My father is Jiajing

Chapter 548 The Emperor’s Trouble

Emperor Jiajing stood up slowly. During this period of time, he felt that his body seemed much weaker than usual.

In the past, he could move back and forth in the monastery or the ceremony at the speed of a dragon or a tiger, but now, after just meditating for a while, he felt extremely tired and his energy could no longer be concentrated as before.

Huang Jin watched Emperor Jiajing stand up, and he hurried over to support him.

"Your Majesty, why did you move on your own? Please call me and let me help you."

Emperor Jiajing glanced at Huang Jin and scolded him with a smile: "What? Do you think I'm old? Do you think I'm useless? To tell you the truth, I'm going through a tribulation, and now is the critical moment. Once I get through this period, I will be complete."

Huang Jin felt uncomfortable listening to what Emperor Jiajing said. He didn't know how many times Emperor Jiajing had said this to him since he discovered the poisonous sore on his foot.

Now, hearing Emperor Jiajing say this again, Huang Jin could only reply: "Your Majesty is right. I am a mortal with mortal eyes and lack spirituality. But I know that if you are sick, you must treat it and take medicine. So, please listen to my advice and call Li Shizhen to help you take a look."

There is actually a big risk in what Huang Jin said.

You have to know that the Emperor Jiajing is already nearly sixty years old, and he has been practicing Taoism for so many years. Now suddenly someone says that he is sick. Doesn't this deny that all his decades of practice were in vain?
However, Emperor Jiajing had no intention of blaming Huang Jin, because he knew that Huang Jin was the only one who could speak the truth and words from his heart to him, and only Huang Jin was wholeheartedly good to him.

Moreover, since this illness, his health has been getting worse and worse, and Emperor Jiajing's heart has long been shaken. He has been anxiously waiting for a way out.

Now Huang Jin said that he would ask Li Shizhen to help him take a look, which was exactly what he wanted.

However, before deciding to let Li Shizhen come, Emperor Jiajing was still arrogant.

Otherwise, it would be unworthy of his pseudonyms "Feiyuan Zhenjun", "Wanshou Emperor" and "Zhongxiao Emperor".

Emperor Jiajing said, "Can Li Shizhen do it? I have an immortal body. How can a mortal doctor like him understand it?"

As soon as Huang Jin heard what Emperor Jiajing said, he knew there was hope.

Huang Jin said: "Although Li Shizhen is an ordinary doctor with mortal eyes and flesh, he has also been in the capital for so many years that he has more or less been tainted by some of the immortal energy that the emperor has released. Moreover, Prince Yu is also a true immortal who has descended to the mortal world like Your Majesty. He has instructed Li Shizhen to create an immortal medicine called penicillin."

"I've heard about this medicine. It's really powerful. Some people who seem hopeless can be brought back to life in three to five days as long as they are not repelled by it and can take it!"

Emperor Jiajing also knew about the penicillin that Huang Jin was talking about.

When Emperor Jiajing learned about the existence of such a miraculous medicine, he specially summoned Li Shizhen to learn more about the refining method of this magical medicine and see if there was anything he could learn.

As a result, after learning how penicillin was made, Emperor Jiajing was greatly disappointed. He never expected that the miracle medicine he had high hopes for was actually extracted from moldy orange peels.

Therefore, Emperor Jiajing was not so concerned about penicillin, which could turn decay into magic.

He still insisted on his original theory of alchemy, and when he had nothing to do, he would summon Lei Dezi and Nordi to discuss how to improve the accuracy of alchemy.

He believed that this method of purification could help him refine an elixir that was more effective and closer to an elixir!
However, as his physical condition became worse and worse in recent years, even his seclusion and cultivation could not stop his health from deteriorating, Emperor Jiajing became anxious.

So when Huang Jin started talking about the miraculous story of Li Shizhen's research on penicillin, Emperor Jiajing also felt that this step was about enough.

Emperor Jiajing said, "In that case, I will order Li Shizhen to come to the Western Garden to discuss Taoism. I want to have a good discussion with him about medicine and Taoism, to enlighten him and bring out some spiritual energy. Remember to have him come in wearing a Taoist robe!"

At the end of the day, Emperor Jiajing still insisted on his principles. He would never let Li Shizhen walk into the Western Garden so brazenly wearing an official uniform of the Imperial Medical Bureau.

If he wanted Li Shizhen to come in, then Li Shizhen had to wear a Taoist robe to hide his identity as he arranged.

When Huang Jin heard that Emperor Jiajing finally agreed to allow Li Shizhen to treat him, he cried with joy.

