question that the area south of the Yangtze River was indeed the richest area in the Ming Dynasty, but it was also the place where land annexation was the strictest, where the gentry class was the real ruling class, and the imperial court did not have much control over them at all. And this is the sorrow of the Ming Dynasty, the imperial court gave the right to exempt the scholars, which is already quite bad, and what is even worse is that these scholars still have a way to pull more people into the big umbrella of tax exemption, after more than two hundred years of evolution, and the merchants of the Ming Dynasty still have the tradition of tax evasion, so that the court can collect less and less taxes, and it is not surprising that the finances of the imperial court are becoming more and more difficult.

It is easy to understand the problem, but how to solve the problem is not easy, at least Zhu Youzhen himself has nothing to do, otherwise he will not watch the Ming Dynasty perish because of the financial collapse in another time and space.

But now Zhu Youzhen didn't want to discuss this issue, and at this time, Queen Zhou also made a color to her man in a timely manner, and under the urging of the queen, Zhu Youzhen coughed lightly, and then asked a question a little awkwardly...... (To be continued......)