The world of film and television starts from the flow of money

Spring of the second year of Zhaowu.

The third day of March.

At the beginning of the Yin hour, the Forbidden City was still shrouded in the darkness before dawn. Hundreds of officials waiting to enter the court had gathered outside the Meridian Gate. They lined up neatly according to their ranks and were silent.

The imperial guards stood on both sides holding torches, and the flickering flames cast flickering shadows on the solemn faces of the officials.

Wang Chengen, the eunuch in charge of the Imperial Household Department, stood on the white marble steps, holding a whisk in his hand, and scanning the officials with a sharp gaze. His voice was shrill but still majestic: "All officials, please dress yourselves—"

There was a rustling sound, and officials began to straighten their black hats and official uniforms.

Sun Shenxing, the Minister of Rites, stood at the front of the civil servants' queue, smoothing out a wrinkle on his crimson official robe with trembling fingers. Despite the chilly spring weather, Li Ruhua, the Minister of Revenue behind him, kept wiping the fine beads of sweat oozing from his forehead with his sleeves.

"Inspect the hu--"

The officials all raised their ivory tablets in unison. The guards from the East Factory shuttled through the queue, carefully checking whether each person's tablet was in compliance with the regulations. A young censor's tablet was confiscated on the spot because it was slightly shorter, and his face turned pale instantly.

At 3:30 pm, three whips were heard from the tower of the Meridian Gate. The heavy palace gate slowly opened with a dull creaking sound. Officials entered the palace in order of rank, their boots making a clacking sound on the bluestone slabs soaked with morning dew.

In the square in front of the Fengtian Temple, the bronze crane incense burner has been lit. The finest ambergris mixed with the morning mist, forming a thin layer of green smoke in the square.

Cao Yubian, the Left Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, was walking in the queue when he was suddenly tripped. He secretly thanked God that he did not fall, otherwise he would have been guilty of disrespect.

On both sides of the Danchi, Jinyiwei strongmen dressed in flying fish clothes, with embroidered spring swords on their waists, stood still like sculptures. Their eyes were as sharp as eagles, monitoring every official who entered the court.

When Cui Chengxiu, the assistant minister of the Ministry of War, passed by, he clearly felt that the gaze of a Jinyiwei lingered on him for a moment longer, which made his back instantly soaked with cold sweat.

All the officials stood in the square according to the rules of civil officials in the east and military officials in the west. The civil officials were led by Sun Shenxing, and the military officials were led by Yang Hao, the left commander of the Five Military Commands Office. They formed neat square formations. Everyone lowered their heads and stared at the tip of their tablets, not daring to overstep the line.

Suddenly, a clear bell rang from the direction of Fengtian Gate. The eunuch of the Imperial Household Department sang loudly: "The Emperor has arrived!"

All the officials knelt on the ground, their foreheads pressed against the cold gold bricks. The official in charge of ceremonies from the Ministry of Rites shouted:

"Knock—head—"

"Long live my emperor! Long live!"

The cheers of "Long live the emperor" echoed in the square.

Yi Huawei, wearing a twelve-chapter-patterned imperial robe, walked slowly, surrounded by thirty-six eunuchs. His dragon boots stepped on the imperial road paved with white marble, making a dull "click, click" sound. The gold thread on the imperial robe flashed a cold light in the morning light.

Yi Huawei ascended the throne and turned to face the ministers.

Wang Chengen immediately stepped forward and straightened the hem of his imperial robe. Two young eunuchs lifted the dragon throne and gently lowered it, making sure it was in the right position.

"Everyone is safe."

Yi Huawei's voice was not loud, but everyone could hear it clearly.

After the officials kowtowed again, they stood up cautiously. At this time, the first ray of sunlight just passed through the clouds and shone on the golden roof of the Fengtian Hall, coating the whole scene with a layer of sacred golden light.

His eyes slowly swept over the ministers. When Yi Huawei's eyes fell on someone, that person would unconsciously tense up. Zhao Shiqing, the assistant minister of the Ministry of Revenue, was standing in the third row. He suddenly felt dizzy and lowered his head in a hurry.

Wang Chengen took a step forward and unfolded the imperial edict in his hand: "The grand court meeting of the second year of Zhaowu begins now! If you have a petition, proceed. If you don't, leave the court!"

Usually, officials would come out to report on the matter, but today everyone was silent. There was a strange tension in the air, and even breathing became audible.

"Li Qing."

Yi Huawei's face was calm, and he could not tell whether he was happy or angry. He glanced at everyone and landed on Li Ruhua, the Minister of Revenue, and asked calmly, "How was the grain harvest last year?"

"Reply to Your Majesty."

