After all the kings entered Beijing, they were no strangers to entering the palace.

Every year, there is a big festival, and there is always a routine visit to the palace.

Cui Yuan, the captain of Jingshan Hou and the eldest princess, has now relieved himself of the burden of participating in national policies on behalf of the lords after the military meeting, at least part of the burden.

But he took on another burden: the Zongren Order.

Today's banquet, not only the kings are coming, but Cui Yuan, Yu Chengye, Lu Bing and others are also coming.

They arrived early at noon and waited.

At present, construction is still under the wall of the Yanyi Building outside the noon gate. In the two areas demarcated by the Yingjie Stele Forest, the stone stele hewn from outside the city will be sent here and erected. From last year to the present, the Ministry of Rites and the State Hall have agreed on the qualifications to leave their names here.

Not to mention the people before the Jiajing Dynasty, ten years have passed since the Jiajing Dynasty, and there are only three people who are qualified to leave their names here: Yang Tinghe, Yang Yiqing, and Li Jin.

But Li Jin is only qualified to leave a tablet under the Yanyi Tower, and cannot leave a statue in the Yingjie Hall in the middle like Yang Tinghe and Yang Yiqing - there, it is the exclusive honor of those who enter the temple.

According to this standard, there are only nineteen people in the Yingjie Palace, and in addition to the twelve people who accompanied Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang and the four people who accompanied Taizong Zhu Di, among the Ming Emperors of the past dynasties, only Zhu Qiyu was accompanied by Yu Qian.

Renzong, Xuanzong, Yingzong, Xianzong, Xiaozong, Ruizong, none of them.

This is why after the gate of the Taimiao was opened again, so many important ministers looked forward to getting this honor, so they chose to stand firmly on the emperor's side.

Today, the vassal kings who came one after another also thought of these after seeing these monuments and looking up at the Yingjie Palace.

Taizu opened the country, Taizong was martyred, and Ruizong defended the country, which were all extremely important turning points in the history of the Ming Dynasty.

Now, His Majesty has ordered the ministers of the humerus to accompany him, and he obviously thinks that the Ming Dynasty is in a new turning period.

In fact, otherwise, how could they, the vassal kings, change the old system and enter the capital entirely?

In the afternoon, shortly after the bell tower chimes three times, the counselors came out of the noon gate, and then they began to enter the palace.

There are five bridges in the inner Jinshui.

The bridge in the middle, and the main gate of the noon gate, this road is called the Royal Road, so this bridge is called the Royal Road Bridge.

In addition to the emperor, there is one person who can walk into the Forbidden City once in his life, and that is when the queen marries and enters the palace. There are three people who can walk out of this road once in their lives, and that is when they leave the palace after the champion of each subject, the top eye, and the Tanhua Ceremony.

Now, the vassal kings and relatives of the kingdom have gone their own way and stepped on their own bridges.

Daming has changed a lot, but some rules have not changed.

Among the kings, King Rui was the youngest.

The kings were not high or low, so they were only sorted by age, and King Rui was the last.

There was a festive atmosphere in the palace, but the kings were in a very worried mood.

At this moment, these vassal kings came in from the previous dynasty, and their princesses and the queen mother of King Rui entered the palace from the later dynasty.

When they arrived at the Qianqing Palace, they knew that the Kunning Palace behind them should have been "lively" a long time ago, but the Qianqing Palace was in good order. Except for Cui Yuan and He Qin, who began to talk about some things, the rest were quiet and depressed.

In the courtyard in front of the main hall of the Qianqing Palace, a stage was set up. Tables and chairs are also set up on the gimbal in front of the main entrance. At night, the emperor and queen and the two concubines, the queen mother, the princess, the concubine, plus the princes, princesses and others, will gather here in a hall to eat, admire the moon and listen to the play.

First talk about the friendship of kissing, and then enjoy the joy of kissing.

Or to put it another way: first proclamation, then gratitude.

Everyone knows that this year's battle is bigger than last year's because of the incident in the big stadium not long ago.

Zhu Houxi set off from the Yangxin Palace, entered the Qianqing Palace from the Yuehua Gate, and in front of him were two teams of people kneeling down to see.

"Get up, all of you, and take a seat in the hall."

Zhu Houxi, accompanied by Huang Jin, climbed the stairs and entered the Qianqing Palace and sat on the throne.

After they sat down one by one, Zhu Houxi asked Zhu Rangxu with a smile: "The King of Shu was the first to enter Beijing. After entering Beijing, are you still used to it in the past two years? ”

“…… His Majesty Lao is worried, and the minister is very used to it. The prosperity and livability of the capital is far from being comparable to Chengdu. His Majesty Xu Chen and other sacrificial days can enter the palace to worship the ancestors in the ancestral hall, which is a grace that he did not dare to ask for before. It is the degree of use in the house, Your Majesty's heavenly grace is vast, and his true colors are full, which is also a grace that has never been there before. The palace of the king of Shu is a lineage, both allowing business and study, and the descendants of the future generations all praise His Majesty for his wisdom. ”

Zhu Rangxu is very well-behaved, and he only talks about the good, which seems to have no harm.

