I am Emperor Wanli

Chapter 198 Family and State Affairs
After finishing his business at the Baohe Hall with the sound of bronze chimes, Zhu Yijun did not rush back to the West Garden, but went to the Kunning Palace to have dinner with Queen Chen.

Chen looked at Zhu Yijun with a loving face as he chewed the food carefully. Seeing him eating with such relish, she felt immediately satisfied.

With a glance, he accidentally saw Qi Yan standing next to Zhu Yijun, and asked curiously.

"Prince, the eunuch beside you looks unfamiliar."

Zhu Yijun looked up at Qi Yan.

Qi Yan immediately stepped forward, knelt down and reported Chen's words: "Reporting to the Queen, my name is Qi Yan, and I used to work in the Palace of Gods."

"How did the Imperial Palace Supervisor get to the prince's side?"

Chen was also very curious.

The Shengongjian was the quietest government office in the Forbidden City. The eunuchs working there had almost no chance to see the emperor and the crown prince, and most of them were people without any background who had to endure the hardship there.

Zhu Yijun had just finished eating, wiped his mouth, and explained: "Mother, that day when I went to the Renshou Hall to worship Grandpa, I happened to meet a team of eunuchs sent by the Palace Supervisor to clean up.

I secretly watched and found that Qi Yan worked the most seriously, cleaned the most carefully, and left the cleanest places wherever he went. I felt that he worked very hard, so I asked the East Factory to check his background and found that it was innocent, so I transferred him to my side. "

Chen nodded, "Yes, I see. The prince is indeed lacking a close and caring person. Feng Bao has to look after the East Factory and will have to look after the Imperial Household Department in the future. He has a heavy responsibility and cannot afford to slack off.

Liu Yi had to look after the Imperial Stables and the soldiers in the Beijing Camp, while Fang Liang had to look after the Western Garden and watch over the safety of the Crown Prince, so he couldn't be careless and couldn't split his time.

I think he is quite clever and sensible, very good. Come, give him two rolls of silk."

"Yes."

Qi Yan immediately kowtowed and thanked her: "Thank you, Madam, for your reward."

When Qi Yan stepped aside, Zhu Yijun had just finished his meal. He picked up the teacup, drank two sips of tea, rinsed his mouth, spit the water into the copper basin, and then picked up a cloth towel to wipe his mouth.

"Mother, I heard that you have been working hard for many days to select beautiful women for the Eastern Palace. I am very grateful. I wonder what the result is?"

As soon as Chen heard it, she understood that her legitimate son wanted to ask about choosing a Crown Princess for him.

He couldn't help but sigh in his heart. For a thirteen-year-old child, everything had to be controlled by her. Even the matter of choosing concubines for him in the Eastern Palace had to be taken into consideration.

Chen said, "Go and invite Wanfu here."

"Yes."

Soon, Wanfu arrived.

"I pay my respects to Her Majesty the Queen and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."

"Wanfu, today the Crown Prince asked about the selection of the Eastern Palace concubines. I will leave this matter to you. Please tell me about it."

"Yes."

Wanfu cleared his throat and said, "Your Highness, the first concubine of the Eastern Palace is the daughter of Yangwu Marquis Xue Han."

"Xue Han's daughter?" Zhu Yijun thought for a moment, "I heard that Yangwu Marquis Xue Han has seven daughters?"

"Yes, Your Highness. Lord Xue has seven daughters. The youngest is eleven years old and looks like a fairy. She is well-known among the noble families in the capital. Duke Chengguo and Duke Yingguo both wanted to ask for marriage for their children to Lord Xue, but they were rejected by Lord Xue because his daughters were too young."

"Well, what's the name of Lord Xue's seventh daughter?"

"Xue Baoqin."

"Xue Baoqin." Zhu Yijun nodded and said nothing more.

Wanfu continued, "The second one is the beautiful girl recommended by Shuntian Prefecture."

"What's the name of the beautiful girl recommended by Shuntian Prefecture?"

Selecting beautiful women from the common people in Shuntian Prefecture and Zhili is an old tradition of the royal family.

"In reply to your Highness, the girl recommended by Shuntian Prefecture is named Zeng Wan'er, she is eleven years old, and is the daughter of a scholar from Daxing County."

Zhu Yijun nodded and motioned Wanfu to continue.

".The seventh is recommended by Mr. Zhao Zhenji, her name is Xu Youlian, she is eleven years old, from Ziyang, Chengdu Prefecture, her father is a famous scholar in Xichuan, and currently serves as the magistrate of Chongqing Prefecture.

The eighth was recommended by Mr. Zhang Juzheng. When he was the governor of Shandong, he visited Jining Prefecture and saw that Wang Xuexian, the prefect of Jining Prefecture, was knowledgeable and upright, and had a beautiful daughter named Wang Lan'er, who was thirteen years old. When he received the order from the empress, asking the ministers to recommend beautiful girls to be prepared for the imperial palace, Mr. Zhang recommended her.