Huang Jin said: "I will arrange it right away!"

Emperor Jiajing smiled and waved his hand, "Forget about it today, let's ask him to come tomorrow. Go find the briefing that San'er sent. I want to hear what else happened outside."

Huang Jin hummed and did not continue to persuade Emperor Jiajing.

He then went to get the briefing that Emperor Jiajing had requested.

This briefing was also a custom and rule formed by Zhu Zaigui during his years as regent in Wenhua Hall. As long as Zhu Zaigui stayed in Wenhua Hall for a day, a briefing from the cabinet or Wenhua Hall would be sent to Xiyuan in the afternoon of that day.

Emperor Jiajing took the briefing that Huang Jin had just brought over, and his eyes began to concentrate on the briefing in his hand, while he naturally stretched his hand forward.

Huang Jin also cooperated very naturally and handed the reading glasses he had prepared long ago to Emperor Jiajing. After Emperor Jiajing put on the reading glasses, he began to look at the thick stack of court briefings in his hand.

"San'er's rule is the best. Every day, all the major and minor events reported to the court today are summarized and collected in one place, which greatly saves me the time of reading the memorials one by one."

While looking at the thick stack of court briefings in his hand, Emperor Jiajing praised Zhu Zaigui again.

Huang Jin listened to Emperor Jiajing praising Zhu Zaigui and smiled along, "Yes, Prince Yu is really like the Emperor. They are both extremely intelligent immortals. We servants usually rack our brains to come up with good solutions, but with just a little guidance from the Emperor and Prince Yu, we can see through these problems."

Emperor Jiajing laughed and said, "That's right. San'er and I are people who are born with knowledge."

Emperor Jiajing then focused his attention on these briefings. He first read the part sent by the cabinet and felt that there was nothing new. Apart from those old things, the rest were almost the same as those sent from Wenhua Hall.

Therefore, Emperor Jiajing also browsed through it quickly. Unless he came across something that interested him, he would stop and ask for details. Otherwise, even if he finished reading the briefing, he would not say a single word.

After Emperor Jiajing finally finished reading the briefing from the cabinet, he began to read the briefing sent from Wenhua Hall.

When Emperor Jiajing turned to the report on the naming of the treasure ship and the sea trial ceremony made by Li Chunfang and Zhang Juzheng together by Zhu Zaigui, his eyes could not help but stop.

Emperor Jiajing had been interested in this matter for a long time. Even if Zhu Zaigui and the ministers in the cabinet did not mention it on their own initiative, he would issue an edict to inquire about it when the time came.

Now Zhu Zaigui has reported the whole story, the extent of the handling and the way of judging the matter to Emperor Jiajing. Emperor Jiajing must be happy.

Emperor Jiajing took out the briefing alone and read it carefully. Then he said to Huang Jin, "Send an order to the cabinet later and tell them that the Tianjin incident must be handled with great fanfare. This is an important event that demonstrates the prosperity of our dynasty."

"In the forty-four years since I took the throne, there have been few events as grand and important as this one. Ask them to prepare the plan and draft for this event and send it here. If the money is not enough, then transfer it from my treasury. Anyway, I can't be stingy about this matter." Huang Jin stretched his head to take a look. After understanding the time, he immediately responded: "I've made a note of it. I'll have someone convey the order to the cabinet later."

After telling this story, Emperor Jiajing's mood obviously improved. It was obvious that he was also a person who loved pomp and face, and he liked to hold such flashy ceremonial scenes.

But there was no way around it. When the dynasty reached the era of Emperor Jiajing, although the national strength seemed not as strong as the first two or three monarchs of the founding of the country, in fact, after one or two hundred years of development and sedimentation, in many aspects it had actually far surpassed the previous period.

Therefore, in terms of scene expenditure, the monarchs of later generations were more extravagant than the monarchs of earlier generations.

After all, it is difficult to ask them to demonstrate their military achievements and martial arts prowess, but if they focus on the pomp and circumstance, these kings of later generations will definitely be more powerful than each other.

It's like the late Qing Dynasty, when the empire was about to collapse, but Empress Dowager Cixi still did not forget to hold a grand birthday party. She would rather embezzle the military funds of the Beiyang Navy than have a shabby birthday.

To be honest, this kind of mentality is hard to understand.

However, this kind of mentality seems to be a common phenomenon among large families.

For example, the Jia family in "Dream of Red Mansions" are almost so poor that they can't even make ends meet, but they still have to pretend to be rich, and then they explain it with a clear conscience that this is the demeanor of a noble family and they can't let the family down and let outsiders look down on them and think that the Jia family has fallen into decline.

