Emperor Zhengde

Chapter 207: Arresting the People from the Imperial Kitchen and the Imperial Palace

Ordinary people may not have the worries that emperors have, because ordinary people are either busy making a living or not capable of much, and will not worry about indulging in beauty. Even if nobles and wealthy people have such worries, they can simply indulge themselves and die, which will only result in a short life.

But Zhu Houzhao was the emperor, and the length of his life determined the direction of the empire's history, especially in an autocratic and centralized empire like the Ming Dynasty.

Zhu Houzhao was diligent in military affairs and had a strong physique, but he could not withstand having sex with others several times a day. He suspected that he was suffering from sexual famine, especially after meals. This time, Zhu Houzhao decided not to eat the lunch from the imperial kitchen. He went to Xuanwumenli Street in disguise and prepared to find a restaurant to fill his stomach.

Xuanwumenli Street is now the CBD (Central Business District) of Daming. Important institutions such as the Royal Industrial Company, Royal Bank, Daming Maritime Trade Company, Daming Agricultural Reclamation Bureau, and Daming Mining Bureau are all located here. In addition, it is also adjacent to Daming’s only teaching and research base, namely Imperial University of Peking and the Royal Industrial Experimental Base.

At the same time, after Zhu Houzhao abolished the craftsman registration system, some craftsmen with good skills began to go into business. They rented storefronts in the Dashiyongfang and Xiaoshiyongfang areas of Xuanwumenli Street, and began to rely on their ancestral skills to manufacture some handicraft products for sale. In addition, with the leadership of the Royal Industrial Company and the Royal Industrial Experimental Base, all kinds of imitation or improved new industrial products appeared here.

For example, the recently popular clay stoves, four-wheeled carriages, and various hardware tools.

Many businessmen from all over the country would come here to place bulk orders for products to be sold nationwide, which led to an increase in the flow of people here. Especially after Zhu Houzhao relaxed the access restrictions at Xuanwu Gate, the flow of people here led to the emergence of a large number of brothels and taverns, and the entertainment industry also developed here.

However, no one knew that the real financial backer behind this area was Zhu Houzhao himself, because the properties in the Xuanwumenli Street area had been confiscated by Zhu Houzhao and transferred to his own royal name several years ago. Now the emperor himself earns a lot of money every year just from rent and premiums.

Zhu Houzhao randomly found a tavern, sat down and had some food and drinks, rejected the hotel owner's suggestion to go to the private room to relax, and followed the crowded crowd back to the palace.

But Zhu Houzhao found that he had no thoughts of love between men and women this time, so he had time to handle government affairs for the whole afternoon.

Because Zhu Houzhao was different from Emperor Hongzhi, he now had several concubines, so it was naturally not suitable for the empress to occupy the imperial palace all the time. She should live in Kunning Palace. However, Zhu Houzhao himself was accustomed to having the empress sleep with him most of the time, so he issued an order for the empress to continue living in Qianqing Palace.

Whenever Zhu Houzhao needed to visit other concubines, he would basically summon them to the Qianqing Palace. As for the empress, she was basically accustomed to serving Emperor Zhu Houzhao together with other concubines.

Zhu Houzhao did not summon other concubines today, so he returned to the Qianqing Palace.

At night, Zhu Houzhao felt hungry, so he asked someone to serve him food.

Zhu Houzhao only ate a few bowls of porridge, but as soon as he finished eating, he felt as if his whole body had been injected with stimulants, and his tired look disappeared completely.

As soon as Zhu Houzhao saw the queen in front of him again, he rushed over.

……

The next morning, Zhu Houzhao woke up, feeling dizzy and frightened.

Queen Xia also noticed that Zhu Houzhao's face had darkened, so she asked with some concern: "Your Majesty, what's wrong with you?"

"It's okay. I'm just a little exhausted. Now, do as I tell you. Remember not to summon anyone. Come here in person!"

Zhu Houzhao ordered.

Queen Xia nodded: "I know!"

So, under Zhu Houzhao's instructions, Empress Xia took out a bag of rice that Zhu Houzhao had bought at the market yesterday, and put it into a pot and a porcelain bottle of water that Zhu Houzhao had prepared earlier to cook a bowl of porridge. Zhu Houzhao regained some strength after drinking it.

Zhu Houzhao now had to believe that there was something wrong with the food in his imperial kitchen. He couldn't believe what the consequences would be if he didn't pay attention and just thought that lust was human nature and ignored it because he was young and strong.

But Zhu Houzhao could not wait until he could not get out of bed to resolve the matter.

At this time, the eunuch on duty, Wei Bin, walked in and said, "Your Majesty, the imperial kitchen is here to ask if we are still going to have meals at the Cining Palace?"

"No need, bring the breakfast to the Cabinet and the Imperial Household Duty Room!"

Zhu Houzhao came to the cabinet and the Silijian duty room and ordered Liu Jin directly: "Bring all the people from the imperial kitchen here!"

