Queen Zhou looked at the back of Tian Guifei in the distance, she was angry, she punished Wu Wanrong no, not punished not, dilemma, inevitably a little embarrassed, helplessly reprimanded Wu Wanrong, endured the unhappiness in her heart, and laughed with everyone. Yuan Guifei has been with her for a long time, and knows that the queen is used to respecting her, and she values her face the most, and the gold, silver and jewelry are second, and today she gave Tian Guifei a public confrontation, although she is not in the color, she is bound to be annoyed and abnormal, thinking of this, she can't sit still, for fear that there is something inconsiderate in her words, so she grabbed the white by the queen's excuse, set herself on fire, and carefully accompanied her for a while, and hurriedly said goodbye. Empress Zhou made an exception to save her, and Concubine Yuan had to stay with her for a while before she had to get out. When everyone saw it, they also retreated, and Kunning Palace fell silent, and the joy of the New Year also decreased by a few points. Queen Zhou sat alone, the more she thought about it, the more annoyed she felt, this matter was seen by the palace dependents, it won't take a day or two to spread all over the court, if I am so forbearing, the sensible will praise me for my virtue and generosity, those who like to chew their tongues will say that I am weak and deceitful, afraid of Tian Guifei's boundless grace, and dare not punish her, so in the future, how will I deal with it, how to lead the harem? was thinking hard about countermeasures, Wu Wanrong hurriedly came in to confess, and Queen Zhou stopped: "You don't have to go to your heart, you have no guilt, you are ready to fly, you have to be like this, you have been wronged." ”

Wu Wanrong saw that there was some anger on her face, and persuaded: "Niangniang must not be angry, she hurts her body, but it is as others want." This is not the end of this matter, and I still have to work for my mother! ”

"Do you want me to bring someone to Chengqian Palace to ask for guilt?"

"No, the maid thinks that Niangniang should quickly tell the story to the long-lived master, otherwise Tian Niangniang will take the lead, and I don't know how she will accuse Niangniang! If there is any trouble, it will be difficult to justify. Long live Lord is a wise and observant person, everything is hidden in his heart, and it is easy not to show it, and after a long time, it is bound to accumulate more and more tightly......"

Empress Zhou was startled and interrupted her: "Are you afraid that she will sue the wicked first?" ”

"Niangniang, this matter is also our fault, even if the maid has the courage to snub Tian Niangniang, long live the Lord is so wise, where can you not see it? Such a big mistake, the servant can't afford it if he wants to, this lie is not easy to pull around, so let's talk about it with Long Live Lord first. ”

"Good! The emperor is meeting the ministers in the outer court, you go to the front to keep an eye on it, and when the court is finished, you will come back immediately to report. No, I'm afraid it's slow, you tell Ma Yuancheng first. ”

"Xiao Chengzi has an elm head, and the maid said it, I'm afraid he won't understand."

Empress Zhou muttered, "Hmm! The emperor just likes him to be honest, don't do much, and use it to rest assured. The emperor should arrange a detailed person around him, and if there is a big or small matter, he will also report a message, otherwise he will be splashed with dirty water, and he doesn't know who it is! I looked for an opportunity to recommend Wang Chengen to be a eunuch with a pen, he was gentle and loyal, and he was an old man in the palace, so the emperor would not have any suspicions. ”

"The maid and the housekeeper of the Qianqing Palace, Wei Qinghui, are like siblings, so it is better to ask her for help."

"It's better to ask her to come forward, but I heard that Xiao Chengzi has a good relationship in Chengqian Palace, as long as that palace person sees Xiao Chengzi, he may not be able to hear Wei Qinghui's words."

"Then the maid will stop the palace man first."

"Go ahead and do it! Don't hurt anyone, and don't leave any traces. ”

"The servant saves." Wu Wanrong promised to go out.

