There is a home in the depths of the white clouds

The next day, Emperor Xianzong made a statement, this time only the crown princess was selected.

Some ministers don't understand what it means, isn't this just to choose the concubine Yuan of the East Palace?

It was Li Dongyang who understood the meaning of these words and told them: "This is only the concubine Yuan, and only one Shuyuan can stay."

Everyone is a smart person. After saying this, someone immediately thought: "Then... the talent, the servant and the lady... don't choose?"

"Yes, the imperial decree said to select the crown princess, but it didn't mention the selection of talented people from the Eastern Palace, servants and ladies." Li Dongyang warned them: "Everyone remember, don't be read by someone at that time, defy the imperial decree, deceive The king's sin."

Everyone's expressions were stunned. This is not a light crime. Once it is confirmed, hehehe... the whole family will be beheaded.

Because they understood the meaning of the emperor, many people regretted it. The girl who was originally thought to be prepared could be a talented person in the Eastern Palace, a servant, or a lady at the very least, as long as she could give birth to a boy and a half girl. , you don't have to worry about it for the rest of your life, okay?

But now, there is only one place for the crown princess, and the others are out of the question.

Just this month, the Wu family had another happy event. Wu Mingde's daughter-in-law, Yang Liu, became pregnant again!

"Really?" Wu Youwei was overjoyed: "That's great!"

Also overjoyed were Lao Yang and his wife, who ran over as soon as they heard the news.

Anyway, I have become familiar with my in-laws in the past two years, and there is nothing to see. When I saw my daughter, I asked happily: "Really? How many months?"

"It's been two months." Yang Liu said embarrassingly: "At first I thought it was because I didn't feel well, but then I thought it was, but the month is still young, so I haven't been diagnosed. I haven't come this month, so I went to the big pharmacy to ask for a doctor. Show it."

After more than two months, it was finally confirmed.

"Okay, take good care of it." Wu Youwei said: "The housekeeper and Xu Niang are responsible for the family affairs. You just eat and drink, take care of yourself and the baby in your stomach. The M family Hearing the good news happily, Wu Youwei stayed with his in-laws to have dinner here.

After the meal, the in-laws came and said, "My in-laws, I said before that if it's a boy..."

"I'll be your grandson." Wu Youwei said, "I know. If the baby is a boy, the surname will be Yang. Don't worry."

Mr. Yang was happy: "Hey!"

My in-laws are a good person, worthy of being a bachelor and a high official!

So far he still doesn't quite know what a bachelor's job is, he only knows that he seems to be teaching the prince.

In the ninth month, Yimao, the world was ordered to suspend marriage and select concubines for the Eastern Palace.

In fact, there are many requirements for choosing a concubine in the Eastern Palace. Nine out of ten people in the world will not pass the screening. Stopping the world from marrying is just a formality.

In order to respect the royal family, but also for the royal family to be able to choose a suitable daughter-in-law.

With an edict, the world will start auditions.

After the ceremony of conferring the king, several princes were added to the court. At the same time, envoys from the southern countries also sent over, and even sent letters back.

Ding Wei, His Highness the Crown Prince came out of the cabinet to give lectures, which was appreciated by everyone.

Dingmao in October in winter, there will be a bumper harvest tomorrow. At the same time, Wu Youwei is also counting the donated things at home.

His daughter-in-law gave him the ledger, and Yang Liu only found out after taking over the family that the Wu family spends more on doing good deeds each year than the family spends, several times the annual spend.

Such a family has been unknown, because every time they go there, they don't make any noise.

Those who received donations thought that this was the one for them, but in fact, every place has a share.

Nursing homes, foster homes....

Wu Youwei happily signed it, and asked Yang Liu to take it: "It's better to have a daughter-in-law, and I don't need to read these books."

Yang Liu lowered her head and smiled: "You are dealing with important court affairs."

"Pull it down, I don't want to worry about things going up." Wu You put on his slippers for the next step: "I'm going to see my eldest grandson."

Now is the time for his eldest grandson to have fun, and the little doll has become much stronger, and he is still very happy to hold it outside. All the things his father used to use are used by his son.

Even Cui Er, who has not been a carpenter for many years, just made him a sheep cart!

A clean little ram was pulling an exquisite sheep cart, and a fat official was sitting in the cart.

Wu Youwei's stomach ached from laughing when he saw this posture, and the little doll was so happy to be playing in it.

Wu Mingde came back and saw it, and was speechless immediately: "Father has nothing to play with, have you started playing with his grandson?"