Zhu Houxi said with a straight face: "Maoren, last year's harvest of the grain reserve, in addition to the grain of the clan relatives, the princes should share the profit allowance, and now it is also a good account, right?" ”

Cui Yuan immediately replied: "Back to Your Majesty, it has already been calculated." After being stored and transferred to each warehouse as usual, it has arrived in Beijing. The ministers will be sent to the kings in September. ”

"How was last year's harvest?"

"Back to Your Majesty, the grain reserve number is written by the Agricultural College and the Jinkela Fertilizer Factory, and on average, the yield per mu is 30% higher than that of ordinary fertile land. Because of the responsibility of storing grain to meet military needs, the Huangming Ji transfer operation and the river transportation bureau did not dare to slack off, and the transshipment losses were all controlled as much as possible. After the grain handed over by the hired farmers, the expenses for purchasing fertilizer, repairing ditches, transporting and storing grain were about 107% more than in the previous year. ”

Choi Won gushed about the numbers.

Based on the imperial land and the land given by the clan, plus the purchase of part of the official land sold over the years, the grain reserve number has a total of 231,257 acres and 75 acres of land in the entire Ming Dynasty.

There is no doubt that the grain reserve is already the largest single "landlord" in the Ming Dynasty, but it is operating in the way of an enterprise.

These fields grow different crops in different places. The grain reserve has the right to the bottom of the field, and the cultivation is either hired or rented by local farmers. However, unlike ordinary farmers, the grain reserve has both the technical support of the Agricultural College of Huangming University and the fertilizer supply of the Jinkela Fertilizer Factory, so it can concentrate on continuously improving agricultural tools and improving the water conservancy facilities of the fields under its name.

The average yield per mu of paddy fields has reached more than three stones and two buckets, exceeding the average level of two stones and six buckets in the south.

Drylands are also higher than usual.

This is not surprising, the original kings gave fields are all good positions.

Now Cui Yuan is reporting the numbers, and all the kings know that this is for them.

The fields given by the palaces were handed over to the grain reserve number to be taken care of, and the emperor promised two points.

First, the true nature of the clan is fully supplied.

Second, after paying the field endowment, deducting the cost, and deducting the clan's grain, half of the remaining "profit" part of the grain was deposited in each warehouse to meet military needs, and the other half was divided into profit allowances according to the proportion of the fields of each royal palace.

After Cui Yuan's report was finished, Zhu Houxi said with a smile: "If you do the math, the net profit from taking care of the land by yourself in the past is not less, right?" ”

“…… Your Majesty is lenient and holy, and the ministers are extremely admired. "King De was the first to praise him, lest the emperor trouble him.

"I also know that it can't be just counted. For example, now the other county kings and so on, the grain is no longer claimed by you and then distributed. When it comes to the money and bread in your hands, it is still not comparable to the past. ”

"Your Majesty ordered the Zongren Mansion to handle this matter, and the ministers have one less troublesome matter, and it is too late to be happy!" The other vassal king who was sitting in the arena immediately said busily.

In the future, the clansmen of the vassal kings did not look at the faces of the vassal kings, and the favor came from His Majesty. The fields given by the feudal domains have nothing to do with them, they only know that they can already receive the full amount of grain in time.

In terms of happiness, the feudal clans below these county kings are really happy, and the feudal kings themselves are not happy.

Zhu Houxi also said: "The grain reserve number is based on the imperial field and the fields given by various feudal domains, and half of the storage income from cultivation is used to meet military needs, just to ensure that the foundation of the Ming Dynasty will not be lost." This is a good thing for the descendants of the clan, and you can understand this, right? ”

"Your Majesty's move was far-sighted, and the ministers understood it back then. If it weren't for His Majesty's leniency, the ministers would still be receiving folded grain. ”

Zhu Houxi sighed: "I am trying to find a way to seek a long-term future for the clan." Even if it is a downgraded attack, it is helpless. Imagine, if the Ming Dynasty prospers for another 100 or 200 years, how many people in the clan will there be? Can I bear to worry about the descendants of the Zhu family having to eat every day in the future? This kind of thing, the kings in Shaanxi and Shanxi are the most clear, right? There are people in the clan who have to beg, how can I bear it? ”

The acting king was originally sealed in Shanxi, and he hurriedly testified, and by the way, he wiped his tears to express that he was poor.