Immediately, Zhu Houzhao ordered Gu Dayong of the Western Factory: "Also bring all the officials of the Taichang Temple here!"...

"I heard from the Prime Minister that your Majesty has not been in as good health as before and is not as diligent as before. I'm afraid this is not a blessing for the country!"

Ye Zhi, the Junior Secretary of the Taichang Temple, was pruning potted plants, while an imperial censor beside him was talking with a worried look on his face.

After hearing this, Ye Zhi, the Junior Minister of the Imperial Household, smiled secretly, thinking that the medicine had indeed worked. He was very proud and said, "It is human nature for the emperor to be lustful. You and I are both his subjects. Although we can advise him, we cannot stop him. Alas!"

The censor also sighed. Suddenly, someone from the Western Factory broke in and pointed at Ye Zhi: "Take him away!"

Seeing this, Ye Zhi, the Junior Secretary of the Imperial Household Department, was shocked and asked, "What are you doing? What crime have I committed?"

"Sir Ye, go ask the emperor yourself!" the man from the Western Factory said and took Ye Zhi away.

……

Zhu Houzhao looked at the officials from the Imperial Kitchen and the Imperial Academy who filled the entire Qianqing Palace Square, and couldn't help but smile coldly, and asked, "You should have guessed why I brought all of you here."

The officials present actually had no idea why they were summoned here by the Emperor. They were all wondering whether it was because of their own corruption or for other reasons.

Of course, except Ye Zhi.

Ye Zhi had a hunch that the Emperor might have realized that he had added aphrodisiacs to the food supplied to the royal family. This medicine was not poisonous, so it could not be detected by silver needles. The eunuchs who tasted the food could not detect it either, because eunuchs did not have that ability, so the medicine naturally had no effect on them.

However, Ye Zhi also knew that if he did this, he might face the situation where His Majesty discovered the clues, so he was prepared. So when Zhu Houzhao brought the officials from the Imperial Kitchen and the Taichang Temple here, he concealed his inner panic very well.

Ye Zhi believed that even if His Majesty wanted to question him without asking any questions, he would only question Liu Jie, the Minister of Taichang Temple. Liu Jie, the Minister of Taichang Temple, did not know that he was the one behind this, so he knew that Liu Jie would not confess him.

As for the eunuchs in the imperial kitchen, they knew even less.

"Qu Yang, Junior Supervisor of the Imperial Kitchen, and Liu Jie, Minister of the Imperial Household Department!"

At this time, Zhu Houzhao did as Ye Zhi expected and only called the two persons in charge of the Imperial Kitchen and the Taichang Temple to his presence.

Qu Yang and Liu Jie both came before Zhu Houzhao tremblingly and bowed hurriedly.

"You, Qu Yang, are Luo Xiang's men. You earn no less than 50,000 taels a year by managing the imperial kitchen. I don't understand why you want to kill me! Aren't you afraid that after I die, your backer will fall, and you will lose 50,000 taels every year from then on?"

Zhu Houzhao first questioned Qu Yang, the junior supervisor of the Imperial Stables.

Qu Yang, the Junior Supervisor of the Imperial Stables, was very surprised. He was surprised that His Majesty actually knew how much he embezzled every year when he was in charge of the Imperial Kitchen. But he was also a little scared because he could hear that His Majesty was saying that he was intentionally trying to harm him.

Qu Yang, the Junior Supervisor of the Imperial Stables, felt very wronged about this, because based on his own interests, he would try every means to make money in the position of managing the imperial kitchen. However, he knew that managing the imperial kitchen was lucrative and did not dare to cause the emperor any dissatisfaction. Not to mention harming the emperor, he was even afraid that if the food in the imperial kitchen dissatisfied the emperor, he would be demoted.

Therefore, when Zhu Houzhao questioned him, Qu Yang shouted that he was wronged: "Your Majesty, I am wronged! I would never dare to have such intentions!"

Zhu Houzhao only smiled faintly. He naturally knew that Qu Yang didn't have the guts to do that. However, he didn't express his opinion clearly. He just turned to look at Liu Jie and continued to ask: "Liu Jie, you must have received a lot of benefits every year when you were in charge of the Taichang Temple. According to the investigation of the East Factory, the rice you gave to the royal family was not the real top-quality tribute rice. The top-quality tribute rice was sold out by you! You are doing a good job as the Minister of the Taichang Temple. Why do you make things difficult for me and want to turn me into a licentious and incompetent monarch?!"

Liu Jie, the Minister of the Imperial Household, was not stupid either. He could hear the hidden meaning of Zhu Houzhao's words and hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, it is unjust! I dare not harm Your Majesty! The Imperial Household has detailed information on all the grain, oil, vegetables, meat, etc. purchased by the Imperial Household. If Your Majesty does not believe it, you can check it carefully!"

The author does not take a holiday and will continue to update on New Year's Eve. I wish you all a happy new year. If you are still following the novel on New Year's Eve, please leave a message. Readers like you will definitely make a fortune this year!

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(End of this chapter)