Huangming

Chapter 482 Peace and tranquility within the inner court, pacification of Jiangnan

It was nearly dusk.

Zhu Youxiao's memorials have been reviewed and approved.

The old eunuch following behind him, a veteran who had served him since his time as a prince, stepped forward with his neck hunched, his voice low and gentle, carrying a hint of familiar concern:
"Your Majesty, it's freezing cold. We've received a report from Kunning Palace that Her Majesty the Empress has prepared a hand warmer and is waiting for you for half an hour."

Zhu Youxiao raised his hand to adjust the collar of his mink coat, his fingers touching the warm fur, and a warmth rose in his heart.

He nodded, his tone less solemn than it had been in court, and more relaxed and casual:
"In that case, let us proceed to Kunning Palace."

Before he even took a step, several thoughts had already crossed his mind.

The joint trial of the Jiangnan case by the three judicial departments is still ongoing in the imperial court. Tomorrow, the Ministry of War will be summoned to discuss the suppression of the rebellion in Jiangnan. These are matters of great importance to the nation.

However, the stability of the harem is also the foundation of the empire.

Empress Zhang Yan was not only his empress, but also his "assistant wife" in implementing his new policies.

A few days ago, he suggested that "officials should be frugal." The Empress immediately took away the goldware in Kunning Palace and replaced it with plain silver tableware. She also ordered all palaces to reduce their expenses by half. When the noble ladies in the capital saw this, they also restrained their extravagance.

Last month, when promoting corn planting, the Empress took the opportunity of hosting a banquet for noblewomen to distribute corn to everyone, explaining in detail that this crop is drought-resistant and high-yielding, and persuading them to try planting it on their family estates. She said it was more effective than sending ten censors to the local areas to lobby.

Only when husband and wife are of one mind can there be no chaos in the harem.

Only when the inner palace is stable can he concentrate on implementing new policies in the court.

Zhu Youxiao understood this principle better than anyone else.

Soon, he boarded the imperial carriage and headed towards the Kunning Palace.

Before long, he arrived at Kunning Palace.

As soon as Zhu Youxiao stepped down from the imperial carriage, he saw Zhang Yan leading palace maids and eunuchs waiting below the steps.

She wore a moon-white winter palace dress embroidered with dark plum blossoms, with a silver fox fur vest over it. The sable fur peeking out from the collar and cuffs made her complexion appear even whiter.

Her long hair was styled into a flying bun, adorned only with a red gold and kingfisher feather hairpin. There were no excessive pearl ornaments, yet it exuded the dignity of the empress.

Upon seeing Zhu Youxiao approach, she led the group in a curtsy, her voice gentle yet steady:

"I respectfully welcome your Majesty."

The palace maids and eunuchs echoed in unison, "Welcome, Your Majesty!"

Zhu Youxiao quickly stepped forward and reached out to support Zhang Yan's arm.

“Between husband and wife, why bother with all this formality? We’ve been living together for so long, why bother with these empty rules?”

A faint blush rose to Zhang Yan's cheeks, but she gently pulled her hand away from his and bowed slightly, saying:
"Your Majesty is mistaken. I am the head of the harem. If even I do not follow the rules, the palace below will surely be in chaos."

Besides, Your Majesty is the Son of Heaven. I respect Your Majesty, and I also respect the laws and regulations of this land.

She spoke earnestly, her eyes clear and bright, without a trace of coquettishness.

"Very well, I misspoke."

Zhu Youxiao smiled and yielded, then took her hand and led her into the hall.

As soon as you enter the hall, a warm feeling washes over you.

In the center of the hall was a brass charcoal brazier, burning silver ash charcoal. The flames quietly licked the charcoal, without a trace of smoke.

A faint scent of pine needles lingered in the air, which Zhang Yan had specially arranged for to be diffused, saying it would smell refreshing and not cloying in winter.

Zhu Youxiao rubbed his hands together, and his first question was:
"Where is Kun'er? Has he caused any trouble today?"

Upon hearing this, a gentle smile instantly bloomed in Zhang Yan's eyes, and even her voice softened slightly:

"She's in her bedchamber. She was just fed and is sleeping. Perhaps she knew His Majesty was coming, because she was just awake kicking her legs."