"Those who want to be demoted, and who will eventually return to the common people after several generations. Even though the five suits have been made, I can't bear to let them have no roots to make a living. In any case, there is still a full amount of food in its true colors, which is still better than that of ordinary people. Therefore, I allowed the prince of the clan to go to school, trade and even go out. In this way, with the power of two or three generations or even four or five generations, it may not be impossible to lay a family business. ”

"This sincerity is the foundation of thousands of generations!" The King of Shu once again took the lead.

Zhu Houxi said with relief: "Seeing that everyone can understand my painstaking efforts, I am relieved. In the future, so will my children. The Ming Dynasty is not what it used to be, and there are many places to employ people. Many systems and laws are also constantly improving. In any case, the children of the clan are still better at doing things than ordinary people, don't you say? ”

"Your Majesty's grace is vast, and the ministers will be loyal to the monarch and abide by the law!"

This time, it was King De who spoke.

After that, he also left the table and knelt down, kowtowed and said: "Although the unfilial son of the minister can do business by the grace of His Majesty, he has been allowed to set up a handicap in the big competition before, but he has the audacity to bend the law and cheat. The minister has asked for three expressions of guilt, and today the minister asks His Majesty to surrender his guilt, take his throne as the heir, and demote him to a commoner. ”

After saying this, five more vassal kings came out together and knelt down to plead guilty, all of which were the same statement.

Zhu Houxi waved his hand: "Why is this? It's a good thing that young people are trying it out. If you commit something, you will be fined and shut down for rectification according to the law. I'm not going to rebuke them so badly, just teach them well. How to do business is also a science, and if the children of the clan are allowed to study and do business, if they rely on the identity of the clan to deceive, it will make the world attack it, but it is not beautiful. Well, this time, everyone should learn from it. ”

"Thank you, Your Majesty! Long live Your Majesty! Banzai! Hooray! ”

"Today is a good day for reunion." Zhu Houxi let them return to their seats, "Taizu can create a great Ming foundation, how can the descendants of the clan have no more talents?" If it weren't for the accident, I would also be a vassal king. Even if you have great ability, isn't that a depressed life? Now that I am the children of the clan and open the Huanghuang Avenue again, the children of the clan will also go down in a dignified manner. I can give you a grace today. ”

While everyone was waiting quietly, Zhu Houxi paused before saying: "If any feudal clan has a Jinshi or an academician of the Hanlin Academy, it is still a prince, and the next generation will not be demoted; is already below the county king, and it is also the next generation that will not be demoted. If there are two people in that domain, they can be promoted to one level, and so on. ”

The vassal kings were shocked.

After the rules for demotion and raiding lords are set, the lords can still find ways to make meritorious contributions, but the clan has no choice but to wait for them to be demoted from generation to generation.

Now, the emperor has given them new hope.

Even though the clan identity can definitely only be a civil official, and the ceiling for promotion is obvious, this is to ask the kings to do a good job of this big family with higher income and better business opportunities. Just like the poets and calligraphers have cultivated people and scholars from generation to generation, which one cultivates talents, and the head of the family can profit.

Even if he is demoted to the king of the county, if he cultivates two jinshi, then he will return to the prince?

Zhu Houxi smiled and looked at them thankfully.

As the highest-end "seven-grade test", Jinshi will definitely become more and more difficult in the future, after all, the general "civil servant" examination will only be the national examination and the provincial examination of the ninth grade examination, which are jokingly called the eight-grade examination.

Born in the clan, it is naturally impossible for them to come into contact with military affairs, and they will naturally ask the emperor's opinion for the selection and promotion of officials. But for the bottom of the clan, it is a way out after all, and the suzerains of each clan will also choose to fund cultivation for their own rank.

If there is really a jinshi in the clan, it must be a person of extraordinary intelligence.

There are not many such people, so the total burden of the clan is still controllable.

In any case, Zhu Houxi has to try his best to change the bad environment after they can do business by relying on their clan status, so they naturally have to be guided separately.

In the event of the big competition, the princes and brothers cheated in business, and the fine was shut down.

Compared with the punishment of Yan Shifan and Zhang Rong, the punishment of the clan was much lighter. But only Cui Yuan knew that this case would be published in "Ming Pao" to warn those middle and low-level clans who did not need to enter Beijing with the vassal king.

King Rui in the Qianqing Palace was silent the whole time, watching the emperor silently beat and collect the heart of the vassal king.

His mood was complicated, he knew that the queen mother had some resentment against the emperor in his heart, and he still faintly hoped for some possibilities. Originally, she wouldn't have thought like that. But after experiencing the emperor's fear of using their mother and son as bait and during that period of rebellion, she began to think so.

It's just that King Rui is now very clear that there is no chance to have a chance, as long as this imperial uncle is still on the throne.

He is a person who has already caught up with Taizu Taizong in both civil and martial arts.

King Rui was worried about his mother's performance in Kunning Palace. With such an identity and experience, the young King Rui is actually much more mature than his mother.

