pappabearbooks Chapter 48 Appoints Shangguan Haitang as Commander!
Chapter 48 Appoints Shangguan Haitang as Commander!
Shangguan Haitang was in a state of utter confusion. Zhu Houzhao's sudden action left her stunned and at a loss.
She certainly didn't have any hostile feelings towards Zhu Houzhao. To become the emperor's woman was something that all women in the world would want.
But she hesitated because she was dressed as a man.
Could it be that Zhu Houzhao realized she was a man disguised as a woman?
Zhu Houzhao looked at Shangguan Haitang, who had not made a move, and his face darkened with displeasure.
"What? You don't want to?"
"Are you going to disobey the imperial decree?"
Shangguan Haitang hurriedly knelt before Zhu Houzhao, explaining hastily, "No, Your Majesty, I dare not, I only... only..."
"Then what are you waiting for?"
Having said all that, what else could Shangguan Haitang say?
"Yes, Your Majesty."
She stood up, took off her top, and came to Zhu Houzhao.
The bed curtains fell, and Zhu Houzhao's surprised voice came through: "Don't you feel uncomfortable being wrapped up so tightly every day?"
"No wonder he has a martial arts background, his skin is so firm."
"You're too tense, relax a bit."
Shangguan Haitang blushed and whispered, "Your Majesty..."
……
The next day.
After Zhu Houzhao opened his eyes, he looked at Shangguan Haitang, who was already awake in his arms, and couldn't help but hug her even tighter.
Tsk, people who practice martial arts have low body fat percentages and are all muscle.
Unlike the women in the imperial harem, whose body fat percentage was alarmingly high and whose skin was fine and smooth, like holding a pool of water.
Even as Shangguan Haitang lay in Zhu Houzhao's arms, she still felt a sense of unreality.
The person lying next to her at this moment was none other than the Emperor of the Great Ming Dynasty. She never dreamed that one day she would become the Emperor's woman.
Shangguan Haitang rested her head on Zhu Houzhao's chest, pressing herself even closer to him.
Zhu Houzhao curled the corners of his lips: "Awake?"
"Yes, she's awake."
Shangguan Haitang raised her head, hesitated for a moment, and then asked, "Your Majesty, when did you find out that Haitang was a woman?"
Zhu Houzhao smiled slightly: "Is there anything in this world that I don't know?"
"Alright, let's get down to business."
Zhu Houzhao looked into Shangguan Haitang's eyes and asked earnestly, "Do you want to stay in the palace and enjoy a life of leisure, or continue to serve me outside the palace?"
After Zhu Houzhao said those words, he clearly felt Shangguan Haitang's body tense up, and her expression was filled with nervousness.
At this moment, Shangguan Haitang finally realized what was happening.
Once a woman becomes the emperor's concubine, she must remain in the palace and await Zhu Houzhao's favor.
Although there's nothing wrong with staying in the palace and enjoying a life of leisure, there's much more freedom and opportunity to serve Zhu Houzhao outside the palace!
Shangguan Haitang clenched her fists and looked at Zhu Houzhao with pleading eyes: "Your Majesty, Haitang still wishes to manage the salt estates for Your Majesty outside the palace. Please grant my request."
Zhu Houzhao nodded. Shangguan Haitang was exceptionally capable, and it was indeed a waste of her talents to keep her in the palace and let her waste her time.
"Very well, since you don't want to stay in the palace, then I won't bestow any title upon you."
Zhu Houzhao thought for a moment and said, "Although you are currently a secret agent of the Imperial Palace, you do not yet hold a formal position in the court."
"Alright then, I hereby appoint you as the Commander of the Tengxiang Left Guard and grant you the title of Xuanwu General. From now on, you may freely enter and leave the Imperial Palace."
Shangguan Haitang's eyes widened in surprise, and she quickly expressed her gratitude: "Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty. I will do my utmost to serve you."
"We're all family, so let's skip these formalities from now on."
Zhu Houzhao pulled Shangguan Haitang close and couldn't help but cherish her tenderly once more.
Afterwards, Shangguan Haitang diligently reported her duties to Zhu Houzhao before leaving the Forbidden City with a flushed face.
