Ming Dynasty: A hundred-year-old immortal cultivator, Zhu Yuanzhang’s biological father

Zhu Xiongying couldn't explain it clearly either.

This matter was indeed a bit strange, but Zhu Xiongying intuitively felt that his grandfather seemed to be planning something.

This matter has now become known to everyone in the public.

I just don’t know what grandpa is planning.

Zhu Xiongying was also extremely curious about the mysterious old man.

"Okay, don't stay here, let's go out for a walk." Zhu Xiongying pulled Zhu Dong and Tan'er away.

In the Forbidden City, heavy rain drips down the eaves like beads.
The lights in Jinshen Hall were very bright. Although it was evening, it was still as bright as day.

Fu Youwen and Huang Qian, the Deputy Director of the Taxation and Collection Department, stood respectfully in the main hall of the Jinshen Hall.

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Huang Qian expressionlessly and handed the document in his hand to Zheng He.

Zheng He hurriedly handed the document down to Huang Qian.

Zhu Yuanzhang said: "You are responsible for the taxation of the capital. Go back and study these commercial taxes carefully. Wait for me outside Donghua Gate tomorrow."

Huang Yuanwai was confused, but still said respectfully: "I obey your order!"

Zhu Yuanzhang hummed in a deep voice and waved his hand to let Huang Wen go down.

Fu Youwen said, "Your Majesty, today I heard that Yingtian Prefecture has arrested another person pretending to be the emperor's grandson."

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded.

Fu Youwen hesitated to speak, and after thinking for a while, he could not help but grit his teeth and said, "Your Majesty, this matter should be concluded as soon as possible. If it continues, I am worried that someone will take advantage of it to cause chaos."

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded: "We know what's going on."

"Oh, right." Zhu Yuanzhang glanced at Fu Youwen, "Can your Ministry of Revenue allocate some money to Jiaozhi?"

Fu Youwen was a little embarrassed and said, "Your Majesty, the budgets of the fifteen provinces across the country were calculated last year. This year... we really can't spare the money to send to Jiaozhi."

Fu Youwen felt a little aggrieved. Jiaozhi is the apple of your eldest grandson's eye, but among the fifteen provinces in the country, which one doesn't need money? You are too biased.

"Okay, you can go down too."

"Wei Chen retire."

……

East Palace.

After nightfall, Zhu Yunwen and his mother felt uneasy.

Zhu Yunwen read the book for a while, but couldn't continue.

So he took a bowl of ginseng soup and went to see Mrs. Lu.

"mother."

Mrs. Lu took the ginseng soup from Zhu Yunwen and said, "Mother knows everything."

"Now everyone in and outside the palace is talking about the boss. It seems that the old man has made plans."

Zhu Yunwen's eyelids drooped. "Grandpa Emperor is really capable. He has gradually pushed my eldest brother to the public. Now all the officials are secretly speculating, but no one has ever had any resistance to my eldest brother's appearance."

Lu nodded: "Your royal grandfather is still the emperor. He is very capable. He was able to smoothly hand over power from the Yuan Dynasty, and now he can smoothly push the boss to the front."

"But you don't have to worry, kid. We still have a chance."

Zhu Yunwen shook his head: "Mom, let's stop deceiving ourselves. I will ask the Emperor for a favor and grant us a fiefdom. I will take you there to live a good life."

Lu's face changed and she said angrily: "Zhu Yunwen! You were born to be an emperor! Why are you saying such depressing words?!"

Zhu Yunwen said: "But mother..."

Mrs. Lu's face turned cold: "You think that as long as the eldest brother comes out, your grandfather will rush to appoint a crown prince, right? But what if the eldest brother dies?"

Zhu Yunwen was shocked: "Mom! What are you going to do? You can't do this!"

Mrs. Lu smiled and said softly, "It's nothing. Mother has her own plans."

Zhu Yunwen hesitated to speak, but in the end he never mustered up the courage to speak because he still had hope... He actually knew what his mother was going to do.

But what if?
What if it succeeds...

……

Ministry of Revenue, night falls.

In the early Ming Dynasty, the work in various government offices, especially in the capital, was extremely tiring.

While enjoying enormous power, he also bore the enormous work pressure of the empire.

Zhu Yuanzhang was a diligent emperor, so there were no lazy officials working under him.

The four departments of the Ministry of Revenue are still working intensively.

As we approach June this summer, the statistics of the financial work for the first half of the year must be completed.

After May, the financial data of various regions will be summarized in the Ministry of Revenue.

"Ha~"

Inside the Ministry of Revenue, Wang Wen, the Deputy Director of the Ministry of Revenue, yawned long and looked at the clerks around him who were busy calculating with their abacus. He stretched his body and stood up and said to everyone, "Okay, it's getting late, everyone go back and rest."

Everyone felt as if they had been pardoned. They put away their work and left.

Wang Wen turned off the lights and prepared to leave.

But I found that the lights in the Ministry of Revenue next door were still on.

In the 13th year of Hongwu, the Ministry of Revenue was divided into four Qinglisi, namely the General Office, the Duzhi Office, the Cangbu Office, and the Jinbu Office.

