Guangzong Yaoming

Chapter 139 The Emperor of the Ming Dynasty Must Have a Hobby

粮！
Bags of food!

The prefect of Shuntian Prefecture went to the street in panic and rushed to the Forbidden City from the government office with his officers.

Along the way, we saw countless streets and alleys where grain was guarded by the Jinyiwei and was still being carried out and piled up.

Qin Yongning also panicked and ran towards the Confucius Temple in a hurry.

On that day, all the grain that Changming Grain Store had released but was bought up by other grain stores, as well as the grain that they had stored in many places, were found out.

The amount of grain piled up at the corners of many streets and alleys in the capital was probably nearly 300,000 dan.

How long will this amount of food last for the people of the capital?

"What a wicked profiteer! He even said that all the food was sold out."

"No wonder the Yongwei Battalion wanted to check the grain and escorted it from Tongzhou."

"Did Changming Grain Store win the fight? Will we no longer have to spend two or three taels of silver to buy a stone of grain?"

"It's His Majesty! It's His Majesty! In order to bring these evil-hearted profiteers to justice, His Majesty even took out the free grain in the palace!"

The newly-appointed scholars were watching this unexpected change, and some of the meritorious officials had also come out to watch this unexpected change.

"... Lord Xiliang, this..."

Marquis Wu Ding approached Dayun, trying to get close to him and ask about the situation.

Changminghao...Marquis Wuding also owns a share.

Before, I felt sad because I had money but didn’t make it. Now I realize that it’s not the case.

Dayun clasped his fists to him and said, "Your Majesty has said that the Honored Military Guards do not fight on weekdays, but the court and the country are battlefields everywhere, and meritorious deeds can be made everywhere."

Marquis Wuding did not understand what was being said. He only heard people from far and near pointing at the grain and praising Changming Grain Store, saying that they would only buy grain from Changming Grain Store in the future.

I don't know why, but I feel so good.

Will the storytellers in the capital praise them in the near future just like they did that brat Marquis Taining?

Sun Wei, the governor of Shuntian Prefecture, went to the Forbidden City to receive the imperial edict to try the major case of raising grain prices in the capital.

Since it happened in Beijing, he naturally couldn't escape it.

When he saw the list, he almost lost his temper and memorized it.

The governor of Shuntian Prefecture naturally knew very well who were behind many of the city's industries.

How to try this case?
The incident of Japanese pirates robbing grain was not widely publicized in the capital.

But officials of all ranks in the capital soon found out that because the case of the Japanese pirates robbing grain had been solved, it turned out that it was a big merchant from Jiangyou who had impersonated the pirates and was also guilty of crimes such as selling contraband salt.

Zhu Changluo finally waited for a stage of results, and the trial at this stage was actually no longer the focus.

Those who should be judged should be judged, and those who should be copied should be copied.

Now the focus must be shifted to Nanjing. When Li Sancai and Wang Chengxun return to Beijing and the results of the handling of Nanjing are known, the focus will be shifted to the grain transport and grain transport troops under the control of Li Sancai and Wang Chengxun.

Due to various limitations such as communication, transportation... it often takes months for him to sort out these things.

In the process, he now has other entertainment.

Listen to storytelling, and listen to storytelling with the newly-determined concubines, imperial concubines, and other imperial concubines.

Liu Yi is actually a "wild girl" and her true nature has finally been revealed.

Zhu Changluo looked at her and couldn't help but smile as she listened to the story of Qi Jiguang's massacre of the Japanese pirates.

Noticing the emperor's gaze, she turned her head to look at him, then she sat stiffly with her hands tucked in, her face flushed.

"When your father was at home, did he often practice boxing?"

"…In reply to your Majesty, yes…but later on, father would not let me watch and told me to practice needlework instead…"

Obviously he was smart and knew what the emperor really wanted to ask.

"I heard that you are not good at needlework, but you are really cute, so I came all the way here. My mother said that she had to pick someone who was happy for me, so she chose you."

"…I don't know why, but my sisters and ladies-in-waiting love to laugh whenever I speak."

Zhu Changluo thought that it was probably because her eyes were always lively when she spoke, and she always talked about the interesting things her father heard in the streets when he was working at the Wucheng Bingmasi.

She is an unknown second-generation official in Beijing and a lively little girl from the market.

When she was a little kid, she loved to imitate her father's boxing and kicking, which probably pleased her father Liu Yingyuan.

"After listening to this, go back to the Yanxi Palace and wait. After paying respects at the Renshou Palace, I will go to the Yanxi Palace for dinner."

"...Yes." Liu Yi nodded happily.

Zhu Changluo thought that after the wedding and enthronement ceremony were completed, he could transfer her father Liu Yingyuan to the Yongwei Camp to be Chen Liangbi's deputy.

After listening to this storytelling in the main hall of the rear hall of the Hall of Mental Cultivation, Liu Yi left through the back door.

Zhu Changluo then lifted the gauze curtain and walked out. In the corridor between the main hall and the rear hall of the Hall of Mental Cultivation, the storyteller had already put down his fan and knelt aside.

"Get up." Zhu Changluo continued to walk forward, "I will write a couplet for you."

"...I bow to thank Your Majesty for his grace!" He was so excited that he knelt down again to express his gratitude, and then jogged to catch up.

Zhu Changluo actually wrote a couplet for him: He can speak eloquently about the world's interesting things, and he can talk about the past and present and explain the principles of the world in books.

Seeing that Shen Honglin, the famous speaker of the Mei family, was overjoyed, Zhu Changluo sat down.

"A piece of wake-up wood for a living, a fan for a living." Zhu Changluo looked at him, "This business is not lowly, it is of great use."

"I am terrified. Your Majesty, please show us your grace. I and others..."