As she spoke, the corners of her mouth turned up slightly, her waist was fuller than before, and she had shed the naivety of her youth, gaining more of the gentle charm of a mother.

Zhu Youxiao followed her toward the bedchamber, his steps becoming lighter.

The bedchamber curtains were made of soft, moon-white silk. Gently lifting them, one could see a pear wood cradle in the corner, with a red-gold longevity lock hanging from it and several tassels embroidered with the character "福" (fortune) dangling below. When the wind blew, they swayed gently, making a soft rustling sound.

Zhu Cikun lay in the cradle, his face rosy like a ripe apple, his long eyelashes covering his eyelids like two small fans.

He was wearing a bright red bib, wrapped in a thick brocade quilt, and his little hand was clutching a small cloth doll embroidered with a tiger's head. He was fast asleep.

Zhu Youxiao walked over quietly, squatted down beside the cradle, and carefully touched his son's face with his fingertips.

Her face was chubby and smelled of milk.

Zhu Cikun seemed to be startled. He moved his little mouth and uttered a soft cry. His eyelashes trembled, but he didn't wake up. Instead, he shrank deeper into the warm blankets and gripped the doll even tighter with his little hands.

"This kid knows how to enjoy himself."

Zhu Youxiao chuckled softly, his voice extremely gentle, as if afraid of waking him.

He touched his son's little hand with his finger again. The little guy's fingers were soft, and he unconsciously grabbed his fingertips. That little bit of force made Zhu Youxiao's heart soften.

Zhang Yan stood aside, watching him squatting by the cradle.

The emperor, who was usually dignified in the court, was now like an ordinary father, his eyes full of tenderness, and even his movements were clumsy and careful.

She couldn't help but whisper:
"If Your Majesty likes it, please come and visit him more often when you have time."

Kun'er recognizes people; he cried for quite a while the other night when you weren't here.

Zhu Youxiao looked up at her, a smile in his eyes:

"Alright, from now on, after I finish dealing with state affairs, I will come to visit you and your daughter."

After seeing the eldest son, Zhu Youxiao and Zhang Yan went outside the main hall.

There, a young eunuch had already set up a large brass pot, with a bag of golden corn kernels in a bamboo basket beside it, and the silver charcoal in the charcoal brazier was burning brightly.

"Why has Your Majesty decided to play with corn today?"

Zhang Yan stared at the shiny pot, her eyes filled with curiosity.

Just a few days ago, the Ministry of Revenue's Department of Agriculture sent over some freshly ground cornmeal, and she even tried making cornbread. Little did she expect that Zhu Youxiao would come up with a new idea today.

Zhu Youxiao raised an eyebrow, reached into the bamboo basket, picked up a kernel of corn, and smiled:
"Let me show you something rare, I guarantee you've never seen anything like it before."

These words instantly piqued Zhang Yan's interest. She took two steps forward, staring at the large pot with her bright eyes, even her slightly red nose showing anticipation.

Zhu Youxiao gestured to the eunuch to heat the pot until it was slightly warm, then scooped in a spoonful of cold oil. The oil sizzled softly and splashed up tiny droplets.

He grabbed another handful of corn kernels, the golden kernels rolling into the pot.

"Okay."

He winked at Zhang Yan, and the little eunuch added some firewood to the charcoal brazier. The flames leaped up and licked the bottom of the pot, making the pot very hot.

A moment later, a crisp "crackling" sound suddenly came from the pot!
Before Zhang Yan could react, a corn kernel "popped" up and exploded in the pot, turning into fluffy, snow-white popcorn.

Immediately afterwards, a series of crackling sounds filled the air as countless corn kernels burst open in the pot, turning the golden kernels into plump white flowers. Some even jumped off the edge of the pot and landed on the bluestone beside the charcoal brazier, still steaming and emitting a faint aroma of corn.

"ah!"

Zhang Yan was so startled that she took half a step back, her eyes wide open as she stared intently at the popping rice in the pot. She even held her breath, afraid of disturbing this magical transformation.

Zhu Youxiao was prepared. He quickly picked up the wooden lid, placed it on the pot, and gently shook it while holding the handles with both hands.

The bottom of the pot made a "shh" sound as it rubbed against the charcoal fire, and the popped rice in the pot was still making a "pop" sound. When the sound gradually subsided, he lifted the lid of the pot, and a burst of hot air carrying the aroma of roasted corn wafted out.