In the Forbidden City, the six palaces of the east and west are connected with the outer court by four long and secluded alleys, there is the left gate of Shunde to the north outside the Rijing Gate, and then the north is the north-south direction passage, which is called the East a long street. There is a passage in the middle of the East Sixth Palace, which runs through the north and south, is parallel to the East One Long Street, is called the East Two Long Street, and there is the Lintoe Gate in the south, and there is the Thousand Infant Gate in the north. The six palaces in the east are divided into two sides of the East Erchang Street, the east side from south to north is Yanxi Palace, Yonghe Palace, Jingyang Palace, and the west side is Jingren Palace, Chengqian Palace, Zhongcui Palace. There is also a north-south passage outside the right gate of Shunde to the north from the Yuehua Gate, which is called the West Long Street. There is also a north-south passage parallel to the West One Long Street in the middle of the West Sixth Palace, called the West Second Long Street, which has the Mantis Gate in the south and the Baizi Gate in the north. The six palaces in the west are arranged on both sides of the West Erchang Street, the east side is Yude Palace, Yikun Palace, Chuxiu Palace from south to north, and the west side is Qixiang Palace, Changchun Palace, Xianfu Palace. The road leading to the Qianqing Palace is nothing more than two long streets in the east and the second long street, and the second long street in the east is the most convenient. Wu Wanrong secretly ordered a few little eunuchs to wait on the East Erchang Street, pretending to add oil to the street lamps next to the street, just after the arrangements were made, I saw a small palace man of Peugeot hurriedly coming to the door of Lintoe, the eunuchs handed each other a look, and when she came to get closer, she suddenly threw out a big bag, and when the hood was underneath, the palace person was put into the pocket, and she carried it and left. The man in the palace struggled on his shoulder, and just shouted: "Come on, someone----" He had already been hit the head and fainted.

The New Year's Day ceremony has always been relatively simple, but it is just a formality, the monarchs and ministers just meet, and they don't deal with any military affairs, and the six yamen have not played any official business, Chongzhen asked a few words about the military department's entry into the thieves, military salaries and other things, that is, a hasty boycott of the court. Wei Qinghui told Ma Yuancheng, and as soon as Ma Yuancheng waited for Chongzhen to enter the warm pavilion to change his crown clothes, he made it clear that the queen was invited to drive. Chongzhen frowned and said, "I saw it when I worshiped my ancestors in the Fengxian Hall just now, what else does she have to do to find me?" Chongzhen got up early in the morning, worshiped the ancestors and saw the ministers, he was a little tired, and wanted to rest for a while, thinking that the queen was the lord of the six palaces after all, and she was also very gentle and considerate on weekdays.

Out of the sun Jingmen to the east, through the inner east Yuku behind the sandwich road, just arrived at the tall Fengxian Palace, the palace door suddenly opened, Queen Zhou smiled and walked out to pick up the car. Chongzhen was surprised and asked, "Why are you still here?" ”

Seeing that there was no joy on his face, Empress Zhou hurriedly stepped forward and replied: "The concubines are afraid that they will not please the emperor, so they rushed here to take over." ”

"What is the Queen's urgent business with me? There is no room for respite. ”

When Queen Zhou heard the displeasure in his painting, she suddenly became cowardly, and her heart pounded a few times, but the matter had come to this point, and she couldn't prevaricate at will, so she said carefully: "Concubine Tian is pampered and arrogant, and has repeatedly violated the rules of the palace. The concubine wanted to ask for an order to dispose of Concubine Tian as a punishment. ”

"Why did she mess with you?" Chongzhen asked rhetorically.

"On New Year's Day, the palace dependents went to Kunning Palace to worship, just as the concubine changed her crown and clothes, and ordered her to wait in the Yongxiang Gate, she waited for a while, and she complained and didn't put the concubine in her eyes", she glanced at Chongzhen, couldn't see the joy and anger on Chongzhen's face, her heart was wide, and then said: "It's not just that, she changed the old system in the palace on weekdays, with palaces, palace lights, flowers and trees, and clothing...... Imitate the style of the Jiangnan folk and change at will, the royal family is almost no different from the reckless people, where is the prestige and dignity? ”

Chongzhen likes the chic of Chengqian Palace, and he nods and appreciates Tian Guifei's deliberately changing arrangements. Tian Guifei was born in Yangzhou, the figure is petite and exquisite, the palace of Chengqian Palace is inevitably a little too tall, she is ingenious, change the corridor house into a small house, build a tortuous vermilion railing, carved partition fan, the house is furnished with all kinds of strange objects purchased from Yangzhou: a black lacquered mahogany coffee table with luodian, jade and peach blossom red agate inlaid into a lotus picking picture, a Jinyi incense burner, a Yixing purple clay pot, and a smooth and refined bamboo chair...... Every time Chongzhen came to Chengqian Palace in his busy schedule, he felt relaxed and refreshed. Thinking of what palace rules the queen came up with, Chongzhen secretly thought: such a small issue, in order not to be funny, he laughed and said: "The palace is originally for people to live in, and it is not a big deal to change some things, I don't think there is anything wrong with it." ”

Queen Zhou said: "As the lord of the six palaces, the concubine can't set an example for the concubine, so she is naturally guilty." But if it is not punished, the palace rules are bound to become a dead letter, how can the harem rule? ”

"I don't need to meddle in the affairs of the harem. The problem of the concubine's pampering and arrogance has existed in all dynasties, as long as she does not communicate with the outside of the palace because of this, it is not a big deal, how does the queen plan to deal with her? ”

"This ......," Empress Zhou hesitated.