……
The Ministry of Revenue.
Zhou Jing, the newly appointed Grand Secretary of the Hall of Diligent Governance and concurrently Minister of Revenue, has begun to investigate the specific items of the autumn harvest in the eighteenth year of the Hongzhi reign, under the orders of Zhu Houzhao.
Looking at the data in his hand, Zhou Jing couldn't help but sigh.
Zhou Jing was not unaware of the problems with the Ming Dynasty's tax system, but what could he do even if he knew?
During the Hongzhi era, the late emperor intended to reform the tax system, but he had no power and was unable to implement the reform.
After finally seizing power, he died before he could even begin to collect taxes.
Reforming the tax system is an incredibly difficult task.
Zhou Jing sighed, picked up the memorial in his hand, and hurried to the Qianqing Palace.
Outside the Qianqing Palace, after Liu Jin announced his arrival, Zhou Jing entered the East Warm Pavilion.
The east-facing warm room was heated by an underfloor heating system, making it as warm as spring.
Zhu Houzhao sat on the soft couch, listening to the report from Cao Zhengchun, the supervisor of the Eastern Depot.
"Your Majesty, the Eastern Depot has already confiscated the property of Liu Jian, Xie Qian, Ma Wensheng, and others."
"A total of 800,000 taels of silver and 16,000 mu of land were confiscated from Liu Jian's home."
"Two million one hundred thousand taels of silver and 31,000 mu of land were confiscated from Xie Qian's house."
"A total of 1.4 million taels of silver and 49,000 mu of land were confiscated from Ma Wensheng's home."
"The Zhang family, including Zhang Heling and Zhang Yanling, was the richest. A total of 5.5 million taels of silver and 110,000 mu of land were confiscated from them."
Zhu Houzhao let out a series of cold laughs: "So, Liu Jian is actually the most incorruptible official?"
"After serving as Grand Secretary for so many years, he only embezzled 800,000 taels of silver. Should I thank him?"
Cao Zhengchun shrank back, lowered his head even further, and dared not speak.
Zhu Houzhao said irritably, "Don't talk about it separately, just give me an overall figure."
"Yes, Your Majesty. This time, the total amount exceeded twelve million taels of silver, eight hundred thousand mu of land, and sixteen hundred boxes of calligraphy, paintings, and treasures."
Twelve million taels of silver, that's incredibly wealthy!
When he first came to power, the national treasury couldn't even produce 1.8 million taels of silver.
He killed a few officials and seized so much silver. It's likely that all the silver in the world has ended up in the hands of these officials!
Seeing Zhou Jing enter the warm pavilion, Zhu Houzhao waved to Cao Zhengchun beside him: "Understood. Send all of it to the imperial treasury. You may leave."
"Yes, Your Majesty. This old servant takes his leave."
After bowing and taking his leave, Cao Zhengchun carefully withdrew from the warm pavilion.
After Cao Zhengchun left, Zhou Jing hurriedly stepped forward to report: "Your Majesty, the Ministry of Revenue has calculated the autumn tax revenue for the eighteenth year of the Hongzhi reign. Please review it."
Zhu Houzhao nodded: "Alright, please take a seat. Grand Secretary Zhou, please sit down and continue your discussion."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
After Zhou Jing took his seat, he unfolded the memorial in his hand: "Your Majesty, the autumn tax of the eighteenth year of Hongzhi was divided into two parts: tax in kind and tax in silver."
"Of these, the tax revenue in kind amounted to 19 million shi of grain, and the tax revenue in silver amounted to 2.8 million taels. The tax revenue in kind was further divided into..."
Upon hearing this, Zhu Houzhao was taken aback and immediately ordered a halt.
"Wait a minute, how come the taxes in the Ming Dynasty are so low?"
"Those corrupt officials all have over a million taels of silver in their homes, so how come the Ming Dynasty's tax revenue for half a year is less than three million taels of silver?"
"And the most crucial commodity, grain, is less than twenty million shi (a unit of dry measure)?!"
"Grand Secretary Zhou, tell me properly, what exactly is going on with the Ming Dynasty's tax system?!"