Done! Your Majesty is going to prostitute me for free!

When Lin Xiaofeng heard the news, he was stunned for a moment, and a hint of barely perceptible excitement flashed in his eyes. Then, he sighed, and the breath was long and powerful, as if it was a torrent gushing out from the depths of his heart, with endless emotion and relief, as if he wanted to spit out all the depression that had been accumulated in his heart since the Jiannu entered the pass. Over the past six months, the threat of the Jiannu was like a huge rock, pressing on his heart, making him exhausted and unable to sleep at night. He could only rely on exercise to relieve his depression. Whenever it was late at night, he would always swing his sword alone in the imperial garden. The sword light was like lightning, cutting off not only the night wind, but also the sorrow in his heart.

But then again, although the Jian Nu burned, killed and looted, they failed to shake the foundation of the Ming Dynasty. Lin Xiaofeng thought to himself: "To be honest, is the Ming Dynasty short of money? Is it short of people? None of them! What is really sad is that they have messed up the order of the court." It has been almost half a year since the Jian Nu entered the pass. At the beginning, they only made trouble in the north, and the south was relatively peaceful. But a few months later, Shandong also fell, and there was no news between the north and the south. At that time, the court was in a panic. Everyone was afraid of taking responsibility, and no one dared to make a decision easily. Fortunately, the prince was in Nanjing to supervise the country and stabilize the situation, otherwise the south of the Yellow River would be in chaos.

At this moment, when Guo Tianyang heard the good news, his face suddenly lit up with joy. He immediately knelt down, with an excitement that could not be concealed in his voice: "Your Majesty, this is really a sign of a good harvest, and the Jiannu's exit from the pass is also a happy event! Double happiness!" Lin Xiaofeng nodded, his eyes flashing with determination and hope. He looked up at the sky again and sighed: "My Ming Dynasty will not perish!" But soon, he regained his composure, his eyes became deep and steady. He looked at the soaked Jinyiwei next to him, knowing that he had just rushed from the snow to report the news, so he said with concern: "The soldiers and scouts on the front line have worked hard, Guo Tianyang, you go and give them rewards." The Jinyiwei was so moved that tears came down, thanked him repeatedly, and left the hall.

After Guo Tianyang and the Jinyiwei left, Lin Xiaofeng turned to look at the painter. The painting was already finished, a magnificent picture depicting the Ming Dynasty. He looked carefully at the magnificent mountains and rivers in the painting, surrounded by clouds and mist, as if he could glimpse the future glory of the Ming Dynasty. He couldn't help but praise: "Well done, reward!" The painter also hurriedly thanked him and left in a hurry.

Not long after, the three ministers of the cabinet and the chief minister Li Banghua all arrived. Congratulations came one after another, and the hall was filled with a festive atmosphere. Lin Xiaofeng introduced them to the main topic, took out the design of the national flag, and asked them what they thought. The four people were stunned when they saw it, and gathered in front of the dragon case to study it carefully. The national flag is rectangular, the main color is blue, there is a yellow circle in the middle surrounding a white moon, and the edge is inlaid with red. The design is simple and meaningful. Li Banghua and the others had never heard of the national flag before, and Miao Yikui asked curiously.

Lin Xiaofeng thought for a moment and explained, "The national flag represents my presence in person. Just imagine, when the soldiers see this flag on the battlefield, it is as if they see me, how high their morale will be!" People at that time may not understand the political significance and historical culture behind it, but the words "as if I were there in person" can lift people's spirits. After hearing this, the four ministers were in awe, as if they had seen the flag fluttering in the wind on the battlefield.

Lin Xiaofeng continued, "The presence of the national flag means that I am here. My will will fly with this flag, and I will fight together with the soldiers on the battlefield." His voice was firm and powerful, and every word seemed to carry infinite power. Li Banghua and the others heard this and felt that it made a lot of sense. They knew how important this flag was to boost morale. Sometimes victory or defeat on the battlefield depends on this flag. The presence of the flag means that the king is here, and morale is naturally high.

Li Banghua asked again who should be in charge of the flag, and Lin Xiaofeng said proudly: "From the imperial guards to the border defense and the navy, everyone must change to this flag. Wherever the national flag is raised, that is the territory of our Ming Dynasty; the people under the flag are all the army of our Ming Dynasty. Anyone who dares not respect the national flag is treason!" His voice resounded throughout the hall, and every word was full of majesty and power. After hearing this, the four ministers all bowed to the ground and shouted long live the emperor. Their hearts were full of admiration for the emperor and longing for the future of the Ming Dynasty.

Lin Xiaofeng's mood calmed down a little. At this time, Guo Tianyang hurried in and reported: "Minister of Justice Meng Zhaoxiang, Supreme Court Minister Ling Yiqu, and Left Censor-in-Chief Shi Bangyao want to see Your Majesty because the case of Yangwu Marquis Xue Lian has been concluded." The four ministers of the cabinet tactfully stepped aside and gave their seats to the officials of the three judicial departments.