"Don't talk nonsense." Yang Liu patted him: "Go and get some jujube cake for father, I made it new today, I didn't put sugar in case he would feed it to the children."

Wu Mingde had no choice but to bring out a plate of jujube cakes. The jujube cakes were made in the shape of ingots, a small one, one for adults, and a baby...you can only grab a small piece and feed it to him. sweetness.

In Yihai, good news came from Yunnan, and the imperial court appointed Wu Qiong as the governor of Yunnan.

In the past, Wu Qiong was the chief political envoy, but now he has been promoted to governor.

As for the position of chief envoy, officials were sent from Beijing, and those who went volunteered. They were classmates with Wu Qiong and students who graduated from Tao Wen Academy.

Bingzi, Emperor Xianzong sealed off the harem.

In addition to the queen and imperial concubine, the concubine Zhang was promoted to Concubine De; the concubine Yao was promoted to Concubine An; the concubine Yang was promoted to Concubine Gong....

Even the Zhao concubine Wang who entered the palace later was promoted to Zhao concubine.

Only the respected concubine, Wang, has not been promoted, and is still staying in her original position...the title of king does not have the role of the eleventh prince....

Originally thought that this was the punishment given to them by the emperor.

But later I realized that this is not the end.

In Dinghai, Emperor Xianzong adopted the eleven princes to King Xiuhuai on the grounds that the clan had no heirs.

Zhu Jianshu, king of Xiuhuai, had only two daughters and no son. After he was adopted by King Xiuhuai, he became the son of King Xiuhuai.

Princess Xiuhuai is still alive, he will recognize Princess Xiuhuai as his mother.

Because he is a stepson, King Xiuhuai's throne cannot continue.

The title was changed to the king of Liaodong, and the fief was in Liaodong. That place...is not an exaggeration for the poor and remote.

However, because Concubine Huaixiu was already old, she couldn't pass. She brought her two side concubines and was conferred the title of concubine together.

The only one who went to Liaodong was the King of Liaodong...and the officials who were arranged by Emperor Xianzong.

The Wang family has long since disappeared. After the incident happened that year, Emperor Xianzong had already found an excuse to send him to mine in the south.

When Concubine Jing found out about this, the imperial decree had already been issued, and she was powerless to recover, she passed out in the palace immediately...

Renchen, the king of Liaodong took office directly.

Among the people who sealed the king, he was the one who left in the most haste. He only packed up some things. Anyway, when he arrived at the place, there would naturally be a palace, and there would be no shortage of people to serve him.

But no one spoke in the court, only His Highness the Crown Prince, who personally sent the King of Liaodong out of the city, and the King of Liaodong was only a teenager in his teens.

"Prince...brother." The eleventh prince, the current king of Liaodong, already knew about the affairs of the royal family. Similarly, he was both happy and ashamed of His Royal Highness the prince who came to see him off.

He was young and inactive back then, and only when he grew up did he realize what his mother and he had done.

"Although you have been adopted, you are still an orphaned brother. Father...has his own difficulties. His Royal Highness Prince M asked the people around him to give it to the King of Liaodong: "Here is a golden ticket of 2 taels. 10 taels of silver bills, when you get there, you, the king of Liaodong, can live a comfortable life with the money by your side. "

The king of Liaodong burst into tears.

"Although you have been adopted, you are still the son of the phoenix and the grandson of the dragon. The people over there dare not neglect you, but they are just serving you according to the rules." His Royal Highness said: "It is not convenient for them to come here, so I will send you off alone. You go."

"Brother!" The King of Liaodong cried and hugged His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. Since childhood, this elder brother has taken good care of his younger brothers.

But these younger brothers always think about the eldest brother's position as the crown prince.

"Good boy." His Royal Highness the Crown Prince patted him: "I was born in the royal family, but that's all. When you get there, send a message to Eldest Brother. In a few years, Eldest Brother will also remind Father Emperor to choose a good princess for you. Since you are going Once you leave Liaodong, let’s take root there, if we Ming can still live there, just treat it as if you are guarding the border for your eldest brother, and future generations will thrive there in the future, it can be regarded as doing your part of loyalty and filial piety for my Ming.”

The emperor adopts the prince, saying that he is succeeding his brother, but it is also suspected of being unkind for not wanting a son.

This thing sounds good, but it doesn't sound good, and it doesn't sound good.

But His Highness the Crown Prince had to defend Emperor Xianzong, so he found a very suitable excuse.