When Li Ruhua stepped out of the line, he stepped on the corner of his robe. He stumbled, swallowed his saliva, and raised his voice by an octave:

"Last year, the total grain production in China was... 32 million dan of rice and 18 million dan of wheat. The trials of planting new crops in northern Zhili, Shandong, Henan and other places have achieved remarkable results, with the new crops converting 8.6 million dan of grain into grain."

There was a gasp in the hall. In this agricultural country, grain production was directly related to the rise and fall of the country. Such a huge number meant that the empire's granary would be filled as never before.

Li Ruhua straightened his back and continued:

"Shuntian Prefecture planted 30,000 mu of new crop potatoes, with a total output of 240,000 dan... Baoding Prefecture planted 20,000 mu of corn, with a total output of 120,000 dan...

Jinan Prefecture: 50,000 mu of sweet potatoes, with a total output of 350,000 dan; Dongchang Prefecture: corn intercropped with potatoes, with an output of 9 dan per mu; Kaifeng Prefecture: sandy sweet potato yield increased by 400,000 dan; Huaiqing Prefecture: mountain corn feeds 50,000 poor people..."

Shi Xing suddenly interrupted, "Can these figures be verified?"

Li Ruhua immediately responded: "The Tongpan of each prefecture and the Qianhu of Jinyiwei will double check it."

"His Majesty!"

Wang Ji, the censor of the Metropolitan Censorate, suddenly stepped out and said, "I have a question! Shandong suffered from a locust plague last year, so how could there be surplus grain to build warehouses?"

"Isn't it that Censor Wang is looking at the old files from the first year of Taichang?"

Li Ruhua replied calmly: "Last year, Shandong switched to growing sweet potatoes, and locusts don't eat tubers."

As he spoke, he turned to look at the emperor and added: "Shandong has surveyed 480,000 mu of hidden farmland, and 300,000 catties of potato seeds have been distributed. Based on an acreage yield of 8 dan, next year's income can be increased by 3.8 million dan."

"During the Yongle reign, the Beijing granary had only 3 million shi of grain. In the 14th year of the Zhengtong reign, the shortage of grain in the capital led to a mutiny among the army and civilians. Last year, the potatoes produced in Shuntian Prefecture alone were enough to feed a million troops for half a year. ... This achievement is all due to the joint efforts of you and the people. I will record your contributions and reward you accordingly."

Yi Huawei nodded slightly, and before the ministers began to sing his praises, he immediately changed the subject:
"Those who have made contributions should be rewarded, and those who have made mistakes should be punished! Zhejiang reported that it had 900,000 dan of grain in stock, but the actual inventory was only 630,000 dan. ... 270,000 dan of grain is enough to feed 50,000 troops for half a year!"

After a pause, Yi Huawei's voice turned cold:
"Bring up the prisoner!"

Following the sound of heavy footsteps, a team of guards escorted several people into the hall.

Yi Huawei clapped his hands:
"Wang Lu, the ambassador of the Changping Warehouse of Pingyang Prefecture, Shanxi, is short of 1,200 dan of grain."

"Zhao De'an, the co-magistrate of Ningbo Prefecture in Zhejiang, resold disaster relief grain."

"Zhou Shichang, the grain official in Huguang, passed off inferior goods as good ones."

The emperor's voice was icy: "Today at noon, the execution will be carried out in Xishi. All property will be confiscated and all nine clans will be exiled to Qiongzhou."

Zhao Dean suddenly struggled, his chains rattling, "I am innocent!"

"Unjustly accused? Without solid evidence, do you think the Royal Guards would dare to arrest you?"

Yi Huawei raised his hand to signal, and the guard immediately hit Zhao De'an's knee with an iron bar. The sound of bones breaking and screams echoed in the square.

The ministers were silent.

Only Zhao De'an's intermittent wails echoed between the beams. Wang Honghui, the Minister of Justice, lowered his head and stared at the golden thread on the seams of his court boots, his Adam's apple rolling up and down, his hands tightly grasping the tablet under his sleeves, his knuckles turning blue and white.

As soon as the newly promoted Shujishi Zhou Yingbin's eyes met Zhao Dean's distorted face, he suddenly lowered his head as if burned by fire, and cold sweat slid down his neck into his collar.

"Minister Yang."

The Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites suddenly touched his colleague with his sleeve and said in a very low voice: "Last year, the canal transport you were in charge of was rerouted. Did you settle the accounts?"

The official called Yang Shilang shuddered all over and the ivory tablet in his hand almost slipped. He forced out a cold smile: "Master Zhang, you are joking. I have always been law-abiding." But before he could finish his words, they caught a glimpse of the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard glancing over here with an expressionless face. They felt as if they fell into an ice cellar and dared not say another word.