Lin Xiaofeng smiled and nodded, with a hint of admiration in his eyes: "These three judges are really interesting. They closed the case just after the Jiannu came out of the customs. It seems that they are all loyal ministers of the Ming Dynasty!" There was a bit of ridicule in his words, but more of an affirmation of the ministers. So, he ordered them to come in and wanted to see how they closed the case. At this moment, the atmosphere in the hall became solemn again, and everyone was looking forward to the result of the next trial.

"Your Majesty, I have something important to report." Meng Zhaoxiang, the assistant minister of the Ministry of Justice, bowed and saluted. His tone was heavy and there was a hint of imperceptible worry between his brows. "Regarding the case of Yangwu Marquis Xue Lian, the truth has now been found out. This is conclusive evidence of his guilt." As he spoke, he raised the case file high, raised his hands over his head, and respectfully presented it to the emperor. The case file seemed to carry a huge weight, and the air froze.

Guo Tianyang was about to reach out to take it, but he saw Lin Xiaofeng gently shaking his head, his eyes deep, signaling him to stop. Lin Xiaofeng sat on the dragon chair, his face calm, as if everything was under control. "It is the responsibility of the three judicial officials to try the case. I just want to know what crime Xue Lian has committed." His voice was not loud, but it was full of unquestionable majesty.

Meng Zhaoxiang swallowed his saliva, took a deep breath, and began to report in detail, every word seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth: "Your Majesty, after strict review by the three judicial departments, combined with the testimony of the people of Tongzhou, the confession of the servants of the Marquis' Mansion, the statement of the Governor Wang Aoyong, and the identification of the East Factory Admiral Gu Chaosheng, Yangwu Marquis Xue Lian was confirmed to have committed heinous crimes such as occupying the people's land, killing more than three innocent people (almost wiping out the whole family, the victims were not sentenced to death), bribing officials, and massacring the people. His evil deeds are too numerous to list, and he is truly a shame to our Ming Dynasty!"

Meng Zhaoxiang's words echoed in the hall, and every word hit everyone's heart like a heavy hammer. Li Banghua, Cheng Qinghua, and Shao Shihan looked at each other and sighed secretly. It seemed that the Xue family was at the end of the road. Their eyes showed both anger at Xue Lian's crimes and helplessness at the tragedy that was about to happen.

Miao Yikui was a little slow to react, and was about to leave when he felt Lin Xiaofeng's sharp gaze, which made him stand still involuntarily. Lin Xiaofeng mistakenly thought that he had a different opinion, so he asked, "If Minister Qiu has any good ideas, please speak up."

Miao Yikui was stunned, not knowing what was going on. He could only look back at his three colleagues behind him, their eyes full of confusion and expectation. At this point, he had to bite the bullet and speak: "I think... although the three judges have sentenced Xue Lian to a serious crime, Xue Lian's family may not know about it, and exiling them seems a bit too harsh." His voice trembled slightly, and it was obvious that this was not his true inner thought, but he had to say it because of the situation.

Lin Xiaofeng was initially displeased because he pleaded for Xue Lian, and his brows slightly furrowed, but then he remembered that Concubine Yuan's niece-in-law was Xue Lian's daughter-in-law, and Concubine Yuan was deeply favored, so the matter became complicated. If Concubine Yuan's niece-in-law was exiled, it would inevitably cause controversy and might even affect the stability of the harem. If even the emperor's concubines and relatives could not be saved, how could we expect others to be loyal to the royal family?

Although severely punishing Xue Lian would please the people, Lin Xiaofeng knew that this would not really win the hearts of officials. Officials are not fools. They enter the government not only for wealth and honor, but also for privileges. And privileges are often closely linked to extrajudicial favors. He looked at the sky outside the window, with a lot of thoughts in his mind. The lessons of history told him that although severe punishments can temporarily deter people, it is difficult to maintain long-term rule.

In every dynasty, there are two sets of laws, one set is used to govern the people, and the other set is used by the emperor to pardon officials. The open law is strict, and the hidden law is lenient. This is the way the emperor controls talents. Since he ascended the throne, Lin Xiaofeng has emphasized harsh laws, but ignored the hidden law, which has caused officials to become alienated. This is a major drawback of the government.

Then he turned to look at the cabinet ministers, his eyes deep, as if he could see into everyone's heart: "What do you think?" His voice was not loud, but it carried an indescribable majesty.

Cheng Qinghua was about to speak, but Li Banghua gently nudged him with his arm, signaling him not to say more. Li Banghua stepped forward and said respectfully: "Your Majesty, we believe that the conviction should be strictly in accordance with the laws of the Ming Dynasty to win the hearts of the people." His voice was firm and powerful, and every word seemed to come from the bottom of his heart.

Cheng Qinghua and Shao Shihan also bowed their hands in agreement, their eyes filled with adherence to justice and awe of the imperial power.

Lin Xiaofeng's eyes flickered. The cabinet ministers' attitude was clear: Xue Lian would definitely die, and his family would also be implicated. Lin Xiaofeng also held this view. After all, Xue Lian's crimes were too numerous to list, and it would be difficult to appease the public anger without the death penalty. However, he had other plans in mind. He knew that true rule was not only about strict laws and punishments, but also about controlling people's hearts.