The pot was full of fluffy popcorn, like half a pot of snow.

"This...this is like popping the corn?"

Zhang Yan leaned over and carefully touched the rice puffs. The warm touch and fluffy softness made her exclaim in amazement.

"There's actually such a way to eat it!"

Zhu Youxiao did not reply, but turned and walked towards another clean pot that had been prepared beforehand.

The young eunuch ladled two spoonfuls of cold water into the pot, sprinkled on some snow-white icing sugar, and simmered it over low heat.

The icing sugar gradually melted in the water, first forming tiny bubbles, and then, when it thickened and started to bubble, he took out a small piece of milky white substance from the brocade box.

That was butter from Tibet, a rare sight even in ordinary palaces. He carefully broke it open and put it into the pot. The butter melted quickly when heated, mingling with the frosting sugar and emitting a rich, sweet aroma. Even the north wind outside the greenhouse carried a hint of sweetness.

"Your Majesty, this is..."

Zhang Yan smelled the fragrance and asked curiously.

"Add some flavor."

Zhu Youxiao smiled and waited until the cream and icing sugar were completely blended before pouring in the whole pot of popcorn, quickly stirring it with the long-handled wooden spoon in his hand.

The snow-white rice puffs are coated with icing sugar and cream, gradually turning amber in color. As they are stir-fried, thin strands of sugar are pulled out, making the sweet aroma even stronger.

He turned off the heat after each grain of popcorn was evenly coated with sugar, and then scooped the popcorn into a gilded white porcelain plate.

The golden rice puffs, coated with glistening icing and sprinkled with crumbs of cream, look incredibly tempting.

"The Empress should try it."

Zhu Youxiao handed over the plate, his eyes filled with anticipation.

Zhang Yan picked up a piece and put it in her mouth. As soon as her teeth touched it, the sweet and crunchy taste spread on her tongue.

The sweetness of the icing sugar, the richness of the cream, and the natural fragrance of the corn blend together without any of the coarseness of the grains. On the contrary, it is even more refreshing than the candied fruit from the palace.

Her eyes lit up instantly, as if she had discovered a treasure. She pinched two more and popped them into her mouth, mumbling:

"Delicious! This is even more satisfying than candied fruit!"

Zhu Youxiao sat on a stone bench to the side, watching her eat with gusto, and couldn't help but chuckle:

"This corn has many uses. If it were made into popcorn, the people would definitely love it."

It's filling and delicious; taking a pack with you when going to temple fairs or visiting relatives is so convenient.

Even in later generations, when there were so many delicious foods, popcorn remained very popular.

It can be said to be an essential item for watching movies.

Zhang Yan nodded repeatedly, pinching rice puffs and stuffing them into her mouth. She didn't even notice the sugar frosting on the corners of her mouth. Her cheeks were bulging, making her look just like a little squirrel hoarding food.

Zhu Youxiao looked at her like this, and his smile widened.

Stared at by him with such a smile, Zhang Yan belatedly stopped. Her fingers brushed against the sugar stains on her lips, and her cheeks instantly turned red. Like a little thief caught red-handed, she hurriedly wiped them clean with a handkerchief and tried to remain calm, saying:

"When I host the ladies of the court next time, I will bring out this popcorn."

They've always loved asking about new ways to eat corn; after seeing this, they'll definitely be even more willing to grow corn at home!

"Hmm, that's a good idea."

Zhu Youxiao nodded with a smile, his gaze still fixed on her flushed cheeks.

Perhaps feeling embarrassed by the stares, Zhang Yan coughed lightly and changed the subject:

"By the way, Your Majesty, the Imperial Household Department reported this morning that Consort Liang, Consort Cheng, and Consort Yu of Yongning Palace have all been diagnosed as pregnant."

Zhu Youxiao paused in his hand, his eyes lighting up instantly. He put down the plate and asked:
"Have the imperial physicians all been examined? Do the dates match?"

"The Imperial Physician Li went there personally and checked the Book of Imperial Concubines; the dates were all accurate."

As Zhang Yan spoke, a smile appeared in her eyes.

"The inner palace must be even more lively now."

