Daming Jingshi, Yuqing Palace.

The new emperor Zhu Houzhao, who had just ascended the throne for half a month, was lying on a chair, a parrot on the table, his eyes were half-squinted, and he was holding a white cat from the Western Regions in his arms.

He was a little disheveled, and he was playing a beat in his hand, listening to the crisp sound of the piano.

The palace maid who played looked no more than fourteen or fifteen years old, with jade hands, picturesque eyebrows, playing the piano, and slender fingers, which had a unique elegance in it.

Because of her unskill, she played a little slowly, and several notes also played the wrong key, which made Zhu Houzhao frown.

Liu Jin, the eunuch who was waiting on the side, couldn't help laughing.

He was originally serving Zhu Houzhao in the East Palace, and now he is in charge of the Bell and Drum Division.

Zhu Houzhao put the cat down, slowly walked behind the little palace maid, and said with a smile: "Here, you have to play like this!" ”

The little palace maid pouted and said, "Your Majesty, this Lao Shizi's black musical instrument is too grinding!" ”

"Grinding?" Zhu Houzhao knocked her on the forehead and said gently: "It's you who are lazy!" ”

"The concubine has practiced! Can...... But how many strings does a pipa have, how many keys does a piano have? ”

Zhu Houzhao smiled and said: "Don't underestimate this black instrument, its rhythm is harmonious, and the tone is complete, it is by no means comparable to ordinary musical instruments!" Besides, at present, the DPRK and China are talking about the master's long skills to make the master, and we learn the piano for the sake of the teacher! ”

The little palace maid stopped talking, and leaned over as if she was angry.

"Why don't you play a song?" Liu Jin said flatteringly.

"Yes! The emperor came up and played a song! The little palace maid was also interested.

The other people in the room also showed expectant eyes, and even the palace maids and eunuchs outside stretched their necks and pretended to be eager.

Zhu Houzhao was very complacent, and pretended to hesitate: "That...... Then I will be embarrassed! ”

He rolled up his sleeves, sat down beside the little palace maid, and brewed in the arms of the beauty for a while.

Just as he was about to start playing, the celebrant and eunuch Wang Yue walked in and said, "Your Majesty, Li Dongyang and several other ministers ask to see you." ”

Zhu Houzhao was a little displeased: "Oh, tell them to wait first." ”

Wang Yue glanced at Liu Jin, who was bowing his head, and arched his hand and said, "Your Majesty, you ...... You haven't reviewed the excerpt for several days, so it stands to reason that you should join a few ministers in ...... Consult some political affairs together, so as to live up to the trust of the emperor. ”

"Got it!" Zhu Houzhao waved his hand irritably, and said to the little palace maid: "Listen, this song should be played like this!" ”

His slender fingers slowly fell, and the whole person seemed to be in a state of flux.

Every key in his hand emitted a melodious sound, which was much better than the little palace maid's playing.

Wang Yue has a calm face, although he is a eunuch, he is loyal to Emperor Hongzhi, and he looks down on people like Liu Jin the most.

When Zhu Houzhao was the prince, Liu Jin was often flattering, and often gave playthings to play with the prince.

Even a few days before Emperor Hongzhi left, he instructed Liu Jian, Jin Gui and other teachers to say: "The prince is young, he is so happy, Aiqing and others should be taught to study, and he will be tutored to become a virtuous and wise man." ”

And the culprit of Zhu Houzhao Yile is Liu Jin, and now that Zhu Houzhao has been on the throne for less than a month, Liu Jin is extremely flattering.

The little palace maid in front of her is not a serious little palace maid, but an authentic lowly background, after being a criminal official in the Jiaofang Division, I don't know what means Liu Jin used, but he actually got people to the emperor's side.

……

In the side hall, Li Dongyang, Liu Jian, Xie Qian, as well as Yang Tinghe and Fei Hong, were all waiting with sad faces.

Listening to the melodious piano sound, the hearts of several important ministers were dripping blood, as if each note was like a sharp blade, piercing their hearts.

Zhu Houzhao is really extremely smart, after his father was buried, he instantly understood that he had a lot less restraints on his body.

When he ascended the throne as emperor, he already understood that he had already grasped power, and the original rules seemed to have no effect on him.

Therefore, before the grass on the grave of Emperor Hongzhi sprouted, Zhu Houzhao began to be debauched.

However, there is a difference between monarchs and ministers, these former teachers can only persuade at the moment, and Jin Gui is ready to run away, and he will be short of the last time if he asks for three resignations.

Wang Yue returned to the side hall, with a helpless expression on his face: "Ladies and gentlemen, the emperor will be later...... I'll see you later. ”

Li Dongyang arched his hand and said: "The prince has worked hard!" ”

"The old man is polite!" Wang Yue walked aside and sat down.

There was no big contradiction between the eunuchs and civil officials of the Hongzhi Dynasty, mainly because the power of the eunuchs did not cross the line in the Hongzhi Dynasty.

Even so, the eunuchs stationed in various places still gave Emperor Hongzhi a headache, and the eunuchs were really worse than civil officials, and they were used to exploiting places.

The only good thing is that it is much easier to kill a eunuch than a civil official, and in this regard, a eunuch is better controlled than a civil official.

Liu Jian was a little impatient, and said directly: "Let's go on this trip, I'm afraid we won't be able to talk about any results!" Let's talk about things, and now let's talk about it, what should we do about this thing? ”

Li Dongyang looked at Yang Tinghe and said by name: "The old man agrees with the husband's views on the affairs, especially the change of the master to do the affairs, although it is only a word difference, but there are thousands of differences between them!" Let's talk about it. ”

Yang Tinghe stood up and saluted, and said with a smile: "As the name suggests, what we want to learn from the Huang people is the art of firearms and warfare. In the next thought, it is possible to recruit skilled craftsmen from all over the country to enter Beijing, such as the Beijing armor factory, set up a firearms factory, so that as long as there is a slight achievement, it can be spread to all parts of the country, so that the local government can supervise it!