After a brief thought, he waved his hand to signal everyone to leave: "You all may leave, I need to think about this matter again." His voice was calm and firm, as if everything was under his control.

"We will take our leave." The ministers bowed and left the hall. Their backs lengthened in the afterglow of the setting sun, as if carrying a hint of imperceptible worry.

After leaving the Qianqing Palace and arriving at the Wenyuan Pavilion, Cheng Qinghua quietly asked Li Banghua: "Why did the elder stop me from speaking?" His eyes were full of confusion and puzzlement.

Li Banghua smiled slightly, his eyes revealing some profound meaning: "Fortunately, I stopped you in time, otherwise I would have caused unnecessary trouble." There was a bit of vicissitudes and wisdom in his words.

Seeing Cheng Qinghua's puzzled face, Li Banghua continued to explain: "Are you trying to plead for the Xue family? But have you ever thought that if His Majesty intends to pardon the Xue family, he will naturally issue an order according to what Miao Yikui said, so why would he ask us again?" His voice was low and powerful, and every word seemed to come from the bottom of his heart.

"Remember, don't flatter your superiors against your will, and don't speculate on the emperor's intentions. These are acts that harm yourself, His Majesty, and the Ming Dynasty." Li Banghua said earnestly, "If you have something to say, say it. If you have opinions, raise them, but you must achieve unity of knowledge and action." His eyes were full of expectations and teachings for Cheng Qinghua.

Cheng Qinghua was stunned when he heard this, half believing and half doubting. He looked at Li Banghua's departing back, his heart full of confusion and bewilderment. However, he knew Li Banghua's wisdom and experience, so he decided to put aside his doubts for the time being and wait for the development of the situation.

The next day, an imperial decree came from the palace: "Marquis of Yangwu Xue Lian is guilty of heinous crimes. He shall be stripped of his title and sentenced to death by slicing. His wife, children and accomplices shall all be beheaded in public. All his property shall be confiscated to compensate the victims." The decree swept through the streets of the capital like a cold wind, making everyone feel the majesty and inviolability of imperial power.

Li Banghua jumped up in shock when he heard the news. Although he was over 70 years old, his quickness was still shocking. "Eunuch Guo, where is His Majesty now? I want to plead for the Xue family!" He was sweating profusely and was extremely anxious. His eyes were full of worry about the fate of the Xue family and dissatisfaction with the imperial power.

Killing Xue Lian was reasonable, but how innocent were his wife and children? What's more, the military commanders were all paying attention to this matter, and their fate was closely linked to the nobles. Who could guarantee that their descendants would not make mistakes? Making mistakes is not terrible, but it is terrible not to be forgiven after making mistakes. As long as the family is not extinct, there is still hope for the Xue family, and the military commanders can rest assured. However, Lin Xiaofeng suddenly ordered the execution of the whole family, which was unheard of! Li Banghua's heart was filled with anger and helplessness.

Li Banghua was anxious and angry, but Guo Tianyang seemed unusually calm: "Master Li, please be patient, I haven't finished what I want to say yet." His voice was calm and powerful, as if everything was under his control.

"Hurry up and speak!" Li Banghua could no longer suppress his inner anxiety. His eyes were full of expectations and urging for Guo Tianyang.

Guo Tianyang cleared his throat and read out the decree aloud: "Considering that the first Yangwu Marquis Xue Lu had made great contributions to the country, the Xue family lineage must not be cut off, so Xue Lian's younger brother Xue Yun is specially ordered to inherit the title. I decree this." His voice echoed in the hall, and every word sounded like a heavy hammer striking everyone's heart.

Li Banghua was shocked when he heard this and stood there in a daze. After a moment, he came to his senses and led everyone to kneel down and kowtow: "Your Majesty is wise! We obey your command!" His voice was trembling and excited, as if he had just experienced a life-and-death test.

One day later, the first edition of Lin Xiaofeng's 17th year's headline reported in detail the whole story of Xue Lian's case and the outcome of the case. When the people heard that Xue Lian was about to be brought to justice, they all cheered. Xue Lian had committed many evil deeds and had long been a source of public outrage. This time, Lin Xiaofeng won the hearts of the people again. On the streets and alleys of the capital, people were discussing this incident and praising Lin Xiaofeng's wise decision.

The military commanders outside had no objection to this. Xue Lian suffered the consequences of his own actions, but the Xue family and the title were able to continue, which was enough. However, the nobles were unhappy because they knew that after Lin Xiaofeng got rid of Xue Lian, the next target would most likely be them. They looked in the direction of the capital, their eyes full of worry and uneasiness. However, they also knew that under the imperial power, no one could escape. They could only silently wait for the arrival of fate, hoping that their family could survive this storm safely.

On the first day of November, snowflakes fluttered lightly in the courtyard of the Qianqing Palace, like fine salt sprinkled from the sky, covering the ancient palace with a layer of white gauze. The snowflakes danced in the air and finally piled up quietly on the bluestone slabs, making a subtle and crisp sound, forming an inexplicable harmony with the quiet palace.