Zhu Youxiao couldn't help but laugh, his tone tinged with smugness:

"It seems that my hard work has not been in vain."

Throughout the Ming Dynasty, emperors had few sons. After Emperor Chengzu, apart from Emperor Xianzong, few emperors had three to five sons, which was not a good thing. For the country to be stable, there needed to be enough heirs to inherit and maintain it. As for whether there would be trouble with succession struggles in the future, such as the Nine Princes' Struggle for the Throne, that was a concern.

That's a matter for later; right now, the most important thing is to ensure a large and prosperous population.

He will have to pass on the empire to his son.

Seeing his relaxed expression, Zhang Yan smiled and said:

"Your Majesty, I will have people take good care of my sisters and prepare the best medicine to ensure their safe delivery."

"The Empress is absolutely right. Kun'er is good, but it's too lonely for him to be the only one in Kunning Palace."

I think we both need to keep working hard and add a few more.

Zhang Yan understood the deeper meaning behind those words immediately.

Her ears instantly burned, and even her voice softened.
"What are you saying, Your Majesty... It's not even dark yet!"

She lowered her eyes, her long eyelashes casting soft shadows beneath them, concealing the shyness in her eyes. The joy she had felt while eating popcorn earlier had now transformed into a girlish innocence.

Zhu Youxiao chuckled softly, reaching out to embrace her waist. His fingertips casually brushed against the soft satin beneath her blouse, his tone tinged with a hint of teasing:

"Whether it's dark or not, what's more important than my Empress?"

What I like most is to indulge in debauchery in broad daylight.

He then began to pick her up horizontally.

"His Majesty!"

Zhang Yan hurriedly grabbed his arm, her cheeks turning even redder. Quickly remembering what she hadn't finished saying, she changed the subject.

"The important matter is still the main one! Your Majesty, the wives of the three princes, Rui, Hui, and Gui, have been coming to the palace frequently these past few days, saying... saying they are hoping Your Majesty will issue an edict to allow the three princes to return to their kingdoms as soon as possible."

Upon hearing the mention of her three imperial uncles, Zhu Youxiao's hand around her waist indeed paused, the frivolousness on his face faded somewhat, and his brows furrowed slightly.

He let go of her hand, turned around and walked to the stone table in the greenhouse, a thoughtful expression on his face.

“The three royal uncles are indeed due to go to the country.”

"But the treasury is empty right now, the military pay for the nine border regions hasn't been collected yet, and the rebellion in Jiangnan has just been quelled. Where will we get the money to build a new royal palace for them?"

It all boils down to two words: no money.

Even if they had the money, they wouldn't build palaces for you princes.

Zhang Yan walked to his side and said softly, "The three princesses have been inquiring privately about whether they can choose a good piece of land in their fiefdoms to build a royal residence, following the precedent of the previous dynasty. They say they prefer to go to Jiangnan."

A cold glint flashed in Zhu Youxiao's eyes, and he said indifferently:

"Jiangnan is a major tax-paying region; how can we let them go there to live a life of luxury?"

He paused, his gaze gradually settling as he looked at Zhang Yan.

"The Empress will convey my message on my behalf: if the three imperial uncles insist on waiting until the new palace is completed, then they will have to wait patiently."

The silver in the treasury should be prioritized for border troops and disaster relief.

If they don't want to wait, there are several old royal palaces in the borderlands, which were once inhabited by princes and are now empty; they can go and stay there.

The meaning behind those words couldn't be clearer.

It's absolutely impossible to comfortably enjoy life in a wealthy place.

Sending them to the borderlands to guard the frontier and temper their character was the "way out" he offered to his three imperial uncles.

Zhang Yan understood and nodded gently: "Your Majesty, I understand. I will send someone to report back. I believe the three imperial uncles are reasonable and will surely understand His Majesty's difficulties."

Her words were partly reassuring and partly the truth.

Now that the court is controlled by Zhu Youxiao, the three imperial uncles, although they have the title of prince, have no real power and have no choice but to comply.

Seeing her understanding and sensible demeanor, Zhu Youxiao's initial unease gradually dissipated. He reached out and put his arm around her shoulder again, his tone softening once more.

"I and my ministers are keeping an eye on state affairs, so you don't need to worry about them."

