pappabearbooks Chapter 82 The First Tax Collection During the Zhengde Era!
Chapter 82 The First Tax Collection During the Zhengde Era!
After Li Xianran was granted the title of Consort, it would be inappropriate for her to live with others in Chuxiu Palace.
Zhu Houzhao looked around the palace, frowned, and said, "Consort Shu, you are pregnant now and need to rest. You should not stay here anymore."
As Zhu Houzhao was pondering where to place Li Xianran, Consort Kang, Xia Tianxin, suggested, "Your Majesty, why not place Consort Shu in Zhongcui Palace?"
"There are still many empty halls and courtyards in Zhongcui Palace. I can go and take care of my younger sister more often."
No sooner had Xia Tianxin finished speaking than Liu Ningwei chimed in, "That won't do. Both of you are concubines; there's no way we should let Sister Xia take care of Sister Li."
"Why don't we come to Yanxi Palace, where the younger sister can take care of the older sister? How about that?"
Xia Tianxin glanced at Liu Ningwei and said indifferently, "In the palace, everyone addresses each other as sisters. Rank is just an empty title, so why bother with such things?"
Liu Ningwei's voice faltered, her expression turned somewhat unpleasant, and she inwardly harbored resentment towards Xia Tian's confidant.
She is clearly the highest-ranking Consort Kang, yet she's saying something like "rank is just an empty title"—how hypocritical!
But on the surface, Liu Ningwei smiled and nodded to Xia Tianxin: "Sister is right, it is I who am narrow-minded."
Zhu Houzhao didn't care at all about the verbal sparring between Liu Ningwei and Xia Tianxin; he simply lowered his head and asked Li Xianran.
"Consort Shu, what do you think?"
Li Xianran's gaze swept over Xia Tianxin and Liu Ningwei, finally turning to Zhu Houzhao, and she said softly, "This concubine will follow Your Majesty's arrangements."
Li Xianran's mind was as clear as a mirror.
When she first served Zhu Houzhao in bed, she performed so poorly that Zhu Houzhao had no impression of her at all.
Her status in the palace steadily declined, and she suffered constant coldness and neglect.
She spent those three months in endless pain, regret, and self-blame.
Now that Heaven has opened its eyes and she is pregnant with Zhu Houzhao's child, she is determined to hold onto Zhu Houzhao's heart no matter what!
She knew very well that fighting with the other concubines would be pointless if she wanted to live comfortably in the palace.
Only by maintaining Zhu Houzhao's continued imperial favor can the path be considered legitimate.
Zhu Houzhao smiled slightly, already understanding Li Xianran's thoughts.
"Then let's move to Changchun Palace, Ning'an Hall. Let's move now."
"Also, send ten more palace maids and ten more eunuchs to serve Consort Shu, and send more jewelry and ornaments as well."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Gu Dayong waited outside the palace for the imperial decree. Upon hearing Zhu Houzhao's order, he immediately sent someone to carry it out.
Soon, the Ning'an Hall of Changchun Palace was cleaned up, and Gu Dayong came to inform Zhu Houzhao.
"Alright, let's go to Changchun Palace now. I'll stay there tonight."
"Yes, Your Majesty," Li Xianran replied with a smile, his head bowed.
Zhu Houzhao and Li Xianran both stood up and walked out of the hall.
Zhu Houzhao waved to the concubines behind him and said in a calm tone, "You may all leave now."
After hearing this, the concubines, led by Xia Tianxin, bowed to the backs of Zhu Houzhao and Li Xianran.
"Yes, Your Majesty, I respectfully see you off."
Shangguan Haitang stood at the palace gate and bowed to Zhu Houzhao and Li Xianran as they left.
She was supposed to be serving the emperor in Cining Palace today, but Zhu Houzhao has completely forgotten about her and is resting in Changchun Palace with Li Xianran.
All of this was because Li Xianran was pregnant with the emperor's child.