Gu Chaosheng, the governor of the East Factory, knelt on the ground, his heart beating like a drum, and the cold sweat on his forehead condensed into tiny ice beads in the cold air. "Your Majesty, do you really want to investigate this case?" His voice trembled slightly, and he was obviously afraid of the task he was about to face.

Lin Xiaofeng's face was as cold as ice. He stared at Gu Chaosheng sternly, as if he could see through every corner of his heart. "Go! If you don't get to the bottom of this matter, you'll be beheaded!" His voice was low and powerful, and every word seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth.

"Also, remember, the palace is in need of people right now, so don't use sticks at every turn. Just use the water torture I told you about before." There was a hint of unquestionable majesty in Lin Xiaofeng's words.

"I obey your order." Gu Chaosheng was so frightened that he trembled all over, quickly got up, and ran to the harem. His footsteps made a "squeaking" sound on the snow, like some kind of ominous omen.

When we arrived outside Kunning Palace, we saw Empress Zhou wearing a plain white dress that seemed so thin that it could be blown away by the wind. She stood quietly in the snow, as beautiful as a fairy falling from the sky, but her face was very melancholy, as if she was carrying a heavy burden. The snowflakes fell on her shoulders and were instantly melted by the coldness on her body.

From morning till night, the queen's face never looked better. Her eyes revealed a deep worry and helplessness, as if every corner of the palace was filled with a haze that she could not let go.

After a while, the queen gently moved her feet, took a small step back, and said to the palace maids and eunuchs around her: "I will give you one last chance. Whoever confesses voluntarily can save his life. Otherwise, when the East Factory takes over, it will be difficult to say whether he lives or dies." Her voice was soft but carried an irresistible power.

More than a hundred people lowered their heads, not daring to breathe. They were filled with fear and anxiety, and no one wanted to become a victim of this storm.

Seeing no one answering, the queen sighed, a trace of disappointment and helplessness flashed in her eyes. "Call Gu Chaosheng." She whispered.

After a while, Gu Chaosheng arrived. He knelt in front of the queen, and cold sweat oozed out of his forehead again. "Your servant greets Her Majesty the Queen." His voice trembled slightly, and it was obvious that he was full of awe for the queen.

The queen sighed again, and a gentle light flashed in her eyes. "Get up, I only have one request, when you torture someone, don't wrongly accuse any innocent person." Her voice was soft but with an unquestionable firmness.

"I understand." Gu Chaosheng responded quickly. He was secretly glad that at least the queen still retained a bit of humanity.

The queen gave a few more instructions before reluctantly leaving. Her figure gradually moved away in the snow, leaving behind a series of deep footprints.

As soon as the queen left, Gu Chaosheng's face turned grim. He sneered a few times, and the laughter echoed in the silent palace, frightening the surrounding maids and eunuchs to tremble all over. "Hehehehe... Listen, eunuchs stand on the left, maids stand on the right." He ordered loudly, his voice full of majesty and irresistible power.

Everyone quickly stood up as instructed, and then Gu Chaosheng assigned them numbers one by one. His movements were quick and accurate, as if he was playing a carefully planned game.

The first row is "one", then "two", "three", and so on to "eleven" and "twelve". The second row starts again from "one". Each number represents a life, a life that may soon face cruel punishment.

After the numbers were assigned, Gu Chaosheng asked someone to bring more than a hundred pieces of paper and inkstones and distributed them to everyone. "Each person takes a piece of paper and writes down the number of the person you suspect killed the eunuch." His voice was cold and ruthless, as if he was announcing a death sentence.

"No need to sign your name, just write whatever you want," he added, as if giving them a little comfort.

"Don't whisper to each other. Hand it in in a quarter of an hour." There was a hint of unquestionable majesty in his words.

At Gu Chaosheng's command, everyone immediately started writing in a hurry. Some people were illiterate, but they could still write numbers. This anonymous method made everyone feel at ease. The relationship in the palace was complicated, and one could get into trouble if one was not careful. Without solid evidence, who would dare to speak nonsense? Now that they were writing anonymously, everyone had nothing to worry about.

Soon, all the papers were handed in. Gu Chaosheng asked someone to count them and found that the eunuch Xiao Shunzi had the most votes, with five votes, followed by Xiao Kangzi, with four votes, and then Xiao Yongzi, with three votes. The others had either two votes or one vote, which was pitifully few.

Gu Chaosheng sneered and ordered: "Arrest Xiao Shunzi, Xiao Kangzi, and Xiao Yongzi!" His voice was cold and ruthless, as if he was announcing a death sentence.

The guards immediately stepped forward and tied up the three of them. Their eyes were filled with fear and despair, as if they had seen the cruel fate they were about to face.

The next thing was simple. The three eunuchs were subjected to water torture. They were tied tightly, upside down, with their faces covered with cloth, and then cold water was poured on them continuously. This torture tortured them to the point of excruciating pain, as if every inch of their skin was being burned by fire.