"I know that you want to teach her to be a soft companion, but in this way, you are not afraid that some people will say that you are narrow-minded? Concubine Tian has raised three sons for me, the five princes are lively and lovely, and they are deeply pleased, and they are still young, so it is better not to worry about this matter. ”

Queen Zhou suddenly understood that although she was a queen, but in the emperor's heart, she was not as good as Concubine Tian, she glanced around, and saw that the eunuchs and palace maids around her seemed to be staring at herself, and she couldn't help but feel hot on her face, she had never spoken loudly in front of Chongzhen, but in front of the eunuchs and palace maids, Chongzhen disregarded her face, so protective of Concubine Tian, she suddenly felt very aggrieved, mustered up courage, choked tears, and said in a trembling voice: "The emperor can't be too partial and conniving, how can she break the rules of the palace because of her?" If you don't take this opportunity to give her some color, she will become more and more pampered day by day, where will she put the concubine, the queen? It's better to give it to her......"

Chongzhen didn't wait for her to finish, and reprimanded sharply: "Nonsense! I have become a conniving concubine? When you say this, don't you, do you think of me as a faint king? ”

When Queen Zhou saw that his face had changed, she was shocked in her heart, and bowed her head and said, "The concubines don't dare, and they have no intention of despising the emperor." But Concubine Tian came from a humble background and was playful, so she couldn't be indulged anymore. If the emperor can't bear it, the concubine will be a wicked person. ”

"Why is she mean?" Chongzhen raised his eyebrows.

Queen Zhou deeply regretted that she had lost her words and didn't know how to answer for a while. Chongzhen said angrily: "Say it quickly! ”

"The concubine heard and heard about her, she was born in Yangzhou, thin and thin, and ......" Queen Zhou touched Chongzhen's fierce gaze, and her whole body trembled, she knew that the emperor was angry.

"What is Yangzhou Skinny Horse?" Chongzhen asked loudly, and seeing that Empress Zhou was speechless, he ordered Wei Qinghui to say: "You say and I listen!" ”

Wei Qinghui didn't dare to hide it, and said: "Long live the lord, raising thin horses is a money-making business in Yangzhou, rich families buy poor virgins at low prices, teach singing and dancing, piano and chess, calligraphy and painting, and resell them to official gentry and businessmen as concubines at high prices, commonly known as 'thin horses'." It's like a horse dealer fattening a skinny horse for a high price......"

"Bastard!" Chongzhen was furious, would the king of a dignified country ask for concubines like those officials and gentry and businessmen? He pushed Empress Zhou hard. Zhou Hou, who could not resist such a fierce force, staggered a few steps, sat down on the ground, and threw off a shoe called a petal lotus on his feet. Wei Qinghui, Wu Wanrong, Ma Yuancheng and other eunuchs and palace maids immediately rushed forward, knelt at Chongzhen's feet, and shouted repeatedly: "The emperor is angry!" The emperor is angry! "There were already two palace maids who hurriedly put on the queen's shoes and helped her up. Empress Zhou has been married to Chongzhen for more than ten years since she entered the palace of King Xin, and she did not expect that he would push himself down in front of everyone, and she was ashamed and angry for a while, and blurted out: "King Xin!" Believe in the King! Have you forgotten how I worried about you on the platform that year! He hid his face and began to cry. Wu Wanrong was afraid that she would be in a hurry, and if she said something desperate, she would make the emperor even more angry, so she gave the palace maids a look, and helped Queen Zhou to the phoenix and hugged Kunning Palace. Chongzhen was still angry, looked at the eunuchs and palace maids who were still kneeling at his feet, kicked Wei Qinghui, and scolded: "What Yangzhou thin horse, how do you know?" How dare you hide it from me! He snorted hatefully, turned around and went back to the East Warm Pavilion of the Qianqing Palace.