"Hmm." The King of Liaodong was young, and now he only knew how to cry, but didn't think about it.

His Royal Highness the Crown Prince sent him all the way to Shili Pavilion in the suburbs of Beijing. No matter how far away, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince could not send him off.

Watching his carriage go away, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince sighed: "I know that the father did it for his own good, and the eleventh brother was implicated by his natal family."

Wang Zhen, the close manager, quickly echoed: "What Your Highness said is that the Eleventh Prince is a smart man since he was a child. How could he not know that coveting the East Palace is a serious crime? It's all the Wang family's fault, he's too big."

His Royal Highness the Crown Prince did not speak, turned around and got on the carriage, and returned to the capital.

However, His Royal Highness's deeds have been appreciated by people. A future monarch who cares about brotherhood and family is better than a cold-blooded and ruthless one.

At the beginning of the year, Xu Pu, the left servant of the official department and a scholar of the Imperial Academy, joined the cabinet to pre-engineer.

The position of Zuo Shilang was taken over by Zhang Sheng, and the position of Zhang Sheng was taken over by Xu Jun...  

In November Guichou, Yin Zhi reported his old age and returned to his hometown, but Emperor Xianzong forbade it.

In the winter moon, it was snowing heavily, and Wu Youwei and Wantong were eating hot pot and admiring the snowy scenery outside.

"Now the world's audition has passed the first round, and there are already ten thousand Shuyuans on the list." Wantong swiped the mutton with his chopsticks: "Choose one out of ten thousand. They are at home for the New Year, and they should set off for the capital." gone."

"Really?" Wu Youwei thought for a while, "The rouge gouache in Beijing seems to be selling very well. Erfang sent a letter saying that they have made a lot of money this year, and the volume will even increase next year."

"There's also news from the south. According to your words, they didn't sell pearls, but turned them into pearl powder. The price is, tsk tsk!" Wantong said with a smile: "If you are not an official, but a businessman, you must be the richest man in the world." .”

"That's right." Wu Youwei said, "Pearl jewelry is inherently low-profit, and the pearls from the pearl farms, if the quality is a little bit bad, can't be sold at a high price, and the artificially cultivated pearls are not as good as northern pearls." Gold beads from the south are popular, so why not change them into pearl powder for beauty and beauty, many women like it."

In the Song Dynasty, there was already a method of artificially cultivating pearls. In the Ming Dynasty, the technology has become more and more mature. Instead of competing with those famous pearls for the jewelry market, it is better to find another way to improve the beauty market.

Sure enough, pearl powder, something that sounds very expensive, a bottle of ten taels of silver is simply in short supply.

"Yeah, you're the only one who can come up with this method, and the pearl farms in the south can make a lot of money." Wan Tong threw two prawns into the hot pot: "Even the seafood brought in during the Chinese New Year is much bigger. .”

These are big sea prawns from Liaodong. They are very big and they are frozen. They are what they eat now.

I couldn’t eat it before, because it was a tribute, but now I can eat it. Thanks to the blessing of the cement road, the transportation is convenient now. I buy a truckload of ice at the seaside, and transport sea shrimp and other seafood to the capital with the ice, and earn a lot of money. Well, the fishermen on the seaside even bought carriages and formed a team to deliver goods to Beijing. They could earn half a year's money with just one trip.

"This year, the elder sister is fine, the emperor is even better." Wan Tao said, "Seeing that the year is coming to an end, isn't it, they all..."

"It should be...w Wu Youwei can't guarantee it.

After all, it's not the end of the year yet.

The two of them ate hot pot and chatted, feeling that their lives were very comfortable.

Yimao, Liu Jian, the right servant, is the servant of the Ministry of Rites and a Bachelor of Hanlin, and he joined the cabinet to pre-engineer.

Wu Youwei was immediately happy for them, and set up three tables in the middle and upper floors of the overseas building to celebrate Liu Jian.

Overseas buildings and middle buildings eat home-cooked dishes, such as stewed pork belly with sauerkraut, chicken stewed with mushrooms, etc. There are also some stir-fried dishes. The staple food is polenta and corn cakes.

There is also a tomato and egg soup.

This table is only three taels of silver, which is not considered a luxury.

There is also a sense of propriety for everyone to celebrate.

"Joined the cabinet, congratulations!" Wu Youwei sincerely congratulated Liu Jian, he knew this guy would be the elder of the cabinet.

"It's all the emperor's love." Liu Jian whispered: "Actually, I don't know why I was asked to join the cabinet. I thought it would be Zhang Sheng, but it turned out not to be."