Why did Lin Xiaofeng use water torture? Because it was effective! It was said that 80% of people who had been subjected to water torture would confess; the remaining 20% ​​were tortured to death before they could confess. This shows how cruel this punishment was.

Sure enough, after watering the plants a few times, Xiao Shunzi couldn't bear it anymore: "Cough cough cough... Stop watering... I admit it!" His voice was weak and trembling, as if he had used up all his strength.

Gu Chaosheng waved his hand to let others leave, and personally interrogated them with a pen and paper: "I ask questions and you answer them." His voice was cold and ruthless, as if he was treating an insignificant object.

"Cough cough cough... I'll tell you everything I know." Xiao Shunzi's voice was weak and trembling, his eyes were full of fear and despair.

"How many murderers are there?" Gu Chaosheng asked coldly.

"Three, me, Xiao Kangzi, and Xiao Yongzi." Xiao Shunzi uttered these words with difficulty. "Who ordered it?" Gu Chaosheng's voice became even colder.

"Eunuch Gao asked us to do it." Xiao Shunzi's voice was so weak that it was almost inaudible.

"What's your name?" Gu Chaosheng's voice revealed a hint of impatience.

"Gao Qiqian." Xiao Shunzi finally said the name.

"Nonsense! Gao Qi is currently in Shanhaiguan. How could he possibly order you to kill people?" Gu Chaosheng slammed the table and shouted angrily.

"Someone is ordering us in his name." Xiao Shunzi's voice became even weaker.

"Who?" There was a hint of anxiety in Gu Chaosheng's voice.

……

Lin Xiaofeng fell into deep thought when he saw the three words "Gao Qiqian". Gao Qiqian was a master of military tactics, and the previous Lin Xiaofeng (referring to Lin Xiaofeng before he traveled through time) valued him very much. But what he did disappointed Lin Xiaofeng. Especially the death of Lu Xiangsheng, which made Lin Xiaofeng hate him to death. If Lu Xiangsheng was still alive, the Tianxiong Army would not have perished; if the Tianxiong Army had not perished, how could Li Zicheng dare to be so arrogant? It's a pity, there is no if in the world. Loyal ministers and righteous men died or fled, but treacherous ministers and villains were complacent. How sad!
"Guo Tianyang, where is Gao Qiquan now?" Lin Xiaofeng asked suddenly, with a hint of anxiety and anger in his voice.

"Your Majesty, before the bandits surrounded the capital, the Emperor ordered Gao Qiquan to be the military supervisor of Liaodong and go to Ningyuan. After arriving, he returned to Shanhaiguan with Wu Sangui." Guo Tianyang replied quickly, a hint of awe and uneasiness in his voice.

Lin Xiaofeng frowned, and a trace of deep thought and doubt flashed in his eyes. "Do you think Wu Sangui was involved in Xue Lian's case?" There was a trace of unquestionable majesty in his words.

"This..." Guo Tianyang hesitated, a hint of hesitation and uneasiness flashed in his eyes, "Shanhai Pass is 600 miles away from the capital. Even if the court tried its best to deliver the message, it would take at least two days to arrive."

Lin Xiaofeng thought about it and it made sense. It was only a day or two from the time Xue Lian was investigated to the time the eunuch was killed, so Wu Sangui had no time to get involved. Moreover, Wu Sangui could not control Gao Qiqian, but Gao Qiqian could order Wu Sangui in the name of the emperor. All these clues pointed to Gao Qiqian. What did he want to do?

Lin Xiaofeng quickly glanced at the confession and slammed the table: "That's right! Xue Lian took Gao Qiquan's token and ordered the eunuchs in the palace to kill the queen's eunuch. Before killing, he also forced the eunuch to tell the method of making fine salt and passed it on." His voice revealed a kind of surprise of sudden enlightenment.

"That's exactly what the confession said." Guo Tianyang responded quickly, with a flash of admiration and awe in his eyes. The emperor was so wise and powerful that he found a breakthrough in the case so quickly.

Lin Xiaofeng sneered, and a hint of coldness and determination flashed in his eyes. Everything is right! Good! Good! Good! See how I deal with you! He secretly swore in his heart that he must catch all these treacherous officials and villains in one fell swoop and avenge the loyal officials and righteous men!

In the warm room of Kunning Palace, the atmosphere was warm and slightly melancholy. Outside the window, snowflakes fell silently, covering the ancient palace with a layer of white gauze. In the room, the candlelight flickered, reflecting the graceful figure of Queen Zhou. Her curves were soft, like a moving painting. She leaned gently beside Lin Xiaofeng, holding her chin with her right hand, with a bit of worry between her eyebrows, and her bright eyes flashed with an uneasy light.

"Your Majesty, I failed to manage the harem properly. Not only did a murder occur, but the method of making fine salt was leaked." Her voice was soft but trembling slightly, and she obviously felt very guilty for her mistake.

Lin Xiaofeng looked at the beauty beside him, smiled and said gently: "How can I bear to blame you? However, small punishment and severe warning are necessary." His eyes were full of pampering, as if they could melt all sorrows.