Last year, the Headquarters Department was changed to the Ministry of Revenue Department.

Wang Wen pushed open the door of the headquarters with some curiosity, and was shocked to find that everyone had left, except for the tax officer Huang Qian, who was still frowning and looking at the document in his hand.

"Master Huang?"

Wang Wen called out softly.

Huang Qian then noticed Wang Wen. He gently put the document in his hand aside and took a sip of tea.

"Why haven't you left yet?"

Wang Wen smiled and said, "I was about to leave, and I happened to see that the light was still on here."

Huang Qian smiled bitterly and said to Huang Wen, "How is your tax statistics work going in the first half of the year? The provinces should send the summary to the Ministry of Revenue as soon as possible! We are all gearing up to compile it."

Wang Wen nodded helplessly: "Most of the statistics have been completed, except for Jiaozhi Provincial Administration... Well, let's not talk about it. I estimate that Jiaozhi will not collect much tax revenue in the first half of the year. They can be self-sufficient and don't ask the Ministry of Revenue for money. I will be thankful!"

"Do you remember last time? Tie Xuan came to me and asked me to advance the finances of Jiaozhi Provincial Government for 300,000 taels of silver."

"Sometimes, I just can't figure it out..."

Huang Qian asked suspiciously, "Oh? What is Master Wang wondering about?"

Wang Wen simply sat next to Huang Qian and said, "The emperor originally mediated between Jin and Tie Xuan to govern Jiaozhi together. Why did Jie Jin go to Jiaozhi to serve as the left councilor, and why is Tie Xuan still in Yingtian?"

"So what role does the Iron Tripod Stone play in Yingtian?"

"I always feel like he's just a vanguard officer, and there's someone behind him who actually controls Jiaozhi!"

Huang Qian was stunned for a moment, then calmly handed the manuscript on the desk to Wang Wen and said, "Sir Wang, this is what the Emperor gave me today."

"Please take a look at the proposal to adjust the commercial household tax in Jiaozhi."

Wang Wen was a little puzzled. After taking it, he glanced at it casually. After a moment, his brows suddenly frowned, his eyes gradually brightened, and he couldn't help but take a breath.

After a long while, he took a deep breath and said, "High!"

"You can actually use this method of taxation to maintain a balance between the rich and the poor! Who came up with this? This achievement alone is probably enough to add a strong mark to your political achievements!"

Huang Qian shook his head: "I don't know, the emperor gave it to me."

"But I feel that the person who wrote this household tax should be the one who actually controls Jiaozhi, that is, the person who stands behind Tie Xuan as you said!"

Wang Wen was stunned for a long time, and then whispered: "Master Huang, do you think... could it be that person?"

"Who?"

"The emperor's eldest grandson!"

Hiss! Huang Qian widened his eyes and looked at Wang Wen in shock.

Wang Wen said: "This official's analysis is well-founded. Recently, the opinions of the court and the people about the emperor's eldest grandson have become increasingly strong, but the emperor has not taken any action."

"Obviously, the Emperor is sinking sand. When the sand reaches the bottom of the water, the Emperor will scoop up water!"

Huang Qian was silent for a moment, then looked at Wang Wen and said, "You mean, the household tax reform was proposed by the emperor's eldest grandson? Is he still alive?"

Wang Wen nodded: "Hmm... Uh!"

Wang Wen's face suddenly changed: "If the person standing behind Tie Xuan is the eldest grandson of the emperor, then I didn't give the Jiaozhi Provincial Administration a budget last time, wouldn't I have offended all the grandsons of the emperor?" Huang Qian smiled: "It doesn't matter, if it is really the eldest grandson of the emperor, would he be so low-minded? He would blame you just because you refused? That's impossible."

Wang Wen smacked his lips and said, "That's right."

Huang Qian said, "It's done... Go back and go to bed early tonight. The emperor wants to take me to see someone tomorrow."

Wang Wen was stunned: "Who?"

Huang Qian shook his head, then raised his eyebrows: "I don't know."

hiss!
Wang Wen seemed to understand something and took a deep breath.

Early the next morning.

There was still a light drizzle in the sky.

Huang Qian was waiting outside Donghua Gate early.

Not long after, Zhu Yuanzhang came over with his hands behind his back.

Huang Qian widened his eyes in disbelief.

If the old man had not walked up to him, from a distance, Zhu Yuanzhang would have looked no different from an ordinary old farmer.

"Let's go."

Zhu Yuanzhang, with his hands behind his back and an expressionless face, led the way.

Huang Qian followed Zhu Yuanzhang tremblingly, feeling a little uneasy, but he didn't know who the emperor was calling him to see.

We quickly walked along Yingtian Street to the Qinhuai River and soon arrived near Yingtian Imperial Examination Hall.

Arriving in front of a mansion, the old man walked in with his hands behind his back.

Huang Qian hesitated for a moment and followed the old man's steps closely.

He looked up just now.

Zhu Mansion.

Where is this?

Huang Qian suppressed his suspicion.

The old man seemed to come here often, and he looked so familiar with the place, as if it was a common occurrence.