Yi Huawei raised his hand slightly, and several guards dragged the three people away.

Yi Huawei stood up from the dragon throne, and the sun, moon and star patterns on his robe sparkled in the sun.

"Today, I have a few things to announce."

His voice was calm, but it made everyone feel a chill. A sixth-rank official standing in the back row suddenly felt weak in the legs and almost fell to the ground, but fortunately he was supported by his colleagues in time.

As Yi Huawei finished speaking, Zhang Xianzong, the head of the Ministry of Rites, came with four young eunuchs, carrying an agarwood box and walking quickly from the direction of Wenyuan Pavilion. The sound of their boots stepping on the blue bricks was particularly clear in the silence.

"Long live my emperor! Long live!"

Zhang Xianzong knelt down and presented the wooden box.

Yi Huawei took the gilded key handed over by Wang Chengen and inserted it into the lock. The moment the wooden box opened, a musty smell mixed with camphor hit him. Sun Shenxing suddenly stumbled forward, his official hat tilted to one side. As soon as his trembling fingers touched the edge of the scroll, he was kicked away by Qiu Chengyun.

"Get out!"

Qiu Chengyun shouted coldly, and the iron boots under his python robe crushed Sun Shenxing's fingers: "Is this something you can touch?"

"This... this is really the original Hongwu!"

Cao Yubian, the Left Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, suddenly stumbled forward, knelt down and crawled two steps, and said in a trembling voice: "I have seen a copy in the Imperial College in Nanjing. This blood stain... this binding... is correct!"

His face suddenly turned extremely pale, and as he stared at the words on the title page of the code: "Any official who embezzles more than 60 taels of silver shall be skinned and stuffed with straw," his hands in his sleeves began to tremble involuntarily.

Li Zi, the Minister of Works, suddenly kowtowed heavily: "Your Majesty! The harsh laws and punishments in Dagao are probably not suitable for a prosperous era..."

"Xu Aiqing."

Yi Huawei interrupted him and stroked a blood stain on the code with his finger: "Do you know whose blood this is?"

Without waiting for an answer, he continued, "In the eighteenth year of Hongwu, the Ministry of Revenue's Vice Minister Guo Huan was found guilty of corruption, and Emperor Taizu personally smashed his head with this code."

Cui Chengxiu's knees suddenly went weak, and the hem of his official robe became stained darkly.

Yi Huawei took the book, glanced at the ministers, and said in a deep voice:

"From now on, the 'Six Prohibitions' of Da Gao will be restored..."

His voice was not loud, but it echoed clearly in the square:

"First, officials who embezzle more than 60 taels of silver will be skinned and stuffed with straw.

Second, anyone who privately hoards land and fails to report it will have his entire family exiled.

Third, merchants who drive up prices will be executed immediately.

Fourthly, those who cheat in the imperial examination will not be allowed to take the examination for three generations.

Fifth, any soldier who falsely receives pay will be beheaded and his head displayed to the nine borders.

Sixth, those who make irresponsible comments on state affairs shall be punished by having their tongues clamped..."

Yi Huawei suddenly threw the code onto the table, and the dull thud startled several officials.

"Do you know why the incomplete copy was found?"

He pointed to the missing corners of the classics: "During the Yongle period, an imperial censor suggested abolishing the Dagao. Emperor Chengzu stuffed a torn page down his throat and choked him to death."

The breathing in the square almost stopped.

In the corner, the new Minister of Medicine, Ping Yizhi, suddenly stepped out:
"I ask Your Majesty to clarify whether there are any provisions related to medicine in the code?"

This inappropriate question eased the tense atmosphere. Yi Huawei raised his lips slightly, "Yes. In the 27th year of Hongwu, the crime of 'incompetent doctors killing people and conspiring to commit treason' was added. Do you want to try it, Lord Ping?"

Ping Yizhi remained calm and said, "Every dose of medicine I take has been checked by three people, so I am not afraid of being checked."

Xu Guangqi frowned, gently pulled the corner of Sun Shenxing's clothes, and whispered, "Mr. Sun! You are a master of Confucian classics, do you really want to implement such a cruel law?"

Sun Shenxing smiled bitterly: "Did you see what His Majesty is wearing today?"

Xu Guangqi was stunned.

"Twelve-Chapter Patterned Robe."

Sun Shenxing whispered, "This is the ceremonial dress for offering sacrifices to heaven. Your Majesty is not discussing this with your ministers today, but is...offering sacrifices to Taizu."

His eyes swept over the ministers, and all of them were silent.

Yi Huawei began to announce the second thing.

"Each prefecture, state or county has a newspaper office to publish the imperial decrees and important agricultural news."