The most important thing right now is to 'feed' my precious Empress.

Before Zhang Yan could speak again, he picked her up in his arms.

Zhang Yan gasped and instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her cheek against his warm dragon robe, where she could clearly feel the rise and fall of his chest.

Upon seeing this, the palace servants around them quickly bowed their heads and knelt down, even holding their breath.

Zhu Youxiao carried Zhang Yan towards the bedroom.

Upon entering the bedchamber, he gently placed Zhang Yan on a couch covered with soft cushions. He casually tossed the curtains down, obscuring most of the light inside.

The palace maids outside could only hear soft whispers coming from inside the tent, mixed with low laughter, and Zhang Yan's occasional soft calls. Her voice was melodious, sometimes low and sometimes high, making the palace maids guarding outside the palace feel their ears burning and quietly take a few steps back.

Today, Kunning Palace is destined to be anything but peaceful.

Meanwhile, Nanjing is thousands of miles away.

This period has also been turbulent.

Yuan Keli's command flag fluttered in the wind on the flagpole outside the Ministry of War in Nanjing, and the sounds of horses' hooves and armor clashing under the flag had not stopped since dawn.

Upon receiving the news from Beijing, he immediately summoned his troops without pause.

"Issue the order from the Ministry: The three major battalions of the Beijing Garrison must immediately assemble and be out of camp before noon!"

Yuan Keli's voice traveled through the cold wind outside the hall to the ears of the generals waiting outside.

Before long, Li Fuming, the adjutant of the Dajiaochang Camp, led six thousand infantrymen out of the south gate of the city.

Zhou Yuji, the deputy commander of the Shenji Battalion, personally led 2,500 musketeers, pushing 20 breech-loading cannons toward Tongji Gate.

Led by Zhou Xianzong, the cavalry of Xiaojiaochang Camp charged out of the east gate with three thousand warhorses neighing.

This was no ordinary mobilization of city defenses; it marked the beginning of an iron-fisted campaign to quell the rebellion.

Li Fuming's troops first surrounded the Yingtian Governor's Office.

In front of the stone lions outside the yamen, several yamen runners tried to stop them, but were knocked to the ground by a spearman in the front row.

Li Fuming, carrying his sword, stepped into the main hall, while Zhou Qiyuan's face was filled with despair.

He had been placed under house arrest here for half a month.

Now, his end has come.

“Governor Zhou, by order of Minister Yuan, the evidence is conclusive that you colluded with rioters and plotted to force the emperor to abdicate. Come with me.”

Just as Zhou Qiyuan was about to stand up and argue, he was pressed down by the soldiers behind him, his shackles snapped shut, and he was taken out of the Yingtian Prefecture government office.

at the same time.

Zhou Yuji's Shenji Battalion surrounded the Nanjing Ministry of Revenue.

Wang Yingjiao was also arrested.

Within half a day, more than a hundred traitors, led by Zhou Qiyuan and Wang Yingjiao, were all captured, and prison carts were sent from various streets and alleys to the Ministry of Justice prison.

Catching these ringleaders is far from enough.

Over the next five days, soldiers from the three battalions of the Beijing Garrison and the Nanjing Garrison spread like a net across the villages and towns surrounding Yingtian Prefecture.

Li Fuming's infantry blocked the largest group of refugees in the Jiangpu area. The rioters, instigated by the gentry, were armed with hoes and sticks, but they could not withstand the advance of the spear formation. The rioters in the front row were knocked down by the spears as soon as they rushed up, and those in the back row, seeing that the situation was not good, tried to escape, but were outflanked by Zhou Xianzong's cavalry.

"The ringleader shall be executed on the spot, the accomplices shall be bound and exiled to Liaodong, and those who were coerced shall be pardoned if they lay down their weapons!"

With a wave of his command flag, Li Fuming's soldiers immediately parted the crowd, dragged several leaders to the high platform, and with a flash of blades, their heads fell to the ground. The remaining rioters instantly lost their arrogance, threw down their weapons, and knelt down to beg for mercy.

Within five days, more than 10,000 bandits around Yingtian Prefecture were wiped out.

But this is not enough.

Yuan Keli wanted more than just quell the rebellion.

Under the pretext of suppressing the rioters, he took the opportunity to extend his reach to the local gentry and powerful families of Yingtian Prefecture.