Huang Qian's heart was beating like thunder.

Considering the recent trends in various departments regarding the emperor's eldest grandson, he seemed to understand a little.

"Master, are you here?"

Zhu Xiongying walked forward and supported Zhu Yuanzhang: "Sit down, I'll make you some tea."

"I bought some more candy yesterday. I'll bring it to you too."

Huang Qian stood silently by the side, watching all this, trembling so much that he dared not utter a sound.

The relationship between the young man in front of him and the emperor is extremely good, even closer than that between family members.

Huang Qian had reason to believe that the emperor had been silently getting along with him for a very long time!
Soon Zhu Xiongying came over with tea and candy.

Zhu Yuanzhang pursed his lips and said, "I don't like candy."

Zhu Xiongying ignored Zhu Yuanzhang and peeled the candy and stuffed it directly into the old man's mouth: "Balanced nutrition."

As he said this, he peeled the candy and stuffed it into his mouth.

What the hell!

Huang Qian was standing aside and was so frightened that he peed his pants.

What is this kid doing?
He feeds the emperor?
The key point is, this is forced! They just pried open the old man's mouth, and stuffed it in without caring whether the emperor agreed or not?

Feed the dog!

However, the next moment, Huang Qian's eyes became even straighter.

Because the old man didn't seem displeased at all, he just pursed his lips and ate the candy reluctantly.

He was stunned.

This is the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty! The Iron-blooded Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang!

This totally subverted his cognition.

Zhu Xiongying seemed to sense something, and then he saw Huang Qian, who was standing not far behind the old man, with his mouth open in amazement.

Zhu Xiongying was stunned for a moment, as if he realized his previous gaffe.

Zhu Yuanzhang smiled and said, "It's okay."

Huang Qian, the official in charge of taxation in the Ministry of Finance.

Huang Qian heard this and smiled awkwardly, then bowed to Zhu Xiongying and said, "Greetings, Master Zhu."

I just saw that the mansion is Zhu Mansion, so I called it that just to be on the safe side.

Huang Qian didn't dare to speak carelessly until he had figured out the situation.

Zhu Xiongying hurriedly clasped his fists in return: "Greetings, Mr. Huang."

Huang Qian didn't dare to accept Zhu Huai's greeting, so he slightly turned aside and said, "Mr. Zhu, please don't be polite."

Zhu Xiongying nodded and said to Huang Qian: "Then I will tell you straight away, the Jiaozhi Provincial Government is short of a right councilor to be in charge of the grain supervision work. I wonder if Mr. Huang is interested?"

Huang Qian's heart was pounding.

I am now the Deputy Director of the Taxation Department, a sixth-rank official.

At the local level, the Right Councillor is a fifth-rank official. In today's Ming Dynasty, to be promoted to a higher rank, one must have at least three to five years of experience.

In other words, Zhu Xiongying's words could make him skip a grade.

His heart was beating wildly with excitement, but he remained neither humble nor arrogant, saying, "To serve the country, I will go wherever I am needed."

Before Zhu Xiongying could speak, Zhu Yuanzhang asked, "How are you doing with the tax revenue we gave you yesterday?"

Huang Qian hurriedly said: "Report to the Emperor..."

As if remembering something, he paused and continued, "I have studied it. The design of this tax is of a very high level!"

Zhu Yuanzhang pointed at Zhu Xiongying and said, "He designed it."

Huang Qian's heart was beating like a drum, "Mr. Zhu is really talented."

Zhu Yuanzhang said: "Okay, go to the Ministry of Personnel to take over, and then leave for Jiaozhi in the afternoon."

"Yes... yes!" Huang Qian's lips trembled and he was so excited that he could hardly stand steadily.

He silently looked up at Zhu Xiongying.

Just one sentence... Just one sentence from him made the old man make the decision.

The Emperor's grandson...

hum.

Huang Qian's mind buzzed. It turned out that it was him, maybe, no, it must be him!
Huang Qian left in dismay.

My excited heart hasn't calmed down until now.

He was promoted to a higher rank.

Just because of Zhu Xiongying’s words!

He returned to the Ministry of Revenue in a daze.

Wang Wen happened to see Huang Qian and greeted him suspiciously: "Sir Huang, what happened to you? Why are you in such a bad state?"

Huang Qian was stunned, looking at Wang Wen, and suddenly exclaimed: "Master Wang! I am going to Jiaozhi!"

"What?"

Wang Wen was a little overwhelmed.

Huang Qian was still excited: "I have seen him."

"Who?!" Wang Wen was a little alert.

Huang Qian continued excitedly: "I have been promoted to the Right Councillor of Jiaozhi Provincial Government!"

hiss!
Wang Wen looked at him in shock and said stupidly, "Isn't it? Isn't it a promotion?"

Wang Wen's eyes were as red as rabbits at this time, and they were full of envy, jealousy and hatred.

How come I got promoted to a higher rank just by following the emperor out?
You have to know how difficult it is to be promoted to a higher level official abnormally in the Ming Dynasty!
Why is it like... it's just a joke now?
(End of this chapter)