Yi Huawei said calmly: "If a tabloid discusses government affairs without permission, they will be punished by having their tongues clamped."

Li Wenyuan, the editor of the Imperial Academy, suddenly stepped out and said, "Your Majesty, can you allow scholars to submit letters and discuss politics?"

"can."

Yi Huawei nodded, his lips slightly raised: "But it needs to be verified by the Tongzhengsi."

His fingers tapped three times on the armrest of the dragon throne. This subtle movement made Wang Chengen, who was standing at the foot of the altar, immediately understand. The old eunuch stepped forward quickly, took out a roll of exquisitely crafted newspaper from his arms, and raised his hands high above his head.

"This is the first issue of the Ming Daily."

Yi Huawei's voice echoed in the Fengtian Hall: "From today on, it will be published on the first and fifteenth day of every month."

Cao Yubian, the Left Censor-in-Chief of the Metropolitan Censorate, had his brows twisted into the shape of a "川" character. He subconsciously touched his throat, as if he had already felt the cold touch of the "tongue clamp punishment". Standing behind him, the Imperial Censor Wang Shaohui was even more pale, as his private tabloid "Beijing Gossip" had just published an article satirizing the new policy.

Yi Huawei raised his hand slightly, and Xu Xi, the new doctor of the Cultural Department, immediately stepped out and unfolded a scroll of detailed regulations:

"The specific implementation rules of Da Ming Pao are as follows:
The General Newspaper Office was set up in the Tongzheng Department, which was directly under the jurisdiction of the Propaganda Department. Each province had a branch newspaper office, which was supervised by the prefect. Each prefecture and county had a news dispatch office, which was supervised by the teacher.

Content regulation: front page: imperial decrees, changes in laws; second page: agricultural news, solar terms guidance; third page: performance evaluation of local officials; fourth page: letters from scholars (need to be stamped with the Tongzhengsi seal)

All government offices must post it, have it delivered by express horses from the post stations, and have the village covenant read out loud (for those who are illiterate, the village head will recite it).

The Ming Daily was distributed free of charge, and the silver required was paid from the special expenditure of salt tax. Each provincial government set up a paper mill for special supply.

After reading the charter, Xu Xi added, "One hundred thousand copies of the first issue have been printed and are being sent to various prefectures, states and counties."

Li Wenyuan suddenly stepped out of the line, his boots making a harsh sound as they rubbed against the gold bricks. This young imperial official had beads of sweat on his forehead, but his eyes were firm:
"Your Majesty, I would like to ask, if a scholar's letter is rejected by the Ministry of Public Administration, can he appeal?"

Yi Huawei's mouth curled up slightly: "You can appeal to the Censorate, but..."

After a pause, he gently tapped the dragon case with his finger: "If it is found to be malicious slander, it will be dealt with according to the Great Edict."

Zhou Daodeng, the Imperial College's chief academic officer standing in the back row, suddenly started coughing violently. He thought of the "crazy words" that the students had circulated privately recently, and his hands in his sleeves trembled.

The new head of the Propaganda Department, Song Yingxing, came out to report:

"I have trained 300 storytellers, who will go to various villages to read newspapers. I will also set up newspaper reading booths at post stations and markets to give lectures at noon every day."

He unfolded a detailed map, which was densely marked with red dots:

"Northern Zhili has set up 120 newspaper reading booths, each with a literate clerk. Shanxi and Shandong..."

Xu Guangqi suddenly interrupted him: "How much silver will this cost?"

Song Yingxing said calmly: "Each pavilion costs three taels to build, and the annual maintenance cost is no more than five taels. Compared with the disaster relief expenses in previous years..."

He was interrupted by a commotion. Several local officials were talking to each other, apparently calculating how much less money they would make from the new policy.

Yi Huawei suddenly stood up, and the gold thread on his robe flashed a cold light in the sunlight:
"The East Factory has closed down seven tabloids in Beijing."

He walked down the steps slowly: "Where is the editor-in-chief of Beijing Chats?"

Two Jinyiwei dragged a middle-aged man dressed as a scholar to the front of the palace. The man's lips were already bloody and fleshy - the mark of the "tongue clamp punishment".

"My dear ministers, please see clearly."

The emperor's voice was eerily calm: "This is the fate of those who make irresponsible remarks about state affairs."

In the queue of the Metropolitan Censorate, an imperial censor fainted on the spot. Ping Yizhi, who had been prepared, immediately stepped forward and pricked him with a silver needle to wake him up.

Waving his hand, signaling to drag the censor away, Yi Huawei sat back on the dragon chair, took a sip of tea, coughed lightly, and continued:
"Now announce the third thing!"

(End of this chapter)