The ninth is
The twelfth is."

Wanfu mentioned twelve candidates in one breath.

Chen nodded with satisfaction, turned to Zhu Yijun and said, "Wanfu asked the palace painters to go to various places to paint the portraits of these twelve people, and also asked them to write the documents in person. I have seen them all. They are dignified and beautiful, talented and virtuous. The prince can rest assured."

Zhu Yijun thought for a moment and said, "Mother, there is no need for so many people. Just choose Ms. Xue first, Ms. Zeng second, Ms. Xu seventh, and Ms. Wang eighth.

I am still young, so please take these four with you and teach them carefully, so that they can learn from you, the virtuous and generous mother of the country."

Chen smiled and replied, "Don't worry, Prince. I will teach you carefully. Is it enough to choose only four?"

Zhu Yijun smiled, "Enough."

"Don't you want to see their portraits and homework?"

"I won't read it anymore. Anyone who can catch your eye must be pretty good." Zhu Yijun stood up and bowed to say goodbye. "My queen, I'll go back to the West Garden first."

"Okay, go ahead. Wanfu, see the prince off."

"Yes."

Chen sent Zhu Yijun to the gate of Kunning Palace. She looked at his back as he walked away on the sedan chair and turned to her trusted female official and said, "Jun'er, you are too self-disciplined."

"Your Highness, although he is young, he is resolute and courageous. He is truly a blessing to the Ming Dynasty."

"Yes, although he is young, he doesn't drink or overeat. He gets up at five in the morning every day, runs and rides horses to keep fit. I don't think he will follow in his father's footsteps and indulge in women."

The female official quickly replied, "My lady, it seems to me that the prince has his own ideas about everything, and he has great ambitions, and he is indestructible."

Chen smiled bitterly and shook her head. "The emperor has no ideas about anything, but the prince has too many ideas. They are both father and son."

Xu Jie returned to his mansion, changed into a straight-necked robe and a square scarf, sat on the chair in the study, looking a little tired, and closed his eyes, wanting to take a nap.

Just as I dozed off for a moment, I heard someone calling out from outside the door, "Father."

Xu Jie opened his eyes dazedly, and his head swayed for more than twenty breaths before he reacted. He looked towards the door when he heard the sound, and it turned out to be his second son Xu Kun.

His eldest son Xu Fan returned to his hometown in the 45th year of Jiajing, and now his second son Xu Kun and third son Xu Ying are with him.

"Second brother, what's the matter?"

"The four of them, Zhao Jin, the Minister of Imperial Households, Zhang Chong, the Junior Minister of the Dali Temple, Dong Chuance, the Doctor of the Ministry of Justice, and Yang Sizhong, the Secretary of the Ministry of Personnel, have come to visit my father together."

Xu Jie was stunned. These four were all his old acquaintances and Zhang Chong and Yang Sizhong were his most proud students.

He stood up with his hands on the armrests of the chair, "Come here quickly, wait a moment, ask the servant to bring a basin of warm water so that I can wash my face."

"Yes!"

Xu Jie waited in the study for a while with his hands behind his back, and Zhao Jin and the other four were brought in by Xu Kun.

"Please come in, all four of you! My master is in the house."

"Lin Yang, Zi Yi, Yuan Han, Xiao Fu, you are visiting together, is there anything important?" Xu Jie asked the four to sit down, asked the servants to serve tea, and sat on the chair at the head, stroking his beard and asked.

"Lord Shaohu, Lord Tangchuan is married?" Zhao Jin asked straight to the point.

"Tangchuan followed the imperial order and paid homage to the tombs of our ancestors, which is equivalent to getting married." Xu Jie replied.

"Duke Shaohu, why did Duke Tangchuan anger the emperor? And were they expelled from the cabinet?" Yang Sizhong asked.

"When the Ministry of Revenue distributed salaries, officials below the fourth rank received 20% in rice and 80% in goods. This forced an assistant professor at the Imperial College to death and five colleagues to beg on the street at Chaoyang Gate. Have you heard about this?"

The four of them looked at each other.

"I heard that we sent our servants to the Wei residence with silk and gold."

"This matter was planned by Yin Tangchuan behind the scenes."

"what!"

The four were extremely shocked.

Zhao Jin thought for a while and asked, "Shaohu Lord, Tangchuan Lord, where is this plan aimed at?"

"Coordination Bureau."

Zhang Chong and Yang Sizhong agreed in unison: "Breaking down the Coordination Bureau is a great thing that benefits the country and the people. Lord Tangchuan's move is truly a righteous act!"

Xu Jie glanced at them and said sternly, "Nonsense!"

(End of this chapter)