But in fact, this kind of thinking and mentality is just an excuse for one's own guilty conscience, and not many people actually pay attention to this matter.

Moreover, even if the Jia family has declined, as long as the title remains, there is hope.

But if you use inappropriate means and tricks in order to maintain so-called dignity, then not only will you lose face, but your true colors will also be exposed.

Of course, Zhu Zaigui would not say these words to Emperor Jiajing.

Besides, everyone has their own understanding and considerations. He thinks this is an extremely important matter and requires a grand celebration to achieve a certain purpose, so let him do it.

Anyway, the Ming Dynasty now has some wealth, and there is a lot of silver saved in his treasury. Since he wants to spend it, let him spend it.

It can also be considered as promoting a wave of consumption and driving a wave of employment.

After all, such a grand scene, such an important ceremonial occasion, must require a lot of expenses and consumption.

A dozen years ago, this would have been a heavy burden.

However, with the development of the Beijing Special Economic Zone over the past decade, the development of the Shunyi Industrial Park, and the prosperity of a series of industries and businesses driven by the Ming Federal Reserve, it also created a temporary prosperity.

Therefore, it can be considered a positive economic behavior for the court to spend some money to purchase more things from the people and promote the circular development of some consumption.

After all, when the economy has developed to a certain level, frugality is not the only way to accumulate national strength. If consumption is used well, it will stimulate economic prosperity and bring more employment and tax returns, which will be extremely positive.

Therefore, Zhu Zaigui would not make trouble for Emperor Jiajing's extravagant behavior.

After all, Zhu Zaigui was not a nerdy son or prince who grew up with the traditional Confucian values ​​of "gentleness, kindness, respect, frugality and modesty". His thoughts and cognitions were very different from those of everyone else of that era.

Therefore, Zhu Zaigui would never do anything that required unnecessary pretense of loyalty, filial piety, chastity and righteousness.

Of course, as to whether there would be an imperial censor before and after this incident accusing Emperor Jiajing of extravagance and waste, that was none of Zhu Zaigui’s business.

Anyway, the target of their shooting was Emperor Jiajing, not him.

Then Emperor Jiajing began to read further, and soon he came across Zhu Zaigui's suggestion to set up a grand secretary and governor-general of Southern Zhili in Nanjing.

When Emperor Jiajing saw this suggestion, he couldn't help but frown and think deeply.

In fact, Emperor Jiajing was still very unfamiliar with Nanjing.

Apart from knowing that there was a Nanjing in the south of the Ming Dynasty and that it had a capital with six ministries and hundreds of government offices, Emperor Jiajing actually had little idea of ​​what kind of place Nanjing was.

After all, there were no high-speed trains or airplanes in that era, let alone Internet information. Emperor Jiajing could not imagine what the city of Nanjing was like.

Therefore, when Zhu Zaigui suggested setting up an official position of Grand Secretary and Governor-General of Southern Zhili in Nanjing to be responsible for the overall management and control of the six ministries in Nanjing and the Nanjing Garrison, Emperor Jiajing was somewhat hesitant.

After Emperor Jiajing carefully read Zhu Zaigui's suggestion over and over again, he looked up at Huang Jin and said, "Huang Jin, do you know Nanjing?"

Huang Jin was also stunned when he heard this question.

How come he doesn’t know about Nanjing?

Isn’t that one of the two capitals of the Ming Dynasty?
Isn’t Emperor Taizu Gao lying in the Xiaoling Mausoleum in Nanjing?
Who in the Ming Dynasty didn’t know about Nanjing?

But Emperor Jiajing asked this question suddenly, and he definitely wouldn't just ask such a simple question.

So, Huang Jin's brain started to work quickly.

Huang Jin said: "Of course I know Nanjing, but I have never been to Nanjing, so I don't know much about Nanjing. Please punish me for my stupidity."

When Emperor Jiajing heard this, he couldn't help but sigh, "I haven't been to Nanjing either. From Emperor Taizu Gao to my own dynasty, including Emperor Jianwen and Emperor Wuzong, only six emperors have been to Nanjing."

"Now San'er has suggested setting up a university student in Nanjing who will serve as the governor-general of Southern Zhili to govern the six departments of Nanjing and coordinate the affairs of the six southern provinces. I am a little undecided."

"Although this is one of the two capitals of the Ming Dynasty, from the 18th year of Yongle to now, no emperor has ever issued orders in Nanjing. It's really confusing!"

Huang Jin was also confused when he heard this. This was beyond his understanding.

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