Queen Zhou's cheeks first flushed slightly, then turned pale. She looked at Lin Xiaofeng with some fear and said in a low voice: "Your Majesty, didn't you punish me just now? How..." There was a hint of confusion and grievance in her voice.

"The previous account has been settled, but this is a new one!" Lin Xiaofeng interrupted her, with a tone of unquestionable majesty. He knew very well that as a king, he had to use both kindness and power to keep the harem peaceful.

Outside the window, snowflakes were falling again, and the lights in the palace were swaying in the wind, and then gradually stabilized. Lin Xiaofeng's breath also returned to calm, and he said leisurely: "I have handed over the fine salt industry to Jiading Earl. From tomorrow on, the palace is not allowed to make fine salt privately. The remaining fine salt should not be sold. I plan to reward it to the ministers." There was a trace of unquestionable firmness in his tone, and it was obvious that he had made a decision.

"Your Highness... obeys your order." Although Queen Zhou understood Lin Xiaofeng's meaning, she still felt a little disappointed. After all, this was the "career" she first tried, but now she had to give it up to someone else. How could she not feel emotional?
Seeing Queen Zhou's disappointment, Lin Xiaofeng laughed. He reached out and patted her shoulder gently, comforting her: "Don't worry, Zi Tong. I have a new business for you to manage." His eyes were full of trust and encouragement, as if to say: "You can do it!"

When Queen Zhou heard this, her eyes immediately lit up, and she hurried forward and asked, "Your Majesty, what is the new industry?" There was a hint of eagerness and anticipation in her voice, and it was obvious that she was very interested in the new task.

Lin Xiaofeng smiled but did not answer. He just said mysteriously, "Soap and cloth." His eyes flashed with a cunning light, as if to say, "This is a secret, waiting for you to uncover it."

The next morning, snowflakes were still falling, covering the ground with a thick layer of silver. Lin Xiaofeng did not go to court, but went to the fine salt workshop in the harem to direct the staff to prepare the materials for making soap. His figure looked particularly tall and straight in the snow, like a brave general commanding thousands of troops.

The supplies in the palace were very complete. In addition to lard as a source of oil, there were also lime water, soda ash (natural soda, the main component of which is sodium carbonate), salt flour, spices, flower petal powder, bamboo tube molds and large pots, etc. After everything was ready, Lin Xiaofeng began to direct the production of soap.

He first ordered people to add soda ash powder to lime water and filter out the residue to obtain sodium bicarbonate solution. Then put lard into the pot and boil it. When the oil temperature rises, slowly pour in the filtrate. Lin Xiaofeng watched and directed: "Pay attention to the heat and stirring speed, and stop when there is no oil film in the pot." There was a trace of unquestionable majesty and determination in his voice.

The eunuchs kept stirring the pot with long sticks, and soon they were sweating profusely. After nearly half an hour, the mixture in the pot gradually became viscous. Lin Xiaofeng knew that the time had come, and hurriedly ordered: "Add salt, spices and flower petal powder, stir well and pour into the mold." There was a hint of urgency and expectation in his tone, as if saying: "Quick! Quick! It will succeed!"

Watching the paste in the mold gradually take shape and harden, Lin Xiaofeng knew that the soap had been successfully made. However, this was only the first step. It still needed to wait for it to solidify and dry in the shade before it could be used, which would take about a month. He nodded with satisfaction, gave a few instructions to Guo Tianyang beside him, and then left with Queen Zhou.

Guo Tianyang stood in the courtyard and announced solemnly: "His Majesty asked you to make the palace's newest royal item today - soap. You have seen that the production process is simple but the craftsmanship is complicated. His Majesty allows you to participate because he trusts you." There was a hint of majesty and unquestionable power in his voice.

The eunuchs looked at each other, not knowing what the soap was for, but they all responded in unison: "We all know the rules of the palace." There was a hint of fear and uneasiness in their voices, and they were obviously a little confused about this new task.

Guo Tianyang nodded and said with satisfaction: "That's good to know. His Majesty has ordered that everyone present today will be rewarded, and it will be a generous reward! But... if anyone dares to leak the secret, the entire clan will be exterminated!" There was a hint of coldness and unquestionable firmness in his voice.

When the eunuchs heard this, they were so frightened that they all knelt on the ground and said, "We dare not!" There was a hint of trembling and fear in their voices, and it was obvious that they were very afraid of this severe punishment.

"Everyone, get up and follow me to get the reward!" After Guo Tianyang finished speaking, the eunuchs immediately cheered and competed to flatter Guo Tianyang. They knew that although this mission was a bit mysterious and dangerous, as long as they could complete it, they would get generous rewards and the trust of His Majesty.

After returning to Kunning Palace, Lin Xiaofeng began to inspect Queen Zhou's harem. He found that Queen Zhou was very interested in weaving, so there were many looms in the harem. So Lin Xiaofeng summoned the eunuchs in charge of the Weaving and Dyeing Bureau and the Armory Bureau to introduce them to the principles and advantages of the flying shuttle loom.