In this way, with the most cost-saving and maximum benefits, the craftsman does not have to be abolished, and only needs to give preferential treatment to skilled craftsmen! And you can also hire craftsmen from Eastern Qin to guide the manufacture of firearms! As for the military system, if we follow the new firearms law left by Lord Liu Daxia, then we can train the 3,000 new troops in advance and let them practice according to the firearms formation!

As long as they are proficient in this formation, they can spread it to various guard stations, so that they can figure it out and learn, and then all places will be able to make firearms, and all places will practice firearms, and there is no need to change the natural military system drastically! The new firearms army can be slowly expanded. As long as there are 10,000 new troops in the Beijing Division, it must be enough! ”

Li Dongyang nodded with satisfaction, Yang Tinghe's words can be called steady.

"Just silver?" Fei Hong asked.

The rest of them were silent, wanting to build a new army and make firearms, but they had no money.

"We still have to open up sources and reduce expenditures!" Xie Qian sighed.

"In addition to the salt tax, is there a better way to raise money?" Li Dongyang asked.

Several ministers were speechless, but Yang Tinghe said: "Customs! In the following think that customs taxes, the same is a lot of money! ”

Why? The customs are in the hands of the blackmen! ”

Yang Tinghe smiled and said: "In the next few days, I have been understanding the Huang people, and I have found that the Huang people do things, and they are trustworthy!" Since the treaty clearly states that the tariff silver can be delivered to the Ming Dynasty, then it will not be reversed! I also read the tariff regulations of the Huang people, and now they have taken the initiative to set up customs in Ningbo, Quanzhou, and Guangzhou, and they are waiting for me to send the courtiers to deal with them.

And Tianjin Customs is under the jurisdiction of my own Ming, so in terms of tariffs, it may be very promising! It's just a customs candidate, you need to be extra cautious! ”

These words gave Li Dongyang a wake-up call, the previous Ningbo City Bo Division, but it was in the hands of the eunuchs!

"Ladies and gentlemen, the emperor has summoned you!" Just when a few people were about to discuss the candidates, the eunuch Gao Feng walked in and said.

Several people hurriedly got up and walked towards Yuqing Palace.

As soon as he entered the hall, he saw Zhu Houzhao's innocent and bright smiling face.

The five ministers in front of him are all Zhu Houzhao's teachers, and now they are courtiers, so it's really hard to reprimand.

The five of them knelt down and bowed together, and Zhu Houzhao hurriedly smiled and said: "Teachers, hurry up, come here, hurry up and give a seat!" ”

Li Dongyang got up and arched his hand: "Your Majesty, you have been in charge of political affairs for several days!" ”

Zhu Houzhao nodded and said: "Recently, I have been unwell, and besides, I am young, many things can be decided by a few teachers!" ”

"No!" Li Dongyang said seriously: "The emperor is the Son of Heaven, and only the emperor can decide everything in the world!" ”

Zhu Houzhao was silent for a moment, and then agreed: "Thank you for the teachings of the teacher, I will ...... tomorrow No, today! Approve the recitals now! ”

Li Dongyang was stunned and hurriedly said, "The emperor ...... The emperor is a king, and Weichen doesn't dare to teach! ”

"So? Tomorrow, then! Saying that, Zhu Houzhao was going to let them step back.

Yang Tinghe stepped forward and said: "Your Majesty, the people have not completely withdrawn their troops at the moment, and one of their cargo ships has already arrived in Huguang along the waterway of the Yangtze River five days ago, and I am afraid that it has arrived in Chongqing Mansion at this moment!" It has also set up customs in Ningbo, Quanzhou and Guangzhou!

At present, the meaning of the people is to let us set up Tianjin Customs and Shandong Haiyang Customs as soon as possible! In this way, the army will be withdrawn! This is a top priority, not a matter for the ministers to decide!

What's more, the Tu people have already conquered Ryukyu and entered Penghu, and their arrogance has not been reduced by half. At such a time of internal and external troubles, please ask the emperor to give more importance to state affairs, otherwise...... Otherwise, the loss of power and humiliation of the country will happen again! ”

"Exactly!" Xie Qian said indignantly: "Before the first emperor died, he hated the Huang people for occupying the territory of the Ming Dynasty, so he reluctantly signed a peace treaty, and the emperor enjoyed the shadow of the first emperor, and he should let the Huang people retreat as soon as possible, so as to comfort the spirit of the first emperor in the sky!" ”

Speaking of his father, Zhu Houzhao was ashamed for a while, he nodded and said, "Then according to the meaning of your teachers, what should you do now?" ”

Li Dongyang said: "First, it has been spread to the provinces along the Yangtze River to strictly monitor the movements of the black people. Second, in accordance with the system of the city's shipping department, Tianjin will be opened, and as for Haiyang Port, since it is also built with the Huang people, we will enclose the land and send people to make a gesture to show the Huang people! The customs candidates in Ningbo, Quanzhou, and Guangzhou still have to be discussed. ”

Zhu Houzhao nodded: "There is no trivial matter!" Right now, people are rampant, and that's how they should be! After the people withdraw their troops, we can raise our eyebrows! ”

Yang Tinghe also said: "There is also the matter of the treasury, although there is a plan at the moment, but there is no silver, and the amount of silver that the household department can approve is only 100,000 taels, which is too little!" ”

Zhu Houzhao only felt a little annoyed, and he had no way to make money, so he had to ask: "Then teachers, what can you do?" ”

"There's only one way, and that's to check the salt tax!"

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