The Gu family, located in the southern part of Nanjing, was a well-known landowner in Jiangnan. The amount of land they owned was three times more than what was registered by the government.

When the soldiers came to his door, Master Gu even presented the imperial edict from the Wanli era to argue his case.
"All of my family's land is properly registered; there is absolutely no hidden land!"

But the soldier directly produced his secret letter to Zhou Qiyuan, which read, "I am willing to provide grain to help the rioters, only asking Yuan Keli to stop the land survey."

This solidified the charge of "treason," and the government seized all of the Gu family's land and shops, while Master Gu was imprisoned.

Even those gentry who had not colluded with the rioters were not easily spared by Yuan Keli.

He had someone take the land registers compiled by the Disaster Relief Department over the past few months and check them against each property:
"Your family's Yellow Register dates back to the tenth year of the Wanli reign. Now it's the Tianqi era, so why weren't the newly added three thousand mu of land registered?"

The gentry were speechless and could only watch helplessly as the soldiers planted wooden signs that read "Official Management" on their own land.

Although the gentry who were not convicted managed to save their lives, most of their land and property were still confiscated by the government under the pretext of "using it as military land" or "subsidizing displaced people."

After dealing with the local gentry, Yuan Keli immediately opened the granaries and distributed grain.

Outside Nanjing city, refugees held bowls of hot porridge in front of porridge stalls, looking at the notices posted by the government.

“Those who have no land can register at the Disaster Relief Office, and the government will allocate land for them to cultivate.” Their originally fearful eyes gradually regained their light.

Following this, taking advantage of the stable situation after the suppression of the rebellion, Yuan Keli forcefully pushed forward with the land survey:

Officials from the Disaster Relief Department took the newly compiled Yellow Register, compared it with the old register from the Wanli era, and measured the land on-site. In just ten days, they "found" nearly a million mu of hidden land in Yingtian Prefecture.

The reason for such rapid progress is that the Disaster Relief Department had already figured out the number of hidden fields in Yingtian Prefecture a few months ago with the help of the garrison.

The reason why so much land could be cleared out in Yingtian Prefecture was because Yingtian Prefecture is located in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. It has a flat terrain and fertile soil. It has always been the granary of Jiangnan. The gentry evaded taxes by hiding their land, and although the government knew about it, it never dared to take action.

Now, taking advantage of the momentum gained from suppressing the rebellion, Yuan Keli not only cleared out the hidden fields but also immediately distributed these lands.

A portion of the land was allocated to the Nanjing garrison, allowing the soldiers to cultivate land and no longer rely on government funding.

The other portion was distributed to landless refugees. When the refugees received the land deeds, they all kowtowed to Yuan Keli's banner, and the turmoil in Yingtian Prefecture gradually subsided.

But this peace was limited to Yingtian Prefecture.

When the local gentry in other prefectures of Jiangnan heard the news, they were immediately thrown into a panic.

The Xi family of Suzhou made their fortune through the silk business, and their farmland was spread throughout Suzhou and Huzhou.

The Pan family in Hangzhou monopolized the local canal transport and also kept a considerable amount of smuggled salt.

They originally thought Yuan Keli was only there to quell the rebellion, but they didn't expect him to use the pretext of quelling the rebellion to threaten the fundamental interests of the gentry.

"Yuan Keli is trying to cut off our livelihood!"

Master Xi from Suzhou slammed his fist on the table and threw Yuan Keli's notice on the ground.

"What's the difference between him taking our land, our money, and taking our lives?"

Panic spread like a plague among the gentry of Jiangnan.

They stopped observing and began secretly providing financial and grain assistance to the local refugees, some even personally instigating the situation.

“Yuan Keli has taken our land, and his next step will be to take our shops. If you don’t rebel now, you won’t even have food to eat in the future!”

The already escalating popular uprising was further intensified by the gentry, and its intensity instantly rose to a new level.

Outside the Ministry of War in Nanjing, Yuan Keli looked at the urgent reports coming from all over the country, but his face remained calm.

"Let it be chaotic. The more chaotic it is, the cleaner it will be."

Once my army has passed...
It's just the right time to deal with all you demons and monsters!
PS:

Map of Southern Zhili:
(End of this chapter)