"It's been a few years since he came back from outside?" Wu Youwei said: "The six ministries haven't been rotated yet, how could he join the cabinet? It will take a few years to get in."

Liu Jian smiled: "Actually, I think you are the most suitable."

"I'm not suitable." Wu Youwei shook his head, "I'm the Zuochunfang Grand Scholar of the East Palace."

The East Palace is the Crown Prince's domain, and everyone belongs to the Crown Prince. If he becomes a cabinet member, wouldn't he become a servant of the Emperor? What about the Crown Prince?

If Wu Youwei wanted to join the cabinet, he had to wait until His Royal Highness the Crown Prince ascended the throne and became emperor.

Liu Jian thought, yes.

On December Renwu, Emperor Xianzong once again reduced half of the world's taxes on the grounds of festivities in the palace.

Anyway, Daming is not short of money and food, so let's reduce the exemption.

Because what he reduced or exempted were the common people, not the merchants.

Today, Daming's cement avenues extend in all directions, goods are in circulation, commerce is prosperous, and the business tax is also much richer.

In addition, there has been an endless stream of gold and silver transported back and forth from the vassal states of Ming Dynasty, and the treasury is rich.

As the saying goes, don’t be greedy, children, after Laba, it’s the New Year.

After cooking Laba porridge, the New Year is approaching.

The family members are busy celebrating the New Year as usual, only Wantong and Wu Youwei are getting more and more nervous.

If this year passes smoothly, does it really mean that Wu Youwei has changed history, and what has been changed is big history.

As long as this year, the Chenghua Dynasty will not end.

It was cold in the twelfth lunar month, and it was especially cold this year. Wu Youwei had a premonition that the Little Ice Age should be coming.

He felt more and more that what he could change was people, not the weather.

After Laba, Zhang Luo celebrated the New Year, and Yang Liu was pregnant, so she couldn't do much, she could only raise the baby at home, and she had a child to take care of, so she had no choice but to invite her natal mother to help take care of the child.

When Wu Mingde was young, Wu Mingde offered sacrifices to the stove, Wu Youwei watched the fun, even stole the stove candy and took it to share with the eldest grandson, but was caught by his in-laws and confiscated their stove candy. Like it.

It was Xu Niang who looked at it and smiled, and asked the cook to bring them a piece of Changbai cake: "Eat it, this one is not too sweet."

Only then did the grandfather and grandson show a smile and share a piece of Changbai cake.

After the new year passed, the imperial court sealed the pen.

All the officials are on vacation and go home to celebrate the New Year.

At home, Wu Youwei was wrapped in cotton wool, and sat on the kang with his eldest grandson, watching the heavy snow outside through the large glass window.

The fireworks all over the sky, the joyous yelling of the family, the laughter of the children spread to every corner of the house, and the sound of firecrackers reminds people that another year has passed.

Wantong held Wu Youwei's hand tightly: "This year has passed!"

"Yes, this year has passed." Wu Youwei said excitedly: "It's all passed!"

Wantong nodded, his eyes were cold and cold, but Wu Youwei's figure was reflected.

The hand that the two hold each other has not let go every year.

The fat official wanted to run over to play with his grandfather, but was picked up by his father, and they went to set off small firecrackers together.

That year, thirty vassal states and tribes including Annan, Siam, Hami, Turpan, Uzang, and Ryukyu paid tribute.

There were even Spaniards who came by sea, and a group of 32 interpreters, including Bai Mo, came to the capital this year to interpret for guests who came from afar.

This was the first time that the Spanish navigators saw the richness of the east, and they participated in the audience of the foreign countries to the Ming emperor.

In the 24th year of Chenghua, in the spring, the first month, Jihai, a great sacrifice to heaven and earth was held in the southern suburbs.

The first thing in the new year is the Spaniards from afar.

No one knew what was going on there. The Spaniards also came with those missionaries. They seemed to have found an organization, and their backs were hardened by three points.

After Wu Youwei saw them, he directly told Bai Mo about their situation. Bai Mo is now fluent in Latin. He said Wu Youwei's words in Latin. The Spaniards were very surprised, thousands of miles away, The people here actually know their situation, and even some secret things, they all know it clearly.

Immediately, he lost his arrogance and began to discuss state affairs with Daming.

However, Emperor Xianzong lost interest in discussing with them and left the matter to Honglu Temple. He wanted to choose a daughter-in-law for his son!