Thinking of this, Shangguan Haitang touched her belly and exerted a little force.
……
Changchun Palace.
Ning'an Hall.
All kinds of daily necessities are available here.
Li Xianran didn't have much to bring, so he quickly finished packing.
After settling in, Zhu Houzhao and Li Xianran lay down on the bed to rest.
Li Xianran lay in Zhu Houzhao's arms, resting her head on his arm, her breath sweet as orchids.
"Your Majesty, the imperial physician says my pregnancy is stable, and if the baby is still a little weak, it shouldn't be a problem."
Zhu Houzhao's heart skipped a beat, and he was somewhat surprised.
He vaguely remembered that Li Xianran was very shy and timid, and that he was trembling all over when he first served the emperor.
How come you've become so bold now?
Zhu Houzhao hesitated and said, "This isn't a good idea; I'm worried it might harm my health."
"It's alright, Your Majesty, please don't move. Let me serve you."
As Li Xianran spoke, he unknowingly found himself standing on Zhu Houzhao.
"His Majesty……"
Li Xianran let out a satisfied sigh.
……
The following day, when Zhu Houzhao left Changchun Palace, he was radiant and had a satisfied smile on his face.
After leaving Changchun Palace, Zhu Houzhao went directly to Fengtianmen Square and convened today's court assembly.
The weather is getting hotter and hotter, and summer has arrived in the blink of an eye.
During this period, several matters that Zhu Houzhao was concerned about were progressing according to plan and on schedule.
The first task is to conduct a thorough investigation of all the land in the country, which is progressing slowly.
Landlords and gentry in various places were very dissatisfied with the land survey.
However, no one dared to openly oppose the imperial court's land survey, so they could only sabotage it behind the scenes, which was harmless.
The real trouble was the investigation of the lands of the powerful regional princes. Princes kept submitting memorials, asking Zhu Houzhao to make an exception for them.
However, Zhu Houzhao kept all of them hidden and did not issue them. The officials who were surveying the land in various places continued to do their best to investigate the specific amount of land in each place.
In addition, the flintlock muskets and breech-loading cannons manufactured by the Ministry of Works have been transferred by Zhu Houzhao to the Shenji Battalion for combat training.
This allowed the Ming Dynasty's capital army to quickly become accustomed to the use of firearms in actual combat.
The soldiers throughout the camp were amazed by the convenience of flintlock muskets and breech-loading cannons, as well as their immense destructive power.
Such advanced firearms will inevitably revolutionize the way we fight today.
Everyone eagerly awaited the arrival of more firearms and cannons.
The Ministry of Works did not disappoint them, continuing to produce flintlock muskets and breech-loading cannons day and night.
Of course, while producing firearms and cannons, the Ministry of Works also continued the projects of repairing palaces and expanding the Leopard House.
The Qianqing Palace and Kunning Palace are expected to be completed by the end of the year, while the expansion of the Leopard Room is expected to be finished in August.
Meanwhile, the Ming Dynasty money shops in various places have already opened for business.
Shangguan Haitang suspended the issuance of salt permits by the Daming Money Shop near Jingtong Warehouse and changed it to allow Daming Money Shops in various regions to issue salt permits.
This move greatly benefited merchants transporting grain in various regions.
They no longer needed to transport grain thousands of miles to Tongzhou, but instead transported it to the nearby Daming Money Shop to exchange for salt permits.
Soon, the Ming Dynasty banks in the prosperous south were overflowing with grain, but the banks in the remote border regions remained empty.
As a result, Shangguan Haitang once again suspended the issuance of salt permits to the Ming Dynasty's money houses, whose granaries were overflowing.
This forced merchants from all over the country to transport grain to the Ming Dynasty's money shops in remote areas, thus achieving full coverage of grain throughout the Ming Dynasty.
Meanwhile, the first summer tax of the Zhengde era of the Ming Dynasty had already been collected.