Chongzhen sat in the warm pavilion for a while, the anger in his heart became stronger and stronger, and he couldn't wait to break into the Chengqian Palace, question Tian Guifei in person, and make it clear. But after thinking about it, if you are so reckless, you may not be able to ask the truth, so it is better to wait for the anger to disappear and then investigate. He endured his troubles and reviewed the newspapers and notes sent from all over the country, most of which were about the disaster, the civil unrest, and the demand for military salaries. He asked himself in his heart, "The treasury is like a wash, how can it be good?" "Just when he was bored, Ma Yuancheng came in to report to Yang Sichang and asked to see him, and Chongzhen hurriedly announced that he would be seated.

Yang Sichang received a joint request for pay from Hong Chengchou and Sun Chuanting a few years ago, and saw the New Year, he couldn't bear to have a bad year with the Pope, and discussed with the first assistant Xue Guoguan and suppressed it for the time being, but his heart has been uneasy, Hong Chengchou is planning with Sun Chuanting to ambush the thieves in the Tongguan area, for fear that due to the lack of food and salary, the army's heart will change, and it is bound to delay the fighter, and the responsibility will be great. Therefore, after the court, he hurriedly rushed to the Qianqing Palace with Hong Chengchou's fold. Chongzhen looked at the excerpt and said after a while: "I know that you suppressed all the documents for paying and asking for soldiers a few years ago, how long may it be pressed?" Last year, Jiangbei, Huguang, Sichuan, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Henan, and Shandong ...... The disaster and famine were so severe that even the land of fish and rice in Suzhou and Jiaxing also encountered drought and locust plagues, and grain prices soared, and people continued to gather in groups to openly grab grain and make trouble. All they know is to ask me for money, and where did I get all this money! ”

"As the old saying goes: The king is worried about the humiliation of the minister, and the king is humiliated and the minister dies. The minister saw that the emperor was anxious about state affairs, and he was really ashamed. Yang Sichang got up and said: "The minister has thought of a way, but he has been hesitant and does not dare to say it rashly." ”

"Let's talk about it! I rely on you as a humerus, I should know everything! Chongzhen beckoned him to sit down.

Yang Sichang Kankan said: "In the art of war, it is said that if you put yourself to death and live later, the long pain is better than the short pain, but the only way to do this today is to increase the amount of silver to make up for the urgent need." ”

"How to add it?"

"An additional penny of silver per mu of land will give the whole country 7.34 million taels."

"In what name is it sent?"

"The minister wants to be able to train the army in the name of levying additional salaries."

Chongzhen pondered: "Since the forty-sixth year of Wanli levy Liao, an additional nine cents of silver per mu of land, Chongzhen has raised the field tax to one cent and two cents in four years, and sent more than 6.67 million taels of silver, except for the exemption of soldiers and famines, the actual levy of more than 5.22 million taels of silver, plus tariffs, salt taxes and miscellaneous items, a total of more than 7.48 million taels of silver. Last year, another 2.8 million taels of wages were levied, but the original plan was only for one year, and it seems that it will be difficult to stop this year. If the salary is levied again, the cumulative amount of various taxes has been as high as 20 million, and the annual tax in the country is still less than 10 million taels. Besides, it may not take half a year to collect and send it to Shaanxi, so it is really not urgent! ”

Yang Sichang praised: "The emperor is thoughtful, and he has the heart of a compassionate Bodhisattva, and those ignorant people don't know the holy will of the body, and they are really, really stupid. ”

"Well, the people's wisdom is not opened, don't force them, otherwise they will rebel and make trouble." Chongzhen said to Ma Yuancheng, who was waiting outside the curtain: "Quickly call Zhang Zhi to send." ”

Shoufu Zhang Zhifa didn't know what was the big deal when the emperor suddenly summoned him, and his heart went up and down along the way. He took Wen Tiren as the first assistant, but his intelligence and opportunity were far from the same, he knew that the emperor was suspicious and observing, afraid of dealing with mistakes and causing trouble, and when he entered the hall and knelt down, his expression was a little panicked, and he stepped on the corner of his robe by mistake and almost fell. Although Chongzhen couldn't get used to his embarrassed appearance, he gave him a seat as usual, and said slowly: "I summoned Mr. to discuss the food and salary in detail. What is your best counsel for me? ”