The atmosphere in the Qianqing Palace became more and more harmonious, and the emperor and the kings started to make a family routine. When chatting with the young Rui Wang, he asked him about his recent studies.

"Back to Your Majesty, Your Majesty has given your nephew the schoolwork, and the nephew has been doing it with all his heart." Zhu Zaiyan replied respectfully.

In the complicated eyes of the other kings, Zhu Houxi nodded: "Zai Yan, you, like the crown prince and the king of Yue, were taught by me personally. I hope that you will study hard, and if you pass the Jinshi examination in the future, I will issue a decree to pardon your biological father's family for the crime of complicity in usurpation in the past. ”

The young man Zhu Zaiyan was moved after all, and his eyes were slightly red: "Your Majesty is lenient!" The nephew must study with his heart. ”

During the Mid-Autumn Festival, his biological father and mother were still confined within the high walls, and he was the stepson of the former emperor. He had a resentful queen mother, but he also had an emperor teacher who had really regarded him as a student all these years.

Zhu Zaiyan, who is sandwiched in so many important identities, is not cheerful, and his feelings for the emperor are very complicated.

Zhu Houxi knows that their feelings for him are very complicated, and there must be many rights and wrongs in the past and in the future.

But his gaze and gaze would not linger long on these trivial aspects of suspicion, and for him it would be enough to do what he thought was right.

At night, the Qianqing Palace was brightly lit and lively.

Zhu Houxi caught a glimpse of the loneliness in Lin Qingping's eyes, and comforted him softly: "After the New Year, Zaiyu will return to Beijing." ”

During the Mid-Autumn Festival, her mother misses her son who is far away in Yunnan.

During the Mid-Autumn Festival, the meda on the grassland is nothing more than this kind of Han festival.

Now, he just looked at the richer information that had been collected from Tibet for more than half a year.

In the middle of October, the Ming Dynasty's strong southern expedition defeated the army of the three divisions.

There are more powerful cannons, and there are more cannons that can be mounted on the car.

These are all okay, the firearms of the Han people are already powerful.

What made me feel cold was how the Han people prepared the logistics of grain, grass and military materials by surprise between the treacherous mountains and rivers.

In the past, Meng Yuan went on a southern expedition, and he still remembered the records handed down in the clan, and he knew how difficult it was.

Yunnan Tusi, inside and outside is not without contact. The preparation of the Han people, those toasts in Waidian should definitely know. But this time, were they defeated by a sneak attack because they were not well prepared, or were they actually well prepared and defeated like they were really devastated?

In the border city on Duoyan's side, the Khan Court is closer. When the Tumut tribe passed, it always said that it had been bought by the Khan's side.

Do you want the Tumut tribe to plunder the horse teams of the Khan's court and intensify the conflict now?

In the past three years, in addition to helping Gunbilik conquer Qinghai, I have only cleared out the remnants of the small tribe of Warat in the northwest of Tumut, and exercised the combat strength of the generals under his command.

Gunbiric no longer has the heart to be aggressive, and although he sings every night, his body can still survive.

"Huadang is indeed dead?" I asked.

"It's dead. Now in the Duoyan Division, it is his grandson Gramtai who is in charge. ”

I replied and nodded: "It's been three years, and Duoyanbu should be a lot richer." This year, let's go to Daning! ”

"Khan, Na Khan Court and Ming ......"

"You can't just wait. After Tang Shunzhi went to Shaanxi, Gunbilik was reluctant to loot easily, and only dared to persecute Turpan and the old Warat in the west. went to Daning and robbed the Duoyan Division, if those three were completely annexed by the Han Chinese, it was the Khan Court and Yong Xie Bu who bordered them. ”

I replied and made up my mind: "Let the man who is full of bald people pretend to be Chahar, and pretend to be better." The flags and outfits left by the people who rescued Chahar back then were all given to him! ”

This operation doesn't require too many people, just looting.

The grassland is vast, Daning is in the mountains, there is a chance if you have a heart or not.

Shortly after his death, Gramtai was young, and his attention was within the clan.

The township test of the Ming Dynasty began, and the governors of the provinces and the political envoys of Zuo Bu were preparing to leave for Beijing. Their triennial major policy meeting is also a special period for many prominent successions, and it is probably difficult to take care of the outside in time.

Wang Zhi got on the sea boat to Manraka, and Yan Shifan was still on the way.

Unbeknownst to the young Grantai, a sneak attack was brewing against his Duoyan Division, and he was preparing for the last two Obian Cities before winter. When winter comes, and the snow covers the mountains, the silver will be reduced, and every family looks forward to the benefit that the lord of the tribe will give them.

To the north of the side wall, I am preparing.

The wind in the south has just risen, and the cold in the north has arrived.

(End of chapter)