Shen Honglin and others brought up the issue of grain prices when telling stories in the capital, and no one touched them. This was because many people knew that this was the emperor's signal.

Now, Shen Honglin feels grateful but also frightened.

"With the couplets I bestow upon you, you can start from the capital and run this guild. I will also instruct Changminghao to donate to you for this matter."

"I will listen to your majesty's orders." Shen Honglin continued to kowtow and listen carefully.

The emperor naturally had bigger plans.

"If you want to eat this bowl of rice, you must be able to speak well and know a few words." Zhu Changluo looked at him, "Every province has a head of a branch, and every prefecture, state, and county has a head of a district. I hope you can gradually travel around the country, in the city, and be able to speak at any time. What books can you talk about, and how can you talk? I have people to make sure you have new stories every month."

"…Your Majesty, I still don't understand."

"You have to remember that I hope you can help me tell stories in the future. The common people in the market and the countryside can listen to you in addition to the gentry and clerks. Do you understand?"

Shen Honglin was shocked, and then he buried his head deeply: "I understand."

"Take your time." Zhu Changluo smiled. "Anyway, for now, I just like to hear it. If the leader likes something, the subordinates will follow suit. Your business will eventually flourish in the Taichang Dynasty. It's not time yet, but just gather some colleagues and disciples, and then establish a school and expand it."

When the emperor's prestige spreads to the south of the Yangtze River, it will become the focus of discussion among scholars in the future.

For thousands of years, reputation has been important, so it has to be criticized. Reputation is important, so the word of mouth and the written comments that determine reputation also need to be firmly controlled by the gentry.

But how could Zhu Changluo not consider how to fight in this battlefield of public opinion?

Newspapers? Books?
No, these are still the practices of the gentry, and will eventually be controlled by the pen-wielders.

But storytellers love to see and hear it. Storytellers travel all over the country with just their two legs. They can start their business anywhere with just a wake-up stick, a fan, a handkerchief and a bowl of tea. They also have fascinating mouths.

Emperor Taichang of the Ming Dynasty also had his own unique hobbies, and he must have been able to prosper the industry and produce many talented people.

"Your Majesty, the father-in-law has arrived."

After Shen Honglin left, Tian Yi came to report.

"Yes." Zhu Changluo nodded, "Go to Yuanhui Palace and invite the queen over."

Although the wedding had not yet been formally held, the empress had already confirmed that Guo Weicheng, a 41-year-old "sour scholar" who had failed to pass the imperial examination, was already the father-in-law of the emperor.

It is only natural to confer an honorary title afterwards.

Since his son-in-law is the emperor, Guo Weicheng naturally hasn't recovered from the shock yet.

Zhu Changluo first accepted his greeting and then offered him a seat.

"The ceremony planned by the Ministry of Rites is scheduled for August 12. I have already ordered the selection of all the female officials and eunuchs in the Queen's palace. If there are capable and caring women in the father-in-law's family, two of them can be selected as the Queen's dowry and enter the palace together at the wedding."

"Your Majesty, I thank you for your grace." Guo Weicheng had just recently arrived in Beijing and had urgently trained himself in many etiquettes for meeting the emperor.

"In a few days, there will be a few more ownerless mansions in the capital. I will quickly select one and give it to the father-in-law and his family. Then we will go through all the formalities of asking for the name and accepting the marriage. After the queen is familiar with the wedding ceremony, she will send a reply first and wait for the ceremony in August."

"I will follow your majesty's orders..."

"Father-in-law," Zhu Changluo asked again, "Why is Lanzhi so serious?"

Guo Weicheng was startled by his question, and then answered truthfully in panic: "My wife unfortunately passed away five years ago. I... was arrogant and focused on fame, and neglected to discipline her... If I have offended you, Your Majesty, please forgive me..."

"...So, the father-in-law has been studying the classics all his life? I've seen that the queen is quite accomplished in both calligraphy and painting, so I guess it wasn't like this in her early years?"

"Your Majesty, you are wise..." Guo Weicheng wiped his tears, "My husband and I have a deep love for each other. From now on, I just borrow books to relieve my sorrow. In the 26th year of Wanli, after my son got married, Lanzhi became more reserved and serious."

"I heard that the Queen's brother is quite protective of her. He now runs a small shop outside the city, selling tables, chairs and benches. His reputation is pretty good."

"It's all because of my incompetence that I have brought trouble to the siblings. I'm afraid my daughter will be bullied in the future, so I must save up a decent dowry for her."

Zhu Changluo probably understood that he should know more about his queen.

After chatting with Guo Weicheng about family matters for a while, Guo Lanzhi, who was living in Yuanhui Palace to learn the etiquette of the Queen's wedding, came over. When she saw her father, she couldn't help but look a little happy.

"You two should go to Yidexuan and chat first. Chen Ju, you can tell me how to prepare for the father-in-law's house when you escort him out of the palace."

Zhu Changluo continued to look down at the memorial. After they bowed and left the palace, they could hear faint sounds.

Not long after, Guo Weicheng came to pay his respects and leave. After Chen Ju saw him off, Guo Lanzhi was still there.

Zhu Changluo walked up to her and said, "What do you think of your brother's ability in business? I see that he is not only working hard for your future, but also enjoys it."

Guo Lanzhi couldn't help but look at him in astonishment.

"What's wrong? I'm short of help right now. You're going to marry me, so why don't you let me know what your brother is capable of first, and see how he can help me?"

"...Your Majesty... Where do I need your help? I dare not add to your worries, let alone ask for any mercy. But what did my father say? Your Majesty, please forgive me, my father..."

"The father-in-law's family has its own grace." Zhu Changluo stared into her cautious eyes, "Are you willing to help me?"

(End of this chapter)