He stood in front of the loom, holding a drawing in his hand, and explained in detail the structure and working principle of the flying shuttle loom. Although Lin Xiaofeng had no experience in the textile industry in his previous life, he learned a lot of necessary knowledge for time travel from the short video, including the flying shuttle loom. This loom is more efficient and has a wider width than the traditional loom. In the past, one person could only weave one piece of cloth a month, but now he can weave four or even five pieces. This is undoubtedly a huge improvement in productivity!
Lin Xiaofeng emphasized, "If we want to promote social development, we must liberate and develop productivity. The key to the flying shuttle loom lies in the shuttle and the matching spring." He handed the spring drawing to the eunuch in charge of the Armory Bureau and instructed, "You have steel in the Armory Bureau, so try to make this spring. If it has good elasticity and is not easy to break, it will be considered a success; otherwise, continue to trial-produce it."

"When you succeed, I will definitely reward you handsomely!" Lin Xiaofeng said confidently. His eyes flashed with determination, as if to say, "As long as we work together, we will be able to create a better future!"

In November in Beijing, the cold wind was as sharp as a knife, and the biting cold seemed to penetrate the thick cotton clothes and reach the bone marrow. Pedestrians on the street hurriedly wrapped their clothes tightly and walked quickly with their heads down, trying to avoid the severe winter cold. However, in this cold season, there was a different scene in the palace.

Lin Xiaofeng, the young emperor, specially adjusted the rules of court attendance in order to show sympathy to the elderly ministers, such as Li Banghua, Cheng Qinghua and other respected senior officials. He changed the court attendance from daily to every other day. This was not out of laziness, but a sincere desire to reduce the fatigue of these elderly ministers who had devoted countless efforts to the country and the nation. This move undoubtedly caused a lot of fluctuations in the court, but more of it was admiration and gratitude for the young emperor.

On the third day of the Chinese New Year, Lin Xiaofeng received so many messages that they came in like snowflakes. Among them, there was a victory report from southern Xinjiang, saying that Jian Mingxiao successfully blocked Zhang Xianzhong's way to eastern Sichuan, preventing him from going west. This was undoubtedly good news, which made Lin Xiaofeng's frown relax a little. However, the rest of the news was all headaches: Hua Ruiqi failed to recapture Jingzhou and had to retreat to Yuezhou; Li Zicheng's main force went south again and headed directly for Huguang; and the three judicial departments began to try the case of Li Banghua's lax governance and suspected tax evasion and land occupation. All of this made Lin Xiaofeng feel stressed.

What was even more unexpected was that there was also chaos in the court in Nanjing. A juren Zhang Huangyan actually entered the court as an official. When Lin Xiaofeng heard the news, he was stunned for a moment, then shook his head with a wry smile. Before he had time to be surprised, the impeachment memorials from the Censorate, the Ministry of Personnel, and the Imperial Censor were piled up on his desk. They all said that there was a problem with Shi Kefa's recommendation of Zhang Huangyan, and suspected that there was something fishy. Lin Xiaofeng looked at these memorials, and a surge of anger surged in his heart. He picked up Zhang Huangyan's name, looked at it, and then threw the impeachment memorials directly into the fire. He smiled and said, "Huangyan can become one of the three pillars of the Southern Ming Dynasty. How could he be incompetent? It is a great thing for him to enter the officialdom at this time." His tone was full of trust and admiration for Zhang Huangyan.

Then, Lin Xiaofeng picked up the memorial of the joint trial of the three courts and asked Guo Tianyang: "How is the trial going at the three courts?" There was a hint of unquestionable majesty in his tone.

Guo Tianyang replied, "Your Majesty, this case seems to have been handled a little unfairly..." There was a hint of hesitation and uneasiness in his words.

"Unfair? What's unfair about it?" Lin Xiaofeng frowned, his tone revealing a hint of dissatisfaction and doubt.

"I dare not say anything careless. The officials from the three judicial departments will be here soon. Your Majesty will know the answer if he asks them personally." There was a hint of caution and awe in Guo Tianyang's words.

Lin Xiaofeng put the memorial back on the table, sat on the dragon chair and waited quietly. His eyes were deep and sharp, as if he could see through everything. After a while, the officials of the three judicial departments arrived. They all looked serious and walked hurriedly. Meng Zhaoxiang, the assistant minister of the Ministry of Justice, respectfully reported: "Your Majesty, the case in which Wang Hongzuo, the assistant minister of the Ministry of Revenue, impeached the cabinet chief Li Banghua for corruption, tax evasion, and land occupation has now been tried. No evidence has been found for tax evasion and land occupation, but Cheng De, the doctor of the Arsenal Department of the Ministry of War, did commit corruption, and he also said something irrelevant to the case during the trial." There was a hint of caution and awe in his words.

Lin Xiaofeng squinted his eyes and listened to Meng Zhaoxiang's report, his eyes flashing with wisdom. He said lightly: "Don't tell me the process, just tell me the result." There was a hint of unquestionable majesty and decisiveness in his tone.

Meng Zhaoxiang was stunned. In the past, he always let the emperor decide the result. He hesitated for a moment and replied, "Your Majesty, this matter still needs to be discussed with the ministers." There was a hint of helplessness and hesitation in his tone.

Lin Xiaofeng nodded in agreement. He recalled Li Banghua's previous expression and behavior, which seemed to have some hidden secrets and difficulties. So he said, "Let's discuss it tomorrow. You have worked hard." There was a hint of care and consideration in his tone.

After the officials from the three judicial departments left, Guo Tianyang hurried in to report, "Emperor Li Xingzhong and Shi Shouhong are asking to see you outside the palace." There was a hint of urgency and nervousness in his voice.

"Let them in." Lin Xiaofeng said calmly. His eyes flashed with wisdom, as if he could see through everything.

The two men came in and saluted but stood unsteadily. There was fear and uneasiness in their eyes, as if they had something important to report but dared not say it out loud. Lin Xiaofeng looked at them and suddenly asked a surprising question: "Do you think the first Ningyuan Earl deliberately nurtured enemies to strengthen his own strength when he was guarding Liaodong?" There was a hint of severity and doubt in his tone.

When this question came out, Li Xingzhong and Shi Shouhong were too scared to look up at Lin Xiaofeng. They secretly glanced at each other with fear and anxiety in their eyes. They froze there, as if they were frightened by this question and had lost their ability to react.

Lin Xiaofeng looked at them expressionlessly and continued, "Someone recently submitted a memorial saying that it was because Ningyuan Bo nurtured the bandits that the Jian Nu rose to power." There was a hint of indifference and severity in his tone, as if he had already made his own judgment on the issue.

Li Xingzhong's hair stood on end and sweat soaked his back. He kowtowed and said, "My ancestors were loyal to the court and would never do such a thing." There was a hint of trembling and fear in his voice.

Lin Xiaofeng ignored him and continued, "I obtained the Jiannu history book "The Veritable Records of the Qing Dynasty", which records the affairs of Nurhaci. Do you know how they wrote about the first Earl of Ningyuan?" There was a hint of mystery and majesty in his tone, as if he had mastered some important secret.

At this point, Lin Xiaofeng stopped and looked at the two people. He was not lying. He had indeed read the "Records of the Qing Dynasty". This book was written in imitation of the Ming Dynasty's records from the time of Huang Taiji, recording Nurhachi's deeds.

Li Xingzhong and Shi Shouhong were stunned and then felt a chill running down their spines. Although they had never read "Records of the Qing Dynasty", they knew from the name that there were many secrets hidden in it. And from Lin Xiaofeng's expression and tone, they knew that Lin Xiaofeng was not lying.

What shocked them even more was that if Jian Nu really had this book, it must have been something very well hidden. How could it have reached the emperor's ears? Moreover, the emperor not only knew the existence of this book but also read its contents. This was simply incredible. Could it be that the Jinyiwei had already infiltrated the core of Jian Nu?
The two men were so frightened that they knelt on the ground and trembled, saying, "We don't know about this." There was a hint of trembling and fear in their voices, as if they were frightened by the question and lost their reaction.

Lin Xiaofeng suddenly smiled, and there was a hint of mystery and majesty in his smile. "They called the first Earl of Ningyuan the 'Emperor Taizu of the Qing Dynasty.'" There was a hint of sarcasm and indifference in his tone, as if he had already made his own judgment on this issue.

Li Xingzhong was so frightened that he nearly fell to the ground. He kowtowed repeatedly and said, "Your Majesty, please understand! This is a divisive plot by the Jiannu! I want to clear my grandfather's name!" There was a hint of crying and pleading in his voice, as if he was really frightened by this question.

Shi Shouhong also said: "My grandfather guarded Liaodong for decades and never had such a thought!" There was a hint of panic and uneasiness in his voice, as if he was also frightened by this question and lost his reaction.

Lin Xiaofeng looked at them with a stern face and questioned them: "Didn't you just say that your grandfather and father had passed away and it was difficult for you to defend yourself? Why are you starting to defend yourself now?" There was a hint of severity and dissatisfaction in his tone, as if he was not satisfied with their answer.

The two were speechless and could only kneel on the ground without saying anything. Their eyes were full of fear and anxiety, as if they were frightened by the question and lost all their reactions.

Lin Xiaofeng stood up, walked up to them and asked in a deep voice: "Can I trust you?" There was a hint of majesty and unquestionableness in his tone, as if to test their loyalty and determination.

The two answered in unison: "We are loyal to Your Majesty and have no second thoughts!" There was a hint of firmness and sincerity in their voices, as if they were really loyal to Lin Xiaofeng.

Lin Xiaofeng nodded and said, "Ningyuan Bo has made contributions and mistakes in defending Liao. I will remember his contributions and forgive his mistakes according to the law. The past is gone and I will not pursue it. I summoned you to the palace today because I have an important matter to entrust to you." There was a hint of tolerance and consideration in his tone, as if he really intended to let them go and give them an important task. (End of this chapter)